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On Egotism – Richard Weaver

On Egotism

By Richard Weaver

The following excerpt is from “Ideas Have Consequences” by Richard Weaver, an American scholar from the South who taught at the University of Chicago and was a strong critic of modern society. (Biography) This book is relevant to Muslims as it explains how the modern world developed and how it is distinct from traditional societies.

Weaver argued that Western civilization is in a spiritual and intellectual decline due to its limiting of knowledge to quantity and matter which resulted in the inevitable consequences of moral relativism, social fragmentation, meaningless labor, hedonistic consumer culture, political impotence, and nihilistic warfare.

Below, Weaver explains how all of these spiritual and intellectual shifts have resulted in the rise of egotism. He traces how egotism results in social withdrawal and also engages in historical views of the ego to show how modern society is deficient in its conception of the self.

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“AS ONE views modern man in his innumerable exhibitions of irresponsibility and defiance, one may discern, if he has the courage to see what he sees – which, as Charles Peguy reminded us, is the higher courage – a prodigous egotism. This egotism, which is another form of fragmentation, is a consequence of that fatal decision to make a separate self the measure of value. A figure from Neo-Platonism is suggested, and one may picture the original spirit manifesting itself in many particulars, which lose sight of their original source and decide to set up godheads in their own right.

My Lord’s knowledge has sufficed me – Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad Sings a Powerful Qasida of Imam al-Haddad (Qad Kafani `Ilmu Rabbi)

/in Article-General /by Shaykh Faraz

YouTube – Qad Kafani Ilmu Rabbi

Shaikh Abdal-Hakim Murad singing Imam Al-Haddad’s poem (Allah have mercy upon him), Qad Kafani Ilmu Rabbi:

My Lords knowledge has sufficed me
from asking or choosing
For my dua and my agonizing supplication
is a witness to my poverty.
For this secret I make supplication
in times of ease and times of difficulty
I am a slave whose pride
is in his poverty and obligation
O my Lord and my King
You know my state
And what has settled in my heart
of agonies and preoccupations
Save me with a gentleness
from You, O Lord of Lords
Oh save me, Most Generous
before I run out of patience Read more

Islam and the Other Religions – Dr. Ahmad Mohamed El Tayeb (the new Shaykh al-Azhar)

/in Article-General /by Shaykh Faraz

The following is the transcript of a speech given by Dr. El-Tayeb, the new Shaykh al-Azhar, at an interfaith program at the Washington National Cathedral.

Washington National Cathedral : Summit : About the Four Principals and Participants

Islam and the Other Religions

Professor Dr. Ahmad Mohamed El Tayeb
President of Al-Azhar University

Islam is the last link in the chain of “divine religion” revealed to all the prophets and messengers, beginning with Adam and ending with Muhammad—may God’s peace and blessing be upon them all.

Pondering the verses of the noble Qur’an, would immediately realize how the appellation Islam (lit. submission) is not meant to refer just to the particular message revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but it is in fact a generic name, covering the revealed messages of all the prophets, regardless of time or place. It is thus quite normative to describe the prophets preceded Muhammad as having been Muslim (muslimun: lit. submitted to God) and that Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, like Muhammad, should be equally called Muslim. It is thus sufficient to read the verses of the Qur’an: 128, 132, 133 of the second chapter of “The Cow” (al-Baqara); verse 52 of the third chapter “The Family of ‘Imran” (Al ‘Imran); verses 84 of the chapter “Jonah” (Yunus) and verse 91 of the chapter “The Ants” (An-Naml); to become convinced that these luminous names in the tablet of prophethood are all called “Muslims” by the Qur’an.

This shared religion between Islam—the final revelation—and the revelations that came before it, is not simply a common name or title, but it goes much deeper to indicate a commonality of what constitutes the very content of “Islam,” its substance, and its reality. Thus inquiry into what Muhammad has brought, in terms of essential doctrines, fundamental morals, and exhortation to worship only go to show that it is of one nature with the religion of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, and all the prophets and messengers, which proves that the Muslim position does not conceive of God as having vouchsafed it a new religion, but that the religion revealed to their prophet is only the one universal religion revealed to all the earlier prophets:

“The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah—the which We have sent by inspiration to thee—and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him).” (41:13)

Habib Muhammad al-Saqqaf: Mobile Phone Goes Off in the Mosque – A Beautiful Reminder on How to Respond with Gentleness and Mercy

/in Article-General /by Shaykh Faraz

YouTube – “Mobile’s Ringtone” Alhabib Mohammad Alsaqqaf “Rob3yat”

Mufti Taqi Usmani: Key Islamic Principles for Reforming the Global Financial System in a Manner that Promotes the Greater Good

/in Article-General /by Shaykh Faraz

Post-Crisis Reforms: Some Points to Ponder by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani « at-Tahawi

Mufti Taqi Usmani writes: In modern economics, we are used to a purely materialistic and secular approach that does not allow religious concepts to interfere with its theories and concepts, on the premise that economy is outside the domain of religion. It is, however, an interesting irony that every dollar note has the admission: “In God we trust”, but when it comes to develop theories to earn dollars or to distribute or spend them, trust is placed only on human ideas based on personal assessments; God is held totally out of picture, as being irrelevant to economic activities!

It is perhaps for the first time that, as an aftermath of the present financial crisis, when different quarters are coming up with different suggestions to solve the problem, the ‘World Economic Forum’ has invited representatives of religion to give their input to the initiative of reshaping the economic set-up on the basis of values, principles and fresh thoughts. This commendable initiative deserves full support from religious circles. As a humble student of Islamic disciplines, and particularly of Islamic economic principles, I would like to highlight some basic points, derived from Islamic economic precepts, that I believe, are essential for independent and fresh consideration while seeking solutions to our economic problems….

Read entire paper… Mufti Taqi Usmani: Post-Crisis Reforms

Originally posted on: at-Tahawi

The Salat al-Mashishiyya – Ibn Mashish’s Powerful Litany of Praise, Blessing, and Sending of Peace on the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his folk)

/in Article-General /by Shaykh Faraz

YouTube – La prière de Ibn Mashish

Ibn Mashish (Allah be pleased with him), d. 622 AH, was one of the great masters of the spiritual path of sufism, and was the teacher and guide of Imam Abu’l Hasan al-Shadhili.

Arabic text of the Salat al-Mashishiyya: here.

From Ibn Mashish’s Advice to Imam Shadhili:

Abu’l Hasan al-Shadhili said, “My dearly beloved [namely, Ibn Mashish] counseled me: Abu’l Hasan, take not a single step unless you are hopeful of Allah’s reward therein; sit not except where you’re safe from disobeying Allah; keep only the company of one who assists you in obeying Allah Most High; and choose only those who increase you in certitude–and these are few indeed.”

And Allah alone gives success.
See: Moulay Abd as-Salam ibn Mashish

Imam Jafar al-Sadiq on the Freshness of the Qur’an Through the Ages

/in Article-General /by Shaykh Faraz

Jafar al-Sadiq in the Tarikh Baghdad:

A man asked him, “Why does the Quran, despite the coming of new and passing of [old generations], only increase in its freshness?” He replied, “Because God did not make it for one specific time or one specific people, so it is new in every age, fresh for every people, until the Day of Judgment.” (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 6:115)

Shared by Professor Jonathan Brown.

Mawlid by Moonlight – Hina Khan-Mukhtar

/in Events, Prophet Muhammad, Prophetic Guidance /by Content Team

The flickering flame of a candle casts a light on a child’s face, causing it to glow…and something magical happens. The six-year-old opens his mouth to sing salawaat on the Prophet…and hearts soften.

An older sister takes her brother by the hand as they march off to the beat of a daff, singing nasheeds under a full moon, falling in line behind fifty other young ones…and tears spring to my eyes.

It is known as Mawlid by Moonlight and it took place this month of Rabi ul Awwal in celebration of the birth of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alaihi wasallam). A dream of my friend’s for the past ten years — with the permission of Allah, it has finally become the reality she had envisioned almost a decade earlier.

Back when our children were pre-schoolers, we gathered with them every 12th of Rabi ul Awwal to decorate candles, singing Ta’ala al-Badru ‘Alayna while we worked with our glitter and colored wax and beads. We taught them songs and explained the significance of the noor of the Prophet, comparing him to a candle who leads people out of the darkness and into the light of knowledge of Allah Subhana wa Ta’ala. We read stories from the Seerah, highlighting our Messenger’s special relationship with children and animals and his divinely inspired message of mercy to the worlds. My friend’s wish that the children participate in a candlelight parade, marching in the darkness while holding their candles and singing, couldn’t come to fruition due to the fact that the month of Rabi ul Awwal arrived during the summer months in those days. Most of the children would be asleep long before the sun had set…even longer before the white moon had risen.

Our older children are in middle school now while younger siblings have joined the growing families, masha’Allah, and the tide turned a few years ago when Rabi ul Awwal finally arrived in the spring months. As we have done for the past few years, we gather on a friend’s ranch where our homeschooling co-operative meets during the week, hiking up and down green hills with the neighing of horses and the calling of a peacock accompanying our children as they sing, “Salallaahu ala Muhammad, Salallaahu alaihi wasallam”. The flames dance in our boys’ and girls’ excited eyes, a father beats the daff, a mother calls out, “Look at the moon, children! The skies have cleared! SubhanAllah!”

Earlier in the week, I had shown a poem to our children’s Islamic Studies teacher who is also the father of one of my fifth grade students. “Do you want to hear what your daughter wrote in class?” I asked him.

“I would like that,” he responded, turning from his computer work in the teachers’ lounge.

I read from the paper I held in my hands…