BaKhabar, November 2010, Page-3

better light a candle than curse the darkness

BaKhabar, Vol 3, Issue 11, November 2010

A Tale of Two Pencils

... Kaunain Shahidi *

Once upon a time, there were two pencils who were intimate friends. Because they were never sharpened, they had the same height. However, one of them became sick and tired of the life of silence and passivity they were both leading. Thereupon, he drew toward a pencil sharpener and asked her to sharpen him. Afraid of pain, the second pencil fell back; he was determined to maintain his elegant outward appearance.
Prayer (namaz): No excuse, anywhere!!

Now sharpened, the first pencil decided to spend some time away from home. He came back after a while "short" but wise. Upon seeing him, the unsharpened, elegant pencil did not recognize him; moreover, he could not even talk to him.

The sharpened pencil took the initiative and revealed his identity. The tall pencil was astonished, and signs of mockery were even visible on his face as he noticed the shortness of his old friend.

The short pencil did not pay attention to the mockery of his tall friend. He started to talk about the things he had learned during his time off. He began to write many words and draw many interesting shapes as he told his tall friend about his outdoor experience. In fact, he has seen a lot and learned many skills and arts that gave him wisdom.

At this, tears of remorse dropped from the eyes of the tall pencil, and he suddenly hastened on to the sharpener to have one of his ends sharpened. He broke the barrier of silence, passivity, and fear, only after he knew that whoever wants to learn should suffer first.

Although the above tale is fictional, it has an intriguing, real-world moral. It is only through life experiences that one can advance and gain the wisdom one needs to put up with the hardships and challenges of this life. If one has an adamant position in life, no progress of any kind will be granted.

Life is all about choices. People always find themselves obliged to decide on a certain course of action from among a variety of choices on hand. So, it is always up to one to make up his or her mind, and what is more important is that we should be ready to face the consequences of our own choices.

We will never move forward unless we take the initiative and start doing something good for ourselves and for those around us. We will definitely be rewarded by Allah either in this worldly life or in the hereafter. It is important to know that even if we do not get a worldly reward for our efforts, it is inevitable that our efforts will be recompensed in the hereafter, because Almighty Allah never treats anyone unjustly.

In addition, it is incumbent upon every human being to exert himself to succeed in life. However, one should attribute all success to Allah's will, for no one can succeed in anything unless he is granted a divine permission from Almighty Allah. Our duty is to put all the possible efforts and accept and be contented with thankfulness to Allah the almighty.

(* A freelance writer, motivator based in KSA, can be reached at kaunaingayawi@gmail.com)
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Prayers in Islam, Part-9 (Final)…. Continued from previous issues.

Gheyas S Mahfoz Hashmi, Jeddah
(hgheyas@savola.com)

In Oct 2010 issue we had specifically given a "conclusion" touch to the article (Prayers in Islam) where the significance of performing 5-time obligatory prayers (Namaz) in congregation at Mosque and the seriousness of its negligence which is close to Kufr were discussed. Here are some more tips to understand its importance and to bring it into one’s practice without fail under any circumstances.

All of us know that any sports that takes place in our society is done on the basis of equality where a similar facility is given to each party or player. No slight distinction is made. All these are done to make the winning judgement a fair and just one. Winner should not claim that he won the game because of any favour, and the loser should not complain that he lost it due to unfairness.

Have you ever thought which Ebadat (worship) has equal status for all where there is absolutely no distinction between highly rich and extremely poor, white and black, strong and weak and which will be made a basic tool to judge the fate of the Muslim in the court of Allah Almighty? Please note it is 5-time obligatory prayers only. It is the only worship about which no poor and no weak Muslim can submit his/ her excuses. A physically strong Muslim can compete in Fasting over a physically weak Muslim A rich can surpass a poor in Sadaqah (charity). An economically and physically strong Muslim can outshine an economically and physically weak Muslim in performing Haj & Umrah. But Namaz is the only worship that does not have any value for money or good physique. Instead, a poor and a weak Muslim can outperform a rich and strong Muslim in Namaz. That is why our prophet (PBUH) says as narrated by Abudawoud on the authority of Hazrat Abi Qatadah (R.A.): Allah says, “I have made 5-times prayer (Namaz) obligatory on your Nation and I have taken a pledge who comes to me in such a status that he did perform prayers in time I would enter him in Jannah (Paradise) and who didn’t I had no word with him”.
It is clear from the above that Namaz is itself a screening test. If one fails in screening test, how he will be able to face another test. Hence, ShaItan (Devil) tries to delude a Muslim first in terms of Namaz.

On the basis of Namaz, Allah judges the quality of Iman of a Muslim. Let us take a vow that we will not be disobedient to Allah Almighty and will never be negligent of Namaz whatever circumstances come, whether we are at home, in office, on a journey or at a mission, etc. We had already taken this vow with Allah who did ask us: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yea, verily (7/172). This vow was taken in Arafah when Adam (AS) was ascended from Paradise as reported in Musnad Ahmad, etc at the authority of Ibn Abbas (R.A.). This vow according to Maulana Maududi is in the sub-conscious of every human being.

As reported in an authentic Hadith that sinful Muslims would be, after they had been completely burnt in Hell, taken out of Hell with the permission of Allah, on the basis of the sign of Sajdah (prostration) itself. Those who don’t have the sign of Sajdah at their forehead how angels will recognise them in Hell if they were Muslims.

PROVED that Namaz is the FOUNDATION of Iman.
Allah says in Quran (30/31): Establish Namaz (prayer), and be not of those who ascribe partners (unto Him).

Many do a lot of optional worships such as optional Umrah, Hajj, visit to the Prophet Mosque etc but remain negligent of the Obligatory (Fard). Please remember that the quantity of optional worships seems to be good-looking but it has only value when there is no negligence of Fard. In order to understand it please take an example of optional and compulsory papers of any exam. What if a student gets 100 out of 100 in optional papers and fails in a compulsory paper. Will he be declared pass on the basis of marvellous score achieved in optional papers?

Dear brothers and sisters in Islam, Shaitan has the necessary skills to make optional worship more pleasing than obligatory, and similarly make false actions (Bidat) to be looking most charming and attractive. Please be careful from Shaitan’s hidden plot.