Day 21: Living the Qur'an

"The Qur'an is the source of true knowledge and true worship of Allah, the only true God. Yet the cruel jokes which Muslims play with the Book of Allah are so inane that if we saw someone else doing such things in any other spheres of life, we would mock them and even brand them as lunatics!

"Tell me, what would you say if somebody got a doctor's prescription and hung it around his neck after wrapping it in a piece of cloth or washed it in water and drink it? Would you not laugh at him and call him a fool? Yet this is the very treatment being given before your eyes to the matchless prescription written by the greatest of all doctors to provide a cure for all your ailments and nobody laughs!

"Tell me, what would you think if someone who was ill picked up a book on medicine and began to read it, believing, thinking that this would cure? Would you not say that he was deranged? Yet this is how we treat the Book, which the Supreme Healer has sent for the cure of our diseases. We think that just by flicking through all its pages, our diseases will disappear without following the directions given in them or abstaining from the things, which they pronounce harmful. Are we not in the same situation, as the man who considers that reading a book on medicine will cure his illness?

"If you receive a business letter in a language you do not know, you would go to a man who knows the language to find out what it says. You remain anxious and restless until you have found out what the letter says, even though it will bring only some paltry worldly profit. But the letter sent to you by the Lord of the worlds, which can bring you all the benefits of this world, and the Eternal Life is carelessly set aside. You do not show any uneasiness at not understanding its contents. Is this not astonishing?

"Reflect for a while on these facts and your hearts will tell you that the greatest injustice is being done to the Book of Allah. Ironically the culprits are the very people who proclaim their readiness to sacrifice their lives for it. No doubt they have faith in it, but the pity is that it is they who treat it outrageously."

The above paragraphs are the beautiful words of Abul A'la Mawdudi (in his book Let Us Be Muslims). He has nothing against reciting the Qur'an as we are being encouraged to do in Ramadan. His point is that our failing as an Ummah (the best and balanced community) stems from the fact that we are far from the Qur'an. We do not understand it, nor do we live by it; whereas the purpose of the Qur'an is to be lived and followed so that we are guided because "Allah's guidance is the (only) guidance and we have been directed to submit ourselves to the Lord of the worlds." (Qur'an 6 verse 71) 

When Aisha was asked about the character of the Prophet (peace be upon him) she said, he was the walking Qur'an. Mawdudi's opinion is that our mere practise of the Qur'an is enough da'wah to bring non-Muslims into Islam in droves. Therefore read the Qur'an (and in Ramadan, we are encouraged to attempt the whole of it) in a language you understand. Understand it and live by it. Your reward shall be immense. Read it also in Arabic (its pure form) sincerely. May Allah make our tasks easier for us. Amin.

Day 18: The Last Man to Enter Paradise

The people said, "O Allah's Messenger! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet said, "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the moon on a full moon night?" They said, "No, O Allah's Messenger." He said, "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun when there are no clouds?" They said, "No, O Allah's Messenger." He said, "So you will see Him, like that. Allah will gather all the people on the Day of Resurrection, and say, 'Whoever worshipped something (in the world) should follow (that thing),' so, whoever worshipped the sun will follow the sun, and whoever worshiped the moon will follow the moon, and whoever used to worship certain (other false) deities, he will follow those deities. And there will remain only this nation with its hypocrites. …Allah will come to them in His appearance which they know, and will say, 'I am your Lord.' They will say, 'You are our Lord,' so they will follow Him.

“Then a bridge will be laid across Hell (Fire). My followers and I will be the first ones to go across it and none will speak on that Day except the Messengers. And the invocation of the Messengers on that Day will be, 'O Allah, Save us! Save us!' Over the Bridge, there will be hooks like the thorns of As-Sa'dan (a thorny plant). Have you seen As-Sa'dan?" They replied, "Yes, Rasulullah!" He said, "So those hooks look like the thorns of As-Sa'dan, but none knows how big they are except Allah. Those hooks will snap the people away according to their deeds. Some of the people will stay in Hell (be destroyed) because of their (evil) deeds, and some will be cut or torn by the hooks (and fall into Hell) and some will be punished and then relieved. When Allah has finished His Judgments among the people, He will take whomever He will out of Hell through His Mercy. He will then order the angels to take out of the Fire all those who used to worship none but Allah from among those whom Allah wanted to be merciful to and those who testified (while on earth) that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah. The angels will recognize them in the Fire by the marks of prostration (on their foreheads), for the Fire will eat up all the human body except the mark caused by prostration as Allah has forbidden the Fire to eat the mark of prostration. They will come out of it, completely burnt and then the water of life will be poured over them and they will grow under it, as does a seed that comes in the mud of the torrent.

“Then Allah will finish the judgments among the people, and there will remain one man facing the (Hell) Fire and he will be the last person among the people of Hell to enter Paradise. He will say, 'O my Lord! Please turn my face away from the fire because its air has hurt me and its severe heat has burnt me.' So he will invoke Allah in the way Allah will wish him to invoke, and then Allah will say to him, 'If I grant you that, will you then ask for anything else?' He will reply, 'No, by Your Power, (Honour) I will not ask You for anything else.' He will give his Lord whatever promises and covenants Allah will demand. So Allah will turn his face away from Hell (Fire). When he will face Paradise and will see it, he will remain quiet for as long as Allah will wish him to remain quiet, then he will say, 'O my Lord! Bring me near to the gate of Paradise.' Allah will say to him, 'Didn't you give your promises and covenants that you would never ask for anything more than what you had been given? Woe on you, O Adam's son! How treacherous you are!' He will say, 'O my lord,' and will keep on invoking Allah till He says to him, 'If I give what you are asking, will you then ask for anything else?' He will reply, 'No, by Your (Honour) Power, I will not ask for anything else.'

Then he will give covenants and promises to Allah and then Allah will bring him near to the gate of Paradise. When he stands at the gate of Paradise, Paradise will be opened and spread before him, and he will see its splendour and pleasures whereupon he will remain quiet as long as Allah will wish him to remain quiet, and then he will say, 'O my Lord! Admit me into Paradise.' Allah will say, 'Didn't you give your covenants and promises that you would not ask for anything more than what you had been given?' Allah will say, 'Woe on you, O Adam's son! How treacherous you are!' The man will say, 'O my Lord! Do not make me the most miserable of Your creation,' and he will keep on invoking Allah till Allah will laugh because of his sayings, and when Allah will laugh because of him, He will say to him, 'Enter Paradise,' and when he will enter it, Allah will say to him, 'Wish for anything.' So he will ask his Lord, and he will wish for a great number of things, for Allah Himself will remind him to wish for certain things by saying, "Wish for so-and-so.' When there is nothing more to wish for, Allah will say, 'This is for you, and its equal (is for you) as well." Abu Hurayrah noted, "That man will be the last person of the people of Paradise to enter Paradise." (Bukhari)

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK

Day 17: The Place for Everything and Everyone

For the responsible person, his house is the centre point of his living. It is his home. It is his safety and comfort; the harbinger of his success; the security of his acquisition; the nursery of his prosperity; and the museum of his past. It is from there that he prepares to face the day’s challenges and it is to it (his house) that he returns to refresh from life’s wears and tears.  

To perform these functions in the life of an individual, the house must therefore, be conceived, designed, structured and maintained with maximum concern. Little wonder than that the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarded a spacious home as one of the good things in life.

Just as it is with the individual, the community is also bound to conceive and maintain a physical centre-point, a convergence of their history, safety, and pride.  Different communities institute different landmark: the village square the city centre, the town hall or the conservation park, the palace, market, or a statue-filled arena. For the community of Muslims, the centre-point of our life is the Masjid (the Mosque).

The Masjid is the place for everyone and everything. It is the place of prayer (worship), it supports school and studies. Its courtyard and side halls serves a social functions as well as a business purpose. The masjid is the place of entertainment, a source of welfare and charity. It is the point of safety from aggression, oppression, racism, injustice and poverty. Allah says, “Remember We made the house a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and …a place of prayer…” (Qur'an 2 verse 125) 

It is built by individuals for Allah’s sake. Everyone regardless of origin, colour and language is allowed into the masjid. For as long as they abide by the etiquette of the masjid, they are permitted therein. No one should be discriminated against; rather, they should find solution in the masjid. Voices are not to be raised therein; sales should be discouraged in the main prayer hall. 

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 16: The Goal of Ramadan

As we are midway into Ramadan, it is necesary to remind ourselves of why we are fasting; what we are meant to achieve with the abstenance and discipline and the selflessness. God encourages us to remind ourselves as such reminders benefit the believers.

Fasting is worship and it draws us closer to Allah. Allah has prescribed it to purify our soul so that we are trained in good deeds and self-scrutiny. Hence, fasting means a temporary vacation from various forms of worldly enjoyment, including eating, drinking, sexual desires, shameless gazing, haram income, activities and places. By self-scrutiny we learn to be conscious of our every act because we consciously avoid all that may negate our fast. This attribute is contained in the goal of fasting for Allah says, "… that you may (learn) self-restraint." (Qur'an 2 verse 183)

The goal of fasting is not hardship by debarring us from culinary and sexual pleasure, but it is self-discipline and self-control, thus it includes the prohibition of verbal promiscuity. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Fasting is not [abstaining] from eating and drinking only, but also from vain speech and foul language." (Muslim)  In addition, it is a means of spiritual, physical, psychological and mental purification. It is a form of jihad nafsi (the Jihad against the selfish, materialist and mundane soul). Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) has said, "Allah said, 'all the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' FASTING IS A SHIELD OR PROTECTION FROM THE FIRE AND FROM COMMITTING SINS. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.'…” (Bukhari)

The fasting person must be on guard against any act that may cause him to lose the benefits of his fast. Thus, his fast will increase his God-consciousness, and Allah says in the Qur'an: "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you perchance you may attain God consciousness." (Qur'an 2 verse 183) God Consciousness is also derived from other acts which we are encouraged to undertake while fasting. The first is unshaken faith in Allah and complete trust in His promises. The Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever observed fast imbued with faith and with the expectation of reward from Allah, all his past sins are forgiven".

Fasting helps us to experience the realities of the poor and needy. This induces in us a moderate and considerate lifestyle, and a compassionate relationship evolves. We are then moved to help. Therefore we are encouraged to provide others with the means of breaking their fast (iftar) and engaged in the acts of sadaqah (charity) more in Ramadan. Ultimately, we want to seek the long time solution: the ability of the poor and needy to sustain themselves.

Thus is the goal for which Allah has dedicated this month. This is the goal which the over one billion Muslims would be striving to achieve this month. How many will really score, how many would have achieved their aims with this Ramadan. Now that you know what the goal of Ramadan is, what targets have you set for yourself and how do you intend to achieve them?

Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 15: Flood Them with Your Mercy - Please!

“O you who believe! Bow down prostrate yourselves and adore your Lord; and do good; that you may prosper.” (Qur'an 22 verse 77

This month presents us with an opportunity to bow down to Allah’s Will, show our love and obeisance of Him and engage in good deeds. These –Faith, Worship and Deeds - lead to prosperity in this life and in the life-hereafter. The deeds are not directed at your persons, there are selfless actions from you towards other people.

The biggest calamity yet this year is the current flood destroying lives and livelihood in Pakistan. This flood has brought deaths to thousands of lives. It has caused vicissitude to the status of thousands. It is changing the landscape of hundreds of communities, destroyed thousands of farms and homes. It has displaced millions of people rendering them homeless, defenceless and distraught. If this is the worst of calamities today, offering them a flood load of your good deeds is the greatest good you can do today, outside your immediate scope of responsibility and concern, that is.

Ramadan is a month of mercy and we Muslims must prove this to be true. And we are doing this already. The British public (including a sizeable number of Muslim populace) has already raised over £30 millions. A local mosque in Oxfordshire where I prayed Asr yesterday has raised over £16,500. And this is happening all over the world. If you have not donated, now is the time to do it. Remember while you break your fast with sumptuous meals, those affected by the flood, may not be fasting and those who are, will be doing so with even more difficulty than it used to be.

Our Creator says, “Those who give alms (donations), both men and women, they lend unto Allah a goodly loan, it will be doubled for them, and theirs will be a rich reward.” (Qur'an 57 verse 18) In essence, do it for your own benefit if not for the sake of the humanity we see suffering the cold and diseased caring flood.

Don’t know about you, buy the video clips of the flood humbles me. I marvel at those who see all these and do not FEEL the need to give even a widow’s mite. They probably lack humanity as they do not see humanity in the flood victims. “… their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them!” Qur'an 6 verse 43.

Please for the sake of Allah and the sake of the Day of Judgement, let us this Ramadan throw open the flood gate of benevolence as our beloved Prophet used to do. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) “…was the most generous of the men; and he was the most generous during the month of Ramadan when Jibril visited him every night and recited the Qur'an to him. During this period, the generosity of Messenger of Allah waxed faster than the rain bearing wind.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

This act may count in our benefit on the Day of Judgement like we read in the hadith below on the importance of care and concern for those in difficult situations. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "A person (from amongst the people who lived before you) was called to account by Allah on the Day of Resurrection. No good deeds were found in his credit except that he being a rich man had (financial) dealings with people and had commanded his servants to show leniency to those who were in straitened circumstances. Upon this Allah, the Exalted, and Majestic said: `I am more entitled to this attribute, so waive (his faults)’.'' (Muslim)

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 14: A Husk and a Kernel

The goal of fasting is the acquisition of one of the qualities of God, namely steadfastness (samadiya), as well as following the examples of the angels by abstaining as far as possible from the desire of the flesh, for they are immune to such passions. The human status is superior to that of the animals, since man is able by the light of reason to tame his lust; yet it is inferior to that of the angels…. The angels are near to the presence of God, so those who follow their example and model themselves on their character will likewise draw near to God. To resemble one who is near is to be near. This nearness, however, is not spatial but qualitative.

If this is the meaning of fasting among men of profound understanding, what benefit is to be derived from postponing a meal only to combine two meals after sunset, while indulging in other passions the whole daylong? If there were any good in such conduct, what could the Prophet (peace be upon him) have meant by saying: “How many of those who fast get nothing from it but hunger and thirst?”

This is why Abu-Darda said: “How fine is the sleep of the wise and their non-fasting! Don’t they put to shame the fasting and wakefulness of fools? A mere atom from those possessed of certainty and true piety is better and weightier than the seeming mountains of worship by the misguided.” For the same reason, one of the scholars said: “How many who fast are not keeping fast and how many who do not keep fast are fasting!” 

The fasting non-faster is he who keeps his limbs and organs pure of sin while still eating and drinking (not in Ramadan); the non-fasting faster is he who goes hungry and thirsty while giving full licence to his limbs and organ. Those who understand the significance of fasting and its secret meaning are aware that he who abstains from food, drink and sexual intercourse while breaking fast by involving himself in sins, is like one who performs his ablution by wiping part of his body three times (in compliance with the external legal requirement), yet neglects what is really important, namely the actual washing. Because of this stupidity, his ritual prayer (salaah) is rejected. By contrast, he who does not abstain from eating yet does fast in the sense of keeping his organs free from all that is unworthy is comparable to one who washes the proper parts if his body only once each. God willing, his ritual prayers is accepted, since he has paid due attention to the essentials, even if he has omitted the details. But he who combines the two may be compared to one who does not only wash each part of his body, but does so three time each, for he attends to essentials and details alike, and this constitutes perfection.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) once said: “The fast is a trust, so let each of you keep his trust!” And when he recited the words of Allah, “Surely Allah bids you restore trusts to their owners.” (Qur'an 4 verse 58), he touched his ears and eyes, saying: “Hearing is a trust and sight is a trust.” If speech were not likewise a trust of the fast, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not have said: “Say: I am fasting.” In other words, “My tongue has been entrusted to my care, so how can I release it to answer your insults?” It therefore becomes apparent that every act of worship has both an outer and an inner aspect, a husk and a kernel.

-Imam Al-Ghazali, Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship.

Day 13: Ramadan Sermon

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered a very powerful sermon on Ramadan. It is concise and rich and no doubt if you sincerely want to benefit from Ramadan, you would almost memorise this sermon. This sermon emphasised the value, use, opportunities, and the uniqueness of Ramadan. Enjoy the sermon:

Importance of Ramadan: O People! Ramadan…is the blessed month of Allah. A month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness. A month which is the best of months with Allah. Its days, the best of days, its nights, the best of nights, and its hours, the best of hours. It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him. Each breath you take glorifies him; your sleep is worship, your deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered.

Usefulness of Ramadan: So, ask Allah, your Lord; to give you a sound body and an enlightened heart so you may be able to fast and recite his book, for only he is unhappy who is devoid of Allah's forgiveness during this great month. Remember the hunger and thirst of the day of Qiyamah (Judgement) with your hunger and thirst; give alms to the needy and poor, honour your old, show kindness to the young ones, maintain relations with your blood relations; guard your tongues, close your eyes to that which is not permissible for your sight, close your ears to that which is forbidden to hear, show compassion to the orphans of people so compassion may be shown to your orphans.

Free Yourself with Ramadan: Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your hands in dua during these times, for they are the best of times and Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness, replying to them during the hours and granting their needs if he is asked. O People! Indeed your souls are dependant on your deeds, free it with Istighfar (repentance) lighten its loads by long prostrations; and  know that Allah swears by his might: that there is no punishment for the one who prays and prostrates and he shall have no fear of the fire on the day when man stands before the Lord of the worlds. O People! One who gives Iftaar to a fasting person during this month will be like one who has freed someone and his past sins will be forgiven. [Some of the people who were there then asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Not all of us are able to invite those who are fasting?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "Allah gives this reward even if the Iftaar (meal) is a drink of water.”]

Actions for Ramadan: One who has good morals (Akhlaq) during this month will be able to pass the Siraat (the Bridge over the Hell) on the day that feet will slip. One who covers the faults of others will benefit in that Allah will curb His anger on the day of Judgement. As for one who honours an orphan; Allah will honour him on the day of judgement. And for the one who spreads his kindness, Allah will spread His mercy over him on the day of Judgement. As for the one who cuts the ties of relation; Allah will cut His mercy from him...Whosoever performs a recommended prayer (nawafil) in this month Allah will keep the fire of Hell away from him. Whoever performs an obligator prayer (Salaah) Allah will reward him with seventy prayers’ worth in this month. And whosoever prays a lot during this month will have his load lightened on the day of measure.

Ramadan, What A Wonderful Month: He who recites one verse of the noble Quran will be given the rewards of reciting the whole Qur’an during other months. O People! Indeed during this month the doors of heaven are open, therefore ask Allah not to close them for you; the doors of hell are closed, so ask Allah to keep them closed for you. During this month the Shaytan is imprisoned so ask your Lord not to let him have power over you.

And the words of the Rasul (peace be upon him) are true!

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 10: The Wing of Humility (Part 2)

The instruction to lower our wings of humility is directly from our Creator who knows all that has transpired between us and our parents. He has not permitted rudeness under no account. The Qur'an says: “Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you are kind to your parents.  Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life say not to them a word of contempt nor repel them but address them with words of honour. And out of kindness lower to them your wing of humility and say: "My Lord! bestow on them Your Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood’.” (Qur'an 17 verses 23 and 24)

For those who had grudges against their parents due to previous incidences of abandonment, neglect, abuse, discriminations, etc and have in turn abandoned their parents or have been rude to them or even disrespected them privately or publicly, God offers forgiveness in the verse immediately following the above: “Your Lord knows best what is in your hearts: if you do deeds of righteousness verily He is Most Forgiving to those who turn to Him again and again (in true penitence)” (Qur'an 17 verse 25) You may well wonder why you need to seek forgiveness for giving them a dose of their own pill? Well, under no circumstance are you allowed to behave injuriously to your parents!

Firstly, in Islam, the consequences of someone’s failure will be faced by them either in this world or in the next world, and the consequence of your own actions will similarly confront you in due course. Therefore, do not let someone’s error cause your bitter reactions leading to unintended consequence – your doom.

The place of parenthood in Islam is such that kindness to parents is an act of piety, a measure of your humility and obedience of God. Love and care for parents is more than simple human gratitude, it is purely divine and spiritual. Abdullah Yusuf Ali similarly concluded, “our spiritual advancement is tested by this: we cannot expect Allah's forgiveness if we are rude or unkind to those who unselfishly brought us up.”

Although it is encouraged that though they may have failed once in a while to show you compassion and fairness when you were young, weak and helpless; now that they are old, weak and hapless and you are strong, viable and mobile, you should nevertheless still return the favour they bestowed upon you. Yes, that is true, but that is not the main reason why you should be kind and humble to them. It is basically the respect for the sanctity of parenthood. Did you not notice how God placed kindness to parent next to worship of Himself? “Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you are kind to your parents….” Kindness to parents is akin to divine love and negligence of this duty is similar or equal to negligence of duty to your Creator. None of these can be excused. Never!

Patience and understanding is therefore important in dealing with aged parents. There is consequence if you take a dim view of this instruction.

For those who have lost their parents, there is still something you can do for them to show your kindness towards them. A man asked Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), “O Messenger of God, is there any kindness left that I can do to my parents after their death?” He (peace be upon him) replied: “Yes, you can invoke blessings on them, forgiveness for them, carry out their final instructions after their death, join ties of relationship which are dependent on them, and honour their friends.” Simple! Islam does not ask you to do anything beyond your capability.

“On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray): "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error….” (Qur'an 2 verse 286)

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 9: The Wing of Humility (Part 1)

Kuffa is a town in Modern Day Iraq and it was a bubbling intellectual city. About 1,275 years ago, Imam Abu Hanifa was the undisputed Chief Judge of Kuffa. Everyone turns to him for legislative rulings or juridical clarification (fatwah). Everyone! But not his mother.

One day, his mother told him she needed to go out to ask for religious advice on what to do as she has seen some blood on her cloth. Imam Abu Hanifa gave her the ruling, but she said “No! You don’t know that much. I must go to Abu Zurha for the fatwah.” Abu Hanifa was amazed because Abu Zurha is not even amongst the legal luminaries of the day. He exclaimed, “Abu Zurha, The Storyteller?” “Yes!” She said.

Abu Hanifa humbly and patiently took his mother to Abu Zurha. Abu Zurha was surprised to see Imam Abu Hanifa in his compound. “Why?” he wondered. Imam Abu Hanifa went into Abu Zurha’s abode telling him that his mother wanted a fatwa from him. Abu Zurha shook his head, flatly refusing, saying he does not know the ruling on that question. He declared that he is not a scholar, but just a storyteller. Abu Hanifa whispered the answer in his ear and took him out to his mother. Abu Zurha listened to Abu Hanifa’s mother and pretended to ponder deep before giving a ‘scholarly’ (hmm borrowed) response. The old woman was satisfied, patted his son on the back saying, “You were right, you know!”

How many times have your opinion been rubbished by your parents, Uncles or older siblings? It’s a common phenomenon; parents always regard their children always as children regardless of their age and achievements. That should be expected and our efforts to convince close relatives (even sometimes including spouses) of the stuff we are made of have to be doubled. Too much familiarity brings contempt; and the family is fully familial. But the issue here is how do we deal with our parents no matter how annoying they are?

Imam Abu Hanifa, a true scholar that he is, had the humility to fulfil the mother’s desires without argument or abandonment. Even when he was vindicated, he was not haughty or naughty. He lowered his wing of humility, allowed his mother to ride on them. When our parents are old, surprisingly, they still have the energy to challenge us, because it’s just like yesterday that we were helpless and knew absolutely nothing and they taught us the basics in life. Thus their obstinate attitude to us; and this we must understand, appreciate and accept as human nature for which we might one day also be guilty of.

Part 2 continues shortly...

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 8: The Beloved of Allah

“Allah is the Protecting Friend of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light.  Of those who reject faith the patrons are the Evil Ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness.  They will be companions of the fire to dwell therein (for ever).” Qur'an 2 verse 257

The above verse is one of the most profound verses of the revealed scriptures I have ever read. It gives hope to me as a person and in so many ways resonates with my inner desires. That God is a friend of anyone and this can really be any ordinary person. How can I not desire to be befriended by Allah? We value friendship of people who are more powerful than ourselves, or more pious, or richer or more knowledgeable, why not Allah who is far beyond anything and anyone and in every way.

He promises not only just to be a friend but a protecting one. Protects from the ultimate misfortunes of Hell, Punishment, Evil, Harm and Calamity. To earn His protection and friendship, he only requires true faith. True faith is in every decision we make in every moments. Do you choose God’s guidance and instructions over personal desires and pleasure? Do you seek His pleasure and nearness to Him or you drift ever so often into personal passion and mundane acknowledgement? If in every decision you choose the Supreme over the Self, then you will be close to him and will be God’s friend, beloved and protected.

“… My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him.  When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks.  Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.  I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.”

Once you have gained nearness to Him, he promises never to leave you in darkness, you will forever be in the light of His guidance and His love.

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 7: Look Around You Again, Anew!

Kristiane Backer is a former MTV (Music Channel) presenter interviewing ‘famous’ and ‘the big guys’ in the music industry. She reverted to Islam and now champions eco-friendly agenda. She believes that every Muslim should be environmentalists by nature.

She makes the following statement on a very interesting YouTube Video:

“We have lost our respect for creation and our sense of the sacred. The Qur'an tells us how God has created everything in balance and it we upset the balance, it has disastrous consequences, not only for the world around us, but also for our souls… What we need is a revival of spiritual consciousness which will inspire us to all get together no matter what faith to try and save the planet.”

I have always held that part of the peace Islam brings to humanity is the Concord will other non-human creations. Therefore, as a Muslim must have a satisfactory relationship with His Creator which qualifies him or her to Paradise, he or she must also display satisfactory certification of successful relationship with people around him as well as non-human creations around him.

Harmony with all of Allah’s creatures equally attracts to Paradise and should be given equal visibility in our doctrinal teachings as theology and jurisprudence. Be minded that we shall be taken to task if we neglect devotion to Him, as well as to our body, other people and other creations around us (including mother earth), because these are all trust from Allah upon us.

The Rasul (peace be upon him) discouraged a 24/7 worship of Allah (in the mosque or through fasting) to the detriment of the duties owed to your body and others with equal rights over you. Pets and animals in general are a trust upon us, we owe a duty of care to them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “A lady was punished because of a cat which she had imprisoned till it died. She entered the (Hell) Fire because of it, for she neither gave it food nor water as she had imprisoned it, nor set it free to eat from the earth.” (Bukhari)

Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated that a man was walking on his way he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting due to excessive thirst. Its tongue was lolling out and it was eating moist earth from extreme thirst. The man thought to himself, 'This dog is suffering from the thirst like I was.’ So he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, holding it with his mouth, he climbed up and quenched the thirst of the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him." The companions with the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked in wonderment, "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we also be rewarded for showing kindness to (or serving) animals?" He replied, "Yes, there is a reward for serving any living creature."

Look around you today and see every creature of Allah as your responsibility to whom you are a steward, wouldn’t your attitude be more positive towards them all. That was how the Prophet (peace be upon him) was in his lifetime and this is what Kristiane Backer, a revert, is calling us all back to.

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 6: Following the Excellent Sample

“You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern of conduct (an excellent example) for anyone for him who hopes in Allah and the Final Day…” (Qur’an 33:21)

Everyone desires an example to follow or a good practice to guide, so that mistakes are not repeated and success is replicated. This is human nature from our predecessors’ time in the cave even till today’s era of corporate governance. Indeed, this is the reason why God did not only send revelations, but along came the prophets; being human and while exhibiting human weaknesses, they were examples to follow.

Prophet Muhammad has been described as having “uswatun hasanatul” - a beautiful pattern of conduct or an excellent example.” God encourages us to listen to the Prophet’s instructions and follow his actions. But how do you follow him?

There are two approaches to applying the Sunnah. First, some people approach the idea of following the prophet by believing that “every act and saying of the Prophet (pbuh) was directed by revelation (Wahy) and the Muslim is expected to copy everything. Hence, the way he used to eat, sit, dress, appear, live and earn a living etc must be adopted irrespective of the social context and circumstances that surrounded him.” Allah says: “Nor does he (Muhammad) say (aught) of (his own) desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him.” (Qur’an 53:3-4).

Secondly, another group of Muslims approach following the Sunnah by believing that some actions of the Prophet (particularly the rituals and law) were based on revelation while in certain circumstances he (pbuh) “exercised his personal judgment and reasoning (ijtihad) wherein he was not directly guided by any specific revelation. Therefore, in following his guidance one should consider the spirit or intention and the context or circumstances surrounding his non-ritual actions. This however does not imply that his actions are irrelevant to today’s situation.”

Instances of this was when the Prophet was corrected for focusing his attention on the Quraysh leaders rather than the blind Muslim questioner (Ibn Maktum): “(The Prophet) frowned and turned away, because there came to him the blind man (interrupting). But what could tell you but that perchance he might grow in purity…?” (Qur’an 80:1-3). Similarly, the Prophet once forbade for himself the consumption of honey, and Allah corrected him thus: “O Prophet! Why do you hold to be forbidden that which Allah has made lawful to you: you seek to please your consorts…?” (Qur’an 66:1).

Muslims who follow the first approach insist on strict compliance with daily routines of the Prophet (pbuh) irrespective of the social context whereas those who follow the second approach see that sticking to compliance without consideration of the existing societal context could even result in the opposite of what the Prophet’s intentions were.

This means there is the need for greater tolerance and accommodation on the part of the Muslims for what may at first appear as being too conservative or to too liberal. However, most Muslims adopt one of these two approaches or a mixture of the two depending on the issue in question.

“We have already sent down to you verses making things clear an example from (the story of) people who passed away before you and an admonition for those who fear (Allah).” Qur'an 24 verse 34

Day 5: Time and Time Again

The most valuable commodity that we possess is time.  Rich or poor, we all have the same amount of time and we will all be accountable for how we spend our time. Ibn Abbas reported: Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "There are two blessings in which many people incur loss. (They are) health and free time (for doing good)". (Bukhari) 

How we spend the time we have in this life is what will determine our outcome in the Hereafter. It takes time to pray, read the Qur’an, learn and understand Islam, propagate Islam, etc. Unfortunately, we seem not to have the time at our disposal. We must do those extra hours of overtime at work, attend concert on this weekend, need to take the car to be cleaned, cousin's son is having birthday party and its out of town, etc. 


There are so many things we do with our time that will not benefit us in the hereafter and yet we apportion a disproportionate amount of time to these activities. Meanwhile Allah warns us against the abuse of time, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Allah said, 'The offspring of Adam abuse the Dahr (Time), and I am the Dahr; in My Hands are the night and the day!' " (Bukhari)

Our time should be used productively in the way of Islam. Five times a day we are required to give up all our worldly activities to offer salaah. “O believers, when the call to prayer is sounded on the day of congregation, hasten to Allah's remembrance and leave all worldly commerce. This is for your own good, if you but knew it.” (Qur’an 62 verse 9) 


The more you give of your time to Allah, the easier it becomes, the more disciplined you become and the more likely you are to recognize the things that waste our time and discard them accordingly. Time will pass away never to be regained, but the things that we do (during that time) will remain.

- Contributed by the Muslim Message Team, UK.

Day 4: The Altar of Sacrifice

The obedience, servitude to and love of Allah is much thicker than bondage of blood, money, friendship, political affiliations, etc, below are instances of sacrificing for the sake of Allah, indeed the bond of deen is superior. 

The One Who Fights Allah:

“It is not fitting, for the prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the fire. And Ibrahim prayed for his fathers' forgiveness only because of a promise he had made to him.” (Ref. Qur’an 19 verse 47) But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he dissociated himself from him: For Ibrahim was most tender-hearted, forbearing. (Qur’an 9 verse 113-114). Although Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had promised to pray to Allah for his fathers forgiveness, it had become apparent to him that his pagan-loving, unbelieving father had rejected Allah.

The Cut-Throat Sacrifice:

Prophet Ibrahim was faced with having to sacrifice his own son who was also a Muslim. “Then when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him he said: "O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!" (The son) said: "O my father! do as thou art commanded: thou will find me if Allah so wills one practicing Patience and Constancy! So when they had both submitted their wills (to Allah) and He had laid Him prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice), We called out to him "O Ibrahim! You hast already fulfilled the vision!" thus indeed do We reward those who do right!” (Qur’an 37 verses 102 - 105).

The Unrighteous One:

Nuh (peace be upon him) also had to give up on his son for the sake of Allah. He loved his son so dearly, he wanted him to be saved, but the son publicly rejected his father. He wanted out and he got that. But still “…Nuh called upon his Lord and said: "O my Lord! Surely my son is of my family! And Your promise is true and You are the Justest of Judges!" He said: "O Nuh! He is not of thy family: for his conduct is unrighteous.  So ask not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge! I give thee counsel lest thou act like the ignorant!" (Qur’an 11 verse 45-46).

The One Who Sympathizes With Evil:

When the warning came to Lut about the activities of his people and their impending destruction, he called for his people to surrender to Allah (SWT), he abandoned his wife because she held back with the wrongdoers, the gay community of Sodom. For her it is cool to be gay and a choice to be made. “(The Messengers) said "O Lut! We are Messengers from Your Lord! By no means shall they reach you! Now travel with your family while yet a part of the night remains and let not any of you look back: but thy wife (will remain behind): to her will happen what happens to the people.  Morning is their time appointed: is not the morning nigh?" (Qur’an 11 verse 81).

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.