From dust we were created and to dust we will return. If we do not follow the path that is brightly lit with the lights of guidance, there is no way we can find our road back to Heaven.. Amidst the chaos in the world, we must not despair of our ability to create a safe space for all the oppressed and weak ones. All of Allah’s creation have our past, present and future written down. However we are given free will - to choose between right and wrong.
Almighty Allah the Most Glorious is the Omniscient and the Omnipresent. He knows what we strive for and is ever watching over us. We must instill within us a sense of Allah-consciousness although our knowledge of Him may be limited. Nothing is ours. Attaining world’s honour can be engraved on our death stones. We stake our lives for glory. The ultimate destination must be for Allah to embrace us and gain His affections.
To Him belongs all the praised names (Asma’ul Husna). And we believe in the intercession of Prophet Muhammad the chosen one, for his devout followers. The pain and sufferings of life is a dream compared to the torment of the eternal perdition should we be astray. Despite human differences, all Muslims bow in worship to the direction of Ka’ba at Mecca. And we commemorate the persecutions the early Muslims endured so that the message reaches us today. Our human intelligence is a gift while the revealed inspiration from Allah Haqq is a most precious endowment.
Every year in the month of Ramadhan, Muslims worldwide await Laylat al-Qadr or the Night of Power. It is the month when Qur'an was revealed to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through Angel Jibril (Gabriel) on Mount Nur. He enjoined upon us to keep to the straight path until the emergence of Mahdi. Together with Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), Imam Mahdi will guide mankind towards peace, order and justice at an appointed time ordained by Allah Almighty. Injustice and aggression rampant today, will cease.
And again, after a Time predetermined by Allah Azza wa Jalla, the whole of creation will cease until the Day of Resurrection (Mi'ad). On this day of Judgement, Allah the Great will not only gather the early community of Muhajirun who proved their mettle in supporting Rasulullah from the persecutions in Mecca to establishment of Islam in Madinah, every single soul since Prophet Adam till the last human standing on doomsday, will be duely recompensed. The fateful moment has been collectively understood to mean Day of Reckoning and Awe (Yawm ad-Din), Day of Rage and Wrath (Yawm al-Ghadab), as well as Day of Resurrection or Judgement (Yawm al-Qiyamah).
PART 1: True Richness and Poverty
As Muslims beginning to embark on the quest to obtain inner calmness and outward brilliance, we must get to the root of the religion. Widely misunderstood as Mohammadenism or the cult of an Arabian primitive cave-man, this man is far from what he had and is accused of. An unlettered Prophet from the deserts of Mecca, Muhammad (Ahmad - peace be upon him) was born in the lineage of Prophet Ismail (Ishmael) ibn Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham - peace be upon them all), to lead mankind from darkness into light.
Their message is that of all Prophets - Adam, Ayyub (Job), Dawud (David), Dhul-Kifl, Harun (Aaron), Hud, Idris (Enoch), Ilyas, Al Yasa, Isa (Jesus), Ishaq (Isaac), Lut (Lot), Musa (Moses), Nuh (Noah), Saleh, Shu'ayb, Sulayman (Solomon), Yahya (John), Yusuf (Joseph), Ya'qub (Jacob), Yunus (Jonah) and Zakariyya (Zakariyya). It is the word of monotheism revealed by Allah unto mankind via the revelation of Angel Jibril (Gabriel).
We must worship none but Allah and that mankind is graded for our piety and righteousness. Because we will be tested and tempted by great wealth and stature. This world is rich in so far as we lose sight that there are other universes greater than our earth. We are poor only when we compare ourselves to the more rich.
The Qur’an is abound with stories of the great past nations whose glories did not stop them from transgressing Allah’s commands. The sons of Adam committed the first murder against the other. The people of Lot were perverse, engaging in homosexuality. Fir’aun (Pharaoh) declared himself God. The people of Nuh did not have faith and were drowned in the great flood. The people of Saleh hamstrung the she-camel. We the ummah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) remain helpless seeing the slaughter of our fellow brethren. Thus despite all strength, Allah has the power to seize lives and reduce the sinners to dust.
Al-Lahab is rich. Yet he went to the hell-fire with the wealth as his fire-stones. So the Qur’an enjoins charity towards the poor. Yet we cannot broadcast our charity for fear of creating arrogance within our souls. So we must keep steadfast to our prayers in order to learn submissiveness to Allah and humility to Allah’s creation. Nobody knows if the rich or the poor is worthy of Jannah except by Allah’s bounties.
All true believers will have light shining forth from their foreheads, marks of their prostration to Allah often. While the haughty, like Iblis the accursed, do not obey Allah’s commands. Because they are arrogant, considering their creation above others in dignity. Allah is the most Merciful, Compassionate and Loving towards the believers while promising eternal punishment for the disobedient ones.
This is not to say that poverty equates being faithful. Allah has created a wide expanse where we must till to feed ourselves and prevent our hands from begging. And then to be grateful to Allah for what our hands have earned - that is true richness. Being rich and ungrateful to Allah’s blessings is a real poverty.
A baby was born pure but our greed feeds on our souls until we become tainted. In order to ease our transition from this life to the next, we need to ensure that our livelihood serves the Deen, not allowing the excuse of livelihood to compromise our Deen. Because our souls are prone to evil, we must continually chase after good deeds to increase our bank while striving hard to avoid sins and thus become poor of wrongs.
PART II: Records of ‘Illiyyun & Sijjin
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the universal Prophet. He is not a Messenger to the Arabs only. About 1438 years had passed since the new nation of Meccan Muslims had migrated to Medina amidst persecutions.
All the strivings which the righteous Muslims have done will be recorded in their heavenly book of good deeds - ‘Illiyyun. Whatever that we had and will do, contrary to the true teachings of Islam, are recorded in the book of bad deeds - Sijjin.
Allah has created our abode on earth to be temporary. Our concept of Time should not be bounded by the ticking of the clock. Year after year of 365 days or months go by yet our striving towards the perfection of our spiritual soul is much lacking. We had fallen way beyond since we received revelation to be a vicegerent while in Eden - when Allah taught Adam of the Names and commanded Iblis to bow to Adam - tll our current states.
We forgot that we are spiritually endowed for a greatness surpassing the angels. Eve was an ally. She sought to ensure Adam will emerge victorious in the unfolding earthly journey. While the perfect angel will never disobey Allah, humans are given precious free will. With intelligence, wisdom and unwavering faith, we must pass the tests on earth and return to our promised Eden unscatched.
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Our books of records are well-preserved in Sidratul Muntaha - the Lote Tree of the ultimate boundaries - the reign and Kingdom of Allah the Great. There is kept sacred the precious unfolding of the journey of each and every one of us. It is the ultimate store of our lives’ blueprints. None can access these records nor edit the prints.
While the Devils many a times out of envy towards our being favoured by Allah, will steal heavenly secrets to create discord amongst mankind; just as was done towards Adam and Eve. But Allah has promised deferment of punishment for Iblis the accursed till his accounting on Resurrection.
Except those with steadfastness in faith, the wonders and amazement of Eden awaits us. We will have all our hearts’ desires - luscious grapes and pomegrates. Of pearls, rubies, sapphires! And Allah’s majestic countenance reserved for the slaves nearest to Him.... Be! And it is! It is easy for Allah!
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And if we had tried to find flaws in the creation of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, never can it be. All run at their appointed courses. Time is perfected. So will our souls sleep and awaken and die and resurrected in full recompense of justice. Not an atom of wrong will Allah be on that day.
PART III: Not to despair of Allah’s mercy
For those whose sins have transgressed their souls, do not despair of Allah’s Love, Mercy and Compassion. Surely Mercy has been inscribed on His Kursiyy (Throne). In his Infinite Kingdom, His Wrath recedes with the invocations of the Ever-Repentant slaves.
Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim is the One, Wahid As-Samad whose subsistence is upon none yet we are all chosen to be the bearers of His Qur’an - which only the pure can touch. The Holy Suhuf of Ibrahim, the Taurah of Musa, the Injil of Isa, the Qur’an of Muhammad are all from the same source - Allah. It is Allah who raised the ranks of His creation by these books. And degraded are those who disobey Allah’s commandments.
We must go beyond the language of the tongues and understand the essence of Allah’s message with the heart as inspired unto the chosen illiterate Prophets (peace be upon them all). And we make no distinctions between them. For all received the vibrations of Angel Jibril resounded into their souls. “Iqra! Read!” Only the debased ones swerved from the path and misguided us.
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Worldwide conflicts are full of Wars and sabotages. For what lofty purposes and gain? To rid bad genes from the human pool they say. To uphold the superior race they say. In defense of clan blood and family honor they say.
Such averse to Peacekeeping efforts! Men have failed to curb their instinctual aggressions. We repeatedly lack resources to destroy criminals of war. The world willingly submit and oppressed our souls to the dark elements. As Time prophesised, Iblis the accursed will lead all astray, except those who have faith in the Ultimate Creator, who created the Beginning and who will stop the clock.
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Meditation in Cave Nur was the privilege of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). As were the solemn visitations by divine love upon chosen Patriach Ibrahim, the One saved from the fire of King Namrud of the ancient Babylonia (now Syria); and of Mount Tur and the sacred valley of Tuwa whose green bushes of fire bespoke to Musa behind that Godly veil.
In isolated enclaves, overlooking beyond the vast plains; kept pure from the filth of worldly affairs - such moments of solitude were conducive to all Prophets and Messengers.
Yet, the aim of their recluse was never to create hermits.. it only served to recharge their inner connection with Allah the creator, the All-Knowing. And come forth to face the arrogant Namrud and Pharaoh and ungrateful mankind.
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Mankind’s greatest enemy is ourselves! How then to cross The Bridge to Yonder? Decode this great affliction from the burden of the forbidden apple. The loyal Angels knew we were born base savages, full of ruses to conquer immortality.
Let the followers of spiritual freedom say, :He is the Most Great.” And as an innocent baby born pure... the perfect Deen as inspired via Jibril is Islam.
To be born pure, to live tainted but nonetheless return to purity. Allah says so: “And sent down water from the sky upon you, that thereby He might purify you.. (al-Anfal 1), and “We send down purifying water from the sky (al-Furqan 48).
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to be silent between the (opening) takbir of the prayer and the verbal Qur’anic recitation. Abu Hurairah asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, why do you remain silent between the takbir and the recital? What do you say (silently during that time)?”
He said, “O Allah, make a distance between me and my sins similar to the distance you have made between the East and the West. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins in the manner that a white garment (is cleansed) from dirt. O Allah, wash my sins from me with snow, water, and hail.”
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