THE HAJJ SEASON 1428..
….is still so vibrant, filling this Luminous City with love, hope and longing.
Everywhere you look, there is the face of Allah. (2:115)
…treading the dust on the path to Muhammad SallAllahu alaihi wasallam….feet rhythmically patter towards the sprawling Masjid attached to the refined Abode for Asr Salat.
Everywhere you look, there is the face of Allah. (2:115)
During prayer I am accustomed to turn to God like this
and recall the meaning of the words of the Tradition,
“the delight felt in the ritual prayer.”*
The window of my soul opens,
and from the purity of the unseen world,
the book of God comes to me straight.
The book, the rain of divine grace, and the light
are falling into my house through a window
from my real and original source.
The house without a window is hell;
to make a window is the essence of true religion.
Don’t thrust your ax upon every thicket;
come, use your ax to cut open a window.
*The Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu alaihi wasallam said Prayer is one of the three things he loved best in the world.
Essence is emptiness.
Everything else, accidental.
Emptiness brings peace to your loving.
Everything else, disease.
In this world of trickery emptiness
is what your soul wants.
Since You are the one who takes life
It is the sweetest of all things to die.
Life is sweet
But merging with You is far sweeter.
Come into the garden!
Join the Friend of the Truth!
In his garden you’ll drink the Water of Life,
though it seems like fire to die.
In one moment someone dies,
In the next moment someone is born.
There is a lot of coming and going
no one really dies
nor will I ever die.
Forget the body, become pure spirit.
Dance from here to the other world.
Don’t stop. Don’t try to escape,
even if you are afraid to die.
I swear were it not for His pure nature
The wheel of heaven would turn to dust.
Merge with Him now,
And you’ll be sweeter than halva
when it comes time to die.
Why hold on to this life?–
True living comes by giving up this life.
Why cling to one piece of gold?–
it is a mine of gold to die.
Escape from this cage
and breathe the scented air of His garden.
Break this hard shell–
It’s like a shining pearl to die.
When God calls and pulls you close,
Going is like paradise–
It’s like a heavenly river to die.
Death is only a mirror
And your true nature is reflected there.
See what the mirror is saying–
it’s quite a sight to die!
If you are kind and faithful
Your death will also be that way.
If you are cruel and faithless,
that is the way you will die.
If you are like Joseph,
full of goodness,
That’s how your mirror will be.
If not, you will see
only fear and torment
when it comes time to die.
These words are sweet,
but they always fade.
Sh . . . The eternal Khezr
and the Water of Life
have no idea what it means to die.
What is the soul? A joy
when kindness comes, a weeping
at injury, a growing consciousness.
The more awareness one has
the closer to God he or she is.
Dearly I hold
This longing in my heart,
For I know it is only found
in sacred places.
This longing,
too large for heaven and earth,
fits easily in my heart,
smaller than the eye of a needle.
To You belong mercy and intercession for the sin of
disbelief;
For me, You’re still Lord of the hard-hearted.
If an unlimited bounty should offer kingdoms,
If a buried treasure should grant me gems,
I would bow my soul low, lay my face in the dust
And plead, ‘Grant me instead the Love of God!’
To fly towards Heaven, this is Love,
Every instant, to hear a hundred veils.
The first moment is to renounce life;
To travel without feet the final step.
Look upon the world as invisible,
Doubt what is visible to oneself.
Here and there a world: I sit on the threshold.
Those who sit there remain mute with silence;
It’s enough to imitate this; hold your tongue, say no
more.
Toward the gardens,
Toward the orchards,
I am going.
If you want to stay here,
Stay here–
I am going!
My day is dark without His Face,
Toward that bright flame
I am going.
My soul is racing ahead of me.
It says, The body is too slow for me–
I am going.
The smell of apples arises
from the orchard of my soul.
One whiff and I am gone–
Toward a feast of apples
I am going.
A sudden wind won’t blow me over.
Toward Him, like a mountain of iron,
I am going.
My shirt is ripped open
with the pain of loss.
Searching for a new life,
with my head held high,
I am going.
I am fire, though I seem like oil–
Seeking to be fuel of His fire,
I am going.
I appear as a steady mountain
Yet bit by bit,
Toward that tiny opening
I am going.
I WILL NEVER LEAVE THIS HOUSE OF LIGHT, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THIS BLESSED TOWN. FOR HERE - I HAVE FOUND MY LOVE - AND HERE I WILL STAY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. IF THIS WORLD TURNED INTO A SEA OF TROUBLE - I WILL BRAVE THE WAVES AND STEER THE SHIP OF MY MIND ONTO THE SAFE SHORE OF LOVE.
IF YOU ARE A SEEKER LOOKING FOR PROFIT - KEEP GOING, AND MAY GOD BE WITH YOU. BUT - I AM NOT WILLING TO EXCHANGE MY TRUTH. I HAVE FOUND THE HEART AND WILL NEVER LEAVE THIS HOUSE OF LIGHT.
This is love–to fly upward
toward the endless heavens.
To rend a hundred veils at every moment.
At the first breath, to give up life;
At the final step, to go without feet.
To see the world as a dream
and not as it appears.
I said, O heart
What a blessing it is
To join the circle of lovers,
To see beyond sight,
To know the secrets within every breast.
I said, O soul
From where comes your life
And the power of your spirit?
Tell me, speak in the language of birds,
And I will understand.
My soul said to me:
They brought me to God’s workshop
Where all things take form–and I flew.
Before this form of mine
Was even shaped–I flew and I flew.
And when I could fly no longer
They dragged me into this form,
and locked me into this house
of water and clay.
O lovers, lovers, it’s time to abandon the world;
From Heaven, the drum of departure pounds on my
spirit’s ear.
Behold, the driver has risen, made ready each line of camels,
Begging us not to blame him; why, O pilgrims, are you
still asleep?
At front and behind there’s din of departure and the
sound of camel-bells;
At every moment a soul and spirit is setting off into the
Void.
From the sky’s blue awning and candle-lit stars
Have emerged people of wonder, mysteries revealed.
A deep sleep fell upon you from the orbiting planets:
Beware of the easy life, the unawakened doze!
O soul, find the Beloved, O friend, find the Friend,
O watchman, remain awake: it does no good for you to
fall asleep.
On every side hubbub and chaos, in every street candles
and torches,
Tonight the world teems, giving birth to a new and
everlasting order.
Once dust you’re now spirit, once ignorant now wise;
He who has led you so far will guide you further.
How pleasant are the pains he makes you suffer, while
drawing you gently to himself!
His flames are like water: their wetness won’t burn.
Inhabiting the soul is his task, breaking vows of penitence
also;
His artifice causes every atom to tremble at its core.
*
Everywhere you look, there is the face of Allah. (2:115)
All verse from Rumi.
All photos from yesterday between Asr and Maghrib.
And all good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.
I like the one of the pigeons in Al Baqi. When I visited, there was a group of young men who would startle the pigeons and cause minor dust storms. That’s one place where that kind of thing is ok. I had a chance to take of my sandals and recite Quran while placing my feet in that blessed dirt. There really is a special healing energy there.
Comment by Baba — January 7, 2008 @ 10:46 pm
Beautiful, inspired and soul stirring words of blessed Rumi together with your lovely pictures give vibrant meaning to the poetry. Dearest Sister, it is a blessing to visit your blog and one always comes away uplifted and renewed in spirit and love of Hu!
Ya Haqq!
Comment by Irving — January 8, 2008 @ 12:34 am
Ya Allah !!!!!
Such beautiful words !
Jazakallah for putting together with the photos.The ones of the Janazah and Baqi with the birds amazing.
Wassalam
Comment by umm yusuf — January 8, 2008 @ 6:19 am
Assalmu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh Dear Sister
Beautiful Post.
Please convey my Salams to our Beloved Prophet (SalAllahu alayhi wa salam wa ala aalihi) and ask his permission for me to live and die in Medina. Ask him to guide me to do what is right, make things easy and do what is best for our deen, dunya and aakhira.
BarakAllahu feeki
Afwan Minkum
always in need of your dua
wasalam
Comment by faqir — January 8, 2008 @ 6:43 am
Assalamu alaikum
Dear Baba, sisters can barely imagine how it is for brothers to walk inside Jannatul Baqi, SubhanAllah. The deep emotional feeling merely standing looking in is overpowering enough, let alone being inside. Thousands of our most loved Ahlul Bayt and the Sahabah RadhiAllahu resting peacefully brings solace to the most troubled souls.
Rumi’s words etch so deeply Ya Irving Darvish…may our gaze forever be ‘uplifted and renewed in spirit and love of Hu!’ in every atom of His creation, Ameen.
Dear Umm Yusuf, I feel the stark simplicity enshrining the way the Janazah and Jannatul Baqi is here grasps the heart with such a profound message as to our sense of purpose here.
Dear Faqir, I have noted the specifics of your message, Insha’Allah I will deliver it on your behalf.
Wassalamu alaikum
almiskeenah
Comment by almiskeenah — January 8, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
Should i leave any comment???Nay….i shall silently read the post and comments again and again…and again……..
wassalam
Comment by saimah — January 9, 2008 @ 9:33 am
Assalamu alaikum Dear Sister Saimah, I find I can read Rumi over and over…with each reading sinking to different spaces. He was certainly blessed with an eloquent pen, stirring such emotions.
Wassalamu alaikum
Comment by almiskeenah — January 9, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
Assalamualaikum Dearest Sister,
May we all be honoured with such a honourable final resting place as Jannatul Baqi also! On my last trip there, we came across 2 freshly dug graves and how my heart yearned for one of them to be mine!!
May Allah Ta’ala elevate the Status of Maulana Rumi… as one of my teachers would say, a sign of Allah’s acceptance of something a person does (e.g. write a book) is that it stays on long after the person himself has returned to Allah AzawaJal.
Once again Jazakiallah Khair dear sister.
Comment by ikramuddin — January 9, 2008 @ 6:55 pm
As-salaamu alaikum,
Just cried going through the photos, poetry and everything. You didn’t hold back Khala Noor. Amin Yaa Rabb. I attended a funeral yesterday. We were in the ladies section at the masjid and when I heard the azaan it was so beautiful. Can’t describe how it felt to listen to it and be sitting there praying, reflecting and later watching the deceased being carried away. You do yearn - Yaa Rabb. As-salaatu wa as-salaamu alaika Yaa Rasul Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. Madad Yaa Rasul Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam! Bless you khala Noor for these glimpses.
Comment by Farah — January 9, 2008 @ 9:38 pm
Salams,
Awesome photographs there Aunty Noor!
Thanks for sharing.
x x x
Comment by Sidra — January 9, 2008 @ 10:26 pm
‘Everywhere you look, there is the face of God’
Subhan’Allah!
Rumi comments on this ayah with the beautiful line
‘Everyone who has his chest truly open will see a hundred suns in the sky of the heart’
May Allah open our hearts and allow us all to see the world through the prism of his love.
Ameen
Jazakumallah Khair for this beautiful post!
Waiting in eagerness for your next dose…
duas requested
Comment by Halima — January 10, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
Assalamu alaikum Dear Brother Ikramuddin, Insha’Allah a place is reserved for you in the blessed dust of Jannatul Baqi, and JazakumuLlahu khairan for sharing the wisdom from your teacher, may Allah Ta’ala raise all scholars in all aspects of goodness in both Worlds, Ameen.
Dear Ukht Farah, Alhumdulillah that you are able to hear the Adhan calling to prayer and success. I recall how bereft I felt when in countries that did not permit its recitation, and would love to hear young boys call it in their homes for the family. Allah Ta’ala seems to be calling so many back to Him of late. There is hardly a prayer in Masjid Nabawi without a Janazah following, men women and children of all ages.
:) Dear Hajjah Sidra Bheti! Some title!!!
That is so beautiful Dear Halima, so beautiful, JazakiLlahu khairan for sharing this with us all. Posts have been few and far between since Hajj began, Insha’Allah soon time will be there for being more present for this little space. Please forgive me.
Wassalamu alaikum
almiskeenah
Comment by almiskeenah — January 10, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
am speechless, may Allah allow us and those who seek it to live and die in madinah being buried in baqi. ameen. barakAllah feeki sister
Comment by suhaa — January 10, 2008 @ 8:56 pm
Assalamu Alaykum,
Excellent blog…..do you live in Saudi?
keep up the good work
Comment by safiyya dhorat — January 11, 2008 @ 1:03 pm
Assalamu alaikum Dear Sister Suhaa, Ameen thumma Ameen to your Du’a. I become numb when so close to Janazah, and such feeling over comes one when people all around raise their hands supplicating for the unknown Mu’min journeying to the next abode, it truly is an intense spiritual moment.
Ahlan WaSahlan Dear Sister Saffiy, thie previous post will explain my living in Al-Madimah Al-Munawwarah: http://almiskeenah.blogsome.com/category/a-ramble-02/
Wassalamu alaikum
almiskeenah
Comment by almiskeenah — January 11, 2008 @ 8:22 pm
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR HUJJAJ-E-IKRAM
FOR USE OF MOBILE PHONE (CELLULAR) IN AL-HARAM AL-SHARIF’S
In the Name of Allah Most Beneficent and Most Merciful
LABBAIK ALLAH UMMA LABBAIK
LABBAIK LAA SHAREEKA LAKA LABBAIK INNAL HAMDA WAN-NI’MATA LAKA WAL MULK LAA SHAREEKA LAK
Respectable Hajj Pilgrims
As’Salâm Alaikum Wa’Rahmatullâhi Wa’Barakâtuh
By the grace of Almighty Allah you shall soon be traveling for performing Hajj. Surely you shall take care of the sacredness of Harmain Shareefain (Makkah Al Mukarama and Madina Al Munawara). In this regard we request you to remove Musical Ring Tones from your mobile (Cellular) phones before departure and during Hajj try to keep your mobile phones on Vibrators/Silent. By this you shall be avoiding any disturbance to your worship as well as to the worships of other pilgrims and furthermore the sacredness of Harmain Shareefain shall not be harmed. We hope that you shall put heed to this request and shall convey this message to other pilgrims as well. May Allah Subhanawatallah accept your Hajj. Ameen
Was’Salâm Alaikum
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Comment by Mohammad Wasim — October 20, 2008 @ 1:34 pm