Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education

The Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education (NFIE) is a non-profit, tax exempt, religious and educational organization dedicated to serve Islam with a special focus on Tasawwuf(Sufism),

Friday, June 26, 2020

MCC-East Bay Workshop: Kitab al-Shifa of Qadi Iyad RA "Acquainting Ourselves with Prophet Muhammad (saws) - Dr.Ali Ataie -Video Lectures

MCC-East Bay Workshop: Kitab al-Shifa of Qadi Iyad RA "Acquainting Ourselves with Prophet Muhammad (saws) - Dr.Ali Ataie -Video Lectures

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9uyRQTMUugm9mvdn77Yv5nC6bfFJDYp7

Cancelled* Acquainting Ourselves with Muhammad (PBUH) | Series ...
Dr. Ali Ataie reads and reflects upon selected passages from the renowned classical text of prophetology known as Kitāb al-Shifāʾ bi-Taʿrīf Ḥuqūq al-Muṣtafā ("The Book of Healing Concerning the Recognition of the Rights of the Chosen One") by the great Malikite scholar and jurist Qāḍī ʿIyaḍ b. Mūsā al-Yaḥṣubī (d. 544/1149). The overall aim of this 10-week series is to increase our love for the Messenger of Allah (ṣallahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) thus gaining the pleasure of our Lord (subḥana-hu wa taʿālā). The method of actualizing this goal is to become well acquainted with the character, rank, special qualities, miracles, and life events of our Master Muḥammad drawn from the Qurʾān, Hadīṯ, Sīrah, and rigorous scholarship of the intellectual lights of the Sunnite tradition. Watch recordings in this series "Reflections on the Prophetology of Muhammad (PBUH): http://www.mcceastbay.org/prophethood More Dr. Ataie: http://www.mcceastbay.org/ali-ataie This workshop talk was delivered at the Muslim Community Center - East Bay (MCC East Bay) in Pleasanton, California on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. About the Book: The famous 6th century Hijra classical text Ash-Shifa is widely accepted as the best, most comprehensive and most important book about the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Its full Arabic title is Ash-Shifa’ bi-ta‘rif huquq Mustafa ("Healing by the Recognition of the Rights of the Chosen One"). Qadi Iyad ibn Musa al-Yahsubi writes in the Introduction: "You have repeatedly asked me to write something which gathers together all that is necessary to acquaint the reader with the true stature of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with the esteem and respect which is due to him, and with the verdict regarding anyone who does not fulfill what his stature demands or who attempts to denigrate his supreme status – even by as much as a nail-paring. I have been asked to compile what our forebears and Imams have said on this subject and I will amplify it with ayats from the Qur'an and other examples". This masterly translation is by Aisha Bewley. Muhammad, Messenger of Allah is the first English translation of Qadi Iyad's definitive text ash-Shifa. For a thousand years this beautiful and majestic book has guided the Muslim community to a straight and balanced path in their beliefs and practices concerning the Messenger, blessings of Allah and peace be upon him, in particular and the risalah (the message) in general. This book contains: About Qadi Iyad (476 - 544 AH/1083 - 1149 CE) Abu'l-Qadl Iyad ibn Musa ibn Iyad al-Yahsubi, Qadi of Ceuta during the time of the Murabitun. He travelled to Andalus to study and in Cordoba he learnt from such luminaries as Ibn Rushd, the grandfather of the Qadi and philosopher of the same name. Iyad was already accepted in scholarly circles when he was eighteen and was appointed qadi when he was 35 becoming first the qadi of Ceuta in 515 AH/ 1121 CE and later Granada in Spain in 531 AH/ 1136 CE. He was exemplary in his knowledge of the sciences of hadith from which ocean he drew his astonishing work ash-Shifa. He also wrote the Foundations of Islam on fiqh, and Tartib al-Madarik on the luminaries of the school of Madina. He opposed Ibn Tumart's claim to be the Mahdi and was exiled to Marrakech where he was murdered.The Translator: Aisha BewleyAisha Abdurrahman at Tarjumana Bewley is one of today's most prolific translators of classical Arabic works into English. For more than thirty-five years she has been concerned with making the contents of many classical Arabic works more accessible to English-speaking readers. She is co-translator of The Noble Qur'an A New Rendering of its Meaning in English. Other works include Al-Muwatta of Imam Malik, The Meaning of Man, Mu'awiya - Restorer of the Muslim Faith, A Glossary of Islamic Terms, Islam: The Empowering of Women and Muslim Women, a Biographical Dictionary.
Qadi Ayyad Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qadi_Ayyad
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Ash-Shifa-Muhammad-Messenger-Allah/dp/B000X4OAXG

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Mawlana Waliyunabi Mujaddidi Naqshbandi (d.1903)


Mawlānā Shaykh Walī an-nabī Mujaddidī Naqshbandī Rāmpurī was one of the distinguished deputies of Shāh Ahmad Saʻīd Mujaddidī. He was a male descendant of the great Mujaddid Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindī (d.1034 AH).
:


Genealogy
Shaykh Walī an-Nabī was son of
Mawlānā Habīb an-Nabī (d.1261 AH), son of
Mawlānā Ḍiyā an-Nabī Mujaddidī (d. 1215 AH), son of
Shāh ʻInāyat an-Nabī Mujaddidī, son of
Shāh Sultān al-Mashāikh Mujaddidī, son of
Shaykh ʻAsmat-Allāh Mujaddidī, son of
Shaykh Muhammad Yaʻqūb Mujaddidī, son of
Shaykh Muhammad Saʻīd Fārūqī (d.1070 AH), son of
The Great Mujaddid Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindī Fārūqī (d.1034 AH)
Biography
He was born in Rāmpur, India, in 1244 AH.
At the age of four years and four months, he started his education by reciting the first Surah of the Quran, according to the tradition of Indian Muslims. When he was asked to recite Bismillah, he continued reciting the Quran until he finished three and half juz (juz = 30th part of the Quran). Later when he was asked how he recited this, he replied that he used to listen to other children reciting the Quran and memorized what he heard.
After memorizing the Holy Quran, he studied first at Rāmpur and later in Kolkata. To learn the spiritual path of the Naqshbandī Order, he went to Delhi and took initiation at the hands of Shāh Ahmad Saʻīd Mujaddidī, who was the resident shaykh at Khānqāh Mazhariyah. He lived in the company of his master for about three years, and was finally awarded deputyship.
He was completely disengaged with dunyā (material belongings) and lived a life full of piety and simplicity. He would go to masjid quite early and wait there for other people to arrive before starting the prayer. In the night, he would wake up at around one and would pray Tahajjud. Later in the life he lost his eyesight. Because he did not like to wake up his family members for help, he would often hit beds and other furniture while trying to get to pray. This led to visible signs of injuries in his lower legs.
For some time, he was the resident shaykh at Khānqāh Mazhariyah in Delhi. When Shaykh Abul-Khayr Mujaddidī took charge of the khānqāh, he left and settled permanently in Rāmpur.
Once Nawāb Hāmid Alī, the ruler of Rāmpur, asked him to write a talisman. He wrote one but asked the Nawāb to return it after the desired effect was achieved. However, Nawāb locked the talisman in a secure place. When the shaykh met him after the talisman had worked, he asked the Nawāb to return it, who refused. The shaykh only smiled but said nothing more. A few days later, when the Nawāb opened the safe to get the talisman, he was surprised to see that it wasn’t there.
Shaykh Walī an-Nabī died on 12 Rabīʻ ath-Thānī 1321 AH (July 1903) in Rāmpur, and was buried in his own property. His funeral was attended by a huge crowd, that included ministers and officials of the Rāmpur state.
He married twice and left two sons and a daughter. One of his spiritual deputies was Munshī Rashad ʻAlī Khān Naqshbandī.
References
Tazkirah Kāmilān-i Rāmpur

Prof.Dr.Mehmet Gormez's Address at International Imam-i-Rabbani Symposium,Istanbul

Uluslararası İmam I Rabbani Sempozyumu - HaberImam Rabbani aimed to build the future with his letters : Prof.Dr.Mehmet Görmez [Who (born 1959) is the President of the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Turkish: Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, commonly known as Diyanet) and as such legally the highest level Islamic cleric in Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.____Head of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez attended the International Imam-ı Rabbani Symposium at the İstanbul Haliç (Golden Horn) Congress Center..
Mehmet Görmez-Diyanet) "İmam-ı Rabbani mektuplarla geleceği inşa ...Speaking at the opening of the the symposium jointly organized by the Aziz Mahmut Hudayi Foundation, the Marmara University Theology Faculty and the İstanbul Islamic Philosophy Research Center, Head of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez said he feels great joy of observing a symposium being held for Imam-ı Rabbani, a leading member of the school of wisdom who he said with his letters aimed to build the future.
“Today look at the course of events that countries in the Islamic geography are going through and think of the environment of clashes and violence in the geography of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan where Imam-i Rabbani lived. In light of all these it is really important that scientists and scholars will be discussing the struggle of Imam-i Rabbani, his understanding of religion and Islamic philosophy and his movement of renewal (revival of Sunnism)” and said in the letters of Imam-i Rabbani here are some of the highlights that he wants to dwell upon;
“Think of a scholar who sent letters to people four centuries ago trying to create renewal in the lives of Muslims…”
Think of a scholar who did not suffice by producing valuable writings and sent letters to people four centuries ago trying to create renewal in the lives of Muslims. We have to take note of this. Those letters were not sent only to people in his own geography. The letters were sent to the leaders, administrators, scholars and Islamic philosophers in his geography. At times he responds to the questions of an ordinary person but the issue he responds to affects the whole society. He gets their world going. He does not only write letters to people in his own geography but to all all corners of the world. Envisage a great scholar who tries to revive the lives of Muslims all around the world by sending letters.
“You see Imam-i Rabbani ideas in the yeast of the religious beliefs, religious and spiritual life in Anatolia…”
These letters also show us something else. Despite the fact that these letters were addressed to certain people at a certain time period when people four centuries later read them they feel as if the letter was addressed to them. The letters of Imam-i Rabbani is actually addressed to the future instead of people in his won century. That is why you see Imam-i Rabbani ideas in the yeast of the religious beliefs, religious and spiritual life in Anatolia. You do not have to go too far. You see the traces and wisdom of these letters written four centuries ago in the Works of Bediüzzaman (Saidi Nursi) and poet Necip Fazıl.
“In his letters Imam-i Rabbani aimed to build the future…”
Imam-i Ghazali in his masterpiece İhya-ı Ulumiddin has evaluated the past. However, Imam-i Rabbani aimed to build the future with his letters. The revival movement of Imam Gazali was based on finding answers to three major problems. First he tried to arrange the relationship between religion and politics. Then he tried to arrange the relationship between religion and philosophy and Islamic law and Islamic philosophy. While in the letters of Imam-i Rabbani we see answers from to the most trivial Islamic law issues to major world problems we also see that there are three issues upon which he dwells upon with great sensitivity. Again first is the relationship between religion and politics. In his letters he has opposed the irresponsible attitude and actions of Akhbar who tried to give a new face to Islam. He said Akhbar has no right and is not qualified to regulate Islam and that the duty of politics is to facilitate all its resources to allow Islam to run in its own natural course.
“In the letters of Imam-i Rabbani you can see Islamic law and Islamic philosophy arranged in and excellent manner…”
The second basic issue that Imam-i Rabbani took up in his letters is the relationship between Islamic law and Islamic philosophy. In his humble words he talks about Islamic law as “you are a venerable science and knowledge above all sciences and knowledge but do not prevent the experiences of the believers to prevail fort he sake of nurturing the heart and reach piety and asceticism.” But he addresses Islamic philosophy and Sufism as “while you enjoy this great experience you do not have the right to step out of the borders of Islamic law. We see in his letters the wonderful way he arranges the relationship between Islamic law and Islamic philosophy. Islamic law is the natural course of water. However, Islamic philosophy and Sufism will flow in this course. However, it can find new paths in this course.
“In Sufism, the water entering the hearts has to be clean and clear…”
The third issue that the letters deal with is Islamic philosophy and Sufism which is the water entering our hearts that has to be clean and clear. Sufism and Islamic philosophy is the water that runs into our hearts but it should not be contaminated by innovation, superstitions, wrong traditions and habits, and through desires. Even if the water runs in its course it is no use to anyone if it is polluted and not clear. The water that cannot be consumed is of no good even if its runs within the course determined by Islamic law.
Head of Religious Affairs Görmez ended his speech quoting a letter from Imam-i Rabbani “I understood out of experience that the perception of those who display skill is their ability to differ between those who are of use to Allah-u taa’la and those who do not.”
Besides Head of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez, Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Foundation Honorary President Osman Nuri Topbaş, Deputy Head of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Hasan Kamil Yılmaz, Prof. Dr. Hayrettin Karaman, TRT Director General Ibrahim Şahin, academicians from various universities, thinkers, representatives of NGOs and a large gathering of guests attended the symposium.
Source: Muhammad Mujaddidi's FaceBook

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Foundations of the Spiritual Path By Sidi Ahmad Zarruq (Translated by Hamza Yusuf)


The noble scholar, the unique of his age, the regulator of the scholars and the saints, Sidi Ahmad Zarruq al-Barnusi al-Fasi, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote the following:
IF ANYONE is asked about the foundations of his path, he should reply,
Hamza YusufThe foundations of our path are five:
Taqwa – mindfulness of Allah, privately and publicly 
Adherence to the Sunna in word and deed
Indifference to whether others accept or reject one
Contentment with Allah in times of both hardship and ease
Turning to Allah in prosperity and adversity.
The realization of mindfulness of Allah is through scrupulousness and uprightness. The realization of adherence to the Sunnah is through caution and excellent character. The realization of indifference to others’ acceptance or rejection is through patience and trust in Allah. The realization of contentment is through acceptance of what one is given and turning over the management of one’s affairs to Allah. The realization of turning back to Allah is through praise and gratitude in times of prosperity and taking refuge in Him in times of affliction.
The foundations of the preceding five are in the following five:
Exalted aspirations
Maintaining Allah’s reverence
Expending oneself in excellent service of others
Fulfilling one’s resolves
Magnifying one’s blessings.
He whose aspirations are exalted is raised in rank. Allah maintains the respect of he who preserves His reverence. He whose service is for others is ennobled by it. He who does that which he resolves to do is assured continual guidance. He who deems blessings to be great by his own eye has shown gratitude. And he who is grateful ensures and increases in blessings from the Giver of gifts according to the promise of the Truthful One.
The foundations of right conduct are five:
Seeking sacred knowledge in order to fulfill Allah’s commands
Keeping company with spiritual guides and the fraternity of aspirants to gain insight into one’s faults
Foregoing dispensations and interpretations concerning injunctions for one’s own protection
Organizing one’s time with the remembrance of Allah to maintain presence of heart
Suspecting the selfish soul (nafs) in everything in order to free oneself from its whimsical desires and to be safe from destructive circumstances.
The pitfall of seeking knowledge is the company of sophomoric people, whether due to their age, intellect, or deficient religious practice – in other words, those who do not refer to sound principles of guidance in their actions.
The pitfall of keeping company with the spiritual guides and the fraternity is elitism, deception, and self-righteous meddling in the affairs of others.
The pitfall of foregoing dispensations and interpretations concerning injunctions is self-pity due to hardships.
The pitfall of organizing one’s time with devotional works is ostentatious practice and ritualized perfunctory devotion.
The pitfall of constantly suspecting the selfish soul is inclining towards its upright states and goodliness, yet Allah says, “Were he to offer every kind of compensation, it would not be accepted from him” (Quran 6:70).
Moreover, the noble son of the noble one, Joseph the son of Jacob, peace be upon them both, says, in the Quran, “I do not say the selfish soul was free from blame. The selfish soul indeed commands to evil acts – except for those on whom my Lord has mercy” (12:53).
The foundations of what will cure the sickness of the soul are five:
Moderation achieved by lightening the stomach’s intake of food and drink
Taking refuge in Allah from harm when it actually occurs
Vigilantly avoiding places where one fears misdeeds will occur
Continually asking forgiveness of Allah coupled with devotional prayers upon
the Prophet, peace be upon him, in both solitude and gatherings of people
Keeping company with one who guides to Allah. Unfortunately, such a one no longer exists!
Abu Hasan Shadhili, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
My beloved counseled me not to put my feet anywhere except where I hoped for Allah’s reward, not to sit anywhere except where I was safe from disobedience to Allah, not to accompany anyone except someone in whom I could find support in obedience to Allah, and not to select anyone for myself other than those who increased my certainty, and how rare they are to find!
He also said, may Allah be pleased with him,
Whoever directs you to this world has cheated you; whoever directs you to deeds has exhausted you; but whoever directs you to Allah has truly counseled you.
He also said, may Allah be pleased with him,
Make piety (taqwa) your abode, and the delight of your selfish soul will do you no harm so long as it is discontent with its faults and does not persist in acts of disobedience nor abandons the awareness of Allah in solitude.
I say that being content with the self, persisting in disobedient acts, and abandoning awareness of Allah are the foundations of all illnesses, tribulations, and pitfalls.
I have also seen that the seekers of this age are afflicted with five things:
The preference of ignorance over knowledge
Being deluded by every spiritual impostor
The inability to prioritize important matters
Using the spiritual path as a means to inflate the selfish soul
Attempting to expedite a spiritual opening without fulfilling its prerequisite conditions.
This has resulted in five other afflictions:
Preferring innovations as opposed to the tried and true prophetic practice (Sunna)
Following the people of claims and conceit as opposed to the truth
Acting on capricious desires in all of their affairs, even the most celestial
Preferring fantasies to realities
The manifestation of claims without sincerity.
From these last five, five more have emanated:
Obsessive compulsive thoughts in acts of devotion
Laxity in matters of habitual practice
Perfunctory devotional gatherings of invocation and chanting that lack inspiration
Inclination toward people of rank and authority
Companionship of those immersed in worldly matters, even mixing with the opposite sex and childish companions, based upon far-fetched rationalizations they extrapolated from witnessing the like among real people of the path. They will even mention such people’s states and stations as a justification. On the other hand, had they had true enlightenment,
they would have understood that seeking one’s provision is a dispensation for those lacking certainty, and that includes only the necessities of life without exceeding the necessary. Anyone lax in these matters is distant from Allah.
As for devotional gatherings, they are permitted for people overpowered by their states or as a respite for people of excellent character. Indeed, such practice is akin to settling upon the carpet of truth if done in accordance with its requisite conditions among suitable people and in an appropriate place, not to mention fulfilling its required courtesies and protocols.
Obsessive-compulsive thoughts arise from innovation, the basis of which is in ignorance of the prophetic practice or in some psychological affliction.
Any propensity toward creation is by nature the lack of such toward the truth. This is especially so coming from an obsequious chanter, a heedless tyrant, or an ignorant sufi. The company of the immature is harmful,as well as a worldly and otherworldly shortcoming, and an acceptance of such company even worse. Shaykh Abu Madyan said, “‘The immature’ means anyone who is not in conformance with the spiritual path you are on, even if it were someone who reached ninety years of age.”
I say the immature are those who are not firmly rooted in principle; they accept things at face value and are impassioned by them. The vast majority of such people are those who are pretentious in their associations with a spiritual group and prefer conversations to real spiritual work. Avoid them to the utmost of your ability.
Anyone who claims to have a station with Allah while any of the following five happen to emanate from him is either a liar or deluded:
Allowing any of his members to fall into sinful disobedience
Affectations in his devotional practice
Expectations from the creation
Backbiting against the people of Allah
Lacking the proper respect for
Muslims in accordance with the commands of Allah. Indeed, such people rarely die in a state of grace.
The qualifications of the spiritual guide with whom the seeker may safely entrust his self
are the following five:
Unadulterated spiritual experience
Sound outward knowledge
Celestial aspirations
A pleasing state
Penetrating inner perception.
Whoever has any of the following five cannot be a true spiritual guide:
Ignorance of the religion
Disregard for the reverence of other Muslims
Engaging in matters of no concern to him
Following his caprice in his affairs
Unashamed displays of bad manners followed by lack of remorse.
The spiritual courtesies of a student with his or her spiritual guide and fellow wayfarers are also five:
Following the directions of the guide, even if it is contrary to one’s own preference
Avoiding what the guide forbids, even if it would appear to be highly adverse to the student
Maintaining utmost reverence for them in their presence and absence, during their lives and after their deaths
Giving them their due according to one’s ability without stint
Relinquishing one’s own understanding, knowledge, and leadership to that of the teacher, unless these are already in accordance with one’s teacher.
Should the seeker not find a guiding teacher or find one who is lacking in any of these five conditions, he should depend on him only in those conditions the teacher fulfills. As for areas he is wanting in, he should treat him like a brother regarding them. Thus ends the five foundations with the praise, help, and perfect success of Allah.
It is necessary to read this every day, once or twice, and if that is not possible, then at least once a week until its meanings are imprinted on one’s soul and manifest in one’s behavior. Indeed, it contains that which enables one to dispense with many books and much advice, and it is said, “Surely they have been denied arrival by their neglect of the foundations.”
Whoever reflects deeply on what we have said will acknowledge its truth, and he will continue to have recourse to it, using it as a reminder for him.
Success is ultimately by Allah. Finis
Sidi Ahmad Zarruq
Source: Zaytuna seasons journal | Spring | Summer 2003
Qawa'id al-Tasawwuf, The Principles of Sufism, PhD Thesis by Zaineb s. Estrabadi PDF :https://www.themathesontrust.org/library/qawaid-al-tasawwuf
Ahmad Zarruq,His Life & Work, Khushaim,Ali Fahmy Ph.D Thesis,Durham University,UK
http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7919/
YouTube Video-Friends of Allah: Shaykh Ahmad Zarruq by Shaykh Faisal Hamid Abdur Razak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2z04P-SW_w

The Basics of Tasawwuf - by Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi

Prominent scholar Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi listed among world's ... The Basics of Tasawwuf
(This chapter is by Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi)

1- Definition: Purification of the heart.
True devotion to Allah in the ways He likes by the means He likes.
... Acting upon knowledge;
Acquiring the good characters and getting rid of the bad. 
2- Subject: Allah, as how He can be known; or hearts & souls, as how to purify them.
3- Fruit: The purification of the heart and knowing the Master of the worlds and attaining the Station of ihsan.
4- Merit: Tasawwuf is of high merit. Its nobility stems from its subject. Ihsan is one of the three levels of this deen and the highest.
5- Relation to other disciplines: It is the base of the Sharia; without it acts of worship become imperfect. It is the core of Quran and Sunnah and the tissue of Muslims spiritual life.
6- Name: The word "tasawwuf" is derived from souf (wool). Tasawwuf has been known by this name since the second century of hijra, i.e. the time of the salaf. It has been frequently called `ilm as-Sulûk (initiatic traveling & spiritual behaviour), `ilm al-Ihsân, `ilm at-Tarbiyah (cultivation) or `ilm at-Tazkiyah (purification).
7- The pioneer: The pioneer of this branch of knowledge is of course the Prophet saws. Many hadiths highlight the spiritual dimension of a Muslim's life.The earliest scholar who elaborated on it is al-Hasan al-Basriy.
8- Sources: Tasawwuf is derived from Quran and Sunnah.The sayings of the great scholars represent a rich treasure for the seekers and the masters.
9- Ruling: Acquiring tasawwuf is fard i.e. obligatory; since all human beings are susceptible to sins save for Prophets. Imam Abul Hasan ash-Shadiliy said:
“He who does not truly acquire this discipline will die persisting on major sins without being aware of it.”
10- What it tackles: Tasawwuf tackles some of the cardinal elements of the deen such as sincerity; truthfulness; religious caution (wara); conscious awareness (khushu) reliance; asceticism; love; and similarly their opposites, which are the diseases of the hearts such as insincerity; hypocrisy; arrogance; greed etc.
It also tackles subtle subjects such as the passing of thoughts; the states of the heart; inspirations. One of its most important subjects is dhikr, the remembrance (i.e. in the evocation & recitation of the name) of Allah and its virtues; another is the shaykh and his qualifications, the disciple, murid, and his adab.
11- Basic works in tasawwuf:
- The Beauty* of the Righteous by al-Hafiz Abu Nuaym al-Asfahani
- The Revival of the Sciences of the Deen- (Ihya) al-Imam al- Ghazali
- Al-Risalah of Imam Abul Qasim al-Qushayriy
- The Aphorisms, al-Hikam, of Imam Ibn Atta'illah
- Revelation of the Unseen by Imam Abdul Qadir al-Jaylaniy
- Awarif Al-Ma'arif, by al-Suhrawardi
- Qawa'id Al-Tasawwuf, by Imam Ahmad Zarooq
* (“The purpose of beauty is to draw the soul nearer to the Truth.” Sh. Umar F AbdAllah)
Source: https://www.livingislam.org/m/tsw_e.html

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

“Sufi Tradition in Morocco, Imam al-Jazuli & Dalail al-Khairat” A Lecture by Dr. Vincent Cornell, Professor Islamic Studies, Emory University

Prophet (saws)as"The Living Quran"1/6-Dr.Cornell - YouTube“Sufi Tradition in Morocco, Imam al-Jazuli & Dalail al-Khairat” A Lecture by Dr. Vincent Cornell, Professor Islamic Studies, Emory University

YouTube Video 


Sufi Tradition in Morroco, Imam al-Jazuli & Dala'il al-Khairat: Dr.Vincent Cornell, Professor Islamic Studies, Emory University. A lecture delivered at International Mawlid-un-Nabi Conference 1996, UIC, Chicago, Sponsored by Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic education (www.nfie.com) Contents" 1.Quranic Recitation: Qari Syed Faseehuddin Suharwardi, Pakistan 2.Devotional Poetry: Abdal Hayy Moore . American Muslim Poet 3.Lecture : Dr. Cornell ( Mansur Mujahid) 4.Arabic Nasheed: Adnan Siraj al-Din , Toronto 5. Dua, Supplication : Shaykh Muhammad Masum Naqshbandi (RA) Dr. Vincent Cornell's Biography : http://mesas.emory.edu/home/people/fa... Subscribe to NFIE YouTube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQwe... NFIE Website Link : http://www.nfie.com/welcome/index.asp NFIE Blog Link : http://wwwnfiecomblogspotcom.blogspot... NFIE Facebook:   / the-naqshbandiya-foundation-for-islamic-ed...  .

Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism: Vincent Cornell, Emory University

Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism ...Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism: Vincent Cornell, Emory University

Vincent Cornell's Realm of the Saint is a masterly work, indisputably authoritative, the result of more than twenty years of research on Sufism in Morocco and Al-Andalus. Drawing on a critical reading of a vast array of textual sources, including hagiographies, histories, didactic treatises, devotional works, and poetry, this book brings to light material that has been virtually untouched in academic studies on Moroccan Sufism. As Cornell points out, Morocco has become a paradigm for the anthropological analysis of Sufism, but the vast archival resources of Morocco had been hitherto largely untouched by academicians. Through detailed analysis of the lives of many Sufi saints as presented in hagiographical literature, exploring both the ideological and sociological dimensions of sainthood in the Moroccan context, he convincingly argues that the “doctor” versus “saint” topos that prevails in the anthropological literature does not do justice to the reality of pre-modern Moroccan Sufism. He also deconstructs the centrality of “maraboutism” and rurality in Moroccan Sufism. Cornell compares his findings with studies of saints in Europe by scholars such as Peter Brown and Thomas Heffernan, as well as with the Weberian theories of charismatic leadership that have prevailed among social scientists, displaying an extraordinary range of competence in the literature of several academic disciplines. It is a rarity to find a scholar of Cornell's deep understanding of Arabic and Islamic tradition who also places his research within the broader context of the study of religion. Nevertheless, scholars outside Islamic studies are unlikely to read this book because of its length, excessive detail, and frequent use of Arabic terms, despite the presence of a glossary of technical terms at the end of the book -Review by Dr.Valerie Hoffman, University of Illinois,Urbana-Champaign
PDF LINK:

WAHHABISM: FROM NAJD TO NEW YORK by MAURA LYNNE NELSON (Under the Direction of Kenneth Honerkamp),University of Georgia

WAHHABISM: FROM NAJD TO NEW YORK -Thesis
 by MAURA LYNNE NELSON (Under the Direction of Kenneth Honerkamp),University of Georgia

ABSTRACT Wahhabism: From Najd to New York addresses the life and teachings of Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, a religious reformer and theologian whose ideas have impacted the ideologies of many modern Muslims. This paper begins with a biography of Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab and an analysis of his book Kitab al-tawhid. Following this, the alliance between Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab and Muhammad Ibn Sa’ud is discussed. Next, the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is addressed in reference to the discovery of oil and the ensuing friendship between the Kingdom and America; which leads to a discussion about the Saudi Royal Family’s political legitimacy and relations with its population. Finally, Saudi indoctrination and the exportation of Wahhabism to many countries, including America, are evaluated. Overall, Wahhabism: From Najd to New York strives to show how Wahhabism is an active religious and political movement impacting Muslim communities across the globe.

TABLE OF CONTENTS  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................... iv CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 2 MUHAMMAD IBN ‘ABD AL-WAHHAB: HIS HOMELAND, LIFE AND TEACHINGS ............................................................................................................4 Kharidijites................................................................................................................9 
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal ..................................................................................................12 
Taqi al-Din Ahmad Ibn Taymiyah ..........................................................................15 
The Ideology of Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab.................................................20 3 
THE INITIAL SPREAD OF WAHHABISM..............................................................30 
Wahhab-Sa’ud Alliance ..........................................................................................32 
Formation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia............................................................35 4
 THE DISCOVERY OF OIL AND THE EMERGENCE OF AMERICAN-SAUDI RELATIONS...........................................................................................................39 
Wahhabism and American-Saudi Relations............................................................43 5 
ENSURING LEGITIMACY .......................................................................................50
 Internal Strife and Saudi Foreign Policy .................................................................55 6
 EXPORTING WAHHABISM.....................................................................................63
Wahhabism in America ...........................................................................................67
Organizations: Muslim Student Association (MSA)...............................................69 
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) .............................................................71 
North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) ...................................................................72 
World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) .......................................................74 
Education and Chaplains.........................................................................................75 7 CONCLUSION: THE CURRENT STATE OF WAHHABISM AND SAUDI ARABIA- LINKS BETWEEN PRO-WAHHABI, SAUDI-SUPPORTED CHARITIES AND TERRORISM...........................................................................80

Imam Rabbani Ahmad Sirhindi Mujaddid Alif Sani (RA) in the Words of Allama Muhammad Iqbal (RA)

ALLAMA IQBAL IN SPAIN.Sir Dr ALLAMA MUHAMMAD IQBAL. (Novem… | FlickrImam Rabbani Ahmad Sirhindi Mujaddid Alif Sani (RA) in the Words of Allama Muhammad Iqbal (RA)
Hazrat Ahmad Faruqi Mujaddid Alf Sani was born at Sirhind in 1563. He was initiated in the Naqshbandi order by Hazrat Baqi Billah R.A., He was acclaimed as the Mujaddid or the Reformer of Islam whose advent was expected after Islam was a thousand years old.
Many miracles are attributed to him. His greatest miracle is that he saved Islam from the heresy of Akbar’s ‘Din llahi. On accession, Jahangir summoned him to the court, and although he attended the court he refused to bow before the emperor. Jahangir imprisoned him in the Gwalior fort. He was released after three years when Jahangir himself became his disciple.
The great saint died in 1625, and was buried in Sirhind. His mausoleum is an important place of pilgrimage in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. Iqbal visited the shrine in 1934. in Bal-i-Jibril there is a poem which Iqbal wrote after he had visited the shrine.
 






The poem reads:
“I visited the shrine of Hazrat Mujaddid Alif Sani,
The dust of his shrine is a source of illumination,
The particles of this dust are more brilliant than the stars,
in this dust lies buried the great saint the knower of secrets
Who refused to bow his head before Jahangir
He whose burning soul warmed Islam.
He who was the Custodian of the Muslim Community in India
He whom God informed in time of the impending danger to Islam. A
t his shrine I prayed that Faqr may kindly be granted to me
i said my eyes can see, but they are not awake,
A voice came from the shrine, the chain of Faqr is closed.
The men of insight are unhappy with the land of the Punjab.
That is not the place for the gnostic to dwell,
Where ‘Faqr’ is used as a means of worldly power and money
Faqr stood for love for God,
But it has now become in the Punjab a hand maid of Government.”

Iqbal was critical of Sufism of the common type [Khanqahi] with its negative approach to life. Iqbal admired Mujaddid Alif Sani because he gave a positive orientation to Sufism. In his lectures on ‘The Reconstruction of Islamic thought* Iqbal has observed that whereas ordinary Sufism stood for simply seeing the vision, the reform movement of Hazrat Mujaddid Alif Sani stood for being something. According to Hazrat Mujaddid the ultimate aim of the ego is not to see something but to be something.
According to Iqbal who agreed with Mujaddid’s way of Sufism it is in the ego’s effort to be something that it discovers its final opportunity to sharpen its objectivity. The end of the ego’s quest is not emancipation from the limitations of individuality; it is on the other hand more precise definition of it. The final act is not an intellectual act, but a vital act which deepens the whole being of the ego, and sharpens the will with the creative assurance that the world is not something merely to be seen or known through concepts, but something to be made and remade by continuous action.

Prophet Muhammad (saws) as a Living Quran- Welcome Address -Justice Bahauddin Baha

Noble Character of the Prophet (saws)-3/6- Justice Bahauddin Baha ...Prophet Muhammad (saws) as a Living Quran- Welcome Address -Justice Bahauddin Baha

In the name of Allah, most Merciful, most Compassionate
         Praise be to Allah, who is unique in grandeur, alone in creating all things, His antiquity is beyond the determination of a beginning, His permanence is too sacred for decline or extinction, and its coming to an end can never be imagined.  The minds of the wise drown in the oceans of His omniscience, and the knowledge of the scholars’ shines when describing his self-sufficiency.
         May blessings be upon Muhammad, His servant and His Prophet, the chief of the Messengers, the leader of the God-conscious ones, the intercessor for the community on the day of judgment, the best of those who were made to ascend to the heavens and the place of great dignity, the chosen one, and may blessings be upon whoever follows that guidance.
One thousand times I swore that I would keep the secret of love
It is difficult not to burn when one is in the fire
I was conscious/sober at first since I had not given my heart to anyone
Ones I saw your qualities, neither reason nor consciousness remained.
         Respected scholars, masters of Sufism, sisters and brothers, believers, Muslims, may peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and his blessings
         We are gathered here today to celebrate the auspicious birth of the Master of the two worlds, the Prophet of God, Muhammad Mustafa, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family.  We take pride in being from his community, following the religion of human dignity, and being among those who have received the light-bestowing teachings of the Quran.
         I greet you with my heart brimming with sincere welcome for you who deeply love the beautiful presence and wonderful features of Muhammad (s) and who are the sincere followers of the religion of Muhammad (s).
         You who meet in this magnificent gathering, held to commemorate the auspicious birth of the Holy Prophet, are the people of heaven and the sincere lovers of the Quran.  In this hall filled with purity and love, we are gathered again to share this occasion, just as in previous years.
         On behalf of the Naqshbandiyya Foundation for Islamic Education, I give a heartfelt greeting and welcome to all of those who have come to this assembly and made efforts for the success of the program.
         I believe your participation is a demonstration of your love for the Holy Prophet and your enthusiasm for emulating the beautiful example, of the chosen one of Allah, the highest model for humanity in the world.  God willing, for every step you have taken on the way here, you will find goodness and blessings as a reward and recompense from Allah.
         Today, the 26 of July 1997, corresponds to the 22 of Rabi al-Awwal, 1418.  Tuesday morning on the 12 of Rabi al-Awwal, corresponding to the 22 of April, 571 Miladi, the world become illuminated by the light of existence and the good tidings of the birth of Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa.
         Since that day until this time, in the 1461 lunar years and 1426 solar years which have passed, comprising more than 14 and a half centuries, during which the exalted name of Muhammad has remained on every tongue, without any interruption.  Whether before his attaining to the station of Prophethood or after his being honored with the mantle of Prophethood, the lofty station of the Messenger has remained firmly planted in the hearts and minds of his followers.
         His sacred religion, shining with the light of the rays of the world-illuminating Quran, has spread out over the face of the earth, and no other law until today has ever been able to compete or compare to the heavenly path of Islam, because Islam is the religion of truth and morality, and the religion which develops human potential.
         It was part of the divine will that this prophetic message would be the last religion and the most perfect one.  He entrusted it to a prophet, who was in a state of illiteracy, and whose eloquent exposition, following of the spiritual path and the way of deeper wisdom, firmness of faith, and truth of actions, all bear testimony to his worthiness of Prophethood, as do his exalted character and the miracle of the Holy Qur'an.
         Before the mission of Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah, all the heavenly religions, and also all of the laws and codes developed by humans had proliferated so that every group were attached to a religion and bound to a code. Although there was some general acceptance of the heavenly religions at that time, still according to its own followers, every religion was respected and reasonable and even every false code was accepted by the hearts and minds of its followers.
         Islam was the most recent religion which had come into existence and announced it own appearance.  With unimaginable determination it abrogated all defective and false religions codes and laws, past and current, in favor of the divine unity and the message of Muhammad and overthrew the banners and stone and ivory idols they had worshipped.  It removed the basis of tyranny which was conceit, arrogance and the domination of leaders by force and wealth.  It established human equality as a primary principle and brought the eternal law of Allah to that materialistic society
         How was this new religion able in the shortest period and with astonishing rapidity, despite all difficulties, to prevail and then spread outside of the Arabian Peninsula and all over the face of the earth?
         The learned scholars of Islam have already completely covered this topic, still we can say that the masters of knowledge and insight and the researchers of high attainment agree on the importance of the revolutionary teachings of Islam and the primary role of the leadership of the pride of humanity, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S), in achieving this unprecedented acceptance.
         God willing, we will hear more on this topic today.  However, in the short time remaining, I wish to speak very briefly, focusing on the theme of the great character of Muhammad (S).
         His brilliant personality, trustworthiness, and honesty, his eloquent and persuasive speech, his iron will and constancy leave nothing lacking in the beautiful character of Muḥammad (saws).  Like Zamzam water, he brought the miraculous and holy divine Quran to the thirsting hearts of the Arabs who had been dried out by their hunger for status and money.  Although he had no high social position, he was able to reach their hearts despite the oppression of their leaders, and despite their power, force, and pride because of the purity and sweetness which the Holy Book was brimming.
         He proclaimed, for the first time, the beauty of the sacred verses of the Quran and the new religion.  The deeds of the great exemplar of Islam, establish and speak   which were a command of freedom and self-determination for humans for all humanity toward the divine guidance
         Other than guidance, divine inspiration, eloquent speech and firm and consistent virtue, the Prophet used no other force, arms, or violent means to draw people to Islam.  Out of their familiarity with the noble character of Muhammad (S), they realized that he was not a deceiver or liar, and that what he presented was the truth which they must accept and obey.
         Even those whose hearts had become so darkened by pride and lust for power that they could not accept from a person beneath them that they obstinately rejected the truth and remained in polytheism insisting on falsehood
         Still at no time did they have the force to deny the high character of the Prophet, his honesty and high virtues.  So that at the same time by various tricks and proposals they attempted to deal with the Prophet.  The great worshippers of falsehood among the Arabs were ready to give Muhammad rule over all nations and the leadership of the Quraysh tribe, material wealth, the choice of the most beautiful women, whichever worldly pleasure and powers he desired, but they would only accept a Prophet who went along with their rules and customs and who would not combat or end their false practices.
         Hazrat Muhammad, in answer to such people, said, "I have only been sent by God as a Messenger so that what He reveals will be revealed to you, and so that you will come to know the divine guidance and human fulfillment."  I didn't come to become a chief with power to possess he gold, land and women of the Arabs."
         Then the pagan Arabs of Quraysh made a proposal to him, "The condition for us accepting your religion and your God is that you incorporate some elements of our beliefs and support them.  This time, the Prophet Muhammad (S) replied with the eloquent and explicit Divine speech which declared, "Say (O Muhammad say), O disbelievers, I will never practice associations with those idols which you worship as Gods and you will never worship the one God whom I worship.  I will never worship your false Gods and you will never worship my one God.   So you keep your polytheistic and false religion and I shall worship the religion of tauḥˆid” Sūra Kāfirūn
         He vowed, "Still, until the day when you abandon shirk and come to the way of the unity of God and the worship of God, I will try to guide you.
         The Holy Prophet, through enduring the pain of his orphan childhood, deprived of the affection of both mother and father, understood from the time of his youth the need of a person for this first source of spiritual and emotional support, and for love and affection.  He instinctively realized the truth of that essence which humans take on with existence, and that the sole and best source of reliance is Allah, with whom refuge should be taken and who loves His creation.  Therefore, the path and character of Muhammad was love and affection, love and affection for the Creator and for the One who should truly be worshipped, whom every person should inevitably praise and love, together with the affection which everyone should hold for the human being who is the masterpiece of God's attributes and the khalifah of Allah on this earth.


         The pagan Arabs were in the clutches of tribalism, the actions of force and tyranny and seizing the wealth of the weak by force who then remained without any rights of any sort.  For Muhammad (S), this provoked grief and regret so that he realized the necessity of establishing a code and law in order to establish equality and respect for human rights, and so that all of the activities of a person would be protected.
         Therefore at the age of twenty-one or slightly more than this, according to historical reports, he formed a group of young men known as "the allies of virtue" to protect the rights of the oppressed and keep them from being overlooked.  This organization, in order to protect its integrity, sought no type of payments or wages from the oppressed.

         Let me recount one example related by a Roman historian and religious scholar, Georgius, and an Arab historian.  They report that an Arab from the South came to Mecca to perform the Hajj and by chance had his young daughter with him.
         In Mecca a merchant kidnapped the daughter and the father had no means to oppose and fight against that merchant and was completely helpless since no one was ready to listen to his problem and the injustice done to him.  Then Muhammad (S) was made aware of that event, asked the young men of the Quraysh who agreed that no such injustice should occur in Mecca.  The Holy Prophet called out "Labbaik" and the young men assembled beside the Ka’aba and vowed they would protect the oppressed to the fullest extent possible.  They joined with the Prophet and then they went to the house of that merchant and demanded that he should return the girl unharmed to her father, thus forcing the merchant to do so.
         After that event, any time in which someone was oppressed in Mecca he went to the army of the Allies of Virtue for support and they would help him.
         After he became a Prophet, Muhammad recalled the happiness and honor he felt in participating in this group and said he would not have exchanged that for a hundred red camels.
p. 7 This was the biggest initiative of Muhammad at this early time and it had a revolutionary effect on restoring the rights of the oppressed.
         The lofty conduct and character of Muhammad (S) before he was called to his prophetic mission was known to all the members of the Quraysh in terms of his being a person worthy of respect, dependable, and trustworthy, at the same time he never harmed anyone by word or deed, materially or emotionally.  Through magnanimity of soul and purification of the self and spirit he was so successful and dedicated that he never was compelled to support falsehood or corruption.  By means of inborn understanding he realized that power and capability was really limited to the One divine being, who has no partner or companion, and that worship should only be directed to the direction of His glory.
         For this reason, he never bowed his head in worship and submission before any stone or man-made idol and when he received the mantle of Prophethood this same lofty character, good example and beautiful personality supported his mission so that some of the most noble men and women among the Arabs from the beginning affirmed the prophecy of Muhammad and believed in his heavenly message without any type of pressure and compulsion.
         The greatest support in spreading the religion, day after day and convincing them of the eternal message of the heavenly book were the character, behavior, and speech of Muhammad. through which those who followed him found guidance and supported him with their very lives and gave their lives and property to protect him.
         We see that the basis and foundation of Islamic teachings is the person knowing himself, since one must understand one's own position and personality.  The Qur'ān says, "fˆ anfusikum a fa lā tabßirūn" on the earth are signs for those whose faith is sure, and in yourselves.  can you not see?" since very lofty effects are hidden in them. 
         There is also a hadith qudsiˆ, "Whoever knows himself (or herself) knows his Lord" 
         This same deep self-knowledge was possessed by the Holy Prophet even before his being sent with the mission.  He was the full and complete possessor of noble virtues and after his being honored by the message of Allah, the Holy Quran? virtues and the spiritual path and gnosis and so that Allah said,
         "Nor does he speak of his own desire but this is an inspiration that is inspired” 53:4
         Which means that at no time did Muhammad ever speak, out of the desires of his ego and his speech was never except by the inspiration of Allah.
         Since the divine Quran is the most complete divine book ever sent to humanity, therefore the virtues of Muhammad are the most perfect which Allah, by His sacred will, ever bestowed as a blessing.  From this aspect Allah ⁄ said in the Quran, "Indeed you are created with a noble character." 68:4
         The noble character of the Prophet was such that in inviting to Islam he never established Islam as a religion of compulsion, because this religion is a mercy from Allah.  Thus the person by means of whom this religion is brought should also be called "the mercy of Allah" and indeed the verse "We only sent you as a Mercy to the Worlds" was revealed in the Qur’an.
         Thus this Divine Mercy bestowed the call to Islam as a request and an invitation, not something which must being endured, by compulsion, and force.
         The Islamic religion is a religion of invitation, and the character of the inviter is the key to invitation, therefore the virtue, eloquent expression, and pleasing behavior which the Prophet possessed were for the purpose of drawing people to the religion of Allah and for their own flourishing, on this basis the Quran said, "O Prophet, "The divine mercy has made you be kind to them and if you had been stern and hard-hearted they would have dispersed from around you.  So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them abut the conduct of affairs. When you are resolved, Rely upon Allah  Allah loves those who trust in Him."  Quran 3:159.
         Haritha ibn Zayd said, "The Holy Prophet (S) used to sit with the most dignified people, while they were sitting so many were gathered that you couldn't see the people who were furthest away.  He kept very quiet, he didn't speak unnecessarily and his laughter was a smile, his speech was illuminating, brief, and to the point, with no excessiveness nor short comings.  The Companions of the Prophet who were in his gathering imitated him out of good manners and respect and at the time of laughter they would smile politely.
         His noble character and exemplary behavior are surely confirmed in the Holy Quran, and all of us, Muslim brothers and sisters, agree that the message of Prophet Muhammad is never suspended or confined to a certain time but rather is the same way that the Almighty Creator in the wise book called him, Muhammad, Prophet of Allah.  The message of Prophet Muhammad will remain as long as the world endures and in the next world he alone will be the leader of all the Prophets and Messengers.
         Since inspiration and guidance reached its perfection in the Quran and the religion became completed under the leadership of Muhammad, therefore this clear book, the Noble Quran which without any alteration or distortion will be preserved by the Creator.  As long as humans are present there will be bearers of the message of Muhammad on the earth and the door to inviting to Islam will remain open, the call to victory and prosperity and the call for divine unity in worshipping the essence of Almighty God will remain in force.  One evidence for this is the expansion of Islam all over the earth that occurred after the death of the Holy Prophet.
         There is no doubt that Islam will always be faced with enemies who are strong, cruel and powerful, however, during that time when the effects of imitating the exemplary conduct and character of the Prophet on the behavior and manners of his followers and the Muslim community were observed Islam preserved its glory and no humiliation or failure occurred.  Unfortunately, in our century, more than at any other time, humiliation and failure, hypocrisy and discord, disagreement and dependency have come to characterize the Muslims.  The cause for this is very evident. because the Muslims no longer follow the behavior and conduct of true Islam, the incomparable wisdom, spiritual knowledge, and culture of the Messenger of Allah which was the greatest shining light for being guided and finding the right way has been abandoned and in holding to the religion excesses in ways which the pious ancestors never did.
         On the other hand, today many Muslims have fallen so deeply into narrow mindedness and fanaticism that they are out of accord with the dignity of Islam and the high spirituality of the divine decrees and they carelessly, harshly, and very superficially stress the externals and don't consider the Islamic teachings about developing human character.
         Finally, celebrating the occasion of the Prophets birth is done in gratitude for the blessing and mercy of Allah.  If we do not utilize and benefit from the pleasures of this blessing which the Prophet (s) brought and do not take the path of the ease in the protection of the mercy of Allah, all of our deeds and sayings are purely external show and self-deception which should be abandoned, since these are accompanied by prejudice, narrow-mindedness, and petrification which remove the beautiful aspects from Islam and bringing the calamity of ignorance, and rejecting useful knowledge which becomes a tool for destroying the religion, and we take refuge with Allah from that by relying on the absolute proof of the Quran and by imitating the exalted virtues of the Prophet.
         O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad the chief of the messengers and the leader of and the seal of prophecy, your servant and your Prophet, the leader and guide to the good, the prophet of Mercy.  Oh Allah, give him the highest station at the first and the last.  Oh Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as you blessed Abraham and the family of Abraham, indeed you are the One worthy of greatest praise.
NFIE International Mawlid un Nabi saws Conference 1997 Chicago- 
Video 2/6
Translation by Dr.Marcia Hermansen, Professor,
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bahauddin Baha (بهاءالدين بهاء )، (Jurist of Islamic Law, Author, Poet, born in Herat ProvinceAfghanistan) was the Deputy Chief Justice of the Afghan Supreme Court from 2006 to 2016. Baha also served as a Supreme Court Justice and member of High Judicial Council of the Supreme Court during the 1980s. Baha served as the head of Prime Minister Mohammad Musa Shafiq’s office (1972-1973). In 2002, Baha was appointed as the Chairman of the Independent Judicial Reform Commission, one of the three commissions established as part of the Bonn Agreement. Baha later served as Legal Advisor to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Subsequently, he was nominated and appointed to the Afghan Supreme Court in 2006.
Justice Baha was a senior member of High Judicial Council of the Supreme Court and served as the Deputy Chief Justice and President of the Criminal Tribunal of Supreme Court
International Mawlid-Un-Nabi Conference in Chicago was held on July 26, 1997 at the University of Illinois Chicago. The theme of the conference was --The Prophet saws as the Living Quran--. Birthday of the Prophet: Mawlid al-Nabi | The Pluralism ProjectThe speakers included:
Shaykh Muhammad Masum Nashbandi (Naqshbandi Shaykh and Scholar from Kurdistan, Religious Advisor NFIE)
Bahauddin Baha, Supreme Court Justice , Afghanistan
Dr Vincent Cornell ,Professor, Islamic Studies, Duke University
Shaykh ul Islam Syed Muhammad Madni Ashrafi Jeelani ,Kachucha Sharif, India
Dr. Marcia Hermansen, Professor Religious Studies, San Diego State University
Mufti Ahmed Al-Qadri, Chicago Muslim Society, Chicago
Dr. Abdul Sattar Khan Naqshbandi, Former Head of Arabic department, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India
Maulana Sayyid Jafar Muhyiddin Al-Qadri Ph.D.College of Shariah, Al-Azhar University, President Al-Seerah Society, Chicago.
Mufti Abdur Rehman Qamar, Islamic Foundation of North America, Arlington, Virginia
A youth symposium called --Islam in America and Role of Muslim Youth-- was also held. Dr. Omar Khalidi from MIT gave a slide presentation on --Designed mosques in North America--. Quranic recitation was performed by Qari Abdul Kadir Multani. The Qasidas and Naats were recited by Wahid Chughtai (Canada), Qamar Anjum (Pakistan), and Abd-al-Hayy Moore (Philadelphia).
The program ended with Salat-o-Salam, Dua, and Dinner.