In the Name of Almighty Allah
Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
Alhamdu Lillaahi Rabbil 'Aalameen was-Salaatu
was-Salaamu 'alaa Asrafil Anbiyaa'e wal Mursaleen.
Wa Ba'd:
"Oo see kum Ibad'allah Bi Taqwa'llah"
Alhumdoelillah! On this Mubarak Day of Jummah as we enter the month of Rajab,
it is imperative for each and every one of us to understand what Islam is all
about. It is indeed a most wonderful blessing when we get into the attitude of
humble devotion to Almighty Allah Subuhanahu Wata'ala because in so doing we
get to know who we are, we get to know what we are; and we get to know why we
are here and where we are heading too. During the month of Rajab let us get
into the habit of remembering our Glorious Creator and Maker. Let us remember
Him all the time whether we are sitting or walking, sleeping or awake. In our
Ibadah let us stand in complete humility and humbleness to show that we are
indeed His grateful servants and that we are eagerly preparing ourselves to
welcoming the wonderful months of Sha'baan and Ramadan.
Beloved Ummatal Qur'an!The month of Rajab prepares us for devotion and doing
good deeds because we come to the realization that a true Muh'min does not
build his or her hopes on the vanities of this material world, but on Almighty
Allah's Grace and Mercy. Such a person is 'endued with understanding' and
receives Allah's Message with fervour and alacrity. The message of Rajab is for
us to understand Almighty Allah's Message and to expand our spiritual
understanding and to receive Allah's Light, so that we may travel farther and
farther to our Goal in the Path of Truth and Righteousness. After all, we are
not to be compared to those who shut out Allah's Light from their hearts.
Almighty Allah makes it very clear to us in verse 9 of Surah Az-Zumar. He tells
that there is spiritual progress for those who seek Him through constant Ibadah
and hoping for His Mercy in the Hereafter [Aghirah]. As for those who have
closed their hearts to Him- they have floundered and retrogressed on the
Straight Path and cannot walk with those of assured Faith.
"Is he who prays in the late hours of the night, prostrating and standing,
beware
of the Hereafter and hoping for the Mercy of his Lord, (to be counted equal)
with
a disbeliever? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Are those who know be treated
equal
with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed."
During the analysis and study of the Most Noble and Holy Qur'an, the first
question that arises is whether the Glorious Qur'an can be studied and
understood. Has this Divine Book been introduced for the purpose of studying
and understanding it, or whether it is just for reading and reciting and
obtaining reward and blessings? You may wander why I have raised such a
question. The Most Glorious Qur'an demands that the believers and the faithful,
and even invites the infidels to contemplate, reflect and ponder upon its
verses. Addressing us the Most Noble Qur'an declares in verse 24 of Surah
Muhammad:
"Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the
Qur'an, or is it that there are locks upon their hearts?"
O Ummatul Muslimeen! The Most Glorious Qur'an has not been sent to us to be
kissed, embraced and to be placed on a niche or pedestal just to gather dust.
It was sent to us to be read, to ponder upon, to reflect and to contemplate
upon its divine meanings. The Most Glorious Qur'an, like the book of Nature, is
a Divine Revelation that was not sent for a specific age and time. Our most
Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam said: "The Qur'an, like the sun and
the moon, will preserve its movement and continuity because the Glorious Book
of Almighty Allah is not static or monotonous". He is also reported to have
said: "The Holy Qur'an is most beautiful outwardly and inwardly it is deep and
unfathomable".
In short, the Most Glorious Qur'an is not for an exclusive age or for an
exclusive people because it has been sent for all ages and for the entire human
race. One of the questions that I would like to raise is verse 6 of Surah Al
Fatiha: "Ih'dinas Seeratal Mustaqeem" [Guide us in the Straight Path]. What
does it signify that some of us repeat this verse at least 48 times every day
in the performance of our Salaat - "Guide us in the Straight Path?" If Islam is
the "Straight Path", are we not already on the Right Path being Muslims? If
Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala Most Merciful has shown us the Right Path,
why do we continue to ask Him to guide us in the Straight Path? In answer to
such questions it is a fact that the notion of:
"Ih'dinas Seeratal Mustaqeem" has not only been formulated for the purpose of
uttering it every day in our Salaat, but because we are always in need of
Divine Guidance. Why? Because human life is not similar to the highly automated
cycles of a machine or a computer that works according to certain predetermined
designs or programmes.
"Ih'dinas Seeratal Mustaqeem" [Guide us to the Straight Way].The "Straight
Way" is often the narrow Way, or the steep Way, which people may shun [Surah Al
Balad verse 11]. By the world's perversity the Straight Way is something
stigmatized and the Crooked Way praised. How then are we to judge? We must ask
for Almighty Allah's Guidance. With a little spiritual insight we shall see
which are the people who walk in the Light of Allah's Grace, and which are
those that walk in the darkness of Wrath. This also would help our guidance. O
you who believe! Who can be a better guide than Almighty Allah Subhanahu
Wata'ala Whose guidance can lead man through the complex intricacies of worldly
life, and invigorate and revive in him the consciousness and awareness that can
warn him of dangers and remind him of his duties.
It is of course possible that some people may become overly conscious in this
regard to imagine that whatever they do is wrong and harmful. This is sickness,
not awareness. We need to be alert and conscious, not suspicious and whimsical.
How is it possible, then, for the rays of Allah's Grace and Divine illumination
to enter a heart filled to the brim with immoral, selfish, and bestial desires?
Moral values in man gain him eternal happiness, while moral corruption leads
him to everlasting wretchedness. In order for a Muh'min to attain ultimate and
final perfection, it is incumbent to traverse the path of struggle against
selfish lusts and immoral tendencies which may exist within the soul, and thus
to prepare the soul to receive the Grace of Almighty Allah Jallah Wa'al. If a
man or woman sets foot on the Path of self-purification, Almighty Allah Rabbul
Ala'meen shall come to his or her aid and guide him or her along the Straight
Way for this has been made crystal clear to us in verse 69 of Surah Al Ankabut:
"And those who strive in Our (Cause) -
We will certainly guide them to Our Paths.
For verily Allah is with those who do Right."
Ih'watal Imaan!The month of Rajab should invigorate us to purge and to purify
ourselves of all evil traits of character and adorn our souls with all forms of
ethical and moral virtues once we set our feet on the Straight Way. Without
cleansing ourselves of all, evil habits, it would be impossible to nourish and
develop moral virtues in us. We must compare our souls to a mirror if we wish
to see something beautiful reflected in that mirror. We must first cleanse the
mirror so that the dust and dirt does not disfigure our true reflection. Any
attempt to obey Almighty Allah's Commands would be fruitful and successful only
when our feet are planted firmly on the Path of Seeratal Mustaqeem - the
Straight Way.
It is said that the soul shall be accompanied in the Hereafter by the same
faculties that it was associated and united with in this world. If these
faculties were virtuous, the soul shall have eternal bliss, and if they were
wicked ones, it shall face eternal damnation. What distance separates the one
whose heart is melted by the Message of Allah and enlightened by His Light and
the one who rejects Him? The Straight Path is the path which has no turns and
twists. The term signifies the particular Faith that equally avoids the two
extremes of excess and deficiency. One who follows the Path of Seeratal
Mustaqeem would, in matters of doctrine and practice, neither go beyond the
limits nor fall short of them.
Wa ya Ah'lal Qur'an! It would seem that in order to define the Straight Path
it should have been sufficient to call it "The Path of the Nabee Sallallahoo
Alayhi Wasallam or the Path of the Most Glorious Qur'an." The Most Holy Qur'an
is really an explanation of the Straight Path and the Sunnah of the Nabee
Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam an elaboration. So, in enumerating those whose
teaching and example can help us attain the Straight Path, the Most Holy Qur'an
has, besides the Ambiya Alayhim Salaam, included those who will always be found
living amongst us till the last day of this world - namely, the Siddiqin, the
Shuhada, and the righteous. Today, when we witness the magnificent revival of
Islam, it is the duty of every individual Muslim, more than ever before, to
understand the Din of Haqq and contribute to the expansion of its
understanding. This is the sincere message of Rajab.
So, on this Mubarak day of Jummah during the Mubarak month of Rajab the big
question that we have to ask ourselves is whether we are prepared to take our
guidance from the Divine Message of Al-Islam, to build our character as true
Muslims and to quicken our space of progress until we attain our rightful place
as the true Vicegerents of Almighty Allah Rabbul Ala'meen on this Doonya. As
Muslims, let us never ever loose sight of the fact that a stable and virtuous
Ummah, a loving Ummah, a caring and sharing Ummah can be built only on a right
conception of Almighty Allah Rabbul Ala'meen, His Attributes, the necessity of
Divine Revelation and its role in ordering human affairs and a view of life
which shows us our right place in the total scheme of life as the Ummah of the
greatest man who walked upon this earth - Rahmatul Liel Ala'meen.
People of Imaan! Islam has stressed all aspects of human society. It
recommends sacrifices and abundant giving so as to strengthen the ties of love
and mercy between the rich and the poor. Islam deepens the roots of love in the
Islamic society by implementing human feelings and the sense of cooperation
between Muslims. As the present tidal wave of Islamic awakening spreads
throughout the world, the forces hostile to Islam are being driven to great
despair. Amidst all this turmoil confronting humanity today, one united cry
echoes all over the world calling for Islamic unity. It is the great awakening
of the Ummah. It is the guidance, it is the light. It is the conscience of this
Ummah that has awakened and it is guided and illuminated by the fundamentals of
Islam. It is no longer the call of an individual or of an organization. It is
the voice of the heavens descending once again onto the Doonya. Alhumdoelillah!
There are promising signs emerging on the horizon, despite the encompassing
darkness and gloom and we bow down and praise none but Almighty Allah Jallah
Wa'ala Most Exalted and Merciful.
"O Allah! Lay not on us a burden greater than we
have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant
us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our
Protector; Help us against those who stand against Faith."
Our aim Insha'Allah during the month of Rajab is to come to the realisation
that we are living in a time when the need to centre our lives on the Most Holy
Qur'an is most urgent and compelling. Without this we will never discover our
selves, we will never give meaning to our existence, and we will never find
dignity in this world. We beg Almighty Allah to forgive our shortcomings, our
errors and our mistakes. We beg Almighty Allah to grant all of us to live by
what we say, and not to count us among those who say things, they do not do.
And this, my most beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, is the message of
Rajab and the meaning of:
"Allahumma Bariek Lana fie Rajab
wa Sha'baan wabaliegna Ramadan".
"O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us,
and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up
to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings)."
And Almighty Allah knows best.
Baarak Allaahu Feekum wa-sal Allaahu wa Sallam 'alaa
Nabiyyinaa Muhammad Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam.
Was Salamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
Abdul Hamid.
PoEtEsS
"Happiness is the key to the foundation of satisfaction, contentment and
acceptance"…Zohra Moosa
------------------------------------
***************************************************************************
{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]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/islamcity/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
