Muslims, here is an offer I don’t think you can really refuse.

Many of the best among you spend their time rolling your beads and chanting Astaghfirullah, …, and other similar things. Every one of them more wonderful than the other.

Then, at the end of the day, you go home, thinking you have done your “Good Deed” for the day, even as Allah’s world burns and crashes around you.

Even as the hungry go unfed; the naked go without clothes; and the weak and the meek are set upon and pounded to dust by all kinds of bullies and thugs right in front of your eyes.

Some of you might even call what you do – I mean your chanting of Subhanallah and Alhamdulillah – 'Amal Saalih.

And I am not saying it is not.

And some of you might even spend the rest of the day, and even part of the night, counting all the blessings you might have raked up doing those chants.

And keeping track of all the Houses in Paradise that you might have won as a result.

All those Gardens.

And all that Real Estate.

Now, here is my offer to you, Muslims:

I have heard there is some choice Real Estate for sale in Paris, Rome, New York, Amsterdam, … and some other very nice places.

I know these places and I love them. Take it from me, they are beautiful.

I suggest you go down to those places – to Paris, Rome, New York, Amsterdam – and meet the property owners, and do some very nice chants singing the praises of the owners of those properties.

And see how many deals you can clinch that way.

How many real nice properties you can walk away with.

No, I am not being nice or nasty. All I am trying to do is make you an offer you cannot possibly refuse.

Actually, I am also thinking about this most glorious Aayah of the Qur’an – and all Aayaat of the Qur’an are most glorious indeed, one more than the other – that raises some profound questions about the approach that many of us have to Islam – and to life in general.

I think it is from Surah At-Tawbah, Surah 9 of the Qur’an, and I think this is how that Aayat Karimah goes:

A-Ja'altum Siqaayatal Haaj-ji wa 'Imaaratal Masjidil Haraami Kaman Aamana Bil-laahi wal Yawmil Aakhiri wa Jaahada fi Sabilil-laah?

Laa Yastawuun!

Just let me know.

I mean when you come back from your successful trip to Rome, Paris, New York and Amsterdam, with all the Plum Real Estate Deals you can get for doing nothing but chanting the praises of the owners of those properties, drop me a line and let me know.

So, I can spend the rest of my earthly life chanting your praises: chanting how great – and how smart – you are.

Do you think that is part of why Allah said in the Qur’an that Islam is really for smart people?

END