Copy of The Book of Wisdoms

The Book of Wisdoms

The following aphorism is covered in this talk:

"So long as you are in this world, be not surprised at the existence of sorrows. For, truly, it manifests nothing but what is in keeping with its character or its inevitable nature"

Don't Be Surprised By The Difficulties Of The World [Hikam 24]

***The Book of Wisdoms series***

The following aphorism is covered in this talk:

"To soften for you the suffering of affliction, He has taught you that He is the One who causes trials to come upon you. For the one who confronts you with His decrees of Fate is the same who has accustomed you to His good choice."

Difficulties And Good Come From The Same God [Hikam 105]

In this talk the Shaykh emphasizes how the spiritual seeker should not become despondent of the mercy of Allah, and that even after one has sinned he or she must think of the mercy of His Lord. The Shaykh reveals that the problem lies with habituated sins and that the key of removing this is making sincere repentance and having conviction that only Allah can safeguard them from their evil desires. If one does not believe this he or she has underestimated the Divine Power. The seeker should hold firm to the fact that nothing is beyond Allah's power. He is dominant over everything and the only administrator and manipulator of the hearts. Shaykh Abdur-Rahman mentions that at times Allah places situations of darkness or confusion upon His servants to make them realise that it is only Allah who can bring them out of it and that they just need to have hope and good thoughts about Him.

This talk covers Hikam number 197 which can be found on page 165 in The Book of Wisdoms https://www.whitethreadpress.com/the-book-of-wisdoms-2/

The Ray Of Hope In The Darkness [Hikam 197]

"And if you attempted to count all the favours of Allah, you will not be able to innumerate them..." (Surah Nahl)

From all the limitless bounties Allah has decended upon His creation, the Shaykh discusses two graces that are inevitable  and inseparable for every creature; the grace of existence and the grace of sustenance.

Muslim religious life not only consists of belief in orthodox tenets of faith and a determined effort to follow the Sacred Law, it also requires one to scale the heights of the spiritual path. In this series we will study the book 'The Kitab al-Hikam' of Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’illah al-Iskandari. It is the inspiring explanation of the soul’s journey through this life, as determined through the Qur’an and Sunna. Along with his treatises and intimate discourses (munajat), the substantive feature of the work is the author’s 264 spiritual aphorisms (hikam)­—concise, comprehensive and sublime sayings on self purification (tazkiya), and guidelines to help strengthen the relationship between humans and their Lord. These aphorisms, which have never failed to inspire.

The Two Indispensable Graces of God [Hikam 97 & 98]

In this lecture Shaykh Abdur-Rahman mentions the two states of the Path, and how for the seeker it necessitates for him to contemplate on the creation to then understand the Divine Names of the Creator. Shaykh then goes on to mention how the purity of ones deeds gets contaminated and what the seeker must remove from themselves to ensure that their good deeds are accepted in the Divine Court.

This talk covers Hikam number 261 which can be found on page 134 in The Book of Wisdoms

Remembrance to Reflection [Hikam 261]

In this session, Shaykh Abdur-Rahman discusses how one can progress with their dhikr and how it is important to not abandon it despite low levels of concentration. It is a ploy of Shaytaan to get one to abandon dhikr altogether as he knows the great benefit dhikr holds.

The Shaykh goes on to mentions that concentration levels develop over time and it is important for one to not become hopeless or despondent. The journey of dhikr is such that one must first engage their tongue in the rememberance of Allah and the heart will then follow, both becoming in sync.

Allah has said “If you remember me then I will remember you”. This is how the Lord honours and bestows His grace upon His obedient servants by allowing them to remember Him and He remembering them. By acknowledging this the Seeker of the Path holds dear each precious second of the dhikr and mediation and enthusiastically builds upon it.

Don't Abandon Dhikr Just Because You cannot Concentrate [Hikam 47]

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Don't Abandon Dhikr Just Because You cannot Concentrate [Hikam 47]

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