Issue 102 » January 26, 2001 -
General
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QURAN
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Translation:
"No one can die except by God's leave, at a term appointed. He who desires the reward of this world, We shall give him thereof; and to him who desires the reward of the life to come, We shall give thereof. We shall reward those who are grateful to Us."
[Al-Quran- Sura Ale Imran 3:45]
Tafseer:
The truth:
Every human soul lives
up to its appointed time. No one dies before his time. Neither
fear, nor the desire to live longer can postpone anyone's
appointed time. Courage and adventure, on the other hand,
will not shorten one's life.
Implication of this truth on a Believer:
As this idea sinks into
the minds of the believers they simply do not think of death
as they go about fulfilling their responsibilities and carrying
out their religious duties. This is the reason why people,
who believe in God, do not desire to prolong their
time on earth or fear of what lies ahead. They simply rely
on God with patience.
Two Choices:
1) to desire the reward
of this world
2) to desire the reward of the life to come
2) to desire the reward of the life to come
The length of one's life
on this earth is not affected by the choice one makes. He
who makes this life his ultimate goal and seeks only its
rewards, leads a life which is not greatly different from
the life of animals. On the other hand, he who looks up
to the wider horizon, leads the life of a true human being
whom God has ennobled, to whom He has assigned the mission
of building a happy human life on earth. Those who show
their gratitude to God will certainly be richly rewarded
by Him.
[Compiled from "In The Shade
of The Quran" by Syed Qutb Shaheed, Vol. 2,
pg. 236-237]
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6
THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR ISLAM IN 2001
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continued from issue
# 101....
4.
ADOPT A MUSLIM ISSUE WHICH FEW PAY ATTENTION TO
This commitment
doesn't have to be for a whole year. It can be for only
three months if you like. The aim is simply to develop a
specialization in a specific area of need and benefit to
Muslims.
One of the
best is the assault on Muslim civil rights in America. It's
here, it's real, all of those involved in the issue are
accessible, and you can see the results of your efforts
more easily. But don't stop there. You can also
choose other areas of the world and issues that Muslims have ignored or given sparse attention to lately: Kashmir, Chechnya, the plight of Muslims in India, environmental issues and domestic violence are all some examples.
choose other areas of the world and issues that Muslims have ignored or given sparse attention to lately: Kashmir, Chechnya, the plight of Muslims in India, environmental issues and domestic violence are all some examples.
To be continued
in the next issue....
[Taken from www.SoundVision.com]
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Hadith
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Sweetness
of Faith!
<*><*><*><*><*><*><*>
The
Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon
him) said:
"Whosoever
is delighted (i.e. eager) that he should taste the sweetness
of faith (Iman) let him love a man, not loving
him except for the sake of Allah."
(Collected
by Ahmad and al-Hakim)
[Lessons:
It's interesting to find such a close connection between
ENJOYING THE SWEETNESS OF IMAN (FAITH) and LOVING
A PERSON FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH ONLY! And how often do we
forget such a beautiful principle of Islam. So often we
find New Muslims entering Islam and facing many difficulties
in adjusting in the Muslim community, mainly because some
of us can not sacrifice our time and efforts in
explaining to them the fundamentals of Islam and welcoming
them to our community. Some of us even adopt a
racist attitude towards new Muslims, just because it takes
them time to understand our "Muslim"
culture or perhaps these new Muslims do not have the same
level of Islamic 'knowledge' as we do. Similarly, even
many Muslims face similar problems in our community. Where does
our principle of loving for the sake of Allah,
disappear when our brothers or sisters really need
our help? Where is the effect of those weekly lectures on
Brotherhood in Islam? In order to test ourselves whether
we really do love someone only for the sake of Allah,
let's ask ourselves this question: Have I ever
given any major sacrifices for this person, for Allah's
sake only (and not for our worldly benefits)? How many
of us are really one of those who offer their shoulders for
others to cry upon in their difficult times? This
is true sweetness of Iman. These concise words
of the Prophet (pbuh) would perhaps be enough to understand
the powerful concept of Spirituality in Islam. It was this
spirit behind the revolutionary movement of Brotherhood,
established by the first generation of sincere Muslims
in Madina. ]
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Reflections
on Tazkiya and Self-Development
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A
Source of Righteous Conduct & Company
Following
are the prerequisites of Tazkiya (Self-development):
2-
Tazkiya- A source of Righteous Conduct & Company:
Tazkiya
does not consist simply of fancy ideas, but of life,
behavior, and conduct. The key to success, according to
the Quran, lies in having true faith. To inculcate true
faith you must start by acquiring a sound knowledge of Islam
through a dedicated study of the Quran and Sunnah.
You must then translate your knowledge into practice. For
this to occur, you need to have firm resolve and determination.
This, in turn, will produce Amal Salih or righteous
conduct.
To
aid you in your task, you must seek the company of those
who are also striving to please Allah. They will encourage
you towards righteousness and correct you when you deviate
from the true Path. Your company also includes your mental
and psychological company- the ideas you entertain, the
ambitions you nurture, the sensitivities and sensibilities
you develop and the books you read. All of these represent
a form of company because they are your companions in solitude.
To be continued
in the next issue....
[Taken from "In
the Early Hours" by Ustadh Khurram
Murad (Rahimahullah), edited by Riza Mohammed,
http://www.youngmuslims.ca/bookreview/default.asp]
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15
Points on the Wisdom of Prohibition of Alcohol
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Following is a list
of reasons and wisdom behind the prohibition of drinking
alcohol in Islam:
1-
Alcohol is considered to be an abomination, as the Prophet
(pbuh) once said, "Alcoholic beverages are the mother
of abomination and filth."
2-
Alcohol is a part of Satan's handiwork. Allah says in Surah
Al-Maidah (5:90), "O you who believe! Intoxicants
and gambling, idols, and raffles are only a filthy work
of Satan, turn aside from them so that you may prosper."
3-
Drinking Alcohol generates enmity and hatred among people,
as Allah continues in the above mentioned Sura,
"Satan only wants to stir up enmity and jealousy among
you by means of intoxicants and gambling......" (5:91)
To be continued
in the next issue....
[Compiled from "The
Adolescent Life" by Dr. Ahmad Sakr]