RIFAI-QADIRI TARIQA. They’re known for stabbing their bodies with swords and knives and not bleeding when they are in a state of ecstasy (self-annihilation)
It is used as a display method to strengthen people’s iman on the strength of dhikar and the power it contains.
The saint sat at the window and
became the window
that’s what saints do
And the saint went out the window
and became the air
that’s how they are
Animals feeding on the mountainside
saw the saint pass
they’ve got the eyes for it
The mountainside felt the saint pass
and her grasses bent aside
that’s how saints go
On a saint’s errand all things in place
for the remedy to arrive
on time as always
The twelve ducklings and the Chinese child
felt instantly renewed
though the saint barely touched them
Back before supper the saint wasn’t missed
the place settings glimmered
as usual
Our earth is in need of them
our hearts are in need of them
God keep them at our side
A lion roared but only a flea could hear it –
Only a flea that hid in the lion’s mane could revere it
The roar of the lion is the ecstasy of its being
Announcing the appearance of the lion to anyone near it
Shadows on a hillside cast by the afternoon sun
Hide the lion in its natural camouflage – so fear it!
I put my head in the lion’s mouth every day –
Love – O love! – I call out – if only you’d hear it!
Is the earth round and does it spin somewhat slowly in space?
The roar of God’s lion completely surrounds the sphere of it –
It’s the sun and moon on the earthly plane that light it
But etherial light by Allah is what’s needed to steer it
The flea became a roaring lion as well at last -
What was small became vast – Ameen – in the roar of pure spirit
Sometimes like never before of Him you remind
Sometimes I fear your love make my senses blind
From the games of fate have I learnt
What I hated more happened very soon
O Rose! Therefore may I ask something silly-
You may feel this Nightingale is crazy really
Is my love for you the sole reason why
Time is passing so slowly as moon in the sky?
Should I think of you with a lovely-hate?
So that your love may bloom not so late
Teach me the ABCs of patience
I have forgotten my own lessons
Drop me a rope so that I may climb
I am drowning in the well of your love
Where am I asking for the whole cup?
At least a drop you give for my soul to sip
Patience is no doubt a noble virtue
But you will realize its difficulty true
When for my love in return
You shall in tears pursue
Therefore,
Make haste to whisper for my eager soul
His Beloved’s praises when our eyes fall
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
Who is with us when we go to sleep?
Our souls are with Him as we dream deep.
But even in the domain of such a night vision
The Beloved’s greeting has won your attention
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
Imagine a greeting reaching the Dome of Yathrib
Ah! Imagine angels rushing to us on our dream’s trip
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
Ah! Imagine blessings showered tenfold
Ah! Imagine wonders in life begin to unfold!
Imagine! Imagine the joy O dear and rare one
Imagine as if on earth we have paradise won
Imagine the wonders that Beloved’s love can bring
Then why….this delay for the bell of Affinity to ring?
This hypocrite is used to asking too many questions
Without any manners to silently wait, he hastens
Forgive! Love is such a sharp sword
It plunders the wealth of Reason’s hoard
How much ever I keep it in sheath
It picks its head when it gets Love’s scent
Free me from blame,
O my Murshidi dream!
From where did I begin
Where did I now turn?
Don’t ask me questions in love-
Let Irfan freely flow,
With the present times is he in row.
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Notes
What I hated more happened very soon : A state of mind which makes the person falsely suppose that the most anticipated event takes longer time to happen.
when our eyes fall: sleep
Our souls are with Him as we dream deep: According to Quran, God catches our souls as we go to sleep.
Dome of Yathrib: The Green Dome under which the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is buried.
Imagine angles rushing to us on our dream’s trip: The greetings recited upon the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam are carried by angels and presented to Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. (Mishkat)
Thank you to sister Munise for the artwork, and allowing me to take from her blog ‘Let the beauty of what you love be what you do’
More mystical sufi tales related to Hajj.
Ali ibn Muwaffaq Rahmatullah alaihi says: "I was once sitting beside the Ka’aba at such a time that I had already performed Hajj sixty times. Through my mind there passed a thought that sixty times were quite enough, and that I shall not come again. How much longer shall I continue to cross this vast uninhabitable desert? At that thought I suddenly became drowsy and fell asleep. A voice spoke to me: ‘O ibn Muwaffaq, when you invite people to your house, you call such people with whom you are pleased. Blessed indeed are these whom Allah has called and placed in elevated ranks.’
Then these lines were recited:
‘Those who love Me do I invite to visit Me and no one else;
They have come to My house with honour. So blessed are those noble folk and blessed is He Who has invited them.’"
Sayyid Samhoudi Rahmatullah alaihi says that Abdullah ibn Mubarrak Rahmatullah alaihi used to perform Hajj one year and go for jihad the other year. He relates: "One year I took five hundred dinars and set out on the road to Makkah. At Kufa I stopped and went to the camel market with the intention of buying a camel. On the other side of the road I saw a dead duck. A woman came and started plucking its feathers. Seeing this I approached her and asked: ‘What are you doing dear woman?’ She replied: "Why do you inquire about things which do not concern you?’ This set me thinking, however I insisted on an answer. Then she said: ‘Your persistence has forced me to open my heart. I am a lady among the Sayyids-the family of Rasulullah, SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. I have four young daughters whose father passed away. This is now the fourth day we have not tasted a thing and are in now such dire need that eating of a dead thing has become permissible. I am taking this duck to feed my daughters.’
Abdullah ibn Mubarrak Rahmatullah alaihi says: ‘her story filled me with sorrow. I told her to stretch forth her hand and in it I placed five hundred dinars. She took it and went home, while I postponed my intention for Hajj and returned home. After Hajj I was so amazed that whenever I met any of the returning Hujjaj and wished them Hajj Maqbool, they would wish me the same. Then, when I said anything further they would remind me about having met me at such and such a place. I could not understand this. That night I saw a dream wherein Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said to me: ‘O son of Mubarak, there is no need to be astonished. You have assisted a distressed one from among my children, whereupon I begged of Allah to appoint one Angel to perform Hajj in your form and on your behalf until Qiyyamah, and now you have a choice. You may perform Hajj or you may leave it.’"
It is related in Tawthiq ‘Ura al-Ayman, "It is known that someone who stays behind because of a valid excuse shares with those who go since the Prophet, SallAllahu alaihi wasallm, said when he returned from the expedition to Tabuk that there were people in Madinah who had not travelled at all nor crossed a desert, but they had been with them. A valid excuse had kept them behind. A poet said:
"O travellers to the Ancient House,
you have travelled in body while we have travelled in spirit!
We stayed behind with valid excuse while they travelled.
Whoever stays behind with a valid excuse has travelled."
It is related that Ibrahim Adham Rahmatullah alaihi, (d 165 A.H./782 A.D.) spent fourteen years traversing the desert until he arrived at the Ka’aba. "Others walked on foot to Makkah," he remarked, "while I tread on my eyes."
His habit was to make two prostrations of ritual prayer for every one step forward. On reaching Makkah, however the Ka’aba had disappeared. "What has happened?" he asked, rubbing his eyes, "perhaps I’ve become dim sighted."
"Your vision is fine," a mysterious voice informed him. "Only the Ka’aba went to receive a lady on her way here."
"Who can she be?" he cried, aghast with envy. Then he beheld Rabi’ah hobbling along the way, cane in hand. The Ka’aba returned to its place. "O Rabi’ah, what is this riot and commotion you have created in the world?" Ibrahim demanded.
Rabi’ah retorted, "You who waivered fourteen years crossing the desert to reach the House of Allah are the real commotion in the world."
"Of course," he pleaded, "for fourteen years I was preoccupied in ritual prayer on my journey."
"Through ritual prayer you journeyed," Rabi’ah replied, "whereas I made my way by means of desperate spiritual supplication and need." Rabi’ah then completed the pilgraimage and wept in grief, saying, "O Allah! You have given assurances of Your approbation and goodwill, both for our pilgrimage and for our adversity. If my pilgrimage is unacceptable now (which is itself adversity), where is Your reward for the adversity I have endured?" She them returned to Basra until the next year. "If last year," she commented, "the Ka’aba came out to greet me, this year I shall go to greet the Ka’aba."
And to flash forward to the "here and now":
Reports in the local papers say that new crowd- management forces have been in training to prevent street vendors, pilgrims and vehicles from stopping and squatting along the streets leading to the Jamarat in Mina. These special security arrangements, along with the expanded new Jamarat bridge will allow up to 1.5 million pilgrims to perform the stoning within five hours! The Haj Ministry is planning to dispatch pilgrims to the Jamarat area in groups, and these special forces have been instructed to prevent any pilgrim without a Hajj permit from stoning.
This article tells how the new towers being constructed near the new bridge will partly be open for pilgrims this Hajj.
This was taken a couple of weeks ago of these towers.
An artist’s impression of how many of these blocks will soon be hugging the mountain side to increase the capacity of pilgrims in Mina.
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And another new development is the presence of "language experts" to help pilgrims.
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The oldest pilgrim to perform Hajj this year will be an Indian pilgrim, 110 year old Jamila Khatoon, who will be accompanied by her son. It didn’t say how old he was! The second oldest is 106 year old Amjad Khan also from India. Last year ten centenarians successfully performed Hajj! May Allah Ta’ala give them taufiq and a Hajj Maqbool. Ameen.
May all who have been summoned by the King of Kings to His house perform a Hajj Maqbool. Ameen.
A comprehensive reader on the Fiqh of Hajj from Sunnipath
A sampling of sites, from the hundreds available on line, offering detailed information include:
Hajj And Umrah
A Murid’s Hajj With His Sheikh
Hajj A Way To Paradise
Hajj Guide
Preparation for Hajj
About Hajj
Media on Hajj
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Ameen.
Madina Sharif |
