Friday Nasiha

Surah al-Haqqah (The Reality)
Chapter 69: Verse 30-34

Translation:

Take him and bind him, and then throw him in the fire of hell, and then fasten him with a chain seventy cubits long. For he did not believe in God, the Most High and did not care to feed the poor.

Commentary:

Materialism has permeated all aspects of modern civilization, and a feverish race for selfish material gain has engulfed the whole world. People are dismissive of God, of religious practices and of humane acts of any kind.

Those communities that have inherited divine revelation have failed to translate it into an effective, workable system; rather, some of them have become a liability to the mission with which they are charged. They have let their prophets down miserably. Some of them have amassed enormous wealth and enjoy extravagant luxuries, but are hesitant to help the poor and the needy or to support charitable cause. It is them, according to the verses, that God sends for punishment.

[compiled from "Thematic Commentary on the Quran" by Shaikh Muhammad al-Ghazali, p. 672]

Obligations to our Neighbours

Neighbours have rights, be they Muslims or non-Muslims. The Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him gave a comprehensive account of our duties towards our neighbours when requested to do so by one of his Companions:

1. If he asks for a loan, you should give him a loan;
2. if he wants your help, you should help him;
3. if he be sick, you should go see him;
4. if he be needy you should try to fulfil his need;
5. if he gets good news, you should congratulate him;
6. if any calamity befalls him, it is your duty to console him;
7. if he dies, you should attend his funeral;
8. you should not raise your walls to such a height that they obstruct the ventilation of your neighbour's house, even if he is willing;
9. do not tantalise your neighbour with the smell of your delicious food unless you send a portion of it to him;
10. if you bring fruit into your house then send some to your neighbour; otherwise keep it hidden from your neighbour, and you should also be careful that your children do not take some out, else the children of your neighbour may feel disappointed.
    
    Narrated by Tabarani

[taken from "In the Early Hours" by Ustadh Khurram Murad, p. 126]

Drugs and alcohol: 10 Reminders

1. Know the law. All kinds of narcotic drugs and alcohol are forbidden by Islam. They are also illegal in most part of the world. Apart from the fact that you are accountable to Allah for what you do and could very well be punished in this life and the next for using drugs and alcohol, you could also face legal penalties according to the law: depending on where you are caught, you could face high fines and jail time.
2. Be aware of the risks. Drinking or using drugs increases the risk of injury. Car crashes, falls, burns, drowning, and suicide are all linked to drug use.
3. Keep your edge. Drug use can ruin your looks, make you depressed, and contribute to slipping grades.
4. Play it safe. One incident of drug use could make you do something that you will regret for a lifetime.
5. Do the smart thing. Using drugs puts your health, education, family ties, and social life at risk.
6. Get with the program. Doing drugs isn't "in".
7. Think twice about what you're advertising when you buy and wear T-shirts, hats, pins, or jewelry with a pot leaf, joint, blunt, beer can, or other drug paraphernalia on them. Do you want to promote something that can cause cancer? make you forget things? or make it difficult to drive a car?
8. Face your problems. Using drugs won't help you escape your problems, it will only create more.
9. Be a real friend. If you know someone with a drug problem, be part of the solution. Urge your friend to get help.
10. Remember, you DON'T NEED drugs or alcohol. If you think "everybody's doing it," you're wrong! Over 86% of 12-17 year-olds have never tried marijuana; over 98% have never used cocaine; only about half a percent of them have ever used crack. Doing drugs won't make you happy or popular or help you to learn the skills you need as you grow up. In fact, doing drugs can cause you to fail at all of these things.

[Compiled from SoundVision.com]