The Benefits of becoming a Murîd

There are several benefits in becoming a murîd:
1. At times a person errs inthe different methods of reforming the
heart that were mentioned previously. The shaykh shows the correct
path in this regard.
2. At times the effect and benefit that one derives from a book is not
as great as that which one would have obtained fromthe guidance of a
shaykh. One gains the barakah of the shaykh. Furthermore, if the murîd
displays any shortcoming in carrying out a good act or commitsan evil
act, he will be ashamed of this in front ofthe shaykh.
3. The person develops confidence and love for the shaykh. Based on
this, he is inclined to follow and emulate the ways of the shaykh.
4. If the shaykh is strict in giving his advice or displays his anger,
the person does not feel offended and endeavours to act upon his
advice.
There are many other benefits which are acquired by those whom Allah
has favoured. These can only be known by acquiring and experiencing
them.
Qualities to be found in the Shaykh
If a person wishes to become a murîd, he should first consider the
following factors in the shaykh. If the latter does not possess these
qualities, do not become his murîd.
1. The shaykh must know the masâ'il of Dîn. He should not be ignorant
of the Sharî'ah.
2. He must not possess any quality that is contrary to the Sharî'ah.
His 'aqâ'id (beliefs) must be the same as those that have been
mentioned in Part One of Bahishti Zewar. He should not possess any
quality that is contrary to all the masâ'il and all those things
connected to reformation of the heart that have been mentioned in this
book.
3. He must not be carryingout this programme (of shaykh and murîd) as
a means of sustenance. (That is, he must not be doing it for financial
gain).
4. Become the murîd of a person who is regarded asa pious person by
the majority of good people.
5. Become the murîd of a person who is spoken highly of by good people.
6. His programme of instruction must be such that one develops a love
and inclination for Dîn. This can be gauged by looking at the
condition ofhis murîds. Even if fifty-sixty percent of his murîdsare
good, consider such a shaykh to be effective. Do not have doubts on
him by looking at the condition of a few murîds. You may have heard
that the pious persons have a lot of effect. This (looking at the
condition of his murîds) is the criterion whereby one gauges the
effect and power of a shaykh. Do not gauge the effect and power of a
shaykh through other means, such as something occurring exactly as he
mentioned it to you, someone getting cured by his mere touch, that a
ta'wîdh worked according to the reason for which hegave it to you or
that if he fixes his gaze on a person he becomes completely entranced
and at a loss. Never be deluded by theseeffects and powers.
7. The shaykh must be such that he does not takeinto consideration the
status of his murîds when giving them advice of the Dîn. (That is, he
does not favour his murîds when it comes to reprimanding them in
matters of the Dîn). He stops them from useless and foolish things.
Once you have found sucha shaykh, seek permission from your parents
(if you are unmarried) or from your husband (if you are married), and
become a murîd of such a shaykh solely for the purpose of putting your
Dîn in order. If your parents or husbanddo not permit you to become a
murîd, do not become one as it is not fard to become a murîd. However,
it is fard to treadthe path of the Dîn. You should therefore continue
treading this path even if you are not a murîd of a shaykh.
Rules connected to the shaykh and murîd
1. Be respectful to your shaykh. Remember the name of Allah in exactly
the way shown to you by your shaykh. Have the following belief with
regard to your shaykh: "The spiritual benefits thatI can gain from
this shaykh cannot be gained from any other shaykh."
2. If the murîd's heart has not been reformed properly as yet and the
shaykh passes away, he must become a murîd of another shaykh in whom
the above-mentioned qualities are found.
3. When you come across any wazîfah in any book or read about the
frugal life of someone, do not actupon it on your own accord. Ask your
shaykh about it first. If any good or evil thought enters your heart
or you decide to do something, first consult your shaykh.
4.Women should not remove their purdah in the presence of their shaykh.

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‘O Allah, O Allah. They have surely called You but You did not respond:

'Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak: 'Iwas in Makkah when the people were
afflicted with a drought. So they all cameout to Masjid al-Haram for
Istisqaa' (prayer for rain) but they were not granted rain, and to my
side was a black slave. He said, 'O Allah, O Allah. They have surely
called You but You did not respond. I swear to You and take an oath by
You that You will indeed provide water for us.'
Ibn al-Mubarak said, 'By Allah, it was only a short moment before we
were granted rain.'
He continued saying, 'The black slave departed and I followed him
until he entered a house in Hanatin.I put a mark on it and in the
morning, I took some money and went to the house. A man came to the
door and I said to him, 'I want to see the owner of this house.' He
said, 'It's me.' I said, 'There is a slave of yours whom I wish to
purchase.' He said, 'I have fourteen servants, I'll bring them out to
you.' Ibn al-Mubarak said, 'but he was not amongst them.' SoI said to
him (the man), 'Anyone left?' He said, 'A sick boy.' He brought him
out and it was him. I said, 'Sell him to me.' He said, 'He is yours, O
Abu Abdur-Rahman.' So I gave him fourteen dinars and I took the
servant. When we had gone along the way, he said 'O master, what could
you want with me when I am ill?' I said to him, 'It's because of what
I saw yesterday evening (during the istisqaa').' The boy leaned
against the wall and said, 'O Allah! Do not cause me to become famous
but take me back to You!'
Ibn al-Mubarak: 'He fell down dead and the people of Makkah began to
surround him…'
[Sifat al-Safwah by Ibn al-Jawzi]

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Good Morning Tips

The tree does not with draw its shade from the woodcutter, so Forgive
theone who hurt u..They will realise Ur worth One day.. GUD MG
:->Success is the ability to go From One failure to another With no
loss of enthusiasm... Gud Morning N Have A Great Sunday =)
:->Between a 100 yesterdaysN a 100 2morrows,There is only 1 2day N I
would not let ths pass without saying thx 4 being such a lovely frnd
:->What is Trust?Trust is a feeling that a one year oldchild has, when
u throw him up in the air N catch him again..he still laughs nenjy

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The Fourth Caliph, Ali (656-661 A.C.)

"You [Ali] are my brother in this world and the next." (Hadeeth)
Ali's Election
After Uthman's martyrdom, the office of the caliphate remained
unfilled for two or three days. Many people insisted that Ali should
take up the office, but he was embarrassed by the fact thatthe people
who pressed him hardest were the rebels, and he therefore declined at
first. When the notable Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him)
urgedhim, however, he finally agreed.
Ali's Life
Ali bin Abi Talib was the first cousin of the Prophet (peace be on
him). More than that, he had grown up in the Prophet's own household,
later married his youngest daughter, Fatima, and remained in closest
association with him for nearly thirty years.
Ali was ten years old when the Divine Message came to Muhammad (peace
be on him). One night he saw the Prophet and his wife Khadijah bowing
and prostrating. He asked the Prophet about the meaning of their
actions. The Prophet told him that they were praying to God Most High
and that Ali too should accept Islam. Ali said that he would first
like to ask his father about it. He spent a sleepless night, and in
the morning he went to the Prophet and said, "When God created me He
did not consult my father, so why should I consult my father inorder
to serve God?" and he accepted the truth of Muhammad's message.
When the Divine command came,"And warn thy nearest relatives"
[26:214], Muhammad (peace be on him) invited his relatives for a meal.
After it was finished, he addressed them and asked, "Whowill join me
in the cause of God?"There was utter silence for a while, and then Ali
stood up. "I am the youngest of all present here," he said, "My eyes
trouble me because they are sore and mylegs are thin and weak, but I
shalljoin you and help you in whatever way I can." The assembly broke
up in derisive laughter. But during the difficult wars in Mecca, Ali
stood by these words and faced all the hardships to which the Muslims
were subjected. He slept in the bed of the Prophet when the Quraish
planned to murder Muhammad. It was he to whom the Prophet entrusted,
when he left Mecca, the valuables which had been given to him for
safekeeping, to be returned to their owners.
Apart from the expedition of Tabuk, Ali fought in all the early
battles of Islam with great distinction, particularly in the
expedition of Khaybar. It is said that in the Battle of Uhud he
received more than sixteen wounds.
The Prophet (peace be on him) loved Ali dearly and called him by many
fond names. Once the Prophet found him sleeping in the dust. He
brushed off Ali's clothes and said fondly, "Wake up, Abu Turab (Father
of Dust)." The Prophet also gave him the title of 'Asadullah' ('Lion
of God').
Ali's humility, austerity, piety, deep knowledge of the Qur'an and his
sagacity gave him great distinction among the Prophet's Companions.
Abu Bakr, 'Umar and Uthman consulted him frequently during their
caliphates. Many times 'Umar hadmade him his vice-regent at Medina
when he was away. Ali was also a great scholar of Arabic literature
and pioneered in the field of grammar and rhetoric. His speeches,
sermons and letters served for generations afterward as modelsof
literary expression. Many of hiswise and epigrammatic sayings have
been preserved. Ali thus had a rich and versatile personality. In
spite of these attainments he remained a modest and humble man. Once
during his caliphate when he was going about the marketplace, a man
stood up in respect and followed him. "Do not do it," said Ali. "Such
mannersare a temptation for a ruler and adisgrace for the ruled."
Ali and his household lived extremely simple and austere lives.
Sometimes they even went hungry themselves because of Ali's great
generosity, and none who asked for help was ever turned away from his
door. His plain, austere style of living did not change even when he
was ruler over a vast domain.
Ali's Caliphate
As mentioned previously, Ali accepted the caliphate very reluctantly.
Uthman's murder andthe events surrounding it were a symptom, and also
became a cause, of civil strife on a large scale. Ali felt that the
tragic situation was mainly due to ineptgovernors. He therefore
dismissed all the governors who had been appointed by Uthman and
appointed new ones. All the governors excepting Muawiya, the governor
of Syria, submitted to his orders. Muawiya declined to obey until
Uthman's blood was avenged. The Prophet's widow Aisha also took the
position that Ali should first bring the murderers to trial/

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