Thursday, October 19, 2006

Ramadan

ومالي حيلة إلا رجائي وعفوك إن عفوت وحسن ظنّي

يظن الناس فيّ خيراً وإنّي لشر الناس إن لم تعف عنّي


This post is dedicated to a month in the AH (anno hijri) calender
which is called Ramadan. This month is where the Muslims fast
during the day, from early morning until sunset. Even though the
end of this month is quite near I really thought that I had to talk
about something. I did not have enough time at the start of this
month, and its already the 28th. One or two days left.


Our beloved scholars of the past (السلف الصالح) were waiting for
it for 6 months and were making themselves ready. Its a
cherished month. Indeed, I love it. They asked God to make
them reach it, and when they did nothing stopped them from
praising God. I envy such individuals. If this month passed
they pray God for several months afterwards to accept their
fasting and prayers.


But today is different. Muslims these days are different. I do not
want to critisize any individual, but what we can do is just pray
God to guide them to the straight path, the path to Paradise.


People nowadays seek the easiest way to enter Paradise. But
did they not hear what our prophet Mohammad, Sallah Allah
Alaih Wasallam, said:
"ألا إن سلعة الله غالية ألا إن سلعة الله الجنة"


Paradise is not easy to get into. People have to work hard,
seek knowledge, know their Religion. Islam is a practising
religion. To get good deeds you have to work your best.
I would like to end this post with a poem in Arabic:


يا ذا الذي ما كفاه الذنب في رجبٍ حتى عصا ربّه في شهر شعبانِ

لقد أضلّك شهر الصوم بعدهما فلا تصيّره إذاً شهر عصيانِ

واتل القرآن وسبح فيه مجتهداً فإنّه شهر تسبيحٍ وقرآنِ

كم كنت تعرف ممن صام في سلفٍ من بين أهلٍ وجيرانٍ وإخوانِ

أفناهم الموت واستبقاك بعدهم حيّاً فما أقرب القاصِ من الدانِ


Sadness overcomes a person when Ramadan finishes.
Sadness overcomes a person who did not work hard in
Ramadan. It overcomes me.


May God forgive us and accept our fasting and prayers.
May God let us reach this valued month next year.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

I am Alive

The following writing is one tiny story from my novel, which I mentioned in my first post of this blog. This story is part of the seventh chapter of the second part of the third book of the trilogy: "Now Disclosed Was Concealed". I will let you read it, and don't feel shy to comment :p

***


Lub-dupp, lub-dupp, it was the sound of my heartbeat. I could hear, which meant that my senses were anew back. I was alive once again.


Speechless.

My eyes were still closed wanting to see if I could breath. The smell of autumn leaves falling due to its breeze flowing soothingly refreshing my long dark brown hair and my one-fist tall dark brown beard. I moved my head up towards the sky and felt the pureness of the air and the calmness of the place. My heartbeat faded as I realised that there were birds all around me dancing and singing with such lovely lyrics that I could never understand. Maybe they were not singing, but probably praising God as I was. I was alive.


I sat upright and held my arms onto my knees. I opened my eyes and the sun flashed its gold rays upon me. What a beautiful day it must have been. I admired this beauty. I always dreamt of this scenery for some reason.

When I looked around me I realised that I was lying down on a path, which was only two or three people wide, between grassland, and I could see a windmill, which would most probably be used to grind corn seeds, next to an old house in the midst of this countryside. Amazing, is it not, to live, or even imagining living in such gorgeous places? If this was the life I wonder how it would be like at Heaven in the hereafter. Still gazing at the scenery with my own light brown, watery eyes I doubted that a person would get bored of such marvel.

***

I hope you enjoyed reading it. Don't forget:

All rights reserved Ibn Ummat Al-Qura'an 2006