Islamic Studies

Message for the Seekers of Guidance: Session 3 Notes

Message for the Seekers of Guidance Lesson 3 (unedited)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وبه نستعين وصلاته وسلامه على من بعث رحمة للعالمين وآله وأصحابه أجمعين

Four Pillars of Sound Spirituality:

1. Sound Faith in General Sense
2. Sound Practice [respecting differences]
3. Sound Understanding
4. Sound Character

The Text:

The statement of ‘Ali [رضى الله عنه] “Be pleased with what Allah has intended for you.”

Notes

Abu Wafa bin ‘Uqail said, “Know that the mind’s happiness with the actions of the creator, Glorified is He the Most High, is more the most loyal type of worship, its most burdensome type and its most difficult.” Allah [The Most High] alerted us to the dangers of from feeling weak in front of difficulties when He said, “And perhaps you hate something and it is good for you, and perhaps you love something and it is bad for you.”

The Text

The statement of ‘Abdullah bin Masud [رضى الله عنه]
“Perform what Allah has obligated upon you and you will be of the most sincere worshipers.”

Notes

There are the known acts of servitude, but there are also acts of servitude based on one’s talents from the blessings Allah has bestowed upon them.

The talents may vary as Malik said, “Allah has spread actions amongst His servants like he spread provisions.”

The Text

The statement of ‘Ubadh to his son, “And pray as though this is your last prayer.”

Notes

Muslim bin Yasar al-Basari and his prayer:

Abdullah the son of Muslim bin Yasar mentioned that when his father wanted to pray it was those he was “straight as a pole; not moving back and forth.” It was said about him, “When he prayed it was like hanging clothes.”

Ibn Shwadhab said, “When Muslim wanted to pray he would say to his family, “Talk and carry, for I do not hear you.” Once he was praying and there was a fire in the mosque. He kept praying and when he was told about it he said, “I didn’t notice it.”

The student of Mansur bin Zadhan al-Thaqafi al-Wasiti said, “If someone told him the Angel of Death was at his door, he would not find increase in his actions.”

The Text

The statement of the Prophet “Those in with Allah on the Day of Resurrection are:

“The submissive, the humble, those fearful of [His punishment] and the one who constantly remembers Allah” Sh. Abu Ghuda stated that he did not find this hadith in any books of hadith.

Notes

Muadh bin Jabal said at the time of his death, “Oh Allah! You know that surely I would not love to stay in this life for the passing of a day, or the to plant trees. Nay but I would love to stay in order to strive in a long night in worship, to thirst at noon during a long hot day and meeting the scholars.”

Umar’s statement to Abu Musa, “We are in Prayer.”

The Text

“Avoid excessiveness and you will be safe.”

Notes

Imam al-Shafi [رحمه الله] said, “Four things increase the intellect: avoiding excess in speech, using miswak, sitting with the righteous and sitting with the scholars.”

The text

“I warn you of the supplication of the oppressed.”

Notes

The story of Yaha bin Khalid and his son J’afar who were punished by Harun Rashid. After a life of luxury J’afar complained to his father upon which his father said,

لعلها دعوة المظلوم…غفلنا عنها

“Perhaps it [is due] to the supplication of the oppressed…which we neglected”

Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi in the Face of Oppression

“Nuh bin Saman was an evil governor near Samarqand who lived in the 3rd century A.H. He decided to rebel against Samarqand’s leaders and her entire populous putting many in great harm. He dispatched a messenger to the leader of Samarqand to intimidate him. The leader called the scholars and noble men to listen and seek their consultation. Amongst them was the great scholar and Imam, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi. After listening to Nuh bin Saman’s messenger, al-Maturidi told him to deliver the following message to Nuh bin Saman:

زدنا ظلماً حتى نزيد في دعاء الليل
“Increase us in oppression until we increase our supplications in the night!”

The messenger left and a few days latter Nuh bin Saman was found dead.
In his side there was a spear and written on it was the following:

بغى وللبغي سهام تنتظر   أتته من أيدي المنايا والقدر
“Oppressor! And for the oppressor is the arrow waiting.
Coming to him from death and destiny

سهام أيدي القانتات في السحر…………………………..
Arrows from the obedient women [supplicating] at dawn”

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About the author

Suhaib Webb

Suhaib Webb

Suhaib Webb is a contemporary American-Muslim educator, activist, and lecturer. His work bridges classical and contemporary Islamic thought, addressing issues of cultural, social and political relevance to Muslims in the West. After converting to Islam in 1992, Webb left his career in the music industry to pursue his passion in education. He earned a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and received intensive private training in the Islamic Sciences under a renowned Muslim Scholar of Senegalese descent. Webb was hired as the Imam at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, where he gave khutbas (sermons), taught religious classes, and provided counselling to families and young people; he also served as an Imam and resident scholar in communities across the U.S.

From 2004-2010, Suhaib Webb studied at the world’s preeminent Islamic institution of learning, Al-Azhar University, in the College of Shari`ah. During this time, after several years of studying the Arabic Language and the Islamic legal tradition, he also served as the head of the English Translation Department at Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah.

Outside of his studies at Al-Azhar, Suhaib Webb completed the memorization of the Quran in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He has been granted numerous traditional teaching licenses (ijazat), adhering to centuries-old Islamic scholarly practice of ensuring the highest standards of scholarship. Webb was named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in 2010.

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