CELEBRATION OF EID FITR

Eid Fitr is the Day of Thanksgiving to Allah swt, for giving His servants the opportunity to fast and to worship Him in the month of Ramadan. On this Day, Muslims leave their jobs, wear clean clothes, offer special Eid prayer and after prayers go to visit one another and take part in festivities. Small children wear beautiful new clothes, and are very busy enjoying the festival. Their angelic faces beam with joy.

Islam wants that all Muslims, whether rich or poor, should enjoy Eid. It has, therefore, commanded all the well-to-do people to pay the Zakat e-fitr. The payment of Zakat-e-Fitr is obligatory upon every person who is adult, sane and free at the time of the sunset on the last day of Ramadan, and is also not dependent upon others for means of subsistence. If the person concerned is the head of a family, it is incumbent upon him to pay his own Zakat e-Fitr as well. Zakat-e-Fitr is the right of the poor and the needy, and can be spent for those purposes only, for which Zakat, payable on property, is expendable. This includes helping the deserving people and building hospitals, bridges, schools, etc.

The following acts are prescribed as Sunnah at the beginning of the day of Eid ul-Fitr before proceeding to the Eid prayer. 1) Muslims should put on their best available clothes Ibn Al-Qayyim said : "The Prophet (saw), used to wear his best clothes for the Eid prayers and he (saw) had clothes that he reserved for the two Eids and Jumu'ah." (Muslim) It is reported that Prophet (saw) used to wear a special dress to grace the occasion, but it was never a costly one and was always within the reach of everybody. Once Umar brought a costly dress for him requesting him to wear it on Eid days and other ceremonial occasions. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) immediately returned the dress observing that it did not behave a believer to wear such a costly dress. The result was that all the Companions dressed simply on this occasion and consequently this simplicity became a symbol of the Islamic society. 2) Muslims should eat before going to Eid prayer. This is Sunnah and will also help to circumvent the assumption that one must continue to fast until the Eid prayer is over. Anas (ra) narrated : "Allah's Messenger would not leave (his house) on the day of Fitr until he ate some dates." (al-Bukhari) Buraydah Bin al-Haseeb (ra) narrated : "The Prophet (saw) would not leave (his house) on the day of Fir until he ate. On the day of Nahr (slaughtering) he would not eat until he returned - so that he would eat from his sacrifice." (at-Tirmidzi)
Muslims celebrate 'Eid ul Fitr on the first day of Shawal the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, following the month of Ramadhan. The 'Eid prayer is important for Muslims as it has the merits of the daily prayers and the weekly gathering (Jumu'ah). On the day of Eid, fasting is forbidden since this day marks the end of the month-long fast. For those who fasted during the month of Ramadhan, there is a sense of triumph and accomplishment.

Eid Al-Fitr serves a three-fold purpose: It places upon every Muslim the obligation to remember Allah swt and offer Him thanks; it affords him an opportunity of spiritual stock taking in that he can now ponder over the strength of his will or the weakness of his character, as the case may be, which manifested itself during the preceding month (Ramadhan); it also is the day for the haves to share a portion of what they have with the have-nots.

And, for those persons who disobeyed this command of Allah swt this is the day of an end to the month-long pangs of conscience, inner struggle and continuous realization of the feebleness of their character. No more will they have to argue, without much conviction, against fasting. No more will they have to think up an excuse every morning for not fasting. No more will they have to say "Oh, but fasting is old-fashioned; it was not meant for the modern world."

The measure of a man's love for his Creator is his unquestioned obedience to the commands of the Creator. When for whole month a Muslim has obeyed Allah swt, unquestioningly, without complaint, without regret, and when he has spent his time in prayers, in humility and in charity, should one wonder, if at the end of this period, the Creator may Himself turn to such creature of His and say: "It is now for thee to ask for Me to give."

CALLING MUSLIM PHILANTROPISTS OUT THERE....

Last Sunday, I attended my Islamic Wealth Management class. During the break, I have the opportunity to share with my learned professor my idea for my dissertation and I was quite taken aback that my professor requested me to test my theory.

He has requested me to approach Muslim philanthropists in Malaysia to help finance my project and if the theory proves to be a success, then the theory could prove that Islamic financial modes are indeed beneficial to all, i.e., to the individual, to the organization and to the ummah as a whole.

This is indeed a challenge… a challenge that I would take and in case any philanthropists would want to be help finance the undertaking, please feel free to contact me at sweetchild2009@ymail.com. This project is for the purpose of academic and if such theory is a success, then the plan could be implemented nationwide and all the ummah will benefit from it.

This is just a raw idea but I will make the time to come up with the necessary paper work and model….

May Allah swt help ease my path … remember, this is my jihad… and it could be yours, too…

Allahu Akbar!!!!

INSPIRATIONAL POETRY

I have been so swamped lately..so much to do and so little time to complete all the tasks….yes, the new semester has commenced last week….so my stress level has gone up again after a short respite (after I finished sitting for my Shariah Qualifying Exam on 19 August 2009)….

I just need some motivation/inspiration to lift my spirit (there’s so much going-on in my life…the ups and downs….)..anyway, this is my favourite inspirational poem :

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

(Poet: C.W. Longenecker)

As the poet, John McLeod once said,

"Poems are the friends we make them, expressing in words a thought, of happiness, sadness, caring, experience dearly bought."

Very powerful words…indeed….

FACING TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

A very good and dear friend of mine told me that his life is filled with sadness and sorrow…he will be losing his job in a month’s time (due to the current economic slowdown) and has lots of debts….he does not know how he will face the future….

Sounds familiar?

Nothing happens in this world except through the leave of Allah swt. Therefore, a person who has been suffering from distress should know that Allah swt is fully aware of all that has happened or been happening to him. It is not a chaotic world where pain and suffering happens at random, nor is it a lawless universe without a ruler and watcher where the strong – be that a person or a nation – can do whatever it wishes to the weak without a consequence. The believer should know that Allah swt is aware of every little details of everything that happens, so much so that not even a leaf falls from a tree without Allah swt being aware of it:

He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered) but is (inscribed) in a Record Clear (to those who can read). (6:59)

No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: that is truly easy for Allah: in order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by … (57:22-23)

Therefore, the believer should take relief and comfort from the fact that Allah swt is fully and intimately aware of his situations. Any harm or injustice that he has been subjected to by anyone, will not go without a consequence. Or if he is suffering from distress and difficulties, then his suffering is constantly being watched by One who is the Most Kind, the Most Merciful.

Though calamities may hit a believer as a surprise, the reality is that by virtue of being a believer one is supposed to suffer. If a believer understands the Islamic philosophy that this life is a testing ground, then he should realize that this philosophy will be implemented for him in practice while he lives in this testing ground, and not after he dies. Tests are not just limited to see whether one performs the rituals or not. His belief and commitments to Allah swt, and his focus in the Hereafter will be fully and thoroughly tested with calamities and afflictions to gauge the depth of his faith in his heart. Achieving Paradise will not be easy. It will come only with unshakable faith and trust in Allah swt. Allah, may He be glorified, says:

Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves. (3:186)

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying “We believe” and that they will not be tested? (29:2)

Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil); but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. (2:155)

Ah! To how many believers these verses come out as relief and solace! How many hearts of believers, with wild storms and waves in there, have calm down when remembering these verses! Day in and day out, these verses have brought the believers to tranquility and provided them with strength. Their souls then speak out: “Yea, we are tested because we are righteous believers.”

To have that feeling of being a righteous believer is very comforting indeed. Do our eyes not always witness the fact that it is the righteous people who always suffer with pain, loss, and calamities one after another while the unrighteous always seem to prosper?

One individual once told another one who was going through tribulations that Allah swt was displeased with him, and hence his difficulties. This man lacked wisdom, for his comment was offensive to the person who was already distressed. More importantly, his understanding was incorrect from an Islamic perspective. The one who received the comment was a gentleman and also knowledgeable in Islam. Thus, it was not surprising that he decided to digest his remark and refrained from giving a response.

There are people who do maintain that incorrect understanding. Whenever they see a believer who is suffering from some calamity or disease, they think that this is a reflection of Allah swt’s wrath on him.

They should remember about the Companions of the Prophet saw who were severely persecuted or even killed after becoming Muslim, an event that wipes out all past sins. Even the prophets of Allah, the best of all people who ever walked on the face of the earth, were persecuted by their community without exception. Was Joseph not thrown into a well, sold as a slave, and then thrown back into a prison? Did Job not face severest of trials one after another, and was eventually left out by all except his wife? In fact, the Quran tells us that many prophets were brutally killed by the unbelievers.

These examples should establish the fact that trials and tribulations are not a sign of Allah’s displeasure on someone. Quite the contrary, it is rather a sign of Allah’s love on someone. The Prophet saw said:

When Allah who is Great and Glorious loves people He afflicts them [with trials]. (Tirmidhi)

Anyone for whom Allah intends good, He makes him suffer from some affliction. (Bukhari)

When Allah intends good for His slave, He punishes him in this world, but when He intends an evil for His slave, He does not hasten to take him to task but calls him to account on the Day of Resurrection. (Tirmidhi)

The punishment in the Hereafter is much severe – in fact unimaginable from our worldly perspective – than any affliction one can face in this world. Therefore, when Allah swt loves someone and intends for him or her to go to Paradise, He wipes out his sins and mistakes and rewards him highly by putting him to afflictions in this world.

Human beings are created weak (4:28). When a sudden calamity or distress befalls us, we easily become overwhelmed and often cry out, “O Allah! This is too much for me to bear!”

It never is. The believers should know it for fact that Allah swt never puts any burden on a soul that is beyond its ability to bear. Perhaps because we often lose sight of this fact that Allah swt mentions this in several places in the Quran:

On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. (2:286)

On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear: before Us is a record which clearly shows the truth: they will never be wronged. (23:62)

No burden do We place on any soul but that which it can bear. (6:152)

And those who believe and do good – We do not impose upon any of them a burden beyond his capacity. (7:42)

This fundamental truth is actually obvious to a believer who reflects. For, if the point is to test one’s level of faith and commitment to Allah swt, then it would be an injustice to put a burden on a soul that it will surely fail, and Allah swt never commits injustice against anyone:

… nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His servants. (41:46)

Verily Allah will not deal unjustly with man in aught: it is man that wrongs his own soul. (10:44)

Therefore, no matter how difficult one’s situation is or how sever his sufferings, he should have absolutely no doubt in his mind he has the ability to deal with the trial. Allah swt is Just, and every affliction that He tests his faithful servant with, there is always two viable outcome for him: passing the test with success and thus earning Allah’s good pleasure, or failing it.

A believer should remain mentally prepared to face any calamity or affliction, although he or she should never seek one. If he is not mentally prepared to face any difficulties in life and then suddenly is afflicted with one, then he may not be able to deal with it properly as he should. It is, therefore, wise that a believer solidify himself with knowledge from the Quran and the Sunnah regarding how to deal with trials and tribulations and then be prepared to face difficulties of life, but without seeking or hoping for any trial. This will help him remain calm and patient and pass the test when it comes, Insha Allah