A "70 excuse" exercise

The other day a friend and myself were waiting for someone near a subway station. The two people we were waiting for were late by quite a bit.  While waiting, we decided to count 70 excuses for the people being late.  Making 10 excuses was easy, but it was struggle after that and we were having to be very creative. By the time we got to 21, the individuals we were waiting for arrived.  It turned out one of the excuses we made was actually true.  The struggle to make so many excuses made one reflect on how much benefit of doubt one has to give other people. The teaching of making 70 excuses is sourced from what follows:

Hamdun al-Qassar, one of the great early Muslims, as narrated by Imam Bayhaqi in his Shu`ab al-Iman [7.522] said: exercise

"If a friend among your friends errs, make seventy excuses for them. If your hearts are unable to do this, then know that the shortcoming is in your own selves[ibid]"

Shaykh Faraz comments:

This is because the default assumption about all humans and their actions is that they are sound and free of error. This is considered our operating certainty.

After this, if we find something that makes us doubt about them, we are not permitted to leave this operating certainty that they did not err for mere doubts or misgivings.

Allah Most High commanded us:

"O you who believe! Shun much doubt; for lo! some doubt is sinful." [Quran, 49.12]

The doubts and misgivings about others that are sinful are those that do not have a sound basis that would be sufficient to leave our operating assumption about others that they are upright and their actions free of error.

Amazing new Nasheed Artist: Nader Khan singing at RIS-2008

A new nasheed artist from the Toronto area-alhamdulillah. He will be singing at Reviving the Islamic Spirit Bazaar stage. His CDs will be on sale at different booths as well. 10 signed copies of the CD will also be available at RIS.

Nader Khan-He sings with his voice and heart. Mashahallah.

Clips of his nasheeds from his upcoming album on his facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nader-Khan/35891137163

His website:

http://www.naderkhan.com/

Nader Khan is a Canadian Muslim singer/songwriter, who grew up in India and Saudi Arabia. He's been performing in the GTA since he first arrived in Canada in the early nineties. His first album is scheduled to release later this month (Dec 2008) at the RIS 2008 Convention in Toronto.

Nader produces his albums through Relief Works, a unique initiative that promotes local and international relief efforts via Islamic music and arts, in pursuit of Divine pleasure through beauty, excellence, and service of His creation.

Book Review: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers is an insightful, thought-provoking and engaging book. It answers questions and dispels myths about success which often boggle our minds.

The book's core theme is that while skill and talent is an important ingredient for success , it is just one among many ingredients. Other important factors for success are things like opportunity, luck (in being placed in circumstances that were just right for success), lineage (!) and hard work.

Gladwell backs his arguments with concrete examples and research which helps one being convinced of what he is saying.

A must read book for sure. Read his interview about the book here in which he says:

"When outliers become outliers it is not just because of their own efforts. It's because of the contributions of lots of different people and lots of different circumstances— and that means that we, as a society, have more control about who succeeds—and how many of us succeed—than we think. That's an amazingly hopeful and uplifting idea."

You can read a book extract here.

As a Muslim, one reads this and really starts believing success is not of one's own doing-it is Allah placing us in the right place at the right time with the right people-though his mercy.

And Allah alone gives success.

Jemal Jelil: The Top 3 Reasons Why Marriages Fail For Men"

Jemal Jelil from JustHusbands.com:

The Top 3 Reasons Why Marriages Fail For Men"

Before I list why marriages fail for men, lemme define what I mean by a man's marriage failing.

What I mean here when I say that a marriage fails is that your wife has lost interest in you. Or at least, she's not as interested in you as you'd like.

If it gets bad, she eventually expresses her disinterest in you by either: a) wanting to leave you, or b) cheating on you.

And it may happen in degrees, but to whatever extent she's disinterested, the marriage is failing.

So if you want to keep her interest, don't let these 3 reasons why marriages fail happen to you:

READ HERE

Just Husbands dot com

A local friend who has been married for many years has started a blog/website for husbands ( or those preparing to be husbands). He gives a lot of practical advice. I would encourage you all to check his website out:

website: www.justhusbands.com
blog: http://www.happy-marriage-for-men.com/happy-marriage-blog.html

Hatim al-Assamm on the Prayer.

It is related of Hatim al-Assamm, may God be pleased whim, that he said, in answer to a question about Prayer: ' When the time of prayer is at hand, I make a proper ablution, go to the spot where I intend to pray and sit there till all my limbs and organs are in a collected state. Then I stand to preform my Prayer, placing Ka'ba between my brows, the Bride-over-Hell beneath my feat, Paradise to my right and Hell to my left, and the Angel of Death behind me, thinking all the while that this is my final Prayer. Then I stand between hope and fear, I carefully pronounce " Allahu Akbar!" Then I recite the Quran harmoniously, bow in humility and prostrate myself submissively. I then sit on my left haunch, spreading out the top of my left foot and raising my right foot on the toes. I follow this with sincerity. Then I wonder whether or not my Prayer has been accepted.'

Taken from Imam Ghazlai's Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship translated by Mukhtar Holland.

Sacred Knowledge is like food...

We love to compare food with Sacred Knowledge and see how we can understand the intake of Sacred Knowledge better:

Food has to be taken in the right proportions from the hands of the right people (cooks).
Sacred Knowledge has to be taken in the right proportions from the hands of the right people (scholars).

Overeating of food can harm one if one does not have the capacity at the time one eats it.
Over-intake of Sacred Knowledge can harm one if one does not have the capacity at the time one learns it.

The best food is the healthy food which your body can use in the most useful way.
The most suitable Sacred Knowledge is that which you can use in the most useful way (i..e. apply it).

Different methods of cooking foods may have the same base ingredients but the skill of the teacher is in combining these sources in a way that it becomes easy to eat.
Different methods of teaching Islamic Sciences may have the same base sources but the skill of the teacher is in combining these sources in a way that it becomes easy to learn.


If you were eating food, you need to know what you are eating to know the the real blessing it is.
If you were learning Sacred Knowledge, you need to know (the value of) what you are learning to know the the real blessing it is.

There is a right time for everything. Desert always comes after the main dish.
There is a right time for everything. Complicated sciences are learnt after one's foundations


Best food is that which you can actually digest not one that you just stare at.
Best Sacred Knowledge is that which you can apply not one that you just "awe" at.

Food needs enzymes.
Sacred Knowledge needs Scholars.

Some food can harm you if you don't eat it properly
Some Sacred Knowledge can harm you if you don't learn it properly.

Parents worry about your food.
Teachers ( your spiritual parents) worry about your Sacred Knowledge.

Put your money where your mouth is. You have to make spend to get good food.
Put your heart where your akhira is. You have to expend yourself to learn Sacred Knowledge.

You have too love and revere the cooks who cook for you.
You have to love and revere the teachers who teach you.

Be thankful to Allah for access to food. There are many who don't have it.
Be thankful to Allah for access to Sacred Knowledge. There are many who don't have it.

Actions are by their intentions. Intend highly when you eat ( i.e. for the sake of Allah).
Actions are by their intentions. Intend highly when you learn (i.e. for the sake of Allah).

(Roti)

Shaykh Faraz on the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)'s example and state

Shaykh Faraz quoted Sahl ibn Abd Allah al-Tustari who said:

"Reliance on Allah was the state of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and taking the means was his example. So whoever claims his state should follow his example."

Punjabi Wise Says 8: Teeth and Grain

Jeney Dand ditey neyn
oh chaban laee danay vee deysi

He who has given us teeth
will also give us grain to eat

This saying tells us about the unmeasurable power of our Creator and our need of reliance on Him. Our job is to try (i.e. take the means) and have hope up in him ( not have hope in ourself). We should not think that He has lack of anything that we need. He knows our needs and knows how/when/where to fulfill them.

"..Hasbi Allaah wa ni 'am al-wakeel"
"For us Allah sufficeth, and He is the best disposer of affairs." (Quran 3:173)

Shaykh Zahir: On Ignorance

Alhamdaulillah, Shaykh Zahir defined ignorance while covering Hikam 35 today . He said:

"Ignorance is satisfaction with one's own ignorance"

Subhanallah.

Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri on taking means

Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Shaghouri said:

"Taking the means is necessary, and denying that they're effective is necessary. Whoever doesn't take the means is denying Divine Wisdom; and whoever relies on them has associated partners with Allah."

Seekers Guidance-Shaykh Faraz

Alhamdulillah, Seekers' Guidance courses go live today. I dont know of a better teacher than Shaykh Faraz.

Given my love of food, I look at him as a enzyme on sacred knowledge who breaks it down into digestable chunks which one can then digest and use to one's benefit inshahallah.

Check out his online courses here. A flyer is attached below:

Oyee Motay...Obesity

Wow....Hai Allah!

"For the first time in human history, the number of overweight people rivals the number of underweight people.… While the world's underfed population has declined slightly since 1980 to 1.1 billion, the number of overweight people has surged to 1.1 billion...."

Read on: Anup Shah, Obesity, GlobalIssues.org

...the weather today is

How we view the weather can tell us something about ourselves....

Different weather conditions favor and harm different people. When we come across any kind of weather condition, is our first thought "how it will affect us?" and not " "how it will help or benefit someone else?". Of course, one does need to take the means of dressing/driving ( and etc.) appropriately when facing different kinds of weather. However that is different then labeling certain kinds of weather categorically good or bad just because one will experience benefit or harm through the weather condition at hand on a personal level.

One should appreciate most weather conditions as they are a blessing of Allah SWT ( most kinds of weather do have some positive to them barring storms and the like, from which one should seek Protection from Allah). Despite it being a good "conversation starter", complaining about different weather conditions will not really change anything.

Lets work on the internal weather of our heart.....and nurture it in a good climate....

Shaykh Ramzy: Wudu and his teacher

Yesterday, Shaykh Ramzy mentioned that his teacher Shaykh Abdullah al-Haddad will be in town for approximately a month starting Tuesday, alhamdaulillah.

Hence, Shaykh Ramzy said--- that he cant do the halaqa next week ( since his Shaykh will be here). He said one cannot make Tayamum when there is water to do wudu with. Subhanallah.

After hearing that, we were all in awe of the adab that Shaykh Ramzy has towards his teacher. May Allah grant us with better adab towards our teachers.

Shaykh Ramzy: On knowing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

A couple of weeks ago our teacher Shaykh Ramzy gave an introduction to a talk by Shaykh Talal on Shamail at a local Mawlid which was organized by a brother who was getting married that weekend. Shaykh Ramzy said many things but the following three things stuck with us:

1. He said that the more you hear about the Prophet ( Peace and Blessings be upon him), the more you love him and the more you love him the more you want to hear about him.
2. He told us that the Shamail is an an important text because its a means for us to know the Prophet ( peace and blessings be upon him). He said that if you are passionate about cars, then you will know all the details about cars--whats a good car-how should a good car run..how fast..etc. (Din was thinking about his love of Rotee at this point!). In the same way, we should strive to learn more about the Prophet ( peace and blesisngs be upon him), if we really love him. i.e. the way he was, the way he ate, the way he looked and the list is endless. Subhanallah.
   
3. He looked at Brother "brother" who was getting married and said: " You cannot be too extreme in loving the Prophet ( peace and blessings be upon him), however, you can be extreme in loving your spouse.."
   

May Allah SWT preserve our Shuyukh.

..thoughts on poverty...

Its been more than 7 years since I moved back to Canada. As some of you know I spent most of my childhood in Pakistan. Growing up in a third world country meant that one could see poverty all around one, even in an insulated place like the capital city-Islamabad. However, growing up in a place like that also desensitizes one to poverty.

Like most upper middle class families in Pakistan, we used to have maids come to our house to clean up. A lot of these maids would have 5 to 10 children and barely enough money to get by for the next few days. Most of the time, they would be forced to make their children work as well which would mean that the children would not be educated-hence continuing the cycle of poverty. However, having said that, its not a given that education does lead to employment in Pakistan. Who a person know can not only help one get a job, it can also help one keep one's job even while underperforming, Further, the quality of education that most poor people can afford is not enough for them to come out with skills to earn an employment which would help them move up the economic ladder. So while poverty makes it difficult for children to get education, the attainment of education doesn't guarantee freedom from poverty either.Its a vicious cycle to be stuck in. I would say that developed countries offer better opportunities to move up the economic ladder-however, no place is perfect.

Part of the problem with poverty is that it is only a symptom of other root systemic problems i.e. corruption, famine, drought, natural disasters, war, economic colonialism, etc. These issues are too complex to come up with a "one solution for all." An African person I know told me recently that the problem with a lot of foreign aid is that the people giving the aid do not understand the local conditions and do not understand that these conditions can vary even within a few hundred kilometres in the same country.

Another interesting spin on poverty is that it is actually something we constantly ask Allah to save us from. Why? Well if you have no money to sustain yourself, it really becomes hard not to focus on the worldly pursuits. Your entire focus becomes your livelihood on a day to day basis and that can potentially be very (spiritually) harmful. Muslims are obligated to give 2.5 % of our savings to poor Muslims on a annual basis.

Further we are constantly encouraged to spend on those less fortunate then us. In spending on these people, we don't only help them in this world , we also help ourselves focus on what really matters ( i.e. the reality after death). Further, Muslims are also encouraged to look at people who have less then us when it comes to wealth in this world and not look at people who have more. We thank Allah for not having put us in a smilar situation and part of that thankfulness is that we give to the poor, make dua for them and also find other ways to help them because there are many ( some are listed by Sister Aminah on her web page).

...on gratitude...

Note: This has been written for the Gratitude blog festival.

Alhamdaulillah, we have just finished another month of Ramadan in our lives. During a Khatam on the 29th night at our local masjid, the imam mentioned how we should be thankful that we still have the blessing of being alive whereas we all know people who were with us last year but were not here with us.

Since Ramadan finished we found out that someone we knew had been diagnosed with a life threatening brain tumor in her brain. Another person we know had her first baby recently and yesterday we learnt that while on maternity she lost her husband to cancer. And here we were getting caught up, worked up abot the real small every day issues that were really insignificant when compared to the challenges other people were facing. There is a lot to be thankful for.

Alhamdulillah, it only takes a small tummy ache or cold to make one feel terrible. Alhamdulillah, that most of us (reading this) feel well most of the time and have no major health issues.

One can be thankful for the fact that one is free to move about and free to say the truth. There are many places in the world where people are not free to move ( i.e. in jail), and, the reason is that they spoke the truth!

There are several people who die from hunger every day or have to walk miles to fetch water. It is a blessing to be able to afford to eat, which also relates to being thankful that we have the money to buy the food. Alhamdulillah for the halal rizq.

There are people who lose their parents and loved ones at a young age due to disease, war or other conditions. Alhamdaulillah that most of us have our loved ones to lean on.

It is a blessing to be able to communicate in the language of one's land and community.

We all know people who cant speak at all or cant speak well enough to communicate what they feel.

Alhamdaulillah, there are many people who are not thankful for what they have. They look at the glass with water and see the part that is empty. As Muslims we should believe that the glass is always full and when the water in the glass decreases the glass size also decreases i.e. the glass is always full ( and that will ultimately increase the glass size). One of the leading scholars of our time says that the best way to increase our rizq is to be thankful.

Who do we thank? The expression of thankfulness is to people around us. As the hadith goes "Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allah". However, the ultimate thankfulness should be expressed to Allah and the best way to express that thankfulness is to use Allah's gifts as he desires them.. Alhamdulillah...

Seekers Guidance: Shaykh Faraz

Shaykh Faraz has been a blessing for many of us in our lives. Alhmaddulillah, he is one of those teachers who can take a complicated concept and deliver in a way that it becomes a easy action item. Moreover he delivers the material with humor and good examples which solidify one's understanding. Shaykh Faraz is currently teaching at Seeker's Guidance which has programs on the ground and also online. Some details are listed below:

Online:

SeekersGuidance (www.SeekersGuidance.com), the Online Islamic Educational Portal of Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, has just launched its fall courses in:

1. Islamic Law (Fiqh)

2. Beliefs & Understanding (Aqida)

3. Prophetic Guidance

4. Qur'anic Studies

Course Format: Conveniently downloadable lessons.

Course Texts: Text translations, lesson handouts, review questions, and other related readings will be provided upon course opening.

Registration is now open!

First 10 registrants in each course get an early bird 20% discount
First 5 registrants in each course also get
a free copy of "The Branches of Faith: Bringing Faith to Life" (a 4-lesson set)
Returning students registering in any course get
a free copy of Imam Ghazali on "Organizing Your Religious Routines"
Courses to commence from Friday, Oct 17th 2008

REGISTER TODAY!

Join the SeekersGuidance Newsletter mailing list or Facebook group for regular updates!

www.SeekersGuidance.com

Relevant Courses | Clear Answers | Inspiring Media

For further information, please email us at

info@seekersguidance.com

__________________________________________

On the Ground:

SeekersGuidance Halaqa in Mississauga, Ontario

with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Wednesday Nights | Oct 8th to Dec 31st | 6pm to 9:15pm

Shalimar Community Centre

3024 Cedarglen Gate, Mississauga

@ Mavis & Dundas

Covering:

• Understanding Halal & Haram
• Imam Nawawi's Riyad al-Salihin
• Absolute Essentials of Islam

Contact:

Umm Umar (Shireen Ahmed)
SeekersGuidance Administration
shireenfatima@seekersguidance.com

Abdul Hakim Murad:Contentions 13

Mashahallah. Just awed at Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad's depth, eloquence and wisdom. May Allah preserve him. Contentions 13 are out!

Here are my favorites ( from the small number I understand):

5. You cannot grow out of your culture, but you can help it to grow.


44. Show yourself yourself; then He will show Himself Himself.

70. Pay attention, and trust in God.


71. Know that your plans are written on water.

78. The world is the way it is because you are the way you are.

81. 'Fear of God is knowledge enough. To be pleased with one's knowledge is ignorance enough.' (Bint Umm Hassan)

91. Respect the insights that can only be expressed by humour.

92. Pride is the crown of the ignorant.

93. Traditional Islam is not the replication of the positions of the ancients; it is to seek what they sought.

94. Look within, and what is outside you will become clear. Look around you, and you will understand yourself.

99. A little worship with sincerity is all of religion; abundant worship for the sake of one's image of oneself is nothing at all.

100. Modernity finds it hard to distinguish between rest and idleness.