A Royal Love

Today I am thankful to Allah for making me British, because today the Diamond Jubilee celebrations have strengthened my conviction in the deen and love of the Rasool, walhamdulilah. How? Why? What? Yes.

I wasn’t too fussed about most of the hoo-haa surrounding the Jubilee weekend, but took a break from studying just as the final celebrations were being held. I caught the Queen coming on the balcony, with the heirs to her throne, as the soldiers led her praise and the hundreds of thousands who had gathered at Buckingham and Pall Mall sang with love and cheer the British National Anthem. Ahh the British National Anthem is a good as they get. Millions of people singing ‘God Save the Queen’, probably with some Ameens thrown in, and the Queen indeed does ‘long reign over us’ - God is All Listening after all!! It was something fascinating to see how much effort had gone towards this one person, in praising her.

Fascinating indeed to witness the amount of adoration her subjects have for her, and I mean seriously great love, to stand in the rain, amongst thousands of others, just for a glimpse of her smile, subhannallah, thats dedication and love to a public figure. This is a lady who is the head of a household of, according to the British atleast, noble lineage. Born into that family of ‘pure blood’, who has taken and held the role of Queen for 60 years, serving the commonwealth countries and charitable causes. A job which does take effort no doubt. She does appear to be a lady of dignity and I have respect for that. Alhamdulilah, that it is through seeing this and understanding this, I have increased in love for the king of the world. Our Habib. Habibullah!  For if this all that effort had gone for a Queen of a country, how incumbent is it on us to showcase with full belief our love for the best of mankind?

I mean, the national anthem is only ever sung for a current king/queen. And by people of the said country/nation. On specific occasions. Sung with love no doubt , people make Dua in effect, that God Blesses her. Then imagine the power and effect of salawat. Recited by people of all colour, nations and tribes. All united by a faith. All for the Final Messenger of God, the most perfect of humans. Recited not only on specific days, but every day, hundreds of times a day, throughout the world. And continually recited though he is no longer physically present. Imagine, the power of salawats! Thinking of the beauty of the Islamic Anthem of Praise for him of pure blood, him who held the most noble of lineages, what is even more astounding is how, each and every sender of peace to him, themselves is rewarded, not just in this life, but in the next life of eternity!!! Ya Rab Al ‘Alameen. This is love. 

And he, Rasoolullah, was not one who carried the message through wealth, ease and luxury. On being asked to choose whether he wanted ease and luxury, or simplicity, he himself, peace be upon him, chose the simple life. And so it was, and how many a story do we have of his humility and modest living. Yet, this is our King. The King of Kings. The Beloved of humans, angels and the beloved of the Creator himself!! 

They had a huge concert last night in honour of the Queen. Approximately 100,000 people attended in person. Songs were sung, hearts warmed. Today again I was wondering about songs, especially songs of love. Every artist writes atleast one song of love. Its what is wrote about, what is sung about. But pure love is something else. Imagine the ballads written in praise and love for a man who you haven’t met?! But who you are enchanted by. By his way of life, which has been preserved through not only narrations, but embodiment by generations of faithful. By his lessons and reminders and faith. Subhannallah, such ballads are born out of someone not seen, but someone loved. And from the best of these poems, is undoubtedly the Qasidah Burdah, Poem of the Cloak. I understand now on reflection, why everyone seeks love and writes about love and sings about love. There is undoubtedly the special feeling of being loved by another. And then there is the immeasurable feeling of being the lover. Being such a lover, a pure lover, that though one hasn’t seen the beloved in real life, they appear to one in their dreams! Subhannallah.

As the Queen stood on the balcony, looking content, with her family smiling gracefully, thoughts automatically turned to the Ahlul Bayt. The Royal Family is indeed the Queens Ahlul Bayt. So honoured by all the British and all those accross the world! So what then of the real Ahlul Bayt? How lofty is their status? How adored are they, MUST they be?! Subhannallah. Last year while watching Williams wedding, I was made to remember Fatima & Ali radhiAllahuAnhum - because if such a royal wedding was being witnessed, what then of the real royal wedding? Poetic flows came naturally and a couplet was written. Funny that on thinking about it,  the British Royalty always takes my thoughts back to the Real Royalty, peace be upon them, Prophet Muhammad sallalaualayhi wa salam and his family. 

And thus I respect the Queen and her family and thank them, because if nothing else, to see how great effort is made to appreciate them and how they are enthusiastically adored, they remind me of how seriously, epically, legendarily, great our REAL royalty is, how important it is to praise in great cheer and enthusiasm the beloved  Prophet and how timelessly honoured a place Habibullah & his family hold. 

Message for the Youth!

....and not so youth.

Imam Asim tells it like it is, in the below video, discussing an issue which is greatly neglected in our times. Subhannallah, a hard hitting lecture, one that every single youth of today NEEDS to watch.

If you've made it this far, when there are so many other places you could currently be on world wide web, then consider that maybe it is worth you spending the time to watch the video...?! It is definately worth it indeed.

"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.

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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.

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