Muhammad in the Bible 

Those who follow the Apostle, the unlettered Prophet, Whom they find mentioned in their own Scriptures, in the Torah and the Gospel... (Holy Qu'ran: VII - 157; Translation: Yusif Ali)


BIBLE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE ADVENT OF MUHAMMAD

Abraham is widely regarded as the Patriarch of monotheism and the common father of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Through His second son, Isaac, came all Israelite prophets including such towering figures as Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus. May peace and blessings be upon them all. The advent of these great prophets was in partial fulfillment of God's promises to bless the nations of earth through the descendents of Abraham (Genesis12:2-3). Such fulfillment is wholeheartedly accepted by Muslims whose faith considers the belief in and respect of all prophets an article of faith.

BLESSINGS OF ISHMAEL AND ISAAC

Was the first born son of Abraham (Ishmael) and his descendants included in God's covenant and promise? A few verses from the Bible may help shed some light on this question;

1.  Genesis 12:2-3 speaks of God's promise to Abraham and his descendants before any child was born to him.

2.  Genesis 17:4 reiterates God's promise after the birth of Ishmael and before the birth of Isaac.

3.  In Genesis, ch. 21. Isaac is specifically blessed but Ishmael was also specifically blessed and promised by God to become "a great nation" especially in Genesis 21:13, 18.

4.  According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17 the traditional rights and privileges of the first born son are not to be affected by the social status of his mother (being a "free" woman such as Sarah, Isaac's mother, or a "Bondwoman" such as Hagar, Ishmael's mother). This is only consistent with the moral and humanitarian principles of all revealed faiths.

5.  The full legitimacy of Ishmael as Abraham's son and "seed" and the full legitimacy of his mother, Hagar, as Abraham's wife are clearly stated in Genesis 21:13 and 16:3. After Jesus, the last Israelite messenger and prophet, it was time that God's promise to bless Ishmael and his descendants be fulfilled. Less than 600years after Jesus, came the last messenger of God, Muhammad, from the progeny of Abraham through Ishmael. God's blessing of both of the main branches of Abraham's family tree was now fullfilled. But are there additional corroborating evidence that the Bible did in fact foretell the advent of prophet Muhammad?

MUHAMMAD: The Prophet Like Unto Moses

Long time after Abraham, God's promise to send the long-awaited Messenger was repeated this time in Moses' words.
In Deuteronomy 18:18, Moses spoke of the prophet to be sent by God who is:

1.  From among the Israelite's "brethren", a reference to their Ishmaelite cousins as Ishmael was the other son of Abraham who was explicitly promised to become a "great nation".

2.  A prophet like unto Moses. There were hardly any two prophets ,who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad. Both were given comprehensive law code of life, both encountered their enemies and were victors in miraculous ways, both were accepted as prophets/statesmen and both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlooks not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well (e.g. the natural birth, family life and death of Moses and Muhammad but not of Jesus, who was regarded by His followers as the Son of God and not exclusively a messenger of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslim belief Jesus was).

THE AWAITED PROPHET WAS TO COME FROM ARABIA

Deuteronomy 33:1-2 combines references to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. It speaks of God (i.e. God's revelation) coming from Sinai, rising from Seir (probably the village of Sa'ir near Jerusalem) and shining forth from Paran. According to Genesis 21:21, the wilderness of Paran was the place where Ishmael settled (i.e. Arabia, specifically Mecca).

Indeed the King James version of the Bible mentions the pilgrims passing through the valley of Ba'ca (another name of Mecca) in Psalms 84:4-6.

Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the beloved of God. His elect and messenger who will bring down a law to be awaited in the isles and who "shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgement on earth." Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Ke'dar. Who is Ke'dar? According to Genesis 25:13, Ke'dar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of prophet Muhammad.

MUHAMMAD'S MIGRATION FROM MECCA TO MEDINA: PROPHECIED IN THE BIBLE?

Habakkuk 3:3 speaks of God (God's help) coming from Te'man (an Oasis North of Medina according to J. Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible), and the holy one (coming) from Paran. That holy one who under persecution migrated from Paran (Mecca) to be received enthusiastically in Medina was none but prophet Muhammad.

Indeed the incident of the migration of the prophet and his persecuted followers is vividly described in Isaiah 21:13-17. That section foretold as well about the battle of Badr in which the few ill-armed faithful miraculously defeated the "mighty" men of Ke'dar, who sought to destroy Islam and intimidate their own folks who turned -to Islam.

THE QUR'AN (KORAN) FORETOLD IN THE BIBLE?

For twenty-three years, God's words (the Qur'an) were truely put into Muhammad's mouth. He was not the "author" of the Qur'an. The Qur'an was dictated to him by Angel Gabriel who asked Muhammad to simply repeat the words of the Qur'an as he heard them. These words were then committed to memory and to writing by those who hear them during Muhammad's life time and under his supervision.

Was it a coincidence that the prophet "like unto Moses" from the "brethren" of the Israelites (i.e. from the lshmaelites) was also described as one in whose mouth God will put his words and that he will speak in the name of God, (Deuteronomy 18:18-20). Was it also a coincidence the "Paraclete" that Jesus foretold to come after Him was described as one who "shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak (John 16:13)

Was it another coincidence that Isaiah ties between the messenger connected with Ke'dar and a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sang unto the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). More explicitly, prophesies Isaiah "For with stammering lips, and another tongue, will he speak to this people" (Isaiah 28:11). This latter verse correctly describes the "stammering lips" of Prophet Muhammad reflecting the state of tension and concentration he went through at the time of revelation. Another related point is that the Qur'an was revealed in piece-meals over a span of twenty three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28:10 whichspeaks of the same thing.

THAT PROPHET- PARACLETE- MUHAMMAD

Up to the time of Jesus (peace be upon him), the Israelites were still awaiting for that prophet like unto Moses prophecied in Deuteronomy 18:18. When John the Baptist came, they asked him if he was Christ and he said "no". They asked him if he was Elias and he said "no". Then, in apparent reference to Deuteronomy 18:18, they asked him "Art thou that Prophet" and he answered, "no". (John 1: 1 9-2 1).

In the Gospel according to John (Chapters 14, 15, 16) Jesus spoke of the "Paraclete" or comforter who will come after him, who will be sent by Father as another Paraclete, who will teach new things which the contemporaries of Jesus could not bear. While the Paraclete is described as the spirit of truth, (whose meaning resemble Muhammad's famous title Al-Amin, the trustworthy), he is identified in one verse as the Holy Ghost (John 14:26). Such a designation is however inconsistent with the profile of that Paraclete. In the words of the Dictionary of the Bible, (Ed. J. Mackenzie) "These items, it must be admitted do not give an entirely coherent picture."

Indeed history tells us that many early Christians understood the Paraclete to be a man and not a spirit. This might explain the followings who responded to some who claimed, without meeting the criteria stipulated by Jesus, to be the awaited "Paraciete".

It was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was the Paraclete, Comforter, helper, admonisher sent by God after Jesus. He testified of Jesus, taught new things which could not be borne at Jesus' time, he spoke what he heard (revelation), he dwells with the believers (through his well-preserved teachings). Such teachings will remain forever because he was the last messenger of God, the only Universal Messenger to unite the whole of humanity under God and on the path of PRESERVED truth. He told of many things to come which "came to pass" in the minutest detail meeting, the criterion given by Moses to distinguish between the true prophet and the false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:22). He did reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8-11)

WAS THE SHIFT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP PROPHESIED?

Following the rejection of the last Israelite prophet, Jesus, it was about time that God's promise to make Ishmael a great nation be fulfilled (Genesis 21:13, 18)

In Matthew 21:19-21, Jesus spoke of the fruitless fig tree (A Biblical symbol of prophetic heritage) to be cleared after being given a last chance of three years (the duration of Jesus' ministry) to give fruit. In a later verse in the same chapter, Jesus said: "Therefore, say I unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruit thereof" (Matthew 21:43). That nation of Ishmael's descendants (the rejected stone in Matthew 21:42) which was victorious against all super-powers of its time as prophesied by Jesus: "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder" (Matthew 21:44).

OUT OF CONTEXT COINCIDENCE?

Is it possible that the numerous prophecies cited here are all individually and combined out of context misinterpretations? Is the opposite true, that such infrequently studied verses fit together consistently and clearly point to the advent of the man who changed the course of human history, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Is it reasonable to conclude that all these prophecies, appearing in different books of the Bible and spoken by various prophets at different times were all coincidence? If this is so here is another strange "coincidence"!

One of the signs of the prophet to come from Paran (Mecca) is that he will come with "ten thousands of saints" (Deuteronomy 33:2 KJV). That was the number of faithful who accompanied Prophet Muhammad to Paran (Mecca) in his victorious, bloodless return to his birthplace to destroy the remaining symbols of idolatry in the Ka'bah.

Says God as quoted by Moses:

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:19)

Your Future is in the Hands of the Best Planner

Rating 4 |

Vote!

PrintSend this Article to friend

  Read : 1868 | Print : 83 |  Sent : 0 |  Rate : 4

14/09/2011

Motivational speaker and author of several self-help books, Denis Waitley has said,"Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the past and enjoy working in the present towards the future."  We can develop a positive attitude towards our future by refusing to dwell on past hardships, realising that they cannot be changed, and knowing that stressing oneself over them is useless as well as foolish. We must train ourselves to shun depressing thoughts and reject feelings of fear and anxiety over what might happen in the future.

All future events and circumstances, whether good, pleasant, evil or difficult are impossible to predict and are totally under the control of The Almighty and All-Wise; none of the slaves of Allaah The Almighty have any control over them. All we can do is to strive hard to achieve virtuousness and prevent harm from befalling us.

 

A believer should rely on Allaah The Almighty for favours and wellbeing and be content with his lot in life. This makes the heart tranquil, improves his general circumstances and removes anxiety and grief.

 

A beneficial way of dealing with anxiety about the future is to use the supplication of the Prophet, , in which he used to say: “O Allaah! make my religion easy for me by virtue of which all my affairs are protected, set right for me my world in which I live, make good for me my Hereafter which is the resort to which I must return, make my life a means of increase in achieving all types of good, and make death a relief for me from every evil.” [Muslim].

Also, his saying, : “O Allaah! I hope for Your mercy, so do not leave me to myself even for (as short a time as) the blinking of an eye and rectify for me all my affairs. Nothing is worthy of being worshipped except You alone.”[Abu Daawood]

 

If one repeatedly utters these supplications with a sincere and attentive heart, while simultaneously striving to improve his future, Allaah The Almighty will certainly respond to the supplications and grant success.

 

On the other hand, being emotionally prepared for hardships reduces the harms that result from sudden afflictions. Being in a state of preparedness also reduces anxiety, since the anxiety will be replaced by enthusiasm to get the very best out of the situation in a manner that minimises harm as far as possible. The best way to handle a situation that causes fear, sickness, poverty, or loss of cherished items, is to stay calm and then prepare to face the worst of it, because expecting hardship and acquainting oneself with it reduces its impact, especially if at the same time one keeps himself busy by striving to prevent it as much as possible.

 

Of course, this is only in addition to completely relying on and putting one's trust in Allaah The Almighty. Complete reliance on Allaah The Almighty is the primary source of strength that helps one face afflictions and helps to gain the reward from Allaah The Almighty for his perseverance.

 

One of the most effective cures for the diseases of the heart (whether physical or emotional) is having a strong, resilient heart that is free from anxiety and imaginary illusions brought on by evil thoughts. This is because when a person succumbs to his imagination, his heart begins reacting to it. Therefore, if one is unduly worried about sickness, anger, harm, evil and the loss of loved ones, this will affect the heart and make a person more anxious and fearful, and result in physical and emotional diseases of the heart. These thoughts may even lead to a person having a nervous breakdown, which has serious health repercussions.

 

Hospitals are filled with people who suffer from delusions and morbid imaginations; even strong-hearted people have been affected by this, let alone the weak-hearted, and this has led many of those who have been affected by this to do countless foolish and ridiculous things. However, the one who is safe from all this is the one whom Allaah The Almighty has granted the ability to struggle against his desires and engage in beneficial acts which strengthen his heart and expel anxiety and grief. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {“And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him.”}[Quran, 65: 3], meaning He will suffice him in all that concerns him, in worldly matters as well as those of the Hereafter.

The crucial role of the heart

Rating 6 |

Vote!

PrintSend this Article to friend

  Read : 4020 | Print : 237 |  Sent : 0 |  Rate : 6

27/11/2011

Prophet Muhammad  informed us in a very famous narration, commonly quoted with reference to lawful and unlawful, about the important role of the heart. He said: “Both lawful and unlawful matters are evident but in between them there are doubtful (suspicious) things and many people have no knowledge about them. So whoever saves himself from these suspicious matters (by staying away from them) saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these suspicious matters (will eventually) indulge in what is forbidden. This is like (the example of) a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king has a Hima and the Hima of Allaah on the earth is His illegal (forbidden) matters. Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it is reformed, the whole body becomes good, but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt; indeed it is the heart.” [Al-Bukhaari]

He  said that after explaining that the lawful matters are clear and that the forbidden ones are clear and that between them are obscure areas, not known to many people. However, what protects a person from the forbidden matters and ensures that he remains in the lawful ones is knowledge; but beyond knowledge, it is the state of the heart. If the heart is good, then it makes use of the knowledge and it avoids what is prohibited. If the heart is corrupted, then the knowledge is of no benefit to it and it will indulge in what is prohibited.

The Prophet  during the last (and only) pilgrimage, informed his Companions  and it was an instruction to the entire Muslim nation to come, that people are not favored based on their race or color, but rather based on piety and on how much they are Allaah fearful. After that, he  clarified that the place of piety is in one’s heart.”

In these statements and other similar statements, we find stress being placed on the heart - that the heart is the part of the body, which Allaah has favored over all other parts. It is the place of faith, and had there been in the body another part that was nearer to Allaah, piety would have been placed there, because faith is the most valuable thing that a human possesses. It (faith) is the determination ultimately of those who have belief in Allaah - those who have accepted the message and who have chosen Paradise over Hell. It is the distinction of those who have belief and those who have disbelief.

The value of faith is greater than the value of all the things of this world. This is why Prophet Muhammad  said that for Allaah to guide by your hands a single person to Islam is worth more than anything in this world. For you to help someone to find faith is worth more than any of the things in this world. [Al-Bukhaari]

The heart is the place in which the correctness of deeds is judged. The Prophet  said: "Deeds are judged according to the intention." The place of the intention is not on the lips. It is in the heart.

'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab  narrated that the Messenger of Allaah said: "The reward of deeds depends upon the intention and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended…” [Al-Bukhaari]

Our deeds - what we do externally - are judged ultimately by the states of our hearts. Good deeds are in reference to those that we perceive to be a part and parcel of righteousness. Allaah will inspect the hearts to determine whether they are truly acts of righteousness.

The Prophet  informed us that the first three people who would be cast into the Hell Fire are those who were involved in what everybody considers great acts of righteousness. They are the scholar who taught knowledge; the wealthy person who gave from his wealth in charity and the martyr who gave his life fighting in the path of Allaah.

The Prophet  in an authentic narration, said that some people from among these types of people would be among the first groups of people thrown into Hell because the scholar, when he taught the knowledge that Allaah gave him, did not do so for the sake of Allaah. He taught so that people would praise him, saying what a great scholar he was and how knowledgeable he was. Allaah will Say to him: "You received your praise, what you sought in that world. But there will be nothing for you in the Next." So he will be drawn off on his face and thrown into Hell.

Similarly, the benefactor, who was generous with his wealth. He gave and people praised his generosity, but Allaah will Say: "You did it for the praise and you were praised. You did it for people to appreciate you." So that individual will be drawn off on his face and thrown into Hell. [Muslim]

The martyr - the one whom we all assumed had died in the Path of Allaah. We would think that his place in Paradise is guaranteed. But Allaah will Say: "You fought so people would say, 'How brave this one is! How strong and courageous he was!'" People said it; they praised you, so he will be drawn off on his face and thrown into Hell.’

All is telling us that ultimately, even the highest of deeds can be of no avail if the hearts are sick; if the hearts are corrupt. So the place of the heart should, in our minds, occupy great attention. We have to spend much of our time observing, being aware of the state of our heart.

So there is no other faculty in the human body and existence that a believer should be more concerned about. We have to make sure that this faculty is functioning as Allaah wishes it to function. We should be greatly concerned about it. The Prophet  often used to supplicate, beginning with: "I seek refuge in You, O Allaah, from knowledge that does not benefit, and from a heart which does not fear." [At-Tirmithi, Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i and Ibn Maajah]

A Gleam on the Way

Wednesday 28-12-2011

How effective was the first generation of the Ummah (nation) of Islam? What is the importance of positivity in the life of a Muslim? How has the Quran recorded this effectiveness? These...

Print  Rate        Send to a friend 

Read : 633 | Print : 50 |  Sent : 0 |  Rate : 0

How effective was the first generation of the Ummah (nation) of Islam?

What is the importance of positivity in the life of a Muslim?

How has the Quran recorded this effectiveness?

These are important and serious questions about the value of positivity and effectiveness and what they represented in the life of the youth who established the civilization of this Ummah, and how they could be revived once again in the life of the youth of this generation, given that a great deal of good lies in them. Let us start with the Prophetic point of view on the path of effectiveness and warding off failure and negativity.

A Prophetic perspective on the path of effectiveness

 “O Allaah! I seek refuge with You from (being given to) failure, indolence, cowardice, (and from being sent back to) old geriatric age and niggardliness, and I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave, and from the affliction of both life and death.” [Muslim]

These are luminous Prophetic words, filled with positivity and carrying within their folds seeking refuge from negativity. This was the Prophetic perspective. In fact, the life of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was but a living example of that. The life of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the best ideal of a human being, in whom all the attributes of positivity were manifested and from whom all traces of negativity had been removed. The Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, gathered around the pure spring of the noble attributes of Al-Mustafa, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and at the beginning of the Da‘wah (call to Islam. The majority of whom were young men, imbibing positivity, power and effectiveness, translating them into words and deeds in the world, and spreading them among those surrounding them, until they were able to establish an edifice of civilization of strong foundations and great power.

Armed with positivity, the youth of the Ummah set out in the different parts of the land of their Lord, building and constructing. They gave life to the land with strong arms of endeavor, and promulgated effectiveness in the hearts, which had long been possessed by negativity, thus, illuminating the universe with pleasure and delight.

Thus, the Islamic Ummah (nation), at the hands of its youth, presented to humanity the most beautiful gifts in all fields. The scientists of Islam presented to humankind the principles of the experimental scientific method based on practical experiment and scientific proof in order to reach a scientific fact, unlike the Greek philosophical method that is based on philosophy and theoretical postulates. Thus, it is the Muslims who presented to the entire world the basis of the modern renaissance, on which the European renaissance depended later on. [Hayaat An-Noor: Fareed Mannaa‘ p28]

This took place due to the fact that the youth of this Ummah were brought up on positivity, according to which each of them sought areas of work where he was most effective without waiting for it to come to him; making events happen, and not waiting for events to take place on their own. None of them would let a day pass until he had done an act pertaining to the religion or the world, which he liked to see on the Day of Judgment. This is reported by one of the positive youths of this Ummah, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allaah be pleased with him, who said, “I hate to see a man without work; neither working for this world nor for the Hereafter.” [Hilyat Al-Awliyaa’: Abu Nu‘aym]

However, when we moved away, step by step, from that concept of positivity, the youths of our Ummah deviated, owing to a violent wind of negativity, which lulled most of them into a sense of complacence and subsequently, ruined them. It caused the disease of failure and indolence to spread among them, and consequently, we started hearing oft-repeated words that imply the aforesaid mental state such as: “I cannot”, “I am a failure”, “It is impossible [to achieve], this is the reality”, and so on.

A concrete reality

In order to come closer to the issue of positivity, we have to consider the reality. A man might be intelligent and possess high qualifications in the field of science, but, at the same time, he might not be effective. This is because he has been brought up in a culture which hinders him from any great achievement unless he gets rid of any traces of negativity.

There are communities characterized by individualism, selfishness and envy, and there are diseases which decay the soul, like haughtiness and arrogance. There are also communities whose people have ideas which encourage idleness, like those who read the Hadeeths (narrations) of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, about the future afflictions and battles and misunderstand them, and thus sit at home, and do nothing to support Islam, under the pretext that things are deteriorating, and it is useless to work, and so on.

No doubt, such examples and others, are found in reality. However, we should not continue to curse the darkness and loathe reality – in particular the reality of today's Muslim youth that is typically characterized by negativity -- and then satisfy ourselves with phrases of sorrow and regret. On the contrary, we should talk about positivity, its concept and importance, perchance we may light up the candles of effectiveness in the hearts of the youth.

The concept of positivity

First of all, we could define positivity as a Muslim’s personal movement, resulting from the sentient believing heart to change and reform the reality in conformity with the ordinances of Allaah The Almighty.

We may get more acquainted with effectiveness if we say that it is the best form of productivity that is based on perseverance and regularity of actions, as confirmed by the description given by Umm Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with her, of the deeds of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “The dearest of deeds to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is that which a servant does regularly, no matter how little it might be.” [Al-Albaani: Saheeh]

The same description is given by ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, of the deeds of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, when she said, “He used to do any deed regularly.”

Positivity in the Quran

In order to clearly perceive the concept of positivity in the Quran, it is sufficient to recite the following short Soorah (in which Allaah The Almighty Says what means): {By time, indeed, mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.} [Quran 103:1-3]

It shows that man is doomed to loss unless he has four characteristics, which in fact are the characteristics of the positive Muslim personality. According to As-Sa‘di, may Allaah have mercy upon him,

“Allaah The Almighty enjoined loss upon everyone unless he has four characteristics: 

1.       To have faith in all things which Allaah The Almighty commanded to believe in. Faith is not complete without knowledge, which is an integral branch of faith.

2.       The righteous deed includes all good works, hidden or apparent, pertinent to the right of Allaah The Almighty or the right of His servants, obligatory or recommended.

3.       To advise each other to adhere to the truth -- which is faith and righteous deeds. In other words, they should advise and encourage each other to do good.

4.       To advise each other to patience in the obedience of Allaah The Almighty, and abstention from the sins forbidden by Allaah The Almighty, and accept the decrees of Allaah The Almighty even if one finds them painful.

With the first two, man perfects himself, and with the other two, he perfects others. By having these four characteristics, man becomes safe from loss, and obtains great profit.” [Tayseer Al-Kareem: ‘Abd-Ar-Rahmaan ibn Naasir As-Sa‘di: 1:934]

At this point, after talking about the importance of positivity, we have to pause so that each of us asks himself: Am I really positive? Do I have a positive attitude in my life? Do I feel that I am really effective in life, or do I live among negative people? Also ask yourself: Positivity is to seek areas of work and not to sit waiting for them: Am I really like this?

Positive people exert an influence on events, unlike the negative ones who wait to see what events occur. Am I then from those who make events happen or those who wait for them to happen?

This is a pause, not only for blame, but also for assessment and introspection, after which each of us should wake up to seek his roles in life, and see how he can efficiently interact with them, and how he can best utilize this life. No doubt, we, as Muslim youth, have several missions to carry out in this world. Doing this would be impossible unless each of us becomes truly positive and effective in our sphere of activity.