Save the Children and Our Society

By Imam Abdullah El-Amin, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

In many of our nation’s cities there is an upsurge in violence, particularly among young people. With the state of the economy these days it is easy to see that most of the violence is directly related to the lack of gainful employment in our major cities. Although it is true that the economic situation begets lawlessness, it nevertheless is no easier to accept.

Recently a meeting was held at the Muslim Center in Detroit to begin action to attack the problem. It was a meeting of Muslims, Christians, Jews and ex-Jews, as well as non-religious groups. The responsibility of the adults, particularily the men, was emphasized. This brought to mind a previous column on saving our children. The column was drawn from the 66th sura of the Holy Quran, the sixth verse.

“O ye who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is men and stones, over which are appointed angels stern and severe, who flinch not from executing the commands they receive from ALLAH, but do precisely what they are commanded.” 66:6

In this powerful verse ALLAH instructs us to save ourselves first, and then our families, from the ravaging fires of Hell…

Here is an analogy. On every airline flight, when the stewardess is giving emergency instructions, she always asks you to put the oxygen mask on yourself first before assisting others. It just makes sense. If you are not in good shape, how can you help others?

Similarly, if you are doing immoral things and not living a good Islamic life, then chances are, they won’t live a moral life either.

Since Satan has no power over us, except what we give him. Since he can’t command us to do anything – just ask. Then the lack of Godliness and morality in society is not Satan’s fault – it’s our fault.

And it most certainly is not the fault of ALLAH, since He has given us all the instruction we need to save ourselves.

We must remember, our children do what they see and hear – not so much of what they are told. The old saying “Do what I say, not what I do”, does not work. It never has…. and it never will.

We ask you, O ALLAH, looking at the depths of despair we adults have allowed this world to sink to, for the strength and light we need that we may follow You – and save our children.

We ask you O ALLAH to help us tell our sons to pull their pants up. And not be intimidated – especially since he is eating our corn flakes, with our milk, out of our refrigerator. Especially since he is using our toothpaste, and washing with our soap, in our bathtub, drying with our towel, wiping with our toilet paper, watching our TV and sleeping in our bed.

We ask you to help us tell our daughters to not display themselves in degrading manners, especially in public. Help us to DEMAND that they place less emphasis on their breast and behinds, and more on their brains.

Give us the strength to stop our children from listening to vulgar rotgut music in our presence. Help us to not allow music that should be in garbage cans to played around us. It is the height of disrespect to a parent.

We ask you O ALLAH to strengthen us and help us refrain from watching sex-filled movies with our children – especially mothers and sons, and fathers and daughters.

O ALLAH, Help us to realize that a prayer for the children is a prayer first for ourselves.

We ask You to keep us, protect us, help us, FORGIVE US, We ask you to increase our fear of displeasing You, and grant us the blessings of faith.

Help us put our oxygen mask on first. Help us live our lives in a moral fashion first…So we can have the ability to save our families.

We ask this in the Almighty name of God, The All Powerful, the All Merciful.

As Salaam Alaikum
(Al Hajj) Abdullah Bey El-Amin

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