A Quest to Find Abu Zar’

Related by Aisha (RA):   [Hadith #1417]

There sat together eleven women making an explicit promise among themselves that they would conceal nothing about their spouses. 

The first one said:  My husband is a sort of the meat of a lean camel placed on the top of a mountain, which is difficult to climb up, and (the meat) is not good enough that one finds in oneself the urge to fetch it (from the top of that mountain). 

The second one said:  My husband (is so bad) that I am afraid I will not be able to describe his defects both visible and invisible completely. 

The third one said:  My husband is a tall fellow.  If (he learns that) I describe him, he will divorce me, and if I keep quiet I will be made to live in a state of suspense (neither completely abandoned by him nor entertained as wife).

The fourth one said:  My husband is like the night of Tihamah (the night of Hijaz), neither cold nor hot, there is neither any fear of him nor discontent with him.

The fifth one said:  My husband is (like) a leopard as he enters the house, and behaves like a lion when he gets out, and he does not ask about whatever happens in the house.

The sixth one said:  So far as my husband is concerned, he eats so much that nothing is left back and when he drinks he drinks so that no drop is left behind.  And when he lies down he wraps his body and does not touch me so that he may know my grief.

The seventh one said:  My husband is heavy in spirit, weak, suffering from all kinds of conceivable diseases, having such rough manners that he may break my head or wound my body, or may do both. 

The eighth one said:  My husband is as sweet as the sweet-smelling plant, and as soft as the softness of the hare.

The ninth one said:  My husband is a generous noble man, tall - wearing long sword strap having heaps of ashes 9at his door an indication of generosity) and his house is near the meeting place where people seek his advice (the inn). 

The tenth one said:  My husband is Malik, and how fine Malik is, much above appreciation and praise (of mine).  He has many folds of his camel, more in number than the pastures for them.  When the (the camels) hear the sound of music they become sure that they are going to be slaughtered.

The eleventh one said:  My husband is Abu Zar’.  How fine Abu Zar’ is!  He has suspended in my ears heavy ornaments and (fed me liberally) that my sinews and bones are covered with fat.  So he made me happy.  He found me among the shepherds living in the side of the mountain, and he made me the owner of the horses, camels and lands and heaps of grain and he finds no fault with me.  I sleep and get up in the morning (at my own sweet will) and drink to my heart’s content.  The mother of Abu Zar’, how fine is the mother of Abu Zar’!  Her bundles are heavily packed (or receptacles in her house are filled to the brim) and the house quite spacious.  So far as the son of Abu Zar’ is concerned, son of Abu Zar’s bed is as soft as a green palm- stick drawn forth from its bark, or like a sword drawn forth from its scabbard, and whom just an arm of a lamb is enough to satiate.  So far as the daughter of Abu Zar’ is concerned, how fine is the daughter of Abu Zar’, obedient to her father, obedient to her mother, wearing sufficient flesh and is a source of jealousy for her co-wife.  As for the female-slave of Abu Zar’, how fine she is; she does not disclose our affairs to others (outside the four walls of the house).  She does not remove our wheat, or provision, or take it forth, or squander it, but she preserves it faithfully (as a sacred trust).  And she does not let the house fill with rubbish.  One day Abu Zar’ went out (of his house) when the milk was churned in the vessels, and he met a woman, having two children like leopards playing with her pomegranates (chest) under her vest.  He divorced me (Umm Zar’) and married that woman whom he met on the way.  I (Umm Zar’) later on married another person, a chief, who was an expert rider, and a fine archer:  He bestowed upon me many gifts and gave me one pair of every kind of animal and said: Umm Zar’ make use of everything (you need) and send forth to your family (but the fact) is that even if I combine all the gifts that he bestowed upon me, they stand no comparison to the least gift of Abu Zar’. 

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said to me:  I am for you as Abu Zar’ was for Umm Zar’. 

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The reason I share this hadith is because it is full of important messages.  One is that upon hearing Umm Zar’ or Aisha (RA) speaking about the affairs of her home and her husband, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not get upset.  You will also see the message of ihsaan in the hadith.  I challenge you to search for more meanings to this hadith.  You may find yourself in the hadith.  The question is whether the quest to find Abu Zar’ in our own respective lives is possible?  Does such an individual exist in present-day?  Does Umm Zar’ exist in present-day?  What are the bare minimum necessities? 

More about this hadith at a later time.  Important aspect to look into is the aspect of backbiting (and whether not giving specific names means it’s not bid’ah) as well as the other versions of the hadith. 

Fe emanillah

 

Doubt & Faith

Doubt sees the obstacles

Faith sees the way

Doubt  sees the darkest night

Faith sees the day.

Doubt dreads to take a step

Faith soars on high.

Doubt questions who believes?’

Faith answers, I.

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Is it possible to be somewhere in the middle.  To have some doubt but also to have faith. 

 

A Proposal

“Whoever proposed to the world, then the world would not be satisfied until he gave up his Deen as dowry.”  [Malik ibn Dinar]

 

Drops of Wisdom

“Before you act, consider what you are doing and why; whom you are acting for? Stir up a sense of thankfulness, a sense of longing, hope, fear, slavehood. Bring to mind the majesty, tremendousness, beauty and mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. And then begin your action. So that moment before you act, the moment in which you turn your heart to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is of the greatest moments of your life. And if we make ourselves accustomed to keep striving to turn to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala in those precious moments we’ll find that our lives will be coloured with the dye of spiritual favour from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, we’ll find our hearts and our entire life being enveloped in divine assistance and divine favour. And we’ll find light and serenity and contentment in our life.”

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

 

A Feast for Clothes

Once upon a time in the Iranian city of Shiraz, there lived the famous poet Sheikh Saadi.  Like most other poets and philosophers, Sheikh Saadi was not a rich man.  He led a very simple life.  A rich merchant of Shiraz invited Sheikh Saadi along with a lot of other big businessmen of the town on the occasion of his daughter’s marriage which was to be a grand affair.  Sheikh Saadi accepted the invitation and decided to attend.

On the day of the wedding, the host and his family were receiving the guests at the gate.  They were ushering all the guests towards the dining hall.  All the rich people of town attended the wedding.  They had come out in best of their attires.  Sheikh Saadi wore simple clothes which were neither grand nor expensive.  He waited in a corner for someone to approach him but no one gave him as much as even a second glance.  Even the host did not acknowledge him and looked away.  Seeing all this, Sheikh Saadi quietly left the party and went to a shop from where he could hire clothes.  There he chose a richly brocaded dress which was embroidered in gold on the margins.  He selected a fancy turban and a waist-band to go with it.  As he put on the hired dress and looked into the mirror, he found himself a changed person.

With this, he entered the dining hall and this time was welcomed with open arms.  The host embraced him as he would do to an old friend and complimented him on the clothes he was wearing.  On seeing him, he said, “And here comes our favorite poet.  What took you so long, friend?  We have been waiting for you for ages!  How good of you to have come.  The gathering surely would have been incomplete with your gracious presence!”  Saadi did not utter a word and allowed the host to lead him to the dining room where other guests had assembled.  Tasty dishes had been laid out on grand carpets.  Saadi was offered a seat with soft cushions.  The food was served in fine crockery and cutlery made out of silver.

The host led Sheikh Saadi by hand and himself served out the chicken soup and the fragrant rice to him.  After this, something strange happened.  Sheikh Saadi dipped the corner of his waist-coat in the soup and sprinkled some rice on it.  Addressing the clothes, he said:  “This is a feast for you, you should enjoy it.”

All the guest were now staring at him in surprise.  The host said, “Sir, what are you doing?  How can your clothes eat?  And why should they?  To this query, Sheikh Saadi very calmly replied:  “My dear friend, I am indeed surprised with the question coming from you.”

“Aren’t you the same person who did not even throw a look at me when I came dressed in simple clothes.  I can guess that it is my clothes and appearance that matter with you, not my individual worth.  Now that I have put on grand clothes, I see a world of difference in reception here.  All that I can now say is that this feast is meant for my clothes, not for me.”

Source:  qisas.com

 

All in due time!

If something that is promised does not happen
even though the time for it is set,
do not doubt the promise!
If you do, that will dim your inner eye
and put out the light of your secret.
- Excerpt from ‘The Hikam’ 0f Ibn ‘Ata’illah

Subhanallah, what a beautiful perspective!  May all that is promised to you and for you be fulfilled.  We may dream big and have high hopes of our future tomorrow, just don’t lose hope if they don’t happen as you planned it.  I am sure Allah (swt) has an even better plan for you and I.  Come what may and that which is yet to come will Inshallah be better than we hoped.  I am sure it will exceed our expectations!! 

 

A Contented Life

A Contented Life
Let the days pass as they will
Be content with Allah’s will.
Do not regret what this day’s cast,
For this world’s pains for sure won’t last.
Be a man against fears strong,
Be kind and loyal, all life long.
If in folk’s eyes your faults abound,
And you wish that they be gowned:
Then shelter seek beneath kind acts,
For kindness well all blame retracts.
From enemies hide your weakness
For gloating foes do bring distress.
From misers never seek favor:
In fire there is no water.
Patience won’t reduce income,
Nor fretfulness increase the sum.
Neither pain nor joy shall last,
Nor poverty, nor riches vast.
But if your heart is satisfied
Then you do own the whole world wide.
A man on whom his fate alights
No depths shall save, nor any heights.
Allah’s earth is wide, but know,
That destiny makes it narrow.
Face each day on even keel.
There’s no balm from death can heal.

[Imam al-Shafi`i]

 

Simplicity

Whatever you have in your mind:  forget it!

Whatever you have in your hand:  give it!

Whatever is to be your fate:  face it!

[Abu Sa'id]

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Sounds simple enough!  Often we make things more complicated than they really are in actuality.   Sometimes it’s good to do thinking…..just don’t overthink it…..or read too much into it….or not think enough……so somewhere in the middle!!!

 

Drops of Wisdom

You’ve no idea how hard I’ve looked for a gift to bring You.

Nothing semed right.

What’s the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the ocean.

Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient.

I’s no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these.

So - I’ve brought you a mirror.

Look at yourself and remember me.

Jalaluddin Rumi

 

I asked for Strength…..

I asked for Strength……

And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom…….

And God gave me Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity……..

And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

I asked for Courage………..

And God gave me Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love………

And God gave me Troubled people to help.

I asked for Favours………

And God gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted

I received everything I needed

My prayer has been answered.