Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Fairest Stature
Al-Tin (The Fig) - Chapter 95: Verse 4

"Very truly, We created man in the fairest stature."

God has created the human being in a fine and sublime form, his very anatomy - upright and symmetrical - a metaphor in motion for his high station among creation and the graceful nature of his inner being.

Such is the original state of man, and none among creation may undo this. Yet the human being itself holds the power to reverse its own condition, repeal its eminent position, deface its appearance, and demean its special distinction. In the blind and frenzied pursuit of the disparate passions craved by man's worldly being, his soul is pulled apart and disintegrates, until the fabric of sacred truth - that connects him and all creation - frays against the jagged edges of his fragmented intellect, ravaged by the onslaught of the lower world, until all that is beautiful and many-splendored in life is left ragged, disenchanted, utterly bereft of higher meaning. This, then, is when man can no longer believe in anything, least of all in the "vertical" purpose of his own being. Thus does he fall into the abyss of faithlessness.

Compiled From:
"The Gracious Quran" - Ahmad Zaki Hammad, pp. 279, 280

From Issue: 693 [Read original issue]

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Service to Other

Ibn Abbas reports that, while he was once in retreat (itikaf) to the mosque in the Masjid al-Nabi (The Messenger’s mosque) a certain man came to him, greeted him and sat down. Ibn Abbas said to him, “I see that you seem sad and troubled.” The man replied, “Yes. O son of the uncle of the Messenger, I am indeed troubled in that I have an obligation to fulfill towards someone. I swear by the holiness of the inmate of the grave of this honoured resting place that I am not able to fulfill this obligation.” Ibn Abbas inquired, “Shall I intercede with that person on your behalf?” The man replied, “By all means, if you so wish.” Ibn Abbas put on his shoes and proceeded out from the mosque. The man, seeing this, said, “Have you forgotten that you are in retreat to the mosque?” Tears filling his eyes, Ibn Abbas replied, “No, but the occasion is still fresh in my mind when I heard the esteemed inmate of this tomb say, ‘Whoever sets forth in the way of settling a necessary affair on behalf of his brother, that service shall be better for him than to perform retreat to the mosque for ten years; and whosoever performs retreat to the mosque for a day, God will spread three trenches between him and hellfire, the width of each trench being greater than the distance between heaven and earth.” [Baihaqi]

In the above tradition we are told that performing a service for one’s brother brings a reward greater than ten years of retreat to a mosque. For this reason Ibn Abbas broke off his retreat to the mosque. It was of course possible for him to continue it afterwards. The Sufis say that God has such sympathy for very few things as He has for a broken heart. It is for this reason that we have been so much warned of the appeals to God of that person whose heart has been hurt through any unjust treatment or persecution. Whenever the Messenger appointed anyone as a governor, in addition to advising him, he would also warn him to beware of the invocation (to God) of the persecuted.

Compiled From:
Ramadan: Motivating Believers To Action, "Retreat to a Mosque" - Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi

From Issue: 900 [Read original issue]

Blindspot!

The Individual

Our contemporary environment is complex, confusing and frustrating. The individual remains, however, the most significant entity of the universe and to ourselves as individuals, we must turn our utmost attention. The image and role which we seek to play will determine whether or not we will deserve the fulfillment of God's promise.

Therefore, we must demand, from ourselves first of all, an uncompromising awareness of ourselves, our being and our message. Thereafter we must work together, with others who share our faith and our destiny, to establish the Islamic way of life. There is a two-way relationship between the Islamic personality and the Islamic society. One cannot be truly fulfilled without the other.

Nations are not the product of irreversible destiny but they are the moulded product of people, usually of a few persons who have vision and courage. Every person, with no exception, can share that vision and help shape its outcome. No one is too small or too weak, too big or too strong, to become part of that process. The definition of our individual role cannot be imposed on us from outside; it has to develop from within and, no matter how others see us, our achievements will depend basically on our will and our actions.

Compiled From:
Islam: The Way of Revival,"The Islamic Personality" - Mahmud Rashdan, p. 233

From Issue: 688 [Read original issue]