Surat al-Inshiqaq

 

Basically, the surat explains about:

1. Events which would mark the beginning of Resurrection. 

2. Human-being is facing difficulties in order to see their Creator where some would receive pleasant happiness while others would be dipped into bitterness.

3. Levels of creations and human life in the worldly realm and hereafter.

This surat was revealed in Mecca upon the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w and it consists of 25 verses. It is the 84th surat in the compilation of surats of the glorious Quran. The title means the Sundering.  

Nabil al-Rifai: Surat Maryam

Part 1

 

Part 2

 

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Moqaddam Suras Checking: Surat ash-Shams

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I'm checking again my recitation. I don't really feel safe to talk with people around after I find out that many people in the pretext of "pure" teachings are finding their ways to bring down others. So, kinda have no friends to check it with me though I feel it is necessary to have a person that we respect in front of us to check. First of all I pray to Allah to guide me in my Quran recitation and memorization with the ruhul qudus and spare me away from the devil and its host. I'm jotting down the meanings of the suras so I don't just mumble it like a kind of mantra. Quran is not for magical power. It is for us to practice in order to live a 'pure' life forever. 

Surat I wanted to check, let it be only one at once so it would be easy for me to check. The surat is surat ash-shams. Here is the message in simple English and its just my own translation for checking. It should be referred to the Arabic text of universally used Quran and when reciting it must be in the recorded Arabic:

In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful the Most Compassionate above all

By the Sun and its rays 1 By the Moon when it follows 2 By the Day when it shines with the light 3 By the Night when it covers 4 By the Sky and the One who develops it up 5 By the Earth and the One who spread it all over 6 And the self (of human-being) and the One who perfected it 7 Thus He inspires those which is bad (illegal) and those which is good (legal) 8 Indeed victorious be those who purifies (his or her soul) 9 And indeed at loss be he who stained his soul 10 The Thamud (ancient Arab tribe) has denied (the prophet) with their transgression 11 When one of the doomed one among them risen 12 Thus said the messenger of Allah it is the camel of the God and its drinks 13 But they denied it and slaughtered it so Allah has destroyed them due to their sins and leveling them to the ground 14 And Allah (the Lord of Universe) is never afraid of the implications (everything in the universe is meaningless and Allah is not part of the time and space) 15   

Such a nice surat though simple with 15 verses only This surat was revealed by Allah to Muhammad s.a.w and it is chanted through his tongue in our holy city,  the noble Mecca. It's related to my few previous posts too about what I had learned in my previous experiences as a young "lost" boy about the inner self of human-being.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!   

Quranic Memorization : Surah al-Kahfi I

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Audio Part I

Diary

Just returned home. I can't really avoid musalla because my room is dusty to perform prayer. The floor is not smooth and I could not clean it like I was in my previous hostel during undergraduate time. I usually lie my face downward on the floor after I recite supplication and it already becomes a habit. I have to be careful when many people especially when I cry to Him I could not lift up my face but placing my forehead and nose down the floor.

I just wait until congregational prayer service being done for Dzuhr and 'Asr prayer just to avoid seeing people around. I prayed alone or maybe seeing if a person praying there I will make him my imam. Many people in musalla especially the senior undergraduates have giving me nice memories which will make me feel reluctant to leave them behind but I am always aware that the 'time' will never stay the same and they might not understood an 'old primitive guy' like me. 

If we still stay in the same place, but people and situation will always change. We can't get the time passing anymore. I am facing it now. Plus it sucks to be a master student. We can't go up nor going down the level. We wanted to befriend other postgraduate students but they are also occupied with their works and when we tried to befriend with undergraduate students, they might feel awkward speaking to me because I don't mingle with their friends. We are stuck in the middle. 

I actually went out to Queensbay Mall to calm down myself in this uncertain period. I just wander around alone and watching movie which is the Wrath of Titan. I found that it is not fun at all because I don't like Greek mythology. Since I was undergraduate student I always like this. I only go out with my course mate which was Amir if he does not go home. He never invite me to his house like other normal friends always do and I always understood the reasons behind. We go to class together and we joined the same classes as to make it easy to do assignments and homework. We never join other course mates and being out cast in the class because other course mates are afraid of Amir and it also affects me as his close friend. Sometimes we have dinner or lunch together and I will treat him as a respect because my roommate him self do not give me face to establish silaturrahim and being an observant servant for nations. Amir was not an observant Muslim can I say and I never force him to follow me to masjid or showing off to him that I am the most observant Muslim.

Da'awa Dimensions of a Plain Muslim : Spreading His Love and Mercy to Others

I didn't mingle with Tabligh kids and Islamic Center kids at that time because I don't want to scare away Amir or other naughty kids. The result is I have to face psychological torments and also laughed by people who do not understand what I am doing including my own family members. I am doing everything for da'awa just like what noble prophets had done and when we read what they had experienced. They do not live happy life too although they may choose to be like other happy human-being. I just pray for people who laughed, mocked and looking at me like a freak because they do not know what I am doing. My prophets were also facing these and they are now resting in peace waiting for Resurrection with other sages, teachers and my faithful brothers and sisters of the past. People would never look at me like something if they always recite and ponder on what Allah talks in glorious Quran. Quran is not for decoration, present to be displayed for marriage presents, or to show off that we are Muslim when we have it. It is to be kept in "heart" and to be recited. It is to be practiced. Maybe others are fortunate to have friends around to chat with them spending time together cherish their memories but I only have Allah words with me. His words are my friends and teachers. Allah is my True Friend and True Teacher. He taught Muhammad s.a.w with His word and His word also teaches me now. 

I taught Amir and others slowly in the manner that no one realize it with my attitude, prayers and behavior according to Quranic teachings and Sunnah but in a bit twisted way because we have to be creative. I found that he slowly begin to perform prayer services but I did not praise him nor offend him. I just leave it like that and never talking about what I saw. I just continue praying for him. Like always I have to mingle with this kind of people and in the beginning I tell brothers and sisters that I love the most, I was mentally and physically tortured and I have to put one of my foot into the hell-fire for other brothers who are not accepted by 'faithful' Muslims.

As an example during Ramadan 2007 when we break our fast, some of those "naughty" kids who mingled with me did not pay at the restaurants and just ran away. So the food that they took is non-halal because it is not legal to eat the food without permission. I also have to pretend to be like them because I can't tell them I can't do all of things or they may run away. If they could mingle with "orthodox" and Islam Syumul guys, they would long joined them but they can't as they think they are "filthy". When I returned to my room, I have to poke my throat until I vomit everything. It is very tormenting and I cried alone without anyone beside me not even my family members. And tomorrow I will find the manager of the restaurant and asking them forgiveness, later paying them the amount of the food that those "brothers" had not pay. I did not tell them nor claiming my money from them because I "love" them. They are my brothers and they are Muslims but just unfortunate. I talked with the manager next time do not say anything to them and please do not humiliate them. I will pay for them, they are my family and brothers. If they do not pay please just snatch me, I will bear the consequence for them.     

My tears dropping each time I remember this because I did all of these alone and I also entered temples alone to spread His mercy to nations. Last time I also listened to brother Firdaws telling me about his experience but I never in turn tell them what happened to me. If I tell people about myself, it means that I am saying goodbye to them and they will never see me anymore. I am also experiencing what Tabligh kids experienced but I have to face torture more. I have to be very discreet dipping myself into the shoes of those unfortunate people, crying and whipping myself with the buckle of belt at night for sins that I had to commit to help my "beloved" brothers to come out from unfortunate situation and I am doing everything alone and nobody understood it instead treating me like a freak. They never come to talk to me alone and discussing matters alone but only waiting for other people to be with them to dare talking to me. I am not a monster nor I attack people on what they believe. I wanted to share this with people as to tell them that there are people who could not be put into a group but sometimes needed some space given to them. When we perform da'awa sometimes we go in group and sometimes alone because the "audience" might be alone or lonely. Not all people will accept or understand this so brothers and sisters who know me, that is why you always see me alone here or any where :'( 

Tabligh and Islamic Center kids were looking at me strangely. They too did not accept me when I tried to join them after that because I mingled with 'filthy' people. Some of the people in the movement also emphasized that only their movement is the way for Salvation and I found that it is not likely because every Muslim is the same and why not we just move without being tagged like Tabligh? I also belong to a mission order but I never mention to people that my mission order is the only Jama'at to save everyone. When I come back here I think perhaps I should establish relationship with them but they assume me as an ignorant Muslim, do not assuming me as their brother but only a 'toy' to be played with, do not giving me face to be a good friend or brother or talking something which makes me sad. I face all of these from different groups of 'orthodox' Muslim kids but maybe they are kids and I should perhaps not mingle with kids because I am already old before my old age come? :'(  

Introduction

I thought of writing this one in Chinese first but never mind. I will keep this note and just translate it later when I am free. Internet could be accessed widely nowadays and those who are interested could get the notes printed out for others who are out of the reach or help me correct my wrong grammar or mistakes. I actually have this idea for long but I had forgotten. I only remember about this when I saw our people (Hui Muslims) here because I think there are now many of them in our university not like before and I have to be a hidden Chinese speaker Muslim. I consider Hui people of China as our people because their first paternal ancestors were also from Arabia and from Persia.

Maybe they would feel weird but we already know many things about them. Our people has connection among the tariqah (mission orders) who were also missionaries to regions. We are in between Arabia, India and China. I think instead of people in my hostel especially from Indonesia asking me this and that, why not google and get information from wikipedia the easiest source? Or if hardworking, go do some research in library and check at religious, history, social and politics sections on what they are curious about. Sometimes their simple questions actually makes me feel surprised on their general knowledge level because I was not a university students, instead I was not a good performer in schools. How do I know about everything around? That is because I care about the dynamics of society and the world. Sometimes it interrupts me when I am trying to get further and deeper information on Islamic mission in Eastern part of the region and I have to shut up my mouth because they are talking. That is why I always avoid people because I think it is useless if people are talking in the same time. Just come and find me alone if wanted to talk.      

Why am I trying to write in Chinese ya? Last time I watched news about Chinese muallaf or new Muslim couple from Pahang. Like always they are in the category of what Malays would derogatorily call as Cina Bukit or 中山 (Tongsan) or Cina Jinjang whatever it is which means their command in Malay is quite low since they were from Chinese lower education, living only in Chinese atmosphere which I also experienced this though I am not a 'Chinese' nor being educated in Chinese stream or perhaps they are poor uneducated Chinese. In the news that I can remember they said that they tried to have access with Malay community which are always the majority Muslim group in Malaysia but people keep themselves away from them. They do not know where to go and only have final choice to return to Chinese folk religion because they are also isolated by their community and relatives. I am sorry I have to talk about this but this the fact of this world, the reality we are facing today.

In Malaysia we do not have Islamic books in Chinese for Islamic branches of studies like Tajweed (Quranic recitation), Hadiths and Sunnah, Islamic Morality and Creed, Prayer and Supplications translations which talk in detail about all of these subject matters like in Malay or in Tamil. In Indian Muslim masjids, they have lectures for religious teachings in Tamil and they have private schools for Islamic studies teaching branches of the path in Tamil which is their mother tongue. And some of them who call themselves "Malays" but speaking at home in Tamil and eating Nasi Kandar with curry harshly offending people who are educated in Chinese. I have no choice but also to also be a "Chinese" because I need to reach other Chinese speaking Muslim compatriots. I thought that in China they also have all of these books but I don't think it is widespread. I have to begin the translation again if without help, I will do it alone to whatever that I am capable to do. I am not doing this for educated people but for people who are not educated in Malay and in Malaysia we have these kind of people. We cannot blame them. It is not the time to blame people anymore. It is the time to quickly exercise His mercy to others.  

Other reason is many madrasah students in Malaysia actually are non-Chinese educated people but they are only Arabic and Classical Malay educated people. Actually I try to explain this to some undergraduate foreign students from China on what I had already encountered as a Chinese culture influenced person but they are with people around and I am also thinking on a good way to explain to them why I always keep my silence when I was with Malay students or Indonesian students around them. I met another Muslim master student from China too in the bank but I didn't speak to him because people do not expect an Indian/Nepali face would speak in Chinese. He was asking a Malay (actually a mamak or Indian Muslim) about Chinese education in Malaysia and that 'Malay' guy's opinion is quite harsh on the attitude of our Chinese compatriots toward education. I myself feel that it is a curse to speak in Chinese and being a Chinese speaker in a racial based environment and when people talked about Malaysian Chinese I always feel down as I am also categorized as a Malaysian Chinese speaker. 

Last time when I mingled with Amir which was my course mate and also my hostel mate, he actually had ridiculed Chinese community and Chinese speakers as he watched too much American movies. So, I feel quite down but I don't feel angry too him because he is my friend. How could I be angry to my friend or my brother although they hurt me? Maybe I just feel aggrieved but I will keep it only to myself unless if the situation needs me to explain what I feel.   

About Surah al-Kahfi

This is one of my favorite surah in Quran. It is also used as a cure for diseases by our jurisprudence imam, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal rahimahullahu 'anhu. I actually intend to memorize this surah after I finished surah Ta-Ha which I actually had done but my life here is not as stable as when I was in undergraduate time. So, I had ruined my memorization and have to begin from the beginning. Besides I always have to perform Salat Sunat at-Tawbah as I feel that I am growing filthy when I mingle with people though the people that I mingled with are observant Muslims. Actually people are not wrong but when we mingle we will have many kind of feelings, perceptions and thoughts. On the other hand, being a master student is not as fun as being an undergraduate student especially when all of our friends who had earlier doing master had graduated and I am the only one who is still stuck here. No support from friends no roommate to share or exchange thoughts or even asking anything when I am stuck and having problem with technology. I am also having lunch and dinner alone. I know people would never dare coming knocking my room asking me whether I am free or messaging me. I am the only one who message people if I found that it is not nice to knock people doors. Last time when brother Firdaws messaged me, I still entertain him. But in the beginning I would be quite slow because I am not in the same level with them. I am in the beginning was a loner. I don't make friend through friend. People wanted to be friend me, just come directly to me. Not by friend. It shows sincerity.       

Parts in This Surah

I am going to divide the message of this surah into five parts according to what Allah talks to us regarding our path. For the beginning I will only post about two parts of the surah. Actually I am memorizing Quran according to these parts of stories and when we recite in prayer services we may choose whether reciting it in the form of parts or in form of pages like maybe one page for a unit of prayer service. The most important thing for me is not how many pages that we recite in the unit of prayer but the message for ma'amums behind and also for the imam himself at the front. 

For non-Arabic speakers or those who are not fluent in Arabic, we need a translation of Quran in our own language and I always encourage brothers and sisters to spend free time with Quranic translation reading and parallel checking with original Arabic one. The most important thing dear brothers and sister, is how are we going to practice Quran in ourselves? For me I don't like to listen people praising this person that person such as when I was in Tabligh masjid. One person calling a Quran memorizer kid to be an imam and proudly saying: "this people are walking Quran!" People already know about this, no need to loudly talk about this. 

For me it is not so good first because it harms that kid characteristic and second the person should also try make the Quran circulate in him self if he care about the Path! A person whose Quran is circulating within himself will never talk like that, if he is amazed with a person he will just slowly come and talk with the person without being seen by others. When I talk like this, it does not mean I am a restrictive person. People can talk about any topics with me as long as I know I could also talk about the same topic, but we should know the boundary of speech when we come to the matters of the Path especially the moral which lies behind it. Last time a Wahhabi Arab congregation member in masjid also said to me : "Insha Allah after you join our discourse on kitab Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, you will also become and ustadz". After that I never join them anymore. I was a translation and interpretation student. I also interprete a lot and reads interpretation behind lines of the speeches. It is crazy but I guess it is just our nature.   

First Two Part We are Going to See?

1. Criticism on the Doctrine of "the Son of the God"

2. The Young Men in the Cave

First Part of the Message : Criticism on the Doctrine of "the Son of the God"

In the Name of Allah the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful

All praise to Allah who reveals down to His slave the book and never making it crooked inside 1 As a direction to remind people about bitter torments from Him and as a good news for people who have faith and those who perform the practices of charity that they are going to receive good retaliation 2 They will be eternal in it forever 3 And it is to remind those who say that: "the Lord takes a Son" 4 They have no knowledge about this (doctrine) and so do their ancestors. Very hideous the word that come out from their mouths. What they said (the doctrine) is nothing but a liar 5 So, will you (Muhammad and those who profess witness on your prophethood) commit suicide feeling so sad when they turn away from this discourse? 6 Indeed We bring whatever on the earth as decorations for her as a mean to test on those who are better in their charity 7 And indeed We also will in fact make whatever on her barren and flat 8 

Second Part of the Message : The Young Men in the Cave        

Don't you ever recount that indeed the dwellers of the cave and the raqim (a dog or perhaps an inscription) are from Our miraculous signs? 9 At the time where the youths walks to the cave and they said (pray) our Lord : "Grant to us from Your side the Mercy and complete for us Your Straight Guidance in our matters" 10 And We strike to close their ears in the cave for years 11 And We make their heart firm at the time when they raised up and the said : "Our Lord, the Lord of the heavens and earth; we will never call other than Him as our Lord. If we say others are our Lord then we are talking far from the Truth" 12 They who are our people, taking other than Him as their gods 13 Why they do not propose to us on what basis they are doing that? 14 Who are more cruel than those who make lies to Allah? 15 

And when you leave them and what they are worshiping other than Allah, thus search for a cave for a shade and your Lord will spill on you His Mercy and providing for you what is important for your matters 16 And when you see the sun when it rises on their cave at the right side and when you see it sunken moving far from them to the left and they are in a wide space in the cave. That is from the signs of Allah. And those who are guided will be guided. Those who are deviated will be deviated and no one could even guide them (it is the Will of Allah) 17 

And you may thought that they are awake while they are actually sleeping. And We flip them right and left. And their dog projected both of its front feet at the face of the cave. And those who see it will run away with the heart full of fear 18 And We wake them up  as for them to ask among themselves. Said one from them : "How long have you been here?" Others said : "Perhaps half a day?" Said others : "Your Lord knows more on how long you have been here". So wake up one of you and go to the town with these silver coins and see whatever is good and safe to be eaten and bring it back for you from the sustenance from Him and be gentle do not tell to others on your matters 19 Indeed they once knowing where is your hidden place will stone you or forcing you to convert to their way and if it happens so, you will be unfortunate forever 20   

And as such we show them to human-being so may they know that the promise of Allah is true and the "Time" which has no doubt on it will come as He commanded it. And say some among the human : "Build on it buildings. Your Lord knows more about them". Those with authority among them said : "We will build on it (the cave) a veneration place" 21

And then some people will say, they are three and fourth is their dog and some will say they are five and the sixth is their dog as the guess for the things which they can't witness with their own eyes. And others say, they are seven and the eight is their dog. Say! Your Lord knows more on how many of them. Nobody knows about it except a very minority of people. So (Muhammad and those who witness his prophethood), do not quarrel with them about their matters except in the internal quarrel and never ask about them about these young men to any one of them 22

And never say anything like : "I will do it tomorrow morning" 23 Except saying : "Insha Allah (whatever He Wills)". And remember Your Lord when you had forgotten and say : "May my Lord giving me His guidance and making me close to the truth than this" 24

And they stayed in the cave 300 years plus other nine years 25 Say (o Muhammad and people) : "Allah knows more on how many years they stayed there". For Him (the knowledge) whatever is hidden in heavens and earth. His view is extremely clear, His listening is extremely sharp and accurate. Nobody except Him as the Protector Guardian and He has no partners for His decisions 26

Closing

Wishing this is beneficial for myself and for others who stepped by. Allah please grant everyone Your mercy and love. Let everyone peacefully co-exist among each other and be nice to each other. Allah I beg You please forgive my countless sins. I repent to You and I testify You are my Lord and Muhammad s.a.w is my prophet and messenger sent to me and others and as a mercy for the universe. 

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin ya Rabbal 'aalamiin!   

Weekly Quran Revision 13th Jan 2012

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Muqaddam

al-Ikhlaas

al-Falaq

an-Naas

al-Kaafirun

an-Nasr

al-Masad

Quraish

al-Maa'un

al-Kawthar

al-'Asr

al-Humazah

al-Feel

al-Qaari'ah

at-Takaathur

al-Zalzalah

al-'Aadiyat

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Tips on Memorizing Quran: Brother's Experience I

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Source: brother Ismail Z.D

Urmm, just a motivation for myself, haha. I also encourage brothers and sisters to memorize Quran. I regret my sisters are 'quite' stubborn. I cry for them every night and it's not easy to be only brother among sisters. I give supplication books not only to my friends but also to people at home pleading everyone to help me (actually help themselves). Dad is already an old man. It's not easy for an old man to memorize stuffs so we should benefit our time while we still have the opportunity. I just advise dad to recite whatever surah that he is able to recite and I praise the God because dad listens to me. Since he was attacked by strokes I always feel worried about him. Mum is also reciting the Quran and she would follow me if she saw me doing certain things but I advise her to also consult teachers and tell me whether I performed anything correctly. We could get along well only with Quran. Other than Quran, it is volatile kabooom... LOL. 

Well, at least mum tries to recite the Quran. I want everyone to receive Salvation from the God. Not only for myself since I am also not sure whether I could save my self or else. So, that's why when I see anyone that I see having the potential, I will expound whatever that I have in myself to them. Maybe some of them feel weird but I don't care if they don't understand it. It's not for me, but for my brothers and sisters which pragmatically refers to them, haha. I am not an easy friend and I don't talk with people easily as to say because it could be 'harmful'.

This brother has a good advise too regarding the Glorious Quran. His way to memorize is almost the same with mine. I use the method of listening and writing as well. I prefer listening to medium speed recitation. I am trying to save other videos from sisters and sheikhs as well as to see how they manage to memorize the Glorious Quran. Anyone passing by who are interested can also contact them by clicking their name as I put the link for their video in it. The video is not mine and I claim no right but credits to video maker. 

I purposely do this as to make sure everyone being connected from East to the West and North to South beside I can watch these in bus while returning home or going anywhere, hehe. May His sakinah (tranquility) descends upon all of the creatures. I don't know this is wrong or not. I envy those who fully memorized the Glorious Quran and practicing with it. I don't wish anything bad to them because I "love" them and I will kick those who hurt them if I see it as the effect that I "love" them. I feel bad for my self. It takes me long because I have to understand the verses that I memorize. I wish Quran to be my companion even after I return to Him. If I have nothing in this world, just let me have the hope for hereafter :'(

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Memorizing Invocations from the Glorious Quran I

With the Name of the God, the Most Beneficent above all, the Most Merciful!

I'm just including the meaning in English. Lazy to type in Arabic and afraid that it would be defecated when printed out. English speakers could just first memorize the English meaning. Later, you may learn Arabic sounds. Don't worry about rituals, they are actually very easy once you grasped basic things. 

When you perform all of the rituals with understandings only you will feel His great love descends on you. You could see it with your heart and soul, but never with your physical eyes. Our eyes are deceiving and environment around us is deceiving us. I am also deceived by my eyes where my faith will also becomes weak if I believe what I see and yet I still believe them :'((((

We actually have two kinds of supplications and prayers to the God. The first one is these kind of prayers from divine letters in the quranic verses while another one is from sunnah or the traditions of the prophet. 

Recite al-Fatihah

With the Name of the God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful 1 Praises be only to the God, the Lord of the Universe 2 The Most Generous, the Most Beneficent 3 King of the Day of the Law (judgement) 4 Only You that we worship, and only You that we follow 5 Show us please the straight path 6 The path where You had agreed upon. Not (the path) of those who had raised Your wrath, and those who went astray 7

Memorize al-Baqarah 127-128

Our Lord please accept us (our services). Indeed You are the One who hears everything, who knows everything 127 Our Lord, and make us the people who submit to You and from our generations the nations of those who are submissive to You, and show us our rituals and accept our penitence. Indeed You are the One who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful 128  

Al-Baqarah 286

Our Lord! Please don't punish us if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Please lay not on us the burden like what had been burdened on those before us. Our Lord! Put not on us the burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us we beg You, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us dear Lord, You are our Salvator and Protector and give us victory over the ingrates 286

Memorize little by little and check the translation in your glorious Quran exegesis. Don't burden ourselves but always assume ourselves as the seeker of knowledge. We are now traveling in the Universe and going through many experiences in this travel. Whether they are nice or foul but we are trying everything. 

Don't be shy to seek knowledge because nobody is perfect. This is actually the advice for myself but it may also motivate others. Begin once you had memorized the verses for supplications like after the salaat services. Pause for few moments to think deeply on what are the messages of divine words mean, may Allah helps everyone with His guidance.

May Allah be Merciful on everyone in this period of malefactors and slanders. Sealed with prayers for peace, mercy, and love to brothers and sisters in faith.

Matan Arba'in Hadith: Second Hadith I

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Praise be to the Lord of the Universe, we had already done with the first hadith about the 'amal (practice) is with the niyyah (intention) and it determines our sincerity in our worship and practices. Now we would further our exploration to the second hadith about what is deen (law of life)? How do we define our religion? Our faith? 

I had talked about this in previous post, about my conversation through messages to one of our respectable tabligh brother after I encountered few incidents with the jama'at members. I would talk about this hadith again. I am not bored of it and hoping to memorize everything to be my witness in His Court! I wish brothers and sisters to also do the same when you are free because everyone must be saved by the God.  

Reported by Umar bin al-Khattab may Allah be pleased with him, he said: "One day when we sit with the messenger of the God may Allah be in connection with him, came an anonymous man which his cloth is extremely white and his hair is extremely black without any sign that he traveled far to reach the place. Nobody of us know him. He sat in front of the messenger of the God and his knees met the knees of the messenger of the God and he put his hands on the hands of the messenger of the God. 

He said: "tell me about the submission to Him (Islam)!" Said the messenger of the God: "Indeed it is when you testify that there is no gods but only the God and indeed Muhammad is the messenger of the God, and when you perform salaat, and when you pay the zakaah, and fasting in the month of Ramadhan, and performing pilgrimage to the holy House of the Lord whenever you are able to travel there. Thus he said: "You are indeed speaking the truth!" We were so surprised to see that he asked the question and he testifies the answers. 

Then the man said: "Tell me what is faith?" The messenger of the God said: "It is indeed when you have the faith in the God, His angels, His revelation and scriptures, His messengers, the Day that will come, and you have faith in divine predestination whether it is good or evil. He said: "You are speaking the truth!" 

Then he further said: "Thus now tell me what is ihsaan?" The messenger of the God answers: "It is when you worship and submit yourself to Him as you see Him and if your physical eyes could not see Him, He still monitoring on you. Then the man asked: "Now tell me when is the Day?!" The messenger of the God answers: "You who ask me know better." Then the man said: "What is the signs when it is nigh to you?" The messenger of the God said: "When masters are born from the slaves, the lowly paupers who had never wears shoes and living their life naked and rearing goats. You would see these people building high towers and big houses." Later the man just raise up and went out of the place of assembly. 

I just keep my silence for few days and the messenger of the God asked me one day: "O Umar, do you know who is that man who asked me few questions that day?" I said: "Only He and His messenger know that better." The messenger of the God then tells me: "He is Gabriel peace be upon him, and he came to teach all of you your deen (religion)."" - narrated by Muslim.       

Explanation

At the phrase, said the archangel Gabriel, "tell me about the faith..." It emphasizes that the faith is when we believe and agree with whatever being told by something or someone. This is the basic meaning in Arabic. The faith in this hadith emphasizes that we believe in few things which had already widely known. It is in the pillars of faith and the pillars of the religion. Pillars of faith represents our iman, pillars of Islam represents our 'amal as faithful Muslims, while ihsaan represents our sincerity toward Allah the Lord of the Universe, Glory be only to Him.

Again my personal feeling about this hadith. It is the first hadith that I encountered during my time of infidelity where it deeply gives impact to me. After I did the meditations and pujas according to Buddhist ways during my heart is full with hatred toward myself and surrounding. I came across this hadith while I was alone. My hairs standing and I was so scared... Maybe some remnants of faith about angels still exist in my heart, because I still believe in bodhisatvas (angels) according to 'some' Buddhist traditions though I didn't 'properly' believe in the God.

Insya-Allah we would talk further about the explanation of this hadith. I have the notes with me and I'm trying to simplify them in English. I hope to share with my beloved brothers and sisters for our practices as faithful Muslims. I have to attend the evening congregational salaat services in the mosque. May Allah bless everyone, amin!

Quran Revision June 11th 2011

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Dear Lord, I need some tajweed correction on the recitation of few memorized suras. Mum had checked for me for a surah and she said that my vowel approximation is still not to the standard. 

Undeniably it is not easy to pronounce things when we try not to recite so fast since reciting fast would make our pronunciation of words turning upside down but when we recite it slowly we might lost the words. People should also understand what we recite and it must be clear. Just checked them again in the mosque while meditating alone.

Now how many paras that we have with us to memorize? We have parah 16th. It consists of surah al-Kahfi, surah Maryam, and surah Tha-ha. Surah al-Kahfi is still not in the heart. Only suras Maryam and Tha-ha erected in the heart for the time-being. However these two need to be polished for the tajweed.

Parah 30th consist of suras al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, an-Naas, al-Kaafirun, an-Nasr, al-Masad, Quraisy, al-Maa'un, al-Kauthar, al-'Asr, al-Humazah, al-Feel, al-Qari'ah, at-Takathur, al-Zalzalah, al-'Adiyat, al-Qadr, al-Bayyinah, at-Teen, al-'Alaq, adh-Dhuhaa, ash-Sharh, ash-Shams, al-Layl, al-Balad, al-Fajr, al-Ghaashiyah, al-A'ala, ath-Thaariq, al-Buruuj, al-Insyiqaq, al-Muthaffifin, al-Infithaar, at-Takweer, 'Abasa, an-Naazi'at, and an-Nabaa'. Gosh, parah 30th is not complete....!!!    

I need additional reading as well regarding Tawheed which is Kitaab at-Tawheed by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. Got to ask Islamic Center whether they have it or not. Hope they won't misunderstood me as a Wahhabi. Just for additional knowledge. Day after tomorrow should be fasting day, avoid from late sleeping and wake up earlier, ok? Good boy!!!

Dear Lord our God, open to us the portal of Your wisdom and assemble on us Your grace as Your are the One who is full with Grace and Mercy. Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!!!