Post by Islamic Revival on May 9, 2004 5:49:51 GMT -5
As-salam alaikum, this is the transcript of a talk given in the UK at an annual conference (you can view further details at http://www.1924.org).
====================================
Asalamualaykum,
I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. University life and surviving on student loans was not easy. This financial struggle helped me set my viewpoint on life At this point I had decided I will beat the system - I would becoming successful.
_________________________________________________________
After graduating at University I acquired a job with a major blue chip financial organization, based in the city of London. This job gave me all the desired fringe benefits one could want. However, it was not easy to show them my identity as a Muslim. I used to be shy about openly stating I was a Muslim, as I knew I will be fired upon with questions such as how am I related to terrorism. I was then hit with the orange juice dilemma- and this is when the kufar ask you surely your god says you can drink orange juice in the pub with us. Before I knew it, it had begun. My integration my self justifications my 5 times a day salat had become once a day as I twisted the kaza principle - and then very soon it had became no prayers whatsoever.
________________________________________________________
I recall my first brand new car which was built to a high specification and was very exciting at the time, but once it was delivered it was no longer good enough, So I then went to a showroom to purchase another car. I still remember the salespersons face as I took so much money out of my pockets that her jaw literally dropped.
_________________________________________________________
I also recall acquiring my first flat with waterfront views. Very soon this was also no longer good enough, so I purchased a house in the leafy suburbs of London rubbing my shoulders with the correct caliber of people spending huge amounts of money on its refurbishment. However, none of these things brought to me tranquility. So I believed the remedy was to purchase more. I believed firmly life was about possession. So I purchased more property, hoping to build a portfolio. By the age of 25 I had acquired 5 properties and I was in a position to live comfortably from the rental income alone. But even then my job, my properties, my cars were not enough it had not quenched my thirst. I wanted more, more to the point where I could not sleep at night. I had lost all tranquility – I had become a thorough bread Capitalist. The system in which I lived had formed my Identity.
________________________________________________________
Last year I received a telephone call from a friend who informed me that a brother whom I knew by the name of Aamir Ali (a true dawa carrier) who was very ill. In fact he was dying of cancer. He was told by doctors he had days to live – And even then I reluctantly went to see him.
________________________________________________________
When I met with him he looked very ill but he would refuse to have self pity. He kept asking how I was and how I was finding life – on meeting him I could not understand this brother, as I could not understand how he did not have much money, whilst he had a wife and children as dependants. He did not even have his health on his side. Yet he was tranquil and I was not.
_________________________________________________________
This left me uneasy so I went to meet him a second time to ask him what provisions he had made for his wife and children after his death. He explained to me the concept of Rizak and Ajal. He said so simply “Aqib, Allah has provided for the whole of mankind inclusive of my wife and children so I dont need to worry and Although doctors have given me weeks to live Allah is the giver and taker of life”.
-Subhanallah-
_________________________________________________________
This dawa carrier then explained to me the purpose of life and our responsibility to society. This dawa carrier showed me that a system as corrupt as Capitalism will only propagate greed and create unrest amongst individuals and within society.
_________________________________________________________
I realised then as I do today that tranquility in life is not achieved through material possessions, but through the way you think about life. Islam never rejected wealth, rather Allah (swt) in his wisdom has allowed us to acquire wealth but not for its sake, and to utilize this wealth in halal ways. It is a mystery of life that only Allah answers, that he gives wealth and takes it away – but the strong individual is the one who has a mind and thinks about his life, lives according to Allah (swt) will and works truly and sincerely for Islam.
_________________________________________________________
Today my message to you, today my message to the ummah of Muhammed (saw) is - reject capitalism - T - do not let it form you identity, because as Muslims our identity is based upon Islam and not our wants, desires or compromise solutions.
______________________________________________________
WALHUM DU LILLAH HI RABIL ALAMEEN
====================================
Asalamualaykum,
I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. University life and surviving on student loans was not easy. This financial struggle helped me set my viewpoint on life At this point I had decided I will beat the system - I would becoming successful.
_________________________________________________________
After graduating at University I acquired a job with a major blue chip financial organization, based in the city of London. This job gave me all the desired fringe benefits one could want. However, it was not easy to show them my identity as a Muslim. I used to be shy about openly stating I was a Muslim, as I knew I will be fired upon with questions such as how am I related to terrorism. I was then hit with the orange juice dilemma- and this is when the kufar ask you surely your god says you can drink orange juice in the pub with us. Before I knew it, it had begun. My integration my self justifications my 5 times a day salat had become once a day as I twisted the kaza principle - and then very soon it had became no prayers whatsoever.
________________________________________________________
I recall my first brand new car which was built to a high specification and was very exciting at the time, but once it was delivered it was no longer good enough, So I then went to a showroom to purchase another car. I still remember the salespersons face as I took so much money out of my pockets that her jaw literally dropped.
_________________________________________________________
I also recall acquiring my first flat with waterfront views. Very soon this was also no longer good enough, so I purchased a house in the leafy suburbs of London rubbing my shoulders with the correct caliber of people spending huge amounts of money on its refurbishment. However, none of these things brought to me tranquility. So I believed the remedy was to purchase more. I believed firmly life was about possession. So I purchased more property, hoping to build a portfolio. By the age of 25 I had acquired 5 properties and I was in a position to live comfortably from the rental income alone. But even then my job, my properties, my cars were not enough it had not quenched my thirst. I wanted more, more to the point where I could not sleep at night. I had lost all tranquility – I had become a thorough bread Capitalist. The system in which I lived had formed my Identity.
________________________________________________________
Last year I received a telephone call from a friend who informed me that a brother whom I knew by the name of Aamir Ali (a true dawa carrier) who was very ill. In fact he was dying of cancer. He was told by doctors he had days to live – And even then I reluctantly went to see him.
________________________________________________________
When I met with him he looked very ill but he would refuse to have self pity. He kept asking how I was and how I was finding life – on meeting him I could not understand this brother, as I could not understand how he did not have much money, whilst he had a wife and children as dependants. He did not even have his health on his side. Yet he was tranquil and I was not.
_________________________________________________________
This left me uneasy so I went to meet him a second time to ask him what provisions he had made for his wife and children after his death. He explained to me the concept of Rizak and Ajal. He said so simply “Aqib, Allah has provided for the whole of mankind inclusive of my wife and children so I dont need to worry and Although doctors have given me weeks to live Allah is the giver and taker of life”.
-Subhanallah-
_________________________________________________________
This dawa carrier then explained to me the purpose of life and our responsibility to society. This dawa carrier showed me that a system as corrupt as Capitalism will only propagate greed and create unrest amongst individuals and within society.
_________________________________________________________
I realised then as I do today that tranquility in life is not achieved through material possessions, but through the way you think about life. Islam never rejected wealth, rather Allah (swt) in his wisdom has allowed us to acquire wealth but not for its sake, and to utilize this wealth in halal ways. It is a mystery of life that only Allah answers, that he gives wealth and takes it away – but the strong individual is the one who has a mind and thinks about his life, lives according to Allah (swt) will and works truly and sincerely for Islam.
_________________________________________________________
Today my message to you, today my message to the ummah of Muhammed (saw) is - reject capitalism - T - do not let it form you identity, because as Muslims our identity is based upon Islam and not our wants, desires or compromise solutions.
______________________________________________________
WALHUM DU LILLAH HI RABIL ALAMEEN