[This article is an excerpt from future book InshaAllah. The copyright is preserved by the author and this Newsletter. We pray that he will be finish this book soon. May the Almighty Lord protect him and reward him for his goodness. He gives success through His and his mercy to whosoever of them works righteousness, Ameen]
Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) says in Surah Al-Jathiyah (46:15, 16), "And we have enjoined on man the doing of good to his parents. His mother bears him with trouble and she brings him forth in pain. And the weaning of him is thirty months. Till, when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says: My Lord, grant me that I may give thanks for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good which pleases Thee; and be good to me in respect of my offspring. Truly I turn to Thee, and truly I am of those who submit." These Words of Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) convey that when, if at all, man attains the age of spiritual maturity (which must occur at least by the age of forty as suggested by the Nabiy [sallallahu Alaihe (Waalihi) wa salam], he first recognizes with thanks the favors of Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) on him, and next recalls with gratitude the love and sacrifices of his parents, and finally as a sign of this gratitude, he performs acts of goodness toward all to please Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) , and he binds himself in a covenant of true submission to Him.
If we reflect on the favors of Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) that he has
bestowed on us, they are indeed countless. These favors range from what
we take for granted such as the blinking of our eyes and the drawing of
our breath in our lungs, to the favors that we ought to be constantly conscious
of that deal with our life and security and sustenance from moment to moment.
If we learn to observe, we will see in the lives around us His signs that
should remind us of the favors that He has bestowed on us, and for which
we should prostrate ourselves ever so often in gratitude. Let me relate
a story of a man whose daughter got married in Bombay, India. She is a
teacher and her husband is a computer analyst. On their wedding night,
they moved into their new home which was a room in the attic of an
old building. This was all that they could afford, despite their education
and jobs. Her father bought for her a suitcase to keep her clothes because
this room was infested with rats. The ceiling of this room was so low that
a person could not even stand up straight in it and had to constantly bow
or crawl. Turn your eyes upward and look at the ceiling over your head.
Then think of the homeless, the starving, and the destitute, and ask yourself,
"Then which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?” as Allah (subhanu
wa Ta'Ala) repeatedly questions in Surah Rahman. Yet man goes about exulting
in pride and ingratitude for what Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) has gifted
him with, and is unmindful of His favors upon him. As Allah (subhanu wa
Ta'Ala) says in the Qur’an (14:34), "And He gives you of all that you ask
of Him. And if you count the favors of Allah, you will not be able to number
them. Surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful". [To Be Continued Insha’Allah]
Definitions and Fundamentals:
A Mu'min: Genuine Believer
[Continued From Vol.4, No. 8]
A genuine believer lives and walks in humility. During times of hardship,
he/she does do not give in nor loses the balance of self. Nabiy Muhammad
(Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said: “Fear Allah in your ease and
difficulty. Make your self known to Allah during ease; Allah will recognize
you during difficulty.” The Glorious Qur’an says: “And walk thou not on
the earth exultingly. Verily Allah loveth not the proud, the boasful. Verily
the most honored of you with Allah is the one of you who guardeth (himself)
the most (against evil).” 17:37; 31:18; 4:36 & 49:13 O’ Lord, advance
my faith to greater perfection and advance my conduct to the best of actions.
Let me be honored, but do not let me fall prey to pride. Issue from my
hands good to mankind and do not let it be undone with reproach. [To Be
Continued Insha’Allah]
All this is not to say that Muslims should shun the life of this world.
The Nabiy [sallallahu Alaihe (Waalihi) wa salam] would advise Muslims
to be moderate in all their actions. Simplicity does not mean that a Muslim
should strive for poverty, as also he/she should not hanker greedily and
mindlessly for wealth and material goods. Allah says in the Qur’an that
He loves not the miser, and also, that He loves not the prodigal. It is
quite symbolic that the drink in hell is intensely cold as well as boiling
hot, because its inmates lived life on the extremes. The Nabiy [sallallahu
Alaihe (Waalihi) wa salam] used to advise people that if Allah (subhanu
wa Ta'Ala) has gifted them in this life, then they should let it show on
them, without being proud or wasteful, and also, to be charitable with
His gifts. Never be proud; be always humble in your thoughts, words and
actions. Use the word "I" with great caution. There are many ways you can
check and correct yourself for pride. Observe yourself - how you stand
and walk, what you feel in your heart and what you think, how you talk
with different classes of people. Observe your language. For example, many
people use the phrase, "In my humble opinion..." mostly, without any humility.
Indeed, ascribing the graceful gift of humility to oneself is itself a
contradiction of terms! Pride is a disease of the heart, and for every
disease, Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) has created a cure. The cure for pride
is a sincere sajdah and repentance, resolving never to be afflicted by
this sickness again, Insha’Allah. Praise to the Lord of majesty, glory
and honor. You are the One who provides reasons for success, O' Lord, grant
us worthy work to achieve success, Ameen. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala),
bless us all, Ameen.
Whoever does an act, faces its results, whether a man or a woman. It
is reported that a young Muslim woman said that, “We want to stop men from
treating us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want them to
ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and minds.
We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals, and not just
chase us around for our bodies and physical looks.” A Muslim woman who
covers her head is making a statement about her identity. Anyone who sees
her will know that she is a Muslim and has a good moral character. Many
Muslim women who wear Hijab are filled with dignity and self esteem; they
are pleased to be identified as Muslims. As a chaste, modest, pure woman,
she does not want her sexuality to enter into interactions with men in
the smallest degree. A woman who covers herself is concealing her sexuality
but enhancing her feminine grace. [To Be Continued Insha’Allah]
A large number of requests, through phone calls, letters and in person, have been received from those who are interested in the AL-KUFA Newsletter, the Prayer Time-Table and also for those who filled the Free Subscription / Cancellation Form for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. If you receive more than one copy of this newsletter via a duplicate mailing, you can help us correct this by informing us and we thank you for that.
Our sincere thanks and appreciation are given to all of you. Because of the large numbers of letters that AL-KUFA has received, we will acknowledge and publish only some of these letter each time. Our purpose of publishing these letters is to (a) make a certain plea known to the public in order that they might respond for the pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), (b) make us all aware of certain circumstances, or (c) to share a joyous news as well as to make Dua'as and Prayers for those who are ill or have lost a loved one, and also for the one they have lost. NOTE: For those who are interested in announcing the birth of a child, graduation, wedding, death, or matrimonial interests, please contact the Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge. Those who send letters, please also provide the center with your telephone numbers. In addition, brothers and sisters who are requesting us for various Islamic materials, please provide us with a full name, postal address, telephone number, and e-mail address. If this is to be sent to an institution, please ensure that the institution will accept such material(s), even if it is just the AL-KUFA Newsletter. Please type your request(s) and sign the paper. Insha'Allah, we will continue sending this newsletter to whoever wishes to receive it. Also, we request readers to let us know their new addresses when they relocate.
AL-KUFA received requests for help. Brother Jafar from a prison in Pennsylvania wrote a letter which was publish in June’s Issue, 1998, requesting to endorsement of establishing Islamic community within that institution. Brother Faris from a prison in New York wrote a letter in support of his case for fairness under the judiciary system.
All brothers/sisters who are interested in responding to these requests,
please contact the Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge for more information.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Our thanks and appreciation to all brothers and sisters, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, who sent letters, faxes, postcards, publications or phone calls, or came in person to the Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge (KCIK), and for their support of the AL-KUFA Newsletter, the KUFA School, the KUFA Scholarship, the KUFA Public Library, and the KUFA Mosque from within the United States and aboard. The kind expressions of the readers, encouraging us to continue this Newsletter are especially appreciated. As for financial help, our thanks and appreciation to all brothers and sisters among our generous readers for their support. Please note: you may specify the purpose of your donations(s), unless you give us permission to use your donations(s) wherever they are needed most and where your donation(s) can most effectively assist, especially for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. All donation(s) and gifts are acknowledged with a tax-deductible receipt (unless otherwise requested) and we thank you for sharing your gifts from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) with us. As the fruit of this mission begins to blossom. Insha'Allah, large numbers will receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter. The Glorious Qur’an says: “(Say): We feed you only for the pleasure of Allah; we desire from you neither reward nor thanks. And they spend (benevolently) of what We have provided them with, secretly and openly, and they repel evil with good; for these is the (happy) attainment of the (Eternal) abode.” 76:9 & 13:22
We are very grateful to all sources that sent us publications, their communications about Islam, Muslim community affairs, and educational articles, and to many individuals and institutions in the United States and abroad. Masha’Allah, these publications are all excellent and those who have borrowed them have enjoyed reading them. These publications are inventoried in the KUFA Public Library and some have been mailed to our brothers and sisters in the prisons and other places. Our thanks, appreciation, prayers and Dua’as to our brothers/sisters and their families, from Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland, for their donations of several Arabic Qur’an, and Islamic Arabic and English books, and tapes toward the KUFA Public Library. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) reward you for your efforts and enable you to do good deeds in this life and bless you and your family in this world and in the hereafter. O’ Lord, reward those who acted righteously with goodness, Ameen. Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
In addition, our thanks to all brothers and sisters who took the time to write or call KCIK and inform us about the change of their addresses or their desire to receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter. REMEMBER it costs us to distribute this newsletter to thousands of readers, and only a few continue their support of it. Please be aware of this and send your donations to cover the cost for mailing, etc., to AL-KUFA. Please also inform us of any change in address. When a newsletter is returned to us, it costs us up to $1.60 in some cases. This is a waste of resources. Please, let us avoid this loss.
Our special thanks and appreciation to a mother from New York who denoted to AL-KUFA Newsletter on behalf of her son in North Carolina prison. Also, thanks to two brothers from North Carolina, one of whom donated $50, and the other $100, for building and supporting the KUFA Mosque and KUFA School. Blessings of Allah upon you all now and always. Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your donations and support. May the Almighty Lord reward all of you in this life and the hereafter. The Glorious Qur’an says: “You will never attain piety unless you spend on others out of what you dearly cherish.” 3:92.
Just remember that any money you pay to support KCIK, KUFA School, KUFA
Public Library and AL-KUFA Newsletter is paid to strengthen the word of
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) and for the sake of spreading Islam.
May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) bless you all, give you courage and provide
you with resources to continue your support. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“Say (O' Our Apostle Muhammad!)' If ye do love Allah, then follow me, and
Allah will love you.” 3:30 Jazakum Allah Khair (MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU WITH
GOODNESS).
The Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge is entirely dependent on your financial contributions. The AL-KUFA Newsletter especially needs your support to cover its monthly costs. So, please share with us a fair contribution for this newsletter to enable it to continue. In addition, we receive a large number of requests for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. If you don't receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter, it is only because we don't have enough funds to cover the costs, especially for overseas shipping including Canada. [Note to our brothers and sisters in prison: please check with your institutions if you did receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter, and if you received it, then please share it with other brothers and/or sisters. We included the December issue of the AL-KUFA Newsletter with our parcel to prison libraries.]
In addition, it is our responsibility to bring to your attention, our dear readers, that we are in desperate need for a place to teach and in need of resources {Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, and other Islamic books.} Books (Arabic+English) and tape were received from the donations of Education Society and groups of Muslims. These donations will aid us in our Dawah program as well as benefit the KUFA Public Library. Insha'Allah, many individuals and publishers will participate in this Dawah program. Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Also, we are in need for several items in order for you to receive this newsletter in time, such as a copy-machine, a typewriter (particularly, an Arabic typewriter), audiocassette duplicator, and other items. Please donate these or the costs of these items and the cost of the access to the network. Also, we do not have any software to enable us to write in Arabic or computer CDs of the Qur’an, Hadith and an Arabic dictionary. Insha'Allah, you will be one of the (Mohsin) who will donate for the cause of Islam and humanity. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) reward you for your efforts and enable you to do good deeds in this life and bless you and your family in this world and in the hereafter. Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Insha'Allah, the AL-KUFA Newsletter will be distributed on the Internet (please see the editorial page for our e-mail and web page information). Jazakum Allahu Khairan. The Glorious Qur’an says: “That Allah may give them the best recompense for what they have done and increase for them, out of His grace; And Allah provideth sustenance for whomsoever He willeth without measure.” 24:38
For the pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala), we therefore request
you to assist us financially or materially. We particularly request you
to bring this plea to the attention of your community, and encourage them
to donate their Islamic charities to this cause. Jazakum Allah Khair (MAY
ALLAH REWARD YOU WITH GOODNESS).
AlHumdulillah, with the help and mercy of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), the KUFA Scholarship program has received the recognition of tax exemption of the Internal Revenue Service code as described in section 501 © (3), “The exemption letter previously issued continues in effect.” Our thanks and appreciation to all those officers from IRS for their assistance, cooperation and help. Also, our congratulations to brothers and sisters, especially for those who applied and will apply for this Scholarship. Insha’Allah, we will request an extension of this Scholarship to college and graduate school studies.
Please refer to our previous publications of AL-KUFA Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 2, January, and Vol. 3, No. 6, 1997, and Vol.4 No.2, January, 1998 "KUFA Scholarship". May we remind those parents, relatives, friends and fellow Muslims who love, care, encourage and respect these young men and women to send donations or gifts. Our thanks and appreciation to two brothers from Virginia, one of whom gave his gifts three times of the amount of $50, $100, and $1,000, a total of $1,150, and the other $500, to help in part of the university’s tuition for a Muslim student. May the Almighty Lord protect them and their families. O’ Lord accept our prayers and Dua’as for them and their families. O’ Lord, be merciful toward whom my gratitude was little and whose blessings cannot be repaid. I acknowledge with gratitude Thy blessings upon me. O’ Lord, hasten mercy upon the young, Ameen.
We also remind these young men and women to speed up and send the names of their schools, and their transcripts, achievements and activities, to the KUFA Scholarship Committee. And we all as Muslims feel proud of these young men and women for the choices they have made in sacrificing and striving to excel for the sake of Muslims. We hope that may Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) help them serve their community. They deserve receiving this encouragement for their excellence and they will remember for all their lives that someone cared about them. The Glorious Qur'an says: "That (shall be so); And whoever respecteth the signs of Allah, verily it is (the reflection) of the piety of the hearts." 22:32 O THOU, THE REMEMBRANCE OF WHOM IS AN HONOR TO THOSE WHO DO REMEMBER. O LORD, SHOWER EXALTATION ON THOSE WHO RENDER THEE THANKS, VERILY, THOU ART MERCIFUL TO HIM WHO PRAYS UNTO THEE, AND ANSWEREST HIM WHO INVOKES THEE, AMEEM. We pray may Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) help them to attain guidance to do good deeds, and to give them heavenly rewards, help them restrain their minds from indulging in doubts (about religion), help them refrain from prohibited deeds, help them fulfil their obligations and duties, help them adopt humility, help them learn about Islam, and forgive their sins, Ameen.
The donations or gifts will be given to students upon their request.
Also, you may mention the name of any student to whom you may want to give
your donation(s) or gift(s). The donation(s) or gift(s) will be presented
to the student as the KUFA Scholarship at the time of graduation and/or
after occasion. The Glorious Qur'an says: "Verily (for) those who believe
and do good, their Lord guideth them by their faith; beneath them will
flow rivers in gardens of bliss." 10:9
Please feel free to call or fax KCIK at (540) 563-8471 or send E-mail
at kufa_scholarship@yahoo.com
regarding this scholarship. Those who would like to receive this scholarship,
please send the name of your school, transcripts, achievements and activities,
to KUFA Scholarship Committee; P.O. Box 11771; Roanoke, Virginia 24022-1771;
USA. O' Lord Open The Doors Of Knowledge Of Your Godhead For Us,
Ameen.
Oh Allah, verily I seek nearness to Thee through remembrance of Thee,
I seek intercession from Thee with Thyself, and I ask Thee through munificence
to bring me near to Thy proximity, to provide me with gratitude toward
Thee and to inspire me with Thy remembrance. O Thou Who Turnest the hearts
about, establish my heart in Thy religion, Ameen.
Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said: “The Fear of Allah is the beginning of Wisdom. I am with My servant as long as he remembers Me and his lips move making mention of Me.”