Struggles

Reflection

2006-05-31T21:50:00.000-04:00

The experience of two complete strangers, perhaps of varying colors and cultural backgrounds, forming an immediate bond with the exchange of a smile, a slight head nod of acknowledgment and an ‘assalamualaikum,’ (greeting of peace) is truly amongst those incredibly heart uplifting feelings that Allah swt has blessed us with.

How very often do I find myself walking the streets of New York city, head down, trying hard to turn away from the filth on the buildings and walls (the ads), on the streets and that which leaves the mouth of those who walk them (smoke, curses etc). It is at times such as these that I sometimes look up and spot a head with a hijab and there forms on my face an inevitable smile, of joy and perhaps hope. We get closer, our smiles now exposed, nod that slight nod of acknowledgment and exchange a greeting of peace. Within a moment our hearts connect and then part. We pass each other by but the smile retains its place in my heart. I am left reflecting on the blessings that Allah swt has bestowed upon us, including the ability he has given us to behold and appreciate beauty—the beauty of human connection. I now walk the very same filth-laden streets of New York city with a smile on my face, emanating from deep within.

There is so much beauty all around us. It can be seen or heard… and it is felt. It is strongly intertwined with happiness. It is no wonder then that the beauty of our Prophet salAllahu 'alaihi wa sallim fills our heart with so much joy and love.

Why?

2006-04-08T20:25:00.000-04:00

There was a game we played as kids. Rather, we learned to annoy each other with it. When someone said some thing, you'd ask 'why?' they'd reply and again you'd ask, 'why?' Perhaps they'd reply once more before realizing that you were not seeking answers but merely to annoy. (: It was fun (but annoying when done to you!). It is amazing that as kids we realized the power of 'why' and how it could be applied to just about anything and invariably. We played along some times and tried to come up with statements that could not be questioned further, perhaps something to the effect of "because Allah Mian is one!" Here the questioner would sheepishly withold his question and aha! he was caught. (:

To be inquisitive is a part of human nature and to question is a means of learning. When we stop questioning, that is when we fall into ghafla [ignorance]. We must question ourselves to remain aware of our intentions and we must question the world around us if we are to continue to live in it. The mindset that one carries when questioning, however, contributes largely to the answers that one gets. So if the purpose behind one's questioning is to learn and to improve (and here draw closer to Allah swt) then verily he will gain knowledge (and perhaps wisdom) by it, but if it is to simply argue or to annoy then just like we did as kids, he will receive nothing but mere play.

Children exhibit this inquisitive nature from a very young age as their mind seeks to make sense of the world around them. Unfortunately, often their questioning becomes annoying to the 'adults' and they are told to simply shut up, and obey. Depending on the personality of the child then he will either rebel or obey. He will either continue to question or his inquisitive nature will become thwarted and the questions internalized, perhaps even forgotten. He will learn to simply 'obey,' be it parents, friends or fashion trends. On the other hand, if one is encouraged to question, by answering his questions instead of thwarting them, he will better learn to make sense of the world around him in a manner that is befitting a human being.

Islam is the conscious act of submission. So contary to what many would see as 'having blind faith' it is a religion that involves much thought, conviction and the conscious choice to do that which God has commanded. If you are questioning some of the basics of the deen, don't feel bad or turn away from it, but know that questioning is the very first step to receiving an answer. And God is the All-Knower, Most Wise. If you seek, He will answer you.

Contemplating

2006-04-08T20:18:00.000-04:00

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is beautiful and He loves beauty in all things. Have you ever contemplated the Beauty that is He, such that your heart and mind just cant take it and tears come streaming down your cheeks? Have you ever thought of the beauty of His love for you? The beauty of His Creation? The beauty in His Creation? The beauty of His favors upon you? The concept of beauty itself and our ability to appreciate it (both of which are furthermore His Creation)? Have you ever contemplated the Beauty that is He? Enough is such contemplation for the seeker! Indeed, hasbunAllah!

Islam, Marriage and Family Life

2006-02-04T16:05:00.000-05:00

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah,
This is the next class Sana and I attended, however we got there late and ended up missing much of it. On a side note, everyone should spend some time with a new mother, preferably of a second child, to get a deeper understanding of why Allah swt has given the mother the status that He has! Anyhoo, here goes...(keep in mind these are my notes and may Allah swt forgive me for anything I wrongly attribute to the teacher)

Sunday, June 15 2006 -- 4:40pm
Class: Islam, Marriage and Family Life
Teacher: Imam Zaid Shakir

He had just finished going over the benefits of marriage. The next thing he covered were the various rulings regarding marriage:-
-It is sunnah and hence highly desirable. If one desires but can't afford it then it's better for them to wait until Allah swt blesses them with the means. It is makroo for one who doesn't desire it and doesn't have the means. It's wajib upon one who fears fornication etc. if he/she doesn't marry and has the means to get married. It is haram upon one who knows for a fact that they will oppress or abuse their spouse. Also, one who is preoccupied with devotion and study and doesn't feel the need for it, doesn't need to marry.

There were various different types of marriages that the Jahili Arabs used to engage in, and which were all declared haram upon the Muslims. These include:
1. Nikah al khidn -- secret, temporary marriage
2. Nikah al muta -- temporary marriage -- this continued into Islam but was outlawed because the niyyah of marriage is 'forever' and hence 'temporary marriage' is a self-contradictory statement and concept.
3. Nikah un badn -- temporary exchange of spouses.
4. Group marriage
5. etc. etc. there were others I stopped writing down. But basically any and all such things are forbidden!

Then at the end of this class Imam Zaid goes over one of the aphorisms of ibn Ata'illah as it pertains to family and marriage life. He started with the first one that goes something like this...
From the signs that a person is relying on his/her actions and not on Allah swt's Mercy is a loss of hope when a slip or error occurs.
He said that the essence of this is knowing that both you and your actions are from Allah swt. When you slip, you know that that is from Allah swt and there is Wisdom behind it. This is moreso for one who is at the end of the path ('arif) though. For those at the beginning of the path (salik), this doesn't necessarily apply because a loss of hope is needed to move them to action. As a family member, we have to realize this and we have to live for Allah swt and not for each other, so that when you slip you don't lose hope. We have to realize that we are not going to be the perfect spouse, sibling, child etc., we will slip but we can strive for perfection! Realizing this will also help you know that your spouse is also not perfect. This understanding of imperfection then allows for there to be a common base between you two to then work from.
[I think this is especially true for newly married couples as they will often, without realizing it, enter a marriage with certain expectations of each other and then be startled by some of their spouse's actions causing them to perhaps even feel low/disappointed. But instead trust in Allah swt's Mercy, know that both you and your spouse's actions are also from Allah swt, and focus on your common base of imperfection and the immense need this creates to struggle to help each other draw closer to Him 'azza wa jal. Great reminder for myself too!].

Then there was Q&A so we left...we had left the babies home with Tariq!

2 weeks in Hayward, California

2006-01-28T02:19:00.000-05:00

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah,

Alhamdulillah I had the honor of meeting several of the people that make up the Bay Area Muslim community (including Zaytuna) over the past two weeks while visiting my sister and her kidS mashaAllah. (: The winter session of classes at Zaytuna began the day I arrived and so here are the notes from whatever classes I was able to attend, in that order. These are just mere scribbles that I was able to jot down (I missed many things and must have incorrectly recorded others) but nonetheless I pray that Allah swt benefit you from these inshaAllah ta'ala and may He forgive me for any mistakes that I made in writing&typing these up--ameen*

Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006 3:30pm --
Class: Shamail -- The Prophetic Characteristics (saw)
Teacher: Ustadh Yahya Rhodus

At first Sidi Yahya discussed the importance of seeking sacred knowledge, to instill in our minds the greatness of this matter before Allah swt. He mentioned that Allah swt has said that He likes the 'higher' things, and seeking sacred knowledge is amongst these. One's intention when doing so should be to learn and to teach others, to benefit one's self and to benefit others, to improve one's self and to improve others...

Seeking sacred knowledge is foundational for our relationship with Allah swt as well as for the health of the community. Communities and lands (like our hearts) are brought to life by knowledge, coupled with action & da'wa. And the ultimate example we have is that of the Prophet (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him). For the first 13 years in Makkah, the Muslims sat with the Prophet (saw) and learnt! So this is how our hearts and communities will also come to life. There is a hadith that says that whoever goes out to seek knowledge (to bring life to Islam) and death comes upon him, there will be between him and the Prophets (as) one degree in Jannah. Sidi Yahya pointed out that this is not referring to a learned scholar, but rather one who simply makes the intention in their heart and sets out on this path, wherever he may be upon it. Then he continued, while it is important to study the other worldly sciences, sacred knowledge is different in that inherent in it is nur...and this is the nur of the Prophet (saw).

There are various sciences that have been codified to get to know the Prophet (saw)--seerah, khasais in nabawiyya (the distinguishing/miraculous Prophetic qualities), poetry etc. We will talk about the shamail--the inward and outward attributes or characteristics of the Prophet (saw). This is one of the greatest ways to come to love the Prophet (saw). If one establishes this love in their heart then everything else will be 'bashar' (good). And there are 6 ways to do this:
1. To establish a heart connection with him, i.e., that you think about him (saw) all the time--how he was, how he acted etc.--longing to see him and be with him.
2. To read his seerah and his shamail (saw).
3. To pray upon him often, i.e., send salawat upon him.
4. To have ta'dheem (exaltation) for his sunnah and the desire to follow it.
5. To serve his shariah -- to learn it, act upon it and teach it to others.
6. To help his ummah by taking care of the needs of the Muslims, for how concerned and compassionate was he (saw) towards them/us.

When we study the shamail is it not to merely hear a historic narrative. Rather there are 3 things to keep in mind when studying this:
1. The Prophet (saw) is our door to Allah swt. He is the means through which we come to know tawhid. So a study of his life is directly related to our relationship with our Creator.
2. He (saw) is the one who has translated this revelation to us. He (saw) had the ability to bear that which no one has/had the ability to do so. Even Jibrail (as) during the isra & mi'raj did not go past a certain level but he (saw) was allowed in. In the Quran Allah swt says that if this (the Quran) was sent upon a mountain it would split asunder, and yet it was revealed upon the heart of our beloved Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
3. He (saw) is a human being and Allah (swt) sent him as a human being. He has: i) physical attributes ii) inward attributes iii) a ma'na or an understanding of his reality, granted to some.

In Surah Kahf Allah swt says what is translated as: Say I am only a human being like you. I receive revelation that indeed your Lord is one God. In this ayah alone you can see the 3 things mentioned above to keep in mind with regards to the Prophet saw when learning about him. [SubhanAllah I would never arrive at such depth of reflection when reading this single ayah of the Quran!]

There are various reasons for which people love someone. 1. It could be something physical. 2. One could love the mannerisms or characteristics of another. 3. Naturally we love those who do good to us. 4. As humans we love perfection, as it is a part of our fitra. Allah swt combined all of these in the Prophet (saw) for us, for he was a physically and internally beautiful person who was the perfect human being. It is important to note here that while the Prophet saw was a human being, he was not like any other human being. (:

Finally...the concern of our Prophet (saw) for us has reached us even to this day. For ex. once the Prophet (saw) prayed fajr with the companions and he turned to them and said [here Sidi Yahya interjected with his own reflection, urging us to imagine what the salah of the Prophet saw must have been like, the closeness he must have felt and what was it that caused him to then turn and immediately ask] 'who has the most amazing belief?' The sahaba replied, the angels! He said (saw), 'how could the angels not believe when they see the realities in front of them?' So they said, the prophets! 'How could they not believe if revelation is coming to them?' So they then said, your companions! to which the Prophet saw again replied 'how could you not believe when you see the miracles before your eyes?' Finally he (saw) said, 'The people who have the most perfect belief are the ones who come after me...[the hadith continued in a most beautiful manner describing them/us! but I wasn't able to write it cuz I was simply soaking it in]...they are my brothers.'

Sidi Yahya then gave out an outline of the book that they're using for the class and talked about the author of that book. SubhanAllah it was amazing to just hear about him, and other shyukh, may Allah swt grant them the station near their beloved (saw) in the Akhira. The book is 'Wasail al-Wusul ila Shamail al-Rasul' (The Means of Arrival ot the Characteristics of the Prophet saw) by Shaykh Yusuf Nabahani, and he is translating it from Arabic himself over the course of the class. SubhanAllah.

May Allah swt bless Sidi Yahya and his family and all those who attended this class as well as those who yearned to attend it and may He swt grant us all the love for our Prophet saw that is our hearts' desire, allowing it to be a direct means for us to draw ever closer to Him 'azza wa jal-ameen*

wassalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

The Beauty in Silence

2005-09-24T20:05:00.000-04:00

TV off
door shut
all gone
silence reigns

crickets sound
heart stills
darkness gains

rhythmic beat
God's praise
creation sings

There is a beauty in silence...

Nobody's home and I'm having organic Kashi crackers that Sana left behind with nutella. No one's home and for a change the walls of this house are experiencing silence. I don't want to disturb them so I type lightly and choose to keep the lights off. It's only the light of this screen that is blaring through the darkness. The crickets outside (and perhaps other creatures as well) are humming their song non-stop which is making its way through the window screen on my left and into my ears, entering my heart. There is a calm I feel, a peace. If I close my eyes and simply repeat 'Allah,' I can feel the heaviness upon my eyelids lifting.

When we are amidst Allah swt's Creation that is in utter and complete obedience to Him, doing exactly that which is ordained for it, then and then alone are we really 'at home'...and it is a wonderful feeling, not to mention a much needed serenity in our lives. May we make the most of these moments (be they in silence, amidst nature or in good company) so that we may find ourselves just as much at peace when there will be no one around, and in darkness we shall lay still-ameen*

When Tragedy Befalls

2005-09-15T15:38:00.000-04:00

My heart feels very heavy. I casually asked an old friend how she was doing after over a year, via email, and her reply froze my stare at the screen in shock, only later to be melted by a tear.
...

There is a lot going on in the world. People, as close to us as an easy phone call or email away, are suffering all around us. When the Light of deen first entered my heart, I felt very strongly that life could never be bad for a Muslim for even in trials and tribulations lay good! ‘Truly amazing is the affair of the believer. His affair only contains good. That realization only occurs for the believer. If he is blessed with good he thanks God and in that there is good. And if he is afflicted with difficulty he patiently endures and in that there is good.' (Sahih Muslim #7425)

However, I have recently been thinking a lot about how we all need not just a reminder of the Hikma behind trials, but more importantly, a helping hand through the trying times. Even with the knowledge that Allah swt does everything for the best, you often need the help and support of family, friends and people from the community to get you out of difficult situations you find yourself stuck in…to get you out of your suffering. Offering this support and help should be at the forefront of our minds as we interact with people.

Imam Dawud Yasin said at a retreat I recently attended, “feed people and open up your houses.” It’s time for us to open up our hearts and reach out to those who are suffering, lonely, tired, depressed, hurting…(and you will be surprised to find many such amongst us!) be it even in the smallest of ways, and alleviate their pain the best we can. It’s time to get back in touch with the world that exists outside of our own bubbled routines, the world that Allah swt has chosen to put us in the midst of, for a reason.

Kinds of Reflection

2005-02-06T14:49:00.000-05:00

Chapter 35--Kinds of Reflection

There are several kinds of reflection. Ascetics reflect on the evanescent nature of this world, and the way in which it betrays those who pursue it. This gives them patience, which causes their detachment to grow.

Worshippers reflect on the beautiful reward which is in store for them, so that their ardor and enthusiasm for it wax stronger.

Gnostics reflect on the favors and blessed gifts of God and on the secrets of the Names and Attributes. In this way they increase in love for their Exalted and Majestic Creator.

Ordinary people reflect on the proofs and evidences which lead to faith.

Exalted, then, is the state of he who does all four!

Once it is made easy for one, reflection is one of the noblest acts of worship, for it implies the Remembrance of God and brings about an increase in attachment and love. For the heart loves only the one whom it believes has greatness, and the greatness of God the Exalted is only revealed through knowledge of His Attributes, Ability, and the marvels of His works. In this way, reflection leads to knowledge, which in turn leads to reverence, which leads on to love.

Imam al-Ghazali (may God sanctify his secret!) has said, "A man who reflects at length in order to know God, and has had unveiled to him even the minutest portion of the secrets of His Kingdom, will find in his heart such joy and bliss in this unveiling that he will almost fly, and he will be amazed at his own steadfastness and firmness."

Our master, the Pole of Guidance, al-Habib Abdallah ibn Alawi al-Haddad has said in his Book of Assistance:

You should have a wird of reflection in every twenty-four hours, for which you should set aside one or more hours. The best time for reflection is the one which contains the fewest preoccupations and worries, and the most potential for the heart to be present, such as the depths of the night. Knows that the state of one's religious and worldly affairs depends upon the soundness of one's reflection. Anyone who has a share of it has an abundant share of everything good. It has been said, "An hour's reflection is better than a year's worship." 'Ali [ibn Abi Talib], may Allah honor his face, has said, "There is no worship like reflection." And one of the gnostics said, "Reflection is the lamp of the heart; if it departs the heart will have no light."

The ways of reflection are many. One, which is the most noble of them, is to reflect on the wonders of God's dazzling creation, the inward and outward signs of His Ability, and the signs He has scattered abroad in the realm of the earth and the heavens. This kind of reflection increases your knowledge of the Essence, Attributes and Names of God. He has encouraged it by saying, 'Say: Look at what is in the heavens and the earth!' [10:10]. You yourself are one of the wondrous creatures He has made, and you should therefore reflect on yourself, for He has said, 'In the earth are signs for those who have certainty, and in yourselves; can you not see?'[51:20-21].

Know that you must reflect on the favors of God and His bounties which He caused to reach you. He has said, 'Remember the favors of God, so that you may succeed' [7:69]; 'Should you [attempt to] number the favors of God, you will not be able to do so' [45:18]; and 'All good things that you possess are from God' [46:53]. This kind of reflection results in the heart filling with the love of God and continuously rendering thanks to Him, inwardly and outwardly, in a manner that pleases and satisfies Him.

Know that you should reflect on God's complete awareness of you, and His seeing and knowing all about you: 'We have created man, and We Know what his soul whispers to him; and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein' [50:16]; 'He is with you wherever you may be, and God sees what you do' [57:14]; and 'Have you not seen that God knows what is in the heavens and the earth, and no three persons converse but that He is their fourth, and no five persons but that He is their sixth?' [58:7]. This kind of reflection results in your feeling ashamed before God should He see you where He has forbidden you to be or miss you where He has commanded you to be.

Know that you must reflect on your shortcomings in worshipping your Lord and your exposing yourself to His wrath should you do what He has forbidden you. He has said, 'I created jinn and men only to worship Me' [51:56]; 'Do you think that We created you in vain and that to Us you will not be returned?' [23:115]; 'O mankind! What is it that has deceived you concerning your Generous Lord?' [82:16]; and 'O mankind! You shall surely toil toward your Lord laboriously and you shall meet Him' [84:16]. This kind of reflection increases your fear of God, encourages you to blame and reproach yourself, to avoid remissness, and persevere in your zeal.

Know that you must reflect on this worldly life, its numerous preoccupations and hazards, and the swiftness with which it perishes, and reflect on the Afterlife and its felicity and permanence. God the Exalted has said, 'Thus does God render the signs clear to you, so that you may reflect on this world and the Afterlife' [2:220]; 'But you prefer the life of this world when the Afterlife is better and more abiding' [77:17]; and 'The life of this world is but distraction and play; while the Last Abode is indeed the Life, if they but knew' [29:64]. This kind of reflection results in losing all desire for the world and in wishing for the Afterlife.

Know that you should reflect on the imminence of death and the regret and remorse which occur when it is too late. God has said: 'Say: the death that you flee from will indeed meet you, and you will then be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will inform you of that which you had been doing' [62:8]; 'Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord! Send me back, that I may do good in that which I have left!" No! It is but a word he says' [23:99]; and 'O believers! Let not your wealth or your children distract you from the Remembrance of God....And God will not reprieve a soul whose time has come [63:9-11]. The benefit of this kind of reflection is that hopes become short, behavior finer, and provision is gathered for the Appointed Day.

Know that you should reflect on those attributes and acts by which God has described His Friends and His enemies, and on the immediate and delayed recompense which He has prepared for each group...[a whole lot of verses quoted here which I'm leaving out]...The result of this kind of reflection is that you come to love the fortunate, habituate yourself to emulating their behavior and to taking on their qualities.
...
You should, with each kind of reflection, bring to mind those verses, hadiths, and other narratives which relate to it. We have given an example of this by quoting some of the verses relating to each kind of reflection.

Beware of reflecting on the Essence of God and His attributes in the wish to understand their nature and how they exist. Rarely has anyone become enamored of this without falling into the abysses of negation [ta'til] or the traps of anthropomorphism [tashbih]. The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said, 'Reflect on the favors of God, and do not reflect on His Essence, for you will never be able to give Him His due.'

The quotation from this comprehensive and fascinating chapter of The Book of Assistance of Imam al-Haddad closes here.

Reflection

2005-02-06T14:34:00.000-05:00

The following are excerpts taken from Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad's 'Key to the Garden':

Chapter 34--Reflection (Fikr)

Reflection is the kohl of the inner eye...the roaming of the heart in the meanings of things in order to reach its goal. It is with reflection that one dives for the pearls of higher realities [haqiqa]. If one's reflection is free from flaws, it will attain to the sources of Realization [tahqiq]. It is said that it is the 'lamp of the heart, which renders visible the good and evil which it contains, and what may benefit it or bring it harm.' This is because a heart devoid of reflection is as devoid of light as a dark house, and a heart devoid of light will contain nothing but ignorance, pride and beguilement.

Ibn 'Abbas and Abu'l Darda (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "An hour's reflection is better than a whole night spent in worship."

Al-Hasan ibn Abi'l Hasan said, "Reflection is the mirror of the believer, in which he looks at his works, evil and good."

Ibn 'Atiyya wrote in his commentary on the Quran that his father had been told the following story by one of the scholars of the eastern regions:

I once spent the night in a mosque in Egypt. After I had said the Night Prayer, I noticed a man lying down wrapped in his mantle. We remained awake, however, and prayed through the night. When the adhan was given for the Morning Prayer, the man stood up and [immediately] prayed with the others. I was disgusted by his audacity to pray without wudu. So when the Prayer was finished and the man departed, I went after him to admonish him. But when I drew near to him, I overheard him saying:

A body full up, both absent and present
A heart that's alert, silent in dhikr;
Constricted to others, expanded within
thus is the state of gnosis and fikr.
Spending his nights in reflection
ever asleep, and always awake.

So I left him alone, thinking, "He must be one of those who worship God through reflection."

Time

2005-02-06T14:15:00.000-05:00

There is so much time. There's the time of tahajjud, the time after Fajr until Ishraq, there are over an hour and a half train rides to and from the city, there's the entire evening and the night time before my head finds its way to the pillow and the day draws to a close. School and home work is no more. Time belongs to me.
My friends and family are in college, medical school, mothers, crunched for time, trying so hard to get even those few free moments which they can devote entirely to the worship of Allah swt. Time doesn't seem to belong to them.
Once I was struggling so hard to put everything into my day and the hours seemed to be not enough. What was it that I was trying to do? Perhaps a little reflection will help to re-fill my days with attempts to draw closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala...

Quran--daily Surahs + memorization + reading with meaning + recitation
Dhikr--daily wirdhs + every free moment
Dua

Hadith
Seerah

Arabic
Fiqh
Tajweed

Wuquf-i-qalbi
Muraqaba
Reflection

Reading
Listening to CDs/tapes

That is the internal domain....then there is the external:

Teaching
Friends
Family
Good company
Community help

Websites

2004-10-18T13:37:00.000-04:00

Here are a bunch of websites that I was organizing and felt like putting up on the web so that I can have them together in one place:

Arabic:
www.shariahprogram.ca

Fiqh:
www.sunnipath.com

Cool sites with talks/articles:
www.madrasaprogram.com
www.zaytuna.org
www.tasawwuf.org
www.masud.co.uk
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ABewley/HomePage.html
www.nimafoundation.org

American Muslims:
www.soundvision.com

Bookstores:
www.islamicbookstore.com
www.al-rashad.com
www.faqirpublications.com

Other fun non-Deeny sites:
www.howstuffworks.com
www.dictionary.com

salam

2004-08-26T15:16:00.000-04:00

*Assalamualaikum Wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu*
Peace be upon you and the Mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and His Blessings!