islam – Page 2 – Ansari Qadiri Rifai Sufi Order

The Islamic Calendar, The Month of Sha’ban & the Holy Night, Nisfu Sha’ban (Sha’ban 14-15, 1436 / June 1-2, 2015)

Posted on May 31, 2015 by ansariuk

A note on the Islamic Calendar

Sufis can think of the calendar as a way to observe Allah. Often when we are caught up in daily tasks and routines we consume time blindly. Special months and holy days help us to stop living automatically and pay more attention to what Allah is sharing with us all the time.

“My servants annoy Me when they complain about time, for I am time (ana ad-‐dahr); in My hand is the day and the night”. — hadith qudsi

Special days can help us contemplate the meaning of this hadith qudsi. The calendar is one means of noticing His qualities and actions in time and how they permeate everything.

The Month of Sha’ban

The month of Sha’ban (the eighth month of the Islamic Calendar) has its own special qualities. For the pre-‐Islamic Arabs, it was called the month of separation, when the tribes and clans would disperse in search of water or grasslands for their flocks.

According to our pir Abdul Qadir al-‐Geylani (may Allah sanctify his secret), the month is particularly associated with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and so is an occasion to remember him more and do more salawat.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to observe a lot of optional fast days in the first half of Sha’ban, more than any other month. In the last half of Sha’ban, he did not fast, as Ramadan is approaching.

A narrative holds that in a sermon, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “O people! Lighten and cleanse your bodies by way of fasting in Sha’ban, so that it shall be easy and helpful to you for the fast during Ramadan. Whoso fasts for three days during Sha’ban, all his past sins are wiped away.”

Holy Day & Night: Sha’ban 14-15, 1436 / June 1-2, 2015 — Nisfu Sha’ban (mid-Sha’ban)

The night when all sins are forgiven if prayed with sincerity. A blessed day to fast. Starts on Sha’ban 14 after sundown and ends at dusk on Sha-ban 15.

For this Holy Day do the following zikr:
1001 Estaughfirallah (trans: I ask for Your forgiveness)
501 Ya Gafur Ya Awf (Gafur: Forgiver, Hider of Faults or Shame; Awf: Forgiver)

Words of Wisdom

Intent of Sufism – by Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari

Posted on April 2, 2015 by ansariuk

From: ~~ Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari ~~

INTENT OF SUFISM:

Allah has created you. He gave you all this: hands, seeing, hearing, this machine, all this. He wants to do something with you without your objecting. And what are you doing, you’re objecting. Why are you objecting?

There are many reasons. One: you are not understanding, two: you want to be with your nafs and you don’t want to share this kingdom with your Lord, who has given it to you to begin with. You are objecting because you have an understanding particular to you, which is different from Allah’s understanding, and you want to act with this understanding, ignoring Allah’s purpose and the understanding that He is looking for. That way you are trying to be God yourself and this is shirk, setting up partners with Allah. This is what Allah doesn’t forgive.

The goal of Sufism is to overcome all this and to unite your purpose with Allah’s purpose, to unite your existence with Allah’s existence, to unite your love with Allah’s love. Everything needs to be aligned. When you start doing this, then the purpose becomes one. We call this tawhid, oneness.
This is where the combination is, in this body, Allah and you together, in oneness. Our objection to surrender, to act, and to understand comes mainly from ignorance and our attachments to the desires of our nafs, which we think has priority over Allah’s wisdom. What do you want to do? Do you want Allah, or do you want you?

Arts, Events, Interfaith, London

Invitation to Urs of Shaykh Ahmed Rifai

Posted on March 11, 2015 by ansariuk

QADIRI RIFAI ANSARI SUFI ORDER

invites you

to celebrate

Urs

Shaykh Ahmed Er Rifai

With a traditional zikr

accompanied with ilahi, daf and sufi whirling

“Being on friendly terms with Allah is the greatest of wealth’”
(Shaykh Ahmed Er Rifai)

Monday 16th March 2015 (19:30-21:30)

Venue: Essex Unitarian church

112 palace gardens terrace

Notting hill gate W8 4RT

Tel: 07941653337 / 07875569921

All who come in peace are welcome

Words of Wisdom

Prayer with Mindfulness / Be Conscious

Posted on February 8, 2015 by ansariuk

From Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari

PRAYER WITH MINDFULNESS:

I explained Aqim al Salat. Some translate it as worship. We translate it as prayer, especially prayer of your heart. Prayer of your heart is very important. Establish the prayer when you’re eating. Establish the prayer when you’re sleeping. Establish the prayer whatever you’re doing.

Establish the formal prayer, which we call Namaz. Allah said this to all the nations. Establish the prayer does not just mean you have to establish Namaz, which means going up and down. Establish the prayer means all of that, and especially Zikr (Mention / Remembrance).

Some people say Sufism is Bid’ah (Innovation). First of all, Sufism is not Bid’ah. Second, our Prophet (pbuh) himself established Zikr for everybody. Zikr of Sufism is special to those people who want Allah’s Zat (Essence). Zikr of Sufism is designed to clean your nafs (ego). This is what the Prophet (pbuh) established. After each prayer, you say Subhanallah (Glory be to God) 33 times, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God) 33 times, and Allahu Akbar (God is Greater) 33 times. Allah said: “When you are talking about the Quran, you start with Bismillah er Rahman er Rahim” (In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate). Then He added, “Euzu billahi minesh shaytan irrajim, Bismillah er Rahman er Rahim” (I seek refuge from Shaytan the outcast, in the name of God, the Most Merciful, Most Compassionate) !

BE CONSCIOUS:

What I am trying to do is to bring you to the consciousness of your actions and your acceptance and the belief so that you do not do actions blindly. You have to be conscious of what you are doing and acknowledge the importance of being conscious of what you are doing. Allah created us as Allah’s Khalifas (representatives) against shaytan’s objections, against the objections of the angels. So we owe Allah a lot. Allah chose us. And in return, we should choose Allah. That is why we say, “Bismillah er Rahman er Rahim. Euzu billahi minesh shaytan irrajim”, which means “I take refuge in Allah from the outcast/stoned shaytan, and in the Name of Allah, the Owner of Compassion and Who Acts with Compassion and Mercy.” What does this mean? It means that whatever you are doing will be in the Name of Allah. So that is a reminder to you that you are connected, you are representing Allah, and not to do anything that Allah is not pleased with. I also suggest you start each morning when you wake up by saying this: Euzu billahi minesh shaytan irrajim, Bismillah er Rahman er Rahim !

Arts, Events, London