musaafir-e dasht

So, it did feel like hell broke loose yet again on Karachi when hundreds of shops were burnt as a supposed aftermath to the Ashura blasts. Families ruined. Businesses lost. And death prevailed. No, those who burnt the shops and markets were not those who were in the procession. Rather they had nothing to do with those were busy mourning the deaths of their dear ones. They were quite 'known' people. People who had planned it all before hand. People who made sure that they use chemicals when putting the markets to flame. People who claim to own the city. And let us not go very far - those who remember hearing the video I posted on my blog sometime back, regarding the surreptitious Blackwater activities in the city, would also remember who was aiding them establish a stronghold here... Ironically, not a single person had the courage to take names - names of the people, names of the organistaions involved. Media - what to say of it but et tu,...

Blessed are those who have ideals in life. And even more blessed are those whose ideals are based on those certified by the Tradition... I have this little notebook in which I take down my "things-to-do list" and nowadays am also using it for taking down notes for the research report that is due in two weeks! Sigh. Anyway, there is this little quotation printed on its cover which really inspires me. It reads Ideals are like stars, we never reach them, but like mariners, we chart our course by them. " naayaab he yeh gardish-e sayyaargaa~ ki raakh... " 

Time never fails to fascinate me. At times it seems heavily impregnated with pain and sorrow. And times, make one feel as light as a cloud. At times you think as to how exactly it would pass. You try to look into the future with bleary eyes and all you see is mist. And yet there is always the hope that someday the mist would clear itself and the future would materialise...  I was just listening to an audio of a lecture delivered by one of our respected teachers almost a month back. A lecture that was delivered to mark our position as graduates of the Department; standing at the threshold of completely new lives ahead. In that lecture, I came across something said by him with which so aptly seems to mark today - December 20, 2009. While discussing death, he said: Every parting is a little death! And I could not agree more... SubhaanAllah! What amazing wisdom Allah grants to some people!   

The hearts of the Knowers have eyes  That can see what onlookers cannot see -Sahl ibn al Tustari Just read this profound verse on Drops of Wisdom , and now wondering as to what real knowledge is... Practically all of us claim to "know" but how can we know anything at all unless our hearts have "eyes that can see what the onlookers cannot?" Aren't we all just onlookers in this wilderness called World? At least that is something I can claim for myself...

On the authority of Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah he said: The Prophet (S) would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Qur’an. He (S) would say ‘if any of you intends to undertake a mater then let him pray two supererogatory units (two rak’ah naafilah) of prayer and after which he should supplicate: (i) ‘O Allaah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allaah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it , and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with su...

"O traveller going toward the Protected Land, Forget me not upon alighting there!" (quoted from the introduction to Ibn 'Ata Allah Al-Iskandari's 'The Key to Salvation') ... And is the day far off when all shall gather in the plain of Arafaat once and for all. Indeed, nay! May Allah be with us in the moments when none will be there to help and support, except for Him and His beloved Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wassalam) whom He will give the right to intercede...  Hajj Mubaarak to the travellers of the Protected Land!

The following interview of Maulana Da'mat Barakaatuhum was published in the latest issue of The Intellect magazine. I am posting it here on my blog verbatim. Each and every word is worth reading and reflecting upon. Do spare some time to read it and enlighten yourself. A Rendezvous with Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Hafizahullah) Sheikhul Hadeeth, reviver of faith and spiritual sciences in Islam, a personality who needs no introduction as the most revered scholar of the Muslim world, is who else but Hazrat Mufti Taqi Usmani Hafizahullah. So here we have Baber Zubairi bringing us an engaging interview with Hazrat and indeed, The Intellect is highly obliged to Hazrat for taking out time from his immensely busy and demanding schedule and give us this interview. The Intellect: Our country is going through very turbulent and trying times. Please enlighten us with your insightful views on our country’s dismal state of affairs. Mufti Taqi Usmani: Bismillah-i-Rehman-i-Raheem;...