Thursday, May 19, 2005
Meeting with Reality
Time has passed, its winds bringing debris and sand, its rains having eroded the edifices of what was established before and we the later people must struggle to cling to what remains of a glorious legacy, now barely discernible. The legacy of the days of Men.
Hope, Challenge and Perseverance
"So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in Faith"
(Al-E-Imran, 003.139. translated by Yusuf Ali)
Every scenario we encounter is a test question and must be answered with a sense of accountability by Allah (s). It is temporary: "This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. The home of the Hereafter - that is life…". [Q, 29: 64] That is, here no position permanent in this world.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
THE ULTIMATE AIM
Let us keep our eyes on the prize, and strive hard for it, for Allah says, "And (as for) those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways; and Allah is most surely with the doers of good." [29:69]
O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), who has created you As well as those before you; Do so that you are saved. It is He Who has made the earth A resting-place for you, And the sky a canopy, And sent down water from above With which He brought forth fruits for your sustenance. Do not, then, set up rivals to Allah When you know (the truth).
(The Qura'n 2:21-22)
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
"And when the female (infant) buried alive - is questioned, for what crime she was killed." (Qur'an 81:8-9).
BURIED ALIVE LITERALLY (years ago), BUT NOW BY OTHER MEANS TOO..
SAD...
The MUSLIM woman who understands the teachings of her religion looks where she is going and strives to increase her good deeds, so that she may be saved from the terrifying trap into which the devils among mankind and jinn in all times and places try to make women fall.
THE CHOICE IS YOURS TO MAKE - IT ALWAYS WAS
"Every child is born in the Peaceful Surrender to Allah ."
- Prophet Muhammad
... So we sleep
by Saima Iqbal
Sleep?s so much better than being awake. We make ourselves comfortable, snuggle in, dream a little, far, far away from the harsh reality called life. Let?s face it, who?d rather be in class, studying for exams, finishing up a lab, or trying to talk to a T.A. for partial credit that you know you?re not going to get, when you could be sleeping, possibly dreaming about all of it. It seems as though the Muslims over the world have understood the logic fairly well, and have taken a liking to it. We may have, however, taken ?sleep? to a whole new level.
When we dream, our bodies are asleep, but our minds stay awake. But what do you get when your bodies are awake, yet the minds sleep? The Muslim Ummah of today ?
Yes, we have the Palestinians fighting for their lives, Bosnians begging for help, Serbs freezing to death, but those are the harsh realities of life. We do think about them. But the mind says, what can we do, after all, we?re students. So, a comment here, a discussion there, and a condolence, maybe even prayer, for extra credit, and there we have it. Our duty to humanity, during our student life, is done. Let us sleep now.
There is, of course, the chance that we may be next in line to cry for help. We?ll cross that bridge when we get to it, says the mind? I mean, after all, who thinks that far when we have exams like Organic Chemistry to think about?
Allah says: Wallazhina jaahadoo finaa lanahdinnanakum sobolana, wa innAllaha lama'al mohsinin" (To those who sacrifice their comfort in search of truth, we'll show the way, we'll guide them, Allah is with the sincere). And, of course, with awakening comes pain. As Rumi puts it: "Harke oo bidartar, por ranjtar" (The more awakened a man, the more his pains). So what is there to gain when we forsake our beloved slumber to face the cruel facts of life, to witness, if not go through, the pain and humiliation that the Muslim Ummah is facing today?
Hey, atleast we (the Muslim Ummah) are united on this front ? we, as a whole, sleep as life goes on. What do you think?
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