Liberal Arts Forum

“Supplication” written in Arabic Calligraphy by Faraz Khan

Here’s the next ISCJ Youth event…spread the word!

Al-Mishkat Institute, in collaboration with Al-Madinah Institute and ISCJ Youth Presents….

Love Takes Time

Lectures by
Dr. Muhammad Al-Ninowy
&
Sr. Saffiya Turan

A look at the concept of love in Islam and how to start, build, and maintain strong marital relationships. A lecture for both youth and adults, married, unmarried, in love, out of love, and all in between.

Venue: Islamic Society of Central Jersey
4145 Route 1 South and Promenade Blvd
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
Date: Friday, February 13, 2009
Time: 8:00pm
FREE ADMISSION

The Prophet said, “From amongst the seven whom Allah will give shade to on the day when there will be no shade except His shade, will be that person whose heart was attached to the masjid.” (Bukhari)

A Night of Remembrance – ‘ibadah

TIME: 8:00 PM (after Salatul Esha)

NEW BRUNSWICK ISLAMIC CENTER

167 REMSEN AVENUE

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ 08901

Program Details:

10:00: Individual Session: Zikr/Ibadah/Dua’

10:45: Tahajjud & Dua’ -

11:30: Conclusion

Omar bin al-Khattab’s Response:

In another example, before returning to Makkah Abu Sufyan, the leader of polytheist at Uhud taunted the Muslims openly and said: “This day (Uhud) in revenge for Badr”. Omar replied back: “No they are not equal. Our dead are in heaven and yours in hell.” Abu Sufyan was confounded. No doubt, Muslims look forward to expiation of their sins and a great reward for each hardship they suffer. God is great not only in good times but also in trying times. Those who have fallen in Gaza are not equal to a nation so morally bankrupts that they wage war on Sabbath – a day of prayers and rest (Genocide in Gaza began on Saturday, December 27, 2008). The Quran is clear on the character of such people and their war with God. They have nothing in the hereafter. This leads to the third principle of my discussion: the belief in the hereafter. Read the rest of this entry »

The Lesson from the Battle of Uhud

To continue, there is a direct correlation between the message of the Quran and Gaza today. There was once a time when Muslims controlled much of the world. From Granada to Java, they opened up the world for a civilization that elevated God before everything else. Interestingly, the first thousand years of this ummah were like Badr – successful. Then after Badr, Muslims made a crucial mistake during Uhud.

The Quran comments on both, the victory and the defeat – Badr and Uhud in Surah Aal-’Imran. In Uhud, the Prophet stationed the army facing the enemy and placed around 50 archers on the Mount of Ruma behind them and told them never to leave their position even if the battle was over. Initially, the Muslim army routed the enemy and the polytheists started to flee. The Muslims started to pursue them and then started to collect the spoils of war. At that moment, the archers left their positions to amass the dunya – spoils. In no time, the Makkan cavalry successfully attacked the Muslim army in the rear where the archers had abandoned the mount. The fleeing Makkans regrouped and fiercely re-attacked the Prophet and his companions. The result was that Muslims were pressed between two forces and had to retreat to the Mountain of Uhud.

In the sequel of Uhud there is a lesson. The Ummah abandoned its position from the top of the mount as a leader and protector to run after the baser desires. So God left Muslims in abyss with empty desires while the enemy surrounded and assaulted Muslims. The cost of disobedience to the messenger of God resulted in great sufferings. Similarly, the Ummah kept collecting the dunya and the world shifted from around them. How else can Muslims explain the imperialist nations devouring Muslim lands for last 400 years?

Muslims were afflicted with grave consequences by their disobedience to God. Many great sahaba such as Hamza ibn Abi Talib and Mus’ab bin Umair were martyred and even the Prophet was injured and a false rumor circulated that he was killed. Muslims were confounded. However, this was a trial to sort out hypocrites and those opportunists who only accompanied the Muslims to gain in this world, and to teach a lesson that disobedience to the Prophet means loss in both worlds.

Muslims should not look at any calamity simply as a loss but remember what they gain with God when they are patient. For this reason, the Muslim worldview is based on the fact that every difficulty in the sake of God is compensated for the believers. God revealed:

“If you should be suffering – so are they suffering as you are suffering, but you expect from Allaah that which they expect not. And Allaah is ever Knowing and Wise” (An-Nisaa’: 104).

The Story of an Ansari Woman:

The perseverance and suffering of the Gazans is observed in the story of an Ansari woman whose father, brother and husband were martyred in Uhud. One by one she heard the soul-shattering news of the martyrdom of all her male family members and yet she asked persistently “Tell me if the Prophet is safe?” As soon as she witnessed the Prophet safe and sound she uttered, “All sufferings are insignificant if you (Prophet of God) are safe and sound.” Truly, as long as the love of God and His Prophet is safe and sound in the heart, all sufferings are insignificant.

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Never leave your soul in despair
For God is our Hope and with Him is our affair

“Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allaah except the disbelieving people.” (Yoosuf: 87).

“If Allaah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allaah – never will He waste their deeds. He will guide them and amend their condition. And admit them to Paradise, which He has made known to them. O you who have believed, if you support Allaah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet. But those who disbelieve – for them is misery, and He will waste their deeds.” (Muhammad: 4-8)

Worldview:

Every community has a paradigm that projects its relationship with the phenomena world. Islam also provides a worldview based on faith in one God, Prophethood, and belief in the Hereafter. These three principles are the foundation of religious understanding in the Quran. Regarding the catastrophe in Gaza, I want to examine these principles and propose an understanding of the circumstances based on the Quran.

The Story of Khalid bin Walid:

The basis of the Muslim worldview begins with shahada – testimony to the oneness of God. Tawhid simply means that God is in command. There is no one worthy of worship except God. To illustrate this, during the campaign against Byzantine, Muslims were outnumbered by their enemies. When the commander Khalid Bin Walid sensed that despair may overcome the Muslims, he reminded them by shouting– “La hola wala quwwata illah billah” – “there is neither power nor might except with God”. In response, the entire army heeded the call and started to repeat the statement. With trust in God and faith in heart they defeated a mightier opponent. This occurred because Muslims understood that success is from God and whenever they turn to Him they will indeed triumph. The Quran reminds the believers,

“Victory only comes from God, the Mighty, the Wise.” (Qur’an 3:126)

The second principal that outlines the worldview of a Muslim is the belief in the code of conduct of Prophet Muhammed – the second part of shahada. In this context, God says,

“You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of Allah”. (Al-Ahzaab: 21)

The Story of the Missing Sunnah!

A classic example of success by following the footsteps of the Prophet is found in the story of a Persian campaign. The Muslim army laid an extensive siege to a Persian district but they were not successful against the enemy. The Muslims did some soul searching. In the past, whenever they laid siege to an area they succeeded in no time. They started to investigate the cause of the delay in victory. After much discussion and debate in the camp it was found that the entire army had neglected the use of tooth-stick (miswak) – a sunnah of the Prophet. Therefore, they rushed in fulfilling this sunnah. On the other side, when the enemy saw the Muslim army with this new practice, they trembled in fear thinking that the Muslim soldiers were sharpening their teeth to eat the Persians. Due to this fear, the enemy surrendered their will to fight and the Persian district was liberated due the practice of one sunnah alone.

This story may serve as an aide memoire that Muslims have a role model and any type of response that goes against the teaching of the Prophet is simply un-Islamic. Surely, “the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad” as the Prophet would relay to his companions during Friday sermons.

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