A message to all on Earth

In the name of God the most Merciful and the most Compassionate.

You are reading this message as part of a call by the last Messenger of God (Peace be upon him), 1400 years ago:

“Convey at least one Aayath(Verse) from Qur’an, The Final Revelation”

We are too busy all of us! Too busy that we never get time to think of the reason behind our existence. Some of us discuss everything under the sun but forget or ignore the basic issues related with human life.

We seldom think why we are here in this world? At times we forget that the next moment is not guaranteed! The reality of death!
You may say: ‘In today’s intensively materialistic life style why remind me of death? After all life is for enjoying till death! Life is for life itself!!’

Let me draw your kind attention to have a sheer parallel thinking: -

If man is a noble creature, noble should be the mission behind the creation. For every action there always lies an aim. And the aim always is beyond the action itself. For example to pass the examination is the aim of a student in school. Similarly the aim of a farmer who farms is to harvest. So the aim of life should not be life itself – it has to be something beyond life.

So what after death? (The whole world is there to talk about life, so I hope you excuse me that I start direct with death)

God (Allah in Arabic language), the creator, says in Qur’an “ How can you reject the faith in Allah? Seeing that ye were without life and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die and will again to Him will ye return” (Chapter -2: Verse -28) – YES, MAN WILL RETURN TO HIS CREATOR!

Throughout history clear direction were revealed to mankind from the creator, explaining the mission of life, to all regions and societies. Allah says in Qur’an: “Never did We destroy a population, but had its Warner” (Chapter -26 : Verse -208).

All these messengers were proclaiming the same eternal truth: The Oneness of God and the fact that the whole worship should be to Him only. The different tribes and creeds in mankind are united in this single thread.

See what Allah say about human diversity. “ O Mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and female, and made you in to nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (NOT THAT YE MAY DESPISE EACH OTHER). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you (Chapter -49: Verse -13)

See how God is introducing Himself in Qur’an:

“He is Allah, the one and only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begettes not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him” (Chapter -112 : Verses – 1 to 4)

“ Allah! There is no god but He, the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permittes? He knows what (appears to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He wills. His Throne does extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the most High, the supreme (in glory)
(Chapter -2 : Verse -255)

Everything in this universe follows the law of this glorious creator!!!

Allah Says “ Do they seek for other than the religion of Allah? While all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to its will, and to Him shall they all be brought back” (Chapter -3 : Verse -83)

Man is not a separate entity from universe; rather he is a very special creation in the universe.

Allah Says in Qur’an: “We have honored the sons of Adam (Mankind); provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of our creation” (Chapter -17: Verse -70)

So when man is the honored creation of God, he has a greater responsibility. His nobility should make him know the Creator in the right spirit. Allah did not leave mankind without guidance in this regard, rather as we saw earlier He send messengers throughout history with the right guidance and code of conduct (catalogues) for this noble creation.

Through these catalogues (revelations) he guided mankind to the way of salvation. Allah Says: Have we not made him a tongue and a pair of lips? And show him the two clear (high) ways?” (Chapter -90: Verses – 9 &10). Yes one way leads him to success! and the other of course to curse!!

......And the choice is left to us the individuals.

Allah has decreed that the one who select the true path will get salvation in the eternal life after death. And as a consequence of their own selection of the wrong path the other group shall be given the right punishment.

Allah Says “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it. And any one who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it” (Chapter -99 : Verses –7 & 8). YES! NO INJUSTICE, THE JUDGMENT WILL BE SO ACCURATE.

Allah Says “ It is He who created the heavens and the earth -------- that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct”. (Chapter -11 : Verse -7)

Yes this life is a trial of who is best. When Allah says He will fulfill the reward on the Day of Judgment it is only justice to punish the wrong doers while the righteous are rewarded.

Now think of a situation of dying without acknowledging or in certain cases rejecting this eternal truth, while we are running behind the mirage of the busy life in this world!

Allah says in Qur’an “All souls shall have the taste of death and only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid in full recompense. Only he who is saved from the fire and admitted to the paradise will have attained the object (of life); for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception” (Chapter -3 : Verse -185)

Yes gentleman, when the real eternal life is the life after death what made us forget it? What a real loss it will be if we are lost in the eternal life! The real success in life is in gaining the success in the eternal life.

At the same time don’t misunderstand that Islam, the way of life prescribed by the designer & Creator of us, is asking us to hide away from this world. For Islam spirituality is not something alien to the plain life experiences. Islam bring down spirituality from shrines and saints to the daily routine of human beings, to their busy life. It guides you through your life to salvation.

It is a complete way of life; nothing is left out of its way. Qur’an , the final (Concluding) revelation from God together with the traditions of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) shows the right path for all activities of mankind in this world. This is the one only true way of life, which leads to ultimate success in the life after death.

So let me invite you in plain, bold and simple terms to this straight path (ISLAM). It only glorifies you, for you are in the path of the Glorious God here. Being in ISLAM You are only reverting to the pure state.

With all prayers.


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As we are not using word to word translation, the quotes from Quran and Hadees in this blog should not be reproduced without verifying with the original texts.

US ex-Guantanamo guard converts to Islam, prays in Makkah

Makkah, May 29: When US soldier Terry Brooks was sent to join military guards at the infamous Guantanamo prison that houses Moslem militants from Taliban and Al-Qaeda, he had not thought he would embrace the religion of those prisoners. After a few chats with a Moroccan inmate, he converted to Islam in 2003.
Brooks was caught by local reporters this week praying in the western Saudi town of Madina before heading for nearby Makkah to perform his first pilgrimage (Umra), which he said had been his dream over the past years.
The Saudi Arabic language daily Okaz said it waited for Brooks to finish his prayers and talked to him about his conversion to Islam. He credited “prisoner number 590” named Ahmed Al Rashdi of Morocco for his “landmark” decision. After converting, he was expelled from the army.
Brooks told the paper he was sent to Guantanamo long before 2003 and later started to mingle with some prisoners there.
“I still remember that great moment….the time was around 12:49 am in December 2003 when I embraced Islam…at that night, I took this landmark decision after numerous chat sessions with Al Rashdi,” he said.
“It was a memorable moment in my life…….many prisoners sat around me when I converted and decided to call me Mustafa as their new friend…later I added the name Abdullah so I am now called Mustafa Abdullah.”
Brooks said he had been delighted when the US army decided to send him to Guantanamo as it was an adventure for him since had not seen a prison before.
“When I arrived there, it was a big shock for me… even before I entered the prison buildings, I could see that it was horrible and could suit only cactus and poisonous reptiles….I then asked myself ‘are those people behind the bars really so dangerous that they are worth these costly security measures.”
Brooks said he started to be interested in Islam after his talks to Al Rashdi and other prisoners about Islam, Palestine, Afghanistan and the Middle East.
“I used to sit just outside their cells at night listening to them…by time, a sort of mutual respect developed between us …I had never believed in God before I went to Guantanamo.…now that I embraced Islam, I can feel the sweetness of religion…Islam is a pure religion and the ultimate right.”
Brooks said he had first concealed his decision to convert to Islam from other US guards at Guantanamo, adding that when the officer learned about it, he and the other soldiers began to treat him cruelly and accused him of betraying America. Around two years before the end of his contract, he was fired from the army.
“I am now working on a book about my experience to embrace Islam.…I have just quit my job in the US to devote my time to helping the prisoners in Guantanamo..…what is happening in that prison is really inhuman and violates the minimum principles of human rights,” he said.


Courtsey: http://www.siasat.com/english/news/us-ex-guantanamo-guard-convert-prays-makkah

Mankind is created to worship

Allah says in Quran:

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (Chapter:51 Verse: 56)

In a Hadees, Prophet Mohammed told:

Allah says, if the son of Adam (Man) make himself free for remembering (worshipping) Allah, then Allah will fill his mind with ghina (richness)! And if the son of Adam is not ready for this Allh will keep his mind in a busy state! And Allah will never take away the state of Faqr (Poverty) from you.

I was astonished to hear this Hadees in a class by br. Ahmed Kutty Madani.

We are all busy on a materialistic world. With all what we do, we are still concerned of our future! Was this Hadees of Prophet (SA) particulary about this era? Remember our childhood where our parents and grant parents were very much relaxed compared to our time! And the reason.......?

Let us get the lesson from this Hadees and make ourselves free for worshipping Allah, the very reason behind our creation!

Once we free ourselves, Allah has promised that he will fill our mind with ghina (richness)!

......and upon Allah the believers should rely. (Holy Quran 3:122)


Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured. (Holy Quran 13:28)

Importance of good deeds, how small they be

Holy Quran chapter 101,

Verses 6: Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds]
Verses 7: He will be in a pleasant life.
Verses 8: But as for one whose scales are light.
Verses 9: His refuge will be an abyss.
Verses10: And what can make you know what that is?
Verses11: It is a Fire, intensely hot.

These verses should be remembered always in our life. We have 84,600 seconds per day. Each second is an opportunity made or lost!

Successfull people are the ones who made use of their time to perform good deeds and managed to make their scales heavier with good deeds.

Lost are the ones who neglected their time and hence made their scales lighter!

In this context don't you feel the importance of each second.
Don't you feel how important it is to grab all that is good even it is not so big.

Remember the words our beloved prophet:

- Even removing the hurdles from the path are good deeds
- Smiling at your brother is also a good deed
- Even when you are seeing the Qiyamath in front of you, go ahead with the planting of a tree which is in your hand.
- Safeguard yourself from the hell fire even with a peice of date
- If you take care of one of the burden of your brother in this life, Allah will bear a burden of your's in the day of judgement.

Quran again says in Chapter -7:

Vesre-7: Then We will surely relate [their deeds] to them with knowledge, and We were not [at all] absent.

Verse-8: And those whose scales are light - they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our verses.

Vesrse-9: And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy - it is they who will be the successful.

Parenting :Swimming Against The Current

We are living in a strange time of rat races, struggling to keep up with others around us. This race is not
only limited to our wealth, status, or any other type of materialism, but also includes the way we carry out
many of our daily roles in life, especially as parents. The way we raise our children and the values/goals
we set for them has become a matter of competition. The definition of a good parent, in our world,
revolves around how comfortably our children are raised, how much money we are able to collect and
spend on them, the amount of good, fresh food that is provided daily, and what “type” of secular
education we are able to provide for them. The more we are able to provide of these worldly things, the
better we are perceived as fulfilling parents.
As bound by our nature, we follow the herd, meaning the norm of our society. Similarly, we pass on the
same goals and priorities to our children. Even if someone desires to live a different lifestyle, it is very
easy to succumb to the daily grind because of our surrounding environment.
However, as Muslim parents we are entrusted with responsibilities beyond the success of this world.
Hence, we cannot afford to go with the flow if we do not know where this flow will ultimately take us.
Therefore, it is binding upon a Muslim parent to know:
1-What our goal is as parents
2-Who our role models should be
If our ultimate goal is strictly bound to the benefits of this world, then we can follow the trends of this
world and our worries are limited; wishing only for our children a good education, a college degree, and a
STDs/drug free life. On the other hand, if we have the next world in mind, then we must set ourselves
additional values and goals which probably require swimming against the current, which is an extremely
challenging and almost impossible task, unless stimulated by a solid motivation.

Why Set Superior Goals?
Why do we have to be the odd parent struggling to move against the current and creating more trouble
for ourselves and complications for our child/ren? In a nutshell, remember we are alive not to focus on
this world but rather to aim for the next world.
In my humble opinion, a loving parent is not one whose only focus is to fill his/her children’s stomachs,
find them the best clothing, provide them with a comfortable place to live, and concentrate on their higher
education. I believe that TRUE love is reflected in how much attention is paid to the real purpose of their
existence and to their final destination.
I was told about a young Pakistani man who had recently graduated with a Master’s degree from abroad
and then returned to his motherland. He was an only child and his parents had “done it all” for their only
son from the time he was born; they provided him with a luxurious upbringing and the best education of
their time. However, and unfortunately, it didn’t include any religious guidance as that did not seem to be
of value or importance. Disappointing to say, the young man fell sick and was diagnosed with cancer in
its last stages. When he was hospitalized, he met an old man who talked to him about life after death,
heaven and hell, and his last journey. That day, the young man cried like a little baby for he was not
prepared for his journey, and he had nothing to take to his real destination. He questioned his parents
about their negligence, looking at his degrees and achievements in dismay. How can his Master’s help
salvage him? His parents realized their error but could only rue their heedlessness. Nevertheless, he was
blessed during his final hours with a teacher who helped him learn
salah, the Qur’an, and more of the
basics of Islamic knowledge. I do not know if this young man lived or if he rests in his grave now, but I do
hope and pray that Allah
‘azza wa jall accepted his efforts, grants him Jannah, and forgives him and his
parents.
Ameen.
Let’s keep in mind that not everyone gets a last minute opportunity to make up for life-long negligence.
Death comes unannounced and at the least expected moments; it is a reality that we can all be assured
of. The question is, how many of us are preparing our children for that inevitable moment?
My daughter is fatally allergic to peanuts. A few years back, she had an accidental exposure to peanuts,
causing an extremely dangerous reaction. On our way to the ER, she was throwing up, breathing
abnormally, and her lips were turning blue. As I held her head in my arms, she whispered to me, “It’s okay
mama, everyone has to die some day!” Her eyes rolled backwards (I will never forget that sight), and I
thought we were going to lose her before we made it to the hospital. She was in indescribable pain, and
as a mother I felt helpless because I couldn’t do anything for her. All I wanted was for her to stop hurting,
but I couldn’t take her pain away. To make a long story short,
alhamdulillah no ill became of her; a short
stay in the ER of the hospital and we were able to return home the same night. Still, that day I realized
my limitations as a parent. When I thought I would lose her, I was willing to exchange my soul for hers,
but it was a useless and absurd bargain to even think of. I realized that if those were her last moments,
nothing would have benefitted her except her preparations for her final destination. My children might
travel on their last journey before I do, and it is a journey they have to take alone. I will not be able to help
them at this time and can only help them get ready for their meeting with the angel of death.
So, dear parents, while we prepare our children for their interview at an Ivy League school or for a big
job, we cannot and must not forget about their ultimate interview and meeting with the angel of death.
And with this in mind, we must aim to raise our children in a way appropriate and safe for their
akhirah as
well as their
dunya, insha’Allah.
Having said this, I am not undermining secular education by any means. I am a firm believer that a
secular education is very important for our children, particularly during this era. They must know and
understand the world they live in, which is for their benefit; they must also be educated to secure a good
job and be self-sufficient as a Muslim should be.
Yet, we must find a balance when we raise Muslim children while aiming for the
akhirah, all the while
doing well in this
dunya. Our children study at school for 8 hours a day and come home with tons of
homework, so where do we “fit in” Islam into their lives? This is the question posed in every Muslim
parent’s mind whose kids are not homeschooled or are not attending an Islamic school.
I wish I had a step-by-step guide for every parent according to their child’s type and age. Unfortunately, I
don’t. And although I am not an expert in this field, I have a few suggestions to offer parents, some
based on my own experience as a parent, some from counseling teenagers and other parents, and
some based on simple observations.
Let us keep in mind that Islam is not a “subject” that we teach as a second-language or like sports
training for soccer or football where we train/educate for a few hours during the day and then forget all
about it until the next class. Rather, it is our religion, a way of life, and should be dealt with and taught like
any daily ritual of our lives. In other words, instill our religion in their everyday lives, so it is indigenous to
them. It obviously requires a lot of effort from us as parents but be assured our good effort is never
wasted:
“…then Allah surely does not waste the reward of the doers of good.” (12:90)
Better yet, we will thus achieve our goal,
insha’Allah, and our children will become a sadaqah jaariyyah
(ongoing charity) for us, not to mention that they will secure their
akhirah, by the mercy of Allah.
“When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial
knowledge (which he has left behind), or a righteous child who will pray for him.”
Let us be assured that it is, perhaps, the bare minimum requirement of being a “Muslim” parent, for the
Prophet of Allah (
sallAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:
“Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The
imaam is a shepherd
and is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of his family and is responsible for his
flock. A woman is the shepherd of her husband’s house and is responsible for her flock. A
servant is the shepherd of his master’s wealth and is responsible for his flock…” (Bukhaari;
Muslim)
Our children are entrusted to us by Allah ‘
azza wa jall, so we must set proper values for them and direct
their lives in the correct direction. If we neglect our responsibilities, then not only do we become partially
responsible for spoiling our children’s
akhirah (if they go astray), but we also subject ourselves to
punishment. Remember the Day when we will flee from our children; it will not be for any other reason but
out of fear that they might question us about their neglected rights:
“That Day shall a man flee from his brother, And from his mother and his father, And from his wife
and his children. Every man, that Day, will have enough to make him careless of others.”
(80:34-37)
After all this, how can we not have the
akhirah as the ultimate goal for our children, and how can we not
aim for
Jannah for our children? How can we neglect their akhira and not prioritize their deen in their
lives?
Dear parents, it is strange that when it comes to this world, we always have high goals for our children
and our expectations know no bounds, but when it comes to their real destiny, we aim for the bare
minimum. We never settle for just high school, but rather from the time of their birth we remain ever
consistent with the hope of at least a Bachelor’s degree. On the other hand, when it comes to their
akhirah
, we are pleased with ‘as long as they pray’, ‘fast Ramadan’, or ‘fulfill the fundamental 5 pillars’ for
the entirety of their existence!
==================================

From an email forwarded by Mr. Sabeel Saleem

Seven responsibilities / Obligations of a ruler to the citizens

These days I am reading book written by Prof. KM Mohammed on the topic "Contributions of Kerala to the Arabic Literature".

One of the many early days contributors from the book is Fadhl Bin Ali (Tasleekuddawabi Ilaa Twareeqissawaab - Published in 1858.

Along with other subjects, the book lists seven responsibilities / Obligations of a ruler to the citizens:

1. To prevent innovation in religion and guide the people to follow the teachings of religion.

2. To protect the life and property of the citizens.

3. To maintain the fertile nature of the earth and fullfill its needs.

4. Gather the wealth in the cause of religion without affecting losses in collection or distribution.

5. Help the oppressed and ensure justice to them

6. Make sure that the culprits are given the just punishments only.

7. Appoint employees based on thier merits only.

I liked the third and the seventh points very much.

It is nice to read that on a religious basis earlier generations were aware of the environmental responsibility, the very basic condition for keeping the health of the society etc.