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Thursday, 1 December 2011
Prayers for Ashura - 10th Muharram - 5 / 6 December 2011
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10th of Muharram - Fasting & Practices in the month of Muharram
It is also acceptable to fast on the 10th and 11th of Muharram if the 9th and 10th Muharram is not possible according to Sheikh Nazim's advice.
The Holy Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) responded: "We have more right, and we have closer connection with Sayyidina Musa ('Alaihis-Salaam) than you have"; so Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) observed fast (on the day of Ashura) and gave us orders to observe it. [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]
On this same 10th of Muharram, Sayyidina Ayyub ('Alaihis-Salaam) was restored to health (from leprosy); Sayyidina Yusuf ('Alaihis-Salaam) was reunited with his father Ya’qub ('Alaihis-Salaam); Sayyidina Yunus ('Alaihis-Salaam) was taken out from the belly of the fish; and the sea was divided as the nation of israel was delivered from captivity and Pharoah’s army was destroyed. Ashura is also the day when Sayyidina Dawud ('Alaihis-Salaam) was forgiven; the Kingdom of Sayyidina Sulaiman ('Alaihis-Salaam) was restored; Sayyidina Isa ('Alaihis-Salaam) was raised to Jannah; the Holy Prophet’s (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) sins were forgiven; and Sayyidina al-Husayn (Radiyallahu 'anh) (the Holy Prophet’s, Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, grandson) achieved the honor of Martyrdom.
And who ever takes a Ghusl on this day will enjoy excellent health and freedom from sickness and indolence. Whoever provides generously for his family on this day, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) will be generous to him throughout this year. And whoever applies Kuhl to his eyes will never suffer from eye-sore again, InSha’Allah al-Aziz.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (Radi Allah Anhu), a Companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sal Allahu Alaihi wa Sallam) reports the following saying of the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala, "Whosoever prepares ample food and drink for his family on this sacred day and delights in feeding them generously, Allah Ta’ala will increase His provisions for that year and place much blessings and good therein."
The Ashura Desert - Celebrated widely in Turkey and neighbouring countries
The day of Ashura is one of the traditional and celebrated days in Turkey. Families traditionally make the desert based upon Prophet Noah's (AS) pudding they made whilst travelling in the Ark.
Ashura's ingredients can include water, wheat, chickpeas, rice, raisins, dried apricots, dried figs, apple, salt, sugar and honey. Grated orange and lemon peel, walnuts, hazelnuts, cinnamon and pomegranate seeds are also included as garnish. It is distributed to neighbours, and the dish is eaten with pleasure.
If you can't make it, as we are not all cooks or good at cooking - including me! - you can buy these from Green Lanes N15, Yashar Halim or any other Turkish or Arabic food store.
Salaams
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Thursday, 2 June 2011
Story of the Saint of Rajab (ks)
Ahead of us begins a very important month in the Islamic calendar, the holy month of Rajab al-Haram. It stands alone out of the four months which God has declared sacred Rajab, Dhul-Qida, Dhul-Hijja, and Muharram. It also opens the series of three holy months culminating in Ramadan: Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan. During these three months everyone must prepare and keep himself, as much as possible, away from low traits, bad manners and sins.
The Prophet
They are not allowed to know what rewards God is going to give His community. It is in the hands of the Lord, Almighty God. In the following month, Shaban, no one is permitted to know what rewards Prophet
In the month of Rajab, the Prophet
All Saints wait to see what rewards God is going to grant human beings at this time of year. All saints on this planet, from East to West, from North to South, expect to see something happen in this world during these three special months. Everyone of us must therefore behave themselves in these coming three months especially.
Look at the mercy that God sends in the month of Rajab. If you did something wrong, do not turn away, as if to run away from God. Turn to your Lord. He will forgive you. It is very important because no one knows what God is going to give to His servants not even the two angels appointed to write a person's deeds, who ride on the shoulders of every human being. Everything in that month comes through God and no one knows what God will put into his or her scale for the least good manner or act of worship done for Him.
In the time of the Prophet
After many years, the highwayman passed away. Because the Prophet
But no one can interfere with God's knowledge, not even the Prophet
Who knows? Always regard people as being at a higher level than yourself. Show them respect and be humble towards them. Do not show ego and pride. God's Mercy is so great that you are forbidden to look at what people are doing on the outside. You must not call them crazy or criticize their bad manners. Leave them alone. They have a Lord to judge them. Look at yourself. Make yourself behave well. Do not interfere with anyone else. It is not your job to correct anyone else. Your job is only to correct yourself. Correct yourself and leave everyone else to their Lord. This is the true understanding and teaching of Sufism leave everyone to their Lord and change yourself.
If you teach your ego not to interfere with anyone, then you are going to find yourself living in happiness, because when you look at people, you will only see servants of the same Lord as yours and, therefore, God will sometimes forgive them what they are doing. Do not say, 'You are committing wrong by drinking, womanizing, doing this and doing that. Leave everyone to his or her Lord. Teach people in general. Do not focus in on someone and be specific.
God told the Prophet (s), 'O Messenger of God, take him and purify him.' The Prophet
What did that thief do in his life to become a saint? He killed, robbed and stole all his life. The Prophet
All the Companions were astonished at the way the Prophet
After they buried him, the Prophet
When Gabriel (s) came, the Prophet
The Prophet
He said, 'O my daughter, please tell me how your father lived.' She told him, 'O Messenger of God, I am very ashamed before you. What am I going to tell you? He was a killer, a thief. I never saw him do anything good. He robbed and stole day and night, except for one month during the year. When that month came, he would say, 'This is the month of God,' because he heard you say, 'Rajab is the month of God, Shaban is the month of the Prophet
The Prophet
The supplication used by that man is a very important supplication which all are advised to recite three times a day during the month of Rajab. Sultan Mawlana Sheikh Nazim said that this supplication purifies you from all your sins and leaves you as pure as a newborn child. It is a very famous supplication in Sufi orders.
When the Prophet
God told the Prophet
Because of one prayer, God made him a saint, a person who never worshipped the Lord as he should have, by coming to such associations as this to listen. You have a merciful God, a loving God. What do you think He will give you in return? Do you think that He is going to leave you in difficulties? For every step that you took to come to such a meeting, God will take away from you one sin and give you ten rewards. Whoever came two hours' driving, let them compute how many steps they made. Do not miss such associations because you cannot get such rewards when you worship. Your five prayers are an obligation upon you but such associations are not an obligation.
They are voluntary. Therefore if you attend, you are going to be rewarded with a very weighty reward. That is why these associations are very important. They will show you the shortest way to reach the Divine Presence. They will show you the shortest way to reach your reality. With very little practice, by reciting something which saints recited, you can progress very quickly. Prepare yourself in the month of Rajab not to miss any prayers. If you happen to miss prayers during the day, try to perform them at night when you come home before sleeping.
Try to recite 'Allah' 1500 times a day in your heart. If you prefer to recite it by tongue, do so. Also recite 100 times a day, 'Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammadin wa sallim' (O God, send blessings and peace upon Muhammad and upon the Family of Muhammad). God willing, this will give you power during this month and will prepare you for the month of Shaban which has other duties which we will describe in time, God willing.
We ask success from Allah Almighty (God) through the Opening Chapter of the Quran, al-Fatihah.
Source: Naqshbandi.org
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Fasting in Month of Rajab
Salaams All
Traditional reports in which great emphasis is placed on the special merit of fasting on the first Thursday in Rajab, and of performing the prayer [salat] during the first Friday night [Jumu'ah] of that month.
"Rajab is Allah's month, Sha'ban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah."Someone then asked him: “O Messenger of Allah, what do you mean exactly, when you say that Rajab is Allah’s month?” So the Prophet (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) explained:
[I call it Allah's month] because it is specifically associated with forgiveness, because in it the shedding of blood is brought to a halt, because in it Allah (Exalted is He) relents toward His Ambiya, because in it He rescues His Awliya from the hands of their enemies, and because anyone who fasts during this month becomes entitled to receive three things from Allah (Exalted is He). The first and second of these are forgiveness for all the sins he has previously committed, and impregnable virtue ['isma] for the remainder of his life. As for the third, he will be safe from thirst on the Day of the Greatest Review [Yawm al-'Ard al-Akbar]."At this point a weak old man stood up and said: "Ya Rasulullah, I am physically incapable of fasting through the whole of the month," so Rasulullah (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) went on to say:
"Fast during the first day of the month and during the day that comes in the middle of it, and also during the very last day of the month, for then you will be given the same reward as someone who has fasted through the whole of the month, since one good deed is equal in value to ten of the same kind."
It is most important, however, that none of you should neglect the first Friday in Rajab, for it is the night that the Angels (Malaa-ika) call the Night of Wishes [Lailat ar-Ragha'ib]. This is because, by the time the first third of the night has elapsed, there will not be a single angel still at large in the heavens, nor in any region of the earth bar one. They will all be gathered together in the Ka'bah and the area immediately surrounding it. Allah (Exalted is He) will condescend to notice that they have assembled there, and He will say: "My angels, ask Me for whatever you wish!" Their response to this will be: "Our Rabb, the request we wish to make is that You grant forgiveness to those who faithfully keep the fast in Rajab," whereupon Allah (Exalted is He) will tell them: "That I have already done!"
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Dua of Saint of Rajab
Prayer (Dua) of the Saint of Rajab - PDF Document
This is the dua of the Saint of Rajab to be read 3x daily as prescribed by our Sultan Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani Ar-Rabbani (ks).
It is also beneficial, for people unable to recite, someone can recite and blow the dua in a cup of water for people to drink.
Audu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajeem
The Du'a is:
Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem
Allahuma innee istaghfiruka min kulli maa tubtu lahu ilayka thumma 'udtu feeh. wa istaghfiruka min kulli maa 'aradtu bihi wajhika wa-khaalatanee feehi maa laysa feehi ridaak. wa istaghfiruk li-ni`am allatee taqawwaytu biha `ala ma`aseeyatik. wa istaghfiruka min aadh-dhunub allatee laa ya`lamahu ghayruka wa laa yattali`u `alayha ahadu n siwaak wa laa yasa`uha illa rahmatika wa la tunjee minha illa maghfiratuka wa hilmuka. laa ilaha illa-Anta, subhaanak! innee kuntu min adh-dhaalimeen.
Allahuma innee istaghfiruka min kulli dhulmin dhalamtu bihi `ibadaka. Fa ayyaama `abdin min `ibaadik aw `amatin min 'imaa'ika dhalamtu fee badanihi aw `irdihi aw maalih fa `atihi min khazaa'inik allatee laa tanqus. Wa as'aluka an tukrimanee bi-rahmatika allatee wasi`at kulla shay wa laa t`uheenanee min `adaabik wa ta`teeayanee maa as'aluka fa-innee haqeequn bi-rahmatik ya arham ur-Raahimeen. wa salla-Allahu `ala Sayiddina Muhammadin wa `ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma`een. wa laa hawla wa laa quwatta illa billah il-`Alee ul-'Aadheem
In the name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful
O Allah, I ask forgiveness of You for everything for which I repented to You then returned to. And I ask forgiveness of You for everything I displeased You with and all that concerns me with which You are displeased. And I ask forgiveness of You for the favors which I used for increasing my disobedience towards You. And I ask forgiveness of You for the sins which no one knows except You and no one sees except You and nothing encompasses except Your Mercy and nothing delivers from except Your forgiveness and clemency. There is no god except You alone. You are the Most High, and I was one of the [self] oppressors!
O Allah, I ask forgiveness of You for the injustice I committed against Your servants. Whatever of Your male or female servants whom I have hurt, physically or in their dignity or in their property give them of Your bounty which lacks nothing. And I ask You to honor me with Your mercy which encompasses all things. Do not humble me with Your punishment but give me what I ask of You, for I am in great need of Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful. May Allah send blessings upon Muhammad and upon all his companions. There is no power and no might except in Allah the High, the Exalted.
Blessings and Peace upon Sayyidina Muhammad, his Family, and his Companions.
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Rajab Mubarak - 2 June 2011
Salaams & Rajab Mubarak!
The month of Rajab started on Monday 2 June 2011.
Alhamdulillah, most of you will be familiar to the many blessings and endless mercy which transcends this holy month but here is the Prophet (sws) & Sahaba (ra) describing the Month of Rajab.
Month of Rajab
The Prophet said "Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha`bān is my month and Ramadān is the month of my Nation."
Our beloved Sheikh and Spiritual Guide, Sultan Sheikh Nazim has said: “What rewards Allah will give his servants in his month (Rajab), no one knows."
Fasting - Endless blessings and Allah Almighty's Rewards in Rajab
Ahadith about Fasting in the Month of Rajab
The Prophet said, " The fast of the first day of Rajab is repentance for three years and the [fasting] second day is repentance for two years and the [fast of] third day is repentance for a year and then each [remaining] day is [repentance for] a month."
The Prophet , when he entered the month of Rajab would say, "O Allah bless us in our Rajab and Sha`ban and cause us to reach Ramadan!" And on the night of Jum`ah he used to say, "This is the night of beauty and day of brightness."
From Ibn `Umar
Whoever fasts the first day of Rajab it will be equivalent to the fast of one year; and whoever fasts seven days in it, the seven gates of Hell will be closed for him; and whoever fasts ten days from Rajab, a caller will call out from the sky, “Ask and you will be given!”
Anas
Rajab is a tremendous month in which Allah multiplies the good deeds. So whoever fasts a day from Rajab it is as if he fasted a year; and whoever fasts seven days of it the seven gates of Hell are closed to him; and whoever fasts eight days from it the eight gates of Paradise are opened to him; and whoever fasts ten days from it will not ask Allah something except that Allah will grant it. And whoever fasts from it fifteen days a caller will call out from heavens “Verily you have been forgiven whatever is past, so renew your good actions, for indeed your transgressions have been transformed into virtuous deeds.” And whoever does more, Allah gives to him even more. And in Rajab Allah carried Nuh
The benefits of fasting are clear above and Sultan Sheikh Nazim recommends anyone that can fast in the month of Rajab to do so what is easy for them.
Following this post will detail Sufi Naqshbandi practices and are entirely optional. The story of the Saint of Rajab will also be posted Inshallah.
Salaams
'mwc'
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