Existence of God by Imam Ali (as) in Nahjul Balagha

Watch this in HD full screen.





Text:
Cicero - "There are many question within philosophy to which no satisfactory answer has been given,
but the question of the nature of God is the darkest and most difficult of all."

Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) on the Existence of God

Imagination cannot reach Him so as to assign Him quantity;
Understanding cannot think of Him so as to give Him shape;
Senses do not perceive Him so as to feel Him;
Hands cannot touch Him so as to rub against Him;
He does not change into any condition;
He does not pass from one state to another;
Nights and days do not turn Him old;
Light and Darkness do not alter Him;
It cannot be said that He has a limit or extremity or end or termination,
nor do things control Him so as to raise Him or lower Him,
nor does anything carry Him so as to bend Him or keep Him erect;
He is not inside things nor outside them;
He conveys news, but not with tongue or voice;
He listens, but not with the holes of the ears or the organs of hearing;
He says, but does not utter words;
He remembers, but does not memorize;
He determines, but not by exercising His mind;
He loves and approves without any sentimentality (of heart);
He hates and feels angry without any painstaking;
When He intends to create someone He says, "Be," and there he is,
but not through a voice that strikes (the ears) is that call heard;
His speech is an act of creation.

The foremost in religion is the acknowledgement of Him;
The perfection of acknowledging Him is to testify Him;
The perfection of testifying Him is to believe in His Oneness;
The perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him pure,
and the perfection of His purity is to deny Him attributes
because every attribute is a proof that is different from that to which it is attributed,
and everything to which something is attributed is different from the attribute.

Thus whoever attaches attributes to God recognizes His like,
and who recognizes His like regards Him two,
and who regards Him two recognizes parts for Him,
and who recognizes parts for Him mistook Him,
and who mistook Him pointed at Him,
and who pointed at Him admitted limitations for Him,
and who admitted limitations for Him numbered Him;
Whoever said 'in what is He?' held that he is contained,
and whoever said 'on what is He held?" He is not on something else.

He is a being but not through the phenomenon of coming into being;
He exists but not from non-existence;
He is with everything but not in physical nearness;
He is different from everything but not in physical separation;
He acts without connotation of movements and instruments;
He sees even when there is none to be looked at from among His creation;
He is only One, such that there is non whom he may keep company or whom He may miss in his absence.

Holy Qur'an 41:53  - "We will show them our signs in the universe and in their own selves until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth."

Silman Liman Salamakum

The Best Example

Many people in America are expressing concern that this year the Eid is likely to fall on or near 9/11. Many non-Muslims may take 'Eid celebrations and prayers as being celebrations of the 9/11/01 Al-Qaeda terrorist attacks, despite many announcements as to their real purposes. We know that some "Christian" groups are planning Burn a Qur'an Day on 9/12. There is a possibility of violence against observers attending 'Eid events, so please be careful as always and pray for the safety of all of us the world over.

In the meantime and after, we can continue to try to live the example of real Islam.

The video nasheed below (The Chosen One) is inspired by Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Quoting from the makers, "Maher Zain and Awakening Records felt they had to respond after the recent attacks on prophet Muhammad through cartoons and Facebook. It's a small token in portraying the true character of our beloved Prophet Muhammad." The album can be purchased from iTunes and other sources.



Note: There are instruments in this track, it is not purely a cappella.

Happy Birthday of Imam Reza (as)

I bear witness that there is no God save Allah, the One; and there is no partner to share with Him.

I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, verily, he is the lord of the ancients and the moderns, verily, he is the head of the Prophets and the Messengers.



O Allah send blessing on Muhammad, Thy servant, Thy Messenger and Thy Prophet, the chief of all that has been created by Thee, blessings which no one is able to measure other than Thee.



O Allah send blessings on the Ameer ul Moomineen, Ali ibna Abi Talib, Thy servant, the brother of Thy Messenger, whom Thou elected to have Thy Knowledge, made him a guide to show the right path to those of Thy servants who want to be led aright, an evident proof for those who pay careful attention to Thy Message, he managed the affairs of the religion according to Thy system of justice, made application of Thy commands to settle the issues which cropped up among the people, and let Thy will and command rule supreme in all matters; peace be on him, also mercy and blessings of Allah.



O Allah send blessings on Fatimah, the daughter of Thy Prophet, the wife of Thy friend, the mother of the two sons, Hasan and Husayn, the prime leaders of the people of Paradise, she is pure, purified, pious content, wise leader of all the women of the Paradise,
blessings which no one is able to measure other than Thee.



O Allah send blessings on Hasan and Husayn, the two sons of Thy Prophet, the prime leaders of the people of Paradise, Thy established authority among the people, Thy two evident proofs for those who pay careful attention to Thy Message, who managed the affairs of the religion according to Thy system of justice, and made application of Thy commands to settle the issues which cropped up among the people.



O Allah send blessings on Ali bin Husayn, Thy servant, Thy established authority among the people, Thy evident proof for those who pay careful attention to Thy Message, who managed the affairs of the religion according to Thy system of justice, and made application of Thy commands to settle the issues which cropped up among the people, the lord among Thy adorers.



O Allah send blessings on Muhammad bin Ali, Thy servant, Thy representative in the earth, the deeply versed in the knowledge of Prophets. O Allah send blessings on Jaa'-far bin Muhammad, the truthful, Thy servant, the defender of Thy religion, Thy decisive argument over the mankind, the truthful, the just.

O Allah send blessings on Moosa bin Jaa'-far, Thy upright servant, Thy approved spokesman among Thy people, Thy decisive argument over the mankind.



O Allah send blessings on Ali bin Moosa who please Thee most, the chosen, Thy servant, the defender of Thy religion, rightly and justly established by Thee as an authority who made earnest presentation of arguments to promote Thy religion which is the religion of his truthful ancestors, blessings which no one is able to measure other than Thee.

O Allah send blessings on Muhammad bin Ali, Thy servant, Thy chosen representative, appointed by Thy command, who invited people Thy path.

O Allah send blessings on Ali bin Muhammad, Thy servant, the defender of Thy religion.



O Allah send blessings on Hasan bin Ali who put Thy system into practice, the established authority among the people, Thy demonstrator who carried out the mission of Thy Prophet, Thy witness over the mankind, distinguished with Thy excellence, who reminded people to obey Thee and Thy Messenger. Thy blessings be on all of them.

O Allah send blessings on Thy demonstrator, Thy established representative among the people, perfect, growing and everlasting blessings expedite his arrival
and help him, let us be with him in this world and in the Hereafter.

O Allah I seek Thy nearness through my love for them. I make friends with their friends, I oppose their enemies, so, on account of them, give me good of this world and the Hereafter, keep away from me the evil of this world and the Hereafter, the dreadful fright on the Day of Judgement.

Peace be on you, O the representative of Allah!Peace be on you, O the evident proof of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the light of Allah in the darkness of this (ignorant) world!

Peace be on you, O the mainstay of the religion!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Adam, the sincerely attached friend of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Nooh, the Prophet of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Ibrahim, the intimate friend of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Ismaeel, the sacrifice offered to Allah!

Peace be on you,O the Inheritor of Moosa, who spoke to Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Eesaa, who received mercy , joy and ease from Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of the Ameer ul Moomineen, the representative of Allah, the executor of the will of the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Faatimah Zahra!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Hasan and Husayn, the prime leaders of the people of Paradise!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Ali bin Husayn, the pride of the worshippers!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Muhammad bin Ali, the deeply versed in the wisdom of the ancients and moderns!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Jaa'-far bin Muhammad, the truthful, the virtuous!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Moosa bin Jaa'-far! Peace be on you, O the virtuous and pious guardian!



I bear witness that, verily, you established the prayers, gave the prescribed share to the needy, commanded to do that which is right and lawful, not to do that which is wrong and unlawful, sincerely served Allah, till the inevitable came unto you

Peace be on you, O Abal Hasan, and mercy and blessings of Allah be on you.



O Allah I had left my place of domicile to go towards Thee, and crossed many a town in the hope of getting Thy mercy, therefore, do not disappoint me, do not send me away without awarding that which I need, have mercy on my restless agitation near the son of Thy Messenger's brother, Thy blessings be on him and on his children.



My father and mother are at your disposal O my Mawlaa! I have come to visit you, adore you and take refuge with you from the excesses I indulged into, from the burden of sins I carry on my back, so, in the day of distress, be my advocate before Allah, because you enjoy special privileges in the presence of Allah, and He shows respect for you and brings honour to you.



O Allah I seek Thy nearness through my love and friendship for them (the Ahlul Bayt), I love each and every one of them, from the first to the last, and avoid intimate association with anyone other than the Ahlul Bayt Curse of Allah be on those who subverted Thy "Favour" suspected Thy Prophet to be guilty of falsehood, denied Thy revelation, laugh at Thy representatives, and gave preference to nonentities over the "Aali Muhammad.

O Allah I seek Thy nearness by calling down curses on them, I keep myself aloof from them in this world and in the Hereafter, O Beneficent!

Blessings of Allah be on you, O Abal Hasan!

Blessings of Allah be on your soul and your body! You suffered patiently and exercised self-control, (although) you were truthful and your truthfulness had been confirmed; Allah destroyed him who gave the orders to kill you, and him who carried it out.

The Raven (Edgar Allan Poe)

Here are several recitations of Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven.

Which do you think is the best, the creepiest?

Vincent Price:



James Earl Jones:



Christopher Walken:



David S.J. Guilmette:


Basil Rathbone (and creepy talking Poe head):



Alan Parsons Project with Rob Gonsalves art:



German:


Spike Durden:



Jay Marks / Phobe Rush Animation:



Bamshad Abedi-Amin Poetry into Film Assignment:


W.B. Ward:



Aaron D. Frankel (super 8mm film):


hasaniwalker, puppeteer:




The Simpsons, in Portuguese:



The Simpsons, in English:

"The Raven" on The Simpsons - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Spanish:



Lance Cotterdam, Special Olympics recitation medal winner:



World of Warcraft (couldn't figure out how to embed it, but it is pretty cool, so follow the link.)

Munajat (Whispered Prayer) of Imam Ali(as)

I might have posted this before, I am not sure. But, it is really wonderful and it is part of the recommended dua'as on the potential dates of Laylatul Qadr.

May Allah swt bless Muhammad (saw) and the Ahlulbayt (sa).

Month of Ramadhan Daily Duas 1-5

Day 1 Dua

Day 2 Dua

Day 3 Dua

Day 4 Dua

Day 5 Dua

Shahr Ramadhan Kareem!

In the name of Allah,
The Beneficent, The Merciful

Praise belongs to God who guided us to His praise
and placed us among the people of praise,
that we might be among the thankful for His beneficence
and that He might recompense us for that
with the recompense of the good-doers!

And praise belongs to God who
showed favour to us through His religion,
singled us out for His creed,
and directed us onto the roads of His beneficence,
in order that through His kindness we might travel upon them to His good pleasure,
a praise which He will accept from us and through which He will be pleased with us!

And praise belongs to God who appointed among those roads His month,
the month of Ramadan,
the month of fasting,
the month of submission,
the month of purity,
the month of putting to test,
the month of standing in prayer,
in which the Qur'an was sent down as guidance to the people,
and as clear signs of the Guidance and the Separator!

He clarified its excellence over other months
by the many sacred things and well-known excellencies which He placed therein,
for He made unlawful in it what He declared lawful in others to magnify it,
He prohibited foods and drinks in it to honour it,
and He appointed for it a clear time which
He (majestic and mighty is He) allows not to be set forward and accepts not to be placed behind.

Then He made one of its nights surpass the nights of a thousand months
and named it the Night of Decree;
in it the angels and the Spirit descend
by the leave of their Lord upon every command,
a peace constant in blessings
until the rising of the dawn
upon whomsoever He will of His servants
according to the decision He has made firm.

O God,
bless Muhammad and his Household,
inspire us
with knowledge of its excellence,
veneration of its inviolability,
and caution against what Thou hast forbidden within it,
and help us to fast in it
by our restraining our limbs
from acts of disobedience toward Thee
and our employing them
in that which pleases Thee,
so that we lend not our ears to idle talk
and hurry not with our eyes to diversion,

we stretch not our hands toward the forbidden
and stride not with our feet toward the prohibited,
our bellies hold only what Thou hast made lawful
and our tongues speak only what Thou
hast exemplified,
we undertake nothing but what brings close to
Thy reward
and pursue nothing but what protects from
Thy punishment!
Then rid all of that from the false show of the false showers
and the fame seeking of the fame seekers,
lest we associate therein anything with Thee
or seek therein any object of desire but Thee!

O God,
bless Muhammad and his Household,
in it make us attend
to the appointed moments of the five prayers within
the bounds Thou hast set,
the obligations Thou hast decreed,
the duties Thou hast assigned,
and the times Thou hast specified;

and in the prayers make us alight in the station of
the keepers of their stations,
the guardians of their pillars,
their performers in their times,
as Thy servant and Thy messenger set down in his Sunna
(Thy blessings be upon him and his Household)
in their bowings, their prostrations, and all their
excellent acts,
with the most complete and ample ritual purity
and the most evident and intense humility!

Give us success in this month to
tighten our bonds of kin with devotion and gifts,
attend to our neighbours with bestowal and giving,
rid our possessions from claims,
purify them through paying the alms,
go back to him who has gone far from us,
treat justly him who has wronged us,
make peace with him who shows enmity toward us
(except him who is regarded as an enemy
in Thee and for Thee,
for he is the enemy whom we will not befriend,
the party whom we will not hold dear),

and seek nearness to Thee through blameless works
which will purify us from sins
and preserve us from renewing faults,
so that none of Thy angels will bring for Thee
the kinds of obedience and sorts of
nearness-seeking
unless they be less than what we bring!

O God,
I ask Thee by the right of this month
and by the right of him who worships Thee within it
from its beginning to the time of its passing,
whether angel Thou hast brought nigh to Thee,
prophet Thou hast sent,
or righteous servant Thou hast singled out,
that Thou bless Muhammad and his Household,
make us worthy of the generosity Thou hast promised
Thy friends,
make incumbent for us
what Thou hast made incumbent
for those who go to great lengths in obeying Thee,
and place us in the ranks of those
who deserve through Thy mercy the highest elevation!

O God,
bless Muhammad and his Household,
turn us aside from
deviation in professing Thy Unity,
falling short in magnifying Thee,
in Thy religion,
blindness toward Thy path,
heedlessness of Thy inviolability,
and being deceived by Thy enemy, the accursed Satan!

O God,
bless Muhammad and his Household,
and when in every night of this month's nights
Thou hast necks
which Thy pardon will release
and Thy forgiveness disregard,
place our necks among those necks
and place us among the best folk and companions
of this our month!

O God,
bless Muhammad and his Household,
efface our sins
along with the effacing of its crescent moon,
and make us pass forth from the ill effects of our acts
with the passing of its days,
until it leaves us behind,
while within it Thou hast purified us of offenses
and rid us of evil deeds!

O God,
bless Muhammad and his Household,
and should we go off to one side in this month,
set us aright;
should we swerve,
point us straight;
and should Thy enemy Satan enwrap us,
rescue us from him!

O God,
fill this month with our worship of Thee,
adorn its times with our obedience toward Thee,
help us during its daytime with its fast,
and in its night with prayer and pleading toward Thee,
humility toward Thee,
and lowliness before Thee,
so that its daytime may not bear witness
against our heedlessness,
nor its night against our neglect!

O God,
make us like this in the other months and days
as long as Thou givest us life,
and place us among Thy righteous servants,
those who shall inherit Paradise,
therein dwelling forever,
those who give what they give,
while their hearts quake,
that they are returning to their Lord
those who vie in good works,
outracing to them!

O God,
bless Muhammad and his Household
in every time, in all moments, and in every state,
to the number that Thou hast blessed whomsoever
Thou hast blessed
and to multiples of all that, through multiples
which none can count but Thee!
Surely Thou art Accomplisher of what Thou desirest.

A little humor (even though I've never been to taraweeh)

Muslim Convert - Baba Ali video

Fireworks Video

I have a little Kodak digital camera - it is for still pictures, not video, but it does have a video feature I've never played with before. I didn't even realize it recorded sound as well as image. On the 3rd of July I took some video of us setting off fireworks - this is one of them. My mom is hilarious!

Fireworks

Here in Colorado Springs, fireworks are a big deal twice a year.

Here's someone's video of the "other" date:

Great Billy Collins and Taylor Mali poetry recitation

This one is funny - poem actually starts at about 1:50. The Litany by Billy Collins



This one is cute about mothers. The Lanyard by Billy Collins



Hilarious poem about proof-reading, not PG. The the impotence of proofreading by Taylor Mali



Sweet, funny poem about his dad's "security system". Labeling Keys by Taylor Mali

For Whenever You Feel Like Quitting

My friend posted this on Facebook, thought it was worth sharing (from the movie Dodgeball):



"Well I guess if a person never quit when the going got tough, they wouldn't have anything to regret for the rest of their life."

Happy Mother's Day

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. A friend of mine sent me this Mr. T video about treating your mother right (and the rap was written by Ice T - not kidding!) - you have to see it!



I spent mine watching the new Star Trek movie (great!) and visiting mom. I have always loved Star Trek and I loved the movie - the characters were great and the story was hot! I want to see it again. :)

This weekend also marks one of the dates mentioned for the martyrdom of Lady Fatima (as), Mother of Believers.

I'm so Excited!

I think Karl Urban makes a great Dr. McCoy - I can hardly wait to see more:



I and another Trek fan from work are planning to see it on IMAX opening weekend, insha'allah.

BTW, this past Friday I saw State of Play starring Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck and I think my mom and I would both agree that it is the best movie we've seen this year. So, consider it recommended - you can ask me for more details if you like.

A nice Stereogram

Crazy times at school/work right now - it's late April. ACT, students out for field trips, camp trips, sports, awards, concerts, road trips, contests, programs, suspensions, counselor appointments, elections, newspaper, yearbook.... Everything up in the air about hiring/firing, placements, schedules, room assignments, building assignments, expectations, disappointments, what you want to do with your life when you grow up....

I have an interview for a building transfer tomorrow. One day I really want it, the next I feel like I can't leave where I am. All in God's hands, but I may have to make a tough decision at some point, we'll see.

I hope you all are doing well!



The above is a video of an interview with Imam Siraj Wahhaj. He is a Sunni convert, one of the passing old guard of the strong African American Muslim leaders that came to Islam through the Nation of Islam movement during the Civil Rights era. Two things I admire in these men like Wahhaj and the late Warith Deen Muhammed is that they did incredible work in the arena of dawah and building legitimacy and standing for Muslims in America as part of the political and societal structures, and that they did hard and dangerous work for their congregations without adopting elitist standings for themselves - such as taking to the streets and driving out drug lords from their neighborhoods - very practical, necessary religious work that in other communities rarely gets done.

Hilarious Conversion Story

Dua Tawassul

Recited by ladies from Stanmore, UK

11th Imam (as) Wiladat Mubarak!

Imam once wrote in his letter to Ali ibne Babweh Qummi:

"Praise be to Allah. As you are from our shias so I advise you:

• Be pious and virtuous
• Forgive and pardon the mistakes of people
• Suppress your anger
• Do sila-e-Rehmi (do good with your relatives)
• Help the needy
• Get acquaintance with Holy Quran
• Establish prayer (salat/namaz) and perform ibadat

follow my commandments and induce others to do so. "

Prophet Muhammad (saw)

Felicitations of Milad un Nabi (saw)