BACK TO THE ROOT

GOOD BYE MAURITANIA

2011-12-18T14:03:00.000-08:00

BismiLLAHI maa Shaa ALLAH, no goodness except from ALLAH.
BismiLLAHI maa Shaa ALLAH, no reliance except upon ALLAH.
BismiLLAHI maa Shaa ALLAH, no guidance except by ALLAH.
Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa RasuliLLAH.

I thought my not posting on this blog for a long time now was a successful strategy of forgetting about it but that strategy failed when I remembered today that I need this blog so much because I want to reach you. Let me just entertain you a bit with my ever uneventful adventure in this path that I have been travelling through over the years.

Finally, I have left Mauritania: A dream come true. Will I be back again? Yes but only to visit my teachers. As for studying, I doubt if I will sacrifice months again in Mauritania to study texts: so many reasons for that.

It was very difficult for me to finally make that decision to leave Mauritania. I left the village two weeks before Ramadhan hoping to travel to Senegal to spend ramadhan and EID but all that didn’t work out as I was left contemplating if my leaving was the right thing to do. From Senegal, I was wondering where I would since I cancelled my plan to travel to Malaysia for further university studies as the conditions of admission were not what I expected. I thought of going back to sham but not with the present crisis, far from it my friend suggested India and some suggested Sudan and Egypt.

So confused I was, I decided to remain in Nouakchott, doing revision and relieving myself from the difficult days in Nabbaghiyyah. I studied a little with the opportunity that I had and did so many but little things. At the end, I finally decided to leave Mauritania but not with ease. My friend sidi Bilal who came down to Mauritania with his wonderful family suggested to me a beautiful idea that I will let you know in my subsequent posts insha ALLAH.

Few days before leaving Mauritania, I got yet another malaria. This year, malaria was a good companion in Mauritania. Not giving me a breathing space. I didn’t bother too much but took off for Senegal in my ill state. I travelled by land to Senegal. For those who have travelled through the Senegali-mauritanian border of Rosso know how crazy that place is. My first experience travelling through the border was in 2008 and it was hell for me. I was duped and refused entry to Mauritania after two long trips from Dakar to the border.

This time around, things were easier than I thought and I passed through without too much stress or problems from the rogues at the border. Maybe it was easier because I have become too stubborn and arrogant in this last few months but all the success still goes back to ALLAH’s favours on me. From the border, I travelled straight to Madinah kaolack, the popular city of the Tijanis of Senegal. It is a place where many people travel to particularly people from my country.

There I got a good reception from my friend who lodged me in the house of his grandfather, the present Khalifah of the tijaniyyah-Ibrahimiyyah branch of the tariqah. I had a good time there and celebrated EID. There was so much for me to eat and drink there and I forgot about my zuhd days in Nabbaghiyyah. Infact, I had a big bed to sleep on which was very odd for me after months of sleeping on mats and blankets. This reminded of my experience last year when I visited home. My mother would prepare the bed for me to sleep but I would resort to sleeping on the rug. She got angry and would say, what if you got married, would you be sleeping on the rug like that??? My sweet mum, she didn’t understand that I was passing through a big transition to city life after staying in the village for long. Well, she didn’t know I was living in a village without electricity and infrastructures because I hid everything away from them.

In Kaolack, I visited different maqaams, places and people, met my country people and even met small boys from my state who spoke with me my dialect. I realized that I have lost so much of my dialect to Arabic as most of what I tried saying was mixed with Arabic. That is one weakness in me that I need to work on for da’wah activities in the future.

I spent two weeks in Kaolack, it was generally fun except for my last two days.

I left Kaolack for Dakar, the capital of Senegal where I was going to meet my friend and teacher, Shaykh Mustafa. Shaykh Mustafa, was one out of the numerous advanced students in Nabbaghiyyah and above all, very unique. He was already a teacher in Senegal before coming to Mauritania to study. I will talk about him insha ALLAH in another post. It is in Shaykh Mustafa’s house I have been staying since my arrival in Senegal and it has been a very good stay. I learn from him every day and we talk about life in Mauritania. So many things happened in the village that I am yet to know and I spent three years there.

Staying with sidi Mustafa here, I recall some beautiful moments with friends and shuyukh in Mauritania but not living out the worst moments of my life there. I can sum it up that, seeking knowledge for me this year wasn’t too pleqsqnt. I faced so many challenges and trials. This year, I almost lost my life to hepatitis attack that we thought it was malaria. So many things happened...but above all, I saw the pains many students go through daily just to survive or seek knowledge. Mauritania like so many think is a place you come to see sahabis like Abu bakr, Umar, Fatimah, Aishah, etc (Radhiya ALLAHU anhum). You can only see the truth of Mauritania if you lived ‘in’ the people, in the villages, read their lives in its true nature and not what people just say. I won’t mention some of those things here but to sum everything up, Mauritania has goods just like there are bads in her.

I request from you all to make duas for me and my family. You can reciprocate my love for you by remembering us in your duas. What are you waiting for? Start making duas now. Send solawaat on the Prophet (alayhis salaam), do any possible good for me my dear brethren.

May ALLAH be our Guide and Protector and may HE forgive us our sins and shower upon us His mercies, amin.
Was salaamu ‘alaykum warahmatULLAH.

ISTIGHFAAR (Seeking Forgiveness)

2011-10-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.

Was Salaatu Was Salaamu 'alaa RasuliLLAH.

Salaam.

I post this to share with you that which I heard from the khutbah of the masjid I prayed Jumu'ah today. The Imam has been sharing with us words that make us feel happy and hearts tranquiled. He continued from his series of Khutbah on seeking forgiveness from ALLAH by saying AstaghfirULLAH.

He said, someone came to Hasan al Basri (RA) and complained to him that he needed wealth. The Imam told him to recite Istighfaar.

Another person came to the Imam and complained to him that he needed a child, the Imam told him to recite Istighfaar.

The third person came to him and complained to him of dryness in their land and that they needed rainfall. The Imam told him to recite Istighfaar.

Then the Imam was asked why he told the three people to recite Istighfaar rather than give them different alternatives.

The Imam then read to them some verses of the Qur'an from Surah al Nuh.

Saying, seek forgiveness of your Lord, (recite Istighfaar)

For God is most forgiving,

''and will send you plenty of rain

and furnish you

with property and children,

and provide you

with gardens and rivers.

Brothers and Sisters, that is our remedy. This is the Qur'an speaking and it is where we take our most reliable wird from. Istighfaar won't cost us any thing when we recite it while doing business transaction, laying down, sitting, walking, driving or even with friends. Rather, it will bring khair and barakah into our lives.

Try it for yourselves.

Salaam

MUSLIM AFFAIRS AND GLOBAL EVENTS

2011-08-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

BISMILLAH
Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa RasuliLLAH.
I am in this dark room getting ready to go to bed before getting up in few hours to struggle for the blessings of these last few nights of this blessed month if ALLAH wills. But somethings have been crossing my mind and pushed me to start writing this. Shortly before I went for taraweeh solah, I was watching one of the major international news channels airing some of the latest events in the world.

Recently, only two things have been very much of great interest to me; The Somali famine and the Libyan revolution. As we sit every day in our houses, mosques and gatherings in this month to observe iftaar, how many of us think of the people of Somalia and the pains they go through? Infact, how many of us really have little knowledge of the sufferings of these people in the last few days? Have we seen these people on news explaining the kind of situation ALLAH has put them in? Do we bother to know how many of them die on a daily basis because they attempt to cross the desert to where they think is a life full of hope? Do we know how many children walk miles in the middle of the desert for survival and how many children are buried by their weak mothers as a result of this hardship they go through every day of their life?

How much effort have we really made to contribute to the betterment of the lives of these people? How much do we remember them in our daily devotional prayers and supplications that ALLAH MOST HIGH eases them of these pains they pass through every day? The state of the ummah is so bad that as long as you are not affected by any calamity, it doesn’t bother us what others go through. May ALLA give these people strength to withstand these tests and trials.

Secondly, we have been hearing in recent times different groups, movements, sects struggling for one thing or pursuing the other. So many of these groups or movements have many agendas, objectives, etc they try to accomplish but hardly have we seen positive results from these people.

In Somalia we have the Al Shabaab group being a major cause of the sufferings of the Somalia people today. Although before them, other groups did exist. In my country we now have a crazy group that won’t allow innocent people sleep with their two eyes closed. Al Qaeda is at the other end, Taliban, Algeria’s forest Jihadi takfiri group, Hizb al tahrir, etc. The question is how much have these groups really contributed to the beauty of this deen of ours or how much damage have they done to Muslims in entirety?

Then came the arab uprising starting from Tunisia...Although starting on an unfortunate termination of a precious soul in Tunisia which I think has led to a positive outcome in some ways (you may disagree with me in your own way). I have asked people to give me the shari’ah ruling of what this oppressed suicide martyr (as some would call him) did but I am yet to get a very clear answer. Unfortunately I am not a Shaykh of Fatwa and still hope to get this question answered.

I once posted on my fitna facebook wall stating that the ex-Tunisian president will be ousted then the fitna of Egypt (unfornately he bears Mubarak as a name) this is what the Arabs will call bi’sa al ismu ‘alaa al musammaa then the little Pharaoh of Libya. Two of my predictions came to past and the third one is about coming to past. I am not claiming kashf but it has happened just the way I predicted. And to ALLAH belongs knowledge of the unseen.

The revolution in Arab countries has been some kind of amusing but mind touching. None has been so much important to me like the happening in Libya. Although Syria should catch my interest more been a place I stayed for years and particularly because my teacher, the Shaykh of our time, the grandson of the best of Mankind (SAW), Shaykhuna Al Ya’qubi(HA) has indirectly been exiled from there just because he spoke against oppression in what the government will call biting what you can’t chew. If our Ulama don’t speak against oppression as commanded by the Prophet(SAW) then who will? But this has not really caused me to worry too much as ALLAH takes care of HIS slaves in HIS own way.

Libya, I have never loved Gaddhafi...He is hypocritally generous, stupidly religious, has much interest in promoting Islam in his style, a self pronounced Shaykh or small-god but yet, I can’t love him. When I was in the village, I jokingly told a Libyan while we were watching news on the fall of Mubarak that we will be glad if such happened in Libya...this brother was so scared to answer me even if he is miles away from Libya. He answered me that he doesn’t think such will happen. Another Libyan brother who was with us was completely disturbed and distracted from his studies as he didn’t know what had happened to his family. He couldn’t reach them by any means. I pitied that young man who was always extremely warm when saluting us until we nicknamed him the way he salutes people.

When the Libyan rebels took their guns and started burying their own people, I thought the battle line was already drawn. In one of the documentaries on al Jazeera covering the Libya revolution, an old man while in front of a massive grave where many innocent brothers were buried was crying at the top of his voice that they always saw these young men in jeans, t-shirts, jumpers, etc and called them hypocrites. He said they never thought that these young men standing in front of the grave with guns were going to be the true Mujahidun that will fight against oppression, tyranny and purify Libya. Now we can see what is happening today. Many have been killed, some made homeless, casualities uncountable and many held captives. Some decided to betray their brothers for money, some to win the love of others and to purify their land.

For one thing I still can’t fathom is that, whenever I see on TV these Libyan rebels shooting sporadically in the air or at their targets and shouting takbir, I feel strong, happy and refreshed. Every day, I make dua for them, I pray for them, I urge people to pray for them. I think the reason why I feel this way is because I feel these people are the true Mujahiduns. These people are the real callers for change. They sacrifice their lives every day to purify Libya, the land where my beloved Shaykh Sidi Ahmad Zarruq remained till his demise, my Shaykh of Fatwa: Shaykh Hattaab. They can’t fast because they are fighting to remove oppression and tyranny from their country. These are the true men.

Just when everyone thought it was going to take too long to change Libya, ALLAH turned everything differently. Just few days ago, the rebels got to the neighbouring state (Zawiya) to Tripoli. They only made the first attempt to go into Tripoli since the revolution this morning and behold, many of them were massacred. I got worried and started fearing for them. The Libyan spokesman praised the government of Gaddhafi in the highest terms and threatened whoever attempts to seize Tripoli away from them. Then later came a dirty rhetoric from the little Pharaoh Ghaddhafi himself threatening. Just less than 15 hours after making his dirty pronouncement, we heard that his sons, Saif al Islam and Muhammad have been captured. The later sounding apologetic in his call to al jazeera. Later after that, it was announced that the presidential guard had surrendered himself. People are now in Tripoli the capital of Libya celebrating the fall of Ghaddhafi which will be in few days or hours insha ALLAH. Indeed the days of Ghaddhafi are numbered.

I was so surprised to hear the spokeman of the Libyan government hours after his pronouncement come back to start negotiating for peace, seize fire and pure agreement. Blaming everything on NATO force. As the saying goes, it is too late to cry when the head is off. Let him and Ghaddhafi join Fir’aun and Abu Jahl in hell if they don’t make true tawbah. So many have been killed, some raped, people made homeless and they want to go scot free. May ALLAH forbid that.

This is the only time since my consciousness that I have witnessed true mujahids fight against oppression, fight for truth to reign without killing innocent Muslim men or women, children or causing harm to Muslims. These men are surely supported by ALLAH and will come to accomplish this beautiful task they carry on their shoulders. If I can’t do anything for them, then I pray for them. The Prophet said, ‘’Dua is the weapon of a believer’’. So I pray from wherever I am that ALLAH supports these men and bring Ghaddhafi to shame. This will indeed be lessons to those who think power belongs to them. We say NO as it contradicts ALLAH’s beautiful verse that ‘’HE gives authority to whoever HE wills and takes it away from whoever HE wills......’’.
Lastly, Israel has started another airstrikes on the people of Gaza, do not forget these weak people in your duas. The weak ones will indeed soon be the ones of authority. May ALLAH protect this ummah and give us true guidance.

As Ramadan comes to an end, I urge you all to reflect and ponder on the beauty of this month and the goods that you have been engaging in. Do not let them go, keep to them even after this month. The acceptance of your Ramadan fast is what happens after it. The ALLAH in the month of Ramadan is still the same in other months so don’t think sins are permissible in other months thereby returning to them after Ramadan.
Was sallaa ALLAHU ‘alaa HabibiHI al Mustafaa.

RAMADHAN MUBARAK

2011-07-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH
Was salaatu Was salaam `alaa RasuliLLAH.
I congratulate my fellow brethens in faith for being amongst those that Allah blessed by witnessing this new month; the month of mercy, the month of blessing, the month that in it is the night of destiny, the month the Qur`an was first revealed, the month duas are answered, the month the doors of paradise are widely open and that of hell close, the month Shaytan is chained, the month sinners draw closer to their LORD and the hypocrites become very sincere, the month many engage in long standings of taraweeh and qiyaam al layl.

This may be your last opportunity in this life so why not use it. Don`t be those who will start biting their fingers after this month. And as you keep observing thousands of dhikr, solawaat and qiyaam ul layl, please do not forget this sinful slave in your duas that ALLAH makes him sincere in his talab al ilm, in his wordly activities, that ALLAH purifies his heart and guide his family to the right path. Pray that ALLAH blesses him as well with a very righteous wife or wives and children. Include my best friends in your duas like sidi Irfan and his wife, Aftab, Usman and others.

I seal this with the beautiful sayings I hear the Arab Muslims say, Kullu `aam wa antum bi alfi khair.

Ramadhan mubaarak.

Was salaamu `alaykum

NAMING YOUR BUSINESS.

2011-07-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

BISMILLAH
WAS SALAATU WAS SALAAM 'ALAA RASULILLAH.

I was once complaining to my fiqh teacher Shaykh Mukhtaar HafidhahULLAH one day during a fiqh lesson from the Risalah of Ibn Abi Zayd al Qayrawani about some of the Shuyukh we have in my country and why it is necessary that I establish an institute in the future after studying enough with my Shuyukh. He said that when the institute is built, it will be named Ma'had Ar Risalah and asked me if I will take him as a teacher there. Indeed if ALLAH blesses me with such an opportunity, it will be a great pleasure to have such a scholar to run my institute.

This was how quick he named an institute we dream it to be a reality. But his way is almost the same with many other Mauritanians but in a wiser way.

In the city of Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, it is not difficult for you to find different restaurants, groceries and Cyber cafes with funny names. Many of these business centres are named after major events in world news that have brought about public attentions.

For instance you will be in a taxi or walking on the street then find a cybercafe or restaurant named Hamas Restaurant, Hizbullah restaurant, Bin Laden grocery, Facebook cybercafe, Wikileaks cybercafe, ETC.

But I am yet to find Israel Must fall Restaurant or Netanyahu must suffer cybercafe or no freedom for wicked jews grocery.

This is the difference between the style of my Shaykh and these Mauritanian commoners. While my Shaykh named the dream institute by the name of the text I was studying, others name theirs by things of no much importance.

Your duas for me for the dream of my Shaykh and I to become reality.

Was salaam

A NEW DAWN

2011-07-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

BISMILLAH.

Was Salaatuu was salaam ‘alaa khayri khalqi ALLAH.

I have not had the opportunity for some weeks to post anything on the blog except for last night when I remembered my friend telling me to update the blog with a new post. Indeed, I am beginning to feel unconcerned about this blog because I feel it is high time I put it out of existence. You may wonder why I want to do this...My reason is, I started this blog early 2008 when I was informed by one of my teachers, Shaykh Abdullah of their desire to raise fund in completing the mahdhara’s mosque that became a big burden on them after they were promised by a Qatari charitable organisation that they will build for them a mosque if they start the project on their own but never did. He urged me to start maybe a forum or something on the internet announcing to people of their need for assistance to complete the mahdhara’s mosque. I thought starting a blog with pictures of the mosque in its foundation level will be a good idea and that was how the whole journey started. The blog later turned to be an avenue where I post about experiences in Mauritania, later Syria then my travels to different places.

Now the mahdharah’s mosque has been completed since two months ago after serious struggles and assistances from people from different parts of the world. I now wonder, is there any need for me to continue with this blog since the reason that lead me to starting it has been accomplished? My friend suggested to me to continue but my heart is yet to give me its answer.

What a year for me! My sweet friend Yusuf whom I convinced to leave his PhD programme in Yale for a year to come to Mauritania left about two months ago after spending about 8 months here. Yusuf was my support, he was my companion, he was my house mate, he was the pillar I was leaning on when I was falling. I never realized the connection between us till he left. Now I miss him and feel so lonely. He prepared for me breakfast every morning, he washed the dishes for me while I do the cooking when it was my turn, he cooked food that tasted like Chinese shark fin soup, he gave us concoction he called tea and he challenged me that he will get married before me. Make duas for him and pray that ALLAH gives you a friend like him.

What a year for me! Indeed, this year has not been too excellent for me like my previous years seeking knowledge. Some of us can tell what it means to be a student of knowledge. The path of seeking this divine knowledge is beautiful and has a rewarding end if the ship sails through its heavy ocean wind and wave without problem. This path may also be very tough in a way I can’t describe. It is either you face difficulty in studying, memorizing your texts, feeling being single, having little or no money to take care of your needs, been humiliated by people who feel you are a no body because you seek knowledge, falling sick frequently, etc. The later is the case for me.
Recently, my very good friend sidi Waseem sent me an email saying in it, ‘’masha ALLAH, you must have become a Shaykh now’’. I didn’t say no or deny it like every humble student of knowledge would do rather I said to him, YES. But YES and what? I said yes I have become a Shaykh of diseases. You may ask, how could that be possible...I will tell you. Late last year, it was me and frequent fever, at the beginning of this year, malaria was giving me pains then later it developed to Typhoid. I went through that pain until I felt better again until recently when things almost turned upside-down. It almost became the end of me except that ALLAH didn’t will it to end that way. I had hepatitis.

I was in my house last month after a very brief travel to the city and returning the same day back to the village. It started like every usual illness like body weakness. That weakness developed to aches in the bones and there the whole crisis started. I couldn’t eat nor drink. Anything I ate or drank was vomited. I felt my intestines were coming out through my throat when vomiting. Then I realized that I couldn’t sit or even sleep on my back, solah was becoming impossible and communication was very difficult. This became worse that I couldn’t carry myself anymore and that led to the grand Shaykh of the mahdharah: Shaykh Baa coming to my house very late in the night after being informed by his son, my teacher Shaykh Abdullah of my state. My house was full with people of different sexes and ages. It was that night I was rushed to the city for urgent treatment which I was diagnosed of having hepatitis. Indeed I thought I was going to pass on to the next world. I thought of my poor mother, father and siblings. What if I died, would they have known? How would they have heard?

AlhamduliLLAH, I am recuperating from my illness and ask you for your duas.
Unfortunately for me, all the time I leave the village for the city for treatment, someone always burgles my house to steal from me anything he finds important. This last one when I was in the hospital made it the fourth time the thief burgled my house and took away my valuables. So bad, he took my digital camera with over 2000 pictures in it and mobile phone I left in the house before been taken to the hospital. He had no mercy on me even if he knew I was taken to the city for treatment.

Now is the bravest step that I will be taking. I am leaving Mauritania for another country. Yes, I am leaving Mauritania for Senegal in few days to spend my Ramadhan with a friend of mine, Shaykh Mustafa. AlhamduliLLAH, I have been able to study few texts and benefitted immensely from my venerable teachers in Mauritania. It has been a good time for me and I have tasted the true meaning of seeking knowledge. Make duas that ALLAH gives me guidance in accomplishing my goals sincerely for HIS sake.
And after Senegal, what happens? That is what I don’t know. Insha ALLAH I will wait for ALLAH’s wind of destiny to blow me to where there is HIS tawfeeq. Some are insisting that I should go back home to give myself break after continuous years of study but I think that may affect my plans and the goals I intend accomplishing. Just like the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine, so let me do it now or never.
Mauritania, goodbye, I will see you again in the nearest future. As you read this, pray that ALLAH guides me to the right place and person, pray for my good health, pray for my sincerity in seeking knowledge and remember other students of knowledge wherever they are.
Was salaam.

Fiqh and Universal Law of Nature.

2011-05-04T14:50:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAHI was Salaatu was Salaamu ‘alaa RasuliLLAH.
Experiences among students of knowledge differ from one place to another or one school to the other but while there are these different experiences, there are some peculiar things that occur in all centres of Islamic knowledge or knowledge circles amongst students of knowledge. This peculiarity is based on my experiences in different knowledge and student circles and what have been related to me by several students of knowledge who studied in places I have not been to. I may call this one of the sweetness in seeking knowledge as it sometimes keeps students of knowledge refreshed and relaxed and not feel nostalgic and lonely after months or years of being away from families and friends.

Students sometimes enjoy studying jurisprudence and they love it more when they start (what some of us here call) second chapter of fiqh: MARRIAGE. If you are reading this and have ever sat in study circles or been a student of knowledge at one point in your life, whether you are a brother or sister, you will agree with me that many spend their precious minutes discussing about when they will get hooked to their shining Shaykh or precious Shaykhah. Now you can see the big smile on your face because you know I am speaking the truth...lol. You can see a brother donning very long beards and a sister in her niqaab, all seekers of knowledge WALLAHI they all discuss about this...

Well, let me vindicate myself from the above mentioned as my interest in marriage is only based on the importance it plays in the life of Muslims and the rulings in the shari’ah as we see so many things happen today making people toil with this beautiful sunnah. This also leads us to discussing about the life of a woman as a wife, daughter, divorce, menstruation, etc.

Now my point, it was just like a moment like this that we started discussing about the rulings on menstruation, me being a student particularly concerned and have big interest in this topic. You can say what is my business with women’s issue but I tell you, there is more to it than what you think.

Then a student asked me, what will be the ruling if a man menstruates...Allahu akbar. I laughed when he asked but he went further to answer me when I asked him if he had seen or heard of a man menstruating which he answered in the affirmative. I asked where the blood was exiting from, he said from the back side, Ya Kareem.
Then I said to him, I also saw a man who gave birth....lol. He looked at me and laughed for almost a minute then asked, how possible is it and answered his question by himself that such is impossible. I said why is such impossible when it is possible that a man can menstruate? If a man can menstruate, meaning he has some ova in him and having these means there is tendency that if the ova is fertilized, it turns to an embryo which will then result to a baby as far as my old school biology knowledge is still concerned.

This brings me to look into the ways some of the jurists think...they give rulings on things that have never occurred but anticipates or thinks that there are possibilities for some of these things to happen. Many are there in the fiqh text I am presently studying and some people laugh over them. But I can remind some that when some of these scholars were including these things people see as strange and impossible to occur in their books, people questioned them over them but time has proven the occurrence of some of these issues and their ijtihad has really helped.
But I doubt if there is a scholar in any fiqh text that mentioned or will ever mention the possibility of a man menstruating. Reason, because this goes against the Sunnah al kawniyya (universal law of nature) as put by ALLAH the Most High. Thinking of its existence is like trying to figure out the possibility of a four side triangle.

I hope you don’t ask such a question and as for your brother and sister, do not discuss so much about marriage without importance.
I am always in need of your duas.
It’s your sincerely,
Al ‘abd al faqeer.

Message from Mauritania.

2011-04-29T13:56:00.001-07:00

BismiLLAH was Salaatu was Salaamu 'alaa RasuliLLAH.
Below is a short message from one of our new revert brothers that I have decided to post here.
Hi my name is Ibrahim Abdu Salaam, I am a new convert to Islaam, I am English and 59 years young. I converted to Islaam at Mosque Al Forkan, Puerto Rosario, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, on 4th December 2010.
What led me to become a Muslim? Well that is open for debate, but I sincerely believe that Allah has guided me and is showing me the right path to Islam.
In my previous life, I led a typical western style life, Alcohol, sex and drugs not in great score but indulged none the less.

I was married twice, the first for 5 years with one son named David and the second time for 23 years with two daughters Rebecca and Sonia.
I then had a long relationship with a woman whom I Idolised but she treated me like dirt beneath her shoes. I eventually left her and had two years of severe depression.
I was an Orphan when I was born so I decided to try to find my birth mother. I travelled to Ireland and spent six months, fighting bureaucracy. I eventually tracked her down only to be disowned by her for the second time. This sent me crazy, I went and got very drunk and tried to kill myself.

Thankfully I did not succeed, previously I had two Strokes and this brought on a third so as I lay in a Dublin hospital being told I would have to take 4 tablets for the rest of my life and take things easy and that I should return to England to my consultant and they would contact him with the test results. So I contacted my daughter who lived near the hospital and asked if I could stay with her for a few days, I was told it was too inconvenient. So I took stock of my life and decided if I was to die then it would be somewhere warm. I looked at a newspaper and Lanzerote jumped out at me. So I came to Lanzerote after 6-7 weeks of walking Lanzerote and not finding a job, savings gone and no finances, I heard there was work in Fuertuventura the next island.

After a couple of days there I met a Muslim brother, although I did not know it at that time. He gave me a lift in his car, he had to take his cousin to a garage which was in the Hills, while they were talking I lit a cigarette and sat down on a rock and while looking at the view, I suddenly felt this calmness came slowly over me as if taking all my troubles away and for the first time in my life I felt peace. It was a beautiful experience tears well in my eyes. And to this day, three and half months ago I have not taken a tablet. My vitals are all normal. It was later that I learned he was a Muslim and I said I had an interest in reading the Quran and his mosque had an English translation that was how I became a Muslim.
I soon realised I would have to learn Arabic and as I could not speak Spanish either and none of my new Muslim brothers spoke English either, learning was practically impossible so it was decided I would have to travel farther afield and learned that a mosque Nour in Casablanca, Morocco took people like myself and accommodated and fed them for free. So my Muslim brothers put hands in their pockets and paid for my air tickets from Fuertaventura to Barcelona and from Barcelona to Nador. I got a train from Nador to Casablanca Mosque Nour only to find out they only took children and not adults.
Then began my journey, I went from Casablanca to Marrakesh,to Agadir, to Dakhla, now I was in the Western Sahara and still had not found a school to learn Islam and Arabic. I contacted my Imam in spain Imam Mochtar, Mesquitta al Forkan and asked him to suggest somewhere as he comes from Mauritania. He suggested Shaykh Bah’s Mahdhara where I am now, in the middle of the desert 150kms from Nouakchott and very hot.
But unfortunately although everyone has been hospitable and friendly, all the students are highly qualified. They know the Quran by heart and are all academics. It’s all way above me, I need basic training and from an English speaking tutor but I am trapped here as I do not have either savings or the finance to leave. That’s why I am asking for YOUR HELP by donating zakah or whatever you can so I maybe able to travel to somewhere outside Mauritania like Morocco, Egypt, etc and cater for myself while I get a sustaining job.

NOTE: In the sahih of Imam Muslim, it is narrated that ALLAH’s messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said : ALLAH is at the aid of His servant as long as the servant is at the aid of his brother/sister.
I am calling upon your kind hearts to kindly give this new brother of ours your possible assistance in whatever capacity you can. He needs our support and any possible assistance counts so much. We have been here with him in the village and can vouch for his Islam, his love for people, struggle to get completely immersed into this deen and above all, his loves to see others happy.

His email is adentonsmith@btinternet.com and you can always reach me (yours sincerely) via my email for any enquiry or comment on this post as_abdulng@hotmail.com
Bank details for anyone interested in financial assistance.
DENTON SMITH AG
Sort code: 83-22-10
Account no: 00658737
IBAN No: GB32RBOS83221000658737
BIC CODE: RBOSGB2L

May ALLAH’s love be with you all as you include us all in your duas.
Was salaam.

Maqaamat Part 1.

2011-02-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

This is a follow up from the last post so if you have not read the last post then do so before reading this.

NOTE: This maqaamat will only make sense to those who know the story about the women with Sayyiduna Yusuf and the lady with Sayyidunaa Musa.

In one of the maqaamats read to us by a Moroccan brother which is more like a joke, it was about Farazdaq and Waleed ibn Safwaan. Farazdaq is said to be amongst the three best poets arabs ever produced. Himself, Jareer and Akhtaal were the three who outstood poets in the three divisions of poetry...Description, Romance, the third which I can’t recall now.

It is also said that Farazdaq wasn’t a handsome man, that his look wasn’t attractive...So this is how the maqaamat goes:
Farazdaq was walking on his own when he came across Waleed ibn Safwaan then the later said to former, no welcome to this face of yours. And that surprised Farazdaq so he asked why.....Waleed responded, because if the ladies who saw Sayyidunaa Yusuf (alayhis salaam) had seen your face, they wouldn’t have cut their hands.

This got Farazdaq so he said, no welcome to this face of yours as well. Waleed said why....Farazdaq responded, because if the lady who saw Sayyidunaa Musa (alayhis salaam) had seen you she wouldn’t ask her father to hire you.
Wa salla ALLAHU ‘alaa an Nabiyyil Kareem.
Was salaamu ‘alaykum.

Revival the Old Tradition in the Mahdharahs.

2011-02-04T07:47:00.000-08:00

BismiLLAH.
Was salaatu was salaam.
Not too long while we were waiting for a car going to Nouakchott, a driver stopped by coming from boutilimit, a very busy district not far from Nabbaghiyya, Muhammad al Amin, a wonderful Algerian advanced student and I jumped into the car after bargaining with the driver. Behind us was a young shabby but well donned beard Mauritanian, a woman and the driver in front and a young man by our side. Few minutes later was a loud hailalah (Laa ilaaha illa ALLAH) came from the man behind us in the usual Mauritanian dhikr tone like someone chanting some verses of poem. He continued the dhikr and no one complained of him disturbing or asked him to lower his pitch. This is not my first time of having such an experience with a Mauritanian chanting the hailalah loudly in a car. Then the driver stopped along the road to speak to a man in one of the shops along the road side. While we were waiting in the car, the young shabby man behind brought out his pharmaceutics (cigarette), lit it and then polluted the beautiful atmosphere of dhikr coming from him to a smoky one.
The drive down to Nouakchott wasn’t too nice as we almost collided twice with two cars coming opposite us. I usually don’t take cars from the place we waited this morning but destiny had it for us that way. This is because we didn’t get any of the cars immediately after the fajr prayer waiting outside the jumu’ah masjid. The cars available were full of students leaving the village for Nouakchott for the usual month of mawlid break. The driver we agreed to take us to the city didn’t turn up and he didn’t inform us that he wasn’t turning up.

Now we arrived Nouakchott with so many things to do...use the internet, eat good foods, enjoy a bit of halaal dunya, see the ugliest scenes on earth and buy necessary needs for the village. In the last two months, I have been to the city about three times which is not a good thing for me. Last month, I came with my friend and his mother who came visiting him from the United states.
Masha ALLAH, we say she is the first woman who came to visit her son in Nabbaghiyyah. It was a beautiful experience for her as she was given wonderful treats by the Nabbaghiyyian women, the shuyukh and other students who came giving her salaams. On the day she was leaving Nabbaghiyyah for the city where her flight was for the next day to Morocco, I volunteered to go with her and her son (my friend). We passed a night at the apart hotel and she took off very early the next day.

Arriving the apart hotel was an unbelievable sight. We were informed that our friend sidi Abdul Malik from france was there preparing to leave for Nabbaghiyyah the next day. It’s over two years since we last met although we have been keeping contact once in a while. Sidi Abdul Malik was the one whom I contacted before coming to Mauritania and suggested to me to join him during his early days in nabbaghiyyah. We both lived in the same room during our stay together before he travelled to France for a short break and I returned to Syria.

Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t come back to continue with his studies when his father took ill because he was the one to attend to him all the time. AlhamduliLLAH, after his return to France, he got married and now has a son by name Muhammad Amin al Khadeem. Also to this, he started a new Islamic organisation for new Muslims in France and under this platform was his younger sister’s reversion to Islam. Masha ALLAH, one door closed and another to opened. He has been using this time to teach new reverts the true Islam instead of falling into the hands of wahhabis as he cried of their increase and hegemony in France. Together with him was his friend sidi Abdul Kareem, also a revert from France who was loyal to the wahhabi school but now a subscriber to a tariqah.

Shortly after our arrival, we had wonderful fresh fish soup dinner prepared by sidi Abdul Malik and I had a very long discussion with him that extended to the next day before we went to sleep. The next day we returned to the village while Yusuf’s mum had taken off.

Two days later, I returned to the city for something very important but left for the village after a night. It was after my return to the village that I had a very bad malaria attack. Recently, I have been complaining of fever that kept resurfacing after every two weeks since my arrival from my country. This time around, I couldn’t escape it as it gave me no breathing space. I was completely down for four days in the house without lessons while the brothers especially sidi Yusuf and Habeeb kept serving me. The fourth day, I thought I was going to the next world when the angel of death gave me salaam. I refused to respond to his salaam because it wasn’t time to do that, alhamduliLLAH.

Masha ALLAH I am back on my feet again but it feels weird ever since my recuperation. I get hungry quickly, I can’t concentrate, I sometimes consume a lot but alhamduliLLAH I feel better than being ill.
Mentioning some of the events that took place in recent weeks; was the day Muhammad al Amin the Algerian finished a long awaited text in grammar by name ihmiraar ibn Bunaa: a text that took him almost four years to finish. This text is the uncle of the Alfiyyah of Ibn Malik. We had a beautiful gathering in our house and invited one of the Shuyukh (Shaykh Arafaat) who is his teacher. A long discussion went on before and after the delectable meal we had.

Moreso, Yusuf and Habeeb finished their text of Qatr an Nadaa on grammar. This text is the nephew of the alfiyyah of Ibn Malik. A text that has been making sidi Habeeb looks little less than a mad man. Yusuf and Habeeb arranged for a beautiful gathering in the house and Shaykh Mukhtar was invited. Shaykh Mukhtar delayed before coming and at that point, I couldn’t stop crying when my stomach was about tearing apart due to severe hunger. After the meal, Yusuf prepared tea for us all which he admitted looks like medicine. I will prefer dissolving twenty tablets of paracetamol in a glass of water and drinking it than drinking the so-called tea (concoction). We laughed over it when few people sipped it except for a brother who had two cups of it.

After the meal, we had a short discussion on the protests happening in different part of the Muslim world, the position in the shari’ah, their merits and demerits and other protests in different parts of the world like Europe and others.
Same day was the newly revived tradition of maqaamat in the mahdharah by Sidi Ali Ismaa’il of Yemen. For those who have studied maqaamat al Hariri will know what this means. Thanks to the Abbasid empire when much scholarship of Islamic literature was promoted. Maqaamat is about a platform created where people with different level of oratory, rhetoric and deep knowledge of Arabic literature would come out in front of people and chant verses of poems and prose and narrations from the heart with in depth creativity.

Such tradition used to be the order of the day in Mauritania but beginning to die off. This tradition has now been revived in the mahdharah where young and old students show their skills in prose and poetry, in eulogy of our Prophet (SAW) and scholars, jokes, etc. You see some students whom you think are like empty barrels fill your brains and ears with amazing verses.
AlhamduliLLAH, everyone is given equal opportunity to showcase what he has in stock, no discrimination, no rascism, no debasement....As I am too ignorant and have nothing to offer, I have been made the usual camera man for those offering us what they have.

In my next post, I will mention one out of the many maqaamaats which was read to us by a brother from Morocco in form of joke...
As I enjoy my little halaal dunya in Nouakchott (Nouakchinton), more eventful posts will come your way and always remember to include me in your duas especially now that I am yet to recover fully.

May ALLAH be with us all.
Was salaamu alaykum wa rahmatULLAH.

Out of Nabbaghiyyah

2011-01-06T07:08:00.000-08:00

We went out for a walk and to enjoy the beautiful gift of nature from ALLAH.
Sun about to set with it in between the two minarets of the Jumu'ah mosque
Searching for internet network outside the village.
Sidi Hamid from Niger in the middle
Taking picture of beautiful marks on the dune made by small insects.

From below

Just a reflection

Still in the Desert.

2010-12-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

BismiLLAH,
Was Salaatu was Salaamu ‘alaa Nabiyyinaa al Mustaphaa.
It’s months since my last post on this blog and I have been sent several emails requesting me to post something new as some people enter the blog and find it the same way since their last entry. I love to post about new issues and experiences on the blog as much as possible but there are reasons why I can’t make it happen.
I live in the village in Nabbaghiyyah and only have access to the internet whenever I am in the city. More so, whenever I come to the city, I have so many things on my head and must attend to them before leaving for the village which gives me no time to write out something for this blog.
Apart from these, nothing really has been happening since my last post except the normal daily routine we go throw in the village. Although there have been some changes since my return to the village after my travel to my country home; changes like new structures, new faces, new way of thinking, etc.
When I arrived the village, I was informed by some of the students that before Ramadhan, there was a fight between the Wahhabi and Sufi brothers that led to some of the students being thrown out of the mahdharah. It is high time something of this nature happened. With due respect to my Wahhabi brothers, I think they have been doing more harm than good even if most of those thrown out were the less privilege tasawwuf brothers. The Wahhabis have succeeded in taking over the mahdharah’s mosque as Imaams and Muaththins, they have their weekly lecture activities where they do declare our sufi ways as bid’ah and kufr and insult our Shuyukh, they use their da’awah to recruit our tasawwuf brothers into Wahhabism, etc.
Unfortunately the Shaykh of the mahdharah knowing these issues have refused to react to these ugly insults and embarrassments some of us face. My cry is, why have the Wahhabis come to take ilm from our Sufi Shuyukh when they see them as Kuffaar and people of bid’ah? It is a question that I am yet to get a sound answer to. I have no problem with Wahhabis taking ilm from our Shuyukh but they should mind what they say about our Shuyukh when they are still in their premises.
It is so bad that when some problems happen between students in the mahdharah, we don’t get a just solution to them. For instance, if two people had a misunderstanding that led to a fight, the two will immediately be asked to leave the village without wanting to know the cause of the problem or what led to it. In some cases, it is judged on the bases of race, power and connection which give me pain in the heart.
I know for well that only few students have the kind of opportunities I have in the presence of the Shuyukh and if anything happens between me and other students, I think in most cases I will get away with it because of my connection and ground in the village except in rare cases like race. Does this mean well for me? Yes to an extent but no in light of the shari’ah. I am not saying that I do cause problems in the village and go scot free, but just citing instances.
When the problem between the Wahhabis and Sufi brothers happened, the less privilege brothers were hurriedly gotten cars and thrown out of the village without really checking the root cause of the problem. The hard core Wahhabi who instigated the problem was left alone....reason because of his race. This I don’t agree with and I was forced to speak to one of the Shuyukh about this and the excuse he gave me for them letting him be is not tenable.
So funny, in a mahdharah controlled by a Sufi Shaykh has half or above half of its students Wahhabis. Nabbaghiyyah is the biggest mahdharah in Mauritania having over 400 students from different parts of the world. I can count over 60 moroccan students, all are wahhabis, about 30-40 Algerian students only three are people of tasawwuf, Senegal having the largest number of students have mixed groups like the wahhabis and Sufis. Each day we record new students coming to register in the mahdharah and very few leave after months and years of stay. I know this since I take pictures of the newly registered students for the mahdharah’s record. There has been more pressure on the Shuyukh recently due to large number of students thereby changing the teaching system. Little or no accommodations for students, most poor students coming from countries like Senegal, Guinea and Gambia. Some of these students come with less than $50 to spend for a year....Don’t be surprised or think I am exaggerating...You may ask me, how do they feed and clothe themselves? WaLLAH it is indeed a big problem and pain but I will mention few.
These students don’t bother about getting themselves new clothes since it is the last thing on their list of preference and how do they buy detergents to wash their clothes? It is better he wears his gallabiyya for a full week, it gets completely dirty then sort out how to wash it. Why should he bother about hair cut when it is better for him to use that money to buy something for his stomach. You see him leave his hairs very bushy and untidy till he finds a way out. Some can’t even afford to buy a comb.
How does he feed? Some of them living in the mahdharah’s hostels wait for the lunch and dinner to come from the Shaykh’s house and they get it shared amongst themselves. Does this suffices and fills them? For me, I will say it is better not to even eat. The numbers of students are just too many to feed on the daily food coming from the Shaykh’s house.
For some living outside the hostel, like in the rented houses or tents cook for themselves. Others get out everyday scouting and begging for food from the people of the village during lunch and dinner hours. Can you imagine someone begging for food in the hot desert when the temperature degree is over 46? Walking under the hot sun, in the hot sands? AlhamduliLLAH, we have some caring people in the village giving to the students from their meals everyday without complaining.
Some students engage in menial jobs as labourers in building houses, washing clothes for the women, cleaning houses, washing of dishes, etc. For some of these students, they get little money they can use for the week or two depending on how much work they got and did in the weekends. Meaning, they have to be extremely economical with spending...Those who join in building houses get better pay but you can’t imagine how tiring and weakening that is if you can engage in such. You carry bags of cement, mix them with sand, get water, transfer them, under a very hot condition...Man, you need 20 paracetamol tablets and 12 ibuprofen capsules after such work.
Cleaning the houses and washing of dishes is not a bad idea but how much do you get? And if it happens that a student gets to wash the clothes of the women, then you must face the debasement of your lifetime. I am not saying I can’t wash the clothes of my mother, sisters, nieces or women in general but I have a reason for opposing this done in the village here.
You can’t imagine a student, who will be a Shaykh or a person of guidance in the future, a seeker of the path, wash the clothes and under wears of a no-woman, with her menstrual blood all over them just because he needs a dollar to survive in his pursuit of the aakhirah? What an insult to seeking knowledge! I am not saying this is particular to the whole women of Mauritania or in Nabbaghiyyah but wanting some of us to know what some students of knowledge pass through before becoming what they are. Then you hear a stupid young Muslim boy or girl, not understanding anything on the ahkaam of the shari’ah or opinions of scholars in different issues, just because he or she has managed to attend a lecture or read a small translated book into English refuting a Shaykh who spent many years seeking knowledge with difficulties, no sleep, stress, memorization, etc.
What is the end result of such a student in the sight of these women and people of the village? It results to racism, debasement, abuse and any negative thing you can think of. If a student does such work, every other student from his country are looked in this way.
Just recently, two days to EID, there are two little boys who I always enjoy chatting with came to let me know of their pains. They left their country Senegal since the last three years when they were nine to memorize the Qur’an and ever since, they have been in Mauritania. They complained to me that EID was in two days and they had no money to buy potatoes, onions, etc in order to join others to celebrate. I won’t tell you what happened after that but will only let you know they had a good EID like other children as well, alhamduliLLAH.
Two days to EID was the arrival of Nusuky, Indonesian-Australian...an old student of Nabbaghiyyah. I never met him in his days of studying in Nabbaghiyyah but we have both been contacting each other when he first read from this blog. He stayed with us in our house, took part in the very beautiful EID, eating of meat and what we alone understand as DIPLOMACY.
On the day of EID, the feeling in Nabbaghiyyah was a bit different. It was a day with mixed feelings. After we observed the EID prayer and returned home, it was announced to us the passing away of the father of a friend of ours in the village. He was the director of the mahdharah before he took ill and had remained bedridden till his death.
A day before his death (before the day of EID) when I went to the house of one of the Algerian students that I revise my grammar lessons with, we both talked about the man and he asked me if he had passed away. The weather of the village changed, people were crying and there wasn’t much celebration for some of the people in the village.
In the evening when we were planning to go to the house of the decease to sympathise with the family, especially his son who is a friend of ours, we saw him walking down the lane to his house in a normal mood, LIKE NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. We hugged him, kissed him and tried to console him, but his feeling was the opposite of ours. Masha ALLAH, he is indeed a strong believer in “to ALLAH we belong, and to HIM we return”.
A week before EID, a break was declared in the mahdharah, my friends and I had to run to Nouakchott (Nouakchinton) for some needs before returning for EID. We spent two beautiful days there before returning. On our arrival, we found out that our house was burgled by an unknown person. I quickly rushed into my room in surprise and found all my books scattered, bags here and there and when I opened the inner section of my bag where I left my money, I found it empty. Don’t ask if they also steal in Mauritania...Not all Mauritanians are saint they were people think. Masha ALLAH, that was my everything, my whole me in the village. I was now left with nothing except for the few change left from my Nouakchott spending. I was dumbfounded, I couldn’t cry nor smile, but asking the question why me and why now?
Nothing was taken from my friend’s room except recently he discovered that his watch has been missing ever since the incidence. I went straight to the Shaykh’s house to lay down my complain. Maybe the burglar thought he was going to hit millions since I usually get charity from people to the village especially during celebrations like EID. His guess was correct because I majorly travelled to Nouakchott to receive a western union transfer to buy some Rams for the students and needies in the village for Eid. Anyway, he made away with my money and left me stranded but never thought of the consequences.
AlhamduliLLAH, ALLAH blessed me with a better replacement. Two days later, I was given money from the Shaykh’s house which was given to them by someone who heard of what happened to me. I became again another news in the village.
The EID break is now over, studies have started fully except that some of us taking lessons from Shaykh Mukhtaar are yet to have him with us. AlhamduliLLAH, ALLAH blessed him with the opportunity to take part in this year’s hajj, a cry that ALLAH has answered for me. I can’t wait to have him share with us his experiences in comparison to what he teaches in the chapter of hajj in fiqh...I mean the chances in Makkah unlike what you get in fiqh books, etc. He arrived yesterday before Jumu’ah and I was too happy and gave him a big warm hug and kisses. While I was walking him down to his house, he told me that when he was in Jeddah, he saw some group of people in a bus, they stopped then alighted a lady amongst them who looked like me. He asked her which country was she from and it happened that she came from the same country with me. He further asked, do you know Abu bakr...It sound stupid him asking right? No I don’t think so. He only asked because I informed me that I would love my sister to see him since she also went for hajj this year.
Now going back to my name...Abu bakr, Masha ALLAH a name I love so much. I was thinking recently that it’s high time I got a nickname. Nicknaming is permissible in Islam as long as the meaning is good. The Prophet had, so many companions had, the salafs as well and many others after them. People sometimes think my name Abu Bakr Siddiq is a nick name especially when they think of the first khalifah of Islam or for those who have studied bit of Arabic grammar. So if I got a nickname, no one will get confused any more. I thought of names of great scholars bearing Abu Bakr and about three came to mind...Abu Bakr al Baqillaani, Abu Bakr al Tartushi and Qadi Abu bakr al Arabi...the two later Malikis.
If I choose the last then people have to call me Qadi even if I am yet to become a Mufti...and the first two mean, you either call me Baqillani or Tartushi....Allahu akbar.
I have been feeling somehow weak since my arrival. The himmah to study well has been lost. Do include me in your daily duas for ALLAH’s guidance, ikhlaas in my studies and strength to achieve my goals.
Was salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatULLAHI.

Back to Mauritania (Nouakchinton)

2010-10-04T00:46:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.
Masha ALLAH, it feels great to be back in the desert capital of of Mauritania, Nouakchott (Nouakchinton). Things look the way they were and I found it so easy to fix into the system again. Not too bad weather, no new development, the dirty and untidy streets where people without shame stop at any corners to urinate not minding the people around. I am yet to go to the village but my Shuyukh have spoken to me and are really waiting for my arrival. The first question I was asked by them when I called to inform them that I arrived safely was, did you come with your wife? Masha ALLAH, I said don't worry, you will all know when I get to the village.

AlhamduliLLAH, my friend Yusuf a Yale University PhD student came to pick me up at the hotel after waiting for me for few days since his arrival. Masha ALLAH I was able to convince him to leave his programme for a year in order to drink from the ocean of ilm of the Mauritanian Shuyukkh. I arrived some days back after a long trip from my country to Senegal where I spent an unexpected and unplanned two days in a hotel I regret lodging before coming to Mauritania.

I love to speak about senegal but in different voice people usually speak about it. Whenever you mention senegal, the first thing that comes to the mind of the listener is about their strong affiliation to the Mureediyyah and tijaaniyyah tariqah. People like Shaykh Umar Futi Tall, Shaykh Ahmadu Bamba, Shaykh Ibrahim Niass and others come to the mind because these were righteous people who gave their everything for Islaam to suurvive in senegal.

One of my saddest moment in the hotel I was in Senegal was a day I was skype chatting with my wonderful friend Khalil (from Syria) and a man came into the reception to book for a room for just few hours. He is known to them as I could understand. He was like feeling weird when he saw me with just a small shirt, not looking like a taalib al ilm or Shaykh, speaking arabic unlike for him, wearing a long gown, his topi on, and a beautiful big sibhah.

What was he there for? ALLAH, too bad a purpose. Few minutes, the dirty young young prostitute girl came to join him and they finished what they bargained for and left the hotel. Don't ask me how I knew what they did or who the girl was....I did my findings later and even before that, it was clear to interprete everything.

When he was leaving the hotel with the girl, they had to follow different routes. I still watched him hold his sibhah like a big Shaykh, pulling and counting it, giving back the room key to the receptionist and leaving in shame as I was forced to look at him disgusting. His family would have been there thinking he went out for something good unfortunately, he was there going against ALLAH's orders.

I want angry and wanted to go meet hhim and maybe, talk sense into him but I can't speak his mother tongue Wolof or have the required knowledge of french to reprimand his stupid act. I was warnned not to take such girl into my room incase I want one, ya ALLAH, do I look like such men???.

So unfortunate, senegalese ladies that were usually known to be people of salaah, dhikr and good akhlaaq are now write-offs. Nothing good to see in many their ladies on the streets of dakar. I have been there before this transit and it has gotten worse since my last visit.

The other unforgettable scenario that I captured in senegal was very sad. The morning of the day I left, after using the internet at the reception, I went up to my room and a thought just flashed my mind to open the door and watch things through the balcony and I did. Behold, I saw so many people crowded, looking at a particular direction and when I looked there, ALLAH ALLAH, I saw a man standing on top of a pick up car stack naked, yes stack naked.

obviously you don't need me to tell you such a man is name...speaking in the senegalese language that I don't understand, showing to them a small bag made of leather, turning around, aggressive...The owner of the car I presumed came there asking him to climb down but he refused. Yes, the true mushkilah (problem) started. Since he refused, people came close to bring him down but he had in his hand a small rod that he was flinging from side to side incase anyone dares come close.

So he continued until people came with sticks, wips annd were using them on him but he resisted the pains. And finally, they got him down and held him but when they saw policemen in their van coming, they let him free. The policemen got off and walk down to the scene to ascertain what was happening and to our surprise, the man sprang up and ran straight to the police van flying into the van via the driver's window, 'ajeeb. And before they could rush to him to pull him out, he started moving the van but one of the policemen was so quick that he ran to him and pulled him out. He pulled him on the tarred road and I could see some bruises on his body. He was indeed the Mel Gibson in that scene that looked like a true cinema film.

So many other things happened there but finally, I left Senegal for Nouakchinton...lol. I stayed at the senegal Airport for about hours since I left the hotel room very early. We took off and arrived NKC safely. The flight was my worst one I would say. It got to a level, it was shaking and shaking, people were just discussing not minding what was happening, I was observing my dhikr hoping we don't crash in the big Atlantic ocean. Who would save us that night? I thought of my parents, my siblings and friends.

See me now in Mauritania, not too happy being here but still happy. It is a contradiction but I understand its balance. My parents were crying night before my departure and the day of my departure. It caused me cold and weakness, my sisters were not smiling either. How long will I be away this time? What would I have said except to make them happy and calm them down. Insha ALLAH I won't be staying up to four years before returning back him this time around but I need to study.

Thanks to all the people that have been very supportive in my studies, first of all my parents, brothers and sisters for their understanding, duas, etc then to my very good brother and sisters sidi Irfaan, Fadhilah and Asmaa. My appreciation and gratitude to my Shuyukh; Shaykh Muhammad al Yaqubi, Shaykh Mukhtaar, Shaykh Baa, and many more to mention. My love to my friends who have supported me in one way or thhe other like sidi Waathiq, Qaasim Khan, Usmaan Ali, Aftaab, Waseem, Muhammad Omari, Sidi Abul Wafaa, those whose names are not mentioned know that you are all in my mind, those who ask me long and tiring questions on studying abroad especially in mauritania without finally making any effort to come down, those who advise me via this blog and other well wishers. I say JazaakumALLAH annaa Kulla al khair.

I leave to the village today, always remember me in your duas for my heart is weak, I need to be strong in my studies, do it sincerely for ALLAH and his Ummah....

was salla ALLAHU 'alaa Habeebinaa wa sallam tasleeman.

Returning to Mauritania.

2010-09-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH,
Was salaatu was salaam ‘alaa An Nabiyyil Mustafaa.
AlhamduliLLAH, so fast how the days run so fast and we are short of the blessings of ALLAH each day that passes us by. It is so surprising to me how the three month of my holiday will be coming to an end in few days. I now have less than 180 hours in my country before leaving for Mauritania again. It feels weird and very unusual for me. At the same time, it feels bad and perturbing since I am going to leave behind the unsolved problems.

I am yet to come to term with the fact that I will be leaving my family again for thousands of miles: leaving the comfort that I have been enjoying for the true Bedouin life in the desert lands of Mauritania. One thing still baffles me to date; none in my family except my brother knows that I was living in a desert with no electricity, no good shelter, sleep on a mat, etc and will be returning to it in few days. I have refused to show my family the pictures I took of myself and friends in Mauritania in order not to put fears in their hearts. And when they get to seeing them, I take away my camera and tell them there are things I don’t want them to see. So funny uh? But I have my reasons. But this is the choice I have chosen and I see light in it in the future so may ALLAH azza wa jall put HIS blessings in it.

The last time I left my family to study sacred knowledge, I spent almost four years before my decision to come back home for a visit. It felt nice meeting the family but also bad meeting things the way they are. It was difficult for me to accept the reality of things but I fear I may not be able to make any significant change even if I study for another 20 years. Things are just bad, people are becoming animals, things that used to be good are now seen as bad, values, morals, virtues are things for our trash bags while immorality, evil, promiscuity, hatred, jealousy, distance from the deen, etc are now the order of the day.

All of these happened within a short time interval of my departure and what a drastic change! This is the society where I will still come to live in, teach all that I have learnt, and raise my children if ALLAH wills. My coming back is a recorded failure as I couldn’t make any difference. People kept their distance from me because I wear Gallabah, ‘imaamah, jubbah, etc and when I try to wear something that is in agreement with them as long as it covers my awrah, it becomes a different discussion.

They think the only kind of discussion I have is Religion. I asked a person recently that why has the person kept a distance from me and before the response, I said to the person, you think I will only discuss religion with you right? Or boring things? The person answered me in the affirmative. I went further to explain that I can talk politics, sports, religion, life and every other thing more than you.

I can’t make the friends I want to, I can’t sit in gatherings that have worthwhile discussions in them, I can’t choose for myself a sister that suits me because they have a different perception of who I am and make them behave artificial or disguise themselves, I can’t play football the way I used to because it is not seen like what football should be, I can’t enter a bank with my ‘imaamah because they think I am a JIHADIST like one of the bankers told me so I am subjected to an extra search.
I am not happy leaving this kind of society for another long time because I am studying the deen to get myself closer to ALLAH and also help these people in correcting the bad notion they have about it and putting them on the right track. We need study to teach people about the beauty of this deen, help the ignorance, inculcate the love of ALLAH and HIS prophet in the hearts of people, etc.

I am happy that I am leaving for Mauritania again where I will be with people that have like minds with me, sit, drink, eat and laugh with them, spend ample and lovely time with these people that makes me remember the hereafter and again I feel sad that I couldn’t do anything to change some of these problems I am faced with before my departure for Mauritania.

Insha ALLAH with our collective efforts, duas and good teachings, we will surely make the world a better place for us and our yet unborn to live and dwell in with joy and tranquillity. Just like the beautiful saying of our righteous scholars; a dua can move a mountain so don’t look down at it.

Mauritania, here I come again. My teachers, I can’t wait to see them, feel their love and kindness. I can’t wait to start wearing my dira’ah everyday, pass through the sands, drink zirig and eat my unbalanced diet food every day. Make duas for my safe arrival and pure intention for seeking knowledge.

Insha ALLAH more pictures will be posted when I return to Mauritania and send your questions. I am ever ready to answer them before entering the desert.

I love you all.
Was salaamu ‘alaykum warahmatULLAH.

Asking Deeni Issues.

2010-08-31T03:59:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH wal HamduliLLAH.

Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa an Nabiyyi al Mustaphaa.

Masha ALLAH, after years of being away seeking knowledge, ALLAH has blessed me to be with my family this year to enjoy this beautiful month and insha ALLAH celebrate the EID with lovely people again.

Ramadhan has made me very busy and it feels as if my original intention of coming back home to have a break has been defeated. Everyday, it is one thing or the other and this makes it impossible for me to do things I have planned to do before my coming. I hardly have time for myself and can’t even revise things I have studied in the past.

Just like one of the usual things I do here, I ask questions of people who come to me. Those who are uncomfortable asking, the bold ones, the sincere ones and those who want to mock me with their questions. I try as much as much possible to defeat the shaytanic whispers before answering the questions and bring forward humility and sincerity as my watch words.

But some times people ask question they are not supposed to ask or maybe they should have answers to without asking. This is my reason for having this post today. Recently I was with a brother who usually comes to sit with me and ask questions. What a nice brother he is!

His question was, if it is permissible for a Muslim to have coitus with his wife when fasting. I wasn’t expecting someone older than me in Islam to ask such a question. Because this is something you hear Imaams and ordinary Muslims mentioning during the month of ramadhan.

Well, not showing him my surprise, I decided to answer the question. He went further to ask me why my answer was the way it was. I decided to explain to him the essence of fasting, its importance, etc. he tried to put up a small disagreement but I came up with logic to answer everything.

He said he heard that it is “completely” wrong for a man to have coitus with his wife in the whole month of Ramadhan…This I didn’t blame him for not knowing because it is a misconception many Muslims have based on their own logic of if it is not permissible during the day, then it must be so after sunset. I explained that as well.

The surprising one is, is it permissible for a man to have coitus with his girlfriend while he is fasting…this is so shocking because the answer to his previous two questions should have solved the whole confusion but it got worse.

Then I decided to ask him, when is it permissible for a man to have coitus with his girlfriend…Then he remained shut and wanted to go further before I stopped him.

Is it wrong for me to get worried when people ask me such questions? It baffles me if our communities don’t know the very basic things they should know about Islam. The same brother again asked me if ALLAH and His messengers are living together in the same place. This is a Muslim beyond 25 years of age asking such questions. I only told him that he needs a few lessons on aqeedah.

May ALLAH azza wa jall continue to guide us and shower upon us His mercies. May we be among those who will benefit from the last phase of Ramadhan.

Was salaamu alaykum warahmatULLAHI.

Sufi Adherent loved by the Wahhabis...

2010-08-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa ashrafil anbiyaa was mursaleen.

It has been a very busy week for me with so many things happening recently. Despite the sadness and pains I feel everyday, I take solace that by ALLAH things will be fine in the nearest future.

In the last two weeks, so many things happened but I can’t mention but few. One that still remains and keeps ringing in my mind is the recent crisis that befell a very good family friend and neighbor of ours.

This crisis makes me remember the ayah of the Qur’aan that says ‘’everything will be destroyed except HIS ennoble face’’I don’t want to talk about the part of the ayah that comes after the exception because of the differences in interpreting some unclear verses in the Qur’aan. According to the school of the salaf as saalihin, we let them be the way they are but in a case where there is need for an interpretation, our venerable Shaykh: Muhammad al Ya’qubi said that such must be figurative.

My major concern is on the first part before the area of exception which says that everything will be destroyed. Yes, in this dunya, some things will surely be destroyed over and over again then later comes the final destruction which will be in a whole and complete way. This includes the angel of death who comes to take the lives of people. So we can bear witness to how so many things are destroyed day in-day out but we are yet to witness the final destruction that we will be involved in, ALLAHU akbar.

Some days back while we were asleep, I was able to witness one of these destructions that we see before our own destruction. We heard loud cries from a lady, running to our next door neighbor and some people following and pulling her down. As I got up from my sleeping point to go to the door, my dad was already up with a guest we have in our house about opening the door. When we got out, it was the daughter of our next door neighbor crying and been consoled by some men around her. She also lives less than 100 meters away from our house with her husband. What was happening? Her house gut fire and it was burning down.

I quickly dashed to the scene to see what was happening and behold, the house was really in destruction, burning down. Some boys around were trying to put off the fire, throwing buckets of water at the house. They were being scared to enter and do the main thing but were also expecting the fire fighters to come to our aid. This incidence was happening as late as 1:30AM when everyone was fast asleep.

I went to my house with a Ferrari speed to also get my bucket filled with water since they were getting short of water and see me arriving back to the unbelievable scenario, throwing my water at the fire but a difference wasn’t made. And so it continued. Before realizing, the fire started transferring to the next house, the house of a very good family friend where I come once in a while to sit and discuss with people. We were looking at how this was happening with our useless efforts not making any difference. No one entered the house except for a small boy whose stubbornness paid later in the day. He broke in, got about two boxes of his aunty from the room the fire has reached and got out with them. He repeated the same thing until he got two televisions out.

And when the fire fighters came, it was as if their efforts in putting off the fire made things worse and it was our presence that the second house completely burnt down and nothing was done. ALLAH, two complete houses with materials worth so much gut fire, burnt down and nothing was taken out of them. We only saw smoke decorating the beautiful cumulus cloud about to rain. That was how these houses burnt down, the little children in these two houses lost everything they had, books, clothes, jewelries, electronics and other valuables got DESTROYED. This is the kind of first destruction we see before the true destruction that will consume us later.

From some of the things that happened during the week were the lectures I delivered in about three gatherings. All the gatherings were on the theme of celebrating knowledge and Qur’aan. I’ll say delivering lectures is what I am trying to acquaint myself with. Usually, my lectures take a maximum of thirty minutes and I get exhausted with my points and that brings my presentation to an end. But in these previous cases, I was able to deliver very long lectures without having prior highlights of what I will mention in the lectures. It all works like a magic, I start with pressure and anxiety and as it goes, it begins to become smooth and smoother and like the sailor sails in his ship with a beautiful parallel wave not disturbing him till he arrives his destination so was my state.

The last of the three I delivered was yesterday. I was invited by Wahhabi brothers to take the place of a wahhabi Imaam who was not going to meet up with the appointment as agreed with the brothers. They got pained and had no option but it was suggested to them by another brother that insha ALLAH I will be able to replace the place of the failed imam. The person who suggested this is a close friend who was like an Ustaadh to me but automatically became a student of mine since my arrival.

He loves me so much and believes in my ways. He thinks I subscribe to their school of thought in creed and other areas of differences they have with those who follow the sufi schools. This is the kind of thing I get worried about in recent days. Many of the wahhabi brothers tend to show me more love and draw closer to me than even my brothers we share the same opinions with as adherents of the Sufi way. I do not know why these people think I am like them and whenever some of them speak to me, they condemn the sufi ways, slander them and insult them without ever thinking if I support their ways.

After my lecture yesterday, the Chairman of the occasion requested that I be brought to his house to chat with me. He praised me and told me how he enjoyed my lecture. I used to know him as a no-too-bad wahhabi in his presentation or maybe because I have not had time to share views with him. I was taken to his house and he started by introducing himself and wanting to know me. Funny enough, he knows my family members, I mean from my brother to sister to my grandfather but has never heard of me.

Then he asked me about someone who is an uncle of mine if I know him: the younger brother of my father. After confirming that to him, he got so surprised and shook his head in dismay and said ‘’the only problem with him is his aqidah’’. I already knew where he was pointing at. My uncle is a staunch follower of one of the sufi tariqahs and engages in so many of their activities. Even if I may not agree with him in some cases, I still prefer him as an adherent of the sufi school to a wahhabi.

So unfortunate or fortunate I will say how the wahhabis love me more than my so called sufi brothers. My sufi brothers describe me as a wahhabi if I am forced to tell them how they err in some of their acts. I am not a Shaykh or in the position to tell what is wrong and right in the sufi school but to the level of what I have learnt, you see our brothers and sisters doing things that go against the shari’ah all in the name of tasawwuf and when you tell them that what they are doing is wrong, they join you with the wahhabis.

I wonder, when will I be accepted amongst the people whom I belong to? Surely, even if the wahhabis love me and believe more in me, there will ever be differences between us. As for me, I don’t really care about these things people busy themselves with. We must all come together to promote this deen, do what is right and leave what is wrong. If I am able to teach and also benefit from the wahhabis let it be so but that doesn’t pull me out of my being an adherent of the sufi ways. I will also continue to work with my sufi brothers until they learn to accept the facts.

Insha ALLAH in few days we enter the month of ramadhan, more activities will keep us busy. I have already been booked like a ticket for lectures but I intend on my own to start teaching the shamaail in my local masjid till Iftaar time and we all have iftaar together in my small local mosque.

Remember me all in your duas.
Was salaamu ‘alaykum warahmaULLAH wa barakaatuHU.

How Do You Feel as a Student of Knowledge? 2

2010-08-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa ashrafil anbiyaa was mursaleen.

After my last post, I was so surprised how so many people reacted to the subject expressed in the post. I was so glad to receive emails from different brothers and sisters sharing with me their views and advices, sharing in my pains and trying to put themselves in my shoes.

I decided to post some of these emails sent to me and comments on the blog. I think it will be nice for some of the readers of this blog to also benefit from these beautiful advices and observations from amazing brothers and sisters at the aid of this sinful slave.

The first I will put here is the email sent to me by my dearest friend, my old house mate in my days in Damascus, sidi Waathiq from UK.
Asssalamu alaikum sidi,

I’m sending you this email right away after I read your 'sadness' post on the blog.

I want to 'knock' some senses into you. I feel your pain sidi, you may remember me telling you how things changed here when I returned and guys doing this and that, and the brother who got shot, etc. Sidi, remember one thing you have improved and advanced in your deen and spirituality even if you don't feel it, that's why you can see all the stuffs around you and it pains you. You spent so much time with the awliya that you became light, and can see darkness and I tell you here, darkness is a synonym for problems, and it is said A problem known is half solved.

So first is like you said, 'studying the environment', you have got that now, its expected that you'll feel sad, but don't stay in that mode! If it makes you feel better, then remember that Sayyiduna Rasul Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa aalihi wasallam) was in an environment of kufr, and idolatry, and sinful doings, my God they used to bury children alive, women walking bare-chest, etc! But He (sallaa Allahu alayhi wa aalihi wasallam) over 23 years, 23 YEARS, with 13 years of suffering REFORMED the whole society. Remember the Shuyukh who have reformed thousands of lives who are alive today!

Therefore remember, that you too can make an effort and changes. And remember changing of hearts is in the hands of the Great One, not in yours, therefore, do what you must and need, but don't allow your heart to become attached to the people, keep it connected, unwaving, with your Lord and the Prophet, the awliya and their aid that comes to you. Now it’s about putting all your knowledge into experience and practice.

Sidi, don't forget to speak to people on the level they are on. Some people you cannot speak about intricate fiqh issues with because they're on another planet! You need to bring them into masjid first. I believe your most beneficial weapon is good character & mercy. See them as victims, not perpetuators. The society, media, people have caused them to 'mess up'. Many of them are ignorant, and just need correct knowledge to make a change and strong irrefutable daleel (remember that sidi, we are people of burhaan! like you used to say to me, baarakaAllahu feek), and sincerity in dealing with them. I try to speak to people on a heart to heart level, so they are accepting of you first and you develop a connection that allows it to be easier, have mercy but don't compromise.

Remember Sh.Muhammed told us once that Sh.Ibrahim al-Ya'qoubi had a man who was coming into his home who had long hair, was wearing even a gold ring, basically he was a 'chiller'. After he spoke to Sh.Ibrahim, and asked him questions, he was happy, the man went. Sh.Muhammed said I said father, you never admonished him on his gold ring?? He said, wait, give him time, let his heart become attached to us. Slowly, the man time after time kept coming, and eventually he removed his gold ring, cut his hair short, he loved Sh.Ibrahim & become much more better without the Shaykh even telling him! Just remember Sayyiduna Shaykh Muhammed's way of dealing with people when you were around the Shaykh and the type of people who came to him and the way of the Shaykh himself.

You certainly have a lot of challenges but this should give you more himmah and stronger desire to study even harder for Allah ta'la's deen! People who quote useless things to justify their positions, remember that once you show the truth, like Allah ta'la said, when truth comes falsehood vanishes, so its simple, truth needs to be apparant. Remember sidi, this is the making of an alim, and a da'ee, and murshid and a true slave of Allah ta'la. Infact i'll go as far as to say that, the more obstacles you are facing the more potentially closer you are to Allah ta'la! Because the truth is always there, its only you who needs to seek it and then present it to the one who shows falsehood & lo you'll see his falsehood vanish, this is strengthening your knowledge, and the truth and causing you to do more research, memorizing and other student of knowledge duties to make you a real tool and benefit. At least, before you return back to Mauritania inshAllah, you have got an idea, and you have a stronger himmah to work harder. The changes have to come from somewhere and someone, otherwise they carry on, remember the ulama who reformed the world at a time when there was death of the society, spirituality and deen, such as Sayyiduna al-Qadir al-Jaylani and Imam Ghazali, therefore let it strengthen you and not sadden you. May Allah ta'la grant you tawfeeq.

And remember one thing sidi, if there is anything you take away, that Allah ta'la says if you give his deen victory he will give you victory. Don't forget that everytime you step out of the house.

Please keep this faqir in your duas, your brother, companion & friend, wathiq.

And the one below came from a dear friend and brother from the UK

Yes Sidi .... i was reading the blog and it all makes sense now. It’s a sad state that many of us are in Sidi and it needs many more like you to leave home, sacrifice your life and learn the deen, before returning home and try to rectify the state of our affairs. Its very easy to follow the trend go to school, college, universities and become doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers etc. We are very selfish as a muslim community. As we do not look at the needs of the community rather we simply look to fulfil our selfish desires and aspirations. Our community has enough doctors, lawyers, engineers etc yet our parents want their children to become doctors, lawyers, engineers! We do not have enough scholars, qari, hafiz, muftis, qadi. In the past scholars use to practice medicine, law, engineering etc.

But the educational system is not here to serve the muslims. It has partitioned religion and society. It does not allow for both to be done at the same time. One would have to complete one set of studies before moving onto the other. For example if you finish becoming a doctor only then can you leave and learn the deen. However many of our doctors, engineers etc once completing their studies are too immersed in the dunya that they cannot just abandon everything and leave to become scholars. I feel this is the roots of our problem. The fitna that we see are its fruits! Sidi its not just your country that you see these problems.

Unfortunately this is the state everywhere in the world where the Muslims have abandoned their identity, inherited legacy, heritage and beautiful history and have traded it for the lifestyle and culture of another people and nations. When we Muslims take on the clothing, lifestyle, priorities, social life's, jobs, jokes, speech, language etc of the western world then we automatically take on board the diseases that come with it. Sisters and brothers wearing inappropriate clothing, structuring our lives so that prayer, fasting, zakat and hajj are no longer important, our no. 1 priority becomes dunya, many brothers and sisters take jobs that does not allow them to practice their religion many times the job entails wearing haram clothing and uncovering of the hair, we take part in jokes that can sometimes take us out of Islam without us knowing it, we have abandoned our mother tongues and so disconnected ourselves from our forefathers and this is the cause for a partition between our elders and youth ... tools for communication lost and so the only people that can communicate with our youth is the people that speak the language! etc ..... These are just observations that a simple mind makes when i look around me. Maybe i'm too naive and certainly i do not have knowledge to speak in this field. Also sadly i am one of these people that i have mentioned above. May Allah help us all to tawfiq to correct our ways before its too late.

Sidi people like you are fighters struggling against shaytaan in defending your people, this ummah. I pray your eagerness and enthusiasm remains always with you and you continue with this dawah work till your last breath inshaAllah. Maybe you can get hold of a few brothers and form a group so that the sunnah lifestyle can spread between our brothers and sisters in your home town. Forming a group simply gives the youth an identity, objective, goal and is more tangible. What im trying to say is that it gives them a sense of belonging. For example, you have a group weekend camp where you live for two days according to the sunnah of our beloved Prophet praying tahajjud, five times prayers, the supererogatory acts. Also this allows them to learn all the practical aspects i.e., how to do wudhu properly, how to pray solat properly etc.

Meanwhile to give them entertainement in forms of nasheed's and stories of the friend of Allah in the past ... the awliyah ... this gives them motivation. I feel all in all our hearts need to be reconnected with Allah which is only done through following our Beloved Prophet. Anyway Sidi i did'nt realise i have written so much ... simply emptying my heart and mind as i too worry many times on this topic. The difference between me and you is that i am part of the problem whereas you are on the otherside ... the one with the solutions. Take care Sidi ..... sorry about the length of the email and sorry for talking about this which i have no qualifications to talk about.
Wasalaam

Another beautiful email is that sent to me from my brother Abu Ayyub who is presently seeking knowledge with his family in Egypt.

I also wanted to write to you and let you know that your recent post has touched me deeply.

When the Rasul (saaw) described Islam, he (saaw) said, "Islam will enter as a stranger and depart from this world as a stranger, so glad tidings for the strangers." (Muslim)

So often I have felt that few people will understand true thirst for ilm and true love and longing for the Rasul (saaw). It has been two years since I came to the Middle East and the longer I stay away from my home in the West and even see the state of Muslims here, the more I feel isolated and misunderstood, the more I feel alone and saddened. Even those closest to you cannot fully grasp the sheer need to study so far away and so often for so long. But how can one turn away from noor when one has sat at the feet of the inheritors of the Rasul (saaw)? How can one reject the purest lifestyle in emulation of our beloved Prophet (saaw) for one that is more concerned with this world and all its temptations? How does one return to a state of darkness when one was eclipsed in light?

You will be a stranger to this world, a stranger to those around you, but in this strangeness Allah All Mighty will guide you to others like you; alone, but not lost, seemingly far from people and yet on the other hand, close to Allah and His Messenger (saaw).

I remember the night, upon completing As'Shamail Muhammadiyyah when Shaykh Muhammad al Yaqoubi told those gathered, "Now the responsibility lies on you. Now that you have this knowledge a greater burden awaits you. (That is teaching it to others)" You have embarked on a daunting task, a heavy burden and an inescapable duty to your family. But I believe that what you are feeling is the reality of the student of Sacred Knowledge. These feelings inside you should only convince you that you are on the right path, for once you begin to compromise certain dealings or relationships, or no longer ask your friends to stop their music, or your heart stops crying for our lost brothers and sisters then you should see that you are no longer a stranger but like everyone else.

May Allah continue to guide us on the Path of the Righteous and bring our ummah to guidance and obedience. Ameen. You will be in my duas.

Your brother,

Abu Ayyub

I couldn’t leave out this email coming from my big sister; Sarah

Dear Brother in Islam,I was moved by your blog today to write, but couldn't work out how to reply, since I neither have the patience nor himmah to work out electronic stuff. So please forgive me for writing by email, if indeed this still works...Sincerity is not an easy thing; many think it is very easy, that they are being honest, but no; sidq is a hard maqam, and to me your words are those of the sadiq. Alhamdulillah for that.

Your pain sounds like bereavement, having left what is true and light for that which is false and dark. I have Rahmah for you and inshAllah Allah Azawajal in His Infinite Mercy will make the transition easier for you. I don't know about these things but I would imagine that that ease might be manifest through obedience, obedience in teaching everything that you have learned. May you taste His Satisfaction with you through your obedience, may you feel the faraj through Him, and leave the yearning for the place in which you found Him and His Deen.We are in the Middle East, and for ten years; I imagine if I were to have to return to the West I would be in a much worse state than you. That is why I feel for you, because I don't want this test for myself or my children.

May you pass the test that I would certainly fail.May Allah Azawajal give you all the tawfiq and ease in spreading the Deen, which is obedience to His Command, and not following one's own opinion, which is something so prevalent as you have seen.

your sister in Islam, Sarah

How Do You Feel as a Student of Knowledge?

2010-07-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.
Was salaatu was salaam.

Indeed for a person like me who left his family for almost four years to seek sacred knowledge then returns to meet them all in good health must be happy and grateful to ALLAH for HIS mercies showered upon them all. This is the case with me and at the same time it is a contradiction that I am yet to come to terms with.

It is two weeks since I arrived and I have used all my days to study this environment that has been like an alma Mata to me if I have to describe it like a school. I have seen so many things that my eyes can’t bear, I have heard so many things that are too heavy for my ears, I have forcefully absorbed in my mind so many things that my mind can’t absorb.

I now live a life of an unhappy young man having so many plans in the inside but feels they could die inside of him if things continue the way they are. I feel sad and regret why I ever came back and thought I shouldn’t have thought of ever coming back.

I ask myself if it was a crime for me to make the decision of coming back home to have a little break with my family before continuing my studies again. My heart aches, it bleeds and shed tears everyday I wake up and find things the way I saw them the previous day. So I pray for night everyday to come so that when I sleep, I forget about all these things but when the day breaks, it brings back the sad moments I run away from.

I look at all of these as tests from ALLAH but wonder if I can bear and carry them. I take solace to the fact that ALLAH tells us that ‘’He will never place a burden on any soul except that it can bear and carry it’’.

I shouldn’t be writing and posting this on this blog as it is something personal but how long will I keep these and kill myself softly? A friend who came welcoming me yesterday after hearing of my arrival asked me how am I and how I feel here. I told him I am unhappy and sad. He was the first person I told about how I feel since I came. He wondered why I should be feeling the way I feel but couldn’t understand. I told him that this is a kind of feeling I can’t explain nor put into writing. The only word I could use to let him know how I feel is that I am sad and in pains. He pressed on to know what thing in particular hurts me. For me, it’s not about a particular but everything has turned too bad for me.

My writing this is just to ease myself of this unhappiness and sadness that I have been nursing since my arrival. This is the only way I can really express how I feel in few lines without going into details.

Can I really mention all that has been causing this unhappy state of mine? It is so difficult to express how much I feel and trying to explain this will be like stabbing myself in the back if I try to start listing everything or discussing about them. Just wanting my readers to have a clue of what I am passing through so I have decided to put it down in a way that one can have an idea of this unfortunate state.

How can you imagine your friend you left in a very beautiful Islamic state and when you return, he gives you justification for why he shakes hands with ladies in his new place of work and why hugging may even be necessary.

You hear that boys who used to be small but now grown and big living around your neighbourhood have suddenly turned hardcore smokers and consumers of beer.

You hear that flirting around by both boys and girls is a norm and trying to preach against it, you are seen as old school.

Older women come to you to welcome you and they start by hugging you and when you try to tactically keep away from it and smile over it, they think you are stupid and tell you that we are like mothers to you even if they are non mahrams. When you try to explain shari’ah rulings on such issues to them they see you as extreme.

You try to preach true deen and keeping away from innovations since Islaam is so flexible and fits in time, space and states but they think you are wahhabi.

You dress in your turban, nicely sewn jubba and burdah they just call you Taliban and a suicide attacker especially when you try to hug your old time friends. How unfortunate this is when a fellow Muslim says it to the other and when they do such mockery they laugh it off.

You try to advise people on how to use their time, love the best of mankind than anyone else especially like football stars they think you are making football haraam.

You find young people who were supposed to be prospective da’wah experts or make beautiful Islam homes left the deen for another deen.

You see ignorant people are now source of references for Islamic issues. They become Muftis of their own standard and no one question them of their authorization. They sell the deen for money.

You sit with a friend and he starts blasting Bob Marley and you tell him to do you a favour by turning it off, he tells you he doesn’t believe listening to such Music is haraam because the lyrics are so meaningful. He says if you think it is haraam then provide him with proofs since he has unable to get proofs from the local Shuyukh.

You listen to people talk about Islaam and try to shun textual evidences since their logic surpasses these evidences and feel they should apply their personal rulings according to their own rational mind and the way their interpretation soothes their minds.

You see people you try to show love look down at you and think you feeling shoulder squared because you traveled abroad to seek knowledge.

You see people think after your studying sacred knowledge, you have no better future for yourself. Those who appreciate your seeking sacred knowledge are those that are not ready to work with you.

You see young boys and girls been very disrespectful to their parents and address them in high tone.

You go to your local mosques and see the newly selected Imaams have no knowledge of qira’ah and how to apply the rules in their solah or even the pillars of solah. You are forced to go back home to repeat a solah that you have already prayed in the mosque except you are fortunate to be made Imaam because you have studied small books on fiqh.

I can go on and on mentioning so many of these things but when I attempt it, it only but hurts. I smile but inside of me I cry, I laugh but inside of me I weep. Must things continue this way? Will my little contribution I intend or I try to put in count? Can a one man correct all of these flaws?

I sent a friend we studied together with in Syria an email informing about my arrival and the response I got is:
Im happy that yr back with yr family , alhamdulilah. yeah i can understand the happiness yr feeling at the moment. and the sadness that shortly comes with it as you realize that you have changed so drastically that you can’t relate to yr family or friends anymore. you see that they are exactly where they were and the same people with the same ideas or atleast thats how i feel. ive just started to get back on my feet, believe it or not since i came i didn’t even go out side my house , i just slowly started to 2 weeks ago. i was upset that i was here and sad i couldnt leave to where i was happy, frustrated fighting peoples’ ideas if right, wrong ,islamic and unislamic and most times it was just ridiculous.i didnt talk or socialize with people......i was just in my room holding on to what little memory i had of syria and my life before i came here. but you get over things even the most saddest with time like i have. i try to give back and make some impact on people and ive started with the youth.

For this person, a new page has already been pulled out. I am trying to learn from this example because it is a picture of how I feel though not exactly. I said maybe this is not something peculiar to me but maybe happens other places. The only happiness I have now is when I try to explain the deen to few friends who spend little time with me everyday.

AlhamduliLLAH, I have been able to start a small fiqh class, my class on shamaail will start soon, my Arabic class begins in few days. Insha ALLAH may HE makes these that which will bring succour, joy and happiness to my life and many others around us.

Your duas and nasiha will surely be of help. May ALLAH join us all with those we love.
Was salla ALLAHU ‘alaa Muhammad wa aalhi was sallam.

Back Home After Studies.

2010-07-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH,
Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa al Nabiyyi al Kareem wa aalihi was sallam.

Almost fours year ago, I left my country and family to seek knowledge of the Islamic sciences without knowing when I will be visiting my family after my departure. AlhamduliLLAH, I took the decision of returning home some weeks back and here am I, back to my family. Surely I enjoyed my stay all through my study days in Damascus and the Mauritania but was it like home away from home? I think no place can take the place of our homes. For me I say, there is no place like home.

It was so nice leaving Mauritania for my country home. The few days before I left the village, it was me and different kinds of arrangement. I was feeling so anxious and in a state of unrest. I was wondering what kind of things will I be meeting back home. Many have traveled after spending long time away from home and after their arrival, they tell you so many things and that kept me thinking and thinking.

When I first posted on this blog on the issue of my intention to travel, one of the comments was that, I should be expecting a bitter sweet experience. I sat wondering what it means for one to have a bitter sweet experience. This is no different from what I am experiencing now.

The day before I left the village for the Mauritania’s capital where my flight will be taken off, I went around giving salaams to my friends and people in the village I have good acquaintance with. My teachers were worried that if I left them, I may not remember calling them or coming back to the village. I had to convince them that I was only going for a short visit after which I will be back. I informed my fiqh teacher that it was high time people benefited from the little I have studied all these years. He agreed with me and gave some important advices.

I went around collecting my books I gave to brothers, saying farewell and other necessary stuffs. Before I realized, it was about 2:00AM in the morning and the cars that leave from the village to the city take off by 5:30AM. I was yet to complete arrangement for my journey. It was unlike me seen in the middle of the night in the village since no one goes out during the hour I was alone wondering about.

I got home, got my remaining bags ready then went to bed. Before having a good sleep, it was the athaan and before I could get ready, prayer was recited and I missed the car leaving for the city. Was it a good omen? I believe it was due to my bad sleep and carelessness.

Notwithstanding, I observed my fajr solah and got set to wait at the exit of the village to see if cars from the neighbouring villages were passing by for the city. So fortunate I was after waiting for less than five minutes with a friend from the village who is not what I will call a sane person, I got a pickup that we both joined. How nice it was and easy unlike other days!

I got to the city, met with friends, announced to them my intending travel and did visit some places. I spend about five days in the capital before the day of my departure. A day before, I met with my room mates who were already in the capital and other friends we study together at the village. We arranged to go to the beach to relax ourselves. It was a sweet but bitter experience. It was nice having a wonderful bath in such a very salty water but too bad to see some people not properly dressed and the mixing between sexes. What is wrong with Mauritania? So new to this. We rounded up with swimming and took off for a friend’s house where we prayed maghrib. From his house, we left for the traditional bath (HAMMAAM). The last time I had such a bath was during my early days in shaam. It was a nice bath as I was advised by a Yemeni brother to do that before I leave in order to remove all the dirts and thick stains from my body due to the sun toning and desert dirts.

I couldn’t ask for a massage due to time but sure was satisfied with what I had. The next day was short as I was rounding up my arrangement and other necessary things. Before knowing, it was two hours to my flight take off. I went to the airport with my friend, joined the queue for clearing and there came the problem of excess luggage. After little arguments, I ended up paying for the charges and returning to my friends outside the airport waiting. Before going out, I saw the nephew of my Shaykh who was arriving from Shaam. We had a very warm hug. Masha Allah, he is such a nice person and I remember during my days in shaam, I would go to his house during the weekends to have couscous and other Mauritanian delicacies well prepared by his wife who is the daughter of our teacher Shaykh Baah.

It wasn’t a bad flight to Senegal where I was taking another flight for my country. Before an hour, we arrived and I got on with normal flight bookings and stuffs. I was again charged for excessive luggage. I pleaded with them to see reasons with me, that I am a student bla bla bla but it didn’t help issues. I paid again then joined the other passengers.

It wasn’t a nice flight to my country as there was two stops at two different countries, I had a very bad stomach upset and I wasn’t comfortable because I didn’t have enough to eat and drink the day of my taking off from Mauritania.

Finally, it was me arriving my country. My brother had informed me that he will be the one to pick me after convincing my old father to stay back. I got off the plane, got my bags, pushed through the immigration and the processes were so easy seeing me in my long gown, my imaamah cloth around my neck, my walking stick by my side. Now me walking out of the airport to meet my elder brother waiting.

Coming out, he wasn’t of sight so I kept wondering where he was sitting or go buy phone credit to call. I had no sim card and the Mauritania network doesn’t work in my country. While I was waiting, I was caught by my greatest surprise. I saw a young my with a bag walking towards my direction answering a call who I was thinking was my brother. After a deeper look, I was shocked to see that he is a friend of mine I met in shaam traveling to Qatar but his flight was canceled. I called him and he was so surprised, he came forward and hugged me. After a short discussion I collected his phone and dialed my brother. He came out of the airport where he was waiting answering a call from my sister and behold, it was him. After years, he changed so much. With a loud shout and cry hugging me.

Before knowing, it was another of my sister calling then my Mum and followed by my father and sisters. ALLAHU akbar.

So we took off for a park where we could get a car for the place where I live. It was a long drive as I remained silent and hungry in the car thinking of so many things and looking at the things around.

Finally we arrived my place and to the park where we were going to alight. My sister, her husband and children were already waiting there for us. Masha ALLAH it was a sight to behold. My nephews and nieces have grown so big that I almost couldn’t recognize them. They were very happy to see me and that was how we took off for my house where my parents kept calling and calling.

Getting closer to my house I saw old friends standing, sitting and chatting. My parents and siblings were already on their feet walking towards our direction as we were about to stop. What a hug from my mum! My dad couldn’t control himself, my sisters grabbed me and who owned me was something to decide at that point.

They ushered me in and that has been how far it went for me from Mauritania to my home. What a beautiful welcome I had!. It wasn’t a red carpet one but I can say a white carpet description suffices.

Since my arrival, my mother has been treating me like a baby, friends have been visiting and I am trying to study the environment. Well, I am not happy with the state of people that I have met meaning; there are lots to be done.

My first lesson was yesterday in my old local mosque about knowing the Prophet (SAW) instead of loving Kaka and Ronaldo, etc. like taking him as our mentor and exemplar. By next week insha ALLAH I will start the teaching of Shamaail Muhammadiyyah of Imaam Tirmithi and fiqh. Friday lessons will also begin soon at our local jumu’ah mosque insha ALLAH.

Make duas for my success as you read this and tell your family and friends to pray for my sick mother and sister, pray for my family for an improvement in their state and don’t forget the ummah.

I love you all.
Wa sallaa ALLAHU ‘alaa Muhammad wa aalihi wa sahbihi was sallim.

FINISHING A TEXT.

2010-06-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH was salaatu was salaamu 'alaa khairi al bashar wa aalihi tasleema,

It has been a recorded tradition and practice in the traditional madrasahs in West Africa that whenever a student of knowledge finishes a hizb or juz'u of the Qur'aan or a text in any of the sciences of Islaaam, he/she celebrates with his/her mates in the school by slaughtering a chicken, goat, ram, cow or even cook food and share it amongst the students of the school or people living around in shukr to ALLAH azza wa jall for HIS mercies extended to HIS slave, enabling him/her to give time to studying the deen and the beautiful texts. This I can recall as I was told by my Shaykh and a senior student friend of mine who said it was the sunnah of Ibn 'Umar who slaughtered a cow after memorizing surah al baqarah.

In the mahdharahs of Mauritania, students still practise this beautiful traditional whenever they finish studying a text to its end. I was once joking with a friend of mine the day he completed the grammar text al Aajurumiyyah when I said it to my Shaykh that he had to make him slaughter a Ram and distribute it amongst the students. The Shaykh smiled and said maybe an egg or biscuits will suffice but when he finishes standard grammar text like Turrah (only read in Mauritania studied after alfiyyah) then he has to slaughter a cow.

My friend wasn't ready to celebrate but I pushed him to a shop to buy for us food stuffs so that we can cook and celerate to the joy of the day. We went and got the food stuffs and did have a good day.

For me, I was also blessed about two months ago to finish a text of fiqh that has taken me months studying. I started this text during my first visit to Mauritania but couldn't finish because of the time limit I had to spend. When I came this time around, I continued from where I stopped till I finished. It was a great day for me having waited all this long.

I informed my Shuyukh and they jokingly said to me that I have to celebrate it. I wasn't taken by surprise because I had already been planning over how to celebrate the long waited day. It didn't take me much time to start with the arrangements as I spoke to a friend in the village to assist me in food preparation and buying of soft drinks. He hurriedly got things ready and the day started. I got a goat to the butcher and made available necessary things needed for the meal.

Sh. Mukhtaar, Muhd Lamin , Sh AbdaLLAH, Muhd Lamin (Shaykh's son-ln-law)

I informed some of the students around, three of my teachers and three people around and we gathered for the celebration. We ate, drank, discussed and relaxed. It was indeed a good day and moment spent in the gathering of my teachers and wonderful students.

Sh. AAba on the left, Sidi Ameen from Algeria and other students.

Without delay, I started a new text on fiqh which insha ALLAH is the highest text in the Maaliki school. I don't know how long it will take me to finish it if I have to memorize it as I am doing at the moment. I also have the option of not memorizing it but will take me shorter time to finish. As a Shaykh said, it took them 5 years to study it. I was asked if I finish such a text what will I slaughter? I jokingly said maybe I get myself a car, marry a wife then slaughter a cow, masha ALLAH.

May ALLAH makes it easy for all students of knowledge, purifies our intentions and guides us all to the path of truth.

Was salaLLAHU 'alaihi was salaam.

SEEKING SACRED KNOWLEDGE

2010-06-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH
Was salaatu was Salaamu 'alaa an Nabiyyi al Mustaaphaa.

So fast how time runs and the days count. When I look back at my yesterdays, I realized that it is almost four years since I left my family and country trying to seek sacred knowledge. AlhamduliLLAH, it has been a very smooth but rough path or I will say vice versa. Before planning this long trip I call adventure, I never knew it was going to take me this far before thinking of returning to visit my family.

It has not been so easy for me being the second youngest in my family and the only one who has completely chosen this path. It took me time to summon courage and accept that this is the way I will life for the rest of my days in this wordly life. AlhamduliLLAH, when I decided that this was it, my parents had no objections but gave me their total support and blessings. While they had no objections, they also had fears. Fears like my going farther from the family without anyone known to them having a direct contact with me.

No doubt that their fear was the same fear I have been nursing in my heart. For instance, things happen to me, I hardly let them know in order not to put more fears in their hearts except that I inform my older brother little about it. The same way they do when any thing bad goes wrong in the family, they tend to keep it away from me in order not to distract my studies or increase the fears I nurse in my heart.

It is almost four years so far. What have I been able to achieve! With joy and gratitude to ALLAH, I can proudly say that I am not left out of those who ALLAH showers HIS blessings upon in this life as we hope for more in the next one. Prior to my travel, I had no knowledge, I mean no knowledge of the arabic language except that I could read the Qur'aan with other chapters I had memorized. Arabic words I knew at that time are those common vocabularies you hear every Muslim talk about like Eemaan, Ihsaan, taqwa and their likes.

Today, I cannot only read the Qur'aan but can speak if not fluently the Qur'anic language, write letters or articles in arabic, translate sentences and phrases, teach the ritigrities of the language like grammar, morphology, semantics, etc.

Within this short time spent, I have been able to study a little bit of the major Islamic sciences like the three sciences of Rhetoric (Balaghah; Bayaan, badii', ma'aani), Usul al fiqh, Fiqh, Grammar, Sarf, Seerah, Mantiq, Meeraath, Aadaab, Hadith, Tasawwuf except for Tafseer that I have not really had the opportunity to sit with a teacher who can give me an insight of what this science entails. Although I have revised some books of Tafsir like the tafseer of Abdul Qaadir al Jeelaani, Jalaalayn, Zamakhshari, but that doesn't suffice just like the saying goes ''knowledge is not taken from pages but from the hearts of men''.

Last month after having some thoughts, I arrived at a conclusion that it was high time I gave myself a break and visited my family. I was realizing how weak I am and couldn't give in my best because the zeal and determination in is dying. Indeed, visiting my family I thought will be a renewal of this zeal that has carried me all along these years.

I spoke to my Shuyukh about this and they had no objection but praised my patience for this long stay. My mum was over excited when I informed her of my decision to spend a short break home before returning as she keeps asking me when will I return for her to see me.

I know obviously that during my absence, many has changed so lots of expectation from me and others. Will I be welcomed by those who I left, how will they look at me, can I share with people what I have been able to cover during my absence, am I a failure having chosen this path instead of medicine, Engineering, etc like others say??? So many questions I keep asking myself.

My older sister who got married when I was away said to me last week in joy, ''my twin will finally know their uncle''. Yes, I hope and pray so. She was put to bed when I left, they are now grown and can speak to me but I have no idea how they look like.

My older nephews and nieces are now grown having heard their voices and pictures. But surprising to me is that I never saw the picture of my immediate family nor did they since my departure except for the pictures I sent two months after my arriving shaam. I wonder why such happened. It is still a mystery to me.

Next week, My flight will be taking off and home I come. Who will collect me at the airport, I don't know. I am so anxious and enthusiastic. I love to be home again. Can I say, Mauritania and Syria have been '' home away from home''? It's difficult to say yes.

I hope readers of this blogs will make duas for me for a safe trip and meeting my family in good health. More postings and pictures when I arrive my country home. I will spend three months insha ALLAH enjoying myself with my family before returning to Mauritania.

wal hamduliLLAHI Rabbil 'aalamin.

Who Interpretes your Dreams?

2010-05-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH wa As Salaatu Was Salaamu `alayh wa ala aalih

Beautiful experiences are always nice to be shared especially when it has to do with the deen. Before my first coming to Mauritania, I was contemplating on which village to go for my intended stay. AlhmaduliLLAH, I was informed by my brother and friend AbdulMalik that there is a beautiful mahdhara in nabbaghiyyah full of treasures. By the time he informed me, he had left the village of Murabit al hajj to begin studies in this new place.

I left Syria for Nabbaghiyyah and I never regretted about the decision I made. My friend AbdulMalik got a beautiful accomodation in the village where we were all living together with another friend of his Ibrahim.

It was one of the usual free moments where we discuss about so many things that has to do with deen, dunya and experiences. AlhamduliLLAH, Abdulmalik is someone who finds trust and confidence in me so he tells me about many of his experiences and plans which we share together.

The discussion we were having led to how dreams could be interpreted correctly and wrongly and who are those qualified and reliable to interprete dreams. He mentioned to me about a dream he had when he was studying in the mahdhara of Shaykh Murabit al Hajj where he saw his younger sister in the dream and if I can recall correctly, he said to me that he wasn`t happy with the scenerio he saw his sister in. He decided to go meet the most senior Shaykh of the Mahdhara: Shaykh Hadd Amin, an old man of over 70 years old then he narrated to him what he saw in the dream.

In the Shaykh`s interpretation of the dream, he told my friend that his younger sister was going to become Muslim. masha ALLAH, this is indeed a beautiful way to interprete dreams. Ever since he interpreted the dream, approximately three years have passed and we are still making duas. It may be of interest to some of the readers of this blog to know that sidi Abdul Malik is a revert and he wishes for other non Muslims especially his family to join this beautiful path he has decided to take in order to arrive the domain of the ALMIGHTY. AlhamduliLLAH, his father accepted this path before him and will remain firm on it to the end time.

It is a sunnah to share dreams with people like the companions may ALLAH be pleased with them used to narrate their dreams to the best of mankind peace and blessing be upon him. But does this mean that we should narrate our dreams to every tom dick and harry we come across, the answer is NO.

We should take note that whenever we see dreams, whether good or bad, we should always pray over it and only relate them to trusted and knowledgeable people. In the absence of these kind of people, we should conceal them and make duas especially when the dream is of a bad kind.
About three weeks ago while I was feeling tired and bored due to my long absence from my family and the loads of difficulties in reading, memorizing and studying, I was walking my way home after the maghrib solah, the same home I lived with Abdul Malik during my first coming.

When I got home, I met my room mates in the small prison like room we have turned to a store. Sidi AbdurRahmaan was standing at the entrance with a very big smile extending to the end of his jaws almost exposing his molars. They have noticed my weak state since the last few weeks and tend not to joke with me so much in order not to busy my thoughts. I was wondering why he was smile and he was gazing at me. Well, maybe he has decided to take me out of the boring shell I have been living in all these days.

And that was it with him announcing, '' eeehhh Abubakr, eeeeh Abdul Malik`s younger sister has accepted Islaam'' MashaALLAH, Allahu akbar. That was the bomb for me. I said in a very high pitch ALLAHU AKBAR and went straight for a prostration of gratitude(sajdat ul shukr). Then I asked them about every thing; how it happened, when, who informed them, etc. I couldn't control my joy as I felt my eyes full of tears. Indeed the tears of joy.

AbdurRahmaan is a friend of sidi Abdul Malik, he is also a revert and once lived together in france. So once in a while sidi AbdulMalik calls him and they discuss for a long time on phone. It was during one of these calls that he informed him of this beautiful news. Well, sidi Abdul Malik didn't call me to inform me of this news that I have been making for duas for. Maybe he doesn't love me. Yes, I think so and he must answer to this because I know he reads my posts.

Well, I was told how his sister first pronounced the shahaadah by herself and repeated it in the presence of others. Yes, she has been searching for a true deen, a path of true spirituality, a path that leads to the celestial realm and finally ALLAH has blessed her with Islaam. Allah says in surah al an'aam that '' whoever ALLAH wishes to guide, He opens his heart to Islaam''

AlhamduliLLAH, our new sister in Islaam whose name before Islaam is Laurel fondly called Lolo by Abdul Malik has choosen a new arabic name NUR (light). What a beautiful name! A surah in the Qur'aan is called surah al Nur and in the same surah ALLAH mentioned the word NUR. ''Nurun 'alaa Nur....light upon light......'' And He says '' ALLAH guides whomever HE wishes to divine light.....................'' We pray that ALLAH makes our sister a Light in the hearts of all and uses her as an example to people as He mentions in the Qur'aan.

Sidi AbdulMalik later called and I got to speak to him reprimanding him on why he failed to inform me of the beautiful news but he trickly gave me flimsy excuses and spoke about the news. I mentioned to him if he still remembers the dream he had that was interpreted by Shaykh Hadd Amin that he sister was going to become Muslim and he answered in the affirmative. He told me he wishes he could speak to the Shaykh about this.

When I announced this to my teachers in the village, they got very happy and excited. I was about having my fiqh lesson when I informed my fiqh teacher Shaykh Mukhtaar of the good news. He got up from his sitting position and asked for the number of sidi AbdulMalik which I gave him and he immediately dialed it. The number was ringing but no reception. He got very energized and gave me a beautiful lesson beyond his usual beautiful ways.

This is a good news and a lesson for us all to share. I ask you, who interpretes your dreams, what do you do when you see a bad or good dream. Learn more about dreams in Islaam and maybe read little from the book of Imaam Ibn Sireen, Shaykh Abdul Ghaniy Al Nablusi on dreams interpretation.

Your duas for us all.

Enjoying the Month of Rabi al Awwal

2010-02-27T06:19:00.000-08:00

BismiLLAH
Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alayh.
AlhamduliLLAH that we are among those ALLAH Azza wa Jall has kept alive to witness this beautiful month of Rabi ul awwal. My first coming to Mauritania was in this month and I had very nice moments that still remain fresh in my memory. Moments spent with my amazing friends like Abdul Malik Fransi, Ibrahim, Eesa Washington and others. It was also in this month that I had the privilege to meet our dear and belove Shaykh Hamza Yusuf here in Mauritania and other shuyukh who attended the guidance and counseling conference.

It is yet another month of Rabi ul awwal for me in this beautiful country full of treasures (Shuyukh). The month that reminds us of the birth of the best of Mankind, the month that brings the fresh breeze we breathe in that gives us tranquility in our hearts, the month we sing and chant so much verses of praises of the Prophet(SAW).

This month brings some kind of nostalgia to me when I remember my beautiful days in Damascus with my dear teacher, our noble and erudite scholar, Shaykh Muhammad al Ya’qubi, my friends: sidi Waathiq, Waseem, Abul Wafaa, Muhammad Omari and lots more, the beautiful gatherings in Syria where we listen to different rhymes of the Burdah of Imaam al Busiri and other beautiful poetic verses in praise of the Prophet (SAW). This year, Allah has not made it that I should be in Syria with these wonderful people who I can’t describe how nice it feels like to be in their company but in the presence of my new friends in Mauritania and venerable teachers.
In the traditional school (mahdharah) of Mauritania where I study, break is given in the month of Rabi ul awwal so no lessons all through the month. Many students choose to go to other villages to continue their studies until the end of the month before returning while some choose to stay behind doing revision and other things they find necessary.
My intention was to travel to the mahdharah of Shaykh Muhammad Hassaan al Khadim for the month, read to him some portion of the purification of the heart and the famous Ibn Maalik’s poem on Arabic grammar that I study presently but when I informed my lovely fiqh teacher: Shaykh Mukhtaar of this, he said to me in his ever soft way ‘’you don’t need to travel as long as you have me here, insha ALLAH we will continue with our fiqh lessons’’. This really gave me joy because my intention is to finish the book on fiqh that I am presently studying before moving on to something else so I don’t really want anything that will obstruct this or prolong my reading of the fiqh text. And to ALLLAH belongs all glory, we were honoured to have Shaykh Muhammad Hassaan al Khadim visit my venerable teacher, Shaykh Muhammad Faal who he considers as one of his teachers.

I decided to meet my Grammar teacher, Shaykh Muhammad Buttaar to ask him if he would be available to continue my lessons with me. Without hesitation, he said yes. This made my day and gave me rest of mind.
Now I am here, all my friends left me in the village for their different destinations. It feels so boring being alone in the small palace where I live. No one to chat with, none to turn to, I do breakfast and eat alone, read, go for my lessons then sleep. While this feels boring, it also feels great because it gives me no time to waste with unecessary discussions with roommates, more time to revise and experience the wildness of being alone in the outskirt of the village.

When my teachers and friends who are the Khuddaam of the Shaykh knew I stay alone, they reminded me of the hadith of the Prophet (SAW) prohibiting one from staying alone in a house except that he has a company. This kind of prohibition is not an absolute prohibition but a kind that is disliked.

In search of someone to stay with me at night, I started passing my nights at different places like a wanderer. People I asked to join me at my house would give excuses and end up refusing to join me. For five nights, I slept at the Shaykh’s guest room and a student’s house leaving very early in the morning after the fajr prayer for my house.

The month been so nice as the days pass by whispering into our ears salaams and broadening our breasts with the knowledge of the shari’ah. My lessons have been going smoother and I have the whole time to ask my shaykh questions upon questions.

Since the beginning of the month in the village, it has been different kind of poetic verses in the chanting tone and rhyme of the Bedouins. Immediately after the ‘Eshaa Athan, they start chanting verses of praises from old collections sitting around the Shuyukh in the two big masjids in the village. I really enjoy the Bedouin flavor and decide to run to the masjids when I hear the athan. But its unfortunate that I can’t split myself into two halves: one listening to the rhymes at the big Jumu’ah masjid and the other half at the other masjid. While I try to enjoy the rhymes from the two masjids, I get myself tired walking and returning from one masjid to the other.

The maulid was drawing closer which I was dying to witness. Many people from different parts of Mauritania were coming to the village like caravans traveling from one village to another for trade. We now see new faces everywhere in the village doing different amazing things that almost broke me down. It makes me reflect on the old Bedouin ways of life. While you will walk from one place to another, you will find old women bending down with their wrappers dragging the floor while they urinate not minding where they are. So bad to see the worst of an encounter, an old man, facing the whole world, doing his number 1. Were it to be a young boy doing that, would I have beaten him? I think would. Just like a hadith when one of the Bedouin stood up and started urinating by the masjid while the prophet (SAW) and his companions were sitting. This annoyed them and they stood to beat him up but with his mercy, he halted them and allowed the man to finish up…….and so the hadith goes.

Now came the day of the maulid, embracing us with the beautiful warmth that we had been waiting for. The village having witnessed so many people from different parts of the country was ready to give its own share back to those who have come to take from it. Here, the Maulid is not really celebrated the way it is done in Syria and other parts of the world. It’s a bit unique and worth witnessing.

People finished observing the maghrib prayer, going outside the masjid to have their seats, with mats widely spread outside and the middle part left unoccupied. Men sitting in a circular position while the women sit behind them. The shuyukh sat while their students were either beside or behind them sitting. They started with the regular Tijaaniyyah tariqah wadheefah which is done in a solo way here. While they started this, I hurriedly ran to the big masjid to see what they had there, they were busy reciting some hizbs from the Qur’an after which the Wadheefah will start then chanting verses of praises. I sat for the hizb for some minutes, ran home for oxygen then returned to the Shaykh’s masjid. Shortly after my arrival was the recitation of some amazing poems by some students. At the end of every poem comes the dua of the Shaykh and so they continued. While the verses are so beautiful and worth reflecting upon, I left the Shaykh’s masjid for the Jumu’ah masjid where the chanting of some poems was going on. I prefer the Jumu’ah masjid because the chanting is done with full energy and vigour unlike the former. I was able to record a little portion of the beautiful rhymes. After the chanting, we prayed the ‘Eshaa prayer then I left again for the shaykh’s masjid. On reaching there, the village Khateeb was reading some beautiful pages of hadith and seerah of the Prophet(SAW).

The reading took some time which followed up with a lengthy dua by the Shaykh then came a close of the ceremony. People followed the Shaykh to his house where another gathering was been held. Discussion in the Mauritanian dialect, questions and answers, stories, and so on. The Shaykh sat for some time with his guests before leaving for his inner chambers.

At this point in time, my stomach was already complaining to me and needed me to attend to it. While I was still in the Shaykh’s house waiting, “Abu bakr” a voice called out to me asking me to join the already seated men waiting for dinner. I walked down, joined them in form and there came big bowls of delicious Kouskous and spaghetti and on top of these were ridges of meats. Mashaa ALLAH, I didn’t waste much time but ate to my fill. I left for my house late that night getting set to leave the village for the capital the next village.

Was it a sound sleep? No it wasn’t. It was hot with the food not well digested but the month has been so beautiful and nice to me. Indeed, the best of mankind is a mercy to the whole worlds and we have to reflect on this signs that we may not witness again.

Was sallaa ALLAHU ‘alayh wa aalihi was sallam.

Sisters studying in Mauritania

2010-01-23T12:58:00.000-08:00

BismiLLAH.

Several emails keep reaching me from different people asking numerous questions about studying in Mauritania. Some of them to mention a few are: can sisters study in Mauritania, can I study arabic in Mauritania, are there provisions for families coming from the west, what is the rent cost in the village?

Insha ALLAH, I will try to answer only few questions that keep reaching me and I hope my answers help.

Sisters studying in Mauritania.

In reality, less has been done to enable sisters study in Mauritania under the tutelage of these amazing Shuyukh. Well, not to blame the Shuyukh because the environment is even not to inviting for males not to mention about the females.

I have been able to speak to my teacher on this issue and I found out that before the solution was discussed, I found sisters studying in the village where I study at present.

Nabbaghiyyah for me is a place in Mauritania that is second to none. In terms of ilm and access to Shuyukh, this is the number one place to be in Mauritania unlike what you can find in other mahaadhir.

I know of two brothers who are presently here with their wives studying with the Shuyukh. One of the brothers has a daughter. Their wives are taking lessons from the wife of one of the shuyukh here. She woman is the daughter of one of the great Shuyukh here in the village before his demise last year.

I have another teacher here whose wife is very learned. She can as well give lessons to the sisters that desire to study under her tutelage.

Close to where I live is a Qur'anic school where young sisters are memorizing the Qur'an. Few sisters from the village gather there five days a week to read to one of the mothers in the village who champions the affairs of the sisters studying in the school.

Getting accomodation for sisters shouldn't be a problem as I can speak to my teacher on this. But proper arrangement has to be made before coming. Renting a house in the village with flowing tap water and VERY basic facilities could be made available. In Mauritania, you don't really need much. There are small shops in the village to get ones needs or pay someone who can be delivering ones need everyday.

As for children studying here, that is not a problem. I have seen many small boys studying Qur'an, fiqh and Nahwu here and they are doing very fine. Small boys read to advanced students what they have studied and they can take lessons directly from the Shuyukh if they understand arabic language. Small boys do memorize Qur'an in the same place young sisters memorize.

There is also a small primary and secondary school in the village. I have spoken to children who study there and I am amazed at the level of their arabic fluency and knowledge of the Islamic sciences. So parents can register their wards in these schools if they fear their children won't be able to study if they come with them.

As for things they study here. They study almost all the common sciences taught in every part of the Islamic schools. But the major prerequisite a student need to fulfill before studying here is to possess a sound knowledge of arabic before making a move to come here.

Sisters, brothers and children have access to basic human needs. And for those who want to buy the whole world with them will have to go to the capital, get themselves what they need and have it transported to the village by the drivers who travel to the village everyday.

Everyone can study in the village. There is no one to big to study here. I have heard so many people tell me that, you know I am from this country so it will be difficult for me to acclamatize to the environment. This is very untrue and I see this as an excuse or laziness to seek the knowledge that has be made obligatory upon us. We have seen people from some of the wealthiest countries, from wealthy families that have decided to sacrifice their dunya for their aakhirah and they came out outstanding while they were seeking this beautiful knowledge. There are others from rich countries that had nothing but came to these villages, spent years working as builders under difficult situations, toiling to survive and at the same time studying. These are the true men because their Himmah (zeal) was too high and nothing could have suppressed it. Back home, we sleep on wonderful foams, nice sofas but we are here sleeping on mats, blankets and we find them more comfortable than the beds. It is not that we can't afford good forms but we now find sweetness on these mats than sleeping on bouncing foams and beds. This is one amongst many that we have learnt from his beautiful tradition (SAW), his companions and the pious predecessors.

As for internet, you can get a connection if you have a laptop and subscribe to the chinquitel internet provider. Chinquitel is one of the mobile phone service providers in Mauritania. It is not too expensive depending on your pocket.

Expenses; It is not too expensive to live in Mauritania. If you choose to be studying in the village, then there is no cause to worry except for students who have chosen to be frequenting the city then you will end up spending more during your visitations. Traveling to the city should only be during the times of necessity.

Visa extention here is the easiest thing to do. All you need is get your visa from the border or from any of the closest Mauritanian embassies. No visas at the airport.

Students can also join unversity studies with the mahdhara programme together. Many students here are registered at the universities and take lessons from the Shuyukh in the villages. During examination days, they leave for the universities, write their exams then return back to the villages. Such students even do better than those who attend lectures in the universities daily.

My teachers also teach at the one of the universities in the capital, MA and PhD students. They leave the village during the weekends days (thursday and friday) when there are no lessons in the village, deliver their duties then return to the village at the end of the weekend.

Students can study at any time of the year. No formal registeration required or filling of application form.

No arabic institutes available to enable beginners to study arabic but for those at an intermediate and advanced levels, they can have start taking lessons from the Shuyukh with the later faring better than the former.

I have discussed with the my teacher, the son of the Shaykh of the school about the need to start an arabic institute for non-speakers and I have been given a go-ahead to start up with this project. We need people to share with us ideas, suggestions that will enable us realize this dream.

We also need contribution from brothers and sisters to start up the institute and in completion of the school mosque which will be used as the prayer room and where lessons will be taken.

I decided to hurriedly write this before leaving for the village today. I have no much time to correct my mistake or put my words well. I ask those whose questioned are yet to be answered to give me time. Insha ALLAH in the nearest future, I will put up a comprehensive write up to answer these questions.

Your duas for this slave in this path.

Wa salla ALLAHU 'ala HabeebiHi wa aalihi was sallam.

EID in Mauritania (Pictures)

2009-12-09T22:50:00.001-08:00

BismiLLAH

Was Salaatu Was Salaamu 'alayh wa 'ala Aalih.

Eid celebration in the Mauritanian capital for me is worth experiencing but I never knew it is more beautiful for it to be celebrated in the village. AlhamduliLLAH, I had the opportunity to enjoy a bit of the desert way of celebrating eid this time around.

Young boys in their new dira'ah walking to the praying ground for Eid .
The villagers and students watching the Eid Ram being slaughtered.
The small boy is the Shaykh's son (Zain al Abideen). I once called him Shaykh and he came, I kissed his hand then he said to me, my father Shaykh Bah is Shaykh al Kabeer, I am Shaykh al Sagheer. The man in the middle is from Saudi, a student of Shaykh As Sayyid 'Alawi al Maaliki and on the right end are AbdurRahman Fransi, Sufyan from Columbia and Abba one of the young teachers.
Beautiful little girl celebrating Eid. Masha ALLAH, she looks cute. She was wondering what we were doing with unknown things in front of her.
Masha ALLAH, after this moment it was yum yummy. I joined in tearing apart the front limb together with my friends. This Ram was the Shaykh's slaughter.
People waiting for solah to start with students of knowledge in front.
The crowd following the Shaykh to the praying ground. He is just like a king in this small village.
My friends getting ready to celebrate. We were in front of the Shaykh's house.
Very rare picture of the Shaykh (Muhammad Faal aka Baa) of the Mahdhara of Nabbaghiyyah coming out of his house leading the awaiting crowd to the praying ground.
'Siddiq' he said. Let us get ready properly for the picture then he pulled his son closer. What a wonderful man he is! Sidi AbduLLAH Hurma wuld Tamma is his name.
My friend AbdurRahman and Hasan: a shop owner selling some rams to us paid by my very dearest brother and friend sidi Irfaan.

These are few pictures taken by me in this small village: Nabbaghiyyah here in Mauritania where many students of knowledge are studying very hard.

WalhamduliLLAHI Rabbil 'aalamin.

Muslims' Use of Anti-Muslim/Islaam Labels.

2009-11-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

BismiLLAH

Allahumma salli wa sallim 'alayh.

Since the war on "terrorism" as they call it started years ago, some many words have been used to describe Muslims and different Islaamic groups. Some tend to sound appropriate but others are nothing to write about. Several years ago, people like Nelson Mandela was called a Terrorist but today he is now looked upon as an elder spokesman in his country and a world hero and human killers like Bush, Sharon and their allies are seen as Patriots, peacemakers, defenders of their countries and all the good titles.

Since I am not a fan of using all the so-called labelslike fundamentalist, Islamism, Militants, etc to address Muslims and groups, I have been on a very critical watch on how these words are inappropriately used. I was caught by surprise when the somali presidential election was held and the winner turned up to be Shaykh Sharif Ahmad who according to the west was considered as an Islamist, an extremist to the core. To make it clear before any depiction, I am not a supporter or fan of the president by all forms of ramification as I know " absolutely nothing" about him.

In the BBC report, it was said that the Moderate Islamist won the election. The area of focus now is the use of these two words " Moderate Islamist". To these people, they define the word Islamist as an extremist by all standards. Then bringing these two words together is like saying a man is standing but sitting or something is black but at the same time white or like a Shaykh once asked" is it possible for a woman who had a sexual relation with her husband to still remain a virgin?". As I learnt in my Logic (Mantiq) lessons with Shaykh Hasan Heeto, this kind of concept is impossible so there is a big conflict between them.

My question is, is there moderacy in extremism? Can these two go together as used? Because if one is not on one end, then he is on the other. I have tried to get a reasonable answer explaining this new label used by the BBC always to address this president but I still can't find an answer.

I just thought I may get contributions after reading another news from the BBC website and find this same worrying label and decided to put together these few lines.

And ALLAH alone knows best and upon HIM is our reliance and source of GUIDANCE.

Wa sallaa ALLAHU 'ala al Habeeb wa aalihi wa man qaama bi da'awatihi ilaa yaum ad deen.

LEAVING SHAAM FOR MAURITANIA

2009-11-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

BismiLLAH

Wa salla ALLAHU ala Habeebihi wa aalihi wa sallam I felt pains in me looking at the faces of my friend, thinking of leaving them for Mauritania. Shaam has been my home since I left my country home and Mauritania is another place I really consider my home. Last year, I left Shaam straight for Mauritania, spending some months with my teachers and visiting venerable scholars before returning straight to Shaam. For me, it was like pain leaving behind some beautiful and wonderful people for another sweet family.

Before my previous departure from Shaam to Mauritania, I contacted Shaykh Gibril Haddaad who in his email replied that; there must be a great Aalim taking you away from the company of Shaykhunaa Muhammad al Yaqubi but all the best, study hard and take much ilm from the Shuyukh with much emphasis on the arabic language.

No doubt, leaving the gatherings of Shaykhunaa for an eye blink is what I don't like to do. I really enjoy the Shaykh's company and love to be with him always which is impossible. He treats me like a son and student, with good words he uses to describe me even if I am not deserving of them.

AlhamduliLLAH, my first departure from Shaam to Mauritania was wonderful. I had the opportunity to study real texts with top scholars well bred in these beautiful sciences and made them my friends, fathers and teachers. I was given extra -treatment by the Shaykh of the school and was given special preference over other foreign students. This is not because I am deserving of the nice treaments or I am better than the other students but because ALLAH has blessed me to meet the right people who understand my mistakes and how they will be corrected.

I also had the privilege to meet amazing people one-on-one like Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Habib Ali, Shaykh bin Bayyah, Sidi Fuad Nahdi, etc. The later who always gave my friends and I tough time with beautiful jokes. Sidi Fuad has always been someone I appreciate because of my immense love and respect for his uncle Prof. Ali Mazrui. Mazrui who is indeed an eloquent speaker, an author, a political scientist, an orator of the highest calibre and a great thinker did really nail a positive impact in my life.

I had the time to joke with Shaykh Hamza over I email I sent to him that took three days to complete a year before he responded. We took pictures and I apologized over the way I approached him. My full love for him as ALLAH has used him to be a source of guidance for me and many others in following the footsteps of HIS most beloved (SAW).

My friend Abdul MalikFransi, Ibrahim Britaani, sidi Fuad, Sidi Yusuf Casewit amreeki and myself had nice time in Shaykh bin Bayyah's house having been hosted by Shaykhna the son of Bin Bayyah. Amazing carmel meat we ate until I had no space to fill in. My friend Abdul Malik will say, ya Akhi, grab the bones.

I also visited Shaykh Murabit alHajj and had the opportunity to read to the Shuyukh there and asked Murabit for his duas. I would sit with him and massage his legs and sometimes rub his beards. He would look at me and turn his face. Always on his back asking if it was time to pray.

My other great experience was sitting with Shaykh Muhammad Hasan al Khadim, the commentator of the translated book by Shaykh Hamza, Purification of the hearts. He is one of a kind, a master of the sciences who never gets tired teaching. After spending all this wonderful time in Mauritania, I thought it was high time I returned to Syria to meet my once left family and also to benefit from the gatherings of Shaykhunaa al Ya'qubi. Shaykh was already informed of my coming and was expecting to see this sinful slave. I couldn't imagine myself leaving these men here to Syria but it had to happen that way.

My return to Syria was welcomed by giving bribe at the airport and someone stealing my laptop the same day of my arrival with all the datas and information I brought from Mauritania leaving me. Was it a bad omen? ALLAH knows best. Shaykhunaa who received me well gave assurance that all was well. I had the opportunity to spend another year again in Syria, getting an advanced diploma from an arabic institute even if it wasn't necessary, read small books and also meeting more people. My major experience was my surgery I had shortly after Eid and my love and thanks to all those who shared with me in my times of pains, need, etc.

It was also a honour for me to receive my teacher from Mauritania Shaykh Muhammad Faal who I made to have a meeting with Shaykhunaa al Ya'qubi. Shaykhunaa having heard of the strength of my Mauritanian teacher in the science of hadith was happy to receive him. My friends visited him and took nasihas from him. My lovely friend sidi Waathiq was able to read the 40 hadith of Imaam Nawawi to him and his book was signed by the Shaykh.

After my stay here, I thought it was high time I made a choice of either staying in Syria or leaving for Mauritania. Thanks to Sidi Irfaan, my brother that has no equal who suggested this to me. AlhamduliLLAH, Shaykhunaa welcomed my intention and gave me permission to leave and also extend my salaams to my family especially my brother Abdul Qaadir who kept sending him text messages should incase I go visiting them three years after my leaving home.

On 8th November came the day I had to leave Syria for Mauritania. With no direct flight to Mauritania meaning a transit in Tunisia. Many of my friends in my house, four hours to my departure my bags are yet to be ready, so silly I was but my excuse was 50% acceptable. So many offered me lunch, dinner, etc but I had to accept some and disappoint others. Those who also disappointed me the day before my departure but what can a miskeen like me say.

Due to the small spaces in the car, only three of my friends had to follow me to the airport. Without asking, sidi Waathiq is ever there to see me through. We left for the airport as I was the last person to board the plane. Shaykhunaa al Ya'qubi was also behind me coming since he was traveling to Turkey for some lectures. It took me minutes before I went through the unecessary procedures and quarelling with the TunisAir officials who wouldn't succumb to a reasonable bargain over my extra luggage. Collecting from me over $500 was what they demanded and I was being good and nice enough to offer $300 but the old man who called himself a Shaykh refused. I had to be a man here even if I was still worried that I might lose the flight.

I begged this old man to assist me in lifting my bags up to the scale because I am not supposed to carry something heavy due to my surgery that I am still recuperating from but the oldman bluntly told me NO. Ajeeb! Then came the young lady weighing my bag with her shouting and complains that I couldnt understand. She accused me of not being able to speak arabic but on the contrary.

Well I managed to finish up with these people and move straight to the immigration desk. Do I have to tell lies that I came to syria for Tourism instead of studies. Well, I wont worry myself this time around because I am leaving. I happened to give him sweet words and there I go to join the rest in the plane.

I met another woman going to the same village in Mauritania where I will be staying and I was already informed by the Shaykh's son in-law to take care of her during our flight. I think she knew her ways better than me when we arrived the Tunisian airport. Been on my seat, I decided to speak to my friends and send text messages before taking off. Ofcourse, I called sidi Waathiq first who passed the phone to Shaykhunaa and I spoke to him asking for duas then he passed it to sidi Muhammad Omari who will always be joking with me. And to GOD be the glory, I said bye to Syria.

Arriving Tunisia airport was me and feverish feeling due to a bath a had in Syria before leaving. Now more signs were manifesting and I started feeling weak. My bag, big al Jilaani's tafsir and insect killer with me bearing a weird name "MUDAMMIR" meaning Destroyer. A young lady was scanning us to see those carriers of any sort of illness and I felt I may be asked to stand aside for HIN1 because of my strange feelings. Tunisia's government disallowed hajj this year because of this virus so I got worried as this lady was using a kind of machine. Not bad, I scaled through.

Immigration in Tunisia always known for notorious act and this will be my second time they will be stepping on my feet. The lady greeted me in french, I responded then changed to english and I reciprocated and later whispered to the man behind in the colloquial arabic form which I picked little. Accusing me of not wanting to speak or answer her question, from there I hit the nail on the head. I was asked to stay aside for further investigation. I wasn't worried as I was not entering Tunisia and besides, I have my Mauritanian visa with me. Anyway, we later became pals and chatted our areas of disagreement.

I remained at the airport for almost a day before departing for Mauritania. It was a nice flight as I was listening to a beautiful recitation from the Qur'aan from one of the Shuyukh of Zaytunah Mosque. We arrived Mauritania after an hour flight delay and it was, hmm, in the old and undescribable airport that looks like a slum dog pitch. Immigration was straight forward and time to get my bags but unfortunately, my bags didn't arrive.I had to register my yet to arrive bags at the lost and found office then get out of the airport. My Sudani friend studying in his master's degree at the Shinqiti university was there waiting for me. What a nice brother he is! I met him during my days in the village. He immediately took me to a restaurant to eat and from there, I left to change some money before rushing to a hotel. It was alomost mid-night but it looked like morning to me. I was feeling like being home again.

Straight to the hotel, I met the young receptionist who is a friend and he showed me straight to my bed. I prayed and had a good sleep with wonderful, sweet mosquito bites. In the morning, I looked at the mosquitoes in my net, singing their irritating music in their pregnant state, moving around with my sucked blood.

I took to the city to use the internet and pray in the saudi masjid. How nice it feels like to be back! Looking the streets, you see men and women urinating openly by the sides of cars, walls, etc, dirty streets, and in the mosques, hearing the Mauritanian style of loud Shouting of TAKBIR at the opening of Solah(not Maalilki style to shout too loud). From all of these, I said to myself, welcome back to Mauritania.

Still here waiting for my bags to arrive, I feel so anxious to leave for the village to meet my teachers who are already expecting me. I walk the whole streets, stay in the masjid and my hotel, go use the internet and get tired all in the name of waiting for my bags. I hope I don't miss anything from the bags if ALLAH brings them to me. I say alhamduliLLAH as I expect my friend tonight coming from france for the village as he joins me in the hotel.

As solaatu was Salaamu daa'imaini mutalaazimaini ilaa yaum ad deen. Wa alhamduliLLAHI Rabbil 'aalamin.

It Happened Again In SYRIA (SHAAM)

2009-10-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

A picture of the Shaykh few months ago.

BimiLLAH
Allahumma Salli 'ala Sayyidinaa Muhammad wa aalihi wa sallam.
Indeed it has happened again in Syria just after the recent one that happened. Syria cries, the Ulamaa shed tears, the students are sad and the heaven is glad to welcome one of its occupants.

I once posted on the passing away of Shaykh Abul Hasan al Kurdi (RA) who was one of the greatest Syrian Reciters and at the end of my post I asked, who will be next...

It didn't take too long for my question to be answered as we witnessed reality today. Today, is another day that we should print on our hearts because it is a day that we should start reflecting AGAIN on the hadith of the best of mankind ('alayhis salaatu was salaam) when he said "Truly, Allah does not remove Sacred Knowedge by taking it out of servants, but rather by taking back the souls of Islamic scholars [in death], until, when He has not left a single scholar, the people take the ignorant as leaders, who are asked for and who give Islamic legal opinion without knowledge, misguided and misguiding" (Fath al-Bari, 1.194, hadith 100).

As the angel of death visited one of the houses of knowledge today, he took the soul of our teacher, Allaamah, Shaykh ad dunya, Al Faqih Adeeb al Kallaas. His janaazah was read at the Ommayah masjid where so many shuyukh and people all over Syria and outside came to join in.

Shaykh Muhammad Saamir An Nass spoke about this great Shaykh who was his teacher and praised him in the highest form reminding people how he felt when he last visited him after the Shaykh stopped teaching due to his illness. So beautiful put when he said, " he stopped giving external classes but didn't stop giving lessons on the knowledge of the internal science by sitting with him"

One of the speakers said, " Shaykh Adeeb al Kallaas was the Haashiyah of Ibn 'Aabideeen, he was someone to return to on issues of aqeedah, Nahw, Sarf, and any science we can think of"

Shaykh Kurayyim Raajih was also amongst those who spoke after the janaazah and some of those who were present were Shaykh Abdul Lateef Farfur, Shaykh Muhammad al Ya'qubi, Shaykh Sa'eed Burhani.

Shaykh Adeeb Al Kallaas was a close friend of Shaykh Abdur Razzaq al Halabi as they bought sought knowledge together.

may ALLAH grant him one of the best abodes in HIS paradise and join him with HIS belove Prophet (SAW).

Please read Surah al Faatihah for our late Shaykh and Ikhlas and for those who can do more, may ALLAH reward you in both worlds with the best of blessings.

Was salaamu alaykum.

Special Iftaar moment with Shaykhuna Muhammad al Ya'qubi

2009-09-17T05:08:00.000-07:00

Shaykhunaa and the brothers giving little lesson during Iftaar

Sidi Waathiq at the extreme left end and sidi Zaahir with the moroccan gown

The first gathering with Shaykhunaa where many attended.

Shaykh Ahmad Khateeb in front of Shaykhuna discussing.

Shaykhunaa by my right hand side.

BismiLLAH.

Wa salla ALLAHU 'ala sayyidinaa Muhammad wa aalihi wa sahbihi wa sallim

Many will agree with that spending the whole of Ramadhan without his/her family is something not hoped for because of its boringness. For me, it has almost become a part of me and an accepted state. For the last three Ramadhan, I have not had the opportunity of spending the wonderful nights, eating delicious iftaari with my family and sitting in my local masjid to observe the taraweeh solah which makes me feel nostalgic. This is because, I left my country to seek the knowledge that will make me understand more about the importance and position of Ramadhan in the lives of Muslims. AlhamduliLLAH, so far so good, it has given me different taste of culture during this month of spirituality from the desert of Mauritania down to the blessed city of Shaam.

After all said, it will be nice to mention that in Ramadhan, there are still some rarities that I cannot regret experiencing being away from my family and will wish for if I were to be with them. Among these rarities is spending a beautiful moment with the people of ALLAH, those who are recognized in the celestial realm, those whose presence only but reminds us of the Mightiness of ALLAH and the statues of HIS beloved Prophet (SAW).

As I start by sharing this beautiful experience that cannot really be put in words except by real experience, I wish and still hope that this same opportunity will come again.

I was duly informed by the Khaadim (sidi Hishaam) of our teacher that our Shaykh, the examplar of the Prophetic sunnah, the grand son of the best of mankind, As Sayyid Muhammad al Ya'qubi will be having Iftaar with the brothers in one of the old restaurants situated in the old Damascus city, I couldn't but wait anxiously to spend that moment with him. The day came and passed and how happy was I!

But it didn't end there when the second invitation reached me again that the Shaykh will be having another Iftaar gathering with the brothers in the same restaurant and this was the climax of it all. I will leave the first meeting untouched but write little about the second meeting that still rings a bell of memory in my head.

After taking a taxi that alighted me in the old city via the old hamidiyyah market, people were already getting into the restaurant while I saw Shaykh Ahmad Khateed a student of Shaykhuna who signaled to me to enter the restaurant. We entered and climbed up where the Shaykh was already seated. We went forward to give him salaams immediately we saw his ever illuminating face. As I went to give him salaams and kissed him, he called my name and asked me to sit on the chair beside him. I was shocked and left in confusion. Just like others heard the Shaykh saying that to me, I know they wished they had such request from the Shaykh.

Not knowing what to do, I tried to walked behind him to sit somewhere else while people were giving the Shaykh salaams but the Shaykh still motioned to me to sit on the sit beside him. He even went to the extent of pulling the chair out in his ever humble way. I wasn't worried or ungrateful to be offered the privilege to sit beside the Shaykh but was caught by surprise and shock as different thoughts came running on my mind.

If I sit by the Shaykh while the iftaar goes on, it means I have to eat like a true student of knowledge; with adab, little, no noise, no excessive movement and must not speak except when necessary. On the other hand, all my thoughts may not be correct so I decided to walk forward to sit on the seat already pulled out by Shaykhuna.

I sat on this chair like the most innocent student of knowledge on earth which is quite the opposite of me. While so many things busied my thoughts, the Shaykh then turned to me and said to me that he got my message. From then, he mentioned to me all I need to do and discussed with me the subject of the message I sent. How happy I was and started feeling a bit comfortable but the Nur in him was so strong that my small sinful body couldn't absorb it.
People came giving salaams, Shaykh responding and introducing me to some and mentioning me to some. Masha ALLAH, the first time I felt so special even if I am not.

The Athaan was read and Iftaar started, the Shaykh serve my glass with drinks, pushed the tray of dates to my front and we began the adventure of the most pleasant Iftaar ever spent. When I looked at the positions of other brothers, I saw my ever wonderful friends sidi Waathiq and Waseem at my opposite ends. The former was about to start filing his stomach after the whole day fast without food when the Shaykh motioned to him that we will continue after solah. Sidi Waathiq missed the last Iftaar before this because he was in UK having so much of his Mum's Biryanis, semosas and curries. Sidi Waseem and I had the last Iftaar organized by the Shaykh together where I had my best bites. He asked me to eat well since I won't have this at in my house because I have no wife. His word was so correct and I did fill in all the possible spaces available in my stomach.

After the maghrib solah led by the Shaykh in a small space made available in the restaurant for solah, we returned back to the tables where food was served. Take as much food as you like no one cares but I was still worried that sidi Waseem's last advice will not work this time around since I was sitting by the Shaykh.

On the contrary, the Shaykh was continuously serving my plate with different foods and I was eating without fears. It got to the brim when I tried to be a true student, I stopped having more food. Shaykhuna looked at me and called me by name asking me to have more, the little grin on my face showed that I was getting too satisfied but before I knew, Shaykhuna took out a big thigh of a chicken and placed it on my plate asking me to eat. Very nice when he said, " when I was at your age, I ate more than you but due to travels, I eat less and we now practice the life of zuhd". The two Shuyukh and those who heard what the Shaykh said smiled.

It didn't end there when the Shaykh started sharing some beautiful jokes that happened beautiful some of the grammarians and poets. That aided in digesting our foods and gave us opportunity to learn more.

Wonderful moment it was and came to an end when we all had to leave for the Eshaa and taraweeh solah. Shaykh Ahmad Khateed a student of Shaykhuna is an Imaam of a masjid neighboring the restaurant where Iftaar was held. Those who left for their favourite places for taraweeh left while others who wanted to enjoy the complete presence with the Shaykh remained. We entered the masjid prayed the eshaa and taraweeh and Shaykhuna ended it with a beautiful three rak'ah solah and duas.

When I was about leaving for my destination, the Shaykh called out at me again, hand on my back and discussed with me the subject of my message sent to him. He never leaves the students of knowledge wondering on how their problems could be solved but join in taking care of their affairs and well being.

What a day! Obviously a nice tahajjud and dream will sum it up. Will there be more of this before the ending of the blessed month? I hope and pray for one.

You reading, why not come to Shaam next year during ramadhan to experience this beautiful moment with Shaykhuna. Don't mind how much it will cost you for a flight even if the credit crunch has affected those it affected. It is worth a trip.

Your duas for this ill slave. I love you all.
Wa salaamULLAHI alaynaa ajma'een.

Ramadan Wishes with Love

2009-08-24T04:10:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH
wa salla ALLAHU 'ala Habeebihi al Mustafa wa aalihi wa sahbihi ajma'een.

Ramadhan is here again. How are you spending your time in this blessed month?
My dear friend said to me: hey shaykh, if you are not with your Qur'aan reading then your bead should be with you by remembering ALLAH.

I am here in the beautiful city of Shaam wishing my dear brothers and sisters all the best in this month of mercy, the month the Qur'aan was revealed, the month that you can get so many hasanaat just because of something good you have done and you see as small.

Make your Qur'aan your husband and wife, let your beads be your children, share smiles with people, give charity, help the oppressed and remember the ummah in your duas.

Do not frequent your masjid only in the first days of ramadhan but continue in this act till the end as there are more barakaats at the end of this month.

Wishing you all the best in this month, remember this sinful slave in your duas and my beloved Aunty who passed away two days before Ramadhan.

Wa salaamu ALLAHI alaykum.

The HEART of SYRIA bleeds again.

2009-08-08T13:19:00.001-07:00

BismiLLAH.
Allahumma salli wa sallim 'ala sayyidinaa wa maulaanaa Muhammad.

Bukhari relates the sahih, rigorously authenticated hadith that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
"Truly, Allah does not remove Sacred Knowedge by taking it out of servants, but rather by taking back the souls of Islamic scholars [in death], until, when He has not left a single scholar, the people take the ignorant as leaders, who are asked for and who give Islamic legal opinion without knowledge, misguided and misguiding" (Fath al-Bari, 1.194, hadith 100). This hadith also proves one of the signs of the end time.

In the last three years, Syria which is known to be a center of Islamic learning because of the presence of top scholars is now seeing the hikmah behind this beautiful narration. The likes of Shuyukh: Habanakah, Shaykh 'Abideen, Ahmad Habbal, Shukri, Mustafa Turkmani, AbdurRahman Shaghuri, Saalih al Hamawi and many more have passed away just within this short period of time.

Just last night, it was announced of the passing away of the great scholar of Qur'aan both in recitation and exegesis, Fiqh and other sciences Ash Shaykh Muhyiddeen al Kurdi aka Abu Hasan. He was one of the seven top scholars of qiraat and tajweed. His janaazah was held today at the Umawi masjid after asr solah where thousands of people were there to say farewell to him as he left for the next abode. He was buried in the blessed cemetary of bab al Sagheer.

His student Shaykh Na'eem 'Araksusi, the Khateeb of Jaami'a al Eeman while speaking about him after the funeral said " he never heard the Shaykh talking about dunya except that he wished to be amongst those who will recite the Qur'aan in the heavens as it was recited beautifully in the dunya....al hadith.

The Khaadim (sidi Hishaam) of Shaykhuna Muhammad al Ya'qubi while addressing us in his shop after the funeral said, " When Shaykh Shaghuri described the late Shaykh, he said he loved and said nothing but Kamaal".

Shaykh Kurayyim Raajih while speaking said "When the Shaykh was alive, he was like a stranger amongst many people but his funeral was indeed marked by even a commoner. It is as if we celebrate his departure from this sinful world with so many attending his funeral"....Indeed this is the state of the ummah.

While we cry over this create loss, are we ready to miss another great scholar in few days or months? It is high time we started reflecting on some of these clear signs.

May ALLAH makes us be among the righteous ones and preserve our ulamaa so that we can all benefit from them.

Was sallaLLAHU 'ala Habeebi al Mustafaa wa aali baitihi wa ashaabihi ajma'een.

Pictures of the Janaazah will be posted soon insha ALLAH

Shaykh Akhtar: The grandson of Shaykh Ahmad Raza Khan

2009-05-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.
Being a lover of what people call the BARELWI school or I say been a lover of the scholarship of our great Imaam and Shaykh: Ahmad Raza Khan, I have taken time to study and read some of his works in addition to having wonderful friends from this school. I once in a while joke with my too good and dearest friend that he has BARELWISED me.

In past discussions, I have had the privilege to be told about his grand son Shaykh Akhtar who is indeed a living Wali of our time, an 'Aalim of the Islamic sciences and a Shaykh of another brother. I even went ahead to collect his address in India if there is need to visit him in future.

AlhamduliLLAH, I didn't need to travel the distance to see this man who is himself like what I have read about his grand father Shaykh Ahmad Raza. While I was in my friend's house, I got a call from one of the Pakistani brothers whose father is a Mufti informing me of the arrival of the Shaykh to Damascus (2nd May, 2009). Not wasting much time, I informed my dear friend Waathiq, got home, got my Shawaal Khaamis on (arabic: Sirwaal and Qamees) given to me by my house mate just to blend with the crew visiting the Shaykh. Even if I can't speak URDU, I can say teeke or apka marzi.

No need to mention how the whole trip went. in summary, it was indeed a moment of RUHANIYYAH for me. Meeting a living WALI, his face illuminating, full of Nur, sharing with us some words of naseeha and making duas for us. I couldn't help but hold the Shaykh's hand several times. When my friend introduced me to him in URDU mentionining my name and saying he loves RIZVIS, he said MASHA ALLAH. Do not ask me how I understood what he told him.

AlhamduliLLAH, we ended up praying solah al 'ishaa with the Shaykh who led the prayer. Masha ALLAH, what a good recitation!

As his Muqaddam said to me when we entered the house where the Shaykh received us, " you didn't travel to India but the Shaykh has come to visit you". Ya Salaam.

Wa alhamduliLLAHI RABB al 'aalamin.

The passing away of a great woman: MARYAM

2009-04-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.

Innaa liLLAHI wa inna ilayhi raaji'uun.
Recently, I posted an email sent to me by a friend informing me of the ill-state of the wife of Murabit al Hajj.

Just few minutes ago, I got an email below from an American brother who we studied together in mauritania. Below is the email:

Assalaamu alaykum.
Please keep the wife of Murabital Hajj In your duas and ask Allah to open All doors for Her to Jannah. I was told she passed away yesterday by Mustafa bn Ahmed Faal.

SUBHANALLAH, the last time I saw her, she was indeed in good health pouring fresh milk into bowls for students of knowledge. Now she is gone. Indeed, the village has missed someone very great and supportive.

If we do a khatm for her, it won't be a bad idea.
Was salaam.

Speaking to an Atheist.

2009-04-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.
Salla ALLAHU 'ala Sayyid al khalq.

This is not really an important topic but I felt there is need sometimes to share with people some beautiful experiences and encounters of life. It is said, "life is an adventure full of journeys and in these journeys, you come across so many things."

Speaking to an Atheist as the subject says above is an encounter I had some days back in school. For years, I have read books written by atheists, seen them on TV interviews, hear people speak about their experiences with them but my first time to see one in true life and have some words with him was indeed to me a great surprise, ALLAHU akbar.

I won't go into details on how I got to know he is an atheist or where I met him, what we discussed, etc but just to let us know and reflect on this ni'mah that ALLAH has blessed us with without struggle, efforts or choice which is Islaam. This person is someone I love to be with when I go to his class to take lessons if my teacher is not in school and I sometimes sit with him.

In my study days in Mauritania, some thing interesting happened. An encounter that leaves me laughing whenever I remember it. Speaking to the small boys in the village was sometimes a thing I love because you improve your language and get to learn some new things. It was from that movement one of them spoke about seeing a non-Muslim.

In a conversation, one of them said, " I saw a non-Muslim today with astonishment and big surprise on his face". When he was asked where, how and when, he couldn't reply straight ahead as he was left surprised and amazed. His response was, so many of them. Again he repeated, I saw them, sooooooo many.

The question went to him again, where did you see them and how? He said, they were very plenty, 20 of them. On the TV. Do not laugh at this as you read because you don't know how they feel. For me at that moment it was stupid thing to say because have many non-Muslims as friend and we have eaten in either my house or theirs but as reflecting and reading about this, I tried to understand how this little boy's feeling was and put myself in his shoes.

The question is, is it a ni'mah from ALLAH for one not to have around him non-Muslims that create fitna, etc or seeing them and make you reflect on ALLAH's blessing for making you a Muslim but still without you understanding or ponding on this beautiful gift and treasure that ALLAH has blessed you with?

Think and ask those who know about this you will indeed learn some thing new.

I leave you with this food for thought, " all we get is not by our power and might but by ALLAH's rahma upon us"

Was salaam

Muraabit al Hajj's wife

2009-03-28T07:11:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.
An email just reached me informing me that the wife of the living Wali Murabut al Hajj is ill. She is a woman of taqwa and love. The last time I was at Murabit al Hajj's small village, I was overwhelmed by her ways. As old as she is, weak skin but strong heart, she would stay close to the tent of her old husband in the evening pouring fresh milk into bowls of different sizes milked from their cows for students.

Below is the email that I got.

As-salamu alaykum,
Maryam is very ill at the school. She went to Nouakchott but then returned to taganit and the doctors didnt have hope for trying to treat her. Whoever is able from amongst us alumni/vistors to call it would be really good. We all know that she is an integral part of the school and losing her is going to change a lot of things. Make dua for ease for her and her family and the students. Below is the Thuraya phone number and some sites for calling cards. A phone call is the least we can do to show our concern. If you cant, sending a text through the Thuraya website is free (http://services.thuraya.com/sms.html) . Just plug in the following number. If you can, type the text msg in Arabic as there isnt anyone there who speaks english. If you dont have arabic keyboard, heres a site where you can type with it (http://www.tero.co.uk/magictyper/arabic.php). You can just cut and paste the message. Now, with all this, nobody has an excuse not to contact the Tulba during this time of hardship for them. Also, pass this message on to any other alumni that you notice arent in the email list. 88-216-333-05-270. (from the USA, you have to add 011)$32 phone card that will give you 27.5 minuteshttp://store.sattransusa.com/thu-cfh.html$70 phone card that gives you 55 minuteshttp://www.humanedgetech.com/shop/product.php?productid=130&cat=8&page=1

ALLAH be with us all as we show concern to those who show great concern to students of knowledge and care so much for the ummah's affair.
Was salaam

Maulid with Shaykh Muh'd al Ya'qubi in Damascus Part 2

2009-03-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH

Wa salla ALLAHU 'ala sayyidina Muhammad wa aalihi wa sallam.

I don't know if it's right for me to say part two of the recent maulid gathering that our beloved venerable teacher, As sayyid Muhammad al Ya'qubi honoured or I say this is the continuation of the end of the beginning. Anyway that doesn't really matter as the focus is about the Maulids in Damascus.

I was about writing on the Maulid in the masjid where Shaykhuna delivers his khutbah but the one I left some minutes back has forced me to skip it till another posting insha ALLAH. Amazing as it is always. This time around, I won't say Shaykhuna was fantastic and amazing as usual but BEYOND AMAZING. Shaykhuna was doing what he knows how to do best.

Although I reached the masjid of Shaykh al Akbar Ibn Arabi where the Maulid was held because I went to visit my ever wonderful friend sidi Waathiq who is not feeling too well. I had to spend some time with him and also force him to keep me company as we attend the maulid together. Reaching the masjid shortly after Maghrib was the speech of Shaykhuna occupying all corners of the masjid and the busy market with the mixture of rainful.

I don't know if the masjid was vibrating due to the wonderful speech of Shaykhuna or due to the loudness of the speakers. Indeed the former was the reason behind the vibration. The Shaykh himself was vibrating and was more than the way I used to know him. The speech carried me up and I couldn't return. Even my rock-like heart this time around tried to melt a bit to the wonderful admonition coming from the Shaykh's mouth.

The lessons: People in our time now mention the few last ayahs of surah al Kahf to justify or prove that the Prophet(SAW) is just but a man like every other man, SubhanALLAH. In the Shaykh's words he said that the implication of this word is like equating him to the non Muslims because they are also like every other persons.

But looking from several ahaadith reported in the major books the Prophet(SAW) mentioning how he could see what is behind him like he sees what is in front, how he could hear sounds from the heavens but none amongst the companions could, how his saliva was shifaa when he spat on the eyes of Imaam Ali (RA) and it healed his problem with his eyes, how his sweat was more than a scent and perfume that was used by Umm Salamah(RAH) to mix in the perfumes of the younger ones, and so many more.

Is it this the same being that you they claim is the same like every other being? Indeed this question needs no answer. If we say in the sense of human specie, na'am he was because he was born by woman from the meeting of a man, he ate, married, etc.

I just can't mention everything in order not to make you all feel that you have missed. My day is indeed so wonderful and I hope to go have a very good night rest.

Naseehah from this slave, be with the righteous ones.

Was salaam

Recent Maulid with Shaykh Muh'd al Ya'qubi in Damascus.

2009-03-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

Towards the ending of the maulid in Jaami'a al Taubah At the peak of the Maulid. Shaykhuna al Ya'qubi, Shaykh Husaam ud Deen

BismiLLAH.
Wa salaatu wa salaam ‘ala khairi a’alaam wa aalihi wa saHbihi wa sallam.

SubhanALLAH, it only happens once in every year just like Ramadhan, few take the opportunity to benefit from it, some let it go pass them then they realise what they have missed. Indeed, it is almost leaving us again and none knows if he/she will see it again.

The month of Rabi’ul awwal is the month the Prophet(SAW) was born and also the month his ruh was taken for the next abode. This month, marks a great significance in our lives. A Shaykh asked: if the Prophet(SAW) wasn’t born, what would the world be like? How? The answer is indeed very clear as there is no need to start explaining.

AlhamduliLLAH in Damascus, the month of Rabi’ul awwal is felt by all. In the market places, mosques, schools, etc. The twelfth day which marks the birth of the best of creations is well celebrated. You see the lights shining everywhere, the mosques are full vibrating to the sound of anasheed, sweets shared around and lectures about his birth and significance in our lives are given.

I was again privileged to spend some of these beautiful moments with the venerable scholar, Allaamah As Sayyid Muhammad al Ya’qubi. While I was reading some pages on grammar from my Alfiyyah ibn Maalik leaning on my pillow as learnt from the Shama’il Muhammadiyyah taught by Shaykhuna, a called reached me informing me that Shaykhuna will be attending a Maulid in Jaami’a al Ihsaan alongside other Shuyukh where he will also give a talk. The mosque is a place I had never been to but know that Shaykh Maahir Hindi is a Khatib over there. Shaykh Maahir is a good friend of Shaykhuna.

Without any delay, I accepted to go there with my ever wonderful friend Waathiq before maghrib. We took off and arrived the venue after maghrib. We missed our way and were forced to keep asking and searching till we arrived. We stayed till after ‘eshaa when the masjid became full. Shuyukh and people coming in with anaasheed making the masjid to vibrate from all corners.

Shortly was the arrival of Shaykuna who hurriedly prayed his two rak’ah salaam to the masjid close to the entrance of the mosque and took to his seat. He was immediately called forward to give a short talk. As usual, he did what he knows how to do best. His question, is the Prophet(SAW) the same like every other human just like contemporary Shuyukh say now?
After his talk, was the speech of Shaykh Husaam al Deen Farfur who also spilled the air with wonderful words of hikmah from his beautiful life (SAW). We stayed for almost two hours when it started raining. SubhanALLAH, I never knew that was the beginning of the day.

Shaykh left together with Shaykh Husaam al Deen in a different car leaving his car to us. Masha ALLAH, we got ourselves in and headed straight to Jaami’a a Taubah. Jaami’a al Taubah is a mosque where great Ulamaa taught and passed away; Ulamaa of the heart, jurisprudence, Hadith, sunnah, etc. You can smell the fragrance of great awliya that taught there before their demise in the masjid. Shuyukh were already on their seats. When I look straight finding myself a place to sit, I saw the bright illuminating face of Shaykhuna sitting and counting his Sibhah. How did he first us to the masjid, I wonder. The story of ahl ul Khutwah came to my mind. These were people who took few steps from a far distance to another distance. Believe it or not, our mutawaatir reports prove it.

While anasheed and Shuyukh where speaking, the masjid was still occupied by the fragrance of our late awliya. Great men of ALLAH were sitting at the front of the masjid. Shaykh Husaam al Deen gave a short talk after apologising for his late coming, he indeed starting to cry slowly. Oh my sinful soul, I couldn’t reflect deep on his beautiful words and admonition only then did I realise how strong my heart is like a rock.

Masha ALLAH, Shaykh Husaam al Deen for those who know him properly is a great Munshid. He knows very much how and when a particular kind of nasheed should be sung. Indeed he started giving us some beautiful mix from his collection. Very beautiful it was while Shaykhuna was rubbing him on his back. All went well through the night and the khatm dua was said by Shaykhuna. You could see how his hands were shaking. After the duas, people leaving to take barakah from the Shuyukh. I waited while Shaykhuna left the masjid then my friend and I followed. It was still raining showing that the day was indeed a blessed one.

We left straight for the Shaykh’s car waiting for others to come join us. Surprisingly I saw the Shaykh alighting from another car to join us. He took over the steering and so we zoomed off in the dark old market surrounding of old Damascus where Jaami’a al Taubah is located. The car felt the presence of the Shaykh when he started a different lesson on what tasawwuf is all about and wahdat al Wujuud. Describing in his word he said, it is taste, feeling and action. I remember asking a Shaykh to explain to me what it means, he said that it is a stage one reaches that cannot be described. It is like asking a blind man to explain to you how colour yellow is.

Shaykhuna after the short car lesson, asked me where will I be alighting. Masha ALLAH, how many of us have gotten such an opportunity to be driven by people of high maqaam and blessings. Indeed, this is not the only time that I have been blessed with the opportunity to be with Shaykhuna in his car, home or during a travel outside of Damascus. Our prayer always is that, ALLAH joins us with those HE Loves in the life and the next.

Verily, a day well spent should be a day written and recorded in our hearts. I can’t think of any other than share this beautiful experience of mind that cannot be expressed by writing. Celebrating the birth of ALLAH’s messenger is a blessing that we should always hope to acquire.

We pray for many more of such beautiful and eventful moments like the one I shared with you.
Walking back home after leaving my friend Waathiq, I realised that the maulid took us till past 1:00am. As I went to kiss Shaykhuna’s hand, Shaykhuna saying good night to us in a tone I imitate in my room: Ok sidi Abu Bakr, I hope you’re ok, everything fine, your studies ok.

This is just the end of the beginning as two maulids are still ahead: one in Shaykhuna’s masjid where he delivers Fridaykhutbah and the second in Shaykh al Akbar ibn Arabi’s masjid.
Was salaamULLAHi ‘ala khairi khalqi wa ‘alaykum bis salaam.

Ijaazah musalsal during the Shama'il Muhammadiyyah reading in Homs

2009-03-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.
Wa salla ALLAHU 'ala khayri Khalq, wa aalihi wa ashaabihi ajma'een.

Recently, I posted a short writeup and pictures on the interesting experience I had when I traveled to Homs to attend the reading of the Shamaa'il Muhammadiyyah by Maulana Shaykhuna Muhammad al Ya'qubi. I got a comment from an anonymous brother resquesting me to upload any available video from the gathering.

I have decided to upload the reading of the silsilah of hadith al Awwaliyyah that was giving to Shaykhuna Al Ya'qubi by the then Shaykh of Homs, the Faqih, Qaari and Shaykh of Tasawwuf: Allaamah Shaykh Abdul 'Aziz 'Uyuun al Suud. The late Shaykh was a friend of the father of Shaykhuna, Allaamah Sayyid, al Qutb, Shaykh Ibrahim al Ya'qubi (RA). He authorized Shaykh Muhammad on the famous hadith al Awwaliyyah and also on Qira'ah. Shaykhuna decided to read and authorize the attendees with that chain of narration in respect and love for the late Shaykh since he was in his home land.

Filming and pictures were not allowed but I stubbornly recorded and took some pictures just to keep memories. I couldn't film a long video since the camera was on my thigh and I was almost opposite the Shaykh. Insha ALLAH, more will be included.

Do not forget, return to the ways of the salaf is indeed our guidance and where is that? Ofcourse going "back to the root".

Was salaam.

Shama'il Muhammadiyyah Reading by Shaykh Muh'd al Ya'qubi

2009-03-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.
Wa salla ALLAHu 'ala Sayyid al Mursalin.
Sitting with Allaamah Sayyid Shaykh Muhammad al Ya'qubi is everything a student of knowledge should desire, dream and experience. Teaching the sunnah by someone who is himself an example of the Sunnah:The actions, demonstrations, words, looks, etc.
AlhamduliLLAH, I was given Ijaazah on the Shama'il Muhammadiyyah by this noble and erudite Shaykh and it happened that I got the second opportunity to get this ijaazah again in a different location. First was from the blessed city of Shaam and the other happened to be in HOMS (HimS).
Recently, I was called on phone by a student of the Shaykh informing me that Shaykhuna will be leaving for Homs to read the Shama'il Muhammadiyyah after solah al 'Eshaa. Without any delay, I spoke to my wonderful friend and brother sidi Waathiq who immediately confirmed his interest to attend the reading.

We got set to meet the rest of the brothers (old and young) at the masjid where the shaykh gives his friday sermon and teaches the book of Imam al Bayhaqi (Shu'b al eeman). We prayed Asr and waited for the cars to be set before our departure for the two hours thirty minutes drive. My friend and I stayed in Shaykhuna's car even if he didn't leave with us.
Hizb ul Bahr was read when the journey started, poetry was on air in the car while I was taking pictures. We arrrived Homs not long trying to locate the Khalid ibn Waleed's masjid (the same place where the noble Sahabah is buried). We got off the car while those waiting to receive us as the Shaykh's guest from Damascus were waiting. It didn't take us time to perform wudu and solah when we saw the shaykh surrounded by people leaving out of the masjid. I took some pictures, gave salaams to Khalid ibn Waleed and ibn AbduLLAH ibn Umar al Khattab (Radhi ALLAHU anhum), went round the masjid taking pictures. Masha ALLAH, that was my second time to visit the two maqaams.

We got out of the masjid without delays as dinner was waiting for us or we were waiting for dinner. Anyway, we took the lift and up we go to a well scented house where you could only see people immersed by the love of the Prophet (Salla ALLAHU alayhi was salaam). Their faces were full of anwaar illuminating in the room all sitting round the plates of delicious meals. I couldn't but start helping myself after the two voices asking me to sit.

While we were eating, some people were sitting around Shaykhuna benefitting from his ocean of ilm as he kept talking. I left my food with my glass of tea taking pictures of the beautiful gathering. I was indeed shown love been the only neutral person in the group (colour and race). The love increased after mentioning my name to one of those serving the meal when he shouted my name to the brothers.

Shortly after, the Shaykh and other brothers left in groups heading to the masjid where the reading of the Shama'il was taken place. We followed the convoy in the Shaykh's car full of his barakah. Arriving the masjid, solah started. People were making out for suitable places to sit before the reading could start. Masha ALLAH, my friend and I were called forward to sit opposite the Shaykh where special seats where made available for us. Walking from the last end of the masjid to the front was heart taking as all eyes where looking at us. I couldn't help myself but kept blinking my eyes a thousand times in a second and missing my steps with my bag hanging on my shoulder fallen of. Only if they knew who this sinful bro is, they would have thrown him out of the masjid. Duas were read, the solah and salaam followed with beautiful nasheeds to purify the night then Shaykhuna headed for his seat where his books were already set to be read. He started by reading the chain of the ijaazah again for the sake of those that missed the first day then telling them the importance of sanads, preservation of ilm, acting, etc. Reading started and the commentary giving people joy, excitement and succour in their hearts.

Shaykh would stress that peace and blessings should always be shouted when we hear the name of the best of mankind mentioned during the reading. After a very loud and one voice chanting, he said the pillars of the masjid felt the solawaat and so it continued. During the breaks, we had some tea, nasheeds and admonitions. The Shaykh was at his peak enjoying the reading and the students couldn't but submit themselves to increase their loves for the best of mankind. We read through the thursday night till friday morning when the khatm was held.

Not spending too much time, we gave salaams to those wanting to know who we are and where we came from. I couldn't imagine myself leaving those loving sights especially little brothers who have never seen such a sinful person from my race in reality. They came shaking hands and asking my name. My regret is, I didn't take pictures of them with me standing by their sides.

We took off that night leaving for Damascus with the Shaykh and others in front of us in another car while we were in his car. He would stop on the way and ask us if we were okay and feeling comfortable. We drove for about 70 minutes when the Shaykh asked us to park aside to have some food in a nearby restaurant. We sat around the table about 16 of us been served some Shaami delicacies while chatting went on. We continued our trip till arrived Damascus. I alighted from the car about 4:20 am making my way home. In indeed, Homs and the Shama'il Muhammadiyyah reading was an experience. I can't but leave the memory till this moment ringing in my head. I pray for such a gathering again in the nearest future.

May ALLAH guide us and give us the opportunity to benefit from the people of this noble path. My nasiha, all return to our root, " al ILM".
Wa alhamduliLLAHI Rabbi al 'aalamin.

LONG SILENCE

2009-03-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.
Peace and blessings upon the best of mankind and those who follow his blessed path.
SubhanALLAH, ever since I left mauritania to Damascus few months back, I have been trying to post messages of some of my beautiful adventures in the beautiful desert land; meeting with Shaykh Murabit al Haaj, sitting under the tutelage of the great gnostic, Shaykh Muhammad Hassan al Khadim the Commentator of the Purification of the heart, spending time meeting some other wonderful people and most wonderful my time spent sitting with the venerable scholars of Nabbaghiyyah.

I took so many pictures, recorded so many lessons that I had in fiqh, Nahwu, etc and thought it would be nice to share it with dear brothers and sisters who have had no opportunity but only dream to visit this beautiful land where ilm is still preserved in its best form. Unfortunately, the same day I arrived Damascus, the brother who picked me from the airport parked by a masjid for us to preform the jumu'ah solah. After our solah, we came down to the car only to find out that the car was burgled and all that I had of mauritania was history. My laptop was taken and our phone was supported to the laptop.

My dream of wanting to post all of the Mauritania memories left me that day. Was I sad or happy? At that moment, I wasn't. I won't say what happened later. Apart from that, since I came back, I have not had the opportunity to open this blog since the authority here has put a hold to opening of blog links and Youtube. AlhamduliLLAH after following my dear friend Waathiq to this cafe I hardly come, I found out that I can read and post on this blog without stress.

This luck only came to me because of this blessing of this month. Indeed as we know, this is the month that the light of ALLAH shone upon us and still remains a shining light in our hearts. It is this month that the best of mankind was born, the true path of guidance was given to us with ease, etc.

Indeed, this is a month that we should all engage in sending solah and salaam on him, read the Qur'an, give charity even a smile could be one, fast, read the burdahs.

Insha ALLAH, I will in my subsequent posts mention to you my meeting with the great WALI of ALLAH: Murabit al Haaj, the meeting of my venerable teach Shaykh Muhammad Faal with Sayyid Shaykh Muhammad al Ya'qubi when he came to Damascus for a visit to some sites and also get some books for his wonderful big desert library.

Remind me in your duas and I pray that ALLAH gives us victory over those who plan evil against the UMMAH.

Like I will say, we need to return back to the root " Seek ilm". Ignorance and arrogance are not excuses on the day of Qiyaamah.

Was salaamu alaykum.

Shahr al mubarak.

DEEN INTENSIVE IN MAURITANIA. They call it Jawla

2008-06-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Allahu akbar. Masha Allah, we have heard several wonderful news and plannings but I doubt if you have heard of this. Indeed, it is the first of its kind that should be experienced by all.

How nice will it be that you are among the first set of people to participate in a deen intensive in the wonderful and blessed desert of Mauritania?

Indeed, many of us have heard of the beauty and the way knowledge is been preserved and transmitted in this ancient country known and respected for Islamic scholarship. Many wish to come and have share of their blessings from this land of thousands poets as the Mauritanians call it but fear some conditions that may not allow them stay for a long time.

This is indeed a very wonderful opportunity to grab because you won't have to spend too much time but indeed benefit from the scholars to be invited from abroad, the Mauritanian shuyukh and also the programmes to be covered like the books to be read, places to visit, foods to eat and to learn the Mauritanian methodology in seeking knowledge. A documentary of the deen intensive will also be made as one of the organisers said.

Ya Lateef, I can't wait to hear when it will be announced publicly and see how it happens. Indeed, it will be very nice to see how it goes.

One of the deen intensives is called Rihla, we hear of the Dowra in Yemen then JAWLA in Mauritanian-- meaning the same meaning like the above mentioned.

WHAT IS NEXT?

MASJID PROJECT.

2008-06-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

MAHDHARA of SHAYKH MUHAMMAD FAAL BIN ABD'LLAH aka SHAYKH BAH.

Recently, I was speaking to the son of the Shaykh of the school where I presently study here in Mauritania (NABBAGHIYYAH). While he was asking me about a group of brothers from the UK that are interested in assisting some of the students of the mahdharah (school) financially and bookwise, he raised the issue of the state of the school mosque. He told me the history behind the mosque: its cost and the reason why the building starting. It was very sad to hear about the history but alhamduliLLAH, with ALLAH all is well.

Rear view of the new Mosque

He mentioned to me that some Qatari charity organisations came on a visit to the Shaykh and to get themselves acquainted with the state of the school. Seeing that the school has a mosque that is small and doesn't suffice the number of students while been tutored by the Shuyukh, they proposed that a new masjid should be built on their own account.

But before they will start by assistance, the school itself has to start the project after which they will give their support. Unfortunately, since the commencement of the construction of the mosque, these people have refused to turn up to the aid of this school. They left them alone to start a very big project that accomplishing it is like getting a water from a mirage. Although, they have really tried their best in sourcing for some money, building the mosque to a very considerable level but the problem of completion still sleeps with them like a nightmare.

Interior view of the new mosque

Buying of cements and iron rod from the city center is very expensive and transporting them to the desert is extremely difficult and costs so much money. This mahdharah is one of the best you can find in Mauritania with a very organised system. The numberof Shuyukh in the school is higher than any other mahdhara you can find in Mauritania. The Shaykh who is indeed a spiritual in the village takes care of the students by providing them with food and accomodation. He has with him seven (7) other Shuyukh teaching the students different sciences of the deen.

The present school mosque where lessons take place and behind is the new mosque

It is in this light that the son of the Shaykh who is indeed a wonderful and humble teacher requested from me that since I have friends in some parts of the world that, I should kindly assist them in using this means of the internet to call for donations in completing this mosque project. We beg you all, wonderful brothers and sisters in Islam to assist this school in putting up a mosque which will serve as a teaching center and also a place of ibadah for Muslims.

Whoever donates to the cause of building the house of ALLAH will surely be blessed with a house in paradise as said by the best of Mankind (SAW). As you all know that when a Muslims dies, everything seizes to count for him except three. One of them is his/her sadaqah (charity) that people benefit from continiously. My fellow brethren, how nice will it be for you and I to enjoy uncountable blessings in our graves just because people pray and obtain knowledge from the mosque where we put in our halal income.

I beg you all brothers and sisters who love the deen, who really want the deen to stand, who want people to benefit from good services to assist this poor people and student of knowledge in contributing generously for the completion of the house of ALLAH and a center for seeking beneficial knowledge.

If you have any donation, do see bank details below:

Account Owner: Mahadra Des Sces Isla De Nbaghya,

Account Number: 01506271401

Banque al Wava Mauritanienne Islamique,

BP 650 Nouakchott,

Swift: BAAWMRMR

Key: 64

If you have anything for the school or have made any transfer, you can email or give me a phone call with the number I have provided: as_abdulng@hotmail.com 00222 4458162

More info about the school and its village can be gotten from the blog of one of the foreign students who studies there presently http://www.nabbaghiya.blogspot.com/

May ALLAH increases us all in Iman and taqwa.
Was salaamu alaykum warahmatULLAH.

A FRIEND

2008-06-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest. A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself.

A simple friend has never seen you cry. A real friendhas shoulders soggy from your tears.

A simple friend doesn't know your parents' firstnames. A real friend has their phone numbers in hisaddress book.

A simple friend comes to attend your party.A real friend comes early to help you cook and stayslate to help you clean.

A simple friend hates it when you call after he hasgone to bed. A real friend asks you why you took solong to call.

A simple friend seeks to talk with you about yourproblems. A realfriend seeks to help you with yourproblems.

A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when youhave an argument. A real friend calls you after youhad a fight.

A simple friend expects you to always be there forthem. A real friend expects to always be there foryou!

Amongst these two people, where do we fall into? Let's try to be the best to our friends and with
this, we will definitely create harmony. What do you think?

WHY HAVE A BLOG/WEBSITE or DISCUSION FORUM?

2008-06-05T10:03:00.000-07:00

BismiLLAH.

Was Salaatu was salaam ala Rasul al Kareem.

The internet in few years back have really made so many things easy. For me, I see it as a very big place but I still call it a small village. A small village in the sense that, you get everything that you need at your finger tips: either good or bad. Many have benefitted from it positively and likewise its opposite. Although the major turning point that I see in the use of the internet is the aftermath of the 9/11 crisis.

This accident really made so many people to be frequently clued to their PCs. In as much as there have been demerits on how Islam is been portrayed in the various media specifically internet, it has also help immensely in the promotion of da’awah and getting Muslims and non-Muslms to understand issues on Islam. My friend once told me about how a Polish brother reverted to Islam by getting information about Islam from the internet.

Still as there have been praisworthy and commendable things on the use of internet to promote our beautiful deen, there have been so much flaws amongst the Muslims’ use of it. I say this because I recognise the fact that I love reading from discussion forums, blogs and websites controlled by Muslims, so many of which are used in ill-ways.

Many will agree that some of us use this medium to transfer our knowledge of ignorance by issuing internet-based fatwas of issued that should only be touched by learned scholars thereby assigning ourselves as self-styled Muftis in our praiseworthy ignorant capacity. Some even go further to use their blogs, websites, discussion forums, etc as a place where our noble Shuyukh are slandered, people spread gossips and backbite to the point of leading people astray.

Due to the above mentioned reasons, I have been scared to start a blog of my own that I want to use as a place of knowledge exchange within its acceptable limit, an avenue to share thoughts, ideas and opinions between people. On the other thought, I still ask myself, why start a blog/website when you have Sheikhynotes.blogspot, livingislam.org, and their likes.

Despite all these, I still fear that I may still be a victim of the internet ill-use if Shaytan whispers to me to post pages that shouldn’t be read. Anyone reading this may now ask why have I decided to start using this blog after creating it over a long time. My answer is not far: while I was speaking to the son of the Shaykh in the mahdhara where I presently study, he asked me if I have a blog as he knows my friend controls two blogs. I only told him that I had no much time for it as my excuse.

His respone was direct: you have to be using it because it is important. Almost everything have turned to IT so make use of it. Imagine, this was said to me by someone who lives in the desert. From his words, I deemed it fit to start posting on it as long as I seek ALLAH’s guidance not to fall a prey like those who have decided to use their pages to commit and spread fitna instead of benefitting others with relevant informations and transfer of knowledge.

From the statement of the son of the Shaykh, hence my start to post with this first post. I believe in his words, there is barakah and I start this in the name of ALLAH Azza wa Jall.