“Dhaharal fasadu …” are the wordings of The Qur’an describing the state of affairs in the world preceding the advent of Prophet Muhammad SAWW. This was the strife of Jahiliyyah that had gripped not only Arabia, but Europe, Asia and Africa when America was not even known.
And today, we live in the period of Neo-Jahiliyyah. What are the characteristics? To begin with, in those days, women were considered mere sex objects sans any dignity or independence. Today, the proliferation of pornography, commercial advertisements, entertainment industry parades the woman as a sex object too. The hijab that was the sign of purity, chastity and nobility of a woman in pre-Islamic Judaism and Christianity and of course the tribal society has been discarded. So, the woman is no longer dignified, pure or chaste but with her flowing hair glossed with shampoo and hair-sprays, enhanced with wigs and hair-coloring, short dresses that reveal more than hiding the woman’s body are considered marks of civilization. The resultant increase in rapes, even date-raps, incestuous relationships and the filth purveyed on some of the television shows how debased humans are becoming in their mores and morals.
The children are ill-mannered and unenlightened. Four-letter filthy words punctuate their conversations, polite address to elders, people in authority, parents and peers are considered old-fashioned and lying, cheating and criminally-oriented behavior is considered macho. Drug abuse, lack of sleep, falling educational standards and achievements, violence in schools and on the streets, suicides and recklessness typify social melee of the young. Aggressive behavior and rudeness to parents, teachers, and elders mark the abyss of moral degradation. Music, amusement and leisure are the only pursuits that bring pleasure and reading and other intellectual pursuits are considered a drudge.
As to elders, debauchery, commercial frauds, making quick buck by hook or by crook, fleecing the elderly, the unsuspecting, identity theft and increasing homelessness makes them a blight upon humanity. Waging wars and terrorizing the weak, the innocent and the unsuspecting in the name of religion or humanity and unleashing untold miseries demonstrate twisted minds.
The poison tongues of the self-appointed guardians of true faith purveying their venom through the media to confuse and deceive the gullible are also remnants of the Jahiliyyah period of crusades foisted and mass genocide perpetrated upon populations. Some of the faces are open for everyone to see and others are masked behind a façade of
glib tongues and show of concern for humanity.
Such were the times, when in the Year of The Elephant a Yemeni Christian agent, Abraha, led a heavily-armed army to a crusade against The Kaabain Makkatul Mukarramah. Allah SWT manifested His Might and warning when Abraha’s army was decimated by a cluster of “ababiil” that rained a hail of deadly stones on the invading army. The true custodian of Abraham’s faith, Hadhrat Abdul Muttalib AS, the leader of Makkah, placed full confidence in The Almighty SWT to protect the Sanctuary and only sought the return of his camels that Abraha’s men had stolen. This is a lesson that humanity must heed for Allah SWT has given human beings the freedom to do good or unleash terror, death and destruction and they either use or misuse this freedom. When He intervenes, The Qur’anic verse” Alam tara kayfa Faala Rabukka bi ashabil fiil” sound a dire warning and the perpetrators of oppression and afflictions do not know what hit them.
It was the grandson of this illustrious patron of Makkah who was born in that year to bring hope and mercy to humankind and liberate it from the tyranny of infanticide, internecine warfare, injustice and polytheism or worshipping God and Mammon in the same breath. The Prophet SAWW, by proclaiming “Qulu La ilaha illa Allah tuflihu” pointed the straying humanity to The One and True God, Allah SWT “Al-Ahadu Ssamadu Lam Yalid Walam Yulad Walam Yakun Lahu Kufuwan Ahad”. The Prophet SAWW turned to the heartless men who killed infants and recited the verse “Fa idhal mawu’datu suilat, bi ayyi dhanbin qutilat”. Yes, this is the question that every born and unborn child mercilessly killed in genocide attacks, revenge attacks, terrorist attacks or abortions will ask of the murderer on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet SAWW “Mercy unto the worlds” came to guide humanity out of the abyss of dhulumat to the pinnacles of Noor. The Prophet SAWW challenged the ummah to acquire knowledge even if it meant traveling to the ends of the earth because he wanted enlightenment and decency for his ummah, not degeneracy and ignorance. It was this teaching of The Prophet SAWW that gave this world the gift of the personages, among others, of Imam Ali ibni Abi Talib AS, “The Gate to the City of Knowledge”, Imam Muhammad Al-Baquir AS “The Expounder of The Knowledge of the Prophets” and Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq AS about whom Imam al-aadham, Abu Hanifa acknowledged: “Lau la sanataan lahalaka Nu’man”. These Aimmah AS were from The Twelve designated and illustrious successors of The Prophet SAWW. Indeed, Imam Al-Sadiq AS had the distinction of being born on the same date as The Prophet SAWW, 17th Rabiul Awwal, centuries apart, yet keeping alive the “Al-Sadiq” epithet that the enemies of The Prophet SAWW had to acknowledge in The Prophet SAWW.
Yes, 17th Rabi’ul Awwal is a great day of Eid for the followers of The Prophet SAWW who remember the man, his mission and his blessings upon mankind with Milad celebrations. Those who decry the celebrations cannot claim to be Muslims for they are denying verses of The Qur’an that clearly point out to their legitimacy and validity.
The least that a Muslim does at the celebration of Miladu Nnabi is to join Allah SWT and His angels in sending salutations upon The Prophet SAWW. That is what Allah SWT has commanded believers to do. So, those who reject the notion of celebrating The Prophet SAWW’s remembrance are in fact defying the commandment of Allah SWT for five times a day is The Prophet SAWW’s name proclaimed by the muezzin in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and The Prophet SAWW’s Mosque in Madinah and yet we do not hear the ummah saying salawaat to The Prophet SAWW. Only those who gleaned the teachings of The Qur’an and The Prophet SAWW from The Ahlul Bayt AS proclaim the complete salawaat whenever The Prophet SAWW’s name is mentioned in adhaan, in majalis, mahafil or in private conversations. Is it a wonder then The Prophet SAWW should have said to Imam Ali ibni Abi Talib AS O Ali you And Your Shia are the successful ones on The Day of Judgment for The Prophet SAWW knew that the only people who will adhere to The Qur’an and his itrah completely are the Shi’at Ali.
The salawaat taught by The Prophet SAWW,quotes Bukhari, is
“ALLAHUMMA SWALLI ALAA MUHAMMADIN WA ALAA AALI MUHAMMADIN KAMA SWALLAYTA ALAA IBRAHIMA WA AALI IBRAHIMA, INNAKA HAMIDUN MAJID”. This mode of salawaat was taught by The Prophet SAWW after he had warned the sahaba not to truncate the salawaat. So, to just say “Allahumma Swalli wa Sallim” is going against The Prophet SAWW’s instructions and indeed against the injunction of The Qur’an. The truncation occurs because out of sheer enmity, the “aal” of The Prophet SAWW are omitted from the salawaat. That enmity is not only against the “aal” but against Hadhrat Muhammad SAWW himself.
