In the Name of Allah.
Oh Allah, I didn't know you most of my life.
No one introduced me to you.
I commited sins left and right, and continue till today.
No one directed me to you.
I chose to ignore you and didn't believe your existence.
No one nudged me to you.
I don't want Jannah or Forgiveness only.
I want to be liked by you.
The world stands between me and you,
but I am attracted to you.
Muhammad has became my leader,
who guided me to you.
I know now what I didn't know,
I certainly belng to you.
Many ignore me when I say your name to them.
I leave their accounts to you.
I am alone in this journey, and will sleep alone at the end.
At the end, my return is to you.
People ask me to follow them, as they know you more,
Perhaps,
but my goal is to become pleasing to you.
I resisted, made excuses, argued, defied, and sinned
Today! I surrender my will to you.
Do, as you please with me. Punsih me here, or punish me there.
But after that give me a place close to you.
I know that you have been watching me.
Just one question.
Haven't I turned around to you?
I will practice Islam, or die trying, InshaAllah!
This is my promise to you.
A sinner
AbuArman
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Are we part time Muslims?
In the Name of Allah,
All praise is due to Allah, the Creator, and the Sustainer.
Note: As promised, here is an update. The initiative to build a masjid on the CR 535 is progressing. Location will be around Reams rd area. There will be a public announcement sometime in the future. Make dua for the success for every masjid around the world.
"O you who believe! Fulfill your Promises!" (Quran 5:1)
I was watching a movie where a reporter was jailed for 3 years for not disclosing the source of the classified information, and she was told that if she revealed the name she would let go. She stood her ground, and lost her husband and her kid during that period. Source was a 6 year old girl who told the reproter that her mother was on official business, when she went with her husband who was an ambassador. In essence, she protected the promise she gave to a kid over loosing everything she had. Is there anyone who is reading this who can do such thing?
Interestingly, this is what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us, ordered us, and left us. As a muslim, we should surpass this simple command of fullfiling promise at any cost. However, many of us will fall short of this command if it means going through a little discomfort, nevermind major loss. We want to obey Allah when it is easy and fun like Taraweeh, or Eid, or Occasional Salah on Sundays in the masjid.
O believers enter into Islam completely and do not follow the footsteps of
Shaitan, surely he is your clear-cut enemy. (Quran 2:08)
What I am saying is that most of us are part time Muslims, which means we are Muslims when it is convenient, but Islam fades away in our daily life. For example, if a woman with Hijab enters the men area of the masjid by mistake, we will become nervous, but at work we don't mind shaking hands with women who are not even wearing decent clothes.
In fact, every aspect of our life there are two ways to act, one that is according to Islamic Sharia, and the other that is against the Sharia. If we always chose the Islamic Sharia in all matters, then we are certainly full time muslims. Of course, there will be times, when we will not know what the right thing is or we forgot to do it, and those need to be worked on.
I want to give an example that has been in my mind for a while. On Sundays, there are two lectures in our community. One is at 11 AM in MAGO, and the other is at Islamic Center of Orlando after Maghrib.
Morning session is taught by Imam Sykes, who is one of the sincerist person I know, and his lecture is based on perfecting good conduct. Setting is very relaxed, and welcoming, especially for sisters who can actually learn Islam without the filter of their husbands. It is not hard core tafseer of Quran or discussion of Halal or Haram, but an education of perfecting the character. There are some subjective teachings that I disagree with, but overall the class is very informative.
Evening session is taught by Imam Tariq, who is probably the most educated person in our community, and his lecture is a progressive tafseer of Quran verse by verse, and ocassional poetry that makes the class all more fun. Setting is not friendly towards women, but borthers enjoy it, except a few who were confused when I asked them to stay for it after Maghrib. It is hard core commands of Allah and what a muslim should or should not do.
So, a full time Muslim would be worried about practicing Islam and would like to know about how to go about improving the character, which they can learn in the morning session. Then, they will realize that the character is improving, but what does Allah command us to do when our boss comes to us and say that we have to lie in the meeting presentation. We would need to learn the Halal and Haram, which can be found in the Quran and the explaination of the Quran (Tafseer by Sunnah), which they can learn in the evening sessions.
Now, it doesn't mean that either of the class doesn't teach the other topic. They do but they avoid going into details. Morning class refer to discussion over Halal/Haram as becoming Haram police, which is fine for the setting. Evening class avoid discussing contemprary issues that are contraversial, which is fine for the sake of focus. See, both class has its purpose, and both are essential for us to become fulltime muslims.
Every company have fulltime employees and part time employees. Full time employees will own the product and work day and night to make it success, but part time employees have limited interests, and will leave after the hours are done.
Islam should be the driving force in our lives, and not a hobby. We should learn the Halal/Haram but also improve our character. So, I would like to invite you all to these two session on sundays, if you live in Orlando area. Or, find a similar two classes. Let us complete our din, and become full time muslims
May Allah make us full time in this employment.
JazakAllah Khairin
An applicant for full time slavery to Allah
Abu Arman
All praise is due to Allah, the Creator, and the Sustainer.
Note: As promised, here is an update. The initiative to build a masjid on the CR 535 is progressing. Location will be around Reams rd area. There will be a public announcement sometime in the future. Make dua for the success for every masjid around the world.
"O you who believe! Fulfill your Promises!" (Quran 5:1)
I was watching a movie where a reporter was jailed for 3 years for not disclosing the source of the classified information, and she was told that if she revealed the name she would let go. She stood her ground, and lost her husband and her kid during that period. Source was a 6 year old girl who told the reproter that her mother was on official business, when she went with her husband who was an ambassador. In essence, she protected the promise she gave to a kid over loosing everything she had. Is there anyone who is reading this who can do such thing?
Interestingly, this is what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us, ordered us, and left us. As a muslim, we should surpass this simple command of fullfiling promise at any cost. However, many of us will fall short of this command if it means going through a little discomfort, nevermind major loss. We want to obey Allah when it is easy and fun like Taraweeh, or Eid, or Occasional Salah on Sundays in the masjid.
O believers enter into Islam completely and do not follow the footsteps of
Shaitan, surely he is your clear-cut enemy. (Quran 2:08)
What I am saying is that most of us are part time Muslims, which means we are Muslims when it is convenient, but Islam fades away in our daily life. For example, if a woman with Hijab enters the men area of the masjid by mistake, we will become nervous, but at work we don't mind shaking hands with women who are not even wearing decent clothes.
In fact, every aspect of our life there are two ways to act, one that is according to Islamic Sharia, and the other that is against the Sharia. If we always chose the Islamic Sharia in all matters, then we are certainly full time muslims. Of course, there will be times, when we will not know what the right thing is or we forgot to do it, and those need to be worked on.
I want to give an example that has been in my mind for a while. On Sundays, there are two lectures in our community. One is at 11 AM in MAGO, and the other is at Islamic Center of Orlando after Maghrib.
Morning session is taught by Imam Sykes, who is one of the sincerist person I know, and his lecture is based on perfecting good conduct. Setting is very relaxed, and welcoming, especially for sisters who can actually learn Islam without the filter of their husbands. It is not hard core tafseer of Quran or discussion of Halal or Haram, but an education of perfecting the character. There are some subjective teachings that I disagree with, but overall the class is very informative.
Evening session is taught by Imam Tariq, who is probably the most educated person in our community, and his lecture is a progressive tafseer of Quran verse by verse, and ocassional poetry that makes the class all more fun. Setting is not friendly towards women, but borthers enjoy it, except a few who were confused when I asked them to stay for it after Maghrib. It is hard core commands of Allah and what a muslim should or should not do.
So, a full time Muslim would be worried about practicing Islam and would like to know about how to go about improving the character, which they can learn in the morning session. Then, they will realize that the character is improving, but what does Allah command us to do when our boss comes to us and say that we have to lie in the meeting presentation. We would need to learn the Halal and Haram, which can be found in the Quran and the explaination of the Quran (Tafseer by Sunnah), which they can learn in the evening sessions.
Now, it doesn't mean that either of the class doesn't teach the other topic. They do but they avoid going into details. Morning class refer to discussion over Halal/Haram as becoming Haram police, which is fine for the setting. Evening class avoid discussing contemprary issues that are contraversial, which is fine for the sake of focus. See, both class has its purpose, and both are essential for us to become fulltime muslims.
Every company have fulltime employees and part time employees. Full time employees will own the product and work day and night to make it success, but part time employees have limited interests, and will leave after the hours are done.
Islam should be the driving force in our lives, and not a hobby. We should learn the Halal/Haram but also improve our character. So, I would like to invite you all to these two session on sundays, if you live in Orlando area. Or, find a similar two classes. Let us complete our din, and become full time muslims
May Allah make us full time in this employment.
JazakAllah Khairin
An applicant for full time slavery to Allah
Abu Arman
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