Blessed

I have seen many things in my life, for one who prides himself on his mathematical and rational ability, that are from the hidden world. 

When a Muslim sees the Messenger (saw), or for that matter any other Prophet in his dream then he knows that it is a true dream for the devils cannot impersonate any of them. 

And then those not in know, will ask “how do you recognise them?”

When you wake into the dream, you have already recognised them and know who they are. 

And the memory of the dream is oftentimes but the memory of what you thought whilst in that dream, and what the dream said to you. 

So over a decade ago I dreamt and saw with my eyes and knew with my mind that Jesus (as) was being sent down. 

The certainty of it was as clear as daylight. 

And furthermore he was not smiling. 

For his task is heavy. 

To declare the truth of Muhammed (saw), and to bring war.  War on his own people, for they dishonour him and belied all he brought. 

And I have seen in Ramadan’s past, Sakina, the wind with face visit within my front room whilst we all read individually, and loudly, from our own Qurans. 

Sakina is a creation of God, that used to be associated with Ark of the Covenant of Moses (as). And now he comes attracted to the recitation of the Quran. 

And for that matter I am not an expert in the recitation of the Quran. 

But how many Qaris can say that they have been blessed with such a visit. 

He came in the door, went about the room, and went out. And I was stunned. 

But so to did my father witness it, but to this day he will be hard pressed to acknowledge it. 

And I know he saw it, because of his stunned look. And I asked him if he saw it, which he acknowledged without a sound. 

The hidden realm can often put people out. 

And I know the waswasa (whispering) of the Jinn. And have felt the salutations of the angels saying peace right into the centre of your hearts. 

And I have seen the houri in a Ramadan dream long ago, and their beauty abashes you. 

I have heard birds bidding me wake for Tahhajud in Ramadan’s last nights. That is when I was younger and more of a sleepy head. And I woke and prayed and then having thought about it... where were those birds? There was no waking sound. 

But when I slept the birds song was incessant, insistent. 

And I have been protected twice from wrong, once I fell down asleep. 

Another time I was protected from taking and profiting from other peoples money when I organised something for my friends. And this by making an error and taking them all to the 02 to watch a film, when we got there I realised that we were on the wrong day. We did not lose the money, but instead any discount that we had was nullified. And no one lost anything, except me that I gained in understanding. 

And from that day I have been scrupulous in ensuring that I do not steal a penny from anyone. And I hold everyone’s trust as sacred. 

And I have seen the Messenger (saw) thrice in my dreams. The first he (saw) sent salaams to me through a proxy. 

The second he came towards me arms extended wanting to hug me, from which I fled for fear of offence. 

The third I appeared already seated with my left shoulder touching his right shoulder, the both of our hands outstretched in supplication and he bade me ask. 

And I asked and he said Aameen. 

That what I had asked for, I had never told before - that I tell now- for I asked for happiness. 

On my second Hajj, on which I went by myself, I was unable to visit Medina and fulfilled the rights of Hajj before being flown back to the UK, because my father was in hospital and I wanted to be back before he woke. 

I fulfilled the incumbent trip to Medina a year or two afterwards with another Umrah to Mecca. 

Every time I visit the Messenger’s (saw) I am acutely aware of my responsibility. That as with the companions I cannot leave without taking leave of our master, the Messenger of God, sent to the whole of mankind. And so I will not leave unless I pass by his resting place and offer my salutations to him. 

The walk past his resting place is at the front of the Mosque, from which you pass through two gates, entering at the South East corner and exiting at the South West corner. There are always two lanes, the Mosque faces Mecca which is to its South. 

The walkway closest to the southerly wall of the Mosque is the furthest away from the Messenger’s resting place, and is consequently less busy and mush more easier to go through. 

I always take the furtherest walkway as I am aware that there are special angels appointed to take our salutations of peace to the Messenger (saw), even that is when we are so close. 

The other walkway closest to the Messengers resting place is more busy and crowded because people leaving the old Mosque tend to leave that way in order  to also pay their respects. 

In times of extreme business and crowd the further walkway is closed and we are bidden to wait whilst the pressure from the closer walkway is diverted into our lane. 

That is normal. 

On this one occasion as i was walking in the further walkway, three security men came directly in front of me and blocked my passage. I understood that as usual they wanted for us to wait, so I stopped. 

And they bade to enter the nearer walkway. 

I looked and another set of three guards had stopped the nearer walkway so that the flow from the further walkway was uninterrupted. And then I looked again and the nearer walkway was completely clear. 

I went unhindered to the resting place of the Messenger (saw), I said my salutations and looked inside. 

I saw movement within. 

Those that die as Shaheed, they are not dead. And the Messenger said that when he sleeps, his eyes are shut and yet his heart is open. And is not sleep the brother of death. And when you send salutations upon the Messenger (saw) do you not think that he responds in kind. 

I did not wait to see what would happen next, but promptly left. 

On my third and last Hajj, I took with me my sons so that they could experience that phenomenal event. And it coincided with my 50th. 

There I was blessed we ascended Mount Arafat and there I answered the question that the Messenger (saw) had posed to his people over 1400 years ago. 

He asked: “have I delivered the Message?” To which the countless responded in one voice - “yes” And then he (saw) said “O Allah, bear witness”. 

And so I stood on the mount and bore witness to Muhammed (saw) having delivered the Message. And that we believed because of him, and asked for God to bless him without count or measure. 

And then the heavens opened up, there may have been spitting before. But the torrent fell during the summer season within Arabia, in the dessert. 

And there were flashes of lightening and rolling thunder. But for a Muslim, rain is ever a blessing. Symbolism of God’s great and powerful mercy.  

And the rain continued for three days of Hajj, and there was no let up. That was indeed a great blessing. 

My Arabic is not good, and my knowledge of it is poor even in regards to the supplications. But Allah t’ala has blessed me at times with the right words, that come when most needed. 

I have never had any I could call an enemy. Until very recently when one out of jealousy and spite sought to destroy me. 

And then God blessed me with the words and supplication of protection. 

On the second night of my greatest trial, as I supplicated to the Most Gracious, an angel spoke into my heart and said that my supplication had been heard. 

And I knew that my enemies had no power to harm me. For by God, I was protected in that matter, even whilst they tried their best. 

The question then becomes as to why I was given that knowledge. It is as if it was given to me so that I would not be daunted by their evil, and that I would not hesitate to show up their hypocrisy. And then also it is as if I given it so that I would know not to give up on one who was in need of my help and succour. And I will never do that. 

Allah t’ala has blessed me so that I did not fail into despair, no matter the hardship. And that I continued to believe in that ultimately truth and goodness would win out. 

But that does not make the feeling and less raw. Of what I have had to endure from them. 

And I cannot revenge against them, without bringing myself into disrepute. 

So I supplicate to my Lord, and the Lord that created and nourished them from far places - “O God, revenge for me against those that sought to destroy me. And even as they gave me no respite, give them none too, unless they return to you in forgiveness and try to make amends. Otherwise my Lord destroy them until they are nothing but a bad memory”. 

This intervention from God in this matter, is a thing beautiful. And is a thing that we as a Nation lack. 

Imagine the force for good and truth that we could be, if God’s intervention was ever close to us. 

And that can only come from a closeness to God, which is not born of seeking to be a Sheikh, but of living life and contemplating it. 

Alhamdolillah I do not fast each day. 

Nor do I fast the Sunnahs of Monday and Thursday. Nor do I eschew from enjoyment. 

Instead I know the remit of the religion and God’s right over us. And I enjoy the prayer. And when I ask from God, I ask in English - my only language. 

I know that the Messenger (saw) was sent for all time. And hence was sent to perfect our morals, to show us the perfect society and to clarify all things. 

And that he (saw) did with completeness. 

So that the religion is complete, and not in need of embellishments and for us that we should protect it in its original form. 

How astray are some of our illustrious Sheikhs, but it is no remit of mine to correct them. For they would fain listen to one who has not studied as they have studied. 

However on the night before my first Hajj I wondered in a dream dressed as a Sheikh with many wrapping and coverings about my body. I wondered through a see of similarly clad Sheikhs and they all looked at me in shock, for by my side was a friend scantily clad. 

Years later I learnt that coverings in a dream represent knowledge. 

How easily they err. 

For in a mosque I frequent for the Jumna’, they make the collection for the Mosque between the two Khutbahs. To do so they must have some Sheikhs opinion to allow that to happen. 

But did they never consider that clearly the Jumma’ is a religious ritual. And cannot be changed, nor altered for their convenience. 

Do they not ask themselves before they innovate, is this part of the religion or not?

The problem is that they see everything as the remit of the religion. 

Whereas Alhamdolillah I know that the religion has its bounds. 

And so I observe the religious obligations, and enjoy myself as well. 

I play football, enjoy games, enjoy company and don’t mind having a good time. 

And I have been blessed, because I understand that the religion does not ask that you be sombre. 

Lastly, how will you know if what I tell you here is true?

Then look to my death. 

For I have asked for an honourable death, honourable in the sight of all, and not just a few. 

So to know the truth of what I say here, look to my passing. If I have lied then may I be disgraced, but if I have given up the truth of what I have seen then may I held in honour on my passing, by all. 

O Allah t’ala send our salutations upon our Master, Muhammed (saw), and reward him with abundance, for without him we would be ignorant. Aameen.