ALLAH KNOWS

In Hamd & Shukr let me begin this month of Rajab ul Asab, the month in which the zikr and tasbeeh of Ali Moula (SA) takes precedence, by sharing an emotive poem composed by CHAT GPT  5 based on the excerpts on a English translation of The Shining Sermon (خطبة غراء) of Ali Moula (SA)

 In this very first Khutba he vividly describes the all-encompassing knowledge of Allah, Who knows every secret, whisper, thought, movement, and hidden things. 

 ALLAH KNOWS 

 ALLAH knows what whispers hide, What hearts conceal, what eyes let slip. 

 A leaf that falls, a step unheard

 All lies open before His Light His justice surrounds us, His mercy covers us, His knowledge holds the universe. He knows what hearts hide before words are born. He hears the whisper that never reaches an ear. 

He sees the thought that trembles in the mind, The secret that lies beneath layers of silence.

 O soul, what evil can shield you now ? What mask can hide a furrowed brow ? Bow than in humility,before the Knower of All, Before Whose truth, illusions fall.

He knows the summer nests of tiny ants, Hidden in dust and sunlight. He knows the winter homes of the unseen mites, Wrapped in stillness and cold. He hears the faintest footsteps on the earth, And sees the secret place within the innermost sepal Where fruits begin to grow. 

 Every trace of movement, Every tremor of a hand, Every echo carried upon a word, Every quiver of the lips before speech— All are counted, measured, and known. 

 A single leaf that loosens from its branch And drifts through the quiet air— He charts its descent, For nothing escapes His sight. No toil can weary Him. No barrier can ever confine Him. No obstacle can hinder His care For the creation He sustains. 

It His knowledge penetrates the hidden and the known. His reckoning comprehends the vast and the small. His justice surrounds all beings, And His mercy envelops every soul. 

 O heart— Where will you go that He is not? What veil can hide you from the One Whose vision never dims, Whose truth never fails? In humility bow before the Lord of all Knowing, The Keeper of secrets, The Witness of every breath. For in His embrace Lies the only refuge, The only peace, The only truth. 

 Alhamdolillah ! 

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CONTENTMENT

Enjoy the Gujarati song that has resonated with me and has life lesson

Copy to open 

 https://youtu.be/3uY4YA4Tu2Y?si=qrz6PKaiTDd9ncyn

 Contentment and shukr (gratitude) are profound spiritual states that invite us to em-brace the fullness of life as it is the isness of existence.

 True contentment arises not from having everything we desire but from appreciating what we have and recognising that life's unfolding, with its joys and challenges, is part of Divine wisdom.

 Shukr is the practice of acknowledging and giving thanks for Divine blessings, transforming the heart into a vessel of peace. 

 When we accept life's realities without resisting or lamenting, we cultivate inner har-mony. This acceptance is not passive resignation but an active surrender to Divine de-cree, knowing that every moment holds purpose. 

The essence of contentment lies in living with awareness of the present moment, finding joy in simple blessings, and trusting in the Divine plan.

 It teaches us to release the burdens of endless desire and comparison, opening the door to happiness rooted in spiritual fulfillment rather than external circumstances.

 In this light, the Gujarati song celebrates this spirit by encouraging hearts to accept life's flow with gratitude and happiness. 

It is a reminder that embracing contentment and shukr invites a rich, joyful existence of a life lived fully in harmony with Allah's will and the reality before us.

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SAYING OF MOULANA ALI (SA)

The month of Rajab ul Asab -the month of Ali Moula (SA) mubarak mohanna. Alhamdolillah ! 

After a long break I return to my Mind Mints Blog. All these past years had been writing on wordpress blog.

 The link is on my home page wwww.hikmaah.com Hope to once again share my post on this platform InsaAllah. 

  Since past two years have been using Chat GPT for better understanding. 

 والبصير منها متزود والأعمى لها متزود walbasir minha mutazawid wal'aemaa laha mutazawid

 This saying of Moulana Ali (SA) is profound,and deeply philosophical. 

Let us understand it fully. In one of his khutba Moulana Ali ( SA) says : “The sighted gather provisions from it (the world), whereas the blind gather provisions for it.” 

 Here Ali Moula (SA) is contrasting two attitudes towards dunya (the world) — one guided by insight (basirah), the other by heedlessness (ghaflah). 

 2. Meaning & Explanation a) 

The Sighted (Basir – Spiritually Aware) The "sighted" here does not mean simply those who have physical vision, but those whose hearts see the truth. They recognize dunya as a temporary passage, a bridge leading to the Akhirat.

 Their actions are purposeful: they take from dunya only what will benefit them beyond it. They convert dunya’s fleeting moments into lasting deeds — charity, devotion, knowledge, service, good character — which become their provisions (zād) for the Hereafter.

 b) The Blind (Spiritually Veiled) The "blind" are those whose hearts are covered; they live as if dunya is the end, not the means. 

 They gather provisions for dunya itself — hoarding wealth, status, pleasures — investing in what will ultimately perish. 

 Instead of using dunya as a tool, they become its servants and die empty-handed in the Akhirat. 

 3. Hikmat (Wisdom) The saying is an invitation to awaken: “Do not be deceived by the glitter of dunya. Take from it what you need — but take in such a way that it travels with you to eternity.” 

 It highlights purposeful living: Zuhd (detachment) does not mean abandoning dunya, but engaging with it wisely. It’s not about renunciation, but redirection. 

 4. Observation on the Greatness & Beauty of Ali Moula’s Khutba.

This saying is but a glimpse into the magnificent intellect and eloquence of Amirul Mumineen (SA):

 Conciseness: 

In a single line, Ali Moula (SA) contrasts two worldviews and shakes the listener awake.

 Universality: The wisdom is timeless — it applies to 7th century Arabia and to 21st century global society alike. Imagery: The metaphor of sight vs. blindness makes the meaning tangible and unforgettable.

 Transformative Power: His words are not mere philosophy — they are instructions for life, calling us to shift focus from material accumulation to spiritual enrichment.

 Khutba’s Beauty: Every khutba of Ali Moula (SA) carries this dual brilliance — intellectual depth and emotional resonance. 

One feels admonished yet uplifted, warned yet guided with compassion.

 5. Personal Reflection 

 When you read such words of Ali Moula (SA), you feel spiritually jolted — like someone just opened the curtains to let sunlight into a dark room. 

They remind us that life is too precious to spend gathering for dunya. Instead, we must learn to live as travelers, picking just enough from this world to ensure we reach our eternal destination with light hearts and full hands. 

 Ack: Understanding with the help of AI www.hikmaah.com

SPIRITUALITY

When Alexander was leaving for his world conquest, he went to see Diogenes, a great sage, who was lying on a sandy bank of the river and enjoying the morning sunshine.

He asked Alexander : Where are you going and for what ?

Alexander : I am going on a world conquest, I will conquer Asia Minor first.

Diogenes : And what will you do after conquering Asia Minor ?

Alexander : I will then go to conquer India 

Diogenes : And what then ? 

Alexander: I will have to conquer the whole world.

Diogenes : And what then ?

Alexander: Then I will rest and relax.

Hearing this Diogenes laughs out loudly, and addressing his dog who is sitting neare by says: "Listen to what this mad king is saying. The man says that he will rest after he conquers the world. Here we are resting right now, without conquering a single place. Alexander dear, if rest is your ultimate objective, why not join me and my dog right now on this beautiful river bank ? There is enough space here for all of us. I am already resting.Why are you bent on creating so much mayhem and blood shed around the world, just to rest at the end of it all ? You can rest right here and now"

Dear friends does it ring a bell. Who are we fooling but our own self. Just reflect on what you want to achieve in life. Reflect on the all pervading Spirit, which sleeps in the stone, dreams in the animal and wakes up finally in Man. Try to understand it, reflect upon and sure enough you will find joy, sustenance and ever lasting peace.

While on the subject of Spirituality, let me recall the childhood game of spoon and lime race, very popular in school Sports Meet. The one who touched the tape first with lime firmly placed in the spoon won. In real life though we find that people are running blindly at times, focused on reaching first with the spoon firmly in their mouth,( all worldly materialistic possessions ) but when they touch the tape, they find that in their blind dash, some where down the road, they have dropped the lime. 

Friends those who touch the tape, even if they come second or third or tenth for that matter, but with their lime firmly in their spoon, are the winners of this life's race. 

On the Day of Judgement everyone will be gathered together in HIS RADIANT PRESENCE, the rankings will melt, those with lime in their spoon will be considered, and those who ran blindly only with spoon firmly in their mouth and without the lime will for ever regret. 

The lime constitutes VALAYAT of AQA MOULA (TUS) it comprises of all noble deeds as enshrined in our Deen. Reaching out to your relatives and community members in need. I need not elaborate. 

In your mad rush to touch the finishing line of life, and to come out winner, please be focused on 'the lime' that may have fallen down. Reflect inward this Sehrullah, prioratize, and pick up the lime if need be,  and journey to the tape. You will be the ultimate winner.

When one surrenders on its own to the Supreme Power -to the Will of Allah in the larger context, to our Moula (TUS)in the micro context, his Spirituality, will achieve the ultimate flowering, because in this willing surrender is the ultimate salvation. 

If someone forcibly turns you into a means and uses you, you are bound to loose your soul. However, your soul will be fulfilled, if you surrender on your own, and become an instrument in the hands of existence.

The Greek sage Diognes, was once captured by a group of petty traders to enslave him. The traders are baffled when Diognes himself voluteers to be handcuffed. As they take him to the slave market to be sold, he proudly walks ahead of all of them. There is not a trace of fear on his face, while his captors look like captives.

Diogenes mounts on the platform and proclaims : ' What are you looking for ? They are all my slaves, and although they are not in chains yet, they cannot run away from me. HERE IS A MASTER FOR SALE - whosoever can afford a master should bid for him'

There are many savants who on account of their wisdom and spirituality have lived a fearless life, because they have willingly surrendered themsleves to the Will of Allah. Our Fatemi history is enriched with many such incidents of true heroism, the one that readily comes to mind as I write is that of Syedna Kutbuddin Saheed (AQ)

He was chained and bound in the durbar of Auranzeb, but by his fearless utterance of Truth, he made all of them look like minions

' Shere Khuda na sher woh garraya aa kadr..... ' Nashihat of Syedi Sadik Ali Saheb

It was the radiant Spirituality and surrender to the Will of Allah that enslaved Auranzeb, sitting on the throne, and although tied and bowed down in chains, Moulana Kutbuddin Saheed (RA) towered over every one. This is the power of Spirituality and Wisdom

The sheer joy when individual consciousness merges with the Divine Consciousness, it is difficult to say wether the drop merged into the ocean or the ocean merged into the drop.

Friends try to inculcate Spirituality in your daily lives, and feel true ecstacy and joy, that the material world will never be able to offer. Reaching out to the needy fellow mumineen, in what ever way possible etc: there are numerous ways and means of enriching yourself by enriching the lives of others less fortunate than you. 

Become Spiritual to become Free

REPENTANCE - ISTIGFAR

Repentance -Istigfar requires five elements

01. The first and foremost is recognition of one’s sin as sin, which largely depends upon one’s intelligence and moral consciousness. Moral consciousness is formed by adhering to the tenets of deen, imbibing values cherished by our beloved Aqa Moula (TUS)etc: For an intelligent and devout mumineen, a small transgression is a sin, to those who are seeped in materialism, a sinful act in fact, may not be viewed as such. This is a subject, which requires in-depth analysis. In short, recognition of sin as sin- is the first step.

02. Remorse – it is feeling that one should have if he wants to repent. A feeling of regret, despair and anguish, for having failed to maintain one’s moral standard. An intense feeling of being alienated from Allah and His Wali and one’s own spiritual roots, a feeling of having cheated his own self.

03. Desisting from sin – now this is neither a moral or intellectual analysis nor feeling, it is ACTION (‘Just Do it’ is not the only prerogative of NIKE – it should also be a resolve of every mumineen ) How one has to achieve – by changing of the course, by desisting from the pattern of sinful action, to which one has become addicted, a concerted effort has to be made, by consciously suppressing the thoughts and fantasies about the sinful activity. Once that is achieved, to make a firm commitment never to commit the sinful act.

04. Restitution – which means making good or giving compensation from an injury or hurt inflicted by word or action. It is act of making good, as best as one can, for the damage done. If one has stolen, one must return the object or pay compensation. If one has damaged one’s reputation, one must attempt to correct the injury inflicted.

05. Confession requires uttering of specific wrong done personally to the wronged person. In other cases pleading to Allah with true fervor to forgive for the sins committed.

Sinfulness is a very deep rooted malady of human existence, and dealing with it calls upon all our spiritual, intellectual, and moral resources – desisting from sin, is the bedrock of true repentance.
Ref: Article – Repentance and Forgiveness – David R. Bumental

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TREE AND ME - Sharing my Thoghts

The Mansha Mubaraka of Aqa Moula (TUS) to plant more than 2 lac trees to save the Environment and in order to attain his 'khushi' and sawab this Sehrullah, at the age of 69 years I planted my first tree, in the forest land of our Society.

In all 53 trees were planted by the mumineen residents of the Society on Sunday 11th June 2016. It was indeed a joyous and memorable occasion.

After returning home I reflected and read - Sehrullah is the month of reflection.

''Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky' Khalil Gibran

' Nature has many marvels; but a tree
Seems more than marvellous. It is divine
So generous, so tender, so benign.
Oh ! Privilege beyond explaining words
To plant a tree. '  -  Ella Wheeler Wilcox

I read with interest how trees help in combating climate change, cleaning the air we breath, provide us with Oxygen, cool the neighborhood, conserve energy, save water, shield children from ultra violet rays and many more benefits that will make this world of ours a better place to live.

As I read and reflected my mind went back to the tree I had planted and wondered how much my tree  will contribute to the Environment. I share with readers what I learnt.

Hopefully my tree when matured will consume 48 pounds of Carbon Dioxide per year and as it will convert CO2 and release Oxygen it is going to give me an Oxygen supply for  two years.
( the amount of Oxygen consumed by an individual in two years will be released by my tree in the atmosphere)

My tree will absorb ozone, a portent green house gas. The shade of my tree as it grows will save the same amount of energy as what ten room size air conditioners running for 20 hours a day. WOW!

I felt so blessed to have been a small part of the noble and far reaching initiative of our beloved Aqa Moula (TUS) to combat the harmful effects of carbon prints and save and re- energize our Environment.

Pune received it's first proper monsoon rains yesterday evening (27 mm) and so today early after Fazr namaz, I climed the steep slopes of the Society to see MY TREE. 

It was a joy to look at it, ever so fresh and gently swaying in the cool breeze, and so were the remaining 52 trees. MY TREE as it swayed seemed to whispering to me - ' I am fine and  I may outlive you, I will be there for everyone to enjoy and share and provide Nourishment to the Environment, do not worry !!

I returned home feeling blessed with doa on my lips for A'li Qadr Muffadsal Moula (TUS) for having made me aware of the importance of preserving the Environment and the importance of planting trees.

KABIR

Just came across a very soulful rendering of Kabir Doha - CHADDAR JHEENI RANG JHEENI which I share with my readers.

https://youtu.be/Bte_-QW_WkI

Subtitle in English will make it easy to understand the depth and meaning of the Kabir Doha. Kabir was a 15th Century mystic poet and saint, who was a weaver by profession. He was raised by a Muslim family, but in his later life was influenced by bhakti leader Ramananda.

VIPUL RIKHI  is a poet, translator and singer based in Bangalore. He has worked extensively on Kabir and I have become an admirer of his soul stirring rendering of Kabir Dohas and his in depth explanations which brings to fore the nuance and beauty of Kabir Dohas.

Herein below I have tried to note down a few excerpts from his explanation prior to rendering of the Doha   CHADDAR JHEENI RANG JHEENI in a two  hour satsang in Mumbai. The excerpts are not verbatim and I am conveying what I have managed to write down and understand and reflect upon.

KABIR  has referred to the Divine Essence with many different names and symbolism - Ram - Rahim - Allah.

Being a weaver by profession KABIR creates a symbolism and imagery of Chaddar. KABIR did not write, but conveyed the spiritual knowledge in oral tradition. Music if rendered with bhakti - devotion carries the words and thoughts beyond mind, it seeps deep down into our entire being. It moves the Mind - Heart and Soul.

The divinity is the material which is woven on the spinning wheel which turns on eight lotus comprising of five senses ( elements)  and three gunas.

Our actions, our karmas are the balls of cotton that are being Ginned, the dross (seeds)  is removed and the pure cotton moves on in 'waft' and 'weft' ( ingla - pingla) - referrers the duality of this world ( night -day, man - woman etc:)  but KABIR says that we should be mindful of the 3rd Channel the middle one the SINGLE on which the ingla -pingla are being crafted.

It took 9 solar months ( 10 lunar months ) for the cloth to be made, and it was woven right ( thik thak)  which symbolizes our physical body in a sense.

It was given to the washer man, who dipped in the pool of water  (word - actions) and was beaten on the stone of awareness and dyed with different hues, but KABIR says the permanent everlasting color is that of Universal Love (Bhakti - Spirituality)

This Chaddar was worn by all of us - the enlightened and also the worldly, and thus got soiled and dirty  (maili ) KABIR says it should be worn with Awareness, and he was the one who wore it with Awareness and returned it in good condition as he had received it.

We should live a life of Spiritual Awareness, so that when it is our time to depart we leave behind a clean, unblemished CHADDAR.

Hope I have been able to convey the essence. If there is some error it is because of my limited understanding and I seek forgiveness.

I never get tiered of hearing the following lyrical composition of VIPUL RIKHI which made me undertake this journey of trying to understand and appreciate KABIR and in a sense my true self.

https://youtu.be/mFCDDeTSBGA

If one is a true seeker, you never know at which turn the horizon in all its glory opens up and enriches your mind and soul.