SNMC Newsletter

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we have been doing for several years with your help, InshaAllah SNMC will be again sponsoring Iftar for Carleton University students on June 6, 2018.

We request you all to donate a tray or two of favorite food of your choice. The food must be packed in disposable Aluminium trays and delivered at SNMC men’s lobby at 6.30 P.M. on June 6.

Please join in getting ajar from this great cause and feeding young students who are observing fasting.

 We thank you all for your participation.

SNMC Vision: Multi-Ethnic, Multi Fiqh, Diverse and Inclusive

During early stages of SNMC between 1998-2006, members of the SNMC community used to visit houses to invite Muslims (a) to come to Jockvale musallah, (b) to support SNMC to be diverse and inclusive. Thus SNMC becomes a be multi fiqh and multi ethnic place. Gradually brothers and sisters started joining the circle in Jockvale Musalla.

SNMC is still working to provide opportunities to help resolve social, family and youth issues as well as spiritual, education issues as a diverse and inclusive community.

SNMC Heritage: Achievements of Prophet Muhamed (PBUH)

• Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, was the foremost practitioner of all forms of Islamic worship, and the most God-conscious Muslim. He perfectly observed all details of worship, even when in danger. He never imitated anyone, and perfectly combined the beginning and end of spiritual evolution. He is unparalleled in prayer and knowledge of God. In his supplications and prayers, he describes his Lord with such a degree of Divine knowledge that all no Muslim has ever attained a similar degree of knowledge and description of God.
• His faith was so extraordinarily strong, certain, miraculous, elevated, and enlightened that no contemporary prevalent (and opposed) idea, belief, philosophy, or teaching ever caused him to doubt or hesitate. Moreover, all saintly people of all times, primarily his Companions, benefited from his faith, which they admit to being of the highest degree.
• .History confirms that all sacred attributes, miracles, and functions indicating the truthfulness and Messenger ship of Prophets, peace be upon them all, are found in Muhammad to the highest degree. Prophets predicted his coming by giving good tidings of him in the Torah, the Gospels, the Psalms, and other Scriptures (known as “Pages” in the Qur’an). Through their missions and miracles, they affirmed and “sealed” the mission of Muhammad, the foremost and most perfect Prophet.

• Millions of saints attained truth and perfection, performed miracles, gained insight into the reality of things, and made spiritual discoveries by following the Prophet’s example, upon him be peace and blessings..
• Millions of scholars of purity, meticulous scholars of truthfulness, and believing sages have reached the highest station of learning through the sacred truths brought by this unlettered man. The very number of those who attribute their success to the truth brought by him prove and affirm the Oneness of God, the foundation of his mission, and the truthfulness of the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, the greatest teacher and supreme master.
• His family and Companions, whose insight, wisdom, and spiritual accomplishment make them the most renowned, respected, celebrated, pious, and intelligent people after the Prophets, declared that he was the most truthful, elevated, and honest person. This was their conclusion after having examined and scrutinized all of his thoughts and states, whether hidden or open, with the utmost attention to detail.

• He displayed such steadfastness, firmness, and courage while preaching and calling people to the truth that no hostility from the contemporary big powers and great religions, or of his own people, tribe, and uncle, ever caused him to hesitate or feel anxiety or fear. He successfully challenged the world, and made Islam triumphant over all other religions and systems.
• The unlettered man, who had never set foot in a school for military or civil affairs, or for the law or science, presented a religion and law that, when followed, ensure happiness in both worlds. People of all times listen to his words. He easily solves all social, political, and economic problems, and establishes such perfect rules that they leave permanent imprints everywhere. A great part of his life is spent on the battlefield, where he functions as the strongest commander of all times. His behavior shows him as the best husband, the most eminent and yet most compassionate father, and the most amiable and loyal friend. He does all this in so short a time as 23 years.
•  Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, as an educator, had such a comprehensive knowledge of his people that he educated them in such a way that they transformed themselves willingly to realize his cause. Knowing how to act in every situation, his decisions never had to be changed or his appointments to office rescinded. He succeeded in bringing the most refined, well-mannered, and civilized society out of an extremely backward, uncivilized, and rough people.
• He eradicated his people’s savage customs and immoral qualities to which they were addicted, he also equipped and adorned these same desperate, wild, and unyielding peoples with all praiseworthy virtues and made them the world’s teachers and masters, even of civilized nations. His domination was not outward; rather, he was the beloved of hearts, the teacher of minds, the trainer of souls, and the ruler of spirits.

• Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, quickly removed many ingrained bad habits with little effort, and replaced them with good habits in such a way that they became inherent in his people’s very being.

• The Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, met all of his detractors with a smile. When the Quraishi leaders told Abu Talib to make his nephew abandon his mission, the Prophet answered:

O uncle! Should they place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, so as to make me renounce this mission, I shall not do so. I will never give it up; either it will please God to make it triumph or I shall perish in the attempt.

On another occasion, a deputation of the Quraishi elite offered him all the worldly glory they could imagine if he would abandon his mission:

If you want wealth, we will amass for you as much as you wish; if you aspire to win honor and power, we are prepared to swear allegiance to you as our overlord and king; if you have a fancy for beauty, you shall have the hand of the most beautiful maiden of your own choice. He responded: I want neither wealth nor power. God has commissioned me as a warner to humanity. I deliver His Message to you. Should you accept it, you shall have felicity in this life and eternal bliss in the life Hereafter. Should you reject the Word of God, surely God will decide between you and me.

The faith, perseverance, and resolution with which he carried his mission to ultimate success prove the supreme truth of his cause. Had there been the slightest doubt or uncertainty in his heart, he could not have withstood the opposition that continued for 21 long years.

• After 40 years of a completely apolitical life, he suddenly appeared on the world stage as such a great political reformer and statesman that, without any media or mass communications, he united the scattered inhabitants of Arabia’s deserts. From being tribes of warlike, ignorant, unruly, and uncultured people, he raised a nation under one banner, law, religion, culture, civilization, and form of government.
• Most leaders promise power, wealth, position, or a bright future; Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, conquered minds and hearts and promised his followers God’s pleasure and Paradise. His followers sacrificed themselves willingly and preferred poverty and God’s pleasure and Paradise. He set the example in his own family, always preparing them and his Companions for eternal peace and permanent bliss, and displaying it to them in his own life.

His daughter Fatima, his most beloved family member, once came to him wearing a necklace. The Prophet asked: “Do you want people—here and in the heavens—to say that my daughter wears a chain from Hell?” These words were enough for her, for they were coming from the mouth of one whose throne was established in people’s hearts and who had conquered their minds. She continues:

I immediately sold the necklace, bought a slave and emancipated him, and then went to the Messenger of God. When I told him what I had done, he rejoiced. He opened his hands and thanked God, saying: “All thanks to God, Who protected (my daughter) Fatima from Hell.”

• Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, answered innumerable questions from the polytheists, Jews, and Christians of his time on such widely divergent issues as religion, history, metaphysics, astronomy, medicine, and so on. He answered without faltering, and his answers have never been proven wrong.
• Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, brought a law, a religion, a way of life, a code of worship, a way of prayer, a message, and a faith that was (and remains) unique. The law this unlettered man brought is matchless in that it has administered, both justly and precisely, one-fifth of humanity for fourteen centuries. The daily practices of Islam, which originated in the Qur’an and his own sayings, precepts, and example, has served for centuries as a peerless guide and authority for billions of people. It has trained and refined their minds and souls, illumined and purified their hearts, and perfected their spirits.

Western intellectuals and statesmen as Lamartine, William Muir, Edward Gibbon, John Davenport, L. A. Sedillo, Goethe, P. Bayle, Stanley Lane-Poole, A. J. Arberry, Thomas Carlyle, Rosenthal, Elisee Reclus, Andrew Miller, Bismarck, Leopold Weis, Marmaduke Pickthall, Martin Lings, and Roger Garaudy have admitted that he is the greatest person ever to have lived. Some of them even embraced Islam.

Forgive and Forget, Move forward with a Clean Slate, Dr. Emdad Khan

We Human beings make mistakes in life and unknowingly commits sins. So seeking forgiveness is critical and Allah is Merciful and Forgiving. Two kinds of forgiveness: Allah’s forgiveness and human forgiveness. We need, as we mistake in our relations to Allah as well as our relations to each other. What is needed is to recognize the mistake/sin, rectify it and seek forgiveness.

قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ (٢٣) سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

Adam/Hawa: They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.” (7.23)

وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَـٰضِبً۬ا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى ڪُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٨٧) سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاءya

Prophet YOUNIS: And (remember) Dhunnun (the man of the fish, namely Yunus (A.S)), when he walked away in anger and thought that We would never put him to trouble. Then, he called (Us) in depths of darkness saying, “There is no god but You. Pure are You. Indeed I was among the wrongdoers”. (21.87)

۞ قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (٥٣) سُوۡرَةُ الزُّمَرh Az-Zumar

Say (on My behalf), “O servants of Mine who have acted recklessly against their own selves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Surely, Allah will forgive all sins. Surely, He is the One who is the Most-Forgiving, the Very-Merciful. (39.53)         

Forgive, Forget and Move forward: parents, relative, everyone and ourselves

Four people, we need to forgive if we are serious about changing our life and learning how to live in the now.

1. A) first, our parents (father, mother, father in law & mother in law), living or dead.

We must forgive them for every mistake they made in bringing us up. At least, we should be grateful to them for giving us life. If we are happy to be alive, we can forgive them. No complaint.

Often this simple act of courage will have a profound effect on our relationship with mother or father. From that day onward, we will become good friends, which last the rest of our lives

By not forgiving our parents, we remain a child and see ourselves as victims and keep our negative feelings and anger alive. If our parents die without us having forgiven them, it can bother us for the rest of our life. Holding on to anger is like drinking poison: Let us forgive and bring Happiness in our life, fill lighter

1. b) CLOSE RELATIVES

Second, forgive relation from our marriages or blood. These relationships can be intense, and thrand threatening feelings of self-esteem and self-worth, that we may be angry and unforgiving toward those people for years.

But we were at least partially responsible say , “I am  also responsible,” and then forgive the other person and let him or her go. Say the words, “I forgive him/her for everything and I wish him/her well.” Each time we repeat this, the negative emotion attached to the memory will diminish. Soon it will be gone forever.

TO LET GO by writing a letter: forgive and seek forgiveness

Writing “the letter” in putting a bad relationship behind, a powerful way to free us from feelings of anger and resentment. The letter of forgiveness with three parts.

• First say, “I forgive you for everything you ever did that hurt me and also I seek your forgiveness.”

-Second, list things that we are still angry about.  -Third, end the letter, “I wish you best.”

– Post the letter to the mailbox. We will feel a huge sense of relief, and feel free.

No worry about the other party reaction, goal is the to free ourselves, to regain peace of mind,

1. c) Forgive every one: CLEAR OUR SLATE AND MOVE FORWARD

-Third, forgive is everyone else who has ever hurt us in any way.

Forgive every boss, business partner, friend, neighbours, who has ever caused us the grief of any kind. Clean the slate and forgive to forget. Wipe each of their names and images off by saying, “I forgive him/her for everything, and I wish him/her well.” Repeat this statement each time we think of the person or situation until the negative feelings are gone.

1. d) Be FREE by forgivng ourselves

Fourth, forgive is ourselves for every senseless, wicked, thoughtless or cruel thing we have ever done or said. Stop carrying these past mistakes around with us.

Think, we did those things in the past, we were not the person we are today. At that time, we were different persons, younger and less experienced, occurred in the past that we cannot change.

Just say, “I forgive myself for every mistake I ever made and I am going to have a enjoyable beautiful future.” Whenever we think of that event or situation, just repeat, “I forgive myself completely. Focus on the future rather than the past, we cannot undo past and don’t look back

Finally, if we did hurt someone, we can go to that person, or write, and apologize. Tell, we are sorry for what we did or said. Whatever his or her reaction, it doesn’t matter. Act of repentance and regret, will set us free.

http://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/how-to-let-go-and-live-in-the-now/

Wiping the Slate Clean After Making a Mistake

We made mistakes and wrong. How we handle is 90%, event only 10%.  Take steps to repair the damage, wipe the slate clean and move on.

1. Acknowledge what we did was wrong. Without this acknowledgement, our heart isn’t going to be in any other step.
2. Accept responsibility for our actions. Recognize and accept  we made mistake, by  weakness, premeditation, or being neglectful
3. Apologize to those affected. A simple, heartfelt “I’m sorry” can go a long way towards mending a broken fence.
4. Make amends. a kid, stealing a candy bar— return or pay for it. Some things are easier to restore. Some are difficult to restore or amends, but will be more rewarding.
5. Ask forgiveness. Asking forgiveness can help the relationship to heal.
6. Adjust our approach. From the mistakes, what we learned ?  What changes we need and What we will do differently so that it doesn’t happen again?
7. Seek assistance. Sometimes, we need help from  a coach to a therapist/imam or checking into rehab.
8. Try again.  made a mistake. Don’t shy away from trying again. We now have experience.
9. Forgive ourselves of guilt. Everyone have forgiven us and forgotten about it, but we’re still thinking. Focus on what we learned and move on. The sooner we forgive ourselves the better we will  feel.

Conclusions:

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡہَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡ‌ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَا‌ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرً۬ا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَا‌ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ‌ۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآ‌ۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَٮٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡڪَـٰفِرِينَ (٢٨٦) سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَةAl-Baqara

Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets the reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. “Our Lord! Account us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us ; our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have the strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maulâ (Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” (2.286)

We seek forgiveness for our shortcomings from a) our parents, b) our relatives, c)  neighbours, coworkers, SNMC and CBET  community members, and d) from ourselves

God Almighty describes Ramadan as follows:

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْر ِ

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
Almighty Allah says in the Qur’an regarding the Night of Power:
“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’an) down in the Night of Qadr (power or decree). And what will make you know what the Night of Qadr is? This night of Qadr is better then a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better then worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). {Al Qadr 1-3}

Forgive and Seek Forgiveness from Parents, Relatives, Neighbours, Coworkers, Community Members, and ourselves to start with a clean slate!