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VirtualMosque.com | A Divine Blueprint: Seeking Paradise |  |
| A Divine Blueprint: Seeking Paradise Posted: 31 Dec 2015 05:00 AM PST
The path to paradise is outlined most brilliantly in the following verse of Surah Ahzaab (The Confederates): إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْقَانِتَاتِ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالصَّادِقَاتِ وَالصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّابِرَاتِ وَالْخَاشِعِينَ وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ وَالصَّائِمِينَ وَالصَّائِمَاتِ وَالْحَافِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَالْحَافِظَاتِ وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّـهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward. (Qur'an, 33:35) This verse works like a blueprint. By so powerfully mentioning both men and women together yet separately, Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), highlights the equality and justice with which He views His servants. It is this justice that also affords women a distinct status in general society. Surah Ahzaab empowers the Muslim woman in ways previously not seen in Arabia, specifically with regard to inheritance and marriage. Interestingly, it is reported that this verse was revealed after Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), had requested greater mention of women in the Qur'an1. The Framework
For those who solidify these ten qualities in their daily routines, Allah (swt) promises forgiveness and a great reward. Principally, it means entry into Paradise, along with a clean slate in the Hereafter, freedom from worries and concerns, limitless enjoyment and eternal peace. More simply, an abode better than any human being could ever imagine. May we learn to embody these qualities and become worthy of the Almighty's forgiveness and reward. Ameen. Author’s biography: Anum obtained a Bachelor of Science in Global Business and later a Master of Public Affairs (MPA). After graduating, Anum turned her focus and attention toward the study of the Qur'an, and has recently completed a comprehensive Qur'anic tafseer certificate course. She plans on teaching, insha’Allah after completing her teacher certification. Her interests include teaching, blogging, reading and cooking, as well as Islamic studies and history. References 1 Musnad Ahmad 6: 305; An-Nasai in Al-Kubra 6:431; At-Tabari 20:270 2 Imam Malik, Mishkaat Book 56, Hadith 19 3 Sahih al Bukhari 2749, Book 55, Hadith 12 4 Sunan an-Nasa'i 5005, Book 47, Hadith 21
Complete References
[Musnad Ahmad 6:305; al-Sunan al-Kubra al-Nasa’i 6:431; At-Tabari 20: 270]
[Imam Malik, Mishkaat Book 56, Hadith 19]
[Sahih al Bukhari 2749, Book 55, Hadith 12]
[Sunan an-Nasa'i 5005, Book 47, Hadith 21]    |
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VirtualMosque.com | Allah – no god but He | |
| Posted: 29 Dec 2015 05:06 AM PST
After reflecting on many of Allah’s Names over the past four years, we finally arrive at the Name that is most commonly on our tongues: Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He). This Name brings together all of His attributes such that when you call on Him by this Name, you are bringing together all of the attributes we talked about and more. When we say “Allahumma” (اللهم), we are calling out to Allah (swt). In Arabic, when you call out to someone you say “ya“(يا), and here, the 'm' (م) at the end takes its place. Ibn Al-Qayyim says that when someone calls to Allah (swt) saying, "Allahumma I ask you…" the person is saying, "I am asking Allah who possesses the Best Names and the Highest attributes by those Names and attributes." So when you say 'Allah', know that you are calling the One who possesses all the greatest attributes – everything that we talked about in this series and more. This Name is unique because it is Allah’s alone (swt). His other Names are also attributes by which people are sometimes described, but this Name can only refer to Him. According to al-Ghazali, this is the greatest of Allah’s (swt) Names. It is the Name most mentioned in the Qur’an, and it is the Name that is mentioned in every hadith (tradition of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him) that talks about God’s greatest Name. I met a woman during `Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage) a few years ago, and she was talking about her journey to Islam. She said she had always been a spiritual person, and she happened upon a talk by a Muslim sheikh (scholar). Up until that point, she had never heard the Name 'Allah' before. She said that what stuck out for her during his talk was the beauty of the sound of Allah’s (swt) Name. That planted the seed in her heart and began her journey to learning about Islam. So who is Allah (swt)? Allah (swt) is the One whom we worship: the One to whom we go with hope, reverence, and love. He is the Lord, the Sustainer and the Originator of this whole universe. If you want to feel in awe of Allah (swt), go out somewhere in nature and just be with yourself. Reflect on the vastness of this universe and its beauty, and our small place in it. Even though the world appears to be so much greater, Allah (swt) created each soul personally. He knows you better than your parents, your spouse, or your best friend. He hears you before you speak. He knows everything you have been through and everything you are going through. His door is always open to you no matter your state. The Prophet ﷺ tells us: "Allah is happier with His servant who turns back to Him than the happiness one of you would feel if he was wandering in a barren wasteland to find his steed had wandered off with all his food and provisions. Then, after the heat and his thirst become severe, he falls asleep in the same place and wakes to find his steed standing before him, so that he grabs its reigns and says: "O Allah! I am your Lord and You are my servant," mixing up his words on account of his extreme joy." (Muslim) He is greater than any of our problems, our fears or worries. This is why we say, "Allahu Akbar!" (Allah is greater) at the start of every prayer to remind ourselves: He is greater. He gifted the daily prayers to us so that we can be brought back to our center and purpose at least five times a day, remembering that He sets the standards for greatness and loftiness as we recite these attributes in our bowing and prostration. Our hopes and dreams are not too big for Him. He says in a hadith qudsi (narration of the words of Allah via the Prophet ﷺ): "O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decreases the sea if put into it." (Muslim) He is Vast, and so encompasses all of us, with our mistakes and brokenness. Don’t ever believe that you are too broken for Him. Don’t ever think that there is no room for you. When Allah (swt) tells you to turn back to Him and seek forgiveness, it is because you have the potential to be better. You are not defined by your mistakes. The Prophet ﷺ tells us: "Allah extends His hand at night to give forgiveness to those who sinned during that day, and He extends His hand during the day to give forgiveness to those who sinned during the night. This will continue to be the case until the Sun rises from the west," (Muslim). Knowing that instructions may be theoretical, He sent us a Messenger who is from amongst us to teach us and show us the way. Allah (swt) says about the Prophet ﷺ: "And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds." (Qur'an, 21:107) He embodied in the Prophet ﷺ the perfect example: Worshipping Allah (swt) with love, hope and fear; kindness and compassion to everyone; communal and individual responsibility; and justice in society. Knowing that we might sometimes feel that it is all too much, the Prophet ﷺ advised his daughter, Fatima radi Allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her), to say in the morning and in the evening: "Ya Ḥayyu ya Qayyūm (O Ever-Living, O Sustainer), by Your Mercy I seek help, rectify for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to depend on myself, even for the blink of an eye." (Hakim) By reminding us that Allah (swt) is at every moment sustaining this world, we realize how fragile we are and how much we are in need of Him, and thus we ask Him not to leave us for even a second. Allah (swt) sent us to know Him and to experience His attributes through the good and what we perceive to be bad. He knows of our efforts and assures us that they never go to waste, thus teaching us to be ambitious. Tests and hardships may come our way, but they come to alert us, strengthen us, elevate us and teach us. With His wisdom, justice and mercy, the whole world moves. He commands us to do things because He is our Creator, but in the end all of the things commanded of us to do or prohibited of us benefit us in the long-term. He is the Acquainted One – who knows the inner and outer realities – and the Most Wise. He reveals to us that He is the source of Peace, so we can turn to Him to be at peace, and emulate His attributes by being agents of peace in this world. He is so Generous that He prepared for us a paradise that not only satisfies our material wants, but our emotional wants and needs. It is a place in which we can be with those we love, where our hearts know no pain, and where we will finally be with Allah (swt). He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate. Once we realize that, we can start everything with His remembrance and understand that it will all go back to Him; we can start to see His attributes in the minutiae of our everyday. He is Allah (swt).  |
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VirtualMosque.com | Before it’s too late | |
| Posted: 28 Dec 2015 05:00 AM PST Originally published in September 2012 By Anonymous I had begun to think of this room as the 'Yellow room'. Subconsciously we give things names. It had become a second home to us in a move nobody wanted to make. We would arrive early in the morning and find a vacant spot by the window seats and sit down, contemplating why we were here, staring at the walls painted a cheerful, buttercup yellow, offset by the white wooden fittings; the empty bookshelf, the windowsills beneath the large sash windows, the seats—single, twos and threes. Within a few moments we ventured down the corridor to my father's room. We'd place our bags quietly beside his bed, arrange the chairs and settle ourselves to stay close to him for the rest of the day. Most of the time he was asleep, just like the other patients in this ward. But this was unlike any other ward in the hospital—it was a departure lounge; a place of surrender, the end of the battle with terminal illness. Each patient was quietly slipping away. Visitors were, for the most part, quiet too. What does one say when they witness the process of dying? Room after room was silent. Every few hours I returned to the yellow room—the plaque on the door read 'Family Room'—a cruel irony for families about to lose a member. For the past three days, the silence was broken; there were raised voices, and the room was filled with conversations that sounded like questions, regrets, anger, and desperation. In the morning, around four members of a new family arrived, which grew to an average of ten by the afternoon. Sometimes they all spoke at once, then they'd fall silent for a few moments and begin their discussions again. One young girl, probably in her late teens, sobbed aloud and spoke in bitter, short inflections. She cradled a baby girl in her arms, and set her gaze on her as her tears fell on the baby's hair. Often, one of the older ladies, who sat with her husband, would take the baby from her and feed her a bottle or bob her up and down the yellow room. I didn't recognise their language and guessed it was Greek, or from an Eastern European country, perhaps. What did it matter—anguish is a common language—everyone around could understand their pain. Over those three days, elderly relatives came in too; we smiled at each other, but there was no other communication. The rest of the family never made any eye contact, we never spoke. Then, on the fourth day, as I was about to enter the yellow room for a cup of tea, the lady who walked the baby approached me. She told me it was her sister who was here with a recurring brain tumour. It was this sister's baby they were all looking after. Their youngest sister, the teenager, she continued to tell me, was finding it the hardest. Then she hesitated and said: 'My sister's about to go. We're Muslim…We're Turkish. If you don't mind, can you stand by the door and say some prayers. I want someone to say some prayers…She's going. Please.' I was overwhelmed by what she told me and didn't quite understand: 'You mean prayers from the Qur'an—recite Qur'an?' 'Yes, yes—we're Muslim. Not now, come in 5 minutes—it's that room,' and she pointed to a door ajar. Inside I caught a glimpse of the patient's husband, sitting on a chair beside the bed, wringing a small towel as he fought his tears. Five minutes later I stood outside the door. I started to recite in the quietest whisper. I sensed the lady didn't want other members of the family to see me there. In the intensity of the moment, and the fear of any of her family members coming out and getting upset, I wasn't sure which surah (chapter) I began with, but I recited. Then more conscious of what I was doing, I began again, and recited Surah Fatihah (The Opening, Qur'an 1) slowly. And then Ayatul Kursi (Qur'an 2:255), the last four surahs of the Qur'an (Qur'an 111, 112, 113, 114), the last verses of Surah Baqarah (Qur'an 2:285-286), then the few du`a's (supplications) I knew, then back to Surah Fatihah. For a moment doubts raced through my mind: was this the right thing to do, should I be standing here, what difference was it going to make? But I didn't dwell on these questions. The enormity of the angel of death being in that room dawned on me in those minutes of being truly awake to what life is, to what death is, and for what our souls yearn. I don't know how long I spent outside her door, maybe four minutes. But, it was a time outside of time. Something between living and dying, an experience that hasn't faded in the five years that have gone by, but only intensified. And the memory has intensified because society and culture for the masses does everything to make us forget. Contrasts sharpen our perception. We are beguiled into believing this world will never end; the luxuries, the 'fun' that prefixes every product and action, the food, fashion and music will make this world eternal. Layer after layer comes between the soul and its true nature, depleting it, cheating it and most tragically detaching it. But there's something about death that cuts through all the clamour of the world; where our souls are touched and want that sacred connection. 'So where are you going?' (81:26) we are asked in the Qur'an repeatedly, following vivid images of the Last Day and the hereafter. And in the very next surah, Al Infitar—we are awoken again: 'When the sky breaks apart And when the stars fall, scattering, And when the seas are erupted And when the [contents of] graves are scattered, A soul will then know what it has put forth and kept back. O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous, Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you? In whatever form He willed He has assembled you. No! But you deny the Recompense.' (82: 1-9) Surah after surah we are reminded, questioned, guided, but we forget—as we fall back on the maxim 'We're only human.' Allah knows we're human, and that's why we are reminded. Before it's too late. Those few minutes outside the door passed and I found myself sitting on the window seat in the yellow room. I looked out on to London's stylish South Kensington streets; cafés sprawled on to the pavements serving customers with their designer dogs and pushchairs, and coiffured silver-haired ladies spoke with animated expressions. Inside, for the rest of the evening the family were silent. The men folk sat outside on the steps of the hospital building, smoking. The voices, the intonation, the pain had melted away, somewhere beyond our perception. The yellow room was silent once more.  |
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VirtualMosque.com | “Winter and The Prophet’s Spring” plus 1 more | |
| Winter and The Prophet’s Spring Posted: 26 Dec 2015 05:00 AM PST
As we find ourselves in this spiritual winter – dejected, overwhelmed, and frustrated – we take comfort in the spring: the spring of the Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of God be upon him, this month of Rabi'a al-awwal (literally 'the first Spring') – the month in which the Prophet ﷺ was born and died and in which some of the greatest hallmarks of his life occurred. We warm ourselves in his remembrance, his example and his teachings, that are illumined and resplendent, lit by Divine Light. We learn from him ﷺ the meaning of struggle, as he again, and again, and again, withstood harm and abuse in the cause of faith, and instead of giving up or deferring all to God's plan, worked in God's way, and gave all of himself to this cause until his last breath. We learn from him ﷺ to give pause, and context and consideration to our struggles – connecting it with those who came before us, and who encountered suffering and adversity that shook them, too, and that worried them, too, until they cried, 'When will God's help come?' and the response was – God's help is indeed near. We learn from him ﷺ the inevitability of false prophets, those who speak while steeped in ignorance, and the critical importance of knowledge. He taught, "You are living in a time that has many fuqaha (people who have deep understanding of religion) and your lecturers and preachers are few… and when action is preferable to knowledge. But there is coming a time upon this community in which the preachers will be many, but those who understand the religion will be few… and in those days, knowledge will be better than action."1 Lastly, we learn from him ﷺ to overcome a deep-seated cynicism and to have hope even in the darkest hour. Even when he ﷺ encountered some of the worst of the life of this world and the worst of human nature, his belief in his Lord was constant, his faith luminous. With the weightiness of the prophetic mission, a life replete with tribulation and difficulty, and his community facing some of the worst of oppression and bloodshed, he, may God's blessing be upon him, never lost himself in despair, but instead saw suffering through the lens of one who believes in Allah and knows that everything that happens is within His knowledge and from His wisdom. We see a hopefulness, a confidence in Allah's plan, that brighter days were coming soon and that this ummah (community) has a future, by God's leave. May we be tremendously inspired by him ﷺ, by his every good quality and character, by his life in constant Divine remembrance, by every teaching he conveyed and lesson he enacted ﷺ. God grant us leave from dark and cold days, and bring us into days of warmth, hope, growth, beauty and light. Ameen
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| “Know that victory comes with patience…” – Allah the Helper Posted: 25 Dec 2015 11:10 AM PST Names of Allah Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part I “So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper (an-Naṣīr).” (Qur’an, 22:78) We mentioned at the start of the series that Allah (swt) knows us and knows our needs, and thus He reveals from His Names those which fulfill our needs. We need provision; He is al-Razzaq. We need to feel safe; He is al-Hafiẓ. We need love; He is al-Wadud. Allah shows us that whatever our needs, they are sufficed when we know Him and turn to Him. Indeed, He is Sufficient for us. This is a Name for anyone who feels embattled, physically or emotionally. Allah’s Name an-Naṣīr comes from the root n-ṣ-r (ن-ص-ر) and means helping the oppressed (إعانة المظلوم). Thus the word for victory is also naṣr. Allah says: “… And victory (naṣr) is not except from Allah , the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Qur’an, 3:126) Naṣīr is an aggrandizement of the root word and thus means help that spans both quality and quantity – Allah (swt) helps us repeatedly and with both big and small things. He reminds us that true help and victory are only from Him. God tells us: “If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you…” (Qur’an, 3:160) Upon hearing this Name, many of us might be comforted. Some of us might have questions: What help? When does this help come? Will victory actually be given to the oppressed? Types of Victory: the External There are different types of victory and aid. Allah (swt) gives us examples in the Qur'an that can very clearly be classed as victories and help from Allah (swt). For example, God tells us: "And already had Allah given you victory [naṣarakum] at [the battle of] Badr while you were few in number. Then fear Allah; perhaps you will be grateful. [Remember] when you said to the believers, “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down?" Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction]. And Allah made it not except as [a sign of] good tidings for you and to reassure your hearts thereby. And victory (an-naṣr) is not except from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise." (Qur'an, 3:123-126) During the Battle of Badr, the Muslims were few in number. They prepared as best they could and put their faith in God as a much larger army was ready to attack them. Allah (swt) tells them He is helping them by sending down Angels – though He reminds the Muslims that the Angels are just there for reassurance because victory and help are only from Allah (swt). The beautiful thing about the Qur’an is that it talks about reality. It tells us about when a manifest victory occurred and then shows us instances of what would appear to be a loss. For example, Allah (swt) tells us in Surat al-Buruj of a people who were thrown into a fire for no reason except that they believed in One God (Qur'an, 85:8). So some might ask, where was the help? Where was the victory? Allah (swt) tells us: "Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great attainment." (Qur'an, 85:11) It may sometimes appear that injustice has won. But Allah (swt) gives victory in this life to whom He wills and gives victory in the Hereafter for those who live in accordance with their faith with dignity. Allah (swt) tells us: "Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand – The Day their excuse will not benefit the wrongdoers, and they will have the curse, and they will have the worst home." (Qur'an, 40:51-52) Injustice and oppression will never have the ultimate victory, and as Muslims we are commanded to defend the oppressed against any and all forms of oppression. There are many lessons in the story in Surat al-Buruj, but one is for us never to allow oppression to flourish. Oppression that has deep roots is much harder to uproot. While the general rule is that Allah will help the oppressed – even in this world – examples like this remind us of our responsibility and of the hope in ultimate justice. The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) said, "Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or is being oppressed." It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, we help the one being oppressed but how do we help an oppressor?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "By seizing his hand." (Bukhari, Muslim) Help over the internal Just like Allah (swt) helps us to overcome the external enemies, He helps us to overcome the internal ones too, such as our lower selves and Satan. In Surat Al-Nās, this is what we ask Allah (swt) for: "Say, 'I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind. The God of mankind, From the evil of the retreating whisperer – Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind – From among the jinn and mankind.'" (Qur'an, 114) The Prophet ﷺ would say the following supplication in the mornings and evenings: "O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the evident, Maker of the heavens and the earth, Lord of everything and its Possessor, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek refuge in you from the evil of my soul and from the evil of Satan and his helpers. (I seek refuge in You) from bringing evil upon my soul and from harming any Muslims." (Abu Dawud) Remember that when you are having trouble with even yourself, Allah can help you. If you are battling sadness, Allah can help you overcome. If you are having difficulty battling your own demons, Allah is there. When you are not able, seek help from the One who is able. Part of seeking Allah's help is using the external means available to you. When does Allah’s help come? Victory requires three things: 1- Faith 2- Action 3- Patience and perseverance As people of faith, we almost expect miracles to happen without hard work. We look at the story of Musa (Moses)`alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him) and wish that the sea would part for us. We read the trials of Maryam `alayha as-salaam (peace be upon her) and see that she was given a child as a virgin, and we know that miracles are easy for Allah (swt). We focus on the miracle but forget that they came after much effort. So when things do not go our way and we feel that we have not been helped, we give up. But in the stories of the Qur'an, Allah shows us something amazing. It is when the righteous exhaust all the means does the help of Allah come. When Musa (as) does everything he can with Pharoah, and is being literally chased by an army, that is when Allah splits the sea (Qur'an, 26:63). When Maryam is at the point of wishing she were dead (Qur'an, 19:23), she is given help. When Hajar (as) runs seven times back and forth looking for help, Allah gives her the well of Zamzam. The Prophet ﷺ reminds us: “Know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and hardship with ease.” (Tirmidhi) Moreover, the seerah (life) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is full of examples of working within the means. Miracles came to support, but never changed events, and in that is a lesson from us. The Prophet ﷺ planned his escape from Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ prepared for battles. He spent years in Makkah calling people to Islam and to justice in society. He did not expect that things would just happen. Finally, Allah giving His help does not mean that there will not be hardships, as the examples above clearly show. Allah asks this question in the Qur'an: "Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, 'When is the help [naṣr] of Allah ?'" Allah then answers at the end of that verse: "Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near." (Qur'an, 2:214) Remember that tests and hardships are coming to you from the Most-Wise, the Equitable and the Most-Merciful. Connecting to an-Naṣīr
Always have faith in an-Naṣīr, and be mindful of Him wherever you are. The Prophet ﷺ teaches us: Be mindful of God, and He will take care of you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of God. If you need help, seek it from God. Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they would not be able to help you except if God had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if God had written so. The pens have been lifted, and the pages are dry. (Tirmidhi)
The Prophet ﷺ sought refuge from laziness every day (Bukhari).1 Remember that help came to the righteous when they exhausted any and all means.
Whatever good you do, Allah (swt) records it for you. Your effort could be the seed that helps future generations. Even if you feel that you were not victorious in the life, remember that your effort counts for the ultimate victory in the Hereafter.
Never ever oppress people. The Prophet ﷺ tells us to "Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, even if he is an unbeliever, for there is no screen between it and Allah," (Ahmad). Allah does not discriminate between oppressed people, and your professed faith – if you are an oppressor – will not help you.
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Allah helps the servant as long as he helps his brother." (Muslim) If you want Allah's help to come, then help others. Be there on the front lines in the battle against injustice for everyone. Justice is not 'just us'.
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VirtualMosque.com | A Holiday Message from the Life of Omar | |
| A Holiday Message from the Life of Omar Posted: 24 Dec 2015 05:00 AM PST Originally published in December 2013 From the Greek and Syriac sources of the Church Elders There are those who love and there are those who hate. Of which were our pious predecessors and of which are you? When the Muslims surrounded Jerusalem, the inhabitants said they would surrender the city only if the Muslim ruler himself —Omar, the second successor or "Caliph," of the Prophet Muhammad— came to them.1 So Omar sojourned by camel from Damascus, Syria to Jerusalem in the Holy Land. As Omar approached the city, his servant became weary, so he ordered his servant to ride the steed while he walked it by the reins. When they entered Jerusalem —records indicate it very well could have been Easter— the people of the city mistook the servant for the Caliph. When corrected, they couldn’t believe that this man in tattered and dirty clothes, leading on foot his servant who rode his steed, was the ruler of this new people who were conquering the Persian and Roman Empires, the greatest empires the world had ever seen, with such speed that had never been seen before. St. Sophronius, Christian Patriarch of Jerusalem, greeted Omar with a set of fresh regal clothes and insisted he wear them instead of the dirty rags he was wearing. According to the Greek chronicler Theophilus of Edessa (695-785CE), Omar refused saying, "It is not right for a man to take from another what God has not decreed for him, for God has given to each and every one of humanity from His Divine knowledge, and he who desires to receive something from his companion exceeding that, does so against God."2 Yet, the Christians of the city were outraged and Omar sensed that they found it humiliating to concede the city to someone who looked so base and common. So he compromised. Theophilus further records from Omar, "Because you request it of me, and have shown me such great honor, please lend me these clothes and I will wear them while you wash mine. When mine are returned, I will return these clothes to you." Michael the Syrian, 12th Century Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, says about Omar, "He was certainly just and removed from greed, to the degree that from all the empire that the Arabs ruled, that is, from all the wealth and treasures of the Romans and Persians, he took nothing for himself. He did not change the simplicity of his habits, not even the piece of hide that was placed under him when he rode by camel and that he used for sitting on the ground or sleeping on."3 As the time approached for the Muslim noon prayer, Sophronius invited Omar to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the holiest site in all of Christianity that contains the Golgotha, the Hill of Calvary where Christ was to be crucified, as well as the tomb where Christ was to be interred. Omar refused saying that he feared future generations of Muslims might seek to make it a Muslim holy site. So he prayed opposite the southern courtyard of the Church where, sure enough, they eventually built the Mosque of Omar that stands there to this day facing the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. Patriarch Eutychius of Alexandria of the Greek Orthodox Church (877-940CE) records: "When the gate of the city was opened, Omar came in with his entourage and sat at the aetrion of the Church of the Resurrection. When the time of prayer approached, Omar said to Patriarch Sophronius: 'I want to pray.' And he responded: 'Commander of the faithful, pray in the place where you are now.' And Omar said: 'I do not want to pray here.' The patriarch and then led him to the Church of Constantine [the Church of the Resurrection] where he spread a mat made of straw on the floor of the church. But Omar said: 'I do not want to pray here either.' He went out to the steps, which are at the gate on the eastern side of the Church of St. Constantine, and he prayed alone on the steps. Then he sat down and said to Patriarch Sophronius: 'Patriarch, do you know why I did not pray inside the church?' He answered: 'I do not know, Commander of the Faithful.' And Omar said to him: 'If I had prayed inside the Church, you would be losing it and it would have gone from your hands because after my death the Muslims would seize it saying: Omar has prayed here. Give me a piece of pergamene4 to write for you a document.'"5 Eutychius goes on to relate the terms written in that document protecting the Church and the churches surrounding it forbidding Muslims from congregating near its steps for their prayers. While some Muslims bicker over whether they should bid their Christian fellows "Merry Christmas" or any other variety of holiday greetings throughout the year, I urge them to drop such vain harangues. Instead, reach into the psyche of Omar, inspired by the Prophet Muhammad whom he served and later succeeded, and how he treated the Christians who found themselves under his rule. Had he wished, he could have done away with the Christian and Jewish populations and history would have no less recorded him as yet another conqueror. When the Christian Crusaders invaded Jerusalem 400 years later, they did slaughter the Muslims, Jews and even those Christians of sects they deemed heretical in a stadium as if it were sport. No man, woman, child or even babe in arms was spared.6 The year prior to that, in 1098, the Crusaders had actually cooked and eaten the Muslims of Ma`rrat al-Nu`man in Syria. It is said that babies were skewered on spits, broiled and eaten.7 But that is not our way and any who adopt such ways in God's name profane the very core of Islam. Omar chose the path of love, compassion, and mercy. He gave the Christians freedom and brought the Jews back to the Holy Land from whence they had been driven out just a decade before and successively in the centuries preceding that. The city's Christians entrusted the keys to the Church of Holy Sepulchre into the hands of the Muslim family of Nusaybah. Today, a millennium and a half later, a member of that Muslim family unlocks the Church in the morning and locks it up at night. The Christians of Jerusalem would have it no other way.8 Will the Christians love you when you deal with them thus? Some will. Some won't. In spite of acknowledging the magnanimity of Omar related above, Theophanes the Confessor (760-818CE) refers to him as a devilish beast and mocks him for entering the city in dirty clothes.9 God even tells us in the Qur'an, "The Jews and Christians will never be fully satisfied with you until you follow their respective religions."10 It should matter to you naught! Be good and seek no reward. We do not let the pleasure of people guide our actions. We do not behave well towards goodness nor do we mete ill with evil. Jesus is recorded in Islamic sources as saying: "Virtuous action does not consist in doing good to someone who has done good to you—that is merely returning a favor. Virtuous action consists in doing good [even] to those who have wronged you."11 Thus, we behave as our beloved Prophet Muhammad, the servant and messenger of God, instructed and exemplified seeking only the pleasure of the very One Whom we —Jew, Christian and Muslim— worship as the One God who rules over all with Love and Mercy. Seek not the pleasure of mankind because they will never truly be pleased with you no matter what you do. Love and brotherhood in humanity are found in behaviors well beyond the realm of mere words. Ponder well. Let your attitude and behavior towards your Christian fellows speak louder than any bidding of "Merry Christmas" ever could.
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