[IslamCity] The Numbers Game

[03.05 Noushad T. V.]

Title: The Numbers Game

In the Name of Almighty Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful   Al Hamdu Lillaahi Rabbil 'Aalameen was Salaatu was Salaamu 'alaa Ashrafil Ambiyaa'e wal Mursaleen. "Praise be to Almighty Allah, Lord of the Universe, and Peace, Salutations and Prayers be upon His Beloved Rahmatul Liel Ala'meen, His Final Prophet and Beloved Messenger - Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam." Wa Ba'd: We find today that there are many "religiously-robed Ulema" who are involving the general public in misunderstanding the true meaning of  Islam. By means of their fanciful interpretations, these people use numbers to inspire Muslims to do good deeds and seek to assert their personal whims and opinions as being the authoritative and intended meanings of the Most Glorious and Noble Qur'an and the Sunnah. Such people are to be found in profusion among Muslims today who lack Islamic knowledge. This is a major problem that we are faced with. As Muslims we should know that there is no book like the Most Holy and Glorious Qur'an. It quickens hearts and transforms lives, it leads people from glory to glory for it is the final answer to mankind's eternal and existential quest. For Muslims, the Most Glorious Qur'an is the ultimate arbiter of their destiny: be it their rise to the heights of glory and civilization or their fall into the bottomless pits of decay and ignominy, it all happens because of how they live with respect to the Most Holy Book of Almighty Allah Jallah Wa'ala Most Exalted. The Most Glorious Qur'an has untold and priceless treasures to offer: the endless joys of blissful conversation with Almighty Allah Rabbul Ala'meen; the immense riches of knowledge and wisdom that guide us to the path to Almighty Allah; the radiant light that illuminates the deepest reaches of souls as well as the most public domain of lives; the healing that cures all our sicknesses, inner or social; the mercy and forgiveness that support, succour and comfort so that we carry the burdens of life joyfully and reach salvation and success both in this world and in the Aghirah [Hereafter]. Yes, these treasures are there for both young and old. They are available today just as they were available to its hearers yesterday, and fourteen centuries ago. To read it with understanding and to make it understood, to live by it and invite all others to live by it. We must reach out to those who ardently desire to live by it with compassion and understanding -  especially to the youth of today who will Insha'Allah be the torch-bearers of tomorrow. The world of Islam is confronted with major problems that urgently needs to be addressed by Imaam's, Khatiebs, and the Ulema etc. in their Jummu'ah Khutbahs. The brutality, the oppression and suffering of our brothers and sisters in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Algeria, Kashmir, Chechnya, the Caucasus, Bosnia, the Philippines, Kosova and the problem of Muslim refugee's are most pressing issues confronting the Muslim nation. Other important  issues prevalent throughout the community i.e. wife and child abuse, rape, incest, Aids, drugs, racism, bribery, corruption, gambling, drinking, fornicating, stealing, trade fraud, interest,  forgery, robbery and other crimes in the society etc. must be tackled by the Moulana's, Molvis, Imaam's, Khateeb's, preachers and Islamic scholars in their Jummah Khutbah's. We have swept these important issues under the carpet for too long and the time has come for us to realize that such burning issues can no longer be ignored. As concerned Muslims, we must never ever lose sight of the fact that Islam is the Din of Almighty Allah Jallah Wa'ala. It is a religion with a unique difference. It is not a collection of dogmas, rites and practices but it is a way of life, and a Divine system. Islam is not like playing the numbers game nor is it a video game that can be turned on and off. It is an attempt to grapple with actual daily realities and problems of life, working inwardly as much as outwardly. In its working Islam looks in as much as the inner nature of man as to its outwardly needs and goes completely hand in hand with the life in Muslim faith.   When Islam began to spread far and wide to other countries, many of the Sahaba Ridwanullahi Ajma'een migrated to these foreign lands with the express purpose of disseminating Islamic tenets and teaching there. Thus, in spite of the fact that the prime motive of migrating to these countries was to transmit the message of Islam since there was an acute need too of teaching Din to the proselytized communities of these countries based upon the Most Holy and Glorious Qur'an and the Sunnah of our Beloved Nabee  Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam. The Sahaba Ridwanullahi Ajima'een delivered their Jummah Bayaan in the local dialect of each respective country and community. Yes indeed, they learnt the various foreign languages and dialects of those areas in order to facilitate the imparting of Islamic education in separate gatherings of learning that took place in the Masaajid's and other public places. What follows hereunder is a rendition of Islam being introduced today. This is the formula on how to become a good Muslim.  I have referred to these interpretations  as  "the numbers game." Allow me therefore to quote (in Italics) from an EMail recently received from a concerned Muslim in South Africa: "Part of the major problems confronting us today is that most of our Imaam's, Molvi's and Madrassah teachers are from Indo-Pak subcontinent and they have brought along with them the cultural interpretation of the Din.  Imagine a Masjid  full of  English speaking people and the Jummu'ah Bayaan is delivered in Urdu". " We find that the command of the English language of these "imported Imaams" is very poor and they fail to convey the intended message. These Imaam's mostly speak about Jannah, Jahannam and the punishment of the grave.  However, it must be pointed out that they have serious problems for they have a tendency to speak of women in derogatory terms. "According to their cultural interpretation of Islam -  they tell us  that reciting Ayatul-Kursi 4 times is equal to the reward of reading the entire Holy Qur'an.  Reading Surah-Qadr 4 times is also equivalent to having read the entire Qur'an. By reading Surah Zil-Zal 2 times brings the reward of having recited the entire Qur'an. By reading Surah Al-Takauthur once is equivalent to the Sawab of having recited a 1000 Verses. Surah Ikhlas read 3 times brings the Sawab of having completed the entire Qur'an."    "All (minor) sins even if they are as much as the foams of the ocean are forgiven by reading Astagfirullah hillazi la illaha ill-lilla hu wal hayyul qayyummu wa atubu illay  three times before going to bed.  Whoever reads Surah Ya-Sin during Ramadan will receive the Sawab of having read the Qur'an 10 times. Greeting only once by saying Assalamualaikum will be rewarded with a palace built with glass in Jannah. When we sit in a circle for Halqa it is said that 70 thousand Angels are there praying for us and a bright light  from the centre of the circle is going up to the Arsh of Allah. When we walk to attend Halqa than we walk on the wings of angels." "Who will  take the trouble to read the entire Holy  Qur'an if they can accomplish the reward by just reading a Surah or two? They hardly touch upon the pressing issues confronting the Muslim Ummah whether it is regional, national or international. An Imaam should not attract people to the Masjid by telling them that all their sins committed between the two consecutive Jummu'ah prayers are forgiven just because they showed up for the Jummu'ah Salaat.  If this was so, then why would anyone stop committing a sin if one prayer a week washes away  all the sins committed? Has true Ibadah been replaced by the numbers game that one finds flashing all over the internet almost on a daily basis. Has this become the quickest way to achieving salvation or is this the 'short-cut' that will lead us directly to the Arsh of Almighty Allah?" If we study Islamic history we find that there was no question of women not being allowed to  perform their Salaat in a specially designated area of the Masjid during the time of our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam. Our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam  restored the dignity and rights of women. Women were treated as pieces of furniture and were at the mercy of the man who owned them. This evil system was abolished by our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam who restored the dignity and accorded women equal rights and full status with men. Women were encouraged to practice their Din and develop their intellectual faculties. The Masjid during the time of our Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam was the centre of all activity. It was a focal point. The Masjid housed the government of the day. No other faith has been as successful at establishing such a living brotherhood. It is high time that we make a quantum leap both in performance and in healthy changes of habits and attitudes. We must change the way in which we have been treating the Most Holy and Glorious Qur'an and the Sunnah. How are we practicing the Din of Allah? We must change the way we see the world, change how we think about people and above all, change our strategy, our blueprint for understanding and explaining the noble values, the brotherhood and the Muhabbat that upholds the civilization of Islam.   The great breakthrough will come Insha'Allah if we return to the Sunnah and Seerah of our Beloved Nabee Muhammad Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam. The thinking of that time is as modern today as it would be tomorrow and a thousand years from now. The problems that we are confronted with today have a lot to do with our Islamic obligations, our Islamic knowledge, our diligence and our attitude.   It is the Masjid that shows and demonstrates the true brotherhood of Islam for it is here where the rich, the poor, the Arab and non-Arab the white and the black stand shoulder to shoulder in the presence of Almighty Allah Azza Wajjal.  During the early days the Khutbah was used to inform the Muslim community of any matter of importance that concerned the welfare and wellbeing of all human beings. The Masjid was a council hall of the Muslims where all judicial affairs were settled.   Does the Jummah Khutbah inspire us? Just reflect on the state of the majority of the Masaajids today. We are crippled because the reasons for our current state of affairs can be attributed to the fact that we are lost. We are heading in the wrong direction. Hence our destiny is wrong because we really don't know where we are going or how we are going to get there. From the apologetic outlook that we have adopted and continue to indulge in this mentality is a product of a wrong direction. The only way forward for us is very simple and straightforward.   Few people deny the influence on most listeners of the Jummah Bayaan [the speech] delivered by the Molvi, Imaam, Khateeb or Islamic scholar prior to the Jummah prayers. Since the beginning of Islam and during the time of our Beloved Nabee  Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam, the Jummah Khutbah has been one of the most effective means of presenting the message and teachings of Islam to the general public. It is one of the most important means of educating people, creating  an awareness among them and steering them onto the right path.  How can we therefore be sure that the Jummah Khutbah will have the desired effect upon our daily lives? The everlasting effects of the Jummah Bayaan must reverberate in the ears of the listeners in order to produce the desired effects. As we leave the Masjid, we  should be able to discuss and ponder upon the words of the Bayaan discussing such matters and how such issues should be continually addressed by Molvis, Khateeb's, Imaam's and preachers. How many important social issues should be addressed by Islamic scholars in the light of the Sharia'h in the Masaajids as people listen to these Khateeb's and preachers who have their undivided attention. Believe me my dearest brothers and sisters, no television or radio or newspaper will have the effect of the Jummah Khutbah as it can make drastic changes in the life and attitude of people and improve the social situation in the country. It is thus quite essential that the Jummah Khutbah be utilized in the proper manner and not through the "numbers game." We pray to Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala to bring us out of darkness into light, to bless us abundantly with the knowledge of His Revelations - to teach us wisdom and to help us grow morally, intellectually and spiritually. As the Ummah of Almighty Allah's Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam we have the primary duty and responsibility to follow and practice his message through our words and deeds. Finally I pray to Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala, to forgive my shortcomings and mistakes, grant me to live by what I say, and not count me among those who "say things, they do not do." The Truth is from Almighty Allah The mistakes are all mine. And Almighty Allah knows best. Was Salaamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu ********************************************************************************* Islamic Surf Group                                                                                                                                          ********************************************************************************* *************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)  also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the title "change to daily digest". Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/islamcity/   To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.