Imam Zaid Shakir Giving Shahadah

To two Children, may Allah subhanu wa ta'ala protect them.

Imam Zaid Shakir

The Decisions We Make
Audio

How to wear different types of Hijab

I am not getting paid!

Sheikh Saad Al-Attas

Hadith Gibril (upon him peace) part two of two

The soul of the human being is greater that the universe

Whatever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said was true

Prayer means that you are connected to the divine

Taste the secrets of salat

There are three people on a journey, Muslim says its enough that I know that theres water over there. Muhsin and Mummin say lets climb the mountain then Mummin said it is enough that I can see the water. The Muhsin is the one who goes to water and brings it to others.

The Mushin goes further than the rest

The barrier in understanding the lesson maybe your Taqwa (piety)

Prayer is based on faith

The greatest patience is in worship

We believe in what Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala described in the Quran, but we do not add to them

We affirm Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala with all the attributes of greatness (as he describes himself) and nothing weak

Look at yourself, your knowledge is limited.

Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala knowledge is unlimited

In the hadith of female servant, when she pointed upwards, not that Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala is in the heavens but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wanted to see if she was going to point to the idols

Belief in the angels – as they delivered the texts

Every angel has a job

Michel oversees the provision

We should believe in the angels of the grave

There are twenty five messengers mentioned in the Quran

It is possible for Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala to sent Messengers and Prophets to us

The last day – we believe in this as we know that there will be a reckoning

Life begins when we receive our results

We don’t know what people ends will be

Don’t raise yourself above others

We cant wear that cloak, the cloak of pride

Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala will speak on the day of judgement, the people close will hear it as the people far and creation will be silent

“I am The King, where are the kings?”

Then the judgement day will begin

For ill treatment against people, good deeds will be taken from them and if they have none bad deeds will be taken from oppressed people

Some people will be asked to be sent to hell because of the intenseness of the day judgement

Sort yourself out before Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala sorts you out

Divine decree is to believe that the good is coming from Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala and the evil is from yourself

Imam Juwanyni (may Allah show him mercy) said All actions will be sentenced then accepted or rejected

You need to have sincerity

Every family wants happiness

The women in Prophets life (peace and blessings be upon him) are his mother Amina, Umm Ayman, Halima, Fatima (Abu Talibs wife) and Khadija (may Allah be pleased with them). Where are the men?

The first thing is to realise Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala sees you – this is your sincerity

These are people who do actions where nobody can see them, like reading the Quran in the middle of the night

Anis is have tranquillity in nothing else but Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala

There is only one door that allows you to come towards Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala, that is to follow the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

Man follows the asbab (reasons) in things

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew the unseen, “(He is) the Knower of the Unseen, and He revealeth unto none His secret, Save unto every messenger whom He hath chosen.” Sura Jinn 72.26-27

One of the signs of the last day is a servant gives birth to his master

Some said that’s a sign that Islam will spread and people will be taken as slaves

Free men were taught by slaves

At the end of the day, we all slaves

Traditionally no houses where built higher than Mecca

When Martin lings went there, there was this law

We see truth in his message (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

“That was Gibril who came to teach you, your religion.”

Islam, Imam and Ishan

We ask Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala to make us firm in these

These are the raw substances

All actions of the heart are Iman

All actions of the limbs are Islam

Both are interchangeable and the end product (of both) is Ishan

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

The Perfect Path Parts one to seven

The Relics of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

Sheikh Saad Al-Attas

Hadith Gibril (upon him peace) or the narration Gabriel part one of two

Umar narrated that :
One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah there appeared before us a
man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black.
No signs of journeying on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet. Resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs. He said, "O Muhammad, inform me about Islam". The Messenger of Allah said, "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish prayers, to pay the zakat, to fast in Ramadan and to make pilgrimage to the House, if you are able to do so." He said, "You have spoken truthfully." We were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken truthfully. He said, "Inform me about faith.” He said, "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His Messengers, the Last Day and to believe in divine decree the good and the evil of it.” He said, "You have spoken truthfully." He said, "Then tell me about ahsan." He said, "To worship Allah as if you see him, yet know you cannot see him but he can see you.” He said, "Inform me about the Hour." He said, "The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner." He said, "Then tell me about its signs." He said, "That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress a d that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsman competing in constructing lofty buildings." Then he went and I stayed for a while. Then he said, "O’ Umar, do you know who the questioner was?" I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said, "He was Gibril who came to you to teach you your religion."(Muslim)



Whoever gives thanks ties his bounties, that he has been given and if he doesn’t he risks losing everything

Whats the greatest blessing? This is Deen is the greatest blessing

Muslims don’t look at achievements like certificates

The sheep was given out by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), everything except the hoof. Everything that was given was kept and what was kept wasn’t kept

Hadith Gibril is considered to be like the Fatiha

The Fatiha teaches us to be a slave

We profess that he is the only deity

After he shows his servitude then he asks for guidance

The Quran teaches us to be servants

All of our acts can be acts of worship, eating, drinking etc

If you looking for the entirety of the Sunna, all the points are here

Three levels Islam – Iman – Ahsan

It is a mass transmitted hadith Umar, Anis ibn Malik etc narrated by eight companions

Its near the beginning of Sahih Bukhari

What happened before the hadith

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood in front of the companions and encouraged them to ask questions, “Ask me.” The companions where apprehensive to ask

They were sitting and a man came out from nowhere and no one knew who he was, he came in like a bedion and said, “Ya Muhammad.”

They couldn’t tell which tribe he was from

How could a bedion know when the stranger said you are truthful, he affirms the answer

The deeper level is Ishan

If a servant keeps in his heart, that Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala is looking at him all the time – he will see an opening

The bedions will compete in building buildings

In another Sahih Hadith, the stranger went and then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent one of the companions after him, but they couldn’t find it

Umar was not there, he had left

Three nights had passed and then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), “That was Gibril who came to teach you, your religion.”

During the caliphate of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was when the some people believed that Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala didn’t have pre-existent knowledge. To know the action before it is performed.

Abu Ashari Al-Ansari (may Allah show him mercy) defined the Islamic Aqida (belief)

Mabud Al-Jarr was at the forefront (of the previous group) he went to Hajj and saw Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to say, “We used to know nothing until the Prophet came, we practiced and did things like he did things.” (peace and blessings be upon him)

They addressed his as “O’ father of Abdulrahim.”

When Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) heard what they had to say, he said, “I am free from him and Islam is free from him.”

Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used the hadith Jibril as proof

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered people to stand up for Mu’ad ibn Jabal (may Allah show him mercy) because he was the leader of a tribe, he said, “Stand up for your leader.”

You can loose the Deen if you don’t belief all of this

From this we can see the manners of seeking knowledge

Gibril had a sweet smell

One of the greatest barriers for the student is his manners

Don’t be disrespectful – even if you know he made a mistake – leave it

If you correct him, he not tolerate it

The teacher doesn’t give to you but its Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala who gives

Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala gives to the students

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made a supplication for Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) and he didn’t forget anything after that

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made a dua for rain through Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him, the uncle of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

One of the companions was unable to talk to people about Islam, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught him to be eloquent in a month

When the companions would sit with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) they would sit quietly

The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) made a Dukan, a small mound of earth, to sit on. So people could see who he (peace and blessing be upon him) was.

Gibril put his knees below the knees of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

The student shows respect to the teacher

This is how you get maximum benefit from the teacher

Islam

What is Islam? Literally, it means to surrender, to submit, to give in

The pillars are there (prayers, fast etc)

Maintaining the Shahada is the greatest blessings, we don’t judge from the inside

A person could be a Muslim

There are tree types of Muslims
1. True Muslim – a believer in Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala and his Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) – we treat him like a Muslim in the world
2. Shahada on the tongue but no faith in the heart
3. A person is a Muslim with Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala

Every person who says there is no god but God has attained the greatest portion of what he has attained for himself

The Haidth of the Bitaka (card – the hadith about the man who came with a list of sins that went as far as the eye could see. He was a believer and the card on which this was written was put on the scale and this outweighed all the sins)

The card was the same size as the tip of the finger

A person should safeguard his shahada

The reason for the bad Muslims, is that Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala can manifest his name Al-A’fao

If a person does bad things we shouldn’t call them bad names

This doesn’t not give us the right to call them anything

Ibn Rajab (may Allah show him mercy) said, “What can be achieved through kindness cannot be achieved through harshness.”

Salat (prayer) is the hub of all our actions, if it is weak, all of our actions are weak

Do you follow the conditions of prayer? (Hanafi Madhab: 1. cleanliness from impurity (ghusul/ wudu), filth (clothes), Awara covered, Facing Qibla, time and intention. Others say opening Takbir is a condition.)

The salat removes the sins in between, the last one

Stand up to what will clean you

The salat cleans oneself from evil and bad actions

The Jewel of the prayer is the Fatiha

Many of us pronounce it incorrectly

Being present in the prayer – this is a moment of purity

We add the magic potion which is sincerity

Salat separates routine

Where is the intention? is has to be solely for Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala

Are we shooting blanks – we need to reload

Al-Jazari's Elephant Clock

Muslim heritage

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

How the Quran was compiled


Anything worth doing should begin with Bismillah

Semitic languages have words with have a three letter root

Three is the beginning of multiplicity

The word Quran comes from a root word to mean city, Qaaf, Raa, Ya
And also the word Qa, Ra, Ah which means to recite

Every civilisation is rooted in a book

The Greeks would base theirs on Homer

For the Arabs, there was no book until the Quran

Children are in the oral world for the first five years of their lives. They hear stories and their imagination come to live

Now we have the children being brought up by the television and this link is severed

Arabs are an oral people

The real meaning of the word Quran is the recital

It is know as a book and the word Ka, Ta Ba means to join together

Arabs used to send their children to bedions out side the city areas because they where very eloquent

The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) was born in this culture, in a tribe called Hashim. Before his fourteenth birthday he would enjoy isolation in the cave of hira

Orientalists changed their stance on Islam when oil was found in the Arab region

An angel come to him (peace and blessings be upon him) during his time in the cave and the first word the angel said was, “Read” He said, I am not a reader

After this event the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him ) went to his wife, she comforted him and then went to her uncle Warwa ibn Nawful who said this is the Namus which means angel and its Greek root means law

This is the beginning of the revelation

The first thirteen years is known as the Meccan period, the dominate themes of the Quran

The Quran is a non-linear book, you have to surrender your desire for linarity

19 Juz revealed in Medina and 11 in Mecca

The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) saw himself as the first sign of the end of time

There are still people who are people able to memorise the Quran

The Quran is being memorised and written in the Meccan stages

The Meccan suras start with o’ humanity and the medina o’ you who have accepted (believers) these were the people who responded

The focus is one character, building a society

The entire Quran was written down in during his lifetime (peace and blessings be upon him)

In 633, after the battle of Yammam, many Quran reciters had been killed and Umar asked Abu Bakr to collect the Quran

During the caliphate of Uthman, he noticed that some of the Muslims had begun to differ on the recitation of the Quran as it was initially written without dots or vowels

He makes a master copy from the gathered text and copies where sent to every major city in the Muslim world

It was protected by oral recitation

Qurtabi narrates a story about a man who copies the old testament in beautiful calligraphy with mistakes and sends it to a Jewish Rabbi. Who after reading it, sends it back and says it’s a wonderful copy and he does the same with new testament and the Christian doesn’t notice the mistakes and says it’s a wonderful copy. When he does this to the Quran. The Muslim scholar says to burn it as its got mistakes.

It’s a historically correct document

The word “we” in the Quran is used for greatness. This is appropriate for Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala but not for people. This is a plural of magnification and doesn’t not indicate to plural gods as some people refer to

There are seven dialectal ways recitation (another three are unconfirmed) of the Quran, it doesn’t not change the meaning

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

Thinking anew

Professor George Saliba

Islamic Science and the Making of Renaissance Europe

Please see this lecture on Yanabi.com. You will have to become a member.
http://www.yanabi.com/mediadb/player.cfm?file_id=5563

This is a similar lecture but you don't need to be a member to listen to it.
http://muslimheritage.com/features/default.cfm?ArticleID=693

Sheikh Abdul-Hakim Murad

The European Perspective on Muslim Influences

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

Challenges of Co-Existence parts one to seven

Thomas Carlyle in 'Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroic in History,' 1840
Said, "The lies (Western slander) which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammad) are disgraceful to ourselves only."

Sheikh Atabek Shukurov Nasafi

This is a list that Sheikh Atabek gave us at his recent Hajj course; it is a list of fifteen places where the supplication is not refused, inshallah.

The list is;

1. Close the Kaaba - Mataf

2. Multazam - the gap between the door and floor of the Kaaba

3. Mazab - golden water pipe - under this pipe
4. Inside the Kaaba

5. When drinking Zam-zam

6. Maqam (station) Ibrahim (upon him peace)

7. On the mount of Safa

8 During walking between these mounts

9. On the mount of Marwa

10. Arafat

11. Muzdalfah - after fajr 9th dhulhijja

12. Mina - the three days of stoning

13. the first and second stoning of the idols

14. Looking the Kaaba - each time you see it, morning

15. Inside the half circular of Ismail (upon him peace) - hajar Ismail.


Please if anyone knows a detailed map, please post as a comment and I will add it, inshallah.

Maps;
http://www.hajinformation.com/jpghi/1307.htm


Map of Mecca
http://www.ece.ubc.ca/~tkhattab/Images/mapmakka.jpg

Sheikh Hamza yusuf

Why was born as a...?
Short clip

Sheikh Faraz Rabbani

Sabr and Shukr / Patience and gratitude

Notes from a talk by our beloved Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

Jakallah khair to the donator of these notes

-Steadfastness and thankfulness are two keys to iman and yakeen (certainty). A persons faith is not perfected without these two qualities.

-Allah says in the Quran: Allah is with the steadfast- this is a tremendous matter. To be someone who is under the Divine favour or concern is an immense thing.

-Hadith - The Prophet (saw) would stay awake praying at night. 'A'ishah said: Allah's Messenger, you do this (in spite of the fact) that your earlier and later sins have been forgiven for you? Thereupon, he said: 'A'ishah, should I not prove myself to be a thankful servant (of Allah)? The basis of the Prophet (saw) turning to Allah tala was being thankful.

-We don’t reflect on the Quran. What is patience or thankfulness? We don’t actually know. How can we be something if we do not know what it is?

-Allah ta’ala says in the Quran- If you are thankful we will give you an increase-. Increase in what? Everything that is good, in all ways. How much? No limit.

-Anytime that Allah ta’ala praises a matter in the Quran we should find out about that matter and try to bring it into our lives. When Allah ta'ala warns against something, find out what that is. This shows sincerity. What is taqwa? What is tawakkul? Get a tafsr and go to the relevant verse and look what the 'ulema have said about it.

-Matters are by their definitions. We must find out the definition of things so that we can act upon them.

-Sabr - Hadith - And patience is illumination.

-Sabr means holding oneself firm on that which is pleasing to Allah. We say 'OK' but we don't actually know how to exercise it.

-The reason we don't have patience is because we are not going anywhere. If we have a sense of purpose - we know we will get there. But we have no sense of purpose in our lives - we don't know where we're going. We don't have sabr because we don't have an active nearness to Allah.

-Allah says in the Qur'an, to the effect, 'Verily in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example for whoever seeks Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.'

- We keep failing at sabr because we don't know why we're doing things.

- e.g. Shaykh Faraz asked a man in the audience to get up, he said start walking. He walked but then he stopped. Then Shaykh asked another man get up and walk to the door. The man began walking towards the door and didn’t stop until Shaykh Faraz told him to. Shaykh Faraz said what was the difference between them two men? The first he had no destination, sense of direction, purpose. The second did. Another e.g. we want to get to a talk or a class, its cold or raining but we are desperate so we take any means necessary to make sure we get there.

- Patience is holding oneself firm on that which pleases Allah ta'ala. We get glimmers, maybe I should do this or that. Patience is an expression of faith. Expression of longing for your Lord. You’ll do anything to seek that pleasure.

- You have to have a goal in life. Decide where you want to go in life then do it. This only happens though by reflecting on the fleetingness of this life.

-The Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said the intelligent person is he who controls themselves - (controls their affairs and takes what benefits their akhirah. )The fool is the one who does what he wants then places high hopes in Allah.

-You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful example (of conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the final Day and remembers Allah much." (33:21)

-Different levels of patience
1). Patience with the command of Allah.
2) (even higher than the first) Patience in avoiding prohibitions. - People stick to the same bad habits because they have no sense of why they need to avoid it.
3).Patience with people. This is the most difficult. People do all kinds of things. They test your patience, your ego and bad habits - then your character comes out. You are tested in dealings with people. The Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said the weightiest matter on our scales on the Day of Judgment is good character.
-Hilm - Forbearance is the best of good character - definition of forbearance - restraining ones negative emotions. Scholars have said anger and other negative emotions should not move you but you act on revelation and reason.

-How do you have forbearance? You will only have it if there is something in it for Allah ta'ala. When you have a motive in it for Allah. When people act in a negative way to you how do you react? Goodness is only possible if your goal is Allah.

-Vengeance is one of the most fleeting emotions.

-the unasked (implicit) question in life is, 'Why?' 'Why should we seek the pleasure of Allah?' 'Why should I do this?'

-This is where Shukr comes in.

-The reality of everything - Lord and Servant

-There are two blessings that nothing is bereft of and no one can repay. They are the blessings of 1) creation and 2) sustaining.

-Allah subhanu wa ta'ala created you - after this debt you have no claim to Allah. Permanently indebted. Life is a gift. If someone gave you a gift you say thank you. Then they keep helping you out and being good to you for nothing and then your thankfulness turns into something else. You want to repay them, SHOW them how thankful you are.

-Allah subhanu wa ta'ala says in Surah tul Asr - By (the Token of) Time (through the ages), "Verily Man is in loss" Sura Asr - we lose because we fail to thank Allah as He deserves and we don’t realise because we don’t reflect.

-A believer who has faith can never be depressed. If you feel depressed say alhamdulilah. Reflect on your blessings, keep repeating it, you will become so happy!

-What have we done to deserve our blessings? Nothing. What is the difference between you and the person next door who is not a believer?

-Gifts require that we give thanks.

-Thankfulness - is to appreciate. Appreciate Allahs blessings. Imam junaid said Thankfulness is that you not disobey Allah with what He gave you- it is the LEAST you can do. Not just by your tongue though but by action. Using those blessings in the way that are most pleasing to Him e.g. time or when we smile, the ability to smile, do it for the sake of Allah subhanu wa ta'ala. Ask yourself of each blessing - how can I use this to please Allah?

-How do you know in which way is pleasing to Allah subhanu wa ta'ala? - sometimes you don’t, so you realise you need guidance. What is way for guidance? To follow the example of the Messenger of Allah subhanu wa ta'ala. - If you follow him you will be guided . To the extent you you follow him and obey him that’s the extent you will be guided.

-Making the sunnah ones standard in life.

-Sunnah of following sunnah = don’t be excessive so you don't get overwhelmed. Hadith - Islam is ease, do your best and be steadfast in that and be of glad tidings.

-Islam is ease because it leads to ease. Do not take on more than you can manage.

-Hadith- Take from good works that which you can sustain. Allah does not tire of rewarding you until you tire of working.

-How to be steadfast? - Have a goal and work towards it.

-Verily you have in the Messenger a beautiful example for those who seek Allah and the last day and make much remembrance of Allah subhanu wa ta'ala.

-Goal is to seek Allah and the last day - key is to take the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as an example.

-2 principals in life -1).' Don’t ask me I just work here’ - don’t say why is this happening, why that why why why? Just get on with it. 2). Service with a smile.

(Random) -

-Never discipline a child when you angry or upset. Sort yourself out first and then discipline otherwise you will end up doing more harm against yourself.

-The most effective dua is the one that is followed by you taking the means towards the goal and then to have certainty that Allah subhanu wa ta'ala will answer your dua. Don't just make dua and sit around waiting- do something.

-Most important of sunnahs - consultation- every major step in life the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) (consulted- even though he had no need to. Haste is from the devil.

From the question and answer session someone asked how to deal with he death of family member or with long term illness. Shaykh Faraz said one can either be depressed and down about it or just be content with the decree of Allah subhanu wa ta'ala and get on with life.

-The last part of the ayah quoted at the beginning states '...and those who make much remembrance of Allah.' Keep your tongue moist with His Remembrance, and you will be more aware of His presence and less likely to indulge in bad actions.

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

Love of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) parts one and two

The life of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) (upon him peace)

Arabic with English subtitles

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

Dajjal parts one to twelve

Sheikh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi

The walk of Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)