IQBAL HUSSEIN'S SITE: 02/04/13

ONE WHO IS SHAKY IN HIS BELIEF CANNOT BE A SEEKER OF PERFECTION

Feb 4, '13 10:53 AM
for everyone

God, the Glorious and the Exalted, has said:

God confirms by a stable belief those who have faith in the life of the world and in the Hereafter ... . (14:27)

Unless faith is not characterized by steadfastness, the tranquility of the soul, which is essential for the quest of perfection, is not obtained, because one who is shaky in his belief cannot be a seeker of perfection.

The steadfastness of faith depends on achieving the certitude that there is perfection and the Perfect Being. Without this certitude the quest of perfection does not materialize, and until the resolve to seek perfection and the steadiness of this resolve is not achieved, wayfaring is not possible. One who makes the resolve without being steadfast in it is like one bewildered whom the devils have kidnapped in the earth' (6:71, The bewildered man has no resolve, and until he is resolute enough to advance in a direction, no movement, journey, or wayfaring will take place, and if there is any movement at all, it is accompanied with anxiety and hesitation and is fruitless and futile.

The cause of steadfastness is an insight into the truth believed in, the delight of having found it, and a perseverance in this state as a habitual condition of the inner self. That is why the performance of righteous works by those who have this steadfastness is perpetual as well as necessary.

FAITH HAS VARIOUS DEGREES- THE LOWEST IS VERBAL CONFESSION

Feb 4, '13 10:54 AM
for everyone

God, the Exalted, has said:

Those who believe and obscure not their faith with wrongdoing, theirs is safety; and they are rightly guided. (6:82)

Iman literally means 'affirmation,' that is, believing, and in the terminology of the seers means a particular kind of affirmation, an affirmation of that which is known for certain and has been declared by the Messenger, may peace be upon him.

The knowledge (ma'rifah) of the Prophet is inseparable from the knowledge of the Sustainer, the Powerful, the Knowing, the Living, the Perceiving, the Hearing, and the Seeing One, Who wills and speaks and has sent the Messengers and revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad Mustafa, may God bless him and his Household, and set forth the laws, the duties, and the sunan, the lawful and the unlawful, as affirmed by the consensus of the entire Ummah.

Hence faith consists of these matters, neither more nor less. For if lesser, it would not be faith at all, and if more, the increase will be a higher degree of faith, contiguous to faith. And the sign of belief is to know, to say, and to do that which should be known, said, and done and to refrain from that which has been forbidden. These pertain to righteous conduct and are subject to increase and decrease and are an essential part of the aforesaid affirmation. That is why in all the places the mention of faith is accompanied with that of righteous action, as in the following [Qur'anic] statement Those who believe and perform righteous deeds ... . (2:25)

And it should be known that faith has various degrees, the lowest of which is verbal confession. The verses:
O you who believe, believe in God and His Messenger and the Book that He has sent down on His Messenger. (4:136)

The Bedouins say: 'We believe: Say (unto them O Muhammad): 'Ye believe not; but say, "We submit;" for faith has not yet entered into your hearts. (Yet, if you obey Cod and His Messenger, He will not with-hold from you aught of your deeds. Cod is indeed Forgiving, Merciful.') (49:74)
Above that is faith by imitation, which is a convinced affirmation of that which must be affirmed, but it is subject to decline. When convinced affirmation is achieved it is necessarily accompanied by righteous action:

The (true) believers are those only who believe in God and His Messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive (with their wealth and their lives for the cause o f God. Such are the sincere.) (49:15)

Superior to this faith in the Unseen, in accordance with [the words of the Qura'an] who believe in the Unseen' (2:3), which represents inward faith in transcendence, as if one were affirming something on the other side of a curtain. Superior to it is the faith of those concerning whom He says:

They only are the (true) believers whose hearts tremor when God is mentioned, and when the revelations of God are recited to them they increase their faith, and in their Lord put their trust, who perform the prayer, and expend of what We have provided them, those in truth are the believers; (they have degrees with their Lord, and forgiveness and generous provision.) (8:2-3)

This is the rank of perfect faith. Next to it is convinced faith, to be explained later on, and that is the ultimate degree of faith.

The minimum degree of faith lesser than which is not appropriate in wayfaring, is faith by imitation and faith in the Unseen, for mere verbal faith is not actually faith. To this refers the following statement of the Qur'an:

And the most part of them believe not in God, but they associate other gods with Him. (12:106)

Wayfaring with a tranquility of the soul is possible when there is convinced belief in the existence of the absolutely perfect Being, the Creator. The acquisition of such a belief is extremely simple and can be obtained with a little effort.

NIYYAH MEANS INTENTION AND INTENTION IS A LINK........

Feb 4, '13 10:56 AM
for everyone

God, the Exalted, has said:

Say (O Muhammad), 'Indeed, my prayer and my worship, my living and my dying, are for God, the Lord of the Worlds.' (6:162)

Niyyah means intention, and intention is a link between knowledge and action. For unless one knows at first that he has to do something, one cannot intend to do it and unless there is intention one cannot carry out an act.

The starting point in wayfaring is intention, the intention to reach a certain destination, and since the goal is to acquire perfection from the Absolutely Perfect, the intention should be one of acquiring nearness to the Almighty, Who is Absolute Perfection.

Such being the case, intention by itself is better than action when taken alone, for The believer's intention is better than his works.

A good work accomplished with the intention to seek nearness to God will certainly achieve its due perfection, in accordance with the statement of God, the Exalted, There is no good in much of their secret conferences save him who enjoins charity and propriety and peace-making among the people. Whoso does that, seeking the good pleasure of God, We shall bestow on him a mighty reward. (4:114)

THE TRUTHFUL HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS STANDING IN THE SAME RANK AS THE APOSTLES AND THE MARYTS

Feb 4, '13 10:57 AM
for everyone

God, above all descriptions is He, has said:

O you who believe, observe your duty to God and be with the truthful (al sadiqin). (9:119)
Siddiq literally means speaking the truth and being true in one's promises. Here by truthfulness is meant the truthfulness of speech as well as that of intention and resolution (azm) and fulfillment under all circumstances of the promises made by one.

Siddiq is one who is truthful in all these matters as a matter of habit, and that which is contrary to fact in whatsoever manner, neither itself nor its trace is found in him. The ulama' have said that if one is such his dreams too would be true and come true. The verse:

(Among the believers are) men who truly fulfill the promise they have made with God, (33:23) has been revealed concerning them. The truthful have been described as standing in the same rank as the Apostles and the martyrs:
(Whoso obeys God and the Messenger), they are with those unto whom God has shown favour, of the prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs and the righteous, (the best company are they). (4:69)

And such great prophets as Ibrahim and I'dris have been described as truthful ones,' with the words:

Indeed, he was a truthful one, a prophet. (19:41, 19:56)

And concerning others it has been said:

(And We bestowed upon them of Our mercy), and assigned to them true and sublime speech. (19:50)
And since the straight path is the shortest path to the goal, one who walks straight is the most likely to reach his intended destination, God willing.

TURNING TO GOD AND ATTENDING TO HIM........

Feb 4, '13 10:58 AM
for everyone

God, the Exalted and the Glorious, has said:

Turn unto Him penitent, and surrender unto Him, (before there come to you the chastisement, where after you wilt not be helped). (39:54)

Inabah means turning to God and attending to Him. It consists of three things. First, turning with one's inner self, so that it is always turned towards God, the Exalted, and to seek nearness to Him in all one's thoughts and intentions, and to this refer the words:

... And comes with a penitent heart. (50:33)

Second, to attend with one's speech, which means remembering Him and His favours and to remember those who are nearer to Him, as referred to in this verse:

None pays heed save him who turns penitent (unto Him). (40:13)

Third, (to turn to Him) in one's outward actions, which means being always watchful of one's acts of obedience and worship. These must be performed with the intention of seeking nearness, such as the obligatory and the supererogatory prayers, abstaining from things avoided by the leading figures of the faith, giving of charities, showing kindness to God's creatures, procuring the means of their benefit and preventing the causes of their harm, observing of rectitude in dealings, being just in regard to oneself and one's kin, and, in summary, observing the laws of the Shari'ah with the intent of acquiring nearness to God and seeking His good pleasure.

Indeed, He, the Exalted, has said:

(On the day when ... ) the paradise is brought nigh for the God f eating, no longer distant. (And it is said): This is that which you were promised. (It is) for every penitent and watchful one, who feareth the Beneficent in secret and comes with a penitent heart. Enter it in peace. This is the day of eternity. There they have all that they desire, and there is more with Us. (50: 30-35)

SHIRK IS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE OBSTACLE FOR THE SEEKER OF PERFECTION ...

Feb 4, '13 11:02 AM
for everyone

God, the Glorious and the Exalted, has said:

And they were not commanded except to worship God, keeping religion pure for Him ... . (98:5)
Ikhlas in Persian means vizheh kardan' (to make exclusive'), that is, to purge a thing of everything else that has mingled with it. That which is meant here is that all of one's speech and action should be for the sake of seeking nearness to God, the Exalted, and exclusively for His sake, without being adulterated with any worldly or otherworldly purpose.
Indeed, to God belongs sincere religion. (39:3)

The opposite of sincerity is that there be some other purpose mingled with it, such as the love of honour and property, good name, or the hope of otherworldly reward, or salvation and deliverance from the chastisement of hell, all of which are signs of shirk. Shirk is of two kinds: open and concealed. Open shirk is idolatry, and all its other forms consist of concealed shirk.

The Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Household, has said:

Amongst the people of my Ummah intentions contaminated with shirk are more invisible than the creeping of a black ant on a black rock in a dark night.

Shirk is the most destructive obstacle for the seeker of perfection in wayfaring.

So let him who hopes for the encounter with his Lord, work righteousness, and not include in his Lord's service anyone. (18:110)

And when the obstacle of concealed shirk is removed, wayfaring (suluk) and attainment (wusul) become easy:

If one is sincere to God for forty days, springs of wisdom, emanating from his heart, become manifest in his speech .

And safety from sin comes from God.

In Honor of all MOTHERS and To Be's ...

Feb 4, '13 11:05 AM
for everyone

The officer at the Driving License counter asked the lady "What is your occupation?"

The woman seeking renewal of her license seemed to be puzzled. So the officer said "Ma'am, are you employed, have your own business
or........

The woman replied "Oh, yes!! I have a full time occupation. I am a mother"

Officer: "We don't have 'mother' as an option for occupation. I will write it down as 'Housewife'. That takes care of all questions."

This had happened long ago, and was forgotten. Years later when I went to get my license, the Public Relations Officer was a somewhat
pompous.woman.

"Your occupation?" she asked in a rather authoritative tone.

I just had an inspiration and replied "I am a researcher in the field of Child Development, Nutrition and Inter-personal Relationships"

The lady officer stared at me in amazement. I calmly repeated my statement and she wrote it down verbatim. Then, unable to conceal her curiosity, she politely asked "What exactly do you do in your profession, Ma'am?"

I was feeling good about having described my occupation so calmly and confidently. So I replied "My research projects have been going on for a number of years (Mothers never retire!!). My research is conducted in the laboratory as well as in the field. I have two bosses. (One is God and the other is my entire family). I have received two honours in this field. (A son and a daughter) My topic is considered to be the most difficult part of sociology.(All moms will agree!!). I have to work more than 14 hours every day. Sometimes even 24 hours are not enough and the challenges are tougher than many other professions. My compensation is in terms of mental satisfaction rather than money"

I could see that the officer was thoroughly impressed. After completing the licensing formalities, she came to the door to see me off.

This new viewpoint about my occupation made me feel much better on my way back home. I was welcomed by my 5 yearold research assistant at the door. My new project (my 6 month old baby) was energetically practicing her 'music'.

I had earned a small victory over the Governmental red tape today. I was no longer 'merely a mother', instead I was now a highly placed
functionary in a service vital for mankind -Motherhood!!

'Mother' - Isn't it a great title. Fit to be added to the nameplate on the door!! By this standard, grandmothers deserve to be called Senior Research Officers, and Great Grandmothers qualify as 'Research Directors'. Aunts and other ladies of that age group can be called
'Research Facilitators'

PLEASE RECITE AT LEAST ONE TASBIH EVERYDAY

Feb 4, '13 11:07 AM
for everyone

PLEASE RECITE AT LEAST ONE TASBIH EVERYDAY (or as many times as you possibly can) OF

AYAH 111 OF SURA E TAHA (20:111) WITH THE NIYYAH OF DISGRACE OF THE TYRANT RULERS AND OPPRESSORS AROUND THE WORLD. see attachment for the Ayah e Kareemah:

[20:111] And [all] faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. And he will have failed who carries injustice.

INSHAALLAH

Respecting Differences

Feb 4, '13 11:11 AM
for everyone

Respecting Differences

Sacrifice is greater than Love,
Character is greater than Beauty,
Humanity is greater than Wealth..
But Nothing is greater than Good Relations.
Good Relations don’t necessarily mean finding Similarities.
Its just about Respecting Differences.

Lectures Majalis Dars Series - Karbala Hamari Jannat

Feb 4, '13 12:12 PM
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Uploads In Lectures Majalis Dars Series - Karbala Hamari Jannat

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IQBAL HUSSEIN'S SITE

Monday 4 February 2013

ONE WHO IS SHAKY IN HIS BELIEF CANNOT BE A SEEKER OF PERFECTION

FAITH HAS VARIOUS DEGREES- THE LOWEST IS VERBAL CONFESSION

And it should be known that faith has various degrees, the lowest of which is verbal confession. The verses:O you who believe, believe in God and His Messenger and the Book that He has sent down on His Messenger. (4:136)

NIYYAH MEANS INTENTION AND INTENTION IS A LINK........

THE TRUTHFUL HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS STANDING IN THE SAME RANK AS THE APOSTLES AND THE MARYTS

TURNING TO GOD AND ATTENDING TO HIM........

SHIRK IS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE OBSTACLE FOR THE SEEKER OF PERFECTION ...

In Honor of all MOTHERS and To Be's ...

PLEASE RECITE AT LEAST ONE TASBIH EVERYDAY

Respecting Differences

Respecting Differences

Lectures Majalis Dars Series - Karbala Hamari Jannat

Uploads In Lectures Majalis Dars Series - Karbala Hamari Jannat

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And it should be known that faith has various degrees, the lowest of which is verbal confession. The verses:
O you who believe, believe in God and His Messenger and the Book that He has sent down on His Messenger. (4:136)