Dr. Waffie Mohammed
The first Trinidad national to have earned a doctorate in the study of Islam, Dr. Waffie graduated from the University of Karachi with a PhD in Islamic Studies, obtained in parallel with Al-Kamil certification from the Aleemiya Institute established by Dr. Fazlu R. Ansari.
On his return to Trinidad, Dr. Waffie contributed to the development of the Muslim communities located throughout the country and the region, while at the same time serving the wider national communities. This led to his appointment to the Senate in 1981, and his later appointment as Director of the Muslim World League regional office for the Caribbean and Latin America, a position in which he contributed to global Muslim development, until his retirement in 2003.
Dr. Waffie is currently serving as the Principal and Director at the Markaz al Ihsaan Institute of Islamic Theology. He also serves as a spiritual leader of the local chapters of the Qadri and Nakshbandi Orders within Islamic Spirituality Circles.
The author of numerous books, articles and publications dedicated to Islam and contemporary social issues, Dr. Waffie also has a growing number of pioneering works in contemporary Islamic studies. Dr. Waffie blogs often at http://drwaffie.blogspot.com
Establishing a connection with the Prophet (s)
- By Dr. Waffie Mohammed
- Published 03/8/2010
Islam on the
other hand gives us such a beautiful concept of Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings on him). Muslims do not associate any divinity to the Prophet, instead we adhere to what Allah
says in Surah Kahf “Say: I am but a man like yourselves”.
We should never
forget one important thing about Prophet Muhammad
and that is he is extremely special, even though he was a humble human
being. Those who aspire to get close to him, they too are special.
Since the Prophet
came back from the Miraj; from then onwards, he brought back a piece
of Paradise with him. Proof of this can be found in the hadith
narrated by Abu Hurayrah (ra) in which he heard the Prophet Muhammad
say:
“The area
between my house and my minbar is one of the gardens of Paradise (ar-Rawdah
an-Nabawiyah), and my minbar is on my cistern (hawd)”.
Allah
has been really favourable to the Believers. What exactly is
the benefit of the Rawdah in Masjid al-Nabawi? Those who were
blessed to have been there would tell you the feeling they experienced.
It is a feeling of total peace and tranquility.
Imagine that
you are sitting in the Rawdah which is part of Paradise and on your
left is your leader and role model. If you can get so near to
him in this world what about the hereafter?
Allah
has provided us with an opportunity to rehearse what will happen to
the true believers in the hereafter. He shows us that in reality
there is a place called Jannah. True, you cannot access the facilities
of Paradise in the Rawdah of the Prophet (peace be on him), but you can get that
feeling of peace and tranquility. If you are there and Prophet
is to the left of you and his body is one that will never decay and
Allah
reunites his soul and his body in order for him to respond to the daroods’
being sent, what kind of feeling will you get? Imagine you are
actually in the presence of the Habibullah
.
If we can build
a relationship here in this world and be in his company in this life
what will happen in the next. Allah
says in Qur’an “take note that amongst you is the Mesenger of
Allah.” No other Messenger was given this blessing and no where
else in this universe you will find a piece of Jannah. That is
why it is truly a blessing to visit Madinah.
to forgive us and guide us. 