So refreshing Janda Baik!

View of the river of Chemperoh and its ravines from a foodstall besides the road. The river is one among many going through the village area of Janda Baik, Bentong, Pahang.
Not far from here is a surau (small praying hall) often frequented by Tabligh followers ( a group of staunch Muslims who try to emulate closely the way of living of the Prophet and his companions) and those who want to meditate, worshipping in peace away from the madness of the outside crowd. The surau is also one of my place of lodging when in Janda Baik.

Say, "Let me inform you of a much better deal: for those who lead a righteous life, reserved at their Lord, are gardens with flowing streams, and pure spouses, and joy in God's blessings." God is Seer of His worshipers.

- Verse 15 from the Chapter of Ali Imran in the Quran

Peace be upon you dear readers. Today, I am moved to share some pictures taken in and around Kampung (the village of) Janda Baik, in the district of Bentong, Pahang... While taking a rest there last week. This refreshing village area is situated on a valley in Banjaran Titiwangsa (the main mountain range in Peninsular Malaysia), at a height of 1,400 feet and more above sea level.
For information, it is the one and only highland in Malaysia that is gazetted as a Malay Reserve Land (meaning only Malays can own the land). The other highland areas seemed to be controlled or owned by other races. Look at Genting Highlands (where exist the only legal casino in Malaysia) which is situated not far from here for example...
These pictures are given according to a sequence of events and travelling. Please look carefully and follow the pace of story-telling which came spontaneously . God willing, behind all this, there will be some sort of transmission of subtle esotoric knowledge for all... Go on!

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This pictorial tale is started with a picture taken immediately after embarking off the Kuala-Lumpur-Bentong-Raub bus. To reach Janda Baik by bus, one must stop at the small township of Bukit Tinggi situated beside the highway.
Inside the picture is the Selesa Hill Homes resort at the back. In front are the flats mostly dwelt by outsiders working in and around Janda Baik and Bukit Tinggi.

This is the walking path that must be taken from the bus-stop to the small town of Bukit Tinggi. The bus-stop heading towards Kuala Lumpur is situated right next to the town while the stop for those heading to Bentong and Raub where I embarked is situated almost half a kilometre further away!


The underground tunnel crossing the highway to get to the small town of Bukit Tinggi.

The minute I got out of the tunnel, there looms a pasar lambak (the local variety market) held on Tuesday

So this is the small town of Bukit Tinggi. Originally, it was a new village area for assembling Malaysia citizens of Chinese origin, created in the 1960s to combat the problem of Communist insurgency rampant then.
Most locals here do business and grow vegetables including around the area of Genting Sempah (near the underground highway tunnel cutting through the mountains) where first grade ginger are grown for export overseas. There are Bukit Tinggi locals who take, even grow vegetables in Janda Baik which is a Malay Reserve Land and send it to the retail wet market in Selayang, Kuala Lumpur.

The view at the pasar lambak in Bukit Tinggi. The word "pasar lambak" is normally used in Muar, Johor where I was born. In Kuala Lumpur, markets such as this are called pasar malam (literally translated as "night market")
Since this picture is taken in the afternoon, it didn't feel right to call it as pasar malam. So let me just use the words pasar lambak ya...


This picture is taken the following day, from the house of Puan Ainon, the owner of PTS, a book publishing company which now features as one of the biggest local outfit in the field. At times, I would drop at the house to use the Internet wi-fi line. Too bad, there is a problem with the line, forcing Puan Ainon and her husband to go down to Kuala Lumpur to continue their work.


This is the picture of a house, taken from the lawn at Puan Ainon's home. For information, in and around Janda Baik, there are many more big and luxurious houses owned by the rich, also the powerful who make this village as their weekend hide-away place.

This is a picture of a tree which grows in the middle of the river next to the village hall and mosque of Janda Baik. Forgot the name of the river but the area is known as Pulau Santap.
According to local tale, it is called Pulau Santap as it was the favourite area for the Pahang royal family to rest and have meals especially during the reign of Sultan Abu Bakar, father to the current Sultan of Pahang.

The same river seen from a different angle. If I'm not mistaken, behind the big rocks there used to exist a pile of sand making up a small island which became the place for the Pahang royal family of old to rest and have meals... That is why it is called Pulau Santap (literally, "the island for having royal meals)!



This is the playing field in front of Janda Baik primary school. This is where the local village youngters play football in the afternoon.



This picture is taken while walking back from Pulau Santap to the river of Chemperoh. In the background is Mount Nuang at around 5,000 feet above sea level, the highest mountain in the state of Selangor.
The summit is situated at the borders of Selangor and Pahang. Not far from the summit also is the border of Negeri Sembilan, that is in Kenaboi.
I've climbed the mountain alone and got lost for over 19 hours. The story is told in my first book "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti" (literally, "The trip to Aceh: In search of self and meaning) or BKA I.

So this is the "town" of Janda Baik... There is a shop which is the local mini-market with 2-3 small restaurants, also a bus-stop for the Janda Baik to Bentong service.
This area is also known as Simpang Tiga (T-Junction)... One junction to the Chemperoh river and the area further on, a junction to Bukit Tinggi and on to Bentong also to Kuala Lumpur and a junction to Pulau Santap where the road winds far before connecting back to the route to Bukit Tinggi.
If you want to go to Kuala Lumpur, you can take the bus from here to Bukit Tinggi, 10 kilometers away. Then wait for the Raub-Bentong-Kuala Lumpur bus which appears every half an hour.
The problem is, the Janda-Baik to Bentong service is available only 3 times a day. So I prefer to hitchike the bikes, cars. even lorries carrying vegetables to get in and out of Janda Baik.

This picture is taken while walking from Simpang Tiga to Sungai Chemperoh. At first, I saw a calf running around making sounds as if looking for the mum. Then I saw these three cows...


This is a picture of a section of the Chemperoh river running beside the lawns of my adopted father's home, the political writer S.H. Alattas' house. For information, I used to lodge at this place for over 2 years. During the time, the house was the "headquarters" for me to rest before travelling all over.


The scene at a food-stall besides the Chemperoh river. A picture of the river taken from this food-stall is the one that made the first picture to grace this article.

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Hmm... Methinks, enough story-telling for the day ya... While relaxing and looking at these refreshing pictures, hopefully we become more enlighten to see God's greatness apparent or hidden along with the lessons to be learned behind all this, God willing, so long! :]

Flood in Kuala Lumpur 2007... Is there a hidden meaning behind it?

Picture of the area for taking wuduk (ablution). Note the mud in the way...

Peace be upon you readers. Today, I went to several places in and around Kuala Lumpur especially the city centre to settle a few things regarding the book "Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal" (literally translated as "The trip to Aceh: Advocating the true faith"). During travel, I witnessed how the flood that ravaged some parts of the metropolis due to the heavy non-stop rain for more than 3 hours last night had destroyed so many goods especially at the shops. The mud left was also very apparent at many places, in fact some left such a bad smell like that of drains or toilet that has not been washed for long.
At first, I didn't want to take notice of the flood's aftermath as I was busy figuring out things related to my book while making updates of what is necessary using the laptop computer that is often brought along everywhere. But upon seeing the amount of mud and dirt at Masjid Jamek (main mosque) of Kuala Lumpur while on the way to perform the Asar (late afternoon) prayers, came the urge to take some pictures and then write a story alongside the interpretation of events that came suddenly.

The congregation was forced to pray at the mosque's verandah area, not inside the main hall because of all the dirt left by the flood overnight...

Look at the picture above where the congregation was forced to perform the prayers at the mosque's verandah. While looking at the mud and dirt brought by the flood at the mosque's compound, suddenly there emerged a question upon the heart... Is there any hidden meaning behind all these? Coincidently the flood yesterday happened a day after there occurs the marriage of Malaysia's 5th Prime Minister Pak Lah (as Abdullah Badawi is fondly known) to a widow of mixed parentage Jeanne Abdullah who was the sister-in-law to Pak Lah's late wife, Datin Endon. Is there a relationship between all these?
As a Muslim, although I don't belong among the pious and knowledgable ones, I feel it is high time Pak Lah choose a wife who wears the head-scarf. This is because Pak Lah is carrying the image of a pious leader who should forward the advantages and purity of Islam and he hails from a lineage of religious scholars - His grandfather Haji Abdullah Fahim was the mufti (head of religious matters) of Pulau Pinang and is considered as a very reputable religious scholar. If the late Datin Endon don't want to wear the headscarf, hopefully the new wife is more willing to follow the prescriptions of Islam, God willing!
Regarding the wearing of headscarf, perhaps some would argue that it is a matter of individual rights... It is better not to wear the headscarf than to wear it just in order to please other people. In this matter, I feel it is better to wear the headscarf to please people eventhough one will be accused of not being sincere. Maybe one is not ready to cover the aurat (body parts that should not be exposed according to Islamic prescriptions) but God will surely take account of the good intention of a wife who wears the headscarf in order to safeguard the good name of the husband and family especially when the husband is being related to religious scholars and those who fight for Islam.

The Masjid Jamek (main mosque) of Kuala Lumpur as seen from the front. The mud and dirt brought by the flood last night was not apparent in the picture... Try going closer. For sure you'll notice the dirt that stains the purity...

OK... Back to the hidden meaning behind things. Is there any relationship between the flood that carries dirt and mud all over Kuala Lumpur to Pak Lah's marriage? I don't know. What I do know, my heart keeps saying that there must be a meaning behind all these happenings... A meaning that forced the mosque's congregation to pray at the verandah, not inside the main hall of the mosque which is not just any ordinary place - Its position at the meeting of the Gombak and Klang rivers is the starting point of the origins of the city of Kuala Lumpur itself!
As many know, it is during the time of Pak Lah's administration that so many cases happens such that never took stage in Malaysia... A group of non-Malay leaders dared to question Article 11 of the Constitution touching on a Malaysian citizen's right to religion... Lina Joy (which took the limelights because of the gravity of the case) challenged the courts so that a Muslim may be allowed to leave the religion and convert using the process of law. Besides that, I'm sure many knew how the main companies in Malaysia have received "injections of cash" from a neighbouring country. Looking at the flood's aftermath all around the city especially at he mosque, my heart says... This means something is not right.
As it is, in the art of divination and interpreting dreams, water is often related to money and wealth. So, a dream where we see a lot of water like looking at a river, the sea, even a flood is said to be a sign that we will receive money and overflowing wealth. What if the water brings so much dirt that people are forced to get out of the mosque and pray at the verandah? What is the meaning of this?
At the same time, a thought occured... From one point of view, the "injection of cash" which came in the form of purchase of Malaysia's main companies (such as through buying of shares) by certain parties from a neighbouring country can be considered as the advent of overflowing wealth which managed to push up the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange to its highest gain above 1,300 points. Of course, it is good for business but is it really good for the man on the street especially the Malay Muslims who form the backbone of the country's existence?
Look at Pasar Seni (literally translated as "market for arts") or Central Market where the rent for space reputedly has been raised from RM600 a month to RM2,000 a month after it was taken over by a company owned by a neighbouring country. Look, what happened to the Malay traders who used to form a part of the identity of Pasar Seni... Where are they now? Methinks, they've become like those sitting beside bags of rice but with no chance of having a taste of rice!
Hmm... Enough of letting out steam. Do look at the snapshots below to have a picture of last night's flood aftermath which happened a day after Pah Lah got married.

Picture in front of the Mc Donald outlet beside the main mosque. Look at the piles of rubbish and goods damaged by the flood. At the time, it was around 5 in the afternoon, the area was having a blackout.

Jalan Melaka with some parts still immersed in mud, just beside the LRT (Light Railway Transit) of Masjid Jamek.




The flood aftermath around the area of Masjid India. Plenty of goods especially clothings where damaged becaused of the flood which went up not less than 2 feet deep. Visible in the picture is a sale where women's headscarf which normally cost RM10 each is being sold at RM3 a piece.
Next to this shop (not visible in picture) is a sale for Indian-made silk. The silk normally cost RM80 a piece but now is being sold at RM20 each, all because it was spoiled by the flood and must be washed and cleaned by prospective buyers.

The traffic jam at Lebuh Ampang caused by works to clean rubbish left by the flood.

Look, how the road is temporarily blocked so that the rubbish can be carried away.

This is the dirt and mud left at a lane beside Lebuh Ampang. The tall building in the backgroud is the Kuala Lumpur City Hall building!

Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani's academic years

For reasons I'm not sure of, today I feel like updating this blogspot with some stories regarding the life of the Sultanul Awliya, King of Saints Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani. I mean I know at this juncture I want to update this blogspot so as to make it my 55th posting here - For some unknown reasons too, somehow I always relate this number with a particular girl in my life and nowadays, this number is shared with another girl too. But why these particular stories on the great Sufi Saint? I don't know as I was actually surfing for stories on Sheikh Junaid Al-Baghdadi who lived 200 years earlier but came across this one instead. So here goes...

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Shaikh ABD AL-QAADIR AL-JILANI ENTERS BAGHDAD:

The city of Baghdad was blessed with the presence al-Ghawth al-A’zam Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. in the year 488 A.H. When he arrived in Baghdad, Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. already spent the forty Dirhams given to him by his mother. Without any money, he began to spend his days in hunger and poverty. Due to immense poverty, he went towards the Arcade of Chosroes in search of Halaal food. When he reached the Arcade, he found that there were already seventy Awliya Allah in search of Halaal food. Since he did not wish to be in their way, he returned to Baghdad.
On his way back, he met a traveller from Jilan. When he heard that Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. was from Jilan, he asked him if he knew a young man by the name of “Abd al-Qaadir”. Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. informed him that he was Abd al-Qaadir. The traveller then handed a block of gold to Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. saying that it had been sent to him by his mother. When Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. heard this, he immediately made the Shukr of Almighty Allah. He then returned to the Arcade of Chosroes where he presented most of the gold to the Awliya Allah who were in search of food. He then took a little for himself and returned to Baghdad.
On his return to Baghdad, he prepared meals and fed the poor and then shared this meal with them. This alone shows the character of the great Ghaus that even though he was without food, he first gave most of his gold to the Awliya Allah, then fed the poor before eating the the food himself. Without doubt, this is the sign of a true servant of Allah.
It was in this manner that the life of al-Ghawth al-A’zam Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. commenced in the holy city of Baghdad.

ATTAINING AND COMPLETION OF ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE

After a few days in Baghdad Shareef, al-Ghawth al-A’zam Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. enrolled for academic studies at the famous Jamia Nizamia, which was the centre of learning and spiritualism in the Islamic world. Teachers of great calibre and piety tutored here.
Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. studied with great sincerity and dedication.
Amongst his teachers were: Abul Wafa Ali bin Aqeel, Abu Zakariyah Yahyaa bin Ali Tabrezi, Abu Saeed bin Abdul Kareem, Abul Anaa’im Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad, Abu Sa’eed bin Mubaarak Makhzoomi, and Abul Khair Hamaad bin Muslim Al Dabbas r.a. He attained the knowledge of Qirah, Tafseer, Hadith, Fiqh, Shari’ah and Tareeqah from the above-mentioned Ulama.
He also excelled in all these subjects. In the field of Adab, his teacher was Allama Abu Zakariyah Tabrezi r.a. who was a great Aalim of his time. He was also the author of various Kitaabs such as “Tafseerul Quraan Wal E’raab”, “Sharah Qasaa’idul Ashr”a“Sharah Diwaan Abi Tamaam”. In the field of Fiqh and Usool-e-Fiqh, his teachers were: Shaikh Abul Wafa bin Aqeel Hambali, Abul Hassan Muhammad bin Qaazi Abul Ulaa and Shaikh Abul Khataab Mahfooz Hambali, and Qaazi Abu Sa’eed Mubaarak bin Ali Makhzoomi Hambali r.a.
In the field of Hadith, he attained knowledge from the following Ulama: Sayyidi Abul Barkaat Talhaa Al Aaqooli, Abul Ana’im Muhammad bin Ali bin Maimoon Al Farsi, Abu Uthmaan Ismaeel bin Muhammad Al Isbihaani, Abu Ghaalib Muhammad bin Hassan Al Baaqilaani, Abu Muhammad Jaafar bin Ahmad binil Husaini, Sayyidi Muhammad Mukhtaar Al Haashmi, Sayyidi Abu Mansoor Abdur Rahmaan Al Qaz’zaaz, Abul Qaasim Ali bin Ahmad Ban’naan Al Karghi After intense studies, Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. qualified from Jamia Nizamia. During this period, there was no Aalim present on the earth who was more knowledgeable and pious than Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a.

HARDSHIPS FACED DURING STUDIES

While studying in Baghdad, he faced many hardships and was tested severely by the life of Baghdad. Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. himself used to say: “The hardship and difficulties that I faced in Baghdad during my studies were so severe that if they had to be placed on a mountain, then even the mountain would split in two.” He also used to say: “When the hardships and difficulties would become unbearable, then I would lay on the road and continuosly recite the Ayah of the Holy Quran, ‘Then without doubt there is easiness with shortages, without doubt there is easiness with shortages’. By making takraar of this Ayah I used to find great tranquillity and peace.”
After adjourning from classes, he used to wander into the jungles and forests of Baghdad where he used to spend the entire night in the Zikr of Almighty Allah. He did this regardless of the weather conditions or season. If he become tired and weak, he would rest for a while making the ground his bed and a boulder his pillow. During these nights of Zikr, he would dress in a small turban and a thin cloak. If he became hungry, he used to go towards the river Euphrates and eat whatever vegetables he could find beside the river. He always said that he gained much pleasure in this way of life and it caused him to gain closeness to Almighty Allah.

PATIENCE DURING A SEVERE DROUGHT:

Once, while he was studying, the city of Baghdad experienced a severe drought. The conditions in Baghdad became so desperate that people became dependant on every grain that they could find. When there was no more grain, people began to eat plants and leaves from trees. During this time, al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. used to also go out in search for food. But when he saw others in search of food, he would return to the city empty-handed, as he did not feel it appropriate to impose by disturbing others whom he thought needed food more than he did. Many days had passed by without him eating.
Due to intense hunger, he was compelled to go out in search of food towards a market in Baghdad known as Sooqur Raihaanain”. As he entered the market, his hunger had made him so weak and tired, that be could not stand anymore. He saw a Musjid nearby and slowly dragged himself towards it. He entered the Musjid and sat against one of the walls of the Musjid to support his now tired and weak body. He sat there for a while. Then he saw a person enter the Musjid. The person sat in one corner and opened a parcel in which there was fried meat and bread. Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. reported this incident that the person then began to have this meal. Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. says: “The intensity of my hunger was so great that every time the person lifted a morsel of food to his mouth, my mouth would open uncontrollably with his and would wish that I also had something to eat.”
When this continued happening, al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. turned to his nafs and said, “Do not be impatient. Have trust and faith in Almighty Allah.” After saying these words he did not feel this way anymore. After a little while, this person came to Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. uninvited and offered him some food. Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. kindly declined, but the person insisted. Upon such insistence, Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. joined him in his meal.
Whilst eating, the person asked al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. about himself. He explained to him that he was from Jilan and that he was in Baghdad to attain knowledge. The person then said that he was also from Jilan and asked if he knew the person of the name of Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. answered by saying, ‘My name is Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani.”
When the man heard this, with tears in his eyes, he stood before Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. and said, “Please forgive me for I have misused that which was given to me in trust.” Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. asked the stranger to explain what he meant. The stranger then said: “When I was leaving Jilan, I met an old woman, who gave me eight Dirhams in trust that I should give it to her son, Abd al-Qaadir, who is studying in Baghdad. O Abd al-Qaadir! The food that I was eating was from the eight Dirhams that your mother had given for you. I had been searching for you but could not find you and due to this, my stay in Baghdad was extended. This caused my money to run out and out of extreme hunger, I used some of your money to purchase this food that we ate. O Abd al-Qaadir! It is not I that fed you, but it is you that fed me. Please forgive me for abusing that which was given to me in trust (Amaanah).”
Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a., with great gentleness and affection, held the stranger to his heart and praised him for his honesty and his sincerity. He then gave the remainder of the food and a portion of the eight Dirhams to the stranger and bid him farewell.
This incident indicates in clear terms that Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. was concerned more with the needs of others than those of his own. Notwithstanding his dire need in the circumstances, he remained sensitive to the plight of this stranger. This act of selflessness alone is a lesson in the behaviour that one should adopt.

A LION OF ALLAH:

Shaikh Abdullah Salmi r.a. states that he heard the following astonishing incident from Al-Ghawth al-A’zam Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. The Great Ghawth said: “Once during my studies in Baghdad, I had nothing to eat for many days. One day, in this condition, I was on my way to a small street called ‘Qat’eeya Sharfiya’. Here, there was a Musjid, which used to be empty. I used to sit there by myself and revise my lessons for the next day. On my way to Mohalla Qat’eeya, I met a stranger who gave me a piece of paper and asked me to take it to a certain shop. Very surprised, I did as he asked. When I got to the shop, I gave the piece of paper to the owner, who in turn kept this piece of paper and gave me roti (bread) and halwa (sweets). I took this roti and halwa and went into the Musjid where I used to revise my lessons. I sat down for a while and decided to eat a piece of bread and some halwa when I saw a piece of paper beside the wall.
I picked it up and saw the following words written on it, ‘Almighty Allah has stated in one of the past Books, that the Lions of Allah have no desire for the pleasures of this world. Desires and pleasure (in food) are for the old and weak who depend on this to gain strength for Ibadah. When I read this my entire body began to tremble in the fear of Allah causing all the hair on my body to stand on end. I immediately removed the desire of eating from my mind and read two Rakahs of Salaah and then left the Musjid without eating.”

ENCOUNTER WITH A PIOUS SERVANT OF ALLAH

It was a common practice during harvesting season in Baghdad Shareef for students to get together at a nearby village called “Baaqooba” and to ask the farmers for some grain from their annual harvest. In those days, the people showed great respect to students and happily gave them grain. On one occasion, the students, who were in the class of Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a., insisted that he accompany them to the village of Baaqooba. Since he did not want to disappoint them, he accompanied them to the village. When they reached there, Al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. heard that a pious servant of Allah, by the name of Shareef Baaqoobi lived in this village. Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. decided to meet this pious servant to obtain his blessings. When Shareef Baaqoobi saw Al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a., he immediately recognised that this was the Qutb-e-Zaman. He told him: “0 my son! Those who strive in the path of Allah do not sketch their hands out to anyone but Allah. You seem to be amongst the chosen servants of Allah. For you to ask for grain (from the people of Baaqooba) is contrary to your status.”
Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. states: “From that day onwards, I never accompanied anyone on such trips and I never asked anything from anyone again.”

ASSISTANCE FROM THE UNSEEN:

One day, the Great Ghawth r.a. was studying in the jungle when he heard a voice from the Unseen call to him: “O Abd al-Qaadir! You have not eaten in days and most of your time is being spent in studies. Go to someone and get something on credit. It is the Sunnah of the Ambiya.”
When Al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. heard this, he replied that he could not take anything on credit, as he had no means of repaying this credit. The voice answered: Do not worry about this. Repaying your credit is Our responsibility.”
After receiving this message, he went to a shop and requested the shopkeeper for some food on credit. He said: "I would like for you to give me one and a half rotis (slices of bread) daily on credit, which I will repay when I have the means, and if I die before this, then you should pardon my credit.”
The shopkeeper, being a pious servant of Allah, began to cry when he heard these words of Al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. He repled: “Take anything that you wish to take from my shop and whenever you wish to do so.”
From that day onwards, he used to take one and a half rotis (bread) daily. The days passed by rapidly and Al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. began to worry about the money that he owed. One day, he was engrossed in this thought when the same Voice from the Unseen called to him and said: “O Abd al-Qaadir! Go to a certain place and whatever you find there, give it to the shopkeeper”.
Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. went to that spot that he was commanded to go to. There, he found a piece of gold. He took this piece of gold and gave it to the shopkeeper thus paying off his credit.

ATTAINMENT OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE

After the completion of his academic studies, Al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. did not cease in his quest for in-depth spiritual knowledge. To quench this spiritual thirst, Almighty Allah presented him with the opportunity of coming under the guidance of Shaikh Ham’maad bin Muslim Ad Dab’baas r.a. He was amongst the superior Mashaa’ikh of Baghdad Shareef.
Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. states that there came a time in Baghdad when there was an abundance of fitna (fighting) and fasaad (trouble). Since he did not want any part of this, he decided to leave Baghdad Shareef for a more peaceful environment. Al-Ghawth al-A’zam r.a. says: “I made my intention to leave Baghdad due to the unsuitable conditions and I was on my way out of Baghdad, when from the Unseen, some great strength pushed me so hard that that I fell to the ground. Then, I heard a Voice from the Unseen say, ‘Do not leave here. The creation of Allah will gain benefit through you.’ On hearing this, I said, ‘What do I have to do with the people? All that I want is to protect my Deen (Imaan).’ The Voice then said, ‘No, No, It is of utmost importance for you to remain here. No harm will come to your Deen (Imaan).’
“I immediately changed my mind and I remained in Baghdad for the Pleasure of Allah. The very next day, as I was passing through a street, a man opened the door of his house and called to me. He said: ‘O Abd al-Qaadir! What did you ask from your Creator yesterday?’ With these words and in great Jalaal, he closed the door of his house. I walked for some time and then realised that I had made a grave error. This person was a Wali. If he wasn’t then he would not have known what had happened the previous day. I went in search for his door but was unsuccessful. Thereafter, I looked for him wherever I went, until one day I saw him in a Majlis. I stayed in his company from then onwards. This personality was Sayyidi Ham’maad bin Muslim Ad’ Dab’baas r.a.
Shaikh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilani r.a. gained deep spiritual knowledge from Shaikh Ham’maad r.a., who was originally from Syria. He was born in a village near Damascus. He travelled to Baghdad and lived in a place called Muzaffariyyab until his demise in 525 A.H. His Mazaar is in the Shawneezia Cemetery in Baghdad Shareef.

Parliament of the birds

Greetings earthlings! Today I feel like updating this blogspot with parts of the works of the eminent Sufi poet Fariduddin Attar. I'm sure anyone who is slightly acquainted with the world of Sufi poems would recognise his works especially the Mathnawi and Mantiq at Thair (Parliament of the birds). So here goes the English translation rendered by Edward Fitzgerald...

Bird Parliament

by Edward FitzGerald

Once on a time from all the Circles seven

Between the stedfast Earth and rolling Heaven

THE BIRDS, of all Note, Plumage, and Degree,

That float in Air, and roost upon the Tree;

And they that from the Waters snatch their Meat,

And they that scour the Desert with long Feet;

Birds of all Natures, known or not to Man,

Flock'd from all Quarters into full Divan,

On no less solemn business than to find

Or choose, a Sultan Khalif of their kind,

For whom, if never theirs, or lost, they pined.

The Snake had his, 'twas said; and so the Beast

His Lion-lord: and Man had his, at least:

And that the Birds, who nearest were the Skies,

And went apparell'd in its Angel Dyes.

Should be without—under no better Law

Than that which lost all other in the Maw—

Disperst without a Bond of Union—nay,

Or meeting to make each the other's Prey—

This was the Grievance—this the solemn Thing

On which the scatter'd Commonwealth of Wing,

From all the four Winds, flying like to Cloud

That met and blacken'd Heav'n, and Thunder-loud

With Sound of whirring Wings and Beaks that clash'd

Down like a Torrent on the Desert dash'd:

Till by Degrees, the Hubbub and Pell-mell

Into some Order and Precedence fell,

And, Proclamation made of Silence, each

In special Accent, but in general Speech

That all should understand, as seem'd him best,

The Congregation of all Wings addrest.

And first, with Heart so full as from his Eyes

Ran weeping, up rose Tajidar the Wise;

The mystic Mark upon whose Bosom show'd

That He alone of all the Birds THE ROAD

Had travell'd: and the Crown upon his Head

Had reach'd the Goal; and He stood forth and said:

'O Birds, by what Authority divine

I speak you know by His authentic Sign,

And Name, emblazon'd on my Breast and Bill:

Whose Counsel I assist at, and fulfil:

At His Behest I measured as he plann'd

The Spaces of the Air and Sea and Land;

I gauged the secret sources of the Springs

From Cloud to Fish: the Shadow of my Wings

Dream'd over sleeping Deluge: piloted

The Blast that bore Sulayman's Throne: and led

The Cloud of Birds that canopied his Head;

Whose Word I brought to Balkis: and I shared

The Counsel that with Asaf he prepared.

And now you want a Khalif: and I know

Him, and his whereabout, and How to go:

And go alone I could, and plead your cause

Alone for all: but, by the eternal laws,

Yourselves by Toil and Travel of your own

Must for your old Delinquency atone.

Were you indeed not blinded by the Curse

Of Self-exile, that still grows worse and worse,

Yourselves would know that, though you see him not,

He is with you this Moment, on this Spot,

Your Lord through all Forgetfulness and Crime,

Here, There, and Everywhere, and through all Time.

But as a Father, whom some wayward Child

By sinful Self-will has unreconciled,

Waits till the sullen Reprobate at cost

Of long Repentance should regain the Lost;

Therefore, yourselves to see as you are seen,

Yourselves must bridge the Gulf you made between

By such a Search and Travel to be gone

Up to the mighty mountain Kaf, whereon

Hinges the World, and round about whose

KneesInto one Ocean mingle the Sev'n Seas;

In whose impenetrable Forest-folds

Of Light and Dark "Symurgh" his Presence holds;

Not to be reach'd, if to be reach'd at all

But by a Road the stoutest might apal;

Of Travel not of Days or Months, but Years—

Life-long perhaps: of Dangers, Doubts, and Fears

As yet unheard of: Sweat of Blood and Brain

Interminable—often all in vain—

And, if successful, no Return again:

A Road whose very Preparation scared

The Traveller who yet must be prepared.

Who then this Travel to Result would bring

Needs both a Lion's Heart beneath the Wing,

And even more, a Spirit purified

Of Worldly Passion, Malice, Lust, and Pride:

Yea, ev'n of Worldly Wisdom, which grows dim

And dark, the nearer it approaches Him,

Who to the Spirit's Eye alone reveal'd,

By sacrifice of Wisdom's self unseal'd;

Without which none who reach the Place could bear

To look upon the Glory dwelling there.'

One Night from out the swarming City Gate

Stept holy Bajazyd, to meditate

Alone amid the breathing Fields that lay

In solitary Silence leagues away,

Beneath a Moon and Stars as bright as Day.

And the Saint wondering such a Temple were,

And so lit up, and scarce one worshipper,

A voice from Heav'n amid the stillness said:

'The Royal Road is not for all to tread,

Nor is the Royal Palace for the Rout,

Who, even if they reach it, are shut out.

The Blaze that from my Harim window breaks

With fright the Rabble of the Roadside takes;

And ev'n of those that at my Portal din,

Thousands may knock for one that enters in.'

Thus spoke the Tajidar: and the wing'd Crowd,

That underneath his Word in Silence bow'd,

Clapp'd Acclamation: and their Hearts and Eyes

Were kindled by the Firebrand of the Wise.

They felt their Degradation: they believed

The word that told them how to be retrieved,

And in that glorious Consummation won

Forgot the Cost at which it must be done.

'They only long'd to follow: they would go

Whither he led, through Flood, or Fire, or Snow'—

So cried the Multitude. But some there were

Who listen'd with a cold disdainful air,

Content with what they were, or grudging Cost

Of Time or Travel that might all be lost;

These, one by one, came forward, and preferr'd

Unwise Objection: which the wiser Word

Shot with direct Reproof, or subtly round

With Argument and Allegory wound.

The Pheasant first would know by what pretence

The Tajidar to that pre-eminence

Was raised—a Bird, but for his lofty Crest

(And such the Pheasant had) like all the Rest—

Who answer'd—'By no Virtue of my own

Sulayman chose me, but by His alone:

Not by the Gold and Silver of my Sighs

Made mine, but the free Largess of his Eyes.

Behold the Grace of Allah comes and goes

As to Itself is good: and no one knows

Which way it turns: in that mysterious Court

Not he most finds who furthest travels for't.

For one may crawl upon his knees Life-long,

And yet may never reach, or all go wrong:

Another just arriving at the Place

He toil'd for, and—the Door shut in his Face:

Whereas Another, scarcely gone a Stride,

And suddenly—Behold he is Inside!—

But though the Runner win not, he that stands,

No Thorn will turn to Roses in his Hands:

Each one must do his best and all endure,

And all endeavour, hoping but not sure.

Heav'n its own Umpire is; its Bidding do,

And Thou perchance shalt be Sulayman's too.'

Subhanallah, praise be upon God. Such beautiful verses, I would love to put the whole thing together here for everyone to view but it is much too long! These verses which is actually just the introduction to the story of quest by a group of birds to meet the king of birds is only 10 per cent of the introduction, what more the whole story itself!

Nevertheless, I hope this is sufficient to wet the appetite... For thou should never tire in searching for the truth, nothing but the TRUTH! And the truth meant here is not the truth as espoused by those artful liars called the lawyers (and the politicians too, God, I hate those hypocrites and artful dodgers) but the TRUTH that is yearned much by the LOVERS!

What sort of lovers? If you don't understand this, better perk up your Sufi readings. Cheers! :]

An essay on Tok Kenali

Assalamualaikum, peace be upon you dear readers. Today while going through my old files in search of a collection of mystical proses written by Sheikh Hamzah Fansuri the venerated 17th century saint of Aceh (written in Malay), I accidently came across an English essay fetched from the web sometime ago. The essay is on another mystical figure but of a later time, the highly-respected Tok Kenali who graced the Islamic scene of early 20th century Kelantan. His was a story of scholorship interwoven with tales of miracles... Nevertheless I feel like sharing the essay in this blogspot, so here goes...

TOK KENALI (MUHAMMAD YUSOF) (1870 –1933)

This essay proposes to examine the life and contributions of To’ Kenali of Kelantan, whose life coincided with the period when Kelantan was under the Siamese rule and then under the British sephere of influence, after the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909. His studies in Islamic traditional education which started in his hometown and then pursued further at Mecca at the Sacred City, with a brief visit to Cairo, making him a revered intellectualand spiritual figure of the country, with such desire for positive changes among his people, led him to pursue an intensive life of Islamic educational and social reforms, with a number of institutions bearing the stamp of either his direct or indirect influence. Inspite of his intellectual attitude directed towards reform, he is intellectually a man of the traditional intellectual Sunni school, much influenced by Imam al-Ghazali, Shafi’i and Al-Ash’ari, affecting reform by a very cautious attitude, without making an intellectual break with the classical intellectual construct of mainstream Islam. Hence, his ability to gain the respect and following among the traditional scholars apart from him being accepted by those among the administrative elite in the state. The writer has to rely on the writers who had already made a study on him, apart from his perusal of some original sources; the interpretations are his own, guided by the facts observed.
His Life:
To’ Kenali (1), that is Muhammad Yusof (frequently referred simply as “Awang”)-may Allah has mercy on him - was born in kampong (village of) Kenali, Kubang Krian, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, the state in the East of Peninsular Malaysia, in 1870. This coincides with the period towards the end of the reign of Sultan Muhammad II of Kelantan. His father Ahmad was a farmer, a simple villager, nevertheless was a man devoted Islamic values. His mother, Fatimah, was a lady with fine character and strong believer of the values and practice of the faith. In the first number of the Islamic magazine Pengasuh (2) of which he was the first editor, he was named as “al-fadil Tuan Haji Awang Kenali”, and Sultan Muhammad IV named him as “Haji Awang Muhammad Yusof Kenali” in his royal address appointing him as one of the members of the Kelantan Islamic Religious Council. He was born about three years after the building of the Muhammadi Mosque of Kota Bharu, which later was to become a very significant center of Islamic learning, making it famous in South-east Asia. (3)
He was born into a poor farmer’s family making a living by planting paddy, with the mother helping in maintaining the household. This family situation living with little means influenced the future Islamic scholar to be man of asceticism and independent ways. When he was five years old his father passed away and he was taken care of by his maternal grandfather.
His educational Background:
At that time there was a strong awareness among the people to educate their children in the field of Qur’anic learning and the Islamic religious sciences. Hence Muhammad Yusof began his education with his own grandfather Che Salled or To’ Leh, who taught him the Qur’an, reading and writing. His grandfather was a man of sufficient learning and piety to be his guide, living with the philosophy of life seeking for the pleasure of his Lord in whatever he does. From his step-grandmother he was influenced by her views about the necessity of being careful concerning food and drink because taking forbidden meals and drink will impair one’s well being in this world and the hereafter.
Due to his love of learning since the earliest years of his life, soon he became proficient in the Qur’anic learning and in reading and writing. The story is being told that even at the early age of seven or eight the To’ Kweng –the title for the village chief at that time - engaged him as a clerk to help him to keep record of the yields from paddy, coconut and durian at that time from which taxes were taken. After the death of this To’ Kweng Ahmad, his son Ismail succeeded him in that post. This occurred some time after 1908 after To’ Kenali’s return from Mecca. (4)
When he was about eight or nine years old (1878-1879) he continued with his education in Kota Bharu, walking twice daily for four miles each way, for attending his classes in the capital, in the state mosque, Masjid Muhammadi. There were a number of religious scholars teaching at the mosque with several hundred students from every corner of the state. The mosque was surrounded by small huts of the students – called pondoks, which constituted the ‘hostels’ for them during their period of studying there. (5)
Among the famous scholars with whom To’ Kenali learned Islamic religious sciences then were: Encik Ismail or Haji Wan Ismail, the father of Dato’ Nik Mahmud, the Perdana Menteri or the Chief-Minister of Kelantan, Tuan Guru Shaikh Muhammad ‘Ali bin ‘Abd al-Rahman, known by the name of Wan ‘Ali Kutan, Tuan Guru Haji Talib Tuan Padang, and Tuan Guru Haji Ibrahim Sungai Budor. (6)
Apart from teaching at the central mosque of the state the scholars also taught in their own homes; for instance Haji Wan Isma’il, To’ Kenali’s first teacher after his grandfather, taught at kampong Banggul, not far from the central mosque; one of Haji Muhammad Yusuf’s fellow students studying under Haji Wan ismail was Idris bin Haji Hassan who in 1921 was appointed as the state mufti holding the post until his demise six years later.
It appears also that Muhammad Yusof studied in the early 1880s under one Haji Ibrahim at his pondok at Sungai Budor, in Kota Bharu. He also studied with Tuan Padang - that is Tuan Guru Haji Taib, originally from Sumatera, Indonesia. (7)

His Life and Education in Mecca:

Mecca is not only the center for the pilgrimage, the rite constituting the fifth pillar of the religion, but it also is a center for Islamic education. Thus for centuries Mecca became a center for advanced studies for these scholars wherein they spent their life in advancing their knowledge and understanding of Islam and at the same time they composed their writings in the Malay Language (called “Bahasa Jawi”) for enriching Islamic literature in that language. There they gained profiency in Arabic and the Islamic religious sciences of tafsir, traditions of the Prophet, fiqh or the Islamic Sacred Law, usul al-din or Islamic Theology and mysticism. Among these scholars can be mentioned such illustrious names like Shaikh ‘Abd al-Rauf al-Fansuri, Shaikh ‘Abd al-Samad al-Falimbani, Shaikh Daud al-Fatani, Shaikh Muhammad Arshad al-Banjari, Shaikh Nawawi Bantani (known for writing his works in Arabic), Shaikh Ahmad Khatib, Shaikh Ahmad al-Fatani, and many others. (8)
Teaching in the Sacred Mosque or Masjid al-Haram was done in small groups in circles – in halaqah – as was the practice for centuries; apart from this mosque there was the center of learning at Medina, at the Mosque of the Prophet, -peace and blessings be upon him, and then of course, there was the famous University of Al-Azhar, centered around the Mosque at Al-Azhar. Scholars from the Malay World flocked to these centers, to deepen their studies in the Islamic sciences and Arabic. After their return to the Malay World, they devoted themselves to the dissemination of Islam and its practices.
To’ Kenali must have felt such a great longing to advance in his studies at the sacred city of Mecca. Hence he undertook his voyage to Mecca in 1886, at the young age of about eighteen, and after a difficult journey of six months by sailing ship he set foot on the sacred soil of the Holy City of Mecca to perform the pilgrimage and further his studies.
Since he was from a poor family, he could only make the journey with the financial assistance of his friends and well-wishers in Kota Bharu who collected for him $50.00 (fifty Dollars then) to which his mother added another sum of $22.00 (twenty Dollars); for seven months he was without proper lodging there, and he was able to rest in the evening and at night at the mosque. He was in very difficult circumstances in the land of strangers, and he managed to solve some of his difficulties by cooking for his friends and acquaintances in their picnics in the valleys outside the Holy City. (9)
While he was in Kelantan Muhammad Yusof has already mastered such subjects as Arabic grammar and syntax (nahw and saraf) so that he would be able to follow his classical Islamic learning in the Arabic language. He was ready to follow the instructions in his studies in the Holy City. However, unfortunately because he was in difficult circumstances, he could only follow his lessons by listening, without being able to benefit from reading the texts. As a result, so the story goes, he has to go to the bookshops and ask the permission of the owners to see the relevant books with particular care and attention without buying them. Books in the waqf endowment in the sacred Mosque were also utilized by To’ Kenali to help him in his studies. He was also fortunate because he was able to borrow the texts from his teachers. Possibly because of his patience with his difficult circumstances and poverty he was able to advance very well in his studies due to his diligence and focus.
To’ Kenali’s intellectual horizon seems not to be confined to limited subjects of his studies alone. It appears that he frequently read and scrutinized manuscripts written by Muslim scholars and thinkers which were in circulation in the Muslim World at that time. He liked to examine the materials taught to him and ask questions about them, before being repeated by his teachers, in this manner he made more impressions of the materials of his learning on his mind and heart, and in this way also he was able to make comparisons between the materials learnt with his own experience and understanding. Possibly wide reading and positive critical attitude in his studies made him advance very well in his studies.

Teachers in the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram);

Among his teachers frequently mentioned, in the Masjid al-Haram were – among the most outstanding: Tuan Guru Wan Ahmad, his full name being: Ahmad bin Muhammad Zain bin Mustafa al-Fatani. (10) Apart from being a very famous and respectable teacher Shaikh Ahmad – may Allah has mercy on him – is also an important writer, second only to Shaikh Daud al-Fatani. (11). To’ Kenali became a very close student of this mentor who influenced him in his studies and life too. This towering figure in the Malay World who is to be the determining influence on To’ Kenali’s life, as will be seen from his activities later on, deserves more serious attention from researchers on Muslim Thought in this region. The fame of Shaikh Ahmad is still remembered in the Malay World, in Malaysia, Indonesia (especially Sumatera), and Cambodia, and Brunei. It is stated that Shaikh Ahmad changed the name of “Petani” with “p” –“t”-“n” to “f” (fa’) – ta’ (the ‘big’ ta in Arabic)-“nun” –) giving the name from “f-t-n” meaning “to be clever skilful and wise”(12). This is to avoid the meaning of “fitnah” from the old manner of writing it as if it is from “f-t-n” giving the name of “trials” and “dissentions”.
It is known that several other teachers from Patani and Indonesia attracted the attention of To’ Kenali; apart from that there were a number of Arab teachers who attracted his attention.
Among the Arab teachers whose knowledge were benefited by To’ Kenali were: Shaikh Hasbullah from Egypt, Shaikh ‘Ubaid, the mufti of the Maliki school of law, Shaikh Muhammad Amin, the imam of the Hanafi school of law, Shaikh Sayyid Bakri, Shaikh Muhammad Yusuf al-Khayat, Shaikh Sayyid ‘Abdullah bin as-Sayyid Muhammad Salih al-Zawawi, the mufti of Mecca and a teacher in the Sacred Mosque. (13)

More Malfuzat - On devoting oneself to Allah

The Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) also said, concerning the story of Moses (peace be upon him):
The innermost being [sirr] is the secret of the mystery [sirru's-sirr]. He left his family when he noticed a fire in the direction of the mountain. What did he see? The eye of the head saw a fire [nar], while the eye of the heart saw a light [nur]. The eye of the head saw a creation [khalqan], while the eye of the heart saw a Divine Truth [haqqan].
He said to his household: "Stay here awhile, I notice a fire." (28:29)
It attracted him through his heart, and disposed him to relinquish control of his wife and his children.
"He said to his household, 'Stay here awhile...'" A summons has come from on high. The grappling irons of destiny have snatched the people [of the Lord] away from their wives and their children. O law [hukm], stay in place! O knowledge ['ilm], advance in the name of Allah! O lower self [nafs], stay in place! O heart [qalb] and innermost being [sirr], respond! What a loser is he who fails to grasp this, who does not love this, who does not believe in this! How great his loss, how great his loss! How far apart he must remain! How terrrible for him!
Perhaps I shall bring you news of it. (28:29)
"Stay there where you are, until I bring you news of the path." Because he had in fact strayed from the path. Its signposts were out of his sight. The Archangel [naqib an-nuqaba'] appeared in his presence, although it had never appeared to him before then. As it beckoned to him, it said: "You must wish you had never been created, and that, having been created, you knew what you had been created for!"
O sleeper, you must wake up, for the waters of the flood are all around you. Who is your leader [imam]? On the Day of Resurrection you will be called to give evidence. What is your Scripture [kitab]? Who is your teacher [mu'allim]? Who is your summoner [da'i]? Who is your Prophet [nabi]? You have no noble lineage [nasab]. Those whose lineage is authentic in the sight of Allah and in the eyes of His Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) are the people of dutiful devotion [ahl at-taqwa]. "O Messenger of Allah," someone asked, "who are members of your family?" The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) replied:
Every dutiful believer belongs to the family of Muhammad [kullu taqiyyin alu Muhammadin].
Hold your tongue, you have no common sense! Your house sits on the River Tigris and yet you are dying of thirst. Just two steps and you would reach the All-Merciful [ar-Rahman]. The lower self [nafs] and creatures [are the two things you need to step away from]. You too, O seeker! Just two steps and you would reach your goal in both this world and the hereafter.
If you wish for success [falah], you must endure with patience the hammer blows of my way of speaking. When my ecstasy [junun] overtakes me, I cannot see you. When the temper [tab'] of my innermost being [sirr] is aroused, the temper of my sincerity [ikhlas], I cannot see your face. I wish to improve you and to remove the dross from your heart. I shall put out the fire [hariq] that threatens to burn your house down, and I shall protect the honor of your womenfolk [harim].
Open your eyes and take notice of what is in front of you. The squads of punishment and chastisement have come to get you. Woe unto you, O stupid fool! You will very soon be dead. All that you are now involved in must fade away and be scattered. This fellow here will have to part [yufariqu] with his children, his home and his wife, and then make friends [yurafiqu] with the dust, the grave, and either the stokers of Hell [zabaniya] or the angels of mercy [mala'ikat ar-rahma]. O passing traveler, O transient, O transferee, O temporary loan!
Glory be to the One who treats you all so kindly [subhana man manna 'alaikum], O you who like to have fun without ever taking notice!
O you who forget your friends, not once a year do you bring me the tiniest trifle, let alone once a month or once a week. Take something for nothing, and tomorrow a million things. I am carrying your burdens, while you are scared that I might give you the job of bearing mine. Only Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) can take care of all my needs.
You say you would travel for a thousand years just to hear one word from me? But why, when the distance between me and you is only a few steps? You are lazy. You are a little ignoramus, a silly little fool. You think you have something to give. How many like you this world has fattened and then devoured! It made them plump with fame and fortune, then ate them up. If we had seen any good in it, you would not have beaten us to it.
Do not all things come home to Allah? (42:53)
As for what we are involved in, it all comes from Allah (Exalted is He).
When the Shaikh had stepped down from the lectern, one of his pupils [talamidha] said to him: "You were quite extreme in your admonition, and you spoke to him very harshly!" But the Shaikh replied: "If my words have had any effect upon him, he will surely come back for more." (The man did in fact attend the meeting [majlis] regularly from then on. He would also visit the Shaikh at other times, outside the formal session, and always behaved with the utmost humility and modesty in his presence. May Allah the Exalted bestow His mercy upon him.)
O Allah [grant us] patience and pardon! O Allah, help us!
If you stand in the presence of any fellow creature, trying to obtain what he has at his disposal, Allah will despise you.
[As the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said:]
When someone pesters [tada'da'a] a rich man, seeking what he has in his possession, two thirds of his religion are gone.
You have made a habit of trying to scrounge things from your fellow creatures, so you will be in that condition when you have to meet Allah (Exalted is He). One time in the public square I saw a man scrounging from the people, although he had just sold a jubba of silk brocade for twenty-five dinars [gold coins]. So I followed him. He stopped beside a man who was eating harisa, and would not leave him alone until he gave him a mouthful of it. I said to him: "Did you not sell a jubba for such and such a price?" His response was: "I am neglecting my trade because of you!"
When someone has progressed to the ultimate degree of saintship [wilaya], he becomes a Qutb [spiritual axis, pole or pivot]. As such, he must carry the burdens of all creatures put together, but he is given the equivalent of the faith [iman] of all creatures put together, so that he will have the strength to bear what he must bear.
Pay no attention to my long shirt and my headcloth. This is what one wears after death. This is a shroud [kafan], the shroud of the dead. This is what befits me now, after I have been accustomed to wearing coarse wool [suf] and to eating rough or going hungry. I now have a pressing engagement, but not with any of you.
O people of Baghdad, be sensible! O people of the earth, O people of the heavens!
And He creates what you do not know. (16:8)
It is not an affectation. This is an outward appearance [zahir] that has an inner content [batin] to prove its authenticity, and an inner reality that has an outer manifestation to confirm it.
There is nothing worth talking about until your lords [arbab] become one single Lord [Rabb], until your interests become single and the object of your love becomes single. Your heart must be unified. When will the nearness of the Lord of Truth pitch its tent in your heart? When will your heart come to be enraptured [majdhub] and your innermost being [sirr] drawn near [muqarrab], and when will you meet your Lord after taking your leave of creatures?
As Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said:
If someone devotes himself entirely to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), He will provide him with everything he needs, and if a person devotes himself entirely to this world, Allah will leave him in its care.
[In the first of these cases], things will occur miraculously [tukhraqu'l-'adat] for his benefit. He will receive what Allah has at His disposal, but only after total dedication to Him with his heart and his entire being [kulliyya].
As Allah (Exalted is He) has said:
If anyone performs an action with the intention of involving someone other than Me [as a partner] in it, well, I am the more Independent of the two partners [ana aghna'sh-sharikain]. It [the action] involves the partner ascribed to Me [shariki] and has nothing to do with Me.
Sincerity [ikhlas] is the believer's plot of land, while his deeds [a'mal] are its surrounding walls. The walls are subject to alteration and change, but not so the ground. Only upon dutiful devotion [taqwa] can a building be firmly based.
If someone should say: "I have dedicated myself to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), but He has not provided me with everything I need," the answer must be: "The fault lies in you, not in the Messenger."
Nor does he [the Messenger] speak from his own desire. (53:3)
Do you know anything at all about Allah (Exalted is He)? No, by Allah! You are all madly in love with this world and its glamour. If you were telling the truth about the claims you make, you would not have to resort to cunning tricks in order to obtain the merest trifle.
Cast your lower self [nafs] into the Valley of Destiny [wadi'l-qadar] until, when its time has come, the top rung of your ladder makes contact with the door of nearness [to the Lord]. You will be welcomed by a face more lovely than all the charming beauty of this world and the hereafter. The fond affection [mawadda] between the pair of you will be complete. All obstacles and intermediaries will disappear. Then you will hear its [the lower self's] call for help from the Valley of His Destiny: "Take charge of the deposits held in trust for you, and make full use of the service I can offer you. I am imprisoned over here, to your detriment or for your benefit." Your nearness [to the Lord] will plead on its behalf, urging a positive response to its request. At this point the hand of knowledge ['ilm] will be extended to it, and the hand of the law [hukm] will come to its aid.
As for your immersion in it [this world] at the outset of your career, before you have mounted any opposition to your natural urges [tab'], your passions [hawa] and your willfulness [irada], in spite of your claim to be numbered among the loved ones [mahbubun] and those who have been drawn near [muqarrabun], this is a regrettable delusion that will hold you back and an unfortunate error that will lead you astray. If you realized that this world was sure to leave you in the lurch, you would not ask so much of it. When your inner [batin] becomes worthy to serve Allah, only then will this world become fit to serve you. Its wine is poison; it may taste sweet at first, but it soon turns bitter. Once it has filtered through into your heart and you have come under its control, it converts into a poison and kills you.
Our predecessors would learn to distinguish between different kinds of notions [khawatir], before withdrawing into secluded retreats [zawaya]. O you who cannot tell the difference between the notion [khatir] of the lower self [nafs], that of the devil [shaitan] and that of the heart [qalb], how can you withdraw into seclusion? The satanic notion prompts one to commit sins of disobedience and to make mistakes; it implants the root of unbelief [kufr], then encourages the sins of disobedience that branch out from it. As for the angelic notion [khatir al-malak], it prompts one to practice worshipful obedience and to perform righteous deeds.
Somebody said to him who was crucified (meaning al-Hallaj): "Give me a piece of good advice!" He replied: "It concerns your lower self [nafs]; if you can control it, [well and good], otherwise it will control you."
If you wish to drink in the company of kings, you had better take to the empty ruins, the wastelands and the deserts, until you sober up from your intoxication, so that you do not divulge their secrets and have them put you to death for it. This is why it is better for them [the people of the Lord] to go wandering about, rather than settle down. This world has been put here as a means of transport, if you wish to meet your Lord.
Seclusion [is appropriate only] after [observance of] all the rules of the sacred law [ahkam ash-shar']. The door of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) cannot be reached without seeking help, and a firm determination to achieve something will make the means available. The door of knowledge ['ilm] is arrived at by the path of the law [hukm]. The law means the [divine] commandments and prohibitions. We therefore accept what the law requires of us; we hear and we obey. At this stage we are exposed to adversities, so this is where the servant needs to be knowledgeable ['alim]. One of us may say: "Why should I have to suffer misfortune, despite my dedication to worshipful obedience?" Our response to him must be: "You need a little knowledge!"
The specialist in the law [sahib al-hukm] is concerned with storing the goods, while the specialist in knowledge [sahib al-'ilm] is concerned with their distribution. The law is associated with the pious abstainers [zuhhad], while knowledge is associated with the champions of truth [siddiqun], the loved ones, the intimate companions. Abstinence [zuhd] is associated with the law, while love is associated with knowledge. The one serves as a business partner [sharik], the other as a minister [wazir].
The ascetic [mutazahhid] is feverish [mahmum], the pious abstainer [zahid] is consumptive [maslul] and he who has real knowledge ['arif] is alive after death. This ascetic has renounced the desires of the flesh and has been fasting, so his lower self [nafs] has caught a fever. The pious abstainer has experienced prolonged renunciation, so his sickness has been prolonged and has caused him to contract tuberculosis. This world has died as far as he is concerned. While he is lying in this condition on the bed of the gracious kindness of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), what should appear at the door of his abstinence but food prepared in many different ways, as well as various styles of clothing hung on pegs! He cannot leave this world until he has received his allotted share in full. The unbelievers [kuffar] and disobedient sinners have not had the decency to seek [their proper due]; they have just helped themselves to things that are unlawful [haram].
Allah (Exalted is He) gave that servant life, then He resurrected him as a different creature. Flesh had withered away, bone had weakened, skin had grown thin. The lower self [nafs] had lost its sweet taste, passion [hawa] had departed and natural inclination [tab'] had been overcome, while the heart contained the spirit [ruh], the inner meaning [ma'na], the direct experience [ma'rifa] and the realization of Divine Unity [tawhid].
Complete dominion belongs to the heart alone, and the Lord of Truth takes care of it. He brings His servant back to life after his death, his carnal desires and appetites having died a spiritual [ma'nawi] death. A symbolic death along with an actual death. Allah brings him back to life after He has shown him what is over there. To the servant He has left dead at His door, He shows the vast scope of His wisdom and His mysteries, the multitude of His soldiers and His subjects. Then, when He has shown him His kingdom and informed him of His secret [sirr], He joins his spirit [ruh] to his body and his outer [zahir] to his inner [batin], so that he may receive his allotted shares [aqsam] in full. Prior to this, even if all the portions of the East and the West had been spread out before him, he could not have taken one single atom from them.
Through a mysterious power [qudra khafiya], an inner will [irada batina] exerted by Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), His Prophets [anbiya'], His saints [awliya'] and the special few [khawass] among His creatures are detached from their worldly desires. Not the slightest trace of carnal desire and willfulness remains within them, so that their inner beings [bawatin] are purely devoted to Him. Then, when He wishes to grant them their allotted shares in full, He creates the life of worldly existence [wujud] within them, so that all the allotted shares may be received.
Jesus (peace be upon him) did not marry; he never took a wife. At the end of time, Allah (Exalted is He) will send him back down to the earth, and He will then marry him to a young woman of Quraish, who will bear him a son.
As for the person with real experience ['arif], he does not receive his portion until after achieving proficiency in both knowledge ['ilm] and abstinence [zuhd], then he collects his allotted shares along with all the rest of you. He regains his worldly appetites after having abstained from them [to be on the safe side] whenever there was any doubt. Once he has acquired knowledge, cold water tastes good to him, while in the eyes of pious abstainers the finest meal seems like drinking wine and eating the flesh of the pig. Many a pious abstainer is shut off by his abstinence from the Lord of Truth, and many a person with real experience is shut off through dwelling too much on his experience [ma'rifa], although this is actually rather unusual and in most cases he is likely to be safe and sound.
As a general rule, your closeness to the sons of this world keeps you far away from Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He). The right course for you is to concentrate your attention on the hereafter and on worshipful obedience, then you may be saved, while your allotted shares will come to you even if they are unwelcome.
What He requires of you [first of all] is that you stop following your natural tendency [tab'] and put in its place the special concessions [rukhas] allowed by the sacred law [shar']. Then He will instruct you to give up these special concessions bit by bit, until all your actions are in accordance with the strict interpretation ['azima]. Then, if you patiently observe the strict version of the law, love for Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) will arise within your heart. Once love is firmly established there, saintship [wilaya] will come to you from Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He).
If you are sensible, count yourself among the people of the Fire [of Hell], because this will encourage you to improve your conduct. If you are in fact one of the people of the Garden [of Paradise], you will have demonstrated your gratitude to Him. When you go out of your house, you should feel as if you were going forth to war, as if you might never come back home again. You should also be aware that you are made to suffer because of your acquisitiveness, and be convinced that Allah (Exalted is He) is capable of sustaining you without effort or strain.
The believer [mu'min] is sometimes like a mountain and at other times like a feather, blown about by the winds of His destiny [qadar]; in the face of misfortunes like a mountain, but in the company of the Lord of Truth (Almighty and Glorious is He) like a feather wafted by the winds of His decrees [aqdar].
O people of ours, it is too late for you to fill the role of Messenger [risala] or the role of Prophet [nubuwwa], but there is still time for you to experience saintship [wilaya]!
There can be no access to the King's company as long as one is still attached to worldly existence [wujud]. It seems you must be blind, since you do not see. It seems you must have quenched your thirst, since you do not drink. It seems you must be dead, since there is no movement in you. Woe unto the outcasts who are unaware of being outcasts! You do no good, nor do you help the good people to do good. You are bad; you love a worldly life with no hereafter, an outer [zahir] with no inner [batin]. You will gain no benefit from your important connections, your wealth and your patron. You will soon be dead, and after death you will suffer humiliation.
Should anyone desire glory, the glory belongs to Allah. (35:10)
And [thus it also belongs] to His Messenger [rasul] and to the saints [awliya'] and the champions of truth [siddiqun].
The ocean is this world, the ship is the sacred law [shar'] and the sailor is the grace [lutf] of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He). Anyone who deviates from following the sacred law will therefore drown in this world, but if someone seeks refuge aboard the ship of the sacred law and makes himself at home there, the sailor will appoint him to be his lieutenant [istanabahu]. He will put him in charge of the ship and everything aboard it, and will make him a relative by finding him a bride from his own family [saharahu]. This is how it will be for someone who forsakes this world, devotes himself to the acquisition of knowledge ['ilm], bears suffering with patience and comes to be the beloved [mahbub] of the sacred law. While he is in this condition, lo and behold, Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) will come and bestow His grace upon him. He will grant him His intimate knowledge [ma'rifa] and invest him with robes of honor specially designed for him. One mark of divine friendship on top of another [wilaya fawqa wilaya]!
In Allah you have ample compensation for the loss of anything other than Him. If something happens to pass you by, do not feel sad about it, for the King disposes of His property as He sees fit. The slave ['abd] belongs to his Master [Mawla], along with everything he owns. Whatever He may take away from you, you will find it again tomorrow [at the Resurrection]. The Fire [of Hell] will say: "Pass through, O believer [mu'min], for your light has extinguished my flames!" Likewise in this world, when faith [iman] has grown strong and one's inner being [batin] has made contact with the nearness of the Lord of Truth (Almighty and Glorious is He), along comes the fire of disasters to cause an obstruction on the path of hearts. The fire of conflicts takes its stand on the path of aspirants, then it catches the aspirant [murid] because of the remnants he still carries, traces of worldly attachment and attention to creatures. To those of perfect faith [kamil al-iman] it says: "Pass through, O believer, for your light has extinguished my flames!" They are not injured in this world by arrows that fall from the castle walls. You must conduct yourselves in such a way that neither the fire of this world nor that of the hereafter will be able to harm you.
Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) has certain servants whom He calls physicians [atibba']. He lets them live in good health ['afiya], causes them to die in good health and admits them to the Garden [of Paradise] in good health.
When someone really knows ['arafa] Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), he becomes detached from carnal appetites and pleasures. It is only because he is compelled to do so that he accepts all his allotted shares [of worldly goods]. "The neighbor before the house [al-jar qabla'd-dar]." Having won the neighbor, this fortunate person [mubarak] now gains the house, established in possession by the King. The King has said:
You are today in our presence established and worthy of trust. (12:54)
When someone has really come to know Allah, and has been admitted to His presence, he will not reach out with his eyes or his hands toward anything in His kingdom. He is just like a bride ['arus] who has been solemnly escorted to the King. Her food and drink are the nearness of the King. In His nearness she finds the fulfillment of all her desires. When the lower self [nafs] has become obedient, it melts together with the heart, which becomes its jailer. Then the King releases the heart from the prison.
And the king said: "Bring him to me." (12:50)
After his nobility and his good character and good conduct have become apparent, he will be escorted into His presence. He will greet him with noble generosity, draw him near and bring him close, treat him kindly, invest him with robes of honor and address him without an intermediary, saying:
You are today in our presence established and worthy of trust.
He will keep all his attention focused on Himself.

Malfuzat - The utterances of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani

Assalamualaikum, peace be upon you readers. By the name of Allah, today I feel like updating this blogspot with excerpts from the Malfuzat, the utterances of the venerated Muslim saint Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani.

For information, Sheikh Abdul Qadir flourished in Baghdad sometime in the 12th century AD. His status as a religious person and a man of knowledge (especially the esotoric ones) is so high that he is acknowledged as the Sultanul Awliya, the king of the saints.

It is said that while in an ecstatic state in the midst of giving a lecture in front of thousands of audience, he said something like this: "My foot is upon the neck of every Awliya (saint)."

The tradition goes that every saint, regardless of wherever they are at the time (some even said regardless of which era the saints came from as they are believed to be able to transcend space and time!) immediately prostrate themselves in respect and obeisance.

Now, Sheikh Abdul Qadir himself never kept any of his sayings in record form or wrote any book. The task fell upon the thousands of followers who took pain to record his utterances and such. That is how we came to know of the charismatic words coming out from the king of saints. So without further ado, here is an excerpt from the Malfuzat...

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On vigil

The Shaikh (may Allah be well pleased with him) also spoke about His words (Exalted is He):
Keeping vigil by night is more potent in impact. (73:6)
This refers not only to giving up sleep in the ordinary sense, but also to giving up the sleep of involvement with creatures, the lower self [nafs], natural inclination [tab'], passion [hawa] and willfulness [irada]. For its food and drink the heart is left with speaking confidentially [munajat] to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), standing [qiyam] and bowing [ruku'] and making prostration [sujud] in His presence.
Surely you can see that if someone abstains from this world, so as not to be distracted by it from seeking the Lord of Truth (Almighty and Glorious is He), he must likewise abstain from the hereafter, so that it will not distract him from Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He). He must wish that the hereafter did not exist, because it is so charming, such an obvious mercy. He must make the heart and the innermost being become a face, on the surface of which the contents of his heart are visible. He must want this world to last, because he is worshipping Allah in secret, doing business with Him in secret.
You are in isolation from the Lord of Truth (Almighty and Glorious is He). When will you isolate your heart from creatures and seek the company of the Lord of Truth, going from door to door until there is no door left, from town to town, from heaven to heaven until there is no heaven left?
He [the believer] will bring the Resurrection upon himself. He will stand before the Lord of Truth (Almighty and Glorious is He), reading the records of his deeds, the good and the bad which consign him to the Fire [of Hell]. While he is caught between fear and hope, between falling into the Fire and crossing over it, Allah (Exalted is He) will overtake him with His gracious kindness. He will put out the Fire with the water of His mercy, and the Fire will exclaim: "Pass through, O believer [mu'min], since your light has extinguished my flames!" The passage–a journey that should take three thousand years–will be shortened for him to an instant, and then, when he is near to the palace of the King, he will recover his senses, his volition, his love for His Master [Mawla] and his ardent longing for Him. He will say: "I shall not enter except in the company of the Beloved [Mahbub]."
Do you not see? [As we know from sayings of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)], the miscarried fetus [siqt] will halt at the door of the Garden [of Paradise], saying: "I shall not enter until my parents enter. Where is the neighbor? Where is the witness?"
He will not enter until he is touched by the hand of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and he can go in to meet the Beloved. Then, when he has finally experienced this, he will be sent back into this world, in order to receive his full quota of the shares allotted by destiny [aqsam], so that the [divine] foreknowledge ['ilm] shall not be altered, abrogated and annulled. Your Lord has finished with the work of creation.
[As the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said:]
No soul shall depart from this world until it has received its allotted share [qism] in full.
You must therefore be dutifully devoted to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) and have the decency to look to the Lord of Truth for what you need, instead of to His creatures. The material means [asbab] are a screen.
The King's doors are locked. If you turn away from them, there will be opened unto you a door you can recognize. The door of the innermost being has swung shut [babu's-sirri sara ila sadd], but then it is opened without your own power and strength.
The believer [mu'min] must leave his natural inclination [tab'] behind, moving in the direction of his Lord. As long as he is following this present course, he is exposed to harmful influences affecting his person and his property. He is reverting to his sins, to his bad behavior and to infringing the rules [hudud] of the sacred law [shar'] of his Lord. He must not seek help through supplication [du'a'], nor must he seek help from anyone other than his Lord. No, he must remember his sins and practice self-criticism until, when he has done a thorough job of this, he can resort to acceptance of the decree of destiny [qadar], to surrender [taslim] and entrustment [tafwid] as far as his heart is concerned. Once he is in this state, he will see an open door.
Whoever is dutiful toward Allah, He prepares a way out for him. (65:2)
He puts His servant to the test to see how he will behave:
And We have put them to the test with good things and bad things. (7:168)
The heart of the son of Adam must continue to travel along the path of good and evil, honor and humiliation, wealth and poverty, until he finally acknowledges that all blessings are due to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He). This means gratitude [shukr]–and gratitude is an act of obedience [ta'a] performed without moving the tongue and the limbs of the body–and patient endurance of misfortune. He must admit his sins and offenses until, having taken his last step on the good side and his last step on the bad side, there he is at the King's door. He has taken the step of gratitude and the step of patience, with divine help [tawfiq] as the guide. He has seen the King's door, and beyond it he can see things that no eye ever saw, that no ear ever heard of, and that never occurred to any human heart. The alternating sequence of good moves and bad moves is at an end; now comes the turn of conversation, discourse and sitting in company [with the Lord].
Can you grasp this, O 'Iraqi, O camel at the mill, O stupid fool? You go through the motions of ritual prayer [anta fi qiyam wa-qu'ud] without sincerity. You perform the prayers [tusalli] for the sake of other people, and while you are fasting [tasumu] your eyes are on their dishes of food and on the contents of their houses.
O alien to the human race, O straggler from the ranks of the champions of truth [siddiqun] and the Lord's own people [rabbaniyyun]! Do you not realize that I am your goldsmith's furnace, your probe and your touchstone? Do your utmost. Refuse to let me eat from your plate. Unsheathe your sword against me. You do not amount to anything. O little ignoramus, I am twisting your reins. I am giving you good advice and treating you with compassion. I am afraid that you may die an atheist [zindiq], a pretender [mura'i], an impostor [dajjal]-doomed to suffer in your grave the punishment of the hypocrites [munafiqun]. So you must desist from what you are up to. You must strip yourself naked and then put on the clothes of dutiful devotion [taqwa]. You will soon be dead. There is no hostility between me and you. You will have cause to remember what I am saying to you.
The insight of the righteous man [salih] is indicative of his spiritual state [hal]. When someone really knows ['arafa] Allah, his tongue falls silent; he is free from want because of Him, and of Him alone he is in need.
In my childhood, back in my home town, I used to hear someone saying to me, "O blessed one [ya mubarak]." I would run away from that voice, but then in solitude I would hear someone saying to me: "I think well of you."
If you wish for success [falah] you must stick close to me. When you see a person running away from me, you must know that he is a hypocrite.
The believer [mu'min] is such that, when he closes the eyes in his head, the eyes of his heart are opened and he sees what is over there; and when he closes the eyes of his heart, the eyes in his head are opened and he sees the situation of Allah and His dealings with His creatures.
The words of Allah addressed to Moses (peace be upon him) include the following:
I have chosen you above all men to receive My mission and My words. (7:144)
"And I have drawn you close to Me. One day you were shepherding a flock of sheep when one of them strayed off, so you followed after it until you caught up with it. By then you were exhausted, as it was exhausted, so you picked it up and hugged it and you said: 'You have worn yourself out and you have worn me out.'"
The remedy for someone who is separated [from the Lord] is detecting the cause of his separation, turning from it in repentance and confessing it in His presence.
The sinless ones [ma'sumun], those who are protected from every aspect, they do not have creative power [takwin]. Creative power comes in the process of following the path [fi't-tariq]. There is nothing worth talking about until you cross the wastelands, the deserts, the two continents and the two oceans –the continent of creatures and the continent of the self [nafs], the ocean of the law [hukm] and the ocean of knowledge ['ilm] –as well as the shore.
For the people [of the Lord] there is neither night nor day. Their diet is the diet of the sick and their sleep is the sleep of the drowned. Their speech is only out of necessity. When someone really knows Allah, his tongue falls silent, but "when He wills, He resurrects him" (80:22), and then he speaks without instruments, without tools, without preparation, without time for thought, without pretext. There is no difference between his tongue and his finger. Thus there is no wall of separation, no restriction, no door and no doorman, no permission to be granted or sought, no authorization and no dismissal, no Satan and no sultan, no inner core [janan] and no fingertips [banan].