ALL PROPHETS & DISCIPLES PRAYED THE SAME WAY -- The Islamic Way!

 

All Prophets And Disciples

Prayed The Same Way:

The Islamic Way!

(M. Javed Naseem)

Islam is complete submission to Allah – both physical and spiritual. The physical part being your mind and body; and the spiritual part is done by your soul. So, it is the combination and coordination of the two basic elements – body and soul. Prayer is an act of worship. It is a direct connection between man and God, between the creation and the Creator. There is a saying that when a person prays, he/she whispers with Allah. There cannot be a more beautiful and precise definition of prayer (Salaat). Therefore, prayer is the best way for a human to connect with the Almighty Supreme Creator both physically as well as spiritually.

An Islamic prayer involves some visible physical actions. For example, when we supplicate or make ‘Dua’, we are asking Allah for something. Therefore, we raise our hands toward the heavens because we believe that Allah maintains His throne (up) in the heavens. But this raising of hands is not new. It existed since the time of Adam. Humans started raising hands up toward the heavens since Adam and Eve were sent down to live on earth. Apart from ‘Dua’, the main act of prayer involves some physical actions like standing respectfully upright like a servant (Qayam); bending or bowing down (Ruku); and bowing down in prostration (Sajdah). Those are the principal actions of prayer.

All prophets and their respective nations were prescribed some physical actions as part of their prayer to the Lord. All of them used to fall ‘on their faces’ on the ground. We call it ‘Sajdah’ (bow down or fall in prostration). Satan influenced and misguided the humans and they revolted against prayers as they found it difficult to maintain. Here are some references from the Bible supporting the Muslim prayers:

The Lord God:

“I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them nor serve them …” - (Deuteronomy 5:6-9)

The very fact that God is instructing His messenger and the people not to ‘bow down’ to idols or to humans, means that bowing is a valid form of worship.

Jesus Christ falls in prostration (Sajdah):

“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying: O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” - (Matthew 26:39)

Jesus kneels down to pray:

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed.” - (Luke 22:41).

Solomon’s prayer:

“And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven”. - (I Kings 8:22).

David’s prayer:

“And David said to all the congregation, now bless the Lord our God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.” - (I Chronicles 29:20).

David fasts and lies on the ground:

“David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.” - (II Samuel 12:16).

King Hezekiah turns his face to the wall:

“Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.” - (II Kings 20:2-3).

Elijah sits on the ground with his head between his knees:

“So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of (Mount) Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees.” - (I Kings 18:42).

Steven knelt down to pray:

“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep”. - (Acts 7:59-60)

Peter kneels down to pray:

“But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise”. - (Acts 9:40).

Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day:

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem; he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime”. - (Daniel 6:10).

Paul kneels down in prayer:

“And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him”. - (Acts 20:36-37).

Paul and others prayed on shore:

“And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city; and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed”. - (Acts 21:5)

God speaking to Isaiah (‘Every knee shall bow’):

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return. That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear”. - (Isaiah 45:22-23).y

Abraham falls on his face

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and three, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations”. - (Genesis 17:1-4)

Bowing and kneeling

“O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker”. - (Psalm 95:6). This verse of Bible confirms the physical actions of ‘Ruku’ and ‘Sajood’, the way Muslims pray to Allah.

Angels fell on their faces

“And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.” - (Revelations 7:11-12)

Joshua falls to earth on his face

“And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast Thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!” - (Joshua 7:6-7):

Moses & Aaron fell upon their faces

“And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying: ‘Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.’ And they fell upon their faces, and said, O

God, the God of spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt Thou be wroth with the all of the congregation?” - (Numbers 16:20-22):

Moses and Aaron fall in prostration

“And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the

congregation, and they fell upon their faces; and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.” - (Numbers 20:6)

Falling down before Lord

“Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you. Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down the first; because the Lord had said He would destroy you”. - (Deuteronomy 9:24-25)

Conclusion:

We saw Abraham, David, Elijah, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Jesus and his disciples, and angels in the heavens – all bowing down in worshiping Allah. And finally, here is Allah’s command to all believers, including the followers of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), to bow down their heads in worship. That’s the proof that the manner of worshiping One True God was the same in every Prophet’s time. The same manner of worship means the same faith or religion. And that faith/religion is ‘submission/surrender to the Will of God’ – i.e., Islam. Allah commands us:

“And be steadfast in prayer, practice regular

charity; and bow down your heads with those

who bow down (in worship).”

(al-Quran 2:43).

“And whoever seeks a religion other

than Islam, it will never be accepted

of him, and in the Hereafter

he will be one of the losers.”

(al-Quran 3:85)

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PITY THE NATION Whose Statesman Is A Fox; Whose Philosopher Is A Juggler!

 

'Pity The Nation

Whose Statesman Is A Fox,

Whose Philosopher Is A Juggler!’

(M. Javed Naseem)

“Corruption does appear on land

and sea because of (the evil)

which men’s hands have done,

that He may make them taste a

part of that which they have done,

in order that they may return.”

(al-Quran 30:41)

The Earth belongs to God Almighty. Whatever we do here, we’ll definitely bear the consequences of that. When we were sent down to earth, we were given a set of rules and regulations to follow. And as in any society, if you break the rules you are liable to punishment or reprisal. For a layman, things are in black and white. A line has been drawn between right and wrong – nothing in between. But the modern man has blurred the line and added colors to the scene. He has no courage to stand up against the evil and has no guts to face the reality either. Therefore, he walks the blurred line, fooling himself and deceiving others, but at the same time claiming to be fair. He tries to please both sides of the conflict, and sometimes even favoring one over the other. His sweet lies earn him the title of a modern ‘diplomat’ which practically means a ‘Munafiq’ (hypocrite).. The Almighty says:

“Confound not truth with falsehood,

nor knowingly conceal the truth.”

(al-Quran 2:42)

As a matter of fact, a tactful liar is considered a successful diplomat. The modern smart diplomat is a hypocrite – that is ‘Munafiq’ in Islamic terminology. He is a person who fools both parties with his lies, unfair tactics, deception and sweet-talk. You can even challenge his honesty. Unfortunately, he is considered a very successful man today. That means either we have gone blind or have turned into crooks who change the values, laws, rules & regulations to serve their own interest, with no respect for humanity.

“Lo, Allah commands you that you

restore deposits to their owners,

and if you judge between mankind,

then you judge justly.”

(al-Quran 4:58)

A nation should demand justice, equality and respect as its birth-right. There are moral values and civic laws that govern a society. In the absence of those values and laws, there would be chaos. It would be like living in a jungle. When people stop thinking and asking ‘how’ and ‘why’, they become a dead society. Such people are considered as a herd of sheep that will follow even a dummy. Have you seen the modern hobby of the rich, the dog race? The dogs chase a dummy rabbit. They don’t even feel that the rabbit is a toy. People of the developing nations are being programmed like that these days. The leaders in those countries are installed by the foreign ‘special interest’ group. The ‘dummy’ runs the affairs, as he is told to, and the nation follows. The nations which don’t demand justice, don’t stand up against evil, and don’t fight for their own rights, they are as good as dead. Miracles don’t happen unless you try to make them happen. You have to make an effort.

“Lo! Allah changes not the condition

of a folk until they (first) change

that which is in their hearts …..”

(al-Quran 13:11)

In a society where ‘anything goes’ you cannot expect justice, respect or honesty. Nations like that are doomed. They don’t make any effort to change their lives for the better. They just sit back and wait for something to happen. These days the countries have the foreign armies on their soil to defend them. Vow! We did not learn any lesson from the history of nations. The people that cannot defend themselves have no right to freedom. The Jews used to have the same character during the time of Prophet Moses. They were so shameless that they won’t do anything but demand Moses to ask his God to get them this and that. They would even send Moses to ask God for meat, garlic, onions and cucumbers when God was providing them with Manna and Salwa. Allah says in the Holy Quran:

“We destroyed the generations

before you when they did wrong;

and their messengers (from Allah)

came unto them with clear proofs

(of His sovereignty), but they would

not believe. Thus do We reward

the guilty folk.”

(al-Quran 10:13)

What logic do we see in doing wrong and still expecting the blessings from Allah? It does not work that way. The saying goes: First deserve then desire. We can ask Allah for His help only when we are trying our best for a good cause. Khalil Jibran said:

“Pity the nation that raises not its voice,

Save when it walks in a funeral;

Boasts not except among its ruins, and will

Rebel not save when its neck is laid

between the sword and the block.”

We have exactly the same situation today. We are almost dead as a nation. We have no character, no dignity and no identity. We are like that cricket team who sells the honor of their motherland for a few thousand dollars and feels no shame. Or like a politician who sells his motherland to his foreign masters only to get immigration status for his family.

Sheikh Saadi of Iran said that you cannot produce a good sword from a bad metal; meaning that you cannot produce quality product from the low-grade raw material. Nations of the world are laughing at our leaders and politicians. They are ridiculing the Muslim nation. And we can see it why! We have become a nation of mediocres, inefficient, incompetent and dishonest workers. No wonder we are producing the same kind of leaders and politicians. Ah! My heart goes to Khalil Jibran who says:

“Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox,

Whose philosopher is a juggler;

And whose art is the art of patching and

mimicking.”

There is something called ‘self-respect’. We have lost it. It’s a hard-earned commodity. If we don’t respect ourselves, who is going to respect us? Nobody. Yes, nobody. And that’s what is happening today. It is out of fashion to talk about Allah, His Messengers, Islam and Muslims. People would leave your company if you start talking about national integrity, honesty, justice, fairplay and equality. They take pride in being associated with Devil or America or Britain; even India, Israel or the wretched of the earth Afghanistan. They are not proud citizens of Pakistan. They would rather call themselves Muhajirs, Sindhis, Pashtuns, Baluchis, Punjabis and Kashmiris. Ah! Khalil Jibran! You knew my country very well when you said:

“Pity the nation divided into fragments,

Each fragment deeming itself a nation.

Each fragment has its own short-sighted,

narrow-minded and evil-oriented leader.

There is no leader of the Muslim ‘Ummah’. No wonder it has become a herd of sheep. They are doing nothing to change their destiny. They are engaged in evil practices and are hoping for the blessings of Almighty Allah. They are all waiting for a miracle, for a Messiah. And the only Messiahs they are getting are the ones who are installed by their foreign masters. They come with great pump and show, only to leave with their tails between their legs. Ah! Khalil Jibran! I love you when you said:

“Pity the nation that welcomes

its new ruler with trumpeting,

And farewells him with hooting;

Only to welcome another

with trumpeting again.”

Khalil Jibran wrote this poem in 1934. What a far-sightedness, what a vision! It seems that the situation in the1930s was not much different from the current one in the year 2024. That means the humans don’t change much for the better. It is sad. If you try to apply the above thoughts on today’s Muslim world, they fit perfectly. Khalil Jibran could see the future of the Ummah. Things have deteriorated in the Muslim countries over the years. The only change we see there is in the material things – even those things have been copied from the West. Most of the Muslim countries – especially the French speaking, have lost their identity. Their people try to mimick their Masters, but their masters don’t accept them as equal. And they themselves consider superior to their fellow countrymen. So, they are hanging in the middle, belonging to neither group. 

In fact they have lost their culture, their values and ultimately their identity. It is happening in Pakistan too. There are radio & tv channels, newspapers and magazines that are working day and night to destroy the ideology of this nation. They are even ridiculing the founding fathers of Pakistan. At the same time Europe and America are appreciating Iqbal and Jinnah for their role in re-writing the history of the Sub-continent. Funny?

Here is the complete translation of Khalil Jibran’s poem.

Pity The Nation

(Written in 1934)

Pity the nation that raises not its voice

Save when it walks in a funeral;

Boasts not except among its ruins, and will

Rebel not save when its neck is laid

between the sword and the block.

Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox,

Whose philosopher is a juggler,

And whose art is the art of patching

and mimicking.

Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler

with trumpeting,

And farewells him with hooting;

Only to welcome another

with trumpeting again.

Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years,

And whose strong men are yet in the cradle.

Pity the nation divided into fragments,

Each fragment deeming itself a nation.

(Khalil Jibran)

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YOU DON'T KNOW MY PAKISTAN! Pakistan Independence Day: Corrupt judiciary, inept ...

 

Pakistan Independence Day

You Don't Know My Pakistan!

Corrupt Judiciary,

Inept Administration &

Munafiq Politicians

Failed Pakistan

(M. Javed Naseem)

 

O Hypocrite Leaders!

You robbed us of our old age;

you robbed your own children

of their bright future!

In 74 years, you promoted

only corruption, nepotism,

hypocrisy (Munafiqat)

and ignorance (Jahalat)!

You wrongly blame military

for all your evil policies!

Now wait for Allah’s fury

for ridiculing Islam in

your country!

August 14^th marks the independence of Pakistan, a so-called Muslim country of more than 200 million people. With the exception of military rule a couple of times, the country’s civilian or ‘democratic’ governments during the last 74 independent years can only present a shameful record of corruption, nepotism, feudal dictatorship, incompetence, lies and deception. Corrupt Judiciary, corrupt Parliament and corrupt civil administration proved year after year that they were all inept, dishonest, unfaithful and incompetent to run a country that was rich in human talent and natural resources. They betrayed the Pakistani nation that fell into their traps again and again, and voted the same thugs and thieves into power who were proven robbers. Those thugs and thieves are morally bankrupt but financially very rich (by looting public money). They love New Pakistan.

Now, who is more at fault – leaders or people? That’s a debatable question.

Pakistan and India let the robbers/thieves run their economy and big businesses without accountability so that their contribution towards national development was Zero! They allowed them to ruin that country’s economy and transfer wealth overseas. In the meantime, the politicians keep fooling their own nation with fake figures (progress).

Today, most Pakistanis are crying because the dishonest rich rulers and corrupt politicians have made their lives miserable. Cost of living and inflation are high; purchasing power of the Rupee is very low. Prices of daily-use commodities are out of control. This is New Pakistan!

 

(President Muhammad Ayub Khan with Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy)

Golden Era of Pakistan:

Looking back, 1960’s was the golden era of Pakistan in all fields. After 1970, the graph went downwards. When I left Pakistan in 1969 for Germany, I purchased US Dollars from the State Bank of Pakistan, Lahore, at the rate of Rs.4.75 per dollar. Yes! I repeat: Pak Rs.4.75 to a dollar. And today? I am ashamed to mention it that it has been around Rs.300.oo (more or less) for many years.

When I traveled to Europe with Green Copy (Pakistan passport) and I felt so happy and special that I did not require any visa for any European country, except the Communist Bulgaria and Switzerland. But even in Bulgaria, I was granted visa at the port of entry for $5.00 fee. The only other visa I needed was of Afghanistan. Europe was so friendly and welcoming for Pakistanis. Those days, Pakistan was a like a brand name! PIA was among the top airlines of the world.

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In my Pakistan, US Dollar was worth Rs.4.75,

British Pound was worth Rs.9.50, Sugar was

Rs.1.50 per kg (ser), Butter Oil (Desi Ghee)

was Rs.4.50 per kg/ser, Daal Chana was Rs.0.50

per kg/ser, Milk was Rs.0.50 per Litre/ser,

Yoghurt was Rs.0.75 per kg/ser, Tandoori

Roti was Rs.0.10 per loaf (Rs.0.25 in the 1970s).

No visa for 90% of the West European countries!

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In New York city, I met an American lady doctor, an eye specialist. She told me she had fond memories of Pakistan as she got her professional medical training and internship in a Pakistani hospital in the cornea transplant surgery.

Pakistan Helped Japan:

Sir Zafar Ullah Khan, Pakistan's Foreign Minister, was the first Asian at the time to preside over the UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice. He supported the application of Japan for entry into the United Nations. Few would know that the only Head of State ever to be received at the airport by the Emperor of Japan, Hirohito, himself, was the President of Pakistan, Ayub Khan.

When the Japanese peace treaty was signed at San Francisco in 1951, Pakistan was described as the ‘Tower of Strength’ by the U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.

Japan partnered with Pakistan in their initial growth seeking supplier's credit from Pakistan. Pakistan played a significant role during 1947-51 in lifting the Occupation and restoration of Japan's sovereignty. Pakistan waived off war reparations to Japan to help build its economy.

After the Second World War, Japan was in shambles as its economy was destroyed. Pakistan came to the forefront again and shipped 60,000 tons of rice to Japan in the 1950’s to meet the acute shortage of food in Japan caused by the war. The shipment read: ‘Donated Rice to the Emperor of Japan by the Government of Pakistan’.

Pakistan Helped Germany:

By 1953, Germany also had debts based on reconstruction loans made immediately after the end of the Second World War. Germany’s creditors included Greece, Spain, Pakistan and Egypt, as well as the US, UK and France.

In 1963, under President Ayub Khan, Pakistan dished out Rs.120 million loan to Germany, the largest European economy today, for a period of 20 years. At that time, the parity of the then Deutsche Mark was below the Pakistani Rupee. As per the Gazette notification of Pakistan in the 1950’s, the value of British Pound Sterling was Rs.9.50, US $3.50 and with all European currencies below par with even German Mark at Pak Rs.0.75. Pakistan was one of the strongest economies of the world. Pakistan's economy in the 1950s and 1960s was among the fastest growing in the world and the most recognized in Asia.

Pakistan Helped South Korea:

The war-torn South Korea consulted Pakistan and it was the Planning Commission of Pakistan with Dr. Mahboob-ul Haq, which helped them with their development plans. South Korea is now one of the world’s largest economies.

Pakistan Helped U.A.Emirates:

Pakistan helped the desert Emirates (the old Gulf States) with construction of its infra-structure and establishing an airline (Emirates Airlines). Its first flight was from Dubai to Karachi.

Pakistan Helped Many Countries:

Pakistan helped Malaysia too when the constitutional experts from Pakistan extended their assistance in preparing the Malaysian constitution. Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and other countries in the region, all looked up to Pakistan for cooperation in different fields ranging from economic to defense collaboration.

Education:

Pakistan’s educational institutions and universities were held in high esteem by all Asian, African, Middle Eastern and even European countries. Egyptians, Indonesians, Iranians, Arabian and African students considered themselves very honored to get admission into Pakistani universities.

That was my Pakistan and I miss it. I doubt if any present leader is capable of bringing back its lost glory to Pakistan. Now, Pakistan is occupied by the hypocrites (Munafiqeen) who call the corrupt, dishonest and anti-Islam politicians ‘Shaheed’ (martyrs). They are ridiculing Islam in an Islamic Republic. No wonder they are being disgraced even by the Arab Bedouine.

And then they brought Alibaba & his 40-thieves – Bhutto and his gangsters – to rule that Pakistan. The results were disastrous – politically, financially, spiritually, socially and nationally! People are naive and pitiable. They are not true Pakistanis! They belong to Mohajir/Local groups, Bihari, Bengali, Punjabi, Balochi, Sindhi, Pashtoon groups; Anjuman-e-Araaian, Rajpootan, Dogran, Jattan, Gujjaran, Kashmirian, etc., etc. They support people who demand separation and more provinces on ethnic basis (breaking up Pakistan). They help terrorists to carry out bomb explosions, blow up schools and kill innocent citizens. And on Facebook pages, they claim to be ‘proud’ Pakistanis? What a shame!

Every day, Muslims are being killed and tortured all over the world but they do nothing except sharing a picture or a stupid post on FB, blaming one politician or the other. They are like a herd of sheep controlled by vicious dogs/wolves; a talented nation taken hostage by ignorant and corrupt thugs; a rich country ruled by armed robbers and feudal thieves!

Tell me New Pakistan! What’s your national character? Is it based on Islamic or Hindu or Western values?

 

Google research tells me that most people watching sex or pornographic videos/films on the internet are Muslims from Pakistan! So, you have lost your dignity, integrity and morals too! I am showing you the mirror and am sure you won’t like it. I don’t like it either!

Whatever is going on in the name of Islam and Pakistan in that land, can only be deplored. I am sick and tired of lies and deception. You are lying to Allah too. If you can’t change that, wait for Azaab-e-Elahi (wrath of God). If you are unable to bring to justice the corrupt politicians, corrupt judges and corrupt administrators, you are responsible for your own plight. Now wait for Allah’s justice! I am hurt and am waiting too.

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CHARITY -- A Trade That Will Never Fail.

 

Charity – A Trade

That Will Never Fail

Help others so that

you shall be helped!

(M. Javed Naseem)

“Let the man of means spend according to

his means: and the man whose resources are

restricted, let him spend according to what

Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden

on any person beyond what He has given him.

After a difficulty, Allah will soon grant relief.”

(al-Quran 65:7)

Most of us are going through hard times these days that have become even harder due to the fraudulent Coronavirus restrictions and a manipulative ‘safety’ protocol. Millions of people have lost their jobs, small businesses and sources of income. Some got the alternate sources of income; some got government and social help and some got nothing at all except suffering. They can’t beg and they have nobody to turn to. On top of it, the Evil Empire continued waging its illegal wars all over the world just to consolidate its fascist control and hegemony of the world. There is bloodshed, death and destruction, famine and starvation due to man-made geopolitical policies based on oppression. As responsible members of the society, we have an obligation to look around in our own neighborhoods and try to help those who are suffering from poverty and hunger.

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Serve humanity if you want to serve

the Almighty! Treat people with mercy

so that Allah will treat you with mercy

on the Day of Judgment!

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When God taught us Faith, He based it on His own qualities like Mercy, Love, Forgiveness, Charity and Hope – all Good and no Evil! He told us not to follow the Devil as he was our enemy. We were strictly commanded not to spread corruption and evil in the Earth so that we could enjoy Lord’s bounties and a happy life in this world. But when we were enjoying happy life, we ignored God’s commands and started playing god on earth; hence all the corruption, injustice and evil. Out of greed and jealousy, we started depriving other humans of those bounties that we were enjoying – the bounties that Almighty God bestowed upon them. We are playing the Devil in the name of God and violating all Commands of God. Instead of helping the poor, we are making them poorer or even killing them with famine or bombs and bullets.

“Believe in Allah and His messenger, and

spend (in charity) out of the (substance)

whereof He has made you heirs. For, those

of you who believe and spend (in charity),

for them is a great Reward.”

(al-Quran 57:7)

“Whatever you shall spend in the cause

of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and

you shall not be treated unjustly.”

(al-Quran 8:60)

When you give, give with a big heart. Never think that you are doing others a favor! No, as a matter of fact, you are helping your own cause because Allah, the Almighty, will reward you for your good and charitable acts. Remember that the poor have a share in your wealth whether you accept it or not; whether you like it or not. That’s the verdict of the Lord Almighty. Share your wealth with the needy and the orphans and widows, and you would be rewarded manifold.

“Twice will they be given their reward,

for that they have persevered, that they

avert Evil with Good, and that they spend

(in charity) out of what We have given them.”

(al-Quran 28:54)

Thousands of times, we were warned via Scriptures through Prophets and Messengers but only a few paid heed. Most of the people ignored those teachings and warnings although we were informed of the fate of the earlier nations who disobeyed the Lord. Love, peace and harmony can only be created by sharing with others. Compassion is the key to a happy society. Allah, the Merciful, created us with mercy, compassion, love and hope. We are supposed to live in harmony with peace and justice. Some people are born rich while others are poor. But both are a source of ‘Test’ for each other. Allah wants to see how the rich behave and live with all the wealth and bounties He gave them in this world. At the same time, He wants to see how the poor live in contentment and survive with limited sources. If both of them succeed in keeping corruption, ungratefulness and greed at bay, they are both successful in this world and would carry the reward to the Hereafter.

“And spend of your substance in the cause

of Allah, and make not your own hands

contribute to (your) destruction; but do good;

for Allah loves those who do good.”

(al-Quran 2:195)

The Bible says:

“One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed.” – (Proverbs 19:17)

“And if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday.” – (Isaiah 58:10)

"Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.” – (Matthew 5:42)

God’s Message is divine and it was delivered to us by all Messengers. Only we, the humans, corrupted and altered it. We are greedy and have become slaves to our lusts and desires. We don’t know any more what compassion is; what contentment is; and what sharing is.

“Those who rehearse the Book of Allah,

establish regular prayer, and spend (in

charity) out of what We have provided

for them, secretly and openly, hope for

a commerce that will never fail.”

(al-Quran 35:29)

It is not the amount of money that counts. What matters actually is your gesture and thought behind your charitable action. Just try to put a smile on a sad face and enjoy the beautiful feeling. You can give whatever you can afford.

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EVERYTHING IN UNIVERSE Glorifies Allah, The Almighty.

Everything In Universe

Glorifies Allah, The Almighty;

Only Humans Are Ungrateful

(M. Javed Naseem)

“Whatever is in the heavens and whatever

is on the earth glorifies Allah. For He is

the Almighty, All-Wise.”

(al-Quran 59:1)

Everything in the heavens, on the earth and in between, glorifies Allah, the Supreme Creator, the Cherisher and the Sustainer of all. The only creation that strays and falters, is the Humans and the Jinn. Those are the two that are given a choice, liberty and freedom. Hence the abuse! They like to enjoy life on earth but forget that the Supreme Creator has some rights on us. Allah has created us; we are His subjects and He does not like disobedience from His subjects. He bless us with countless bounties and in return we should be at least grateful and glorify Him.

“Ask them, (O Prophet), 'Who is the Lord of the

heavens and the earth?” Say, 'Allah!' Ask them,

'Why then have you taken besides Him lords who

cannot even benefit or protect themselves?' Say,

'Can the blind and the sighted be equal? Or can

darkness and light be equal?' Or have they associated

with Allah partners who ˹supposedly˺ produced a

creation like His, leaving them confused between

the two creations? Say, 'Allah is the Creator of all

things, and He is the One, the Supreme.'”

(al-Quran 13:16)

Man is full of hypocrisy. When you ask him about his Creator, he would mention God (or Allah) right away. But when it comes to pay the due, he starts beating about the bush, looking for one excuse or the other. Then there are those shameless who don’t have any excuse. They try to rationalize and justify their sinful disobedience. They take shelter in philosophy. They know very well that it was disobedience to Allah that got Satan (the Devil) expelled from Paradise.

There is a modern group of Unbelievers (or atheists) who are dishonest but clever enough to copy the basic principles of equality and social justice of Islam and present them (even to the Muslims) as a “secular’ agenda! They are playing games to their own benefit. They cannot fool people who have the knowledge, they are fooling themselves or the ignorant. Allah is watching them as they are on trial too.

“Indeed, those who reject Allah's revelations

will have a severe punishment; and Allah is

Exalted in Might, the Owner of Retribution.”

(al-Quran 3:4)

All power and authority belongs to Allah the Almighty – the Supreme Creator of the universe. Man has been created weak but he tries to play God by abusing power and spreading corruption on the earth. Power means responsibility. When a man is given authority, he is actually given a great responsibility to take care of his fellow humans so that they don't suffer. If they suffer, the man responsible would be held accountable. Whenever humans as given responsibility, they take it as 'authority' or 'power' over others and start ruling them as if they were slaves. That misconception creates all kinds of problems. To avoid that, and to remind humans that there is God above, Allah created death and diseases. Humans only remember Allah when they are in trouble.

“Blessed is the One in Whose Hands rests

all authority. And He is Most Capable of

everything. He is the One Who created

death and life in order to test which

of you is best in deeds. And He is

the Almighty, All-Forgiving.”

(al-Quran 67:1-2)

There are signs of Allah’s Creation everywhere, around us, on us, below us, within us and above us in the skies. Only the deniers cannot see them (because they don’t want to see them). Denying these signs means denying or rejecting Allah, and those who deny or reject Him, their abode is Hellfire. How in your right mind can you revolt against your Creator? The equation is very simple. It is 'tit for tat'. If we remember Allah, He will remember us and bless us.

“So remember Me; I will remember you!

And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me!”

(al-Quran 2:152)

Power or authority not only makes man corrupt but also arrogant. It is very difficult to remain humble while having authority or power over others. One feels superior and above others; even above law. And that's what causes his downfall. Belonging to big families or famous clans and having lots of wealth cannot avail man against his sins or crimes. He needs to follow the guidelines or the path revealed to him by his Creator, for a successful life. But man measures his success by the scale of wealth and family clout.

“Those who reject Faith, neither their possessions

nor their children will avail them aught against

Allah. They are themselves but fuel for the Fire.”

(al-Quran 3:10)

Allah invites us to ponder over His signs; he tells us to think and reflect; use our brains and intellect. Today, when modern scientific research is exploring the universe, unearthing the secrets and producing the undeniable solid evidence to the fact that God (Allah) exists and He is the One Who is running the show, there is no logic or reason to deny Him. All power, glory and praise is due to Him. So why don’t we think; why don’t we reflect?

“And He has subjected to you, as from

Him, all that is in the heavens and on

earth. Behold, in that are Signs indeed

for those who reflect.”

(al-Quran 45:13)

Here are a few verses (42-45) of Surah an-Noor (the Light) from the Holy Quran for your review. Hopefully you’ll see the light and get the guidance. Insha-Allah.

“Yeah, to Allah belongs the dominion

of the heavens and the earth; and to Allah

is the final return (of all).”

(al-Quran 24:42)

“See you not that Allah makes the clouds

move gently, then joins them together, then

makes them into a heap? Then will you see

rain issue forth from their midst. And He

sends down from the sky mountain masses

(of clouds) wherein is hail. He strikes therewith

whom He pleases and He turns it away from

whom He pleases; the vivid flash of His

lightning well-nigh blinds the sight.”

(al-Quran 24:43)

“It is Allah Who alternates the Night and

the Day. Verily in these things is an instructive

example for those who have vision!”

(al-Quran 24:44)

”And Allah has created every animal from

water. Of them there are some that creep

on their bellies; some that walk on two

legs; and some that walk on four. Allah

creates what He wills, for verily,

Allah has power over all things.”

(al-Quran 24:45)

We are supposed to glorify the name of Allah through His remembrance and prayer. It was an obligation for the previous nations (Jews and Christians) and by the same token it’s an obligation for us Muslims too. Even the preconditions are the same: Honesty, sincerity and devotion.

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