Page 1
The Islamic Bulletin
Issue 11
Issue 11
V
ol
. XXII, N
o
. 27
in
this
issue
L
etters
to
the
E
ditor
.......................... 2
T
he
C
harge of
the
S
word
. ................. 4
I
slamic
D
ietary
L
aws
........................... 5
C
ook
’
s
C
orner
.................................. 7
K
id
’
s
C
orner
..................................... 8
W
omen
in
I
slam
................................. 8
W
hy
I E
mbraced
I
slam
........................ 8
T
he
M
iracles of
the
Q
ur
’
an
. .............. 11
S
tories of
the
S
ahabas
........................ 13
S
ayings of
the
P
rophet
....................... 14
D
eath
-- A
re
Y
ou
R
eady
?.................... 14
B
ook
R
eview
...................................... 15
T
he
I
slamic
B
ulletin
Published by the
Islamic Community of
Northern California
A Non-Profit Corporation
P.O. Box 410186
San Francisco, CA 94141-0186
E-Mail:
info@islamicbulletin.orgWebsite:
http://www.islamicbulletin.orgT
o
G
od
W
e
B
elong
and
T
o
H
im
W
e
R
eturn
Life is a brilliant demonstration of God’s wisdom and knowledge, a vivid reflection
of His art and power. He is the Giver and Creator of life.
Nothing comes to existence by chance, and nobody creates himself or anybody
else. Life is a dear and cherishable asset, and no sensible or normal person would
like to lose it by choice. Even those who feel so desperate and take their lives by
committing slow suicide, try in the last minute to regain their existence and wish
to capture a second chance to live. Life is given to man by God, and He is the only
Rightful One to take it back; no one else has the right to destroy a life. This is why
Islam forbids all kinds of suicide and self-destruction, and recommends patience
and good Faith when a dear soul passes away.
When a murderer is executed in punishment, his life is taken away by the right of
God and in accordance with His Law.
When God gives life to man, it is not in vain that He endows him with unique
qualities and great abilities. Nor is it in vain that He charges him with certain
obligations. God means to help man to fulfill the purpose of life and realize the
goal of existence. He means to help him to learn the creative art of living and
enjoy the good taste of life according to the Divine guidance. Life is a trust from
God, and man is a trustee who should handle his trust with honesty and skill, with
mindfulness of God and with consciousness of responsibility to Him.
Life may be likened to a journey starting from a certain point and ending at a
certain destination. It is a transitory stage, an introduction to the Eternal Life in
the Hereafter. In this journey man is a traveler and should be concerned with only
what is of use to him in the Future Life. He should do all the good he can and
make himself fully prepared to move any minute to Eternity. He should consider
his life on this earth as a chance provided for him to make the best of it while he
can, because when his time to leave comes he can never delay it for one second.
If his term expires, it will be too late to do anything about it or extend it; but if
the person is determined to persist in evil and refuses to repent, then hell is the
inevitable consequence. The best use of life is to live it according to the teachings
of God and to make it a safe passage to the Future Life of Eternity. Because life
is so important as a means to an ultimate end, Islam has laid down a complete
system of regulations and principles to show man how to live it, what to take and
what to leave, what to do and what to shun, and so on. All men come from God,
and there is no doubt that they shall return to Him.
There is a time limit for everyone. All a person has to do to gain God’s forgiveness
is to ask for it while there is still time, in this life.