OF LIFE AND IT’S PLEASURES – BY  M.Z.M.NAZIM

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL

Let us today comment upon this world and its vicious pleasures; the attitude of pious people with life; the irrational manner in which worldly minded persons covet mortal pleasures and positions.

Let me warn you against this world because it is an abode of mortality, and a temporary residence. It is not a place where one can find lasting prosperity and peace.  It has decorated itself with temptations and attractions and allures people with these adornments.  Its vicious ways are despicable and contemptible before Allah.  It is a place where unmixed blessings and virtues are not to be found, where lawful things are sadly mixed with forbidden ones, where virtues are hopelessly confused with vices, where pleasures are blended with pain and where life ends in death.  Allah has neither approved it for His friends nor has He withheld it form His enemies.  Virtues are rare in it and vices are evident and obvious.

Here accumulated wealth is subject to exhaustion and cessation.  Here mighty empires are

liable to be wiped out and overthrown; here prosperous persons are prone to be quickly

turned into paupers.  What is good in a house which is so easily breakable and destructible?

What is good in a life which comes to an unexpected termination and ends like provisions in the middle of a voyage, where there is no possibility of renewing them? What is good in an age which abruptly ends like a short journey?

O people! Obey the orders of Allah, and seek His Help in discharging your duties and obligations.

Be prepared for death even before it calls you.  Pious people are really those who though live in worldly surroundings, yet lead very sober lives, though they appear happy and cheerful yet their minds are full of anxiety about their moral and religious obligations; so far as their thoughts and deeds are concerned they are very hard task-masters against themselves, though the world is envious of them for the bounties and blessings bestowed upon them by Allah.

How it is that you have forgotten death and always keep unattainable hopes and desires before your mind’s eyes?

The world has taken such a possession of your intellect as to exclude every consideration

of the hereafter from your thoughts.  Its allurements and attractions are so powerful that they have made you forget the world to come.  You are so much enticed by mortal pleasures that the life to come does not find a place in your imagination.

Though Islam had made you brothers and there is nothing to divide you, yet your minds under the influence of wickedness, malice and vice create dissensions and disunity amongst you with the result that you neither help nor advise each other, and neither love nor co-operate with one another.  What has come over you?  You are happy and pleased with the paltry, worthless and the miserable price of this world – though easily obtainable pleasures of this world, and the deprivation of immense and abundant bounties of the Heaven does not grieve you.

Loss of worldly possessions, though however contemptible and mean they may be, make you so sad that even your faces reflect the depth of your sorrow and height of your grief at your disappointments, as if you and this world are both immortals and as if its wealth and pleasures are everlasting.

How mean are you? the only things which prevents you from exposing the weaknesses and defects of your brother is the fear that he will in turn expose your shortcomings and evils.  It appears that the common factors on which you agree and which bind you together are your keen desire of achieving wealth and power in this world and your total indifference to the life hereafter.

Your religion is upon your lips only, it has not touched your heart.  So far as His Commands and Interdictions are concerned you behave like a man who needs no work at all and who has secured the approval and consent of his Master for his deeds and thoughts.

Let us therefore, now, beseech Allah to protect and guide us all along the right path.

ASSALAAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMATHULLAAHI WA BARAKAATHU HU!

Thought for the Day – 17

WORLDLY ACTIVITIES – M.Z.M.NAZIM

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL!

The Holy Quran says:

“EVERY SOUL SHALL HAVE A TASTE OF DEATH 3:185

O my dear People! you, and all that you wish and desire, of this world are like visitants,

with very limited time to stay.  But your obligations (moral and religious) are like debts

with a constant and pressing demand for repayment, and which you have to pay back

in a very limited span of your life and with a set of actions which are to be taken

account of.  Some of you are such that due to ignorance you expend your lives to no

purpose while many others are over-jealous and not knowing the proper way they either

overdo a thing or do it wrongly and thus cannot achieve what they want to.  You are born

in an age when you are faceds with more and more of evil, and find good receding

away and away from you.  It is an age when Satan has greater desire of misleading people.

His scheming manoeuvres are being pursued more and more vigorously; his cunning

devices to lure you are becoming very common; and it is very easy for him to gather

victims from amongst you.  Look carefully around you and collect true information of the

society.  You will either find beggars who are suffering the tortures of poverty, or rich

people who repay the bounties of Allah with ungratefulness and ingratitude; misers who

though possessing millions yet refuse to attend to their obligations or pay their dues

to Allah and man, or such arrogant and haughty persons who do not care to listen

to good advices and suggestions given in Islam.

Where are your generous, merciful, noble and liberal-minded men?  Where are those who

have been honest in their trades and transactions?  Where are the people who had made

piety their aim of life?  Have they not left this world which is so mean and so full of

calamities and afflictions?  What did you get out of this world after them?  but dregs or

refuse of men and material!  Various strata of your society are composed today of such

people that it is not worth-while even to speak ill of them, they are not even worth talking

about. “Surely we belong to Allah and to Him we shall certainly return” says the Holy

Quran in Chapter 2:156.  May Allah grant us patience over this loss of the standards of

morality.

Wickedness and depravity have so spread that those who do not like them cannot put a

stop to them and those who hate and abhor them cannot keep themselves away from

them.  With all this viciousness and perversity, do you still desire to secure a place in the

realm of Allah, in the realm of Heaven or to be considered as the Friends of Allah?

What a childish whim!  Nobody can deceive Allah and secure a place in His Paradise

through cheating;  and nobody can win His Favour but by implicitly obeying Him.

Curse of Allah be upon those who advise others to be good but do not follow the

good themselves.  Woe be unto them who tell others to abstain from evil and they

themselves do not abstain from it.

O people! you have divergent beliefs and different views of life, you have physiques of

man but your mental capacity is very low.  We want you to like and to love truth and

justice but you are as much afraid of truth and justice as a sheep is afraid of the roar

of a lion.  What a pity!  It is impossibe indeed to make you an example for working

of the principles of equity and justice in society to make you go along a straight

path.

Once Hazrath ‘Ali (A) said to Abuzarr a companion of the Prophet (S) -

“O Abu-Zarr, love only truth and justice and hate only falsehood and impiety.

Impious people are such that they will befriend you only when you accept their

ways of life, and will take you under their protection only if you enter their fold -

they will not come to your help merely on humanitarian principles or because you

rightly deserve help and protection.”

Yes, my dear people you all know exactly what is happening in this vicious world.

Therefore think, reflect and ponder and seek guidance from Allah, the Almighty, for that

is the best guidance you can get.

AS-SALAAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMATHULLAAHI WA BARAKAATHU HU!

Thought for the Day – 18

DEATH AND HOW TO BE READY FOR IT – M.Z.M.NAZIM

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL!

THE HOLY QURAN SAYS IN 55:26

“ALL THAT IS ON EARTH WILL PERISH”

Glory be to Allah, He punishes those who merit punishment and rewards those

who earn rewards.  He deserves Praises for the bounties granted by Him and

for calamities through which He tries and tests us.  He knows all the hidden things.

He knows our secret thoughts as well as all that we look at stealthily or covet for in

the hearts of our hearts.

By Allah, what I am trying to alarm you with is not a phantom, it is something which

has got an undeniable and irrefutable reality, it is not a fiction but an actual fact, and

an unavoidable certainty.  What is it?  What else could it be but death?

HARK! it has sounded the knell and would not brook delay in its visit.

Beware! the sight of thousands of living human beings around you may not deceive you.

They are all bound to go, one following the other.  You have had enough experience of

such a person who was alive till the other day.  He had amassed wealth and was afraid

of poverty.  He had thought himself immune from the consequences of life.

He had inordinately high hopes and had considered himself to be safe from the hands

of death.  You have also seen how death overtook him; how it has torn him from his hearth

and home; how he was lifted on the shoulders of others to his grave.

I hope that you remember the Holy Quran addressing mankind:

“WHEREVER YOU ARE DEATH WILL FIND YOU OUT,

EVEN IF YOU ARE IN TOWERS BUILT UP STRONG AND HIGH.” 4:78.

Have you not seen such people who had great expectations, had built palatial houses to

live in and had collected great wealth around themselves?

Did not their houses turn into graves?  Did not the wealth hoarded by them was either

destroyed or was inherited by others – any way they had to part with it?

Did not their widows marry other persons?

Now, after death, they cannot either make an addition to their deeds nor can they

offer any excuse for evil lives they had led.

Learn and remember that everything in this world is such that those who crave may get

satiated of it today and disgusted with it tomorrow.

This is true of everything – a mind desires but life itself, for nobody gets really tired

of life or thinks of finding rest and pleasure in death.  Verily a real insight in the philosophy

of life and death is the source of knowledge which will bestow new lives to minds,

dead to actualities;  Will give vision to eyes blind to realities;  will confer power of

hearing to ears deaf to the inner voice of conscience and reasoning and wilfully satisfy

the thirst for great knowledge.

Remember that for one who sincerely and intelligently accepts religion there lies

complete emancipation from the legal, social, political and intellectual control of

heathenism, superstitions and taboos; on it is based full freedom from the sway of Satan

and its allurements and therein rests real peace and true comforts.

Yes, the person who has made up his mind to lead an honest and virtuous life, has

indeed made real use of the span of life granted to him and has succeeded in securing

the reward reserved for such a life.  Remember that none of you is immortal; the duration

of your life here is like a passage on a bridge.

Do good deeds in this life and thus provide for the next world.

Do your duty and be prepared for quick departure.

MAY ALLAH IN HIS MERCY GUIDE US ALL ALONG THE RIGHT PATH. .

AS-SALAAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMATHULLAAHI WA BARAKAATHU HU!.

Thought for the Day – 19

SOME THOUGHTS ON LEADERSHIP IN ISLAM – BY M.Z.M.NAZIM

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST MERCIFUL THE COMPASSIONATE.

One of the main subjects on which the dailies, our newspapers these days present to us – fresh news for our morning reading – is the ever-increasing cases of fraud and corruption.  Be they committed by individuals or by those in high positions in public institutions, the news are indeed sickening for honest readers.  It makes one wonder if in our midst a generation of thugs and crooks is being allowed to flourish.  So daring have those involved become that the amounts of funds or properties disappearing run into millions.  This subject would appear more appalling and tragic when one observes that those involved are men in high public positions, those relied upon and entrusted with the job of safe-guarding public properties.  Let us view this question in the light of past Islamic history and may be we get an idea of the causes behind this scourge and possible solution for it.

This was the time of the fourth Caliph of Islam. Hazrat ‘Ali -ibn-Abi Talib.  He was implored upon the Muslim Ummah, to accept the caliphate and when he reluctantly did so, there had existed a state of widespread corrupt practices.  Even some of the governors and commissioners in the Islamic state had succumbed to temptations of misuse of public properties.  Hazrath ‘Ali embarked upon eradicating all sorts of corrupt practices in his administration as he strived day and night to establish an Islamic rule of social justice free of frauds and nepotism.  In his letter to a commissioner of an area he wrote:

‘..I have been given to understand that you have taken possession of state lands and that you have not only brought them under personal use but have also misappropriated government money.  Will you immediately send detailed accounts (about both the items)>  Remember the reckoning of the Lord on the Day of Judgment is far more severe than any audit which man can carry out.”

How imperative it is for leaders and heads of institutions to keep a look out for cases of frauds and misappropriation and be ready to demand accounts and explanation from those responsible is what we learn from foregoing historical situation.

This could be done effectively by only those who have clean hands and maintain straight records themselves.  In the eyes of the Caliph Hazrat ‘Ali (A) more than the human audit and scrutiny is the fear of Allah and His reckoning and chastisement in the after life that is very effective in checking human misdeeds.  Hence his repeated mention of this in his sayings, sermons and letters to his officers and people.  The fact is that unless man is made to inculcate in his mind the fear of his Lord and conviction about the severe accounting before Him one day to come, he could hardly be expected to exercise self-control over his actions.

Again, to one of his provincial governors who ran away with public treasury, he wrote this:  “….You have invaded the public treasury and you looted as much as was possible the money which was reserved for old, widows, orphans and the poor.  In this plunder, your action was so quick, so nimble and so effective that it resembled the action of a very active and wary wolf attacking and snatching away a wounded and helpless goat.  You have with pleasure sent this looted wealth to Hijaz….”

From this it is evident, that Hazrath ‘Ali (A) was drawing attention of those in high public positions, that they should not lose sight of the fact that any misuse of public funds is in fact directly or indirectly from funds reserved for the upliftment of the poor of whom some could be orphans and widows as well..  How would they like others to misappropriate properties belonging to their own widows or orphans when they were no more alive in this mortal world?  Again in expressing the resemblance of such people with a wolf snatching away a wounded helpless goat, Imam ‘Ali was in fact exposing their extreme cruelty and lack of sense of humanity and sympathy over the weak and the poor.

Thus we see that the scourge of misuse of positions and frauds in one form or the other to have been in existence even in olden times.  Man is so greedy and hasty in his desire to grow rich overnight, as if it were, his main aim of life.  Unless he is provided with high moral education and his mind is effectively inculcated with the fear of Allah with conviction of his having to account for his deeds and misdeeds, no other method could be more effective to check his actions.  Those engaged in fraudulent practices for amassing wealth forget that in the end they are the losers. Yes in order to achieve ill-gotten wealth, it is imperative, that he indulges in scandal mongering and back-biting, telling others about others so as bring the others down in the eyes of the people. All this is done for the purpose of acquiring wealth.  The Holy Quran says in Chapter 104:

“WOE TO EVERY KIND OF SCANDAL-MONGER AND BACKBITER.  WHO PILES UP WEALTH AND LAYS IT BY.  THINKING THAT HIS WEALTH WOULD MAKE HIM LAST FOR EVER.  BY NO MEANS HE WILL BE SURE TO BE THROWN INTO THAT WHICH SHATTERS TO SMITHEREENS.  WHAT WILL EXPLAIN TO THEE THAT WHICH SHATTERS TO SMITHEREENS, IT IS THE FIRE OF THE WRATH OF ALLAH KINDLED TO A BLAZE – THAT MOUNTS RIGHT UP TO THE HEARTS – IT SHALL BE MADE INTO A VAULT OVER THEM IN THICK COLUMNS OUTSTRETCHED.”

What is essentially needed is effective moral education.

In Islam, leadership mainly rests upon two things – knowledge and justice.  It is obvious, that without sufficient knowledge about the people whom he is to lead, their conditions and requirements, a leader would not be able to guide them aright.  For this a leader needs not only right informants and information but also to remain personally in closer and constant touch with his people and be concerned about their affairs.

The older past history of Persia prior to the advent of Islam has recorded Nawsherwan as the most just and fair-minded person having ever lived in the world.  So strict was his sense of justice over the people over whom he ruled that his name became synonymous with Justice.   During his days of childhood, Nawsherwan had a teacher who was exceedingly farsighted and conscious of practical ways of training his students.  Once the teacher without any reason suddenly embarked upon scolding and even caning Nawsherwan, the prince.  The beating was harsh that Nawsherwan cried loudly and the hatred and prejudice for this remained in his heart.  When Nawsherwan grew up, he became the king of Persia and he thought of taking revenge.  He called upon that teacher and inquired to know the reasons for that undue punishment and beating during his childhood.  The teacher replied:

“I noticed that you were paying exceedingly good attention in doing your lessons.  I was confident of your ability in the future and that you were going to inherit the kingdom after your father had passed away.  I preferred to see you taste before-hand, the pang of oppression and injustice so that you do no injustice to anyone when you become the king.”

On hearing this Nawsherwan was amused and he smiled.  Now it was the turn of the teacher to ask Nawsherwan : as to wherefrom he learnt the strict and deep sense of justice – to which Nawsherwan replied:

Once during the early days, I had gone out to the woods for hunting accompanied by my soldiers.  I witnessed a strange incident.  I saw someone hitting a dog with a stone and break its leg.  After a short while, I saw a horse galloping by and kicking that man thereby breaking his leg. And hardly a few steps had that horse run when suddenly its legs ran into a ditch fracturing one of its legs.

On watching this sequence of events and the balance of justice I learnt a lesson that oppression and injustice in this world is swiftly repaid in the same coin.  Hence I resolved to rule and tolerate no injustice whatsoever in my kingdom.”

So famous did he become as Nawsherwan ‘Aadil _ Nawsherwan the Just that even the Prophet (S) said:

I was born during the times of the just king.

Let us too, therefore, learn a lesson from these incidents and pray to Allah to guide us all along the right path .

Thought for the Day – 20

THE QURANIC CONCEPT OF JUSTICE – by M.Z.M.NAZIM

In the name of Allah the Most Compassionate the Merciful

In the Quranic concept of Justice emphasis is placed on Four Elements – Balance, equity,

duty and trust.  Consider the following verse of the Holy Quran : 3:161 states:

“NO PROPHET COULD (EVER) BE FALSE TO HIS TRUST. IF ANY PERSON IS

SO FALSE, HE SHALL, ON THE DAYOF JUDGMENT, RESTORE WHAT HE MISAPPROPRIATED: THEN SHALL EVERY SOUL RECEIVE ITS DUE -

WHATEVER IT EARNED – AND NONE SHALL BE DEALT UNJUSTLY.”

And again in Verse 185 of the same chapter :

“Every soul shall have a taste of death and only on the day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense..”

and Again in Verse 40 of Chapter 4 – The Holy Quran says:

“ALLAH IS NEVER UNJUST IN THE LEAST DEGREE.  IF THERE IS ANY

GOOD (DONE), HE DOUBLES IT, AND GIVES FROM HIS OWN PRESENCE

A GREAT REWARD.”

These 3 verses specify three compelling concepts -

1. No one shall be wronged.

2. Reward for good deeds will be multiplied;  and

3. Since the whole universe is moving towards ultimate good – acts of evil will ultimately

end in doom and become nullified.

In so far as equity is concerned, the preponderance of good regulates the administration of

Justice.  In Chapters 16 verse 61 and chapter 35 verse 45 – the Holy Quran states :

“IF ALLAH WERE TO PUNISH MEN ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY DESERVE,

HE WOULD NOT LEAVE ON THE BACK OF THE (EARTH) A SINGLE LIVING

CREATURE:  BUT HE GIVES THEM RESPITE FOR A STATED TERM.  WHEN THEIR

TERM EXPIRES, VERILY ALLAH HAS IN HIS SIGHT ALL HIS CREATURES.”

This shows that man is bent on performing acts of transgression and sin and he succumbs to temptation – as a result, his judgment becomes clouded and he is led astray and it also becomes a question of struggle between good and evil.  Allah in His infinite Mercy guides and supports man against the forces of Evil at the sametime condemns man’s lapses so that he may discern good from evil.  It is this attitude of the Holy Quran that shows Allah’s infinite Mercy and spring of hope by giving him time to reflect and ponder on his sins and correct  himself.

If not for this hope, frustration sets in and man’s life becomes meaningless and futile.

Hence he is given the opportunity of repentance to recover himself from his evil ways.  Repentance does not mean just repenting of the past sins: but it is a contract of the future – a covenant with Allah that you will avoid, in future, the misdeeds of the past.  This once gain emphasises sympathy, understanding and hope.

The element of duty is emphasized in Chapter 7 verse 29 of the Holy Quran :

“Say my lord hath commanded justice, and that you set your whole selves (to HIM) at every time and place of prayer, and call upon him making your devotion sincere as in His sight: Such as He created you in the beginning so shall you return.”

So you see, man is forced to distinguish between right and wrong, truth and falsehood, the administration of Justice without fear or favour, the establishment of Justice between Muslims and Non-Muslims and Justice between friends and foes and this Quranic statement will place a further emphasis:

“O YE WHO BELIEVE! STAND OUT FIRMLY FOR JUSTICE, AS WITNESSES TO

ALLAH, EVEN AS AGAINST YOURSELVES, OR YOUR PARENTS, OR YOUR

KIN, AND WHETHER IT BE AGAINST RICH OR POOR.  FOR ALLAH CAN BEST

PROTECT BOTH.  FOLLOW NOT THE LUSTS OF YOUR HEARTS, LEST YOU

SWERVE, AND IF YOU DISTORT JUSTICE OR DECLINE TO DO JUSTICE, VERILY

ALLAH IS WELL-ACQUAINTED WITH ALL THAT YOU DO.” 4:135

Can anything be more comprehensive that this verse!  It reiterates that Justice must be administered without fear or favour.  Justice must be dispensed openly and fearlessly – All considerations not related to the issue under determination are eliminated – friendship or kinship has no say in the administration of Justice in Islam as well as the fact that the Principle of Final Judgment rests with Allah and Allah alone.

The imposition of Justice, as a duty, is very emphatically stated in CH.6. V.152 :

“AND COME NOT NIGH TO THE ORPHAN’S PROPERTY, EXCEPT TO IMPROVE IT,

UNTIL HE ATTAIN THE AGE OF FULL STRENGTH.  GIVE MEASURE AND WEIGHT

WITH FULL JUSTICE: NO BURDEN DO WE PLACE ON ANY SOUL, BUT THAT

WHICH IT CAN BEAR.  WHENEVER YE SPEAK, SPEAK JUSTLY, EVEN IF A NEAR

RELATIVE IS CONCERNED AND FULFIL THE COVENANT OF ALLAH.  THUS

DOTH HE COMMAND YOU, THAT YE MAY REMEMBER.”

The fourth element is Trust.

Here justice is imposed as a duty according to the capacity of each individual.

Position of Higher responsibility demand a greater obligation of Trust.  Ch.4. v.58 states:

‘ALLAH DOES COMMAND YOU TO RENDER BACK YOUR TRUSTS TO THOSE TO

WHOM THEY ARE DUE; AND WHEN YOU JUDGE BETWEEN MAN AND MAN,

THAT YOU JUDGE WITH JUSTICE: VERILY HOW EXCELLENT IS THE TEACHING

WHICH HE GIVES YOU! FOR ALLAH IS HE WHO HEARS AND SEES ALL THINGS.”

This naturally brings us to a point of order with regard to the selection of persons to positions of responsibility and in verse Ch.6. V.135 Allah issues a very severe warning to those persons entrusted with positions of trust – He says

“O My people! DO WHATEVER YE CAN: I WILL DO MY PART: SOON WILL YOU KNOW

WHO IT IS WHOSE END WILL BE (BEST) IN THE HEREAFTER: CERTAIN IT IS THAT

THE WRONG-DOERS WILL NOT PROSPER.”

The meaning is very clear -

It does not only mean that one should conduct oneself with justice – but also

UPHOLD JUSTICE AND ESTABLISH A JUST ORDER IN SOCIETY.

Persecution must be replaced by understanding and justice as it is quite evident that in the ultimate analysis everything and everyone is answerable to Allah and Allah alone.  This once again guides man to be Just in his Moral, social, economical, legal, political and personal obligations.

Equal Justice is applicable to all.

WHAT IS WRONG IS WRONG FOR ALL.

WHAT THAT IS FORBIDDEN IS FORBIDDEN TO ALL.

THAT WHICH IS A CRIME IS A CRIME TO ALL.

It follows, therefore, that positions of Trust, leadership, or governments must not be given to incompetent, dishonest, immoral and untruthful persons.  This will result in the destruction of the whole nation.  Muslims are warned  – it is imperative that they appoint leaders who are capable of truth, justice, honesty and those who judge by the Holy Quran.

Our Holy Prophet Muhummed (S) has said with regard to Government and Affairs of the People -

“The Hour of Doom is near when Trust is Wasted.”

The people then asked :

“O Messenger of Allah, how is it that a trust is wasted?”

He, Rasool (S) replied: “When leadership is entrusted to those unworthy of it.”

I would like to conclude this topic with verses 7, 8 & 9 of Ch.55. It states:

“AND THE FIRMAMENT HAS HE RAISED HIGH, AND HE HAS SET UP THE

BALANCE OF JUSTICE – IN ORDER THAT YE MAY NOT TRANSGRESS

DUE BALANCE.  SO ESTABLISH WEIGHT WITH JUSTICE AND FALL NOT

SHORT IN THE BALANCE.”

The Balance is a sign of Justice incorporated into the grand design of the Universe.

Innumerable stars and constellations, planets and galaxies in their orbits all sustained by a mathematical balance and hence Justice becomes a heavenly virtue.  It also extends to the fact that man should be honest and straight in every daily matter such as weighing out things which he is selling and he should be straight, just and honest in all the highest dealings, not only with other people, but with himself and in his obedience to Allah’s Law.

Not many, do, either the one, or the other, when they have an opportunity of deceit.

Justice is the central virtue, and the avoidance of both excesses and defect in conduct keeps the human world balanced just as the heavenly world is kept balanced by the mathematical order.

DESTROY JUSTICE AND YOU DESTROY THE BALANCE OF THIS WORLD

AND YOU DESTROY THE UNIVERSE.

May Allah in His Mercy guide us all along the right path.

Thought for the Day – 21
ISLAM – THE MESSAGE OF PEACE – BY M.Z.M.NAZIM
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST COMPASSIONATE THE MERCIFUL!
The meaning of this salutation “Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmathullaahi Wa Barakaathuhu- is
May the Peace and Mercy of Allah and Blessings be unto you.”
This salutation of the Muslims is not only used to greet each other but is the first thing that is uttered with feeling and sincerity at the commencement of any occasion – Greeting a congregation or greeting an audience or even an individual with the peace, blessings and Mercy of Allah is a way of life of a Muslim. It is therefore, clear proof that Islam takes peace as of prime importance.
Islam also means – complete submission to the Will of Allah and the word Muslim, derived
from Islam, denotes the person who shows complete submission to the will of Allah and the person who has attained peace by being in total submission to the will of Allah. This is the person who is described in the Holy Quran as a Believer. Now, we raise the question – How does man show complete submission to the Will of Allah? in other words “Who is a Believer?” – The Holy Quran says:
“ONLY THOSE ARE BELIEVERS WHO HAVE BELIEVED IN ALLAH AND HIS APOSTLE,
AND HAVE NEVER SINCE DOUBTED; BUT HAVE STRIVEN WITH THEIR BELONGINGS
AND THEIR PERSONS IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH. SUCH ARE THE SINCERE ONES.” (49:15).
The Holy Quran further emphasizes that “Those who do not judge by the light of what Allah has
revealed are indeed unbelievers, perverted transgressors, wrongdoers and rebels.” (5:44,45,47)
This is indeed proof without doubt that person carrying just an Arabic Name only, is not classed as a Muslim or a believer in the light of the Holy Quran. A Muslim is a person who judges everything and anything by the light of the Holy Quran -
His occasions, events, habits, systems, values, attitudes, behaviour, morality -
yes in fact your complete life has to be judged by the Holy Quran, if you are deemed to be
a Muslim according to the Holy Quran.
Our Holy Prophet Muhummed (S) said:
“The Holy Quran came down under five heads: Lawful, Unlawful, plain, figurative and parabolical.
Then observe: as lawful whatever is lawful;
forbid what is unlawful and abstain from the unlawful;
act upon the plain injunctions;
believe in the figurative; and
take example from the parables.

In order that man may abide by these injunctions, man must transform himself and institute a complete change in himself – the importance of such a change was literally shown in the flight of our Holy Prophet Muhummed (S) from Makkah to Medina.
This is a flight signifying the flight from paganism and polytheism to Monotheism.
It is a flight from falsehood to truth and this should be the resolution of every man.
When a man resolves, that he will not speak lies, that he will not back-bite and slander and that he would abstain from committing sins of whatever nature – and abides by this resolution – he has performed Hijra. The flight from Evil to Goodness.
A Muslim is a person, who also contemplates, reflects and ponders on his days performance at the end of each day. What are the good things I have performed today?
What are the evil things that I have indulged in today?
Have I performed my duties as enjoined in the Holy Quran?
Were my actions pleasing to Allah and His Apostle or was I trying to please the people for the sake of name, fame, power and position and recognition?
I would like to take this opportunity to, very briefly, set out the duties enjoined in the Quran:
“Help your kin, help the orphans, the needy and the wayfarer. Be steadfast in your prayer and practice regular charity. Fulfil the contracts which you have made. Be firm and patient in pain and adversity and all periods of panic. Enjoin what is right and good and forbid what it is evil and wrong.
Let there be not even an atom of pride or even an atom of jealousy in you nor walk in insolence
through the earth. Be moderate in thy pace and lower thy voice.
Eat of the lawful things enjoined on you and abstain from the unlawful and forbidden. Earn lawfully.
Do not give short-weights or short-measures and do not indulge in devouring usury or interest.
Do not gamble or imbibe intoxicants. Be just in your dealings even if it means speaking against your own family, or kin for the sake of justice.
When a person brings any news to you, he may be a wicked person or a person trying to create mischief, check the facts, verify them, check the veracity of the news before you pass it on to the other person – Just a few of the many instructions and injunctions.
Now ask yourself – “Am I satisfied with the life I am leading as a Muslim?.
This question will certainly make you correct yourself and also stop you from repeating the wrong you did the previous day and make you an asset to mankind in this world and earn salvation for you in the hereafter.
The characteristic of kindness and forgiveness must be impeccable.

Please permit me to give you a Historical illustration at this juncture. This was the subject of an article written by Mabel Brailsford  in the Manchester Guardian of November 1912.
Quote:

“In the reign of Charles II, a young English woman who had been a servant girl became
an active member of the “society of Friends” commonly called the “Quakers” and suffered persecution on that account. She was twice flogged in England for protesting against the Church customs of the day.
She with two other Quakers, went to preach in New England as the American Colonies were then called. They were thrown into prison on a trumped up charge of witch-craft and released only after many hardships. After her return to England she set out with Five other Quakers to convert the Grand Seignior as the Sultan of Turkey was then called.

In the journey across Europe her companions fell into the hands of the INQUISITION and only one of them was ever heard of afterwards. He returned to England after many years, a gibbering madman. (Still quoting from the Manchester Guardian) -
She after much persecution and annoyance pursued her journey quite alone: took ship at Venice and was put ashore on the Coast of the Morea, far from the place she wished to go, but in Muslim Territory.
From thence she walked all the way to Adrianople; but she need not have gone on foot, for, from the moment she set foot in the Muslim Empire, persecution was at an end. Everybody showed her kindness.

The Government officials helped her on her way and when she reached Adrianople, where the Sultan Bayazid was then encamped, and asked for audience of the Emperor, saying, that she brought a message to him from the ALMIGHTY GOD – The Sultan Bayazid received her in state, according her all the honours of an Ambassador.

He and his courtiers listened with grave courtesy to all she had to say, and, when she finished speaking, the Sultan said this was the truth which they also believed.
The Sultan asked her to remain in his country as an honoured guest or at least, if she must depart, to accept an escort worthy of the dignity of one who carried a message of the Most High; but she refused departing as she had come on foot and alone; and so reached Constantinople without the least hurt or hindrance and there took passage on a vessel bound for England.” Unquote
Such is the toleration of Islam.
The Holy Quran says:
“That if anyone slew any person, it would be as if he slew the whole of mankind and
if any one saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole of mankind (5:32).
Our Prophet Muhummed (S) said:
“The Arab is not above a non-Arab neither a Non-Arab above an Arab, neither is a white man superior to a black man nor a black man superior to a white man unless he is righteous, pious, a person of good character, conduct and morality.
Let us hope that these thoughts would make us think reflect and ponder and correct our lives accordingly.
May Allah in His Mercy guide us all along the right path.

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