But Allah (swt) says in Surat Al-Kahf (Chapter of the Cave):

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ

“Say ‘I am only a man like you, to whom it has been revealed that your god is one God,’” (18:110).

The Prophet ﷺ was not an angel, nor a demigod, nor a jinn. He was a human being, a son of Adam `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him)—granted the best of the children of Adam (as), but still human. This means that aside from the miracles facilitated to him by Allah (swt), and the revelations he received through God’s angel Jibreel (as), what he did and the way he behaved and lived his life were something a human can do. It was not supernatural!

Allah (swt) says in Surat Al Anbiya’ (Chapter of the Prophets):

قُلْ لَوْ كَانَ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَلَائِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَلَكًا رَسُولًا

“Say ‘If there were upon the earth angels walking securely, We would have sent down to them from the heaven an angel [as a] messenger.’” (Qur’an 17:95)

If Allah (swt) had sent an angel for us to follow, how could we do so? Instead, all the prophets and messengers of Allah (swt) are humans, but humans who truly lived, practiced and breathed the message of Allah (swt). `A’isha radi Allahu `anhaa (may God be pleased with her) said of the Prophet ﷺ: “His manners were the Qur’an.” If we want to understand our religion, we must understand the way the Prophet ﷺ lived his life and understand why we should emulate him and practice his sunnah (tradition).

Allah (swt) says in Surat Al-Ahzab (Chapter of the Combined Forces):

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.” (Qur’an 33:21)

We need to get to know the Prophet’s ﷺ personality better by reading his seerah (biography) and by studying his sunnah, and then by putting into practice all of his good qualities.

It is no secret that Islam is being attacked. Whether from within, by people who commit atrocities in the name of Islam such as ISIS and Al-Qa’idah, or from outside by the rising tide of Islamophobia and the subtle, and not-so-subtle, attacks on and mockery of Islam and Muslims. Our religion has been hijacked by a statistically insignificant minority who share nothing with the teachings of our faith other than a name. Their evil actions give reason and excuse for people of ill intent to try to smear this beautiful religion, using the actions of this minority as an excuse to attack Muslims and create a tremendous fitnah (trial) for us all. It is shaking the weak-hearted to the core and confusing those of us who, all of a sudden, find ourselves in the midst of a very disorienting storm.

Is this something new, or has it happened before? Let us take a quick look back at a couple of major events in our Prophet’s ﷺ life.

In the tenth year of prophethood, the Prophet ﷺ went to Al-Tayef, which is about 60 miles from Mecca. He travelled by foot, both ways, and in his company was his servant Zayd Bin Harithah (ra). Every time they stopped by a village or town, he would invite its people to Islam and none would answer his invitation. When he arrived at Al-Tayef he sought out three brothers who were prominent figures of the tribe of Thaqeef. He sat with them and invited them to Allah (swt) and to aid Islam. One of the brothers said to him, “I will rip the cloth off the Ka’abah if God sent you,” while the other said, “Did God not find anyone better than you?” and the third said, “By God I will never speak to you, for if you are a prophet then you are dangerous to engage in conversation and if you are lying then I should not be speaking to someone like you.” So the Prophet ﷺ left them and said, “Then please do not tell others about me.” (The Sealed Nectar, p148)

The Prophet ﷺ stayed with the people of Al-Tayef for ten days and he did not leave any of their honorable or respected figures without speaking to them about Islam. They all told him to leave their land and kicked him out. They also egged the lowly ones from among them, and their slaves, to yell and curse at the Prophet ﷺ and Zayd (ra) as they were leaving. People gathered and formed two lines and, along with cursing and yelling, threw pebbles and rocks at them until the heels of Prophet ﷺ bled. Zayd (ra) was trying to protect the Prophet ﷺ with his own body, was hit in the head, and bled. People continued to abuse them until three miles later, the Prophet ﷺ and his Companion got to a vineyard and they rested under the shade of its plants.

The Prophet ﷺ himself was humiliated, hurt and broken-hearted. What did he do?

Imam Bukhari reports that `A’isha (ra) asked the Prophet ﷺ if he had experienced a day that was harder on him than the day of the Battle of Uhud. The Prophet ﷺ replied that he had seen his fair share from her people, but the worst was when he went to Al-Tayef to invite its people to Islam. He said, “…then I left, saddened and downtrodden, until I realized that I had arrived at Qarn Al-Thaalib. While there, a cloud cast its shadow upon me. I looked up and the Angel Jibreel was on it, and he said, ‘God has heard what the people said to you and how they responded and He has sent the angel of the mountains with me to command him with whatever you may please.’ At that, moment the angel of the mountains called the Prophet and asked, ‘O Muhammad, you shall have whatever you please. If you so desire, I can close the two mountains on them.’ [The people of Al-Tayef lived between two mountains.] The Prophet replied, ‘But I wish that God would send from among them people who would worship Him alone and not associate any in worship with Him.’”

This is why Allah (swt) says about the Prophet ﷺ in Surat Al-Anbiya’:

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ

“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” (21:107)

He was the most merciful person. Allah (swt) called him “a mercy to the worlds”. He was merciful to his family, followers, friends, even enemies. He was merciful to young and old, to humans and to animals. Those who persecuted him in Makkah and killed his relatives and his followers, when they were defeated in battles and brought to him as captives, were forgiven by him. He asked them, “What do you think I am to do to you today?” and they replied, “Nothing but good, a generous brother the son of a generous brother.” He replied, “I shall say to you what Yusuf (as) said to his brothers: ‘No blame on you today.’”

He did not ever take revenge or retaliate. He was the most forgiving person. His concern was that the message of Allah (swt) made it through to hardened hearts. Yet we say, “He was a prophet akhi, how am I to compare myself to him?”

Allah (swt) says in Surat Al-Baqarah (Chapter of the Cow):

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ ۖ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” (Qur’an 2:214)

We are living in difficult times and many questions surround us.

How do we counter sick-hearted people who want to turn our children into murderers under the false guise of Islam?

How do we answer Islamophobia?

How do we answer our children’s questions about a distorted image of Islam?

How do we uphold the Prophet’s ﷺ honor?

By learning and understanding the life he lived. The morals he exemplified. The actions he took. By building ourselves in the same methodical way he built his followers. You start with faith and solidify it in your heart. Then you apply the beauty of that faith to all of your actions.

قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

“Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.’” (Qur’an 3:31)

To follow him, we must understand him.

The time is now for us to focus on what is most important.

It is not the environment you live in. The Prophet ﷺ grew up in a time where people circumambulated the Ka`bah naked and worshipped idols.

It is not the lack of a full-time Islamic school that makes our children grow up detached from this religion.

It is not that we do not have an imam (religious leader). We have the example of a great imam, may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, but even though we have him, he is not going to raise our children for us.

The responsibility lies with us. We are the ones responsible for understanding our faith and raising our kids to be proud of, and to fully embrace and practice, their Muslim identity.

Allah (swt) says in Surat Muhammad:

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

“So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows of your movement and your resting place.” (Qur’an 47:19)

We are told to ‘know’ before we are told to ask for forgiveness. The most telling evidence that we must have knowledge first before we take action is that the first verse of the Qur’an to be revealed was:

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ

“Recite in the name of your Lord who created.” (Qur’an 96:1)

Reading is the key to knowledge. Islam started with knowledge and learning before action, and therefore it is incumbent upon each one of us to learn our deen (religion). Learn and know what is obligated upon you for the sake of Allah (swt), for your own sake, for your family’s sake, your neighbors, your community, your society and humanity as a whole.

Knowledge is a fardh (obligation) on every Muslim. This obligation is two kinds. One is what is known in Islam as fard kifayah, or an obligation that is fulfilled if a sufficient number of Muslims within a community perform it. For example, not every Muslim needs to be a scholar of Islam, or an expert in hadith (traditions of the Prophet ﷺ) or tafseer (exegesis of the Qur’an). It is an obligatory knowledge, but if a sufficient number of people possess it, then the sin of not performing the obligation is lifted from the rest of the Muslims. This is true for all kinds of knowledge, not only Islamic or religious knowledge. This means that not everyone needs to be a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer; rather, a sufficient number of people should have that knowledge, helping their societies become self-sufficient rather than needing to import expertise.

The second form of knowledge is that which is fard `ayn, or obligatory on each and every Muslim. Every Muslim must learn of their religion that which corrects, strengthens and improves their faith.

The best way to fight Islamophobia is to understand and practice our Islam: to engage people as a Muslim and to live our lives as Muslims. Therefore, wearing the hijab is fighting Islamophobia. Resisting lusts and temptations is fighting Islamophobia. Understanding Islam is fighting Islamophobia.

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم المؤمن القوي خير عند الله من المؤمن الضعيف وفي كل خير

Imam Muslim reported that Abu Hurayrah has narrated that the Prophet ﷺ  has said: “A strong believer is better and dearer/more loved by Allah than a weak believer and both are good.”

I never paid much attention to this hadeeth but this time it made me stop and think. Why is it that, even among the believers, the stronger one is more beloved to Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He)? Islam, in all of its forms of worship, engrains in us a sense of community. As we all know, it is better to pray in congregation, more blessed to break our fast with others, and our money is purified by sharing it with those in need. So why then does this hadeeth seem to encourage us to compete as individuals? So I started reading and learning more and I came across this other hadeeth:

عن أبي موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : “المؤمن للمؤمن كالبنيان يَشُدُّ بعضُه بعضاً – وشبك بين أصابعه” متفق عليه.

Abu Musa Al-Ashaari narrates that the Prophet ﷺ has said, “Believers are like a structure, parts of which support one another.”

That’s it! A strong believer is more beloved to Allah (swt) because every believer is a building block in the structure we call the ummah (community). It is this sense of individual responsibility within the collective community that made me change my course. Instead of lamenting over the past, and not paying any attention to the present, I started to strengthen myself both spiritually and physically. I started maintaining my prayers on time, longing for siyam (fasting), and reading more of and about the Qur’an. I even started paying more attention to my health regarding what I eat and how often I exercise. After all, to continue performing my Islamic duties I must be physically fit as well.

I soon found myself more at peace yet wanting more. So I started praying at the masjid hoping to gain more reward for the congregational prayer. But I found something unexpected. I found others, like me, working on strengthening themselves. Together we created an atmosphere of positive reinforcement and support. If one failed to make it to the masjid a few days in a row, someone would call to make sure all is well. We began to recognize each individual’s strength and encouraged each other to share it with the group. Some knew how to recite the Qur’an well; others knew tafseer (explanation of the Qur’an), hadeeth or seerah (life of the Prophet ﷺ), and still others were passionate about community outreach. Even though we were a few, we drew upon each other’s strengths and created halaqahs (study circles). These halaqahs grew in numbers. Eventually the community became stronger, more aware of itself and its role within society.

Now instead of crying over the status of the ummah I see how seemingly small changes can have a profound, positive effect. I recognize that I as an individual have a responsibility not only towards myself but towards the greater community. I now fully understand what Allah (swt) says,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”

]]> https://www.virtualmosque.com/ummah/community/a-strong-believer/feed/ 10 21513 https://www.virtualmosque.com/ummah/community/my-mosque-my-identity-my-anchor/ https://www.virtualmosque.com/ummah/community/my-mosque-my-identity-my-anchor/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:00:07 +0000 http://www.virtualmosque.com/?p=20592 “Culture shock” is how I always describe the sudden onslaught of cultural varieties, religious peculiarities and political ambiguities that I encountered when I first came to North America at the age of 18. It was a rush of overwhelming information that threw my curious mind into a whirlwind of conflicting ideologies. Derailed and confused, I spent the first few years of my life here bumbling around trying to regain my footing, trying to figure out an answer to a deceptively simple question. Who am I?

I moved to North America after finishing high school to get an education, but at the time I hadn’t the slightest clue that I would get a lot more than just a degree. I moved from a zone of religious, cultural and intellectual comfort that I had created for myself, to a whole new world of uncharted territories. I was like a ship tossed around by the mountainous waves of an oceanic melting pot. My frame of reference had fallen from around me and I lost my bearings. In an effort to make peace with all this newly acquired knowledge I set out on a pursuit to identify my identity. I wanted a “label” because if I was labeled as something then I would know how to be, how to look, speak and think.

The first thing I identified with was my Arab ethnicity. Speaking Arabic is all I needed to call someone my friend. But it was not long before I got frustrated with this label. I had an image of what an “Arab” is and I felt betrayed when I saw the inconsistency of ethical behavior and lackluster morality that were just as variable as the background and the story of my Arabic speaking friends. I soon shed that label and adopted the next. I was working on my Bachelors in Biology, and in the company of like-minded individuals, so “scientist” seemed like it would be a natural fit. When I got fed up with the lack of spirituality engrained within that label I became a “romantic” then an “island”, and then I jumped around between a few more “other” labels in a fruitless effort to answer the aforementioned question.

During these years of self-discovery there was a constant nagging, albeit muffled, voice in my head. A voice that said,

“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” (Qur’an, 3:102)

Muslim! Now that’s a label I forgot I once had. I started turning down the white noise around me and focused more on that voice. I found myself doing something I hadn’t done for a long while. I found myself praying at a mosque on a day other than Friday. I stood shoulder to shoulder with people from all walks of life, with different cultural baggage and backgrounds, who welcomed me with peace and called me their brother. I found peace of mind in the mosque and I gained a softened heart in verses I had read many times before, but never understood. I found… my anchor. I found the place that regardless of wherever it may be and however I may be, it will always be my home by simply opening its doors and saying, “Salaam.” No “other” label is necessary for the only label that matters is Muslim.

The mosque plays a critical role in our lives as Muslims. It is the place where bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood are strengthened, where faith is solidified and maintained and where believing hearts and minds flourish. It is also the place where lost souls seek guidance, where battered souls seek shelter and where learned minds seek wisdom. The mosque is the lighthouse that guides those lost souls in a dark sea of sin. It is the place where all other labels are shed and the only one that matters is Muslim. So it is essential for those who take care of the mosques to have its doors open and to fill it with compassion. For if someone walks through its doors they have beaten their demons and have overcome, if ever so briefly, the thoughts that stand between them and repentance.

It also behooves those who seek guidance at a mosque to realize that it is not a magical place where, upon entrance through its doors, your sins will be removed, your heart will be filled with faith, and you will become transformed. Your experience is as good as the effort you put into it.  Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) says in Surat At-Tawbah, verse 18:

“The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah , for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided.” (Qur’an, 9:18)

The operative word in that verse is “maintained,” and it is maintained by those who strive to be better Muslims. So look beyond the artificial cultural, socioeconomic or other differences, and persevere in your pursuit. Keep the company of those who frequent and maintain their relationship with the mosque, and your journey will become much easier.

Everyone who walks through the doors of a mosque, no matter what path they took to get there,  is seeking one thing: Closeness to Allah (swt). Let us keep our mosque doors, hearts and minds open; you never know whose soul might be saved.

We were hit from behind as we were making a left turn in the car.

I hugged my daughter tightly after I took her out of her car seat. As I stumbled out I heard a voice behind a blurred face saying, “I am so sorry, I did not see you.”  Sirens came rushing in from the distance, police redirected traffic and EMTs checked us out and announced that we were okay. The police officer finished his report and I walked over to the Wrangler and grabbed some personal belongings before the tow truck took it away.

It was all a deafening blur.

A week later I went to see the mechanic. He stated the car was totaled as he showed me where it had buckled in the back and in the middle. I saw the trunk door bent in only a few inches from the back of my daughter’s car seat. Shards of glass glistened all over the backseat. The mechanic looked at me and said, “That was a big hit. You are lucky you walked out of this okay.”

Lucky? No such thing as luck.

“And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.” (Qur’an, 6:59)

Subhan’Allah (glory be to Allah). When I recount the story, I actually start a couple of days before the accident. My mother-in-law was visiting so I moved my daughter’s car seat from its usual location to make room. I also did something different. I decided to tether the car seat to a hook in the back of the Wrangler. It was completely random, at least I thought. That tethering saved my daughter, by the will of Allah, because when I went back to look at the car seat the buckle had come off and the car seat was not attached to anything except that tether.

 “And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Qur’an, 16:18)

I would have been justified had I yelled, screamed or even charged the guy whose car hit us. The accident took place four hours after my wife gave birth to our son. I had taken my daughter out to lunch to celebrate and to give my wife a couple of hours of rest. Our beautiful day of joy was marred by his negligence and the outcome could have been much worse for me or, God forbid, for my daughter. But, subhan’Allah all I could think of as I staggered out of my wrecked car with my daughter tightly in my arms was, “Alhamdullilah, praise be to God, we are both safe.”

It was at that moment, the moment when I made the conscientious decision to accept God’s plan and be thankful – not bitter, that I was overcome with a sense of peace and serenity. It was at that moment that I fully understood what Allah says in Surat al-Hadeed, 

“No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being – indeed that, for Allah , is easy – ”

“In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful – ” (Qur’an, 57:22-23)

Trials and tribulations are part of life. We all get tested and in various ways. Allah says in Surat Al-Baqarah:

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient.” (Qur’an, 2:155)

The constant in the above ayah is the fact that we will be tested; the variable is our response to the test. For us to gain the Boshra (glad tiding) promised by Allah, we must be patient and patience is strengthened by faith and faith is strengthened by being tested. Hasbuna Allah wa ni`m al-wakeel (Verily Allah is most sufficient for us and He is the best sustainer) is a statement that always rolled off my tongue; but I never really fully grasped what it meant until the accident.

Allah says in Surat Al-Jum`ah:

The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. (Qur’an, 62:5)

In this verse, Allah (swt) talks about the Jews who did not utilize the knowledge given to them in the Torah nor did they apply it to their lives. He likens them to a donkey that carries on its back volumes of books; however, regardless of the knowledge these books contain, the donkey cannot make use of nor implement that knowledge in its life. Although this specific verse refers to the example of the Jews denying what was contained in their books about the coming of Prophet Mohammed ﷺ (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his message, we need to look at the greater message. The moral of this ayah is that mere possession of knowledge is not enough. We must implement knowledge in all aspects of our life or else it is, and we are, rendered useless. Simply put, when I gave that presentation, I was like a donkey. I had all the knowledge of the harms of smoking, how to best quit smoking and what help there is for me, yet I did not benefit from that knowledge. As one poet puts it:

كالعيس في البيداء يقتلها الظمأ و المـــــاء فوق ظهورها محمـول

Like camels in the desert dying of thirst/while it carries the water right on its back

The same can be said about knowing that prayer is the essential foundation of Islam but not praying, or having verses of the Qur’an memorized but not understanding what they mean. Please don’t get me wrong. The idea is not for every one of us to become a scholar of Islamic theology or jurisprudence or to become experts in every field of information; the idea is to understand and implement the knowledge that we do have in our lives. So let us ask ourselves, how many of us truly practice our knowledge? How many of us truly understand what it means to profess, five times a day, the Lordship of Allah? How many of us truly understand and implement the meanings of two verses that most of us have memorized?

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”
(Qur’an, 99:7-8)

You see, the elusive ‘cool’ concept that no one really knows how to define, but everyone knows what it is, is a very universal one. What is considered cool might be different from one country to another, but being cool is something that every teenager aspires to be. So my social survival instinct kicked in – I needed to be perceived as cool. I, and every other nerd, wanted to be like those “men” who were perceived to be the epitome of defiance and rebellion against the social norm. Their nonchalant attitude towards school, their careless disregard to a curfew, the way they dressed, and how they played soccer, were all mysteriously intriguing and I wanted to be just like them.

One day, I found my way into the impenetrable fort of ‘cool’: my ticket in was through my friend and neighbor, who shared a ride to school with me, but did not share the same pool of friends. He was a smoker and so was everyone else in the cool crowd. With minimal convincing, I started smoking my first cigarette, and before long I was in. From that day on, I lived my high school years as a nerd incognito, hiding behind a cigarette.

This desire to be cool is not specific to one’s teen years. Human beings are social by nature. We look for a group that we can identify with; we seek to fit in.  From high school to college I transitioned through phases and groups, and have done things I am not proud of. Every time I look back and reflect on those years I find that my mistake was always in the company I kept. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The example of a good companion and that of a bad one is like the one who [sells] musk and [an iron smith]. The one who sells the musk will either give you some or you will at least get some of his good smell on you. As for the [iron smith], he will either burn your clothes or you will get some of his stench.” (Bukhari)

Subhan’Allah, I remembered that hadith as a kid, but I never paid attention to the advice that lies within it. It is crucial whose company we choose. Peer pressure, although often painted in a negative light, can work both ways. Just as surrounding myself with those “cool” kids led me to smoking, surrounding myself now with people who frequent the masjid has helped me quit. Alhamdulillah, I have learned from my past experiences and I have made, and continue to make, a conscientious effort of whom to befriend. Now when I am not at the masjid for a couple of days, there is a phone call or an email wondering where I’ve been. When I am at the masjid, and one person gets up to pray sunnah, everyone else follows suit.

Allah (swt), who knows His creation best, says

“And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.” (Qur’an, 18:28)

That advice was given to the Prophet ﷺ whom Allah has described as having the most virtuous of manners:

“And indeed, you are of a great moral character.” (Qur’an, 68:4)

He was masoom (protected from committing sins) and absolutely resolute and steadfast with his religion yet Allah advises him here to surround himself by “those who call upon their Lord.” Why? Because the company we keep is vital in achieving our ultimate goal of pleasing Allah (subhana wa ta`ala – glory be unto Him) and entering His Jannah.

If we are selective in whom we befriend and choose to be in the company of those who love Allah (swt) then our love for Allah (swt) will strengthen. We rely on our peers and they rely on us, and together we build upon each other to elevate ourselves to the best of rewards and the highest of honors – Allah’s love.

“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection.” (Qur’an, 19:96)

This verse is further explained in Tafsir al-Jalalayn, “Truly those who believe and perform righteous deeds — for them the Compassionate One shall appoint love, between them, so that they have mutual love and affection, and God, exalted be He, will love them.”

When Allah (swt) loves you, everyone else loves you:

The Prophet ﷺ has said: “If Allah loves a person He calls upon Gabriel and says to him that I love this person so love him. Gabriel in turn loves that person and then calls in the skies that Allah loves this person so love him and the people of the skies (the angels) will love him.”

Imagine that! Allah, Gabriel and all the angels will love you. Now that is cool!

7:00 AM: Alarm clock buzzes.
Get up, stagger to the bathroom—shower on.
Work clothes on, hair looks good, coffee brewing in the kitchen.
“It’s 7:30! Shoot!”

7:30 AM: Jump in the car, coffee in hand.
Try to make it to work on time without spilling coffee.

7:55 AM: “Phew! Made it.”
Burn through the first 4 hours.

12:00 PM: What is that noise? “Oh, it’s my stomach growling—lunch time.”
Inhale food, pray dhuhr (the noon prayer) in the chapel.
Tap feet while waiting in line for the second cup of coffee.
“What are you wearing? I know it is summer but come on, you are practically naked.”
“Next in line.”

1:00 PM: Run back to the office.

5:10 PM: Look outside the window—“Why is it dark? It’s ten past five?!!”

5:15 PM: Finish up, turn computer off.
“Gotta hurry home, I only have a little time left for maghrib (after sunset prayer).”
“Come on, come on, move!”

5: 45 PM: “I think I still have my wudhu (ablution).” Shoes off, rug on the floor—
“Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatu Allah, Assalaamu alaykum wa Rahmatu Allah (peace and the Mercy of Allah be upon you).”

6:00 PM: Sizzling oil, boiling water, growling stomach, salivating tongue.
Plop on couch, take a deep breath, “What a looong day.”
Food on a tray, TV on, national anthem just done—“Play ball!”

6:15 PM: “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest).”

9:00 PM: “What a game!”
Check email, facebook. Update blog.

10:30: Brush teeth, get in bed—“Did I pray `isha (the night prayer)?”

Friday morning
Same routine as Thursday.

12:00 PM: Lunch time. Eat on the way to the masjid.

12:35 PM: “Still got five minutes before the khutbah (sermon).”

Open the Qur’an—it’s Surat Ali `Imran (Chapter of the Family of `Imran) Ayah (Verse)191:

“Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire” (Qur’an, 3:191).

“HOW?! I barely have enough time to eat!”

Now pause, rewind and start from the top.

Thursday morning

7:00 AM: Alarm clock buzzes. Get up.

“All praise is to Allah who granted us life after He caused us to die, and to Him is the return.”

Stagger to the bathroom.

“O Allah I seek refuge in you from the male and female devils.”

Shower on.
Work clothes on, hair looks good, coffee brewing in the kitchen.

7:30 AM: “It’s 7:30! Gotta go.”
Run out the door.

(I leave) with Allah’s name. I rely on Allah. There is no power to do good or abstain from evil except with Allah’s help.

Jump in the car, coffee in hand.

“Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it” (Qur’an, 43:13).

Will make it to work on time without spilling coffee—“Insha’ Allah (God willing).”

7:55 AM: “Made it, alhamdullilah (praise be to Allah).”
Burn through the first 4 hours.

12:00 PM: What is that noise? “Oh, it’s my stomach growling—lunch time.”
“Bismillah (in the name of Allah).”
Inhale food, pray dhuhur in the chapel.
Tap feet while waiting in line for the second cup of coffee.
“What are you wearing? astaghfiru Allah (I seek forgiveness in Allah).”
“Next in line.”

1:00 PM: Run back to the office.
Look outside the window— “Subhan Allah (glory be to Allah), it’s maghrib (the prayer after sunset) time already?!”

4:45 PM: Go down to the chapel, pray maghrib. Back to the office.

5:00 PM: Finish up, turn computer off.

5:30 PM: “Home sweet home.”

O Allah, I beg of You the blessing of entering this home and leaving it. With Allah’s name we enter and with His name we leave. And on Allah, our sustainer, do we rely.

Assalaamu Alaykum (peace be upon you)

5:35 PM: Sizzling oil, boiling water, growling stomach, salivating tongue.
Plop on couch, take a deep breath, “What a looong day. Alhamdullilah.”
Food on a tray, TV on, national anthem just done—”Play ball!”

6:15 PM: “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.”

O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and of the prayer which is established for all time. Grant Mohammad the path and Excellency and raise him up in a praiseworthy position which you have promised.

6:30 PM: Get to the masjid.

“O Allah open your doors of mercy for me.”

9:00 PM: “What a game!”

Check email, facebook. Update blog.

10:30 PM: Brush teeth, get in bed.

“O Allah, by your name I lay my side and by your name I left it up. If you hold my soul then have mercy on it and if you send it back then preserve with that by which you reserve your righteous servants.”

Friday morning

Same routine as Thursday.

12:00 PM: Lunch time. Eat on the way to the masjid.

12:35 PM: Still got five minutes before the khutbah. Open the Qur’an—it’s Surat Al-Imran Ayah 191:

“Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire” (Qur’an, 3:191).

Glory to Thee, O Allah, and Thine is the Praise, and Blessed is Thy Name. and Exalted is Thy Majesty. and there is no other object of worship beside Thee.

The number one (if not the only) leading factor to deviation from good, whether in the religious sense or not, is Shaytan (Satan). Shaytan comes at a person from every angle and sugar coats the evil so he or she may fall, sometimes unknowingly. One of my favorite examples of such wicked and subtle ways in which Shaytan will get to a person is from my own past experience. I used to tell myself (in my early years in college), “Well, there is nothing else to do on a Friday night, plus I am not drinking!” Sound familiar? Do we use this line to tell ourselves it is ok to hang out at the bar or the dance club? Or do our friends use the famous line, “Dude, since you don’t drink, do you mind being the designated driver?” How about telling yourself, “Well, we need a quite place to study” while sitting alone with someone from the opposite gender him in a room with the door closed. How long are you going to talk about calculus, chemistry, or psychology before you drift off talking about this, that, and the other? Have you not heard the story of Barsisa, the worshipper who Shaytan destroyed methodically and brought from the high of worshipping Allah to the low of prostrating to Shaytan himself?

Shaytan is relentless brothers and sisters, and we must open our eyes, minds, and hearts to the strategies and the whispers of the Shayateen (devils) of both ins (humans) and jinn that cause us to fall into sin. Shaytan has vowed to lead us astray as Allah says,

“For he had said, “I will surely take from among Your servants a specific portion. And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them [sinful] desires, and I will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah.” (Qur’an, 4:118-119)

And do not think that Shaytan will leave a person alone after he or she sins. He will keep one in that cycle and make it seem unbreakable. The familiar line “I have done so much I will never be forgiven” is fed to us every time we think about breaking free form sin. This is one of the most vicious ways in which Shaytan keeps us in his grasp; he makes us doubt the mercy and forgiveness of Allah. Shaytan will also make our repentance seem exceptionally monumental by using the poisonous line,“There is just way too much to know and it is so hard to keep up with it all.” Another tactic that Shaytan uses to discourage us and lead us astray is the false assumption that the only ones who enter paradise are the scholars. Brothers and sisters, being a good Muslim is easy to achieve. Abbas related that a man asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Tell me what should I do to be admitted to Paradise?” The Prophet answered, “Worship Allah associating nothing with Him, observe Salat, pay Zakah (Alms) and strengthen the ties of kinship.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Let us look at a prime example of a young person who stayed on the right path, fueled by his belief in Allah. Yusuf (peace be upon him) is known for his beauty and as a young and virile man he was a servant in the house of the Aziz (royalty) of Egypt. He lived in the same house as the wife of the Aziz, a woman who was taken by the beauty of Yusuf and became overpowered by her desires for him:

“And she, in whose house he was, sought to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, “Come, you.” (Qur’an, 12:23)

Imagine this brothers and sisters. This young man, full of vigor and hormones, was not only being approached but rather aggressively sought after by a woman who would let him have his way with her. Yusuf could have justified this in so many ways and the people would have probably excused him saying “He is young” or “He is a servant” and would not know any better. He could have, but he did not and he said:

“He said, ‘[I seek] the refuge of Allah. Indeed, he is my master, who has made good my residence. Indeed, wrongdoers will not succeed.'” (Qur’an, 12:23)

Instead of all the excuses to do wrong, he had all the excuses to do what is right. He sought refuge in Allah and asked for His support in this ordeal and then he used the logic, decency, and faithfulness to his master to prevail for, surely, wrong-doers will never succeed.

So let us treat this issue at the root and let us follow what Allah tells us:

“And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allah . Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing” (Qur’an, 41:36).

Also in the last few chapters of the Qur’an is a beautiful surah we can recite:

“Say, ‘I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind, The God of mankind, From the evil of the retreating whisperer – Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind – From among the jinn and mankind”‘ (Qur’an, 114).

Out of the scores of Muslims walking by, only a handful said “Assalamu `alaykum (peace be upon you).” I did not know how to interpret this. Authu’Billah (God forbid), is it a low level of Iman (faith)? Is it a fear of being recognized as a Muslim, or is it just negligence of the importance and the benefits of saying salam? I am not going to judge based on the brief interaction. I will give all my brothers and sisters the benefit of the doubt and say that it is probably a lack of appreciation of the benefit of greeting each other with salam. Instead, I will take advantage of this portal to remind myself and others of some of the stated benefits of our greeting of Islam.

In the book of hadith, Riyad Al-Saliheen, there is a chapter on salam. In it you will find this interesting hadith:

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet ﷺ said: “You will not enter Jannah until you believe (or have faith) and you will not believe (or have faith) until you love one another.”

This concept of brotherhood/sisterhood in Islam is of utmost importance and it is elaborated on in many different ayat (verses of the Qur’an) and ahadeeth (sayings of the Prophet ﷺ). The above hadith is one such example highlighting the importance of brotherhood/sisterhood that is woven by the fabric of love.  The Prophet ﷺ said the couples will enter Jannah (paradise) who base their love for each other on faith. It is a concept that was explicitly stated in another hadith:

Anas Ibn Malik, the servant of the Prophet ﷺ , narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Verily one will not have faith until he loves to his brother what he loves for himself.”

Love is an important component in our relationship as members of the Muslim community; it is the basis for spreading peace and security amongst ourselves. The Prophet ﷺ gives us an easy way by which we can spread that love as he continues in the former hadith:

“Shall I not tell you about something if you do you would love one another? Spread salam amongst yourselves.”

Each language, culture, and region of the world has its way of greeting and saluting one another. Islam transcends these boundaries and no matter who you are or where you are from you should always greet another Muslim the same way. They are just a few words yet they display a profound sense of unity and an immense sense of peace and security. It is a promise of peace and a wish of mercy and blessings upon the other person. By saying salam, the stage is set for a good and peaceful interaction. I never understood the power of saying salam until one day, a few minutes before `Asr prayer, I look to my right after finishing the two raka’ahs of tahiyat al masjid (prayer upon entering the masjid) and I see in the corner someone I have not talked to in over fourteen years. I remembered him clearly and not very positively. We used to play soccer together growing up and he was someone that started a lot of fights and caused a lot of trouble. I pondered for a few seconds; should I go over and say salam or just pretend like I don’t see him, pray, and go home? I thought to myself, would he even remember or acknowledge me? Or would he just shrug me off and scoff at me. Eventually I mustered up the courage and went over.

“Assalamu `alaykum.” I said

“Wa `alaykum assalam…Ahmed?!” he responded.

Subhan‘Allah, he was so pleasant and welcoming, he was a changed person. I felt such joy and was overcome with immense happiness. We reminisced over the old days of playing soccer behind my parents’ place until the muadhin called for prayer. I saw him at the masjid everyday for the three weeks I was there and every time we saw each other we said salam.

Greeting each other with salam is also a simple way of earning hasanat (good deeds).

Imran ibn Hussayn said: A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said “Assalamu `alaykum.” The Prophet ﷺ replied by saying “Wa `alaykum assalam” and then said “ten.” Then another man came and said “Assalamu `alaykum wa rahmatuallah” and the Prophet ﷺ replied and then said “twenty.” Then another man came and said “Assalamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh” and the Prophet ﷺ replied and then said “thirty.”

As demonstrated by the above hadith, the simple act of uttering the greeting words of Islam is an act that will earn you good deeds. In another hadith it is described by the Prophet ﷺ as one of the best deeds in Islam.
Abdullah ibn Omar said that a man asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Which deed is the best in Islam?” The Prophet ﷺ replied “To feed the hungry and to say salam to whom you know and don’t know.”
But perhaps one of the things we forget the most is that saying salam is speaking in the language of the angels! Allah says in the Qur’an, in Surat an-Nahl:

The ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, “Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do.” (16:32)

It is also the language of the people of Jannah. Allah says in Surat al-Waqi`ah:

“They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin, only a saying: “Peace, peace.” (56:25-26)

That’s how I always referred to the weather back home when explaining to  my American friends about the climate I grew up in. I thought that summed it up, and gave an accurate description of how sunny and intolerably hot it was most days of the year. One day while hanging out with friends from class, the discussion about climates started up again and I said my famous line of “Well, living in a desert climate….” A few moments later, a girl from the group looked at me and asked “So, did you live in a tent?” I was taken aback by how serious she was when she asked the question and I said “Well yeah! And you know what?! I had a hard time getting a parking permit for my camel when I moved here!”

I was so offended by her ignorance. I mean, come on. Seriously?! We were in our second year of pharmacy school. She was a professional student with a supposedly higher level of knowledge! I remember thinking to myself “You are going to be a healthcare professional talking to all kinds of people, so how and why  did you just ask such a ridiculous question?” I was infuriated.  For years I told that story repeatedly as a prime example of how stupid Americans with their self purported cultural advancements, don’t even know the basics of how an Arab lives.

A few years later I married a Muslim-American woman. And you can imagine the clashes that ensued. The first October of our marriage had come to a close and November started, along with talks about Thanksgiving preparations.

“I am not having this haram nonsense in my house!” I yelled, veins popping from my neck.

“But it is a right of passage for every American girl! When you’re married and have a home you make the Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings, using the family recipe…” she yelled back.

“We fight enough as it is to maintain our Islam living here and I will not bring Christian tradition into my house!” was my rebuttal.

Now freeze frame for a second… What do you think was the first thought that crossed her mind? Stupid Arab with his self purported cultural superiority doesn’t even know the basics of our (American) lives?

Allah says in the Qur’an, Surat ar-Rum:

“And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge.” (30:22)

Why do you think Allah makes this statement in the Qur’an? Obviously Allah did not create us عَبَثًا (in play or without any purpose) and everything He created serves a purpose. So if we reflect on ourselves, as humans, we would see that we are all pretty much the same. We all have the same anatomy and physiology, have the same genetic make up and we all have the same basic needs of food, shelter, security and love. Yet with all these similarities we are vastly different in shapes, sizes, colors and in philosophies, beliefs and outlooks on life. And even though we all come from the same male and female we have different languages, cultures, societies and ways of life. Such differences are ayat (signs) to marvel at and to appreciate the Creator for.

There is a reason why Allah says in Surat al-Hujurat:

“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes” (49:13)

What is that reason?

“…so that you may know one another.”

What purpose does acquiring knowledge of “one another” serve? It could have saved me from the argument I had with my wife, and a few more in between. But on a much bigger scale, I think it behooves us as Muslims to accept the fact that people choose to live their lives in a variety of ways and we should break out of our own bubbles and learn about those cultures, especially the ones which we choose to live in. Our guiding principle as we venture into such uncharted territories though, should be what Allah says in completing the above ayah:

“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”

People differ and cultures vary but as we acquire knowledge of one another, as we become better equipped to deal with our differences constructively and build on each others advancements and achievements, we must always keep in mind that strong Iman and Taqwa (awareness of Allah) are our saving grace and they know no boundaries. Many a time we’ve seen some people cling on to the way of life they had in their home country and try to impose it on their new surroundings. Other times we’ve seen those who reject their previous way of life completely and accept the new culture with the good and the bad. The end result to either scenario is detrimental and more often than not the product is confused children, who do not know who or what to identify with. Allah gives us the solution in Surat Luqman:

“And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good – then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of [all] matters.” (31:22)

Tafsir al-Jalalyn explains the above ayah:

“And whoever surrenders his purpose to God, that is [whoever] takes to obeying Him and is virtuous, a believer in [His] Oneness, has certainly grasped the firmest handle, the stronger end, which is not in danger of being severed, and to God belongs the sequel of all matters – their [ultimate] return.”

So if we move to another place with only our culture in a box, looking to either assimilate or isolate ourselves, we will end up lost. But if we come into a culture as Muslims firmly holding on to our Iman (belief) and are prepared to accept the good and leave the bad of others, then we will truly be realizing the meaning of “knowing one another” for the sake of Allah.