Follow the Love

In the Name of Allah

The Most Gracious and Most Merciful

Today, the 24th of December 2015, we celebrate our beloved Prophet Muhammad's (May Peace be Upon Him) birthday which falls  on the 12th of Rabi'ulawal. I had made a poster to upload at my Facebook pages in which I had chosen an ayah from the Sura Al-Imran:

What a beautiful, beautiful ayah...my tears just cannot stop falling when I read this ayah...my heart just feels like bursting as Allah Azza wa Jalla teaches us to love Rasulullah SAW, then promises His Love for those who do.

The message is clear and straightforward...Allah Azza wa Jalla says "follow" so that's what we should do - follow. In all aspects...his behaviour, his likes and dislikes, his responses to people, how he speaks, his deeds, his habits, his way of dressing (for women the way he likes them to be dressed), what he eats and how he eats, how he sits and sleeps, how he treats illnesses, his dua' and everything else. Just follow.

As an Islamic medicine practitioner, I focus mostly on the study of Rasulullah's SAW way of treating illnesses and his teachings on preventing illnesses.  In this post, I just would like to share one of my experiences in my pursuit of discovering the truth and wisdom behind the profound Knowledge that Rasulullah SAW was bestowed with.

One of the most prominent kitab in Prophetic medicine is the "At-Tibb Nabawi" or literally translated as "Medicine of The Prophet" written by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya. Here Is an excerpt from the book:

               Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Ibn Maja report, from hadith of Abu Huraira, that the

               Prophet SAW said: "Eat olive oil (zayt) and anoint yourselves with it, for it 

               is from a blessed tree. Al-Bayhaqi and Ibn Maja also have from 

               Abd-Allah b. "Umar that the Messenger of God SAW said:

               "Eat olive oil with your bread, and oil yourselves with it, for it was from a blessed tree."

I was perturbed by the repeated reminders to use olive oil on our body and the questioned lingered on my mind constantly. Why..???

My precious bible ever since I started practicing Islamic medicine in 2007 

There were no explanations in this book as to the benefits of doing it. Besides the scientifically-proven fact that olive oil softens and protects the skin from aging due to it's antioxidant properties, I believed that there must be something much, much more to it. The answer came in the most unexpected circumstance.

One morning, I wanted to prepare breakfast and turned the knob on the stove. I was a fraction of a second too late to realise that the knob was already turned on. There was no flame but apparently there was an emission of gas which I hadn't even sensed. Fortunately it was very little as the knob was at the minimum level, but enough to ignite a burst of flames in my face. 

After the initial shock, I sat down to assess the damages on myself...I was surprised, but very thankful that my clothes did not catch fire. I knew the fire had flared directly on my face and my singed eyebrows and hairline confirmed this. But I didn't feel any pain anywhere at all...except for my lips. Just then I remembered...before I do my my solah fajr each morning, I'd take a bath and put olive oil all over my body, including my face...except for my lips....

Laleli - This is the only olive oil I will use as I know exactly where it came from and who planted the trees. I would love to use olive oil from Palestine if I knew the real source, but unfortunately I usually don't. Many companies obtain supply from other countries and label their bottles to imply they come from Islamic countries. I never use oil from Spain and Italy especially for healing purposes. Laleli is owned by Dr. Yahya Laleli and family, a Muslim Turk who does a lot of charity work and produces one of the best quality olive oil in the world. 

I believe the film of olive oil had protected me from getting burnt, even though it had well absorbed into my skin, subhanAllah. The baraqah in the olive tree, the "nur" in it's oil and the promise of Allah Azza  wa Jalla - these are the spiritual virtues of olive oil that we can never, ever obtain from something that is man-made. I could't have possibly learnt of this had I just studied it without actually following and doing it myself. Eventually, I discovered by Allah's Will, a few other secrets about using olive oil on the skin.

Sura an-Nur: 35

From then on, if ever I wanted to find the wisdom and rationale behind each of the teachings or commands of our beloved Messenger SAW, I would just "follow" first, then only question, probe, study and bi'iznillah, I will eventually discover. I swear, if we love and care enough to seek for The Truth, The Creator of The Universe will return by showing you His Love.  

  

In Search of Eternal Happiness

In The Name of Allah

Most Gracious and Most Merciful

Besides sharing the verses in the Quran that I have benefited much from, I am also going to start sharing what I've learnt in each tazkirah conducted by my beloved teacher Dato Dr. Fatma El-Zahrah al- Ramadan after each attendance. Not only so I remember and practise what I've learnt but also to share with others who may not have the opportunity to attend her classes.

My guru of almost ten years now.

I will start with a special one-off session which was hosted by a friend, the beautiful (inside and out in that order) Kak Shahariah which was held at her gallery at The Forum in Jalan Tun Razak just yesterday, the 13th of December 2015. Dr. Fatma always starts her tazkirah with a muqaddimah (introduction) and this session was no different. She had stressed upon the importance of knowledge, and also the importance of passing on the acquired knowledge to others. Her reminder concurred with my intention to start this blog, and I take this as a guide from my Master that I am doing the right thing and that I should make it a priority.

Three beautiful women masya Allah, from left, Nabila (Kak Shahariah's daughter, Dr. Fatma and the gracious hostess herself) 

The topic for this session was Hayatan Thoyibba which means a Good and Happy Life. Dr. Fatma cited ten steps towards a wholesome, fulfilling life that we all should aim for; in this post I shall write about the first two as they are the very pertinent points and those which we will be questioned on in the hereafter. 

Number One
HabluminAllah -  habluminAllah means our relationship with Allah. This is first and foremost, and it is the epitome of our aqeedah (matters of our faith). This entails a solid and unwavering belief in the existence of life after death, and that Allah is constantly watching us whatever we do. Ulama' say that there are three celebrations for a true Muslim:
- the day we repent
- the day we have successfully performed the compulsory solah with khusyu', reading the Quran and making sadaqa
- the day we die in khusnul khatimah 

Number Two

Habluminannas -  which means our relationship with people. Our attitude, behaviour and responses towards people is a huge part in Islam for this is our akhlak. There is absolutely no point in worshiping Allah Azza wa Jalla if we do not develop and improve on our relationships with others. 

With some of the jama'ah

Feelings of jealousy, resentment, hostility, revenge and anger towards others is totally unacceptable in Islam. We often hear of this as it is a major part of Islamic teachings, but in this particular session, there was a new facet to it which has not been touched by many ustaz/ah. Dr. Fatma mentioned that we have to be really careful in our choice of words: they (the words we speak) by no means must hurt others even when we have no intention to do that. For example, when visiting the sick, we shouldn't make remarks on how badly they look or frighten and sadden them with stories of deaths and such. Also, body language and facial expressions must be watched so they do not offend or slight others. 

These two criteria weigh heavily during evaluation after our deaths so we must make serious and untiring effort to ensure our relationship with both Allah and people is at its utmost best. Coincidentally, I wanted to study what the factors that made women successful in life were. I observed a few women who had some things in common among them: they are always happy, cheerful and enthusiastic, they are healthy and energetic, and they are blessed with abundance. Through my observation, I saw that these women are extremely altruistic and beneficent. They would go out of the way to help others, and their genuine, sincere, congenial nature is outstanding, masya Allah. Even though they are affluent, they are never condescending or patronizing. They are those who portray the best of both habluminAllah and hablumminnas. 

Even in this life we are able to see the blessings bestowed on them, I cannot imagine the rewards they will receive in the hereafter. I am sure if we seriously focus and work towards this, we all can lead happy and fulfilling lives too, dunya and akhirah, insya Allah. No doubt they have problems like everyone else too, but we don't normally hear them whine or lament about it. I am so syukur to know these women, and may Allah swt continue to bless them and their families with love, baraqah and happiness.

Make Allah happy, and surely, He will make us happy. Aameen.

Be Steadfast and Don't be Afraid

In the Name Of Allah

The Most Gracious and Most Merciful

One of the verses that I love most, of which when I came across it, felt like it was meant for me personally. I had stumbled upon it during a very uncertain period because I was in a transition from practicing colour therapy to Islamic medicine. For doing so, I had received some backlash from a few practitioners and was accused and criticised for betraying the fraternity.  Worse still, at that particular time I was living alone. 

I was sure of my choice, but I just needed a little bit of assurance that not only was I going to the right path, but also be able to sustain what I was set to do. Then came this verse, and Ive never looked back since. 

Surah Fussilat verse 30 translated as:

Verily, those who say: Our Lord is Allah (Alone)," and then they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): Fear not nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!

Yet again, Allah promises those who believe, and declare that there is no God but Allah, and he stands by his conviction, the reward of Paradise. What I find most pleasing in this verse is the mention of angels descending upon us, and I take it a little further. It is a fact that Allah sends His angels down for us, His servants and I am immensely comforted by the knowledge that it is not only at the time of our death but all the time, to constantly protect and guide us in everything we do. 

Reciting and holding on to this verse gives me instant strength and courage to face whatever circumstances especially in my line of duty. I know I am never alone and as long as I am steadfast in my belief in Allah, I needn't fear anything. 

Allah, and His angels...they are always near us.   

Al-Furqan - The Beginning of Me

In the Name of Allah ,

The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

This is my seventh blog, and with the Will of The Almighty, I will make time to consistently post verses from The Noble Quran which I find inspiring, uplifting and enlightening. 

Verses that have been answers to my questions and doubts, verses that I use to make myself a better person, verses to strengthen my faith and conviction, verses that have given me assurance, peace and guidance, and verses that I prescribe to my patients and friends for healing of any pain or condition. 

I will start with a verse from the title of this blog, Sura Al-Furqan, (Chapter 25), a sura that is very close to my heart, verse 15 and 16:

Say: (O Muhammad may peace be upon him) "Is that (torment of Hell) better or the Paradise of Eternity which is promised to the Muttaqin (the pious)?" It will be theirs as a reward and and as a final destination.

For them there will be therein all that they desire, and they will abide (therein forever). It is a promise binding upon your Lord that must be fulfilled.

SubhanAllah.

Such beautiful words from Allah, and He ends it with a promise that He says He must fulfill. Its an assurance, a promise within a promise, a guarantee for an eternal life where we will be granted anything and everything we desire and more. 

Only a fool would turn this offer down, and he would only have himself to blame if he chooses not to pursue Paradise that is eternal, and instead choose to defy his Creator and not make sacrifices in this temporary world. Whatever that have been forbidden to us, no matter how pleasurable, are certainly not worth having if we truly believe what there is in store for us should we choose to be submissive to His commands.

Eternity - one must try to imagine a space that has no dimension, time that has no frames. There is no end to it. It just continues to go on and on and on...Just thinking about this endless and infinite life is frightening enough, what more a life that is filled with torturous punishment that is far beyond the imagination of the human mind. 

The answer seems obvious enough, as Allah asks, is that tormentous life better, or is Paradise better? 

So why would we choose the former?