The Spider & The Man

A man asked a spider how it can just sit there for hours on end, wasting away its short life, and not move despite having eight legs. The spider replied, "O vicegerent, your heart can accommodate God and He has made it as a mirror for Himself- how is it then that you waste your days and remain yet unmoved!?" The man went quiet and the spider left.

Sahifat as-Sajjadiyya - Supplication 44 (Prayer for Ramadan)

Praise belongs to God who guided us to His praise 

and placed us among the people of praise

that we might be among the thankful for His beneficence

and that He might recompense us for that

with the recompense of the good-doers!

And praise belongs to God who showed favor to us through His religion

singled us out for His creed

and directed us onto the roads of His beneficence

in order that through His kindness we might travel upon them

to his good pleasure

a praise which He will accept from us and through which He will be pleased with us!

And praise belongs to God who appointed among those roads His month

the month of Ramadan

the month of fasting

the month of submission

the month of purity

the month of putting to test

the month of standing in prayer

in which the Qur'an was sent down as a guidance to the people

and as clear signs of the Guidance and Separator!

He clarified its excellence over other months

by the many sacred things and well-known excellencies

which He placed therein

for he made unlawful in it what He declared lawful in others to magnify it

He prohibited foods and drinks in it to honor it

and he appointed for it a clear time which He (Majestic and Mighty is He)

allows not to be set forward

and accepts not to be placed behind

Then He made one of its nights surpass the nights of a thousand months

and named it the Night of Decree;

in it the angels and the Spirit descend

by leave of their Lord upon every command

a peace constant in blessings

until the rising of the dawn

upon whomsoever He will of His servants

according to the decision He has made firm

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

inspire us with knowledge of its excellence

veneration of its inviolability

and caution against what Thou hast forbidden within it

and help us to fast in it

by our restraining our limbs

from acts of disobedience toward Thee

and our employing them in that which pleases Thee

so that we lend not our ears to idle talk 

and hurry not with our eyes to diversion

we stretch not our hands toward the forbidden

and stride not with our feet toward the prohibited

our bellies hold only what Thou hast made lawful

and our tongues speak only what Thou hast exemplified

we undertake nothing but what brings close to Thy reward

and pursue nothing but what protects from Thy punishment!

Then rid all of that from the false show of the false showers

and the fame-seeking of the fame-seekers

lest we associate therein anything with Thee

or seek therein any object of desire but Thee!

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

in it make us attend to the appointed moments of the five prayers within

the bounds Thou hast set, the obligations Thou hast decreed

the duties Thou hast assigned and the times Thou hast specified

and in the prayers make us alight in the station of the keepers of their stations

the guardians of their pillars, their performers in their times

as Thy servant and Thy Messenger set down in his sunnah 

(Thy blessings be upon him and his Household)

in their bowings, their prostrations, and all their excellent acts

with the most complete and ample ritual purity

and the most evident and intense humility!

Give us success in this month to tighten our bonds of kin with devotion and gifts

attend to our neighbors with bestowal and giving

rid our possessions from claims

purify them through paying the alms

go back to him who has gone far from us

treat justly him who has wronged us

make peace with him who shows enmity toward us

(except him who is regarded as an enemy in Thee and for Thee

for he is the enemy whom we will not befriend, the party whom we will not hold dear)

and seek nearness to Thee through blameless works which will purify us from sins

and preserve us from renewing faults

so that none of Thy angels will bring for Thee 

the kinds of obedience and sorts of nearness-seeking unless they be less than what we bring!

O God, I ask Thee by the right of this month

and by the right of him who worships Thee within it

from its beginning to the time of its passing

whether angel Thou hast brought nigh to Thee

prophet Thou has sent or righteous servant Thou hast singled out

that Thou bless Muhammad and his Household

make us worthy of the generosity Thou hast promised Thy friends

make incumbent for us what Thou hast made incumbent

for those who go to great lengths in obeying Thee

and place us in the ranks of those who deserve through Thy mercy the highest elevation!

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

turn us aside from deviation in professing Thy Unity,

falling short in magnifying Thee in Thy religion

blindness toward Thy path, heedlessness of Thy inviolability

and being deceived by Thy enemy, the accursed Satan!

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

and when in every night of this month's nights

Thou hast necks which Thy pardon will release

and Thy forgiveness, disregard

place our necks among those necks and place us among the best folk 

and companions of this our month!

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

efface our sins along with the effacing of its crescent moon

and make us pass forth from the ill effects of our acts

with the passing of its days until it leaves us behind

while within it Thou hast purified us of offenses and rid us of evil deeds!

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

and should we go off to one side in this month, set us aright;

should we swerve, point us straight; and should Thy enemy Satan enwrap us

rescue us from him!

O God, fill this month with our worship of Thee

adorn its times with our obedience toward Thee

help us during its daytime with its fast

and in its night with prayer and pleading toward Thee

humility toward Thee and lowliness before Thee

so that its daytime may not bear witness against our heedlessness

nor its night against our neglect!

O God, make us like this in the other months and days

as long as Thou givest us life and place us among Thy righteous servants

those who shall inherit Paradise, therein dwelling forever

those who give what they give while their hearts quake

that they are returning to their Lord

those who vie in good works, outracing to them!

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

in every time, in all moments, and in every state

to the number that Thou hast blessed whomsoever Thou hast blessed

and to multiples of all that, through multiples

which none can count but Thee!

Surely Thou art Accomplisher of what Thou desirest.

(ameen)

Examine The Examination

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

"Blessed be He in Whose hands is Dominion: and He over all things hath Power― He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving" [Qur'an 67:1-2]

In this verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah (swt) says He creates death and life; two universal principles within the cosmos, to set up an examination of the finite time between these two universal states of being, existing and non-existing. Notice how He mentions death before mentioning life, this is fascinating because when we examine the contents of the entire observable universe we see that life is very rare in comparison to the non-living matter. It's important to remember that although matter exists it does not necessarily live. A dead body exists but is no longer living, for example.

Life indeed is rare in the universe, and death is the inevitable end of all things but they themselves are a means to the end or purpose behind which God created them - to test His creatures in their works, deeds or actions. This test has qualitative ranking and is not judged on purely numerical scoring. God knows that a numerical score of ones deeds would result in statistically skewed results where numerous groups of creatures would score high, median, and low based on certain deeds but would not necessarily reflect the true merit (or lack thereof) of those deeds given the context and circumstances in which they were performed, if deeds translated strictly to a numerical value. Rather, God tries us in quality because it is qualitative distinction that will really separate the classes of merits. [See Ch. 56, Surah Waqi'ah] And God, in that distinction of qualitative judgment, is merciful. "He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving" [67:2]

If life is meant to be a test or examination, then we should study the elements of examinations in general to understand the real truths about this life, afterall, if the true purpose of being is to undergo this examination of deeds then the resulting phenomena associated with examinations will be the hallmarks and truths of life itself. We will see if this is true. So let us begin our inquiry into what constitutes examination, testing, trials and the like by asking ourselves a few questions first. 

When we say we have an examination (exam, short) test or trial, what physical behaviors, emotional thoughts, and spiritual practices are associated with that stressful time-frame? The most obvious characteristic of testing is the aspect of inquiry, or asking of questions that will lead to answers. Every age group has questions about life, and each is profound for the time of development. The child asks, "who can I trust?" The teen asks "is this what I believe to be my identity?" The adult asks, "have I lived a meaningful life?" Each question is necessary, each answer as well if one is to live an informed life. Next we can say that one undergoing an exam or about to undergo one is likely anxious for good results. And are we not anxious in life for good results in nearly everything? The answer is obviously, 'yes.' We can also say that an examinee has sensibly prepared for the exam and that the anxiety he/she faces is dependent somewhat upon his/her degree of preparation. In other words, preparation is a key element in successfully passing an exam with good results. We can add to this by saying that one who prepares thoroughly differs in mindset from one who does not prepare, and that the former may have a degree of faith in his/her preparation over the doubts of the latter for the lack thereof in preparation. This we see commonly in the worldly life as well as preparation, training, and hard work not only becomes a source of reward but a source of comfort, security, and meaning for the one who achieves it. These people do not feel as anxious as those who do not prepare do, fear and doubt in expecting good results is something they need not experience. It comes down to trust or faith in their knowledge and belief in a good outcome that gives hope to the prepared ones. Another thing we notice about examinees is the tension, stress, and fatigue they experience as a result of that heightened state of demand where their minds and bodies must give them more to perform at higher levels. This too, is the central element of life, as expectations create demands that push our bodies and minds to their limits, resulting in fatigue, breakdowns, and tensions of all kinds. Further if we look at testing conditions, we see that the examinee is more or less isolated from others. In this world we are each born alone and die alone, set in our graves alone; companionship does not hide this fact for "companionship" is merely the presence of other students in the testing room- you are still left to take the exam yourself, so too in life. Testing conditions also have more stringent rules during examination times, this is to prevent cheating or unlawful advantages during testing and is a way to give every student a fair chance at passing the exam. The same can be said about life, as religious and civil laws are principles meant for creating justice within society and for allowing everyone the chance to be good, moral, and productive citizens of their states and countries. Another element to examine is the brevity of duration and discomfort that all tests share in common compared to non-testing states. Indeed, if we ponder not too excessively, we can already see that life is fleeting and is short, always presenting us with choices between lesser or greater discomforts. Finally, every test has a range of material that is being tested, presented within a certain format to help draw the correct answers from the examinee. Similarly, life tests a range of human 'material' if you will- our patience, generosity, forbearance, acceptance, tolerance, kindness, anger, jealousy, and in a nutshell, our humanity. 

These are just some of the analogous similarities between examinations and life in general. If one contemplates deeper they will find more interesting parallels and fundamental truths about life. To me, this is a valid argument for the case that life itself is a divine test and the heavens and earth are a testing ground to that effect. The biggest thing to realize is that one's faith plays one of the most crucial roles along with their preparation, in determining a good result on the exam. This is why in religion we are told to both have faith and good deeds because you can still feel good about the exam but fail if you didn't prepare well enough or still fail if you prepared but have no faith or confidence in your answers. The final aspect of examination that hasn't yet been mentioned is the desire to finish quickly and celebrate in relief once the testing is over. We all know that feeling of being among the last few students left in the room, finishing up that exam, anticipating the end, submitting the paper and walking out relieved regardless of any faith, preparation, confidence or lack thereof beforehand. The very same can also be said about life, since life is a test, we should be happy to finish our exam when our time comes, submit our papers with hope regardless of how much we did for the exam and just leave the rest up to merciful grading and prayer. And "He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving" [Ibid]

Finding the Seat of Lost Motivation

"What world do you believe in?" It's a strange question that nobody is ever really asked. Most people would rephrase it, "what cause do you believe in?" or "what sector do you work in?" and even the casual "what's your trade?" are more common questions but they do not highlight the heart of the matter as the first question does. When we are finding ourselves unmotivated, "rebels without a cause" so-to-speak, it means there is a deeper problem to our perceptions of the world(s) we live in. By "world" here, I'm referring to that cause which speaks most to us; to our ideals, values, and principles. The world which gets our attention, that moves us and motivates us. That end to which our means find the most meaning. That cause becomes the focus of our destination, and the desire to reach our goal becomes the fuel and motivation to get us there. So the question again, "what world do you believe in?" highlights several subtle points.

The first subtle point is that which we believe in, is also that which we work towards helping and supporting. If a person states "I believe in my child" it means that not only does this person have faith in their child but they also take tangible measures to support that child because they see this investment of their time as being worth the effort. One day they will not be able to physically help nor support them, to which they must then resign their wills to their faith in that person's own ability to help themselves. All causes are like this. We lend our support and efforts to strengthen that cause but we will one day be unable to contribute further support and resign our efforts to our faith in that work. "One day this vision - this dream - will be fulfilled," we say. This is the reason why the spiritual truth states that our faith will outlast our work because we will all face death but the cause/belief will outlive us.

The second subtle point is that the causes we support belong to a realm of actions and faith and these actions and faith are a world unto themselves. When we speak of the hobbies we are fond of we speak of the culture those hobbies have developed. These cultures are worlds. For example, my brother loves cars. I can say that he is "into the world of cars" and what this means is that he's into the culture that has developed around cars and car-enthusiasts. Growing up, I happened to be into the world of anime and video games. My belief was that they can provide as wholesome (halal) forms of entertainment. I took many actions to support this belief by buying games and anime and sharing these with friends. Similarly, each hobby or cause we endorse is a world we place faith in (belief) and take some action to increase the influence of that belief, cause or hobby. This principle is highlighted in the Quran in Sura al-'Asr (The Time,) Chapter 103:

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
By (the token of) time (through the ages,) verily man is in loss, except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of truth, and of patience and constancy. [ch.103]

This short sura illustrates the importance of both belief (in a cause) and its complementary support through actions and deeds. We all believe in some causes that we do not take actions upon and often times its the reverse; we take actions and commit deeds without any real belief in the purpose behind those actions. The goal, however, is to have not just one or the other but to have both faith and action in that which we endorse if we are to speak of motivation - which leads me to my next point.

Motivation comes from the vision to see our beliefs come true: the causes we support and to see a possible fruition of those causes and to work towards achieving those ends. However, if we lack both belief and action, then we have no fuel nor desire to reach any goal. In other words, "man is in loss" when he lacks a belief in something nor does he act as someone informed. Rather, he becomes detached from all purpose by losing the vision of something meaningful to pursue and acts randomly with no clear intent. We can say that even animals and plants in nature act with some meaningful intent; be it instinct or voluntary action. Nature is goal-driven, man is the only one who needs to get on the boat.

The third subtle point is that which we support and endorse is also that which we love or are endeared to. We do not say of that which we hate or dislike, "I believe in so-and-so." The Israelites under Moses did not say they believed in the Pharoah who oppressed them but rather they believed in God and in Moses and Aaron. They worked toward that vision and message of Moses and were then liberated. The believers in Mecca did not believe in the cause of the Quraish, and so their belief and loyalty went to the Prophet Muhammad (S) and they worked to achieve his message and their own safety. Ultimately, the causes we endorse can be broken into these two essential components: faith and action, and again, it is these causes that become cultures and worlds unto themselves.

So we return to the question asked in the beginning, "what world do you believe in?" Now we see that this question is really asking the same thing that those other questions were asking but in a different, more impactful way. If we are to answer by saying that we believe in this world, then it would follow that we also endorse, support, and love the things of this world; that we have faith in all that it contains and we take actions to support our claim. Then we may see such a person who truly believes in this world take up more interest in worldy affairs and not pay much mind to an afterlife (if they even believe in one.) On the otherhand, if we answer this question by saying we believe in the hereafter, then it would follow that we endorse, support, and love the things of the next world by means of the limited knowledge we have concerning it, we embrace beliefs and visions for the next world and we also take actions and commit deeds that we hope will bring us to a good place when the time comes to enter it. 

For the one who believes in this world [over the afterworld] they are motivated by worldly causes and actions. They take out their time for worldly activities and consider it a worthwhile investment of their time and effort to develop themselves here and now and not think about some afterworld which may not even exist. For the one who believes in the afterworld [over this present world] they are motivated by otherworldly causes and actions. They take out their time for otherworldly activities and consider it a worthwhile investment of their time and effort to prepare themselves here and now for what they believe will surely come true, and not to dwell so much on the pleasures and pains of their temporal existence here and now. This is motivation, and motivation comes from the world(s) you believe in. The most fortunate are those who believe in both this present world and the hereafter; take seriously their visions and goals for this life and the next and work to implement their importance equally. This is the greatest summit resulting from motivation. The most unfortunate are those who believe in neither this world nor the next, they think life is random and there is no clear purpose behind anything. Their actions are aimless and they get nothing out of life. This is the deepest and worst pit resulting from a lack of motivation. We must all reflect on what we believe in and to which world those causes take us toward - material or spiritual, worldly or otherworldly - and take actions upon those beliefs and causes, for what we believe in is, (in the final analysis and at the very least,) worth saving, since we cannot save ourselves from death but to the one who believes and works towards those lofty goals, he safeguards everything. And to the one who neither believes nor works toward anything lofty, he loses his beliefs and values, his life's work and himself. He loses everything. 

Balaghal 'Ula Bi Kamalihi (performed by The Syrian Munshids)

Phir Karam Hogaya Main Madinay Chala

Phir Karam Hogaya Main Madinay Chala (InshaAllah!) Alhamdulillahi Rabbil 'alameen!!! :)

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 16 (Mitchell)

Chapter 16: Divine Traits & Demonic Traits

"The blessed lord [Krishna] said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, persistence in the yoga of knowledge, generosity, self-control, nonviolence, gentleness, candor, (1) integrity, disengagement, joy in the study of the scriptures, compassion for all beings, modesty, patience, a tranquil mind, (2) dignity, kindness, courage, a benevolent, loving heart- these are the qualities of men born with divine traits, Arjuna. (3) Hypocrisy insolence anger, cruelty, ignorance, conceit- these, Arjuna, are the qualities of men with demonic traits. (4) The divine traits lead to freedom; the demonic, to suffering and bondage. But do not be concerned, Arjuna: the traits you have are divine. (5) The demonic and the divine are the two kinds of men in this world. The divine I have told you about; now learn about the demonic. (6)

Demonic men do not realize what should and what should not be done; there is no purity of heart, no virtue, no truth inside them. (7) They say that life is an accident caused by sexual desire, that the universe has no moral order, no truth, no God. (8) Clinging to this stupid belief, drawn into cruelty and malice, they become lost souls and, at last, enemies of the whole world. (9) Driven by insatiable lusts, drunk on the arrogance of power, hypocritical, deluded, their actions foul with self-seeking (10) tormented by a vast anxiety that continues until their death, convinced that the gratification of desire is life's sole aim, (11) bound by a hundred shackles of hope, enslaved by their greed, they squander their time dishonestly piling up mountains of wealth. (12) "Today I got this desire, and tomorrow I will get that one; all these riches are mine, and soon I will have even more. (13) Already I have killed these enemies and soon I will kill the rest; I am the lord, the enjoyer, successful, happy, and strong, (14) noble, and rich, and famous. Who on earth is my equal? I will worship, give alms, and rejoice." Thus think these ignorant fools. (15) Bewildered by endless thinking, entangled in the net of delusion, addicted to desire, they plunge into the foulest of hells. (16) Self-centered, stubborn, filled with all the insolence of wealth, they go through the outward forms of worship, but their hearts are elsewhere. (17) Clinging to the I-sense, to power, to arrogance, lust, and rage, they hate me, denying my presence in their own and in others' bodies. (18) Through all the cycles of birth and death, I hurl these depraved, cruel, and hate-filled men into demonic wombs. (19) Trapped in demonic wombs, deluded in birth after birth, they never reach me, Arjuna, but sink to the lowest state. (20) This is the soul-destroying threefold entrance to hell: desire, anger, and greed. every man should avoid them. (21) The man who refuses to enter these three gates into darkness does what is best for himself and attains the ultimate goal. (22) But the man who rejects the scriptures, chasing his own desires, cannot attain the goal of true joy or true success. (23) Therefore, guided by the scriptures, know what to do and not do; first understand their injunctions, then act uprightly in the world." (24) 

The Five Remembrances of the Buddha

"I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old. I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand." - (Pali Canon, AN 5.57)

The Unveiled Vigils - Prayer #1

A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ar-rajeem, 
Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim

Lord, I am utterly useless

If I put myself first, and expect You to care for me 

to the exclusion of the world

then I am as a deluded heretic

and if I put myself last, and regard myself as the least among Your agenda

then, like so many, I pretend that I can manage on my own

I can neither insist on Your exclusive attention nor trust in my self-reliance

My conundrum in requiring more from myself while needing You more

means I must rely on myself to do worthy deeds and attract Your Love

but myself is unreliable in securing Your Love

it is only through Your Mercy that myself wishes to seek You

Because it is only by You that I get to You.

Lord, You are completely managing the whole affair-

I am just a vessel; a medium of nothing

I am totally dependent on You

This is all Your story, not mine-

So write it as You see fit

You are the best Author, Writer, Speaker

Lord of 'Be and it is!"

Let it be that these moldy, unread pages of my life

contain some eloquent and riveting tale

of adventure and excitement

of joy and laughter

of intrigue and pleasant surprise

of trial and heroic sacrifice

of drama and moving love

of benevolence and great service

of determination and satisfying triumph

of 'God is Greater!' in Your worship

O Lord of "Be and it is!"

Let it be so, for You are Everything to aid me

and I am nothing to aid myself
Help Your servant to write this story well

Ameen ya Rabb al-'alameen

The Benefits of Studying Hypocrisy & Acting The Opposite

It is beneficial to study the qualities of hypocrisy (nifaq) and hypocrites (munafiqun) because it is by doing the exact opposite of hypocrisy that one can achieve the highest state of piety known as ihsan and be a muhsin, bi idhnillah. 

The hypocrites do not believe in God and the Last Day, they deceive themselves and they have a disease in their hearts [Qur'an 2:8] so believers should believe in God and the Last Day as well as as the divine mission of Muhammad (saw), not deceive themselves and seek a cure for the ills of the heart by seeking knowledge and the path of purity from those who have knowledge and achieved it. The hypocrites make mischief [2:11] have secret pacts with the disbelievers [2:14] and have bartered guidance for error by wagering on this life and being doubtful about the next [2:16] they are deaf, dumb, and blind, [2:18] so the believers should be making peace and having open alliances with the faithful and should barter error instead for guidance by wagering on the next life and being doubtful about the nature of this life, they (believers) should be paying attention by listening, observing, and being thoughtful and reflective of the signs of Allah. The hypocrites turn away from revelation and religious injunctions when they are invited to it [4:61] so believers should turn toward the revelation and religious injunctions when invited to and when there is no invitation. They (hypocrites) do not honor their oaths and promises so the faithful should honor their oaths and promises and take them seriously. Hypocrites do not struggle in the cause of God and show their backs (i.e- turn away) in the face of difficulties so believers should struggle in the cause of God and not show their backs when the going gets rough. The hypocrites make a show of their good deeds while anxiously hiding their bad deeds, so believers should conceal their good deeds as they conceal their bad deeds and not make a show of either. They make a dazzling display of speech but do not have any real substance (action) to back up what they say [2:204] so believers should be modest in their speech and put their substance in their actions instead. The hypocrites are afraid of being found out and discovered, they have an understanding with each other to enjoin evil and forbid justice and they have forgotten Allah such that Allah has forgotten them [9:64-7] therefore, believers must not be afraid of people knowing their true natures (because Allah already knows it) and they should have an understanding with each other to enjoin and promote good and prohibit/discourage evil and they must never forget Allah, lest He forgets them (God forbid.) The hypocrites obstruct people from the path of God, their exteriors are polished and pleasing as if to appear holy and pious, and when prayer is offered for them they turn away in arrogance (thinking that they don't need it) [63:2-5] so the faithful should never hinder anyone from the path of God- rather promote it in word and deed, and focus on rectifying their interiors more than making their exteriors pleasing, and humbly accept any and all who pray for them or on their behalf.

By using the hypocrites qualities and doing the opposite we can, bi idhnillah, safeguard ourselves from hypocrisy, inshaAllah ta'ala.  The Qur'an says the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire, [4:145] so then wouldn't the opposite of them be the people who will be in the highest heights of Jannat al-Firdos inshaAllah? May Allah (swt) grant us all ability (tawfiq) to implement good deeds over good words and help us to be true to God and to the prophets (peace be upon them all) and true to ourselves and the world around us, and to remove whatever qualities of hypocrisy we may have and replace them with the qualities of a sincere devotee of God ameen ya Rabb al-alamin.

Native Deen ft. Junaid Jamshed - SubhanAllah

Zain Bhikha ft. Dawud Wharnsby - Can't Take It With You

Owais Raza Qadri - Phir Karam Ho Gaya

InshaAllah (ameen)

Junaid Jamshed - Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara

Roothay Huaoon Ko Rab Se Milana Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Ummat Ke Gham Main Shab Bhar Rona Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Sab Se Ansab Sab Se A’ala Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Doobte Huoon Ko Kinaray Lagana Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Sotay Huoon Ko Pyaar Se Jagana Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam
Bay Talboon Main Talab Jagana Meray Muhammad Ka Kaam


My fav lines..so beautiful, mashaAllah. <3 p="p">

Hafiz Khalil Sultan - Hamd (La ilaha ilAllah)

Ya 'Adheeman - Ahmed Bukhatir

Allah Ki Chahat (God's desire)

*Blogger's Note- The following tradition, often referenced in Urdu-speaking circles, is credited as being among the qudsi ahadith but reference to any isnad; person or authentic hadith collection is hard to find. If anyone knows the source, please do inform me as I really do find meaning in this tradition/poem and I'm eager to endorse it if it is indeed from a divine source. Otherwise take it for what it is.

Urdu Transliteration

***

Aye Ibn-e-Adam,

Aik teri chahat hai aur aik Meri chahat hai..!

Magar hoga wohi jo Meri chahat hai..
 Pas agar tu ne apney app ko sapurd..
 ker dia uss ke jo Meri chahat hai..
Toh Mein bakhsh doun ga tujh ko wo bhi jo teri chahat hai..
Aur agar tu ne nafarmani ki uss ki jo Meri chahat hai..
 Toh Mein thaka doun ga tujh ko uss mein jo teri chahat hai..

Phir wohi ho ga jo Meri chahat hai...

English Translation

***

O Son of Adam,

You have your desire and
 I have My desire
 But My desire shall reign
 Though if you surrender yourself unto My desire,
 Then I shall bestow upon you your desire
But if you oppose My desire,
 Then I shall tire you of your desires

And ultimately My desire shall reign….”

Dil Badal De (Junaid Jamshed version)

May Allah bless Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed Naqshbandi (db) for this beautiful and poetic dua and Ustad Junaid Jamshed for the rendition. Ameen.



Ameen ya Rabb.

Fasihuddin Sohrawardi - Mujh Mein Unki Sana Ka Saleeqa Kahan

SalAllahu 'alayhi was-sallam

Maaey Ni Mein Kinnu Akhaan

Written by Shah Hussain (d. 1599 CE)
Performed by Hamid Ali Bela