Are We Ignoramus When We Show Nothing to People?

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

This one is actually my discussion with my ex-colleague, Amir when we were undergraduate. I still remember it very well and I never forget also what I said to people or what people said to me. They are kept in my memory though I don't have any memory that could be proud of like others. 

The question is : "Are we ignoramus when we show nothing to people?" Why is this question is raised when we talked among each other behind our language center while waiting for English class? Last time, we were outcasts in our course which was the Translation and Interpretation. Those seniors boasted to me that the course is a brilliant course but actually it is hampeh (nothing as what has been boasted about)... Because the senior who boasted to us had also changed to other course when he was in his third year and never finish his study, hehehehehe.

When I was registered as an undergraduate student in USM, I know no one here nor trying to make friend with people because I don't go to normal classes like others. I didn't complete my Malaysian English for University Test like other formal A-Level candidate and I was a private A-Level student after I dropped out from the school. I get to know Amir during the Aiduladha holiday where we did not going home for holiday. It was hell so boring and I almost knocked my head at the wall because I don't know what to do. Actually if people carefully recite the Glorious Quran, they will also realize what happened to prophet Muhammad s.a.w when he encountered problems alone without any support from companions in Mecca before the Hijrah event. He feels so weak, and Allah comforting Him through His words. He is a prophet and a messenger chosen by the God for nations of the period. How about us plain human-being? Of course we are weaker than him and always have to pray for Divine intervention to help us. 

If people say they are lonely because their friend going home for a moment but they still have other friend. For people who are disconnected from the society like me and I am sure many others who live among non-Muslim people, it is more tormenting but we have to keep our patience to go through boredom. Actually no sane human could handle this and sometimes I also think that I have something wrong in my head. Even if we live among Muslim, the era is actually almost the same to the era of prophet Jesus a.s when there were people who think that they are "holier" than others. That is why I always try to avoid people. It will make me feel attached to people, feeling down and when I wanted to leave people that I think is important or saintly it makes me feel sad. On the other hand, I am committing polytheism because other fellow human becoming important to me beside Allah.

And most of people who consider themselves as Ahlul Hadith are only emphasizing on what happened in Medina as it is the era where the society is established again. For us who are falsely called as the grave-worshipers, both Mecca and Medina periods are important. Also all period of prophethood in the earth from Adam to Muhammad s.a.w are important. We recognize our weaknesses and we are trying to eliminate polytheism from inner and also in the outer side of ourselves. Urm, about grave-worshiping, I never worship any grave. I just visit few sages, ancestors and grandparents' graves but I never recite any supplications or blessings without checking the qiblah (direction of Mecca) and I never prostrate at grave-yard to worship dead human-being. I also never ask any help from the dead because I only believe Allah is the Salvator and my Guardian. Maybe some ignorant people are doing this, and I also do not like their acts so why people are generalizing us? Maybe it is easy to generalize than going deeper, right?  

Usually we have this rule. If we are attached to worldly materials. We will have to throw everything that makes us attached to worldly affairs from us. No matter how important it is. So, when some brothers who knows me coincidentally seeing me crying (actually I don't like people to see me crying like a crazy guy, hahaha), that is because I am trying to purify myself. Please don't think that I am crazy yah. I am not crazy. And yes, my sisters and even my mother always calling me a nut when they listen to my words and thinking that I am losing my mind because they don't understand the psychological torment when we try to eliminate world from our heart. I do not blame them because they will eventually understand it.     

Back to the question, actually Amir was complaining that people looking at us as stupid when we do not show that we know English, hahahahaa. I am from Kuala Lumpur but my family was originally from Kedah Sultanate or whatever state it is. Because both of my parents are conversant in Kedah Malay, so do I. When I mingled with other Kedah students, I also have the same feeling when I am in this current hostel where people looking at a "Malay" speaking in Chinese. I speak in the language because it is my language. I respond to people if I understood the message. When they said to me you can also speak in pure Kedah dialect noh although you are from KL!!! It actually piss me off. My family was originally from Kedah and they consider me an outsider. The same thing also happen when some undergraduate students who make strange face when I said I am a "Chinese" when I speak in Chinese. It means that I have connection with Southern Chinese through my mum family and my mum speaks in Fujianese dialect of Chinese beside speaking in Malay. Most of people in northern tip of Kedah frontier with Thailand are multilingual people. We are different from people who live in other parts in Malaysia. She was once had to be left in Chinese village when my grandma entering forests to help the family getting some income and we have also Chinese relatives. The mother of my mother which is my grandma was active in spreading wide His path and she helped others in the way including non-Muslims so many non-Muslims also becoming Muslims due to her services. My grandpa which is my mother's father is an imam in the village masjid. He was actually a very humble person and he loves to recite Quran though when he is sleeping. These people actually were tested by Allah very severely and I saw it with my own eyes. So when I was with those Kedah kids, I actually conversing with them in a more orthodox Kedah dialect as to show to them although we were kicked from our state, but we still honor our ancestors (actually their ancestors). Actually what Amir said is true. 

I am also experiencing this when I mingle with Islam Shumul (Muslim Brotherhood) guys or Tabligh guys. When I keep my silence, it does not mean that I don't know whatever they are talking about. I am a student and not a teacher. I still need to find teachers and getting their permission to transmit teachings. I have no authority to talk on important matters of the path. I read things about their movements. The same thing also about studying Quran or any other religious teachings, I actually love to say to people : "let us study this together brothers" rather than saying "come let me teach you this and that". There are moral significance lies behind the speeches. 

Actually, I am waiting for brothers here and anywhere who actually trying to approach me to say to me : "can we together study the Quran and etc?" rather than coming to me and asking me can I have your few minutes to "invite" you to our bayan?  I listen to religious lectures everyday. I don't only restrict myself only to certain movement lectures but also from other schools and other movements. I am also watching Shia TV and listening to their religious lectures on contemporary issues.

When I was in Tabligh markaz I actually love certain activity like where they recite the Quranic verses in muqaddam (beginning) part of the Quran three times for each surah in a group. It is actually a good way to check the memorization. I don't really like to listen to whatever bayan and stuffs because it should not be delivered in a mixed group. Some of the speeches are of tasawwuf angle but to enter into the angle one must also correct their external parts which are the Furu'uddin (branches of the path) and beginning to search on what is Shari'ah Islamiah with mu'tabar (major) teachers. For me one does not have to feel ashamed about their pronunciation of Quran. Just pronounce things according to what we are able and Allah knows that most Muslims are of non-Arab origin. To know about pronunciation of the Quran, we need Tajweed. Last time I hate this subject in our schools as compared to Arabic grammar but now I think it is also important as to preserve the meaning of the Quran in its best way. Urmm, I am sad nobody knock my door to ask me to join them reciting Quran or helping me reciting Quran in my room. I don't care if I have to pay mountain of gold to listen brothers reciting Quran in my room :'(

Actually I just wanted to say, we do not judge the book by its cover. I don't judge people by their looking or by their appearance. I love to be sincere to my brothers and sisters. It reflects also sincerity to our Lord, Allah 'Azza wa Jalla the King of the Universe who needs no crown. Before closing my eyes, maybe tonight is my last day in the worldly realm, I apologize to my brothers and sisters in faith. I always remember all of you in my prayers. If I could make list I will enlist all of your names and mention them in front of the Lord : )

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love amin!      

Curing the Heart: 'Uzlah

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

A very blessed Friday. I just read some portions of the small treatise by Muhammad Afif bin Yahya of Perlis. I don't put his name like al-Barlisi because it is not a necessity. I am aware that Perlis king is a Sayyid of Southern Arabia descent but I don't really like everything to be Arabized. If people wanted to be affiliated with the native place, then just use the native name without the Arabic al- article. The title is coincidentally the same with another old book but the treatise is much simpler in modern Malay.

What does 'uzlah means? It simply means separating ourselves from the society. This is what low-self integration means if people looking it through modern psychological studies. A brother in musalla in our previous semesters had encouraged to me to join people. He was not wrong that I was not friendly. Yea, I know I wasn't friendly but I was practicing the sunnah of prophet Muhammad s.a.w and prophet Abraham a.s. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w had performed 'uzlah before the prophethood seal and Revelation reached him in the Hiraa' cave in Holy Mecca. I now would like to know how brothers and sisters view on sunnah? Is it just from what has been written only in Hadiths or from the whole traditions in the Holy Quran, the Hadiths, from the History of Prophethood, from the Morality of Prophet, and from the Qisaas al-Anbiyaa (prophets' narrations)? No need to answer here. Just answer it with our selves.

Brief Story about 'Uzlah

The more extensive meaning of 'uzlah is no empty chit chatting and keeping the silence while with the people around. Says Imam al-Ghazali rahimahullah: "Apart of the obstructions for us to perform worship to Allah are creatures. Most of fellow creatures will make us turn away from worship and instill confusion in our heart. It is like in the narrations of a scholar where there were a group of men practicing archery. Among this group of men, one of them sitting alone far from his 'friends'. He then approached the guy to talk with him. But the guy said, it is better for you to remember Allah rather than talking with me. Then he asked the guy, but you are alone and separated from your friends! He answered, no... I am not alone! I am with my Lord. There are two angels accompanying me at my left and right sides. The scholar further asked: "Who will eventually win among them? He said, those who were forgiven by the Lord. He then asked the guy, where is the way to reach that? The guy pointed his fingers showing the Heaven. Then the guy stand up from his sitting and walking while saying, dear Lord, most of creatures are making me turning away from You!"  

Regarding Talking too Much and Speech

Says Umar al-Khattab radi Allahu 'anhu: "Whoever laugh a lot, his authority and prestige will be less. Whoever looking at other fellow human as unimportant, thus he will receive insults.Whoever that is so into something, he will be known as a specialist. Whoever talks a lot, he will have more faults. Whoever have many faults and errors, he will be a person who has less shameful feeling. Whoever with less shameful feeling will have less obedience to Allah. A person with less obedience to Allah will a have a dead heart." 

A person who talks to much will be exposed to errors and flaws

Says our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w: "Indeed, in the Resurrection Day, a person who has the heaviest sin is a person who says a lot of feckless words which never benefit him." (Narrated by Ibnu Nasar)

This part remind me of my previous lessons that I had learned in the Eight Middle Path taught by lord Buddha Gautama and I could clearly remember this since I wake up at four in the morning after taking bath without anyone notice me when I was 15 years old and recite everything that I memorized in Bali and Malay also performing prostrations while imagining emptiness in my mind. It's in the middle part of the three parts of chediya (pagoda) diagram known as seela (ethics) and I recited it as samma wacha which means right speech. This one is also mentioned by lord Buddha in Panchasila when he advised Muchalinda Naga who was a dragon/cobra snake incarnation and it sounds in Bali like musawada werramanni sikhapadam samaadiyaami which means I undertake the precept to refuse from false speech. Further, Gautama Buddha was also known as Sakya Munni. It means a person who keeps his silence and observe from the Sakya tribe. Today, people only translate Munni as a "little, clan, tribal" prophet but the real meaning is a person who keeps his silence.  

Wisdom of Silence

Reported by Anas may Allah be pleased with him: "Prophet Muhammad s.a.w says: 'Silence is a Wisdom and a Virtue. Only a minority of people are capable to do that."

Says Abul Qasim al-Qushayri: "Silence whenever is necessary is a noble thing. Muhammad s.a.w has taught people to guard their words and making one self familiar with silence if it brings benefit. Silence when it is not necessary to be silent is a disgraceful thing. For example keeping the silence when something is wrong and refrain to tell the truth. This kind of silent person is known as a "mute demon"." 

Over-Socializing

I don't think that I am lack of socializing in term of speaking. Yea, sometimes I have problem to speak with people but that is because I am thinking which level should I suit the counter-speakers level of speech. I guess I am just a secretive person and I don't like to be revealed to a multitude of people. Less people know me, then my attention could be directed easily to the people that I know. I don't like people to see my practices or my religious rituals because it makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't think like majority of people and yes my head is a bit complex. 

Some people said I am not an easy person to be read because I would react differently from what people expected to react. I love to talk with people but if I see there is no use for me to talk I would just keep my silence and keeping my distance. Most of all I can talk like normal people according to level. I even could talk about things which are not-related to religious talk if a person feels not comfortable with it like in the case of my ex-colleague, Amir. 

If a kid talking to me, then I will treat a kid like a kid but still with respect. If an elderly talk to me, I will treat him like and elder person. I treat everyone equally but sometimes it is also according to the level of their thought and thinking. Not based on physical body because a person with a big body does not mean that he or she thinks like a grown up man or woman. I don't normally show my emotion to people. I was taught to keep my patience until it is unbearable then maybe the emotion would burst out but it is a rare case. I only burst out like angry when I was 15 at that time I was at religious secondary school where my classmates trying to bully me because they always see me alone and different from others who would be dying to join them. Maybe they thought I was an easy prey but it ends up that I almost hit their head with science class apparatus but before the stuff hit their head I get my consciousness and I just put the thing down and walk away. This is why I always feel sympathy to those kids who are bullied in school or madrasah. This experience is just rampant and everywhere. It happens to others also. I just put it here to make it easier to apply in everyday life by other brothers and sisters. 

Regarding over-socializing, scholars of Islam mentions that it will bring chronic diseases and the root of disasters and evil. Sometimes it grabs away the grace that already possessed by one self. It brings enmity and hatred sunken in the heart will cause physical diseases. These makes the "heart and soul" become rotten and careless in remembering Allah.

Says a scholar: "Indeed words in the heart are constructed by the speech and made by tongue articulation".

Says Muhammad s.a.w: "Those who have faith in the God and the Hereafter, thus they only speak good things or else they would keep their silence".  

Muhammad s.a.w further says: "You will be in peace as long as you keep your silence. But when you begin to speak, your speeches will be recorded whether it is good speeches or evil speeches."    

Anas bin Malik radi Allahu 'anhu says: "Act with noble morality and keep your silence as possible as you can. By the One who holds my soul, a person who decorates himself or herself with these are among beautiful people". 

Ibrahim bin Adham also says: "I made friends with ascetic at the mountainous area in Lebanon. They advised me when I am about to enter the society with four advices which are 1) who eats a lot will never feel the sweetness and the grace of worship 2) whoever sleep a lot will never receive blessings of life 3) whoever hoping for the pleasure of human, will have any hope on Lord's pleasure 4) whoever talks too much on less beneficial things will receive evil endings and becomes an apostate."  

I wish that the Lord is pleased with brothers and sisters in faith and wishing that He helps us to be obedient and grateful slaves and servants may He be pleased with everyone.

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

Serabut: Is There a Silver Lining behind the Cloud?

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

In the Name of Allah the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful 1 Praise be only to Allah the Lord of the Universe 2 The Most Compassionate the Most Merciful 3 King of the Day of the Law 4 You are the One that we worship and You are the One that we follow 5 Show us the straight Path 6 The Path which is agreed by You 7 Not the paths which bring Your wrath and not the path of those who are deviated 8

The title describes what happened to me :'( Ya Allah please guide me with ruhul qudus and Your word... I am facing many problems in a time. Everyone must face the tests and problems in life no one could escape them. Tests making us strong but please don't give me tests that I can't bear, ya Allah... Nobody love nor care about me in this world but they only care about themselves. People saying many things to me because of things they don't understand and in the same time they come to me for counsels. I try to reconcile with people while they are thinking evil about each others. I feel there is no need for such "thinking". It brings us no benefit but yet people love to make the world as the first hell before the other hell to come. It's not only tormenting them but screeching others. I only have You, ya Allah. Please help liberate me from this suffocating moment through Your Wisdom and Mercy. I wanted to terminate everything, give me the chance ya Allah.

We beg You dear Lord, with Your Strength and Greatness to untie our knotted fate. Accept our remembrance, elevate and purify us, You are the Most Awesome One. Please Heroic One, those who pursue Your uniqueness help and guard them as the pupil of an eye. Bless them purify them, may Your righteousness always reward them. Powerful and Holy One in goodness leading Your congregations. Unique and Proud One, listen to us, may we remember Your Holiness. Accept our cries and hear our pleas, Your are the Most Knowledgeable on whatever is hidden. - Blessed be the Name the Possessor of the Kingdom Forever, amin.

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

Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life: Chapter 2

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Diary

Chapter two of this book deals with how to ward off anxieties and worries. I am experiencing all of these. I am sure dearly brothers and sisters are also experiencing this because we are all not perfect. Only Allah is Perfect. I had woke up late for night services for Him. I feel very sad, disappointed with myself, disgusted to look at my own face in the mirror and tortured because I had forgotten my position as His lowly slave. 

It happens because I lost the grip over my time since I am in an empty space and I am only depending on Allah without any brother (teacher) to guide me. After all, I also heard that my dad is driving to the north while he is not well because he feels bored and dull at home. Who says if we are married and having family we could be peaceful? I had seen many sorrows, physically and mentally tortured since I am a young child. I am sure others also experienced this but they don't share their stories widely to people because their situation might varies. Anything that other people do or experience does not apply to all people. Human also need friends and dad have lost all of his friends. When he was young, he used to mingle with his friends chatting and doing activities together. We can't easily develop friendship and friendship could easily end. 

Ya Allah... Your angels and other faithful brothers in my room are also witnessing me. I renew my declaration that You are the only True Friend of mine... You had befriend our patriarch Abraham a.s while he was alone and You also accompanied our beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w while he was alone. I love You Lord, please forgive me I wake up late please don't leave alone, amin! 

I don't want to experience what my dad experienced. I feel so sad for him especially I can't accompany him to help guide him to see You in Your houses. Last few semesters I faced with few sorrows in the same time too which also includes my dad was affected by strokes until he's half paralyzed during Ramadan. I was so worried that I can't eat anything or drink anything. I threw out everything once I put something in my mouth. That's why I can't have my meals in front of brothers in my hostel. I don't want people to be affected and burdened because an unworthy creature like me :'( 

Chapter Two

It says among the means to wipe off anxieties due to nervousness and the preoccupation of the heart on sorrowful things is to keep ourselves busy with one activity that we like or another one is to seek knowledge. Why we keep ourselves busy? Because we want to distract our heart away from dwelling in anxieties. Activities like seeking the knowledge and knowing Allah will make us forget our grief and worry. As the result we will experience happiness and become cheerful again. This is actually something that we share with people of other faiths.

What makes us different from people of other faiths. A faithful Muslim will make intention to seek knowledge solely because to get Allah's pleasure. Whatever he does such as worldly acts which have good intention because of seeking the strength to worship Allah are due to his faith and sincerity only for Allah. This actually has an additional effect which wards off grief, worries, and anxieties through the Divine intervention. 

So many people today afflicted with permanent anxieties and sorrows. It comes the extent which makes him feeling very ill. The only cure is to forget the cause of sorrows and miseries. A person must make himself busy with normal activities. The activities which keep him busy should be something pleasing to himself. This will bring the person into his desired goal and all of knowledge only with Allah.

Among things to ward off worry and anxiety

1. Concentrate one's attention and concern only with present affairs.

2. Stop being anxious about future or grieving over the past.

3. Praying to Allah to protect one self from anxiety and grief (Bukhari n Muslim).

4. Anxiety and grief usually is a fear and concern over what will happen in the future. 

 A person should be the son of the moment.

5. Concentrate his energy and attention only for the betterment of the existing events and present moments.

6. Concentrate only the affairs of the moment is a necessary cause which leads to its accomplishment. 

Hope, Dependence to Allah and Working Hard

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w when he asks something from Allah, or when he guides the community at that time to ask specific things from Allah, he is advising them that prayers and supplication to Allah must be followed with hope in His favor. The same time, work hard and earnestly to achieve accomplishment of what had been asked or the removal of what had been asked to be removed from them.

The du'a to Allah should go side by side with action. A slave strives for what will benefit him in his Path and his worldly life. He asks his Lord to make him accomplish his need, and he seeks His help and intervention in that. 

Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w said: "Strive for what will benefit you. Seek the help of Allah. Don't get incapacitated. If something afflicts you, don't say "if I had done such and such would have happened." But say: "This is the Decree of Allah. He does what He Wills". This is because "if" opens the act of the Devil". (Reported by Muslim) 

Our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w advised us through this speech for us to join between two things:

I. Strive for useful things in all situations. 

Strive for the benefits of all situations. Seeking help of Allah and never surrender to incapacity as it is a harmful negligence.

II. Surrender to Allah the past events that have passed.

Witness in them the decree of Allah and His pre-destination.

Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w has highlighted two categories of affairs: 

1. That a slave has ability to accomplish totally or partially, or those that can be completely avoided or at least lighten their burden. The slave should give his utmost effort and seek help of the Lord.

2. The affairs which the slave has no power over them. For this, the faithful slave must keep calm. Accept whatever come to him and surrender to Allah. This is a principle which complies with a definite mean to remove worry and grief beside achieving happiness.

Allah knows well... Finish this part and I had cried in front of the lappy until my chest get wet... Useless, hehehe.... :')

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

Ya Allah, Please Guide....

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Peace and blessings from the God to inhabitants of earth and heavens

Peace and blessings to stars, trees, angels, prophets, and faithful brethren visible and invisible....

Please help me to pray to the God, please help and guide Your slave....

How to find the way out from the questions of life????

Why people around are not supporting in the time of pressure but more pressuring Your slave?

Your slave crawling to You.... 

Help Your slave please, Your slave only have You dear Lord....

House... Life... Everything in Time and Space are meaningless....

You are the meaning for slave....

You are the goal of slave....

Everyday passing slave is missing You...

Slave can't stop tears flowing down, slave afraid You hate slave

for slave's weaknesses and imperfection...

Forgive slave, be Merciful to slave and around please dear Lord of Universe.....

Save slave from evil and vices...

Slave feel so disgusting of slave's self and around.......

Help slave on how to get rid of this feeling???

Save slave from evil and vices, dear the King of Universe...

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad...Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad...

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad........

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad........

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad........

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad........

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad........

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad........

Prayers for mercy, peace, and love...... amin!!!!!

Pray for brethren in Somalia....

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!!!

Here is a site about the news there. I don't know what else to say when I see all of these.... We don't know how to help them or have no capability to meddle in helping them as brothers in soul, but at least please help these brethren with prayers for faith, success, and peace in their way to see Him.

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

Salat: Concentration in Prayers I

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!
Notes from the lecture of Ustad Yeop Sa'idin 

All praises belongs only to Allah 'Azza wa Jalla, Lord of the Universe. Praising Allah, the King of kings... O our Lord, open up for us Your Wisdom and gather for us from the bountiful of Your blessings. O the One who is Merciful full of Blessings! 

Our title today is about tama'ninah in salat. It means that our body stays still according to the pillars of fi'lee (acts) where it consists of i'tidal (bowing) and tama'ninah. 

Tama'ninah means that we stay still in our salaat while chanting glory be to Allah. Tama'ninah in this sense means, concentration and tranquility. There is a narration about Rabi' bin Haitham while he was performing his salaat. Rabi' bin Haitham is an example of a salafi or the earliest followers of the prophet s.a.w. While he was performing his salaat, there came a thief and stealing his horse. People around who witnessed the incident cursed the thief. Rabi' said that he saw the thief and he realized that he untied the rope which ties his horse. People around asked: "then why don't you stop your salaat and chase after him????!"

This incident has shown us that salaat is among important things for these people. Rabi' bin Haitham said that his salaat and prayers is more important than his horse. He can just stop his salaat if there are urgent things coming up like nature calls but he said that his horse is not as urgent as his obedience to the God. He can stop his salaat and chase after the thief but he refused to. He wanted to concentrate on his salaat and prayers because he had made his promise in the iftitah (opening) prayer in salaat: "I turn up my face only to You who creates the heavens and earth..." thus he must not go against his promise in prayers. 

We must strive hard to concentrate in our salaat due to that He prepares us the place of torment which is the Unfortunate Hell and losing focus in prayers is a sin (surah al-Ma'un). The God knows that we are able to concentrate because if we have no capability to do that, why did He asks us to do it? Let us check surah al-Mu'minun verses 1-9. Who are the ones achieving success in the world and the hereafter? It says that indeed the ones who are successful among the faithful servants males and females are the ones who concentrate in prayers and salaat.

The first source for us to achieve concentration in salaat and prayers is that we must take a good care on our food sources. They must be halal (legal) and no doubtfulness in it. We need to be careful with something which looks physically legal but it brings doubt because doubtfulness will lead us to prohibition or haram. Sometimes prohibited stuffs could look like the legal ones. Our noble prophet peace be upon him said, many people care less about doubtful stuffs and it is not good for heart purification. How could we concentrate in salaat with doubtful stuffs that we take? Through salaat and heart purification, we will gain the success in the world and the hereafter.

We pray and supplicate to Allah for us to be given goodness in the world and the hereafter, being saved from the torment of the hell. We can concentrate in our salaat. Our Lord gives us only one heart. If we have two hearts, then it would not be wrong if we think of many things while performing salaat which leads us to lack of focus to Him.  

There was an incident of another salafi brother of the past who prayed in an orchard and he saw birds in the orchard flying here and there. He was astonished with those birds and careless in his salaat. He had forgotten that he was in salaat, so he lament himself after he realized that. He sold out his orchard for charity because he had done a great sin. These people had reached the level faith where they feel so sinful although the error is only in one salaat. 

We aren't yet at that level of faithful servants. But we still need to strive hard so that we won't be careless in our salaat and prayers. At least we could imagine the letters of the divine revelation in the salaat, since we might not all understand Arabic because it is not our mother tongue or daily language. This is a jihad or an effort on our selves. It means that we have efforts to perform something diligently to please the Lord and not being an irresponsible servant of the Lord. We are not only performing salaat according to the thirteen pillars of salaat but also with our heart and soul facing Him. 

If jihad is about to kill others with swords or bombs, then we would have to bomb or kill ourselves because we are careless in salaat, hahaha. What a crazy notion. I hope cable medias could stop this nonsense sense on jihad or at least learn Arabic. Don't show that Western civilization are of the people who are lazy in pretext of academics because many people respect Western civilization especially after the establishment of the European Union. 

The same should also goes to the States. It is among the champion of humanity where many had fled to the States due to the messy situation in the Europe in the past. No need to be a Muslim to understand Arabic. It is among ancient dialects of Semitic world like Hebrew and Aramaic.

The meaning of certain words in these languages would be broadly translated. English only began as a rough tongue of barbaric Germanic and Scandinavian tribes in British Island around the 6th C while Arabic had been around the world since BCE with ancient Arabian tribes who were the nomadic people of the Middle East descended from Shem the son of Noah.

Umar bin al-Khattab may Allah be pleased with him had also cried while performing salaat until his beard becomes wet because of his tears. Abu Bakar may Allah be pleased with him can still concentrate in salaat while the house is burned down in a fire. He could feel the burning of hell fire if he runs away without completing his salaat and turning his face away from Him while in obedience.  

Allah 'Azza wa Jalla would at least would prevent us from the torment if we have the efforts because He knows that we have the effort to concentrate although the concentration is not coming. Honorable Imam al-Ghazali had said that keeping the salaat means that performing the salaat in term of the physical acts of salaat and concentration in salaat with care. 

There are 13 physical acts of salaat. We can check it in furu'uddin or the branches of the path. For example our forehead should not being covered with our scull cap since our neck should be lower (for male), or else our salaat wouldn't be complete. Because a physical part of salaat which is prostration is not complete. There are 7 parts of prostration which are the forehead, palms, knees, and six fingers at our feet.     

to be continued...

Simple remembrance after prayer services

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Dear brothers and sisters, especially those english speaking ones. After we finished our salaat or prayer services whether alone or with a congregation in the mosque, home, musalla, and anywhere. It is also a good time for us to make supplications to Him where we may ask anything that we would like Him to grant to us with manner and politeness.

Before we start the supplications dear brothers and sisters in faith, we may want to recite some dzikr or remembrance in order to focus our mind to Him so we won't think about other things except Him since He is the One that we are going to ask for some thing.

They are very simple brothers and sisters. You may just chant few dzikrs if you could not perform the longer version of ma'thurat due to that being occupied with other things. You may chant these for prayer services like dzuhr and 'asr since the times are usually the time where we are occupied with other things. However, firstly clear our mind and begin to focus on Him. Begin our dzikr with:

Seeking forgiveness from the God: I seek forgiveness from the God the Greatest, where there is no One except Him who is the living God and standing without any help from others and I repent to Him! 3x

Proclaiming there is no gods but only the God: There is no gods except for the God, He is alone without any partners, for Him the possession of the vast kingdoms (universe), and for Him praises and He has the power over everything! 3 x 

Seeking protection from the torments: O Lord our God, salvate us from the hell! 3 x

Seeking the peacefulness and tranquility: O Lord our God, You are the Peace, and from You comes the peacefulness, and to You all the peacefulness return, and You had given life to us o our Lord, with Your peacefulness, and place us into the paradise full of peacefulness, blessed be You o our Lord, and exalted be You o Lord, who possesses the Dignity and the Honor! 

Recite al-Fatihah and the verse 255 from al-Baqarah.

Chant the dzikrs:

O God our Lord: Glory be to You! 33 x

And, praises be to You! 33 x

The God is the Greatest! 33 x

The God is the Greatest and He is the Biggest of all, and all of the praises only for Him, and glory be to Him in the morning and in the evening, there is no gods except the God, and there is no power and the strength except with the God who is the Most Highest and the Most Great!

Then we may start our supplications whether in arabic or in our mother tongue that we are comfortable with. We may chant the supplications after the salaat in chinese, urdu, farsi, english, hausa, zulu, swahili, or whatever language that we know or understand. 

So do not worry much. In our country, Malaysia it is a bit different because some people might feel it is a necessity to use arabic in supplications. It is ok to memorize the supplications in arabic but also make sure we understand what we are asking from the Lord : )  

Sealed with prayers for peace and love. May brothers and sisters benefit from the meaning of these chants and try to at least learn the arabic chant for these so you may also enjoy the languages created by the God for everyone to know each other and to be friends in peace.