Al-Azhar University, Cairo

Maqam of Imam Jalaluddin al–Suyuti (Rali Allahu Anhu)

Maqam of Imam Jalaluddin al–Suyuti (Rali Allahu Anhu) -Egypt

الحبيب محمد السقاف يشرح معرض السيرة النبوية في جدة

Lifestyle of Rasoolullah – an illustrative exhibition
ما شاء الله… فداك أبي و أمي يا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

This video is of an exhibition conducted in Jeddah, KSA which simulates items and materials used by Rasoolullahi Sallallahu Alihi Wasallam. Many samples are presented in a seemingly old appearance resembling the ones available almost 1430 years ago.

Our beloved Prophet is the leader of this universe. He is the first and prime person not only during His time but all times. Even mount Uhud was ready to be converted as gold for him. Still one would wonder the humble way He lived! The simple things he used in daily life.

Shaikh Abdal-Hakim Murad singing Imam Al-Haddad’s poem (قدس الله سره)



قَدْ كَفَانِي عِلْمُ رَبِّي	My Lord’s knowledge has sufficed me
مِنْ سُؤَالِي وَاخْتِيَارِي	from asking or choosing
فَدُعَائِي وابْتِھَالِي	For my du’a and my agonising supplication
شَاھِدٌ لِي بِافْتِقَارِي	is a witness to my poverty
فَلِھَذَا السِّرِّ أَدْعُو	For this secret (reason) I make supplication
فِي يَسَارِيْ وَعَسَارِي	in times of ease and times of difficulty
أَنَا عَبْدٌ صَارَ فَخْرِي	I am a slave whose pride
ضِمْنَ فَقْرِي وَاضْطِرَارِي	is in his poverty and obligation
يَا إِلَھِي وَمَلِيْكِي	O my Lord and my King
أنْتَ تَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ حَالِي	You know my state
وَبِمَا قَدْ حَلَّ قَلْبِي	And what has settled in my heart
مِنْ ھُمُوْم وَاشْتِغَالِي	of agonies and preoccupations
فَتَدَارَكْنِي بِلُطْفٍ	Save me with a gentleness
مِنْكَ يَا مَوْلَى الْمَوَالِي	from You, O Lord of Lords
ً يَا كَرِيْمَ الْوَ جْهِ غِثْنِي	Oh save me, Most Generous
قَبْلَ أنْ يَفْنَى اصْطِبَارِي	before I run out of patience (with myself)
يَا سَرِيْعَ الْغَوْثِ غَوْثًا	O One who is swift in sending aid
مِنْكَ يُدْرِكْنَا سَرِيْعًا	I ask for aid that will arrive to me swiftly
يَھْزِمُ الْعُسْرَ وَيَأْتِي	It will defeat all difficulty
بِالَّذِي نَرْجُو جَمِيْعًا	and it will bring all that I hope for
يا قَرِيْبًا يا مُجِيْبًا	O Near One Who answers
يا عَلِيْمًا يا سَمِيْعًا	and All-Knowing and All-Hearing
قَدْ تَحَقَّقْتُ بِعَجْزِي	I have attained realization through my incapacity
وخُضُوْعِي وانْكِسَارِي	my submission and my brokenness
لَمْ أَزَلْ بِالْبَابِ وَاقِفْ	I am still standing by the door, so please my Lord
فَارْحَمَنْ ربِّي وُقُوْفِي	have mercy on my standing
وبِوَادِي الْفَضْلِ عَاكِفْ	And in the valley of generosity, I am in i’tikaf (solitary So, (retreat)
فَأَدِمْ ربِّي عُكُوْفِي	Allah, make my retreat here permanent
ولِحُسْنِ الظَّنِّ لاَزِم	And I’m abiding by good opinion (of You)
فَھُوَ خِلِّي وحَلِيْفِي	For it is my friend and ally
وأَنِيْسِي وجَلِيْسِي	And it is the one that sits by me and keeps me company
طُوْلَ لَيْلِي ونَھَارِي	All day and night
حَاجَةً فِي النَّفْسِ يَا ربّ	There is a need in my soul, O Allah
فَاقْضِھَا يا خَيْرَ قَاضِي	so please fulfil it, O Best of Fulfillers
وأَرِحْ سِرِّي وقَلْبِي	And comfort my secret and my heart
مِنْ لَظاَھَا والشُّوَاظِ	from its burning and its shrapnel
فَالْھَنَا والْبَسْطُ حَالِي	For joy and expansion is my state
وشِعَارِي ودِثَارِي	and my motto and my cover

Imam Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani Rahmatullahi Alaihi

Shaykh Ibn Hajar al Asqalani Rahmatullahi Alihi (الشيخ ابن حجر العسقلاني رحمة الله عليه), a gifted scholar who wrote Fathul Baree (   (فتح الباريan explanation on Sahihul Bukhari is well respected among Islamic scholastic circles. I had the opportunity to visit his Maqam in Cairo which is obscure to many – الحمد لله

I don’t remember the exact location of Maqam of Shaykh Ibn Hajar al Asqalani Rahmatullahi Alihi. What I do remember is riding in a taxi through unpaved alleyways in Garafah al Kubra (the biggest graveyard in Cairo – probably the biggest in the world) where many past Greats are resting.

It was in a winter evening after we had visited Shaykh Ibn Ataullahi Al Iskandari, Khalwa of Sayyidah Nafeesah, Shykh Izzuddin bin Abdussalam (Rahmathullahi Alihim Ajmaeen). We traveled a bit and found the road having water puddles and made a round and entered the Garafah through another route. While doing so our taxi driver got a fine from a patrolling traffic officer for entering the road in wrong direction!

We reached the Maqam of Shaykh Ibn Hajar al Asqalani Rahmatullahi Alihi guided by a foreign scholar studying in Al Azhar after sunset. The place is not known to many as our taxi driver exclaimed that though his family graveyard is in near vicinity he never noticed this great Imam’s Maqam there! The Maqam is not well maintained as we found the wooden roof is displaced and has some holes.

We had earlier visited another Maqam of great Imam Shaykh Abu Ja’afar Al Tahawi Rahmatullahi Alihi which also was in similar condition. Our guide suggested this may be because of lack of followers of the Shaykh in that particular area. He also mentioned one delegation of scholars from India paid visit there and were surprised of the unpopular condition of those Maqams.

Imam Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (Rahmatullahi Alaihi)’s  Qabr  ( Egypt)

نشيد يا إمام الرسل يا سندي