Empty Chests.

In the Name of Allah,

Narrated Anas:
Allah's Apostle said, "From among the portents of the Hour are (the following):
1. Religious knowledge will be taken away (by the death of Religious learned men).
2. (Religious) ignorance will prevail.
3. Drinking of Alcoholic drinks (will be very common).
4. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse.  (Bukhari Volume 1, Book 3:80)

As you can see, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave indications of our times in this hadith. Now the question is how would the knowledge has been taken away. Many ponder this question, but can't answer it because they are thinking about knowledge in terms of information and education.

In fact, there are more Islamic schools and scholars today, than my childhood, so Islamic information and education is not being taken away. Scholars with fancy ijazas (certificates) and beautiful traditional dresses rising to pulpit every friday, and every week there is a new Islamic institution opening up in USA.

On Sunday night, I attended an event of IQI, a local organization, where Quran is taught. Speaker went to great lengths to make a point that we shouldn't just read Quran, but implement Quran. However, the slides they showed or examples they put forward was mostly memorizing Arabic words, or reading style. There was not a single example of the implementation of Quran that I saw.

Interestingly, the head of the school that sponsored does not consider keeping a full beard important, which is a command of Allah. He does have alot of education on reading Quran, but I am not sure about implementing Quran. First thing a non-muslim sees is our face, and if we don't appear to be muslim, there is no dawah. Without dawah, what is the purpose of Quran. Whole purpose of Quran was to bring people to Allah.

Reading Quran with proper tajweed and memorizing it is not the goal. Having ijaza  from the scholar and giving speeches is not the goal. Reading hadith from Fazail-e-Amaal is not the goal. Celebrating Mother's day to show gratitude on one day for the mother is not goal. I gaurantee that our children will come and see us on mother's day and other 364 days will be "Kid's day". Arguing on raising hands during Salah is not the goal.

Knowledge or "Ilm" comes from the root word "know" which means the person with knowledge will have the information, and education, but most importantly know that the information is truth or not. Know that the information will harm or benefit. Know that information is obligation or optional. Know how to implement the information.

Today, the scholars with information and education are able to read Quran from memory, give speeches, quote ahadith. But, if a lame person comes and challenge them with proofs, they dismiss with wrong explaination, and when he brings the proof, ignore it. This is not knowledge. This is knowledge taken away.

There are a few whose chests have knowledge, but rest of the chests are void of the knowledge. There is alot of information, and there is years of education, but the knowledge is not present.

Let me give an example.

"Hast thou observed him who belieth religion? (1) That is he who repelleth the orphan, (2) And urgeth not the feeding of the needy." (Quran 107:1-3)

How many scholars do you know are running a homeless shelter in their masajid? Is IQI or DarulHifz taking their children to feed the homeless in Masjid Haq in downtown orladno? Is Islamic Center of Orlando reaching out to local shelters to see if they can provide food? If it is happening, I do not see.

How can the Muslims sleep in the night having people homeless on the street? Why there is not an implementation of this verse in our lives? I think we live like hypocrites and sleep in our comfy beds thinking we have done the obligation by reading some Arabic words that we have no knowledge.

Where is the drive from the Tablighi Jamat to provid grocery for Muslim families who are suffering? God forbid if the Biryani goes short on the travelling Jamat of rich fellows. What is this religion of fake traditions and fancy talk? May Allah keep me away from Islam, if this is the essence of it.

I do not recognize this as knowledge. I do not recognoze this as Scholars.

There is no "Knowledge" left. Count your days oh people, the time is approaching. Feed someone you do not know. Feed someone who has not eaten for a day. Feed someone who is not a muslim. Feed someone who is not able to feed himself.

I will try InshAllah myself to do the same, since I am guilty of the same. 

That is All!

JazakAllah Khairin
AbuArman

Al-Qaeeda vs Al-Islam

In the Name of Allah,

All praise due to Allah, the King and God of every human, beleiver or non-believer.

If I say something that is wrong, it is from my ego, and if I say something good, it is from Allah.

Islam forbids discussing vices of the dead, but allows explaination that is necassary for Ummah to hear. If you have not heard about the death of Usama bin Ladin, then there are bigger things to worry about then reading this blog. Only Allah knows for sure the depth of his evils, and we leave his account with Allah, but we cannot deny the damage he caused to Al-Islam by following his desires. I would like to bring up the aspect of this event that is more improtant then anything else.

It was a relief and joy to hear that Usama was killed, and this chapter was closed. It is a victory for Islam, and for muslims. When Umar ibn khattab was the Ameer, and caused a women to deliver her baby prematurely and the death of the infant as a result of startling her, there was a trial and he would have been put to death, if found guilty. If someone claims to be a muslim they should be ready to apply justice to their loved ones and themsleves if necassary. Usama is not even dirt of Umar, and if he was the head of Alqaeeda, then his death sentence is according to Islamic law.

In Addition, every Muslim should have one goal above all goals, and that is two fold. First, invite his own soul to Islam, and then other souls towards Islam. Everything in our lives should be judged against this goal, and if anything goes against this goal, we should abandon it. Moreover, Islam forbids killing any living being including animals as stated beleow.

Say: Come, I will recite unto you that ... ye slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred, save in the course of justice. This He hath command you, in order that ye may discern. (Quran 6:151)

However, Allah made some exceptions to this rule to keep justice and balance. He allowed killing of animals for our needs, by taking Allah's name, so the permission be granted for that. Any animal killed without the permission of Allah is slain in sin. Similarly, to deter humans from major crimes, death penalty is allowed, and killing a human is allowed while defending one's property, and defending Al-Islam. If there is someone who attacks muslims with the intention to wipe out Islam, we are not only allowed but obligated to fight that force to defend Islam. Even in that situation, anyone who surrenders or is a civilian should not be harmed, as stated below.

Narrated By Ibn 'Umar : During some of the Ghazawat of Allah's Apostle a woman was found killed, so Allah's Apostle forbade the killing of women and children.  (Bukhari Vol 4, Book 52:258)

"Fight the disbelievers in the Name of Allâh, neither breach a covenant nor entertain treachery, and under no circumstances a new-born, woman, an ageing man or a hermit should be killed; moreover neither trees should be cut down nor homes demolished. [Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.327; Rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 2/271]"

Al-Qaeeda, and other ignorant groups have twisted this sacred exception to allow fighting when no one is attacking with the intention of wiping out Islam. On top of that, they have broke the sacred rule to not kill women and children. It is the lack of faith in Allah that drives them to such extremes, because they are basically saying that following Allah's rules are hindering their success, and they can be bent. They are wrong on both counts, and are fighting against Allah. There is no army that is preparing to fight against Islam, rather President Hussein of USA has made clear of that.

"God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers.  (The Noble Quran, 60:8)"

I had a lengthy debate with a local scholar on this subject who was quoting the first verse of the above Surah, and claiming that we should not make friends with non-beleivers, but when I asked him to read on to the eighth verse above, he realized that Allah has explained about dealing justly who does not fight against Islam. I hope others see the truth, and abondan their hate.

On the contrary, Al-Qaeeda, Hammas (they are condemning Usama's killing), and other groups who are driving non-muslims away from Islam for their satisfaction of egos, have become the enemies of Islam. If someone to be fought to defend Islam, it is these Muslims that we should fight. USA is one of the few places on earth left where glimpses of Medina under Muhammad bin Abdullah (PBUH) can be seen, and it is this religous freedom that the Companions defended, and not the Muslim rule. They did not attack villages who were not accepting Islam unless they were planning to wipe out Islam.

This is not a struggle between Alqaeeda and non-muslims, but Alqaeeda and Al Islam.  I know that most ignore my words, but which side are you on? Al-Islam or Al-Qaeeda. Lets make the death of Usama, a foundation to build an Image of Islam that attracted millions 1400 years ago. We can start by setting up demonstrations against Alqaeeda and Hammas in our local communities, and denounce verbally the actions of who harm Islam by acting ignorantly.

JazakAllah Khairin

A "struggling" muslim

AbuArman