In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

 

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

 

   Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

          As-Salaam Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakaatuh

1)RAISING A GOD-FEARING PEOPLE IN A "GOD-LESS' SOCIETY

Self Censure and the Mention of God

It is socially correct here in America (and maybe there where you sit), and a sign of a "well-educated" individual, to discuss all sorts of issues. Leaving Allah out of the picture. Muslim students (who then move on to become "professional") fall into this practice, as well.

We are conscious of Allah, but too intimidated to mention Him where mention is due. Why? Because people don't do it or don't want to hear it.Of course, there is no sign in the classroom that says," Mentioning God in class is not allowed." We have all learned, nevertheless, that bringing up God is not socially acceptable. How did we catch this?

For years, we have been entertained by, well (for the most part), written, clever scripts put on screen through the characters of The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, and The Colbert Report. All three shows (and many like them) bring to the viewer's ears and heart well-formed characters, attractive storylines, and witty commentary on serious issues, usually presented through humor and sarcasm.

The bounds of humor, however, in terms of what is appropriately funny and what is considered funny, have been stretched over the years so much that what used to be unsuitable for a tasteful audience has become ordinary and what was considered ridiculous and silly is now great material. These changes have come about in the name of progress. Mix a people who consider themselves justly "open" and the advent of separation of God and state, and you have a society that functions in its everyday actions, including through its entertainment, education, business transactions, and social reform, from a God-less platform.

Accompanying the big and small screen are explicit and implicit messages. The explicit is usually not difficult to identify. It's the subtle ideas, values, and beliefs that we have to watch out for.

"Thank goodness" we say. I have yet to meet this Goodness character everyone is so grateful to. I wish people good luck every now and then, when I realize luck will only get us further away from Allah. We say (to non-Muslims), "Hopefully, I will see you tomorrow," while Allah says: "Nor shall you say (O Prophet) in regard to anything: I will, indeed, do such (and such) tomorrow! Unless (you add): If God so wills" (18:23-24).

A Muslim's Response?

Why does our speech change when we speak to non-Muslims? Is it simple because they just won't understand our Muslim vocabulary? Or is it because we are scared to express the meanings behind these words in a society that doesn't talk about Allah?

For years, now, we have watched The Simpsons and SNL episodes make jokes about Allah, Most High and Exalted, and His prophets, on them be peace. We watch, all the while reminding ourselves, that's not what we believe. We take biology classes in high school and in college, learning concepts and "facts" heavily based on the theory of evolution. But that's not what we believe (though we dare not say it our loud for fear of being associated with Christian Biblical literalists who are represented as mindlessly anti-empirical). Professionalism, that is, the ethical etiquette of capitalism, has replaced true patience and fair trade between seller and customer.

Really, the customer isn't always right.

We love and laugh at the adorable, happy, and easygoing "gay" character on TV, when, in reality, there is nothing funny about it. Nor even should we concede this euphemized word for homosexuals. I add the "ism" suffix because it is a movement, not a state of being, that is a doctrinal part of a secular belief system. What are all these subtle messages doing to our hearts? They are entering them without us knowing and giving us a less serious sense of religion.

The Ethics of the Quran

The solutions are many (I'm sure), but their source, for us, must be this: Looking into the Quran to implement the conduct He has commanded us to regarding all such issues. Allah says in the Quran: "Thus, whenever you see those who fall to (vilifying) Our (revealed) signs, then turn away from them until they take up some other discourse. And if Satan should (ever) cause you to forget (this command), then do not (continue to) sit with the wrongdoing people after remembering (this)" (6:68).

We try to protect our children from attending gatherings that are not good for them: No prom, nor school dances. No participation in the Christmas shows, etc?. But some of the worst gatherings our children (and ourselves) take part in take place right in our own living rooms.

We have to be able to identify these kinds of gatherings: Turn off that episode. Turn down the radio. Step away from that group of friends/peers engaged in such talk.

A few ayahs after the one from Surat Al-An'aam I've just cited, Allah gives us the example of Ibrahim, looking up at the sky and questioning out loud (so his people could hear him) whether the star, the moon, or the sun is his Lord. In his display, he concludes the following, on him be peace:

"??.. O my people! I am innocent of worshipping all that you associate as gods with God! I have turned my face, being ever upright (of heart), to the One who (alone) originated the heavens and the earth and I am not of those who associate gods with God" (6:78-79).

Allah instructs His Prophet (PBUH), elsewhere: "Moreover, keep yourself patient in the company of those (humble believers) who call upon their Lord (with devotion) in the morning and in the evening, desiring (only) His Face. Nor shall you turn your eyes from (the likes of ) them, desiring the adornment of the life of this world. Nor shall you obey (the dictates of) anyone whose heart We have rendered heedless of Our remembrance, who thus follows his own whims, and whose disposition in thus ever (reckless in) disregard (of the truth) 18:28).

We never want the mention of Allah and His sings (i.e. His prophets, Books, angles, etc?.) to become casual talk that is barely taken seriously, let alone for it to become a topic that is mocked. We need to protect our hearts and minds from such gatherings, lest we fall into joining them, thus allowing such beliefs (or lack thereof) to seep into our hearts.
This doesn't mean secluding ourselves from society. It simply means that we stay away, without apology, from the things that express these thoughts and ideas.

It also means we include ourselves in the remembrance of Allah as much as possible and in all the different ways we can-even (O, my God!) publicly. This is especially important for our youth who are the ones mostly effected and shaped by what they learn.

So go ahead, raise high the remembrance of your Lord, and live freely bismillah, wa'ala barakatillah, in the Name of Allah and upon Allah's blessing.

(Courtesy: Al Jumu'ah)

2)The Characteristics that made the Prophet (saw) Great

Why was the character of the Prophet (saw) great? His character was great because he had one purpose in life. 

One of the great scholars of tafs?r explained why the Prophet’s character was great.

He said ‘The Prophet (saw) was a great man with a great character because his only concern was Allah.’

What does this mean? Because the Prophet (saw) lived the most active of lives – he was a successful business man, a very successful husband, the most successful leader that humanity has seen, everything that he did he was tremendously successful in. No one achieved more in this life than he did, (saw). What made him great was his concern of the pleasure of Allah (swt). This is the challenge. Guide us to the straight path, guide us to the way in life that gets us straight to you and that’s the way of the Prophet (saw).

And this is the question someone who is striving to achieve something in this life to truly bring benefit to themselves in the next life, should ask themselves. Am I seeking the pleasure of Allah (swt)? Where am I going in my life? Allah asked us ‘f’ayna tathab?n?’ So where are you headed?

We should be headed in a straight line. What’s that straight line? Seeking the pleasure of Allah. That straight line is straight forward, because you can do anything in life within certain limits but do it for the sake of Allah (swt) and do it with excellence, which is the way of the Prophet (saw). These are the two aspects of greatness: the first is to make a commitment in life to seek the pleasure of Allah, secondly to follow the example of the Prophet (saw).

Ibn Rajab, one of the great scholars of Isl?m asked the question ‘What was the character of the Prophet, what is it that made him great?’ and he mentioned five things that made the Prophet (saw) a great man:

 (1) The first is fulfilling the rights of others. There are people whom you owe rights to – fulfil their rights. So for example, your parents, your siblings, your relatives, your friends have rights over you – fulfil their rights.

 (2) The second: avoid harming people. This is the second part of the excellence of Prophetic character. The Prophet (saw) – he did not even harm his enemies. And this is the second aspect of good character. This is common sense.

 (3) The third aspect of being great is the way you act with people. How did the Prophet (saw) act with people? He was positive and cheerful in his dealings with people. He was positive and cheerful. He would be walking down the streets of Medina and little girls would grab him by the hand, saying that they wanted to show him something. They would be play, skip and jump around him, telling him they wanted to show him something. The Prophet (saw) would not let go of their hand until they let go of his.

He’d be walking down the streets of Medina, and can you imagine the Prophet having nothing to do? No. He would be extremely busy, but he’d be walking down the street and if anyone greeted him, as is mentioned in the books that describe the Prophet (saw) ‘If he turned to someone, he turned completely.’ He wouldn’t just say ‘wa ‘alaykum Al-sal?m’ hurriedly. If someone greeted him he would turn completely to that person and give them his complete attention. Many of the Sahaba thought they were the most beloved to the Prophet (saw). Why? Because he dealt with everyone in a positive way.

The fourth and fifth aspects of good character are a little more difficult. It’s not so hard to smile although you’d think that in the religion there was something to say that it was bad to smile too much. But there isn’t. The Prophet (saw) was always cheerful, but always full of concern. There were always things he was thinking about, but he was always cheerful. People think that if you get religious, you had better start frowning. Sometimes when you go to the mosque it feels like everyone has just died. But no, the sunnah is to smile. The Prophet (saw) said ‘Your smiling at another is an act of charity.’ It’s something pleasing to Allah (swt).

(4) The fourth aspect of good character is to respond to the good that others do, with good, or that which is better.

We don’t fully appreciate what others do for us. How many times do we really thank our parents, or any one of our friends, and this is an important Sunnah. The Prophet (saw) warned that anyone who doesn’t thank people hasn’t thanked Allah. This is another aspect of good character.

But these four are not that difficult.

The test of good character, of greatness, the test of whether you are really someone seeking the pleasure of Allah (swt) is not just being good to people – which is a summary of what these four things are.

 (5) The fifth aspect of good character is that you respond to the wrong of others with nothing but the good. And this is the greatest thing you will find in the Prophet (saw).

You will find many people, who did many great things in life, but you’ll find no one who unfailingly responded to the bad of others with nothing but the good, like the Prophet (saw). Look at every stage of his life. People threw garbage at him, people threw their slippers at him, people hurt him, harmed him, did all kinds of things, and how did the Prophet respond?

 You saw nothing but beautiful action in response. The Prophet was firm; he didn’t act like a door mat. He was a firm man, he knew exactly what he had to achieve in life and he took steps towards that and when he was opposed he stood firm both in Mecca and Medina. He stood firm in the face of opposition, but with excellence. And even when people came and were unreasonable with him, you see nothing but beautiful conduct.

When he entered Mecca again after the conquest of Mecca, all of Qureysh were under the power of the Prophet (saw); he could do with them as he wished. What was prevalent at that time when you conquered a city: blood bath. People were scurrying into each other’s houses, going here and there, but what did the Prophet (saw) say to them? He said to them something the Prophet Yusuf had said to his brethren, because the brothers of the Prophet Yusuf tried to get rid of him and move him to a well, but when they reunited the Prophet Yusuf forgave them and said this to his brothers. His brothers. The Prophet said it to those who had been opposing him for 20 years. He said ‘I say to you as the Prophet Yusuf said to his brothers, there is no blame on you today, we are brothers. May Allah forgive us and you.’ And he did not take any of them to task even though he could have. He could have done anything he wanted with them and the customs prevalent at his time would not have prevented that. They were expecting a blood bath and nothing happened.

 By Shaykh Faraz Rabbani: 21st Nov 2007, London

Compiled, edited and adapted by Khalid Latif, e-tabligue

 

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