If I had to choose the one phrase out of all of Shaikh Husain's "oft-repeated phrases" that I hear the most, it could be this one. Such a simple statement – in theory - but in practice… Whatever you do, do it sincerely. ~Shaikh Husain Ash-Shadhili Doing sincerely is never…
He’s lost some weight, our boy. Earlier, I had been trying for some time to get him to drink – he doesn’t drink easily. I approached, as usual, head-on from the front – and then I remembered: “This is how I do it,” he said. “Watch.” Wisdom is like that:…
After recognizing the benefit of the companionship of a shaykh [i] who is connected to the Prophet (pbuh) by the transmission of his Light; a noble guide who lives by both sharī’ah [ii] and Truth – for the sincere murīd [iii] who hopes to arrive at the Divine Presence; the…
Naturally, the passage of time is the courier of change. But just as with the global warming of Islam, when change begins to eclipse Essence, it is time to attend to the damage being inflicted, to heed the warning symptoms of a process gone awry, and act… الْكَوْنُ كُلُّهُ ظُلْمَةٌ…
Shaikh Husain is among those who aim for the essence. As long as I have had the honor of knowing this noble man - before he received his Shadhili-Darqawi idhn from Shaykh Fattah in 1998 (he also received idhn in the Rufa’iyyah and Chistiyyah tara’iq) - he has had the gift…
Ja'afar As-Sadiq (may Allah be content with him) describes the noble station of ma'rifah (gnosis): The 'arif (person of gnosis) is with the people, while his heart is with Allah. If his heart were to forget Allah for the time it takes to blink an eye, he would die of…
How do I find someone to learn from; who truly knows Islam in its depth? He who truly knows is the one in whom sound actions, pure supplications, truthfulness and precaution speak out; not his tongue, his debates, his comparisons, assertions or claims. ~Ja'afar As-Sadiq (ra) When we want to…
Have you ever wondered if your Living Islam in the Modern Times Operating System was running as efficiently as it should? Have you ever wished that you could enhance your user experience while remaining compliant with the Universal OS Author/Designer’s authentic standard? Have you ever felt confused by the often…
"O Allah, grant me to love You, to love those who love You and to love whatever brings me nearer to Your love. Make Your love more precious to me than cool water to the thirsty." A prayer taught by The Prophet (saw) to his companions. Shaikh Husain Ash-Shadhili Ad-Darqawi…
Behind everything there is a secret. We all see it first: Islam’s fortress wall that is the Law (shari’ah). But behind the Law lies a secret garden, alive and dancing with the intimacy of life. Like all secrets, it must be whispered by those who know into the hearts of…