Part 15

> Uthman bin ‘Affi: Dow an-Nurayn ‘Uthmin ibn ‘Affin ibn Abii al-As ibn Umayyah al-Qurashi al-Amawi, the third Rightly Guided Khaljfah and one of the ten promised Paradise. He was known for his generosity and freely giving in the Way of Allah, He was married to two daughters of the Prophet (#2), Rugayyah and after her death, Umm Kulthiim. He was martyred in the year 35H.

* ‘All bin Abi ‘Talib: ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim al-Qurashi al-Hashimi, the fourth Rightly Guided Khaljfzh and one of ten promised Paradise. He accepted Islam at the age of thirteen and was famous for his chivalry, bravery and knowledge. He married Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet (#8) and was martyred in the year 40H.

5 Abii ad-Dard@’: Uwaymie ibn Malik ibn Zayd ibn Qays al-Khazraji al-Ansari. There is a difference of opinion concerning his name. He accepted Islam on the day of Badrand witnessed Ubud. He was from the Legal Jurists and ascetics of the Companions. He died in the year 32H.

ing the year of Khaybar and reported some ahddith from the Prophet (4g). He died in the year 52H.

SEEDS OF ADMONISHMENT AND REFORM

Devotees ate focused upon worshipping their Lord; their feet ate lined up in harmony within the rows [of Sa/dh], standing [in Salah\ their weight on the throes of fear [of Allah] so when they ate affected by their fear [of Allah] they shift their weight off the foot of fear to the foot of hope.

The condition of people differ at the time of their death; some endured the fear [of Allah] until the moment they died, such as ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab (radiyAllahu ‘anhn), who said on his death bed: ‘woe to ‘Umar should his Lord not forgive him’, and some were distressed by the thirst of their fearful cautiousness so they cooled themselves down with the water of hope, such as Bilal ibn Abi Rabah! (radiyAllahu ‘anhu), whose wife lamented while he was on his death bed saying; "how grievous and sorrowful is this moment for me!’ while he on the other hand said jubilantly ‘how joyous and pleasant a moment this is, soon I will meet Muhammad and his companions!’ This is because Bilal (radiyAllahu ‘anbu) knew that the Imam who lead the Sa/dh [i.e. the Prophet (:g)| would never forget the one who announced the call for Sa/dh [i.e. Bilal] and so he mitigated death with the comfort of hope.

While Sulayman al-Taimi* was on his death bed he said to his son: ‘Narrate to me the hadiths related to concessions, so that I meet Allah, Exalted is He, while I am optimistic in Him.’ For how

7 Bilal ibn Abi Rabah: His story is almost certainly the most famous of all of the Companions of the Prophet (#8). He was born in Makkah into slavery, and was tortured by his Umayya ibn Khalaf when he refused to renounce his new faith. He was purchased by Abii Bakr as-Siddiq, who set him free. He became the Prophet’s muezzin at Medinah, and later moved to Syria, where he died in the year 17H

In the Saying of Allab: “The reckoning of mankind draws ever near”

long should a traveler walk. Surely he must stop and seek repose at some point.

O you of feeble will: How far are you from the path on which Adam (‘alayhi as-salam) suffered, because of which Ni (‘a/ayhi assalam) mourned, for the sake of which Ibrahim (‘a/ayhi as-salami) was thrown into fire, on which Ishaq (‘a/ayhi as-salam) was laid down to be slaughtered, Yusuf (‘alayhi as-salam) was sold for a meager price, Zakariyyah (‘a/ayhi as-salam) was cut into pieces, Yahya (‘alayhi as-salam) was murdered, Ayyab (‘alayhi as-salam) suffered all kinds of calamities, Dawad (‘a/ayhi as-salim) wept so much, Sulayman (‘alayhi as-salam) did not rejoice despite all that he possessed, Missa (‘alayhi as-salam) desited to see His Lord, ‘Isa (‘alayhi as-salam) wandered with the beasts in the desert, and Muhammad (48) endured poverty!

The Marvelous Creation of Allah

adorn the brides of creation, to delight the eyes of the

slaves [of Allah]; such wonders! From the moment you are admitted into the kingdom [of Allah] you shall never stop admiring the adornments [of His creation] so, look for a moment with the eyes of contemplation while lowering the gaze of your bodily eyes, and then answer me; is there any better universe than this? Leave out of your house of retreat, and walk across the passage of your contemplation and stop to contemplate at the wide open spaces; reflect on how the green grows in the presence of the Creator’s mysteries; growing plants all wearing the same garb of solidity; dancing in the springtime in celebration of the season of irrigation they had. Contemplate the multitude of colours that exist in a single branch, how splendid is the handiwork of the Creator!

( OLOURFUL ARE THE JEWELS of existence that

Pay attention to their signs, and notice how they all direct the heedless to the One Who created them, While people are busy in their self-desires. Listen to the sound of leaves while they are hanging on their sticks so may the rhyme of their movements bring

The Marvelous Creation of Allah

back the one who is far [to the right path].

I wonder how you reflect on others yet forget reflecting on yourself! You should use the eye of your intellect to reflect deeply on how a drop of seed is dipped in the blood of menses is being crafted by the carpenter of fate shaping the faculties of hearing and seeing without even touching it, all the while it is embraced while wearing its garment and covering up with a robe of a clot to transform afterward into a lump of flesh. Then it changes to flesh and blood so afterward is covered with skin to protect it from the hands of harm until eventually coming out in the form of infant who gradually grows up to become a child; then after some time he experiences the sphere of utterance and climbs out the robe of intellect and reasoning. There are many calls that have been voiced out between the legs of transforming due to the shaking shackles of wisdom in the bangles of mind. Every time it makes a sound the tongues of guidance chant songs of meanings but how would a reckless deaf hear all that? Far from happening it is, for a person who suffers the flu cannot enjoy the smell of toses similar to how a petson in prison cannot enjoy the day of ‘Jd. So, if you were aware of all these wonders yet have not been amazed then be surprised of how you have not so far!!

How could you not be thoughtful though you attained the instruments of intellect and reasoning! How could you blind your heart after seeing the truth?! Indeed, the most amazing acts of Allah’s Power is when

“Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge.” {al-Jathiyah 45; 23]

Mankind is in Need of Allah, The Most High

eternal. As the child is born He sparks for him a river of

milk coming out from the springs of his mother’s breast and implanted instinctual love towards him into the hearts of his parents until He overwhelms them with His grace. Yet, after this child grows up and becomes aware of the One Who bestowed all these graces upon him, he utilises all these graces in disobeying Allah, As the poet have said:

T HE LENIENCY OF ALLAH toward His slaves is pre-

A person spend his nights wearing the robe of impiety, Nevertheless Allah covers him with the shelter of His forbearance without knowing so.

After he reaches the age of puberty and realises the peak of his strength he rushes to issue forth a challenge [i-e. start involving in acts of disobedience]! But for whose interest? And against whom? To get to where? And who are you in the first place to proclaim a challenge? May Allah annihilate the one who does not appreciate His favours upon him.

Mankind is in Need of Allah, The Most High

O youl Allah has bestowed upon you a mercy incomparable to any other mercy; when you repent from your sins He orders his Angels to overlook what he recorded against you, and when He judges you He covers your shortcomings so that others do not see the yellowness of your skin caused by your shame. O you whose innate nature is that of purity, beware of debasing yourself with the filth of sins. Lift up the tails of piety above the trash of self-desires and beware of the sprays of mistakes so it does not touch your pure garments.

‘To observe your duties you should firmly shield yourself [from sins] so look ahead because

feck, pe Me inalts zbec gee) site evita “But if you sip [i-e., deviate] after clear _ have come to you, then know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.”

And know that the fountain of your eyes shall wash off the ditt staining your heart.

Since your affaits were sound at yout first day of

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Pathe an bos pSle pote SaT iy

“And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - theit descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], ‘Am I not your Lord?”

SEEDS OF ADMONISHMENT AND REFORM

Thus you better rectify your affairs at the end so that what is in between be forgiven. O you who has been fat away from his home whete it was said

thee Bore “Am I not your Lord”

did you not long for it yet? As the poet said:

Give your heart to whoever you desire .... for Love is only granted to the first lover

O you who turned away from his Lord, what else kept you away from your Lord and so you turned to instead? Why have you let yourself be led by another? [It is time] for you to stand on the right path.