Shallow Stuff

“You are the best Ummah singled out for mankind; you enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” 
(Quran 3:110)

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Every Sunday is the same – I pick up the newspaper’s weekend supplement and soon find myself digusted with its contents. The thick magazine that is issued every Sunday with the Dawn newspaper has several sections – columns by various writers, news about celebrities, new movies, fashion pages, song albums, gardening tips and technology updates. Very obviously, it caters to the middle class and elites of our society, the segment of the the population that actually reads the english language daily Dawn newspaper.

 Now, what is it that makes me fling aside the paper with disgust on a calm Sunday morning? Well, here’s how it goes: every weekend, I like to settle down with a cup of tea after breakfast for some enjoyable reading – after all, the magazine often has informative and even hilarious articles. However, over the past few years, there has been a growing trend for the newspaper to regularly feature columns and articles that poke fun at, and even challenge, some of aspects of our Deen. Coming from “Muslims”, it is alwaysunpleasant. There are many things a Non Muslim would say that we would brush aside as stemming from ignorance but when a Muslim says it out loud, with great aplomb, in a renowned newspaper, it is deeply saddening. I can never grow immune to that.

With the rebels wreacking havoc in the Pakistan under the guise of an “Islamic” movement, the media has shed a lot of light on the fallacies of their movement and often point out all the places these people are detracting from Islam. However, it seems as if many people have even taken this as an opportunity and a free license to air their long held, half-baked views on Islam in general, questioning and challenging even the most authentic and core principles of Islam. It is this phenomenon that has hit the newspapers too and suddenly, you have articles by every Tom, Dick and Harry talking of and even poking fun of religion and practising Muslims.

 

One of the hot topics in this age of capris-wearing and dupatta-shedding women is centered on women covering up. Dawn seems to be giving a lot of space to people who write on this. Every other week or so, some pointed reference or a whole article even is found devoted to this.
Why do you have to cover up? What are the benefits? How can women be ‘liberated’? That’s what it’s always about. Sometimes, there’s barely disguised venom, other times there are attempts to gloss over the whole thing with a seemingly neutral point of view, whereas it’s quite clear what the writer is trying to say. One particular writer wonders whythere is a new wave in the upper middle and elite classes to frequent Quran circles and cover up – yes, the writer’s a Muslim. She goes on to praise the young, hip Pakistani woman who dresses up in a “modest way” (read capris, sleeveless, no dupatta, etc.) without going all Hijab-ey!

 

Don’t these people stop and think for one tiny moment what they are challenging, what they are speaking against? It is the Quran and Sunnah the clearly spell out the laws, not any ordinary person and yet, many “Muslims” get away with such propoganda as the readers praise them for their “valuable points”, “eye-opening revelations” and what not. Really, if this isn’t contagious, I wonder what is?

Going beyond Hijab, there seems to be an unwritten policy to exclude from print all articles and comments that refer to religion directly with quotes from Islamic sources. Let’s not even go to Quranic verses or Ahadith, the very mention of the word Allah or and other religious reference in the article disqualifies it from being published. One of my articles was published last Ramadan, in which I had spoken about preparing for Ramadan. My article didn’t even focus on the “spritual” aspect of the preparation – it was about things like shopping early, making healthy foods and so on. When the article was printed, it was under the section of “Detox Diet”, altering the premise of the article quite a bit. Next, they had moved to edit out words like Sunnah, Taraweeh, Suhoor and completely cut out the tiny bit in the end where I had mentioned how, by preparing well, we could have more time for worship in Ramadan. To top it off, the article was illustrated with the image of a half-eaten burger that now looked like a cresent. Well ofcourse, isn’t Ramadan all about eating? I do not know what I was thinking when I attempted to point to something else!

As I said in my last post, we are a society teeming with contradictions and double standards. It’s easy to speak against religion when you are a Muslim because at the end of the day, you’re still a Muslim and no one’s going to boycott you if you play your words well. A’oodhobillah!  And we wonder why we are so downtrodden despite being “chosen” by Allah(swt) to lead the world in all that is good.

Backbiting – Majid’s Story

Short Story – Backbiting.ppt (DOWNLOAD)

It’s a week for PowerPoint presentations, I think! When I received news that a portion of my pathology syllabus for next month’s final exam had been cut off and added to the following semester’s load, the unexpected reprieve was the perfect reason to head to the computer. Then, happy in the thought that I had the leisure of time to do what I wanted to, I decided to let some creativity loose and make something out of it. Few people know how much I enjoy making short PowerPoint-type presentations. Designing an eye-catching template and working on the content is great fun in itself because you keep imagining how the finished product’s going to look like.

The person who encouraged me to use this creative tool for the purpose of furthering the Islamic cause was none other than my teacher and mentor at the Islamic study circle I visit every Saturday, Alhamdolillah. She pointed out the impact of short, beautifully designed messages sent out through emails or posted on websites. Once I discovered the amazing world of colors, wallpapers, fonts, animations, pictures – and of course ‘clipart’ – it was like a fresh breath of air after the rather un-creative world of medical books. See, medicine is amazing in its own way but the artisitc flair inside every person needs to flex its muscle every once in a while to maintain a healthy balance.

I once saw a very cute presentation that was innovative in the way that it was more like an animated comic. I decided to something like it and thus, on Friday, I made this presentation, Alhamdolillah. I’m eager to make more of them but for now, I must return to my final exam preparation and put off all the other ideas for the summer break InshAllah! That reminds me, I must also tend to my washed laundry and clean up the mess about my room… right, I should leave now.

Wassalaam!

My dear parents…

Parents.ppt (Download)

Here’s a short presentation that I put together today! Alhamdolillah, it taught me a lot… which goes to show how excellent such activities can be for reinforcing concepts and reminding oneself! I hope you, too, derive much benefit from it, InshAllah!

Dude, is that a Sunnah?

Have you ever got that feeling when you wished you could really cleanse your life of all those bad habits that you’ve developed and bring it as close as possible to the Prophet(saw)’s Sunnah? It so happens that whenever my Iman takes a dip for a period of time and (Alhamdolillah) grows stronger again, I begin analyzing the reasons for that dip. Anyone who’s tasted a period when their conviction was really strong would know how bad Iman dips are! And so, the analysis on the cause of the dip. One of the reasons I almost always come up with, as I mentioned earlier, are the numerous habits of routine and traits of personality we’ve come to live with, that have no real connection to the Sunnah and in fact are in contradiction to it.

Here’s an example: how many Muslims have you met and noticed that when they are served beverages by a host, they always leave a bit of the drink in the bottom of the glass? If someone (a friend or older person) casually points out that they haven’t finished their drink, the usual answer is, “No, No… I don’t want to appear like a very hungry person.” In fact, this practice is considered a very important part of the social etiquette followed in many households, where the elders explicitly instruct the children to not drink up all of what they are served… such that you will see even a five-year old towing the line perfectly.

I went out to eat with some friends recently and, as we were leaving, one of our group advised another to clean up her desert bowl. The girl responded with, “I wouldn’t want to appear that hungry!” It set me thinking… as Muslims, our actions reflect upon our beliefs and to a non-Muslim or impressionable youngster it would seem as if Muslims, and thereby Islam, regards hunger as an embarrassment. Before you cast that off as an exaggeration, just notice how we behave in the following situation…

Sara and her mother were visiting some friends. The host’s wife was preparing dinner for them but since it was running a little late, she apologized and said, “I’m sorry for the delay, the stove’s developed some problem today. Sara, you must be hungry, would you like some fruit before dinner?” Sara’s tummy growled in hunger but she firmly shook her head and said, “Oh no Aunty! I’m really quite fine, I had a really heavy lunch today!”

I’ve been in Sara’s place a great number of times and now realize what a lie that was, answering what I answered. But see, that’s the truth… our notions of social etiquette and what’s right and wrong can go so twisted and off the path of Islam that owning up to feeling hungry is a big no-no and in fact, we would go to the extent of lying to – ironically – save face!

When we read the Seerah of the Prophet(saw), it becomes clear that hunger was never a thing to be frowned upon. I can recall one or two occasions where the Prophet(saw) and his companions admitted they were hungry and even requested a little food from others, to satisfy the pangs of hunger.

Safiyya, the Prophet’s wife, said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, came one day and asked, ‘O Daughter of Huyay, do you have anything, for I am hungry.’ I said, ‘No by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, save two measures of flour.’ ‘Cook it!’ he said. I put it in the pot, cooked it, then said, ‘It is cooked O Messenger of Allah!’ He said, ‘Do you know if there is anything in the fat container of the daughter of Abū bakr?’ I said, ‘I know not O Messenger of Allah!’ He went himself to her house and said, ‘Anything in your fat container O daughter of Abū Bakr?’ ‘Nothing but a little,’ she said. He brought it back, squeezed it into the pot until I saw something coming out. He put his hand [on it] saying, ‘In the Name of Allah, invite your sisters for I know they feel as I do!’ I invited them and we ate until satiated. Then Abū Bakr came and entered, then ‘Umar came and entered, then a man came. They all ate to satiety and some still remained. (Majma’ al-Zawa’id)

In fact, I just remembered the time when the Prophet(saw), on the occassion of one of his marriages, said something very important.

In the hadith narrated by Asmaa’ bint Yazid ibn As-Sakan who said: “I beautified Ayesha for Allah’s Messenger, then called him to come to see her unveiled. He came, sat next to her, and brought a large cup of milk from which he drank. Then, he offered it to Ayesha, but she lowered her head and felt shy. I scolded her and said to her: “Take from the hand of the Prophet.” She then took it and drank some. Then, the Prophet said to her, “Give some to your companion.” At that point, I said: “O Messenger of Allah, rather take it yourself and drink, and then give it to me from your hand.” He took it, drank some, and then offered it to me. I sat down and put it on my kness. Then, I began rotating it and following it with my lips in order that I might hit the spot from which the Prophet had drunk. Then, the Prophet said about some women who were there with me: “Give them some.” But, they said: “We don’t want it.” (ie. we are not hungry). The Prophet said: “Do not combine hunger and fibbing!” (Ahmad and al-Humaidi)

 So now, you’re wondering what a little thing like that has to do with weakening of Iman? The truth is, all these numerous tidbits add up to make a really un-Islamic picture of our routines and personalities. Really, if our actions and words do not reflect our faith, what must be the reality of such a faith even if one should claim it is “very strong”? Both, the big picture and the little details matter in the end, to make a huge difference.

Dusk to Dawn

You might have wondered, at some point, why I chose to name this blog, “Between Dusk and Dawn”. It’s not just something that I picked out of a hat, neither was it planned as a mystical name to capture the attention of readers. It’s not the title of any book or sonnet I know, nor any great work of art. And no, there’s no movie by that name either!

The answer is simple – I love the beautiful period of time between the setting of the sun and its next rising. As the sun sinks into the horizon, the sky takes on a myriad shades and hues to merge gracefully into the enchanting, velvety darkness of night. If you step outdoors or look out your window after Maghrib, you’ll find every moment a pleasure – something new to discover and enjoy. The stars peek between the fading brightness, then appear one after the other in quick succession until – before you know it – you’re looking at a masterpiece of art!

The night passes by smoothly, punctuated by the adhaan for Isha’a and soon, it is time for the true purpose of night to be fulfilled – sleep and rest. It’s amazing how, when you observe the creation of Allah at this time, it is silent and at peace with itself – eager to rejuvenate for the following day. Among mankind too, those who have the intellect and the insight to understand this natural order would know that there is great wisdom, the Wisdom of their Maker, in moving with this pattern of night and day. A few hours of sleep at night are worth more than double their measure during the day, as any person who suffers from insomnia, or has to work the night shift will tell you.

However, the most beautiful wonder of all in the nighttime has been highlighted innumerable times in the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet(saw). What is this blessed quality of night? It is the opportunity, the beauty and the absolute joy of being able to turn to Allah in quiet seclusion, with nothing to distract and no chores to perform. We read about Prophets in the Quran who stayed up in worship a part of the night and the Seerah of the Prophet(saw) records how he too prayed Tahajjud, along with his companions. The Quran even specifically instructed the Prophet(saw) to awaken for the night prayer and gave the reason for it too – to be able to worship in Allah without distractions.

O you wrapped in garments (i.e. Prophet Muhammad SAW)! Stand (to pray) all night, except a little. Half of it, or a little less than that (see verse 20). Or a little more; and recite the Qur’ân (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style. Verily, We shall send down to you a weighty Word (i.e. obligations, legal laws, etc.). Verily, the rising by night (for Tahajjud prayer) is very hard and most potent and good for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (understanding) the Word (of Allâh). Verily, there is for you by day prolonged occupation with ordinary duties, And remember the Name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with a complete devotion. (He Alone is) the Lord of the east and the west, Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). So take Him Alone as Wakîl (Disposer of your affairs). (Quran: Surah 73: Verses 1-9)

Why the emphasis on the nighttime though? In the last third of the night, the hours of Tahajjud, the night is almost completely silent and at its darkest too. In these hours, if one is awake, the heart very naturally softens towards prayer and worship. It becomes easier to reflect upon ones deeds and wonder about the Hereafter, the accountability before Allah. Prayers are made with sincerity, not like an automaton in a hurry to roll up the prayer mat and run off to study or work. And when the Quran is recited, it is a joy to see how only the Words of Allah ring through the otherwise silent night – something that is not possible during the daytime. Then, as Allah invites man to ponder and reflect upon His Words of guidance, the receptive heart feels the tug and wants to give up wrongdoing and just please his Master through only saying, thinking and doing what He commands. It is this feeling – a refreshment of Iman – that carries the person who offers Tahajjud and Fajr, through the day ahead, ready to face the challenges and tests set by Allah.

Do you still wonder that I love the night? There’s more – I love the merging of night into day and all the changes that herald the rising of the sun. The beauty of the night lingers until the sun lights up the land and then, it’s a different story altogether. For me, dawn symbolizes a new beginning – a second chance to do things differently, re-prioritize my life, and focus on the Hereafter through perfecting my actions and my intentions in this life. Every few days, I try to spend a few minutes just observing the world around me at the time of dawn and I realize that truly in the Statement of Allah is the Absolute Truth:

Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding. (Quran: Surah 3: verse 190)

For those forgo their Fajr prayer and wake up just to drag themselves off to school or work, they lose out on the Pleasure of Allah through obeying Him, His reward and the great joy and peace that the last hours of the night bring. May Allah guide them before the sun sets on their lives to rise on a certain day… but that Day would not be a day for second chances. Arising for Fajr is thus full of blessings – peace, joy, the Pleasure of Allah, avoiding His Wrath and thus, being saved, if Allah Wills, from the Fire. There is no catch to this amazing offer, is there?

Verily, the Muttaqûn will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs (in the Paradise), Taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them. Verily, they were before this Muhsinûn .They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allâh)] and praying, with fear and hope. (Quran: Surah 51: 15-18)

O Allah guide us all towards You, Your Worship and give us the Tawfeeq to performs acts which You love for us, and the Tahajjud to come closer to You. And O Allah, make us consistent in our amal and accept our meager deeds from us. O Allah, save us from the disgrace and humiliation of the Day of Judgment through your Mercy. O Allah, we are not such that we deserve anything but it is your Mercy alone that can guide us, enable us to do righteous deeds, earn your pleasure to protect us from the Fire! O Allah, shower us with Your Guidance and Your Mercy! Aameen!