ISLAM

A day of Thanksgiving and reflections

Siddiq Ghouse

The Holy Month of Ramadan has just been concluded and the 1.5 billion of Muslims world over celebrate the festival of Eid Ul Fitr today. Amidst the joy of the family visits, new clothes, sweetmeats that Eid brings, it should also be used as a day to gauge the spiritual barometer that exists within us.

Have we gained mastery over our animal instincts? Have we purified our souls and increased our faith in Islam.

Has this month our fasting helped us to break our cravings for material pursuits and freed ourselves from the ‘prison’ of the earth and flown into a pure atmosphere of spirituality, This day of Eid is not a day that ‘comes once a year bringing good cheer’ or a mothers or fathers day where all actions are restricted to only a particular day.

The day of Eid is a day of happiness but also a day where we return back to our routine life after a month of implementing the restrictions of the Ramadan fast, armed with the hope of a rise in our spiritual graph as a consequence of infusing in us heavy doses of piety in the holy month

‘O ye who believe fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may acquire Taqwa’ Holy Quran 2:183 says, Taqwa denotes the restraint in human character which springs from fear of Allah and a vivid consciousness of accountability to Him on the Day of Judgement.

It signifies the mastery that one comes to acquire over ones animal instincts so as to be able to live a life of devotion to Allah and to the higher ideals of life. It seeks to develop in man the will power which would enable him to rise above the level of animal existence and resist temptations. The Taqwa that we develop in us and intended to serve us brake on evil tendencies within us.

On this Eid day after the Eid prayer, we have to assess whether we have been able to acquire Taqwa that was an important concept of the fast, or are we going to be hypocrites and slip back into the next 11 months and go back to our sinful ways. Should not the day of Eid be the dawn of a new phase in our life, a turnaround where we are at a higher spiritual level so that we can rise by getting closer to Allah and abide by the spiritual result of rejoicing and thanksgiving?

This joy should emanate from a heart and soul so purified, a far cry from joy experienced by ones who use external brain stimulants on days of festivities, only to feel miserable the following day. If we fail to experience the spiritual ecstasy this Eid day brings there has been shortcomings in our religious devotions during Ramadan, calling us to rectify it in the months ahead.

The rejoicing of the resplendent heart on the day of Eid for a true devotee of Allah is an inkling of the spiritual happiness that he or she would experience when he meets the Creator Allah in the next world, providing of course he or she has a clean slate. Rejoicing should be followed by thanksgiving for Allah’s several benefits extended to mankind, including the holy month of Ramadan which enables us to make amends in case we have gone astray.

Spiritually, piety, these words used in the context of Islam has a deeper significance than that what is normally attributed. Our spiritual graph will not have risen significantly this Ramadan if we had confined ourselves to merely religious rituals in the mosque at the expense of ignoring the socio-economic plight of our less fortunate fellow beings,

The religion of Islam has prescribed very clearly that all worldly treasures and riches are of no value to Allah and man at all if they are not coupled with spiritual values. Islam is progressive, dynamic and rational, in the affairs of the world, it places great significance on social justice, the essence of Islamic law is giving everyone his rightful due, The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said everyone must strive to ward of poverty and it was the duty of the Islamic state that no one be deprived of the essentials of human existence.

In a true Islamic State the Holy Prophet said a time should come that a man should walk through the land offering charity but should find no one to accept it.

Zakat(compulsory charity) and sadaqa (optional charity) is highly meritorious during Ramadan not with the intention of restricting it to this particular month but to enable man to achieve a heart of charitable disposition which he should practice throughout his lifetime.

Even the acts of charity have certain guidelines in Islam.

If the wealth of a man be gathered through unlawful means such wealth is of no use in the eyes of Allah, nor is it of any value to the man even though he seeks at a later stage to atone for his transgression by using this wealth by giving charity to the poor, and this is so because the doing of ‘good’ has been preceded by the doing of evil.

In just the same way the possessor of wealth gathered by lawful and honest means does not give to Allah his due from such wealth, (that is by helping the poor and using the wealth for the good of his fellow beings) then his wealth is of no value to him and brings him more harm than good.

It would in both these cases, be better for a man to have little to do with the wealth, rather than greed and hoarding of wealth that should bring disaster and loss upon him.

In the midst of rejoicing and thanksgiving on this grand day of Eid our thoughts and feelings should reach out to the suffering and tribulations that Muslims in certain regions of the world are experiencing.

While not only giving thought to the condition of these people we as Muslims are duty bound to charter a course to alleviate their suffering using every means at their disposal, of course within Islamic norms.

Mike Tyson’s spiritual journey - Umrah

Former US heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, who was on a visit to Saudi Arabia last month to perform Umrah, prayed at the historic Quba’ and Qiblatain mosques.

While in Madina he also visited the Islamic University and met the university’s president, Dr. Muhammad Al-Oqla, and American nationals studying there.

Tyson was mobbed by fans where ever he went. Large number of fans gathered around the hotel where he stayed near the Prophet’s Mosque. Some people waited for hours just to see him and take pictures with him.

Tyson had to rush towards the Prophet’s Mosque for noon prayers as fans gathered around him in large numbers. He used the Shimagh of one of his companions to cover his head but the fans recognized him and followed him. “I am happy that I have fans who love me here, but I hope they leave me alone to enjoy my spiritual moments at the Holy Sites,” he said.

“I couldn’t resist shedding tears when I came to know that I was in one of the gardens of paradise,” Tyson said referring to Arrawda in the Prophet’s Mosque.

Tyson was accompanied by Shahzad Muhammad, head of the Canadian Dawah Association, which organized his visit to Saudi Arabia.

“Tyson became emotional when offering Salam to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),” said Shahzad.

“He cried for more than half an hour while standing in front of the Prophet’s grave, raising his hands.”

“He remained in front of the Rawdah for hours praying, reciting the Qur’an and making supplications,” Shahzad said.

Later Mike Tyson went to the Meqat to change into Ihram for Umrah.

Is Islam fatalistic?

Most Muslims find it rather odd that their religion, which strikes a remarkable balance between faith and deeds, are sometimes accused of being “fatalistic”. Perhaps this misconception came about because Muslims are known to say “All praise is due to Allah” whenever anything good or bad happens.

This is because Muslims know that everything comes from God, the Creator of the universe, and occurs by His will. Thus, a Muslim worries less about material matters and views earthly life in a proper perspective.

A true Muslim relies completely on Allah and knows that whatever happens is always for the best, whether one recognizes it or not, so one gr

aciously accepts whatever cannot be changed.

This does not mean that Muslims should simply await destiny and take no action in life. On the contrary, Islam demands action and effort to change every undesirable situation.

To be more precise, action is a required part of one’s faith.

If human beings did not have the ability to act, it would be unjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoid certain things. Far from being “fatalistic”, Islam teaches that man’s main obligation in life is to act and exert effort in obedience to God.

Islam teaches that human beings should take positive action in this life and supplement it with prayer.

Some people are lazy and careless and then blame the negative result on destiny or fate. Some even say that, if Allah had willed, they would not have sinned or committed crimes.

All of these arguments are completely erroneous, because Allah has taught us how to live and has ordered us to always do what is right. Allah has not ordered us to do anything that we are unable to do or prohibited anything that we cannot avoid, because His justice is complete and perfect.

Each individual is held responsible within the limits of their ability and not beyond it.

Courtesy-Discover Islam

Muslims of Khazakstan pray in open areas covered with snow

Most Muslims of Khazakistan do not have masjids. Though a Muslim republic, like in all other Muslim republics in Central Asia, religion was suppressed under almost three quarter century of Soviet communist rule .Thus the inadequate number of masjids.

In the aftermath of the collapse of the former Soviet Union religious revival began throughout the Central Asian Republics. Lack of masjids and extreme weather conditions did not prevent Muslims of Khazakistan from performing their daily prayers and that too in congregation in the open areas covered with snow.

Here men, women and the children are seen praying on the ground of snow. In keeping with the tradition they remove their shoes and go in prostration on the freezing snowy ground.

This is quite remarkable. Here are some photos showing different aspects of prayer congregations at different parts of Khazakistan.

The Miracle of Azan-Call for prayer

Amazing as it sounds, but fortunately, for the Muslims of the world, it is an established fact. Have a look at a map of the world map of world.

You will find Indonesia on the eastern side of the earth. The major cities of Indonesia are Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Saibil. As soon as dawn breaks on the eastern side of Saibil, at approximately 5:30 am local time, Fajar Azaan begins.

Thousands of Muazzins,men who call for prayer,in Indonesia begin reciting the Azaan. The process advances towards West Indonesia. One and a half hours after the Azaan has been completed in Saibil, it echoes in Jakarta.

Sumatra then follows suit and before this auspicious process of calling Azaan ends in Indonesia, it has already begun in Malaysia.

Burma is next in line, and within an hour of its beginning in Jakarta, it reaches Dacca, the capital city of Bangladesh. After Bangladesh, it has already prevailed in western India, from Calcutta to Srinagar.

It then advances towards Bombay and the environment of entire India resounds with this proclamation.

Srinagar and Sialkot (a north city in Pakistan) have the same timing for Azaan. The time difference between Sialkot, Quetta, and Karachi is forty minutes, and within this time, Fajar Aazaan is heard throughout Pakistan.

Before it ends there, it has already begun in Afghanistan and Muscat. The time difference between Muscat and Baghdad is one hour. Azaan resounds during this one hour in the environments of Hijaaz-e-Muqaddas (Holycities of Makkah and Madinah), Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq.

The time difference between Baghdad and Alexandria in Egypt is again one hour.

Azaan continues to resound in Syria, Egypt, Somalia and Sudan during this hour.

The time difference between eastern and western Turkey is one and a half hours, and during this Alexandria and Tripoli (capital of Libya) are located at one hour’s difference. The process of calling Azaan thus continues throughout the whole of Africa.

Therefore, the proclamation of the Tawheed” and “Risaalat” that had begun in Indonesia reaches the Eastern Shore of the Atlantic Ocean after nine and half hours.

Prior to the Aazaan reaching the shores of the Atlantic, the process of “Zohar,(noon) Azaan” has already started in east Indonesia, and before it reaches Dacca, Asr Azaan” has started. This has hardly reached Jakarta one and half hours later, the time of “Maghrib” becomes due, and no sooner has “Maghrib” time reached Sumatra, the time for calling “Isha Aazaan” has commenced in Saibil! When the Muazzins of Indonesia are calling out “Fajar Azaan”, the African Muazzins are calling the Azaan for Isha.

If we were to ponder over this phenomenon thoughtfully, we would conclude the amazing fact that there is not even a single moment when hundreds of thousands of Muazzins around the world are not reciting the Azaan on the surface of this earth.

Even as you read this material right now, you can be sure there is Azaan somewhere! The Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW) said, stop doing everything during the Azan even reading the Quran, (and repeat the Azaan with the Moazzin-man who calls for prayer.) The person who talks during the Azaan will not be able to say the Kalma-e-shahadat on his/her death bed.