What if we Choose Islam?!

What if we Choose Islam?!

praise be to allah, peace and blessings be upon the prophet muhammad, his family, companions and followers.

dear reader,

some orientlists, hypocrites and enemies of islam tried to frighten people of islam by spreading what they called "islamophobia" to drive people away from this great religion. thus, many people felt afraid of islam as they think embracing islam and applying allah’s sharia means cutting hands and repressing freedoms. they limited the concept of islam supposing that choosing islam means to stone people and go back to the dark middle ages. they filled the hearts of people with fear claiming that applying islam means banning tourism, shutting down playgrounds and forcing women to wear hijab etc. this is unfair, unjust and untrue. it does not do islam justice at all. accordingly, i want to clarify to people what islam is.

dear brothers and sisters, upon the outbreak of the revolution in our country i looked into many slogans raised by the youth and older generations. they are mostly calling for justice, freedom, security, fighting corruption, equality, raising salaries and economic reform in addition to many great ambitions. when i looked into all this, i saw one word that sums up all these slogans. do you know what this word is?

it is islam!!

yes, i swear by allah, it is islam. it is the law of allah. it is the religion of allah.

if we choose islam, we will fulfill all what we hope for, and even a lot more. let the muslims know, and the whole world that the first fruit of islam is the reformation of life. the first fruit of applying allah’s law is having a wonderful decent life. so, what if we choose islam?!

if we choose islam, we will attain the aspired justice

yes, justice that makes the president of the country an equal to the humblest man in the country. both will be equal to law, if we apply islam.

there will be no abuse of power to oppress people. in a hadith qudsi ([1]) narrated the prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) that allah says: "o my servants, i forbade oppression on myself, so do not oppress each other."

do you know that if we choose islam, anyone would have the right to meet the president to give him his request without banning him by the president’s guards or secretaries? this is the highest example of justice. kindly consider the prophetic hadith by allah’s apostle muhammad (peace be upon him): "whom he allah authorizes over muslim’s matters and he abandons their company, need and poverty, allah will abandon his company, need and poverty on the day of resurrection." subhanallah (glory be to allah), this is justice!!

what if we choose islam to equalizebetween the governor and the governed, the noble and the humble and between the rich and the poor? there will be no misuse of connections or authority to achieve what we deserve. everybody will be equals; the criteria will be efficiency and devotion, not family connections, nepotism or bribes.

here is our beloved prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) setting the foundations of equality. when a noble woman from bani makhzum tribe committed a theft, usamah bin zaid came to the prophet (pbuh) to intercede on her tribe’s behalf to ask the prophet to pardon her from punishment, but the prophet admonished him saying: "o usamah! do you intercede (on their behalf to disregard) one of allah's castigations and punishments!" this is islam.

if we choose islam, there will be no dictatorship or autocracy,but rather counsel and exchange of opinions with leniency, mercy and forbearance. islam is the religion of shura (mutual consultation). allah says about the believers (what means): "and those who have responded to their lord and established prayer and whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves, and from what we have provided them, they spend." (ash-shura: 38). also, almighty allah addresses prophet muhammad (pbuh) in the qur’an saying: "so it was by (some) mercy from allah that you have been lenient with them; and if you had been stern (and) harsh of heart, they would indeed have broken away from round about you. so be clement towards them, and ask forgiveness for them, and take counsel of them in the command. yet when you are resolved, then put your trust in allah; surely allah loves the (ones) trusting (in him)." (al imran: 159) thus, the prophet muhammad (pbuh) consulted his companions of what to do with the captives of badr battle and he followed their advice. he also consulted his wife on the day of hudaybiya and took her advice.

if we choose islam, allah will reform the economy and enrich his servants.islam forbids wasting money and encourages defending it. the prophet muhammad (pbuh) said: "anyone dies while fighting to defend his money is a martyr." islam fights riba ([2]) as it is a sort of oppression. riba is eating the riches of people untruthfully, accepting riba is like fighting a war against allah and his prophet (pbuh). allah says in the qur’an (what means): "and for their taking riba, (usury) and they were already forbidden it, and eating (up) the riches of mankind untruthfully; (literally: with untruth) and we have readied for the disbelievers among them a painful torment." (an-nisa: 161) following the massive global economic crisis, one of the biggest economists said that europe should follow the islamic financial rules precisely to get over the economic crisis by decreasing the interest to 0.0% and set taxes percentage of 2-3%, which is called qard hassan ([3]), namely to pay zakah ([4]) according to islamic teachings.

if we choose islam, rizq (earnings, profits or wealth) will be immense and allah will bless our wealth beyond description. allah says in the qur’an (what means): "and if the population of the towns had believed and been pious, we indeed would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they cried lies, (and) so we took them (away) for what they were earning. (al-aaraf: 96) these blessings of allah made the grain of wheat as big as the kernel of palm dates at the time of umar ibn abdul aziz([5]), on which people wrote as a reminder of justice "this is what was growing at the time of justice".

if we choose islam, corruption will come to an end and the rights will be taken back from oppressors,because islam ordains had al-hirabah ([6]) which means prescribed punishment of cutting the road to rob, steal, ruin or destroy. the qur'an prescribes had ([7]) al-hirabah as: "surely the only recompense of (the ones) who war against allah and his messenger and (diligently) endeavor to do corruption in the earth, is that they should be (all) massacred or crucified, or that their hands and legs should be cut asunder alternately or that they should be exiled from the land. that is a disgrace for them in the present (life), (literally: the lowly "life", i.e., the life of this world) and in the hereafter they will have a tremendous torment."(al-maidah: 33)

thus, the fortunes of egypt will be regained to the needy and poor who are deprived of their rights for decades and decades. the wages and salaries will be raised to provide a decent living to egyptians.

if we choose islam, our hearts, streets, squares and roads will be clean and organized.

islam teaches us that cleaning the road and removing any harm on the way is a rewarded act. the prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "removing any harm from the road is charity (that will be rewarded by allah)." [bukhari and muslim] the ruler would have felt the responsibility of paving the road to people and transportation, he would have feared the day when he faces allah that he asks him why he did not prepare and pave roads for his citizens.

if we choose islam, we would have social solidarity:

zakah (poor-due or obligatory charity) is one of the five pillars of islam. it is taken from the rich to be given to the poor to have a decent life; it is not like taxes which corrupt rulers take for themselves. it is direct money or help from the rich to the poor, the ones who deserve help. charity and alms are encouraged by islam as they are highly rewarded by almighty allah in the present life and in the hereafter.

islam also encourages people to sponsor orphans. who sponsors an orphan will be the companion of the prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) in paradise.

social solidarity is also symbolized in the hadith by prophet muhammad (pbuh) in which he said: "one who has an extra camel (transport), should give it to the one who has no camel (transport); one who has two persons’ food, should take a third (as his guest), and if it is for four, he should take fifth or sixth person (as his guest)."

if we choose islam, households and families would be reformed.

the child is commanded to be kind to his parents, while the parents are ordered to take care of their offspring.

islam protects honors and lineages, so fornication is forbidden.

it facilitates marriage and permits polygamy to shut every door that might lead to an illicit act.

if we choose islam, all details of life would fall into place,we will do everything the right way, even the smallest details such as eating, drinking, sexual intercourse between spouses and even going to the bathroom.

if we choose islam… freedom will be attained…yes, to all who seek freedom, it can be achieved in the society by following islam. islam taught umar ibn al-khatab to utter his famous saying to amr ibn al-ass: "since when have you enslaved people while their mothers have born them free." if you live as a true muslim you will not be a slave to money, wife, president, a king or whatever… you will be liberated of all theses. you will be a slave to the one and only creator, almighty allah. indeed, this is absolute freedom.

if we choose islam, the whole society will be reformed

the person will feed his neighbor because it is a rewarded act. the owner of the house will be kind and generous with his guests, even the foreigner, guest or traveler will be able to eat, drink and rest because these are his rights according to the teachings of islam.

if we choose islam, we will regain our ethics taken from us by the west and the east.there will be no more lying, as lying is forbidden by islam. we will just enjoy honesty, forbearance as there will be no foul language, libel or defamation among people. kindness and friendliness will spread in society. no more running from responsibility, but rather neatness and perfection in accomplishing work.

if we choose islam, we will be the scholars of the whole world,as we once were. development, creativity and innovation will prevail. no wonder that the first word in the qur’an revealed to the prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) is "read". yes, the call to islam is based on knowledge.

if we choose islam, everybody will be happy including animals.

kindness towards animals will not need an entity or institution to follow up on people, because it is one of the morals in our religion, namely kindness with animals. a sip of water given to a dog out of mercy can get you to paradise. some food given to a cat can be the reason for allah to forgive all your sins. this is islam.

if we choose islam… we will achieve the balance between the soul and the body,between life and religion. islam teaches that "the lord has a right on you," but at the same time it also teaches that "your soul has a right on you; and your family has a right on you; so you should give the rights of all those who have a right on you)."

if we choose islam, security and safety will be enjoyed by everybody.

almighty allah says (what means): "the ones who have believed and have not confounded their belief with injustice, to those belong the (true) security, and they are right-guided." (al-anaam: 82)

we will punish criminals, terrorists and those who spread fear among people, as some of the basics of islam are preserving lives, honors and money, just as ensuring the freedom of religion.

if we choose islam…. copts and non-muslims will enjoy security,as we will fight whoever harms them in our homeland. we believe that "to you is your religion, and to me is my religion!" (al-kafirun: 6) we also believe that: "there is no compulsion in the religion." (al-baqarah: 256) the prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "he who kills a non-muslim who keeps a peace treaty with the muslims will not smell the scent of heaven, though its scent can be traced to as far as a march of 40 years." (imam ahmad and al-bukhari in al-jizyah, among others) he (pbuh) also said: "he who harms a non-muslim who keeps a peace treaty with muslims has harmed me, and he who harms me has harmed allah." (at-tabarani in al-awsat with a good chain of transmission)

if we choose islam – we will not violate any treaty or agreement,even with the jews, except if they violate it. almighty allah says in the qur’an (what means): "excepting the ones of the associators (with) whom you covenanted, thereafter they did not fail (literally: diminish anything) you in anything nor backed anyone against you. so complete (literally: perfect (verb) your covenant with them till their (extended) period; surely allah loves the pious." (al-tawbah: 4) this means that part of being pious is fulfilling covenants to non-muslims.

if we choose islam…. we will strive in the cause of allah,not to shed blood, but rather to save blood, regain rights back, promote for the call to islam and fight oppression. one of the amazing facts in islam is that if we catch who fights us as a prisoner of war, we should be good to him and feed him because we will be rewarded if we do so. almighty allah says in the qur’an (what means): "and they give food (literally: feed with food) for the love of him, (or: love of it) to the indigent, (and) the orphan, and the captive. (al-insan: 8)

if we choose islam, women will be happy.the inheritance of women is protected by islam; no transgressor can take from it, not her husband, brother or a relative. her dignity and honor will be kept safe from libel and defamation, the punishment of defaming them is 80 lashes. women should not spend their money to support anyone, but rather she should be supported and given a sum of money even if she doesn’t go out her house. she has the same rights as men: "and they (the women) have (rights) like (the obligations) they are under with beneficence." (al-baqarah: 228) islam teaches us that the best of men are those who are good to their women. the prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "the most perfect man in his faith, among the believers, is the one whose behavior is the most excellent; and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives."

if we choose islam…

• we will be in contact with allah five times a day through the five prayers without tiredness. who cannot pray standing, can pray sitting or even lying in bed.
• we will feel for the poor, needy and those suffering hunger by fasting in ramadan. if we can’t fast, then we can compensate the days we didn’t fast by fasting other days when we are healthy.
• we will go to makkah for hajj and who can’t perform hajj, then he is free from the obligation.

acts of worship and commands of islam are not difficult, and if you can’t perform them for some reasons such as illness then you are not obligated. allah says in the qur’an (what means): "and strive for allah as is the true striving for him. he is (the one) who has selected you, and in no way has (he) made for you (any) restriction in the religion." (al-hajj: 78) also, he says: "allah wills for you ease, and he does not will difficulty for you." (al-baqarah: 185)

finally, i will conclude that this nation will not be reformed except by following the religion of islam.

(the last generations of this ummah will not be reformed except by following what reformed their first generation), namely islam. islam and applying allah’s sharia is not an extra or a praised act, it is a necessary obligation. as almighty allah says: "there is no god worthy of worship but allah," he also says: "decided judgment (belongs to none) except to allah."

i pray to allah to bring this ummah to his law, qur’an and teachings of prophet muhammad (peace be upon him). we ask allah to make them our code. we ask allah to take us closer to his religion. may allah make our rulers the best of us, not the worst of us. may allah reform us, our lives, the rulers and the people. he is capable of all that. he is the excellent supreme patronizer, and the excellent supreme vindicator.

written by/ abdul rahman al sawi

mansoura/ monday 18 rabi' al-awwal, 1432

21 february, 2011

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([1]) the hadith qudsi, or sacred hadith, has a particularly important status because their meaning is entirely from almighty allah while the wording is that of the prophet muhammad (peace be upon him) himself.

([2]) ribba means 'interest'. interest is when an individual gives more money back to the lender than originally borrowed. it is forbidden to take interest in islam. explanation: person a needs a loan - say $ 20. he goes to person b and asks him for it. person b lends him the money but seeks interest at 20% when the person pays him back later. person a agrees and takes the $ 20 from b. a month later person a needs to pay back person b, so he gives him back his money ($20) as well as the interest (20% * $ 20 = $ 4); so in total he gave $ 24 to person b, and person b is $ 4 richer. this is called riba and is not permitted in islam.

([3]) qard hassan is a paid back/repaid or goodwill loan. this is usually in islamic banking for consumer/retail loans.

([4]) zakah is an obligatory islamic tax that is 2.5% of the annual (yearly) sum of all the money a muslim owns. it goes to charity.

([5]) umar ibn abdul aziz: was an umayyad caliph who ruled from 717 to 720. he was also a cousin of the former caliph, being the son of abd al-malik's younger brother, abd al-aziz. he was also a great-grandson of the companion of the prophet muhammad, umar bin al-khattab. he is considered one of the finest rulers in muslim history, second only to the four rightly guided caliphs. in fact, in some circles, he is affectionately referred to as the fifth and the last rightly guided caliph.

([6]) al-hirabah refers to robbery with violence. the penalty varies according to whether the robber has killed or injured the victim or simply robbed or threatens to rob him or her.

([7]) had: ordained or prescribed punishment for violating allah's law.