Tomorrow is the first class I’m doing that is hosted by the Malaysian community. Prior to this all of which were organised by the blessed people of the UK.
In preparing for this six part course about prayer, I wanted to begin with purification (wudhu’/ablution). Looking at what some great masters had to say about it.
I read from the collected works of Habib Abdullah bin Hussein Bin-Taher who is famously known for his poem Ya Arhamar Raahimiin. He was a scholar of law, an ascetic who wrote many works including poetry.
He wrote counsels in a poetic form. One of reading, another on charity, one other was on pilgrimage and so forth.
At times these were recited solo by a poetic recitor at the end of the class typically about the topic that the class just covered from another text.
Immediately after the last couplet, everyone in the gathering would join in singing the standard supplication (also in poetic form and tune) that they would sing after every class of that nature.
What an atmosphere that was.
Here’s my rough translation of Habib Abdullah Bin-Taher’s ode on purification. I’ve included the Arabic so as to invite others to correct the inaccuracies and mistakes.
This is a recording of the recitor I first heard reciting it, may Allah have mercy on his soul. Although this link is not of him reciting one of the counsels, it’s just to give you a minor idea of how it sounded.
This is a recording of him reciting reminders. It went on speakers from a mosque before the call for dawn prior, during the first adhaan.
In other words, this was how the sound of how the silent skies of Tareem were broken before the sun comes. Every day.
