In Search of Wisdom

These are strange times we live in The liar is honest The helper is the exploiter The friend is the enemy And love is intense hatred While rumour is truth And justice is revenge

When you are all alone, it is then you realise you only have Allah.

Key to salah is wudu Key to hajj is ihram Key to taqwa is sadaqah Key to Paradise is tawhid Key to knowledge is asking intelligent questions and listening attentively Key to victory or getting what you want is patience Key to getting an increase in this world and the next is gratitude  Key to becoming a wali of Allah is zikr and love of Allah and His Messenger Key to success is taqwa Key to taufiq is to understand and desire of what Allah loves and fear or have aversion to what Allah hates - inclination to what Allah loves Key to response from Allah is du’a Key to entering into Allah’s presence is pure heart, love and sincerity towards Allah Key to the life of the heart is reflecting on the Qur’an, calling on Allah in tahajjud and stopping wrong actions Key to gaining Allah’s Rahmah is doing ibadah properly (with ihsan) and helping the creation Key to provision is go out and look for it with istighfar Key to dignity is obedience to Allah Key to gett...

Ibn Abbas said there are three hidden blessings for every tribulation: It could have been worse  It is in your dune affairs and not your religious affairs It is in this world and not in the next. Reference: Shaykh Hamza Yusuf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB1q92q3910

Bismillah. Islam is the enlightenment we seek. The only enlightenment that Muslims need is to see Islam using the principle of relativity. The enlightenment cannot come from outside of Islam - it must come from within Islam. Creative scholarship and courageous leadership will shine the way out of this darkness.

My life is overflowing with blessings Many of them conspicuously acquiescing  A myriad of them undiscovered  With each one, my heart’s thankfulness ushered To the One who bestowed on me such a magnitude of generosity That at times my mere worship and gratitude do not come close to reciprocity 

Where do poems come from? Where do they reside? In the heart or In the mind Biologically in the brain Spiritually in the soul Philosophically from your experiences Psychologically from your emotions Rationally from your mind Intellectually from your intellect Is it corporeal  Or incorporeal? Is it alive  Or is it imaginary? Is it real only when written  Or it is real when it is read? Is it born Or was it always there? Can it die Or is it forgotten? Can poetry be good or bad? Or does it have connection or disconnection? Do words move you Or do you move words? Does it have to be true Or can it be false as well? Who decides meaning? The poet? The reader? Both? Is poetry a solo activity Or is it a communion of souls? Is there only one meaning Or are there multiple meanings with many layers? Do you have to either  Love or hate poetry? How do you know when you’ve found a ...

Passion moves the world.

“There’s poetry in every moment.” ~ Jason Silva ~

The answer of a poem will come  When it speaks to you  When you own the poem When you see yourself in the poem When the poem and you are one That is when you know the answer (Remember it is okay, even encouraged,  To be carried away by the poem)

Don’t be too quick to dismiss another’s journey Everyone has an authentic story to tell Everyone deserves to get their story heard Don’t assume anything about anyone’s journey Life is not as difficult as sung in songs Life is not so easy as in the movies No-one travels on the same road Not even the person following right behind you Everyone deserves respect Even those who do not think they do Life stories come in different time-capsules Old and young - their stories are real and part of their ‘truth’  No-one’s life story - is false or unworthy A life lived - is a life worthwhile Life is a journey You are the traveller  It not the length of the journey that matters It is the how you spent the time travelling  Did you worry too much about reaching your destination? Or did you enjoy the journey?

“I swear by Allah, none of you truly believes until you trust Allah more than what is in your hand.” ~ Aisha (rad Allahu aha) ~

Just because we fail to understand something, or that we do not find the answers we are looking for from the people we thought had all the answers; doesn’t mean that Allah hasn’t given the answer in the Qur’an and Sunnah. It means that we have failed to look at the sources for guidance which Allah has preserved for us - it means that our efforts have been wanting. Blaming Islam or Muslims for our own short-comings and short-sightedness is an easy way out. Pondering, thinking, searching and praying for the answer is much harder and requires much patience which today, unfortunately, people are not willing or not bothered to do. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Allah the Most High said, ‘I am as My slave thinks of Me, and I am with him when he calls upon Me.’” [Sahih al-Bukhari #7405; Sahih Muslim #2675d; Jami at-Tirmidhi #2388] It is perhaps the same with Islam, it is as a person thinks it is. So the one that thinks it is backward and cannot solve or help him or s...

Sometimes it is just the company of books 📚 that gives one great comfort and joy. “Once the soul has learnt to read, Every leaf on a tree is a scripture.” ~ Saadi ~

Dunya not Deen Here not Hereafter

“When you sacrifice for Allah, do not look back because Allah is in front of you.” ~ Abu Ayman Mohammed Omran ~

“Find somebody who you think is undeserving of your compassion and give it to them, because I guaranty you, they are the ones who need it the most.” ~ Christian Picciolini (ex-white supremacist) ~

Suspicion eliminates trust and destroys happiness in marriage and in friendship.

“The inner core of knowledge is action.” ~ Abd Al-Qadir al-Jilani ~

“If you don’t like where you are in life … move. You ain’t a tree.” ~ Bhad Bhabie ~

Without empathy humanity cannot survive.

An ancient truism is that you cannot force someone to love you. When you love something, it blossoms. When love touches anything it thrives. "Love is friendship on fire.” ~ Hamza Yusuf ~

A coerced loyalty is no loyalty at all.

Oppression silently destroys society.

Cowardice leads to evil.

"Doing a great deal of dhikr, asking for forgiveness, and sending blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah are among the greatest means of attaining peace of mind and tranquillity in the heart, of turning to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and finding comfort in that, and of dispelling loneliness, anxiety and confusion.” ~ Majoo Fataawa Ibn Baz #11/209 ~

No matter how happy a person may look, know that they are also going through trials in their life — the same as everyone else.  Everyone is being tested at every moment of their lives. Know that, just by looking at a person one cannot tell if they are at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a trial.

Even with the best intentions a person can make the wrong decision. Sometimes it is the well-meaning friend’s advice or an innocent comment which tears you apart, more than the oppression you are trying to overcome. Sometimes the worst advice is given with the best of intentions.

While life is a trial, do not become a trial for others. “When Allah tests you it is never to destroy you. When He removes something in your possession, it is only to empty your hands for an even greater gift.” ~ Ibn Qayyim ~

“The flower doesn’t dream of the bee, it blooms and the bee comes.” ~ Mark Nepo ~ “Forgiveness is the scent that the violet sheds on the heel that crushes it." ~ Mark Twain ~ “Be like the flower that gives its fragrance to even the hand that crushes it.” ~ Ali ibn Abi Talib ~

“Faith is such a power that it keeps people away from sins and lowly acts, and encourages them to achieve greatness and high morals.” ~ Muhammad al-Ghazali ~

"Once we make a supplication, we should affirm it in our hearts and minds that Allah  has without a doubt already heard and answered us . Let the prayer sink into the bottom of your heart and penetrate your subconscious mind.  Sometimes the answer does not come the way we would expect. But as long as we pray for good and expect good, the answer has already been fulfilled even if we do not know how.” ~ Abu Amina Elias ~ Ask the One Who is in need of no one  Who loves you to ask Him Who answers supplicants’ pleas And cures their ills And strengthens their hearts And increases their iman  He is the King The Rabb The Doer of everything  The Owner of all that exists  The Almighty  The Most Generous The One whose bounties never end

“A part-time Muslim cannot beat full time Shaitan.” ~ Abdul Shakoor ~

“Nothing that matters is ever easy.” ~ Miss Fisher in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries ~

Freedom of expression does not mean freedom from criticism.

Who better to put one’s hope in, than Allah?

The problem with falsehoods is that it doesn’t matter how many people believe in it, history always supports the truth.

Reality test everything.

Those who people want to stay are called by Allah away While those who do not wish to stay are kept here to stay.

“Do not love the one doesn’t love Allah. If they can leave Allah, they will leave you.” ~ Imam ash-Shafi’ie ~ “Loving God is the only pleasure.” ~ Rumi ~

O Lord, truly, Your grace is not from our work, But from Your mysterious giving. Save us from what our own hands might do … Save us from the ego … Let us turn from ourselves to You Who are nearer to us than ourselves. Even this prayer is Your gift to us. (Pocket Rumi, p.146) 

O Allah! Employ our limbs and organs in Your obedient service, And our hearts in Your intimate knowledge. Employ us  throughout our lives, By night and by day. Join us with our predecessors among the righteous. Provide us with sustenance as You provided them with sustenance, And be for us as You were for them. Ameen. ( al-Fath ar-Rabbani , First Discourse, p.10)

Bismillah. Bismillah Du’a Dhikr Salah Patience Ask others to pray for you. Pray for those in a similar or worse situation than you.

"It is not what we say or feel that makes us what we are, it is what we do or fail to do." ~ Sense & Sensibility ~

It is Allah's victory even though our blood may be spilled. ~ Ertugul ~

Learning from others' mistakes will make you wise.

Don’t curse the mirror for showing you the truth It is not the mirror's fault that it shows life's realities

Let the arrow fly  Even blindfolded the arrow is destined  To find its target. A diamond buried deep down In the earth Will find  Its place in a jewel. A lover  Despised by others Will find his beloved  Even if oceans of separation  Wish to keep them apart.

How can I hold grudges, while I am expecting Allah to forgive my sins? If you don't ask Allah, who will you ask? Service unto others is the greatest gift you can give to humanity. Seeking someone’s help who gives it so freely and is happy to do so feels very uplifting. Is the Quran only to be recited as a token of our faith? We must eat to live, not live to eat.

By denying humanity to others we lose some of our own humanity.

In the complexities of life you should expect some let downs. Even from those near and dear to you.

When people pray for you, you feel loved, secure and protected. You feel Allah’s power, might and presence. It humbles your soul.

There is great power in repentance, so do not think of it lightly or delay it unnecessarily. Repentance frees the soul from the fire of Hell It brings peace of mind and contentment in the heart.

The heart has faith But the self is weak The mind understands  That everything happens According to Allah’s will The self recoils With anxiety With fear The heart reassures The self of Allah’s qadar That it was written Before the creation  Yet the self over-thinks Speculates And indulges in hypotheticals

Hearing criticism is difficult but it helps rectify your faults and crush your ego.

We feel angry and upset when someone disobeys us yet we find it strange that Allah will punish the disobedient.

One of the signs of sincere repentance is that a person does not enjoy retelling their sins nor do they relish in remembering them in secret.

Sometimes the truth is simpler than it looks. If it is the truth, why does it matter who says it. No lie can live forever; for only the truth has that quality. You have to bleed for the truth. It does not come without a struggle.

Don't be self-righteous,  when none of us knows our position with Allah.  And furthermore,  none of us have been guaranteed paradise. Don't be so caught up with your own self-importance  that you do not recognise your own short-comings,  weaknesses and failings.  Don't be so busy looking down on others  that you forget your many sins  and your position in front of Allah.  Remember that you always will be a slave of Allah. No matter how important you become  or you think you are,  you will always be a slave of Allah.

Dadi taught me: - to be a good Muslim. - to do more and speak less. - to be family oriented. - about a life dedicated to family. Abba taught me: - to be generous to family and friends - to be hard working. - to be a good provider for my family. - to be a loyal friend. - to be a man. - to be funny. Mum taught me: - to have fun. - to go out and see the world and experience it. - to be frank with others. Hassan Abba taught me: - to be an activist. - to be an active Muslim. - to love my work. - to be a volunteer. - to be a leader. Uncle Master taught me: - the importance of education. - to be kind and friendly to people. - to go to the masjid regularly. - to be my own man. - to be willing to talk and learn from anyone. - to be proud of being Muslim and who you are. - the importance of contacts.

It speaks volumes that after taking photographs of the most beautiful women in the world, they still feel the need to airbrush and alter their looks and features.

"All of us read religious books but rarely do we implement their messages in our life. The reading is akin to reading for examinations – for marks and not for knowledge." ~ Rajeev Sharma ~

Barakah of time diminishes with sins. It is an inverse relationship. As one increases the other decreases and vice versa.

The best way to know whether you are sincerely doing something for Allah, is to have someone you care about say something negative about it and if you give it up, it shows you were not sincere and that you did not do it for Allah.

"... goodness brings it's own capacity for greater goodness." ~ Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Holy Qur'an, fn. 32 ~

Ignorance should never be defended.

Don't be afraid of death because it's life that brings all the troubles.

A man with no dignity has nothing even though he may possess the riches of the earth.

Sometimes you have to forgive yourself in order to move on.

You may not realise it in your youth, but to ask someone how they are, out of sincerity and love is one if the kindest things a person can do.

"You want to be a great man. Do great things - that is what makes a great man." ~ Abu Ayman Mohammed Omran ~ Great men lead others to greatness.

"You must believe in what you do." ~ Nana Patikar in Hu Tu Tu ~

Be brave enough to make mistakes, and humble enough to learn from them. 

He  was my friend  My confidant I shared many thoughts with him  And many of my gripes We saw many things the same way We laughed We talked We smiled We remembered Allah His advice to me: "Don't rock the boat. Have sabr. This is our test. This is from Allah." O Allah be kind to my friend as he was kind to me. Ameen.

1. "Certainly all advice is laid open in the treasure vault of the Divine Message." 2. "My son, giving advice is very easy but following it is difficult, because by tasting, how it is to follow the lower desires once, the forbidden is rendered dear to their heart." 3. "A man who reads a hundred thousand details of  knowledge and studies them, and does not act upon this knowledge, it will not benefit him, unless he puts it to practice." 4. "If you pursued the acquisition of knowledge got a hundred years and compiled a thousand books, you would still not be ready to receive the Mercy of Allah Ta'ala, unless you acted upon it." 5. "My son, you will not receive wages for what you do not work." 6. "My son, live as you please, you are bound to die one day; love whatever you wish, you are bound to part from it one day; act as you please, you will be recompensed accordingly." 7. "My son, the quintessence of know...

Being self-righteous stops you from taking advice from people you think are not as righteous as you.

Allah is the best insurance - so ask Him to protect it.

It took a stranger to be rude to me for me to realise what a jerk I’d been that my sick wife who was grumpy earlier  had every right to be  Here I was actually being nice and apologetic  to this rude ugly woman  while to my wife I was quite insensitive This woman's rudeness  forced me  to look at my situation  from a different perspective It has made me appreciate my wife to love her  - even more

Never abuse the One who loves you Never say busy to the One who appreciates you Never betray the One who trusts you Never forget the One who remembers you Never stop worshipping the One who created you Never abandon the One who supported you

I've learnt that working hard for your students also makes them work hard The best lesson is through example I've learnt that you attract more ants with honey than with vinegar I've learnt that you cannot change a person For them to change they must want to change I've learnt that making Allah happy with me is easier than making people happy I've learnt that when I leave my problems to Allah, I don't stress out about them I've learnt that life is a test and that it doesn't matter how you started, but it matters how you live it and most importantly how you end it. I've learnt that concern and love are hard to fake.  I've learnt that the road to jannah is full of  difficulties while the road to hell is full of following your desires.  I've learnt to look for life's lessons in all things. I've learnt that when a person fails to t...

"A calamity that makes you turn to Allah is better for you than a blessing which makes you forget the remembrance of Allah." ~ Ibn Taymiyyah ~

The lessons we learn in life are the hardest to fathom when you are living it in the moment.

Writing is a very personal activity and great writers embrace that.  Every time they write they give part of themselves. For personal writing whether diary entry, poem or soliloquy it must come from your heart.  It must be emotional and give a part if you in it for authenticity.  Then you will have the desired effect.  Otherwise it's cliched and done before.

Water droplets can carve into a rock over a long period of time  Words too can wear down a person and have a devastating effect

Sometimes people need a little push to get them started on the road of doing great things.

Everyone has hidden talents which they only reveal to those they feel comfortable with.

"None can show better gratitude for Allah's favours than he who shares them with others."  ~ Idris (alayhis salam) ~

1. Hold on to the rope of Allah. 2. Don't lie. 3. Don't betray trust. 4. Put your trust in Allah. 5. Only please Allah. 6. Be Honourable 7. Be compassionate 8. Humble yourself 9. Think of others before yourself 10. Be the Man you claim to be.

When people ask you to judge and expect a certain decision from you it is difficult to decline and to defer judgement to those who are actually qualified to do so.

I've learnt that to be a good leader You have to be a good follower first I've learnt that in order for you to get loyalty You must first show loyalty I've learnt you can't pretend to teach Children see a fake a mile away I've learnt that unhappy teachers Equals unhappy students equals poor results I've learnt that you are in control of how you feel So take control and don't blame others I've learnt that being bitter only hurts you So if you cannot handle the situation anymore, move on I've learnt that before I make a final decision, I must listen to both sides of the story. Thus, n o matter how reputable the source, no matter how overwhelming the evidence, circumstantial or otherwise - always hear both sides before jumping to conclusions. 

To the sick man: The weather is always dull His meals are foul and distasteful The company of others - a nuisance His waking hours of no consequence or pleasure The taking of medicine a horrible reality His sleep his only escape The realisation of his own mortality