Introducing Islam to Others

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

What we have tonight for a short tadzkirah (reminders) session after Taraweekh sunnah service? Let us check up our Quran translation and exegesis for a moment. Open up surah al-An'am in our glorious Quran as these two verses are from the same surah...

So whoever by the God's wills to guide, He opens his chest to Islam and whoever He wills to send astray, He makes his chest closed and constricted as he is climbing up to the sky. That is how the God puts His wrath on those who have no faith 125

Among crucial part in the law of life is the faith to Him and His messengers. Our task is to introduce the Path to others, but the guidance is not in our hands. It is His will as it is only through His decree that anyone who listens the verses would silently having a deep thought. 

Those who have no faith are actually in His wrath without they realize it. These people receive not His mercy... how sorry they are... That is why, it would be hard for them to understand nor having a deep thought on His words over simple matters. No matter how hard we try to talk about His Existence, His Greatness, or His Grace, those who have no faith would never come to believe as it is difficult for them just like they are climbing up to the sky. The obstacles such as egoism or attachment to worldly matters (idolatries) that prohibits them from coming close though it is just a simple thing : )

Another notion for this simply is that, guidance is His right. It is not our right although we are obliged to orally or verbally introduce His noble Path to our friends and brothers in humanity through wisdom and proposed manner.

And this Path of your Lord the straight one. Indeed We had explained our verses (proves) for those who take heed (reciting the verses) 126

This verse further explains that our task is to bring together people who take heed and already recited with deep thought the verses of glorious Quran and benefit from it with practices of noble life. People who recite and practice His teachings will be granted the abode of peace.

What is abode of peace dear brethren? It is the jannah (paradise) promised by the Lord of Mercy. It is granted to His servants because of the noble conduct, good deeds, charity, chastity and great faith toward the God the Most Highest. - Brother Syeikh Abu Khalid, Medina al-Munawwarah; 12 Ramadan 1432 H; USM Mosque, Penang Island 

Sealed with prayers for peace, mercy, and love for brethren in faith and humanity, amin!

Every Soul Will Taste Death

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Alhamdulillah, we had safely finished our prayer services. More importantly I could pray together with congregation for Isya' because I had few times left behind due to that I live far from Islamic center. I hope to move inside since I wanted to join Islamic center activities and still thinking on how to deal with bureaucracy. Hope Allah helps me :'(

We also listened to the advice and preach given by the imam of Taraweekh prayer service. It is concerning death. The verse in surah Aal 'Imraan 185:  

Every soul will taste death. And indeed your merit will be completed in the Day of Resurrection. For those who are prevented from the Hell and they will be placed in the Paradise, they are fortunate. And this worldly life is nothing but merely a deceiving pleasure.

Everyone will face death. It is a fact. Muslim, non-Muslim, animals, affluents, paupers, and everyone will have to face this test. We do not know when and where we are going to die. We have to be ready and well-prepared to face the death. 

We will harvest and reap our charity and good deeds in the hereafter. It is during the Day of Resurrection when we will be judged by the God on what we had done in the world. 

This world is nothing but merely a deceiving pleasure. Indeed... I could see this since when I was a kid. Even when some people talking about this to us, they don't actually have inner feeling about this because they still are clinging to worldly pleasure. A brother from the so-called JT had just tyrannized me but I don't know what to say. I respect this movement and its founder. 

That's why I had provided shelter to him but it seems like some of them love to twist their words and using their movement name to deceive others. He said that he would be here for a while and I ask him no more as a matter of courtesy and politeness. Many people condemning Arabs as uncivilized race that makes a prophet being sent to these people but I guess after observing, we Arab descents are actually more polite and considerate about everything that happens around. 

I had also encountered problem with my current roommate because of this guy. Maybe I am a naive person and that makes me always a loner because I really need to be careful with my surrounding. 

Sometimes, I'm losing my faith toward Islamic brotherhood (not in Allah because I always believe in Him as my Protector and trustworthy Friend who never betrays me) because so many people who seems like following the teaching are inconsiderate, not compassionate and never think about other soul. I know it is not the teaching to be blamed but I guess their spirituality perhaps do not reach the level like what they externally displayed. 

Next time I would have to be really discreet, never easily entertain people around who come by to talk and I don't care if people wanted to condemn me for not strengthening the ukhuwah (brotherhood) because I am not friendly. We should not judge the book by its cover due to that sometimes people that we look as evil or bad are actually the most generous, polite, considerate and kindhearted person compared to ourselves.

I'm sorry for the rant and royanan (depression) after the preach sharing. I just don't know to whom should I talk about this except to the God. Just consider this as a complaint of a lowly servant to his beloved Master. Maybe this is a test from Allah to me in this blessed month and I have to bear with it. May He grants me strength to overcome this and I could finish my thesis writing according to time. Wish everyone happiness and peace. 

Sealed with prayers for peace, mercy, and love, amin!

Night in musalla on 28th May 2001

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Quite sad, I could feel the musalla being left behind after there is no tablighi and islamic center kids like Shuhaimi or his friend, Ridhuan. These two kids had just returned home yesterday. Well, it is semester break, of course the musalla and even mosque would have less people in the congregation. 

There was only three or four persons at that musalla and I had to take the charge to conduct the prayer services at the evening and night since nobody wanted to volunteer.  I hate that when people notice my presence around them but that doesn't mean that I hate people around. Instead I admire them and I love them just like I love the prophets, the companion of prophets, the family of prophets and others. They are in sacred place where it is full with His love and peace.

 Musalla Tekun Desa at my current hostel, i love you musalla ;-)

It's not really easy to be an imam although it is just for salaat because I feel the burden of sins on my shoulder. I don't know about others feeling, but that is how I feel. That is why I respect those who take charge in conducting the congregational prayer services like brother Firdaus, brother Zaidi my ex-roomate, and many others. They are indeed courageous.

After the prayers, I stayed back at the musalla just to muse myself. Thinking about my sins in the day whether I had wronged His creatures and whether I had misunderstood His taqdeer (whatever is fated) on me. I also managed to strengthen my memorization of surah al-Mulk in the musalla so that is a good thing for me, all praises only directed to Him. It is among good suras and I love to listen to anyone reciting this surah because it is also good for them. The Lord would release us from the torments in the grave while waiting for the Judgement to come especially when we recite it before sleeping.

I heard brother Firdaus reciting the surah in salaat when he was in charge conducting the services before this semester break and before I followed brother Husaimi to Sri Petaling markaz that day, and it is very cool!!! I wanted to listen to him again but I am afraid that I would make him annoyed apart of feeling embarrassed I may appear to be like a three years old kid begging for something. Sincerely, he recites most of the suras very well and I am speaking the truth. 

No matter who recites this surah and other surah which is ad-Dukhaan, I would stay there to listen until they finish because it is awesome and it reminds me about death, His creations, His torments and threats if we forget Him. I don't have gold nor silver to give to those who recite this, but I believe He would reward those who recite the Quran and thanks to those who indirectly helping me reciting the surah. You don't know how much that I had learned from you.

I had also found my late grandpa ma'athurat. It is a ma'thurat by the Perlis state government. I would memorize it firstly for His sake and secondly to honor my late grandpa because I had sinned him and thirdly to benefit my times remembering Him, His Will. Sealed with prayers for love and peace to all of fellow creatures of the God.