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As-salaatu wasalaamu alaika Yaa Habib Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
Rabi al-Awwal Mubarak!!
I envy the sand that met his feet
I’m jealous of honey he tasted sweet
Of birds that hovered above his head
Of spiders who spun their sacred web
To save him from his enemies
I envy clouds formed from the seas
That gave him cover from the heat
Of a sun whose light could not compete
With his, whose face did shine so bright
That all was clear in blinding night
I envy sightless trees that gazed
Upon his form completely dazed
Not knowing if the sun had risen
But felt themselves in unison
With those who prayed, and fasted too
Simply because he told them to
With truth and kindness, charity
From God who gave such clarity
His mercy comes in one He sent
To mold our hearts more heaven bent
I envy all there at his side
Who watched the turning of the tide
As truth prevailed and falsehood fled
And hope restored life to the dead
Men and Women through him found grace
To seek together God’s noble face
I envy the cup that gave him drink
His thoughts that helped us all to think
To be one thought that passed his mind
Inspiring him to act so kind
For me this world is not one jot
If I could simply be a thought
From him to God throughout the ages
As revelation came in stages
I pity all who think it odd
To hear him say there is one God
Or he was sent by God to men
To hone their spirits’ acumen
It’s pride that blinds us from the sight
That helps good men to see his light
He taught us all to be God’s slaves
And he will be the one who saves
Humanity from sinful pride
Muhammad has God on his side
So on this day be blessed and sing
For he was born to grace our Spring
With lilies, flowers, life’s rebirth
Patience is a type of courage. One of the gifts of those who show patience in this world, are freed in the next. When everyone else is in a state of anxiety on the day of judgment, these people will be in a state of sakina (peace) because Allah has promised them that…..
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf (May Allah preserve him)
“Khadija was a great teacher; she has such a maqaam in our religion. She taught the Prophet salla’Allahu ‘alayhi wasalam who he was; she was the one who elevated him in his esteem. When he had self doubt she said no. You can see that when the Prophet salla’Allahu ‘alayhi wasalam married Aisha he had no fear of strong women. Theres a lot of men who fear strong women, who want them to be wallflowers. Whereas with the Prophet salla’Allahu ‘alayhi wasalam, that’s not the type of people he encouraged. His wives were women who talked back, and the reason he wasn’t afraid was because khadija was his first wife. She was a women of the world. She knew the world, and she was completely self confident. That’s a sunnah of our Prophet salla’Allahu ‘alayhi wasalam, to elevate women”.
~ Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.
May Allah ta’ala elevate Shaykh Hamza’s rank in both worlds, protect him and allow us to benefit and take heed from his teachings. Amin ya Rabb!
* This quote by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is taken from one of the Tassawuf classes on the 2009 Rihla; although I did not attend it, I would like to thank sister Nushmia Khan for sharing this and allowing me to post it here- Jazaka’llahu khayran!
Another Rihla…. another blog to benefit and heal from:
“God is with the broken-hearted. When your heart breaks, it’s a good thing – the breaking of the heart is what opens it up to the light of Allah. The dunya is designed to break your heart, to crush it.” ~ Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Make sure to read the captions underneath the pictures!
May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reward all those who attended and facilitated this amazing programme, especially those who have produced and contributed to this blog so those of us who were unable to attend could benefit insha’Allah ta’ala. May we all continue to benefit from our scholars, and may He ta’ala always protect them, and continue to increase their rank. Amin ya Rabb!
“17 Benefits of Tribulation” is a remarkable talk given by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf many years ago, based on the treatise of the seventh century scholar Al-`Izz Ibn `Abdus-Salam – Sultan of the `Ulama’ (may Allah be pleased with him).
This must be one of the talks I actually listen to quite often, especially when I’m feeling down. All of Shaykh Hamza’s talks leave a strong impact on one’s heart; however after listening to this specific talk, it leaves the person with a deeper sense of inspiration and himmah to snap out of the “feeling low” state and to invigorate the high aspirations one has set themselves.
One of the profound analogies Shaykh Hamza makes in the talk, and which I love is:
…we/you are all in the ocean of this duniya; if you panic or have anxiety about things or situations, you will drown. Just RELAX, and you will float because you are in good hands!…. [Paraphrased]
Shaykh Hamza focuses on the hardships the Prophet sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasalam went through but never allowed any of those afflictions to perturb him. After listening to this lecture, I can say for sure that one will have a different attitude and outlook on calamities and hardships; and it will heal the broken or agitated heart no doubt.
The 17 Benefits of Tribulation are listed below:
- You realize the power of Lordship over you.
- You realize your object servanthood and your complete state of resignation and brokenness before the will and power of God.
- Sincerity to God; one has no place of return in putting off or defending against the calamity except to Him. It makes you sincere because the muhsin is the one who call on God without any shirk. A moment of ikhlas in this world is enough to save a person.
- He returns to God and suddenly is fervent in his desire of his Lord.
- It leads to a humbled state before God and it leads to prayers (du’a) that you call on God.
- You’re forbearing towards the One who has afflicted you.
- You forgive the one who has wronged you.
- To be patient during the tribulation.
- To be happy about what’s happening because of those benefits.
- To be grateful for it.
- Purification that these calamities have towards peoples’ wrongs and sins.
- Compassion that God enables you to show to people who are in tribulation and to help them.
- Tribulation gives you the blessing of having true knowledge of the extent of well-being.
- God has prepared rewards for the calamities that you’ve beared patiently or with contentment.
- What is hidden inside the folds of these calamities are blessings.
- Tribulations prevent you from arrogance.
- Contentment. Tribulation afflicts the good and the evil (people), whoever doesn’t like it, it’s on Him, he’s lost the dunya and the akhira. Those who are pleased with it, it’s because he knows it, because paradise is better than anything in this world and if these tribulations are what it takes for him to get to paradise, then he’s content with it.
[Courtesy of ihsaan.wordpress]
I strongly recommend everyone to buy a copy of this lecture and listen for themselves.
May Allah elevate Shaykh Hamza’s rank in both worlds, and protect him from all harm and evil. May we use each trial and tribulation as a means of reaching closer to Him Ta’ala.


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