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Name
nura
-
Profession
Question
As-salamu `alaykum,
I find Ramadan is a good occasion to feel free for the material conditions, or at least more than in other days. Do you have any suggestion to increase this feeling of separation from the material word, in order to feel ourselves nearer to Allah? Something like meditation or a higher state of the mind?
Answer
There are three famous ingredients for increasing spiritual awareness, they are:
Dhikr, fikr and himma. of dhikr and himma we know much, but the Prophet (AS) said of Fikr that one hour in the company of a gnostic has the same value as 70 years of Worship. I mention this because I feel that this is a largely missing ingredient in the Islam of modern people.
Qur'an mentions "Khaleelun minal akhireen" - "Few among the latter days"(Al-Waqi`ah 56:14)
Name
noureddine
- Belgium
Profession
Question
Their sir,
My impression is that Sufi's are very calm people.How can I benefit from the sufi's without entering any brotherhood
Thank you..
Answer
Your benefit is simply from deepening your faith in Allah. You can do this by reading from the Sufi Masters and Poets
Name
Yvonne
-
Profession
Question
Can you tell us a little about what you do? I mean, what do you mean by Self-Realization and how can that help people?
Answer
In order to keep my answer brief, I'd like to refer you to an essay I wrote on the subject. it can be found at ◊ Self realization
I've discovered that Self Realization is the true key to genuine spiritual healing. So many illness point to a need for self care and who can care better for us than Allah? It is also the fulfillment of out primary obligation to love God with all our body, mind, heart and soul.
Name
Mariam
- Egypt
Profession
Student
Question
I am at the point in my life whereby I am fed-up of being told what to do. All my life I have bben told what to do. Now I find that I do not know what I think about anything.. Can you suggest something that I can do to change this?
Answer
I agree with most of the "fed up" Muslim men and women, young and old. From what I have seen of authoritarian Islam it's not really any fun and Allah does not wish to burden us nor did He create us to be punished. Again, I recommend a genuine fikr which I translate as really deep contemplation along with keeping the company of the wise and maybe learnig a bit from the sufi healers to be found on fikr
Name
Lisa
-
Profession
Question
I want to remain consistent in practising Islam and I have decided to take Ramadan as the starter to achieve my goal. My problem is that I find it too hard and burdensome in practising Islam. I have a deep sense of concern for my afterlife at times but at others I totally ignore it. What should I do?
Please give me some suggestions. I want to make optimum use of this Ramadan to improve myself.
Answer
Please do not make it hard on yourself. Allah does not wish to burden your but to lift your heart and purify you of your concerns. He did not create you to be punished, and Ramadan is there to be a help to us if we only observe the lessons that we can learn from it.
Name
person
-
Profession
Question
Is there any connection between your method and the yoga or energy therapy? I have recently read a fatwa on Islam Online that deals with the energy therapy and affirms that energy therapy based on yoga is prohibited.
Answer
It is the duty of the healer and the hakim to apply whatever is necessary. besides, the very fact that we exist we transmit energy, the kind of energy that can make some one feel bad or feel good. It is intrinsic in the laws of nature and therefore intrinsic in Islam....
We need to discover more of what we think we know.
Name
Tom
- United Kingdom
Profession
transport
Question
What is so different about what you do and ordinary healing?
Answer
Self-realization oriented healing is a solution orientated rather than an issue oriented form of therapy that requires the involvement of the client/patient/seeker. There are myriad issues all of which are very interesting but in the end they all point to self-realization.
Name
Twalib
-
Profession
|Teacher
Question
As-salamu `alaykum
I travel everyday for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, now that it has been Ramadan, I stay with my brother in the city becuase of work. I don;t getb to see my children during the week, I only see them over the weekend.
Now that we are in the midst of the last 10 days of Ramdan, I intend to do itikaf (retreat in the mosque), but I have to travel to the same city becuase I took my holidays.
I'm confused. Should I stay with my family and do itikaf together or should I go?
I need your advice
Jazakkum-ullah khayrun - wa salamu `alaykum
Answer
That's a tough question for me to answer. on the one hand you sacrifice time with your family anyway and ten more days for itikaf might be really worthwhile. on the other your family needs you and they are of course and should be your primary concern. I'll have to stay positively neutral on this and say that I'm sure you'll make the right decision and whatever you decide it will be rightBut rememebr, when it comes to optional forms of worship, the family comes first!!!
Name
A Muslimah
-
Profession
Question
As-salamu `alaykum,
Before marriage for almost half a decade I lived a sufistic life, having nothing much to do with the world, but now with two years since marriage and kids I am seeing myself so much getting carried away with material things, like shopping, going out,cooking and other dunya (worldly) related things.
Even though I am not indulging in haram (activities), I don't know how to deal with this condition of mine. How can I control myself I am just getting carried away...PLEASE ADVISE!
Answer
An old Zen Master once said, "Before enlightenment, choppig wood, carrying water. After enlightenment, chopping wood, carrying water.
A major manifestation of not understanding the nature of tauheed (Unity) is to see the life in this world as different form the "spiritual" life. Spirituality is not (unfortunately) an escape from, but a means to enjoy, the life we have been given. It's all one. If you set aside sufficient time for yourself and your depth perception practices, you will find that the ordinary life becomes exciting and refreshing. `In sha'Allah
Name
aziza
- Egypt
Profession
teacher
Question
Mental illness has now become widespread. What do you suggest is the root of this problem and the answer?
Answer
There is no doubt that the world is a mad place, and mental illness might be the last refuge. If understood we will conclude that unresolved traumatic events are at the root of most extreme frustrations and that gentle hospitality with caring curious people could be a solution.
Name
Sister
-
Profession
Question
How can one reach you Sir to get some counseling?
Answer
www.surrenderworks.com
Name
sarah
-
Profession
student
Question
As-salamu `alaykum.
It is not easy to achieve this so called self realization,is it? What is the difference between self realization and also attaining spirituality and/or enlightenment? They are inter-related but what is the difference?
Some achieve this after meditation and others with prayers. I am so confused right now because religion is being potrayed in different ways. I am mixed up as I have been taught Islam from two different perspectives. I have been reading and trying to learn and this site has helped me a lot.
Thank you so much and thanks to you in advance.
I have recently started wearing scarf but not "hijab".So much speculation is going on and I do not want it to affect me, but sometimes at a certain part of your life,like now it has not been easy and it has affected me. Of course I believe that all this is for a good reason and I only expect light at the end of the tunnel.
if our faith is strong enough, I do not understand why sometimes we feel despair and feel depressed. As I know I have tried so much to forget and I have tried not to be that way. I have succeeded, but not knowing religion as I was not taught. Since I moved from one country to another on and off, I find myseklf asking myself so many questions which most cannot answer or the answer does not really satisfy me. Please do advise as to what you think?
Answer
The situation you find yourself in is not uncommon - it pertains to almost all of the Muslim youth I counsel in one way or another. while it is too deep to thouroughly answer here, I wish to encourage you to not be hard on yourself. hardness in Islam leads to frustration and anger. Be easy, take it easy and trusst that Allah knows your situation and will reveal in his time the reasons for it. Meanwhile enjoy what you do of your life and let your love show. follow your love and be grateful for the thing in life that you are grateful for.
Name
Hwaa-Matu
- Antigua and Barbuda
Profession
Educator
Question
Could you expalin more about the practice of fikr, how it is done, what and what is it's puporse and effect.
Answer
Fikr means contemplation. It is different from meditation in that meditation seeks the middle way, the way of clearing the mind and finding the stillpoint, the balance between opposites. Hence the word MEDItate.
Contemplation on the other hand actually confronts and grapples with the problems of life. One by One I might say, for ultimately we are contemplating the grandeur and vastnes of Allah and His reasons for creating.
Contemplation is best done in company with a master or advanced student. It is done with quieteude, sitting in abalanced unsupported position so that the body requires minimal attention, and for a definite period of time alway longer than you think you can afford so as to stretch your capacity for quietude.
Doing this properly, with guidance, for sufficient time will conquer the problems of the mind and bring peace to the heart from which will arise your knowing happy confident smile once again.
Name
SAADIAH
-
Profession
Question
Remote influencing?
Answer
I'm not sure of your question, but distance healing (sending Barakah) proves that there is no separation...
Name
Hamza
- United States
Profession
student
Question
As-salaamu `alaykum,
What's the best approach in gaining total control of our nafs (conscious self-the lower self)? What are some steps,methods and habbits to conquer this great challange of man.The Real Freedom!!! Thanks for your time and answer.
Answer
I'm operating on the theory that self-understanding leads to self-liberation. It's proven true enough to me that battling, stigmatizing or in any other way making an enemy of our unknown disenfranchised-screaming-agonizing-frustrated- angry-hostile violent self only makes it stronger and more likely to appear unexpectedly later on. Whereas embracing it with mercy and understanding leads to a taming of it that allows for ex-pression in healthy wholesome ways.
Once it's out, it's out and then we're free of it. And yes, dhikr is calming, but nothing works toward true self realization like genuine contemplation fikr
Name
a muslimah
-
Profession
Question
As-salamu `alaykum,
I had asked a question earlier..
I do make sufficient time to read. THE QURAN and other khutab (books)for prayers, but worldly things distract me...even in this month of Ramadan. I couldn't understand your answer well. What do you mean by refreshing life?
Answer
It is not uncommon for religious practices to be used as an escape from dealing with the problems of everyday life. We often pray and pray and read and read but if we are not in touch with our central question we will not get the answer we are looking for!
It is often better to sit with the question than to run to the ready-made and hopefully effective answer. If we genuinely know what we are looking for we will surely find it. If we do not then we will not be able to read the answers that are all around us and we will be frustrated with ourselves and our unsuccesful practices. It's all about intention. If your intention is to truly and absolutely know yourself then you will succeed. If your intention is simply to escape from your problems then you probably will not.
Name
Selim
- Germany
Profession
Hotelier
Question
What does distance healing have to do with barakah. How does it work really?
Answer
I wrote a nice essay once on the science of barakah. A theory only, but it seems to be holding. The blessing of Allah is also a palpable substance that can be accrued and dispensed hence the wonderful feelings we get when sitting in the presence of realized teachers. I haven't read it in a while but it might help.
I see that there is a great difference between my generation and the young generation today. What steps do you think that the generation today can take towards discovery themselves. Even at their age, we felt more comfortable , we were less confused. As a parent, what do you advise.
Answer
I'm of the opinion that the youth of today, in spite of their pretense to confusion, are much more in touch with their truth and reality than they know or let on.
Looking at them from distance from the truth only exacerbates the communication gap. the closer we get to ourselves the easier it will be to communicate with them.
Name
Deena
-
Profession
Teacher
Question
As-salamu `alaykum.
Please Sir, could you tell us, what steps can we take before this Ramadhan ends to make the most of what we have neglected about ourselves and about our deen
Answer
Spend the rest of these days and indeed the rest of your life in sincerity. It does not mean exclusively in religious practices, but also in loving your neighbors and showing your love and faith in the almight God with your kindness and patience, not only with others but please, be loving and kind to yourselves too. Are we not grateful for this opportunity to express our gratitude with love and kindness and mercy and understanding to all?
Name
Saadiah
-
Profession
Question
Salam
Recently, I asked a healer (non-muslim) to view my aura from a distance (remote viewing) and she discovered a shadow which was put on me by black magic. By remote influencing she tried to take it away.
Now I pray Allah to ward evil from me by prayer, fasting, avoiding bad deeds and believing that He protects me with a white shield. Is this permissible? Also I feel that everything developes more quickly after I had this remote-influencing. My thinking has changed.
I have tried for almost 30 years to be how my mother with whom I live and how my family in my home country expect me to be. I have been very unhappy because there was no place for me and I was restless, isolated, attempts to marry men from the same origin but with a European passport failed. My family in Morocco tried to marry me with one of my cousins to get them a European passport. I have refused for 12 years and I still refuse.
This healer discovered that they have put black magic on me as a black shadow on my aura which deters men to approach me even if I as a virgin who is highly educated, living a quiet Muslim life at home. I have only the office and the shopping mall as an alternative.
My mother is very unhappy and negative with herself and her life so she strangled me throughout my life to control every step I take. I don't know what to do. I feel like leaving home and living on my own to discover myself, my happiness and my own feelings.
Answer
It is permissible to pray to Allah for whatever it is you feel you need to make you feel happier, stronger and more confident of yourself. I don't think it's anything like black magic, but I do believe it has to do with negative self imaging. Please contemplate the nature of Allah and how it is that you are created in His image. If you let the love flow through you and then follow it wherever it leads you, you will find the object and the Source of your happiness.
Please visit my site and I can follow-up with you.
