Encounters New Fuqara at Masjid Bukhari

Imam Junayd of Baghdad said:

‘If I had known of any science greater than Sufism,

I would have gone to it, even on my hands and knees’.

The one (sufi) has been robed with the robe of Honour (wilayat)

and is complete. Light upon light. Empty and full.

The heart is Serene. The instant (now) is Present.

The sufi’s task is to recognize the end at the Beginning.

He has gone beyond. He has Rolled up the cosmos

In its turn and obliterated it.

He has reduced and then Eliminated the marks

Of selfhood to allow a clear view of Cosmic Reality.

(The Hundred Steps: page 1)

It is constant Discovery. It is constant Renewal.

It is ever fresh Witnessing of the Beauty and

Ever fresh Bowing to the Majesty.

This brings to birth in the Gnostic a new longing

And joy- to transmit to the sons of Adam the good news

And the warning - and to invite people

To the Way of Self Knowledge (Marifa)

Witnessing (Musyahada) and Wonders

(THS : page 87)

Shaykh Muhammad ibn alHabib said in Robe of Nearness :

‘Strip yourself of all knowledge and understanding

So that you may obtain what the great (awliya) have obtained.

Freely offer up your self/nafs, you who desire union

And follow the Shaykh in whatever he indicates.

Witness the truth (haqiqat) in him, both in your essence

And your heart, annihilate yourself in him:

By him you will win (the gift).

He is the light(nur) of the Messenger from every aspect

And the medicine of hearts, both openly and secretly.

Blessings be upon the Prophet and all his family

And Companions and all who direct people to him

And peace, fragrant with musk and every scent’

Full beauty and unrivalled sublimity.

(From The Diwan of Jewels of Traveling Murid and

Treasures of Gnostic Wayfarers)

Gathering at Masjid al-Bukhari, Kuala Lumpur : 2 June 2007

All praise and thanks to Allah. We never expected a stream of new comers to attend our Saturday after maghrib zikir circle and teaching since the first grand gathering of Maulid in Mac 2007. In fact, some of the fuqara were from different continents and reunited again after more than 20 years.

Such is the case of Sidi Malik Bennet from USA. He met several malaysian fuqara while staying brieftly in Granada Spain in early 1980s. He almost cannot recognize Sidi Dimyati and Amir Zahari, very young and long haired hippied that time who taught him silat melayu.

The second long time faqir to reappear is Sidi Shaarani from Seremban, an close friend to arwah faqir Sidi Sulaiman Lim who worked together in Nestle chocolate company there. The thrid faqir is Sidi Hilmi, after more than 10 years in Pakistan and 10 years in Johor, he was blessed by Allah Taala to be sent near us. Now he worked at Megasteel plant in Dengkil, very near Putrajaya.

What is amazing, many of the fuqara brought along their grown up sons, the new second generation of fuqara to inherit, take over and renewed the struggle, seek knowledge from company of noble muridin and salihun/ulama and travel in the Path of Allah. In many weekly zikir that we attended at Masjid alBukhari, some night, the young fuqara sons outnumber the older ones or their father. We honor them in this posting by putting their blessed names for posterity to recognize, remember and to advance further and taste the fruits and gifts of Allah as the time and future unfolds:

Sidi Malik Bennet who study in ISTAC, UIA travel all the way from Gombak by taxi or LRT/Monorel took his three sons as follow:

Sidi Muhammad Taha Bennet age 16 - email: muhammad_taha513@yahoo.com
Sidi Ibrahim Salahuddin Bennet age 11.
Sidi Mahmoud Yahya Bennet age 10.

Sidi Shaarani should be given the highest marks of dedication, having traveled furthest 60 km away from Seremban to KL. He begin the journey by using KTM commuter train from Seremban, stop and transit at Bandar Tasik Selatan station, take the STAR-LRT and exit at Jalan Hang Tuah station..just walk 200 meters to reach Masjid Bukhari. His pack of young wolves as follow:

Sidi Muhammad Nizamudin Nuaim age 14.
Sidi Muhamad Syamim Nizar age 13
and Sidi Muhammad Nasrul Naim age 16- Form 4,Sekolah Tunku Durah.

Not to be outdone, last night 2 June 2007, our muqadim Sidi Dimyati from Taman Gombak despite heavy rain and traffic jam, managed to arrive at our zikr circle with his three future mujahid and bespectacled fuqara as below:

Sidi Muhammad Ihsan age 20
Sidi Umar islam age 16
Sidi Ahmad Fridaus 14.

Our Amir Zahari of Bukit Antarabangsa, KL did also brought his two young faqir sons Sidi Abu Bakar and Sidi Yusuf (Ahmad Qabil) the previous month and Muqadim Abdal Halim Shin last two week ago take along his son Ahmad Zuhri Shin who stand taller than his father, aged 18 and scored 9A1 at MRSM Tun Ghafar, Melaka, undergone 2 month PLKN at Kuala Kubu Camp in February 2007. He will enroll at Kolej Mara Banting for pre-university IB medical course.

We almost forget to record that Sidi Wan Izni of Education Ministry,last week 26 May also unexpectedly brought along his two young warrior sons:

Sidi Wan Muhammad Yusof age 11
and Sidi Ahmad Ibrahim age 7.

Although they may not able to sit quite in zikr but they do running around and active exploring every corners of the new blessed mosque, rebuilt from a waqaf land by Syed Anwar al-Banna younger brother at cost of RM12.5 millions. Suddenly Sidi Malik Bennet said: ' Ah...I know this name. I met him in Granada, he is very tall man, where is he now ?".

Just to reflect back, in past there weeks, 19 May, 26 May and 2 June of 2007, the fuqara sons overhelmingly outnumber the old fuqara/fathers. Ha ha very encouraging signs. Anyway, the young travellers like to take the KL Monorail, LRT-Star or KTM Commuter rather than suffer the traffic jams especially at Jalan Hang Tuah leading to the crowded popular Bukit Bintang and Puduraya area.

Alhamdulillah, last night we recited Yasin and Tahli after Maghrib with the alBukhari foundation people and feted to a sumptous dinner of beriyani, mutton, ayam merah, dalca and fruits, then after Isyak prayer, we joined the Ba Alawi or alHaddad fuqara in reciting the full Qasida Burda lasting about 45 minutes. We were given opportunity to sing in between Qasida od Ahimu Wahdi from Diwan Shaykh Muhammad ibn al Habib.

So after that event, we hold our short zikr at basement floor joined by Sidi Zainuddin from Shah Alam, a close friend od Haji Azmil who now studying in Syria. Welcome also to Sidi Wan Nordin and wife Nik Mahani from Ampang, who pioneered the minting of Emas Dinar Kelantan with success in Kota Bharu supported by the state government. They are preparing a big Dinar Seminar in July 2007 inviting Sidi Umar Pasha, insya Allah to give lecture. We pray for success all the da'wa work fi sabilillah.

Muqadim Dimyati gave a short talk on his encounter with Shaykh Abdal Qadir as-Sufi in 1978 and his visit to a zawiya in Moroccan Desert. The awliya told them: ' Here Islam is losing ground and being isolated, go to land/place where Islam is growing and in need.' He indicates that our da'wa shall be in land of West or our homeland where the light of Allah are needed by people after being colonialized and secularised. Tasawwuf is the journey of ihsan where we must fulfill our basic Islamic practices/ibadah and our iman/aqida is correct. Sidi Dimyati quote a reply by a Turkish man who said Islam is in the heart !. This is a wrong answer. Islam is outward, iman is inward and unseen, not the other way round. Amir Zahari later informed us the latest development and activity. He asked us to use fully the space and freedom given by Bukhari Mosque for teaching and dawa and meeting with various jemaah.

We end our blessed night with Salawat Najiyya from our Diwan as follow:

O Allah, bless our master Muhammad and the family of Muhammad
with a blessing by which You will save us from every fear and harm.
Supply us with all our needs by it,
and purify us from all evils by it,
and raise us to the highest degrees by it,
Through it, let us attain the furthest goal of good
in this life and after death.

O Allah, in this hour send down some of Your good
and Your baraka on us as You send it down
on Your Awliya- Friends and
send us what is kept for Your Lovers.

Let us taste the coolness of Your Pardon
and the sweetness of Your Forgiveness.
Spread over us Your Compassion which encompass
all things. Sustain us with Your Love,
Your Acceptance, our renewal in You,

Your Counsel, Your response to our asking
forgiveness and well being, taking in the present
and the absent, the living and the dead
in Your Mercy.

O Most Merciful of the Merciful,

O Lord of the Worlds.