Muslims, Messengers of Peace!
Dr. Pasha
(Bringing Islam to the World One Concept at a Time!
Taking the Qur'an to Every Home and Heart that Needs It --
And which One Does Not?)
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(NOTE: Nothing but drafts – that is what our writings are. We are trying the best we can, against almost impossible odds, to clarify Islam to the world, one simple concept at a time.
Anchored, to the extent we can, in Qur’an and Hadith, the only sources of human knowledge that matter, and that the world can count on, other than best available Science to the extent we can access it.
And away from all the usual hearsay buzzing around human ears everywhere.)
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Salaam!
What a matchless and priceless gift from God it is!
And from God's Messenger, Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam: God Bless Him!
Muslims may be good people or bad people. Who in this world is not a little bit of both: I mean a little bit good and a little bit bad, both?
And which nation, country or society in the world does not have in its population a mixture of good people as well as bad people?
Name one!
That is human nature: a mixture of a little bit good and a little bit bad. That is how God created the humans.
And that is how they have conducted themselves on this earth – humans I mean – from the time they were told by God to go and live here in this world.
But here is something the Muslims are, which nobody else is.
Around the world. And such as the Muslims are – good as well as bad.
And I am saying this not because I happen to be a Muslim. But because what I am saying is true.
It is a fact. Incontrovertible fact – meaning, fact no one can deny.
Let me explain.
This is what happens – as the whole world can see – every time, everywhere. Muslims begin their interaction with their fellow-human beings by offering the people they meet a present no one else can match – or does.
Muslims give them a gift of both the worlds – this world as well as the next world. Nothing less.
How does anyone beat that?
And of everything nice and good and wonderful that the two worlds have to offer.
As the Qur’an puts it:
Fid-Dunya Hasanah,
Wa Fil-Aakhirati Hasanah!
Paraphrase:
“Nothing but the best here,
In this world.
And nothing but the best there,
In the next world.”
And the Muslims do this every time they run into one another – wherever that happens to be.
And they do it before they even open their mouth to say something else: like “How Are You?”
And they do this in every part of the world.
And they do this during all parts of day and night. Way beyond what any Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Night or Good Day can conjure up.
Not that those common English-language greetings are wrong or bad. No, they are wonderful – and nice and good. But they just don’t go far enough.
Nor do they provide full and complete and ongoing coverage for every aspect and every moment of our life – with regard to everything that we need in order to have a wonderful life in this world.
They leave open and exposed large chunks of our existence on earth.
And they don’t carry coverage for all that we need – right here in this world as well as in the next world – like God’s own expression Salaam does. Just like the Qur’an says:
Salaamun Alaikum!
But what the Muslims do, now that is in a very different league altogether. It is a very different ballgame.
No comparison. The world has no way of matching or topping it.
And the Muslims do this to those they know. And they do this to those they do not know. They offer all those they meet the Divine Gift of Salaam.
Before they do anything else!
Before they even open their mouth to say anything else!
Thus, do Muslims become, around the world, the messengers and spreaders of mercy, goodness and joy.
And of peace, if you want to call it that – as the world has a tendency to do.
I mean call Salaam “Peace.” That is how Muslims and non-Muslims both translate the Divine Expression Salaam into English.
Messengers of Peace!
That is what it makes the Muslims. Around the world. And in every age and culture.
Muslims, thus, such as they are, saturate God Almighty's earth with God's mercy and bounty and blessing!
And Peace: Salaam!
Muslims spread Salaam! No one else does.
Peace, as the world calls it.
But in reality, Salaam is much more than that. Much, much more: in fact the best of both worlds: this world as well as the next world.
Just like Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihis Salam, commanded them to do, 1400 years ago, when he said:
Afshus Salaam!
Paraphrase:
"Go forth and spread Salaam!"
And the Muslims do this to those they know. And they do this to those they do not know!
Not because Muslims are the most gregarious people in the world, which they may or may not be.
Nor because they are the most generous people in the world, which they may or may not be
Or is it because Muslims are Super-Humans? No, not really.
Muslims are just people – like all the other people in the world, which means, like everybody else, Muslims too are deeply flawed and they are no more than a blend of good as well as bad.
But then why do the Muslims do what they do? Go around spreading the Gift of Salaam – The Greeting of Peace! – both to those they know as well as to those they do not know?
Answer: Because God commanded them to do it.
And because God Almighty’s Messenger, Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihis Salam, commanded them to do it. He said:
Alaa Man Arafta, wa Alaa Man Lam Ta’rif!
Paraphrase:
Offer the Gift and Greeting of Peace –
Salaam –
To those you know,
As well as to those you do not know!
God gave them a gift – the gift of Salaam! And God asked them to share it with others!
