Am I Fundamentalist?

*------------------------*

Am I fundamentalist if I believe in creation and order?

That Allah (swt) is my Lord and Muhammed (pbuh) is the final messenger?

Am I a fundamentalist if I reject secularism and faith’s demonisation?

That religion is my wealth and in Islam is my salvation?

*------------------------*

Am I a fundamentalist if I pursue sacred rather than profane?

Am I fundamentalist if I study Fard-al-Ayn?

Am I a fundamentalist if I perform Salah in the park?

Am I a fundamentalist if my heart gravitates towards light rather than dark?

*------------------------*

Questions for Democracy

Questions for Democracy

*------------------------*

Pain and suffering,

What are you doing to your fellow human beings?

Taking away, when you should be giving?

*----------------------------*

Lies,deception, epidemics and infection,

Bombs and collateral damage,

You complain you can't manage?

Shopping for Prada and Armani while you export the carnage?

*----------------------------*

Rebirth - A Poem Dedicated to "New" Muslims

*~~Rebirth~~*

As-Salaamu-Alaikum, welcome to the fold,

Come into the warmth, from outside in the cold.

*------------*

Blessed are you to venture down this sacred path,

Where faith is your future, heedlessness your past.

*------------*

Fear not the challenges that lay ahead for you,

Brothers and Sisters are on hand,

To assist and support you when things don't go as planned.

 *------------*

Surrounded by temptation and the habits you want to leave,

Rejoice in the path you've chosen and for the past do not grieve.

 *------------*

Success comes to those who see life as a spiritual journey and not a materialistic game,

Would the sweet taste of Imaan feel quite the same, if with ease it finally came?

*------------*

Allah (swt) is Merciful, Allah(swt) is full of Rahmah,

Follow the final Messenger (pbuh) and arrive at the gates of Jannah.

*------------*

A Poem in Praise of Imam Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili By Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi

A poem in praise of al-Imam Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili Radiya Allah ‘anhu
As-Sayyid as-Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi

The Qutb of all Qutbs throughout times is
Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili;
An Ocean of Secrets and an Imam of Guidance
For whom the soul is the least price.

He lead to the Master and climbed
in virtue to highest peaks
And brought in this discipline what
Made it more august than all branches.

Knowing Allah is his End,
So follow him through this path
And the Messenger of Allah is his Means
So, stick to his Sunnas.

The foundation of his way is built
On the Purification of the Heart from all stains
So, journey with the Single Name O,
You, Sufi! And seek assistance from Allah.

Be absent, and annihilate from all beings, as
No one remains save he who is annihilated in Him;
And enter the doors of the Unseen and ask
Whatever you want, but guard the secrets.

Drink the glass of Gnosis and taste
The Secret of Tawheed and be not
Make due the love for the men of Allah
And the love for the Imam of all of them Abul Hasan.

Stick yourself to the pure thresholds
If you come to Humaithara, where is the home
And in ‘Aydhaab stop and sink your cheeks in the soil
And put your soul in the grave and a guarantee.

Be thankful to Allah and pray on
Taha in secret and in public
And on Ahlul bayt all,
O friend and give salutations while you humble yourself.

The son of al-Yaqoubi has come with
No claims, dressed only in the cloths of his coffin
So, turn to him O my master
And to all of us with your bounties.

Written (and translated into English from Arabic) by the noble Shaykh on his way to the shrine of Imam Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili in Egypt, 14th August 2004.

The Arabic and English translation can be downloaded here:

A Poem About the Dire Situation in Syria

A ssad Day

*-----------*

Bashar Al Assad you make me so sad,
Had a choice to be good, you opted for bad.
*-----------*
Like father like son you bring shame to Al Shaam,
Revel in goodnesss not in haraam.
*-----------*
A Doctor of Opthalmology, how can you be so blind,
To the agony and torment you inflict on your land?
*-----------*
Alawite, Twelver, which will it be?
Will you not listen to Allah's (swt) decree?
*-----------*
Closer to you than your jugular vein,
Allah (swt) knows what is hidden, Allah (swt) knows your shame.
*-----------*
Do you not fear the torment of fire?
That awaits tyrants who cling on to power?
*-----------*
Seek repentance and come into the fold,
Lest Allah's (swt) wrath destroy your world.
*-----------*
The ranks of the oppressed are amassed at the gates,
Yours is not the power to deny their fates!
*-----------*
Al Shaam will be liberated in the days to come,

This blessed land shall be returned to the people once more,
Like the sea reclaiming the sand on the shore.

*-----------*

MSK

Pictures from the convoy

"We pass through majestic Swiss mountains, set by Allah as pegs"

Holiday Inn car park, Switzerland

Dhikr of Allah

Rest stop at Italian service station

"Creation resplendent for all to see"

"Open vistas, blue skies, as far as the horizon"

"The Day has arrived to drive to the border"

Waiting at the Turkish/Syrian border

"With shouts of "Takbir" and "Allahu Akbar"

"They pass into the blessed lands of As Shaam"

A poem about the humanitarian convoy to Syria organised by SKT Welfare, that I took part in recently

*-----The Convoy-----*

The convoy is coming to town,

Full of smiles and laden with hope to replace the frowns.

Four wheels replace the four hooves that once traversed,

Ancient deserts, mouths parched with thirst.

*----------*

Brothers and Sisters from distant nations,

Taking aid to serve the ailing patients.

From Felixstowe docks this dromedary arrives,

Fuel tank for humps, windscreen for eyes.

*----------*

Rendezvous first at Beaconsfield services,

Ready to depart with CB transistors,

Dover docks is our first destination,

Full of hope and anticipation!

*----------*

Arrive in Dunkirk in the dead of night,

The minaret of the masjid is a welcome sight,

Slumber in the great hall for a few hours of repose,

Wake up for Fajr, all lined up in rows.

With duas and Salaam we take once more to the roads,

Combats and jeans replace elegant thobes.

*----------*

Diesel to quench our ambulances thirst,

Filled to the brim, release the brake and put her into first.

Proceed in formation through French rues,

As daylight brings with it wonderful views, Allah’s creation in all of its hues.

*----------*

We pass through majestic Swiss mountains, set by Allah as pegs,

How could all this occur by chance?

A question for people of intellect this begs,

Harmony in nature for all to survey,

Day passes night and night passes day.

*----------*

To Italy we proceed as our journey unfolds,

Preparing our currency for motorway tolls.

The smell of the sea greets us in the port of Ancona,

The ferry swallows the convoy like the whale swallowed Jonah.

*----------*

Through zikr after salah, the Almighty did we praise,

To polish our hearts and remove our inner malaise.

The Burdah we chanted in praise of Rasullullah (pbuh),

Intrigued were the passengers, travelling from near and far.

*----------*

To our cabins we retreat for much needed rest,

Ready in the morn to proceed on our quest.

From the sea onto land in Greece we have arrived,

With sunglasses and t-shirts, for sunnier climes we are attired.

*----------*

Beauty abounds in every direction,

Open vistas, blues skies as far as the horizon.

Creation resplendent for all to see,

Cursed are those who do not believe.

Signs are there for all to ponder,

Faith is strengthened as hearts grow fonder.

*----------*

Once more we stop to fill up our tanks,

As onlookers look at men lined up in ranks,

Praying salah, to Allah we give thanks.

*----------*

As night falls, Greece we have crossed west to east,

At the Bulgarian border, once more do we meet.

Documents checked, we are waived swiftly onward,

To be part of this journey, we are truly honoured!

*----------*    

As Friday approaches, we reach Turkish soil,

For much needed sleep to our makeshift beds we recoil.

A new dawn brings with it a slight delay,

Whilst vehicles and aid are closely surveyed.

*----------*

Beyond the perimeter a masjid can be seen,

For our ritual cleansing, in the courtyard we make our ablution,

Before praying Salat-ul-Juma in congregation.

The imam’s recitation is food for the soul,

Whilst the beauty of the masjid is a sight to behold!

*----------*

Our duty to Allah having once been completed,

Cameras await, like heroes we are greeted!

Lenses trained from the back of a car,

Focused on ambulances that have come from afar.

*----------*

Istanbul will be our next hop,

Our senses are ill-prepared for the shock!

As drivers weave recklessly in and out of lanes,

To take such risks one wonders what is gained?

*----------*

In the ensuing melee the convoy is fragmented,

We wait on a side-road whilst assistance is requested.

The brief respite allows time for namaaz,

An island of calm in an ocean of cars.

*----------*

Our helpers arrive and we continue with caution,

Diligently we proceed, this journey is an act of devotion.

A wonderful feast for us awaits,

Overwhelmed by the welcome, despite arriving late.

*----------*

Words of solidarity are exchanged with our sister charity,

SKT Welfare is welcomed by Yardimeli.

Brother and Sisters sit making conversation,

The bond of Islam is not lost in translation.

*----------*

A hotel bed is a welcome luxury,

As heads hit pillows we are rendered stress free.

Freshly bathed and clothed we continue after breakfast,

To Ankara with speed, proceed we must.

*----------*

More press and interviews await on our arrival,

Later a sumptuous meal in a fortress on top of a hill.

Onward we march like an army of ants,

Like dervishes held in a mystical trance,

To Konya the city of the great Sufi Saint,

Maulana Rumi’s Maqaam awaits.

*----------*

Fortunate are we to pay our respects,

Only here by their invitation one suspects.

Dawn is greeted by an orchestra of athans,

Refreshing it is to be in Muslim lands!

*----------*

 To Adana we carry swiftly on,

For another press briefing in front of a throng,

Unaccustomed are we to a police escort,

With siren’s wailing, the local’s attention we caught!

*----------*  

Peace signs and flying flags are displayed,

A show of emotion as children smile and wave,

Touched are we by the welcome they gave,

The effort worthwhile if one life is saved.

*----------*

No time to stop and take in the surroundings,

Move on we must to our next hotel lodgings,

The town of Reyhanli is our final destination,

Our efforts have almost reached culmination.

*----------*

Dejected are we to hear our meeting with Sayyidi would not occur,

The presence of his Khalifa Shaykh Abu Muhammed, brings to our hearts succour,

A person who epitomises serenity and humbleness,

Dua’s and words of wisdom from Sayiddi they bring to us.

*----------*

An unforgettable evening of Dhikr and recitation ensues,

With contentment and Sakina our hearts are infused,

Finally with our heartfelt respects we seek ijaza,

And retreat to our rooms for our final nights slumber.

 *----------*

The day has arrived to drive to the border,

Ambulances are cleaned and prepared before we deliver,

To our Syrian Brothers who keenly await,

Such a positive contribution to the dire situation they’ll make.

*----------*

By late afternoon the paperwork finally complete,

The drivers impatiently awaiting their keys,

With shouts of Takbir and Allahu Akbar,

They pass into the blessed lands of As Shaam

As to Allah (swt) we pray for peace and calm.

*----------*

Lifelong friends we have made and experiences we’ve had,

Pulling through all the good times and bad,

A miracle it is that we came so far,

With the dua’s of the Shuyukh and the Awliya,

 Thankful are we for the mercy of Allah (swt) and the protection of our beloved Rasullullah (pbuh).

*----------* 

MSK 

SKT Welfare

A copy of the poem can be downloaded from here: