history_lover pointed out this post: “Does anyone read this stuff” by sonia, and wondered if I would like to comment.
I’ll comment briefly (I hope).
What the post basically complains about are a few hadith which they are unable to rationalize under the moral compass they have today. If those are the only two hadith which they have a problem with they have a lot yet to encounter in my opinion. The Quran itself which also mentions women displaced as a result of war (which is what all this is really about), how they can be treated, what relationships can be had.
I guess the main problem here is the fact that most people buy into the idea of the western paradigm of empire and war. This is a paradigm based in distancing oneself from the ugliness of realities of carpet bombing, sanctions resulting in dying children, and radicalization of entire generations. In today’s world, the prostitution of Iraqi refugees is subtly ignored. The rise of legalized prostitution within Iraq itself is hidden. Of course, this is all so removed from the common people that they scratch their heads and then say, “why do these people hate us?”
It is a prerequisite to this discussion that we don’t acknowledge that the modern system of warfare, economy, and welfare leads us to child and adult prostitution, human trafficking, debt-slavery and other opportunistic evils. Of course, how can we really think about these things when discussing our moral superiority to the Prophet (Sallalahu’alaiheewassalam)?
No.. Let us clean our white sheets, don our saintly robes, and point the finger squarely at our ‘patriarchal’ past. Its a bit like the Bush governments statements, when asked about what differentiates them from the terrorists, “well we don’t WANT to kill civilians, they just happen to get killed”. So in this case, we don’t WANT rape and prostitution, it just happens to rise whenever we go to war with a country.
Most of these same people have no problem with moral compromises such as, say, legalizing marijuana, but they have a problem with the Islamic concept of maintaining order and societal structure during wartime with a conquered people. It is all or nothing and holier than thou (when convenient and without real holy guidance) in today’s modern world.
The ‘thing’ just becomes ‘illegal’, and even if it just keeps happening then its ‘bad enforcement’ or an ‘unfortunate result’. Women just happen to be completely taken advantage of in every situation in war time, with dramatic rises in rape and prostitution. Some would rather forget that fact and assert their ‘equality’ rather than admit there was a wisdom for what the Prophet (Sallalahu’alaiheewaassalam) allowed and applied.
The truth is, complainers of the Islamic paradigm have not spent even two minutes to step away from a theoretical viewpoint of source texts (which they have no qualifications for in the first place) and examining practical realities of building a state and dealing with consequences of war, displaced families, unprotected women and children.
How did these verses and Quranic ayats manifest themselves in the rights and realities of women living in Islamic states?
(check out the Kad?nlar Saltanat?)
Some time ago, during the issues with the NY Times article, I pointed to the freely available audio and transcription and translation of a message from Shaykh Maulana Nazim al-Hakkani to Shaykh Effendi Abdul Kerim. This is a message recorded in audio (link) and since it was mostly in Turkish it was transcribed and translated into text. This message was delivered during Hajje Meryem’s trip to Cyprus in December of 2005. As one might imagine, things have been difficult for Shaykh Effendi to visit Turkey since he was jailed for leading zikr (news story: islamonline.net , NY Times).
I mentioned it as an aside in that response, but the other day I was reading it and Subhan’Allah I was really being moved by the message. There are so many special meanings present in this message that I thought I would share it in its entirety.
Reading this reminds me of the time when I saw Shaykh Maulana Nazim over 10 years ago during his visits in the states. During that time I saw Shaykh Effendi Abdul Kerim by his side at all times. Shaykh Maulana Nazim always turned to him for whatever he requested. Wherever you turned, and you saw Shaykh Maulana you saw Shaykh Abdul Kerim. Helping him up stairs, taking his jubbah, sitting with him… Shaykh Abdul Kerim was always with Shaykh Maulana.
So some time ago I quoted a small portion of this as a chance to view and listen to a reconfirmation of a true ijazaat given to Shaykh Effendi some time ago.
But much more importantly, it is a rare glimpse for a reader and student into the long and close relationship between Shaykh Maulana Nazim and Shaykh Abdul Kerim.
===
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
This document accompanies the audio file
20051216_1426-ThulQada-14_MSN_Message_to_SAK.wma
That audio file is a conversation in Turkish and English between Mevlana Seyh Muhammad Nazim al-Hakkani al-Kibrisi Hazretleri and Sheykh Abdul Kerim’s wife Meryem. The conversation occurred in Cyprus on December 16, 2005. Seyh Mevlana recorded a message for Sheykh Abdul Kerim. This document contains the translation of Turkish to English.
Begin translation:
Es-Selam aleykum Sheykh Abdul Kerim ‘Sheykhzehumullah’ [A secret title from Sultanul Awliya to Sheykh Abdul Kerim Efendi]. This is addressing you. Selam aleykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu. Selam to you and those who walk behind you. Salatu selam to our Efendi [saws]. Highest praises to our Creator, Janab Maula.
[Referring to Hajja Meryem] She has come, our relative has come. Hajja Meryem has come. She has completed everything fully. We thank you. May Allah increase the baraka of your pocket. May He give health to your body. May He walk you to the presence of the “Muddallahs” behind the Mountain of Kaf. May you travel the world well.
Sheykh Abdul Kerim how is it? What is happening? While you are eating lamb, here Sheykh Efendi Hazretleri likes the tender side of the meat, meat with eggs, roasted kebab with pita, and piyaz with parsley and onions. Let us see. Do not forget this. Eh, we can do them here but you think on it. Think on it and you will receive the reward and at least I will get the smell. [To others present] Abdul Kerim’s murids are eating kebab. Do you see it, Ya Hu? [Sultanul Awliya impersonating Sheykh Abdul Kerim Efendi] “What can I do Sheykh Efendi? I am working with these crazy ones here and snow came, we are freezing… my Sheykh, may you enter into this soil.”
Wear fox fur. Or Abdul Kerim do you know what to do? Take it out like a sack, that big ram’s skin, take it off just like a sack, salt it, make it beautiful, then make arms for it and wear it over yourself. The cold will not affect you at all that way. Oh, and for a headcover use the head of a wolf. Take it and when you go outside in that cold you will have on your back the ram’s skin, the head of the wolf on your head, and a stick in your hand. With your cane you will go patrolling towards the evening. Do not bring problems to our head by going out during the night, because the other ones [the jinns] will come to accompany you. You know there are so many that love you. There are so many on those parts. At your appearance they will flee. Therefore, have roosters at the house- seven roosters. One of them to be a gulidik [a type of rooster in Cyprus]. If there is a white rooster that would be very preferable. And where those roosters crow, the other ones will not come, they will not stay, they will run away. If you see one of the other ones there, appear to them like this. Say to them, “I am freezing here in the cold. Bring us wood. With the wood bring us other gifts. Along with the gifts bring us some gold, silver, and buhur. There is a need for those things, there are many poor humble ones here.� Therefore, may those ones serve you.
This is a good instruction for you. Then your duty is to be a friendly companion to your ikhwan that come and go. Be in friendly companionship. May their hearts be in comfort. You are a man with a frowning face. You are not to stay with a long face like that Abdul Kerim. Smile a little. What is it? Did your ships sink in the Black Sea? No, no such sinking. So then nicely welcome those who come and go with a smiling face. If you can not welcome them with a smiling face, then wear a fake moustache. Then put ornaments on your beard. Brush part of your beard; make part of it red, and another part green. Then when you go out with your cane like that, those who see you will laugh and when they laugh you will laugh also. If you like, I can send Emperor Huseyin Efendi to you. Emperor Huseyin Efendi is fearless. But, he has fallen to whisperings and says he has high blood sugar but there is no truth to this. [Huseyin is Sheykh Abdul Kerim's cousin. Huseyin serves Sheykh Mevlana 24 hours a day, overseeing his animals and groves. He spends much of the day with Sheykh Mevlana, staying with him until everyone leaves and then helping him up the stairs at the end of the night.]
-[Sultanul Awliya impersonating Huseyin Efendi] “There is no money Sheykh Efendi. We need money. We want money. Then we will get some barley. Since I am driving the tractor, we will get some seeds. We will get also get a donkey and a horse.
Nonsense I say. When I pull some out and give it to him I ask him, “How are you Huseyin?” “Very good Ya Hu, Hazret. Sheykh Efendi Hazretleri very good” he says….”Of course I am an emperor. Look there is money in my pocket.” Then that other Bilal comes and snatches it from his pocket. Huseyin does not even know. His pockets are greasy. Why, because you can find everything in his pocket. I had one of his pockets made from leather so he can put watery food in it. Huseyin is good now. I have provided a fez for him. When he wears the fez those who see him think he is a pasha. They say, “Huseyin Bey you have progressed, if you were in the time of the Padishah he would make you grand vizier.” [Bilal is one of Seyh Mevlana's men who works on the land also. Seyh Mevlana takes care of him. He takes money from Huseyin's pocket, and Huseyin pretends not to notice.]
“Of course he would make me. What did you think you so and so’s. What I can not be a vizier? Of course I can be a vizier. But we have fallen to the times of you upstarts, we are in a dump.”
[Talking to his son] Are you in a rush Mehmet? Come, come sit down. Right now we were giving instructions to the New Moon. To the Risen Moon. [Referring to Sheykh Abdul Kerim.]
[Talking again to Sheykh Abdul Kerim] This will be enough for you. So many people who are lacking intelligence have arrived, so we have to address to them. You have lots of intelligence. Say selam, continue the zikir, say Allah. When you say Allah, may you shake the earth and sky. I gave you permission. May Janabi Hakk dress you with majesty. When the bird sees you, may it come sit on your head [a big blessing], and when the wolf sees you, may it run away. I am pleased with the service you have done, well done. The awliyas’ divine look is on you. For what reason? Your father is very connected with us. His father, Mehmet Dayi, is very connected with us. Those above him in your family chain there were pure awliyas that lived on that mountain. They were Allah’s humble servants. They were in worship and prayer and they were those who were not rebellious to Allah. All of them had the medal of sainthood. For that reason it has come to you. [Sheykh Mevlana is referring to the mountain village of Alifotos in Cyprus. This was Sheykh Abdul Kerim's family village until they were forced to move north during the civil war in which Sheykh Abdul Kerim bacame mujahid. Sheykh Mevlana and his wife HaciAnne visited Alifotos many times. Four generations of Sheykh Abdul Kerim's extended family served Sheykh Mevlana there.]
The service that you do is beautiful, with their baraka continue that service. Bringing a person to Islam, iman, tarika is more valuable and rewarding than acquiring all of America in your hands. Continue it. Do not look at what people say. May you have no business with gossip. You are with permission, look at your job. If someone interferes then I will interfere. I have given you the permission. Gather as much as you can gather. May your service be accepted, may your body be with health, may your table always be full, may your door be open to guests. May good servants come to the place you are. May the evil of sheytan, the evil of the enemy, the evil of government be distant from you. May your sustenance not end. May your Nur/Light increase and never decrease. May your line not be cut off. May your future be good and selam aleykum wa rahmetullahi wa barakatahu.
-[Hajja Meryem] Thank you very much.
This is a statement that I never give to anyone, like this statement.
He never laughing or smiling. But [after he] is going to hear to listen to this my statement he never leave to smile or to laugh.
I am very happy with him. [Sheykh Mevlana became very emotional at this point.]
We remember, Sheykh Abdul Kerim.
-[Hajja Meryem says] Sheykh Mevlana, I am very happy with him too. Thank you for putting us together.
Allah putting this.
-[Hajja Meryem says] Thank you for facilitating!
Allah jalla jallallahu leaves this sort of unnecessary duties to take care of to a man like me. For that there is no damage. [Here Sheykh Mevlana is humbling himself. He does this often, but too many people take this at face value and do not recognize his true station.] Allah jalla jallallahu…Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar…what glory He is at, what a glory. Is He to look to Cyprus or Turkey? What value does it have, not even a dot. Nothing…he is to command over us. From us he appoints a servant. Janab Hakk has them execute His command. That is why we must stay away from opposing Janab Hakk. We must hold on to His command. Ya Rabb you know.
Fatiha.
[Some discussion about gifts ...]
-[Hajja Meryem says] Sheykh Mevlana thank you. A wonderful week mashAllah, very full. Hajja Rukiyye, thank you for your hospitality. Thank you so much and to all your murids who help you here.
This lady’s heart is very pure. She is a person like gold.
Thank you for visiting. Everything. Allah gives you much more. Health and wealth. Safety to be protected here and hereafter and to reach eternity, eternal life. For the honor of the most honored servant in Divine Presence, Seyyidina Muhammed sas.
Fatiha.
Did you see it? [Sultanul Awliya is displaying pictures of Sheykh Abdul Kerim Efendi's dergah in New York to his son] Sheykh Efendi [Sheykh Abdul Kerim Efendi] has made the makam very beautiful. Our people can not do so.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (2.2MB)
Both UmmZaid and Aaminah [1] [2] have written about Laleh Bakhtiar’s new ‘translation’ of the Quran. I am not a female, but I thought I would chime in anyway.
Someone recently asked me,
there are two memorizers of the qur’an
who is more blessed one who understands and increases in taqwa? or one merely recites w/ all other factors remaining constant?
This was probably a rhetorical question, as the answer might seem obviously to be the one who ‘knows more’ and ‘understands’. After a few years, for me, I have come to really understand this question in a very different light.
I responded (adjusted version):
The ones who recite without understanding are doing it with pure Hub and love of the Divine Source of the words, not looking to take anything for themselves in terms of mental satisfaction, but only looking for a tranquility in their hearts.
You asked me which one is more blessed. For me that is to judge something really for Allah. But if you press me to answer, I would say that those that go on certain paths to knowledge often fall into different traps of character. When they are without a guide they cannot find their way out of such traps.
Knowledge is good, but it needs to be tempered with character.
Promoting ignorance is really not my point, as what I am promoting is working on character as the highest priority, and determining the best means of that.
Knowledge should only be used as a tool for betterment of that character. It is not for everyone, and for those that it is for, it is important to have a guide.
The idea that one somehow has more taqwa than the one sitting next to him due to his ‘understanding a language’ is a real example of the problem really in the first place
Egoism from ‘knowledge’ is very fast.
How many people lived and died, holding only to the love of those sounds? Can we build that love first before feeling the need to ‘understand’ those words?
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So that is a preface for my understanding of the Quran. We forget that the highest blessings are found in the holy words, in its beautiful recitation and memorization. Those, especially in today’s world, those who are looking to establish a ‘meaning’ to the verse need to do so with clear knowledge and guidance.
Laleh Bakhtiar is, in this case, proud of her absence of that knowledge and guidance. I find the problem being that in general, she and others begin to treat the Quran as a text like any other.
On the other hand, the Quran is a combination of poetry, deep reflection, worldly guidance, and a gloriousness. All of which prompted A.J Arberry to write about his translation:
“Briefly, the rhetoric and rhythm of the Arabic of the Koran are so characteristic, so powerful, so highly emotive, that any version whatsoever is bound in the nature of things to be a poor copy of the glittering splendour of the original. Never was it more true than in this instance that traduttore traditore.
My chief reason for offering this new version of a book which has been ‘translated’ many times already is that in no previous rendering has a serious attempt been made to imitate, however imperfectly, those rhetorical and rhythmical patters which are the glory and the sublimity of the Koran. “
For your reference, traduttore traditore, meaning “translator, you are a traitor!”.
Later AJ Arberry says in his preface:
“The Suras themselves are in many instances – and this has been recognized by Muslim students from the earliest times– of a composite character, holding in them fragments received by Muhammad at widely differing dates; but I have disregarding this accepted fact, wishing to show each Sura as an artistic whole, its often incongruous parts constituting a rich and admirable pattern.”
The love and appreciation that AJ Arberry had for the Quran is quite clear. His acceptance (if one notes), of Muhammad (Sallalahua’alaiheewassalam) of ‘receiving’ Ayats is also substantial.
The goal of most books is to express certain ideas and concepts within peoples minds. The Quran however, is unlike any other book whatsoever and AJ Arberry recognized and appreciated that.
Let us compare this noble approach of a supposed non-Muslim to one of Laleh Bakhtiar:
“Unlike my 17th Century counterparts, however, I had the benefit of a computer, and I used it to create a database containing the 40,000 nouns and verbs of the Quran (known as the Arabic Concordance) and the 50,000 particles of speech. This helped me to be accurate and consistent.” (Lahleh Bakhtiar – Chicago Tribute Editorial)
Let us put aside the sheer lack of humility which is a definite requirement before approaching the Quran. With all these claims to accuracy and consistency, can one not taste the difference of approach here? Quite bitter.
MashaAllah, if there is anything more soulless and cold, it is a computer (I know, I work the field). What understanding of the heart can that computer bring to the verses of the Quran? What is this literalistic exactitude that can hope to give meaning to words based off of computer research?
If the fundamental issue is “dara ba” of the verse regarding spouses, then why not look to see how traditional scholarship has understood that verse? Is Laleh Bakhtiar suggesting that until her translation came along, Muslim men were interpreting this as ‘beat’ for permission of actual beating as is understood in domestic violence today? I think we are all quite aware of the traditional understanding of this verse involves symbolic gestures, and so forth.
The necessary focus on this verse and others is a sign of the problem, an abandonment of looking to tradition for actual explanations of the Quran in worldly and even spiritual matters. People are now unable to stop themselves from treating the Quran as an instruction manual, scientific textbook, atheist rebuttal, and so on, when it is first and foremost a means for a spiritual connection with your Lord.
Those looking to change cultural perceptions or change legal rulings through a translation rather than find a personal spiritual meaning need to realize that their actions have betrayed any of their good intentions.
Translating the Quran is a huge responsibility, the weight of which needs to be carried by people with wisdom, not people with agendas or special ideas on computer dictionaries. The Quran inspires, a translation should imitate that in all possible ways, all the while admitting its weakness.
Elevating the status of the words as we have received it is of primary importance, with that will come proper understanding of the nature of translations. Only then can one look to take the words, to translate them to give a general understanding of the themes.
If a supposed non-Muslim, AJ Arberry, is able to understand the primary importance of conveying the artistic, other-worldliness of the Quran, how sad a state is it when Muslims are looking to copy the techniques of the King James translation of the Bible?
“The method I used for this new translation of the Quran is actually the same method used by the translators of the King James Version of the Bible. ” -Lahleh Bakhtiar, Chicago Tribute Editorial
What we find is an attempt to focus on lexical accuracy, which inherently causes one to lose feeling. When compared to works of the past, and common sense, if we find that we did not accomplish accuracy, as agendas clouded it in the first place, what have we really gained?
Regardless, each translation must also be taken with a grain of salt, and we need to rely far more on our teachers and guides to find meaning, context, and history for those stories rather than our own limited understanding of a translation.
Muslims need to understand that it is the *tradition*, not paper or computers or ink or imagination, which is entrusted with the understanding of the Quran. Practice of real people, who are following others, becoming inheritors of knowledge and wisdom and Divine secrets.
When we think about how the Quran was revealed, do we not reflect that it was revealed over a span of over two decades?
Do we not reflect, that the Quran came to the Prophet (Sallalahu’alaiheewassalam) in different parts, often during times of sohbet with the Sahabi. He was explaining them in so many different ways in his Khutba’s, in his blessed talks. The knowledge regarding them was constantly being received.
Some people say, every time they read the Quran they find something new to take from it, a new meaning or benefit or spiritual secret or opening. Think of this: Our Prophet (Sallalahu’aliaheewassalam) knew of all those possibilities that you have found, and he poured them all to the Sahabi (R).
Yet, where are these explanations? Was everything self-evident to the Sahabi (R)? Not at all, their many questions regarding the verses are whittled down to only a few hadith.
Frankly, a bigger question should be, why is only really one final sermon of the Prophet (Sallalahu’alaiheewassalam) written down and distributed when today we find Khutbas from regular folks being recorded with great precision?
No one really asks these questions anymore, as they don’t like to think that an answer may be that true meanings will be found at the foot of someone who received this knowledge heart to heart, instead of ink to eye.
Some people are able to take a recipe and create the meal perfectly. Most often, these are people who themselves have years of experience in cooking. I am definitely not one of those people. When I cook, recipes often turn into completely different dishes from the original intent. Some taste good, most are (not surprisingly) disasters. Either way, it’s certainly a gamble.
Why is it that even following simple directions ends up in disaster? It may have to do with the nuances and need for interpretation that is found within recipes. The examples could fill libraries: a “pinch” of salt here, a “dash” of this there, “reducing heat” to a “simmer”, being careful not to “over-mix”.
The truth is that recipes are an attempt at capturing the reality of a person’s practice and experience. We are not ‘creating’ a meal, we are attempting at ‘recreating’ it.
The best cooks are those who after real training are able to apply a ‘sixth sense’ in determining what these nuanced phrases mean. The interpretation of the recipe becomes key. With proper interpretation a recipe may unlock within another chef a means to create the same delicious dish.
Better yet, one recipe may yield two equally delightful, but certainly different dishes, based off of the interpretation of the chef, as long they both have a fundamental training in how to make good meals.
At this point one may be thinking, did I land on yursil.com or cooking.com? Don’t worry… you are at yursil.com!
The truth is that Islam is just like a good dish, a dish that will be ready on the day of our death. After that, there is little we can do to add to that dish or take away.
So, when we look at our so-called “recipes of life” (Quran and Hadith or Fiqh manuals), are we certain we are able to understand the nuances of those instructions? Like recipes, these books of instructions are necessary tools to “recreate” the reality that existed during the Prophet’s (Sallalahu’alaiheewassalam) time. But are we able to apply the proper interpretation and context to all of those words or will we end up with a deflated souffl of deeds to present to our Lord?
We are fortunate that we don’t need to be so specific as a recipe when dealing with life. We are also fortunate that we have many chances to go back and fix what we have erred in.
Although, to go back and make the same mistakes in interpretation over and over again is a sign of madness, but that is really what we end up doing.
So, isn’t it better to learn from a “master chef” or in our case, a shaykh?
Why try to deal with recipes when you can opt for personalized instruction? We are lucky we are discussing Islam and Tariqat instead of cooking, since, unlike food, teachers and guides are even able to work on hearts from far distances away.
So time to put that batter down, turn off the Food network, and get connected with your teacher.
Who needs “Iron Chef”, when you have life?
the truth on 
m.a.kidwai,CME/IND.RLY.(retd.) on 
