The Importance of Justice in Islam: A Core Pillar of Faith

 

Justice, or ‘adl in Arabic, is one of the most significant values in Islam. It is deeply embedded in the Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and Islamic teachings as a whole. Islam regards justice as essential not only for individual well-being but also for the harmony and stability of societies. It is a principle that governs every aspect of life—personal conduct, governance, economic dealings, and relationships between nations.

In this blog post, we will explore the importance of justice in Islam, its foundation in Islamic teachings, and how it is applied in various aspects of life.

1. Justice as a Divine Command
Justice is a central command in Islam, mandated by Allah Himself. In the Qur’an, Allah instructs Muslims to uphold justice even when it may be against their own interests or the interests of their families:

"O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both."
(Surah An-Nisa, 4:135)

This verse emphasizes that justice in Islam transcends personal gain, family loyalty, or social status. It is a divine directive that applies universally, ensuring fairness and equity for all.

2. Justice as a Reflection of Faith
In Islam, justice is seen not just as a legal or social obligation but as an integral aspect of faith. To act justly is to follow the path that Allah has prescribed. It is through justice that a person demonstrates their obedience to Allah, and any deviation from justice is considered a form of disobedience.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also emphasized the importance of justice in his teachings. He said:

"The just will be seated upon pulpits of light near Allah. Those are the ones who practiced justice in their rulings, with their families, and in all that they did."
(Sahih Muslim)

Here, the Prophet highlights the high status of those who implement justice in every aspect of their lives, showing that justice is a reflection of righteousness and piety.

3. Justice in Social and Economic Life
Islamic principles of justice extend to all social and economic dealings. Muslims are expected to deal with others fairly, whether in matters of trade, inheritance, or family life. Islam prohibits exploitation, fraud, and corruption, ensuring that every individual receives their due rights.

For instance, in economic transactions, the Qur'an stresses fairness and transparency:

"Give full measure and do not be of those who cause loss. And weigh with an even balance and do not deprive people of their due."
(Surah Ash-Shu'ara, 26:181-183)

These teachings foster trust, honesty, and fairness in all economic dealings, safeguarding the rights of all parties involved. Justice is seen as a protection against the greed and selfishness that can destroy social harmony.

4. Justice in Governance and Leadership
Islamic governance is built on the foundation of justice. The rulers and leaders in an Islamic state are required to implement justice for all, without favoring any particular group, tribe, or individual. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his successors, the rightly-guided caliphs, are remembered for their just governance.

One of the most famous examples is that of Caliph Umar ibn Al-Khattab, who exemplified justice during his leadership. His impartiality, concern for the oppressed, and equitable distribution of wealth made him a model of just governance in Islamic history.

Leaders in Islam are reminded of their accountability before Allah. On the Day of Judgment, rulers who ruled with justice will be given a special status:

"Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice."
(Surah An-Nisa, 4:58)

This verse underscores that the responsibility to uphold justice is not just an earthly duty, but one that will be questioned in the hereafter.

5. Justice in Interfaith Relations
Islam promotes justice even towards those of different faiths. The Qur’an commands Muslims to treat others fairly, regardless of their religious beliefs:

"Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly."
(Surah Al-Mumtahanah, 60:8)

This principle shows that justice in Islam is not confined to intra-Muslim relations but extends to all human beings. Justice is universal, applying to every interaction, including with non-Muslims. This guidance reflects the inclusiveness and fairness Islam demands from its followers.

6. Justice in the Hereafter
In Islam, justice is also a key concept in the afterlife. Muslims believe that on the Day of Judgment, Allah will establish perfect justice. Every human being will be held accountable for their deeds, and no one will be wronged, even by an atom's weight:

"And We place the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be treated unjustly at all."
(Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:47)

This ultimate accountability reminds Muslims that justice is not just a worldly matter but also a spiritual one. Upholding justice in this life is closely linked to one's fate in the afterlife.
 

The Eternal Value of Justice in Islam
Justice is one of the most important values in Islam, permeating every aspect of life—social, economic, political, and spiritual. It is both a divine command and a moral obligation for every Muslim. Islam teaches that justice should not be swayed by emotions, personal gain, or social pressures; rather, it should be pursued with sincerity, fairness, and integrity.

By establishing justice, individuals and societies can create harmony, protect the rights of the vulnerable, and build a world that reflects the divine principles laid down by Allah. Injustice, on the other hand, leads to corruption, division, and suffering. For Muslims, the pursuit of justice is not just a noble endeavor; it is a religious duty that brings them closer to Allah and secures their ultimate success in the hereafter.

May we all strive to uphold justice in our lives and reflect the true values of Islam in everything we do.

The Status of a Believer - Dr. Omar Suleiman

I am pleased with Allah as a Lord, with Islam as a religion, and with Muhammad as a prophet.

 

Al-Munaydhir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, 

“Whoever says when he awakens in the morning, ‘I am pleased with Allah as a Lord, with Islam as a religion, and with Muhammad as a prophet,’ then I am responsible for him and I will surely take him by the hand until he enters Paradise.” 

Source: al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr lil-Ṭabarānī 20/355 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani عَنِ الْمُنَيْذِرِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُول اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ قَالَ إِذَا أَصْبَحَ رَضِيتُ بِاللهِ رَبًّا وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا فَأَنَا الزَّعِيمُ لِآخُذَ بِيَدِهِ حَتَّى أُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ 20/355 المعجم الكبير للطبراني

The most astonishing faith

 

Anas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Who in creation has the most astonishing faith?” They said, “The angels.” The Prophet said, “But how could the angels not believe?” They said, “The prophets.” The Prophet said, “But the prophets were given divine revelation, so how could they not believe?” They said, “Their companions.” The Prophet said, “The companions were with their prophets, so how could they not believe? Rather, the people with the most astonishing faith are those who come after you and they find a book of divine revelation, thus they believe in it and follow it. They are the people with the most astonishing faith.”

Source: Musnad al-Bazzār 7294
Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani

عَن أَنَسٍ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيه وَسَلَّم أَيُّ الْخَلْقِ أَعْجَبُ إِيمَانًا قَالُوا الْمَلائِكَةُ قَالَ الْمَلائِكَةُ كَيْفَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّونَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّونَ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِمْ فَكَيْفَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ قَالُوا الصَّحَابَةُ قَالَ الصَّحَابَةُ يَكُونُونَ مَعَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ فَكَيْفَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ وَلكن أَعْجَبَ النَّاسِ إِيمَانًا قَوْمٌ يجيؤون مِنْ بَعْدِكُمْ فَيَجِدُونَ كِتَابًا مِنَ الْوَحْيِ فَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَتَّبِعُونَهُ فَهُمْ أَعْجَبُ النَّاسِ
7294 مسند البزار
3215 المحدث الألباني خلاصة حكم المحدث رجاله ثقات في السلسلة الصحيحة
 

Remember our Mother Hajar

 

When going through hardships and a tough time remember the story of Hajar عليه السلام, wife of prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام abul ambiya "The Father of Prophets".  Her husband was a prophet and she gave birth to a prophet Ismael عليه السلام.  
Her struggle, her taqwa requires constant and sincere reflection.
Lesson one from the story of Hajar عليه السلام is Taqwa.
Imagine standing all alone in a desert with a new born baby in your arms and you have ran out of food and water, all you see is sand as far as your eyes can see.
Visualize that and imagine how scared would you be. 

YOU WILL FEEL HOPELESS, WORRIED AND ANXIOUS.
That is how our mother Hajar felt.
Although, regardless of who left her there and why, Hajar knew that Rizq is from Allah, and that Allah would never forsake or abandon her.
That's the message I take from it. That as an amatullah I know for a fact that Allah will never forsake or abandon me as long as I take action and put my trust in Him.
The character of Hajar is what we should aspire to. Her sense of faith and reliance on Allah and her perseverance in what seemed an utterly hopeless situation is the lesson.
She raised her son Ismael عليه السلام, alone in the desert, without any family around and in such a way that Ismael was still obedient to the very father who left him in the desert.
Did she or Ismael throw a fit when Ibrahim عليه السلام showed up years later and said Allah wants me to slaughter you son?
No.

Hajar عليه السلام trusted that Allah would provide, and she sought out that provision.
Today as a result of that call to Allah, billions of Muslims from around the world and across generations commemorate her sunnah of running from safa to marwah while performing Umrah and Allah gave this Ummah the well of zam-zam because of her tawakkul and taqwa in Allah.
These two blessings showcase how immense her tawakkul and yaqeen in her rabb was. Her tawakkul in Allah was so strong that Ibn Abbas  رضي الله عنه comments on the blessing of zamzam and says " May Allah bestow Mercy on Ismaa'eel's mother! Had she left the Zamzam alone Zamzam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the Earth." - subhanAllah! ❤
✦ Tawakkul is the reason we have Zamzam.
✦ Tawakkul is the reason the dates fell from the tree to feed Maryam عليه السلام during her labour pains, because a pregnant woman in pain cannot shake a tree.
✦ Tawakkul is the reason striking the staff split the sea for Musa عليه السلام.
Let's remember she is our mother. Her example is the best example to emulate. Her trials elevated her. During her lowest points she had the highest level of eeman and faith.
When things get tough, we need to stop whining. Instead focus on duas, ask Allah that he gives you tawfeeq, sabr and tawakkul that is unmatched and doesn't waver.
The second lesson is about being okay with not witnessing your true legacy in this temporary lifetime. So, what do I mean by that? When we talk about legacy, did Hajar  عليه السلام witness her entire legacy in her lifetime?
NO SHE DID NOT. 

Hajar عليه السلام had zero idea that billions of Muslims across generations would commemorate her sunnah while performing umrah.
Similarly, don’t worry if your legacy is not visible in a few years or even in your lifetime. If you are sincere and you do good deeds for the sake of Allah alone, Allah will bless you with a good legacy and inshaAllah the fruition, result and reward will be visible be on the day of judgement.
Some legacies are visible in our lifetime and some will inshaAllah be visible on the day of judgment.
Don't limit your idea of legacy. 

Just focus on the sincerity of your intentions and perform many good deeds.
🤲 May Allah bless us with tawakkul, ikhlaas, ihsan and unending sadaqaye jariya, may Allah keep us all sincere and steadfast in our affairs – Allahumma ameen.
#TooBlessedToBeStressed 

Link

A mother's prayers....

 

When Imam Bukhari was 3 years of age, he lost his eyesight.
His mother promised herself that she would pray #tahajjud salah until Allah restores her son's eyesight back.
And that's exactly what she did. She prayed tahajjud every night until one night in a dream she saw Ibrahim (as) give her the good news that Imam Bukhari's eyesight had been restored. She ran to her son and when he awoke, he found himself with vision again.
Lessons for me: This mother didn't go into a state of helplessness after her young child lost his eyesight.
Being a single mother, she didn't lose hope and become disheartened with the difficulty she would have to face with bringing up a son with a disability. She knew very well the power of dua. She knew the beauty that lies in praying tahajjud salah. She knew Allah comes down to the lowest heaven asking his servants to make dua to Him at this time. Her taqwa, her conviction in the Might of Allah is what led her to consistently pray. 

To pray tahajjud salah means you sacrifice your sleep. But she did it without fail. It wasn't a "sacrifice" on her behalf but a most needed task.
When we read about the life of Imam Bukhari or know what his contribution to Islamic history and education is, how can we not look back at the household he grew up in. The mother that raised him. The mother that made dua for him in the darkness of the night.
A widow, a single mother. But she had a wealth many of us fail to embrace. She devoted herself as a slave.
These women are our role models. These women are who we look up to. Not because we know how pretty or amazing they were in looks. But because in the face of tests, they remained close to Allah. With a history filled with women who brought up men like Imam Bukhari and others, how can we feel demotivated when it comes to our own children.
If we want good for our children, and see them grow up to be good slaves, we need to take the necessary steps to become a good slave too.

This reminder about this mother's dua came at such a perfect and apt time for me. A time when I've become extremely worried about my children. This reminded me that dua is no small thing.
- Gilded Dunya

Surah Al-Hadid - the first and the largest of the Musabbihat

Al-Musabbihat (Arabic: الْمُسَبِّحَاتِ‎) are those surahs of the Quran that begin with Allah's glorification 'Subhana', 'Sabbaha', and 'Yusabbihu'. The Musabbihat are a series of Madani surahs, and were revealed at a time when Muslims were feeling weakness in faith as a result of a growth in the Muslim community, and some of the people who had just accepted Islam were not as mature in their faith as those that had migrated with the Prophet.

That’s not to say that everyone who came into Islam in Madinah is weak, but a good number of new Muslims had not truly understood the gravity and the seriousness of the matter.

So what Allah عزّ وجلّ does in these surahs is that He rejuvenates the faith of the Muslim community, and Surah Al-Hadid, the 57th Surah of the Qur’an, is the first and the largest of the “Musabbihat”. It is a very powerful surah, and a remarkable one.

This is actually after a long series of Makkan surahs in the Qur’an where it is situated, after Surah Al-Waqi’ah, and from here (surah 57) all the way to surah 66 they are Madani surahs.

So this is the last large group of Madani surahs in the entire Qur’an, and this is the first of them.

Today, when Muslims have a weak Iman and they need to renew their faith and connect to the Creator, Allah عزّ وجلّ, we should listen to them and understand them. Here is a video to the first of the Musabbihat, Surah Al-Hadid with tafseer from Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan.

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Christmas a time for bridge building

Treating Christmas with Respect

Christmas is an annual Christian religious holiday commemorating the birth of Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him. For many Muslims who do not even celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, it becomes an issue of what stand they should take.

There have been a number of legitimate criticisms of the holiday from Muslims and non-Muslims based on theological and cultural considerations. However, this cannot be used to disregard the holiday as merely an exercise in ancient pagan practices, for instance, or excessive consumerism. Muslims have to remember that for practicing Christians, Christmas really is about Jesus .

Prophet Muhammad , was so accommodating of Christians that according to the two earliest Islamic historians, Ibn e Saad and Ibn Hisham, the Prophet even allowed a delegation of 60 Byzantine Christians from Najran in Yemen to worship in his own mosque in Madinah. Lead by their bishop (Usquf), they had come to discuss a number of issues with him. When time of their prayer came, they asked the Prophet's permission to perform this in the mosque. He answered, "conduct your service here in the mosque. It is a place consecrated to God."

God expects us to stay away from mocking the religious beliefs of others, no matter how much we disagree with them. He says in the Quran: "And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides God, lest they insult God wrongfully without knowledge. Thus We have made fair-seeming to each people its own doings; then to their Lord is their return and He shall then inform them of all that they used to do" (Quran, 6:108).

We also have to remember that even if for many nominal Christians, the celebration is not really about participating in religious traditions, Christmas is a time for families to get together. In a number of cases it is the only time of year families get together, either because family members are scattered in different parts of the country or the world, because of communication and relationship problems, or because in America today, the family unit is becoming weaker and weaker.

 Christmas is a great time to relate to our neighbors. We should not forget though, that "relating" does not mean "preaching". Dawa cannot be made in a rude manner. Allah says in the Quran: "Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful advice, and reason with them by ways that are the best and most gracious: because your Lord knows best, (those) who have strayed from His Path, and those who receive guidance " (Quran, 16:125).

In particular, when dealing with Jews and Christians, Allah says: "Do not argue with the People of the Book unless it is in the politest manner, except for those of them who do wrong. Say: 'We believe in what has been sent down to us and what has been sent down to you. Our God and your God is [the same] One, and we are Muslims before Him'" (Quran, 29:46).

This may not be an occasion to emphasis the differences as much as the commonality of our beliefs, unless someone is really asking you about them.

A starting point for a discussion about Christmas could be the Islamic belief in all Books revealed by Allah and all Prophets sent by Him. In this discussion, special emphasis could be made on Prophet Jesus . Non-Muslims are often surprised to discover that Muslims also believe in this noble Prophet and his great mother Mary (peace be upon her).

Remember that respect does not mean compromise. This article is not asking you to compromise anything. You have freedom of religion given by God to believe in what you believe in. But in a world where conflict is increasing, a Muslim should be a bridge- builder and a peacemaker. It was due to the Muslim practice of Islamic ideals of respect and tolerance that the key of the holiest Christian Shrine in Jerusalem, the church of the Holy Sepulcher, remains entrusted with a Muslim family, as it has been for over 1400 years. 

These are the lessons which need to be learned by those extremists who attack Christians during their worship in Nigeria and those extremists who burn Masjids in the USA.
Source

Why Would I Leave Islam?

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim

Salaam Alaikum wa Rahmatullah

It’s my anniversary, well, sort of.  Eighteen years ago on Labor Day weekend, a Sunday, I said my Shahadah.  I was standing in the front lobby of the Islamic Society of Greater Kansas City.  I had just attended a class for the sisters, and everyone had left.  The only ones still in the building were the Imaam, me, and some guy vacuuming.  I was nervous.  I had talked about saying my Shahadah with the ladies in the class; I planned to do it next week when when a certain significant friend could be there to witness, but they urged me to not delay, using the “what if you get hit by a bus?” argument.  “It’s not between you and your friend; it’s between you and Allah.”  Well, can’t argue with logic like that, so I mustered my courage and approached the Imaam, telling him I wanted to officially become Muslim.  He stood with me out front by the bookcase so we would not be alone in any room; the vacuuming guy served as our noisy chaperone.  I always enjoyed listening to this Imaam when he gave talks.  His name was Adnan Bayazid and he was from Syria. His point of view was common sense Islam.  He had a very easy personality but of course I was incredibly intimidated because he was an Imaam.  He wasn’t a pushover, either.  He quizzed me on some of the major points of Islam to assure himself that I was doing this with knowledge.  I must have passed his test because after a few minutes of questions, he asked me to repeat the testimony of faith after him:

“Ash hadu an la ilaha il Allah, wa ash hadu anna Muhammadur Rasool Allah”

“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah”

He was clearly pleased.  He congratulated me and then told me, with emphatic hand gestures, that anything I had done wrong, any sins or regrets I had, were gone, forgotten.  This more than anything proved my undoing, and I began to cry due to the enormity of what I had done.  He quickly excused himself before he, too, could get emotional, and I walked back into the multi-purpose room and leaned on a table and cried my eyes out.  I was happy but emotionally worn out by the time I left for home.

Fast forward eighteen years and here I am, older, maybe wiser, maybe not, married for twelve years with five kids, living in suburbia and trying to help others have a bit of an easier time traveling the path I and so many other reverts have trod.  I’ve been through the many phases of Islam.  The “SuperConvertitis” phase, where I tried to out Islam everyone else.  The burnout phase, where I just wanted to not think about Islam at all, the barely doing the minimum phase where only guilt and fear of Hellfire kept me going, and the phase I’m in now.  It’s kind of a comfortable phase.  I’m steadfast in  my faith, I know where my weaknesses are and I don’t beat myself up for them anymore, and I try to maximize my strong points.  I’m not a “haraam alaik-er” and I’m not so easygoing that I’ll simply smile and nod if I see a Muslim eating a ham sandwich and drinking a beer outside the masjid on Friday.  I think I’ve found my niche as a Muslim and it is in writing and trying to be an uplifting presence – not a role model, I’m not good enough for that – for my brothers and sisters in Islam.  I also make it a point to occasionally poke the hornet’s nest of problems in the Ummah so that people realize that we have to be more proactive in living and teaching Islam.  I’m not Super Muslimah, and I’m okay with that.

I just read on one of my Facebook groups that one of our sisters has left Islam, and it got me to thinking.  Here I am, Muslim for eighteen years, well settled in my faith, knowledgeable to a degree, not prone to histrionics.  What could motivate a person, once guided, to abandon the faith?  What could make me consider leaving Islam, even for a moment?

Wow, what a topic, eh?  Why would I leave Islam?  Well, part of me would say it’s too damn hard.  Waking up at godawful in the morning, having to pray five – five! – times a day.  Making wudu.  Walking around with my body parts dripping wet is not comfortable.  Having to pray every day at set times.  I don’t even brush my teethevery day.  Not being able to eat bacon.  I know I can eat beef bacon or turkey bacon, but that’s at home.  I have to be a damned private investigator and quiz every restaurant employee, read every label.  Is there pork in this?  Do you make the sauce with wine?  This eternal food vigilance is tiring and I look at all the great places featured on Food TV and think, Can’t eat there, or there, or there, can’t even enterthat country, dang place is full of pork, sheesh.  I have to feel guilty or leave if I visit my mom and she has a bottle of beer or a glass of wine with dinner.  I pack my kids’ lunch every day in case there’s some sneaky pork in the school menu.  It is, frankly, a hassle.  It would be easier just to ignore it.

And covering.  Wearing abaya and hijab.  I’ve been doing it almost since right after I became Muslim.  Is it hard?  No, not really.  I’m no fashionista and most of the time I love the abaya because I can toss it on, throw on a scarf, and I’m dressed for any occasion, no muss, no fuss.  No one has to see the sweats underneath.  But boy, some days I feel like I just want to rip off the scarf and feel the wind in my hair, the sun baking down on top of my bare head.  I want to wear jeans and a t-shirt when I’m playing with the kids in the yard.  I want to not trip over the stairs every single time I bring up the groceries.  I want to not have to rush to throw something on, fumbling with snaps and wraps, when the UPS guy drops off a package or someone who turns out to be a little kid knocks on my door.  I want to go swimming in a normal one-piece suit instead of a burqini. 

I want to go out of the house and look like everyone else.  I want to be invisible at Wal-mart so that the mean-looking lady doesn’t give me the evil eye.  I want to not have to worry about what’s going on in someone’s head when they see me.  I’m not super self-conscious about it, but somewhere in the back of my mind is just the tiniest bit of awareness that some day, somewhere, some idiot might confront me or, worse, try to physically assault me, simply because of what I represent with my clothing.  It’d be nice to not have to worry about that.

The Muslims.  Sigh.  Sometimes I want to disassociate myself from Islam just because there are stupid, idiot, ignorant, jackass people who call themselves Muslim who say and do the most idiotic things.  Afghans growing opium, honor killings, acid attacks, subjugation of women, female genital mutilation, corrupt governments, bribery, cheating in business, hypocrisy.  As Yusuf Islam, the former Cat Stevens, is famously quoted as saying “Thank God I learned about Islam before I met Muslims”.  Frankly, sometimes it’s just embarrassing to be identified as Muslim.  It’s like someone finding out you’re related to one of the Kardashians or a serial killer.  It’s kinda hard to live down.  I don’t like having to give the “all Muslims are not terrorists” speech all the time. 

I think the hardest thing about being Muslim, at least for me, is being aware of being Muslim all the time.  I have a highly refined guilt complex, so I am immediately aware if something I am doing is haraam, forbidden.  I keep the radio on the news station.  From time to time I’ll check out the local pop music station and listen to a few songs.  Wow, they sound gooooood… and then I’ll immediately feel guilty.  Why am I not listening to Qur’an or at least nasheeds?  But don’t listen to too many nasheeds or that will be haraam too because you should be listening to Qur’an.  Well, maybe I’ll listen to some classical music and that will be less haraam….  Oh, and TV.  I watch the news and food shows and football.  Should I be watching football?  All those hunky guys in tight uniforms.  Well, maybe if I only look at the offensive linemen, who are over 300 pounds and not really hunky at all.  I’ll just listen and not focus on the screen.  But here comes a beer commercial.  Haraaaaaam!

Ugh, there I go again.  Islam is so hard.  Islam requires that we be conscious human beings, aware of our surroundings, aware of wasting food, aware of how we deal with the opposite sex, aware of how we behave in business, aware of what we expose our kids to, aware of our environment, aware of how the less fortunate are abused, aware of ourselves, aware of our duty to Allah, aware of the fact that life is short and there’s this big huge thing called Judgment Day.  And sometimes it gets to be overwhelming and I feel like I’ll never measure up and I can’t do this and I’m failing and why the hell should I keep trying because I’m tired and I just want to be an unconscious not-thinking-about-the-afterlife-all-the-time normal person.  And dammit I just want to go to Burger King and order a bacon cheeseburger and eat it and enjoy it.

So, yeah, I’ve wondered what it would be like to not be Muslim anymore. 

So what stops me?

Belief.

“Ash hadu an la ilaha il Allah, wa ash hadu anna Muhammadur Rasool Allah.”

I believe in One God, without partners.  I believe that Allah sent messengers and prophets to teach us what was in the Books He revealed.  I believe in angels, and I believe in a Day of Judgment, and I believe in Allah’s Divine Decree.  Logically, in my unromantic linear little German heart, I believe in Tauheed.  I believe that we fragile, short-sighted human beings need rules and regulations to keep us from royally screwing up our lives.  I see the proof of that all around me in society.  I believe that Islam is true, that when I look at it honestly with the knowledge of my own frailties, that all the do’s and don’ts are really necessary.  We like to think we are strong and moral and self-regulating, but we’re lying to ourselves.  If we had no fear of Allah, most of us would be cheating on our spouses, smoking pot, drinking whiskey, cheating our bosses, or doing something else that is bad for us or for others, all the while smugly saying “I can do it because I am strong and I won’t let it get the better of me”.  I believe in Islam. 

I believe in Islam.  I didn’t convert to Islam for a guy or because I thought the clothing made me look exotic, or to rebel against my family, or to justify my sense of being different from everyone else.  I became Muslim because I had to.  Once I realized that Islam was the truth, I couldn’t not  become Muslim, even in the face of corrupt Muslim governments, idiotic Muslims abusing women, growing opium, misinterpreting their own scripture, and all that.  Even if I fell down and fell short every day of my life.  Even if I had the hardest time keeping concentration long enough to make wudu and get to the prayer rug.  Even if I still tuned in Lady Gaga once or twice.  Even if I watched a rated R movie.  Even if, on a hot, humid, sultry day in mid-August I wanted to rip off my hijab and run through the sprinkler in shorts and a tank top. 

Even if someone hurls insults at me.  Even if someone tries to tear off my hijab.  Even if someone abuses my kids.  Even if my husband loses a job because of his beard.  Even if my family hates me.  Even if my non-Muslim friends leave me.  Even if I have to leave my home country.  Even if someone holds a knife to my throat and tells me to renounce my faith or they’ll kill me.  Even if I were the only Muslim on the planet, or the only Muslim on the planet striving to live as a Muslim.  Even if.

“Ash hadu an la ilaha il Allah, wa ash hadu anna Muhammadur Rasool Allah.”

I am a Muslim.  I am a weak, frail, moody, anxious, hyperactive, attention-deficit-disorder, bad housecleaning, prayer-missing, ungrateful, overeating, underexercising, too-long-blog-post-writing Muslim.  I will continue to fall down, I will continue to struggle, but I will never, never stop being Muslim.  I am weak but Allah has guided me and how can I be so ungrateful as to turn my back on Him?  Allah is One.  Once I realized that, I never had a choice.

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HADITH OF THE DAY: WHAT IS FAITH? WHAT IS SIN?

A person once asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "What is faith?" He replied: "When a good deed becomes a source of pleasure for you and an evil deed becomes a source of disgust for you, then you are a believer." The person then asked: "What is a sin?" The Prophet said: "When something pricks your conscience, give it up."

Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 8

Lifting The Veil: Muslim Women Explain Their Choice

Comment: I find these sorts of articles and especially pictures of before and after and voyeuristic obsession with seeing the hair of the sisters...slightly creepy.

For centuries, Islamic scholars have said that Muslim women must cover their hair. But many Muslim women don't.

There are about 1 million Muslim women in America; 43 percent of them wear headscarves all the time, according to the Pew Research Center. About 48 percent — or half a million women — don't cover their hair, the survey found.

The split between women who've covered and women who've never done so has existed for decades. But now a generation of women is taking off the headscarf, or hijab.

Although the scarf is a public, sometimes even political symbol, women say the choice to unveil is highly private, emotional and religious.

'A Huge Responsibility'

Rasmieyh Abdelnabi, 27, grew up attending an Islamic school in Bridgeview, Ill., a tiny Arab enclave on Chicago's southwest side. It's a place where most Muslim women wear the hijab.

For 14 years, Abdelnabi was one of them. But after she graduated from college, she took off her hijab. Now, she has sideswept bangs, the kind that hide part of her face. She's quiet, reflective and sometimes shy.

"I'm the kind of person who likes to walk into a room and be unnoticed," Abdelnabi says. "When you wear hijab and you walk into a room, everyone notices you; everyone stares at you; everyone makes assumptions about you."

"When you put the scarf on, you have to understand that you are representing a community," Abdelnabi says. "And that is huge. That's a huge responsibility. And I don't know if it's for everyone."

Talking over falafel at her favorite restaurant, Abdelnabi explains why she stopped wearing the hijab.

She says that Islam teaches modesty — but wearing the hijab is taking it a step too far.

"I've done my research, and I don't feel its foundation is from Islam," she says. "I think it comes from Arab culture."

The headscarf can be a divisive issue among Muslims.

Abdelnabi describes the response some people have to that idea: "It's like, 'How dare you question God's will. How dare you?' " she says.

And in a tight-knit Muslim community like Bridgeview, Abdlenabi worries about offending fellow Muslims with her opinions — so during most discussions about hijab, she tends to keep silent.

"I sometimes feel like talking about hijab is like talking about abortion in mid-America," she says.

Looking For A Change

Another woman in Bridgeview, Leen Jaber, 29, says that a few years ago, she also decided to unveil.

"I started wearing hijab at the age of 14," she says.

Jaber says she wore the scarf for 12 years. But as her marriage started to fall apart, she took it off.

"I was going through a lot of difficult things. Perhaps I thought taking it off would just be one less thing to worry about," she says.

"I never took it off saying, like, it was the right decision. I just took it off because I wanted to do it. I wanted to see if my life would be different — if I would feel any better about the problems that I was going through."

But Jaber's problems didn't go away — in fact, they got worse. She lost her job, got divorced and moved in with her parents. That got her thinking more about God, and spirituality. One year and eight months later, Jaber put the scarf back on.

"It was a very different process than I had gone through when I was 14," she says. "When I was 14, it was like well, everybody's wearing it."

Jaber is outgoing and chatty. She writes poetry, blogs and dreams of the day she'll be on American Idol.

She says it's easy for some women to feel like the headscarf strips them of their individuality and turns them into a spokeswoman for the faith.

To avoid that, Jaber says, she is making sure other parts of her personality — like her singing — shine through.

Wearing The Scarf, Post-Sept. 11

The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, are a persistent theme in conversations about how to approach a Muslim tradition in modern America.

For some women, that tragedy had absolutely no effect on their decision to uncover. But for others, it was huge. They spoke of two distinct phases in their hijab life: pre-Sept.11 and post-Sept. 11.

Some of them said the terrorist attacks initially strengthened their desire to wear the hijab. They became diplomats for Islam; they said they wanted to represent a positive Muslim image, to counter that of al-Qaida.

But in the years that followed, that fervor waned, as anti-Muslim zeal grew.

And for some women, the scarf became a heavy burden to carry — one that affected the way strangers perceived them, the way colleagues treated them, and even the way fellow Muslims expected them to behave.

For others, the decision to remove their headscarf simply came down to a choice, as they grew older.

An Evolving Identity

Nadia Shoeb's family is from India. Her mother never wore a hijab. Her grandmother never wore a hijab. But Shoeb put one on when she was 17.

Shoeb, now 31, reads from a journal she kept back then:

"Never could I have imagined when I put it on, that five years later, on a day just as random as the day I put it on, I would take it off."

Eight years later, she still remembers that day clearly.

"That feeling is like, 'I am going out without a shirt on' — that sense of feeling exposed," Shoeb says.

"I had really long hair, and I actually tucked it into my sweater, because I was feeling so embarrassed that, 'Oh my God, I'm showing my hair — am I being immodest somehow?' "

"So that first day was quite difficult, just taking it off," Shoeb says, "even though I looked like every girl on the street."

America's Religious Landscape

Shoeb's decision was as much about religion as it was about her evolving feminine and American identity. She spent her childhood in Saudi Arabia, where she wore shorts.

After arriving in the United States as a teenager, she decided to cover, and eventually uncover, her hair. And Shoeb says she doesn't find that surprising.

"The religious landscape of America is one in which — it's a very deeply religious nation, but at the same time, it's so fluid," she says. "You know, people are born into one faith, and then they might still be Christian — but become of a different sect, or a different church."

The phenomenon of veiling and unveiling — and even re-veiling — is part of that same tradition, Shoeb says.

"We might think that this is something particular to Muslim-Americans," she says, "when in fact, that's the story of our religious landscape in America."

Shoeb has no intention of putting the scarf back on. But she also says she wouldn't be the person she is today if she had never worn it in the first place.

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Dont Be Sad: Faith is life itself

Those that are wretched, in the full sense of the word, are those that are bereft of the treasures of faith. They are always in a state of misery and anger.

{But whosoever turns away from My Reminder [i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an nor acts on its orders, etc.] verily for him is a life of hardship...} (Qur’an 20: 124)

The only means of purifying the heart and of removing anxieties and worries from it is to have complete faith in Allah, Lord of all that exists. In fact, there can be no true meaning to life when one has no faith.

The best course of action that a confirmed atheist can take, if he will not believe, is to take his own life. At least by doing so, he will free himself from the darkness and wretchedness in which he lives. How base and mean is a life without faith! How eternally accursed is the existence enveloping those who are outside of the boundaries set down by Allah!

{And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away [from guidance], as they refused to believe therein for the first time, and We shall leave them in their trespass to wander blindly.}

(Qur’an 6: 110)

Has not the time come when the world should have an unquestioning faith — that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah? After centuries of experience, should not mankind be led to the realization that having faith in a statue is ludicrous, that atheism is absurd, that the Prophets were truthful, and that to Allah alone belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth? All praise is due to Allah and He is upon all things capable.

In proportion to the level of your faith — strong or weak, firm or wavering — will you be happy and at peace.

{Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a true believer; verily, to him We will give a good life [in this world with respect, contentment, and lawful provision]. And We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do [i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter].} (Qur’an 16: 97)

The ‘good life’ that is mentioned in this verse refers to having a firm faith in the promise of our Lord and a steady heart that loves Him. People who lead this ‘good life’ will also have calm nerves when afflicted with hardship; they will be satisfied with everything that befalls them, because it was written for them, and because they are pleased with Allah as their Lord, with Islam as their Religion, and with Muhammad as their Prophet and Messenger.

Source: Don't Be Sad - By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni

Image Source: BBC