We keep seeing the plight of the Rohingya Muslims being publicised, but it doesn’t show one really despicable side to the entire tragedy. Look at this video, and you’ll be hard pressed not to want to spit in the face of the PM of Bangladesh, whom I’m inclined to believe is a Muslim as well, given her name, and given that Islam is the religion of 90.4% of the population according to statistics from 2010.
So here’s the question…how can we expect Muslims to be treated like human beings anywhere in the world, if we can’t see fit to fulfil our own responsibilities towards them in our own back yards? Look around the world and see how many conflicts involving Muslims have proclaimed Muslims on both sides of the conflict? Then look at those where the Muslims are being attacked by non-Muslims and see how many Muslim states are intervening or overtly providing assistance to the Muslims?
Muslims should hang their heads in shame. We’re the biggest preachers and biggest critics, with the best debating skills at exposing the flaws of our fellow Muslims and finding the most petty bullshit to argue about and find reason to create sects and divisions, but ask us to unite behind a common enemy and even then we’ll get into a debate about whose responsibility it is.
Please correct me if I’m wrong in anything I’m saying here, but watch the video first and then tell me how much compassion exists amongst the Ummah for fellow Muslims. The compassion of the layman is irrelevant when the governments that we support and vote into power don’t give a damn about our collective responsibility, while we’re powerless and impotent to change any of it.
Like the Arabs say, your leaders are as you are. We’re even pathetic enough to find reason to compete between our own charitable organisations instead of joining forces at the most basic level of civil assistance. Astaghfirullah!
Tag: Islam
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Plight of the Rohingya Muslims
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/) -
Catharsis
SubhanAllah, I had a moment at the masjid today that hurt me, but the lesson from it was liberating.
After tarawih I was speaking to a good friend & another acquaintance of mine when another woman I know came and hugged both of my friends and turned away from me. I refrained from judging the situation too quickly, however the circumstance just stunk of the cliquish attitudes that people adopt. My face fell and I tried not to be offended that this woman was purposefully ignoring my existence yet standing in front of me talking to the people I was just speaking to. I continued to listen to the conversation and nodded my head, feeling a bit embarrassed and not sure why. Finally, I said salaams to all of them and left the masjid, wondering what I could have done to make this woman dislike me. As I pondered it over, it occurred to me that I was blaming myself for this possible error of judgment or this woman’s problem with me, when I was given no inclination as to how I could fix it.
It became clear to me that we can blame ourselves so much for how people treat us, but it can sometimes be people who exact the worst kind of revenge: the one where they don’t tell you what is wrong or why they have a problem with you. Then you live in ‘community x’ dealing with people ‘y’ who may consistently give you a negative attitude without ever speaking to you like a decent human being. This situation is juvenile and immature, but I’m afraid it’s all too common in our ummah. At the heart of it, it’s a lack of adab across the board that eats away at the potential we have to be a family, a big huge Muslim family. So many little issues amount to widespread negativity…
People afraid to say salaams to others, but stalking the hell out of their facebooks or twitters.
People standing shoulder to shoulder to Tarawih, but stepping on each other’s feet to get the free kulfi at the masjid dinner.
People engaging in the culture/color wars over what country you’re from and what color you are.
Or worst of all, entering a masjid full of unsmiling faces, just because they don’t know you personally. I feel hurt the most for the visitors who, looking for warmth & unity, find nothing but hostility or even worse: silence.
So what do you do?
Do you sit around and become bitter? Do you accept that people hold grudges in their heart?
No, you free yourself from it all.
How?
Be that person you’ve been looking for all this time. No matter what.
-Smile at every single person you see & give them that beautiful salutation of As Salaamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
-If someone doesn’t treat you right, show them how it’s done and treat them right. Ask Allah to correct their behavior and if the opportunity avails itself, remind them gently.
-Look for someone to help and help them with a humble attitude and no expectation for anything in return.
At the end of the day, you have the potential to promote positive change by leading by example. Take that opportunity and be good with reckless abandon, throwing your smiles at people and helping everyone without hesitation. If you’re already a beacon of light, keep it up my friend. If not, let yourself shine and follow the example of the most merciful human being to ever walk this Earth, Muhammad sallallahu alayhi was’sallam.
SubhanAllah, what a beautiful example. The prophet was a man who would treat everyone he met with such deep compassion and care that they would think that they were the most important person in the room when he, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam spoke to them.
His enemies became Muslim when they witnessed his beautiful akhlaaq and yet we, who call ourselves Muslim reject our own and lose each other in negativity.
Wherever you are, if you are reading this, plead sincerely with our Lord to fortify us as one and bless us with harmony, in the smallest as well as the largest of gatherings.
Finally, I’m soothed most by one thing in particular:
no matter how badly someone may hurt you or reject your good will, it was never for them anyway.
I wish I could say that I never experienced the above type of behaviour from Muslims as well. It’s a shame really. Vying for attention at the expense of our humility and sincerity.
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A Young Girl Who Learns About Ramadaan
A young non-Muslim who learns about Ramadan.
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Letter to Allah.
Dear Allah,
You know I love you. I love you so much. You’re the only source of hope and positivity in my life. Allah, I have learned so much about islam and You and myself because of this incredible pain that you’ve laid on my shoulders to test me. I used to feel angry at reading about how I’m supposed to be thankful for the tests you give me because I thought that they were too much. But then I saw what You mean. I saw how differently and how much more clearly I can see and appreciate my blessings after having gone through this agonizing pain. And so yes, I am thankful for having gone through it and I am honored that you think highly enough of me to test me with this incredible burden.
But Allah.. Please, take it away now. I cannot handle this burden anymore. I do not want to spend my days hoping to be able to cry because my agony is so deep that I can’t even do that anymore. I don’t want my “good days” to be so empty anymore.
I know, my Lord, that this life is temporary and fleeting and the End is what matters. I also know that my pain is nothing compared to what millions of others go/have gone through.. nothing compared to the struggles of the blessed Prophets. But I am weak, my Lord. I promise, I will try to make you proud. I know you know how hard I struggle with various things each day. Of course you know, you are the All-Knowing one.
But Allah, I need your blessings now. My Lord, I am honored to be a bearer of your tests but my strength is failing now. Please lift the burdens before I break. Please offer me some relief. Please ease the agonies of my soul. Please free me of my afflictions. Please, Lord, grant me some comfort.
I ask for your forgiveness for being so weak. And I hope that you will shower me with your Great Mercy, ya Ar-Rahman, even though I may not deserve it.
O one who loves me more than 70 mothers would, my Lord, dry my tears now. Heal my soul. Cure my illnesses. Ease my bodily pains. Ease my mental afflictions. Ease the aching of my shredded heart. Help me fill the holes inside. Grant me comfort. Because only You can. Ameen.
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Dua When Desiring Death
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that: The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu álayhi wa sallam) said, “Let not one of you wish for death because of a misfortune which befalls him. If he cannot help doing so, he should say: ‘O Allah, keep me alive as long as You know that life is better for me, and make me die when death is better for me”.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim
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Life
Life, by design, is intended to be a struggle and nothing less. If you’re not facing a struggle, then you’re probably not paying attention. But this struggle called life is supposed to be a joyous struggle, not a painful one. Joyous because it’s supposed to be a struggle towards earning the pleasure of Allah. But when we’re distracted with pleasures that are detrimental to this goal, the struggle becomes a painful one because it goes against the nature that Allah has embedded in our souls. So I pray that your struggle is a joyous one, and that the distractions are few and far between, and that the coolness of your eyes becomes a part of your life before your eyes become tainted with the bitterness of the distractions. Insha-Allah.
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The Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) in the Bible
Comparative religion has always been an interest area of mine. This discussion is quite an interesting one, and if you don’t have enough time to watch the video, here’s a link to the dialogue referred to in the video. Such dialogues are not uncommon between leaders of various faith groups in South Africa. Although it is a lot less prevalent since the passing on of Ahmed Deedat.
Here’s the introduction to the video from the Youtube posting:
According to the Bible, God said to Moses, on whom be peace: I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse 18 – King James Version).
The prophet described in the above verse must have the following three characteristics: 1. He will be like Moses. 2. He will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites. 3. God will put His words in the mouth of the prophet and he will declare what God commanded him.
The question is; who is this prophet? Let us find out…
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
