The Message, Cultivating Good Manners, A Fair Emperor
Issue 247 » November 7, 2003 - Ramadan 12, 1424
General
| Living the Quran |
Al-Maidah
(The Table)
Dawah is the most important, most significant, most obvious Sunnah of the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him. Every Muslim is therefore a Da’iya (Caller). Dawah cannot be given up or be a part-time occupation; it must become the life he lives. However, prior to actually thinking about approach, method, skill or technique, we need to create this consciousness. We seem to have lost this dimension in life. Our collective consciousness is devoid of it; so is our personal consciousness. That is why we have non-Muslim minorities living among huge Muslim majorities, untouched by Islam. That is why we have significant Muslim minorities who fail to make the slightest impression upon their neighbours and societies. Is it possible that there should be fire in the heart, and yet its warmth and glow not reach those who are in its vicinity? At least some persons, if not all, should make this vision of Dawah their state of mind. An individual imbued with a message and mission may look like an insignificant, ineffective entity. But was not there only one Da'iya in Makka? You may say: Ah, but he was a prophet. Yes, but he is the example, the norm, the uswah hasanah. And a very tiny seed can grow into a tall, large, leafy tree. As a seed that puts forth its shoot, and strengthens it, and it grows stout and rises straight upon its stalk (al-Fath. 48: 29). We may not be able to change the collective consciousness of the Ummah, in the foreseeable future. The attitude of Muslims living within non-Muslim societies we may not be able modify. But at least those who have made their commitment to Islam as their life mission should take stock of themselves. Can their purpose - creating a new man and a new society - be achieved unless a significant proportion of non-Muslims join them in this mission? But what priority do they accord to this task in their thoughts and programmes? What proportion of their time, their attention, their resources, their activities is devoted to this task? Have they not become content with merely preserving their own cultural identity as a minority? In view of this, why should any non-Muslim ever consider becoming part of a minority culture? What attraction does that culture hold for him? Have new Muslims found an appropriate place in Islamic organizations or on Islamic platforms during the last 25 years? Is there anything in the programmes of these organizations language or content which would be attractive to them? Simple questions? Yes, but the answers will reveal the degree of our apathy and indifference. At least the Islamic groups should rethink their priorities and correct their course. Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
Cultivating Good Manners in Ramadan "Whosoever
does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allah the Mighty
and Majestic has no need that he should leave his food and drink."
"Fasting
is not merely abstaining from eating and drinking. Rather, it is also
abstaining from ignorant and indecent speech. So if anyone abuses or behaves
ignorantly with you, then say: I am fasting, I am fasting." The above statements of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, point towards the importance of truthfulness and good manners. Thus, this blessed month teaches us not only to abstain from food and drink, but to also abstain from such statements and actions that may be the cause of harming people and violating their rights. Thus it is upon us as individuals, to examine the shortcomings in our character, and to then seek to improve them – modelling ourselves upon the character of the last of the Prophets and Messengers, and their leader, Muhammad. So by shunning oppression, shamelessness, harbouring hatred towards Muslims, back-biting, slandering, tale-carrying, and other types of falsehood, we can be saved from nullifying the rewards of our fasting. Source: |
| Stories Good & True |
A Fair Emperor Nausherwan, an emperor of ancient Persia, once went hunting. They caught some animals which they killed and made ready for cooking. While the hunted meat was being roasted, someone remembered to send for salt from a nearby village. The emperor told him to pay for the salt. He did not want it to become the custom to grab even little things for free from the poor. He said that this would devastate the prosperity of the village. The servant asked how much a small quantity of salt could cause such destruction. The emperor replied, "All tyranny starts from a tiny beginning which no one notices. If a ruler tastes one fruit, free of charge, the his people eat up the trees to their very roots. If the king accepts five eggs for free, then his army fry and boil thousands." Source: |
