Sunday, July 10, 2011

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.... 

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

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