What is faith? Knowledge? Peace? War? Terrorism? Or war on terror? Is it dropping a gift-like bombs on a marriage party and then call it a ‘intelligence mistake’ (?!?). Is it destroying populated buildings and then calling it an act against the ‘enemies of God’? Is it just a voluminous book of mere Do’s and Don’ts? Seated among the believers while in a khutba, these were the questions that bothered Jaihoon, while in the Masjid near the lagoon. Every week the imam talks about taqwa, about jannah and jahannam- creating in the listener’s mind a feeling of mayhem. But what was in store that week? I was indeed eager to seek. And then he spoke. In Arabic first, and English second. He reminded those seated that they are the best community on earth as a role model for the rest of mankind… and etc, and etc,. But the second phase was indeed pleasing, as if from the head and heart pain was releasing. What blessed words were they? He said thus – You are the followers of Muhammad Rasoolullah. Sallallahualaihiwasallam Be thankful to Allah that He chose you among the followers of Muhammad Rasoolullah. Sallallahualaihiwasallam You want to please Allah, then follow Muhammad Rasoolullah. Sallallahualaihiwasallam Walk like Muhammad Rasoolullah. Sit like Muhammad Rasoolullah. Be like Muhammad Rasoolullah – the beloved of Allah. Sallallahualaihiwasallam It is not a small thing. You are the follower of Muhammad Rasoolullah. Sallallahualaihiwasallam When anyone looks at you, they should remember Muhammad Rasoolullah. Sallallahualaihiwasallam The khutba ended as usual, and life returned back to casual. But it was a memorable one. The Imam’s style was indeed a blend of East and West. Little did it matter if he was Arab or Ajam. What difference would it make? As such, the entire Muslim Ummah is, as Allama Iqbal says, the dew of one Smiling Dawn. As long as our hearts are burning for that Adorable One, ‘who is closer than our own selves’, nothing else matters. Race and region are for our own convenience. Like those lines on a map for locating a specific region. God never marked latitude and longitude lines when He created the Earth. Today’s religious talks fail to inspire the listeners, because they lack the power of ‘connectivity’ with the Leader of Mankind- Muhammad Rasoolullah. Sallallahualaihiwasallam So… so what exactly is faith? Simple. Nothing but being like the al-Amin- the faithful. Now, if Jaihoon tells you that by the time you have read this line of the essay, a hundred blessings of Allah has been showered upon you- would you believe it? 🙂 It doesn’t take another Einstein to figure that out, does it? (refer glossary) sallallahu ala Muhammad, sallallahu alaihi wa slalam! Notes Taqwa : piety jannah: paradise jahannam: hell khutba: sermon Ajam: non-Arab (literally mute) hundred blessings: ‘whoever recites blessings upon the Holy Prophet once, Allah will send ten times blessings upon him’.