{"id":52229,"date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/2025\/01\/09\/come-aboard-with-us\/"},"modified":"2025-01-09T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T00:00:00","slug":"come-aboard-with-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/2025\/01\/09\/come-aboard-with-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Come Aboard with Us"},"content":{"rendered":"

Come Aboard with Us<\/strong><\/p>\n

By: Dr. Gamal Abdel Sattar<\/em>
\nAssistant Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars<\/em><\/p>\n

The Quranic call, \u201cEmbark with us\u201d<\/strong> (Surah Hud: 42), which the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) addressed to his son, transcends its immediate context as an invitation to save him from the flood. It serves as a comprehensive methodology for constructing the ark of salvation and steering it toward safety. This call represents a profound educational, social, and spiritual message for every individual and group striving to face major challenges.<\/p>\n

We have long anticipated one of three floods:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A Divine Flood<\/strong> punishing humanity for its injustices, corruption, bloodshed, and destruction of natural order.<\/li>\n
  2. A Satanic Flood<\/strong> in which Allah gives oppressors temporary rein to deepen their tyranny, inflict harm upon the righteous, and spread further corruption.<\/li>\n
  3. A Faithful Flood<\/strong> wherein Allah, out of His boundless grace, grants the people of truth a decisive victory, raising the banner of faith and liberating them from the grip of tyrants and criminals, as He says:
    \n\u201cAnd We desired to bestow Our favor upon those who were oppressed in the land, making them leaders and inheritors of the land.\u201d<\/strong> (Surah Al-Qasas: 5).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Indeed, Allah has always fulfilled His promise, and He remains as we expect of Him. Our expectation of Him is nothing but good, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
    \n\u201cAllah says: \u2018I am as My servant thinks of Me. If he expects good of Me, he shall have it; and if he expects otherwise, it shall be as he thinks.\u2019\u201d<\/strong> (Reported by Ahmad).<\/p>\n

    The heralds of the faithful flood and its preludes have appeared. Allah has opened the door to revival from the land of Al-Sham (the Levant), and I believe it is the beginning of a broader awakening across the region. The \u201cFlood of Al-Aqsa\u201d and its heroes play a significant role in this awakening. The people of Allah in the land of resilience have sought to liberate Al-Aqsa through their sacrifices, and I believe\u2014Allah knows best\u2014that their sincere struggle has made their flood a catalyst for the liberation of other lands. How blessed they are, and how vast Allah\u2019s bounty upon them!<\/p>\n

    Today, at this critical moment in the first quarter of the 21st century, we issue a call to all the faithful across the earth:<\/p>\n

    O people of faith, O followers of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), O bearers of the message of Islam, O heirs of the blessed Prophethood, come forth! Embark with us! Roll up your sleeves, shake off the dust of defeat, expel despair, and prepare for the moment of departure. Do not hesitate, for even a brief delay can set the seeker back by decades.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Embark with Us: The Conditions for Salvation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Prepare yourselves by meeting the qualifications for salvation. Demonstrate sincerity to Allah, for it all lies in the profound words:
    \n\u201cIf you remain true to Allah, He will remain true to you.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Here are some essential qualifications for anyone who wishes to accompany the righteous:<\/p>\n

    \n

    1. Sincerity (Ikhlas):<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Without sincerity, there is no place on the ark of ascension and selection. Those who do not dedicate their intentions to Allah, remain truthful in their mission, and prioritize the Hereafter above all else will not survive.<\/p>\n

    A ship does not sink because of the water surrounding it, but because of the water that leaks into it. Similarly, the defeats of Uhud occurred because some individuals let worldly desires infiltrate their hearts. Allah explains:
    \n\u201cWhy [do you ask]? When disaster struck you, although you had struck them with one twice as great, you said, \u2018From where is this?\u2019 Say, \u2018It is from yourselves.\u2019\u201d<\/strong> (Surah Aal-E-Imran: 165).<\/p>\n

    Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) commented:
    \n\u201cI did not know that anyone among the companions of the Messenger of Allah desired worldly gains until this verse was revealed.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The key to being prepared for Allah\u2019s service is striving against the self, presenting it to Allah for purification and elevation, as Allah says:
    \n\u201cAnd those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our paths. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.\u201d<\/strong> (Surah Al-Ankabut: 69).<\/p>\n

    Make the ark your pathway to Allah. Adhere to its conditions, for survival is not for the strongest physically, but for the strongest in faith and preparation.<\/p>\n

    \n

    2. Pairing and Complementarity (Zawjiyyah):<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Noah (peace be upon him) was commanded to carry \u201ctwo of every kind\u201d<\/strong> in the ark (Surah Hud: 40). Beyond reproduction, pairing symbolizes functionality and productivity in life.<\/p>\n

    To board the ark, one must serve their nation constructively, exhibiting traits like diligence, positivity, clarity of purpose, high ambition, resilience, and steadfastness in the face of challenges. Choose your path wisely, for Allah has chosen it for you. As Allah told Moses (peace be upon him):
    \n\u201cAnd I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed.\u201d<\/strong> (Surah Ta-Ha: 13).<\/p>\n

    Master your field, whether as a teacher, economist, media professional, strategist, or a dedicated homemaker. Excellence in your domain qualifies you to join the ark, contributing to a faithful flood that eradicates falsehood and establishes truth, as Allah says:
    \n\u201cAs for the foam, it vanishes like scum; but what benefits people remains on the earth.\u201d<\/strong> (Surah Ar-Ra\u2019d: 17).<\/p>\n

    \n

    3. Distinction (Mufasalah):<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    There is no room on the ark for those with ambiguous stances or those who waver in their faith. Noah (peace be upon him) called his son, saying:
    \n\u201cO my son, come aboard with us and do not be with the disbelievers.\u201d<\/strong> (Surah Hud: 42).<\/p>\n

    Thus, salvation requires unwavering commitment to faith and a complete rejection of false ideologies. Half-hearted faith or compromise has no place here. Allah addressed Noah regarding his son:
    \n\u201cO Noah, he is not of your family; indeed, he is one whose work was other than righteous.\u201d<\/strong> (Surah Hud: 46).<\/p>\n

    The ark is reserved for those who have molded their hearts, minds, and actions according to Allah\u2019s guidance, dedicating their lives wholly to His service.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    This ark is for those who strive to fulfill the divine trust with sincerity, faith, and unwavering commitment. Prepare yourself to embark and join the ranks of the righteous, for together, we shall build a flood of faith that dismantles falsehood and establishes truth.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Note:<\/strong> The views expressed in this article reflect the author\u2019s perspective and do not necessarily represent the position of the International Union of Muslim Scholars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Come Aboard with UsBy: Dr. Gamal Abdel Sattar Assistant Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim ScholarsThe Quranic call, \u201cEmbark with us\u201d (Surah Hud: 42), which the Prophet Noah (peace…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":52316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[684],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion-articles-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52229"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52229\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iumsonline.cloud\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}