Salawaat in Rabi'ul Awwal

The month of Rabi’ul Awwal came by and has passed us. But let us keep the presence of our beloved Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam fresh in every quantum of light that our eyes receive. And keep his spiritual essence alive in every breath we take.

Don't you find it strange that some people (loudly claiming they are "purer" Muslims) look for excuses to not celebrate the prophet (saw) and critize fellow muslims who do celebrate? Get real! All Muslims should to celebrate Prophet Muhammad (saw), as had been done by the salaf and khalaf generations before us.

Part of Burdah of Imam Muhammad bin Said al-Busiri
As long as you do not follow the way of the Christians
- who overly praise Jesus alaihissalam and turn him into god)-
Praise him (Muhammad) the way you please(verse 43)

Salawat Khusus of Tariqah Ahmadiah
O Allah, send salutation, peace and blessings upon our master Muhammad and his family in every glance and breath, the count of which only known to Allah, whose Knowledge has no limit.

Part of Salawat ‘Azimiah of Sidi Ahmad bin Idris (rh)
I plea to Allah - by the Light of Allah the Magnificent, the Light that fills up the Pillars of the ‘Arash of Allah the Magnificent, with which the worlds come into being – that He send great salutation upon our master Muhammad. And great salutation upon the family of Nabi, a salutation fitting to the greatness of Allah......(until the end)

Salawat of Imam as-Shafi’i (rh) as found in Dala’il al-Khairat and elsewhere
O Allah, send salutation and peace upon Sayyidina Muhammad, every time those who remember (az-zakirun) make remembrance (zakara) of You.
O Allah, send salutation and peace upon Sayyidina Muhammad, every time those who neglect (al-ghafilun) fail to make remembrance of you.

Part of the Ten Salawaat as given by a student of Madrasah Saulatiyyah, Makkah
O Allah, send salutation and peace upon Sayyidina Muhammad, who walks under the sun and he has no shadow following him.
O Allah, send salutation and peace upon Sayyidina Muhammad, (so noble he is) that flies never set down on his person...(until the end)

Part of Dala'il al-Khairat as read on Saturdays
And may You (Allah) send salutation upon him (Muhammad) and his family. Send salutations as many times as the number of the creations - who glorify You, and who claim Holiness unto You, and who prostrate to You - since the the day you created this world up to the Day of Resurrection, and for each day you amplify 1000 fold...(until the end)

Salawat Shifa/Tibbiah
O Allah, send salutation upon Sayyidina Muhammad, the kind that cleanses the heart and becomes its healer, that remedies ailment and becomes health restorer, that lights up vision and becomes the illuminator.

Salawat Tafrijiyah
O Allah, send complete salutation and send perfect peace upon Sayyidina Muhammad, with whom ceases all that binds, and ends all sadness, and fulfills all wishes, and attains all desires, and ends with goodness, and causes the pouring of rain, by his generous countenance, and upon his family and his companions, as much as glance of an eye and every breath that is made that is in Your Knowledge.

Salawat Munjiyat
O Allah, send salutation upon Sayyidina Muhammad, with which You release us from catastrophe and misfortune, and You fulfill all wishes, and You clear all our wrongdoings, and You elevate our rank by Your side, and You suffice us with kindness during our lifetime and after it, and please send our salutation as well to Muhammad’s family and his companions.

Some translations I took from these sites, thanks to the owners:

http://superdervish.blogspot.com/2006/05/salawat-nariyyahtafrijiyyah.html
http://al4mien.wordpress.com/category/dienul-islam/page/2/
http://www.deenislam.co.uk/dalail.htm
http://bewley.virtualave.net/dalail1.html

Wallahu a'lam

Hadith On Love

al-Awaail az-Zamzamiyyah al-Malikiyyah wa Ba’du al-Musalsalaat al-Mashhurah 25/10/2008

This is the second hadith musalsal I got ijazah from Ustaz Fahmi Zamzam al-Banjari an-Nadwi al-Malikito practise. The first hadith already been posted in November 2008. I regret not being able to post exactly as written in the kitab, but I have to save space :(

This hadith al-Musalsal bil-Mahabbah can be recited as part of after-solah wirid.

Anytime after salam, say "Allahumma a'inni 'alaa zikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibaadatik"

Ustaz Fahmi Zamzam said:It has been narrated by our shaykh the knowledge of al-Hijaz, the fragrance of the land of al-Haram as-Sayyid Muhammad bin ‘Alawi al-Maaliki al-Hasani (rh) – he has said: It has been narrated to us by many shaykhs, among them:

My father as-Sayyid ‘Alawi bin ‘Abbas al-Maliki, as-Shaykh Hasan bin Sa’id Yamani, as-Shaykh Hasan bin Muhammad al-Mashath, as-Shaykh Muhammad Nur Sayf, as-Shaykh Muhammad Yasin al-Fadani, as-Shaykh Ibrahim al-Khattani al-Bukhari al-Madani, as-Shaykh Muhammad al-Hafiz at-Tijani, as-Shaykh Soleh bin Muhammad al-Ja’fari, as-Sayyid ‘Abdul ‘Aziz bin as-Siddiq al-Ghumari, al-Habib Salim bin Jindan aali Shaykh abu Bakar bin Salim, al-Habib Shaykh bin Salim al-‘Attas, al-Habib ‘Umar bin Ahmad bin Sumait,
and many others that I have mentioned in a separate document.

As-Sayyid Muhammad bin ‘Alawi further said: I mention here the chain (common to) of my father, al-Mashath, and al-Fadani.

Each of them has said to me:

إني أحبكم فقولو: اَللهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
في دبر كل صلاة

Truly I have love for you all, so after each solah say: " O Allah I plea that You make me always remember You, grateful to You, and be of good service to You".

Each of the 3 shaykhs had been narrated the same way by Shaykh ‘Umar Hamdan.

And Shaykh ‘Umar Hamdan himself had been narrated the same way by Shaykh Falih az-Zohiri and Sayyid Muhammad ‘Ali al-Watiri. Shaykh Falih had been narrated similarly by as-Sharif Muhammad bin ‘Ali as-Sanusi, who had received from al-Jamal ‘Abdul Hafiz al-‘Ajimi, from Muhammad Hashim bin ‘Abdul Ghafur, from ‘Id bin ‘Ali an-Namrisi al-Barlisi, from al-Mu’ammar Muhammad al-Bahwati al-Hanbali, from ‘Abdul Rahman al-Bahwati, from Najmuddin al-Ghiiti, from al-Hafiz Jalaluddin as-Suyuti.

As-Suyuti from Abu at-Toyyib Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Hijazi, from the judge of all judges (Qadhi al Qudaat) Majduddin Isma’il bin Ibrahim al-Hanafi, from al-Hafiz Abu Sa’id al-‘Ala’I from Ahmad bin Muhammad al-Armu’I from ‘Abdul Rahman bin Makki from Abu at-Tohir as-Salafi, from Muhammad bin ‘Abdul Karim, from Abu ‘Ali ‘Isa bin Shazan al-Qasar al Basri, from Ahmad bin Sulaiman an-Najad, from Abu Bakar bin Abi ad-Dunya, from al-Hasan bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al-Jarwi, from al-Hakam bin ‘Abdah, from Haiwah bin Shuraih, from ‘Uqbah bin Muslim, from Abu ‘Abdul Rahman al-Habli, from as-Sonabihi:

From Mu’az bin Jabal (ra), Rasulullah (saw) had said:

يا معاذ، إني أحبك فقل
اَللهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ

O Mu’az, truly I have love for you, therefore you should say: "O Allah I plea that You make me always remember You, grateful to You, and be of good service to You.”

Abi Daud has a slightly different narration, but to the same effect.

And Ustaz Ahmad Fahmi Zamzam al-Banjari an-Nadwi al-Maliki said: My shaykhs: Musnid ad-Dunya as-Shaykh Muhammad Yasin bin ‘Isa al-Fadani al-Makki and the fragrance of the land of al-Haram as-Sayyid Muhammad bin ‘Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani have said:

إني أحبكم فقولو اَللهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ في دبر كل صلاة

Said Imam as-Suyuti: both isnad and tasalsul are sahih. Said as-Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abid: all matan, tasalsul, and isnad are sahih.

Comments by Ustaz Fahmi Zamzam:

• I had the opportunity to study under Shaykh Yasin Fadani for a few months before he passed away. He had lived to a very old age.
• Shaykh Soleh bin Muhammad al-Ja’fari – tariqah Ahmadiah Idrisiah Ja’fariah named after him.
• Ustaz Fahmi received tariqah Ahmadiah Idrisiah from Sayyid Muhammad bin ‘Alawi from the latter's father from Sanusi as-Saghir from Sanusi al-Kabir from Sidi Ahmad bin Idris.
• Sanad is important. If not for sanad, anybody could have freely said this and that.
• Haiwah bin Shuraih - a personal confidant of Khalifah Sulaiman bin 'Abdul Malik.

Wallahu a'lam

2 charms of Langkawi

A few days before the maulud of Prophet Muhammad (saw) I had a chance encounter with a student of hadith in Langkawi.

The gentleman did not admit it, but I am under impression that he has memorized most – if not all - of the ahadith in the 6 major hadith books (Kutub as-Sittah). A graduate of Darul Uloom Deoband in India, he related a curious story on how in the early days, the upper floor section of the Darul Hadith building was reserved to jinn-students only. I mean, humans studied downstairs, and jinns upstairs. Now the jinn section is open to human, and people study Quranic tafseer there.

Darul Uluoom Deoband is world-famous for hadith studies. Many ulama graduated from this madrasah.

I have great respect for this young brother for his ability, humbleness, and respect to Islam and the Prophet (saw). He is the imam of masjid, Hanafi by mazhab, yet paused after the 2nd ruku’ in Subuh solah to recite dua qunut in respect of Shafi’i followers behind him. He is of Chishti tariqah, and makes a habit of walking about town reciting Allah’s name at least 6000 times a day. He recites al-Quran several juzu everyday so that he can khatam all 30 juzu in 8 days. He very recently – from 10pm until 5am - debated a deviant visitor from Penang (of Qadiani sect) on legitimacy of Prophet Muhammad (saw) being the final messenger (khatam nubuwwah).

Reflecting on this I wonder how some of us only after reading a few quotes of ahadith, get big-headed and start to attack authority of established ulama. Really these misguided ones have been beguiled by ignorance and nafs-ammarah. How dare they say that we – the followers of mazhab – blindly follow the past ulama, instead of follow the sayings of the Prophet? Do they think none of us study hadith? Get real! I have met a few hadith masters, ALL of them follow one mazhab or another.

If you happen to be in Langkawi, look for Imam Mohammed Khaled of Masjid India (Riadhul ‘Abidin) in Kuah town. Make a visit to this man, maybe there is something good Allah will bestow you. Langkawi at least has charmed me twice: the beauty of the beaches and the encounter with a hadith master. Alhamdulillah.

Kutub as-Sittah: The six famous hadith books comprising of Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, the Sunans of an-Nasa’i, Abu Dawud, Tirmidzi, and Ibn Majah.
The brother mentioned they also studied Muwatta’ of Imam Malik and Muwatta’ Imam Muhammad in Darul Uloom.

Wallahu a'lam

Habib Umar's Advise

I was home re-shelving books yesterday when this old note fell down. On 16th February 2008 Habib Umar bin Hafiz came from Hadramaut, Yemen to Subang Jaya in celebration of Maulud Nabi (saw) and gave his discourse. Habib Ali Zainal Abidin translated for us.

Tariqah Sufiyyah

(After the customary hamdalah and salawat to Rasulullah s.a.w)

Allah had destined us to gather here today. He had our names written in His Attendance List even before we got here. There are people out there who are unmindful of the maulud. But think not you are superior over them. Keep yourself low - this is the manners of Islam.

There are no man-made laws that you can compare with laws brought to us by the prophets. Recommendations made by men cannot solve problems that we do not see.

Moses (as) was sent to the Pharaoh to correct his ways. Remember that Pharaoh at that time was strong, and had solid hold over his sovereignty. Moses asked him: “don’t you need to cleanse your heart?” There’s something we can learn from this story.

In surah TaHa, Allah said: “go to Pharaoh, indeed he has transgressed”. But Allah ordered Moses to go with courtesy, not with military force.

The people of tasawwuf –the Sufis – take care to preserve good manners (akhlaq) as shown by Moses. Said Junaid al-Baghdadi (rh): “Akhlaq is tasawwuf. Increase in akhlaq means increase in tasawwuf”. Nothing weighs the mizan heavier than akhlaq. Only those with akhlaq can come near to Rasulullah (saw).

Among the characteristics of sufis are tawaddhu’ and ikhlas. Tawaddhu’ is humility, where you do not want to stand out among those around you. Hasan Basri (rh) said he would never backbite because he cannot stand giving away his own rewards (to those he backbites).

A man from the Israelites worshipped Allah relentlessly for 60 years. He supplicated for some favor but Allah rejected. He criticized himself “if only you had worshipped more, surely Allah would have fulfilled your supplication”. Allah sent a prophet to this man saying “The moment you criticized yourself, Allah values more, than the whole 60 years of your worship. Now supplicate to Allah and ask whatever you want”.

Ikhlas is sincerity. Saidina ‘Ali (ra) brought down an enemy in combat, but stopped short of killing him, being afraid his killing due more to personal revenge than to divine causes. On our part, we should be afraid to commit sin, as much as we are afraid of being thrown into the hellfire.

We are living in an era of fitnah, therefore stay away from useless debates. Remind ourselves that we are being tried with prevalent pseudo-da’wah, breakup of ummah, and digression from sunnah.

Part of a hadith qudsi: “How many of Allah’s servants who take sins lightly, yet those small sins are the cause for him to get su’ul khatimah”.

Wallahu a'lam

Maulud of Prophet Muhammad (saw)

Salawat and salam upon Prophet Muhammad. And upon his family and companions.

We celebrate his birthday today, on 12th of Rabi'ul 'Awwal.

He is the ultimate example for mankind, no doubt.
There is no denying our love for him.
Such a deep love for this noble person is the reason
that we look for every excuse to celebrate him.

We celebrate his birth by reciting more salawat, or recite specific poems such as the Qasidah Burdah of Imam Muhammad bin Sa'id al-Bushiri. The imam said:

How could I hide my love
if that love is manifested in my
tears and suffering
(verse 6)

As long as you do not follow the way of the Christians
(who overly praise Jesus alaihissalam and turn him into god)
praise him (Muhammad) the way you please
(verse 43)

Let me utter the virtues of Muhammad
and make them shine like a beacon
on a hill, greeting the arriving wayfarers

Pearls, beautiful they are stringed together
still they radiate beauty scattered and unpolished
(verse 88-89)

O Allah pour mercy upon Sayyidina Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad,
just like you have poured mercy upon Sayyidina Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. For all the worlds, really You are the Most Praiseworthy and the Most Honorable.

Wallahu a'lam

Dala'il al-Khayrat - Ibn Sulaiman al-Jazuli

Baba Aziz gave us general ijazah to practise salawat Dala'il al-Khayrat of Shaykh Ibn Sulaiman al-Jazuli last night. The host - Ben Alawi - an extremely generous gentleman he has been, gave us a copy of Shaykh Nuh Keller's edition of Dala'il al-Khayrat. It was not free, but at a very _steeply_ discounted price. May Allah reward them both.

Baba Aziz got his ijazah from two shaykhs:
1. Shaykh Soleh bin Awang Besar al-Kelantani from Shaykh 'Alawi al-Maliki.
2. Shaykh Idris al-Fatoni from Shaykh Bukhari al-Madani.

Words of wisdom from Baba 'Abdul Aziz the night before:

Hadith: Rasululah (saw) has said:

Truly I have been sent to make the noble manners perfect.

Education in Islam leans more towards tarbiyyah - nurturing oneself towards good behavior. This is achieved under supervision of a murabbi or a murshid, a concept alien to many modern Islamic schools and universities. Believe me, education tailored towards worldly benefits will never achieve the goal Islam has set for all of us.
Learning tasawwuf is like looking into a mirror that has that refelective coating behind. You see your own self.
Learning fiqh, on the other hand, is like looking into a mirror without that same coating. All you see is other people around you.
Students of tasawwuf correct thier own shortcomings. Students of fiqh busy themselves trying to correct others.

Subahanallah, how true.
Wallahu a'lam