ALLAH IS YOUR ONLY FRIEND: A True Friend; A Protector!

 

Allah Is Your Only Friend;

A True Friend;

A Protector!

(M. Javed Naseem)

“So establish prayer, pay the poor-due, and

hold fast to Allah. He is your Protecting Friend.

A blessed Patron and a blessed Helper.”

(al-Quran 22:78)

As the saying goes, “a friend in need is a friend indeed”, only the hard times and troubles tell you who your real and sincere friend is. You may know thousands of people and consider many of them as your friends, but only a 'test' can evaluate your real friends. Generally speaking, you have only one or two real friends. The rest of them are just for passing time.

“Of a thousand whom you know, one be your friend.” ---- (Prophet Solomon)

A man is known by the company he keeps. It means your friends and companions define your character. Bad people will bring bad name to you and the society will consider you as one of them – or just like them – as you often hang out with them. On the other hand, the company of God-fearing and righteous people will help you find the straight path to connect with your Almighty Creator – Allah.

This world is a temporary affair – a passing show of circus or a drama – and you are here to play your role in it. The most important thing, and the beautiful thing at the same time, is that you make your own choices. You select the role you want to play; and you play it with all liberty and freedom. It is absolutely voluntary – no compulsion at all. But don't forget that at the end of this drama or circus show, there will be evaluation and accountability of your choices and actions. You will be judged and asked why you made the choices you made in this world?

وَما ٱلْحَيَاةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ مَتَاعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ

“… The life of this world is but

comfort of illusion...”

(al-Quran 3:185)

With every role people choose to play, there comes a 'How to' book of instructions. Like every other game in this world, you are also required to play your role by some rules and regulations. If you don't break the rules and play your part as a righteous person, you are bound to succeed. And the Almighty will reward you with a place in Paradise. That's what this world is all about!

وَهَـٰذَا صِرَاطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيماً قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا ٱلآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

“This is the path of your Lord, a straight path.

We have detailed Our revelations for a

people who take heed.”

(al-Quran 6:126)

إِنَّ هَـٰذِهِ تَذْكِرَةٌ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ سَبِيلاً

“Surely this is a Reminder. Let him who will,

then take a straight path to his Lord.”

(al-Quran 73:19)

In the Gospel of Barnabas, Prophet Jesus (the son of Mary) has offered a beautiful description or a definition of a real friend. He calls him a 'Physician of Soul'.

Physician of Soul:

“The friend is a singular thing that is not easily found, but is easily lost. For the friend will not suffer contradiction against him whom he supremely loves. Beware, be you cautious, and choose not for friend one who loves not him whom you love. Know you what friend means? Friend means nothing but physician of the soul.”

“And so, just as one rarely finds a good physician who knows the sicknesses and understands to apply the medicines thereto, so also are friends rare who know the faults and understand how to guide to good.”--- (Jesus Christ)

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“Everything that may hinder you from

serving God, cast it from you as man casts

away everything that hinders his sight.”

--- (Jesus Christ)

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Slayers of Soul:

“But herein is an evil, that there are many who have friends that feign not to see the faults of their friends; others excuse them; others defend them under earthly pretext; and, what is worse, there are friends who invite and aid their friend to err, whose end shall be like to their villainy. Beware that you receive not such men for friends, for that in truth they are enemies and slayers of the soul.” --- (Jesus Christ)

Love of God:

“Let your friend be such that, even as he wills to correct you, so he may receive correction; and even as he wills that you should leave all things for love of God, even so again it may content him that you forsake him for the service of God.”

“Therefore when you choose you one for friend (for truly he is supremely poor who has no friend at all), see that you consider first, not his fine lineage, not his fine family, not his fine house, not his fine clothing, not his fine person, nor yet his fine words, for you shall be easily deceived.”

“But look how he fears God; how he despises earthly things; how he loves good works; and above all how he hates his own flesh, and so shall you easily find the true friend.” --- (Jesus Christ)

Key of Paradise:

“But love him as a gift that God has given you, for so shall God adorn (him) with greater favour. Truly I say to you, that he who has found a true friend has found one of the delights of paradise; no, such is the key of paradise.” --- (Jesus Christ)

(Note: Quotes of Jesus Christ were copied from the Gospel of Barnabas.)

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Touch somebody's heart!

 

Make A Difference!

Touch Somebody's Heart!

The best among you are those

who have the best conduct

and take care of others!

(M. Javed Naseem)

A good believer is always a good human being. He follows the path of righteousness and does not violate the rights of others. His manners and conduct are exemplary. He is a blessing for any community. Allah, the Almighty, has commanded us to do good so that a good society is created based on social justice and compassion.

“Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him;

and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in

need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are

strangers; the companion by your side, the wayfarer

(you meet); and what your right hands possess! For

Allah loves not the arrogant, the vainglorious.”

(al-Quran 4:36)

Safwan bin Salim narrated this, and confirming the same Abu Huraira also narrated that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said:

“The one who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person, is like a warrior fighting for Allah’s cause or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all night.” – (Bukhari , vol 8, book 73, No. 35).

We are one community and are supposed to help each other in times of need. We are all sons and daughters of Adam and Eve – a big family, as a matter of fact. As human beings we should feel for others because we are all parts of one great body and pieces of one big jigsaw puzzle. One without the others is nothing. That’s the way the Muslim community should be. The best among us is not the one who has achieved top position in sports, education, science, technology or arts. These honors are good for one’s personal satisfaction. If he/she cannot use it for the benefit of other human beings, it’s of no use. Islam promotes community life.

We should always think about others – the less fortunate, the not-so-lucky, the handicapped and the needy. If we cannot help them materially, at least console them morally with some kind, nice, soothing and sympathetic word. Don’t ever think it is worthless! It matters, for it touches the heart and soul of the needy.

Let me give you a simple but very important quiz I saw the other day.

1- Name the wealthiest woman in the world.
2- Name the last three Olympic champions in 100m sprint.
3- Name the last three winners of Miss Universe contest.
4- Name three people who won the Nobel prize last year.
5- Name the winners of the World Series of the last three years.

Now, how did you do? Remember anybody or anything? They were the most important people at that particular time. But none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. They were no second-rate achievers. They were the best in their field. Those were the people who made headlines. They were on TV, radio, talk shows, in the magazines, newspapers for days, even weeks. But the applause dies; awards tarnish; and achievements are forgotten easily. Certificates and medals are buried with their owners.

Now, here is the second part of that quiz! See how you do on this one!

1. List three teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name three people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of three persons who have made you feel good, appreciated and special.
5. Think of three people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name three heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier? Of course, piece of cake. So, what’s the lesson? The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, most money, or the most awards & medals. They are the people who care; who touched your heart and soul; who were there with a kind and encouraging word when you were down. And that makes the difference.

“O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with

those who are true (in word and deed)!”

(al-Quran 9:119)

Now, you try to be one of those and touch somebody’s soul. Make a difference! Leave your footprints on somebody’s life. Please do it while you can. God bless you.

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LIMITS (LAWS) ARE SET To Maintain Peace & Justice In The Society.

 

Limits (Laws) Are Set To

Maintain Peace & Justice

In The Society.

Allah has drawn the line between Halal

and Haram. Freedom, liberty, rights

and everything else has limits.

(M. Javed Naseem)

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ٱدْخُلُواْ فِى ٱلسِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً

وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

“O you who believe! Enter Islam completely,

and do not follow the footsteps of Satan!

Surely, he is an open enemy for you.”

(al-Quran 2:208)

Allah, the Supreme Creator, has described the Quran as “Furqan”. Furqan means something that distinguishes or separates. The Quran separates the Right from the Evil (Wrong) and the Truth from the Falsehood. It draws the line and that line refers to the limits (boundaries) – 'Hudood' in Arabic – set by the Almighty to maintain justice and peace in the world. There are many modern Muslims, rather liberals, who rationalize the commands of Allah and interpret them to suit their own viewpoint. The West always try to promote such liberals as 'scholars' of Islam and give them the maximum coverage in the media. In exchange for material benefits and free publicity on international level, these so-called scholars (or hypocrites?) try to please their masters/promoters with dangerous edicts (Fatwahs) and create rifts, sectarianism and chaos among Muslims.

'Liberty' or 'freedom' and 'women's rights' are the favorite subjects of such scholars. They redress the Western cultural traditions and liberal views and cover them under Islamic cloak. Some years ago, they arranged a ridiculous cultural circus and called it 'liberal' or 'reformed' Islam. A mixed (both men and women) prayer (Salaat) session was organized in a Christian church and most American TV channels were invited to cover it. Modern Muslim men and bare-headed (no scarf or Hijab) women stood side by side, intermingled and mixed, in the same row (Saff) to offer prayer, while a modern woman with a short haircut led the prayer as Imam. It was given a lot of coverage and publicity by the corrupt Western media.

Liberty and Freedom are the two most abused words in the Western culture. People do any stupid thing; sy anything vulgar; and commit any indecent act in the name of liberty and freedom. But on the other hand, the West has introduced rules and laws to maintain peace and order. Those rules and laws certainly define the limits of liberty or freedom. There is a limit to everything and there’s wisdom in it! If something has no limits and no discipline, it’s chaotic.

There’s ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ for everything, for every system. The sense of justice (right or wrong) normally springs from the base of ethics, morals and values. The Supreme Creator (Allah), Who created us humans, also gave us a code of conduct or ethics telling us what is right and what is wrong. He drew the line and set the limits for us. Those limits are called the ‘Hudood’ in the Quranic language.

تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلاَ تَعْتَدُوهَا وَمَن يَتَعَدَّ

حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُوْلَـٰئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّالِمُونَ

“These are the limits set by Allah. Therefore, do

not exceed them. Whosoever exceeds the limits

set by Allah, then, those are the transgressors.”

(al-Quran 2:229)

Man is generally a transgressor, a violator of the rules who crosses the limits all the time. He always tries to justify or rationalize that transgression or the breach of limits. But there are still people out there who love discipline/order and respect the limits because there is peace and justice in it. It all depends on how strong your Faith is, how deeply you believe in moral values, and what place you give Allah (and His commands) in your life.

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Don’t try to free yourself from all limits,

rules and disciplines! That’s not freedom!

Try to free yourself from desires that

keep you tied to the ground!

That’s real freedom!

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RUMI
Think that you are gliding out
from the face of a cliff like an eagle!

Think you’re walking,
like a tiger walks by himself in the forest!
You’re most handsome when you’re after food.

Spend less time with nightingales and peacocks!
One is just a voice, the other just a color.

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The culture of nightingales and peacocks! That's the correct description of the Western culture offered by the Sufi saint and scholar Rumi. That's the glittering culture of colors and sounds, dance and music.

But there is a lot more to life than colors, sounds, dance and music. Islam offers a better way of life – a complete package of life. It offers everything but within limits. You take it as a whole or you leave it. You cannot choose some parts you like and leave those you don’t like. You have to take it as a complete package and abide by it.

وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُ

يُدْخِلْهُ نَاراً خَالِداً فِيهَا وَلَهُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

“Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger

and transgresses the limits set by Him, He shall

admit him to the Fire, where he will remain forever.

For him there is a humiliating punishment.”

(al-Quran 4:14)

If you feel embarrassed by ‘Hudood-Allah’ – the limits set by Allah between Halal and Haraam, Good and Evil – then you are in the wrong place. You should leave Islam and join those liberals or hypocrites who put no limits to freedom but still obey the laws enforced by the Police Force, limiting their wild activities. They know that even freedom and liberty have limits. It means that your freedom or liberty ends where my freedom or liberty starts.

In the country of the free – America – somebody was dancing in the street screaming ‘viva la liberte’ (long live liberty!), ‘I love freedom’. People gathered around him joining the fun. The dancing man punched somebody on the face and his nose started bleeding. The injured man screamed back:

Listen you moron! Your freedom ends where my nose starts!

And that's the purpose of introducing the limits to liberty and freedom.

So, everything has its limits and that’s why we have laws, rules & regulations to maintain certain discipline, justice and order. Those limits are very important, rather essential, to maintain a peaceful society based on social justice.

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SAVING THE LAST BREATH For Repentance? Too Late!

 

Saving The Last Breath

For Repentance?

Too Late!

Don't put off till tomorrow

what you can do today!

(M. Javed Naseem)

Allah the Almighty fashioned man with His own hands and created him with love. In return, unfortunately, the man generally behaves with disobedience and ungratefulness. When a man is chasing a woman he likes, he begs her for attention and love. He cries: “Please, give me a second chance!” Yes, all in life, he wants a second chance from another sinful person who doesn’t even love him. On the contrary, God – the Infinitive Love – gives man a million chances to repent and come back to Him. He offers man Guidance, peace, success and Paradise, still the foolish man ignores God; and keeps chasing the illusion in this world.

Sometimes, the question comes to mind: Is it the same man who was designated Viceroy to God on this earth and the angels prostrated in front of him?

There is no doubt about it that man loves to play God on this earth but he possesses the godly qualities the least. Most of the time, he proves that he doesn’t deserve this status and is not fit for the job. A man should behave like a man and let God do His job – that is the best course. But for that, he should know the purpose of his life – the purpose of his being a man, and not a pig, a dog, a bull or a monkey!

“I have only created Jinns and men,

that they may serve Me.”

(al-Quran 51:56)

Allah has made it very clear that He created Jinns and Humans only to serve Him. And how do you want to serve your Creator? Use your own imagination! And if you cannot, here’s what Allah wants you to do: Learn righteousness!

“O people! Adore your Guardian-Lord,

who created you and those who came

before you, that you may have the chance

to learn righteousness!”

(al-Quran 2:21)

The life on this earth is just an illusion, a play, a game that we have to play in order to get the best for the Hereafter (the next and real life). As a matter of fact, it is a test, a trial, to see how wisely we handle it. If we handle it according to the guidelines given to us by our Lord Creator, we would be declared ‘successful’ and will be rewarded.

“Every soul shall have a taste of death.

And only on the Day of Judgment shall you

be paid your full recompense. Only he who is

saved far from the Fire and admitted to the

Garden will have attained the object (of Life).

For the life of this world is but goods and

chattels of deception.”

(al-Quran 3:185)

When Allah is not happy with man, He withdraws His guidance from man. The reason is that man keeps following the Devil whom God declared an eternal enemy to man. Man knows it but doesn’t want to understand it. He thinks that he has plenty of time to enjoy and have good time in this world. He saves his last day (even his last breath) to repent and revert to Allah. That’s a bad strategy; it never works! When you see death in front of you, face to face, it is too late to repent and ask for Allah’s guidance. The game is already over and you have lost.

“Of no effect is the repentance of those who

continue to do evil, until death faces one of

them, and he says, ‘Now have I repented indeed’;

nor of those who die rejecting Faith; for them

have We prepared a punishment most grievous.”

(al-Quran 4:18)

We are reminded time and again in different verses of the Quran about repentance before death comes to us. Still we ignore it.

“(In Falsehood will they be) Until, when death

comes to one of them, he says: ‘O my Lord!

Send me back (to life), in order that I may work

righteousness in the things I neglected.’ By no

means! It is but a word he says. Before them

is a barrier till the Day they are raised up.”

(al-Quran 23:99-100)

Allah the Almighty warns us in the Quran to be careful and do some good work to get the reward for the life in the Hereafter. We have the chance, here in this world and now, to prepare for the next world. Once the Angel of Death appears before us to say ‘Hello’, our time would be up; and it would be too late. 

“And spend something (in charity) out of

the substance which We have bestowed on

you, before death should come to any of

you and he should say, "O my Lord! Why

did you not give me respite for a little

while? I should then have given (largely)

in charity, and I should have been one

of the doers of good".

(al-Quran 63:10)

When Pharaoh saw the death face to face, before drowning in the flood, he repented and accepted the sovereignty of Allah. That was like saving his last breath for repentance. But at that stage (when you are dying and have no way out), repentance is not accepted. Allah told him that his repentance is rejected and he would be made an example – a lesson – for the rest of the mankind.

“We brought the Children of Israel across the sea.

Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in insolence

and spite. At length, when overwhelmed with the

flood, he said: "I believe that there is no god except

Him Whom the Children of Israel believe in. I am

of those who submit (to Allah in Islam)."
(It was said to him): ‘Ah now! But a little while

before, were you in rebellion! And you did

mischief (and violence)!

This day shall We save you in your body,

that you may be a sign to those who come

after you!’ But verily, many among mankind

are heedless of Our signs!"

(al-Quran 10:90-92

Many tyrants, kings and dictators, ignorant, rebellious and disobedient people tried to do that but they all lost. They were destined to Hell. Allah says that “there is no compulsion in Faith (Deen or religion)”. It’s all voluntary. You do it willingly to please your Creator, not unwillingly when you are cornered and helpless.

“Then We raised you up after your death.

You had the chance to be grateful.”

(al-Quran 2:56)

Yes, you had your chance to be grateful and obedient to your Lord Creator but you wasted it! We should all think about it before the game on this earth is over. So plan and play wisely and don't waste your time chasing an illusion!

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