Kategori: sejarah dan dinamika islam dan sufisme/tarikat/tasawwuf di AmerikaBy: Suroosh IrfaniMore than public processions of a “million man march” variety, for a growing number of Americans Islam is becoming an inner pathway of spiritual growth and knowledge. The most rapidly growing religion in the United States, Islam will be the second largest. religion by the year 2010, according to a recent Newsweek re-port quoted in The News. The report notes that almost half of the six million American Muslims are local converts, mostly black Ameri-cans: a multi cultural democracy that guarantees freedom of religion and speech has made US “the best place on earth to be a Muslim.” Moreover, given the rise in Muslim influence in business and polities, an ‘Islamic lobby’ could soon be challenging the ‘Jewish lobby’s’ monopoly in American politics.Clearly, rather than a passing fad, Islam’s florescence in America is rooted in a grounds-well of intellectual and cultural manifestations cutting across traditional Muslim divisions. An example being a $36 million grant by an Iranian-American for setting up Islamic Centre for Peace Studies at the American University in Washington D.C, and the multi-million dollar Saudi-sponsored Islamic Community School for 6000 students in the neighbouring Fairfax county.Moreover, Amer-ican Muslims, like their counterparts in multiracial South Africa have the advantage of freely debating themes that touch upon potentially explosive issues, such as freedom of thought and nature of ijtihad as a principle of religiousre-newal.As indeed the question of gender equality—for instance, whether or not women can give Friday prayer sermons to mixed congregations, as did a black American Muslim in a Capetown mosque in South Africa.Or the azan (Muslim prayer call), as did a white American in a New York suburb to a small group that included black and white American converts, besides Muslims from Africa, Middle East and South Asia.The emergence of women as a new spiritual force in the Islamic discourse is also re- effected in several books authored by women or about gender relations in the Muslim experience. A case in point being Sufi Women of America: Angels in the Making, a book by Laleh Bakhtiar, a well known American publisher and therapist hailing from Shiraz, the Iranian city best known for its thirteenth century mystics Hafez andSaadi.Bakhtiar’s book is based on interviews of seven American women and their experience of Islam and its inner spirituality of Sufism. Members of Naqshbandi Sufi order and representing black and white African and Middle Eastern Ameri-cans, the racial diversity of the women’s group is typical of the American society. The book also permeates with a South Asian presence through Shah Waliullah’ the eighteenth century Sufi on whose ideas Bakhtiar has based her study.Clearly, while the vibrant legacy of Naqshbandi Sufis like Shah Waliullah and Sheik Ahmed Sirhindi (d1624) has eclipsed in the subcontinent, it seems to have been born again in the US. Indeed, as an emerging centre of Islamic universalism and knowledge, a multicultural US in many ways parallels the subcontinent under Muslim rule centuries ago.After all, in the not too distant past, the subcontinent was one of the world’s major powers and a centre of cultural vitality, especially after Zahiruddin Babar, a Central Asian Naqshbandi Sufi founded the Moghul dynasty that lasted until 1857 whenBritish Raj replaced Moghuls. Indeed, Muslim India’s political ascendancy was only one facet of a cultural dynamism that began seeping into the subcontinent from the eighth century onwards through itinerant Sufis. A spiritual energy that later congealed in Sufi silsilas and networks throughout the subcontinent. For the masses who comprehended neither Arabic nor Persian, the official languages of the Islamic discourse, Sufism became a new force for mass culture transmitting Islam’s egalitarian spirit in local languages through songs and poetryMoreover, while Sufism furnished a creative cultural space, Sufi Khaneqahs and hospices became community centres giving free food and lodging to the home- lessand wayfarer. In his 14th century travelogue, Ibne Batuta notes the remarkable networking of Sufi lodges in India and even northern China and the hospitality these lodges offered him in his travels.Small wonder that as Sufism became a catalyst for the subcontinent’s cultural florescence —new literature, poetry, music, and a pluralistic language Urdu—itscentre of gravity from Central Asia and the Persian Arab world shifted to India. This was reflected in the emergence of Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, better known in the subcontinent as Mujadad-i-Alif Sani, renovator of the second Islamic millennium, (the Shaikh had appeared on the threshold of the new Islamic millennium). As a result, the Naqshbandi Silsila founded by Bahauddin Naqshband some three centuriesearlier in Bokhara was rejuvenated, spreading as far as Malaysia and In-donesia in the East and the Balkans and Caucasus in the West.A similar dynamic seems to be in order today: while the mostly Naqshbandi Chechens have demonstrated the velour and vigour of their pristine spirituality by defeating the Russian onslaught in Chechnya, the US has become the unexpected site for a grounds well of Islamic discourses—ground breaking studies and books, and home to scholars and thinkers from all over the world. If centuries ago Sufi masters like Ali Osman Hujweri (known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, or treasure bestowing father) and Moinuddin Chishti homed in on India as nodal points of new cultural energy, in theclosing years of the 20th century America is home to Sufi masters like Shaikh Nazim Haqqani. Dr. Javad Nurhaksh, and Maulana Nadir Angha, respectively of the Naqshbandi, Nimatullahi and Oveissi Sufi orders with branches in the US and Europe.In this sense, America’s Islamic florescence parallels Moghul India’s, when a tolerant Muslim polity transformed the subcontinent into a multicultural society open to immigrants, and that gave rise to a civilization and culture of which the Taj Mahal remains an enduring emblem.However for Pakistan today, the great irony lies in the virtual eclipse of this dy-namic heritage, even though Allama Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad All Jinnah were its 20th century expression. Drained of.Jinnah and Iqbal’s universalistic vision, Pakistan remains hostage to corruption, and religious forces who are making Islam synonymous with terrorism. Such inversion of Islam is making Pakistan a case study ofa society’s self-destructiveness, with Muslims killing each other in mosques and streets in the name of religious purity. Meanwhile, failed politicians, bank loan defaulters and illegal foreign account holders continue their shameless self-promotion as the nation’s saviours. As for Sufism many Sufi shrines have become symbols of what Iqbal has termed ‘degenerate Sufism’ and sites for gang wars of drugtraffickers.Such inversion of values is a far cry from the challenge that Jinnah left us with 5o years ago: to equip ourselves with “information, knowl-edge and enlightenment” as equal citizens of a sovereign state free of religious discrimination. In this sense, the enocmity of our failure is reflected in the depth of our cultural vacuity and intensity of religious violence.Such inversion of the founding father’s vision was poignantly summed up on Pakistan Day – in President Rafiq’s Tarrar’s doleful tone as he delivered his speech under a national flag fluttering upside down over his head.The saving grace. however was Prof. Stanley Wolpert’s lecture on Mohammad Ali Jinnah on the eve of Pakistan Day at Islamabad’s Institute of Regional Studies. The charge and fervour Wolpert’s rendition of the Quaid’s quotes generated in the overflowing audience was a testament of hope. And of the need for realising the Quaid’s vision summed up in his August 1947 address to Pakistan’s first constituent assembly “You may belong to any religion…that has nothing to do with the business of the state…there’s no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we arc all citizens and equal citizens of one state. We should keep that as our ideal and you’ll find that incourse of time, Hindus will cease to be Hindus and Muslims will cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual but in the political sense as citizens of the state.”Source————————–Ajax Blog blogging Islam Muslim mysticism poem poet poetry software song sufism sufis weblog wordpress

Kategori: alasan berdirinya paham sufisme dan kebangkitan tarikat NaqsyabandiFrom its advent, religion was beset with enemies from within and without, who tried to destroy its very foundations and pillars: sometimes through outright atheism but more often through free- thought and corruption. In general, spiritual-minded people today no longer have advisors and teachers who possess the caliber to counsel them and to train them in the teachings of the prophets and saints. Unfortunately, they do not find guides capable of leading them in the teachings of Islam on that high road of morality and ethics that constitute religion’s essential character.On the contrary, today we see cases of would-be scholars (ulema) who are not only unscholarly, but are also ignorant and sometimes even corrupt. Indeed, in many places, they have gotten the upper hand and now prominently occupy seats of religious authority. Sunk in lives of pleasure and good living, they play at the role of guiding and advising and preaching to the Muslim community but in reality they have cast aside the simple lifestyle and regimen of self-denial practiced by the Prophet (s), his Companions (r) and those of the generation immediately succeeding them.Confronted with this situation, how can we not ask: In which direction is our Umma (Community) headed?It is true that timely measures could have been taken by communities to prepare good and wise scholars whose unstained lives would have allowed them to function as models and to undertake the mission of reminding the Nation of the Prophet (s) of the message brought forth in the Qur’an and the Sunnah (Way of life of the Prophet (s)). Then, our condition would have been improved and we would have been rewarded and lifted to those stations that Allah ordained for us both in this life and in the Hereafter.The situation was not always as I have described it. On the contrary, it used to be that this sacred mission, this great service of calling the Umma to remembrance of its proper heritage framed by the Qur’an and set out in the Prophet’s Sunnah, was performed by devoted and sincere scholars of spirituality. These individuals, in time, came to be known by the name of safa, a word derived from the Arabic safa’a which means “to purify,” because of the assiduousness with which they applied themselves to holding firmly to the Sunnah and employing it to purify their character from all defects in behavior and morality.The Schools of Purification (tazkiya)We know for example, that in the first century after the Hijra, renunciation of the world (zuhd) grew as a reaction against worldliness in the society. Derived in principle from the order of Allah to His Righteous Apostle to purify people . Tariqat thus came to be a term applied to groups of individuals belonging to the school of thought pursued by a particular scholar or “shaikh,” as such a person was often called.Though these shaikhs applied different methods in training their followers, the core of each one’s program was identical. The situation was not unlike what we find in faculties of medicine and law today. The approach in different faculties may be different, but the body of law, the state of art in medicine remains essentially the same everywhere. When students graduate from these faculties, each student bears the stamp of its character. Yet, none are considered less a lawyer or doctor because their respective affiliations differ.In a similar way, the student product of a particular shaikh will bear the stamp of that shaikh’s teaching and character. Consequently, the names given to various schools of Sufi thought differ according to the names and the perspectives of their founders. This variation manifests itself in a more concrete fashion, in the different supererogatory devotions, known as awrad, ahzab or adhkar, used as the practical methodology of spiritual formation. Such differences, however, have nothing to do with the religious principle. In basic principle, the Sufi schools are essentially the same.The Sufi regimen under which individuals undertook the path to Allah, was a finely-honed itinerary which charted the course of inward and outward progress in religious faith and practice (din). Following the tradition of the Companions of the Prophet (s) who used to frequent his company named Ahl as-suffa (”the People of the Bench”), the practitioners of this regimen lived a communal life. Their dwelling-places were the mosque-schools (zawaya), border forts (ribat), and guest-houses (khaniqah) where they gathered together on specific occasions dedicated to the traditional festivals of the Islamic calendar (cid). They also gathered on a regular basis in associations for the conveying of knowledge (suhba), assemblies to invoke the names of Allah and recite the adhkar (plural of dhikr, “remembrance”) inherited from the Prophetic Tradition, and circles of study in Islamic law. Yet another reason for their gathering was to hear inspired preaching and moral exhortations (wicaz ).The shaikhs exhorted their students to actively respond to Allah and His Messenger (s), to cleanse their hearts and purify their souls from the lower desires prompted by the ego and to reform erroneous beliefs. All this was accomplished by cleaving to the Prophetic Sunnah. The methods of remembering Allah which they instilled in their students were the very same methods passed down from the Prophet (s). In this way, they propagated upright behavior both through word and deed, while they encouraged the believers to devote themselves to Allah Almighty with their whole hearts. The aim of their endeavor then was nothing less than obtaining Allah’s satisfaction and inspiring love for His Prophet (s). In short, what they aimed for was a state where God would be pleased with them even as they were pleased with God.These shaikhs therefore were the radiant beacons that dispelled darkness from a believer’s path as well as the solid cornerstones upon which the Ummah could build the foundations of an ideal society. The ideal here was the spirit of sacrifice and selflessness that characterized their every effort. These values, in time, imbued the entire social fabric of Islam.The guesthouses, for example, were more often than not found in neighborhoods of the poor and economically disadvantaged. Needless to say, for this reason they became remedies for many social ills.As a result of such teaching and training we find that many students of Sufi shaikhs graduated from their course of studies fully empowered to carry other people’s burdens, even as they strove to illumine the way of Truth. Furthermore, through their training and self-discipline they had developed the manifest and decisive will to do so. Genuine scholars and teachers of tariqat leave no stone unturned in conducting their jihad, a word which means both the physical struggle against unbelief and the spiritual struggle against the unseen allurements that trap the soul.History books are filled with the names of Sufi mujahidin (People Who Struggle) and shuhada (Martyrs) that have devoted their lives to confronting the enemies of the faith and calling mankind to the divine Presence of Allah, as well as calling back those who had deviated form the true path and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s). They accomplished this with wisdom and they were effective. Their names and stories are too numerous to list in the span of a single book, even if it had hundreds of volumes.It suffices to say that the lives of these Sufi Shaikhs are overwhelming evidence that Sufism, far from encouraging escapism and quietism that impedes social progress, upheld the highest values of social consciousness as well as religious inquiry and science. In fact, they provide adequate testimony to an unremitting jihad and struggle against social injustice and social inaction that took place over the centuries.————————–Ajax Blog blogging Islam Muslim mysticism poem poet poetry software song sufism sufis weblog wordpress

Kategori: Tarikat, tariqat, tasawuf, sufismeThe OriginIslam, as a complete code of life or din, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet MUHAMMAD (salla’Allahu alaihi wa sallam). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution of the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its teaching into distinct branches of knowledge, like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation or exegesis of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the Holy Prophet, SAW), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Tasawwuf (the inward aspect), were undertaken later. This din of Allah passed from the Holy Prophet (SAW) to his Companions in two ways the outward and the inward. The former comprised the teachings of Islam enunciated by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitting so purified their hearts as to instill in them a great love of his teachings and an ardent desire to follow them with utmost sincerity and devotion. Tasawwuf is the effort to acquire this Baraka. The Companions handed down his teachings and blessings to the Tab’ain. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both these aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Tab’ain to the Tab’a Tab’ain, the former in writing and the latter from heart to heart. The compilation of the teachings (the outward aspect) and their interpretation led to the creation of many schools of religious thought of which four have survived, namely, the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shaf’i, named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, preserve and distribute his Baraka (the inward aspect), an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Tasawwuf: The Naqshbandiah, the Qadriah, the Chishtiah, and Suharwardiah. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these orders aimed at purifying the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights, hut they adopted somewhat different means to accomplish this goal. Khawaja Naqshband (d-1389 A.C) organized the Naqshbandiah Order of Bukhara . This Order has tow main branches – the Mujaddidiah and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi, Mujaddad Alif Sani (literally reviver of the first Muslim millenium), who was successor of Khawaja Baqi Bilah, who introduced the Order to the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent. The method of zikr employed by the Naqshbandiah is “Zikr-al-Khafi-Qalbi” (contemplation of Allah’s name within the heart) and is termed “Pas an Fas”, which in Persian means guarding every breath. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawaja Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet (SAW) without a formal physical meeting. The Chain of Transmission of this Baraka, of course, must emanate from the Holy Prophet (SAW). It is prerequisite in all Sufi Orders, except the Naqshbandiah-Owaisiah, that the Shaikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of this Baraka. (from.http://www.al-ikhwan.org.pk/sufism.htm)The Object of Sufi Orders The Quran has linked success with Tazkiyah (purification). “He is successful who grows” (al A’ al 87: 14) The Sufi orders in Islam are basically the training workshops where the fundamentals of soul purification (Tazkyah) and their practical application are taught. The Sufi orders have graded programs in which initially every new seeker is educated in Zikr-al-Lisani (zikr with the tongue) and is finally taught the Zikr –al-Qalbi is practiced form the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah is greatly emphasized because through its blessings the seeker achievers better and quicker progress.Source————————–Ajax Blog blogging Islam Muslim mysticism poem poet poetry software song sufism sufis weblog wordpress

Sufism is a Mystic school of Islamic thought that includes philosophers and muslims.Sufism refers to a very diverse range of schools of Islam. Although many schools or tekkes/ tariquas can be classified as Shi’a or Sunni or even both, there are some forms of Sufism that are clearly not either Shiah or Sunni and so constitute a separate sphere of Islamic faith.Sufis believe that their teachings are the essence of every religion, and indeed of the evolution of humanity as a whole. The central concept in Sufism is “love”. Dervishes — the name given to initiates of sufi orders — believe that love is a projection of the essence of God to the universe. God desires to recognize beauty, and as if one looks at a mirror to see oneself, God “looks” at itself within the dynamics of nature. Since everything is a reflection of God, the school of Sufism practices to see the beauty inside the apparent ugly, and to open arms even to the most evil one. This infinite tolerance is expressed in the most beautiful way, perhaps, by the famous Sufi philosopher and poet Mevlana (also known as Rumi) : “Come, come, whoever you are. Worshiper, Wanderer, Lover of Leaving; ours is not a caravan of despair. Though you have broken your vows a thousand times…Come, come again, Come.”Suf (???)is the Arabic word for “wool”, in the sense of “cloak”, referring to the simple cloaks the original Sufis wore. Given the Sufis use of composing letters of words to express hidden meanings, the word is simultaneously taken to mean ‘occlusion’ and ‘enlightenment’. This reflects the fact that Sufism is at once a popular yet occult form of Islam. In fact Sofos /Sofia literally meant “wisdom” or “enlightenment” in several languages around the Middle East. Then there is the root in certain languages – ‘Saaf’ which literally means “pure,” “clean,” “blank.”Sufis teach in personal groups, believing that the intervention of the master is necessary for the growth of the pupil. They make extensive use of parables and metaphors, in such a way that the meaning is only reachable through a process of seeking for the utmost truth and knowledge of oneself.Sufi doctrinesSufi cosmologyAlthough there is no consent with regard to Sufi cosmology, one can disentangle various threads that led to the crystallization of more or less coherent mythic cosmological doctrines. The first is based on purely Quranic notions of the Afterworld (Ahiret), the Hidden (Ghayb- sometimes associated with “hidden” or “invisible” dimensions of human existence, but, more frequently with the state of God before creation or Unmanifest Absolute. Another term for the latter is “Amma”, ie. Divine Darkness) and seven-storeyed Universe explicitly referenced in the Qur’an (and cherished in prophet Mohammad’s “Miraj” or ascent to the God’s face — the powerful spiritual motif that inspired generations of later Sufis and ordinary believers). However, these relatively simple Quranic concepts that gave basic structure to Islamic worldview had soon become exposed to Neoplatonist and Gnostic influences, as well as Zoroastrian religious imagery. As a consequence, Sufism developed a welter of frequently contradictory cosmological doctrines. Nevertheless, one can point out to a few basic features:One of the most influential early Sufis, Mansur Al-Hallaj (martyred in 922. C.E. for the supposed adherence to the heterodox doctrine of “hulul” or incarnationism, according to which Divine nature can take possession or overwhelm human nature) exposed the psychospiritual doctrine of “two natures”. Technical terms were “Lahut” for the Divinity, and “Nasut” for humanity). Ironically, it seems that Al-Hallaj only affirmed the separateness between God and Man: his two natures are polar principles that cannot be mixed or fused. From these rather simple metaphors, Sufis later developed an intricate Kabbalah-like cosmology. Suhrawardi Maqtul (martyr), the highly imaginative Iranian philosopher from 12th century C.E. completed this variant of cosmology. Although nominally not a Sufi (Suhrawardi Maqtul is the founder of Ishraqi or Illuminationist school of Islamic philosophy), his expansion and revision of rudimentary concepts early Sufis had bequeathed to their esoteric posterity played the crucial role in forming the dominant Sufi mythic cosmological Weltanschauung. In his visionary cosmography old Hermetic Ptolemaic cosmos of seven onion-like spheres has dissolved and a vast spiritual universe was revealed to the later generations of Sufis. Abstract concepts of “Lahut” and “Nasut”, designating fuzzy metaphors for divinity and humanity, have grown into full-fledged worlds, or dimensions of existence, quite similar to quasi-emanationist “worlds” of Neoplatonism and Kabbalah. Shihab al-Din Suhrawardi Maqtul imagined two more worlds between physical (Alam-I-Nasut) and Divine (Alam-I-Lahut): imaginal or subtle world, corresponding to Western medieval “mundus imaginalis”- Alam-I-Malakut (literally, “world of Angels”) and world of power, Alam-I-Jabarut, resembling Platonic Nous or “world of archetypal ideas”, the source of other worlds two rungs “down” in the emanationist ladder. So, fourfold emanationist universe was conceived in this spectacular cosmography- to stay with the Sufism for later generations. The fifth “world” was equated with unknowable God’s essence and named Alam-I-Hahut (the world of “He-ness”: etymologically, Arabic root word for God with attributes or Manifest Absolute is Al-Lah or “the Divinity” (hence Lahut) and Hu (“He”) for Unmanifest Absolute, naked essence of Godhead nothing can be said about (similar to Christian polarity of Deus revelatus and Deus absconditus, or Hindu notions of Saguna and Nirguna Brahman). Yet other schools of Sufi thought came under Neoplatonist influence and operated with concepts like Aql-I-Awwal (Primary Intellect) and Nafs-I-Kulli (Universal Soul), which strictly correspond to the emanationist scheme of Plotinus and his followers. This, as well as other, more orthodox variants of Quranic Sufism, also adopted Hermetic scheme of Ptolemaic spherical cosmos with planetary spheres serving as worlds of the created universe. The fixed stars (originating in ancient Sumero-Mesophotamian tradition) were a sort of limit of Hermetic cosmos: beyond lay the Quranic “Arsh” or God’s throne. Such a picture was integrated into Sufi mythic cosmography and is very similar to the image of the universe one can find in Dante’s “Divine Comedy”.The Sufi cosmology is not a uniform and coherent doctrine. But, reading various authoritative texts, one can see that practitioners of Sufism were not much bothered with inconsistencies and contradictions that have arisen due to juxtaposition and superposition of at least three different cosmographies: Ishraqi visionary universe as expounded by Suhrawardi Maqtul, Neoplatonic view of cosmos cherished by Islamic philosophers like Ibn Sina/Avicenna (and later assimilated into majestic metaphysical edifice of Ibn al-Arabi) and Hermetic-Ptolemaic spherical geocentric world. All these doctrines (and each one of them claiming to be impeccably orthodox) were freely mixed and juxtaposed, frequently with confusing results- a situation one encounters in other esoteric doctrines, from Hebrew Kabbalah and Christian Gnosticism to Vajrayana Buddhism and Trika Shaivism.Sufi psychologyThe term “Sufi psychology” is probably a deceptive one, because it implies that there is a relatively homogenous doctrine of the psyche the majority of the Sufis would subscribe to. It is not the case. However, one can point out the terms most frequently used and expound on the meanings of these notions.Drawing from Qur’anic verses, virtually all Sufis distinguish between Nafs, Qalb, Sirr and Ruh. These concepts designate various psychospiritual “organs” or, sometimes, faculties of sensory and suprasensory perception.Nafs is usually translated as soul or psyche. Its etymology is rooted in “breath” (similar to Biblical or Kabbalistic nefesh and is common to virtually all archaic psychologies where the act of breathing was connected with life, animating otherwise lifeless object. In this respect, ancient notions of “Atman” in Hinduism (cf. German noun “Atem”, breath, respiration) or Greek “pneuma” (as well as Latin “spiritus”)-all equate the basic visible process of breathing with energizing principle that confers existence to an individual human being. Some Sufis consider under the term “Nafs” the entirety of psychological processes, encompassing whole mental, emotional and volitional life; however, the majority of Quranic-based Sufis are of the opinion that Nafs is a “lower”, egotistical and passionate human nature which, along with Tab (literally, physical nature), comprises vegetative and animal aspects of human life. Synonyms for Nafs are devil, passion, greed, avarice, ego-centredness etc. The central aim of the Sufi path is transformation of Nafs (technical term is “Tazkiya-I-Nafs” or “purgation of the soul”) from its deplorable state of ego-centredness through various psychospiritual stages to the purity and submission to the will of God. Although the majority of the Sufi orders have adopted convenient 7 maqams (maqams are permanent stages on the voyage towards spiritual transformation), and some still operate with 3 stages, the picture is clear: the Sufi’s journey begins with Nafs-I-Ammare (self-accusing soul) and ends in Nafs-I-Mutma’inna (satisfied soul)-although some Sufis’s final stage is, in their technical vocabulary, Nafs-I-Safiya wa Kamila (soul restful and perfected in God’s presence). In essence, this is almost identical to Christian paradigm of “vita purgativa” and various stages the spiritual aspirant traverses in the journey towards God.The next term, Qalb, stands for heart. In Sufi terminology, this spiritual heart (not to be confused with the pump in the breast ) is again variously described. For some, it is the seat of beatific vision. Others consider it the gate of Ishq or Divine love. Yet, for the majority, it is the battleground of two warring armies: those of Nafs and Ruh or spirit. Here, one again encounters terminological confusion: for the Sufis influenced by Neoplatonism, a “higher” part of Nafs is equated to the Aql or intellect (called Nafs-I-Natiqa) or “rational soul” and is the cental active agent in spiritual battle: Ruh or spirit, notwithstanding its name, is rather passive in this stage. In short, cleansing of the Qalb or heart is a necessary spiritual discipline for travellers on the Sufi path. The term for this process is Tazkiah-I-Qalb and the aim is the erasure of everything that stands in the way of purifying God’s love or Ishq.The third faculty is Sirr, or “the secret”, located for the majority in the middle of the chest. Emptying of the Sirr (Taqliyya-I-Sirr) is basically focusing on God’s names and attributes in perpetual remembrance or Dhikr, hence diverting one’s attention from the mundane aspects of human life and fixing it on the spiritual realm. The “emptying” signifies negation and obliteration of ego-centred human propensities.Ruh or spirit is the fourth “entity” and the second contender in the battle for human life. Again, opinions on Ruh differ among Sufis. Some deem it coeternal with God; others consider it a created entity. Be as it may, Ruh is the plateau of consensus for the majority of Sufis, especially the early ones ( before 11th/12th century C.E. ). For those Sufis with Gnostic leanings (which can be found in Bektashi or Mevlevi orders), Ruh is a soul-spark, immortal entity and transegoic “true self”, similar to the Christian concepts of “synteresis” or “Imago Dei”, or Vedantist notion of “jiva”, as well as Tibetan Buddhist “shes-pa”, principle of consciousness and Taoist “shen” or spirit. But, the majority of the Sufis would consider this an unnecessarily extravagant speculation and would stick to the more orthodox notion of dormant spiritual faculty that needs to be worked upon by constant vigil and prayer in order to achieve the Tajliyya-I-Ruh, or Illumination of the spirit. Ironically, this spiritual faculty is frequently referred to in terms one encounters in connection with Nafs- “blind” life force or life current that needs to be purified by strict religious observances in order to achieve illumination.So, in these four “organs” or faculties: Nafs, Qalb, Sirr and Ruh, and the purificative activities applied to them, the basic orthodox Sufi psychology is contained. The purification of elementary passionate nature (Tazkiya-I-Nafs), followed by cleansing of the spiritual heart so that it may acquire a mirror-like purity of reflection (Tazkiya-I-Qalb) and become the receptacle of God’s love (Ishq), fortified by emptying of egoic drives (Taqliyya-I-Sirr) and remembrance of God’s attributes (Dhikr), gloriously ending in illumination of the spirit (Tajjali-I-Ruh)- this is the essential Sufi spiritual journey. Other spiritual faculties, like Khafi (the arcane) and Akhfa (the most arcane) are employed in other Sufi orders like Naqshbandi, but this is beyond general basic consensus.Source: Wikipedia————————–Ajax Blog blogging Islam Muslim mysticism poem poet poetry software song sufism sufis weblog wordpress

“We are in the process of opening Bridges Denmark,” Soliman told IOL.By Ahmad Maher, IOL StaffCAIRO, April 10, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – After its successful “The Fog is Lifting” presentation about Islam in the Danish capital Copenhagen last month, Bridges Foundation is planning a new series starting late May.”We are going to make presentations about Islam in Copenhagen, Odense and Arhus to explain to the Danes the true values of Islam,” Bridges Director Fadel Soliman told IslamOnline.net Monday, April 10.He said the drive comes as a response to the recommendations of Danes who attended the Dialogue in a Friendly Atmosphere event, held at Copenhagen Marriott Hotel on March 27.The event brought together more than 176 Danes, the majority of whom were journalists from every media outlet in Denmark, said Egyptian-born Soliman, the former national chaplain of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) in North and Central Americas office.”In a survey after attending the Fog is Lifting presentation about Islam and Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), 55 percent of the attendees said that their respect for the Prophet has increased,” he recalled.”Seventy-six percent said they would accept to attend more presentations about Islam if invited, while 97 percent agreed that the Danish people need this type of presentation to have more understanding about the Muslim faith.”Soliman said another presentation on Knud Holmboe, a Danish Muslim journalist killed by the fascists in 1931 after filming atrocities of Italian occupation troops in Libya at the time, has appealed to the gathering.Holmpoe’s masterpiece book The Desert Counter is available now in English and Danish on his website.Bridges DenmarkSoliman, a member of the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research of the Qur’an and Sunnah, said Bridges Foundation will soon have a Copenhagen office.”We are in the process of opening Bridges Denmark, which will be a local Danish organization to promote dialogue and introduce the true values of Islam to the Danes,” he told IOL.Established in May last year, Brideges’ work is mostly done through PowerPoint presentations.The organization consists of two main divisions: Public Presenters for Peace (PPP), which has to do with presentation materials and skills, and International Institute for Training Presenters (IITP), which trains willing imams and preachers in presenting Islam to non-Muslims.The foundation also organizes “sensitivity courses,” which educate non-Muslims on how to deal with Muslims in sensitive issues.Bridges’s board of trustees includes German Muslim intellectual Murad Hofmann, Canadian Egyptian-born Gamal Badawi and award-wining British journalist Yvonne Ridley.Source————————————————-Islam Muslim Islamic banking finance insurance marriage clothing fashion software qurban Makkah & Madinah.

Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 41:
Loans, Payment of Loans, Freezing of Property, Bankruptcy

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 570:

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah:

While I was in the company of the Prophet in one of his Ghazawat, he asked, “What is wrong with your camel? Will you sell it?” I replied in the affirmative and sold it to him. When he reached Medina, I took the camel to him in the morning and he paid me its price.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 571:

Narrated Al-Amash:

When we were with Ibrahim, we talked about mortgaging in deals of Salam. Ibrahim narrated from Aswad that ‘Aisha had said, “The Prophet bought some foodstuff on credit from a Jew and mortgaged an iron armor to him.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 572:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to spoil it, then Allah will spoil him.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 573:

Narrated Abu Dhar:

Once, while I was in the company of the Prophet, he saw the mountain of Uhud and said, “I would not like to have this mountain turned into gold for me unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar remains of it with me for more than three days (i.e. I will spend all of it in Allah’s Cause), except that Dinar which I will keep for repaying debts.” Then he said, “Those who are rich in this world would have little reward in the Hereafter except those who spend their money here and there (in Allah’s Cause), and they are few in number.” Then he ordered me to stay at my place and went not far away. I heard a voice and intended to go to him but I remembered his order, “Stay at your place till I return.” On his return I said, “O Allah’s Apostle! (What was) that noise which I heard?” He said, “Did you hear anything?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Gabriel came and said to me, ‘Whoever amongst your followers dies, worshipping none along with Allah, will enter Paradise.’ ” I said, “Even if he did such-and-such things (i.e. even if he stole or committed illegal sexual intercourse)” He said, “Yes.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 574:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “If I had gold equal to the mountain of Uhud, it would not please me that it should remain with me for more than three days, except an amount which I would keep for repaying debts.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 575:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

A man demanded his debts from Allah’s Apostle in such a rude manner that the companions of the Prophet intended to harm him, but the Prophet said, “Leave him, no doubt, for he (the creditor) has the right to demand it (harshly). Buy a camel and give it to him.” They said, “The camel that is available is older than the camel he demands. “The Prophet said, “Buy it and give it to him, for the best among you are those who repay their debts handsomely. ”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 576:

Narrated Hudhaifa:

I heard the Prophet saying, “Once a man died and was asked, ‘What did you use to say (or do) (in your life time)?’ He replied, ‘I was a business-man and used to give time to the rich to repay his debt and (used to) deduct part of the debt of the poor.’ So he was forgiven (his sins.)” Abu Masud said, “I heard the same (Hadith) from the Prophet.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 577:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

A man came to the Prophet and demanded a camel (the Prophet owed him). Allah’s Apostle told his companions to give him (a camel). They said, “We do not find except an older camel (than what he demands). (The Prophet ordered them to give him that camel). The man said, “You have paid me in full and may Allah also pay you in full.” Allah’s Apostle said, “Give him, for the best amongst the people is he who repays his debts in the most handsome manner.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 578:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet owed a camel of a certain age to a man who came to demand it back. The Prophet ordered his companions to give him. They looked for a camel of the same age but found nothing but a camel one year older. The Prophet told them to give it to him. The man said, “You have paid me in full, and may Allah pay you in full.” The Prophet said, “The best amongst you is he who pays his debts in the most handsome manner.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 579:

Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah:

I went to the Prophet while he was in the Mosque. (Mis’ar thinks, that Jabir went in the forenoon.) After the Prophet told me to pray two Rakat, he repayed me the debt he owed me and gave me an extra amount.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 580:

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah:

My father was martyred on the day (of the battle) of Uhud, and he was in debt. His creditors demanded their rights persistently. I went to the Prophet (and informed him about it). He told them to take the fruits of my garden and exempt my father from the debts but they refused to do so. So, the Prophet did not give them my garden and told me that he would come to me the next morning. He came to us early in the morning and wandered among the datepalms and invoked Allah to bless their fruits. I then plucked the dates and paid the creditors, and there remained some of the dates for us.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 581:

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah:

When my father died he owed a Jew thirty Awsuq (of dates). I requested him to give me respite for repaying but he refused. I requested Allah’s Apostle to intercede with the Jew. Allah’s Apostle went to the Jew and asked him to accept the fruits of my trees in place of the debt but the Jew refused. Allah’s Apostle entered the garden of the date-palms, wandering among the trees and ordered me (saying), “Pluck (the fruits) and give him his due.” So, I plucked the fruits for him after the departure of Allah’s Apostle and gave his thirty Awsuq, and still had seventeen Awsuq extra for myself. Jabir said: I went to Allah’s Apostle to inform of what had happened, but found him praying the ‘Asr prayer. After the prayer I told him about the extra fruits which remained. Allah’s Apostle told me to inform (Umar) Ibn Al-Khatab about it. When I went to ‘Umar and told him about it, ‘Umar said, “When Allah’s Apostle walked in your garden, I was sure that Allah would definitely bless it.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 582:

Narrated ‘Aisha:

Allah’s Apostle used to invoke Allah in the prayer saying, “O Allah, I seek refuge with you from all sins, and from being in debt.” Someone said, O Allah’s Apostle! (I see you) very often you seek refuge with Allah from being in debt. He replied, “If a person is in debt, he tells lies when he speaks, and breaks his promises when he promises.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 583:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “If someone leaves some property, it will be for the inheritors, and if he leaves some weak offspring, it will be for us to support them.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 584:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “I am closer to the believers than their selves in this world and in the Hereafter, and if you like, you can read Allah’s Statement: “The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves.” (33.6) So, if a true believer dies and leaves behind some property, it will be for his inheritors (from the father’s side), and if he leaves behind some debt to be paid or needy offspring, then they should come to me as I am the guardian of the deceased.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 585:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “Procrastination (delay) in repaying debts by a wealthy person is injustice.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 586:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

A man came to the Prophet and demanded his debts and used harsh words. The companions of the Prophet wanted to harm him, but the Prophet said, “Leave him, as the creditor (owner of the right) has the right to speak.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 587:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “If a man finds his very things with a bankrupt, he has more right to take them back than anyone else.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 588:

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah:

A man pledged that his slave would be manumitted after his death. The Prophet asked, “Who will buy the slave from me?” No’aim bin ‘Abdullah bought the slave and the Prophet took its price and gave it to the owner.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 589:

Narrated Jabir:

When ‘Abdullah (my father) died, he left behind children and debts. I asked the lenders to put down some of his debt, but they refused, so I went to the Prophet to intercede with them, yet they refused. The Prophet said (to me), “Classify your dates into their different kinds: ‘Adhq bin Zaid, Lean and ‘Ajwa, each kind alone and call all the creditors and wait till I come to you.” I did so and the Prophet came and sat beside the dates and started measuring to each his due till he paid them fully, and the amount of dates remained as it was before, as if he had not touched them.

(On another occasion) I took part in one of Ghazawat among with the Prophet and I was riding one of our camels. The camel got tired and was lagging behind the others. The Prophet hit it on its back. He said, “Sell it to me, and you have the right to ride it till Medina.” When we approached Medina, I took the permission from the Prophet to go to my house, saying, “O Allah’s Apostle! I have newly married.” The Prophet asked, “Have you married a virgin or a matron (a widow or divorcee)?” I said, “I have married a matron, as ‘Abdullah (my father) died and left behind daughters small in their ages, so I married a matron who may teach them and bring them up with good manners.” The Prophet then said (to me), “Go to your family.” When I went there and told my maternal uncle about the selling of the camel, he admonished me for it. On that I told him about its slowness and exhaustion and about what the Prophet had done to the camel and his hitting it. When the Prophet arrived, I went to him with the camel in the morning and he gave me its price, the camel itself, and my share from the war booty as he gave the other people.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 590:

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:

A man came to the Prophet and said, “I am often betrayed in bargaining.” The Prophet advised him, “When you buy something, say (to the seller), ‘No deception.” The man used to say so afterwards.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 591:

Narrated Al-Mughira bin Shu’ba:

The Prophet said, “Allah has forbidden for you, (1) to be undutiful to your mothers, (2) to bury your daughters alive, (3) to not to pay the rights of the others (e.g. charity, etc.) and (4) to beg of men (begging). And Allah has hated for you (1) vain, useless talk, or that you talk too much about others, (2) to ask too many questions, (in disputed religious matters) and (3) to waste the wealth (by extravagance).

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 592:

Narrated Abdullah bin ‘Umar:

I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “Everyone of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is in his custody. The ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them; a husband is a guardian of his family and is responsible for it; a lady is a guardian of her husband’s house and is responsible for it, and a servant is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for it.” I heard that from Allah’s Apostle and I think that the Prophet also said, “A man is a guardian of is father’s property and is responsible for it, so all of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and things under your care.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 593:

Narrated ‘Abdullah:

I heard a man reciting a verse (of the Holy Qur’an) but I had heard the Prophet reciting it differently. So, I caught hold of the man by the hand and took him to Allah’s Apostle who said, “Both of you are right.” Shu’ba, the sub-narrator said, “I think he said to them, “Don’t differ, for the nations before you differed and perished (because of their differences). ”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 594:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Two persons, a Muslim and a Jew, quarrelled. The Muslim said, “By Him Who gave Muhammad superiority over all the people! The Jew said, “By Him Who gave Moses superiority over all the people!” At that the Muslim raised his hand and slapped the Jew on the face. The Jew went to the Prophet and informed him of what had happened between him and the Muslim. The Prophet sent for the Muslim and asked him about it. The Muslim informed him of the event. The Prophet said, “Do not give me superiority over Moses, for on the Day of Resurrection all the people will fall unconscious and I will be one of them, but I will. be the first to gain consciousness, and will see Moses standing and holding the side of the Throne (of Allah). I will not know whether (Moses) has also fallen unconscious and got up before me, or Allah has exempted him from that stroke.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 595:

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

While Allah’s Apostle was sitting, a Jew came and said, “O Abul Qasim! One of your companions has slapped me on my face.” The Prophet asked who that was. He replied that he was one of the Ansar. The Prophet sent for him, and on his arrival, he asked him whether he had beaten the Jew. He (replied in the affirmative and) said, “I heard him taking an oath in the market saying, ‘By Him Who gave Moses superiority over all the human beings.’ I said, ‘O wicked man! (Has Allah given Moses superiority) even over Muhammad I became furious

and slapped him over his face.” The Prophet said, “Do not give a prophet superiority over another, for on the Day of Resurrection all the people will fall unconscious and I will be the first to emerge from the earth, and will see Moses standing and holding one of the legs of the Throne. I will not know whether Moses has fallen unconscious or the first unconsciousness was sufficient for him.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 596:

Narrated Anas:

A Jew crushed the head of a girl between two stones. The girl was asked who had crushed her head, and some names were mentioned before her, and when the name of the Jew was mentioned, she nodded agreeing. The Jew was captured and when he confessed, the Prophet ordered that his head be crushed between two stones.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 597:

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:

A man was often cheated in buying. The Prophet said to him, “When you buy something, say (to the seller), No cheating.” The man used to say so thenceforward .

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 598:

Narrated Jabir: A man manumitted a slave and he had no other property than that, so the Prophet cancelled the manumission (and sold the slave for him). No’aim bin Al-Nahham bought the slave from him.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 599:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud:

Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever takes a false oath so as to take the property of a Muslim (illegally) will meet Allah while He will be angry with him.” Al-Ash’ath said: By Allah, that saying concerned me. I had common land with a Jew, and the Jew later on denied my ownership, so I took him to the Prophet who asked me whether I had a proof of my ownership. When I replied in the negative, the Prophet asked the Jew to take an oath. I said, “O Allah’s Apostle! He will take an oath and deprive me of my property.” So, Allah revealed the following verse: “Verily! Those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah’s covenant and their oaths.” (3.77)

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 600:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Ka’b bin Malik:

Ka’b demanded his debt back from Ibn Abi Hadrad in the Mosque and their voices grew louder till Allah’s Apostle heard them while he was in his house. He came out to them raising the curtain of his room and addressed Ka’b, “O Ka’b!” Ka’b replied, “Labaik, O Allah’s Apostle.” (He said to him), “Reduce your debt to one half,” gesturing with his hand. Kab said, “I have done so, O Allah’s Apostle!” On that the Prophet said to Ibn Abi Hadrad, “Get up and repay the debt, to him.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 601:

Narrated ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab:

I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to that of mine. Allah’s Apostle had taught it to me (in a different way). So, I was about to quarrel with him (during the prayer) but I waited till he finished, then I tied his garment round his neck and seized him by it and brought him to Allah’s Apostle and said, “I have heard him reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to the way you taught it to me.” The Prophet ordered me to release him and asked Hisham to recite it. When he recited it, Allah s Apostle said, “It was revealed in this way.” He then asked me to recite it. When I recited it, he said, “It was revealed in this way. The Qur’an has been revealed in seven different ways, so recite it in the way that is easier for you.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 602:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “No doubt, I intended to order somebody to pronounce the Iqama of the (compulsory congregational) prayer and then I would go to the houses of those who do not attend the prayer and burn their houses over them.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 603:

Narrated Aisha:

Abu bin Zam’a and Sad bin Abi Waqqas carried the case of their claim of the (ownership) of the son of a slave-qirl of Zam’a before the Prophet. Sad said, “O Allah’s Apostle! My brother, before his death, told me that when I would return (to Mecca), I should search for the son of the slave-girl of Zam’a and take him into my custody as he was his son.” ‘Abu bin Zam’a said, ‘the is my brother and the son of the slave-girl of my father, and was born or my father’s bed.” The Prophet noticed a resemblance between Utba and the boy but he said, “O ‘Abu bin Zam’a! You will get this boy, as the son goes to the owner of the bed. You, Sauda, screen yourself from the boy.”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 604:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle sent horsemen to Najd and they arrested and brought a man called Thumama bin Uthal, the chief of Yamama, and they fastened him to one of the pillars of the Mosque. When Allah’s Apostle came up to him; he asked, “What have you to say, O Thumama?” He replied, “I have good news, O Muhammad!” Abu Huraira narrated the whole narration which ended with the order of the Prophet “Release him!”

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 605:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet sent some horsemen to Najd and they arrested and brought a man called Thumama bin Uthal from the tribe of Bani Hanifa, and they fastened him to one of the pillars of the Mosque.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 606:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Ka’b bin Malik Al-Ansari from Ka’b bin Malik:

That ‘Abdullah bin Abi Hadrad Al-Aslami owed him some debt. Ka’b met him and caught hold of him and they started talking and their voices grew loudest. The Prophet passed by them and addressed Ka’b, pointing out to him to reduce the debt to one half. So, Ka’b got one half of the debt and exempted the debtor from the other half.

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 607:

Narrated Khabbab:

I was a blacksmith In the Pre-lslamic period of ignorance, and ‘Asi bin Wail owed me some money. I went to him to demand it, but he said to me, “I will not pay you unless you reject faith in Muhammad.” I replied, “By Allah, I will never disbelieve Muhammad till Allah let you die and then resurrect you.” He said, “Then wait till I die and come to life again, for then I will be given property and offspring and will pay your right.” So, thus revelation came: “Have you seen him who disbelieved in Our signs and yet says, ‘I will be given property and offspring?’ ” (19.77)

Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 40:
Distribution of Water

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 541:

Narrated Sahl bin Sad:

A tumbler (full of milk or water) was brought to the Prophet who drank from it, while on his right side there was sitting a boy who was the youngest of those who were present and on his left side there were old men. The Prophet asked, “O boy, will you allow me to give it (i.e. the rest of the drink) to the old men?” The boy said, “O Allah’s Apostle! I will not give preference to anyone over me to drink the rest of it from which you have drunk.” So, the Prophet gave it to him.

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 542:

Narrated Az-Zuhri:

Anas bin Malik said, that once a domestic sheep was milked for Allah’s Apostle while he was in the house of Anas bin Malik. The milk was mixed with water drawn from the well in Anas’s house. A tumbler of it was presented to Allah’s Apostle who drank from it. Then Abu Bakr was sitting on his left side and a bedouin on his right side. When the Prophet removed the tumbler from his mouth, ‘Umar was afraid that the Prophet might give it to the bedouin, so he said. “O Allah’s Apostle! Give it to Abu Bakr who is sitting by your side.” But the Prophet gave it to the bedouin, who was to his right and said, “You should start with the one on your right side.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 543:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “Do not withhold the superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 544:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

that Allah’s Apostle said, “Do not withhold the superfluous water in order to withhold the superfluous grass.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 545:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “No bloodmoney will be charged if somebody dies in a mine or in a well or is killed by an animal; and if somebody finds a treasure in his land he has to give one-fifth of it to the Government.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 546:

Narrated ‘Abdullah (bin Mas’ud):

The Prophet said, “Whoever takes a false oath to deprive somebody of his property will meet Allah while He will be angry with him.” Allah revealed: ‘Verily those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah’s covenant, and their oaths.’ ……..(3.77)

Al-Ash’ath came (to the place where ‘Abdullah was narrating) and said, “What has Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman (i.e. Abdullah) been telling you? This verse was revealed concerning me. I had a well in the land of a cousin of mine. The Prophet asked me to bring witnesses (to confirm my claim). I said, ‘I don’t have witnesses.’ He said, ‘Let the defendant take an oath then.’ I said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! He will take a (false) oath immediately.’ Then the Prophet mentioned the above narration and Allah revealed the verse to confirm what he had said.” (See Hadith No. 692)

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 547:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “There are three persons whom Allah will not look at on the Day of Resurrection, nor will he purify them and theirs shall be a severe punishment. They are:

1. A man possessed superfluous water, on a way and he withheld it from travelers.

2. A man who gave a pledge of allegiance to a ruler and he gave it only for worldly benefits. If the ruler gives him something he gets satisfied, and if the ruler withholds something from him, he gets dissatisfied.

3. And man displayed his goods for sale after the ‘Asr prayer and he said, ‘By Allah, except Whom None has the right to be worshipped, I have been given so much for my goods,’ and somebody believes him (and buys them).”

The Prophet then recited: “Verily! Those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah’s Covenant and their oaths.” (3.77)

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 548:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Az-Zubair:

An Ansari man quarrelled with Az-Zubair in the presence of the Prophet about the Harra Canals which were used for irrigating the date-palms. The Ansari man said to Az-Zubair, “Let the water pass’ but Az-Zubair refused to do so. So, the case was brought before the Prophet who said to Az-Zubair, “O Zubair! Irrigate (your land) and then let the water pass to your neighbor.” On that the Ansari got angry and said to the Prophet, “Is it because he (i.e. Zubair) is your aunt’s son?” On that the color of the face of Allah’s Apostle changed (because of anger) and he said, “O Zubair! Irrigate (your land) and then withhold the water till it reaches the walls between the pits round the trees.” Zubair said, “By Allah, I think that the following verse was revealed on this occasion”: “But no, by your Lord They can have No faith Until they make you judge In all disputes between them.” (4.65)

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 549:

Narrated ‘Urwa:

When a man from the Ansar quarrelled with AzZubair, the Prophet said, “O Zubair! Irrigate (your land) first and then let the water flow (to the land of the others).” “On that the Ansari said, (to the Prophet), “It is because he is your aunt’s son.” On that the Prophet said, “O Zubair! Irrigate till the water reaches the walls between the pits around the trees and then stop (i.e. let the water go to the other’s land).” I think the following verse was revealed concerning this event: “But no, by your Lord They can have No faith Until they make you judge In all disputes between them.” (4.65)

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 550:

Narrated ‘Urwa bin Az-Zubair:

An-Ansari man quarrelled with Az-Zubair about a canal in the Harra which was used for irrigating date-palms. Allah’s Apostle, ordering Zubair to be moderate, said, “O Zubair! Irrigate (your land) first and then leave the water for your neighbor.” The Ansari said, “Is it because he is your aunt’s son?” On that the color of the face of Allah’s Apostle changed and he said, “O Zubair! Irrigate (your land) and withhold the water till it reaches the walls that are between the pits around the trees.” So, Allah’s Apostle gave Zubair his full right. Zubair said, “By Allah, the following verse was revealed in that connection”: “But no, by your Lord They can have No faith Until they make you judge In all disputes between them.” (4.65)

(The sub-narrator,) Ibn Shihab said to Juraij (another sub-narrator), “The Ansar and the other people interpreted the saying of the Prophet, ‘Irrigate (your land) and with-hold the water till it reaches the walls between the pits around the trees,’ as meaning up to the ankles.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 551:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “While a man was walking he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, ‘This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving (the) animals?” He replied, “Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 552:

Narrated Asma’ bint Abi Bakr:

The Prophet prayed the eclipse prayer, and then said, “Hell was displayed so close that I said, ‘O my Lord ! Am I going to be one of its inhabitants?”‘ Suddenly he saw a woman. I think he said, who was being scratched by a cat. He said, “What is wrong with her?” He was told, “She had imprisoned it (i.e. the cat) till it died of hunger.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 553:

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar:

Allah’s Apostle said, “A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger.” Allah’s Apostle further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), ‘You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 554:

Narrated Sahl bin Sad:

Once a tumbler (full of milk or water) was brought to Allah’s Apostle who drank from it, while on his right side there was sitting a boy who was the youngest of those who were present, and on his left side there were old men. The Prophet asked, “O boy ! Do you allow me to give (the drink) to the elder people (first)?” The boy said, “I will not prefer anybody to have my share from you, O Allah’s Apostle!” So, he gave it to the boy.

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 555:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people out from my (sacred) Fount on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 556:

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:

The Prophet said, “May Allah be merciful to the mother of Ishmael! If she had left the water of Zam-Zam (fountain) as it was, (without constructing a basin for keeping the water), (or said, “If she had not taken handfuls of its water”), it would have been a flowing stream. Jurhum (an Arab tribe) came and asked her, ‘May we settle at your dwelling?’ She said, ‘Yes, but you have no right to possess the water.’ They agreed.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 557:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “There are three types of people whom Allah will neither talk to, nor look at, on the Day of Resurrection. (They are):

1. A man who takes an oath falsely that he has been offered for his goods so much more than what he is given,

2. a man who takes a false oath after the ‘Asr prayer in order to grab a Muslim’s property, and

3. a man who with-holds his superfluous water. Allah will say to him, “Today I will with-hold My Grace from you as you with-held the superfluity of what you had not created.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 558:

Narrated As-Sab bin Jaththama:

Allah’s Apostle said, No Hima except for Allah and His Apostle. We have been told that Allah’s Apostle made a place called An-Naqi’ as Hima, and ‘Umar made Ash-Sharaf and Ar-Rabadha Hima (for grazing the animals of Zakat).

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 559:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “Keeping horses may be a source of reward to some (man), a shelter to another (i.e. means of earning one’s living), or a burden to a third. He to whom the horse will be a source of reward is the one who keeps it in Allah’s Cause (prepare it for holy battles) and ties it by a long rope in a pasture (or a garden). He will get a reward equal to what its long rope allows it to eat in the pasture or the garden, and if that horse breaks its rope and crosses one or two hills, then all its foot-steps and its dung will be counted as good deeds for its owner; and if it passes by a river and drinks from it, then that will also be regarded as a good deed for its owner even if he has had no intention of watering it then. Horses are a shelter from poverty to the second person who keeps horses for earning his living so as not to ask others, and at the same time he gives Allah’s right (i.e. Rakat) (from the wealth he earns through using them in trading etc.,) and does not overburden them. He who keeps horses just out of pride and for showing off and as a means of harming the Muslims, his horses will be a source of sins to him.” When Allah’s Apostle was asked about donkeys, he replied, “Nothing particular was revealed to me regarding

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 560:

Narrated Zaid bin Khalid:

A man came to Allah’s Apostle and asked about Al-Luqata (a fallen thing). The Prophet said, “Recognize its container and its tying material and then make a public announcement about it for one year and if its owner shows up, give it to him; otherwise use it as you like.” The man said, “What about a lost sheep?” The Prophet said, “It is for you, your brother or the wolf.” The man said “What about a lost camel?” The Prophet said, “Why should you take it as it has got its water-container (its stomach) and its hooves and it can reach the places of water and can eat the trees till its owner finds it?”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 561:

Narrated Az-Zubair bin Al ‘Awwam:

The Prophet said, “No doubt, one had better take a rope (and cut) and tie a bundle of wood and sell it whereby Allah will keep his face away (from Hell-fire) rather than ask others who may give him or not.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 562:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “No doubt, you had better gather a bundle of wood and carry it on your back (and earn your living thereby) rather than ask somebody who may give you or not.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 563:

Narrated Husain bin Ali:

Ali bin Abi Talib said: “I got a she-camel as my share of the war booty on the day (of the battle) of Badr, and Allah’s Apostle gave me another she-camel. I let both of them kneel at the door of one of the Ansar, intending to carry Idhkhir on them to sell it and use its price for my wedding banquet on marrying Fatima. A goldsmith from Bam Qainqa’ was with me. Hamza bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib was in that house drinking wine and a lady singer was reciting: “O Hamza! (Kill) the (two) fat old she camels (and serve them to your guests).”

So Hamza took his sword and went towards the two she-camels and cut off their humps and opened their flanks and took a part of their livers.” (I said to Ibn Shihab, “Did he take part of the humps?” He replied, “He cut off their humps and carried them away.”) ‘Ali further said, “When I saw that dreadful sight, I went to the Prophet and told him the news. The Prophet came out in the company of Zaid bin Haritha who was with him then, and I too went with them. He went to Hamza and spoke harshly to him. Hamza looked up and said, ‘Aren’t you only the slaves of my forefathers?’ The Prophet retreated and went out. This incident happened before the prohibition of drinking.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 564:

Narrated Anas:

The Prophet decided to grant a portion of (the uncultivated land of) Bahrain to the Ansar. The Ansar said, “(We will not accept it) till you give a similar portion to our emigrant brothers (from Quraish).” He said, “(O Ansar!) You will soon see people giving preference to others, so remain patient till you meet me (on the Day of Resurrection).

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 565:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “One of the rights of a she camel is that it should be milked at a place of water.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 566:

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:

The Prophet permitted selling the dates of the ‘Araya for ready dates by estimating the amount of the former (as they are still on the trees).

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 567:

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah:

The Prophet forbade the sales called Al-Mukhabara, Al-Muhaqala and Al-Muzabana and the selling of fruits till they are free from blights. He forbade the selling of the fruits except for money, except the ‘Araya.

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 568:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet allowed the sale of the dates of the ‘Araya for ready dates by estimating the former which should be estimated as less than five Awsuq or five Awsuq. (Dawud, the sub-narrator is not sure as to the right amount.)

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 569:

Narrated Rafi ‘bin Khadij and Sahl bin Al Hathma:

Allah’s Apostle forbade the sale of Muzabana, i.e. selling of fruits for fruits, except in the case of ‘Araya; he allowed the owners of ‘Araya such kind of sale.