What does a modern day Saint look like?

Last month myself and 4 other members of the artist collective Remarkable Current spent 10 days touring the magnificent country of Indonesia. Without any hesitation when asked about the highlight of the tour all of the members of the band were quick to tell you that it was our visit/performance at the Nuril Iman (a boarding school 2 hours outside of Jakarta) http://www.nuruliman.or.id/

I was so profoundly affected by our short time spent there that when the tour ended i stayed in Indonesia and went back to spend several days shooting footage that i planned to turn into a short documentary about the school, it's founder, and the unique approach it has to education. I was fortunate enough to spend 3 days in the home of the schools founder, Al 'Allamah Saggaf Habib Bin Mahdi Bin Sheikh Abu Bakr Bin Salim - May God be pleased with Him.

A few days after my return to the US i was informed that Habeeb Saggaf had fallen unconscious while delivering a lecture in Jakarta. After being rushed to the hospital and under going emergency surgery it was discovered that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage. He spent the next few weeks attempting to recover and was showing signs of improvement but this evening (Nov 11th, 2010) i was informed that he passed from this life due to the complications.

Here is the very first clip i shot of him upon my return to his school on Oct 1st 2010. He took me to visit some of the students right before they were preparing for bed. I was fortunate enough to meet the 2 youngest students of the school. 2 and 3 years old. They were both orphans before Habeeb took them in to join the other 19,000 students of this unique self sustained free boarding school(the largest in all of Indonesia). He rarely visits the dorms at night so it was a special treat for the kids to see him. You can see that clearly by their excitement.

You know many people discuss saints and sainthood as a thing of the past. I am here to share with you that i witnessed sainthood first hand found in the soul of Habib Saggaf aka Abah.

How fortunate were we to absorb some of his light?
If there is a Heaven, He is there. 
We must all keep those children who he selflessly served in our prayers. 
None of us knew his value in this world better than they did. 
We have lost a living saint but all those who shared his presence have gained a new standard to measure ourselves by. 

May we all be able to give even a fraction of what that man gave to the world. 


May you rest in peace my beloved Bother.

You are forever etched into my heart.

El Hajj Anas MG Canon

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Habib
• Saggaf
• Nurul
• Iman
• boarding
• school
• indonesia
• remarkable
• current
• anas
• canon

[CCSF1999]

You have met beautiful.

[jack210876]

i had precious opportunity to attend Abah's funeral.I could not hold crying once attended it and when I remember Abah I always sad. After the funeral,Umi announced that Abah already left message to Umi that Abah would pass away on Friday,the day Abah left all of us. Abah devoted his life to Islam by giving free education,place,spiritual vibration to 17.000 people in Islamic Boarding.I hereby witness you are a kind-hearted, subtle, generous Saint.please extend al-Fatihah to Abah after Shalat.

[sayurgal]

inna lillah wa inna ilaih rajiuun...abah we misss u sooo muchhh!!!

[idrus99]

Innalilahi wainalillahi rojiun , Sayyiduna Sheikh Al Arif Billah Habib Saggaf bin Mahdi bin Sheikh Abu Bakar. passed away at 12 november 2010 ,

[fardoon]

Al Mauth Al'Alim, Al Mauth Al'Alam... the death of a scholar, is like the death of the world, in Habib's case, its even more so true... Allah raise his ranks in Jannah and make us all benefit through him, a great loss... Al'Fatiha

[MasterJediAsh]

Maasya Allah. Thanks for this video.

[mshahidil]

inna lillahi wa inna illayhi rajioon... thank you for sharing the video and your thoughts.

[Flash786]

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Rajioon.

Ya Habib we will miss you :(

[sufistic]

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'uun. Al-Fatihah to the Habib.

[yourdailyreminder]

brings joy and love to my heart, peace to my ears and tears to my eyes. rip.