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Sheikh Idriss Mahmaud |
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He became very closely connected with Hazrat Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani Siddiqui
(R.A) and from him; he had the opportunity of learning a lot about Tasawuf and other
Islamic tenets. |
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| Recent Articles
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| Title : |
The Essence of the heart |
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| Author : |
eCustodian |
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| Date : |
19-01-2012 |
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Allah gives the most beautiful example of the manifestation of His attributes. Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is as if there were a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp enclosed in glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil is wellnigh luminous, though fire scarce touches it; light upon light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His light. (Sura Nur, 35) The meaning of the niche is the faithful heart of the believer. The lamp enlightening the niche of the heart is the essence of the heart, while the light that it sheds is the divine secret, the sultansoul. The glass is transparent and does not keep the light within, but protects it and allows it to spread, which is why it is likened to a star. The source of the light is a divine tree. That tree is the state of unity reaching out with its branches and its roots, inculcating the principles of faith, communicating without any intermediary in the language of purity. It is directly in this language of purity that our Master the Prophet received the Qur’anic revelations. In reality, the angel Gabriel brought the divine messages only after they had already been received—this for our benefit, so that we might hear in human language. This also made clear who were the hypocrites and non-believers by giving them the occasion to deny, as they would not believe in angels. The proof that the Holy Qur’an was revealed directly to the Prophet is in the Qur’an itself. And thou art surely made to receive the Qur’an from the AllWise, the AllKnowing. (Sura Naml, 6) Since the Prophet received revelation before the angel Gabriel brought it to him, each time Gabriel delivered the holy verses, the Prophet found them in his heart and recited them before they were given. That is the reason for the verse: And make not haste with the Qur’an before its revelation is made complete to thee ... (Sura Ta Ha, 114) This situation is made clear by the fact that when Gabriel accompanied the Prophet on the night of his ascension, he could not go any further than the seventh heaven, and saying, ‘If I take another step I will burn to ashes’, he left our Master to continue on his own. Allah describes the blessed olive tree, the tree of unity, as being neither of the East nor of the West. In other words, it has neither a beginning nor an end, and the light of which it is the source has no rising or setting. It is eternal in the past and neverending in the future. Both Allah’s Essence and His attributes are ever-existent, because His attributes are light generated from His Essence. Both the manifestation of His Essence and the manifestation of His attributes are dependent on His Essence. True worship can only be performed when the veils hiding the heart are lifted so that that eternal light shines upon it. It is only then that the heart is enlightened by the divine light. It is only then that the soul sees the truth through that celestial niche. The secret of secrets - Sheikh Adbul Qadir Jeelani |
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| Title : |
Sufism, the path of mysticism in Islam |
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| Author : |
eCustodian |
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| Date : |
28-12-2011 |
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I was looking for a worthy to use update for our website, when i came across this article. I wished to share it with you once more even though it was already published before. On the eve of 2012, this interview given by our beloved Sheikh Idris Mahmaud in 2007 to Le Defi newspaper, is still tackling our spiritual ssues. Good reading.... Sufism, the path of mysticism in Islam Long known by only those introduced to it, Sufism comes at last out of its isolation: thanks to the recent arrival of a group of qawalis, from India, and to philosophical talks. The Sufi master Idris N. Mahmoud refers to the place of Sufism in this encounter of humanistic ideas. Everything is white with Sheikh Mahmoud - except the salt and pepper goatee - and kurtah. Even the great room where he receives friends and students. The white stands for purity. Idris Mahmoud always has a smile on his face, as if to disarm those who nit-pick. This is because since he practices Sufism and offers to share it, his passion constantly undermines those who believe that faith is about rituals without a soul and is denoted by the number of religious buildings. "There is no confrontation between the Sufis and others, only a difference of opinion." From here to accuse these mystics of taking themselves to be the "best" believers, it is only one step… From his years as a teacher, his travels across some thirty countries, his meetings, Idris Mahmoud has retained a taste for profound explanations. It is therefore understandable that he focuses mainly on hidden meaning and nuances. Every year, almost at the same period, he goes to the suburb of London to meet his disciples. "I recharge my batteries. Travel is necessary when you live on an island and you want to make contacts, "says this graduate in Islamic studies and international relations, from Pakistan. He inherited Sufism from his father, a businessman as well as from his own convictions. Then he tried to find answers to his own questions, to excel. This will be the beginning of the journey into the depth of Sufism. "One finds oneself because one wants to purify oneself before speaking to others. This is not a trip for myself otherwise it would be an individualistic approach, "he says. When meeting, at the age of 26, the maulana Noorani Siddiqui, he was already in possession of the keys to the path of wisdom. The Surrounding World Today, he seeks to demonstrate the futility of the rituals if they do not allow people to get rid of the material world to better understand the words of the prophet. "One has the impression that there is only the law today. However, law without love, is anarchy. Spirituality is love". But there should be no misunderstanding. The Sufi does not point the finger at the West who would be responsible for moral excesses of all mankind. "It is up to the individual to find his way. There is no world divided into good and evil. Some expect, no doubt, that I give vent to a criticism of the Western world, and that I call for its destruction. " Two years ago, Mahmoud Idris has even said prayers at the invitation of the American embassy in Mauritius. To further sharpen his thinking and above all contribute to the promotion of cultures, he is interested in other religions, Hinduism and Christianity, the Greco-Roman thought, Buddhism. "We must do away with this image of the Muslim bent on religion and unable to understand the surrounding world." Even if he wants, like other teachers who have reached the "light", the incarnation of the Word came from Heaven, he refuses to wear Islamic clothing, determined to restore the image of Islam somewhat tarnished by extremist actions. "It is up to everyone to show that it’s not Islam that was putting bombs." The Islamic religion that Idris Mahmoud claims, takes root in Cordoba, Baghdad, Delhi or Cairo, where doctors of the faith shared a rich and fruitful correspondence with their fellow Jews and Christians. "There was no law that prohibited such exchanges dealing with philosophical questions." At what point did Islam lose this golden aura, leaving room for some schools of intolerant thoughts? Chain of conflicts "Everything is on the interpretation of the Hadith. Everyone believed that they had drawn from the Koran behavior matching their actions. Then we presented it as teaching. This has resulted in a chain of conflicts". Then how do we find a single and reliable voice to gather the followers of the Prophet… And there is no clergy among the Sunnis, mainstream of Islam, while adherents of the Iranian Shias have a highly structured hierarchy which dictates their everyday conduct. "In such absence," said Mahmoud Idris, the Muslim is left with the Book. But it needs a guide to properly define the content and move away from any misreading. The Koran is like a boat on water, we should not fill it with water, at the risk of sinking. "It remains the eternal debate between doctors of the faith and narrators in mosques, these multitude of brotherhoods, including Sufism, who choose the path of initiation, smaller, long and winding. "It’s true, admits Idris Mahmoud, that Sufism impose some requirements because, in the name of the undivided love for God, we are not content with a simplistic reading of the Koran." It is this search for the symbolism that allows convergence of thoughts with other religions. Following a common reflection, each arrives at the same conclusion: "We must preserve humanity and the environment, reduce the risk of conflict. To do that, we have to get rid of any feeling of jealousy, hatred and anger." Pradeep Kumar Daby Source: Le Défi Plus - 24 November 2007 – Page 53 |
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| Title : |
Ashurah and 5 levels of the heart |
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| Author : |
eCustodian |
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| Date : |
08-12-2011 |
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Ashura is related to the secret given to the communities of the 5 levels of the heart. There are 5 levels of the heart: Qalb is under the authority of Seydina Adam who was forgiven. Seydina Adam is the father of humanity so the secret he passed on to his community, i.e., the human beings in general, is the secret of Forgiveness. This is the wisdom of the creation of bani Adam. Sirr is under the authority of Seydina Nuh who was saved from the flood and rescued on the ship. He passed this secret to his community, i.e., Ahlul Tariqa, the people of Tariqa. Thus, the reality of being saved from the flood of ignorance and rescued by the ship of Tariqa is made manifest through the secret of Ashura. Sirr as-Sirr is under the authority of Seydina Musa, who was saved from Pharaoh, and Seydina Ibrahim, who was saved from the fire. They both passed their secrets to the dwellers of the White station: the followers of the Naqshbandi Path. Seydina Musa passed the secret of being saved from hidden shirk (the hidden pharaoh) and of opening the two rivers when he walked through them with his people. Thus the Naqshbandis are at the nexus where the two oceans meet and they inherit this secret from Ashura. Seydina Ibrahim passed the secret of safety from the fire. Thus, the Naqshbandis who are inheritors of the Siddiq reality cannot be burned by the fire as it is mentioned in the tradition of Seydina Abu Bakr whose skin and flesh were protected from the fire due to his sincerity. Khafa is under the authority of Seydina Isa who was raised up in the Heavens. He passed this secret to the inheritors of this station who are raised in the Heavens. Thus they inherit the secret of the first part of the Miraj, which ends at the station of the Holy Spirit where Gabriel stopped. It has to end at that stage because the Holy Spirit is under the command of Seydina Isa. Then Seydina Muhammad (pbuh) pushes them past this station through the true secret of Ashura and complete obliteration at the Akhfa station. On the day of Ashura, the family of the Prophet (pbuh) attained true annihilation through the ultimate sacrifice. They took on them all the burdens of their oppressors and all the darkness of their sins and modulated this dark energy through the ocean of Barhul Qudra appearing as its highest in Akhfa. So who is taking all this suffering on behalf of the sinners? It is Seydina Ali through his children. This is one of the reasons why he is the inheritor of the Prophetic Station as all prophets were prosecuted and oppressed by their own communities. Seydina Ali understood this secret, which he passed on to his children, one taking the Siddiq face with creation (Hassan inheriting “I have one face with creation”) and the other taking the annihilated face with the Creator (Hussayn inheriting “I have one face with the Creator”). This is due to the fact that the Prophetic Light has two faces or characteristics, as scientists discovered (wave/particle properties). The secret of the Akhfa station Hussayn inherited through his martyrdom is the secret Seydina Musa asked Allah to reveal to him when he asked to “see” Him, that is, to reach the station of His True Manifestation (Ashura of Akhfa). Allah told him: “You will not see Me, but look at the mountain. If it remains firm in its place, then you will see Me." But when His Lord manifested Himself to the
mountain, He crushed it flat and Musa fell unconscious to the ground.” (7:143). Here the 5 stations of the Heart are mentioned as an answer to Musa’s question to “see” Allah. The Lord was teaching him about the levels of Hu. “You will not see Me”: Qalb – station of humanity. Insan cannot see Allah but believe in the Unseen. “But Look at the Mountain”: Sirr – the Amr is to direct ourselves to the Wali, the Mountain who represents the reality of Tariqa, which is the station of Sirr. “If it remains firm in its place”: Sirr as-Sirr – the stable and unshakable station of the Siddiqiyun. The Siddiq Awliya are the balance of this creation and they are firm on the Way of Prophet {SAW}. In this station dwell two prophets who are famous for their unshakable Faiths (the Fiery Musa and the determined Ibrahim). They are 2 because they represent the reality of “If it remains firm in its place”. Nothing is more firm in its place than 2 pillars or 2 legs. “Then you will see Me”: Khafa – the hidden knowledge of spirituality alludes to the reality of seeing the Divine Presence with the eyes of the heart. The fact that seeing is mentioned here as a certainty is an indication that it relates to the Khafa station because this station is only concerns with the spiritual eyes and not with the material ones. “But when His Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, He crushed it flat”. : The martyrdom of Hussayn at the Akhfa station. When the Lord manifested His Divine Presence in the glory of this station, the physicality of the representative and son of Prophet (pbuh) was obliterated. So Allah answered Seydina Musa by referring him to the 5 levels of the Heart as an indication that His Vision and Presence are related to the Heart as mentioned in the tradition “the heart is the House of the Lord”. Allah also opened for him the secret of the 5 initial stages of the Unknown Presence (Hu). All these secrets are contained in Ashura, which symbolizes the direct manifestation of the Divine Presence according to the level of each prophet. Then Seydina Musa understood this secret was for the Ummah of Seydina Muhammad (pbuh). Then the question remains: is Ashura a day of mourning or a rejoicing? Perhaps it is a day of mourning since the community of Prophet (pbuh), which is closer to the Truth, deeply suffered. But perhaps it is a
day of rejoicing because their suffering meant hidden good tidings as Seydina Musa discovered when he |
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| Title : |
The Roving Ambassador - Shah Abdul Aleem Siddiqui (RA) |
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| Author : |
eCustodian |
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| Date : |
17-11-2011 |
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The Roving Ambassador - Shah Abdul Aleem Siddiqui (RA) His Eminence Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui is one of the best known Muslim scholars and sufi masters of the 20th century. He is a descendant of the first Caliph of Islam, Abu Bakr Siddiqui. His family migrated to Meerut, India about 300 years ago from Arabia. He was an exceptionally brilliant child and memorized The Holy Qur’an at the age of 4 and at the age of 16 gained a Bachelors degree in Islamic Theology with distinction. He pursued his education at the Divisional College of Meerut where he studied modern secular subjects and Law for the next four years. His motivation to spread the Message of Islam inspired him to further his studies in such Islamic subjects as: Tafseer (Qur’anic Exegeses), Hadith(Prophetic Traditions), Tassawuf (Islamic Spirituality), and Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) in Mecca and Medina. He later met Imam Ahmad Raza Khan, a revered Islamic scholar of the Indian sub-continent regarded as a reviver of the Islamic faith, and became his intellectual and spiritual mentor. During his apprenticeship, he mastered many spiritual disciplines. He developed a greater understanding of the Inner Realities of God and Existence; and reached a high spiritual status under Imam Raza Khan’s guidance. Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui traversed the world continuously for 40 years to accomplish his mission to promote the enlightenment of humanity through spiritual reformation. He thus became known as the Roving Ambassador of Islam. He was a great writer, poet, orator and scholar of Islam and modern sciences and is remembered for his promulgation of the message of peace and hope to humanity at large. In 1954 Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui past away at the age of 63 in Medina, the enlightened city. Poem in Urdu by Maulana Abdul Aleem Siddiqui (RA) with english translation
Zara Chahray say kamli ko hatta dow Yaa Rasool Allah
Hamayn bhee apna deewaana bana-do Yaa Rasool Allah
Muhabbat ghair say mayri churra do Yaa Rasool Allah
Meri sow-ee huwi qismat, jaga-do Yaa Rasool Allah
Ba-ro-zay hashr daykhayn gay waseela aap ka Hazrat
Harr-ik aasi-kahayga bakshwaado Yaa Rasool Allah
Bari qismat hamaari hai kay ummat mayn tumhaari hai
Bharowsa deen-o-duniya mayn tumhaara Yaa Rasool Allah
Andhayri qabr mayn mujhko akay-la chhowr ja-ayn gay
Wahan ho fazl say tayray ujaala Yaa Rasool Allah
Khuda mujk ko Madinah mayn jo pahuncha-ay to behtarr hai
Kay Rowzay par hi day-dun-jaan ja-karr Yaa Rasool Allah
Translation
O Prophet of Allah, please look towards my direction
And accept me as your devoted follower.
O Prophet of Allah, save me from the love of this world
And help me to awake from my slumber.
O Prophet of Allah, let me on the Day of Qayyamah (Judgement)
Be amongst the fortunate ones so that I can receive thy shafa’at (intercession)
O Prophet of Allah, how fortunate I am to be born into your ummah
And on thee I depend for guidance in this world, so help me.
O Prophet of Allah, when I die dark and lonely will be my qabr (tomb),
But with thy Light my abode will be filled with nur (light).
O Prophet of Allah, I pray to Allah SWT that he takes me to Madinah
And cause me to die besides thy blessed rawda. |
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