Tribulation is never gratuitous. Allah teaches us through things that go as we want and things that go otherwise, the latter often proving the lessons best learned; whether in patience, in relying on God, in realizing what love is, or in appreciating hard won attainments that might otherwise be taken for granted. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whomever Allah wants well for, He somewhat afflicts,”[3] and said, “Patience is a tremendous light,”[4] showing that God may well illumine the traveller by unexpected adversity, obstacles, and trouble—since for a heart directed towards Allah, pruning often means growth. Imam Ghazali touches on this when relating the problem of prayer and destiny to the more general question of the divine wisdom in human affliction:
If it be wondered what benefit there is in supplication (du‘a) if destiny is inevitable, one should realize that destiny includes averting affliction by prayer, that supplication is but a means of turning aside tribulation and drawing the divine mercy, just as a shield is a means of deflecting arrows, and water a means of bringing forth herbage from the earth. As a shield turns aside arrows and they each offset the other, so too supplication and affliction each compensate the other...
read full article here...
Friday, 18 May 2007
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
Do Not Despair
Do Not Despair
A Poem By Mawlana Jalal al-Din al-Rumi
Say, do not despair because the Beloved drives you away; if
He drives you away today, will He not call you back tomorrow?
If He shuts the door on you, do not go away; be patient
there, for after patience He will seat you in the place of
honour.
And if He bars against you all ways and passages, He will
show you a secret way, which no man knows.
Is it not the case that when the butcher cuts off the head of
a sheep with his knife, he does not abandon what he has slain,
but first slays, and then draws?
When no more breath remains to the sheep, he fills it with
his own breath; you will see whither God's breath will bring
you!
I spoke this as a parable; else, His generosity slays no man,
rather it rescues him from slaying.
He gives all the kingdom of Solomon to a single ant; He
bestows both worlds, and does not startle a single heart.
My heart has travelled round the world and found none
like Him; whom does He resemble? Whom does He resem-
ble?
Ah, silence! For without speech He gives to all of this wine
to taste, He gives to taste, He gives to taste, He gives to taste.
-- Translation by A. J. Arberry
"Mystical Poems of Rumi 1"
The University of Chicago Press, 1968
Friday, 4 May 2007
On enlightenment and being concealed.
Shaykh Abū al-Hasan ash-Shādhilī—may Allāh be pleased with him—said:
My heart was enlightened one day and I saw the kingdom of the seven heavens and the seven earths. I then committed a minor sin, after which the vision was concealed from me. I was astonished that such a trifling occurence could conceal from me something so momentous. Just then someone said to me, ‘[Spiritual] insight is like [physical] sight: The tiniest thing that gets in the eye can obstruct one’s vision.’
As seen here.Saturday, 28 April 2007
Ya Nafsu
There used to be a bit to download and hear this qasida, but alas, I cannot find it. Soooo beautiful masha'Allah. If anyone has a link pleeease let me know! Even more beautiful in Arabic.
Ya Nafsu
Should you not gain your wants, my soul, then be not grieved;
But hasten to that banquet which your Lord's bequeathed.
And when a thing for which you ask is slow to come,
Then know that often through delay are gifts received.
Find solace in privation and respect its due,
For only by contentment is the heart relieved.
And know that when the trials of life have rendered you
Despairing of all hope, and of all joy bereaved,
Then shake yourself and rouse yourself from heedlessness,
And make pure hope a meadow that you never leave.
Your Maker's gifts take subtle and uncounted forms.
How fine the fabric of the world His hands have weaved.
The journey done, they came to the water of life,
And all the caravan drank deep, their thirst relieved.
Far be it from the host to leave them thirsty there,
His spring pours forth all generosity received.
My Lord, my trust in all Your purposes is strong,
That trust is now my shield; I'm safe, and undeceived.
All those who hope for grace from You will feel Your rain;
Too generous are You to leave my branch unleaved.
May blessings rest upon the loved one, Muhammad,
Who's been my means to high degrees since I believed.
He is my fortress and my handhold, so my soul,
Hold fast, and travel to a joy still unconceived.
— Imam 'Ali bin Husayn al-Habshi
(translated by Abdal Hakim Murad)
Ya Nafsu
Should you not gain your wants, my soul, then be not grieved;
But hasten to that banquet which your Lord's bequeathed.
And when a thing for which you ask is slow to come,
Then know that often through delay are gifts received.
Find solace in privation and respect its due,
For only by contentment is the heart relieved.
And know that when the trials of life have rendered you
Despairing of all hope, and of all joy bereaved,
Then shake yourself and rouse yourself from heedlessness,
And make pure hope a meadow that you never leave.
Your Maker's gifts take subtle and uncounted forms.
How fine the fabric of the world His hands have weaved.
The journey done, they came to the water of life,
And all the caravan drank deep, their thirst relieved.
Far be it from the host to leave them thirsty there,
His spring pours forth all generosity received.
My Lord, my trust in all Your purposes is strong,
That trust is now my shield; I'm safe, and undeceived.
All those who hope for grace from You will feel Your rain;
Too generous are You to leave my branch unleaved.
May blessings rest upon the loved one, Muhammad,
Who's been my means to high degrees since I believed.
He is my fortress and my handhold, so my soul,
Hold fast, and travel to a joy still unconceived.
— Imam 'Ali bin Husayn al-Habshi
(translated by Abdal Hakim Murad)
Emotional Wellness
From here.
By Dr. Ather Ali
The World Health Organization defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This comprehensive definition is consistent with the Old English meaning of wholeness.
Traditional medical systems, such as Indian Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and Islamic medicine have always recognized the importance of emotional health. It was understood that the health of the mind, body, and soul were intricately related, and that an imbalance or disease in either component can adversely affect the entire being. The modern era has largely lost this consciousness, though a tremendous volume of cutting-edge research in the field of ‘mind-body medicine’ is corroborating ancient wisdom.
It is well known that negative emotional states, such as anger and hostility, can predict future disease. Our traditional sages and scholars have long warned of anger killing the spiritual heart, and this warning is just as applicable to the physical heart. In the past two decades, numerous studies have shown anger and hostility to predict high blood pressure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, and heart disease. Anger has been shown to be an independent risk factor, like high LDL cholesterol, for heart disease. Those who express more anger have nearly a 300% higher risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death. Other ‘negative emotions’ have been shown to be associated with many disease states: Asthma, arthritis, headache, and chronic pain are associated, to varying degrees, with anxiety, anger, hostility, and depression.
On the other hand, ‘positive emotions’ are associated with a number of health benefits. Optimistic people have been shown to live 19% longer than pessimists. People with high levels of social involvement and social support demonstrate better wound healing, less susceptibility to colds, and shortened recovery times. A Stanford University study demonstrated a doubling of survival time for women with metastatic breast cancer in women involved in weekly support groups where they expressed their feelings about their illness and its effect on their lives.
The act of forgiveness, a mainstay of our spiritual tradition, been shown to be a powerful healing tool. People with high levels of forgiveness report lower levels of pain, anger, and psychological distress.
Releasing negative emotions in healthy ways is also beneficial. In one study, patients with asthma and rheumatoid arthritis were asked to write about the most stressful event of their lives. Four months later, the asthma patients showed improvements in lung function and the arthritis patients showed improvements in pain scores.
As eating well and regular exercise are rightly promoted as mainstays of preserving health and preventing future disuse, the value of emotional health must also be emphasized. Unlike many advanced chronic diseases, our emotional diseases are easily ‘cured.’ The first step in the process is to recognize and reflect on the problem, followed by seeking appropriate help.
By Dr. Ather Ali
The World Health Organization defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This comprehensive definition is consistent with the Old English meaning of wholeness.
Traditional medical systems, such as Indian Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and Islamic medicine have always recognized the importance of emotional health. It was understood that the health of the mind, body, and soul were intricately related, and that an imbalance or disease in either component can adversely affect the entire being. The modern era has largely lost this consciousness, though a tremendous volume of cutting-edge research in the field of ‘mind-body medicine’ is corroborating ancient wisdom.
It is well known that negative emotional states, such as anger and hostility, can predict future disease. Our traditional sages and scholars have long warned of anger killing the spiritual heart, and this warning is just as applicable to the physical heart. In the past two decades, numerous studies have shown anger and hostility to predict high blood pressure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, and heart disease. Anger has been shown to be an independent risk factor, like high LDL cholesterol, for heart disease. Those who express more anger have nearly a 300% higher risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death. Other ‘negative emotions’ have been shown to be associated with many disease states: Asthma, arthritis, headache, and chronic pain are associated, to varying degrees, with anxiety, anger, hostility, and depression.
On the other hand, ‘positive emotions’ are associated with a number of health benefits. Optimistic people have been shown to live 19% longer than pessimists. People with high levels of social involvement and social support demonstrate better wound healing, less susceptibility to colds, and shortened recovery times. A Stanford University study demonstrated a doubling of survival time for women with metastatic breast cancer in women involved in weekly support groups where they expressed their feelings about their illness and its effect on their lives.
The act of forgiveness, a mainstay of our spiritual tradition, been shown to be a powerful healing tool. People with high levels of forgiveness report lower levels of pain, anger, and psychological distress.
Releasing negative emotions in healthy ways is also beneficial. In one study, patients with asthma and rheumatoid arthritis were asked to write about the most stressful event of their lives. Four months later, the asthma patients showed improvements in lung function and the arthritis patients showed improvements in pain scores.
As eating well and regular exercise are rightly promoted as mainstays of preserving health and preventing future disuse, the value of emotional health must also be emphasized. Unlike many advanced chronic diseases, our emotional diseases are easily ‘cured.’ The first step in the process is to recognize and reflect on the problem, followed by seeking appropriate help.
Thursday, 19 April 2007
The King and his Friend
I don't know where this comes from I'm afraid, so let me know if you know the source...
*The Story ..of an African King and His Friend *
A story is told about a King in Africa who had a close friend that he grew up with. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) by remarking, "This is good, Allah Almighty knows best" One day the King and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the King. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the King fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good! Allah Almighty knows best." To which the King replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and ordered his soldiers to put his friend into jail. About a year later, the King was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured the King and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake. As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the King was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than whole. So after untying the King, they chased him out of the village.
When the King reached his Palace, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend.
"You were right" the King said, "It was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this." "No," his friend replied, "this is good...Allah Almighty knows best" "What do you mean, 'this is good'! How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"
The King's friend replied: "Remember that the Almighty knows best and if I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you on that hunting trip."
"He knows what is before them and what is behind them: And to Allah go back All questions (for decision)" Qur'an: Surah Al Hajj 22:76
*The Story ..of an African King and His Friend *
A story is told about a King in Africa who had a close friend that he grew up with. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) by remarking, "This is good, Allah Almighty knows best" One day the King and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the King. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the King fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good! Allah Almighty knows best." To which the King replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and ordered his soldiers to put his friend into jail. About a year later, the King was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured the King and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake. As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the King was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than whole. So after untying the King, they chased him out of the village.
When the King reached his Palace, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend.
"You were right" the King said, "It was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this." "No," his friend replied, "this is good...Allah Almighty knows best" "What do you mean, 'this is good'! How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"
The King's friend replied: "Remember that the Almighty knows best and if I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you on that hunting trip."
"He knows what is before them and what is behind them: And to Allah go back All questions (for decision)" Qur'an: Surah Al Hajj 22:76
Spirituality and Sufism, an Introduction
Written by Sheikh Nuh Keller, taken from here.
Few things touch man to the core of his being like a sense of the Divine. A voice within each of us tells us that beyond the veil of ordinary perception there is something which if found, would prove greater than the sum of all things. In every revealed religion there have been men and women who focused upon this inner certitude and made it grow through the means vouchsafed them, until a light dawned within them such as few ever see.
In the history of Islam, those who tread the path of highest spiritual possibility were many more than in any previous religion. Revelation must speak to every level of those to whom it is sent, and the personal reality of each human being is not merely a body, or a body with a mind; but rather body, mind, and spirit, the subtle entity within each of us that opens onto the Divine. If the cultural imperium of the present age has little to offer these higher possibilities, the peace of body and mind that comes by "submission" to highest reality, the fundamental sense of the word Islam, has freed and continues to free the spirit of many to ascend.
The mystical flowering of Islamic orders or tariqas of those dedicated to Allah and a spiritual path was unprecedented in world history. They were not mere collectivities of worshippers, but men and women who while living in the world were actively engaged in the sapiential dawning of the Divine Presence in the heart, defined by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as "to worship God as though you see Him."Though less in the modern day, in previous Muslim times and lands as many as eighty percent of the people were associated in some way or another with the mystic orders, which had great influence on all levels of society.
The light of finding this subtlety within one and taking it in one's hands and proceeding to God-the purity of purpose of those who sought, the illumination of those who found-is reflected in almost all traditional expressions of Islamic high culture, from the simplicity and dignity of its clothing, to the warmth of its interiors, to the beauty of its calligraphy, to the soaring heights of its mystic love poetry, to the therapeutics of its medicine. The unity of all, perceptible to even bystanders, is of the Oneness that inspired it, a sea without shores of the divine beauty, a sea without shores of the divine perfection, a sea without shores of the divine largesse.
Everything has a point that it bespeaks and tends to, and in the Islamic vision that point is Allah, the incomparable One through whom all else exists; while the beginning of wisdom is realizing that one only is through the One Who Is. If the mystic maxims within this website awaken a sense of the Oneness experienced by the sages, it is surely a glimpse of the light that can never be put out, the light of finding one's way back through the discordance of the finite to the limitless serenity of the Infinite. This is the spirit of Islamic medicine, or to put it more simply, the spirit of Islam.
MMIV © Nuh Ha Mim Keller
Few things touch man to the core of his being like a sense of the Divine. A voice within each of us tells us that beyond the veil of ordinary perception there is something which if found, would prove greater than the sum of all things. In every revealed religion there have been men and women who focused upon this inner certitude and made it grow through the means vouchsafed them, until a light dawned within them such as few ever see.
In the history of Islam, those who tread the path of highest spiritual possibility were many more than in any previous religion. Revelation must speak to every level of those to whom it is sent, and the personal reality of each human being is not merely a body, or a body with a mind; but rather body, mind, and spirit, the subtle entity within each of us that opens onto the Divine. If the cultural imperium of the present age has little to offer these higher possibilities, the peace of body and mind that comes by "submission" to highest reality, the fundamental sense of the word Islam, has freed and continues to free the spirit of many to ascend.
The mystical flowering of Islamic orders or tariqas of those dedicated to Allah and a spiritual path was unprecedented in world history. They were not mere collectivities of worshippers, but men and women who while living in the world were actively engaged in the sapiential dawning of the Divine Presence in the heart, defined by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) as "to worship God as though you see Him."Though less in the modern day, in previous Muslim times and lands as many as eighty percent of the people were associated in some way or another with the mystic orders, which had great influence on all levels of society.
The light of finding this subtlety within one and taking it in one's hands and proceeding to God-the purity of purpose of those who sought, the illumination of those who found-is reflected in almost all traditional expressions of Islamic high culture, from the simplicity and dignity of its clothing, to the warmth of its interiors, to the beauty of its calligraphy, to the soaring heights of its mystic love poetry, to the therapeutics of its medicine. The unity of all, perceptible to even bystanders, is of the Oneness that inspired it, a sea without shores of the divine beauty, a sea without shores of the divine perfection, a sea without shores of the divine largesse.
Everything has a point that it bespeaks and tends to, and in the Islamic vision that point is Allah, the incomparable One through whom all else exists; while the beginning of wisdom is realizing that one only is through the One Who Is. If the mystic maxims within this website awaken a sense of the Oneness experienced by the sages, it is surely a glimpse of the light that can never be put out, the light of finding one's way back through the discordance of the finite to the limitless serenity of the Infinite. This is the spirit of Islamic medicine, or to put it more simply, the spirit of Islam.
MMIV © Nuh Ha Mim Keller
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