Outer shell of Good but authenticity of Evil

Date: 26th October 2012 Ajmer, India

For centuries, people have endeavored to set apart themselves and
evoke the mysteries of spirituality. Spiritual Healing is your
ultimate weapon to boost your immune system and have a peace of mind
and soul for good mental and spiritual health.

Every fortnight I have been meeting or coming across men and women who
have been initiated by some internet sheikhs from India, Turkey,
Bangladesh, Indonesia and so on into the wazifa’s and are in trouble
with visions and dreams which one is unable to control.
As we all know Sufism, Mysticism, Psychic Phenomena, the Occult and
other aspects of the New Age Movement are sweeping the world.
Nevertheless, we should be conscious of what is going on, without
dwelling on evil. We need to have enough knowledge to be sensitive
about Satan’s devices, but not live with him!

The new-age Sufism / Mysticism is the most deceptive and damaging
philosophy around today. It is entwined not only in witchcraft and
Satanism. The belief system is deeply rooted in Sufi or the Eastern
Mysticism, and the Occult, with ancient pagan backgrounds. Followers
are told to awaken their God consciousness through Wazifa's... What
most do not understand is,

When Iblees was certain that he was doomed, he resolved to mislead
whomever he could from the slaves of Allah, so that they would be
with him in Hell.
(Iblees (Satan)) said: "O my Lord! Because you misled me, I shall
indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I
shall mislead them all.
"Except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them" (Quran, al-Hijr: 39 – 40).

Satan’s ultimate goal

After Allah gave him the reprieve until the Day of Judgment, he made
Misleading man as his primary goal. Allah told us about that in the
Quran,
“(Iblees) said: ‘Because You have sent me astray, surely, I will sit
in wait against them (human beings) on Your straight path. Then I will
come to them.
from before them and behind them, from their right and from their
left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they
will not be
dutiful to You)’” (Quran, Al-Aaraf: 16, 17).

He has such confidence in ensnaring his victims whom he openly
declares his strategy of approaching them from all sides and making
them succumb to his
temptations. The first victims of Satan were Adam (alaihis salam) and Hawwa.
Allah says, “Then the Shaitan (Satan) made them slip there from (the
Paradise), and got them out from that in which they were. We said:
"Get you down, all, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a
dwelling place. for you and an enjoyment for a time" (Quran,
Al-Baqarah: 36).

“and an enjoyment for a time" is what Satan makes the most of the. He
has decided to make the world appear beautiful and attractive and
works on ways to lure man, limit his perspective to the gains,
pleasures and enjoyment of this world alone, and make him forget the
path that Allah (SWT) has chalked out for all human beings during
their stay here.

Satan’s ultimate goal is to make people go astray and eventually to
turn them into disbelievers, or polytheists at a minimum. The way
Satan pursues that goal varies in accordance with the interests and
inclinations of his victims.
For example, he uses piety to attack the pious; scholarly disciplines
to attack scholars; false reasoning and logic for those who take pride
in being knowledgeable, and ignorance to attack the ignorant.

The Satan, as well as the other evil spirits, are fallen Jinn, who
turned away from Allah. However, they have the power to appear to
people as generous. What appears to some to be a “Divine Light” is, in
reality, the “Shining Darkness” of Satan. Despite the attractiveness,
and apparent concern shown by these ”Spirit Guides," these spirits
will ultimately lead to unworldly cruelty and other forms of
transcendent annihilation here on Earth, and possibly serious
consequences in the life to come with occult and other forbidden
practices.

Despite the clear implications of such practices, an increasing number
of people is abandoning their true faith to follow some
self-proclaimed sheikhs that have their own agendas or many aspects by
the name of initiating certain Wazifa’s / Bayat. People today are
replacing God with evil spirits, Jinns, Moakils ,. The seductions are
subtle, but at its core is Satan himself, on the surface, appears to
be a good thing. It promises global peace, health, personal and
spiritual growth, and environmental stability. However, the methods it
promotes to achieve these goals are cleverly hidden beneath a
compassionate surface appearance. Nevertheless, , on the surface, does
not deny the existence of Allah -- to do so would scare off most
believers in an instant. Instead, clever sentence structure is
applied, while traditional aspects of our faith are redefined.

Allah becomes less than what he is, Allah, and instead is relegated
to become one of a number of “Spiritual Guides” who were mere humans
that “evolved” into taller beings after discovering and using “ancient
wisdom.” Indeed, it promises that any individual can attain this
status through “self-realization'" Realization'” or “taller
Consciousness'” of the fact of one’s own “Higher Self," “God-Self”, or
“Divinity." Essentially, everyone can become God.

The New Age Trend of Wazifa initiated by the Modern So Called Shaikh
are nothing more than an occult practice, and an experience produced
through meditation and finally inviting the Jinns or Moakils, which
is travelling outside one’s body in spirit form to another
destination... It opens up a gateway for demonic spirits. Demons move
in and take possession. It is an occult practice and powered by evil
spirits. Once a person is taken into such control over his/her spirit,
they can enter the spirit realm any time and talk to demons... The
force behind is demonic. Satan deceiving the one who is desperately
asking questions. I should come as no surprise that nine out of ten
times the answer just happens to be what the person wants to hear.
Once contact is established through the wazifa's, Satan lures the
victim into other occult activities. Most will indulge to get answers
to many questions, instead of asking Allah.

Some believe that using it can reveal hidden things in the
subconscious. Still others believe that while the communications are
produced supernaturally, the supernatural source is devilish rather a
sure way to Depression and satanic Possession. We are to be under the
guidance and control of Allah (swt).

This practice is often used in occultism and shamanism. One should
never attempt to do that no matter whoever says it as these are
heading to dangerous gates. The initiation is not the right of any
Shaikh rather it has to be an order and the will of the Almighty. Then
you are initiated, and the guidance comes along with it. This leads
you to the path creating the beautiful soul with pain and experiences.
Teachings and Gifts, If not than venturing to such an unknown path
is very dangerous and to be avoided at all costs by the believers.
Most Sheikhs are themselves are self-proclaimed sheikhs in today's
times. The women are initiated and used for various sexual activities.
One is advised to accept the Shaikh as the man who Allah has chosen,
and he will be permitted to use the murshid for physical pleasure.

This is exploitation, and the Jinns make you to get into these traps.
If you are trapped in such weird situation, it's nearly impossible to
get out of it.
safe and sound: Durood is a sure means of Allah Ta’ala granting
blessings, peace, prosperity and favours of great magnitude on one who
recites Durood Shareef on the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallim). The reciter of Durood Shareef receives all the benefits in
this world and utmost gain in the next world with addition to the love
of the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim).

The invocation of Blessings on the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallim) is styled in Arabic as “Salawat," in Persian as “Durood,"
and in Urdu as “Salawat-o-Salaam”.
The regular recitation of Durood Shareef on Sayyiduna Rasoolullah
(Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallim) lifts up our hearts on to a plane of
comprehension where we gaze in our new-found peace and moral armour.

We have been told by Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallal Laahu Alaihi
Wasallim) that Durood Shareef is itself Light and when light enters
the soul, every aspiration is achieved and every goal is won. Nothing
remains thereafter to worry about. The daily recitation of Durood
Shareef has a tremendous effect on the human head, heart, mind and
person. It purifies thoughts and intensifies actions. It makes
passages for perfect peace and personal satisfaction.

Posted via email from Gulshaa Begum - The Mystic

Satan is the source of all evil

Assalaamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu...
>
> The dawn of evil started with the arrogance and rebellious nature of Iblees
>
> Shaitan’s (also referred to as Satan) enmity with man started when Allah
> (SWT) created the first man, Adam (alaihis salaam). Satan was from amongst
> the “jinn” who have been created with the ability to obscure themselves from
> human sight, and who constitute a world of their own. Allah says in the Holy
> Quran:
>
> "And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves unto
> Adam.’ So they prostrated themselves except ‘Iblis’ (Satan). He was one of
> the jinn; he disobeyed the command of his Lord" (Quran, Al-Kahf: 50).
>
> “….And they prostrated except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and
> was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah)” (Quran, Al-Baqarah: 34).
>
> Satan’s arrogance – reinforced by his false logic, and jealousy – prevented
> him from obeying Allah’s command. As Allah tells us in the Quran, Satan
> said, "I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You
> created from clay" (Quran, Al-Aaraf: 12).
>
> Iblees asks for reprieve until Day of Judgement
>
> When Satan refused to obey Allah’s commands, Allah asked him for the reasons
> of disobedience of the Lord or the worlds. Allah says in the Quran:
>
> (Allah) said: "O Iblees (Satan)! What is your reason for not being among the
> prostrators?"
> (Iblees (Satan)) said: "I am not the one to prostrate myself to a human
> being, whom You created from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud"
> (Quran, al-Hijr:32 – 33).
>
> The subsequent dialog stated in the Quran is as follows:
>
> (Allah) said: "Then, get out from here, for verily, you are Rajeem (an
> outcast or a cursed one)." (Tafseer At-Tabaree).
> "And verily, the curse shall be upon you till the Day of Recompense (i.e.
> the Day of Resurrection)" (Quran, al-Hijr: 34 – 35).
>
> Then Iblees asked for a respite until the Day of Resurrection, and Allah
> granted him that. Allah says:
>
> (Iblees (Satan)) said: "O my Lord! Give me then respite till the Day they
> (the dead) will be resurrected."
> Allah said: "Then, verily, you are of those reprieved,
> "Till the Day of the time appointed" (Quran, al-Hijr: 36 – 38).
>
> When Iblees was certain that he was doomed, he resolved to mislead whomever
> he could from the slaves of Allah, so that they would be with him in Hell.
> Allah says:
>
> (Iblees (Satan)) said: "O my Lord! Because you misled me, I shall indeed
> adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I shall mislead
> them all.
> "Except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them" (Quran, al-Hijr: 39 – 40).
>
> Iblees’ / Satan’s ultimate goal
>
> After Allah gave him the reprieve until the Day of Judgment, he made
> misleading man as his primary goal. Allah told us about that in the Quran,
> “(Iblees) said: ‘Because You have sent me astray, surely, I will sit in wait
> against them (human beings) on Your straight path. Then I will come to them
> from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and
> You will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they will not be
> dutiful to You)’” (Quran, Al-Aaraf: 16,17).
>
> He has such confidence in ensnaring his victims that he openly declares his
> strategy of approaching them from all sides and making them succumb to his
> temptations. The first victims of Satan were Adam (alaihis salam) and Hawwa.
> Allah says, “Then the Shaitan (Satan) made them slip there from (the
> Paradise), and got them out from that in which they were. We said: "Get you
> down, all, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling place
> for you and an enjoyment for a time" (Quran, Al-Baqarah: 36).
>
> “and an enjoyment for a time" is what Satan makes the most of. He has
> decided to make the world appear beautiful and attractive and works on ways
> to lure man, limit his perspective to the gains, pleasures and enjoyment of
> this world alone, and make him forget the path that Allah (SWT) has chalked
> out for all human beings during their stay here.
>
> Satan’s ultimate goal is to make people go astray and eventually to turn
> them into disbelievers, or polytheists at a minimum. The manner in which
> Satan pursues that goal varies in accordance with the interests and
> inclinations of his victims. For example, he uses piety to attack the pious;
> scholarly disciplines to attack scholars; false reasoning and logic for
> those who take pride in being knowledgeable, and ignorance to attack the
> ignorant. Allah (SWT) Has warned us in the Holy Quran:
>
> “O Children of Adam! Let not Shaitan (Satan) deceive you, as he got your
> parents (Adam and Hawwa’ (Eve)) out of Paradise,” (Quran, Al-Aaraf: 27).
>
> ". . . and follow not the footsteps of ‘Shaitan’ (Satan). Surely he is to
> you an open enemy" (Quran, Al-Anaam: 142).
>
> So, Allah has made it clear to mankind that Satan is their enemy and Satan’s
> goal is to divert mankind from the goal that Allah established for them,
> which is to follow and worship Allah by obeying His commands. Satan’s goal
> is to make mankind disobey Allah and divert them to the hell fire in the
> hereafter, which will also be Satan’s abode. Allah says in the Quran:
>
> “Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an
> enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the
> dwellers of the blazing Fire” (Faatir 35:6).
>
> Shaitan is the source of all evil
>
> Everything that happens among the sons of Adam of kufr (disbelief of the
> Truth), murder, enmity, hatred, the spread of immorality and fornication,
> the public wanton display of women’s beauty, drinking alcohol, worshipping
> idols and other major sins, is all the work of Satan to corrupt mankind and
> to drive people from following the way of Allah and drag them to the Fire of
> Hell with him. So, let’s remember that when we find ourselves around evil or
> being lured by it, Satan is engaged in his work and our task is to fend off
> his plans. Allah says in the Quran: “And if an evil whisper from Shaitan
> (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad) (from doing good), then seek
> refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All Hearer, the All Knower” (Quran,
> Fussilat: 36).
>
> Ways in which Satan approaches us
>
> Satan approaches man through stealthy means. Allah (SWT) cautions us in the
> Quran with this verse:
>
> “Verily, he and Qabiluhu (his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe) see you
> from where you cannot see them” (Quran, Aal-e-Imran: 27).
>
> The following are some of the ways in which Satan approaches man to invite
> him toward evil.
>
> Provokes rebelliousness – After establishing the supremacy of one’s ego in
> one’s heart, Satan encourages the person to become rebellious and to reject
> the laws and rules established by Allah the All Mighty. He leads men to
> their suspicion, questioning and argumentation in sheer obduracy. In a world
> where human weakness from temptations and weakness of faith abound, Satan
> influences man into ignoring and belittling the words of Allah stated in the
> Quran. He thus overly engages man into running after the worldly goals at
> the expense of violating divine commandments. Let’s not forget that when we
> engage in this form of rebellion where our hearts start to ignore or reject
> the truth, we risk doing exactly what Satan did, as we see from the verse
> where Allah said, “… except Iblees (Satan), he refused and was proud and was
> one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah)” (Quran, al-Baqarah: 34).
> Let’s ensure, therefore, that our actions and thoughts do not lead us to
> rebel against Allah’s message that He revealed to His Messenger.
>
> Weakens one’s faith and Eeman in Al-Qadr (Allah’s Divine Will) – Believing
> in Allah’s will is an integral part of a Muslim’s faith. Another common way
> for the Satan is, therefore, to make us compare our situations with those
> around us and leads us to feeling discontented with Allah’s will. Satan thus
> diverts our attention from accepting the will of Allah to focusing on those
> who may have more of this life’s luxuries and thus arousing feelings of envy
> and jealousy. He also presents this life as the sole prize that cannot be
> missed and thus induces in us discontentment with our present situations in
> life.
>
> As Muslims, let’s ensure that we do not let Satan play with our imagination,
> conjuring up rosy pictures of the unattainable, making us visualize what
> could have been or should have been our destiny thus weakening our faith in
> Al Qadr. As Muslims, we should never forget Allah’s “will” in the ultimate
> determination of our destinies. We should also remember the Day of Judgment
> when all accounts will be settled and appropriate dues will be paid. “And
> only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full”
> (Quran, Aal-e-Imran: 185). Also, as Allah says in the Quran, “And you cannot
> will unless (it be) that Allah wills the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind,
> jinn and all that exists)” (Quran, al-Takweer: 29).
>
> Instills feelings of pride and Ar-Riya (showing off) – When one does good
> deeds, Satan is quick to instill feelings of pride followed by the desire to
> show off one’s virtues or achievements (also referred to as Ar-Riya). He
> diverts his victim’s mind from vying for the deed’s rewards from Allah to
> expecting praise to flow from people instead. As Muslims, let’s not forget
> that the payoff that we desire for our deeds reflects the nature of the
> intention of doing those deeds. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) says: "The
> most fearful thing I fear for you is Minor Shirk". He (Peace be upon him)
> was asked about it, and he said: "It is (Ar-Riya’) showing off". Then, he
> (Peace be upon him) explained it saying, "A man stands in prayer, performs
> it more beautifully and properly than ever, because he notices someone
> looking at him" (Imam Ahmed).
>
> Induces conceit in a person who has accomplishments to his credit – Satan
> also induces false confidence in a person making him feel that he has
> reached perfection or that he is far better than others. This leads to
> vanity, self-admiration and distancing one from reality. As a result, the
> person starts viewing others patronizingly. We should, therefore, constantly
> remember Allah and look for opportunities of doing good deeds. Most of us
> know the story of the prostitute from the nation of Children of Israel who
> saved a dog from dying thirsty and as a result of that deed was entered in
> paradise. Similarly, we also know the story of the lady who trapped her cat
> and made her die of hunger and as a result was sent to hell fire. This is
> why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “…one of
> you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is nothing
> between him and it but a cubit, then the decree overtakes him and he does a
> deed of the people of Hell and enters it. And one of you may do the deeds of
> the people of Hell until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit,
> then the decree overtakes him and he does a deed of the people of Paradise,
> and enters it” (al-Bukhaari (3208) and Muslim (2643) from Ibn Mas’ood).
>
> Uses laziness and procrastination to keep one away from good deeds – We
> should realize that when Satan fails to make us rebel against the key truths
> of Islam, he uses other tactics to distance us from our basic obligations by
> using the tools of laziness and procrastination, and belittling in our minds
> the importance of those obligations. For example, even though many Muslims
> recognize the obligation to pray regularly, they fail to follow through in
> getting regular in such worships. In one of the hadiths narrated by Abu
> Hurayrah, he mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
> Allah be upon him) said: “The Shaitan ties three knots at the back of the
> head of any one of you when he goes to sleep, striking each knot and saying:
> “You have a long night ahead, so sleep.” If he wakes up and remembers Allah,
> one knot is undone. If he does wudoo’, two knots are undone. If he prays,
> all the knots are undone, and he starts the day energetic and in a good
> mood. Otherwise, he starts his day in a bad mood and feeling lazy”
> (al-Bukhaari (3269) and Muslim (776)).
>
> Sets one Muslim against another – Satan works on a common human weakness
> related to making one quickly assume something negative about the other. He
> thus infuses suspicion and doubt in the hearts of Muslims making them think
> badly about one another, and provoking them against one another. For
> example, Satan considers sowing the seeds of discord between a husband and
> wife as one of his greatest achievements. The Prophet (S.A.W.S) said: "Iblis
> places his throne upon water; he then sends detachments (for creating
> dissension between people); the nearer to him in rank are those who are most
> notorious in creating dissension. One of them comes and says: “I did so and
> so.” And he says: “You have done nothing.” Then one amongst them comes and
> says: “I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between a
> husband and a wife.” Satan goes near him and says: “You have done well.” He
> then embraces him” (Sahih Muslim and narrated by Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah).
>
> Pushes obligatory deeds to the background – Within Islam, obligatory duties
> take precedence as they establish the Muslim’s identity and foundation of
> belief. When Satan’s efforts to influence the staunch believer hit a dead
> end, he attempts to make the ‘recommended’ lawful deeds appear more inviting
> than ‘obligatory’ duties thus pulling the believers away from the obligatory
> duties of Islam. For example, helping and supporting parents and family
> members is more important than helping friends. Similarly, praying the five
> obligatory prayers in congregation is more important than praying Taraweeh
> prayers. We should, therefore, be careful in not sacrificing the obligatory
> deeds at the expense of the less important deeds.
>
> Finally, at the end, whom do we blame and what will Satan say?
>
> So, at the end – on the Day of Judgment – when we are all made to account
> for what we had done in this life, we won’t be able to blame Satan for the
> bad deeds that we did because of how he had incited us. Rather, this is what
> Satan will say on the Day of Judgment (as Allah tells us in the Quran):
>
> “And Shaitan (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: ‘Verily,
> Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I
> betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you
> responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you,
> nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a
> partner with Allah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there
> is a painful torment for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers)’”
> (Quran, Ibraaheem: 22).
>
> There’s much to ponder about in this verse. Here are the key points:
>
> Satan knows the real truth of Allah’s message. We know this because he will
> say, “Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth…” He will continue to
> say later, “I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner
> with Allah (by obeying me in the life of the world).”
> Satan will mock us by pushing the burden back on us. He would say, “…I
> called you, and you responded to me…”
> Satan would not even accept the blame and instead will put the blame on us.
> He would say, “…So blame me not, but blame yourselves…”
>
> The remedy – ways to protect ourselves
>
> In spite of all the tactics that Satan uses to mislead mankind, he is not
> able to hurt those of Allah’s slaves who are aware of Satan’s tactics, and
> use their defenses provided them by Allah to ward off those tactics. Allah
> says in the Quran:
>
> "(Iblis (Satan)) said: ‘By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all.
> Except Your chosen slaves amongst them (i.e. faithful, obedient, true
> believers of Islamic Monotheism).’” (Quran, Saad: 82-83).
>
> Allah said to Satan:
>
> "Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves, except those who
> follow you of the Ghawun (Mushrikun and those who go astray, criminals,
> polytheists, and evil-doers)” (Quran, Al-Hijr: 42).
>
> The following are some of the defenses that we can use to keep Satan from
> exerting his influence over us.
>
> Ignore Satanic whispers (waswaas) – One of the effective ways to ignore
> Satanic whispers is to first be aware of them and then once recognized, to
> ignore them. So, we should be quick to recognize that when we feel being
> driven by our temptations to do bad or succumb to a feeling of laziness or
> procrastination to do good, we should ignore that waswaas. It is worth
> quoting here what Ibn Hajar al-Haythami (may Allah have mercy on him) said
> about dealing with waswasah in his book al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra
> (1/149). This is what he said: “He was asked about the problem of waswasah
> (insinuating whispers from the Shaitan), and whether there is a remedy for
> it. He replied that there is an effective remedy for it, which is to ignore
> them completely, no matter how frequently they may come to mind. When these
> whispers are ignored, they do not become established; rather they go away
> after a short time, as many people have experienced. But for those who pay
> attention to them and act upon them, they increase until they make him like
> one who is insane or even worse, as we see among many of those who have
> suffered from them and paid attention to them and to the devil whose task it
> is to insinuate these whispers, whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of
> Allah be upon him) warned us against…, as was explained in Sharh Mishkaat
> al-Anwaar.
>
> In al-Saheehayn there is a report which supports what has been mentioned
> above, which is that whoever suffers from waswaas should seek refuge with
> Allah and turn away from the waswaas. So think about this effective remedy
> which was taught by the one who does not speak of his own whims and desires
> to his ummah, and understand that whoever is deprived of this is deprived of
> all goodness, because waswasah comes from Satan, according to scholarly
> consensus, and Satan has no other desire than to make the believers go
> astray, make them confused, make their life a misery, and cause them
> distress to the extent that they leave Islam without realizing it.
>
> Faith and Trust in Allah – Allah says in the Holy Quran: "Verily! He (Satan)
> has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord
> (Allah)" (Quran, An-Nahl: 99). The message, therefore, is clear and that is
> to direct our attention not to what works in helping Satan in his goals but
> to do what our Creator wants for us. Allah says in the Holy Quran: "And
> whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to
> get out (of every difficulty). And he will provide him from (sources) he
> never could imagine" (Quran, At-Talaq: 2-3).
>
> Fearing Allah and not His Creation – Another weapon used by Satan is that of
> inducing fear in the hearts of weak human beings. He tries to frighten the
> believers with apprehension of various consequences and difficulties in
> following the Straight Path. Allah tells us in the Quran: “Shaitan (Satan)
> threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha (evil deeds,
> sins, illegal sexual activities, etc.) whereas Allah promises you
> forgiveness from Himself and Bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His
> creature’s needs, All-Knower” (Quran, al-Baqarah: 268).
>
> Allah warns us that one of Satan’s tactics is to make us fear His creation.
> He says in the Quran: "It is only Shaitan (Satan) that suggests to you the
> fear of his Auliya’ (supporters and friends (polytheists, disbelievers in
> the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad); so fear them not, but
> fear Me, if you are (true) believers" (Quran, Aal-e-Imran: 175).
>
> Recite Dhikr – We should use Allah’s remembrance (Dhikr-Allah) to ward off
> waswaas. Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that “…when the
> Shaitan hears dhikr (remembrance of Allah) he slinks away, and Laa ilaaha
> ill-Allah is the best of dhikr, and the most effective remedy for warding
> off waswasah is to remember Allah a great deal.”
>
> Obtaining Islamic knowledge (from the Right Sources) –Taking heed of Satan’s
> ways and becoming aware of his plans and goal can help us to be alert to his
> influence or persuasion and keep our defenses up. For this, it is essential
> to acquire Islamic knowledge from the right sources. It is very difficult
> for Satan to approach those dedicated to learning. Let us reflect upon what
> Imam Shafai said: "All humans are dead except those who have knowledge; and
> all those who have knowledge are asleep except those who do good deeds; and
> those who do good deeds are deceived except those who are sincere; and those
> who are sincere are always in a state of worry."
>
> Taking refuge and shelter in Allah – Allah says in the Holy Quran: "And if
> an evil whisper comes to you from Shaitan (Satan), then seek refuge with
> Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower" (Quran, Al-Aaraf: 200). One of
> the other ways to seek refuge from Satan is to recite the last two chapters
> of the Holy Quran, namely Surat Al-Falaq (The Daybreak) and Surat An-Nas
> (Mankind), by supplicating for Allah’s Protection, and seeking the Most
> Merciful’s forgiveness for one’s sins constantly.
>
> Being thankful to Allah for the gift of Eeman and seeking His Protection for
> it – Let us remember that the confidence Satan expressed in his success to
> mislead people, stems from his assurance that most people are ungrateful to
> their Creator, Lord and Master Allah the All Mighty. Allah says in the Quran
> that Satan claimed: “. . . and You will not find most of them as thankful
> ones (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You).” (Quran, Al-Aaraf: 17). It is,
> therefore, man’s ingratitude to Allah that Satan banks upon in getting man
> off track. So one of the antidotes to Satanic whispers is to be in a state
> of constant consciousness of Allah (SWT), and thankfulness for all His
> Blessings upon us.
>
> To conclude, as and when we fall to our temptations to commit the wrong,
> let’s remind ourselves that even Satan knows the truth, yet he is determined
> to make us earn Allah’s anger. However, at the end – on the Day of Judgment
> – he will simply say, “…So blame me not, but blame yourselves…”

Posted via email from Gulshaa Begum - The Mystic

The King of Qawwals Niazi Nizami Brothers

The Dynamic Presence of the Religious Head of the Ajmer Shariff Dargah
at the ISFI Sufi Award

A ceremony which brings the humanity collectively without the basis of
religion is what is required. A Festival of this quality with much
honesty towards the mission without any agendas must be conducted not
just in Ajmer relatively in every part of the world since it unites us
without any barriers and distributes the message of harmony and
worship’ said The Dargah Deewan, also the Sajjada Nasheen and the
Religious Head of Ajmer shrine, Syed Zainual Abedin Ali Khan at the
ISFI Awards and the Closing Ceremony of the 8 day International Sufi
festival in the holy city of Ajmer. The cities beaucrats, politicians,
VVIP’s, the guest were delighted at the ten minutes Electrifying
presence of the Dargah Deewan, the head of the Chishtiyyah Order. The
Deewan Saheb‘s presence on the introductory day and the closing
ceremony was by itself a acknowledgement and acceptance of the ISFI
Festival in the city.

The Second Edition of International Sufi Festival brought in the new
addition of the ISFI Awards. The Award is to honor the Sufi Community
of Artiste and Singers. Apart from the ISFI Platinum award conferred
to Padmabhushan Ustaad Ghulam Mustafa Khan Saheb for his long lasting
contribution. The ISFI Prestigious Gold Award for the Best Sufi
Singers was awarded to the Qadar Niazi and Hyder Hassan Nizami.

Qadar Niazi is associated with the Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and
Hazrat Amir Khusro, New Delhi, as a Darbari Aastana singer. He learned
from his illustrious father, Ustad Inam Ahmed Khan. He hails from the
family of traditional Gharana musician and reputed Qawwal who
traditionally enjoyed the patronage of Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah
Zafar. He belongs to the legendry Hapur Gharana which gave Indian
musical giants such as Ustad Kubre Mohammad Khan, Ustad Shaadi Khan
and Ustad Murad Khan. Most of his ancestors were the court Musician
and they were top classical vocalist as well as Dhurpadiyas for more
than 700 years. As the most sought after Qawwali artist, Qadar Niazi
has performed at many international venues in countries like U.K.,
Scotland, New Zealand, Singapore, Mecca and Medina, Jeddah, Riyadh
(Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Muscat, Oman, Iran, Tanzania and recently
in Afghanistan. He is one of the most famous Qawwali singers in the
Sufi Styles, Aastana Gayaki as well as the Modern Qawwali tradition.

The Dargah Dewan also the Sajjada Nasheen and the Religious Head of
Ajmer shrine, Syed Zainual Abedin Ali Khan conferred the Platinum
Award to Padmabhushan Ustaad Ghulam Mustafa Khan Saheb for his long
lasting contribution in the field of Music and ISFI GOLD Award was
awarded to Niazi Nizami brothers. Hyder Nizami says ' We are indeed
grateful to Sultan UL Hind Khwaja Saab for the respect given to us
here. And also feel that receiving the Award from the Deewan Saheb is
the consent from the Aulia himself. Qadar Niazi was short of words at
the winning of the ISFI Gold Award and said nothing much just that he
cannot thank Khwaja Saab for the striking endorsement that has come to
him and his group.

Additional Collector Mohammad Hanif himself a great lover of music and
a devotee of Khwaja Saab said ' That the decision to give away the
Gold Award to the Niazi Nizami Group was the right decision taken by
the jury in New Delhi. He added they were the best and each word
formed a energy within the body. That was the dedication and respect
towards the Spiritual Sama they have had this day. Further he invited
them to sing at the Urs Festival in Ajmer and also to be a part of the
ISFI Festival the next year too.

Brigadier PK Singh said that the Niazi Nizami were the right choice
for their tremendous singing. They deserved the honor.
Mr Sandeep Marwah, Also from the organizing committee and a member of
the ISFI Jury said that we are glad to have made the right decision as
the Niazi Nizami Brothers connected to the audience and they have
scored the highest in all aspects. Singing with refinement and
respect, tremendous powerful voice and Master in various forms of
Qawwali.

Manisha Gulyani from the Jaipur Gharana too enthralled the viewers
with her Dance and the spectators felt the whirling was miraculously
and brilliantly performed and presented.
Mr Mahindra Singh Ralawta, Congress President said that the Raqs was
undeniably very charismatic and her language in the entire series was
very divine.
Dr Sudeep Rai said that the Jury looks into all aspects before
conferring a Award and above all the important factor is the
involvement of Service towards the society is also taken into concern.

The Festival Director and Chairperson Divine Abode Foundation added
that there is no denying of the fact that the arrival of the Respected
Dewan Saheb was of a great significance and the energy in the
auditorium was tremendous. His presence made the audience feel highly
spiritual . And The energy he carries and the respect he received from
the guests is beyond words . Deewan Saheb by himself carries a great
energy which is beyond expression.

International Sufi Festival in its second year introduced the ISFI Awards.
ISFI awards celebrating the world’s best Sufi artiste.
The ISFI Platinum award was awarded to Padmabhushan Ghulam Mustafa Khan Saheb
The ISFI Gold Award for Best Sufi Singing group – Niazi Nizami
Brothers, New Delhi
ISFI Gold Best Sufi Artiste for Hindustani Raqs – Manisha Gulyani
ISFI Gold Best Sufi Painting – Michael Templin, Germany
ISFI Chief Patron Award – Mr Sandeep Marwah, Dr Sudeep Rai
The Award Ceremony took place in the holy city of Ajmer on the 11th
October 2012 at the Jawahar Rang Manch. A Prestigious Award given to
the Sufi Artiste to acknowledge their contribution in the field of
Sufi Art and Culture.

Website: www.sufipaintings.com
International Sufi Festival India
Website: www.isfiajmer.com

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from Gulshaa Begum - The Mystic