Thousands of men were killed in Gaddafi’s prisons, and many more were tortured. Prisoners of conscience were placed under inhumane conditions and treated with far more severity than actual criminals.  These harsh experiences, like any difficulty, expose people’s weaknesses and strengths and highlight the value of blessings often taken for granted.

Below is an account I received first-hand from a Libyan man’s experiences in Gaddafi’s prisons. An alternate name was used to protect his real identity. He was rounded up in 1989, along with hundreds of other young men. They were all imprisoned indefinitely, and without trial. All communication with family was cut off for the first 2 years. The imprisoned men came from various educational, ideological, and social backgrounds. The only common factor was that they were independent thinkers or had inquisitive minds and loved to read, or that they were associated with one of the afore mentioned groups. Guilt by association was the law. During the first two years of imprisonment, Gaddafi’s regime did not differentiate between any of the prisoners – they were all tortured equally. Afterwards, some of the more “dangerous” prisoners were kept under harsh treatment, while others of lesser “crimes” were given more privileges and relative comforts.

Muhammad Ali spent 6 years in Gaddafi’s prisons, from 1989-1995. Muhammad described his experience:

“We were placed in underground cells where we did not see sunlight for 2 years [straight]. The only way we could keep track of time was by hearing the athan (call to prayer) from a local mosque. Even in the cells we were kept in, there was no light. Sometimes there was a faint light from the hall way, but they mostly kept us in complete darkness, and often in isolation.

Different forms of torture were practiced on us, including severe whipping, blindfolding and gang-beating, and forcing prisoners to sleep on ice-cold cement floor during the winter without covers or blankets. Some of the infamous practices included lifting the prisoner upside down and whipping his feet until they were so swollen and torn that he could not walk for weeks or months. Other practices included hanging prisoners up by their arms or tying them up to the cell bars for days on end such that their arms would become stiff in that position and they could not move their arms for days or weeks after being released [from that position].

We were starved and given just enough food to keep us from dying. … After two years of this harsh treatment, they were planning to allow family visits and calls, but they needed to fatten us up before our families saw us because they knew families would be horrified if they saw their sons in the state we were in. To fatten us up, they gave each man half a loaf of bread every day. [That was his only meal the entire day.] Inmates were so excited: They were actually feeding us! They also started allowing us to go out into the sunlight for 1-2 hours every week…

While undergoing all of this torture, the prisoners were not allowed access to any books, especially the Holy Qur’an… We had one smuggled copy of the Qur’an that we shared on the prison floor that had a total of 180 prisoners… The copy was not our usual-looking, bound copy of the mus-haf, but rather pieces of papers rolled up in a way that can be smuggled from cell to cell. Each prisoner had only a few hours at a time with this mus-haf before it had to be passed on to the next inmate. Those few hours were his chance to read as much as he wanted to or memorize as much as he could, for this dose of Qur’an would have to keep him going for another couple of weeks [of underground torture and starvation until his turn came around again with the smuggled-in mus-haf.]

Prisoners started teaching each other the verses they knew. They shared whatever education they had with their inmates. Many of the prisoners were language, humanities and science professors, so many of the inmates learned foreign languages and material that would qualify them to get a college degree in various fields. The prisoners also included scholars in the Islamic sciences: Qur’an, Hadith, fiqh, and tafsir. I memorized a quarter of the Qur’an in 2 different qiraa’ahs and learned how to read a third. I memorized hadith with sanad and got ijazahs in the qiraa’ahs and classical books… Many of my inmates encouraged me to finish memorizing the entire Qur’an. I could have easily done that, but I chose not to because I knew that once I was released from prison and got back into normal life routine, I would not be able to maintain my memorization. So I stuck with the quarter of Yaasin because I could maintain it even after my release…”

Subhanallah, how many copies of the Qur’an do we have in our homes, bags and purses, cars, computers, phones and ipods? And yet, how do we appreciate the words of Allah? Do we take advantage of having easy access to the Qur’an by reading it daily and learning its meanings.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) said, “Two blessings many people are envied for are health and free time.” (Tirmidhi)

The prisoners in Libya took advantage of blessings we take for granted: time, moments of comfort and knowledge. They learned from the various scholars and professors whenever they could. How seriously do we take our studies? What is the ratio of time we spend on studying and on entertainment or other distractions? We have comfort, health, and free time. How do we use them?

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Take advantage of five before five: your youth before old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free-time before your preoccupation, and your life before your death.” (Sahih according to Hakim)

Also, narrated Abu Burzah al-Aslami that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “The feet of a slave [of Allah] will not move on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about his age and how he finished it, about his knowledge and what he did with it, and about his money, how did he earn it and how he spent it.” (Tirmidhi, Hasan Sahih).

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (Glorified is He) has granted Muslims around the world, and especially in the West many opportunities to learn and earn a comfortable living. As American Muslims, we enjoy freedoms and privileges that many of our brothers and sisters elsewhere aspire to achieve. With these privileges comes a responsibility to utilize our time and resources in the best manner that pleases Allah (swt).

Unfortunately, sometimes we are blind to the blessings we have: the freedom to choose what to do every morning, the blessing of feeling the warmth of the sun in the daytime and seeing the serene moonlight at night, the ability to attend classes in colleges and institutes, masajid (mosques) and halaqas (study circles). Taking a moment to remember the less fortunate helps us recognize Allah’s bounties on us and strengthen our determination to continue seeking His pleasure. It is also a reminder to us: Do we need to be forced into extreme hardship before learning to benefit from the opportunities around us? Or will we be from the saabiqoon (forerunners) who take advantage of Allah’s blessings on us to develop ourselves and our societies, despite the distractions of society and the desires of our self?

“Do they think that what We extend to them of wealth and children Is [because] We hasten for them good things? Rather, they do not perceive. Indeed, they who are apprehensive from fear of their Lord And they who believe in the signs of their Lord And they who do not associate anything with their Lord And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord – It is those who hasten to good deeds, and they outstrip [others] therein. And We charge no soul except [with that within] its capacity, and with Us is a record which speaks with truth; and they will not be wronged.” (Qur’an, 23:55-62)

We ask Allah to alleviate the pain and oppression our brothers and sisters face around the world, and we ask Him to make us from His righteous and thankful servants.

Abu Hurairah (ra) saw the unique opportunity available to him to learn from the Prophet of Allah – an opportunity of a lifetime. So he took that opportunity, sacrificing everything to attain it. He knew the value of his limited time with the Prophet ﷺ, for he would be able to learn that which would benefit the rest of the Ummah for generations to come. He took up every chance to gain abundant ‘ajr (reward) from Allah for hasanat (good deeds) that continue adding up in his scale of deeds:

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “When a person dies, the opportunity of gaining more reward ends except for these three: a Sadaqa Jariyah (continuous charity), knowledge from which there is a benefit or a pious child who prays to Allah for him.”(Muslim)

At first glance, it might be surprising to see that the Prophet ﷺ allowed the Ahl As-Suffah to lead such ascetic, almost monastic, lives, as it seems to contradict the Islamic teachings that emphasize the value of working honorably to earn a living and supporting a family. Yet at closer inspection, especially with the example of Abu Hurairah (ra), we find that he chose to sacrifice the luxuries of daily life and having a job to be with the Prophet ﷺ as much as possible. Because he was an able-bodied adult who could earn a living and because he made a choice to spend his time learning, Abu Hurairah (ra) knew that it was not his right to beg for food or money or to complain of hunger or need, and he never did.

On the authority of Abu Rafi’, it is narrated that Abu Hurairah said, “No one gave me a gift except that I accepted it. But as for asking, I would not ask.”²

After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Abu Hurairah went back to work to earn a living for himself and started a family. He became very wealthy in the business of selling horses and colts. His business success indicates that Abu Hurairah did have the ability to earn a good living and run a business, and that during the life of the Prophet ﷺ he found it more worthy to learn from him “full time” than to do it “part-time” like other Sahabah. He sacrificed his personal comforts to learn as much as possible from what Allah subhanahu wa ta`la (glorified and exalted is He) taught His messenger.

Even today, we too encounter unique opportunities to learn from what Allah (swt) taught His Messenger ﷺ. We too have rare opportunities to leave behind a legacy of beneficial knowledge, building institutions, and leading in social reform. But will we take up these chances to gain abundant ‘ajr? Will we fully dedicate ourselves to these goals while the opportunity for competing in the ajr is still available, or will we only be dedicated “part-time”?

It is no surprise that the needs of the Ummah are many, yet the opportunity to fulfill one or more of these needs is available to us for a limited time. So who will be the next Abu Hurairah in the field of Islamic Studies research in the West? Or in economics, developing models based on Islamic principles? Or in social welfare and healthcare systems? Or in development and management?

In the life of Imam Abu Huraira, we have an exemplary attitude and dedication towards spreading knowledge and living for a higher cause. Isn’t it time we adopted that attitude and dedication for ourselves and our future?

May Allah (swt) empower us to do what is best for ourselves and for the community in this life and in the hereafter. May Allah make us follow in the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ and sahabah. Ameen.

“Oh people, as I have now been placed in a position of authority over you and I am not the best of you, if I do good, then help me, and if I do wrong then correct me. Truth is a trust and lying is betrayal. The weak amongst you is strong with me until I get his rights returned to him, God willing; and the strong amongst you is weak until I [justly] take the right from him, God willing… Obey me as long as I obeyed Allah and His messenger, so if I disobey Allah and His messenger then you owe me no obedience.”¹

Abu Bakr (ra) reminded the Muslims that they should not blindly follow him or accept his actions just because of his authority and personal credentials. Instead, he made it clear that the standard to which they should hold him is the obedience of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) and His messenger. If he veered off that path, he should be corrected and, if need be, disobeyed.

Our community today needs to listen to the words of Abu Bakr (ra), may Allah (swt) be pleased with him. With many social ills and immorality prevailing in our communities it has become increasingly difficult to condemn inappropriate behavior – for who doesn’t have a loved one or friend who has committed some mistake or sin? Who among us is without faults?

We often belittle sins because we know of kind and generous people – “good people” – who committed them, and who often have better manners than those who abstain from those sins.  In discussions like these, we fall into the dangerous abyss of judging actions by a malleable yardstick. We begin measuring ourselves relative to each other instead of relative to a set of fixed principles.

Allah (swt) says,

O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. (Qu’ran, 4:135)

Just because someone we know or love has made a mistake does not mean it is permissible for us to do it as well. Sometimes, in our attempt to avoid judging others or causing them discomfort, we succumb to the opposite. We begin dismissing all mistakes and refusing to hold people accountable. The speech of Abu Bakr (ra) guides us to a balanced approach:

1. Judge actions based on a clear set of principles, the Qur’an and Sunnah: “as long as I obeyed Allah and His messenger.”
2. Hold people, including ourselves, accountable for actions done in public or that affect others: “if I do good, then help me; and if I do wrong, then correct me.”

“Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” [24:30-31]

Alhamdulillah (all praise and thanks is to Allah), this commandment is a part of the Muslim community’s social expectation of respect and modesty. Yet in lectures and classes, we often hear the emphasis on the brothers to lower their gaze, while not much emphasis and examples are given for the sisters to lower their gaze. Recently, a sister (Sister Y) shared her frustration in an email, saying:

“… I’ve been hearing sisters talking about brothers and how they look, and I’ve had sisters come up to me and tell me how handsome my brother looks. I don’t understand why it’s […] “OK” for sisters to do this, but when a brother does it, we all pounce on him – saying that he’s a perv or whatever? Sisters have pics of actors, basketball players[,] etc. on their facebook pics, but imagine if a brother had a pic of Beyonce or something in his pics… what would we think of him? I don’t think it’s right for anyone to do this, sister or brother, but how come we think it’s cute/funny if a sister does it, but so horrible when a guy does it? … I really get annoyed when it’s done with my brothers. SubhanAllah, imagine if a guy did that [to] your brother, went up to him and said, “Wow your sis is so beautiful…” The guy would be in a cast. Maybe I’m just extra protective over my brothers but it really makes my blood boil!”

Sister Y asks a very good question. Why is it socially OK for sisters to check out the brothers, but not vice versa, even though it is Islamically forbidden in both cases?

There may be many factors to this social phenomenon. One of which could be naiveté – since men pray in front of women, and the imam (one who leads prayer) is a brother, it is not so much of a taboo for a sister to look at brothers in front of her. Yet the Prophet ﷺ called our attention even to this and described the best lines in prayer for both genders when they are praying (in the same room):

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The best of the men’s rows (in prayer) is the first row and the worst is the last; but the best of the woman’s row is the last and the worst of their rows is the first.” [Muslim].

Another factor may be that oftentimes speakers, when discussing hayaa’ (translated as modesty), often attribute most of the sexual boldness to the men and do not address the women’s boldness in checking-out and approaching men. In more traditional societies, the shortage in reminders is not as problematic for it is a gender expectation for women to be more modest in their demeanor. This, however, is far from the reality we experience in contemporary Western society, and the shortage in reminders to the sisters is evident in many stories like that of Sister Y.

The degree that women (and men) fall short in fulfilling Allah’s command to lower their gaze and be chaste is only a manifestation of the disintegrated hayaa’ in the community. Modern disapprobation of modest demeanor and dress and the Western influences on Muslim-majority cultures may be contributing factors, but the main agent of disintegration is Muslims’ distorted definition of hayaa’. Hayaa’ is the modesty or shyness one feels to do anything sinful or distasteful in the presence of Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing. So even if a sister is modest in her dress and demeanor, to have complete hayaa’ she would need to be modest in what she looks at, in what she thinks about, and in what she talks about.

Recently, a dear sister of mine mentioned that she is working with a group of youth from different countries, petitioning to the UN to add “the Missing MDG” – to “ensure interfaith collaboration for peace.” This is an important proposal as the MDG’s do not acknowledge the role of religion, and religious leaders, in fueling or solving conflicts, establishing justice, and furthering the other MDG’s. Please take a moment to read more about the Missing MDG, and see how you can support this cause.

Below are excerpts from the Official Report for the Missing MDG – Ensure Interfaith Collaboration for Peace

A poll of over 15,000 youth aged 18-27 years old from 34 countries in every continent on the planet highlighted the need for Interfaith Dialogue as one of the top six priority issues on the minds of youth, alongside the Environment, Media, Business, Global Health and Leadership. These issues were discussed as resolutions at the inaugural One Young World summit in London in February, 2010.

The initiative for the Missing Millennium Development Goal “Ensure Interfaith Collaboration for Peace” came as a result of a deliberation on the One Young World Interfaith Resolution. “In the belief that war must never be carried out in the name of religion, we call upon: Leaders and followers of all faiths to unequivocally commit to deliver peace amongst nations, races and creeds.”

The progression in the achievement of the MDGs is even slowed, especially in regions of the developing world torn by war and conflict. The majority of armed conflicts are motivated by and excused with religious differences. Thus, Interfaith Dialogue becomes key to the success of our shared vision of a more just and equitable world.

For a Millennium Development Goal to be adopted, it must be presented to the General Assembly of the United Nations. The United Nations and its agencies cannot make a proposal – it has to come from one of the member-states. Next corner-stone event for the Millennium Development Goals is the UN summit that is focused on the review of progress towards the MDGs that is to take place in New York on September 20th-22nd. Therefore, the main focus between now and September is to ensure support of a group of the UN member states to propose the Missing Millennium Development Goal to the summit.

The Nobel Laureate, Arch-Bishop Desmond Tutu himself has also endorsed this initiative, and professed his support in a message to the UN Alliance of Civilizations,“Interfaith Dialogue and Tolerance is an important and integral part of our being, and I support the young people and their efforts in making this missing MDG a reality.”

What Can You Do?

There are two main supporting documentations for the Missing MDG petition. First is the Online Petition that outlines the proposal and is open for public to sign. Second is the Purpose Document that outlines the rationale and evidence in support of the petition. In addition, we have a blog page where related interfaith issues are discussed. We are also on facebook at “The MissingMillenniumDevelopment Goal,” twitter #missing mdg and can be reached by email.

This is a small glimpse of the trials Sultan Muhammad II faced in his struggle to conquer Constantinople, currently known as Istanbul. Reading from books and watching documentaries about his life and accomplishments, I’ve found this story to be the most difficult to accept. My reaction to it, as that of many I’ve talked to, was, “Ugh, that’s tough.” We’re so used to hearing the question, “How can you judge people when only Allah knows their intentions?!” to the degree that we no longer differentiate between judging people and holding them responsible.

Subhan’Allah. We forget that this sultan and his army were described by the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) 800 years prior:

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Indeed Constantinople will be conquered, and verily what a great prince its prince is, and verily what a great army that army is.” (Musnad Imam Ahmad)

The Prophet’s praise of Sultan Muhammad II and his army shifts the lens through which we analyze this story. Instead of thinking about how “tough” Al-Faatih treated Baltughlu, think about what a high standard of achievement the sultan and his army held for themselves.

Sometimes we let mistakes slide, even if they hurt others, using the alibi that we do not want to be tough or judgmental. Yet, whether it is done consciously or not, we let the mistake slide because we too do not want to be punished if we make the same mistake. Unfortunately, this culture of irresponsibility and lower standards leads to many losses in our community, from keeping unqualified individuals in positions of power and influence to allowing aggressions our children commit against each other pass as “kids horsing around,” only to find that these aggressive qualities only grow bigger.

Divine Guidance in Responsibility and Justice

As humans, we do not know the intentions of others, and hence, can only hold each other accountable by our actions. On the other hand, Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala – exalted is He) is All-Knowing and judges our actions by the intention and the means used. Yet His judgment is not limited to intentions, for He has set a high standard of justice and integrity for the believers’ actions.

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah , witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” [Qur’an, 5:8]

In this ayah (verse), Allah (swt) holds us to the highest standard of justice: to be just even to people we hate. Moreover, He commands us to be just, even if justice served will be against ourselves or our families.

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.” [Qur’an, 4:135]

As a reward for those who live up to the high standard of righteous deeds and integrity while being a believer, Allah (swt) promises success in this life and in the hereafter. We notice that Allah (swt) recurringly describes the righteous in the Qur’an as (1) those who believe and (2) do righteous deeds. Allah’s judgment encompasses both the actions and the intentions.

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.” [Qur’an, 16:97]

So, Allah (swt) also promises higher worldly status for those who believe and live up to the high standard of righteous deeds.

“Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that – then those are the defiantly disobedient.” [24:55]

We see an example of how Allah (swt) substitutes fear with security for those who hold themselves to a high standard of righteousness in the continuation of the story of Sultan Muhammad II and his army. It is an amazing to see how they were granted victory after failing to intercept the Venetian warships.

May Allah (swt) make us live up to the highest standards of integrity and justice to gain His pleasure. Ameen.

This passive mentality in healing or building our social circles is problematic: instead of changing a reality we do not like, we try to forget and ignore it; instead of unwinding from school and work by practicing refreshing activities such as creating new experiences with our families and friends and strengthening our bonds of understanding and compassion, we watch others lead a “full life” on the screen.

In Surat an-Nisaa’, Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala – exalted is He) discourages us from becoming passive in building our communities and He (swt) clearly outlines the difference between those who do, and those who do not in the Qur’an:

“Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] – other than the disabled – and the mujahideen, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred the mujahideen through their wealth and their lives over those who remain [behind], by degrees. And to both Allah has promised the best [reward]. But Allah has preferred the mujahideen over those who remain [behind] with a great reward – Degrees [of high position] from Him and forgiveness and mercy. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.” [4:95-96]

Allah (swt) promises great reward, with lots of bonuses, to the believers who are actively working to improve their situation. Allah (swt) explicitly says they are better than those who passively stand by as events unfold. In another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said, “The Muslim, if he mixes with the people and is patient with their harm, is better than a Muslim who does not mix with the people and is not patient with their harm.” (Tirmidhi; Sahih according to Al-Albani)

We find that Islam encourages us to be proactive, and lead a “full life” that pleases Allah `azza wa jal. For example, `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) encouraged us to help our children develop physically and mentally: “Teach your children swimming, archery and horseback riding.” However, with movies, TV, computer/video games, and internet access to all our favorite shows, it is no wonder that childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the US – an epidemic that the First Lady tackled earlier this year. Yet results of such a campaign will only be observed when people like you and me consciously change their mindset and habits.

Take, for instance, watching a basketball game or an adventure movie, or even reading a novel. Instead of sitting in amazement at the successful relationship or amazing skill the hero/athlete has, ask if you are successful in this aspect of life that impresses you, again all within the realms of halal.

Did the ninja in the movie amaze you with his awesome moves? Why don’t you start taking lessons in karate, kung-fu or self-defense?

Are you single? What real steps are you taking to prepare for a happy marriage?

Are you married? How are you maintaining a healthy & romantic relationship? How are you revitalizing it?

Did you love how Kobe made that nice slam dunk last night? Are you able to dunk? How can you get in shape?

This mindset is not limited to what you see on the screen or read in a book. It can apply to any characteristic you like from your circle of family and friends.

Your friend is so organized and is never late to an appointment, while you’re having a hard time with that. Ask them for advice and help.

What about that special dish your mom makes for `Eid? Why not ask her to teach you how to make it?

Your youth group leader is an amazing person who is successful in deen and dunya (and our opinion about anyone’s righteousness never precedes Allah’s judgment). Ask them how they got to that stage. Set a plan with similar steps.

And the list goes on.

It is a blessing that in Islam, we are prohibited from drinking or getting high. In addition to the many health and socio-economic benefits, it pushes us to be proactive problem-solvers and achievers. It makes us lead a happier life that we live through us, not through movie stars, athletes, heroes or acquaintances. It makes us live our life, versus sitting through it.

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.” [16:97]

Islam not only gives life to dead minds, hearts and souls, it literally gives us “the life,” in dunya and aakhira.

Ibn Mas`ud used to say:

I swear by Allah, besides whom there is no other diety, no chapter of the Qur’an has been revealed except that I know where it was revealed. No verse from the Book of Allah has been revealed except that I know why it was revealed. Yet if I knew of anyone more learned than me in the Book of Allah, I would make every effort to reach him.

… A man traveled from Kufa to Syria to ask Abu Darda’ about the validity of an oath he had taken. Also, Sa`id ibn Jubayr traveled from Kufa to Makkah to ask Ibn `Abbas about the explanation of a single verse in the Qur’an. Hasan Al-Basri traveled to Kufa to ask Ka`b ibn `Ujra about the atonement for al-adha [during the pilgrimage].¹

No “Blind Faith”

Caring to find the answer is part of sincerity in the deen (religion). How often have we discussed “controversial” issues like al-hudud (punishments specified in Shari`ah), socio-economic systems in Islam, women’s rights and gender roles, and heard discontentment in one of our brothers’ or sisters’ tone? For various reasons, they still had questions as the issue was not clear or did not satisfy their sense of justice.

Unfortunately, many of the youth find themselves poorly equipped to face the attacks on Islam in the media and the world of Western academia. Much of the rhetoric and generalizations leave burning questions unanswered.

Or are they truly unanswered?

In the last two years, I have attended various conferences, lectures and workshops. In each, I was blessed to hear answers to all the burning questions I heard in prior discussions. Sadly, however, the individuals who needed to hear the answer most were nowhere to be found. They would often miss the program because they did not expect to learn anything new.

Disillusionment.

The early Muslim generations modeled deep faith and optimism during periods of doubt. They ensured that the doubt was only temporary as they actively sought the answers to put their hearts and minds at ease.

Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), the Muslim community is blessed with many scholars and da`iyahs, and in a time when communication was never easier, we have no excuses to leave unanswered questions that cast doubt in our hearts.

Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala – Glory be unto Him) rewards the determination to “invite to Allah’s way with baseerah [insight]” (12:108) by guiding us further and granting us taqwa.

“And those who are guided – He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.” (47:17)

The determination to find answers reflects commitment to pleasing Allah (swt), learning the truth, believing in it fully and implementing it with baseerah. Out of Allah’s mercy, He guides the questioner to the answer and additional, beneficial knowledge and grants him/her the tool to ultimately win: taqwa.

And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears Allah and is conscious of Him – it is those who are the attainers. (24:52)

A Painful Experience

When reading the 11-page surah most Fridays, the verses of the last page never fail to call my attention to a disturbing event. Allah says in Surat al-Kahf:

Say, [O Muhammad], “Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work.” Those are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in [their] meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any importance. (Qur’an, 18:103-105)

It is difficult to read these verses without feeling a little pained at the loss of the “deeds [that] have become worthless.” Ya Allah! Can you imagine leading a full life, being satisfied that you achieved your goals, believing you were a constructive member in society and gained “good karma” through your philanthropy, only to find that on the Day of Resurrection, it all counts for nothing in your account of good deeds?! May Allah protect us from standing in such a situation.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Subhan’Allah (glory be to Allah), looking at these verses out of context may bring doubt into some hearts about the ultimate justice of Allah; however, in the next verses, Allah immediately explains why, in this situation, He does not reward “good deeds” with goodness:

That is their recompense – Hell – for what they denied and [because] they took My signs and My messengers in ridicule. Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – they will have the Gardens of Paradise as a lodging, wherein they abide eternally. They will not desire from it any transfer. (18: 106-108)

Here, Allah contrasts the believers and disbelievers in three ways:

1. Their faith: “denied” the Truth from Allah vs. “believed” in it;
2. Their actions: “ridicule[d]” Allah’s signs and messengers vs. “believed” in them;
3. Their final abode: “Hell” vs. “Gardens of Paradise.”

The believers referred to in this ayah (verse) maintained an essential level of justice, that is to “give credit where credit is due,” as many professors emphasize when assigning a research paper to their students. It is astonishing how some take “academic integrity and honesty” to heart, strongly opposing plagiarism, and yet they do not care to give credit where it is due for things greater than a mere research project: our living bodies, our free-to-choose minds, and the infinite blessings Allah bestows on us. In college, we accept the justice of the academic system that punishes plagiarizers or cheaters with failing grades, permanently marking their academic records and possibly even suspending or expelling them from school or academia, all for taking credit that is not due to them or for attributing it to another who does not deserve the credit. Yet when Allah says that the act of kufr is the one sin He never forgives, some people find that hard to accept.

The act of kufr, or covering the truth of Allah’s right to be worshiped alone, is similar to the act of cheating or plagiarism. Allah states, “Then do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants instead of Me as allies? Indeed, We have prepared Hell for the disbelievers as a lodging.” (Qur’an, 18:102)

Takin’ it Easy Early in the Game

In the verses discussed so far, Allah (swt) describes the disbelievers. Some believers, however, read these verses without much reflection, as they do not pertain to them. But how true is that?

The Prophet ﷺ said:

Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.

1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays.
2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.
3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.
4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 33, Book 2, Vol. 1)

In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said that a believer can have some characteristics of a hypocrite without actually being a hypocrite. So, by extension, can we also say that believers may have some characteristics of disbelievers? According to Ali (radi Allahu `anhu – may Allah be pleased with him), the description of the “greatest losers” is applicable to anyone who worships Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala – exalted is He) in a manner that displeases Him while thinking they are pleasing Him (Tafsir Ibn Kathir). Pondering on the verses discussed above with this thought in mind may bring into question some of our priorities and actions.

“… Do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants instead of Me as awliya’?” (Qur’an, 18:102)

Could we, as believers, also take other servants of Allah as awliya’ (allies, supporters) instead of Allah? The Prophet ﷺwas asked about a similar verse in Surat at-Tawbah, where Allah describes the deviation of Jews and Christians from the monotheistic faith:

They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him. (Qur’an, 9:31)

The Prophet ﷺ recited this verse in front of `Adiyy ibn Hatim At-Taa’iyy, who was a Christian at the time. `Adiyy asked, “But they [the Jews] did not worship them [their scholars],” since Jews claimed to worship the One true God. The Prophet ﷺ responded,

Indeed [they did], didn’t they make prohibited what was made permissible for them [by Allah] and they [scholars] made permissible what is prohibited, and [the people] followed them [the scholars]? That is how they worship them [their scholars]. (Tirmidhi)

We see examples of this today, where many actions in the Torah and Gospel that are explicitly forbidden by Allah have become sanctioned by many Jewish and Christian religious leaders. We also know of historical events, like the First Council of Nicea (325 AD), where bishops convened in the presence of Constantine I and established the Creed of Nicea, which stated that the Mesiah was the son of God who was “begotten, not made” – this became the uniform position of the church, subhan’Allahi `amma yushrikun (Allah is more glorified and far from what they associate with Him).

By the explanation of this verse in Surat at-Tawba, the Prophet ﷺ extended the definition of monothiesim from mere ritualistic prayers (done as Allah prescribed) to a comprehensive way of life, in which Allah’s legislation (Qur’an and Sunnah) is above all standards of right and wrong set by humans without divine guidance. In other words, Allah does not accept that we blindly follow anyone, even if it’s a “sheikh” or “da`iyah,” without checking their statements’ validity according to Qur’an and Sunnah.

Taking a step back and reflecting on verse 102 of Surat al-Kahf, as illucidated by the Prophet’s definition of monothiesm, I wonder if we do not sometimes share this characteristic of disbelievers, who idolize humans, for instance, by taking their opinions into greater consideration than Allah’s guidance. Do we get pressured by our parents, friends, or social norms into doing things that displease Allah? What about following our own desires? If our materialistic interests or egos conflict with something Allah legislated, which do we choose? Is Islam really our deen (way of life), or is our deen a mix of social norms, some of which are Islamically acceptable and others that are not?

On the Day of Judgment, Allah (swt) will resurrect us from our graves. On that day, no clothing, shoes, hairstyle, car or house will make us unique – only our actions in this life will. The Qur’an reminds us to “fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul at all, and no compensation will be accepted from it, nor will any intercession benefit it, nor will they be aided.” (2:123)  On this day, the person who planned and prepared for meeting Allah (swt) will be happy with his reward and get to show off his unique book of deeds: “So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, ‘Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account.'” (Qur’an, 69:19-20) This is the day when our uniqueness stands out for the entire creation to see.

The sahaba (companions) of the Prophet Muhammad (sal `Allahu alayhi wa sallam – peace be upon him) are role models in how to be truly unique. It was their sincerity to Allah (swt) that blessed their actions and made them memorable throughout history. What made some sahaba more unique amongst the other sahaba was their deeper faith in Allah (swt), and that faith’s manifestation in action. The Prophet’s companions all had amazing lives, but one exceptional sahabi was Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq (radi Allahu `anhu – may Allah be pleased with him). On the authority of Abu Huraira (ra), one morning, after the dawn prayer, the Prophet (s) asked: “Who began this day fasting?” Abu Bakr said: “I did.” The Prophet (s) said: “Who participated in a funeral procession today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did.” The Prophet (s) said: “Who fed a needy person today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did.” The Prophet (s) said: “Who visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did.” Then, the Prophet (s) said: “These things cannot all meet in a single person but that they will enter Paradise.” [Sahih Muslim]

Abu Bakr (ra) was especially unique amongst the Sahaba, who were amongst the best people in the best century of human history, and he achieved this status through competing to do the most good. As `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra) said in various narrations, “By Allah, I never tried to compete with Abu Bakr in something good, except that he beat me to it first.”

It may be difficult to shift our perspective on life and how we define ourselves, but it is surely more satisfying to lead a life characterized by doing good deeds that will be rewarded in both this life and the hereafter, rather than defining ourselves by ever-changing fashions of clothing that are destined to wear out and identities that evolve over time.