The Tyrant

 In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful

You have heard the story of Pharoah – Oh what a tyrant he was – then you heard about this one and that one – all these tyrants who oppressed many a people. So you may curse them for those who rule and spread corruption in the land, are cruel and unjust to their people – may be cursed because these oppressed people have nothing else left but their silent thoughts and prayers.

And you think smugly – they, the tyrants, are deserved of that. And you think that you are free of any blame. So you believe you are not a tyrant – because? You are not a tyrant because you do not rule over people? Then perhaps you should look into the mirror and check your thoughts – are you feeling of superiority for what you see?  Take a look at your family and see whether there is any fear for you from them? Go outside and see who do you relate to best of your neighbours and why?

But then – look at all the people that you interact with or that you perhaps need to interact with and ask yourself – have I taken any of their rights – Have I taken someone’s inheritance? Have I caused some people to hate others only because of some differences or that they were blessed with more (in any way or form) than I am? Have I been hypocritical in my affairs such that deep down I plan the downfall of another?

Am I a tyrant?

The world is filled with tyrants at all levels and most of us are unaware that we may bear some of those traits. Tick tock the time flies by. We have added to family problems, to societal problems and these become global problems – are we not guilty?

A great man – Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him - said: By the one in whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you submit, and you will not submit until you love one another. Greet each other with peace and you will love one another. Beware of hatred, for it is the razor. I do not say it shaves hair, but rather it shaves away the religion.
Source: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 260, Grade: Hasan

So spread goodness and slay the monster and tyrant from within. If you do not do so perhaps time will pass you by until you get into a situation like Pharaoh did as related in Quran: “
And We took the children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh with his hosts followed them in oppression and enmity, till when drowning overtook him, he said: "I believe that none has the right to be worshipped bu) He, in whom the children of Israel believe, and I am one of the Muslims (those who submit to Allah's Will)."

Now (you believe) while you refused to believe before and you were one of the mufsideen (evildoers, corrupts, etc.). So this day We shall deliver your dead body out from the sea that you maybe a sign to those who come after you! And verily, many among mankind are heedless or our Ayah (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). (Ch 10:90-92 Quran)

Superiority causes hatred but likewise does inferiority – rather remember we are all the children of Adam and he was made from dust. Spread love amongst one another, seek pardon and bite your tongue rather than spread tales and gossip.

Choice

 In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

It has come down to a choice. An important lesson and value is to understand how one makes decisions. What choice does one make?

I can make a decision which may make you feel good albeit momentarily. But the pressing point is whether I love you, as a fellow human being, enough to offer you something other than momentary comfort. Perhaps what I may say to you may make you momentarily uncomfortable. We may have had this discussion before (that is if you know me at all), but even now I am duty-bound to address you on this issue.

The day is dawning when you celebrate the birth of a person, and most of you call him the son of God. If he is the same Jesus who is the son of Mary, the virgin, then we Muslims say “peace be upon them” and we recognise him as a great Prophet. We do not, however, refer to him in any other way but as a creation of God and not in any way as part of the Godhead. If you celebrate his birth purely on this basis, the basis of being only a creation like you and I, then there may yet be some understanding between us.  But most likely you don’t accept him purely as a creation and that is where my concern for you lies. That you recognise him, in some way or another, as part of a Godhead. I have no intention of criticising you, but rather I address you for two reasons, viz that you need to understand why I do not congratulate you on this festival, your day of celebration, and secondly, most important of all, I wish for you what I wish for myself, that you may have some understanding of Allah and Jesus (peace be upon him) and for that matter, to understand the most authentic book, Quran, which is nothing else but the word of God, Allah, Himself.

We have absolute conviction in this Holy Book and do not doubt even a letter of it. The majesty of the book is clear for all to see in all its facets. A book of which the eloquence, its word arrangement, its style, its historical accuracy, its scientific accuracy is beyond the abilities of any human. A book which is unlike any other book in that it is preserved in the hearts of men, women and children. A book which clearly states that God, Allah is One, that He begets not, nor is He begotten. A book which clearly states that Jesus (Eesa) – peace be upon him – was born of a virgin mother, that he performed many miracles by the permission of God, Allah and that he, Jesus – peace be upon him – ascended to heaven alive. That Book, Quran, also clearly states that Jesus is in no way the son of God. This is the book to which we subscribe, the word of Allah.

Dear Christian, if I congratulate you, then it is as if I wish you harm for I am telling you to continue on a path on which we disagree. Rather, my silence (as opposed to congratulations) should rather be seen as a prayer for your well-being and indeed wishing you well.

We also say Jesus (peace be upon him) saves and for that we revere him. He laid the foundation for a prophet to succeed him. That Prophet, Muhammad – peace be upon him – to whom the final revelation, Quran, was revealed, is the one we ultimately follow. Jesus – peace be upon him – remains special to Muslims for he was born of a virgin mother, he performed miracles by the permission of Allah, he ascended to heaven alive and he will return before all that is on earth will come to an end.

So the choice I make is one of love for you (because I love God Almighty, Allah) and therefore, it is for no other reason that I do not congratulate you on this day.

I greet you with peace.

The Call

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Welcome my friend, I missed you much, so glad you could come

You are special for your master sent with you bounties and then some

I confess that I have so neglected myself since last you were here

All those promises I made, in most I failed, only to few did I adhere

How serene the atmosphere, the desire to do good, now that you did arrive

The worldly desires have somewhat faded and hearts have become alive

Oh how sweet the sound of the recitation of Quran, a most beautiful gift

Absorbing it all and abiding by it will most certainly cause with bad deeds a rift

 

So now you are here it is required of me from pre-dawn to dusk that I abstain

From food and water while with greater sincerity my prayers and conduct I maintain

While those who understand not, consider this noble task perhaps burdensome

Not in the least can the immense bounties you bring  be found loathsome

Yes I do realise that you have come to remind me ,yet again , of a better me

This training ground is much better than any other coaching session which is free

So I pray a little extra, give some charity and I remember my Lord and His blessings more

He, Allah, your master and mine, has promised that for this much blessing is in store

 

So I pray that your stay, however short, will be for me most beneficial

That on that Day, your witness in my favour will be made official

So I embrace you even more than I ever have, knowing that I truly love you

For this love is for no other reason but that my Love for Allah is true

  

Most certainly I acknowledge what you mean to me now, and always will

How then can I not invite others such that we may all forsake the evil

From my sisters who have not covered up to others who have not prayed at all

Always a good time to tell my non-Muslim friends to answer this call

 

The call is to obey Allah who created me, you and the entire universe

Such indeed was the call of Abraham, Moses, David and not forgetting Jesus

And on all of them be peace for they were without doubt great messengers

And to be complete,  so too peace upon Muhammad the seal of all messengers

Shade

In the same of Allah, theAll-Merciful, the Especially Merciful

As today the sky is completely covered with cloud,

That day, O my Lord, please also my sins Thee shroud

Alas, as the sun is hidden there is a hint of darkness

So I pray that that day my face with light sparkles

Ah, how wonderfully Merciful Thou art that today is so cool

That day too, O Lord, let not my body be for the fire fuel

How Thou remind me so clearly of what is possible that day

The coolness, the coolness will be for those worthy of Thine shade

So, I plead with Thee, My Most Gracious Lord, to make me of the seven

Whose reward, as Thou did promise, will surely be the eternal heaven.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him said)

There are seven whom Allah ill shade in His Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each other for Allah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position [for illegal intercourse], but be says: 'I fear Allah', a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.'

Narrated by Abu Hurairah & collected in Sahih al-Bukhari

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Eloquence and Majesty of a Book

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, Most Merciful

 It is late spring and the weather has been rather cool lately. Today it has been a little warmer. There are approximately 800 people - men, women and children - crammed into a mosque to attend a unique program. So the temperature inside is rising. The program is just about to put a different dimension on the “heat”.  In daily sessions, lasting 3 hours, for the next 13 days the Quran will be translated (into English) to the public word-for-word. Yes, “translations” of the Quran are available in various languages but this program, in the manner of presentation, is unique.

It’s Day 1. Barely an hour into the program, there is a small break. Then there is an announcement. A 19-year old girl, who came as a guest of a friend, declares her shahadah, i.e. she declares her faith and her acceptance of Islam. What did she hear that was so profound? What impact did the atmosphere have? Situations like these are not unique. Situations where people are exposed to Quran and accept Islam is not unique. The part of the Quran this girl would have heard was about Moses (peace be upon him) and the Jews – yet it somehow impacted.

Here was a case recently where someone attended a Islamic exhibition purely out of curiosity. He hears the recitation of Quran (in Arabic) – not understanding a word he is touched by it. He enquires about its meaning and declares his shahadah.

These are but two examples of the effect Quran has on people. There are countless. Those sincere in seeking the truth will no doubt be touched by it. The style and beauty of Quran is without comparison for it is none other than the words of a superior being, the Lord of the worlds, the Creator of us all.

I have recently listened to a lecture where this “pastor” tried to refute Quran, but alas the more he tried the more he confirmed it to be the truth. He questioned the preservation of Quran but he did not count on the fact the Quran is an oral text. He did not consider that Quran was memorised and guarded in the hearts of people from the very first revelation of Quran more than 1400 years ago. How amazing that the majority people (millions of them) who today have memorised Quran are non-Arabs who may not understand Arabic. It’s difficult enough to memorise something in one’s own language let alone 6236 verses in a foreign language. This is the medium the Almighty has chosen to preserve His word. Children from 3-4 years old and older people into their seventies are memorising Quran. No other book has withstood the test of time. No other book has the eloquence that even the pagan Arabs who at the height of their poetic era had to acknowledge that these words are from a superior being. The style and manner in which it was first recited is very much still preserved and taught.

The program continues. Speaker after speaker, people who teach Quran and yet in each one there is still a hint of being mesmerised by this book every time they talk about this Glorious book. The emotions on the faces of the audience is a picture to behold and a reflection of one’s own heart and emotions.

And in the end it, this program, is a reminder of the first five verses revealed by Allaah to Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – via angel Gabriel –peace be upon him in the cave of Hira on  the Mountain of Light on the outskirts of Mecca more than 1400 years ago:

Read [O Muhammad!] in the name of your Lord who created. (96.1) He created man from a clot. (96.2) Read, and your Lord is the Most Honorable (96.3) who taught with the pen, (96.4) taught man what he did not know. (96.5)

Quran – 96: 1-5

We need to do ourselves this favour and read this book

Amnesty

AMNESTY

The call has been made. It is my turn to apply for amnesty. I have travelled a long way to attend this conference. The crowd is large and growing. This amnesty of a lifetime is for one day only. Those not called here can apply for minor amnesties.

I am certainly dressed for the occasion. My garb is simple. If you will look carefully, I am the one dressed in two pieces of cloth. Oh my, and so is everyone else. So this is the dress-code of this convention. I do carry another garb and the one which I, with much help, have sewn onto my self.

I have done the registration at a place nearby. I spent the day there yesterday. This was quite important as it allowed me to check myself one last time before that important appearance and application for amnesty.

Now the time has arrived. How long do I have? What am I to say? I step forward. A thin layer of cloud has dimmed the heat of the sun. The moment though does cause me to perspire somewhat. I raise my hands and present myself finally: “Here I am, O Allaah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.

All Praise be to the Lord of the worlds. Peace and Blessing upon Our Leader, Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family, his friends and all those who follow him until the appointed time.

O our Lord, we have harmed ourselves and if You, O Allaah, do not forgive us we will certainly be of the lost ones.”

These words seeking forgiveness, first uttered by our father Aadam (peace be upon him) in the very place I am now, brings fear to me as I wondering whether I am deserved, yet there is hope because these words were accepted from Aadam (Peace be upon him)

My words are interspersed with trying to control my tears which by now is streaming down my cheeks. My beard is soaked and my voice even I cannot recognise. How fortunate am I to be Muslim and how more fortunate am I to be given this opportunity. If I pass here, and I continue to wear my garb tightly, the garb of taqwa, the garb of God-consciousness, then perhaps the next time I present myself to my Lord, that ultimate time, that perhaps then my passage on that day will be easy.

How did I commit so much sin, O my Lord, I have been oblivious of you when you have blessed me with much. I cannot thank You enough, but please please dear Lord, do not forsake me. I am but weak, and I humbly present myself to Thee. Cleanse me O Lord, Cleanse me, Forgive me and show mercy to me. O My Lord have mercy on  my parents as they showed mercy on me when I was little. And as they have grown old, make me one that show mercy to them.

O my Lord, our dear children, take care of them, and make them standard-bearers for Islam until the end of time. O Lord, You know we live in difficult times, make us and them the strangers that Your Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke about (when he- peace be upon him- said "Islam began as something strange, and it shall return to being something strange, so give glad tidings to the strangers.")

O My Lord, Thou who are Most Merciful, forgive us, our wives, our brothers, our sisters, our children, our families, our friends and all Muslims.

Let not my actions be in vain, please O Lord accept from me.

As those not here have been involved in the minor amnesty through their fasting and other acts of worship, what a truly amazing day.

The feeling though, the feeling standing there on the plains of ‘Arafah, can never truly be explained, it has to be experienced. If for no other reason, that feeling of that day alone makes me long to repeat my Hajj.

The unity of the Ummah is captured on this day when we stand before the Almighty as equals. Certainly we need to inculcate that into our lives.

The Mercy of our Lord is certainly understood on that day. Certainly, it is something we need to seek out every day and Praise Him who is Most Merciful.

To those currently on Hajj, We pray that Allaah Almighty accepts from them their standing and repenting on ‘Arafah. To those not there we pray that your wuqoof through your fasting is accepted and that you too may be forgiven.

For those who have not been there, may Allaah increase in you that desire to present yourself on this glorious day and may He indeed make it a reality for you.

For those who have been there, no doubt you still have that yearning, may He, the Most High, make it easy that we may yet have another opportunity.

“Here I am, O Allaah, here I am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner.

All Praise be to the Lord of the worlds. Peace and Blessing upon Our Leader, Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family, his friends and all those who follow him until the appointed time.

O our Lord, we have harmed ourselves and if You, O Allaah, do not forgive us we will certainly be of the lost ones.”

Allahumma taqabbal minnaa wa minkum

The Comforter

As reader of my blog questioned my assertion that the Bible prophecises the coming of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Below (in red) are his comments and I respond lower down.

Muslims have been told that Jesus predicted the coming of Mohammad. If one looks at the context of what Jesus said, one can see that he meant someone else.

Muslims are told that the Comforter to come that Jesus promised was Mohammad. Let us see what Jesus really said.

Who is the Comforter that Jesus promised?

Jhn 14:16: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;

Jhn 14:26: But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Jhn 15:26: But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Jhn 16:7: Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Comments
1. The Comforter will abide with them “forever.” Mohammad did not live then, and could not do this – be with them. Now that he has come and gone, he is not with anyone forever.

2. The Comforter is the Holy Ghost, not a man, who will “teach all things.” No man knows “all things,” only God.

3. The Comforter is a Spirit of Truth. Mohammad was a man, not a spirit.

4. Jesus had to leave so that the Comforter could come. That implied he was coming soon after Jesus left. Also, Jesus said that HE was sending the Comforter. Mohammad never claimed that Jesus sent him.
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The disciples are to wait for the “promise” in Jerusalem.

Luk 24:49: And, behold, I [Jesus] send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Luk 24:51: And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he [Jesus] was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Comment
1. The “coming” of the Comforter occurred in Jerusalem. That is not where Mohammad was when he felt “called.”

2. The disciples were waiting and expecting the Comforter in about 33 AD. They could not wait until the 500s AD for Mohammad, because they could not live that long.

3. The promise would give them power.

When did the Comforter come?
Act 2:1: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Act 2:2: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Act 2:3: And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

Act 2:4: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Comment

1. Jesus died at Passover. He appeared after his resurrection 3 days later, and was with them about 30 days. He then ascended into heaven. Pentecost occurs about 45 days after Passover.

2. The disciples were given the power of the Holy Ghost.
Mohammad, again, could not have come at this time, and he gave no supernatural power to anyone.

Reply to this Comment 

Dear Jim

It is indeed true that Allaah Almighty knows best and thus I am very grateful Him who has guided me and made me a Muslim – one who submits to His Oneness.

As Muslims were are fortunate to have with us His final revelation. This revelation confirms what came before it and the message of all the Prophets that there is but One God worthy of worship.  So while we are well exposed to Christians and their doctrine, these are mentioned in Quran. However, you may have limited exposure to Muslims and perhaps have not had the opportunity to properly research the Quran.  Certainly, when you understand that it is the word of our Creator, mine and yours, the Lord of Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them), then the denial of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Prophet of Allaah, God Almighty, will not be at issue. When you understand that Quran is the word of Allaah, you will understand that Muhammad  (peace be upon him) is the messenger of Allaah. The relevance of the prophecies in the Bible, both Old and New Testatment,  will not strengthen the belief of a Muslim – for he believes already.  As mentioned that we have Quran and the life history of Muhammad (peace be upon him) which makes the quotations releatively easy to understand.

Before we get to these verses, may I remind you that both Jews and Christains, many of them, acknowledged that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the Prophet mentioned in the scriptures of the Jews and Christians – many accepted and many rejected. Quran even makes mention of this.

As to your points on the “Comforter”:  let’s start with three points:

1.       “Soon” – how long is “soon”.  It may indeed be a figure of speech.  For instance, God created all things in  6 days.  6 human days? – if you went to Planet mercury, a year will be something like 29 earth days. And on more distant planets the days will be extremely long in earth time. So “soon” did not mean soon, as in watch your clock. There was no indication that it was going to happen in their lifetime. Soon was just for them to convey the message that a Prophet was to come.
Time is a creation of God Almighty – read Quran to understand this better.

2.       Did not Paul write a few chapters/books in the New Testament? Was he present during the Pentacost? If not how was he inspired by the Holy Ghost “soon”. Did Peter have a licence from the Holy Ghost to inspire Paul to be an important author/scribe of the New Testament.
You said: When did the Comforter come?Act 2:1: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
So was Paul there?

3.       Does the New Testament hold anything new to what Jesus (peace be upon him) taught? For does your Bible not say quoting Jesus (peace be upon him): “I have yet many things to say, but ye cannot bear it all now.....”
If so, what was new?
Muhammad (peace be upon him)  brought us Quran, as revealed to him from God Almighty though Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him). Quran teaches us what we ought to know and what was intended by Almighty God for us to know. Everything has its relevance.

4.       Jhn 14:16: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;So the “comforter” – the one you claim to be the comforter – is with us now?
Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought a message that is abiding with us and will abide with us until the end of time.  When his wife was asked about him, his life, she replied his life was the Quran. In us following him (peace be upon him) he teachings abide with us and will so until the end of time.

Yes, I have already said much and to not prolong this much further, suffice to say that I do not know if anything was lost in the translation of what is in the Bible you quoted.  I suggest that if you possibly read Quran it will add to what i have stated above.  The Quran is preserved by millions in their hearts, having memorised this Glorious Book  - a miracle indeed.

Btw – to which denomination do you belong.

PS! Quran states about Jesus PBUH:

1.       Miraculaous birth from virgin mother

2.       Spoke in cradle

3.       Performed miracles such as forming bird with clay and blowing into in and bird becomes alive – by the Permission of God Almighty

4.       He is a Prophet and not one of three (btw Bible does not speak of Trinity?)

5.       He was not crucified

6.       He was raised up by God Almighty.

 I pray that Almighty accepts your sincerity and rewards you for it.