The Great Divide - Vol 1 - Issue 1

8/6/2019 The Great Divide - Vol 1 - Issue 1

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THE GREAT

DIVIDE

Vol.1- Issue.1

Shifa Student Society

February-March 2009


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Written byKomal Atta

What Pandora Managed To Save16

The Great Divide19

Written byDr. Muzaffar Iqbal

PAGEMy John Hancock

4Written byAhmed Malik

Written byYousuf Raza

Sanity Pleads8

Abu Bakr As-Siddique12

Written byDr. Waqas Ahmed

Cannibalisms Supremacy Continues26

Written byUmar Shuaib

Wake Up!32

Written byDr. Madiha Ashraf

Women Scholars Of Islam34

Written byAsmara Malik

The Spiritual Heart24

Written byMohammad Hammad

In the recent attacks on Gaza, hundreds of men, women and children were massacred.

Thousands were wounded. The hospitals were overflowing, and there was a severe shortage

of medical professionals. There wasnt even enough space to bury the dead, who lay in piles

on various street corners. How did this happen? Have we fallen so far that a part of us can be

forced into concentration camps, be pulverized by constant bombardment, and have critical

shortages of food, water, medicine, and electricity, but we remain powerless to stop it? There

was a time in our history when Muhammad bin Qasim rode out from Hijaz with an army of only

twelve thousand to face the might of the Sindhi Rajputs and free Muslim widows and children.

What happened? In truth, we lost sight of our true purpose in this life and discarded the Com-

mandments of Allah SWT.

The most any of us might have done was to leave our homes once and protest, but

honestly, how many of us did even that? We could have at least boycotted those companieswho support or are owned by Zionists. Our money flows to them and turns into rivers of innocent

blood. Yes, yes, we know, you say, but everything is owned by them, or supports them. Do you

want us to not ever b uy anything? It is a matter of principle. Do the best you are able to do.

Truly, the first and most important thing we should do is examine ourselves. Through

thorough and repeated reflection, we can begin to understand the state of the Muslim Ummah

and the active role we can take to bring about its revival.

Take a look at the world news coverage of the crisis in Gaza; it was utterly biased. Self-

righteous Israel was applauded in taking initiative to stop the terrorists from firing rockets into

their land. The ground, air and naval raids were seen as completely justified, self-preserving

acts. To those without proper knowledge of the real situation it seemed perfectly acceptable.

Israels reprehensible use of chemical weapons like white phosphorous (an indiscriminate killer

that ignites once it is exposed to oxygen, causing painful burns) was blithely ignored.

Therefore the second thing we must do is educate ourselves and our communities. We

must know our Deen, its role in our lives, the current status of the Muslim Ummah, and what we

can do to improve it.

The greatest change comes from within. We can endlessly blame others for our current

state, but if we sincerely wish for the betterment of o urselves we must strive to change the Um-

mah from the inside. No sudden external force will cause the strengthening and enlightenment of

the Muslims. Allah SWT explains in ayah eleven of Surah Rad, Verily Allah will not change the

condition of a people as long as they do not change their state themselves.

The Magazine Team


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here comes a time in a persons life whenhe or she gets a glimpse of being at the

pinnacle of life. When that happens, wetend to forget our meek beginning and ourultimate end.

Imagine, for an instance, that you write to thePresident of Pakistan with a proposal for away out of our energy crisis. Out of the manyletters that the President receives, he chancesto personally read yours. He looks throughyour plan and, being in a good mood thatday, actually decides that he likes the plan.The President then calls a meeting with hisassociates and puts the plan into action. Oneof two things can happen next.

The first thing that can happen is that yourproposed plan works out well and the nationsenergy crisis is solved. The second thing thatcan happen is that your plan fails miserablyand the nation remains lost in its energywoesthe consequences of which we will notbother discussing.

If the plan turns out to be sound, then you canbe appreciated one of two ways. First, thePresident comes on TV and addresses thewhole nation about the success of a new planthat was initiated under his direction and whichsaved the nation. In this speech, the presidenttells the nation that it was the concern ofthe citizens for the nation, after his concern,which pulled the nation out of the crisis. Then

he says, One such citizen who was a greatpromoter of this new plan is. Your name is

now known all across the nation and you areconsidered a great person. You are thankedimmensely. However, there is another endingto this story that is equally as likely to takeplace.

Your plan is great and turns out to beinstrumental in catapulting the nation out of theenergy crisis. The President announces yourplan to the nation, calling it, The PresidentsEnergy Plan. After the plan has progressedpositively, the President comes on TV toaddress the nation. He thanks all the citizensfor their patience through the times of difficulty.He tells them that their concern for the nationand cooperation with the government has paidoff. The President talks at length about how theplan is wonderful in many aspects and how itwill work to keep the nation away from trouble.He tells the nation what steps are being takento ensure that the plan works and is properlycarried out. He goes on and on and then finallyends his speech with, Pakistan, Zindabad!

There is no mention of you; there is not even ahint about you in the speech; there is not evena slight, Thank you.

You will probably think to yourself, What anungrateful fool this president is! I spent hoursupon hours of sleepless nights molding andshaping this plan, and this man sits in front

4th year MBBS student at Shifa College of Medicine

of the cameras self-claiming everything. Hedidnt even bother expressing gratitude to mefor writing to him. He could have at least said,I thank all those who have been writing to meabout ways in which they wanted to help thisnation. What does he care about this nation?

If we ever fall into such a situation we arebound to jump with joy in the first scenario andboil with anger in the second. In either case,thoughts like, Isaved the nation from theenergy crisis; Iwas willing enough to sacrificemy sleep to work out this plan. Iwas the onewho wrote to the President. Ishould get creditformywork, might begin to creep into ourminds.

We forget however, that itwas not Iwho made thePresident read the letter; itwas not Iwho allowed thePresident to be in a goodmood at that time; it wasnot Iwho made the planactually work in the end;it was not Iwho chosewhether the Presidentwould appreciate me ornot.

There are so many thingsin this world that are notunder our control, and yetwhen we are given authority,power, or acclaim we think it is because ofour doing. One word can describe this feelingadequatelyarrogance.

Arrogance was the first sin ever committed,even before the well-known murder of the sonof Adam (AS). One has to wonder, is arrogancea sin? If it was the first one committed, then itshould be inherently a part of us. That is whereour thinking goes wrong. Yes, arrogance is asin, but just because it was the first sin to becommitted doesnt mean it is inherently a partof us. In fact, we should completely abhor thissin if we consider what should or should not be

a part of our inherent nature.

The sin of arrogance, the first sin to becommitted, was committed by Shaytan (Satanor the Devil). It was committed in regard to ourfather, Adam (AS). When our Creator, Allah,told all the angles to bow down in front ofAdam (AS), all the angels obeyed. Iblees, whowas not an angel but was ranked among thembecause of his worship of Allah, refused to bowto Adam (AS),

And (remember) when We said to theangels: Prostrate to Adam. So they

prostrated except Ibls

(Satan). He was one of thejinns; he disobeyed theCommand of his Lord.(18:50)

How could someone be soclose to the All Powerful,Allah, and yet blatantlydisobey His commands?The Most Wise, Allah didnot leave this question tofloat around in our mindsunanswered. In Suratul-Araaf, Allah (SWT) tells us,

(Allh) said: Whatprevented you (O Ibls)

that you did not prostrate,when I commanded you? Ibls said: I ambetter than him (Adam). You created mefrom fire, and him You created from clay.(7:12)

This caused Shaytan to be cast out of Jannah(heaven) and to be dejected for all eternity.His arrogance, however, completely cloudedhis judgment and instead of seeking theforgiveness of the Most Merciful, Allah, hebegged Allah for respite so that he coulddedicate all the time till the Day of Reckoningto mislead Adam (AS) and all his offspring,including us:

was the first sin ever com-

mitted, even before the well-

known murder of the son of

Adam (AS).


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Knowledgeis something to aspire for,but when we shroud it witharrogance it is something that becomes hated. Thatarrogance is not only hated by the Most Exalted, Allah, buteven by the people in this world.

[Ibls (Satan)] said: O myLord! Give me then respitetill the Day they (the dead)will be resurrected.

Allh said: Then, verily,you are of those reprieved,Till the Day of the timeappointed.

[Ibls (Satan)] said: O myLord! Because you misledme, I shall indeed adornthe path of error for them(mankind) on the earth,and I shall mislead themall, except Your chosen,(guided) slaves amongthem.

(Allh) said: This isthe Way which willlead straight to Me.Certainly, you shallhave no authority overMy slaves, except thosewho follow you of theGhwn (those who

go astray, criminals,polytheists, and evil-doers, etc.). And surely,Hell is the promised

place for them all.(15:36-43)

Indeed, arrogance is a

grave sin, the first sin evercommitteda sin committedby our sworn enemy. InSuratul-Kahf the Most High,Allah, asks us an importantquestion after telling us about

the disobedience of Iblees,

Will you then take him(Ibls) and his offspring as

protectors and helpers,rather than Me, while theyare enemies to you? Whatan evil is the exchangefor the Zlimn (wrong-

doers).(18:50)

The way out of arroganceis to, firstly, understandwhat it is and secondly, to

internalize an understandingthat everything and anythingwe accomplish comesto us by the will of Allah.Whenever we are blessedwith something great, weshould humble ourselveseven further.

When Allah blesses uswith knowledge, weshould not think lowlyof those who do nothave that knowledge.How baseless are thosepeople who smirk atthose who know lessthan them? Knowledgeis something to aspirefor, but when we shroudit with arrogance it issomething that becomeshated. That arroganceis not only hated by the

Most Exalted, Allah, buteven by the people inthis world. Have you everseen a person blessedwith intellect who goesaround pushing othersand mocking at their lackof knowledge? Does sucha person walk around

with large crowds of admirersand friends? May Allahsave us from such uselessknowledge. When this typeof arrogance is applied to

religious knowledge it is evenworse. What gives a personthe right to look down uponothers who havent beenblessed with the knowledgeof Islam that was bestowedupon him or her by the AllMighty, Allah? A pure heartand mind will appropriatelyanswer the question withoutdelay.

Arrogance is not limitedto looking down upon andthinking less of those withless knowledge of the deen(religion) or dunyah (world).It is also a state in which aperson refuses to accepthis or her guilt or his or hermistake. A person displays acertain degree of arrogancein not accepting the sincere

advice of others; a personis arrogant when he or sherefuses to do somethingwhile knowing that it is the

truth. An arrogant person isalso someone who refusesto refrain from things dislikedby our Cherisher, Allah,while knowing that they are

disliked by Him. After allthat is exactly what Ibleesdid. It is no wonder, then,that the Prophet (SallallahuAlyhi Wa Sallam) said,in a hadeeth narrated byAbd-Allah Ibn Masood, Noone who has an atoms-weight of arrogance in hisheart will enter Paradise.

A man said, O Messengerof Allah, what if a man likeshis clothes and his shoes tolook good? He said, Allahis Beautiful and loves beauty.

Arrogance means rejectingthe truth and looking down on

people.(Narrated by Muslim)

Unfortunately, this qualityhas crept into our cultureso stealthily that we do noteven notice it. Why is John

Hancock synonymous witha signature when it was thelargest and boldest signatureon the US Declaration of

Independence? Perhaps itis a way to make ourselvesfeel important. These days,if you want someone to signsomething, you can simply

ask them for their JohnHancock. We must keep inmind, though, that as long asa John Hancock just stayson paper and is not exhibitedin our attitude, it can be aslarge and bold as we want itto be. Otherwise, there is astern warning for the arrogantin the Qur`an:

I (Allah) shall turn awayfrom my revelations thosewho are unjustly proudin the Earth. Even if theysee every sign, they willnot believe in it. And ifthey see the right path tosalvation, they will nottake it. If they see thewrong path to error andsin, they will take it. Thatis because they reject Our

ayaat (verses, messages,signs, revelations) and areheedless of them. (7:146)


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A

h, I notice your keen interest in thatrather eye-catching group of thinly clad

young females there. Whats that? Youdid not expect to see that here, in our partof the world? You thought, being staunchfollowers of the Quran, our women wouldcover themselves in accordance with itsorders? Your knowledge of our Holy Book istruly commendable, but you should understandthat your proposition is partly flawed; we arenot followers of the Quran, we merely professbelief in it. You are from the US? Ah, yes youtold me, I remember now.

Well, what you would findmore interesting than that, ifyou look around you, is not thesparseness of their clothing,but the number of men that arealmostexcuse me for sayingthis but there is no better wayto put itundressing themwith their eyes. That too, if youremember, is considered atransgression for Muslims.

Yes, I totally agree, preposterous indeed. Howcan a people claim to believe in an All-Mighty,All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All-Wise God, and yettrample over the very commandments that Hesent down?

We can talk all night about how it came tothis, in this beautiful capital of ourswhich

we ironically call Islamabadbut Im afraid Iam not really up for this arduous task. I prefer

not to dwell on such depressing thoughtsmakes cynics of the best of us! What I can tryto do though, is talk about the most importantdisasterthe blunder that we as a societyhave made, which has brought us to this level.So much so that even though we number morethan a billion we are the vermin of the earth!

We, my friend, have epitomized hypocrisyby shelving the Book that we so

proudly proclaim to be the wordof the All-Mighty. Can youimagine the idiocy? How canwe, who claim to believe inan eternal life of bliss wherewe would be granted not onlywhat we need, but what wedesire and that which theimagination cannot grasp, soobstinately ignore that whichwould take us towards it?How can we, who professbelief in an eternal and

inconceivably horrendous andpainful life of hell, go after that

which would lead us there? We have allowedour animal-natures and wishful desires tosupplant common sense!

What difference can a book make, you ask?The Quran my friend, is no ordinary book, itis the word o f Allah. Allah subhanahu wa ta-aala has spelled out the solutions for all our

4th year MBBS student at Shifa College of Medicine

by Yousuf Raza

S A N I T Y P L E A D S - B Y Y O U S U F R A Z A

problems in that book and Wouldnt He know,He who created?(67:14)

What happened in Arabia, 1400 years ago, isproof of the divine origins of the Quran. Oneman, unlettered, with no extraordinary talentsto his credit, claimed that to him this word ofAllah was being revealed. He was ridiculed,cut-off, offered bribes, threatened, and eventortured. His followers in the first twelve yearsof efforts numberedmerely a fewhundredmostof them slavesand poor folk ofthe land. The

slaves whoconverted weretortured in themost inhumaneways imaginable:scalded on thescorching heatof the desert;whipped; starved;disfigured; andsome murdered.They tolerated all that because their beliefemanated from the Quran, they were notnamesake Muslims; they realized thatwhether they were killed or they succeeded insomehow subverting their enemies, they weresuccessful.

Allah (swt), through His rahmah (mercy),revealed to them the Quran for He is Ar-Rahman; Who revealed the Quran(55:1-2). Unfortunately, you would notice thatthat people in our society formed a twisted,wishful concept of His rahmah which quite

conveniently emancipates them from anyaccountability. They dare mock the justice ofthe Most Just? All they did was follow it jotby jot, little by little, and before they knew it,21 years into Prophethood, the greatest andmost complete revolution had come about.To this fact, even the non-Muslim historians,in spite of all their qualms, bare witness.Michael H. Hart is probably the most famousexample of that, when he places Muhammad

(s) as the single most influential human of alltime. I notice your nod of acknowledgementwhen I mention a non-Muslim source; ironichow Muslims are affected by that and yet notmoved even a little when Allah himself bearswitness to his greatness: Without a doubt,you (O Muhammad) are on the most sublimecharacter. (68:4)

That was all centuries ago you say? Timeshave changed? The

uncanny similaritybetween yourideas and thoseof the youth of ourcountry is painful

to say the least.You would besurprised to knowthat the attitudeof the people backthen was prettymuch the samebecause theirexcuse was the

same as quotedby the Quran: When

Our Ayaat are recited to them, they say theseare tales of days long gone (83:13). This, myfriend, and I say this in the most brotherly way,is nothing but an excuse, expended by thoseunwilling to forsake their life of sin, especiallykeeping in mind the undeniable proofs of thedivinity of the Quran that they simply chooseto ignore.

I will indeed tell you what those proofs are, butplease my dear friend calm yourself, I did notintend to offend; my apologies.

Omar ibn al-Khataab! Does the name ring abell? Yes, indeed, the second Caliph of Islamwho ruled over a vast expanse which stretchedover three continents Yet, in spite of hiscolossal empire he did not consider himselfto be an emperor, rather a slave of Allah, whosaid it was his responsibility that even a dogshould not die of hunger in his domain. Whenany foreigner walked in to see him, he could

Weare, as of now, in an abyss,and the rope of Allah, the

Quran, is staring us in the face,calling out to us to grab hold of it soit can deliver us from the darknessthat encompasses us and raise us tothe level which we once inhabited.


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hey both left Makkahunder the cover

of darkness. With

simple provisionson two camels, they headedtowards Yemen. A few milesinto the desert they reachedthe mountain called Thawr.As they approached the cavein the heart of the mountain,the younger one took thelead. He walked into the cavefirst to make sure there wasno danger inside. The cavewas small and full of holesin the walls and the twomen were barely able tofit in it. He (the youngerone), tore his garmentand plugged all theholes one by one toprevent any venomouscreatures from enteringthe cave. Soon, he hadno more garment tospare, but there wasstill one hole left. So, he

sat in a position wherehe could cover the holewith his foot. The foot gotbitten, yet he kept his lipsshut tightly, lest the sacredone sleeping with his head inhis lap would be awoken.

The tears falling fromhis eyes on the cheeks of thebeloved sleeper were what

awoke him.

Abu Bakr, what

happened? asked the nobleProphet (peace be uponhim). Upon hearing the reply,the Prophet(peace be uponhim) applied his own salivaat the bite site and there wasinstant relief.

The noble Prophet(peace be upon him) once

said: Were I to chooseany one as a close friendamongst humans, it would benone other than Abu Bakr.

Such was the

character of this man. Theclosest companion of theProphet of mercy (peace be

upon him) in life and in death.Father-in-law of the Prophet(peace be upon him), the firstof the Rightly Guided Caliphs,the most pious amongst theCommunity after the Prophet(peace be upon him), andAs-Siddique (the mosttruthful); this is the way theywho were with him, and evenwe today, remember him.

His namewas Abdullah binAbu Qahafa and hebelonged to the tribe ofBanu-Taim. His lineagemeets that of the nobleProphet (peace beupon him). He wascalled Abdul Kabahduring the period ofignorance, until theProphet (peace be

upon him) changed hisname to Abdullah. Hewas popularly known

as Abu-Bakr (meaningthe father of the foal of thecamel) because of his lovefor camels.

The Prophet (peacebe upon him) has beenreported to have said that

The first of the

rightly guided

caliphs.

when he presented themessage of Islam to people,every one took their timebefore answering exceptAbu-Bakr, who did noteven hesitate for an instantand accepted. That is whyhe is and always will beremembered as As-Siddique.

Not that his reputationwas any different beforehe embraced Islam, but hisgenerosity saw nobounds after theconversion. He iscredited with buying

the freedom ofseveral slaves whowere persecuted bytheir idolater ownersfor embracing Islam;the most celebratedof them was Bilal,the muezzin of theProphet (peace beupon him) and theslave of Umayyia-bin-Khalf.The Prophet (peace be uponhim) said that it was aboutAbu-Bakr that the followingverses of the Quran hadcome down: The piouswill be far removed fromit (Hell). He who spendshis wealth for increase inself-purification. (Al-Lail,17-18)

He was also creditedwith persuading many of hisfriends to embrace Islam.

Some of the most famousmen who entered into Islamat his instance were: Uthman-bin-Affan (the 3rd Caliph);Zubair-bin-Awam; Talha-bin-Ubaidullah; Abdur-Rahman-bin-Awf; Sad-bin-abi-Waqas;and Abu-ubaidah-bin-al-Jarah.

Almost all Muslimchildren remember the storyof the battle of Tubuk, whenthe Prophet (peace be uponhim) asked for all Muslimsto donate generously for thedifficult expedition. All broughtwhatever they could. Umar-bin-Khattab was to later recallthat he brought half of all hispossessions and aspired toexceed the offerings of Abu-Bakr. But Abu-Bakr brought

all his possessions and whenthe Prophet (peace be uponhim) asked him what had heleft for his family, Abu-Bakrsaid, Only the love of Allahand His Messenger.

And though he wasnot an arms-man, he neverleft the company of theProphet (peace be upon him).He had the honor of beinga part of all major battles,including Badr, Uhud, and

Khandaq, as well as beinga participant at the truce ofHudaybia. His son, who waspart of the polytheist army atBadr, later told him that onthat day he had held backfrom confronting his father,to which Abu-Bakr replied,If I had to face you, I wouldhave made you the target

of my arrow.That was howunflinching his love for Islamhad become.

Perhaps the greatestexample of his stature isIslam is what transpired atthe time of the death of thenoble Prophet (peace beupon him). The Muslimswere in a state of shock atthe demise of the Prophet,and Umar-bin-Khattab stood

up with a nakedsword in his hand,threatening toharm anyone who

insisted that theProphet (peace beupon him) had died.It was Abu-Bakrwho addressed thebereaved crowdin the followingwords, Let it beknown to the onewho worshipsMuhammad (peace

be upon him), Muhammad isdead. But he who worships

Allah, He is Ever Living andHe never dies.Then herecited the following verse ofthe Quran, Muhammad isno more than a messenger,and indeed (many)messengers have passedaway before him. If he diesor is killed, will you thenturn back on your heels (asdisbelievers)? And he whoturns back on his heels, not

the least harm will he do toAllah. (Al-iImran, 144)

Ibn-Abbas later saidthat it was as if we had heardthat verse for the first time,and as people started recitingit, better sense began toprevail and they all, includingUmar, realized that indeed

Prophet (pbuh) once said:

Were I to choose any oneas a close friend amongst

humans, it would be none

other thanAbu Bakr.


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the Prophet (peace be uponhim) had passed away.

His other inestimableservice for Islam wasthe bringing together ofthe Quran. At the battleof Yamama in 11/633, anumber of Muslims who hadmemorized the entire Quranwere killed. Umar-bin-Khattabexpressed concern to theCaliph Abu-Bakr that unlessefforts were made to preservethe Quran, a large part ofthe revelation could be lost.Upon his insistence, Abu-Bakr commanded Zayd-bin-Thabit, the most prominent ofthe scribes of the revelationto collect the entire Quraninto one volume, so that iswhat Zayd did. The completemanuscript remained withAbu-Bakr till his death,and then was passed onto the 2nd Caliph Umar-bin-Khattab, and after his deathto Umm-ul-Mumineen Hafsa.Subsequent dispersion ofcopies of the Quran allover the world was from thismaster copy; the credit restswith Umar and Abu-Bakr.

Amongst the honorsconferred on to him by the

Prophet were the leadershipof the first Hajj delegation,

and the leading of thecongregational prayers of thebelievers when the Prophet(peace be upon him) was tooill to lead himself.

Upon being electedas Caliph, his first statementwas,I have been given theauthority over you, and Iam not the best of you. IfI do well, help me; and if Ido wrong, set me right. Theweak amongst you shall bestrong with me until I havesecured his rights, if Allahwills; and the strong amongstyou shall be weak with meuntil I have wrested from himthe rights of others. Obey meas long as I obey Allah andHis messenger.

His Caliphate lastedonly 2 yrs and 3 monthsand yet during this time, hesuccessfully crushed therebellion of the Bedouin tribesin the campaign againstapostasy which had startedimmediately after the demiseof the noble Prophet (peacebe upon him). He also tookup arms against those whorefused to give the obligatory

Zakat, which though wasin direct conformity of the

edict of the Quran, yet noneexcept him had the courageat that time to take thisexemplary step.

It was during theCaliphate of Abu-Bakr thatthe military campaignsagainst the Persian andthe Byzantine Empireswere launched, whichsubsequently lead to the fallof both super powers of theday and the establishment ofIslamic rule in land all aroundArabia. And yet he never tookanything from the immensestate riches for himself or hisfamily. Only on the insistenceof Umar and Abu-Ubaidah didhe leave his own cloth tradeand agree to a nominal salaryfrom state funds.

His instructions to hisfamily at the time of his deathwere to bury him in an oldshroud. The living deservemore to be in new clothes, iswhat he said to them.

May Allah subhanahuwataala shower His Mercyand Blessings on Abu-BakrAs-Siddique.


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Thus, we go desperately topsychologists and counseling sessions to helpus with internal dilemmas created in order tofoster these external selves. Ironically, all thatwe need to develop a healthy self-image andto be spiritually at peace is to reflect upon ourown religious teachings and tradition.

Some of the earliest works andmajor breakthroughs in psychoanalysis andpsychotherapy are traced back to Muslimscholars. Al-Razi, Ibn-e-Sina, Ghazali, Rumi allproduced compelling works in psychotherapyand spiritual ailments long before FreudsTalking Cure (considered

to be the modern basisof psychoanalysis).Where modernpsychotherapeutictechniques focus moreon making the spiritlink with the body byconsidering them astwo separate entities,such as in theories ofJung and Descartes,the approach andphilosophy of Muslimpsychotherapy isholisticregardingthe individualas a completetranscendental,comprehensive, dynamic human being; amicrocosm within a macrocosm.

The concept of a person in Islam isideal. It is based on a specific aim and adefinite goal. Man is not created in vain and

not left to the whims of his passion and lust;relations with others are also regulated. He isgiven a wide scope of thinking and working,provided they are not detrimental to his fellowmen. There are certain values which hemust sanctify and maintain, otherwise chaos,injustice and violence will reign.

Imam Ghazali points out that theailments of the soul are much worse thanthose of the body; in the ailments of the soulhe includes misery, pride, i gnorance, self-centeredness, social status, cowardice, fame,and the likes. He also gives the solution, theultimate counseling tip: closeness to God isequivalent to normality whereas distance fromGod leads to abnormality.

The nearer we are to the teachingsand personality of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.),the greater is our normality. Observing thebehavior of the individual and knowing

his intentions can

measure thisnormality. In theQuran it is said:This is how weordained you tobe a people mostbalanced, so thatyou may be amodel to others,and the Prophet(s.a.w.) a modelto you.

Inessence, Islam

ordains Man,the best of Allahs

creation, to strive towards developing Hisapproval and His guidance rather than theapproval of the world, for when it comes topeople it is common knowledge that youcannot please everyone.

According to the great Muslim healers,the Islamic forms of worship directly treatmost of the ailments of the soul. Prayer inIslam has a psychical value, involving perfectconcentration. It is the intense realization ofGod and forgetfulness of all that is not God. Bythis feeling of dependence on an omnipotentdeity, the mind enjoys peace and the mentalsufferings are temporarily suspended,

The concept of a person inIslam is ideal. It is based ona specific aim and a definitegoal. Man is not created invain and not left to the whimsof his passion and lust;relations with others are alsoregulated.

G

reek mythology has a famousmyth pertaining to the creation

of the world. After the world wascreated, Zeus (the higher Greek god) createdthe first woman, Pandora, and handed her abox for safekeeping, ordering her to never everopen it. However, out of curiosity, she openedit, unleashing every vice upon the world,managing to only contain one thing in that box:hope. My article is on psychotherapy related toIslam. By the Islamic point of vi ew, hope is anintegral component of the cure for ailments ofthe soul.

In contemporary society, everyoneand everything is judged by certain standardsand benchmarks; stereotypescreated by the peoplethought to be the shapersof civilization. Whether itis looking a certain way,behaving in a certainmanner or even thinkinga certain thoughtall ouractions at the consciousor subconscious level

are being shaped by thecurrent ruling ideologyof our society. Everyonewants to look good, be cool,be thin, be rich and (in case ofthe developing world) move abroad.

Not only has this pressure to fit-ingreatly increased depression and suicide

rates, but it has also sent us adrift from ourindividuality and our religious identity.

What one society finds to be thestandard of excellence may be completelycondemned by another (think Hitler). If westrive to excel in the ways of the world, we willend up disappointed, simply because there willnever be a universal criteria of what is ideal.Our youth today faces the dilemma of givingup their moral and ethical values to conform tothe norms of a society. It is considered superiorto condemn religion and move towards eithera more logical, scientific, or humanisticapproach; it is better to look beautiful than toact so.

This race tobecome perfect in theworldly sense is useless,as it renders a personincomplete. Not only dowe loose contact withour soul, but we end upcultivating a personality

so governed by externalfactors that we begin

ignoring boundaries ofright and wrong, develop

unnecessary biases andinsecurities. We are willing to do anything to fitin a community that will condemn this personaof ours tomorrow anyway, only to start a newfashion.

By Komal Ata -4th year MBBS student at Shifa College of Medicine


10/21

producing the relaxation necessary to cure thementally and emotionally disturbed.

I titled my article in relation to hopebecause it is the most powerful feeling ahuman being can acquire. Especially in thecontemporary world, where our ummahis being persecuted, where the youth isdisenchanted by religion, where we constantlyfeel dejected and self piteous, where westand at a crossroad, not knowing where to goand how to get out of this moral, ethical andspiritual crisis, we must hope.

There is no concept of self-pity or

dejection in Islam. Allah forbids us from beingpessimistic or melancholic over worldly mattersas these trivial issues are merely a hurdle inthe way to true success. In the Quran Allahsays: With hardship is ease.

I believe that amidst all the hardshipsthere is tremendous facilitation. There is muchgoodness and ease that Allah provides us; wehave and will always have much more to bethankful for than to regret. Hence, instead offeeling disillusioned we must hope. For hope

is the ultimate remedy to dejection. God madehopelessness unlawful by saying: Do notdespair Allahs mercy.

No matter what state of despair,depression, or frustration we are in, whetherdue to the loss of a loved one or a job, as aresult of anger from someone else, or socialpressures, we must not give up hope. And thegreatest hope is for mercy from Allah.

The concept of tawbah is perhapsone of the most beautiful concepts in Islam. Itoffers the suffering man a hope of forgiveness.Forgiveness is the prerequisite, without which

the process of reconciliation of the patient tothe world and to God cannot take place.

We must pray for His light to illuminatethe heart so that we can see beyond todayssuffering. We must pray for Allahs mercy andforgiveness so that we can love and forgiveourselves and His other creations, and makepeace with our creator, our surroundings, andourselves. To conclude, I believe that we mustcherish what Pandora managed to save.

On June 5, 2008, a

nine-member benchof the highest court

of Turkey overturned a billearlier adopted by the TurkishParliament to lift the banon wearing the headscarfin educational institutions.The ban was proclaimedby Mustafa Kemal in 1924as part of his drive tomodernize Turkey.

Mustafa Kemalwas the forerunner of manysecular Muslim militaryand political leaders whoembraced all things Western.He saw Islam as an outdatedreligion, incompatible withmodernity, and found hisideals in European thoughtand practices. He attemptedto transform Turkey into amodern secular state byexpelling Islam from thepublic sphere. The ruthlesslyenforced Kemalismsystematically dismemberedcenturies of spiritual,intellectual, social, andeconomic ties with variousaspects of Islam.

Mustafa Kemal

abolished the Caliphate,exiled the last Ottomansultan to Paris, abolished theHijra calendar, replaced theArabic script with the Romanalphabet, persecuted theUlema and Sufi orders, andestablished the first secularrepublic in the Islamic world,creating a monolithic system

based on his personal ideas

which considered Europeancivilization to be the bestmodel for humanity.

To ensure the long-term survival of Kemalism,Mustafa Kemal included inthe countrys constitutionthe militarys role as the soledefender and protector of theconstitution and its secularidentity. He understood thatbrute force was the only realpower capable of producingsocial and political changeand hence he used Turkeysnow secularized militaryto enforce his own writ onthe makeup of modernTurkey. This self-styledfather of Turks (Atatrk)ripped asunder centuries-old traditions, destroyedTurkeys sense of identity,and gave birth to a deepchasm in the Turkish psychewhich has become one ofthe most prominent featuresof contemporary Turkey.Mustafa Kemal brought aboutthis remarkable changethrough a series of reformsin the political, legal, cultural,social, and economic system

Written by Dr. Muzaffar Iqbal -President of Center for Islam and Sceince, Canada.

Mustafa Kemal introducing the new Turkish

alphabet to the people of Kayseri. September

20, 1928


11/21

of the country. The reformswere guided by positivist

and rationalist Europeanenlightenment as understoodby a thoroughly uprootedelite led by a man whoseegomaniac disrespect forIslam increased as the yearsprogressed.

Kemalism was,however, merely one specificexpression of the greatchasm which first appearedin the Muslim psyche throughthe encounter with themodern Western world. Itmade its presence felt duringthe time of colonizationof the traditional landsof Islam and hassince become muchmore complex andwidespread. In fact,it will not be an

overstatement tosay that this is thegreatest maladyof our times. Thisgreat chasm runsthrough the spiritual,intellectual, andemotional planes andcreates an impassefor Muslims at so manylevels of existence and

in so many ways that manyMuslims are incapable even

of clearly distinguishingvarious dimensions ofthis malady. In essence,it is a disease of the heartforced into the wildernessof secular rationalism. Thisdisease takes hold of theunsuspecting believer atsome point in early childhoodthrough education or socialconditioning, and growswithin until it cripples theentire existence by infectingit with a vision of life thatremoves the Creator from the

center and either castsout Islam from ones life,

or relegates it to a narrowsphere of formal worship. Theresulting chasm then rapidlyspreads within and weakensthe vitality ofIman, leavingbehind a crippled existencedevoid of any purposehigher than the gratificationof desires and fulfillment ofphysical needs of the body.

In the contemporaryworld, this great chasmmanifests at the individual aswell as the collective levels.Individually, Muslims infected

with this malady findthemselves oscillating in

two mutually exclusiveworlds: their residualbeliefs keep themwithin the fold ofIslam, but the

secular makeupof their lives pullsthem away fromthe practices andrituals requiredby their belief

in the Creator,His Prophet,

and His Book.Often this malady

manifests itself through

Kemalism was, however, merely one specific expres-

sion of the great chasm which first appeared in the Muslim

psyche through the encounter with the modern Western

world. It made its presence felt during the time of coloniza-

tion of the traditional lands of Islam and has since become

much more complex and widespread.

compartmentalization of thebeing. Such a person hasan understanding of life asconsisting of two distinctspheres: things deemedreligious (and hence other-worldly) and things deemedto be belonging to this world.He or she blindly followscustoms and rituals learnedfrom the local environmentin things deemed to bereligious and lets his or herown being be the guide forthings deemed to belongto this world. This self-guidance often

comes from onesenvironment,though veryfew individualsare capable ofascertaining theactual source oftheir ideas.

Oncethis processcompletes,the individualbecomesthoroughlyuprooted fromthe sources of Divineguidance and the resultingspiritual, intellectual, andemotional crisis produces aparalysis of the worst kind,reducing ones existence toa perpetual state of internal

chaos and confusion. Butthe irony is that this state isnever recognized for whatit is. This blindness of theheart is veiled and the stateof compound ignorance iscovered by the educationreceived from thoroughlysecular sources. The resultis a state in which one isnot even aware of the deep

chasm now ripping apartthe whole being at so manylevels of existence.

Millions ofcontemporary educatedMuslims find themselves inthis dilemma. They have avague understanding of thelack of rooting in the spiritualand intellectual soil of Islambut very few find themselvesin any position to find a wayto anchor their existencein that soil. Most of Islamic

scholarship remains beyondtheir reach and whateverlittle they can find adds to theconfusion because it is readin a fragmentary manner.

Even the Quran andthe Sunnahthe two primarysources of Islamhavebecome alien for millionsof believers who continueto consider them the truesources of guidance butknow not how to profit fromthem. This alienation is notmerely linguistic, though

the inability to read theoriginal source remains amajor barrier: fundamentally,it is the make up of themind and the orientationof the heart that creates aspiritual deprivation. Themessage of the Quran isabundantly clear, even forthose believers who do nothave access to the Book. Butthis clear message demandsa thorough, deep, and allembracing acceptanceof the Straight Path. Thisrequirement is the real

stumbling block

for the infectedhearts. The nafsfed heavy dosesof secularismthrougheducationand socialenvironmentresists completesubmission andfollows its self-created path,often with plentyof justificationsthat the mindis capable of

providing. Theresult is an ever-

increasing cleavage, adeepening chasm, and anaccelerating confusion.

The antidote to the

secularization of the Muslimmind is in its re-Islamization,a process of slow andgradual rediscovery of Islam,this time thoroughly rooted inthe primary sources and notpassively acquired from thesurroundings. The shortestpossible route to recovery isthrough the interiorization ofthe life of the Noble Prophet,

T H E G R E A T D I V I D E - B Y D R . M U Z A F F A R I Q B A L


12/21

upon whom be peace. Thislife, preserved in great detail,not only opens the sanctifiedPath to the deserving hearts,it also provides a completecure for the greatchasm by meanswhich lie farbeyond the reachof the rationalmind, becauseit is steeped inspiritual realities ofthe highest order.

The

Sunnah, the well-trodden path, isnot merely a setof rituals orduas;it is a record ofa sanctified lifelived in completeconformity of theDivine Command. Beforeone can interiorize the Pathof the Noble Messenger,however, one has to becomefamiliar with it. This requiresa conscious effort to know,in concrete detail, how thatmost Noble of all createdbeings woke up from hissleep, how he washed, howhe ate, how he walked, howhe conversed with his fellowhuman beings, and howhe conducted himself in allother spheres of life. Thetrue familiarity with his ways

of being and his characterbrings with itself an unboundlove and passion which helpto emulate that characterwhich the Creator Himselfhas praised as the best ofall characters. The first layer

of familiarity, consciouslyinteriorized, transformsthe internal as well as theexternal features of ones life.This transformation cures

the complex disease of thesuffering heart and producesa unification of the being atvarious levels of existence.

Once rooted indaily practices and solidlyanchored in the innerrecesses of ones being, thedesire to follow the Sunnah ofthe Noble Messenger, uponwhom be peace, opens onesaccess to hitherto unknownblessings. The Prophetic lightproduces a radiance in the

heart which lights up oneswhole existence. Those whohave experientially witnessedthis process of recovery andtasted the joy of finding thesanctified Path can thereafternever settle for anything but

a constant striving to preparethemselves for the meetingtheir Lord,Allah Who is theLight of the heavens and theearth; the likeness of His light

is as a niche whereinis a lamp; thelamp in a glass;the glass as itwere a glitteringstar kindled from ablessed treeanoliveneither ofthe East nor of theWestwhose oilwell-nigh wouldshine even though

no fire touched it;light upon light;Allah guides toHis light whom Hewills. And Allahstrikes similitudesfor people; and

Allah has knowledgeof all things.

Transformed at themost fundamental level ofexistence, their whole life isthen devoted to the effortsto live a life guided by theBook, seeking His pleasure,yearning with all their heartsto enter the everlasting abodeof His Mercy wherein they willhear their Creators call: Othou tranquil soul, return untothy Sustainer, well-pleasedand well-pleasing; enter,

thou, among My slaves; enterthou My Paradise.

WaLlhul-mustan, wa m tawfqill bi-Llh


13/21

Needsrigorous

monitoringand

correction

DoIreallybelieveinAllah,

oramIjustkiddingmyself?

Needsacondusive

environment

Whatsortofcompanydoyou

have?

EasierToTreat

Howmuchyouwantto

pleaseyourLordand

your

Creator?

e.g.asthma

ismanageable

moreLIFE

inthe

heart

e.g.

kidneydisease

Dependsonenvironmentto

eithergetworseorbetter.

e.g.cancer

Needsradical

treatment

HealthSickness

moreDECAY

intheheart

LIFE

=DECAY

3TYPES

OFDISEASED

HEARTS

Doyoufeelpainwhenremindersoccur?

e.g

Pride

e.g.

Envy

Interpreted-likesymptomsof

adisease

Doyoubackbite?

Doyouseethrough

a

hazeoflust?

e.g.

Cinemavs.Masjid

Whichwouldyoupreferto

goto?

Doyouthinkyouaresuperiorto

others?

Areyouresentfulordesirousof

anotherspossessions?

INCLINATIONS

ACTIONS

ETIOLOGY

DIAGNOSIS

THROUGH

3WAYS

NoCoutesyto

thecreation

ofAllah

DoIreallyhavea

pureheart?

ItsLifeissound

PURE

HEART

YES?

Doyourejectadmonitionsandreminders?

YES?

DEAD

HEART

DiseasedHeart

TYPESOFHEARTS


14/21

An extremely painful incident took placeon the Prophets (pbuh) return from theexpedition against Bani Mustaliq.

While the army was setting up camp,

Aisha, who was accompanying the Prophet(pbuh), went out of the camp to answerthe call of nature. When she returned, she

discovered that she had dropped her necklace

somewhere. Aisha went out again to searchfor it. On her return, the army had marchedaway along with the camel she was riding.White sitting, sleep

overpowered her.

Safwan bin Muattal,an Emigrant whowas following some

distance behind thearmy, recognizedher, since he had

seen her before the

verse enjoining theveil was revealed.

He allowed her to

mount his camel,then, leading the waywithout even lookingback or saying a word,escorted her until they caught up with theMuslim army the following day.

The hypocrites, led by Abdullah binUbay, sought to make mischief out of this

incident and spread a malicious scandal

against Aisha; unfortunately, some Muslimsalso became involved.

On arrival to Madinah, the Prophet

(pbuh) held counsel with his companions, whogave different opinionsincluding divorce.The incident almost roused a fight betweentwo rival tribes, Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj, but the

Prophets intervention silenced both parties.

Aisha, unaware of the rumors beingcirculated, fell ill and was confined to bed

for a month. Uponrecovering, sheheard of the slander

and took permission

to go and see herparents in order

to seek authentic

news. Upon

confirmation, sheburst into tears,weeping to suchan extent that she

felt her liver wasabout to rip open.The Prophet (pbuh)

visited her in that state,

and after testifying to the Oneness of Allah,he told her, If you are innocent, Allah willacquit you, otherwise, you have to beg for Hisforgiveness and pardon.

She stopped weeping and asked her

By Umar Shuaib - 2nd year MBBS student at Shifa College of Medicine

parents to speak for her, but they had nothing

to say, so she herself took the initiative andsaid, Should I tell you I am innocent, and Allahknows that I am surely innocent, you will notbelieve me; and if I were to admit somethingof which, Allah knows, I am innocent, you willbelieve me. Therefore I have no recourseexcept the words of the father of Prophet

Yusuf:So (for me) patience is most fitting.And it is Allah (Alone) Whose Help can be

sought against that which you assert.[Yusuf: 18]

Subsequently, revelation acquittedAisha of all slander.

Aisha, of course,

was joyful andpraised Allah

thankfully. AllahsWords in this

regard went asfollows: Verily!

Those whobrought forth theslander (against

Aisha) are agroup among

you. [An-Noor:11]

To deny theprevalence of gossip and its negative effects isnothing short of sheer ignorance. Randomizedstudies of casual conversation, such as one

by Duncan et al, reveal that gossip engulfsan astounding two-thirds of conversationastatistic that is equal in both men and women,contrary to popular belief.

Not only does gossip consumesocietys conversational time, but also avery significant portion of spending and daily

reading. According to New Single Copysmagazine ranking, one of the many gossiporiented magazines, People, boasts acirculation greater than 3.75 million and annual

revenue of 112.5 billion Rs. The monthly coststo cloth, educate, feed, and psychologically

counsel an orphan is Rs 3700 if you donate toMuslim Hands and many other sincere causes.While these figures are primarily from NorthAmerica, they apply to Pakistan as well, since

many youth emulate American culture.

Unfortunately, wastage of time is notthe only danger that gossip posses. A large

portion of gossip also construes acts suchas backbiting, betrayal of trust, and causingharm to individuals and to the community.Regretfully, our inability to apply the hadith

where we are commanded to love for our

brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves[Bukhari] is the root

of most of these

problems. Untiljealousy and envyare eliminated

from our psyche,

we are fated to

cause harm to

those around us

perpetually.

Reflectingon the story ofAisha illuminates

many hazards ofgossip mongering.

During the time ofthe Sahabah, whose moral character dwarfs

ours, this incident still caused such strife.

Disagreement over whether Rasulallah (pbuh)should have divorced Aisha nearly causedfighting between fellow Muslims; indeed, to thisday, gossip is a leading cause for workplace

conflicts and loss of productivity. Furthermore,

the degree to which Aisha, the mother of thebelievers, was distraught indicates the dangerof such gossip on the rest of the Ummah,

who are far weaker. Aishas response to the

scandal is one that must be emulated.

When reciting the Ayah from SurahYusuf, Aisha displayed a trait seldomobserved: placing her trust in Allah to clearher name rather than vehemently denying the

Wastage of time is not the onlydanger that gossip posses.

A large portion of gossip

also construes acts such as

backbiting, betrayal of trust, and

causing harm to individuals and

to the community.


15/21

accusations against her. This practice is further

justified by the hadith narrated by Saeedbin Musaeb: When the Prophet (pbuh) wassitting with his companions one person usedinsulting words against Abu Bakr, causinghim pain, but Abu Bakr was silent. The manused bitter words for the second time, but AbuBakr remained silent. After the third time, as

Abu Bakr tried to defend himself, the Prophet(pbuh) got up. Abu Bakr asked, Are youdispleased with me, O Messenger of Allah?To this, Mohammad (pbuh) replied: No, butfrom the heavens an angel had come downand was denying that mans talk, but whenyou started to answer, theangel went away and

the devil sat down; Icannot sit where the

devil is sitting.[AbuDaud]

By staying

silent in the face

of gossip andaccusations, youkill two birds with

one stone; not onlydo you attain aflawless defense, butaggressors will move

onto other, more

reactive targets.

A major

component of gossip isbackbiting. In a crowd of friends, hints ofsomeones secrets being revealed willinstantly spawn a room full of eavesdroppers.

However, the deterrents given by Allah and hisMessenger (pbuh) are numerous. Consider theAyah: O ye who believe! Avoid suspicionas much (as possible): for suspicion insome cases is a sin: And spy not on each

other behind their backs. Would any of youlike to eat the flesh of his dead brother?Nay, ye would abhor it. But fear Allah: For

Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. [Al-

Hujraat: 12]

If one imagines really doing such athing, nausea will surely ensue. The Prophet(pbuh) told his companions that a rottendonkey is better for them than backbiting

[Abu Dawud]. Moreover, the punishment forbackbiting is grave; Rasulullah (pbuh) said,No tell-tell can enter paradise. [Bukhari]

On the other hand, those that hideothers secrets are promised a veil by theProphet (pbuh): Anyone who knows aboutthe fault of his Muslim brother and conceals itwill have his own faults covered on the Day of

Judgment [Tibrani]. So wesee that in addition to

doing great damage

to others and thecommunity, backbitingdevastates the one

backbiting most,making it critical to

completely stop thepractice.

Changing anyhabit is difficult andseldom accomplished

without numerous

countermeasures.

An acceptance

of wrongdoingand subsequent

sincere repentance

are paramount in bothceasing the activity, and

attaining forgiveness.

Three steps are recommended while

making tawbah. Firstly, you must ceasecommitting the sin. Secondly, feel deep regret

in performing the sin, and be repulsed by thethought of repeating your mistake. Finally,resolve never to commit the sin again. In orderto further reduce your chances of reverting to

your habit, watchfulness over any conversationyou indulge in is required. Allahs messenger(pbuh) said, From the perfection of a personsIslam is that he leaves alone that which does

Backbiting stems from

primal disease of the

heart jelousy . Thus striv-

ing to eliminate jeolousyis the ultimate method to

stop backbiting,

not concern him. [Tirmidhi]

It is obvious that if you obtain no ill

knowledge of your brother, you will be unableto backbite. In addition to this, apply the hadithof the Prophet (pbuh) in which he approacheda group of companions who were conversing,

and told them to mixin remembranceof Allah with their

discussions. Doing

this will accomplish

two objectives: youwill be less likely toincorporate sinful

talk due to the recent

dhikr; and yourconversation maybecome one of baraka

rather than just merelykilling time.

Often the best

way to solve this problem is to change yourcircle of close friends. Rasulullah (pbuh)said, The example of a good companion incomparison with a bad one is like that of themusk seller and the blacksmiths bellows; fromthe first you would either buy musk or enjoyits good smell, while the bellows would eitherburn your clothes or your house, or you geta bad smell thereof [Bukhari]. If those whoare closest to you are indulging in gossiping,or any other sin, you will not go unscathed.While leaving a group of close friends is tough,

it will both protect you from joining in theirwrongdoings, as well as elevate your faithupon befriending the Muttaqeen.

Backbiting stems from a primal diseaseof the heart: jealousy. Thus striving to eliminate

jealousy is the ultimate method to stopbackbiting. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said,

Keep away from jealousy, for it eats up virtuesfaster than a fire eats dry wood [Abu Daud].Jealousy is tantamount to questioning Allahs

judgment in distributing his bounties. Allahsays, And do not covet that by which Allahhas made some of you excel others; men

shall have the benefit of what they earnand women shall have

the benefit of whatthey earn; and ask

Allah of His grace;

surely Allah knowsall things. [An-Nisa:32]

Eradicatingbackbiting, gossiping,betrayal of trust, and

ultimately, jealousyis an imminent

priority. The degreeof disunity and fitna

caused by rumors andill feelings is crippling to

our already bleeding Ummah. Through deepremorse, constant awareness of the effect

of gossip and its associated actions, as well

as strong preventative measures, such asbefriending pious Muslims, this goal can beachieved. Even in harmless forms, gossipwastes immeasurable time, and on the Day

of Judgment, we will be held accountable forwasting the blessing of our free time.

It is ironic that gossiping and backbitingare commonly used to build good rapport andtrust with the listener, presumably becausetelling secrets makes them feel included. The

astute are quick to realize, though, that theyare likely to become the topic of interest in theirnew friends next conversation, and thus createdistance. In the end, gossipers often lose bothfriendship in the Dunya and rewards in the

Akhira.


16/21

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Written by Dr.Madiha Ashraf - House Officer at Shifa International HospitalWritten by Dr. Madiha Ashraf - House Officer at Shifa International Hospital

O

nce I read some-where that life islike a dream, and

on waking up wewill have only a few hazymemories of it. The only dif-ference between the dreamthat we see at night and thislife dream, is that on wakingup from the life dream, wewill have to face the conse-quences of what we did.

Human beings canbe amazingly short sighted.We see quite clearly thatour lives will end sooner orlater. We believe that wewill be raised again and beheld accountable for whatwe did in this life. Yet wedont struggle to do whatwe know we must. Wehave the universal excuseof being lazy. If laziness isa part of our nature, whyarent we lazy about makingour careers, about earningmoney, about raising ourchildren? The answer issimplebecause all this isimportant to us. And that isthe shortsightedness of thehuman mind.

Why is that which willend soon more important tous than that which will last

forever? Could it be becausewe dont think about thematter enough? That we are

so involved in our materialworld and our material selvesthat we dont have time tothink beyond it? I say ourmaterial selves because thatis what we are taking care of.The spiritual part of our beingremains sadly neglected.We are greatly aware of theneeds of our body, but theneeds of our soul have beenpushed to the corners of ourminds.

We know howimportant eight hours of sleepare for us; we know thatwe need to have a certainnumber of meals everyday tokeep our bodies healthy; weget every kind of vaccinationavailable to protect ourbodies from disease. Ourbodies get pampered to theextent of absurdity. But whatdo we do for our soul? Themind doesnt get enoughtime to connect with the soulbecause when the mindsnot sleeping, its either beingstressed or entertained. Weare stressed because ofschool, work, family, politicsand any number of other

concerns. And when wefinally stop thinking aboutour innumerable problems,

what do we do? We watchevery movie we can get ourhands on, watch sports allday long, surf the web forhours, stuff ourselves withfood and have a good time.The mind does not in facthave any time to think, whichis ironic since that is what itssupposed to do. When themind doesnt think, the bodyreacts to situations on its ownand we are left with nothingbut basic animal instincts.

We often wonderwhy, if we are aware of thebasic facts of life, dont weact accordingly? Because welet our bodies control us; welet our needs drive us. Wedont exert ourselves enoughto step out of the routine.We dont stop to think that a

few important changes couldmean eternal bliss instead ofhellfire.

The soul, sitting inits corner, tries to reach outto the mind, tries to demandits nutrition, growth, anddevelopment. It is the soul

that if allowed to grow, and ifallowed to be guided by theright source, can make onehuman being more specialthan all the others. It is thissoul which distinguishes oneperson from the other. And itis this soul which was givento all of us as a gift and as atest to see which one of usnurtures it the best, whichone of us protects it the best,and which one of us makes it

aware of and wholly obedientto the commands of ourCreator. And when we failto do all that, we failin thetruest sense of the word.

We fail because welet slip the one chance we aregiven of proving ourselves.We waste the one life thatwe are given as a test toqualify for entering paradise.

We compete to gain everylittle thing in this world, butwe lose miserably at the endbecause we fail to realize thatthis world is temporary. Wegive everything to this worldand therefore have nothingleft to take to the next world.We need to do some seriousthinking. We need to wakeup!


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The Great Divide - Vol 1 - Issue 1