Being Heartbroken

Your earthly lover can be charming and coquettish but never very faithful.
The true love is the one who on your final day opens a thousand doors.
[Maulana Rumi]

Was listening to someone today and realised how hurtful it is to have your heart broken. It got me thinking of the first time that my heart was broken and on reflection I’m grateful to Allah for the occassion cos there’s more baraka in having the heart broken than there is in us not experiencing that moment - cos that’s what it is.. “a moment” that will pass by His Grace, though we fail to recognise that whilst in that state.

We all got to mourn the loss of those we have in our lives as this is a natural state. However, people come and go, so instead of pondering over the disputes you have with them whilst they are alive, think of the goodness in them instead and share in that moment. And if you’re heartbroken then verily Allah is with you and surely in that fact there is good and there is hope. As Maulana Rumi rightfully said: “Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”

 

The Call of Yemen…

The first time I heard of Yemen was on an American sitcom where one of the characters books a ticket to go to Yemen in order to escape from his nagging partner. Didn’t really understand where Yemen was at the time but thought it must be an awesome place filled with serenity if that’s where the character was going to “escape” and also because people who say “yeah man” are pretty chilled out and take life easy. For those thinking “sister, you’ve truly lost the plot” - in my defence, I was very little at that age and for sure wasn’t aware of the need to be an “Arif”.

Possibly about 8 years on from that episode and I’m becoming more aware of this beautiful country called Yemen and the blessings of it. In particular the strange pull I have towards it - more than likely down to the fact that when you learn from such beautiful Habaib and Shayukh you’re naturally drawn to what they’re drawn to. May Allah encapsulate them in His Tawfeeq and Mahabba such that The Goodness our teachers receive from Him is transpired to all of us and only aids in elevating our states in the hereafter. Allahumma Ameen.

Every year there’s a programme called The Dowra, a 40 day intensive Learning Programme with the Habaib and Shayukh of Tarim, Hadramaut, teaching all parts of the Islamic curriculum from Hadith, Da’wah Methodology, Seerah, Shamail and Fiqh just to name a few.

Two years ago we had a yearning to go but knew it wasn’t possible due to our dear father falling severely ill and so instead we went to Pakistan to look after him (keep him in your much needed duas please), and then a year ago we were fortunate enough to be ill our-self but by His Grace were able to listen to some of the lessons being broad-casted online. This year I’ve been made aware of the subtleties of my situation which require me to stay in the UK before I can set out but Insha’Allah I hope to go when Tarim calls me to come. I’m sure that one day, if it’s not doing so already, it will call for me and this student will humbly take up the offer and sit with those we’ve dreamt of learning from. Insha’Allah when the invite comes.

So what’s the point of this thread then - even though this student can’t attend we’d still like to urge any of you who can make it, to go and bring back the light from your studies in Tarim … of course, first with the ijazat from the Habaib & Shayukh. There’s much benefit in the doors of Tarim being open and so when you enter please enter with salaam and good etiquette cos that’s the first basis of being a guest.

Information is as follows:

The Dowra Summer 2008
40 Day Intensive Course
1st July 2008 - 10th August 2008

• Teachers
• Activities
• Application Form (deadline is the 20th May 2008 or until all the seats for the Dowra Programme have been filled up)

If anyone would like to share their experiences of your time in previous Dowra Programmes then this student would love to hear from you.

Take care, keep smiling, and wasalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah

 

Do You Love Me?

Do You Love Me?

{MAULANA RUMI}

A lover asked his beloved,
Do you love yourself more
than you love me?

The beloved replied,
I have died to myself
and I live for you.

I’ve disappeared from myself
and my attributes.
I am present only for you.

I have forgotten all my learning,
but from knowing you
I have become a scholar.

I have lost all my strength,
but from your power
I am able.

If I love myself
I love you.
If I love you
I love myself.

 

A year on with SunniPath (uh oh)

I am drunk and you are drunk, who is going to take us home?
I told you a hundred times drink a cup or two less.
[Maulana Rumi]

Uh oh… here she goes again speaking about her undying love for SunniPath and how much weight she’s put on after digesting all those chocolates

No, seriously, that’s what I’m going to talk about as it’s been a year (in course terms) that we’ve been fortunate enough to hover around the SunniPath Office, take in the oudh, and embrace the warmth of how to serve Allah better.

A year makes enough time for reflection… something that Shaykh AbdulKareem always reminds me to do. So on reflection… Alhumdulillah we’ve become more drunk on His Mahabba, less worthy of your affections, and increasingly wary of how much I still want to learn but yet so thankful to SunniPath for helping to lighten the lamp in my heart in seeking knowledge.

A year on and we’d like to think that we’ve matured a lot… ok maybe just a little bit. We know after taking Shaykh AbdulKareems The Lives of Man course we’ve become more aware of how close the timing of death could be and how we need to use our time here in this short life to the best of our ability. Reconnecting to our Purpose in Life Seminar with Usatadha Noura Shamma, Ustadha Zaynab Ansari and Shaykh AbdulKareem Yahya revitalised the XX Chromosome in me whilst taking Ustadha Hedaya Hartford’s Introduction to Menstruation and Related Issues (Hanafi) was an eye opener to how little I really knew. Basic Arabic Reading with Sidi AbuOmar (he Masha’Allah has to be the liveliest teacher on SunniPath alongside Shaykh AbdulKareem) was also an eye opener and yet was fully enjoyed. Shaykh Hamza Karamali and Sidi Farid Dingle’s excellent activities in the Introduction to Arabic as well as short courses such as the Hadith or Fiqh? course and Supplications of the Daily Prayer were exceedingly beneficial. I’ll always remember the day that Shaykh Hamza placed a picture of a donkey on one of the slides to make us think outside of our own confusion. It’s also been beneficial to revisit my notes on The Introduction to Fasting and Ramadhan by Shaykh Sohail Hanif in order to better equip myself for the blessed month. Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and Ustadha Zaynab have done an excellent service in simplifying The 77 Branches of Faith - a course we hope to take again in order to gain more insight Insha’Allah. And this student will never forget the excellent support she has received from Habib Umar (may Allah preserve him) and Shaykh AbdulKareem in seeing that this pauper’s character is improved such that over the last year of me taking and retaking the Attaining Good Character course (mainly out of enjoyment and tazkiyya being a long term plan) I still find mysteries in the course material that I can implement and improve myself further with. Shukar’Allah for the Habaib and the Shayukh.

We’ve made a lot of good friends through this work and we’re grateful to Allah for the gems we’ve been blessed with. I don’t want this to turn out to a “thanks to…” section because am wary that there are a lot of people in SunniPath who make this pauper smile for one reason or another and those memories will be kept in my treasure chest for safekeeping. However, I would like to sincerely thank the CEO Sidi Imran Chowdhury for the opportunity to serve Allah and for being such a fatherly support in the transition this pauper has made. Also a sincere thank you to the Shayukh, the CAs/TAs, and the Masha’Allah efficient SunniPath Administration working in the background who have allowed this lame pauper to just be herself and spread the smiles around the world without thinking (or letting me know) that I’m being a tad bit loony.

What people don’t see of the SunniPath Office is that they’re not only GhostBusters, SuperIT Maniacs, Poetic Painters, and Creative Cooks but they’re also fathers/mothers/brothers/sisters/uncles/aunts/sons/daughters to special people and most importantly they are His servants high on His Mahabba. May Allah be pleased with them all. Allahumma Ameen.

Love you all for The Love of Allah… and we can’t wait for Spring 2008 term to begin (Insha’Allah on 7th February)… Subhan’Allah there’s still some time to register for those courses we want to take in the next term.

Related Article: Why SunniPath?

 

A Slap to Reality…

Asalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah,

Today in my complete cranky state I had a go at a lot of people who in essence do actually mean a lot to me. They possibly just looked at me thinking “err what did you do with asma?” and out of the excellent personality that they have they most likely gave me 70 excuses and shrugged my moody behaviour away. However, I am my own critic, and I knew something wasn’t right with me, just couldn’t figure out what… so after realising that something wasn’t right with my manners we searched for a solution.

Shaykh AbdulKareem (may Allah preserve him with His Tawfeeq. Allahumma Ameen) reminded us of the early days when we were just learning which woke us up to the reality that everyone has their own paths and struggles. And then the words of Maulana Rumi (may Allah be pleased with him. Allahumma Ameen) came to mind, like a slap to the face to wake this pauper up from her mess, and he said:

My dear heart never think you are better than others.
Listen to their sorrows with compassion.
If you want peace, don’t harbour bad thoughts,
do not gossip and don’t teach what you do not know.
[Maulana Rumi]

Subhan’Allah my heart finally feels clearer and cleaner. To all those who got my impolite self today please forgive me. There’s really no excuse for snapping at you… even if I’m becoming restless, impatient, and struggling with quite a lot on my plate at the moment, you still deserve a lot of respect and compassion which this pauper failed to offer you today.

Please forgive me and keep this deficient soul in your much needed duas.

Wasalaam alaykum wa rahmatullah.