HIJAB-AND NOT HIJAB
I come originally from the western society of American, in which almost to the letter, anything goes. By that, I mean that nearly any style of dress-or undress perhaps a better term-is common to see nearly anywhere you may go. In view of my own background and personal past, I find no shock in seeing women clad in tight or scanty clothing.
But what bothers me-not shocks, but bothers-is to witness Muslim women donned in garb which is not conforming with the Islamic ruling of the hijab. I am not talking about young teenage girls who perhaps because of their tender and impressionable age do not yet know any better. I am speaking about full-grown adult women with husbands and children in accompaniment with her in her travels. Women who have lived long enough to gain this very basic knowledge of their own religion and it's teachings. Women who were born and raised in Muslim families, in a tight-knit Muslim society.
It never ceases to amaze me, as well as sadden and anger me, to witness women getting on a plane on Saudi ground, bound for some destination overseas, clad in her normal customary hijab of the flowing black over-garment, scarves, and face veil, only to discard it the moment the plane is in the air. Then, upon their return to Saudi, there is this sudden rush for the plane's bathrooms 15 minutes preceding the landing, in order that these women can re-do their hijab in haste before making their touch-down on Saudi land. I mean, they could not have possibly donned their hijab at the airport before boarding the plane. They needed to fit in every last moment before arriving on Saudi land to savor the opportunity to remain hijab-less. It is as if there is some sort of unwritten law that says a woman is supposed to observe the rules of proper hijab only while resident inside the boundaries of Saudi Arabia. It is as if this unwritten law tells the women that the observance of and adherence to a proper hijab is not necessary when traveling outside the boundaries of Saudi Arabia.
And it is one thing for the woman to remove the hijab altogether, leaving no trace for the onlooker to know even if she is Muslim or not. But it is another thing altogether for the woman to make some sort of a sad and rather sick mixture of the hijab and non-hijab.
My latest experience in this was on a recent trip to Dubai, a neighboring Arab and Muslim land. There were two women in front of me, both family women (their husbands and children in tow), and both in the state of half-hijab soon after the take-off. I noticed them still in their seats in front of me, both clad in seemingly proper and modest head-gear for the hijab. And as I was noticing this, I was making this mental note to myself of how I was happy and satisfied that they were retaining their hijab while traveling, even if they did discard the face covering. Well, when the plane landed at Dubai airport, and we all stood to make for disboarding, I was saddened to notice the remainder of their apparel, only to find that they were both wearing short (above the hips) and tight-fitting shirts over terribly skin-tight hip-hugger jeans. I mean, there was nothing left to the imagination of the figures of either of these women for any onlooker to notice.
Sure, the color of their midriff skin and even their arms and legs was concealed. But that was the only thing that was concealed. I mean, their whole figure was obviously outlined in exactness due to the tight fitting of their clothing.
That is truly not hijab. The Arabic term 'hijab' is an all-encompassing term which indicates to conceal, hide, shelter and protect the object concerned. And in the case as it is mentioned in the Quran in this respect, it is referring to the need for women to conceal and cover themselves not only for protection, but as well that they should be known to any onlooker as a believing woman. And, as per the verses which are concerned with the hijab in giving it's order and explaining and defining it, it is clear that it is not proper that a woman reveal herself to any non-mahram man. That means her shape and figure as well as her skin.
My sisters (and brothers who are responsible for women)-the observance of the hijab is not a matter of choice. It is rather a matter of commanding obedience to the divine laws of our Creator!! If you are a Muslim woman, it is your duty to cover properly in obedience to His Command. And if you are a Muslim man, it is your responsibility to support your women and instruct them in obedience to their Creator.
The matter of hijab is a matter of obeying Allah's command. And when we ignore this important aspect of our religion, we then fall into disobedience of His commands.
Allah said (translation of the meaning):
'O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e. screen themselves completely). That will be better, that they should be known (i.e. as free believing women), so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.' S. 33, v. 59.
Upon recalling the revelation of the hijab, our mother Aisha (ARA) has been recorded as praising the women of the region at that time, mentioning that when they first heard the revelation directly from the beloved prophet(SAAW), that they immediately went into their homes, and did not come out again except that they were covered from head to foot, appearing as the black crow. Apparently nothing showing but their eyes. As we all know that the black crow is completely black, and nothing truly apparent of it other than it's eyes. So were the women of that time, in covering themselves so that nothing of their bodies was revealed.
And this was the description of the female companions of the prophet(SAAW). The women who were present in his(SAAW) time, who learned directly from him(SAAW).
But what about the women of today? Some wearing a hijab which is not truly a hijab which conceals. But rather, a hijab which merely covers by simple definition that it is a piece of cloth which covers the skin, but does not conceal what lies underneath. Hence, it is not truly a hijab. For the basic definition of the term hijab is that it is something which conceals and protects, not attracting attention to look and notice and to know what lies underneath.
Oh, my sisters-fear Allah as He should be feared! And find in your hearts the strength to discard any of the passing pleasures and temptations of this life. Do not lose the hope of eternal salvation at the price of being weak in this life and grasping the temptation of discarding your hijab. Put your sights on what lies ahead for you after this life, and you will then find the strength to adhere to Allah's commands and directions in all your endeavors and practices in this life. Live and practice the teachings of Islam in your every day life, and you shall then be worthy of Allah's mercy and compassion on the day when even those most close to you in this life will desert you.
And my brothers-do be strong yourselves and support and guide your women lovingly towards implementation of Islamic teachings in all your interactions in life. Remember that as you see your wife or your sister or your daughter outside in public, so other onlookers are seeing her as well. And as you gaze and follow the actions of other women, so your own women are being watched as you watch others. So, beware of your gaze and where you guide your eyes to look and see again and again. And beware to guard your own women from the gaze of others as well.
My dear brothers and sisters-the verses of the hijab have no mention in them of adhering to the covering of the hijab only in such and such land. No, rather, it is for all times of the world, and all places of the world. So then, why is it that so many people, as they take off from the land of Saudi Arabia, they are so quick to discard this hijab?
Allah is ever-presently watching over the whole world, not only Saudi Arabia or any other land in particular. And there is intermingling of people the whole world over. Hence, the necessity to adhere to the laws of the hijab anywhere we travel and at any time.
I pray that each and every one of us will find it within ourselves to obey our Creator seeking His pleasure and becoming deserving of His never-ending mercy. I pray that He will shed His light and mercy upon us all to instill in our hearts the fear and love of Him enough that we shall all not only learn, but as well implement the teachings He has given us in His Book of Guidance, into our daily lives. He has been so gracious so as to give us this guidance. It is the very least that we can do to implement this guidance into our daily lives.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
FOUR MAJOR ATTACKS UPON MAN
FOUR MAJOR ATTACKS UPON MAN
I like to listen to the Islamic lectures given by the local Arab scholars. Alhamdulillah, I have been privileged and blessed to have learnt the Arabic language well enough that I can now understand, at least quite extensively, the message that these learned scholars are trying to get across to their audiences. And we are also quite blessed in that we in Saudi Arabia are living witnesses to a rise in the attention given to both learning as well as the responsible spreading of such important Islamic knowledge and awareness.
The khutbah (Friday sermon) in one of the local masajid yesterday focused upon the topic of death, the end of this earthly life, and how or what to do (or what to know) in order to prepare for it. The following recourse is merely one small sub-topic within the longer topic covered in the sermon.
To begin with, it is important to recall the realization that the life of this world is merely momentary in relation to the everlasting nature of eternity. This earth and the life and experiences we endure of this world are merely a passing stage and truly a testing ground. We are directed by Allah as He states in the Quran: 'Don't forget your portion of this world (ad-dunya)' s. 28, v. 77. Yet, while we strive daily to take and enjoy what we can from this life, we should be quite careful to do so within the realms of what Islam deems as legal and permissible. And all the while building towards a good future for the ever-lasting eternity. The life which is the ultimate life of which there is no more death nor end.
Just as a young adult will much of the time be concerned to work hard while he/she is young and able-saving here and there-cautious to save towards building an account for the time later in life when old age or infirmity sets in, so should we as Muslims work hard in this life-taking of it within the legal realms of Islamic teachings enough to sustain us for this life, all the while doing deeds which will build our account with Allah in order to help us at that grave time when we ourselves will be taken to account.
We are told by Allah that He created the jinns and mankind for worshipping Him. (s. 51, v. 56) And this earthly life is the testing ground to sift out the true believers from those who reject and the hypocrites. The angels were also created for worshipping Him-but they were not endowed with a free will such as the humans and jinns. Hence, their 'angelic' behavior and nature-they worship and praise Allah and serve Him in every respect exactly as what they were created for, without ever having to make a choice between right and wrong. Whereas the humans and the jinn have been given a free will to choose to worship Him or not. Hence, the revelation of the message of Islam to give us proper direction as to how to find our way to worship Allah and please Him, and to find the path towards gaining entrance to Heaven, and salvation from Hell.
There are four stages of testing attack upon each individual human. The first of these being the death of this earthly body-marking the end of this worldly life, and the first stage of further progression towards eternity. As we are told by Allah in His book, each soul must taste death. (s. 3, v. 185) But prepare yourselves, for it is something of which it's time and place and manner which is known only to Allah. It comes upon each and everyone of us quite suddenly, unexpectedly, and unannounced.
The second of these stages of trial and attack upon the person is the reception and division of the inheritance by the rightful heirs. Sadly, a strong and overbearing inborn inclination of mankind is that of selfish greed. And it is also sadly true and quite common that one of the major times of life that this selfish greed surfaces is after the death of a loved one. Many a story has been reported of previously loving and caring family members (loving and caring while their common-denominator-loved one was still alive) turning into vipers only shortly after the death-some even as early as the time of the burial-of their loved one. Vipers arguing over the inheritance, as do vultures over a fresh open carcass. Do not expect or hope that they would be so generous or so loving as to put what you have left from this life towards charity or for the cause of Allah. So, if you wish to build up your account in the Heavenly Bank, make proper preparations and steps towards that while you have the ability and chance to do so. Remember that with the end of this earthly life, so also ends all ability and chance for repentance and accumulating good deeds and building up that account in the Bank of the Heavens. Any account of money or assets you build up for this world are for your pleasures and benefit only of this temporary life-this short passage before going on for eternity. Therefore, if you wish or hope to get any pleasure or benefit out of money or assets you are blessed with in this life, ensure that by turning it over to Allah and His Cause while you are still in this life and able to do so. Some simple ideas on how to build such a Heavenly Bank Account, or to accrue such Heavenly assets: build a masjid, dontate money towards building or furnishing a masjid, establish a charitable trust fund, or donate to an already established charity, donate what you may have in money or assets towards anything in this life of which you ar assured is work in the Cause of Allah (i.e. helping orphans, widows, the disabled, providing or funding halaqahs for Quran, etc.) Anything you pay during this life along this line will be of extremem benefit to you in the next life. And remember to do so of course within the realms of the Islamic teachings (i.e. the allowance or permissibility of donating one third of your property to charity-the rest is the rightful inheritance for your heirs).
The third stage of fitnah or attach upon the person is the decaying of the physical body in the grave. The traditional and common Arabic phrase for this stage, translated as 'the worms' is quite a vivid and all-encompassing description, albeit short, of this quite terrifying stage. And, as is true of the other three stages-something that none of us can escapte nor avoid. Do not assume that this stage will be painless or without feeling. Since none of us (of past nor present nor future) can pass through any of these four stages and then return to this life to give first-hand report of it, our knowledge of these stages is quite limited and narrow to only that which Allah has chosen to reveal to us. Hence, many unimaginable and quite unexpected things may very well be possible. As for the process of the decaying of the physical body, it is well established that some sort of worm and/or bug eats away at the flesh till nothing is left but dust and bones. Some have reported that the worm or bug that eats away at this flesh is in fact a parasite that is living within each of us, and exits only after the death about a day or so to being it's task of cleaning the bones of all flesh. And yet others report or assume that the worms and/or bogs come out of the earth itself upon the smell of the burial of a freshly dead body. And only Allah knows best exactly how this process takes place. What we know for sure is that somehow, the flesh of the body decays to leave only dust and bones remaining. And it is a great blessing indeed, that mankind was given the inspiration from the first of mankind to die, that of one of Adam's sons, to bury their dead so that as a mercy to the remaining humans to witness, they are not first hand witness to this process of the decaying of the bones. The only thing that they may see from time to time, for any reason whatsoever, is the remaining of the cleaned bones free of all decayed flesh.
The fourth, last, and perhaps most important and frightening stage, is that of the standing for account before the Ultimate Judge-Allah. Although each of the previous three stages are equally important in their own right, for the passage towards the eternal and final existence can be attained only by passing through them, still this final stage of taking account holds a position of greater importance and authority because of it's basic defining and determining nature. It is clearly what it's name indicates-a passage or stage of taking each individual to account for his/her deeds and sayings during the testing period of the earthly life. Here lies the resulting importance of learning and adhering to the Divine Guidance. We will each have to stand alone in front of Allah, with no help or defense in our favor other than those deeds or actions we did in this life for seeking reward and the pleasure of Allah. And once Allah has taken us to account for everything-that which is small as well as big, that which was hidden as well as public,-we will be taken to account for the trespasses we made against our fellow humans. And the gravest of these trespasses against our fellow humans is that of gossip. Each one we may have gossiped about will have a right over us just as we ourselves will have a right over them for their gossips on us. And that right will be that they will be able to take away from any of our remaining good deeds (if there is anything remaining after Allah takes us to account). And once the good deeds have all dwindled away, and anyone still has a right over us, they will be given the option to transfer to us from their bad deeds, in accordance to their right over us. Imagine that you have a right over someone because of their gossip of you in this life. And couple with that that you cannot take from them their good deeds, for their stock of good deeds is now completely depleted. Now you have the option to transfer to them from your stock pile of bad deeds, in compensation for taking from their good deeds. Surely, you will not be so gracious as to transfer any weak bad deeds to those whom you realize have gossiped and back-talked about you. No, you would more than likely hand over the heaver bad deeds to those souls.
And then, after we have passed through all four stages, will be the descension of the final deciding factor upon which our fate of eternal abode lies upon is dependent. Truly, it is the Mercy of Allah which will admit us into His Heavens and Eternal Peace and Happiness.
But will we be deserving of His Mercy? Did we accumulate enough good deeds to attain His Mercy? Did we humble ourselves in asking for His Mercy? Did we do those deeds purely for His Sake in seeking His Mercy and His Pleasure? Or did we have some other ulterior earthly motive behind our actions? Did we take heed of the message of guidance sent to us, seeking His Pleasure, or did we arrogantly ignore that message, encruing His Wrath upon us? I seek refuge with Allah from the terrible fate of His Wrath, and I humbly ask Him to bestow upon us His Divine Guidance and to shed His never-ending Mercy over us all. May Allah forgive us our sins and trespasses and open the gates of the Heavens for us to enter Paradise in Peace and Safety. Ameen.
I like to listen to the Islamic lectures given by the local Arab scholars. Alhamdulillah, I have been privileged and blessed to have learnt the Arabic language well enough that I can now understand, at least quite extensively, the message that these learned scholars are trying to get across to their audiences. And we are also quite blessed in that we in Saudi Arabia are living witnesses to a rise in the attention given to both learning as well as the responsible spreading of such important Islamic knowledge and awareness.
The khutbah (Friday sermon) in one of the local masajid yesterday focused upon the topic of death, the end of this earthly life, and how or what to do (or what to know) in order to prepare for it. The following recourse is merely one small sub-topic within the longer topic covered in the sermon.
To begin with, it is important to recall the realization that the life of this world is merely momentary in relation to the everlasting nature of eternity. This earth and the life and experiences we endure of this world are merely a passing stage and truly a testing ground. We are directed by Allah as He states in the Quran: 'Don't forget your portion of this world (ad-dunya)' s. 28, v. 77. Yet, while we strive daily to take and enjoy what we can from this life, we should be quite careful to do so within the realms of what Islam deems as legal and permissible. And all the while building towards a good future for the ever-lasting eternity. The life which is the ultimate life of which there is no more death nor end.
Just as a young adult will much of the time be concerned to work hard while he/she is young and able-saving here and there-cautious to save towards building an account for the time later in life when old age or infirmity sets in, so should we as Muslims work hard in this life-taking of it within the legal realms of Islamic teachings enough to sustain us for this life, all the while doing deeds which will build our account with Allah in order to help us at that grave time when we ourselves will be taken to account.
We are told by Allah that He created the jinns and mankind for worshipping Him. (s. 51, v. 56) And this earthly life is the testing ground to sift out the true believers from those who reject and the hypocrites. The angels were also created for worshipping Him-but they were not endowed with a free will such as the humans and jinns. Hence, their 'angelic' behavior and nature-they worship and praise Allah and serve Him in every respect exactly as what they were created for, without ever having to make a choice between right and wrong. Whereas the humans and the jinn have been given a free will to choose to worship Him or not. Hence, the revelation of the message of Islam to give us proper direction as to how to find our way to worship Allah and please Him, and to find the path towards gaining entrance to Heaven, and salvation from Hell.
There are four stages of testing attack upon each individual human. The first of these being the death of this earthly body-marking the end of this worldly life, and the first stage of further progression towards eternity. As we are told by Allah in His book, each soul must taste death. (s. 3, v. 185) But prepare yourselves, for it is something of which it's time and place and manner which is known only to Allah. It comes upon each and everyone of us quite suddenly, unexpectedly, and unannounced.
The second of these stages of trial and attack upon the person is the reception and division of the inheritance by the rightful heirs. Sadly, a strong and overbearing inborn inclination of mankind is that of selfish greed. And it is also sadly true and quite common that one of the major times of life that this selfish greed surfaces is after the death of a loved one. Many a story has been reported of previously loving and caring family members (loving and caring while their common-denominator-loved one was still alive) turning into vipers only shortly after the death-some even as early as the time of the burial-of their loved one. Vipers arguing over the inheritance, as do vultures over a fresh open carcass. Do not expect or hope that they would be so generous or so loving as to put what you have left from this life towards charity or for the cause of Allah. So, if you wish to build up your account in the Heavenly Bank, make proper preparations and steps towards that while you have the ability and chance to do so. Remember that with the end of this earthly life, so also ends all ability and chance for repentance and accumulating good deeds and building up that account in the Bank of the Heavens. Any account of money or assets you build up for this world are for your pleasures and benefit only of this temporary life-this short passage before going on for eternity. Therefore, if you wish or hope to get any pleasure or benefit out of money or assets you are blessed with in this life, ensure that by turning it over to Allah and His Cause while you are still in this life and able to do so. Some simple ideas on how to build such a Heavenly Bank Account, or to accrue such Heavenly assets: build a masjid, dontate money towards building or furnishing a masjid, establish a charitable trust fund, or donate to an already established charity, donate what you may have in money or assets towards anything in this life of which you ar assured is work in the Cause of Allah (i.e. helping orphans, widows, the disabled, providing or funding halaqahs for Quran, etc.) Anything you pay during this life along this line will be of extremem benefit to you in the next life. And remember to do so of course within the realms of the Islamic teachings (i.e. the allowance or permissibility of donating one third of your property to charity-the rest is the rightful inheritance for your heirs).
The third stage of fitnah or attach upon the person is the decaying of the physical body in the grave. The traditional and common Arabic phrase for this stage, translated as 'the worms' is quite a vivid and all-encompassing description, albeit short, of this quite terrifying stage. And, as is true of the other three stages-something that none of us can escapte nor avoid. Do not assume that this stage will be painless or without feeling. Since none of us (of past nor present nor future) can pass through any of these four stages and then return to this life to give first-hand report of it, our knowledge of these stages is quite limited and narrow to only that which Allah has chosen to reveal to us. Hence, many unimaginable and quite unexpected things may very well be possible. As for the process of the decaying of the physical body, it is well established that some sort of worm and/or bug eats away at the flesh till nothing is left but dust and bones. Some have reported that the worm or bug that eats away at this flesh is in fact a parasite that is living within each of us, and exits only after the death about a day or so to being it's task of cleaning the bones of all flesh. And yet others report or assume that the worms and/or bogs come out of the earth itself upon the smell of the burial of a freshly dead body. And only Allah knows best exactly how this process takes place. What we know for sure is that somehow, the flesh of the body decays to leave only dust and bones remaining. And it is a great blessing indeed, that mankind was given the inspiration from the first of mankind to die, that of one of Adam's sons, to bury their dead so that as a mercy to the remaining humans to witness, they are not first hand witness to this process of the decaying of the bones. The only thing that they may see from time to time, for any reason whatsoever, is the remaining of the cleaned bones free of all decayed flesh.
The fourth, last, and perhaps most important and frightening stage, is that of the standing for account before the Ultimate Judge-Allah. Although each of the previous three stages are equally important in their own right, for the passage towards the eternal and final existence can be attained only by passing through them, still this final stage of taking account holds a position of greater importance and authority because of it's basic defining and determining nature. It is clearly what it's name indicates-a passage or stage of taking each individual to account for his/her deeds and sayings during the testing period of the earthly life. Here lies the resulting importance of learning and adhering to the Divine Guidance. We will each have to stand alone in front of Allah, with no help or defense in our favor other than those deeds or actions we did in this life for seeking reward and the pleasure of Allah. And once Allah has taken us to account for everything-that which is small as well as big, that which was hidden as well as public,-we will be taken to account for the trespasses we made against our fellow humans. And the gravest of these trespasses against our fellow humans is that of gossip. Each one we may have gossiped about will have a right over us just as we ourselves will have a right over them for their gossips on us. And that right will be that they will be able to take away from any of our remaining good deeds (if there is anything remaining after Allah takes us to account). And once the good deeds have all dwindled away, and anyone still has a right over us, they will be given the option to transfer to us from their bad deeds, in accordance to their right over us. Imagine that you have a right over someone because of their gossip of you in this life. And couple with that that you cannot take from them their good deeds, for their stock of good deeds is now completely depleted. Now you have the option to transfer to them from your stock pile of bad deeds, in compensation for taking from their good deeds. Surely, you will not be so gracious as to transfer any weak bad deeds to those whom you realize have gossiped and back-talked about you. No, you would more than likely hand over the heaver bad deeds to those souls.
And then, after we have passed through all four stages, will be the descension of the final deciding factor upon which our fate of eternal abode lies upon is dependent. Truly, it is the Mercy of Allah which will admit us into His Heavens and Eternal Peace and Happiness.
But will we be deserving of His Mercy? Did we accumulate enough good deeds to attain His Mercy? Did we humble ourselves in asking for His Mercy? Did we do those deeds purely for His Sake in seeking His Mercy and His Pleasure? Or did we have some other ulterior earthly motive behind our actions? Did we take heed of the message of guidance sent to us, seeking His Pleasure, or did we arrogantly ignore that message, encruing His Wrath upon us? I seek refuge with Allah from the terrible fate of His Wrath, and I humbly ask Him to bestow upon us His Divine Guidance and to shed His never-ending Mercy over us all. May Allah forgive us our sins and trespasses and open the gates of the Heavens for us to enter Paradise in Peace and Safety. Ameen.
CAMP RAMADHAN
CAMP RAMADHAN
In the west, the United States in particular, there is the tradition of going to a specialty camp of applied interest to the individual. Particularly in the summer vacation months.
At these camps, you will find a concentration towards the topic of interest of which the camp was set up to begin with. For instance, there are the various types of sports camps (such as baseball camp, canoe camp, etc.), as well as there are other specialized camps such as band camp for those inclined towards school band activities and music, as well as the various religious camps (namely Christian youth activities camps).
As a previous Christian, I attended several of such camps in my youth. Christian Youth Fellowship camps. Those camps were dedicated towards renewing the attendees' faith, and learning something new as well. But basically for the social aspect of the camp itself, and renewing one's faith through the fellowship that such a camp provided, in a different atmosphere than the normal daily routine of the family life.
Now, after having been a muslim for 25+ years, and experiencing the coming and going of many Ramadhans, I compare this yearly experience of Ramadhan to those camps, in a sense.
The month of Ramadhan is a holy month to Islam. It is the month in which the first revelation of the Quran occured. It is the month in which the Quran was revealed. It is the month in which we are reassured that the devils are chained, and the doors to paradise are open to all. It is the month which contains the 'night of power', which we are told directly from Allah, is better in it's value and importance than one thousand months.
It is during this month that all muslims worldwide come together under the one flag of fasting for the sake of Allah. It is also during this month that muslims worldwide gather together in a more concentrated effort of increased prayers and other forms of worship, in following suit to the example set for them by their beloved prophet Mohammed(PBUH).
Hence, my comparison of this month which occurs yearly, to the camps of the west.
I call it 'Camp Ramadhan'.
Whenever a western youngster (or even adult) goes home from a summer camp (regardless if it is a religious camp or otherwise), they are somehow changed by the effects of the change of lifestyle that camp has provided for them of the time period they spent at the camp.
The memories of that camp remain with them for a long time, even after returning home to their daily routines and families.
So it should be for us muslims, that the effects of Ramadhan remain with us throughout the year, and continuing on to the upcoming of the next Ramadhan.
I humbly remind all muslims now reading this to ask themselves seriously: what lessons have you learned from this Ramadhan? Or what practices did you put into effect during this Ramadhan which is even slightly different from your daily routine year-round? Or what feelings spiritually and emotionally have you experienced throughout this month or perhaps at it's closing?
Why not make the extra effort this year to carry those practices or lessons or feelings throughout the rest of the year? Why save those practices or feelings or lessons only for Ramadhan??
My dear brothers and sisters...I implore you to carry on with the nafal (superrogatory) prayers you began to do during this holy month.
I implore with you to continue making the extra effort daily to recite from the Quran and learn it's meaning, as you have in this special holy month.
Make the extra effort to make the lessons of Ramadhan last and make a true difference in your life, and perhaps the deciding factor of your very survival from the hell fire!!
Were you able to contain your anger during this month better than at other times?
Then why not apply that to your daily life through the rest of the year.
Were you able to realize your duty to Allah in your prayers or remembrance and praise of Him?
The surely, apply that to your daily life throughout the rest of the year!!
I pray humbly to Allah that He will bless us all to come away from this year's 'Camp Ramadhan' with the lessons it has to teach us engrained in our hearts, and with the firmer determination to apply those lessons to our lives throughout the rest of our time on this earth.
And I also pray humbly that Allah will bless us all and have His mercy to shed upon us to forgive us our sins, and grant us the reward of this month of the fasting we have observed, and bless us even further to live long enough to witness yet another great Ramadhan to serve Him better!!
Ameen.
In the west, the United States in particular, there is the tradition of going to a specialty camp of applied interest to the individual. Particularly in the summer vacation months.
At these camps, you will find a concentration towards the topic of interest of which the camp was set up to begin with. For instance, there are the various types of sports camps (such as baseball camp, canoe camp, etc.), as well as there are other specialized camps such as band camp for those inclined towards school band activities and music, as well as the various religious camps (namely Christian youth activities camps).
As a previous Christian, I attended several of such camps in my youth. Christian Youth Fellowship camps. Those camps were dedicated towards renewing the attendees' faith, and learning something new as well. But basically for the social aspect of the camp itself, and renewing one's faith through the fellowship that such a camp provided, in a different atmosphere than the normal daily routine of the family life.
Now, after having been a muslim for 25+ years, and experiencing the coming and going of many Ramadhans, I compare this yearly experience of Ramadhan to those camps, in a sense.
The month of Ramadhan is a holy month to Islam. It is the month in which the first revelation of the Quran occured. It is the month in which the Quran was revealed. It is the month in which we are reassured that the devils are chained, and the doors to paradise are open to all. It is the month which contains the 'night of power', which we are told directly from Allah, is better in it's value and importance than one thousand months.
It is during this month that all muslims worldwide come together under the one flag of fasting for the sake of Allah. It is also during this month that muslims worldwide gather together in a more concentrated effort of increased prayers and other forms of worship, in following suit to the example set for them by their beloved prophet Mohammed(PBUH).
Hence, my comparison of this month which occurs yearly, to the camps of the west.
I call it 'Camp Ramadhan'.
Whenever a western youngster (or even adult) goes home from a summer camp (regardless if it is a religious camp or otherwise), they are somehow changed by the effects of the change of lifestyle that camp has provided for them of the time period they spent at the camp.
The memories of that camp remain with them for a long time, even after returning home to their daily routines and families.
So it should be for us muslims, that the effects of Ramadhan remain with us throughout the year, and continuing on to the upcoming of the next Ramadhan.
I humbly remind all muslims now reading this to ask themselves seriously: what lessons have you learned from this Ramadhan? Or what practices did you put into effect during this Ramadhan which is even slightly different from your daily routine year-round? Or what feelings spiritually and emotionally have you experienced throughout this month or perhaps at it's closing?
Why not make the extra effort this year to carry those practices or lessons or feelings throughout the rest of the year? Why save those practices or feelings or lessons only for Ramadhan??
My dear brothers and sisters...I implore you to carry on with the nafal (superrogatory) prayers you began to do during this holy month.
I implore with you to continue making the extra effort daily to recite from the Quran and learn it's meaning, as you have in this special holy month.
Make the extra effort to make the lessons of Ramadhan last and make a true difference in your life, and perhaps the deciding factor of your very survival from the hell fire!!
Were you able to contain your anger during this month better than at other times?
Then why not apply that to your daily life through the rest of the year.
Were you able to realize your duty to Allah in your prayers or remembrance and praise of Him?
The surely, apply that to your daily life throughout the rest of the year!!
I pray humbly to Allah that He will bless us all to come away from this year's 'Camp Ramadhan' with the lessons it has to teach us engrained in our hearts, and with the firmer determination to apply those lessons to our lives throughout the rest of our time on this earth.
And I also pray humbly that Allah will bless us all and have His mercy to shed upon us to forgive us our sins, and grant us the reward of this month of the fasting we have observed, and bless us even further to live long enough to witness yet another great Ramadhan to serve Him better!!
Ameen.
BEWARE OF DECEPTION
BEWARE OF DECEPTION
Allah says in the Quran: 'Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception(a deceiving thing).' (S.3, v.185)
Every person who passes through the life of this world shall experience death-or a cessation to this life. Just as the birth, or the entrance into this life, and the continuance of our lives in the succession of days are all part of life, so death is also part of life. For without death as the exit from the life of this world, there is no progression towards the ultimate eternity.
And inasmuch everyone shall experience death as the cessation to this life, so also we will be compensated eventually as regards our deeds in this life, and whatever we may have put forth in the cause of Allah as our provision in the eternal life.
Allah, in His everlasting Mercy for His creation, has given us the guidance to direct us away from the wrong and towards the right. He has mercifully created us with the tools to learn and understand that guidance. And He has also planted in our hearts the seed of knowledge, and the basic sense which guides us or acknowledges the right from the wrong. Then why is it that so many of us are so weak as to arrogantly deny His signs and His directives?
For so many it boils down to the simplicity of the desire to ssatisfy our needs and desires of the moment at hand. In our human tendency to forget, we become overwhelmed by the temptations of the passing pleasure of the moment, and hence indulge ourselves in whatever that pleasure may be-either forgetting (at least temporarily) the consequences thereof, or making light of the truth of those consequences.
Remember that Allah is full aware of all that takes place in this world in all ages and in all places. He is keeping full count of everyone's deeds, thoughts, and speech-to be reviewed at the time of judgement. And He is the most just of all judges. There is no corruption nor inbalance in His judgement. And what ever He passes as sentence-takes place.
Do not wrong yourself by becoming weak and giving in to the passing pleasure of this life. Rather, find the true pleasure and tranquility in abstention from that which is prohibited and enjoying that which is permitted, all for the sake of seeking Allah's pleasure by your obedience to Him in recognition of His guidance.
One of the close companions of the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was quoted to have mentioned that if it were not a command from Allah (i.e. obligatory) he would not have troubled himself with fasting or praying. He would have spent that time seeking the pleasures of this life. But the knowledge and insight he gained from the blessings of the guidance (i.e. Islamic teachings) led him to realizes that the true pleasure was to be found in following the guidance, worshipping Allah, and seeking His pleasure.
Beware of the deceiving nature of this world, and strive towards eternal success. Read and re-read the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah to refresh your mind always and give you strength.
I pray that Allah will shed His mercy upon us all by granting us the guidance and the yearning in our hearts to seek His pleasure.
Allah says in the Quran: 'Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception(a deceiving thing).' (S.3, v.185)
Every person who passes through the life of this world shall experience death-or a cessation to this life. Just as the birth, or the entrance into this life, and the continuance of our lives in the succession of days are all part of life, so death is also part of life. For without death as the exit from the life of this world, there is no progression towards the ultimate eternity.
And inasmuch everyone shall experience death as the cessation to this life, so also we will be compensated eventually as regards our deeds in this life, and whatever we may have put forth in the cause of Allah as our provision in the eternal life.
Allah, in His everlasting Mercy for His creation, has given us the guidance to direct us away from the wrong and towards the right. He has mercifully created us with the tools to learn and understand that guidance. And He has also planted in our hearts the seed of knowledge, and the basic sense which guides us or acknowledges the right from the wrong. Then why is it that so many of us are so weak as to arrogantly deny His signs and His directives?
For so many it boils down to the simplicity of the desire to ssatisfy our needs and desires of the moment at hand. In our human tendency to forget, we become overwhelmed by the temptations of the passing pleasure of the moment, and hence indulge ourselves in whatever that pleasure may be-either forgetting (at least temporarily) the consequences thereof, or making light of the truth of those consequences.
Remember that Allah is full aware of all that takes place in this world in all ages and in all places. He is keeping full count of everyone's deeds, thoughts, and speech-to be reviewed at the time of judgement. And He is the most just of all judges. There is no corruption nor inbalance in His judgement. And what ever He passes as sentence-takes place.
Do not wrong yourself by becoming weak and giving in to the passing pleasure of this life. Rather, find the true pleasure and tranquility in abstention from that which is prohibited and enjoying that which is permitted, all for the sake of seeking Allah's pleasure by your obedience to Him in recognition of His guidance.
One of the close companions of the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was quoted to have mentioned that if it were not a command from Allah (i.e. obligatory) he would not have troubled himself with fasting or praying. He would have spent that time seeking the pleasures of this life. But the knowledge and insight he gained from the blessings of the guidance (i.e. Islamic teachings) led him to realizes that the true pleasure was to be found in following the guidance, worshipping Allah, and seeking His pleasure.
Beware of the deceiving nature of this world, and strive towards eternal success. Read and re-read the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah to refresh your mind always and give you strength.
I pray that Allah will shed His mercy upon us all by granting us the guidance and the yearning in our hearts to seek His pleasure.
A CONCEALED WEAPON OF SATAN
A CONCEALED WEAPON OF SATAN
We have been told directly by Allah in His Book, that the messenger(SAAW) was sent to the world as a mercy to mankind, to the world at large. Not as a mercy only to the muslims. But as a mercy to mankind in general. With him(SAAW), and in his speech and practices, we can find the most excellent example by which to mold our lives ourselves.
But the question is, who will take heed and put into practice the preaching of our beloved Mohammed(SAAW)?
Allah's Messenger(SAAW) said, 'He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent.' (Muslim)
This applies to all walks of life, and all conditions and situations that may arise in life. We need to condition ourselves and prepare ourselves and train ourselves towards this very behavior of either speaking good (or something of benefit to those listening), or to remain silent.
One of the easiest sins that all of us fall into from one time to another (and so many of us, sadly, very often) is that of backbiting or gossiping. And, this sin is classified among the great sins (al-kabaa'ir).
Remember that Satan is our number one enemy. He has sworn before Allah the Almighty that he will sway us from the right path, attacking us from in front and from behind, from the right and the left, from above and below, and from all other more concealed manners. And one of his more deceiving and sadly successful ways of leading us astray is that of making sins appear innocent or even as a good deed. He has found that he cannot necessarily succeed in swaying us away from praying or fasting or even doing many other good deeds or avoiding other sins. But, he does succeed, sadly, much of the time and with so many of us, in making the sin of backbiting appeal to us in such ease and innocence, that we tend to forget it's dire consequences.
We have been reminded by Allah that verily the good deeds wipe away the bad deeds. And so, we should take heed and format our lives to accommodate that hope in wiping away our sins and bad deeds with good deeds, and not the opposite.
Beware of turning your lifestyle into the opposite, of wiping out your good deeds with the bad deeds. I seek refuge with Allah from such a fate!!
Satan is truly our enemy, and he will attempt in every possible manner to sway us from the right path. And this sin of backbiting and gossiping is perhaps one of the easiest ways to lead us all astray at one time or another.
Be consistent and frequent in seeking Allah's forgiveness. The prophet(SAAW), who was promised forgiveness of his own sins and entrance into paradise, the most excellent exempler for mankind, in fact truly the best of all of Allah's creatures, has informed us that he himself would seek Allah's forgiveness at least 70 times throughout any one given day.
What about us in this day and age?
So many of us are consumed by the formalities and details of our daily lives. So many of us are wrapped up in the small and fleeting pleasures of this earthly world. So many of us tend to forget the day of Accounting, the day of Judgement, the torment of the hellfire.
Oh, yes, we say that we believe in it. But do we really? Do we keep it in mind enough to take heed of the directives that Allah has so mercifully given us in His Book? Do we keep this in mind in order to mold our earthly lives according to His directives and plans for us?
My dear brethren!! Allah has created you, given you life to enjoy and many blessings which are truly uncountable!! And one of the greatest blessings indeed is the guidance that He has blessed us with by His mercy and grace, to guide us on the straight path towards Him and His pleasure and His gardens of paradise!! Then why should we be so ungrateful as to disobey His guidance in any one point??
I plead with all reading, to seek Allah's protection from Satan and his whisperings and his temptations, and seek Allah's help and guidance to keeping away from this terribly easy and tempting sin of backbiting.
Before talking about others, think first, and ask yourself some questions…what result will this accomplish if I speak about this? Will this talk truly benefit any of us concerned? Or is it merely idle gossip which could in fact be harmful, in any way or manner to any of us?
It is more than likely, perhaps even a rating of 99&1/2 %, that this talk of gossip would in fact be harmful in any way or form to any of the persons concerned (either the person you would be talking about, or the listener, or yourself). So, refrain from it, if at all possible.
And, if you hear others talking in such manner in your presence, try to remind them as well. The easiest and simplest and perhaps most effective method of reminder is to simply utter the phrase 'astaghfurAllah' (I seek Allah's forgiveness) when hearing some gossip mentioned in your presence. This is like a wake-up-alarm to remind those talking and listening, that this kind of talk is indeed backbiting, which is a sin, which we should all try to refrain from.
I pray that we can all succeed, with Allah's help, in conquering the concealed attempts of Satan to swaying us from the right path, and from the right conduct, which Allah has so graciously and mercifully given us the guidance towards.
May we all be successful in attaining Allah's pleasure.
We have been told directly by Allah in His Book, that the messenger(SAAW) was sent to the world as a mercy to mankind, to the world at large. Not as a mercy only to the muslims. But as a mercy to mankind in general. With him(SAAW), and in his speech and practices, we can find the most excellent example by which to mold our lives ourselves.
But the question is, who will take heed and put into practice the preaching of our beloved Mohammed(SAAW)?
Allah's Messenger(SAAW) said, 'He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent.' (Muslim)
This applies to all walks of life, and all conditions and situations that may arise in life. We need to condition ourselves and prepare ourselves and train ourselves towards this very behavior of either speaking good (or something of benefit to those listening), or to remain silent.
One of the easiest sins that all of us fall into from one time to another (and so many of us, sadly, very often) is that of backbiting or gossiping. And, this sin is classified among the great sins (al-kabaa'ir).
Remember that Satan is our number one enemy. He has sworn before Allah the Almighty that he will sway us from the right path, attacking us from in front and from behind, from the right and the left, from above and below, and from all other more concealed manners. And one of his more deceiving and sadly successful ways of leading us astray is that of making sins appear innocent or even as a good deed. He has found that he cannot necessarily succeed in swaying us away from praying or fasting or even doing many other good deeds or avoiding other sins. But, he does succeed, sadly, much of the time and with so many of us, in making the sin of backbiting appeal to us in such ease and innocence, that we tend to forget it's dire consequences.
We have been reminded by Allah that verily the good deeds wipe away the bad deeds. And so, we should take heed and format our lives to accommodate that hope in wiping away our sins and bad deeds with good deeds, and not the opposite.
Beware of turning your lifestyle into the opposite, of wiping out your good deeds with the bad deeds. I seek refuge with Allah from such a fate!!
Satan is truly our enemy, and he will attempt in every possible manner to sway us from the right path. And this sin of backbiting and gossiping is perhaps one of the easiest ways to lead us all astray at one time or another.
Be consistent and frequent in seeking Allah's forgiveness. The prophet(SAAW), who was promised forgiveness of his own sins and entrance into paradise, the most excellent exempler for mankind, in fact truly the best of all of Allah's creatures, has informed us that he himself would seek Allah's forgiveness at least 70 times throughout any one given day.
What about us in this day and age?
So many of us are consumed by the formalities and details of our daily lives. So many of us are wrapped up in the small and fleeting pleasures of this earthly world. So many of us tend to forget the day of Accounting, the day of Judgement, the torment of the hellfire.
Oh, yes, we say that we believe in it. But do we really? Do we keep it in mind enough to take heed of the directives that Allah has so mercifully given us in His Book? Do we keep this in mind in order to mold our earthly lives according to His directives and plans for us?
My dear brethren!! Allah has created you, given you life to enjoy and many blessings which are truly uncountable!! And one of the greatest blessings indeed is the guidance that He has blessed us with by His mercy and grace, to guide us on the straight path towards Him and His pleasure and His gardens of paradise!! Then why should we be so ungrateful as to disobey His guidance in any one point??
I plead with all reading, to seek Allah's protection from Satan and his whisperings and his temptations, and seek Allah's help and guidance to keeping away from this terribly easy and tempting sin of backbiting.
Before talking about others, think first, and ask yourself some questions…what result will this accomplish if I speak about this? Will this talk truly benefit any of us concerned? Or is it merely idle gossip which could in fact be harmful, in any way or manner to any of us?
It is more than likely, perhaps even a rating of 99&1/2 %, that this talk of gossip would in fact be harmful in any way or form to any of the persons concerned (either the person you would be talking about, or the listener, or yourself). So, refrain from it, if at all possible.
And, if you hear others talking in such manner in your presence, try to remind them as well. The easiest and simplest and perhaps most effective method of reminder is to simply utter the phrase 'astaghfurAllah' (I seek Allah's forgiveness) when hearing some gossip mentioned in your presence. This is like a wake-up-alarm to remind those talking and listening, that this kind of talk is indeed backbiting, which is a sin, which we should all try to refrain from.
I pray that we can all succeed, with Allah's help, in conquering the concealed attempts of Satan to swaying us from the right path, and from the right conduct, which Allah has so graciously and mercifully given us the guidance towards.
May we all be successful in attaining Allah's pleasure.
A DEBT WE ALL OWE
A DEBT WE ALL OWE
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficient, Most Merciful, Creator of the Heavens and Earth and all that lies in them, Sustainer of all life, He who has the Power over all things. I praise and thank Him with the most generous and sincere praises and thanks for all that He has blessed me with, and humbly ask that He shall bestow His mercy upon you, the reader, and myself, that He shall forgive us our sins and admit us into His highest paradise.
Peace and salutations upon His Beloved Messenger Mohammed, and his companions, and his family, and those that followed them.
I humbly dedicate this essay to the memory of my own parents, who brought me into this world, and sustained through many hardships and heartaches to help guide me towards adulthood. If it weren't for their kindness and loving support and guidance, perhaps I would not be the person that I am today. Of course, it is Allah alone who guides one to Islam or astray, and I cannot convey my thanks and praises enough to Him for having guided me to Islam.
It is said in Alalh's Book:
'And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them, but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wings of submission and humility through mercy, and say: 'My Lord bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.' ' (s. 17, v. 23-24).
The basic idea of these verses is directing us towards respectful and kind behavior towards our parents. And the key initiating factor in this is to be dutiful towards them, indicating that our respect of them and kindness towards them is indeed a duty we owe them; i.e., their rights upon us. It is not only an act of kindness that we treat them with respect and in a good manner, but it is in fact a duty we owe them. And if we ignore this and treat them otherwise, we are then doing ourselves harm by entering into a grave sin by outrightly disobeying a direct command from Allah.
Allah's Book says:
'And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years-give thanks to Me and to your parents.' (s. 31, v. 14)
Narrated Abdullah bin Mas'ud(Allahu radhi anhu): I asked Allah's Messenger(Salla Allahu alaihi wa salam), 'Which of the deeds is best loved by Allah?' Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, 'As-Salat (the prayer) at it's proper time.' I asked, 'What next?' He (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) replied, 'Kindness to the parents.' I asked, 'What next?' He replied, 'Jihad in the way of Allah.' (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) (Riyadh-As-Saliheen, v. 1, p. 295, #312)
To disobey one's parents is regarded as one of the major sins (al-Kaba'ir). And to accentuate the serious severity of this sin, it is important for us to note that it is mentioned among the first five of those major sins, usually mentioned immediately after that of associating partners with Allah. But we must also remember that we have been told by our prophet(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) that there is no acceptance towards obeying any of Allah's creatures in something which is in direct disobedience of Allah. So, we must also keep in mind that if our own parents demand of us something which is in disobedience to Allah's commands, then we are not to obey their wishes in this respect. But, if we must disobey them in such a case, we should still treat them with the utmost respect and kindness and dignity, while turning to Allah in obedience to Him and His commands.
Narrated Abdullah bin'Amr bin Al-'As (radhi Allahu anhuma): Allah's Messenger (sallah Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, '(Of the) major sins are to join partners with Allah in worship, to disobey parents, to murder someone and to take a false oath (personally).' (Al-Bukhari) (Riyadh As-Saliheen, v. 1, p. 315, #337.
It is also evident that to spend time and energy in taking care of and helping one's parents is equivalent to or perhaps even greater than jihad.
Narrated Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As (radhi Allahu anhuma): A man came to Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) and said, 'I swear allegiance to you for emigration and jihad, seeking reward only from Allah.' He (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, 'Is any of your parents alive?' He said, 'Yes, of course, both of them are alive.' He (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) then asked, 'Do you want to seek reward from Allah?' He replied in the affirmative. Thereupon Allah's Messenger(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, 'Go back to your parents and accord them kind treatment (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
In another narration it is reported that a person came to Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) and sought his permission to participate in jihad. The Prophet(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) asked, 'Are your parents alive?' He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, '(You should) consider their service as jihad.' (Riyadh As-Saliheen, v. 1, p. 302, #321)
It is important also to remember that although we have been commanded to not only respect our parents and treat them with kindness, we have also been commanded to obey their commands. But that does not go to the extent of obeying them if they may command us to do something in disobedience towards Allah and His commands. There is no obedience to any of Allah's creatures when that may entail disobeying Allah's commands. So, if our parents command or direct us to something which is in disobedience of Allah and His commands, we should not do it. But we should rather refrain from it in quite form, keeping in mind to treat them with respect and dignity all the while.
Please return with me now to re-examine the verse quoted at the beginning. I would like to emphasize the section where it is said '…say not to them a word of disrespect…' The original Arabic here goes 'wa laa taqul lahuma uff' (and don't say to them 'uff').
Note that one of the great majestical wonders and miraculous nature of Islam and the Quran is the original language of the Arabic in which it was first revealed. The basic nature of this language is what is called in Arabic as 'jawaami-al-kalaam'. Translated, that means that the basic quality of the language lends itself towards giving a very broad and deep meaning using a very condensed pressurized wording. That means that in translating the meanings of the words revealed, it takes much wording of explanation to try to reveal or explain the meaning. And even then, we may miss some of the meaning in that translation. Even for those who's language is Arabic, many times more wording is necessary to convey the more extensive meaning of the condensed manner of wording. This is what is meant by the miraculous nature of 'jawami-al-kalaam'.
Keeping all this in mind, I return once again to the wording of the verse, in which it is mentioned: 'wa laa taqul lahuma uff'. Translated, it usually reads something like: 'and do not say to them a word of disrespect'. But the Arabic says only: 'do not say to them 'uff''. In Arabic, the word 'uff' itself consists of only two letters. It's pronunciation is 'uff' with a soft 'f' at the end, similar to the English word 'off'. The word 'uff' itself is more an expression than it is a word. An expression to show one's disgust or unhappiness or perhaps even impatience with someone or something or a situation. A person may feel tired or worn out or simply impatient, and then they exhale, and with that outgoing breathe, they say 'uff', relieving a bit of that pressure building up inside. It is human nature, and most generally, all of us go through this from time to time. It is difficult to suppress. And it is alright for one to release that build up of pressure when we need to.
But, we must take care to know when and where to do so, so as not only not to be offensive or hurtful towards those around us, but also as a protection for ourselves so that we may not inadvertently encrue accumulation of sins upon ourselves. For surely, to even make the simplest exhalation with the expression 'uff' in response to our parents is a sin indeed.
Then what about those who dare to talk back to their parents in anger, or even some kind of defense or opposition towards their ideas or demands?
My dear brethren-as I'm sure those of you who have become parents themselves now know or are learning for themselves, your parents have gone through many hardships for you. And it is their right granted to them by Allah that you treat them with the utmost respect and kindness. So you should treat them in the proper manner as decreed by Allah, in the hopes that you will gain Allah's pleasure in doing so by obeying His command in this matter; and also in the hopes that you will be treated with respect and kindness by your own children when you yourselves reach old age.
Allah says in His Book:
'And let those who oppose the Messenger's commandment (i.e., his sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements) (among the sects) beware, lest some fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant) should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.' (s. 24, v. 63)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (Allahu radhi anhu): Allah's Messenger(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said: 'Verily, Allah the Exalted became angry, and His Anger is provoked if a person does that which Allah has declared unlawful.' (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) (Riyadh As-Saliheen, v. 2, p. 1347, #1806)
It is incumbent upon us all to learn and then obey the commandments of Allah, so that we may gain His pleasure and avoid His wrath, and we shall then reap the greatest reward of gaining access to His Heavens.
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficient, Most Merciful, Creator of the Heavens and Earth and all that lies in them, Sustainer of all life, He who has the Power over all things. I praise and thank Him with the most generous and sincere praises and thanks for all that He has blessed me with, and humbly ask that He shall bestow His mercy upon you, the reader, and myself, that He shall forgive us our sins and admit us into His highest paradise.
Peace and salutations upon His Beloved Messenger Mohammed, and his companions, and his family, and those that followed them.
I humbly dedicate this essay to the memory of my own parents, who brought me into this world, and sustained through many hardships and heartaches to help guide me towards adulthood. If it weren't for their kindness and loving support and guidance, perhaps I would not be the person that I am today. Of course, it is Allah alone who guides one to Islam or astray, and I cannot convey my thanks and praises enough to Him for having guided me to Islam.
It is said in Alalh's Book:
'And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them, but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wings of submission and humility through mercy, and say: 'My Lord bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.' ' (s. 17, v. 23-24).
The basic idea of these verses is directing us towards respectful and kind behavior towards our parents. And the key initiating factor in this is to be dutiful towards them, indicating that our respect of them and kindness towards them is indeed a duty we owe them; i.e., their rights upon us. It is not only an act of kindness that we treat them with respect and in a good manner, but it is in fact a duty we owe them. And if we ignore this and treat them otherwise, we are then doing ourselves harm by entering into a grave sin by outrightly disobeying a direct command from Allah.
Allah's Book says:
'And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years-give thanks to Me and to your parents.' (s. 31, v. 14)
Narrated Abdullah bin Mas'ud(Allahu radhi anhu): I asked Allah's Messenger(Salla Allahu alaihi wa salam), 'Which of the deeds is best loved by Allah?' Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, 'As-Salat (the prayer) at it's proper time.' I asked, 'What next?' He (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) replied, 'Kindness to the parents.' I asked, 'What next?' He replied, 'Jihad in the way of Allah.' (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) (Riyadh-As-Saliheen, v. 1, p. 295, #312)
To disobey one's parents is regarded as one of the major sins (al-Kaba'ir). And to accentuate the serious severity of this sin, it is important for us to note that it is mentioned among the first five of those major sins, usually mentioned immediately after that of associating partners with Allah. But we must also remember that we have been told by our prophet(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) that there is no acceptance towards obeying any of Allah's creatures in something which is in direct disobedience of Allah. So, we must also keep in mind that if our own parents demand of us something which is in disobedience to Allah's commands, then we are not to obey their wishes in this respect. But, if we must disobey them in such a case, we should still treat them with the utmost respect and kindness and dignity, while turning to Allah in obedience to Him and His commands.
Narrated Abdullah bin'Amr bin Al-'As (radhi Allahu anhuma): Allah's Messenger (sallah Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, '(Of the) major sins are to join partners with Allah in worship, to disobey parents, to murder someone and to take a false oath (personally).' (Al-Bukhari) (Riyadh As-Saliheen, v. 1, p. 315, #337.
It is also evident that to spend time and energy in taking care of and helping one's parents is equivalent to or perhaps even greater than jihad.
Narrated Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As (radhi Allahu anhuma): A man came to Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) and said, 'I swear allegiance to you for emigration and jihad, seeking reward only from Allah.' He (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, 'Is any of your parents alive?' He said, 'Yes, of course, both of them are alive.' He (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) then asked, 'Do you want to seek reward from Allah?' He replied in the affirmative. Thereupon Allah's Messenger(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, 'Go back to your parents and accord them kind treatment (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
In another narration it is reported that a person came to Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) and sought his permission to participate in jihad. The Prophet(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) asked, 'Are your parents alive?' He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said, '(You should) consider their service as jihad.' (Riyadh As-Saliheen, v. 1, p. 302, #321)
It is important also to remember that although we have been commanded to not only respect our parents and treat them with kindness, we have also been commanded to obey their commands. But that does not go to the extent of obeying them if they may command us to do something in disobedience towards Allah and His commands. There is no obedience to any of Allah's creatures when that may entail disobeying Allah's commands. So, if our parents command or direct us to something which is in disobedience of Allah and His commands, we should not do it. But we should rather refrain from it in quite form, keeping in mind to treat them with respect and dignity all the while.
Please return with me now to re-examine the verse quoted at the beginning. I would like to emphasize the section where it is said '…say not to them a word of disrespect…' The original Arabic here goes 'wa laa taqul lahuma uff' (and don't say to them 'uff').
Note that one of the great majestical wonders and miraculous nature of Islam and the Quran is the original language of the Arabic in which it was first revealed. The basic nature of this language is what is called in Arabic as 'jawaami-al-kalaam'. Translated, that means that the basic quality of the language lends itself towards giving a very broad and deep meaning using a very condensed pressurized wording. That means that in translating the meanings of the words revealed, it takes much wording of explanation to try to reveal or explain the meaning. And even then, we may miss some of the meaning in that translation. Even for those who's language is Arabic, many times more wording is necessary to convey the more extensive meaning of the condensed manner of wording. This is what is meant by the miraculous nature of 'jawami-al-kalaam'.
Keeping all this in mind, I return once again to the wording of the verse, in which it is mentioned: 'wa laa taqul lahuma uff'. Translated, it usually reads something like: 'and do not say to them a word of disrespect'. But the Arabic says only: 'do not say to them 'uff''. In Arabic, the word 'uff' itself consists of only two letters. It's pronunciation is 'uff' with a soft 'f' at the end, similar to the English word 'off'. The word 'uff' itself is more an expression than it is a word. An expression to show one's disgust or unhappiness or perhaps even impatience with someone or something or a situation. A person may feel tired or worn out or simply impatient, and then they exhale, and with that outgoing breathe, they say 'uff', relieving a bit of that pressure building up inside. It is human nature, and most generally, all of us go through this from time to time. It is difficult to suppress. And it is alright for one to release that build up of pressure when we need to.
But, we must take care to know when and where to do so, so as not only not to be offensive or hurtful towards those around us, but also as a protection for ourselves so that we may not inadvertently encrue accumulation of sins upon ourselves. For surely, to even make the simplest exhalation with the expression 'uff' in response to our parents is a sin indeed.
Then what about those who dare to talk back to their parents in anger, or even some kind of defense or opposition towards their ideas or demands?
My dear brethren-as I'm sure those of you who have become parents themselves now know or are learning for themselves, your parents have gone through many hardships for you. And it is their right granted to them by Allah that you treat them with the utmost respect and kindness. So you should treat them in the proper manner as decreed by Allah, in the hopes that you will gain Allah's pleasure in doing so by obeying His command in this matter; and also in the hopes that you will be treated with respect and kindness by your own children when you yourselves reach old age.
Allah says in His Book:
'And let those who oppose the Messenger's commandment (i.e., his sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements) (among the sects) beware, lest some fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant) should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.' (s. 24, v. 63)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (Allahu radhi anhu): Allah's Messenger(salla Allahu alaihi wa salam) said: 'Verily, Allah the Exalted became angry, and His Anger is provoked if a person does that which Allah has declared unlawful.' (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) (Riyadh As-Saliheen, v. 2, p. 1347, #1806)
It is incumbent upon us all to learn and then obey the commandments of Allah, so that we may gain His pleasure and avoid His wrath, and we shall then reap the greatest reward of gaining access to His Heavens.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)