Horse of Paradise, Islamic Stories - ,

Horse of Paradise
Hadrat Abu Ayyub Ansari(RA) reports that a desertArab came to the Holy
Prophet (SAW) and submitted: "O Prophet ofAllah, I am very fond of
horses. Will there be horses in heaven?" The Holy Prophet observed:"If
you were sent to Paradise, you would be given a horse made of emerald.
The horse will have two wings. You would mount the horse and it would
fly you to where ever it might be your pleasure to go." Source:
Tirmidhi.
This horse will be an aircraft in Heaven. The worldly aircraft is
designed like a fish, whereas the heavenly aircraft will be in the
form of a horse. The worldly aircraft is made of aluminum; the
heavenly aeroplane will be made of emerald!

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Last Sermon

THE LAST SERMON OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD (peace be upon him)
This sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul-Hijjah, 10 A.H.(632
CE) in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat in Makkah. It was the
occasion of the annual rites of Hajj (the pilgrimage). It is also
known as the Farewell Pilgrimage.
After praising, and thanking Allah (The One True God) the Prophet
began with the words:
"O People! lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this
year I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen carefullyto
what I am saying and Take These Words to Those Who Could Not Be
Present Here Today.
"O People! just as you regard this month, this day, this city as
Sacred, soregard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred
trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed
meet your LORD, and that he will indeed reckon your deeds.
"Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all
interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours
to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has
Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due
to Abbas ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib (Prophet's uncle) be waived.
"Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth
waived and the first such right that I waive is that arising fromthe
murder of Rabiah ibnal-Harithiah.
"O Men! the unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calender in
order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to prohibit
which Allah has made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve in
number. Four of them are holy, three ofthese are successive and one
occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban.
"Beware of Satan, for thesafety of your religion. He has lost all hope
of that he will be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of
following him in small things.
"O People! it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your
women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken
them as your wivesonly under Allah's trust and with His permission. If
they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and
clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for
they are yourpartners and committed helpers. And it is your right that
they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as
well as never to be unchaste.
"O People! listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily
prayers, fast during month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in
Zakat(obligatory charity). Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
"All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a
non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white
has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over
white except by piety and goodaction. Learn that every Muslim is a
brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one
brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to
a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly.
"Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you
will meet Allah and answer your deeds. So beware, do not astray from
the path of righteousness after I am gone.
"O People! No Prophet or Apostle Will Come after Me and No New Faith
WillBe Born. Reason well, therefore, O People! and understand words
which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QUR'AN and my
SUNNAH (i.e., sayings, deeds, and approvals) and if you follow these
you will never go astray.
"All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those
to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than
those who listen to me directly.
"Be my witness O Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people."
As part of this sermon, the Prophet recited them a Revelation from
Allah which he had just received and which completed the Qur'an, forit
was the last passage to be revealed:
This day the disbelievers despair of prevailing against your religion,
so fear them not, but fear Me (Allah)! This day have Iperfected for
you your religion and fulfilled My favor unto you, and it hath been My
good pleasure to choose Islam for you as your religion (Surah 5, Ayah
3).
The sermon was repeated sentence by sentence by Safwan's brother
Rabiah (RA), whohad a powerful voice, at the request of the Prophet
and he faithfully proclaimed to over ten thousand gathered on the
occasion. Toward the end of his sermon, the Prophet asked "O
people,have I faithfully deliveredunto you my message?" Apowerful
murmur of assent "O Allah, yes!", arose from thousands of pilgrims and
the vibrant words "Allahumma na'm"rolled like thunder throughout the
valley. The Prophet raised his forefinger and said: "Be my witness O
Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people."
Allah: Allah is the proper name in Arabic for The One and Only God,
The Creator and Sustainer of the universe. It is used bythe Arab
Christians and Jews for the God (Eloh-imin Hebrew; 'Allaha' in
Aramaic, the mother tongue of Jesus). The word Allah does not havea
plural or gender. Allah does not have any associate or partner, and He
does not beget nor was He begotten. SWT is an abbreviation of
Arabicwords that mean 'Glory Be To Him.'
s or pbuh: Peace Be UponHim. This expression is used for all Prophets of Allah.

Why Are We So Divided?

WHY ARE WE SO DIVIDED?
... Because of Shirk, innovations and leaving the Sunnah
All Praise is for Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) Lord of all the
creation and May His peace and Blessings be upon is last Prophet
Muhammad (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) and upon the Prophet's
(sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) family and upon the companions and on
all those who follow the path of guidance until the last day.
We saw in last weeks issue that without doubt the Muslim Ummah is in
adivided and fragmented state and that this division is prohibited in
Islaam. Rather Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has enjoined upon us to
hold onto the rope of Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala), which we
established is the Qur'aanand the Sunnah as understood by the
Companions. But how didwe reach this state in the first place, what
causes disunity?
Shirk - Associating partners in worship with Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala)
Without doubt one of themajor causes for people splitting up the
religion and leaving holding on to the rope of Allaah (subhaanahu wa
ta'aala) is shirk. This is the grave sin of ascribing partners with
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) in worship. Today throughout the world
there are numerous examples of shirk amongst the Ummah, such as those
who call upon the dead in the grave. Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala)
says:
"And invoke not besides Allaah anything that will neither profit you
nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one
of the Dhalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers)." [Surah Yoonus 10:106]
Verily Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has created us to worshipHim
alone, as He (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankindexcept that they
should worship Me (Alone)." [Surah adh-Dhaariyaat 51:56]
So the one who gives worship to other than Allaah (subhaanahu wa
ta'aala) has he not committed the most severe sin. Allaah (subhaanahu
wa ta'aala) says:
"Verily! Allaah forgives not (the sin of) setting uppartners (in
worship) with Him, but He forgiveswhom He wills sins other than that."
[Surah an-Nisaa 4:116]
It is reported that Ibn Masood (radhi-Allaahu 'anhu) asked the
Prophet(sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam):
"Which is the Greatest sin?" The Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam) said: "That you set up a rival for Allaah, While He is the one
who created you." [Bukhaaree]
O noble reader it will not be hidden from you that throughout the
world Muslims are stooped in such practices of calling upon the dead
saint in the grave, asking him to remove their difficulty whether it
be Abdul Qaadir al Jeelanee or al Badawee or other peoplewho's graves
have been made places of worship. How can unity be achieved amongst
the Muslims when some Muslims cannot unify their worship for Allaah
(subhaanahu wa ta'aala) alone? O noble reader consider the following,
how many Muslims:
Wear Amulets and charms, despite the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam) saying:
"Whoever wears an amulet has committed shirk." [Ahmad]
Read astrology in magazines or go to fortune tellers, despite the
Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) saying:
"Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him something and believes
in his words, willhave his prayers rejected for forty days." [Muslim]
So while all these non-Islaamic beliefs and practices are present
amongst the Muslims how can unity take place? Is not our first
obligation to give da'wah to those Muslims who are stooped in
thesepractices? Thereby callingto tawheed as all 124,000Prophets from
Aadam (alayhi-salam) to the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)
did. They all began their call to the people with Tawheed -
worshipping Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) alone.
Having incorrect beliefs
Another major reason fordisunity is the wide range of beliefs
prevalent amongst the Muslims. Despite us having the same Qur'aan and
the same Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), Muslims still
havedifferent beliefs. Why is this? If we all are referring back to
the Qur'aan and the Sunnah in every matter then whythe differences.
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"(And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to
Allaah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), if you
believe in Allaah and in the Last Day. That is better and more
suitable for final determination." [Surah an-Nisaa 4:59]
So verily O noble reader, imagine if every Muslim acted upon this ayah
- would there be any differences then? NO , except maybe in the issues
of fiqh, such as the prayer. But our beliefs and methodology would be
one, so why is this notthe case? It is because many Muslims today do
not refer every issue backto Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) and His
Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), ratherthey ask their local
Imaam or their parents or refer it back to their madhab.
Know O noble reader thatthe first thing that all the Prophets called
to was the rectification of the beliefs, before calling to the
Islaamic state or to Jihaad, the first thing was purifying the beliefs
of the Muslim. So how can we have unity while there are Muslims who
believe:
That Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) is everywhere, despite Allaah
(subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"They fear their Lord Who is above them, and they do what they are
commanded." [Surah an-Nahl 16:50]
That the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was not human and was
made from light,despite Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"Say (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam): 'I am only a human
being like you. It is revealed to me that your Ilaah (God worthy of
being worshipped) is One Ilaah (God)." [Surah Fussilat 41:6]
That the saying of an Imaam should be acted upon over the hadeeth,
despite Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"And let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad sal-Allaahu
'alayhe wa sallam) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah) beware, lest some
Fitnah (trials i.e. shirk) should befall them or a painful torment be
inflicted on them." [Surah an-Noor 24:63]
That Imaan does not increase or decrease, despite the Prophet
(sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) saying:
"Imaan has seventy odd or sixty odd branches. The most virtuous of
them is the statement, 'There is none worthy of worship except
Allaah', and the slightest of them is to remove something harmful from
the road. And hayaa is a branch of Imaan." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]
Bid'ah - Innovations in the religion
Another cause for disunity and not holding fast to the rope of Allaah
(subhaanahu wa ta'aala) is the occurrence of innovations in this
Ummah.
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has informed us in the Qur'aan that He
has completed this religion of Islaam for us as He (subhaanahu wa
ta'aala) says:
"This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour
upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion." [Surah
al-Maa'idah, 5:3]
Since the religion is complete how can it be that we need to add
newthings and ways of worship to Islaam? Whatever was not part ofthe
religion at the time of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)
cannot be accepted as a part of the religion now. The Prophet
(sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) has warned us against adding new
things to thereligion when he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Whoever Innovates in this affair of ours that which is not from it
will have it rejected." [Muslim]
The people who propose unity at all costs have a saying that 'An
innovation that unites us is better than a Sunnah which divides'.
SubhanAllaah look at such a statement O noble reader, innovations are
grave and serious and a cause for entering the fire as he (sal-Allaahu
'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"... and every innovation is misguidance and all misguidance is in the
Hellfire." [Reported by an-Nasaa'ee (1/224)]
So if someone said to youlook there is a fire over there, lets all
hold hands and unify and then go in to it, you would think they were
crazy! So how can we come together upon something as dangerous as
innovations, such as the innovations of mystics, who practice all
kinds of weird and innovated invocations, which at times involve
switching off the lights or chanting one of Allaah's name so that
after some time what they are chanting isunrecognizable as a name of
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala).Or the innovations of those who take
their scholars as 'spiritual leaders' giving their allegiance to them
and 'selling' themselves to these 'scholars' obeying everything they
say. How O noble reader can unity occur amongst all the Muslims as
long as these practices, which have nothing to do with Islaam, keep
occurring?
Blind following and Partisanship
This is one of the most evil of occurrences today and a major cause
for disunity. Muslims are following their madhahab or their scholars
over and above the Sunnah of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam) despite Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"And whosoever opposesthe Messenger (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, andfollows
other than the believers' way, We shall keep him in the path he has
chosen, and burn himin Hell - what an evil destination!" [Surah
an-Nisaa 4:115]
When you tell Muslims that 'you should do this because it says so in
the Qur'aan and the Sunnah',they reply 'well that's notwhat it says in
my madhab' or 'that's not what my Shaykh says'. SubhanAllaah, O noble
reader why did Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) send us His final
Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) if it was not to teach us
the religion of Islaam.
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O
Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) judge in all disputes between
them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and
accept (them) with full submission." [Surah an-Nisaa 4:65]
No Muslim will openly sayI am disobeying the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
'alayhe wa sallam), but how many of us ask for the proof on issues of
beliefs and practices and look to see what is the truth.
Another problem is the setting up of groups and parties with members,
then being loyal only to that party, believing in the beliefs and aims
of that party - not questioning it. Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has
warned against this:
"And be not of Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists). Of those who split their
religion, and became sects, each group rejoicing in that which is with
it." [Surah ar-Room 30:31-32]
Setting up groups is a cause for disunity and spreads hatred amongst
the Muslims so that a Muslim from one group will not give salaam to a
Muslim from another group just because they belong to different
groups. Or a group from one masjid will not like Muslims from another
masjid to come and pray in their mosque. All this stems from
partisanship and it divides the Ummah. Unity will not occur whilst
Muslims are in this state rather unity will occur when an end isput to
partisanship (hizbiyyah) and Muslims love each other because they are
all have the same aims, beliefs and practices.
The Means for Revival
Having looked at the reason why we are so divided, the question now
arises as to what themeans for reviving this Ummah are. Allaah
(subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has given us the means for the revival of this
Ummah, when He (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"Verily! Allaah will not change the condition of a people until they
change what is within themselves." [Surah ar-Ra'd 13:11]
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) also said:
"When you involve yourselves in interest bearing business
transactions, and you hold on to the tails of cows, and you are
pleased with agriculture (i.e. the land) and you abandon making Jihaad
in the Cause of Allaah, Allaah will send humiliation down upon you. He
will not remove itfrom you until you returnback to your Religion."
[Abu Dawood and al-Bayhaqee]
So this humiliation that Muslims are under will not be removed from us
until we return back to the religion of Islaam. So what is the
religion of Islaam if not Tawheed, having the correct Aqeedah,
worshipping Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) correctly? So should we not
start our revival with these issues.
So just as the condition of the Arabs during the Days of Ignorance
(Jaahiliyyah) was not rectified except by the coming of their Prophet
Muhammad (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) with revelation from the
heavens, which aided them in this world and which will save them in
the next, then know O noble reader the foundation that the Islaamic
revival must be built upon in this time, is nothing else but the
return to the Qur'aan andthe Sunnah, as implemented by the noble
companions.
We know from the Book of Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) and the Sunnah
of His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) that the way towards
realising this revival is only one way, and it is the way which Allaah
(subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has mentioned inHis (subhaanahu wa ta'aala)
saying:
"And verily, this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not
(other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path." [Surah
al-An'aam 6:153]
The Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) explained this
to his Companions. Thus, one day he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)
drew a straight line for them on the ground and then drew short lines
on the sides of it. Then, while his(sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)
noble finger moved up and down the straight line, he (sal-Allaahu
'alayhe wa sallam) recited the aforementioned verse. Then he
(sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) pointed to the lines that were drawn
on the sides of the straight line and said:
"This is the Path of Allaah and these are the (other) paths. At the
top of each of these (other) ways, there is a devil calling towards
it." [Authentic hadeeth, graded in Dhilaal-ul-Jannah fee Takhreej-is
Sunnah(16-17)]
Furthermore, Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"And whosoever opposesthe Messenger (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, andfollows
other than the believers' way, We shall keep him in the path he has
chosen, and burn himin Hell - what an evil destination!" [Surah
an-Nisaa 4:115]
In this ayah there is profound and extensive wisdom, for Allaah
(subhaanahu wa ta'aala),has connected the "the believers' way" to what
the Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) came with. The Messenger
(sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) has (also) indicated this pointin the
hadeeth about the splitting up of the Ummah into sects. When he
(sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was asked concerning the saved sect,
he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) responded: "That which (adheres to
what) I and my companions are upontoday."
What then is the wisdom behind Allaah's mentioning of "the believers'
way" in this ayah? And what is the significance in the Messenger of
Allaah's (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) linking of his companions to
himself in the previous hadeeth?
The answer is: These noble Companions (radhi-Allaahu 'anhum) were the
ones who received the two revelations (i.e. the Qur'aan and Sunnah)
from the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), having
that explained to them by him (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)
directly, without there being any intermediary. They best knew how to
implement the Sunnah, so after knowing this O noble reader can any
Islaamic revival take place when the way of the Companions
(radhi-Allaahu 'anhum) is abandoned and not adhered to, rather No it
can not. For us to revive Islaam and bring unity to the Muslims we
must adopt the way and example of the Noble Companions (radhi-Allaahu
'anhum).
Imaam Maalik (rahima-hullaah) said:
"The latter part of this Ummah will not be rectified except by that
which rectified its formerpart." [ash-Shifaa of Qaadee 'Iyyaadh,
(2/676)]
So it will be clear to the reader that the only way to revive the
Ummah is toreturn every affair of the Muslim back to the Qur'aan and
the Sunnah as understood and implemented by the best generation, the
Companions (radhi-Allaahu 'anhum). To believe as they believed, to
worship as they worshipped, to look like them, to give da'wah in the
way they gave it. Then only will we be united and have a true Islaamic
revival.
So dear noble brothers and sisters your Lord (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says....
"Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be
affected by Allaah's Reminder (this Qur'aan), and that which has been
revealed of the truth." [Surah al-Hadeed 57:16]

Free Hidayah

Bismillahir-Rahma-nir-Raheem
"The true believers are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger
and, afterward, doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their
lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere."
We call ourselves believers--Muslims. Our parents are Muslims, our
grandparents are Muslims, our ancestorsembraced Islam, the adhan was
called out in our ears, we believe in Allah, but is that what really
makes us Muslims? The word"Islam" means to submit; submission to the
will of Allah, as the above ayah summarizes. A Muslim is one who
submits to Allah in His obedience. A true Muslim is one who submits
fully to Allah in obeying Him and striving for His pleasure in all
circumstances, situations, misfortunes, or good times during one's
journey through life. A Muslim is not one who has a Muslim name or one
who was born intoIslam or one who simple recited shahadah.
"It is not righteousnessto turn your faces to the east or the west,
but righteous is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day and the
angels and the books and the messengers; who spend of their wealth for
love of Him to the kinsfolk and the orphans and the needyand the
wayfarer and for those who ask and who free slaves; who observe proper
worship and pay the poor due (zakah/charity) and fulfill promises when
they make one and who are patient in times of tribulation and
adversity and times of stress. Such are the sincere. Such are the
God-fearing." (Suratul Baqarah 2:177)
We, who accepted Islam as our faith, havereceived free hidayah, free
iman, free belief, the right to follow our religion the way it
wasprescribed to us by Allah, without any interruptions or hindrances
by anyone or anything. We live in what they call a "free country."
Then why is it so hard for us to live by Islam? Why is it so hard for
us to worship Allah? Why is it so hardfor us to obey Him when we have
full knowledge of the Truth? Full knowledge of the consequences? The
truth is that Islam is not a hard religion, but we make it hard for
ourselves.
"Allah desires for you, ease. He desires not hardship for you."
(Suratul Baqarah 2:185)
The main aim of a Muslim is to attain Paradise. And we can only attain
Paradise byobeying the Creator, the Almighty, through the words of the
Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of His final Messenger, Muhammad
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam). Without obedience to Allah and His
Messenger, without Allah's pleasure, we will be what Allah callslosers
on the Day of Judgement.
"Who make mischief on the earth: those are they who are the losers."
(Suratul Baqarah 2:27)
"Nay, but whosoever has done evil and his sins surround him, such are
rightful owners of the fire. They will abide therein." (Suratul
Baqarah 2:81)
We are coming to a very sad day, a day thatthe Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam) warned us would come when the world would come to
an end. He said, "It will be the end of this world whenthere remains
not a single soul to hymn thename of Allah and it is only by the holy
name of Allah that the system of this universeis running." Though,
there are some devout Muslims, who spend every moment of their lives
in Allah's remembrance and worship and in striving for His pleasure,
there are more of us who have forgotten Allah, the Almighty,
All-Powerful.
Unlike a lot of Muslims,we have been given the freedom of religionin
this non-Muslim country. Canada, for example, is also a non-Muslim
country, but in that country Muslims don't have thefreedom that we
have here, in America. In Canada, Muslim girls get kicked out of
school for wearing hijab, a scarf on their head! Of course, that is
discrimination and it's also totally unfair. One piece of cloth, for
somereason, offends the Canadians. Another example is the country of
Turkey. Even though Turkey is known to be a Muslim country, it also
does not allow Muslim women to wear hijab. In America,though this is a
Satanist country, it is different. We see doctors in hijab and
managers praying in their officers and no non-Muslim can stop them.
Though this is quite unusual because most of us have forgotten our
main purpose of existence.
The Sahaba (radiyallahu anhu) endured such unimaginable hardships by
the non-Muslims just to follow Islam and live Islam and teach Islam,
but they never even had one thought of renouncing Islam so that they
could be freed of the physical torments, for they knew the torments of
Allah were far worse.
Every Muslim probably knows of one of the most closest companions of
the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), a black Abyssinian slave
called Bilal (radiyallahu anhu). He was the slave of Ummayah bin
Khalaf, the worst enemy of Islam. Therefore, Bilal'sconversion was
naturally not liked by Ummayah. This staunch enemy of Islam used to
make Bilal lie down on the burning sand of Makkah, one of the cities
of the hottest countries in the world, during midday. A massive rock
would beplaced on his chest andhe would be told by the enemies of
Allah:"Renounce Islam! Or swelter and die!" Even under these harsh
afflictions, Bilal endured the pain by saying, "Ahad! Ahad!" (i.e. The
One (Allah)! The One (Allah)!) Imagine that! This made the torturers
even more motivated and provoked to torture the servant of Allah. At
night, Bilal (radiyallahu anhu) would be whipped andwith the cuts thus
receive from the whipping, lying on the burning sand of Makkah was
even more painful, but his love and devotion to Allah was such that no
amount of pain could shake his faith. And, Alhumdulillah, he was
rewarded for his patience by receiving the blessing of, not only being
freed, but as being the first and only adhan caller for the Prophet
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam). He was to remain with the Prophet
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) at all times to call out the adhan.
Life is obviously not perfect. We will definitely stumble across times
of stress and panic, fear and disappointment, trials and hardships.
And these come in to our lives by the will of Allah to test our faith
and our devotion.
"We shall most certainly try you with fear and hunger and with the
loss of goods or lives or the fruits of your toil. But give (O
Muhammad) encouragement to those who patiently persevere." (Suratul
Baqarah 2:155)
Difficulties and hardships are not uncommon in this world to the
people of Allah. These are bound to come. The Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam) said, "The worst trials in this world are reserved
for the Prophet (alaiyhimus-salam), then for those who are next to
them and then for those who are best of the rest." We must remember
that everything happens by the will of Allah, whether good or bad and
everything has a purpose, a reason, an aim, though we may not
understand it. We, as Allah's servants, must stay patient and firm in
our belief, our iman, and we must devote ourselves to Allah, so that
we may be successful.
"Who say when a misfortune strikes them: Lo! We are Allah's and lo!
Unto Him we are returning."(Suratul Baqarah 2:156)
"Or do you think you will enter the Garden without such trials as came
to those who passed away before you? They encounteredsuffering and
adversityand were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and
those who were with him cried: When will the help of Allah come?"
(Suratul Baqarah 2:214)
Our biggest trial is living in this country, a country filled with
arrogant, satanically-influenced non-Muslims. They strive to take the
believers off the path of Paradise and on to the path of Hell, which
is where they are headed.
"Hatred is revealed by the utterance of their mouths, but that
whichtheir breasts hide is greater. We have madeplain for you the
revelations, if you will understand." (Suratul Ali Imran 3:18)
"They utter with their mouths a thing which is not in their hearts.
Allah is Best Aware of what they hide." (Suratul Ali Imran 3:167)
But we keep supporting the disbelievers at the costof our own
religion, at the cost of our own souls! Allah's words are:
"Those who purchase disbelief at the price offaith, harm not Allah
atall, but their's will be a painful doom." (Suratul Ali Imran 3:177)
On the one hand, we must realize our mistakes and the fact that,
living in this country, we have falleninto the trap of Shaytaan, the
modern, un-Islamic world. We must make the effort to strengthen our
imanand we must make the effort to please Allah, not the kuffar. If we
displease Allah, whatever punishmentswe receive, either in this world
or the next, is exactly what we deserve. On the other hand, we must
realize that even though we are living in a non-Muslim country, there
is nothing to stop us from practicingIslam, the deen of Allah. We must
refrain from all things that areforbidden by Allah and undesirable in
His sight. Allah loves thosewho after committing sins, turns to Him in
repentance and amends, meaning, theydon't commit the samesins again.
We should remember our examples, the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa
sallam) and his companions (radiyallahu anhu), on how to live our
lives astrue Muslims. And we have to realize that there is a God
watching over our every move, Who hearsour every thought, Who knows
ALL that we do, whether hiddenor open, intentional or unintentional,
sinful orrewardful. He is the Supreme Being and none is worthy of
worship except Him, the True, the Almighty, the Owner, as well as the
Creator of all that isin the heavens and all that is in the earth.
Allah gives us proof of His sovereignty through miraculous signs all
over the world. For example, in Germany, there is an area in which
brancheshave grown from the soil of the earth and these branches spell
out: 'There is no god, but Allah' in Arabic and, through it, many
Germans have embraced Islam, but we shouldn't need these signs to
persuade us to keep our duty to Allah, to obey Him, which is the only
way we will be successful in the next world, which is yet to come.
May Allah give us towfique to sacrifice our worldly desires for His
pleasure so that wemay be successful. May He include us among the
muttaqeen. May Heguide us and show us the Straight Path and may He
protect us fromthe evil influences of the jinn and mankind. May Allah
guard us from the fire prepared for the hypocrites and disbelievers.
Ameen. Alhumdulillahi Rabbil Alameen.