The Last Prophet 3rd. continue

Haroon Mosque

Brothers and Sisters,                         Friday December 7^th. 2012

            As a lot of people are aware of the coming of the last Buddha.  Ariya Metteyya will be his name.  He will be sent to his own tribe and speak the same language with his people.  Thus people want to be awaken, they built their own replica of the last Buddha in their own town and community everywhere in Asia.  In Thailand, the last Buddha is believed to be fat with smiling face. This is from the prediction of Gotama Buddha that during the time of the last Buddha, there will be enough food for people and they will live in peace.  Anyhow the last Buddha must have the following characteristics.  First, he must be human not a deity.  This is also shown in Al-Quran.

Surah Al-Kahf 18: 110 Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord."

     Nabi is also human being who received divine revelations from Allah (Sub).  When Ananda asked Gotama Buddha, 'Who shall teach us when thou art gone?' Buddha replied, 'I am not the first Buddha that came upon the earth, nor shall I be the last.  ‘His disciples will number many thousands while mine number many hundreds' (Buddha).  At the time of Prophet Muhammad's death there were over 110,000 companions.  Ananda asked, 'And how will we come to know him?' Buddha answered, 'He will be known as MAITREYA'. Muhammad or 'Mahamet': is comprised of MAHA and METTA. The word MAHA in Pali and Sanskrit means 'Great, illustrious'. Therefore the word 'Mahamet' or 'Mahomet' means 'a great mercy'. The Quran refers to Muhammad as 'a great mercy'. And another sign is Buddha must be a male only.  This is also true in Al-Quran.

Surah An-Nahl 16:43 And We sent not (as Our Messengers) before you (O Muhammad SAW) any but men, whom We inspired, (to preach and invite mankind to believe in the Oneness of Allah). So ask of those who know the Scripture [learned men of the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], if you know not.

          All the prophets that Allah sent down to earth are male.  Allah also Advice us to ask anyone who know about anything we want to know.  Consider the voice, ‘the exquisite voice of the MAITREYA is soft and pure and refined; those who hear it can never tire, those who listen are never satiated'.  Bara (ra) relates: 'I heard the Apostle of Allah reciting the chapter, The Fig and Olive, during the night prayer, and I never saw a man more sweet-voiced than he' [Sahih of Bukhari] Zemad (ra) said: 'The Prophet has reached the bottom of the ocean of eloquence'  [Sahih of Muslim]

Surah An-Nahl 16: 125 Invite (mankind, O Muhammad SAW) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Quran) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.

          The more we learn about the teachings of Nabi Muhammad (Sal), the more we understand why Nabi Muhammad always advice us to do what he advice us to do.  Because Rasulullah (Sal) wants to prevent us from any innovations or Bidah in religion.  Or otherwise, we may become like those from people of the Books who took their preachers as gods because they simply believe and follow what was taught to them even though they were against the Command of Allah. And Allah will Revert anyone whom He Please back to the straight path.  Again our duty is to convey not to convert.  

Trust the Intangible

Haroon Mosque

Brothers and Sisters,                    Friday November 30^th. 2012

          We are living in the worldly environment comprising of Tangible and Intangible entities.  The tangibles such as, human, animals, things, assets, food etc. and the intangibles such as sense of love, happiness, peace, dignity, rich etc. are all surrounding our daily lives.  These tangible and intangible entities must be well balanced.  If we emphasize more on the tangible entity like assets or money, we may try to do anything even to break the Law of Allah (Sub) to acquire those assets or money to become rich.  

Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:26 Allah increases the provision for whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom He wills), and they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.

            Normally, the intangible senses are more important than the tangible assets.  Comparing between one family having little food to share and all of the family members enjoyed their meals deliciously, with another family having a banquet but hardly swallow any food through their throats due to sickness or unhappiness.  Whether rich or poor, just grass roots or high society, one can meet peace and happiness only when one submit oneself to Allah (Sub).  But one thing that we must be careful is Shaitan who whispers into the hearts of mankind. 

Surah Al-A’raf 7:20. Then Shaitan (Satan) whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts (before); he said: "Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become angels or become of the immortals."

          Shaitan is a professional deceiver.  Shaitan knew the weakness of man who is afraid of death and wants to live forever.  So Shaitan deceived Adam and Hawa to approach the forbidden tree in order to live forever.  Adam and Hawa do not really want the forbidden fruit or to break the Law of Allah (Sub) but they want to be immortal.  This is the technique of Shaitan to lure people to break to Law of Allah (Sub) to attain something that Shaitan falsely promised.  The promise of Shaitan is no effect.  Adam and Hawa both were driven out from the Heaven.  We are the children of Adam and Hawa.  We must be aware of this. 

          And the worst kind of deception is self-deception.  We are only deceiving ourselves when we think we are being clever. Allah (Sub) Bestow us good idea. May be we do good to impress people. We want people to praise us. Remember all praises be to Allah (Sub).   Our actions are good but our real intentions are unworthy, so we lose the blessings, we lose the barakah. At other times we may have good intentions but we may forget the courtesies, the adab, that’s so important. The actions also count. The way to hell is often paved with good intention but bad action.

          Prophet Muhammad sws once told Sahabah, who had just returned from battle, that they should now fight the Greater Jihad, the jihad-al-nafs, the battle against the demons of their lower self.  History shows us what the Sahabah achieved from Spain to India, within that first century of the Hijra.    Omar (rd) taught us a very important lesson. He took his own responsibilities very seriously. He used to worry that if a donkey stumbled and injured its leg on a badly maintained road in Baghdad while he was the Caliph in Madinah, Allah would hold him responsible. This is the sense of responsibility that every leader should have?

          We should enjoy, with grateful detachment, every wholesome thing that Allah provides for our benefit (Halaalan tayyiban). But we must not become so attached to these things that we worship any part of Allah’s creation.  Better to get our fixed share with Allah’s pleasure, than to have it with Allah’s anger.