Bringing Life to the Heart | Ustadh Amjad Tarsin - ISNA Canada Podcast - September 30, 2024

YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf1eqKoTWMA

In this episode, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin delves into the ways in which we can protect our hearts from worldly matters. He outlines the harms of putting worldly success as the metric of our lives and how that effects our relationship with Allah. Ustadh Amjad discusses how each of us should cultivate our souls to seek nearness to Allah, and His Messenger rather than busying ourselves with social media and people's opinions.

The Kingdom of the Heart : Habib Umar bin Hafiz , Amjad Tarsin (translator) - Al-Maqasid - Mecca Books

This book uniquely shows the direct correlation between outward actions and the heart, giving us insights into how various actions impact the state of our hearts. Ultimately, it gives us a way to internalize the wisdom and purpose of acts of devotion, resulting in the purification of the heart and nearness to Allah ﷻ"Within every human being is a Kingdom. The heart is the ruler of this Kingdom, and the rest of the body are its subjects. If the heart rules with justice and excellence, the body will perform good actions and the Kingdom will flourish.
If, however, the heart neglects its duties, the body will be in a state of disobedience to Allah s and the entire Kingdom will suffer the consequences. Allah ﷻ made this Kingdom so crucial that through it the eternal and everlasting dominion of the next life is either gained or lost."
The Kingdom of the Heart by Habib 'Umar Bin Hafiz gives the reader a deeper understanding of the importance of cultivating the spiritual kingdom of the heart. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation into how outward actions have spiritual consequences.
Some of the topics covered are:

•⁠ ⁠The Tongue & Its Effects
•⁠ ⁠Looking at Creation with Love & Mercy
•⁠ ⁠The Impact of Shaking Hands
•⁠ ⁠Attending to the Ending of Our Lives
•⁠ ⁠The Impact of Intention

This book uniquely shows the direct correlation between outward actions and the heart, giving us insights into how various actions impact the state of our hearts. Ultimately, it gives us a way to internalize the wisdom and purpose of acts of devotion, resulting in the purification of the heart and nearness to Allah ﷻ.

Mecca Books:https://www.meccabooks.com/

Ustadh Amjad Tarsin Biography :Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ustadh Amjad obtained his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Michigan in English Literature and Islamic Studies. He then spent an intensive year studying at Dar al-Mustafa for Islamic Sciences in Tarim, Yemen. There he studied under such luminaries as Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Ali Abu Bakr, Habib Muhammad al-‘Aydarus, Sayyid Salim Bin Hafiz, Sh. Munir Ba-Zhayr, and others. Following his studies in Tarim, he enrolled at Hartford Seminary’s Islamic Chaplaincy program where he completed his Master of Arts in June of 2012. He then served as Muslim Chaplain at the University of Toronto for seven years before joining the faculty at Al-Maqasid in June 2019.
He is the host of SoulFood FM, a podcast about practical ways of achieving spiritual refinement. Additionally, he has translated Sufism: Its Essence & the Traits of Its People, Sacred Knowledge: Aims & Objectives, and The Islamic Discourse: Its Current State & Future Development, all of which were authored by al-Habib ‘Umar Bin Hafiz. Source: Al-Maqasid https://www.almaqasid.org/seminary-instructors

Islam: From the Enlightenment to Quantum Physics with Dr Francesca Bocca-Aldaqre: Blogging Theology - September 30,2024

 YouTube Video: Paul Williams interviews Dr. Francesca

https://youtu.be/xPgTeq8d8tg?si=FO5Ph2vK5-Awk-3H

Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction 00:05:10 Early European Interpretations of Islam 00:10:15 Goethe's Connection to Islam 00:15:15 Islamic Influence in Goethe's and Hegel's Works 00:20:55 Hegel and Marxism: The Illegitimate Child 00:25:46 Ignored Aspects of Moral Philosophy 00:31:46 Colonialism and Orientalism in Academic Studies 00:36:10 The Romantic Movement's Reaction to Newtonian Physics 00:41:18 The Misunderstood Legacy of "1001 Nights" and Orientalism 00:46:16 The Myth of a Final Philosophy 00:51:20 The Role of Sharia in Modern Context 00:56:27 The Monsterification of Muslims in the Middle Ages

Dr Francesca Bocca-Aldaqre Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/bocca.aldaqre/

Dr Francesca Bocca-Aldaqre's Articles:

Comparing Goethe's and Hagel's Veiws of Islam: A Thematic Approach PDF - Academia

https://www.academia.edu/67665337/Comparing_Goethes_and_Hegels_views_on_Islam_A_thematic_approach

Islam,Prophet, Hegira: Islamic Vocabulary in Goethe's Letters, Diaries & Autobiography PDF Academia

https://www.academia.edu/65163311/Islam_Prophet_Hegira_Islamic_Vocabulary_in_Goethe_s_Letters_Diaries_and_Autobiography?f_ri=283708

Dr. Francesca Bocca-Aldaqre, born in Piacenza in 1987, is a theologian who teaches Arabic language and culture in Milan and serves as a Professor of Islamic Theology at the Italian Institute of Islamic Studies. With a PhD from Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, she specializes in the relationship between Islam and Western thought. She writes a column on theology, neuroscience, and current affairs for Civiltà delle Macchine and directs the Averroes Institute of Islamic Studies in Piacenza.

Source:https://www.islamicity.org/102384/islam-in-italy-literature-identity-and-the-legacy-of-orientalism/

Mawlid al-Nabhani: The Resplendent Jewels of the Birth of the Prophet of Intercession ﷺ By Yusuf Al-Nabhani , Imam J. Khan (translator) - Mecca Books

Mawlid al-Nabhani: The Resplendent Jewels of the Birth of the Prophet of Intercession, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is a poem in celebration of the birth (mawlid) of the Prophet Muhammad authored by the luminary Muslim scholar Qadi al-Qudat; Shaykh Yusuf ibn Isma’il al-Nabhani, may Allah be pleased with him (1849-1932).

Within the six chapters the author narrates poetry about the benefits and conduct of celebrating mawlid, the prophetic origins, lineage, parents, and his esteemed rank. He also expounds on the preternatural events in relation the blessed pregnancy and birth of the best of creation.

Mecca Books: https://www.meccabooks.com/

Arabic Recitation of Mawlid al-Nabhani with Arabic Subtitles: 

YouTube Video 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z8b-jvC-Rk

النظم البديع في مولد الشفيع (كاملاً) | الإمام يوسف النبهاني - دار الإمام يوسف النبهاني

Dar al- Imam Yusuf Nabhani (DIYN)

In 2015, Dar al-Imam Yusuf al-Nabhani (DIYN) was established as a specialised Arabic publishing house in Beirut, Lebanon. With an aim to preserve, revive and propagate the largely neglected works of the Sunni tradition, DIYN has—by the Will of Allah—released several monumental publications.

https://www.supportingsunnischolars.org/appeal/daralnabhani/

Biography:Shaykh Yusuf Ibn Ismail Al-Nabhani (1849-1932) - Seekers Guidance ( The Trodden Path Episode 6)  https://seekersguidance.org/

The Tariqa of Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabhani Alayhi Rahma:Seekers of the Sacred Knowledge Wordpress

https://seekerofthesacredknowledge.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/the-tariqa-of-shaykh-yusuf-al-nabhani-alayhi-rahma/
The Righteous Scholar, The Zahid and Friend of Allah Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabhani (Allah have mercy on him) was born born in Ijzim in 1849 and he was one of the Poets of Rasul Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and he was one of the Mujaddids of Shaam as-Sharif.
The Shaykh (Allah have mercy on him) took from many Sufi Tariqa’s, some of them were:
The Idrisi tariqa from Hazrat Shaykh Ismail al-Nawab Alayhi Rahma
The Shadhili Tariqa from Hazrat Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Masoud al-Fassi Alayhi Rahma and Hazrat Shaykh Ali Nuruddin Ali Cherti Alayhi Rahma
The Naqshbandi Tariqa from Hazrat Shaykh Ghiasuddin al-Arbali Alayhi Rahma
The Qadri Tariqa from Hazrat Shaykh Hassan Ibn Abi Halwah al-Ghazi Alayhi Rahma
The Rifai Tariqa from Hazrat Shaykh Abdul Qadir Bin Abi Rabah Dajani al-Yafi Alayhi Rahma
The Khalwati Tariqa from Hazrat Shaykh Hassan Ridhwan al-Saidi Alayhi Rahma
Some Poetry on The Blessed Sandal of Rasul Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam by Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabhani Alayhi Rahma:
“It is not for the image that my heart is longing – it yearns for the one who wore this sandal.”

English Translation of Imam Nabhani's Books available at Mecca Books:

1.Miracles Manifest: 40 Hadith on the Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
By Yusuf al-Nabhani , Moustafa Elqabbany (translator)

2.The Testament to Faith: Forty Hadith on the Virtues of the Testament to Faith
By Yusuf al-Nabhani , Ahmad Derrick Peat (translator)

3.Endless Nobility of the Ahl Al-Bayt
By Yusuf Al-Nabhani , Arfan Shah (translator)

4.Muhammad: A Quranic Exposition of His Excellence and Virtues
By Yusuf Al-Nabhani , Amjad Mahmood (translator)

5.Muhammad His Character and Beauty : Wasa'il Al-wusul Ila Shama'il al-rasul
By Yusuf Al-Nabhani , Abdul Aziz Suraqah (translator)

6.The Virtues of Sending Prayers on the Prophet
By Gibril Fouad Haddad & Yusuf al-Nabhani , Rashad Jameer (translator)

7.The Virtues of the Prophet and his Nation
By Gibril Fouad Haddad & Yusuf al-Nabhani , Rashad Jameer (translator)

8.The Unique Qualities of the Prophet (ﷺ) and His Community: Khasa'is Al-Nabi (ﷺ) Wa Ummatihi
By Yusuf Al-Nabhani , Rashad Jameer (translator)

9.Anwar al-Muhammadiyya
By Yusuf Al-Nabhani , Rashad Jameer (translator)

10.The Muhammadan Litanies : Prayers upon the Prophet Muhammad for invocation and Reflection
By Yusuf Al-Nabhani , Abdul Aziz Suraqah (translator)

حاوي الفضايل || The Lord of Noble Virtues: Nasheed - Arabic with English Subtitle - Areej Ensemble - 1/24/24

 YouTube Video:https://youtu.be/n-Hwt5LY0nA?si=qfa1xYe1TFy0t6pY

Maqam : Bayati ‏Poem and melody from Omani Traditional Music “The Malad” Lilaashiq filhawa Dalail poem is for Mulla Othman Almawsili ‏Performed live for Royal Opera House Muscat , Season 2022/2023 Ramadhan & Inshaad Prise from the Sultanate of Oman || APRIL 2023 in Muscat

Lyrics in English: Praise be to Allah who grants a great reward for those who praise Him. His greatness and sovereignty dominate all of His creations. He is the everlasting after all of His creations, surely He is the most Great and the Grand. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-wise. All creatures and universes could never disobey a single order by Him. Praise be to Allah, He is surely the all-generous God and the all-powerful king. He sees atoms in the darkest nights and blesses us with darkness to be a rest and cover. He determined time for us into days and months and preferred some of them over others out of knowledge and wisdom. He indicated His days of blessings in the divine-protected tablet. He ordered the crescent of Rabei Al- Awwal to rise with great blessings, as He chose it to be the month in which our beloved prophet Muhammad was born. The angels chanted praises and glorifications to their Lord loudly and silently. The angel Ridhwan was instructed to refine the heavens and paradise. O, Allah .. O, Allah .. O, Allah. Say, O, Allah .. Pray blessing upon Ahmad the exalted standard of all good O, Allah. Say, O, Allah .. A lover has proof for his love … He never listens to a reproacher … He is still humble at your glorious door … Tears are running down his cheeks. My body went skinny waiting at your door out of love … Just look with sympathy to a lover of the honest messenger of the divine evidence. O, Allah .. O, Allah .. There is no God but Allah … O, Allah, your poor servant has gone astray … My eyes never rest out of love …. You are my Lord, You are all my words … Take me to Wadi Al-Aqeeq to chant before the grave of your messenger.. He is the chosen prophet; he is Allah’s beloved Blessings of Allah are upon you, You are the chosen prophet of Adnanis. You are the best of Allah’s creation

Areej Ensemble :https://fesfestival.com/2019/en/produit/areej-sufi-ensemble-sultanat-doman/

The Sultanate of Oman is anchored in a great Arab tradition that turns majestically to the immensity of the Indian Ocean towards Zanzibar and Persia. Its high villages in ochre colours, its proud mountain escarpments, its population of mythical gazelles and leopards make this country the last ecological paradise of the Arabian Peninsula.During the Sumerian period, Oman was known as Magan. Its incense was sold in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia and from India to Dilmun (today’s Bahrain). Oman was Islamised during the lifetime of Mohammed in the 7th century. In the following century, following the schism between Sunnis and Shi’ites, Oman was one of the rare regions that took another path, and soon became the principal region of Ibadi theology, r.During the time of the Ayyubid dynasty, Omanis took control of the major Swahili ports of the east African coast: Mombasa, Kilwa, Zanzibar and Pemba, which certainly explains the great similarity of gestures between the Sufi rituals of Zanzibar and of Oman during the Mawlid, the celebration of the birth of the Prophet. The influence of songs and gestures of the pearl fishers are also affirmed in this ritual.

Poem by Mullah Uthman Al-Musili -Forgotten Giant. Biography -History of Iraq Blogspot

https://iraqshistory.blogspot.com/2010/10/forgotten-giant-mullah-uthman-al-musli.html

Sufi Dhikr in Hazratbal Mosque, Kashmir (Fully Translated) – Sufi Salawaat –صلوات على النبي في كشمير -Hashim Aziz- 4/22/22

 YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/aeKqPv2KV_o?si=Zki3QNAEq2MxBv_h

Don't forget to enable captions/CCs for the translation and change the quality to at least 720p. This gathering took place in 2018 in the Hazratbal Mosque and Shrine, which is located on the banks of the beautiful Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir. This invocation of salawaat (prayers on the Prophet) is recited in the mosque after every Jumu'ah (Friday prayer), and is taken from Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani's Awraad-e-Fathiyya. Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani was a 14th-century Sufi shaykh and scholar of Iranian origin belonging to the Kubrawi tariqah (Sufi order) who spread Sufism throughout South Asia and had a lot of influence on Kashmir. I'm not sure what tariqah (Sufi order) the mosque follows. Thanks to Faheem Chishti for the original video, which can be found here:    • Video   Thanks to Ahlul Suffiyah for identifying the Awraad-e-Fathiyya as the source of the salawaat.

Ja'fari Sufi Dhikr in Egypt (Fully Translated) – Sufi Qasida – Hal Da'ak al-Shawq - Hashim Aziz - 9/23/22

 YouTube Video:https://youtu.be/WCzAUmAthns?si=7X20inzJCwBrWXfY

Highly recommend watching this one until the end. In the process of translating it this qasidah has quickly become a new favourite of mine for how refreshingly unique and moving it is, and in my experience it's very rare to find a qasidah of this unique depth and imagery to be performed in a gathering like this. Don't forget to enable captions/CCs for the translation and change the quality to 1080p. ¹ As in many mystical traditions like Sufism, divine secrets play a large part in Sufi traditions. These traditions hold that there exists a type of knowledge between the material (knowable by all) and the Unseen (knowable only by God), and that God chooses to divulge some of this knowledge to prophets and other men of God. One of the most commonly cited Qur'anic evidences of this view is the mystical Qur'anic figure of al-Khidr, who was not a prophet but had knowledge of things the prophet Moses didn't. In this qasidah the poet seems to imply that the Secret is the love of the Prophet Muhammad and the state of bliss that it leads to, or it could simply be the means to another, greater Secret. ² The House of Allah is a common Qur'anic name for both the Ka'bah and the sanctified ground that surrounds it, known as Masjid al-Haram. Mother of Cities is equally a Qur'anic name for Makkah, the city in which Masjid al-Haram is located, the Prophet Muhammad was born and Islam was first established. ³ The ritual circumambulation around the Ka'bah that is undertaken by Muslims making the pilgrimage to Masjid al-Haram ⁴ In Sufism, the Qutb is one of several saintly ranks, pious men of God who are considered by some Sufis to be second only to the prophets ⁵ A common alternative name for the Prophet Muhammad meaning "one who is praised", derived from the Qur'an and considered by some Sufis to have special esoteric meaning ⁶ As was common of his time and place, the poet assumes a geocentric model of the universe, although modern scholars widely accept the heliocentric model ⁷ Indicating an upright, firm posture ⁸ In this verse and the following, the poet seems to be expressing his desire to have been a part of the story of the Ka'bah, because the story of the Ka'bah is intricately connected to the story and life of the Prophet, and to experience one is to experience the other ⁹ The expansion of the chest is a Qur'anic idiom for the removal of anxiety, which can often feel like a constriction of the chest. It originates from surah (Qur'anic chapter) 94: https://quran.com/94 Hamada and Essam Faruq, descendants of Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari, perform a qasidah (classical Arabic poem) from his extensive collection at the Markaz of the Ja'fariyyah tariqah (Sufi order) in Aswan, Egypt. This gathering of disciples of the Ja'fari tariqah more than likely took place in 2011. The Ja'fari tariqah is a relatively recent tariqah based on the teachings of Salih al-Ja'fari (1910-1979), who studied the teachings of the Idrisi tariqah founded by Ahmad Ibn Idris al-Fasi, also know as the Ahmadiyyah Muhammadiyyah. He graduated in the sciences of hadith and Qur'anic exegesis from the prestigious al-Azhar University before spending over 40 years teaching in al-Azhar Mosque, and eventually serving as its imam for the last decade of his life. Salih al-Ja'fari was a black Egyptian, due to being from Luxor in Upper Egypt and its close proximity to neighbouring Sudan, and similarly a large portion of the members of the tariqah are also black despite it being based in Egypt, which has a majority Arab population. Thanks to Hiba for helping to translate one of the harder lines. Thanks to Ahmad Diab for uploading the original video here:    • قصيدة هل دعاك الشوق يوما للثرى  

Light of Azhar-Shaykh Salih al-Ja'fari RA -Biography

https://lightoftheazhar.com/biographies/biography-shaykh-salih-al-jafari/

The Life of Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi | Sidi Abu Munir al-Sha'ar & Hamza Karamali | Basira Education- April 18, 2020

 YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/KOei783H0wY?si=B-8bSgYI7yW6uW-x

Sidi Abu Munir al-Sha'ar, the personal attendant of Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi for nine years, recalls his memories with him. Shaykh Shukri (d. 2014) was a humble scholar of the canonical recitations of the Quran of inspiring character who shunned the spotlight and the possessions of this world. He is remembered as someone who humbly poured water for people who attend gatherings of dhikr in the mosques of Damascus, and the song that these photographs are sung to alludes to this by singing about the one who draws people into the presence of Allah Most High by pouring the metaphorical and intoxicating "wine" of la ilaha illa allah into their hearts and souls.

Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi Biography:https://www.shadhiliyyah.sg/shadhili-awliya/shaykh-shukri-al-luhafi

Damas Cultural Society: https://damas.nur.nu/8861/bio/bio-sh-shukri-luhafi

Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi Obituary: Ilm Gate https://www.ilmgate.org/an-obituary-of-the-humble-ascetic-shaykh-shukri-al-luhafi/

Seekers Guidance Obituary by Imam Zaid Shakir: https://seekersguidance.org/articles/video/shaykh-shukri-al-luhafi/

Muwasala Obituary by Habib Umar Bin Hafiz : https://muwasala.org/2015/07/22/the-loss-of-shaykh-shukri-al-luhafi/

Facebook: Lovers of Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi -https://www.facebook.com/ShaykhShukri/

YouTube Video:Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi reciting Quran - https://youtu.be/8cH5c8GsL_U?si=bUUmW2KYxJxdq2_3

The erudite 'Allāmah, the noble Shaykh Shukrī ibn Ahmad ibn 'Alī ibn Ahmad al-Luhafī al-Hanafī is a renowned teacher of Qira'āt, a faqīh (jurist), a linguist, a calligrapher, a poet and an ascetic. He is also the current Shaykh of the Shādhilī-Darqāwī-Hāshimī tarīqa of Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmān al-Shāghūrī (d. 2004), after the passing of Shaykh Mustafā al-Turkmānī (d. 2006), may Allah be pleased with them both, Shaykh Shukri is also one of the Abdaal of Shaam ash-Sharif.

YouTube Video: Shadhili Sufi Hadra in Syria -( English Subtitles) -Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi - Poetry - Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani - Hashim Aziz October 1, 2021 :https://youtu.be/Q99G9Bbpptk?si=8SnCjlYdfj1naJAE

¹ One of the 99 Qur'anic names of God, usually translated as "The Most Generous" ² A sommelier is someone who serves wine, so is a more accurate translation for "saqi" than bartender or waiter: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sommelier. Wine and all of the language based around it is one of the most common metaphors in Sufi poetry, and almost never used literally. ³ One of the 99 Qur'anic names of God, which is best translated as "The Giver of Gifts" or "The Supreme Bestower" ⁵ Abdul Qadir al-Gilani, named for his native province of Gilan in 10th-century Persia. He was one of the earliest and arguably most influential Sufis in Islamic history, and is the eponymous founder of the Qadiri tariqah (Sufi order), which is probably the most widespread tariqah in the modern world. ⁶ A common epithet for Abdul Qadir al-Gilani meaning "falcon" A hadra led by the late Shaykh Shukri al-Luhafi, the leader of Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri's Darqawi-Hashimi-Shaghouri branch of the Shadhili tariqah ever since the death of Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani in 2006. It took place in Qalabaqjiyah Mosque, Damascus, Syria, but the date/year is unknown. The munshid (vocalist) is Hassan Sarouji, and all of the poems are recited in Maqam Bayati. See below for detailed information about the poetry. Most of the video has been translated but there are still a few lines that I couldn't make out, as indicated in the subtitles. If anyone with better hardware or hearing than me can make them out or translate them please comment or send me them. I will update the translation and give full credit to you in this description. Likewise if you notice any mistakes in the translation or other issues with the video or this description, please let me know so I can check them – if they turn out to be wrong I will correct the video as soon as possible and credit you in this description. ––––– 0:00 Hasha al-Kareem حاشا الكريـم يردهـم عطشـى Verses by Ali ibn Muhammad al-Habashi, a 19th-century shaykh of the Ba'Alawi tariqah. 0:56 Ya Saaqi al-Nudamaan ياساقى الندمان من رائق الدنان Written by Abdul-Rahman al-Shaghouri, the former master of the Hashimi-Darqawi branch of the until his death in 2004. 3:39 Lamma Saqani لما سقاني ساقي القوم The author for this poem is unknown. If you have a reliable source for who wrote it please let me know