IslamicSolutions.Com

How it Happened

I was asked to give a talk to a group of Muslims in a local community center. There were two other speakers before me and they gave excellent speeches. When my turn came, I said: The previous two speakers have explained to you what Islam is in theory and doctrine. Now I want to show you how Islam works in real life.

Then I explained what my reactions were when I drove through the streets of Oldham to give the talk. I said I was going to go out and clean up the place. Those who wanted to were welcome to join me.

And I did precisely that.

For what appeared to be forever no one stirred. I said “Bismillah!” and went out. And then all of a sudden there they were – practically every single one of them: from children as young as 7 or 8 to older people in their sixties and seventies.

Outside, we quickly organized in a task force; spilt into groups; identified and assigned responsibilities; named group leaders; chalked out a tentative path; and moved out. Now it was “Bismillah!” for all of us – in the name of God.

Within minutes, the logistics group had gotten us bags, brooms and other vital tools of the trade of street cleaning. And Dr. Pasha’s First International Islamic Community Clean-up at Oldham was on its way.

That is part of how Allah made it all happen on that beautiful and blessed evening. And then the rest, as they say, is history. And what a blessed history it is!

In Search of Motives

Were my motives in doing all this personal? Of course they were.

How can they not be? I am a human being, a most flawed and imperfect one, and, like so many of the rest of us, I too have a lifetime of conditioning to make myself part of the equation of anything I do or contemplate.

At the same time, did my motivation come from a deeper, a more human wellspring? Of course it did.

Did Islam have anything to do with it? Of course it did?

In fact Islam had everything to do with it. In fact everything we did that day was an integral part of Islam. And it was nothing but Islam – pure, simple, practical, everyday Islam.

I was to say in the following year’s Dr. Pasha’s International Islamic Community Clean-up at Oldham 2003 that our clean-up had nothing to do with clean up and it had everything to do with Islam.

“Would you do it again?” a young man asked at the end of the clean up.

“Of course, I will,” I replied, “Inshallah!“

“You will come from America to do it?” he was surprised.

“Absolutely, Inshallah!” I said. “You organize it and I will be here, even if it meant having to spend money out of my own pocket.”

And Allah made it all happen the following year – in a much more planned and organized manner.

May Allah bless the wonderful people of Oldham who welcomed us and allowed us to walk through their streets that day and on subsequent days!

And may Allah bless all those who participated in and made possible that very first impromptu Oldham community clean up.

Would I do it if it were not for Islam and Muslims?

If someone were to ask me if I would do it if it were not for Islam and Muslims, my answer would be a very simple one.

I would just say the following two things:

1. First, I don’t know of anything in life that is not covered by the rubric of Islam.
2. Second, I don’t know of anyone in this world who is not covered by Islam’s all-inclusive rubric in one way or another.

Does that mean would I have done it if it were not for the Muslims? Of course I would have. And I have.

Does that mean would I have done it if it were for non-Muslims? Of course I would have. And I have.

Would I have done it for other racial and ethnic groupings and nationalities? Of course I would have. And I have.

Because that is what Islam tells us to do: not to look at the forms, faces and identities of those who need help but to look at the conditions in which they find themselves.

And then Islam tells us to do whatever is in our power to alleviate their pain and suffering; to ameliorate their condition; to try to encourage, support and help them to lift themselves up and make their lives better.

Islam, however, wants us to help people to make their lives better both in this world as well as in the next world – both from a worldly point of view as well as from an other-worldly point of view.

That is how abiding and inclusive Islam’s concern is with the life and wellbeing of Adam’s progeny on earth – every single one of them, regardless of race, religion or gender.

The Future

Where do we go from here? What does the future hold?

Well, how about polishing up the planet a few times over before we die? After all, it is our home, is it not? And it is the only home we know or have.

Islam tells us that God Almighty has a better place in store for us when we die. But Islam also tells us to deserve a better place in the next world we must strive to leave this earth in as good a shape as we possibly can.

That means we must run and manage the affairs of this earth in the best possible manner while we are on it; and when we depart from it we must leave it in the best possible shape.

And not just for Muslims.

And not just for this or that group, or people, or nation, or society, or race, or religion.

And not just for human beings either.

At the most basic level, our focus should be all of God Almighty’s creation.

Islam tells us that is the reason God Almighty created us in the first place: to be his chosen representatives on his earth. And to run and manage the affairs of this world in the best possible manner, keeping in mind the best interests of every single one of its inhabitants, from humans to animals to plants.

So, when it comes to cleaning up human habitations or other places on God’s good earth, we have no borders or limits. And when it comes to letting our spirits and aspirations and hopes soar in this respect, the sky is merely scenery through the window.

For, really and truly, we are from God and to him that we are hurtling along.

It is just that we want to leave a trail of some clean, beautiful and nice memories behind. If nothing else, at least a nice and kind word one of us may say to any random other that we may meet along the way – maybe when we are trying to pick up litter from their street or front yard.

And what a privilege it is to be able to do that!

No question!

Help and Resources

The next question is one of help and resources. Where will the resources come from for such a mammoth undertaking? Or even for a tiny part thereof? Well, I have two answers to that question – both of them short.

1. The first short answer is, well, they will come from exactly where you and I came from. They will come from the same divine source – from God Almighty.Before we were born, you and I had no idea we would be here, and here we are!

   And most of us seem pretty well-resourced to carry on life on this planet on a day-to-day basis in a fairly satisfactory manner. So, God Almighty fitted us well for our journey through life.

2. The second short answer is, let us just start, and do what we must and what we can, and then watch all the fun and excitement break lose. Watch help and resources pour in ways and from directions you never suspected.

Some Hurdles to Cross

There are, however, some hurdles we must cross along the way.

1. The first has to do with our motives and intentions. Unless they are pure and clean, things are likely to get sticky.We must not lose sight of the fact that what we are doing here is an act of worship – and it must be done purely for the sake of God Almighty. We should not, as much as we can, pollute, taint, corrupt, dilute and degrade it with personal and political ambitions and agendas.
2. Next, the things we choose to do must be good and right in and of themselves. Pure intentions count only when the things we do are good and right in themselves. And in this case – Alhamdulillah! All praise due to Allah - clearly they are.
3. And then, finally, for those things to produce the right results, we must do them right. That means our modus operandi must also be equally pure, well-conceived, transparent and above board.  In general, whatever we do must be done keeping in mind the laws of the land and the sensitivities of local cultures.

Thus, the three things to be mindful of in our work are: do the good and the right thing; do it with good and pure intentions and motives; and do it right.

After that everything is in God’s hands. He moves and directs it and takes it where he wants.

Not that things were not in his hands to begin with. They were. Things always are. It is just that the burden earlier was more visibly and immediately on us.

Now, having done what we were supposed to, we have placed ourselves more directly and more firmly in God’s hand. From now on he is in charge – as he always was, at every turn and moment, and as he always will be.

Gratefulness

Gratefulness to human beings is a pathway to gratefulness to God. We are grateful to all who helped us in the past just as we are grateful to all who are helping us at present.

We are also eagerly looking forward to working with all who will come out to help us in the future, so long as everyone understands and appreciates the fact that what we are doing is not simple clean-up activity but a full-blown act of Islamic worship.

That means, at a certain level, our clean-ups have nothing to do with clean up and everything to do with Islam.

It is just that when we are done with this particular form of Islamic worship and activity, our streets and neighborhoods would look a lot cleaner – Inshallah: That is, should Allah want things to happen that way. Our world, Inshallah, will be a better place for all of Allah’s creation to live, no matter by how little.

May Allah shower his blessings on us and may he make us of those who work to make his world a better place for all of his creation!

Ameen!

What better task or calling can there be?

And what could be more fun? Fun right here in this world, and fun there in the next world?

END

Copyright © 2005 Syed Husain Pasha

 

Send comments to DrSyedPasha@AOL.Com.

Also visit www.IslamicSolutions.Com and listen to Pasha Hour International