The Rope of Allah (SWT) in Madras, India – Br. Umair Haseeb
Today’s topic is about The Rope of Allah azawajjal, faith in Islam.
Moving to India was a challenge for me. Nothing seemed to go right. Everything seemed to be out of place. I thought moving to India would be a cultural experience and it was, it just wasn’t Indian culture. It seemed as if I landed in a Third World America. Every one seemed to emulating the west. This was fine, but what bothered me is that they emulated the wrong aspects of the west. It was extremism to the evil light of the west.
School, well, I thought school was going to be like a school in the Bollywood movies. I was afraid of the beating I might get daily, I thought no one knew English fluently, and I thought no one knew about the west. That was my ‘extreme’ way of thinking. I came there and saw a completely different school as how I had imagined it to be. People knew english better than me! That’s not the shocking part though.
What shocked me was the fact that the school I thought was the other extreme of what I had imagined it to be. The kids had all the bad qualities of the west; drinking, gossiping, smoking, smoking pot in the bathrooms, buying condoms and porn, everything.
AstaghfirAllah, you say? Well brother, let me tell you the bitter truth: half of these kids are Muslim. I then completely lost hope, even worse, I lost faith. Faith in everything. Faith in a better Ummah, friends, and sometimes even in Allah (SWT). My hands were slipping off the Rope of Allah azawajjal. Then I realized that , I can’t do that.
It’s not just just that it’s wrong. It’s completely HARAM!!! So I grabbed the Rope and made intense du’a.
I went out and started a youth group. This was the craziest and misunderstood idea ever. Why? Because I started. I was a nobody. This was not even a legitimate group. No kid accepted it. No parent accepted. I made more du’a.
I then found a group of five devoted kids who were at my doorstep. Allhamdullilah the mission was almost accomplished. Coincidently, Peace Exhibition was going on the following week. I had bumped into Zakir Ahmed (Chairman of Peace) and later Zakir Naik, both by accident, and I just brought the subject and they agreed to support us on our mission.
Allhamdullilah after a lot of du’a, everything came to place. The kids coming to my doorstep, Peace coming up without me knowing, bumping into the Chairman of Peace and a Muslim Icon, coincidence? No. This is all because of Iman, a lot of du’a to Allah azawajjal. Allah (SWT) put things in place and gave it to us on a platter.
Honestly, I barely did anything. Wallahi, it was all givin to us by Allah (SWT). So always make du’a and hold on to the Rope Of Allah azawajjal.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:48 AM
Allahu Akbar, I commend the efforts of Umair and I pray to Allah subhanatalla that his friends support him and they become the light among youth in that nation. It would be a hope for me to one day return back
and do DAWAAH
Growing up in India all my life I understand what Umair is experiencing, if he would have been in this mission years ago when I was in college, if not me all my friends would be in the other side of group. Growing up we had a different passion to the west, coming here and experiencing it was altogether a different thing. Like, in all bollywood movies whenever fools (actor & actress) are running on a mountain of snow and singing, we used to sit and cherish and dream about the setting, while coming here and experiencing the bitterness of cold and hardship of cleaning driveway everyday has shown the reality to believe “Grass looks greener always on the other side”
Every city, state in India is different, if Umair moves to Bangalore after a couple of years, trust me his experience would probably be similar to his move from US. This country is vast, majority of muslims have left or about to leave the rope, we all have to help Umair in anyway he needs help. Got to understand, there is a shaitaan or devil on every eye sight, idols are kept in every street corner, some songs are melodious in chanting the praises of shaitaan, Asthagfirallah.
This is one country you go and will appreciate the constant effort of TABLEEQ, one place where that kind of work is required and possibly accepted. Youth needs attention, money is flowing like a valley in mountain, western culture is being adopted by all generations (even 70 year old
trust me).
May Allah shower us all with his blessings to do more dawaah and reach out our family and friends sincerely, and also protect us from evil around us.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Alhumdulillah every country has amazing Dawah stories that go on in them. May Allah SWT increase efforts like those of Umair’s.
What’s most interesting to me is how Umair said:
Apparently the idea of a youth group, by youth for youth, was just scoffed at first by those Umair approached. He said it got even worse later, when he played his fellow MYC brothers some videos of Imam Siraj Wahaj and parents were exploding at their kids coming home and trying to make changes in their lifestyles.
Movers and shakers. That’s how things are done.
In any case, it’s nice to know that MYC worked out for Umair and company, and that doing something new and foreign to the culture (a 15 year old like Umair starting a dawah project) wasn’t fully rejected.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:45 PM
BEAST UMAIR! NICE TALKING ABOUT UR LIFE MAN!
March 13th, 2008 at 7:38 PM
A couple of things. Do you like things?
-Overall good post by Umair, even if you’re a month late. D’:
-You put paragraph spacing in. Why?! It gets rid of the Umairness. The solid block of text was amazing!
-3 post in a row, that aren’t yours? What has SaqibSaab come to?!
March 13th, 2008 at 10:57 PM
A realization that I need to pass my classes and graduate from school.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:33 PM
Assalamualaikum,
Wow man, thanx to you this post has spread like wildfire. It looks so much better on your site. I need to learn ho to put dizzle dazzle on my blog. Thank you so much for posting this man. I really appreciate it. May Allah grant you all your wishes. Remember, there were to people who are resposible for me making MYC and teaching me all that I know, your one of them. Jazakallahu khair Yoda
August 25th, 2008 at 12:21 AM
Appreciate you message. Friends send me a link. Intresting. Subscribed on RSS! Will come soon!