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Arabs should follow Imam Ali (AS) : United Nations
http://www.go2iwp.com/compilations/quran_ahlul_bayt/arabs_follow_imamali_UN.htm
The United Nations has advised Arab countries to take Imam Ali bin AbiTalib (AS) as an example in establishing a regime based on justice and democracy and encouraging knowledge.
The UNDP in its 2002 Arab Human Development Report, distributed around the world, listed six sayings of Imam Ali (AS) about ideal governance.
They include consultation between the ruler and the ruled, speaking out against corruption and other wrong doings, ensuring justice to all, and achieving domestic development.
The UNDP said most regional countries are still far behind other nations in democracy, wide political representation, women’s participation, development and knowledge.
Imam Ali bin AbiTalib (AS)’s sayings
The UNDP qouted the following sayings of Imam Ali (AS) in its 2002 Arab Human Development Report:
1. “He who has appointed himself an Imam (ruler) of the people must begin by teaching himself before teaching others. His teaching of others must be first by setting an example rather than with his words, for he who begins by teaching and educating himself is more worthy of respect than he who teaches and educates others.”
2. “Your concern with developing the land should be greater than your concern for collecting taxes, for the latter can only be obtained by developing; whereas he who seeks revenue without development destroys the country and the people.”
3. “Seek the company of the learned and the wise in search of solving the problems of your country and the righteousness of your people.”
4. “No good can come in keeping silent as to government or in speaking out of ignorance.”
5. “The righteous are men of virtue, whose logic is straightforward, whose dress is unostentatious, whose path is modest, whose actions are many and who are undeterred by difficulties.”
6. “Choose the best among your people to administer justice among them. Choose someone who does not easily give up, who is unruffled by enmities, someone who will not persist in wrong doings, who will not hesitate to pursue right once he knows it, someone whose heart knows no greed, who will not be satisfied with a minimum of explanation without seeking the maximum of understanding, who will be the most steadfast when doubt is cast, who will be the least impatient in correcting the opponent, the most patient in pursuing the truth, the most stern in meting out judgment, someone who is unaffected by flattery and not swayed by temptation and these are but few.”
GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF LIFE
http://www.go2iwp.com/compilations/quran_ahlul_bayt/guiding_principles.htm
We have summarized the commandments of God in the Holy Quran into 40 principles, arranging them in an order of priority designed by God Himself, so that muslims and believers can easily order their lives in that pattern and attain success. The numbers in brackets refer to some of the holy verses stating each principle.
1. Believe in God, live righteously and put your whole trust in Him. (2:62, 112; 3:31; 11:123)
2. Worship God alone and do not associate Him with anyone or anything else. (17:22-23)
3. Respect and honour your parents. (17:23-24)
4. Enjoin good and forbid evil. (3:104)
5. Love God above everything else and fight in His cause, i.e. the cause of justice and truth, with your wealth and your lives, and do not fear mankind, but fear God. (9:24; 4:74-75; 9:111; 98:5; 22:67; 5:44; 33:37,39)
6. Perform prayers and other rites of worship, without quarrelling over methodology, pay the poor-rate, and remember God always. (98:5; 22:67; 29:45)
7. Act justly, do not commit evil and rule according to God’s laws, i.e. justice, truth and mercy. (4:58, 135; 5:8; 7:28-29; 5:44)
8. Obey just leaders, respect, honour and support them, but do not idolize them. In turn, leaders must care for and encourage their followers. (4:59; 33:56; 9:30-31; 9:103)
9. Be an active, dynamic, creative and courageous person. (2:30-34; 4:75-77; 15:28-30)
10. Practise humility and do not be egoistic or proud. (2:54; 25:43; 17:37)
11. Greet all, treat everyone with civility and do not use bad language. (4:86; 2:83; 4:184)
12. Hold firmly to principles, but be flexible in methods. (2:67-71, 142; 3:103; 5:54; 22:67)
13. Put moral considerations uppermost, but do not disregard your due material interests. (28:77)
14. Save lives and do not kill except in the cause of justice. (17:33)
15. Do not kill for fear of poverty. (17:31)
16. Do not practise usury, but practise charity. (2:275-80)
17. Be honest and fair in financial and economic dealings. (6:152)
18. Practise consultations to solve problems. (3:159; 42:38)
19. Do not accept unverified information. (17:36)
20. Listen to all views and follow the best. (39:18)
21. Read in order to know, but read critically. (96:1-5)
22. Unite and do not divide. (3:103; 6:159; 61:4)
23. Fulfil promises. (17:34)
24. Do not practise bribery and corruption. (2:188)
25. Do not devour the properties of orphans. (17:34)
26. Do not be extravagant and wasteful, or stingy. (17:26-29)
27. Give charities to relatives, the poor and destitute and towards public welfare. (9:60; 17:26)
28. Do not aggress and defend yourself against aggression. (7:33; 42:39)
29. Believers are brothers and make peace between believers. Avoid suspicion, spying and backbiting among believers. (49:9-10, 12)
30. Persevere in any good effort and do not fear to face difficulties and hardships. Success comes only after hardships. ( 2:45, 177; 94: 5-8)
31. Use intelligence, reason and historical precedents to understand and carry out God’s commands. (7:179;
8:22; 10:100; 12:111; 3:137)
32. Speak the truth. Do not lie, although stratagem is allowed against adversaries. (8:7-8; 25:72; 33:70;12:70-81)
33. Enter into marriage with believers, do not marry disbelievers, and do not commit adultry. (5:5; 30:21; 17:32)
34. Cooperate and help each other in good works; do not cooperate in evil works. (5:2)
35. Eat and drink moderately (7:31)
36. Avoid intoxicants and gambling. ( 2:219)
37. Dress decently. (24:30-31)
38. Be kind and forgiving. (42:40, 43)
39. Do not ridicule or mock one another. (49:11)
40. Do not ask about small and inconsequential details. (2:67-71; 5:101-02; 22:67)
Dialogue between Imam Jaffer-as-Sadiq and Hindu Physician
A Hindu physician attached to the court of al-Mansur once asked the Imam Ja’far
as-Sadiq if he wanted to learn something in this field from him.
The Imam said: ‘No. What I have is better than what you have.’
Then began a very interesting discourse, in which the Imam asked the physician questions like these:
- Why is the head covered with hair?
- Why are there lines and wrinkles on the forehead?
- Why are the eyes shaped like almonds?
- Why has the nose been placed between the eyes?
- Why are the hair and the nails without life (sensation)?
- These questions moved from the head downwards, till he ended by asking: Why do the knees fold backwards, and why is the foot hollow on one side?
To all these questions, the physician had only one reply: ‘I do not know.’
The Imam said: ‘But I do know.’
Then he explained all the questions, showing the wisdom and power of the Creator.
The hair is created over the head so that oil may reach inside, and heat may go out through it, and so that it may protect the head from heat and cold.
There are lines and wrinkles on the forehead so that sweat from the head does not reach the eyes, giving the person a chance to wipe it away.
The eyes are almond-shaped so as to make it easy to put medicine inside them and remove dirt from them.
Had they been square or round, both would have been difficult.
The nose is put between the eyes as it helps to divide the light equally towards both eyes.
The hair and nails lack sensation to make it easier to cut and trim them. If there were life in them it would have hurt a person to cut them.
The knees fold backwards because human beings walk forward and the foot is hollow to make movement easier.’
The physician became a convert to Islam.
Four Questions Asked by Jews to Imam Ali (a.s.)
http://www.go2iwp.com/compilations/wisdom_prophets_imams/4_questions_asked_by_jews_to_imam_ali.htm
Imam Ali (a.s.) was always available when the three kholafa sought his advice on religious matters. His position as the jurist was on the top of the list among the companions of the Holy Prophet (saw). Umar Ibne Khattab the 2nd Caliph had given clear instructions that when Ali was present in the mosque of the Prophet no one should take precedence over him in answering questions on religious matters. In one such encounter during the time of the 2nd Caliph, a group of Jewish scholars approached the caliph and said, “We have a few questions. If we get the answers to these questions correctly, we will accept the Islamic faith.
“Ask whatever you want to ask,” said the caliph.
They asked the following questions:
1. What are the locks and keys of heaven?
2. Who was the messenger who was neither of the human nor of the Jinn and who warned his people?
3. Which are the 5 beings who were created without ! the aid of ovaries?
4. What are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven and twelve?
The caliph thought over these questions for a time, then said, “I do not know the answers to these questions. I will take you to a man who is most knowledgeable in the commandments of Allah and the Holy Prophet and the greatest among us.
The caliph then brought the Jewish scholars to Ali (a.s.). They asked the same questions to him. Ali (a.s.) answered thus:
1. The locks of the heavens are beliefs in more than one god, and its keys are the letters of “La Ilaha Illallah, Muhammad-Ur-Rasulallah.”
2. The messenger who warned his people is the ant who, when Solomon’s army was passing by, said to his people, ” Enter your houses so that the army may not stamp you out (without intention)”. So Allah states in the Holy Qur’an, ” Until they came to the valley of the Ants, said an ant (addressing the other ants of the valley) O” you ants’ enter into! your dwellings, so that Solomon and his hosts may not crush you while they know it not”. (Sura An-Naml. V 18)
3. The five beings who were not born of ovaries are: Adam, Eve, the staff of Moses which used to change into a python, the camel of Saleh, and the sheep of Ibrahim (which was sent by Allah to become a ransom of the life of Ibrahim’s son Ismael).
4.
- One is Allah who has no partners,
- two are Adam and Eve,
- three are the substances ( i.e. non-living matter, plants and animals),
- four are the Heavenly books: Torah of Moses, Bible of Jesus, Zubur of Dawood and the Qur’an of Hadhrat Muhammad (saw).
- Five are the daily prayers.
- Six are the days of creation of the heavens and earth, as per the verse of the Qur’an: ” And indeed We created the heavens and the earth and what is between them two, in six periods and touched us not any fatigue.” (Sura Qaf V. 38).
- Seven are the seven heavens, in the light of the Qur’anic Verse: ” And we have erected above you the seven strong ones.” (Sura An-Naba V12)
- Eight are those angels who bear the heavens, as per the Qur’anic Verse: ” And the angels shall be on the side of it; and above them shall bear that day `Arsh’ (the throne of authority). of your Lord, eight of them (Sura Al-Haaqqah. V.17)
- Nine are the nine signs given to Moses as stated by God: “And indeed we gave Moses nine clear signs (miracles); so ask the children of Israel when he came to them, Pharaoh said to him; “Verily I deem you O’ Moses one bewitched. “(Sura Bani Israel, V 101).
- Ten are the ten days, i.e. God had promised Moses that he would stay on the mountain of Toor for thirty days, and later added ten more days to this duration, as it is stated in the Qur’an.” And we made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights and completed it with ten more;” Thus was completed the term of his Lord, forty nights, and (before he went up) Moses said to his brother Aaron: You take my place among my people, act rightly and follow not the path of the mischief-makers.” (Sura Al-A’araf. V.142).
- Eleven are the brothers of Joseph, son of Jacob, as the Qur’an states, “When said Joseph to his father, O’ my father; Verily I did see (dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon,, I saw them all prostrating to me.” (Sura Yousuf. V.4).
- Twelve are the Twelve water-springs manifested by the staff of Moses, as God states, ” And (remember) when Moses sought water for his people; said We, `Strike the rock with your staff’ Then gushed out therefrom twelve springs; each people knew their drinking place; “Eat and drink from God’s provision, and commit not evil in the earth acting mischievously. “(Sura Al Baqarah V60).
When the Jewish scholars heard the replies of Hadhrat Ali (a.s.) they said, “We bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (saw) is His Messenger and Ali (a.s.) is the “Wasi” and successor of the Messenger of Allah as Aaron was the Wasi of Moses. They all embraced Islam, went back to their tribe and converted all of them to Islam.
Knowledge Vs Wealth – Imam Ali (a)
http://www.go2iwp.com/compilations/wisdom_prophets_imams/knowledge_vs_wealth.htm
Imam Ali as once replied to a group of ten learned men who said, “We seek your permission for our putting a question to you.”
Imam Ali as replied, “You are at perfect liberty.”
They said, “Of knowledge and wealth, which is better and why. Please give a separate answer to each of us.
“Imam Ali as answered in ten parts:
1. Knowledge is the legacy of the Prophets; wealth is the inheritance of the Pharaohs. Therefore, knowledge is better than wealth.
2. You are to guard your wealth but knowledge guards you. Therefore,knowledge is better.
3. A man of wealth has many enemies, while a man of knowledge has many friends. Hence, knowledge is better.
4. Knowledge is better because it increases with distribution, while wealth decreases by that act.
5. Knowledge is better because a learned man is apt to be generous while a wealthy person is apt to be miserly.
6. Knowledge is better because it cannot be stolen while wealth can be stolen.
7. Knowledge is better because time cannot harm knowledge but wealth rusts in course of time and wears away.
8. Knowledge is better because it is boundless while wealth is limited and you can keep account of it.
9. Knowledge is better because it illuminates the mind while wealth is apt to blacken it.
10.Knowledge is better because knowledge induced the humanity in our Prophet to say to GOD “We worship thee as we are your servants,” while wealth engendered in Pharaoh and Nimrod the vanity which made them claim god-head.
Imam Ali (a.s.) gives advice on problem solving
http://www.go2iwp.com/compilations/wisdom_prophets_imams/ali_advice_problemsolving.htm#should
Nine Essential Steps to solving a problem. Lessons from “Nahjul Balaghah, Letter No.31, conveying his wishes to his son Imam Hassan (AS) following his death (wasiyat)
How many times have we wondered how to solve a problem? In his will to his son Imam Hassan (AS) Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) indicates nine essential steps a person should take.
“And before you probe into this, you should begin by asking your Allah’s help, and turning to Him for competence…“
This is the first and foremost step. A Muslim relies solely on Allah’s and seeks His help only.
“…and keep aloof from everything that throws you into doubt or flings you towards misguidance. When you have made sure that your heart is clean and humble and your thoughts have come together and you have only one thought which is about the matter…”
“…but if you have not been able to achieve that peace of observation and thinking which you would like to have, then know that you are only stamping the ground like a blind she-camel and falling into darkness. it is better to avoid this…”
No irrelevant matters be brought into the equation when considering an issue.
“Then I feared that you might get confused as other peoples had been confused on account of their passions and (different) views.”
Emotions, prejudices and strongly held views should be set aside. The matter should be considered objectively.
“…place before it the events of past people…”
“…so that you might be ready to accept through your intelligence the results of the experience of others and be saved from going through these experiences yourself.”
A person should consider how others have tackled the issue or solved the problem. You can learn a lot from this and avoid repeating their mistakes.
“But when I confined myself to my own worries leaving the worries of others, my intelligence saved me and protected me from my desires.”
The consideration of public opinion – whether people will like what you do or not – should not enter into arriving at a decision.
BUT
“…make yourself the measure (for dealings) between you and others. Thus, you should desire for others what you desire for yourself and hate for others what you hate for yourself. Do not oppress as you do not like to be oppressed. Do good to others as you would like good to be done to you. Regard bad for yourself whatever you regard bad for others. Accept that (treatment) from others which you would like others to accept from you… Do not say to others what you do not like to be said to you.”
The decision (action) should not infringe on the right of others.
“Give up discussing what you do not know and speaking about what does not concern you.”
“Your search should first be by way of understanding and learning and not by falling into doubts or getting entangled in quarrels.”
A person should obtain all necessary knowledge about matters relating to the issue before arriving at a decision.
“Keep off the track from which you fear to go astray because refraining when there is fear of straying is better than embarking on dangers.”
“It is easier to rectify what you miss by silence than to secure what you lose by speaking.”
Unnecessary risks should be avoided. “Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.”
BUT
“Leap into dangers for the sake of right wherever it be.”
One should not hesitate in taking a risk if and when necessary.
“Do not load your back beyond your power lest its weight become a mischief for you.”
One should only undertake a responsibility which one can fulfil – no more.
9. Should You Be Firm or Lenient:
“Where leniency is unsuitable, harshness is leniency. Often cure is illness and illness is cure. Often the ill-wisher gives correct advice while the well-wisher cheats.”
At times one has to be harsh to solve a problem. One should not hesitate to do this if necessary.
Islam – on Social Evils : Alcohol & Intoxicants
http://www.go2iwp.com/compilations/islamic_ethics_morals/alcohol.htm
In the name of God, the most Merciful, the Beneficent
Islam – on Social Evils
Alcohol & Intoxicants
God almighty states in the Holy Qur’an :
“They ask you (O Muhammad) about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: ‘In both of them there is a great wrong and a means of (some) profit for men; but their sin is greater than their profit.’”
Surah Baqarah, ayat 219
« O you who believe! Intoxicants and games of chance, and idolatrous practices, and the divining of the future are but a loathsome evil of Satan’s doing: shun it, then, so that you might attain to a happy state! By means of intoxicants and games of chance Satan seeks only to sow enmity and hatred among you, and to turn you away from the remembrance of God and from prayer. Will you not then desist?”
Surah al-Ma’idah, Ayat 90-91.
Islam is a faith that appeals to reason and conscience. Since alcohol is injurious to reason and diminishes a man’s intelligence, moral sense, logical powers and spiritual sensitiveness, any drop of it is strictly forbidden to Muslims – in effect Mankind.
While experience has shown that drinking is the most difficult habit to be suddenly uprooted and yet one sentence of a prohibitive command of God in the Holy Qur’an was sufficient to blot out the evil from every part of the Arabian Peninsula.
It is reported that when the verse 219 of Surah Baqarah was revealed, a crier went through the streets of Madina crying about the verses and no sooner every Muslim heard about this prohibition that every jar of wine in every house was emptied and wine flowed in the streets of Madina.
The dynamic and the miraculous change which this simple verses of the Holy Qur’an brought about in the lengths and breadths of Arabia will ever remain a living miracle of the Holy Prophet (s). History cannot show any parallel in its record of such a mere declaration and its spontaneous and immediate effect from any leader.
Islam appeared in the society in which alcohol was rife – and not only forbade the filthy habit but was able to extirpate it with the ignorance and corruption, the selfishness, violence and resultant misery which it had caused. All this blessed benefaction to mankind was started by one inspired man, the Holy prophet (s.a.w.) who by the strength of faith revolted against the tyranny of addiction and called men to freedom from slavery to such petty and filthy liquids setting them on the royal road to life.
To this very day Muslims are to be found in every corner of the world who have guarded their lips and lives from the contamination of alcohol. Indeed for many among us, the mere thought of touching it has never entered our minds.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said:
“Curse of Allah be on liquor, its maker, and he who assists him, bearer, loader, distributor, seller, purchaser, consumer and whoever uses its sale proceeds and profits.”
He termed it as “Ummul Khaba’ith” – the mother of all vices.
An intoxicated person ceases to be a human being, becomes a brute and loses the ability to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong.
One of the defects of human laws is that they are subject to continuous change based on a large number of factors that prevail in those circumstances. Man never had and will never have that unique and deep insight and knowledge into a situation to ascertain what really is good or bad for him – not only in today’s society and in the present circumstances, but also for the foreseeable and unforeseeable future. Hence we find out theories and concepts and laws accepted in a particular situation or era and then totally refuted in another.
Moreover even if a particular law or rule is adapted in a particular situation or period, its side effects and after effects and worst its repercussions are something that man is just not tuned to consider.
For instance, in the early 20th century, the United States introduced a law by voting a majority which was the “18th (Prohibition) Amendment to the US Constitution” in1918, thereby prohibiting the use of alcohol. It then tried to enforce it by police methods – the result was the opposite of that which was desired; bootlegging, contraband and illegal consumption of liquor loosened respect not merely for that law, but for all law, and on the other hand social behaviour and morals slid downhill at avalanche speed. This was despite many well meaning Americans having undertaken a far-reaching propaganda throughout the States against the effects of liquor with books and films and speeches, for a decade, trying to explain the injuries to the spirit, to the body, to morals and to the finances of the individual and the nation as a whole, as a result of its consumption.
Eventually, an agonising reappraisal was forced upon these idealists after 14 years of tragic experience and in 1933 they were compelled to revoke the Prohibition.
Islam was successful in enforcing prohibition because it came with the force of a Divine command, a God-inspired statute, interpreted to men in the light of reason and commonsense. Islam laws are expressed in a flat, matter-of-fact pronouncement which reason comprehends and common sense accepts, as true. No propaganda – no expensive advertisement – just a simple statement of a Divine decree by God’s Prophet (s.a.w.).
Indeed it is not the fear of punishment but the love of God which keeps Muslims on the straight and narrow.
No human legislation can hope to track down every wrongdoer and transgression, but, Islam professes that the Eye of God is everywhere and at all times – Omnipresent.
God states in the Holy Qur’an:
“Now, verily, it is We who have created man, and We know what his innermost self whispers within him; for we are closer to him than his jugular vein.”
Surah Qaf, Ayat 16.
Man’s conscience knows this, and in reverence obeys in private as well as public. The censor and the lawgiver is within him. The orderliness of God’s creation is spread before his eyes and he knows he should reflect a similar divine order in his private life and in the life of the society of which he is a part.
Man’s love and belief in his Creator and His Messenger imbibes within him the spiritual power to put it into practice. In such Divine inspired law, Man finds the security which the mariner or the traveller finds over the vast ocean or the trackless desert finds in the immovable pole star. Such laws do not change with fashion or passion. It is beyond human caprice.
It is therefore only the obedience to the single sovereign authority of the Transcendent Divine lawgiver which will lead man to respect one another and seek the common good.
“Alcohol turns the cool heads of the frozen north into blockheads; but the warm hearts of the summer lands into those of raging demons.”
Voltaire wrote:
“Islam takes its faith seriously, and therefore puts the ban of sacrilege on habits like gambling and alcohol; and dubs them mere carnal gaming.”
Jules la Boum writes:
« Pre-Muslim Arabs drank to excess, gambled, took as many women to wife as they liked, and divorced whenever they felt like it. Islam changed all that.”
Professor Edward Montay adds:
“The Quran forbade human sacrifice and the exposure of unwanted daughters, alcohol and many other degrading practices. The consequent advance in culture is so great as to win the Prophet the title of one of the biggest benefactors of the human race known to history.”
Divine Wrath Goes Techno! – Islamic Chain Letters
http://www.go2iwp.com/compilations/islamic_ethics_morals/islamic_chain_letters.htm
In my pre-teens, I remember coming across a letter that caused waves, the turbulent kind that shifts you into panic-mode without asking first, amongst all my friends. The school I attended had a predominantly Muslim student-population and this letter evoked fear in our hearts by cunningly targeting a subject that we had been rigorously drilled to hold in awe.
It claimed that some great scholar had a dream. While the letter lacked the oomph! of Dr. King’s “I have a dream”, it did contain certain magic phrases that made even the boldest, and most sensible, amongst us think twice about refuting its contents. These were: the Blessed city of Makkah, Prophet Muhammad (s) and the Curse of Allah (SWT).
It is no joke to be exposed to these three extremely evocative expressions in one address. Especially when the dream was beheld in the city; the visitor in this pseudo-death trance was the holy personality mentioned and the dire consequences of ignoring to pass on the contents of the parchment at hand, the Divine affliction.
By now you must have guessed that I am referring to the infamous chain letter of the time. I was recently able to view (with great astonishment at its survival skills) the same letter in almost identical state, kindly passed on to me via email. Apart from the varied font-sizes, the extra exclamation marks and the extremely long list of (gullible) people through whose inboxes it had traversed, it was an exact rendition of the thumb-marked, dog-eared missive that I had peered at over the shoulders of fellow scholars-in-training.
It then occurred to me that many of us tend to delete all lengthy forwards as soon as we see the dreaded ‘Fw:’ in the subject heading. And we all know (don’t we?) to immediately banish to the Junk folder, emails that promise you: a) the love of your life by 4.p.m. tomorrow; b) x cents (usually to save a baby) for every time you forward the mail – from Microsoft no less; c) a six figure lottery winning or d) any other such almost-plausible promises.
However, when it comes to religion, no matter how twisted the content, the inner critic is admonished to walk cautiously around the issue. Delete the mail? But it mentions (gasp!) The Prophet!! What if I get (gasp! gasp!) Cursed? Maybe I’ll just pick a few names from my Address Book and send it anyway. What’s one more mail in cyberspace? (Sometimes, quite a lot! Especially for those of us still struggling with dial-up connections.)
But the point isn’t convenience (or inconvenience), neither is it precautionary measures. It’s a matter of sense. And faith.
If you seriously believe that when you say in Dua-e-Mashlul or Sura-e-Rahman that Allah (S.W.T.) is ‘everyday upon some new labour’, it means He decided one of the ways to manifest His glory was through the Phenomenon of the Chain-mail then, and I say this with the best intentions, you need to re-work your perspective of Tawhid. Soon. Immediately, if possible.
A god who monitors cyberspace to see which of his net-minions passes on a specific mail is not a god worth worshipping. Allah (SWT)’s Will cannot be not confined to the Web and He manifests it with good reason only. Sending on a chain-mail may indicate a mindless servitude that would invoke His Wrath in the long run, rather than fend it off!
We have a glorious Lord. If we take as much care in obeying Him as we do to forwarding those (please, I have to say this) ridiculous mails, we may learn to write things that are worth forwarding.
If you’re still hearing a little voice whispering: “But what if…?” in your head, here’s my final proof: despite the fact that I have deleted every one of these mails with great, almost malicious glee, I still have the honour of being a Muslim, the blessing of being a Shia, a wonderful family, fantastic friends, all my limbs and the general bounties that God has promised even to ungrateful creatures like myself.
If I have a tendency to bump into things or an uncanny ability to put my foot in my mouth – these are traits I share with many worldwide. Thus, I am before you a tangible, living example of the Failed Chain-mail Curse.
One of millions, probably.
By Fatima Ali Jaffer
Develop your Will – Power in Ramadhan
The blessed month of Ramadhan is here.
Once again the Muslim Ummah all over the world is “fasting” – abstaining from food, drinks, committing of sinful acts and many other acts like fulfillment of lawful sexual desires etc., from shortly before fajr (morning prayers) to the time of Maghrib.
Many Muslims, honour this month and try their best to follow the conditions for fasting. However sadly, majority of the Muslims take Ramadhan as a custom and tradition. There are those who don’t fast, while others remain hungry and thirsty as a custom, trying to kill time by sleeping from dawn to noon and keeping awake at night killing their time in vain activities. Yet others kill time by playing card games. Many others traditionally recite the Quran and take pride in its completion from cover to cover only to read it as a parrot, not understanding a single word.
Then there are the housewives who consider it as a month of partying, practicing their cooking skills in making various mouth watering dishes for their family to be eaten at Iftaar time. And then comes Eid as a climax to the whole month. A time of rejoicing for the believers who thank their Lord for guiding them and making them accomplish the goals of this month. For the majority, the Eid comes as a day to revert back to their normal lives and a passport to sinning again.
The Disease of ‘Surfacism’
In this article we would like to understand why we fast in the month of Ramadhan and what is aim of fasting in Islam. For the sake of example, compare Islam with an orange. An orange has an outer rind or covering, while the fruit – inner core – lies inside. Obviously if you want to eat the fruit you will peel of the rind of the orange and throw it away, as your actual aim is the inner core. Peeling the outer rind is a means to the actual aim, which is to eat the fruit.
Prayers, Fasting, going to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage or Hajj, giving charity or Zakaat, doing Jehaad or fighting with your desires and with external enemies are all like the peel of an orange. This means that they are a means or a road to achieving the aim. A person who throws the orange after peeling it can be considered foolish or even insane. A person who spends so much time just peeling the orange can also be considered foolish or ignorant. Yet this is what we do with fasting. We pay so much attention just performing the rituals, that we don’t achieve the actual “fruit” of fasting. This disease is typical of us Muslims. It is called the disease of “Surfacism”. We practice only the surface of our religion without reaching the aim or core of it.
What is the core aim of fasting?
Many of us don’t understand the beauty of Islam. We think that by fasting, we shall please Allah and that is all. Really Allah doesn’t need our fasts. There is a tradition or hadith, which says that if all the world worshipped Allah, He wouldn’t benefit anything and if all the world didn’t worship Allah, He wouldn’t be in a loss.
So what are we fasting for? Really all rituals in Islam have a purpose. The purpose of fasting is to develop a great quality all human beings need to be successful. This great quality is called WILL POWER. We have a brain or intellect, which guides us and shows us difference between right and wrong. We also have desires which pull us towards mistakes and errors. Although we know what is right or wrong but we often sin and cause damage to ourselves, others and environment around us. What can make us choose and act on the right? Only a strong will power or self control. Since Allah our Creator knew this as He has created us and knows what parts and characters we are made up of. He also knew that to develop a strong will power we need to undergo some training. Thus He, the Merciful, prescribed fasting. Holy month of Ramadhan is a training camp to develop our will power. It is a deliberate attempt to put us in a situation where by we have to practice control. Just look at the philosophy or wisdom behind it! Eating drinking, lawful sexual acts, which are normal on other days, are restricted from dawn to dusk in Ramadhan.
Will power, a quality no school can give us..!
By exercising will power and self control we develop in our self a quality no school or university can give us. Will power is needed to attempt any act, for example studying hard, abstinence from drugs, doing your work faithfully, etc. Are not these qualities that build great civilization? It is only when self control is lost that civilizations decline. All these famous people we admire around us, exhibited strong will power to reach their goals.
Even a footballer has to train several hours a day, which needs abstinence from alcohol, cigarette smoking and rigorous training. People admire film stars, but these film stars have a very long schedule each day. Every thing needs effort and all effort needs will power.
Lack of will power makes us loose our tempers and causes big fights in society and families. Lack of will power causes people to loose jobs just because they couldn’t resist stealing money or are too lazy to work hard. Yet again lack of will power has reduced us to live like animals, submitting to adultery, drinking alcohol, taking bribes, mismanaging money to be used for the oppressed society around us. From the president up to be poorest man all need a will power in-order to prevent destruction.
And Islam is gifting us a free crash course each year to develop our will-power in all stages. Indeed fasting is not only abstinence from food and drinks, but an abstinence from sins of the eye, ears, legs hands, etc. Thus our will power and self-constraint will be exhibited for the development of patience, honesty, loyalty, efforts, charity, etc.
As you know everything in the world is difficult in the beginning. As you practice the act e.g. riding a bicycle, typing, etc. becomes easy. These acts become easy as the will power (IRADA as called in Arabic) is the fountain head of all habits.
Thus Allah (swt) aims that in the month of Ramadhan abstinence from eating drinking which are normal on other days will increase our will power. The abundance of will power obtained in Ramadhan should now be used in the remaining months for our achievements.
How should we then spend our Ramadhan?
How should we spend the month of Ramadhan after understanding the philosophy? We should abstain from sinning and practice our will. We should attempt good things no matter how difficult they may seem, e.g. giving charity, using time constructively, etc.
A lady once came to be prophet (s.a.w.w) and stated that she was fasting. The Prophet (s.a.w.w.) asked her to break her fast. She was surprised and wondered why was she being told to break her fast. The Prophet (s.a.w.w.) said: “Did you not say bad words to your maid? Well you didn’t have self control and thus your fast has broken.”
Thus, if we understand the aim of fasting, we shall use the time in Ramadhan in exercising and developing our will. In short all that we are tempted to do and which is a sin should be avoided by practicing your will and self constraint. Instead of killing time by sleeping or playing card games, we should use time doing useful things for ourselves and the Muslim nation. We should observe all our defects and improve them by exercising our will. If we are in the habit of lying, we should remove it in this month. Once we have developed a considerable amount of will power, we should use it and develop it further in other months.
Looking at Ramadhan from this angle we see that it is deliberate attempt by Allah to put us in a situation where we shall all be practicing things together. Acts which are done socially are easy and become lighter in burden, then when done individually.
Also Ramadhan provides us an opportunity to have a rare glimpse into the life of the poor and hungry and to make us understand that the hunger which we shall overcome or Iftaar is something the poor undergo each day. What a better way to understand things?
Fasting is a prescription that frees us from slavery to desires by developing our will power, a vital ingredient that builds civilizations.
Burka Vs Bikini – The Debauchery Of American Womanhood
http://www.go2iwp.com/compilations/islamic_ethics_morals/burka_vs_bikini.htm
By Henry Makow, Ph.D.
On my wall, I have a picture of a Muslim woman shrouded in a burka.
Beside it is a picture of an American beauty contestant, wearing nothing but a bikini.
One woman is totally hidden from the public; the other is totally exposed. These two extremes say a great deal about the clash of so-called “civilizations.”
The role of woman is at the heart of any culture. Apart from stealing Arab oil, the impending war in the Middle East is about stripping Arabs of their religion and culture, exchanging the burka for a bikini.
I am not an expert on the condition of Muslim women and I love feminine beauty too much to advocate the burka here. But I am defending some of the values that the burka represents for me.
For me, the burka represents a woman’s consecration to her husband and family. Only they see her.
It affirms the privacy, exclusivity and importance of the domestic sphere.
The Muslim woman’s focus is her home, the “nest” where her children are born and reared. She is the “home” maker, the taproot that sustains the spiritual life of the family, nurturing and training her children, providing refuge and support to her husband.
In contrast, the bikinied American beauty queen struts practically naked in front of millions on TV. A feminist, she belongs to herself. In practice, paradoxically, she is public property. She belongs to no one and everyone. She shops her body to the highest bidder. She is auctioning herself all of the time.
In America, the cultural measure of a woman’s value is her sex appeal. (As this asset depreciates quickly, she is neurotically obsessed with appearance and plagued by weight problems.)
As an adolescent, her role model is Britney Spears, a singer whose act approximates a strip tease. From Britney, she learns that she will be loved only if she gives sex. Thus, she learns to “hook up” rather than to demand patient courtship and true love. As a result, dozens of males know her before her husband does. She loses her innocence, which is a part of her charm. She becomes hardened and calculating. Unable to love, she is unfit to receive her husband’s seed.
The feminine personality is founded on the emotional relationship between mother and baby. It is based on nurturing and self-sacrifice. Masculine nature is founded on the relationship between hunter and prey. It is based on aggression and reason.
Feminism teaches woman that feminine nature has resulted in “oppression” and that she should convert to male behavior instead. The result: a confused and aggressive woman with a large chip on her shoulder, unfit to become a wife or mother.
This, of course, is the goal of the social engineers at the NWO: undermine sexual identity and destroy the family, create social and personal dysfunction, and reduce population. In the “brave new world,” women are not supposed to be “nest” makers, or progenitors of the race. They are meant to be neutered autonomous creatures that indulge in sex for physical pleasure, not for love or procreation.
At his press conference on Sunday, Donald Rumsfeld said that Iranian women and youth were restive under the rule of the Mullahs. He implied that the US would soon liberate them. To Britney Spears? To low-rise “see-my-thong” pants? To the mutual masturbation that passes for sexuality in America?
Parenthood is the pinnacle of human development. It is the stage when we finally graduate from self-indulgence and become God’s surrogates: creating and nurturing new life. The New World Order does not want us to reach this level of maturity. Pornography is the substitute for marriage. We are to remain stunted: single, sex-starved and self-obsessed.
We are not meant to have a permanent “private” life. We are to remain lonely and isolated, dependent on consumer products for our identity, in a state of perpetual courtship.
This is especially destructive for woman. Her sexual attraction is a function of her fertility. As fertility declines, so does her sex appeal. If a woman devotes her prime years to becoming “independent,” she is not likely to find a permanent mate.
Her long-term personal fulfillment and happiness lies in making marriage and family her first priority.
Feminism is another cruel New World Order hoax that has debauched American women and despoiled Western civilization. It has ruined millions of lives and represents a lethal threat to Islam.
I am not advocating the burka but rather some of the values that it represents, specifically a woman’s consecration to her future husband and family, and the modesty and dignity this entails
Provoking Thoughts 