Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
13 July 2013 Fenton Zawiya, Michigan
Suhbah after Fajr
A`oodhu billahi min ash-Shaytaani 'r-rajeem. Bismillahi 'r-Rahmaani 'r-Raheem.
Nawaytu 'l-arba`een, nawaytu 'l-`itikaaf, nawaytu 'l-khalwah, nawaytu 'l-`uzlah,
nawaytu 'r-riyaadah, nawaytu 's-sulook, lillahi ta`alaa fee haadha 'l-masjid,
masjid al-fuqaraa lillaahi ta`ala.
Allahu al-Ghaniyy! Allah’s Richness cannot be limited, His Greatness cannot be limited and His Generosity cannot be limited. That is why no one can partner with Him, no one can associate with Him as everyone is a servant to Allah (swt).
We mentioned in the previous session that Allah (swt) said in Holy Qur’an:
يُؤتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَاء وَمَن يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلاَّ أُوْلُواْ الأَلْبَابِ
Yoo’tee al-hikmata man yashaau wa man yoo’ta ’l-hikmata faqad ootiya khayran katheeran wa maa yadhdhakkaru illaa ooloo ‘l-albaab.
He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding. (Surat al-Baqarah, 2:269)
“Anyone to whom Allah gives wisdom,” which means that Allah is happy with that person as wisdom will only indicate one thing, which Sayyidina `Ali (r) mentioned to the Sahaabah (r), that the whole Qur’an, which consists of 6,666 verses, points to one direction. Although some scholars say that there are 6,236 verses, but we take from the majority of scholars, those scholars in the previous period. So all the 6,666 verses indicate one major principle: there is no one who can be united with Allah (swt) and no one can be with Allah in the physical meaning. That means there is no acceptance of wahdat al-wujood in Islam, the combination of existence, the Unity with Allah; there is no such thing as Allah is laa shareeka lahu! So the one to whom Allah gives wisdom understands that there is no unity with Allah (swt).
Those who speak about unity are not understanding the reality of Islam. The one who knows wisdom, hikmat, as Sayyidina `Ali (r) said to the Sahaabah (r), it’s based on one thing: that you always fear from the one who is above you, is it not? You do not fear the one below you, but the one above as they might harm you. Above all these universes, Who is The One that owns them? We must fear Him, as everything is in His Hands and He owns everything! That is why Sayyidina `Ali (r) said that Holy Qur’an is indicating one thing: fear of Allah (swt) as He is the Creator and you are the servant.
راس الحكمة مخاة الله
Raas al-hikmata makhaafatullah.
The head of wisdom is fear of Allah (swt).
When you can understand that fear you can polish all your bad manners, so wisdom takes you to manners. Without wisdom you have no manners and without manners you have no wisdom. It is a basic principle in Islam that wisdom equals or gives you good manners. No good manners, no wisdom. So then everyone has the tendency to judge themselves whether they have wisdom or not by judging their manners, (asking themselves), “Do I have manners or I don’t have manners? If I think I do, then I have wisdom. If I feel that I have no manners, then I have no wisdom."
Do you really accept that your ego has manners? Do you really accept that our egos are clean from dirtiness? No way! That is why our wisdom is shaky. I do not want to say that there is no wisdom, but that wisdom is barely above zero, barely. It might even be minus zero!
That is our problem and our situation that we are falling in. That is why it is said,`alaa anna ‘l-hikmata fee istilaahi ‘l-qur’aan wa ta`abeerihi lahaa silatun `ameeqatun watheeqatun bi ’l-akhlaaq, “Wisdom, according to the explanation of Holy Qur’an, has a very deep and strong relationship with good manners.” That is why when Sayyida `Ayesha (r) was asked about the moral excellence and manners of the Prophet (s), “Kayfa khuluq an-Nabi (s)?” she said just two words that were enough for the Sahaabah (r) and everyone to understandn which has been narrated by Muslim. She said:
كَانَ خُلقُهُ القُرءان
Kaana khuluquhu ‘l-qur’aan.
His character was the Qur’an. (Muslim)
His manners were the Holy Qur’an. That means everything in Holy Qur’an that Allah revealed to the Prophet (s), everything of the 6, 666 verses in Holy Qur’an scholars can pull out a description of the Prophet’s (s) good manners and characters. Imagine, think about it. Kaana khuluquhu ‘l-qur’an, “His manners were the Holy Qur’an.” So this means that the reality and secrets of 6,666 verses ar in the heart of the Prophet (s). That is why Allah (swt) said:
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِي
Wa innaka la-`alaa khuluqin `azheem.
You are of the most exalted character. (Surat al-Qalam, 68:4)
Allah is saying, “You are of greatest, most tremendous characters and manners because your manners and your character, yaa Muhammad (s), are the Holy Qur’an, kaana khuluquhu ‘l-qur’aan.
So what is greater than the Holy Qur'an? Is there anything in this Creation? The Holy Qur’an is not created and is Allah’s Ancient Words, and Allah’s Greatness is above everything. Everything is under Allah’s Greatness, everything in this universe, and even though this universe is so perfect it is still under Allah’s Creation as it cannot be greater than the Creator. The Creation cannot be greater than the Creator. The Holy Qur’an is Allah’s Ancient Words, which means they are not created like the universe, the Heavens, galaxies, stars, Earth, trees, whatever planets you are seeing, nature, deserts, jungles, under sea, under oceans, living species, fish...everything that you can imagine that is created is not yet a drop from what we understand of the Creation! The Greatness of Allah cannot be described through His Creation, still creation is coming and never ending, and the Holy Qur’an is still above them all. So it means what do these 6,666 verses contain? Whatever they contain of secrets, they describe the manners of the Prophet (s)!
Sayyida `Ayesha (r) said, “Kaana khuluquhu ‘l-qur’an,” not “Kaana khuluquhu ’l-qur’an.” She said, “Kaana khuluquhu al-qur’an,” khuluquhu, which means Allah dressed him with the Holy Words of Allah (swt), he became perfect. When Allah dressed him with the revelation of Holy Qur’an when he was a prophet and when Sayyidina Adam (a) was between soul and body or between water and clay, Allah dressed him with the Holy Qur’an.
كنت نبي و ادم بين الماء و الطين
Kuntu Nabiyyin wa adamu bayna 'l-maa'i wa 't-teen,
I was a prophet when Adam was between water and clay.
كنت نبيا وآدم بين الروح والجسد
Kuntu nabiyyan wa adam bayna ’r-roohi wa ’l-jasad.
I was a prophet while Adam was between soul and body.
Allah (swt) dressed the Prophet (s) with Holy Qur'an:
حم وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِين إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِين فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيم أ َمْرًا مِّنْ عِندِنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ ِ
Haa. Meem. wa ’l-kitaabi ’l-mubeen innaa anzalnaahu fee laylatin mubaarakatin innaa kunnaa mundhireen feehaa yufraqu kullu amrin hakeem amran min `indinaa innaa kunnaa mursileen.
Haa. Meem. By the Book that makes things clear, We sent it down during a blessed night for We (ever) wish to warn (against evil). In the (night) is made distinct every affair of wisdom by Command from Our Presence for We (ever) send (revelations). (Surat ad-Dukhan, 44:1-5)
Innaa anzalnaahu fee laylatin mubaarakatin, "We sent it down on a blessed night." Why “layla," why "in a night," but why not, innaa anzalnaahu fee nahaarin mubaarakatin? “We revealed the Holy Qur’an on Prophet (s) on a laylatin mubaarakatin, a blessed night.” It means, “We have revealed the Holy Qur'an to Prophet (s) when everything was in `adam, the state of non-existence,” described as “darkness,” not darkness of sins, but darkness that there is nothing before it, no existence. So the interpretation of this verse is, “We have revealed when there was no Creation except the creation of the Light of Prophet (s), We dressed him with the Heavenly Dress of Holy Qur'an." That is big! It means where there was nothing!
الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ
Ar-Rahmaan. `Allama 'l-qur'an. Khalaqa 'l-insaan.
(God) Most Gracious! It is He Who has taught the Qur'an. He has created Man.
(Surat ar-Rahmaan, 55:1-3)
By Himself, Allah (swt), with His Greatness He taught the Holy Qur'an directly to the Prophet (s). That is why the Prophet (s) was able to reach Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adnaa, with the power of Holy Qur'an. Buraaq was pulling power from the Holy Qur'an, moving with Prophet (s). Jibreel (a) was not able to reach where the Prophet (s) reached. So Allah dressed Prophet (s) when everything was in `adam except the Light that Allah created from His Light, the Light of the Prophet (s), because light = existence and darkness = no existence. That is why He said, “In a night.” Innaa anzalnaahu fee laylatin mubaarakatin and in another verse, inna anzalnaahu fee laylati ’l-qadri, always at night, layla, where there was nothing that could be seen. When you don’t see anything it is `adm. Put the light off, you don’t see anything. Can you see anything? No.
Let us do an experiment. Put the light off. Is there anything? No existence. Light on = existence, they appeared, everything appeared. You didn’t move the camera. Put the light off. Move the camera. Is there anything? Put the light on and keep moving the camera. You see everything, they pop up. So there is no existence except the Light of the Prophet (s) and Allah dressed him with 6,666 verses, Kaana khuluquhu ‘l-qur’aan, “His character became dressed with the Secrets of Holy Qur'an” as Muhammadun Rasoolullah (s), Muhammad the the Messenger of Allah (swt). What you want more? That means He is Khalifatullah, representing the Divine Presence, Muhammadun Rasoolullah (s), he is the Messenger of Allah. A messenger represents the one who is sending him. Either He sent His Messengers through Jibreel (a) or, like Sayyidina Musa (a), Kaleemullah, but he was Kaleemullah on Toor Sina (Mount Sinai):
إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِأَهْلِهِ إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا
Idh qaala moosa li-ahlihi innee aanastu naaran.
When Moses said to his family, "Indeed, I have perceived a fire.” (Surat an-Naml, 27:7)
فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِي يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي أَنَا رَبُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى
Falammaa aataahaa noodiya yaa Moosa, innee anaa rabbuka fakhla` na`layka innaka bi ’l-waadi ’l-muqaddasi toowaa.
But when he came to the fire a voice was heard, “O Moses! Indeed I am your Lord! Therefore, (in My Presence) remove your shoes, (for) you are in the sacred valley, Toowaa. (Surat TaHa, 20:11-12)
Allah said directly to him when he was looking for some warmth, when his family was in Toor Sina moving from Yemen back to Egypt, he felt they were cold and said, “I see some lights there, some fire; let me go there,” and Allah spoke with him, Kaleemullah (a). It was not necessary to send him, but He spoke to him at Toor Sina and He spoke with the Prophet (s) from where? The only prophet invited to Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adnaa. It was not anymore “in here” or “there” or “there” or “there,” but Allah spoke directly to the Prophet (s) in Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adnaa, that no one can reach, because he was pure, khuluquhu ‘l-qur’an.
Allah dressed him when He created his Light, where it is mentioned in many ahadeeth and in Musannaf `Abdu ’r-Razzaq, that the first thing Allah created was the Light of Prophet (s).
رواه عبد الرزاق بسنده عن جابر بن عبد الله بلفظ قال قلت: يا رسول الله، بأبي أنت وأمي، أخبرني عن أول شيء خلقه الله قبل الأشياء. قال: يا جابر، إن الله تعالى خلق قبل الأشياء نور نبيك من نوره،...
`An Jaabir ibn `AbdAllah qaala: qultu yaa Rasoolullah, bi-abee anta wa ummee, akhbirnee `an awwala shayin khalaqahu ’Llaaha qabla’l-ashyaa? Qaala: yaa Jaabir, inn Allaha ta`ala khalaqa qabla al-ashyaa noora nabiyyika min noorih...
When Jaabir (r) asked, “Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Prophet of Allah! What is the first thing that Allah (swt) created?” the Prophet (s) said, “The first thing that Allah (swt) created is the Light of your Prophet from His Light, O Jaabir...” (Musannaf `Abdu ’r-Razzaq)
That Light was dressed with the Heavenly Dress, enabling him to move to Qaaba Qawsayni aw Adnaa and Allah spoke to him (s), with no veils. That is what many scholars say and among them are Imam Nawawi (q). So that one who has wisdom gives the meaning of the relationship of akhlaaq; they are related. If there is wisdom there is akhlaaq, no wisdom no akhlaaq. So the one whom Allah khuluquhu ‘l-qur’an, dressed with the Holy Qur'an, Allah wanted everyone to follow him, to follow the role model, the one whose Light was created first, the one who was a prophet before Adam’s creation in Heavenly Power. Awwala maa khalaq Allah nooru nabiyyika yaa Jaabir, the first of Allah’s Creation is the Light of Prophet (s), then:
كنت نبيا وآدم بين الروح والجسد
Kuntu nabiyyan wa adam bayna ar-roohi wa ’l-jasad.
I was a prophet while Adam was between soul and body.
So the one that’s like that, Allah (swt) has sent him and Allah has said about him in Holy Qur’an:
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَة ٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرا
Laqad kaana lakum fee rasoolullahi uswatun hasanatun liman kaana yarjoo ’Llaaha wa 'l-yawma 'l-aakhira wa dhakara ’Llaaha katheera.
Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and (who) remembers Allah often. (Surat al-Ahzaab, 33:21)
“There was for you from Prophet (s) the role model,” meaning, there is no other role model for you. He (s) is the one who wants liman kaana yarjoo ’Llaaha wa 'l-yawma 'l-aakhirah, “The one who wants to be saved in the Last Days,” and dhakara ’Llaaha katheera, “The one who is always remembering Allah too much.” He said ‘katheera,’ He didn’t limit it, He didn’t say 10 times, 100 times, 1,000 times, "always your tongue is wet with dhikrullah." Like when the Bedouin came to the Prophet (s) and said, qad kathura `alayya shara`ia al-Islam, “There are too many conditions and principles with Shari`ah and Islam so give me something easy!” and the Prophet (s) said, “Keep your tongue wet with dhikrullah, ja`al lisaanak ratban min dhikrillah.”
عن عبد الله بن بسر رضي الله عنه أن رجلا قال: يا رسول الله إن شرائع الإسلام قد كثرت علي فأخبرني بشيء أتشبث به؟ قال لا يزال لسانك رطبا من ذكر الله" الترمذي.
Yaa Rasoolullaah inna shara`ia 'l-islaam qad kathurat `alayya fa-akhbirnee bi-shayin atashabbath bihi. Qaala: laa yazaal lisaanak ratban min dhikrillah.
A man came to the Prophet (s) and said, "O Rasoolullah! The rules of Islam became heavy on me, so give me news of something which I can maintain." Prophet (s) said, "Make your tongue wet with dhikrullah." (Tirmidhi)
So the one who wants Allah, liman kaana yarjoo’Llaah, who wants Allah (swt) the Creator, no associating anyone with Him, no partner with Him, no son for Him, nothing, no shirk, he wants al-Yawmu ‘l-Akhirah to be saved in the Day of Judgment, and the one who remembers Allah so much, “Follow Muhammad (s), he is your role model.” Follow the Prophet (s) as he is, Allah gave him, fee rasoolillahi uswatan hasanah, “Follow him, then you be saved.”
That is why He (swt) said:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Qul in kuntum tuhibboona 'Llaaha fattabi`oonee yuhbibkumullaahu wa yaghfir lakum dhunoobakum w 'Allaahu Ghafooru 'r-Raheem.
Say (O Muhammad), "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me! Allah will love you and forgive your sins, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat Aali-`Imraan, 3:31)
“Say (O Muhammad!), ‘If you really love Allah (swt) then follow me!’” Yuhbibkumullaahu, “If you follow me then Allah will love you.” If you really say you love Allah, then follow Muhammad (s)! Allah will love you and if Allah loves you, what will happen? He will give you wisdom, wa man ootiya al-hikmata faqad ootiya khayran katheera, “The one who gets the wisdom will get the most favors,” endless favors in dunya and Akhirah, with no limitation!
Allah said, faqad ootiya khayran katheera. You may not know what you have been given, but Allah gave and gives and is giving non-stop! When you love Allah, follow Muhammad (s), then Allah loves you and when Allah loves you, kuntu sama`uhulladhee yasma`u bihi wa basarahulladhee yubsiru bihi, until the end of the hadith:
فإذا أحببته كنت سمعه الذي يسمع به وبصره الذي يبصر به، ويده التي يبطش بها ورجله التي يمشي بها،
Fa idhaa ahbaabtahu kuntu sama`uhulladhee yasma`u bihi wa basarahulladhee yubsiru bihi, wa yadahulladhee yabtishu bihaa wa rijlahullatee yamshee bihaa.
When I love him, I will become the ears with which he hears, the eyes with which he sees, the hand with which he acts, and the legs with which he walks (and other versions include, “and the tongue with which he speaks.”). (Hadith Qudsi, Bukhari)
We will leave it here now and will continue inshaa-Allah in the other session.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
This wisdom that Allah gives, Prophet (s) spread it to his Sahaabah (r) and changed the whole universe, the meaning of everything! Inshaa-Allah we will come to it later.
Wa min Allahi 't-tawfeeq, bi hurmati 'l-Fatihah.
May Allah give us the barakah of Prophet (s), to keep us under the arms of Prophet (s), under the wing of Prophet (s)! 'Wing' is not meaning physical wings, but spiritual wings. Allah, Allah. Subhaan-Allah. Inshaa-Allah khayr. May Allah accept our fasting, changing it from imitational fasting to real fasting.
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