Bulleh Shah: Comforting Prayer of Love

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Hail, Lord the True Teacher!!! 

The God that you find in the jungle

Is found by birds and fishes

Only those with pure sacred heart find the True God

You have learned so much reading thousand of books...

But do you even bother to read what is inside you?

You visit and sit inside the masjid and temple...

But have you ever think of visiting your own soul?

You are busy of fighting Satan

But have you ever fought your own evil intentions and desires?

You have reached the sky but you failed to reach your own heart

You may destroy masjids, go and destroy to the earth temples...

Do as you wish, do as you please

But never destroy the human heart

For the Lord is there in

This is one of my favorite poem from a portion sung by Abidah Parveen in Punjabi. The poet name is Abdullah Shah but widely known as Bulleh Shah. His poetry are also being sung by Sikh and Hindu singers but he is a Muslim of Qadiri order. 

Some of his poems actually sounds cynical and critical toward orthodox practices of people in 17th C but that does not mean that he is not an Orthodox Muslim. Sometimes his poems are questioning certain things but it actually asking us on our intention of doing certain things whether it is simply a mere ritual which we imitate others doing or because it is due to our devotion to the God. He emphasizes the heart as the core of every practices and advocate love toward fellow creatures regardless religion and creed.

I always feel that I am not sincere to the God which makes me actually afraid of what will happen after being taken away. Baba Bulleh Shah was also accused by his colleagues because of his messages were misunderstood. Sometimes we have to think very deep and ponder on every words which would make us keep our silence and observe more. It also applies to Quran and Sunnah, right?

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

Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life: Introduction

In the Name of the God the Most Merciful the Most Compassionate!

Sometimes, when we are facing difficulties in life we tend to forget about the God too. This is true because I did faced this and lost faith to the God. Even nowadays, I still feel so useless until it makes me feel so filthy that I could not even face people's face. After I returned from pilgrimage, this book is one of the books provided by the Ministry of Da'awa, Endowments, and Guidance Affairs of Saudi to me. It's title is the Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life by Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Nasir as-Si'dy. 

It has eight chapters altogether. I read this book when I feel so restless and hapless last time and trying to keep it going but each time many obstacles also come thus I have to be patient. Recently I feel the same especially when I see people returning home for holiday without having to think about what will happen in the next semester. Maybe I think like that but who knows maybe they are also struggling. We just look at the exterior part of people's life but never their inner part of life. So what we physically see is our perception on them. It could be wrong or could be right and it depends on situation of individuals. I am also not excluded from this kind of attitude. So, I must be very careful with the environment around.  As I had also sometimes feel my faith being tested, I must also punish myself. So, I punish myself to type this may I memorize it by heart and soul. Moga terpasak kunci dalam hati dan rohani kita, inshaallah!

We actually wanted to have a peaceful life. As for me money and everything is always a burden but when we have no money how could we operate our life? So, I also think that I am involved in polytheism when I came to this question because I associate the power to be able to live with materials, may Allah forgives me my sins on questioning His Power and Strength over weak creatures. Let us see what is the view of this Sheikh about how we could gain happiness in life? 

Introduction

Praise belongs to Allah, to Whom all praise is due. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. We bear witness that Muhammad s.a.w is His slave and messenger. May peace and blessings of Allah reaching him, his family and companions.

There is no doubt that the bliss of the heart, its tranquility and happiness, and the absence of grief and worry from it is the goal of every person. It is the means by which a happy, blissful and excellent life is achieved. There are means to achieve this which are:

1. Religious

2. Natural

3. Physical

These means are never gathered together except to believers. Non-believers on the other hand, despite of the earnest endeavors of their philosophers is to lead them to these means, even if they achieve them in certain aspects, they still miss the way to them in several other aspects that are more beneficial, permanent, and better in yielding the result. 

The Sheikh mentions in the treatise the ways and means to achieve the lofty goal which is desired by everyone. Some people are successful in these ways and therefore live a good and pure life. They enjoy their life. Some woefully fail in following them so they live a wretched and miserable life. Others lie between these two extremes; by the level of their following these means, by that level they live a good life. And it is Allah that guides to all that is good. He wards off all evil and it is His assistance that we seek in this.

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!