ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW COURSE (additional information)

Poster(Talim Mutaalim)

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[Intervew]: Dr. Laurence Brown - "Original sin?Atonement? Fake or fiction? What's the truth?"

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

An American specialist physician(opthalmologic surgeon) and retired a Major of 18 years in the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Brown was born and raised in a Christian family (Quaker) who went to search for the Truth through serious study of the various Christian denominations because of his being troubled by the irreconcilable difference in the tenets taught within Christianity. He was more of an atheist (agnostics) but holding onto his natural pure instinct (fitrah). His earnestness and sincerity in seeking for the True religion led his search - and thus Allah s.w.t. guided him - to "al-Islam."

He has websites at:


www.leveltruth.com


www.eigthscroll.com


THE INTERVIEW ON THE "DEEN SHOW"
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[Lecture] : "Audacity of Hope" Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick (2008)

PART 5 of 5 - could not be found

so here's a bonus ....

"What's in the name? .... know your history, O Muslim! "

ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW COURSES : ISLAM FOR BEGINNER'S & INTERMEDIATE

BEGINNERS' LEVEL

Fardh Ain(Poster)Nov2009

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INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

Fardh Ain Interm Course2(Poster)Nov2009

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"SUFI AND SALAFI"? - A brief response ...

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from a discussion on 'Singapore Da'wah & Islah Community" group on FB

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Question:

Khairu Rejal (Singapore) wrote:

Salaam Ust,

Thank you for comment, but it seems, and please correct me, that we have derailed from the topic of discussion. Or maybe you feel that we shouldn't pursue this any longer.

Seems that I may be not the right person to comment on the above, perhaps you could share with us your thoughts?

My major concern, if I may share, is the constant tension that exist even in tiny Singapore and its 500, 000 (something) Malay and/ or Muslims with regards to issue of the topic.

Sincerely,

A student

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Wa'alaykum salaam warahmatullaah,

If you were to ask me: "What is Tasawwuf?"

My respond would be:

"By Tasawwuf : It is to strive to practice Islam (i.e. establish in oneself the state of Islam - in Haal and maqom - i.e. becoming truly a Muslim) at the level of Ihsaan"

- even if you reject the term or usage of "Tasawwuf" (perhaps some charging those who use this terminology as Bid'ah i.e. innovation), but, would you reject my response? (i.e. we have "to practice Islam at level of Ihsan?")

You may then ask: "What or who are Salaf?"

My response would be:

" It is referring to that blessed three generations which our Prophet spoke of whence termed the 'khayra ummah' - that subsequent generations (khalaf) are told to refer back to, in terms of principles and broad methodolgy regarding how we should be following this Deen, as exemplified and established by the True ones amongst them, and not to sweve from it's manhaaj."

All Muslims, from whichever Madzaahib, in principle, they all rightfully have a claim to adhere to the methodology (manhaaj) of the "Salaf" - yet they must honestly acknowledge themselves to be people of "Khalaf"' generation. Any of them claiming theirs is the only true interpretation and liked to be regarded to be the only"Salafi", is trying to present a truncated 'Madzhab', by disregarding history and rights of other madzaahib which have similar chains of connection (sanad) to the "Salaf" generation and may also be adhering to the broad manhaaj of our Righteous predecessors (Salaafus-soleh) .

Those who claimed to be the 'sole' & exclusive follower of the 'Salaf' styling themselves "Salafi" are in fact (unknowingly perhaps) accusing others who are not from their Madzhab to be wrong and astray, whereas the term "Khalaf" acknowledges a number of madzaahib (although having differences, yet) which are accepted as still adhering to the correct broad methodology and creed of the Salaf (termed Madzhaab mu'tabar). Their differences (khilaafiyyah) does not make them to be outside of this Ummah. i.e.the Ahlul Qiblah.

If you need to know further, please humbly study the history of Islam (e.g. the Kitaab 'Milal wan Nihal' and 'Tarikh Tashri') from a true Islamic scholar. Sadly, our curriculum are now being diluted, nay re-directed to 'fun' rather than the traditional Fardhu 'ain knowledge. Allaahu musta'an.

The "constant tension" you brought up is due to confusion and ignorance in our community, compounded by many shortcomings in the Islamic education for the masses; the loss of Adab; the rise of false 'leaders and scholars'; the 'absence' (because our community have forgotten, neglected, ignored or sidelined them) of our traditional 'ulama (by traditional - i.e. not truncated but connected to the blessed chains of previous generations of 'ulama); the bickering amongst the ignorants; the silence of the learned; the plotting of the enemies of Islam; diminishing spirit of Jihaad and Da'wah in tthe community; the ....etc.. (I'll have to stop here, although there are more factors).

Those who styled themselves as "Sufi" may also be guilty of trying to claim exclusivity. as though others do not have "Ihsan" as an important and indispensable aspect of their Deen, i.e. except only they themselves, the Sufi's"? Yet they dare to claim of being masters in "tazkiyyatun-Nufus", whereas their 'ujub (self-conceit) may have got the better of themselves in their jidaal (disputations) with the 'Salafis' - laa hawla wa-laa quw-wata il-laa billaah!
What a paradox!

Thus it is correct what the others have already said. e.g. @Amran: "it is is futile (to talk about Sufism) because you probably know that a lot about sufism is to be experienced."

I'll conclude with a quote from Imam Malik (rah.a):

من تصوف و لم يتفقه فقد تزندق

.
و من تفقه و لم يتصوف فقد تفسق

.
و من جمع بينهما فقد تحقق

"He who practices Sufism (Tasawwuf) without learning Sacred Law (Fiqh) corrupts his Faith, while he who learns Sacred Law without practicing Sufism corrupts himself. Only he who combines the two proves true."

and Imam Muhammad Idris al-Shafi`i [rah. a.] advises us:

فقيْها وصفيّا فكنْ ليْس واحدا

.
فإنّي وحقّ الله إيّاك أنْصه

"(Be both) a faqih (scholar of Sacred law) and a sufi (an adept practicing Tasawwuf): do not be only one of these; Verily, by Allah's truth, I am advising you sincerely."

[al-Shafi`i, Diwan, (Beirut and Damascus: Dar al-fikr) p. 47]

... and if we want to refer to ourselves, just humbly refer using the term which Allah taught us i.e. as "Muslims":

وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ قَوۡلاً۬ مِّمَّن دَعَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ

.

وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِى مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ

"Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says "I am of those who bow in Islam - (minal MUSLIMEEN)"?

(Qur'an: Fussilat: 41: 33)

waAllaahu a'lam

May Allah make us to benefit from whatever knowledge which He has taught us, and may Allah grant us more knowledge which will be beneficial to us.

was-salaam

zhulkeflee

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"ACTIVITIES IN THE MASJID ?" : A brief comment ... also An-Naseehah on Adab

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from a discussion on Singapore Da'wah Community group on FB (FaceBook)
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http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=154870848540&topic=14384
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As-salaa-mu 'alaykum warahmatullaah,

Let me begin by reminding myself towards TAQWA and offer some advice to guide us towards seeking Mardhaatillaah:

AN-NASEEHAH:

Be very careful of the Adab in discussion.

Whenever we are shown guidance, restrain from tendencies to oppose and doubt it before fully understanding what has been given as the guidance. If we are patient to listen and try to understand what has been conveyed, rather than be quick to retort or question, because when we really understand, perhaps much of these questionings are actually redundant.

Perhaps many of us are trained in using skepticism as though to display intellectuality - e.g. by posing other hypothetical scenarios and further assumptions to what has been explained, as though to still doubt it; adding the phrase "however.." so that it justifies further doubting even though he claims to agree and understood what has been explained; or failure to deeply reflect and understand the guidance given but is preoccupied with his own inner intellectual curiosity and questioning. He may not be in a learning mode - but doubting mode, so how can he be guided?

Alas, some of us may confuse skepticism as though it equals to knowledge. Whereas, what we may be displaying in skepticism is only our admission of our ignorance and not displaying our profoundness.

Reflect:

وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعۡرَضَ عَنۡہَا

.

وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدَاهُ‌ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ

.

أَڪِنَّةً أَن يَفۡقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِہِمۡ وَقۡرً۬ا‌ۖ

.

وَإِن تَدۡعُهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَہۡتَدُوٓاْ إِذًا أَبَدً۬ا

.

وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ‌ۖ

.

لَوۡ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا ڪَسَبُواْ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابَ‌ۚ

.

بَل لَّهُم مَّوۡعِدٌ۬ لَّن يَجِدُواْ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوۡٮِٕلاً۬

.

"And who doth more wrong than one who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord but turns away from them, forgetting the (deeds) which his hands have sent forth? Verily We have set veils over their hearts lest they should understand this, and over their ears, deafness.

"If thou callest them to guidance, even then will they never accept guidance. But your Lord is Most Forgiving, Full of Mercy. If He were to call them (at once) to account for what they have earned, then surely He would have hastened their Punishment: but they have their appointed time, beyond which they will find no refuge."

(Q: Kahf: 18: 57-59)

PRIMARY FUNCTION OF MOSQUE

Beware of the trend to divert the mosque from its primary function by shifting towards some of its secondary or exceptional usage - even though it can be substantiated with Hadith or Seerah. Inability to differentiate primary from secondary; the rule from the exception; the essential from the non-essential; the urgent from non-urgent; the serious from the mundane; the sacred from the profane, etc - leads to leveling, which cause the loss of Adab.

Let me share my concern regarding the mosque which is on my blog:

"Parable: Beware of Masjid Dhirara wa Kufr"

And please try to understand first the message I wish to convey, because the nature of parables and similitudes is that it demands deep reflection. Retorting before understanding does not do justice to one's intellect.

ISLAM: NOT A SPORT

Although Islam allows for sports, entertainment, healthy recreation etc. which are ma'ruf (well-known), our concern is that there are people who promotes "fun" when we ought to be concerned for the loss of seriousness and urgency in our community, we laugh too much when we ought to weep. Is our religion to be mocked?

Reflect:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ دِينَكُمۡ هُزُوً۬ا

.

وَلَعِبً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ وَٱلۡكُفَّارَ أَوۡلِيَآءَ‌ۚ

.

وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ

.

"O ye who believe! Take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport,― whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah if ye have Faith (indeed)."

(Q: Ma-idah: 5: 57)

SO HOW...?

Do we have the same understanding?

Do we share the same concern?

Do we really care?

"Allaa-hum-mah-di-naa fee-man haa-da-it..."

waAllaahu a'lam

zhulkeflee

Response: "Don't be a reductionist; adab in sharing; how have du'at been trained ... "

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from a discussion on "Singapore Da'wah & Islah Community" group

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=154870848540&topic=14250
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As-salaamu'alaykum warahmatullaah,

Let us all be reminded from Hadith of Jibril a.s. that our Deen of al-Islam comprises of 3 important / essential / intrinsically linked / inseparable / tauhiidic paradigm, or components - viz. of Aqeedah (iiman), Fiqh wal 'Amal (islam) and Akhlaq/Tasawwuf (ihsan).

To single out one over the other components, or highlighting one in such a manner which may diminish the importance of the other aspects, being obsessed with one of these subjects to the detriment of the others just because one 'feels or preferred this' (imposing personal preference), etc. - is erroneous - one of the "reductionist" tendencies - much employed by the Orientalists.

All three are to be learnt and be inculcated in tandem, in accordance with our development - and it is not 'mechanically', but rather 'organically'. If one then argues about priority of learning them, viz. which subject to start, how much to learn, how it is to be inculcated etc. this encroaches into "education" ta'leem, tarbiyyah, ta'dibiyya, which should be best left to the "ahli-ha". These, our learned teachers, are the "physicians, the gardener, the murobbi, etc." and they have their own majaa-lis and 'platform'.

So, hope we here do not try to usurp or undermine our own tradition and knowledge-culture (Budaya 'Ilmu). The FB is not the place ... (this is 2nd time I've to remind myself and all here, to refrain from wanting to teach - only to share what you know).

Also, to merely present informations from others - especially wholesale quotes - does not reflect your own understanding of the subject. What is your point - after you have read them - to illuminate this discussion? Are you highlighting as a concern that many in our community,generally their Aqeedah which they have learnt from e.g. other like, Imaan Ash'ariy or Maturudi (those not following the current Hanabila madzhab like Sheikh's Muhammad Abdel Wahab, Ibn Baaz, Uthaymeen et. al) are committing "Shirk"?

In my opinion (humble or not is not the issue, just consider whether it reflects truth and reality), wholesale referencing only shows perhaps how much one has read, or where one has surfed or sourced, not in how much one has understood the subject which may help amplify and clarify matters. Or, do you all want to clutter this FB merely with "cut & paste" informations which, I'm sure those who may differ from your view can equally do ? How does this illuminate the discussion?

Here again my point about whether we, in this FB, really know the difference between "'ilm" and "ma'lumat"?

This reminds me of another concern which I had previously raised. Alas, as usual, this has perhaps been ignored, because I tend to be regarded in certain quarter, as one who would "throw a spanner in the works" while perhaps, disregarding the possible merits of what I've brought up (why? because absence of comments [with basis] although some indicated disagreement or even shown 'dislike'). Thus, I would like to share this concern here, which may help to describe what kind of training a person may have undergone, specifically those aspiring to be "Du'aat".

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(Article): "Da'i" ("Caller" to the Way of Allah - as in Da'wah) - Between the "mould-casters" and the "skilled artisan."
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May Allah grant us Taufiq and the Guidance.

WaAllahu a'lam

was-salaam


zhulkeflee