The Essentials

2004-01-28T19:03:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on patience...

Every person has to exercise patience in order to face difficulties, whether he does so willingly or unwillingly. The noble person exercises patience willingly, because he realizes the benefits of patience, and he knows that he will be rewarded for his patience and will be criticized if he panics. He is aware that if he does not have patience, panicking and impatience will not help him to regain missed opportunities, and will not take away things he dislikes. Whatever is decreed and is qada' wa qadr cannot be prevented from happening, and whatever is decreed not to happen cannot be made to happen. So an attitude of impatience and panic actually causes harm.

A wise man said: "A man with wisdom as soon as adversity appears does that which a foolish man does after a month (i.e. he resorts to patience)".

The ignoble man exercises patience only when he realizes he has no choice. After wasting a lot of time and energy and panicking and struggling, he realizes that his impatience will not help him. Then he exercises patience in the same way that a person who has been tied up to be whipped exercises patience.

The noble person practices patience in obeying Allah, whilst the ignoble person exercises patience in obeying the Shaytan. So ignoble person have the greatest patience in following their own whims and desires, and have the least patience in obeying their Lord. They have the greatest patience in spending in the way of Shaytan and no patience when it comes to spending even a few pennies in the way of Allah. They will endure many difficulties in order to follow their own whims and desires, but cannot bear even the least difficulties in order to please their Lord. They will endure slander for the sake of committing wrong action, but cannot exercise patience in putting up with slander for the sake of Allah. Such people will avoid enjoining the good and forbidding the evil for fear of what people will say about them for doing so, but they will expose their honour to slander and bear it most patiently for the sake of following their own whims and desires.

Similarly, they are not prepared to practise patience in devoting themselves to Allah, but when it comes to devoting themselves to Shaytan and their own whims and desires, they will exercise remarkable patience. Such people will never be noble in the sight of Allah, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be raised with the people of nobility and decency.

2004-01-26T17:09:00.000-08:00

The Yearning of the Pious for Paradise

Describing Paradise, Allaah - the Most High - said:

"Indeed Allaah will enter those who believe and do righteous and correct actions into Paradise, beneath which rivers flow. Wherein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls and their garments will be made of silk." [Soorah al-Hajj 24:23].

"Indeed the pious and obedient ones will be in Paradise, amongst gardens and water-springs. It will be said to them: Enter! In peace and safety. And We shall remove from their hearts any ill-feeling, so that they will be like brothers, facing each other on thrones. No sense of hardship will touch them, and they will be of those who never leave." [Soorah al-Hijr 15:45-46].

Paradise: that precious sanctity to which, throughout the ages, the Believers run towards.

Paradise: a burning fame that was in the hearts of our Salafus-Salih (Pious Predecessors), a flame that spurred them to aim for the highest examples of valour in jihaad and sacrifice.

Paradise: that noble goal which aspiring eyes are fixed towards and which yearning souls long for, in all times and in all places. They find worldly afflictions agreeable to them for the sake of achieving Paradise. Indeed, to enter into it and remain in it is considered the greatest goal for the Believers, and it is a hope which is kept in view throughout life's journey. How often has Paradise been the incentive and a motivation for goodness and truth, despite the dangers, afflictions and thorns that lie along the path - even if it involves certain death.

This was the case in the days of the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, as Anas radhiallahu 'anhu related: Once Allaah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam and his Companions proceeded towards Badr and arrived there before the disbelievers of Makkah. When the disbelievers arrived Allaah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "None of you shall proceed ahead of me in anything."

The disbelievers then advanced towards us and Allaah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Rise-up to enter Paradise, whose width is equal to the heavens and the earth."

'Umayr ibn al-Humaam al-Ansaaree radiallahu 'anhu said: O Messenger of Allah! Is Paradise equal in width to the heavens and the earth?

He said: "Yes!"

'Umayr then exclaimed words of astonishment and excitement, so Allaah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam asked him: "What made you say these words of astonishment and excitement?"

He replied, "O Messenger of Allaah! Nothing but the desire to be amongst its inhabitants."

Allaah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam then said: "Indeed, you are surely from amongst its inhabitants."

So 'Umayr then took some dates from his bag and began to eat them. Then he said: "If I were to live until I have eaten all the dates, then indeed this life would be too long. He threw away the remaining dates which were with him and he fought until he was killed. [Related by Muslim (no. 1901)]

This was also the stance taken in later times:

Abu Moosaa al-Ash'aree radiallahu 'anhu, whilst in the presence of his enemy, narrated: Allaah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Indeed, the gates of Paradise are beneath the shade of swords."

A man who was in a shabby condition got up and said: Abu Moosaa! Did you hear this from the Messenger of Allaah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam?

So he said: Yes! He returned to his friend and said: I bid you salaam (a farewell greeting of peace). Then he broke the sheath of his sword, threw it away, then rushed it into the thick of the enemy and fought them until he was slain. [Muslim (no. 1902) and at-Tirmidhee (no. 1659)]

Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee (d.204H) - rahimahullaah - said:

"O my soul! It is not, except a few days of patience;
As if the extent were but a few dreams.
O my soul! Pass quickly on through this world;
And leave it, for indeed life lies ahead of it."

[Related by Ibn Rajab in Fadl 'Ilmus-Salaf (p.63)]

from Al-Istiqaamah, Safar 1417H , islaam.com

2004-01-14T21:06:00.000-08:00

Asalaamu Alikum folks =)

Right now we are in the Islamic month of Dhul-Qi'dah and insha'Allah we will be entering the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijjah in a few days. Everyone knows that the 10 best NIGHTS of the year are the last ten of Ramadan, but very few know that the 10 best DAYS of the year are the first ten of Dhul-Hijjah. If you want to know more about these ten blessed days, read this short article below. May Allah the most High bless us in doing many good, sincere deeds in these upcoming days, ameen.

The Month of Thul-Hijjah

By the Grace of Allaah we will be starting the month of Dhul-Hijjah (the month of Hajj or Pilgrimage) next week, in which Allaah has marked out, for both the pilgrims and the non-pilgrims, some very blessed days. So we shall mention here some of the virtues and rewardful acts that are connected to these blessed days.

DOING GOOD DEEDS IN GENERAL:

The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are the best and most virtuous days of the year. They are the days in which Allaah the Mighty and Majestic - most loves the doing of good deeds. About this the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The best days in the world are the ten days." [1]

Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim (d.751H) - rahimahullaah - said, "Indeed, its days are the most excellent of all the days with Allaah. And it has been confirmed in Saheehul-Bukhari (2/382), from Ibn 'Abbaas (radiyallaahu 'anhumaa) who said, that Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these (ten) days." He was then asked, 'Not even jihaad in the path of Allaah?' So he replied, "Not even jihaad in the path of Allaah, except for a person who goes out with his self and his wealth, and comes back with nothing." And it is these ten days that Allaah has taken an oath by in His Book, by His saying, "By the Dawn and by the Ten Nights." [Sooratul-Fajr 89:1-2] This is why it is recommended to increase in making takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar), tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha illallaah) and tamheed (saying Alhamdulillaah) during these days ..."[2]

The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "There are no days that are greater with Allaah, and in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days. So increase in making tasbeeh (saying Subhanallaah), tamheed, tahleel and takbeer, during them."[3]

FASTING THE DAY OF 'ARAFAH:

The ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of 'Arafah, since it is on this day that the pilgrims gather at the mountain plain of 'Arafah, praying and supplicating to their Lord. It is mustahabb (highly recommended) for those who are not pilgrims to fast on this day, since the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafah, so he said, "It expiates the sins of the past year and the coming year." [4]

Likewise, the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, 'There is no day on which Allaah frees people from the Fire more so than on the day of 'Arafah. He comes close to those (people standing on 'Arafah), and then He revels before His Angels saying, "What are these people seeking?" [5]

Imaam at-Tirmidhee (d.275H) - rahimahullaah - said, "The People of Knowledge consider it recommended to fast on the day of 'Arafah, except for those at 'Arafah." [6]

Footnotes:

[1] Saheeh: Related by al-Bazzaar (1/234). It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami' (no. 1133).

[2] Refer to Zaadul-Ma'aad (1/56).

[3] Saheeh: Related by at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer (3/110/1) It was authenticated by al-Mundharee in at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (2/24).

[4] Related by Muslim (no. 1162), from Aboo Qataadah (radiyallaahu 'anhu).

[5] Related by Muslim (no. 1348), from 'Aa'ishah (radiyallaahu 'anhaa).

[6] Refer to Jaami'ut-Tirmidhee (3/377).

2003-12-28T21:43:00.000-08:00

Bidah from a judeo-christian point of view:

"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone add to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." (Revelation 22:18,19)

By the way, I took out the audio recitiation of the qasida al-burda because I read the text and it has a few questionable verses.

wa salaamu alikum

2003-12-12T17:05:00.000-08:00

REAL MEN (and women) CRY:
Weeping From the Fear of Allah

Based on a lecture "Al-Khawf min Allah" by Sh. Waheed `Abdussalam Baali

"Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah's Reminder and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture before, and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were rebellious, disobedient (faasiqoon)." [Al-Qur'aan 57:16]

Allah sent to us the Qur'an and "the skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah." [39:23]

He mentioned in the Qur'an the promise and the threat, and made clear that His believing servants are fearful and shivering from the punishment of their Lord. Our Lord the Exalted elucidated to us that the believer, whenever his iman strengthens and his certainty increases, becomes more fearful of Allah.

Weeping of the Prophet, peace be upon him

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to `Abdullah ibn Mas`ood, "Read to me the Qur'an." He said, "O Messenger of Allah! Should I recite to you and it was revealed to you?" He said, "Yes, for I like to hear it from others." "I recited Soorat an-Nisaa' until I reached the ayah,

"How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people?" [Al-Qur'aan 4:41]

He then said, "Stop now." I found that his eyes were tearful."*

Abdullah ibn ash-Shikhkheer, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, praying with us, and I heard the sound of his weeping coming out of his chest, which was like the sound of a boiling pot."*

Weeping of Abu Bakr, radhiallahu `anhu

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "During his illness, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'Order Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.' I told the Messenger of Allah that, 'Indeed, if Abu Bakr stands in your place the people will not be able to hear him due to his (excessive) weeping."

Our weeping

The righteous have cried, the worshippers have cried and the believers have cried. And in this time there are people by whom a complete year passes and they do not drop a single tear from the fear of Allah.

O Allah we seek refuge with you from hard hearts. O Allah soften our hearts to Your remembrance!

"Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." [Al-Qur'aan 13:28]

"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur'an) are recited unto them, they increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone)." [Al-Qur'aan 8:2]

So why do we not cry today? We do not cry from the strength of the hardness of our hearts and our hearts' attachment to this world. So our hearts have hardened and our eyes have dried.

We are distant from our Lord. Had we been close our hearts would not have hardened. So he, who spends a whole week without his eye dropping a tear, let him sit and supplicate and humble himself. Maybe his heart would soften and his eye would drop a tear. And if his heart doesn't drop a tear, then let him open the Book of Allah and read its ayat with contemplation, humility and submissiveness. So if his eye cries, his heart fears and his soul humbles he has succeeded; and if he continues in the state of the hardened heart, let him sit in a dark room and weep over his state, for his heart has died.

*[Fath al-Bari 8:712]
*[Abu Dawood, An-Nasaa'i, and At-Tirmidhi in ash-Shama'il, authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim]
*[al-Bukhari]

from www.islaam.com

2003-12-04T20:28:00.000-08:00

"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor let some women laugh at others, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames. Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are indeed wrongdoers." [Surah al-Hujurat 49.012]

~ The Triple Filter test ~

One day a man came to a Muslim scholar and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

"All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary......"

"So," the scholar continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded the scholar, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

2003-12-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

The masjid that I went to throughout Ramadan holds iftars every Monday and Thursday throughout the year - to encourage lazy bums like myself to fast those days. So I went today, since I was making up a fast, and did not want to eat iftar at home (it would bring back bittersweet memories of Ramadan, waaaaahh!). By the time we go there (40 minutes last) there wasn't any food left but I didn't mind, I had eaten a date and some soup, quite enough to support a stomach which had been empty all day.

After everyone ate, my mom gave a class from Imam Bukhari's (may Allah be pleased with him) "Adab al-mufrad", or "the special manners", a beautiful book consisting of ahadith of the Prophet on Islamic manners. I was in the other room writing, so I only got to hear the very end. She was saying a hadith about how Allah the Almighty is the All-Patient, so that even when His creation continue to call upon others besides Him, He continues to bestow His blessings and Mercy upon them. She then quoted an ayah (I remember which one since she told me to look it up):

Say (O Muhammad ): "What thing is the most great in witness?"
Say: "Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between me and you; this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Can you verily bear witness that besides Allah there are other aliha (gods)?"
Say "I bear no (such) witness!"
Say: "But in truth He (Allah) is the only one Ilah (God). And truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him."

[Qur'aan 6:19]

After that we prayed Isha' and after that the women just sat around talking. An African-looking woman next to me leans forward and asks me where I am from. She had a strange accent; she talked as though she was hissing. I told her I was from Lebanon. She tells me she is from Ethiopia.

"Nice, I met a lot of Ethiopians in Lebanon; there is a lot who work there, Christian and Muslim."

She nods her head, and tells me that yes; there is many Christian and Muslim Ethiopians. I told her how my grandmother had a Orthodox Christian servant who was from Ethiopia who was extremely religious, so much that her wedding was segregated and she had never dated before marriage. Then I commented that I had told her I wished the Orthodox Christian would come to America and teach their American brethren a thing or two about Christianity.

Then the woman smiles and says almost sarcastically, "I am Christian."
"Oh really? Nice."
She just laughed, so I thought she was joking. "Are you really Christian?" I asked.
"Yes, yes, I just came for a project for College, and I wore this jacket with a hood as a scarf, and the ladies gave me this skirt to wear because I am wearing a short skirt under."

I guess she had expected a big fuss, but especially here in the states, a non-Muslim in the masjid isn't a biggie, though sometimes it can be a bit interesting, especially getting to see everyone trying to squeeze a shahadah out of the newbie.

We began to talk about Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, and how religious they were since they wore modest clothing and did not encourage indecency. She told me though, that this religiousness came from the culture and not religion. I was a bit confused. "But doesn't Christianity encourage modesty?" She then gave me this big lecture about how as long as you are saved, and you've got Jesus in ya, it doesn't matter how you dress, even if you're naked.

Okkkaaaaaaay.

I asked her, "Sure, but perhaps you've got Jesus in you, and you're saved, but walking around naked is not going to help those who have not been saved, it will only push them further in their sins."

She went in a whole different direction, talking about the original sin, how Jesus loves us so much that he died for us, then rose after three days, and that our purpose of life is to accept him so that we can be saved.

I watched her talking so eagerly and enthusiastically and thought to myself "can she really believe in this?" So I asked her three questions.

1. Is not God the Most-Just? Because Adam disobeyed God,mankind was stained with his sin forever? Why would a newborn be guilty of a sin he neither did nor is aware of?

2. Is God not the Ever-Living? How then could he die? How then can we say "GOD DIED", even if it was for only three days?

3. Is God not the Most-Forgiving? The All-Capable? Why would he have to kill himself so to forgive us when all he has to say is "be"....and it is"?

She listened to me with a strange smile on her face, as if she had never heard anyone ask such questions before. She then began to talk about the Prophet Moses and how he tried to make the pharaoh believe in God (notice, while Moses is alive, its God and not Jesus.)

I failed to see the connection of her talk.

She took my number, and I told her I enjoyed talking to her and I really did. It makes me more grateful than ever to be a Muslim, and part of the Religion of Allah, a religion that actually makes sense.

When I got into the car, I asked my mom what I had missed from the class. She told me it was all about tawheed, specifically about how Allah the Almighty continues to have patience with the stubborn non-believers, so why do we not have patience with those who are guilty of less? I told her how the Ethiopian woman was not Muslim and my mother was shocked, not because she was Christian, but how Allah had facilitated it for her so that she gave that specific talk at that time, so appropriate!

2003-11-24T10:50:00.000-08:00

Jubayr bin Nufayr (may Allah have mercy on him) said*:

When the companions of Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) met on the day of 'Eid, they would say to each other:

Taqabbala Allah minna wa minkum

May Allah Accept from us and you!

"It is called 'Eid because it returns every year with renewed happiness!"**

I hope you all have a wonderful Eid, and may the blessings and worship of Ramadan follow you throughout the year!

*Al-Mahamiliyyat with a hasan chain according to Ibn Hajar, see Fath ul-Bari 2:446
** Ibn ul-'Arabi, Lisan ul-'Arab

2003-11-17T22:31:00.000-08:00

The Perfect Du'aa to Repeat During Layltul Qadr!

'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that she asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), "O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylat ul-Qadr, what should I say during it?"

He instructed her to say:

"O Allah! You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me!"

"Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'anee"

[Sahih, recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmithi]

2003-11-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

Memoirs of Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power)

Ramadan is such a wonderful month, the Muslims seem united, you're motivated to worship Allah more, you feel at peace - all seems perfect for a moment. Even as a kid, I joyfully counted down the days till Ramadan, though I neither prayed or fasted (only terrorized the poor worshippers in the masjid). The beauty and blessings of the month are contagious! And here come's the jewel of the month - laylatul Qadr - a night better than a thousand nights.

On the odd nights, in the last ten days, mama would take the coffee machine, a few bags of bread, some cheese and whatever breakfast foods we had in the house, stack them all up in a basket, and take it with her to the masjid. We would know right away that we would be spending the night in the masjid. Oddly enough, my dad felt more comfortable worshipping in those nights at home. We would go for 'isha prayer and stay throughout the taraweeh prayers, though mama would only pray a few, since one should not exceed eleven rak'ahs in night prayers in a night.* After the people slowly trailed out of the masjid (quite reluctantly) the adults (about half a dozen of women, three times more men) would make coffee and get ready to spend a night up in worship. The kids (including myself) would run around, ecstatic with being allowed to be up so late, only to be found later curled up in corners, exhausted, sleeping the blessed night away.

That changed of course, and though laylatul Qadr is still anticipated eagerly, we (my sisters and friends) try to remember that this is a day in which treasures are thrown at us from the heavens, only waiting to be claimed.

Last Ramadan, we spend two odd nights* in the masjid. The memory of the second is still fresh in my mind. After stocking up on breakfast foods to share with everyone, we headed for the masjid with backpacks full of du'aa books, Qur'aans and a few Islamic books to keep near if time allows for a short darss. Since we did not want to use up all of our prayer opportunities praying taraweeh early in the night, we spent that time following the recitation of the imaam along with a Qur'aan. By the time most of the people left, we were famished. We were given a plate of rice and chicken, but no spoons (eating with your hands is sunnah!). My sister tried to sneak to the kitchen (which was in the men's section) but was stopped by the imam.

"What do you want, sister?"
"A spoon."
"Rooms? We have plenty of room which you can share with the sisters."
"Uh...I said spoon."
"Oh! Spoon! Spoon! Yes,yes. One moment."

He looked embarrassed enough. After we ate, we read Qur'an together, each reading one page out loud, slowly. After about an hour we pulled out the du'aa books and I recited the du'aa's aloud, first in Arabic then in English, everyone else only saying ameen at its end. Sincere du'aa to Allah is truly medicine for the soul. We were all tearful by the end, trying to hide our tears and go on at the same time. The rest of the night we spent in our own independent worship.

After fajr prayer, we searched the sky for signs of laylatul Qadr. It was an extremely cold morning, cloudy and rainy. In authentic reports, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us that the signs of the special night is a reddish sky, misty, with the sun not being to bright. The weather should also be moderate, neither too cold nor too hot.

It seemed we had missed it. This year we hope to try harder and make its rewards ours. Insha'Allah.

*'Aisha said,"Whether it was Ramadan or any other month, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) did not pray more than eleven rak'aat." [Bukhari and Muslim and more]

*Since we were only told by the Prophet (peace be upon him) that it is one of the last ten days of Ramadan, we can never be sure which day it is, though it is most likely to be on one of the odd days. Rasul'Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Had people not left their salah (prayer) except for that (one) night, I would have informed you of its exact date." [Al-Tabarani]

2003-11-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

So that you may become People of Taqwa

"Could you give us some words of benefit, on this fine occasion, the blessed month of Ramadaan?"

Shaykh Naasir ud-Deen al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy upon him, answered, "Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, says in the Noble Quraan:

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become people having Taqwa. Surah al-Baqarah (2):183

In this ayah (verse), Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, informs the Muslims that He has made fasting obligatory upon them just as He had made its like obligatory upon the nations before us. This is a matter that is well-known to all of the Muslims who read this ayah. But what I wish to speak about is something else, a matter which very few people notice-and this is the saying of Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, at the end of this ayah: So that you may become people having Taqwa (God-consciousness).

When Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, commands His believing servants or obligates them with some legislation, He usually just mentions the command without explaining the wisdom for it. This is because the general wisdom behind Allaah's placing duties upon His servants is that He should test them by it, so that it should become apparent as to those who will obey Him and those who will disobey Him.

However in this ayah, He mentioned something that is not found frequently in the Qur'an, which is that He mentioned the reason for the order to fast, by His Saying: So that you may become people of Taqwa.

So the wisdom behind the believers to fast is not just that they should prevent themselves from what is enjoyable and permissible, even though this is an obligation upon the fasting person, but this is not the only thing that is required and intended by this fasting. So Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, concluded His command to fast by His Saying: So that you may become people of Taqwa.

This means that the wisdom behind the period of fasting is that the Muslim should increase in obedience to Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, and become more obedient during and after it than he was before it.

Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), clarified this point of divine wisdom by his saying, as is reported in the Sahih of al-Bukhari (no. 1903), "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allaah has no need that he should leave his food and drink."

This means that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, did not intend nor desire, by the obligation of Fasting - that we should only withhold from eating and drinking (which are halal outside of Ramadan). Rather we should also withhold from that which Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden with regard to sins and acts of disobedience to Him; and from that is falsehood in speech and action (which are haraam outside of Ramadan).

So the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), is emphasizing the ayah: So that you may become people of Taqwa.

Therefore it is obligatory that all the Muslims should be aware that actions which disrupt the Fast are not just the physical acts; eating, drinking and sexual.

This is especially important for those who deliver Khutbahs and admonish the people during Ramadaan. When they speak about things which disrupt the fast, they only speak about the material things, those things that we have just mentioned (eating, drinking and sexual). But what they should do, as sincere advisers and people who give reminder to the Muslims in general, is to concentrate a great deal upon the second category of things which disrupt the fast. This is because the people have become used to thinking that fasting is just to refrain from the first category. Yet there is another category of things which disrupt the Fast, which we are able to call the non-material things which disrupt the fast.

As you have just heard his (peace be upon him), saying, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allaah has no need that he should leave his food and drink."

Therefore every fasting person should examine himself and check: is he just withholding from the material things, or is he also withholding from those non-material things? Has he made his manners and behavior good in this blessed month of Ramadaan? If that is the case, then he has fulfilled the Saying of Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, at the end of the ayah: So that you may become people of Taqwa.

But as for he one who restricts himself in his fasting to just withholding from food and drink, but who continues and persists upon the evil manners which he was upon previously, before Ramadaan, then this is not the fasting that is desired and required from the wisdom behind the legislation of this Noble Month, which our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, indicates in His Saying: So that you may become people of Taqwaa.

This is what I wanted to remind our brothers and sisters about, so that it may be the cause of their increasing in acts of worship seeking to draw closer to Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, in this blessed month. We hope that Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, will guide and grant us all the success of fulfilling the due right of this blessed month.

2003-11-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

this man
more of a father
than half of the earth's
men

noble shepherd
stolen from his flock
so he raised them
by the pen

gave them a roof
that rain nor wind
could shake

gave them garments
not even the best seamstress
could make

fed them such food
no chef could ever
beat

though his nest was made of
gloom

his song was always sweet

he opened his chest of treasures
and gave them all he had

generously offering to his loved ones
eman, taqwa, ihtisaab*

saying: this is your protection and provisions
my duty as a father is fulfilled for good

and though the others laughed at his gifts
he had given more than they ever would

so look through a thousand fathers
who kiss their child before sleep

and show me one who can produce
pious souls with thoughts pure and deep

for the ones who I see around me
who stand so proud
and tall

I see have been sent to the world
sent out with nothing
at all

bless the man who feeds the soul
of his child
pur-ity

bless the man who clothes his child
in raiment of
pie-ty

bless the man who shelters his child
with the shade of the
Qur'aan

bless the man who raises his child
to kindle the light
foregone

dedicated to a sincere man who though unjustly imprisoned
continues to provide for his children
in ways
that matter most.

May Allah increase him in patience and reward, ameen.

*emaan means faith, taqwa means God-consciousness, ihtisaab means anticipation (in Allah's rewards)

2003-11-06T21:22:00.000-08:00

I read this beautiful passage in English from Yasir Qadhi's excellent book, "15 Ways to Increase your Earnings from the Qur'an and Sunnah". May Allah bless him and all the other Muslims who strive to spread this beautiful deen, ameen.

Muhammad ibn Suqah* said: There are two characteristics which, even though Allah does not punish us for them, are reason enough for our punishment: we are overjoyed at a small gain that we recieve from this world, and yet Allah has never seen us so happy for a good deed that we do!

And we are so worried about a small matter that has missed us concerning this world, and yet Allah has never seen us so worried about a sin we commit!*

*Muhammad ibn Suqah was one of the major students of the tabi'een. Sufyan ibn 'Unaynah said,"There were three people in kufah (Iraq), if they were told, 'You are gong to die tomorrow' they would not have been able to increase any of their good deeds (due to the fact that they were doing so many). Of them is Muhammad ibn Suqah."

*Ibn Abi al-dunya, al-Qana'ah wa al-Ta'afuf (#153). In the book mentioned above, you can find this paragraph on page 60.

2003-11-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

Gas Station Observations

Happy young folks
drive up in a shiny red new toy
powerful as a mustang
or so they say

their fresh faces shine with delight
red smiles spell "satisfaction"
life is good

A smug ol' geezer
roars in on a sleek black beast
forget power
we're talking dominance
grim mouth, under-eye pouches heavy as silver dollars
wrinkles spell 'finally on top'

Our young friends frown
bright eyes shrivel up as they
glare
reminding themselves
they have no reason to be happy
yet
or so they say

2003-11-04T11:37:00.000-08:00

When you were born you were crying
and everyone around you, smiling.

live life so that when you die
you are smiling
and everything that knew you is crying.

"And the heavens and the earth wept not for them, nor were they given respite." [Al-Qur'aan 44:29]

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari narrated that Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "When a believer dies, the place of earth on which he used to prostrate himself in his prayer, and the gate of heaven through which his good deeds used to ascend, weep for him or her, while they do not weep for the disbeliever." *

the doors opened in anticipation
welcoming
yet none came

humble dirt, beckoning
for one to claim
abundant jewels
yet it remained cold

blessed tears sold
in a buy in which one can only
lose

*[Tafsir at-Tabari]

2003-11-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

QUESTION: What is the best du'aa (supplication) for asking for repentance?

ANSWER: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,

"The most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah is:

Allahuma anta rubbi, la illaha illa ant
Khalaqtani wa ana 'abduk
wa ana 'ala 'ahdeeka wa wa'deeka mastat'ut
a'ootho bika min shari ma sana'at
aboo'o lika be ni'matika 'alaya wa aboo'o be dhambee
faghfirlee, fa innaho la yaghfir aldhoonooba illa ant

O Allah you are my Lord. There is nothing worthy of worship except you.
You created me, and I am your slave
and I am trying my best to fulfill your promise and the covenant
I seek refuge in you from the evil which I have done
I admit to you your favors upon me, and I admit to you my sins
So forgive me, verily none can forgive sins except you."

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) added, "If someone recited this during the day with firm faith in it and dies on the same day before evening, he will be from the people of Paradise. If someone recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before morning, he will be from the people of Paradise."

*narrated by Shaddad bin Aus, Sahih Bukhari. This du'aa is called "Sayid al-Istighfar" or "Master of the Supplications for Forgiveness".

2003-10-31T11:19:00.000-08:00

*~Read and Ponder~*

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"Purity is half of faith,

the statement 'alhamdulilah' - all praise is due to Allah- fills the scales,

the statement 'subhan'Allah wa al-hamdulilAllah'-Glory be to Allah and all praise is due to Allah- fills what is between the heavens and earth,

Prayer is light

Charity is proof

Patience is a glow

and the Qur'aan is a proof for you or against you.*

Every person wakes up in the morning with his soul to trade,

Either he sets it free-

or seals its destruction!"

*these four acts of worship; prayer, charity, patience and reading Qur'an, will be a light, proof and a glow for you on the Day of Judgement, the day when we are in the most need of such things!

-this hadith is narrated by Abu Malim Al-Ash'ari, Sahih Muslim

2003-10-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

Ramadan: The Month of Sakinah (Tranquility)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"When Ramadan comes, the gates of the Garden are opened and the gates of the Fire are locked, and the shaytans are chained." *

I remember when my mom used to tell me that hadith, I would think, "If shaytan is locked up during Ramadan... then the world must be much more peaceful during Ramadan. They should get some stastics on that."

Now I think, we don't need statistics. Who could deny the reign of tranquility, unity and emaan (faith) during this great month? The month of Ramadan just has a completely unique feeling to it. Sometimes I'll be about to break my fast on a day outside of Ramadan and I suddenly get this....whiff of Ramadan! It's such a beautiful feeling. I tell my dad, "Man, I wish there were taraweeh* prayers tonight. It feels like Ramadan."

We always fast, always pray, always read quraan, always go to the masjid....how come they feel so special then, in Ramadan?

'Cuz Ramadan is special! Welcome O Ramadan!

*narrated by Abu Hurayrah, Malik's Muwatta, Chapter of Fasting
*night prayers, which only in Ramadan are they prayed in congregation at the masjid.

2003-10-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

A wise reply

The one who backbites another becomes loaded with the sins of the one he is backbiting, and his good deeds also go to the one he is backbiting, a double loss:

Someone told Hasan Basri (may Allab be pleased with him) that a certain person had gossiped about him. Hearing this, Hasan Basri sent a box of fresh dates to the person with the message, "I have come to learn that you have given me the rewards of your good actions. I have sent this small gift in appreciation. Please forgive me for not returning the favour in full."

"Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayers with solemnity and full submissiveness. And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood)..." [Qur'an 23:1-3]

2003-10-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

Islamic Manners: The Art of Listening

By: Abdul Fattah Abu Ghudda

If a person starts telling you, whether in private or public, something that you already knew very well, you should pretend as if you do not know it. Do not rush to reveal your knowledge or to interfere with the speech. Instead, show your attention and concentration. The honorable tab'i Imam Ata ibn Abi Rabah said: "A young man would tell me something that I may have heard before he was born. Nevertheless, I would listen to him as if I had never heard it before."

Khalid ibn Safwan al-Tamimi, who frequented the courts of two Khalifahs; Umar ibn Abdul Aziz and Hisham ibn Abdul Malik, said: "If a person tells you something you have heard before, or news that you already learned, do not interrupt him to exhibit your knowledge to those present. This is rude and ill mannered."

Imam Abdullah ibn Wahab al-Qurashi al-Masri* said: "Sometimes a person would tell me a story that I have heard before his parents had wed. Yet, I listened as if I have never heard it before."

Ibrahim ibn al-Junaid said: "A wise man said to his son: 'Learn the art of listening as you learn the art of speaking.'"

Listening well means maintaining eye contact, allowing the speaker to finish the speech, and restraining your urge to interrupt his speech. Al-Hafiz al-Khatib al-Baghdadi said in a poem:

Never interrupt a talk
Though you know it inside out

*a companion of Imam Malik, Al-Laith ibn Sad and Al-Thawri

2003-10-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

Language: The Main Vehicle Of Contemplation

by Malik Badri

Despite the complexity of this problem, research in cognitive psychology has become familiar with many secrets of human internal intellectual and mental activities and their precise relation with language. With the help of modern computer, it has been possible to set up simplified programs to clarify some of the methods followed by the human mind in classifying information. It has been found, for instance, that language is not only a human being's means of address and communication, but also the basic system used in thinking. Without the laws that control the way in which tangible and abstract meanings are conveyed through word symbols, human beings cannot develop abstract concepts. They cannot use either their sensory perception or their ability to imagine and remember in dealing with various types of experiences they underwent in the past, so that they can relate them to the present and deduce from them possible solutions to p.roblems they are facing. Thinking, in fact, is using such symbols through cognitive processes.

Some researchers, like Whorf who formulated the 'linguistic relativity' hypothesis, consider the characteristics of the language spoken by a certain group of people to be the factor that denoted how they think and how they visualize the realities they live. The structure and other aspects of language are therefore considered to be basic factors in the way a given society visualizes the world.

Let us take a closer look at this idea of the importance of language. If it were wholly or even partly true, it would be most appropriate for us to consider the characteristics of the Arabic language, its impact on the Arabs and the reasons for the divine choice of this language as the means to reveal the Qur'an and convey the message of Islam to the whole of humanity. God says in the Qur'an: "We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and we will assuredly guard it" (15:9). This means that He guards Revelation and, consequently, also the Arabic language. In this connection, the Egyptian scholar, `Abbas Mahmud al-`Aqqad, discusses some aspects of the Arabic language: its vocabulary, phonetic and phonemic aspects:

The human speech system is a superb musical instrument which no ancient or modern nation has used as perfectly as the Arab nation, as they have used the entire phonetic range in the distribution of its alphabet. Therefore, it is these qualities of the Arabic language that made Arabic poetry a perfect art, independent of other arts. [`Abbas Muhammad al-`Aqqad, al-Lughah Al-Sha`irah (Cairo: Maktabat Gharib, n.d.)]

According to al-`Aqqad, these qualities are not found in any other language, for "Arabic eloquence has taken the human speech organs to the highest point ever reached by man in expressing himself by letters and words." [Ibid., p. 70.]

In Al-Fusha: Lughat al-Qur'an (Classical Arabic: The Language of the Qur'an), Anwar al-Jundi mentions the qualities of the Arabic language and its importance in propagating Islam:

It is most astonishing to see this robust language (Arabic) growing and reaching a stage of perfection in the midst of the desert, and in a nation of nomads. The language has superseded other languages by its wealth of vocabulary, precise meanings and perfect structure. This language was unknown to other nations. But when it came to be known, it appeared to us in such perfection that it hardly underwent any change ever since. Of the stages of life, that language had neither childhood nor old age. We hardly know anything about that language beyond its unmatched conquests and victories. We cannot find any similar language that appeared to scholars so complete, and without gradation, keeping a structure so pure and flawless. The spread of the Arabic language covered the largest areas and remotest countries. [Anwar al Jundi, Al-Fusha: Lughat al-Qur'aan (Beirut: Dar Al-Kitab Al-Lubnani, 1982), p.27]

read it here

2003-10-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

7 Reasons to Read the Glorious Quran

By: Shabir Aly

(1) Intimate:
It dares you to disprove it. How? It says that humans can not write
a book like this even if they pooled all their resources together and
got help also from the spirits. The Quran said this fourteen
hundreds years ago and yet no one has been able to disprove it. Billions of
books have been written - but not another one like the Quran.

(2) Incorruptible:
It is the only religious sacred writing which has been in
circulation for such a long time and yet remains as pure as it was in the
beginning. The Quran was kept intact. Nothing was added to it;
nothing was changed in it; and nothing was taken away from it ever
since it was completely revealed 1400 years ago.

(3) Unsurpassable:
The Quran is God's final revelation to humankind. God revealed the
Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, the Gospel to Jesus, and
finally the Quran to Muhammad. Peace be upon all of them. No other book will
come from God to surpass his final revelation.

(4) Indisputable:
The Quran withstands the test of time and scrutiny. No one can
dispute the truth of this book. It speaks about past history and
turns out right. It speaks about the future in prophecies and it
turns out right. It mentions details of physical phenomena which
were not known to people at the time; yet later scientific discoveries
confirm that the Quran was right all along. Every other book needs
to be revised to accord with modern knowledge. The Quran alone is never
contradicted by a modern discovery.

(5) Your Roadmap for Life and Afterlife:
The Quran is the best guidebook on how to structure your life. No
other book presents such a comprehensive system involving all
aspects of human life and endeavor. The Quran also points out the way to
secure everlasting happiness in the afterlife. It is your roadmap
showing how to get to paradise.

(6) God's Gift of Guidance:
God has not left you alone. You were made for a reason. God tells
you why he made you, what he demands from you, and what he has in store
for you. If you operate a machine contrary to it's manufacture
specification you will ruin that machine. What about you? Do you
have an owner's manual for you? The Quran is from your function for
success lest you fail to function. It is a healing mercy from God.
It satisfies the soul, and cleans the heart. It removes doubts and
brings peace.

(7) Your Calling Card to Communicate with God:
Humans are social creatures. We love to communicate with other
intelligent life. The Quran tells us how to communicate with the
source of all intelligence and the source of all life- the One God.
The Quran tells us who God is, by what name we should address God,
and the way in which to communicate with God. Are these not seven
sufficient reasons for reading the Quran?

2003-10-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

Benefiting From Knowledge

by: Imam Ibn ul Jawzee

I have met many mashaaykh (scholars) and the affair of each one was different from that of the other, and their knowledge capacity were of varying levels. And the one whom I benefited from his company the most was the one who used to apply what he knew, even though there were those who were more knowledgeable than him.

I met a group from the people of hadeeth who memorized and knew a lot, however they would permit backbiting under the guise of jarh wa ta'deel (accreditation and disreputation, science of criticism of narrators), they would take monetary payment in return for narrating hadeeth, and they would be hasty in giving answers, even if they are wrong, lest their status diminishes.

I met Abdul-wahaab Al-Anmaatee, he used to be upon the methodology of the salaf ( the Prophet's companions and the two generations that followed). One would never hear backbiting in his gatherings nor would he take payment for teaching hadeeth. Whenever I read a hadeeth that contained in it a heart-softener, he used to cry continuously. I was very young at that time, but his crying affected my heart. He had serenity like the serenity of those whose description we hear about from the narrations.

I met Abu Mansur Al-Jawaaliqee who was very quiet, very careful about what he said, precise, and scholarly. Sometimes he would be asked a question, which may seem easy; one that our young ones would rush to answer, however he would withhold from answering until he was certain. He used to fast a lot and remain quiet often.

Thus, I benefited from these two more than I benefited from the others, and I understood from this that: guiding people by one's action is more inspiring than doing so by words.

So Allah, Allah! One should implement what he knows for it is indeed the greatest foundation. And the miskeen (the poor one), the true miskeen is the one who wasted his life learning what he does not practice, thus he looses the pleasures of the dunyah (the worldly life) and the goods of the akhirah (the hereafter). Thus, he comes forth bankrupt on the Day of Judgment with strong evidences against himself."

read it here

2003-10-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Fitna Patrol: A Short Story

Mom pointed a flour powdered finger over my shoulder to the book I was reading aloud and told me to: "Read that part again!" I heard the smile in her voice and quickly scanned the page with my eyes, searching for what she had found so entertaining. "Oh."

"Just read it!"

"Malik ibn Rabi'ah Al-Saa'idi narrated: We were sitting with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when an Ansari* man came and asked, "O Messenger of Allah, is there anything left from my birr (goodness) to my parents that I should present to them after their death?" The Prophet - peace be upon him - said, "Yes, four things: Pray and ask forgiveness for them. Fulfill their pledges. Be kind to their friends, and maintain the ties of kinship that come from only their direction. That is what is left from your birr to them after their death."*

"So you still owe me even after I die." My mom called out from the pantry.

"Sure, why not? I am your perfect daughter forever and ever, haha."

"Oh please! Its easy sucking up to me, massaging my feet once in a while, washing dishes, all that sort of easy stuff. Now, are you really going to pay off all my debts when I die? And, oh horrors, how are you going to be nice to my friends when even now you run off every time they come over?

"Debts, yes. Remember I plan to marry a rich old man -"

"...Who dies after like two weeks, yeah yeah, well then it's all just dandy! I am almost forty, I should be dead by sixty, so I have twenty years to run up a mile long bill which you will faithfully pay off."

"On what? Groceries?" My mom enjoyed shopping for groceries probably more than teenage girls enjoy shopping for clothes.

"No, fancy clothes and stuff like that."

"Why? You'd have to part with your sweats, are you sure you want that?" giving her famous sweats a dramatic admiring glance.

"Dont worry. I'll find something to have a spree on. What I want to know is how you're going to deal with my friends."

"I'll throw gifts on their doorsteps and run."

"Which reminds me, Salwa is coming over in a few."

Don't groan. Don't groan. Look happy. "Thats nice. I better get started on my homework." I headed up to my room but called out obediently, "Call me if you need my help!" and quietly whispered to myself, "pleassssse dont call me."

My mom has a heart the size of Texas. That a wonderful thing to have, but unfortunately she also does not have the ability to use the two most useful letters given to man, "n-o". Here's a riddle. A big heart plus an inability to say no to anyone, equals? Getting walked over more than a antique persian rug. So my mom has dozens of friends, women who literally suck everything my mom has to offer; her time, cake and tea being the first three things in demand.

They all have a nasty habit of dropping by unexpectedly, and in the most inconvenient times, dinner time or ten o'clock at night being their specialties. They'll come, sit around, complain about their husbands, drink tea and leave only around midnight, and only after my dad (who hates them all) loudly clears his throat numerous times from his office. Then all you see is a flurry of giggles and flashes of hijabs, which finally ceases as the door slams shut, leaving my mom smiling sheepishly, and crumpled napkins scattered all over the living room floor like a mini snowstorm just blew in.

Don't get me wrong. My mom's friends are respectable, kind women, each with half a dozen kids of her own. But when it comes to be annoying, they can do miracles. However, due to my mom's naive nature, dad and I constantly have to filter mom's "friend collection" from the oddballs. And there was quite a few, like Zulaykha, who stalked dad and vowed to be his second wife. Mom always thought she was kidding and brushed it off but even though I was young then and didn't know whether she meant it or not, I didnt care; her "joking" grossed me out. It was only when dad discovered love letters in his shoes that he firmly told mom to either break it off with her or prepare herself to have a co-wife, that mom stopped seeing her.

Then there was Mona. Mona is a long story.

Mona was like Zulaykha, but instead of being infatuated with my dad, she was infatuated with me. Not only would she hound me about my friends, college, plans, suitors, etc, but she also believed in earnest she was responsible for making sure I never got into "trouble". Her methods of keeping me out of "trouble", or what she disturbingly called "fitna", were wonderously aggravating.

Take for example the time I was going to umrah with my uncle Malik, who is my age. When she heard of our plans, she told my mother that she had gone a few years back and the umrah travel guides were three handsome young men. My mom innocently asked, "But there will be men in the group anyway, so whats the big deal?".

Mona, with a horrified expression, gasped,"But three young men who will be around your daughter for a whole month and you know girls, they are so sentimental when they're parents aren't around... and so much fitna! You dont want your daughter coming home married to one of those men, do you?!"

My mom smiled patiently, "Why not? I am sure they are good men, or else they wouldn't be doing such a job..." and only when she saw the sour look in Mona's eye did she hastily add,"Anyway, her uncle is going with her."

Mona looked even more horrified. "Why not!?!! They are all from India, or Bangla- whatever! One of those places where all the people are so dark and stinky. And besides, her uncle is the same age as her. He will be busy enough checking out the girls!"

Dark and stinky? Wasn't this a bit contradictory to the previous "handsome men?" What was she trying to get at?

I had sat through the whole conversation politely enough but the last thing she had said blew me off. "My mom is half Indian. Her mother was Indian." I said with a icey smile.

Mona's face, flamed with a passion kindled by God knows what, froze. "Well, the women from there are different than the men." She finally stuttered lamely.

My mom wisely changed the subject and only until later that night at the dinner table did she bring it up to dad. I remember distinctly how his face flared a brilliant red as he shouted, "Who the heck is that nosy old goose to go around telling us that our daughter is soppy enough to run off with some guy just because her parents aren't with her? These people are so perverted and they think everyone is like them. Run off, my foot!" That closed that subject forever, and I went with my uncle two weeks later, had a remarkable time and both of us came home a month later, glowing with eman and positively unmarried. After that incident dad teased me forever with, "my daughter is so cool she has her own personal "fitna patrol".

Bad thing is, mom always thanked her for her advice, and so the horrible scrutiny continued. When the long awaited Six Flags amusement park finally opened, she hurriedly came to us the day after its opening, bemoaning: all that corruption! everyone walking around in bathing suits and for what? Fifty dollars? I dont think so! My mom passionately thanked her for her "sisterly advice and consideration".

While we piously bought her word, she bought a seasons pass to the park. When we found out, mom only smiled meekly and said, "well, we learn from this that humans are very weak creatures. She went once, and could not keep away from it. Thank God we were saved from that!"

Mom and her learning. Every time something bad happened to mom, she always gave me that "well, I learned from this, that..." talk. It's great to have a positive, optimistic attitude, but mom just chose to scatter her "pearls of wisdom" at the most inappropriate times.

Mona was dedicated to the job. She would literally find out each activity I was going to and go "check it out" before I did, so she could "warn" my mother and I of potential dangers lurking in that certain place.

Dad and I plotted on how to rid of this self-appointed fitna-patrol of mine. The chance finally came last summer.

Summer, a time of weddings and for Mona, a time of fitna. oOOOoooOOooo....fitna! Lotsssss of fitna! Mom, Dad and I do not go to mixed weddings, and we do not go to weddings where music is going to be played. The day you are born, the first day you go to school, the day you graduate, the day you marry...those are all days that mark a new, significant change in life. Why the heck start one of those days with disobeying Allah? Everyone knew our "singular" behaviour, and if they were going to have a mixed wedding or a wedding with music, they would ask us to come early before any of the "fitna" started. So we usually went to weddings for a mere forty minutes, (never did get around to the cake...humph) or if we were lucky we got to stay through the whole thing.

Mona didn't like that. She thought we shouldn't go at all, or else we would be encouraging them in their "fitna". "But," my mom protested, "while we are there they turn off the music and they segregate, so instead of having that the whole time, if we come they only do it some of the time. Many times we persuaded them to keep it nice and Islamic like that."

Mona vehmently disagreed, and it wasn't later until we found out why.

My good friend's sister was getting married. She thought a wedding couldn't be fun unless it was mixed and music was blaring, so again we were stuck with an invitation to a forty minute wedding. Mona called up that afternoon. " 'Ello? " I said, picking up the reciever.

"Alooo!" She crooned.

"Yeah, salaamu alikum."

"Wa alikum asalaam. Did you hear how today is Tasneem's wedding?"

"Yes." (no duh, the only reason why you're invited is because you're the brides sister's friend's mother's friend, remember?)

"When are we going to get to go to your wedding?"

I knew that was coming. She beat the death out of that question by asking it each time she talked to me. "When God wills." I replied drily.

"Well," she said, her voice made heavy with authority, "I spoke to your mom earlier today just to make sure y'all are not going. She agreed not to go and I am sure you'll agree with her decision."

My temper flared. A million comebacks settled on the edge of my tounge, only waiting for the order to catapult themselves through the receiver. I swallowed. I had had my suspiciouns and now I had a plan.

"Sure. We won't be going." I replied nonchalantly.

Her voice perked, she began to praise me, saying what a smart-

"Uh, I have to go now."

"Okay! Salaam honey!"

Honey crummy bummy, blah blah blah. Like you mean any of it.

I called up Tasneem and told her we wouldn't be able to make it, and congratulated her and wished her a happy day and a blessed life. I called up mom (who was out having the time of her life grocery shopping) and told her to be home by four, because we were definitely going to that wedding and I certainly had no intention to obey Ms. Mona's orders of staying home. She agreed and we were able to get there right on time.

Classical music greeted us as we walked into the hotel, a sure sign that the bride had not graced the guests with her presence yet. Mom seemed nervous, I had told her my plan and now was the time to put this woman in her place for once and for all. We walked into the ballroom where the guests were slowly streaming in, each family taking their own table. There were little girls in big dresses twirling around, the brats who are present at all weddings (despite the perspicuous NO KIDS PLEASE), whose faces vary but actions always remain the same; bratty girls who never fail to tramp all over the bride's dress and train and shriek enough to make you wish you never came.

There were a few people "slow dancing" on the floor, something which looks extremely silly coming from Arab people, who can't do a proper native dance, let alone a dance they've learned from movies like Pride and Prejudice and that sort.

And ooo la la! There was our dear friend Mona, her hair modestly covered with a triangular clothe and her wiry figure attired in a black skirt suit which looked like it was clinging on to her body for dear life. As she danced, her body slowly moving to and fro and her eyes closed and lips set in a solemn expression, she somehow looked a great deal more preposterous than anyone else. I looked at mom, my heart jumping with smug satisfaction, and waited to be rewarded with an incensed, betrayed look from her. I even entertained the fantastical idea that she would walk up and say something especially sharp and cutting to Mona. But no, mom proved me wrong yet again. Her eyes looked like apple halves, round and white with black glittering pupils in the middle, opening and shutting with surprise. Her mouth began as a small O and opened wider, stretching all over her face, and suddenly: ha!ha!ha!ha!ha! Everyone turned to look at us. The bratty girls all looked at each other. Mona looked down at her hands. "Mom, mom!" I hissed. She only bent her head lower in laughter. I firmly grasped her hand, leading her away, her laughter trailing all the way to the car.

"You know habibti, we learn from this that you can betrayed, lied and cheated by someone who claims to be your friend, but the best thing to do is just to laugh it off," mom said as soon as she could speak, wiping the tears off the corner of her eyes. For once, I agreed.

*Ahmad, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Maajah
*The Ansari's were the Muslims who were from Medinah. The Muhajireen were the Muslims who migrated from Mecca to Medinah.

2003-10-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

Never think you have done enough good...

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked, "Do you know who is the poor person?"

The listeners replied: "O Messenger of Allah, the poor amongst us is the one who does not have any money or property."

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upn him) replied: "The poor in my ummah (nation) is the person who will come on the Day of Resurrection backed with prayers, fasting, zakat (obligatory charity), and hajj, but also with a number of injustices to others, such as: abusing this one, taking the property of that one, slandering one, hitting another, or shedding the blood of someone else.

Thereafter, his good deeds will be taken one after one and given to this person or that person who were wronged by him. If his good deeds have been exhausted before his wrong deeds are all settled, some of the evil deeds of the wronged persons will be allocated to him, and he (left with no more reward but sins) will be thrown into the Fire."

[Muslim and Tirmidhi]

2003-10-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

Contemporary Arabic Calligraphy

pen

For the believers

Ya Seen and Mariam (two chapters from the Qur'aan)

Salaam: Peace

calligraphy by Nihad Dukhan: http://www.ndukhan.com/

2003-10-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

*~Read and Ponder~*

Narrated Ibn Abbas: Once I was behind the Prophet and he said, "O boy, I will teach you a few words:"

a) Be loyal and obedient to Allah, remember Him always, and obey His orders. He will save you from every evil and will take care of you in all spheres of life.

b) Be loyal and obedient to Allah and you will find Him near you.

c) If you ask, ask Allah.

d) If you seek help, seek help from Allah.

e) Know that if all the people were to get together in order to benefit you with something, they will not be able to benefit you in anything except what Allah has decreed for you. And if they all get together in order to harm you with something, they will not be able to harm you in anything except what Allah has decreed for you.

The pens have stopped writing, and the ink has dried.*

*i.e. your fate has already been preordained and written in the divine book and nothing can change it, so praise Allah in all situations.

[Sahih at-Tirmidhi]

2003-09-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Prayer is my Delight, my Happiness*

A young woman asked, "Why do we have to pray? I feel like it is such a useless, uninspiring routine!"

She was answered, "Do you understand what you are reciting when you pray?"

She answered in the negative.

"Did you ever read the ahadith which elaborate on the supplications and verses we were instructed to recite during the prayer?"

Again no.

"Then how can you claim something useless when you have not even understood it in the least? Is that not a bit unfair?"

"No. Why does God want us to pray in a foreign language?"

"Where you not ignorant of mathematics until you studied it? Were you not ignorant of philosophy (which she is a major of) until you studied it? Why then are you so reluctant to educate yourself in this?"

No answer. How many of us lead dry brisk prayers, in which we find ourselves thinking: "where did I put that?" "what should I eat once I finish?" Or if the one who is praying is a bit more aware, "What rak'ah am I on again?" or "Did I recite al-fatiha?"

Do you want to know how strong your faith has grown, or God forbid, decreased? Check out your prayer. When was the last time you cried out of fear and love for Allah in the prayer? When was the last time you lengthened your sujood (prostration) for a sincere du'aa? When was the last time you read something besides "kul hua Allaho ahad" in the prayer? If you can't remember, chances are your eman's been pretty stale for a while. If you can... *thumbs up*

An inspiring, sincere prayer can only come about if you concentrate on what you are saying. And you can only concentrate on something if you are truly interested in it. And you are only interested in something if it holds some value in your eyes.

By Allah, if we actually understand the beauty and power of the words we so quickly and carelessly recite dozens of times a day in each of our five prayers, we would never fail to give them their due respect.

Start with "Allahu Akbar" or "God is Great". As you say these words, you push your hands back towards your ears. Push all your troubles and worries with it too. "Allahu Akbar, God is Great - greater than all my present thoughts and activities." Enter the prayer, leave the world.

Say the du'aa of opening, learn what it means, concentrate. After that, it is time to recite al-fatiha. Do you know what lofty words you are saying? Do you know that Allah is answering you?

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said*:

Allah the Exalted, said: I have divided (surah al-Fatihah) into two halves between Myself and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.*

When one says: All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of existence

Allah says: My servant has praised Me.

When one says: The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Allah says: My servant has glorified Me.

When one says: The Owner of the Day of Recompense

Allah says: My servant has glorified Me.

When one says: You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help

Allah says: This is between Me and My servant*, and My servant shall be given what he asked for.

When one says: Guide us to the straight path. The way of those on whom You have granted Your grace, not the way of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray

Allah says: This is for My servant, and My servant shall be given what he asked for.

SubhanAllah. How many of us hurriedly recite al-fatiha, not giving it another thought, not pausing to allow Allah the Exalted to respond back to us? Is there someone more important we are hurrying through our prayer to talk to?

The last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us, "When any one of you stands (in prayer), he is conversing with his Lord, so let him pay attention to how he speaks to him."*

When you recite al-fatiha, pause after each verse. Think, ponder. Know that Allah is at that moment answering you. Are you listening?

"Therefore remember Me... I will remember you" [Qur'aan 2:152]

*statement of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
*narrated by Abu Hurayrah, recorded by Muslim. This is only part of the hadith.
*"This is between Me and My servant", Allah says this because the verse is part praise to Him and part supplication to Him. Whereas praise is purely for His sake, the supplication is for our benefit.
*Al-Haakim, al-Mustadrak (1/236), Sahih al-Jami' (1538)

2003-09-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Life's Agenda

Just a tiny little minute
only sixty seconds in it
forced upon me, can't refuse it
didn't seek it didn't choose it
but its up to me to use it
give account if i abuse it
just a tiny little minute
but my fate is surely in it

-anon

For the past couple of years I felt that time was passing extraordinarily fast and recently EVERYONE is complaining about how fast time is flying.

Besides how we all know that the passing of time quickly is a sign of the Day of Judgement, it also leaves one feeling almost scared at the end of the day: what have I done today? Has it already been a week since such and such? Am I really (gasp) almost twenty? Just yesterday I was fourteen...

If we examine the number of days which encompass our life, we will be amazed:

Abu Hurayrah narrated that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The ages of the people of my ummah (nation) are between sixty and seventy years, and few among them go past that age." *

Suppose that you live for sixty years. How many of these years will you actually be held accountable for? Let us say you reached puberty somewhere between the age of thirteen and fifteen. You would not be held accountable for the years before puberty*, so this leaves forty five years which you will be held accountable for. However, sleep takes much of one's life. Suppose you slept for eight hours a day, your sleep will account for twenty years of your life!

If we take twenty years away from forty-five, we are down to twenty-five years. However, it is almost impossible that someone could live for so long and never become sick. Let's remove another five years for various illnesses which are usually spent in sleep and unawareness.

And what do we have left? Twenty years. That is all that man will be held accountable for. Imagine, only twenty or so meager years which we can fill with either good or bad:

"All of mankind awakes and sells their soul, so one either frees it or destroys it." *

These twenty or so years will either buy you an eternity of happiness or an eternity of anguish. If we were to record the time spent out of these twenty years in the sake of Allah, we would probably feel very ashamed. And what about on That Day? Imagine when the reward and punishment will be placed before our eyes and we will think: if ONLY I had done more to establish myself there (Paradise), and if ONLY I had done more to distance myself from that (hell-fire)!

"Nay! When the earth is ground to powder
And your Lord comes with the angels in rows
And Hell will be brought near that Day. On that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance avail him then?
He will say: "Alas! Would that I had sent forth some provision (good deeds) for my life!"
[Qur'aan 89:22-24]

Notice how we will say: Had I sent forth some provision for my life...for on that day we will realize that the hereafter was the only true life, and woe to the one who comes without provisions.

Subhan-Allah. Twenty or so years. May Allah bless those years for us and enable us to fill them with nothing but good.

What has passed is a dream
and what is hoped for in the future is unseen
yet you have at your disposal
the hour in which you are

-anon arab poet

*Tirmidthi and musnad Abu Ya'la, see sahih al-jami' al-sagheer no. 1573
*Narratted Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: The deeds of the following three persons are not recorded by the pen: 1) A sleeping person until he awakes 2) A child until he reaches puberty 3) An insane person until he becomes sane. [Nisa'i]
*I could not find where this hadith comes from. Once I do I will add it insha-Allah.

2003-09-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

Why Taymiyyah?

Dear readers:

Taymiyyah is not my name, but I will tell you why I prefer to use it here.

I am sure everyone knows who Ibn Taymiyyah is. If not, he was a great scholar born in 1241 in the city of Harran, Syria and is rightfully named by millions as "the scholar of Islam". His name is Taqiyy ad-Deen Ahmad ibn (son of) 'Abdul-Haleem ibn 'Abdul-Salaam. His kunyah (nickname) is Abu al-'Abbaas. Despite the great array of names, the name "ibn Taymiyyah" stuck. So who was Taymiyyah, the woman who gave him her name? They* say Taymiyyah was his maternal great-grandmother and thus he came to be ascribed to her.

Which makes one think...

How was it that this great scholar came to be known by the name of his great-grandmother? How is it that this very name is loved and reconized by millions, and is repeated by them: taymiyyah, taymiyyah...

Ibn Taymiyyah had more names than most of us do, why then is he called by this one certain name?

If Allah loves a servant of His, He calls Gabriel (on whom be peace) and says: I love so-and-so, therefore love him.

He (the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) said: So Gabriel loves him.

Then he (Gabriel) calls out in heaven, saying: "Allah loves so-and-so, therefore love him!" And the inhabitants of heaven love him.

He (the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) said: Then he is granted the pleasure of the people on earth.

[Sahih Bukhari]

I have a very strong feeling that his great-grandmother was no ordinary woman. Through her supplications and prayers, through her efforts, through her love and care, and through Allah's acceptance and blessings, Ibn Taymiyyah came to be. Allah must have loved that woman greatly to have honored her so highly - so that today no one can forget her contribution to mankind.

Who will remember us once we have died? What positive contribution will we leave behind us? Will the people cry out of anguish once we die or will they cry from relief? Will they look at our grave and say: here lies so-and-so, he lived and died for himself, or will they say: here lies so-and-so, who only spread good and happiness wherever he went?

May we all leave behind pious children who will supplicate for us, who will strive in spreading all that is good on earth, and who will be succeeded by even more pious offspring. May we all leave behind thousands of people who have been touched by our kindess, and who will continue to supplicate and benefit from our good even after we are long gone. Ameen.

This is the reward of the honest sower who sows honestly and sincerely, moving his lips in prayer all the while for a blessed fruit. Though his eyes may close long before the fruit is ready to be reaped, it grows strong and powerful because its seed was pure, its roots were firm - and so finally blossoms to light the whole world with its beauty.

*Refer to Al-'Uqood ad-Durroyyah min Manaaqib Shaykhul-Islaam Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah of Ibn 'Abdil-Haadee, pg.2, tahqeeq of Muhammad Haamid al-Faqee, 1365H print, Matba'ah Hijaazee, Cairo and Siyar 'Alaam an-Nubalaa of adh-Dhahabee, 22/289, tahqeeq by a number of researchers, takhreej and supervision by Shu'ayb al-Arna'oot, Mu'assasah ar-Risaalah, Beirut.

2003-09-25T16:04:00.000-07:00

Understanding, Respect and Love

In a mountainous area, on his way for Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad's camel whom he had named Al-Qaswa' suddely sat down. The people tried their best to make her get up and finally exclaimed, "Al-Qaswa' has become stubborn! Al-Qaswa' has become stubborn!"

The Prophet replied "Al-Qaswa' has not become stubborn, for stubborness is not her habit. She was stopped by Him who stopped the elephant"*.

[Sahih Bukhari, hadith of the Hudaybiyah Treaty]

-How well the Prophet understood the nature of everything and everyone, even his very own camel!

-How much he respected the rights of all creatures, so that when he heard his camel being accused harshly, he defended her!

-How loving he was, not only treating each human with dignity and care, but lovingly gave a name to his camel!

SubhanAllah, if only we had a fraction of his compassion and wisdom.

*refering to the elephants of Abraha, who tried to destroyed the ka'ba but was destroyed, along with his elephants, in a flurry of pebbles. Their story is mentioned in chapter 105 of the Qur'an.

2003-09-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

Convert a Lemon into a Sweet Drink

"When given lemons, make lemonade"

By: Shaykh 'Aa'id Abdullah al-Qarnee

An intelligent and skillful person transforms losses into profits; whereas the unwise and the unskilled aggravates his own predicament, making two disasters out of one.

The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) was compelled to quit Makkah and he stayed at Madeenah – the city that took its place in history with lightning speed.

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was imprisoned, severely tortured and flogged, yet he emerged triumphant, becoming the Imam of the Sunnah.

Imam ibn Taymiyah was put into prison; he came out an even more accomplished scholar. Imam As-Sarakhsi was kept as prisoner at the bottom of a deserted well and he managed therein to produce twenty volumes on Islamic jurisprudence. Ibn Atheer became crippled, and thereafter, he wrote Jamee` al-Usool wa an-Nihayah, one of the most famous books on the Science of Hadith. Imam ibn al-Jawzi was banished from Baghdad. He then mastered in the seven different ways of reading the Qur'an. Maalik ibn ar-Rayb was on his deathbed when he recited his most famous and beautiful poem competing the poetical works of the poets of the Abbasid period, and is appreciated until this day. When Abi Dhu'aib al-Hadhali's children died before him, he eulogized them with a poem that the world listened to and admired and became integral part of the history.

Therefore, if you are afflicted with a misfortune, look on the bright side. If someone were to hand you a glass full of squeezed lemons, add to it a handful of sugar. And if someone gives you a snake as a gift, keep its precious skin and leave the rest.

"And it may be that you dislike a thing that is good for you..." (Qur'an 2.-216)

Before its violent revolution, France imprisoned two brilliant poets: one an optimist, the other a pessimist. Both of them looked through the bars of their respective cell windows. The optimist stared at the stars and laughed, while the pessimist looked at the dirt of a neighbouring road and wept. Look at the other side of a tragedy - a circumstance of pure evil does not exist, and in all situations one can find goodness and victory and reward from Allah.

read it here

2003-09-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Silver Necklace: A Short Story

Mama's usual question sounded more anxious than ever this time: "Are you wearing your necklace?" Thousands of miles and half a decade from her and mama still sought to keep me safe in her maternal radius. I thought of the silver necklace with the Allah pendant and all the trust mama had placed in that inanimate thing. Even a silver pendant of God's name had not kept me from spending my first five years in America in a wild, reckless "sin-spree", but that I never told her.

I wish I could tell her: "Mama, why does it matter? I am sure you would be proud of me now, but it has nothing to do with that necklace." I can just imagine what would happen, she would begin to sob gently, then break out in a wail: my son has faaaaileddd me! You don't love Allah!" And I would be stuck here, in my dingy apartment in Dallas, and she so far away, so that I could not wrap my arms around her frail little body and comfort her with what I really meant.

So I'll write this for her, first in the flowing, elegant Arabic script, and then I'll have Samir type it out for me in English on his ancient but efficient typewriter so I can pass it on to those who care.

I begin in Gods name, and my story begins with a bald and boisterous guy named Alf. We all called him Alf and someone told me that Alf was some kind of cartoon character that looked like a cross between a pig and a rat, and someone told me Alf stood for Alfred, but that all doesn't really matter.

Alf had an interesting practice and after God, I owe my new life to that practice. He was an insomniac, and to cure that, he would drive around for half an hour every night until hints of sleep would creep upon him. On one of these excursions, he stood waiting for the light. He happened to hear a strange sound floating out from the car next to him, so he turned off the radio and subtly leaned his head out the window to catch the sound better. It was a like a low chant, but the words moved like a silk curtain, up, down, in, out. He didn't think music accompanied the voice, but good God! The voice was so enchanting, it lacked nothing. Alf leaned forward. No one but a fool lets a good chance pass him by, but knowing when is the right time to take it is knowledge only a few possess. "Hey miss!" A feminine face with a delicate veil on her hair turned to his call. He looked at the light, then back at her. "Whats that you're listening to?" He called out. She looked at him for a second, looked at the red light and bent forward, then back, and suddenly a shining disk was flying into his car. "What the -?" He turned back to look at her, but she was gone. He drove home and was not disappointed at his lack of drowsiness. He had a new, amazing CD to his collection.

Everyone liked the parties Alf threw, and he threw them often. They were Maugham-like parties. Don't think for a moment I read Maugham, I had to read it for college and the only thing I remember where the same parties he described in each story, but with different characters of course. So you had everyone dress up, those American women finally wearing something that you can call clothes, and their men in jackets. There was expensive, solid food, not the dinky hors d'oeuvres that you can eat in one bite and only make you more hungry, and lots of wine. Now I came to the states as ignorant of alcohol as a chicken of the slaughterhouse, but once introduced, we became devout pals. I didn't know their names, I never cared to know, but I drank like a whale, or whatever they say. Afterwards of course there was dancing, and the whole while there was some cheesy music playing in the background which they call jazz or blues, I can never remember the difference but I hated it. He invited what he called inspiring people, which turned out to be people who wrote poems about their perverse desires and skinny women who called everyone darling and claimed they were "on their way to Hollywood".

At that time though, I enjoyed them. Being raised in an austere, modest household in an Arab country, even in my wildest moods I could not tolerate the coarse parties of my fellow classmates, who became raving fools bumbling their way in a house foggy with weed and cheap beer.

When Alf invited me one Saturday night, I was in an especially rotten mood. My mother had talked to me that day, and her innocent questions and numerous lauds left me feeling downright bad. "We are all so proud of you, we know how hard it is for you to remain a strong, studious, virtuous Muslim over there dear!" Her loving voice would chirp. Ow. As the latest woman asked me "why I was speaking Spanish... (Arabic, O wise one)...was it because I was talking about her to whoever was on the phone?", I imagined myself saying: "Mama, let me just tell this woman to shut up and I'll be right with you." I didn't bother to imagine her reaction.

I agreed to be there, and I promised myself I would be happy. When dinner was served, and with one bite of the stuffed, uh, spaghetti something (I still have not grasped English, let alone the names of Italian dishes) I was convinced I was having a great time. Those who live the bachelor life know what a home cooked meal can do to ones mood. After dessert and a few cigarettes, people began to float into the library, a spacious room with a modern look and a vast floor perfect for dancing (for those who could actually dance to that crummy music). I stood in the corner, happily sipping a cocktail of God knows what. A tall woman with the fascinating white-blonde hair color whom I had never seen before came to me and after eying me up and down asked in a thick accent who I was and why I was not dancing. I stared purposely at her canine teeth, which were pointy as a wolf's. "You can call me Dracula." I said with a wink. She glared at me. "Iz not so finny as you zink!" "I am sorry." I replied drily. "Hmph! You iz Arab, no?" I hated that question. The way she said was as if she was asking how many bombs I had under my shirt. "Yes, I am." Her tone changed. "Good! You belly dance then! Come wiz me, I have no purtner at zi moment, come." I did not to tell her that a man who belly dances is like a nun who smokes pot, and I decided to entertain her humorous suggestion. "Wonderful, but no one can belly dance to jazz." She looked at me as if to check if I was sincere, then, decided, whipped around. "Alf! Put on some exotic music for this lovely boy! He wants to belly dance for us!" Everyone laughed gaily, the ladies stomped their feet. "yes! yes!" they shouted. I laughed with them. I could do the Irish jig and they would never know the difference. Alf 's rosy face beamed with a complaisant smile. "I've got just the thing!" He dug around in his enormous stack of CD's and pulled out the sought CD. With a "zipppoo! Let's dance!" he pushed the CD in.

I stood still, my mouth open. I was never a weak man, never one to blush or turn white, but I felt very faint, and on the very verge of puking. I heard a female crying "Oh Alf! How quaint!" And my thick accented vampire friend whining "Undanceable! Utterly undanceable." A stout dark man who never tired of informing people he was a lexicologist muttered aloud "is that even a word? undanceable?" And I? I was gone. "What is it baby? You shy? If you cant take the heat don't put yourself in the kitchen, baby!" A nasal voice mocked. I sluggishly made my way to the back door.

Fresh air. "I can think out here", I thought. I cried instead.

If you were to spend years with someone, then suddenly, cruelly, cut them off and walk away, and then some years down the road, catch a scent of their perfume or hear their voice, what would you do? I cried.

The voice that came from the CD was the voice of a loved one I had cut off long ago, a treasure I sacrificed for a miserable, crude companion. It was the melodious, heart-touching loved one called Qur'an. Listening to its powerful words recited sweetly in such a setting came with shock and a heart-wrenching pang of guilt. I thought of the sonorous voice, the words of the purest good, floating in the room, while the hips swayed and the shrill laughs smothered the sublime words. "How dare they!" I ran inside and slid out the CD. No one even noticed, but I was at peace.

"Alf, let me copy this." I held up the CD as I walked out the door. He nodded his head, and I closed the door.

After that I was able to talk to mama whole-heartily. I was her boy, I was living life and not killing it. Alf tells me I've murdered joy and adopted gloom, and I think to myself: if that was joy, good riddance to it. And if this is gloom, my, how good it feels!

I put that necklace away somewhere nice and snug where it can sleep for a few thousand years. It reminds me now of those women on music channels who dance lewdly and sing with big crosses on their chest. Its like the last desperate clutch of one falling off a cliff, frantic to cling to any vestige of reality. Perhaps I'll buy some for my daughters, if God grants me some, and hang it around their innocent necks, not as a last hope, but as a first encouragement.

2003-09-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

Gentleness: A Prophetic Tradition

Jabir bin Abdullah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand by a date-palm tree when giving the Friday speech. Then an Ansari woman or man said:"O Allah's Apostle! Shall we make a pulpit for you?"
He replied, "If you wish."
So they made a pulpit for him and when it was Friday, he proceeded towards the pulpit for delivering the sermon. The date-palm cried like a child! The Prophet descended the pulpit and embraced it while it continued moaning like a child being quietened. The Prophet said, "It was crying for missing what it used to hear of religious knowledge given near to it." [Sahih Bukhari]

The stories of the Prophet Muhammad's incredible gentleness towards humans are innumerable. Stories like this, then, should be of no surprise. But a Prophet hugging a tree? Such a kind gesture can only bring tears to the eyes, no matter how many times one reads it. It is also not surprising he said:

Gentleness is not found in something except that it beautifies it. And it is not removed from something except that it mars it. [Muslim]

What beautiful words, yet do we follow them? Do people shun you because your character is obnoxious and harsh or do people enjoy your company because it is amiable and gentle? When you advise, is it done gently? With your spouse or children, are you gentle? With animals and nature, are you gentle? Are you among those whom Allah loves:

"Verily, Allah is kind and gentle and He loves gentleness. He gives upon being gentle what He does not give upon being harsh." - the Prophet Muhammad [Muslim]

Imagine for a moment the Prophet Suliaman (peace and blessings be upon him). King of the greatest kingdom that ever existed, a wise judge, master of the jinns, and to top it all off, a noble Prophet.

"And Sulaiman inherited the knowledge of Dawood (David). He said: "O mankind! We have been taught the language of birds, and on us have been bestowed all things. This, verily, is an evident grace (from Allah)."

And there were gathered before Sulaiman his hosts of jinns and men, and birds, and they all were set in battle order (marching forward).

Till, when they came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaiman and his army crush you, while they perceive not."

So he smiled, amused at her speech and said: "My Lord! Inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves." [Qur'aan 27:16-19]

This army commander heard the distressed call of the ant and after thanking Allah for being blessed with the ability to hear her plea, took another path to avoid disturbing the ant colony. Which soldier, in times of war, would think of an ant? Indeed, this is a characteristic only found in the true believer.

Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah bin Mas'ud narrates: We were on a journey with the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and he left us for a while. During his absence, we saw a bird with its two young and we took the young ones. The mother bird was circling above us in the air, beating its wings in grief, when the Prophet came back and said: "Who has hurt the feelings of this bird by taking her children? Return them to her." [Muslim]

So let us take an example from the Prophets - our noble teachers, and employ gentleness in all that we do, whether it is to a human, tree, insect or animal.

2003-09-15T23:05:00.000-07:00

The Friend

This is not a bemoaning of a lost soul, nor a condemnation to perdition. This is a humble gift, an encouragment to my friend, to a sister in faith:

She was the best friend. We all had one, no? Bosom buddies, persistent shadows of one another. She offered me her friendship first, and I accepted it almost wearily. She was too flashy for me, too loud and too carefree. Looking upon the budding friendship now from my neutral throne, I see my intuition proved to be correct. With one brilliant smile, one wave of a tanned hand, one bubbly contagious laugh, I was madly in love with the insouciant gypsy girl.

At first I sought to tame her. I would sit near her with a Qur'an and try to teach her its maze of vibrant words. She would repeat after me obediently for a few minutes, then she would grow restless, then she jump to her feet. "Teach me later, lets go see whats going on outside." After a few half-hearted protests I would follow her outside as docile as a kitten.

We were soon known throughout the town as inseparable, mischievous partners in crime.

After kindling a brilliant blaze of havoc in our little social circle which charred my reputation to ashes, she gallantly galloped off to safer grounds. I, still fighting the flames one handed, positively boiled with rancor towards my roguish friend-turned-rival.

Some years passed, and I finally graduated from bumbling ass to moderately crass . I had not forgotten the friend, but I had forgiven her. Then one day someone who knew her well told me her family had fallen apart.

Go back a few years, think a respectable, middle class family. Think of a sweet mother who teaches in an Islamic school, and think of a father who mumbles "fuel of zee hell-fire!" every time he passes a public high school and sees girls playing harlots and boys playing- well anyway. Think of an honor roll student, handsome son who organizes his socks by color. Think of their daughters, three beautiful girls who went to Islamic school after an elementary education in public schools (over my dead body will I put my daughters back in that kaffffir school system! - said pop). Think of these young innocent faces wrapped with white head scarves and their bodies covered modestly with a loose dress. Think of the weekends spent helping in charity functions and listening to seminars about everything pure and noble.

Fast forward!

Think of a man with five kids, puffing away on marijuana. Think of a mother sneaking out to meet her female lover. Think of an alcoholic, drugged son, not really dead and not really alive. Think of three daughters, one a chronic thief, one a chronic prostitute, and the last one a chronic druggie. Think of weekends spent in mass beer parties and the mother attending gay parades along with her little daughters.

The last girl is my friend, and that is her family.

She comes to me now, she pleads for help. She tells me she wants to feel pure again, she wants to, well, LIVE.

I looked at her, amazed at how in such a short time she changed so much, and flabbergasted at how low the family had sunk. I remembered the Prophet Muhammad's supplication which he used to repeat often and I finally understood:

ya mooqalib al-qooloob
thabit qalbee 'ala deenak

O turner of hearts!
Make my heart steadfast upon Your way!

Her hands shook of want for a cigarette and her low rider jeans unflatteringly bared her belly. In a low, tired voice she told me her story. I will skip the details and give you the moral. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said "The wolf preys on the loner" - and thats it. Her family was protected by a stong Islamic community, when they were weak there were fellow Muslim brothers and sisters to make them strong, when they wavered in faith there was someone to hold them up again. But they moved themselves out to a desert, and their spirits starved while their physical self was gratified.

When Heraclius asked the bitterest enemies of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) if all the people who were accepting Islam were soon reverting back to their old ways or faith, they honestly answered "no"... once his (Muhammad's) followers became Muslim, they became commited to their faith.

Hercules replied: And that is the way with true faith when its delight enters the heart and mixes with it completely.*

Once you have witnessed the beauty and purity of true living, no matter how much you stray, you will always dream of returning to the noble life of the believer. Why do we believe the false promises of the ones who call us to their twisted way of life? Why do we accept their filth when we know where lies the true happiness?

Know that the life of the world is only play, and idle talk, and pomp and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. (It is) as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller, but afterward it dries up and you see it turning yellow, then it becomes straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is only a deceiving enjoyment. Al-Qur'an 57:20

She says she is so tired, that she wants to feel alive again. I tell her: you have already taken the first step towards freedom from your misery. Walk a bit more and you will own it.

*the hadith is found in Sahih Bukhari, vol 6. hadith no. 75

2003-09-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

My Castle

How much I miss my shining castle where peace and tranquility reigns! The first time I saw her, I knew she must be mine, and mine I made her! I was forced to leave her, forced to return to my wretched, damp dwelling, but, by God! She claimed my heart as if her blessed foundations were sturdily built there! Speak to me of my castle, and I am carried away, I am gone! Look into my eyes and you will see they are not with you. No indeed!

They speak of love at first sight? It exists!

Its tall shining towers stood glistening and majestic against the shimmering dark veil of the night. Were I the queen of sheba, I would have tucked up my skirt at the sight of its opalescent marble floors which mirrored my awe struck face. My castle was not empty nor was I her first admirer, she had many courtiers before me. Some lay sprawled on her floor, oblivious to all, some sat, some worshipped. No one glanced jealously at another. No, we were all lovers of this castle, generosity had replaced jealousy. Do you scoff at such inhuman love? My friend, this was the wondering state of my castle! Nothing about her was earthly, she transcended all terrestrial bounds!

Don't loiter at her entrance! Enter!

Enter into an enchanting world of ethereal emotions! Witness the ardent prayers and fervent whispers. Walk further, bend your head to her fountains and drink of its milky waters. Lift your head, God bless you, and look at the modest arches which reveal their treasure, a kind submission only granted to the true admirer.

Glance now at the essence of the castles beauty! Yet unlike the beauty of the woman whose essence lies in her youth and whose admirers decrease with her age, the admirers of this beauty only increase with each passing year. She is draped in soft black, she is adorned in gold, adorned with the words of God! How noble she is, shaped from the hands of the father of many nations! Do you see the ones who yield in prostration near her? They are not fooled by her beauty, nor do they think of it, she is only a guiding signal like the one you may use to find your way to Tombouctou. Their hearts, ahh...they are far, far away... directed to the Master of my castle, to the Master of all.

Her Master! What can be said of her Master and Creator? If such perfection can be found in His creation, then what of Him?

The one who has loved deeply and sincerely knows it is not easy to talk of the beloved when you are so far from it. Lest I kindle the fire of longing in your hearts more than it is already blazing, I shall end here. God unite us soon, O Masjid of the Kaa'ba!

2003-09-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

WANTED: A Sincere Believer

Job Type: sincere, striving Muslim as an educater and inspirer to him/her self and the world

Certificate Required: minimum b.s (basic skills) in forbearance, patience, gentleness, veracity, wisdom and obedience to God and His teachings

Salary: Verily those who give (in charity and efforts), men and women, and lend Allah a goodly loan - it shall be increased manifold to their credit! And theirs shall be an honorable, good reward (in this life and the next). Al-Qur'an 57:18

Work Year: 24/7 all year round commitment

Full Time/Part Time: full time

Contact: Your Lord for further help

Application Deadline: Your death

Comments:
We have doctors, but not physically healthy people
We have psychiatrists, but not mentally healthy people
We have lawyers, but not justice
We have police and armies, but not safety
We have politicians, but not peace
We have entertainers, but not lasting happiness
We have scientists, but not tangible advancement
We have teachers, but not enlightment

This is meant at a general scale, no one can deny their necessity. Yet a flood of doctors or lawyers is not the answer to our problems, as we can see by the overflow of these professionals. We need...
we need...

YOU!

Yes, you!

We need honest, sincere believers in God who will dedicate their life to spreading the beautiful message of all that is good - Islam.

Some people think this means giving up all that is gay and merry and adopting all that is solemn and austere.

Those people are truly ignorant of the commodious nature of Islam. Islam is not a set of grim rules and commandments. It is life as God wants us to live it. It is the answer to true humanity. You can still keep your day job, you can still commit to the wednesday knit club. Yet, let your limbs embody the message of God:

Keep...
your eyes sparkling with kindness
your nose out of people's affairs
your mouth a messenger of honesty and a commander of good and forbidder of evil
your hands on honest grounds
your legs from walking to that which is not pure

be the embodiment of goodness, and you have indeed lived the life of a believer!

Mothers! You who hold the future of mankind in your arms, give us hope! The job is in demand, so raise for us competent beings who will work to bring success to mankind. O' Creator of all, make this possible. Ameen.

2003-09-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

*~Read and Ponder~*

This is actually a du'aa (supplication) which the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say right before saying salaam (exiting) the prayer. It's amazing:

Oh Allah! By your knowledge of the unseen and Your power over creation
Keep me alive so long as you know such life to be good for me
- and take me if you know death to be better for me

Oh Allah! Make me fearful of you whether in secret or in public
- and I ask you to make me true in speech, in times of pleasure and anger
I ask you to make me moderate in times of wealth and poverty
- and I ask you for everlasting bliss and joy which will never cease
I ask you to make me pleased with what you have decreed
and for an easy life after death

I ask you for the sweeteness of looking upon your face
and a longing to encounter you in a manner which does not entail a calamity which will bring about harm
nor a trial which will cause deviation
Oh Allah! Beautify us with the adornment of faith!
and make us of those who guide and are rightly guided!

Nasaa'i & al-Haakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.

2003-09-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

Are you Pleased?

Three decades ago a young woman gave birth to a round faced, sparkle-eyed boy. The bigger the boy grew, the more mischievous he became. These small bundles of michief are miracles of God - we wonder in amazment how they take on risks and adventures as happily as we would take on a piece of chocolate cake. We watch in awe as they stumble and trip their way through life, rising from each fall with a irresistable smile. Yet this frolicking fairy fell soundly, no impish smile and lighthearted laugh followed the stumble.

His mother went out visiting her sister one day and left the child with older siblings. Never satisfied between four walls, he quietly made his way to the balcony. His small face was pushed between the railings. The view was not to his satisfaction. This was quickly mended - a stool was brought, and the chubby little legs climbed it. His body bent over the railing, watching the maze-like sight of the cars below. Perhaps it was a slip of the foot, perhaps the head was bent too low, perhaps... perhaps... yet what happened, happened. The little body fell through the air, and if not for a blanket spread out by frantic neighbors, the body would have tumbled down nine stories and landed on the pavement with a sickening splat. The body was caught, a nauseating scene was avoided. Yet Death had still visited the scene, and leaving the charming body intact, quietly took the life source.

The aunt was informed and was told to gently break it to the mother. She decided otherwise: go home, my sister, there is a slight problem. The mother read grief in those eyes, and did not hesistate. Her living room was crowded with sympathetic relatives and neighbors, some called out to her as she entered, some began to wail loudly. She was told what happened. Not a moan escaped her lips, she turned and entered the bathroom. She made wudu (abulution), and existing the bathroom, faced the qiblah. "Allahu Akbar, God is Great." She prayed two rak'ahs, and she finally cried.
I am pleased with your decree O Allah!
I ask you to give me patience and strength in this trial!
Alhamdulilah - All praise is due to Allah!

With what peace did she rise from her prayer! What insight and strength of mind! She entered the living room calmly. She sat down, looked at the grieving faces and addressing them - talked of being pleased.

~*~

This is the story of the death of my uncle and the strength of my grandmother. A story which continues to inspire me, a story which proves the truth of the blessed words of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) :

Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that once while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting amongst his companions, he smiled.
He then asked: Will you not ask me why I smile?
They replied: What makes you smile, O Allah's Messenger?
He replied: I am amazed at the believer's situation! His situation is always good!If something occurs to him that he likes, he praises Allah, and that is good for him. If something occurs to him that he dislikes, he perseveres, and that is good for him. No one's situation is always good - except a believer's.

[Recorded by Ahmad and others. Verified to be authentic by Al-Albani, as-Sahihah no.147]

If something good happens to us, what better can we do then praise Allah? If something happens to us which we consider a misfortune, what can we do better than to praise Allah? Imagine yourself being tried, you can either submit to Allah's decree, or you can go bang your head on the wall and scream its not fair until you go purple. Either way what happened has happened and no amount of tantrums can take it back.

This is the difference between the believer and the non-believer. The believer holds no feelings of vengeance, stress, guilt or anger in his heart once he is afflicted. He is not besieged with constant thoughts of "if only...if only..." He praises his Lord, thanking Him for his past blessings, thanking Him that it was no worse. Even atheists who delight in scorning the pious bite their nails in fury at the tranquility which the believer upholds at all times.

So my fellow brothers and sisters, when you have been tried, when the earth is constricted around you, when you feel like everything has been turned upside down, praise Allah. Say the words the believers say in times of hardship:

"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the ones who are patient.

Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." 2:155-156 [That is pronounced: inna lil lahi wa inna ilayhi ra ji'oon]

God forbid that we are among those who:

...when his Lord tries him by giving him honor and gifts, then he says (puffed up): "My Lord has honored me."

But when He tries him by straitening his means of life, he says: "My Lord has humiliated me!" [Qur'aan 89:15-16]

Subhan-Allah! Exalted is Allah! How true are the words of our Last Prophet - "I am amazed at the believer's situation! His situation is always good!"

I ask you to make me pleased with what You have decreed!
wa assalooka al ridaa ba'aad al qadaa'

2003-09-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

For the Wretched Slave Seeking Freedom:

slave:

1 : a person held in servitude as the chattel of another
2 : one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence

Every human is a slave to something or another. Before you protest, think about it.

Who is your Master? Is it Wealth? How many of us have sold our dignity for a few dollars? Is it Position and Fame? How many of us shove loyal friends and family out of the way on our climb up the "career ladder"?

Don't be so quick to say that not everyone is subservient to a dominating influence. I don’t tolerate generalizations either. Not all slaves are of the same temperament, nor is the Master always so dominant. Some slaves are meek and subdued, never questioning their position, never aspiring to break out of bondage. Others are quietly rebellious yet optimistic, never fully submitting to the dominating influence and never forgoing dreams of freedom.

Perhaps you never had Jealousy as a master, so that you never held Her knife in your grasp and cut a tie of the womb for Her sake. Yes, it is very possible that your master is a calm soul, his demands not so overbearing. Yet the demands are still there. One sharp call is all that is needed for you to come quickly and servilely - and for the strong-willed slave, a few calls render him docile and submissive.

Whether this master is in the shape of a cigarette, a lie or an attractive female or male, if you feel that you can not forgo it, you have made it your master. Do not bother to call it "no big deal"... to its beckon you answer and its demands you heed... just like the ideal slave.

Yet why would the intelligent, sophisticated human humiliate himself by taking such unworthy objects as a Master? What utter humiliation! The true Master who deserves our servitude and complete submissiveness is the one who created the slave and created all that the slave can call his. And what a Master! His demands encompass all that is good and noble, His dealings just, His rewards innumerable:

"And the slaves of the Most Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them they reply back with mild words of gentleness.

And those who spend the night before their Lord, prostrate and standing.

And those who say: "Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily! Its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment." [Quran 25:63-65]

The human who is reluctant to take Allah as his master is like the stubborn fool who is presented with a fine meal but insists on eating the dirt and trash found on the floor.

Will you listen to a wise word and shun the undeserving, importuning lowly object which has made you its slave?

Perhaps you are willing, for I surely am. Perhaps you have been struggling with the heavy chains of bondage, for I surely have. The following words are the true keys to our chains, and in these words lies a sure freedom:

Ibn-Al-Qayyim (may Allâh's mercy be upon him) said:

“A person experiences difficulty in abandoning bad habits and customs only if he does so for the sake of other than God. As for he who abandons them truthfully and sincerely with his heart, he does not experience any difficulty except in the first attempt, to be tested whether he was truthful or not. So if he remains a little patient during that difficulty, desire would not last any longer.”

2003-08-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

*~Read and Ponder~*

O My servants! I have forbidden oppression for Myself and I have made it forbidden for you, therefore do not oppress one another.
O My servants! All of you are lost except for those whom I have guided, therefore seek guidance from Me and I will guide you.
O My servants! All of you are hungry except for those whom I have fed, therefore seek sustenance from Me and I will sustain you.
O My servants! All of you are naked except for those whom I have clothed, therefore seek clothing from me and I will clothe you.
O My servants! You sin by night and day and I forgive all sins, therefore seek forgiveness from me and I will forgive you.
O My servants! You will not be able to harm Me so as to bring about any harm to Me and you will not be able to benefit Me so as to bring about any benefit to me.

O My servants! If the first and last of you, the human and jinn of you, were as pious as the most pious heart of anyone amongst you, it would not add anything to My dominion.

O My servants! If the first and last of you, the human and jinn of you, were as wicked as the most wicked heart amongst you, it would not decrease anything from My dominion.

O My servants! If the first and last of you, the human and jinn of you, were to gather together at one place and all asked of me, and if I were to give everyone of them what he asked, that would not decrease what I have any more than a needle decreases what is in the ocean when it is pulled out.

O My servants! It is but your deeds that I judge for you, then I recompense you for them. The one who finds good is to praise and thank Allah, the one who finds other than this has no one to blame but himself.

Reported by Muslim [Eng. Trans. 4/1365 no. 6246] and al-Tirmithi [no.2495].

2003-08-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

The Key:

There is a prisoner in a jail who holds the key to his cell in his hand.

Yet the prisoners attentions are with the bowl of mush the warden has placed for him to eat. He gazes lovingly and hungrily at the bowl of food - if it can even be called that. He dips his finger into the mush and leisurely licks it off. He brings his face close to the bowl and deeply inhales the food. He studies the bowl which holds the mush and delights in its bland design.

Tell me dear reader, does not the prisoner sound mad?

My friends, we are the prisoner. And we are mad.

We hold the key to success and TRUE happiness in our hands yet we are drooling over the filthy mush and busy gazing at the crude bowl instead of entering the door of true freedom. Have we not been told what the true success is? Have we not been told what the true happiness is? Why then do we spend our life struggling to possess perishables which we shall only leave behind for a cold bed of sod? We talk of freedom yet we dare not spare a moment or penny for its pursuit:

By the time!

Verily! Man is in loss -

Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience. (Quran 103)

Ah! Thats it my fellow prison mates! Feel the key hot and glowing in your hands. It is there, ready to free you from your suffering. Enough of our misery, enough of our blood, enough of this humiliation. Let's go home.

2003-08-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu Alikum and Hello

I begin in Gods name: Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful