Back to Basics - Tawheed

I attended a talk on "The need to redefine the Islamic Education" by Ustaz Mokhtar Stork and here's what I took away from the session:

True wisdom comes from honesty, character building, discipline and seeking knowledge (which must have substance; not superficial understanding of the religion just to get you by... reflect on the true meaning of progress in Islam) in order for a morally righteous system to exist.

To attain true wisdom, Ustaz Mokhtar talked about purity of the heart and adab - look inwardly (introspect on our shortcomings and struggle towards progress at our own pace, that is the individual's jihad to the way of Islam as we are accountable for the Hereafter).

In 'redefining' Islamic education, he meant to get back to basics. He urged the Ummah to begin with Allah SWT and submit fully to the will of Allah SWT in order to attain the True Path. Having a deep and strong foundation in Tawheed is essential to one's well-being.

He also gently reminded educators to be flexible and compassionate - by offering choices to their students as not everyone have the same level of imaan and taqwa.

Narrated Anas bin Malik: "The Prophet said, "Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings and do not make them run away (from Islam)." [Source: Bukhari Book 1 Volume 3 Hadith 69]

At the end of the day, we have the freedom of choice as there is no compulsion in the religion. Truly, all rights bestowed upon us ultimately belong to Allah SWT and that hidayah is the sole rights of Allah SWT.

Narrated Muawiya: "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion. I am just a distributor, but the grant is from Allah. (And remember) that this nation (true Muslims) will keep on following Allah's teachings strictly and they will not be harmed by anyone going on a different path till Allah's order (Day of Judgment) is established." [Source: Bukhari Book 1 Volume 3 Hadith 71]

Afterthought: From my personal observation, our elders who have deep understanding of Tawheed also have a high level of adab, which the youths of today should emulate.

Tasawwur Islam - 13 Jan 2010

What an eventful week! I’ve discovered that Sheikh Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi is with Al Maghrib Institute. He has a series fo 29 talks dedicated on the Fundamentals of faith, providing clarity on Knowledge and Tawheed with references made to the Quran and Hadith.

View Video 1 here and I've included links till Video 12... you know where to get the rest , right? (Subhan Allah, words of wisdom!):

Video 2. Belief in Allah/Tawheed

Video 3. Blessings and Importance of Tawheed

Video 4. Tawheed of Lordship (Rububiyya)   

Video 5. Proof of Existance of God

Video 6. Tawheed of Lordship Not Enough 

Video 7. Tawheedul Uloohiyah

Video 8. Conditions of La ilLaha illAllah

Video 9. What is the Meaning of Worship

Video 10. Tawakul & Sabr 

Video 11. Dua & Isti' adha

Video 12. Vows, Sacrifices & Seeking Blessings

What I took away from this week’s session by Sheikh Abdul Halim and Sheikh Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi was that Allah SWT loves a person who continues to seek knowledge as reflected in Surah Taha:114, “… My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.”

Especially if one acknowledges that the essence of all knowledge is the knowledge of Allah SWT (the life of the heart) because Tawheed is the only path that will provide eternal happiness as reflected in Surah Taha: 124, “But he who turned away from remembrance of Me, he will live a narrow life, and be blind to the assembly on the Day of Resurrection.”

As rightly mentioned by Sheikh Abdul Halim, we need to continually progress our ibadah (personal jihad) to a higher level of ihsan (upgrade ourselves from Muslims to Mukmin to ultimately Muhsin as stated in Surah Aali Imran:191). Truly Surah At-Tin:4 states, “Surely We created man of the best stature.” Yes, we can? Insya Allah :)

Tasawwur Islam - 6 Jan 2010

AlhamdulilLah, in this week's lesson, Sheikh Abdul Halim have shed greater clarity on Transcendent Unity of Religions. He mentioned the book "The Transcendent Unity of Religions" (TUoR) by Frithjof Schuon, a scholar and an authority on Comparative Religion and the Sophia Perennis (Perennial Wisdom).

Personally, to the less discerning, the content may sound almost similar (but not the same) and alhamdulilLah, I'm convinced that I'll be able to make a more informed decision on the fundamental differences between it and Islamic Worldview.

Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas indicated in his article page 16 - the Islamic Worldview rejects the 'similarity' and the 'dissimilarity' even at the trascendent/esoteric level because man lives in his physical state or exoteric existance (not at transcendent level). And in Islam, esoteric and exoteric do not contradict each other (body and soul is never in opposition). More importantly, the concept of Oneness of God is not acknowledged by other religions except Islam (hence the discussion of Rabb, ilah, Allah). There is only one revealed religion (Adeenul Khalis) cited in the article page 18, the exclusive truth lies ultimately in Islam. In short, Muslims should reject TUoR and keep faith in the one True religion.

Note to me: I realised the need to study Comparative Study of Religions (CSoR) in order to speak with conviction about Islamic Worldview and avoid TUoR.

Truth vs. Falsehood

AlhamdulilLah wa Syukran to Sheikh Abdul Halim for sharing this with me :)

In return, I'm sharing this doa that guides us towards living our lives in the light of truth. This becomes critical in today's world where 'false leaders' are a bounty; it becomes a challenge for us to differentiate truth (haq) from falsehood (bathil).

As we continue to strive to increase our knowledge in Islam, it becomes essential for us to include in our daily prayer especially during Fajr prayer (as we start our day) so that Allah SWT protects us from these 'false leaders" - the long version of the doa can be found here.

For a start just recite (and memorise) these ayat or lines:

اللهُمَّ أَرِنَا الحَقَّ حَقّاً وَارْزُقْنَا التِبَاعَةَ وَأَرِنَا البَاطِلَ بَاطِلاً وَارْزُقْنَا

اجْتِنَابَهُ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

"Allahumma arinal-haqqa haqqan warzuqnat-tiba'ah, wa arinal-batila batilan warzuqnaj-tinabah, bi rahmatika ya arhamar-rahimeen."

"O Allah! Let us see the good as good, and bless us with following it. And show us the falsehood as falsehood, and bless us with staying away from it, with Your mercy, O Most Merciful!"

Afternote: Grams, Aunt Sofie, and mum constantly remind me that our religion is complete and RasululLah has prescribed for us a set of doa for daily living and that we should first and foremost (for the love of Allah SWT and RasululLah SAW) recite and memorise these BEFORE we start adding the rest prescribed by others. Truly, who would know what is best for us if not Allah SWT and RasululLah SAW?...

Tasawwur Islam - 30 Dec 2009

As Muslims, we believe that Adam AS is the first man who submitted to the will of Allah SWT. And this message is perennial and consistent - recognising, acknowledging and worshipping the One True and Real iLah alone.

Without associating Allah SWT with any partner, rival, or equal, nor attributing a likeness to Him, all the Prophets confirmed this truth and the final truth was brought by the last Prophet SAW as it was confirmed by all Prophets before him.

Subhan Allah, with Prophet Muhammad SAW, the revealed religion achieved utmost perfection whose original purity is preserved to this day and till the final hour.

Note to me: I feel so blessed to be born a Muslim and realised the need to know the history and spread of Islam in order to strengthen my Islamic identity.

Tasawwur Islam - 23 Dec 09

Today, I've learnt the beauty of Min Adab Al Islam, Subhan Allah. Truly Islam is Syumul and by following what is ordained of us, we will be guided to the right and straight path, Insya Allah.

Below is a short trailer that outlines the 22 sessions about Islamic Manners from a prolific speaker, which gave the gist of what was covered by Sheikh Abdul Halim today:

You can hear the full detail of the 22 sessions by Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-kawthari conducted from Min Adab al-Islam by Sh Abdul-Fattah Abu Ghudda via podcasts found here.

Afterthought: Without adab, our youths lose their Islamic identity, which resulted in the 'broken family' syndrome that is so prevalent in today's world. Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki is right when he says that the situation we face today is a result of the lack of cultivation of the right values by parents. So it is essential to have a deep attachment to our Ummah's heritage and history of Islam in order to have a strong Islamic identity and worldview.

Tasawwur Islam - 16 Dec 09

Following up from my earlier post, I signed up for yet another course by Sheikh Abdul Halim, who speaks with great clarity about Islamic Worldview, which is so profound coz it is all-encompassing (syumul) yet fundamental (coz it is central to the ummah's well-being).

For a start, I agree with Sheikh Abdul Halim's analogy that education should be like a tree - the roots have to be strong in order for it to grow healthily to withstand the harshness of the weather. Similarly, our islamic knowledge and core values, the critical foundation of our ummah, have to be rock solid in order for us to withstand the tests on this very earth as we prepare for hereafter.

A note to myself, to take the time to read these:-

1. Worldviews: Meanings, Characteristics and Kinds:
- Mutahhari Ayatullah, Fundamentals of Islamic Thoughts Chap 1 and 2
- Shifa Sharifah, Islam and Challenges of Modernity pp 8 - 70
- Kamal Hassan, The Islamic Worldview pp 11 - 33
- Al-Attas, The Worldview of Islam: An Outlines pp 20 - 30
- David K. Naugle, Worldview: The History of a Concept pp 55 - 146

2. An Overview of Islam and Its Main Characteristics:
- Al-Attas, The Concept of Religion
- Hamudah, Islam in Focus pp 113 - 118
- Qutb, This Religion of Islam, Delhi 1996 pp 15
- Sachiko, The Vision of Islam pp 1 - 45

3. The Elements of the Islamic Worldview - Tawhid:
- Al-Faruqi, Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life 1982 pp 1 - 39
- Fazlur Rahman, Major Themes of the Quran 1994 pp 1 - 39

4. The Concept of SunnatlLah & Natural Phenomenon:
- Gulen, Understanding and Belief 1997 Chap 2
- Snooks, The Laws of History 1998 pp 1 - 38, 185 - 193

5. The Revelation and Prophethood and Its Relevance to the Muslim Life:
- Moudoudi, Towards Understanding Islam, 1973 Chap 5 & 7
- Fazlur Rahman, Major Themes of the Quran Chap 5
- Gulen, Prophet Muhammad The Infinite Light 1995 Chap 4 & 6

6. The Al-Akirah and Its Implications on Life:
- Osman, Concepts of the Quran, ABISM 1997, pp 125 - 184
- Gulen, Understanding and Belief, 1997 Chap 4

7. Man in the Quran and Sunnah:
- Fazlur Rahman, Major Themes of the Quran 1994 Chap 1 & 2
- Khan, Islam on Origin and Evolution of Life 1978 pp 85 - 105
- Bucaille, What's The Origin of Man 1989 pp 15 - 45

8. The Crisis of Contemporary Man and Society:
- Naser, Reflections on Man & The Future of Civilization, 1993 pp 253 - 259

Remembering how it all began - Hajj [The Pilgrimage]

Nearly 4,000 years ago, in the Sumerian town of Ur in the valley of the river Euphrates, lived a young man named Abraham. The people of Ur had once worshipped Allah but as time passed, they forgot the true religion and started praying to idols, statues made of wood or clay and sometimes even of precious stones.

Even as a small child, Abraham could not understand how his people, and especially his father, could make these images with their own hands, call them gods, and then worship them. He had always refused to join his people when they paid respect to these statues. Instead he would leave the town and sit alone, thinking about the heavens and the world about him. He was sure his people were doing wrong and so alone he searched for the right way.

One clear night as he sat staring at the sky he saw a beautiful shining star, so beautiful that he cried out: 'This must be Allah!' He looked at it in awe for some time, until suddenly it began to fade and then it disappeared. He turned away in disappointment saying: I love not things that set (Quran vi.77)

On another night Abraham was again looking at the sky and he saw the rising moon, so big and bright that he felt he could almost touch it. He thought to himself: This is my Lord (Quran vi.78)

But it was not long before the moon set as well. Then he said, Unless my Lord guide me, I surely shall become one of the folk who are astray (Quran vi.78)

Abraham then saw the beauty and splendor of the sunrise and decided that the sun must be the biggest and most powerful thing in the universe. But for the third time he was wrong, for the sun set at the end of the day. It was then that he realized that Allah is the Most Powerful, the Creator of the stars, the moon, the sun, the earth and of all living things.

Suddenly he felt himself totally at peace, because he knew that he had found the Truth.

When he said unto his father and his folk: What do you worship?
They said: We worship idols, and are ever devoted to them.
He said: Do they hear you when you cry? Or do they benefit or harm you?
They said: Nay, but we found our fathers acting in this manner.
He said: See now that which you worship, You and your forefathers! Lo! they are (all) an enemy to me, except the Lord of the Worlds. Who created me, and He guides me, And Who feeds me and waters me. And when I sicken, then He heals me. And Who causes me to die, then gives me lift (again) And Who, I ardently hope, will forgive me my sin on the Day of judgment (Quran xxvi.70-82)

One day, while all the townspeople were out, Abraham angrily smashed all the idols with his right hand except for one which was very large. When the people returned they were furious. They remembered the things Abraham had said about the idols.

They demanded of Abraham, 'Is it you who did this to our gods, O Abraham?'
Abraham replied, But this their chief did it. Ask them, if they are able to speak.'
The people exclaimed, 'You know they do not speak.'
Abraham said, 'Do you worship what you yourselves have carved when Allah created you and what you make?' Do you worship instead of Allah that which cannot profit you at all, nor harm you?' (Quran xxxvii.95-6)

Finally, Abraham warned them, Serve Allah, and keep your duty unto Him; that is better for you if you did but know.You serve instead of Allah only idols, and you only invent a lie. Lo! those whom you serve instead of Allah own no provision for you. So seek your provision from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him, (for) unto Him you will be brought back (Quran xxix. 16-17)

The people of Ur decided to give Abraham the worst punishment they could find: he was to be burnt to death. On the chosen day all the people gathered in the center of the city and even the King of Ur was there. Abraham was then placed inside a special building filled with wood. The wood was lit. Soon the fire became so strong that the people were pushed back by the flames.
But Allah said: O fire, be coolness and peace for Abraham (Quran xxi.69)

The people waited until the fire had completely died down, and it was then that they saw Abraham still sitting there as though nothing had happened! At that moment they were utterly confused. They were not, however, moved by the miracle that had just happened before their very eyes. Still Abraham tried to persuade his own dear father, who was named Azar, not to worship powerless, un-seeing, un-hearing statues.

Abraham explained that special knowledge had come to him and implored his father, 'So follow me and I will lead you on the right path. O my father! Don't serve the Devil.' But Azar would not listen. He threatened his son with stoning if he continued to reject the gods of Ur. He ordered Abraham to leave the city with these words: 'Depart from me a long while.' Abraham said, 'Peace be upon you! I shall ask my Lord's forgiveness for you. Surely He was ever gracious to me.' (Quran xix.43-7)

Imagine how terrible it must have been for him to leave his home, his family and all that he knew, and set out across the wilderness into the unknown. But at the same time, how could he have remained among people who did not believe in Allah and who worshipped statues? Abraham always had a sense that Allah cared for him and he felt Allah near him as he traveled. At last, after a long hard journey, he arrived at a place by the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Egypt. There he married a noble woman by the name of Sarah and settled in the land of Palestine.

Many years passed but Abraham and his wife were not blessed with any children. In the hope that there would be a child, and in keeping with tradition, Sarah suggested that Abraham should marry Hagar, her Egyptian handmaid. Soon after this took place, Hagar had a little boy named Ishmael. Some time later Allah promised Abraham another son, but this time the mother of the child would be his first wife, Sarah. This second son would be called Isaac.

Allah also told Abraham that from his two sons-Ishmael and Isaac-two nations and three religions would be founded and because of this he must take Hagar and Ishmael away from Palestine to a new land.

These events were an important part of Allah's plan, for the descendants of Ishmael would form a nation from which would come a great Prophet, who would guide the people in the way of Allah. This was to be Muhammad (pbuh), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).

From the descendants of Sarah's child, Isaac, would come Moses and Jesus.

So it was that Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael left Palestine. They traveled for many days until finally they reached the arid valley of Bacca later to be called Mecca), which was on one of the great caravan routes. There was no water in the valley and although Hagar and Ishmael only had a small supply of water left, Abraham left them there knowing Allah would take care of them.

Soon all the water was gone. The child began to grow weak from thirst. There were two hills nearby, one called Safa and the other Marwah. Hagar went up one hill and looked into the distance to see if she could find any water, but found none. So she went to the other hill and did the same. She did this seven times. Then sadly she returned to her son, and to her great surprise and joy she found a spring of water bubbling out of the earth near him. This spring, near which the mother and child settled, was later called Zamzam.

The area around it became a place of rest for the caravans traveling across the desert and in time grew into the famous trading city of Mecca. From time to time Abraham traveled from Palestine to visit his family and he saw Ishmael grow into a strong young man. It was during one of these visits that Allah commanded them to rebuild the Kabah-the very first place where people had worshipped Allah.

They were told exactly where and how to build it. It was to be erected by the well of Zamzam and built in the shape of a cube. In its eastern corner was to be placed a black stone that had fallen to earth from heaven. An angel brought the stone to them from the hill of Abu Qubays.
Abraham and Ishmael worked harbah and as they did so they prayed to Allah to send a Prophet from among their descendants.

And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, (Abraham prayed):
'Our Lord! Receive this from us; Thou, only Thou, art the All-hearing, the All-knowing; Our Lord! And make us submissive unto Thee and of our seed a nation submissive unto Thee, and show us our ways of worship, and turn toward us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Relenting, the Merciful. Our Lord! And raise up in their midst a messenger from among them who shall recite unto them Thy revelations, and shall instruct them in the Scripture and in wisdom and shall make them grow. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, Wise (Quran ii.127-9)

When the Kaabah was completed, Allah commanded Abraham to call mankind to pilgrimage to His Holy House. Abraham wondered how anyone could hear his call. Allah said, 'You call and I will bring them.' This was how the pilgrimage to the Kabah in Mecca was established and when Muslims make the pilgrimage today they continue to answer the age-old call of Abraham.

Source

Read more about:
- The virtues of ZamZam Water
- How Hajj started

More of Such Please
It has become a routine for me and mum to catch this weekly show simply because it portrays the realistic struggles of muslims in the here and now. We should have more of such shows so that we can all learn the true value of Islam, the only way of life that can save its ummah from the hellfire, insya Allah.

I end this post with the original soundtrack from the show:

Loosely translated:

Light of love
Lately I feel this love I yearn
Restlessness buried in my heart, seeking its fate and hope

One's duration and destiny, no one knows for certain
I search for the Light in the shadow of darkness

Light of love
Life's destiny and choices differ for every man
They sail through life's journey in a world of uncertainties

Light of love
I return as I'm still searching for Truth
A definite Light, a promise pure and everlasting

Timeless Islam

Just recently, I attended a talk by Syeikh Abdul Halim Abdul Karim at PERGAS on Liberalising Islam? What Liberal Islam Stands for and Our Response.

A thought-provoking session, he cautioned the Muslim community to comply to RasululLah s.a.w. Last Sermon: "... Beware of Shaytan, for the safety of our religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things; So beware of following him in small things..."

My take on this session is that Muslims should focus more on the unity of Ummah by agreeing to the established verses or Muktamad instead of squabbling about the permutations of the less established verses or Mutashabeeha.

Islam truly unifies its followers regardless of diverse expressions because Islam is timeless as it transcends context so let's not undermine it by contextualising it by location, time, etc. Whenever we are unsure, always turn to the Aleem Ulama' or knowledgable and avoid passing judgment (May Allah protect us from the hellfire!)

Also, Islam is a religion based on justice. In my humble opinion, so long as justice is present in a country, secularism can play second fiddle so let's not harp too much on labels since Islam encourages its follower to always ikhtiar or make the effort towards progress and excellence as the call to prayer emphasises, "Haiya Alal Falah, Haiya Alal Salah" [Come towards victory and success, Come towards prayer]

I also agree with Syeikh Abdul Halim that for upcoming Maulidur Rasul, we should constantly highlight sifat-sifat or traits of RasululLah s.a.w. so that our generation knows who truly is the perfect role model in Islam.

Hmm, perhaps it is also time that the Muslim authority in Singapore follow the steps of our neighbouring countries - Indonesia and Malaysia - and come up with a fatwa on Pluralism, Liberalism and Secularism in Religion (instead of keeping its silence, take a knowledgable stand). I end this post with Surah Al-Baqarah 002.208: "... O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; And follow not the footsteps of the evil one; For he is to you an avowed enemy..."

Read other similar articles:

• Islam does not need liberalising
• Islamisation of Knowledge

P/S: Let's not be followers of a religion who pick and choose what they want to believe in. Truly, Islamization is the acceptance of Tawheed and the submission of Man to the Will of Allah SWT. True freedom lies in submission to Allah SWT so believe in Allah and the Last Day, dutifully follow the Quran and the Sunnah and be protected from the hellfire, insya Allah.

A Christian Minister's Conversion to Islam - Dr Jerald Dirks

Cat Stevens' Transition to Yusuf Islam

View his website, Mountain of Light, where he shares his thoughts about Islam, his contributions, etc.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 30

Imam Suhaib Webb gives helpfull reminders of how to take the benefits of Ramadhan throught the entire year.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is about the completeness of Taqwah and in the Quran, it is:
1. In relation to worship (ibadah)
2. In relation to daily actions (mu'amalat)

In summary, we need to apply At Taqwah in every aspect of our everyday life and be God-conscious. Have Taqwah wherever we go and follow-up a bad deed with a good deed and have the best manners when dealing with people of all race and religion.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 29

The Guest Speaker, Mohammad Aftab Diwan discusses evaluating ourselves and our relationship with Allah in these last days of Ramadan.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that it is important to continually introspect and assess myself on a daily basis in order to secure my relationship with Allah SWT. In everything I do, am I pleasing Allah SWT? Will my salat be accepted? With hope and fear in our hearts, may we be blessed with the hereafter and in dunia, may we be a calmer community and live in a more serene environment, insya Allah.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 28

Marwan Marouf talks about how the small things (good and bad) sometimes have a much larger impact than we may think.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that Taqwah means that we should constantly be watchful of Allah SWT. When we sin, we do not look at how minute the sin is, rather we look at the fact that we have sinned againts our Creator, the Maginificent! Vice versa, when we do hasanah or good deeds, we are dealing with the Al Karim, Al Syakur, Al Khaliq. We have 2 choices - the good or better deed; the bad deed is never an option for the true Muslim.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 27

Mohammad Aftab Diwan discusss the importance of forgiveness during this blessed month. He addresses seeking forgiveness from the Creator and forgiveness amongst ourselves.

[Source: MAS]

Aspects of forgiveness include:
1. Between the Creator and his creation
2. Between the creation

To be an exemplary man of Jannah as illustrated by Hadith Qudsi, we are encouraged to forgive and forget immediately or at least at the end of the day before we retire to bed. And always seek forgiveness and guidance from Allah SWT in everything that we do. May we be protected from the hellfire, insya Allah.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 26

Guest Speaker Mohammad Aftab Diwan reminds us that worshiping Allah is not limited to the rituals of Islam. He tells about how anything we do can be an act of worship.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that worship/ibadah is not just the act of charity or salat. The criteria for worship include:
1. Must be beneficial
2. Cannot be haram
3. For the sake of Allah SWT

In the Shade of Ramadhan 25

Dr. Imad Bayoun continues his talk on optmism. He discusses how and why we should be optimistic of those around us and the situations we face.

[Source: MAS]

Aspects of optimism in others include:
1. Don't hold grudges
2. Learn active listening
3. Don't reduce people to their shortcomings
4. Think positively of others (benefit of the doubt)

In the Shade of Ramadhan 24

Dr. Imad Bayoun reminds us that even with all that could be wrong, to be optimistic. He outlines some practical steps towards being optimistic about ourselves.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that having optimism helps us maintain our tranquility and the aspects of optimism include:

1. Optimism in oneself
Enjoying life, focus on oneself, set goals, be achievement-oriented, learn new things, use positive language or practise good speech.

2. Optimism with others (will be covered in subsequent vodcast)

3. Optimism with situations (will be covered in subsequent vodcast)

In the Shade of Ramadhan 23

Marwan Marouf discusses how doing good deeds benefits us not only in the hereafter but also in this world.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that Allah bestowed upon us rewards in the hereafter (Al Jannah) as well as here on earth (dunia) whenever we do good deeds (hasanat). The benefits of good deeds include:
1. Light (Nur) will enter the heart
2. The face will shine (with Nur)
3. The body will be strong
4. Others will love you
5. Wealth would increase

In the Shade of Ramadhan 22

Sister Purmul discusses the importance of giving to those less fortunate than ourselves. She brings up the benefits for the those recieving the charity and those giving charity

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that fasting is the shield against bad deeds and sadaqah is like water, extinguishing the sins. Allah SWT has promised that those who give in the way of charity, not only develops greater compassion for mankind but the amount used for charity is put on loan and would multiply and be returned to the donor in Al Jannah. Making sadaqah a part of our habit to improve our akhlaq allows us to detach ourselves from earthly material wealths. Having consistency in giving small amount is preferred versus once off large amount as we are encouraged to lead our lives in moderation.

Let's reap the benefits of charity:
1. Shaded by Allah SWT during the day of Judgment
2. Reckoning (hisab) becomes lighter
3. Scale (mizan)becomes heavier
4. Cross the path (As sirat) to paradise (Al Jannah)
5. Elevated your level in paradise (Al Jannah)

In the Shade of Ramadhan 21

Sister Purmul reminds us that fasting is not only abstaining from food and drink. She discusses the sources of ill speech and how they can be countered.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that the one who does not leave false speech or false action, Allah SWT does not need anyone to leave his/her food and drinks. So backbiting could ruin our fast. 3 roots of ill speech are:
1. Not to be suspicious or not to spy (ill thoughts whispered by syaitan) so do not transgress your muslim brother/sister in thought or action

2. Unnecessary talking (cultivate good speech as there is no vain speech in Jannah)

3. Not intentionally practise good speech in regular conversation

May Allah SWT bestow upon us 'clean tongues' (good speech all the time), insya Allah!

In the Shade of Ramadhan 20

Dr. Imad Bayoun discusses the significance and importance of the last 10 nights of Ramadhan and laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power). He reminds us that it is not too late to begin or continue benefiting from Ramadhan especially in these last 10 nights.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that the Prophet SAW would focus on the last 10 nights (Iktikaf) to attain the Lailatul Qad'r, which usually happens on odd nights, most likely on the 27th night. If you encounter that night, say "Oh Allah, You are all Forgiving, You like to forgive so forgive me". So plan such that all your energy are focused to reap the barakah of this Ramadhan.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 19

Marwan Marouf brings to light sometimes underappreciated verses of suratul Fatiha (The opening). He discusses it's importance and the many lessons and reminders that can be learned from this short yet powerful chapter that begins the Quran.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that Al-Fatihah (Umul Kitab) is the key to our Salat. It reminds us of:
1. The ni'kmat (bounty) of Allah Azza Wa Jallah (Alhamdulillah, thank you Allah)
2. Asma ul Husna (the magnificent qualities of Allah SWT)
3. The straight path we have to stay on (tauhid)
4. The Akhirat (there is a day we would be questioned, make no mistake about it)
5. The importance of Doa (guide us to the straight path; we seek your help)
6. The unity of this Ummah (only you we worship and we seek your help)
7. The concept of Ikhlas (ONLY you we worship and seek help; not anyone else)

And as we recite this surah in our Salah, we are having direct communication with Allah SWT as we thank Allah, we get a response, as we glorify Allah, we get a response and as we seek refuge in Allah, Allah says this affair is between Allah and us. If only we knew this, many would prostrate and supplicate to Allah SWT readily.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 18

Sister Purmul reminds us to always remember Allah and His blessings.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that Dzikir is remembrance of Allah SWT. In times of need, we instinctively remember Allah and Dzikir, like the human heart is what water is to fish. Why? Because Allah is the Best protector and the Best to help us in all our affairs. When you remember Allah, Allah will remember you and on its own Dzikir extends this honour to us to be so close to our Creator. Only in the remembrance of Allah do hearts truly find rest. Subhan Allahi wa bihamdi Subhan Allahil A'zim.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 17

Sister Purmul sheds light on evaluating one own self for self improvement. She offers some practical steps of muhasabah (self evaluation).

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that Muhasabah is deliberate self-evaluation and self-development process, which is tied to time and time management. Practical ways towards Muhasabah include:
1. During the daily prayer, during sujud is the best time to self-reflect
2. During istighfar, reflect on what we are repenting for

Bottomline is to have goals to:
1. Increase our spirituality
2. Increase our knowledge
3. Increase brotherhood/sisterhood
4. Increase islamic/community's activism
5. Increase family relationships
6. Improve our health

May we be among those who self-reflect and follow a bad deed with a good deed on a daily basis.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 16

Sister Purmul discusses the benefits of reflecting on Allah and His creations.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that Ramadhan is the month for tafakkur (reflection) and muhasabah (self-evaluation). So reap the full benefits of this month which is full of barakah (blessings).

In the Shade of Ramadhan 15

Marwan Maroud relates a hadeeth (saying) of RasululLah SAW describing what true bankruptcy is.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that a bankrupt from the Ummah, during the day of Judgment, would have to release his hasanah/rights to the person who he/she has wronged in life. And when there is not enough rights to take, the person who is wronged would put his bad deeds to the person who did the bad deed. Simply, its not worthwhile to fast and do Ibadah and at the same time do bad deeds to others. So Ramadhan is the time for forgiveness.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 14

Marwan Marouf relates a hadeeth of Mohammad (sws) regarding setting a plan for our lives. He applies it to setting goals for Ramadan.

[Source: MAS]

What I've learnt is that the a hadith outlines the strategy of life:

1. Set goals in life (even in Ramadhan)

2. Set priorities (evaluate what is really worth it)

3. Aim high (enter the highest level of Al Jannah along with the Prophet SAW)

4. Indulge in As-Salah as it is in the sujud that one is closest to Allah SWT

In the Shade of Ramadhan 13

Marwan Marouf Discusses how our Iman shifts and changes before durring and after Ramadan. He offers advice on how to maintain an stabel Iman.



Source: MAS

What I learnt is that humans are expected to have natural ups and downs (flip flop) in our Iman. The month of Ramadhan is our opportunity to charge up our Iman. Ways to sustain our Iman at an expectedly high level are to:

1. choose the right friends (as our mirrors)

2. practice the rituals of Islam moderately (balanced according to the Sunnah)

3. learn about your deen (religion)

In the Shade of Ramadhan 12

Imam Suhaib Webb talks about the close relationship with Allah that one can gain through making du'a. He discusses it's importance and it's power.

[Source: MAS]

What I learnt is that Dua is the essence of worship, sign of someone's sincere tauhid to Allah SWT. Allah is Al A'lim (the ONE who Knows) and As-Samiq (the ONE who Hears) and its better for us to recite our dua in a hushed tone. The beauty of dua is that Allah will listen to anyone who calls to Allah via his/her dua since He even listens to the dua of the Iblis. And there is no dua in the quran that starts with "Ya"...because its a sign that Allah is closer to you than you think so call upon Allah with your dua and Allah will answer you, insya Allah.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 11

Imam Suhaib Webb discusses prayer as connection to Allah and highlights it's benefits



Source: MAS

What I learnt is that As-Salah literally is a connection; the heart is directly connected to Allah SWT through sound faith and Taqwah. The 5 times a day prayer is an opportunity for us to take a break from this life and flee to talk to Allah SWT as Allah is with us if we establish the As-Salah.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 10

Imam Suhaib Webb discusses what taqwa is and about it's importance durring the month of Ramadan.

[Source: MAS]

What I learnt is that the goal of Ramadhan is prescribed for us to achieve Taqwa, to be aware and conscious of Allah SWT, being cautious and stay away from those that are haram.

1. Understand the concept of Taqwa - it is a shield from hell's fire and protection from punishment from Allah SWT and from plans of Syaitan

2. Practise individual exercises include having pure intentions for Allah SWT, abstain from those that is haram

3. Practise communal exercises include pray and dua as a community, charity, etc

In essence, its:

1. Less talk of dunia, more of Allah

2. Less hatred of others, more love

3. Less money for oneself, more money to noble causes

4. Less time wasting, more for Allah

In the Shade of Ramadhan 9

Imam Suhaib Webb discusses prescription for change.

[Source: MAS]

What I learnt is that Ramadhan gives us the opportunity to stop and reflect on our spirituality and let the world take a back seat i.e understand the purpose of our creation via the act of ibadah like fasting to increase our Taqwah. I like the ayat from the Quran 2:183 - "Allah prescribed Ramadhan as the antibiotic of Imaan to cure our spiritual ailments". Due to the fitrah in all of us, Allah SWT would not change what is in the people until they change what's within themselves.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 8

Dr Imad Bayoon continues his discussion, this time on Acquiring Patience.



Source: MAS

What I learnt is that if you...

1. Know the nature of this life (hardships so be realistic)

2. Know that you belong to Allah SWT (innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rojiun)

3. Believe in the reward of Allah SWT

4. Use the dua of Allah (in dua, you call upon Allah for guidance in all qadar)

life would seem so much simpler and you would be at peace with everything, insya Allah.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 7

Dr Imad Bayoon discusses patience in the month of Ramadhan

[Source: MAS]

What I learnt is that Patience was mentioned more than 100 times in the Quran, reinforcing its importance in Islam. There are 4 types of patience:

1. when facing hardship as decreed by Allah SWT with acceptance and patience, you'll get a reward from Allah)i.e. state of mind/heart,

2. when facing temptation i.e. state of environment around you,

3. in fulfilling the commands of Allah SWT,

4. in the path of the da'wah i.e. the benefit goes to the Islamic community (its never an easy job due to paradign shift/change)

In the Shade of Ramadhan 6

Marwan Marouf discusses the victories of Ramadhan.

[Source: MAS]

What I learnt is that alot of significant victories in Islam happened in the month of Ramadhan. Allah Azza Wa Jalla has created incentives that gates of Jannah are wide open and syaitan are chained, gates of hell are closed and reward for your good deeds are multiplied so that Muslims can go out to achieve victories, maximising your potential. The soul is nourished while the bodily habits take a back seat.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 5

Dr. Imad Bayoon discusses the importance of cleansing ones soul/heart.

[Source: Muslim American Society, MAS]

What I learnt is that purity of the heart is the most important aspect in Islam because during Judgment Day, when nothing would help except those that have come to Allah SWT with a pure and righteous heart. So let go of grudges, hatred, envy, greed, and other disease of the heart for the love of Allah.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 4

Marwan Marouf discusses the value of Ramadan and implimenting this value in our practicing the ibadah during Ramadhan.

[Source: Muslim American Society, MAS]

What I have learnt is that Ramadhan is a blessed, magnificent and generous month by Allah SWT as it is a month of mercy, compassion, patience... a month that would increase the 'income' of the muslim. It is a month of spiritual cleansing, we fill up and re-energise so that we can sustain our Iman for the following year. The challenge is, what are we gonna do to reap the benefits of Ramadhan?

In the Shade of Ramadhan 3

Marwan Marouf discusses keeping the end goal of Al Jannah (Paradise) in mind before starting Ramadan.

[Source: Muslim American Society, MAS]

What I learnt is that always keep the end in mind, Al Jannah. You may seem to deprive yourself of some of the joys on earth during Ramadhan but in Al Jannah, you will receive absolute reward from Allah SWT via Ar Ryan, insya Allah. In my humble opinion, the life in the Hereafter is way better.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 2

Marwan Marouf discusses the different types of fasting.

[Source: Muslim American Society, MAS]

What I learnt is that fasting is more than just abstain from hunger and thirst; your entire body, senses and heart are also fasting, sincerely for Allah Azza Wa Jallah.

In the Shade of Ramadhan 1

Dr Imad Bayoon discusses about taqwa, good deeds and character.

[Source: Muslim American Society, MAS]

What I learnt from this is that regardless of the month of Ramadhan, the good deeds erase the bad deeds, a blessing from Allah SWT. If you have done something bad, do not give up on yourself and the mercy of Allah SWT because Allah SWT can forgive all of our sins, Allahu akbar!

Welcome Ramadhan

Why did I accept Islam?

Shared by Colonel DONALD ROCKWELL (American)

For a long time I had been impressed by Islam's clear logic and formal simplicity, by the magnetizing attraction felt towards its mosques, by the great solemnity and deep affection with which the adherents of that religion had devoted themselves to their faith, by the profound respect and pure sincerity in which Muslims all over the world had been prostrating themselves simultaneously five times daily.
A solemn and, at the same time, sentimental, attachment to life, [which was Muhammad's 'alaihis-salam' personal approach]; A mutually consultative method in doing daily chores;
A habitually soft behavior flavored with mercy and compassion in social lives, indiscriminately; charity for the poor; property rights, which women had been given for the first time; all these things, which were only a few of the many other revolutions that could only be evaluated as 'the most tremendous', and how aphoristical and concise a language it is through which Muhammad 'alaihis-salam' expresses these concepts!
Contrary to Europeans' assertions, the Islamic religion commands everybody first to do their best and only then to put their trust in Allahu ta'ala.
Qur'an al-karim acknowledges the prophethoods of the other prophets as well, beginning with Adam 'alaihis-salam' and including Musa and Isa 'alaihim-as-salam'. This is an exalted sense of faith and a great model of justice, which other religions do not possess.
One of the most beautiful aspects of Islam is that it has completely purified itself of idols. Whereas pictures, icons and signs are still being worshiped in Christianity, things of this nature do not exist in Islam. This is an indication of how pure and unstained a religion Islam is.
The facts stated and taught by Muhammad 'alaihis-salam', the Messenger of Allahu ta'ala, have reached our time without any interpolation. And the Qur'an al-karim, which is the Word of Allah, has been preserved in its pristine purity, exactly as it was revealed, without losing anything from the limpidity it had in the time of Muhammad 'alaihis-salam'.
The qualities of freedom and equity inherent in the Islamic religion have always magnetized me towards it. Muslims perform their acts of worship side by side in mosques. There are not any special places allotted for the leadership.
Muslims hold the belief that there is not a third person to act as an intermediary between Allahu ta'ala and His born slave. The Islamic acts of worship are performed between Allahu ta'ala and the slave. Every Muslim is the only person responsible for his personal behavior.
Adapted:http://serenityfountain.org/default.asp/Recommended

Singapore Hosts Brothers in Islam from USA - 23 August 2006

Alhamdulillah, I had the privilege to meet Syeikh Ali Sulaiman Ali and brother Eric Ramadan Sabree c/o ICNA from Detroit, Michigan USA at one of the impromptu talks held at Muhammadiyah, Singapore on 23 August 2006.

They discussed the challenges and hikmah of the US Ummah post 911, Subhan Allah wa Masya Allah... For only Allah is all knowing and that everything happened has its reason in time.

We were informed that most of the media network in America did not highlight the progress made by the US Ummah in terms of their dakwah activities. Instead, the daily reinforcement that "Islam = Terrorism" is continually drilled into the minds of the people all over the world.

With the free circulation of the book of truth - Al Quran, anyone has the opportunity to discover the true Islam, a religion of peace. Also, from this talk, I found out that Michigan has the largest Muslim population in America, Alhamdulillah!

View some relevant Quranic verses here.

LATINOS AND ISLAM CONVERSION

By Mailyn Salabarria - July 8 2006

Nineteen years of Catholic religious traditions were left behind when Hugo Hernández decided to convert to Islam. A teacher and political science graduate, Hernández, 26, came to a turning point in his life during his freshman year of college in Denver.

Born and raised in a traditional Catholic Latino family from Evans, Hernández said when he was a child then teenager, he followed all the rituals, traditions and ceremonies of the Catholic religion, including his first communion.

"I've always had many questions and I've never received an answer that convinced me 100 percent," he added. "I truly believe those things only take us away from God."

That closeness with God is what Hernández said he's found in Islam. He said, "When we pray, we do it directly to God; it's only him and I."

The first time he walked into a mosque, Hernández said that the experience impressed him so much he wrote out the details of his feelings.

"It was like if I just walked into my home." Only when he goes back to Tamaulipas, Mexico, to visit his relatives, has he felt something similar.

Shakir Mohammed of the Islamic Center of Fort Collins said that, from the social point of view, Latinos convert to Islam because it's a religion that treats everyone equally, giving them dignity and respect.

"And all immigrant minorities, one way or another, always feel underestimated."

From a religious point of view, Mohammed believes conversion takes place because they're disappointed with the religion they professed before.

"Then, they come to Islam looking for the simplicity of God; for a religion where the key point is the direct relation between the person and God."

Did you know that in Northern Colorado:

- In 2001, the Council of American-Islam Relations reported that 6% of the converted in the U.S. were Latino.

- It was predicted that by 2010, the Muslim population will be larger than Judaism.

- It will also be the second-largest religion in the U.S., after Christianity.

Get the details here

Cat Stevens Accepted Islam

As human beings we are given a consciousness and a duty that has placed us at the top of creation. Man is created to be God's deputy on earth, and it is important to realize the obligation to rid ourselves of all illusions and to make our lives a preparation for the next life.

Key Extracts:
In Christianity, I was taught that God exists, but there was no direct contact with God, so we had to make contact with Him through Jesus - he was in fact the door to God. This was more or less accepted by me, but I did not swallow it all.

I came to a stage where I decided that Buddhism is all right and noble, but I was not ready to leave the world. I was too atatched to the world and was not prepared to become a monk and to isolate myself from society. I tried Zen and Ching, numerology, tarot cards and astrology. I tried to look back into the Bible and could not find anything.

One Hindu lady told me, "You don't understand the Hindus. We believe in one god; we use these objects (idols) to merely concentrate." What she was saying was that in order to reach God, one has to create associates that are idols for the purpose.

But Islam removes all these barriers. The only thing that moves the believers from the disbelievers is the salat (five daily prayers). This is the process of purification. And the beauty of the Quran is that it asks you to reflect and reason, and not worship the sun or moon but the One who created everything.

Source: http://www.beconvinced.com
Read the details here.

Maal Hijrah - Islamic New Year

By Mufti Taqi Usmani

Introduction:
The Islamic year consists of twelve months: (1) Muharram, (2) Safar, (3) Rabi Awwal, (4) Rabi Thani, (5) Jumada Awwal, (6) Jumada Thani, (7) Rajab, (8) Sha`ban, (9) Ramadan, (10) Shawwal, (11) Dhul- Qi dah, (12) Dhul- Hijjah.

Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, its year is 10 or 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. This means that Muslim months fall in different seasons. For example, Ramadan and Haj can fall in the summer as well as in the winter. It takes about 33 years for the Islamic dates to rotate through the solar seasons.

Sacred Months:
The most important dates in the Islamic calendar are: 1 Muharram (Islamic New Year); 10 Muharram (Day of `Ashura ); 27 Rajab (Israa and Mi`raj); 1 Ramadan (first day of the month of fasting); the last ten days of Ramadan, which include (Laylat Al-Qadr); 1 Shawwal (`Eid Al-Fitr); 8 - 10 Dhul-Hijjah (Haj); 9 Dhul-Hijjah (Day of `Arafah); 10 Dhul-Hijjah (`Eid Al-Adha).

Hijrah:
The Hijra, historically speaking, is the central event of early Islam, the turning point in Islamic history that led to the foundation of the first Muslim state. Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their lunar Hijrah Calendar. The Holy Quran says, "The number of the months according to Allah is twelve (mentioned) in the Book of Allah on the day He created heavens and the earth. Among these (twelve months) there are four sanctified."

Characteristics of Muharram:
1. Fasting During the Month
The Noble Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said: 'The best fasts after the fasts of Ramadan are those of the month of Muharram."

2. The Day of 'Ashurah'
The 10th day of Muharram, Ashurah, is the most sacred among all its days. It is established through a number of authentic ahadith that fasting on the day of 'Ashura' is Sunnah.

According to another Hadith, it is more advisable that the fast of 'Ashura' should either be preceded or followed by another fast. It means that one should fast two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram or the 10th and 11th.

Read the details here

The Easy Way

By Khurram Murad

Key Extracts:
Whatever is natural for human beings should be easy for them in every way, hence cause them to gravitate towards it easily, and consequently bring harmony, peace and tranquility to their lives. This describes Islam...

Allah comforts us by continuously reassuring us that He desires for us ease not hardship, despite the seemingly formidable trials and tribulations that we may sometimes face. He says in the Quran:

'God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship'(2:185)
'We shall speak to him, of our command, easiness'(18:88)
'Whoso fears God, God will appoint for him, of His command, easiness'(65:4)
'God will assuredly appoint, after difficulty; easiness'(65:7)
'Truly with hardship comes ease'(94: 6)

Prophet Muhammad (saw) advised us:
'This Deen or way of life is easy but if anyone overdoes it, it gets the better of him. So keep to the right course, approximate to perfection, rejoice, and ask for help in the mornings, the evenings, and some of the latter part of the night' (Bukhari).

The Prophet (saw) also said: 'Ibadah (act of worship) should be done with freshness of heart, not an exhausting routine carried out in spite of fatigue. 'Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired [of giving rewards] till you get bored and tired [of performing good deeds! ... and the most beloved deed to Allah is the one which is done regularly even if it is little' (Bukhari).

Three principles to practising Islam:
1. The basic beliefs contain no mystery, hence easy to comprehend.
Every tenet in Islam is subject to analysis and inquiry and Islam does not present concepts or ideas which the intellect cannot grasp. Even the simplest of minds can understand its basic beliefs. It is therefore not surprising that its beliefs are universal.

2. Important obligations ordained upon Muslims are easy to undertake.
The duties and obligations laid down by Allah have been graded. And, it is the wisdom of Allah that the greater the importance He has attached to any act, the easier it is for everyone to accomplish it.

Example:
The five daily Salat (Prayers) and Sawm (fasting) during the month of Ramadan are compulsory upon everyone, since they are within every-one's reach to accomplish. Zakat (almsgiving) and Hajj (pilgrimage), on the other hand, are not compulsory upon everyone. If it were made compulsory upon everyone, then those who did not possess the financial means would be unable to carry out these duties. Therefore, these duties are obligatory only upon those who have the means to do so.

3. Provisions for derogation when it is genuinely impossible for someone to fulfill an obligation.

Examples:
If a person is genuinely unable to stand up and pray, then he is permitted to sit down or even lie down and pray. If there is no water available to perform the wudu or ablution before prayer, then one can make tayammum, which is a simple dry ablution performed by using clean earth or dust.

Therefore, even when there appear to be difficulties, if one looks closely at the Shari'ah or Islamic legal code as a whole, one will find so many rules relating to derogation that enable one to practice Islam very easily-and this is the case regardless of the problem: political, economic or simply personal.

As long as one possesses the basic tools-a sound knowledge of what is stated in the Shari'ah regarding a particular matter and an awareness of the responsibility for ones own actions-a person may decide for himself when to derogate from the standard.

The Path of Moderation
Moderation which leads to balance, is a fundamental and distinguishing feature of Islam. Excesses may eventually develop into large problems and even become a threat to the well being and security of the Muslim community.

Allah tells us: 'We have made you a nation justly balanced' (2:143).

Prophet Muhammad commented: 'Do not overburden yourselves, lest you perish. People [before you] overburdened themselves and perished. Their remains are found in hermitages and monasteries' (Musnad of Abu Ya'la).

Abiding by the will of Allah requires that we seek and maintain a delicate balance between the various obligations that demand our attention; between our obligations to Allah, our obligations towards others and our obligations towards ourselves. Moreover, whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always chose the easier, unless it was explicitly forbidden (Bukhari).

Making Islam Easy for Others
In sharing the message of Islam with people the Prophet was advised in the Quran: 'It is part of the mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them If you were severe or hardhearted, they would have broken away from you' (3: 159).

The Prophet advised us to: 'Facilitate [religious matters to people] and do not make [things] difficult. Obey each other and do not differ [amongst yourselves].' (Bukhari & Muslim).

He also said: 'This Deen or way of life is easy'; 'Make it easy, don't make it difficult; 'Let people rejoice in being Muslims and not run away from it' and 'Cheerfulness towards other people, even a smile is a sadaqah or charity to be rewarded by Allah'.

Ease versus Hardship
To say, however, that Islam is easy and not 'difficult', is not to imply that Muslims will not face 'hardship'-and here the two terms must be distinguished. Indeed, although Islam is easy to understand and practice, the whole purpose of the trial is to make manifest the degree to which an individual is steadfast (and hence sincere) in his submission to Allah- and this is precisely what is indicated by the Quranic verse: 'And We will most certainly test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of possessions and lives and crops' (2:155).

Notwithstanding these trials however, we can find ease in this world and the next. But, this will be so only if we are firm in our faith in Allah and follow the course prescribed by Islam, as He Himself has declared: 'But give good news to those who are patient, who, when a calamity strikes them, say: 'Indeed we belong to God and indeed to Him we shall be returning: They are those on whom are blessings from their Sustainer, and mercy-and those, they are the rightly-guided. (2: 155-157).

Did You Know:
Islam was described as Al-Yusraa (The Easy Way) during the early Makkan period.

Source: http://www.masmn.org/Books/Khurram_Murad/index.htm

Why West Aussies Convert to Islam

"With defined rules for life and a strong sense of community, Islam is attracting many Perth converts"

By Paul Lampathakis, 15 January 2006.

Key Extracts
Converts say that in Islam they have found clearer answers to questions of spirituality than in Christianity, a stronger sense of community and rules to live by.

Cremer:
"There are guidelines for everything. It shows you how to do the right thing, to be nice to people," said Mr Cremer, a former Catholic.

"The Bible does this as well, but it has been translated too much, it has been tampered with too much. And one major difference with Islam is there is no hierarchy above me, no priests, no bishops, no Vatican."Imams (holy men) lead you in prayer. But beyond that it's just you and Allah. You're talking directly to God, that simplifies things."

Mr Cremer was also attracted to rules such as Muslims donating a percentage of their annual income to the poor. The fact that Islam was a lifestyle rather than a weekend event was appealing too, because it advocated morality in all areas, including politics and work, where he believed morality was sorely needed.

Nicole Banks:
Non-Muslim women were not compelled by the religion to switch to Islam if they married a Muslim and were allowed to keep their maiden names. She had admired aspects of the religion, such as its focus on family and respect for elders.

"For instance, you wouldn't send your parents off to a nursing home. They're looked after in the home by their kids," she said. "(In Muslim homes) wives are doing the chores, while grandmothers are looking after the younger children. Whereas here, you might not see your family from one week to the next.

If someone's sick within the community, the other girls will bring food to the house. If somebody has a baby, people will bring food and help clean the house. That feeling of closeness is very much missing in Australian society."

The religion also taught her not to be so materialistic and to be thankful for God's blessings, such as good health.

Maariyah:
She converted from Catholicism last February after reading books presenting evidence against the claim that Jesus was the son of God.She preferred Islam's belief that Jesus was a prophet.

"And I like the feeling of one big family. We call each other brother and sister and we mean it. I also like the idea of kneeling five times a day and talking to God rather than once a week or once a year – we see praying as a privilege, not a duty."

Jeremy:
Jeremy Meredith, 33, became a Muslim because he also liked the sense of community and the guidelines.

"People say they want freedom, they want liberty. But the bottom line is people want to know what they can and can't do. They want rules, they want guidelines, something to believe in, something to follow. In Islam, there's a rule for absolutely everything – how I eat my food, how I go to the toilet, how I get married, how I lend money."

Did You Know:

• There are around 200, among 20,000 Muslims in WA from about 70 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and eastern Europe.
• According to the Australian Bureau of Statistcs, the numbers increased about 40 per cent between 1996 and 2001, mainly because of migration.

Source: © Sunday Times
Read the details here.

The Spread of Islam in Canada

By Siraj Wahab c/o Arab News, 11 October 2005

Suhail Kapoor had been in the country only two years, having emigrated from Saudi Arabia in 1999 where he spent nearly 21 years — first as an economic researcher for the Arabic business daily, Al-Eqtisadiah, and then as Western Region sales manager of UPS.

"Ever since I have been in Canada, I've engaged in dakwah (propagation) activities. I visit jails, meet prisoners and tell them about the message of Islam. Normally I go to every little place where I see an opportunity to promote Islam. I have to make sure that the light of peace which was shown to me is shown to others as well. I will stop an airhostess, a rickshaw puller, a doctor, an uncle, a neighbor or a policeman. I leave no one out. If somebody who is a non-Muslim is in contact with me, he will get the message of Islam."

Kapoor is based in Mississauga — the third largest and fastest growing city in Canada — which is 30 km west of Toronto. He is the co-founder of Quran Academy, which is licensed by the state of Ontario. Kapoor says Islam is a good tonic for the ills of society.

"In Western society, where the outside forces are so huge, our gullible youth can become easy prey. The Quran Academy provides a place for these youngsters to come together and interact and to connect with the community."

His son, Yousef, has enrolled himself in the academy. The eighth-grader soon will become a hafiz (one who has learned the Qur'an by heart).

"We also provide the government-approved academic education at the academy," Kapoor said. "Otherwise you will produce a stereotypical Muslim who has no clue about the science of the world. In a country that is so far ahead, you have to have both `deen' (religion) and 'duniya' (world)."

Copyright: Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved.
Read the details here.

A Lutheran Archbishop Converts to Islam

By Al Hajj Abu Bakr (a.k.a Martin John Mwaipopo), 23 December 1986

Key Extracts:

Background
The Archbishop obtained a BA, a Masters degree and a doctorate as well, in Divinity. He had obtained a diploma in Church Administration in England and the latter degrees in Berlin, Germany. He had been the World Council of Churches' General Secretary for Eastern Africa - covering Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and parts of Ethiopia and Somalia. In the Council of Churches, he rubbed shoulders with the present chairman of the South African Human Rights Commission, Barney Pityana and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's chairman, Bishop Desmond Tutu.

Revelation
It was when he began to do his doctorate, that he started questioning things. "I started wondering… different religions claim to be the true religion. What is the truth? I wanted the truth", says Mwaipopo.

He got himself a copy of the Qur'an. "When I opened the Quran, the first verse that I came across were:

“Say, He is Allah, The One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He beget not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him? (Surah Ikhlas)", he recalls.

That was when the seeds of Islam, unknown to him, were first sown. It was then that he discovered that the Quran was the only scripture book that had been untampered with, by human beings since its revelation. "And in concluding my doctoral thesis I said so. I didn't care whether they give me my doctorate or not - that was the truth, and I was looking for the truth."

Conversion
While in that state of mind he called his "beloved" Professor Van Burger. "I closed the door, looked him in the eye and asked him, “Of all religions in the world, which is true”. “Islam”, he responded. So on December 22, he officially embraced Islam.

Read the details here.

A Portuguese Woman Discovers Islam
By Khadija Margarid, 27 December 2005

Key Extracts:

January 2004:
I decided to buy and start reading the Qur'an to know what Muslims think about God. The idea of God had been hovering above my spirit more clearly for four years now. Surely I know there's a God, Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them.

Walking through the cities of Egypt I saw Muslims praying on the streets when it was prayer time, no matter what, and I thought "what humbleness, and what faith these people have." I had never in my life knelt before someone and even less did I put my forehead on the ground to thank someone for anything or to ask anything of someone. God revealed Himself to me to be the only one worthy of my kneeling, and towards Whom I felt the need of doing so.

And what about Jesus, the questions started sparking uninterruptedly outside and inside myself: Do you worship him? Is he the son of God? Is he God? Define the concept of trinity. Why did Jesus die? How did he resurrect? Who wrote the Bible? Do you believe Muhammad is a prophet of God? My brain started spinning round, because my heart knew what my mind did not. I continued reading the Qur'an until the end.

March 2005:
On the evening of that specific day, from the depths of my being, I repented and asked for forgiveness; I humbly said grace and prayed to be accepted while my voice was trembling with the words "There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

Note: Khadija Margarid is a psychologist who is currently studying Arabic in Egypt.

Read the details here.

An American Converted to Islam

By Michael Wolfe, 22 August 2005

Key Extracts:
I wanted access to a spiritual dimension, but the conventional paths I had known as a boy were closed. My father had been a Jew; my mother Christian. Both faiths were profound. Yet the one that emphasizes a chosen people I found insupportable; while the other, based in a mystery, repelled me.

I was looking for a framework I could live with, a vocabulary of spiritual concepts applicable to the life I was living now. I did not want to "trade in" my culture. I wanted access to new meanings. The religion I wanted should be metaphysics as metaphysics is to science. It would not be confined by a narrow rationalism or traffic in mystery to please its priests. There would be no priests, no separation between nature and things sacred. There would be no war with the flesh, if I could help it. Sex would be natural, not the seat of a curse upon the species.

Finally, I did want a ritual component, daily routine to sharpen the senses and discipline my mind. Above all, I wanted clarity and freedom. I did not want to trade away reason simply to be saddled with a dogma. The more I learned about Islam, the more it appeared to conform to what I was after. The Qur'an, caused Goethe to remark, "You see, this teaching never fails; with all our systems, we cannot go, and generally speaking no man can go, further".

Did You Know:

• 650 million Muslims, with a majority representation in 44 countries, adhered to Islamic teachings.
• 400 million more were living as minorities in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
• Assisted by postcolonial economics, Islam has become, a major faith in Western Europe.
• Of the world's great religions, Islam alone was adding to its fold.
• Historically, a Muslim sees Islam as the final, matured expression of an original religion dating back to Adam.
• It is as resolutely monotheistic as Judaism, whose major Prophets Islam reveres as links in a progressive chain, culminating in Jesus and Muhammad.
• Essentially a message of renewal, Islam has done its part to return the forgotten taste of life's lost sweetness to millions of people.

Source: Journeytoislam@islam-online.net

Read the details here.

Salat - A Direct Contact with Allah

"I have not created jins and humans but, for my worship" - Holy Quran

What is Salat (Prayer)?
A medium (through worship) where a man establishes a direct relationship with his Creator.

Why Salat?
It is one of the main doors which leads to man's complete submission to Allah's will. It is a guarantee from Allah that if a worshipper observes his salat, with all its conditions, it will prevent him from wrongdoings.

Allah says:"Surely prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil."

The Holy Prophet (peace be on him) asked to the companions, "If one of you had a stream running by his door and he takes a bath in it five times a day, would any dirt be left on him?."

They replied, "No dirt would be left on him".

The Holy Prophet said: "This is the case with Salat (the five daily prayers) Allah makes the Salat wipe out his sins".

Who do I worship during my salat?
When we reflect on the creation of the universe and the law that governs it and the design and variety that pleases our eyes, we naturally are convinced of existence and greatness of Allah.

Allah says in the Holy Quran: "In the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of the night and the day there are indeed signs for men of understanding;"

Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and ponder over the creation of the heavens and the earth: "Our Lord, Thou hast not created this in vain; nay, Holy art Thou; save us, then, from the punishment of the Fire." (Aal-e-Imran, v19l-192)

This verse implies that when a worshipper reflects upon the structure of the Universe, he becomes overwhelmed with the greatness of its Creator. The ENTITY Who created such an awe-inspiring structure with such detailed arrangement and accuracy. He is alone to be worshipped and so right for protection.

How many times must I salat in a day?
There are five daily prayer services participation in which is obligatory. This may seem a little too much, but it is all a matter of comparative values. Those who realize the true value of prayer through experience are convinced that time spent in it is occupied much more beneficially than that spent in other pursuits.

Find out more about:
Wudhu (Ablution)
Types of Salat
Rakaats in Salat