What have you done

In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Especially Merciful

My son, I was so good to you all your life, was I not? Then Why, Why did you leave me here alone in this dark and cold place. Why did you have these people all come along and then you leave me. What is to become of me? Who is there to help me? This place is small. Yet I have so much money to buy a bigger place. What have I done to deserve this?

These are but the thoughts that should cross our minds for a day will soon come when we too will be like the one who is left alone in what seems to be a cold and dark place. All of this is reality except that the latter will be only for some while for others it will be spacious and comfortable.

The son, the father, the brother, the friend who left you, did what they had to do. You have taken on the responsibility to be born into this world, but you may have forgotten that this world is but a temporary abode. Yet, you lived as if this life was eternal. You have been left in this place, this small and dark place because you are now in the dock. You will be questioned about your life and perhaps you pass the test. But if you do not, then you only  have yourself to blame for you, who hold all these qualifications and seem quite intelligent, either befriended the enemy or were simply duped by this character. Yes, you were subservient to the enemy and now you are being court-martialled. Neither your money, nor your worldly status, nor your many friends can help you in the least. You have been stripped of all these and you will present your own case.

What is your case? You sought much pleasure while living on mother earth. You forgot that the real pleasure was the satisfaction of Him who created you. You forgot that it is with His Mercy that He will grant you an eternal abode of pleasure. That abode is beyond this earthly life. Yet you, with your brilliant mind, yet you were influenced and forgot Him, forgot Him who Created you. You chose to party, club, consume alcohol, fornicate, dress provocatively, gamble and all those things that were expressly forbidden to you while in this temporary life. And now you are in this icy cold and dark place, a place so small that you feel constricted, and those sent to interrogate you are not kind to you in the least.

In your pain and anguish, you do not realise that, barely a few meters from you, is another person. Yet this person is in luxury, not the worldly luxury, but by far better. He was one who remembered that this world was but temporary. He knew there was something better to come and he worked for it. He read a book, a book of guidance from the One who created you and him. He read the book and followed it and followed the teachings of the one who conveyed the message of this book.

My son, I wish I was a better person, I wish I had another chance. I know I will never have that. You are still on this earth. Know the pain of the grave and rather repent before it is too late. Repent, for your Lord loves those who repent and He, Most High, is quick to accept repentance.

Leave that which will harm you and take care of yourself, your time, your health, your family, your youth before it is all taken away from you.

“Verily from Allah do we come and verily to Him is our return” (Quran 2:156)

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

Wonders of the World

By now you may know whether Table Mountain on the southern tip of Africa is a “wonder” of the world. This acknowledgement is sought largely as a boost for tourism. Tourism contributes 7.4% to the GDP of South Africa (see http://www.info.gov.za/aboutsa/tourism.htm ). We have seen though the impact of the global financial crisis of 2008 impact tourism worldwide. The latest crisis in Europe where countries are on the brink of collapse is certainly casting a nervous and negative spell on the rest of the world. The current situation has only further muted economic recovery in even South Africa. Tourism has no doubt suffered as much has been blamed on the fallout from SWC 2010. But the reality is that SWC2010 was a welcome boost to tourism which artificially improved the situation. In fact, some may argue that SWC 2010 did not reach the levels of tourism/fans that were originally expected.

The one country that has not suffered in all this time is Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is home to the sacred Muslim sites. The consistency of the number of pilgrims has shown the importance attached to this journey. This happens in the face of difficult global financial situations we have and are now experiencing. This happens even when the commercial interests of service providers such as airlines are evident when prices peak at Hajj time. This therefore is an indication that Mecca ( where the Sacred mosque and first place of worship is found) is in itself a wonder of the world. What is indeed a wonder is that this call to attend the pilgrimage was made thousands of years ago by a man called Abraham (Ebrahim - Alayhi assalam).

Table Mountain, as a wonder of the world, is a sign of the acknowledgement of the Majesty of our Creator. We have no choice but to consider it a wonder of the world irrespective of any one person’s or group’s view on the matter. We are already and continue to be grateful to the Almighty for everything and no doubt for the beautiful country we live in and too that we are fortunate to live in the shadow of this beautiful mountain.

We have to know though that the wonders of the world cannot be restricted to seven, but this number pales into insignificance to the reality of the multitude of wonders of the world.

Those who remember Allâh (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.(Quran: 3:191 aal-imran)

see table mountain: http://www.sa-venues.com/table_mountain.htm

Spirit of Tolerance in Islam

Spirit of Tolerance in Islam

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, President of the Fiqh Council ofNorth America

as-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
(To every People have We appointed rites and ceremonies which they must follow, let them not then dispute with you on the matter, but do invite (them) to your Lord: for you are assuredly on the Right Way. If they do wrangle with you, say, 'God knows best what it is you are doing.' 'God will judge between you on the Day of Judgment concerning the matters in which you differ') (Al-Hajj 21:76-69).
Dear brothers and sisters in Islam,  we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.

Tolerance is a basic principle of Islam. It is a religious moral duty. Islam teaches tolerance on all levels: individual, groups and states. Tolerance is the mechanism that upholds human rights and the rule of law. The Qur'an says very clearly:

Intolerance is on the increase in the world today, causing death, genocide, violence, religious persecution as well as confrontations on different levels. Sometimes it is racial and ethnic, sometimes it is religious and ideological, other times it is political and social. In every situation it is evil and painful. How can we solve the problem of intolerance? How can we assert our own beliefs and positions without being intolerant to others? How can we bring tolerance into the world today?
I would like to discuss some of these issues from an Islamic point of view.

What is tolerance? Literally the word "tolerance" means "to bear." As a concept it means "respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of the world’s cultures, forms of expression and ways of being human." In Arabic it is called "tasamuh". There are also other words that give similar meanings, such as "Hilm" (forbearance) or "'`afu" (pardon, forgiveness) or "safh" (overlooking, disregarding). In the Persian and Urdu languages, we use the word "rawadari" which comes from "rawa" meaning "acceptable or bearable" and "dashtan" meaning "to hold". Thus it means to hold something acceptable or bearable.

Tolerance is a basic principle of Islam. It is a religious moral duty. It does not mean "concession, condescension or indulgence." It does not mean lack of principles, or lack of seriousness about one's principles. Sometimes it is said, "people are tolerant of things that they do not care about." But this is not the case in Islam. Tolerance according to Islam does not mean that we believe that all religions are the same. It does not mean that we do not believe in the supremacy of Islam over other faiths and ideologies. It does not mean that we do not convey the message of Islam to others and do not wish them to become Muslims.

The UNESCO principles on tolerance say:

"Consistent with respect for human rights, the practice of tolerance does not mean toleration of social injustice or the abandonment or weakening of one's convictions. It means that one is free to adhere to one's own convictions and accepts that others adhere to theirs. It means accepting the fact that human beings, naturally diverse in their appearance, situation, speech, behavior and values, have the right to live in peace and to be as they are. It also means that one's views are not to be imposed on others."

Tolerance comes from our recognition of:

1. the dignity of the human beings,
2. the basic equality of all human beings,
3. universal human rights, and
4. fundamental freedom of thought, conscience and belief.

The Qur'an speaks about the basic dignity of all human beings. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke about the equality of all human beings, regardless of their race, color, language or ethnic background. Shari`ah recognizes the rights of all people to life, property, family, honor and conscience.

Islam emphasizes the establishment of equality and justice, both of these values cannot be established without some degree of tolerance. Islam recognized from the very beginning the principle of freedom of belief or freedom of religion. It said very clearly that it is not allowed to have any coercion in the matters of faith and belief. The Qur'an says, (There is no compulsion in religion) (Al-Baqarah 2:256).

If in the matters of religion, coercion is not permissible, then by implication one can say that in other matters of cultures and other worldly practices it is also not acceptable. In surat Ash-Shura Allah says to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), (If then they turn away, We have not sent you as a guard over them. Your duty is but to convey (the Message)…) (Ash-Shura 42:48). In another place Allah says, (Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious. Your Lord knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance) (An-Nahl 16:125).

Further, Allah says to the Believers, (Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and beware (of evil): if you do turn back, know then that it is Our Messenger's duty to proclaim (the Message) in the clearest manner) (Al-Ma’idah 5:92).

One can also cite Allah's words: (Say: 'Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger: but if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on right guidance. The Messenger's duty is only to preach the clear (Message)) (An-Nur 24:54).

All these verses give note that Muslims do not coerce people; they must present the message to them in the most cogent and clear way, invite them to the truth and do their best in presenting and conveying the message of God to humanity, but it is up to people to accept or not to accept. Allah says, (And say, 'The truth is from your Lord, so whosoever wants let him believe and whosoever wants let him deny’) (An-Nahl 16:29).

The question then comes: If Allah gave choice to believe or not to believe, then why did He punish the people of Prophet Nuh, the `Ad, the Thamud, the people of Prophet Lut, the people of Prophet Shu`ayb and Pharaoh and his followers? The answer is in the Qur'an itself. Those people were not punished simply because of their disbelief. They were punished because they had become oppressors. They committed aggression against the righteous, and stopped others to come to the way of Allah. There were many in the world who denied Allah, but Allah did not punish every one. Ibn Taymiyyah, the outstanding Muslim scholar, said, "The states may live long in spite of their people's unbelief (kufr), but they cannot live long when their people become oppressors."

Another question is raised about Jihad. Some people say, "Is it not the duty of Muslims to make Jihad?" But the purpose of Jihad is not to convert people to Islam. Allah says, (No compulsion in religion) (Al-Baqarah 2:256). The real purpose of Jihad is to remove injustice and aggression. Muslims are allowed to keep good relations with non-Muslims. Allah says, (Allah does not forbid you that you show kindness and deal justly with those who did not fight you in your religion and did not drive you out from your homes…) (Al-Mumtahinah 60:8).

Islam teaches that fighting is only against those who fight. Allah says, (Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors) (Al-Baqarah 2:190).

Islam may tolerate anything, but it teaches zero tolerance for injustice, oppression, and violation of the rights of other human beings. Allah says, (And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)? Men, women, and children, whose cry is: 'Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from Yourside one who will protect; and raise for us from Yourside one who will help!') (An-Nisaa' 4:75).

Islam teaches tolerance on all levels: individual, groups and states. It should be a political and legal requirement. Tolerance is the mechanism that upholds human rights, pluralism (including cultural pluralism), and the rule of law. The Qur'an says very clearly: (To every People have We appointed rites and ceremonies which they must follow, let them not then dispute with you on the matter, but do invite (them) to your Lord: for you are assuredly on the Right Way. If they do wrangle with you, say, 'God knows best what it is you are doing.' 'God will judge between you on the Day of Judgment concerning the matters in which you differ') (Al-Hajj 21:76-69).There are many levels of tolerance:

a. Between family members, between husband and wife, between parents and children, between siblings etc.

b. Tolerance between the members of the community: tolerance in views and opinions, tolerance between the madhahib (Islamic Juristic Schools).

c. Tolerance between Muslims and the people of other faiths (interfaith relations, dialogue and cooperation).Muslims have been generally very tolerant people. We must emphasize this virtue among us and in the world today. Tolerance is needed among our communities: We must foster tolerance through deliberate policies and efforts. Our centers should be multi-ethnic. We should teach our children respect of each other. We should not generalize about other races and cultures. We should have more exchange visits and meetings with each other. Even marriages should be encouraged among Muslims of different ethnic groups.With non-Muslims we should have dialogue and good relations, but we cannot accept things that are contrary to our religion. We should inform them what is acceptable to us and what is not. With more information, I am sure the respect will develop and more cooperation will develop.

And Allah knows Best