This a continuation of some thoughts from a blog "The Past is History" on May 14th Muslima.
So you need to read that first!
What an important few paragraphs you have written.
How completely indicative of the state the Muslims are in, how far we are from the example of the Prophet (saws)!
There
is a famous saying of Omar ibn al Khattab, that he was afraid for the
Muslims when they would become ignorant of what is ignorance.
So I have an answer for your query, about why they ask about the things that you have given up and don't you miss them?
The
reason is that people asking themselves yearn for these things. Love of
life has entered the hearts, and longing for Allah and His paradise has
waned. They see only the superficial joy and freedom that a "modern"
and "western" life offers, but have no real idea of the inner torment
and confusion that permeates most of the lives of the people who are in
it. Even if they themselves have eaten from those "forbidden fruits",
still they have never experienced the darkness that is kufr. That utter
confusion about whether that thing was even wrong or not, and if it is
wrong how come its feels so good, but then how come I never really seem
to be fulfilled? These are the subconscious questions that parody a
person lost in the darkness, stumbling through life not really knowing
where he or she is going. A Muslim, however sinful, can never know
that, simply because by virtue of being one "who surrenders themselves
to Allah" they know and accept the true criteria that distinguishes
right from wrong, they know when and where they are leaving the path,
because they know what the right path is and how to get back to it,
they have the map!
So they wonder how it was to make a little "excursion" here and there into forbidden zones that really do look rather nice compared to the steep path they know they have to tread. They can't comprehend the utter and complete blessing of knowing the path in the first place, of having been born and raised on it!
But we had to make a choice. Yes we grazed on golden fields and played in pleasant streams, yet we also knew that those fields and streams had hidden dangers. Sometimes, many times, we were bitten or worse. And then we saw this path. A steep, rocky, challenging path, but there was something that drew us to it. When we looked at it carefully, and thought, we began to realize that maybe that was the way out of the confusion.
People warned us against it, and told us that those traversing this
path were violent, backward, insane and deluded. They mocked and abused
and even physically attacked the people of the path.
Yet for some
unfathomable reason, a blessing for which we have no idea what we did
to deserve, Allah guided us onto that path, and yes it was steep and
hard, but oh the joy, oh the bliss to know, and to know for sure that
this was the way, and from that path we could see, and all became
clear, and we realized what complete and utter darkness we had been in
before that, and so that put a spring in our step, and made the path
seem easy, and we smiled and thanked Allah.
Then those people on the path, the ones traversing it from birth, never knowing life without it, wondered at our joy! Don't you miss those streams and fields and orchards and that easy life they say? And we look at them and wonder if they might be slightly mad!But then we remember that we, the people of the path are a brotherhood. For all our faults, and all our failings we have something that binds us.
We, the newcomers, chose the path. They, those born to it, choose to stay on the path!
And we are brethren of the path.
So we make excuses. Us for their ignorant curiosity and them for our zealousness. We forgive and overlook, and help each other along the way, because without that maybe none of us would succeed in reaching the destination.
Surah Al Balad
1. I swear by this city (Makkah);
2. And you are free in this city,
3. And by the begetter and that which he begot;
4. Verily, We have created man in toil.
5. Thinks he that none can overcome him?
6.
He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!"
7. Thinks he that none sees him?
8.
Have We not made for him a pair of eyes?
9. And a tongue and a pair of lips?
10.
And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?
11. But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep.
12. And what will make you know the path that is steep?
13. (It is) Freeing a neck (slave, etc.)
14. Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine),
16. Or to a Miskîn (poor) afflicted with misery.
17. Then he became one of those who believed, and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion.
18. They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise),
19. But those who disbelieved in Our Signs, they are those on the Left Hand.
We're missing nothing! what an excellent title. People have a choice and its pretty simple, either they desire happiness or peace. I'm very suspicious of 'happiness', because its a state which only lasts for a very limited amount of time if not moments even. Even this spurt of emotion is not strong enough to really make the individual happy, because take for example an ignorant person with a terminal illness, yes their friends and family do special things to make them happy before the inevitable, but their laughs and smiles are strained and when the friends and family leave,there's tears and anguish in abundance, whereas a muslim knows that death is only the beginning and that an eternity awaits them, which inshaAllah is blissful.
This is peace, to know that we don't belong here and that there is so much more to life than what we have here and that a time will come when all the horrible things of this world won't matter because there are greater things in store for all of us.
Posted by: Waranga | Tuesday, 25 July 2006 at 14:58
Truly, Al Quran has a lot virtues- food of thought, gives Nurr in our life, happiness, tranquility, cure our sorrow, and many other unforgotten moment which so great in miracles, subb hana allah!!!, To get it personal touch of virtues of AlQuran, is to recite Al Quran with deep sincerity for Allah sake and do it constantly daily in the morning and evening. My late mum always says “you, Aisha recite Al Quran so that you will achieve “sakina”!! Do it Aisha!!!… and manage your time with no more excuses”. Make it as our goal of life and have go for it, insyallah Allah will ease …. Allah reward you, Abdurraheem for reminding me the virtues of Surah Al-Baqarah!!
Posted by: Nuraini Aisha | Friday, 28 July 2006 at 02:31