The Power and Miracle of Da'wah

A special thanks to whoever authored and sent this to me.....


Every Friday afternoon, after the Jumma prayers, the Imam and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out "PATH TO PARADISE" and other Islamic literature.

This particular and fortunate Friday afternoon, as the time came for the Imam and his son to go to the streets with their booklets, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, 'OK, dad, I'm ready!'

His dad asked, 'Ready for what' 'Dad, it's time we go out and distribute these Islamic books.' Dad responds, 'Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring rain.' The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, 'But Dad, aren't people still going to hell, even though it's raining?'

Dad answers, 'Son, I am not going out in this weather.' Despondently, the boy asks, 'Dad, can I go Please' His father hesitated for a moment then said, 'Son, you can go. Here are the booklets. Be careful son.' 'Thanks, Dad!' And with that, he was off and out into the rain.

This eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a pamphlet or a booklet. After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST BOOKLET.

He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a booklet to, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered.. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer. Finally, he turned to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch! He rang again and this time the door slowly opened.

Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked, 'What can I do for you, son?' With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, 'Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that ALLAH REALLY LOVES AND CARES FOR YOU and I came to give you my very last booklet which will tell you all about God, the real purpose of creation, and how to achieve His pleasure.' With that, he handed her his last booklet and turned to leave.. She called to him as he departed. 'Thank you, son! And God Bless You!'

Next week on Friday afternoon after Jumma prayers, the Imam was giving some lectures. As he concludes the lectures, he asked, 'Does anybody have questions or want to say anything?'

Slowly, in the back row among the ladies, an elderly lady's voice was heard over the speaker. 'No one in this gathering knows me. I've never been here before. You see, before last Friday I was not a Muslim, and thought I could be. My husband died few years ago, leaving me totally alone in this world.. Last Friday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, i was contemplating suicide as i had no hope left. So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home.. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and broken-hearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me.

I thought, I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away. I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly..... I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder.

When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that ALLAH REALLY LOVES AND CARES FOR YOU!' Then he gave me this booklet, Path To Paradise that I now hold in my hand. As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this book. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more. You see? I am now a Happy Vicegerent of the One True God. Since the address of your congregation was stamped on the back of this booklet, I have come here to personally say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell.'

There was not a dry eye in the mosque. The shouts of TAKBIR...ALLAH AKBAR.. rented the air. Imam-Dad descended from the pulpit to the front row where the little angel was seated.... He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably. Probably no jama'at has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has never seen a father that was more filled with love and honor for his son...

IS THE BRITISH SIS TRAINING ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS?

Jan. 24 (LPAC)--The news of British involvement in training and
recruiting Islamic extremists is pouring in. After it was finally
acknowledged that failed suicide bomber Abdulmuttalab--who tried
to blow up an aircraft that was landing at the Detroit Airport on
Christmas Day--was recruited by "al-Qaeda" in London, the Sunday
Times reported Jan. 24 that almost a dozen young British Muslims,
including a female medical researcher, have recently joined
Al-Shabaab, an extremist organization blamed for hundreds of
deaths in Somalia.
 Somali community leaders in the UK say students from the
London School of Economics, Imperial College, and King's College
London are among those who have been recruited within the past
year. The youngest recruit is believed to be 18. An investigation
by the Sunday Times into the terrorist pipeline to Somalia
substantiates claims that Britain has become a fertile breeding
ground for al-Qaeda. Al-Shabaab--Arabic for the Youth--wants to
impose sharia across Somalia.
 Al Shabaab has been proscribed by most western countries,
including the United States and Australia. As usual, the
Blair-Brown duo have kept it operating in Britain.
 Sheikh Mohamed Ahmed, a moderate religious leader from North
London, warned this weekend that Al-Shabaab is exploiting a
loophole to recruit youths in the capital. Although many of them
were born in Somalia, they have grown up in the UK and are
British subjects. What he did not say, however, is that these
extremists are protected and used by the SIS (MI6). [RMA]

Malaysia's Monopoly on Allah

by Aziz Poonawalla

Over the course of the past week, nine churches in Malaysia have been firebombed, by muslim extremists who object to the Christian community's use of the word "Allah" in their prayers. The dispute came to a head on Dec 31st when the high court of Malaysia ruled in favor of Catholics using the word in the Malay edition of their weekly newspaper.

What's particularly perplexing about this is that the Islamist political party PAS actually supports the right of Christians to invoke Allah by name, whereas the ruling political coalition UMNO is pushing for Allah to be reserved for muslims only. This is essentially a classic case of an incumbent political party, after suffering significant setbacks at the polls, invoking religion as a base-rallying prop and exploiting and stoking religious tensions for pure political gain (and in that regard reminds me of the Ayodhya issue in India whose repercussions on undermining religious tolerance continue to this day). The irony of a moderate party out-Islaming the Islamists is not lost on UMNO party veterans, like Tengku Razaleigh, who are aghast and speaking out at the naked cynicism of their party:

THE 'Allah' controversy has produced a 'milestone moment' in Malaysian politics, as ruling party Umno took a stance more extreme than even Islamist party Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), said Umno party veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah yesterday.
'PAS is holding onto the more plural and moderate position while Umno is digging itself into an intolerant hardline position that has no parallel that I know of in the Muslim world,' he said.
Tengku Razaleigh's strongly worded speech was delivered at the luncheon address at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies' Regional Outlook Forum in Singapore. In it, he highlighted the reversal of roles for Umno and PAS through their reactions to the 'Allah' controversy.
Umno had for years claimed to be the voice of moderate Malays, while PAS more often made the news for wanting to impose strict Islamic laws.

The UMNO leadership is appealing to the Malysian royalty for support of their stance. PAS, for its part, invokes classic Islamic doctrine in supporting the use of Allah by Christians, as per their status as People of the Book in the Qur'an itself:

"PAS would like to state that based on Islamic principles, the use of the word Allah by the people of the Abrahamic faiths such as Christianity and Judaism, is acceptable," said Hadi in a written statement which was read out by Information Chief Idris Ahmad.
"However, the word Allah must not be misused or abused so as not to affect racial and religious harmony in the country," he added.
Hadi also urged all parties not to politicise the matter for political mileage.
"PAS strongly objects to any aggressive and provocative approach that can lead to tension in society," he added.

The UMNO position forbidding Allah to non-muslims is indeed nonsensical (and cynical) - the Qur'an itself is quite clear on the matter:

And do not dispute with the followers of the Book except by what is best, except those of them who act unjustly, and say: We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you, and our Allah and your Allah is One, and to Him do we submit. [ 29:46 ]

Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve. [ 2:62 ]

Had God not driven back the people, some by the means of others, there had been destroyed cloisters and churches, oratories and mosques, wherein God's Name is much mentioned. [ 22:40 ]

The UMNO's response? The Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam made the utterly incomprehensible assertion that "Malays are different from (Muslims in) other countries."
It should be noted that despite the utter incoherence from the UMNO, Malays in general seem loath to allow religion to be used as a wedge factor. There are various student groups that are acting as shills for the UMNO party line, but muslim NGOs are offering their help to the Christian community in protecting churches from further attacks:

Muslim groups in Malaysia are offering their help to prevent any further attacks on Christian places of worship amid a spree of attacks on churches in the multi-ethnic, Muslim-majority Asian country, The Star reported on Sunday, January 10.
"This is an offer of peace and goodwill," Nadzim Johan, the executive secretary of the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM), told a news conference.
"We don't want our Christian brothers to be in danger."
PPIM is one of 130 Muslim NGOs that vowed to become the "eyes and ears" of the government to shield churches against attacks.

It seems clear that the naked motive of the UMNO, and its abuse of Islam for political gain, is going to cost them dearly in the next election. In that regard, their entire cynical embrace of religious intolerance has backfired; far from bringing PAS supporters to them, they have pushed moderate Malays away, and it's the PAS and other Islamist opposition groups that will benefit. It should be noted that UMNO has been playing this card for decades. While the response from PAS is encouraging, a legislative arms race between UMNO and Islamist opposition parties to out-Sharia each other bodes ill indeed for Malaysia's future.

Comments (10)

Ashura

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Chief of the Messengers, and upon all his family and companions.

What is Ashura:

Ashura is the 10th day of the month of Muharam which is the fourth sacred month in the lunar calendar..
That is where it took its name, in reference to the number 10 in Arabic language. Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their lunar Hijrah Calendar. It is one of the four sanctified months about which the Quran says,

"The number of the months according to Allah is twelve (mentioned) in the Book of Allah on the day He created heavens and the earth. Among these (twelve months) there are four sanctified (Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab)"..

History of `Ashura:

In the Islamic history Ashura is related with the historical victory of the prothet Moosa (A.) over the Pharao, the tyrant of Egypt. In the Qur’an, Allah tells us this story in details in many surah.

That is, when Pharaoh become arrogant upon believers with many kind of oppressions, Allah told Moosa to get every believer out of Egypt and direct them to where Allah would tell him. Pharaoh gathered his army and forces, which were around one million soldiers, according to some references, and he chased Moosa and his people, hoping to destroy them completely. Moosa ended up at the sea with Pharaoh and his army behind him. The believers were afraid because the sea was in front of them and the enemy was behind them.

Allah says (which means): “And when the two hosts saw each other, the people of Moosa, said, ‘We are sure to be overtaken. (Moosa) said, ‘Nay, verily! With me is my Lord and He will guide me!’” (Ash-Shu’araa 26:61-62)

Whoever is close to Allah, Allah will never let him down or leave him on his own. Allah ordered Moosa to strike the sea with his staff. Moosa did so and the sea opened up for them to cross.

Allah says (which means): “And indeed We inspired Moosa (saying): ‘Travel by night with My slaves and strike a dry path for them in the sea, fearing neither to be overtaken (by Pharaoh) nor being afraid (of drowning).” (Taa-Haa 20:77)

Moosa walked across the path that opened in the sea and the last of his people left the sea and every soldier of Pharaoh’s army was inside the path. At this time Allah ordered the sea to collapse upon them, drowning Pharaoh and his army.

That was the victory of the truth over falsehood. The promise of Allah was true – He made the people of Moosa victorious over Pharaoh and his army. From this story we see how the truth is victorious, regardless of the size or seeming power of falsehood. Falsehood has its own limited time, but the truth is always victorious.

The significance of 'Ashura:

This story of Moosa (A.) should enrich the hearts of the believers and make them steadfast in the face of their enemies, regardless of size or seeming power of their enemies.. The believer should also benefit from this story by understanding that the people of falsehood claim that they are on the right path and are calling people to the truth. In fact, the opposite is true - they rely on lies and deception.

This great event – the victory Allah gave Moosa and the believers over Pharaoh and his army - occurred on the 10th of the sacred month of Muharram and the day is called Yaumul 'Ashurah' (the day of 'Ashurah'). It is a day that has a great merit. Prophet Moosa fasted on that day, and ordered the people to fast that day.

Ibn ‘Abbass reported that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) arrived in Madinah, he found the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. The Messenger of Allah asked them, “What is the significance of this day that you fast on?” They said: “It is the day of great significance when Allah delivered Moosa and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people. Moosa observed fast out of gratitude, and we also observe it.” Upon this, the Messenger of Allah said, “We have more right and we have a closer connection to Moosa than you have.”

So Allah’s Messenger fasted (on the day of Ashura) and gave orders that it should be observed, even after the fasting in Ramadan was made obligatory.

So, We also benefit from the story of Moosa by learning that the Sunnah of the Prophets is to thank and praise Allah in times of peace and when they gain victory over their enemies. Moosa fasted on the 10th, the day on which Allah made his followers victorious over Pharaoh; and this is another sign that the truth will always defeat falsehood.

The virtue's of Fasting on `Ashura':

1- It is also reported in a number of authentic traditions that in the beginning, fasting on the day of 'Ashura' was obligatory for the Muslims. It was later that the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory and the fast on the day of 'Ashura' was made optional. Sayyidina 'Aisha, Radi-Allahu anha, has said:

"When the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, came to Madinah, he fasted on the day of 'Ashura' and directed the people to fast. But when the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory, the obligation of fasting was confined to Ramadan and the obligatory nature of the fast of 'Ashura' was abandoned. Whoever so desires should fast on it and any other who so likes can avoid fasting on it." (Sunan Abu Dawud)

2- Abdullah ibn Musa, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that
"The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, preferred the fast of 'Ashura' over the fasts of other days and preferred the fasts of Ramadhaan over the fast of 'Ashura'. (Bukhari and Muslim)
The Hadith cited above signifies that the fasts of the month of Muharram are most rewardable ones among the Nafl or voluntary fasts.

3- Abu Qatada,Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that "The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam said "and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of Ashura may atone for the sins of the preceding year". (muslim-2602)


4- According to another Hadith, it is more advisable that the fast of 'Ashura' should either be preceded or followed by another fast. It means that one should fast two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram or the 10th and 11th. The reason of this additional fast as mentioned by the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is that the Jews used to fast on the day of'Ashura alone, and the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, wanted to distinguish the Muslim way of fasting from that of Jews. Therefore, he advised the Muslims to add another fast to that of 'Ashura'.

The Age of Paranoia

2 passengers detained after flight to Phoenix

PHOENIX – Two men thought to have been acting suspicious aboard a flight bound for Phoenix were detained and questioned by federal anti-terrorism authorities before they were released, the FBI said Sunday.

Transportation Security Administration officials said passengers aboard U.S. Airways Flight 192 from Orlando, Fla., on Saturday night reported that two men, described as Middle Eastern, were acting strangely and talking loudly to each other in a foreign language. A nearby passenger also observed one of men watching what appeared to be footage of a suicide bombing, but was actually a scene from the 2007 movie "The Kingdom." The man also got up from his seat while the seat belt warning sign was still lit, FBI spokesman Manuel Johnson said.

"The totality of those three occurrences led this passenger to believe this was suspicious," he said.

-----------------------------------------

So, let's see, speaking loudly in a foreign language + watching a violent movie + getting up while the seatbelt light is on = terrorist? 

Trust in God...

Trust in God is realization of ones desperate needfulness.

- Jurayri in 'Attar: Tadhkirat

The Highest Stage of Worship...

The truest and highest stage of worship is to see God face to face, and to receive His guidance from His own mouth. Those who attain this highest stage, choose for themselves whatever God chooses for them. Their entire characters are transformed by God. They are God's friends; so they no longer discriminate between people, but regard all people as friends. Wherever they go, they go from God; wherever they arrive, they arrive at God. Whatever they do, they do for God; whatever service they perform, they perform it in God. The self has been truly annihilated.

- Junayd, "Tawhid"

Once the Ego is Overcome...

Once the ego is overcome peace follows. "Only God and no living creature has the power to control destinies." With that conviction entrust all your cares to the Lord and follow the path of the Truth, conforming to the divine edicts, until you attain union with Him and become as pure as Adam before whom all creatures prostrated.

- Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani, "Fayuz E Yazdani"

In Islam, the Opportunity to Do Good is Everywhere

"When one of you plants a tree, the fruits of which all creatures enjoy, let it be written as charity."

- Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as reported by Anas bin Malik

Don't ever underestimate the power of the small act of kindness... Allah sees everything...

Practice

Practice what you have learned, for theory without practice is like a spirit without a body. One who is content with learning alone is not learned, for the truly learned seeks more than mere words. Divine guidance entails self-mortification, without which contemplation is unattainable.

- Al-Hujwiri, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"

The Atheist Professor and the Faithful Student...

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty...

He asks one of his new students to stand and......

Prof:
So you believe in God?

Student:
Absolutely, sir.

Prof:
Is God good?

Student:
Sure.

Prof:
Is God all-powerful?

Student:
Yes..

Prof:
My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't.
How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof:
You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
Is Satan good?

Student:
No.

Prof:
Where does Satan come from?

Student:
From....God...

Prof:
That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof:
Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible
things exist in the world, don't they?

Student:
Yes, sir.

Prof:
So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof:
Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you.
Tell me, son... Have you ever seen God?

Student:
No, sir.

Prof:
Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student:
No, sir.

Prof:
Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you
ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student:
No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof:
Yet you still believe in Him?

Student:
Yes.

Prof:
According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student:
Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof:
Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student:
Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof:
Yes.

Student:
And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof:
Yes.

Student:
No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student:
Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold .. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student:
What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof:
Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student :
You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light.....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Prof:
So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student:
Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof:
Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student:
Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully
understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof:
If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student:
Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student:
Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class is in uproar.)

Student:
Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter..)

Student:
Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Prof:
I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student:
That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.


NB: I believe you have enjoyed the conversation...and if so...you'll probably want your friends/colleagues to enjoy the same...won't you?.... this is a true story, and the student was none other than..........

APJ Abdul Kalam, the former president of India.

Abu Hanifa and The Roman

Many years ago, during the time of the Tabi’een (the generation of Muslims after the Sahabah), Baghdad was a great city of Islam. In fact, it was the capital of the Islamic Empire and because of the great number of scholars who lived there, it was the center of Islamic knowledge. One day, the ruler of Rome at that time sent an envoy to Baghdad with three challenges for the Muslims. When the messenger reached the city, he informed the Khalifah that he had three questions which he challenged the Muslims to answer. The Khalifah gathered together all the scholars of the city and the Roman messenger climbed upon a high platform and said,

"I have come with three questions. If you answer them, then I will leave with you a great amount of wealth which I have brought from the king of Rome.” As for the questions, they were: ‘What was there before Allah?’ ‘In which direction does Allah face?’ ‘What is Allah engaged in at this moment?’

The great assembly of people were silent. (Can you think of answers to these questions?) In the midst of these brilliant scholars and students of Islam, there was a man looking on with his young son. “O my dear father! I will answer him and silence him!” said the youth. So the boy sought the permission of the Khalifah to give the answers and he was given the permission to do so.

The Roman addressed the young Muslim and repeated his first question, “What was there before Allah?” The boy asked, “Do you know how to count?” “Yes,” said the man. “Then count down from ten!” So the Roman counted down, “ten, nine, eight, …” until he reached “one” and he stopped counting. “But what comes before ‘one’?” asked the boy. “There is nothing before one – that is it!” said the man. “Well then, if there obviously is nothing before the arithmetic ‘one’, then how do you expect that there should be anything before the ‘One’ who is Absolute truth, All-Eternal, Everlasting the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden?”

Now the man was surprised by this direct answer which he could not dispute. So he asked, “Then tell me, in which direction is Allah facing?” “Bring a candle and light it,” said the boy, “and tell me in which direction the flame is facing.” “But the flame is just light – it spreads in each of the four directions, North, South, East and West. It does not face any one direction only,” said the man in wonderment. The boy cried, “Then if this physical light spreads in all four directions such that you cannot tell me which way it faces, then what do you expect of the Nur-us-Samawati-wal-’Ard: Allah – the Light of the Heavens and the Earth!? Light upon Light, Allah faces all directions at all times.”

The Roman was stupefied and astounded that here was a young child answering his challenges in such a way that he could not argue against the proofs. So, he desperately wanted to try his final question. But before doing so, the boy said, “Wait! You are the one who is asking the questions and I am the one who is giving the answers to these challenges. It is only fair that you should come down to where I am standing and that I should go up where you are right now, in order that the answers may be heard as clearly as the questions.” This seemed reasonable to the Roman, so he came down from where he was standing and the boy ascended the platform. Then the man repeated his final challenge, “Tell me, what is Allah doing at this moment?” The boy proudly answered, “At this moment, when Allah found upon this high platform a liar and mocker of Islam, He caused him to descend and brought him low. And as for the one who believed in the Oneness of Allah, He raised him up and established the Truth. Every day He exercises (universal) power (Surah 55 ar-Rahman, Verse 29).” The Roman had nothing to say except to leave and return back to his country, defeated.

Meanwhile, this young boy grew up to become one of the most famous scholars of Islam. Allah, the Exalted, blessed him with special wisdom and knowledge of the Deen (religion). His name was Abu Hanifah (rahmatullah alayhi – May Allah have mercy on him) and he is known today as Imam Abu Hanifah (Imam-e-Azam), the Great Imam and scholar of Islam.

The Story of Abu Hanifa and the Three Questions

There was a young man who went overseas to study for quite a long time. When he returned, he asked his parents to find him a religious scholar or any expert who could answer his 3 Questions. Finally, his parents were able to find a Muslim scholar.

Young man: Who are you? Can you answer my questions?

Scholar: I am one of Allah (SubHana Wa Ta’ala)'s slaves and Insha-Allah (God willing), I will be able to answer your questions.

Young man: Are you sure? A lot of Professors and experts were not able to answer my questions.

Scholar: I will try my best, with the help of Allah(SubHana Wa Ta`ala).


Young Man: I have 3 questions:
1. Does God exist? If so, show me His shape.
2. What is taqdir (fate)?
3. If shaitan (Devil) was created from the fire, why at the end he will be thrown to hell that is also created from fire. It certainly will not hurt him at all, since Shaitan (Devil) and the hell were created from fire. Did God not think of it this far?

Suddenly, the Scholar slapped the young man's face very hard.

Young Man (feeling pain): Why do you get angry at me?

Scholar: I am not angry. The slap is my answer to your three questions.

Young Man: I really don't understand.

Scholar: How do you feel after I slapped you?

Young Man: Of course, I felt the pain.

Scholar: So do you believe that pain exists?

Young Man: Yes.

Scholar: Show me the shape of the pain!

Young Man: I cannot.

Scholar: That is my first answer. All of us feel God's existence without being able to see His shape... Last night, did you dream that you will be slapped by me?

Young Man: No.

Scholar: Did you ever think that you will get a slap from me, today?

Young Man: No.

Scholar: That is taqdir (fate) my second answer........ My hand that I used to slap you, what is it created from?

Young Man: It is created from flesh.

Scholar: How about your face, what is it created from?

Young Man: Flesh.

Scholar: How do you feel after I slapped you?

Young Man: In pain.

Scholar: That's it. This is my third answer, Even though Shaitan (Devil) and hell were created from fire, if Allah wants, insha-Allah (God willing), the hell will become a very painful place for shaitan.

The scholar was Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahmatulla Alai) and the man was a famous Jewish scholar of that time. After this incident, it is told that he became Muslim...

Drinking Your Way to Health? Perhaps Not

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter by Dennis Thompson
healthday Reporter – Sun Oct 18, 11:48 pm ET

SUNDAY, Oct. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Just about every month -- if not every week -- a new study emerges touting the health benefits to be gained from a daily glass of wine or a pint of dark beer.

The benefits related to cardiovascular health have become well-known. A study released in mid-July, for instance, found that moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in women by increasing the amount of "good" cholesterol in the bloodstream and reducing blood sugar levels.

But other studies have linked a daily drink, most often wine, to reduced risk of dementia, bone loss and physical disabilities related to old age. Wine also has been found to increase life expectancy and provide potential protection against some forms of cancer, including esophageal cancer and lymphoma.

But don't invest in that case of Pinot noir just yet.

Experts with the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association say that though these studies do show some benefits to moderate drinking, the health risks from alcohol consumption far outweigh the potential rewards.

Drinking any alcohol at all is known to increase your risk for contracting a number of types of cancer, said Susan Gapstur, vice president of epidemiology for the American Cancer Society. These include cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon/rectum and breast....

"They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." (Qur'an, 2:219)

Islam: Work and Surrender

God says, “Walk and work for Me.” He wants you to work and to surrender at the same time. He does not want you to stay at home like the person who says, “I stay at home and do not work and Allah sends me everything.” The Khalifah ‘Umar came to a man in the mosque and said, “Why are you still here?” He said, “I want to always be praying.” ‘Umar asked him, “Who gives you food and who brings food to your children?” The man answered him, “God.” ‘Umar said, “But who told you to always be in the mosque and to not work and to leave your children? This is not praying.”

The deep praying is to know Him in every face and in every job. ‘Umar took a stick and hit him, “Wake up God, and find work to feed yourself and your children, and feed the animals and everything. Go to know how to help people. This is the deep praying for you! Do not leave your religion to die. It is important to not call yourself a Muslim.” This is the meaning of the real surrender, to work and when you work you know with Whom you work. You work with God. You follow His Order. Allah wants you to be very careful with the earth. This is the meaning of the surrender, trust - trust God.

Many Dervishes or Sufi people speak about themselves as Sufi and say that the Sufi Way is to keep your self inside the Zawiyah and to pray. This is the understanding of the Sufi for himself, but this is not the way. Allah does not like to see any one of His beloveds weak. He likes to see His beloveds strong in the perfect way, to know how to give and how to work. You see many who say they are Sufi and who keep themselves inside praying. I tell them this is not the right kind of praying. You are praying for yourself, but God wants you to pray for another and to give to others. This is praying and this is the meaning of al-Islam.

Where is this religion from? The Prophet, may peace be upon him, worked. He carried the message but at the same time he had a business. He traveled often from Mecca to Damascus bringing things everywhere. This is because he searched about the right life. You can know the Beloved of Allah (the Prophet, may Allah bless him) when you live between the people. How can you know how to help people if you do not live between them? If you do not have a business, how can you be honest? And when you have work, you learn how to give, how to take, and how to care about everything, even animals and plants. The Prophet, may peace by upon him, had many sheep and cared for them. And he cared about himself because he wanted to feed the people. He helped himself and, others. This is al-Islam. Islam does not like weakness. If you are healthy in body and mind, then it is important to go and work but to be straight in everything, to see how to work, to follow when you work, and to change everything, beloved, because the teaching comes through you when you walk straight and follow the teachings of Allah.

- Sheikh Sidi Muhammad al-Jamal

In the Presence of the Mightiest of Emperors...

Imagine yourself entering the presence of a mighty emperor. You are overwhelmed with awe at his power, and with a sense of your own insignificance. Your entire attention is absorbed by the emperor's greatness, so you are utterly unaware of his physical presence and of the other people around him. When you leave his presence, people ask you about the other people, about his physical appearance, and about your own experience of being in his presence. But you are unable to answer.

This is a parable for losing the sense of self.

- Qushayri, "Risalah"

Supplication of Love

Lord, the night is gone. The dawn has lighted the sky. How I long to know if You accepted or rejected my prayers. Comfort me, Lord, for only you can comfort this state of mine. You gave me life and nurtured me; Yours is all the praise. If You would ever drive me away from Your door, I would never abandon it for the sake of Your love, which I carry in my heart.

- Rabi'a, "Rabi'a the Mystic"

Moulding Students to Think.... Go IKIM!

Tuesday September 29, 2009

Moulding students to think

IKIM VIEWS

By NIK ROSKIMAN ABDUL SAMAD, Fellow of Centre for Consultancy and Training,IKIM

The rote-based education system only churns out students with data and information but without the means to convert them into knowledge. We need to move on to producing thinking students

IT WAS with great relief that we heard the Government’s announcement to revamp our educational system for the better.

We have discussed this issue before, that our national education system should start focusing on producing thinking students rather than memorisers of data.

The move to reduce the number of subjects taken at the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia level is commendable. But that will not have much significant impact on the student population as a whole if the primary school level is not put through a serious revamp as well.

Developing students’ minds should begin as early as possible.

During my stay at Edinburgh a few years back, my six-year-old son came home from school one day with a question following a nativity programme organised by his school.

He asked me: “Can God have a son?”. I replied: “No, in Islam we do not believe that God can have children. Since He is God and not a human being like us, he cannot have a child. Only a human being begets, not God”.

Then he replied: “Yes, my thoughts too, because God is not human like us. He is an alien!”

I was amused, yet shocked. The premises that I laid down for him in order to develop his thinking mind, had led him to a wrong conclusion, unfortunately. His logic was correct but the conclusion was erroneous.

I bring up this anecdote to share with readers the importance of developing students’ minds at an early age. It is the responsibility of parents and teachers to guide the children on the correct use of logic and reason to arrive at the right conclusion.

Logic (or dialectic as it also called) is one important tool taught by the Greek at an early age at the trivium level to develop minds. Logic is not a subject but rather the art of understanding things and arguing correctly.

That practise during the Greek ages in the form of trivium and quadrivium can be emulated and improved on to suit the modern age. This has been done by many scholars trying to bring back the classical spirit, but with a modern scent.

Havard Professor Howard Gardner, for example, mentions in his work Five Minds for the Future that there are five minds to be cultivated for an individual to excel – the Disciplined Mind, Synthesizing Mind, Creating Mind, Respectful Mind and Ethical Mind.

His emphasis on “minds” and “intelligence” has great thoughts and ideas that can be incorporated into our educational system.

A similar stress on developing the mind has in fact been espoused by classical Muslim scholars of the past who Islamised the Greek logics, in the introduction of ilm al-mantiq (logic) in the classical curriculum of madrasahs all over the Muslim world during that period.

The Disciplined Mind of Gardner is in reality the Socratic method of teaching logic to students.

The teacher raises questions and the students discuss them in class. By controlling the pace, the teacher can keep the class lively and at the same time stimulate the students’ thinking in a disciplined manner. Furthermore, the discussion is not bound by any textbook or syllabus that needs to be completed.

In other words, during the Classical period, students were taught the tools of learning at an early age. And, only later, at quadrivium level, were they taught such subjects as arithmetic, astronomy geometry and music.

The early stage is the foundational stage to develop the mind, to create the framework and logical foundation of the children’s mind, so that the real subjects could be fitted into the mind without any difficulty or incoherency.

I liken this to a computer that needs to be formatted and installed with an operating system – be it Windows, Linux, Apple or others – before software applications can be installed.

Our minds work in the same manner. What we have been doing in the past 50 years was “installing” various “software applications” (subjects) in our minds, but not the operating system for the mind.

At the end of the day, our students have huge data and information but their “non-formatted minds” are incapable of converting them into knowledge beneficial to them and society.

These “non-formatted minds” also, at times, come up will illogical and nonsensical ideas and arguments out of ignorance and the inability of the minds to synchronise and link scattered information coherently and logically.

In other words, we added new subjects to be studied without developing students’ minds. For that reason, we find certain people are now talking about an unlearning process, realising that what we have been practising or advocating or believing all this while appears not right.

This is also what Gardner lamented: The inability of “teachers, students, policymakers and ordinary citizens to sufficiently appreciate the differences between subject matter and discipline”.

Most individuals in most schools study subject matter - memorising facts and formulas, figures, dates etc, according to him. But discipline is rather a different phenomenon. Gardner says “it constitutes a distinctive way of thinking of the world”.

This disciplined mind is what is lacking in today’s modern education system.

While Islam does not view any dichotomy between the world and the afterworld (al-akhirah), the disciplined mind of a Muslim constitutes the ability to distinctively view not just the physical world but also existence (al-wujud) and reality (al-haqiqah) in its totality, which is encapsulated in the Worldview of Islam (ru’yat al-islam lil-wujud), the concept propagated by Professor Dr Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas.

It is therefore imperative for our policymakers to now come up with an education system which concentrates more on developing and nurturing students’ minds rather than bombarding them with subject after subject.

And, it should begin not only at the secondary level or SPM, but at the primary and pre-school stages.

The Road to Success

Revelation is to be believed. This is why we are called believers. But it also reveals what is to be believed, the "truth", so to speak, that by it falsehood, which abounds in this world, may be discerned and eschewed. When "the faith", that which is to be trusted as true, has entered into the heart, then that heart is guided by it, and the person is considered to be "rightly guided", and a guide to others. This is the Essence, a Free and Clean (Sufi) Muslim, surrendered and guided by the Masters of the Way. This is the goal for which we strive. For then you are free, free of your burdensome, tiring self, free of false responsibilities and concerns - clean, innocent and forgiven, teaching and living by the Religion of Choice, Surrendered to the God in Whom we all believe and guided by Religion in the right way.

What more could be asked for. It is then and only then that the ways of true success in the world will be opened for you, for it is no longer coming from your will but from Alllah's will, which must come to pass, and to which you are completely surrendered.

So now let me "reveal" to you the nature of your religion:

"I am the Lord thy God. Your lives and provision have been decreed. I want only of you recognition, not that you provide for yourselves. Let Me provide for you, and you worship Me. I have created you for this recognition. There is no way that you "can't" do it, I have built it into the depths of your very being. But there are created many distractions for you that will test your will and improve your strength and insight, so many of you "won't", for now. And it is for that choice that I have given you a free will.

"Knowing me is as simple as leaving your desires. To guide you in my direction I have sent you a revelation through a prophet perfect in character and understanding, yet human, that you be not discouraged. He describes for you that which you should practice and that in which you should trust, and exemplifies in his being the balance between them, the holding of them both in perfect harmony. He describes for you the religion of Surrender, which is the direct way of knowing Me for each one of you. He describes for you your faith. And He shows you the way to outer peace through inner peace. So believe now in Me and follow the way of Surrender I have revealed for you. It will lead you out of the suffering of your mortal illusions and into the true life that I have created for you."

- Ali Ansari

Conversation with Sheikh Hajj Gibril on Issues Related to Non-Muslim Friends...

Far from the overly simplistic rhetoric we often read about in regard to how Muslim teachings view relations with non-Muslims, here is a short conversation between Sheikh G.F. Haddad and a questioner about his or her non-Muslim friends. It's a very interesting dialogue...

Q: Some of my non-Muslim friends are very nice people, and follow their religion well. Now here is my question, if they believe in God, and follow their religion, why would they be sent to hell and punished?? Didn't Allah create them as well, and wasn't he who placed them in a non-Muslim family? It's so sad to know what would happen to these innocent people!

A: Islamic Law considers them Ahl al-Fitra until the authentic message of Islam reaches them. Allah does not punish a people until He sends them a messenger and they reject him. In fact you may be that messenger for some of them, and your responsibility as a representative of Islam before non-Muslims is immense.

Q: Just like us, they are too strong believers in their own faith. They have been brought up in that religion, and it is impossible for them to even think of another religion to convert to.

A: Yes, there was a time I would have thought this the height of absurdity also, but little by little it changed until conversion became the height of logic and the right thing to do. At that point the terms "another religion" became superficial and only those of "the completion of religion" made sense. I also realized that belief in Islam in comparison to other beliefs is like maturity in comparison to childhood. So they may be "strong believers just like us" in the sense of one's emotional ties and conscientious adherence to one's convictions, but never in the sense of knowledge.

Q: Now think about it, we know that Islam is the correct path. We know this from reading the Quran, and other books. We know this from being told so. And most importantly we know so because we were blessed to be born in a Muslim family.

A: Are you being rhetorical? None of the above shows true knowledge, as I am sure you know. Knowledge in Islam is the upholding of Divine Oneness, then everything else that follows, to which reading and birth may or may not lead. It is different from merely being Muslim and imitating other Muslims, which is what you have described.

Q: Now let's look at the Christian culture, and the same can be said for them.....they also read their Bible, and learn more from their weekly church visits, so how can they (the faithful one's) even think of converting. I, like most Muslims would rather die, then even think of conversion, but then again the same can be said about people from other religions.

A: The comparison holds only if one is indeed a superficial Muslim who follows Islam out of some inherited habit or cultural notion of belonging, or purely material circumstance, which I am sure, or hope you do not.

There is no comparison. Islam imparts a knowledge that all of mankind was honored by the Creator, and that the Creator likes to be known for this and worshiped on the basis of truth-imparting knowledge. They have to focus on the person of the Prophet Muhammad and the Qur'an and Law he brought, and ask themselves whether he was acting with divine sanction or out of his own human will.

Q: So why would this happen? Is it really their fault? Would Allah really punish them?

A: We are all answerable at different degrees. I have non-Muslim relatives who are just as dear or dearer to me than your Toronto friends are to you. Allah will grant success to those who repent to him sincerely and ask for dear guidance with true broken hearts, and He will not look at names and titles such as Christian, Muslim, Jew, Protestant, Catholic, Maronite, Orthodox, Sikh, Buddhist....

Hajj Gibril

GF Haddad ©
[2000-11-04]