Seerah

We live in an era where knowledge is abundant and is available at our finger tips in variety of formats (audio, video, ebooks…) and on variety of devices and platforms (tablets, smartphones, laptops….). However, we lack the enthusiasm,  passion, dedication and commitment to seeking knowledge. Here are few of the inspiring stories of past to rekindle that spark.

• Imam Zafar said “We used to sit down and take our spots for the circle of Imam Ali Madini after the Asar prayer. The circle would take place next day. We would sit all night, for fear that if we come tomorrow, we may not find a good spot to sit”  (Subhanallah, nowadays people spend entire nights outside malls and shops to get good deals and bargains on Black Friday and Boxing Day or to meet celebrities)
• Salaba mentions that “I saw Ibraheem harbi in gathering, seeking knowledge Arabic language and Grammar, for 50 years, never missing out” (Note that Salaba would have had to attend the same study circle for 50 years for him to notice Ibraheem Harbi’s dedication)
• Someone asked Abdur Rahman about the knowledge he benefited from father Abu Hatim, he said “My father would be eating his food and I would be reading to him… as he walks, I would read to him..he goes into washroom, and I would read to him…my father would go inside the house – looking for something – I would still be reading to him.”  Abdur Rahman then told his own story: “We were once in Egypt for studying. We had not taken any hot soup for 7 months. During the daytime, we would go from one sheikh to another, and at night, we would sit down and exchange notes. One day, we went to one of our sheikh’s circle, we were informed that sheikh is sick. On our way back, we saw a fish,  we decided to buy it. However, when we got back home, it was time to go again to yet another lecture, so we left the fish at home. That fish stayed in the same place for 3 days. When it started to rot and smell,  we decided to eat it raw”
• One of the teachers of Bhukari mentions that “for 30 years, I never fed myself with my own hands, my sister used to put food in my mouth, I would be busy writing hadiths”.
• Ibn Hajar said that he read the entire Bhukari in 40 hours! and Shaheeh Muslim in 4 gatherings (each gathering is like 4 hours, so in 16 hours)

More stories to follow in the next post…..Stay tuned…

Someone asked Al-Abbas (radiallahu anhu), the uncle of rasulullah, a question: are you akbar than rasulullah?

In Arabic, literally, this means “are you greater than rasulullah.” But the obvious connotation is that the questioner asks about age: are you older than him?

Al-Abbas said:

رسول الله أكبر مني و لكن ولدت قبله

Rasulullah is greater than me, but I was born before him.

He wanted to set the record set, and give a clear message to all of us. The respect the sahaba had for rasulullah was amazing. Uthman ibn Affan, in Hudaybiyyah, refused to make umrah before rasulullah. One of the messengers of Quraysh said “I have seen kings and ceasers, but I never saw people who loved their leader as much as him.” The sahaba even tried to catch his wudoo water! So can we learn to respect him as he deserve?

And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds. [21:107]

In the last post, we looked at how our beloved prophet (SAW) set for us an excellent example as a father. Inshallah, continuing with the theme, in this post, we will explore two more roles:  **uncle and the master.

**

Treatment with niece

• After the Taif Campaign, one of the captives As-Shaima, the daughter of Al-Harith As-Sadiya, the Messenger’s foster sister was brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) , she introduced herself to him. Upon recognizing her by a certain mark, he honored her, spread for her his garment and seated her on it. He was graceful and released her and made her turn back to her people. [The Sealed Nectar]

Amazing! For those of us, who have the nieces, do we treat them with the respect, honor and love? How about with our own sisters? Note that As-Shaima was the daughter of the foster sister and yet the prophet (SAW) treated her with so much kindness.

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.”  [33:21]

Inshallah in this post and in future posts, we will be looking at seerah. We will look at how the prophet (SAW) set an excellent example for us in different roles; be it be as a husband, father, friend, leader and other such roles. In today’s post, we will look at his life as a father and grandfather.

Bismillah

عن انس قال النبي ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏لا يؤمن ‏ ‏أحدكم حتى أكون أحب إليه من والده وولده والناس أجمعين ‏

Anas radi Allahu anhu narrated that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “None of you truly believes (has emaan) until I am more beloved to him than his father, his child and all of mankind.” (Bukhari and Muslim)