Rouse

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Every now and again, you may find that you're roused from your sleep. Not the sleep of your eyes, nor the rest of your body, but rather, the slumber of your soul. You may find that you are suddenly given a jolt of life, not like the gentle rousing from your physiological sleep, but like the striking of something solid, hard and cold, striking at your heart. You're struck and you sit, bolt upright, suddenly alert, and very, very awake.

[This message was written and emailed to me by a friend. MashaAllah, may Allah reward her. She doesn't usually like her words publicised, but has given permission this once. I would encourage you to read on, for the issue is too important and the sentiments too sincere to ignore!! Read and take action. Sign the petition & spread the message.]

When I refer to sleep here, then know that i refer to the slumber of the muslim ummah. and when i refer to being roused, then i refer to the times, the few, odd, occasional - but significant - times, where we, as an Ummah, as the Ummah of Muhammad [saw], rouse out of our deep slumber, and for some brief, sparing moments, we stand united, we stand tall, and we fight for a cause. a real cause.

So you may find yourself roused every time the muslims in palestine are massacred and butchered, you may find yourself suddenly awake, bolt upright, fire burning inside you, and your limbs expending all efforts to help your brethren. you pray, you encourage others to pray. you make sincere du'aa and your heart hurts. you give sadaqah and you invite others to give sadaqah. or then you may have found yourself roused when the earthquakes, landslides or floods hit indonesia, japan, somalia, pakistan. and you are not somali, or pakistani, or japanese, but it bothers you nonetheless. you struggle to see what's happening in the world around you, thousands of miles away from you, yes; but in your world, in your waking reality, as you watch. so you don't watch. once more you're roused, and suddenly you're awake, and again, your expending your efforts. you're making du'aa, your doing charity appeals, you're encouraging others to give of their wealth and you too are striving with your wealth.

So you see, every now and again, we, as an Ummah, we rouse out of our sleep, and we unite together, one body, fighting for one cause. we wake out of our deep sleep, and we make something magnificent happen to someone, somewhere on the other side of the world. someone, somewhere, who you'll never meet. someone, somewhere, whose house you'll never visit. but still it'll bother you; to see them cry, to see their children cry, to see their homes washed away. and so, for those brief moments, you, the glorious Ummah of Muhammad [saw], will stand together, and you will fight for a cause, and you will succeed in bringing some relief to the afflicted. MashaAllaah tabarakAllaah.

Well today, upon us is a cause that is not on the other side of the world. it is not to do with someone, somewhere, who you'll never meet. it's to do with someone, right here, in our midst. Someone who, if he was a free man, who knows? perhaps you would pass him by in the street some day. perhaps you would live near him. his is an ordinary face, like yours and mine. except, his is a face that has been shut off from the world - your world - right here, in the midst of your existence. His is the face, body, person and soul that has been locked up and deprived of the love of his parents, the love of his family, the salaam of a brother in the street, the adhaan in a masjid, for 7 plus years, as he sits, waiting to be extradited, whilst a single charge has yet to be brought against him. He is Babar Ahmad. Your brother, my brother.

And his is the cause, that today MUST rouse, nay, DRAG us out of our deep sleep. For it would be a mighty shame on you, and a mighty shame on me, if the 100,000 signature petition fighting to keep him in the UK, doesn't meet its target. it would be an enormous shame on each and every one of us, and the way i see it, the onus WILL be upon us.

Now alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, the petition is well on it's way, mashaAllaah tabaarakAllaah. And everyday, the number of signatures is increasing, and more and more sharply, to the degree that we now have 70,000 plus signatures, mashaAllaah walhamdulillah. However, we still have 30,000+ signatures to go, and little more than 10 days to do it in, so suffice to say, time is of the essence.

But I know, with certainty, that if we stand together, shoulder to shoulder, with a firm, sincere intention, expending all our efforts, and seeking the aid of Allaah [swt], beseeching and imploring Him, most High, for brother Babar's victory, for YOUR victory, I know that we'll definitely make it. Print off copies of the petition, go round to the local communities and have them signed. If you think you're dosing in and out of sleep, let me assure you the people around you are in a far more comfortable state of sleep than you. As far as they're concerned, if it's not happening at their doorstep, it's not their problem. MAKE IT THEIR PROBLEM. We Muslims, besides our love for sleep, also love to laze around generally! We can't be bothered to click that link on that website that everyone keeps talking about. And so what if i don't do it? Surely, someone else will. That's our mentality. And right now, it's gotta change. Real swift. So spoon feed those around you, do all the hard work for them, all they have to do is sign your petition, and you can upload the details on their behalf.

And beyond all that, if you feel that you have done all that you can [I haven't], and you have exhausted your limbs for the sake of Allaah [I haven't], then rest. Rest your limbs and put your heart to work. Supplicate for brother Babar Ahmad. Supplicate for his success, for his relief, for his victory. For du'aa is the weapon of the believer. In these blessed days of Dhul Hijjah, beg and beseech Allaah, even for a few moments, as no doubt his elderly parents will have, day in day out, for more than seven years, waiting in angst to see their son home again. Prophet Ya'qub alayhis salaam lost his sight due to the grief he felt over losing Yusuf alayhis salaam. And he said, let me alone, for I only complain of my sorrow to Allah.

Brother Babar's parents have never complained to you, they have never complained to me. But I have no doubt that they have complained to Allaah. And now is the time for their relief, by the mercy of Allaah. And though this is a magnificent test for them as a family, it is equally a test for us, to see how willing we are to wake out of our sleep, to drag one another out of our slumber, and to make a real difference to another Muslim bi'ithnillah.

How helpless do we feel, how much does it hurt, to see those children dying in Somalia, and to be stuck here, being able to do little more than raise money? How stuck did we feel, who's heart didn't cry when Aafia Siddiqui was given 84 years in a questionable trial and court hearing? And yet here is Babar Ahmad, at your doorstep, and here is your chance to stand tall, free of all restraints, and to do something, like you've always wanted to.

Wallahil adheem I have no doubt, absolutely no doubt, that when you and I stand together, sincerely, for the sake of Allaah, and strive in this cause, begging and beseeching Allaah all the while, I have no doubt that the Help of Allah will come. And when the Help of Allaah comes, nothing in the heavens and the earth can withhold it. Nothing can stop His relief and His Mercy descending. And Babar Ahmad will be victorious, inshaAllaah.

And may Allaah [swt] grant us success, and make this struggle a momentous occasion of strength and victory for the Ummah of Muhammad [saw]. Aameen Ya Rabbil 'alameen.

http://www.freebabarahmad.com/

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/885