A SINCERE PRAYER, A MESSAGE OF HOPE

A Sincere Prayer,

A Message of Hope

For The Muslim Victims of The World

(M. Javed Naseem)

وَٱلْعَصْرِ۔ إِنَّ ٱلإِنسَانَ لَفِى خُسْر۔ٍ

إِلاَّ ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ

وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِٱلصَّبْرِ
By (the Token of) Time (through the ages)!

Verily, Man is in loss, except such as have

Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join

together) in the mutual teaching of Truth,

and of Patience and Constancy.”

(al-Quran 103:1-3)

Man is always in loss, no doubt about it, but he never understands it. He measures his gain and loss on a different scale, and with a different yardstick.

Good manners (‘akhlaaq’) are considered the best quality of a Muslim and our Prophet (s.a.w.) was the best model of that. Even Allah praised his manners in the Holy Quran. Prophet asked us to greet people whether we know them or not. The one who greets first is considered better.

Many people in Muslim countries don’t understand the true spirit of Islam – peace. They go for superficial and un-important things and start a futile discussion or controversy exposing themselves. These days they are discussing whether they should greet others with ‘Happy New Year’ or not. Very often, people show their ignorance and lack of education on the social media. They have come up with a substitute of ‘Happy Weekend’ (believing it was Christian) and started promoting ‘Happy Friday’. It’s an irony that in most of such countries, the 1^st of Muharram is not a holiday (as New Year’s Eve) but the 1^st of January is a public holiday!

Wishing you a good day, a weekend, a month or a year has nothing to do with religion. This is just a greeting and it does not affect your Faith (Imaan) nor does it interfere with your Belief (‘Aqeedah’) of ‘Tawheed’ (Oneness of God). Here’s what Allah commands us to do in case someone greets us first:

وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّواْ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَآ أَوْ رُدُّوهَآ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيباً      
“When a (courteous) greeting is offered you,

meet it with a greeting still more courteous,

or (at least) of equal courtesy. Allah takes

careful account of all things.”

(al-Quran 4:86)

I, along with my spouse, appreciate all the greetings extended to us, no matter what occasion, what time or season, and what manner. I thank everybody for all of their good wishes, warm sentiments and beautiful soothing words that show the nice, kind, merciful and courteous person inside them. In response, I pray for them. To me, the best prayer for others is to wish them:

May Allah bless you with Mercy, Guidance and

Protection in all affairs; and all the time!

On any occasion, when we greet others, we should not forget those less fortunate people who are going through turmoil and turbulence of life; who are facing hardships at every step and who are trampled by the powerful in this world. Please remember them in your greetings and prayers!

My message to such people is:

O victims of oppression! Be patient and steadfast! Stay the course of truthfulness and righteousness no matter what the stakes! Eventually, your Creator will bestow His mercy and blessings upon you! The final victory will be yours whether you are in Afghanistan, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Burma, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Lebanon, Palestine or Syria!

Be brave and patient! The people you counted on, let you down. They are Hypocrites (‘Munafiqeen’). You have no friends and allies who’ll stand up for justice and fight for you, along with you. Muslim leaders are puppets and their governments illegitimate. They cannot obey the commands of Allah. But you stay as faithful and obedient servant to Allah and He’ll be on your side as Protector! Put your trust in Him! Have faith in Him! Keep your hopes alive! Don’t Despair! Cry to Allah with patient perseverance! Good time will come, Insha-Allah. Allah is the Best of Helpers!

بَلِ ٱللَّهُ مَوْلاَكُمْ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلنَّاصِرِينَ 
“Nay, Allah is your Protector,

and He is the best of Helpers. 

(al-Quran 3:150)

وَٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 
 “…And Allah is the Protector of those

who have Faith”.

(al-Quran 3:68)

Don’t count on ‘Munafiq’ leaders! Don’t wait for selfish and coward friends! They have their own interest, their own agenda. You are on your own, with Allah, not alone! He’s testing your Faith (Imaan) and patience.

Sacrifice your life and property, and be a ‘Shaheed’!

Don’t fail the test in this world, this is the best Deed!

As we have been commanded by the Almighty God, we invoke Him with the following plea:

عَلَىٰ ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ

وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ 
"In Allah do we put out trust. Our Lord! Make us

not a trial for those who practice oppression; and

deliver us by Your Mercy from the Unbelievers".

(al-Quran 10:85-86)

رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْراً وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ
”Our Lord! Bestow upon us patience and

steadfastness, and take our souls unto you

as Muslims!”

(al-Quran 7:126)

O brothers in Islam! No matter where are you,

You’re always in our prayers, we think about you!

We helpless pray to Allah, that’s all we now can do!

Be bold, courageous and faithful to Him!

Say ‘Alhamdo-lillah’ in every situation!

His help will come, will surely come,

From a source beyond your imagination!

We all pray together for you that Allah gives you a respite, a break, and makes you strong and steadfast.

(رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا

 وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ)

"Our Lord! Bestow endurance on us and

make our steps firm. Help us (with victory)

against the Unbelievers"

(al-Quran 2:250)

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ

حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

"Our Lord! Give us good in this word and

good in the Hereafter, and protect us from

the torment of the Hellfire!"

(al-Quran 2:201)

ربَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىۤ أَمْرِنَا

وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وٱنْصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ

"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything

We may have done that transgressed our duty.

Establish our feet firmly, and help us against

those that resist Faith."

(al-Quran 3:147)

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا

وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَاسِرِينَ
"Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls.

If You don’t forgive us and bestow upon us

your Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."

(al-Quran 7:23)

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ

صِدْقٍ وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنْكَ سُلْطَاناً نَّصِيراً
Say: "O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of

Truth and Honor, and likewise my exit by the Gate

of Truth and Honor; and grant me from Your

Presence an authority to aid (me)."

(al-Quran 17:80)

رَبَّنَآ آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَداً
"Our Lord! Bestow on us Mercy from You, and

dispose of our affair for us in the right way!"

(al-Quran 18:10)

لاَّ إِلَـٰهَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ
"There is no God but You! Glory be to you!

I am indeed of the wrong-doers"

(al-Quran 21:87)

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ آمَنَّا

فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ 
"Our Lord! We believe, therefore, do You forgive

us, and have mercy upon us; for You are the Best

of those who show mercy!"

(al-Quran 23:109)

O Lord, the Supreme Creator! We beg you and pray to you during these hard times when the blood of innocent Muslims is spilled all over the world, that you protect us and save all Muslims from the tyranny of the Unbelievers. We invoke you with the very sincere invocation of Prophet Noah:

وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لاَ تَذَرْ عَلَى ٱلأَرْضِ مِنَ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّاراً

إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّواْ عِبَادَكَ وَلاَ يَلِدُوۤاْ إِلاَّ فَاجِراً كَفَّاراً
“And Noah, said: ‘O my Lord! Leave not of the

Unbelievers, a single one on earth! For, if You do leave

(any of) them, they will but mislead your devotees, and

they will breed none but wicked ungrateful ones.

(al-Quran 71:26-27)

رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَالِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِناً

وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَلاَ تَزِدِ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ إِلاَّ تَبَاراً
O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, all who

enter my house in Faith, and (all) believing men

and believing women; and to the wrong-doers

grant You no increase but in perdition!"

(al-Quran 71:28)

Ya Allah! Grant us support with your mercy so that we could stay together, united as one Ummah, as you have commanded us to stay:

وَٱعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعاً وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ

“And hold on fast, all together, to the rope of

Allah, and be not divided (among yourselves)”.

(al-Quran 3:103)

Ya Allah! We believers (Muslims) count on your promise and assurance that we’ll prevail, so help us God!

وَلاَ يَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ سَبَقُوۤاْ إِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُعْجِزُونَ 
“Let not the unbelievers think that they can get the better

(of the godly). They will never frustrate (them)”.

(al-Quran 8:59)

Ya Allah! We cannot match the material supremacy of the Unbelievers. They have the means and the sources to unleash terror on us Muslims. Give us the means and create for us the sources with which we can counter them and glorify your name. You are the Wise, the All-Knower.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ

فَسَيُنفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوۤاْ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُونَ

“The Unbelievers spend their wealth to hinder (man)

from the path of Allah, and so will they continue to spend;

but in the end they will have (only) regrets and sighs;

at length they will be overcome; and the Unbelievers

will be gathered together to Hell.”

(al-Quran 8:36)

Ya Allah! This is the biggest trial and test of our lives and we are unable to stand our ground without your mercy and help. We have been the victim of oppression, aggression and injustice. We are weak but You are the Most Powerful and we look up to you for help. So help us God!

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُوۤاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُورٍ

أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُواْ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ
“Verily Allah will defend (from ill) those who believe.

Verily, Allah loves not any that is a traitor to faith,

or show ingratitude to those against whom war is made,

permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;

and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid.”

(al-Quran 22:38-39)

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

"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)

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