The sounds of the Talbiyyah resound the warm sultry air..with abated breath the pilgrim reaches the Meeqat,where he will don the attire appropriate for the pilgrimage..It the Ehraam..
Once he is here he forsakes his clothes and puts on the Ehraam (two pieces of white unstitched cloth).Now after putting on the Ehraam,he is now Muhrim and certain things which were permissible to him/her before, now becomes forbidden. 24 things like looking into a mirror, hunting, applying perfume, sitting in shade,taking oath, pulling out trees,hurting his body..
A question which comes to every discerning mind is: Why does a pilgrim have to undertake this ritual of changing the Attire?
The first step in the rituals is to change our clothes, remove our shoes and wear two pieces of unstitched cloth. Why ? what is so special in these two pieces of clothes, why can't he wear any other comfortable dress, the one which suits him and pleases him, they are also pure, halaal and clean, then why should he remove this dress??
The answer is NO, whatever type of dress it may be, even if it is expensive, very attractive,halal and pure in order for the Hajj to be correct it has to be removed and one has to just wear this Ehraam.
Allah SWT has ordained that You have responded to MY CALL so you have to come the way it pleases Me and not You..
The conversation between Imam Sajjad AS and Shibli continues....
Imam AS asked Shibli if he had performed a "Dead Hajj" or A "Live Hajj"
Imam(AS) wanted to know whether he had built up the skeleton structure of the Hajj{ZAAHIR}, had he only perfomed the rituals in a way in which neither he understood his actions nor was he spiritually uplifted...or had he understood and performed the interior or the (BAATIN)
Imam(AS) asked Shibli : "When you reached Meeqaat,and when you were removing your clothes and wearing those two pieces of cloth, what Niyyah(intention) did you make?
Shibli replied the common intention which normally do that is "I am wearing Ihram for Umra Tammattu for the Pleasure of Allah(s)". Imam(AS) reconfirmed,"Was this the Niyyah(intention) you made?". Shibli replied in the affirmative.
Imam(AS) then asked "Did you not have this intention in your heart that O My Lord! this is the dress of my love of world which i have worn throughout my life, i have stitched it myself (HUBBE DUNIYA) .My entire life has been spent in this dress of impurities and sins. Now i am throwing away this dress of impurities, sins, ignorance, illiteracy,disobedience,misunderstanding and wearing the dress of your obedience.
Did you do this Niyyah?" Shibli replied "No My Master , i did not do this Niyyah."
Imam(AS ) replied that "Shibli then you have not completed your Hajj."
Let us anaylse this...At first we were not able to understand why we should remove our dress. Why? This is a symbolic, exterior act, by virtue of which we are removing our dress and showing that we are also removing the dress of our innerselves.
There are two dresses for a human being, one which we wear on our BODY, and the other one on our SOUL.
We wear this dress of cloth on our body, and we are wearing the dress of our deeds and on our soul
In the outward appearance we remove the dress of our body, but in the innerside we are removing the dress of our soul, we are making a pledge with Allah(s) that this the outward presentation of my act of removing the dress of my soul.I have truthfully come in your presence after leaving my family, my loved ones and my home.
What is meant by I have left and come? The detachment from my loved ones and my worldly connections is not merely Physical but also Mental.
Leaving them means that now there is no one in my heart except You..The only essence which remains in my heart now is Yours my Lord!!!.Now since i am present in Your essence, then all those dresses which i have attachments with have been removed i am and presenting myself to You. I am wearing the dress of your obedience.
Similar is what Allah(SWT ) told Prophet Moosa(AS) when he went to the Mountain Tur " O Moosa remove your shoes". Neither were H Moosa(AS) shoes impure nor was Mountain Tur was a mosque. Then why was Prophet Moosa(AS) asked to remove his shoes? . The answer which Allah(SWT) gave that "You are entering a Holy valley".
What is this valley? This is not the Mountain Tur, this is the courtyard of the respected Lord. So now when you have come in the court of Allah(SWT), He does not want your wealth,He is above all material wants... Allah(SWT) only desires that you should come alone, leave everything aside, He just needs you, your soul.
According to Imam Sajjad (AS) the philosophy of changing our clothes and wearing an Ehraam means, "Whatever i have woven around myself in the world of wants, desires and greed , i need to shed it all and then come in the presence of Allah(SWT).
Changing of clothes is just Symbolic Representation of my removal of everything associated with me in the material sense , except myself, my Ruh my Nafs my soul.
By doing this i am going into the presence of my Lord alone. It's only me and my Lord , with no one in between. Now after removing all the wordly attire and by wearing this dress of solidarity with Allah(SWT),with this intention or Niyyah now you are capable of saying Labbayk(I have come). If you would have said Labbayk , before such disrobing, it would be a lie."
Imam AS's words are crystal clear and need no explanation...Makes one want to go back and perform all the rituals..with Marefah..
Next...Tawaaf and Saa'e..its underlying meaning..Lets pray for the troubled brethren in Iraq in these blessed 10 nights...
Until next time..Keep smiling!!!
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
LABBAYK ALLAHUMMA LABBAYK!!!!
Labbayk :The Response to the call
THey have left the warmth of their homes,their loved ones,draped in the attire of the Muhrim, ready to go to the most revered of lands..the House of Allah, in the Holy city of Mecca..
There are few acts which have to be performed in sequence so that the Hajj is correct and one of these actions is the TALBIYAAH or The Call..
Imam Sajjad AS had a conversation with one of his companions called Shibli regarding the various actions of the Hajj..a conversation so profound and thought provoking..taking the reader to the real inner essence of the Hajj...
Read On!!!!
Imam(a) asked Shibli "How did you recite the Talbiyyah?". He replied " I said , Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, ( I have come, O Allah! I have come)".
Imam(a) asked "When you said Labbayk, you and your Lord were the only ones,and there was nothing in between?" . Shibli replied "No! My Master, I was reciting Labbayk as per Arabic grammar and pronounciation very loudly".
Imam(a) then replied "Then you were not even capable of saying Labbayk. Labbayk is said by the one who hears a call" . Labbaik is an Arabic sentence which is a reply to call.
If someone calls then you respond by saying that "I have come". But if someone has not heard any call, and yet says "I have come", you will say he has lost his senses, Did you hear any call from Allah(SWT). If not, then to whom were you saying "Labbayk(I have come)" You just made a shout in the Desert!. You are the guest of Allah(SWT).
This recitation of "Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk" , means "O Lord i have heard your call. You invited me and I have come to you .I am present on your call. This implies that when you say Labbayk, you need to first hear the call, then say Labbayk. "
Did you hear this call? You did not hear this, because you did not remove your worldly attire, you just removed your wollen dress. You will not hear the call unless you remove your worldly attire, this dress of love of world. Review the journey of 30 -40 years of your life span. Remember whatever you did. Start thinking and doing Muhaasebah (accounting)of your wordly acts. Up to now you had molten glass filled in your ears, so how will you hear the call? If I put blocks my ears, and then starting saying Labbayk , Labbayk , people will laugh at me, because to whom am i saying "I am coming", when i cannot hear any call. First open your ears.
Your ears are closed with the love of world, with the sins you committed. First remove these, then you will hear the call to which you respond with Labbayk.
Then when your master says Come! O my servant! , then you respond , " I am coming". Now throughout the journey keep on saying Labbayk( I have come), now your concentration should not be on anyone else.
It should not happen that you have removed the dress of worldy attire, have worn the dress of Obedience to Allah(SWT), but during the journey you again lose track, it should be a continous Labbayk. Now you keep on walking, and reach the Haram(vicinity of Kaaba). Now stop saying Labbayk, Why? Because you have reached the destination, you have reached the physical location from where the call came.Now who is in your vision? what should you do now? It just myself and YOU (my lord).
This Hadith really left me awe-struck at the depth of the holy words.. and we take the Talbiyyah as mere utterance neccessary when donning the Ihraam...something to be said as a ritual,just as we perform most of our actions...Isnt it time for some introspection..to smell the coffee before it is too late????
NEXT:EHRAAM and its inner meaning..inshallah!!!
Iltemaase Dua
THey have left the warmth of their homes,their loved ones,draped in the attire of the Muhrim, ready to go to the most revered of lands..the House of Allah, in the Holy city of Mecca..
There are few acts which have to be performed in sequence so that the Hajj is correct and one of these actions is the TALBIYAAH or The Call..
Imam Sajjad AS had a conversation with one of his companions called Shibli regarding the various actions of the Hajj..a conversation so profound and thought provoking..taking the reader to the real inner essence of the Hajj...
Read On!!!!
Imam(a) asked Shibli "How did you recite the Talbiyyah?". He replied " I said , Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk, ( I have come, O Allah! I have come)".
Imam(a) asked "When you said Labbayk, you and your Lord were the only ones,and there was nothing in between?" . Shibli replied "No! My Master, I was reciting Labbayk as per Arabic grammar and pronounciation very loudly".
Imam(a) then replied "Then you were not even capable of saying Labbayk. Labbayk is said by the one who hears a call" . Labbaik is an Arabic sentence which is a reply to call.
If someone calls then you respond by saying that "I have come". But if someone has not heard any call, and yet says "I have come", you will say he has lost his senses, Did you hear any call from Allah(SWT). If not, then to whom were you saying "Labbayk(I have come)" You just made a shout in the Desert!. You are the guest of Allah(SWT).
This recitation of "Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk" , means "O Lord i have heard your call. You invited me and I have come to you .I am present on your call. This implies that when you say Labbayk, you need to first hear the call, then say Labbayk. "
Did you hear this call? You did not hear this, because you did not remove your worldly attire, you just removed your wollen dress. You will not hear the call unless you remove your worldly attire, this dress of love of world. Review the journey of 30 -40 years of your life span. Remember whatever you did. Start thinking and doing Muhaasebah (accounting)of your wordly acts. Up to now you had molten glass filled in your ears, so how will you hear the call? If I put blocks my ears, and then starting saying Labbayk , Labbayk , people will laugh at me, because to whom am i saying "I am coming", when i cannot hear any call. First open your ears.
Your ears are closed with the love of world, with the sins you committed. First remove these, then you will hear the call to which you respond with Labbayk.
Then when your master says Come! O my servant! , then you respond , " I am coming". Now throughout the journey keep on saying Labbayk( I have come), now your concentration should not be on anyone else.
It should not happen that you have removed the dress of worldy attire, have worn the dress of Obedience to Allah(SWT), but during the journey you again lose track, it should be a continous Labbayk. Now you keep on walking, and reach the Haram(vicinity of Kaaba). Now stop saying Labbayk, Why? Because you have reached the destination, you have reached the physical location from where the call came.Now who is in your vision? what should you do now? It just myself and YOU (my lord).
This Hadith really left me awe-struck at the depth of the holy words.. and we take the Talbiyyah as mere utterance neccessary when donning the Ihraam...something to be said as a ritual,just as we perform most of our actions...Isnt it time for some introspection..to smell the coffee before it is too late????
NEXT:EHRAAM and its inner meaning..inshallah!!!
Iltemaase Dua
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
THE TRIPLE FILTER TEST!!!!!
After a long sabbatical the computer seems to be fit and formatted and raring to go..(I hope?!!)and the switch from Blogger to Blogger beta was like being lost on the I-295 without directions..lol..but here I am..this is an intersting piece I read on Speech and the evil of the tongue...
The Master of the Believers Ameeral Momeneen Ali AS said "Speak so that you may be known,since man is hidden beneath his tongue" {Nahjul Balagha saying no 402}
What is meant here is that our words reflect our personality,upbringing and our character/mettle
Speech reflects our thoughts and mentality, as well as how morality, or immorality/slander is spread through society and the harm it can create amongst believing men and women..
An old Sufi tradition advises us to speak only after our words have managed to pass through four gates.
At the first gate, we ask ourselves, "Are these words true?"
If so, we let them pass on; if not, back they go.
At the second gate we ask; "Are they necessary?"
At the third gate we ask; "Are they beneficial?"
At the fourth gate, we ask, "Are they kind?"
If the answer to any of these is NO then what you are about to say should be left unsaid..
Read on for the very interesting TRIPLE FILTER TEST!!!
During the Abbasid period, one of the scholars in Baghdad, the capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the Triple Filter Test.
The first Filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."
"All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.
Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," the scholar continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true.
You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really..."
"Well," concluded the scholar, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?
Doesnt this sound like a very normal routine conversation which we indulge in day in and day out????
Ayatullah Khoie AR was once asked about the evils of the tongue and he is reported to have replied that he took refuge in ALLAH SWT from the guiles of the accursed Satan..indicating that it was from the great Sharr/mischief,which we commit..And this is a man who according to his honourable students.. who had never committed makrooh acts..and yet we find him seeking refuge in Allahs domain..
And we are so oblivious about this evil.. and undertake it with joy,relish it upon our tongues and spend hours indulging in it!!!
Ali AS further said "Guard your words as if you would guard your gold and silver.." {Nahjul Balagha saying 396}
We have been warned about the Yaume Hisaab when our limbs will justify against us and we shall be punished for Kufraane Nea'mah..and the Holy Qura'an is equally vocal in one of its oft refered ayats..
O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, surely Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful. [Surah al-Hujurat 49:12]"
OH Muslims! People Will Judge Your Islamic Values by Your CONDUCT towards them and NOT By Your Performance of Religious Rituals (Salaah, Fasting, Hajj etc)"
Let us anaylse our words before we utter them and let us weigh them before they are weighed against us on the day when All Power and Might will belong to the Lord of the Worlds!!!!
Allahumma Swale ala Mohamad wa aale Mohammad Wa Ajjil Farajahum
The Master of the Believers Ameeral Momeneen Ali AS said "Speak so that you may be known,since man is hidden beneath his tongue" {Nahjul Balagha saying no 402}
What is meant here is that our words reflect our personality,upbringing and our character/mettle
Speech reflects our thoughts and mentality, as well as how morality, or immorality/slander is spread through society and the harm it can create amongst believing men and women..
An old Sufi tradition advises us to speak only after our words have managed to pass through four gates.
At the first gate, we ask ourselves, "Are these words true?"
If so, we let them pass on; if not, back they go.
At the second gate we ask; "Are they necessary?"
At the third gate we ask; "Are they beneficial?"
At the fourth gate, we ask, "Are they kind?"
If the answer to any of these is NO then what you are about to say should be left unsaid..
Read on for the very interesting TRIPLE FILTER TEST!!!
During the Abbasid period, one of the scholars in Baghdad, the capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the Triple Filter Test.
The first Filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."
"All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.
Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," the scholar continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true.
You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really..."
"Well," concluded the scholar, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?
Doesnt this sound like a very normal routine conversation which we indulge in day in and day out????
Ayatullah Khoie AR was once asked about the evils of the tongue and he is reported to have replied that he took refuge in ALLAH SWT from the guiles of the accursed Satan..indicating that it was from the great Sharr/mischief,which we commit..And this is a man who according to his honourable students.. who had never committed makrooh acts..and yet we find him seeking refuge in Allahs domain..
And we are so oblivious about this evil.. and undertake it with joy,relish it upon our tongues and spend hours indulging in it!!!
Ali AS further said "Guard your words as if you would guard your gold and silver.." {Nahjul Balagha saying 396}
We have been warned about the Yaume Hisaab when our limbs will justify against us and we shall be punished for Kufraane Nea'mah..and the Holy Qura'an is equally vocal in one of its oft refered ayats..
O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, surely Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful. [Surah al-Hujurat 49:12]"
OH Muslims! People Will Judge Your Islamic Values by Your CONDUCT towards them and NOT By Your Performance of Religious Rituals (Salaah, Fasting, Hajj etc)"
Let us anaylse our words before we utter them and let us weigh them before they are weighed against us on the day when All Power and Might will belong to the Lord of the Worlds!!!!
Allahumma Swale ala Mohamad wa aale Mohammad Wa Ajjil Farajahum
Friday, December 15, 2006
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