by Saima Iqbal
Sleep’s so much better than being awake. We make ourselves comfortable, snuggle in, dream a little, far, far away from the harsh reality called life. Let’s face it, who’d rather be in class, studying for exams, finishing up a lab, or trying to talk to a T.A. for partial credit that you know you’re not going to get, when you could be sleeping, possibly dreaming about all of it. It seems as though the Muslims over the world have understood the logic fairly well, and have taken a liking to it. We may have, however, taken ‘sleep’ to a whole new level. When we dream, our bodies are asleep, but our minds stay awake. But what do you get when your bodies are awake, yet the minds sleep? The Muslim Ummah of today … Yes, we have the Palestinians fighting for their lives, Bosnians begging for help, Serbs freezing to death, but those are the harsh realities of life. We do think about them. But the mind says, what can we do, after all, we’re students. So, a comment here, a discussion there, and a condolence, maybe even prayer, for extra credit, and there we have it. Our duty to humanity, during our student life, is done. Let us sleep now. There is, of course, the chance that we may be next in line to cry for help. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, says the mind? I mean, after all, who thinks that far when we have exams like Organic Chemistry to think about? Allah says: Wallazhina jaahadoo finaa lanahdinnanakum sobolana, wa innAllaha lama'al mohsinin" (To those who sacrifice their comfort in search of truth, we'll show the way, we'll guide them, Allah is with the sincere). And, of course, with awakening comes pain. As Rumi puts it: "Harke oo bidartar, por ranjtar" (The more awakened a man, the more his pains). So what is there to gain when we forsake our beloved slumber to face the cruel facts of life, to witness, if not go through, the pain and humiliation that the Muslim Ummah is facing today? Hey, atleast we (the Muslim Ummah) are united on this front – we, as a whole, sleep as life goes on. What do you think? of and relating to...
Very well written Mashallah.A shot that hit the bull's eye. May Allah(swt) gives us the taufeeq to wake up from our deep slumbers and helps us change the status quo. Ameen.
Posted by: Nadia Khan at September 16, 2003 08:39 PMVery nice Seeker. Definitely something to think about for all of us who call ourselves "Muslims". Maybe from now on InshaAllah we will shape up and DO something instead of just thinking about doing something.
JazakAllah
This is a test...
on January 16, 2004 1:14 AM"Hey, atleast we (the Muslim Ummah) are united on this front – we, as a whole, sleep as life goes on."
we're united around "halal" chinese food, too.
Some caffeine for the sleeping beast:
http://www.islamicfinder.org
Find your local masjid and ask what they need.
Assalaamualaikum,
This article is reactionary feelings, well justified and felt by all. But this not hidaya, their is no solution, just sentiments eloquently written. What is the purpose in this?
walaikumsalaam
Wajahat Gilani
p.s. halal chinese food is old news, its now about halal lamb chops
on January 19, 2004 3:06 PMAssalamualaiakum wr wb,
Sleep is good for rest, but to enjoy sleep, one must work hard. Strive in the way of Allah, earn halal livelihood,serve parents,relatives,look after needs of orphans,widows,wayfarers,needy etc are good ways to spend waking hours(May Allah make me such a person Ameen.)
By the way, sacrificizing some sleep in last portion of night to pray and ask our needs and seek forgiveness of Allah, is a very virtuious deed (please remember the whole ummah in your duas, and this writer too), and maybe a single person is needed to wake up the whole ummah.
Assalamualaiakum
on May 26, 2006 11:42 AMMashaallah this site has very very good muslim writers (Both bros & Sis). Excellent Articles, every single one of them.
on May 26, 2006 11:44 AM