Muslim English Teacher

2012-01-24T08:43:00.001-08:00

There are these moments of permission
by Camille Dungy

                Between raindrops,


  space, certainly,

but we call it all rain.

          I hang in the undrenched intervals,

while Callie is sleeping,

                    my old self necessary

and imperceptible as air.

Almost noon...

2011-12-22T09:15:00.001-08:00

Although I do not vouch for
The darkness in the room,
I do understand it,
The way it withdraws
When confronted.
Yet, the true affinity is
With the light,
Its pervaisivness,
Its strength.
Do not leave me
Oh Light!
But instead illuminate
My way and save me
From this darkness
That is always threatening
To consume.

Time for a change...

2011-10-26T17:53:00.001-07:00

It seems as if I'm migrating somewhere else. Maybe you'll see me back here. Maybe you won't.

2011-07-17T03:41:00.000-07:00

Is it seriously less than one week away? :)

2011-07-15T07:47:00.001-07:00

Remember folks: You never know what's in your qadr.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun

2011-07-13T07:00:00.001-07:00

Giving up Sins: An Easy Prescription
by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (daamat barakaatuhum)

…Death visits – more often, very unexpectedly, and no true Muslim would want to be seized by the Angel of death when Allah Ta’ala is displeased. I often say : We now have instant tea, and instant coffee, and instant cereal and instant pudding and so many other things on the market are instant – we are also living in times when death is just as instant. So any sin is too much of a risk in the face of the reality of death. …The Hadith is explicit : That we will be resurrected on the day of Judgement as we have died and we will die as we have lived. …Would any Muslim want to rise up on the Day of Judgement in sin, for all of mankind to witness what kind of life he led?

Dear old students.

2011-07-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

Dear my old students from other schools,

I'm sorry that I don't remember your name, where I know you from, or anything particular about you. My memory is really that bad. But it's not all my fault. You've grown a lot as well. But really it mostly boils down to my memory. I'm lucky if I remember my name sometimes. I'll leave you with a poem by Billy Collins. Although I haven't had that many students as of yet (this will be my fourth year of teaching), it does resonate with me.

“Schoolsville”
from Sailing Alone Around the Room by Billy Collins

Glancing over my shoulder at the past,
I realize the number of students I have taught
is enough to populate a small town.

I can see it nestled in a paper landscape,
chalk dust flurrying down in winter,
nights dark as a blackboard.

The population ages but never graduates.
On hot afternoons they sweat the final in the park
and when it’s cold they shiver around stoves
reading disorganized essays out loud.
A bell rings on the hour and everybody zigzags
into the streets with their books.

I forgot all their last names first and their
first names last in alphabetical order.
But the boy who always had his hand up
is an alderman and owns the haberdashery.
The girl who signed her papers in lipstick
leans against the drugstore, smoking,
brushing her hair like a machine.

Their grades are sewn into their clothes
like references to Hawthorne.
The A’s stroll along with other A’s.
The D’s honk whenever they pass another D.

All the creative-writing students recline
on the courthouse lawn and play the lute.
Wherever they go, they form a big circle.

Needless to say, I am the mayor.
I live in the white colonial at Maple and Main.
I rarely leave the house. The car deflates
in the driveway. Vines twirl around the porch swing.

Once in a while a student knocks on the door
with a term paper fifteen years late
or a question about Yeats or double-spacing.
And sometimes one will appear in a windowpane
to watch me lecturing the wallpaper,
quizzing the chandelier, reprimanding the air.

I am also what surrounds you:

2011-06-26T06:15:00.000-07:00

Backdrop addresses cowboy

By Margaret Atwood

Starspangled cowboy

sauntering out of the almost-

silly West, on your face

a porcelain grin,

tugging a papier-mâché cactus

on wheels behind you with a string,

you are innocent as a bathtub

full of bullets.

Your righteous eyes, your laconic

trigger-fingers

people the streets with villains:

as you move, the air in front of you

blossoms with targets

and you leave behind you a heroic

trail of desolation:

beer bottles

slaughtered by the side

of the road, bird-

skulls bleaching in the sunset.

I ought to be watching

from behind a cliff or a cardboard storefront

when the shooting starts, hands clasped

in admiration,

but I am elsewhere.

Then what about me

what about the I

confronting you on that border,

you are always trying to cross?

I am the horizon

you ride towards, the thing you can never lasso

I am also what surrounds you:

my brain

scattered with your

tincans, bones, empty shells,

the litter of your invasions.

I am the space you desecrate

as you pass through.

Blessing of Allah

2011-06-17T06:32:00.001-07:00

Alhamdulillah for having a horrible memory.

One of these...

2011-06-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

Nightclub

by Billy Collins

You are so beautiful and I am a fool
to be in love with you
is a theme that keeps coming up
in songs and poems.
There seems to be no room for variation.
I have never heard anyone sing
I am so beautiful
and you are a fool to be in love with me,
even though this notion has surely
crossed the minds of women and men alike.
You are so beautiful, too bad you are a fool
is another one you don't hear.
Or, you are a fool to consider me beautiful.
That one you will never hear, guaranteed.
For no particular reason this afternoon
I am listening to Johnny Hartman
whose dark voice can curl around
the concepts on love, beauty, and foolishness
like no one else's can.
It feels like smoke curling up from a cigarette
someone left burning on a baby grand piano
around three o'clock in the morning;
smoke that billows up into the bright lights
while out there in the darkness
some of the beautiful fools have gathered
around little tables to listen,
some with their eyes closed,
others leaning forward into the music
as if it were holding them up,
or twirling the loose ice in a glass,
slipping by degrees into a rhythmic dream.
Yes, there is all this foolish beauty,
borne beyond midnight,
that has no desire to go home,
especially now when everyone in the room
is watching the large man with the tenor sax
that hangs from his neck like a golden fish.
He moves forward to the edge of the stage
and hands the instrument down to me
and nods that I should play.
So I put the mouthpiece to my lips
and blow into it with all my living breath.
We are all so foolish,
my long bebop solo begins by saying,
so damn foolish
we have become beautiful without even knowing it.

2011-05-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

I like to go to bookstores and wander the poetry section. Often, I will grab a random book of poetry hoping to find a gem. I hit the jackpot with Boris Novak's poetry, especially in this poem which could be dedicated to that special someone.

Borders

We gaze at the same full moon... horizons

far away, too far from each other. Mountains

rise between us. A soft, mossy crust

grows over our footsteps. All alone

you crossed all borders and came to a foreign country,

to the homeland of my arms. Dangerously alone

I crawl past the keepers of borders: I travel to the

Northwest, where I am bitterly ashamed

of the screeching of the soul among smooth, horrible walls.

I stand before them, a dark man from the Southeast,

with a conspicuous name, shuddering, as naked as prey.

I cannot escape. Border is destiny.

Now you know: although you cross the border, you don't erase it.

Rising even higher it will measure your steps, like doubt.

A map is not an illusion. So speak more softly.

Beyond all borders your lips are my home.

-Boris Novak

The Ultimate Pick Up Poem

2011-05-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

Love’s Philosophy

Percy Bysshe Shelley

The fountains mingle with the river,
And the rivers with the ocean;
The winds of heaven mix forever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In another’s being mingle–
Why not I with thine?

See, the mountains kiss high heaven,
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister flower could be forgiven
If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth,
And the moonbeams kiss the sea;–
What are all these kissings worth,
If thou kiss not me?

Poetry Challenge 2

2011-05-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

This time my class was working on a chain poem. More information on this activity can be found here. It is basically an exercise in free association and feeds into poetry.

You start with one object in the room. In our case, we started with "light." You then write the first thing that comes to your mind, which was "bright." Then you write the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of "bright" and so forth until you have 6-8 items. Our list was as follows:

Light
Bright
Flashes
Fast
Car
Wheels
Rims

You then add words to each side to make it into a poem. This is what I came up with.

Chain Poem #1

The light blinds when the
Bright thoughts enter
Flashes of contemplation
Destroying the fast energies of the world
A car is man made
And he created wheels
The rims a mere decor

Poetry Challenge

2011-05-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

For one of my classes, I tore up scraps of paper and had students write topics on the paper. They then had to randomly choose a paper and write about the topic they chose in three stanzas with a set rhyme scheme. The students challenged me: You have to write one as well. So I did.

Nature

The soft rain falling
On the hot concrete
Steam rising
Making the scene complete

Soft tears fall
Mirroring the rain
My hopes are tall
How can I complain

When my soul is pure
and untainted by sin
Temptations lure
But I will win

Qabiltu

2011-05-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

Qabiltu
by Abu Zayd USA

It began with a simple statement, qabiltu Your hand in mind, we left to start our new lives. The sun never shined as bright And the moon was never so full as it became when your life and mine became one. We never met, We never spoke, but we there was a feeling that my faulty tongue can never express in its own words - muwaddah. The stars spoke to us that night bringing life to the dark Earth bring life to your dark hearts and stand. Water splashed on my face the night we were wed, urging me to stand before the One who blessed us with one another, an answer to the implicit call of His creation, and the explicit call of His Majesty. Greetings of peace and love showered our home, glad tidings of the clock's hand approaching Maghrib, breaking the fast you asked me to join you in. For you it was never nafsi nafsi You taught me what it meant to love Him, though you may not know it. It was because of my love for you I realized how much I didn't Love Him. My life was incomplete without You My life will never be complete without Him. Qabiltu my heart connected with you Qabiltu when will my heart connect with Him ---------------------------------------- From Islamicpoetry.org

Allah

2011-04-29T09:49:00.001-07:00

A few years ago, I traveled with some fellow classmates and our teacher to Gatlinburg, TN. We decided to go on one hike to the highest point in the Smoky Mountains called Clingman's Dome. Unfortuantely, we started off in exactly the wrong direction and began heading towards another very high point at the top of Mount Leconte.

Because I had planned out the hike, the distance, and the time it would take us, I was not worried that we got started a bit late at around 11am since we had plenty of time to finish this hike and return well before dark. However, since we were going the wrong direction, all of the calculations were off.

We reached the top of Mount Leconte around 6pm, prayed 'asr, and began heading back down. When we reached a small stream (the only source of water on the trail), it was already getting dark. This was only about one quarter of the way down. We made wudu' the stream and then hiked on a little ways until we found a flat place to pray maghrib.

By this time it was quite dark. We were in the middle of the mountains of Tennessee with only two flashlights and no signs of life around. The stars were bright and abundant. Our teacher began to lead us in maghrib. After Surah al-Fatihah, he read:

الله نور السماوات والارض
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth (24:35).

and stopped. He paused for a long time (much longer than is permissible in salah), but we knew why he was pausing. We all began to cry deeply as these verses which talk about the Light of Allah gained new depth for us. Eventually he moved on to a different surah, but this memory sticks in my mind and forces me to read this portion from Surah al-Nur whenever I'm under the bright night sky.

Via PostSecret

2011-04-28T05:25:00.000-07:00

2011-04-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

The candle is not there to illuminate itself.

...and then I wept too.

2011-04-14T20:17:00.001-07:00

Shukumar stood up and stacked his plate on top of hers. He carried the plates to the sink, but instead of running the tap he looked out the window. Outside the evening was still warm, and the Bradfords were walking arm in arm. As he watched the couple the room went dark, and he spun around. Shoba had turned the lights off. She came back to the table and sat down, and after a moment Shukumar joined her. They wept together, for the things they now knew.

- Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

From bad to good

2011-04-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

I had a really bad day yesterday. A student was yelling at me and telling me what a horrible teacher I am. That was the way the school day ended. I was miserable. Then suddenly a verse came into my head that I had heard in the morning on the way to school.

ما أغنى عني ماليه

Allah ta'ala said in Surah al-Haqqah that a person's wealth will not make him rich. I asked a colleague to make sure the meaning was right because it didn't seem to make sense. What does wealth do? By definition it makes someone rich. But that is in this life. On the Day of Judgement wealth will do nothing for a person unless he used it in the path of Allah.

We see this theme coming in hadith as well when the Prophet (sallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said his companions who the bankrupt one is. They responded that it is the one who has no money. He then taught them that it is the person who had prayed and fasted he wronged other people. Then those people whom he wronged will come and take all of his good deeds until he is flung into the Hellfire.

This helped me and lifted my mood. SubhanAllah. The words of Allah are so deep.

je ne sais pas choisir

2011-01-30T16:54:00.000-08:00

Quand je veux mourrir le mercredi matin
Je me dis ça peut attendre jeudi matin
Quand je me réveille le matin du jeudi
J' me dis j'aurais du mourrir mercredi!

Le Petit Prince

2011-01-23T12:05:00.001-08:00

Voici mon secret. Il est très simple: on ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.

2011-01-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

A GOOD-TALKING CANDLE

I had a good-talking candle
last night in my bedroom.

I was very tired but I wanted
somebody to be with me,
so I lit a candle

and listened to its comfortable
voice of light until I was asleep.

-Richard Brautigan

you who were born with the sun above your shoulders

2011-01-01T22:22:00.000-08:00

All the sights of paris
Pale inside your iris

All Things will Die

2010-12-01T12:17:00.000-08:00

"All that is on earth will perish: will abide (for ever) the Face of thy Lord,- full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour. Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?" (Surah al-Rahman: 26-28).

All Things will Die

All Things will Die

Clearly the blue river chimes in its flowing

Under my eye;
Warmly and broadly the south winds are blowing

Over the sky.
One after another the white clouds are fleeting;
Every heart this May morning in joyance is beating

Full merrily;
Yet all things must die.
The stream will cease to flow;
The wind will cease to blow;
The clouds will cease to fleet;
The heart will cease to beat;
For all things must die.
All things must die.
Spring will come never more.
O, vanity!
Death waits at the door.
See! our friends are all forsaking
The wine and the merrymaking.
We are call’d–we must go.
Laid low, very low,
In the dark we must lie.
The merry glees are still;
The voice of the bird
Shall no more be heard,
Nor the wind on the hill.
O, misery!
Hark! death is calling
While I speak to ye,
The jaw is falling,
The red cheek paling,
The strong limbs failing;
Ice with the warm blood mixing;
The eyeballs fixing.
Nine times goes the passing bell:
Ye merry souls, farewell.
The old earth
Had a birth,
As all men know,
Long ago.
And the old earth must die.
So let the warm winds range,
And the blue wave beat the shore;
For even and morn
Ye will never see
Thro’ eternity.
All things were born.
Ye will come never more,
For all things must die.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

:sigh:

2010-11-11T17:32:00.000-08:00

Every time that I don't clear the cooking time on the microwave after I've finished heating something and there is some time left over, I feel like I'm recycling by using it at a later time.

Found this online...

2010-11-01T17:02:00.001-07:00

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

O, swear not by the moon...

2010-10-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

"O, swear not by the moon, the fickle moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circle orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable."

This quote is from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The context of the quote is that Romeo is offering to take a vow and swear by something to prove that his love is true. He sees the moon and decides to swear by it. Juliet counters by saying the above quote and stressing that since the moon changes throughout the month eventually disappearing, Romeo's love may also disappear or at least be less than constant.

I've read this before, but I heard it recently when my school went on a field trip to go see a production of Romeo and Juliet at Chicago's Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. What struck me was this:

Juliet says that Romeo should not swear by the moon because it is not something constant for fear of his love eventually diminishing.

Allah the Most High also swears by many things in the Qur'an. If Allah were to swear by the moon, someone could argue the same as Juliet did. Allah in Surah al-Shams, however, swears by the sun first saying, "By the sun and its brightness." Allah the Most High then swears by the moon, but He does not swear by the moon itself but also links it with a certain action of the moon. "And by the moon when it follows it (the sun)."

The alteration of the sun and the moon is a set an consistent process by which Allah can surely swear without anyone being able to object. This just shows another aspect of the incredible depth that exists in the Qur'an. It seems that everyday the Qur'an unveils a new beauty to me and further proves that Islam is the true path. SubhanAllah.

Journals...

2010-09-28T04:55:00.000-07:00

Journal prompt: Write about your biggest mistake.

Student journal entry: My biggest mistake was trying.

Donkey for sale

2010-09-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

I found a note the other day that was being posted on students' backs. It read: حمار للبيع (Donkey for sale). This is what I found when I searched for it:

I really wish my students would use their creativity for something productive. It was funny nevertheless.

Back at it...

2010-09-06T21:05:00.001-07:00

I've returned to teaching. Is that why I found my first gray hair in my beard today?

Marry a good wife

2010-06-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

The earliest education is most important and it undoubtedly is woman's work. If the author of nature had meant to assign it to men he would have given them milk to feed the child. Address your treatises on education to the women, for not only are they able to watch over it more closely than men, not only is their influence always predominant in education, its success concerns them more nearly, for most widows are at the mercy of their children, who show them very plainly whether their education was good or bad. - Rousseau

Beauty on a Saturday Afternoon

2010-05-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

It is truly amazing the things that man can create. Allah ta'ala gave man an intellect with which he can invent and realize whatever he can imagine. It is interesting that man may make something as practical as a building, but will still desire to put an element of beauty into it. There is an inherent desire to display beauty whenever one has the ability.

This, however, becomes a problem when that beauty that Allah ta'ala has gifted one with is a physical beauty. Men, and especially women, love to display their beauty and to have their beauty appreciated. This is obviously problematic as Allah ta'ala requires from us a certain level of modesty which is legislated within the shari'ah.

Allah ta'ala says in the Holy Qur'an, "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (24:31).

This desired level of haya (modesty) is not what I saw while downtown this past Saturday. I do not know what was going on in Chicago that necessitated women to walk around dressed in the way they did. It is difficult enough for a young Muslim as myself to live in this society while not being married, but it becomes exponentially more difficult when confronted with situations such as that. It is more difficult then the picture to the left from Cirque Shanghai at Navy Pier (which was AMAZING! Full size here.). May Allah ta'ala grant us the patient and tawfiq to survive in the times that we live and grant us wives who will be the coolness of our eyes and a protection in these difficult times.

On a separate note, I saw a guy wearing a kilt.

Freckles...

2010-05-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

كَلِفَ يَكْلَفُ كَلْفًأ (kaaf, laam, faa')
- to be/become freckled
- to like (ب something)
- to be very fond/attached (ب with something)
- to fall in love (ب with someone)

I'm a big fan of freckles, and this verb just seemed very fitting since it means both to have freckles and also to fall in love with someone. Draw your own conclusions...

2010-05-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Strangeness is the indispensable condiment of all beauty. - Charles Baudelaire

Taken from here:

Very important!

2010-05-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

The texting number has changed. You can now text anything to 630.517.2525. Also, supposedly you can call this number and leave a message which I will receive in text form. Interesting...

Travel...

2010-05-03T19:39:00.000-07:00

http://muttscomics.com

Glow Little Glow Worm

2010-05-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

Late at night during my recent spree of staying up far too late (until fajr), I opened my basement door and saw a slight glimmer on the floor. At first I thought it was just some random piece of metal reflecting some light, but determined that could not be the case as all of the lights were off. Upon further exploration, I discovered it to be a little caterpillar.

Now there is nothing quite remarkable about this pretty looking bug, but once I turned out the lights, the thing glowed like nothing I've ever seen. I freaked out and looked all over for someone to share this amazing moment with. Unfortunately, my parents were fast asleep and no one else lives here. I proceeded to turn on and off the light and watch the beautiful glow.

I then decided the best way to immortalize this moment and share it with someone would be to take some pictures of the beautiful creature of Allah. I took many pictures though most did not turn out that well. The ones that did were taken using a thirty second exposure in almost complete darkness. Many thanks to my parents for giving me my amazing camera with which I took these pictures (Nikon D3000).

Now the last thing we wanted was for someone to accidentally step on this incredible proof of Allah's creation during their late night excursions, so my dad was nice enough to put up this sign:

P.S. It's lilac time again!

Text messaging

2010-04-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

Attention: je n'ai pas la messagerie texte sur mon téléphone. Si vous devez m'envoyer un message, s'il vous plaît envoyer à: 424.354.4664. Vous pouvez toujours me contacter à mon numéro de d'autres. Merci beaucoup.

Via google translate (not sure how correct it is). The gist is you can text me at that number if you need to reach me.

From The Little Prince

2010-04-23T22:48:00.001-07:00

The Little Prince

2010-04-19T21:53:00.000-07:00

Haiku Ambulance

A piece of green pepper
fell
off the wooden salad bowl:
so what?

- Richard Brautigan

Missing you dearly

2010-02-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

And here

2009-09-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

"In the same way that we would not sit in front of a lake and comment on...how much sewage is being dumped in that lake...due to the abundance of water, we should not comment on the faults of a another Muslim due to the abundance of iman."
- Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar -- "Pearls of Purity"

Colorado (part 1)

2009-07-02T09:49:00.001-07:00

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

After the rigorous but rewarding studies at school, we had a break from school for two weeks at the beginning of this month. I considered where to stay during the break. My parents have said that if I go back to stay with them, they'll charge me rent. I coonsidered some friends' houses but I'd be too much of a burden. Thus, I thought the most logical way to take advantage of this time off would be to wander in the wilderness of the mountains of Colorado.

Several months before, I began acquring the necessary supplies to make my trip successful including:

a tent

a 20 degree sleeping bag

and a pocketrocket stove.

I departed on June 6th after Darul Hikmah Academy and was dropped off by some guy at the local airport.

Once I arrived in Denver via an aeroplane, -->
I was picked up by a very patient local whom I met on (and incidentally runs) a website called ColoradoMuslims.com. Then, after eating delicious tacos and discussing some of the finer points of fiqh in general and usool ul-fiqh specifically, I slept one mile above the level of the sea. In the morning after a wonderful breakfast, we drove to the mountains for me to being my hike.

Continued whenever I get around to it...

P.S .

one week

2009-05-29T13:15:00.000-07:00

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike. - John Muir

2009-04-20T03:59:00.000-07:00

Low-Anchored Cloud [Mist]

Low-anchored cloud,
Newfoundland air,
Fountain-head and source of rivers,
Dew-cloth, dream-drapery,
And napkin spread by fays;
Drifting meadow of the air,
Where bloom the daisied banks and violets,
And in whose fenny labyrinth
The bittern booms and heron wades;
Spirit of lakes and seas and rivers,
Bear only perfumes and the scent
Of healing herbs to just men's fields!

-Thoreau

Silence

2009-01-19T05:04:00.000-08:00

Silence
by Nazia Naqvi USA

The silence between the gunshot and the drop... one more Palestinian child shot. The silence between his last call to salvation and the rock fallin from his hand... The silence of a boy who will never be a man. The 10 seconds of silence we take when we hear his story. The very silence that embodies his moment of glory. The silence of it all on American T.V. The silence we hold inside, thinkin, "I'm glad it wasn't me." That silence we claim to detest, but in it we find a place of rest. Your heart, your mind and soul left unshaken with steady breath of your chest. The silence of us saying nothin but never failing to blame the rest. We scream out our words, but hide our actions... mostly cuz we're jus too proud. We preach for revolution to the same old crowd... but aint no one gonna hear us... when the silence is so loud. IslamicPoetry.org

Masah over Regular Socks

2009-01-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

Masah over Regular Socks

A detailed look at the issue of wiping over socks instead of washing the feet while performing wudu.

By Mufti Taqi Usmani
Posted: 27 Zul-Qa'dah 1422, 10 February 2002

Q.) What do the Ulama (Shariah Jurists and Scholars) say in regards to making masah over ordinary socks for performing wudu? Kindly explain on which types of socks is it permissible to make masah (wipe)?

There appears to be differences of opinion in making masah on woolen or nylon (ordinary socks).

a) Many Fuqaha (Jurists) have ruled making masah on such socks as permissible with certain conditions. If those conditions are not fulfilled, it will not be permissible to make masah on the regular socks. That will subsequently lead to many types of socks being invalid for masah.

However, Sayyed Abul 'Aalaa Maudoodi claims that it is unconditionally permissible to make masah on any type of socks.

b) To those Ulama who hold the opinion that making masah on regular socks is conditionally permissible, he responds, "I have attempted many times and made all efforts to find the sources of these conditions, but could not find them in the Sunnah. The Sunnah only establishes that Rasulullah made masah over socks and shoes. Apart from Nasai, all the Books of Sunan and Musnad Ahmed record the Hadith narrated by Mughirah ibn Shu'bah, Radi-Allahu anhu, that Prophet Muhammad performed ablution and made masah over his socks and shoes. It is mentioned in Abu Dawood that Ali, Abdullah ibn Masood, Bara ibn 'Azib, Anas ibn Malik, Abu Umamah, Suhail ibn Saad, and Umar ibn Hurayth made masah over their socks.

The practice of making masah over socks is also narrated from Umar and Abbas. Moreover, Ibn Abbas and Anas ibn Malik are reported by Uwais ibn Auws in Tahawi that the Prophet made masah only over his shoes; socks are not even mentioned. This was also the practice of Ali. Thus, after taking into consideration all these narration's, it should be permissible to make masah on only socks and socks with shoes, just as it is permissible to make masah over leather socks. In these different narration's, the Prophet did not make any mention of the conditions of the socks as outlined by the jurists. Therefore, I am compelled to state that the conditions are baseless. The Jurists are not the lawmakers of the Deen. Hence, if one chooses not to follow these conditions, he will not be sinful."

Apart from Sayyed Abul 'Aalaa Maudoodi, Ibn taymiyyah, Hafiz Ibn Qayyim and Allamah Ibn Hazam also have the same opinion. Respected Mufti Sahib, I humbly request your comments on the above matter, as well as guidance according to Shariah.

A.) Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)

It is not permissible to make masah (wipe) over the socks that are worn nowadays made from cotton, wool, and nylon, etc., according to any one of the A'immah Mujtahideen (Imaams of Ijtihaad). Your assumption, that there are differences of opinion among the Fuqaha (Jurists) in these regards, is incorrect. On the contrary, all of the Imaams of Ijtihaad are unanimous that it is not permissible to make masah on thin socks. Allamah Kaasaani (R.A.) writes in Bada'e us Sana'e, first volume, page 10: "If they (the socks) are so thin that water seeps (penetrates) through them, then it is not permissible to make masah over such socks by the consensus of the scholars."

The Qur'an requires washing of the feet. Only mutawatur hadith can make an exception to this general requirement.

And Allamah ibn Nujaim (RA.) writes: "And it is not permissible to make masah over thin socks made from yarn or hair. There are no differences of opinion on that. However, if the socks are thick, to the extent that one can walk one Farsakh (three miles) or more, then the jurists have differences of opinion." (Al-Bahr-ur-Ra'iq, first volume, p.192). From the above it is clear that to perform masah on the following types of thin socks is not held permissible by any of the Imaams of the madhaahib (Schools of Thought):

(a) The socks are not thick, and water penetrates through them,

(b) They cannot stay upright without having to tie them,

If not all three of the above mentioned conditions are present then only the scholars have differences of opinion. In regards to Sayyed Abul 'Aalaa Maudoodi, he has chosen a path apart from the majority of the Ummah. In this specific issue he has once again gone against the Jumhoor-e-Fuqaha (majority of the Jurists), and has been mistaken.

Upon analyzing the evidence sited in his support, I have come to this conclusion that he did not exert himself to understand the reality of the issue. For your satisfaction on this issue, I briefly present the following explanation.

Actually, the Qur'an has ordered us to perform ablution (wudu) in a particular way and has expressed and explicitly commanded the washing of the feet in Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 6, not the performing of masah (wiping) of the feet. Allah says, "Oh Believers, when you stand up for prayer (i.e. when you intend to pray and are not in the condition of wudu) then ( perform wudu and) wash your faces and (wash) your arms including your elbows, and wipe your heads (with wet hands) and (wash) your feet including the ankles". (Al-Maidah, 5:6).

In the above verse Allah commands us to wash our feet. Therefore to perform masah of the feet should not be permissible in any situation, even if the socks are made of leather. However, permissibility of performing masah over leather socks has been approved by the consensus of the Ummah. The consensus is based on the certainty of the matter by Tawaatur (overwhelming number of authentic narrations from the Prophet ). Had there been only two or three narration's from the Prophet , then such a few Hadith (narration's from the Prophet ) would not have been sufficient to specify (or limit, taqyeed) the generality of this Qur'anic verse, due to Akhbaar-e-Ahaad (a few narration's from the Prophet not being influential enough to specify or abrogate the generality of the verse).

On the contrary, the narration's in regards to masah 'alal khuffain (performing masah on leather socks) are established by Tawaatur (overwhelming number of narration's), thus being influential in elaborating and specifying the verse in Surah Al-Ma'idah, that is, washing of the feet is only specific in the case that a person is not wearing leather socks. In regards to this, Imaam Abu Hanifah (R.A) said, "I did not declare the validity of performing masah on leather socks until its evidence was clear to me as daylight" (AI-Bahr-ur-Ra'iq, vol. 1, p. 173.)

Moreover, masah 'alal khuffain is proven and established in narration's from more than eighty companions of the Prophet . Hafiz Ibn Hajar (RA) says in Fathul-Baari, (Naylul Awtaar, vol. 1, p.176). "An overwhelming group of the Huffaz (Experts in Hadith who had memorized large number of ahadith) have declared that masah 'alal khuffain is established by Tawaatur), and some of them have mentioned that they collected and enumerated the narration's from the companions of the Prophet and found them to be more than eighty in number, from which ten of them are narrated by the Asharah-e-Mubasharah (the ten companions that were given glad tidings of Paradise in a single gathering from the Prophet ."(Naylul-Awtaar, vol. 1, p. 176). Hasan Al- Basri (R.A.) says, "I met seventy companions who participated in the Battle of Badr, all of whom believed in the performing of masah 'alal khuffain."(Talkheesul-Habeer, vol. 1, p. 158, and Bada'e us-Sana'e, vol, 1, p.7).

If the masah of the leather socks was not established from the Tawaatur or Istifaadhah (overwhelming number of narration's) then Takhsees (specification) could not have been applied on the verse of the Qur'an, which orders us to wash our feet during wudu. In this regards, Imaam Abu Yusuf (R.A.) says, "The command of the Qur'an can be abrogated by the Sunnah (traditions of the Prophet only if it has reached the level of Tawaatur or Istifadhah, such as the level of narration's of masah 'alal khuffain." (Ahkaamul-Qur'an Lil-Jassaas, vol. 2, p.425). In summary, Allah commands us in the Qu'ran to wash our feet when performing wudu.

This ruling can't be specified (limited) by any condition or limited on the basis of a few narrations from the Prophet . It is necessary to have a continuous chain of authentic narration's, like in the case of masah 'alal khuffain. It has reached the level of Tawaatur. Also, in regards to "KHIFFAIN" (leather socks), Tawaatur has been established that the Prophet himself performed masah over them, and he also gave permission to others to practice upon it. Apart from leather socks, to perform masah on other types of socks is not established by Tawaatur The meaning of "KHUFF" in Arabic applies only to socks made out of leather. Socks made from cloth are not called "KHUFF" in Arabic.

All of the Imams of Ijtihad are unanimous that it is not permissible to make masah on thin socks.

Therefore, the permission of making masah is only specific with the leather socks. Regarding other types of socks the command of the Qur'anic verse of washing the feet must be implemented. However, if the material of the socks is so thick that is equal or better than leather socks, that is(a) water does not penetrate through them, (b) they do not have to be tied with something in order for them to stay upright, and ~ it is possible to walk with them at least one mile. In such types of socks there are differences of opinions among the Jurists. Some say, since they have retained the same qualities of leather socks, therefore it should be permissible to make masah over them. Others say that Tawaatur is established only for wiping over leather socks, thus it is not permissible to wipe over any other type of socks.

Socks are of three types: (1)KHUFFAIN, (Leather socks), it is permissible to make masah over them based on consensus supported by Tawaatur.

(2)Thin socks, not made of leather, nor having the qualities of leather, but are like the regular socks made from cotton, wool, or nylon. It is not permissible to make masah on such socks as it is not established with enough evidence that would enable one to take leave from the order of washing the feet as mentioned in the Qur'an.

(3)Thick socks, not made from leather, but have the qualities of leather. According to some Jurists, it is permissible to make masah over such socks, while others say it is not permissible.

In conclusion, socks not having the qualities of leather are not a point of disagreement among the Jurists. They all agree on its impermissibility. The reason being that the Qur'anic command ( washing of the feet) can't be left until the establishment of performing masah is at the level of Tawaatur, as in the case of masah 'alal khuffain. Therefore, the conditions that are mentioned by the Fuqaha (Jurists) are not their own made up specifications. They have verified a level to meet the standard of leather socks.

Ahaadith on Masah Over non-leather Socks (Jowrab)

After explaining the fundamental principle and its application to the reality of this issue, let us consider the Ahaadith concerning wiping over (non-leather) socks (Jowrab). From all the collections of Ahaadith, there are only three Hadith. One Hadith is narrated by Bilal, Radi-Allahu anhu, the second by Abu Musa Ash'ari, Radi-Allahu anhu, the third by Mughirah ibn Shu'bah, Radi-Allahu anhu. The narration of Bilal has been recorded in M'ujam Sagheer Tabraani, and the narration of Abu Musa in Ibn Majah and Baihaqi.

However, Hafiz Zayla'ee (a far renowned Muhaddith) in his famous works, Nasbur-Raaya, Vol. 1, pp. 183-184. has proven that both the Sanads (chain of narrators) are defective and weak. In regards to Abu Musa's narration, Imaam Abu Dawood Sajastaani (R.A.), in his works of Abu Dawood, being one book from the Sihaah Sittah (six most authentic books of Ahaadith) has written: "It (the Hadith's sanad) is not continuous, nor is it reliable (strong)."(Bazhlul-Mujhood, Vol. 1, p.96) Therefore, both these narration's do not need to be further discussed

The remaining Hadith of Mughirah ibn Shu'bah is mentioned by Imaam Tirmizi as being a good and sound Hadith. Some other eminent Muhadditheen have disagreed with Imaam Tirmizi. Imaam Abu Dawood (R.A.), after recording this narration states, "And Abdur-Rahman ibn Mahdi should not narrate this Hadith, because the authentic famous narration from Mughirah ibn Shu'bah is that the Prophet used to perform masah 'alal khuffain."(Bazhlul-Majhood, Vol. 1, p.96) Imaam Nasai (R.A.) writes in Sunan Kubra', "Apart from Abu Qais no one else has narrated this Hadith, and I don't know of any other narrator who supports this narration. Although with certainty, Mughirah ibn Shubah's narration about masah 'alal khuffain is sound (Sahih)."(Nasbur-Raaya, Vol. 1, p. 183)

Many Imaams, for example, Imaam Muslim, Imaam Baihaqi Imaam Sufyaan Thawree, Imaam Ahmed, Imaam Yahya ibn Mu'een, Imaam Ali ibn Madinee, and others have declared this narration as weak, due to Abu Qais and Huzail ibn Shurjeel being defective narrators. Allamah Nawawi (R.A.), Commentator of Sahih Muslim, (Nasbur-Raaya, Vol. I, p. 183) writes, "If all the Muhadditheen who criticized this Hadith as being weak were separate in their statements (i.e. not voiced together), even then, they would be correct over the ruling of Imaam Tirmizi, as the fundamental principle is that criticism prevails over approval. All the Huffaz of Hadith agree that the narration is weak.

Therefore, the statement of Imaam Tirmizi, "This Hadith is Hasan, Sahih", is not acceptable."(Nasbur-Raaya, Vol. l, p.l83) .This is the status of the Hadith's sanad, that people like Sayyed Abul 'Aalaa Maudoodi cite to support his claim. You can now verify and clearly see that the majority of the Muhadditheen have declared it weak and unacceptable to use as a daleel ( proof). Assuming the statement of Imaam Tirmizi is correct, then too it is only one Hadith from the entire collection of Ahaadith. Again the same question arises, can we leave the clear command from Allah Ta'ala to wash our feet while performing Wudhu on the basis of one Hadith? As mentioned previously, the establishment of masah 'alal khuffain reached the level of Tawaatur, and that Imaam Abu Yusuf said that if it hadn't reached that level then we would not have the flexibility of specifying (limiting) the command of Allah Ta'ala, of washing the feet. The Ahaadith about masah 'alal jowrabain do not reach the level of Tawaatur.

There are more than 80 ahadith on wiping over leather socks.

In fact, in all the collections of Ahaadith we find only three narration's, from which two are unanimously weak, and the third is criticized by majority of the Muhadditheen, only Imaam Tirmizi declares it as a Sahih Hadith. So to leave, restrict, or define the command of Allah Ta'ala on the foundation of such weak narration's is not acceptable in the Shari'ah. Imaam Abu Bakr Jassaas writes in Ahkaamul-Qur'an Lil-Jassaas, (vol. 2, p.428) "As mentioned previously the real objective in the verse of wudu is to wash the feet. In fact, even performing masah over leather socks would have never been made permissible, had it not been established by Mutawaatir Ahaadith. So due to the fact that the narration's of masah 'alal jowrabain are not on the same scale as the narration's of masah 'alal khuffain, the main objective of washing of the feet must be applied.

The statement that the Sahaba (Companions of Prophet ) were reported to have wiped over their socks and permitted others to do so, is incorrect. It is not proven in any narration or practice of the Sahaba that they wiped over thin socks of cloth, etc. A very famous 'Aalim, Allamah Shamsul Haqq Saheb Azeem Abaadi (RA.), (popular among the Ahle-Hadith) writes, "Socks can made out of leather, wool, cotton, etc., everyone of them are called "SOCKS". It is not permissible to wipe over any type of sock until it is not established that the Prophet used to wipe over socks of wool, etc."('Awnul-M'abood, vol. 1,p.62). From this, it is even more apparent that the Sahaba used to wipe over either leather socks, or thick socks that would match attributes of leather socks.

In regards to this there is a narration in Musannaf ibn Abi Shayba, vol. 1, pl88, "Sayed ibn Musayyab and Hasan Al-Basri used to say that it is permissible to wipe over socks, with the condition that they are thick." Note, that the word, "SAFEEQ" in Qaamoos and Mukhtaar As-Sihaah (the names of two Arabic dictionaries, means, "VERY THICK AND STRONG CLOTH". Both of the above mentioned men were eminent Tabi'een, and they used to issue fatawa (Shariah decrees) after seeing the practice of the Sahaba. Therefore, the Fatwa (Shariah decree), that the socks must be thick matching the attributes of leather is nothing new. For convenience, I have repeated the conditions of the thickness of the socks below:

water proof (water should not be able to seep through them)
so thick that they can stand upright without having to tie them
possible to walk in continuously for at least a mile (without tearing)

With these three conditions in thick socks, they now share the same quality as leather socks. Most of the fuqaha (Jurists) have permitted making masah over such socks. See the following:

(1) Dalaalatun-Nass, (the derived objective) from the Hadith in masah 'alal khuffain, also applies to thick socks. Dalaalatun-Nass remains in the category of Qat'ee-uth-Thuboot (established on the basis of certainty), and is not the same as Qiyaas, as mistakenly understood by some.

(2) Athaar (practices) of the Sahaba Based on the above two proofs it would be permissible to wipe over thick socks. Allamah ibn Hamaam (R.A.) writes in Fathul-Qadeer, vol. 1, p. 109, "There is no doubt that the permission to wipe on the khuff is Khilaaful Qiyass (contradictory to reasoning and analogy).Therefore, to compare another thing with it (the khuff), would be incorrect, except by using Dalaalatun-Nass, being that the same characteristics of the khuff be present for it to be in the same category of the khuff. "Principally, one may leave the act of washing the feet by performing Masah over them only if the narration's reach the level and standard of Tawaatur. Masah 'alal khuffain satisfies condition. On the other hand, masah 'alal jowrabain is not at that level.

Therefore, it is not permissible to make masah on the jowrabain. However, if jowrabain have characteristics similar to those of leather socks, through Dalaalatun-Nass and the practices of the Sahaba and pious ancestors, most of the Fuqaha allow masah on such socks. After elaborating on the attributes of the leather socks, all the Imaams of Ijtihaad have reached a consensus about this issue. As to the opinions of Allamah Ibn Hazam, Allamah Ibn Taymiyyah, and Allamah Ibn Qayyim, with due respect of their status and position, they have differed from the Jumhoorul-Fuqaha on many issues. Among others one is this issue. We are bound to follow the ruling of the majority Fuqaha, Muhadditheen and all of the Mujtahideen. How daring it is for one to even leave washing of the feet, as it is the order of Allah! If someone wraps his foot in cloth and performs masah over it, will this be permissible too?

Making Masah Over Shoes

None of the fuqaha allow making masah on shoes.

In your question you mentioned that Sayyed Abul 'Aalaa Maudoodi also permitted to wipe over the shoes. I wish to explain that as well. Some Fuqaha allow performing masah over the Jowrab when it is thick, but none of them allow making masah on shoes. Sheikh Yusuf Benori (R.A.) writes, "None of the Imaams have given permission to make masah over shoes."(Ma'arifus-Sunan Vol. 1, p. 347). The reason for this is the Prophet wiped over his shoes only when he already was in the state of wudu. He would perform a fresh wudu for every prayer. And because he was already in the state of wudu, instead of washing his feet he would wipe over his shoes. The proof of this is in Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah, "It is reported from Ali, Radi-Allahu anhu, that he asked for a glass of water, he then performed a brief ablution and wiped over his shoes. He then said, this is how the Prophet used to perform his wudhu when his wudhu was not broken. (Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah, Vol. 1, Hadith 300, Chapter 154, p. 100). From this Hadith we learn that a person who does not have wudu, can't wipe over his shoes. After the clear evidence has been brought, there is no flexibility in the issue.

Conclusion

All reliable Fuqaha and Muitahideen agree that thin socks that allow water to seep through them, do not stand upright without support, and cannot be walked in continuously, are not permissible to make masah on. Shoes are also not allowed to be wiped over. Thin socks of today that are made out of cotton, wool, nylon, etc., do not have the features of leather socks, therefore, it is not permissible to make masah over them. If someone does, their wudhu will not be valid, according to Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi, Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, or any other Mujtahideen.

Muhammad Taqi Uthmani Jumadul-Ulaa, 1397 Hijrah. This fatwa was translated by Adil Khan 27 Ramadhan, 1420.

Translation checked and approved by Mufti Ebrahim Desai. This version edited by Khalid Baig for grammar and clarity.

Current rumors

2009-01-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick list of some of the current rumors about myself.

(1) I converted when I was 14
(2) I'm engaged
(3) I'm going abroad to study in Egypt soon
(4) I am a revert from MCC masjid named Abdullah
(5) I go to Caribou Coffee a little too often (perhaps I'm even there now...)

Here I come!

2008-12-15T20:36:00.000-08:00

The world turned upright?

2008-12-13T08:45:00.000-08:00

I was reading another blog (here), and I was reminded of a story I heard recently.

For the longest time, I remember being in classes, and the teacher would be taking role call (aka attendance). My last name is relatively easy to pronounce, especially based upon the following.

- "L" - "N" -
(Hint: It is not Jacketelenextremesports)

Anyway, the teachers would still ruin my last name on occasion, but I really feel bad for those poor Muslims who had their names butchered regularly. Although it doesn't seem that hard to pronounce the names since becoming Muslim and learning some Arabic, I remember it was very difficult to do previously. That is why the name Salman often became Salmon.

So my friend was telling me about one of the happiest days of his life. He was in a new college course, and he saw that the teacher was a desi uncle. The uncle/teacher began pronouncing names and would say: "Smite, S-s-Smith, Joe Haan (يعني Smith, John) or While Yam (William). He continued to straight up slaughter the non-Muslim names, but when he came to Muslims, he pronounced them exactly right (same with the Hindu names).

My friend was exuberant. He could believe what he was hearing. After years of living in a small town and having the first day of school being a guaranteed laugh fest at his cost, a day of being confused with a fish, he now had the tables turned. If only the uncles could get my last name correct instead of sounding like they're choking on a chicken tikka bone each time they try to say it.

A small glimpse…

2008-12-11T11:03:00.001-08:00

السلام عليكم

Here is a small glimpse at what takes place in my tafseer class. This is typed from my notes that were taken in class. It is amazing how much knowledge my teacher has. It makes sense that his grandfather had praised him so much.

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُواْ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاء وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ <>2:30

And recall when your Lord said to the angels: I am making a successor on earth. They said: Are you making خليفة he who will spread mischief in it [the earth] and will shed the blood despite that we glorify You by praising You. He [الله] said: Verily, I know what you do not know.

Previous verses, الله highlighted His qualities and ordered humans to only worship Him because only He is worthy of that worship
الإنسان on earth is خليفة of الله on the earth
- Has obligations and responsibilities to follow
- If he goes right, whole world will go right
الله is the king of the whole universe
- Gave free will (إختِيَار) in this دنيا
- Whatever man wants to do, he can do it à bad or good
الله informed الملائكة
- مَلَك
  à literally delegate (messenger)
- They are a real creation of الله
  à some say they aren't real
- الله uses them for different tasks à weather, wahy (sunnah of الله is to do things through means as a system although He can do everything)
- Used angels as وصيلة/سبب and if الله تعالى always did everything himself, there would be no miracles.
خليفة
à appointed by higher authority and has some free will but cannot do everything
تقدير
à
الله knows all of what will happen and planned before
- Humans can do whatever to some extent
- Sheep/goat à human ties a goat to a tree and give one-hundred yard rope
  - Within the hundred yards, goat can go anywhere but not past hundred yards
- Humans have some room to move (each human has a different amount of room/opportunities) but can move within that
  - We don't know how much room we have (غيب)
Angels did not raise objection against His rule (no free will) but raised question to understand the حكمة
- Understand this would be the only one with free will
  - Will use free will to make فساد and shed blood
    - Jinn made فساد on the earth and angels used them as a basis
- Not saying they wanted to be appointed, but saying that since we already glorify You and such, what is the need to create such creation that has so much risk
Two words:
- (1) تسبيح
  à (I) to swim (II) to purify
  - Separating the negative: In hadith, used differently à purify الله by eliminating those characteristics that don't fit الله. الله does not sleep, drink, become sad, etc.
- (2) تقديس
  à to purify
  - Associating the positive: Associating those attributes that do fit الله
    علم الفيب, etc.
- تسبيح is more important
  - لا إله إلاّ الله
    à eliminates شرك
Despite angels fulfilling orders, الله has an objective to be fulfilled and angels cannot do it (no free will)
- Have to choose between right and wrong

The Types of Heart

2008-12-01T20:52:00.001-08:00

The Types of Heart

Imaam ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah rahimahullaah

Just as the heart may be described in terms of being alive or dead, it may also be regarded as belonging to one of three types; these are the healthy heart, the dead heart, and the sick heart.

The Healthy Heart

On the Day of Resurrection, only those who come to Allah with a healthy heart will be saved. Allah says:

"The day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart." (26:88-89)

In defining the healthy heart, the following has been said: "It is a heart cleansed from any passion that challenges what Allah commands, or disputes what He forbids. It is free from any impulses which contradict His good. As a result, it is safeguarded against the worship of anything other than Him, and seeks the judgement of no other except that of His Messenger. Its services are exclusively reserved for Allah, willingly and lovingly, with total reliance, relating all matters to Him, in fear, hope and sincere dedication. When it loves, its love is in the way of Allah. If it detests, it detests in the light of what He detests. When it gives, it gives for Allah. If it withholds, it withholds for Allah. Nevertheless, all this will not suffice for its salvation until it is free from following, or taking as its guide, anyone other than His Messenger."

A servant with a healthy heart must dedicate it to its journey's end and not base his actions and speech on those of any other person except Allah's Messenger. He must not give precedence to any other faith or words or deeds over those of Allah and His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Allah says:

"Oh you who believe, do not put yourselves above Allah and His Messenger, but fear Allah, for Allah is Hearing, Knowing." (49:1)

The Dead Heart

This is the opposite of the healthy heart. It does not know its Lord and does not worship Him as He commands, in the way which He likes, and with which He is pleased. It clings instead to its lusts and desires, even if these are likely to incur Allah's displeasure and wrath. It worships things other than Allah, and its loves and its hatreds, and its giving and its withholding, arise from its whims, which are of paramount importance to it and preferred above the pleasure of Allah. Its whims are its imam. Its lust is its guide. Its ignorance is its leader. Its crude impulses are its impetus. It is immersed in its concern with worldly objectives. It is drunk with its own fancies and its love for hasty, fleeting pleasures. It is called to Allah and the akhira from a distance but it does not respond to advice, and instead it follows any scheming, cunning Shaytaan. Life angers and pleases it, and passion makes it deaf and blind (1) to anything except what is evil.

To associate and keep company with the owner of such a heart is to tempt illness: living with him is like taking poison, and befriending him means utter destruction.

The Sick Heart

This is a heart with life in it, as well as illness. The former sustains it at one moment, the latter at another, and it follows whichever one of the two manages to dominate it. It has love for Allah, faith in Him, sincerity towards Him, and reliance upon Him, and these are what give it life. It also has a craving for lust and pleasure, and prefers them and strives to experience them. It is full of self-admiration, which can lead to its own destruction. It listens to two callers: one calling it to Allah and His Prophet and the akhira; and the other calling it to the fleeting pleasures of this world. It responds to whichever one of the two happens to have most influence over it at the time.

The first heart is alive, submitted to Allah, humble, sensitive and aware; the second is brittle and dead; the third wavers between either its safety or its ruin.

From here

Graphic arts

2008-11-25T10:23:00.001-08:00

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم: لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يكون هواه تبعا لما جئت به

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: None of you believe until his desires follow what I brought.

I made this poster for fun (or to suck up to my hadith teacher). Although my photoshop skills (actually I used open source Gimp for this) are a bit lacking, I was still pretty impressed with the way it turned out. I want to make a bunch of posters for the ahaadith we are memorizing with each poster representing the concept that is discussed in the hadith.

For this poster, I thought the hole in the wall fit appropriately because the Prophet (saw) is mentioned a deficiency, or hole, in our imaan.

Additionally, the place looks dirty and rundown which seems to suit the hadith which mentions a person whose desires are not aligned with the shariah. If this is the case, the person will be following his nafs and will most likely be involved in heinous and improper actions.

This reminds me of something that Mufti Kamaluddin (db) mentioned in one of his talks. He said we should make the makroohaat of shariah into the makroohaat of tarbiyyah. Thus, whatever is haraam in the deen should be haraam and disgusting to us, and whatever is makrooh (disliked by Allah and His messenger) should be makrooh (disliked) to us as well. We should actually feel a repulsion from anything that is disliked in the deen, and we should love whatever is beloved in the deen.

May Allah (swt) allow us all to follow His beloved Nabi (saw), give up our own desires for what he brought, and enter us in to the Jannah that Allah (swt) has prepared for His servants.

2008-11-09T20:11:00.000-08:00

Just like the moon paled in comparison with beauty of the Messenger of Allah's (sallahu alayhi wa sallam) mubarak face, the events and celebrations of this life pale when compared to the amazing victory of the believers on the Day of Judgement.

Please make dua that I can be among those people on that Day.

039.073
And those who are careful of (their duty to) their Lord shall be conveyed to the garden in companies; until when they come to it, and its doors shall be opened, and the keepers of it shall say to them: Peace be on you, you shall be happy; therefore enter it to abide.

039.074
And they shall say: (All) praise is due to Allah, Who has made good to us His promise, and He has made us inherit the land; we may abide in the garden where we please; so goodly is the reward of the workers.

039.075
And you shall see the angels going round about the throne glorifying the praise of their Lord; and judgment shall be given between them with justice, and it shall be said: All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Also: http://www.inter-islam.org/hadeeth/stmenu.htm

A Piece of a Classic

2008-11-09T08:53:00.000-08:00

Assuredly those who fear their Lord in secret, while they are absent from people’s eyes, being
obedient to Him in secret, such that openly [before people] it is all the more likely [that they fear
their Lord] — there will be for them forgiveness and a great reward, namely, Paradise.

067.012 from Tafsir Jalalayn

insha'Allah

2008-08-31T11:47:00.000-07:00

The Prophet (sallullahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "None of you believe until his desires are following what I came with."
-Mishkat al-Athar and Bukhari

And I've only been driving fast...

2008-06-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

Hadrat Ali (rah) used to say that the Messenger of Allah advised haste in five areas.

1) Establishing prayers before they expire.
2) Seeking repentance before death.
3) Completing the funeral rites of the deceased.
4) Discharging any debts upon you.
5) Marrying your sons and daughters upon finding a suitable match.

Oh Allah, enlighten my heart!

2008-06-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

A man came to Hadrat Hasan Basri (radiullahu 'anhu) and said, “Hadrat, I do not know what is the matter with us. It seems that our hearts are asleep.” Hadrat Hasan Basri (radiullahu 'anhu) asked what was the matter. The man replied, “Our hearts are not affected when you recite the Holy Quran and Hadith to us.” Hadrat Hasan Basri (radiullahu 'anhu) said to him, “If reading of the Holy Quran and Hadith do not affect your hearts, do not say that your hearts are asleep. Instead say that your hearts are dead. Even a sleeping person awakes when shaken awake. If someone sleeping does not awaken when shaken, he is not asleep but dead.” - Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad (db)

The Prophet (sallahu alyahi wa salam) said:

2008-05-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

الظلم ظلمات يوم القيامة

Oppression will be darkness on the Day of Judgment (Bukhari).

2008-05-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

This place is about to get much brighter...

National Poetry Month...

2008-04-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Your hope in my heart is the rarest treasure
Your Name on my tongue is the sweetest word
My choicest hours
Are the hours I spend with You --
O Allah, I can't live in this world
Without remembering You--
How can I endure the next world
Without seeing Your face?
I am a stranger in Your country
And lonely among Your worshipers:
This is the substance of my complaint.

- Rabi'a Basri

Army of one

2008-04-18T10:32:00.001-07:00

Last night I went on a long excursion to Appleton, WI. The ride took around 4 hours, and some coffee. The point of my trip was to see a poet I really enjoy and have posted his poems on here before: Billy Collins. He read numerous poems including a wonderful selection of hilarious haikus. Below are the pictures I took there.

Billy Collins explaining his poems.

He had the audience cracking up.

I was surprised to see no statue of Jesus (as) in there. Only the really nice organ.

Outside view of the church.

There he is signing books. I got two books signed on behalf of my school. The picture quality is bad because I was shaking after meeting him. Not because he's so great or anything, but only because I'm a spaaz.

Lastly some deer I saw by the edge of the road.

She's looking at me.

2008-04-11T11:12:00.001-07:00

National Poetry Month

2008-04-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

The Country
by Billy Collins

I wondered about you
when you told me never to leave
a box of wooden, strike-anywhere matches
lying around the house because the mice

might get into them and start a fire.
But your face was absolutely straight
when you twisted the lid down on the round tin
where the matches, you said, are always stowed.

Who could sleep that night?
Who could whisk away the thought
of the one unlikely mouse
padding along a cold water pipe

behind the floral wallpaper
gripping a single wooden match
between the needles of his teeth?
Who could not see him rounding a corner,

the blue tip scratching against a rough-hewn beam,
the sudden flare, and the creature
for one bright, shining moment
suddenly thrust ahead of his time -

now a fire-starter, now a torchbearer
in a forgotten ritual, little brown druid
illuminating some ancient night.
Who could fail to notice,

lit up in the blazing insulation,
the tiny looks of wonderment on the faces
of his fellow mice, onetime inhabitants
of what once was your house in the country?

National Poetry Month

2008-04-04T07:02:00.000-07:00

Facing It
by Yusef Komunyakaa

My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite. I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears. I'm stone. I'm flesh. My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey, the profile of night slanted against morning. I turn this way--the stone lets me go. I turn that way--I'm inside the Vietnam Veterans Memorial again, depending on the light to make a difference. I go down the 58,022 names, half-expecting to find my own in letters like smoke. I touch the name Andrew Johnson; I see the booby trap's white flash. Names shimmer on a woman's blouse but when she walks away the names stay on the wall. Brushstrokes flash, a red bird's wings cutting across my stare. The sky. A plane in the sky. A white vet's image floats closer to me, then his pale eyes look through mine. I'm a window. He's lost his right arm inside the stone. In the black mirror a woman's trying to erase names: No, she's brushing a boy's hair.

sometimes I mumble

2008-03-30T16:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I mumble to myself
a simple mumbling
concise and beautiful
full of wisdom

I am not the only one who does this
Bigger than me, many have done this
and still do
But it is different for me.
One, can’t question
the others have no choice
But I, I can sing songs
I can talk on the phone
But I choose to mumble

So let the lookers look
and let the scoffers scoff
I do it out of love
The Truest Love

-Written by me

No Hoes

2008-03-29T15:31:00.001-07:00

No Hoes
Originally uploaded by seekerofallah

This is a picture that was taken by a dear friend of mine. It is supposed to say "NO SHOES ON CARPET," but it is funnier this way.

If only I knew what it said...

2008-03-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure exactly what is being said in these, but it sounds so beautiful. Thanks to MM for these since he plays it on a continous loop.

PART I

PART II

P.S. I'm on flickr now thanks to the birthday present my parents gave me.

Reflections on the past...

2008-03-26T11:08:00.001-07:00

This was written by me towards the end of October in 2003. In March 2004 I embraced Islam.

What keeps a man from believing in god?Stubbornness, pride, fear?I am unsure why I don't but I have nothing in my gut that tells me there is one. Often, I wish I did believe. I feel somewhat empty without it and it would give me something to hope for, an afterlife. Right now, I do not know what happens when I die and for all I know, I simply rot away.

Sophy Burnham said something that really sticks with me and allows me to be patient in my search for a higher power, "To believe in God or in a guiding force because someone tells you to is the height of stupidity. We are given senses to receive our information within. With our own eyes we see, and with our own skin we feel. With our intelligence, it is intended that we understand. But each person must puzzle it out for himself or herself."

Although I'm sure that this will take me a long time, and I may never even find what I search for, I am willing to wait since I'm positive the result will be worth it.

SubhanAllah

2008-03-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

"He [Al-Bukhari] wrote Kitab at-Taariikh [Book of History] at the grave of the Messenger of Allah (sallullahu alayhi wa sallam) during the moonlit nights" (Bustan al-Muhaddithin).

big bad brother nassir

2008-02-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

I finally got fed up with the attitude and actions of some of my students. We call it an Islamic school, but the morals seemed to be lacked. Therefore, on my part, I decided to crack down on two things : lying and improper gender interaction.

Although the latter is only a few select students, the former is a common problem. Most students do not even understand what counts as lying. It is always "I was just joking."

First time will be a simple warning, but the second is a detention. I'm hoping that this new policy will help to fix the problems.

Anyway, I announced this policy today, and most students didn't seem to care. Then, one student who has been guilty of the latter problem (and most people know it) asked for me to name the kids who have been involved in this. I said I would not. When the student asked why I told him/her I did not want to expose the people's sins in front of others.

I think this really hit her (although only time will tell). She was silent for the rest of the period. I just hope that it really does stick with her.

I found the most amazing note today.

2008-02-20T09:16:00.000-08:00

I was in the library and looked through a random drawer, and I found a note. It read:

Hell yeah. What kind do you do?
ghetto a lil like BS u?
All kinds. Tango, salsa, break, etc.
awsum can u do da heel toe teach me
Y? Usually kids think that a tomboy shouldn't be doing that type of dancing!
yea wat the hell

Imagine a 6th grader asking another 6th grader to teach her the heel toe. As the students love to quote me in saying, Amazing.

I ate quail last night.

2008-02-18T09:07:00.000-08:00

Unrelated to the title, I had a student observer today. He's actually a friend of mine from UIC. He's clearly Desi, and I'm clearly not. He is walking around the class, helping students with their group work, even though I'm English and he's History. One student yells out the question:

"Is he your brother?"

I just started laughing. My students are so darn cute. I will miss them. It is really hard to leave the students at the end of the year. You spend so much time with them that they begin to feel like your children. They act like they hate me, but then they get upset when I mention not being there next year.

"You can't go. Who's going to teach us? We don't want Ms. ***** back."

I'll miss the kid in 1st grade who clings to my leg and the 2nd grader who looks like I did when I was his age, completely adorable ;).

I'm sure there will be a water works from my side come June.

Ticking...

2008-01-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

I'm not really enjoying language arts. Grammar rules do not excite me so much.

The past few days we've been moving to studying the writing of short stories. 6th grade had "They're Made out of Meat," 7th grade had "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," and 8th grade had "The Cask of Amontillado." All I got from the students was "I don't understand this" and "This story is dumb." Then, once I explained it, they thought it was pretty cool.

Next we'll begin writing stories. This should be fun. The imagination of these kids is so limited. They get bored at every moment. Even when we took a field trip to the zoo, some kids were playing PSP rather than looking at everything. They had to tear me away from the gorilla cage; I was having so much fun.

I'm still counting the days until blast off. Preparations are underway.

Dua (supplication) of 'Omar ( ra)

2008-01-30T06:10:00.000-08:00

اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِيْ صَبُوْرًا

وَّ اجْعَلْنِيْ شَكُوْرًا

وَّ اجْعَلْنِيْ فِيْ عَيْنِيْ صَغِيْرًا

وَّ فِيْ أَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ كَبِيْرًا

Oh Allah, make me patient

and make me thankful

and make me in my eyes small

and in the eyes of mankind great.

Counting the days...

2008-01-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

SubhanAllah

2007-12-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

I was just looking at this blog, and I noticed the date of the last entry. I haven't updated in over a month. How did the time fly by so quickly that I didn't even realize it? I've been busy with moving, and working, and working, and working. What else? Nasty ice storm, car full of stuff, 60% humidity in my apartment, and we're already halfway through 2nd quarter. This year is flying by, but the days tick by slowly until they're gone. I don't even have time for a regular post, just this little rant. And a poem that captures some of my frustrations when teaching poetry.

Introduction To Poetry

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

-Billy Collins

2007-10-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

When I came to the school I'm currently at, I was replacing a former teacher they call Mr. B. He taught P.E. class and some other subjects, and I don't think the kids especially liked him, except his lack of structure and discipline.

They ask me, "Are you just going to let us play basketball like Mr. B did?" or they say, "Mr. B never made us run." and so forth.

Anyway, today we were walking to the field to play kickball with the 2nd graders. I was carrying one of the new soft kickballs that the school purchased with our Go-Girls-Go grant money. I thought this ball would work much better than the soccer ball or the volleyball we had been using. I told the students to walk behind me, and they kept yelling about all sorts of things. Above the steady white noise that is the 2nd graders I heard:

"Mr. K, you have way more balls than Mr. B ever had."

I told the kid, "Thank you, but please don't ever say that again."

grammar = boring

2007-09-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

Rather than beating around the bush, I decided to confront a student whom I know is extremely lazy and unmotivated to do her grammar homework (who would have thought?).

Me: I read your first paper, and I understand you have some real talent for writing.

Her: Yeah, I really like to write.

Me: You are just very lazy. You don't like to do homework.

Her: I'll be honest. I am really lazy.

Me: You are not the kind of person who does grammar homework. I don't want you to fail my class because of not turning in homework. That's dumb. You are good at writing. I'm not sure what to do. How can I get you to do your homework.

:crickets chirp:

Me: I'll let you turn in your homework with 75% credit [I'm too nice], but you have to do the rest of your homework.

Her: Insha'Allah (God willing)

She stayed by me for a while. I think she wasn't sure if we were finished talking. I finally told her to leave, and she went off to play soccer. We haven't had too much homework yet, so I think it's safe to allow her to turn in (really) late work. Normally I'm not this lax, but I see a lot of potential in this student. I saw some of her grades for the previous year. C. I know she is talented but not motivated. I hope this will help her.

Growing old and staying young

2007-09-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

There is an adorable kid in my 1st grade class. He is missing his two top front teeth, and he loves to smile. At recess, there was a girl standing next to him who was also missing her two top front teeth.

"Are you two related?" I asked.

"No, we're just friends," she replied.

"Are you friends because you're both missing teeth?"

"Noooooo!"

And with that, they both ran away. I turned to another girl who was watching the whole thing.

"You've got plenty of teeth," I said to her.

"I've got four," she responded. "And my grandfather has two."

I started laughing so hard. I could just imagine her poor grandfather and all of his missing teeth. It reminds me of one time last year when I was sitting in the teachers lounge working on some lessons, and another teacher's daughter was sitting there too. She said:

"Sometimes, my mom and dad kiss on the lips."

Waaay too much information!

Welcome to the Jungle. We got fun and games...

2007-09-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

In gym class, I divided the students into two teams for their final game of soccer. But which team should go first? Naturally, I said the team with the player whose name is most rock star should go first. Thinking it should be Van-Axl, a Filipino kid whose name reminds me of Van Halen and Axl Rose, I pointed toward their team, and they went off to begin the name.

Then, a student game up to me and asked me if I know what his name means. I said his first name means "leader," but I didn't know what his last name meant.

"My name means 'Leader of War," he responded.

"Man, that is rock star. You should have gone first"

That is one of the coolest names I've ever heard. The Prophet (saw) emphasized that names have an effect on people. I wonder what effect his name will have...

2007-09-21T13:55:00.000-07:00

Me: What is a predicate?
Student: An animal that eats other animals.

We have a long way to go.

If only sooner...

2007-09-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu (Greetings of peace)

My name is Nassir, and I'm currently an English (and gym) teacher at an Islamic school on the north side. I really wish I had started this blog at the beginning of the school year. I got the idea from Chicago Teacher Man and especially because of his quote from the Chi*Town Daily News that said "So much happens everyday that I forget about it," he says." and "I want to remember what happens. I think that my students are kick-a** people and I think that people need to know that."

Aside from the swearing, I totally agree. My memory is completely shot, and I want to remember the wonderful, and often shocking, experiences that I have as a teacher, while I attempt to make my students into better people and better Muslims.

I also hope to improve my own writing skills. Although I've taught English for a little while (beginning my second year), I haven't had much practice with writing, especially creative. Usually I am instructing on how best to write, but I do little myself. I hope that I will be able to increase my proficiency through this blog.

Lastly (like my transition? I love when students write papers, and they begin each paragraph with firstly, secondly, fourthly, thirteenthly, etc.), I want people to benefit from what I have to say. I have no idea to whom this is being written, but it is my hope that each person will be able to walk away with something, whether it is a laugh, a drive for English, or deciding to embrace Islam. I hope this all goes well.