ReflectOnThis

Amusing Ourselves to Death & The Tyranny of Email

Ah, yes, with 140 unfinished email responses in my Drafts folder I figured it was now time to revisit and reread one of my all-time favorite books originally published back in 1985: Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

While stimulating my cerebral cortex and innermost being with that exquisitely profound and deeply reflective piece of writing, I chanced upon another thoughful and interesting book in the Barnes & Noble yesterday: The Tyranny of Email

Click here for a short video about the aforementioned book.

I wonder if it will help me to figure out what this all means and what it might be doing to our culture, lives, brains, and souls...

Following from this, I sincerely apologize for all the unresponded emails. I am, in a word, going just a little bit crazy... 

Signing on Behalf of the Lord of the Worlds

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah al-Hanbalī (d. 751 A.H./1350 C.E.), may Allāh have mercy on him, said something very telling for us all to reflect on in this crazy (and interesting) age that we live in. He said the follow in his famous book entitled Notifying Those Who Sign on Behalf of the Lord of the Worlds (إعلام الموقِّعِين عن رب العالمين), an important work concerning the exceedingly demanding science of fatwa-giving:

The Necessary Conditions for Those Who Convey on Behalf of Allāh and His Messenger

Given that conveying on behalf of Allāh, Glorious is He, requires knowledge of what is being conveyed, as well as sincerity in it, the rank of conveyance by means of narration (riwayah) and delivering legal verdicts (al-futyā) should not be held except by one who has the attributes of knowledge and sincerity. Hence, he should be knowledgeable about what he is conveying, as well as sincere in it. Along with that he should also be upright in manner, pleasing in personal history, just and balanced in his statements and actions, and similar in both his inward and his outward (with regards to his comings, goings, and states of being).

If the office of signing for the kings maintains a rank whose nobility cannot be denied, nor its esteem be ignored—such being the highest of the lofty ranks—then how would it be for the office of signing for the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth?

Therefore, it is most befitting for the one who has been placed in this office to prepare himself exceedingly well and ready himself with a complete readiness. He should know the rank of the station that he has been placed in. There should be no hesitation in his breast when it comes to speaking the truth and coming out openly with it, for indeed, Allāh is his Victor and his Guide. How could it not be so, when it is the office that the Lord of lords has taken on Himself, saying: “They ask you [Prophet] for a ruling about women. Say, ‘God Himself gives you a ruling about them...’” [4:127]. Sufficiently honorable and majestic is what Allāh has taken on Himself! He says in His Book: “They ask you [Prophet] for a ruling. Say, ‘God gives you a ruling about inheritance from someone who dies childless with no surviving parents’” [4:176].

Therefore, let the Mufti be well-aware of who he is representing in his edicts (fatwa) and let him be absolutely certain that he will be asked tomorrow when he will be brought to stand in front of Allāh.

** This segment translated by Khalil Abu Asmaa (Christopher J. Moore) **

"The Monthly Word" of Habib Umar bin Hafiz for Dhul-Qa'dah 1430

Bismillah.

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh . . . 

The Monthly Word for Dhul-Qaʾdah 1430

By the Erudite Spiritual Master: Ḥabīb ʿUmar bin Ḥafīẓ (may Allah be pleased with him)

Translated by: Khalil Abu Asmaa (Christopher J. Moore)

    Praise be to Allāh, Lord of the Worlds, and may blessings and peace be upon the one sent as a mercy to all the worlds, our master Muḥammad, as well as upon his goodly and pure family, his righteous companions, and all those who follow them in active goodness (iḥsān) until the Day of Recompense. 

    To our brethren, the community of Islām (surrender) and Imān (faith): may the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allāh be upon you all! In the Monthly Word for Dhul-Qaʾdah, in the year 1430 of the migration (hijrah) of the Chosen One, Muḥammad—blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions—we say to our brethren:

    Indeed, this is a season in which the delegations come in waves to the House of Allāh (Glorious and Exalted) and to the precincts of His Prophet, the Chosen One, Muḥammad—blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions. Therefore, it is befitting that...

Download the complete PDF with this link:
 

PDF for Monthly_Word_Dhul-Qa'dah-1430

** Feel free to disseminate or translate into other languages. **

Arabic original:  http://alhabibomar.com/MonthlyLetter.aspx?SectionID=4&RefID=98

Letters of a Sufi Master

Letters of a Sufi Master, from the words of Shaykh al-'Arabi al-Darqawi (may Allah have mercy on him)...

Ah yes, this is one of those great little books that you always come back to from time to time for inspiration and reflection. It is chock-full-of-wisdom, and sometimes you just want to burst with joy in that you have found the truth that you were always looking for but never found it so succinctly and wisely worded. May Allah help us to feel this truth and wisdom deep down inside and may He grant us the tawfiq (success) to live it! Ameeeeen...

This time around I felt compelled to share some amazing quotes from this wonderful work of art. May Allah bless the soul that took the time to type them out for me. There was most definitely an immense reward and a great benefit in every keystroke! Jazakumullahu khayran!

~~~

Nothing veils Him from us except our concern, not with existence as such, but with our own desires. If we were able to forget our own existence, we would find Him who is the source of our existence and at the same time we would see that we do not exist at all. [p. 18]

~~~

Whenever someone shows hostility toward you, whether he be one of you or not, do not be concerned with yourselves, but with what your Lord has commanded; provided you do not defend yourselves, God will defend you and take care of your cause; but if you do defend yourselves and are concerned with your cause, He will leave it to you to manage it and you will be powerless, for it is God Who has power over all things.

The Venerable Master Qasim al-Khasasi (may God be pleased with him) said: "Pay no attention to him who slanders you, but pay attention to God; He will remove this slanderer from you, for it is He who incites him against you to test your sincerity; but many men are mistaken on this question." If you pay attention to him who slanders you, the slander will continue, together with your sin (of distraction from God). [p. 21]

~~~

As to this professor you told me about who is unable to find the state of presence, tell him not to look toward the past nor toward the future, but to become the son of the moment, and to take death as the target before his eyes. Then he will find this state, God willing. [p. 32]

~~~

Ibn Ata'illah said:

You will perhaps find a benefit in distress which you have not been able to find in fasting nor in prayer; therefore when it descends upon you, defend yourself no longer and do not be concerned with searching for some remedy, lest you drive away the good which comes toward you freely, and give up your will entirely to your Lord; then you will see marvels. [p. 33]

~~~

A strong man is one who rejoices to see that the world is slipping from his hands, leaving him and fleeing from him; who rejoices that people despise him, and speak ill of him and is satisfied with his knowledge of God. Ibn 'Ata'llah says of this in his Hikam: "If the fact that people turn away from you or speak ill of you causes you suffering, return toward the knowledge of God in you; if this knowledge is not sufficient, then lack of satisfaction in the knowledge of God is a far greater trial than that people speak ill of you. The purpose of this slander is that you should not rely on people; God wishes to bring you back from all things so that nothing may distract you from Him." [p. 36]

~~~

You who are "poor" (fuqara), if you wish that your wind may prevail over all winds and all adversaries, then be constant in contemplating your Lord while He is trying you, for He will change your ignorance into knowledge, your weakness into strength, your helplessness into power, your poverty into wealth, your lowliness into glory, your loneliness into intimacy, your remoteness into nearness - or, in word, God, be He exalted, will cover over your qualities with His qualities, for He is generous and bestows immeasurable graces. [p. 40]

~~~

Two Khutbahs on September 18th, 2009 (Ramadan 1430)

Bismillah.
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh . . . 

Al-hamdu lillah, our visit to Cincinnati, Ohio, during the last few days of Ramadan 1430/2009 was a truly enriching experienced. We benefited greatly from the presence of the wonderful brothers and sisters that make up the great communities there and we pray that they will continue to flourish and grow in the love of Allah and His Beloved Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him). Thank you for your hospitality and we look forward to seeing you all again one day, inshaAllah.

Please keep this poor and weak servant in your dua's... 

As requested, here are the two khutbahs that were given on Friday, September 18th, 2009:

Clifton Masjid (1:50pm)

Stream the Clifton Khutbah online here:

Or download the actual MP3 file from the Clifton Khutbah with this link:

Download Clifton_Khutbah_Sept-18-2009.mp3 (Approximately 25MB)

Wester Chester Masjid (3:30pm)

Stream the West Chester Khutbah online here:

Or download the actual MP3 file from the West Chester Khutbah with this link:

Download West_Chester_Khutbah_Sept-18-2009.mp3 (Approximately 26MB)

Fasting and the Month of Ramadan

The following is a piece that I wrote about the month of Ramadan (especially useful for non-Muslims who are eager to learn more about this blessed and sacred month):

Fasting and the Month of Ramadan

Prepared by: Khalil Abu Asmaa (Christopher J. Moore)

Fasting is a tradition known to many of the world’s religions. In its essence it is to temporarily deny oneself some of the pleasures and comforts of this earthly life in order to achieve a higher, loftier goal. Fasting is a spiritual exercise that helps us learn what it means to be human. It teaches the soul discipline and brings us to a greater awareness of our neediness in front of the Creator. It brings to the forefront of our consciousness that primal attribute which so adequately describes the human condition, namely, that of weakness. If we are denied the basic necessities of food and water for just a short period of time, it will ultimately lead to our demise. Part of the purpose of fasting is to remind ourselves of this stark reality.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is an essential part of being a Muslim. During this great month, Muslims fast from the break of dawn until sunset. During the observance of the fast it is required to abstain from food and drink, as well as from marital relations. It is a time to be more conscious of those less fortunate in the world, as well as to increase in vigilance concerning the destructive qualities of character, speech, and behavior.

Since Islam is truly a practical and merciful religion, those who are sick, elderly, or traveling, as well as women who are pregnant or nursing, are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year (unless they are chronically ill, in which case they would not have to do so). Children are only required to begin fasting and the performance of ritual prayers at the age of puberty, although most children start much earlier on their own. 

God states in the Quran (2:183): 

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you, in hopes that you may achieve greater awareness (of God).

Although fasting is primarily a means for self-purification, spiritual discipline, and self-restraint, it is also beneficial to one’s health and it engenders empathy for those less fortunate. By withholding oneself from certain worldly comforts, even if only for a brief period of time, the fasting person is able to focus on his or her purpose in this life by being aware of God more continuously, thereby becoming more cognizant of the meaning of life and the great importance of our final destination after life. 

Ramadan is a special time for Muslims everywhere; a time for clearer reflection and heightened spirituality. Special prayer services (called taraweeh prayers) are held in mosques and other places of gathering all over the world, each and every night of Ramadan. Although not obligatory, many Muslims flock in large crowds to fill these places of gathering with sincere prayers, passionate supplications, and intimate words of invocation, often late into the night.

The end of Ramadan is ushered in by a holiday called Eid al-Fitr, or simply Eid. On this day Muslims all over the world celebrate with prayers, gatherings with family and friends, and in many cases, a joyous exchange of gifts and the giving of sweets to children. Although saddened to see the month come to a close, they rejoice in the fruits of the fast and look forward to next year’s blessed harvest.

Khutbah: The Fast

Khutbah on August 28, 2009:

This week's khutbah is entitled: The Fast

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download MP3 of Khutbah (Approximately 26MB)

Here is a copy of the words from the poem that was recited during the khutbah:

Fasting

© 1994 Aaron "Haroon" Sellers

My head is spinnin’, how long will I last

Feelin’ kind of dizzy, because of the fast

But I’ve got to make it, I’ve got to take it

Trying not to fake it, trying not to break it

Cause I believe I shall receive, what I’m looking for,

If I break through the door

Again and again I bow and nod

Humblin’ myself to the will of God

What I wanna know might not be shown

Cause God has keys to knowledge unknown

I’m up for my own when I make the endeavor

Some say I’m stupid, some say I’m clever

Some people think I’m wastin’ my time

But their souls’ theirs, and my soul’s mine

Sometimes I think that I’ll wait until I’m dead

But every single day, it burns in my head

It permeates my thoughts, permeates my dreams

Sometimes I feel like the product of a scheme

But I don’t wanna wait until I’m dead,

To know what I wanna know now instead

I owe it to my soul to try...

It’s the most important thing to me before I die

Some wonder why I’m on the level I’m on, 

I’m comin’ from the Bible and then the Quran

Two brother books, one short, one long

But one says Words and the other is (are) wrong

It says the words we have now are residual 

Seems kinda right cause I can’t find the original

And I don’t wanna man to tell me what to do

So I’m waitin’ for my God to guide me through

Khutbah: The Seminal Advice Revisited

Khutbah on July 24, 2009:

This week's khutbah revisited the ever-important topic of the Seminal Advice of Habib Umar bin Hafiz.

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download MP3 of Khutbah (Approximately 29MB)

Khutbah: A Reminder for Those Who Remember

Khutbah on July 10, 2009:

This week's Khutbah is entitled:

A Reminder for Those Who Remember

"ذكرى للذاكرين"

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download MP3 of Khutbah (Approximately 28MB)

Khutbah: Self-Rectification and the Four Ways to Discover the Faults in One's Soul

Khutbah on July 3, 2009:

This week's Khutbah is entitled:

Self-Rectification and the Four Ways to Discover the Faults in One's Soul

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download MP3 of Khutbah (Approximately 30MB)