Abu Talhah Dawud Burbank and his Wife have Died

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Bismillaah wal-Hamdulillaah was-salaatu was-salaam 'alaa Rasoolullaah

This is indeed a tremendous loss, Qadr Allaah, I think few knew, behind the scene, how important a role Abu Talhah had in influencing the da'wah in the West (which have now been exemplified in this discussion). As difficult as this is for the community of Birmingham and the UK at large, and for all of us. It was a tremendous blessing to benefit from Abu Talhah's efforts over the last twenty or more years, for that we are greatly appreciative and have fond, happy memories. He has touched the lives of practically every salafee in the West, through his translations, lessons or by the influence and teaching he gave to others, particularly in the UK, which reveberated worldwide. I can't imagine how this would have affected the da'wah if it happened say in 1994 when JIMAS and IANA where distorting the reality of salafiyyah, a time when most of us had yet to understand the clarity of this blessed da'wah, and many of those who ascribed to it - didn't understand manhaj. So we have to be thankful for the time benefited from him and Allaah is the best of planners.

Insha'Allaah, between the experienced du'aat left behind and the new wave of young students that you have in the UK, the da'wah will continue, strong and firm insha'Allaah, salafiyyah without compromise, an encouragement to the younger du'aat to step up to the challenge and to continue good efforts that have been laid by your predecessors. Like many who commented, we spent some time with Abu Talhah, here and there (the last time being in al-Madeenah in May), and over the phone, he always displayed excellent behaviour and this is the most important thing we will try to take away from his legacy; salafee, steadfast, upright, uncompromising (with the haqq) but mannerly and easy-going (not letting life's ups and downs weigh on his disposition) such that his enemies always struggled to pin something negative on him, they had to grin and bear it! Amazingly, even those who fight against the very organisation he helped found and was a key part of, up until his death (Salafi Publications), have mentioned him with goodness now (something they should ponder deeply).

To the brothers at the Maktabah (Birmingham) and to the communities around the UK, remain steadfast, continue serving Allaah (ilal-yaqeen), the da'wah will continue insha'Allaah, be bright, cheerful and industrious!

Have great hope for Abu Talhah and Umm Talhah, we are so sad but subhan'Allaah, we can only smile when thinking about his life, his works, his noble children, and his end.

[Abu.Hammaad.Yunus]

Posted on behalf of the brothers of Philadelphia, Abu Zaahid Jalil Meekins and Abu Suhayl Anwar Wright

As Salaamu alaykum

It brought us great sorrow and many tears when we were informed of the passing of Abu Talha and his wife. He was our elder and a mountain in the West. It was well known by all that he gave his life to implimenting the Sunnah and striving against Bidah, and how many groups were silenced in the West by way of his detailed translations? We don't say he reached the level of a scholar but by Allah there isn't any Salafi in the West who could doubt his worth and importance. Abu Talha left behind a legacy of calling to the correct Creed and I ask Allah to make his departure from us a means to be raised up in the company of the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the pious. In conclusion I attached a file written by our noble brother Anwar Wright about our beloved elder Abu Talha Dawud bin Ronald Burbank.

Your brothers from America
Abu Zaahid Jalil Meekins

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

To be honest, after the words of our noble brother Abu Khadeejah and Abu Iyadh, what can one mention that has not already sufficed us regarding our dear brother Abu Talha Dawood Burbank, may Allah have mercy upon him. However, just as has been reported by the messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam

“ The likeness of the believer in their mutual love, their togetherness and the mercy they have between one another is the likeness of one body. If one of the body parts complains, the rest of the body calls out with fever and sleeplessness.”

So I say when the news reached me regarding the passing of Abu Talha and Umm Talha, it felt like I loss a close relative. Even though I only met Abu Talha once, I loved him for the sake of Allah due to what had reached me from the likes of our brother Abu Idris Muhammad ibn Aslam and Abu Ummayah Abdul Mateen from the firmness of Abu Talha upon the sunnah, and his zuhud in worldly affairs and his consistency in the call to tauheed and salafiyyah. I remember sitting in high school in the heart of North Philadelphia, reading the beneficial translation of The three fundamental priniciples by Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen.

I met Abu Talha if my memory serves me correct in the summer of 2004 in front of Shaykh Rabee’s – may Allah preserve him- house. I did not know who he was because I never saw him before and he was standing alone, shy and humble with his head down. One of the brothers I was with, Yusuf Eritree from Sweden, recognized Abu Talha due to him travelling to Birmingham before and mentioned to me that that was Abu Talha, so we went and embraced him, and he smiled and I felt nothing but sincere brotherhood from him, Rahimahullah. Just recently where I work in the prison I was going through with the brothers there the abridgement of the Prophets prayer described. During my preparations I would stumble through some words and I would return back to the translation of Abu Talha and he would hit the translation right on the mark. I ask Allah with His perfect names and Lofty attributes to reward Abu Talha with a good reward and make him and his wife from those who are raised up on the day of resurrection reciting the talbiyyah and to continue to bless his children to be upon righteousness and steadfastness upon Tauheed and Sunnah. Ameen.

Wa salla Allahu wa sallam ala nabiyyanaa Muhammad.

Abu Suhayl Anwar Wright

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He Died in Prayer!
Article by Abu Hakeem Bilaal Davis

Bismillahi wal hamdillillah was salaatu was salaamu alaa rasoolillah
Ammaa ba’d:

After arriving for hajj with the premier hajj group yesterday, alhamdullillah so far Allah has facilitated ease in the performance of the hajj. With the expected crowds and Hujjaaj in their millions the Hajj is now well underway.

While driving from the airport to Makka I could not help reflecting on my dear brother and companion Daawood Rahimahullah .

I thought about how Allah fulfilled for him a wish of his I remember hearing him say more than once:

‘I don’t want to die here’

It made me think about my own loved ones and how much we take them for granted.

I reflected upon the manner in which he spent his life teaching the Sunnah and spreading it and it brought to mind something mentioned in the biography of Al imaam Ash shaikh Muhammad ibn Abdil Wahaab Rahimahullah. And it is that he used to make the dua ‘Allahumma ijalnee mubaarakan’ (Oh Allah! Make me Mubarak) that is Oh Allah make me a source of blessings for those who come in contact with me.

And those who really knew him will know that he was a source of good and khair for the Muslims of the west generally, the people of Sunnah specifically.

I met a brother today from the UK in Mina who when we spoke of Abu Talha he wept and said that I was carrying out various acts today and I realised that most of what I know and practice of the Sunnah I learnt by way of Abu Talha, and the reality is that many in the west if they reflect will share the sentiment

Even after his death there is no one that knew him that I meet except that he says that this has caused him to look at himself and think about what deeds he will leave, realise how much he needs to improve and question what type of end he will have

I also spoke to his sons who are fine examples of young men upon the Sunnah not leaving the Sunnah even in adversity. From the shrouding to the movement of the body to the burial their concern has only been whether or not it has all been in accordance to the Sunnah. They were invited to the house of the deputy minister of Hajj in Saudi Arabia who gave them pieces of the Kiswa (the cloth that covers the ka’bah) for them and their siblings

As far as the our brothers Janaaza then it was honourable, having a police convoy similar to the funerals of Saudi dignitaries having more than 2 million worshippers praying over him with Ameer Naa’if being among the attendees

But possibly the profound thing that has reached me so far is what many people don’t know and that is just before the accident Daawood had started praying dhuhr in the coach and soon after (in literally seconds I’m told by the brothers who were there) it was engulfed in flames!

When they went to view the body they realised he died with his right hand over his left hand over his chest!

We ask Allah to forgive them both and bless us with a husnul khaatima (good end)

Wa sallallahu ‘alaa nabiyinaa Muhammad

Abu Hakeem Bilaal Davis

http://ah-sp.com/2011/11/04/he-died-in-prayer/

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When I Became Muslim and I saw Abu Talhah...
Abu Tameema Abdul Muhsin
Head teacher
Salafi Independent School

When I became Muslim nearly ten years ago, I remember going to the “old maktabah” on Muntz Street for my first lesson. I was very nervous and unsure about what I would find. When I entered the room in which the lesson was taking place, I saw a white English Muslim sitting at the front of the room. He was reading from a book and other people of varying nationalities were sitting around him. This was my first lesson and my first experience of our noble brother, Abu Talha.

I was amazed that there could be someone else (I am also English) who was English and a Muslim. This gave me a lot of confidence and encouraged me to study my new religion of Islam.

As I sat in his lesson I was very impressed with his precision and nature of teaching and particularly with his softly spoken voice and calm mannerisms. Abu Talha was teaching Silsilah ahaadeeth as-saheehah of Shakyk Al-Albani at the time. (Although I did not know this at the time) I decided that I would travel from Solihull to attend Abu Talha’s lessons every week and try and learn more about the religion.

As time went by, I began to practice the religion more and began to understand the importance of aqeedah and the noble Salafi Dawah. Abu Talha’s simple teaching methods and translations helped me immensely. I did not realise until later, how much work he put in to his lessons. Anyone who sat in his lessons should understand the amount of research he underwent to give us so many benefits and side points. I will always remember him saying ‘as a side point,’ or ‘and as an additional side point,’ many times, adding to benefit of his lessons. The ‘side points’ were always from Salafi Scholars past or present and enriched the lessons and the learning that was taking place.

When we acquired the new building on Wright Street, Abu Talha began teaching various books. From them were;

• Aqeedatul Waasitiyah
• Aqeedatul Tahawiyah
• Lumu'at ul-I'tiqaad
• Thalaathat ul-Usool
• Creed by Al Barbaharee
• Riyaadus Saaliheen

Abu Talha was punctual, consistently in attendance and accurate when translating. He always stuck to the text of the book being studied, usually using the books of Shaykh Salih Al Fawzan, whilst bringing other benefits when appropriate.

I have seen many brothers sit with Abu Talha year after year at The Salafi Masjid. The sisters too have sat and benefitted from him. My heart goes out to the brothers and sisters who have sat with Abu Talha or listened to him via Paltalk. I know we all miss him and the sisters who knew Umm Talhah, his noble wife too. I urge patience and continuation in seeking knowledge. I cannot write too much as it makes me too upset and Abu Talha taught me the narration, ‘From the Fiqh of a man is the shortness of his speech and the length of his prayer.’ Abu Talha’s lessons were never prolonged and always kept the students focussed and attentive.

I was with Abu Talha last Friday night (30th October) as I had the privilege of driving him and his son Talha, to Manchester to give lessons on Muhammed ibn Abdul Wahab’s book, The Pillars of The Prayer and it Conditions. I was very happy to spend time with him and I can still vision him sitting at the front of The Masjid with his old brief case, his pocket watch, plain thawb and koofi. His manners on the journeys were a mirror of the Sunnah and this is one of the ways a person gets to know another. He was gentle and kind and spoke to me and humoured me in case I became tired through driving, as our return to Birmingham was quite late. My first lesson (as mentioned above) was with Abu Talha and I was privileged to witness his last lesson. I thank Allah for that and praise him.

With kindness and gentleness in mind I advise our brothers and sisters with this. Whether you are a parent, a guardian, an uncle, auntie, a teacher or have any dealing with or responsibility for children, then be kind and gentle and give good Tarbiyyah. None of us know what our children will become. With good Tarbiyyah from adults, perhaps a child will grow up and become a caller to the noble Religion of Islam, a caller to the Sunnah and Salafiyyah.

Abu Talha was an example for us and taught us patiently. I know his wife was also an exemplary example for the sisters. We ask Allah to raise callers like him from our ranks to maintain his tremendous Deen , Aameen.

We ask Allah to forgive Abu Talha and Umm Talha and raise them up to Jannatul Firdaus, Allahumma Aameen.

Abu Tameema Abdul Muhsin
Head teacher
Salafi Independent School
Birmingham