The Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen 1805-1875, famous for his stories and fairy tales, also captured his journeys abroad in a number of travelogues. The lengthy excerpt reproduced here recounts a visit to Istanbul Constantinople on the occasion of the birthday celebration, or Mawlid, for the Prophet Muhammad. He also recounts the public procession of the Sultan and his entourage from the Serail meaning Topkap? Saray or Palace. The account gives yet another interesting outsider perspective on Ottoman life and society.

Read more here : Andersen in Istanbul: The Mawlid of the Prophet Muhammad | Islamicana.

The Heart

It is the seat of choice in man, which is affected by the states of the spirit, the levels of the soul and the opinion of the mind, and makes the decision based on these. It is also the thing at which the Lord looks, as the noble hadith says: ‘God looks not at your bodies or your forms; but He looks to your hearts and your deeds.’ Spiritual ascent causes the heart to rise and live in a state of certainty, in its three levels as described by the experts in this art, namely knowledge of certainty, vision of certainty and truth of certainty, which is the highest level to which a man can rise, after which there is no end to the ascent of his heart’s stability. In this way, the heart ascends through the nine stations of certainty, which are: repentance, renunciation, patience, gratitude, fear, contentment, hope, reliance, and love, according to how they are enumerated in Qut al-Qulub.

Source: The Concepts of Faith (pdf)

This is Masjid AlJumuah where Rasulullah led the first Friday… on Twitpic. – By Mufti Abdullah Nana

Risalatul Haq: A Discussion About Old Age and Death is a short thesis written by Habib Ali bin Isa bin Abdulkader Alhadad in the 1970s. Now translated for the first time in English and available in USA and South East Asia. Edited by Habib Ali’s son, Abdulkader Alhadad (editor and publisher of Treatise on Discipline in the Path of The Seeker (Risalatul Murid).

From the Foreword by Habib Ali’s son:

“A Muslim should not wait for the time when one is considered old to think that death is near. Whilst only Allah, the Exalted, knows when a person’s time is due, knowing the deeds to perform when one is sick, visiting the sick or approaching death helps us to remember Allah, the Most Merciful, and makes it easy for the sick and dying person to cope with the process of death. Everyone should be aware and be prepared for the unexpected death of his or her family member, young or old and the practices during such difficult times as conducted by the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him.”

This book includes some of the prayers and invocations that Imam Abdullah bin Alawi Alhaddad, may Allah be pleased with him, compiled.

Chapter titles:

1. The Sick – Manners and Conduct in Visiting
2. When Death Approaches
3. Prepare the Deceased Before Bath
4. The Funeral Prayers
5. Death and the Burial
6. Visiting the Grave
7. The Living may Help the Dead!
8. First Night in the Grave
9. The Spirit (Soul) [Ruh] Journey after Death

To order your copies, please send us a message here, include your mailing address and quantity: Book Reservation

UPDATE: You can now order the book online here: https://www.wepay.com/stores/al-haddad (US only). For international orders please provide your mailing address and contact information here: http://bit.ly/_contact_us

Price: US$10 + $5 shipping within USA. Canada & International shipping will vary.

Risalatul Haq and Risalatul Murid are available exclusively in North America through IslamCrunch.

These books are not sold for profit. All funds will be channelled into publishing more books from the Maqam of Imam Al-Haddad and the Charity of Habib Isa bin Abdulkader bin Ahmad Alhadad.

To donate: https://www.wepay.com/donations/Al-Haddad-Books 

• Allahumma Yaa Nuurus samaa waati wal ardi
  “O Allah! O (You Who is) the Light of the heaven and the earth”
• Saali  ‘alaa  man  khalaq  ta-hu min nuuri ka
  “I ask Your blessings (and salutations) upon He (Muhammad) whom You have created from Your Light”
• Waghfirlii dhanbi
  “And forgive me my sins”
• Wa  nau wir qalbi  bi an waari ma’rifa tik, wa ma’rifa ti hibik
  “And enlighten my heart with the Light of Knowing You and with the Knowledge from You.”
• Wa  ‘alaa  aalihi wa sahbihi wasallim
  “And upon his Household and Companions with peace!”

Ameen!

Habib Ahmad Mashhur is the author of Key to the Garden

All Rights Reserved © Zhulkeflee Hj. Ismail 2009