General
From Issue: 317 [Read full issue]
| Living the Quran |
Al-Hadid
(Iron)
Establishing justice was the main mission of the Prophets of Allah. Muslims are urged in the Quran to live with justice and to carry on this prophetic mission in the world. In many places in the Quran Allah reminded the Believers and urged them to uphold justice for all people and under all circumstances. What is Justice? Justice is described in the Quran with two important words: Al-Adl and Al-Qist. Al-Adl means “equity, balance.” It means doing things in a proportionate manner, avoiding extremes. Al-Qist means “share, portion, measure, allotment, amount.” It means that every one and every thing has a due. One who gives every one and everything its due is “Muqsit” and the one who takes away others dues is called “Qasit”. Justice thus means to maintain the balance and to give every one and every thing its proper due. It means living one’s own life in a balanced way maintaining the balance between the needs of the body, mind and soul. It also means recognizing:
The opposite of justice in Islam is not only injustice, but oppression and corruption. The opposite of Adl is Zulm, which means “disorder, wrong, oppression and evil.” Wherever there is injustice, it will lead to oppression, exploitation, evil and corruption. There is a very nice saying of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” When people do injustice or tolerate injustice in one place, sooner or later its terrible effects reach to other places. Injustice brings the downfall of mighty nations. Imam Ibn Taymiah (d. 1328) used to say: “The nations may live long in spite of their disbelief, but they cannot live long when they do oppression.” Injustice in the world today: Today there is a lot of injustice in our world. There is social injustice, economic injustice and political injustice. There are problems of racism, religious prejudices and propaganda. The gap between the haves and have-nots is increasing. There are problems caused by poverty, hunger, malnutrition, death of children and diseases. There are problems caused by the denial of human rights, basic freedoms, occupation of lands, terrorism, wars, and weapons of mass destruction. We are living in a broken world. The hearts are broken, families are broken, relations are broken, homes are broken, cities and towns are broken. We need to heal this brokenness and it can only come by bringing justice to the world. There cannot be any peace without justice and there cannot be any justice without reforming our thinking, our behaviour and our policies. It is strange that there is so much talk today about seeking safety and security, but very little about how to bring justice to those who are suffering under deep oppression and occupation. The world cannot be safe unless it becomes more just and fair world. The Role of Muslims: We Muslims should play an important role in bringing justice to the world. We have to live by the guidance of Allah, establish justice and fairness among ourselves and be a good example to others. We should not only work for ourselves but for the whole world. We must remember that injustice cannot be removed by another injustice. We must love for others what we love for ourselves. We need to work and cooperate with others. Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
| Working always for both religious and worldly matters The Muslim is required to work for his living and to be productive and creative, until the very end of his life. He should not procrastinate in the working of the land, and this is what Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) taught us when he said: "If the world is about to end and one of you has a palm tree plant in his hand, he should plant it before he dies, if he can." Why should he plant it if the world is about to end? Why should he plant it if he is not going to live till he can pick its fruit? There is not even somebody who is going to live after him so that he can say: "People before us planted so that we can eat, and we are planting to provide those after us with food," because when the world ends it ends for everybody. The idea here is to glorify work for the sake of work and to keep the Muslim productive and creative until the last moment of his life, and as long as he is able to work. If this is required for man's worldly matters how could it be possible that the same would not be asked of his religious activity? How can religion be lower in priority than worldly matters? The Muslim is required to observe the commands of his religion as much as he can. He should advise people to do good deeds and to be charitable and to avoid committing evil deeds. They should fight for the cause of Allah, and against evil and decadence. They should also collaborate with their brother Muslims in doing good and worshipping Allah. The texts which have come with all these commands have not been abolished, and are not specific to a particular time. They are permanent and will be there until Allah inherits the land and its inhabitants. Source: |
| Blindspot! |
Allah is Merciful to His Servants It was reported that one of the righteous people was passing through the street when he saw an open door out of which came a boy who was crying and weeping, followed by his mother who was pushing him out. She shut the door in his face, and went back inside. The boy went a short distance away, and stood there, thinking, but he could find no other refuge than the house from which he had been expelled and no one else who would care for him as his mother would. Broken hearted, he went back, and found the door still locked. So he lay down on the doorstep and went to sleep, with the tear marks still streaking his face. A little while later, his mother came out. When she saw him in this state, she could not help herself. She embraced him, kissed him and started to weep, saying: “O my son, where did you go? Who would care for you except me? Didn’t I tell you not to disobey me and not to make me punish you, when Allah has made me merciful and caring towards you?” Then she picked him up and went back inside. But the Prophet (peace be upon him) told us: “Allah loves His servants more than a woman loves her child.” (Reported by Muslim). In fact, there is no comparison between the love of a mother for her child and that of Allah, whose mercy encompasses all things. You must know, dear reader, that true repentance of sins brings with it humility and devotion to Allah. The pleading of the penitent is loved by Him. What follows after repentance is obedience to a greater degree – sometimes to the extent that Satan regrets that he has even enticed you into that sin at all. The change in a person who sincerely repents becomes readily apparent. Allah will not abandon one who turns to Him in repentance. When a servant of Allah throws himself at His door, weeping and pleading, “O my Lord, have mercy upon him who has no one to show him mercy except You, no helper except You, no refuge except in You, no saviour except You – I am Your servant in need of You, dependent upon you, a beggar at Your door - You are my refuge, with You is my shelter, there is no refuge but with You nor escape from You except to You,” do you think Allah would turn him away? Come along, then, to good deeds, virtuous living, and righteous companions. Beware of deviations after knowing the right direction and of error after having been guided. And Allah is with you. Source: |
