'Muhasabah' at the Royal Museum - Final Part

************** In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ***************** Reflection ***************** 'Aisha narrated this hadith: "Usama approached the Prophet on behalf of a woman (who had committed theft). The Prophet said, 'The people before you were destroyed because they used to inflict the legal punishments on the poor and forgive the rich. By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! If Fatima (the daughter of the Prophet ) did that (i.e. stole), I would cut off her hand'." (Sahih Bukhari) * *********************** WHAT do you feel after visiting a palace? While flipping the pages of the visitors' book at the Royal Museum (Old Royal Palace) at Jalan Istana which I visited recently, I noticed some visitors described the buildings, rooms, the things exhibited and their settings and decorations as 'amazing', 'awesome' and 'nice indeed'. ************************* Notice that the visitors were not forced to praise whatever they saw at the palace, they willingly wrote their praises; this means that they sincerely acknowledged the beauty of what they saw from the bottom of their hearts. ************************* If a visit to a palace could 'melts' our hearts into acknowledging its beauty and magnificent setting, then please do some 'muhasabah' (reflection) about the world (a very large palace) in which we are sent to 'do our job' on a 'temporary basis' say in 60 or 70 years (the average life of a human being). Does the world not leave any impression in your heart? **************************** Do some fast thinking; if a palace which was built by workers and its settings and decorations too was done by human beings, could 'steal' our hearts and we willingly (without being forced) praises the beauty of it, then why must our hearts (I included) 'too cold' and 'ignorant' to acknowledge the beauty and perfectness of this world and of course its Creator, The Mighty Allah SWT. **************************** What's 'that palace' to be compared with this world, this universe and so on? Why it is that we are reluctant to praise to the place where we live in and the 'magic' all around us, whats more their Creator? ************************** Isn't it very, very amazing to see the sky stands without pillars and in ourselves and around us too there are thousands and thousands of 'magic' - imagine isn't it strange that the coffee we drink is black in color but when we urinate, the water is crystal clear or slightly yellow? ************************ Actually what I would to stress is the the greatness of Allah SWT, Master of the whole universe. We do not have to witness supernatural things but by observing all His creations around us would be enough for us to surrender, kneel down on our knees and 'sujud' (prostrate) and admit that He is the Greatest, the Most High (Allah-u-Akbar). ************************ When we are ready to surrender to Allah SWT after acknowledging His Greatness and admitted our weakness (limitations) and how lowly we are as we are created from semen(which human beings would reject if they were given free of charge), then it would be much easier for us to face tribulations of life. ************************** For example in the case of the missing flight MH370, we would ready to surrender in His fate; He is our Lord who could do as He wishes - in Surah Yasin of the Qur'an, ayah 80 and 81, Allah SWT says: "Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the like of them? Aye, that He is! for He is the All-Wise Creator, But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that He saith unto it: Be! and it is." ********************* If by visiting a palace, one could pour out his or her praises on its beauty, the same applies to men and women who open up their hearts to acknowledge the beauty of this world and praise it and of course to its Creator but the question is how to do it and most important of all, the correct way. *********************** Well, we need a divine guidance; and God, out of His abundant Love and Mercy for mankind, has not left us in darkness to discover the right path by trial and error alone. Coupled with our intellectual capability to reason, God bestowed upon us divine guidance that outlines the Criterion for truth and the knowledge and reality of our existence in this world and the Hereafter. ***************************** From the beginning of mankind God sent exemplars or prophets to convey His revelation and to invite all mankind to the path of true peace and obedience to one true God. This is Islam. This message was conveyed to all nations and tribes in this world throughout successive generations through more than 124,000 prophets - from Prophet Adam a.s. to Muhammad s.a.w. - all inviting mankind to the same path. (The Light of Revelation, Islamic Outreach-ABIM) ******************************** But human history is a chronicle of man's drift between light and darkness. Regarding this matter I would like to comment on the latest development in the Muslim world after an Egyptian court sentenced 529 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwanul Muslimin) to death after a one-day mass trial that allowed no genuine defense! *************************** It was the biggest mass death sentence handed out in Egypt's modern history. Turmoil in Egypt deepened since the army overthrew Egypt's first freely elected president, Dr Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, in July. Security forces have killed hundreds of Brotherhood members in the streets and arrested thousands. ************************* Well to the Egyptian junta led by General Abdel Fattah As-Sisi, please take note that Cairo was host (and of course it is a member country) of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) leaders meeting which produced the 'Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam' (Resolution Number 48/19-P) which is adopted in Cairo on 5th August 1990 (14 Muharam 1411H) which in Article 2 notes: ***************************** (a) Life is a God-given gift and the right to life is guaranteed to every human being. It is the duty of individuals, societies and states to protect this right from any violation, and it is prohibited to TAKE AWAY LIFE except for a Shari'ah prescribed reason. ************************** (b) It is forbidden to resort to such means as may result in the genocidal annihilation of mankind. *************************** (c) The preservation of human life throughout the term of time willed by God is a duty prescribed by Shari'ah. ******************************* (d) Safety from bodily harm is a guaranteed right. It is a duty of the STATE to safeguard it, and is prohibited to breach it without a Shari'ah-prescribed reason. **************************** As-Sisi was reported 'to have an eye' for 'the throne' of Egptian President; well if you As-Sisi forced your way to that position of power and glamorous and flattered lives in luxurious palaces, then have a thought about former dictators around your land such as Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (Tunisia), Abdullah Ali Saleh (Yemen) and your own 'master' Hosni Mubarak...where have they been? ************************ Some are 'struggling' inside their graves, others are pulling their remaining strength to survive in life, have you not, As-Sisi (and we) learned any lesson?