This Eid, Run to Allah
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?)
Those whose hearts are with our work, Working for Allah, by and large, but whose bodies are not, after having been at one time, for whatever reason, I want to reach out to them, one more time, and invite them to get back on track and throw themselves in this work, all over again, body, soul and mind.
Rest assured, this work is real work – in many, many ways. May Allah make it so!
And your wholehearted commitment to it and active association with it will make it even more so.
The reason I am doing this, reaching out I mean, one more time, is, for one thing.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
Fa-Dhakkir, Innadh-Dhikraa Tanfa'ul Mu'mineen!
Paraphrase:
“Go tell them, because reminders do help believers.”
Another reason I am doing this is, people have their own reasons and motivations why they do what they do. Why they drop out or cool off.
Here is a partial list of what I think some of these reasons may be for some people going cold on the trail of our work from time to time, after having been quite active at a time:
To begin with, these days, many Muslims are a troubled bunch. In more ways than we think. And they have a good reason.
Some of them are depressed and down on themselves. It is hard for them to push or drag themselves to be active – intellectually or physically.
All they can do is to go hide in some corner, fold up in fetal position, and sulk.
Some people are just too fearful: for their and their family's safety, security and well-being. They feel terrible things will befall them if they continue Working for Allah as they used to at one time.
And that is perfectly understandable too.
For, who wouldn't be afraid in this climate, where Shaitan seems out of control and his minions and friends seem to be free to create Fitnah and Fasaad everywhere with impunity?
Similarly, some people fear for their careers and for their professional security.
That too is perfectly within the realm of reason. For, if Shaitan and his million friends can find a way of causing you grief professionally they will gladly do it.
For, this is more or less open season on Muslims – personally and professionally.
Some people have moved on in life. They have seen better days and now they don’t want to jeopardize them by continuing to be involved in Working for Allah the way they used to be at one time.
Then, they were young and raw and green and naïve. Now, they are older and wiser and smart. Now they are on their way to being “established.”
So now, they want to be careful what they do with their lives.
Then, they didn’t have much to lose; now, there is a lot at stake.
Then, they didn’t have degrees and jobs and businesses. Now they do.
Now they have those things, they think, because they are bright and disciplined and hardworking. And they earned it all. Nobody handed them anything.
And now one false move from them will upset the whole apple cart.
And then some face pressure from their wives, husbands, families, friends, others.
Gone for them are the happy bachelor days when they could lime all they wished, not on the beach or in the bar, like some of their friends, but with fellows doing Qur’an and Islam and generally Working for Allah.
It was just good, clean fun.
And some people may have grievances – all kinds of grievances.
With their friends and coworkers or with higher-ups in the hierarchy of work, if there is such a thing.
With the leadership I mean.
And those grievances could be real or imaginary.
But the thing about grievances is that they are mostly real so far as their holders are concerned.
So, for them, their grievances are real and legitimate and powerful.
Yet some other people may be just plain bored. And they may be looking for something more challenging or exciting to do, rather than keep doing the same old, same old dull routine forever.
While every one of these reasons could be powerful and, on the face of it seems legitimate, there is one small point that everyone seems to miss: Safety and security come from Allah and from no one else.
Part of having Iman, and part of being a Muslim, is to have a crystal clear understanding that those who are safe are so because Allah decided to keep them safe – whatever that means.
And those who appear to be subjected to calamities and tribulations are so because that is what Allah decreed for them.
There are absolutely, positively no two ways about it. And there are no two different reasons.
And Allah never lied to you anyway. He never said all this will not happen.
As they say in the English language, Allah never promised you a rose garden, certainly not in this world.
In fact, Allah told you everything right from the very beginning, right when you first came into Islam, including the fact that life may change for you in all kinds of important ways.
And that new life, that began for you with your coming fully into Islam, and declaring in public that you from now on will be Working for Allah, that life may be filled with all kinds of challenges and difficulties.
The Qur’an is full of references to this most important fact.
So, no one fooled you; no one kept you in the dark; no one said being a Muslim and Working for Allah was going to be a Bed of Roses.
The Qur'an told you clearly and emphatically that you should not be under the false impression that just because you said you are believers you are going to be left alone and you will not be subjected to all kinds of tests – and trials.
A-Hasibannaasu Anyutrakoo An Yaqooloo Aamannaa Wa Hum Laa Yuftanoon?
That is why we started our Qur'an Program – nearly 15 years ago – with the Aayat:
Fa-Firroo Ilallah!
"Run to Allah!"
Nothing has changed.
Allah is still the only refuge – for Muslims and for everyone else: the only one to run to.
Therefore, everyone – you, me and everyone else – must understand that:
Laa Malja-a Minallahi Illaa Ilaihi!
And it is never too late – for anyone – to come home.
And maybe that is the best gift we can give one another this Eid: Return to Working for Allah with full vigor – and make a fresh start.
END
