'UlumSeeker_Seeks

The First Ten Days of Dhu'l Hijjah

2006-01-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

Ten Days Allah Swore By: The First Ten Days of Dhu'l Hijjah
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

The first ten days of Dhu’l Hijjah are blessed days: Allah Most High Himself swore by them in the Qur’an:

“By the Dawn,
and the Ten Nights...”
[Qur’an, Surat al-Fajr, 89.1-2]

The commentators generally concur that the ten nights refers, ‘the first ten days of Dhu’l Hijjah,’ as one may find in Shaykh al-Islam Abu Su`ud’sIrshad al-`Aql al-Salim ila Mazaya al-Qur’an al-Karim [famous as Tafsir Abi al-Su`ud, 9.153] or in Tafsir al-Jalalayn.
Imam Ahmad and Nasa’i report from the Mother of Believers, Sayyida Hafsa (Allah be pleased with her) that, “The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) did not leave four matters: Fasting `Ashura [10th of Muharram], [during] the ten days [of Dhu’l Hijja], and three days of each month.”

1. Fasting the First Nine Days, Especially the Day of `Arafah (9th)
The scholars concur that it is recommended to fast during the first nine days of Dhu’l Hijja. (The tenth day is the day of Eid, and is prohibitively disliked and sinful to fast this day.) [Buhuti, Kashshaf al-Qina`; Nawawi,Majmu`; Fatawa Hindiyya; Haskafi, Durr al-Mukhtar; Dardir,al-Sharh al-Saghir]
Of these, it is particularly recommended to fast the Day of `Arafah [9th of Dhu’l Hijjah], even for the one on Hajj in the Hanafi school, if it does not weaken the pilgrim from spending the day busy in worship. [Haskafi, Durr;Kasani, Bada’i`]As for hadiths in which the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) commanded against fasting this day for the pilgrim at `Arafah, this was understood by the Hanafi imams to refer to those whom it would weaken or tire. [As explained by Imam Tahawi in Sharh Ma`ani al-Athar, 2.82-83]
This is because of the numerous hadiths that have come in praise of this day in particular and fasting in it. Among these is:
Abu Qatada (Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, “Fasting the Day of `Arafah [9th of Dhu’l Hijjah] expiates for two years, one prior and one forthcoming. And fasting the Day of `Ashura [10th of Muharram] expiates for the past year.” [Reported by Muslim, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah]

2. Increasing One’s Spiritual Works During these Ten Days
Similarly, it is recommended to busy oneself these days with worship of Allah. Imam Sharaf al-Din al-Hijjawi, the great Hanbali faqih, states in his primary text, al-Iqna`,:
“It is recommend to exert oneself in good works during the first ten days of Dhu’l Hijjah, such as remembrance of Allah (dhikr), fasting, charity, and other righteous actions, because they are the best of days.” [Buhuti, Kashshaf al-Qina`, 2.60]
This is confirmed by scholars of all the Sunni madhhabs. [Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq; Haskafi/Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar; Nawawi, al-Majmu` and others]
Many scholars even stated that daytimes of these ten days are more virtuous than the ten daytimes of the last ten days of Ramadan, because of the strength of the primary texts related to them.

3. Spending the Nights of These Days In Prayer and Worship
It is especially recommended to spend some part of each of the nights of these ten days in prayer and worship. [Nawawi, Majmu`; Ibn Qudama, Mughni; Dardir, al-Sharh al-Saghir; Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra’iq;al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya; Ibn Abidin/Haskafi, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar]
This was deduced by clear primary texts, such as Prophet’s words (Allah bless him and give him peace) that, “There are no days in which good works are more beloved to Allah than these days – meaning the first ten days of Dhu’l Hijjah.” The Companions asked, ‘Not even jihad in the path of Allah, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said (Allah bless him & give him peace), “Not even jihad in the path of Allah, except for the one who goes forth with his person and wealth and does not return with any of it.” [Bukhari and others]

May Allah give us success in these blessed days and nights, and in every moment of our lives, to follow the path of the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace), and may He make us of those whom He loves and who love Him.

The Fellowship of Tarim, Yemen

2006-01-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

The Fellowship of Tarim, Yemen
By Hasan Hatem

There we sat, perplexed, unable to comprehend neither their language nor the meaning
behind their curious stares. It was not long after my older brother and I had reached
the Hadhramowt Valley of Yemen that every conceivable doubt flooded our minds. We
had not yet even reached our final destination; yet, the inward yearning for normality
almost derailed us from our intended course. Everything seemed so foreign, so unusually odd; yet,
we were the estranged ones in the midst of their reality.
The precarious situation we had found ourselves in came to an abrupt end the moment we stepped
foot into the western students' corridors at the Badr Language Institute in Tarim. Wherein, we
found a diverse group of brothers from different parts of America, Canada, and Britain, nestled away
in the middle of a barren desert, eager to greet the two new faces. Before being escorted to my room
however, I met the British born Nigerian principal and scholar of the institute whose mere presence
demanded respect let alone the few powerful words he spoke.
Our arrival coincided with the end of the annual 40-day Deen Intensive, which concluded in a trip to
the Arabian Sea. The ten-hour van ride facilitated us to get to know each brother on a more personal
level before we reached the coastal branch of Dar Al-Mustafa where we were staying. As we settled
our stuff in the empty, cement rooms, I noticed a few brothers on their hands and knees scrubbing
the bathroom floors. At the time I did not think much of it, nor when the same three brothers
brought and served us food. It was only later that night I saw them leading the halaqa's that I
realized that they were not merely custodians or students; rather, they were the scholars.
The next day I spent some time with the principal and head scholar of the institute while the other
students escaped the 110 degree dry desert heat by battling the ocean waves. His soft gestures,
gentle tone, and attempt at English, albeit broken, made me feel instant comfort in his presence. Yet
again, it was when he was preparing our meal with the van driver and sitting among us on the bus
memorizing our names that I realized these are the pious people you hear stories about, but doubt
their validity because you do not know a soul who would do such a thing now a days.
It was as if I had experience these initial impressions just yesterday, but now the time came for me to
return to the West. I was not prepared to depart from my brothers or my teachers, from my new
reality. After five consecutive months, we had not left the sight of each other for a moment. We ate,
slept, studied, prayed, and cried together. We had traveled two days in an overcrowded van through
a smoldering desert without roads in order to perform umra, enjoyed countless dinners at western
family houses, and benefited from the most knowledgeable and pious of scholars. The innumerable
sessions I spent alone with the principal of the language institute who at first seemed so intimidating
and later became my closest friend and respected shaykh were impossibly describable in words, often
running early into the next morning. This indeed was without doubt a very blessed time in my life.
I was foolish enough to believe I traveled half way around the world to study for four hours a day, six
days a week; to be immersed in Arabic. It was when I left I realized it was not the physical place, but
rather the inhabitants that make a place alive and a temporary comfort for its guests. The
relationships established, from the local youth in front of the snack-shop, the scholars, the cook,
driver, and secretary, to the other students are more beloved to me than anything I could have
possibly learned from a book or at home in front of computer. There we were, in the middle of
Hadhramowt Valley, nothing could possible bring people to unite here except that which we held
dearest to ourselves: our way of life, our beginning and our end, our brotherhood in Islam.

Adab of the Sunna

2006-01-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

Adab of the Sunna
The Fiqh of Islamic Behavior and Character© Nuh Keller 2001

1. It is of the sunna to be afraid for one's past, one's state at death, for calamities, and for treachery and disgrace. It is of the sunna to be patient and steadfast in worship, in blessings, in tribulations, and in divine punishments in one's body, reputation, family, or money. It is of the sunna to have firm patience in avoiding sins, and to make up for one's past misdeeds.

2. It is of the sunna to intend worship and obedience to Allah by one's intention, deeds, words, and one's every movement and rest; and to be indifferent to this world and desirous of the next, and to reflect carefully upon how one is now, and shall be then, and upon one's being mustered on the Last Day, being raised from the dead, and questioned. It is sunna to hope that one's obedience will be accepted, as well as one's repentance from disobedience, and to be satisfied with what one has, and be contented with what is generally considered enough for a person, without extravagance and without penury.

3. It is obligatory to be contented with what Allah Most High has destined when it is of His acts, such as illness, disease, poverty, malady, loss of intellect, and so forth; though some say it is but the sunna to be contented with such things, and that what is obligatory is that one have patience with them. As for acts of human beings that Allah has forbidden, such as unbelief and misguidance, contentment with them is unlawful by consensus (ijma') of all scholars, for contentment with unbelief and acts of disobedience is itself unbelief and disobedience.

4. It is permissible to weep for the dead provided one does not commit unlawful things such as calling out to the deceased in lamentation as if he were alive and enumerating his great qualities, or wailing, or bitterness a what Allah has destined and necessarily appointed, or despair which contravenes one's servitude and submission to Him. It is praiseworthy to weep for the deceased out of mercy for him, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said of weeping when he wept for the dead, "This is a mercy Allah has placed in the hearts of His servants"—for it does not negate being content with Allah’s destiny—as opposed to weeping over him because of one’s own loss at no longer having him, which is unpraiseworthy. Al-Fudayl, when his son died, laughed. He said, "I saw that Allah had destined it, and I wished to be pleased with what Allah had destined." And this is a good state in relation to those who despair. As for mercy towards the deceased, satisfaction with destiny, and praising Allah, which was the state of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), it is more perfect.

5. Patience with one's personal trials is obligatory by consensus of all the intelligent. As for acceptance of them, it is spiritually higher and closer to Allah to have contentment with them, though not obligatory. Even higher than contentment is to give thanks to Allah for them because of the divine blessing in them, in view of the reward and spiritual ascent in them if one has patience with them. It is unlawful for someone in disobedience to accept his remoteness from Allah. And it is not obligatory for someone being punished by Allah to have contentment with it.

A moment for the Hearts

2006-01-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

A moment for the Hearts
The American Tour of Sayyid Habib ‘Ali al-Jifri
By Mustafa Shaheed Davis
Ó 2003 Guidance Media, Inc.

We have always been taught that it only takes one man to accomplish great things, to change the way we think, and to change the way we live. Of course we don’t give it much thought today because so few of us believe in miracles anymore. We have become a world that depends on scientific reasoning to such an extent that if something cannot be scientifically verified, then it must not exist. Well, there is no scientific explanation for what happened in America during late August and early September, but it was very real and those who took part in it and experienced it do not need any further elucidation from science. They do not need an expert panel to explain to them what happened. They know the experience was real, simply because they felt it in their hearts. They felt it like one feels the warmth of the sun’s rays on a spring day. Only this light shines brighter and with more warmth than the sun could ever generate it is the radiance of the progeny of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It is the integral that takes people from darkness to light. And like the sun, we could not exist without it.

It was out of the deserts of Southern Yemen, from the remote valley of Hadramauwt, and from the hidden, majestic city of Tarim, that this light, a man by the name of Habib ‘Ali Zain al-Abadeen Al-Jifri, a direct descendent of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), came to North America on a three week voyage. And on this short sojourn, Habib ‘Ali deeply impacted the lives of all those he came in contact with.

Habib ‘Ali represents an unbroken chain of scholars and saints dating from the present time, all the way back to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself. His linage is as pure as they get, stretching back over 1400 years of pure Prophetic blood from mother and father from the 21st century to Sayyidna Hussein, the son of Fatima, the Daughter of the Prophet (pbuh). Habib ‘Ali has dedicated nearly his entire life to study and worship under the guidance of great scholars and saints. He is, himself, a scholar of the highest caliber and a master of the sciences of the heart.

If we were to write, in an attempt to explicate the impact that Habib ‘Ali al-Jifri had on every individual that he came in contact with on his tour in America, we would need several volumes simply to expound on the basics. If we were to explain in a particularized account, his daily activities, we would need a series of essays just to brush the surface. We can only provide glimpses of the man, sketches of his attributes, and laconic descriptions of his reality. At the risk of sounding cleverly fatuous, the truth remains that there is nothing that we could write that would do justice to the man we attempt to describe. In brief we can say about Habib ‘Ali that those who saw him were in immediate awe from his radiance. Those who met him fell in love. And those who knew him were torn apart when he had to leave.

In describing how he had been impacted by Habib ‘Ali, one man confessed after briefly meeting him, “He cured in me something that I have been trying to cure for years.” In another scene, an elderly man turned to one of Habib ‘Ali’s companions, with tears flowing from his eyes, it was a sight that those traveling with Habib had become accustomed to. This man had just experienced a private moment with Habib ‘Ali and was overcome with emotion. He grabbed Habib’s companion in a tight embrace and then wept silently and whispered in his ear, “Thank you, thank you so very much. You don’t know what you’ve done for me by giving me this opportunity to speak to the Habib.” He then wept more intensely and his body slightly quivered. “It’s been a long time since I have seen light in a human being like the light that he carries with him. He has changed my life.”

Earlier that day a young Muslim woman arranged to have Habib ‘Ali meet her father. She explained that her father had been in an apathetic religious state and had hoped that Habib could help restore in him some of the ardency that he once embodied. As she watched her elderly father weep from a distance, she smiled and knew she had gotten her wish.

The Arrival

We went to greet Habib ‘Ali at the airport it was September 11th, exactly one year after the tragic events that transpired on our homeland. Airport security was on alert. Many exits and entrances were blocked off in order to help facilitate security measures. We pulled the colossal fifteen-passenger van up to the curb in front of the baggage claim. Security immediately hastened over to inform us that under no circumstances were we to leave the van and that we had exactly two minutes before we would be forced to move. People were on edge. We were dressed in the traditional Muslim attire, which only added to the discomfort of both travelers and airport security.

Habib ‘Ali walked gracefully into the arrival hall. His crew, which was carrying a seemingly endless supply of camera gear, audio/video equipment, brief cases and luggage, closely followed him. The sight was striking. People gaped as they walked by. Others stopped and stared. He was dressed in a lambent white robe and draping cloak. An elaborate golden shawl poised over his right shoulder. A layered turban, flawlessly wrapped in the traditional Yemeni fashion, decorated his head like a king’s crown. He held a dark cane in his right hand that swayed back and forth in rhythmic time as he glided across the floor. We greeted him and his crew with warm salutations of peace. Habib ‘Ali smiled and took the time to make the acquaintance of each individual. Airport security merely looked on, never once stopping us for questioning. And as we exited the terminal, a police officer looked at Habib ‘Ali, smiled briefly, and bowed his head quickly in an expression of assent. The situation dumbfounded us. People, who glanced at us either nodded with anxious approval or immediately looked away, like one looks away from an angry father. Under normal circumstances, considering the significance of his date of arrival, we would have been subject to harassment from airport personnel. But as we would later learn being with Habib ‘Ali al-Jifri was to be far from what our past experiences would classify as normal.

A Lesson to be Learned

The large fifteen-passenger van pulled up to the curb and a crowd of Muslim men of mixed ages and nationalities quickly rushed over to get their chance to greet Habib ‘Ali and hopefully a chance to kiss his blessed hand. Many of the brothers were dressed in long, draping white cloaks and brisk white turbans, in honor of the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and in honor of the blessed man before them. They waited with heads bowed in humility for Habib ‘Ali to descend from the vehicle. It was close to mid-day on this beautiful San Diego afternoon. The setting was breathtaking, even for the native Californians who had been to this very site many times before. The cliffs sat high above the clear blue Pacific Ocean and the seagulls soared loftily above singing as if they too were greeting this descendent of the final Messenger (pbuh). Prodigious, bleach white cumulus clouds hung perfectly still on the brilliant blue canopy of the pacific sky. There was a delicate breeze that seemed to immediately cool the sun’s rays, creating an atmosphere where virtually no temperature existed at all. It was if this entire scene had been created only for the arrival of this regal man. Those foreign to California zealously snapped photos and filmed the scene so they could capture the moment and share it with those they left behind.

After Habib ‘Ali got out of the vehicle and greeted all those present with his usual smile and candor, a brother approached and said that there was a problem with the area of the beach that they had reserved for the day. Two women had apparently registered previously with the city to have the location on this specific day for a wedding reception. However, one of the brothers called the parks and recreation department earlier and was told that this particular location was on a first come, first serve basis. After a lengthy debate with the women and a few calls to the city, it became clear that we had the right to remain in the area and the city said they would enforce it if need be. When Habib ‘Ali was informed of the reason for the delay, he stated very acutely that we should have surrendered the location to the ladies without argument. He continued to explain that our presence at the beach was da’wah and that as Muslims we should always be the most generous of people. Of course we had not thought of it in this manner, especially since many of the brothers had been there almost seven hours setting up. Nonetheless, when Habib ‘Ali spoke with such Prophetic wisdom, we all complied without delay and began contentedly moving to another area further down the beach.

The new area was quite some distance away and Habib ‘Ali was advised by one of his companions to get back in the van so he could be driven to the new area. He declined with a grin and said, “It will be a nice walk.” During the short paseo down the beach, he once again gave us a lesson in life. As we passed the two ladies who had claimed the rights to our resting spot, he explained that the remembrance of Allah and the sincerity of intention that the brothers had in setting up that very location earlier, could very well be a means for the guidance of those two women. As we walked further down the beach, passing many people along the way, Habib ‘Ali illustrated the beautiful picture that Allah had painted for us. He explained that what had happened today had happened for a reason and that it was all the plan of Allah. He went on to explain that Allah used us to show those two ladies the beauty of Islam and the generosity of the Muslims. Then Allah made us walk a long distance, while dressed in the Prophetic traditional manner, so the rest of the people on the beach that day could witness the beauty, majesty, and dignity of the Muslims. When we finally arrived to the new location, Habib ‘Ali smiled and said, “And after all of that, Allah gave us an even more beautiful place to gather at. Thus does Allah reward those with sincere intentions.” By the blessings of this noble man, a simple excursion to the beach became a lesson to be learned and a memory that will remain with those who were present for years to come.

The Experience

Habib ‘Ali lectured to many crowds in several major American universities. During a lecture at San Diego State University, Habib ‘Ali dazzled his audience with a brilliant dissertation on the true meanings of Jihad in traditional Islam. “Jihad is something that the entire world needs, and it is something that Islam offers!” he exclaimed intrepidly after having explained the traditional Islamic position concerning the controversial term. If a madman rushed into a room carrying a loaded weapon threatening to kill all the members of the household, “Would you say it would be an evil or a heroic action if a police officer killed him before he could kill his victims?” A show of hands alluded to the fact that the audience agreed it would be heroic. Habib ‘Ali explained that this is what Jihad is. It is raising the sword to take the swords out of the hands of madmen. The audience of both Muslims and non-Muslims applauded in unison. People crowded the doorways in attempt to meet Habib ‘Ali as he exited the building. A young student was overheard saying, “I’m amazed that he took the time to speak with me for almost five minutes when he had all of those people waiting to see him.”

A Santa Clara University religious studies professor went on stage after Habib ‘Ali’s lecture to a sold out auditorium of 600 people. The audience was a mix of Muslim and non-Muslims, students and professors, men and women. The professor shook Habib ‘Ali’s hand and said, “If we could only get you to teach here at the university, much of the ignorance about your religion would get cleared up.”

Habib ‘Ali explained to his audiences that the neoteric enemy of the world is not Islam. The adversary that plagues us today is simply ignorance. Ignorance is like a relentless virus that afflicts the minds of its victims until it suffocates them from reality. Habib ‘Ali explained with such efficacy that it is not terrorism that we should fear, rather, we should fear living lives in vain, under false pretences, following only our own caprices and whims. If we truly want to rid the world of its evil, then we must first remove the wickedness from our own selves. And there is nothing more wicked than benightedness.
Habib ‘Ali’s audiences would applaud in approval and appreciation for his deep insight and candor. He shed light on an enigma that most people do not reflect on in this age of post-modernism and so-called progress. He resuscitated a suffocated concept of the past; that all human beings are responsible for their own actions. The concept that if we want to change the world, we must first start with ourselves.

Immediately after one of his university lectures, Habib ‘Ali went to a room back stage to meet with some people privately. Among these people were the non-Muslim parents of one of Habib ‘Ali’s students. The student converted to Islam 6 years previous and his search for truth landed him in Tarim, the city from whence Habib ‘Ali came, seeking sacred knowledge and a higher meaning to life. He invited his Christian mother and father to the lecture and they were greatly affected by Habib ‘Ali’s speech. They had not fully understood why their son had gone off into the deserts of Yemen shortly after he had embraced Islam, especially considering the political climate and continual conflict in the Middle East. They sat down on a couch across from Habib ‘Ali. He greeted them with his usual smile and told them that he was delighted to have the chance to meet them.

He began expounding on the beauties of Islam and illustrated to them the similarities that Christianity with it. He told them that Muslims believe in all of the Prophets, from Adam, Moses, Jesus, all the way to Muhammad. He then asked them if hey had seen positive or negative changes in their son after he converted to Islam. They both acknowledged that all of the changes had been for the better. He asked them if they noticed that he treats them better now after following the teachings of Islam. They both agreed that this too, was true. After expounding on the virtues of Islam and the character of the Muslims he told them, “I can see that the faith of Islam is strong in your hearts. The American people believe in Islam, they just don’t recognize it yet.” He advised them to further study Islam, to read the Qur’an and to examine the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

When they left the room, they left as changed people with a new view of Islam and Muslims. Their son called them a few days later to say goodbye before he returned back to Yemen. His mother informed him that he had interrupted her praying while his father was busy reading an English translation of the meanings of the Qur’an. He rejoiced as he pictured his mother and father, for the first time, willingly dedicating their time to the study of Islam. He had tried for years to invoke in them what Habib ‘Ali accomplished in one sitting.

Farewell

Habib ‘Ali did not have much time for rest during his trip to America. It was suggested to him at one interval of his journey that he should take some time to relax and give his body some much-needed rest. He answered back post-haste, “We have rested our entire lives.” He was lecturing back-to-back and traveling from city to city, getting much of his sleep on the road, in the van or on the plane. At one point Habib ‘Ali literally collapsed from fatigue. When he found out that some of his companions were going to cancel his next event so that he could take some time to recuperate, he instructed them to just call and tell them that he would be a few minutes late. He laid down for about 15 minutes then sat up abruptly and said that we needed to be on our way so that the people were not kept waiting for him. And this is how he spent his entire journey.

The time had come for Habib ‘Ali to depart. He had spent 23 days on an American tour. He met many people and lectured in many places. And every step of the way people were calling for his fight information so that they could meet him at the airport and get one last glimpse of him before his farewell.

We rushed to get the bags checked in. We were running late, and with all of the added security check points since September 11th, we were concerned that we might miss our flight, especially since we had an entourage of Muslims accompanying us wearing long gowns and turbans, the perfect red flag for overzealous airport security. Habib ‘Ali took rest on a nearby bench. Several of the brothers followed suit and sat next to him. Because there were so many of us present to see him off, many had to find a place on the floor surrounding him. It became a half circle that extended nearly across the entire walkway. Habib ‘Ali prayed for all of us. Even a non-Muslim passer-by stopped for a prayer. She told us that she knew that Habib ‘Ali was a religious man and she never missed an opportunity to receive blessings from those people who are close to God. The time had come for Habib ‘Ali to move to his gate for departure and a few more airport workers, men and women, gathered nearby to catch a glimpse of the man that we were all sitting before. Habib ‘Ali stood, smiled and then began what seemed like an endless journey to his terminal.

The group followed closely behind, like children behind their parents in a department store, stumbling over their own feet trying to get one last chance to be close to Habib ‘Ali. When he reached the gate he turned to the group to say goodbye. He hugged all that were present making each one feel that they were the most important person there. Grown men wept. Some feared they’d never get the chance to see him again. Others felt as though a part of their soul was leaving them behind. And still others knew for certain that some of the best days of their lives had come to an end. We stood in complete silence as he walked away from us towards the gate. One of the brothers began reciting the call to prayer (adhaan) as the tradition calls for and Habib ‘Ali turned with a lambent smile of approval that seemed to illuminate the entire hall. We watched, bemusedly, as he disappeared into the crowd, like the sun behind the clouds on a dark winter day. As quickly as he had come, he was now gone.

He came to us in a time of need. He laughed with us, cried with us, and changed the hearts of men. He brought with him the secret of the progeny of our Beloved Prophet (pbuh) and miraculously, like the rising sun, he brought us all out of the darkness and into light.

Ó 2003 Guidance Media, Inc.

How do I improve my recitation of the Qur'an, spiritually?

2006-01-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

How do I improve my recitation of the Qur'an, spiritually?

Based on Imam Ghazali's explanation in his Ihya' `Ulum al-DinIn the Name Of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

1. One should understand the magnificent nature of the Qur'an. This is a divine gift from Allah, and a tremendous favor. One should bring to mind the favor of Allah and be thankful.

2. Magnification of the Speaker. Bring to mind the magnification of the One who is addressing us. The reciter will then remain conscious of the fact that this Book is the speech of Allah. So when one recites, it is not like reading any book, rather the very speech of Allah. Allah is speaking to the reciter through his recitation.

3. Paying attention to the Qur'an: One may avoid whisperings of the self. "Oh Yahya, take the book firmly," which may be understood as ... take the words contained in it with seriousness and sincerity.

4. Pondering over the verses. How? Recite it according to the Sunna with tarteel, a slow, measured, distinct manner. Tajweed helps in inward reflection. There's a hadith from Nasai and ibn Majah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, prayed at night reciting one ayah repeatedly: "in tuaddhibhum fa 'innahum 'ibaaduk..." If You punish them, then they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, surely You are the Mighty, the Wise. (5:118)

5. Seek to understand the meanings. 1) in the linguistic sense - study a translation if you do not know Arabic, 2) and the deeper meanings found in tafsirs, 3) and with reflection. Studying 'aqida helps, for example, reading verses about the power of Allah, and about His qadr. Don't interpret it with your own opinion; go look it up in a tafsir.

6. Remove obstacles to understanding the Qur'an. There are four veils according to Imam Ghazali:
* Being overly concerned with outward recitation (this is one of the tricks of Shaytan to turn you away from reflecting on meanings). Find a middle path.
* Superimposing one's ideas/perspectives/beliefs on the guidance of the Qur'an (ex: someone is a feminist, socialist, economist - reading the Qur'an according to his or her own perspective - preventing true spiritual benefit from the Qur'an.) Take guidance from the Qur'an itself with an open mind.
* Sin, both outward and inward. Sin creates darkness in the soul and clouds the mirror of the heart, so it doesn't reflect the light of Divine guidance. How to polish the heart? With sincere and consistent repentance, and leaving sin. Keep doing this and striving until you leave those sins. This is a process: cleaning the heart and approaching Allah Most High.
* One finds sufficiency on finding how meanings relate to you from tafsir. However, this is an interpretation; these tafsirs shouldn't take the place of personal reflection and application.Take everything in the Qur'an as guidance for yourself because it is for all creation. When it talks about the oppressors, sinners, etc. look at your life, act on what's implied relative to your life. "Fastaqim kama umirta," be steadfast as you were commanded. Imagine how the Prophet, peace be upon him, applied the Qur'an to his life - his hair turned gray! His companions asked why his hair had turned white. He, peace be upon him, said, "Sura Hud and its sisters made my hair white." He was upright and truthful in following the Qur'an. He took every address to apply to himself personally.Feel the Qur'an when talking about Paradise, Hell, or anything, put yourself in tune with the Qur'an.Rise in degrees of recitation. There are three grades of recitation. Any recitation is a tremendous grade.
* The lowest grade: one supposes one is reading the Qur'an to Allah, as if one is standing before Allah, in His Divine Presence, and Allah is listening to one's recitation. This is an inward state of begging, entreating, and supplicating.
* The middle grade: When one beholds Allah and sees for themself that Allah is addressing us with His favor. He is bestowing His gifts, His mercy through the Qur'an. There is a sense of shame, modesty (haya) and magnification (ta'dhim). One seeks to understand and be more serious. Now it is from Allah to you! There's also a feeling of ecstasy, thankfulness, and joy! One piece of dust like you is being addressed by the Lord of every speck of dust!
* The highest grade: When one beholds the Speaker Himself and His Attributes. One does not see his own actions, but completely engrosses himself in beholding Allah Most High Himself. Then next, he sees the address of Allah Most High, then sees his own recitation.

7. Recite the Qur'an while knowing that there is no might or power except with Allah. Qul bifaDlillahi wa biraHmatihi... say by the Grace of Allah and His Mercy; in that let them rejoice - better than what they amass - whether (worldly or spiritual amassing).Thank Allah upon good deeds. In addition, one always beholds one's shortcoming in reciting it. And reminding ourselves that we are not being thankful enough, look even the Prophet's hair turned gray...The soul is what turns to Allah...the body is just dust. We have infinite fear, and infinite hope in Allah... so turn to Allah and hope for His Pleasure.

Please also see the following links:
Etiquettes of Qur'anic Recitation
http://www.ghazali.org/books/rec-qur.pdf