Magazine Articles

= written by Amr Khaled =

15 *   Wasted Energy

Wasted Energy

This is an article by Mr. Amr Khaled, published in Almara’a Alyawm Magazine (The Woman Today) on 20/4/2004.

The number of Muslims, according to the latest records of the recognized centers of world population computation, is 1500 million persons.  This means that our nation represents quarter of the number of world population, which has reached 6 billion people.  There are no followers of any other religion that exceed Muslims in number.  People are fully aware of this, simply because these records come from their countries and their specialized centers.  However, the number of the disbelievers (whether they worship idols, fire, or anything else) together with the atheists allover the world exceed the number of Muslims.

These facts must be fully realized by Muslims and non Muslims as well.  No matter what the standards of judgment are (whether by observing or numbering); we are not a weak minority that could be easily overpowered by others, for this is what both reason and justice impose, only if there are reason and justice in this world, or even if there is a minor amount of them.  However, what should exist is completely different from what already exists.  Reason is an abstract agreement on acknowledged ideas, whereas reality is a conflict among different powers over the actual life of people on earth.  The point is that whoever possesses plentiful energies, and can utilize them appropriately and benefit from them efficiently is the one who can impose his disposition on everything and everyone.  These are the historical facts, which we must admit and deal with them.  Yet, what does this introduction have to do with the Muslim woman today?

Muslim women nowadays are the missing factor in the previously mentioned equation of energy.  How? Let me tell you how.  With simple and a little bit exceeding calculations, we find that the number of Muslim women represent half the number of society (1500 million persons).  Suppose that educated Muslim women represent 20% of women, then their number is 150 million women. If we exclude 35% of this number (nearly 50 million women), which is more or less the number of Muslim females under the age of 20 or 22 years; the period of childhood, adolescence, learning, and difficulty of exerting persisting effort to serve Islam, then what remain then in the equation are 100 million Muslim women.  Further, if we exclude half of this number either because of old age, illness, difficult problems, or hard circumstances of life, then we will have 50 million Muslim women, who are able to exert persisting effort for the sake of their religion Islam, which they are honored of belonging to it.

Imagine what may happen if each one of these women devotes just one hour a day for Islam.  This means that 50 million hours will be added every single day to the equation of energy for supporting Islam and regaining the dignity of Muslims.  This means that we may have 1500 million hours per month (50X30), and 18 billion hours per year (1500X120).  Now, have you noticed what may happen if each one of these women, who just represent nearly 6% of the number of Muslim women in our nation, spends only one hour a day serving Islam? These 18 billion hours are able to turn the equation of energy upside down.  Only one hour a day of bestowal from Muslim women, will turn matters -God willing- to their due course, which is accepted by reason and supported by justice.  What do I exactly mean by one hour for Islam? I mean by this an hour (60 minutes) in which a Muslim woman performs certain tasks rather than her usual daily activities (the most prominent ones are arranging the house, studying for the children, preparing food, watching television …etc) to serve Islam directly.     

A reader may hasten to say that the activities you have mentioned already take all my time, and I do not have even free half an hour, especially because I am a working woman.  Even If you are a working woman, or even if you are a prime minister! You will never fail to dedicate only one hour of your day for serving Islam if you really wants to do so.  Moreover, you will be able to find -with sincere intention and time organization- even more than this simple requirement, especially if you are a housewife.  In this case, deduct one hour of your sleeping hours for Allah, deduct one hour from the time of watching space channels for Allah, or deduct one hour from the time of reading magazines, chatting in the telephone, or preparing food, and Allah will arrange it for you afterwards.         

Believe me, it deserves, for the benefit in this worldly life and the after life as well.  Our nation and our religion deserve loyalty and love.  Declare with this hour your belonging to your nation and your religion.

Allah Almighty says what can be translated as, “The believers, men and women, are Auliyâ’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma‘rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islâm has forbidden); they perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give the Zakât, and obey Allâh and His Messenger. Allâh will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise. Allâh has promised the believers - men and women, - Gardens under which rivers flow to dwell therein forever, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of ‘Adn (Eden Paradise). But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of Allâh. That is the supreme success.” (TMQ, At Taubah: 71, 72)[1].

Allah also says what can be translated as, "Verily, your Walî (Protector or Helper) is none other than Allâh, His Messenger, and the believers, - those who perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, and they are Râki‘ûn (those who bow down or submit themselves with obedience to Allâh in prayer). And whosoever takes Allâh, His Messenger, and those who have believed, as Protectors, then the party of Allâh will be the victorious." (TMQ, Al Ma'idah: 55, 56).

Obviously, you may ask now “what should I do?” I will explain this in the coming article, God willing. It is all devoted for Allah and He is the best guidance.

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