One Year Anniversary - Yahoo!

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh...

All praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. As of Yesterday, 26th December 2009, it is now officially one year since a very significant event in my life. An event which has given the result of many great blessings and prosperity in my life.
It's been 1 year since i quit smoking!
Alhamdulillah... and i've honestly never felt better. After years of subjecting my lungs to severe exposure of chemicals and intoxicants, on 26th December 2008, i have made the brave step to break myself free of the shackles of cigarettes and nicotine addiction.

It's amazing that i've come such a long way from where i started. Back in younger days i was quite a heavy smoker, and I couldn't imagine myself spending days without having a cigarette. Pretty much every single milestone in my daily life had to somehow be accompanied with cigarettes.I couldn't leave my house without making sure that i have a pack of cigarettes handy, or at least enough money to go out and buy a new pack if i'd finish my current one. Allahum-Musta'an.. I was so dependent on this stuff that it really made me feel WEAK.

I knew I had to quit. And so it began... months and months of self-conflict and denial. So how did I succeed? It's this amazing thing called Iman. Throughout the process of myself trying to quit, I was (and still am, of course) striving my best to improving myself and becoming a better person. And as the days, the weeks, the months passed by while I was still on cigarettes, I started to feel a spiritually unhealthy feeling inside of me... a disease of the heart inflicting myself. Almost as if I was planting seeds of hypocrisy. I asked myself:

"Do you really think God will allow you to be a good Muslim, whilst you openly, publicly, and slowly kill yourself with that stuff? "
Allah says: "..And He makes good things halaal for them and bad things haraam.." (Al-A’raf 7:157)

What good did smoking ever do to me? Besides having some company with a few friends who did the same? What makes me any different from guys who drink alcohol purely for the excuse of hanging out with other friends who drink, under peer pressure?

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“O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves. Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you.” (An-Nisa’ 4:29)

"And spend in the Cause of Allah, and do not let your own hands throw yourselves into destruction, and persevere in doing acts of good. Truly, Allah loves the righteous good-dooers" (Al-Baqarah 2:195)

Subjecting ourselves to these thousands of chemicals every day, enslaving ourselves to the addiction of nicotine, and spending our wealth in this path of extravagance - are these not ways that we are killing ourselves?

the Prophet (saw) narrated to us in a hadith Qudsy that Allah says "O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit oppression amongst yourselves" (Muslim) Allah has made it unlawful (haram) for us to oppress each other; and one form of oppression that we always blindly overlook is the oppression against our own bodies. Our own bodies are a gift that Allah has bestowed on us; we don't own it, and it is not ours to do as we wish - He has entrusted us to take good care of it so we can use it in the way that pleases Him most.

And He didn't just entrust us with our bodies, we are also been entrusted with the gift of money. Allah says in the Qur'an:
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"… and do not wastefully spend your wealth in the manner of a spendthrift. Those who are extravagant (i.e. spendthrift) are brothers of the Shayatin (the devils), and the Shaitan is ever ungrateful to his Lord." (Al-Israa' 17:26-27)

Spending money towards buying cigarettes - to buy things that we eventually end up burning - is a perfect literal representation of the expression 'burning money'. For what gain? What benefit?
Looking back and reflecting on these teachings granted to us by God, it was impossible for me to see that continued smoking would have some serious detrimental effects to my health, but worse yet, my heart as a Muslim. since we were young, we have been indoctrinated with the thinking that smoking is just makruh - something that is detested by Allah, but is not considered forbidden. What is our attitude with respect to this? Oh it's just makruh, it's okay... so what if Allah hates it?

Think about it - Whenever we find out that our parents don't like something, we try our utmost best to try and avoid it. Whenever our wives hate something, we try our best to please them by avoiding it. But when it's concerning Allah, the Supreme Creator, Nourisher, Sustainer and Lord of all these Creation, we put on the "oh it's okay, it's only makruh. Allah hates it but we're not sinful, so that's cool" attitude.... Allahum-Musta'an. Is this not a sign of a disease of the heart?

Alhamdulillah, Allah has given me the willpower to give it up. And He sent down help to me in the form of a handy little pill called Champix. I won't be having blatant advertisements here, don't worry =). But the effective methods of quitting smoking are out there... you just have to bite the bullet and go for it!

Allahu Akbar!

O Muslim brothers and sisters.. How much longer do we want to fool ourselves into thinking that smoking is not haram? How much longer do we want to close one eye to the disobedience to Allah at the unjustfulness and the oppression that we commit towards our own bodies?

You still need proof that it is haram, you say? Why - so you can find 100 different opinions, and when 99 of them say it is haram, and 1 of them say it is 'okay', you will blatantly choose that 1 opinion, in favor of your own personal preference?

Yes, people around you smoke. Perhaps your own father, perhaps your boss, perhaps your colleagues, perhaps your friends. And you feel 'its okay' because everyone around you is doing it. But God reminds us... stand up for yourself, and do not to simply follow the crowd - use your intelect, and think maturely -

"If you follow the MAJORITY of people on Earth, they will lead you astray. That is because they follow conjecture and fail to think" (Al-An'am 6:116)
"And when it is said to them: "Follow that which Allah has revealed", they say: "Nay, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following)." (Would they do so) even if Syaitan invites them to the torment of the Fire?" (Luqman 31:21)

Let us support each other towards being better people. May Allah make it easy for us to follow His Straight Path, and abstain from sins and things which cause deficiencies in our hearts. Ameen...

Marriage!

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, brothers and sisters,


After all those months of hard work, trials and tribulations, finally., Alhamdulillah, by the uncountable Graces and infinite blessings of Allah upon us, I am now married to my darling wife, Dewi Abdul Rahim Mokti!

The eventful night of the Nikah ceremony on the Friday, 23rd November 2009 signified the beginning of a long and meaningful (insya Allah) life ahead for the both of us, as we departed from the life of bachelorhood into the blessed life of Marriage Life!

Yahoo!!

As I briefly alluded to in my previous post, marriage is an institution which is highly regarded in Islam. So much so that the Prophet (saw) said: "When a servant (of Allah) marries, he has (by that) completed half of his deen (religion & way of life). Let him then fear and revere Allah in regard to the other half" (At-Tabarani, verified to be hasan by Al-Albani)

And if we ponder at the fact that 'deen' is defined as a 'way of life', this hadith indicates that marriage is a means of fulfilling half of a person's life. And why is it not? When one can finally have a partner who you can hold, who can comfort you when you're feeling low, who will be the coolness of your eyes in times of distress? "And among His signs is that He created for you, from yourselves, spouses (wives), that you may dwell (in joy and security) unto them, and He set between you love and mercy; surely in that, are signs for those who reflect" (Ar-Rum 30:21).

Allah beautifully and eloquently captures the wonders of marriage by this short Verse of the Qur'an: "They (your spouses) are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them" (Al-Baqarah 2:187). SubhanAllah! What a beautiful way of describing the bond between a husband and a wife- A garment for each other! Imagine.. the garment is the closest thing to our body. A garment protects us... a garment shields our private parts from the eyes of others... a garmen provides us with comfort. A garment can sometimes even define our personalities!

With this halal methodology of intimacy, marriage also provides the means to guard a person's chastity and his honour. The Prophet (SAW) said in a hadith recorded in Bukhari & Muslim, "O young men! Those among you who can afford marriage, do so! For it helps lower the gaze and guard the private parts (from illegal sexual acts)".

It is unfortunate in the society today that many people no longer see the value of decency, honour and dignity in preserving one's chastity. The modern culture of intermingling has led to many corrupted beliefs, so much so that the Halal is made difficult, and the Haram is made easy. People resort to premarital sex, out of fear of responsibility, or out of fear of poverty or not being able to afford marriage.

Why i'm saying all this, brothers and sisters, is simple: just go get married. Practice your religion the way you should, in accordance to the uncreated Word of God (the Qur'an) and the beautiful teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (the Sunnah), and you will find that marriage is indeed one of the greatest blessings of happiness in life of this world. The Prophet (saw) said, "this life is a temporary enjoyment, and the best of its enjoyments is a righteous wife" (Muslim, Ahmad, An-Nasa'i)

I know I made the right decision, insya Allah. I pray to Allah that this is the beautiful beginning of many great things to come.

Oh, and by the way, I love my wife very very much =)

The last few hours of my Bachelor life

Assalamualaikum warahmatuLlah wabarakatuh

Bismillah, was Solat was-Salam 'ala Rasulillah

Alhamdulillah, by the uncountable Graces of Allah, am now approaching the final couple hours of my bachelorhood. Zero Hour is nigh!

It's a mixed feeling of intense anxiety, excitement, nervousness and... worry

Marriage is an important institution in the life of a Muslim. It is regarded as a highly recommended Sunnah, or in most cases, an obligation upon us. So much so that the Prophet (pbuh) said that "whenever a servant (of Allah) marries, he has (by that) completed half of his religion. Let him then fear and revere Allah in regard to the other half" (At-Tabarani, hasan). Putting things into perspective, when Allah says "And I created not the jinn and mankind (for any) other (purpose) than to worship Me" (Ad-Dzariyat), marriage is regarded as fulfilling half your purpose in your life!!

Provided, of course, if we take it seriously.

Take it seriously? Of course we take it seriously, Faisal!

Not only is this an act of worship, this allowance of us to love each other is in fact one of the uncountable Mercies that He has bestowed upon mankind: "And among His signs, is that He created for you, from yourselves, wives (spouses) that you may dwell (in joy and security) unto them, and He set betwen you love and mercy. Surely, in that are signs for those who reflect" (Ar-Rum 30:21). When we put this into perspective, marriage is, in fact, an act of Worship which is prescribed to us by God Almighty. And just like other acts of worship - e.g. prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage, obviously, Allah has preordained for us a set of rules which we need to abide by, for these deeds to be accepted.

And of course, by the Mercy of ALlah, he sent down to us, the person that will guide us to this Truth, the final Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh). "It is He who has sent among the unlettered, a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His ayat (Quran verses), purifying them, and teaching them the Book and Wisdom - although they previously were in clear deviation" (Al-Jumu'ah 62:2). And so comprehensive are the teachings of this Messenger, that he has described to us every minute detail on how we want a perfect marriage.

And this perfect Guide is the Sunnah of the Prophet. We always take this term for granted, but do we ever think about the testimony of Imam Malik (ra) who said that "The sunnah of the Prophet is like the Ark of Noah - whoever is in it is saved, and whoever does not ride it, will drown".

So we ask the help of Allah to grant us the strength and the ability to be able to have the Marriage ceremony and reception in accordance to the Sunnah of the Prophet, in the way that pleases Him most. May He grant us the greatest treasure of the world, as described by The Prophet : "a heart grateful (to Allah), a tongue extolling (Allah), and a righteous wife who would assist you in the affairs of your life and religion - these are the best treasures for the people" (Al-Bayhaqi, At-Tirmidzi, verified authentic by Al-Albani)


Wish me all the best, brothers and sisters, that we may begin this institution of marriage on the Right Path, and stay on it. We need your du'aa!

BarakAllahu feekum , and i love you all for the sake of Allah

Do you know who this man is?

Peace, blessings and the Mercy of Allah be upon you, O brothers and sisters!

I have recently been spending quite a bit of time reading up on the biography and personality of this one person. A very well known figure, many people know who he is but it seems that there are many aspects of his life which many people don't. It's unfortunate, because if we really study his character - there's a lot we can learn from this guy! See if you can figure out who he is:


He was the undisputed leader, the 'king' of his country during his time. He was also the commander of the nation’s armies. His courage, his succour and his might are distinguishable. He was the most courageous. He witnessed awkward and difficult times and stayed steadfast at enduring himself through them. More than once brave men and daring ones fled away leaving him alone, yet he stood with full composure facing the enemy without turning his back. One of the greatest warriors in his army used to testify that “whenever a fight grew fierce and the eyes of the fighters went red (in fear) as the two armies came face to face, we used to resort to him for help. And yet he was always the closest to the enemy line than all other warriors” (1)

One night the people of his city felt alarmed by some noise. Stricken by fear that they had been disturbed or attacked by some unknown forces, the people went out hurriedly out of their homes towards the source of this noise, but they found that this man, their leader, had already gone ahead of them. He was on his horse, with no saddle over it, and a sword slung around his neck, and bravely said to his people: “There is nothing to fear!” (2)

His stamina, endurance and forgiveness – out of a commanding position – his patience and standing what he detested – these were all talents, attributes and qualities gifted to him. Even wise men have their flaws, but this man, unlike everybody, the more he was hurt or injured, the more clement and patient he became. The more insolence an ignorant person exercised against him, the more enduring he became.

And yet, though he was the king of his nation, the undisputed leader of his lands, and having thousands of followers who would sacrifice their own lives for him, despite of all this – he never failed to uphold the highest of moral standards. By nature he was gentle and kind hearted, always inclined to be gracious and to overlook the faults of others. Politeness and courtesy, compassion and tenderness, simplicity and humility, sympathy and sincerity were some of the keynotes of his character. In the cause of right and justice he could be resolute and severe but more often than not, his severity was tempered with generosity. He had charming manners which won him the affection of his followers and secured their devotion.

He was the most modest and humble and always the first one to cast his eyes down. He forbade people to stand up at his presence as other people usually do for their kings. His companions testified – ‘he was shier than a virgin behind her veil. When he hates a thing, we could immediately tell it from the expressions of his face’ (4). When he got angry his face would go so red that you would think it were 'an infected red skin-spot with pomegranate grains on both cheeks' (5).

He used to visit the poorest of ailing persons and exhorted all his followers to do likewise (6) He would sit with the humblest of persons saying that every man is equal to each other (regardless of race and ancestry); righteousness alone was the criterion of one's superiority over another. He invariably invited people be they slaves, servants or the poorest believers, to partake with him of his scanty meals (7). Being their leader, he never felt inferior to be eating with the slaves and lower class. Loving the poor and the needy; entertaining them or participating in their funerals were things that he consistently observed.

Once he was travelling with his Companions and when it was time to have food prepared, he asked them to slaughter a she-sheep. A man said: I will slaughter it, another one said: I will skin it out. A third said: I will cook it. So he said: “I will collect wood for fire.” Out of respect for their leader, they said “No, we will suffice you that work.” He responded by saying “I know you can do it for me, but I hate to be privileged.” (8) so he went and collected fire-wood.

His cheerfulness was never withdrawn from anyone’s face; even at those whom he warned his people from or those whom he himself was on the alert of. He visited friends and inquired about people’s affairs. He confirmed what was right and criticized the awful and tried to undermine it. He was moderate in all affairs. He was equal to others and was not privileged. He would never act heedlessly, lest the others should get heedless. Each situation was dealt within its proper due.

His followers would examine each and every detail of his actions, and would attempt to imitate and follow them. Whenever he spoke, they all lowered their gaze immediately out of respect for him, and when he instructed or commanded something, his followers would race one another to do it. But whoever served him is served by him too. Utterances of complaints have never been said by him to his servants nor was his servant ever blamed for doing a thing or leaving it undone.

And to his family, he was was an inexhaustible stream of love, warmth, tenderness, sensitivity and emotions. He once told his followers that “the best of you is he whom is best towards his family. And I am the best of you” (9). He was the perfect lover to his family and wives; always playing and joking with them and winning their hearts. He used to express his love for his wife (10) by intending to drink from the same cup she drank from putting his lips on the place from which she drank sending a secret message warming up her heart and feelings.

In spite of his heavy burdens as being the leader of his people, the commander of the army and the moral and intellectual guidance to his followers, he did not forget his duties towards his family by helping them in the housework, valuing the work of his wives. There was no type of household work too low or too undignified for him. His wife testifies saying, "He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, tether, and feed his animals and do the household shopping." (11)

He would not hesitate to do the menial work of others, particularly of orphans and widows (12). Once when there was no male member in the house of the companion who had gone to the battlefield, he used to go to his house daily and milk his cattle for the inhabitants (13).

So, who is this man? Who is this man who, despite his extremely high position amongst his people – as their king, general, teacher and mentor – had an unparallelled level of humility, modesty, cheerfulness and was extremely kind and loving towards his companions and family?

A man, so decent, truthful and honest in speech, to the point that those who have exchanged speech with him, even his enemies, acknowledge this, and gave him the ever-so-famous nickname "the truthful and trustworthy one" (3)

Figured it out yet?

This man is no other than Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib - the final Prophet and Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.

“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a Mercy of all existence (Al’Alamin)” (Al-Anbiya’ 21:107)

“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad s.a.w.) you have a good example to follow, for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much” (Al-Ahzab 31:21)

Allah describes The Prophet’s beautiful conduct as part of His Mery and gifts to mankind;

“And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them with gentleness. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so ignore their faults, and ask (Allah’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs..” (Al-‘Imran 3:159)

"Allah has sent me as an apostle so that I may demonstrate perfection of character, refinement of manners and loftiness of deportment." (Malik, Ahmad)

I won’t comment much further. Just look at the character of this man! SubhanAllah! Have love for this man! Make sure he has a place in your heart; follow his commandments and guidance, and we shall never go wrong!

“Say (O Muhammad, to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Al’Imran 3:31)

All sources quoted from Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) – Biography of the Noble Prophet SAW (eng translation) published by Darussalam, and various online articles under “The Prophet’s Personality” at http://www.rasoulallah.net/

References (as quoted from sources)

1. Ash-Shifa, 1/89; as described by Ali ibn Abi Talib
2. Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, on the authority of Anas ibn Malik
3. Known in Arabic as “As-Sidiq Al-Amin”
4. Sahih Al-Bukhari, narrated from the statement of Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri
5. Mishkat Al-Masabeeh, 1/22
6. Sahih Al-Bukhari
7. Sunan At-Tirmidzi
8. Rasulullah further continues saying “Allah hates to see a slave of his priveleged to others”. Khulasa As-Siyar, p.22
9. Ibn Majah, Tirmidzi and others
10. This statement is referring to A’isyah binti Abi Bakr
11. Sahih Bukhari, Narrated by A’isyah
12. Hadith compiled by Nasa’I & Ad-Darimi
13. Ibn Saad Vol. 6, p 213, referring to his companion Kabab Bin Arat

Bullseye!!

Assalamualaikum! Peace, blessings and the Mercy of Allah be upon you all!

Alhamdulillah... today marks yet another new history and experience in the beautiful life of Faisal Abdul Latif, by the Grace of Allah. Me and my good friend, brother Shafik, joined in the Miri Novice 9 Archery Tournament.

Sure, we only started playing like a couple of months ago - but that didn't stop our burning ambition to put our skillz to the test! And to revive the sunnah of the Prophet of course insya Allah!

Motive also made sweeter, of course, by the fact that, the first prize is a brand new bow. Ain't no one gonna tell me that ain't worth a shot, yo!

Sure, it did feel awkward that me and Shafik were the only participants there with jenggots - not because they shaved, but because they didn't have any in the first place - besides us, pretty much everyone else in the competition were school kids. Haha. But subhanAllah these kids were good... it was a tough fight indeed.

But TabarakAllah.. Alhamdulillah I got 3rd place! nice!! =)

Can anybody spot the 2 dudes with the jenggots?

We picked up this newfound hobby only about 2 months ago, after we met with the Miri Coach who inspired us to join. And we've been pretty much hooked every since. It's a very enjoyable sport, but most importantly what makes it so much more meaningful than mere 'sport' is that it is actually an activity which was encouraged by the greatest man that ever walked the Earth - Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)!

Hadhrat Ibn Umar (ra) narrates that Rasulullah (saws) said: "Teach your sons swimming and archery and teach your daughters sewing" (Baihaqi)

Salamah ibn Al-Akwa` narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by some people of the tribe of Banu Aslam who were practicing archery. The Prophet said, "O children of Ishmael! Practice archery as your father Ishmael was a great archer. Keep on shooting arrows and I am with (the team of) Banu so-and-so." So one of the parties ceased shooting, whereupon the Prophet said, "Why do you not shoot?" They replied, "How should we shoot while you are with them (i.e., on their side)?" On that the Prophet said, "Shoot and I am with all of you" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
`Uqbah also said, "I heard Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, 'Allah will cause three persons to enter Paradise for one arrow: the maker when he has a good intention in making it, the one who shoots it, and the one who hands it. So shoot and ride, but your shooting is dearer to me than your riding. If anyone abandons archery after becoming an adept because of his distaste for it, it is a blessing he has abandoned; (or he said: for which he has been ungrateful)'" (Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, and Al-Hakim).

It really is quite apparent from these ahadeeth (i.e. sayings of the Prophet) that the Muslim character is always encouraged to keep himself strong and sharp.

Alhamdulillah that we have been given the ability to pursue this new hobby, and insya Allah it is hoped that this is one positive step towards encouraging people to follow and love the sunnah of the Prophet (SAW)! Go Go Archery Team SKO!

The Miri brotherhood of Archery

The Mikael Jackson conspiracy?

Peace & blessings of Allah be upon you all

I recently received this forwarded e-mail, which suggests the 'death' of Michael Jackson could be a murder conspiracy. Reading this e-mail, i can't help but be moved by some of the elements. I'll split this blog post into two parts; the actual e-mail contents and my comments

The "Story"

"Michael Jackson (MJ) was known as the most loving person in the world. He gave up most of his assets for charity and all his life, he fought for equality of the African Americans, AIDS victims, Against Drug Abuse,Against Abortion, Against Child Labor and secretly channelled his properties for the hungry children of the world. However, he wasn't peace at heart. He always think of himself as a child trapped inside a man's body. Being Peter Pan is all his dream, never to grow up, forever a child. That inspires him to build Neverland - a heaven for children. Children of all ages and races are welcomed to Neverland. MJ had so much love to give.

However, he made a mistake which he didn't know of the consequences. He saw the peaceful life his brother, Jermaine (Muhammad Abdul Aziz) had as a Muslim - true, Jermaine faced so much pressure that he moved to Bahrain.

In 1989, MJ made a press conference which shocked the world, "I have seen the Islam in the life of my brother, I have read the books about Islam. And I'd love to someday feel the calmness and peace of Islam...."

Since that, MJ's life was never the same again. He was accused of so many accusations against child molestation. MJ was not someone who can deal with much pressure as he is a 'delicate child'. All the extortion and black mail followed after that. Everything he did was being seen as wrong in the eyes of the Media. All these are to influence his fans to hate MJ. If he is hated, then he would not be influencial anymore.

For several years, he stayed in England. Getting motivation from a long time friend, Cat Stevens, who had converted into Islam - named Yusuf Islam. From him, MJ learnt how Yusuf had survived being Muslim. He made friends with a song writer, Zain Bhikha too, who wrote a song titled, "GIVE THANKS TO ALLAH", which he wanted MJ to sing whenever he is ready.

Following his trial, MJ withdrew to Bahrain, where he was the special guest of sheik Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the son of Bahrain's king. It was then that Michael began to give conversion more "serious thought."MJ stayed in Bahrain for approximately 3 years. He studied Islam, the prayers and learn to read the Koran (al-Quran).

Finally, he came back to Los Angeles and in November 2008 MJ had formally converted to Islam in a ceremony at a close friend's house in Los Angeles. He perform Haj with the King of Bahrain and son on December 2008.

He had a hidden agenda when he wanted to make a final comeback. He annouced in a press conference on March 2009, "This will be my final concert. I'll see you all in July...."

He planned that during his concert, he would announce that this is the FINAL concert as he wouldn't be performing anymore. He will declare that he is a Muslim and will only sing with Yusuf Islam and Friends. At the end of the concert, he will be singing the song, "GIVE THANKS TO ALLAH" with Yusuf Islam. That is the reason why he chose London as his final concert venue instead of the USA. It was because he thought he could escape the USA's extortion, and that he could perform with yusuf Islam who is in England.

At 12.30am, 25th June 2009, he hugged his production manager and said, "After reherasing for 2 months, I am finally ready for the concert..." Before leaving to sleep, he waved his dancers, "It was a good night everyone. I'll see you all tomorrow..." The next thing... He was pronouced dead at 2.26am....

When 911 was called, there are so much questions asked. It is as if they didn't know who MJ is and where he lived. The questions asked are more towards to delay time. The hospital said the autopsy result can only be obtained after 2 months - very illogical as even the worst African technology could obtain the result in less than 2 weeks.

MJ's family members opt for second private autopsy as they started to feel something fishy is going on. The result came out in about 4 days - MJ was drugged with high dosage of anaesthetic - drug that brings about a reversible loss of consciousness, if used to much could stop the heart from beating.

Another result which was not aired in the media was, MJ's stomach is empty of this drug, but his blood were filled with it - same case as the death of Marilyn Monroe. The private doctors also found many needle marks, afraid to be forced injections given to MJ on his bed.

In CNN Live after a week, Barack Obama was interviewed. And he said, "I love MJ, I grew up listening to his songs. It is a great loss, but rest assured that there is no conspiracy in his death..." Now, why must a President made such statement before the official autopsy result came out? How would he know that there is no conspiracy without the
post-mortem result? Seems like someone is afraid of his shadows.

MJ was known to the world as a person who is against drug abuse. Why must he be addicted to drug, then? If he wanted to commit suicide, why rehearse for his concert? And why will he want to see his dancers the next day?

Enough about his death. I am sure people around the world is not stupid anymore. These supreme power can fool us during the Marilyn Monroe conspiracy, Martin Luther King and Princess Diana. But in this MJ's case, they left too many loopholes for those who think...!!

MJ left us with this unfinished studio-recorded song, GIVE THANKS TO ALLAH. You can download this song here: http://www.filefactory.com/file/ahb80ff/n/Micheal_Jackson_-_Give_Thanks_To_Allah_mp3

MJ's family was about to give him a Muslim burial with the help of The Brotherhood of Islam. But, the CIA showed up at Neverland's door - blackmailed them that if they do so publicly, Katherine (MJ's mother) would be pull off from MJ's 3 children's custody as well as MJ's estates. Instead, they'll hire Debbie Rowe for the purpose, and the court will be in
their favour. So much for democracy and fairness...

Finally, they agreed to let MJ have a Muslim Burial in Neverland. But in condition, must show to the public a Christian Memorial Service, as to prove to the world that MJ was never a Muslim.

So, Staples Centre was just a normal show. That's why the coffin was closed and sealed.

MJ was buried days earlier. The Gold Coffin was empty. They were about to bury the Coffin according to Christianity ways in Hollywood - as in their deal with the USA Government.

These happened, because the USA is afraid of the rising numbers of Muslims in the world.

(Sheikh Ha**d)
The Brotherhood of Islam
Buletin of Bahrain"

My thoughts

Forget about the conspiracy. In fact, let's forget about the whole 2nd half of the e-mail. What grabbed my heart here is the perspective of MJ's life. Granted of course, some of it may be true and some of it may be not, but for purposes of reminding ourselves, let us just assume this entire story to be true =)

Let's really take some time to think about it, brothers and sisters.

Life before & after Islam

Here we have a pop singer. Not just any singer - 'The King of Pop', so to speak. Perhaps one of the most successful musicians in history - if one were to look at his material posessions, he had it all.

And yet, look at his state of mind. 'He always think of himself as a child trapped inside a man's body. Being Peter Pan is all his dream, never to grow up, forever a child. That inspires him to build Neverland - a heaven for children.' Here we have a man who never truly felt 'at peace' - conflicted with his own identity. I mean, seriously, by one's 40s, most people don't feel this kind of identity crisis and never feeling the true happiness and satisfaction that life had to offer.

Yet this man did. And whether that caused this man further grief, we'll perhaps never know; Allahu a'lam. But he did discover peace... through his brother, Jermaine, a.k.a Muhammad Abdul 'Aziz - one who lived in calmness and peace after his reversion to Islam... Allahu Akbar!

These people knew how it was like to feel empty inside and having no ultimate purpose. And then when Islam came, it fulfilled their emptiness and gave them peace of mind. They knew what it was like to have a heart that was finally alive after being dead all these years!!! This is indeed the gift of the sweetness of iman! Ibn Taymiyyah once said that “if the kings knew the happiness and sweetness that we felt, even they would try to obtain iman and pry it away from our barehands”!

Being born-Muslim, it is easy to overlook these things... and we take this blessing for granted. Sometimes we take 'religion' as a burden, always procrastinating things and putting them so low on our priority at times. Yet, were we to feel the emptiness of heart, the grief and the sorrow from disbelief and lack of iman, we'll never understand true happiness ever again and would lead miserable lives.

In one incident, 'Umar Al-Khattab, remembering his days of Jahilliyyah (days of ignorance before embracing Islam), laughed to himself, and suddenly he cried. When he was asked, he said, "i laughed because remembered in one incident, i went out to travel but i forgot to carry my 'mini stone idol'. So i got restless, and i took a date fruit and carved my 'god' from that date fruit. So during my travels, i would pray to that fruit. Until there came a time, when i got so hungry, and I had nothing to eat except that 'god'. So i ate that god'. Then he explained why he cried, and he said, that during the days of ignorance, he buried his daughter alive. And while he was digging a grave to plant her in, some dirt stained his beard, and his daughter, while being buried, seeing this dirt, went up to 'umar and wiped the dirt away from his beard. And he continued to bury her anyway. That is what made 'umar cry.

Before the coming of Islam... 'umar never felt that these 2 acts were strange... in the times of jahiliyyah these things seemed perfectly normal.
Ponder over this, brothers and sisters - the gift of Islam is truly beautiful!

Salvation just before death..

The Prophet (SAW) said: "I swear by Allah - there is no God but He - one of you may perform the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is naught but an arm's length between him and it, when that which has been written will outstrip him so that he performs the deeds of the people of the Hell Fire; one of you may perform the deeds of the people of the Hell Fire, till there is naught but an arm's length between him and it, when that which has been written will overtake him so that he performs the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters therein." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Here we have a man who lived about what, 40 years of his life, being a pop star, a musician. We all know the kind of life that a 'famous pop star' usually surrounds him self with - Sex, Drugs, and Rock'N'Roll goes the famous saying. And finally, at the end of his life, he converted to Islam. To islam... all his previous sins, by the Mercy, Love and Grace of Allah, all of it erased completely - as sinless as a newborn baby. Not only that, but MJ managed to perform Hajj before death!

At the very last few moments of his life, he embraced Islam, and insya Allah if he died as a Muslim, he will live to enjoy paradise for all eternity!! Allahu Akbaar!

How many of us will be able to die as Muslims? How many of us have repented enough to die in a state of our sins being forgiven by Allah? How many of us will even be able to perform Hajj before death?

So great is the Mercy of Allah, that He allowed MJ the chance to save himself. We must remember, brothers and sisters - just because we are Muslim, doesn't mean we are definitely saved. We need to constantly remind ourselves and remain firm in our faith! As the Prophet stated in the hadith above, that just like embracing islam at the end of one's life will cause him eternal salvation and happiness, likewise, an evil deed at the very last moments of our lives might cause damnation for all eternity. We seek Allah's refuge from that, and we ask that He makes us steadfast and firm in our religion.

The good man that was MICHAEL JACKSON

We all know, that Michael was a very generous fella. He'd give lots of money to charity, and in fact it is said that the charity that he has made public is only a small portion of the actual amount of charity that he had given in secret. One may ask, does he get any reward for all the charity he did during his pre-islamic days?

'Urwah ibn al-Zubayr reported that Hakeem ibn Hizaam told him that he said to the Messenger of Allaah (SAW): "O Messenger of Allaah, do you think that I will be rewarded for the (good) things like giving charity, freeing slaves and upholding family ties that I did during the Jaahiliyyah (days of ignorance before Islam)?"

The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said: "You became Muslim because of the good that you had already done." (Reported by al-Bukhaari).

As a result of his sincere charitable deeds, being guided to Islam is Allah's reward to MJ. Now, can anybody think of a better reward than Paradise? Peace, happiness, bliss, for all eternity?

A conspiracy against Islam - really?

Most people will begin to look at the bleak story that involves the conspiracy of the murder of Mikael. That perhaps somone wanted him 'dead' before he could succeed his final world tour to publically announce that he embraced Islam? But then again - so what?

Think about it, friends. He was rehearsing to get back into the music biz one last time. In a world tour once again. Now we all know that during Michael Jackson concerts, a lot of crazy stuff happens. People go wild, hysterical and insane. All the madness, all the evil deeds that take place in the concert.

But Allah has taken away MJ's life before allowing him to distort his iman and be answerable to these sins. Nothing happens except by the will and infinite Wisdom of Allah, and perhaps the great Hikmah (wisdom) behind this is that Mikael is saved before he gets a chance to get back to his swan song.

And these 'facts' which suggest the conspiracy is bound to attract a lot of attention from the mass public. Despite all the things he has been accused of, let's face it - people love Michael Jackson. And to know that this man embraced Islam before his death - that's bound to attract some attention to Islam. Perhaps this 'conspiracy' might even be a victory for islam!

Just like the incident of Hudaibiyah, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The Muslims signed a treaty with the Pagans of Mekkah, and several agreements in the treaty seemed like it caused a great loss for the Muslims - especially because the Muslims who were from Mekkah had to return to Mekkah. And yet, Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the Qur'an, "Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) a manifest victory" (Al-Fath 48:1). And true enough, as historians quote, as a result of the Treaty Of Hudaibiyah, thousands of Mushrikeen embraced Islam (if i'm not mistaken, more than double the number of Muslims since before the treaty!).

Just like 911 somehow caused many other non-Muslims to be interested in Islam, and more actually in turn embraced islam, could this murder conspiracy also be a victory/blessing in disguise? Could this be the Hudaibiyah of our day? Allahu a'lam...a little optimism never hurts, friends

Yes, on one hand it seems like a tragedy, but we as people who are still alive can learn a lot from this story. Forget for a moment that this is a conspiracy, and think about the amazing journey that MJ went through. The journey from Michael Jackson, King of Pop, to Mikael, the believing Muslim. Regardless of the authenticity of the story above, i still find it a very touching and inspiring story... may Allah grant us with the wisdom to take the best lessons from Mikael. We pray that MJ died a Muslim, insya Allah, and that Allah accepts his submission to Him.

BarakAllahu feekum

A new chapter

Assalamu'alaikum waRahmatuLlah, brothers and sisters...

There are many different ways people try to achieve happiness. Yet, in their ignorance, many of them seek happiness by doing certain things at the expense of something greater. Or in their stubbornness and heedlessness, they pay no heed to the warning signs that lay ahead. In pursuit of carnal pleasures and temporary happiness, they forget the most important things in life.

Likewise, i was that person. I sought happiness through many different means (many of which i discovered were Haram). And yet.... at that time... Life felt meaningful and wholesome... i liked it.

But something was missing.

It lacked a sense of direction, a true sense of meaning and long-term bliss. Whenever I would spend hours doing these activities, they gave me a certain happiness, but whenever it was over, that was it - it was over. We would share moments of rapture and extreme joy, and yet, the moment it was over, when we went back home, lying in our beds, in a blink of an eye - it disappeared.

We used to ponder at the futility and uselessness of the hobby of drinking. One would spend his wealth decadently and spend his precious hours with friends to destroy his sobriety, lose his mind, do shameful acts, only to wake up the next morning, with a painful headache, no memory of what happened the night before, and usually in regret of the state he is in. It brings no benefit to him, and in fact it brings nothing but harm.

So busy was I to judge others by their actions, that I never really put into perpsective - that what I was doing wasn't all that different at all! I felt as if life had lacked some sense of meaning, of direction. Life was from one enjoyment to another. Whenever we felt anguish or difficulty, all we thought about was to get to that next enjoyment. After a great weekend, we get to the depressing Monday and only look forward to the Friday, without appreciating or enjoying the little blessings of the days that pass by.To what end? This cannot possibly be what life is about. There has to be some way that we can constantly live in peace, bliss and happiness without this void in our hearts.

And then, by the Grace, infinite Mercy and Blessings of Allah, He Shows me the path - the path of Guidance, of light - of salvation. Slowly i begin to learn again, what does it truly mean to be a Muslim. I learn the error of my past ways... I learn what it was that saved mankind from their own ignorance and arrogance, since 1400 years ago.

And as Allah, Exalted is He, continually enlightens this path for me, I begin to truly see the perfection of this religion that is Islam. Slowly, I began to feel that something which i have always yearned for - true happiness.

"Those who believe, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah: Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest" (Ar-Ra'd 13:28)

Narrated Abu Musa (RA) the Prophet (SAW) said, "The example of one who remembers (& glorifies praises of) his Lord, in comparison to the one who does not remember his Lord, is that of a living creature compared to a dead one" (Bukhari)

And Alhamdulillah, challenging as it may be, Allah has made things gradually easier for me. To abandon the things that I used to love so much - one would think that perhaps i may have been in some state of coercion or I have been compelled to do such - in which I would definitely feel conflicted and unhappy. And yet, by abandoning these things which I used to love so dearly, I actually felt happier. Yes, you lose out on a few things in this world, but you begin to feel something you've never felt before - a sweetness, unlike any other you would ever feel. This is the sweetness of iman. You feel your heart is suddenly alive! It's amazing what Allah can bless with us... Allahu akbar!

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to say in the beginning of every khutbah, "He whomsoever Allah guides, there is none that can misguide him (from the Straight Path), and he whom Allah misguides, there is none that can guide him"

"Allah guides to His Light whom He wills.." (An-Nur 24:35)

So I challenge you, dear reader... go now, take your ablutions (wudhu') and perform solat to Allah, and in your final sujud, make sincere du'aa, and ask Him to guide you. Ask him to show you what it means to be happy. Ask Him to soften your heart, to be able to let go of your egos and self-desires, so that you may be able to easily receive bliss and the sweetness of faith.

"And your Lord has said: Make du'aa to Me, I will respond do you" (Surah Ghafir, 60)

"And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (tell them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright" (Al-Baqarah 2:186)

If you are sincere and persistent, it is impossible that He does not help you.

Let's achieve this success together, O believers! If perhaps we may help each other to receive the ultimate goal of salvation, then let us do it together!!