In order to receive

"When he has renounced the world so that he does not take to it on account of his (own) desire nor in compliance with the urges of his own self but just to fulfil the commandment of God, he is then commanded to talk to the world and establish contact with it because now there is a portion for him in it which cannot be discarded and which has not been created for any other reason."
- Abdul Qadir Gilani

"Keep Working For Good" - Imam Zaid Talk, UK, 2011

Asalamalaikum,

So the below notes are a selection from notes taken during Imam Zaid Shakir's visit during his trip the UK in Summer 2011, at the Traditional Halaqa, arranged by Shifa Trust.

The talk was entitled "The End of Time" and was largely about the Signs and the Mehdi, though here I detail some more general and inspiring notes of advice and wisdom given.

As with all notes uploaded on here, please forgive any mistakes, all of which are reflective only on the inabilities of the one who heard the message [myself] and not on the one who conveyed the message.

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"The best way of preparing yourself for the end of times is to follow the ways of Rasool.

The Prophet didn't give the sahaba a list of signs to look for, but asked them what they had done to prepare for it.

The Prophet (saws) said, "You will be with those whom you love" and so we follow Allah's command and the Prophets example. That's the best we can do to prepare ourselves.

Divorce your heart from this world as Allah will love you - The love of Allah shouldn't be in our heads, it should be in our hearts. But with the dunya, we must keep it in the thought process (working on projects, working hard etc) and not in the heart.

The dunya can be in your hand and you use it for good. If it doesn't affect your heart, that's fine

One should always look to the direction He is sending one in. Maybe if you accept what Allah has given you, He will Give you through acceptance what you look for through divergence.

If we have good ettiquettes with Allah, He will give us what we are looking for, in the situation we find ourselves in.

Keep working for good, even at the end of times- if the final hour is coming and you have a seed in your hand, you should plant it. Stay in a good state.
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Whoever acts on what they know, Allah gives them knowledge of what they don't know.
If Allah Gives us knowledge, then what we can achieve is limitless.

The first stage towards this is the person acknowledging thier need for Allah.
We say we rely on our brainpower and intellect- yet what have we done for the deen? Yet look at [the success of] those who relied on Allah! Give yourself to Allah. He Will Enrich you. Uplift you. Empower you. No one humbles themselves for the sake of Allah except that He Elevates them. How much further can we go replying on ourselves? How much more of a mess can we make?

To overcome challenges we have to humble ourselves.

--

The Prophet (saws) gave us a distinction which he didn't even give to his sahaba- that of being his brothers and sisters despite never seeing him (saws). This is a bushra [glad tiding] for us!!!

"Amongst people most intense in love for me in this Ummah are those who do not see me but love me. And they give their family and wealth just to see me" - wheras the sahaba saw his noor in its entirity.

The Prophet (saws) thus extends to us and praises us in love for hum and places its worth higher than that of the Sahaba. This is a class dinstinction. However, in regards to individuals, the best were them, the khulafaah al rashideen.

We must invoke, "Oh Allah, forgive us and those who preceeded us in Islam and don't place any ranquer in our hearts against them" --> we must have good opinion of all believers, people have been honoured with Islam and only those worthy are honoured.

We should thus uphold the 'izzah [respect] which Allah has given to the believers. We have to love the people who say La illah illAllah. Remember the parable of the believers, that we are one ummah, likened to one body. We don't have time for a bad opinion. This is a violation of others' rights! This puts a barrier between you and this is not right.

Give people the benefit of the doubt that they are atleast as good a muslim as you are if not better. --> we are all in this together.

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If we don't appreciate the advantages we have, Allah will take them away.

Allah didn't Put you in a refugee camp. He Put you here. He Gave you the opportunity to serve the people. To work for Islam. We have to know our place. Shed light for people. Be light for people.

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Realise that who you marry is part of a historical process.

If someone comes and you are pleased with their religion and character, marry him; or there will be great fasaad on the earth.

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If we were more spiritually connected, we wouldn't be so deeply haunted, not would we have so many faults.

Ask Allah for His lufdh- His Gentleness as He Unfolds His decree in our life.

If we want good and seek good, we will find good and find it wherever we are.
"I am as My Servant Thinks I am." This is encouragement.

--

The secret talk

Narrated by Safwan bin Muhriz (Radi-Allahu 'anhu):

A man asked Ibn 'Umar, "What did you hear Allah's Apostle saying regarding
An-Najwa (secret talk between Allah and His believing worshipper on the Day
of Judgment)?"

He said, "(The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said), "One of you
will come close to his Lord till He will shelter him in His screen and say:
'Did you commit such-and-such sin?' He will say, 'Yes.' Then Allah will
say: 'Did you commit such and such sin?' He will say, 'Yes.' So Allah will
make him confess (all his sins) and He will say, 'I screened them (your
sins) for you in the world, and today I forgive them for you."'

Bukhari


May Allah [swt] make us of those whom He keeps His cover on in this world and the next, and may He [swt] enable us to make a sincere and lasting repentance before the certainty [death] draws upon us, aameen

Forget not your blessings

Lessons from Rabe'a Al Adawiyya

Once Rabe'a saw a man with a bandage tied around his head.
"Why have you tied the bandage?" she asked.
"Because my head aches," the man replied.
"How old are you?" she demanded.
"Thirty," he replied.
"Have you been in pain and anguish the greater part of your life?" she enquired.
"No," the man answered.
"For thirty years you have enjoyed good health," she remarked, "and you never tied about you the banage of thankfulness. Now because of this one night you have a headache, you tie the bandage of complaint!"

Holding their hands for a while... their hearts forever. Mother.

It is said that under a mothers feet lies paradise. For the months which she held you, in our case held two. She would talk to us and tell us to look after each other. In reality she was the one taking care of us. Allah was Taking care of her. For the hours in labour she faced in pain, and yet for such an assault never did she complain. For the years spent weaning, caring and raising, for us to take our fathers name. Why did she only work part time? So her face we’d see after school, be there rain or shine. For the patience endured during moments of rebellion, for the wisdom which penetrated through any advice given. For the warm hugs, the warm words, the warm smiles, for making me feel like her most loved child...and when there are 4 adult children each claiming to be the most loved, that says something.

In her eyes I see love, my mother.

In her arms I feel protection, my mother.

And under her feet I envisage paradise, my mother.

Something to lighten your heart

Mashallah, so soothing. Theres something about praising our Beloved Muhammad peace be upon him, that transends all languages. That breathes love into your heart. That fills your spirit with joy.
Inshallah it will put a smile on your face as it did on mine.

Allah Knows

Subhannallah. Sometimes, a good old nasheed does the trick.

I love nasheeds because their lyrics are to the point, bold and easy to ponder over, subhannallah. They offer food for thought.

Allah knows is one of my favourites, its lyrics are so simple yet so powerful. Every emotion is described, and i listen to it and always ponder over Allahs Knowledge of each thought regarding each aspect of each part of each of our lives. Its amazing.


"...When you feel all alone in this world
And there’s nobody to count your tears
Just remember, no matter where you are
Allah knows
Allah knows

When you carrying a monster load
And you wonder how far you can go
With every step on that road that you take
Allah knows
Allah knows


No matter what, inside or out
There’s one thing of which there’s no doubt
Allah knows
Allah knows
And whatever lies in the heavens and the earth
Every star in this whole universe
Allah knows
Allah knows

When you find that special someone
Feel your whole life has barely begun
You can walk on the moon, shout it to everyone
Allah knows
Allah knows

When you gaze with love in your eyes
Catch a glimpse of paradise
And you see your child take the first breath of life
Allah knows
Allah knows


When you lose someone close to your heart
See your whole world fall apart
And you try to go on but it seems so hard
Allah knows
Allah knows

You see we all have a path to choose
Through the valleys and hills we go
With the ups and the downs, never fret never frown
Allah knows
Allah knows

Every grain of sand,
In every desert land, He knows.
Every shade of palm,
Every closed hand, He knows.
Every sparkling tear,
On every eyelash, He knows.
Every thought I have,
And every word I share, He knows.
Allah knows ....."

This, along with "test" by Native Deen are really my moments of reflection, moments of weakness, fragile state nasheeds which reinvigorate the ideas of Allahs Love again and inspire me. Alhamdulilah.

Hospitality

Hospitality can sometimes come as a shock. It is then one realises that there are hearts of gold in the world. That there are people Allah has blessed with this noble trait of generosity. That Allah has, at that moment, indeed blessed you too, in sending someone to show their care. Care for a stranger. Subhannallah.

Today i was pleasantly suprised. Often here in Jordan, one may try to brush something, not wanting to bother another person by saying 'mish mushkil'.[no problem] Ive never had someone reply with 'la. mushkil li. anti ukhti.' [no, its a problem for me. you are my sister] -It was touching. Yemeni hospitality is on another level mashallah.