Friday, June 16, 2006

Hard Lesson Learned...

Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahiim

Today is the first day since I have been Muslim that I felt such deep sadness I couldn't contain my tears.

I saw a good friend today-- A Muslima in the community who was excited to tell me that there was a man who had recently arrived from overseas. Many years ago he was Muslim but later in life had converted to a different religion. Now upon his being in Canada, by the grace of Allah he felt a tugging in his heart to re-seek Islam. He had questions and wanted to talk to an Imam in the community. My friend gave him the number of someone to get in touch with.

Tonight my friend called me to tell me that the man she was telling me about got killed at work four days ago... she suspects before he ever had an opportunity to talk to the Imam.

I didn't know this man and had never met him, but the sorrow I felt when I heard that was inconsolable. I wanted to cry out to Allah and ask that He would give this man Jannah, but I know I can't...

As I sat in my room crying, Allah opened my eyes and heart and started to lift my sorrow. I opened the Qur'an and began to read...

"O you who believe [in Moses and Jesus] Fear Allah and believe in His Messenger, He will give you a double portion of His mercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk (straight). And He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

So that the people of the Scripture may know that they have no power whatsoever over the Grace of Allah, and that (His) Grace is (entirely) in His Hand to bestow it on whomsoever He wills. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty." 57:28-29

Alhumdulillah Allah reminded me that I need not grieve. Allah knows the hearts of everyone, and He knew the heart of this man. He knew his desire to re-seek the faith of Islam, and I trust that Allah knows best. I trust that "Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."

Alhumdulillah it was a way for me to praise Allah for His favour on me. The weekend I converted was the weekend of the MSA conference here. The first night of the conference, I knew I was at the stage where I could make shahhada (profession of faith in Islam) but I put it off until Sunday. Br Green joked (but in seriousness) that "I never know what could happen and why would I wait until Sunday when I could die tomorrow."
I of course smiled and still waited until the end of the weekend.
When I heard the story about this man who was killed (possibly before he said shahhada, but Allah knows best) it was a wake-up call for me. It could have been me.

This was a hard lesson learned... It is so important that those who are seeking are those whom we reach out to. I think about how if I was never contacted and encouraged by the Muslim community here, then where would I be? Inshallah Allah would have continued to seek me out and draw me closer to Him, but as Muslims, if people are seeking Allah, we need to show them Allah.
This could mean different things for different people. Monitor your actions, your speech... If someone asks or contacts you about Islam, make sure you are speaking the truth. If you don't have the answers find someone who does and make sure you follow through when you say you will! Increase your knowledge so you can be the one to answer the questions. If someone comes to you, keep in touch with them.
Remember it isn't just about the benefit of knowing your religion and following through on commitments to others, but potentially you could influence someone's faith.

Trust in Allah... Allah knows best. Alhumdulillah I am constantly being reminded of this.
لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mashallah. I have firm believe that you will not be lost as you stick to Quraan and Hadith. As the Prophet Peace be Upon Him said in his last sermon that I am leaving among you two things "words of Allah (Quraan) and my Sunnah". Who ever will stick to them will never be lost.
Quraan is guidance for mankind for ever. Its the glory of Quraan that whenever you read and need guidance in a certain matter/aspect of life you will find it right there.
Visit "www.answering-christianity.com/women.htm" which states "Women in Christianity and Islam" a knowledge which every muslim and mulima must have for their own benefit and to convince Christians.
May Allah bless you for the sincere efforts of inspiring muslims to save humans from Hell fire. A muslim should feel grieved as you felt on the death of a fellow human as the nonbelivers may say to Allah on the day of judgement that no muslim came to me to tell your message and save me from hell fire. We will be held accountable of not fulfilling our duty bestowed by Allah and his Prophet. Prophet Muhammad PUH said (Convey even you know only one verse). (Convey my message to those who are not here (in Urfat)- Last sermon of Prophet PUH).

may14muslima said...

Wa Asalam Alakium Brother,
Thank your for passing along the website. Many of the things written on that site were verses and scripture from the Bible that I am familiar with. Alhumdulillah the fact that I have a Christian background will help me to show Christians what their relgion says about women and other areas in faith. It is always something that blows my mind-- When Christians come and tell me about how women in Islam are "forced" to act but they don't know what the Bible says about women in Christianity. One day at a time... one person at a time inshallah.

May Allah give me the strength and ability to learn the Qur'an and Hadith with great dedication and focus. Thank you for motivating me to be as dedicated to both of them as I can.
Inshallah we (and other Muslims) will be strong and courageous in our faith so those who desire to seek Islam find it.
May Allah have mercy on us for our shortcomings.

Anonymous said...

As Salamalaikum sis,
I had a similar experience where someone I knew died in such a severe state of sin that it scared me to such an extent that I was walking around for days not knowing where my eman was, but then I was reminded of the ayah in the Qu'ran, to Allah we belong and to Him we return. Allah swt knows His creatures better than you or me, He has more mercy for them than you or me and He knows best how to deal with His creatures, and I trust that whatever He does will be in perfect justice, because He's told us that He is Just. Alhamdulillah, when ever you feel like your falling, make dua and He'll rescue you inshaAllah, and I say that from experience sis.

Someone told me once that if Allah swt tells you to go to the hellfire, thats exactly what you do, because He knows best and we obey Him. Some things become clearer as eman grows, theres alot that I never understood a year ago which i'm in complete peace with right now, so it's about having patience with yourself also, the Qu'ran came stage by stage, and thats best how we understand Alhamdulillah.

All the best sis, I hope we meet in Jannah inshaAllah.
Masalam