Sk Arshad Gamiet’s point was not to criticise anybody or organization but to warn us about the consequences of beeing heedless to our new muslim brothers and sisters. I live in America; once a brother accepted Islam and after congratulting him the imam said “now it is your resposibility to teach him, take care of him , ect”. Just think about it, every body will think it is some one else’s responsibility and that’s why we loose these brothers and sisters. In my city of more than 15000 muslims there is no concrete program to help and teach these people. I was surprised that one new muslim brother was going to an Isamic center for one year at least once a week attending a so called class for the new muslims and he does not even know how to pray. You will be even more surprised that he would take a taxi to get to this center every Friday when he lives very close to another Masjid and they never told him about any other Masjid in the city. One more shocking reality he told my friend( who is active in Dawa), that he was told by these muslims whom he was accompanying for about a year, that he is not obiliged to fast as a new Muslim. Brothers don’t be surprised by 40 % losses among the reverts, we are probably loosing the same percentage of youth born in muslim families. you may be blessed where you are but please get out side the box and see for your selves. If we don’t act right I’m afraid Allah will hold us accountable for this. I ask Allah to help us spread his Deen like the Anbiya did and to forgive us of our short commings

Celebrations in commemoration of the birth (Al-Mawlid) of Prophet Muhammad, whom Allah sent as mercy, by way of reciting the Qur’an and by way of remembering the honourable traits and characteristics of the Prophet is a blessed matter of immense goodness, as long as the celebrations do not immerse in any types of hideous innovations which our Religion rejects.

Moreover, it should be made clear that the act of passing rules in Religion for new matters that appear in life is the function of the top Scholars of Islam (Mujtahid in) such as Imam M alik, Ash-Sh afi`iyy, Ab u Han ifah and A hmad Ibn Hanbal may Allah be pleased with them and with all the righteous Salaf. It is not the job of any person that has authored a small book or even large volumes to take on the role of the Imams of the Salaf and Khalaf in ruling religious edicts without referring back to the scholars, whose knowledge has been witnessed to by many.

The person that renders unlawful the recitation of the Qur’an or the joining in rememberance of the honourable characterists of the Prophet on the day of his birth with the excuse that the Prophet did not do it, is responded to with the following questions: ‘Do you object to the presence of Ma har ib (prayer niches) in the Mosques believing that it is an innovation of misguidance?!’, or ‘Do you reject the assembling of the chapters of the Holy Qur’an (Suwar) in the present order and the putting of the dots under and above some of its Arabic letters with the excuse that the Prophet did not do it?!’ If you illegitimatise this then you are imposing constraints, that Allah has relieved us from, on all innovations and acts of goodness that did not prevail in the time of the Prophet.

Imam Muslim related in in his Sa hi h that Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said what means: “The one who innovates a good innovation in Islam receives its reward and a reward similar to that of all those who practice with it after him ­­without any lessening in their reward”. Our righteous leader Imam `Umar ibn Al-Kha ttab, may Allah be pleased with him, said after he gathered the people to be lead by one Imam during the Tarawih prayer: “Praised is this innovation” (related by Imam Bukhariyy in his Sahih).

Imam Ash-Shafi`iyy concluded from this that “Innovations in matters of Religion are classified into two categories: First, innovations that conflict with the Qur’an or the Sunnah (methodology of the Prophet) or an ‘Athar (saying of the Prophet or the companions) or the consensus of the Islamic scholars are classified as innovations of misguidance. Second, what has been innovated in goodness and does not conflict with any of the aforementioned is an innovation which is not dispraised” (related by Al- Hafidh Al-Bayha qiyy in his book Manaqib Ash-Sh afi`iyy pp. 469).

For those who wish, they can look at what Al- Hafidh Ibn Hajar Al-`As qal aniyy, may Allah be pleased with him, said in that: “The celebrations of the honourable birth of the Prophet is an innovation of goodness”. The judgement of those who say that such a celebration is a dissallowed innovation is an invalid judgement for the above mentioned reasons and proofs. Also, their saying contradicts the fatwa given by the scholars and Imams whose knowledge is witnessed to by many, and whose fatwas is valid, such as Al-Hafi dhibn Di hyah, Al- Hafi dh Al-`Iraqiyy, Al- Hafi dh As-Sakh awiyy, Al- Hafidh As- Suyutiyy, Shaykh ibn Hajar Al-Haytamiyy, Shaykh Muhammad Bikh it Al-Muti`iyy the former Mufti of Egypt and Shaykh Mustafa Naj a the former Mufti of Beirut. No validity or weight is given to the words of those who contradict these scholars, because they are not Mujtahids. Validity is given to the words of those who are in agreement with the statements of the considerable scholars of Islam. Furthermore, in Islam, the ruling on affairs is that it’s allowable so long as there is no Islamic disallowance or prohibition.

The Religion of Allah facilitates life and does not hinder it, and Allah is the One that Guides to the path of integrity and uprightness. Lastly our supplication to Allah is to unite us on spreading goodness and to bestow upon us the blessings of Prophet Muhammad.

ABU2RAB

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Jazakallah for the great khutbah.
Now I understand more the meaning of Hajj.
Brothers, do you mind if I use this khutbah text for my khutbah jum’ah?

Regards,
Abdullah

Adam was all alone. He didn’t have parents and he didn’t have children. He did not even have a brother or a sister to talk to. Adam was all alone. He didn’t even have a friend to play games with. Adam was lonely, and he was unhappy.

God said to Adam, “It is not good for you to be alone. But now you are free to do whatever you want to do. When you are alone you don’t have to share things with others. You don’t have to stop talking and just listen when someone else needs to talk to you. You don’t have to help when others need help. You don’t have to care about how someone else feels. If you had a sister or a brother or a good friend, you would have to do all these things and many more.”

“I don’t like being lonely” said Adam, “ I have lots of things for fun and games but I get bored with them after a while. I have several pet animals, but even having animals is not good enough for me. I still feel lonely and all alone. I need someone who is like me but at the same time is different. I need a partner. Someone to stand by my side and be my best friend. I need someone I can take care of, and who will care for me.”

“I know just what you need.” said God, “What you need is a help mate. A person with a different personality, who can grow together with you in love, and help you become a vice regent for God. I am going to form her right out of your side, so she will stand side by side with you as your equal partner, your help mate. The two of you will be like one pair of hands. You know, one hand cannot wash itself. But two hands can always wash each other. You will have to be responsible for and to each other. You will no longer be independent. You will not be free to do whatever you want anymore. You will have to think about another person’s feelings. You will have to think less about your self and more about another. I will give you a blessing to help you become a couple.”

God looked down and saw that Adam had fallen into a deep sleep. God hoped that when Adam awoke he would remember all that God had told him. Even if Adam and all his descendants didn’t always become the loving responsible help mates that God wanted them to be, God thought they would be become better by trying. And those who were fully responsible partners and help mates would become God’s blessing for each other.

A HELP MATE BY YOUR SIDE
RABBI ALLEN S MALLER

Adam was all alone. He didn’t have parents and he didn’t have children. He did not even have a brother or a sister to talk to. Adam was all alone. He didn’t even have a friend to play games with. Adam was lonely, and he was unhappy.

God said to Adam, “It is not good for you to be alone. But now you are free to do whatever you want to do. When you are alone you don’t have to share things with others. You don’t have to stop talking and just listen when someone else needs to talk to you. You don’t have to help when others need help. You don’t have to care about how someone else feels. If you had a sister or a brother or a good friend, you would have to do all these things and many more.”

“I don’t like being lonely” said Adam, “ I have lots of things for fun and games but I get bored with them after a while. I have several pet animals, but even having animals is not good enough for me. I still feel lonely and all alone. I need someone who is like me but at the same time is different. I need a partner. Someone to stand by my side and be my best friend. I need someone I can take care of, and who will care for me.”

“I know just what you need.” said God, “What you need is a help mate. A person with a different personality, who can grow together with you in love, and help you become a mensch. I am going to form her right out of your side, so she will stand side by side with you as your equal partner, your help mate. The two of you will be like one pair of hands. You know, one hand cannot wash itself. But two hands can always wash each other. You will have to be responsible for and to each other. You will no longer be independent. You will not be free to do whatever you want anymore. You will have to think about another person’s feelings. You will have to think less about your self and more about another. I will give you a blessing to help you become a couple.”

God looked down and saw that Adam had fallen into a deep sleep. God hoped that when Adam awoke he would remember all that God had told him. Even if Adam and all his descendants didn’t always become the loving responsible help mates that God wanted them to be, God thought they would be become better by trying. And those who were fully responsible partners and help mates would become God’s blessing for each other.

AS-SAMIRI AND THE GOLDEN CALF By Rabbi Allen S. Maller

Everyone was worried that something bad had happened to Moses. He had gone up on the right side of Mount Sinai more than 20 days ago to speak with God. He had not yet returned. Each day when Moses didn’t return more people worried and got more upset. Aaron and Miriam urged people not to worry. Moses would surely return in a few days. The Children of Israel should be patient and faithful. But as the days passed and Moses didn’t return more and more people became scared and afraid. Only a few months ago the Children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt. Now they were free. But when their great leader Moses did not come back from the top of Mount Sinai, many of them feared they had been left all alone in the desert. Without Moses they felt abandoned by God. These fears began to spread to a large number of the Children of Israel. And then it happened.

There was an Egyptian magician named As-Samiri, who along with many other non-Jews had left Egypt with the Jewish people. As-Samiri started telling people that they should make an image of a God to lead them, since no one knew what had happened to that old man Moses. Actually, As-Samiri and a few of his friends had already asked Moses to make an image of a god to lead them, not long after the Children of Israel had safely crossed the sea of Reeds. As-Samiri said, “Oh Moses, make for us a god just as other people have gods”. Moses replied, “You are indeed people given to ignorance… shall I seek a god for you other than the one God, when He has exalted you above all other people.” With these words Moses had silenced As-Samiri, but now with Moses missing, As-Samiri started urging the Children of Israel to force Prophet Aaron, the brother of Moses, to make a statue of a god so they could be safe and secure.

At first, very few people listened to As-Samiri or his friends. But after Moses had been gone for almost 30 days, more people began to agree with him. As-Samiri told people that in addition to the God of Abraham, who no one could see, people need another god that they could see. “In Sumeria where my family came from, and in Egypt where we all lived, there are lots of paintings and statues of many different gods, both big and small. When you see a picture or a statue of a god, you can feel god is very close to you” As-Samiri said.

When Miriam the Prophet, the older sister of Moses and Aaron, heard what the Egyptian magician was saying she objected strongly. “The Ten Commandments forbid the Jewish people to make any statues or paintings of God. The Ten Commandments forbid us to have any God other than the God who freed us from slavery in Egypt. God saved you from your enemy, Pharaoh and his army, and made a covenant with you through Moses, on the right side of Mount Sinai. Don’t even think about making an image of our God, or of any other god. There is no other god, and no one can be associated with the one God.”

One day a large crowd of people, led by As-Samiri and his friends, gathered around Prophet Aaron, and demanded that he either tell them when Moses would return, or make an image for them to revere. At first, Aaron told the Israelites that the delay in Moses’ return was only a test of their trust in God. Aaron could not tell them when Moses would return because he did not know. More than 30 days had passed since Moses went up to the top of Mount Sinai. Aaron would not lie to them. They just had to trust in God. Most of the Israelites accepted this; but this did not reassure the group led by As-Samiri and his friends. Aaron was worried that if he openly refused to make the image, the Children of Israel would split into groups who would fight with each other. That could lead to a civil war, something that must be avoided. If he rebuked them as directly as Miriam the Prophet had, they might rebel and follow the lead of As-Samiri and make a statue, and so disobey both God and His prophets. So Aaron decided to outwit them. He asked the people, “Which god do you want to select for the image?”

One man who had come to Egypt from the distant country of India, said they should make an image of Krishna who was a very handsome young man with blue eyes and blue skin. Another man who had come to Egypt from Greece said they should make an image of Apollo who was the divine son of the God Zeus. Most of the people who had lived all their lives in Egypt wanted an Egyptian God. But when Aaron asked them which of the several dozen Egyptian gods they wanted for their image, they began to argue among themselves. Some wanted to make an image of Bastet the cat Goddess, while others wanted Amon the ram God. Some wanted to worship Osiris the God of the underworld; some wanted his sister the Isis cow. who gave birth to the sacred Apis bull, and was the Goddess of magic and magicians. Others wanted Isis’ son Horus, who appeared as a hawk, and was the ancestor of all the divine Pharaohs.

They argued with each other for several days while Aaron kept hoping that Moses would return. But Moses still didn’t return. As-Samiri said they should worship either the cow Goddess Isis or the cow Goddess Hathor, who was the Goddess of music, dancing, fertility and childbirth. Either could save them from dying in the desert, and if they made a cow idol each Goddess would think it was for her, and both would help them. Some of the Children of Israel were very insecure because Moses had been gone for more than 37 days now, so they decided to follow As-Samiri’s direction.

When they told Aaron they were going to make an image of Isis or Hathor, the cow Goddess, Aaron again tried to stop them by outwitting them. Aaron told them that the image would have to be made out of gold. Since a cow was very big they would need lots of gold. They would have to collect all the gold earrings from all the men, all the women and all the children in the camp, so they would have enough gold to make a statue of a cow. Aaron was sure that most of the people would refuse to give up their gold earrings. And indeed, none of the woman, and very few of the men gave up their gold jewelry. But there were about 3,000 men who offered their gold rings to As-Samiri and his followers.

Two days later a dozen baskets filled with gold rings were brought to Aaron who was surprised and saddened. Now Aaron was trapped by his own words. He asked Miriam the Prophet for advice. She told him to tell the people that there was not enough gold to make a cow. There was not even enough gold to make a calf, or even half a calf. They should make a statue of Bastet, the cat goddess because they did have enough gold to make a cat. Perhaps they would realize how stupid it was to select which God to worship based on how big a statue they were able to make.

Aaron did not want to say this because he knew it would cause a violent division among the Children of Israel, and Moses would accuse him of dividing the people into enemy camps. Also Aaron had no doubt that Moses would return very soon, and when Moses did return he would strongly rebuke As-Samiri and all of the people who supported him. That would be a good lesson for the majority of the Children of Israel who did not want to make the idol. So Aaron told the people they could make a small calf and place it on top of a big stone base, but it would never be a God. It could not hear their prayers nor would the idol teach them how to be better people. Aaron hoped that this would discourage them.

But As-Samiri, the Egyptian magician, told his followers, “I have seen something you are unable to see” and he took a handful of something (they couldn’t see what it was), added it to the gold rings and cast the gold in a fire and formed it as the cow Goddess Isis/Hathor. As-Samiri formed the statue hollow so it would look very big. Then As-Samiri secretly made hundreds of tiny pinholes in a line from its nose down its back to its tail. He could see the tiny holes but no one else could. As-Samiri knew that when the wind blew, the holes in the calf would make a mooing sound, and the people would be very impressed. When the golden calf was done, Aaron felt very sad but he did not give up hope that Moses would soon return. Tomorrow would be 40 days since Moses went up to the top of Mount Sinai. Aaron decided to stall for one more day by saying they would celebrate with the calf the next day.

Early the next morning only three thousand men, less than one out a hundred of all the Children of Israel, came to eat, drink, dance and even worship the golden calf. As the men stood around watching to see what would happen, the wind blew and the calf made a mooing sound. “This is your God O Israel who brought you out of Egypt” shouted As-Samiri. “Bow down and worship Isis and Hathor.”

“Don’t do it!” shouted Aaron and his sister Miriam the Prophet, “This stupid statue is an idol.” Miriam stepped forward and punched the calf right on its nose. The calf split in half.

“Half a calf is better than that dead man Moses,” said As-Samiri. “Moses is never coming back, and his God has abandoned all of you.”

Just then Moses appeared on a cliff above them and told them that God would never abandon those who believe in Him. Sometimes they would have to wait a long time without losing faith, but God would never abandon the children of Abraham. The promise of God lasts much longer than any statue of gold or silver. Their children’s children would read about this calf for more than 120 generations. Long after Isis, Hathor and all the other Gods of Egypt were forgotten, Jews, Christians and Muslims all around the world would read about Moses and the golden calf. They would learn the lesson that faithfulness requires both trust and patience, because God will never abandon those who are faithful to Him.

The high failure rate of this one group should not be extrapolated or generalised. I’m not aware of any reliable figure for new Muslims leaving Islam in the UK or elsewhere. The 40% relates to one Dawah group. But we should take the lesson. Only Allah guides. We should only convey the message in a sincere and truthful way, and try to be a good living example. Leave the rest to Allah.

Salaams

Arshad Gamiet

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