The station of Mustawā

Dear Islamic brothers, as the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم   went beyond Sidrat al-Muntahā, Sayyidunā Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام stopped there and excused himself from going any further.^[1] The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم   said, “I asked Jibril (عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام), ‘Have you seen your Lord?’

He (عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام) replied, ‘There are 70 veils of light between me and my Lord. If I were to approach even one of them, I would burn.’”^[2]

Thus, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم   proceeded alone (beyond Sidrat al-Muntahā) and continued to ascend until he reached a place known as Mustawā. Here, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم   heard the pens’ creaking.^[3] These were those pens which the angels use to write the divine commands every day. They copy down the events of one year from the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ) onto separate scrolls, and then these scrolls are given to the relevant overseeing angels on the 15^th night of ShaꜤbān.^[4]

Affinity for ShaꜤbān

Dear Islamic brothers, the month of ShaꜤbān has particular importance in terms of the Book of Deeds changing. The forthcoming month is that of ShaꜤbān. So, alongside fulfilling the acts that are obligatory (farḍ) and necessary (wājib), we should also make special arrangements for optional (nafl) salah and optional fasts in the month of ShaꜤbān. Attributing this blessed month to himself, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم   said,