The Two Fires

There are two paths that one may take.

The first path is the easy one, or so the traveller thinks at first. There are no troubles, only pleasure. He does not feel any pain. He walks forward with ease, taking what he wishes, whichever way he wants, no matter who he hurts.

Yet as he follows his chosen path, it grows narrower and narrower, and hotter and hotter. He continues to fool himself that the path is wide and cool. He refuses to turn away no matter all the slipways he sees. At last he then reaches the end, the wall of fire. And now, try as he might, he cannot turn away. Escape is futile. This fire grabs on to him and does not let go. Incinerated the traveller is, forever gone.

The second path is filled with trials. Hurdles to overcome, blisters on the feet, parched throat; at times it is very cold and at times it is very hot. Yet the traveller learns to adapt to each condition, making the best of his situation. He is thankful when times are good and patient when the times seem dire. And as he continues forward, he looks to the next test without fear; for it is no longer painful, it only makes him stronger.

In the end, he too reaches a wall of fire, but he does not choose to run. Instead, he embraces this fire, allowing himself to be annihilated. For was this not what he was searching for? The fire however is such that it loves the traveller. Once having consumed, it brings him back to life.

For, whilst the first wall of fire was the fire kindled by sins, the second wall of fire was the fire kindled by love of Allah.

And the fire of True Love does not simply kill; it grants the one consumed new life.

Qasidah Burdah Shareef

I absolutely love the Qasidah by Imam Busayri Rahmatullahi 'Alayh. Just the sound of it is beautiful enough, but when you actually read the words, how they are put together, the weight of each verse, the huge meanings in a single word... it's just mind blowing.

Just reading the translation is enough to make tears well up and flow from the eyes. The love for Rasulullah Salla Allahu 'Alayhi wa Sallam that is overflowing from Imam Busayri's words is apparent to anyone. I really love the following beautiful verses:

فما لعينيك ان قلت اكففا همتا

و ما لقلبك ان قلت استفق يهم

The translation taken from sufizikr.org

What has happened to your eyes, (the more) you tell them to stop, the more they continue flowing.

What is the matter with your heart, (the more) you tell it to come to its senses, (the more it is distracted).

But my favourite verse is this one:

♫ يا لائمي فى الهوى العذرى معذرة

مني اليك و لو انصفت لا تلم

The translation for this one was not really clear in sufizikr.org. I tried to translate it myself with the help of my husband, and once again realized how things are 1000 times more beautiful when understood in its own language. I am making du'aa Insha Allah I am able to translate it in better words someday.

Oh you who malign me in my desirous excuse (basically his Love), excuse me for that, and if you were just (in understanding the issue) you would not malign 

I saved the translation from sufizikr.org in MS Word, and it was fourteen pages. When I finished reading the whole Qasidah, I found it both hilarious and sad that some people would like the malign Imam Busayri and question his aqeedah due to ONE verse!!! Amazing. ONE verse in FOURTEEN pages!

May Allah Ta'aala allow us to appreciate the love others have for His beloved Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam, and allow His love and His beloved's love permeate our hearts. Ameen.

 

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

Har dam karoon mein ai Mere Baari

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

Jab Saans loon mein ho jaye jaari

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

This is what I ended my last entry with. I didn’t translate it, though, probably because I was too lazy. However I was planning to translate it in a new entry, for they are beautiful verses, and their meaning should be known. Once again, please forgive the translation if it seems not poetic, but rather focus on the words themselves.

Har dam karoon mein ai Mere Baari

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

Every moment I should (say) Oh my Maker

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

Jab Saans loon mein ho jaye jaari

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

When I breathe out, let (these words) flow

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

And why not? If Allah Ta’aala is blessing us every moment of every day, is it not our duty that we remember Him every moment of every day? Say a friend gifts Zaid* with something he really like, something that he wanted and needed. Zaid will probably spend days talking about that gift, and every time he sees this friend who gave him the gift, he will make some mention and also some thanks.

Now Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala has gifted us with those things which can never even be counted. If I had not hands, how would I type? If you had not eyes, how would you read? If there was no air, then how would we breathe? And so many countless bounties of His we are being gifted every moment of our lives.

So if we’re thankful to a friend for a gift, then is Allah not an infinite times more deserving of our thanks and gratitude?

 فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ

Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith.

Surah Baqarah, Aayah 152

 *****

*Zaid is just an example. In Arabic and Urdu, the name Zaid, Amr and Bakr are used when having to cite examples.

Allah's Power, Allah's Will

Majal hai kuch bhi kar sakun mein jo Tu na tawfeeq eh Khuda de

Teri mashiy’at hai sab peh ghaalib ke heech hain sab mere iraadai

What possibility is there for me to do anything if You do not give me the ability, Oh Lord?

Your will overpowers everything; all the plans I make are insignificant.

The above is from one of the poetry of Khwaja Majzoob Rahmatullahi ‘Alayhi. The translation is not doing justice to the first two verses at all, but such is how translating is; you can never truly bring the feelings and emotions along with simply translating. The position, the rhyming, the choice of words used, they all add something precious for both the poet and the reader.

Anyways, I really love the whole poem; however these two lines were continuously in my head, every time I was waking up during the night, and even when I woke up in the morning. Now I am not saying I’m extremely pious that I constantly hear beautiful poetry in my mind etc… probably I just repeat certain things to myself all the time and that’s why they pop in my head all the time. But I did decide while making coffee in the morning to think over it a little bit.

The first verse is basically mentioning that it is impossible that I (ie anyone) can do anything unless given that power by Allah Ta’aala. I contemplated over that while opening the fridge and taking out milk, and it came to me that if Allah did not give my hands the power, then I would not even be able to open the fridge, leave alone make a simple cup of coffee.

Then came the second verse, which completed the couplet. The gist of it is that no matter what plans a person may make, they are insignificant, unless Allah Ta’aala wills for it to happen. If I plant a seed, then I should not expect it to germinate and burst through the soil with a green leaf just because I am taking such good care of it. I should have this constant thought in my mind that in the same way I am being given power to do all I am through Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala, the same way, if Allah wills, this seed will germinate. However if Allah does not will, then it will stay dead.

Well, there is so much more that can be said on this subject, but the fact is I am not getting the words, except these few thoughts. I don’t like to force myself to write, so I shall conclude this entry here. If once again such thoughts visit, once again my fingers shall type, Insha Allah.

May Allah Ta’aala allow us to realize His great mercy upon us, Ameen.

Har dam karoon mein ai Mere Baari

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

Jab Saans loon mein ho jaye jaari

Allahu Allah, Allahu Allah

Fresh Fish

Something I read in an email..

***

 The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste.

To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats.

They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish. 

The frozen fish brought a lower price. So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin.

After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive. Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.

So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan? If you were consulting the fish industry, what would you recommend?

How Japanese Fish Stay Fresh:

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged.

Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired & dull, so we need a Shark in our life to keep us awake and moving? Basically in our lives Sharks are new challenges to keep us active and lively...

Songs of Experience by Talib-al-Habib

Another beautiful nasheed by Talib-al-Habib on Parents. One of my favourites, the words are beautiful and emotional.


Note: Rabbanaghfir Warhamhuma Kama Rabbayaani Sagheera means 
"Oh our Lord, forgive and have mercy on both of them (parents) as they nurtured us when we were small.

****

Rabbanaghfir Warhamhuma Kama Rabbayaani Sagheera

Through the window of my eyes

Memories of being a child

I was never afraid when you were by my side

And I grew without a care

Knowing you were always there

To protect me, to raise me, Oh my Father dear

How I relied on your strength and your wisdom

Your calm patient guidance, your kind loving gaze

Lord let whatever I've done that has pleased You

Rain down like blessings and mercy on them

Rabbanaghfir Warhamhuma Kama Rabbayaani Sagheera

What would I be if not for you

Teaching me how to live and grow

Now I can only hope that I have made you proud

Oh how little thanks we show

To our Lord who has bestowed

Parents who would sacrifice for us heart, breath and bone

How I rely on your strength and your wisdom

Your calm patient guidance, your kind loving gaze

Lord let whatever I've done that has pleased You

Rain down like blessings and mercy on them

And now I understand, now I've grown into a man

The cares that must have burdened you, the fearless love you held

So deep within, and as I gaze into my children's eyes

It's only now oh Father that I truly realize

How I rely on your strength and your wisdom

Your calm patient guidance, your kind loving gaze

Lord let whatever I've done that has pleased You

Rain down like blessings and mercy on them

Rabbanaghfir Warhamhuma Kama Rabbayaani Sagheera

Oh if I ever caused you grief

Then I ask you, forgive me

For the sake of the one sent to all as mercy

How the days and seasons fade

I have grown and you have aged

Yet as I lend you my hand, know one thing stays the same

I still rely on your strength and your wisdom

Your calm patient guidance, your kind loving gaze

Lord let whatever I've done that has pleased You

Rain down like blessings and mercy on them 

Rabbanaghfir Warhamhuma Kama Rabbayaani Sagheera

Allahu Allahu La Ilaha Illahu

Allahu Allahu La Ilaha Illahu