Islam Teaches Patience

Islam is 100% perfect because it was not created by man but by Allah Taa’la, and the message of Islam was brought to Muslims by our Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam). With our Prophet’s (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) example, Allah conveyed to us an example of protection for us to follow. One of the most important ideals practiced by Muhammad (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) was patience through the sunnah way of life.

In town called Ta’if, a city near Mecca, our Prophet (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) went to preach Islam to the people of Ta’if. Not only were his teachings rejected, our Prophet ((sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) was taunted, stoned, and chased out of town. He (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) was bleeding and the Angel Jibra’eel (Alayhis Salaam) came to Muhammad (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) and told him that if he wished, two angels would crush the town of Ta’if and the residents of Ta’if between the two mountains in which the town lied. But our Prophet (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) responded that the residents would accept Islam soon and there was no need to punish them. Our Prophet (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) was a magnificent and breathtaking example of patience. Allbu Akbar.

What if anyone of us were in such a position? Would we be able to control our anger and use resources as those presented to Prophet (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) to hurt others had done such hurt to us?

Allah mentions patience in the Quran numerous times.

"Be patient, for your patience is with the help of Allah." (16:127)

"Patiently, then, persevere - for the Promise of Allah is true, and ask forgiveness for your faults, and celebrate the praises of your Lord in the evening and in the morning." (40:55)

"No one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, none but persons of the greatest good fortune." (41:35)

"Verily man is in loss, except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds, and join together in the mutual enjoining of truth, and of patience and constancy." (103:2-3)

There are three kinds of patience that Islam reminds us of:
The first is patience through obedience; obeying Allah Taa’la.
The second is patience in troubled times.
And the third, patience in giving up sinful activities.
To be a believer of Islam, one must possess all three types of patience.
The Prophet (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) said: “Hastiness is from the devil”
Patience is a great virtue and with patience, Allah allows reward.
May Allah Taa’la accept our patience and reward for our good deeds. Insha’Allah.
As Somali, Hassan. Those whom Allah loves. 2008 December 2008. .

A letter from Shaitaan (Shaitan)

I found this at the Islamic Information website.

A letter from Shaitaan (Shaitaan means devil)

I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores. You awoke without stopping to pray. As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your meals, or pray before going to bed last night. You are so unthankful, I like that about you. I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living, Fool, you are mine.

Remember, you and I have been going steady for years, and I still don't love you yet. As a matter of fact, I hate you, because I hate God. I am only using you to get even with God. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay him back. You see, Fool, GOD LOVES YOU and HE has great plans in store for you. But you have yielded your life to me and I'm going to make your life a living hell. That way we'll be together twice. This will really hurt God. Thanks to you.

I'm really showing Him who's boss in your life. With all of the good times we've had..... We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people, out partying, stealing, lying, being hypocritical, indulging in fornication, overeating, telling dirty jokes, gossiping, back stabbing people, disrespecting adults and those in leadership position, NO respect for the mosque, bad attitudes: SURELY you don't want to give all this up.

Come on, Fool, let's burn together forever. I've got some hot plans for us. This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you. I'd like to say "Thanks!" for letting me use you for most of your foolish life. You are so gullible, I laugh at you. When you are tempted to sin, you give in HA HA HA, you make me sick. Sin is beginning to take its toll on your life. You look 20 years older, I need new blood. So go ahead and teach some children how to sin.

All you have to do is smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, cheat, gamble, gossip, fornicate, and listen to and dance to the top 10 jams. Do all of this in the presence of children and they will do it too. Kids are like that. Well, Fool, I have to let you go for now. I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again. If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, ask forgiveness from Him, live for God with what little bit of life that you have left. It's not my nature to warn anyone, but to be your age and still sinning, it's becoming a bit ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you...... IT'S JUST THAT YOU'D MAKE A BETTER FOOL FOR GOD.

Islamic Stories #2: How It All Started

This is one of my favorites and it brings tears to my eyes each and every time.

Nearly 4,000 years ago in Sumerian town of Ur in the Valley of the River Euphrates (now a southern province of Iraq), lived a young man named Abraham. The people of Ur once worshipped Allah, but as time passed they forgot their true faith, and started praying and worshipping idols as statutes made of wood and clay and sometimes even stones. Abraham could not understand this. How could people worship things they made with their own hands? He would often leave the town to sit alone and think about the heavens and the earth and world around him. He believed wholeheartedly that the worship of his people was wrong and that there was a right way of worship.

One night, Abraham sat staring at the sky and saw a beautiful shining star, so he said “This must be Allah!” (Quran vi.77) The star then faded away and he became disappointed. Another night Abraham saw the rising moon and he though to himself “This is my Lord.” (Quran vi. 78) But the set and Abraham began to wonder: “Unless my Lord guide me, I surely shall become one of the folk who are astray.” (Quran vi. 78).

Abraham started to see the beauty in the moon and the sun and the stars. Abraham began to realize that Allah was the most powerful and Allah was the creator of everything: the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, etc. This understanding made Abraham feel at ease, because he finally realized the truth. He went back to his father and the town’s folks and inquired what it they worshiped. They told him that they worshipped and were devoted to idols. He asked them if their idols heard them when they cried or did their idols benefit them in any way or harm them. They responded in the negative.

To this, Abraham became angry and told them that Allah created them and guided them. It was Allah who fed them and it was from Allah that they drank water. It was Allah who healed when they were sick. It was Allah who allowed death and it would be Allah that lifted humanity to the heavens and Allah who would forgive them for their sins.

What do you worship? They said: We worship idols, and are ever devoted to them. He said: Do they hear you when you cry? Or do they benefit or harm you? They said: Nay, but we found our fathers acting in this manner. He said: See now that which you worship, you and your forefathers! Lo! They are (all) an enemy to me, except the Lord of the Worlds. Who created me, and He guides me, And Who feeds me and waters me. And when I sicken, then He heals me. And Who causes me to die, then gives me life (again) And Who, I ardently hope, will forgive me my sin on the Day of Judgment. (Quran xxvi.70-82)

One day, when the townspeople were away, Abraham smashed the idols, expect for the ones they were too large. They asked Abraham who had done such a thing, and Abraham responded that they should ask their Gods. To this, the people responded that the idols do not speak.

To this, Abraham responded: ‘Do you worship what you yourselves have carved when Allah created you and what you make?' ‘Do you worship instead of Allah that which cannot profit you at all, nor harm you?' (Quran xxxvii.9S—6, xxi.66).

Abraham then issued a warning to the townspeople:

Serve Allah, and keep your duty unto Him; that is better for you if you did but know. You serve instead of Allah only idols, and you only invent a lie. Lo! Those whom you serve instead of Allah own no provision for you. So seek your provision from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him, (for) unto Him you will be brought back. (Quran, xxix. 16-17)

The people decided to punish Abraham by burning him to death. The King of Ur and the townspeople gathered as Abraham was put into a closed-off building filled and made with wood. The fire was so bad that the people were pushed back by the flames.

Allah said: “O’fire, be coolness and peace for Abraham.” (Quran, xxi. 69)

When the fire died down, they saw Abraham sitting as if nothing happened. The people of Ur, despite the miracle before them, still not convinced of the presence and power of Allah. Abraham implored his father to stop serving the devil and to reject the gods of Ur, and his father would not. Abraham was threatened with stoning, and left Ur, sadly without his father.

Abraham left his home and went into the wilderness alone. He could not remain in Ur among people who worshipped statutes. He travelled long and far and then settled in what is not Palestine. This is where he married Sarah. Unfortunately, Sarah and Abraham were not blessed with a child and Abraham married another woman, Hagar who gave him a son, Ishmael. Years later, Sarah had a son and they named him Isaac. Allah told Abraham to leave Palestine to a new land with Hagar and Ishmael only.

Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael leaving Palestine was a wonderful and important part of Allah’s plan for Islam. You see, the decedents of Ishmael would form a nation from which a prophet would be born that would guide the people in the way of Allah. This would be Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him). From the decedents of Sarah’s son, Isaac, would come Moses and Jesus.

Well Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael left Palestine and travelled until they reached what is now Mecca. There was no water in the valley of Mecca, but Abraham left Hagar and Ishmael knowing Allah would take care of them. With no water, Hagar found two hills, one called Safa and the other Marwah. She went up one hill and found no water. Then she went up the second hill and again, found none. She did this seven times going up and down both hills. Then she returned to her son and to her surprise she found a spring of water bubbling out from the earth beneath him. The spring, near where Hagar and Ishmael settled, was later called Zamzam.

The area where Hagar and her son settled became the city of Mecca. Abraham would visit his family from time to time, travelling from Palestine to Mecca. During one of his visits to Mecca, Allah commanded Abraham and Ishmael to build the rebuild the Ka’bah, the very first place that people worshipped Allah. Allah told them exactly how to build it – it would stand straight up by the wall of Zamzam and be in the shape of a cube. Its eastern corner was to be built using black stone that fell to earth from heaven, and was brought to them by an angel from the hill of Abu Qubays. Abraham and Ishmael worked hard and prayed that Allah would send a prophet from among their decedents.

After the completion of the Kabah, Allah commanded Abraham to call mankind to his Holy House. Abraham was not sure if anyone would hear his call, but Allah told him that Abraham would call them and Allah would bring them. This call is how the pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca started and til this day, the people of Islam continue to answer the call of Abraham.

Islamic Stories #1: The Prophet is Born

These weres stories I heard growing up and I wanted to share them.

One day, an Arab tribe of Mecca was traveling and met a hermit in the desert, and some of the men in the group stopped to speak with him. Hermits were known for being wise and the tribes relied on them for advice in those days. The hermit asked the group where they were from and they responded that they were from Mecca. Then, the hermit told them that soon Allah would send them a prophet, and that prophet would be born among their people. The hermit also told them that the new prophet’s name would be "Muhammad" and that he would guide them into a new way of life.

Meanwhile, back in Mecca, Aminah, the mother of our soon-to-be prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him, was saddened by the loss of her husband, and was at the time pregnant with a boy. During her pregnancy, she had many dreams, and one occasion, she dreamt that there was a great light shining out of her, and on another occasion, she dreamt that she heard a voice telling her that she would have a boy and his name would be "Muhammad." She never forgot that voice, but kept her dream to herself.

On a Monday, the 12th day of Rabi al-Awwal, in the year of the Elephant, Aminah gave birth to her son. Allah had sent many signs that one of his chosen prophets would be born on that date in the year 570 A.D., and these signs were seen. Many Jewish scholars who read the scriptures knew of these signs. One of the scholars of the town of Yathrib saw a brillant new star in the sky that he had never seen before the night our prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was born. He called the people around him to show them the star and told them that that sign meant that the new prophet was born.

The same night, another Jew passed the meeting place of Qurayash in Mecca. He asked them if a baby boy had just been born among their people. His question was confirmed and he told them if that were true, then the boy would be the Prophet of the Arab nation.

Aminah sent news of the birth to her father-in-law, Abd al-Muttalib, who was sitting near the Kabah when the news came. He was delighted and began to think of a name for the child. Six days had passed and he was not able to find the right name for the child. On the seventh day, Abd al-Muttalib feel asleep near the Kabah, and dreamt that he should name the child "Muhammad", just as Aminah had dreamt. Thus, the child was called Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The name Muhammad means "the Praised One."

When Abd al-Muttalib was asked by the leaders of Qurayash what he named his grandson. Many asked him why he would choose such a name and not a name that their people would name. He told them that he wanted his grandson to be praised by "Allah in the heavens and by men on earth."