You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January, 2008.
Moses once heard a shepherd praying as follows: “O God, show me where thou art, that I may become Thy servant. I will clean Thy shoes and comb Thy hair, and sew Thy clothes, and fetch Thee milk.”
When Moses heard him praying in this senseless manner, he rebuked him, saying “O foolish one, though your father was a believer, you have become an infidel. God is a Spirit, and needs not such gross ministrations as, in your ignorance, you suppose.” The shepherd was abashed at his rebuke, and tore his clothes and fled away into the desert. Then a voice from Heaven was heard, saying, “O Moses, wherefore have you driven my servant? Your office is to reconcile my people with me, not to drive them away from me. I have given each race different usages and forms of praising and adorning me. I have no need of their praise, being exalted above all such needs. I regard not the words that are spoken, but the heart that offers them. I do not require fine words, but a burning heart. Men’s ways of showing devotion to me are various, but so long as the devotions are genuine, they are accepted.”
Extract from the Masnavi, by Jalal Al-Din Rumi
A fusion of Rumi, Ibn Arabi & A. Yaseen
A fusion of 3 poems by the famous poets:
“Awakening” by Amjid Yaseen
“The Fabulous Gryphon” by Ibn Arabi
“A Moment of Happiness” by Rumi
and, one additional quote by Rumi as well.
These poems are full of mystical symbology, expressing the author’s desire to know and be closer to God.
The video is set to the instrumental rendition of “Nights in White Satin” by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
As an example of symbology, here is a commentary that I like about the topic The Qur’an as the Ocean of All Knowledge.
Sufi interpretation begins with several basic premises: that the Qur’an contains many levels of meaning, that man has the potential to uncover these meanings, and that the task of interpretation is endless. In their exegetical writings, Sufi’s quote such Qur’anic verses as “We have left nothing out from the Book (6:38), We have counted everything in a clear register (36:12), There is nothing whose treasures are not with Us and We only send it down in a known measure (15:21)”, and, “If all the trees on the earth were pens and the sea seven seas after it to replenish it, the words of God would not be depleted (31:27).
The image of the Qur’an as an ocean is a particularly popular one, as in this quote from the Jawāhir al-Qur’ān of Abū al-Ghazali.”
“I will rouse you from your sleep, you who have given yourself up to recitation, who have taken the study of the Qur’an as a practice, who have seized upon some of its outward meanings and sentences. How long will you wander about the shore of the sea with your eyes closed to its wonders? Was it not for you to sail through its depths in order to see its amazing things, to travel to its islands to pick its delicacies, to dive to its bottom and become rich from obtaining its jewels? Don’t you despise yourself for losing out on its pearls and jewels as you continue to look only to its shores and esoteric aspects? Haven’t you heard that the Qur’an is an ocean from which the knowledge of all ages branches out just as rivers and streams branch out from the shores of the ocean?Don’t you envy the happiness of people who have plunged into its overflowing waves and seized red sulfur, who have dived into its depths and taken out red rubies, shining pearls and green chrysolite, who have roamed its shores and gathered gray ambergris and fresh blooming aloes wood, who have clung to its islands and found an abundance in their animals of the greatest antidote and pungent musk?”
(The above commentary comes from: Sands, Kristin Zahra.
Title: Sufi commentaries on the Qur’an in classical Islam)
Produced & Directed by Aleem Karmali
Written by Karim Gillani
Narrated by Sofia Lakhani & Nawaz Hussainaly
Dr. Gerald Schroeder sets forth a powerful argument for a Creator of the cosmos that goes beyond Intelligent Design theory to the radical rationality in nature. Dr. Gerald Schroeder holds a dual doctorate in Nuclear Physics and Oceanography from MIT along with high-level research in chemistry and planetary sciences. Dr. Schroeder’s argument was so powerful it played a part in influencing the worlds leading atheist, Antony Flew to accept the existence of an infinitely intelligent Creator. This video is a part of the documentary entitled “Has Science Discovered God?” that made world headline news because it shows how Antony Flew changed his mind about atheism on the basis of the message of modern science, a message that testifies to the inherently intelligent infrastructure that underlies the universe.
Wolverhampton Prayers for Peace is an annual event, organised by Wolverhampton Inter Faith Council. Although it’s not a religious service, it is a “prayer event”, where the different faiths in Wolverhampton come together to pray for peace in our city, and the whole world.
Wulfruna Sufi Association is delighted, to be taking part in this year’s Prayers for Peace. Please join us and our friends of faith, as we share our prayers for peace. We will be sharing a series of scripture readings and prayers from different faiths, based around this years theme “The Pathway to Peace”
Attending this event
- Where is the event being held?
- St Peter’s Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton
- When is the event being held?
- Sunday 27th January 2008 starting at 3pm
- How can I attend this event?
- People can just turn up
- What will it cost?
- none
To mark Holocaust Memorial Day the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Trudy Bowen, will be attending a multi-faith service at the Cenotaph in the citys St Peter’s Gardens.
The service will take place at 10.15am on Sunday, 27 January, and will be attended by representatives from the different faith communities in Wolverhampton, as well as city councillors, ex-service organisations, the trades unions and pensioners’ organisations.
The Mayor, who will be accompanied by the Consort, Mr Paul Kalinauckas, will lay a wreath in memory of the victims of the Holocaust and Nazi persecution.
As a show of support for the event, the Mayor and Consort will later sign the Statement of Commitment, which was developed for the inaugural Holocaust Memorial Day national event in January 2001, and will invite others present to do the same.
The document calls for people to remember the Holocaust, educate future generations about what happened and to recognise that everyone has a responsibility to fight the evils of discrimination, racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.
Members of the public are invited to attend the service at the Cenotaph.
Attending this event
- Where is the event being held?
- Cenotaph, St Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton
- When is the event being held?
- Sunday 27th January 2008 starting at 10:15
- How can I attend this event?
- People can just turn up
- What will it cost?
- none
- Holocaust Memorial Day Trust
Made by ummahfilms
The Hindu Poet who Loved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
When the British still ruled India there lived, in Delhi, a well-known Hindu poet by the name of Dillu Ram Kausari. Now, this poet, though a Hindu, wrote encomiums and poems [na’at] in praise of the Prophet Muhammad (upon him be blessings and peace.) He became famous for writing such poetry and his poems became well known to such an extent that it scandalised his fellow Hindus who accosted him and said, “Dillu Ram, what is the matter with you? You have disgraced the name of Hindus! You are a Hindu and yet you sing praises of and write poetry praising the Prophet of the Muslims?”
“Do not stop me”, answered Dillu Ram, “for I am forced to write such poetry.”
“Who or what is forcing you?” his fellow Hindus asked.
“I am forced by my love,” he cried. “I have fallen in love with the Prophet!”
“How can you, being a Hindu, fall in love with the Muslims’ Prophet?” they asked, perplexed.
To this Dillu Ram replied, “’Love is not forced it just happens’”.
“How much do you love the Prophet then?” they asked him, still astonished that one of their own could love the Prophet. To this Dillu Ram wept like a lover departed from his beloved and recited a poem of his. He said:
Kuch ‘ishq e Muhammad mein nahin shart e Musulman!
Hai Kausari Hindu bhii talabgaar e Muhammad!
Allah re! kyaa raunaq e bazaar e Muhammad
Ke Ma’bood e Jahan bhi hai kharidaar e Muhammad!
Being a Muslim is not a condition for loving Muhammad!
Kausari, the Hindu, is also a seeker of Muhammad!
By Allah! How delightful is the bazaar of Muhammad
For the Lord of the Worlds is also a buyer of Muhammad!
They left him in disgust. The poetry of Dillu Ram became more widespread and one quatrain, in particular, shocked the entire community in India, both Muslims and Hindus. In this quatrain he imagined himself on the Day of Judgement and wrote these words, which were published (as were many of his other poems in various Urdu monthlies) in a Urdu magazine called “Maulvi” which was printed in Delhi.
This was the controversial quatrain:
Rahmatulilalamin kay Hashar mein maana’ khulay
Khalq saari Shaafa e Roz e Jaza kay saath hai
Laykay Dillu Raam ko jannat mein jab Hazrat gaye
Ma’loom huwa kay Hindu bhi Mahboob e Khuda kay saath hai!
The meaning of “Mercy unto the Worlds” became apparent on Judgement Day:
The whole creation is with the Intercessor of The Day of Acquittal
When the Prophet took Dillu Ram with him into Paradise
It was known that this Hindu too is with the Beloved of God!
This quatrain scandalised both Hindus and Muslims! It annoyed the the Hindus who objected to his continued praise of the Prophet and it scandalised the Muslims who were angered by the sheer audacity of this Hindu to speak like that about the Day of Judgment! How can a Hindu go to heaven? they asked.
Undeterred by this criticism, Dillu Ram continued most of his life to sing the praises of the Prophet although he never became a Muslim and remained a Hindu. It is also said that Dillu Ram, delirious with his love, would sometimes stand in the middle of the bazaar in Delhi, put chains around his neck and feet and shout at the top of his voice to all passers-by, “Muhammad! Muhammad! Muhammad! Yes! Muhammad is the Beloved of God! Muhammad is the first and only Beloved of God! If God loves you, He loves you because of His Beloved!” Some people even stoned him and he would often come home covered in blood but he was totally lost in his love of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him!)
As he got older, his fame as a poet (and infamy) spread and when he became seriously ill it was reported in the various literary magazines throughout India including in “Maulvi”. It was reported in this magazine that when he was on his deathbed, seriously weakened and surrounded by well-wishers, friends, family, and admirers of his poetry including many other poets, he was so weak he couldn’t leave his bed. Strangely, he continued to stare at the door and after a while his face brightened and he got up and stood on his feet and hands-folded, asked all those gathered there to also stand up. Astonished his intimates asked him, “What is the matter?” Weeping Dillu Ram said, “The one whom I have spent my whole life praising has arrived! The blessed Father of Fatima (upon him be peace and blessings!) is here, visiting me! And I have not even accepted his religion! How generous my beloved is!” Weeping, he began to converse with the spirit of the Prophet who said to him, “Dillu Ram! Your time is almost upon you. Azrael is almost here! I do not want anyone who has praised me like you have to go to the hellfire! I wish to take you into Paradise with me!” Weeping Dillu Ram recited the Kalimah (Muslim Credo) and then said to the Prophet, “Master! You have taught me the Kalimah now also give me a Muslim name of your choice! I can feel The Angel of Death is almost upon me!” The Prophet gave him the name Kausar Ali Kausari. After that the fortunate former Hindu poet passed away. Verily we are from God and unto Him is our return!
His name has become famous amongst traditional Sunni Barelvi Muslims of the Subcontinent as a lover of the Prophet who attained a blessing only given to God’s chosen few—the vision of the Beloved whilst in a state of waking!
May God give us all the love of Dillu Ram Kausari! Amen.
Reference: This is a transcription by Danish Kirkire, with notes and translation, of a talk about Dillu Ram Kausaru by Qari Abu Bakr Chishti of Pakistan.
I watched Richard Dawkins documentary “The God Delusion”. All he does is select the worst or most difficult to accept examples of what religion has to offer, then compare it to the best of what science has to offer. As if they are even comparable!
He makes a major mistake that many scientists of the 20th century have made, by considering that science is in opposition to religion. Also, the supposition that science without religion is somehow fruitful, when the statistics speak for themselves, atheism and especially atheist-based regimes have killed more people than all the religions put together, never mind either Christianity or Islam by themselves!
The truth is that many of the greatest scientists were religious people who believed in God, such as; Ibn-Rushd (Averroes),Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Ibn Hayyan (Geber), Ibn al-Haytham (Alhacen), Abu al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi (Abulcasis), Roger Bacon, Francis Bacon, René Descartes, Johannes Kepler, Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and these are just some of the more well known ones.
In fact many religious people go into the sciences to learn more about God’s creation, and maybe gain some insight thereby. In many ways science started out as a religious pursuit to learn more about the Creator by studying His creation. But atheists like to hide this aspect of science, instead presenting their own biased views as if they were true!
![CrescentLife - [ Lifestyle Magazine ]](http://wulfrunasufi.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/clife.gif "CrescentLife - [ Lifestyle Magazine ]")
