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MONDAY, 05 MAY 2014 10:54 The emergence of the Bodu Bala Sena and its continuing militant, anti-Muslim political activism has irritated many liberally-minded people. Some of those who are agitated have responded by proposing simplistic solutions to contain the movement such as banning it. Like many other such groups, BBS also did not emerge from nowhere; it has its social and political roots. It is necessary to understand these roots to find a satisfactory resolution of the deeper issues involved. As is well known, in spite of the efforts of the leftist and liberally-oriented parties to promote class or citizenship-based politics in the country even before the country gained political independence from the British, communal politics emerged as the dominant form of politics in post-independent Sri Lanka. As many analysts including the present writer have pointed out on many occasions, the result was that the post-colonial public policies with respect to language, education, land settlement and employment have further reinforced rather than marginalized communal politics in the country. The ethnic and religious conflicts that emerged after independence further solidified ethnic consciousness and ethnic divisions. Consequently, competition for resources in a context of rapid population growth and rising aspirations of the masses for a higher standard of living was perceived by many as a zero sum game involving ethno-religious communities. This competition became even more intense after economic liberalization. This became evident during the 1983 ethnic riots, when racist groups openly participated in the violent campaign. The thirty-year war that devastated the country and a large section of the population does not seem to have taught the leaders of the country a lesson Increasing economic pressure after economic liberalization compelled most people to look for more lucrative income opportunities through a highly competitive process. In spite of the adoption of market friendly, liberal economic policies and the rise of the market forces, the post-1977 Sri Lankan state continued to play a dominant role in land alienation, resettlement, provision of education, employment of educated youth and infrastructure development. Leading ruling party politicians continued to allocate public resources largely on the basis of political loyalty and personal connections. Given the dominance of the majority ethnic community in government, the general perception was that much of the resources flowed into the hands of this ethnic group, though minority community members of the government could also follow the same practice to favour their own communities. Persisting communal politics coupled with the continued reinforcement of the ethnic consciousness of the wider population, including many members of the elites, by educational institutions and the mass media led to a widely held public perception that it is ethnic groups that compete with each other for life chances, not individual citizens on the basis of their personal attributes and their relative social class position. As I have pointed out in a number of articles in this column, ethno-linguistic segregation of the education system over many decades, even in so-called elite government schools in Colombo and other major towns have continued to facilitate the formation of exclusive, ethno-religious identities even among upwardly mobile members of ethnic groups. So, it is not just the underprivileged, monolingual members of ethnic groups who are sympathetic to ethno-religious extremism but also the more privileged people who have had their education in segregated schools where they had no opportunity to interact with children from other ethnic and religious communities and get acquainted with their cultures and social practices. The prevailing cultural differences and the social distance between ethno-religious groups often facilitate the formation of settlements segregated on the basis of ethnicity and religion. So, even in the ethnically mixed regions of the country, we have exclusive Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim villages and there are not many villages where people belonging to different ethno-religious groups share the same space. Such a settlement pattern, though it does not necessarily lead to conflict, does not facilitate social interaction across communities. Community based organizations functioning at a village level also often remain confined to their respective villages without having many opportunities to work together and transcend long established boundaries. So, in an increasingly competitive socio-economic environment, segregated ethno-religious groups tend to perceive one another as being engaged in a zero sum game when it comes to securing resources such as land, employment and business opportunities. Recent controversies at a national level over admissions to the law college, settlement of people in the Wilpattu national forest reserve in the North-West, Halal certification of manufactured food, etc. clearly point to this perception. Then, there are literally thousands of such disputes at a local level in almost all parts of the country. The latter often do not come to the attention of the national media. Allocation of public resources and resolution of disputes between contending groups cannot be done in an amicable manner in a country where the state and the public institutions appear to fail to treat citizens equally on the basis of their inalienable rights. Rational public policies and independent state institutions are critically important here. When the allocation of public resources does not appear to be guided by rational public policies and handled by independent institutions and public officials, and when it is increasingly perceived by people as a process which is micro-managed by numerous, sectarian politicians at all levels, extremist groups can easily arouse communal sentiments among ethnically conscious people across communities. This is what is happening today with the BBS. The prevailing cultural differences and the social distance between ethno-religious groups often facilitate the formation of settlements segregated on the basis of ethnicity and religion This is not the first time that communal politics derailed rational public policies and undermined public institutions. Well-conceived Kannangara-education reforms were subverted by communalists in the recent past with disastrous results. The monolingual, segregated education system that came into being as a result has continued to divide the younger generations into rival ethnic camps engaged in violent communal campaigns themselves, to divide up not just public resources but the country itself. The thirty-year war that devastated the country and a large section of the population does not seem to have taught the leaders of the country a lesson. If so, they would strive to move away from communal politics and take steps to adopt rational public policies and empower public institutions to ensure that public servants manage public institutions in keeping with the rules, regulations and state policies rather than take a backseat, virtually allowing politicians to take their place. Given the long established tradition of patron-client politics, deep ethnic divisions and widespread political corruption, most politicians will not be considered by the general public as impartial actors in the public domain. The situation appears to have got worse in recent years when national politics became more communal and sectarian, not less. So, in conclusion, what is argued here is that there are no short cuts to resolving inter-community disputes when social and cultural institutions like education and the media continue to reinforce ethno-religious divisions in society and promote the public perception that it is ethno-religious groups that compete with each other for life chances, not individual citizens and classes on the basis of merit, need and socio-economic standing. Then, we are asking for politicians to move into a new kind of politics, either of a social democratic or at least of a liberal variety. http://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/172-opinion/46690-the-roots-of-communal-politics-.html

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The Heart and Its Healing

Understand Quran Academy > Articles > The Heart and Its Healing

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
The body without a heart is useless. The Prophet (saws) has said,
There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoiled, the whole body gets spoiled– and that is the heart. [Bukhari]In the previous article, we looked at the three stages of the heart. They are summarized in the diagram below.

Corrupting the Heart

The heart is corrupted by committing acts of sins or disbelief. The Prophet (saws) said, When a slave (a person) commits a sin (an evil deed) a black dot is dotted on his heart. There are some sins which we are not aware of committing that leave spots on our heart, and these are the ones which we should be most watchful of.
A common example is backbiting. It has become so common everywhere that not criticizing someone behind their back might label you as being backdated or unsocial. Internet social media, blogging, and youtube have made it especially easy and dangerous, and I have seen people not even sparing scholars, actually thinking they are doing something righteous.
Another common disaster is showing-off, and it is actually a kind of hidden shirk. If you find in yourself signs of a sick heart, look out especially for these hidden sins.

Curing the Heart

1. Tazkiyah (Purification)

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ
He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself. [Quran, 87:14]

For curing the heart, it needs to be purified first from all kinds of filth like envy, hypocrisy, arrogance, gluttony and other diseases. First step towards purification is istighfar. The Prophet (saws) said,
When a slave (a person) commits a sin (an evil deed) a black dot is dotted on his heart. Then if that person gives up that evil deed (sin), begs Allah to forgive him, and repents, then his heart is cleared (from that heart covering dot); but if he repeats the evil deed (sin), then that covering is increased till his heart is completely covered with it. And this is Ar-Ran that Allah mentioned (in the Quran):
Nay! but on their hearts is the Ar-Ran (stain) which they used to earn” [Quran, 83:14] [Tirmidhi]
Another form of tazkiyah is charity. The words zakah and tazkiyah come from the same root word, meaning purification. Both zakah and sadaqah are purifying. The Prophet said,
Charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire. [Tirmidhi]

1. Reading and reflecting on the Quran

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
O mankind, there has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing http://whereslloyd.com/cls for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers. [Quran, 10:57]

Allah calls the Quran shifa , i.e. medicine for the heart. Reciting the Quran itself is purifying even if we don’t understand the meaning. To learn correct recitation, you can have a look at the course Read Quran in 20 hours.
Of course, understanding the Quran is far more beneficial than just reciting it without knowing what we’re saying. Learn 50% of the Quranic words in 9 hours.

1. Patience in the face of trials

The Prophet said,
The Fitan (trials, tests) are offered to the hearts, just as the straws that are sewn into a http://historyfactory.com/sale/ woven mat, one after another. Any heart that accepts the Fitan, then a black dot will be engraved on it. Any heart that rejects the Fitan, then a white dot will be engraved on it. The hearts will therefore become two categories: white, just like the barren rock; no Fitnah shall ever harm this category as long as the heavens and earth still exist. Another category is black, just as the cup that is turned upside down, for this heart does not recognize righteousness or renounce evil. [Muslim]

1. Dua

There are many duas which you can make for curing the heart. The best dua is of course that which comes from the heart. I’ll give you one beautiful dua each from the Quran and the sunnah.
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِى عَلَى دِينِكَ
O Turner of the hearts, make my heart firm in Your deen! [Tirmidhi]

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. [Quran, 3:8]

There are two excellent books on this topic which you can benefit greatly from: Diseases of the Hearts and their Cures, by Ibn Taymiyyah, and In the Early Hours, by Khurram Murad.
Tabassum Mosleh

http://understandquran.com/heart-healing-cc.html

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By Sadaf Farooqi

Most Muslims in Eastern countries employ domestic staff as a norm. For some, domestic helpers are a priceless resource who significantly ease our day-to-day chores. Conversely, for others, they can be a source of distress and chagrin. 

Many women complain to each other about the trouble they face from the incompetence, treachery, and intentional misdemeanor of their servants. However, we need to remind ourselves that it is in managing our helpers according to Islamic injunctions where the secret lies to get the best out of them.

1. Think of their pay as Sadaqah

We need to change the way we view our servants’ wages. By considering it an “expense,” we tend to extract “full value” of the money. For instance, even if a maid is sick, her employer might say, “I pay her to work, so she must work.” But if we consider the salary a “Sadaqah” that helps fill their bellies, we will Insha Allah be more tolerant of their shortcomings as human beings.

2. Counsel them when they need it

You might notice that your domestic helpers are disturbed on some days. They are human beings who have problems and worries just like us. Ask them what is troubling them; then advise them to have patience and hope in Allah’s mercy. Keep the counsel short, but show them that you care.

3. Forgive and forget their mistakes

Just like other human relationships, it is not pleasant to have your past mistakes and wrongs thrown in your face repeatedly. Forgive them for the sake of Allah if they wrong you, and do not be harsh when scolding them.

4. Do not accuse them of stealing, cheating or lying on mere suspicion

Many employers are guilty of this unfair action – as soon as something in the house is missing due to their own absentmindedness, the domestic helper is squarely accused of theft or negligence. “O you who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin.” (Qur’an, 49:12). Ask them normally if they have seen the missing object, but do not accuse them of theft or misplacement. In most cases, the object is eventually found after the maid has been fired, causing guilt and embarrassment to the employer for life.

5. Informally teach them Islamic manners and knowledge

One of the rights of our domestic helpers upon us is that they be taught about Islam, or given its message if they are non-Muslims. Without being overtly ‘preachy’, give them small doses of the truth. The best way is to act upon Islam yourself. This will eventually make them love and respect you for the sake of Allah – which results in a sincere relationship devoid of mistrust and treachery.

6. Eat with them occasionally without separating utensils

Domestic helpers are not animals. Some people treat them as if they are unhygienic beings from another planet. Allow them to use the utensils from which you and your family eat. If they have dirty habits, teach them hygiene. But do not separate their utensils as if they are untouchables. This will make them feel insulted. They will never return an insult with loyalty or obedience. Abu Bakr Bin Hafs said: “Abdullah Bin Umar would never eat food except in the company of an orphan.”

7. Give them gifts

Reward their work – whatever it is like – with occasional bonuses in the form of clothing, shoes or other items that you are yourself using. Do not cast off broken, torn or damaged goods to them unless they agree to take them. This is part of the Islamic etiquette taught by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

8. Ease work when they are sick

Allow your helpers to go home early by reducing their chores when they are not feeling that well. Help them if they need money for medicines or medical treatment. Consideration such as this, without reminding them of these favors later, is a good way to establish a relationship based on mutual trust and care.

9. They are not robots

Domestic helpers are human beings with feelings and self-esteem. Any treatment that you would dislike for yourself would hurt them too. Scolding them in public, pointing out their faults before others, and allowing your children to mock at them or hit them or treat them disrespectfully are totally unacceptable behaviors. Treat them with honor and dignity.

10. You are not superior

“It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in the life of this world: and We raise some of them above others in ranks, so that some may command work from others.” (Qur’an, 43:32)

It is one of Allah’s laws of the universe that some people possess higher worldly ranks than others, so that they employ the services of the latter in return for wages. But this doesn’t mean a wealthy person is superior than a poor person. This doesn’t mean you are better than your servant. 

Islam has mandated lofty treatment with slaves. But we don’t show that even to servants who are mere employees, and not slaves. 

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said to Abu Dharr regarding his treatment of his slave: “They are your brothers and servants whom Allah has placed under your authority. Anyone who has his brother under his authority let him feed him the same food as he eats and dress him in the same clothes as he wears. Do not overwhelm them with work and if you give them work to do then help them with it.” (Al Bukhari and Muslim) 

Our servants are not our slaves. But is our treatment as good as what the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded with regard to slaves during his time?

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Inside Story Of The Torching Aluthgama Muslim Owned Shop

May 10, 2014 | Filed under: Colombo Telegraph,Opinion | Posted by: COLOMBO_TELEGRAPH

By Rifai Naleemi -

Dr. Rifai Naleemi

A group of nearly three hundred radical Buddhist extremists have burned down a Muslim owned shop in Aluthgama town on 8/5/14.  This was not coincidently happened attack on the shop of this innocent Muslim businessman rather this was a premeditated racist attack to destroy the livelihood of this man. There is no shadow doubt that this attack was initiated and carried out with the support of Police, BBS and some Buddhist radicals of this area. This was the only Muslim shop in Aluthgama town. This shop has been set on fire last night (8/5/2014). It is believed that some extremist Buddhist people under the leadership of some radical Buddhist monks set fire to this Muslim shop. We should listen to the owner of this shop to know what exactly happened to his shop and why his shop was set on fire.

 

The owner of this is Mr. Ahmad khan. He has been living in this town since his childhood and he has been running this family business for many years. With his dedication and hard works he managed to build this shop and developed his business. He and his brother managed to develop their business with years of hard works and dedications: yet, some Sinhalese people in the town become jealous of this growing business and they did not want see one and only Muslim shop in that town. He has been doing business among Sinhalese people in that town.

It is due to mere jealousy and hared that this shop was set on fire and destroyed.  Some of these jealous people deliberately and intentionally created a plot and conspiracy to destroy this hardworking Muslim man’s shop and his livelihood without any human remorse for his family and children.

They plotted and conspired. As a part of their conspiracy they sent a mother and a son to his shop some time ago. This mother came up with a fabricated story against the owner of the shop. She claimed that her son was strangled or squeezed by his neck by the brother of shop owner and she made a complaint about it to Aluthgama police station and the brother of shop keeper was taken to police custody. He was kept in police for one and half day. This episode was craftily y set up by some elements in the town to destroy this shop and livelihood of this innocent business man

In order to revenge for this fabricated story some 300 hundreds Sinhalese radicals demonstrated in the township under the leadership of some monks.  They shouted that this Muslim shop would be set on fire and burned down! Police warned the owner of this shop to close down the shop when the demonstrators were marching towards the town and yet he turned down that request saying there was no reason to close the shop. The owner told police he has done no wrong to close his shop. The demonstrators did not do any damage to the shop on the day of demonstration and yet, at night time the shop was set on fire by some of these thugs. The shop was totally destroyed and nearly 50 million rupees worth of goods are destroyed and shop is totally burned down.

This was a racially motivated incident.  It was reported that Police did not take any action against the culprits of this attack and police has been supporting these thugs. It should be mentioned here that entire Police team at Aluthgama should take the responsibility for this incident since they have failed to take action.  They have failed in their official duties and they perverted course of justice in this case. It is in front of these police that this shop has been destroyed and yet, Police have not taken any action. Police was collaborating with these thugs, otherwise these thugs would not be able to do this destruction that quickly in that speed in the middle of the town.

This begs many questions about the prejudice and discriminative attitudes of Police in Sri Lanka. Police force is a law enforcement agent in any country. Sadly such law enforcing agent itself is collaborating with thugs to break the laws and order of this country? Why did not police take any action against these people and why did not police stop this destruction and why did not police do something to stop this injustice? The credibility of Police is questionable today in Sri Lanka?

There is no need to destroy a shop because of any minor incident or dispute.  We have a good legal system in Sri Lanka.  Why these people do not take these types of incidents to court rather than following the path of violence and destruction in Sri Lanka? Who is going to benefit from such destruction? No one benefits from such destruction. It is public who will pay the price for such destruction and it is our own national resources we destroy.

End of the day, we are damaging the image of our country and its economy by these types of anti-social behaviours and barbarism.  Today we do not need people who destroy Sri Lanka rather we need people who develop and build our Sri Lanka.

After all these happened to Muslims in Sri Lanka in broad day light, no constructive steps have been taken yet, neither by this government or Muslim politicians to stop this anti-communal activities. This government should take responsibility  for all these racist attacks.  This government is trying to catch fish in trouble water and it has been ignoring the plights of Muslims deliberately and intentionally for its dirty political ambitions. Our selfish politicians have failed to grasp the grave danger that has already engulfed Muslim community in Sri Lanka.

https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/inside-story-of-the-torching-aluthgama-muslim-owned-shop/comment-page-2/

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At least 32 people killed by suspected Bodo rebels in northeastern state forcing thousands to flee for safety.

At least 32 people from the minority Muslim community have been killed by the suspected Bodo rebels in two days of violence in India's northeastern Assam state. The attackers sprayed bullets on people before setting more than 40 houses on fire. Thousands of people have fled their homes for safety. Relatives of victims, who refused to bury their dead, finally performed the last rites on Sunday after the government promised to punish the culprits and provide security. At least three rebels have been killed by the army, which has been deployed in the region following the killings. In similar attacks nearly two years ago, Bodo rebels killed about 100 people and forced more than 400,000 people to flee their homes.

View As Slideshow >> /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] Villagers watch as the dead bodies of the victims are brought for burial in Narayanguri village in Baksa district, about 200km from Guwahati, the capital of Assam state. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] The family members of those killed finally buried their dead after the government promised to punish the culprits and provide security. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] Villagers look for belongings following the attack in Khagrabari village. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] A woman mourns the death of her relatives in the village of Narayanguri. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] Security personnel get down from a boat to patrol in a remote area at river Beki in Khagrabari village, Baska district. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] Rights body, Amnesty International has condemned the deadly attacks, terming the act as shameful and displaying contempt for human lives. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] A villager flees with his belongings to safer place. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] Police said on Sunday that they had killed three suspected rebels and arrested eight forest guards for the alleged involvement in the killings. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] A man tries to salvage valuables from the remains of his house, which was burned by the rebels. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] More than 40 homes were set on fire by the attackers forcing people to flee for safety. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] The state government is planning to hand over the probe into the killings to the federal investigating agency, National Investigation Agency. /[Biju Boro/Al Jazeera] Army has been deployed in the area after the attacks. http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2014/05/pictures-carnage-india-assam-20145515837562172.html

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One of the greatest things that will relieve a person's distress on the Day of Resurrection is his efforts in this world to relieve the distress of those who are in distress, and to help those who are in need, and to make things easy for those who are in difficulty, and to overlook the mistakes of those who err.

In Muslim it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whoever relieves a believer of distress in this world, Allah will relieve him of some of the distress of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever makes things easy for those who are in difficulty, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and in the next. Whoever conceals (the faults of) a Muslim in this world, Allah will conceal him (his faults) in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah will help the slave so long as the slave helps his brother." [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1/71, hadith no. 204.]

Bukhari narrated from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "The Muslim is the brother of his fellow-Muslim; he should not mistreat him or let him down. Whoever meets the needs of his brother, Allah will meet his needs, and whoever relieves a Muslim of some distress, Allah will relieve him of some of the distress of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever conceals (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will conceal him (his faults) in this world and the next." [Bukhari: Kitaab al-Mazaalim, Baab laa Yazlim al-Muslim al-Muslim, Fath al-Baari, 5/97.]

Ad-Deenoori narrated in Al-Mujaalisah, Al-Bayhaqi narrated in Al-Shu'ab and Ad-Diyaa' narrated in Al-Mukhtaarah from Anas that the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whoever helps his brother in secret, Allah will help him in this world and the next." [Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah, 3/218, hadith no. 1217.]

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RIYADH: MD RASOOLDEEN

Published — Sunday 4 May 2014

http://www.arabnews.com/news/565366

Muslim parliamentarians in Sri Lanka have called for President Mahinda Rajapaksa to intervene in order to stop the continued hate campaign, intimidation and threats perpetrated against Muslims by some Buddist extremists of the Bodu Bala Sena and other allied organizations.

With the exception of A.H.M. Azwer and A.R.M.A. Cader, 16 out of the 18 legislators signed the petition sponsored by the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCL).

Speaking to Arab News from Colombo, MCL President N.M. Ameen said that the campaign carried out against Muslims by the Bodu Bala Sena, Sihala Ravaya and Ravana Balakaya is alarming and dangerous. “We have full confidence in our president and we believe he will take appropriate action to resolve this issue,” he added.

The petition urges the president to immediately intervene to stop the harassment against Muslim IDP’s who have lived in different parts of the country as refugees and as a “forgotten” people over the last 23 years.

“We, the Muslim parliamentarians, wish to bring to your Excellency’s kind attention that these groups have been targeting Muslim places of worship, Halal food, the Muslim attire and now the resettlement of the Muslim lDPs who were expelled by the LTTE in 1990 in the worst act of ethnic cleansing in the history of our nation,” the petition read. These Muslim lDPs were labeled as “old lDPs” and did not even benefit from the resettlement scheme implemented by the government and international agencies including the cash grants provided by the UNHCR, it said.

In the absence of any substantial support for their resettlement, the Muslim religious, political and civil society leadership has been soliciting support for their resettlement from benevolent donors of Muslim countries and individuals. There has been some positive response from some of these donors and a number of houses have been constructed with their support,” the petition noted.

These houses have been constructed following due procedures of land distribution through the Divisional Secretariat and the Presidential Task Force for resettlement. The Sena and some sections of the media are highlighting the resettlement now as illegal, stating that they have encroached upon the Wilpattu National Park.

Signatories to the petition included, Senior Minister for Urban Affairs A.H.M. Fowzie, Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem, ALM Athullah, Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Basheer Segu Dawood, Kabir Hasim, Faizer Mustapha, MS Thowfeek, Faisal Cassim, Hassan Ali, M.S M. Aslam, M.H.M. Haleem, M.L.A. M. Hisbullah, Unais Farook and Mustapha Bawa Farook.

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The Healing Power of Prayer Become an active member of the ProductiveMuslim community and enrich it with your thoughts. Leave a comment on this article and with it, your presence. We look forward to reading your comments. 0 In times of hardship, pain and loss, many of us attempt to find solutions in the very dunya that caused that calamity to befall us in the first place. We search for temporary comforts in people and worldly objects, all of which have the potential to break us again. Some of us find relief in medication and counselling, some surround themselves with sympathetic ears and some simply lose hope and derail from the path of Islam. However, Allah  has provided us with the best tool of all: Prayer.   “And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]“ [Qur'an: Chapter 2, Verse 45]. Allah  is the Almighty, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. So who better to call upon than Him? Who better to seek ease from pain and hardship than Him? Does Prayer Heal? It sure does! As many verses of the Qur’an reiterate, Allah  tells us to enjoin in prayer and it is not without wisdom that Allah  says: “… Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured,“ [Qur'an: Chapter 13, Verse 28]. Dr Andrew Newsberg of the University of Pennsylvania attempts to enlighten us with this hidden wisdom. He studied brain wave activity during prayer and found a direct impact on several brain locations. The benefits of prayer are incredible! Regular daily prayers halt the frontal lobe from shrinking with age, which is the part of the brain that regulates our speaking, reading and memory; therefore, this helps prevent memory loss in old age. High activity was found in the anterior cingulate, the location that regulates our connectivity to others. A high activity in this part of the brain means a healthier and happier person. Our self-awareness is found in the parietal lobe, the overuse of which causes feelings of isolation and loneliness, and the limbic system is where negative emotions are stimulated. Prayer deactivates both of these areas of the brain, removing the negative emotions and allowing us to benefit from the frontal lobe and anterior cingulate. The result is a healthier, happier and longer life, In sha Allah. [1] We need not look further to see that prayer is beneficial for us, making us healthier and happier. It is a healer in and of itself, activating regions of the brain that make us happier and ridding negativity. It is not just a form of worshipping Allah , but also a form of meditation: A self-help tool to bring us to a state of tranquility. The more regular the prayer and the deeper our connection with Allah , the more beneficial it is for us. A Perfect Example In Our Prophet  Our beloved Prophet Muhammad  relied on prayer as a source of comfort. As we all know, the Prophet  was tested with many trials and tribulations in his time, and it is with prayer that he found mental calmness. The prayer of the Prophet  was always with great humbleness, full concentration and sincere submission to the Almighty . This is what is known as the state of khushu’, a state of full awareness of the Almighty  as we direct our minds and heart to our Lord alone. “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern…” [Qur'an: Chapter 33, Verse 21]. “Certainly will the believers have succeeded: They who are during their prayer humbly submissive…” (Qur’an: Chapter 23, Verses 1-2). This is the state that we should aim to achieve in our prayers. It is in this state that we will find the biggest stimulations in the brain so we may reap the true benefits of prayer, In sha Allah. The Prophet  did not only pray at times of need, but would pray in all situations and occasions. He  would pray to thank Allah, seek His forgiveness, and ask for His protection and guidance. He  would offer prayer for rain, decision-making, before undertaking a journey and even during battles; the list is endless. And, there was not a prayer that he  would offer except that, through the mercy of Allah , it brought about some sort of blessing, guidance or ease! How Can We Attain Maximum Benefit From Prayer? As Dr Newberg revealed, prayer performed regularly and with a deep spiritual connection, makes a happier and healthier person. Our Prophet  is a perfect example of how and when prayer should be offered. We take from his example four practical steps by which we can gain maximum benefit from prayer: Engage, Connect, Submit and Make Dua. 1. Engage Incorporate prayer into your daily life. We should always focus on improving our relationship with Allah  and the best way to do this is to engage in regular prayer. So make prayer your habit. Converse with Allah  through your duas and try to connect with Him  every day. Remember Him  and He  will remember you. First and foremost, make sure you pray on time — no matter how busy you are — and do not miss any fardh prayers, especially Fajr.  A busy life may make prayer harder, but prayer makes a busy life easier! The five fardh prayers should be our first step if we have not yet already established them daily. Abu Huraira (ranhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger  said: The first thing about which the people will be called to account out of their actions on the Day of Judgment is prayer. Our Lord, the Exalted, will say to the angels – though He knows better: Look into the prayer of My servant and see whether he has offered it perfectly or imperfectly. If it is perfect, that will be recorded perfect. If it is defective, He will say: See there are some optional prayers offered by My servant. If there are optional prayer to his credit, He will say: Compensate the obligatory prayer by the optional prayer for My servant. Then all the actions will be considered similarly. [Sunan Abi Dawud] Once we have established the fardh prayers, we can move on to incorporating more optional prayers into our daily lives. The more we pray, the better our connection with Allah  and the more we can seek the blessings and benefits of prayer. Take time to look into the many prayers that the Prophet  taught us to perform and their benefits, and try to incorporate as many as you can in your daily lives. Whether it is in times of need to seek council, or in times of ease to thank Him , you can never call upon Allah  too many times. 2. Connect Make prayer deeper and more meaningful. We must try to concentrate and allow ourselves to enjoy a personal and proximate relationship with our Lord . The best way to do that is to pray as the Prophet Muhammad  did — with khushu. Here are some simple tips we can incorporate in our prayers to build a stronger connection and attain maximum benefit, In sha Allah: When you stand to pray, remember who you are standing before and humble yourself in His  presence. Pray as if it is your last prayer. Imagine Allah  standing before you and the angel of death behind you. Know that you are in control of your mind and body. Remain still, focus on the place of sujood and avoid thinking of worldly matters; the time of prayer should be dedicated solely to focusing on your relationship with Allah . So let go of your worries and let yourself indulge in His  love and greatness. Reflect and ponder on every ayah that you recite. This will help you concentrate on finding a personal meaning and help prevent your mind from drifting. The more you reflect, the more sincere your prayer will become. Try to set aside time specifically for your prayers. Go to a quiet area, with least distractions possible and truly focus on the prayer alone. If you are praying in congregation, then let the spiritual atmosphere inspire you, not distract you. Do not rush off from the prayer mat when you have finished your prayer. Take some time to reflect, recite the post-prayer duas, embrace the moment of closeness to Allah  and know that He  is present and listening. 3. Submit Remember that sujood is the position in which you are the closest to Allah . Take your time and let yourself embrace that closeness, and be warmed and comforted by it. It is best to make dua while in this position, as per the Prophet’s  recommendation: “A slave becomes nearest to his Rabb when he is in prostration. So increase supplications while prostrating.” [Sahih Muslim] Ibnul Qayyim described sujood as the secret of prayer, the greatest pillar and the seal of the rukoo’. In this position, we can truly submit ourselves to the Almighty . In fact, further to Dr Newberg’s research, Dr. Ahmad Sakr found that the position of sujood is one method scientifically proven to bring peace, tranquility and happiness to the one in prostration [2]. He explains that we are all exposed to electrostatic charges from the atmosphere and ridding ourselves of these extra charges is beneficial to one’s health. The best way to rid these extra electrostatic charges according to Dr Ahmad Sakr, is to prostrate with one’s forehead to the ground. This brings about a calming feeling and dissipates electromagnetic energy. Once again, science enlightens us on the wisdoms behind sujood. Not only do we find ourselves the closest to Allah  in this position, but it also physically brings us peace and tranquility. So whenever you are in need of mental calmness, follow the footsteps of the Prophet  and prostrate to the Almighty . It is also the best time for us to make dua, as here, we are the closest to Allah . 4. Make Dua I need not say more. Make dua, and trust in Allah , for He knows what is best for you. Remember that Allah  alone is sufficient for us and through worshipping the Almighty with sincere submission, our hearts will find peace In sha Allah. Trust in Him  and have faith that He  will always answer your prayers. “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me — indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided” [Qur'an: Chapter 2, Verse 186]. “For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.” [Qur'an: Chapter 94, Verse 5]. Whether you take it from science or take it from our beautiful religion, call upon Allah  with full sincerity and submission, and you will find bliss, In sha Allah. Has this article been beneficial to you? I would love to hear about your experiences; how has prayer helped you through your hardships? What helps you gain khushu’ in your prayers? Please share your thoughts below! [1] Newberg, Andrew B.; Waldman, Mark Robert (2009). How God Changes Your Brain. [2] Sakr, Ahmad H. (1997). Sujood (Prostration). About the Author: Saadia recently graduated with a BSc in Psychology and has a healthy background working in this field. As a student of Islam, she aims to utilise her degree to its true depth by focusing on interlinking Islam with psychology. Her passion in writing is inspired by the beautiful harmonisation between the two. P.S. Found this article useful? Share the khair! I'd suggest emailing this article The Healing Power of Prayer to at least 1 person (relative, friend or colleague) who you think could benefit from it. Better yet, ask them to signup at http://ProductiveMuslim.com/Newsletter and get Abu Productive's exclusive newsletter (sent only via email) with a productivity tip of the week sent every blessed Friday. :) Click here to visit the article and leave a comment

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