ReflectOnThis

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)

Khutbah: Rajab and Rehearsing for the Day of Standing

Khutbah on June 26, 2009:

This week's Khutbah is entitled:

RAJAB AND REHEARSING FOR THE DAY OF STANDING

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download MP3 of Khutbah (Approximately 25MB)

Khutbah: Change While You Still Have Time

Khutbah on June 12, 2009:

This week's Khutbah was entitled:

CHANGE WHILE YOU STILL HAVE TIME

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download MP3 of Khutbah (Approximately 27MB)

Khutbah: Understanding Divine Administration and Lordly Prevention

Khutbah on June 5, 2009:

This week's Khutbah was entitled:

UNDERSTANDING DIVINE ADMINISTRATION AND LORDLY PREVENTION

فهم التدبير الإلهي و المنع الرباني

Reference verses from the Majestic Quran: Surah al-Naml 27: 59-64

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download MP3 of Khutbah (Approximately 28MB)

Khutbah: Be Patient, Not Complacent

Khutbah on May 22, 2009:

This week's Khutbah was entitled:

BE PATIENT, NOT COMPLACENT

complacent (adjective): showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements: you can't afford to be complacent about security.

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download Khutbah (Approximately 26MB)

Khutbah: Caution: Avoid Suspicion, Spying, and Eating Dead Flesh

Khutbah on May 15, 2009:

This week's Khutbah was entitled:

CAUTION: AVOID SUSPICION, SPYING, AND EATING DEAD FLESH

This khutbah draws on verses 11-12 of Surah al-Hujurat (#49) of the Quran and a section of volume 3 (al-Muhlikat) of the Ihya 'Ulum al-Deen of Imam al-Ghazali that addresses the 11 main causes of backbiting (ghibah) and how they manifest. 

Note: There was a slight error in the citing of verse 4:54 in the middle of the khutbah, but the English translation of the meaning was sound, inshaAllah.

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download Khutbah (Approximately 32MB)

Poem: Far Away

FAR AWAY

By Aaron Sellars, aka SonOfAdam 06/27/05 © 2005

Excuse me sister

Can I whisper

A little truth in your ear?

It’s no mystery

Through history

All the signs are clear

Times are so whack

Dogs on Prozac

Everyone feels under

False depression

Learn a lesson

The devil’s got your number

The war’s adjacent

But you’re complacent

It’s just another channel

So just turn the station

And keep erasin’

Pain you can’t dismantle

Sometimes I wanna fly,

Far away!

And then I pray

Oh let me stay! 

Another day (2x)

Excuse me Mister

Can I whisper

A little truth in your ear?

It’s no mystery

Through history

All the signs are clear

More energy drinks

To speed the jinx

Of a life you can’t control

Going to and from

While you feel so numb

But you think you’re on a roll

A brand new diet

You got to try it

Cuz everyone’s so thin

Put down that mag

And grab a rag

And wipe this mess you’re in!

Sometimes I wanna fly,

Far away!

And then I pray

Oh let me stay! 

Another day (2x)

Excuse me people

There’s no sequel

We’ve only got one chance

To get it right

And win this fight

So check your circumstance!

You got internet

And a cell phone pet

But we’re all disconnected

You hear the preachers

And sacred teachers

But no one gets affected

Don’t let terrorism

Be the schism

For all humanity

Bring the proofs

When you report the “truth”

And restore the sanity

Sometimes I wanna fly,

Far away!

And then I pray

Oh let me stay! 

Another day (2x)

Singapore Calls Again

Bismillah.

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

Al-hamdu lillah, there are some great programs coming up in Singapore this month and something is indeed in the air. Can you feel it?

As soon as I learnt that my dear friend and brother on the spiritual path, Sidi Yahya Rhodus (may Allah bless and preserve him), was going to be in Singapore for a wonderful series of programs, my heart immediately yearned to witness such a great occasion and to participate with an attentive ear and a positively engaged mind and heart. So I made my initial intention to be there and I prayed to Allah to facilitate the way... 

At first it was a bit of wishful thinking (due to limited resources and even more limited time), but when I then learnt that Sayyidi al-Habib Umar bin Hafiz would be there right after Sidi Yahya's programs, I knew what needed to be done. I made my intention even more firm, prayed a serious istikharah, and then the pieces began to fall into place, al-hamdu lillah wahdah...

So.... By the permission, grace, and mercy of Allah, this faqir (poor and needy servant of Allah) will be in Singapore from Friday, April 17th up until Sayyidi al-Habib Umar and Sidi Yahya finish their programs there, inshaAllah. May Allah help us to benefit from such a momentous occasion and may He guide our steps, speech, actions, states, and hearts... Amin.

There is also a chance that I will have the honor of engaging in da'wah in the great country of Sri Lanka sometime around the weekend of April 30th, inshaAllah. May Allah reward all those who seek to arrange this part of the trip and may Allah place blessings in it all, whether it happens or not... Amin.

 

As with everything, this is all in the hands of Allah, but we have made our intention and we humbly ask Allah to accept, for He is powerful over all things.

Sincerely looking forward to seeing and hearing from all of the wonderful and beloved brothers and sisters of Singapore once again! This time we will be joining you with some truly incredible company!!! Ya Allah, accept us amongst them and help us to benefit from them... Amin.

Sidi Yahya's Program Details: http://simplyislam.com.sg/new/lectures-programs-with-shaykh-yahya-rhodus

And: http://simplyislam.com.sg/new/the-search-for-beauty-in-islam/

Sincerely your brother, 

khalil abu asmaa

Khutbah: Stop Invalidating Your Deeds!

Khutbah on April 10, 2009:

This week's Khutbah is entitled:

STOP INVALIDATING YOUR DEEDS: MAKE IT ALL FOR ALLAH

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download Khutbah.mp3 Approximately 28MB

Khutbah: The Address of Success: Adab, Taqwa, Tawbah, and Dhikr

Khutbah on March 27, 2009:

It was wonderful to see the blessed souls of the congregation again today. May Allah bless you all! May Allah make this reunion one of blessings, goodness, true success, and acceptance from the Divine... Amin!

This week's Khutbah is entitled:

THE ADDRESS OF SUCCESS: ADAB, TAQWA, TAWBAH, AND DHIKR

"Address" as in street address or location...

Adab: Proper comportment, good manners

Taqwa: God-consciousness

Tawbah: Repentance, returning back to God

Dhikr: Remembrance and invocation of God

One of the scholars said: "Whoever lacks adab, doesn't really have sharī'ah (sacred law), imān (faith), or tawhīd (unification of God)..."

Stream it online here:

Or download the MP3 file here:

Download Khutbah_March-27-2009.mp3 Approximately 32MB

New Site Features: Updates by Email and RSS & Sharing with ShareThis

Bismillah.

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

Dear Noble Readers (may God bless you with all things good in this life and the next):

I just wanted to take a few moments to alert you to some new features that I have added to this site. These features will help you to keep up with the content found on this site as well as provide you with convenient and dynamic ways to share content with friends, family, and colleagues via Facebook and other social networking sites and via emails sent directly from the site here. 

Here's what's new:

In the righthand sidebar you will find two things:

• A link that says "Subscribe in a reader". This link will allow you to subscribe to all recent and future posts from this site in your favorite web-based or software-based RSS reader (such as Apple's Mail, NetNewsWire (Mac), FeedDemon (PC), NewsFire (Mac), RSSOwl (Mac/PC), etc.)
• A small box to enter your email address in which will send you an email every time something is added to this site (and don't worry there aren't that many posts, and besides, you can unsubscribe anytime you choose).

At the end of each post you will now find the following sharing option:

•  ShareThis: ShareThis is a really great service which allows you to share content directly from this website on Facebook and other social networking sites as well as give you the option to send it as an email to anyone you choose. Just click on the ShareThis link and you will find options to Post or Send Email, etc.

I really hope that everyone enjoys these new features and makes good use of them. The purpose of this site has always been to contribute to the benefit and betterment of mankind and I hope that this purpose is furthered by these new features... More to come, inshaAllah (God-willing)!!!

Second Medina Center Mawlid - March 15, 2009

Bismillah.

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh . . . 

Al-hamdu lillah, we were blessed and honored with another wonderful mawlid occasion at the Medina Center tonight, Sunday, March 15th, 2009. It was a truly special gathering, one filled with nur, barakah, sweet breezes of mercy, heart connections, and glad tidings, in sha Allah, ya Karim!

If you're in the area, please join us for the third session, this coming Sunday, March 22, 2009, at 6:45pm (www.MedinaCenter.net). 

Streaming audio from the talk tonight (March 15, 2009):

Or download the MP3 file here: Download mawlid_speech_Mar-15-2009.mp3 (~35MB)

Here are a few pictures from last week's blessed gathering (Sunday, March 8, 2009, which come courtesy of Sr. Yaty Yasir (may Allah bless her and her wonderful family)):

"The Monthly Word" of Habib Umar bin Hafiz - Rabi' al-Awwal 1430

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

This is the third translation in the series of Habib Umar bin Hafiz's Monthly Word. To the best of my (limited) knowledge, this is Habib's first Monthly Word since Dhul-Hijjah 1428.

Here are some highlights from this month's edition (the download link for the complete PDF is below):

...we have neglected the binding ties of guidance with the Messenger of God (blessings and peace be upon him and his family and companions) and we have neglected to place him in the proper station of leadership that will take our minds, emotions, feelings, intellects, and hearts unto a beautiful obedience to him.

It should be known, therefore, that his followers have in their possession that which can relieve humanity of the fatal circumstances and evils that have befallen them in their social interactions, their economies, and their communities, and in all of their affairs.

Such manifestations are only a necessary result of turning away from the remembrance of God (dhikr-Allah) and departing from His way.

We have the responsibility to remind others that we have the solution to their problems and that which will prevent calamities from befalling them. We have neglected this because we have neglected to institute and perfect the binding ties of guidance with the Messenger of God (blessings and peace be upon him and his family and companions). We have neglected to place him in that leadership position that God has granted him.

There is no room for vicegerency without the way and guidance of the one whom He entrusted, chose, and elected to speak on His behalf and guide to His path.

For indeed, mercy is a universal. And hence, we find contained in the societal norms of this religion of Islam, within its ecosystems and the refined culture of its sacred law (shari’ah), we see all throughout its history many who were able to live in its precincts and find equity and protection from injustice in diverse societies from the time of the rightly-guided caliphs (al-khulafa al-rashideen) up through the time of those who came after them.

We have in front of us an opportunity for mastership and a chance to dispatch in the path of rendering service to the world—we attained to it, but now we have neglected it.

Download the complete PDF here: montly_word_rabi_al-awwal-1430

Arabic Language Institute of America (A.L.I.America)

Kindly spread the word...

Arabic Language Institute of America (A.L.I.America, LLC)

http://www.aliamerica.com/

Arabic Language Institute of America (A.L.I.America, LLC) offers professional Arabic language teaching, training, and tutoring services for both adults and children in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as well as online.

We are currently offering private, one-on-one tutoring services for men, couples, and children. 

We also offer 5-14 person (men and women), three and a half month semester-style classes at local community centers and other such venues.

View our list of Services & Rates here.

Please use the Contact Us page on this site to make inquires or to schedule weekly tutoring appointments.

Preparing for Ramadan 1429/2008

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

Ramadan is fast approaching! We pray that Allah causes us to reach this blessed month and that He helps us to benefit from our time therein. May Allah make us of those that taste the sweetness of the meanings of the Quran and may He make us of those that live by its exquisite words, upright morals, sublime guidelines, and subtle implications. We pray that Allah guides us to the best of speech and deed during this blessed and illustrious month, and that He purifies our hearts and grants us the immense blessing to be of those that realize the true meaning and purpose of fasting: "...in order that you may come to fear (God)..."

Here are a few things from the past that are exceedingly useful to reflect on before and during this great month of Ramadan:

1.)  Imam al-Ghazali on Fasting

2.)  Imam al-Haddad on the Effects of Obedience and of Sin

3.)  Imam al-Ghazali on Disagreement, Conflict, Debate, & Argumentation

Sincerely your brother in faith,
khalil abu asmaa