Road to Jannah

Description of Nawa

Nawa is a little town outside of Damascus. It’s most famous resident is Imam Nawawi (he was from Nawa hence the title Nawawi.) Imam Nawawi is a scholar of special caliber. He had the usual education of memorizing Quran and Hadith when he was young and then left for Damascus to study when he was 19. He was an excellent student and scholar and was so dedicated he said he didn’t want to marry for fear of neglecting his wife. He used to be at/give over 10 different halaqat a day. He is well known for some great works of Islamic scholarship and of course we all have ‘Nawawi’s 40 Hadith’. Visiting Imam Nawawi’s maqaam is a very special experience.

The story is that he did not want a dome placed over his grave because he did not believe it was correct. So after he died they buried him and built a structure of walls around him. But then over time, people eventually DID build a dome. Then right from the middle a huge tree began to grow and eventually toppled over the dome. SubhanAllah! This is like a tree from another world, just look at it. There is another legend that the leaves of the tree said “Allah” or “SubhanAllah” and everyone started taking them so that’s why there are no leaves left, just vines and stuff. But subhanAllah there’s no denying this incredible tree. Look at the night picture where it just reaches out into the sky like something living reaching for something.

Arsalan gave a little talk here about Imam Nawawi (his hero I think ) (there’s a little video) and then we prayed in the mosque across the street.

But standing there looking at that tree, touching the roots, I just was overwhelmed. Here is someone who was so dedicated to Islam and the Deen that Allah answered his dua FROM THE GRAVE. And here I am living with so many weaknesses, that Allah doesn’t answer mine living. I just felt ashamed.

The sign in the Mosque is for Mouath cause it reminded me of his sign that he made in the mosque last Taraweeh

Link to the Pictures of Nawa