Flee to Allah!
Assalam Alaykum folks!
InshaAllah you are all doing well and are in a high state of taqwa!
Sooooo I know many of you have been waiting for me to post up some lecture notes, but I realized a couple of things:
1) I have 2 journals/notebooks of notes and it may take forever and a day to type up and I’ve been heavily decreasing the amount of time I spend on the computer
2) My notes do not do the classes ANY justice whatsoever, and my notes may not be 100% accurate to what the shuyukh had said. So out of respect for them and the fact that I don’t want to be held accountable for having given bad/wrong information, I rather be on the safe side.
3) Let’s have a halaqa so we can go over them! Khadeeja and I started our own halaqa, and if you’d like to join email me! We are very flexible with times and days. Since she and I live so close to each other, it’s easy for us to meet quite frequently (before she gets married at least! =))
Instead, I’d like to provide just a couple of highlights from classes! Honestly, much of the classes have been things we’ve all heard, but honestly this rihla has been not only a life-changing experience, it’s really changed my heart. Knowledge here may resonate within us in our rationale minds and brains, but for it to be resounding in the heart is what makes the HUGEST difference alhamdulillah. Insha’Allah may Allah allow me to increase in this feeling in my heart that is SO indescribable. As Imam al-Ghazali has said, how can you describe the sweetness of honey? It’s only through experience that you can truly know something’s essence!
Ok so enough blabbing, here’s some highlights from Imam Zaid’s first class which was an introduction to the rihla!
Rihla means journey—and we are journeying to Allah—this is a lifelong hijra!
The prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salaam has said “Exist in this world as a stranger or wayfarer.” (Sahih Bukhari)
So, what does this really mean? We know that this world is a prison for the believer while the disbeliever thinks this is as good as it gets or it can’t get any worse.
What are the qualities of a stranger/wayfarer?
1) No attachment of the heart to the place visiting
2) The wayfarer only takes what is essential for the journey
3) When we relocate, we ship the heavy stuff first
4) You don’t involve yourself in local disputes/controversy
5) You are not concerned with the personal business of the residents
6) Don’t establish extensive contacts; only with those who are necessary for the journey
7) Stay away from getting arrested; obey the local laws
Imam Zaid stated (and I believe he was continuing the hadith but I’m not 100% sure), truly this is the parable of the believer.
Why should we get attached to this world when we know we will soon have to depart from it? The more we are attached to a thing, the harder it is to leave it. So, don’t have love for this dunya, only love Allah and He will be what you strive for, and you will look forward and yearn to the meeting with Him insha’Allah ta’ala!
The best thing to take on this lifelong journey is taqwa!!! (God consciousness)
What are the heavy things we ship away first? Our deeds! We’ve done our actions and have spoken, but the rewards and punishments for these remain. Insha’Allah may we speak less and be watchful of what we say (after all if we had taqwa this would be achieveable!), this way the heavy things shipped first are our GOOD deeds!!
Let’s keep our hearts unattached from another person’s personal business; avoid anything that doesn’t benefit us from getting into paradise!
Who are our good contacts necessary for this journey? Righteous scholars and friends who will only benefit us (benefit meaning bringing us closer to Allah). After all, “Be mindful of Allah and be amongst those who are righteous.”
Obey Allah’s laws because this land is His! Fulfill rights of the people in it and our own bodies! Be careful of oppressing your own self.
There are 2 additional qualities of a stranger:
1) humility: we don’t desire exaltation or authority. If we are given it, know that it is a means to be tested and if this is what we get, have taqwa and do the best you can.
a. People in this society vie for this world; but believers know not to try to own power because Allah is in power of everything.
b. To humble oneself is a way to be on a path to paradise, so welcome Allah’s guidance!!!
2) Taqwa: this is more than God consciousness. (SubhanAllah this is only the FIRST step which is so hard to achieve at that!) It is also about the readiness to implement this!!! Be grateful for the blessings bestowed upon you and look forward to the bounties reserved for the next life! There is a story related of how Aisha (ra) would never even want to be thanked in this life because she wanted the reward for her good deeds to be saved for the next life! SubhanAllah!
The hijra the prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salam was rooted in love! He cried from leaving Makka, the blessed city of his birth, but he knew that Allah desired him to live in Madinah. People who are successful in religion are those who love Allah!
*Move from that which is hated to that which is loved (by Allah) or from that which is loved to that which is loved MORE!* SubhanAllah our journey even leaving things is within our journey to Allah! How many times have we heard the hadith that we may like a thing bad for us, and dislike a thing good for us, but we should know that if our hearts are truly in love for Allah, our hearts and our selves will find satisfaction! Know that everything we leave is created from Allah and everything we move to is from Allah!
SubhanAllah this made me remember supplications of Ibn Ata’ullah! He would say (badly paraphrasing) “My Lord! I call you in a state of need because I am always in need of You. I call upon you from the words You have bestowed upon me. I ask You of Your bounty from YOUR bounty!....” subhanAllah we should know that EVERYTHING, even the blessing that we THINK this way is ONLY from Allah!
Don’t fear anyone but Allah! Allah says “Don’t fear them (meaning people or things), fear Me!” Fear facilitates control and Who do we KNOW is in control?
“FLEE to Allah”!!! We shouldn’t take our time subhanAllah! We need to FLEE to him and through this we flee from Allah as well because we’re leaving that which is also from Allah. THIS is the essence of tawheed! Allah’s will has brought us to what we flee to and what we flee from. There is a du`a that I believe the prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salam would say (don’t quote me on that!) that goes something like this “I seek refuge with Your pleasure from Your anger and I seek refuge from You from Yourself and I could never praise You enough from the praise of You.” SUBHANALLAH! This is the true essence of tawfiq—the ability to worship which is what Allah gives to us!
The physical rihla we went on consisted of two things: 1) the journey to the messenger of Allah sallalahu `alayhi wa salaam as well as 2) the journey to the house of Allah subhana wa ta`ala!
Ok so I’m ending the highlights of the notes from the first class here, and this begins my daily rantings…. So I’ve always pondered over the meaning of love for the sake of Allah. I thought I had it figured it out but I realized on this trip that I probably either wasn’t right or there’s SOOO much more to it. I think even now I only (inshaAllah) have like 5% of its true essence, but I know that it’s such a beautiful thing because I’m telling you—what’s resonated in my heart has been SOO SOO powerful and SO beautiful, subhanAllah I can not express it. I can’t help but smile all the time now (I must look like a dork but whatever!) knowing that subhanAllah Allah has granted us with SO SOOO much and we should really NEVER be sad (for very long at least because there’s such BEAUTY even in going through trials, and you can’t help but be happy knowing Allah is helping YOU and is thinking of YOU!). Even when there is a trial that afflicts us, we should know that this was destined by ALLAH! We know that when we make mention of Him in a gathering, He makes mention of us in a gathering greater! When we come to him walking, He comes to us RUNNING! SubhanAllah to EVEN think that ALLAH is THINKING of us and MENTIONING us amongst the angels or amongst the righteous prophets peace be upon them all!
The prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salam has said that “None of you truly believes until I am more beloved than his father, his son, and all of humanity” (Sahih Bukhari). InshaAllah may Allah help us to love Him and love His beloved more than ANYTHING including our own selves! Insha’Allah let us seek refuge in Him from the accursed shaytan and from the weaknesses of our lower nafs!
So as you read this blog throughout the days, I would like for everyone to really journey on this rihla to Allah! The way the physical rihla was set up facilitated this love for the prophet (saw) through the classes at Jeddah that somewhat prepared us (I don’t know if anything could have made us REALLY prepared to meet the best of creation!) to go to Madinah, and being there helped us to go to Mecca where the house of Allah is! So everything was in preparation (on an analogous scale) that we would be meeting the prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salam, and then having our great meeting with Allah (where His house is)! The natural progression of the physical rihla instilled the love along this same progression—knowing that we have to love the prophet (saw) (and I realized through coming to gain knowledge of him (saw) and what he’s done for us, you can’t help but NATURALLY love him and yearn for being with him in jannah!) and that we love Allah more than anyone and anything! (I know we hear this SO much, but seriously… feeling it resonate in your heart truly is SOMETHING else! I know that all of you are such amazing people that you probably have all felt/feel this, but seriously I never had these feelings in me before as much as I thought I did!)
I was thinking about explaining what I’ve felt about the essence of love for Allah, but I’d like to hold off on explaining my thoughts/feelings until I get a little more progressed with my notes in this blog… insha’Allah I will save it until we discuss Shaykh Hamza’s classes on The Alchemy of Happiness by Imam Ghazali!
And Allahu Alim… Allah knows best!
InshaAllah you are all doing well and are in a high state of taqwa!
Sooooo I know many of you have been waiting for me to post up some lecture notes, but I realized a couple of things:
1) I have 2 journals/notebooks of notes and it may take forever and a day to type up and I’ve been heavily decreasing the amount of time I spend on the computer
2) My notes do not do the classes ANY justice whatsoever, and my notes may not be 100% accurate to what the shuyukh had said. So out of respect for them and the fact that I don’t want to be held accountable for having given bad/wrong information, I rather be on the safe side.
3) Let’s have a halaqa so we can go over them! Khadeeja and I started our own halaqa, and if you’d like to join email me! We are very flexible with times and days. Since she and I live so close to each other, it’s easy for us to meet quite frequently (before she gets married at least! =))
Instead, I’d like to provide just a couple of highlights from classes! Honestly, much of the classes have been things we’ve all heard, but honestly this rihla has been not only a life-changing experience, it’s really changed my heart. Knowledge here may resonate within us in our rationale minds and brains, but for it to be resounding in the heart is what makes the HUGEST difference alhamdulillah. Insha’Allah may Allah allow me to increase in this feeling in my heart that is SO indescribable. As Imam al-Ghazali has said, how can you describe the sweetness of honey? It’s only through experience that you can truly know something’s essence!
Ok so enough blabbing, here’s some highlights from Imam Zaid’s first class which was an introduction to the rihla!
Rihla means journey—and we are journeying to Allah—this is a lifelong hijra!
The prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salaam has said “Exist in this world as a stranger or wayfarer.” (Sahih Bukhari)
So, what does this really mean? We know that this world is a prison for the believer while the disbeliever thinks this is as good as it gets or it can’t get any worse.
What are the qualities of a stranger/wayfarer?
1) No attachment of the heart to the place visiting
2) The wayfarer only takes what is essential for the journey
3) When we relocate, we ship the heavy stuff first
4) You don’t involve yourself in local disputes/controversy
5) You are not concerned with the personal business of the residents
6) Don’t establish extensive contacts; only with those who are necessary for the journey
7) Stay away from getting arrested; obey the local laws
Imam Zaid stated (and I believe he was continuing the hadith but I’m not 100% sure), truly this is the parable of the believer.
Why should we get attached to this world when we know we will soon have to depart from it? The more we are attached to a thing, the harder it is to leave it. So, don’t have love for this dunya, only love Allah and He will be what you strive for, and you will look forward and yearn to the meeting with Him insha’Allah ta’ala!
The best thing to take on this lifelong journey is taqwa!!! (God consciousness)
What are the heavy things we ship away first? Our deeds! We’ve done our actions and have spoken, but the rewards and punishments for these remain. Insha’Allah may we speak less and be watchful of what we say (after all if we had taqwa this would be achieveable!), this way the heavy things shipped first are our GOOD deeds!!
Let’s keep our hearts unattached from another person’s personal business; avoid anything that doesn’t benefit us from getting into paradise!
Who are our good contacts necessary for this journey? Righteous scholars and friends who will only benefit us (benefit meaning bringing us closer to Allah). After all, “Be mindful of Allah and be amongst those who are righteous.”
Obey Allah’s laws because this land is His! Fulfill rights of the people in it and our own bodies! Be careful of oppressing your own self.
There are 2 additional qualities of a stranger:
1) humility: we don’t desire exaltation or authority. If we are given it, know that it is a means to be tested and if this is what we get, have taqwa and do the best you can.
a. People in this society vie for this world; but believers know not to try to own power because Allah is in power of everything.
b. To humble oneself is a way to be on a path to paradise, so welcome Allah’s guidance!!!
2) Taqwa: this is more than God consciousness. (SubhanAllah this is only the FIRST step which is so hard to achieve at that!) It is also about the readiness to implement this!!! Be grateful for the blessings bestowed upon you and look forward to the bounties reserved for the next life! There is a story related of how Aisha (ra) would never even want to be thanked in this life because she wanted the reward for her good deeds to be saved for the next life! SubhanAllah!
The hijra the prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salam was rooted in love! He cried from leaving Makka, the blessed city of his birth, but he knew that Allah desired him to live in Madinah. People who are successful in religion are those who love Allah!
*Move from that which is hated to that which is loved (by Allah) or from that which is loved to that which is loved MORE!* SubhanAllah our journey even leaving things is within our journey to Allah! How many times have we heard the hadith that we may like a thing bad for us, and dislike a thing good for us, but we should know that if our hearts are truly in love for Allah, our hearts and our selves will find satisfaction! Know that everything we leave is created from Allah and everything we move to is from Allah!
SubhanAllah this made me remember supplications of Ibn Ata’ullah! He would say (badly paraphrasing) “My Lord! I call you in a state of need because I am always in need of You. I call upon you from the words You have bestowed upon me. I ask You of Your bounty from YOUR bounty!....” subhanAllah we should know that EVERYTHING, even the blessing that we THINK this way is ONLY from Allah!
Don’t fear anyone but Allah! Allah says “Don’t fear them (meaning people or things), fear Me!” Fear facilitates control and Who do we KNOW is in control?
“FLEE to Allah”!!! We shouldn’t take our time subhanAllah! We need to FLEE to him and through this we flee from Allah as well because we’re leaving that which is also from Allah. THIS is the essence of tawheed! Allah’s will has brought us to what we flee to and what we flee from. There is a du`a that I believe the prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salam would say (don’t quote me on that!) that goes something like this “I seek refuge with Your pleasure from Your anger and I seek refuge from You from Yourself and I could never praise You enough from the praise of You.” SUBHANALLAH! This is the true essence of tawfiq—the ability to worship which is what Allah gives to us!
The physical rihla we went on consisted of two things: 1) the journey to the messenger of Allah sallalahu `alayhi wa salaam as well as 2) the journey to the house of Allah subhana wa ta`ala!
Ok so I’m ending the highlights of the notes from the first class here, and this begins my daily rantings…. So I’ve always pondered over the meaning of love for the sake of Allah. I thought I had it figured it out but I realized on this trip that I probably either wasn’t right or there’s SOOO much more to it. I think even now I only (inshaAllah) have like 5% of its true essence, but I know that it’s such a beautiful thing because I’m telling you—what’s resonated in my heart has been SOO SOO powerful and SO beautiful, subhanAllah I can not express it. I can’t help but smile all the time now (I must look like a dork but whatever!) knowing that subhanAllah Allah has granted us with SO SOOO much and we should really NEVER be sad (for very long at least because there’s such BEAUTY even in going through trials, and you can’t help but be happy knowing Allah is helping YOU and is thinking of YOU!). Even when there is a trial that afflicts us, we should know that this was destined by ALLAH! We know that when we make mention of Him in a gathering, He makes mention of us in a gathering greater! When we come to him walking, He comes to us RUNNING! SubhanAllah to EVEN think that ALLAH is THINKING of us and MENTIONING us amongst the angels or amongst the righteous prophets peace be upon them all!
The prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salam has said that “None of you truly believes until I am more beloved than his father, his son, and all of humanity” (Sahih Bukhari). InshaAllah may Allah help us to love Him and love His beloved more than ANYTHING including our own selves! Insha’Allah let us seek refuge in Him from the accursed shaytan and from the weaknesses of our lower nafs!
So as you read this blog throughout the days, I would like for everyone to really journey on this rihla to Allah! The way the physical rihla was set up facilitated this love for the prophet (saw) through the classes at Jeddah that somewhat prepared us (I don’t know if anything could have made us REALLY prepared to meet the best of creation!) to go to Madinah, and being there helped us to go to Mecca where the house of Allah is! So everything was in preparation (on an analogous scale) that we would be meeting the prophet sallalahu `alayhi wa salam, and then having our great meeting with Allah (where His house is)! The natural progression of the physical rihla instilled the love along this same progression—knowing that we have to love the prophet (saw) (and I realized through coming to gain knowledge of him (saw) and what he’s done for us, you can’t help but NATURALLY love him and yearn for being with him in jannah!) and that we love Allah more than anyone and anything! (I know we hear this SO much, but seriously… feeling it resonate in your heart truly is SOMETHING else! I know that all of you are such amazing people that you probably have all felt/feel this, but seriously I never had these feelings in me before as much as I thought I did!)
I was thinking about explaining what I’ve felt about the essence of love for Allah, but I’d like to hold off on explaining my thoughts/feelings until I get a little more progressed with my notes in this blog… insha’Allah I will save it until we discuss Shaykh Hamza’s classes on The Alchemy of Happiness by Imam Ghazali!
And Allahu Alim… Allah knows best!
posted by Ruby at 11:41 PM
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