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| << September20, 2005 - Free Slave Fortnightly ~ #001 |
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~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~ Free Slave Fortnightly E-zine ~((Serving the Only Master))~ 19th Ramadan 1426/23rd Oct 2005 Issue #002 ~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~^v^~~ FSF is sent only to willing subs.cribers. For instructions on subs.cribing and unsubs.cribing, see end of mail. If you know anyone who would be interested in receiving Free Slave Fortnightly, please let them know about us! o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o Bismihi Ta'ala (In the name of the Most High) =========== CONTENTS =========== 1. Editorial 2. One Deed at a Time... 3. Shh, Can You Hear Him? 4. Soul Snack o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o =============== 1. EDITORIAL =============== Salaams, Fellow Slaves! We hope you missed the second issue of FSF on the first of Ramadan, because it will mean that you were looking forward to it! Despite all our civilization, we are still at the mercy of the very computers we have 'created' and ours did not allow us to send out the second issue as we had planned. We're back online however, and will be able to keep our fort- nightly date, inshallah. Tonight, we begin the series of the Nights of Power and it is fitting that we also remember in these first days one of the best slaves of Allah (SWT), our first Imam - Ali ibn Abi Talib (a). As we beg for forgiveness and for success, using him as a wasila, let us also pray that we can earn the title of being his Shias, as the Prophet (s) had promised victory in both worlds to those who loved and followed Ali (a) sincerely. Remember us in your dua's as we will remember all of you! Be Free, Binte Ali Send your comments and mails to: freeslavefortnightly@gmail.com ((The address above will NOT subs.cribe you to the FSF E-zine. To subs.cribe, see end of mail.)) o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o =========================== 2. ONE DEED AT A TIME ... =========================== The Holy Prophet (s) has said about the month of Ramadan that: "miserable is he who is deprived of the forgiveness of Allah (SWT) in this great month." The days of Ramadan are fast slipping through our fingers and in these last nights, our dua's become desperate pleas to Allah (SWT)to forgive us if He has not done so yet. If we are not forgiven this year, who is to say we will survive till the next? And if we cannot gain forgiveness in a month when Allah (SWT) has made it easy to do so, then what hope it there for our istighfaar in the other months? To understand the value of forgiveness, it is necessary for us to create this habit within ourselves. Allah (SWT) loves to see His qualities reflected in our behaviour. Forgiving is not easy , yet if we want it, we must be willing to give it in turn. It helps to keep certain points in mind when you are tempted to hold a grudge or you don't seem able to get rid of it: 1) Forgiving is a pro-active trait. You *choose* to forgive. The natural reaction when someone wrongs you is to re-act with anger, pain or insults. When you forgive, you are taking back control from your animal self and *refusing* to listen to Shaytan. Forgiving is taking back your power from the devil. 2) Many times, people say "I'll forgive, but I'll never forget". Don't kid yourself. In order to truly forgive, you MUST forget. As long as you can remember the thing that hurt you, the pain is there and so is the anger it brought about. Allah (SWT) tells us that when we repent sincerely, not only does He forgive us but He also *forgets* in that the sin is wiped away from our account as if it never happened. If you are truly a faithful slave, then it is necessary for you to follow His perfect example, isn't it? 3) Forgiveness softens the heart. When you wipe away the anger and the need to retaliate, you are actually making your self vulnerable and trusting once again. A soft heart hurts more easily, but it also the sign of a true Mo'min. Console yourself that for every pain you feel, Allah (SWT) has kept a great reward! 4) Being a forgiving person attracts people towards you. A true Muslim is a person that others feel safe with. They know that even if they make a mistake, they need not fear a violent or negative reaction. 5) Finally, forgiving actually makes you feel better! You may not believe this at first, because when you initially try forgiving people, you don't do it sincerely. Thus, the residue of the anger is still within you and you may end up feeling like you've been deprived of our *right* to get angry. That's the ol' devil speaking. Keep on trying and you'll soon feel the lightening effect that any virtue has on the soul. It's like unburdening your self of a heavy load that had been dragging you down. Once you feel that lightness, you'll know you've beaten Shaytan yet again! Good luck! o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o ========================== 3. SHH, CAN YOU HEAR HIM? ========================== "And his people came rushing towards him, and they had been long in the habit of practising abominations. He said: 'O my people! Here are my daughters: they are purer for you (if ye marry)! Now fear Allah, and cover me not with shame about my guests! Is there not among you a single right-minded man?'" (Sura Hud.11, Verse 78) Sacrifice is a common term in Islam. We have a history full of rich sacrifices - ranging from those of the Prophet (s), through Kerbala and down to those of our present Imam (atfs). When I read the verse above, it made me think twice about the singular angle we sometimes take of sacrifice. We often think of it in terms of pain and death only. A final end to some thing that we love. But when Prophet Lut (a) offered his daughters in marriage to his people, can you imagine the sacrifice he was willing to give? His pure, innocent daughters to be married to men who were known to be sinners of the worst kind! The question is for what? The verse clearly says that his sacrifice was offered so that they should stay on the right path and choose the alternative of doing right instead of wrong. These were the kind of men Allah (SWT) chose as His messengers and as our leaders. Maybe it's time to ask how much we are willing to sacrifice in the way of Allah (SWT) and how much we are teaching our children to sacrifice? Especially with the harsh times of the End already upon us. o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o ================ 4. SOUL SNACK ================ Whenever I recite Dua-e-Iftitiah, I am at a loss at how to pick one passage over another for contemplation. Each part is uniquely beautiful and says so perfectly what I want to that it amazes me. For this issue, I finally picked these verses: "All Praise is for Allah, In whose awe the skies and its inhabitants shake, the earth and its inhabitants tremble, and the sea and all that is in it, billows" These verses use powerful imagery to make us understand the Might of Allah (SWT). But they take on a new meaning in light of recent world events. We've all seen the hurricanes, the earthquakes and the shattering effects of Nature. And we are filled with fear at our own helplessness when the land we trust and live on rebels against us. Yet, all this might and power is a submission to Allah (SWT). Can we truly have understood the greatness of our Creator if we still sin in the face of this truth? Peace o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o(0)o ** To subs.cribe to Free Slave Fortnightly, send a blank mail to: 42657-subscribe@zinester.com ** To unsubs.cribe from this list, send a blank mail to: 42657-unsubscribe@zinester.com ** Please Note: Replying to this mail will not rem.ove you from the list. To be rem.oved promptly, please follow the instructions above. --------------------------------- (c) FSF E-zine 2005/1426 --------------------------------- |
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