السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته | |
A New Month Approaches
Rabi-At-Thani 1447
Week of September 21, 2025
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This week, a new lunar month begins — Rabi al-Thani 1447 AH — coinciding with the solar eclipse visible across parts of Southeast Asia.
Our hearts travel to that side of the world, where Shaykh Nour Kabbani visits Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, greeted with warmth, hospitality, and the love of countless murids, families, and honored guests. His travels remind us of the living ties that connect our community from Fenton to the far corners of the world.
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Siratul Mustaqeem is to be on the path of anbiya and awliyah to pass the bridge from the realm of dunya to akhirah. When we give bayah (allegiance) to a teacher, we are looking at what he learned from his teachers and mashaykh, all the way to Prophet ﷺ. Each generation is a level, or mihrab, that leads to the Divine Presence, towards Fani' Fi-Allah and Baqi'-Billah. Rasulullah ﷺ represented three levels for the ummah, risala (the zahir, the external rules of shariah), nubuwa (the batin, the knowledge of the Unseen), and 'ummi (the origin of all things). Then you reach the zero-point between opposites, between existence and non-existence, between being there and not being there.
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إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۚ فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَنْ أَوْفَ بِمَا عَـٰهَدَ عَلَيْهُ ٱللَّهَ فَسَيُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭا
Surely those who pledge allegiance to you ˹O Prophet˺ are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. Allah’s Hand is over theirs. Whoever breaks their pledge, it will only be to their own loss. And whoever fulfils their pledge to Allah, He will grant them a great reward.
Surah al-Fath (48:10)
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Shaykh Dr. Nour Kabbani’s travels through Malaysia and Indonesia have been nothing short of breathtaking. From the vibrant colors and beautifully organized gatherings to the rhythm of rebana and djembe drum beats and the soul-stirring sounds of spiritual music, every moment has reflected the deep adab and love of the Prophet ﷺ that shines in Southeast Asian culture.
❤️🔥 🇮🇩 🕌
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Diwan al- Awliyah
Our mashaykh describe the unseen gathering of saints as the Ahl al-Diwan, (أهل الديوان), the people of the council, who carry the affairs of the Ummah with love and hidden service.
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هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ ضِيَآءًۭ وَٱلْقَمَرَ نُورًۭا وَقَدَّرَهُۥ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا۟ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلْحِسَابَ ۚ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍۢ يَعْلَمُونَ
It is He who made the sun a radiant light and the moon a reflected light, and determined its phases so that you may know the number of years and the account of time. Allah did not create this except in truth. He makes the signs clear for a people who know.
Surah Yunus (10:5)
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"Timelessness"
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, 2007.
Just as the sun governs our days and the moon our months, the eclipse reminds us that time itself is only a veil — a celestial clock pointing us back to the timelessness of Allah ﷻ.
“Who could have set these circles within circles, clocks in motion? On a far larger scale, God, the Exalted, made the Earth hold its place in the grand setting of the universe, turning around itself and flying about the sun. That is the meaning of Allahu Akbar.”
| “That means the Divine Focus is always on the present. It is not on something past nor something coming in the future. For God, the Exalted, everything is there, there is no before and no after, there is no knowledge that God, the Exalted, knew before and then later He knows something different. His knowledge transcends all events for all time. He knows everything, He is al-‘Alim, The Absolute Knower. We say something has a beginning and an end, but for God, the Exalted, there is no beginning and no end.” | | | | Featured Community Project | | |
Tradition Meets the Future:
Building a Legacy for Our Times
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The Zawiyah in Fenton has been blessed with a new wave of families — including more than 25 children under 18, many with special needs or parents who are navigating new beginnings. At the same time, those who were once the children running in our halls are now adults searching for direction and a place to share their energy. And our elders, who once carried the torch, now find themselves isolated in a world that has changed around them.
After years of navigating uncertain times, through the chaos of the pandemic and Mawlana’s last days, the community is now in transition. The Zawiyah once again welcomes hundreds of visitors and guests from near and far, especially on Holy Nights such as Eid, Mawlid, and 'Urs. In the sleepy suburban town of Fenton, this means accommodating families and first-time visitors from many different backgrounds — all of whom need to be guided by the respectful adab and loving manners taught by our Shaykhs.
What our community needs today is not just events or publicity, but day-by-day community organizing, thoughtful content that elevates people's understanding, and spaces where people can truly connect, grow, and serve together.
This is why the SufiLive Playground Project is more than a playground. It is the beginning of reimagining the Fenton Zawiyah as a dargah for our times — a space where our traditions continue to live, while giving room for the next generation to blossom spiritually. Michigan can feel heavy and isolating, but the Zawiyah can be a place of light: grounding us in dhikr, salat, nature, and healthy living free from consumerism and artificial culture.
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After the blessed Mawlid weekend, volunteers gathered for a retreat to envision improvements to the Zawiyah grounds. The community came together to share visions for the future, rooted in the adab of our mashaykh, and inspired by a spirit of cooperation and service.
There is a lot of work to be done before the winter freeze! We plan to recruit a skilled team to design and engineer the DIY community space in a holistic way. Stay tuned as this project develops; inshallah, we will be ready to build in Spring 2026.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support these projects and keep the Zawiyah a place of baraka for generations to come.
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The Biblical Prediction of the Prophetic Kingdom
Devotional Poetry of Mawlid Ad-Daba'i
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This second hadith was related by Ata’a bin Yassar from Ka’ab al-Ahbar. He said, “My father taught me the Book of Torah, except for one section from the book which he used to seal and lock away in a box.”
“When my father passed away I opened the box and I read that section. It said, ‘a Messenger will come at the end of time, he will be born in Mecca and he will emigrate to Medina, his kingship will be in Damascus.’”
“He will cut his hair and he will wraps a cloth around his waist.” He will be best amongst the prophets, and his nation will be the best amongst nation. They glorify Allah for every honor bestowed on them. They will keep straight rows during their prayers just as they will do in battle. Their hearts are their books and they thank Allah in every condition whether in difficulty or ease.”
“A third of them will enter heaven without their deeds being weighed. (‘O Allah, make us from among them.’) And a third will arrive with sins and mistakes and they will be forgiven. And a third will arrive bearing heavy sins and grave mistakes.”
So Allah will order the Angels: “O My angels go and weigh their deeds.” The angels will say, “O our Lord, we find these people oppressed themselves and their sinful deeds are like mountains, except for their bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
Ashhadu ‘an lā ilāha illa ʼLlāhu wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan Rasūlullāh.
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammadﷺ is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
اللهم صلِّ وسلِّم وبارك عليه وعلى آله
Allāhuma ṣalli wa sallim wa bārik ʿalayh wa ʿalā ālih
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Extending Our Care to Those in Need
And as we nurture our own space, we do not forget our brothers, sisters, and children in lands devastated by war and hardship. If Allah ﷻ has blessed you with extra in your rizq, please consider giving what you can — and if not, remember them in your du‘āʾ. 🌙
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