“A sleeping person can awaken by a single drop of water but if a nation goes to sleep then to wake it up, the blood drops of martyrs are needed!”
Ali (A.S.)
Dead Goldie 3: Gravel Drift
Saturday, November 22nd, 2008The small one, yeah. Tonight. R(ing).I.P. on the gravel at the bottom of the fish tank.
Fish tank is not at full capacity, it actually looks quite empty without the big goldies swimming around. And I just changed the water. Maybe it’s the food…
Anyway, I don’t plan to get anymore fish. I kind of like the orange-free tank.
I just hope and pray that the Black Ghosts don’t decide to play dead for real!
And did you know that feeding fish everyday is a Sadqa-e-Jariya (Continuous Sadqa)? 
I’m Not A Mushrik, Just Trying To Think…
Thursday, November 20th, 2008Please read my previous post before reading this.
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The Prophet Eesa (A.S.) was walking with his followers when on their way they passed a house where a wedding was to take place and celebrations were underway. He addressed his followers that when they would return the house would be filled with mourning as the bride would be dead.
But when they returned, the celebrations had not ceased.
The Prophet was extremely bewildered by this. He entered the house and found the bride in her room. He asked whether she had moved anywhere.
She replied that a beggar had come to the door but due to the celebrations nobody had heard him except her. Since no one had responded to his cries, she had gone and gotten him a flour bag and he went away happy.
After hearing this, Eesa (A.S.) quickly removed her pillow from the bed and beneath that, was a black snake!
Her good deed had saved her life, even when she was supposed to die.
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There are 124,000 prophets and all were given separate parts of ‘knowledge’. That is, they knew a lot but they didn’t know it ‘all’.
A popular example can be seen in the Quraan where Hazrat Musa (A.S.) learns a lot from Hazrat Khizr (A.S.)
The only prophet who was given the knowledge of “All To Happen” and the power to change that was our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.), the reason for the creation of this Universe.
In the case above, Hazrat Eesa (A.S.) knew that the bride would die but what he didn’t know was the fact that she would give food to the beggar and it would change her destiny i.e. Loh.
But who changes that destiny? Who has the power to alter the Loh? Who has the power to change the Universe, yet keep it in a perfect state?
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Sadqa (صدقہ) is the averter of calamities and that is why we hear ‘Sadqa Rad-de-Bala Hai’ (صدقہ ردِّ بلا ہے)!
The Universe is perfect. Allah made it so. It will achieve whatever it’s ultimate objective is. And it will follow the Loh.
By the Loh, if someone is to be killed by a snake, then it will happen. But Sadqa is something that can prevent that. Giving sadqa will avert any misfortunes coming one’s way but that would require changes in the Loh. And Allah is the only one who can do that. So the proof of Allah’s existence or that Allah is still alive is that he still interferes in the affairs of the Universe by editing the Loh and sadqa is the only thing that guarantees it. There are countless examples available through out our books.
Miracles and prayers can be said to change fate, but they don’t guarantee it. Sadqa does.
But is it also written in the Loh that the person will give sadqa?
That would mean the Loh is evolving. So what is the future of the Loh?
Only Allah knows, or Muhammad (S.A.W.W.).
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The Sadqa of Islam
اسلام کا صدقہ
In 61 AH, Islam was a relatively young religion, an infant, and it wouldn’t be absurd to say that it hadn’t even crawled on all fours till then. It was a new faith with shallow roots and was still taking over people’s hearts and lives. It was at that time that a tyrant came to power after his father’s death.
He made the claim that there was no Allah, no heaven nor hell and that Prophethood was just a drama by the Bani Hashim (A.S.). He claimed that no revelations had occurred, no angel had come and that Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) had deceived all. The infant Islam was in grave danger. ‘Allah’ was in danger!
After making these claims, he decided to drive the nail into the coffin and force the heir of Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) to swear allegiance to him as the rightful ruler and accept his claims. A “hand or head” offer was extended to that heir.
The heir rejected to provide his hand in allegiance and set forth on a journey with his entire family to Makkah. The tyrant dispatched his men to try and kill the heir during Hajj.
The heir came to know of this and changed his Hajj to an Umrah. Then he left the city of Makkah in order to preserve it’s Holiness and to prevent bloodshed within the boundaries of the Haram. His final destination became the desert land that Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) had promised would be the grounds of his slaughter.
There he stopped and set up camp. Forces of the tyrant started to arrive soon after. They forced the heir to move his camp away from the water and blocked it.
Children in the heir’s camp started crying and begging for water. Even the six-month old had nothing to drink.
Three days later, all men were cut to pieces, including many children and even the six-month old was butchered from ear to ear by a three-pronged arrow. The heir sacrificed every thing and everyone for the sake of truth, then offered himself. He fought valiantly and reduced the tyrants massive army to countable numbers. When it was the time of Asr, he put his sword back in it’s sheath, was pierced by arrows from every direction and then bowed to Allah. His head was cut off in the state of Sajdah. The remaining man, women and children were captured and subjected to the most inhuman tortures possible.
All martyrs gave their lives to prove that Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) was right, there had been revelations, there are heaven and hell and that it was worth dying for. They showed the world the difference between right and wrong.
They offered their lives as Sadqa over Islam and Islam’s fate changed!
The heir saved the religion of Allah. Now Islam has grown into a 1400 year old, mature religion with roots deep into people’s lives. It is the fastest growing religion of all. Allah is still alive in the minds of Muslims everywhere.
And so is Husain…
انسان کو بیدار تو ہو لینے دو
ہر قوم پکارے گی ہمارے ہیں حسین
اسلام کے دامن میں بس اس کے سوا کیا ہے
اِک ضربِ یداللّہی ، اِک سجدہءِ شبّیری
شاعر: علامہ محمد اقبال
Yadullah is the title of Hazrat Ali (A.S.) meaning the hand of Allah while Shabbir is the title of Imam Husain (A.S.).
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SAWJ’s Note: This is a post written on the go, without any planning. If you disagree, try to be polite!
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People Who Almost Got The Answer: Adnan, Saadat.
People Who Wasted My Time In Trying To Prove The Question Wrong: Absar, Brickwall. 
Leaving the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) Madinah
Monday, August 4th, 2008تیرے شہر سے جاتے ہیں، دے ہم کو دعا نانا
آباد کریں گے ہم ، ہائے اب کرب و بلا نانا
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) was sitting with his young grandson, Husain (A.S.), and granddaughter, Zainab (S.A.), sitting in front of him. Suddenly, tears started streaming down his face.
Husain (A.S.) asked him, “Grandfather, why are you crying?”
The Prophet replied, “Jibraeel is here. He just told me that you will be slaughtered in Karbala in the way of Allah and is asking for my approval on it.”
Husain (A.S.): “Nana (Grandfather), I accept!”
Prophet (S.A.W.W.): “Water will be stopped for three days…”
Husain (A.S.): “Nana, I accept!”
Prophet (S.A.W.W.): “Your friends and family will be killed…”
Husain (A.S.): “Nana, I accept!”
Prophet (S.A.W.W.): “Your son Ali Akbar (A.S.) will die in your arms…”
Husain (A.S.): “Nana, I accept!”
Prophet (S.A.W.W.): “Your brother Abbas’s (A.S.) arms will be cut off…”
Husain (A.S.): “Nana, I accept!”
Prophet (S.A.W.W.): “Your six-month old infant Ali Asghar (A.S.) will be slaughtered by an arrow…”
Husain (A.S.): “Nana, I accept!”
Prophet (S.A.W.W.): “Your sister Zainab’s (S.A.) chaadar (head cover) will be snatched…”
Husain (A.S.) did not speak.
Zainab (S.A.): “My brother Husain (A.S.), I accept!”
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In 60 AH, Muawiya (L.A.) died and his son Yazid (L.A.) captured the throne in Damascus and claimed to be the defacto ruler of the Muslim world. People from all over the Muslim world came for his Bayaah, or Bayat (paying allegiance). But Imam Husain (A.S.) did not.
After Hazrat Ali (A.S.), Imam Hasan (A.S.) became Caliph but he gave it to Muawiya (L.A.) after only four months to save the Muslims from division. But he stated in the deal made with Muawiya (L.A.) that when Muawiya (L.A.) dies, the Caliphate would come back to him, or in the case of his passing, to Imam Husain (A.S.).
Muawiya (L.A.) had Imam Hasan (A.S.) poisoned and martyred by bribing his wife Jauda (L.A.), daughter of Ash’as (L.A.) , son of Shees (L.A.). So on Muawiya’s (L.A.) death, the Caliphate was Imam Husain’s (A.S.) right. But Muawiya (L.A.) appointed Yazid (L.A.) as his successor before death.
Even though Imam Husain (A.S.) never made any claims for the throne, yet Yazid (L.A.) feared his popularity with the people and knew someday the people would ask for him to step down for Imam Husain (A.S.).
It is necessary here to mention that Muawiya (L.A.) and Yazid (L.A.) were drinkers, tyrants and indulged in sexual sins. Even more important is the fact that they denounced Prophet Muhammad’s (A.S.) Prophethood openly by saying:
There was no Wahi (revelation), it was only a sham (nauzobillah) by the Bani Hashim (A.S.).
With fear of being dethroned in his mind and the want of disgracing Islam by dishonoring the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) grandson, having no regard for the Prophet or Allah openly, Yazeed asked Imam Husain for his Bayat (to pay allegiance to him) or be beheaded.
With Yazeed (L.A.) and his forefather’s records of infidelity and polytheism, the question of Imam Husain’s (A.S.) allegiance became one of the very survival of Islam. If Imam Husain (A.S.) had paid his allegiance to Yazid (L.A.), it would have meant his acceptance of the above mentioned claims of the Bani Umayyah (L.A.) that Islam was a farce (nauzobillah) and claims of Prophethood by Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) were false. Why would the people have trusted in Islam and Allah when even the grandson of the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) was submitting to Yazid (L.A.)? It’s no wonder that Imam Husain (A.S.) refused to bow to Yazid’s (L.A.) fancies. Imam Husain (A.S.) ordered his brother Abbas (A.S.) to prepare to leave Madinah. He took with him, almost all women and children to prove that he did not want to fight and it was Yazid (L.A.) who wanted bloodshed.
تیرا دین ہے مشکل میں، میں کیسے رہوں گھر میں
طفلی میں کوئی وعدہ ، تھا تجھہ سے کیا نانا
ریحان لرزتا تھا ، مرقد بھی پیمبر کا
شبّیر جو کہتے تھے ، میں مرنے چلا نانا
تیرے شہر سے جاتے ہیں ، دے ہم کو دعا نانا
آباد کریں گے ہم ، ہائے اب کرب و بلا نانا
Imam Husain (A.S.) left Madinah and the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) grave, with his family and friends, on 28th Rajab, 60 AH.
Courtesy: Syed Awn Husain Rizvi
He headed to Makkah with the intention of performing Hajj. There he learned that Yazid’s (L.A.) people were lurking in the form of Hajis (pilgrims) to kill him so he changed his Hajj plans to Umrah and left Makkah. He headed to Kufah but on the way he learned of Yazid’s governor Ubaidullah (L.A.)’s [son of Ziyad (L.A.)] massacre of those who wanted to help him.
One of Yazid’s (L.A.) armies met him on the way. Their water had finished and people and animals alike were thirsty. Imam Husain (A.S.) ordered for their thirsts to be satiated and even the animals to be given water. But later on, this same army stopped him from going towards Kufah and diverted him towards Karbala.
When the caravan reached Karbala on the 2nd of Muharram, 61 AH, Imam Husain (A.S.) remarked:
“This is the promised land where our blood shall be spilled!”
Imam Husain (A.S.) ordered the tents to be erected on the bank of the river Euphrates (Furaat). On the 4th of Muharram, the camps of Husain (A.S.) were forced by to be removed from the banks of the river by the Yazidi (L.A.) armies which had begun to arrive. On the 7th of Muharram, water was stopped from reaching the Husaini (A.S.) camps and the Yazidis (L.A.) took the riverbanks under their control.
Imam Husain (A.S.) tried many times to convince the Muslims against shedding the blood of the Prophet’s (S.A.W.W.) family, to try to save them from the humiliation that would follow but they did not listen. On the 10th day of Muharram, known by the name of Ashurah, Yazidi (L.A.) armies forced the battle onto Imam Husain’s (A.S.) caravan.
One by one, all men, except one, in the Husaini (A.S.) camp were martyred including Husain’s (A.S.) eighteen year old son Ali Akbar (A.S.) [who resembled the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) and people used to come from far and wide to look at him], extremely devoted brother Abbas (A.S.) [who always called Husain (A.S.) 'Master'], six month old infant Ali Asghar (A.S.), etc. Husain (A.S.) was slaughtered in the state of prostration to Allah during the Asr prayer, after he had put his sword back in its sheath, to pray.
The chaadars (head covers/veils) of all women were snatched and the tents of the Husaini (A.S.) camp burned. Women and children were made prisoners and taken to Damascus, Syria, on foot. The sole surviving man was Ali Zain-ul-Abideen (A.S.), the eldest son of Husain (A.S.) and the fourth Imam, who was weak and unconscious from illness at the time.
However, the Husaini (A.S.) men did not go down easy. Martyrdom was their ultimate goal but not before they had caused a huge blow to the enemy’s forces. As the imprisoned Lady Zainab (S.A.) stated in her sermon in the court of Yazid (L.A.):
“O Ruler of Syria! Go out into the streets and you will not find a single house that the Sword (Zulfiqar) of my Brother has spared from which the wails of mourning can not be heard.”
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Husain’s (A.S.) caravan lost 72 men. Even these were not all men. Many were of the age 7-14 and Ali Asghar (A.S.) was only six-months old.
According to one account, Yazid’s (L.A.) forces numbered 900,000. Only 80,000 returned alive!
According to another account, Yazidis (L.A.) totaled 460,000. All of Husain’s (A.S.) men killed 25,000 Yazidis (L.A.), Husain’s (A.S.) brother Abbas (A.S.) killed 25,000 while Husain (A.S.) himself sent 330,000 Yazidis (L.A.) to Hell. Total is 380,000 which leaves 80,000 to return home.
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More about Karbala here.
More about the infant Ali Asghar here.
About Husain’s (A.S.) daughter Sakinah (S.A.) here.
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SAWJ’s Note: All verses above are from Rehaan Aazmi’s Nauha (Elegy)
تیرے شہر سے جاتے ہیں، دے ہم کو دعا نانا
We are leaving your city, pray for us Grandfather
from the 1996 Nauha album of Syed Nadeem Raza Sarwar. You can download it here.
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