With the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, Bestower Of Mercy
      Guest Editorial
      The  Millennium Craze: Where Will You Be? 
     
      Editor's
      Word
     
      Volume 3, Issue 12                     Sha'baan 1420 (December 1999) 
     

Assalaamu alaikum,

Alhamdulillah and here is an important Y2K admonition from www.alharamain.org
Party-revelers and fun-makers can hardly contain themselves as they wait  for the final hour to dawn to celebrate the party of all parties in the most unusual of ways.  Preparations for the great millennium bash have been underway for months  in advance and the people of this planet want to celebrate it in a big, big way. Every capital of the world is vying with the other to offer the  best in millennium reveling and celebrations. London has constructed  the massive Millennium Dome. Airlines are offering crazy schedules to  people wishing to see the 'arrival' of the Millennium in three continents  in one day! Others want to be the first to see the new millennium  arrive - flying to remote Pacific Islands in the East to do that!

Our thoughts, conversations, plans and even our commercial activities  seem to be overtaken by and dictated to by the millennium madness. Do we really need to give  prominence to this event just  because it is hyped-up to the point of hysteria by the media?

The dates of the millennium coincide with Ramadhaan 1420. What a  remarkable coincidence and a  blessing in disguise for Muslims! Allah Ta'ala has been very kind and  merciful to the weaklings of the  Muslim Ummah. Knowing fully well the temptations that many would have  faced to join in the fun and  transgression, it is His sheer mercy that the advent of Ramadhaan would  come at that time, and serve as a major deterrent from evil and sin,  Insha-Allah.

Ramadhaan itself, the state of fasting, the acts of Ibaadah and the  chaining of the rebellious Shaitaans are all factors that will help the  Muslim Ummah to stay on course. There is a not so remote a possibility  that the eve of the millennium may even coincide with the 23 night of  Ramadhaan; one of the possible nights for "Laylatul-Qadr" and also a time  for I'tikaaf for  many.

No Muslim in his right mind would give up such a beautiful opportunity of  catching 'Laylatul-Qadr'  (83 years and 4 months of Ibadaah), much less for a silly bash or party or  just to go or sit around viewing people doing so! 

An appeal is directed to all Muslims to allow sense to prevail. Please take care to distance yourselves and your children from the ways of modern Jahiliyya on this occasion. Respect the sanctity of Ramadhaan. It is  going to be the final nights of Ramadhaan. Respect these holy nights and  please do not switch on the TV to view the heedless ones drowning  themselves in the disobedience of their Maker and Creator! You may be  counted among them, if you do so!

Millennium celebrations could invite the wrath and Adhaab (punishment) of Allah Ta'ala. Would you like to be caught at the 'wrong' place when the  unannounced Adhaab of Almighty Allah may come down or would you rather  prefer to be in the safe sanctuary of a House of Allah or engaged in your devotions of Ramadhaan at home? O Muslim friend, it's your choice.

Allahumma salli wasallim alaa Nabiyyina Muhammad. Wasalaam.
Modou Mbye