Story of a pious woman at the time of Ferawoon

On the Prophet Muhammad's (sul Allahu alayhi wassalaam) Night Journey
to Jerusalem:
The Prophet (sul Allahu alayhi wassalaam) smelled a very nice odor. He
asked Jibril about this pleasant scent and Jibril informed him this
good smell was coming from the grave of the woman whose duty used to
be to comb Pharaoh's daughter's hair.
This woman was a good, pious believer. One day, asshe was combing
Pharaoh's daughter's hair,the comb fell from her hand. At this she
said,"Bismillah." Pharaoh's daughter asked her, "Do you have a god
other than my father?" The woman said, "Yes. My Lord and the Lord of
your father is Allah." Pharaoh's daughter told her father what had
happened. Pharaoh demanded this woman blaspheme and leave Islam, but
she refused. At that, Pharaoh threatened to kill her children.
He brought a great pot of water and built a great fire under it. When
the water boiled, Pharaoh brought her children and started to drop
them into that pot one after the other. Throughout all this,the woman
remained steadfast to Islam, even when Pharaoh reached her youngest
child--a little boy still breast feeding--but she felt pity for him.
At that, Allah enabled this child to speak. He said to his mother, "O
Mother, be patient. The torture of theHereafter is far more severe
than the torture of this life, and do not be reluctant, because you
areright."
At this the woman requested Pharaoh collecther bones and the bones of
her children and bury them in the same grave. Pharaoh promised her
that--then dropped her into that boiling water. She died as a martyr.
The good odor the Prophet (sul Allahu alayhi wassalaam) smelled coming
from her grave is an indication of her high status.
[May Allah make us like these people.]

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Old story: A Veil on the Truth

A few privileged Afghan women have been caught smiling for AP cameras,
but many Afghan women, men and children are silently dying behind the
burqa of U.S. deceit.
The facts are simple. Massive food distribution programs put in place
prior to 9-11 in response to widespread famine were derailed by the
anticipation of and then the actual U.S. bombing campaign, and have
been even further set back by the Taliban's retreat. According to the
New YorkTimes (11/30/01), "In the past two weeks, the tonnage [of aid]
delivered dropped to a pace less than half of what it had been in the
previous two weeks." The problem is that the "towns and cities are so
chaotic that relief agencies cannot safely operate. Many roads are off
limits because of lawlessness and banditry."
Those of us who opposed the U.S. war in A fghanistan nevertheless saw
its apparent rapid resolution as an opportunity to at least get much
needed supplies intothe country. Having routedthe enemy, perhaps the
United States would stop the bombing, allowing food trucks to move in
from across the border. But, instead, the opposite is true. As of this
writing (December 5), the bombing continues, civilian populations are
leftat the mercy of maraudinggangs, and food aid dwindles.
There are a few simple things we could do that would immediately turn
down the torture in Afghanistan.
First, the U.S. should stop bombing. There is no real accounting yet
of the civilian casualty rate, but reports in the last few days claim
that U.S. bombshit four villages near Tora Bora, possibly killing
hundreds (NYT 12/3/01). This is an unethical and illegal use of U.S.
firepower. If it's Osama binLaden who we are still after, it is never
too late toapprehend him in a manner that accords with international
law -- present proper evidence and allow the UN to mount a prudent,
ground-based multilateral campaign to capture him. In any case, since
there is no Afghan enemy mounting any kind of defense or engaging in
battle, there is no excuse for large-scale bombings --whether directed
by the U.S. or the UN.
Second, the bridge to Uzbekistan, which is a key passage for aid
trucks, should be secured. And weshould meet Uzbekistan's demand that
an international force providesecurity at their Afghan border. Instead
American military officials are sayingthat although they"recognize the
urgency of opening the bridge from Uzbekistan, [U.S.] troops will not
be protecting the border."
There is callous disregard for human life in this casual
acknowledgement of the urgency. American officials understand the
consequences of their inactivity, but are blithely sitting back and
saying they want Afghan forces --not foreign troops -- to police the
roadways, whenthe only Afghan forces thatexist in the country
are"lawless bandits," and it is American officials themselves that
installed them. Having destabilized the country to the point where it
is not even safe for aid trucks to travel, it seems the U.S. is
washing its hands of the disaster.
If only that were the case.
Instead, the U.S. is actually blocking efforts to bring inthe very
peacekeepers thatmight secure the roads and borders, and facilitate
the transport of life-savingaid. Buried in an article about how the
Northern Alliance, during negotiations in Bonn, finally relented on
allowing foreign peacekeepers into the country, the Boston Globe
(11/30/01) reported that some U.S. officials believe peacekeepers will
be a nuisance to their unilateralconduct of the war. "Citing Bush
Administration officials, the Washington Post reported that `the
U.S.Central Command, which oversees the war in Afghanistan, is
opposing the imminent deployment of peacekeepers in areas freed from
Taliban control out of concern this could encumber U.S. military
operations.'"
In a New York Times article (12/3/01) about theBonn negotiations, a
brief aside mentions the"Pentagon's unwillingness to take part in any
peacekeeping force or to favor placing peacekeepersanywhere where they
could get in the way of thewar against Al Qaeda." Specifically, since
November 12 when the Northern Alliance took Kabul, the Pentagon has
blocked proposals by France and Britain to send thousands of troops to
secure Kabul, the northern half of the country, and aidroutes. On
December 4, thePentagon said it would"not object to peacekeepers
confined to Kabul and its immediate vicinity" -- a concession that is
mostly symbolic (only 200 peacekeepers will be admitted) and is
nonetheless entirely irrelevant to ensuring open channels for aid
(NYT12/5/01).

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When you’re weary and alone, let faith carry you

There are times when we're alone, discouraged, and just plain weary.
Times when it seems like there's no one left who matters.
That's when faith counts more than ever. That's when faith is tested.
Don't give up. Keep hope in your heart. Remember that in the darkest
cave, the deepest canyon, the most barren desert, Allah is still
there.
Let faith carry you at thosetimes, and let Allah guide you, and you
will come through to a better place. It's a promise from Allah:
"And whoever is conscious of Allah, He will make for him a way out
(from every difficulty). And He will provide for him from (sources) he
never could imagine. And whoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will
suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Indeed Allah
has sent a measure for all things." (Quran: 65/2-3)

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2b] Repentance in Ramadhan

2b]
I advise you, my friend, to catch up with good peoplewho will benefit
you even after you die by Allah's Leave by making du'aa for you. Catch
up with them and keep company with them wherever they come and go; be
patient with them until you meet your Lord, then it may be said to you
and to them:
"Salaamun 'Alaykum (peace be upon you) for you persevered in patience!
Excellent indeed is the final home!" [al-Ra'ad 13:24 interpretation of
themeaning]
A story and an attitude
There was a man who waswith the righteous, then he left them and
started tofall short in his religious commitments. One day he was
going on a trip, and his car overturned on the road. He was
resuscitated, then he died.
The sad news came. We prayed over him, and he was taken and placed in
his grave. His grave was filled with bricks and earth, and he would
never come back. Tears flowed and hearts were filled withgrief. One of
the righteous people, I think he was righteous, but Allah knowsbest
and I do not praise anyone before Allah, who was one of his former
friends, sat by his grave with his head bowed, making du'aa for him.
Thus I knew what kind of friends could benefit a man after his death.
My brother, beware lest you become one of those of whom Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) the Day when the Dhaalim (wrongdoer, oppressor,
polytheist) will bite at his hands, he will say:
"Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger (Muhammad).
"Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so and so as a Khaleel
(an intimate friend)!
He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (this Qur'aan) after it had
come to me."
And Shaytaan (Satan) is to man ever a deserter in the hour of need"
[al-Furqaan 25:27-29]
Before the door is closed
My dear brother, before the door is closed, decide from now, and do
not delay, the path that you want to follow, which will be your path
in this world and in the Hereafter.
What great joy and happiness is to be found when a person comes backto
his Lord, regretting (his sin) and joining the caravan of the
righteous. By Allah it is joy which no one tastes except those who
experience this.
My brother in Allah, if you have resolved to repent and turn back to
your Lord, then know that thereare conditions which must be met when
repenting:
1- Regret for what is past.
2- Giving up the sin.
3- Resolving not to go back to it. But if you do it again, then repent
to Allahagain but your resolve must be genuine.
4- The repentance must come before the death-rattle reaches the throat
and before the sun rises in the west.

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