Page 2 The Islamic Bulletin Issue 18 Dear Editor: Not long ago, I heard some interesting things aboutblackseeds. Iheardthat theProphet (pbuh) advised people to eat them. Can you provide more informationabout them? I amalsoworried that my relatives will not be able to bury me Islamically as they are non-Muslims. What should I do toprepare for this?Thankyou. Salaams, Layla Barrett Liberty Lake, Washington Response: Assalamu Aleikum Layla, Let me answer your letter with an amazing story about the black seeds. Oneday,my friendSteve Simon, anEnglish teacher at CityCollegeof San Francisco, looking rather sad, came to see me. I asked him why he was sad. He said, “I am taking a trip around the world.” I told him he should be happy, but then he said that the doctor had just given him six months to live. I toldhimhewas luckybecausehe knewwhenhewouldbe going and so would have time to prepare. He told me that he didn’t want to talk about religion as he didn’t believe in anything nor in the hereafter. He was Jewish but never believed in anything. I told him, “Steve, how about this...suppose you believe, and then you find out that there is no life in the hereafter...what have you lost?” He remained quiet. Then I said, “But what if you find out that there is a life in the hereafter.... isn’t it better to be prepared? He said, “No, no, you are trying to confuse me.” Then, I told him about blackseeds and Zamzam water. He agreed to try them, saying, “I have nothing to lose.” About a year later, I was surprised to seehimagainandhe toldme that his doctors didn’t know why he was still alive. He didn’t know if my ‘blackseeds and zamzam’ really did something or if it was the psychology of it. Then he said that he wanted to read about Islam...not to convert or anything...but that maybe he had missed something in his life since, whenever he saw anything about Islam, his mind would block it. I gave himaQur’anandalsoMohamedAsad’s TheRoad toMecca.Hewas still taking the ‘medicine’ when I saw him a year later and he was still alive! Now, interestingly enough, I saw him walking down the street wearing a tope (Muslim white hat)! I said, “Hey Steve! What happened? You became Muslim?” He said, “Well, I’m reading the Qur’an and it helps put me in the mood.” Shortly after that, he came to my office while I was on a trip to Yemen and asked the secretary to tell me to bring back some Blackseed Oil for him because he had run out of it. I brought back the oil for him, but, when I returned, he had just passed away. His sister said he kept reading a green Qur’an right up to the end. May Allah bless his soul. Editors Note: Please see Page 10 for our article on Death & Dying and Pages 11--14 for a simplified Islamic Last Will and Testament. On Page 19, you will find our article on Black Seeds. We hope you will benefit from our modest efforts. Letters To The Editor Dear Editor: As-salaamu alaikum I pray that this letter finds you in Allah’s special grace and care. I am writing you with the hopes that you will print the enclosed article that I have written, entitled: The Deal of a Lifetime. I have been a student of Al-Islam for five years now and I would like to contribute in Allah’s cause by assisting in the realm of Da’wah. May Allah reward you and your staff for your active service in His cause. As-Salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah. Sincerely, Aquil Abdul Baseer Ione, California Editor’s Note: Please see brother Aquil’s excellent article on Pages 7-9. May Allah accept all his efforts and hope you will benefit from this article. Dear Editor: As-Salamu Alaikum! First of all, I want to tell youhowmuch I enjoy your newsletter. Not only do I find it interesting, but also very informative. Because I have learned somuch fromyournewsletter, Iwouldliketoshareanexperienceofmyownwithyour readers in the hope that theymight get inspiration and hope frommy story. I recentlygavebirth toahealthybabygirl,Al-Hamduli-Lah (Thanks toGod). Throughoutmypregnancy,mybabywas inthebreech(sitting)position.The doctors informed me that my baby was not in a correct position, but my doctor did not seem concerned. She kept saying that the baby had plenty of time to move to its correct position. However, when I got close to my due date, my baby still had not turned. My husband kept tellingme to put all of my faith in Allah, that Allah would take care of me. Whenmy due date arrived, the baby still had not turned. In fact, twoweeks later, Istillhadnotgoneintolabornorhadmybabyturned.Mydoctorreferred us to a doctor who specialized in turning babies by pushing themaround in thewomb. This doctor said that she could turn the baby, but that wewould have to sign a release formbecause sometimes the baby’s back or neck got brokenwhenpushing them, andthat thebabycouldbebornparaplegic!My husband and I both agreed that we could never take such a risk, so I went into the hospital to have a Cesarean Section. The doctor’s were preparing me for a C-Section when my husband decided to ask Allah Ta’ala to help. My husband made two Raka’a and offered the “Taif Du’a” to Allah. Miraculously, my baby did a 180-degree turn! I did not have to have the operation! , and I deliveredmy baby within one hour. Al-Hamduli-Lahi Rabbil-’Aalameen! My husband reminded me that there is a hadith Qudsi that says that Allah Ta’ala says that He is according to what His servant expects of Him, so keep your expectations high. I think it means that He, Allah, responds our faith according to our expectations. I would like to share this beautiful and powerful (by the Will of Allah) Du’a (supplication) with you, by the prophetMohammed (pbuh) in Taif. At that time, Rasulu-Lah (pbuh) prayed to Allah, our Lord, saying: “Oh, my Allah! To Thee I complain of the feebleness of my strength, of my lack of resources and of my being unimportant in the eyes of people. Oh, Most Merciful of all those capable of showing mercy! Thou art the Lord of the weak, and Thou art my own Lord. To whom art Thou to entrust me; to an unsympathetic folk who would sullenly frown at me, or to an alien to whomThou hast given control over my affairs? Not in the least do I care for anything except that I may have Thy protection for myself. I seek shelter in Your light - The light that illuminates the Heavens and dispels all sorts of darkness, and which controls all affairs in thiswork aswell as in theHereafter.May it never be that I should incur Thy wrath, or that Thou should be displeased with me. I must remove the cause of Thy displeasure until Thou art pleased. There is no strength nor power but through Thee.” Fawzia El Tareb, Daly City, California Editor’sNote:TrytomemorizetheaboveDu’a(inArabic) ifpossibleonPage9. Need to contact us? Web Address: www.islamicbulletin.org E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Editor, Islamic Bulletin P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186, USA
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