On Iman

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

I haven't had my lunch yet, so let me start off by a hungry analogy. Translating "إيمان (Iman)" as "faith or belief" is akin to translating "food" as "burgers+fries+coke". Granted that "burgers+fries+coke" can be (mis)construed as food, after all even the expression "junk food", does not deny them the much coveted status of "food", albeit of the "junk" nature.

However, the basic (and sometimes overlooked) purpose of food is to provide good, healthy, wholesome nutrition. Secondary objectives could be for food to taste good, look appetizing, be available in a fast and convenient manner and so on.

If it fails to meet its basic purpose of healthy nutrition, we go back and ask, is it really food? In the same vein, if the translation "belief" fails to propel the "believers" towards a state of success in accordance with its definition as laid down by Allah, can it really be "إيمان " ?

The root of the word "إيمان ", is ا م ن which means :

become/feel safe/secure, state of security/safety, trust, become quiet/tranquil in heart/mind, become free of expectation of evil or free of an object of dislike/hatred, promise/assurance of security/safety, become trustful/faithful/confident, to believe/acknowledge it, manifestation of humility/submission.

From the root it becomes apparent that "to believe" or "acknowledge" is just one shade of the meaning, and the greater sense of the word is to be "in an existential state" of tranquility with the object of our "إيمان", in our case Allah ( مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ).

A مؤمن should continuously strive that Allah is pleased (راضي ) with him/her, and at the same time should live in a state of contentment or ridha (رضا ) with Allah, as highlighted in several ayat, for example, in this context Al-Mujadilah (58:22):

    لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُوْلَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ أُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

Thou canst not find people who [truly] believe in God and the Last Day and [at the same time] love anyone who contends against God and His Apostle - even though they be their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or [others of] their kindred.  [As for the true believers,] it is they in whose hearts He has inscribed faith, and whom He has strength­ened with inspiration from Himself,  and whom [in time] He will admit into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide. Well-pleased is God with them, and well-pleased are they with Him. They are God’s partisans: oh, verily, it is they, the partisans of God, who shall attain to a happy state!

(Some of the interpreters argue that this state of  رضا  in this particular ayat refers to the state in the Hereafter, but it could well refer to the state in this world.  This understanding is reinforced in (At-Tauba, 9:100), where it should be evident that the state of   رضا  is achievable in this world.)

So coming back to our argument that a مؤمن is always in a state of  رضا with Allah, continuously aware of His Presence, feeling secure (3:173), and in a state of tranquility,  (سكينة ) as in  (48:4),  protecting himself/herself from evil, and avoiding any wrongdoing in general, at the risk of losing this state (even if the wrong act is something apparently simple, such as labeling people derisively Sufi, Wahhabi, Shia, Nasibi, Tablighi etc (49:11) ).

It is pertinent to note that in Islam, this state of contentment does not mean that we are passive, but rather active in our endeavors, manifesting our "إيمان ", in terms of doing good deeds. As highlighted by this narration of ultimate altruism:

 لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسه

The Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) has reportedly said:
"None of you has إيمان  until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."
[Reported by al-Bukhari,  Muslim, Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, an-Nasa'i, and Ibn Hibban ]

To look at the concept more extensively, I searched for "إيمان " in the Qur'an, for where else to look for answers, except in the Qur'an?

The term, in its noun form can be found in the following ayat of the Qur'an:

2:93, 2:108, 2:109, 2:143, 3:86, 3:90, 3:100, 3:106, 3:167, 3:173, 3:177, 3:193, 4:25, 5:5, 6:82, 6:158, 6:158, 8:2, 9:23, 9:66, 9:124, 9:124, 10:9, 10:98, 16:106, 16:106, 30:56, 32:29, 33:22, 40:10, 40:28, 40:85, 42:52, 48:4, 48:4, 49:7, 49:11, 49:14, 49:17, 52:21, 58:22, 59:9, 59:10, 60:10, 74:31


Reviewing the above ayat, it is clear that the term "إيمان " indicates not an idea, or a belief, but an attainable state.

It is relevant to point out that only through Allah's favor upon us, can we achieve the RIGHT  إيمان  .  It is Allah Who has allowed us to attain to إيمان and made it dear for us. In the right state, we find inner peace, do good deeds, abhor evil deeds, and do not get disturbed/distressed by whatever Allah decides for us, or for the world.

People can be invited to attain this state. Those who are in this state are quick to follow Allah's commandments and revelations. And every time they receive Signs of God, they become stronger in their state. However, their state is not dependent upon seeing God, or any of His Unseen Creation.

This state is very clear, different from other states, such as the  إيمان  of the كافرون  which are not beneficial (32:29).  Only إيمان in the One, Almighty God, is the RIGHT إيمان  and will bring with it blessings.

While you are in a state of "إيمان ", your "إيمان ", could increase and decrease, could be further strengthened or weakened.  It could also be obscured by wrong-doing.

If there are people cover the truth after attaining إيمان, God condemns such actions and doing this will bring them tremendous suffering (16:106), especially to those who are lost in sin (9:66).

For Muslims, our relationship of إيمان with the Almighty, is also dependent on love of the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam), as stated in the following narration in Bukhari:

 لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى أكون أحب إليه من ولده ووالده والناس أجمعين

"None of you has إيمان  until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all people."


In another narration in Bukhari the Prophet(salallahu alayhi wasallam) has reportedly said: "None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves himself."

Those who achieve/attain this state, in the way that it should be achieved, are called "مؤمنين " or  " مؤمنات " (singular مؤمن).By accepting Islam, you automatically do not become a مؤمن as Allah deems that in order for us to be مؤمن , it is imperative that إيمان must enter our hearts.Who qualifies to be a مؤمن  and what are his/her qualities, is the subject of another blog post, Insha Allah.

Are we really "The Ummah"?

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

A few weeks back someone was arguing the case how the ummah of Rasoolullah Salallahu alayhi wasallam would go to Paradise based on this or that hadith.  Although it made for pleasant hearing for the audience, who (Muslims) obviously believed in their Divine Right to Paradise through the Shafa'at (intercession) of the Prophet Muhammed Salallahu alayhi wasallam, it made me think..... 

What qualifies us to be a member of the ummah of Rasoolullah Salallahu alayhi wasallam? I started by searching about what the Qur'an says about the concept of ummah.

The word ummah (plural ummam), in its noun form is found in the following ayat of the Qur'an:
2:128, 2:134, 2:141, 2:143, 2:213, 3:104, 3:110, 3:113, 4:41, 5:48, 5:66, 6:38, 6:42, 6:108, 7:34, 7:38, 7:38, 7:159, 7:160, 7:164, 7:168, 7:181, 10:19, 10:47, 10:49, 11:8, 11:48, 11:48, 11:118, 12:45, 13:30, 15:5, 16:36, 16:63, 16:84, 16:89, 16:92, 16:92, 16:93, 16:120, 21:92, 21:92, 22:34, 22:67, 23:43, 23:44, 23:52, 23:52, 27:83, 28:23, 28:75, 29:18, 35:24, 35:42, 40:5, 41:25, 42:8, 43:22, 43:23, 43:33, 45:28, 45:28, 46:18

The meaning of the word according to Lisan Al-Arab, and also various lexicons, such as that of Lane, ranges from one's kinsfolk, tribe, party, community, nation, group of living things having certain characteristics or circumstances in common, any grouping of human or animal, creation, generation, creatures of God etc to way/course/manner/mode of acting, faith, religion, nation, , time or period of time, righteous persons, a person who is an object of imitation and who is known for goodness/virtues;

An interesting fact about the term ummah is that it shares its root with the word umm (mother, source, principle, prototype, origin).

Moving on from the linguists, back to the Qur'an, I found out that in context of being the ummah of Prophet Muhammed Salallahu alayhi wasallam, Allah subhanaHu wa ta'ala, said a lot of nice things, but what I will talk about today is the following:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ ........... (3:110)

You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind: you enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in God.....
(Part of Aal-'Imran 3:110)

This ayah (or part of an ayah) used to be frequently quoted in the khutbah (sermon) when I was a student, and brought with it a kind of feel-good factor, a feeling of being unique or distinguished and so on.  This feeling stemmed from the mistaken notion that in this ayah Allah is addressing us...


Why mistaken you ask?

Let us be honest to ourselves.... When Allah says "you are the best community", do we really qualify? Can we really be that blind to our faults that we egoistically attribute this title to ourselves? What have we done for the good of all mankind? Yeah, I know, Muslims have contributed so much to the world, when Europe was in Dark Ages etc etc.... But quoting from to my beloved poet-philosopher Iqbal:

..   تھے تو آبا وہ تھارے ہي' مگر تم کيا ہو
...    ہاتھ پرہاتھ دھرے منتظر فردا ہو!

Surely they were but your forefathers, but what are you ?
Procrastinating idly, waiting for tomorrow are you !

And even now we have this many scientists, PhDs, doctors, engineers etc.. No doubt.

But I venture to ask again, what have we, present day Muslims (including the writer of this blog), have done for all mankind, that we would so arrogantly and shamelessly stake claim to be a member of this ummah in accordance with this ayah?

Far from enjoining what is all good, and forbidding and standing up against all that is evil, we ourselves have succumbed to worse kinds of evils. And far from standing up for the good of mankind,  we conveniently excuse ourselves to even stand up for good of our own family, society, community etc.

Not only that, we have redefined  مَعْرُوفِ from "universally accepted values" into something else, and have also redefined مُنكَرِ from "universally rejected evil" into something else as well.

And as for Belief in Allah... well, that is a failure of epic proportions, and merits a blog post by itself to begin with.....

So, rather than wallowing in our own miserable arrogance, we should take some time and introspect whether we are really fulfilling the requirements of being a member of the ummah of Rasoolullah Salallahu alayhi wasallam before moving on to the "logical" conclusion that Paradise is our birthright.

For sinners like me, Glad Tidings.......

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Following our previous discussions on Good Deeds, let us now talk about people like me, who despite the best of intentions (sometimes), end up sinning ( a lot of times). Is there any hope for us?


According to An-Nisa (4:64)

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ جَآؤُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ اللّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ اللّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا (4:64)

For We have never sent any apostle save that he should be heeded by God's leave. If, then, after having sinned against themselves, they would but come round to thee and ask God to forgive them - with the Apostle, too, praying that they be forgiven - they would assuredly find that God is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace.

And what about the following hadith:

As recorded by Imam Ahmed with the sanad of Sahih on the authority of Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and by Ibn Majah on the authority Hazrath Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) said, ‘Almighty Allah gave me the choice of either intercession or taking half my Ummah into Jannah. I took intercession for it is that which will be of more use and more needed. Do you think that my Intercession is for those who are pious Muslims? No, on the contrary it is for those who are steeped in sin and grave wrongdoing. (Ibn Majah).

Abu Dawood, Tirmizi, Ibn Habbaan, Haakim and Baihaqi narrate with Anas bin Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him), and Tirmizi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Habbaan and Haakim also narrate from Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) said, ‘My Intercession is for those in my Ummah, who have committed major sins ’(Ibn Majah).

With hope in the intercession of our beloved Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam), I would like to share some beautiful love-struck verses from Jami (شيخ نورالدين عبدالرحمن بن أحمد جامي) :

تنم فرسودہ جاں پارہ ز ہجراں، یا رسول اللہ
دلم پژمردہ آوارہ ز عصیاں، یا رسول اللہ

Tanam Farsooda jaa.n para Ze Hijraa.n Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)
Dillam Pazh Murda Aawara, Ze Isyaa.n. Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)
My body is dissolving in your separation and my soul is shattering. Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)
My heart has withered and become wayward, due to sinning. Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)

چوں سوۓ من گذر آری، من مسکین زناداری
فداۓ نقش نعلینت کنم جاں، یا رسول اللہ

Choon Sooey Mann Guzar Aari, Manne Miskeen Zanaa Daari
Fida-E-Naqsh-E-Nalainat, Kunam Jaa.n. Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)
When you pass by me, Then even in my immense poverty,
I sacrifice my soul on your blessed sandal, in ecstasy Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)

زجام حب تو مستم ، با زنجیر تو دل بستم
نمی گویم کی من بستم سخنداں، یا رسول اللہ

Ze Jaame Hubb To Mustam, Ba Zanjeerey To Dil Bastam
Nami Goyam Ke Mun Bastum, Sukhan Daa.n Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)
I am drowned in the taste of your love And the chain of your love binds my heart.
Yet I cannot claim that I know this language (of love). Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)

ز کردہ خیش حیرانم، سیاہ شد روز عصیانم
پشیمانم، پشیمانم، پشیمانم، یا رسول اللہ

Ze Karda Khaish Hayraanam, Siyah Shud Roze Isyaanam
Pashemaanam, Pashemaanam, Pashemaanam. Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)
I am worried due to my misdeeds; And I feel that my sins have blackened my heart.
I am distressed, lamenting in Repentance Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)

چوں بازوۓ شفاعت را کشا بر گناہگاراں
مکن محروم جامی را در آں، یا رسول اللہ

Choon Baazooe Shafaaat Raa, Khushaa e Bar Gunahgaara.n
Makun Mahruum Jaami Raa, Daraa Aa.n.Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)
Ya Rasulullah! When you spread your hands to intercede for the sinners,
Then do not deprive Jaami of your exalted intercession Ya Rasulallah! (صلي الله عليه و سلم)

Good Deeds. Part 2.

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the previous post we talked about how for a Muslim, the furqan (criteria) of "good" and "bad" should be the Qur'an, and the Prophet ( ﷺ).  And we asked the question, what about deeds that are not explicitly mentioned in the furqan?

Commonly held views in Islamic sciences calls for various approaches such as  ijmā' (consensus of scholars), Qiyas (analogical reasoning) etc. However, the topic of this post does not render itself suitable for mundane jurisprudential issues. So we shall open a more metaphysical line of thought, to do with niyyah (intention).

Is blogging a good deed? Or writing a book? Eating a burger?  Is it like the great bard said : ".....for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"

There is an endless list of deeds that could be debated upon as whether being good, evil, or a third category that I call "neutral" or the appropriate Islamic term مباح mubah (permissible)......I call these kinds of deeds "neutral", which means, they are not inherently good or bad by themselves. Mubah acts are those actions that neither have any stated positive or negative consequences in the Hereafter. Performing or abandoning the mubah is the same, hence the word "neutral".

If you blog about evil things, then blogging is bad....
If you blog about good things, then blogging should be good....
If you blog about the weather, is it good or bad? I call it mubah..

If you write an evil book, then it is bad....
If you write a book about good and pious things, then it should be good..
If you write a cook book, is it good or bad? I call it mubah..

I hold the view that barring explicitly evil deeds, all deeds are either good, or mubah (that may be classified as good under certain circumstances).

The circumstance that is most compelling, is preceding the act with the right niyyah (intention). With the right niyyah, Mubah may become a Mandub (preferred act or an act with certain reward). 

There is a famous and oft-quoted statement narrated by Sayyidina Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in context of the emigration, states that he reportedly heard Allah's Messenger (sallallau alayhi wasallam) say: "Actions are but by intentions and every one will have only what they intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration was for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrated to attain something of this world or to marry a woman, then his emigration was for whatever reason he emigrated." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

 عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: "إنما الأعمال بالنيات. وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى فمن كانت هجرته إلى الله ورسوله فهجرته إلى الله ورسوله. ومن كانت هجرته لدنيا يصيبها أو امرأة ينكحها. فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليه"     
متفق عليه

This statement is often generalized (not without reason) to a whole array of deeds, which I would classify as mubah. If the deed is apparently neutral, then the right intention will make it good. And if a deed is apparently good, intention is still extremely important, in order to let it remain good, otherwise a good deed with a polluted intention is still a big no no.... As for evil deeds, right intentions cannot make them good.

What constitutes a good intention? In my opinion the right intention should only be rida (satisfaction/pleasure?) of Allah.


In this present day and age, the amount of time we spend in sinning is significant, and the amount in doing good deeds proportionately insignificant.  And most of our time we spend in pursuit of mubah or neutral activities. Most of our lives are spent in school, university and then later in the workplace. By the time we are done with school and workplace, we have retired, and left with pretty much the fag end of our lives, and our healths. Not much to do good deeds with.


I would like to postulate, albeit controversially, that both schooling and working comes under mubah. Although many would argue that schooling is about gaining knowledge, and Islam encourages/asks us to strive in the pursuit of knowledge as a good action, I would counter by saying that spending 15-20 years of your lives institutionalized in the pursuit of this or that degree or career is not the pursuit of knowledge, unless it is preceded with the right intention. After all, how many of us thought that going to our classes regularly is a Divinely Ordained command...?

In the same way some would argue that working is essential in the pursuit of sustenance for us and our families, which again is encouraged by Islam. I would also counter that by saying how many of us work for the right intentions? I mean is getting a good salary, or a good career really the right intention?

I would like to conclude by saying that we should spend our time on earth wisely. Minimize or eradicate evil deeds, maximize good deeds, and try to convert all our mubah deeds into good, by choosing the right intention, which is "rida" of Allah.

After all, we don't want to be the ones on the Day of Judgement saying:

يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي

He will say: "Ah! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my (Future) Life!"  (Al Fajr, 89:24)

May Allah bless us with His rida in whatever we do, and help us to prepare for the Certainty that will come upon us, unannounced, and instead of meeting it in a state of "good-deed penury", we should strive to send some good deeds forward that will meet us when we are there. At the very least, we should convert our "neutral" deeds, by precluding them with the right intentions, so that they may be accepted.......

Wallahu a3lam.

Nobody is Perfect

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Yes, that's right.... Nobody is.... and before we start arguing about how Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wasallam) was perfect, or how Jesus Christ was, or how so and so was perfect. Let me stop you right there..... I don't want to be drawn into that debate (I do believe that Prophets and pious people can stake claim to perfection, or character par excellence)....

Instead, let me repeat : "Nobody IS perfect"... None of us ordinary non-Prophet/non-Saint/non-Divine people 7 odd billion folk are perfect..

So let us just admit it, and get it out of the way so we can move on......

That brings us to the next question, if we are not perfect... are we imperfect? That's a stretch right there. If something is not perfect, it has to be imperfect ?...

Well, IMHO, it doesn't have to be. Human beings are not a binary system of either 1 or 0. We are a bit more fuzzy logic - ordinary human beings who have sinned, every now and then, and perhaps are sinning right now ... :) who stake no claim to perfection, and at the same time refuse to be cast as imperfect...

That technically should create sympathy for each other (the spirit of brotherhood of "#AllPrettyMuchInTheSameBoat"). Unfortunately, it doesn't.... It makes us more judgmental, and we believe that somehow "my sin is better or more acceptable than yours".


Let us look at a few scenarios:
Those who do not smoke/drink/do drugs etc, look down upon those who do..
Those who have claim to morality, look down upon their licentious brethren with disgust...
Those who are "good" Muslims look down with surprising disdain upon those who,  in their myopic vision, do not fit the profile of "good" Muslims.


And the list could go on and on....

And yet, these very same people of category one, are not perfect inasmuch as they have their own share of sins/misdeeds. But interestingly, in their self-opinion, their own personal sins are somehow transformed into miniscule mistakes as opposed to appalling abominations wrought upon the world by the others.

To illustrate it, let me share a point that I have used before in my lectures:
Part of the reasons why some (many :(  !!!) Muslims consider non-Muslims as unclean(and hence somehow inferior) is because of the non-Muslims' love for bacon. Muslims dislike pigs to the extent that if they see one on TV, they would close their eyes in disgust.... So you can imagine if I ask the Muslim audience if they would like some juicy pork-chops or pork-dumplings, or pork hot-dogs etc, what kind of response I would get.....

And yet the very same audience were to look deep inside there heart regarding gossiping/back-biting/slander, they would discover that they frequently do it, and with relish, and sometimes a dash of kicap. Even though many of them know what Allah (subhana hu wa ta'ala) has said about it:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ (49:12)

49:12 O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: And spy not on each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it...But fear Allah. For Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

The translation "spy not on each other behind their backs" doesn't actually explain the full substance of the ayat, which is actually about back-biting, having a negative opinion about people etc. There is a narration that clarifies some aspects of slander/backbiting:

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (salallahu alayhi wasallam) as saying: “Do you know what backbiting is? They said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “It is to mention about your brother something that he would dislike having mentioned about him.”

The Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) reportedly goes on in the same narration to explain the difference between backbiting and slander. He said: “It is to mention about your brother something that he would dislike having mentioned about him.”

Someone asked: “O Messenger of Allah! How do you see it if what I said about him is true?” He replied: “If what you said about him is true, then you have backbitten him. If what you said about him is false, then you have slandered him.” [Sahîh Muslim (Kitab Al-Birr was-Salat-I-wal-Adab)')]

You would think someone who dislikes pork would dislike "eating the flesh of your dead brother" even more. We may never have tasted pork in our life and yet how often, and without even a slightest tinge of regret or even hesitation, do we say things about our brethren which constitute backbiting or slander?


The point of course is not that we should start eating pork (hehe), nor that eating pork is a lesser sin than backbiting (that should be an interesting discussion), but rather.......

Should we treat other peoples sins/mistakes are somehow worse than ours? Is it not better for us to look inwards with honest introspection and from there on work to remove our own sins and mistakes ?

In words of one of my favorite mystic poets, Kabir:
बुरा जो देखण मैं चला , बुरा  ना  मिलया  कोए
जो  मन  खोजा  अपणा , तो  मुझसे  बुरा  ना  कोए

Bura Jo Dekhan Main Chala, Bura Naa Milya Koye
Jo Mann Khoja Apnaa, To Mujhse Bura Naa Koye

When I looked for the evil in others, I could not find any
Then I searched inside my own self, and I realized that there is no one worse than me.

Ramadhan

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ (2:183)

“O you who have attained to faith! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you, so that you might attain Taqwa” (Al-baqarah 2:183)

Allah (subhana Hu wa ta’ala ) reminds us in this ayat that the raison d'être of fasting is to achieve taqwa (piety/God-consciousness).  The discipline of Ramadhan enables us to exercise a systematic restraint on the base carnal soul, the nafsul ammarah, and in the process trains the human soul to achieve a desired sense of disconnect with this world.  Fasting with pure intention and complete faith enables us to understand that we have a higher purpose beyond this ephemeral material existence, as we deliberately choose to side with God instead of choosing to give in to our carnal desires. If done right, this is thus one of the core elements pertaining to the attainment of taqwa. It is no surprise therefore that according to several traditions, the Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wasallam) loved fasting very much. 

As we welcome this month, we must keep this objective foremost in our minds so that we can protect ourselves from unfortunate Ramadan solecisms that habitually crop up in our societies like binge eating, edacity, luxurious and elaborate meals, reduced performance of our duties, excessive sleeping, general malaise, lethargy and the like, which are in direct contravention of the principles laid down for this month.  Let us also resist with tenacity the desire to offer our patronage to the shopping centers and malls, and instead frequent our place of ibadah, be it in the masjid or be it in the corner of our house/office. Let us refuse to waste our time with frivolous activities and instead engage with the Qur’an.  

Just imagine that we struggle 8 to 10 hours to restrain a wild and dangerous beast, and then after iftar we let it run amok, not only risking losing everything that we achieved during the fasting period but also endangering both our physical and spiritual well-being.

Moving on from restraining the nafsul ammarah, to a more collective and social objective, this month should also enable Muslims to be harbingers of kindness and mercy to others. There is a narration in which the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam) has reportedly said:

“O Muslims! A noble and generous month has come to you. A month in which a night is better than one thousand months, and this month is the month of charity, patience, and mercy. In this month the gates of Paradise become wide open and the gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are chained” (Sunan Al Nasai, Classified as Sahih by Albani). 

Let us resolve, in the spirit of charity and kindness mentioned above, to show solidarity with the underprivileged, the orphans and the needy.  Let us reject filling the coffers of restaurateurs with over-the-top Ramadan buffets (even if such iftar parties are in vogue), and let us focus instead on diverting as much of our wealth and time to charitable efforts as possible. 

Let us take great care that we do not waste this opportunity, for like some of our loved ones who have departed from us, we may not live to see Ramadhan the next year.

On loving the Prophet ( صلى الله عليه و سلم)

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

According to a narration in Bukhari, the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم   has reportedly said:

لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى أكون أحب إليه من ولده ووالده والناس أجمعين

Ya’qoob Ibn Ibrahim said, from Ibn ‘Ulayya from Abd Ul-Azeez Ibn Suhayb from Anas from the Prophet  صلى الله عليه و سلم and also Adam from Shu’ba from Qatadah from Anas that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said,

“None of you will believe until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children and all people.”


According to Ibn Hajar, the above was also narrated by Abu Hurairah also Abd Ul-‘Azeez Ibn Suhayb’s narration, which was also recorded by Ibn Khuzaimah in his sahih from Ya’qoob (the shaykh of Imam Bukhari) has the wording “…more beloved to him than his family and his wealth”, rather than “his father, his children, and all people”, as was also recorded by Muslim from Ibn ‘Ulayya.

For those who want to achieve this love, there are words of advice from Amir Khusro (RA) :

ख़ुसरो दरिया प्रेम का, उलटी वा की धार,
जो उभरा सो डूब गया, जो डूबा सो पार.

Khusro dariya prem ka, ulṭī vā kī dhār,
Jo ubhrā so ḍūb gayā, jo ḍūbā so pār.

Khusro! the river of love has an opposite (unusual) flow
He who floats up will drown (will be lost), and he who drowns will get across (be successful).

In other words, it is necessary to fully immerse oneself in this love, in order to succeed....

(There is an alternate rendering of this couplet)

ख़ुसरो दरिया प्रेम का, उलटी वा की धार,
जो उतरा  सो डूब गया, जो डूबा सो पार.

Khusro dariya prem ka, ulṭī vā kī dhār,
Jo utrā so ḍūb gayā, jo ḍūbā so pār.

Khusro! the river of love has a reverse flow
He who descends in it will drown (will be lost), and he who drowns will get across.

Hope for those of us who want to descend in this river, apparently, if we do, we will drown.... 

Seeking God...

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Sometimes Sufism is associated with going into the wilderness in search of God, something which defies logic, since God Himself mentions the following:

Al-Baqara (2:186)

    وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

AND IF My servants ask you about Me - behold, I am near; I respond to the call of him who calls, whenever he calls unto Me: let them, then, respond unto Me, and believe in Me, so that they might follow the right way.

Qaf (50:16)

    وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ  

NOW, VERILY, it is We who have created man, and We know what his innermost self whispers within him: for We are closer to him than his jugular vein.

In words of a famous Indian Mystic, Kabir:
Where do you seek me? I am nigh.
Not in pilgrimage, nor in statues, Neither in solitude
Not in temples, nor in mosques Neither in Kaaba nor in Kailash
I am nigh, o man, I am nigh.
Not in incantations, nor in meditations, Neither in fasting
Not in yoga, Neither in renunciation to the wilderness
Neither in the soul nor in the body, Not even in the ethereal space
Neither in the depths of Natures caves, Not in the breath of the breath
Those who earnestly seek me, find me without a moments lapse
Says Kabir, Listen with care, "I am in your faith"

मोको  कहां  ढूँढे रे बन्दे  मैं तो  तेरे  पास  में
न  तीरथ  में , न  मूरत  में  न  एकान्त  निवास  में
न  मंदिर  में , न  मस्जिद  में  न  काबे  कैलास  में
मैं  तो  तेरे  पास  में  बन्दे  मैं   तो  तेरे  पास  में
न  मैं  जप  में , न  में  ताप  में  न  मैं  बरत  उपास  में
न  मैं  किरिया  करम  में  रहता  नहीं  जोग  सन्यास  में
नहीं  प्राण  में  नहीं  पिंड  में  न  ब्रह्माण्ड  आकाश में
न  मैं  प्रकुति  परवार  गुफा  में  नहीं स्वांसों  की  स्वांस  में
खोजि  होए  तुरत  मिल  जाऊं  इक  पल  की  तलास  में
कहेत  कबीर  सुनो  भई  साधो  मैं  तो  हूँ विश्वास में

Moko Kahan Dhoonde re Bandey Main To Tere Paas Mein
Na Teerath Mein, Na Moorat Mein Na Ekant Niwas Mein
Na Mandir Mein, Na Masjid Mein Na Kaabe Kailas Mein
Main To Tere Paas Mein Bande Main To Tere Paas Mein
Na Main Jap Mein, Na Main Tap Mein Na Main Barat Upaas Mein
Na Main Kiriya Karm Mein Rehta Nahin Jog Sanyas Mein
Nahin Pran Mein Nahin Pind Mein Na Brahmand Akas Mein
Na Main Prakuti Prawar Gufa Mein Nahin Swansan Ki Swans Mein
Khoji Hoye Turat Mil Jaoon Ik Pal Ki Talas Mein
Kahet Kabir Suno Bhai Sadho Main To Hun Viswas Mein

On the Union

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the words of Al-Junayd (RA), as quoted in Risalah of Qushayri:

وتحققتك في سري فناجاك لساني
فاجتمعنا لمعاني وافترقنا لمعاني
إن يكن غيبك التعظيم عن لحظ عياني
فقد صيرك الوجد من الأحشاء داني

I have attained a true realization of You in my innermost Heart and I conversed with You with my own tongue.
We were united in one sense and separated in the other.
At one moment my awe [of You] makes me absent from Seeing You directly,
Yet at the next moment my ecstasy makes You close to my very core!

In the words of Bu Ali Shah Qalandar Panipati (R.A):

منم محوِ خیال او نمی دانم کُجا رفتم

شُدم غرقِ وصال او  نمی دانم کُجا رفتم

I am lost in the thoughts of my beloved
I know not where I am going.
I find myself obliterated in the ecstasy of union,
I know not where I am going.

غلامِ روئے او بودم اسیرموئے او بودم

غبارِ کوئے او بودم نمی دانم کُجا رفتم

I am the slave of that beauteous face
I am the prisoner of those long tresses.
I am like the dust swirling around my beloved's street
I know not where I am going.

بہ عام آشنا گشم زجان و دل فدا گشتم

فنا گشتم فنا گشتم نمی دانم کُجا رفتم

I am known by my relationship to my beloved where ever I roam
I have sacrificed my heart and soul for my love.
I have been destroyed, lo I have been destroyed
I know not where I am going.

قلندر بو علی ہستم بنام دوست سر مستم

دل اندر عشق او بستم  نمی دانم کُجا رفتم

I am Bu Ali Qalandar
My beloved's name has intoxicated me.
Inside my heart resides my love
I know not where I am going.

Shaykh Sharaf Ad Din Bu Ali Shah Qalandar Panipati
شیخ شرف الدین بو علی قلندر پانی پتی

Rumi: Na Man Behooda

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

This is a poem of Maulana Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (Persian: جلال‌الدین محمد رومی), popularly known as Mowlānā (Persian: مولانا) and as Rumi (رومی) was a 13th-century poet (30 September 1207 – 17 December 1273), jurist, theologian, and Sufi mystic.

In my opinion, this poem probably referring to one of the elements of Tasawwuf as mentioned by Junaid (May Allah be Pleased with him) which is the strange-hood of Yahya (May Peace and Blessings of Allah be on him  :

نه من بيهوده گرد کوچه و بازار می گردم

Naman behuda girde koocha o bazaar mi gardam,
Neither foolishly nor frivolously, in the lane and the market, I roam'

 مذاق عاشقی دارم پی ديدار ميگردم

Mazaq-e-aashiqui daaram paey didar mi gardam,
Possessed by the temperament of the lover I am, to have a glimpse, I roam

خدايا رحم کن بر من پريشان وار می گردم

Khudaya reham kun bar mann pareeshaan waar mi gardam,
O, God, the Almighty! Shower Your mercy upon me, disturbed and distracted, I roam

خطا کارم گناهکارم به حال زار می گردم

Khataa kaaram gunah gaaram bahaal e zaar mi gardam,
I am guilty, I am sinful and in this wretched condition, I roam

شراب شوق می نوشم به گرد يار می گردم

Sharaab-e-shouq mi nousham bagirde yaar mi gardam,
The wine of fondness I drink and round the Friend, I roam

سخن مستانه می گويم ولی هوشيار می گردم

Sukhan mastana mi goyam waley hushyaar mi gardam,
Like the intoxicated I talk, but like the wise, I roam

گهی خندم گهی گريم گهی افتم گهی خيزم

Gahe khandam gahe giriyam gahe uftam gahe khezam,
Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I weep, sometimes I fall, sometimes I rise

مسيحا در دلم پيدا و من بيمار می گردم

Maseeha dar dilam paida ho mann bimaar mi gardam,
The Messiah is within my heart and like an invalid, I roam

بیا جانا عنایت کن تو مولانای رومی را

Bayaan jaanan inayat kun to molana-e-rumi ra,
Come, O My Beloved! Come! Help your Maulana Rumi

غلام شمس تبریزم قلندروار می گردم

Ghulam-e-shams tabrezam qalandar war mi gardam
I am a slave of Shams Tabrizi and like a qalandar, I roam

Junaid's Take on Tasawwuf

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Hazrat Junaid ibn Muhammad Abu al-Qasim al-Khazzaz al-Baghdadi (May Allah Be Pleased with Him) (830-910 AD) was one of the great early Persian Muslim Sufis and is a central figure in the golden chain of many Sufi orders. He laid the groundwork for sober mysticism in contrast to that of God-intoxicated Sufis like al-Hallaj, Bayazid Bastami and Abusaeid Abolkheir. The following statement of his is recorded in the "Kashf Al Mahjub", by Abul Hassan Ali Ibn Usman al-Jullabi al-Hajvery al-Ghaznawi (May Allah Be Pleased with Him):

اَلتصوّف مبنیٌّ علی ثمانِ خصالٍ

السَّخاءِ، و الرِّضاءِ، و الصّبرِ و الإشارةِ و الغربة و لُبْسِ الصُّوفِ و السیّاحة و الفقرِ

اماّ السخّاءُ فلاِبراهیمَ
  و اماّ الرضّاءُ فَلإسحاق
و اماّالصبّر فلأیوّبَ
و اما الإشارةِ فلِزَکریاّ
و اما الغربةِ فَلِیحیی
و اماّ لُبسُ الصوّف فلِموسی
و اماّ السیّاحةُ فلِعیسی
و اماّ الفقرُ فَلِمحمّدٍ
صلواتُ اللّهِ علیهم اجمعينَ

Tasawwuf is founded on eight qualities, generosity, acquiescence, patience, symbolism, traveling(strange hood), woolen dress, pilgrimage hood and faqr (poverty).

1. the generosity of Abraham (may blessings of Allah be on him), who offered his son for sacrifice;
2. the acquiescence of Ishaq (may blessings of Allah be on him), who submitted to the command of Allah to give up his life
3. the patience of Ayub (may blessings of Allah be on him),who patiently endured the affliction of worms and the jealousy of the Merciful;
4. the symbolism of Zakarriya (may blessings of Allah beon him), to whom Allah said,“thou shalt speak to no man for three days but with signal.”  (Q3:41) and again to the same effect, “Behold! He cried to his Lord in secret.”  (Q 19:3):
5. the traveling (strange hood) of Yahya (may blessings of Allah be on him), who was a stranger in his own country and an alien to his own kin;
6. the wearing of wool by Moses (may blessings of Allah be on him), who wore woolen garment throughout;
7. the pilgrimage hood of Jesus (may blessings of Allah be on him), who was so detached therein from worldly things that he kept only a cup and a comb. He threw away his cup when he saw a man drinking water through use of palms of his hands, and the comb likewise when he saw another man using his fingers to dress his hair;
8. the poverty of Muhammad (peace be upon him), to whom Allah Almighty had given the keys of all the worldly treasures saying: “Lay no trouble on you, but procure every luxury by means of these treasures;” and he answered: “Lord, I desire them not, keep me one day full-fed and one day hungry.” 

Acronym : Tasawwuf

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

فظ كلمة التصوف أربعة أحرف

فالتاء: من التوبة
والصاد: من الصفاء
والواو : من الولاية
والفاء: من الفناء

Tasawwuf (Sufism) could be thought of as an acronym made up of the four consonant letters: t, s, w, and f.
t stands for tawbah, repentance
s stands for safa, purity, peace and joy
w stands for wilayah, the sanctity of the lovers and friends of Allah
f stands for fana, the annihilation of self into the nothingness.

from 'The Secret of Secrets' by Hadhrat Abdul Qadir Jilani (May Allah be pleased with him).

A word of caution about Tasawwuf (Sufism).

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

أبي الحسن البوشنجي علي بن أحمد

التصوف اليوم
اسم بلا حقيقة
وقد كان من قبل
حقيقة بلا اسم

More than a thousand years ago, a teacher called Abu 'l-Hasan 'Ali b. Ahmad b. Sahl al-Bushanji (died in 348 H), who hailed from the town of Bushanj in eastern Persia, complained that few people had any idea of what "Sufism" was all about. "Today," he said, "Sufism is a name without a reality, but it used to be a reality without a name." A profound quote,reflecting the unfortunate situation even to this day.

Sufism was never a separate sect of Islam. It was mainstream Islam, without any labels associated with it. However due to the prevalent political (and hence religious) situation of the time, Sufism started to become a distinct approach towards Islam in "spirit", as opposed to "form".

In most original and authentic Islamic sources, the concept of Tasawwuf is connected with an extensive range of methodologies aiming to achieve human perfection by closely following the model of the prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wasallam).

Keeping this in mind, it is imperative to understand that Sufism cannot contravene principles of the Qur'an, and way of the Beloved Prophet (salallahu alayhi wasallam). Any Sufi practices that deviate from the essence of Islam, no matter how well intentioned, can and do lead to misguidance.

This is a screen capture from one of my presentations:

Sarmaya e Iman (سرمايۀ ايمان‌)

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The name "Sarmaya e Iman" (سرمایه ایمان ) is a Persian phrase which roughly translates as "Capital/Investment of Iman (Faith)".


In a poem by Maulana (Mevlana) Rumi, the expression goes like this:

يادِ‌ اُو سرمايۀ ايمان‌ بود

هر گدا از يادِ‌ اُو سلطان بود

His Remembrance is the foundation/capital of faith.
Beggars are transformed into kings due to His remembrance.

Profile Picture

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The profile picture is a calligraphic rendering of a the quote:

 أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

 which means,

"Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace"

which is part of the following verse of Al-Qur'an (Ar-R'ad, 13:28):

  الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
 "those who believe, and whose hearts find their peace in the remembrance of God - for, verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace"