Cageprisoners.com
23rd August 2004, 01:33 PM
Words of Wisdom From Behind Bars Parts 1-3
Words of Wisdom From Behind Bars Part I (http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=2953)
By Babar Ahmad Political Prisoner, Woodhill
Date: 19-Aug-2004
In a letter received by his family yesterday, Babar Ahmad wrote:
"For now everyone in all Muslim Communities should be prepared for more raids, arrests and harassment from the authorities and this will include British, working professionals. There will be many more B.P.P.'s (British Political Prisoners) like myself and others. These words of advice might help the new prisoners cope.
"Keep making dua and sending letters! Letters did and do make a huge difference. I will try - without promising - to reply to those with a name and address."
Words of Wisdom from Behind Bars Part 1: 12/08/04
There are three ways to leave your cell temporarily in a prison, and you can do this almost whenever you want
1) The first way is by reading the Qur’an, whereby Allah makes you leave your cell and embark on a journey away from the prison. Sometimes He takes you millions of years in the past, to before the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth. Sometimes, thousands of years ago, to the time of the Prophets that came before you. Sometimes he drops you into the life of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi was-salam) and you are living with the Sahabah (1). Sometimes He takes you to another prison, the prison of the Hellfire. Or He may take you into the future, thousands of years ahead. You might go to court on the Day of Judgement where He is the Judge and there are no barristers, solicitors, jury, nor media; there are NO human rights and the only prison guards are stern, harsh angels. Frequently He will take you to meet Him and tell you about Himself.
2) The second way is to go back into your own past, as much as your memory permits. Go back 5 years, 10 years, more or less. Go back to your wedding day, graduation, the day Allah guided you to Islam, the birth of your first child, happy moments, sad moments, difficult moments, but not moments where you say, "If only..." and question Allah's destiny.
3) The third way into your future, having taken assumptions.
What if you spend the rest of your life in prison - what will you do? What if you are released tomorrow? What if you spend three more years in prison?
NOTES:
1. The Sahabah were the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.
Words of Wisdom From Behind Bars Part II (http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=2990)
By British Political Prisoner Babar Ahmad,
HMP Woodhill
Date: 22-Aug-2004
2. “Put chains around my hands and burn my chest,
Yet you can never besiege my mind for a minute,
The light is in my heart,
And my heart is in the Hands of my Lord,
And my Lord is my helper and keeper.”
3. Allah says in the Qur’an, 32:24:
“And We made from them leaders, guiding others with Our order, once they had patience, and possessed certainty in our signs.”
The scholars said, in relation to this:
“One cannot attain leadership in the religion except after patience and constancy. So the believing slave must know that when he is exposed to trials, not only prison, then this is an indication that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has chosen for him leadership in the religion. Therefore, he is currently being examined, so that Allah may see, and the believers may see, the truth of his iman and constancy. Most of the awliyaa’ (beloved) of Allah were tested by this test. There is the Prophet of Allah, Yusuf (AS) as the Qur’an does not stop at his imprisonment, and neither does it mention much about it. Allah says, “And he remained in prison for a few more years…” like that, as if it is no big deal, as if staying in prison is normal, routine and easy matter.”
4. You are in prison for two reasons: Firstly, Allah has in store for you a great position and lofty stations in the future, that you are unaware of, and that He is currently preparing you for this position as you are not good enough for it at present. Secondly, He is cleaning away your previous sins and mistakes to make you even more worthy of this position…
Words of Wisdom From Behind Bars Part III (http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=3000)
By British Political Prisoner Babar Ahmad
Date: 23-Aug-2004
5) Firaasah (Intuition)
Firaasah can be translated to mean intuition, insight, sixth sense, gut feeling, deep judgement, and related terms. Although it is an ability granted by Allah, the theory of it can be studied. Imam Ash-Shafi went to Yemen to study a course in the theory of Firaasah as it used to be taught in the Islamic institutes at that time.
The concept of Firaasah was what all the Prophets of Allah were blessed with, but in their case it was divinely bestowed. For example, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was given Firaasah to see that a star, the moon and the sun could not be his god. Likewise, Yusuf (AS) was given Firaasah in terms of his ability to look deep into dreams and interpret them. His father Yaqub (AS) also had this ability and it was manifest in him asking his sons to enter the city from different gates when they went to show Bin Yamin to their brother Yusuf (AS), as Allah describes in Surah 12:67-68. And obviously there are numerous accounts from the life of the Messenger of Allah SAWS) showing Firaasah.
Likewise some of the Sahabah were blessed with Firaasah. Abu Bakr (RA), for example, when he alone knew the real meaning behind the revelation of Surah An-Nasr (110) was signalling the approaching death of the Prophet (SAWS). Then there is ‘Umar (RA), about whom the Prophet SAWS) said, “Amongst nations before you there were inspired people (who were not Prophets) and if there was to be one from amongst my people then it would be ‘Umar (RA). Umar (RA), about whom revelation was sent down 19 times in the favour of his opinion as opposed to the opinion of the messenger of Allah (SAWS).
Finally, many scholars of the early and latter generations have shown evidence of Firaasah in their lives, and indeed their writings. For instance it is reported that when Imam An-Nawawi was a boy of seven years old, he was sleeping next to his father on the 27th night of Ramadan. When half the night had passed, he woke up all of a sudden and asked his father, “O father! What is the light which has filled the house?” The whole family woke up but they could not see anything, whereupon Imam An-Nawawi’s father said, “I then realised it was Lailatul Qadr (the Night of Power)”
Prison is the perfect environment to develop and be blessed with Firaasah. Ibn-Al Jawzi wrote in his book, Sayd Al-Khatir; “ I have not seen or heard of anything that brings repose, honour and dignity as much as seclusion does. It helps one to stay away from evil, it protects one’s honour and it saves time. It keeps one away from the jealous minded who take pleasure in your affliction. It promotes remembrance of the Hereafter and it allows one to reflect on the meeting with Allah. In times of seclusion, one’s thoughts may roam in that which is beneficial, in that which contains wisdom…”
Therefore, as it can be seen, in seclusion one’s mind develops, views are ripened and one is able to delve into a sea of ideas and concepts. In such a state, the mind is free to form its opinions. Isolated from the company of others, the soul is free to achieve a state of rapture and to hunt for the stimulating thought.
The ideal environment in which to develop Firaasah is prison. In prison, one is free to worship Allah to the utmost, completing both obligatory and supererogatory deeds until, as per the Hadith Qudsi, “I become the sight with which he sees, the hearing with which he hears, the hand with which he strikes and the foot with which he walks..” Therefore Firaasah is only developed when in an environment of vast amounts of good deeds coupled with lack of sins and plenty of forgiveness. And there is no better place for this than prison, which is why prison is also known as the ‘factory of men’.
The Prophet (SAWS) said, “Fear the Firaasah of a believer, for he sees with the Light of Allah.” The strength of a believer’s Firaasah is directly linked to the strength and level of his Imaan. When his Imaan reaches a high enough level, his Firaasah increases to the extent that Allah (SWT) begins to directly communicate with him in the form of righteous dreams (visions) regarding the future of both himself and others.
It is reported that many pious people realise the time of their death shortly before it happens. For example, Fatima bint Muhammad (SAWS)(RA) bathed on Friday, wore her best clothes and lay down on a bed in the middle of her open courtyard awaiting her death. Her noble soul was lifted a little while later.
Likewise, pious people also have dreams sometimes of significant world events that are going to take place, before they happen. The Prophet (SAWS) said, “Prophecy is one forty-sixth part of prophethood.” He (SAWS) also said, “Towards the end of time, the righteous dreams of believers will start to become reality.”
Yet another manifestation of Firaasah is the ability to judge or instantly form an opinion about people, in the absence of apparent evidence such as prior knowledge or information about those people. That is why some pious people can tell the sincerity or otherwise, of a new person within minutes of meeting them for the first time, even if they have no prior knowledge about that person. This is an inherent quality in many successful men and leaders, which is why prison is the university of leaders and successful men. Those who have experienced the seclusion of prison look at problems, difficulties and obstacles from a different angle, in a different light to that which others observe the same.
As Long As You Are Not Angry With Me Then I Do Not Care (http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=2954)
(In Lam Takun Ghaadiban Annee Falaa Ubaalee)
A poem by British political prisoner, Babar Ahmad
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
For me is the model of Musab bin Umayr
The best dressed man in the city
But that was for him a state of pity
Until there came to him the Message
All did he leave of his privilege
For the sake of Allah and His Beloved
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
For I think of Bilal when his chest was bare
On the burning sand did they make him lie
Until he thought he was going to die
They crushed him with rocks in the blazing sun
And begged him to reject the Almighty One
But never did he give in to the wicked
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
I remember Khabbaab when they pulled his hair
In the blacksmiths of his evil mistress
With burning rods did she cause him distress
She twisted his neck and burnt his skin
Until his fat dripped into a tin
But he remained firm to his belief as long as he lived
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
For I picture Khubaib when he was there
Tied and bound to an immovable tree
With no chance of him being free
Their spears and arrows did they fling
Yet grapes to him did his Lord bring
Until his noble soul was lifted
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
I think of Yasir, Sumaiyah and their heir
Even when placed on sizzling ember
None but their Lord did they remember
Patience you all when paying this price
Indeed your abode is Paradise
As a reward for all that you did.
As long as You are not angry with me, then I do not care
My example is Your Beloved when struck from the rear
By the sticks and stones of Taif's crowd
Yet he did cry in a voice so loud:
"O Lord! Forgive my people for they do not know,"
And even thought I am feeling so low...
As long as You are not angry with me, then I do not care.
by British Political Prisoner Babar Ahmad MX5383
HMP Woodhill
Tattenhoe Street
Milton Keynes
Bucks MK4 4DA
Words of Wisdom From Behind Bars Part I (http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=2953)
By Babar Ahmad Political Prisoner, Woodhill
Date: 19-Aug-2004
In a letter received by his family yesterday, Babar Ahmad wrote:
"For now everyone in all Muslim Communities should be prepared for more raids, arrests and harassment from the authorities and this will include British, working professionals. There will be many more B.P.P.'s (British Political Prisoners) like myself and others. These words of advice might help the new prisoners cope.
"Keep making dua and sending letters! Letters did and do make a huge difference. I will try - without promising - to reply to those with a name and address."
Words of Wisdom from Behind Bars Part 1: 12/08/04
There are three ways to leave your cell temporarily in a prison, and you can do this almost whenever you want
1) The first way is by reading the Qur’an, whereby Allah makes you leave your cell and embark on a journey away from the prison. Sometimes He takes you millions of years in the past, to before the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth. Sometimes, thousands of years ago, to the time of the Prophets that came before you. Sometimes he drops you into the life of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi was-salam) and you are living with the Sahabah (1). Sometimes He takes you to another prison, the prison of the Hellfire. Or He may take you into the future, thousands of years ahead. You might go to court on the Day of Judgement where He is the Judge and there are no barristers, solicitors, jury, nor media; there are NO human rights and the only prison guards are stern, harsh angels. Frequently He will take you to meet Him and tell you about Himself.
2) The second way is to go back into your own past, as much as your memory permits. Go back 5 years, 10 years, more or less. Go back to your wedding day, graduation, the day Allah guided you to Islam, the birth of your first child, happy moments, sad moments, difficult moments, but not moments where you say, "If only..." and question Allah's destiny.
3) The third way into your future, having taken assumptions.
What if you spend the rest of your life in prison - what will you do? What if you are released tomorrow? What if you spend three more years in prison?
NOTES:
1. The Sahabah were the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.
Words of Wisdom From Behind Bars Part II (http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=2990)
By British Political Prisoner Babar Ahmad,
HMP Woodhill
Date: 22-Aug-2004
2. “Put chains around my hands and burn my chest,
Yet you can never besiege my mind for a minute,
The light is in my heart,
And my heart is in the Hands of my Lord,
And my Lord is my helper and keeper.”
3. Allah says in the Qur’an, 32:24:
“And We made from them leaders, guiding others with Our order, once they had patience, and possessed certainty in our signs.”
The scholars said, in relation to this:
“One cannot attain leadership in the religion except after patience and constancy. So the believing slave must know that when he is exposed to trials, not only prison, then this is an indication that Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has chosen for him leadership in the religion. Therefore, he is currently being examined, so that Allah may see, and the believers may see, the truth of his iman and constancy. Most of the awliyaa’ (beloved) of Allah were tested by this test. There is the Prophet of Allah, Yusuf (AS) as the Qur’an does not stop at his imprisonment, and neither does it mention much about it. Allah says, “And he remained in prison for a few more years…” like that, as if it is no big deal, as if staying in prison is normal, routine and easy matter.”
4. You are in prison for two reasons: Firstly, Allah has in store for you a great position and lofty stations in the future, that you are unaware of, and that He is currently preparing you for this position as you are not good enough for it at present. Secondly, He is cleaning away your previous sins and mistakes to make you even more worthy of this position…
Words of Wisdom From Behind Bars Part III (http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=3000)
By British Political Prisoner Babar Ahmad
Date: 23-Aug-2004
5) Firaasah (Intuition)
Firaasah can be translated to mean intuition, insight, sixth sense, gut feeling, deep judgement, and related terms. Although it is an ability granted by Allah, the theory of it can be studied. Imam Ash-Shafi went to Yemen to study a course in the theory of Firaasah as it used to be taught in the Islamic institutes at that time.
The concept of Firaasah was what all the Prophets of Allah were blessed with, but in their case it was divinely bestowed. For example, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was given Firaasah to see that a star, the moon and the sun could not be his god. Likewise, Yusuf (AS) was given Firaasah in terms of his ability to look deep into dreams and interpret them. His father Yaqub (AS) also had this ability and it was manifest in him asking his sons to enter the city from different gates when they went to show Bin Yamin to their brother Yusuf (AS), as Allah describes in Surah 12:67-68. And obviously there are numerous accounts from the life of the Messenger of Allah SAWS) showing Firaasah.
Likewise some of the Sahabah were blessed with Firaasah. Abu Bakr (RA), for example, when he alone knew the real meaning behind the revelation of Surah An-Nasr (110) was signalling the approaching death of the Prophet (SAWS). Then there is ‘Umar (RA), about whom the Prophet SAWS) said, “Amongst nations before you there were inspired people (who were not Prophets) and if there was to be one from amongst my people then it would be ‘Umar (RA). Umar (RA), about whom revelation was sent down 19 times in the favour of his opinion as opposed to the opinion of the messenger of Allah (SAWS).
Finally, many scholars of the early and latter generations have shown evidence of Firaasah in their lives, and indeed their writings. For instance it is reported that when Imam An-Nawawi was a boy of seven years old, he was sleeping next to his father on the 27th night of Ramadan. When half the night had passed, he woke up all of a sudden and asked his father, “O father! What is the light which has filled the house?” The whole family woke up but they could not see anything, whereupon Imam An-Nawawi’s father said, “I then realised it was Lailatul Qadr (the Night of Power)”
Prison is the perfect environment to develop and be blessed with Firaasah. Ibn-Al Jawzi wrote in his book, Sayd Al-Khatir; “ I have not seen or heard of anything that brings repose, honour and dignity as much as seclusion does. It helps one to stay away from evil, it protects one’s honour and it saves time. It keeps one away from the jealous minded who take pleasure in your affliction. It promotes remembrance of the Hereafter and it allows one to reflect on the meeting with Allah. In times of seclusion, one’s thoughts may roam in that which is beneficial, in that which contains wisdom…”
Therefore, as it can be seen, in seclusion one’s mind develops, views are ripened and one is able to delve into a sea of ideas and concepts. In such a state, the mind is free to form its opinions. Isolated from the company of others, the soul is free to achieve a state of rapture and to hunt for the stimulating thought.
The ideal environment in which to develop Firaasah is prison. In prison, one is free to worship Allah to the utmost, completing both obligatory and supererogatory deeds until, as per the Hadith Qudsi, “I become the sight with which he sees, the hearing with which he hears, the hand with which he strikes and the foot with which he walks..” Therefore Firaasah is only developed when in an environment of vast amounts of good deeds coupled with lack of sins and plenty of forgiveness. And there is no better place for this than prison, which is why prison is also known as the ‘factory of men’.
The Prophet (SAWS) said, “Fear the Firaasah of a believer, for he sees with the Light of Allah.” The strength of a believer’s Firaasah is directly linked to the strength and level of his Imaan. When his Imaan reaches a high enough level, his Firaasah increases to the extent that Allah (SWT) begins to directly communicate with him in the form of righteous dreams (visions) regarding the future of both himself and others.
It is reported that many pious people realise the time of their death shortly before it happens. For example, Fatima bint Muhammad (SAWS)(RA) bathed on Friday, wore her best clothes and lay down on a bed in the middle of her open courtyard awaiting her death. Her noble soul was lifted a little while later.
Likewise, pious people also have dreams sometimes of significant world events that are going to take place, before they happen. The Prophet (SAWS) said, “Prophecy is one forty-sixth part of prophethood.” He (SAWS) also said, “Towards the end of time, the righteous dreams of believers will start to become reality.”
Yet another manifestation of Firaasah is the ability to judge or instantly form an opinion about people, in the absence of apparent evidence such as prior knowledge or information about those people. That is why some pious people can tell the sincerity or otherwise, of a new person within minutes of meeting them for the first time, even if they have no prior knowledge about that person. This is an inherent quality in many successful men and leaders, which is why prison is the university of leaders and successful men. Those who have experienced the seclusion of prison look at problems, difficulties and obstacles from a different angle, in a different light to that which others observe the same.
As Long As You Are Not Angry With Me Then I Do Not Care (http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?aid=2954)
(In Lam Takun Ghaadiban Annee Falaa Ubaalee)
A poem by British political prisoner, Babar Ahmad
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
For me is the model of Musab bin Umayr
The best dressed man in the city
But that was for him a state of pity
Until there came to him the Message
All did he leave of his privilege
For the sake of Allah and His Beloved
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
For I think of Bilal when his chest was bare
On the burning sand did they make him lie
Until he thought he was going to die
They crushed him with rocks in the blazing sun
And begged him to reject the Almighty One
But never did he give in to the wicked
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
I remember Khabbaab when they pulled his hair
In the blacksmiths of his evil mistress
With burning rods did she cause him distress
She twisted his neck and burnt his skin
Until his fat dripped into a tin
But he remained firm to his belief as long as he lived
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
For I picture Khubaib when he was there
Tied and bound to an immovable tree
With no chance of him being free
Their spears and arrows did they fling
Yet grapes to him did his Lord bring
Until his noble soul was lifted
As long as You are not angry with me then I do not care
I think of Yasir, Sumaiyah and their heir
Even when placed on sizzling ember
None but their Lord did they remember
Patience you all when paying this price
Indeed your abode is Paradise
As a reward for all that you did.
As long as You are not angry with me, then I do not care
My example is Your Beloved when struck from the rear
By the sticks and stones of Taif's crowd
Yet he did cry in a voice so loud:
"O Lord! Forgive my people for they do not know,"
And even thought I am feeling so low...
As long as You are not angry with me, then I do not care.
by British Political Prisoner Babar Ahmad MX5383
HMP Woodhill
Tattenhoe Street
Milton Keynes
Bucks MK4 4DA