\r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n| \r\n QURAN \r\n |
\r\n\r\nTranslation:\r\n
Surah Bani Israail \r\n (Childrean of Israel)
\r\n Chapter 17 : Verses 53
\r\n\r\n\"Tell \r\n My Servants (O Muhammad) to always say that which is the Best \r\n (Ahsan). Verily, it is Satan who sows discord among people. \r\n Satan indeed is an open enemy to human being.\"
\r\n
\r\nCommentary:
\r\nIn this verse, Allah \r\n is addressing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to convey \r\n to the believers the following message: In their discussions \r\n with the non-
\r\n
\r\n Muslims and polytheists, in fact with any opponents of their faith, \r\n Muslims should refrain from losing their temper.Additionally, they \r\n should not resort to exaggerated and extremist statements. \r\n Even in the face of provocation from their opponents, Muslims \r\n should not utter even a word that is contrary to the truth; nor \r\n should they lose their temper at the vulgarities which are flung \r\n at them by their opponents.
\r\nIn fact, believers \r\n should follow the Example of the best of examples, Prophet Muhammad \r\n (peace be upon him), who was known for his noble character and \r\n patience, who would return the verbal abuses, harassments, and \r\n taunts by the unbelievers of Makkah and Madinah, with a beautiful \r\n smile and a prayer for their guidance. Therefore, \r\n the believers should keep their composure and say only that which \r\n is balanced and true, with grace and dignity of faith which they \r\n seek top uphold.
\r\nThe Quran tells \r\n the Muslims that whenever, in the course of their discussions \r\n on controversial issues with unbelievers, they feel overly provoked \r\n and overwhelmed with rage, they should immediately realize that \r\n such reactions are instigated by Satan, who is keen to hurt the \r\n cause of their faith. Satan will \r\n certainly try to prompt the believers to give up, as their opponents \r\n had done, all efforts of reform, and to become entangled in futile \r\n wrangling and strife. For it's Satan's aim that all mankind remain \r\n perpetually involved in such insignificant controversies.
\r\nThe Muslims \r\n around the world, in the light of the current crisis, must appreciate \r\n these beautiful and practical teachings of Islam. In the face of all the verbal harassments, abuse, and threats \r\n we receive today due to the backlash on our community, if we restrain \r\n ourselves and deal with the matter in a civilized and patient \r\n manner, Allah will provide us a strength to handle the situation \r\n from within, as the Satan would be defeated. Let's learn try to imitate the peaceful and loving character \r\n of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who has been described to \r\n have \"never avenged anyone throughout his life, for personal reasons.\" \r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n[compiled \r\n from \"Towards Understanding the Quran\"
\r\n
\r\n by Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi, Vol. V, pp. 51]
\r\n \r\n\r\n
| \r\n HOW \r\n DID ISLAM REVOLUTIONIZE ARABIA? \r\n |
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nWhat is it that makes Muslims believe \r\n that Islam is a tremendous bounty and a gift from God, \r\n when the rest of the world views ALL religions as a burden \r\n on mankind created by backward cultures? Islam is the \r\n faith that defines us, defines who we are, defines our \r\n identity. In fact anyone who truly understands Islam will \r\n be well aware of it's simplicity, elegance and the power \r\n to lead humanity to what Muslims believe is man's true \r\n purpose. Why is Islam so revolutionary?
\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Islam has revolutionized and reformed \r\n Arabia in all aspects of life: politically, economically, \r\n socially, and above all morally- through its peaceful and \r\n yet powerful message, and not through the sword: \r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nIt \r\n was Islam that transformed the fiercely independent-minded \r\n Arabs who knew no government, obeyed no authority, \r\n and recognized no state, into a nation with a government, \r\n a capital, and a respected authority.\r\n
\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nIt \r\n was Islam that taught the anarchic Arabs how to elect \r\n a head of state from among themselves and how to run \r\n their government upon principles of mutual consultation.\r\n
\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nIt \r\n was Islam that abolished the gruesome habit of female \r\n infanticide from Arabia.\r\n
\r\n\r\nTo be continued in future \r\n issues...\r\n
\r\n\r\n[compiled from \"A Revolution without Revolutionaries\" \r\n by Sherif Mohammed
\r\n
\r\n Also available @ http://www.dawanet.com/nonmuslim/intro/islam/revolut1.html]
| \r\n 22 \r\n SYMPTOMS OF WEAK FAITH \r\n |
Series \r\n continued from YMFN Issue #139
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn previous issues, we discussed the \r\n phenomenon of weak faith that has become widespread amongst Muslims, \r\n saw that the root cause of this weakness of faith and doubt in the mind \r\n is a hardness of the person's heart due to forgetfulness of Allah.
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWe began to look at signs and symptoms \r\n of weak faith that one can use to assess whether he or she suffers \r\n from this spiritual disease. They include:
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n 6- Thinking little of good deeds, and having no \r\n interest in doing small actions of goodness: The Prophet (Peace be \r\n upon him) taught us to pay attention to small acts of goodness. Abu Juray \r\n al-Hujaymi reported: \"I came to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon \r\n him) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, we are a desert people. Teach \r\n us something by which Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will benefit \r\n us.' He said, 'Do not look down on any act of goodness, even \r\n if it is just emptying your bucket into the vessel of one who wants to \r\n drink, or speaking to your brother with a cheerful expression.'\" \r\n (Musnad Ahmad).\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIf someone comes wanting \r\n to drink from the well, and you lift up your bucket and empty it for him, \r\n this is a good deed; even though it appears insignificant, you should \r\n not think little of it. The same applies to greeting your brother \r\n with a cheerful expression, and cleaning dirt and garbage from the mosque, \r\n even if it is as small as a straw.
\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Prophet (Peace be upon \r\n him) said: \"A man passed by a branch of a tree lying on the road and \r\n said, 'By Allah, I want to remove this out of the way of the Muslims so \r\n that it will not hurt them,' and he was admitted to Paradise.\" (Reported \r\n by Muslim)\r\n
\r\n
\r\n There is something wrong with a person who thinks \r\n little of simple acts of goodness. How unfortunate this person is to be \r\n deprived of the advantages described by the Prophet (Peace be upon him): \r\n \"Whoever removes something harmful from the path of the Muslims, one Hasanah \r\n (reward) will be recorded for him, and whoever has a Hasanah accepted, \r\n will enter Paradise.\" (Reported by al-Bukhaari).
...to be continued...
\r\n \r\n \r\n[from \"Weakness \r\n of Faith: Causes and Cures\" by Shaykh M. Salih al-Munajjid]
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
| \r\n QUOTES \r\n TO PONDER UPON \r\n |
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\"America \r\n needs to know Islam, because it is the one Religion \r\n that removes the Race problem from its society!\"\r\n\r\n\r\n- \r\n Malcolm X (also known as Malik El-Shabbaz after \r\n he reverted to Islam)
\r\n