Orland Park Prayer Center

The Prayer Center of Orland Park

I admit I am not a big movie watcher. But my parents are, and since I love my parents and want them to be happy, I generally end up sitting through a lot of movies with them, mostly of the action packed or sci-fi variety. During one of these recent movie marathons, we watched a movie about Superman. A space craft containing a small child crashes on the farm of a kind, childless couple, the Kents. They obviously realize there is something special and different about this child. (He did come from outer space after all) But out of their kindness and instant attachment to the tiny child, they decide to conceal his unusual circumstances and raise him as their own son, naming him Clark. As he grows, they realize that their adopted son has quite superhuman abilities, but out of fear for his safety they raise him to control and conceal these abilities; to assimilate; to blend in; fit in with everyone else, don’t show you’re special or people might think you’re a freak. We all know what happens later. Clark Kent becomes Superman by embracing his superpowers, and saves the world again and again from evil demise.

I couldn’t really tell you much about the rest of the movie because my wandering mind was busy drawing an analogy between Superman and the average American Muslim! It occurred to me that Muslims also have a unique superpower. It’s called Haqq, the truth, and it can most certainly save humanity from evil demise. Yet, we often conceal this superpower because we want to blend in; we want to go with the flow, not make waves.

Can you imagine if someone had the cure for cancer but refused to share it? Allah has blessed us with this amazing superpower of His last revelation, the Holy Quran. He (SWT) has shown us the path to His mercy, to His forgiveness, and to eternal life. We are living this Haqq, yet more often than not, we keep it for ourselves, we conceal it from others out of fear that we might be misunderstood, or labeled as extreme. Or even worse, sometimes we conceal it because we don’t think others deserve it!

We are part of the moral fabric of America. Isn’t it about time for us to start embracing our Superpower to bring benefit to humanity? How can we claim compassion while we withhold the key to Paradise from the uninformed and the MISinformed? We cannot continue to live as an isolated community. We must live our faith outside our homes as well as inside them. We must stand for liberty and justice for all. Allah revealed in the Holy Quran, “Whoever recommends and helps a good cause becomes a partner therein: and whoever recommends and helps an evil cause, shares in its burden: and Allah has power over all things.” 4:85.

Embrace your superpower! Be part of the cure. We live in this country, and we have an obligation to give back, to bring benefit, and share the truth.

Please join us on February 25, 2017 at DiNolfo’s Banquet for “Weaving the Moral Fabric of America” with keynote speaker Salam Al-Marayati, as we discuss how YOU can be a partner for a good cause. It’s never too late to embrace your superpower.

By Connie Martin

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