TAZKIRAH 3

May Allah always keep us on the Qur'an and Sunnah and give all the Believers certainty of faith,patience and strength to face their trials,calamities, and times of ease. Amin.
 
The Holy Prophet (SAW) Said:
1) Four things that make your body sick:

a) Excessive talking
b) Excessive sleeping
c) Excessive eating and
d) Excessive meeting other people

2) Four things that destroys the body:

a) Worrying
b) Sorrow (Sadness/Grief)
c) Hunger
d) Sleeping late in the night
3) Four things that dry the face & take away its happiness:
a) Lying
b) Being disrespectful / impudent (insisting on something wrong knowingly)
c) Arguing without adequate knowledge & Information.
d) Excessive immorality (doing something wrong without fear).
4) Four things that increases the wetness of face & its happiness:
a) Piety
b) Loyalty
c) Generosity (being kind)
d) To be helpful to others without he/she asking for that.
 
 
5) Four things that stop the Rizq (Sustenance) :
a) Sleeping in the morning (from Fajr to sunrise)
b) Not Performing Namaz or Ir-regular in Prayers
c) Laziness / Idleness
d) Treachery / Dishonesty
 
6) Four things that bring / increase the Rizq:
a) Staying up in the night for prayers.
b) Excessive Repentance
c) Regular Charity
d) Zikr (Remembrance of Allah / God).


The Holy Prophet (SAW), Also said to communicate to others even if you listen One Verse (Ayaah) & this one verse will stand on the Day of Judgment for intercession.

The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, Stop doing everything during the Azaan, even reading the Quran, the person who talks  during the Azaan will not be able to say the Kalima E Shahada on his/her death bed....






 

LIVING ISLAM


What is Islam? The definition that we mostly associate with Islam is the complete submission to Allah The Most High as His humble servants. One thing that sometimes we seem to forget is the fact that Islam is a way of life not something that we do once a week like so many other faiths have done. The beauty and essence of our religion is based on how we apply it in our daily lives. We already know that we should be doing our prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, Paying our Charity, performing Hajj and submitting our complete selves to Allah and not associate any partners with Him and that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is His final messenger. We should also be implementing the teachings of our beloved Prophet (pbuh) who is the best exemplar of truly living Islam and loving humanity.
When the Prophet Muhammad delivered the message of Islam it wasn't only conveyed to a particular race, color, gender, or social stature, it was a message from Allah to all of humanity.
Allah (swt) says (Interpretation of meaning):  34:28 "And We have not sent you (O Muhammad SAW) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, but most of men know not."
Our prophet was a man who was obedient to Allah and had characteristics of honesty, strength, patience, love, and great generosity. He taught us everything from how to welcome a newborn child into the world, to how we lay our loved ones beneath the earth. He educated us in business, how to be caring companions to our spouses, and showed us the importance of brotherhood. As centuries have passed we have seen the empathy for human beings deteriorate. The world has become a selfish, arrogant, and negligent place. Humanity is suffering during these times more than ever. Society as a whole has become indifferent towards individuals who are in great needs of food, shelter, and protection.
Our brothers and sisters across the globe are in despair and are being oppressed. We are seeing in the present, worldly events that prove with great assurance that we are living in an era where there is an increasing amount of violence, discrimination, hypocrisy, a decrease in good deeds and so many other injustices that are targeted towards mankind. It is very possible that we are living in the end of times. Human rights are diminishing hastily just as boiling water that evaporates into the atmosphere. It was narrated by Abu Huraira, "The Prophet said, "Time will pass rapidly, good deeds will decrease, miserliness will be thrown (in the hearts of the people) afflictions will appear and there will be much 'Al-Harj." They said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is "Al-Harj?" He said, "Killing! Killing!"
Our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Sudan, Palestine, Iraq, France, and Chechnya are all examples of afflictions and calamities that the ummah is facing. These tragedies are not only tribulations for Muslims but are crises that affect all of humanity. The situation in Afghanistan which shows us what extremism and fanaticism could do to a nation. In Bosnia, when our Muslim sisters were raped and abused. "The ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) ruled that the campaign of systematic rapes in Foca constituted a crime against humanity in a judgment against several men." (http://www.iafrica.com/) "Top Bosnian Serb denies Muslim rapes").  The current situation in Sudan which has driven people to flee from their homes and live in refugee camps in an attempt to seek safety and protection from the murders that have killed tens of thousands of people, raping of their women, and torture of their loved ones. The Israeli and Palestinian conflict that has killed many innocent children and scarred families for life, the atrocities of Abu Ghraib in Iraq which stripped and humiliated the victims' honor, even the prohibition of our Muslim sisters wearing there hijab in France, and the right of Chechnya to have their own governed nation without the occupation of Russia. These are all evident crimes against humanity and it is our duty as Muslims in Islam to make every possible effort to restore human dignity and put an end to this despicable oppression. Allah has made it very clear that oppression is haraam and those who transgress and commit such mischief in the earth will have no protector and will have to answer to Him on the Day of Judgment.
Allah (swt) says (Interpretation of meaning):  20:81 "(Saying) eat of the Taiybat (good lawful things) wherewith We have provided you, and commit no oppression therein, lest My Anger should justly descend on you. And he on whom My Anger descends, he is indeed perished.
Allah (swt) says (Interpretation of meaning):  40:33 "A Day when you will turn your backs and flee having no protector from Allah, And whomsoever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide."
The Prophet Muhammad, our finest teacher, has demonstrated to us the strength of the ummah when we are united. He used a beautiful illustration in a hadith that was narrated by Abu Musa the Prophet said, "A believer to another believer is like a building whose different parts enforce each other." The Prophet then clasped his hands with the fingers interlaced (while saying that)." This is such a wonderful example from the Prophet (pbuh). He shows us the direct relationship that we have collectively when we are obeying Allah (swt) and follow the Sunnah and implement (tarbiyya) brotherhood.
We are living a generation where as Muslims we are weak. We think that identifying ourselves only as Muslims is sufficient. But what this nation needs are Muslims who practice and implement the Sunnah of our Prophet. If we follow his authentic teachings we can never go astray.  This life is filled with fitnah (trials) and it is only increasing as the years pass. In the news, we see things that are outrageous we have become somewhat anesthetized from hearing constant calamities facing the world. We have also grown accustomed to pointing the finger at corrupted leaders, and people who are fanatics and so called "jihadists" instead of pointing the fingers at ourselves. Allah is sending his wrath on our nation because of things we have innovated in our religion. We have added and abandoned things in our deen. Allah (swt) warns us about this in the Quran.
 He says (interpretation of the meaning): 24:63 "And let those who oppose the Messengers (Muhammad SAW) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) (among the sects) beware, lest some fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them".  
As Muslims we must live Islam. It is incumbent on us to show the world the beauty, richness of our belief and enjoin the good and forbid the evil. We need to return as soon as possible to the teachings of our beloved Prophet before we are taken from this short and temporary dunya (world). This life is only a test and a temporary abode filled with hardships. We must learn and understand the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) to have success in this life and the hereafter. We have become consumed with this world's tangible pleasures and have fooled ourselves into thinking that we will have till tomorrow to submit completely to our Lord. Some of us have become what I call part-time Muslims. When at the mosque, some act righteous to be seen by men and to have the reputation of being a so-called good Muslim; however, at our places of employments or any other time we indulge in sins like shaking the hands of the opposite sex, intermingling with them, celebrating man-made holidays in an effort to fit into Western society. We are only fooling ourselves and no one else. The Prophet (pbuh) said: ""Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions." Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion, or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or a disease which will disable you, or senility which will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death which will take you all of a sudden, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected, or the Hour; and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter." (At-Tirmidhi)
We must remember our duty is to Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). We need to get our act together and get with the program. The dunya is deceiving us with its mirage of pleasures. Wake up…Reflect…and learn Islam.
We have been given two great blessings that we have taken for granted our health and free time. Let us remember this hadith of the Prophet. He said: "There are two blessings in which many people incur loss. (They are) health and free time (for doing good)".
(Al-Bukhari)
We are blessed. We are a nation that has the best foundation of all. We have strong roots as a tree. This foundation is Islam if we study it sincerely and practice our way of life these tools will keep us on the path of truth and bring us success in this life and the next inshallah. The early generations of Islam encountered hardships, oppression, and death. They fought for Islam so that we today would have the ability and privilege of practicing our deen. Let's use the tools that Allah and His Prophet have sent us and be among the successful.



Daripada Abu Abbas, Abdullah bin Abbas r.a : Bahawa pada suatu hari saya sedang berada di belakang Rasulullah SAW ( di atas binatang tunggangannya ), lalu sabda baginda : 'Wahai anak kecil, sesungguhnya aku telah mengajar kamu beberapa perkataan. Peliharalah ( perintah ) Allah, nescaya Dia akan memelihara kamu, peliharalah ( kehormatan ) Allah, nescaya engkau akan merasakan Dia berada bersama-samamu. Jika engkau memohon, pohonlah kepada Allah semata-mata. Jika engkau meminta pertolongan mintalah kepada Allah semata-mata. Ketahuilah bahawa jika semua umat manusia berkumpul untuk memberikan kepadamu sesuatu menafaat, nescaya mereka tidak akan mampu memberi menafaat itu, melainkan dengan sesuatu yang telah ditaqdirkan oleh Allah. Begitu juga sekiranya mereka berkumpul untuk menentukan suatu mudharat untuk kamu, nescaya mereka tidak akan mampu menentukannya, melainkan dengan suatu yang telah ditentukan Allah ke atas kamu. Telah diangkat kalam ( tulisan ) dan telah kering ( tinta ) buku catitan.'
(Riwayat Tirmizi)
 
  Wasiat  al-Banna, kurangkanlah ketawa
    Fahri Abdullah al-Masri
    Jangan banyak ketawa sebab hati yang selalu berkomunikasi dengan Allah (zikir) sangat tenang dan tenteram. Hasan al-Banna.
   
   
   
     
     
     
     
   
    Ada riwayat yang menunjukkan bahawa kebanyakan ketawanya ialah dengan tersenyum, dan apabila baginda ketawa, baginda ketawa seperti embun yang dingin. Sementara itu, ada juga riwayat yang menyebutkan bahawa ketawa Rasulullah tidak menunjukkan gigi.
    Bagaimanapun, semua perlakuan itu cuma sekadar mengingatkan umat Islam selaku umat pendakwah bahawa gurauan, ketawa itu cuma amalan untuk mengurangi ketegangan jiwa.
    Saidina Ali k.w juga menyebutkan bahawa sesekali kita perlu bergurau untuk menyebabkan jiwa rasa terhibur. Tetapi, ini tidak bererti kita perlu berhibur secara keterlaluan.
    Maka, Hasan al-Banna telah menyusun dan merintis semula faham ini dengan meletakkan suatu pesanan yang sangat berguna kepada para dai'e dan Muslimin yang beriltizam dengan agama Islam ini.
    Al-Banna tidaklah sampai mengharamkan gurauan dan ketawa. Namun, beliau seperti baginda Rasulullah s.a.w dan Saidina Ali, telah menyeru dan memperbaharui seruan melalui wasiatnya supaya umat Islam ini kurangkan bergurau dan melebihkan amalan dan tindakan.
    Ini kerana, gurauan dan gelak ketawa yang berlebihan boleh mamatikan hati dan fikiran daripada memikirkan nasib dan permasalahan umat Islam yang menderita akibat penjajahan yang berterusan.
    Tetapi, jika kita berterusan hidup dalam ketegangan, hal ini akan menyebabkan kerungsingan, kerisauan yang akhirnya mengundang kesan kejiwaan yang parah pula.
    Maka, sikap yang terbaik dalam hal ini ialah kita mewakafkan lebih banyak masa untuk memikirkan serta menyusun tindakan bagi menyelesaikan permasalahan umat Islam. Selebihnya, saki-baki waktu itu diluang untuk merehatkan jiwa, hati dan fikiran kita setelah penat bekerja dalam seharian.
    Atau jika masa dan kehidupan ini boleh kita pecahkan dalam bentuk peratusan, maka bolehlah diandaikan seperti ini. Iaitu, masa dan kehidupan untuk berfikir dalam hal permasalahan umat Islam ini ialah 70 peratus, manakala baki masa 30 peratus lagi adalah untuk senda gurauan.
    Bagaimanapun, peratusan ini hanyalah sebagai gambaran kepada betapa pentingnya seseorang Muslim itu hidup di atas muka bumi ini untuk memperuntukkan kebanyakan masanya ke arah hal yang lebih berfaedah. Sementara, hal gurau senda dan bergelak ketawa itu hanyalah sekadar sedikit sahaja.
    Muhasabah
Maka, marilah kita sebagai Muslim yang ingin mencapai kebaikan di dunia dan di akhirat bermuhasabah mengenai kehidupan seharian kita sendiri. Dalam tempoh 24 jam, berapa banyakkah masa yang kita wakafkan untuk Islam dan Muslimin? Berapa banyakkah masa yang kita gunakan untuk kepentingan masyarakat?
    Beruntunglah bagi Muslimin yang banyak meluangkan masa untuk membaca, menghadiri bengkel-bengkel ilmiah dan sebagainya lagi. Jika sebaliknya, maka tergolonglah mereka dalam kalangan mereka yang rugi.
    Cabaran untuk membina sebuah masyarakat yang benar-benar memanfaatkan waktunya ke arah kebaikan sangat hebat. Dengan hiburan yang melampau-lampau dalam masyarakat kita hari ini, ditambah pula dengan kurangnya agamawan yang mahir dalam selok-belok penyiaran televisyen, rasa-rasanya agak mustahil kita lakukan semua ini.
    Sekiranya lebih ramai agamawan yang mahir dalam bidang pembikinan media elektronik, maka kemungkinan besar masa-masa yang berkualiti dalam kalangan masyarakat kita akan dapat dipertingkatkan.
    Sistem kehidupan bekerja yang dicipta oleh negara kita dan masyarakat antarabangsa pada hari ini ialah jumlah jam bekerja selama 8 jam (9 pagi sehingga 5 petang). Selepas tempoh bekerja, sekurang-kurangnya masyarakat kita akan berada di rumah dan meluangkan waktu bersama keluarga dengan mononton televisyen.
    Namun, sayangnya acara-acara hiburan itu dikuasai oleh golongan pengkarya yang melebihkan unsur hiburan, lagho sahaja. Jika ada acara-acara tv yang bermotifkan keagamaan sekali pun, jumlahnya sangat sedikit dan terhad.
    Atau, dalam erti kata lain, barangkali kita boleh misalkan begini..
    Iaitu program hiburan, filem, drama, nyanyian dan lain-lainnya adalah hampir 80 peratus, dan selebihnya yang berjumlah 20 peratus lagi diperuntukkan kepada program-program yang bersifat keagamaan.
    Ditinjau dari sudut ini, akan tercapaikan hasrat, wasiat dan pesanan Rasulullah s.a.w, Saidina Ali k.w dan Hasan al-Banna? Maka, terletak kepada kitalah insan Muslim yang sedar untuk mengubah semua ini supaya masyarakat kita ini akan melebihkan banyak waktunya yang berkualiti.
    Iaitu, biarlah mereka lebih banyak didedahkan dengan program-program bermanfaat dan selebihnya adalah program-program yang bersifat santai sahaja.
 
 
What is Terrorism and who are the terrorists?
By Dr. Perwazekhudi

Dispute on this issue has been going on throughout the world, especially since 9/11. The world's leading Scholars, thinkers and politicians, have not yet; come up with a one Single most definition of terrorism or terrorist which will be acceptable to all. So far, whoever has defined terrorism; it is either politically motivated or religiously biased. Therefore we are not able to develop common consciences over this crucial issue. The matter even gets more complex when each country, state, Nation or a group of Individuals, start creating their own definition according to their need. If this latest trend, continues and the world peace loving majority did not come to a common ground on this issue, than those people who are charged with political & religious zealous will keep their tunnel vision, focused only on very few terrorist organizations namely Al-Qaeda & few alike, while hundreds of other terrorist groups (including few States & nations) will continue their barbaric activities under our noses, in the name of survival, self-defense, law and order, civil disobedience etc etc. Therefore, we the common people, of this planet have the responsibility to identify and fight against all & every evil, without any discrimination or personnel biased. Having said that, I would like to present you, with my understanding of this menace:

"Any one, who deliberately, in his right state of mind, causes harm to another, life or lives (Human and or Animal) and property(s) without any legal & or Moral Justification, supported by the local (country, state) and or international law, in my humble opinion, is a terrorist and whatever, comes out, as a result, of his action, is Terrorism". By, "anyone" I mean, single or a group of individuals, country, State or Nation and when I say "harm", it could be anything from a simple injury, harassment and vandalism to a killing, massacre and mass destruction as well as psychological, social and financial trauma to others.

After this explanation, it is not so hard to figure out that Terrorism is not a new invention of 21st century, but existed throughout human history. However, most of us start hearing about this, only after the unfortunate incident of 9/11. Even though, in the late 20th century we would hear sporadically, about terrorist activities but with the growth of electronic media, especially the Internet, news are spreading in the world within matter of seconds, compare to days & even months in the past. Here are few examples, of past, recent past and present, terrorists & terrorism:

1. Long before Islam & Christianity, Egyptian pharaoh expelled thousands of Jewish, Children, women, Elderly to Sinai dessert where they lived for forty years. Even though considering the nature of Jews (not Jewish or Israelis), who might have created some problem for the King but no matter what, punishing the entire Nation for the mistake of only few, is not an excuse.

2. Destruction (1st) of the Salomon's temple, a national heritage of Jewish, by Nebuchadnezzar and subsequent exile of Israelites, from their homeland, is another example of an act of terrorism. However keep in mind, none of these people, mentioned in 1 & 2 were Muslims or Christians, but rather worshipers of kings, Queens or multiple other gods like today's Hindus in India.

3. Similarly, second & third time destruction, of the Salomon's temple by the Greeks & Romans respectively, who were either Zoroastrians or some other types of Polytheists.

4. The entire world especially, Muslim & Christian, cannot forget the atrocity of the "crusaders" who slaughtered hundreds of thousand, Muslims, their children, females & elderly in a cold blood. These people, just like Yazeed, were the followers of a Peaceful religion but this time, it was Christianity.

5. Who can ever forget the world's most infamous terrorists namely Hitler & Stalin, who killed millions of innocent people elsewhere, including in their respective countries. Interestingly, both were born Christian; however Stalin, in his adulthood became a communist.

6. Who is the inventor of Atomic bomb? Of course a JEW, Albert Einstein, who used his God given brain and knowledge to produce an evil, for the destruction of his own race and Civilization?

7. Now, who were those, who bombed the Hiroshima & Nagasaki with the Atom bomb, killing thousands of innocent Japanese, destroying their, buildings, livestock, plantations and the rest is well known to all of us? These were some of the top decision makers, in the American government and establishment, who were, also supposedly Christians but not by their action.

8. Similarly the Kamikaze suicide air attacker, who bombed the Pearl Harbor, killing thousands American soldiers plus injured several thousand other without any mercy. They were from Japan, which is predominantly Buddhist country.

9. The most recent, massacre in "Gaza" is a painful reminder, to the whole world, specifically Muslim, of the Jews and their State sponsored terrorism which has constantly, in the past sixty years, killed, humiliate and demoralized, people of Palestine, both Muslims & Christians, as well as barricading them, from all 3 sides, in a one large prison. In this very recent war crime of Gaza, alone, Jews killed and injured, several thousand innocent Palestinians including four hundreds children & babies. Not to mention, the shameless destruction of schools, houses, mosques, hotels even UN building.

10. This article will be not complete, if I do not mention, about the "Hindu terrorism & terrorists" which is widely ignored or unknown to the west. There are over 144 different terrorist organizations in India, belonging to Hindus. Most of them are well known to us in Asia because they have not yet crossed the border of our continent. Furthermore, India's famous intelligence agency RAW as well as at a time the government itself has participated in terrorist activities such as the killing of 90,000 plus Kashmiri, who are resisting the Indian occupation since 1947. Furthermore, a massive gang of Hindu terrorists made of ordinary Hindus, from India who burned & killed alive, over 4000 Muslims from Gujarat (one of the Indian state), with the consent of the State prime minister Mr. Modi, who himself is a well known terrorist even recognized as such, by the USA, where he is not allowed to visit. Furthermore, not too long ago, in the Malegaon massacre as well as in the bombing of a passenger bus, killing sixty two Pakistani citizens, the Indian law enforcement agencies arrested several Hindu terrorists, who were involved in these terrorist acts including the infamous colonel of Indian army "MR. Purohit', while he was still on an active duty. Similarly these Hindu terrorists have killed over 30,000 Sikh and several thousand innocent Christians of Indian nationality. Just because they were asking for their right of freedom (in case of Sikh) or they were teaching the Hindus about Jesus & his holy message.

Having said, that I do not believe all Hindus are terrorist. Just like I stated above, regarding other religions and non religious terrorism. In fact terrorists, have no religion, culture or race, rather they are, a group of deviants, from the human's Norm.

Unfortunately, we are the one, who link them to a particular race, nation or a religion because of our personnel biased, lack of knowledge or political gain & or prejudice. And by doing so we provide these handful criminals, with a larger platform as well as hideout among millions of good, law abiding, peace loving and God fearing people rather than identifying them, according to their deeds. Which will not only put them into an isolation but also we will be not alienating so many good people who might look like or share with them some cultural or religious commonalities.

What I wrote in this brief article is no more than a drop in the bucket for this topic. However, it is good starter to provide some for food for thought, especially for those, who think that they or their predecessors were angels.


JIHAD DI DALAM ISLAM
Sejarah Islam telah membuktikan bahawa jihad adalah merupakan asas kepada pembentukan dan kemajuan tamadun Islam di dunia untuk mencapai kejayaan yang sebenar di akhirat. Perkataan jihad adalah merupakan suatu istilah yang mempunyai pengertian yang luas yang meliputi seluruh aspek kehidupan kaum muslimin samada dari segi ekonomi, sosial, politik, pendidikan, ibadat, ketenteraan, kekeluargaan dan seterusnya, selari dengan konsep dan falsafah agama Islam itu sendiri yang dilihat sebagai suatu al-Din atau cara hidup yang syumul yang merangkumi segenap aspek kehidupan manusia. Jihad adalah semata-mata untuk menegak dan meninggikan kalimah Allah dan agamaNya sehingga mengatasi agama, sistem hidup dan kepercayaan yang lain. Dengan kata lain, jihad kerana agama adalah jihad yang tertinggi martabatnya yang dituntut keatas setiap peribadi muslim untuk melaksanakannya dan bersatu untuk tujuan tersebut sekalipun terpaksa mengorbankan harta dan jiwa raga mereka. Firman Allah SWT dalam surah al-Taubah ayat 88 yang bermaksud "Sesungguhnya Rasullullah dan orang-orang yang beriman bersamanya, telah berjihad dengan harta benda dan jiwa mereka dan mereka itulah orang-orang yang mendapat kebaikan dan mereka itulah orang-orang yang berjaya"
 

THE INTENTIONS IN JIHAD:
The Reward For Jihad Only Occurs When The Intentions For Fighting Are Purely For The Sake Of Allah:

161. Anas narrated: The Messenger of Allah said when we returned from the battle of Tabook and were across from Madina: "Every step you took, and every valley you crossed, there are people in Madina who were with you" The companions asked: "How would they share in the rewards while they were in Madinah?" The Messenger of Allah said: "They are the ones who wanted to join you but were unable to"289

162. Abu Musa al Ash'ari said a Bedouin asked the Messenger of Allah about the man who fights for booties and the man who fights to be remembered, so who is in the sake of Allah? The Messenger of Allah said: "The one who fights to make the word of Allah far above is the one fighting for the sake of Allah"290

163. Abu Hurairah narrated that a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said: "A man wants to go for jihad and he also wants a worldly benefit," The Messenger of Allah said: "There is no reward for him" When the people heard that it worried them. They told the man go back to the Messenger of Allah and ask him again, maybe you didn't understand him last time. He went and asked him again. The Messenger of Allah said: "There is no reward for him," They told him to go for a third time. But the Messenger of Allah had the same response"291

164. Abu Ya'la bin Muniyah said: When the Messenger of Allah allowed fighting I was already an old man incapable of fighting. Also I didn't have a servant to go in my place. So I hired someone to replace me and as a payback he gets his share of the booty. He said: "I don't know how much my share of the booty would be so why don't you specify a certain amount of money for me?" I told him: "I can give you three dinars" When it was time to pay him I told the Messenger of Allah about it. He said: "I do not see for him any reward in this world or the Hereafter for his fighting except those dinars you
promised him"292


165. Abu Hurairah narrated that Amr bin Aqyash had lend money with interest and he didn't want to become a Muslim until he collects it. On the day of the battle of Uhud he asked: "Where are my cousins?" They said: "At Uhud" He asked: "Where is so and so?" They replied: "At Uhud" He asked about someone else and he was told they are at Uhud. He went ahead and put on his armor and went to Uhud. When the Muslims saw him they said: "Stay away from us Amr" He said: "I've embraced Islam" He then fought until he was injured and was carried away to his family. Saad bin Muadh told his sister to ask him whether he fought for the protection of his people or for the sake of Allah and his Messenger? She asked him and he said: "I fought for the sake of Allah and his Messenger" He died and entered into Paradise without praying even one prayer.293

166. Abu Hurairah narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: "The first whom Allah will judge on the Day of Judgment is a martyr. Allah will show him his blessings on him and would then ask him how did you use these blessings? The martyr would say: "I fought for you until I was killed" Allah would say: "You are lying. You fought in order to be recognized as a fighter and you got that" Then Allah would order that he be carried to Hellfire"294


167. Ibn Masood said: When the armies meet, the angels descend to write down the men according to there state: They write that this person is fighting for money, this person is fighting for power, this person is fighting for recognition, and this person is fighting for the sake of Allah. The ones who fought for the sake of Allah are the ones who will have Paradise.

The Different Intentions In Jihad:
Having a pure intention in jihad is important since Allah doesn't accept the jihad of a mujahid unless he is fighting with the right intention. There are different intentions of the mujahideen:

1. The pleasure of Allah:
There are mujahideen who intend with their jihad the pleasure of Allah. They do jihad because they believe Allah deserves to be served through this ritual. They do it for no reason other than gaining the approval of Allah. The ones with such an intention are few.

2. Love for Islam:
Some mujahideen participate in jihad because of their love and vigilant care for Islam. They want Islam to be victorious and they want disbelieve to be defeated.
There is no doubt in the validity of these two intentions. An evidence that a mujahid is basing their jihad on one of the two intentions is that they wouldn't care in having others know about their jihad and they wont brag about it. As long as Allah knows about their jihad that's sufficient for them.


3. Seeking Paradise:
Some mujahideen do jihad for the sake of entering Paradise and being saved from Hellfire. This is the intention of most of the mujahideen. They want Paradise and they fear Hellfire. Now some say that this intention is not sufficient to reach the status of martyrdom. But the correct opinion is that this intention is sufficient in reaching the status of martyrdom and there is an abundance of evidence from Quran, Sunnah and the action of the Sahabah to support that.
Allah says:
"Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise on Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Quran. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment."295
"O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment? You believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know. He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment."296

168. The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever fights in the path of Allah the time it takes to milk a camel is granted Paradise"297

169. The Messenger of Allah said: "Don't you love that Allah forgives you and admits you into Paradise? Then fight in the path of Allah"298

170. Anas bin Malik narrated that on the day of the battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah said: "Stand up and face Paradise, the width of which is like the heavens and earth" Umair bin al Hamam said: "O Messenger of Allah, Paradise the width of which is like the heavens and earth?" The Messenger of Allah said: "Yes" Umair was eating from some dates in his hand. He said: "If I am going to live as long as it takes to finish eating these dates that's a long time!" and he threw away the dates and rushed to the battlefield and was killed.299

It appears from the hadith that Umair fought for the sake of Paradise.
171. Shaddad bin al Haad said that a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah. He believed in him and followed him. When it was the battle of the Trench the Messenger of Allah was dividing the booties of war between the companions. So he gave him his portion. The Bedouin said: "what is this?" They said: "The Messenger of Allah sent this to you" So he went to the Messenger of Allah and said: "What is this?" The Messenger of Allah said: "This is your share of the booties," He said: "That's not why I followed you. But I followed you in order that I be shot at right here - and he pointed to his throat – with an arrow so I can die and enter into Paradise! The Messenger of Allah said: "If you are truthful with Allah, Allah will be truthful with you" A little later they went to fight. The Bedouin was carried back to the Messenger of Allah with an arrow injury in his throat. The Messenger of Allah asked if it was he? They said: "Yes" He said: "He was truthful with Allah and Allah was truthful to him" Then the Messenger of Allah said: "O Allah this servant of yours made hijrah for your sake and then died as a martyr. I am a witness over that"300

Notice here how the Messenger of Allah said: "I am a witness over that" when all what the Bedouin wanted was Paradise. If this was an invalid intention he would have corrected him on the spot when he heard it from him.


4. Self-defense:
Some people only fight when fought. They have no intention but defending themselves. The person with such an intention is close to the above three mentioned intentions but is nevertheless lower than them in status.
Al Nawawi states that there are three categories of martyrs:
• A Shaheed in this world and the Hereafter: This is the one who was killed in the path of Allah.
• A Shaheed in the Hereafter alone but not this world: This applies to the one who drowns or the one who dies in a plague.
• A Shaheed in this world only but not in the Hereafter: This applies to the one who is killed in battle but didn't have the right intentions or stole from the booties.


5. Both jihad and booties:
There are some who go out with the intention of fighting for the sake of Allah but they also have the intention of winning booties. The scholars differed in this situation. Some consider this to be an invalid intention and there is no reward for such a jihad, in fact there is punishment because such a person was fighting for this world.
But other scholars consider this intention to be acceptable and this is the opinion of the majority of scholars. This is the correct opinion because it fits the actions of the Sahabah. Al Qurtubi states that: The Messenger of Allah went to intercept the caravan of Quraish led by Abu Sufyan. This is evidence that fighting for booty is fine because it is a halal source of income. This refutes the opinion adopted by Imam Malik that this is a fight for this world. There are hadiths that state that whoever fights for the word of Allah to prevail is in the path of Allah and not the one who fights for booty. But the meaning of this hadith is that if someone has the intention of fighting only for the booty, that is an invalid intention in jihad.
Another evidence that such an intention is acceptable is where Allah says:
"…Allah has promised you much booty that you will take…"301


One cannot imagine that Allah would promise his servants booty but disallow them to desire it! The action of the Messenger of Allah is also evidence. He has sent many raids on the caravans of the nonbelievers. Some other references to show that such an intention is valid:


172. Abdullah bin Huthafah said: The Messenger of Allah sent us on a raid to win booty…302

This is clear since the Messenger of Allah sent them specifically to win booties. Now taking booty does decrees the reward but it does not invalidate the intention of jihad:


173. Abdullah bin Amr bin Al Aas narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: "Any army that wins and takes booty has received two thirds of their reward. But if they loose and take no booty they receive their entire reward" 303


6. Booty:
There are fighters who join jihad for no purpose other than financial reward of booty. If they were faced with the prospect of fighting without any financial compensation they would not be willing to participate. For these, there is no reward whatsoever and if such a person dies he is not a Shaheed.


7. Recognition:
There are some who fight for fame and recognition. Such a person is not a mujahid and if he dies he is not a Shaheed. He would also be one of the first to be thrown in Hellfire according to the hadith.

Now if a person has both intentions of fighting for the sake of Allah, and recognition, then he would not be rewarded nor would he be punished.
Al Tirmithi narrates: The Messenger of Allah said: "On the Day of Judgment, when Allah will bring together the first and the last, an announcement would be made: "If someone associates someone else with me in the intention of their deeds, then let them seek their reward from whom they associated, because Allah accepts no associates""


8. Despair:
There are some who fight in order to die and get rid of their painful weakness, debt, poverty, despair, or life of difficulty. When they fight they are not thinking about pleasing Allah or raising high his word.
For such a person it is possible to state that he is not considered a Shaheed because it wasn't a jihad done for the sake of Allah. One can also argue that he is a Shaheed because he made sure that he doesn't take away his life except in this manner, i.e. fighting the enemies of Allah. So if he could have faced death by the hands of armed robbers for example or an illness he wouldn't have opted for it.
I would be more inclined to adopt this second view: That he is in fact a Shaheed, even though he is nowhere close to the sincere martyrs.


Rulings On Being Paid For Fighting:
Scholars differed on the ruling of taking a payment in exchange of jihad; some allow it while others prohibit it.
The ones who allowed it required that the payment should not be a condition set by the mujahid to fight. So if the payment is withheld the mujahid should still be willing to fight. If that's not the case then the intention of the fighter is merely the worldly compensation rather that the sake of Allah.
If a person only takes the payment because of their poverty, and they cannot make jihad without such a payment, then there is no problem with the intention of such a person.


174. The Messenger of Allah said: "The fighter would get his reward, while the one who financed the fighter would get his reward plus the reward of the fighter" 304


Seeking Recognition In Jihad After Starting It With A Sincere Intention:
If a person starts out with a sincere intention but then sought recognition from their jihad then: All the acts of worship that were done before the change in intention are valid and accepted, while the deeds done after that are lost. If the person started with the right intention but when the armies met he fought only to avoid turning away and being accused of cowardice, then such a person has lost his rewards.
Therefore the mujahid needs to clear his mind and heart from feelings of desire for recognition, arrogance, expecting praise from others or fearing their criticism and should make jihad against his self to insure that his fighting is for no purpose other than pleasing Allah.


The Ruling On The One Who Boasts About His Jihad:
The mujahid may have the right intention throughout his jihad until the battle is over. But after that he might feel the urge to speak about his jihad to people who didn't attend it in order to have them know that he is a mujahid. Or he might narrate stories intended to display his courage and skill in fighting.
There are references that such an act destroys his reward:

175. A man came to the Messenger of Allah and told him: "I have been fasting everyday," The Messenger of Allah said: "Neither did you fast nor did break your fast"305


Meaning: by bragging about your fasting you lost the reward of it so it is as if you didn't fast.
Therefore a person should not reveal to others his jihad or in that sense any of his good deeds in order to preserve his rewards.
But if there is a benefit in him talking about his jihad like encouraging others, or strengthening their hearts then that is allowed as long as his intention is the benefit and not to show off.


176. The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever shows off his deeds, Allah would belittle, and humiliate him"306


A Mujahid Who Goes On Jihad And Dies Without Fighting Is A Shaheed:
Allah says:
-"And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allah will find on the earth many [alternative] locations and abundance. And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him – his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful."307


177. Abu Hurairah narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: "The likeliness of the mujahid is like the one who is praying and fasting without taking a break from praying and fasting until he returns back to his family with booty or reward, or Allah would take his soul away and enter him into Paradise"308



178. Abu Hurairah narrated: The Messenger of Allah said, "Who are the martyrs?" The companions said: "The ones who are killed in the path of Allah" The Messenger of Allah said: "Then the martyrs in my nation are but a few. But the one who is killed in the path of Allah is a Shaheed, the one who dies in the path of Allah is a Shaheed, the one who falls off his mount in the path of Allah is a Shaheed, the one who drowns in the path of Allah is a Shaheed, the one who dies in a plague in the path of Allah is a Shaheed, the one who dies of an internal illness in the path of Allah is a Shaheed…"309


Saburah bin al Fakah narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Shaytaan has intercepted the son of Adam on his path towards Islam and told him: Are you going to become Muslim and leave your heritage and the religion of your forefathers? But the son of Adam disobeyed him and became a Muslim and was forgiven. Then Shaytaan sat for him on his path to hijrah and told him: Will you make hijrah and leave behind your home and land? He disobeyed him and made hijrah. He than sat for him on his path towards jihad and told him: Are you going to fight and it is an exhaustion of your self and wealth? You would go to kill and would be killed and then your wife would be taken and your wealth divided. The son of Adam disobeyed him and went on jihad." The Messenger of Allah then said: "Whoever does that, it is incumbent upon Allah to admit him to Paradise, or if he dies by his animal striking him he would go to Paradise"310

Some scholars consider the status of the one who is killed in the path of Allah and the one who dies in the path of Allah to be equal; they are equal in martyrdom and reward. But the stronger opinion is that they are not. There is a difference between the one who is killed and the one who dies a natural death in the path of Allah. Obviously the one who is killed has a higher status and is preferred in a few ways:
• Ibn Habbaan narrates: The Messenger of Allah was asked about the best jihad. He said: "The best jihad is the one in which your horse is slain and your blood is spilled" So the one who is killed has practiced the best jihad.
• The dead is called dead even if he dies in the path of Allah while the Shaheed is not considered to be dead according to the ayah: "And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allah, "They are dead". Rather say, they are alive, but you perceive not."311


• The killed would have his injuries witness for him on the Day of Judgment. The injuries would gush with blood that smells like musk.
• The killed in the path of Allah would desire to come back to this world again and again to be killed in the path of Allah. That does not happen with the one who dies a natural death in the path of Allah. In Sahih Muslim the Messenger of Allah said: "There is no soul that dies and faces reward from Allah that would be pleased to go back to this world, even if it would be given the world and everything in it, except for the Shaheed. He wishes to come back to this world in order to be killed again in the path of Allah. That is because of the great reward he sees given to the Shaheed."

• Being killed in the path of Allah forgives all sins. That is not the case with natural death.
• The one who dies in the path of Allah is prayed on. But for the one killed there is no prayer of janazah offered. Because prayer is performed to ask Allah to forgive the dead and since the Shaheed already has his sins forgiven why offer a prayer for him?


289 (Bukhari – Abu Dawud – Ibn Majah) 290 (Bukhari – Muslim) 291 (Abu Dawud – ibn Habbaan – al Hakim (authenticated by al Thahabi)) 292 (Abu Dawud – al Bayhaqi – al Hakim (authenticated by al Thahabi)) 293 (Abu Dawud – al Hakim (authenticated by al Thahabi)) 294 (Muslim – Nasa'i – al Hakim) -295 (Al Tawbah 111) - 296 (Al Saff 10-12) 297 (Ibn Habbaan – al Nasa'i –al Tirmithi – al Darimi – Ahmad – Ibn Majah) 298 (Tirmithi – Ahmad) 299 (Muslim – al Hakim) - 101 - 300 (AbdulRazaq – Nasa'I) 301 (Al Fateh 20) 302 (Abu Dawud – al Bayhaqi in Sunnan) 303 (Muslim) 304 (Abu Dawud) -
305306 (Tabarani)307 (Al Nisa 100)308 (Ibn Habbaan – Bukhari – Muslim – al Nasa'i) 309 (Ibn Abu Shaybah – Abu Dawud – al Nasa'i – ibn Majah) 310 (Ahmad (Hassan))
311 (Al Baqarah 154) -


As-Salam,
" Every soul shall have a taste of death; and only on the day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense( compensation/ award). Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object( of Life); for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception"
 
( al- Imran 3:185)
 
may ALLAH forgive all Muslims and guide us to the right path. AMIN 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
The Lessons From Death

By  Harun Yahya



 






Life slips away second by second. Are you aware that every day brings you closer to death or that death is as close to you as it is to other people?

As we are told in the verse [Every soul shall taste death; to Us shall you be brought back ] (Al-`Ankabut 29:57), everyone on this earth is destined to die. All nations that thrived in one time or another throughout history came to an end. Today, we hardly come across the traces of many of these people who passed away. Those currently living and those who will ever live will also face death on a predestined day. Despite this fact, people tend to see death as an unlikely incident.
Think of a baby who has just opened its eyes to the world and a man who is about to take in his last breath. Neither had influence on their birth or death whatsoever. Only God possesses the power to inspire the breath of life or to take it away.
All human beings will live until a certain day and then die. In the Qur'an, God gives an account of the attitude commonly shown towards death in the following verse.

[Say: "The death from which you flee will truly overtake you: then you will be sent back to the Knower of things secret and open: and He will tell you (the truth of) the things that you did! ]  (Al-Jumu`ah  62:8)

The majority of people avoid thinking about death. In the rapid flow of daily events, people usually occupy themselves with totally different subjects: what college to enroll in, which company to work for, what color of clothing to wear next morning, what to cook for supper, etc. These are the kinds of major issues that we usually consider. Life is perceived as a routine process of such minor matters. Attempts to talk about death are always interrupted by those who do not feel comfortable hearing about it. Assuming death will come only when people grow older, they do not want to concern themselves with such an unpleasant subject. Yet it should be kept in mind that living for even one further hour is never guaranteed. Everyday, people witness the deaths of other people around them but think little about the day when others will witness their own death. People never suppose that such an end is awaiting them!

Nevertheless, when death comes to man, all the "realities" of life suddenly vanish. No reminder of the "good old days" endures in this world. Think of everything that you are able to do right now: You can blink your eyes, move your body, speak, laugh; all these are functions of your body. Now think about the state and shape your body will assume after your death.

From the moment you breathe for the last time, you will become nothing but a "heap of flesh". Your body, silent and motionless, will be carried to the morgue. There, it will be washed for the last time. Wrapped in a shroud, your corpse will be carried in a coffin to the graveyard. Once your remains are in the grave, soil will cover you. This is the end of your story. From now on, you are simply one of the names represented in the graveyard by a marble stone.

During the first months or years, your grave will be visited frequently. As time passes, fewer people will come. Decades later, there will be no one.

Meanwhile, your immediate family members will experience a different aspect of your death. At home, your room and bed will be empty. After the funeral, little of what belongs to you will be kept at home: Most of your clothes, shoes, etc, will be given to those who need them. Your file at the public registration office will be deleted or archived. During the first years, some will mourn you. Yet, time will work against the memories you left behind. Four or five decades later, there will remain only a few who remember you. Before long, new generations will come and none of your generation will exist any longer on earth. Whether you are remembered or not will be worthless to you.

While all this is taking place in the world, the corpse under the soil will go through a rapid process of decay. Soon after you are placed in the grave, the bacteria and insects proliferating in the corpse due to the absence of oxygen will start to function. The gasses released from these organisms will inflate the body, starting from the abdomen, altering its shape and appearance. Bloody froth will pop out the mouth and nose due to the pressure of gasses on the diaphragm. As corruption proceeds, body hair, nails, soles, and palms will fall off. Accompanying this outer alteration in the body, internal organs such as the lungs, heart, and liver will also decay. In the meantime, the most horrible scene takes place in the abdomen, where the skin can no longer bear the pressure of gasses and suddenly bursts, spreading an unendurably disgusting smell. Starting from the skull, muscles will detach from their particular places. Skin and soft tissues will completely disintegrate. The brain will decay and start looking like clay. This process will go on until the whole body is reduced to a skeleton.

There is no chance of going back to the old life again. Gathering around the supper table with family members, socializing, or having an honorable job will never again be possible.

In short, the "heap of flesh and bones" to which we assign an identity faces a quite nasty end. On the other hand, you — or rather, your soul — will leave this body as soon as you breathe your last. The remainder of you — your body — will become part of the soil.

Yes, but what is the reason for all these things happening?

If God willed, the body would never have decayed in such a way. That it does so actually carries a very important inner message in itself.

The tremendous end awaiting man should make him acknowledge that he is not a body himself, but a soul "encased" within a body. In other words, man has to acknowledge that he has an existence beyond his body. Furthermore, man should understand the death of his body which he tries to possess as if he is to remain eternally in this temporal world. However, this body, which he deems so important, will decay and become worm-eaten one day and finally be reduced to a skeleton. That day might be very soon.

Despite all these facts, people's mental process is inclined to disregard what they do not like or want. They are even inclined to deny the existence of things they avoid confronting. This tendency seems to be most apparent when death is the issue. Only a funeral or the sudden death of an immediate family member brings this reality to mind. Almost all of us see death far from ourselves. The assumption is that those who die while sleeping or in an accident are different people, and what they face will never befall us! Everybody thinks it is too early to die and that there are always years ahead to live.

Yet most probably, people who die on the way to school or hurrying to attend a business meeting shared the same thought. They probably never thought that the next day's newspapers would publish news of their deaths. It is entirely possible that, as you read these lines, you still do not expect to die soon after you have finished them or even entertain the possibility that it might happen. Probably you feel that it is too early to die because there are many things to accomplish. However, this is just an avoidance of death and these are only vain endeavors to escape it:

[Say: "Running away will not profit you if you are running away from death or slaughter; and even if (you do escape), no more than a brief (respite) will you be allowed to enjoy! ] (Al-Ahzab   33:16)

Man who is created alone should be aware that he will also die alone. Yet during his life, he lives almost addicted to possessions. His sole purpose in life becomes to possess more. Yet, people cannot take their goods with them to the grave. The body is buried, wrapped in a shroud made from the cheapest of fabrics. The body comes into this world alone and departs from it in the same way. The only asset people can take with them when they die is their belief or disbelief.


WHAT IS ISLAM ALL ABOUT
by David Mattews
 
 
            


Contrary to popular belief, Islam is NOT a violent religion.

The word "Islam" comes from the root form of the word meaning peace and submission. Islam means the voluntary surrender to the commands of God. One who voluntarily submits his or her will to the commands of God is a Muslim. A sincere and true Muslim is blessed by God. The Qur'an says what means:
*{… this day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your way of life…}* (Al-Ma'idah 5: 3)
Islam is a total way of life. It covers everything from sleeping to waking, lying down to sitting and standing, as well as eating and drinking and sex. Every action performed by a Muslim, one who follows Islam, should be an act of worship of God. In Islam we call God "Allah". The act of worship should follow the practice of the last Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah says in the Qur'an what means:
*{As for those who strive hard in Our [cause], We will surely guide them to Our paths; for certainly Allah is with those who do right.}* (Al-`Ankabut 29: 69)
Islam is to testify or witness that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger: "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasulu Allah." This is the basic article or testimony of faith. When one says it and means it, one becomes a Muslim. One is making a declaration that one intends to voluntarily submit one's life to the commands of Allah following the example, or practice, of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It requires firm belief in the heart and this firm belief is then confirmed by the tongue in speech. One's actions show how firmly this belief is rooted in the heart. This testimony frees the hearts and souls from being enslaved to creation and from following other than Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

There are five basic fundamentals or pillars of Islam:
a) The testimony of faith, the Shahadah
b) Prayer, the five times daily, called salah
c) Fasting the month of Ramadan, called sawm
d) Obligatory purification of wealth, zakah (almsgiving)
e) Pilgrimage to Makkah, Hajj, once in a lifetime if one is able

Allah says what means:
*{Righteousness is not that you turn your faces to the East and West [in Prayer] but righteousness is [the quality] of the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books and the Prophets.}* (Al-Baqarah 2: 177)
*{Certainly, We have created all things with Qadar [Divine Decree], and Our Commandment is but one, as the twinkling of an eye.}* (Al-Qamar 54: 49)
There are also six articles of faith:
1. Belief in Allah
2. Belief in His angels
3. Belief in His prophets
4. Belief in His revealed Books
5. Belief in the divine decree
6. Belief in the Day of Judgment

All acts of the religion depend on how well we maintain these pillars of Islam. Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment as a Day of Accounting, when all our deeds or actions are accountable to Allah. It is not our deeds that will take us to Paradise, but the mercy of Allah. Nevertheless, we should strive to do our best in this world. Allah promises that if a Muslim keeps his/her covenant with Him, the Muslim will enter Paradise according of the mercy of Allah.

Allah has ninety-nine names or attributes, some of which are, for example:
He is the Most Merciful
He is the Most Powerful
He is the Master of the Day of Judgment
He is the Sustainer
He is the Creator
He is the Provider
He is the Nourisher
He is the Nurturer
He is the Architect
He is the Planner
He is the Oft-Returning.

There is an authentic saying of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated on the authority of `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):

"One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs, he said, "O Muhammad, tell me about Islam."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the Zakat, to fast in Ramadan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able."

He said, "You have spoken rightly."

And, we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly.

The stranger said, "Then tell me about iman (faith)."

The Prophet replied, "It is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the bad thereof."

The stranger said, "You have spoken rightly. Then tell me about ihsan (excelling in doing something)."

The Prophet replied, "It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not, yet truly, He sees you."

The stranger said, "Then tell me about the Hour."

The Prophet replied, "The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner."

The stranger said, "Then tell me about its signs."

The Prophet replied, "That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsmen competing in constructing lofty buildings."

Then he took himself off and I stayed for some time. Then he (the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him) said, "O `Umar, do you know who the questioner was?"

I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best."

He said, "He was Gabriel (Jibreel, peace be upon him), who came to teach you your religion."" (Related by Muslim.)

  Prinsip ketaatan, syura dan sikap raja-raja
    Ali Bukhari Amir
    Ketika Ratu Balqis menerima sepucuk surat daripada Raja Sulaiman a.s, ratu itu telah bermesyuarat terlebih dahulu dengan mengumpulkan pendapat berhubung pendirian yang harus ditegakkan untuk mendepani seruan Tauhid oleh raja Bani Israel tersebut.
   
   
     
   
     
     
   
    Ratu Balqis menyedari akan perihal kekuatan bala tentera Raja Sulaiman. Ratu telah mendengar kekuasaan dan kekuatan Raja Sulaiman itu bukan calang-calang. Bani Israel itu pernah ditakluk Jalut. Kemudian dibangkitkan Talut untuk mendepani Jalut.
    Setelah itu, Jalut terbunuh oleh salah seorang tentera bernama Daud. Dan dengan kerana itulah Daud akhirnya diangkat sebagai raja yang bijaksana. Kini, anaknya Sulaiman telah mengambil takhta dan kedudukannya sebagai raja Bani Israel yang baru.
    Ratu Balqis pernah mendengar kehebatan Daud. Baginda boleh melembutkan besi keras dengan tangannya. Tetapi, Daud juga gemar bersuluk sendirian menyanyikan lagu pujian kepada Tuhan dengan kitab Zabur (Mazmur).
    Suaranya yang gemersik itu menyebabkan haiwan dan burung-burung yang berterbangan menjadi jinak, terpaku lalu ikut sama bertasbih mengelilingi Daud tatkala gurindam lagu pujian kemesraan kepada Tuhan itu didendangkan.
    Pada zaman anak Daud, iaitu Sulaiman, burung-burung itulah yang menjadi bala tentera anak-anaknya. Sulaiman memahami jalan bahasa haiwan.
    Dan, tadi Ratu Balqis telah menerima sepucuk surat daripada burung Hud Hud yang kini diangkat sebagai 'wartawan ' baru bagi mewakili Raja Sulaiman itu.
    Ratu mula bermesyuarat
Lalu bermesyuaratlah baginda sang ratu bersama-sama para pembesarnya guna mencari keputusan dan mencapai kata sepakat berhubung isi kandungan surat Raja Sulaiman itu.
    "Aku penyembah matahari walhal Sulaiman menyembah Tuhan yang tidak kelihatan, tak dapat dicapai pancaindera," si ratu berbisik sendirian sambil menunggu kehadiran para pembesar. "Agama kedua-dua kerajaan ini berbeza."
    Balqis melihat surat Sulaiman itu berulangkali. Pada awal-awal surat itu tertulis nama Allah, Tuhan Raja Sulaiman yang bersifat pemurah, penyayang dan mengasihani.
    "Apakah Sulaiman itu juga bersifat penyayang seperti Tuhannya?" hatinya berbunga dan dia tersenyum sendirian.
    Para pembesar sudah bersedia mendengarkan titahnya. Tetapi, baginda ratu bukanlah watak yang suka menitahkan hal-hal yang tidak masuk akal dan baginda tidak akan melangkah lebih jauh membuat keputusan tanpa mengambilkira pendapat para pembesarnya.
    "Sesungguhnya surat itu dari Nabi Sulaiman, dan kandungannya (seperti berikut): 'Dengan nama Allah, Yang Maha Pemurah, lagi Maha Mengasihani,
    "Bahawa janganlah kamu meninggi diri terhadapku, dan datanglah kamu kepadaku dengan menyerah diri (beriman dan mematuhi ajaran ugama Allah).
    Raja perempuan itu berkata lagi: "Wahai ketua-ketua kaum, berilah penjelasan kepadaku tentang perkara yang aku hadapi ini; aku tidak pernah memutuskan sesuatu perkara sebelum kamu hadir memberi pendapat dan mempersetujuinya."
    Mereka menjawab: Kita adalah orang-orang yang kuat gagah dan amat berani merempuh peperangan; dan perkara itu (walau bagaimanapun) terserahlah kepadamu; oleh itu fikirkanlah apa yang engkau hendak perintahkan.
    Raja perempuan itu berkata: "Sesungguhnya raja-raja, apabila masuk ke sebuah negeri, mereka merosakkannya, dan mereka menjadikan penduduknya yang mulia hina-dina; dan sedemikian itulah mereka akan lakukan.
    "Dan bahawa aku hendak menghantarkan hadiah kepada mereka, kemudian aku akan menunggu apakah balasan yang akan dibawa balik oleh utusan-utusan kita."
    [Surah an-Naml: ayat 30 - 35]
    Sikap sang Ratu patut diteladani
Baginda sang ratu mengutamakan pandangan pembesar, pemimpin kaum dan rakyat jelata sebelum menitahkan sesuatu. Daulat sang ratu terletak di atas restu, suara, pendapat, pandangan rakyat yang mewakili jiwa, ruh serta pemikiran bangsa.
    Baginda tidaklah sesuka hati membuat keputusan tanpa merujuk orang-orang di sekelilingnya terlebih dahulu. Sikap dan pendirian ini sangat Islami dan cenderung ke arah pendirian Tauhid walaupun baginda sang ratu bukannya memeluk agama Tauhid. Allah s.w.t merakam pendirian Balqis ini sebagai contoh teladan kepada raja-raja dan pemerintah.
    Kedua, dalam fikiran ratu sudah tersemat andaian dan sepekulasi bahawa raja-raja zalim akan selalu merosakkan negeri lalu menyebabkan orang yang paling mulia menjadi hina-dina.
    Dengan penuh hati-hati, walaupun diasak oleh para pembesar untuk berperang, maka Balqis tetap menolak saranan supaya kerajaannya berperang dengan kerajaan Sulaiman. Baginda bimbang nasib rakyat jelata yang lebih banyak terkorban.
    Lalu baginda ratu memilih jalan perdamaian dengan mengirimkan hadiah sebagai cara melihat tindak-tanduk Raja Sulaiman apabila melihatkan hadiah-hadiahnya yang serba mewah dan barang perhiasan yang berkilauan bak mutiara itu.
    Maka apabila (utusan pembawa hadiah itu) datang mengadap Nabi Sulaiman, berkatalah Nabi Sulaiman (kepadanya): "Tidaklah patut kamu memberikan kepadaku pemberian harta-benda, kerana apa yang telah diberikan Allah kepadaku lebih baik dari apa yang telah diberikanNya kepada kamu; (bukan aku yang memandang kepada pemberian hadiah) bahkan kamulah yang bergembira dengan hanya kekayaan yang dihadiahkan kepada kamu (atau yang kamu hadiahkan dengan perasaan megah).
    "Kembalilah kepada mereka, (jika mereka tidak juga mahu beriman) maka demi sesungguhnya Kami akan mendatangi mereka dengan angkatan tentera yang mereka tidak terdaya menentangnya, dan kami akan mengeluarkan mereka dari negeri Saba' dengan keadaan hina, menjadi orang-orang tawanan."
    Giliran Raja Sulaiman bermesyuarat
Nabi Sulaiman berkata pula (kepada golongan bijak pandainya): "Wahai pegawai-pegawaiku, siapakah di antara kamu yang dapat membawa kepadaku singgahsananya sebelum mereka datang mengadapku dalam keadaan berserah diri memeluk Islam?"
    Berkatalah Ifrit dari golongan jin: "Aku akan membawakannya kepadamu sebelum engkau bangun dari tempat dudukmu, dan sesungguhnya aku amatlah kuat gagah untuk membawanya, lagi amanah."
    Berkata pula seorang yang mempunyai ilmu pengetahuan dari Kitab Allah: "Aku akan membawakannya kepadamu dalam sekelip mata!" Setelah Nabi Sulaiman melihat singgahsana itu terletak di sisinya, berkatalah ia: "Ini ialah dari limpah kurnia Tuhanku, untuk mengujiku adakah aku bersyukur atau aku tidak mengenangkan nikmat pemberianNya. Dan sesiapa yang bersyukur maka faedah syukurnya itu hanyalah terpulang kepada dirinya sendiri, dan sesiapa yang tidak bersyukur (maka tidaklah menjadi hal kepada Allah), kerana sesungguhnya Tuhanku Maha Kaya, lagi Maha Pemurah."
    Nabi Sulaiman berkata pula (kepada orang-orangnya): "Ubahkanlah keadaan singgahsananya itu, agar kita melihat adakah ia dapat mencapai pengetahuan yang sebenar (untuk mengenal singgahsananya itu) atau ia termasuk dalam golongan yang tidak dapat mencapai pengetahuan yang demikian."
    Maka ketika ia datang mengadap, Nabi Sulaiman bertanya kepadanya: Serupa inikah singahsanamu?" Ia menjawab: "Boleh jadi inilah dia; dan kami telah diberikan ilmu pengetahuan sebelum berlakunya (mukjizat) ini, dan kami pula adalah tetap berserah diri (menjunjung perintah Allah)."
    Dan ia dihalangi (daripada memeluk Islam pada masa yang lalu): apa yang ia pernah menyembahnya (dari benda-benda) yang lain dari Allah; sesungguhnya adalah ia (pada masa itu) dari puak yang kafir.
    (Setelah itu) dikatakan kepadanya: "Dipersilakan masuk ke dalam istana ini." Maka ketika ia melihatnya, disangkanya halaman istana itu sebuah kolam air, serta dia pun menyingsingkan pakaian dari dua betisnya. Nabi Sulaiman berkata: "Sebenarnya ini adalah sebuah istana yang diperbuat licin berkilat dari kaca". (Mendengar yang demikian), Balqis berdoa: "Wahai Tuhanku, sesungguhnya aku telah menzalimi diri sendiri dan (sekarang aku menegaskan) aku berserah diri memeluk Islam bersama-sama Nabi Sulaiman, kepada Allah Tuhan sekalian alam."
    [An-Naml: 36 - 44]
    Rendah diri Sulaiman a.s
Apabila ada kalangan rakyatnya yang berjaya pindahkan singgahsana Ratu Balqis itu, Raja Sulaiman memuji dan bersyukur kepada Allah dengan sebanyak-banyaknya kerana diberikan rakyat yang gagah perkasa dan taat pula pada perintahnya.
    Raja Sulaiman berikhtiar keras menimbulkan rasa kagum dalam hati pihak yang didakwahnya agar baginda ratu itu berasa tertarik kepada agama Tauhid.
    Antaranya ialah dengan cara mengambil singgahsana Ratu Balqis itu. Singgahsana lambang kepada kekuasaan seseorang raja. Apabila singgahsana raja boleh dialihkan, bererti pihak yang mengalihkan singgahsana itu tentunya memiliki kekuasaan yang lebih, mengatasi kerajaan yang lain.
    Paling penting, baik Raja Sulaiman dan Ratu Balqis, kedua-duanya melakukan musyawarah terbuka bersama para pembesar serta rakyat untuk mencari buah fikiran yang berguna dalam menangani masalah kenegaraan dan urusan dakwah.
    Taat terangkat selepas musyawarah
Sesungguhnya Allah menyuruh kamu supaya menyerahkan segala jenis amanah kepada ahlinya (yang berhak menerimanya), dan apabila kamu menjalankan hukum di antara manusia, (Allah menyuruh) kamu menghukum dengan adil. Sesungguhnya Allah dengan (suruhanNya) itu memberi pengajaran yang sebaik-baiknya kepada kamu. Sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mendengar lagi sentiasa Melihat.
    Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, taatlah kamu kepada Allah dan taatlah kamu kepada Rasulullah dan kepada "Ulil-Amri" (orang-orang yang berkuasa) dari kalangan kamu. Kemudian jika kamu berbantah-bantah (berselisihan) dalam sesuatu perkara, maka hendaklah kamu mengembalikannya kepada (Kitab) Allah (Al-Quran) dan (Sunnah) RasulNya - jika kamu benar beriman kepada Allah dan hari akhirat. Yang demikian adalah lebih baik (bagi kamu), dan lebih elok pula kesudahannya.
    [Surah an-Nisa': ayat 58 - 59]
    Dalam konteks pemerintahan Islam, ketaatan kepada pemerintah, raja-raja itu didahului oleh musyawarah bersama rakyat. Maka, dalam konteks Alam Melayu yang mana Melayu itu beragama Islam, maka perihal ketaatan kepada raja-raja itu mesti dirujuk kepada musyawarah terlebih dahulu.
    Raja-raja, pembesar dan pemerintah perlu bermesyuarat mengambil pandangan, membuka ruang terbuka untuk mengambil undi rakyat jika mahu menaikkan pemimpin atau menjatuhkan mereka.
    Demikianlah juga.. jika ada pemerintah yang lompat partinya, maka hendaklah rakyat yang terlebih dahulu diminta kata putus persetujuannya. Pendek kata, apa-apa pun projek kenegaraan, menaikkan dan menjatuhkan pemerintahan dan lompat parti, perlulah mendapatkan pandangan umum rakyat terlebih dahulu sebelum berbicara lanjut mengenai ketaatan.
    Ini kerana, menurut surah an-Nisa', hal prinsip ketaatan (ayat 59) DIDAHULUI nas yang terkait dengan prinsip penyerahan urusan amanah pemerintahan kepada semua rakyat (ayat 58). Wallahu'alam..


As-salam,
 
3:8. (They say): "Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower."

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ

Transliteration-Rabbanā Lā Tuzigh Qulūbanā Ba`da 'Idh Hadaytanā Wa Hab Lanā Min Ladunka Raĥmatan 'Innaka 'Anta Al-Wahhābu



Surah Isra 17 verse 80 Say: "O my Lord! let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me)." 
Ameen,Thumameen.
Transliteration :Wa qur rabbi adkhilni mudkhala sidqiw wa akhrijni mukhraja sidqiw wa-j'al li mil ladunka sulta_nan nasira_(n).

Al-Tirmidhi HadithHadith 2482 Narrated by AbuHurayrah  (May Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say, " O Allah, grant me benefit in what Thou hast taught me, teach me what will benefit me, and increase my knowledge. Praise be to Allah in all circumstances. I seek refuge in Allah from the state of those who go to Hell."
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a tradition whose isnad is gharib.

Transliteration:an Abi Hurairah (radiya Allahu anhu) qaal:
qaala Rasul Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam): "Allahumma infa'ni bima 'allamtani, wa allimni maa yanfa'oni wa zidni 'ilman, alhamdulillahi alaa kolli haal, wa a'odtho billahi min haali ahlil naar."
 
wallah hu a'lam
 
Why should anyone choose Islam as a religion and as a way of life? In other way: Why are we Muslims?
 
It is to be stated that Islam is the very nature of man. It is the religion and the Path chosen by Almighty Allah for him so as to gain happiness in this life and Paradise in the life-to-come. Sometimes, a question may raise in our minds, why are we Muslims? What are the very characteristics of this religion that has led us to choose it as a way of life? In what way Islam is better than other religions?
A True Muslim will cry proudly:
"I'm a Muslim for all to see,
So very glad and proud to be.
Your temptations try to turn my head,
But I have chosen Islam instead.
Sure I am not like all the rest,
I don't eat pork, wear a mini dress.
I am special, I'm not the same,
My appearance is different, even my name.
My God gives me strength, He makes me strong,
He guides me right when I go wrong.
I am a Muslim for all to see,
Islam guides me wherever I be."

In this context, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

"Islam is the rational choice for anyone who wishes to have a faith that does full justice to the demands of the three faculties of man: physical, intellectual and spiritual. Here is a concise listing of Islam's unique features for which Islam is chosen as a way of life:

1-Islam is the only religion whose sources are authentically preserved and thus remains immaculately free of all human tampering and interpolations.
 
2-The Islamic scripture is free of mythical elements that are incongruous with modern man's understanding of the world. '
 
3-The Qur'an, the Islamic scripture, is fully compatible with the established facts of science; it clearly contains the signature of the author of the universe, as attested to by many objective seekers of truth, coming as they were from diverse religious and intellectual backgrounds. It also movingly records natural phenomena and enjoins the followers of the faith to respect and preserve nature and the creatures with whom we share the planet.
 
4-The Qur'an upholds the role of reason and equates those who fail to use their reason as being intellectually imbeciles; this is a far cry from the teachings of many religions which assume incompatibility of reason and revelation.
 
5-Islamic beliefs and practices are simple, natural and appeal to both reason and common sense.
 
6-In regards to most of the teachings of Islam, their benefits can be easily demonstrated by evidence of the human experience and by the objective observation of facts. Take for instance Islam's ban of alcohol: statistics reveal that abstention from intoxicants alone could spare humanity from untold misery and suffering. The valuable resources squandered for intoxicants can alone solve all poverty related problems of the world. Add to this, the Islamic pillar of Zakah. If only the world's rich were to part with 2.5 % of their excess wealth, humanity would have tackled the problem of poverty very easily.
 
7-Islam takes into account all of the Allah-given instincts and faculties of man/woman and therefore gives us a balanced program of life that caters to all of the basic needs of humans - physical, intellectual and spiritual, unlike many religions and ideologies which exaggerate one at the expense of the other.
 
8-Islam provides for us a living example of such a balanced role model in Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, whose life, unlike those of the great heroes and Prophets of other religions, is an open book easily accessible for anyone.
 
9-The Islamic story of creation is free of any of the consequences of the stigma of original sin which has weighed heavily in the consciousness of a large segment of humanity, often proving to be highly volatile, and resulting in hysterical explosions in both the individual and collective dimensions.
 
10-The Qur'an is anti-classical in its approach to knowledge, and stresses experiential knowledge, a fact which combines authentic science with authentic spirituality.
 
11-The Qur'an provides answers to questions that haunt every intelligent person, questions related to life after death, an area which is almost totally mysterious in other traditions.
 
12-Islamic teachings about the essential identity of human beings and its stress on human brotherhood can break the barriers separating humans from one another. This can save humanity from the dire consequences of nationalism and racism which tend to break up humanity artificially by creating and sustaining perpetual conflicts.
 
13-Islam promises us nothing but total freedom, liberation and bliss and the highest fulfillment and contentment that humans are capable of attaining.
 
14-Islamic history has provided us with a model society where justice, compassion, truth and transparency of justice were implemented at the human and natural levels.
 
15-Islam dispenses with all intermediaries between man and God and allows all humans to freely contact God, thus eliminating hierarchies and other sources of religious exploitation that has characterized religious history throughout the ages."
 
For all these reasons, we are Muslims!
Here, we would like to cite for you the following testimony of one of the new converts- Ibrahim Jagersky from Pennsylvania- showing why he has chosen Islam as a religion:
 
"Islam has done a lot for me. More than I could have ever guessed. And every day, it just gets better. I went from living my life on a trial-and-error basis to embracing guidance, and now knowing what the best choices are for me to make. From seeking who I am and spending a life in confusion, I am being guided. I can't find the words to say what its like, but I'll try again: Allah reveals to me what life is. I don't have to guess anymore.
Almighty Allah says: "By the morning hours. And by the night when it is stillest. Thy Lord hath not forsaken thee nor doth He hate thee. And verily the latter portion will be better for thee than the former. And verily thy Lord will give unto thee so that thou wilt be content. Did He not find thee an orphan and protect (thee)? Did He not find thee wandering and direct (thee)? Did He not find thee destitute and enrich (thee)? Therefore the orphan oppress not. Therefore the beggar drive not away. Therefore of the bounty of thy Lord be thy discourse." (Ad-Duha: 1-11)

That is what I went through, what Allah did for me - what I am. So here is my proclamation to the world. Islam is more than you think it is, in fact more liberal than most would wish it to be. But do not only listen. Study all views for yourself...and come to your own conclusion. Allah says: "And whomsoever it is Allah's will to guide, He expandeth his bosom unto the Surrender, and whomsoever it is His will to send astray, He maketh his bosom close and narrow as if he were engaged in sheer ascent. Thus Allah layeth ignominy upon those who believe not." (Al-An`aam: 125)"

 
 
 
Kembali kepada hukum Allah untuk kesejahteraan ummah
    LanH
    Berdasarkan senario antarabangsa yang membabitkan umat Islam, kita dukacita saudara seagama terus ditindas penguasa zalim. Di Myanmar (Burma), ribuan umat Islam Rohingya diusir dari tanah air mereka (Arakan) dan terpaksa membawa diri ke negara jiran yang tidak kurang menekan mereka.
   
   
     
   
     
     
   
    Diberitakan ribuan pelarian Rohingya terpaksa menempuh gelombang lautan, sejumlah mereka terdampar di pantai Aceh baru-baru ini. Mereka berada dalam keadaan sangat daif tetapi sungguh malang masyarakat antarabangsa termasuk pertubuhan dan dunia Islam memandang sepi permasalahan mereka. Ratusan ribu lagi melarikan diri ke Thailand, Bangladesh dan ke negara kita, tetapi nasib mereka bagaikan lari daripada mulut harimau masuk ke mulut buaya.
    Orang Rohingya bukanlah satu-satunya kumpulan minoriti Islam yang menerima nasib sedemikian rupa. Orang Kashmir, orang Melayu Thailand, orang Moro di selatan Filipina, penduduk Xinjiang (China), Muslim India dan orang Chechen (di Rusia) menghadapi tekanan paling hebat; sebahagiannya disebabkan mereka beriltizam mengekalkan cara hidup Muslim.
    Berdasarkan perkembangan semasa, umat Islam sewajarnya tidak lagi menaruh harapan sepenuhnya kepada pertubuhan sejagat antarabangsa seperti Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) dan kuasa besar dunia seperti Amerika Syarikat untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan mereka. Banyak contoh menunjukkan bahawa pertubuhan dan kuasa dunia tidak memandang sebelah mata kepada permasalahan ummah sebaliknya segera bertindak dalam isu membabitkan orang bukan Islam.
    Ambil contoh nasib orang Moro dan Timor Timur. Konflik di Moro sudah berlarutan berdekad-dekad, pertubuhan antarabangsa tidak mengambil peduli akan nasib orang Islam di sana tetapi dalam konflik Timor Timur yang kebanyakan penduduknya beragama Kristian, PBB dengan segera mengusahakan gencatan senjata, seterusnya referendum yang membawa kemerdekaan wilayah itu yang kini dikenali sebagai Timor Leste daripada Indonesia.
    Kemudian dalam perubahan tampuk kekuasaan Presiden Amerika kepada seorang tokoh kulit hitam yang digelar warga dunia, Barack Obama mulai 20 Januari lalu; dunia Islam bukan disantuni sebaliknya dikenakan tekanan lebih hebat. Amerika di bawah Obama telah melancarkan beberapa siri serangan udara di sempadan Pakistan-Afghanistan menyebabkan sejumlah orang awam terbunuh manakala laporan terbaru menyebut Washington akan menghantar 17,000 askar tambahan ke Afghanistan.
    Demikianlah betapa pergantungan kepada kuasa kufar dan pertubuhan antarabangsa yang dikuasai mereka tidak membantu kesejahteraan ummah. Umat Islam perlu keluar daripada kepompong pergantungan ini tetapi persoalannya bagaimana? Apakah mereka boleh menyandarkan harapan kepada saudara seIslam mereka dari negara-negara Islam dan juga organisasi yang memayunginya iaitu Pertubuhan Persidangan Islam (OIC)?
    Jawapannya tetap kabur kerana negara umat Islam malah OIC berterusan membisu dalam hal-hal membabitkan penganiayaan terhadap umat Islam sejagat. Sebagai contoh ketika konflik Bosnia, Chechen, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan dan terkini di Palestin dan Myanmar di manakah OIC dan pemimpin negara umat Islam? Ertinya pemimpin dan umat Islam bernafsu-nafsi dalam tindak-tanduk mereka, semuanya berpunca daripada ketidaksediaan mereka mengikut peraturan hidup termasuk hukum-hakam yang sudah termaktub dalam al-Quran dan hadis Rasul yang membawa rahmat kepada sekalian alam, apatah lagi ummah.
    Negara umat Islam hari ini adalah jelmaan pecah dan perintah kuasa Barat. Sedangkan Islam mengajarkan umat Islam adalah bersaudara, mereka tidak dapat dipisahkan oleh sempadan. Mereka ibarat satu tubuh; jika sakit satu anggota maka sakitlah seluruh badan. Semua panduan untuk berjaya di dunia dan akhirat terkandung dalam al-Quran, malangnya umat keberatan mengikutinya. Oleh kerana itu mereka berpecah-belah; dan selagi tidak kembali kepada al-Quran selagi itu mereka dihina bukan saja oleh kuasa besar dunia tetapi juga rejim pariah seperti Yangon dan Tel Aviv.