Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh.
This worldly life can be heavy for the believer. Heavy because he must bear the weight of being surrounded by evils and making choices between one evil or another, for there is no escape from them. In considering the world we live in today, there is very little that we can do without being accountable for a certain amount of sin. This may sound far-fetched, but I ask you to think with me here. This earth is an amaanah - a trust from Allah - and chemicals, plastics, petroleum products, the burning of fossil fuels, the manufacturing of goods, and the use of those goods all contribute to its ruin and destruction.
There is virtually nothing we can do today that doesn't cause some harm to the earth. This is all part of shaytaan's long-term machinations and mankind is now trapped by its own foolishness of listening to his whispers over the centuries. Today, the computer I type on is made up of plastics, all manner of chemicals, is manufactured and packaged in a way that causes industrial waste, and is shipped out to locations causing pollution and a depletion of non-renewable resources. Of course, the computer saves numerous resources as well, as we I can read books on it rather than them being printed and shipped. However, when it is obsolete, it ends up in a buried in a landfill, contaminating the ground water or, as many are, burned by poor Chinese people who are poisoned by the dioxin it emits.
The books I order are printed on paper from trees that are all part of a huge deforestation crisis. The printing process, from machinery to ink and glossy covers, causes industrial and environmental waste. The shipping of the book, yet again, uses some form of transportation that, in it's very production, is poisoning the earth, and the use of which causes pollution and depletion of non-renewable resources. The clothing we buy is either made of synthetic materials that are chemical polluters and poisoners of the earth, or natural fibers that are usually dyed with synthetic dyes that pollute our water systems. They are mass produced in factories that, in their own construction are toxic. They use vast amounts of energy, health and earth destroying machinery, and the same issues of packaging, shipping, and selling in huge stores - yet another earth enemy.
Many of us try our best to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We stick to natural materials, that come from the earth and can return to it simply enriching it again, rather than poisoning it. However, in day to day choices, there is always an element of sin. Even in making choices to eat organic foods, or use chemical-free products in our homes, we still play a part in ruining the earth because the packaging is toxic to the earth, the processing plant produces industrial waste, non-renewable resources are used for it to be shipped out to the shops who sell it....oh the list goes on and on.
If you follow just one item from production to when it lands in your home, you will find a trail of destruction that may well astound you. However, this awareness is important, as it is a part of taqwa to have knowledge and make informed, Allah-conscious decisions.We need to be aware that whatever decisions we make, there is an element of istighfar (forgiveness seeking) required, because we break our Amanah with Allah, in nearly everything we do.
Everything that we were given regarding our deen is complete. The lifestyle of the Salaf respected the amanah placed on humans in respect to their own bodies and the earth they were given to live on. So, I started considering what it would entail to live without ruining ourselves or the earth at all. It would mean the elimination of just about every industrialization since Victorian times. That would include the advent of all man-made chemicals including fertilizers, cloth dyes, synthetic medicines, plastics, and the foods that have been stripped of nutrition or are tainted with pesticides, growth hormones, etc.
When we speak of living mindfully, trying to uphold the amanah Allah has placed in us as Muslims, do we really think about living at one with the earth and benefiting from it, while also benefiting it? For many of the life choices we make, due to the stage of ruin our world is in, we simply have to choose between the various evils Do I take the blame for whatever harm is incurred to the environment because gaining knowledge ('ilm) is more important? If so, how can I minimize the sin I carry? Is it better to get the e-book and save a tree or save the energy used for the computer and get the book, which will eventually return to the earth?
The Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, made istighfar over 70 times in just an hour's talk with his companions, radhi Allahu anhum. Inshaa'Allah. With more thought and consideration, we should make more istighfar, for the things we know and the things we don't, for the things we can control and for those we cannot as a consequence of our actions. Truly, with a sincere heart (ikhlaas) and total reliance and calling upon Allah (tawakkal and asking for guidance) all will be based on our mindfulness and intentions.
AstaghfirAllah wa atoobu ilayh wal hamdul'Illahi Rabb il aal Ameen.
This worldly life can be heavy for the believer. Heavy because he must bear the weight of being surrounded by evils and making choices between one evil or another, for there is no escape from them. In considering the world we live in today, there is very little that we can do without being accountable for a certain amount of sin. This may sound far-fetched, but I ask you to think with me here. This earth is an amaanah - a trust from Allah - and chemicals, plastics, petroleum products, the burning of fossil fuels, the manufacturing of goods, and the use of those goods all contribute to its ruin and destruction.
There is virtually nothing we can do today that doesn't cause some harm to the earth. This is all part of shaytaan's long-term machinations and mankind is now trapped by its own foolishness of listening to his whispers over the centuries. Today, the computer I type on is made up of plastics, all manner of chemicals, is manufactured and packaged in a way that causes industrial waste, and is shipped out to locations causing pollution and a depletion of non-renewable resources. Of course, the computer saves numerous resources as well, as we I can read books on it rather than them being printed and shipped. However, when it is obsolete, it ends up in a buried in a landfill, contaminating the ground water or, as many are, burned by poor Chinese people who are poisoned by the dioxin it emits.
The books I order are printed on paper from trees that are all part of a huge deforestation crisis. The printing process, from machinery to ink and glossy covers, causes industrial and environmental waste. The shipping of the book, yet again, uses some form of transportation that, in it's very production, is poisoning the earth, and the use of which causes pollution and depletion of non-renewable resources. The clothing we buy is either made of synthetic materials that are chemical polluters and poisoners of the earth, or natural fibers that are usually dyed with synthetic dyes that pollute our water systems. They are mass produced in factories that, in their own construction are toxic. They use vast amounts of energy, health and earth destroying machinery, and the same issues of packaging, shipping, and selling in huge stores - yet another earth enemy.
Many of us try our best to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We stick to natural materials, that come from the earth and can return to it simply enriching it again, rather than poisoning it. However, in day to day choices, there is always an element of sin. Even in making choices to eat organic foods, or use chemical-free products in our homes, we still play a part in ruining the earth because the packaging is toxic to the earth, the processing plant produces industrial waste, non-renewable resources are used for it to be shipped out to the shops who sell it....oh the list goes on and on.
If you follow just one item from production to when it lands in your home, you will find a trail of destruction that may well astound you. However, this awareness is important, as it is a part of taqwa to have knowledge and make informed, Allah-conscious decisions.We need to be aware that whatever decisions we make, there is an element of istighfar (forgiveness seeking) required, because we break our Amanah with Allah, in nearly everything we do.
Everything that we were given regarding our deen is complete. The lifestyle of the Salaf respected the amanah placed on humans in respect to their own bodies and the earth they were given to live on. So, I started considering what it would entail to live without ruining ourselves or the earth at all. It would mean the elimination of just about every industrialization since Victorian times. That would include the advent of all man-made chemicals including fertilizers, cloth dyes, synthetic medicines, plastics, and the foods that have been stripped of nutrition or are tainted with pesticides, growth hormones, etc.
When we speak of living mindfully, trying to uphold the amanah Allah has placed in us as Muslims, do we really think about living at one with the earth and benefiting from it, while also benefiting it? For many of the life choices we make, due to the stage of ruin our world is in, we simply have to choose between the various evils Do I take the blame for whatever harm is incurred to the environment because gaining knowledge ('ilm) is more important? If so, how can I minimize the sin I carry? Is it better to get the e-book and save a tree or save the energy used for the computer and get the book, which will eventually return to the earth?
The Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, made istighfar over 70 times in just an hour's talk with his companions, radhi Allahu anhum. Inshaa'Allah. With more thought and consideration, we should make more istighfar, for the things we know and the things we don't, for the things we can control and for those we cannot as a consequence of our actions. Truly, with a sincere heart (ikhlaas) and total reliance and calling upon Allah (tawakkal and asking for guidance) all will be based on our mindfulness and intentions.
AstaghfirAllah wa atoobu ilayh wal hamdul'Illahi Rabb il aal Ameen.
Evil (sins and disobedience of Allah, etc.) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds, etc.), that Allah may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah, and begging His Pardon).[30:42]
ReplyDeleteExactly sister Sahra. Barak Allahu feeki.
DeleteSalaam.sis he left the earlier woman but now he found another one. With whom he video chats they love each other she is in foreign country.
ReplyDeleteSis i m very distreed and pregnant again . Sis pls make dua for me.