Dharr…

I came across this hadeth, subhanAllah as all of the ahadeeth this one is beautiful!

RasulAllah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said that on the day of judgment, the arrogant will be assembled on the day of judgment in the forms of men, but in the sizes of ants; humiliation will come to them from every direction. Dharr are the ants that are very small. They will be stepped on by everyone. People will be running on the day of judgment and stepping on it.

This is another hadeeth about kibr , transcribed from one of the lectures,

transcribed lecture of Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo
“…The second characteristic that everyone has to be cautious of, but especially those people who are studying the `ilm, who have been given by Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa), who have been blessed by Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) to have knowledge and to be making da`wah, these people have to be very careful about a disease that comes to people of this nature many times, unfortunately, and this is the disease of kibr, of arrogance and pride. And sometimes the way this is reflected is where the person refuses and does not want anyone to correct him, or at least he will not accept correction from certain people. He may accept correction or be told that he is wrong by someone who is from his group, someone who is a close friend of his, but anybody else, he will look down upon anyone else, and he will not accept any kind of criticism from anybody else, and this is kibr. This is pride and arrogance, as described in the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam).

This sin is so dangerous that RasulAllah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam says, Whoever has the equivalent of even a small grain of arrogance in his heart will not even smell paradise. If even the amount of a dharra (an atom) of arrogance could get in the heart, that person will not even smell paradise. He won’t even get close, nevermind get in.

This reminds me of an incidence. My friend and I went to this lecture by Shaikh MHY ( Mohammed Hussain Yaqoub )hafidh-haullah, and before the lecture started we saw this sister we ( my friend and I ) didnt like!! ( Ill call her here sis X). So for me I just put my head down and made myself as if I did not see her, in order to avoid greeting her! (astaghfrullah ) . The lecture started and it was about being arrogant! and how you should step on your nafs before others step on you  in  the hereafter. After the lecture my friend asked  me if I has seen sister X? and we smiled, we both  new what we were thinkin abtout !! We had to step on our nafs now, or it would be too late! we knew that both of us did not greet her, so we the next step was we both were looking for her all the way in the hall, trying to correct our mistake. We did not find her! may Allah forgive us for being arrogant! yes lets step on our nafs before we are stepped over on the day of judgment!

May Allah protect us from the bad deeds of ourselves  and of the evil within us!

Introduction (7)

The first surprise was that this time dawah was held by ” afandia” or the westernized muslims, and not the “shyookh” or the religous leaders, and this it self for them was a great disaster. At time  When those who were plotting and planning against the ummah had made the religion for shyookh only, the had skinned off thewesternized individuals from the deen, that was a clear victory for them, becuase by doing so the deen was framed only to those called backwarded and shyookh. However, today those who were signs of knowldege and education , the afandis or the westernized, came to carry  the dawah on their shoulders. These afandis were themselves who carried the compaign of spreading westernization on their shoulders and were a tool used to drag the ummah to be slaves of the west and skin off from Islam, as they were seen as the educated and those with knowledge.

The change in people’s uniform , at first place was meant to be a change in attitude , a planned change.

The change in people’s uniform ( i.e. wearing western clothes) was actually a change in their destination, and way of thinking.

Introduction(6)

Surah Maryam

.. The immediate reply to Zakariya’s doaa would take me to a spiritual world full of Noor ! then comes the happeneing of the super power once again “9 He said: “So (it will be). Your Lord says; It is easy for Me. Certainly I have created you before, when you had been nothing!” .and “Your sign is that you shall not speak unto mankind for three nights, though having no bodily defect.” ..in fact all of the story would make me feel that way…and the end of the story specially”And Salamun (peace) be on him the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he will be raised up to life (again)! “

The story which proceeds this is the Story of Maryam (the Virigin) , the entire stroy with the superpower mentioned and the musical rhythm was MAGNIFIINCET AND I HAD FEW PAUSES AND STOPS WITH THE AYAH Then (the babe Iesa (Jesus) cried unto her from below her, saying: “Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you; or as in anotehr qira’aa “Then Jibrael (Gabriel)) cried unto her from below her, saying: “Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you; both of them would shake me with surprose due to its supernatural power . Jesus’ words “He (Iesa (Jesus)) said: Verily! I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet;” and again the end of the story “And As’Salamu (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!”

I wouldnt miss the difference between the wordings of” peace ” mentioned and said for both Jesus and Yahya peace be upon them ,at the end of the two stories,there for yahya “And Salamun (peace) be on him” and here “>”And As’Salamu (peace) be upon me
there “salam” and here “as’salam ” .. these difference would inspire me at that time and  I knew that it indicated that Jesus , peace be upon him, compared to Yahya was given a higher rank.

Introduction 5

The unique and musical rhythm in Quran’s layout was fascinating and moving,it would make me swim throughly with its ryhthm without paying much attention to it’s meanings and concepts.. it wasnt because , at the time, I coud not comprehend it’s concepts, in fact I had read quite alot from the books of Al Aqqad, Taha Hussein and Al-Mazeni, at an extent which would allow me to understand quite much, but,I was too busy with the spiritual and artistic layout of the Quran to pay attention to its topics (concepts). However, the topics regarding the super power, more than any other topic, had a special echo inside me.During that period ,Surah Maryam , in particular, attracted me strongly as such as that I could not pull myself away and did not wish to do so.!
There was super power in the birth of a boy to Zachariya , and the birth of Jesus without father.
On the other hand, there was a wonderful musical ryhthm to its pattern in the flow of the surah , and if Shaikh Rifa’t’s recitation was to be added to them it would give me a feeling I can not explain by words.
I still remember to the moment, the impact its had on me from the begining till the end of the Surah,… Some parts, had greater impact such as the opening words, in the start of the Surah, KAF HA YA ‘AIn SSAAD ,this was wonderful in itself, and I, at that time ,was impressed in particular with the way it was recited, the outstreched (elongated) ‘ain which is read stressingly. Then comes the ayah ((This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya (Zachariah), then the magical enviroment ( to me at that time) which ( a call in secret) gives: When he called out his Lord (Allah) a call in secret. then the call itself,”4 Saying: “My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, And I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord! “ O How this picture would impress me! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, and- being my self a little boy at the time- would imagine picture myself as it is decribed in the ayah, and it would shake me as such that I couldnt resist. Then comes the surprise ,immediately after the supplication, a quick reponse 7 (Allah said) “O Zakariya (Zachariah)! Verily, We give you the glad tidings of a son, His name will be Yahya (John). We have given that name to none before (him).” the mutual relation between the slave and his Lord, a relation as such that supplication is responded to without delay.- as it seemed to me from the ayah-.. …..
to be continued

Introduction (4)

Obviously, at this priod, I would percieve more of Quran than when I was a child. However, I – at that state- would not give the topic great importance as I used to during childhood. The Qَuran would move me as a whole! regardless of the topic it contained. Reading it or listening to its recitations would take me from the limited world to a world beyond limits.. a world – I did not care of its features at that time!  a charming world.

Introduction..continued (3)

I don’t know how many times, as a child , have I read Moses’ story, from the Quran, , or how many times have I stood reading surat Al’araf specifically, ..but I do remember that every time I would read an ayah, my imagination would follow it, and I would imagine its scenes as if it was the first time. Waiting for the mountain to stand still ,so that Moses can see his Lord, although I knew from my previos readings that it didnt happen, but I would still wait for l the strong earth quake occur so i realise that Moses did not see his Lord and became unconcious.!!
That period passed by with its childish imaginations and limited perception.!
I came back to read the book again as a young man, between the age of thirteen and seventeen, with a better perception, and a different way of understanding too.
At this period I was living a spiritual state of life , and had developed interest in arts.

I was in a state of spiritual life with Allah, and was living with imaginations I had which were more like day dreams, except that they would not detach me from real life. During this period,I had started writing poems, or what I thought was poem- actually although it was balanced poem , It was much closer to a kid’s imagination and feelings rather than poetic words.
Quran would move me just as a sufi moves with his prayers, specially when I would hear shaikh Mohammed Rifaat reciting the Holy Quran in the radio.. I used to feel that he is reaciting with his soul and not with his tongue..
Reading from the deepest point of his heart. His touching voice perfectly fitted the feelings I had, and while listening to these recitation it was as if I am listening to the Exalted Assembly , and that the rhythm in his voice was made of Noor ( light) – I believed , that this was the exact form ( as regards of rhythm and tone) the Quran was revealed to Mohammed, peace be upon him, with the same tone which appeared to me had rays of light.
One of the best recitations that touched me the most was his recitation of Surat Maryam.. and it still does.

Introduction 2

..
Generally, the stories in the Quran , would strike me immersely, but Moses’ story in a special way.. It would strIck me every time it was mentioned, and the magicians scene with their snakes and sticks , and Moses’ stick coming and taking over them was a scene of beauty for me, I kept imagining the scene over and over.. as such as I would imagine the seperation of the sea
And the sea aplit open and the two parts separated into huge mountains. …However, there was a specific scene which would attract me towards it even stronger, a scene by whcih a child’s imagination would go beyond till he can not imagine anymore.. and who can? then I would come back, after failing to imagine ,trying to imagine the scene again , and each time I read the scnece it would give me a strong shock or tremble , and I would read the verse again:

143. And when Moses presented himself according to Our promise, his Lord spoke to turn. He said: Lord! Show me, that I may see You. He said: You can never see Me, but look towards the mountain. If it stays in its place, then you will see Me. Then the light of his Lord began to glow on the mountain, the mountain burst into pieces and Moses fell unconscious. When he awoke, he said: Glory be to You! I turn towards You and I am the first of the believers. (Al-A’raf)
When reading, each time, I would look with Moses towards the mountain! and wait for the mountain to stay in its place so that Moses could see his Lord!! finding out once again that it doesnt stay still !! then I would imagine bursting of the mountaion into pieces , till Moses fells unconcious, remaining for a while unconcious till he wakes up again.

Introduction

I have a long story with the Holy Quran.

I started reading it by myself when I was nine years old, without anyones help, or anyone to explain nor direct.

It was a desire for reading Allah’s book, and maybe memorizing it even.

Infact, I did memorize the first two quarters of Surat al-Baqarah, but did not have the patience to complete memorization, and was tempted to complete reading towards the end .. so, that summer I did read it till the end .

Obviously, I did not understand a great portion of what I read! no one was explaining it for me, and I was not asking anyone for help, but all this did not stop me from reading towards the end with a little perception and lots of aspiration .

Certain verses struck me , at that period, and I kept repeating them over and over, till I got to know ( exactly) where they are placed in the book.

to be cntinued..

As’salamu ‘Alykm warahmatullahe wabarakatuh

Drasat Qurania or

Quranic Studies

by

Muhammad Qutb

This is a personal attempt to translate the book in English.

Nadia