AL-MUSTAPHA INSTITUTE OF BRISBANE

Compiled by Br. Abdul-Halm Khall (14-07-14)

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahm

How the Blessed Messenger Remembered Allh

How Allh Establishes the Remembrance of His Beloved ( )
When one considers the venerable connection between Allh and His Last Messenger
( ), one may conclude that Allh Tala graced His Beloved ( ) with many,
many miracles with, and through, which Allh Azza Wa-jal elevated the remembrance of
Habb Allh ( ):
1
e.g. the Miraculous Night Journey and Ascent of the Beautiful
Prophet ( ),
2
the splitting of the moon,
3
the speaking of the wolf,
4
etc. The greatest,
everlasting miracle amongst these, however, is the Revelation of the Glorious Qurn upon
the Final Prophet ( ), by Allh The Bestower of Honours.
5
Logically, then, the
second greatest miracle (after the Revelation of the Glorious Qurn) is his flawless
characteristics, which many respectable commentators whether religious, agnostic, or
secular agree readily eclipse the characteristics of even the most virtuous of other great
historical figures.
6
Indeed, the Beloved Prophet ( ) was, and is, at the greatest, most

1
Refer to The Glorious Qurn, Surat Al-Inshirah (The Chapter of the Expansion) 94:4
And raised high the esteem in which you are held.

2
Al-Mirj, in Arabic. In Islam, Al-Mirj concerns the Heavenly Ascent of the Blessed Prophet ( ),
whence Rasl Allh ( ) received indescribably beautiful lessons from Allh, Al-Alm (The Knower of
All), the Angels, former prophets and messengers, etc. (see a Al-Bukhri (Darussalam, 1994) vol. 1,
Hadth no. 345 and vol. 5, Hadth no. 227). Also, refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Al-Isr (The Chapter of
the Miraculous Night Journey) 17.
3
Refer to a Al-Bukhri (Darussalam, 1994) vol. 4, Hadth no. 831: it is reported on the authority of Anas
(May Allh be pleased with him, in Arabic), that the Makkans requested the Prophet ( ) to show
them a miracle, so he showed them the splitting of the moon.
4
Refer to a Al-Bukhri (Darussalam, 1994) 17 (citing Musnad Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal [Darussalam,
2012] vol. 3, 83: Musnad Abi Saeed Al-Khudri): it has been authentically reported that a wolf also spoke to one
of the righteous Companions (May Allh be pleased with them) of the Prophet ( ).
5
Al-Muizz, in Arabic: refer to The Glorious Qurn, Surat An-Nisa (The Chapter of the Women) 4:139.
6
Consider the esteemed words of Rev. Bosworth Smith (in Mohammed and Mohammadanism [London 1874]
92), He [the Blessed Prophet ] was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's pretensions,
Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a
fixed revenue; if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammed, for he had
all the power without its instruments and without its supports. Similarly, consider the sincere admiration in the
words of Montgomery Watt (in Mohammad at Mecca [Oxford 1953] 52: His readiness to undergo persecutions
for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as leader, and the
greatness of his ultimate achievement all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor
raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the
West as Muhammad.), Lamartine (in Histoire de la Turquie [Paris 1854, Vol II] 276-277: Philosopher, orator,
apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder
of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which
human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?). George Bernard Shaw,
(in The Genuine Islam [1936, vol. 8], observed: I believe if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the
modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring much needed peace and
happiness. I have studied him the man and in my opinion is far from being an antiChrist. He must be called the
unreachable level in all aspects of noble morality: he is the coolness of our eyes,
7
whose heart
never slept;
8
from the Sublime Lord he was sent to unite humanity, and through unrelenting
effort cried and cried and cried that we may, too, accept his message ( ), and find
peace and contentment.
9


Importantly, the preceding paragraph profoundly illuminates the manner in which Allh has
established and glorified His Own remembrance, by the arrival of His Signs and His raising
the reputation of the best of all creation
10
Habb Allh ( ), who was chosen to
convey the message of the Great Lord (Glorified and Exalted is He) and therefore invite
all of creation to the correct method of celestial contemplation and supplication (and in so
doing, would be intensely remembered).



Savior of Humanity. I have prophesied about the faith of Mohammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of
tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today.), amongst many, many others.
7
The expression coolness of the eyes refers to the experience of contentment, peace, and tranquility. Indeed, a
mother experiencing her child leaving upon a vast journey shall experience warmness of the eyes, an experience
of immense heartache and sorrow. Yet, that mother, experiencing the return of her child (from such sojourn)
shall be overcome by a merciful relief of grief, to experience true jocundity and solace: e.g. [And Allh favored
you (O Moses)] when your sister went and said, Shall I direct you to someone who will be responsible for
him? So Allh restored you to your mother that she might be content and not grieve. (Refer to The Glorious
Qurn, Surat Ta Ha, 20:40).
8
Indeed, it is understood that the heart, the soul (or rh, in Arabic), of the Blessed Messenger ( ) the
source of his consciousness of, and connection with, his Lord never slept, even when his eyes were
surrendered to slumber. Indeed, (from an excerpt of a narration of Ibn Abbas [May Allh be pleased with him],
reported on the authority of Kuraib [May Allh be pleased with him], in Sahh Al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4,
Hadth Number 140 [cf. Volume 1, Book 12, Hadth Number 818] and Volume 2, Book 21, Hadth Number
248) Sufyan said to 'Amr that some people said, "The eyes of the Apostle of Allh sleep but his heart does not
sleep." 'Amr replied, "I heard 'Ubaid bin 'Umar saying that the dreams of Prophets were Divine Revelation, and
then he recited the verse: 'I (Abraham) see in a dream, (O my son) that I offer you in sacrifice (to Allah)."
(37:102) (See Hadith No. 183)
9
Consider the genuine grief that the Blessed Messenger ( ) experienced, when many, many of the
people of his time rejected the pure message of Islam, given that he hoped for all of humanity from beginning
to end only the Peace of our Lord: see The Glorious Qurn, Surat Al-Kafh (The Chapter of the Cave) 18:6,
and Surat Al-Anm (The Chapter of the Cattle), 6:33.
10


O my Lord! Send Thy Blessings and Peace upon your Beloved
The best of all creation.
(Imam Al-Br, Qadat al-Burda [The Poem of the Cloak])

The Virtues of Srat Al-Inshirah (The Chapter of Expansion)


English Roman script
1. Have We (Allh) not expanded thee thy
breast? (O Rasl Allh [ ])
11

Alam nashrah laka sadraka

2. And removed from thee thy burden
12

W-wadan anka wiz'raka

3. Which did gall thy back? al-ladh anqada zahraka

4. And raised high the esteem (in which)
thou (art held)?
W -rafan laka dhik'raka


11
According to Ibn Kathir (ramtullahi alay), ayah one refers to Allh Al-Fatth, Al-Latf inquiring of
Rasl Allh ( ), have We not opened your chest for you? (viz., has not Allh, As-Salm, illuminated
it, and made it spaciou, vast and wide). Allh, Azza Wa-Jal, confirms this verity in Surat Al-Anam (The
Chapter of the Cattle), wherein He similarly proclaims: And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his
breast to Islam (6:125). See Tafsir I bn Kathir (Darussalam, 2000), Volume 10, 524-525.
12
According to Ibn Kathir (ramtullahi alay), ayah two (of Surat Ash-Sharh, Chapter 94) refers to Allah Al-
Ghaffr, Al-Ghafr, Al-Afw removing from His Blessed Habib ( ) all past and future sins
(although, rather than suggesting that Rasul Allah [ ] would have inclined to sin, otherwise, one may
deem this to mean that Allh, Al-Muizz, was bestowing upon him [] the Honour of prophethood and perfect
character). Indeed, Allh, Azza Wa-Jal clarifies this perfect statement, in Al-Qurn Al-Majd, Surat Al-Fat
(The Chapter of the Victory): That Allh may forgive you your sins of the past and the future (48:2). See Tafsir Ibn
Kathir, above n 11, 525.

5. So, verily, with every difficulty there is
relief:
fa-inna maa l-us'ri ys'ran

6. Verily, with every difficulty there is relief
inna maa l-us'ri ys'ran

7. Therefore, when thou art free (from thine
immediate task), still labour hard
fa-idh faraghta fa-insab

8. And to thy Lord turn (all) thy attention
attention.
w il Rabbika fa-ir'ghab



1. Alam nashrah laka sadraka
English Roman script Arabic
Have not

We expanded

for you

your breast
Alam

nashra

laka

adraka




2. W-wada n anka wizraka
And We removed

from you

your burden
w-wada n

anka

wizraka




3. Al-ladh anqada zahraka
Which

al-ladh

weighed upon

your back

anqada

zahraka



4. W rafa n laka dhikraka
And raised high

for you

your remembrance (repute,
laudation, esteem, etc.)
w rafa n

laka

dhikraka




5. Fa-inna maa l-usri ysran
So, indeed,

with

(the) difficulty

(is) relief
fa-inna

maa

l-usri

ysran




6. Inna maa l-usri ysran
Indeed,

with

(the) difficulty

(is) relief
inna

maa

l-usri

ysran




7. fa-idh faraghta fa-insab
So, when

you have finished,

then labour hard
fa-idh

faraghta

fa-insab




8. w il Rabbika fa-ir'ghab
And to

your Lord

turn (all) your attention
w la

Rabbika

fa-irghab



Allh Ar-Rfi Raised High the Esteem of our Beautiful Habb
( )
According to Ibn Kathir (ramtullahi alay [in Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Darussalam, 2000), Volume
10]), ayah four (of Surat Al-, Chapter 94) And raised high the esteem (in which) thou (art
held)? (Al-Qurn Al-Majd, 94:4) is an incredibly precious Verse of Revelation, for it
contains the praises of Rasl Allh ( ).

Indeed, it is reported upon the authority of Mujhid (radi Allhu anhu), in the blessed
text of Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (viz., Tafsir At-Tabari), that Allh pronounced
directly upon His Most Beloved ( ):
I (Allh, Azza Wa-Jal) am not remembered except that you are remembered with Me: I
[testify] that there is no [deity] worthy of worship except Allh, and that Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allh.
13


Furthermore, Qatdah (radi Allhu anhu) supports this meritorious observation,
stating:
Allh raised his ( ) fame in this life and in the Hereafter. There is no one who
gives a sermon, declares the Testimony of Faith (Shahdah), or prays a prayer (Salh)
except that he proclaims it: I [testify] that there is no [deity] worthy of worship except
Allh, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allh.
14


Indeed, our Lord
15
Exalts and Honours Rasl Allh ( ) throughout the infinitely
intricate Wisdom of His Creation and Revelation, granting our Beautiful Habb ( )
true Abundance (kauthar, in Arabic), in the life of the present, and in the Hereafter
16

(forevermore, InshaAllh Tala). Certainly, Allh is Dh-l-Jalli wa-l-Ikrm,
17
al-Ghan,
18

al-Mughn.
19



Allh Al-Latf Informs our Beautiful Prophet ( )
How we should remember our Lord
According to the idyllic wisdom of Rasl Allh ( ),
The example of the person who remembers his Lord and the person who does not
remember Him, is that of the living and the dead.
20


13
Refer to Tafsir At-Tabari (Dar al-Kotob al-Ilmiyah, 1999) 24:494 (Cf. Tafsir Ibn Kathir, above n 11, 525).
14
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, above n 11, 525-526 (citing Tafsir At-Tabari, above n 5).
15
Refer to the Most Beautiful Names of Allh (Al-Qurn Al-Majd, Surat Al-Araf [The Chapter of the
Elevations] 7:180), Al-Muizz (The Bestower of Honours), Ar-Rfi (The Exalter), and Al-Khafd (The
Abaser; the Humbler), Who Honours and Exalts whomever He Wills, and Abases and Humbles others.
16
Or, in the florid Arabic tongue: f l-ayati l-dun'y w f l-khirati. (Cf. Al-Qurn Al-Majd, Srat Yunus,
10:62-64).
17
Al-Qurn Al-Majd, Srat Ramn (The Chapter of the Most Merciful), 55:27.
18
Al-Qurn Al-Majd, Srat Al-Anm (The Chapter of the Cattle), 6:133.
19
The Enricher.
20
Reported upon the authority of Abu Musa (radi Allhu anhu), in the venerable texts of Sahh Al-Bukhari
(#6,407) and Sahh Muslim (#779).
From this prophetic observation, we may certainly appreciate the fact that our Beloved
Prophet ( ) lived, and exists,
21
more truthfully than any other person, for he was, and
is, best acquainted with Allh (Al-Haqq [The Truth], Al-Khabr [The All-Aware and Well-
Acquainted with Everything]) through his sincere dhikrullah and patient submission to the
Will of Allh.

Therefore, may Allh Tala ever impress upon our moistened tongues
22
and invest within
our hearts the remembrance of His Majesty and His Beloved Prophet ( ), to whom we
are thankful for guiding us to Allh Azza Wa-jal, and about whom we are thankful to Allh
Tala for guiding him to us.

Therefore, when you are free from your immediate task, still labour hard
And to your Lord turn all your attention.
23


Our Natural Capacity to Practice Dhikrullah
It is reported upon the authority of Abu Huraira ( ):
The Blessed Messenger ( ) said,
No child is born except on Al-Fitra (the instinctual inclination toward Islam) and then his
parents make him Jewish, Christian or Magian, as an animal produces a perfect young
animal: Do you see any part of its body amputated?
24



21
Refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Al-Baqarah (2:154): And say not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah,
"They are dead." Nay, they are living, but you perceive (it) not.

Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision
(the Glorious Qurn, Surat Al-Baqarah [2:154]):

22
Rasul Allh ( ) has said of the merit of dhikrullah: Let your tongue remain moist with the
remembrance of Allh: related in the texts of Imam Ahmad (#17,227 and 17,245), Ad-Tirmidhi (#3,375), and
Ibn Majah (#3,793). Also consider the authoritative report in al-Mishkat al-Masabeeh (#2,279).
23
Refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Al-Inshirah (94:7-8).
24
Sahh Al-Bukhari (Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan) Volume 6, Book 60, Hadth Number 298.
From this authentic exposition of wisdom one may appreciate that Allh has divulged to our
Beautiful Prophet ( ) knowledge that we at our core behold an innate connection
with the Lord, Al-Khabr, Al-Qarb (The All-Aware and Well-Acquainted with
Everything;
25
The Nigh, the One Who is Near
26
[Who is closer to an individual than her/his
own jugular vein
27
]). Indeed, the profundity of such statement, with deference to the subject
of Dhikrullah (and, incidentally, the authentic science of taawwuf [viz., Knowledge of the
Self]), finds validation also in the material sciences, not just in theological discourse,
classical literature,
28
metaphysical hypotheses, and/or philosophical propositions. Allh, Al-
Muawwir, has fashioned humanity to be a vessel bearing celestial (or noumenal)
29
remnants
through the temporal (or phenomenal) life of this world: recent neurological studies have
shown that not unlike the mind (as a psychological apparatus) the brain (in terms of
physiology) responds in a unique, immensely intriguing manner when an individual
undertakes meditation or prayer.

How curious, then, that Allh Tala Al-Alm, Al-Hakm should explicitly convey in the
Glorious Qurn, that He, our Lord, created not the jinns and humans except they should
worship
30
Him (Alone), which worship predicates our knowledge of, and receptivity to, His
Prescribed Methods of worship (viz., salt, dhikrullah, du, saum, etc.)




25
Refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Al-Hashr (59:18): O you who believe! Have fear [and awareness] of Allh, and
let each self look to what it has sent forward for tomorrow. Have fear [and awareness] of Allh. Allh is aware of what you
do.
26
Refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Al-Baqarah (2:186): If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the
call of the caller when he calls upon Me. They should therefore respond to Me and believe in Me, so that hopefully they will be
rightly guided.
27


And indeed We have created man, and We know what his ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular
vein (by Our Knowledge).
Refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Qaf (50:16).
28
Consider the many, many profound writings of William Shakespeare, John Milton, Christopher Marlowe
(etc.), all of whom produced vast quantities of literature concerning the human relationship with the Divine.
29
The term noumenon refers to intellectual conception of a thing (or an event) as it is in itself, not as known
through the apparatus of sensory perception (from which the term phenomenon arises).
30
Refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Adh-Dhriyt (The Chapter of the Winnowing Winds) 51:56

Deactivating the (Right) Parietal Lobe During Prayer
The Loss of Self, The Attainment of Ecstasy (Wajd)

Principal fissures and lobes of the cerebrum viewed laterally. (Parietal lobe is shown in purple)
Within the human brain, the parietal lobes (viz., one lobe positioned in each cerebral
hemisphere [right and left, respectively]) regulate the senior executive functions, maintaining
the physical-body-in-space perception (or visuospatial processing); such lobes constituting
one of the four major lobe pairs of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals also regulate
how one perceives the personal image of the body, both physically and visually. Indeed, the
parietal lobes receive distinct sensory stimuli from the entire body and are essential to
registering the experience of pain and other sensations occurring to the arms, legs, face,
etc.
31
That is, the parietal lobe executes important functions in integrating sensory
information from various parts of the body, knowledge of numbers and their relations, and in
the manipulation of objects.
32
For the purpose of this discourse, the manner in which the
brain viz., the anterior cortex and right parietal lobe is affected by prayer is in question.
According to Dr. Andrew Newberg (medical doctor and neuroscientist), the Director of
Research at the Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine (at Thomas Jefferson
University Hospital and Medical College, Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [USA]),
33

recent studies of neural activity accentuated in patients performing prayer has raised
questions as to the (perhaps, innate) disposition of humans to find meaning and solace in
prayer: Verily, in the remembrance of Allh do hearts find rest.
34


31
Joseph Rhawn, Ph.D., Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, Clinical Neuroscience (3
rd
edition, Academic
Press, 2000).
32
See, generally, Dr. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore and Prof. Uta Frith, The Learning Brain (Blackwell Publishing,
2005).
33
See the intriguing research of Dr. Newberg, at http://www.andrewnewberg.com/research/ (accessed 17-07-
14).
34
Refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Ar-Rad (The Chapter of the Thunder) 13:28: Those who believe (in the
Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of
Allah do hearts find rest.
Deactivating the Right Parietal Lobe through Dhikrullah;
The Disappearance of the Self

This image was generated by using a developmental brain imaging technique, SPECT (Single Photon
Emission Computed Tomography), during a neutral, resting state (left) and during a state of
meditation or prayer (right). Significantly, it was observed how activity in the anterior (frontal) lobe
of the brain exhibited increased neurological stimulation during the supplicatory state (in the form of
red coloration, which indicates the augmented brain activity), and decreased brain activity in the
posterior (rear) lobe, particularly the Right Parietal Lobe (which segment of the brain is responsible
for registering various forms of sensory perception [e.g. of the hands, etc.], visuospatial recognition,
and so on).
35

Importantly, what these SPECT images indicate is that during mediation, or prayer, the
anterior (frontal) cortex of the brain is acutely activated: a consequence of the subject person
concentrating upon (for example) spoken supplication, the instrument of their devotion.
However, Dr. Newberg furthermore observed an immense decrease in activity of the right
parietal lobe. The right parietal lobe, amongst other things (as previously illuminated,
above), facilitates sensory orientation of a person in three-dimensional space. Stated
otherwise, the right parietal lobe enables an individual to accurately perceive her/his
surroundings and her/his place therein: e.g. the fact that one is X metres from a bathroom, Y
metres from a door, and so on. Therefore, Dr. Newberg hypothesizes that such decreased
activity in the brains of individuals meditating or praying indicates that they lose their ability


35
See, generally, http://www.andrewnewberg.com/ (accessed 15-07-14).
to differentiate where they cease and something else commences. Thus, those enveloped in
sincere supplication find themselves at one with the universe, a state often described in a
moment of transcendence (viz., existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level).
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this research is the fact that such cerebral stimulation
(increased anterior cortex activity and decreased right parietal lobe activity) is manifest in
only those who believe in God, whereas with atheists (or those of a secular preferences, etc.)
any such results were non-existent (or inconclusive, at best).

In conclusion, a brain of sincere supplicant is the designated receptacle for the contemplation,
and supplication, of the Creator Al-Mujb (The Responder to Prayer) just as the human
heart is the (metaphorical) tabernacle within which sits the lamp of Allah, housing His Divine
Light.
36
Indeed, in a Quds hadth (a narration Revealed directly upon the heart of Rasl
Allh [ ]), Allh Tala Perfectly Attests to our essential connection with Him:
It is reported upon the authority of Abu Hurairah ( ) that our Beautiful Prophet ( )
has related that Allh, Al-Qarb, Proclaims:
I am with My slave as long as he remembers Me, and as long as his lips move (with
remembrance of Me).
37


For further information, please refer to the following link
http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/through-the-wormhole/videos/your-brain-on-
prayer.htm

36
Refer to the Glorious Qurn, Surat Nr (The Chapter of the Light) 24:35 Allh is the Light of the heavens
and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp is in glass, the glass as it were
a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the
west (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth
(of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables
for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.

37
Refer to the venerable hadith collections of Ahmad (#10,585 and 10,592) and Ibn Majah (#3,972)
Furthermore, Imam Al-Bukhari (ramtullahi alay) related this narration as a Muallaq (or suspended)
transmission, in his Book of Tawheed.