state of jahiliyya.

    As-salaamu alaikum.....

 Reflecting on the life and times of our Rasulallah, gives a since of hope..thingz are messed up and no matter how bad it seems, it could be a whole lot worse. The dunya has always had its share of problems. During the pre-islamic era, Arabia was in a state of jahiliyya not knowing of the consequences for such behavior. Then from amonst them, emerged Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم)  whose life and sayings were in stark contrast to what arabian society had imposed on his fellow meccans. As muslims in this day and age, we are in a position to carry on the same duty of our beloved Holy Messenger. The need is increasingly important with there being so much ignorance in the world today, and it is not just of the perfection of the Islamic way of life, but also about life in general. The revelations from Allah in the form of the Qur’an and the Sunnah needs to be presented so that light will shine in the depths of darkness.

 33:1 Yaaa ayyuhan-Nabiyyut-taqil-llaaha wa laa tuti’il kaafiriina wal-munaafiqiin:’innallaaha kaana ‘Aliiman Hakiimaa.-O Prophet! Fear Allah, and comply not with (the wishes of) the unbelievers and the hypocrites: verily, Allah is The Knowing, The Wise. 

 The mission of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم)  began after a careful period of soul-searching and spiritual evaluation lasting over fifteen years. When the call to prophecy eventually came, there was no turning back. He hesitated for a second, but he did not fail to respond.

33:2 Wattabi’ maa yuuhaaa ‘ilayka mir-Rabbik: ‘innallaha kaana bimaa ta’maluuna khabiiraa. -But follow that which comes to thee by inspiration from thy Lord: for Allah is well acquainted with (all) that ye do. 

  Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم)  was a mature man of forty when he receive the first revelation. It appeared to him as he was contemplating in a cave on Mt. Hira’ above Mecca, where he habitually withdrew. The injustices perpetrated on all levels in the Meccan environment in his days undoubtedly weighed heavily on his mind and caused him a great deal of anguish. The wealthy exploited and took advantage of the poor; the helpless were defenseless against the strong; greed and selfishness were the rule of the day; infanticide was widely practiced by bedouins who lacked adequate means of sustenance, and there were many other evils that prevailed, depriving multitudes of people in Mecca. With so much to contemplate in his mind, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم)  found himself confronted with a crisis, spiritual and social. In his early life he had understood well what poverty and orphanage meant. Now was his chance to do something about both. His sayings of social reform and monotheism went hand and hand. The revelations of belief in the One and only God enjoined with the exercise of mercy and good conduct were necessary components of being muslim. The role of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم)  as a preacher and reformer is very evident in his life and accomplishments. He knew a truly Islamic ummah could only be established through the worship of Allah alone and through laws authorized by divine command.He preached belief in the one God, God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, and the brotherhood of all Arabs in Islam, or "submission" to God’s will.To speak such a radical message in Arabia at this time was to be daring and, judging by the standards of the day, it was a responsibility with risks and many obstacles. Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم)  himself was overwhelmed when he awakened to the realities of the task he was being charged with. Indeed, as the commandments of Allah became manifest in the revelations that were descending upon him, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم)  sought out to show that the whole organization and institutional beliefs of pagan Arabia were not in conformity with the divine will. The voice of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم)  amidst the strong flow of opposition began as a lone voice. Yet he persistently challenged the moral and social norms governing Arabia, and particularly the values and institutional practices of Mecca, the center of Arabia.

33:3 Wa tawakkal ‘alallah: wa kafaa bilaahi Wakiilaa. -And put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.

Our Prophet Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم) is the best of examples. He is the Last Messenger of Allah and has the most outstanding record of achievement known in human history. With this knowledge, even though I know there can't ever be anything remotely close to this..i try to remind myself of the possibilities of service to Allah. this life is an opportunity to serve Allah(Subhanna wa Ta'ala)..and be rewarded beyond imagination..Alhamdulillah, we have the guidelines to perform good deeds on many different levels. One of the main things I stive for mostly is the realization that this material world will come to an end for all of us and everything in it. Not to sound grim..but as muslims we know the reality. All that is left to do is have faith, certainty, and determination to succeed...in this life and the next.fisabilallah.. "We are all Arabs"..... ma'as salaama:)