Unity of the Muslim Ummah is no important, it cannot be emphasised enough. Likewise disunity amongst the Ummah can be disastrous.

Allah the Most wise, say: “And hold fast, all together, by the rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves…” (Quran-3:103) While we are living and enjoying the comforts and luxuries of this world, our brothers and sister are suffering and being oppressed all around us. Has it become such that we have become immune and insensitive to such afflictions and find it so hard to assist the Ummah let alone shed even one tear.

Have we fogotten the Hadith of Rasullullah (saw) “The Muslim Ummah is like one body. If the eye is in pain then the whole body is in pain and if the head is in pain then then body is in pain”

The enemies of Islam are attempting to destroy this Ummah, piece by piece and for this to happen all we got to do is…….Nothing! 18

Once upon a time three bulls lived in the forest. One white, one brown and one black. They were brothers and lived together in harnony. In that forest also lived a lion that had his eye on the bulls. But every time he attacked one of them the others came to his aid and together they drove the lion away.

The lion decided that he needed to change his strategy. So one day when the Black Bull was away, he went to the other two and said, “You know, the Black Bull is black and dirty and evil.

Why do you keep him with you? His is a disgrace to you. You are beautiful and noble. If the Black Bull is no loger there, you will have all the grazing to yourself. He takes away your food and adds no value to you” The two bulls listened to the lion’s spiel and said, “Well, you know, he is our brother. What can we do?”

“You need to do nothing at all,” said the lion. “I am your friend. I will do what needs to be done. Just don’t come to the aid of the black bull when he calls you” The others agreed.

The next day, they heardthe voice of the black bull calling for help in anguish and fear. They listened to him and went back to their grazing.Gradually the calls stopped. The two brothers could not look each other in the eye but thin, nice green grass wipes away memories and after a little while it was as if the black bull never existed. Then one day the lion came to the White bull when he was alone and said, “So are you happy with the advice I gave you? Don’t advise you well? Now here is another advice.

You are the real king of the forest. you are white and clean, pure, holy and beautiful. You are wise and good. You deserve to live in splitary splendour like a king. Not some dirty brown trash who you have to share your food with. Why do you need him? He is a liability and an embrassment to you.”

“Well, what should I do?” “You know the score. Nothing at all. I am there to take care of everything for you. Just relax.”

Next day, White bull heard the dying screams of the Brown bull and closed his ears and went back to his grazing.

The white bull lived for a few days all by himself, grazing where he wanted and drinking from the clean streams of the forest. Then one morning the lion came again. From the look in eyes, the white bull knew that this visit was different. All his life flashed before his eyes.

He recalled the time when the three brothers stood together, shoulder to shoulder. Then he recalled all the incidents since then. As the lion sat before him, not in any hurry, knowing that the result was pre-determined, the white bull said to him, “I have one last wish. Will you grant it to me?

“Anything at all my friend” , said the lion. The white bull then climbed a hill and when he got to the top of it, he called out to the people of the forest, “O! People, I do not die today. I died the day black bull died.” So dear brothers and sisiters in Islam pay heed to the above story for in it lies a deep and important lesson for the Ummah. In Unity there is strength!

Let us be firm on the Quran and Sunnah and be not divided amongst ourselves. when a fellow Muslim person or country is being attacked by the enemies of Islam, be sure to be of some help and not to just sit back and do. . . NOTHING!

Allah Taala says: “O belivers, if you help Allah’s cause, He will help you an make your feet firm (Against your enemies) and those who disbelieved woe unto them and their actions are in vain.” (Quran-47:7,8)

Now more than ever, as we drift even further into a gadget-obsessed world of self-indulgence and so called “first world problems,” Ramadan becomes even more important in more ways than one. Let’s face it, the world is becoming an increasingly aggressive place where people either believe more than ever or less than usual, and those in-between are referred to as hippies.

Interestingly, a lot of agnostic people have recently been more “awakened” to New Age spirituality; traveling to hot-spot countries like India and Nepal for guidance or resorting to eating just raw food in order to connect with themselves and everything around. Those people usually reject any formal notion of religion, but still crave or  discover the notion that there is something greater than us. Essentially they fast: Cleansing themselves from all things artitificual in order to purify themselves.

Let’s be honest, whether people choose to use the term “God” or not, they’re basically trying to connect to Him, and whilst mainstream society may refer to New Agers as”froufrou hippies,” they’re on the right path; they just haven’t quite reached the goal yet. You see, it’s not very complicated or difficult – the first step to reawakening your true self is to let go of your self completely. The only thing between you and God is you.

Islam has its own, more rewarding, option of cleansing and detoxifying yourself. The holy month of Ramadan (where Muslims abstain from food and beverage from dusk till dawn) is about fasting in order to sympathise with those who are less fortunate, but there’s another side to the month. Ramadan is a chance for you to disconnect from the bubble of self-importance and selfishness in order to connect to others and ultimately a higher being – God.

Hunger is one of the most powerful feelings. When the pit of your stomach feels hunger, you panic and will do nearly anything and eat everything in order to make that instinctual feeling disappear. So, many of us munch our way trough Ramadan, going from meal to meal until the month is up, and you won’t have to experience that kind of hunger again for a year. As much as Ramadan is about getting closer to God, it is also a continuous wake-up call to remind us that for so many in this world, everyday is a fasting day, whether they like it or not.

Yet, when I look at my grandmother and the way that she used to eat in Somalia, she grew up to become a fertile woman with no issues of heart disease, diabetes, asthma or obesity — although food was at times scarce. Like so many of our grandparents and great-grandparents, although their food options were limited, they ate a diet of fresh local vegetables, pulses, and dairy; and on special occasions, meat, fish and poultry. My grandmother still doesn’t quite understand what lactose intolerant (or any other food allergies, for that matter) mean. She doesn’t get what asthma is or why some people are allergic to the trees and grass –“next time you’ll tell me that someone is allergic to the sun as well,” she’d joke.

Imagine her surprise.

Now, so many of us have unlimited options for food. But the problem is that we’re not eating food anymore, we’re eating food-like products that are adorned to look, taste and smell amazing, moving further away from our grandparents’ heavily plant- and pulse-based diet. How many of our grandparents lived on processed food with ingredients that are barely pronounceable? In our generation and in many parts of the world, we’re now basically overfed and under-nourished. And, with the rush and stress of everyday life, who can really say that they have time to think about food in a meaningful way?

Cue Ramadan.

By connecting the holiest Islamic month of the year with fasting, we begin to realise that, hey, there might be a link between spirituality and hunger; the value of your body and how to take care of it. Ramadan is the time to listen to your body (and not just the hungry growls), because it’s not just about what you’re eating – it’s also about what’s eating you.

Of course, I can’t say for certain that if I eat more like my grandmother, I’ll live a longer and healthier life (no one can). But, what I do know for sure is that Ramadan re-awakens you, it transports you out of your own self-important bubble and ego and forces you to think about things (including, but not only food) in a more conscious way. By eating well and being more aware of our gluttonous and often insatiable hunger for fake food, you give your body and your soul the chance to heal itself.

It’s not a coincidence that Islam’s holiest month is connected with fasting. So the next time iftar comes around you’re rushing to break your fast, take a few minutes to not only think of those less fortunate, but also of how you intend to use your fortune. It cannot be found in just your wallet nor your closet – your fortune is your health, so just think of Ramadan as the never-ending reminder of that.

SOURCE: altmuslim

The Holy month of Ramadaan came like seasonal rain and passed by. This rain did not water the plants and crops -it showered upon the hearts of belivers. It is sad, but true, that the heart of the majority of Muslims are stricken with spiritual drougt and spiritual decadence.

It is a drought caused by excessive indulgence in un-Islamic activities, immoral behaviour, unjust actions, unfair dealing etc. Drought caused by lack of piety, lack of fear of Allah and lack of Allah consciousness destroys the SPIRITUALITY of the heart.

Ramadan’s spitiual rain brought to life the Mosque and others places. Ramadan had fanned the dying spark of charity. Ramadan had awakened the dying spirit of to lerance, patience and sympathy for the less forunate.

Now that we come to the end of Ramadan the big question is what to do? Did we go through all the spiritual exercises in Ramadan in order that we may have the freedom to indulge, on shameless and indecent amusement?

Did we restrain ourselves from halaal food, drinks and other pleasures from dawn to sunset throughout Ramadan, so that we may return with renewed vigour to gambling and fornication?

Will the spirit of tolerance, mercy, patience, charity and sympathy be still evident or will these noble qualities be shelved until the dawn of the next Ramadan?

Will the Mosque which were filed on most nights in Ramadan remain the same or will they become empty wondering where the faithful have gone?

Our lifestyles after Ramadan will show whether we used the month to bring about a total reformation within ourselves or are we going to waste the valuable opportunity?

The National and international position of the muslim are lamenting the loss of lives, destrution of property, oppression, tyranny, injustice and a host of other problems all over the world. They are wondering why the promised help of Allah to the believers is nowhere in sight.

Just one glance into the lifestyles of the overwhelming majority of the Muslim is sufficient to answer the question. Millions of Muslims do not have much to their credit besides Muslim names.

Allah’s help comes with action and Islamic qualities not with names or faces Arabs or non-Arabs, African or European, Chinese or Indians.

On other hand every group, organization, society or individual who talks Islam, seems to have got its own brand of Islam.

The Islamic teachings which were left behind for us, crystal clear aned pristine pure, have become so adulterated with foreign customs, alien practices and new Muslim has no ideologies, that a effort to search for the Quran and Sunnah brand of Islam or remain confused and ignorant.

May Allah Taala give us the guidance to resolve that we shall make the Quran and Sunnah our guiding lights and practise Islam as much as possible.

If the non-Muslim inhabitants of our country see Islam in the lives of Muslims, they will not require much persuasion to accept our beautiful deen.