Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Repost:The Non-Muslim Sunnah

BismIllah wa as salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah.

Why are all the non-Muslims raving about the Sunnah?

What, you ask? Is there a group of non-Muslims that have learned about the Sunnah and love it? No. There are masses of non-Muslims who swear by living the Sunnah - but they don't know it is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet. They just know it is the best way to live.

So, I ask you...why do they know and practice, and we don't?

Why is it that when you go to the doctor, they tell you to eat whole, unrefined grains, natural unprocessed foods, fruits, vegetables, and unrefined oils like olive oil? Sunnah food! We are warned day in day out about avoiding chemical-laden, refined and processed foods like white sugar, white flour, white rice, etc? Why are they telling us to use honey, which we have ahadith and Quran ayaat about? Why are they giving us tips about how to eat mindfully, when we have extensive ahadith about the etiquettes of eating that tell us these things?

Why is it that the Green Revolution is telling us to build houses out of earth, just as Rasool Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) built the first masjid in Madinah? In the secular world, we are reminded that every day is Earth Day. In Islam, every day IS Earth Day because we have been given this earth as an amanah (trust) from Allah. They tell us not to use dangerous and harmful chemicals...subhaan Allah, it's as if they read the ayaat in the Quran "and do not destroy yourselves."

We turn up our noses at the "primitive" squat toilets used in the Middle East, but the west says that they are the healthiest toilets to use for proper elimination and even sell steps to use in front of western toilets to give the same effect of crouching. Subhaan Allah! We are even told that conventional toilets are a huge waste and pollution of water and composting toilets are the way to secure our earth's future.

Just go online and you will see articles and blogs about giving up material things, getting rid of the clutter. Non-Muslims are raving about the virtues and value of giving up unnecessary things to better appreciate what is important in life. So now, we have non-Muslims taking practical steps towards Az-Zuhd, when we are out shopping and filling our homes.

Non-Muslims are recycling, living for a year without throwing anything away to see how they can reduce their impact on the earth. They have gone back to the materials used in the time of the Prophet - iron, steel, glass, pottery - and shunned the plastic, aluminum, and teflon found to be so dangerous to our health. They even went back to the Sunnah in the materials they use - cotton, hemp, linen, wool, silk, leather, while we buy Japanese polyester abayas and thobes.

Frankly, I think we look a little foolish. What have we come to that the rest of the world is doing what was sent us by Allah, in the form of our Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and his Sunnah, as the best example of how to live?

9 comments:

  1. Salam Mai,

    I just wanted to say that you have a beautiful blog Masha'Allah!! I am constantly following it and i use youre blogs as an added tool for learning Islam. Somethings are confusing and it seems that at that moment you create a blog that just clears my confusion up!! I hope you continue to keeping writing youre wisdom of Islam down' it has helped my husband and me greatly!!
    Salam Liza

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  2. Wa alaykum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Liza.

    Subhaan Allah. Whenever someone tells me that they are learning, growing, or want to be a better Muslim because of something I wrote, I want to cry. I'm always between these two views
    a) What use are my words, when there are the perfect words of the Quran, ahadith, and texts from scholars? Is it possible to benefit others, even though I don't have any notable Islamic knowledge?

    and

    b)I feel I have a lot in my heart and mind to give, so I'll type just in case someone might want or need what I'm offering.

    Then a sister like yourself will make a comment, or classmate will tell me how something I wrote changed her outlook, and I feel like Allah is giving me a sign. Jazaaki Allahu khayran, Liza... it means a lot to me.

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  3. Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi,

    Sister, much like Liza, I have greatly benefited from your writings in this blog. I'm not ashamed to say that I check it daily! Masha'Allah!

    I can really identify with your vacillating between the two views. I love to write, but when I had a blog I was too terrified to share any of my own writings.

    Masha'Allah, yesterday I was guided to on article entitled 'How to Write without Disobeying Allah", where I read the following"


    Now, that it is established - with proof - that writing can be a means of attaining nearness to Allaah, you should write in accordance with what was sent down by He Who created us and commands us to worship Him alone, singling Him out in all acts worship, such as du'aa, seeking refuge, reliance, sacrifice, prayer, hajj, zakat, fasting...

    “And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).” (Adh-Dhariyat: 56)
    The material's authenticity and correctness is a heavy part of the quality of writing - without it, the material rather becomes afitnah (trial) and a burden for the Ummah (Muslim nation). How many deviants and innovators have lured people with their seemingly beautiful words, and led people astray by them, thus dividing the Ummah and putting the Ummah to trial?

    http://www.salafyink.com/studentsofknowledge/WithoutDisobeyingAllaah.pdf

    May Allah increase you ukhti! You've strengthened my resolve - barak'Allahu feeki.

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  4. Wa alaykum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Sahra.

    Jazaaki Allahu khair for the information and the link, I'm almost finished reading that book and it is an excellent reminder and guide, mashaa'Allah. It is something important for children to understand as well.

    Alhamdul'Illah for any benefit derived, and may Allah protect you all and forgive me for any errors I make - ameen. Wa feeki Barak Allah, ukhti!

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  5. Mai-Thanks for bringing me out of the darkness. I was so unaware of so many things. I really loved this post.

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  6. Umm Salwaa...When you came out of the darkness, I hope the lightbulb wasn't blinding, LOL! All this "heavy green" and "deep green" isn't easy for a Walmart addict... but one step at a time, inshaa'Allah.

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  7. hahaha! Yes! It was blinding. But I am making baby step changes. And it feels GOOD!!!!

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  8. As Salamualaikum Warahmatuallahi wa barkatu Dear Mai!! MAshaallah I love this post! it made me smile! It's so true what you said here, non muslims are living the sunnah better than us with certain things! Subanaallah... I was justt telling myself in order to stop feeling low on energy and lazy I have to get up and do something about it! Eat according to sunnah, sleep according to sunnah, PRAY according to sunnah, even EXERCISE! Subannallah Allah is so great! And May he reward you for your beneficial posts, making us smile and just being plain awesome! ameeen!!

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  9. Wa alaykum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Faith.

    Jazaaki Allahu khayran and ameen to your dua'! I opened up a blog called Simply Sunnah which you might like. You will find it a resource for many aspects of the Sunnah inshaa'Allah. There is a post about it with the link if you'd like to check it out.

    BIG SMILES and HUGS for you!

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