on living hearts, and this is not a post about valentine's day

This is based on a khutbah given by Syeikh Ahmed Saad at the North London Central Mosque last Friday.

(Syeikh Ahmed Saad has his own facebbok page. http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=673928593. We need more imams like this, who are in touch with the community)

On a side note, some of the requirements for being Imam in the Blue Mosque during the reign of the Ottomans was a proficiency in several languages (including Latin), knowledge of sciences in addition to knowledge of the religious sciences.

On another side note, I find khutbas in the UK generally more uplifting and they directly address things that are close to the community. The sermons actually have spirit, maybe because the imams have wholesome understanding and are not subject to governmental censure. oops. im not saying khutbas in our dear beloved country are the opposite, some are brilliant, but im just painting a picture of the general atmosphere.

Which brings me to another side note, that righteous men like Imam Nawawi and Ahmad ibn Hanbal have had to face severe consequences for getting on the wrong side of the ruling powers. Probably that's just the price we pay for being slaves of God instead of slaves of men. I talk much, but let's hope we stay firm when actual confrontations occur. 

Which brings me to the actual point of his khutbah. The current confrontation between the muslim nation, on one side

And the Fir'aun on the other.

I like how he began his khutbah. We are in the month of rabi'ul awwal, which witnessed two births. One, the birth of the Prophet SAW, and the other? the rebirth of the ummah.

Amazing how tiny things could spark wars, revolutions, major shifts in the world. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand sparked WW1. the self-immolation of Bouazizi sparked the Tunisian uprising, then Egypt, then several Arab countries and still counting.

His point was, that it is in these major tests that the true characters of people are revealed. Like how some may be supporters of the regime, but when the regime is crumbling they are quick to switch sides. And then he drew parallels between the regime and that of the Fir'aun. Almost same place, same actions..the only difference is in the names. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT for us to understand this critical point. Some people may have muslim names (what could be nicer than Mubarak: The Blessed?) and muslim faces (malays are muslims? muslims are malays? *coughcough*) (ok what is a muslim face anyway?) but if their actions are like the Pharaoh and his associates, then

"goodness is (being) good in akhlaq"- Rasulullah SAW

"injustice everywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" - Martin Luther King Jr.

so it is, in my opinion, very good that our brethren have found the courage to speak up against injustice. Their hearts are alive. A wise man told me that people who are in conditions of oppression, wars and the like have living hearts, probably because they live in a state of constant alertness. We who are used to a life of luxury?

That's for me to ponder, and for you to find out.