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| scholar
visiting China... |
- A
Muslim scholar (sheikh) was on a visit to China to
give a series of lectures to the local Muslim community.
One day, he was Scheduled to give a lecture at a local
hall and was about to take a taxi along with his companions
to that location. They got into the taxi and the Sheikh
asked about the length of time it would take to get
to the Lecture hall. The taxi driver, through the
interpreter, answered "Two hours." The Sheikh
immediately turned to his companions and said: "well,
we can't sit in this taxi with the driver for two
hours and not tell him about our religion. If we did
that then we would be no different than any other
non-Muslim or kaffir who uses this taxi. We are the
people that Allah (SWT) chose to carry His message
and honored us to be Muslims.
It is our duty to tell this person about ISLAM."
However, the driver was a native Chinese and didn't
have a common language with the Sheikh. They had to
communicate through an interpreter.
Sheikh to interpreter: "Ask the man if
he believes in any religion?"
Driver: "No, 1 "don't believe in
religion. I just get up in the morning, go to work
and earn money. At the end of the day, I collect my
money, go buy some food and drink for my family. What
do I need religion for?"
Sheikh (thru interpreter): "Ask this man
if he has ever heard anything about ISLAM."
Driver: "Not much. I've seen a tape once
and showed Muslims as violent people. I don't know
much else."
Sheikh (thru interpreter): "Ask him about
computers. What does he think of computer?"
Driver: "I think the computer is an excellent
invention. It is very useful and very sophisticated."
Sheikh: " Does he think that the computer
could have invented itself or does he think that a
human being invented it?"
Driver: "A human invented it, of course.
It is not capable of inventing itself."
Sheikh: "Which one is more complicated
the computer or the human being?"
Driver: "The human being is more complicated,
of course."
Sheikh: "O.K., if the computer must have
been invented by a human being, then it
follows that a human being (which is more complicated)
must also have a creator."
- Driver:
"O.K."
Sheikh: "In ISLAM, we believe that Allah
is the creator of human beings and all other beings.
Fine, now let's move on. Assume that you have never
seen a computer before and never heard of it. If I
brought a computer to you and gave it to you, would
you know what to do with it? Would you be able to
use to its full potential?"
Driver: "No, I wouldn't."
Sheikh: "Now, if I gave you a catalogue
for the computer, then you will be able to better
use it? Correct?"
Driver: "Correct!"
Sheikh: "In ISLAM, we view Qur'an as the
catalogue used by human beings to manage their lives.
Without this catalogue, they will ruin themselves!
Now, if this inventor of the computer assembled the
machine and printed the catalogue, what would be the
next step? He would need to train some engineers and
others on how to spread the message about this machine.
These people would, in turn, train others and others
until everyone knows about the machine.
In the example of Allah and Qur'an, the prophets of
Allah play the role of the engineers. They learn the
message and teach it to others so that the message
will spread. Prophet Muhammad (saw) is the final messenger
of Allah and he was ordered to take the message to
all human beings. "By this time, the trip was
coming to an end and they almost reached the lecture
hall. But the sheikh can see that there were tears
coming out of the driver's eyes. The words of the
Sheikh were having a significant effect on this driver.
Driver: "These ideas are very interesting
to me. Do you mind spending 15 more minutes with me
to tell me about this religion?"
The Sheikh agreed to spend those few minutes with
this person and did. The' man asked many questions
and seemed genuine in his desire to learn more about
this religion.
At the end of these few minutes, the driver said:
"I want to join this religion of yours. .How
do I do that?"
He was told that all he needs to do is say: "I
bear witness that there is no God but Allah and I
bear witness that Muhammad (saw) is his servant and
Messenger.
Allahu Akbar!! Sounds simple, doesn't it? A
taxi trip in the crowded streets of a Chinese city
brings the light of ISLAM into the heart of a Chinese
man. A man who started his day as an atheist never
suspected that he will end his day as a Muslim. There
are many people out there who are thirsty for the
message of ISLAM. Gaining them as Muslim brothers
and sisters could be as simple as this TRUE story.
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