Love thy neighbor

To what extent can you love a person?

It never makes me stop to wonder that a person, who preaches, “Love your neighbor,” is actually a hateful person. Or, maybe he means, “Love your neighbor, as long as he is from the same faith”? That just doesn’t make sense.

Probably, most of you know televangelist Rod Parsley, a key McCain ally in Ohio. What did he say recently? In his book called “Silent No More,” he wants to destroy Islam, because it’s a “false religion.” Further, he calls for a new crusade. As he claims it, Islam is the new enemy of the world’s civilization. Hmm, if he preaches “Love your neighbor,” how come does he call for a war? Is war part of “love” that he preaches?

It still doesn’t make sense. You don’t wage war on people who don’t attack you. Moreover, if he preaches, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also,” isn’t what he wants (to do) the total opposite of what he preaches? Waging a war on people who don’t attack you. Oh, now he’s talking about 911. He reasons that after 911, more and more people are turning to Islam, because Muslims spread their religion through violence. That’s just silly. Those people, who claim to be Muslims and bomb the WTC, are NOT Muslims. Besides, Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam NEVER spread Islam with the sword.

To make it clear, Allah said in the Qur’an, La ikraha fid deen, “There is no compulsion in religion” (Al-Baqarah 256). In addition, Allah addressed the Prophet in a different Surah, Fain tawallaw fainnama ‘alaykal balaghul mubeen, “But if they turn away from you, (O Prophet remember that) your only duty is a clear delivery of the Message (entrusted to you)” (An-Nahl 82). We Muslims are obligated to make da’wah, meaning inviting people to Islam. Regarding this issue, Allah said in Surah An-Nahl, Od’u ila sabeeli rabbika bialhikmati waalmaw’ithati alhasanat, “Invite to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better” (125). Does it say anything about violence?

Back to Parsley. I wonder where he gets the idea that Islam is spread through violence. I dare say it. Those who condone violence are people who do not have religion; however, as far as I know, people who don’t believe in God do not condone violence. So, it is ironic that a person, who believes in God and preaches love, teaches and condones violence toward others.

If a person who preaches “Love your neighbor” spread hate (Instead of love), I call that person a hypocrite, because what he preaches is NOT a reflection of his behavior. We have to save ourselves from this (hypocrisy)!

In the Islamic tradition, we call it munāfiq. There may not be any difference in meaning, but Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said that the munāfiqūn have the following characters:
1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays.
2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.
3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.
4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner (Bukhari & Muslim).
It is obvious, that the person we are talking about (Parsley) possesses one of these characters.

I am not attacking his faith but his personality, because, as I believe, whatever he says about Islam in his book, does not come from the Bible. Why would a person preach something that is not in the Book?

Fitna—the movie

I don’t understand, and, honestly, don’t know what the movie maker, Geert Wilder wants. I personally haven’t seen the movie, Fitna, and I will not see it. I read a review from an Islamic website, and, as a Muslim, I am deeply offended and hurt. I personally see that the only way to react to this is with patience. In fact, Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) said in one of the hadeeth, “Do not wish war, rather ask Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’aala for peace and security. However, when you confront the enemy, practice Sabr (fortitude and perseverance)” (Bukhaari and Muslim).

It is obvious that the cartoons that portray the Prophet is not enough to insult or provoke Muslims (and now the movie). However, it is sad to know that there are Muslims who react not in the Islamic way in response to these insults. Islam does not teach violence and Islam FORBIDS the act of mistreating non-Muslims. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated clearly in the hadeeth, “Let it be known, if any one (Muslim) commits injustice, insults, aggravates, mistreats or abuses a person of the People of the Book (protected, by the state or an agreement), he will have to answer me (for his immoral action) on the Day of Judgment.” All Muslims believe that we hold accountable for what we do while we live; therefore, we if treat a person unjustly, we will get a just punishment in the Day of Judgment. And, believe me, if we, Muslims, are unjust toward non-Muslims, our Prophet is NOT happy with us.

In the Qur’an, Allah Himself warned all Muslims, “And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge” (Al-An’am 108). Indirectly, Allah commanded all Muslims to be patient when it comes to this issue; however, we as Muslims have the rights to deny these false accusations or to respond to these insults, but we may NOT violate the Qur’an and the Sunnah, because, as it is stated in the ayah (verse) mentioned above, Allah fears that if our reaction to this issue is not Islamic, there will be more bad actions (from the non-Muslims), for example, burning the Qur’an. We, Muslims, surely do not want that to happen.

To this extent, the message is clear; Islam does not teach violence, but why are we still accused of being violent? Apparently, not many people understand the proverb, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” So, if you see a Muslim behaving not according to the Qur’an and the Sunnah, the way of the Prophet, don’t judge his religion, but his personality.

In all aspects, the movie, Fitna, shows ignorance towards the true message of Islam, because it does not reflect the real teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The movie also portrays that the 911 was done by the Muslims. Until now, it is obvious that there is NO evidence that Muslims are behind the bombings of the World Trade Center. So, I say it is childish and immature to believe in the media and to accuse Muslims in general for what happened on September 11, 2001. Is that really how the “modern” society think? I’m sorry to say, such society is not enlightened enough. Learn everything from the source!

With all of these false accusations and insults toward Muslims, I am just wondering if this is the kind of “freedom of speech” that the western world wants us Muslims to learn. If that’s the case, I’m sorry, we can’t accept it, because that is not freedom of speech, but freedom to show HATE. In other words, it is hate speech. Is hate speech protected by the international law? In some cases, YES, especially when it is addressed toward Islam or Muslims.

May Allah gives strength, patience and unity to all Muslims, amin.

He commanded us to think: The religious question

“That’s the whole problem with science. You’ve got a bunch of empiricists trying to describe things of unimaginable wonder,” Calvin & Hobbes.

As a Muslim living in the western world, I feel obligated to convey the true message of Islam, but I used to avoid talks or conversations on religion, because I always feared I would say the wrong message. However, I have been involved in several conversations with my non-Muslim friends, in which most of them are females, and they have helped me in strengthening my knowledge in Islam. I always wonder why it is always my female friends who ask me about my religion. Rarely do I talk about Islam with my male friends and I don’t know why. Anyway, my female friends’ questions always range from “Why are you (Muslim men) allowed to have more than one wife?” to “How does Islam explain theodicy?” The good thing about them is they don’t judge.

About several weeks ago, I had a conversation with a female friend from central Europe. I am impressed with her knowledge about talaq (Divorce), but we talked more than just about it. We talked about the foundations of Islam, the Qur’an and the Sunnah, the way of the Prophet. Honestly, I was surprised with her comment “(In that case), Islam is a religion for smart people,” after she listened to my explanations. I was even more surprised, because the sentence is uttered by a non-Muslim; and she repeated it several times.

In the Qur’an, there are a lot of ayah (verse) that end with the question afala ta’qiloon (Will you not then use your reason?) [Al-Baqarah 44, 76; Ali Imran 65; Al-An'am 32; Al-A'rof 169; Yunus 16; Hud 51; Yusuf 109; Al-Anbiya 10, 67; Al-Mukminun 80; Al-Qoshosh 60; Ash-shoffat 13] or the question afala tatafakkaroon (Will you not, then, take thought?) [Al-An'am 50] or the statement inna fee dzalika laayatil liqawmiy yatafakkaroon (There are messages indeed for people who think!) [Ar Ruum 21].

When I reflect upon the meanings of these ayah, I fully understand and agree with my friend’s comment. Of course, the literal meaning of these ayah challenges ALL mankind, not only Muslims, that we always have to use our reason to understand His existence or to study the science of God. There is indeed a deep message that Allah has given us through these ayah, especially if we tie it to the “marriage” between science and religion. As we all know, science is empirical, meaning that it is dependent on evidence or consequences that are observable by the senses.

We often hear or read that science and religion cannot go together, because science cannot explain the unseen. Religion, however, is mostly based on faith, which is about the Unseen. To some extent, somehow I also believe that science is also based on faith. For example, have we ever seen an atom? No; and yet, we believe in its existence and its mass. With this in mind, I believe that science and religion can go together, because, in order to believe in science (and religion), one MUST believe in the unseen. Take a look at the verses that are mentioned above and reflect upon their meaning.

The basis of the ayah above challenges human beings to think not only about Allah’s creation, but also about Allah’s existence. In Surah Ar Ruum, for example, several verses are dedicated to the signs of His existence, which, of course, are related to science. One of them says, “And among His signs is that He shows you the lightning, for fear and for hope, and He sends down water from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who understand” (Ar Ruum 24). We all know that rain is important for agriculture, because plants need water to survive. Therefore, the agrarian society depends heavily on rain to boost its economy through the exports of crops, such as cotton, rice and so on. As an agrarian society, India, for example, accounts for 25 percent of the GDP and employs 70 percent of the nation’s population. Imagine what will happen to the agrarian society if Allah does not send down rain. In (an indirect) relation to the ayah, Allah said in a number of verses in Surah Ar-Rahman, “Then, which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny?”

To put it simply, Allah challenged us to think about His existence and His creation through aqil, intellect and reason, that He bestowed upon us. Refer to Surah Az-Zumar 42 that states, “In these creations are signs for those who think.” A Muslim convert, Dr. Jeffrey Lang, an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Kansas, said, “Math is logical. It consists of using facts and figures to find concrete answers. That is the way my mind works…Having a mind that accepts ideas on their factual merit makes believing in a religion difficult because most religions require acceptance by faith; however, Islam appeals to man’s reasoning.” So, if we combine logic, aqil and the question on His existence, we will find it easy to understand the science of God from the Islamic perspective, because, in order to believe in His (Allah’s) existence, we have to use our reason to prove it. The Qur’an and the Sunnah do NOT teach a “faith alone” concept.

I have been thinking and rethinking about my friend’s comment, “(In that case), Islam is a religion for smart people.” Honestly, I learned something from her, because, those ayah really reveal that we, as humans, have to be smart and knowledgeable about Whom we worship. However, I emphasize that those ayah are addressed to ALL mankind. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, “…spread the good news and keep people from running away.”

What is wrong if [insert] is a Muslim?

I don’t see the fuss about (Barrack Hussein) Obama, who is rumored as a Muslim, wearing a traditional Kenyan garb is going anywhere. At first, his team accused Hillary’s for spreading the picture and now Obama is “fighting” the false claim of his connection or links to Islam, and in fact, this is not the first time. The whole argument, whether Obama is a Muslim or not, shows an attitude of Islamophobia. Whoever spreads the rumor dislikes Islam or Muslims, because, to name a few, Islam or Muslims are considered as a threat and an obstacle to democracy. Thus, if Obama were to be the next President of the US, the fear would be everyone’s worst nightmare.

I have been a Muslim since I was born and for I a lot of reasons I am proud of it. It’s unfortunate that some people without faith, who claim to be Muslims, make Islam sound and look bad, negative or whatever you call it. I’m not OK with that. It’s NOT Islamic to burn the Danish flag or kill non-Muslims or a Danish in particular because of the cartoons of my beloved Prophet, and it’s NOT right as well to publish the cartoon, because it’s not what freedom of speech is all about. Anyway, I’m rambling.

I just want to make a point, why does it matter if Obama is a Muslim or not? I guess it matters; that’s why, the rumor is a never ending loop that works like a black hole that sucks people’s opinion about voting for Obama. To put it simply, “Don’t vote for a Muslim guy. He’ll scare the hell outta ya.” To this extent, Obama’s political platform is not important at all.

Once, an African-American friend said that Muslims are the new nigger, excuse me for using the word, but it’s true, especially after September 11th. Everybody fears Islam or Muslims, because, they say, Muslims are not educated. Democracy and Islam don’t work, and it justifies the killing of innocent people, and, the men especially, have four wives. These are just few of the negative claims that I always hear about Islam and Muslims. Youtube has tons of videos that “justify” the claims and Wodpress or Blogspot have millions of articles that say the same thing. It’s just never enough!

I am always afraid to practice my faith openly, because, then, some people will start saying unpleasant things. You know, they don’t even know what Islam is, and they don’t even understand the difference between Islam and Muslims. Believe me, a lot of friends have asked that question. Yet, they claim that they know “everything” about Islam. It’s not a funny or silly question, but it makes me think that the Western community doesn’t have enough knowledge about Islam or Muslims. Why do they have to be judgmental?

You may think that I am defensive, but everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. I am fine with that, but why do we have to believe whatever the media say? Back to Obama, the whole idea of Islamophobism is implied. I don’t have to be articulate, do I? But it is clear that the rumor about Obama makes it sound that we Muslims or Islam should be feared. It seems like the cartoons of Prophet Muhammad are not enough to insult Islam or to make everybody Islamophobic.

There were times when Muslims had great leaders and Prophet Muhammad was one of them. They unified the Muslim community throughout the world and built a brotherly relationship with non-Muslims. It was the time of peace, where Christians and Jews could practice their faith without fear and worry. They respected each other. It is not a fairy tale and Utopian. Sadly, we don’t have leaders like them anymore. Everything is now politicized and religion becomes their shield to cover their sins.

Believe me, TRUE Muslims are NOT bad people. You just have to find them.

Stories

These are Islamic stories; however, everyone is welcome to read them.

Please, reserve a place for me in Hell!

The following story is narrated by a columnist for Al Manar magazine.

Summer time is the biggest trial for all Muslim females if they protect themselves with their hijab. Heat is not worth the price if they uncover themselves. In winter time, however, their hijab will keep them warm.

During a long trip from Cairo to Alexandria on a minibus, a young lady dressed improperly. She sat at the very end by the exit door. Naturally, her look and her clothes became a big attention. A middle aged man sat next to her and reminded her about her inappropriate clothes. He said, her clothes could bring a negative effect on her. Besides, it is also improper to the society, considering it transgresses religious laws, as well as politeness norms.

What was her reaction? Being offended, she became furious, because she felt that her privacy was disturbed. She said that it was everyone’s rights to wear whatever s/he wants. “OK. This is my cell phone. If you don’t mind, please reserve a place for me in the Hell of your God!” She said angrily. The middle aged man was shocked and made istighfar.

After a while, everyone was quiet. Some people fell asleep, including the young lady until they arrived at their destination, Alexandria bus station. Everyone was ready to get off the bus, but they were hampered by the young lady, who was still asleep by the exit door. “Just wake her up,” said some of the passengers. Sadly, the young lady could never wake up again. She met her death on the minibus. Everyone on the minibus was shocked and made istighfar like the middle aged man did.

Glossaries:

Hijab is the Arabic term for “cover” (noun), based on the root حجب (hijab) meaning “to veil, to cover (verb), to screen, to shelter.” In some Arabic-speaking countries and Western countries, the word hijab primarily refers to women’s head and body covering, but in Islamic scholarship, hijab is given the wider meaning of modesty, privacy, and morality.

Istighfar in Islam is the act of seeking forgiveness from God (the Arabic word for God, often used in English in Islamic texts, is Allah). It is one of the essential parts of worship in Islam. This act is generally done by repeating the Arabic words astaghfirullah, meaning “I seek forgiveness from Allah.”

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Does God exist?

This is the story of a young man, who has spent time studying abroad for several years, and then he came back to his home country, Indonesia. When he arrived, he asked his parents to find him a religious scholar, an imam or whoever, who can answer his three questions. In the end, his parents brought him a religious scholar.

Young man
Who are you? Can you answer my questions?

Religious scholar
I am a slave of God and with His will, I will answer your questions.

Young man
Are you sure? I have asked a lot of scholars and professors, but they cannot answer my questions.

Religious scholar
I will try my best.

Young man
I have three questions. First, if God exists, can you show me His image? Second, what is taqdir? Third, if Iblis is created from fire, why should he enter the Hell fire, which is surely made from fire. They are made from the same elements. Did God never think about that?

Suddenly, the religious scholar slap his face really hard.

Young man
(Rubbing his face because of the pain)
Why are you mad at me?

Religious scholar
I’m not mad at you. That [slap] is the answer to your three questions.

Young man
I really don’t understand.

Religious scholar
How does it feel?

Young man
It hurts.

Religious scholar
Do you believe that pain exists?

Young man
Yes, I do.

Religious scholar
Show me its image!

Young man
I can’t.

Religious scholar
That’s the answer to your first question. We all feel the existence of God without being able to see His image. Did you dream last night, that I’m going to slap you today?

Young man
No.

Religious scholar
Did it ever come to your mind that you will get a slap in the face today?

Young man
No.

Religious scholar
That is what is called taqdir. What about my hand? What is it made from?

Young man
I don’t know. Skin?

Religious scholar
What about your face?

Young man
Skin?

Religious scholar
How does it feel after I slap you?

Young man
It hurts.

Religious scholar
Although Iblis and Hell fire are made from fire, if God wills it, Hell fire will be the most painful place for Iblis.

Glossaries:

Iblis is the name given to the primary devil in Islam. The word may be derived from the Arabic verbal root بَلَسَ (balasa), meaning “he despaired”; therefore, the linguistic meaning of Iblis would be “he/it that causes despair.”

Imam is an Islamic leader, often the leader of a masjid (A place of worship for Muslims).

Taqdir literally to measure, refers to the doctrine of fate or predestination, qadar (Arabic: قدر), one of the aspects of aqeeda (an Islamic term meaning creed). The words are used throughout the collections of Hadith (The deeds and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad SAW) to mean predestination. Though qadr and taqdir both refer to predestination, they are of differing grammatical orders and thus not considered interchangeable.

The concept of taqdir is that of the absolute decree of the Divine. It is an integral part of Islamic belief. Muslims typically believe that everything that has happened and everything that will come to pass in the future is the result of the will of God.