Thought for Thursday- 11/10/12

“Allah is with those who are patient. If we had nothing to be patient about, how could we have that special company? Being patient means looking at Allah and allowing Him to do what He will do without your resorting to other than Him, including your own self”

~ Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif

Healing Hearts is honoured to introduce you to one of our beloved teachers Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif, who very kindly accepted a request to contribute to this blog. Imam Abdul Latif will be contributing to the “Thought for Thursday”  inshaAllah. May we all find comfort, succour, benefit and healing from his words and reflections. Please keep Imam Abdul Latif, his family, teachers and us all in your prayers.

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Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch is the imam at the Lighthouse Mosque in Oakland , California , and a teacher and program developer for Deen Intensive Foundation. He also works with SeekersGuidance and assists Zaytuna College ‘s annual Summer Arabic Intensive program in Berkeley , California . He is one of five students who comprised the first graduating class of the Zaytuna seminary program. Born in El Paso , Texas , and raised in the south, Abdul Latif embraced Islam in 1995 in Atlanta , Georgia , when he was 20 years old. He subsequently traveled throughout the Muslim world and, in 2002, relocated with his family to the San Francisco Bay Area to take advantage of the resources of knowledge and the community that had formed around Zaytuna Institute. There, he spent his initial year of studies under the tutelage of  Shaykh Salik bin Siddina. In 2004, he was accepted as the first of three initial students into Zaytuna’s pilot seminary program. He studied at Zaytuna with several teachers, including Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Taahir, Qari Umar Bellahi, Shaykh Abdullah Ali, and Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, until he graduated in 2008 with an ijazah in the basic sciences of Islam. Since graduation, he has had the honor of tutelage under Dr. Umar Farooq Abdullah, Shaikh Mahi Cisse and Shaikh Abdulllah Ibrahim Niasse.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif website
Imam Abdul Latif Facebook Page

Once, all the people in a certain village decided to pray for rain. On the day of the prayer, all the people gathered but only one boy came with an umbrella – that’s faith.

 I love the above anecdote as it illustrates an immense level of confidence, certainty and trust in Allah. The fact the boy walked out to the prayer gathering with an umbrella clearly shows that he had the utmost certainty and trust that after making du’a, Allah will send rain to the village! He went prepared for the rain with an umbrella!

Just like the boy had his umbrella ready to receive what was being prayed for, we should also be prepared to receive the gifts and blessings we are asking for from Allah after making du’a. Be confident and have that complete certainty that Allah will answer our du’a. Allah most High Himself states, “I am in the opinion of My servant.” [Bukhari]; therefore if we believe Allah will answer our du’a, He will!

The great Gnostic, Ibn Ata’Allah al-Iskandari wrote in his Hikam:

“When Allah inspires your tongue to ask, know that He wants to give” 

Allah is the One who places a need in our hearts and wants us to seek that need out by asking Him. He loves it when we ask Him; our asking is His giving. Petition with Allah; place your need in front of Him and have complete certainty and trust that He will answer.

Sayyidina Umar ibn Al-Khattab -radiaAllahu anh- said, “I do not worry about an answer to my supplication, rather I worry about making supplication! I know that if I am inspired [by Allah] to supplicate, then the answer will come with it.”

Keep the faith and keep making du’a fervently!

Thought for Thursday- 13/09/12

“Sometimes your heart is just broken down into dust. At times, though, it’s only dust that will put out certain fires.”

~ Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif

Healing Hearts is honoured to introduce you to one of our beloved teachers Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif, who very kindly accepted a request to contribute to this blog. Imam Abdul Latif will be contributing to the “Thought for Thursday” every Thursday inshaAllah. May we all find comfort, succour, benefit and healing from his words and reflections. Please keep Imam Abdul Latif, his family, teachers and us all in your prayers.

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Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch is the imam at the Lighthouse Mosque in Oakland , California , and a teacher and program developer for Deen Intensive Foundation. He also works with SeekersGuidance and assists Zaytuna College ‘s annual Summer Arabic Intensive program in Berkeley , California . He is one of five students who comprised the first graduating class of the Zaytuna seminary program. Born in El Paso , Texas , and raised in the south, Abdul Latif embraced Islam in 1995 in Atlanta , Georgia , when he was 20 years old. He subsequently traveled throughout the Muslim world and, in 2002, relocated with his family to the San Francisco Bay Area to take advantage of the resources of knowledge and the community that had formed around Zaytuna Institute. There, he spent his initial year of studies under the tutelage of  Shaykh Salik bin Siddina. In 2004, he was accepted as the first of three initial students into Zaytuna’s pilot seminary program. He studied at Zaytuna with several teachers, including Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Taahir, Qari Umar Bellahi, Shaykh Abdullah Ali, and Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, until he graduated in 2008 with an ijazah in the basic sciences of Islam. Since graduation, he has had the honor of tutelage under Dr. Umar Farooq Abdullah, Shaikh Mahi Cisse and Shaikh Abdulllah Ibrahim Niasse.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif website
Imam Abdul Latif Facebook Page

Thought for Thursday- 06/09/12

“Its not appropriate for God to adjust to us but for us to adjust to Him..”

~ Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif

Healing Hearts is honoured to introduce you to one of our beloved teachers Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif, who very kindly accepted a request to contribute to this blog. Imam Abdul Latif will be contributing to the “Thought for Thursday” every Thursday inshaAllah. May we all find comfort, succour, benefit and healing from his words and reflections. Please keep Imam Abdul Latif, his family, teachers and us all in your prayers.

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Muhammad Abdul Latif Finch is the imam at the Lighthouse Mosque in Oakland , California , and a teacher and program developer for Deen Intensive Foundation. He also works with SeekersGuidance and assists Zaytuna College ‘s annual Summer Arabic Intensive program in Berkeley , California . He is one of five students who comprised the first graduating class of the Zaytuna seminary program. Born in El Paso , Texas , and raised in the south, Abdul Latif embraced Islam in 1995 in Atlanta , Georgia , when he was 20 years old. He subsequently traveled throughout the Muslim world and, in 2002, relocated with his family to the San Francisco Bay Area to take advantage of the resources of knowledge and the community that had formed around Zaytuna Institute. There, he spent his initial year of studies under the tutelage of  Shaykh Salik bin Siddina. In 2004, he was accepted as the first of three initial students into Zaytuna’s pilot seminary program. He studied at Zaytuna with several teachers, including Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdur Rahman Taahir, Qari Umar Bellahi, Shaykh Abdullah Ali, and Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, until he graduated in 2008 with an ijazah in the basic sciences of Islam. Since graduation, he has had the honor of tutelage under Dr. Umar Farooq Abdullah, Shaikh Mahi Cisse and Shaikh Abdulllah Ibrahim Niasse.

Imam Muhammad Abdul Latif website
Imam Abdul Latif Facebook Page

(A beautifully composed and written Nasheed by Talib al-Habib. Lyrics pasted below.)

From the Sacred House to Jerusalem,

Through the seven heavens did he ascent

To the Love Divine beyond where or when,

Send peace on him and his family!

Like a moon set sail on the heaven’s seas.

Through the dark night riding on the lightning-steed

See! One born of earth strides the heaven’s fields!

Send peace on him and his family!

And the stars gave thanks and the moon did weep

As its beauty paled before the Hashimi

For what sun or moon can compare to him?

Send peace on him and his family!

As his heart was strengthened and purified,

And was filled with wisdom and light on light

So the wells of Zamzam he sanctified,

Send peace on him and his family!

And the Prophets- Adam TO Jesus Christ-

Came to honour him and to pray behind

One from whose lamp they had received their light.

Send peace on him and his family!

And the gates of heaven, so high and strong,

Opened joyfully for the one called upon

And the angels sang ‘peace on you, welcome!’

Send peace on him and his family!

When Gibril did falter, Muhammad rose,

Where no Prophet nor angel may approach

So beloved to the Beloved returned!

Send peace on him and his family!

For the peace that comes to surrendered hearts.

For the mercy descending when the prayer is called

For the blessings born of your charity.

Send peace on him and his family!

Through perfection did he attain the heights.

He dispelled the dark with his beauty’s light

Oh! How blest are all of his qualities!

Send peace on him and his family!

Filed under: Dr.Asim Yusuf, Qasidas/wirds/poems, Rajab Tagged: Miraj, Night journey, Prophet Muhammad, Talib al-Habib, The Ascension ]]> http://healing-hearts-blog.com/2012/06/16/the-ascension/feed/ 3 Sidra Mushtaq http://healing-hearts-blog.com/2012/02/20/light-reflections-day-27-last-post-of-the-series/ http://healing-hearts-blog.com/2012/02/20/light-reflections-day-27-last-post-of-the-series/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:45:56 +0000 sidramushtaq http://healing-hearts-blog.com/?p=2466 ]]>

The Festivities of Light

By Zeshan Zafar

As we arrive at the end of Rabi al-Awwal, a month where Muslims come together to celebrate the Milad, or the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we feel refreshed by the gatherings we have attended in honour and veneration of the Messenger of Allah. Many express this love through a variety of ways; through the recitation of the Holy Book, The Quran al-Kareem, listening to sermons wherein his life is recounted, almsgiving to the poor or by reciting poetry in praise of him.

Such gatherings are occasions that encourage us to engage in the divine practice of sending blessings and peace on the Prophet: ‘Indeed Allah and His angels shower blessings upon the Prophet, O you who truly believe, ask blessings upon him and greet him with greetings’ (Q33:56). It is the  Qur’anic imperative  and through traditions of the Prophet  that we find words of remembrance that motivate many of us looking to fill that spiritual vacuum that may exist in our lives. When looking for that divine compass, Muslims during this month take advantage from being spiritually recharged and whose celestial impact lasts longer than the results obtained from many bestselling self-help guides that sit on bookshop shelves. The month of the Mawlid is often seen as a time when families, friends and even strangers gather to remember the Prophet in praising him through various means of remembrance. We know that Allah has named his Messenger “The praiseworthy”, and thus it can only be incumbent upon us to follow such a call.

Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent as a mercy to mankind, and it is in this mercy we recognise the importance of his perfection. Historically, even going back to the Fatamid era, gatherings such as the Mawlid have been a vital source and opportunity for individuals to learn more about the salient features of the Prophet’s life, his character, his kindness to those who are needy and  those disadvantaged, his  actions that helped guide individuals with their daily affairs, his ethics and values exemplified in his interaction with various religions and cultures, his honesty in keeping to his word through treaties and promises, his humour to alleviate distress and  his mercy to those that had wronged him, a standard for all of us to aspire to.

One of the great lessons we learn about the character of the Prophet is through listening or reading about his blessed life. Through prophetic traditions, we learn how the Prophet implored us never to judge individuals or form an unfair judgment but to keep a good opinion of others regardless of what we may witness of them. One of these great stories is the story of Julaybib, a companion of the Prophet who was referred to as being ‘damim’ ugly or deformed. Many people shunned him to the point when people learnt he was approaching their homes they would avoid him and close their doors or mock him from afar.

Julaybib was consciously aware of what people thought about him, however once the Messenger of Allah arrived in Madinah,  Julaybib was assiduous in learning from the Messenger of Allah and would sit with humility and in a shy manner at all times in the presence of the Prophet. When the Prophet once asked him about marriage, he assumed he was being teased as this was something he never dreamt was possible because of his physical appearance. However the Prophet did not see it this way and valued him as a person by taking the initiative in asking for the hand of an Ansar girl who was known for her beauty. The girl’s parents initially were ecstatic thinking that the Messenger of Allah himself had come for her hand in marriage. When they heard that Julaybib was in fact the prospective husband they declined the proposal. Upon hearing the proposal from the Messenger of Allah, the daughter was overcome by the verses of the Quran that states the importance of a matter once Allah and His Messenger have decided on it. She had understood this visit to mean much more than what many individuals would go through when getting married and that was the importance of understanding that the man being proposed to her was someone whom the Messenger loved. Henceforth whatever he loved she loved, and in turn the beauty of Julaybib had manifested itself to her in ways that many could not see. After much protestation she was eventually betrothed to Julaybib. They were blessed with the prayers of the Prophet and lived in happiness until the death of Julaybib, which is a fascinating story in itself.

Some important lessons that can be learnt from this is the approach the Prophet had in recognising the worth of every soul on this earth, but also the love that individuals had for the Prophet that they oversaw the blemishes that we all may have physically or internally within our character.

This simple example should encourage us all to reflect on our own deficiencies yet motivate us with aspirations of what we hope to attain from this world, which is being able to praise our Maker through loving the Prophet and what he loved.

We are reminded of the importance of this love through the hadith of the Prophet which states, ‘Teach your children three things: Love of the Prophet, love of his family and companions and love for the Quran’.

Many scholars highlight that celebrating the birth of the Messenger of Allah is an occasion that should be observed throughout the year. With the increasing amount of Mosques in the West many individuals now have the chance to celebrate these gatherings close to their homes. Even if this does not take place where you reside, we all as individuals have a beautiful chance to begin such a celebration in our homes. At a recent Mawlid organised by family members, we had the honour of having a guest who left a deep and lasting impression on the audience through his state and presence. Family members asked me about this and I repeated what I had learnt from this man’s son; that he has been dedicated in celebrating the Mawlid in his home for the past thirty years, once a month. Not only this, but he also operated an open door policy for any individual to attend, and these were the Mawlids that I was aware of.

Reading and listening about how Mawlids are celebrated, we soon learn the richness of such gatherings. Annemarie Schimmel in her book ‘And Muhammad is His Messenger’ has some beautiful descriptions of how this month is celebrated, from the country that they are celebrated in; the decorations that individuals place in their homes, to the food and sweets that are served to guests and children, the poetry and songs that they often recited and how the local culture impacts they way they celebrate the Mawlid.

We are fortunate, of late, in the West to read exceptionally translated texts into the English language that aid us in such veneration. Such translations include the Qasidah al-Burda  of Imam al-Busiri by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad which offer many individuals the chance to read the beauty of poetry composed in praise of the Prophet. Other works such as the Dala’il al-Khayrat, the Barzanji Mawlid and ash-Shama’il al-Muhammadiyah by Imam Tirmidhi are a few of the many that can also be read at such gatherings.

As we move on in preparation for our ultimate journey of felicity, I pray that we are able to carry the festivities of light in holding Mawlids all year around, inviting friends and family, establishing a positive environment for children to experience loving the Prophet, his family and the Qur’an al-Kareem, and most importantly, being able to carry this torch of light to next year in greater preparation than the year that has passed. After all, emulating the Prophet in his character is something that we all yearn to increase, and the Mawlid is one avenue that aids us in our expression of loving the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

© Zeshan Zafar, Rabi’ al-Awwal 1433/February 2012

This concludes the Light Reflections series on Healing Hearts. Hope you have enjoyed reading all the daily posts. Please recite a special prayer for all the contributors, their families and teachers.

The Beloved

By Taslim Rashid

© Taslim Rashid has contributed this beautiful article to the Light Reflections series on Healing Hearts. The article was originally published on her awesome blog  back in 2004.

A Smile

By Umm NoorBilal Petersen

“A Smile”

His laughter was a smile.

His steps hallowed the dust.

His saliva sweetened the world of waters.

His gestures reflected heavenly hierarchy.

His voice a mellifluous melody.

His perspiration; beads of lustrous pearls.

His breath a charismatic breeze.

His glance; impassioned arrows piercing souls.

His hair a shimmering aura rippling the skies.

His silence a captivating rhapsody.

His sanctuary a haven of serenity.

His laugh was but a smile.

Radiating till this day.

I have not seen anything more beautiful than the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. It was as if the sun was shining in his face. When he laughed, it reflected from the wall. His laughter was a smile….his companions smiled rather than laughed in his presence out of respect for him and to imitate him. When he was happy he looked downwards. Generally his laughter consisted of a smile and he showed his teeth which were as white as hailstones. I did not see anyone who smiled more than Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. The laugh of Sayyidina Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was but a smile. A collection from two indispensable books: Muhammad, Messenger of Allah and Shamaa’il Tirmidhi.

Insha’Allah by reading the numerous Ahadith on the occasions when our beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam smiled we too can smile and recall the various feelings that made him SallAllahu alaihi wasallam smile, whether due to happiness, delight, astonishment, wonder or any other reason.

The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was on a journey with his slave Anjashah driving the camels carrying his women RadhiAllahu anhunna, Anjashah began chanting a song to them to go faster, when the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam smiled and said to him: “O Anjashah, wayhak! (may Allah be merciful to you) Be gentle with the glass vessels.” (The women. Some narrations translate glass as crystal)

Once the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was sitting while two sheep were fighting each other with their horns and one of them butted the other and overcame it. Thereupon the Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam smiled and was asked: “What is it that you are smiling for, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “I am astonished at the case of this defeated sheep. By Whom in Whose hand my soul is, the other sheep will be punished for butting it on the Day of Resurrection.”

Abdullah ibn Mas’ood RadhiAllahu anhu said, “I know the person who will come out last from the fire. He will be such a man who will crawl out (due to the severity of the punishment of Jahannam he will not be able to walk). He will then be ordered to enter Jannah. He will go there and find that all the places therein are occupied. He will return and say, ‘O Allah the people have taken all the places.’ It will be said to him. ‘Do you remember the places in the world?’  He will reply, ‘O my creator, I remember well.’ It will be commanded to him. ‘Make your wish in whichever way your heart desires.’ He will put forward his desires. It shall be commanded. All your desires are fulfilled and in addition ten times the size of the world is granted to you. He will reply, ‘Are you jesting with me O my Allah, and You are the King of the Kings? (There is no place in Jannah and You are granting me a place ten times greater than the world).” Ibn Mas’ood RadhiAllahu anhu said, “I saw Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam smile till his mubarak teeth showed, when he related this portion of the man’s reply.”

Abu Dhar RadhiAllahu anhu says, Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said, “I know that person well who will enter Jannah first and also that person who will be the last one to be taken out of Jahannam. On the Day of Qiyaamah a person will be brought forward to the court of Almighty Allah. It shall be commanded that all the minor sins of that person be put forward to him and the major sins be concealed. When the minor sins are disclosed to that person, he will accept that he had committed them, as there will be no room for refuting them. (He will begin to tremble and say in his heart that these are only the minor sins, what will happen when the major sins are exposed.) During this happening it shall be commanded that for every sin of that person he be given the Ajr (thawaab-reward) of a good deed. Upon hearing this person himself will say I still have many sins left to account for, that are not seen here.”
Abu Dhar RadhiAllahu anhu says, Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam while narrating the words of that person began smiling until his mubarak teeth began to show.” (The reason being that the person himself disclosed the very sins he was frightened of.)

Jabir ibn Abdullah RadhiAllahu anhu says, “After I accepted Islam, Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam never prohibited me from attending his assemblies. Whenever he saw me he smiled.”

Narrated Abu Hurairah RadhiAllahu anhu: Once the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was narrating a story, while a Bedouin was sitting with him. “One of the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allah to allow him to cultivate the land. Allah will ask him, ‘Are you not living in the pleasures you like?’ He will say, ‘Yes, but I like to cultivate the land.’ ” The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam added, “When the man will be permitted he will sow the seeds and the plants will grow up and get ripe, ready for reaping and so on till it will be as huge as mountains within a wink. Allah will then say to him, ‘O son of Adam! Take here you are, gather the yield; nothing satisfies you.’ “On that, the Bedouin said, “The man must be either from Quraysh, a Muhajiroon or an Ansari, for they are farmers, whereas we are not farmers.” The Prophet smiled at this.

Narrated ‘Amr bin ‘Auf Al-Ansari RadhiAllahu anhu: Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasallam sent Abu ‘Ubaida bin Al-Jarreh RadhiAllahu anhu to Bahrain to collect the Jizya. Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasallam had established peace with the people of Bahrain and appointed Al-’Ala’ bin Al-Hadrami RadhiAllahu anhu as their governor. When Abu ‘Ubaida RadhiAllahu anhu came from Bahrain with the money, the Ansar heard of his arrival which coincided with the time of the morning prayer. When the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam finished the prayer, the Ansar approached him, and he looked at them and smiled on seeing them and said, “I feel that you have heard that Abu ‘Ubaida RadhiAllahu anhu has brought something?” They said, “Yes, O Allah’s Apostle’ He said, “Rejoice and hope for what will please you! By Allah, I am not afraid of your poverty but I am afraid that you will lead a life of luxury as past nations did, whereupon you will compete with each other for it, as they competed for it, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them.”

Narrated ‘Abdullah RadhiAllahu anhu: A (Jewish) Rabbi came to Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and he said, “O Muhammad! We learn that Allah will put all the heavens on one finger, and the earths on one finger, and the trees on one finger, and the water and the dust on one finger, and all the other created beings on one finger. Then He will say, ‘I am the King.’ Thereupon the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam smiled so that his pre-molar teeth became visible, and that was the confirmation of the Rabbi. Then Allah’s Apostle SallAllahu alaihi wasallam recited: ‘No just estimate have they made of Allah such as due to Him.’ (39.67)

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri RadhiAllahu anhu: The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said, “The planet earth will be a bread on the Day of Resurrection, and The Resistible, Allah will topple turn it with His Hand like anyone of you topple turns a bread with his hands while preparing the bread for a journey, and that bread will be the entertainment for the people of Paradise.” A man from the Jews came to the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and said, “May The Beneficent, Allah bless you, O Abul Qasim! Shall I tell you of the entertainment of the people of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection?” The Prophet said, “Yes.” The Jew said, “The earth will be a bread,” as the Prophet had said. Thereupon the Prophet looked at us and smiled till his premolar tooth became visible. Then the Jew further said, “Shall I tell you of the udm (additional food taken with bread) they will have with the bread?” He added, “That will be Balam and Nun.” The people asked, “What is that?” He said, “It is an ox and a fish, and seventy thousand people will eat of the caudate lobe (i.e. extra lobe) of their livers.”

Peace and blessings upon you O my master. O Messenger of Allah, O Prophet of Allah, O master of the messengers. O seal of prophets, O favour of Allah upon the believers.
Peace and blessings upon you O protection of the world and its people, O refuge of the nation, the one whom we pin our hopes, O mercy of humanity.
Peace and blessings upon you O kind, merciful, smiling affectionate Prophet, O you with whom needy and troubled people seek a means to Allah the Exalted. Here I am O Messenger of Allah, seeking help and sanctuary in the vastness of your magnanimity, seeking a hint of your smile as I behold your Dome of Felicity.

Every good deed of a Muslim is charity; meeting your brother with a smiling face is one of the good deeds. Such a bounteous Hadith from our beloved SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.

His laugh was but a smile.

Radiating till this day.

 
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Ameen.

© Umm NoorBilal Petersen has contributed this beautiful article to the Light Reflections series on Healing Hearts. The article was originally published on her awesome blog in 2006.

Sending salawat on our Prophet (peace be upon him)

By Nayyar Ddin

“The affair of love cannot be tallied. You are compelled, you want nothing in return. Whether you get or not, is not in question. Make salawat until your heart shatters like a pomegranate,  until there is nothing. And you will see things that you didn’t even aspire to. Things that you didn’t even think of……”

These were the words of the poet Amir Sulaiman at the recent Virtues tour in London. Reference was being made to sending blessings on our Prophet peace be upon him. Ofcourse it is recommended to have a set daily litany, however brother Amirs words came straight from a lovers  heart where there are no rules. A heart in which there are no boundaries. He spoke of an absolute immersion, no concept of numbers. Just an outpouring of love and remembrance. A desire to give with no return needed. To sit and yearn, and love and remember and long with no idea whether it has been minutes or hours. Whether it has been 100 or a 1000 or 1.

© Nayyar Ddin, Rabi’ al-Awwal 1433/February 2012