Saturday, December 31, 2016
Dr. Bilal Philips, founder of IOU, shares his story on finding Islam
Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips is a Jamaican Canadian Islamic Scholar who converted to Islam in the early seventies after journeying politically and intellectually from Christianity to Communism. Shortly after his reversion to Islam, he embarked on a spiritual academic journey to the other side of the world seeking Islamic knowledge. This journey took him to Saudi Arabia where he completed a BA in Islamic studies in Madeenah, and an MA in Islamic Theology in Riyadh, then to the University of Wales, UK, where he completed a PhD in Islamic Theology in the early nineties.
After graduation from Madeenah, Dr Bilal became a teacher of Islamic studies for 10 years in an Islamic High School, Manaret Riyadh, and a lecturer of Arabic and Islamic studies in the American University in Dubai, UAE, for another 10 years. During his 10 years in the UAE, he founded and taught at the Islamic Information Center in Dubai, and during his subsequent 7 years in Qatar he has been an Islamic consultant and lecturer for the Islamic Information wing of Sh. Eed Charity.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Never hide any knowledge for which you will be rewarded with goodness and auspiciousness.
"One day, Death encountered a man and told him:
- Today's your last day.
The man replied:
- But I am not ready!
Death said:
- Your name is at the top of my to-do list for today.
The man said:
- Alright then… before you take me along, let's sit together and have one last cup of coffee.
Death said:
- Of course.
The man offered a cup of coffee to Death; the coffee was laced with some sleeping pills...
Death drank the coffee and soon it was fast asleep...
The man took Death's to-do list, wiped his name from the top and placed it at the bottom of the page.
When Death woke up, it said:
- You've treated me so kindly and with full of love today. I would like to reciprocate you by starting my today's work from the names at the bottom of my list."
- Today's your last day.
The man replied:
- But I am not ready!
Death said:
- Your name is at the top of my to-do list for today.
The man said:
- Alright then… before you take me along, let's sit together and have one last cup of coffee.
Death said:
- Of course.
The man offered a cup of coffee to Death; the coffee was laced with some sleeping pills...
Death drank the coffee and soon it was fast asleep...
The man took Death's to-do list, wiped his name from the top and placed it at the bottom of the page.
When Death woke up, it said:
- You've treated me so kindly and with full of love today. I would like to reciprocate you by starting my today's work from the names at the bottom of my list."
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
The Tourism of My Nation
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The tourism of my nation is Jihad in the Cause of Allah.” [Abu Dawud]
Real tourism, for relaxation and enjoyment with one’s family, is in Jannah. This life is a test that qualifies people for Jannah or Jahannum. Jihad serves the purpose of removing the barriers to the spread of Islam, so that people are free to choose Islam without fear of persecution, and are free to live under the justice and mercy of the Shariah. The Sahabah and generations of Muslims undertook difficult journeys to far away lands, with no guarantee of returning, for this purpose alone.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
An Extraordinary Dream (VII)
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “They said to me, ‘Go on! Go on!’ and we went on until we reached a huge tree and I have never seen any tree bigger or more beautiful than it. They said to me, ‘Climb it.’ We climbed it and came to a city built of gold and silver bricks. We came to the door of the city and asked for it to be opened and it was opened for us and we entered it. We were met by men half of whose physique was the most beautiful you have ever seen and the other half was the ugliest you have ever seen. The two said to them, ‘Go and plunge into that river.’ There was a wide river flowing there whose water was pure white. They went and jumped into it and when they returned to us, that evil had left them and they had the most beautiful form.”
“They said to me, ‘This is the Garden of Eden, and that is your place.’ I raised my eyes upwards and there was a castle like a white cloud. They said to me, ‘This is your place.’ I said to them, ‘May Allah bless you, let me enter it.’ They said, ‘No, not now. But you will enter it.’” [Sahih Bukhari]
“They said to me, ‘This is the Garden of Eden, and that is your place.’ I raised my eyes upwards and there was a castle like a white cloud. They said to me, ‘This is your place.’ I said to them, ‘May Allah bless you, let me enter it.’ They said, ‘No, not now. But you will enter it.’” [Sahih Bukhari]
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Respect...!
Respect is expected by everyone
It brings mutual love and peace
It is always given and then taken
Everybody accepts it irrespectively
None can resist a true respectful act
Respecting one another is way of life
Leading a respectful life is everyone's dream
Expecting respect is a Human Right
Unconditional respect offered is eternal
Respecting God's Creations is respecting God
Respect cannot be bought or bargained
It is a spontaneous flow from the heart
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