THE QUR'ANIC BASIS FOR THE THEME & TITLE OF THIS SITE:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ

مَا ڪَانَ لِأَهۡلِ ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ وَمَنۡ حَوۡلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَعۡرَابِ

أَن يَتَخَلَّفُواْ عَن رَّسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرۡغَبُواْ بِأَنفُسِہِمۡ

عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ لَا يُصِيبُهُمۡ ظَمَأٌ۬ وَلَا نَصَبٌ۬

وَلَا مَخۡمَصَةٌ۬ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَـُٔونَ مَوۡطِئً۬ا

يَغِيظُ ٱلۡڪُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنۡ عَدُوٍّ۬ نَّيۡلاً إِلَّا كُتِبَ

لَهُم بِهِۦ عَمَلٌ۬ صَـٰلِحٌ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ نَفَقَةً۬ صَغِيرَةً۬ وَلَا ڪَبِيرَةً۬ وَلَا يَقۡطَعُونَ

وَادِيًا إِلَّا ڪُتِبَ لَهُمۡ لِيَجۡزِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَحۡسَنَ مَا ڪَانُواْ

يَعۡمَلُونَ

وَمَا كَانَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُواْ ڪَآفَّةً۬‌ۚ فَلَوۡلَا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ

فِرۡقَةٍ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ طَآٮِٕفَةٌ۬ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُواْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُواْ قَوۡمَهُمۡ

إِذَا رَجَعُوٓاْ إِلَيۡہِمۡ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَحۡذَرُونَ

"O ye who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are true (in words and deeds).

It was not fitting for the people of Madinah and the Bedouin Arabs of the neighborhood, to refuse to follow Allah's Messenger nor to prefer their own lives to his: because nothing could they suffer, or do, but was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness whether they suffered thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah, or trod paths to raise the ire of the Unbelievers, or received any injury whatever from an enemy: for Allah suffereth not the reward to be lost of those who do good;―

Nor could they spend anything (for the cause) small or great nor cut across a valley, but the deed is inscribed to their credit; that Allah may requite their deed with the best (possible reward).

Nor should the Believers all go forth together: if a contingent from every expedition remained behind, they could devote themselves to studies in religion and admonish the people when they return to them― that thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil)."

(Qur'an: Surah Taubah: 9: 119-122)

REFLECTION

These verses in Surah Taubah are amongst the words of Allah s.w.t. that have a special impact for me in my striving to fulfill the obligation of Islamic Da'wah and education. More so was its meaning to me while serving Islam in PERGAS, in defending the Madrasah during the 'Compusory Education' saga, at that crucial time when this institution was 'threatened.' I must be grateful to Allah s.w.t., to have guided me to be amongst the Islamic scholars, amongst whom was Al-Fudhaala as-Shuyukh, Ustaz Syed 'Abdillah al-Jufri, Ustaz Hj Abu Bakar Hashim, Ustaz Ahmad Sonhajji Muhammad, and others Asaatizah and Ustaazat in PERGAS - those whom I would regard as being those who are true (swodiqeen), whose motivation was TaqwaAllah, being self-less and sincere for the sake of Allah s.w.t. in their effort to continue to fulfill the amanah of Da'awah and traditional Islamic education(tarbiyyah/ta'dibiyyah). These were amongst the defenders, that small group of people whose task is to devote themselves to the study of the Deen, be it in traditional madrasah or following its manhaj - to fulfill the injunction mentioned by Allah:

طَآٮِٕفَةٌ۬ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُواْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُواْ قَوۡمَهُمۡ

إِذَا رَجَعُوٓاْ إِلَيۡہِمۡ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَحۡذَرُونَ

"a contingent .... who devote themselves to studies in religion and admonish the people when they return to them― that thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil)."

Those were challenging times and challenging circumstance that historically marked this small band of people who had to face tremendous odds of their adversaries. Adversaries weilding the power and authority, who were even supported by certain influential Muslims who could never understand the cause that these people were defending. Yet Allah s.w.t. strengthens those who obey Him in the spirit of the message in the above verses. Allah s.w.t. clearly showed that those who sincerely strive in His path, has already gained a signal victory, no matter how small a part they may contribute as long as they remain conscious of Allah (in Taqwa) and to always be with those who are true (and truthful towards Allah s.w.t., His Messenger s.a.w., Islam and the Ummah).

It is from this verse that I have chosen to name this blog-site - to continue in the same spirit of our righteous predecessors (Salafus-Soleh) - whose dedication towards Islamic Da'awah and Education has contributed much to our being Muslims. These people ought to be our model, our guiding light to show us how, and in what, we are to strive. Allah s.w.t. records to posterity when He specially mentions these people with:

وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ قَوۡلاً۬ مِّمَّن دَعَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا

وَقَالَ إِنَّنِى مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ

لَا تَسۡتَوِى ٱلۡحَسَنَةُ وَلَا ٱلسَّيِّئَةُ‌ۚ ٱدۡفَعۡ بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحۡسَنُ

فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى بَيۡنَكَ وَبَيۡنَهُ ۥ عَدَٲوَةٌ۬ كَأَنَّهُ ۥ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌ۬

وَمَا يُلَقَّٮٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَمَا يُلَقَّٮٰهَآ

إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ۬

"Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says "I am of those who bow in Islam"?

Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!

And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint none but persons of the greatest good fortune."

(Qur'an: Surah Fussilat: 41: 33-35)

MUQADDIMAH

When I was invited to deliver the Friday-night after Isha' lecture at Masjid al-Istiqomah, the subject or theme I chose was more of presenting a concern of the Muslims - in regard to 'living' or manifesting their Islam in the context of living in cosmopolitant, 'secularistic dominated' Singapore.

This concern also extends to the 'passive' attitude of many Muslims with regard to asserting their religious right to being Muslims, which require correction - particularly that obligation required of them in the first pillar of Islam: the 'SHAHADATAYN' , which sadly may be due to a lack of understanding perhaps because not much elaboration as to its true significance and its requirement has been provided by our du'at and educators.

I offered to name the series of talk as : "Being Muslims and its challenges." And from extract of these nightly lectures already delivered, inshaAllah, I hope to share and elaborate further my thoughts on the theme in this media.

May Allah s.w.t. grant Taufiq and Hidaaya - and accept this small effort with His Redha (His Pleasure - مَرۡضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ ). May He also rewards with Mercy and Bountiful blessings to my parents, my family and loved ones, my teachers, students, and friends in the Da'wah fraternity, whose help and support I have benefitted - especially in these trying times during and after my hospitalization. In Allah I place my Trust, "for Allah loves those who place their trust in Him.

( إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلِينَ )

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