The story of a handshake.

Until recently, I did not know that somehow I’ve developed a strong desire to see, talk, and be around the renowned scholars of Islam. I was a man whose dream was to headbang in Metallica’s wildest concerts around, and now, I am what I never expected out of myself, Alhamdolillah.

So today, I attended Sheikh Yasir Birjas‘s Khutbah. That’s my second close encounter with a Sheikh whom I really admire, first being NAK. I see them as frontline warriors of Islam. No forces are stronger than those which are applied to crush the struggles and missions of these people, yet they continue and they are successful unlike anything.

I reached the masjid 30 minutes before the khutbah’s starting time. I sat right in front of the mimbar but then realized that it was way too close and it would’ve resulted in a pain in the neck .. so I moved to the second row. Within minutes, I noticed that he’s back there somewhere but I didn’t hastened to have a glance in anyway. But surprisingly, Alhamdolillah, all of a sudden, someone came to sit exactly next to me I smelled hardcore Attar, turned my face 90 degrees, and there you go – the man of the day is there, sitting right next to me waiting for the clock to tick the time for him to start!

I couldn’t hold up myself, and I interrupted him and shook his hand, he greeted in a serene tone, and I replied and smiled, and that was it. A mere handshake, nothing much But by all means, I swear by Allah SWT that my inner pleasure was far beyond what it would have been if I were to meet all the heavy metal artists together.

In his speech, he talked about Salah being of foremost importance for all muslims.. and the importance of understanding the peculiarities of each of the steps of Salah. I wish to write more about what I heard, but I must switch to my beloved compiler as of now.

May Allah SWT bless him, his family, and all the people who encourage and respect him with all sincerity, ameen.

Allah The Most Kind – Tribute To Andalus (@ muslimmatters.org)

I came across this hamd here. Sheikh Yasir Birjas described this effort as “The poem is attributed to Abdurrahim Ali Albura’iee a famous poet from Yemen who died in the 15th century, i.e the 9th hijri century. He was famous for his poems which promote Zuhd and asceticism. sh. Mishari sang more than one of his poems, and this is one of them. (Taken from another Arabic website). And Allah knows best.”

Undoubtedly, this poem is marvelously soothing for the ears.. and although I know nothing at all of arabic,  I can feel the sensational and powerful words literally affecting me somewhere inside. Mashallah!

May we all live in absolute fear of Allah SWT and find tranquility in submission ~ ameen.

الله ذو اللطائف

Allah, The Most Kind and Gentle

أَغِيبُ وذو اللّطائِف لا يغيبُ وأرجُوهُ رَجاءً لا يَخِيبُ

Although I vanish, the Most Gentle and Kind vanishes not.
Thus, I have hope in Him – hope that fails not.

وأَسْأَلُهُ السَّلامَةَ مِن زَمانٍ بُلِيتُ به نوائبهُ تُشِيبُ

I seek safety with Him from a time
where trials would age this body of mine

وأُنزِلُ حاجتي في كل حالٍ إلى مَن تطمئنُّ به القلوبُ

So, I bring my needs, and I’m ever in poverty
To the One with whom hearts find tranquility

فكم لله مِنْ تَدبِيرِ أَمْرٍ طَوَتْهُ عَنِ المُشَاهَدةِ الغُيوبُ

Numerous are the matters that Allah decrees!
Yet, the unseen realm, is that which none sees

وكم في الغَيْبِ مِن تَيْسِيرِ عُسْرٍ ومِنْ تَفريجِ نائبةٍ تَنُوبُ

His decree eases secretly our difficulties
And by decree does He alleviate our calamities

ومِن كَرَمٍ ومِن لُطْفٍ خَفِيٍّ ومِن فَرَجٍ تَزُولُ بِه الكُرُوبُ

and by His discreet kindness and generosity,
there’s relief – replacing all adversity.

ومَنْ لِي غَيرَ بابِ الله بابٌ ولا مَوْلًى سِواهُ ولا حَبيبُ

Whose door do I have, besides Allah’s door?
I have no other Master nor another whom I so adore!

كريمٌ مُنْعِمٌ بَرٌّ لَطِيفٌ جَمِيلُ الستْرِ للدّاعي مُجيبُ

He is generous, kind and gentle, blessing us ceaselessly,
He answers our prayers and conceals our faults so beautifully,

حَليمٌ لا يُعاجِلُ بالخَطايا رحيمٌ غَيْثُ رَحْمَتِهِ يَصُوبُ

Enduring is He, never hastening to recompense our delinquency
He bestows his mercy like pure rain, gracefully

فيا مَلِكَ المُلوكِ أَقِلْ عِثَارِي فَإنِّي عنْكَ أَنْأَتْنِي الذُّنُوبُ

Therefore, King of kings, please pardon me;
My sins have cast me so far away from thee

وَأَمْرَضَنِي الهَوَى لِهَوانِ حَظِّي وَلَكِنْ لَيسَ غَيْرَكَ لِي طَبِيبُ

My lusts have caused my malady
Yet there’s none but thee to heal me

فَآمِنْ رَوْعَتِي وَاكْبِتْ حَسُودًا فَإِنَّ النَّائِباتِ لها نُيُوبُ

So my Lord, comfort and shield me from eyes burning green.
for when calamities strike they do so with fangs sharp keen.

وَآنِسْنِي بِأَوْلادِي وَأَهْلِي فَقَدْ يَسْتَوْحِشَ الرَّجُلُ الغَرِيبُ

My Lord, fasten me with the joys of children and family
Without them a man is certainly a stranger, poor and lonely

وَلِي شَجَنٌ بِأَطْفالٍ صِغَارٍ أَكادُ إِذا ذَكَرْتُهُمُ أَذُوبُ

Ah, my young children, on their fate I do fret
Worn from worry and grief I am ever upset

ولَكِنِّي نَبَذْتُ زِمَامَ أَمْري لِمَنْ تَدْبِيرُهُ فِينا عَجِيبُ

But to thee the reigns of my life I do surrender
To the One who handles affairs with majestic splendor

هُوَ الرَّحْمنُ حَوْلِي وَاعْتِصَامِي بِهِ وَإِلَيْهِ مُبْتَهِلاً أُتِيبُ

The Most Merciful, my refuge and the pillar on which I lean
In repentance, I call Him with none in between.

إِلهِي أَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ كَيفَ حَالِي فَهَلْ يا سَيِّدِي فَرَجٌ قَرِيبُ

Allah, Of my condition thee did hear
so my Master, I ask, is relief near?

فيا دَيِّانَ يَومِ الدِّينِ فَرِّجْ هُمُوماً فِي الفُؤَادِ لها دَبِيبُ

O Lord of Judgment Day, relieve this anxiety
of stubborn worries that in my heart sink deeply

وَصِلْ حَبْلِي بِحَبْلِ رِضَاكَ وَانْظُرْ إِلَيَّ وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ عَسى أَتُوبُ

And bind me to the rope of thy content, and turn thy Face to me
And accept me so that I may repent and return wholly to thee.

وَرَاعِ حِمَايَتِي وَتَوَلَّ نَصْرِي وَشُدَّ عُرَايَ إِنْ عَرَتِ الخُطُوبُ

My safety and success are in thy Hands
So support my will against life’s difficult demands

وَأَلْهِمنِي لِذِكْرِكَ طُولَ عُمْرِي فَإِنَّ بِذِكْرِكَ الدُّنْيا تَطِيبُ

And with Thy remembrance illuminate my life.
Indeed when recalling thy name sweetness becomes rife

وَقُل عَبْدُ الرَّحِيمِ وَمَنْ يَلِيهِ لَهُم فِي رِيفِ رَأْفَتِنَا نَصِيبُ

And say of me that I am still thy servant
sharing in thy Kindness, drawing near to thee, no longer distant

فَظَنِّي فِيكَ يا سَنَدِي جَمِيلٌ وَمَرْعَى ذَوْدِ آمَالِي خَصِيبُ

My thoughts of thee, my Sustainer, are pleasant
And my hopes in thee, lie in meadows, fertile and fragrant

وَصَلِّ عَلى النَّبِيِّ وآلهِ مَا تَرَنَّمَ فِي الأراكِ العَنْدَلِيبُ

And send prayers and praises upon the Prophet and his family
For whom the nightingales from their branches sing their sweet melody

Translation by: Yaser Birjas, Shpendim Nadzaku
Final Editing: “Manoffewwords”
Video by: Ahmad Saleem, Sadaf Tahir
Dedicated to the students of Ilm Summit 2008