Ok, for those who have trouble reading all of it.. read just this part. Especially the highlighted areas.
Quote:
Actually, sadness and gloominess will never be the remedy for our tragedies. The remedy needs more than that. It needs reflection and wise thinking, as well as courageous self-criticism and assessment. Actually, rejecting the manifestations of joy, extinguishing every smile and succumbing to sadness and grief have nothing to do with liberating even hand-span of land, satisfying a hungry person, or answering any call for help.
The best guidance is that of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who used to seek refuge in Allah from worry and sorrow. He was always an optimistic, smiling man. We really need to infuse the Ummah with this hopeful spirit. 'Eid is a ray that dispels the darks engulfing our souls and the despair strangling our hearts.
So let hope find its way into our souls. The life-span of Islam is far longer than ours; its horizons are far wider than our countries; the calamities afflicting us are not unchangeable fate. Let's remember that in the Battle of Al-Khandaq (the Trench), Muslims were tightly besieged in Madinah and they experienced a very critical time; yet, a few years later, they victoriously entered Makkah, their enemy's stronghold, in one of Islam's most glorious days. Similarly, Baghdad collapsed under the sweeping attacks of the Tartars, but only two centuries later, Muslims took over Constantinople.
We should not be hasty and impatient. Allah's laws in running the universe cannot be altered according to the humans' whims or wishes. Let's look at the bright side and appreciate the favors Allah has bestowed on us. Just reflect on the attitude of the righteous man 'Urwah ibn Az-Zubair: A serious illness afflicted his foot and he had to have it amputated. In addition, one of his sons died in an awful accident. 'Urwah’s response was really amazing: "O Allah, praise and thanks are due to You. Although one of my members was taken, You still kept the others for me; and although one of my sons died, You saved the others." |