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!

Night in musalla on 28th May 2001

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Quite sad, I could feel the musalla being left behind after there is no tablighi and islamic center kids like Shuhaimi or his friend, Ridhuan. These two kids had just returned home yesterday. Well, it is semester break, of course the musalla and even mosque would have less people in the congregation. 

There was only three or four persons at that musalla and I had to take the charge to conduct the prayer services at the evening and night since nobody wanted to volunteer.  I hate that when people notice my presence around them but that doesn't mean that I hate people around. Instead I admire them and I love them just like I love the prophets, the companion of prophets, the family of prophets and others. They are in sacred place where it is full with His love and peace.

 Musalla Tekun Desa at my current hostel, i love you musalla ;-)

It's not really easy to be an imam although it is just for salaat because I feel the burden of sins on my shoulder. I don't know about others feeling, but that is how I feel. That is why I respect those who take charge in conducting the congregational prayer services like brother Firdaus, brother Zaidi my ex-roomate, and many others. They are indeed courageous.

After the prayers, I stayed back at the musalla just to muse myself. Thinking about my sins in the day whether I had wronged His creatures and whether I had misunderstood His taqdeer (whatever is fated) on me. I also managed to strengthen my memorization of surah al-Mulk in the musalla so that is a good thing for me, all praises only directed to Him. It is among good suras and I love to listen to anyone reciting this surah because it is also good for them. The Lord would release us from the torments in the grave while waiting for the Judgement to come especially when we recite it before sleeping.

I heard brother Firdaus reciting the surah in salaat when he was in charge conducting the services before this semester break and before I followed brother Husaimi to Sri Petaling markaz that day, and it is very cool!!! I wanted to listen to him again but I am afraid that I would make him annoyed apart of feeling embarrassed I may appear to be like a three years old kid begging for something. Sincerely, he recites most of the suras very well and I am speaking the truth. 

No matter who recites this surah and other surah which is ad-Dukhaan, I would stay there to listen until they finish because it is awesome and it reminds me about death, His creations, His torments and threats if we forget Him. I don't have gold nor silver to give to those who recite this, but I believe He would reward those who recite the Quran and thanks to those who indirectly helping me reciting the surah. You don't know how much that I had learned from you.

I had also found my late grandpa ma'athurat. It is a ma'thurat by the Perlis state government. I would memorize it firstly for His sake and secondly to honor my late grandpa because I had sinned him and thirdly to benefit my times remembering Him, His Will. Sealed with prayers for love and peace to all of fellow creatures of the God.