1971-2012: What a Timeline!
Dr. Pasha
It was 1971, in Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies, the Caribbean – and of course everywhere else.
Some of us started then to teach some of the others among us how to read the Qur'an.
This 1400-year-old book on this earth from Allah in our hands.
Still pure and pristine in its original form, every word and every letter of it, exactly the way Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, taught his followers whom he called his Companions.
Imagine this!
A man without any formal or informal schooling or tutoring or mentoring or training of any kind from any human source, a man who could not read or write himself, teaching the whole world this book that called itself Qur’an – The Reading!
And called itself Al-Kitaab – The Book!
And this book further claimed that it was a book free from all error and doubt.
Who writes a book like that?
And who makes a claim like that?
Allah, of course! Who else?
And a book from Allah, of course! Who else?
Pure and perfect, the way Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, taught it.
And the way the noble Companions thereafter, after Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, taught their own followers.
And thereafter the way they (the Followers, the Taabi’een) taught their own followers (Tab’e Taabi’een).
And so on! One noble generation after another noble generation!
Till this noble and glorious book, the Qur’an, came into our hands, still retaining all its original purity and perfection and majesty and glory.
And, Mashallah, how young some of us were then – in 1971! And how full of bounce, energy and enthusiasm we were!
And how we roamed the island earth, day and night, trying to teach people how to read Allah’s book – how to read the Qur’an!
Now, it is 2012, in Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies, the Caribbean – and of course everywhere else.
Some of us are a bit older now – just a tad bit older I should think.
And some of us are a bit dented and bruised here and there. And some of us creak and clunk as we plod along.
Some others of our crew packed up and left and couldn't wait. They returned home to where they came from – to Allah. May Allah bless them!
They went back because Allah called them back.
That is how it is in this world: when Allah calls, no one can say no. People just pack up and leave.
The rest of us are on our way. May Allah bless us too!
Now, in 2012, the job we started in 1971 is complete.
Or is it?
Is the job of working for Allah ever complete?
Is it ever nightfall when you are on assignment for Allah – working to take his noble book, the Qur’an, to every home and heart that needs it? In every nook and cranny of his world?
How many more people there are in this world to whom the Qur’an has not yet reached?
And who in this world, in their own different ways, does not hunger for God’s pure and perfect word!
Who will take the Qur’an to all these people, if not us?
And what will we tell Allah if we returned home to him without doing it? Without completing our job? Without doing our divine assignment properly – and leaving it half done?
As someone said:
Sitaaron say aagay jahaan awur bhi hayin!
Abhi 'ishq kay imtihaan awur bhi hayin!
Paraphrase:
There are many, many more worlds yet to conquer!
And many, many more tests and sacrifices to prove our love!
People, at least some people, now can read the Qur'an. And they love to do it.
And they find all kinds of occasions and excuses to read the Qur’an – and to connect with Allah through his book.
Now they do a Khatm – a complete reading of the Qur'an cover to cover, from Alhamdu to Annaas – whenever they feel like doing it.
And we were there. And we were part of it.
We say Alhamdulillah for that. What else can we say?
Who says Allah does not give you what you ask of him?
And what you work for?
May Allah accept our efforts and our readings!
And may Allah bless and fulfill our passion and our attempt to take the Qur'an to every heart and home that needs it everywhere – and which one does not?
And may Allah grant us and our children and our families health, wealth, Deen and Iman and good and long life and 'Aafiyat and Barakat.
Allahummaj’al khayira a’amaarinaa awaakhirahaa, wa khayira a’amaalinaa khawaatimahaa, wa khayira ayyaaminaa yawuma nalqwaaka!
Ya Allah, make our last days on earth our best days; and our final acts our best acts; and the very best day of our life the day we will meet you.
And may Allah bless our parents and all those who left us.
Innahu samee’un qareebun mujeebun kareemun majeed, wa rabbun hameed!
What a wonderful, kind, noble, generous lord and master he is and how close he is to all of us!
END
© 2012 Syed Husain Pasha
Dr. Pasha is an educator and scholar of exceptional
talent, training and experience. He can be reached at DrSyedPasha [at]
AOL [dot] com or www.IslamicSolutions.com.
