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