Thursday, May 29, 2008

The Conversion of Humza (R)

Insha'Allah, starting from this post I will try to write regularly. My exams just finished yesterday and I have a lot of time on my hands these days, Alhumdulilah. Also, I'll insha'allah, finish and type up articles which I have written in the past and post them. So they may be a little outdated.

As I understand it, Humza (R) did not accept Islam out of love of Islam itself. He did it out of Arab tribalism. From what I remember, Abu Jahl said some rude words about the Prophet(SAW). This enraged Humza (R) who could not stand his beloved nephew being cursed. In anger, he said to Abu Jahl that I am from his religion as well(i.e. Muslim). How did the Prophet(SAW) react to this? The Muslims as well as the blessed Prophet(SAW) were overjoyed? Did anyone look into to the fact that Humza (R) did not accept Islam with a pure intention? Did the Prophet (SAW) dissuade him from accepting Islam like this and tell him to first think about he was doing?

Br. X(i forgot his name) would be constantly trying to get Shahadah's. All he did was mainly get people to say the shahadah for any price. The first step is a lot of progress.

Keeping this in mind, I was flabbergasted when I read this. Do Muslim women actually take off their hijab because they don't feel they aren't doing it with a pure intention? Who cares what the intention is!!!! If it's a good thing, do it!!!!! You're not going to get any bad deeds for putting the hijab on if you're just doing it because you're friends are.

Personally, I think its an excuse to take the hijab off. Not necessarily to others but to yourself. As my grandmother often reminds me, we have 2 Nafs. Nafs Al-Ammaarah and Nafs Al-Lawaamah. One tells us to do good while the other tells us to do bad. In the case of Muslim woman who take off their hijab, their Nafs Al-Amaarah is stronger but not enough. So, it needs a logical explanation to hamper Nafs Al-Lawaamah.

By the way, if you put the Hijab on with pure intention or not there's still benefit attached to it. You are protecting yourself from the sin of not acting upon a Fard(by the way, yes its a fard if you didn't know). Secondly, who knows that at one point your intention will be purified?

I am stressing this point with Hijab but this is a general priniciple. I remember a couple of times when I prayed two extra rak'ah Nafl in the Masjid just because I wanted to talk to a friend who was at the time praying Salah. Did I get any good deeds for it? Probably not, but did get any bad deeds for it? NO!! Why should I?

Out of all the Ibadah, I admit, Salah, WAS one of the hardest for me to do. I prayed Fard salah because it was mandatory but Nawafil was extremely hard for me. One friend, especially, who I was really eager to talk with would often pray not only two but often four rak'ah after Salah. Since I would be waiting for him to finish, I would often start praying as well. I knew I probably wouldn't get much Hasanah for it but it would be still better than just standing and waiting. This along with another friend's insistence(may Allah(SWT) bless you) that I pray nawafil helped me finally to get used to it. I kept the practice up and SubhanAllah it became easier. Now, I often pray nawafil with a pure intention not just because of a friend or two.

The point is why stop yourself from doing good just because you don't have a good intention.

I remember a lecture (I think by Humza Yusuf) a long time ago when he said that Shaytan only has a bag full of tricks which he has been using for centuries. If you figure them out, then it is easy to not be decieved by them. I often wondered what those tricks were. Well, Shaytan I figured another one.

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