imti13
02-11-2004, 12:30 PM
DIRE WARNING
“…If ye turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you!” 47:38
Allah Almighty has honored mankind as a whole:
“We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors above a great part of Our Creation.” 17:70.
“We have indeed created man in the best of molds” 95:4
These are general statement of Almighty Allah regarding His creation (i.e. mankind) whom He made as Ashraf–ul-Makhluqat. i.e. best of his creation. As Allah created mankind with a purpose of carrying out his commandments and establishing His laws in this life in earth till we perish.
Though Allah has created mankind with different races, colors, locations, Allah doesn’t show superiority of any kind amongst His creation on the basis of color, creed, sex etc., except by one’s righteousness, God consciousness, fear of Allah i.e. Taqwa.
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” [Al-Hujurat 49:13]
Allah in His last and Final Revelation i.e. Glorious Qur’an He mentions about Muslims in Surah Ali-Imran chapter 3 verse 110
“Ye are the best of peoples evolved for mankind enjoining what is right forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith it were best for them; among them are some who have faith but most of them are perverted transgressors.” 3:110
Out of All His creations, He has chosen the Muslim Ummah as the best Ummah, which is a great honor for us Muslims. We must realize here an important fact that every honor is followed by responisiblity, we are not chosen because we are special breed or we are arabs or Deccans or Syeds etc., NO! Almighty Allah clearly mentions in the above surah that we are best of Nations as long as we enjoin Good and forbid Evil!
Yes, that is the responsibility, a great responsibility indeed given to us Muslims. Enjoining Good starts from enjoining people to Worship Almighty Allah alone and forbidding evil starts from stopping people worshipping anything other than the true creator Allah!.
We are entitled with task of conveying Allah’s message and proclaiming Allah’s message above all in this world!, in short we have the responsibility of inviting people to Deen-ul-Fitrah i.e. Islam!
For which in Arabic is called as Dawat-ul-Islam, the word Dawah generally means to invite, in the Qur’anic concept it means to invite non-Muslims to Islam.
This was the noble duty of all the noble prophets:
“For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the Command) "Serve Allah and eschew Evil": …” 16:36
We Muslims are given this noble task of doing Prophets job and to earn a Prophet’s reward. How blessed are we that out of whole mankind Allah has chosen you and me for His noble task!!!
But this honor doesn’t stand if we fail in our responsibilities; this is the law of Almighty Allah
“…and never wilt thou find any change in the law of God” [Fath 48:23]
We are not the only ummah given this honor, if we read Qur’an Allah gives various examples of the past generations:
“Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their apostles with Clear (Signs) (which they rejected to their own destruction): it was not Allah Who wronged them but they wronged their own souls.” 30:9
Jews were the chosen People:
Allah mentions in His Glorious Qur’an that Jews were chosen above all mankind for carrying out Divine commandments of Almighty Allah.
“O' Children of Israel! Remember the special favor which I bestowed upon You and that I preferred you to all others (for My message).” [Al-Baqarah 2:47]
Which is also mentioned in the holy Bible in Deuteronomy 7:6:
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.(Deut. 7:6)
Almighty Allah honored the Children of Israel and gave them so many previlages and blessed them abundantly, which Allah mentions :
“Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you when He produced prophets among you made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.” 5:20
Allah chose them, he sent prophets after prophets to them. No nation on earth has had so many prophets. We say Moses, a Jew – David, a Jew – Isaac, Solomon, Jesus all Jews. We say we believe in the four heavenly books. Out of these four, 75% are Jewish books; they are the books of the Jews.
Some of the Favors Allah bestowed on Jews:
a. Preferred them to deliver His message.
b. Delivered them from Firawn.
c. Divided the Sea for them.
d. Allah forgave them even after they took calf as god.(2:51-52)
e. Allah gave divine law (criteria) to Moses so that they may be guided.(2:53)
f. Allah gave them heavenly food Manna (2:57)
g. Allah gave 12 springs of water, one for each tribe. (2:60)
SubhanAllah! What a blessing! I think no community got so much privilege like Children of Israel! Can you imagine! Getting food from heaven every time you are hungry!!!
As whole mankind toils just to feed his family and to be fed, the pain we undertake to feed our families, for that we are sacrificing our whole life in course of struggle, Food is one of the basic needs for mankind. But the Jews rejected that blessing and they wanted to cultivate their own food (2:61), even that Allah accepted and fulfilled their wish.
Inspite of all such favors they were so ungrateful, they didn’t fulfill their obligation of conveying the message of Almighty Allah.
“And remember Allah took a Covenant from the People of the Book to make it known and clear to mankind and not to hide it; but they threw it away behind their backs and purchased with it some miserable gain! and vile was the bargain they made!” 3:187
The Jews drew wrath of Almighty Allah upon themselves:
“…They were covered with humiliation and misery; they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. This because they went on rejecting the signs of Allah and slaying His messengers without just cause. This because They rebelled and went on transgressing.” 2:61
The Jews always have been very rebellious and ungrateful; we can find such evidences in the Bible:
From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the LORD . (Deuteronomy 9:7)
For the LORD had said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people. (Exodus 33:5)
A wicked and adulterous generation… (Matthew 16:4)
"You brood of vipers!...(Luke 3:7)
Almighty Allah chose Children of Israel for a noble task, they were chosen not because they belong to some special breed. Allah gave them criterion i.e. law to distinguish right from wrong by which they are supposed to enjoin right and forbid wrong but because of their arrogance, stiff neckedness they took Allah’s favor as granted and thought they are destined to Jannah whether they abide by Allah’s rule or not.
“(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah and His beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay ye are but men of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)." 5:18
As mentioned in surah Hujuraat (49:13), Allah weighs his creation according to their Taqwa not by their color, creed, sex , or lineage!
Allah’s similitude of those who disobey Him:
The Children of Israel, whom Almighty Allah chose above all mankind for conveying His message and sanctified them with His innumerous bounties when they failed in their duty, Allah discarded them, humiliated them
And remember Allah took a Covenant from the People of the Book to make it known and clear to mankind and not to hide it; but they threw it away behind their backs and purchased with it some miserable gain! and vile was the bargain they made! 3:187
People of such honor when they turn back on their duty and did everything according to their whims and desire, Allah discards them and compares them with a “Donkey” How humiliating are this!
The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law but who subsequently failed in those (obligations) is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (but understands them not). Evil is the similitude of people who falsify the Signs of Allah: and Allah guides not people who do wrong. 62:5
Hired or Fired!
What makes one the best of people? We are Jew, is that makes you the best of people. No it has nothing to do with your race. And as soon as one is honored with that high respect and status, it carries with it certain responsibility. The best of people, without responsibility? No! and this honor and this privilege is not for anyone for keeping, you sit back and you said we are on the throne. No! you don’t do the job… if you do not carry out your duties and obligation which Allah has imposed upon you for giving this honor this privilege, He will substitute in your place another people and then they wont be like you. You don’t do the job, get out of the way, this is the Law of the Creator:
“…If ye turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you!” 47:38
And usually every time that we are displaced, we are replaced. You are displaced by a people whom you are looking down upon. Right, the person whom you are laughing at, that person will sit on your head because you didn’t do the job. In the bible we are told that God almighty will displace Children of Israel with a non-nation, means a nation which is a non-entity. People whom you don’t recognize that nation will replace you. And at another place a foolish nation, the people whom you consider to be fools. Who were the fools in the sight of the Jews? The Arabs! The people whom Jews look down upon.
“They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols. I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.” (Deut 32:21)
“And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.” (Genesis 17:20)
Arabs were worst at that time:
The Arab Bedouins were immersed in Polytheism, Disbelief, hypocrisy and ignorance about the Creator. History makes it clear that Arabs were considered so low that no invader ever wanted to rule over them.
The Arabs of the desert are the worst in unbelief and hypocrisy and most fitted to be in ignorance of the command which Allah hath sent down to his apostle: but Allah is All-Knowing All-Wise. 9:97
Arabs became the torch bearers of light:
And Allah chose them and transforms them in decades, to become the torchbearers of light and learning to the world. Within decades, they spread out from the Atlantic to the Pacific, within decades they were masters of the part of Europe.
History testifies that Baghdad was the cradle of civilization; it was often described as jewel of the world. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years! No Christian nation has ever ruled the Muslims anywhere for that period of time.
Allah chose Muslims as the Best of Nations for carrying out His Message and Allah even states He made Muslims as a just balanced nation:
“Thus have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced that ye might be witnesses over the nations and the Apostle a witness over yourselves; …” 2:143
Dire Warning for Muslims!
Muslims will be better than any other community because Allah Himself has given this honor to Muslims in His last and final revelation for the whole Mankind, The Glorious Qur’an! At the same time Allah warns the Muslims in surah Tauba chapter 9 verse 24:
“Say: If it be that your fathers your sons your brothers your mates or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline; or the dwellings in which ye delight are dearer to you than Allah or His apostle or the striving in his cause; then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.” 9:24
Allah made Muslims victorious as long as they sticked to His guidance i.e. to Qur’an and authentic Sunnah, the moment Muslims relinquished from their responsibilities Allah punished them as reminder for Muslims to get back to His Deen.
We shall certainly make them taste the lighter torment in this life before the greater punishment of the hereafter, so that they may return to the Right Way. [32:21]
In Baghdad, Samarkhand, Bukhara, under Haroon Al-Rashid, Mamoon Al-Rashid, they created a veritable fairyland. Those things that they created, you can only reproduce them on films; in real life we can’t approach it. On the borders, there were Mongols, Chenghiz khan, Halaku Khan, a mixture of Turkish and Chinese, the barbarians, the scourge of god. Are Muslims interested in them? No! What can they understand about Islam, these Mongols, they can’t understand about Islam. When Allah can change Bedouin arabs through His Kalam can’t He change the Mongols?. These arabs in their ayyamul jahiliyah, they did the Tawaf round the Ka’bah absolutely naked. And they had a beautiful logic and reasoning for doing that. Man is so ingenious, that he can rationalize anything. We complain about the nudist columnist, about the open beaches, these did it long before white man knew anything about it. They said Allah is so great, how I can present myself in what clothing, attire that is suitable enough to stand in his presence. Nothing! They said, ya bariktala, the way u sent me in this world, I present myself as you sent me.
Baghdad was often described as the jewel of the world. For six long weeks this jewel cracked and shattered under the ferocious might of the Tartar hordes. The rivers of the Tigris and Euphrates ran red with blood. Women who had observed modest and chaste lives were savagely assaulted and raped. Five centuries of knowledge accumulated from every literate civilization and contained in the world’s largest libraries was reduced to ashes. Many of humanity’s greatest centers of education, commerce and culture became nothing more than killing fields.
The architect of this colossal avalanche of death was Genghis Khan. His barbaric legions were triggered into a forty year bloodlust through the folly of the Muslim ruler, Muhammad Khwarizm Shah. Once a powerful and mighty monarch, Khwarizm Shah ordered the execution of Mongol caravans that came to trade within his kingdom. When Genghis Khan sent a delegation of envoys to lodge a formal protest, Khwarizm Shah executed most of them. These two inhuman acts were avenged at the cost of millions of innocent lives.
The Tartar Holocaust began in 1218 CE six centuries after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It moved westward from Mongolia across Central Asia and the Persian Gulf, southward toward Delhi and northwest to Budapest and Moscow. People as far away as Sweden shuddered at the thought of a Mongol invasion. Muslims were so overawed by their power that one Mongol could kill over a hundred Muslims and none would dare defend himself. In Arabic a proverb sprang up which meant that if someone tells you the Mongols have suffered a defeat don’t believe him.
On the eve of the Mongol invasion, the spiritual state of the Muslim world was pathetic. Corruption, disunity, and materialism were rampant. Khwarizm Shah was not the only example of insufferable leadership. The Abbasid Caliph, Al-Mustasim, was reportedly pleased to hear of the collapse of Khwarizm Shah’s empire because of his personal dislike for the monarch. Before the Mongols reached Baghdad, the Caliph's advisors had convinced him to seriously scale back the army. The city was in no way prepared to withstand what lay in store for it.
History tells us that there was a time when Muslims reached a very a severe level of humility and lowliness, when the Tatars sacked Baghdad. Its said that a woman would come to a dozen Muslim men and tell them "Look, I don't have a sword to kill you all, so all of you go face that wall until I bring one." Yes, they actually obeyed her and waited for her to bring a sword and kill them all.
Muslims ruled Spain for 800 yrs. And the Muslims had a jolly good time in Spain. They built a civilization that was superior to any other European country at that time.
For such a long time they got relaxed, and became flabby – intellectually, spiritually. They became sitting duck targets for other philosophies, 800 years of opulence, a jolly good time they had with the Spanish women, but didn’t convert their own children. They were reading the Qur’an, not like us, they understood what they read.
“How many were the gardens and fountains they left behind. (Surah Dhukkan, 44:21)
And corn-fields and noble buildings. And wealth (and amenities of life) wherein they took so much such delight! (Surah Dhukkan, 44:21-28)
They were reading the Qur’an, not like us, they understood what they read. When they read these verses, they were not looking at themselves; they were looking at the Egyptian nation. See, Fir’oun that fool, plagues after plagues Allah sent them but they didn’t learn until Allah drowned Fir’oun and his army in the Red Sea. We laugh at others not realizing that we are also in the firing line, but this is the nature of man, And when the time came after 800 yrs, Allah patiently waiting for them to change, to do the job, 800 yrs, Allah says u wait and they waited for 800 yrs and Allah put Spanish on their heads, they ran for life, not one man was left in the country to give the adhaan openly.
With such blow, most of the people at those time thought that this is end of Islam and Muslims. It would be taught in the history books that there was a great nation, people called as Muslims once lived and utterly destroyed but as Allah is the creator He had different plans.
“And (then unbelievers) plotted and planned and Allah too planned and the best of planners is Allah.” 3:54
Islam is here to stay:
Allah has destined His Deen to prevail over all other religions no matter what, Allah doesn’t need us to proclaim His Deen, He will make this Deen victorious no matter what, because this is the promise of Allah.
“It is He who hath sent His apostle with guidance and religion of truth to proclaim it over all religions even though the pagans may detest (it).” 9:33
“It is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth that he may proclaim it over all religion even though the Pagans may detest (it)”. 61:9
“It is He who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allah for a Witness.” 48:28
Allah made His Deen to prevail by ordinary men, a couple of merchants who did Da`wah to Baraka Khan, their efforts eventually led Islam to reach Russia and Eastern Europe.
The tartars accepted Islam through a Persian traveler who shared his faith with tartar prince. The once staunch enemies of Islam, who started the brutal massacre to put an end to Muslims and Islam, they themselves accepted that Deen! Isn’t it miraculous? See the power of sharing Allah’s message, it changes the hearts of the enemies and makes them your brothers! SubahanAllah!
Who does every Muslim love the most!
If we ask Muslims in the world, whom they love the most? Who are dearer to them than to their lives? The answer will be unanimous: Almighty Allah and His Rasool (Muhammad sallallahu alaiwasallam) Do we (Muslims) really mean what we say? Or we simply do lip service?
If someone abuses our Mother or sister? What will we do? Will we sit like a deadwood? No, we would make sure that we take that perpetrator to task; if we can’t do it by ourselves atleast we would hire someone to do that job! This is human nature! We react this way because we love our family members, we don’t like anyone to harm them and get away with it, and we make sure these things don’t happen again!
We Muslims claim that we love Almighty Allah more than our family members! But today there are millions of people who abuse Almighty Allah everyday, which Almighty Allah refers in His glorious Qur’an
They say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten a son!" Indeed ye have put forth
a thing most monstrous! At if the skies are ready to burst the earth to split
asunder and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin. That they should invoke a
son for (Allah) Most Gracious.” 19:88-91
Allah says that if skies have the feelings they will burst out, if mountains have the feelings they will fall down utter ruin but as for us Muslims, nothing is happening! How ungrateful we are!
We have become so passive spectators for all this! We are not getting into the action, unfortunately we Muslims don’t have the enthusiasm which the bird had during the time of Prophet Sulaiman (pbuh) about which Almighty Allah describes in surah Al-Naml chapter 27 verses 22 onwards.
Solomon's Hoopoe (Hud-hud Sulaiman):
Solomon (pbuh), a Prophet and a King had amongst his Kingdom a bird, a Hoopoe. This Hoopoe proved to be more passionate about Allah's religion than many human beings today. It saw a kingdom worshipping the sun, what did it do? Did it say "I'm just a Hoopoe, what can I do?" Did it say "No way, this is too big for me, did I see anything? Nope I didn't see anything"? Do you know what the Hoopoe did? It approached these people and investigated what they were doing, gathered the information and flew back to Jerusalem to tell Prophet Solomon (pbuh). Allah says "But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up to Solomon and) said: "I have compassed (territory) which you have not compassed, and I have come to you from Saba with tidings true." (27:22). It told Solomon all about what it had witnessed, and that Hoopoe was a main reason that they all entered Islam. (Sigh) If only we had a couple of those Hoopoes today. If only Muslims today would have the same enthusiasm for Islam as the Hoopoe had.
The believer mentioned in Chapter 36 (Yaseen):
Allah sent three Prophets to a village. Can you believe that? Three Prophets at the same time for just one village. Of course one would think that that is more than enough. No, that's not how a Believer should react. A man came from the other side of the village to show his support to the message. He didn't react passively and comfort himself with the fact that there were three Prophets already No, he took an action! Allah says, "Then there came running, from the farthest part of the City, a man, saying, ‘O my people! Obey the apostles. Obey those who ask no reward of you (for themselves), and who have themselves received Guidance’." (36:20,21). Then what? They killed him! They killed the man that came to support the Messengers. But Allah never forgets those who struggle for his cause. The Almighty says, "It was said: ‘Enter the Garden.’ He said: ‘Ah me! Would that my People knew (what I know)! For that my Lord has granted me Forgiveness and has enrolled me among those held in honor!’" (36:26,27).
And there are numerous examples of such in Qur’an and Authentic Sunnah but if only we Muslims heed to this admonition. If we fail in our responsibilities then Allah will do the same with us as He did with previous generations.
“…If ye turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you!” 47:38
Dawah is one of the criteria for salvation:
Allah says in His Glorious Qur’an:
“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.” 103:1-3
“Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good enjoining
what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity.”
3:104
“Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah works righteousness
and says "I am of those who bow in Islam"? 41:33
Manifest Victory for Muslim Ummah lies in Da`wah:
On his way back to Madinah after the conclusion of the peace agreement of Hudaybiyah with the unbelievers of Quraysh, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) received revelation from Allah. It was Suratul Fat'h which starts with the words: "We have granted you a victory which is clear victory." [48:1]
"Was this a victory, O Messenger of Allah?" One man asked. The Prophet, (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam), answered. "Yes, by whom in whose hand is my soul, it is a victory."
Why did the man ask? What kind of victory was it? And what is the lesson for us in this kind of victory?
The man -he was no less than Umar ibnul Khattab- asked because the term of the agreement were apparently not in favor of the Muslims who had come to perform Umrah, which was something of a right to all Arabs during the Jahiliyyah period. However, the Quraysh who were in a state of war with the Muslims saw in their performing the Umrah a kind of victory for them, despite the Prophet's repeated assurances that their intention was purely religious, and that they had no intention of fighting. Quraysh insisted however, that the Muslims could not perform the Umrah that year but could come to do so next year on certain conditions. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, agreed and signed with them an agreement for the cessation of hostilities for ten years. But the agreement, which in fact lasted for only two years, included the stipulation that:
If any man from us came to you, you must return him even if he accepted your religion."
So what kind of victory was it?
Ibn Hajar says in his book Fat'h al-Bari that Allah called it victory because of the great consequences that followed from it. He reports az-Zuhri, the great scholar, as saying:
"No victory in Islam was greater than Hudaybiyah. It used to be only fighting when people (meaning Muslims and non-Muslims) met. But when there was a truce, when the war stopped, and when people felt safe, they began to meet and talk to each other and negotiate. As a result, no thinking person to whom Islam was presented in that time [of the truce] but accepted it. The number of people who embraced Islam in those two years was equal to, or greater, than the number of all who had been Muslims before."
Ibn Hisham concurs:
"The evidence for this is that when the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, went to Hudaybiyah he was accompanied by one thousand and four hundred Muslims, but when after two years he marched to conquer Makkah there were ten thousand with him."
And Ibn Hajar explains:
"Because of the peace, which prevailed among them, people mixed with each other without any reprehension. Muslims recited the Qur'an to the polytheists, and debated with them openly about Islam without any fear, while earlier they used to speak to them about this only secretly." We learn from the comments of these three great scholars of people embracing Islam.
“Soon will We show them Our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth) and in their own souls until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord doth witness all things?” 41:53
Muslims should realize their responsibility which Almighty Allah bestowed upon us and we should learn from the history of the previous nations and their destruction due to disobedience to Almighty Allah’s commandments and we should not fall into the same pit. Its not enough just to enjoin good but its most important to forbid evil, these both are like two sides of the same coin.
If we just do good deeds without forbidding evil things happening around us, when the Allah’s punishment comes it will strike those good people too.
“And guard yourselves against a chastisement which cannot fall exclusively on
those of you who are wrong-doers, and know that Allah is severe in
punishment.” 8:25
Numan bin Bashir said that the Prophet (sallalahualaiwasallam) gave a speech in which he said:
The Prophet said, "The example of the person abiding by Allah's order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them.' So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe."
Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.3. Hadith No. 673 (Alim software)
"Invite (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful Preaching, and argue with them in the best ways." [16:125]
Compiled by
IMTIAZ BASHEER AHMEDimti13@yahoo.com
“…If ye turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you!” 47:38
Allah Almighty has honored mankind as a whole:
“We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors above a great part of Our Creation.” 17:70.
“We have indeed created man in the best of molds” 95:4
These are general statement of Almighty Allah regarding His creation (i.e. mankind) whom He made as Ashraf–ul-Makhluqat. i.e. best of his creation. As Allah created mankind with a purpose of carrying out his commandments and establishing His laws in this life in earth till we perish.
Though Allah has created mankind with different races, colors, locations, Allah doesn’t show superiority of any kind amongst His creation on the basis of color, creed, sex etc., except by one’s righteousness, God consciousness, fear of Allah i.e. Taqwa.
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” [Al-Hujurat 49:13]
Allah in His last and Final Revelation i.e. Glorious Qur’an He mentions about Muslims in Surah Ali-Imran chapter 3 verse 110
“Ye are the best of peoples evolved for mankind enjoining what is right forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith it were best for them; among them are some who have faith but most of them are perverted transgressors.” 3:110
Out of All His creations, He has chosen the Muslim Ummah as the best Ummah, which is a great honor for us Muslims. We must realize here an important fact that every honor is followed by responisiblity, we are not chosen because we are special breed or we are arabs or Deccans or Syeds etc., NO! Almighty Allah clearly mentions in the above surah that we are best of Nations as long as we enjoin Good and forbid Evil!
Yes, that is the responsibility, a great responsibility indeed given to us Muslims. Enjoining Good starts from enjoining people to Worship Almighty Allah alone and forbidding evil starts from stopping people worshipping anything other than the true creator Allah!.
We are entitled with task of conveying Allah’s message and proclaiming Allah’s message above all in this world!, in short we have the responsibility of inviting people to Deen-ul-Fitrah i.e. Islam!
For which in Arabic is called as Dawat-ul-Islam, the word Dawah generally means to invite, in the Qur’anic concept it means to invite non-Muslims to Islam.
This was the noble duty of all the noble prophets:
“For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the Command) "Serve Allah and eschew Evil": …” 16:36
We Muslims are given this noble task of doing Prophets job and to earn a Prophet’s reward. How blessed are we that out of whole mankind Allah has chosen you and me for His noble task!!!
But this honor doesn’t stand if we fail in our responsibilities; this is the law of Almighty Allah
“…and never wilt thou find any change in the law of God” [Fath 48:23]
We are not the only ummah given this honor, if we read Qur’an Allah gives various examples of the past generations:
“Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their apostles with Clear (Signs) (which they rejected to their own destruction): it was not Allah Who wronged them but they wronged their own souls.” 30:9
Jews were the chosen People:
Allah mentions in His Glorious Qur’an that Jews were chosen above all mankind for carrying out Divine commandments of Almighty Allah.
“O' Children of Israel! Remember the special favor which I bestowed upon You and that I preferred you to all others (for My message).” [Al-Baqarah 2:47]
Which is also mentioned in the holy Bible in Deuteronomy 7:6:
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.(Deut. 7:6)
Almighty Allah honored the Children of Israel and gave them so many previlages and blessed them abundantly, which Allah mentions :
“Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you when He produced prophets among you made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.” 5:20
Allah chose them, he sent prophets after prophets to them. No nation on earth has had so many prophets. We say Moses, a Jew – David, a Jew – Isaac, Solomon, Jesus all Jews. We say we believe in the four heavenly books. Out of these four, 75% are Jewish books; they are the books of the Jews.
Some of the Favors Allah bestowed on Jews:
a. Preferred them to deliver His message.
b. Delivered them from Firawn.
c. Divided the Sea for them.
d. Allah forgave them even after they took calf as god.(2:51-52)
e. Allah gave divine law (criteria) to Moses so that they may be guided.(2:53)
f. Allah gave them heavenly food Manna (2:57)
g. Allah gave 12 springs of water, one for each tribe. (2:60)
SubhanAllah! What a blessing! I think no community got so much privilege like Children of Israel! Can you imagine! Getting food from heaven every time you are hungry!!!
As whole mankind toils just to feed his family and to be fed, the pain we undertake to feed our families, for that we are sacrificing our whole life in course of struggle, Food is one of the basic needs for mankind. But the Jews rejected that blessing and they wanted to cultivate their own food (2:61), even that Allah accepted and fulfilled their wish.
Inspite of all such favors they were so ungrateful, they didn’t fulfill their obligation of conveying the message of Almighty Allah.
“And remember Allah took a Covenant from the People of the Book to make it known and clear to mankind and not to hide it; but they threw it away behind their backs and purchased with it some miserable gain! and vile was the bargain they made!” 3:187
The Jews drew wrath of Almighty Allah upon themselves:
“…They were covered with humiliation and misery; they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. This because they went on rejecting the signs of Allah and slaying His messengers without just cause. This because They rebelled and went on transgressing.” 2:61
The Jews always have been very rebellious and ungrateful; we can find such evidences in the Bible:
From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the LORD . (Deuteronomy 9:7)
For the LORD had said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people. (Exodus 33:5)
A wicked and adulterous generation… (Matthew 16:4)
"You brood of vipers!...(Luke 3:7)
Almighty Allah chose Children of Israel for a noble task, they were chosen not because they belong to some special breed. Allah gave them criterion i.e. law to distinguish right from wrong by which they are supposed to enjoin right and forbid wrong but because of their arrogance, stiff neckedness they took Allah’s favor as granted and thought they are destined to Jannah whether they abide by Allah’s rule or not.
“(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah and His beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay ye are but men of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)." 5:18
As mentioned in surah Hujuraat (49:13), Allah weighs his creation according to their Taqwa not by their color, creed, sex , or lineage!
Allah’s similitude of those who disobey Him:
The Children of Israel, whom Almighty Allah chose above all mankind for conveying His message and sanctified them with His innumerous bounties when they failed in their duty, Allah discarded them, humiliated them
And remember Allah took a Covenant from the People of the Book to make it known and clear to mankind and not to hide it; but they threw it away behind their backs and purchased with it some miserable gain! and vile was the bargain they made! 3:187
People of such honor when they turn back on their duty and did everything according to their whims and desire, Allah discards them and compares them with a “Donkey” How humiliating are this!
The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law but who subsequently failed in those (obligations) is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (but understands them not). Evil is the similitude of people who falsify the Signs of Allah: and Allah guides not people who do wrong. 62:5
Hired or Fired!
What makes one the best of people? We are Jew, is that makes you the best of people. No it has nothing to do with your race. And as soon as one is honored with that high respect and status, it carries with it certain responsibility. The best of people, without responsibility? No! and this honor and this privilege is not for anyone for keeping, you sit back and you said we are on the throne. No! you don’t do the job… if you do not carry out your duties and obligation which Allah has imposed upon you for giving this honor this privilege, He will substitute in your place another people and then they wont be like you. You don’t do the job, get out of the way, this is the Law of the Creator:
“…If ye turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you!” 47:38
And usually every time that we are displaced, we are replaced. You are displaced by a people whom you are looking down upon. Right, the person whom you are laughing at, that person will sit on your head because you didn’t do the job. In the bible we are told that God almighty will displace Children of Israel with a non-nation, means a nation which is a non-entity. People whom you don’t recognize that nation will replace you. And at another place a foolish nation, the people whom you consider to be fools. Who were the fools in the sight of the Jews? The Arabs! The people whom Jews look down upon.
“They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols. I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.” (Deut 32:21)
“And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.” (Genesis 17:20)
Arabs were worst at that time:
The Arab Bedouins were immersed in Polytheism, Disbelief, hypocrisy and ignorance about the Creator. History makes it clear that Arabs were considered so low that no invader ever wanted to rule over them.
The Arabs of the desert are the worst in unbelief and hypocrisy and most fitted to be in ignorance of the command which Allah hath sent down to his apostle: but Allah is All-Knowing All-Wise. 9:97
Arabs became the torch bearers of light:
And Allah chose them and transforms them in decades, to become the torchbearers of light and learning to the world. Within decades, they spread out from the Atlantic to the Pacific, within decades they were masters of the part of Europe.
History testifies that Baghdad was the cradle of civilization; it was often described as jewel of the world. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years! No Christian nation has ever ruled the Muslims anywhere for that period of time.
Allah chose Muslims as the Best of Nations for carrying out His Message and Allah even states He made Muslims as a just balanced nation:
“Thus have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced that ye might be witnesses over the nations and the Apostle a witness over yourselves; …” 2:143
Dire Warning for Muslims!
Muslims will be better than any other community because Allah Himself has given this honor to Muslims in His last and final revelation for the whole Mankind, The Glorious Qur’an! At the same time Allah warns the Muslims in surah Tauba chapter 9 verse 24:
“Say: If it be that your fathers your sons your brothers your mates or your kindred; the wealth that ye have gained; the commerce in which ye fear a decline; or the dwellings in which ye delight are dearer to you than Allah or His apostle or the striving in his cause; then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.” 9:24
Allah made Muslims victorious as long as they sticked to His guidance i.e. to Qur’an and authentic Sunnah, the moment Muslims relinquished from their responsibilities Allah punished them as reminder for Muslims to get back to His Deen.
We shall certainly make them taste the lighter torment in this life before the greater punishment of the hereafter, so that they may return to the Right Way. [32:21]
In Baghdad, Samarkhand, Bukhara, under Haroon Al-Rashid, Mamoon Al-Rashid, they created a veritable fairyland. Those things that they created, you can only reproduce them on films; in real life we can’t approach it. On the borders, there were Mongols, Chenghiz khan, Halaku Khan, a mixture of Turkish and Chinese, the barbarians, the scourge of god. Are Muslims interested in them? No! What can they understand about Islam, these Mongols, they can’t understand about Islam. When Allah can change Bedouin arabs through His Kalam can’t He change the Mongols?. These arabs in their ayyamul jahiliyah, they did the Tawaf round the Ka’bah absolutely naked. And they had a beautiful logic and reasoning for doing that. Man is so ingenious, that he can rationalize anything. We complain about the nudist columnist, about the open beaches, these did it long before white man knew anything about it. They said Allah is so great, how I can present myself in what clothing, attire that is suitable enough to stand in his presence. Nothing! They said, ya bariktala, the way u sent me in this world, I present myself as you sent me.
Baghdad was often described as the jewel of the world. For six long weeks this jewel cracked and shattered under the ferocious might of the Tartar hordes. The rivers of the Tigris and Euphrates ran red with blood. Women who had observed modest and chaste lives were savagely assaulted and raped. Five centuries of knowledge accumulated from every literate civilization and contained in the world’s largest libraries was reduced to ashes. Many of humanity’s greatest centers of education, commerce and culture became nothing more than killing fields.
The architect of this colossal avalanche of death was Genghis Khan. His barbaric legions were triggered into a forty year bloodlust through the folly of the Muslim ruler, Muhammad Khwarizm Shah. Once a powerful and mighty monarch, Khwarizm Shah ordered the execution of Mongol caravans that came to trade within his kingdom. When Genghis Khan sent a delegation of envoys to lodge a formal protest, Khwarizm Shah executed most of them. These two inhuman acts were avenged at the cost of millions of innocent lives.
The Tartar Holocaust began in 1218 CE six centuries after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It moved westward from Mongolia across Central Asia and the Persian Gulf, southward toward Delhi and northwest to Budapest and Moscow. People as far away as Sweden shuddered at the thought of a Mongol invasion. Muslims were so overawed by their power that one Mongol could kill over a hundred Muslims and none would dare defend himself. In Arabic a proverb sprang up which meant that if someone tells you the Mongols have suffered a defeat don’t believe him.
On the eve of the Mongol invasion, the spiritual state of the Muslim world was pathetic. Corruption, disunity, and materialism were rampant. Khwarizm Shah was not the only example of insufferable leadership. The Abbasid Caliph, Al-Mustasim, was reportedly pleased to hear of the collapse of Khwarizm Shah’s empire because of his personal dislike for the monarch. Before the Mongols reached Baghdad, the Caliph's advisors had convinced him to seriously scale back the army. The city was in no way prepared to withstand what lay in store for it.
History tells us that there was a time when Muslims reached a very a severe level of humility and lowliness, when the Tatars sacked Baghdad. Its said that a woman would come to a dozen Muslim men and tell them "Look, I don't have a sword to kill you all, so all of you go face that wall until I bring one." Yes, they actually obeyed her and waited for her to bring a sword and kill them all.
Muslims ruled Spain for 800 yrs. And the Muslims had a jolly good time in Spain. They built a civilization that was superior to any other European country at that time.
For such a long time they got relaxed, and became flabby – intellectually, spiritually. They became sitting duck targets for other philosophies, 800 years of opulence, a jolly good time they had with the Spanish women, but didn’t convert their own children. They were reading the Qur’an, not like us, they understood what they read.
“How many were the gardens and fountains they left behind. (Surah Dhukkan, 44:21)
And corn-fields and noble buildings. And wealth (and amenities of life) wherein they took so much such delight! (Surah Dhukkan, 44:21-28)
They were reading the Qur’an, not like us, they understood what they read. When they read these verses, they were not looking at themselves; they were looking at the Egyptian nation. See, Fir’oun that fool, plagues after plagues Allah sent them but they didn’t learn until Allah drowned Fir’oun and his army in the Red Sea. We laugh at others not realizing that we are also in the firing line, but this is the nature of man, And when the time came after 800 yrs, Allah patiently waiting for them to change, to do the job, 800 yrs, Allah says u wait and they waited for 800 yrs and Allah put Spanish on their heads, they ran for life, not one man was left in the country to give the adhaan openly.
With such blow, most of the people at those time thought that this is end of Islam and Muslims. It would be taught in the history books that there was a great nation, people called as Muslims once lived and utterly destroyed but as Allah is the creator He had different plans.
“And (then unbelievers) plotted and planned and Allah too planned and the best of planners is Allah.” 3:54
Islam is here to stay:
Allah has destined His Deen to prevail over all other religions no matter what, Allah doesn’t need us to proclaim His Deen, He will make this Deen victorious no matter what, because this is the promise of Allah.
“It is He who hath sent His apostle with guidance and religion of truth to proclaim it over all religions even though the pagans may detest (it).” 9:33
“It is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth that he may proclaim it over all religion even though the Pagans may detest (it)”. 61:9
“It is He who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allah for a Witness.” 48:28
Allah made His Deen to prevail by ordinary men, a couple of merchants who did Da`wah to Baraka Khan, their efforts eventually led Islam to reach Russia and Eastern Europe.
The tartars accepted Islam through a Persian traveler who shared his faith with tartar prince. The once staunch enemies of Islam, who started the brutal massacre to put an end to Muslims and Islam, they themselves accepted that Deen! Isn’t it miraculous? See the power of sharing Allah’s message, it changes the hearts of the enemies and makes them your brothers! SubahanAllah!
Who does every Muslim love the most!
If we ask Muslims in the world, whom they love the most? Who are dearer to them than to their lives? The answer will be unanimous: Almighty Allah and His Rasool (Muhammad sallallahu alaiwasallam) Do we (Muslims) really mean what we say? Or we simply do lip service?
If someone abuses our Mother or sister? What will we do? Will we sit like a deadwood? No, we would make sure that we take that perpetrator to task; if we can’t do it by ourselves atleast we would hire someone to do that job! This is human nature! We react this way because we love our family members, we don’t like anyone to harm them and get away with it, and we make sure these things don’t happen again!
We Muslims claim that we love Almighty Allah more than our family members! But today there are millions of people who abuse Almighty Allah everyday, which Almighty Allah refers in His glorious Qur’an
They say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten a son!" Indeed ye have put forth
a thing most monstrous! At if the skies are ready to burst the earth to split
asunder and the mountains to fall down in utter ruin. That they should invoke a
son for (Allah) Most Gracious.” 19:88-91
Allah says that if skies have the feelings they will burst out, if mountains have the feelings they will fall down utter ruin but as for us Muslims, nothing is happening! How ungrateful we are!
We have become so passive spectators for all this! We are not getting into the action, unfortunately we Muslims don’t have the enthusiasm which the bird had during the time of Prophet Sulaiman (pbuh) about which Almighty Allah describes in surah Al-Naml chapter 27 verses 22 onwards.
Solomon's Hoopoe (Hud-hud Sulaiman):
Solomon (pbuh), a Prophet and a King had amongst his Kingdom a bird, a Hoopoe. This Hoopoe proved to be more passionate about Allah's religion than many human beings today. It saw a kingdom worshipping the sun, what did it do? Did it say "I'm just a Hoopoe, what can I do?" Did it say "No way, this is too big for me, did I see anything? Nope I didn't see anything"? Do you know what the Hoopoe did? It approached these people and investigated what they were doing, gathered the information and flew back to Jerusalem to tell Prophet Solomon (pbuh). Allah says "But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up to Solomon and) said: "I have compassed (territory) which you have not compassed, and I have come to you from Saba with tidings true." (27:22). It told Solomon all about what it had witnessed, and that Hoopoe was a main reason that they all entered Islam. (Sigh) If only we had a couple of those Hoopoes today. If only Muslims today would have the same enthusiasm for Islam as the Hoopoe had.
The believer mentioned in Chapter 36 (Yaseen):
Allah sent three Prophets to a village. Can you believe that? Three Prophets at the same time for just one village. Of course one would think that that is more than enough. No, that's not how a Believer should react. A man came from the other side of the village to show his support to the message. He didn't react passively and comfort himself with the fact that there were three Prophets already No, he took an action! Allah says, "Then there came running, from the farthest part of the City, a man, saying, ‘O my people! Obey the apostles. Obey those who ask no reward of you (for themselves), and who have themselves received Guidance’." (36:20,21). Then what? They killed him! They killed the man that came to support the Messengers. But Allah never forgets those who struggle for his cause. The Almighty says, "It was said: ‘Enter the Garden.’ He said: ‘Ah me! Would that my People knew (what I know)! For that my Lord has granted me Forgiveness and has enrolled me among those held in honor!’" (36:26,27).
And there are numerous examples of such in Qur’an and Authentic Sunnah but if only we Muslims heed to this admonition. If we fail in our responsibilities then Allah will do the same with us as He did with previous generations.
“…If ye turn back (from the Path) He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you!” 47:38
Dawah is one of the criteria for salvation:
Allah says in His Glorious Qur’an:
“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.” 103:1-3
“Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good enjoining
what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity.”
3:104
“Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah works righteousness
and says "I am of those who bow in Islam"? 41:33
Manifest Victory for Muslim Ummah lies in Da`wah:
On his way back to Madinah after the conclusion of the peace agreement of Hudaybiyah with the unbelievers of Quraysh, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) received revelation from Allah. It was Suratul Fat'h which starts with the words: "We have granted you a victory which is clear victory." [48:1]
"Was this a victory, O Messenger of Allah?" One man asked. The Prophet, (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam), answered. "Yes, by whom in whose hand is my soul, it is a victory."
Why did the man ask? What kind of victory was it? And what is the lesson for us in this kind of victory?
The man -he was no less than Umar ibnul Khattab- asked because the term of the agreement were apparently not in favor of the Muslims who had come to perform Umrah, which was something of a right to all Arabs during the Jahiliyyah period. However, the Quraysh who were in a state of war with the Muslims saw in their performing the Umrah a kind of victory for them, despite the Prophet's repeated assurances that their intention was purely religious, and that they had no intention of fighting. Quraysh insisted however, that the Muslims could not perform the Umrah that year but could come to do so next year on certain conditions. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, agreed and signed with them an agreement for the cessation of hostilities for ten years. But the agreement, which in fact lasted for only two years, included the stipulation that:
If any man from us came to you, you must return him even if he accepted your religion."
So what kind of victory was it?
Ibn Hajar says in his book Fat'h al-Bari that Allah called it victory because of the great consequences that followed from it. He reports az-Zuhri, the great scholar, as saying:
"No victory in Islam was greater than Hudaybiyah. It used to be only fighting when people (meaning Muslims and non-Muslims) met. But when there was a truce, when the war stopped, and when people felt safe, they began to meet and talk to each other and negotiate. As a result, no thinking person to whom Islam was presented in that time [of the truce] but accepted it. The number of people who embraced Islam in those two years was equal to, or greater, than the number of all who had been Muslims before."
Ibn Hisham concurs:
"The evidence for this is that when the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, went to Hudaybiyah he was accompanied by one thousand and four hundred Muslims, but when after two years he marched to conquer Makkah there were ten thousand with him."
And Ibn Hajar explains:
"Because of the peace, which prevailed among them, people mixed with each other without any reprehension. Muslims recited the Qur'an to the polytheists, and debated with them openly about Islam without any fear, while earlier they used to speak to them about this only secretly." We learn from the comments of these three great scholars of people embracing Islam.
“Soon will We show them Our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth) and in their own souls until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord doth witness all things?” 41:53
Muslims should realize their responsibility which Almighty Allah bestowed upon us and we should learn from the history of the previous nations and their destruction due to disobedience to Almighty Allah’s commandments and we should not fall into the same pit. Its not enough just to enjoin good but its most important to forbid evil, these both are like two sides of the same coin.
If we just do good deeds without forbidding evil things happening around us, when the Allah’s punishment comes it will strike those good people too.
“And guard yourselves against a chastisement which cannot fall exclusively on
those of you who are wrong-doers, and know that Allah is severe in
punishment.” 8:25
Numan bin Bashir said that the Prophet (sallalahualaiwasallam) gave a speech in which he said:
The Prophet said, "The example of the person abiding by Allah's order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them.' So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe."
Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.3. Hadith No. 673 (Alim software)
"Invite (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful Preaching, and argue with them in the best ways." [16:125]
Compiled by
IMTIAZ BASHEER AHMEDimti13@yahoo.com