Our Role to Help the State of the Ummah

[ummtaalib]

If the finger feels the pain...

By Abu Muhammad Yusuf

 

 

Globally the Muslim Ummah is in crisis. From Australia in the south to Canada in the north, from China in east to USA in the west we find Islamophobia raising its venomous head. "War on Terror", persecution, oppression, discrimination, etc against innocent and peace loving Muslims has become the order of the day. The raining of missiles on families in Palestine-Gaza , the merciless killing of innocent civilians in Syria and Egypt, ethnic cleansing in Myanmar, torture and rape in Afghanistan and Iraq, war in Somalia, Chechnya etc. The list is extensive.

As Muslims we should not turn a blind eye and be apathetic to the sufferings of millions of our fellow brothers and sisters globally. We should not only feel the pain in our hearts, but should constructively engage ourselves in physically assisting the Ummah with whatever means we have at our disposal.

Allah Ta'ala says in the Noble Qur'aan: " Indeed, Muslims are brothers."(Qur'an: Al Hujurat:10)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has emphatically stated that "No one of you becomes a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself".(Hadith-Bukhari & Muslims)

We are ONE UMMAH, if the finger feels a pain the whole body feels the pain. It is our duty to share the pain, responsibilities, burdens and needs of our fellow brothers and sisters.  The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The example of Muslims in their mutual love, mercy and sympathy is like that of a body; if one of the organs is afflicted, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever."(Hadith-Muslim)

Our ancestors in Islam, the esteemed Companions of Muhammad Salallaho alaihe wassallam demonstrated practically what was meant by true love for our brothers(sisters) in Islam. Hadhrat Abu-Jahm-bin-Huzaifah (Radhiyallaho anho) narrates:"During the battle of Yarmuk, I went out in search of my cousin, who was in the forefront of the fight. I also took some water with me for him. I found him in the very thick of battle in the last throes of death. I advanced to help him with the little water I had. But, soon, another sorely wounded soldier beside him gave a groan, and my cousin averted his face, and beckoned me to take the water to that person first. I went to this other person with the water. He turned out to be Hishaam bin Abil Aas (Radhiyallaho anho). But I had hardly reached him, when there was heard the groan of yet another person lying not very far off. Hisham (Radhiyallaho anho) too motioned me in his direction. Alas, before I could approach him, he had breathed his last. I made all haste back to Hishaam and found him dead as well. Thereupon, I hurried as fast as I could to my cousin, and, lo! in the meantime he had also joined the other two."

Many an incident of such self-denial and heroic sacrifice is recorded in the books of Hadith. This is the last word in self-sacrifice, that each dying person should forego slaking his own thirst in favour of his other needy brother. May Allah bless their souls with His choicest favours for their sacrifice for others even at the time of death, when a person has seldom the sense to make a choice.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE UMMAH?

Every little bit of help counts! No single piece of assistance no matter how minute or what form it may take is insignificant. There was a King who had a festival. He asked everyone to bring a jug of milk that evening and pour it into a huge container so everyone, even the poor, could enjoy it the next day.  A certain man thought that if he poured a jug of water instead of milk into the container it won't be noticed in the dark and he really thought that it won't make a significant difference. So he poured a jug of water. When he came the next day he surprisingly witnessed that the huge container was almost full of water. It was quite clear that in his community everyone thought the same.

All we need as an Ummah is to play our "small" part. If we each do our "little" then combined it will Insha Allah be a lot! The "little" we do will Insha Allah go a long way. Here are some practical ways we can show our genuine love for the Allah Ta'ala, Muhammad (peace be upon him) and our fellow Muslims who are suffering.

1.      DU'AA(SUPPLICATION): Indeed no condition or situation can ever improve without the Help of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that; "Dua is a weapon of a believer." (Hadith-Al Hakim). Du'aa should be made individually and collectively. Do it at home with the family and also in the Masjid. Children should be encouraged to also join in. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) encouraged the Ummah to read Qunoot-e-Naazilah supplication (dua) at the time of distress and calamity. (Hadith- Abu Dawood). Imaams of Masjids should also read the Qunoot-e-Naazilah in the congregational prayers of Fajr and to ask the Almighty's Guidance and intervention to save and protect the Ummah. Also keep fast and perform optional prayer.

 

2.      CONTRIBUTE:  We should generously contribute in whatever way possible. The Messenger of Allah Ta'ala (peace be upon) said that: "Charity (Sadaqah) does not decrease the wealth" (Hadith-Muslim) and he (pbuh) also said that daily two angels offer Du'aa, "O Allah, compensate those who spend, and bring ruin to those who withhold". (Hadith- Bukhari). Encourage our children to contribute from their own savings even if it just a few cents. In this way the worry and concern for the Ummah will be inculcated in them. Search for credible Islamic relief organisations operating in areas where our funds are most needed. Be wary of bogus collectors.  Be pro-active in raising funds. The Messenger of Allah Ta'ala (peace be upon) is reported to have said: "Indeed, Allah blesses certain people with special bounties for the benefit of other people. As long as they benefit others, Allah continues His bounties upon them but when they stop benefitting others, Allah takes these bounties back from them and transfers to others." (Hadith-Tabarani)

 

3.      JOIN: We need to be as much as possible physically involved. The best is to be at your Muslim brother's or sister's side when they really need you the most. Distance, race, colour, social status etc should never be a barrier in assisting the Ummah. Join and engage ourselves in those activities that will support and bring genuine relief to the distressed Ummah. Be cautious that our activities are always in compliance with the Laws of Allah Ta'ala.

 

4.      EDUCATE: Be pro-active and educate yourself. Be knowledgeable on the subject. Our families and communities should be educated about the plight of the Ummah. Masjids, media, schools etc should be used to for this purpose. Keep a vigilant eye on the news outlets; magazines etc. and respond timeously to their bias comments and views. Forward pertinent and relevant articles you come across to the International and local media outlets.Using the world atlas or internet, show our children where the affected part of the Ummah is. Do not support those that directly or indirectly assist the oppression and persecution of the Muslim Ummah.

 

5.      HOPE: Always be hopeful and never be despondent. Allah Ta'ala will help even though it may be after some time.  Often the media tries to create hopelessness and many Muslims are left in despair. It may seem that the death of millions of innocents is now inevitable, but we must continue to strive our utmost to defend them and to spread the truth about these immoral actions perpetrated against innocent Muslims. Above all, we must remember that Allah Most High has control over all things and can provide Help in ways we could never imagine. Not even the 'greatest' superpower can overpower Him! No falsehood is to remain forever. No oppression is to remain forever. After hardship comes ease. Insha Allah the difficulty of the Muslim nation will come to end and tomorrow will be definitely better than today. We should have HOPE in the ALL encompassing MERCY and HELP of Allah Most High under all circumstances, whether it be in victory, defeat, happiness or sadness.

The Messenger of Allah(peace be upon him) has said that whosoever helps a Muslim at the time of loss of honour and humility; will receive Help from Allah when he is in need of help.(Hadith-Abu Dawood)
Most importantly remember the Muslim Ummah is ONE! Let us not forget that behind every dark cloud there is a silver lining…

EISLAM

 

 

 

[ummtaalib]

Maulana Dawood Seedat (Khalifa of Maulana Yunus Patel Rahmatullahi Alayh)

 

Lessons to be learnt from current situation in Palestine.

 

1. Read the media & see what lesson Allah Ta'ala's teaching us. How they are sacrificing their lives, you sacrifice your lives. Their shops & houses are being bombed but they are staying to defend the Haram, yet we can't sacrifice our shop for Zohar Salah.

 

2. How much they bomb & kill, they will never put out the light of Imaan. Salah, Tabligh, Taraweeh, I'tikaaf are all still taking place there. What can the Kuffar do? They can only make us feel despondent in the newspaper. The newspaper is a whole load of nonsense.

 

3. Muslims have given bodies from time immemorial. Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam's uncle & family members had to go.

 

4. Marching isn't the solution. The solution is to come on Sirate Mustaqeem.

 

5. Go & boycott all the products, but if you don't come on Salah, Sunnah, Deen, Dawat & clean this heart, you won't get the help of Allah & their economy will not be crippled.

 

6. Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam traded with the Jews. He knew they were the enemy but still he traded with them. Why? Trading or not trading with them is not a pre-condition for the help of Allah.

 

7. Help of Allah will come when the Ummah brings Aamal & then it will matter not whether the Jews are rich or poor. They will not be able to do anything.

 

8. We just get emotional. We want to go jump like monkeys in the road, hold couple of placards, take our women & advertise them to all the non-Muslims & think the help of Allah is going to come. Help of Allah will not come like that.

 

9. Help of Allah will come when the Ummah will wake up at Tahajjud time, the Ummah will shed tears, sacrifice their children & give their wealth, life & time for this Deen, then the Help of Allah will come.

 

10. No use sitting and crying 'Palestine, Palestine,' & we want to boycott one chocolate & shampoo & our house & car are on interest & our business is on overdraft. Whose coffers are we filling? We ourselves waging war with Allah by dealing in interest. Someone should march against us.

 

11. Whatever happens in Palestine is a depiction of the condition of the Ummah. When the Aamal of the Ummah will be right, there will be peace in Palestine.

 

12. When we will choose sleep over Salah, fashion over Sunnah, exposing the hair over Hijab, the Kuffar way of dressing over the Sunnah way & utilising our money in the cinema & the clubs as opposed to in the Path of Allah, then we are buying the bombs, bullets & white phosphorous to kill our brothers in Palestine. They are being martyred and going to Paradise, but what will be our outcome in the hereafter? Not only did we not help our brother, we contributed to his killing. What answer will we give?

 

13. To march is easy. Wake up for Tahajjud & shed tears. Throw the TV & music out of the house, including the musical ringtones. The very thing causing the destruction of the Ummah, we want to do the very same thing.

 

14. What is the UN going to do for the Muslims? Before being voted in the president of United States went around saying Guantanamo Bay will be closed. People started tracing his lineage back to Sahabah. Our mind is on people, wealth & superpowers. We have forgotten Allah. Kalima is only on our tongues, hence our gazes shift elsewhere. When gaze is on Allah, who the president is of this country & that country will not affect us, because Allah runs the world.

 

15. Our Palestinian brothers passing away there are giving us a lesson & Dawat. They are writing the history of Islam in their blood & are asking what are you doing for Deen?

[ummtaalib]

The Crisis in Gaza and our role

 

Written by Mufti Mohammed Sajaad   

Thursday, 22 January 2009 12:49

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

 

The world watches in horror, as a people are being subjected to the most odious kind of terrorism. Innocent people are being killed and maimed by the latest weapons of mass destruction. Aid agencies are screaming out for help, pictures are being beamed all over the world showing dead babies, children bleeding, women crying and homes reduced to rubble and it can hardly solicit a yawn from so called civilised nations. They, who would send out the fire-brigade and the police to save a cat stuck in a tree, fail to muster a word of condemnation, let alone act to prevent the atrocities.

 

It is, however, from the foremost duties of the believer to come to the help of the Gazans as much as each individual is able to. To coldly turn away from their persecution and simply get on with one’s own life is brute selfishness and nothing less than a sign that one is not a believer. For the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “None of you believes until he does not love for his brother what he loves for himself” (Sahih Muslim). In another hadith, also narrated by Imam Muslm, he said: “Whoever of you helps remove a tribulation from a believer from the tribulations of the world, Allah will remove from him a tribulation of the tribulations of the Day of Judgement.” And he said, in the same hadith: “Allah remains helping his servant as long as he is preoccupied in the help of his brother.”

 

The Ummah of one and a half a billion Muslims is one body, the Messenger of Allah (sallalaahu alaihi wasallam) said the Muslims, in their mutual love and sympathy, are one body, when one part of it aches all of it aches, (Sahih Muslim).

 

Just as the nervous system and blood connect and tie the whole of a physical body together, so too does the faith (Imaan) connect the Ummah together. How awful has the state of this body become that parts of it today are busy in contributing to mutilating and hacking off of its own limbs? The current rapacious attack on the Muslims of Gaza, where over a thousand, a large proportion of them women and children, have been ruthlessly murdered, could have been stopped easily at the very outset if Muslims rose to help their brethren. In a matter of moments the Israeli war machine would have been stopped in its path had just the supply of oil, under the control of other Muslims, been stopped to the West in protest. This was the least to be expected, but even that was it seemed asking too much. Yet astonishingly, it is this same oil that fuels the tanks that are today shelling the Gazan children and powers the F16s that roar of the heads of the helpless men, women and children, showering them with deadly white phosphorus bombs.

 

Muslims rulers have only aided in the persecution and annihilation of their brothers and sisters. But this article is not being written to detail the crimes of this Ummah against itself. Rather I wish to address the root cause of this chaos and how we can find a way out of it through boycott, petition and demonstration.

 

The diagnosis of the dire Muslim situation cannot be done by philosophers, politicians or journalists. The only true diagnosis that could be acceptable is the diagnosis of Allah taala and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). And the Sacred texts are clear that the success and failure of the Ummah, in this Life and the Next, is bound with their deeds. Misdeeds only close the doors of Allah’s Help and Mercy descending upon the believers, one manifestation of which is the placing of tyrants over them.

 

In the Holy Qur’an, Allah taala says:

 Thus we give authority to wrongdoers over other wrongdoers due to the sins they would commit. (6:129)

 

In another place in the Qur’an, we are told:

 Allah will not change the condition of a people until they do not change themselves.” (13:12)

 

In a hadith we are warned: “You should be diligent in commanding to good deeds and stopping evil. Otherwise Allah will put in charge of you the worst of people. At such time the best of you will pray to Allah but the prayers will go unanswered.” (Imam Suyuti in Al-Jami al-Sagheer)

It is recorded in a well known Dua of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that he supplicated: “O Allah do not put in authority over us, due to our sins, such people who will not show mercy to us.”

Further it is recorded in a hadith: “As you are (in terms of your deeds), accordingly will be your rulers.” (Mishkat al-Masabih)

 

Unfortunately, it is only a sign of our demise, that there will be amongst us those who will, instead of accepting the completely obvious conclusion, seek to undermine it by raising questions about the authenticity of this latter hadith. They conveniently forget all the other evidences that have been brought and that scholars have always stated this to be the root problem. An undisputed classical authority in hadith, Shaikh Abd al-Rauf al-Manawi, in his commentary of this hadith, supports the essence of the hadith even though he acknowledges that according to the principles of hadith criticism it does not measure up. He writes:

 

“(It means) If you fear Allah and you are fearful of his punishment, He will place as rulers over you such people who fear Him regarding you and vice versa. It is mentioned in some of the revealed scriptures: “I am the Ruler of rulers, the hearts of rulers and their forelocks are in my hand. If my servants obey me I make them over them a mercy. If they disobey me I make them over them a punishment. Thus do not occupy yourself with cursing the rulers, rather repent to me and I will make them compassionate towards you. From the supplications of the Chosen Messenger was: “O Allah do not put in authority over us, due to our sins, such people who will not show mercy to us.” Imam Tabarani narrates from Ka`b al-Ahbar that he heard a man cursing Hajjaj (an oppressive ruler), and  said to him: “Don’t, he came from amongst your midst,….” (Fayd al-Qadir, vol.5 p.60).

 

Three Steps to Change: Boycott-Petition-Demonstration Boycott

We have all seen the leaflets informing us of the boycott of goods and services which help pay for the tanks, bombs and bullets that rip through the bodies of our innocent brothers and sisters, but we have made the fatal mistake of forgetting the boycotting of sins and sincerely repenting for our past misdeeds. As without a shadow of doubt this is the real reason for our state today.

 

We have committed major sins in relation to our belief (Aqida) and our deeds. Some of these sins are so grave that they have severed our link with the Almighty and prevented the help we so desperately need.

 

In matters of belief, our excesses are more dangerous and need immediate rectification. Many of us have stopped placing our reliance in Allah taala and seeking His help. In our hearts has crept the belief that organisations, essentially created by the so called super-powers for the super-powers, alone can make a difference. This sin is polytheistic in its severest form and will bring nothing but the Wrath of Allah taala, for He states:

 

If Allah brings some harm to you, there is none to remove it except He. And if He intends to bring some good to you, there is none to turn His grace back. He brings it to whomever He wills from among His servants. He is the Most-Forgiving, the Very Merciful. (10:107)

Verily, Allah will not forgive that a partner is ascribed to Him, and He forgives anything short of that for whomsoever he wills. Whoever ascribes a partner to Allah commits a heinous sin. (Sura al-Nisaa:48)

Allah is not such that something in the heavens or the earth can frustrate him. Verily He is All-knowing All-powerful. Sura Fatir:44

Say: ‘I have no power over any benefit or harm to myself except as Allah wishes. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good and no evil would have touched me.’ Al-Aaraf:188.

Whatever blessing Allah opens for the people, there is none to hold it back, and whatever He holds back, there is none to release it thereafter. He is the Mighty, the Wise. (35:2)

O men, you are the ones who need Allah, and Allah is Free-of-All-Needs, the Ever-Praised. (35:15)

For far too long have believers’ hearts harboured the belief countries, organisations and processes are the key to change and our success. It is time to cleanse the heart Allah taala made exclusively for Himself of these heresies: “God has not made for any man two hearts in his body” (33:4)

 

Before we speak about our misdeeds, let us remind ourselves further of the effect of sins in keeping away from us the Mercy and Help of Allah taala. Remember the story of how due to the disobedience to a single command of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Allah taala changed the victory of Uhud into defeat that even led to his beloved Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) becoming violently attacked and wounded. When we look at ourselves, how many commands of the noble Messenger have we violated? How many commands of Allah (SWT) are we ignorant of? Allah (SWT) states clearly that the greatest factor in our demise is our sins:

 

“Whatever hardship befalls you is because of what your own hands have committed, while He overlooks many (of your faults).” (42:30)

 

As long as the Ummah does not repent for these sins that are rampant amongst its young and old, the help and support of Allah taala will remain a dream. The following are just some of the common sins in the Ummah, we need to repent from:

 

 

Alcohol

Allah taala has forbidden this vile substance in the following words. It is not a secret that Alcohol is produced and sold throughout the Muslim World, even in the Holy Lands. Allah taala said:

 

O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan’s handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.” (5:90)

 

In a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Allah taala has made a promise to those who drink an intoxicant, that He will give them to drink from the Teenat-al-Khabaal.” Someone asked: “What is the Teenat al-Khabaal?” The Messenger of Allah replied: “It is the sweat of the inhabitants of the Hell-fire.”  When this is the way Allah feels about those who drink such forbidden drinks, it is simply unrealistic to think the same Lord will give honour to a nation that drinks alcohol, permits for it to be sold in its midst and seeks to profit by it.

 

 

In another hadith it is narrated: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) cursed ten people in connection with wine: the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who carries it, the one to whom it is carried, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who profits by it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought." (Tirmidhi)

 

Gambling

It is with the utmost hurt that we say this sin too is common place. Whether it is a bet on a horse, numbers of a lottery or the outcome of some meaningless sporting event, Muslims are major participants in this. The aforementioned verse includes this sin within its prohibition. The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever plays Nardasheer (a game in which a dice is used to gamble) has indeed disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.” (Ibn Abi Dunya, Dham al-Malaahi, p.10). In another hadith it says that this act is so despised by Allah taala that the gambler’s Salah that he offers after that is rejected by Allah taala.  
 

Music

This sin has become so wide spread that it does not even cross the mind of many of us that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) forbade it in unequivocal terms. Thus we see music in so called Islamic Nasheeds, Muslim Satellite channels that will be at the same time discussing passionately Muslim issues like Gaza. It even rears its ugly head in the holiest of places, the Masjid. How many a Salah is ruined by the musical ring tones of worshippers.

 

Imam Bukhari narrates that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “A people from my Ummahwill make permitted fornication, silk (for men), alcohol and musical instruments” (Sahih al-Bukhari).

It is the duty of each one of us to counsel our Muslim brothers who have fallen into this sin, especially those who disseminate such illicit material through their DVD and Video rental stores.

 

Fornication

Islam has required that all avenues to fornication be blocked in order to preserve society, the family and in particular children. Thus, fornication is from the major sins whose punishment is severe and is often seen in this very life. Having said this, this sin has become widespread, such that it will be hard to find a Muslim home in which someone has not committed this grave sin or is involved in a relationship that will eventually lead him or her to it.  The displeasure of Allah taala upon these people, who will later turn to the same Lord to ask for His relief and help, is shown by the fact, that the most valuable thing a person possesses, namely one’s Imaan, is removed from him or her, as long as he is involved in this sin (Sahih al-Bukhari).

 

Ibn Masud r.a. says I asked the Messenger of Allah which is the greatest of sins in the sight of Allah? He replied: “To associate an equal with Him, yet He created you.” I said: Then which one? He said: “To kill your offspring out of fear of the burden of his eating with you.” I asked: Then which one? He said: “To commit adultery with your neighbour’s wife.” (Hafiz Abu al-Qasim Ismail, Al-Targib wal-Tarhib, vol. p.226).  The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The fornication of the eyes is to look, the fornication of the tongue is to speak indecently, the fornication of the hand is to touch, the fornication of the ears is to listen to impermissible speech, the fornication of the feet is the steps to sin….”

 

Thus it is clear, there is no room in Islam for cross-gender friendships, nor for speaking to a non-Mahram whether it be by phone or over the Internet.

 

Riba (Interest)

Interest is another sin that Muslims have become desensitised to. Yet the verses and hadith on its prohibition are from the severest. Allah taala says:

 

O you who believe, fear Allah and give up what still remains of ribā, if you are believers. But if you do not (give it up), then listen to the declaration of war from Allah and His Messenger. However, if you repent, yours is your principal. Neither wrong, nor be wronged (2:279)

 

In a sound hadith the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)  said: "Interest is of seventy types, the lowest level of it is equal in sin to person fornicating with his mother." (Mustadrak)

 

We are a nation that has allowed interest based banks to run freely in our midst, not leaving even the Holy Lands of Mecca and Medina. Many of us have no qualms in getting involved in interest based transactions and contracts. Many of us intentionally seek out bonds and securities that yield the most interest. We the Ummah of the Holy Qur’an have inadvertently summoned upon ourselves the declaration of war from Allah taala and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

 

The leaving of the Five prayers, Fasts, Zakah

Each of these duties are obligatory upon the adult Muslim and leaving their observance are major sins. Many do not pray at all, others of us pray only the Jumah Salah. As for those who do pray, they do so without attention and due consideration of the etiquettes required to make Salah a strong bond between us and our Master.

 

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The first thing to be accounted of the servant on the Day of Judgement will be his Salah. If it is found to be sound, he will have succeeded and saved. If however it is ruined he has failed and lost."

 

One can gauge the kind of displeasure of Allah taala and His Messenger, leaving Salah invokes, by the following incident. Once the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) entered the Masjid for Fajr Salah and to his hurt found many companions absent. This hurt the Messenger so much, even though there is none more compassionate and merciful of mankind than him, he said: I wanted to command some of you to go and set the houses on fire of those who absented themselves from the Fajr prayer. Allahu Akbar! that was one prayer, and they had missed the congregation for it. What would be the feeling of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to know that many of us have totally abandoned all their Salahs?

 

As for those who refuse to give Zakah, Allah taala threatens them thus:

 

 

As for those who accumulate gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, give them the ‘good’ news of a painful punishment, on the day it (the wealth) will be heated up in the fire of Hell, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it: 'This is what you had accumulated for yourselves. So, taste what you have been accumulating.' (9:34-35)

 

Immodest dress

Islam has given clear rules for the dress of men and women and emphasised that it should not be extravagant and it should cover the private organs. In regards to the dress of women, it is not permitted for them to wear, as has become common today, designer garments that embellish them, or garments that are tight fitting and reveal the outline of the body. The Hijab itself has become, bizarrely, a tool for many of our sisters to beautify themselves, which totally violates the essence and purpose of the Hijab. This has been forbidden by Allah taala:

 

 

Remain in your homes, and do not display (your) beauty as it used to be displayed in the days of earlier ignorance. (33:33)

 

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) went as far as stating that Allah taala would forbid those women, who act immodestly and wear clothes that reveal their bodies, from entering Paradise. Imam Muslim narrates: "…those women who are naked despite being clothed who are themselves lewd and entice others, who prop up their hair like a camels back will not enter Heaven nor will they smell its fragrance even though it fragrance is found for many miles."

 

Furthermore, our sisters should strive to adopt the Niqab, as this is the requirement of the Shariah. There was a time that all respectable women in the Muslim World would never leave their homes with their faces uncovered.  Allah taala says:

 

O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters, as well as all [other] believing women, that they should draw over themselves some of their outer garments [when in public]: this will be more conducive to their being recognized [as decent women] and not annoyed. And Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. (33:59)

 

There are many other things we as followers of the final Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) have failed to act upon. His teachings on honesty, charity, mercy, good manners, the rights of children, the elderly, wives and husbands and many other immaculate codes of conduct. It will require all of us to give time over from our lives to learn this knowledge at the feet of the heirs of the Prophets, the Ulema.

We all need to sincerely make a solemn pledge before Allah taala to uphold all the commands and teachings He has given us.

 

Petition

A petition is a request made for something desired. Islam teaches the believers that they should ask Allah taala alone for what they need, for He alone gives all benefit and harm. He alone is the most Powerful, He is the Super-power:

 

If Allah helps you, there is none to overcome you. And if He abandons you, then, who is there to help you after that? In Allah should believers place their trust. (3:159)

In His grasp is the possession of everything and to Him is your return. (36:83)

If some harm befalls you there is none who can remove it save Him. And if He wishes good for you there is none that can repel his favour. He bestows it upon who He wishes of his servants and He is the Most forgiving the Most merciful. (10:107)

The Arabic word for requesting from Allah taala is Dua. It is a manifestation of one’s belief in Allah taala and reliance upon Him. When we do not ask from Allah taala or ask from Him half-heartedly, it indicates to our reliance actually being upon other than Allah taala, which is why in a hadith it says: "Allah taala becomes angry with those who do not ask from Him."

The truth is, part of our creed, and as stated by the verses above, Allah taala alone can give us any good and deflect from us any calamity. The Messenger of Allah also said (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), emphasising the major role Duas have in changing events: “Nothing can repel the Decree of Allah except the Dua,” (Tirmidhi).

 

We often ask with so many Muslims in the World, surely the Dua of one of them would be accepted? The truth is our misdeeds, have acted as an obstacle to them being heard. However with this, inshallah, new spirit and love for the Deen that we witness in all parts of the Muslim World, due to the efforts of scholars and Allah’s righteous servants in calling the Ummah to this message, we must renew our zeal in Duas. Each one of us should perform Duas for the reform of the Ummah, her protection and success. Let not a night go by without waking up in the last part of it and begging Allah taala for victory; let the tears drench our prayer mats and show Allah taala that it is only He who we seek and it is only he who we believe in. Allah taala says:

 

 

 

And when My servants ask Thee about Me, then verily I am near, I answer the prayer (Dua) of the supplicant when he beseeches Me. So let them hear My call, and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright. (2: 186)

 

Umar (R.A.) said: “My concern is only to ask and it is not my concern to then bring it about, that is the concern of the Almighty.

 

Demonstration

Finally, we must demonstrate our true acceptance of this message of change. A true believer will not have hesitated for a second in accepting the above diagnosis of our problems today. But mental acceptance is not enough, just as it is not enough for a person who has cancer to merely acknowledge that he is sick.

 

We must show our sincere desire for change and return to Allah taala and His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). In addition to reforming our lives of sins, each one of us should begin to seek knowledge of the Deen, by sitting in the company of the Ulema and attending their gatherings. One should enrol himself or herself on short courses offered by the various Islamic Institutions to further one’s knowledge and character. One should strive to keep the company of pious friends and refrain from company that takes us away from Allah taala and our Deen. Furthermore, at the same time that we are doing this, one should be passing on this message of change to all one’s family and friends, and encouraging them to do the same.

 

These real steps will be the sign that one has sincerely embraced the message and turned back to Allah taala; and our Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gave the returner to the Deen the following glad tidings:

 

Allah taala says: ‘Whoever comes hand-span closer to me, I come closer to him by a cubit, and if he walks towards me, I run towards him,’” (Sahih Muslim)

 

Elsewhere Allah taala says:

Do not lose heart and do not grieve, for you will be upper-most provided you are believers. (3:138)

 

I should reiterate, that the article is not written against the other senses of the above three words I have chosen as sub-headings. Rather we commend all efforts made to help the people of Gaza and it is in fact the duty of each Muslim to do all that is in his or her power to defend their Muslim brothers and sisters.  It is only that we must remember that these measures are, at best, at the level of a kind of emergency treatment given to cover a wound and not the real solutions to our woes.

 

Article by: Mufti Mohammed Sajaad
23 January 2009