Following the deen of Allah, subhannah wa ta ‘ala, takes courage, discipline and perseverance.  There is much slander of Islam from those who don’t like it.  Those who pretend to do good scoff and criticize with a double standard.  They point at our imperfections and elevate our sins saying this is what Allah teaches us to do, all the while ignoring their own sins and pretending they are with-out fault.

For some of us the criticisms can strike at our core beliefs and effect our self-worth, causing us to feel inadequate.  For others the trials may be too much to bear.  But as Muslims we must understand we are upon the correct path and we understand truth.  We Take our deen seriously unlike our critics who do as they please and create a front of piety.  We are Muslims and because we follow correct guidance we have honor and dignity.

Allah ta ‘ala said in surrah al-Baqarah; “We will test you with something of fear, and hunger and loss of wealth, and souls and vegetation. And give glad tidings to those who have patience. Those who if in any difficulty or trial, or tribulation occurs to them or happens to them, they say: ‘Verily We are from Allah and to Allah we return.’ They are those who will receive prayers from their Lord and Mercy and it is those who are guided.”

May we be an example to those who are astray, ameen.

Fleeting Moments

Assalamu alaykum wa ramatullahi wa barakatu;

Wa l’asr, innal insana lafee khusr…by time, verily, man kind is at a loss.

Nothing causes us to consider time more than the loss of a loved one.  Time is short and life ends abruptly.  It doesn’t matter if you’re old, sick or whether it’s expected.  When death arrives we are left with sorrow and regret.  Generally, people take life for granted and look forward to tomorrow.  What if tomorrow never comes?  It surely won’t for someone, somewhere.

Time flows in one direction; forward.  Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is closer to the last day.  I want to arrive at the end of my days with certainty that I did what was important.  Often times we don’t even think about what’s important to us, we just live one day at a time looking to do tomorrow what we neglected today.

If there’s someone in your life you need to talk to, spend time with or give some attention, you better do it now because there’s no guarantee of tomorrow for anyone.  In the end it’s the people in our lives who are important; wife, husband, children, mother and father, friends.  It is through those relationships one attains true satisfaction.

Palestinians Under Seige Despite a Cease-Fire

Again, the Israelis have broken a cease-fire agreement that was agreed upon Thursday, 22 November 2012. They shot and wounded another Palestinian man. Yet, no one in the western world says anything. No one speaks for Palestine.

How long is this injustice going to last? How can those who boast Justice and freedom condone the actions of the Israelis and call the Palestinians terrorists when it is so evident the Israelis are tyrants?

So far the Palestinians are patient, alhamdulillah. No one can say the Palestinians started it if there is another conflict.

Broken Promises

Less than forty-eight hours after a truce was brokered the Israelis shot and killed a young man and injured seven others in a field.  The Israelis reported they fired warning shots as he was getting too close to the border but apparently the young man ignored them.

It’s hard to imagine less than two days after the Israelis bombed Gaza, killing 160 people and injuring another 1200, he would be so brazen as to ignore those warnings.  It’s more likely he would have been very afraid.  However, this is the Israeli position and they are unapologetic.

This was expected.  Just a few hours after the cease-fire was declared Israeli prime minister Netanyahu was already bellowing he was ready to attack in case the cease-fire was unsuccessful.

There is no discrepancy in this situation, Israel fired the first shots and took the first life after the cease-fire was declared.  They may boast a justification but there is none.  An innocent life was exterminated.  The Palestinians want peace and deserve justice.

Acting On Knowledge

It is reported that Imâm Muhammad b. Sîrîn – Allâh have mercy on him – said:
There were people who abandoned knowledge and sitting with the scholars, and [instead] took to their chambers and prayed until their skin dried [from exertion in worship]. Thereafter they began to contradict the Sunnah and thus were destroyed. By Allâh, never does a person act without knowledge, except that he spoils and …

corrupts more than he fixes and rectifies. -Al-Asbahânî, Al-Targhîb wa Al-Tarhîb 3:98

Knowledge has many forms; deen, sciences, politics, etc. It’s one thing to seek knowledge but a completely differant thing to act upon it. One may have all the answers to a problem but if he doesn’t put that knowledge to use it is as if he has no knowledge at all. Knowledge has no value unless you apply it.

The Militant israeli Mitvahists

Holy war has been revived among Israel the people and within Israel the state. Why is milhemet mitzvah  obligatory war? Because God-the-Commander (haMetzaveh) requires it. It is a holy act to carry out God’s command and it is an essence of kedushah [holiness] in the fulfillment of every mitzvah, large or small.

This is some of the propaganda and rhetoric rabbis are preaching to young jewish men in israel promoting an air of hatred and bigotry toward anyone they believe is a gentile.

Truce between Palestinians and israelis

Alhamdulillah, Thank Allah ta ‘ala for the cease fire and for a reprive for the poor Palestinian people.  However, is this a real truce or is it just another israeli tactic to appear as a peacemaker and humain?  In order for a real lasting peace to occur and to restore stability the zionists must begin repecting international law.  It’s not a truce if they demolish Palestinian homes and throw families into the street so they can build more settlements on Palestinian land.  It’s not sincere if the israeli government allows illegal settlers on Palestinian land and lets them attack the residents and protects them from retaliation while saying there’s nothing they can do.  It’s hardly peace if the occupying soldiers harrass and shoot civilians while purposefully making their lives difficult.

If israel continues to act inhumainly as they do, they are simply inciting another conflict, and when it occurs they will say, “we’re defending ourselves against the terrorists”.  Count down to the next conflict because unless the zionists improve their treatment of the Palestinians, there is no real truce.

Keeping it Real

Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “Verily, truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise; a man may speak the truth until he is recorded with Allah as truthful; and verily, lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to the Hellfire; a man may tell lies until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.”

[Sahih Muslim, Book 32, Number 6308]

There’s such an effort to discredit the deen of Islam in the media and social networks these days is difficult to stay away from it.  Every day we’re bombarded with negative statements and images.

Children are not immune to these slanders.  Eventually they will hear and maybe not understand.  It’s important to educate the youth about these unfortunate things.  Simply telling a young person to forget about isn’t enough, these questions need to be addressed.

Be Vocal

The nature of truth is it must overcome deceit.

The Myth

A popular myth perpetuated by zionist jews and christians is Palestine had no indiginous population and Arabs only began to settle there as a result after the jews began to settle and develop it.  Of course this is completely bogus.  In the words of Ben-Gurion himself;

“Palestine is not an empty country . . . on no account must we injure the rights of the inhabitants.”

“Arabs have “the full right” to an independent economic, cultural, and communal life, but not political. (Shabtai Teveth, p. 37-38)”

However, as the support for zionism increased, those intentions changed.