IB_18

Page 9

The Islamic Bulletin

Issue 18

matter has been decided by Allah and His messenger, to

have any option about their decision. If anyone disobeys

Allah and His messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong

path.” (Holy Quran 33:36)

These verses clearly show that to believe in the prophet

(PBUH) is integral to believe in Allah. When we state our

“Shahada” (declaration of faith), we say: “I bear witness that

there is no god except Allah and Mohammad is the messen-

ger of Allah.” It is imperative that we include the prophet

also. This assertion is important for two reasons:

1- To affirm our position that we truly believe Mohammad to

Allah’s last messenger.

2- To ensure that we remember that he is only the messenger

of Allah.

This keeps us from elevating the status of Mohammad from a

messenger/prophet to that of being the deity, the Christians’

church has done with Jesus (PBUH).

The first thing Allah asks us to do is to believe Him and His

messenger. This belief implies obedience as well as seen in

the above verses.

The second thing that Allah asks us: “that ye strive (your

utmost) in the cause of Allah with your wealth and per-

sonsâ€¦” Allah says: “Tujaahiduuna Fe sabillilah.” The Arabic

word “Tujaahiduuna” comes from the word “Jahada” which

means: he strives and endeavored, or took great pains to ac-

complish something. So we can say that the word “tujahidu-

una” means devoting serious effort or energy to Allah’s cause

“fi sabillilah”. To strive in Allah’s cause means one must

endeavor to bring one’s life in concert with the teachings of

the Quran and to establish Islamic life in his own personal

life, in his community and the world. Allah says: “Tujaahidu-

una fi sabillilah bi amwaalikum wa anfusikum,” that we must

attempt to accomplish this with our wealth and persons. The

Arabic word “amwal” means property, possessions, money,

assets, wealth, etc.

We must strive in Allah’s cause utilizing all of the halal means

in our possession. Donating money, building or establishing

Islamic institutions, or even by sharing Islamic knowledge can

do this - because knowledge is indeed an asset. True and the

proper knowledge of Quran are a wealth beyond measure.

Allah says that we must also strive in his cause with our per-

sons. He says: “wa anfusikum” strive with your soul, mind,

life, etc. We are to strive with our wealth and the most price-

less comes from the Arabic word “Nafusa” which means to

be precious, valuable, and priceless. We are to give our lives

too, and in the cause of Allah figuratively and literally also

by saying that. We should strive with our persons (selves), it

so implied that we must let our character our behavior, our

speech, and our actions be a means of striving in the cause

of Allah. We must utilize the innate talents, all skills that

Allah has instilled in us, we must use any and all halal means

in advancing in the cause of Allah. We must strive our utmost

to the best of our abilities, powers, and resources. Allah

says:” Khayrlakum in kuntom ta’alamoon.” “That would be

best, (more excellence) for you if you only knew.” It is better

than anything is else that if we only knew it. This is our side

of the bargain; we are to believe in Allah and His messenger

and strive in his cause utilizing our wealth and persons.

But what of Allah’s end of the bargain? What does the

Most Beneficent one offer us in return for our effort? As we

already know, the first thing is safety from a grievous pun-

ishment. Allah says that He will forgive our sins. He says:

“Waghfirlakum dhunuubikum”, he will forgive your sins. Al-

lah says that he will forgive us and grant us a pardon for our

sins, crimes, and misdeed. This one thing in itself is enough

to constitute a bargain. For how many of us are free from

sin? Allah mentions in the Quran that if he were to punish

mankind for their wrong doings, He would not leave a single

creature on the earth. After forgiving our sins, Allah says:

“Yad khilkum janatin tajree min tahtehal anharo wa masaki-

na tayebaten fi janaten.”

DATE: STARTING TODAY AND EVERYDAY

DEAR BELIEVERS,

I saw you yesterday as you began

your daily chores. You awoke with-

out kneeling 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.

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. Thanks to you. With

all of the good times we’ve had.......

We have been watching dirty mov-

ies, 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 fromme 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, yougive inHAHAHA, youmakeme sick. Sin is beginning to take

its toll on your life. You look 20 years older, I need newblood. 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 toanddance to the top10 jams.Doall 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 youwere smart, youwould run somewhere, live for Godwith

what little bit of life that you have left. It’s not my nature towarn 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’DMAKE A BETTER FOOL FOR YOURSELF.

Waiting for you,

Shaytan (Satan) Devil Iblis

’

upplication

)

the

prophet

ohammed

(

pbuh

)

aif

“Al-Lahuma Elaika Nashku Dh’afa Quwatina Wa-Qilata Hila-

tina Wa-Hawana A’lan-Nas, ya Arhamar-rahimeen, ya rub-

al-Mustad’afeen, Anta Rabuna. ila man takiluna illa Qawmin

Yastad’ifunaAmillaA’dowinWakaltahuAmruna...in-lamyakun

laka a’lyna Ghadabun fala nubalee. Naoothu biwajhiakal ald-

hi ashraqat luhudh-Dhulumat was-saluha ali-hi amrad-dunia

wal-akhira ala yahal alyna ghadabuk Aou yanzil alina sakhatuk

lakal-u’qba hata tarda wala hawla wala quata ala biyk.”

“Oh, my Allah! To Thee I complain of the feebleness of my

strength, of my lack of resources and of my being unimportant

in the eyes of people. Oh, Most Merciful of all those capable

of showing mercy! Thou art the Lord of the weak, and Thou

art my own Lord. To whom art Thou to entrust me; to an

unsympathetic folk who would sullenly frown at me, or to an

alien to whom Thou hast given control over my affairs? Not

in the least do I care for anything except that I may have Thy

protection for myself. I seek shelter in Your light - The light

that illuminates the Heavens and dispels all sorts of darkness,

and which controls all affairs in this work as well as in the

Hereafter. May it never be that I should incur Thy wrath, or

that Thou should be displeased with me. I must remove the

cause of Thy displeasure until Thou art pleased. There is no

strength nor power but through Thee.”

etter

rom

haytan

evil

)