Bismillahi Ar Rahmani Ar Rahim
Assalamu Alaikum!
It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’m sorry for the delay. My life has just gotten a little more crazy, which is saying something. Actually it helps, because it’s helping me keep my mind off other things, Alhamdulillah.
So what’s new? I just came home after 4 hours at the masjid. I’m exhausted! So, if I sound distracted during this post, please forgive me. I’m starting to see sheep at the edges of my peripheral vision and my pillow has never looked so fluffy.
(Not my Masjid’s flier)
Well…for starters, Junaid Jamshed and Sheikh Hasan Abunar both came to visit my masjid! It was a fundraising event for Darul Uloom in New York.
I won’t lie and tell you that I’ve heard of these two all of my life and know everything there is to know.
Truth is, I knew very little about Junaid Jamshed and nothing about Sheikh Hasan Abunar. It was only until today that I found out who they were, and mashAllah!
I can now say I’m a big fan.
The audience at the masjid was maybe 90% Pakistani-Indian people who all came to see Brother Jamshed. It was funny to see all the aunties and uncles gathered in the hall, all excited. They were even served biryani for dinner! Alhamdulillah
Brother Jamshed used to be a rock and roll pop (I was corrected, thanks to a friend) superstar in Pakistan in the 1980’s and 1990’s, but had a change of heart and decided to drop the music and focus on Islam. He now sings naats and nasheeds, and very beautiful ones mashAllah.
If you’ve ever heard “Dil Badal de” (Change my heart), which you probably have, that’s Junaid Jamshed, mashAllah!
Here’s the link to the nasheed: Junaid Jamshed Dil badal de. MashAllah, look at that beard!
On to Sheikh Hasan Abunar. At one point in time, he was selected as the best Qari in the world, mashAllah. This is just what the presenter said, I actually don’t know where his biography is on the internet, but once I find it, I’ll post it, inshAllah. His nationality is either Jordanian or Palestinian…PLEASE…if anyone finds anything about him please post a comment with a link inshAllah.
He led the prayer for both Maghrib and Isha. His is probably one of the most beautiful and heart-stopping recitations I’ve ever heard.
My younger sister, Reem, said it best:
When he stopped, I felt like my heart was empty.
SubhanAllah. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
The Sheikh is also a very funny man! He and Brother Jamshed seem to be very good friends, and apparently Sheikh Abunar picked up on some Urdu from Brother Jamshed. He entertained and made the audience laugh with some words of Urdu, mashAllah.
My heart was moved completely by the stories Sheikh was telling. I do not remember them perfectly and I don’t want to write anything I’m unsure of. But the stories were concerning Adam (AS). They were so beautiful and the Sheikh told them so beautifully I began to cry. Tears are springing to my eyes as I write this just at the memory of what I heard, subhanAllah.
I felt so much in my heart, and I didn’t even know where it was coming from. I wanted to sob.
MashAllah, I just remember the noor on the Sheikh’s face and just felt so much emotion. I was sitting way in the back, I couldn’t even see him, but I felt completely humbled!
May Allah reward both of these men, give them Jannat al Firdaus, and forgive them, and give them a home near Allah in Jannah. Ameen.
The Sheikh also told us that at the very end of our life, right before we die, Allah will show us a glimpse of where we will be in the afterlife.
Can you imagine, the last breath you take, you’re delivered a vision of your akhira? What if it’s Hell?
Ya Allah, what if it’s Jannah?
Allah protect us and forgive us all! Ameen.
Luckily, for you, I took a video of Sheikh Hasan Abunar reciting from Surah Rahmaan and uploaded it to YouTube. I made the decision a little bit after he began, just so you know.
Here it is! Also, a little disclaimer. I am not a representative or being paid in uploading this video. I am just a Muslimah who wants to share this beautiful recitation by Sheikh Hasan Abunar, mashAllah.
The sound quality is good, but you can’t really see him since I decided to sit at a table in the back. My hands are bit shaky and I move it around a little but you can just minimize it and listen to the recitation, since that’s the point.
MashAllah!
And finally, here are some weirdly placed pictures of the two. Sorry I couldn’t get it to be more organized. My bad, yo.
Brother Jamshed
Sheikh Hasan Abunar
Brother Jamshed
- Sheikh Hasan Abunar
And on that note…. I’m going to bed.
It was an amazing night, mashAllah! Enjoy the recitation, the pictures, the nasheed, inshAllah.
By the way…
<—- this is my favorite picture of the night. And not because of the auntie who turned around at the perfect time.
Ok. Assalamu Alaikum. Good night, good morning, good afternoon.
– Nesha
By The Fig and The Olive 