okay here I go
CUT and Paste
but worth reading
Please take a few moments to read this message in its entirety before
deletingTHE MILLENNIUM CRAZE
The Year 2000 - the millennium - is approaching fast now, and crazy people
are predicting all sorts of weird things. But even if the world doesn’t
come
to an end, the Fitnah that will take place before and after the clock
strikes twelve would be enough to send people plunging into misery and
wretchedness in this world and Jahannum in the other. This fitnah will
certainly make the struggle to reach Jannah a bit more challenging,
especially with all the fun-making, the partying and the free flowing of
lots of alcohol, drugs, sex and countless other vices.
Party-revelers and fun-makers can hardly contain themselves as they wait
for
the final hour to dawn. To celebrate the party of all parties in the most
unusual of ways. Preparations for the great millennium bash have been
underway for months in advance and the people of this planet want to
celebrate it in a big, big way. Every capital of the world is vying with
the
other to offer the best in millennium reveling and celebrations. London
has
constructed the massive millennium dome. Airlines are offering crazy
schedules to people wishing to see the ‘arrival’ of the millennium in
three
continents in one day! Others are wanting to be the first to see the new
millennium arrive - flying to remote pacific islands in the East to do
that!
While the peoples of the world will be sunken in some kind of stupor on
that
hour, even Muslims, sadly, would be caught in this mass hysteria of the
Millennium. Quite a few Muslim countries have already planned some kind of
celebration or the other to mark this (Christian-based) event. On an
individual level, there will be many Muslims who would not like to be left
out of this fun and revelry. They would have already made up their plans
for
THAT evening. Yet the millennium is simply a Christian-based event,
supposed
to be marking two thousand years of the advent of Christ (Hazrat Nabi Isa
AS). What has a Muslim to do with all of this? Nothing. Nothing at all!
Our thoughts, conversations, plans and even our commercial activities seem
to be overtaken by and dictated to by the millennium madness. Do we really
need to give prominence to this event just because it is hyped-up to the
point of hysteria by the media?
The dates of the millennium coincide with Ramadhaan 1420. What a
remarkable
coincidence and a blessing in disguise for Muslims! Allah Ta’ala has been
very kind and merciful to the weaklings of the Muslim Ummah. Knowing fully
well the temptations that many would have faced to join in the fun and
transgression, it is His sheer mercy that the advent of Ramadhaan would
come
at that time, and serve as a major deterrent from evil and sin,
Insha-Allah.
Ramadhaan itself, the state of fasting, the acts of Ibaadah and the
chaining
of the rebellious Shaitaans are all factors that will help the Muslim
Ummah
to stay on course. There is a not so remote a possibility that the eve of
the millennium may even coincide with the 23 night of Ramadhaan; one of
the
possible nights for “Laylatul- Qadr” and also a time for I’tikaaf for
many.
No Muslim in his sane mind would let up such a beautiful opportunity of
catching ‘Laylatul-Qadr’ (83 years & 4 months of Ibadaah), much less for a
silly bash or party or just to go or sit around viewing people doing so!
An appeal is directed to all Muslims to allow sense to prevail. Please
take
care to distance yourselves and your children from the ways of modern
Jahilliyya on this occasion. Respect the sanctity of Ramadhaan. It is
going
to be the final nights of Ramadhaan. Respect these holy nights and please
do
not switch on the TV to view the heedless ones drowning themselves in the
disobedience of their Maker and Creator! You may be counted among them, if
you do so!
Millennium celebrations could invite the wrath and Adhaab of Allah Ta’ala.
Would you like to be caught at the ‘wrong’ places when the unannounced
Adhaab of Almighty Allah may come down or would you rather prefer to be in
the safe sanctuary of a House of Allah or engaged in your devotions of
Ramadhaan at home? O Muslim friends it’s your choice… where do YOU want
to
be?
[This message has been edited by shezi (edited November 10, 1999).]