12 March 2012

By Al-Ikhwah Al-Mujahidun

Somewhere in France around fifty years ago, there was a 50-year-old Turkish man, named Ibrahim. He was an old man who sold foods in a food store. The store was located in an apartment where one of its occupants was a Jewish family who had a 7 year old son named 'Jad'.

Jad the Jewish child came to the shop which Ibrahim operated almost every day to buy household needs. Every time he wanted to leave the shop –and he thought that Ibrahim was off guard– Jad always took a piece of chocolate belonging to Ibrahim without his permission.

One day after shopping, Jad forgot to take a piece of chocolate before going out of the shop, then all of a sudden, Ibrahim called him and told him that he had forgotten to take a piece of chocolate as usual. Jad was shocked, because he thought Ibrahim was not aware of what he did all these time. He immediately apologized and was afraid that Ibrahim would report about his actions to his parents.

Ibrahim then answered: "Never mind, what's important is that you promise not to take anything without permission, and any time you want to get out of here, take a piece of chocolate, it is all yours!" Jad happily agreed.

Time passed, and the years changed, and the Muslim Ibrahim now became just like a father and best friend to Jad, the Jewish kid.

It had become a habit for Jad when facing a problem that he would always came to Ibrahim for consultation. And every time Jad finished telling his story, Ibrahim always took out a book from the drawer, gave it to Jad and then told him to open it at random. After Jad had opened it, Ibrahim then read two sheets thereof, closed it and started giving advices and solutions to Jad's problems.

Some years had passed and such were the days spent by Jad with Ibrahim, an old Turkish Muslim and not highly educated.

14 years passed by, now Jad had become a gallant young man who was 24 years old then, while Ibrahim at that time was 67 years old.

Ibrahim eventually died, but before he died, he had kept a box which he entrusted to his children, where a book was placed in that box which he always read every time Jad had a consultation with him. Ibrahim willed so that his children would give the book as a gift to Jad, a Jewish youth.

Jad only found out about the death of Ibrahim when his son conveyed the will to give a box to Jad. Jad then felt shaken and very sad with the news, because Ibrahim was the one who, all these while, gave the solutions to all his problems, and Ibrahim was the only true friend for him.

Days passed, every time struck by problems, Jad always remembered Ibrahim. Now he just left behind a box. The box that he had always opened and kept inside it was a book which Ibrahim used to read often every time he came to him.

Jad then tried to open the pages of the book, but the book contains writings in Arabic, whereas he could not read it. Then he went to one of his friends who was a Tunisian and asked him to read two sheets from the book. Exactly as was the custom of Ibrahim before, who always asked him to open the book at random when he came for a consultation.

That Tunisian friend then read and explained the meaning of the two sheets that he had showed. And apparently, what was read by his friend, precisely nailed into the problem faced by Jad at that time. Then Jad told about the problem that he was facing, and his Tunisian friend gave a solution according to what he read from the book in question.

Jad was stunned and in shock, then with full of curiosity he asked: "What is this book?!"

He answered: "This is Al-Qur'an, the Holy Book of the Muslims!"

Jad was a bit in disbelief, at the same time felt amazed.

And then Jad asked again: "How to be a Muslim?"

His friend answered: "By uttering the Shahadah and following the Shari'ah!"

After that, and without a feeling of doubt, Jad then uttered the Shahadah, thus he now became a Muslim!

Jadullah A Muslim

Now Jad had already become a Muslim, and then he changed his name to Jadullah Al-Qur'ani as an expression of reverence for the Qur'an that is so special and able to answer all his life problems over the years. And since then, he had decided to spend the rest of his life to be at the service of spreading the teachings of the Qur'an.

Jadullah then began to study the Qur'an, as well as understanding its contents, continued by doing da'wah in Europe to the point that he succeeded in converting to Islam six thousands Jews and Christians.

One day, Jadullah opened up the pages of the Qur'an which was a gift from Ibrahim. Suddenly he found a sheet bearing the world map. When his eyes were fixed on the image of the African continent, and appeared on it was an inscribed signature of Ibrahim and under that signature was written the verse: 

((اُدْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ...!!))

"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction!!..." (QS. An-Nahl; 125) 

He was then convinced that this was a will from Ibrahim and he resolved to carry it out.

After some time, Jadullah left Europe and went to do da'wah in the African countries, including Kenya, southern part of Sudan (where a majority of its populations are Christian), Uganda, as well as the surrounding countries. Jadullah managed to convert more than 6,000,000 people from the tribe of Zolo, this is from one tribe alone, not to mention the other tribes.

End of Jadullah's Life

Jadullah Al-Qur'ani, a genuine Muslim, an real da'ie, spent the 30 years of his age, since his conversion to Islam, to carry out da'wah in the arid African countries and managed to convert millions of people.

Jadullah died in 2003 where had been ill earlier. At that time he was 45 years old and he died in times of doing da'wah.

The Story Has Not Finished

The mother of Jadullah Al-Qur'ani was a fanatic Jew, she was an educated woman and a lecturer in one of the higher institutions. Her mother only converted to Islam in 2005, two years after Jadullah had died, i.e. at 70 years of age.

The mother narrated that –when her son was still alive– she spent 30 years doing her utmost to make her son return to Judaism by various ways, with all her experience, establishment of knowledge and ability, however, she could not influence her son to return to Judaism. Whereas Ibrahim, an old and uneducated Muslim, was able to soften his heart to embrace Islam, this is because Islam is the only true religion.

Then the question is : "Why did Jad the Jewish child embrace Islam?"

Jadullah Al-Qur'ani told that Ibrahim, whom he knew for 17 years, never called him with words: "Hey kuffar!" or "Hey Jew!" in fact Ibrahim never even said: "Come into the religion of Islam!"

Imagine, for 17 years, Ibrahim never even once taught him about religion, about Islam or about Judaism. A simple Muslim elder never invited him to discuss about religious issues. But he knew how to lead the heart of a child, so as to be bound with the akhlaq of Al-Qur'an.

And then from the testimony of Dr. Safwat Hijazi (one of the famous Egyptian da'ies) who at one time had joined a seminar in London in discussing about the problem of Darfur, as well as the solution to handling the Christianization, where he met with the leader of one of the tribes of Zolo. When asked if he converted to Islam through Jadullah Al-Qur'ani, he asnwered; No! But he embraced Islam through someone who has been Islamized by Jadullah Al-Qur'ani.

Subhanallah, How many more people will convert to Islam through the people who have been Islamized by Jadullah Al-Qur'ani. And Jadullah Al-Qur'ani himself embraced Islam through the hand of an old and uneducated Turkish Muslim man, but was having an akhlaq that is sublime and pure.

Such was the story about Jadullah Al-Qur'ani, this is a true story that this writer obtained and then translated from the journal of Almarhum (the late) Sheikh Imad Iffat who is nicknamed as "The Sheikh of the Egyptian Revolutionaries". He was an ulama' of Al-Azhar and a member of the Fatwa Institution of Egypt, who was shot shaheed (insha Allah) in an incident in Cairo on Friday, 16th December 2011.

This true story deserves to be reflected collectively by us in the times of fitnah like today. At a time when a lot of people do not heed the way of the Qur'ani Da'wah anymore. Easily declare kafir, well-versed in reviling, claiming others to have gone astray, pronouncing them as bid'ah, cursing, spreading fitnah, whereas they are fellow Muslims.

In the past, our da'ies had struggled tooth and nail to spread Tawheed and Islamize many non-Muslims, but why today, the people who are already Muslim are declared as kafir instead and accused of shirk? Aren't we obliged to judge something on what is visible only? While in the matter of batin (inner things) let Allah judge it afterward. We are not commanded at all to split the breast of every mankind so as to know the level of iman owned by everyone.

Let's reflect again on surah Thaha verse 44 i.e. the commandment of Allah SWT to Prophet Musa and Harun –'alaihimassalam– when they would go out to conduct da'wah on Fir'aun. Allah says:   

((فَقُولاَ لَهُ قَوْلاً لَّيِّناً لَّعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَى))

"And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah]." 

Imagine, Fir'aun who was clearly kafir la'natullah, but at the time of da'wah on such a person we still have to use gentle words. So do we, who are living in today's world more Islamic than Prophet Musa and Prophet Harun? Or is there anyone today who is more kafir than Fir'aun that even the Qur'an records his kufr until today? What is then the reason for us to not use da'wah with the method of Al-Qur'an? Namely with Hikmah (Wisdom), good Advices and Discussions with strong arguments, but remained polite and mannered?

Therefore, what we need to take heed in da'wah is that, what should we do so that this truth of Islam can be easily conveyed? Due to that, if now we find someone who is kafir, it is possible that at the end of his life, Allah would give hidayah to him so that he will convert to Islam. Hadn't Umar bin Khattab also been hostile towards Rasulullah in the beginning? Yet, Allah willed otherwise, thus Umar then received hidayah and eventually embraced Islam. So if now there is someone who is Muslim, it could be that at the end of his life, Allah would remove the hidayah from him so that he dies in the state of kafir. Na'udzubillah tsumma Na'udzubillahi min Dzalik.

For behold, the first sin committed by Iblis is arrogance and haughtiness, as well as feeling the self holier so much so that he refused to receive Allah's truth by prostrating (due to respect) to Prophet Adam –'alaihissalam–. Due to that, it could be that Allah would remove the hidayah from a Muslim with a high heart (prideful) and then give it to a non-Muslim with a humble heart. Nothing is impossible for Allah!

Let us preserve this aqeedah of Islam that we are embracing, and don't ever sneer or undermine the aqeedah of others who have also embraced Islam, as well as professing Tawheed. We are brothers in Islam. It is good to remind each other, mutually protecting the aqeedah of fellow Muslims is better. Let us always struggle shoulder to shoulder for the sake of good things only.

Wallahu Ta'ala A'la Wa A'lam Bis-Sawab.

The author is a student of Islamic Law Concentration Al-Azhar University Of Cairo's License Program.