General
From Issue: 447 [Read full issue]
| Living the Quran |
Al-Araf (The Heights) Asceticism often means the negation of art and beauty, it has no necessary sanctity attached to it. The beautiful and good things of life are really meant for, and should be the privilage of those with faith in Allah. If they do not always have them in this life....let us remember that this is a test from Allah. In the life to come they will be purely for the faithful. Islam recognizes the importance of celebrations in people's lives. While expecting the ultimate reward in the Hereafter, a believer is not required to deny himself/herself the opportunity of enjoying in this life. Islam does not expect people to deprive themselves of the lawful pleasures of life. A Muslim should know how to strike a balance between devotional acts of worship and worldly pleasures. Feeling joy and showing happiness and delight are essential elements of Eid. That is why scholars stated that showing happiness in Eid is a religious rite. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the Muslim community to manifest happiness on this day. What makes one wonder is the act of those who overlook this Prophetic guidance and try to destroy this joy and spoil Eid’s cheerful spirit. In fact, some ascetics and worshipers did so in the past out of good intention. This gloomy spirit is echoed today by some sincere people who are used to turning Eids into occasions of lamenting the Ummah’s shortcomings and tragedies, and mourning over the lost glories. Sadness and gloominess will never be the remedy for our tragedies. The remedy needs more than that. It needs reflection and wise thinking, as well as courageous self-criticism and assessment. Rejecting the manifestations of joy, extinguishing every smile and succumbing to sadness and grief have nothing to do with liberating even hand-span of land, satisfying a hungry person, or answering any call for help. The best guidance is that of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who used to seek refuge in Allah from worry and sorrow. He was always an optimistic, smiling man. We need to infuse the Ummah with this hopeful spirit. Eid is a ray that dispels the darks engulfing our souls and the despair strangling our hearts. So let hope find its way into our souls. The life-span of Islam is far longer than ours; its horizons are far wider than our countries; the calamities afflicting us are not unchangeable fate. We should not be hasty and impatient. Allah’s laws in running the universe cannot be altered according to the humans’ whims or wishes. Let’s look at the bright side and appreciate the favours Allah has bestowed on us. A desperate soul overwhelmed by fears and blinded by a gloomy view can never be helpful in rectifying our situation. After all, we should remember that Allah is always there and that He Almighty is the Greatest. Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
Facing Allah It is reported from Abu ad-Darda that he said, "That my face be covered in dust for my Rabb (is most loved by me), - for that is the best kind of worship for Allah." So let none of you fear the dust, nor find it distasteful to make sujud in it, for there is no doubt that every one of you comes from it. Nor should any of you fear an excess of it, for verily, it is by this means that one attempts to attain freedom from slavery and salvation from the Hellfire - a fire before which the fixed lofty mountains which were placed as pegs (holding the earth) could not stand, nor the seven strong heavens, built one above another, which are placed as a well graded canopy over us, nor the earth, which was placed as a dwelling for us, nor the seven seas, of which none knows their depths or their size except the One Who created them. Then what about us, with our feeble bodies, our delicate bones, our flimsy skin? We seek refuge with Allah from the Fire! So should any of you stand in Salah - may Allah have mercy on you - then let him be as if he sees Allah before him, for though he may not see Allah, verily, Allah sees him. It is narrated in a hadith that Allah's Messenger, advised a man, saying: "Fear Allah as though you see Him, for verily, though you may not see Him, He sees you." This then, is the advice of the Prophet to the slave in all his affairs, so what about when he performs Salah, when he stands before Allah, in a particular place, a sacred place, desiring Allah and turning his face towards Him? Does not his standing, his situation in Salah merit the same ihsan as all his affairs? It is also narrated in a hadith: "Verily, the slave, as long as he is in Salah, possesses three qualities: Blessings are showered upon his head from the heavens above, the angels sit around him, from his feet to the heavens and a caller says: 'If the slave knew the One Who hears his whispered utterances, he would never leave his Salah.'" Allah showers His Mercy upon the worshipper who approaches prayer in a state of humility and meekness towards Allah, in fear and supplicating Him with desire (for His Pleasure), and in hope (of His Mercy). He stands before his Rabb, earnestly, with deep feelings, hoping for its acceptance and fearing its rejection, for verily, its acceptance is a cause for joy, while its rejection is a cause for misery and wretchedness. Do you know if your sins will be forgiven at all? After all this, you have no assurance that you will be spared from it (the Hellfire). So who is more deserving of your tears and sadness [than Allah] - that He may accept from you (your deeds)? In addition to this, you know not whether or not you will awaken in the morning, nor if you will still be here in the evening - will you be given the good news of Paradise, or the bad news of the Hellfire? Source: |
| Blidspot! |
Fun Time, Prayer Time The wisdom behind the celebration after a month of fasting or self-denial ought to be fairly obvious. For one whole month, you deprive yourself of all the natural pleasures of eating, drinking and sexual intercourse at will; you dedicate the whole daytime for fasting and a major portion of the night for praying. You mark the end of this month of fasting with a celebration: you are once again free to enjoy your food, drink and marital sex freely. Naturally, the feast after the fast becomes doubly enjoyable, and nobody is likely to debate that! What is more important is that we have every reason to be thankful to God for His blessings, which we have been enjoying freely, until their deprivation for one month brought home to us their real worth. The festival of Eid therefore, must necessarily come immediately after the fast of Ramadan. What may be surprising to some is that Muslims pray even in the midst of celebration, or "fun"! To many people, especially in the West, the word "fun" evokes, for instance, the colourful images of the world's biggest and grandest carnival in Rio de Janeiro or the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. They may also think of the wild celebrations and partying they have during other festivals and fiestas throughout the world. The celebration of Muslims cannot go out of control. It is marked by decorum and restraint. This is because Islam strongly disapproves of people letting themselves go, as it were. Drinking, dancing and pop music festivals are not relevant to the essence of Islamic socio-logic… or homo-logic either. Intoxication or wild enjoyment of any kind is just not the way of enjoying life a Muslim would pursue. All activities of a Muslim, therefore are bound to be God-directed; and a Muslim should like to spend every moment of his life in prayer, if possible. That is due to the fact that he believes that this life is transient and his real destination is the eternal abode in the hereafter. So, fun time is also prayer time, though it may sound... funny! Source: |
