Terror has No faith

Terror has No faith

By: Dr. Aslam Abdullah

 Showing placards reading 'God Bless Hitler' and 'Freedom Go to Hell,' the Dutch politician Geert Wilders in his documentary entitled "Fitna" has tried to conclude that God is responsible for all the hatred that Islam shows towards Christians and Jews and the rest of the world. He quotes from the Quran to suggest that the divine scripture of Muslims poses a definite threat to freedom, peace and prosperity. The question any reasonable and good hearted person should ask after viewing such hate speech would be, "Why spend so much time on spreading hate?" Is that too much to ask one to think? The average Joe would agree. 

 However, anyone who watches Wilders documentary without being objective in his or her analysis is likely to develop a very negative image of Islam.

Doubtlessly, people with Muslim sounding names can be blamed for a lot of violence that has taken place in our world since 1993 when the first attack on the world trade center took place. Many organizations claming to be Muslims have expressed their determination to perpetuate violence against those opposed to them. But the world in general has failed to acknowledge that the victims of the rage of these so called Muslims and their organizations have also been Muslims who draw strength for peace and compassion from the same Scriptural source, the Dutch movie maker holds responsible for violence.

During the last 15 years, the toughest challenge, the advocates of violence have faced within the Muslim community, has come from the Muslim masses and intellectuals. Their pressure has forced the religious clergy in different parts of the Muslim world to maintain a distance from those who are still hiding in the caves, but theologically, they have also developed a stronger response against terror. 

A cursory survey of all the daily newspapers in English and vernacular languages published in some 56 countries that have a majority of Muslim population clearly indicates that the articles denouncing terrorism and violence far exceeds the opinions supportive of acts of terror by a margin of 100,00 to one. Not a single website operated by a respectable Muslim organization and individual has ever published any article that supports terrorism. Of course obscure websites without any visible identity may be found all over the Internet. A look at the number of visitors to these sites indicate that only those who are monitoring these websites usually have access to them.

During the last 15 years, in over 2,000 mosques and Islamic centers in America, Muslim clergy and scholars have delivered Friday sermons on the themes of peace, pluralism, love and harmony and freedom, compassion and kindness. Of the themes of the conventions organized by five major US organizations the emphasis has always been outreaching and interfaith with our Christian and Jewish brethren. Some 35,000 meetings between Muslims, Jews and Christians have taken place under different forums during the last 15 years in the United States alone. Upholding faith and serving humanity, Islam in service of the society, peace and interfaith dialogue are some of the topics discussed at these conventions.

Muslims in America have held many seminars and workshops against terrorism resulting in the publications of several monographs against violence.

In at least 1200 forums organized by Muslim Americans in different parts of America, the Muslim clergy and scholars have clarified the verses that are often used in a negative context by the likes of Geert Wilders and other hate-mongers. 

Through their tireless and consistent work, Muslim Americans have been at the forefront against violence, terrorism, racism and bigotry. They believe that the struggle or jihad against terror is a common jihad. They are not shy of saying openly and clearly that every human life is sacred and must be defended. Those who misuse Islam's name to serve their own political and zealot religious schemes do not represent the Muslim world nor the Islamic faith and are considered fanatics and uneducated. 

Geert Wilders' documentary, in fact, portrays these same fanatics as mainstream Muslims, which in reality is clearly not the case. Wilder perpetuates the hatred that some special interest groups on all sides want to promote so that more blood can be shed and more violence can be promoted in the name of the "War on Terror." People are free to say whatever they wan and no one can stop them from spreading hatred or negative feelings about Muslims. However, what we must realize that freedom cannot be used as a curtain to hide our historical prejudices. Those who misuse freedom must also be exposed the way those who misuse religion, are to be exposed.

Many people ask why the Muslims of the world are not responding to violence the way Muslim Americans have been? Our media, intelligence agencies and special interest groups pick up only those stories in general that are bias towards Islam. However, during the last five months alone, in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, at least 300 forums denouncing violence took place in various universities and mosques. The struggle for peace is and justice and sensibility is a Muslim cry and a Muslim story along with the rest of humanity and unless, we all show our commitment to peace and reject violence in principle we will not be able to serve our common interests, Muslims in America are committed to defending their country like any other American. No one should have any doubt about it. This concept must be understood by those committed to defaming Muslims, Islam and its Holy Book the Quran, which is a great book for all of mankind and was read by great men including one of the founding fathers of America, Thomas Jefferson. Granted his opinion, Wilders documentary, however is a personal prejudice farce that demonizes an entire people for whom the majority of are not responsible. Furthermore these types of documentaries do not promote solidarity or understanding but only reveal the darkness of the groups or individuals who are making them. Lets move beyond the labeling and hate filled documentaries, movies, speeches ect. and begin to heal each other and work towards making the world a better place. 

Dr. Aslam Abdullah is Editor-in-Chief of the Muslim Observer, director of the Islamic society of Nevada, Las Vegas and acting president of the Muslim Council of America, a Washington-based newly formed groups of Muslim activists.

REMEMBERING

REMEMBERING

By: Sister Huda

When becoming humiliated, remember the Prophet in Ta'if.

When being starved, remember the Prophet tying two stones to his stomach in the battle of Khandaq.

When becoming angry, remember the Prophet's control of anger on the martyrdom of his beloved Uncle Hamza.

When bleeding from any part of the body, remember the Prophet's body covered in blood on his return from Ta'if.

When feeling lonely, remember the Prophet's seclusion in Mount Hira.

When feeling tired in Salaat, remember the Prophet's blessed feet in Tahajjud.

When being prickled by thorns, remember the Prophet's pain from Abu Lahab's wife.

When being troubled by neighbours, remember the old woman who would empty rubbish on the Prophet .

When losing a child, remember the Prophet's son, Ibrahim.

When beginning a long journey, remember the Prophet's long journey to Madeenah.

When going against a Sunnah, remember the Prophet's intercession, (Ummati, Ummati, Ummati) (My Ummah).

When falling into an argument with your wife, remember the Prophet's encounter with Aisha and Hafsa.

When experiencing less food in the house, remember the Prophet's days of poverty.

When experiencing poverty, remember the Prophet's advice to Ashaab-e-Suffa (People of Suffa).

When losing a family member, remember the Prophet's departure from this world.

When becoming an orphan, remember the Prophet's age at six.

When sponsoring an orphan, remember the Prophet's sponsor of Zaid ibn Haritha.

When fearing an enemy, remember the Prophet's saying to Abu Bakr in Mount Thour.

Whatever situation you may find yourself in, remember your role model, the best of creation: Prophet Muhammad .

*******

                                                                                                              

Relations with Christians according to Muhammad (s)

Relations with Christians according to Muhammad (s)

By: Dr. Aslam Abdullah

Under the guidance of Pope John Paul II the Catholic Church provided significant leadership in promoting peace, justice and harmony among religions. Now the new Pope, the most revered figure in the Catholic world, infallible to his followers and the representative of God to his co-religionist is choosing a path of dialogue with Muslims that seems disturbing.

In a recent speech he decided to quote a 14 century monarch in his argument about Jihad. The quote of the emperor was a political statement within the context of his relations with the emerging Ottoman dynasty, not worthy of giving any credibility. Yet, the Pope chose to repeat it.

If the speech writers of Pope Benedict XVI had looked at a book the "Spread of Islam in the World: A History of Peaceful Preaching", written by a prominent 19th century historian Professor Thomas Arnold, they might not have quoted the passage of the emperor.

Stronger than the book are the words of Prophet Muhammad himself with regard to Christianity. In 628 CE he sent a charter of freedom to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai. If Pope Benedict XVI or his speech writers had looked at this document they would have found a different image of the Prophet.

This document consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians living under Islamic rule, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war.

Here is the letter written to the monks. This letter was written at a time when no one was talking about freedom of religion, pluralism or protection of human life.

 

Letter from Prophet Muhammad(s)   "This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world)."*

*The English translated text of the Charter of Privileges was extracted from the Book 'Muslim History: 570 - 1950 C.E.' by Dr. A. Zahoor and Dr. Z. Haq, ZMD Corporation. P.O. Box 8231 - Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8231 - Copyright Akram Zahoor 2000. P. 167.                 

Death: More Than Just An Individual's Life Being Taken Away

Death: More Than Just An Individual's Life Being Taken Away  

By: Abu Abdir-Rahman

All praise is due to Allah, who reminds his slaves that their lives have an appointed time and that the successful ones are those who are saved from the Fire and entered into Paradise, when He says:

"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception." [Al-Qur'an 3:185]

And He reminds them that death will reach them no matter where they are when He says:

"Where ever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!" [Al-Qur'an 4:78]

And He reminds them that regardless of what their status in this world, they will face death. Even if they are from the greatest of warriors, or the most powerful of rulers, or even a Prophet when He addressed His Messenger, upon whom be peace, saying:

"Verily, you will die and indeed they shall die as well." [Al-Qur'an 39:30]

And reminds them that they should take heed, because a time will come where they will ask for respite to do more deeds yet shall not be granted this request when He says:

"And spend of that with which We have provided you, before death comes to one of you and he says: 'My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a little while (i.e. return to the worldly life), then I should give sadaqah of my wealth, and be among the righteous.' And Allah grants respite to none when his appointed time (death) comes. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do." [Al-Qur'an 63:10-11]

Death is indeed a reality that we all have to face one day. For most of us we will have to go through mourned times over our loved ones before we actually face our own destiny. And at that time, even though we may not realize it, Allah is bestowing a great favor upon us by reminding us that we too will one day face such a fate, so it is indeed time to be reminded.

"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: 'My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was little.' " [Al-Qur'an 17:23-24]

*****

How is Islam similar to Christianity and Judaism?

How is Islam similar to Christianity and Judaism? 

The following article was excerpted from What Everyone Needs To Know About ISLAM by John L. Esposito (Answers to Frequently Asked Questions)

How is Islam similar to Christianity and Judaism?

Judaism Christianity, and Islam, in contrast to Hinduism and Buddhism, are all monotheistic faiths that worship the God of Adam, Abraham, and Moses-creator, sustainer, and lord of the universe. They share a common belief in the oneness of God (monotheism), sacred history (history as the theater of God's activity and the encounter of God and humankind), prophets and divine revelation, angels, and Satan. All stress moral responsibility and accountability, Judgment Day, and eternal reward and punishment.

All three faiths emphasize their special covenant with God, for Judaism through Moses, Christianity through Jesus, and Islam through Muhammad. Christianity accepts God's covenant with and revelation to the Jews but traditionally has seen itself as superseding Judaism with the coming of Jesus. Thus Christianity speaks of its new covenant and New Testament. So, too, Islam and Muslims recognize Judaism and Christianity: their biblical prophets (among them Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus) and their revelations (the Torah and the New Testament, or Message of Jesus). Muslim respect for all the biblical prophets is reflected in the custom of saying "Peace and blessings be upon him" after naming any of the prophets and in the common usage of the names Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Daoud (David), Sulayman (Solomon), and Issa (Jesus) for Muslims. In addition, Islam makes frequent reference to Jesus and to the Virgin Mary, who is cited more times in the Quran than in the New Testament.

However, Muslims believe that Islam supersedes Judaism and Christianity-that the Quran is the final and complete word of God and that Muhammad is the last of the prophets. In contrast to Christianity, which accepts much of the Hebrew Bible, Muslims believe that what is written in the Old and New Testaments is a corrupted version of the original revelation to Moses and Jesus. Moreover, Christianity's development of "new" dogmas such as the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and the doctrines of redemption and atonement is seen as admixing God's revelation with human fabrication.

Peace is central to all three faiths. This is reflected historically in their use of similar greetings meaning "peace be upon you": shalom aleichem in Judaism, pax vobiscum in Christianity, and salaam alaikum in Islam. Often, however, the greeting of peace has been meant primarily for members of one's own faith community.

Leaders of each religion, from Joshua and King David to Constantine and Richard the Lion-Hearted to Muhammad and Saladin, have engaged in holy wars to spread or defend their communities or empires. The joining of faith and politics continues to exist in modern times, though manifested in differing ways, as seen in Northern Ireland, South Africa, America, Israel, and the Middle East.

Islam is similar to Judaism in its emphasis on practice rather than belief, on law rather than dogma. The primary religious discipline in Judaism and Islam has been religious law; for Christianity it has been theology. Historically, in Judaism and Islam the major debates and disagreements have been among scholars of religious law over matters of religious practice, whereas in Christianity the early disputes and cleavages in the community were over theological beliefs: the nature of the Trinity or the relationship of Jesus' human and divine natures.

How do Muslims view Judaism? Christianity?

Both Jews and Christians hold a special status within Islam because of the Muslim belief that God revealed His will through His prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.

Say, We believe in God, and in what has been revealed to us, and in what has been sent down to Abraham and Ismail and Isaac and Jacob and their offspring, and what has been revealed to Moses and Jesus and to all the prophets of our Lord. We make no distinction between them and we submit to Him and obey. (Quran 3:84)

The Quran and Islam regard Jews and Christians as children of Abraham and refer to them as "People of the Book," since all three monotheistic faiths descend from the same patrilineage of Abraham. Jews and Christians trace themselves back to Abraham and his wife Sarah; Muslims, to Abraham and his servant Hagar. Muslims believe that God sent his revelation (Torah) first to the Jews through the prophet Moses and then to Christians through the prophet Jesus. They recognize many of the biblical prophets, in particular Moses and Jesus, and those are common Muslim names. Another common Muslim name is Mary. In fact, the Virgin Mary's name occurs more times in the Quran than in the New Testament; Muslims also believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. However, they believe that over time the original revelations to Moses and Jesus became corrupted. The Old Testament is seen as a mixture of God's revelation and human fabrication. The same is true for the New Testament and what Muslims see as Christianity's development of "new" and erroneous doctrines such as that Jesus is the Son of God and that Jesus' death redeemed and atoned for humankind's original sin.

*******

John L. Esposito is University Professor, Professor of Religion & International Affairs and Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University. A former President of the Middle East Studies Association and Vice Chair of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, his most recent books include Unholy War: terror in the Name of Islam and What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam.

The House of God

The House of God

By: Martin Lings

The Book of Genesis tells us that Abraham was childless, without hope of children, and that one night God summoned him out of his tent and said to him: "Look now towards heaven, and count the stars if thou art able to number them." And as Abraham gazed up at the stars he heard the voice say: "So shall thy seed be."¹ Genesis 15:5 

Abraham's wife Sarah was then seventy six years old, he being eighty-five, and long past the age of child bearing so she gave him her handmaid Hagar, an Egyptian that he might take her as his second wife. But bitterness of feeling arose between the mistress and the handmaid, and Hagar fled from the anger of Sarah and cried out to God in her distress, And He sent to her an Angel with the message: "I will multiply thy seed exceedingly that it shall not be numbered for multitude" The Angel also said to her: "Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction."² Genesis 16:10-11Then Hagar returned to Abraham and Sarah and told them what the Angel had said; and when the birth took place, Abraham named his son Ishmael, which means "God shall hear".

When Abraham had reached his hundredth year, and Sarah Was ninety years old, God spoke again to Abraham and promised him that Sarah also should bear him a son who must be called Isaac. Fearing that his elder son might thereby lose favor in the sight of God, Abraham prayed: "O that Ishmael might live before Thee!" And God said to him: "As for Ishmael, I have heard thee Behold! have blessed him,... and I will make him a great nation, But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year."³ Genesis 17:20-21.

Sarah gave birth to Isaac and it was she herself who suckled him; and when he was weaned she told Abraham that Hagar and her son must no longer remain in their household And Abraham was deeply grieved at this, On account of his love for Ishmael; but again God spoke to him, and told him to follow the counsel of Sarah, and not to grieve; and again He promised him that Ishmael should be blessed.

Not one but two great nations were to look back to Abraham as their Father-two great nations, that is, two guided powers, two instruments to work the Will of Heaven, for God does not promise as a blessing that which is profane, nor is there any greatness before God except greatness in the Spirit. Abraham was thus the fountainhead of two spiritual streams, which must not flow together, but each in its own course; and he entrusted Hagar and Ishmael to the blessing of God and the care of His Angels in the certainty that all would be well with them.

Two spiritual streams, two religions, two worlds for God; two circles, therefore two centers. A place is never holy through the choice of man, but because it has been chosen in Heaven. There were two holy centers within the orbit of Abraham: one of these was at hand, the other perhaps he did not yet know; and it was to the other that Hagar and Ishmael were guided, in a barren valley of Arabia, some forty camel days south of Canaan. The valley was named Becca, some say on account of its narrowness: hills surround it on all sides except for three passes, one to the north, one to the south, and one opening towards the Red Sea which is fifty miles to the west. The Books do not tell us how Hagar and her son reached Becca;⁴ perhaps some traveler's took care of them, for the valley was on one of the great caravan routes, sometimes called "the incense route," because perfumes and incense and such wares were brought that way from South Arabia to the Mediterranean; and no doubt Hagar was guided to leave the caravan, once the place was reached. It was not long before both mother and son were overcome by thirst, to the point that Hagar feared Ishmael was dying. According to the traditions of theft descendants, he cried out to God from where he lay in the sand, and his mother stood on a rock at the foot of a nearby eminence to see if any help was in sight. Seeing no one, she hastened to another point of vantage, but from there likewise not a soul was to be seen. Half distraught, she passed seven times in all between the two points, until at the end of her seventh course, as she sat for rest on the further rock, the Angel spoke to her. In the words of Genesis:

And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her: What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise and lift up the lad and hold him in thy hand, for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. ⁵ Genesis 21:17-20

The water was a spring which God caused to well up from the sand at the touch of Ishmael's heel; and thereafter the valley soon became a halt for caravans by reason of the excellence and abundance of the water; and the well was named Zamzam.

As to Genesis, it is the book of Isaac and his descendants, not of Abraham's other line. Of Ishmael it tells us: And God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness and became an archer ⁶ (Genesis 21:20) After that it scarcely mentions his name, except to inform us that the two brothers Isaac and Ishmael together buried their father in Hebron, and that some years later Esau married his cousin, the daughter of Ishmael. But there is indirect praise of Ishmael and his mother in the Psalm that opens How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts, and that tells of the miracle of Zamzam as having been caused by their passing through the valley: Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the ways of them who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well.⁷ Psalm 84:5-6

When Hagar and Ishmael reached their destination Abraham had still seventy-five years to live, and he visited his son in the holy place to which Hagar had been guided. The Koran tells us that God showed him the exact site, near to the well of Zamzam, upon which he and Ishmael must build a sanctuary;⁸ and they were told how it must be built. Its name, Ka'bah, cube, is in virtue of its shape which is approximately cubic; its four corners are towards the four points of the compass. But the most holy object in that holy place is a celestial stone which, it is said, was brought by an Angel to Abraham from the nearby hill Abu Qubays, where it had been preserved ever since it had reached the earth. "It descended from Paradise whiter than milk, but the sins of the sons of Adam made it black." ⁹ This black stone they built into the eastern corner of the Ka'bah; and when the sanctuary was completed, God spoke again to Abraham and bade him institute the rite of the Pilgrimage to Becca-or Mecca, as it later came to be called: Purify My House for those -who go the rounds of it and who stand beside it and bow and make prostration. And proclaim unto men the pilgrimage, that they may come unto thee on root and on every lean camel out of every deep ravine.¹⁰ Quran 22: 26-27

Now Hagar had told Abraham of her search for help, and he made it part of the rite of the Pilgrimage that the pilgrims should pass seven times between Safa and Marwah, for so the two eminences between which she had passed had come to be named.

And later Abraham prayed, perhaps in Canaan, looking around him at the rich pastures and fields of corn and wheat: Verily I have settled a line of mine offspring in a tilthless valley at Thy Holy House...............Therefore incline unto them men's hearts, and sustain them with fruits that they may be thankful. ¹¹  Quran 14: 37

FOOTNOTES 

1.Genesis 15:5 

2.Genesis 16:10-11

3.Genesis 17:20-21.

4.According to the traditions of the Arabs, accepted by most Muslims, Ishmael was still a  babe in arms when Hagar brought him to the valley of Baca. 

5.Genesis 21:17-20

6.Genesis 21:20

7 Psalm 84:5-6

8 Quran 22:26

9. Saying of the Prophet Muhammad by at-Tirmidhi 7,49

10.Quran 22:26-27

11.Quran 14:37

(Martin Lings was born in Lancashire in 1909. After a classical education he read English at Oxford where he was a pupil and later a close friend of C. S. Lewis. In 1935 he went to Lithuania where he lectured on Anglo-Saxon and Middle English and subsequently he went to Egypt and and lectured mainly on Shakespeare at Cairo University. In 1952 he returned to England and took a degree in Arabic and in 1955 he joined the staff of the British Museum where from 1970-73 he was Keeper of Oriental Manuscripts. For the following year he held the same post in the newly founded British Library. In addition to writing many books he is also the author of the chapter 'Mystical Poetry' in Abbasid Belles-Lettres, which is Volume 2 of The Cambridge History of Arabic Literature, and the chapter on 'The Nature and Origin of Sufism' in Vol.19 of World Spirituality, as well as articles for Studies in Comparative Religion, Sophia, The New Encyclopedia of Islam and the Encyclopedia Britannica.)

 

Tawakkul (Trust in God)

Tawakkul (Trust in God) 

by: Umm Thameenah is a contributing writer to Magazine

"If you had all relied on Allah (SWT) as you should rely on Him, then He would have provided for you as He provides for the birds, who wake up hungry in the morning and return with full stomachs at dusk."

[At-Tirmidhi]

Do you truly have full trust in Allah (SWT)? There are some of us who strive our utmost to prepare for things wherein no certainty exists, whilst others fail to prepare for certain things wherein lies no doubt. And let us not forget those that believe their destiny is completely in their own hands, whilst their counterparts hold, in what can only be described as 'bravery', that they have full trust in Allah (SWT), thus granting themselves the ticket to do nothing at all.

Tawakkul is a light for our hearts and a means for us to seek nearness towards Allah (SWT) in a manner that absolutely nothing else can achieve. The essence of this quality of the heart is built upon two very important pillars: dependence upon Allah and trust in Allah.

We may often trust a person, without necessarily depending upon them, and likewise we may depend upon a person without fully trusting them. However when it comes to Our Lord (SWT), both exist simultaneously in perfection. So why are we so ready to trust others, but so quick to question Allah (SWT)? I'm sure we can all recall at least one incident in our lives when we experienced the rahma of Allah (SWT) in disguise. What did we do? What did we say? When one of the innumerable blessings we failed to count and thank our Lord for was unexpectedly taken from us, what thoughts rushed to our minds? What regrettable words came from our mouths? Why has this happened? What did I do wrong? Why has my blessing been taken away from me? Such spur of the moment questions, tainted by our false comprehension that the blessings bestowed upon us belonged to us, in an instant, shakes our building of tawakkul, sometimes causing it to collapse, consequently opening up a door for our enemy -Shaytaan and closing a door for us to Our Beloved (SWT).

Sisters, why do we become so devastated at the onset of calamity? Why do we lose all hope? Why do we not simply trust in Allah (SWT)? For every goodness and blessing we own has only been by His Rahma (Mercy). The amaanah (trusts) within our possessions are only ours for a temporary period of time; they belong to Allah and one day we'll have to return them to Him (SWT). When something is taken away from us or we are faced with a calamity, always remember that Allah is testing our Eemaan (faith) and He (SWT) knows that we are strong enough to deal with it, otherwise it would never have come to us in the first place, for Allah (SWT) never burdens a soul with more than it can bear.

Have full Tawakkul (trust) in Allah (SWT) and never belittle that trust. For the trust we have in Allah is a path to success and a means to achieving victory. Never lose hope and always remember that the situation of a true believer is always one of goodness: For when they are granted a blessing from Allah (SWT) they praise Him and due to that they are rewarded and their blessings increase and when a calamity strikes they patiently persevere, and as a result of which they are rewarded and granted something better than what they lost.

Put your trust in Allah. Allah loves those that trust [in Him].

[Surah al-Imran 3: 159]

Know that Allah (SWT) is pleased with those servants who persevere and He (SWT) loves those that trust in Him. Build a strong foundation of trust and allow for it to accompany you in all that you do. For it is a quality that will remain sufficient for you in the matters of this world, your deen (religion) and in the Aakhira (hereafter) insha'Allah. A beautiful example that never fails to touch my heart is that of our mother: Umm Salamah (RA), when her husband Abu Salamah (RA) passed away and she remained steadfast, uttering the best statement at the time of any calamity: 'Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon -Surely to Allah we belong and surely to Him we will return'. And she received exactly as Allah (SWT) promises: blessings and mercy:

'And give good news to those who persevere, those who say, when a misfortune strikes them, Surely to Allah we belong, and surely to Him we will return, these are the ones on whom blessings from their Lord descend, and mercy, and these are the ones who are rightly guided'.

[Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 155-157] 

For who could be better as a husband than Rasoolullah (SAW) -A gift to our mother, Umm Salamah (RA) for her tawakkul in Allah (SWT). 

It may seem difficult to imagine, and I don't make out that it's always the easiest of things to do. However, with complete conviction, as I too have witnessed such a great blessing from Allah (SWT) after a calamity had befallen me, that if you truly trust in your Lord, with every atom's weight of your heart, Allah will provide for you in ways you could never have imagined. 

Let us take a moment to ponder over one ayah in the Qur'an, yes, just one ayah. If I asked you to guess which ayah it is, what would you say? Would it even cross your mind that you read this ayah without fail in every single rakat (standing) of your salah?

'You Alone we worship and You Alone we ask for help'

[Surah al-Faatihah: 5] "The Opening" 

This ayah clearly establishes the tawakkul of the believer. Some of the Salaf (early believers) have said, "Al-Faatihah is the secret of the Qur'an, while these words are the secret of Al-Faatihah." So how can we stand before Allah day in and day out, uttering such perfect words of tawakkul, and yet not sincerely mean them? For belief, undoubtedly, must be followed by action. 

Our Lord (SWT) With His Hikmah, Love and Rahmah knows exactly what is good for us, so let us not be amongst the sinful servants of Allah (SWT) who suspect Him of wrongdoing. So the next time you stand before Allah (SWT) and consult Him in your affairs, don't think He'll give you what is good for you; know with certainty that He (SWT) will:                  

'Say: "Nothing will befall us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Protector. In Allah let the believers put their trust." [Surah At-Tawbah:51]

*******

Christmas a time for bridge building

Christmas a time for bridge building 

By: Abdul Malik Mujahid

Christmas is a great time to relate to our neighbors. We should not forget though, that "relating" does not mean "preaching". Dawa cannot be made in a rude manner. Allah says in the Quran: "Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful advice, and reason with them by ways that are the best and most gracious: because your Lord knows best, (those) who have strayed from His Path, and those who receive guidance " (Quran, 16:125).

In particular, when dealing with Jews and Christians, Allah says: "Do not argue with the People of the Book unless it is in the politest manner, except for those of them who do wrong. Say: 'We believe in what has been sent down to us and what has been sent down to you. Our God and your God is [the same] One, and we are Muslims before Him'" (Quran, 29:46).

This may not be an occasion to emphasis the differences as much as the commonality of our beliefs, unless someone is really asking you about them.

A starting point for a discussion about Christmas could be the Islamic belief in all Books revealed by Allah and all Prophets sent by Him. In this discussion, special emphasis could be made on Prophet Jesus . Non-Muslims are often surprised to discover that Muslims also believe in this noble Prophet and his great mother Mary (peace be upon her).

Remember that respect does not mean compromise. This article is not asking you to compromise anything. You have freedom of religion given by God to believe in what you believe in. But in a world where conflict is increasing, a Muslim should be a bridge- builder and a peacemaker. It was due to the Muslim practice of Islamic ideals of respect and tolerance that the key of the holiest Christian Shrine in Jerusalem, the church of the Holy Sepulcher, remains entrusted with a Muslim family, as it has been for over 1400 years. 

These are the lessons which need to be learned by those extremists who attack Christians during their worship in Nigeria and those extremists who burn Masjids in the USA.

Abdul Malik Mujahid, is the President and Director of Sound Vision Foundation Inc. He is an Imam in the Chicago area and a founding member of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC).

11 reasons to explore Islam

11 reasons to explore Islam

By: Ismail Al Faruqi

Within Islam it is both legitimate and right to ask the question: "Why Islam?" Every tenet in Islam is subject to analysis and contention. No other religion is willing to subject its basic fundamentals of faith to such questioning. For example, Saint Thomas Aquinas, the most rational of Christian theologians, stopped the use of reason when it came to the basic fundamentals of Christian faith. He then tried to justify faith. So to ask "why Christianity?" is an illegitimate question. However, Allah invites the question as to "why Islam?".

1. Rational System

Islam is also a rational system which not only allows questions but raises knowledge to a new level of dignity and respect. No other religion has exalted knowledge and its pursuit, as has Islam. In fact, for the first time in human history, a religious book invited people to question the creation of the universe and stated that in it (the universe) were signs for people of knowledge. Everything in Islam is subject to rational pursuit.

Islam has only forbidden the questioning of one thing and this is something which reason cannot handle. However, this does not imply an anti-intellectual attitude. The only thing which Islam has said is not within the capacity of the human mind to question is the essence (dhat) of God. This will always escape a person, as He, Allah, is transcendent. However, His will, His purpose, His works, His intentions and His effects can be known.

Even the rites of Islam can be examined rationally. For example, logical and rational explanations can be made for the time of Prayer, the number of rakats or units in Prayer and even why we must bend our toes when we do. Of course the Muslim will always be aware that the answer he has obtained by rational enquiry is not exhaustive. It cannot be definitely accepted as explaining all the facts. It could be erroneous or incomplete. However, Islam encourages its followers to ask "why Islam?". Islam is an intellectual and historical religion. There are no secrets and no mysteries which cannot be understood by an ordinary person.

2. Easily Understandable

Islam does not present stumbling blocks to the mind. It does not make claims which overwhelm the mind. Islam does not present to a person that which the human intellect cannot grasp. Anyone can understand Islam as it is a universal religion. However, for example, Hinduism legitimizes idolatry for the less educated, as it says, not all people can understand the higher religion of the Brahmans.

3. Universal Message

Islam does not force a person to choose between various religions as it has included the essential teachings of all religions in its universal message. The Islamic concept is that, to every people, Allah sends a Messenger and that in their present religion or ideology they must have retained some kernel of truth from the original teachings of that religion which was, of course, the teachings of the primordial religion (deen al-fitra) or, in other words, Islam.

Islam views inter-religious dialogue as an internal discussion, not as a discussion with outsiders because, from its perspective, all mankind are members of a universal religious brotherhood. So the differences Islam has with other religions are regarded as internal differences. Of course, Islam criticizes some Jews and Christians who have wrongly interpreted their faith, however, this criticism is based on the fact that they have strayed from the original teachings of their religion.

Islam, therefore, was the first religion in the world to call for the critical examination of religious texts. The Muslim says, in effect, to other religions: "Let us together examine the Holy Books of our religions and compare the contents with the original teachings of our respective religions and examine how far we have adhered to, or gone astray from these original teachings." Muslims, therefore, never attack other religions.

However, for the Hindu, if he has not been born in India, he is unclean; for the Jews the sacred law only applied to them and for the Christian there is no salvation outside the Church. Islam, however, accepts the personal morality and values of Jesus, the concept of liberating a human being from materialism found in Hinduism, as well as the practical ethics for harmony in human society as found in Confucianism.

4. Religious Tolerance

Islam is tolerant of other religions and regards them as religiously legitimate or de jure. In accepting other religions as legitimate, Islam, therefore, accepts their adherents. No other religion has given equal treatment to other religions as has Islam for over 1400 years. As we well know, Judaism and Roman Catholicism were illegal in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. In Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella, it was illegal to have any religion other than Catholicism, and Muslims and Jews had to choose baptism, exile or death. In the Middle East, some Christian sects, which were brutally eliminated by their fellow Christians in Europe, have survived after fourteen centuries of Muslim rule. Secular regimes do not respect religion. They look down upon religion; either they believe any religion will do or they believe no religion is acceptable. The tolerance of other religions in Islam comes from respect because Islam says in every person there is an embryonic fitra or purity planted in all human beings at birth and in every religion there is a basic kind of the original deen al-fitra.

5. The Human Being's Innocence

Islam declares a person to be born with a clean slate. The human being was not born evil but rather he was created good and equipped by nature to fulfill his duties. From the Islamic point of view, the drama of a person's life is something that takes place after birth and not before. Islam does not record a human being as a degradation of the divine as it regards a human being as having instincts which are pure and good.

6. The Human Being: An Integral Whole

Islam does not divide the soul and life of a person into two compartments, i.e. religious or ethical and verbal or material. Islam regards the human being as an integral whole. All of his actions and instincts are part and parcel of his being together with his hopes, fears, certitude, faith and conviction. Islam wants all these to cohere and, therefore, we could say that Islam is mental health par excellence. Islam considers a person's work or even sex in this world as an act of worship.

7. Life Filled With Purpose and Meaning

Islam takes the world of life and existence seriously, declaring it to be full of meaning and purpose. Life is not a sport, nor is it purposeless. From the Islamic perspective, everything has meaning because the concept of God's purpose in creation gives meaning to human life. The Muslim is never bored with life; there is no existential anxiety in Islam. The Muslim can see the working of the good purposes of the divine Creator in everything. The Muslim lives in a world where life is full of meaning and purpose and this means the Muslim never looses his mental balance. In fact, mental illness is very rare in the Muslim community.

8. World-Affirmative

Islam is world-affirmative. For the Muslim the world is good. It is a blessing, it has been created good, to be enjoyed. Islam does not view the world as a demon, it is not valued as being satanic or evil. It is not a degraded kingdom. The world is the only kingdom; the hereafter is not a kingdom but merely a place of Judgment for a human person's actions during his life. For Muslims, the world is a beautiful place; pearls, clothes and horses are to be enjoyed. What is wrong, is its misuse under moral law. The world is good and Muslims are obliged to cultivate it and make it into a garden. The process of organizing people as a community is a religious duty.

No 'ism', ideology or religion matches Islam in its world-affirmative stance. All Muslims should be wealthy and affluent. It is Satan who promises poverty, not God. In fact, the Qur'an criticizes those who were lazy and who failed to migrate, who could not pull themselves up by their bootstraps; they deserved what they got. To be a Muslim is to live in and to be loyal to this world but not above and beyond our loyalty to Allah.

9. A Social Faith

In building this world and conforming it to God's desire, Muslims are told that they must work with each other and not alone. Islam establishes a social order not a mystical order. Islam's social order has teeth, regulated by law, the Shariah. Islam wants to establish a social order to command the good and prevent the evil. However, every Muslim must correct evil. It is his duty, just as much as it is his duty to pray five times a day.

In Islam, it is of the highest degree of faith to plunge into space and time and bring about the transformation of the world in accordance with God's desire. Islam is affirmative action in a social setting; it is neither abstract nor isolationist. Islam establishes justice and an ordered society, regulated by law. Islam guarantees justice for all; Madinah was that class of model society. In those days justice had no price. For several centuries under Islamic rule any citizen who voiced a complaint could be sure that justice would be done. No theory of society can give as much as the Islamic theory of society has given. Society, based on race, language or history are prototypes of the animal world where dog eats dog. The social order of Islam ends this and brings justice to all. A Muslim's mission is to bring order and this international society established by Islam must be carried to the world and, therefore, the Islamic social order seeks universality.

10. Universal System

Islam provides a social order which cannot only tend to be universal but must become universal. The Islamic system is a system for world order and it must spread around the world. Unless it is spread around the world, it will degenerate into a form of nationalism which is haram or unlawful in Islam. Islam is built on the basis of values which are not only for the group which adheres to them, but for the whole of mankind. Allah is the deity of all people and the Islamic concept of society must spread all over the world.

Does Islam deny the value of national, ethnic or linguistic identity and culture? No! Islam recognizes the worth of these national and ethnic groups. Islam does not only tolerate but encourages the development of different ethnic groups. The group has a special perspective on the values affecting people's lives. Insofar as it exists, national culture is encouraged by Islam, but it is subject to the universal law of Allah. The interests of the nation or group must be subject to the moral law, the Shariah, which encompasses the whole of mankind. Islam created a world society and it was Islam, over 1400 years ago, that first established a working system of international law.

It was only in the 20th century that the West started to develop international law. Grotius contributed only wishful thinking. In the West, international law existed only in the imagination until after World War I when the League of Nations was established. The present system of international law is far inferior to the Islamic system of international law because, under the Islamic system, the law of nations is backed by a court and not just a single court in the Hague. Any Shariah court in any part of the world can hear any international dispute to which the parties are not only nations but also individuals. If we want to solve international problems we must make justice under international law possible for everyone.

11. Promoting Harmony With The Environment

Islam is a religion that enables us to live our lives in harmony with nature, ourselves and God. Islam does not compartmentalize but rather unites the life of a person. This is the summum bonum, supreme good of Islam because Islam assures us of happiness in this world and the Next. Presently, people are so madly in pursuit of this world that it has resulted in upsetting the ecology of nature; this because of the decay in the inner nature of human beings. In this age of unprecedented advancements in science and technology, the pursuit of worldly gain has turned sour and self-destructive because it is devoid of all ethical values. Therefore the pursuit of dunya (worldly affairs) without Deen can only lead to, and has led to, disaster. On the other hand, pursuit of Deen (religion) without dunya (temporal world) is merely daydreaming. Islam asks people to cultivate the world without robbing, usury, stealing and raping the environment and insists that people must carry out their tasks subject to moral law. For the Muslim, involvement and success in the world will ensure success in the hereafter. If practiced with sincerity, Islam guarantees happiness in this world and the next. Having granted this great gift of God to humanity what else could we do but say 'we hear and we obey and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.' 

*******

Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi (January 1, 1921 - May 27, 1986) was a Palestinian-American philosopher and an authority on Islam and comparative religion. He was Professor in the Department of Religion at Temple University until his death in 1986. Al-Faruqi and his wife, Lois Lamya al-Faruqi, were brutally stabbed to death in their home in Wyncote, Pennsylvania on May 27, 1986.