Dowra Reflections 3: The City of Light
And the journey continues! Our beloved teacher, Mualima Radia Bawa Hendricks and her family, have travelled to the blessed city of Tarim, Yemen to immerse themselves in The Dowra, a 40-day Islamic Studies programme taking place between 26 June-03 August 2018 (12 Shawwal-21 Dhul Qa’dah 1439).
“It was said that even the streets of Tarim are blessed. Its streets have been tanned by the feet of great masters, full moons of guidance, who light up all darknesses.” – Imam al-Adani
This is the third of several updates that they have shared with us. We invite you to follow their journey, by following their updates on our blog, Facebook and Instagram pages.
Dowra Reflections 3: The City of Light
Nabi Nuh (as) made a du’a which is recorded in the Qur’an:
“Oh Allah, forgive me, my parents and those who enter my home in a state of faith..” [71:28]
In one of our lessons which takes place in the house of Habib Umar, the esteemed teacher mentioned that many of the pious make this du’a of Prophet Nuh (as) and that we should not deem as insignificant the fact that we are so incredibly blessed to sit in the home of Habib Umar several times a week for our classes. He mentioned that just by sitting in this blessed home, the doors of mercy and forgiveness will be opened for its congregants by the will of Allah.
This is what it feels like on the streets of Tarim as well. The purity of the eye protected from all sights which may deviate and mesmerise, the ear preserved from all foul and vile sounds, the receptive vessel of the heart at rest, cocooned in the comfort and repose of purity. The echoes of the gatherings which are blessed by Tarim’s many luminaries, infuse one’s being with a constant state of connectedness to the true calling of one’s heart.
No longer tainted by the rush and noise of everyday life, no longer overwhelmed by the many hats one wears, no longer searching for something real and lasting. This is what life should be like everyday.
The weekly mawlid gathering was something else entirely; there was a tangible electricity in the air and as we collectively recited the salawaat, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the gathering. The beautiful green dome of the blessed mosque of the Prophet (saw) in Madina kept entering my thoughts and I thought of how blessed the people of the city are to attend these gatherings of light weekly.
The advices imparted to us by our teachers our simple, but so heartfelt and impactful. Due to modernity and the rising need for intellectualism and academia within Islam, we sometimes forget the essential realities, and more so, embodying these teachings on a consistent basis. This is at the heart of the dowra programme – disciplining the self to adopt a routine of reflection and remembrance and to mould one’s worldly occupations around these anchors rather than vice versa.
Reminder of the day: Our teacher conveyed to us that when one’s heart receives a glimmer of light calling one to Allah, this is one of the most precious gifts. Safeguard this light and beware of exposing it to gatherings of darkness and people of heedlessness lest this light be extinguished.
Keep us in your prayers as we remember you in ours,
Radia Bawa Hendricks
Dowra Reflections Series
Dowra Reflections 1: Journey to Tarim
Dowra Reflections 2: First Week in Tarim
Dowra Reflections 3: The City of Light
