Thursday, November 15, 2012

2012/13 AD - 1434H.......


The Islamic calendar just took us into 1434H while the Georgian calendar will take us to 2013AD in less than a month and a half. How fast is time moving, yet it's so slow when we are waiting anxiously for something to happen with a hope of seeing a change for the better.On the other extreme time moves so fast when we see something undesirable approaching us.Tragedy always hits us before we're ready.

Things are still dangerous and uncertain in some of the Islamic countries, especially in the middle east and Africa. On wonders sometimes as to who or what really caused the fightings and bloodbath, the sufferings and the deaths. Are the Muslims themselves responsible for the turmoils and the massacre, or are there outside provocateurs and agitators, be they Muslims or otherwise?

The Islamic greeting "Assalamu alaikum" means "Peace be on you all" and it reflects the nature of the true Muslim - a peaceful and well-meaning person. The religion preaches a peaceful and forgiving attitude towards life, being trustworthy and helpful to those in need of help, and treating life on earth as a bridge to an afterlife where Heaven awaits the good and God-loving while Hell awaits the bad and unGodly. How you interpret 'the good' and 'the bad', the "God-loving' and the unGodly' depends on the faith you hold and the holy book that you based your faith on.

I wonder sometimes as to why some people question the faith and religion other people adopt. Aside from the fact that people often adopt the religion they are born into, the choice is basically theirs.The unfortunate thing is that the young are often not taught enoungh of the faith and religion their parents adopt to remain faithful to that faith and religion. Sometimes the method of teaching is unattractive, too authoritative, oppressive or too prohibitive for the young.What more when the enforcement of the religion is too inhibitive for the young who are just beginning to understand and enjoy the meaning of life. Especially when religion is supposed to enhance and liberate the soul....

But of more immediate concern are the turmoils, enmities and animosities among the adult Muslims themselves, as caused by political interests and affiliations, be it between Muslims in the same country or among Muslim countries. How could you as Muslims hate and antagonize other Muslims whereas you are supposed to be brothers and sisters? How could you fight and kill each other violating all the rules of good conduct and religious ethics in Islam? Can you truly say you are a Muslim when do all those things?

I hope the year 1434 H will make all Muslims sit back and think of what they are and where they are in today's world. If you could not live happily with fellow Muslims, can you ever live happily with others? Do you always think that you're a better or 'purer' Muslim than your neighbors in the same country or abroad? What does Allah and His Prophet say about who the truest or purest Muslim is? Wallahu alam.

4 comments:

abdulhalimshah said...

Akhi,
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) had forewarned us that the Muslim Ummah would be divided into more than 70 groups and only one is on the right path, ie. Ahlu Sunnah Waljamaah. Thus it is why we see that there are so many flash point of unrest and turmoil in the Muslim world. We must understand the theme of this year's Maal Hijrah. "Wassitiyah" is the path of Islam which we must abide with and embrace all Muslim as brothers and sisters without malice. We must not be split into that 70 plus groups as mentioned in the "Hadith".

norzah said...

Yes, Prophet Muhammad SAW forewarned us that Islam will break up into 73 groups, Akhi and that only one group is on the right path. We wonder how the various groups will really get together to follow that rightful path, through inclusivity I hope and not through exclusivity by weeding out the non-conformists.
However what we see today is not a head-on clash between the various mazhabs or schools of thoughts, but between Muslims following the same mazhab as triggered by differences in political parties and foreign allignments. The foreign provocateurs are more dangerous than the internal dissenters to the mainstream religious sect. By supporting the internal dissenters, the foreign elements can help to destroy the country or bring it under their foold...
More worrisome is the support received by the biblical/quranic enemy of the Muslims to mercilessly attack the Muslims on retaliatory grounds with their superior armory and war machines . Further their claims to retaliatory action received ready and ample support for their allies. The Muslims under duress could not count on military support from other Muslims nations for directly supporting a war which kills thousands of people would not be in line with the principles of Islam.
So, where do we go from there?

abdulhalimshah said...

Akhi,
Allahu a'lam. I really cannot give you the answer Akhi. As long as we depend on the Americans for our survival in material and social terms we can never be united. We are at the mercy of their mighty war-machine and their cohorts.

norzah said...

We've seen what Sandy could do to the mighty US of A. Akhi. We Muslims never wish for any disaster to strike anyone on this planet nor exuberate in the misery of any human being. What we seek of Allah is only a fair reminder to everyone that His power and might exceed any other power on earth. And He is most fair and just. Any human race that goes out of the straight line which He prescribes will be severely dealt with as had happened to past civilizations. Subhanallah.