Friday

29 Mar 2024

A Message - May 2016

By - Alimah Nadia Sadiq Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Alhamdulillah (All praise be to Allah ta'ala), Allah ta'ala has given us yet another successful year where we all have struggled and put an effort to get close to Him. This is surely His ta'ala tawfeeq (ability) as we are not capable of doing so. Allah ta'ala chose His people to give them the understanding of deen (religion) and alhamdulillah we are from them. As Allah ta'ala says in Quran:

ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا

We have given the knowledge of the book to those who We chose from among Our slaves. (35:32)

Just having this feeling and thought to be chosen by Allah ta'ala is enough of a blessing, and on top of that striving for something which is the most honourable in His eyes is even more overwhelming.

Learning deen and becoming close to Allah ta'ala is not a new thing. It started right at the time when Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam was sent as a teacher and a mercy to the worlds. The learning process started from Makkah when a handful of sahabah radiallahu anhum ajma'een (companions) had this desire to know their Lord and understand their deen.

Hazrat Arqam radiallahu anhu presented his house and this became the first Islamic academy of history called Darul Arqam. The disbelievers did not want them to learn and practice, that’s why these sahabah radiallahu anhum ajmaeen would learn secretly from the Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam and despite of these hardships and objections, they carried on. Then Allah ta'ala expanded this path for them and the first Islamic state was formed in Madinah. The sahabah radiallahu anhum ajmaeen were extremely happy that now their passion to learn and desire to know Allah ta'ala would be possible more effectively, and then another academy was formed at a place called Suffah, and the students were called Ashabus Suffah. They had their own challenges and struggles, some didn’t have enough means to survive and others had to support their families, some were old and didn’t have much energy to study and ability to memorize and others were too young to independently dedicate themselves. 

Hazrat Abu Hurairah radiallahu anhu says about himself that he used to faint because of hunger and people would think that he had a fit of some disease. They would put their feet on his neck as that was considered to be a cure for this disease, but he couldn’t explain that he didn’t have any disease, rather he was just extremely hungry. 

Despite of the difficulties, they still had an extreme desire to learn. The Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam said about Hazrat Salman Farsi radiallahu anhu that if the knowledge was to be placed on Venus, people like him would surely search for it. (Musnad Ahmad)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umm Maktoom radiallahu anhu was blind but his disability to see couldn’t stop his desire to seek knowledge; he would struggle to walk to the Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam and would request him to teach him. Allah ta'ala loved his passion so much that he revealed Surah Abasa in his honour.

Hazrat Bilal radiallahu anhu also, not having much resourses and being an Ethiopian slave, had so much love of Quran that he was chosen as the first muadhdhin (caller of prayer) of Islam and was commanded by the Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam to climb up the Kabah (The house of Allah ta'ala) and call people to prayer.

Quran and its recitation. Once the Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam asked him to recite and he was nervous to recite in front of the Prophet  since the Quran was revealed to him. The Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam told him that Allah ta'ala has ordered him to listen to the recitation of Ubayy bin Kab radiallahu anhu, and on hearing this Hazrat Ubayy bin Kab radiallahu anhu had tears in his eyes as Allah ta'ala took his name in the Heavens.

This academy of Suffah had the best teacher this world has ever witnessed, the beloved of Allah ta'ala. He ta'ala not only taught them but also developed them spiritually and taught them wisdom. Once he asked Hazrat Zaid bin Harithah radiallahu anhu, 

“How did you do your morning today?”

And indeed this question was not just to know how his health, wealth and family were but it was about his faith. And Hazrat Zaid radiallahu anhu was an excellent student since he understood the question very well and replied, “I have started the morning in the state of a true believer.” (Shu'abul Imaan)

This academy had the syllabus of the best book ever read in this world, and that was the Noble Quran. This academy focused on the hearts of people and the students were constantly under the guidance of their teacher and were advised and corrected.

This academy also had exams, and the examiner was none other than Allah ta'ala Himself. He says in Quran:

 أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ امْتَحَنَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

Those are the ones that Allah tested their hearts for taqwa (abstention from sins). For them is forgiveness and a great reward. (49:3)

The exam was of their God consciousness. The exam was of their character. The exam was of their righteous deeds. The exam was of their hatred for sins and subhanAllah (glory be to Allah ta'ala) they passed with flying colours. Allah ta'ala declared their result and said,

 رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is the great success. (5:119)

This journey of seeking knowledge did not stop there, in fact it continued to the next years until our time. Today when any of the students of Nur ul Ilm struggles for her academic excellence and spiritual development, she also makes a connection with the Ashabus Suffah.

Today when any of the scholars and teachers of Nur ul Ilm who are the inheritors of the Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam teach the words of Allah ta'ala and the Messenger salallaho alaihe wasallam, he or she also gets a connection with our Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam who would teach the students of Suffah.

Today when any of the students of Nur ul Ilm seek tarbiyyah (nurturing) and correction like the sahabah radiallahu anhum ajmaeen desired from the Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam, she also gets a connection with those people who were concerned about purifying themselves.

Today when any of the students of Nur ul Ilm learn Quran and hadith (Prophetic narration), she also gets a connection with all those who learnt this beautiful book and these words of wisdom from the Prophet salallaho alaihe wasallam.

Today when any of the students of Nur ul Ilm leaves her meal because of her studies, she also gets connection with Hazrat Abu Hurairah radiallahu anhu.

Today when any of the students of Nur ul Ilm have body aches and disabilities but she struggles to study, she also gets the connection with Hazrat Abdullah bin Umm Maktoom radiallahu anhu.

Today when any of the students of Nur ul Ilm recite the Quran in a beautiful voice, she also gets a connection with Hazrat Ubayy bin Kab whom Allah ta'ala loved to listen to.

Today when any of the students of Nur ul Ilm is oppressed or mocked at, only because she is practicing the deen, she also gets a connection with Hazrat Bilal radiallahu anhu who people mocked at but he carried on.

And today when the students of Nur ul Ilm are given an exam by Allah ta'ala for taqwa, character, patience, reliance in Him, wisdom, and practicing our knowledge, we hope and pray we also get a connection with all those who passed that exam and we also get the same result and reward from Allah ta'ala.

 رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is the great success. (5:119)

Then & Now

Then, they were chosen by the Almighty, All-Wise,

They held on tight and didn’t think twice.

 

To please their Lord was the goal of their life,

Even at the cost of their parents, children or wife.

 

The hunger and heat their body could not take,

But they carried on strong just for Allah’s sake.

 

They were mocked, they were accused and oppressed,

The love for this deen could never be suppressed.

 

They would learn and hear the beautiful words of their Lord,

To spread this deen with love and not with sword.

 

They were tested, tried and judged by the Creator,

The passed every trial, and focused for the later.

 

Now we are yet again chosen by the Almighty, All-Wise.

We hope we walk on the same path, we struggle and strive.

 

We hold on to the same teaching of our elders,

Learning from their lives, we seek the shelters.

 

We love them and look upon them for the guidance,

We wish to shine in the light of their radiance.

 

We pray to Allah that He connects us with them,

Like the string is connected with the necklace of a gem.

 

May Allah ta'ala accept us all,

Nadia Sadiq

Always in the service of Nur ul Ilm Academy

Tuesday, May 10th, 2016 | Shabaan 3, 1437