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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Facebook

Okay, so I go on facebook a lot. I try not to but once I am on, one click leads to fifty more and before my brain gets a chance to process my idiocy, I am reading comments and browsing pictures of people I don’t even know. This problem is not unique only to me; the fast-speed internet has made it easy for people all over the world to pore over useless information almost instantly. 
I liked how brother Nouman Ali Khan said that the people of intellect are those who have pure minds, that is, their brains are free from vanity. No fruitless information clouds their thoughts. 

The difference between an animal and a human is intellect. In Arabic, “aqal” or intellect means to restrain, control and monitor. Ergo, our intellect (should be) is an invisible, mental power that regulates and administers our behaviour.  
We live in “whatever” culture. The moment we hear a criticism, or get a mouth full from our parents, our response is, “whatever.” The swamp of information we surf everyday online, see on TV has murdered our intellect, desensitized and dehumanized us. Our minds have registered so much nonsense that we have effectively stop caring about everything but ourselves. 

Honestly examine some of the comments on facebook, have people posted really thought provoking, soul stirring and revolutionary ideas? Or are they just trumpeting their own praises over something queer they did the other day or saying some other sort of gobbledygook about someone else’s bonky feats? Its like our IQs has shrunk to 0.5. Posting pictures of the insides of your nose, or pictures of your droll as you slurp sick looking soup, is not bold, its stupid and nauseating! Getting married online and adopting your friends as children, playing “farm” and going virtual shopping, is cheeky so cut it out and do something meaningful with your time.  

I am sad that people do not talk about Allah anymore. This networking junk takes up so much of our time that we have ignored and undermined the overwhelming Greatness and Grandeur of Allah, His Awe-inspiring, Sublime and Holy Disposition. Any anyone recall the last time they consciously exalted Allah’s magnificent planning behind all His perfect creation? Does anyone remember thanking Allah with all their heart, utmost love and respect over the food that they enjoy and air their breathe? We normally do not talk about Allah when with family and friends. In fact we do not even give any serious thought to Allah, our Creator, the One Who manages the sky and the earth, feeds us, gives us to drink an heals us when we are sick and to Him we shall return after we died. When the Name of Allah accidently slips out of our mouth, it is only because of a cultural formality. We don’t intend to appreciate and venerate Allah for His blessings and mercy when we say alhamdulillah or mashaAllah, we mean only to glamorize and boast our own persona.  

No one has time to read books anymore and reading the Qur’an? I must be boring and backward to even suggest that right? Our frivolous tittle-tattle and jabbering opinions are as piteous as an ant crawling in a heap of garbage. There is so much more to this world and our personal lives than we realize.  So many aspects of worshipping Allah, and so many good deeds to do. I am not saying stop talking to people, just assess your time and use it wisely.

3 comments:

  1. Really thought provoking issue! I myself got such comments usually like "so boring and backward". I'm also researching on how can we make our youth reading books. Here in Pakistan, the situation is even more wired with those ladies or young girls who remain at home having no learning activity. Their life is stuffed with all sort of useless activities like watching TV, backbiting , discussing drama serials and window shopping etc. A woman having correct knowledge of Islam can be an Ideal mother, who can bring up a generation with standard values and “alive intellect” Inshallah.

    May Allah bless our Ummah with such mothers and May we can be amoung them (Ameen)

    Jazak Allah Khair

    Aaisha

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  2. @ Aaisha,

    Were humans to know,
    For what they were created,
    We would not remiss nor would sleep.
    We were created for such a thing, that be assured,
    Were hearts to see, not stray would they,
    But only grieve.
    Death, then to the grave, then to be resurrected,
    Rebuke dire, and terror, appalling, about this we would weep.

    For the Day of Gathering,
    What have humans exerted?
    Playing and laughing in folly deep.
    But when prohibited or commanded,
    We are like the "people of the cave"
    Awake but asleep.

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  3. @ Aaisha,
    Qur'an study sessions at home would be a good idea. Sometime in the morning, after husbands have gone to work and children to their schools, gather the women of the neighbourhood in one house and discuss the Qur'an with them for an hour, hour and half. Recite the verses together then briefly discuss it with them, whilst deriving lessons.
    o this one day in one neighbourhood and another day in the next neighbourhood. This way, you can teach 5-7 neighbourhoods weekly. If you teach inshaAllah minimum 4 women in maximum 6 neighbourhoods, that's at least 24 women newly educated in Islam. This may seem like a humble start but it is worth the time and energy inshaAllah.

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