Arnoud Van Doorn (extreme left), former leader of the Dutch rightist Freedom Party, prays at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. — Okaz photo

Majed Al-Sugairi 
Okaz/Saudi Gazette

Arnoud Van Doorn converts to islam after making anti-muslim film, From An Islamophobe To A Muslim...

MADINAH – Former Dutch Islamophobe and a former leading member of far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders’ party Arnoud Van Doorn visited the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to pray and say sorry for becoming part of a blasphemous film.

Doorn was among the Freedom Party leaders who produced the blasphemous film, Fitna. Last month he reverted to Islam after an extensive study about the religion and the Prophet (peace be upon him). 

He said that the worldwide outrage against the film made him study about the Prophet (pbuh) and that eventually led to his conversion. 

He headed for Makkah to perform Umrah after meeting the two imams of the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh Ali Al-Hudaifi and Sheikh Salah Al-Badar, who enlightened him on how to lead the life of a good Muslim and confront challenges facing Islam in the West.

A member of the Dutch parliament and The Hague City Council, Doorn announced his decision to accept Islam on his Twitter profile. He also posted a tweet in Arabic declaring that “there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet.”

At first, other users took the news as a joke. After all, an active supporter of a notorious Dutch hater of Islam, Wilders, he repeatedly approved Islamophobic statements and public actions, and personally participated in them.

But Doorn, who now serves as a regional adviser at the City Hall in The Hague, personally confirmed his decision to practice Islam in an official letter to the city mayor.

Most recently, the politician filed a formal application to the mayor of the city to allow him to perform prayers obligatory for Muslims during his working hours. 

“I can understand people are skeptic, especially that it is unexpected for many of them,” Doorn told Al-Jazeera English satellite channel.

“This is a very big decision, which I have not taken lightly.”

“In my own close circle people have known that I have been actively researching the Qur’an, Hadith, Sunnah and other writings for almost a year now,” he said.

“In addition, I have had numerous conversations with Muslims about the religion.”

Driven by his party’s anti-Islam discourse, Doorn decided to dig in for the truth about the religion himself.

“I have heard so many negative stories about Islam, but I am not a person who follows opinions of others without doing my own research,” he said. “Therefore, I have actually started to deepen my knowledge of Islam out of curiosity.”

The 46-year-old has continued on The Hague Council as an independent candidate since splitting from Wilders’s party. Doorn’s decision to embrace Islam has won mixed reactions in the Netherlands.

“According to some people I am a traitor, but according to most others I have actually made a very good decision,” he told Al-Jazeera.

“The reactions are generally positive and I also received quite some support via twitter.

“It feels good that people who do not know me personally have understanding of my situation and support me in my choice.”

Asked if he now regretted joining the Freedom Party, he replied: “I have learned that every experience in life has a purpose. However, with the knowledge I have today, I would have undoubtedly made a different choice.”

For the Dutch politician, finding Islam was finally guiding him to the true path in his life. “I have made mistakes in life as many others. From these mistakes I have learned a lot,” Doorn said.

“And by my conversion to Islam I have the feeling that I finally found my path. I realize that this is a new start and that I still have much to learn as well.”

source:saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130422162428

On occassion of 1st day of Islamic Calendar, 1st Muharram, a very breif about our beloved Caliph on his day.

سيدنا عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه - Hazrat Umar Ibn Al Khattab - radiAllahoanho, titled Farooq the Great was one of the most powerful and influential Muslim rulers in history. He was a sahabi (companion) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He succeeded Caliph Abu Bakr (632–634) as the second Caliph of Rashidun Caliphate on 23 August 634. He was an expert jurist and is best known for his justice, that earned him the title Al-Farooq (The one who distinguishes between right and wrong). Under Umar the Islamic empire expanded at an unprecedented rate ruling the whole Sassanid Persian Empire and more than two thirds of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Umar was born in Mecca to the Banu Adi clan, which was responsible for arbitrations among the tribes. His father was famed for his intelligence among his tribe. Despite literacy being uncommon in pre-Islamic Arabia, Umar learned to read and write in his youth. According to the tradition of Quraish, while still in his teenage years, Umar learned martial arts, horse riding and wrestling. He was tall and physically powerful. In addition, Umar followed the traditional profession of Quraish. He became a merchant and had several journeys to Rome and Persia, where he is said to have met the various scholars and analyzed the Roman and Persian societies closely.

In 610 Muhammad started delivering the message of Islam. Umar, alongside others in Mecca, opposed Islam and threatened to kill Muhammad. On the way to murder Muhammad, Umar met his best friend Nuaim who had secretly been converted to a Muslim but he did not tell Umar anything about it. When Umar told him that he was going to kill Muhammad he was afraid. He knew Umar would attempt what he said. So just to divert his attention he told him to set his own house in order first, because his sister and her husband had converted to Islam. Upon arriving at her house, Umar found his sister and brother-in-law Saeed bin Zaid (Umar's cousin), reciting the verses of the Qur'an(Surah Taha). He started quarreling with his brother-in-law . When his sister came to rescue her husband, he also started quarreling with her. Yet still they kept on saying "you may kill us but we will not give up Islam". Upon hearing these words, Umar slapped his sister so hard that she fell to the ground bleeding from her mouth. When he saw what he did to his sister now, out of guilt he calmed down and asked his sister to give him what she was reciting. She gave him the paper on which was written the verses of the chapter Ta-Ha. He was so struck by the beauty of the verses that he accepted Islam that day. He then went to Muhammad (peace be upon him - sallaLlahoalaihiwassallam) with the same sword he intended to kill him with and accepted Islam in front of him and his companions. 

Umar was 27 when he accepted Islam. Following his conversion, Umar went to inform the chief of Quraish, Amr ibn Hishām, about his acceptance of Islam. According to one account, Umar thereafter openly prayed at the Kaaba as the Quraish chiefs, Amr ibn Hishām and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, reportedly watched in anger. At this stage Umar even challenged anyone who dared to stop the Muslims from praying, although no one dared to interfere with Umar when he was openly praying.

Umar’s conversion to Islam gave power to the Muslims and to the faith in Mecca. It was after this that Muslims offered prayers openly in Masjid al-Haram for the first time. Abdullah bin Masoud said, Umar's embracing Islam was our victory, his migration to Medina was our success and his reign a blessing from Allah.

جامع ترمذی شریف، اورابن ماجہ شریف،میں حدیث شریف ہے

 عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: اقْتَدُوا بِاللَّذَيْنِ مِنْ بَعْدِى أَبِى بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ 

ترجمہ:سیدنا حذیفہ رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ سے روایت ہے آپ نے فرمایا کہ حضرت رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم نے ارشاد فرمایا: میرے بعد جو دوہیں ان کی اقتداء کرو یعنی ابوبکر اورعمر رضی اللہ عنہما۔ ( ترمذی شریف،ابواب المناقب،باب فی مناقب ابی بکر و عمر رضی اللہ عنہما،حدیث نمبر: 4023 – سنن ابن ماجہ شریف،مقدمہ،باب فضل ابی بکرالصدیق رضی اللہ عنہ،حدیث نمبر: 102) 

صحیح بخاری شریف میں حدیث مبارک 

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رضى الله عنه قَالَ صَعِدَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى أُحُدٍ وَمَعَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ فَرَجَفَ بِهِمْ ، فَضَرَبَهُ بِرِجْلِهِ ، قَالَ : اثْبُتْ أُحُدُ فَمَا عَلَيْكَ إِلاَّ نَبِىٌّ أَوْ صِدِّيقٌ أَوْ شَهِيدَانِ  

ترجمہ:سیدنا انس بن مالک رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ سے روایت ہے آپ نے فرمایاکہ حضور نبی اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم، حضرت ابوبکر صدیق رضی اللہ عنہ حضرت عمر فاروق رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ اور حضرت عثمان غنی رضی اللہ عنہ کے ہمراہ احد پہاڑ پر تشریف فرما ہوئے تو وہ اپنے مقدر پر ناز کرتے ہوئے فرط مسرت سے جھومنے لگا، حبیب پاک صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے قدم مبارک مار کر اس سے فرمایا اے احد! تھم جا تجھ پر نبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ہیں ایک صدیق اور دوشہید ہیں ۔ (صحیح بخاری شریف، 3686 ۔حدیث نمبر: 3686) 

صحیح مسلم شریف میں روایت ہے

فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَهُوَ ابْنُ ثَلاَثٍ وَسِتِّينَ سَنَةً وَمَاتَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ ثَلاَثٍ وَسِتِّينَ وَقُتِلَ عُمَرُ وَهُوَ ابْنُ ثَلاَثٍ وَسِتِّينَ 

ترجمہ:سیدنا معاویہ رضی اللہ عنہ نے فرمایا: حضرت رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم نے وصال مبارک ہوا،اس وقت آپ کی عمر مبارک تریسٹھ (63) برس تھی، اور حضرت ابوبکر رضی اللہ عنہ نے وصال فرمایا تو آپ کی عمر تریسٹھ (63) برس تھی اور حضرت عمر رضی اللہ عنہ نے وصال فرمایا تو آپ کی عمر مبارک بھی تریسٹھ (63) برس تھی۔ 

(صحیح مسلم شریف،باب كم أقام النبى -صلى الله عليه وسلم- بمكة والمدينة.حدیث نمبر: 6244)

Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (rahmatuLlahi alaihi) mentions in his Mathnawi, a story of Sultan Mahmood: One day the Sultan decided to test his ministers and ordered them to crush the most prized pearl of his treasury. One by one, each of 65 ministers declined, stating that the pearl was far too valuable to be destroyed.

The King then summoned his closest and trusted courtier, Ayaaz, and ordered him to crush the pearl. Without any delay or hesitation, Ayaaz crushed the pearl into fragments. When the ministers expressed disbelief and shock at such audacity, the King asked Ayaaz to inform them as to the reason for him having broken the pearl.

In response, Ayaaz asked these ministers: "Which is more important, the Royal Decree or the pearl? "

The question we pose to ourselves is:

"Which is more important, the command of my Allah or the haram desire of my heart?"

The haram desires of the heart are akin to pearls, which appear to be quite beautiful but we should not fulfill these haram desires at the cost of breaking the decrees of Allah.

Ayaaz attained closeness to the king through his loyalty and faithfulness and his obedience and submission. Similarly, we will gain the extreme nearness and intimate closeness to the King of Kings through loyalty and faithfulness. This in turn is dependent upon sincere obedience and complete submission to His decrees