An Islamic brother would casually invite me to attend the weekly Sunnah-Inspiring Ijtima’, but I would turn a deaf ear. Once, on the night of the Ijtima’, he politely insisted, ‘Today you will have to go with me.’ I tried to excuse but he was persistent. The next thing I knew, he stopped a rickshaw and requested me to go with him. Finally, I yielded to his perseverance and got in the rickshaw. We went to Jaami’ Masjid Gulzar-e-Habib, the first Madani Markaz of Dawat-e-Islami.

When the lights were switched off, for Zikr and Du’a session, I got up to leave thinking that the Ijtima’ had ended. Little did I know that staying for that session would prove to be a turning point in my life. The Islamic brother,             my well-wisher, explained to me the situation and made me stay. During Zikr, the uproar of the rhythmic chanting had a deep impact on me. I swear by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! I had neither heard nor seen such spirituality in my entire life. This was followed by an inspiring Du’a. All one could hear were the sobbing and weeping sounds of the attendees. Even a hard-hearted person like me burst into tears. I repented of my past sins and joined the Madani environment of Dawat-e-Islami.

تمہیں لُطف آ جائے گا زندگی کا

قریب آ کے دیکھو ذرا مَدَنی ماحول

تَنَزُّل کے گہرے گڑھے میں تھے اُن کی

ترقّی کا باعِث بنا مَدَنی ماحول

یقینًا مقدّر کا وہ ہے سکندر

جِسے خیر سے مل گیا مَدَنی ماحول

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب    صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Persuasion of I’tikaf

اَلْـحَمْـدُ لـِلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ! The blessed month of Ramadan is just round the corner and the blessings and favours this sacred month contains is beyond one’s imagination as the opportunities of worshipping and carrying out virtuous deeds get