Farazdaq’s famous poem on Imam Zainal Abidin (رضي الله عنه)

Hisham bin A’bd al-Malik performed the pilgrimage (حج) during the reign of his brother Al-Walid bin A’bd al-Malik. He circled the house (الكعبة). Due to the crowd, he was unable to kiss the stone (الحجر الاسود) without being supported by a pulpit. So he sat on it and kissed the stone.

Meanwhile Imam A’li Zaiul Abideen bin al-Husain (رضي الله عنهما) reached there attired with dress of ‘Ihram’. His face was the cutest, his scent was superior and he was the most pious among them. There was a mark of prostration between his eyes. He circled the Kaa’ba and approached the Stone to kiss it. Upon seeing him people stepped aside in exaltation, awe and respect of him. Hisham was a bit upset on seeing this.

One man among people of Sham thus asked Hisham, “Who is this man to whom people are paying high respect?” He replied: “I do not know of him”. Al-Farazdaq who was present there pointed to the Imam, and composed and recited this beautiful poem.

حجَّ هشام بن عبد الملك, فطافَ بالبيتِ وأرادَ استلامَ الحَجَر فلم يقدر ,فنُصِب له مِنبَرٌ فجلس عليه؛
فبينا هو كذلك إذْ أَقْبَلَ عليّ بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب (رضي الله عنه) في إزار وردَاء,وكان أحسنَ الناس وَجْها,وأعطرهم رائحة, وأكثرَهم خشوعاً ,وبين عينيه سَجَّادة ,كأنها رُكبة عنز, وطاف بالبيت ,وأتى ليَسْتَلم الحجرَ,فتنحّى له الناسُ هيبةً وإجلالا,فغاظ ذلك هشاما؛ فقال رجلٌ من أهل الشام:

مَن الَّذي أكرمه الناسُ هذا الإكرام,وأعظموه هذا الإعظامَ؟ فقال هشام: لا أعْرفه,لئلا يَعْظُمَ في صدور أهل الشام؛ فقال الفرزدق وكان حاضراً:

Maqam of Imam Abul Hasan Ash-Shadhili (رضي الله عنه) Egypt

Maqam of Abd al-Wahhab al-Sha’rani (رضي الله عنه)-Cairo-Egypt

Masjid of Amr ibn al-As – Cairo- Egypt

Masjid of Amr ibn al-As - Cairo- Egypt

 

Maqam of Sheikh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه)

Maqam of Sheikh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه) Cairo- Egypt

Maqam of Sheikh al-Islam Zakariyya al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه) Cairo- Egypt

Sacred Hair of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is miraculous!

اللهمّ صلِّ على سيّدنا محمّد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلِم

Verily Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is Allah’s beloved. Allah has given countless blessings to his beloved. With Allah’s special mercy anything and everything related to Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is a blessing. Believers know this and they take every opportunity to grasp it.

We have seen in recent past some events related to sacred hair of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) which received public attention. One of such events was handing over of the sacred hair as stated in my previous post Sacred Hair of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) in India. Consequently believers in south Indian state, Kerala became very happy. Their leader announced a plan to construct a grand mosque worth of 400 million Indian Rupees to have an honorable home for the Sacred Relic. The public acceptance got for this mission suggested that believers are ready to spend in respect of their beloved Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) even it is 4000 million.

Proposed Grand Masjid to host the Sacred Hair

But sorry to say that there are some critics airing skeptical comments showing their uneasiness on the ‘Sacred Hair’. Some question the authenticity of it and some others vary on the length of it. One would feel sorry for them as their allegations are baseless without proofs or historical evidences.

A brief study I have made on the subject revealed many miraculous facts on Hair of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

• It won’t decay by passage of time.
• It grows as time passes.
• It splits into multiples.
• It moves by itself once kept in Majlis al Dikr (Gathering to remember Allah).
• It often glows in dark.

Respected scholar Yousuf  Ismail  Yousuf al Nabhani (يوسف اسماعيل النبهاني) from Palestine (1849–1932) mentions in his book ‘Jawahir al Bihar’ (جواهر البحار في فضائل النبي المختار) narration from Great Scholar Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi ( عبد الغني النابلسي رضي الله عنه). Nabulsi (1641 – 1731), a Damascus bound scholar during his visit to Madinah Shareef met a scholar from India named Gulam Muhammad.

This Indian scholar used to read them ‘’Futoohat al Malakiyyah’ (فتوحات الملكية) authored by Great Shaikh Muhyidhin al Arabi (رضي الله عنه). He explained on availability of many Sacred Hairs in India and its supernatural behaviors. Those hairs are exhibited during 9^th of month Rabiul Awwal every year for public to have blessings. The Indian scholar explained that some hairs will move by self and he had witnessed it. Some hairs grow and some of them offshoot new hairs.

Some historians reported that a rightful Indian king Nooruddin al Shaheed had a collection of Sacred Hairs in his stock. He made a ‘wasiyah’ (will letter) to keep the Hairs in his eyes after his death and was done so.

Another incident about ‘Sacred Hair’ is narrated by great Indian saint Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlavi (رضي الله عنه) (1703 – 1762) in his book ‘Hirz al Thameen fi Mubasharaatin Nabiyil Ameen’. His father told that once he was ill and he saw Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) in dream. He explained about his illness to Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and He (صلى الله عليه و سلم) found a cure for it and from His (صلى الله عليه و سلم) blessed beard left two hairs. He instantly recovered and when woke up, both the blessed hairs were in his hand. Shah Waliullah writes, “My father gave me one from the blessed hairs.”

Recently enough, Shaikh Ahmad Muhammad Al Khazraji (طول الله عمره), a descendant from Khazraj tribe of Madinah in Abu Dhabi have a healthy collection of many ‘Sacred Hairs’ having fail proof authentic certificate. I have posted an article before on it Sacred Hair of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم), a precious collection!

He exhibits the Blessed Relic to public on 23^rd night of Ramadan. One respected brother has posted the news here شعرات من رأس الحبيب عليه السلام. He has mentioned the miraculous behavior of the Hair growing by itself.

One young Indian scholar now doing his doctorate in Al Azhar University has recounted explanations given by Shaikh Ahmad Muhammad Al Khazraji during his recent visit to him. The Shaikh tells that some hairs in his collection grow 1.7 to 2.5% in a year.

Interestingly enough he has noticed new hairs being added up in his collection. Curious to know, he has shown the new hairs to fire to check whether it burns. No, it has surpassed the test ensuring that it was derived from the original hair of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم)! He also noticed some hairs moving by itself upon kept in Majlis al Dikr (مجلس الذكر) and some glowing in dark.

Fitting to their unparalleled privilege, government of U.A.E has recently published stamps as a respect to his father Muhammad Al Khazraji (رحمة الله عليه). His father had served as Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs in U.A.E.

It is wonderful, isn’t it? Those who know the meaning of Prophetic Miracle won’t need more to believe it. But others who might try to measure with physical scales will find it hard to digest. According to Shaikh Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi, Allah has granted special life pattern to parts belonging to Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

There were many miracles shown by Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) to his people only to be denied by many. One of them is  the moon splitting incident as Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) had shown full moon split and separated to two parts of the horizon. Many people in Makkah who watched it by own eyes didn’t believe it. Surprisingly a king from India saw it and set his sail to Makkah to embrace Islam. (Check Tajudhin Al Hindi (Raliya Allahu Anhu for details).

Similarly another great miracle of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) Al Isra’ wal Mieraj (الاسراء و المعراج) was denied and scrutinized by Makkah infidels. But, see the Great Sahabi Abu Bakr al Siddiq (رضي الله عنه) accepted it without a rethink. It is ‘Eeman’, the real faith which many fail to posses.

Now the onus is on us. Believing it or not is one’s own choice. But don’t bully it by posting and circulating unnecessary emails which will tarnish image of our Ummah in public. If one can’t digest it, better for him to keep quite.

Special thanks to the brother who has sent me the photos of the event at Ahmad Muhammad Al Khazraji ‘s home with many close up images revealing the ‘Sacred Hairs’.

© 2011 – All rights reserved اللهمّ صلِّ على سيّدنا محمّد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلِم

Makeenuddin al Asmar (مكين الدين الأسمر رضي الله عنه)

Islamic history is full with stories of holy men who led ideal life by obeying Allah’s commands, loving His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and serving for the benefit of the Muslim Ummah. Great qualities like honesty, sincerity and humbleness they have exhibited during their life not only won hearts of public in their era but the fame and love towards them extended in many centuries after their demise.

Shaikh Makeenuddin al Asmar (رضي الله عنه) is one among such saints (Waliyullah) who is still living in hearts of people even after seven centuries. He had born in Alexandria, Egyptian port city in year 610 Hijri. His actual name is Abu Abdullah bin Mansoor al Iskandarani.

He memorized the Holy Quran in childhood itself and became an expert in Quran recitation. He studied knowledge of Quran from Shaikh Abul Qasim al Safrawi and stayed in Alexandria for some time  as a Quran reciter.

He used to sew dress as a humble livelihood and at the mean time learned Sufism (knowledge of secrets of the universe to realize the creator, Allah) from Great Shaikh Abu Hasan al Shaduli (رضي الله عنه), a renowned Sufi scholar.  He was with his Shaikh for forty years and fought with him in the battle of Mansoorah (battle against brutal crusader forces in city of Mansoorah, Egypt) in 645 Hijra.

He is known for many ‘Karamah’ (miraculous happening from Awliya). He had witnessed Lailatul Qadr (a blessed night in Ramadan with deeds equivalent to that of thousand months) many a time and had seen Angels descending to earth with layers of light.

Another noted Karamah is his visit to tomb of Nabi Danial (Alihissalam) (نبي دانيال عليه السلام) buried in Alexandria. He met the Prophet praying. Nabi Danial (عليه السلام) asked him to lead the prayers as he is follower of the last Messenger Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

Shaikh Abu Hasan al Shaduli (رضي الله عنه) had told about him that ‘he is brown in complexion but has a white (clean and clear) heart’. He and another great Sufi Shaikh of his time, Abu Abbas al Mursi (رضي الله عنه) paid esteem respect to each other.

Shaikh Makeenuddin al Asmar (رضي الله عنه) passed away in Alexandria in 692 Hijri. His tomb is famous there inside Masjid of Yaqoot al Arsh (ياقوت العرش رضي الله عنه) near to tomb of Shaikh Abul Abbas Al Mursi (رضي الله عنه).

We were lucky to be there to visit these great saints who left an unfading passion in hearts of believers. Due to our busy schedule we could spend only a few hours in Alexandria. The city on the bank of Mediterranean Sea is lovely and so are the greats who lived and have been buried there!

Masjid Quba’ (مسجد قباء)

A normal Masjid itself is an arena of prosperity (بركة) and goodness (خير). Then how much it will be for a Masjid referred in Quran as ‘The Masjid built over foundation of piousness from first day’. It is Masjid Quba’ situated in outskirts of al Madinah al Munawwarah.

Its significance won’t end there. It is the first Masjid constructed by Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) upon reaching Madinah. Its first stone was laid by hand of Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) followed by the prime companions Abu Bakr al Ssiddiq (رضي الله عنه) and Umar bin Khattab (رضي الله عنه).

Many Hadiths are reported stating importance of Masjid Quba’

Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) said: Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used to come to Masjid Quba’ walking or riding then pray two Rakaa’t there. (Reported in Sahih Muslim under chapter on significance of Masjid Quba’ and importance of praying from there)

Abe Umamah bin Sahl bin Haneef reported from his Father (رضي الله عنهما): Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said:  Anyone who started and reached this Masjid (meaning Masjidul Quba’) then prayed there, it has equivalence of performing an Umrah.