Foreword We live in a deeply troubled world, both at the macro and micro levels. This would be apparent even to those who are only marginally familiar with the contemporary global situation. There is far too much suffering, disease, poverty and exploitation everywhere. The gap between rich and poor is widening. Fifteen years ago, 700 million people were living below the poverty line; today this number has swelled to 1.2 billion, according to the United Nations. In June 2010, the UN released figures showing that there were 43.8 million refugees worldwide. Of these 70% are Muslims. T his is a problem at the macro level. At the micro level, despite an explosion in wealth, an ever-growing number of people are suffering from depression and other mental disorders. Most people have been led to believe that happiness comes from material possessions. While all human beings need some material possessions to lead a relatively comfortable life, there is no direct correlation between happiness and material prosperity. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Research conducted some years ago showed that the richest 400 men in the US had the same level of happiness ii as the Masai herdsmen of Kenya. (Psychological Sciences in the Public Interest, University of Pennsylvania, July 2004). But Masai herdsmen have no running water or electricity and live in huts made of animal dung. Thus, if material prosperity could bring happiness, the people of Sweden and those of other industrially advanced societies such as the US, Canada and Denmark would not commit suicide, the ultimate form of rejection of life itself, in such large numbers. T hese findings may shock some, but the fact is that money cannot buy happiness; often, it brings greater unhappiness because the level of satisfaction that is experienced with increased wealth is short-lived. Soon the new level of income becomes the norm and there is renewed yearning to acquire more. Money may buy medicine, but it cannot buy you health. Income levels have increased manifold in Denmark since World War II, but the level of happiness of people has not increased. So what is the secret of a happy and spiritually contented life? The answer lies within each one of us. In this highly readable book, Unleash the Power of Almighty Allah Within You, Ismail takes us through life’s journey and shows us how to live it according to the teachings of the noble Qur’an and the Sunnah and Sirah of the noble Messenger Muhammad (S) to achieve inner peace and happiness. What is remarkable about this book is that the author has no formal education in the Qur’anic sciences, which is a highly specialised field. To arrive at such a profound understanding of the Qur’an iii and the Sunnah and then not only implement it in his own life, but share it with others to guide them through their troubled lives is a remarkable achievement. Such insights can come only to those that have pondered over the secrets of the Qur’an with a pure and sincere heart. Most Muslims mistakenly refer to Islam as religion; it is not. Allah (subhanahu-wa-ta’ala) has repeatedly referred to Islam as Deen (way of life) in the noble Qur’an. The word ‘religion’ has never been used anywhere in the noble Book, the source of eternal guidance. There are many ayats that testify to this. For instance, in Surah al-Imran, Allah says: ‘Do they seek [the kuffar and rejecters of faith] other than the Deen of Allah (Deen-illah—law, ethical code), when unto Him have submitted whatsoever is in the Heavens and the Earth, willingly and unwillingly, and unto Him they will be returned?’ ([3]:83). In another ayat, Allah says: ‘This day have I perfected your deen for you and completed My favour unto you and chose for you as your deen, Al-Islam’ ([5]:03). So what is the difference between religion and deen and why is it important for us to be clear about this? Deen means a way of life, an ethical code to guide us through life. Religion conveys only a partial understanding of deen. If we call ourselves Muslims, and we must, then we must live according to the laws of Allah. For most Muslims, Islam is reduced to a few rituals such as salat, zakat, Hajj etc. While these are outer forms of our creaturely attitude to our Creator, without understanding iv the deeper meanings and essence of the intent of these acts of ‘ibadaat, we miss the true import of these acts ordained by Allah to enable us to achieve nearness to Him. Take the case of salat, from the Arabic root word, sila which means to link (with Allah). How beautiful is the concept when viewed in this way. Allah is offering us to link with Him five times a day. Do we offer our salat in this spirit or we merely go through the motions as if it were a burden that we have to unload without understanding its true significance? In his book Ismail invites us to link with Allah in a more profound way. He guides us step by step to establish a closer relationship with Allah and discover true happiness in life. T he book is divided into four sections and each section has a number of chapters. Each chapter provides direction on how we can change our lives for the better. He talks about ‘The Power of Change’, ‘The Power of the Mind’, and many other aspects of power within us, including the ‘Power of Surah al Fatihah’, ‘The Power of Silence’, and ‘The Power of Dhikr’. In one of the most profound statements, he talks about not regretting the past or fearing the future. He has devoted an entire chapter to it: ‘Do not Regret the Past or Fear the Future’. Many people are unable to overcome the hurt, anger or depression caused by some misfortune or heartaches they have suffered. They dwell in the past, over which they have no control and which they cannot reverse, yet they waste precious time and energy brooding over it. Such attitude engulfs people in negative thoughts, sapping their energies v and preventing them from achieving their true potential in life. In his masterpiece, Ihya ul-Uloom, Imam Ghazali narrates the story of Shaykh Hatim Issam. He was a great scholar of his time, but like most scholars, he was financially constrained and lived in poverty, often going without food for days. Once a person came to ask him whether he felt any jealousy regarding the lavish lifestyle the governor led and the great poverty he (the Shaykh) experienced. Shaykh Hatim replied: ‘The difference between his [the governor’s] life and mine is only one day.’ The questioner did not fully grasp the meaning of what Shaykh Hatim had said, and asked for clarification. ‘What the governor ate yesterday and what I had, is gone. Yesterday cannot come back and neither of us can recall it. As for tomorrow, neither he nor I are certain of it for it is in the hands of Allah. Thus, the only difference between our lives is today. Should I worry about the difference of one day?’ If we cannot bring back yesterday or what happened on that day, why burden our minds with such negative thoughts? Most people lead miserable lives because they are unable to overcome the burden of the past. Ismail invites us to grow out of the past and to look to the future. But he does not do so in a vacuum; he invites us to enrich our lives through the dhikr of Allah and living with an ‘attitude of gratitude’. T he great attraction of this book is that the reader can open any chapter and exit at any point without losing the vi essence of the message that is being conveyed. Ismail does so with great ease and provides an opportunity for the seekers of truth and those seeking spiritual upliftment in a way that do not require formal studies. It is meant for everyone—the scholar as well as the layman. In it are pearls of wisdom and signposts for living a life enriched with divine guidance and Prophetic wisdom. Scattered among its pages are quotations from the Companions of the noble Messenger Muhammad (S) as well as other great scholars of Islam. T hose genuinely seeking qurbut illa-Allah (nearness of Allah) will find this an extremely useful book. Whether people have had troubled lives or contented and happy ones— they will find in it much to ponder over and to overcome whatever difficulties they may have faced in life. Allah’s mercy encompasses everything in creation. What we need to do is to link up with Him to make ourselves worthy of His mercy. If we turn away from Allah, He will turn away from us. ‘If you remember Me, I will remember you,’ says Allah in the noble Qur’an ([2]:152). Ismail invites us to link up with Allah by engaging in His dhikr. It is a wonderful invitation that is open to everyone. There is no reason not to accept it. Zafar Bangash Director Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought Toronto, Canada Sha‘ban 3, 1431 / 15 July 2010