The Believer’s Strange Rejoicing – and an Exclusive Eid Gift
Eid Message from Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Eid al-Adha, 1439 / 2018
“Say: In Allah’s grace and mercy let them rejoice. That is far better than whatever they amass.” [Qur’an, 10.58]
Allah, the Lord of Grace and Mercy, has made rejoicing (farah) a religious duty. Gratitude for God’s blessings doesn’t come easily to humans. Rather, we’re given to rejoice in the gifts, while forgetting the Giver.
Eid is a time to rejoice in Allah’s Blessings; to rejoice in the Grace and Mercy of Allah; to rejoice in Allah Himself.
Take time this Eid to look with gratitude: appreciate and celebrate the blessings of faith, guidance, and good in your life. Celebrate the blessing of parents, family, friends, and community. Celebrate everything that surrounds you of Allah’s blessings.
And direct this celebration in gratitude to the Giver–Allah Most High, declaring, ‘God is Truly Great’ (Allahu Akbar).
What About Difficulties and Trials
We all have troubles, and difficulties–and we are all aware of much injustice, tribulation, hardship, and distress all around the world.
However, the believer understands that all trials are from the Divine Wisdom. Allah Most High tells us, “[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deeds.” [Qur’an, 67.2]
If we respond to the tests in our life–and the tests we see around us–with the best of deeds, with steadfast patience (sabr) and gratitude (shukr), then every moment of our lives is a moment of light, mercy, good, and a step on the path of Divine Love.
This is the marvel of the Prophetic way. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “How strange are the affairs of the believer, for their entire affair is for their good–and that is for no one but the believer. If pleasing things happen to them, they are grateful–and that is good for them. And if displeasing things happen to them, they are steadfastly patience–and that is also good for them.” [Muslim]
The Burda of Imam Busiri
The Burda of Imam Busiri of Imam Sharaf al-Din al-Busiri (d. 696 AH, 1295 CE) is a ten-chapter, 160-line poem in praise of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It is arguably the most loved, most recited, and most commented-upon poem in human history. There are over 100 scholarly commentaries by the greatest late scholars of Islam on it–including commentaries by Ibn Hajar, Zakariyya al-Ansari, Mulla Ali al-Qari, and Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, all imams of Islamic scholarship. This poem continues to be recited and sung from East and West.
This exclusive rendition of the Qasida Burda was recorded in a lively, ‘Shami’ (Syrian) style by the Diya Brothers of Amman, Jordan, for SeekersGuidance Global.
We are sharing it with the global SeekersGuidance family as an Eid Gift. May Allah increase us in faith, guidance, and good–and make us of those who have true love and gratitude.
With love and best wishes,
Faraz Rabbani
Executive Director, SeekersGuidance Toronto Islamic Seminary
Exclusive Eid Gift
This exclusive rendition of the Qasida Burda was recorded in a lively, ‘Shami’ (Syrian) style by the Diya Brothers of Amman, Jordan, for SeekersGuidance Global.
