Which companion was known as “the Keeper of the Secret of God’s Messenger”?
0 CommentsLeave a comment
Month: March 2016
Tawakkul and Submission
Tawakkul means to rely upon another, to appoint a trustee and to put one’s trust in that trustee.
One of the beautiful names of Allah is ‘Al-Wakeel’. This name has the meanings of ‘the one who takes care of matters which have been referred to Him, (in a most suitable way), and the One who takes care of affairs in the best way, the One who is relied upon, and the One who controls and who rules over everything’.
It is a must that the sole Source to be relied upon in all matters is the immortal, everlasting Absolute One of Power. It would be meaningless to trust somebody who is in fact the opposite.
Almighty Allah says in the Qur’an:
‘Put your trust in the Living who does not die and glorify Him with praise’ (Al-Furqan, 25:58)
Allah Most High desires that we, His servants, rely upon Him only. He says in the Qur’an:
‘So let the believers put their trust in Allah’. (Ibrahim, 14:11) ‘Whoever puts his trust in Allah – He will be enough for him’ (al-Talaq, 65:3)
The Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace and blessings) has said:
“If you were able to rely on Allah properly, you would be pro- vided for just like birds who leave their nests hungry and return full” (Tirmidhi, Zuhd, 33/2344; Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 14).
When it comes to submission, this has the meaning of acquiescence and acceptance of whatever events befall one without objection and thus arriving at peace. Submission is an act of the heart, and it is to be free of any doubts that arise in matters that have come from Allah. It is to be free of carnal desires that are contrary to divine commands, desires that are not compatible with sincerity, and the curse of resisting divine decree and Islamic law. It is stated in a verse from the Qur’an:
‘No, by your Lord, they are not believers until they make you their judge in the disputes that break out between them, and then find no resistance within themselves to what you decide and submit themselves completely.’ (An-Nisa, 4:65)
The word ‘teslimiyet’ or submission has the same root as the word ‘islam’. This is why to truly live Islam and to be a true servant of Allah is only possible through submission. This is because Allah (exalted and glorified be He) is not pleased when His servant yields to any other than Him.
Submission is an act of obedience based on love. It was through the blessings of this obedience and submission that nothing – not his life, his property or his son- could hinder the Prophet Ibrahîm (Abraham) (upon whom be peace) from the path of his exalted Lord. Thus his act of worship, of which the pilgrimage is the best symbol for his reliance and submission to his Lord, will continue until the end of time. The tongue of Ibrahîm was an interpreter of what was in his heart and he would constantly pray:
‘I am a Muslim who has submitted to the Lord of all the worlds.’ (Al-Baqara, 2:131)
The aim of tasawwuf, which takes love as its foundation and which is the essence of Islam, is the establishment of feelings of submission and contentedness with Allah by allowing the servant to live under divine guidance and move closer to Allah with every breath. The effects and deceits of the soul that arise from the thousand and one worries, anxieties and pains that are rife in this fleeting world, will only begin to abate as a result of contentment and submission to Allah. How beautifully Ibrahim Hakki Erzurumi puts it:
Rely upon Allah
Submit and find peace
Be content with all His affairs
And let us see what Allah has in store; For whatever it is, it will be for the best
Scenes of Virtue
Once a Bedouin came to the Prophet (upon whom be peace and blessings) and asked him:
“O Messenger of Allah! Shall I tie my camel and then trust in Allah or should I trust in Allah without tying my camel?”
The Prophet replied:
“Tie your camel first, and then trust in Allah”. (Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 60/2517)
According to reports by Ummu Seleme (May Allah be pleased with her), whenever the Messenger of Allah (upon whom be peace and blessings) would leave the house he would always make sure to turn his face to the heavens and say the following prayer:
“In the name of Allah! I put my trust in Allah. O Allah, I seek refuge in You that I should stray or be led astray, that I should slip, or be made to slip, that I should oppress or that I be oppressed, and that I should show ignorance or be subject to others ignorance” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 102-3/5094; Tirmidhi, Deavat 35).
-An Excerpt from the book, “Civilizations of Virtues-II”
He lost his sight there and then.
One day Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Ansari (RadiAllahu Anhu) came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ and said, in tears:
‘O Messenger of Allah! You are dearer to me than my own soul, my property, my children and my family. If I were not able to come and see you I would wish to die”.
Upon this the Messenger of Allahﷺ said: ‘Why are you crying?”
Abdullah ibn Zayd (RadiAllahu Anhu) answered:“O Messenger of Allah! I cried because I was thinking that one day you will die and we will die. You will be in a high state with the other prophets in Paradise while we will be in a lower place, even if we do go to Heaven and so I was crying thinking that I was not going to be able to see you”.
“O Messenger of Allah! I cried because I was thinking that one day you will die and we will die. You will be in a high state with the other prophets in Paradise while we will be in a lower place, even if we do go to Heaven and so I was crying thinking that I was not going to be able to see you”.
The Prophetﷺ, that ocean of compassion was silent for a while and did not reply. At that point the following verse was revealed:
‘Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger will be with those whom Allah has blessed: the Prophets and the truthful ones, the martyrs and the righteous. What excellent company such people are!’ (Nisa 4:69)
One day when Abdullah ibn Zayd (RadiAllahu Anhu) was working in his garden his son came running breathlessly and brought the news that the Prophet had passed away. Abdullah’s world turned upside down. He made the following prayer:
“O Allah! Take away my sight so that I do not see anything other than the only thing I love, the Messenger of Allah”
The prayer of Abdullah was answered and he lost his sight there and then. (See Qurtubi, V, 271).
Mercy and Compassion
Usually our good deeds, sacrifice and donations appear to be substantial to us. This mistaken impression deceives us and engages our mind. It fills us with contentment. A mere urn of water appears to be an ocean to us.
Our mundane desires never cease. We presume that what we own is our natural birthright. When we are asked to make a sacrifice our behavior changes as if we have been asked for something from our own personal possessions. Consequently, the bright, crystal clear and delicate mirror of trustworthiness and generosity becomes stained.
However, as Almighty Allah has revealed in the Qur’an: “As to the orphan do not oppress him. Nor refuse the one who asks for help” (Duha, 9-10).
Mawlana Rumi, quddisa sirruh, said:
Just as physically beautiful people search for bright and clear mirrors, for generosity to be seen poor and powerless people are required. As a beautiful person’s face may be reflected in a mirror, so too the beauty of those who help the needy through their generosity is reflected in the poor and the miserable.
Mawlana Rumi, quddisa sirruh, said: “Thus, the poor are the mirror of divine mercy and generosity. Those who are with Allah or lost in the existence of Allah are in a state of continuous generosity.”
*
Tafsir-i Hazin, a commentary on the Qur’an, reports the following from the great companion Jabir (RadiAllahu Anhu):
A small child came to the Prophet Muhammadﷺ . He told him that his mother had asked for a shirt. At that time the Prophet Muhammadﷺ owned only the shirt that he was wearing. He told the child to come back another time. The child returned to his home. But, soon he came back and told the Prophetﷺ that his mother wanted the shirt he was wearing. The Messenger of Allahﷺ went to his room, took off his shirt and gave it to the child.
At that moment, Bilal (RadiAllahu Anhu), the muadhdhin of the Prophetﷺ began reciting the Adhan, or the call to prayer. The Messenger of Allahﷺ could not come out of his room to lead the communal prayer because he did not have a shirt. Some of the companions came to his room since they were worried about him and they discovered that the Prophet no longer had a shirt to wear.
*
Wealth is a trust of Allah given to our care. The only way to enjoy it and feel happy about it is by sympathizing with the suffering of the needy by opening a window of mercy and compassion from our heart to them.
The great Rumi, quddisa sirruh, said:
Act like the sun in mercy and compassion!
Act like the night in covering the mistakes of others!
Act like a river in generosity and sacrifice!
Act like a dead one in anger and fury!
Act like the soil in humility and selflessness!
Act in accordance with the way you look!
Look in accordance with the way you act!
We should keep in mind that regardless how one presents oneself, what will come out of him is what he has in the urn of his heart. It is true that many urns that have claimed to be full of love have only produced eventually the water of indiscretion and heedlessness. Likewise, many people who have spoken about the elixir, or the water of life, could not drink a drop of it nor could they offer any to others. On the other hand, many people who hide themselves in humility and externally look like empty urns are special servants of Allah and carry endless oceans in their hearts. And they unhesitatingly offer water to burning lovers like the water of al-Kawthar, a river in Paradise.
May Allah raise all of us to be of His sincere and pure- hearted servants, so that we may too offer to all of humanity drops from the water of al-Kawthar and Tasnim(*) while still in this world.
Amen!
(*) al-Kawthar (literally, ‘The Abundant’) is a river of Jannah and Tasnim (literally, ‘Nectar’) is a spring of Jannah.
-An excerpt from the book, “Tears of the Heart’
Jamia Masjid in Srinagar – Indian Occupied Kashmir
Jamia Masjid (Urdu;جامع مسجد سرینگر) is a mosque in Srinagar, Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. The Jamia Masjid of Srinagar is situated at Nowhatta, in the middle of the old city. It was built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD under the order by Mir Mohmmad Hamadani son of Shah hamdan[Alaihi Rahma]. Later, the son of Sultan Sikandar, Zain-ul-Abidin got the mosque extended. The attractions of the Jamia Masjid of Srinagar, Kashmir include beautiful Indo-Saracenic architecture, a magnificent courtyard and 370 wooden pillars. Another feature of the mosque is the peace and tranquility inside it, standing out against the hustle of the old bazaars around it. Thousands of Muslims assemble at the mosque every Friday to offer their prayers.
This spacious mosque holds a capacity to accommodate more than 33,333 people offering prayer at a time. However, there is a perfectly square garden in the middle and the mosque is surrounded by wide lanes on all the four sides. At the peak, about 100,000 people offer prayers together.
Aerial View
Main Gate
Kashmiri girls engrossed in reciting Holy Quran at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Kashmir. Photo by : Hilal Ahmed.
Map
(Images: Internet Downloads)
The History of the Kaabah and Its Sacredness
The Kaabah, mentioned twice in the Quran, literally means a cubic object. Notwithstanding its other famous synonyms referred to in the Quran like al-Bayt, Baytullâh, al-Baytu’l-Atîq, al-Baytu’l- Harâm, al-Baytu’l-Muharram, al-Masjidu’l-Harâm, it is often called the Kaabah-i Muazzama, the highly respected Kaabah.
[The Kaabah was erected upon approximately 1.5 meter-wide columns. Its walls contain a total of 1614 basalt stones of various dimensions brought from around Mecca. On the east corner is the Hajar’ul-Aswad, the Black Stone. It is kept in a silver casing and marks the beginning and ending point of circumambulation. The Kaabah’s east corner is called Rukn’ul-Hajar’ul-Aswad or Rukn’us-Sharqi, its north corner Rukn’ul-Iraqi, its west corner Rukn’us-Shami, while its south corner Rukn’ul-Yamani. The drain channeling the rainwater from the roof of the Kaabah (Mizab’ul-The Kaabah) is known as the Golden Drain. Starting from the Kaabah, the first three meters of the area enclosed by a semicircular wall, standing at a height of 1.32 meters and width of 1.55 meters, that rises opposite the northwest corner of the Sacred House between Rukn’ul-Iraqi and Rukn’us-Shami, is known as Hatim. This section was included in the main building of the Kaabah put up by Ibrahim u. Restricted by a lack of material, however, Quraysh, during their restoration, had no other choice but to leave it outside. The remaining 5.56 meter area known either as Hijrul-the Kaabah, Hijru Ismail or Hatira, is the exact spot where Ibrahim u had made a shade for Hajar and his son Ismail from an arak tree. According to tradition, both Hajar and Ismail –upon whom be peace- are buried in the area of Hijr. It has thus been decreed obligatory to perform circumambulation from the outside of the Hijr. The door of the Kaabah, on the northeast of the House, stands at height of 2,25 meters from the ground. The section of the wall located between the door and the Hajar’ul-Aswad is known as Multazam. The exact height of the Kaabah is 14 meters. The length of Multazam is 12.84 meters, while that of Hatim 11.28 meters. Hatim and Rukn’ul-Yamani is separated by a distance of 11.52 meters. Holding the roof inside the Sacred House are three pillars, lined in the middle, from the south wall to Hatim. A ladder to the roof is found on the right hand side of the entrance, which also has a door of its own, called Bab’ut-Tawbah, the Door of Repentance. The inner walls of the Kaabah and its roof are covered with a green fabric made of silk. (Muhammad Ilyâs Abdulghanî, p. 33-66; Kâmil Mîrâs, Tecrid Tercemesi, VI, 17-20)]
The story of the Kaabah begins with Prophet Adam (Alaihi Salaam), the first human being. Upon descending to the world, he was given the duty of building a place of worship on the grounds where the Kaabah stands today (See Tabarî, Târih, I, 124). This is mentioned in the Quran in the following verse:
“Most surely the first house appointed for men is the one at Bekka, blessed and a guidance for the nations.” (Âl-i İmrân, 96)
In response to a question posed by Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) (*), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reveals the first building constructed on the face of Earth as the Kaabah, and the second as Masjid’ul-Aqsâ, the holy mosque of Jerusalem (See Bukhari, Anbiyâ, 10). The valley of Mecca was hence chosen as a holy place since the very beginning of human history.
After the Deluge of Nuh (Alaihi Salaam), the Kaabah remained for a long time under sand. It was rebuilt by Hazrat Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) many years after he left his son and wife in the land. Revisiting his family in Mecca years after, and seeing that his son was now a young man, Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) told him:
“Our Lord commands us to build a house for him…and you will help me!”
The young Ismail (Alaihi Salaam) carried stones while Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) erected the walls of the Kaabah. The piece of marble carrying the footprints of Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) was used as a stepping stone to help him reach the higher places of the wall (**). The Holy Quran narrates the event in the following words:
“And when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House: Our Lord! accept from us; surely You are the Hearing, the Knowing” (al-Baqara, 127) (For the details of the incident, see Bukhari, Anbiya, 9).
The Kaabah is the House of the Almighty only symbolically; that is to say, God does not live in it. Muslims pray to Allah (swt), by circumambulating it seven times, starting from the Black Stone placed by Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) near one of the corners of the Kaabah. The Black Stone descended from Paradise, and as reported by the Blessed Prophet ﷺ, it was whiter than milk and snow at the time of its descent, darkened in time by the sins of human beings. (Tirmidhî, Hajj, 49/877; Ahmad, I, 307).(***)
It has also been reported that fires before and after Islam had a part to do with the darkening of the Stone. But there are accounts that the side of the Stone facing the wall of the Kaabah still remained very white.
Mujahid narrates that when Abdullah ibn Zubayr (May Allah be pleased with him) demolished the walls of the Kaabah in order to renovate it, he saw that the inner side of the Black Stone was white.
Present during the reinstatement of the Stone in the 339th year of Hegira after having been taken away by the heretic Qarmatîs was Muhammad ibn Nâfî el-Huzâî, who later gave the following testimony:
“I was there to inspect the Black Stone when it was removed from its case and I saw that only one side, the visible side of the Stone was black, while the other three sides were white.”
In the 1039th year of Hegira, the Kaabah was ruined by a strong flood that swept across Mecca. During the rebuilding, Imâm Ibn Allân al-Makkî inspected the Black Stone, commenting that “the parts of the Black Stone installed facing the walls of the Kaabah are as white as the marble where Ibrahim u prayed (Maqâmu Ibrâhim)”(See Said Bektash, p. 36-38; Dr. Muhammad Ilyâs Abdulghanî, p. 43.)
The Quran narrates that once the building of the Kaabah was completed, Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) and his son Ismail (Alaihi Salaam) prayed to Allah (swt), in the following manner:
“Our Lord! Make of us Muslims, bowing to Your (Will), and of our progeny a people Muslim, bowing to Your (will); and show us our place for the celebration of rites; and turn unto us in Mercy; for You art the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
Our Lord! Send among them a Messenger of their own, who shall rehearse Your Signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom, and sanctify them: For You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (al-Baqara, 128-129)
Upon the completion of the Kaabah, the Almighty commanded Ibrahim to invite people for pilgrimage:
“And proclaim among men the Pilgrimage: they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, from every remote path.”(al-Hajj, 27)
Heeding to this Divine commandment, Ibrahim u climbed the nearby Abu Qubays Mountain, and called out to all four directions with an audible voice, informing people of their obligation to visit the Kaabah.(See Kâmil Mîrâs, Tecrid Tercemesi, VI, 20-21; Said Bektash, p. 111.)
After this declaration the Archangel Jibril (Alaihi Salaam) came and showed Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) the borders of the Holy Mosque and the distances of Safâ and Marwâ, telling him to erect stones to mark these borders. The Archangel afterward taught him all the rituals and procedures of the pilgrimage. Thereafter, people from far away lands began visiting the Kaabah for pilgrimage, making Mecca the center for the religion of the Almighty, granting the town an important place in the hearts of people.
Worshipping in the House of Allah (swt), continued the way Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) had taught up until the spread of idolatry. When idol worshipping became widespread in Mecca, the idolaters filled inside and around the Kaabah with idols. But even then the Kaabah was not renamed after a certain idol, continuing to be called Baytullah, the House of Allah (swt).
When Mecca was taken and opened to Islam by the Noble Prophet ﷺ all the idols were demolished, and under the inspection of the Prophet ﷺ, the Kaabah, from both the inside and outside, was cleansed with Zamzam water. This initiated a custom of washing the Kaabah with Zamzam and rosewater every year, perfuming it with musk and amber, and renewing its cover.
Any service made to the Kaabah and its visitors was thus held in great esteem. First fulfilled by Ismail (Alaihi Salaam), these noble duties passed on to his sons, then to the Jurhumites and finally to the tribe of Quraysh. Simultaneous to the establishment of the Meccan city- state we see the founding of the following duties:
1. Sidânah or Hijâbah: The duty of covering the Kaabah and safeguarding its keys.(****)
2. Siqâyah: Providing the pilgrims with water and beverages, and the maintenance of the Zamzam well.
3. Ridânah: Feeding and hosting poor pilgrims.
Becoming entrusted with these duties was considered a great honor and privilege among Arabs. In the time of the Noble Prophet ﷺ these duties were shared among the leading families of the Mecca. Omar (may Allah be pleased with him), the second Caliph, allocated allowances for these purposes, which during the time of Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) became more organized. The Ottomans similarly considered the upkeeping of the Kaabah as being of great significance, providing sizeable allowances for tending to the Sacred House.
Masjid al-Haram is believed to have looked like this during the time of the Prophet. صلى الله عليه و سلم
(*) Abu Dharr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) real name is Jundab ibn Junada. He was known as Ghifari in reference to the tribe of Ghifar from where he originally sprung. As the fifth Muslim, he was a man of piety, contentedness and abstinence, which lead the Blessed Prophet ﷺ to call him the Masih’ul-Islam, i.e. the Isa (Alaihi Salaam) of Islam. Constantly by the side of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, he would look to reap the greatest benefit from his presence, asking what he knew not to the Prophet ﷺ for clarification; accumulating so deep a knowledge in the end that Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is known to have called him ‘the repertoire of knowledge’. The total amount of his hadith narrations is 281. Breathing his last in Rabaza near Mecca in the 31st year of Hegira, his funeral last was conducted by a small group who laid him to rest.
(**) Said Bektash, Fadlu’l-Hajari’l-Aswad wa Maqâmi Ibrâhîm (upon him peace), p. 108; Muhammad Ilyâs Abdulghanî, p. 71-73. According to one source, Ibrâhîm –u later stood up on the marble, the Maqamu Ibrahim and invited people to hajj. (Said Bektash, p. 111) In reference to the Maqamu Ibrahim, Allah Y, says: “And when We made the House a resort for mankind and sanctuary, (saying): Take as your place of worship the place where Ibrahim stood (to pray).” (al- Baqara, 125)
(***) Scholars have commented that if sins can have so great an effect on even a stone so as to leave it black, who knows the intensity of the tarnish they can leave on the heart. Abstaining from sins with utmost effort is therefore a must.
(****) Ismail u is recognized as the first person to drape the Kaabah. (Abdurrazzaq, V, 154) Throughout Islamic history, the preparation of the cover of the Kaabah would be seen to by the Caliph, a sultan or the incumbent governor of Mecca. After the passage of the Caliphate to the Ottomans in 1517, the cover of the Sacred House continued to be woven in Egypt for a little while longer. During the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent, Istanbul became the center for weaving its inner cover, added to which was the outer cover, come the time of Sultan Ahmed III. The last cover woven in Ottoman hands to be sent was in 1916, with the rebellion of Sharif Hussain preventing further attempts. Prepared for a period of time once again in Egypt thereafter, the cover is today is made in a factory in Mecca set up specifically for that purpose.
-Excerpt from the book, “THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD MUSTAFA THE ELECT ﷺ”
Marhaba Ya Mustafaﷺ 