Hey! I’ve added comments. They are down at the bottom of each post. Now all my dedicated readership (Hi Mom!) can leave a comment about any post that interests you. OK, mainly I do this for me, but I do it for you too! So let me know how you feel.
Thank you, Haloscan.
The recent bombing in Bali is terribly unsettling, coming as it does a few months before my departure for Malaysia. As horrific as it is, though, it doesn’t change my plans, and I don’t think it will be a “first step” on the road to something more terrible, God willing. Eric Boehlert of Salon.com has an interview with “Robert Hefner, a Boston University professor, Indonesia expert and author of “Civil Islam.”” Boehlert has reported well on Islam in the past; his article on CAIR in particular was very good. The interview with Prof. Hefner is worth reading; he argues that “in terms of moral authority for these groups [radicals] to sell their arguments to a small fringe of the Muslim community, [the bombing] has been a serious setback.”
Anyone looking for English-language news out of Indonesia about Bali should have a look at Joe Friend’s weblog, so many islands, so little time, direct to you from Bandung.
Also in the news, though regrettably not (yet?) online, is an article by Alex Alexiev in the 10/28 issue of the National Review. “The End of an Alliance” lays out very clearly the role of the Saudi government in spreading wahhabi heresy worldwide, and the tremendous destructive effect that has had. Unlike others who have picked up on the Saudi connection, he doesn’t conclude that Islam is the enemy, but rather that the US has to more effectively engage and support traditional Islamic institutions to counter Saudi influence. And of course turn off the spigot of money flowing out around the world. Alexiev figures the cash flow at $4 billion a year, in the excerpt available here.
Aziz Poonwalla has a very nice site called Unmedia, which he strips down to just religious issues at Shia Pundit. I stumbled onto his site through an ugly altercation over at ismailroyer.blogspot.com. It’s great to find a well-written site from a muslim perspective that is fully engaged with American culture and unafraid to honestly critique what is worthy of critique in the muslim world. He gets extra points for noticing Alt.Muslim, which is a fantastic community news blog much deserving of wider recognition. Here’s an excerpt from Aziz’s site:
The point is that Islam is not the problem, it’s the interpretation. The solution is to replace the faulty interpretation (which is NOT supported by any actual religious authority) with a correct one (suitably referenced and supported by religious authority). The former is solely a power play, of tribal impulses. The latter is the essence of Islam, because contrary to Steven’s assertions, Islam and freedom are inherently co-resonant ideas.But Islamic apologists cannot avoid the fact that Islam in one form or another, whether flawed or valid, is heavily implicated in the problems the Arabs face, and will also be a major barrier to solving those problems
That’s not a fact, it’s a contradiction. It’s the interpretation that is the problem. Islam is the solution. It’s easy for SDB (Steven Den Beste – link) to argue that all interpretations are valid solely because they exist, but they are not equal. The religious interpretation of most Muslims is driven by a genuine need to apply the religion to the modern life. That’s not just unique to my community but is nearly universal throughout Islam.
However, in Saudi Arabia, the religious interpretation of Wahabism does not exist to act as a guide for the Muslim’s daily life. It exists solely to support the Saudi regime, in a delicate symbiosis with the radical priesthood. This interpretation gives the Saudis authority, justification, to pursue policies that predate Islam, including subjugation of women, cruel punishment of crimes, and not least, depravity and hedonism of the ruling class (subsidized by the general populace).
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Hizmet Books has lots of islamic books available for free, some in simple html and some in PDF. The english collection is not great, only about a dozen texts, but they are based in Turkey and have books translated into Bosnian, Albanian, Russian, Uzbek, even Polish! What looked like the best book there in English is a translation of THE SAHÂBA by Ahmad Fârûqî. That is, HADRAT IMÂM RABBÂNÎ AHMAD FÂRÛQÎ SERHENDÎ ‘quddisa sirruh’, the Reviver of the Second Millennium. Here is an excerpt:
One day Abû Bakr as-Siddîq ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ came to Rasûlullah’s ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ place. He was about to enter, when Alî bin Abî Tâlib ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ arrived, too. Abû Bakr stepped backwards and said, “After you, Yâ Alî.” The latter replied and the following long dialogue took place between them:
Alî – Yâ Abâ Bakr, you go in first for you are ahead of us all in all goodnesses and acts of charity.
Abû Bakr – You go in first, Yâ Alî, for you are closer to the Messenger of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam’.
Alî – How could I go ahead of you? I heard the Messenger of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ say, “The sun has not risen on any one of my Ummat higher than Abû Bakr.”
Abû Bakr – How could I go ahead of you? On the day when Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ gave his daughter Fâtima-t-uz-zahrâ ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhâ’ in marriage to you, he stated, “I have given the best of women to the best of men.”
Alî – I cannot go ahead of you, for Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated, “Let him who wants to see Ibrâhîm (Abraham) ‘alaihis-salâm’ look at Abû Bakr’s face.”
Abû Bakr – I can not go ahead of you, for Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated, “Let him who wants to see Âdam’s ‘alaihis-salâm’ tenderness and Yûsuf’s ‘alaihis-salâm’ beautiful moral qualities look at Alî!”
Alî – I can not enter before you. For, the Messenger of Allah ‘alaihis-salâm’ asked, “Yâ Rabbî! Who loves me most, and who is the best of my Sahâba?” Jenâb-i-Haqq answered, “Yâ Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’! He is Abû Bakr as-Siddîq.”
Abû Bakr – I can not go ahead of you. For, the Messenger ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “So (good) is the person whom I give knowledge that Allâhu ta’âlâ loves him, and so do I; I love him very much.” You have been the gate to the town of knowledge.
Alî – I can not go before you, for the Messenger ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “There is a sign that says, ‘Abû Bakr, the Habîbullah (the Darling of Allah),’ on the gates of Paradise.”
Abû Bakr – I cannot go before you. For, during the Holy War of Hayber the Messenger of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ handed the flag to you and stated, “This flag is a gift from the Melîk-i-ghâlib to Alî bin Abî Tâlib.”
Alî – How can I go before you? The Messenger ‘alaihis-salâm’ said to you, “Yâ Abâ Bakr! You stand for my sight, which sees, and for my heart, which knows.”
Abû Bakr – I can not go ahead of you. For, the Messenger ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “On the Rising Day Alî will come (to the place of assembly) on the back of an animal of Paradise. Jenâb-i-Haqq will say, ‘Yâ Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’! How beautiful a father your father Ibrâhîm Halîl is; and how beautiful a brother your brother Alî bin Abî Tâlib is.’ ”
Alî – I can not go before you. For, the Messenger ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “On the Rising Day the angel named Ridwân, who is the chief of the angels of Paradise, will enter Paradise, coming back with the keys of Paradise. He will give them to me. Then Jebrâîl ‘alaihis-salâm’ will come and say, ‘Yâ Muhammad, give the keys of Paradise and those of Hell to Abû Bakr. Let Abû Bakr send anyone he chooses to Paradise and others to Hell.’ ”
Abû Bakr – I can not go ahead of you, for the Messenger ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “Alî will be by my side on the Rising Day. He will be with me near the Hawz and Kawthar. He will be with me on the Sirât. He will be with me in Paradise. And he will be with me (at the happiest moment) as I see Allâhu ta’âlâ.’ ”
Alî – I can not enter before you do, for the Messenger of Allah ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “If the îmân held by Abû Bakr were weighed against the total sum of the îmân held by all the other Believers, his îmân would weigh heavier.”
Abû Bakr – How can I go before you? For, the Rasûl ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “I am the city of knowledge. And Alî is the gate?”
Alî – How can I ever walk ahead of you? For, the Rasûl ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “I am the city of faithfulness. And Abû Bakr is its gate.”
Abû Bakr – I can not go before you, for the Rasûl ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “On the Rising Day Alî will be made to mount a beautiful horse. Those who see him will wonder: What prophet is that person? Allâhu ta’âlâ will say: This is Alî bin Abî Tâlib.”
Alî – I can not go ahead of you, for the Rasûl ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “I and Abû Bakr are from the same soil. We shall be one again.”
Abû Bakr – I can not go before you, for the Rasûl ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “Allâhu ta’âlâ will say: O you, Paradise! I shall adorn your four corners with four people. One of them is Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’, the highest of prophets. Another one is Alî, the highest of those who fear Allâhu ta’âlâ. The third one is Fâtima-t-uz-zahrâ, the highest of women. And the fourth corner will be occupied by Hasan and Husayn, the highest of pure people.”
Alî – How can I go ahead of you? The Rasûl ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “A voice from the eight Gardens of Paradise calls as follows: O Abâ Bakr, come with those whom you love; and you all, enter Paradise!”
Abû Bakr – I cannot go before you, for the Rasûl ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “I am like a tree. Fâtima is the trunk. Alî is the branches. Hasan and Husayn are the fruits.”
Alî – I can not go before you, for the Rasûl ‘alaihis-salâm’ stated, “May Allâhu ta’âlâ forgive all the faults of Abû Bakr. For, he gave his daughter Âisha to me; he helped me during the Hijrat (Hegira, Migration to Medina); he bought Bilâl-i-Habashî, (who was a slave formerly,) and emancipated him for me.” … .
As the two darlings of the Messenger of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ were talking like this before the door, the Best of Mankind was inside, listening. He interrupted Alî as he was talking and stated from inside:
“O my brothers Abû Bakr and Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’! Please do come in! Jebrâîl ‘alaihis-salâm’ has been here; he says that the angels on the earth and in the seven skies have been listening to you and that you could not describe your value in the view of Allâhu ta’âlâ were you to praise each other till the end of the world.” The two beloved companions gave an affectionate hug to each other, and together they entered the presence of the Messenger of Allah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’.
Al-Muhajabah was kind enough to add my page to the list of links at her extensive, worthwhile website. JazakAllah Khayr. I’m more than happy to return the favor. Among the offerings at her site are links to dozens of muslim blogs; plenty to surf through if you are looking for individual rather than institutional muslim perspectives.
Now available from Kazi Publications, translated by Hassan Rosowsky with Arabic text alongside, for ten bucks only. Search for “Dalail” from Kazi’s front page and you should find it. Thank you, Hani N!
Qasidah Burda is now available at Alhambra Productions, $59.95 for the 3 CDs and the calligraphed book. I can’t wait…
I was browsing through my site stats and noticed that somebody had found my site by googling for “Nasheed and Mawlid from Malaysia”. Now that is a visitor I don’t want to disappoint! So I’ve collected what I could find on the subject:
Alhamdulillah, recitation of praise on the Prophet (saws) is regularly practiced in Malaysia, on the traditionally observed day of his birth, 12 Rabi ul-Awwal, as it is in all muslim countries except one; and at any other happy occassion, such as the shaving of the newborn child’s head. If we have cause for happiness, is it not fitting to praise God and His Messenger for it? There are many books of songs, poetry and supplication that are widely read throughout the muslim world wherever the bid’a-shouters haven’t penetrated too deeply. Among the more famous are Mawlid Diba’i, Mawlid Barzanji, Dala’il Khayrat and Qasidah Burdah. There are of course more. It hasn’t always been easy getting copies of these works in the US, but thankfully they are becoming more and more available.
A wonderful CD of Mawlid Diba’i was produced by the Mawlid Project in Malaysia. It is available for sale here. It originally was available with a book of translation and Arabic for a higher price, but I think now only CDs are left. The production quality is very good.
A recitation of Dala’il Khayrat on cassette is available here. I had the privilege to hear the Shaykh recite, and it was by far the most powerful recitation of Qur’an I have heard. The cassettes, unfortunately, are recited in a more dry and unemotional style. So for a non-Arabic speaker like myself, it was less captivating. An English translation of the Dala’il is available from Shaykha Aisha Bewley’s website. I have not yet found Dala’il Khayrat in print, though I’ve been told it exists.
The Qasidah Al-Burda of Imam Busiri is being released as a 3-CD box set with a book. Produced by Hamza Yusuf, with calligraphy by Muhammad Zakariyya. [!] I can’t wait to get a copy, but I haven’t seen it for sale in the US yet, only in UK. Soon InshaAllah. An appreciation of the Qasidah, as well as selective translations from other qasaaid, is available at Iqra Islamic Publications, a very nice website of the ba’alawi tariqa.
Br. Muhammad Sajad Noshahi’s Homepage, Dedicated to the importance of Dala’il ul Khayrat, Qasidah Burdah & Salawat ala Rasul, has a terrific listing of audio sources. Now that I’ve found his site, I don’t think I have any more to write. It looks like he’s got it all in there. Thank you Br. Sajad!
