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),

Monday, November 23, 2020

Celebrating Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani's Death Anniversary (Urs) - IECRS

 What is Giyarhween Shareef ? Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center


gathering on any day, though generally on 11th of the lunar calendar, consisting of recitation of the Holy Quran, Zikr (Remembrance of Allah Ta’ala), reading Fateha and distributing food to send the reward to Huzoor Ghous-e-Azam Hadhrat Syedena Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah be well pleased with him) is called Giyarhween Shareef. Its basis in the religion is from the concept of sending reward to others. This is commonly known as Isaal-e-Sawaab, and it has been proven from the Quran and Sunnah. What is Isaal-e-Sawaab? Is it permissable? Isaal-e-Sawaab is act of performing a virtuous deed and sending the spiritual reward to another. Allah (Most Exalted) says: “And those who came after them submit, O our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in the faith” (Al-Hashr:10) This proves that the prayer of Muslims for the forgiveness of other Muslims is from Quranic teachings and Isaal-e-Sawaab is actually a form of supplication (Dua). In a Hadith related from both Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, the Mother of the Believers Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her) narrated that a person asked a question about sending reward (Isaal-e-Sawaab) to his mother at which the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied that the reward of your charity (sadaqa and khairat) would, in fact, reach her. According to another Hadith in the Musnad of Imam Ahmed, Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) inquired that “For our deceased, we make dua, give charity and perform Pilgrimage; does it reach them?” The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied, “Yes, certainly it reaches them and they are pleased with it just like you are pleased with each others gifts.” Haji Imdad-ullah Mahajir Makki (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) writes in Faisala Haft Mas’ala, “the form of sending reward [Isaal-e-Sawaab] during these occasions is not specific to one nation [the practice is not isolated to the Indian subcontinent]; the Giyarhween Shareef of Hadhrat Ghaus-e-Paak Quds Sirahu, the 10th, the 20th, the 40th (Chehlum), the 8th, Urs (anniversary) and so forth, Tosha-e-Hadhrat Sheikh Ahmed Radolvi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him), Aursamini Hadhrat Bu Ali Qalandar (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him), sweets (Halwa) of Shab-e-Barat and other forms of Isaal-e-Sawaab are based on the same principle.” What is Fateha? Hadhrat Shah Abdul Aziz Muhhadith Dehlvi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) in his first book of Fataawa says, “Food from offerings (Niaz) whose reward is sent to Hadhrat Imam Hasan and Hadhrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be well pleased with them both) and upon which Surah Al-Fateha, the four Surah’s beginning with Qul and Durood Shareef (prayers upon the Holy Prophet peace and blessing upon him) is read, becomes the food of barakah (blessings) andit is good to eat that food.” The reading of aforementioned parts of the Holy Quran is thus commonly known as Fateha. Hadhrat Shaykh Shahabuddin Suhurwardi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) describes the wisdom of this (Fateha) in his book Awarif Al-Ma’arif. He writes that, by reciting Quran over food, the food's particles become filled with the noor (light) of zikr (remembrance of Allah) and no harm can enter into the food. By eating such food the heart becomes spiritually uplifted. Reciting Quran and making dua on food is proved from many Sahih (rigorously authenticated) Ahadith. In Sahih Muslim, It is narrated that the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) made dua on food for barakah in Ghazwa-e-Tabuook. In Bukhari and Muslim, it is narrated from Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) placed food in front of himself and , read recited something and then made supplications. In another narration transmitted in Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) made supplication for barakah on cream of wheat (halwa). Did earlier Muslims celebrate the Giyarweenh Shareef or Urs of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him)? Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhhadith Dehlavi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) says in Ma Sabita Bis-Sunnah that, “No doubt that the Giyarhween Shareef of Ghaus-ul-Azam is famous in our cities and this is the day that is famous from his family and the scholars of Hind.” In the Akhbar-ul-Akhyar he says that Shaykh Amanullah Paani Pati (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) used to celebrate the Urs of Ghaus-ul-Saqalain on eleventh of the month of Rabi-uthThani.” Imam Arif Kamil Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul-Wahab Muttaqi Makki Quds Sirahu used to celebrate the Urs of Ghaus-Al-Saqalain. Further, in the same book Ma Sabita Bis-Sunnah, Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhadith Dehlvi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him), describing the importance of Urs, writes that some earlier scholars (Mashaikh) have said that on the day when the friends of Allah Ta’ala (Awliya kiraam) meet their Lord (Wisal), there is much hope of Khair (good), Barakah and enlightenment. Celebrating the Urs, thus, is from the recommended acts these scholars have mentioned. Hadhrat Shah Abdul Aziz Muhadith Dehlavi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) says in Malfoozat-e-Azeezi that: “…kings and prominent personalities would gather at the blessed Shrine (Roza) of Hadhrat Ghaus-e-Azam (may Allah be well pleased with him) would recite Quran from Asr to Maghrib and read Qasaid and Manqabat in praise of Hadhrat Ghaus-e-Azam (may Allah be well pleased with him). After Maghrib prayer the Sajjada Nasheen (keeper of the Mazar Mubarak – the Shrine) would lead the zikr, sitting among his Mureedeen and the visitors where some people used to experience the state of Wajd (deep spiritual emotions) during zikr. Then food, sweets, and whatever was prepared for Niaz (Langar) would be distributed. Then people would pray Isha prayer and leave.” Hadhrat Shah Walli-ullah Muhhadith Dehlvi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has gathered the sayings of Hadhrat Mirza Mazhar-e-Jan-e-Janan (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) in his book Kalimat-e-Tayyabat. In one of these sayings Mirza (rahmatullah alayhe) says: “I have seen in a dream that there are many Awliya Kiraam (may Allah bestow His mercy upon them all) sitting in a circle in the state of Muraqaba (spiritual concentration) on a high station (Chabootra). Among them are Hadhrat Khawaja Naqshband (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) and Hadharat Junaid Baghdadi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him. Then, they walked over to welcome Hadhrat Ali karam-ullah-wajhulkarim. When Hadhrat Ali karam-ullah-wajhul-karim arrived, accompanying him was someone wrapped with a cloak, and bare-footed, whose hand was being held by Hadhrat Ali karam-ullah-wajhul-karim with great respect. Upon asking about this personality, it was told that he was Hadhrat Owais Qarni (may Allah be well pleased with him). Then a very clean and clear hujra (room) that was being showered with noor (light) appeared. All these awliya kiraam (may Allah bestow His mercy upon them all) entered into it. I inquired and found that that day was the anniversary (Urs) of Hadhrat Ghaus-ul-Saqalain (may Allah be well pleased with him) i.e. it is Ghyarhween Shareef. All of these Saints had entered there to celebrate the anniversary (Urs).” What is the meaning of the name Ghaus, or Ghaus-e-Azam, and is this a permissable practice to use the name for a created being? Ghaus-e-Azam means, the one who can fulfill needs of the people and Ghaus-Al-Saqalain means the helper of Jinn and human beings. Allah Ta’ala is the real Fulfiller of Needs but due to the authority He has given to his friends (Awliya Allah) they can help people as well. Similarly, due to the blessings and power given by Allah Ta’ala to Hadhrat Syedena Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah be well pleased with him) is Ghaus-e-Azam. In the terminology of Sufism, the word Ghaus is used to denote the highest rank of wilayat. A question may arise as to whether calling someone Ghaus or Ghaus-e-Azam is valid or not. Someone may say that calling someone other than Allah Ta’ala with the name Ghaus-e-Azam is incorrect or shirk. In fact, this is not true at all. According to a hadith narrated by Ibne-Khazema (May Allah be well pleased with him) in his Sahih, same mentioned by Hakim in the Mustadrik and by Imam Bayhaqi in the Sunan, that when there was a famine during the Khilafat of Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him), Hadhrat Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) sent an order to Hadhrat Amr Bin al-Aas (May Allah be well pleased with him) in Egypt and in it was written several times Fa ya Ghausahu Thuma Ghausahu, meaning that it was a call to help. This tells us that the use of word Ghaus for created being is allowed. Now let us see who among Islamic scholars have used the word of Ghaus for Hadhrat Syedena Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah be well pleased with him).Mirza Mazhare Jane Janan (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has used Ghaus Al-Saqalain and Ghaus-e-Azam in his writings (Malfoozat), Qazi Sana-ullah Pani Pati has used Ghaus-alSaqalain several times in Saif-al-Maslool, Hadhrat Shah Walli-ullah Muhadith Dehlavi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has written Ghaus-e-Azam in his Humm’at, Hadhrat Abdul Aziz Muhadith Dehlavi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has written Ghaus-e-Azam in the Tafseer-e-Azeezi, Hadhrat Mujadid Alf Thani Quds Sirah has written Ghaus-Al-Saqalain in the Makashifat-e-Ghaibia and used Ghaus-e-Azam in the Maktoobat, Hadhrat Shaykh Nooruddin Abu-Al-Hassan Ali (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has used Ghaus al Wara in the Bahija-tul-Asrar, Hadhrat Khawaja Qutub-ud-din Bakhtiyar Kaki (May Allah has mercy upon him) and Hadhrat Maulana AbdarRahman Jami (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) have used Ghaus-al-Saqalain and Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhadith Dehlavi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has used Ghaus-e-Azam and Ghaus-Al-Saqalain in the Akhbar-Al-Akhyar. Summary We can conclude that Shaykh Abdul Wahab Muttaqi Makki, Shaykh Aman-ullah Pani Patti, Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhadith Dehlavi, Mirza Mazhare Jane-Janan, Shah Walliullah Muhadith Dehlavi, Shah Abdul Aziz Muhhadith Dehlavi, and other Awliya Allah and scholars of Islam (may Allah bestow His mercy upon them all) not only accepted the reasoning and concept of the Ghyarhween Shareef but themselves used the words of Ghuas-e-Azam and Ghuas-ul-Saqalain for Hadhrat Syedinna Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (may Allah be well pleased with him). From the writings of Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Haq Muhadith Dehlavi (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) in the Ma Sabita Bis-Sunnah, it is clear that the Giyarhween Shareef was famous in all the cities from 958 Hijri to 1052 Hijri. So Giyarhween Shareef and the Urs of Awliya Kiraam (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has been a practice of the Muslim Ummah for centuries. We also understand that Isaal-e-Sawaab is a well-established Islamic practice as is reading the Holy Quran upon food for spiritual blessings. We ask Allah ta'ala to forgive us and guide us to follow the Sunnah of our Holy Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) and serve the Awliya Kiram. Ameen. About the Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center The overall mission of IECRC is to promote spirituality through education, research, counseling, and cultural discourse based on the centuries old Islamic traditional values of the Saints of God (Awliyah) — love for all, tolerance, peace and harmony.IECRC is a non-profit, non-political, 501(c) (3) Ahle Sunnah wal Jama’ah organization. Founded in 2002, IECRC provides community services in Northern California (specifically the Bay Area and Sacramento) and British Columbia (specifically Surrey), Canada.

Sunday, November 22, 2020

Muhammad: The Perfect Man (Peace & Blessings be upon him) - Sayyid Muhammad ibn Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani (RA)

Title: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) the Perfect Man (Muhammad al-Insan al-Kamil)
Publisher: Visions of Reality Books
Author: Sayyid Muhammad ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani
Translator: Khalid Williams
Foreword: Shaykh Mostafa Badawi

YouTube Video Lessons by Shaykh Mohammad Aslam of The City of Knowledge Academy (Lessons 1-40)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDTu25HyMPw&list=PLi6h_XuWh_xgyZ5YpgD79kk5T-4SLn3Wa




This is originally an Arabic work, titled, Muhammad al-Insan al-Kamil, enumerating and describing some of infinite qualities of perfection that Allah, Most High, blessed his final Messenger with, may Allah always bless him and grant him peace. In the Publishers Note, the book is described as such:

The author catalogues the Prophetic Perfections in great detail and provides scriptural evidence with meticulous scholarly authority. The book is further augmented by Khalid Williams’ lucid and exemplary translation adding depth, breadth, clarity and making this within easy reach of the English speaking world.

The book is a modern day classic in the Arabic language – we pray that its translation becomes the same in English.

Shaykh Mostafa Badawi writes in his Foreword:

The author, Sayyid Muhammad, son of Sayyid ‘Alawi al-Maliki, is himself an Idrisi Sharif whose ancestors had emigrated from Mecca to Morocco. His father Sayyid ‘Alawi was one of the most eminent and popular scholars of Mecca, as had been his grandfather, Sayyid Abbas. Many of their direct ancestors had been teachers of religious sciences and orators who regularly delivered the Friday Sermon at the Sacred Mosque [Masjid al-Haram]. He was therefore raised in a house of knowledge and spirituality and received tuition in all branches of Islamic knowledge, mainly from his father and then from the most eminent scholars in Mecca, Jeddah, and Medina at that time.

and later:

Sayyid Muhammad taught people to love God and His Messenger. His tremendous love for his ancestor, the Prophet, shone through his words, deeds, and attitudes. He set a good example for those who strove to acquire the prophetic virtues of tolerance, gentleness, compassion, and selfless devotion to the cause of God and Islam, together with uncompromising upholding of the truth and justice. As a scholar he never stooped to the crude methods of his adversaries, always maintaining the traditional courteous stance that he had inherited from his teachers when defending his faith against often crude and spiteful attacks.

On two consecutive years before his death he visited his ancestor, Imam Idris, in Morocco, and wrote a long poem in his praise.

On Friday the 15th of Ramadan of the year 1425AH we received news that Sayyid Muhammad had died suddenly in Mecca. He was sixty three lunar years old. We learned subsequently that he had been putting his affairs in order for months before that, as if in preparation for his departure. Thousands attended his funeral, from Mecca and Jeddah, and from elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula. Many more thousands came in the next few days from all over the Islamic World to offer their condolences to his brother Sayyid ‘Abbas, his son Ahmad, and the rest of the family. He was buried in the Ma’la Cemetery of Mecca – in the same enclosure where his father had been buried, as well as numerous other scholars and saints, at the northern end of the cemetery, to one’s right as one approaches the tomb of the Prophet’s first wife, the Lady Khadija – leaving his son Ahmad to the run the school in Mecca and continue the regular teaching sessions in the tradition of their ancestors.

Sayyid Muhammad ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani writes in his introduction:

Much has been written on the prophetic biography (al-Sira al-Nabawiyya) in its different aspects, not only in Arabic and Persian but also in many Western languages, including English, in which more works on prophetic biography have been authored than in any other Western language. English literature is richly endowed with studies of this subject, because much effort was devoted by Western authors to producing biographies of the Trusted Prophet, thus providing clear proofs of the greatness of Islam’s Messenger and acknowledging that the Blessed Prophet had succeeded in freeing his society from the effects of slavery and ignorant customs, and from the yoke of base and degrading practices. One of them said that his (peace and blessings be upon him) call raised the community (umma) from the pits of misery to the heights of happiness in only a few years. Nevertheless, their works are not free from misrepresentations and defamatory additions, and thus are not entirely trustworthy.

Yet no matter how much they write, and how many volumes they fill with descriptions of his virtues, they could never possibly encompass all the admirable qualities and pure, goodly attributes with which his person (peace and blessings be upon him) was endowed; for he reached the heights of human perfection when his Lord elected him to convey His divine message; thus he spoke not of his own caprice, but his words were naught but Revelations being revealed. And his Lord praised him by saying: ‘Verily, you are of a tremendous nature’ [68:4] and He said: ‘And had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have scattered from about you’ [3:159]; and there are many similar passages in this mightiest of books and finest of discourses. Thus it is beyond human power to enumerate every one of his perfections.

and later in the introduction, the author writes:

And the more man develops his civilisation, and further ascends the ladder of progress, and the more his intellectual horizons broaden, he will perceive more and more of the benefits that Muhammad (peace be upon him) offers to all humanity.

Fourteen centuries have passed since the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed on to the Supreme Assembly, and his greatness continues to fill hearts and ears, and his remembrance remains the music of life for all those who thirst to drink from the spring of his holy inspiration, and to partake of the overflowing blessings of his unique valour and perfect greatness.

and later in the introduction:

His (peace and blessings be upon him) greatness was not drawn from any allegiance of kinship or any worldly prestige or wealth, nor from the greatness of the nation in which he appeared, nor from his high lineage or nobility. Rather, his greatness was drawn from the majesty of this personality, the perfection of his character and the broadness of his horizons, and from his being the highest paradigm of the perfect man. It was drawn from how he lived and died while struggling for Allah’s cause, and from his being the Chosen Messenger elected by Divine Providence from among all of mankind to convey Allah’s message to the world, after a time had passed wherein no messenger had come, and the people had gone astray and forgotten the guidance of Heaven which they had been given by the prophets and messengers of the past. Thus he came forth bearing the final message to unite all humanity on one doctrine, the primordial nature in which Allah created man.

Sayyid Muhammad ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani ends his introduction with what endeavoured him to write this book:

Once I was reading Surat al-Ma’ida when I came to the Almighty’s words: ‘This day have I perfected for you your religion, and fulfilled My favour upon you, and have gladly chosen for you Islam as your religion’ [5:3]. I stopped at this verse and reflected on it, and began to repeat it again and again, tasting its sweetness and experiences its eloquence, until my whole body was moved by it. From it, I concluded the following:

1 – Allah intended for this religion to be the seal of all religions, so that no other religion would ever come after it to replace it, amend it or correct it, as He says: ‘Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, yet he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets’ [33:40]. Because of this, He placed within this religion sufficient laws, ethics and teachings to ensure it would be lasting and unending, and fitting for all times and places, and able to give happiness to all mankind and to free humanity from its fetters, and establish justice and truth among all people. All this made this religion immutable, complete, preserved and unending.

As for its being immutable, Allah says: ‘Turn, then your face toward the religion in a pure fashion, in conformity with the primordial nature upon which Allah has created men; there is no changing Allah’s creation. This is the immutable religion, but most men know it not’ [30:30]

As for its being complete, Allah says: ‘We left nothing out of the Book’ [6:38]

As for it being preserved, Allah says: ‘Falsehood comes to it not from before it, nor from behind it’ [41:42]

And as for its being unending, Allah says: ‘We Ourselves have sent down the Remembrance, and We watch over it’ [15:9].

Completeness, preservation and endlessness are the primary qualities of perfection, and these qualities make it the perfect religion.

2 – In the message of Islam is complete, immutable, preserved, endless and perfect in every way, then the one whom Allah sends to bring it forth and invite others to it must also be at this level or indeed a higher one, and have this same rank or indeed a loftier one, and be of this status or indeed a greater one; for it is he who undertakes to bear the burden of this message, and it is only logical that a great load can only be borne by one who is greater than it.

3 – Leading on from this subtle point and this noble standpoint, I concluded that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) who came forth with this perfect religion, must himself be a perfect man, and perfect in every way: perfect in his image and appearance, such that no one who saw him ever saw the like of him, before or after:

He it is whose subtle and physical forms were perfected,
Then the originator of souls chose him as His beloved.

Perfect also in his character and nature, for his Lord said of him: ‘Verily, you are of a tremendous nature’ [68:4]. Perfect too in his ethics and his way of life, for his Lord said of him: ‘Did He not find you an orphan, and shelter you? And find wandering, and guide you? And find you needy, and enrich you? [93:6-8] He is the perfect man in every way, both physically and spiritually and free of all fault and blemish.

Created were you free of every blemish,
As though you were created just as you wished to be!

4 – I wanted to have a share in writing about this truth, a truth which is only denied by those who are guilty of folly and falsehood:

If a blind man denies that the sun shines,
He harms it not at all, but reveals his own folly.

So I endeavoured to write about the perfection of this man (peace and blessings be upon him), and thus I wrote this book, in which I have spoken about some aspects of his (peace and blessings be upon him) person, and I ask the Lord Almighty to inspire us with the truth, and to guide us by His grace to that wherein there is goodness and righteousness. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his Household and his Companions.

Now we will continue to pick out a few excerpts of how Sayyid Muhammad ibn ‘Alawi expounds on this reality.

The Perfection of His Pure and Noble Lineage:

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘I came from marriage and never from fornication, from the time of Adam until my father and mother begat me. None of the fornication of pagan ignorance touched me.

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recited ‘There has come unto you a messenger from the best of you’ [9:128], and then said: ‘I am the best of you in lineage, kinship and ancestry; my forebears from Adam were unsullied by fornication.’

Prophetic Beauty:

As for the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon him) awe-inspiring majesty, Hind ibn Abi Hala said of it: ‘The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had great and stately attributes, and was honoured as such by others. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): ‘Whoever saw him unexpectedly would be awe-stricken.’ Others said that the Prophet was the most dignified of people in his gatherings. Once a man came to him and was sorely awe-stricken by him and began to quake; so the Prophet spoke words to set him at ease. Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said about the Prophet’s presence: ‘I could not look at him directly because of the awe he struck in me’ and were I to be asked to describe him, I would not be able to do so, because I never took a firm look at him.'(peace and blessings be upon him)

The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) were unable to look directly at him (peace and blessings be upon him) because of how powerful the awe he inspired in them was, and how dignified his bearing was. This is why all our descriptions of him (peace and blessings be upon him) come from the youngest of them, of those who were in his care before the mission of prophethood began such as Hind ibn Abi Hala (may Allah be pleased with her) and our master Ali (May Allah be pleased with him).

Lessons from the Story of the Opening of His Blessed Breast:

The great scholar Ibn al-Munir said: The opening of his (peace and blessings be upon him) breast, and his patient endurance of it, was akin to the trial which Allah send to the Sacrificed One [Son of Ibrahim – Ismail, peace be upon them]; nay, it was even more difficult and trying, because that was only symbolic, whilst this actually happened. What was more, it was repeated, and it occurred to him when he (peace and blessings be upon him) was still a young orphan, far from his family.

His (peace and blessings be upon him) Perfect Physical Strength:

[Reviewer’s note: The following passage is referring to the Battle of the Trench]

Some narrations of this story state that they did not go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) until after they had proved unable to move the rock, and broken their spades on it; these narrations also state that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) only struck the rock three times before it broke. His (peace and blessings be upon him) strength was such that the rock could only withstand three blows from him after having completely exhausted the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) despite their best efforts to budge it. This was how strong he (peace and blessings be upon him) was after going three days without eating, so that he had to tie a stone to his stomach to abate his hunger. We all know how hunger weakens the body – so what do you imagine the hunger of going three days without food would be like? Had he (peace and blessings be upon him) not been so hungry, there is no doubt that his strength would have been greater still – and can you imagine his strength?

His Perfect Knowledge:

One aspect of the breadth of his (peace and blessings be upon him) knowledge is that Allah gave him the Quran, with all the teachings and truths that are gathered therein. The Quran is an ocean of knowledge and wisdom; and Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘If I spoke to you about Surah al-Fatiha, it would over-burden 70 camels.’ What, then, of the knowledge of our master Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the understanding that the Quran imparted unto him?

Sayyid Muhammad ibn ‘Alawi expounds on his knowledge of the unseen, of Paradise and of Hell, of the Hour, its signs, its minor and major, the knowledge of different realms of the seven heavens and that of states and affairs of beings on the Day of Judgement. He also writes:

Al-Tabarani narrated, with a chain of narration the men of which are all rigorously authenticated, that Abu -al-Darda (May Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘Before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) parted from us, there was not a single bird flying with its wings save that he had taught us some knowledge pertaining to it.

His Perfect Eloquence:

How could he not be the most eloquent of Allah’s creation, when Allah gave him a way of speaking that expressed so much with such few words? He once said from the pulpit: ‘O People! I have been given the compendium of speech and its keys, and for me it has been made as concise as can be.’ Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once asked him about the secret of his eloquence, saying: ‘O Prophet of Allah, how can it be that you are the most eloquent of us, when you never left our sight?’ He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: ‘The tongue of Isma’il had vanished, and so Jibril brought it to me and I retained it.’

and later:

Another aspect of his (peace and blessings be upon him) perfect eloquence was that he would speak to every tribe with their own regional dialect and idioms, to the point where many of his Companions would ask him to explain certain words and expressions he used. Whoever studies his words and his biography will clearly see this; the way he spoke to Quraysh, the Helpers, and the people of Hijaz and Nahd in general was not the same as the way he spoke to the chieftains of Hadramaut and the kings of Yemen. The letter he (peace and blessings be upon him) sent to Hamdan [of Yemen] was filled with words common to the Yemeni dialect. The same is true of the way he (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the [Yemeni] tribe of Nahd, and the message he (peace and blessings be upon him) gave Wa’il ibn Hajar to convey to the chieftains of Hadramaut, giving instructions on how the zakat should be collected.

The book covers an awe-inspring number of aspects of the Prophetic office and his perfection in all realms of life, of knowledge both related to this world and the world to come, of the Lord and his commandments and prohibition, his perfection in all virtue, in worship, in his character, his excellence and perfection in his teaching, in conveying the message, in leading his people both in persecution and when in power, in inspiring his followers, in his governance, expeditions and negotiations, his foresight in signing treaties, agreements and truces, in his ethics, loyalty, justice, forgiveness, his mercy with animals and more. This book is highly recommended as a sequel to a work on prophetic biography, and to one about to embark on a trip to the two sanctuaries. It moves the reader to fall in love with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and leaves the reader in absolute awe of the last Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). I pray that Allah increase all those who worked on bringing this book into fruition, and that Allah enable all the Muslims to exemplify his beautiful character and that we achieve resoluteness in our strive for perfection as we follow in his footsteps. Ameen.

Source:https://amuslimsbookshelf.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/book-review-muhammad-the-perfect-man/

Thursday, November 19, 2020

President Erdogan Restores Shrine Complex of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani in Baghdad

The Jamia Masjid of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Gailani (Q.S) which was recently renovated by Turkish Government Agency (Türk İşbirliği ve Koordinasyon Ajansı Başkanlığı – TİKA) Under the Supervision of Sajjada & Mutawalli Sayyid Khalid Al Gailani. (Pic Courtesy: FB – His Excellency Naqib Al Ashraf Al Qadiriyya Awqaf, Shaykh Al Sayed Khalid Al-Gaylani, Mutawalli, Mosque & Tomb of the founder of Sufism, the most venerable Ghawth al-Adham Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Baghdad, Iraq)

(RAHNUMA) Under President Erdogan, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has restored more than 50 mosques around the world since 2014 to protect the common historical and cultural heritage in the countries that were once part of the Ottoman Empire.

TİKA is working to leave spiritual and cultural treasures to the next generations with meticulous restoration projects in the Middle East, where the sister nations of Anatolia are located, and Balkans and North Africa, which are part of Ottoman heritage and maintain their bond with Anatolia. TİKA has restored mosques, tombs, castles, bridges, clock towers, marketplaces, schools, and various administrative buildings. TİKA has put into use and opened to visitors more than 50 mosques and 10 tombs and complexes in the past 5 years and left these buildings to the next generations.

Some of the most notable and widely recognized projects by TİKA include:

Tomb of King Najashi in Ethiopia

The tomb of King Najashi Ashame, who welcomed the first Muslims to leave Mecca, is located in the village of Najashi near the city of Mekele in Ethiopia, the East African country formerly known as Abyssinia and the first home of Muslim immigrants during Hegira. TİKA completed the restoration of the tombs of King Najashi and 15 companions and opened this compound to visitors in 2018.

Tomb of the Crown of Saints Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani Complex in Baghdad, Iraq

The restoration of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani Complex, which was built by Mimar Sinan (Sinan the Architect) upon the instruction of Suleiman the Magnificent during the conquest of Iraq in 1534 and consists of tombs, mosques, madrassas, and alms houses, has been continuing since 2017.

Ketchaoua Mosque in Algeria

During his visit to Algeria in 2013, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Algerian Prime Minister Abdulmalik Sellal decided to renovate some historical Turkish-Ottoman-era buildings in the country. Therefore, the Ketchaoua Mosque, which is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site and was built by Admiral of the Ottoman Fleet Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1520 in the historical region of Casbah in Algeria, was restored.

The Tomb of Gül Baba in Hungary

TİKA and the Hungarian National Asset Management Inc. (MNV) restored the Tomb of Gül Baba, one of the most important representatives of the Ottoman-Turkish heritage in Hungary and the final resting place of Gül Baba, who died during the conquest of Buda. The project was inaugurated by President Erdoğan and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban in October 2018.

Bang Uthit Mosque in Thailand

Bearing the Ottoman coat of arms sent by Sultan Abdul Hamid II above its main entrance, Bang Uthit Mosque in Bangkok, the capital of the Asian country of Thailand, was restored in 2015. With its renewed look, Bang Uthit Mosque will continue to strengthen the bonds of friendship between Turkey and Thai Muslims.

140 Restoration Projects

Since its foundation, TİKA has implemented more than 140 restoration projects to protect the historical and cultural heritage around the world.

The Jamia Masjid of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Gailani (Q.S) which was recently renovated by Turkish Government Agency (Türk İşbirliği ve Koordinasyon Ajansı Başkanlığı – TİKA) Under the Supervision of Sajjada & Mutawalli Sayyid Khalid Al Gailani. (Pic Courtesy: FB – His Excellency Naqib Al Ashraf Al Qadiriyya Awqaf, Shaykh Al Sayed Khalid Al-Gaylani, Mutawalli, Mosque & Tomb of the founder of Sufism, the most venerable Ghawth al-Adham Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Baghdad, Iraq)
The Jamia Masjid of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Gailani (Q.S) which was recently renovated by Turkish Government Agency (Türk İşbirliği ve Koordinasyon Ajansı Başkanlığı – TİKA) Under the Supervision of Sajjada & Mutawalli Sayyid Khalid Al Gailani. (Pic Courtesy: FB – His Excellency Naqib Al Ashraf Al Qadiriyya Awqaf, Shaykh Al Sayed Khalid Al-Gaylani, Mutawalli, Mosque & Tomb of the founder of Sufism, the most venerable Ghawth al-Adham Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Baghdad, Iraq)
The Jamia Masjid of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Gailani (Q.S) which was recently renovated by Turkish Government Agency (Türk İşbirliği ve Koordinasyon Ajansı Başkanlığı – TİKA) Under the Supervision of Sajjada & Mutawalli Sayyid Khalid Al Gailani. (Pic Courtesy: FB – His Excellency Naqib Al Ashraf Al Qadiriyya Awqaf, Shaykh Al Sayed Khalid Al-Gaylani, Mutawalli, Mosque & Tomb of the founder of Sufism, the most venerable Ghawth al-Adham Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Baghdad, Iraq)
Source:https://www.therahnuma.com/erdogan-restores-shrine-complex-of-shaykh-abdul-qadir-gilani-in-baghdad-iraq/

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani’s (RAA) Reform of the Religion’s Scholars of His Time & the Appearance of Salah al-Din - Dr.Umar Faruq Abdallah

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani’s (RAA) Reform of the Religion’s Scholars of His Time & the Appearance of Salah al-Din - Dr.Umar Faruq Abdallah

  1. 1. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani’s (RAA)Reform of the Religion’s Scholars of HisTime & the Appearance of Salah al-DinA Lecture by: Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, Chairman of the Board &Scholar-in-Residence, Nawawi Foundation, USAJanuary 22, 2011, Senegambia, The Gambia
  2. 2. Praise be to God who girded His saints with the sword victory and placed on their heads the crown of honor, awe, and nobility and made them the way marks of guidance as a special mercy to all creation so that humanity board with them the ark of safety and salvation in this life and after death.We are gathered here today to celebrate the remembrance of al-Qutb al-Ghawth (the Pole and Saintly Helper) known in his native Persian as “Pir-edast-e Gir” (the great and noble lord who takes your hand for support and victory) – Shaykh Muhyi al-Din (Reviver of the Religion) ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilanial-Hasani al-Husayni al-Sharif – the Sultan of all the saints.
  3. 3. The great late English Muslim scholar Martin Lings (Abu Bakr Siraj al-Din) –may God have mercy on him – asserts that probably no Muslim after theProphet (PBUH) and the Rightly-Guided Caliphs – may God be pleased with  them – until today has left such a profound and far-reaching effect on Muslims than Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani.The late great German Muslim writer and researcher Annemarie Schimmel, God have mercy on her, notes that al-Qutb al-Ghawth Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadirwon the love of the entire Umma; in the world of Islam there is no saint more dear to the hearts of all Muslims whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated than Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani.
  4. 4. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir ranked among the greatest religious scholars of his time by the consensus of all Muslims – Hanafis, Shafi’is, Malikis and Hanbalis. al-Nawawi says. “Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir was the master of all the great scholars of the Shafi’i and Hanbali schools”. His student Muwaffaq al-Din ibn Qudama remarked that Shakh ‘Abd al-Qadir mastered 13 outward sciences of Shari’a perfectly and no student of knowledge had to look for other teachers. He was a sea of outward knowledge in the sciences of the Qur’an, Hadith, Islamic Law, the art of giving fatwas and other branches of knowledge.It is well known that Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani reformed, united, and first organized the Sufis of his time into orders. All of the great Sufi masters of his age recognized his Imamate and hearkened to his will. The Qadiri Sufi Order quickly spread to all corners of the Muslim world during his lifetime and after his death –so that the Qadiri Order became and remains the greatest, largest and most numerous of all the Sufi orders in Islam. In the time of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir, thetwo words “Sufi” and “Qadiri” became synonymous. To be a Sufi meant to be a Qadiri. To be a Qadiri meant to be a true Sufi.
  5. 5. Many people may not be aware, however, that one of the dimensions ofShaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir’s greatness and his profound influence on the Muslims of his time was that he strove to produce a new generation of Muslims not just to revive true Islam but to defeat the crusaders in Palestine & GreaterSyria. The victories of Nur al-Din Zangi and his general, Salah al-Din Ayyubi and the re-conquest of Jerusalem also stand as a testimony to the efforts ofal-Qutb al-Ghawth ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani and the thousands of upright men and women that appeared with that new generation.For all these reasons and many more, the umma concurred on proclaiming the excellence of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani and their love for him. And the great scholars of Islam agreed in their recognition of his greatness.
  6. 6. While the great Sufi masters called him the Sultan of all God’s saints, the greatest spiritual helper and other titles of honor – the great scholar of hadith, al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi, said of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir: “He is the perfect exemplar, the Shaykh of Islam, the way mark of all saints & the reviver of the religion [of Islam]”.The great scholar of Islam, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, said of him: “Shaykh ‘Abdal-Qadir had no peer. His reputation was known far and wide. He was firmly established in sound practice and knowledge. He was the shaykh of his time. He was the sultan of all other shaykhs. He was the noble lord presiding over the people of the [Sufi] path in his time. He was the master of [all] spiritual stations. He enjoyed the total acceptance of all [the people]. He was held in greatest esteem in his time by all shaykhs of the age, the religious scholars and ascetics. Many people would repent of their sins in his presence.
  7. 7. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiya took great pride in the fact that he was a Qadiri and one of the followers Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani. He once said that were it not for his spiritual connection to Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir and holding to his daily Qadiri devotions, he would never have been able to attain the accomplishments he achieved in knowledge, writing and practice. He said in praise of al-Qutb al-Ghawth: “Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani was among the greatest of people in adhering to the duty of commanding right and forbidding wrong and instructing others to do it too – while walking inharmony with appointed destiny – that is, responding appropriately to the signs of the time with patience, perseverance, proper preparation and organization.”
  8. 8. Among the most important qualities that Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiya noted in al-Qutb al-Ghawth was the fact that he walked harmoniously in conjunction with divine destiny. He understood the harsh realities of his time. Among the greatest lessons we gain from Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir was his long patience and perseverance in meeting the impossible circumstances before him. Thus, he took his time to do things right and spent 32 years in spiritual and intellectual preparation under the greatest scholars and shaykhs of his time – especially Ibn ‘Aqil – before his public appearance to guide and teach in Baghdad in the year 520/1127 after having completed50 years of his life.The age in which Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir lived was a time of troubles, corruption and instability – very similar to the situation in which Muslims find themselves today. The first crusade began in the year 489/1096 whenShaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir was 19 years old – just one year after he arrived inBaghdad to seek knowledge. The crusaders occupied Jerusalem, Palestine, and much of Greater Syria and massacred innocent civilians in every place.
  9. 9. The loss of Palestine did not serve to awaken the Muslim Umma but only increased them in negligence and corruption. The caliph in Baghdad became powerless and the various princes and sultans were busy competing against each other and fighting civil wars. Their only concern was power and self-interest. Most of the religious scholars were accomplices to this crime. They lived lives of hypocrisy, self-service, flattery, and winning the favor of the rulers in power. Ibn ‘Aqil – Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir’s greatest teacher – said of them: “The religious scholars of our time are a disaster. To seek prosperity in them is to court bankruptcy. There is no one to depend upon [now] but God alone.”
  10. 10. When Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir appeared at the age of 50 in 520/1127 after 32years of preparation, he appeared with tremendous intellectual and spiritual power. The great Hanbali scholar Ibn Rajab says of him: “He won the complete acceptance of the people…and the kings hold him in fear and awe, not to mention those who were less powerful.”It is not mere coincidence that the year Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir appeared in Baghdad was the same year that the great mujahid king and shahid ‘Imadal-Din Zangi came to city’s rescue and was then followed by his son Nur al-Din and then their general Salah al-Din – all of whom stood with Shaykh‘Abd al-Qadir – just as he stood with them.
  11. 11. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir did not like to show off his honorary miracles(karamat). Rather, he based his movement on truthfulness and integrity in applying the Qur’an and Sunna. But God, exalted be He, empowered Shaykh‘Abd al-Qadir with startling honorary miracles to give him success in his work. The great Muslim scholar ‘Izz al-Din ibn ‘Abd as-Salam – sultan of religious scholars – says: “The honorary miracles of none of God’s saints have been transmitted to us by tawatur (many multiple transmissions) except Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir. That is because most of them took place publicly before large crowds.”The caliph in Baghdad and oppressive rulers there and elsewhere only submitted to Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir, feared him, and held him in awe because of his honorary miracles. A good example of this is what took place between him and the ‘Abbasid caliph Abu al-Muzaffar al-Mustanjid bi-llah shortly afterShaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir’s appearance as the story is narrated to us by theImam al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani.
  12. 12. By the time of Shaykh ‘Abd-Qadir, the caliph had become like the oppressive mayor of the city. He had no international power or influence and had become very weak. The caliph al-Mustanjid came to Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir to test him shortly after his fame had begun to spread through Baghdad and surrounding areas. He said to the Shaykh: “I want you to show me something [of your miracles].”The Shaykh replied: “What do you desire?”The caliph said: “Apples.” [It was not apple season at the time.]Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir extended his hands in the open air and brought down two apples.Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir gave one of the apples to the caliph. He broke open the other one and it gave off the scent of fresh musk. The caliph broke open his apple and it had a worm in it.The caliph said: “What’s the meaning of this?”Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir replied: “This apple has been touched by the hand of the oppressor, so it became wormy.”
  13. 13. In the days following the event, that caliph sought to appease Shaykh ‘Abdal-Qadir, thinking that he might buy him off as he had bought off other religious scholars. He came to Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir one day and placed before him ten large sacks of gold, carried by ten different servants. Shaykh‘Abd al-Qadir refused them and said: “I have no need of them.”The caliph insisted that Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir take the sacks of gold. So he took up one of them in his right hand and another in his left hand. He squeezed them with his hands and blood began to flow from them. Shaykh‘Abd al-Qadir said to the caliph: “Abu al-Muzaffar, don’t you have any shame? You take the innocent blood of the people and present it to me as a gift?”The caliph fainted. When he came back to consciousness, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir said to him, “If it were not for the sanctity of your lineage being connected to the House of God’s Messenger – may God extol him and grant him peace – I would make this blood follow you back to your palace.”
  14. 14. In the eyes of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir, the greatest crime of the age was not the oppression of the rulers but the evil of hypocritical religious scholars who supported the rulers in their oppression, stood by their side, and enabled them to commit oppression – seeking material interests in this world.Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir attacked such evil religious scholars relentlessly just as he attacked the oppressive rulers and the wealthy who oppressed the poor and withheld their wealth from them.He would say to them: “You traitors of religious knowledge and practice! You enemies of God and His Messenger! You highway robbers who cut off God’s servants, powerful and majestic is He. You are in clear oppression! You are in clear hypocrisy! How long will this hypocrisy last? You scholars! You so-called ascetics! How long will you continue to play the hypocrite with kings and sultans so that you can take some of the scraps of this world and its pleasures and desires?”
  15. 15. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir earnestly prayed: “God, break the power of the hypocrites. Reduce the oppressors to subjugation, and cleanse the earth of them. Or reform them and set them right.”We need this prayer today as much as yesterday and ask God to answer. All the problems of the Muslim Umma today and our weakness and utter impotence in the face of the Palestinian crisis and others go back to two major causes: The power of the hypocrites among our religious scholars, shaykhs and others and the tyranny of the oppressors who rule over us.But Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir was an embodiment of the universal Muhammad mercy of our Prophet – God extol him and grant him peace. He preferred that God reform the hypocrites and tyrants and set them right rather than remove them from the face of the earth when he prayed: “God, cleanse the earth of them or reform them and set them right.”
  16. 16. The life of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir was dedicated in its entirety to reform and setting things right: The reform of the common people and the ruling elites, of the religious scholars and their students, the rulers and their soldiers ,and others. Al-Qutb al-Ghawth, our noble lord Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani adopted many methods for reform. Among the most important of these were his profound efforts when he was 76-80 between the years546-550/1151-1155 to reform all the Sufis of the Muslim world and unify them into a single order under his leadership. During these four years, he held big conferences in and around Baghdad for this purpose, in Mecca andMedina during the Hajj, and Sufi masters around the world sent their muqaddams to Baghdad to be trained by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir in his school.
  17. 17. Above all else, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir was sent as a teacher. He took pride in the profession of teaching and regarded it as the most notable attribute and magnificent station that a person could attain. Every day he sat with his students to teach them tafsir, hadith, fiqh, the various readings of theQur’an, fatwas, and other Islamic sciences. He welcomed each and every student whether they were old or young, rich or poor, educated or illiterate.The most conspicuous method tht Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir used to reform the religious scholars and students and to create a new generation – the generation of Nur al-Din and Salah al-Din – was to create a new system of education for spreading and implementing knowledge. His activities directed at Greater Syria and Palestine were greater in this regard than his activities in Iraq. He would send his best students to take active part in spreading the daw’a and taking part in the jihad movement under the direction of both Nural-Dina and Salah al-Din who esteemed his efforts and welcomed his students and followers as soldiers, counselors, and men of the da’wa.
  18. 18. Likewise, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir welcomed as students and personal guests, the refugees from Palestine and Syria and their families who fled from the horror of the crusader occupation of their lands. He would then give them spiritual, moral, and educational preparation and send their sons back to the battlefronts to serve in the armies of Nur al-Din and Salah al-Din. Many of them attained great fame and the followers of the Qadiri Order became known for their courage and resoluteness in the face of the enemy.This is a brief account of a long and very great story. We take pride today in remembering this great hero and savior of Islam - Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, al-Qutb al-Ghawth, Pir-e dast-e Gir – the noble sayyid who gives you a helping hand and never betrays you. It is obligatory for us to bring his memory to life in these dark times and to remind each other of his life which all the Umma has agreed was truly great and dignified.
  19. 19. In conclusion, perhaps the most useful point we can emphasize in following the path of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir is the necessity to walk in harmony with destiny. We must be patient, long-suffering, and we must endure and persevere and make the right preparations. There are no shortcuts to victory and haste is from Satan.The illustrious scholar al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani relates to us: “Shaykh‘Abd al-Qadir was asked – ‘What is the one thing you built all your work upon?’. He replied: ‘Being honest and truthful.’”We ask God – our Patron Lord and Benefactor – exalted be He – that He makes us all people of truth and honesty who fulfill their promises and covenants and are worthy of the honor of belonging to the great Hashimite Prophet – God exalt him and grant him peace – and his glorious Umma.
  20. 20. As the great mujtahid and mujaddid – the Qutb of the realm of divine holiness – the sharif and noble lord Ahmad ibn Idris - God be pleased with him - said: “Truthfulness is a perfect sword that never takes a nick. It is a noble war horse that never stumbles, and it is the foundation of the Path toGod.”God, it is You we ask for help – so come to our help. It is You that we implore for aid – so come to our aid. It is upon You that we place our reliance – so give us all we need. O God Who are all we need – give us all we need to meet the challenges of this world and the next. Grant us the gift and infinite success of honesty & truthfulness. Fill our hearts with the love of those who are honest & truthful. Bless us to love and cherish the poor and oppressed.And grant us the wisdom to recognize the sanctity of all Your saints. Amin.

Vimeo Video Link: https://vimeo.com/38167834