The shepard and the wolf

A pack of wolves had their eyes on a herd of sheep grazing in a green valley. However, the shepard, shooting his shotgun into the air chased the wolves back into the mountains with the fear that the shot sounds invoked. 

The wolves though were not without mind and after some time they noticed that the shots did not harm them and they ceased to take any notice of it.

The shepard was a soft hearted man and would not harm a soul, even those of the wolves hunting down his sheep. The wolves noticed this as well and it made them more daring.

One by one the wolves hunted the sheep and the shepard was helpless to stop them with mere empty shots. 

Seeing that empty shots were not doing anything, the shepard was forced to aim his shotgun at the wolves; and he shot them down with precision. 

Realising that mercy was no longger their lot, the wolves fled to the mountains in dismay and disturbed the herd no more.

Lessons:

1. Islam was not spread with force, Islam in its early days was forced to raise its sword in order to protect itself from aggression. 

2. This use of force is not a sin, it is righteousness manifest.

The football team that can never win

A football team manager, having just lost his umpteenth match slumped down on the field to ponder his teams track record – straight losses, zero wins, zero draws. What was it that the team lacked? The training was perfect, the strategy was flawless, and the facilities were all that money can buy. A child, seeing the mans distress came up to him and the manager, having no other outlet to voice his grievances, complained to the young boy. It so happened that the boy had been following the games progress, and after the manager was tired with complaining, the boy shared his opinion:

“Sir, you have everything save for one, and because of this one thing, you can never win no matter how good of everything else you have”

“And what would that be?” the manager asked.

“A team”, the boy answered simply. “How can you win a team-play game when you play alone against whole teams?”

The managers football ‘team’ consisted of him alone.

Lessons:

1. In a team-play game, you can never win if you play alone when the other side sends a whole team.  Has football ever been played one man VS a whole team? 
2. The enemies of Islam work in teams against us. We will NEVER achieve anything if we work alone.
3. To those who insist on ‘fighting for Islam’ on a solo basis, and question the authencity of and the need for Jamaa’ah (groups): play a football match solo against a team.
4. Islam can only be upheld in a Jamaa’ah (group). Certainly there are limited things we can achieve alone, but the real battle can only be fought in a united front.
5. There are many Islamic Jamaa’ah striving for Islam (causing confusion to some). The truth is: Each of us is a part of the Islamic Empire, different parts of a single body. There is no division. Working together as one for a single purpose – to conquer the world into the Mercy of Islamic Rule. 

Medical student art student

An arts student sat under a tree overlooking a beautiful scenery, happily sketching on his drawing board and appreciating the perfection of Allah’s creation.

A medical student, walking back to the hostel after a hard day of practical lessons at the hospital saw the art student and went up to him.

“What kind of work do you think you will be able to get with your degree?” he asked with derision.

“Work?”, the art student looked up calmly from his drawing pad. “Why should I be worrying about work?”

The medical student was surprised by the art students answer. “Why…that’s the purpose of going to university – to get a job when you graduate”

“Why would I want a job?”

“So that you can make money obviously”

“What do I need that money for?”

The medical student was starting to feel irritated.

“To make yourself happy of course, allow you to sit around comfortably, do what you want at your own leisure and not have to worry about anything”

“Isn’t that what I’m doing right now?” the art student said. “What about you?”

1. I am not saying that becoming a doctor is a bad thing. It is a noble profession undoubtedly.
2. I AM saying that choosing a course based on the job prospect, glamour and guarantee of a scholarship is a foolish thing. Our lives have more meaning than those things.
3. Our fortune is Determined by Allah, not by our jobs. So don’t fret so much about making a living. Only an insignificant, electron-microscopically tiny proportion of people become doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects etc – the so called ‘guaranteed work’ occupations. But you don’t see people dying from starvation left and right do you?
4. Do what you love, not what you must. It’s your life, your happiness. Don’t let some half-assed education system determine your life. And certainly don’t let society’s misperceptions force your choices. You are the one who is going to live your life, YOU determine what you want.
5. Your happiness is in your own hands. Don’t screw it.
6. For those who are taking medicine, and plan to take medicine: ask yourself honestly, why is it that you chose this field?
7. Job, money, glamour – these things cannot buy happiness. And you don’t NEED them to be happy.

The hare and the eagle

A hare, seeing a bald eagle soaring in the air bemoaned his fate that he could not fly.

“But why would you want to fly when you can already run so fast on the ground?” said his friend the tortoise. “Why not try to be thankful for what you are Given?”

“Bah what do you know when all you can do is hide in your little shell!” said the rabbit, and he continued to lament his fate.

The bald eagle heard the hares lamenting and offered to teach her to fly.

“Come my friend, I will teach you to fly. If you would come into my clutches, I will show you the wonders of soaring in the heavens” offered the bald eagle.

Despite the tortoises advise, the hare accepted the bald eagles offer.

Off the bald eagle took the hare into the air. It was a feeling such as the hare had never felt. “Exhilarating!” the hare exclaimed in elation.

So lost was the hare with euphoria that he did not feel the bald eagles talons digging into his neck until the life was snuffed out of him.

Lessons: 

1. Be thankful for what Allah has given you. Do not look at what you do not have, but look at what you do have. 

2. Do not give your trust to the enemies of Allah. Their words will seem fair to you, but they wish for naught but our destruction. 

3. It has been proven over again in history, that should we place ourselves in the mercy of the enemies of Islam, then they will lead us to ruin. 

4. It was desire that led our predecessors to give their necks (and the necks of the ummah) to the enemies sword. Do not give in to desire for this transient world, because it can end at any moment. 

5. NEVER trust an enemy of Allah (and thus our enemy) over the believers. You will be the first to be ruined, and you will NEVER gain anything from it but utter ruin.

The unanswered prayer

Faris had always wanted to go to America. The center of 21st century civilization, the sole remaining superpower, the worlds largest economy; it has always filled him with visions of futuristic-like technologies, the best education, impeccable social security system, and boundless opportunities. To be a part of all that, it was his lifes dream and the dream of millions of others.

After his SPM examination which Faris did his utmost so as to qualify for a scholarship, he applied only for American colleges. He prayed and hoped that his dream would come to be. 

But when the results came out, Faris just didn't make the cut for any of the overseas scholarships. He didn't give up though. He entered form six and took the STPM examination. Again he prostrated before Allah and implored to Him that his dream be fulfilled this time.

But while his results were perfect, in the year that he applied, there just were not enough allocations for all the qualified applicants. Rather than a scholarship to America, Faris got a middle-east scholarship. 

It so happens that Faris' parents, now in their fifties have come to realise the importance of religion by Allahs Grace. They were most thankful to Allah for Preordaining that their son should be sent to the middle-east rather than America.

Although he was very disappointed, Faris decided to take the offer. He went to study in Madinah. 

Two years into his study, Zionist Terrorists attacked an economically broken America. Millions were killed by the nuclear attack. 

Faris was most thankful to Allah for not Answering his prayers to study in America.

Lessons:

1. Ask Allah, and He WILL Answer our prayers. He is Most Kind Most Merciful, and he is Always with us, Hearing each of our pleas. 

2. As long as we are true to Him, and we have tried our utmost best, the only reason that Allah Has not answered our prayers is because He Wants something better for us (than what we ask Him). 

3. Allah ALWAYS Knows what is best for us. If you live only for Him, then the path that He has Placed you in is the best - the path that will lead you to Him.

4. Be thankful for what Allah has Given us. 

Arab hand and Alaskan hand

A pair of Arab hands were once subjected to the torment of being confined in thick gloves. Their mistress, taken by an American movie decided that she had to wear western clothes to look cool. Unfortunately for the hands, her idea of 'western clothes' derived from wester seasonal nations' winter fashion. She lives in the blazing deserts of Arabia.

Imagine someone in oven-like Arabia wearing thick gloves the likes of which even the Inuit wear only in the severest winters - the hands were fried. As their mistress was not too smart and prefered superficial appearance over self comfort, the hands continued to suffer. They drowned in their own stinking sweat and subsequently developed skin infection. 

Only when their mistress was admitted to the hospital for high fever (I wonder why!) did they get some relief.

Because of their bad experience with gloves, the Arabian hands decided that gloves were bad for hands. Gloves are symbol of torment, confinement and backwardness. It was something that ALL gloves should be protected from. 

They started the anti-glove movement. 

"Gloves are the symbol of an ancient era. An era where hands could be forcefully confined to gloves against their will at their masters whim, an era that has ended". "ALL hands wearing gloves are being oppressed, and must be freed". "Wearing gloves  is a hindrance to the function of a hand. It makes hands less efficient and thus must be rid off". These were among the principles that guided the Arab hands' anti-glove movement. 

Indeed their arguments seemed valid at a glance (by the not-so-thinking). Plus, well...the Arab hands were loud and to add to that, no hand was brave enough to say otherwise even if they did not agree. As a result, the International Parliament of Hands came to a consensus to ban the wearing of gloves among hands. 

The law came: No hands may wear gloves in public (because it is a symbol of oppression), hands wearing gloves will not be allowed into government buildings and will be denied the basic human right of education (because the government is against oppression!?), those hands found wearing gloves will have their gloves FORCIBLY ripped off of them to give them the WILLING CHOICE of not wearing gloves. 

When this (self contradicting) law came into effect, it so happened that the northern hemisphere was having a particularly terrible winter. Alaska among others was covered in snow and the temperature was well in the negative. 

A pair of Alaskan wood cutters hands came out in the open wearing the thickest gloves you have ever seen. Well obviously! Take the nature of their work and the climate, it would be inane to don anything less. 

A group of enforcers instantly grabbed the Alaskan hands, verbally abused them and forced them to strip out of their gloves. Of course, the Alaskan hands refused. Not only would taking off the gloves forbid them their work, it would also deny them the right to wear whatever clothes they choose… And also for the obvious reason that it was freezing cold!

Intriguingly, despite the Alaskan hands' vehement refusal to take their gloves off, the enforcers continued to perceive their wearing gloves as being against their will. 

The Alaskan hands were sued for 'willingly wearing gloves against their will(!???)'. 

However, the Alaskan hands wouldn't go down without a fight - well duh! They fought back against the OPPRESSIVE and MINDLESS law against  gloves. 

They argued that:

1. Maybe there are some hands that do not want to wear gloves but are forced to wear them by mindless masters - but NOT ALL. Some hands WANT to wear gloves of their own accord.

2. There are hands that HAVE to wear gloves. Not all hands live in blazing hot Arabia like the Arab hands where wearing thick gloves is not practical. But for hands like the Alaskan hands that live in the freezing north, they have to and want to wear gloves. Willingly. 

3. For hands that WANT to and HAVE to wear gloves, FORCING them to not wear gloves is OPPRESSION and an infringment on the RIGHT to wear what they CHOOSE - it is NOT freeing them from oppression.

The Alaskan hands fought for their RIGHT to CHOOSE what they wear. They refused to take off their gloves.

Curiously enough, the Arab hands insisted that the law was to protect hands like the Alaskan hands from the oppression of gloves.  Their curious insistence continues to this day…

Lessons:

1. (The truly believing) Muslim women WANT to and HAVE to wear the headscarf. FORCING them to take their headscarf off, denying them employment and education because they WILLINGLY CHOOSE to wear headscarves is OPPRESSION. What would you say to traversing the north pole in just your underwear? That is the similitude of denying Muslim women the RIGHT to wear a headscarf, or the niqab (for those who hold the opinion that it is obligatory).

2. Indeed there are women doning Muslim names who oppose Allahs Laws (Islamic laws), His Order for the believing women to cover their aurah (the whole body save their face and the palms of their hands at the very least). Let them be with their opinion then (and they shall answer for it before Allah themselves). But there are also those who hold the opinion that wearing the headscarf, and the niqab are obligatory. Allow them their WILLING, EDUCATED CHOICE as well!!!

3. Choosing what we wear is a basic human right that every person is entitled to. If one is unable to accept another persons choice for no other reason than their whims, then they are intolerant bigots, oppressive fascists and pornographic racists. They have no place in civil human society and should be dealt as such.   

The hands rebellion

One fine day, out of the blue, the hands suddenly decided that they were not satisfied with their lot. They compared themselves with the feet, the body parts that were most similar to themselves, and they questioned the different treatment meted out to each of them.

"Why do the feet get to do all the hard walking and we are pampered up here", the right hand questioned. "Is our strength being looked down upon? Does everyone think that we can't support the body like the feet? We want to do rough and tough jobs, we want to prove that we are just as strong as the feet"

"We want to lead like the feet!", the left hand proclaimed. "We hands are similar to the feet, what they can do, we should be able to do just as well. We too can walk and lead the body as they do"

And the list goes on with their rebellious demands to things like wanting coarse hair, demanding to enter (the smelly insides of) shoes, and refusing to hold a pen ("let the feet write for a change"). 

The other organs refused vehemently - which is understandable.  "Are you nuts!?" the brain exclaimed. "If we stood on you two, all the blood would pool in the head and suffocate me". 

"Do you want me to regurgitate all the food and acid inside me!?", the stomach disagreed. 

"Yeah, and give me reflux disease, and cause oesophageal cancer!?", the oesophagus continued.

Only the feet didn't say anything. Having the weight of the whole body lifted from them was not exactly a problem, even if they think that it will be weird switching places with the hands.

As a result of the hands rebellious and loud 'Brachio-ism' (brachio- denotes the arm) movement, the whole body had to suffer the hands' outlandish demands. The body stood on the hands.

The hand managed to support the body with some effort, and got in a few steps before fatigue set in. Despite that, they were persistent and they would have continued their misadventure if the whole body hadn't suddenly shut down.

As a result of their abnormal posture - the head being below - all the blood pooling into the brain caused a loss of consciousness. Everyone (or rather body parts/organs) was affected. The hands buckled and the body fell, comatose. Result of the hands rebellion against its nature.

Lessons:

1. Man and woman are similar, but not the same. We are equal in the eyes of Allah. The only thing differing each of us is our taqwa.

2. The one saying that there is a difference between men and women are the feminists, and the male chauvinists. Nowhere in Islam is a difference in status dogmatised.

3. The BURDEN of leadership is a B.U.R.D.E.N, not a source of pride. Men who wear it like a mantle of pride are those male chauvinists who mistreat women. And those women who view it as a pre-requisite for respect are those feminists who degrade the value and honor of women, inherently Granted to them by Allah.

4. Indeed men are given a position 'a level above women' - they are inherently given the ability and the will to lead and to protect. But then women are honored three levels above men - thrice our mother, then our father. 

5. Those who wish to be what they are not do not seek justice. They are the ones perpetrating injustice on themselves. They degrade their inherent value, they throw away their honor and seek disgrace and Divine retribution.

Playing with life and death

In the middle of a busy day at work, Hassan suddenly thought about his good friend Rahim. After work, he called up Rahim, and their other good friend Faris to plan a get together. The three of them went to university together, and although they were from different educational backgrounds, and had never stayed in the same hostel, they were the best of friends that best friends could have. Allah Brought them together with the bond of Islam. After graduating, they each went their separate ways. Hassan and Faris worked in Kuala Lumpur and often hung out together even after getting married. Rahim moved to Kelantan, and it has been a while since they last met, all three of them together. They planned to meet in Kelantan.

On the day that they were supposed to meet Rahim, Faris got a call from his cousin telling him that his uncle was sick. His uncle lives in Terengganu and his house was on the way to Rahim’s place. Hassan suggested they postpone their get together for one day, and visit Faris’ uncle before meeting up at Rahims place. It’s just one day after all they thought. Visiting Faris’ sick uncle was their responsibility as Muslims, and as blood relations.  

Hassan and Faris visited Faris’ uncle and stayed at his house for the night. They went to Kelantan early the next day. When they arrived at Rahims house, it was full of people.

With tears in her eyes, Nabilah, Rahims wife told his friends that Rahim was no longer with them. He passed away just that morning after performing the Subuh prayers.

And they thought a one day detour would make no difference.

Lessons:

1. Death can come for us at any moment.
2. We often act as though we know that this and that person will not be dying anytime soon. Unintentionally maybe, and certainly not being presumptuous, but we do tend to act so, inadvertently. We do NOT know when death will come!
3. We should always be prepared to meet death. When our time comes, there will not be a moments postponing for us to make last minute preparations.  

Quack wants to be a doctor

Quack wanted to be a doctor. He was a very smart student, and always got straight A’s in all his exams, so it was no problem for him to get into a good medical school. But the funny thing is, when he got into medical school, Quack never once passed an exam. He wouldn’t just fail the exams, he would fail them terribly and horribly. And it’s not that he wasn’t hard working, certainly not! Day and night Quack read his medical books. When his friends were still dreaming, he would wake up to read, and when they slept at night, he would continue to stay awake reading.

However, no matter how hard he tried, however many times he read and re-read his books - even memorizing them by heart! - and despite his naturally extraordinary mind, he could never pass an exam.

This is because his books were in Japanese, and Quack didn’t understand a word of Japanese. 

Lesson:

1.       Just reading the Quran without understanding it is not going to make you a Muslim, no matter how many times you repeat it, or how beautifully you can recite it - even if you memorize every word of it and know how many letters it contains and whatnots. 

2.        The purpose of the Quran is to shape us (mankind) into Muslims…Just as the purpose of medical books is to shape doctor wannabes into doctors. If you just blindly read, but not understand a word of what you read, then the purpose is lost.

3.       Read, understand, and practice the (teachings in the) Quran. 

Place of Repose

In this life, we toil over one hardship to throw ourselves into another hardship. Over again we repeat this cycle, never to end. The cycle of life, the cycle of hardship.

We cheer ourselves with the promise of a bright future. Comeuppance for hardship, struggle, blood, sweat and tears. A place of repose after the hard climb.

But reality is not as sweet as dreams, and hardship is not rewarded with repose. There is no awe-inspiring panorama, and soothing zephyr at the peak. 

What you find, and shall continue to find after every leg, over again, is another sheer climb worse than the last.

You will never find that 'easy' life that you believe hard work and success would promise. 

Because there is no repose in this life! If you search for it here (in this world) then you are searching for the sun in the night sky. 

But despair not, for a place of repose there is. Night is always followed by day, and the toils of this world shall be rewarded with repose in the next.

The true place of repose - the hereafter. If you but continue to search and strive for it.

And Allah is Most Fair to His believing slaves.

The story of the sailor wannabe

A sailor wannabe decided one day to look for a good ship to start his career with. He searched left and right, up and down, but to his dismay he found not a single ship. But he was strong of heart and did not give up. Year after year he looked for a ship, and every single time he was disappointed, until the day that he was too old to search anymore. And so to the very end, the sailor wannabe never found his ship, and never became a sailor… because he looked for a ship not in the docks and harbours where ships are to be found, but in the dry arid desert where ships never go. For all his lifelong efforts, and dear ambitions, the sailor wannabe never got what he dreamed, because he looked in the wrong place.

Lessons:

1.      If you look for something in a place where it definitely is not, then you definitely will not find it

2.      Peace and solace can only be found in servitude to Allah, it cannot be found elsewhere just as a ship can never be found in the desert. If you look for peace and solace in other places than complete servitude to Allah, then forever you will not find them.

  

The bee, the rabbit and the tigress

A rabbit while taking a stroll through the forest saw a bee working whithered flowers to make its honey.

"Why do you confine yourself to these old and whithered flowers while there is a blooming orchard just pass those trees?" The rabbit asked.

"Indeed I should love to work those lush blooms save that they are the property of our Queen Sheeba, and the tigress has forbidden anyone from touching them" the bee replied.

"Bah" the rabbit scorned. "What of the little tigresses orders. I have knowledge that she is on a hunt on the other side of the jungle and will not be back for a few days. Work her forbidden flowers all you will for she cannot know" the rabbit encouraged the bee to break the rules.

The bee was hesitant initially, but the rabbit was its superior in size and wisdom. With the rabbits assurance and encouragement, it dared to go against the tigresses law.

Unfortunately for the bee and his accomplice the rabbit, Queen Sheeba had not gone for her usual hunt yet. She was lying among the flowers, and caught them in the act of breaking her rules and desecrating her flowers.

The tigress caught each of them in either one of her paws.

"How dare you break my laws and desecrate my orchards" she roared at them.

"Please oh mighty Queen" the bee snivelled. "I was but following the words of the rabbit for he is my superior in size and wisdom"

"Then ask him now for protection from my wrath" the tigress growled, and she snapped the rabbits neck first before crushing the bee between her paws.

Lessons:

1. Do not follow the words of mere humans against the Words of Allah when His Laws are clear.

2. Some arrogant humans may speak slightly of Allahs Laws, as if they have knowledge and power. They do NOT.

3. Know that if you follow the words of mere humans who foolishly go against divine laws, these blasphemers will not be able to help you against The Almighty's Wrath.

The bee, the rabbit and the tigress

Success

The world and all its content are the sole and absolute property of Allah Most Great,

What He Gives us we should receive with gratitude,

What He does not Give (though we may desire it) we should accept with humble subservience,

And trust in our Lords Judgment, His Benevolence for the believing servant,

Believe that the path He is Guiding us through,

Is the best for us.

The presumptuous monkey

A long rainy season caused the rivers to overflow and flood the jungle. Many of the animals that lived on the ground had to climb up the trees to avoid the rising water.

The ground animals did not know how to live on the tree tops so they asked the monkey to teach them. The monkey has lived on the tree tops for all his life and he knew everything about it.

At first the monkey was willing to teach the ground animals about life on the tree tops, where to sleep, where to look for food, and how to move around.

But after some time, the monkey became arrogant. You see, among the ground animals that now had to live on the tree tops was the Queen of the Jungle. Sheeba the animals called her and she was the biggest tigress in the whole jungle and she ruled over the other animals.

The presumptuous monkey felt big because he was needed by the Queen. He was the one teaching her about this and that, and she was the one asking him for help and advise. If she made a mistake, he could scold her although no animal dared raise their voice or even look with displeasure at her. And Sheeba had to accept all the criticism and scolding and belittling words that the presumptuous monkey threw at her, because she needed him to survive on the tree tops.

The presumptuous monkey took the Queens silence as a green light to treat the other animals slightly as well, and of course they too had to swallow it all in because they were on his turf and they needed his help.

The presumptuous monkey felt like he was the king of the jungle now. He felt so big and haughty and thought that he could treat the other animals however he liked and they can't do anything about it.

Of course this was true - until the water subsided.

The presumptuous monkey was feeling so full of himself that he did not notice the flood had ended. When he saw Queen Sheeba, he called to her roughly and talked to her with slight as he usually did.

This time the Queen had no reason to take his ugly attitude. She grabbed his skinny neck in her massive paws and pulled him to her jaws so that he could see clearly the deadly fangs inside.

"Do not presume that you can treat others as you like", she growled. "I swallowed in your attitude because I needed your help at the time, and there was nothing I could do about it. Now I am no longer at your mercy. I have no reason to take in your ugly attitude, and no reason to not crush you in my paws"

"You messed with the wrong animal" And with that, the foolish monkey who thought he could treat others as he liked because they needed him became Queen Sheeba's lunch.

Lessons:

1. Do not treat people slightly because they happen to need you and are at your mercy

2. Just because you have the upper hand over someone because they are on your turf, it does not mean that they are always your lesser. You never know who they might be elsewhere, and what they can do.

3. Treat everyone with respect regardless of anything - it is as simple as that.

4. If you treat someone sightly because you arrogantly believe you are their superior, be prepared to meet the consequences. There will befinitly be repercussions - don't doubt it.

The Aikido Girl

Alia was a good little girl who always listened to her parents and followed the teachings of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. She loved nothing more than to study the Quran because they are the Words of Allah Himself. While she was interested in learning the correct recitation of the Quran, her first interest was in the translation and the interpretation of the Quran, because that is the purpose of Allah Gifting man with it – to understand and to practice His Guidance.

Alia was very lucky because Allah Gave her good and pious parents. Although they were not able to study the Quran themselves when they were young, they wanted nothing more than to give that chance to their daughter. So they sent Alia to a special Quranic class in the evening after her normal public school ends.

One day as Alia was walking home from her Quran class, a group of hooligans happened to be making a lot of noise around the neighbourhood. She was afraid that they would disturb her as she was a girl walking all alone. She prayed to Allah to protect her from their eyes.

However the hooligans did notice her walking all on her own, and they began circling around her with their bicycles and taunting her.

The boys got off their bicycles and began closing in the circle around Alia. There were five of them, and all of them were boys bigger and stronger than her. But Alia was not afraid.

She was not afraid because she has Allah on her side, and she knew that He would Help her, as long as she was faithful to him.

Alia knew that Allah would not leave her alone in this situation, He would not allow these boys to do bad things to her.

“It is not ye who slew them; it was Allah: When thow threwest (a handful of dust), it was not thy act, but Allah’s. In order that He might Confer on thee believersa gracious benefit from Himself. For Allah is He Who Heareth and Knoweth (all things). That, and also because Allah is He Who makes feeble the plans and stratagems of the unbelievers”

[Surah al-Anfal 8 : 17-18]    

Alia remembered the verse from Surah al-Anfal that told of Allah’s Help for the prophet and the believers in the battle of Badar.

One of the boys grabbed Alia from behind, but then he was suddenly thrown into the air and fell on his friend.

The boys were so surprised that they all took a step back. The little girl who was smaller than any of them had not even moved.

Then they all came at her all  at once which was a big mistake.

Besides studying the Quran, Alia also learned Aikido. She had never learned to defend herself against five much bigger boys at the same time, but she knew that Allah would Help her. She prayed to Allah to give her strength, placed her trust 100% in Him, and unleashed her Aikido techniques.

Even Alia did not know that she could move like she did. The boys all went flying into the air without seeing what had hit them. They were so afraid of the tiny Alia that they scrambled to their bikes and took off as fast as they could.

Lessons:

1.   Place ALL your trust in Allah. He will NEVER leave you alone.

2.    Allah’s Plans will ALWAYS prevail over the schemes of the unbelievers.

3.    Don’t mess with a MUSLIMAH.

The Nasty Lion

A nasty lion once ruled over a pride. He treated his lionesses like lower class and gave them no love or respect. When he wanted something, he would order them in a haughty tone, and they would never deny him because he was their leader. When there was a hunt, he would lie down under the shade as the lionesses strained in the burning sun to bring back food for the pride. He would never lift a paw to help them, but only roughly order them to get the food. And when the hunt came back, he would proudly walk to the carcass and eat his fill of the best portions and leave what remains for the tired huntresses.

The lionessess did not mind the work that they did because it was their responsibility. Nor did they mind him ordering them around, because it was his job.

What they did mind is the way he treats them. The way he talks to them, the way he orders them about, the way he shows them his appreciation – or not show them.

One day as the nasty lion was napping as usual, the lionessess saw a pair of male lions walk into their territory. When grown male lions walk into another male lions territory, it is never for a friendly visit.

“We must warn the boss” one of the lionessess said, because a fight was definitly coming.

“No” said the oldest and wisest of the lionessess. “This is not our responsibility. We are not obliged to help the boss in a fight for the pride. This is his job, let him do his job”

The lionessess were many and strong. They could have defeated the two young male lions with ease, or at the very least give the nasty lion a warning about their coming.

But they did neither because it was not their responsibility. They were not obliged to do more than what is their responsibility and they had no reason to exert themselves more than they have to for a leader as nasty as the nasty lion.

The nasty lion was caught by surprise. The two younger lions ganged up on him.

“Get rid of these miscreants!” he ordered his lionessess in his usual tone. He fully expected them to obediently comply as usual, so it made him angry when they did not come bounding to his orders. But when he saw them lying in the shade as if watching an amusing show, dismay settled in.

The nasty lion was defeated and chased out of the pride that was once his. He lost a battle that he may have won if the lionessess had alerted him, and that he would have definitly won if they had helped him – if only he had treated them with more respect.

Lessons: 

1. There is a world of difference between a leader who is feared and a leader who is respected. 

2. It never does to be a leader who leads by fear. 

3. If you lead by fear, you may be able to make your subordinates do their job, but you can never make them do more than what they have to do. 

4. Everyone will need help some times. Do not be arrogant into thinking that you can survive on your own. 

5. So treat others so that they will be willing to do more than their share and lend you a helping hand when you need it.

The story of the disbelieving scholar

There was once a scholar who was well learned in the sciences. His knowledge was wide and deep, and he was known among the people as a man of wisdom. However, this scholar for all his knowledge and supposed wisdom did not believe in the existence and the omnipotence of Allah Most Great.

“The existence and the creation of the world does not need a god to explain it”, he proclaimed. He thought that he had found how the world was created, and he believed that his theory did not need God. He could not see that before his theory, there were many other theories. Each one, the people of the time thought explained everything, and each one was, with time, shown to be wrong. This is the nature of human kind. Whatever we make might seem to be the best, but time will always show things that are even better. Only Allah Knows the true best.

The disbelieving scholar proudly spread his misbelief. He gave many lectures and wrote many books that belittled the people who believe in Allah. Because he was known to be knowledgeable and respected for his knowledge, many weak hearted people followed him. They too did not believe in Allah, and they too looked down on the people that believed in Allah.  They thought them foolish because they (the believers) were not on the same side as a knowledgeable man. As if the scholar knew better than the Creator Himself. As if the scholar had the knowledge and ability to create even a single fly.

One day, the disbelieving scholar decided to go visit his friend in a distant land. So, packing up his clothes and a bag full of books, because scholars never go anywhere without a good supply of books to read, he took the first ship that left the jetty.

The  journey to his friends country would take many days and they would have to go through many dangerous waters, but the disbelieving scholar had his books to read and the Nautilus was a big ship that could brave even the most treacherous waters. The disbelieving scholar was not bored through the journey, or afraid of storms or sea monsters.

One sunny day while the disbelieving scholar was telling some fellow passengers about his ideas that god did not exist, a little girl came up to him and asked: “Why don’t you believe in Allah mister?”. It was an honest question from a pure heart that could not understand how one may not see the obvious, that Allah Most Great Exists, and that He is The All Powerful.

The disbelieving scholar knelt down to look the little questioner in the eyes. “I do not believe in what I cannot see”, he said. “If god exists, then where is he?”.

That night there was a mighty storm. Although the Nautilus was a big and strong ship, it rocked violently in the storm. How powerless humans are before the Might of Allah, yet most men do not see.

At first the disbelieving scholar did not worry about the storm. He did not believe that anything could happen to the Nautilus. He was very wrong.

A gigantic wave as tall as a skyscraper hit the side of the Nautilus, causing the behemoth of a ship to almost turn over. The disbelieving scholar who was reading in the ships dainty library was thrown out the window, over the side of the ship and into the raging water.

The disbelieving scholar was a very good swimmer, and he used to think that he would never be scared in the water. However, the stormy sea pulled and pushed and twisted him everywhere. The water was dark and freezing cold, and no matter how he struggled, he was powerless against the stormy sea.

Darkness closed in around him, the cold gripped him, and the air left his lungs. He struggled to find the surface, but the current battered him back into the endless depths. In his desperation for a gasp of air, he breathed in the icy water which only caused him to suffocate even more.

He was going to die, and he knew it. There was nothing he could do, nothing anyone could do. No one knows that he was drowning in the storm, no one was going to come save him.

In that moment of desperation and hopelessness, when no one and nothing can help him, that was when he saw his last hope. In fact it was not his last hope – it was his only hope. It was always his and everyone’s only hope.

And the disbelieving scholar humbled himself before Allah.

Oh Allah, please, please…help me…

Suddenly his head broke free above the waves. The once-disbelieving, but who was now the humble scholar, took in a deep gasp of air. It was the second sweetest thing he had ever tasted. He never knew that breathing was such a beautiful thing despite all his knowledge. He never even thought about it.

By the Grace of Allah, the storm subsided, and the Nautilus found the humble scholar. He was saved. From the brink of death he was Given another chance at life. Another chance to serve His Lord, Creator and Most Merciful Sustainer.

From that day on, the disbelieving scholar became the humble scholar. He devoted his whole life, his wealth and fame to spreading the beauty of Islam (da’wah) and to educating the believers (tarbiyyah). And of course, the sweetest thing that he has ever tasted, is the taste of Iman (faith).

May Allah bless the life and efforts of the humble scholar. May Allah Give us strength to give our lives, and our wealth to the Greatest Cause, the spreading of peace (spreading and empowering of Islam). And May Allah Guide those who have yet to see, to discover the beauty of faith. Amin.

Note: I have re-named the disbelieving scholar to the humble scholar after his discovery of Iman rather than to the ‘believing scholar’ because the strongest feeling one feels when one has found (or rediscovered) Iman is humbleness. To be totally and utterly humbled before the Majesty of Allah Most Great. Indeed Iman is the greatest gift one may receive, and to be given it…the feeling of endless gratitude that we feel towards our Lord Who has Deigned to Grant it to us; that feeling causes us to be totally humbled before Allah.  

How intriguing...

It is intriguing how we spend so much time, effort, and resources for this world, and so little for the next when we are leaving this world and heading for the next. 

This is akin to a man who worry about adding another wide-screen TV or two to his lounge when a Terrorist Israeli bulldozer is just outside his door, ready (and just dying) to rip his house apart and bury him and his family alive in the name of 'Zionists right to a land of their own even at the cost of non-human Gentiles' lives'. 


Do not mistake the value of this transient world and the value of the eternal hereafter. 

The Best Ambition

Save for one, nothing is 100% guaranteed, 

You may wish to be a doctor for example, so you get into med school to achieve that ambition. People say that once you've stepped into med school, you're 'almost' guaranteed to become a doctor (though becoming a specialist is a whole different thing). But how many people suddenly decide that they'd rather do something else half way through, or maybe decide to open up a business after getting their degree...

How many people have walked down a certain path to an end they desire, only to turn another way half way through - or were violently thrown off the path by factors beyond control.

No ambition is unachievable as long as you have the will and the gut, but no ambition is 100% assured, however sure you might think it is. Indeed this is one of the lessons life teaches us, clear and pristine.

The one thing that is sure - 100% without doubt, is that all that live must one day die. 

So while the not-so-certain ambitions are OK to have, I'd say that aiming for the sure-to-get is the coolest way to go. I mean...at least there won't be the awkward embarrassment and depressing frustration when we don't achieve our worked-all-our-life for and sacrificed-everything for ambition.

Since death is assured, then why not go all the way and get syahid - the most noble of deaths. Indeed, this is the best of ambitions I'd say, no?

©Text Copyright property of Abdul Hafizh bin Mohd Zubir, 2011; Illustration Copyright property of Muhammad Aiman bin Mohd Zubir, 2011