Hidayaath in Markaz Nizamuddin (20Aug-30Sep 2009)

Asal Hum Amaal ko Aadaat kay taur par kar rahein hain.
A'maal to Ibaadat kay taur par karengay to fayda hai.

Isteghfaar khud ek zikr hai. Log kahtay hain kay Iteghfaar gunaah karnay kay baad karna. Yeh kahna hai sahi nahi hai.

Allah (swt) ki khudrat waadon kay saath hai aur wa'day Hukmoun kay saath hai, Asbaab kay saath koi waada nahi hai

Namaaz ko Qaa'yem karna hai isko acchhi tarah bana kar padhna hai.
Jiss nay Qouma poori tarah na kiya uss nay namaz ko bigaad daala

Jab tumhay nek Ama'al khush karay aur gunaah ghamgeen karay to yeh Emaan ki Alaamat hai.

Allah ki zaat say fayda uthanay kay liye Kaiyenaat ka yaqeen Nikaalna shart hai.

Allah ka saath asal hai, agar koi haajat pesh aajaye to fouran Allah ki taraf mutawajjoh ho jao.

Hazrat Umar (Rz.A) ka irshaad hai Allah ka zikr karo to Allah kay dhyaan kay saath karo, Allah ka zikr Allah ka dhyaan paiyda karnay kay liye hai. Jitna zikr may dhyaan paida karnay ki koshish karogay pooray amaal may dhyaan paida hona shuru ho jayega.

Jo amal Allah kay ghair kay liye hoga usta Azaab hoga. Ikhlaas ki yeh hai ki RIYA ka shuba dil may ho.

Iss raastay main koi bhi takleef aaye to Saha'ba ki takleef ko yaad karo
Saha'aba ki khurbaani hamaray samnay ho, Khaybar ki sardi, Tabook ki garmi aur Khandhak ki bhook.
Huzoor (SWAS) in har mouqay par sahaba ko khurooj may nikaala.

Raahaton say kufr phaiylta hai, Islaam takleef say phaiylta hai.

Bazaar main 4th Kalima padhnay ka sawaab 10lakh nekiyaan hai.

Chaine, Izzat, barkat, hifaazat 24 ghantay kay deeni ama'al mein hai.

Cheezon say kaam nahin bantay, kaam Allah banatay hain. Cheezen (things) khaali bartan(empty vessels) hai, agar Allah chahengay to kaam banengay.

Insaan ki fitrat hai, jissay mohabbat karta hai uskay taa'bay hokar chalta hai. Allah kay raastay main nikal kar Allah ki badhaai (greatness) khoob bolo takay Allah kay ghair ka yaqeen dil say nikal jaye.

Jannat aur Jahannam kay maloomat to ghair muslim bhi haasil kar sakta hai,, ek sahab kahnay lagay ki unhonay Jannat-Jahannam may Ph.D ki hai.

Wa'day aur waeedon ka sunna yaqeen lanay kay liye hai.

Kalmay ki daa'wat ka zyaada haqdaar Mo'min hai. Yeh samajhna ki kalmay ki mehnat ghairon kay liye hai sahi nahi hai. Ghairon kay liye to islaam ki daa'wat hai aur emaan ki daa'wat emaan walon kay liye.

Hum zikr to kartay hai, lekin Allah (swt) ka Tazkera nahin kartay.

Bazaaron(markets) main ghair ka tazkera karnay say bazaaron ka tazkera ghaalib aa jayega.

Daa'wat ka kaam farz-e-Aiyn hai, yaani apni zaat kay liye. Jo kaam doosron kay liye hota hai usay farz-e-kifaaya kahtay hain.

Jo namaaz main ghaafil hai, woh doosray azkaar main Allah ka dhyaan nahin la sakta.

Aaj say yeh taiye (decide) karo ki jo bhi haajat pesh aayegi fourann namaaz ki taraf mutawajjoh hongay.

Jis nay asbaab ko muqaddam kiya usnay Allah ko peechey kar diya

Sadqaat ko asbaab par muqaddam karo. Iss liye ki sadqa aanay wali bala'a ko raastay hi say rukhsat(rok) deta hai.

Hum sadqa jab dete hain jab bala'a pahunch jaati hai.

Sadqa hukum poora karnay kay liye karna hai haajat poori karnay ke liye nahin.

hamaray dil main daa'wat kay kaam ki ehmiyat ka yaqeen hona zaroori hai.

Allah kay saath qurb haasil karnay ke liye, iss kaam say zyaada koi raastay main nahi hai.

Agar hamari daa'wat doosron ki Islaah ho to hum ghaa'fil hongay. Jab daawat apnay liye hogi to apnay andar istedaa'at paida hogi.

Allah Taa'la nay asbaab isliye banaye hain ki dekhein iss mein padh kar, banda Allah ko kitna yaad rakhta hai.

Jo natayej(results) ko Allah ki taraf mansoob karega woh shaaker hai.
Jo natayej(results) ko ghair ki taraf mansoob karega woh mushrik hai.

Allah kay waa'day Ama'al kay saath hai, asbaab kay saath nahin.

Hum jitna apnay aap ko asbaab main thakaatay hain, utna Ama'al main thakaday to Allah hamein asbaab say faarigh kardengay ya hamaray asbbaab main barkateein daal dengay.

Asbaab banaakar Allah say maangna kufr hai.
Ama'al banaakar Allah say maangna Emaan hai.

Jiss main Allah kay saamnay asbaab rakh kar manga woh Allah ki Qudrat ka Inkaar kar diya.

Shaytan nay waa'don ko ghair yaqeeni banadega. Log samjhengay ki woh sahaba thay, iss liye unkay saath hua, hamaray saath nahi hoga. Sahaaba kay saath madad(help) unkay Ama'al ki wajah say hui, aur jitnay karamaat buzurgon ne kiye woh un Ama'al key hain jo unhonay kiye.

ABIDJAN - IVORY COAST

click on the image to get the full view


Ivory Coast is located in the West of the African Continent. It is about 20,000kms from India and is located on GMT (00:00)

Its main cities are
1. Abidjan
2. Yamousoukkro (Capital)
3. Grand Bassam
4. Man

Currency : CFA
Conversion Rate
1 USD = 465 CFA
1 SR = 110 CFA
1 INR = 10 CFA

Local Language : French / Jula / Arabic (very less)

Foodgrains available in Abidjan and their prices :
1. Meat - 1kg - 2500 cfa
2. Beef - 1kg - 1800 cfa
3. Chicken - each - 2500cfa
4. Tomato - 1kg -400cfa
5. Potato - 1kg - 200 to 300 cfa
6. Harimirchi
7. Kotmir
8. Pyaaz - 1kg - 400 cfa
9. Banana - 1piece - 100cfa
10. Pineapple - 1 full - 200cfa
11. Rice - 300 cfa ( above average quality)
12. Milk - 1 litre (long life only) - 900 cfa
13. Sunflower Oil - 1 litre - 3000 cfa
14. Mineral Water - 500ml - 50cfa
15. French Bread (long samoli) - 150 cfa (each)
16. Cooking Gas - (5 kg ) - 2500 cfa
17. Anti-Malaria Tablets - (4 tablets pack) - 4,495 cfa

Service Charges
1. Taxi Fares - between 500 cfa to 2500 for commuting in city
2. Ironing of Cloths - 50 cfa per piece
3. Doctor Consultation - 12,000 cfa
4. Blood Test - 17,000 cfa
5. Full Medical check-up - 90,000 cfa
6. Vaccination (Yellow Fever) - 7000


A short summary of our trip.

We reached Abidjan on 18-Aug-09, and were recieved at the Abidjan Airport by Sheikh Saleh from Markaz. They had come with about 3 cars and one pickup to recieve us. We were taken to the Markaz, which is located in WilliamsVille in Abidjan.

The area is suburb and little away from the main city (about 15kms) and our first sight of Markaz was not very satisfying.

About the Markaz.

This is the Markaz of the whole country.The Markaz was just a small area with Tin-Shade roof, which could accomodate only about 300-400 people for prayer, with a separate portion for accomodating the foreign Jamaats. There were hardly 4-5 tubelights in the whole markaz area and no fan at all, with just one or two fans in the foriegn jamaat rooms, which were also having attached bathrooms. However, it was glowing in its own light because of the Amaal there. It was bustling with activity, in full descipline. There is Rawangi adaab for outgoing jamaats, vaapasi ki baat for returning jamaat, Hidayaat, Taleem and prayers in this small area. They were following the same principle as of Markaz Nizamuddin. Added to that, there is also security at the two gates, not by private personnel, but the same people who have voluntarily agreed to guard the area, for small periods from 1hour to 4 hours each.

They have a shoura of about 10 people, out of which 5 shoura members have been selected by the Markaz Nizamuddin Hazraat.

We stayed in the Markaz for 4 days from 18th upto 21st of August. During our stay, we were involved in the various Amaal of the Markaz like, Fajar Bayaan, Asar Bayaan, Maghrib Bayaan and Hayatus Sahaba after Isha. Apart from this, we were doing our own taleem in the morning from 10:00AM to 1:00PM.

About the people :

• There are no words to describe the people of Ivory Coast. I have seen such qualities in these people which are hard to find in any other people.
• The most important of them is their Simplicity (Saadgi). We saw people leading a simple life, with little time being spent for earning and eating.
• What they eat is just a kind of soup/porridge made from a root called "Achaykee". This is similar to sweet potato and also tastes similarly, but very rich in protiens and enough for a one time food.
• They lead a simple life style and are so careful on spending even the basic things like water and electricity. We have seen that even in big Mosques there are no taps in bathrooms and ablution area, but large size mugs with lids, which has to be filled for use in bathroom and for ablution.
• They are very averse to the worldly things. We visited their houses and found that they had only the minimum basic needs of life. Even in the houses of the rich people, we found that the houses were not having unnecessary showcase things. The only difference we found in the house hold of the rich people compared to poor was that, it was of better quality and style.
• During our entire stay, we never found anybody, getting influenzed that we had come from a rich country and none asked us about our job, salary etc. They respected us and loved us only because of the high purpose with which we have come, not because of our origin.
• They compulsorily fast on Mondays and Thursdays.
• They carefully watch us and try to adopt the sunnahs, that they find we are practicing.
• They have a high attitute of hospitality. Even if they are not able to give us a one time dinner, due to their financial conditions, they try to serve us by washing our cloths, washing our dishes and in many masjid, we have seen that one person, simply takes over the responsiblity of toilets and keeps them clean for us always, during our entire stay in the masjid.
• The people themselves maintain lot of cleanliness and we found the toilets of all the masjids, small and big, much more cleaner than the those in our countries.
• We hardly found them eating at long stretch with different food varities. There food after iftar and maghrib, as we have seen was also rice with meat, or rice with one curry.
• We have hardly seen any two people fighting during our entire stay in that country
• There are no beggars in any masjid, inspite of their poverty
• Women have lot of inclination towards religion and every masjid is having separate women's area which is filled with women in all five prayer times.
• They are ready to go for 4Months, 40days, 3 days just after a short talk. They are even willing to embrace Islam, after a short talk of 10-15 minutes.
• Gives high regard and respect for Jamaat people and all foreigners.
• Hospitality, Simplicity, Respect, Good Manners are part of their life.
• High Inclination towards Islam and willingness to adopt sunnah is so much that we found many people with Topi and Amama, just after knowing its importance.

Historic Facts
The first jamaat that came to Ivory Coast in 1962. The jamaat consisted of Moulana Umar Palanpuri(R.A) and Miyaji Azmath. We they entered Ivory Coast, the french government arrested them in put them in Jail. At the time of Azan, Maulana Umar Palanpuri gave Azan and they were astonished and Allah Taala put awe in their hearts. They asked them, what they are doing, Maulana replied that it is Azan and we have to give still four times for the remaining prayers. They took them out of the Jail and sent them to a Masjid in a private vehicle. At the mosque, Maulana, looked for a translator. They found one translator who agreed to translate for them, but on condition that, he will charge money for this and also they have to buy rice from his shop. They agreed for this and did their work. It is said that the translator is still alive and cries that he should not have accepted the money.

Tableegh Work at Ivory Coast :
The work of Daaw'ah, as it is popularly called is very new in this country. The work started from 1991 and a formal Markaz was setup. There are about 8000 Masjids in whole country and in about 650 Masjid, there are 5 Amaal going on in them. They have been given a target to take out about 80 4M Jamaats from the Nigeria Ijtema scheduled from Dec 2009. But it is learnt that they are already reaching around 200 Jamaats. Work of Daawah is mostly taken up the young people. The senior people, the influentialand rick people aer not involved in the work.

We were sent to four Mosques after our stay here for four days.

1. Masjid Touba (21, 22, 23 Aug 2009)
This was a small masjid with about 30-70 people on the average praying. The imam of the masjid was very kind and welcomed us. Ramzan started on the next day.

2. Masjid Ijabaat (24,25,26 Aug 2009)
This was a much bigger mosque, with a first floor area also, where our jamaat was accomodated. We did our cooking also in the upper floor. One person, embraced Islam in this Mosque.

3. Masjid DJeddah (27).
The local khudama came with a matador/van and took us over to this masjid. But the masjid was very small and we realized that our luggage had become too much. We counted our bags including those we have taken for food grains and utensils, it came around 35 items.

4. Masjid Grand Mosque (27,28,30 Aug 09)
Realising that the masjid is too small and it is not possible to do even cooking also, the locals decided to migrate to another mosque called the Grand Mosque. This Mosque was located in a market area, with people selling different items reaching upto the gates of the Mosque. We found it difficult to carry our luggage from the taxi inside the Mosque, due to the heaving rush of buyers and sellers and the traffic. However, once inside, the Mosque was very big. It can accomodate a huge gathering. It was said that the Masjid has a size of 80,000 sft. Here also the people welcomed us very much and the Muezzin announced in the next prayers, about the arrival of our Jamaat.

5. Masjid Rahmah (30, 31, 1st Sep 2009) (Cocody Reviera Gulf)
This masjid was located about 17 kms from the city center, and it was located in a posh area. There was an Islamic Radio station also adjacent to the mosque. The people in the area seemed to be very well off and we saw the area full of apartments and bunglows. The masjid was very beautiful and was spread over a big area. The Qirat of the imam was very heart touching. We did our Amaal as usual there the local khudama took us for lot of Ziaraat.

6. Markaz (2,3,4,5 Sept 2009)
We were asked to return to Markaz after completing our 3 days in the Masjid Rahmah. We stayed in the markaz for 3 days. In 5th, we were given our next direction, which was another town located about 43 kms from Abidjan, called Grand Bassam

Grand Bassam
At the narrow strip between the lagoon and the ocean, the Old Town the French colonist set up their capital, separated from the locals at the other side of the lagoon.
In 1893 Grand Bassam was declared to be the capital of the french colony. But six years later a yellow fever epidemic broke out and the French people left the area for Bingerville.

Mosque Khubaib (6,7,8 Sep 09)
The imam of this masjid was very fluent in Arabic and is the appointee from the Govt. to lead the Hajj convey every year. He respected our jamaat very much and joined us in iftaar and dinner. We took out two jamaats of 3 days from this Masjid.

Mosque Fatima Zahra(9,10,11 Sept 09)
This Masjid was also have 2 flloors and we were allowed to stay on the first floor. The imam of the masjid was so pleased with us that he made announcements in every prayer about our jamaat.

Masjid Mianga (12,13,14,15 Sept 09)
This was a small masjid compared to the previous masjid, but Amaal wise it was very strong. In this masjid, two people embraced Islam.

Masjid Ibn Abbas(16,17 Sept 09)
This was also a small masjid with not much facilities and not many khudamas. We stayed here for only two days and then returned to Markaz in Abidjan.

Markaz(18,19,20,21 Sept 09)
20th was Eid-ul-Fitr and we prayed Eid prayers in a Big Mosque near the markaz and celebrated our Eid in the Markaz.

22 Sept 09.
Took our early morning flight back to Riyadh.

Stayed in the ghubaira from 23 to 25 and completed our 40 days and returned home on the night of 25th (friday)

What have i learnt :
1. Do Dhikr(Zikr) of Allah (SWT) always and no harm can touch you.

2. For all problems/issues turned only towards Allah (SWT). He is the solver of all the problems.
a. Allah (SWT) says that when my slave turned towards Me only, for help then even if all the creations in the seven skies and earth want to harm him, then i will take a way-out (escape) for him from their plans.

3. Learn to get your needs met with "Amaal" not Asbaab.
Ref:
a. When Bibi Fatima(R.A), the daughter of Prophet Muhammad(SAWS) wanted to have a slave/servant to help her in her household work, Prophet Muhammad(SAWS) gave her the tasbeeh of 33 times SubhaanAllah, 33 times Alhamdulillah and 34 times Allahu Akbar and said that it is better than a slave.
b. Rasulullah (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) once said, "Is there nobody amongst you who may be able to do, everyday, good deeds equal to Uhud (a mountain near Madinah)." The Sahaba Radhiyallaho anhum) said, "0 Rasulullah! who has the strength to do that?" "Everybody has the strength to do it," said Rasulullah (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). "How is it?" enquired the Sahabas (Radhiyallaho anhum). He explained, "The reward of SubhaanAllah is greater than the mountain Uhud, that of Alhamdulillah is greater than Uhud, that of Laa Ilaaha ilallaah is greater than Uhud and that of AllahuAkbar is greater than Uhud."

3. Do sadaqa regularly, specially when you face in problem in Life.
Reference :
A true incident of a young boy who became very sick and doctors had concluded that he is about to die and cannot be cured. His father took him back to the house and started sacrificing cows everyday. He started with one cow on the first day, but there was no effect, then sacrificed another cow the next day, but still no improvement, he continued like this for 17 days, and finally his son became fine and Allah (SWT) gave him health.

4. Control Your Tongue / Abstain from BackBiting:
Reference : A sahabi died in a battle and his mother went to dead body and removed dust from his face and said "My son i congratulate your for the Jannah (Heaven) ". Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) heard her words and said, who knows, may be he has done some useless (vain) talk in his lifetime.

5. Clean Even your Hearts also from the Enimity/Pride :
Ref: Sufiyaan Suri (Rah. A) said that i had committed one sin, because of which i did not get taufeeq to pray Tahajjud for 5 months. He said that the sin was that he saw one person begging and he said to himself in his heart that this man is asking for Showing (Riyaakari)

6. Ask for your needs through Namaz(prayers) from Allah (SWT) for everything.
Ref : a. Once a sahabi came and offer two rakah prayers and left, then Prophet Muhammad(SAWS) replied, he came to ask Allah (SWT) for salt. b. Another sahabi, who did not have anything to eat continuously prayed two rakah and returned home and asked in his home everytime, whether something has been arrange, and finally the wheat grinder started moving on its own and there was so much flour from the wheat grinder that the whole household utensils were filled with wheat flour.

7. Have trust in Allah(SWT) about What Allah (SWT) is having in His treasures more than the trust of what we have in our custody(pockets/banks)
Ref : While returning, we planned to cook and take some curry with us to eat in the plane after iftar, but the meat started smelling and we aborted the plan. Later, that day, after we broke our fast, and landed at Addis Ababa, we met some people who gave us tasty home made foods in Ikraam for us. Truly, Allah (SWT) provides Rizq from the source, which we cannot imagine.

8. Remember Death always and Fear the Grave :
Ref : We attended two Janaza during our stay, of which one was a young lady of 20 years and died after just 3-4 days of fever and another was the Muezzin of of the Masjid, where we were staying, who prayed Isha and taraweeh with us and next day in Fajr, we came to know that he died last night.

a. Once Rasulullah (Sallallaho alaik wasallam) entered the mosque and saw that some people were laughing very loudly. He said to them, "If you had remembered death quite often, you would not have laughed like this. Not a day passes when the grave does not proclaim, "I am the house of wilderness, the house of loneliness. and the abode of worms and insects."

b. Rasulullah (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) said, "No other action of a person can surpass zikr of Almighty Allah in saving him from the punishment in the grave."

c. It is stated in several ahaadith that the recitation of surah Tabarakal lazi ,every night guarantees security from the tortures in the grave, as well as from that in the Hell.

d. Anas (Rz.A.) has related that "Once our Prophet - may he be eternally blessed - went to a young man who was on his death bed and asked him 'How do you feel?' The young man said. 'I have much bope from Allah but I also fear for my sins'. The Holy Prophet said, 'The believer who has these two ideas simultaneously at such time, Allah fulfills his hopes and grants him security from fear". fl'irmidhi)