Dear Friend (a personal letter to my readers)

Dear Friend, 

This is a personal letter to you; the readers of my blog. 

I cannot tell the demographic of my readership beyond the normal demographic of those who are generally attracted to the message of Islam. 

So you are most likely to be young, attracted to novel and revolutionary ideals, and are not over wealthy with no vested interests that tie you to the status quo. 

And Islam is revolutionary, because it teaches the true brotherhood of man. That although we may be different, we have something that ties us stronger together than blood relationships. 

And if you have read my blogs and they have made you think, contemplate and deliberate then you are, for sure, my friend. 

And then Glory be to God, who made us friends in the first place and cemented our friendship with travail. 

For my blogs are not a breeze, and are generally not intended to be an easy ride. 

For the religion of Islam is hardship and struggle, and if there is no struggle then that is not the religion- except the empty shell of the true religion. 

However unlike our cousin brothers in Christianity, we do not see punishment as a necessary evil for the beautification of the soul. But rather that our bodies and minds need to struggle against oppression, both societal and physical, to free our souls to better appreciate the awe in which God should be held.

Struggle is not here a necessary evil. 

Rather struggle is our way, freedom is our goal and the love of all that is good is our driving force. 

Remember the Islamic narrative is that freedom naturally lends to appreciation and belief, whereas oppression in terms of false beliefs and societal conventions lend to disbelief. 

So thanks are due to God, who blessed us with gratitude, who enervated us with sense, and created us in need, so that He could fulfil that need. 

For I was in need, and you were sent to fulfil that need. 

I was in need of expression, and you were sent to be that expression- to be the driving force of that expression, to enervate me to write, to be and to feel. 

I believe in miracles. 

That God is in whose hands the Dominion belongs, has designed that we be separated so that I could pose the question of faith to you without facing being accused of unduly influencing you. 

For the distance of space and time is no barrier to the progression of ideas. 

And the demographic that I write for, will always be accused of being unduly influenced by people like me. 

People that talk to your hearts. 

People that make you feel alive and capable. 

And yet I cannot influence you other than through the words that I write, and the thoughts that I give expression to. 

And you are free to believe or disbelieve as is your wish. For that is the next step in our friendship. 

For if you believe as I do, then the greatest step is the declaration of faith. 

To bear witness to One True God, without partner, helper or son, and to the bear witness to Muhammed (saw) being His Messenger and Servant. 

This is a declaration that you can make privately to your own self, but it must be made loudly. It must be physical. 

And then later it must be made to those that you trust, and lastly to your family and community. 

It is a compact that you make with God, and God is not unmindful of your sacrifices and the hardships that you endure. 

And this testimony will not free you from hardship and travail, rather the opposite that you recognise that struggle is your way, freedom from oppression is your goal and that love is your driving force. 

And by God, I love you for God’s sake. 

May God bless and surround you with friendship, help, support and love, always and forever. Aameen. 

And God is the ever doer of good, the one that places love and camaraderie between us, the one that unites us and keeps us not divided. 

And material wealth is nothing compared to that. May God enrich us with each other’s company and support, and the company and support of our fellow believers. Aameen. 

And that is the far greater wealth. 

PP Shafees.