01-19-2011, 08:14 AM
Bismillah
Praise be to Allah, blessing and peace be upon our Messenger, leader, mentor and teacher Mohammad Ibn Abdullah, his household and companions.
"And if the people of the towns had believed and had the piety, certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes, etc.)". (Quran 7:96)
As we are all constantly monitoring the escalating events in Tunis and their consequences including those who burnt themselves to death in Egypt and Algeria following the footsteps of Bou A`zizi, may Allah have mercy on him, and I invoke upon Allah to forgive him and we are not entitled to judge how Allah Shall judge him or classify him as being a suicidal or not? However, in all event, the Messenger blessings and peace be upon him said:
Narrated under the authority of abi Omar, Jarir Bin Abdullah, may Allah be please with him said: we were in the beginning of the day at the Messenger's blessing and peace be upon him, when a group of people who were undressed that they had to cut open stripped clothing of wool to be able to wear it through their heads, and wearing their swords. The majority of them, no all of them were from Modar (an Arab tribe), the Messenger's-blessing and peace be upon him-face changed expressing sorrow for the explicit poverty he saw. He went in then came out, he commanded Bilal who made the call for Salat, the Messenger performed the Salat then started giving a surmon saying:" O humankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Eve], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever a Watcher over you." (Quran 4:1) and the other Ayah in Surat Al Hashr "O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do." (Quran 59:18), a man who gives out Sadaqa (money for charity) out of his dinar, Dirham, garment, bowl of grain, bowl of date-until he said-even with a peace of date. A man from Al Ansar came carrying a very heavy package that his hand was unable to carry. People followed suit until I saw two piles of food and clothes until I witnessed the Messenger's-blessing and peace be upon him-expressing joy. The Messenger-blessing and peace be upon him-said" One who established a good Sunnah (tradition) in Islam shall receive its reward and the reward of one who applied it following his suit, however, this shall not decrease either of their rewards. And one who established an evil Sunnah, shall bear its sin and the sin of one who applied it following his suit, however, this shall not decrease either of their sins" (reported by Muslim).
In this context, we see that the situation which Bou A`zizi handled had been a matter of poverty, dire need, and oppressing. Well, is this how such situations should be handled? Before Muslims grow and act emotional to the extend of following his suit or more to say applying this Sunah, did they refer back to their book, their manual, the Quran. Did any of us ask him/herself if he/she had a role or share of the factors causing this sever deterioration in any Muslim country, and how one may improve in order to change the landscape we are all experiencing? How many among us read the Quran in order to be able to derive explanations and clarifications to the day to day events? The majority actually constantly monitor talk shows, not only this, but even develop their attitudes based on the content therein without conducting a benchmarking exercise against Quran and Sunnah.
Brothers and sisters, let us all be courageous enough to assume the responsibility for developing such landscape, let us not use governments as excuse to our problems. The Ayah indicated in the beginning of this simple word suffices to explain and clarify the general scene.
Allah, Sobhanhu wa Ta`ala Is saying if inhabitants of tows believed, but Allah Did not stop here, but rather succeeded it with and applied piety. Thus, we are all encouraged to enforce this Ayah in his life, motivate his family to do so and also those who are in his circle. It is belief coupled with piety that is capable of solving any problem rather than committing suicide in any form or fashion as means to revolt or object. Let us be more practical and assume responsibility in order to pass this journey safe enough. I shall not elaborate any further specially on the second part of the Ayah which is belying that consequently brings about Allah's punishment. Belying here is not restricted on belying messengers and prophets but extends to include ignoring Quran and Sunnah, failure to enforce them in handling matters and day to day life, denying Allah's bounties and failure to express gratitude, observance and protection of such bounties.
And Allah Is One Who guides and Supports