Cartoons and Duas

Yes two entries today..you lucky people...

Im pretty sure all of u have been aware of the cartoon fiasco that's been going on, and im sure ( i hope...) that most of you agree that whats been going on in terms of the Muslim response has, unfortunately again, fallen short of what was required. much like what happened with the Salman rushdie affair, a potential event which could have been used to show the True manner in which Muslims deal with contentious issues and potentially be used as a source of da'wah has been sabotaged by hotheaded Muslims around the world calling for danes to be killed and going round burning embassies. Initially i think our protest started off well as we were hitting the west where they hurt the most - their pocket. I read that the danish company Arla was losing 1m pounds per day - its this sort of almost passive objection which requires little effort on the part of the Muslims which creates the biggest reaction from the purportrators - we all know that in many countries large companies hold a lot of power over their respective governments/people, so if we can get to them like this, then our objection will be effective.

But what good will burning down their embassy do? Ok, it'll create jobs for a few Syrian and Lebanese builders in the following months when these embassies are rebuilt, and what though? again it seems the Muslim community worldwide has missed a chance to use a much publicised event to their advantage and instead again further reiterated the stereotypical view of Muslims - that we resort to violence and carnage as soon as we're forced out of our comfort zones and challenged. Its sad.

To end this rather gloomy entry on a higher note, two dua's (prayers), the first being from the book "Desire for the Aa-khirah" by Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanvi and the second being an invocation of Uwais al-Qarni:


اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ حُبَّكَ أَحَبَّ الْأَشْيَاءِ إِلَيَّ ، وَاجْعَلْ خَشْيَتَكَ أَخْوَفَ الْأَشْيَاءِ عِنْدِيْ ، وَقْطَعْ عَنِّيْ حَاجَاتِ الدُّنْيَا بِشَّوْقِ إِلَي لِقَا ئِكَ ، وَإِذَا أَقْرَرْتَ أَعْيُنَ اَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا مِنْ دُنْيَاهُمْ ، فَقْرِرْ عَيْنِيْ مِنْ عِبَادَتِكَ

"O Allaah, make my love for You the most beloved thing to me, and my fear for You the most fearful thing to me, and remove from me all worldly needs and wants by instilling a passion for meeting You, and when You have given the people of the world the pleasures of their world, make the coolness of my eyes (pleasure) in worshipping You"



اللهم خلقتني ولم أك شيئا مذكورا، ورزقتني ولم أملك شيئا،وظلمت نفسي وارتكبت المعاصي وأنا مقرّ بذنبي، إن غفرت لي فلا ينقص من ملكك،وإن تعذبني فلا يزيد في سلطانك، وإنك تجد من تعذبه غيري وأنا لا أجد من يغفر لي إلا أنت،إنك أنت أرحم الراحمين.

"O Allah, You created me when I was not worthy of mention;And You provided for me when I had nothing;And I wronged my soul and sinned, and I confess my guilt.If You forgive me, that will in no way diminish Your sovereignty;And if You punish me, that will in no way augment Your authority.You can find others to punish besides me,But I can find no one to forgive me but You.Truly, You are the most merciful of those who show mercy."

Salaam