Muslims, True Descendants of Abraham
Hadiza Wada, DBA
…November 5, 2011
Today stands as one of the happiest days in Allah’s sight out of the 365 days
[of the year] for his human servants, as related by scholars of Islam. This happens as millions of His
direct worshippers stand on mount Arafat near the city of Makkah wrapped in
nothing but two simple pieces of cheap but clean white clothing, raising their
hands up in humility towards the sky praying directly to Him and seeking for His
guidance, and for Him to forgive and cleanse them of all their inequities, and
grant them provision for this worldly life and the next.
The Muslim today, neither realizes nor take full advantage of the honor that his
Creator has provided for him. In
his own Holy Book the Quran, God informs the Muslim about the prayer of our
beloved Patriarch Abraham [Ibrahim AS], the father of the three scriptural
religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
In that prayer Abraham asked that Allah make all upcoming Messengers to
mankind, from among his progeny. He
added thus “My Lord! Make safe this
territory [Makkah], and save me and my sons from worshipping idols. [Quran
Chapter 14: verse 35]. [in short it
means, making image of anything they cherish and offering prayer under it and or
for it].
And as reported by all three holy books, Abraham was indeed an ardent fighter
against the carving and worship of idols [statues]. No one in religious history has been
reported as having fought that hard against idol and image carving and or
worship. Allah has consistently commanded mankind against it, as we can see from
the Scripture that Moses [Musa AS] later brought to mankind. Exodus 20: 1-17 lists the ten
commandments and the second of them says in part “You shall not make for
yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you
shall not bow down to them nor serve them…”
Well, Allah said in the Quran that He indeed answered that prayer of Abraham to
help his progeny keep away from carving and worshipping idols. And today, one thousand four hundred
plus years after that promise to Abraham was revealed to the Muslim, Allah
continues to fulfill that pronouncement.
Among all of the three scriptural Abrahamic faiths, his truest followers
living today among us are those who continue to follow in his footsteps in
teaching, worship, and actions and also through historically retracing his steps
and that of his family annually in the city of Makkah, a city he first
established. Muslims keep away from what Abraham kept away from, and love to
practice what he practiced. Not
only that, the only religion that to this day made a visit to the place of
worship Abraham built with his own hands as one of five pillars upon which the
whole religion is built [Hajj] is Islam.
The ten day event called Hajj
[pilgrimage], revolves mainly around the events of religious significance that
happened in the life of this Messenger of God, one of the Greatest human
messengers that Allah has ever sent to the world to teach mankind what faith and
belief in Him means, and how hard one is supposed to fight to keep his
relationship with his maker clean, and holy [direct with no intercessors]. Abraham was the greatest teacher of
faith and Belief in one God only [Tauhid].
An Exemplary Lifetime Demonstration of Faith
As a youth, Ibrahim AS was thrown in a bonfire whose woods took days of
gathering by the townsfolk. He did
not run away, but faced his enemies with an unbending faith. He believed
the One True God he worshipped would take care of the situation and make him win
over the oppressing rulers and the false images they worship. He was later banished from his city
of birth, separated from family and friends, and he also accepted that. How many of us today, are willing to
obey such command in the name of religion and abandon our family, friends,
including our family homes and other possessions at a moment notice to obey a
Godly command. Abraham did that. And he nearly lost his wife while in
transit to the place he was heading to.
His trial for obedience to his Maker did not end however. He was commanded to take a wife of
his [Hagar] and her new born baby Ismael to the dessert and leave them there. He did, and later that same son he
got in old age [the only son he had at that time] was commanded to be
sacrificed. He saw a dream [which
to Messengers of God equates commandment] that he should sacrifice Ishmael to
his maker [a test for his depth of faith and obedience]. He discussed the matter with his
son, who having known his father’s devotion from his exemplary life decided the
father should proceed. Abraham
tried to fulfill that commandment too, but was once again saved at the last
minute.
Scholars say, he had already tied Ismael’s eyes with a piece of cloth and had
him facing away from him and placed the knife against Ismael's throat about to
fulfill that commandment, just as he was willing to go through with the attempt
on his own life in the fire as a youth, by the city leadership. Once again, Allah saved Ismael
from slaughter as he saved his father Abraham from the fire, telling Abraham he
has indeed fulfilled the vow and passed all tests as to obedience to God’s
commandments. A ram was reportedly
placed by an angel and Ishmael moved away, when it was evident he would go
through with the test. The ram
incident is commemorated today by all pilgrims, where they are required to also
make a sheep offering and share the meat among the needy.
Not only was that occasion recognized and commemorated; Abraham’s second wife’s
commemoration of the show of faith and fortitude continues to also be
commemorated at the annual event.
Every pilgrim who visited “the House of Allah” (Ka’aba) the cubic building at
the middle of the holy Mosque in Makka, has to also commemorate Hajar’s pacing
between the two mountains of Safa and Marwa.
This was what she did in search of water for her thirsty crying baby,
Ishmael. Both services are
obligated. The circumambulation
seven times around the Ka’aba is followed by the same number of pacing between
the two mountains (seven times).
Hajar’s demonstration of faith was
described in her words to her husband when he brought her to the desert valley
of Makka, described in the Holy Quran as “uncultivable valley” and left her
alone with a baby. It was related
that Hajar asked her departing husband whether he was ordered by his Lord
(Allah) to leave her and her baby there, and he answered that it was ordered. She then said to him, “then Allah
will not abandon us.” She believed
him (her husband) as having told her the truth, and put her full trust in Allah. Today, the desert city she patiently
stayed in with faith and perseverance, raising her son and progeny in, attracts
through the Hajj occasion the highest number of God’s worshippers on earth [in
the millions].
There is no better time in recent history than now, to learn once again that
faith does not consist of empty belief in the existence of a Creator God alone
in one’s mind. It requires the
affirmation with the mouth in presence of others to witness it [vocalization]. And most importantly the constant
reaffirmation through actions that demonstrate outwardly what you keep inwardly
and proclaim verbally. To say you
believe and love someone in higher authority than you, but go on to disobey his
commandments recklessly without any inhibition, and also make excuses for such
disobedience calls into question what that person “really” believes. This applies to Muslims and other
scriptural believers alike.
All humans, as taught by God’s Messengers, were created to (a) worship and (b)
give thanks, to Him only who created, fashioned, and provided the perfect
environment for our continued existence as humans [the earth]. That satisfies
the faith [belief] part of religion.
Then we are equally commanded to work righteously [action] towards self
and others around us, [with full respect for other beings created by God]. This we can do by, for example,
supporting people less fortunate than us, assisting the children and the old
among us [the weak], as well as being kind to animals and the environment
including trees and sources of water etc.
That is all that our creator has asked of us in return for all His
favors. And if we fulfilled that,
according to all three scriptures, God promises to further reward his true
followers with a more rewarding life in heaven for our obedience, even after the
material body [we were born in] ceases to exist.
This is one other time of the year when Muslims should recount all the favors of
their Lord for them, acknowledge them and thanking Allah for them; even before
one begins to ask for any more favors than he now has. Always remember, in whatever
position or need you are in right now, there is someone less fortunate, who is
yearning to reach even that which you think is a ‘needy’ status that you occupy. May Allah smile on us today,
accepting us as one of the ones He is proud of among the human family, wherever
we may be [amen].
The Optimist Voice. All Rights Reserved.
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