Ahlan Dubai.. Sahlan Dubai..

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala (Notes) on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 8:58am I met Dubai after 20 years. There is a face lift of Dubai as if the city has undergone a cosmetic surgery with cement, marbles, colourful glass panes applied on the face of the city , giving it younger and a colourful appearance.. no two buildings look alike.. neither the elevation nor the colour of the glass nor the stones cemented on the exterior walls of tall buildings. The building that was amongst the tallest in Dubai, twenty years ago, stands like a dwarf besides a crowd of taller buildings around it, three times taller than it. When it comes to heights, Dubai stands tallest even in Da'wah..pessimists say 2000 people a year revert to Islam... optimists put the figure upto 5000- 6000. Take Dubai as a city and not as a country...with a population of around one and half million, the figure of reverts is higher if you consider the ratio of population.....City wise, perhaps highest in the world !!! Dubai's commerce is invaded by the Philippine expats, from airports to malls including Starred Hotels, they are found every where... and now Islam marches into the hearts of these Philippinos..making them one of the largest communities who embrace Islam. They are invited to almost every Daw'ah seminars and they respond it with their polite soft smile and listen attentively ... The Keralites from India armed with the Hyderabadi volunteers, are forefront in Da'wah. They say Malyalam is the second language of UAE. Whatever it may be but when it comes to Da'wah and Islah Malyalam breaks the barriers of languages and remains forefront, an example of how to use your influence and wealth in the way of Allah... A large number of Da'wah and Islah centers in Dubai, some of them under the patronage of the Royal family, are doing a recommendable job. Many expats have taken up Da'wah and Islah as a passionate hobby dedicating time to work on the hearts and the minds of the people instead of loitering in Alice in Wonderland like city during their free time. Some of them have grown up as public speakers in Local Da'wah centers, while some grass root level volunteers and others very good in event organising activities. Dubai is a city of festivals but there is also Islam which is being celebrated in the seminars, in bookshops, in the streets and market where bearded men from Baluchistan and Mumbai lower their gaze while adressing the female costumers and visitors.. Truely no one can suppress Islam even in the city like Dubai.. Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala writes and speaks on socio-educational issues from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com