BEST WISHES FOR NEW YEAR

Happy New Year 1435-Hijra O Muslim Ummah!

I Have A Wish For You!

What’s Your New-Year Resolution?

(By: M. Javed Naseem)

I wish you were able to open the Book – The Holy Quran, the Word of Allah, read the following verses and do what Allah tells you to do:

هَـٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ لِّلْمُتَّقِين

“This (Quran) is a declaration for mankind, a guidance

and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil).”

(al-Quran 3:138)

ٱتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ

مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ قَلِيلاً مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ
“Follow (O men!) the revelation given unto you

from your Lord, and follow not, as friends or protectors,

other than Him! Little it is you remember of admonition.”

(al-Quran 7:3)

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوۤاْ آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُو ٱلأَلْبَابِ

“Here is a Book which We have sent down unto you,

full of blessings, that they may ponder over its revelations,

and that men of understanding may receive admonition.”

(al-Quran 38:29)

إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِين وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ نَبَأَهُ بَعْدَ حِينِ َ

"This is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds. And

you shall certainly know the truth of it (all) after a while."

(al-Quran 38:87-88)

وَلَقَدْ ضَرَبْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْآنِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

قُرْآناً عَرَبِيّاً غَيْرَ ذِى عِوَجٍ لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
“We have put forth for men, in this Quran every kind

of parable, in order that they may receive admonition.

(It is) a Quran in Arabic, without any crookedness

(therein); in order that they may guard against evil.”

(al-Quran 39:27-28)

I wish you would stop committing sins and wrong-doing, and stop spreading corruption as sinning, wrong-doing and corruption bring destruction:

وَكَم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا فَجَآءَهَا

بَأْسُنَا بَيَاتاً أَوْ هُمْ قَآئِلُونَ

“How many towns have We destroyed (for their sins)?

Our punishment took them on a sudden by night or

while they slept for their afternoon rest.”

(al-Quran 7:4)

فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَاهُمْ إِذْ جَآءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَآ

إِلاَّ أَن قَالُوۤاْ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ 
“When (thus) Our punishment took them, no cry

did they utter but this: "Indeed we did wrong."

(al-Quran 7:5)

وَلاَ تَبْخَسُواْ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشْيَآءَهُمْ وَلاَ تَعْثَوْاْ فِى ٱلأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

“Wrong not mankind in their goods, and

Do not evil, making mischief in the earth.”

(al-Quran 26:183)

وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَانِ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ آلْعِقَابِ

“Help not one another unto sin and transgression, but keep

your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is severe in punishment.”

(al-Quran 5:2)

I wish you would ask Allah for His Mercy, His Guidance, His Light and His Blessings in a way and in a manner that pleases Him:

إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَالِحاً فَأُوْلَـٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ ٱللَّهُ

سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

“Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds,

for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good,

and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

(al-Quran 25:70)

رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِى نُفُوسِكُمْ إِن تَكُونُواْ صَالِحِينَ

فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلأَوَّابِينَ غَفُوراً

“Your Lord knows best what is in your hearts. If you do

deeds of righteousness, verily He is Most Forgiving to those

who turn to Him again and again (in true penitence).”

(al-Quran 17:25)

قُلْ يٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً إِنَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

“Say: O my servants who have transgressed against

their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah,

for Allah forgives all sins; for He is Oft-Forgiving,

Most Merciful.”

(al-Quran 39:53)

وَأَنِـيبُوۤاْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُواْ لَهُ مِن قَبْلِ

أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لاَ تُنصَرُونَ

Turn to your Lord (in repentance) and bow to

His (Will), before the Penalty comes on you;

after that you shall not be helped.”

(al-Quran 39:54)

I wish you were able to obey your Creator, The Almighty Allah, as He commanded you to obey him and not follow the Shaitan. I wish you believed Allah that Shaitan was your open enemy:

أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يٰبَنِيۤ آدَمَ أَن لاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ ٱلشَّيطَانَ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

وَأَنِ ٱعْبُدُونِى هَـٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنْكُمْ جِبِلاًّ كَثِيراً أَفَلَمْ تَكُونُواْ تَعْقِلُونَ

"Did I not enjoin on you, O you Children of Adam, that

you should not worship Shaitan; for that he was to you an

enemy avowed? And that you should worship Me, (for

that) this was the straight way? But he did lead astray a

great multitude of you. Did you not, then, understand?”

(al-Quran 36:60-62)

I wish you were able to follow the teachings and directions of the Messenger of Allah and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) to live successfully in this world as he is the best role-model chosen for us by Allah and the ‘mercy for the entire mankind’:

وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ 
“And obey Allah and the Messenger;

that you may obtain mercy.”

(al-Quran 3:132)

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن

كَانَ يَرْجُو ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيراً
“You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a

beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose

hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who

engages much in the praise of Allah.”

(al-Quran 33:21)

وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَٱحْذَرُواْ فَإِن

تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوۤاْ أَنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا ٱلْبَلاَغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
“Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and beware

(of evil). If you do turn back, know you that it is Our

Messenger's duty to proclaim (the message) in

the clearest manner.”

(al-Quran 5:92)

قُلْ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ
“Say: "Obey Allah and His Messenger"! But if they

turn back, Allah loves not those who reject Faith.”

(al-Quran 3:32)

مَّنْ يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَ وَمَن

تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظاً
“He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah.

But if any turn away, We have not sent you to

watch over their (evil deeds).”

(al-Quran 4:80)

وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـٰئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم

مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّينَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـٰئِكَ رَفِيقاً

“All who obey Allah and the Messenger are in the

company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,

of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth),

the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who

do good). Ah! What a beautiful fellowship!”

(al-Quran 4:69)

I wish you were able to lead by example as a true Muslim and become a source of inspiration, encouragement and education for others, promoting justice, peace, equality and piety (righteousness). I wish you could understand that a Muslim is an upright person – the symbol of righteousness:

قُلْ أَمَرَرَبِّى بِٱلْقِسْطِ وَأَقِيمُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ

وَٱدْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ
“Say: ‘My Lord has commanded justice; and that you set

your whole selves (to Him) at every time and place of prayer,

and call upon Him, making your devotion sincere as in His sight;

such as He created you in the beginning, so shall you return."

(al-Quran 7:29)

لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ

وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلآخِرِ وَٱلْمَلاۤئِكَةِ

وَٱلْكِتَابِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ

وَٱلْيَتَامَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَاكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ

وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلاةَ وَآتَى ٱلزَّكَاةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ

بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُواْ وَٱلصَّابِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وٱلضَّرَّاءِ

وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ أُولَـٰئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوآ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُم ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ُ

“It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to

the East and the West; but righteous is he who believes

in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the

Scripture and the prophets; and gives his wealth, for

love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy

and the wayfarer and to those who ask. …”

(al-Quran 2:177)

I wish you were able to become a true, honest, sincere, grateful and obedient servant (or slave) of Allah and stay away from delusion. That’s the way of the righteous:

يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلآخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ

عَنِ ٱلْمُنْكَرِ وَيُسَارِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَاتِ وَأُوْلَـٰئِكَ مِنَ ٱلصَّالِحِينَ
“They believe in Allah and the Last Day; they enjoin

what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten

(in emulation) in (all) good works. They are in the ranks

of the righteous.”

(al-Quran 3:114)

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ

يَرْزُقُكُمْ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلأَرْضِ لاَ إِلَـٰهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ
“O men! Call to mind the grace of Allah unto you!

Is there a creator, other than Allah, to give you

sustenance from heaven or earth? There is no god but Him.

How then are you deluded away from the Truth?”

(al-Quran 35:3)

I wish you were able to fear Allah the way He should be feared, and you were able to promote justice, peace, tolerance and good manners so that Allah would reward you:

وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلْبرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُواْ

عَلَى ٱلإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَانِ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ آلْعِقَابِ

“Help you one another in righteousness and piety, but

help you not one another in sin and rancour; fear Allah;

for Allah is strict in punishment.”

(al-Quran 5:2)

قُلْ يٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمْ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُواْ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا

حَسَنَةٌ وَأَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَاسِعَةٌ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
“Say: O you my servants who believe! Fear your Lord,

good is (the reward) for those who do good in this world!

Spacious is Allah's earth! Those who patiently persevere

will truly receive a reward without measure!"

(al-Quran 39:10)

I wish you were able to stand up for the fallen, down-trodden, oppressed and the victims of armed aggression in Muslim countries and beyond, for the sake of justice and peace:

وَمَا لَكُمْ لاَ تُقَاتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ

وَٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلْوِلْدَانِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةِ

ٱلظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَٱجْعَلْ لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنْكَ وَلِيّاً وَٱجْعَلْ لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنْكَ نَصِيراً
“And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah and

of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?

– men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord!

Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors;

and raise for us from you one who will protect;

and raise for us from you one who will help!"

(al-Quran 4:75)

ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ

ٱلطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوۤاْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّ كَيْدَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفاً
“Those who believe, (they) fight in the cause of Allah;

and those who reject Faith, (they) fight in the cause of

Evil. So, fight against the friends of Shaitan,

feeble indeed is the cunning of Shaitan.”

(al-Quran 4:76)

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقِتَالِ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ

عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُواْ مِئَتَيْنِ وَإِن يَكُنْ مِّنكُمْ مِّئَةٌ يَغْلِبُوۤاْ

أَلْفاً مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَفْقَهُونَ
“O Prophet! Rouse the Believers to the fight. If there

are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they

will vanquish two hundred; if a hundred, they will

vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers, for these

are a people without understanding.”

(al-Quran 8:65)

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ جَاهِدِ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَٱلْمُنَافِقِينَ وَٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ

وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
“O Prophet! Strive hard against the Unbelievers and

the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode

is Hell – an evil refuge indeed.”

(al-Quran 9:73)

وَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُم وَأَخْرِجُوهُمْ مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ

وَٱلْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ ٱلْقَتْلِ وَلاَ تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ عِنْدَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ

يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ فَإِن قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ كَذٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ

فَإِنِ ٱنتَهَوْاْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“And slay them wherever you catch them, and turn

them out from where they have turned you out;

for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter;

but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they

(first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them.

Such is the reward of those who suppress faith. But 
if they cease, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” 

(al-Quran 2:191-2)

وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ ٱلدِّينُ للَّهِ

فَإِنِ ٱنْتَهَواْ فَلاَ عُدْوَانَ إِلاَّ عَلَى ٱلظَّالِمِينَ
“And fight them on until there is no more tumult or

oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in

Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility

except to those who practice oppression.” 

(al-Quran 2:193)

I wish you joined me in praying and supplicating the Most Merciful, the Beneficent, with these words:

رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ

 إِصْراً كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا

 مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ

 أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَٱنْصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ

(Pray:) "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or

fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden

like that which You did lay on those before us;

our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we

have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us

forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Protector;

help us against those who stand against faith." 

(al-Quran 2:286)

Ameen! Ya Rabb al-Aalameen!

Best wishes for the New Year!

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