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It is said that when Bayazid Bestami was asked who his master was, he explained:
She asked me to carry the flour for her, but I was incapable of taking it, so I beckoned to
a lion to take the load. The lion came up to me and I laid the sack upon its back. I then
asked the old lady what she intended to say to the townspeople since I did not want them
to apprehend who I was.
The lady explained thus, first asking: "Has the lion been put to trouble or not?"
"No," I answered. -
"Except for the fact that you burden down those whom God Himself has not burdened!"
she objected. "Is that not oppression?"
"So it is", I admitted.
"And, despite this", she continued, "still you desire the townspeople to know that you
have subjected a lion and are a miracle worker. Is that not vanity?"
Mahmud was a very pious man, but he was not very attractive looking. One day, he was
walking along the road, minding his own business, when a lady came up to him, and
started calling him names and abusing him. This lady kept saying all kinds of nasty
things, and Mahmud just listened to her patiently. Finally, when she was finished calling
him names and abusing him, Mahmud just greeted her, smiled, and said
It is because he knew that everything she said was just a reflection of her own inner self.
If you use bad language, you are just making obvious to everybody how far away you
really are from Allah, since your words are in reality a reflection of your own inner self.
from Irshad
by Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak al-Jerrahi
Hazrat Hasan al-Basri once fell sick. His neighbour, an unbeliever, came to pay him a
visit.
"O Imam," he exclaimed, "I detect a bad smell." The Imam told him it was caused by
illness, but the neighbour insisted: "That is not the odor of sickness. It is a lavatory
smell. For the love of Allah, tell me what it is!"
He had not noticed that sewage was leaking from his house into that of the Imam.
When the neighbour pressed him, the Imam finally said: "For some months your drain
has been seeping through to our side. I tried to fix it, but without success."
His neighbour asked why he had not told him before, but the venerable Imam said: "I
might have offended you."
The unbeliever was so impressed by this ethical refinement that he was ennobled with
True Faith, for he recognized the Imam's morality as a ray of Islam.
from Irshad
by Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak al-Jerrahi
The Shepherd
Once upon a time, there lived in Basra an old man whose only occupation was caring for
and loving his only son who was a handsome young man. The old man invested all his
money on his son's education. The young man went away for a few years and acquired
an education at a well known university under the great scholars of that age.
The day had arrived for the son to return from his studies and the old man waited at the
door for his son. When the son came and met his father, the old man looked into his eyes
and felt great disappointment. "What have you learnt my son?" he asked, "I have learnt
everything there was to be learnt, father", he said. "But have you learnt what cannot be
taught?" asked the father. "Go, my son and learn what cannot be taught", said the old
man.
The young man went back to his master and asked him to teach him what cannot be
taught.
"Go away to the mountains with these four hundred sheep and come back when they are
one thousand", said the master.
The young man went to the mountains and became a shepherd. There for the first time
he encountered a silence. He had no one to talk to. The sheep did not understand his
language. In his desperation, he would talk to them but they would look back at him as if
to say he was stupid. Slowly but surely he began to forget all his worldly knowledge, his
ego, his pride and he became quiet like the sheep and great wisdom and humility came
to him.
At the end of two years when the number of sheep had grown to one thousand, he
returned to his master and fell on his feet. "Now you have learnt what cannot be taught,"
said the master.
NB. It is interesting to note that the Nabis of Allah Taala (Alayhimus salaam) at some
time in their lives, generally before Nubuwwat, tended to sheep, and other such animals.
from
http://www.jamiat.org.za, Jamiat of South Africa
About Struggling...
[No answer.]
[No answer]
The elderly man is sympathetic. "No, you can't, can
you?"
He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to
give the student time to
relax. In philosophy, you have to go easy with the
new ones.
"Let's start again, young fella." "Is God good?"
"Er... Yes."
"Is Satan good?"
"No."
"Where does Satan come from?" The student falters.
"From... God..."
"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he?" The
elderly man runs his bony
fingers
through his thinning hair and turns to the smirking,
student audience.
"I think we're going to have a lot of fun this
semester, ladies and
gentlemen."
He turns back to the Muslim. "Tell me, son. Is there
evil in this world?"
"Yes, sir."
"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? Did God make
everything?"
"Yes."
"Who created evil?
[No answer]
[No answer]
[No answer]
[No answer]
[No answer]
True Story....
There was once a man who was an enemy to Islam. He had three famous questions that
no person could answer. No Islamic scholar in Baghdad could answer his three
questions...thus he made fun of Islam in public. He constantly ridiculed Islam and the
Muslims. One day a small boy, who`s age was 10, came along and heard the man yelling
and screaming at Muslims in the street. He was challenging people openly to answer the
three questions.
The boy stood quietly and watched. He then decided that he would challenge the man.
He walked up and told the man, "I will accept your challenge".
The man laughed at the boy and ridiculed the Muslims even more by saying, "A ten year
old boy challenges me. Is this all you people have to offer!"
But the boy patiently reiterated his stance. He would challenge the man, and with
Allah`s help and guidance, he would put this to an end. The man finally accepted.
The entire city gathered around a small "hill" where open addresses were usually made.
The man climbed to the top, and in a loud voice asked his first question.
The small boy thought for a little while and then told the man to climb down the hill and
to allow him to go up in order to address the question.
The man made his way down and the small boy, age 10, with his little feet made his way
up.
This small child`s reply was "Oh Allah Almighty! You be my witness in front of all
these people. You have just willed that a Kafir be brought down to a low level, and that
a Muslim be brought to a high level!"
The man was humiliated, but he boldly asked his Second question... "What existed
before your God?"
The boy: "Exactly. Nothing was before Allah, for He is eternal and absolute."
The man, now completely frustrated, asked his final question. "In which direction is
your Allah facing?"
He then asked for a candle. A candle was brought to him. The blessed child handed it to
the man and asked him to light it.
The young boy asked, "In which direction is light from the candle going?"
The boy: "You have answered your own question. Allah`s light (noor) goes in all
directions. He is everywhere. There is no where that He cannot be found.
The man was so impressed and so moved by the boy`s knowledge and spirituality, that
he embraced Islam and became a student of the young boy.
The young boy was one of our leaders and one of the greatest scholars, Imam Abu
Hanîfa (May Allah bless him).
A man came to Ibrahim ibn Adham, may Allah be pleased with him, and said, "Abu
Ishaq, I am unable to control myself. Please give me something to help me with it"
"If you accept five conditions," said Ibrahim, "and are able to put them into practice,
your disobedience will not cause you any problem."
"Just tell me what they are, Abu Ishaq!" the man said. "The first is that when you want
to disobey Allah you do not eat anything He provides." "Then how will I get anything to
eat? Everything on the earth is from Him!" "So is it right to eat His provision and
disobey Him at the same time?" replied Ibrahim.
"No, it is not. What is the second condition?" "When you want to disobey him, move off
His land."
"That is even more difficult! Exclaimed the man. "In that case where will I live?"
"Is it right to eat his provision and live on His land and then to disobey Him?" asked
Ibrahim. "No, it is not."
"What is the third condition?" "When you want to disobey Him in spite of eating His
provision and living on His land, find a place where He will not see you and disobey
Him there."
"What do you mean, Ibrahim? He knows everything that happens even in the most
hidden places!" "So is it right to disobey Him when you eat His provision and live on
His land and when you know that He can see everything you do?" "It certainly is not!"
the man replied.
"Tell me the fourth condition." "That when the Angel of Death arrives to take your soul,
you say to him, 'Give me a reprieve so that I can repent and act righteously for Allah.'"
"But he won't listen to me!" "Then if you cannot ward off death long enough to give
yourself time to repent, and you know that when it comes there will be no reprieve, how
can you hope to be saved?"
"What is the fifth?" "That when the angels of the Fire come to you to take you to the
Fire, you do not go with them." "They will take me whether I like it or not!" exclaimed
the man.
"So how can you hope to be saved?"
The man's repentance was sincere and from that time on he was assiduous in his worship
and avoided acts of disobedience until the day he died.
A young woman teacher with obvious liberal tendencies explains to her class of small
children that she is an atheist. She asks her class if they're atheists too. Not really
knowing what atheism is but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into
the air like fleshy fireworks. There is, however, one exception. A beautiful girl named
Zainab has not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has decided to
be different. "Because I'm not an atheist."
Then, asks the teacher, "What are you?" "I'm a Muslim." The teacher is a little perturbed
now, her face slightly red. She asks Zainab why she is a Muslim. "Well, I was brought
up knowing and loving God. My mom is a Muslim, and my dad is a Muslim, so I am a
Muslim."
The teacher is now angry. "That's no reason," she says loudly, "what if your mom was a
moron,and your dad was a moron, - what would you be then?" She paused, and smiled.
"Then," says Zainab, "I'd be an atheist."
A friend of mine told me this story: When I was young I had a shaikh, one of the
greatest human beings I have ever known. I had met him quite by accident. He lived in a
small shack in a poor neighborhood. I had to deliver some medicine for my father's
pharmacy. Once inside this man's quarters I realized I was in the presence of someone
quite unusual. For one thing, he possessed the relics of several great shaikhs of different
orders. The day I met him he was having a conversation with two other young men
about my own age. Their names were Metin and Refik. After hearing their conversation
I began to lose interest in the things that had occupied me. I wanted only to attend these
conversations. The three of us were learning so much that we wished that more and
more people could also hear these conversations.
We begged our sheikh to allow the size of our circle to increase. One day we were
attending the prayers at a great mosque. It was the feast of Ashura, the twelfth of
Muharram. We were just leaving the mosque when our teacher paused on the steps
because he noticed that a pigeon had just dropped dead from the sky. He picked up the
poor bird, which was totally lifeless, held it tenderly in his hands, breated a long
Huuuuuuu...and the bird came back to life and flew off into the sky. Well, this act did
not go unnoticed and before long there were many people intersted in our shaikh. Many
of them asked to attend his conversations and our circle grew.
It was not long before we found that we had very little time with our beloved shaikh. He
was too busy to see us, attending to the needs of so many people. Then one day, while
doing the night prayer after our zhikr, our shaikh let out a loud and smelly fart. People
were astounded that this holy man could do such a thing. In a short period of time most
of them had lost their faith in him and our circle returned to nearly the size it had been
originally. One night when just the three of us were sitting together, our shaikh
remarked: "You see my sons, those who come because of a pigeon, leave because of a
fart!"
From a book catalog put out by the brs. and srs. at the Threshold Society
(www.sufism.org)...taken from Kabir Helminski's "The Knowing Heart"
The story of Abu Hanifa (radi Allahu 'anhu), and his neighbor
It is well known that Abu Hanifa (radi Allahu 'anhu), did tahajjut every night. He would
spend his night reciting the Quran. He had a neighbor who was an alcoholic, and he used
to drink a lot and sing love poems. This used to bother the imam.
But one day, the imam did not hear this man's revelry, so he went and asked about him.
They said, "Oh, so-and-so. They took him to jail." So, the very well respected imam
went to the jail. He was the most respected imam and qaadi at the time in that place.
When the ruler found out the imam went to the jail, he asked for the reason and was told
that the imam was concerned about his neighbor who had been arrested. So, the ruler
said to release the man, and he was released.
The neighbor then asked Abu Hanifa why he did that, and he replied, "Because you have
a right upon me as a neighbor, and I have not been neglectful of that." That was the
reason that the neighbor made tauba to Allah subhâna wa ta'âla [that is: embraced
islam].
From LINK: Muslims Living in Non-Muslim Lands by Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah
Mullah Nasruddin had lost his ring, so he set out to search for it under the street light.
Others came to help him search.
Finally when asked if he was certain he had dropped it in this spot, he said,
"No, I lost it there," and pointed to his house.
During the golden Abbasid period, one of the scholars in Baghdad, the capital of Muslim
caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.
One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and said, "Do you know what I just heard
about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass
a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be
a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.
The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell
me is true?"
"All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.
Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me
about my friend something good?"
"Well," concluded the scholar, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor
even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the
(latter) are better than the (former)" ... (to end of surah) Hujurat 49.12
"And spy not on each other behind their backs..." (to end of surah) Hujurat 49.13
Around the turn of the century, Shaykh Mahboob was on his way to the pilgrimage in
Mecca, on a camel caravan from Syria. He was accompanying his teacher, Shaykh
Ahmed Mekki. The journey took three months and along the way, there were many
difficulties, non-the least desert robbers.
On one afternoon, they came across another caravan heading east to China. They shared
camp that evening exchanged stories of their lands and experiences. The leader of the
caravan warned the pilgrims to be very careful in the next few days, as there were
reports of the presence of an infamous thief in the area. His infamy was on the fact that
he was a ruthless man, not caring whom he robbed or killed and not even sparing the
caravans of pilgrims.
The next day, while having traveled for many miles, the Shaykh's caravan stopped to
perform the afternoon prayer of Asr. As they were doing their ablutions, shouts were
heard from all quarters of the caravan. Soon there were shots heard and the caravan was
under siege by the band of thieves under the leadership of the infamous marauder, who
they had been warned about the night before.
The thieves were relentless in their appetite for blood. Many Hajjis' were killed and the
caravan was ransacked. Shaykh Mahboob could see the chief thief in the distance. Like a
proud king or landowner, he remained away from the camp, until most of the damage
was done. Then he entered the camp to survey the booty his men had collected. As he
moved through the crowds of the vanquished Hajji's, all heads bowed in fear of catching
his eye and disfavor, risking death or a beating.
As he came closer, Shaykh Mahboob lifted his head and challenged the chief thief. He
admonished him for laying siege on a caravan of helpless Hajji's on their way to the holy
pilgrimage. Most were astonished at the courage and bold stance the Shaykh had taken.
Fear ran through most though; fear that this would be the invitation of their deaths. The
thief addressed the Shaykh, saying, "Do you know who I am? Do you know that I have
killed men for less than what you have done today!' The Shaykh answered, " I only fear
Allah, my life is in His hands and in His hands only. If it be that I should die today
having challenged evil, than let it be so."
The thief dismounted his camel and approached the Shaykh. He addressed the Shaykh
saying: "I fear no man or God, but I am the one feared by all" The Shaykh answered
"Then I pity your illusion, and I will pray for you to repent". The thief was so impressed
with the Shaykh's courage, that he had all his men gather around Shaykh Mahboob to
introduce him as an equal to himself. He extolled the Shaykh's courage in standing up,
and speaking to himself. In respect to Shaykh Mahboob, he let him live and brought to
him a gift of three camels, gladdened with gold and silver. Shaykh Mahboob asked his
Shaykh if he could accept the three camels of gold and silver from the infamous thief.
His Shaykh was clear and direct in his response. He could not accept these gifts, as they
were surely, stolen from others. It would be haram, or forbidden.
As Shaykh Mahboob returned to where the thief was to refuse the gifts, the Shaykh
surprised everyone when he in fact, accepted the gifts. The thief was gratified and with
his men disappeared into the desert. Shaykh Mahboob had now become an outcast. His
Shaykh refused to see him and he was sent with his camels to the end of the caravan,
forbidden to eat, or fraternize with the rest of the caravan's Hajji's. He even was stoned
and spat on several occasions.
After many days, the Shaykh's caravan came across the royal caravan from the Khalifa
of Turkey. There was blood everywhere. The infamous thief had laid them siege to
several days before. He had stolen all the gift supplies that the Khalifa had sent to Mecca
and Medina to help for the Hajj. There were also three camels of gold and silver taken.
This was a special gift from the Khalifa, intended to feed and clothe the poor Hajji's on
pilgrimage. From the back of the caravan, Shaykh Mahboob came forward with the
three camels of gold and silver, and placed their reins on the hands of their rightful
guardians. A roar and cheer went up throughout the two caravans. Shaykh Mahboob
was now a hero. As the roar and shouts praising his insight and courage died down, his
own Shaykh emerged from the crowd. As he approached Shaykh Mahboob he bowed
slightly, taking Shaykh Mahboob's hand and kissing it, saying from this day forward you
are a Shaykh of Tariqa.
From nuradeen.com
Eight Things to Learn
One time a scholar asked one of his students, "You have spent a long time with me, what
have you learned?"
First, I looked to the creation. Everyone has a loved one. When he goes to the grave, he
leaves his loved one. Therefore, I made my loved one my good deeds; that way, they
will be with me in the grave.
Second, I looked to the verse, "But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and
restrained his soul from lust," therefore, I struggled against my desires so I could stay
obeying Allah.
Third, I saw that if anyone has something with him that is worth something, he will
protect it. Then I thought about the verse,"That which you have is wasted away; and that
which is with Allah remains," therefore, everything worth something with me I devoted
to Him so it would be with Him for me.
Fourth, I saw the people seeking wealth, honor and positions and it was not worth
anything to me. Then I thought about Allah's words, "Lo, the noblest of you in the sight
of Allah is the most aware of Allah, so I did my best to become aware of Allah in order
to gain nobility in his sight.
Fifth, I saw the people being jealous towards each other and I looked at the verse, "We
have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of the world", so I left jealousy.
Sixth, I saw the people having enmity and I thought about the verse, "Lo, the devil is an
enemy for you, so take him as an enemy", so I left enmity and I took the Satan as my
only enemy.
Seventh, I saw them debasing themselves in search of sustenance and I thought about
the verse, "And there is not a beast in the earth but the sustenance thereof depends on
Allah", so I kept myself busy with my responsibilities toward Him and I left my property
with Him.
Eighth, I found them relying on their business, buildings and health and I thought about
the verse, "And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, He will suffice him", therefore, I put
my trust only on Allah.
There is a story that Charlemagne sent a most perfect rose as a gift to the caliph Harun
Rashid.
He gave it to his gardener and told him to plant it with great care and as soon as the first
rose came from it to bring it to him. The gardener carefully planted the rose in a
beautiful part of the garden.
The next day a crow came and ate the rose. Trembling, the gardener told the news to
Harun Rashid. He told the gardener not to worry for the punishment of the crow will be
the same as that of the rose.
A few days later a snake came upon the crow and killed him. The gardener told the news
to the caliph who again told him that the fate of the snake will be the same as the crow.
The next day the gardener was working in the garden when he spotted the snake. He
picked up an axe and killed the snake. The caliph told him that his fate would be the
same.
As it happened the gardener did something wrong and was thrown in jail. The day he
was to be hanged he requested to see Harun Rashid.
He reminded the caliph of the rose, the crow and the snake and said that if the caliph
would show forgiveness toward him, then he would save himself from a like fate.
My family on me depends,
Give me a chance, O please prepense!
[Laila]
An idiot may be the name given to the ordinary man, who consistently misinterprets
what happens to him, what he does, or what is brought about by others. He does this so
completely plausibly that - for himself and his peers - large areas of life and thought
seem logical and true.
An idiot of this kind was sent one day with a pitcher to a wise man, to collect some
wine.
On the way the idiot, through his own heedlessness, smashed the jar against a rock.
When he arrived at the house of the wise man, he presented him with the handle of the
pitcher, and said:
"So-and-so sent you this pitcher, but a horrid stone stole it from me."
Amused and wishing to test his coherence, the wise man asked:
"Since the pitcher is stolen, why do you offer me the handle?"
"I am not such a fool as people say," the idiot told him, "and therefore I have brought the
handle to prove my story."