Friday, January 29, 2016

Prophet Muhammad the savior of mankind including those in US

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

Reflection

The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort 
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
***

DURING this time when Muslims all over the world celebrated Prophet Muhammad's s.a.w. birthday (Maulidur Rasul), I remembered how American Republican's presidential hopeful, Donald Trump insulted Muslims by making a call to bar Muslims from entering the United States.

However Senator Lindsey Graham was quick to say that it's time for Republicans to rebuke Trump, urging his party to tell Trump to "go to hell." Graham on CNN's New Day said: “You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell."

When Trump insulted the Muslims, I was in Turkey; in this country with 70 million population of which 99 percent are Muslims, Trump's call was met by sharp criticsm, their leaders drew attention to the paradox that such an attitude demonstrates racism in a country of immigrants while also playing into the hands of radical Islamists.

Ibrahim Kalin, a spokesperson for and adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdorgan tweeted: "Mr @realDonaldTrump claims to 'make America great again' by going racist in a country of immigrants?!"

To insult Muslims such as claiming that the religion promotes terrorism, is to insult the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad s.a.w. If we were to look at the holy book, the Qur'an in was mentioned in Surah Al-Anbiya (21) verse 107 - "Wama arsalnaka illa rahmatan lil' alameen" - with the meaning Allah The Almighty says: {And We have sent you (O Muhammad, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).} [Al-Anbiya 21:107] 

An 'ustaz' (religious teacher) in his 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) at a 'masjid' near my house recently, said that the world not be created if not for Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. The prophet was, is and would be the mercy of all that exists as mentioned in the verse above. He would also be looked forward for his 'syafaat' (blessing) by all human beings from the time of the first man on earth, Adam a.s. to the last man.

The 'ustaz' said Islam is for all; Muslims and non-Muslims (including Mr Trump; this was not mentioned by the 'ustaz' but noted by the writer). In the Qur'an (the holy book for Muslims), there are ayahs (verses of the Holy Qur'an) which begin with ‘ya ayyuhannas’ which means ‘Oh people’ and ayahs begin with ‘ya ayyuhal lazina amanu’ yang means ‘Oh people who believe’. 

There are a little over 90 ayahs in the Qur’an that begin with ‘ya ayyuhal lazina amanu’. Allah sent the Qur’an for all of mankind, not just for the people during the time of the Prophet peace be upon him (pbuh, s.a.w.) and only for Muslims. 

The phrase ‘ya ayyuhannas which occurs 20 times in the holy Qur’an, has a general and collective meaning that envelops all human beings of any race, tribe, or colour. Example of an ayah beginning with ‘ya ayyuhannas’ is Ayah 21 of Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) with the meaning: “O’ mankind! Worship your Lord Who created you, and those before you, so that you may guard yourselves (against evil).”

And example of an ayah beginning with ‘ya ayyuhal lazina amanu’ is Ayah 183 of Surah Al-Baqarah with the meaning: “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you that ye may ward off (evil).” 

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 Hereafter. 

From the beginning of mankind God sent Exemplers of Prophets to convey His revelation and to invite all mankind to the path of true peace and obedience in 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 with Muhammad s.a.w. as the final Messenger – all inviting mankind to the same path. - The Light of Revelation (Islamic Outreach-ABIM) 

Thus Islam is for all, but nobody can be forced to be a Muslim. Harun Yahya in his book ‘Learning from the Qur’an', quoted many ayahs regarding this matter, an example, Qur’an, 2:256 with the meaning; “There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned. Right guidance has become clearly distinct from error. Anyone who rejects false gods and believes in Allah has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will never give way. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” 

Also notice that in performing the five pillars of Islam (Rukun Islam) such ‘solat’ (praying) and ‘puasa’ (fasting), it is stated that the first ‘syarat’ (requirement) for a person to perform the ‘ibadat’ (acts of devotion to Allah SWT) is that he or she must be a Muslim. 

Why must the first ‘syarat’ for a person to do the ‘ibadat’ he or she must be a Muslim. Why must it be Muslim; isn’t the religion of Islam is for Muslim? 

This religion of Islam is not only for Muslims, it is an universal religion for all. Yes Islam is for all, only Muslims were required to perform the special ‘ibadat’ such as ‘solat’ and ‘puasa’. For the non-Muslims, they were not required to perform this special ‘ibadat’.

If Islam is for all, then why must people be made to be scared of it as done by Mr Trump. Rasulullah (pbuh) as the the leader of 'ummah' changed their (the people of Makkah) corrupt and ignorant belief (idol-worshipping) and culture. They transformed from a society who worshipped gods created from stones to a society who worships only Allah; and they discarded all their culture and habits that were forbidden in Islam such as consuming alcohol, adultery, gambling, 'ribaa-based' transactions, cheating, bribery, killing female infants and so on.

Allah SWT says in the Al-Qur’an: “And verily, we have sent among every ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (Alone) and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc, i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah.”

Regarding Prophet Isa (Jesus) pbuh, the book ‘Light of Revelation’ notes: “Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was as human as any man. He ate, slept, fought the Romans, worshipped God, wept and cried to God for assistance and salvation! If we read the Bible with an open heart, we can find in not less then 60 verses, statements as clear as daylight, that God is one and that Jesus is a human being and a prophet. He was never worshipped as God by his Disciples. The mission of Prophet Jesus was the same as all the 124,000 prophets sent to mankind.

Jesus said of his and our God: “And Jesus answered him. The first of all commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Mark 12:29).

Sincerely ponder over the above verse and Isaiah 43:10 (below) and ask yourself whether there is any place for the belief in Trinity. God says: “Besides Me there is no other god; there never was and never will be.” That God is Allah SWT, the Most Merciful to all of us, Muslims and non-Muslims!

As for you Mr Trump, do not loose hope; you do not have to go to hell as mentioned by Senator Graham - yes, your ignorance is understandable; there is still light at the end of tunnel...but only when Allah SWT guides you by giving you 'iman' (faith) - that's the highest reward (gift) from God to his subjects. If you had 'iman' only then you would realized that your richness, assets, power mean nothing to you!

If we were to look at the lives of those people who were against Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., some were worst than you Mr Trump but after they became Muslims, they were among the best. There were many examplers among them Umar Al-Khattab, Khalid Ibnu Walid, Ikrimah Abu Jahal, Hindun binti Abu Suffian and the list goes on and on until the end of the world.

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