Al-Muzdawija al-ḥasnā lī al-istighātha bi-asmāʾ Allāh al-ḥusnā by Shaykh Yusuf al-Nabahani

Al-Ḥākim reports in a sound transmission, “Supplication is the weapon of the believer, the pillar of religion, and a light of the Heavens and the earth.”  The ability to directly supplicate to God without an intermediary is indeed a divinely granted privilege and a manifestation of God’s mercy and love for humanity.   Its abundance strengthens the heart’s connection to God and bestows light and clarity in times of both hardship and ease.  It is worthy of note that the wording of this hadith states that supplication or dua, is a weapon of a “believer,” rather than the more general category of “Muslim.”  One interpretation of this is that the place of belief is in the heart and the stronger the heart’s resolve that providential power supersedes all worldly power, the more frequent and fervent will be one’s supplication.  In turn, supplication also has the reverse impact of strengthening the heart’s faith (imān) and connection to God, when accompanied by the correct courtesies (ādāb) of dua and religious practice.  Hence the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) words, “supplication is the essence of worship.” 

Truly, the men and women of God continually recognized that the power of supplication is one that can overcome the most turbulent circumstances and challenges.  Shaykh Yūsuf al-Nabahānī (1849-1932) lived during the last decades of the Ottoman period when Muslims were challenged in multiple fronts on an unprecedented level.  As a great scholar and man of God, Shaykh Yūsuf al-Nabahānī reminded those around him that one must not forget to accompany one’s necessary struggle for justice, with an essential dose of supplication and calling on God for divine assistance.  The following ode, known as al-Muzdawija al-ḥasnā li al-istighātha bi asmāʾ Allāh al-ḥusnā (The Magnificent Ode in Seeking Assistance through God’s Beautiful Names), is one of his most famous literary contributions and continues to be sung throughout the Muslim world to seek divine assistance and victory.  It is often during times of hardship that hearts are turned back to the One in Whose power all relief from calamities lies.  God also reminds us in His scripture that “with hardship comes ease.”  May we continue our efforts and prayers for an increase in the descent of God’s mercy on all of humanity not only in times of urgency, but also in times of ease and prosperity.

 The Magnificent Ode PDF [Click here]

The vastness of the Arabic language has often been compared to the ocean.  As the ocean is rich in its inhabitants of many colors and forms, so too are the words of this divine language that take on a multitude of colors and forms determined by their linguistic environment.  Much of the words used within the context of the Islamic tradition have multiple meanings.  Words such as “sunna” for example, mean something specific within the context of the hadith sciences and something separate when used within the context of fiqh (jurisprudence) or uṣūl al-fiqh (legal methodology).  Furthermore, the same words such as sunna, bidʿa, fiqh, and countless other words have separate meanings when used more generally outside of the context of the Islamic sciences. 

Thus understanding definitions properly is essential to a sound understanding of various concepts within the sacred sciences. This is why many texts in the various Islamic sciences begin by providing a lexical meaning of a term, as commonly used within the Arabic language, before continuing to define a term in the context of the field in which it is used.   Some of the confusion in the modern period regarding the term “bidʿa,”  has been in great part due to a lack of understanding this foundational principle.  The word bidʿa by itself does not have a negative connotation unless used in the context of Islamic law (i.e. the sharʿī definition) where it would specifically be referring to a  bidʿa which is forbidden.  It is only when equipped with this understanding that we are able to comprehend the pious caliph ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb’s (RA) praise of the gathering of Muslims for twenty units of tarawīḥ as being an “excellent bidʿa,” the Qur’an’s reference to this term when discussing prophecy, and many other similar references to the term within their proper context.  While the study of bidʿa is a lengthy one, on which many treatises have been composed, this short study will briefly focus on the definition of this word from a lexical and legal perspective as well as examine the great scholar ʿIzz al-Dīn b. ʿAbd al-Salām’s seminal classification of bidʿa into the five categories which have generally been accepted by the majority of scholars of the Islamic tradition.   

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Striving to Come Close to the Everlasting through Extra Worship and Fasting

There are several explanations as to how the day of Ashura received its title.  The most well-known explanation is that it is called Ashura because of its occurrence on the tenth day of the month of Muḥarram, and this is the generally preferred explanation. 

The tenth of Muḥarram is a day for seeking forgiveness and turning to God.  While it is certainly true that every day is a day for these virtuous acts without a set appointment, nevertheless blessed days and sacred times like these are an opportunity to exert extra effort and increase in the performance of good works in hope of acquiring added reward and blessings. 

There are many hadiths which demonstrate the importance of the Day of Ashura.  For example, it is narrated on the authority of Ibn ʽAbbās (RA) saying, “The Prophet (PBUH) came to Madīna and he saw the Jews fasting the Day of Ashura.  He asked, ‘What is this?’ They said, ‘Today is an auspicious day.  It is the day in which God saved the children of Israel from their enemies and so Moses fasted this day.’  He said, “I have greater right over Moses than you.’ And hence he fasted it and ordered [others] to fast it.’”[1]  It is also reported on his authority, “I never saw the Prophet (PBUH) encourage with urgency (yataḥarrā) the fast of a day preferred over others, except the Day of Ashura.”[2]

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The Hijra is not only one of the greatest events in the history of Islam, but it is a historic milestone whose impact forever changed the course of history for all of humanity.  The migration of the Muslims from Mecca to Medina set the foundations for ensuring that the religion of Islam would become established in the Arabian Peninsula, the effects of which would reverberate from East to West as the realm of Islam spread.  This is why the rank of the great Muhājirūn, who left all that was dear to them in their homeland of Mecca for the sake of the freedom to worship and practice their faith in Medina is immeasurable.  All that the world has inherited today from the vast and rich Islamic tradition is owed to the sincere sacrifice of a few who undertook this momentous journey.  On the first day of the month of Muḥarram, we not only remember this great occasion that marks the first day of the Islamic calendar, but we are also reminded of its timeless lessons. 

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Once more a period of divine blessing has dawned upon us, bringing with it its zephyrs of divine mercy and opportunity.  For truly, it is not that one sacred season of devotion ends, except that another opportunity for attaining God’s forgiveness, bounty, and self-purification begins.  In these cycles of sacred times, we find the heavenly gift of a renewed chance to replenish our souls and seek God’s reward and proximity. 

Among the reports transmitted regarding the sanctity of the first ten days of Dhul Ḥijja, the following has been related on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbas that the Prophet (PBUH) said:  “There are no days in which [good] actions are superior than in these days.” It was asked, “Not even fighting for the sake of God?”  He replied, “Not even fighting for the sake of God, except that a person sets out with his life and his wealth and returns with neither.”

On the authority of Abū Hurayra, the Messenger of God (PBUH) said: “There are no days more beloved to God that He be worshipped in them than the ten days of Dhul Ḥijja.  Each day of fasting in it is equivalent to the fast of an entire year.  And each night standing in prayer is equivalent to standing in prayer on the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr).”

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Just the Basics

Fasting is an obligation on each mature and capable Muslim.  Likewise, understanding its correct method and legal rulings is also essential to ensure that our efforts in the sacred month of Ramadan are not made in vain. The Messenger of God (PBUH) said, “Many a people fast and derive nothing from their fasts except hunger.  And many a people stand in prayer and derive nothing from their standing except wakefulness in late hours.”  Although embodying the spiritual aspects of fasting and the blessings associated with its season are certainly essential, the proper outer practice of divinely ordained ritual worship remains conditional to reap their deeper benefits.   God commands us in the Qur’an: “Ask those of remembrance if you know not.”  While these notes certainly cannot alleviate the  need to humble oneself in learning from those who have also done the same, it is intended that they may be a supplement to  students already in their quest for sacred knowledge, which our beloved Messenger (PBUH) equated with the path to Paradise.

 Fiqh of Fasting (click here)…

Ramadan is a blessed month in which God the Almighty chose to reveal His greatest Book to the greatest of His creation.  Hence, He determined this month to require from us an annual form of worship, fasting.  The word Ramadan is derived from the word al-Ramda which is a type of hot rock.  It is said that this name was attributed to the month of Ramaḍān because when the Arabs convened to name the months, Ramadan coincided with a time of intense heat.  It is also said that this name is a reflection of the fact that like hot rocks, it burns.  Rather in this case, it is sins which are burned.

It is reported on the authority of Salman b. al-Farisi (RA) saying, “The Messenger of God (PBUH) spoke to us on the last day of Sha’ban saying: ‘O people, a great and blessed month has emerged upon you.  In it there is a night that is superior to a thousand months.  A month in which God has made its fast obligatory and its night vigil voluntary.  Who strives to come close [to God] in it through doing a type of good [deed], it is as though he performed an obligatory act outside [of Ramadan]. And whoever performs an obligatory act in it, it is as though he performed seventy obligatory acts outside of [Ramadan]. It is the month of patience and the reward for patience is Paradise.  It is a month of kindness to others and in it the provision of the believer is increased.  Who breaks the fast of a believer in it, he is forgiven for his sins and he is freed from the Hellfire, and to him is a similar reward without diminishing the reward [of the fasting person] in any way.  God grants this reward to one who breaks the fast of another person by a bit of milk or a sip of water.  And who feeds a fasting person to his fill will be granted drink from my pure spring after which one will never thirst until he enters Paradise.  It is a month whose beginning is mercy (rahma), whose middle is forgiveness (maghfira), and whose end is salvation from the Hellfire (‘itq min al-nar).’”

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On the authority of Abi Tha’laba al-Khushani (RA), “The Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘When it becomes the Night of Mid-Shaʿbān, God looks at His creation and forgives the believers, maintains the disbelievers (in their disbelief), and leaves the bearer of grudges in their enmity until they abandon their [resentment].”

In another hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) made the following supplication during his prostration in Mid-Shaʿbān. “A’isha (RA) said: ‘The night of Mid-Shaʿbān was my night.  And the Messenger of God was at my place…He then went into prostration and said, ‘I seek refuge in Your good-pleasure from Your anger.  And I seek refuge in Your forgiveness from Your punishment.  And I seek refuge in You from You.  I am incapable of Your praise.  You are as You have praised Yourself.”

The Prophet (PBUH) used to spend the Night of Mid-Shaʿbān praying and its day fasting.  On the authority of ʿAlī (RA) the Prophet (PBUH) said: “If it is the Night of Mid-Shaʿbān then stand [in prayer] during its night and fast its day.  For God descends to the heavens of the earth when the sun sets and says, ‘Is there anyone who seeks forgiveness so that I may forgive him?  Is there anyone who seeks provision so that I may grant him provision?  Is there anyone afflicted so that I may remove his affliction?  Is there not such and such,’ until the dawn breaks.”

For this reason, it is encouraged to be abundant in worship during this night, particularly in prayer and supplication.  ʿAtāʾ b. Yasār said: “After the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), there is no night greater than the Night of Mid-Shaʿbān.  It is from amongst the nights that supplications are answered.”

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