Wednesday, June 29, 2005
The Lion(?) Of Syria
UPDATE: SHAYKH AHMED ALI'S LECTURE, WHICH MENTIONS THIS STORY HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE COMMENTS.
The story below is truly inspiring!!
Khaalid bin Al-Waleed had besieged Damascus. He had sent a Muslim blocking force to the north to prevent Roman reinforcements from coming to replenish the garrison at Damascus. At the head of this army was the commander Dhiraar - the lion of Syria who used to fight amongst the armoured enemies of Islaam naked from the waist up! He was a fierce warrior who had unfortunately been captured by the Roman reinforcements since their army was twice the strength of the Muslims, and he had launched headlong into the ranks of the enemies by himself, killing so many of the foe that his companions could not keep up with the pace. Soon he was too far into the ranks of the Romans, and was surrounded and captured. Khaalid bin Al-Waleed, upon hearing this, mobilized 5,000 from amongst the besieging force at Damascus and rode like the wind to come to the aid of the Muslims.
As Khalid approached the battlefield he suddenly saw a Muslim rider flash past him from behind and gallop off towards the Roman front. Before Khalid could stop him, he was gone. A slim, lightly-built person, dressed in black, this rider wore a breastplate and was armed with a sword and a long lance. He sported a green turban and had a scarf wrapped around his face, acting as a mask, with only his eyes visible. Khalid arrived on the battlefield in time to see this rider throw himself at the Romans with such fury that everyone present thought that he and his horse must both be mad. Raafe saw this rider before he saw Khalid and remarked, "He attacks like Khalid, but he is clearly not Khalid." Then Khalid joined Raafe. (second in command)
Khalid took a little time to organize Raafe's group and his own Mobile Guard into one and deploy it as a combined force for battle. Meanwhile the masked rider treated the Muslims to a thrilling display of horsemanship and attacks with the lance. He would go charging on his own, strike the Roman front at one point and kill a man; then go galloping away to another part of the front, again strike someone in the Roman front line and so on. A few Romans came forward to tackle him but all went down before his terrible lance. Marvelling at this wondrous sight, the Muslims could still see nothing more of the warrior than a youthful figure and a pair of bright eyes shining above the mask. The rider appeared bent on suicide as with his clothes and lance covered with blood, he struck again and again at the Romans. The example of this warrior put fresh courage into the men of Raafe, who forgot their fatigue and went into battle with renewed high spirits as Khalid gave the order to attack.
The masked rider, now joined by many others, continued his personal war against the Romans as the entire Muslim force attacked the Roman front. Soon after the general attack had begun, Khalid got near this rider and called, "O warrior, show us your face." A pair of dark eyes flashed at Khalid before the rider turned away and galloped off into another assault at the Romans. Next, a few of Khalid's men caught up with him and said,
"O noble warrior, your commander calls you and you turn away from him! Show us your face and tell us your name so that you may be properly honoured."
Again the rider turned away as if deliberately trying to keep his identity a secret.
As the masked rider returned from his charge, he passed by Khalid, who called to him sternly to stop. The rider pulled up his horse, and Khalid continued, "You have done enough to fill our hearts with admiration. Who are you?"
Khalid nearly fell off his horse when he heard the reply of the masked rider, for it was the voice of a girl!
"O commander, I only turn away from you out of modesty. You are the glorious commander, and I am of those who stay behind the veil. I fight like this because my heart is on fire."
"Who are you?"
"I am Khaulah, sister of Dhiraar. My brother has been captured, and I must fight to set him free."
Source
The story below is truly inspiring!!
Khaalid bin Al-Waleed had besieged Damascus. He had sent a Muslim blocking force to the north to prevent Roman reinforcements from coming to replenish the garrison at Damascus. At the head of this army was the commander Dhiraar - the lion of Syria who used to fight amongst the armoured enemies of Islaam naked from the waist up! He was a fierce warrior who had unfortunately been captured by the Roman reinforcements since their army was twice the strength of the Muslims, and he had launched headlong into the ranks of the enemies by himself, killing so many of the foe that his companions could not keep up with the pace. Soon he was too far into the ranks of the Romans, and was surrounded and captured. Khaalid bin Al-Waleed, upon hearing this, mobilized 5,000 from amongst the besieging force at Damascus and rode like the wind to come to the aid of the Muslims.
As Khalid approached the battlefield he suddenly saw a Muslim rider flash past him from behind and gallop off towards the Roman front. Before Khalid could stop him, he was gone. A slim, lightly-built person, dressed in black, this rider wore a breastplate and was armed with a sword and a long lance. He sported a green turban and had a scarf wrapped around his face, acting as a mask, with only his eyes visible. Khalid arrived on the battlefield in time to see this rider throw himself at the Romans with such fury that everyone present thought that he and his horse must both be mad. Raafe saw this rider before he saw Khalid and remarked, "He attacks like Khalid, but he is clearly not Khalid." Then Khalid joined Raafe. (second in command)
Khalid took a little time to organize Raafe's group and his own Mobile Guard into one and deploy it as a combined force for battle. Meanwhile the masked rider treated the Muslims to a thrilling display of horsemanship and attacks with the lance. He would go charging on his own, strike the Roman front at one point and kill a man; then go galloping away to another part of the front, again strike someone in the Roman front line and so on. A few Romans came forward to tackle him but all went down before his terrible lance. Marvelling at this wondrous sight, the Muslims could still see nothing more of the warrior than a youthful figure and a pair of bright eyes shining above the mask. The rider appeared bent on suicide as with his clothes and lance covered with blood, he struck again and again at the Romans. The example of this warrior put fresh courage into the men of Raafe, who forgot their fatigue and went into battle with renewed high spirits as Khalid gave the order to attack.
The masked rider, now joined by many others, continued his personal war against the Romans as the entire Muslim force attacked the Roman front. Soon after the general attack had begun, Khalid got near this rider and called, "O warrior, show us your face." A pair of dark eyes flashed at Khalid before the rider turned away and galloped off into another assault at the Romans. Next, a few of Khalid's men caught up with him and said,
"O noble warrior, your commander calls you and you turn away from him! Show us your face and tell us your name so that you may be properly honoured."
Again the rider turned away as if deliberately trying to keep his identity a secret.
As the masked rider returned from his charge, he passed by Khalid, who called to him sternly to stop. The rider pulled up his horse, and Khalid continued, "You have done enough to fill our hearts with admiration. Who are you?"
Khalid nearly fell off his horse when he heard the reply of the masked rider, for it was the voice of a girl!
"O commander, I only turn away from you out of modesty. You are the glorious commander, and I am of those who stay behind the veil. I fight like this because my heart is on fire."
"Who are you?"
"I am Khaulah, sister of Dhiraar. My brother has been captured, and I must fight to set him free."
Source
posted by VeiledOne at 11:44 AM
8 comments
Friday, June 24, 2005
A thought.
"Man lets' you down,
Allah(SWT) never does."
When will we stop expecting from others?
Disclaimer: Man as in Mankind.
posted by VeiledOne at 10:04 PM
0 comments
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Fitnah
I think we need these signs everywhere.
Caution: Times of Fitnah......
posted by VeiledOne at 11:29 PM
2 comments
Friday, June 17, 2005
Yes, even the summer holidays are a blessing of Allah!
Sikander Ziad Hashmi
sunniforum.com
Description: Summer holidays can be a time of boredom or enjoyment. But whatever the case, we can always channel our free time into doing something useful.
Alhamdulillah, the exams are over (or are almost over), and the summer holidays are finally upon us!
As you read the title, you probably thought, "man, these religious types call everything 'a blessing of Allah'!"
But think about it. The holidays give you time to chill and relax after an agonizing 8-10 months of school. It's especially good because it's summer and you don't have to spend your days indoors, in class, while others enjoy the warm weather and the sunshine. So in some respects (at least), the holidays are a blessing from Allah.
Now, many of us find ourselves with nothing to do during the holidays. The first few days usually feel good, then the boredom settles in. And along with the boredom, comes the devil. As the saying goes, "an empty house is the devil's workshop". So as we get bored and realize we have nothing to do, shaitaan hops in and gladly sets up shop.
Obviously, the key here is not to let the boredom (and shaitaan) settle in. And what better way to achieve that than with something that adds bonus points to our good deeds account?
This is a great time for us to do all the good things we find difficult to do during school days, and things that we haven't done in a while. Haven't picked up the Quran since Ramadhan? This is a good time to recite a bit - even if it's only a page or a few lines a day. Was missing salats the norm during school days? Maybe we can try to pray on time, at least during the holidays. If we're already punctual in our prayers, perhaps we can pray those Sunnah and Nafil salats we never seem to have time for.
By far, the simplest thing we can all do is Zikr (remember Allah with His praises). It's nice and discreet; nobody can make fun of us for trying to show off by trying to look "religious". It doesn't disturb anyone and can be done easily, almost anytime. Believe it or not, Allah has ordered us to do Zikr in the Holy Quran:
O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. (Al-Quran, 33:41)
Seriously, think about it. How long does it take to say Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, or Allah-hu-Akbar? It takes about a second, yet it can bring great rewards. We can do Zikr while lying awake at night, while walking down the street, on the bus, or while surfing the Net - just to name a few.
The holidays are also the time for chilling out with our friends. It's critical that we have good friends - friends that bring us closer to Islam and Allah, because friendship has a profound effect on the way we act, the way we think, and the things we end up doing. If your friends stop by the Masjid to pray while on a shopping trip, most chances are you'll join them in doing so as well. On the other hand, if your friends stop by to "check out" members of the opposite sex, most likely you will too. Our friends are obviously the people we usually hang around with. Allah, the All-Knower, has said in the Holy Quran:
O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds). (Al-Quran, 9:119)
Allah commands us to stay in the company of (i.e. "hang around") those who are true in "words and deeds", which means that we should associate ourselves only with the righteous.
May Allah protect us from bad company, and may He allow us to bring our holidays to good use.
posted by VeiledOne at 6:17 PM
1 comments
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Shaytaan's Temptations and the Youth
One of my favorite lectures by Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed....
This excellent lecture by Shaykh Kamaluddin addresses the common problems our youth face in today's society. He takes the listener through a step by step journey of how one falls into the traps of shaitaan. He also gives examples of pious youngsters who sucessfully pass the trials. May Allah(SWT) protect and guide us all...Ameen
posted by VeiledOne at 8:40 PM
1 comments
Friday, June 10, 2005
The Station of Al-Khawf (The Fear of Allah)
The Al-Khawf or fear station is one of the most splendid stations of the road and the most beneficial to the heart. It is also mandatory upon everyone. Allah said, "So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are believers." [3:175], "And fear none but Me." [2:40], "So fear not men but fear Me." [5:44]
Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, also praised His people in His book, saying, "Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord . . . It is these who race for the good deeds and they are foremost in them." [23:57-61]
Al-Hasan al-Basri said, "By Allah, they performed the acts of obedience and Struggled in them and they were afraid that their deeds will be rejected." The believer has combined good deeds and fear and the hypocrite has combined bad deeds and a sense of security.
Other terms have similar meanings to al-khawf but are not synonymous, such as Wajal, khashyah and rahbah. Abu Al-Qasim Al-Junaid said, "Khawf is to expect punishments as long as you breathe." It has been said that khawf is the Restlessness of the heart because of the remembrance of the cause of fear. It has also been said that khawf is the strength in knowledge of the rulings and decrees. This is the reason for khawf and not khawf itself. It was also said that khawf is the escape of the heart from the occurrence of adversity when the heart senses it.
Khashyah is more specific than khawf. Khashyah is a quality that is particular of the people knowledgeable of Allah. Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says, "It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah." [35:28]
As a result khashyah is associated with knowledge. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, is reported to have said, "Indeed I have the most piety for Allah and have the greatest khashyah for Him(Bukhari and Muslim)." And he is the most knowledgeable of Allah.
Khawf can be likened to a movement or a reaction but khashyah is involvement, action and tranquility. A person who sees the enemy, floods or similar causes of fear will have one of the following two reactions: movement; i.e., running away from the cause, which is the state of khawf; or staying calm and staying in a place where the cause cannot reach him, and this is khashyah. Rahbah is diligence in running away from adversity. The opposite of this is raghbah or longing which involves the travel of the heart toward its desires. There is symmetry between raghbah and rahbah both in their pronunciation and meanings.
Wajal is the shivering and breaking of the heart when remembering the One it fears, His authority, punishment or seeing Him.
Haybah is khawf associated with glorification and reverence. It's peak is achieved when love and knowledge are strongly combined. Ijlaal is glorification associated with love.
Khawf is for the common believers, while khashyah is for the knowledgeable and the scholars. Haybah is for those who love and Ijlaal is for those who are close (to Allah). The presence of Khawf and khashyah is according to how much knowledge is there, as the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Indeed I am the most knowledgeable of Allah amongst you and have the most khashyah for Him." (Bukhari and Muslim) He also said, "If you would know what I know, you would laugh little and weep much. You would not have joy with your wives in bed and you would go out to high places and pray fervently to Allah, The Mighty (Ahmad, Tirmidhi and others)."
The person with khawf resorts to fleeing and holding. The person with khashyah resorts to holding to knowledge. Their similitude is like a person who has no knowledge of medicine and a skilled, highly trained and educated physician. The former resorts to diet and escape for treatment of his ills while the doctor resorts to knowledge of diseases and medicines.
Abu Hafs said, "Khawf is the whip of Allah. He corrects with it those straying from His door." He also said, "Khawf is a light in the heart, with it one can see the good and evil. Everyone you fear you run away from except Allah. When you fear Him, you run away to Him." The person with khawf is a person fleeing from His Lord to His Lord.
Abu Sulaiman said, "When khawf departs from any heart, it falls apart." Ibrahim bin Sufyan said, "When khawf settles in the heart, it burns the places of vain desires within it and it kicks out the love for this world." Thun-Nun said, "People are on the road (meaning the Straight Path) as long as they have khawf. When they lose it, they stray from the road.
"Khawf is not sought itself. It is simply a means sought to obtain something else. It disappears when the cause of khawf disappears. That is why the people of Paradise will have no khawf, nor will they grieve.
Khawf is related to deeds and actions, while love is related to Allah and His Attributes. The love of the believers to their Lord multiplies when they enter the House of Bliss and they will have not fear. For that, the station of love is greater and higher than the station of khawf.
The truthful khawf is what comes between the person and the prohibitions of Allah. If khawf exceeds that, then there may be a concern for getting into despair and hopelessness. Abu Uthman said, "The true khawf is being cautious of committing sins manifest or hidden.
"I heard Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah say, "The commendable khawf is what restrains you from the prohibitions of Allah."
Al-Harawi said, "Khawf is to slip away from comfort and security by recognizing the warning of Allah." The beginning of khawf is to fear the punishment. This is the kind of khawf that produces sound emaan (faith). This can be attained by believing in the warnings of Allah and remembering the sin. Khawf is preceded by feeling and knowledge. It is impossible that a person may have khawf without having feelings of fear.
Khawf is associated with two things: first, the thing feared; and second, any thing that may lead to it. Khawf can then be as great as the feeling of the person to the feared thing and what leads to it. When a person doesn't think that something would lead to the object that should be feared, then would not fear that thing. The same is true if he does not know the measure of the fearful thing then, he would not have the correct fear.
Khawf (fear) and rajaa' (hope) complement one another. The similitude of the heart in its travel to Allah is like a bird. Love is its head, and khawf and rajaa' are the wings. When the head and both wings are sound, the bird is capable and skilled in flying. However, when the head is cut off, the bird will die. When the bird loses a wing, it then becomes a target for every hunter and predator. The scholars favored, however, the wing of khawf over the wing of rajaa', especially when the person is young and healthy. They favored the wing of rajaa' over the wing of khawf when the person is about to leave this world.
Abu Sulaiman said, "The heart ought to have more khawf. When rajaa' dominates, it ruins it." It was also said, "The best state is to have the same amount of khawf and rajaa', but to have more love. Love is the boat, rajaa' is the leader, khawf is the driver, and Allah is the One Who helps those reach the goal by His Grace and Generosity."
Source -Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzeyah
Compiled, edited and adapted by Khalid Latif, e-tabligue
posted by VeiledOne at 9:31 PM
0 comments
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Suratul Abasa
Surah Abasa (He frowned)
1. (The Prophet) frowned and turned away,
2. Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting).
3. But what could tell thee but that perchance he might grow (in spiritual understanding)?-
4. Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him?
5. As to one who regards Himself as self-sufficient,
6. To him dost thou attend;
7. Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding).
8. But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly,
9. And with fear (in his heart),
1o. Of him wast thou unmindful.
11. By no means (should it be so)! For it is indeed a Message of instruction:
12. Therefore let whoso will, keep it in remembrance.
13. (It is) in Books held (greatly) in honour,
14. Exalted (in dignity), kept pure and holy,
15. (Written) by the hands of scribes-
16. Honourable and Pious and Just.
17. Woe to man! What hath made him reject Allah;
18. From what stuff hath He created him?
19. From a sperm-drop: He hath created him, and then mouldeth him in due proportions;
20. Then doth He make His path smooth for him;
21. Then He causeth him to die, and putteth him in his grave;
22. Then, when it is His Will, He will raise him up (again).
23. By no means hath he fulfilled what Allah hath commanded him.
24. Then let man look at his food, (and how We provide it):
25. For that We pour forth water in abundance,
26. And We split the earth in fragments,
27. And produce therein corn,
28. And Grapes and nutritious plants,
29. And Olives and Dates,
30. And enclosed Gardens, dense with lofty trees,
31. And fruits and fodder,-
32. For use and convenience to you and your cattle.
33. At length, when there comes the Deafening Noise,-
34.That Day shall a man flee from his own brother,
35. And from his mother and his father,
36. And from his wife and his children.
37. Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others.
38. Some faces that Day will be beaming,
39. Laughing, rejoicing.
40. And other faces that Day will be dust-stained,
41. Blackness will cover them:
42. Such will be the Rejecters of Allah, the doers of iniquity.
posted by VeiledOne at 11:00 PM
0 comments
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Whispers of the Night
I pounded on the door of mercy as the world slept
And humbling myself before my Creator I wept
Hands raised high and head bowed I knelt
And dejectedly began to lament what I felt
With a torn heart I gave a tongue to my woes and fears
And in great anguish and sorrow I let flow my tears
With poignant emotions raging in me so fierce
I hoped that my prayers would the heavens pierce
Oh Maker of my destiny, Master of my fate I cried
Thou art the only refuge and succour for one so tried
'Tis before Thee alone that I bemoan
Sufferings of mine only to Thee known
Pains and torments that I can no loger bear
Hopes and wishes I can entrust only to Thy care
For 'Tis only the ocean of Thine infinite bounty that sustains all
And only the forgiveness that restores those who fall
'Tis to thee alone Oh benevolent that I extend my hands in plea
To whom besides Thee can this wretched soul flee
Forgive my sins and grant me my desires
Oh Almighty Reject me not,for nothing can redeem me save Thy mercy.
-Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh Ul Haq
posted by VeiledOne at 7:18 PM
0 comments
Friday, June 03, 2005
WITH THOSE WHOM YOU LOVE
Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"On the Day of Qiyaamah one
will be resurrected with those
whom he/she had loved."
-----------
Let us take heed of whom we love.
posted by VeiledOne at 3:36 PM
0 comments