Being careful with what we ask for

2011/08/19

19th day or Ramadhan

Imagine this scenario. You’re up 10.000 meters above the ground on a jumbo jet Boeing 747. Suddenly, you hear a loud thump from outside. The plane shakes violently and the emergency light goes on. You are told to fasten your seat belt and put on your oxygen mask. The captain then announces a technical problem (which might well be an engine failure) and asks everyone to stay calm. At times like this, I guarantee that even the vilest of people or even the most stubborn atheist will suddenly remember to make (or at least think to make) prayers. The One to whom that prayer is directed to, that is God.

And for me, there is no doubt that the prayer is a very powerful arsenal for those who use it, as I have experienced its power at first hand. There have also been scientific experiments that prove the effect of prayers, which is interesting, although I’m not a big fan of the effort of connecting science and religiosity. For this, you can “Google scholar” the key word “effects of prayer”, where you’ll be able to find more than 200.000 hits. However, to really appreciate the power of prayers, I believe that one needs to experience it at first hand.

Because of its sheer power, prayers can also be dangerous at times. At times, people say their prayers with emotion or in an angry state, which results in difficulty for them. In an angry state, one might make a bad prayer towards their children, wealth, or themselves.

There is also the possibility that we might pray for something that may be bad for us, even though it seems good. For example, one might pray, “O God, please give me that exotic car!” thinking that it’s good for him. While in truth, the same car that he prayed for might give a life full of unease, being afraid that someone might scratch it or damage it. Or even worse, that same car might get him robbed or even killed.

Thus, we should be careful with what we ask for. The best thing to ask for is guidance, mercy, and Him being pleased with us, for that is where true happiness lies, if we but only knew.

The first supremacist

2011/08/10

10th day of Ramadhan 1432 H (2011)

Almost all of the wars, genocides and holocausts in human history are caused by supremacism, which is the belief that a particular race, species, ethnic group, religion, gender, sexual orientation, belief system or culture is superior to others, and has the right to dominate, control or rule.

Supremacism has always been there in human history. In fact, it can be traced way back before that, up to the creation of man. The first supremacist was the devil himself. He was ordered to bow down to Adam, but refused out of arrogance. Giving the argument that he was made out of fire, and Adam (peace be upon him) was from clay.

Due to this act, he was banished from heaven. He became an outcast and a true enemy of humanity, which we will have to continue fighting up to the end of time. The devil’s argument, saying that fire is nobler than clay was a mistaken notion, because the true essence of nobility is not measured by physical attributes and affiliations that we have, but rather from what is in the heart.

Thus the devil became the first supremacist. And he has succeeded in deluding some of the worst of humanity to follow his footsteps. Slavery, war, colonialism, etc. are all the product of supremacism, deluding the criminals of humanity that other human beings are low enough to be used or even slaughtered without mercy.

We may not be able to do anything in this life. But God is Just. There will come a day where all the criminals of humanity be brought forth, and they will have to answer for the crimes they did. In this life, they can only receive one death sentence. But in the next, the will become fuel for the hellfire, and there they will squeal and feel the pain of dying over, and over, and over again.