The Black Hole of Guantánamo: The Sad Story of Ravil Mingazov

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Ravil Mingazov, the last Russian in Guantanamo, has been in US custody since 2002 - without charge, trial or hope.

Regular readers will know that the Guantánamo prisoners’ habeas corpus petitions led to the release of 26 prisoners between December 2008 and January 2011, providing confirmation that the US courts were able to address mistakes made by the Bush administration in rounding up “detainees” in its “War on Terror,” to expose those mistakes, and even to provide a remedy for them by securing the release of prisoners who should never have been held.

Last year, however, the D.C. Circuit Court — dominated by right-wingers, including Senior Judge A. Raymond Randolph, notorious for supporting every piece of Guantánamo-related legislation that was later overturned by the Supreme Court — began to fight back, pushing the lower courts to accept that very little in the way of evidence was required to justify detentions.

I have long railed against the inability of the executive, lawmakers or the judiciary to address the built-in problems of detention policies in the “War on Terror” — the Bush administration’s dreadful decision to equate the Taliban with al-Qaeda, thereby ensuring that both soldiers and terror suspects were held as interchangeable “detainees” at Guantánamo, and continue to be held as such.

This remains a huge problem, almost entirely ignored by the mainstream media in the US, although it is matched by the media’s lack of interest in what has happened since the D.C. Circuit Court began to dictate detainee policy, even though that has led to success for the government on every appeal, with the Circuit Court reversing or vacating the lower courts’ rulings in six habeas petitions, and has also led to the last eight habeas petitions (since July last year) being refused (see here, here, here, here and here for the evidence).

One of the prisoners who won his petition, but remains held while the government appeals, is Ravil Mingazov, a citizen of the former Soviet Union, whose story I told in detail when his habeas petition was granted by Judge Henry H. Kennedy Jr, in May 2010, in an article entitled, “Judge Orders Release from Guantánamo of Russian Caught in Abu Zubaydah’s Web.”

One of Ravil’s lawyers, Allison M. Lefrak, who is the litigation director at Human Rights USA, described as “a nonprofit organization in Washington working to bring US laws in line with universal human rights standards,” recently wrote an article for the National Law Journal, describing the lack of progress in Ravil’s case, and her most recent visit to see him in Guantánamo.

This is a fascinating insight into the man behind the government’s propaganda, and also into the shocking delays and manipulation in his case, with, as Lefrak reports, the government’s appeal “now stayed in light of the government’s motion to present the lower court with ‘new’ evidence — evidence the government purportedly only located recently, eight years after Ravil was arrested in Faisalabad,” and which, according to the government, “would persuade Kennedy to reverse his decision and deny Ravil the writ of habeas corpus.”

That, I think, is the injustice of Guantánamo in a nutshell, and I hope you have time to read Allison Lefrak’s article in full.

Justice denied at Guantánamo
By Allison M. Lefrak, National Law Journal, September 19, 2011

As we always do at the onset of our meeting with Ravil Mingazov, my interpreter and I spread a variety of food items on the table in front of us — crusty bread, cheese and an array of sweets. We’ve gone through this same ritual every three months for five years now. And while things change for us in the outside world — marriages occur, babies are born, holidays are celebrated — for Ravil, there is very little that has changed from our first meeting back in January 2006.

Ravil remains in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba — [nine and a half] years after the night he was arrested at a house for refugees in Faisal­abad, Pakistan. He remains in Guantánamo more than three years after the US Supreme Court issued its opinion in Boumediene v. Bush extending the writ of habeas corpus to Guantánamo detainees and giving the lower courts great discretion in how to handle these cases.

He remains in Guantánamo, 18 months after a week-long trial at the US District Court for the District of Columbia before Judge Henry Kennedy Jr., in which the facts of his case were presented in a closed courtroom. He remains in Guantánamo more than a year after Kennedy issued a comprehensive 42-page opinion [PDF] methodically analyzing each piece of evidence presented by the government, and concluding that, after eight years of detention, the government failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that Mingazov was “a part of or substantially supported” al-Qaeda or the Taliban.

Ravil Mingazov remains in Guantánamo three and a half years after newly elected President Obama issued an executive order providing for the closure of the detention center at Guantánamo Bay within one year.

Ravil tears off a piece of bread, spreads a generous portion of cheese on it and looks up with eyes surprisingly full of light. “So,” he says slowly, “what should we talk about today?”

I look down at the agenda that I prepared for the meeting and begin, just as I have many times before, to explain why he still remains locked up in Guantánamo and why all of our efforts to date have been essentially futile. As I launch into my detailed explanation of the basis of the government’s appeal of Kennedy’s order granting him the writ of habeas corpus, I pause after every few sentences and stare closely at his face as he registers my words while they are spoken in Russian by the interpreter. His expression does not change — though his eyes continue to have a light in them, as if he is smiling when in fact he’s not.

I hear myself saying these words, “The US court of appeals has not affirmed a single decision ordering the release of a detainee.” I explain to my client that the government’s appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is now stayed in light of the government’s motion to present the lower court with “new” evidence — evidence the government purportedly only located recently, eight years after Ravil was arrested in Faisalabad. I tell him that the government argues that this evidence would persuade Kennedy to reverse his decision and deny Ravil the writ of habeas of corpus. At the end of this lengthy update on the legal status of his case, I pause for the last time and ask Ravil if he has any questions.

“No,” he says. And then he smiles. “But you forgot to mention the good news.” I know him well enough to realize that he is setting me up for a one-liner. “We will all see each other again in three months.”

Some may argue that this glacial speed with which the Guantánamo detainees’ cases move one step forward and two steps back in the courts is unfortunate yet necessary to ensure that a potential terrorist is not mistakenly released. It is true that district court judges are entrusted with a great responsibility when they are considering the habeas cases of Guantánamo detainees and that there is much at stake in each of these cases.

Kennedy’s thorough and thoughtful opinion, like many of the other opinions both granting and denying the habeas petitions of Guantánamo detainees, speaks for itself. District court judges are doing what they are supposed to do, and they are doing it well. It is true, this takes time. But there are limits.

The longer Ravil Mingazov and other detainees sit languishing in Guantánamo as their cases gradually make their way through the courts (only to face near inevitable denial of the writ from the D.C. Circuit), the more credibility the US judicial system loses. As Chief Justice Warren Burger noted, “A sense of confidence in the courts is essential to maintain the fabric of ordered liberty for a free people … Delay will drain even a just judgment of its value.”

I wonder how many more times I will have to explain to Ravil that, despite the Supreme Court’s mandate to promptly process detainees’ habeas claims, the president’s promise to close the prison and his own victory in federal court, it is more likely than not that we will meet again in three months in this overly air-conditioned cell on a steamy island very far away from his elderly mother, his loving wife and his growing son that Ravil last saw eight years ago when he was a baby.

Source: Andy Worthington

Human Rights Imperialism

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On 8 September 2011, Sir William Gage published his report based on the Baha Mousa inquiry. The Inquiry found that Baha Mousa had died after suffering an “appalling episode of serious gratuitous violence.”  The Inquiry further found that many officers of the British army were responsible for this violence and that the battalion knew of what had taken place, but failed to report.

 

It has taken a long time for the family of Baha Mousa to feel any sense of justice after the wanton murder of their son. This is not however, without major efforts by the UK government to hinder the efforts of the Inquiry. They even went as far as to claim in another case, Al Skeini v United Kingdom, that the European Convention on Human Rights could not be applied in Iraq, as it would be tantamount to Human Rights imperialism. Fortunately, the Judge Bannello in that case rebutted the preposterous claim by the UK,

 

“37. I confess to be quite unimpressed by the pleadings of the United Kingdom Government to the effect that exporting the European Convention on Human Rights to Iraq would have amounted to “human rights imperialism”. It ill behoves a State that imposed its military imperialism over another sovereign State without the frailest imprimatur from the international community, to resent the charge of having exported human rights imperialism to the vanquished enemy. It is like wearing with conceit your badge of international law banditry, but then recoiling in shock at being suspected of human rights promotion.

 

38. Personally, I would have respected better these virginal blushes of some statesmen had they worn them the other way round. Being bountiful with military imperialism but bashful of the stigma of human rights imperialism, sounds to me like not resisting sufficiently the urge to frequent the lower neighbourhoods of political inconstancy. For my part, I believe that those who export war ought to see to the parallel export of guarantees against the atrocities of war. And then, if necessary, bear with some fortitude the opprobrium of being labelled human rights imperialists.

 

39. I, for one, advertise my diversity. At my age, it may no longer be elegant to have dreams. But that of being branded in perpetuity a human rights imperialist, I acknowledge sounds to me particularly seductive.”

 

The judgement sums up well the entire approach that has been taken by the UK government and its institutions in the Army and security agencies, that justice is not about finding the truth, but rather about using whatever means necessary to conceal it. The family of Baha Mousa must be commended for their brave stance and having fought for so many years to bring about this result, but unfortunately it is has not been due to any help given by the UK government. With so many resources being expended on concealing the reality of abuse by British agencies, one can only wonder to what extent they have taken place. 

   The article is taken from the website www.cageprisoners.com

Signs of weak faith Part 1

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1-Committing sins and not feeling any guilt. 

  Committing sins and not feeling guilty and continuing committing the sin is from the signs of weak faith. The companions of our Messenger Muhammad (saw) will rush to repent when they commit a sin. Our Messenger Muhammad (saw) apart from being forgiven for all his (saw) sins,he (saw) would repent  100 times a day.

    But we instead of repenting we keep on committing the sin over and over again . Some people commit sins very openly and they don't seem to feel a bit of guilt. It is something we see daily. There are narrations by our Messenger Muhammad (saw) that each time we commit a sin a black spot will be marked on our heart,if we don't repent and carry on committing the sin our hearts will finally become black due to the spots. Once the heart is covered with these spots, that person will never be enlightened by the grace of Allah (swa).
 
2- Having a hard heart and no desire to read the Quran.
   Quran is the light of our souls. One who doesn't know a single verse from Quran is like a dead tree. When we have strong faith we contemplate more about Quran and our hearts are open and  we feel the verses of the Quran as we hear it or read it. But for a hard heart,the verses of Quran are just words which goes through their ears. It doesn't increase his or her piety or opens his or her eyes to the truth. There are many Muslims in the world who only read the Quran in the holy month of Ramazan . The rest of the year they leave the Quran on the self. But the Quran is a book that we should read everyday. We should contemplate on their meaning and apply the Quran to our daily life.

 
3-Feeling too lazy to do good deeds, e.g. being late for salat
  The first sign of weakness in faith is missing or coming late to your prayers. Specially the Fajr prayer ( morning prayer). Prayers are appointments given by Allah (swa). During this five appointments we ask Allah (swa) for forgiveness,sustenance, health,guidance and to attain us with  the goodness of this world and hereafter. If we perform our prayers,it is for the sake of our own self. Not an atom size will decrease from Allah (swa) wealth if we pray or not. Allah (swa) created everything and to Him we will return.On that day first thing to be questioned will be about our five daily prayers. If you have performed your prayers without neglecting them,than all your other deeds will be in order.

 
4-Neglecting the Sunnah.
   This is most common sign that we see when we look at the Muslim world that indicates our weakness of faith. Sunnah is the way Muhammad (saw) lived. So following the Sunnah is following how our Prophet lived.This includes the way he (saw) performed his worships,how he (saw) dealt with wives,family,companions and infidels,how he (saw) worked to earn his living and how he (saw) dealt with every aspect of life. Loving our Prophet Muhammad (saw) is essential to attain full submission to Allah (swa). Without this our faith is not complete.

     But what we see today is the opposite ! If we follow the way our Prophet dressed up or how he kept the beard or any other Sunnah we are criticized for being extremists or fundamentalist. But if there kids copy the styles western movie stars and pop stars they are  excepted. We being Muslims we should be ashamed of our selves  for criticizing the Sunnah of our Prophet (saw). When we criticize we are actually criticizing the most pious Human being to ever lived on this earth. So beware of this cause those who criticize the Prophet of Allah (swa) will be defamed in this world and in the hereafter.

 
5-Having mood swings, for instance being upset about petty things and bothered and irritated most of the time.
    Being irritated, having rapid mood swings and feeling not happy or satisfied with life are signs that our faith is weak. Most of the times things like this happen when we are committing sins or we are not satisfied with the decree of Allah (swa). Punishment from  Allah (swa) doesn't all ways come in the shape of natural disasters or harsh punishments. Sometimes sleeplessness,anxiety and stress are punishment of Allah (swa). Normally these things will happen when someone is thinking about something too much or due to the consequences of his bad actions. Lot of us throw our self into sins and when we realize that our actions had ruined our lives, we instead of repenting we fall victim to anxiety. I have seen people who had lived half of their life but never  are satisfied with the decree of Allah (swa) and never been able to make the right decisions because they have no sincerity in their hearts for the decree of Allah (swa). So sake up this emptiness and mood swings and prepare your self to the journey ahead of you. For once put your self together and gather your thoughts to achieve the hereafter. That should be our main focus,not this world.

 
6-Not feeling anything when hearing verses from the Quran, for example when Allah warns us of punishments and His promise of glad tidings.

   I recently been to Umrah ( smaller pilgrimage to Mecca) and to my grief I didint feel what Iam suppose to feel when I heard the verses from the Quran in which Allah (swa) warns us of the punishments and of glad tidings. When the Imam is reciting the verses of the Quran I could hear people crying around us,but my heart was hard like rock and I didint feel what these people were feeling. If this is the case, we ought to look into our own self to see the level of piety. The companions of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) prayed so submissively and cried when they heard the verses of the Quran, that it was like the Hell is presented in front of them. Even there are stories of Companions of the Prophet (saw) who had died when they heard the verses of the Quran which speaks about punishments.   

      Most of  us cannot understand the Arabic texture in Quran. But there are sources which will help us understand what Allah (swa) revealed to us through the Prophet Muhammad (saw). At least we should try to learn the meaning of the most commonly recited verses from the Quran in our daily prayers. 

 
7-Finding difficulty in remembering Allah and making dhikr.

    There are narrations by Prophet Muhammad (saw) in which it says that the dwellers of  Paradise will grief about one thing and that thing is the time wasted not remembering Allah (swa). 

      Mu'az [RA] narrated Rasulallah (saw) said: “The Inhabitants of Paradise will not be grief stricken or sorrowful about anything they did in the life of the world except for the time they spent without being in the remembrance of Allah”. (Tabaraani). 

       I think its a common belief among Human beings  to remember and treat well the people who help us or treat us well. If this is the case,our own existence,sustenance,well being,family and uncountable worldly pleasures are given by Almighty Allah (swa). Then why should we not thank the Almighty Allah (swa) and remember His blessings upon us ! So if we are not thankful to the blessing of Allah (swa) and if we do not remember His mercy upon us it is definitely a sign that our faith is weak. 

8- Not feeling bad when things are done against the Shariah.
    In a world were our Islamic Shariah is criticized, our beloved Prophet defamed, Muslims are called terrorists and our brothers and sisters are killed in day light we the Muslim Ummah if we don't have any concern than for sure our faith is weak. Specially in a country like Maldives were the population is 100% Muslims, it is shame that Islamic Shariah is criticized from the top level to the bottom. If we open the Radio and Television we hear our Shariah been criticized, but we being Muslims what have we done ? 

 
9- Desiring status and wealth.
    Desiring wealth and status is the main reason our  Ummah had fallen down. After the passing away of our beloved Messenger Muhammad (saw) and the four rightly guided Caliph our Ummah  got lost in the delusions of wealth and status. If you look at the world even now most of the oil,gold and minerals are in the Islamic lands. But look at our status and the level of our greed. Millions of Muslims world wide are in need of basic needs,but the rich Muslim countries are busy building fortresses and gathering money. The leaders and the kings of these countries are sleeping in big mansions while Muslims are dying due to thirst and bitter cold. Our Prophet Muhammad (saw) tied stones to his stomach to fight the pangs of hunger,slept on mats,fasted most of the day when there were no food and slept in dark.This is the status of the most noblest Human being to ever walk in this world. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) knew that this world has nothing to offer except a short stay and that hereafter is the everlasting. So he (saw) built his palaces in the land of hereafter by sacrificing the wealth and status of this world.

 

Death and Delusions of the World.

             

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  Born helpless and feeble we come into this World. So naive and innocent we breath our first breath into this world. If it wasn't for the mercy and love given by Allah (swa)  to our Parents we would have not lasted a minute in this world. We Humans after numerous blessings from Allah (swa) we have transgressed  against the commandments of Allah (swa). We come to this world so weak, but once we attain maturity we come to believe that we are the most superior beings and there is no one above us. Fool is he who takes this worldly life to attain wealth,women,power,status and pleasures of this world. The world had witnessed generations that were stronger,more in number and more in wealth. They transgressed against the divine law and  killed their Prophets and Messengers who were sent by Allah (swa) as a guidance  for them. Where are they now and where have they gone ? We cannot even hear a single sound of them ! The wrath of Allah (swa) fell on them in lightening speed  erasing their existence for generations to come. So why do we transgress the divine Law of Allah (swa) ?
      What do you need most at this moment ? Women,men ,money,status,power or a career ! This is what most of us will crave, but you will give all this up if you come to know that death is about to set on you. This is the reality ! Rich people throughout the world spend millions to save their lives from diseases like HIV,but even with all the wealth they had not been able to avail him from meeting his death. The truth is we are so deluded in this earthly materialistic life we don't realize this. We know that death will meet us,we know that we cannot take a single penny to the grave,we know that our  beautiful wives one day will merry someone else when we die,we know that our wealth will be distributed when we die and we know that one day our family and friends will forget us. The tears they shed will dry and yield to laughter. If you would have thought about death more often you would for sure prepared your self to meet death in a rewarding way. For instance if you are traveling to a country for few days, you will take sustenance that is enough for the trip. This is the parables we should contemplate when we live in this world. No one know how short or long our journey is ! Infants die after seconds they breath their first breath in this world.Some die in their teens, in their adult hood and some die old with grey hair from top to toe. So take what is enough from this world and perform the rights of Allah (swa). To a pious person this world is no more than a field where he harvest his good deeds so that the good deeds that he  harvested will sustain him in the Hereafter.+
        We cannot say that we will repent when we are old or we cannot say that our Emaan is too low to perform the rights of Allah(swa). Excuses are all that we hear ! You can give your excuses and arguments to your fellow Human beings ,but will you be able to give your excuses and arguments to the Almighty and to the  All knowing Allah (swa). We being Muslims and knowing all this how can we transgress the guidance of Allah (swa)! How many of us had abandoned the daily prayers, how many of us had wasted the month of Ramazan in play, how many of us are unjustly eating the money of orphans and your friends, how many of us having illegal sexual acts, how many of are using drugs and alcohol,how many of us are disobedient to your parents and husbands,how many of us cheat our wives and husbands and how many of us hoard wealth without giving the Zakah (Alms). Ask these questions to your self ! See how far astray are you from the path of Allah (swa). Measure your good deeds and sins ! Seek repentance !
          Time is short and time is running out. Repent if you are careless about the rights of Allah (swa). Start preparing to meet your death by performing  your daily prayers and doing good deeds. If you dont believe what I say then wait till the Angels of death set upon you and squeeze your death ! That day you will beg Allah (swa) to send you back to this world to worship He the Almighty again. But even all the gold in this world will not avail you ! Mark my word ! May Allah (swa) give us guidance,cause to whom You have given misguidance no one can guide him and to whom You have given guidance no one can misguide him. To You we worship, to You is the final return. Forgiver our sins and do forgive us if we forget and fall into error.  My final return is to you so have mercy on our souls. Amen.

10 useless matters that cannot be benefited from

1-Knowledge that is not implemented.

Knowledge is given by Allah (swa) to us. We might think that the Diploma's, Degree's,PH D's are our own fruits that we harvested from our own hard work. If you think so first think about who gave you the eyes to see,a brain to record the knowledge,the wealth to get the education,your foot to walk to the university or school. In Quran Allah (swa) says "Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,- He who Taught (the use of ) the pen,-Taught man that which he knew not.Nay,but the man doth transgress all bounds".(96:3-6) So use your knowledge to build a better Muslim community in all areas of  life. Knowledge taught to others or used to benefit the Human kind is a deed that will benefit even when you have left this world. Our Messenger (saw) said "When a human being dies,all of his deeds are terminated except for three things; an ongoing sadaqah (charity), a knowledge from which others benefit,and a righteous child who makes dua (supplication) for him".  

2-An Action that is absent from sincerity,and is not based on the correct example.

Sincerity is the key for accepting your actions and deeds. Allah (swa) says in Quran "  And they have been commanded no more than this: to worship Allah,offering Him sincere devotion,being True(in faith)". (98:5). You should have true sincerity in your heart when dealing with every aspect of your life.When you don't have sincerity in your actions it will not be upright and straight. Having doubt about an issue or thing will decrease your zeal or interest in that particular issue or thing. So sincerity is essential in our life. Specially in worshiping Allah (swa). Basing your actions and deeds on correct example means performing you religious and earthly actions and deeds according to the principles of  Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). Allah (swa) says in Quran " O ye who believe ! Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger and those who are in authority among you.And if you differ anything among yourselves,refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you are believers in Allah and the last day.That is best and most commendable in the end".(3:60)

3- Wealth that is hoarded,as the owner neither enjoys it during this life,nor obtains any reward from it for the Hereafter. 

If you look at the world today how many people die due to hunger,how many people die due to thirst,how many people die due to lack of health care and how many people die due to natural disasters. Rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Every year the world will choose the richest people and crown them due to the fact that the wealth they amassed.If the ten richest people in the world give Alms ( Zakaah) from their wealth this world will be a better place than it is now for how many families ? I am not saying that all the rich are like this,but majority hoard their wealth and use them in spreading sins. Allah (swa) says in Quran “And those who hoard up gold and silver (Al‑Kanz: the money, the Zakaah of which has not been paid) and spend them not in the way of Allah, announce unto them a painful torment”.(9:34) When we want to organize a religious sermon, money to construct mosques and Quran classes the rich people most of the time wont even bother. But if some people are organizing music shows,fashion shows or sport activities sponsors will rain down on them. Allah (swa) gave you the wealth and He can take it back ! So beware of this !And remember that you cannot take the wealth you amassed to your grave.

 4- A heart that is empty of love and longing for Allah(swa),and of seeking closeness to Him.
            Loving Allah (swa) is following what Allah (swa) had revealed through Quran and what Allah (swa) taught us through the final Messenger Muhammad (saw). Even if we don't love Allah (swa) or follow His religion  not an atoms weight will decrease from His Wealth and Kingdom. If we follow his religion it is only for sake of our own souls.A man once came to the Prophet (pbuh) and asked him about the hereafter. The Prophet  (Peace be upon him) asked him, “ And what have you prepared for that time? ” The man replied, “ Nothing, except that I love Allah and I love you. ” The Prophet (pbuh) answered him, “ You are with the ones you love. ”  So loving Allah (swa) is the key to Heaven
5- A body that does not serve or obey Allah(swa). 

Serving Allah (swa) is believing in what Allah (swa) revealed (Quran),following the guidelines of the last Messenger Muhammad (saw) and using your body,wealth, all you posses to spread His religion and to attain His love and mercy.  

Below is a piece of advice given to some students of  Shaykh ‘Abd Al-Qādir Al-Jīlānī a renown Shaikh from Pakistan.

O young man! What about servitude [‘ubūdiyya] to the Lord of Truth (Almighty and Glorious is He)? Come, offer genuine servitude, and accept what is quite sufficient for all your own concerns. You are a slave running away from your Master. Go back to Him, submit to Him and humble yourself through obedience to His commands and prohibitions, and patience and compliance with His decree. When this has been fully accomplished on your part, your servitude to your Master will be complete, and you will receive quite enough from Him. As Allāh (Almighty and Glorious is He) has said: Does not Allah(swa) suffice his servant ? (39:36).

When your servitude to Him is as it should be, He will love you and make His love strong in your heart. He will befriend you and draw you near to Him, with no trouble and without your having to seek the companionship of any other, so that you will be well pleased with Him under all circumstances. Even if He were to make the broad earth narrow for you, even if He were to block the wide gates against you, you would still not be displeased with Him, nor would you approach the door of any other.

6- Loving Allah (swa) without seeking his pleasure.

The finest example I could give to explain this point is the incident of the Ta'if. During the Meccan period our beloved Messenger Muhammad (Sallallahu 'Alahi Wasallam) went to a city called Ta'if near Mecca to preach Islam. Muhammad (saw) went there to see if the people of Ta'if  would accept the faith of Islam. But he (saw) was met by resistance and was stoned so badly that blood dropped from his blessed body. He barely made out of the city ! Once he got out of the city he sat in garden near by and made this du'a to Allah (swa) O" Allah ! To you do I complain of my weakness,little resource and low lines before (these) people. O Most merciful ! You are the Lord of the weak and you are my Lord. To whom will you confide me? To one afar who will misuse me or to an enemy to whom you have dominance over me ? If you are not angry with me ? I don't care.Your favor of well being on me is sufficient  for me. I seek refuge in the light of Your countenance,by which the darkness is illuminated and by which the affairs of the life and the next have been rightly ordered,lest Your anger descend upon me,or Your wrath  not but  light upon me but come down on me. It is for You to be satisfied until You are well pleased. There is no power and no might except in You." He (saw) was the most blessed Human being to ever lived in this world but see how severely he was tested. But see the words which came out of his(saw) blessed mouth.This is a true example of person seeking love and pleasure of Allah (swa). For one who seeks Allah (swa) love and pleasure when he is confronted with a calamity he is patient and he thanks Allah (swa) for the other numerous blessing upon him. So being pleased with Allah (swa) is being patient with Allah (swa) decree and thanking Allah (swa). Worshiping only Allah (swa) to seek His love and pleasure also comes  within this.

7- Time that is not spent expiating sins or seizing opportunities to perform deeds of righteousness that will bring one close to Allah (swa) .

Scholars and Philosophers say that all the wealth in this world cannot bring back a single second which was wasted. I could still remember the days that I used to play with my shadows while I am in the  bed as a kid. It seems it was just yesterday. But I have spent 32 years of my life. So little I know from the Quran, how many prayers I have abandoned, how many Ramazan was wasted, sins I have committed are uncountable but yet the time left for me to repent is unknown. I don't know  when my death will knock on my door.Just like everyone I wasted half of my life to realize that one day I will die and meet Allah (swa). I don't want to meet Allah (swa) in state that I am smelling from my uncountable sins and meet His displeasure. Allah (swa) says in Quran " By the time! Men is in loss".( 103:1,2) So use your time usefully specially in worshiping Allah (swa) and remembering the favors upon us by the Almighty Allah (swa).

8-A mind that thinks about issues which bring about no benefit.

Most of us sees this life in the earth as a source to achieve wealth,women, family,career and all worldly pleasures. Allah (swa) gave us all this to test  us,to see who is the righteous and  thankful. When we seek and worry about worldly matters excessively we get lost in it. Decree of Allah (swa) must be accepted.Worrying about losing a job,career,a child and your wealth is actually happening because you are not ready to accept the decree of Allah (swa) and His divine law. No matter how much you think,you wouldn't get  even an atom size increase in your sustenance except for that which is decreed by Allah (swa).  

Allah (swa) say in Quran " Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah.. And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception?". So why do we worry ?  

9-Serving those who neither bring you close to Allah(swa) or benefit you in your life.

Serving those who neither bring you close to Allah (swa) nor benefit you in your life falls into different categories. It could be your friends,race,country,political party or any other organization or a group.Our messenger Muhammad (saw) said " The case of good and bad companionship is like that of one who sells perfume and one who blows bellows (iron smith)". (Bukhari and Muslim). If you go to see a person who is selling perfume you will get the good smell from him. But if you go to see the Iron smith your clothes might get burned and you will smell repugnant. If you have good friends which you serve they will guide you and prohibit you from committing sin.But if you serve a bad friend you will be mislead by him and you will waste your valuable time which you can do good deeds. Allah (swa) says in Quran " A person is upon the religion of his close friend,so beware who you befriend." This Hadeeth and the verse from Quran can be used to finalize that when you choose friends, wives, husbands or any group or organization that particular person or group shall be among the pious, those who love the religion of Allah (swa).

10- Hoping and fearing one who is under the authority of Allah (swa), and whose forehead is in His Hand,while he cannot bring any benefit,harm,life,death or resurrection to himself.

The one who hopes anything or fears anyone other than Allah (swa), that person  is mislead. Allah (swa) said in Quran " You  should  not fear them but rather fear Me, so that I can complete My blessing to you so that hopefully you will be guided". (2:150) When the Prophet Yusuf (AS) was told by the wife of his master that he will be locked in the prison if he doesn't have illegal sexual acts with her what Yusuf (as) said  as is revealed by Allah (swa) in Quran "  She (the governer's wife ) said, "You see ! It's him you blamed me for. I tried seducing him but he refused .If he does not do what I order him,he will be put in prison and brought low".He (Yusuf) said "My Lord,the prison is preferable to me than what they call on me to do.Unless You turn their guile away from me,it may be that I will fall for them and so become a man of ignorance". (12:32,33) This is how we should confront anyone who is trying to convince us to commit sins. But the reality is that money,women and power had deluded us into committing sins against our own selves. The world is in a state in which Muslims will serve infidels,hypocrites and criminals just to attain wealth. What we forget is that we will one day die and we will have to stand in front of Allah(swa) and be answerable for this !