Continue reading »]]> International Student Chooses Rutgers-Camden for Graduate Studies in Chemistry

Received prestigious scholarship from Turkey’s Ministry of National Education

by Ed Moorhouse

December 13, 2011

CAMDEN — When the time came to choose a university to pursue his master’s degree in chemistry, Muslum Demir says his decision was an easy one.

“Rutgers–Camden was always my top choice,” Demir says with a smile while working in a chemistry lab on the Rutgers–Camden campus. “Even while still living in Turkey, I knew very well that Rutgers is one of the best universities in the U.S.”

Demir, from the city of Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey, was awarded a scholarship last year from the Republic of Turkey’s Ministry of National Education. The prestigious scholarship allows Turkish undergraduates to pursue a master’s degree and doctorate at a university of his or her choosing anywhere in the world.

“I have friends from Turkey studying at Rutgers–New Brunswick, so I’d heard about Rutgers through them while I was still a student in Turkey,” says Demir, who completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Cukurova University in Turkey. “Rutgers was always a place I wanted to be.”

With Rutgers on his mind, Demir reached out to Alexander Samokhvalov, an assistant professor of chemistry at Rutgers–Camden.

“After I had a conversation with Professor Samokhvalov, I knew Rutgers–Camden would be a good fit,” says Demir, who began taking classes at Rutgers–Camden this semester.

Demir is working on a research project that seeks to remove harmful aromatic sulfur compounds present in petroleum and liquid fuel.

“If we can remove those unwanted compounds selectively and in non-destructive fashion, using advanced materials called Metal Organic Frameworks, MOFs, it will be beneficial both to our health and environment,” Demir says.

He is quick to point out that studying with Samokhvalov has taught him a lot about research.

“He’s taught me a lot about the uses and the assembly of different instruments required in my experiments,” Demir says.

Samokhvalov says he has been impressed with Demir’s work ethic and accomplishments.

“It’s not easy to adjust to a new environment, especially when taking graduate courses in a new country,” Samokhvalov says. “Muslum has been outstanding. He’s very motivated and hardworking, which is the reputation of all students at Rutgers–Camden, its chemistry department, and the graduate chemistry program.”

Samokhvalov says, “I’m making every effort to contribute to the growing strength and international recognition of Rutgers–Camden through my research, teaching and outreach, and by attracting outstanding international students like Muslum to campus.”

Demir is pursuing a career in academia and when he completes his master’s degree and doctorate, he wants to return to Turkey to teach undergraduate chemistry students there.

“I like chemistry so much and after coming here, I realize how important it is to complete your master’s degree and doctorate,” Demir says. “I’ve only been at Rutgers–Camden for a few months, but already I’ve learned so much about performing research and improving my knowledge of chemistry. That’s something I’d like to share with other students.”

He continues, “I would love to serve as a model and encourage other international students to come to Rutgers–Camden to study.”

source: http://news.rutgers.edu/medrel/news-releases/2011/12/international-studen-20111213

Continue reading »]]> By SAMAR FATANY | ARAB NEWS

Conflict between different faiths today is caused by deviant viewpoints and misinterpretations of the divine scriptures

To move Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations forward we need to resolve the ideological crisis that has long allowed extremely radical views to permeate our societies. The perpetuation of outmoded customs and traditions entwined with Islamic principles need to be untangled to separate the medieval societal customs from the true principles of Islam.

Saudi Arabia has taken major steps to spread the culture of moderation and confront extremism and radicalism that have been permitted to masquerade as the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and sullied what should be the reputation of faithful Muslims around the world.

In December 2005 a special Islamic summit was held in Makkah to reaffirm the consensus of all Muslim countries to renounce violence, extremism and terrorism, and to promote values of dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect among religions and cultures.

In May 2008 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah met with Muslim scholars of different sects in Makkah to promote the genuine message of Islamic tolerance during the International Islamic Conference for Dialogue.

The Ministry for Islamic Affairs also does its part across the country to advance a proper interpretation of Islam and allow us to move forward. The Prince Khaled Al-Faisal Chair was inaugurated in 2009 with the objective to empower the community to reject the culture of extremism and fanaticism and promote moderation.

Meanwhile, academics and researchers continue to address the challenges of extremism. During a forum on the concepts of moderation, terrorism and intellectual security, King Abdulaziz University professor Abdul Rahman Al-Wahabi said: “Discussions about concepts of moderation in contemporary Saudi culture has emerged on a large scale due to the perception of the danger posed by extremist concepts and the prevalence of extremist ideology, particularly in religious thought.”

He also noted “activating the process of moderation does not come simply by making wishes but rather through intensive educational agendas that are followed by application in real life in an organized manner via a series of social activities.”

“Moderate thought is the acknowledgment of others, accepting them and co-existing with them,” said Islamic researcher Zaki Al-Milad. “Moderation should be the attribute that permeates all our ideas and actions, far from radicalism and extremism and far from reclusion and isolationism.”

Young people today are confused over what is modern and what is Western, what is hard-line and what is required of a good Muslim. They are struggling to find direction that can help them advance and modernize. There are summer camps and cultural activities offering guidance and mentoring to promote better citizenship, so young people can contribute to humanity and serve the Muslim nation worldwide.

The whole country is on a mission to empower an educated and more-tolerant generation that can command respect for its spirituality and academic excellence. Academic institutions encourage progressive thinking and allow students to embrace innovative ideas without compromising their Islamic values and principles.

Our brothers and sisters who are living in the West or in other Muslim countries need to be aware that Saudi religious scholars and the Saudi people promote moderation and reject extremism under the leadership of King Abdullah.

Every Muslim today should make it his or her duty to promote the religion of peace and repudiate the misconceptions about Islam that have started with Samuel Huntington’s theory of a clash of civilizations and later fueled by suspicious allegations by right-wing outlets and extremists. These extremists are unfortunately aided by biased authors, like Daniel Pipes, and many others. There are those in the West, whose growing hostility toward Islam leads to discrimination and sometimes even hate crimes and who use extremist tactics to drive a wedge between Islam and the West.

The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 compounded the suspicions and fears against Muslims and created extreme prejudice against them. The principle of collective guilt was applied to all Muslims, and a decade after 9/11, a vicious campaign continues to label Islam as monolithic and incapable of adapting to new realities, that it is a religion inferior to those of the West and that it does not share common values with the other major faiths.

There are many global Muslim organizations confronting this unjust attack; however, despite all their efforts Islamophobia is on the rise, and Muslims are still stereotyped as inferior, violent and recalcitrant. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Muslim World League and other groups continue to address the rise of Islamophobia that openly targets innocent Muslims around the globe.

The conflict between different faiths today is caused by deviant viewpoints and misinterpretations of the divine scriptures. Extremists on both sides undermine the noble efforts of the peace loving people of the world. It pains me to hear Muslim extremists attacking the moderates when they speak out for understanding. It also saddens me to listen to the bigotry and hatred against Muslims in the West fomented by extremist Christian preachers.

The time has now come for all the peace-loving people to unite and stand against radicals who continue to undermine global efforts to promote peace and coexistence. Domestically, we hope to see the carefully crafted plans of our leaders begin to bring the much needed positive changes for progress and development. Globally, we hope to see the beginning of a new era in which each human being — man and woman — can be assured of the respect and freedom that only a just and peaceful world can provide.

— Samar Fatany is a Jeddah-based broadcaster and author.

source: http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article465651.ece?comments=all

Continue reading »]]> By Liz Monteiro
Fri Jun 10 2011

KITCHENER — If you see a Muslim woman with her head covered, do you assume she is oppressed?
Many do, and a group of local Muslim women want to set the record straight.
They are not abused by their husbands, they are not second-class citizens within their families, and they are not victims. They have a voice and they want you to hear it.
“We don’t want to be defined by being covered or not covered. We want to go beyond the hijab (head covering). We have passions, personalities and purposes in life,’’ said Fauzia Mazhar, co-ordinator of the Coalition of Muslim Women, Kitchener-Waterloo.
“People don’t know about Muslim women. They have misconceptions and stereotypes,’’ said Mazhar, a health worker at the Kitchener Downtown Community Health Centre.
On Saturday, the women’s group will hold a Day of Dialogue with Muslim Women at Kitchener City Hall.
A panel presentation will address five topics: education and leadership; rights and responsibilities; religious duties; Islamic dress and the hijab; and marriage and divorce.
Following a question-and-answer period, participants will be able to have one-on-one conversations with Muslim women in what the group calls the “human library.”
Nazneen Zaidi of Kitchener said many people assume her husband controls her because she covers her head.
“Men and women are equal under the eyes of God and the law of Islam,’’ said the mother of three. “Roles are different but the responsibilities to the family are the same. There is not leadership.’’
Zaidi, who was born in Montreal and has a master’s degree in educational technology from Concordia University, started covering her head by wearing the hijab — a covering over the head — as a graduate student.
“I loved it. It was respect and real freedom,’’ she said. “You get to know me from what’s up here (pointing to her head).’’
Mazhar said the decision to cover one’s head or not is an individual decision made by every Muslim woman. Some decide to cover their heads as children, others as teens and some wear hijabs and then take them off later in life.
Nevine El Gendy said it’s imperative for women to seek knowledge about their Muslim faith in order to make the decision that is best for them. Women can also work or choose to raise their children at home, she said.
The Islamic holy book, the Qur’an, requires modesty of women and men in their dress, but it’s when cultural practices are interpreted as religious responsibilities that there is confusion, the women say. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, women must cover their heads, they don’t have a choice.
Uzma Bhutto, who came to Canada from Pakistan in 2005, doesn’t cover her head.
“I’m not courageous at the moment,’’ said Bhutto, who is related to former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated in 2007. They were second cousins.
“I have huge respect for those who do (cover their heads),’’ said Bhutto, who works at the downtown health centre and is a master’s student at the University of Waterloo. She was a medical doctor in Pakistan.
Minna Ella of Waterloo started wearing the niqab — a covering over the head and face, showing only the eyes — when she was 17. She was eight when she covered her head.
“My father didn’t force it upon me and my husband didn’t force it upon me,’’ said Ella, who was born in London, Ont. and then lived in the United States, Egypt and Germany before moving in Waterloo in 2007.
“This is a sign of faith, of Muslim identity,’’ said Ella, a mother of three.
Ella said she often asks people what they think of her when all they can see of her face is her eyes.
“I get the same answer, oppression. It’s out there,’’ she said.
For more information on Saturday’s event, go to the group’s website at www.cmw-kw.org
lmonteiro@therecord.com

source: http://www.therecord.com/living/article/545720–muslim-women-seek-to-dispel-misconceptions

Continue reading »]]> by Ronen Paldi
05/25/11
Owner and President, Ya’lla Tours USA

Turkey is one of the most beautiful and exotic locations on earth. However, many people don’t know just how amazing this land is, or they just have misconceptions about it. What many people do not realize is that Turkey is unlike any other country in the region. Here are 10 things about the country of Turkey that you might not have known.

10. Turkey has some of the earliest advanced civilizations known to man. At least two cities have been uncovered that date back to the Neolithic Age, which most scientists agree happened between 9,000-5,000 B.C. The settlements of Hacilar and Catalhoyuk show that inhabitants had well-built homes, farmed and maintained domesticated farm animals such as goats and sheep and are some of the earliest examples of advanced humanity. The cities date to between 7,000-6,000 B.C.

9. Turkey has had equality for women going back many millennia. One of the most powerful of the early groups to rule Turkey were the Hittites, who were in control from about 1750-1190 B.C. They were an advanced culture and their historical documents show that they did not practice capital or corporal punishment to nearly the extent as some other cultures at that time, and they also had institutional equality among the sexes. That continues to this day, as Turkey has a constitution that mandates equality for women. In fact, Turkey gave women the right to vote before most European countries and the United States.

8. The legendary city of Troy is located there. If you are a fan of ancient history, or just of Hollywood, then you might be interested in learning that the fabled city of Troy is believed to have existed, in real life, in Turkey. In fact, it looks as if Troy was built, destroyed and rebuilt many times. The Troy from the tales of Homer involving the giant walls and the Trojan Horse may have been sometime around what archeologists call Troy V or Troy VI. There are even remnants of the fabled walls that surrounded the city in existence today and that you can visit.

7. Turkey was once the center of the Roman Empire. When Rome began to fall, the Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the empire to Turkey. For a very long time the city was also named after him and known as Constantinople before it became modern day Istanbul. Constantine was famous for converting to Christianity and Turkey, to this day, is a major center for Orthodox Christians.

6. Turkey is important for Eastern Orthodox Christians. Centuries ago a divide among Christians resulted in the Great Schism and the Roman Catholics moved to Rome. In the East, however, they remained in what was then known as Constantinople. Also, Turkey is the country where the Apostle Paul was born and did his missionary work. This makes Turkey of vital importance to Christians of all denominations from around the world.

5. Turkey spans two continents. One segment extends into Europe and the other segment is in Asia. The part that is in Europe is known as Thrace. The part that extends into Asia is known as Anatolia, and sometimes referred to as Asia Minor.

4. Turkey is a democracy. Ever since Turkey became the Republic of Turkey after World War One, the country has been a parliamentary democracy. There is a president of the republic, but he is largely a figurehead and symbolic in nature. True executive power lies within the prime minister who is elected when his party holds the majority in Parliament, much like Great Britain. Voting rights begin for both sexes at the age of 18, and every citizen is free to vote.

3. If you’ve heard the term “Whirling Dervishes,” then you were talking about Turkey. Whirling dervishes are dancers who originated there. These dancers spin in a dance known as Sema, which represents man’s spiritual ascent. Turning on an axis, the dervish will raise the right hand toward heaven to receive God’s grace, which then passes through the heart and down into the earth itself from the down-turned left hand.

2. Turkey uses a Latin-based alphabet and not an Arabic one. This means that the signs, menus and other printed materials will contain letters that you would be familiar with. For those of you who assumed that traveling to a Muslim country meant that the language would look completely foreign and strange, this is not the case.

1. Turkey has a national program of peace. The country actively seeks to find peace with other nations, a lesson learned after the Ottoman Empire sided against the Allied powers in World War One. Turkey maintained a neutral stance during World War Two, siding with the Allies as a symbolic gesture near the end of the conflict. From that point forward, the country has actively sought to be a peace-keeping force in the region. Thanks to this, Turkey has one of the most stable governments and societies in all of the Mediterranean.

For all of these reasons, Turkey is one of the most beautiful, exotic, historic and holy places on the planet. Whether you are a vacationer looking to relax on a beach, one searching out ancient cultures or a religious pilgrim, Turkey has something to see.

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronen-paldi/10-surprising-facts-about-turkey_b_863035.html?ref=fb&src=sp

Continue reading »]]> by Kari Ansari
12/22/2010

When I became a Muslim thirteen years ago this month, I left behind the Christmas traditions my family celebrated every year of my childhood. My mother was able to transform our Southern California home into a Winter Wonderland as soon as we walked in the door; it may have been 75 degrees and sunny outside, but inside we felt we were in a Currier and Ives world of red velvet beribboned pine boughs, twinkling lights and beautiful music. I loved it. The Christmas season and our small traditions remained the same no matter how many years passed. My mother worked extremely hard to build warm, and loving holiday memories, and I sincerely cherish them.

Like many American homes, there wasn’t much Christ in my family’s Christmas. There would always be some discussion surrounding the reason for our celebration, but we didn’t attend church services or talk too much about what my parents believed. The beautiful nativity on the mantle, hand-painted by my grandmother, was flanked by tasteful, secular decorations. This led to a kind of vague confusion between the miraculous birth of Jesus, and the magical feat of Santa Claus zipping around the world in one night.

Nostalgia not withstanding, thinking about Christmas is now far more meaningful to me on a spiritual level than it was when I was young. The fact that Muslims accept and believe in the virgin birth of Jesus has been a golden thread that links my childhood Christmas memories to my very fulfilling adult life as a Muslim.

The world’s more than 1.5 billion Muslims would like their Christian neighbors to know that we believe in the Annunciation; in the Quran we read that God sent the angels to Mary:

“When the angels said: O Mary, surely God gives you good news with a Word from Him of one whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near to God. And he shall speak to the people when in the cradle and when of old age, and he shall be one of the good ones.” Quran 3:45-46

The Quran has only one chapter named after a woman; Chapter 19 is titled “Mary”, or as it is translated in Arabic — Maryam. The Quran tells us that the infant Jesus, (or Isa as it is translated in Arabic), spoke from Mary’s arms:

“…He said: Surely I am a servant of God; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet; And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and charity so long as I live; And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed; And peace on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life.’” Quran 19:30-33*

While Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas, we believe in the awesome and miraculous birth of Jesus, in the miracles he performed by God’s Grace, and in the message of love and peace Jesus brought to the world.

I hope my family knows that I am more attached to the account of Jesus and Mary than I ever was as a child, now that I am a practicing Muslim. It is a vital part of my faith; a faith that I share with over a billion and a half people around the world.

This is my Christmas card to my family, and all my Christian friends and neighbors: Peace on earth and goodwill toward men.

*Muslims understand this verse in reference to the to death of Jesus after the second coming and resurrection on the Day of Judgment. See Quran, 4:157

Kari Ansari is a writer, editor, marketing consultant, co-creator of the popular AmericaÕs Muslim Family Magazine and Muslim Family Bookshelf blog, and one of the founders of the Muslim Family Life Foundation.

source: http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=HF1012-4398

Continue reading »]]> By Adri Wanto
December 20 2010

INDONESIAN MUSLIMS live in the largest Muslim country in the world and are well-known for their moderation. They embody the key ideas of democracy, tolerance, freedom, respect for human rights and equality. Instead of establishing an Islamic state, a majority of Muslims are actively involved in promoting democratic institutions. Many questions have been raised as to the factors that facilitate Muslim moderation in Indonesia, and specifically how democratic is Indonesian Islam?

To answer these questions, I argue that the local culture and the Islamic texts used in traditional Islamic boarding schools are the two most dominant factors in moulding inclusive and tolerant Muslims in Indonesia.

Islamic Law and Local culture

Snouck Hurgronje, the Dutch colonial scholar, had written about the Indonesian community in Mecca in the 1880s. Hurgronje pointed out that the relationship between Muslims in Indonesia and in the Middle East was very unique. On the one hand, the Indonesian people sought knowledge and inspiration from Muslims in the Middle East, but they then adapted this knowledge to their local culture which was different from the source. Hurgronje considered it as adaptive and intelligent of the Indonesian people to blend Islamic teaching with their local culture to create a very rich religious synthesis.

In Islam, culture is usually referred to as ‘urf or ‘Adah. The 21st century Islamic scholar Muhammad Yusuf Qardhawi explained that ‘urf is the habits and behaviour of people in everyday life which become hereditary customs. Because the ‘urf is an inseparable part of a person, it is used in formulating the fiqh (Islamic law).

Muslims in Indonesia recognised that there were many cultures that existed in the pre-Islamic era, some of which were Islamised and adopted by the prophet Muhammad. This indicates that Islam was not born in order to eliminate the entire culture that developed in pre-Islamic Arab society. Prophet Muhammad created many rules of customary law that legalised Arab society, to make space for the practice of customary law in the Islamic legal system as long as the law was not against Islamic principles.

For instance, the Haj was practised in Arab societies long before Islam arrived. Pre-Islamic Arab societies also conducted worship at the Kaabah, although they were idolators. After the arrival of Islam, the practices continued with some changes. For example idol worship was terminated. The tawaf — one of the rites of the haj involving walking around the Kaabah at the beginning and the conclusion of the pilgrimage — was previously performed naked by pre-Islamic Arab society. The Prophet banned this and instead carry out this worship fully dressed till today.

The laws established by Prophet Muhammad and his successors (Sahabat) always took into account the evolving culture of the community. In the establishment of fiqh we can see the influence of different cultures in the laws that were created. Abu Hanifa, one of Islam’s four great imams, took advantage of customs and social habits of a diverse range of communities as a secondary source to the law as long as they did not contradict the Quran. Similarly, Imam Malik was influenced by the indigenous communities in Medina when developing fiqh theory.

Fiqh and Flexibility

One important history which explains social influence in the cultural constructs of Islamic fiqh is related to the phenomenon of Imam Shafi’i, another great imam of Islam after the Prophet. Social conditions and circumstances affected most of his thoughts on fiqh law. The clearest example of this is the emergence of the so-called qaul qadim (the old statement) and qaul Jadid (new statement) in the spectrum of thought of Imam Shafi’i. Originally, Imam Shafi’i made a statement for fiqh. However, later this statement became Qaul qadim (old statement) because he came across a new situation which led him to create a new statement or qaul Jadid. This indicates the flexibility of fiqh.

Many of Islamic book references (kitab kuning) used in the traditional Islamic boarding school (Pesantren) in Indonesia highlight the need for Muslims to apply awareness and wisdom when making historical reflections or interpreting Islamic fiqh thought in the early Islamic period. This perspective of Islamic law teaches that new approaches must be in accordance with the legal consciousness of society, namely law which was formed by environmental awareness, or with the local culture and traditions.

It is necessary to consider the traditions of the indigenous people when formulating local forms of Islamic law in Indonesia. This concept is based on Islam’s egalitarian characteristics, so that all cultural elements in Indonesian society can be a source of Islamic law. This argument denies the idea that only Arab culture can be the basis for the formulation of Islamic law.

Religious Harmony and Social Stability

Not all ‘urf or culture conflicts with Islamic teachings and therefore, they can be used as the source of Islamic law. The late president Abdurrahman Wahid, when he was leader of the Islamic organisation Nahdahtul Ulama (NU), conceptualised local Islamic teachings. According to him, localised Islamic teaching is interpreted as an attempt to hold on to the cultural roots of Indonesia, while still trying to create a religious community. In his thinking, Abdurrahman Wahid tried to place Islam and other cultures in a position of dialogue. From this basis, he refused to accept any movement adopting a hegemonic position whether privileging “Islamisation”, “Arabisation” or “the formalisation of Islamic teachings in the cultural sphere”.

In the context of Indonesia, the Indonesian formulation of Islamic law is very important. This idea can develop two important paradigms in localising Islamic law. The first is contextual: Islamic law is understood as a doctrine associated with the dimensions of the time and place. Changing the time and place must influence the interpretation or Ijtihad (individual interpretation) in Islamic law. Since Islamic law is adaptive it can be applied to every era and place (fi kulli zamanin wa fi kuli makanin). Secondly, Islamic law respects local traditions as long as these traditions are not in conflict or can be reconciled with Islamic principles.

Therefore Islamic law should consider local tradition and should not view local tradition as an object that must be defeated. As Indonesia’s case highlights, religious harmony and socio-stability prevail when Islamic law is positioned in synthesis with local tradition.

Adri Wanto is a Research Analyst with the Indonesia Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. He studied at a Pesantren in West Sumatra (Nurul Yaqin, Padang Pariaman), Indonesia.

source: http://www.eurasiareview.com/analysis/indonesian-islam-what-went-right-20122010/

Continue reading »]]> 20 December 2010

Moscow, December 20, Interfax – Talgat Tajuddin, the chairman of the Central Religious Muslim Board, categorically disagrees with remarks by Ravil Gainutdin, the head of the Council of Muftis of Russia, that Islam is being suppressed in Russia.

“It is stupid and blasphemous to talk about suppression of Islam in Russia. What Gainutdin has said is just untrue,” Tajuddin told journalists.

“I have chaired the Central Religious Muslim Board for more than 30 years and can say how everything has changed in the past years. We, the Muslims of Russia, had only 94 mosques, and there were about 300 mosques in the entire USSR. Now there are more than 7,500 mosques here. This means more than seventy-fold growth. There used to be 16 mosques and there are 1,016 of them now in Bashkortostan alone. There were 15 mosques in Tatarstan and there are 1,300 now. What can you talk about here?” Tajuddin told journalists.

There are seven Islamic universities and dozens of madrasahs in Russia. Each mosque has a Sunday school teaching traditional Islam. With support from the presidential secretariat, the Fund in Support for Islamic Culture, Science, and Education has been set up, which provides enormous assistance to Muslims, Tajuddin said.

“By the way, the leader of one of them is [Alexey] Grishin mentioned by Gainutdin. He has been called an Islamophobe. I wish there were more such Islamophobes,” he said. “Gainutdin has never had a monopoly to speak on behalf of all Muslims in Russia. He often travels abroad and tries to speak on behalf of all of our Muslims, although he heads only a small amount of communities,” he said.

“Russia currently needs peace so much as never before. It is unacceptable to rock the boat in which the Most High has gathered us all. This is a sin and a crime in line with the law and the Sharia rule,” he added.

All religious leaders bear huge responsibility for peace and order between peoples and adherents to this country’s traditional religions, Tajuddin said. “These internal problems can be solved at home through dialogue and communication. The global community, especially the Muslim community, has enough of its own problems. Therefore, it is shallow and indecent to appeal to the global and Islamic community to resolve our internal problems,” he said.

It was reported earlier that Gainutdin accused the state of thwarting the unification of Muslims and attempts to “suppress Islam in Russia,” and called the members of a recently formed the All-Russian Muslim Board “puppets” and “sleazy people.”

“In 2009, during the Kurban-Bairam (Eid al-Adha) mufti Talgat Tajuddin suggested a merger of three centralized Muslim organizations. After this proposal was studied, head of the Caucasus Muslims Berdiyev and I held a meeting with Talgat Tajuddin. We set up a working group and started the work of unification. However, the state did not like this decision. It was made known that the opinion of Tagat Tajuddin’s proposal was not consistent with the state policy,” Gainutdin said in an interview with the Tatar edition of Radio Liberty.

Ravil Gainutdin’s criticisms against the state were also prompted by the recent formation of the fourth All-Russian Muslim Board – the Russian Association of Islamic Accord, aimed in particular to oppose the unification process.

“The newly made ‘pocket’ muftis, opposing the growth of Islam will become strident “puppets.” These puppets who are working in the government, such as Islamophobe Grishin [Russian Presidential Administration Advisor in charge of liaisons with Islamic organizations], for instance, will no doubt try to suppress Islam in Russia, particularly being aware that currently Islam in Russia is a big factor, and focusing specifically on this will attempt to stop the growth of Islam. This has already started to materialize,” Gainutdin said.

Commenting on the recent riots in Moscow motivated by ethnic animosity, Gainutdin said that a very strong pressure is being felt in the capital where more than 2 million Muslims live.

“”Due to the lack of mosques Muslims have to perform festive prayers on the street, on tram rails, even at church courtyards. Thus, the humiliation of Muslims, the discriminating policy against civil rights continues. All Muslims, the whole Islamic world can see that,” the Mufti said.

“The unrest in St. Petersburg, Moscow was prompted by attitudes towards Islam. One might say that the disaster as a result of which so many people ended up in hospitals, and the violent clashes were the result of efforts to belittle the role of Muslims in Russia,” Gainutdin said.

source: http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=8032

Continue reading »]]> by Osman Nuri Topbaş
2008 – Jan/Feb, Issue: 009, Page: 004 Wisdom Magazine

Allah Almighty made the attribute of oneness exclusively for Himself, and created the rest of creation in pairs. He placed the law of attraction between the opposite sexes in order to unite them in marriage, through which they attain both material and spiritual perfection. It is also interesting that Allah made profane love between man and woman a stepping-stone towards divine love. Therefore, Allah Almighty commanded marriage for humanity in order to preserve the perfection they were endowed with and to preserve human offspring from all sorts of corruption.

Through marriage, humanity is able to protect their most beautiful characteristics which make them truly human. Marriage is the social and spiritual sanctuary for the spiritual and development of humanity. The continuation of the verse: “Surely we created man of the best stature” (Qur’an:95/4) is related to healthy marriages.

Through the proper fulfillment of the institution of marriage, the human soul can attain peace and contentment, the human body finds its balance and order, human morality is perfected and developed and the welfare and safety of society can be realized. In the absence of marriage, this delicate order can be broken. Marriage also enables couples to develop their latent abilities.

A woman, through showing affection and concern for her children, perfects her love and mercy and over countless hours of work masters how to be a good mother, educator and arbitrator. A man learns how to be more responsible through family leadership and he acquires maturity. The family unit is the smallest social unit, but it is the most significant one for any nation. Therefore, all the prophets, except Prophet Jesus, who was raised to Heaven, were married.

After the gift of taqwa (piety) the most significant favor of Allah upon a servant is to possess a good spouse. A good spouse is the most essential part of human happiness. The strength of nations depends on the strength of family ties. The Holy Qur’an indicates that the institution of marriage is a sign of Allah: “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.” (Qur’an:30/21)

This verse directs us to reflect on the fact that the primary purpose in marriage is to achieve a state of love and mercy for the sake of Allah. Therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) always advised those who were thinking of marriage to choose good believers who have mercy and piety in their hearts.

In the following hadith the Prophet gives advice to a man who wanted to marry: “There are four things for which one marries a woman, i.e., her wealth, her family status, her beauty or her religion. So you should marry the religious woman (otherwise) you will be a loser” (Bukhari, Nikah)

The institution of marriage plays the greatest role in preserving high morality in society; without morality society could easily become corrupt and dissolve through indulgence and selfishness. Hence, the family and society should enable the young to marry when they reach the proper age and the basic necessities for marriage should be made as easy to acquire as possible.

Therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) describes the best marriage as the one that is carried out without excessive spending. If the material requirements of marriage increase drastically young people may put off marriage due to an inability to handle such a huge financial burden. Then, their natural desires can only be satisfied through immoral or illegal sexual relations, thus frustrating the goal of establishing a stable family life. This will be suicide for society. The only solution that can prevent such a negative development is to give full support for those who want to marry, both spiritually and financially.

Ibn Arabi advised rich Muslims to help couples to marry, stating that the best continuous charity (sadaqa jariyah) is to help a marriage happen. Those who help bring about a marriage will be rewarded, as they too will have a share in the good acts of the offspring of the married couple.

In order to make marriage easier, the first step is to cut the cost of getting married to the basic minimum by preventing all sorts of unnecessary waste. In particular, in some marriage ceremonies, alcoholic drinks are served to cater to the desires of the guests. If the first step in the marriage is made with haram (forbidden) acts, how can we expect future happiness for this family? Allah blesses wedding ceremonies that are performed within the boundaries of Islam through the acceptance of prayers and supplications that are made on these occasions.

If the couples do not appreciate the significance of the marriage and only consider it a formal act for being together, it will usually result in dissolution. In Islam, of all permitted things by Allah, divorce is the most displeasing act. In the following hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) states:

“Get marry and do not divorce! The Throne of Allah is shaken by divorce.” (Muhtar al-Ahadith al-Nabawiyya,228)

In particular, this is true when one of the spouses leaves or violates the sanctity of the marriage just for the sake of seeking pleasure when there is no real problem in the relationship. This is a sin that is not forgiven by Allah, since such this spouse has heedlessly destroyed the rights and trust of the other spouse.

THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF COUPLES
In Islam, the head of the family is the husband, as can be understood from the following verse: “Men are in charge of women, because Allah has given the one a merit (grace) over the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women)” (Qur’an:4/34)

According to Islam, the man is responsible for all the financial costs of married life; therefore, he has been given leadership in the family. However, this leadership does not mean that he has power over or the right to oppress women. This leadership is only to put an order to family affairs, since he represents the family in external affairs. On the other hand, women are in charge of the internal order and organization of the family.

The man has the responsibility of earning a living and providing for the costs of maintenance and financing the family home. He has the physical strength to protect his family. The man has also the duty to lead in prayer. He therefore has been given the responsibility of leadership.

This priority of the man is also manifested in the order of creation; first Adam was created, then Eve was created. Adam and Eve were created from the same soil, thus explaining the reality of the attraction between men and women. In a divinely inspired hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) informs us on behalf of Allah: “I was a hidden treasure and loved to be known, hence I created the creation.”

As this hadith explains, the cause of creation is divine love. Profane love is a step toward this divine love, and this characteristic is engraved in the nature of all creation. However, this love should be channeled by divine guidance, that is, through marriage. Therefore, Islam bases family life on the roots of love, high morality, virtue, piety, good interaction, mercy, loyalty and patience, as well as other similar characteristics.

Family life, which was started first in Paradise by Adam and Eve, was continued by their offspring in the world and eternalized by Islam. The laws that Islam introduced make married life a paradise, a continuous spring of mercy. In order to attain this happiness, we should manifest the beauties manifested by our ancestors, Adam and Eve; spouses should love each other spiritually and cooperate in piety. In short, they should be a single soul in two different bodies.

For a happy family life, the rights of the women should be protected and developed. Throughout history, when the rights of women have been respected, societies have lived a life of paradise on earth. However, on the other hand, when they have not been respected, societies have tasted a hellish life. The Prophet (pbuh) commanded his ummah (community) in the Farewell Speech concerning the rights of women:

“O men! Respect the rights of women. Treat them with mercy and love. Fear Allah concerning their rights. You have married them as Allah’s trust; they became your legal wives since you have promised Allah to promise protect their honor and chastity.”

Women should take part in family life in those areas to which they are most suited, such as raising children with lofty characters, organizing the home life and other relevant fields. If they are employed in occupations that go against their nature, the family structure of society will be harmed. A good family life can only be provided when the wife and husband respectively use their innate powers properly, as described by Islam. It should also be emphasized that in the modern age an artificial competition of equality between men and women is leading them to points which are contrary to their natures. In particular, this competition is destroying the feminine qualities of women and their pride in motherhood.

THE BEST EXAMPLE FOR US ALL…
The Prophet (pbuh) gave the best example of a happy family life. He not only practiced the rules of happiness in his life, but also trained his Companions and his own children. When his beloved daughter Fatimah married Imam Ali, the Prophet commanded his daughter to organize the internal matters of the family and charged Imam Ali to organize the external matters. In this way, he established the distribution of responsibilities on the basis of justice and the nature of the spouses.

His daughter, Fatimah, was very dear to him. Whenever she would come to him, he would stand up out of overflowing love and would seat her in his place. Such a beloved daughter came to her father arid opened her heart to him. She talked of all the chores of the house: the grinding of the grain and the need to go herself and bring water to the house with great difficulty. Then she requested that she be provided with a servant to help her with the execution of these chores. The Prophet responded that no arrangements had yet been made for the Ashab Suffah (residents of the mosque). Until they were taken care of, he could not pay attention to any other matter. (Abu Dawud, Vol. ll, p. 343).

In another collection of the Prophet’s sayings it is also stated that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The orphans of Badar have priority over you.” (Abu Dawud, Vol. 11, p.343). At last, he gave this advice to his daughter. “Before going to sleep, you should recite 33 times SubhanAllah, 33 times Alhamdulillah and 34 times Allahu-Akbar. Having a servant or slave cannot compare to this remembrance of Allah.” He said: “For you this remembrance of Allah shall be much better than a servant” (Abu Dawud, Vol. ll, p. 340).

THE ROLE OF THE MOTHER
The mother should play the role of uniting the family members with her affection and leadership in the affairs of the home. She must train and educate the children; therefore, Allah Almighty endowed women with many noble qualities, such as great sensitivity, mercy, politeness and the instinct to look after children for the continuation of the family.

for the full article: http://www.sufiwisdom.net/index2.php#sayfa=yazarlar&yazar_no=1146&MakaleNo=d009s004m1&AdBasHarf=O&limit=0-15

Continue reading »]]> by Yasmine Hafiz and Imran Hafiz
October 27, 2010

We are a brother and sister of Pakistani descent who grew up in Arizona and are now enrolled at two of America’s finest universities. We are passionately interested in Jewish-Muslim dialogue because we believe the only way to decrease religious tensions is through engagement on a personal level. At college, we’ve found a lot of opportunity for such engagement — and a few challenges, as well.

In Imran’s first week of college, he immediately had someone to hate. Or at least his dorm neighbor thought so. “Wait, Imran, why are you going to Shabbat this Friday?” he asked. “I thought Muslims hated Jews.”

As Imran quickly, sadly discovered, confusion about his involvement with the Freeman Center for Jewish Life at Duke University abounds — because he is an American Muslim. This reaction was just the latest example of how 9/11 drastically changed the experience of living as a Muslim in America for us, siblings raised by banker parents in suburban Phoenix.

Bullying, ignorant remarks from both teachers and students, nasty emails and an almost constant flow of negative media coverage on Islam shaped our development as adolescents.

We had hoped that college would bring a change. Ideally, college is a place for all students to challenge their conceptions of self and others. Yet once again we were encountering the damaging assumption that Muslims and Jews are inherently incompatible. While it is true that for many years, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has generated tension and mistrust between Muslims and Jews, we must remember that historically, these peoples have also supported each other, celebrating similarities such as an Abrahamic heritage and a focus on education and close family ties.

The larger problem is that we make generalizations about other people based on their religion, and while it is not appropriate for our friends to assume that we are anti-Semitic due to our religion, it is sadly understandable. Forward-thinking Jews and Muslims have not given the American public much to consider about how we feel about each other. It is time for that to change.

How do we take advantage of the unique opportunity that college provides to build a respectful dialogue of acceptance? Interfaith work needs to be more than feel-good rituals in order to effect the lasting social change necessary to build real understanding. At many college campuses, “solidarity” between different faith groups is encouraged and facilitated; for instance, in volunteer programs, young Muslims and Jews package food for the homeless or clean up parks together.

As worthy as these group efforts are, they can never be as successful as person-to-person engagement. Rather than letting others speak for us, even well-intended intermediaries, we should interact directly with each other.

At Yale University, flyers for Jewish lecturers are posted side-by-side with posters about Muslim speakers. Yasmine has happily lived with a Conservative Jewish roommate for the past two years, even attending the occasional Shabbat dinner. Her inbox is filled with emails from groups and clubs, including a weekly newsletter from JAM — Jews and Muslims at Yale. Discussions about religion abound on campus, and even issues such as Palestine/Israel are presented in an academic manner, as people usually attempt to avoid becoming mired in emotion, an approach which leads to a higher level of meaningful discourse.

Speaking up against injustice is crucial, regardless of what group is being maligned. J Street U, a national network of student activists committed to peace in the Middle East (associated with the larger J Street organization), started a petition in response to the Park51 controversy. Called “Stand Strong Against Islamophobia,” it states: “American Jews in particular are acutely aware of their own history of persecution as a religious minority, and our legacy commands us to fight for the rights of other religious minorities as resolutely and passionately as we fight for our own.”

We as Muslims should follow this brave demonstration of pluralism and find our united voice to stand shoulder to shoulder with other students of all faiths. We should not be afraid to open our hearts to the struggles of those who have preceded us.

September 11 was a painful, tragic, horrifying day. However, it made us realize that tragedies should unite us, not divide us. In order to protect our nation as a pluralist society, minorities in particular must reach out to each other, especially at university. How else can we hope to step out of our college gates into a more understanding world?

Imran and Yasmine Hafiz are the co-authors, with their mother Dilara, of “The Muslim American Teenager’s Handbook” (Atheneum, 2009).

source: http://forward.com/articles/132597/

Continue reading »]]> by ALI ASLAN KILIÇ
November 01 2010

China is trying to establish open dialogue with the Muslim world with the hope of promoting a better understanding of the Muslim communities that are part of Chinese society, a senior Turkish official from a government agency dealing with Islamic affairs has said.

Religious Affairs Directorate Deputy President Mehmet Görmez told Today’s Zaman that he had witnessed a sincere effort on the Chinese side to discuss and find solutions to problems the Muslim communities living in China face during a visit by an official delegation two weeks ago.

A committee composed of delegates from 10 countries visited China to convey the demands and expectations of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to Chinese authorities regarding Muslim minorities in the country. Görmez represented Turkey on the committee, which included high-ranking officials from Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Görmez explained that this visit, which was held to observe the living conditions and social realities of the Muslim community in China, yielded positive results and would continue to do so. “The talks with Chinese authorities were held in a positive atmosphere. We observed that the Chinese are willing to fraternize with the Islamic world, and we acquired the chance to obtain a glimpse of Chinese understandings and perceptions of the Islamic world by analyzing the information on the Islamic world from Chinese sources,” he explained.

Görmez underlined that they visited regions inhabited predominantly by Muslims and talked with leaders and representatives from Muslim communities in order to be better informed about living conditions there. Deputy President Görmez drew attention to the vitality of currently developing relations with China and stressed that the current relationship between the two should be viewed from a historical and strategic point of view. He also added that the visit strengthened the relationship between the two sides.

Görmez also noted that they obtained valuable information about the education system in the areas they visited by going to schools and institutions that offer religious education, and that they had the chance to observe the needs and demands of Muslim communities. “We conveyed our intention to visit China as a committee that represents the voice of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in 2007. Our request to visit China was not denied. However, we had to postpone our visit to 2010 due to the Beijing Olympic Games held in 2008 and the Urumqi riots in 2009. Our talks and meetings with Chinese authorities were fruitful. Both sides made immense progress by showing a mutual desire to improve their dialogue, which, in my opinion, should have taken place earlier,” he said.

He added: “Moreover, this visit paved the way for increasing the prospect of organizing meetings between higher authorities. Chinese authorities reported that 44,000 mosques are available for use in China and that religious freedom is constantly being promoted in the country. Representatives of the Muslim community informed the delegation about the problems that hinder religious education. They stressed that authorities are expanding freedoms for religions; however, a lack of financial resources make it difficult to train religious officials as they need to be supported during their training. There is shortage of religious officials in schools and institutions offering religious education due to financial difficulties. They said there are even cases where 20 children must share a single Quran during a hafiz session.” “Therefore, it is vital that this community begins to strengthen its bonds with Islamic countries in order to receive economic support that will serve to settle these financial problems,” Görmez advised.

Report will be released soon
Görmez noted that the Islamic Institute of China in the capital city of Gansu province established by OIC played a significant role in meeting the educational needs of Hui Muslims, and he confirmed that Turkey has undertaken the task of addressing the shortcomings of religious education in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region by sending Qurans and by taking other necessary steps.

Görmez also stated that the impressions and thoughts of committee members would soon be compiled and published as a report by the OIC.

source: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-225967-102-china-seeks-to-improve-dialogue-with-muslim-world.html

Continue reading »]]>

 A calabash has been found recently in Mugla, Turkey by a Turkish farmer. This is not a normal cabalash!! Miracoulusly the name of Allah in the Arabic has been written on it which amazes the witnesses from all around Turkey. The farmer, Selahattin Sözer has said “This is a clear miracle. People should take their lessons and believe in Allah.” The mufti (Imam) also stated that the name of Allah is pefrectly appears on the calabash.

Sözer told how he found the calabash:” on 30th of April I wrapped the plants around the trees in my garden. Around 20th of Septemper I saw the Quranic verses on one of them. Then I looked for another ones but did not find any. So, I took it to home and preserved. Then, I again tried to find another in the garden.” He continues “After for years God has bestowed blessings on us by his names. I am going to display it for showing God’s miracle to people. If I can dry it up I will keep it in my home. Everybody who want to see are welcomed to my home. People should take lessons from the miracles and believe in Allah. There are some who say that this is a natural event. However, this calabash is a clear miracle of Allah.” 

source: http://www.bugun.com.tr/haber-detay/124933-gorenleri-hayrete-dusurdu-haberi.aspx

Continue reading »]]> by MEVLÜT KARABULUT
04 September 2010

Ankara has set a record for the most people breaking their fast together at one time — 10 platforms and nearly 100 civil society organizations banded together in an attempt to break the record with a 50,000-person iftar, and attendance far exceeded expectations.

Nearly 75,000 Ankarites showed up for the iftar (fast-breaking dinner), which was held at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) with a setup that included table space and chairs for 50,000 people. On the menu was lentil soup, rice pilaf, stir-fried meat, ayran, dates, olives, honey, butter and other traditional iftar appetizers, salad and baklava for dessert.

Three separate catering companies prepared food for the event, cooking eight tons of meat, five tons of rice and two tons of garbanzo beans, in addition to 60,000 servings of pide bread, 60,000 units of ayran and 120,000 bottles of water.

The chairs of course were not enough, and so plates of food were distributed to people who then went and sat in nearby bleachers and on the grass to eat. People had been shuttled to the AKM by municipal buses from neighboring districts, while some minibuses and public buses were set aside to serve the iftar area for free. Some attendees were unable to get any food at all; those who participated in the iftar were given tickets free of charge to the Lunapark amusement park.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other ministers also participated in the event.

The iftar had an undeniable political edge to it as well — the food packaging had writing printed on it supporting “yes” votes in the upcoming constitutional amendment referendum slated for Sept. 12.

Large projection screens were set up at different locations throughout the AKM, on which images from the iftar were displayed live. Some attendees wore campaign gear supporting “yes” votes in the referendum, such as a group wearing “Drivers and Chauffeurs Also Vote Yes.”

A large round table was reserved for the prime minister, other ministers and bureaucrats and members of the organizing platforms. Speaking at the iftar, Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek also addressed the topic of the referendum in his comments. “We are undergoing an important and difficult test for the future of Turkey and our children and for democracy,” he said. Gökçek also criticized political parties that are running campaigns in favor of “no” votes in the referendum.

source: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-220917-record-breaking-iftar-serves-over-50000-in-capital.html

Continue reading »]]> by Hena Zuberi
August 31st, 2010

This year Ramadan coincides with the first day of school for many families. Realizing that many of our Muslim brothers and sisters do choose the public school system for their kids’ education, this is a resource to help make the best out of Ramadan in public school. This blessed month is such a vital part of being Muslim that enjoying it and sharing it with others, instead of hiding it, goes a long way in maintaining Muslim children’s Islamic identity while attending public school. After the will of Allah, it begins with parental involvement in the lives of their children. You owe it to them.

Elementary School

Send in a letter or email to the school principal and the classroom teacher introducing your family and informing them about Ramadan. This sample letter to your child’s principal includes an offer to come into class and do a presentation on Ramadan. You can correlate it to the phases of the moon in science especially for first and third graders as it is a part of the curriculum. One year, we did the phases of the moon craft and asked the kids to watch out for the waxing and waning of the moon throughout the month.

To preempt any misunderstanding, meet with the teacher and/or principal and show her your material. For example, the Adam’s World Ramadan DVD is a great resource, so I asked the classroom teacher to preview it beacuse she is more familiar with the school disctrict’s rules; she chose to show the second stanza onwards of the nasheed “We scanned the sky” by Dawud Wharnsby Ali – it was such a hit!! The kids kept asking her to replay it over and over again.

There are several great books on the subject that are perfect for sharing during story-time.

My First Ramadan by Karen Katz – this little book is perfect for preschoolers – 2nd graders and makes a great gift for the class library. You can mix in a nasheed. It was amazing watching my daughter’s preschool class holding hands in a circle singing along to the chorus of ‘These are the days of Eid.”

Hamza’s First Fast by Asna Chaudhry – I read this book to my daughter’s third grade class, which led to a great discussion where kids of all different faiths talked about how their parents fast too. “Oooh, my mom fasts too, on Lent! Mine fasts to lose weight! We do it too on Yom Kippur” The kids gushed after I finished my presentation. My daughter loved being the center of attention and the discussion was alive for days…

for the full article see: http://muslimmatters.org/2010/08/31/back-to-school-ramadan-in-public-school/

Continue reading »]]> by Meryem Weld

Women’s liberation is a much discussed subject, can you compare the attitudes of materialist Western civilization and Qur’anic civilization towards women and demonstrate where true freedom for women lies?
It may clear from the descriptions in the first and second sections above that the aim of materialist Western civilization is not to fulfil the needs of human nature, but rather to exploit that nature in whatever ways it can in order to perpetuate itself despite its rotten foundations. The position of women in the West is truly grievous. Their true nature and role in the family and home are being systematically destroyed. They are the main sacrificial victims to the voracious idol of the consumer society.
The system demands that their bodies are exploited for advertising purposes. And besides exciting the greed and lust of others, they themselves are under constant presssure to spend and acquire ever more in the way of possessions and luxuries for the home. The inducement of fashion is utilized to astonishing degrees in the West, so that women are encouraged not only to buy more and more in the way of clothes and to follow fashions in make-up and the like, but also to change all the furnishings in their homes, down to even their bathrooms, every year or two. Of course, all this means that they have to abandon their homes and families and go out to work.
These developments are portrayed as progress and liberation for women, as the gaining of equal opportunities with men in the field of work and the professions. The false concept of equality is taken as the aim. Totally contrary to human nature, women are encouraged to seek equality with men in every field, from work to the home. But in fact this unachievable aim is cynically put forward to deceive unfortunate women and to cloak the ugly reality of the situation.
While feminists in the West have reacted strongly against the exploitation of women in maintaining the capitalist system, in fact, they support many of these developments since they encourage the ‘liberation’ of women from the ‘slavery’ of their role in the home and family. ‘Sex roles’ being an artificial device engineered to perpetuate that ‘slavery’. However, they themselves are calling women not to freedom but to even greater slavery. For what they are calling them to is the rejection of their own natures for the sake of some ill-defined ‘rights’ that consist of absolute freedom to follow their own whims and what they imagine to be their own interests unrestricted by the rights of others. How can women stripping themselves of their womanhood be seen as freedom? They are making a very bad bargain, their compassionate natures and exalted position in the scheme of things in return for total enslavement to their own individual whims and desires.
How different is the attitude of Qur’anic civilization towards women! The mercy that is Islam recognizes the manner in which they have been created and ensures through Islamic dress and other requirements that they are able to carry out their duties with their children and in the home protected and in perfect dignity.
Islamic dress and the ‘position of women’ generally in Islam are much misunderstood in the West, but as the many thousands of women brought up in Western society testify, Islamic dress is in complete accord with their natures and gives them the protection and ease of mind that that nature requires. And they find that indeed ‘the woman’s place is in the home,’ that it is not a prison-sentence but on the contrary is a most gratifying duty and service of the greatest responsibility since it entails the bringing-up of thesucceeding generation. Islamic dress is a safeguard for this vitally important role, indicating to its importance and protecting women from any kind of indignity and exploitation.
The contradictory position of feminists is very apparent here, for they vigorously oppose the exploitation of the female body for advertising and other purposes while at the same time seeking ‘freedom’ or to get rid of any sort of restriction on women’s dress and behaviour. However, what becomes apparent to the many ‘new’ Muslim women is that to expose their bodies at all to men outside their families is to both exploit themselves and to be exploited. To act as a means of exciting the lust, desire, and greed of strangers is to be exploited and for women to take pleasure in thus doing is to exploit and to degrade themselves. It is not freedom but once again to enslave themselves to their own individual desires and the desires of others.
What is freedom for women, then? Freedom for women lies in recognizing their true nature, in recognizing what teaches them what that nature is and then _ protects and safeguards it. God

Almighty’s final revealed religion of Islam does this in the most perfect form. And what does that mean? It in fact means abandoning their own desires and recognizing that they are not beings with ‘rights’, but creatures with duties, like all the beings in the universe, and that happiness and freedom are only to be found in the performance of those duties.
And if they are creatures with duties, then that happiness and freedom will increase in proportion to their learning to know the Giver of those important and pleasurable duties, the Single All-Wise and Compassionate Creator. For the more they learn about the Giver of the duties, the more they will learn what the duties truly consist of. The more they can abandon their own wishes and desires the more they may draw closer to conforming to the will and wisdom of the One Who plans and runs the whole universe, which are so apparent from its order, balance and harmony. This is where true freedom lies. In belief and in submission to a Single All-Wise and Compassionate God Who thus orders and administers the whole universe as a unified whole and employs all the creatures in it according to His absolute wisdom. Freedom lies in Islam, therefore, which is that belief and which protects and safeguards those who recognize and adhere to it.

At the same time it is essential to point out here that this duty of women should not restrict the development of their intellectual and other abilities. Rather, the one should complement the other. If women are truly to carry out their duties in bringing up their children, they have to continuously study and develop their belief. In other words, as human beings their primary duty is to develop their belief in God, as women their duties are in the home. These complementary duties are essential to each other, one should never be an obstacle to or prevent the other.

source: http://www.risaleinur.us/read/?art=2988&t=Women+in+the+West+and+in+Qur’anic+civilization

Continue reading »]]> by Fethullah Gulen

The word “Islam” literally stems from the root “s-l-m” and the words “silm” and “salamah” which mean peace, and which indicate the “submission” or ‘surrender” of oneself to God Almighty, being obedient to His commands, embarking on a safe and secure path that leads to salvation, promising a sense of trust to everyone and everything, while also denoting the fact that the person surrendering will not inflict any harm on others, be it physical or verbal.

The basis of Islam is “iman” and “iz’an”, that is, faith, and conscious obedience. The fruits of Islam are “ihsan” (blessings) and “ihklas” (sincerity), that is acting or living as if seeing God, and doing everything only for the sake of God Almighty. The concept of Islam can be briefly summarized as the unconditional and doubtless belief of the “Tawhid”, the Unity of God, and His divine Existence, and the submission of the self to Him. Also included in this, are the performance of every act and the responsibility of acting as if one sees Him, and is observed by Him, and doing everything only for His sake. A person who acts according to these or to similar descriptions is called a “Muslim” (not an Islamist). Such a person is accepted as a candidate to eternal prosperity.

Based on the messages of God Almighty, and the teachings and practices of His prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, Islam is a Divine religion. A person who believes and practices Islam is called a “Mu’min” and a “Muslim” (one who has faith, and who has submitted). Scholars have described Islam as “the sum of all divine laws that urge people to do good deeds with their freewill and consciousness.” Hence, if such a dynamic system can be practiced in life, then its fruits will become obvious in this world and in the hereafter. On the contrary, when this system is expelled from life, then it is not easy to find anything positive to say about religion.

From the perspective of language, there is a fine distinction between “iman” and “Islam”, that is, faith and submission. However, it is a strongly believed that Islam without faith (iman), and faith (iman) without Islam (submission and/or actions) are incomprehensible. Faith is the interior, and Islam is the physical expression of this faith that constitutes the exterior. Their union makes the Divine Religion, which establishes all aspects of faith and practice in this life (iman and Islam). A person who practices and who accordingly represents this religion can only be called a Muslim. From this perspective, those who consider religion to be no more than a system of beliefs, and those who only practice it culturally without understanding the deeper meanings, are mistaken. It is obvious that both groups have been and will be left bereft of the fruits of this religion, fruits promised by the Lord, in this and in the next world.

Surprisingly, however, to consider the practice of Islam as being part of the faith would be another mistake. Although those who believe that the practice of the faith is compulsory, but still fail to fulfill their duties are sinners, they are still Mu’min (one who has faith). Such thought does not conflict with the Sunni understanding of Islam, because not worrying about committing sins is very different from saying “To punish or not to punish is God’s decision”. According to the Qur’an, faith is an essential part of the religion, lying in its very core, while Islam is the only way to make faith a part of human nature. Practice without faith is hypocrisy, faith without practice is sin (transgression). As hypocrisy is no more than hidden blasphemy, it will not be forgiven, but it is possible for sins to be forgiven through repentance. In this respect, even if someone does not practice Islam, we should have a good opinion of them and not see those people as non-believers, unless they undermine or express that they do not care about Islam. Yet, it is not possible to think in the same way for those who are faithless, and oppress and despise other believers for being Muslims. An additional point that needs to be addressed here is the importance of being steadfast in one’s religion, carrying out all the aspects of faith and its practice, this is what God seeks in believers.

To be a truthful Muslim, one should avoid all kinds of hypocrisy and acts of blasphemy; one should surrender to God with utmost sincerity, and practice Islam with a consciousness of being in His presence and being watched by Him. It is disrespectful to think of religion only as a matter of conscience and mysticism. Those who seemingly accept Islam – God is always aware of the truth of the situation – yet proclaim that the practice of religion is a form of extremism, are deceiving themselves with empty illusions and they are posing as devout Muslims. Subjective and immoral interpretations of Islam turn it into a man-made religion, not a divine religion. In fact, Islam was sent down to save people from their own selves, the self that follows only human desires, and to enlighten people with the knowledge of God. In other words, Islam is collection of divine rules and revelations that raises human beings above the level of the animals, and which prepares them for the journey to the comforting climate of the heart and the spirit. The spirit of this system is Iman (faith), its body is Islam (submission), its perception Ihsan (consciousness of His presence), and the name of this unique order is Din, Islam (submission).

Islam addresses those who are intellectually capable, urging them to do what is good for both this and the next life through their own freewill, promising eternal contentment to those who heed this call. The position of believers is not one of being oppressed by responsibilities and obligations. All blessings, prosperity and enduring joy are bound together with the free will of humanity by God’s Knowledge, Will and Choce. In the same way religion and the responsibilities entailed are a favor and a tribute given to human will by the Divine Will. From this aspect, Islam is totally different than other religious systems; the manners of Islam are divine, and the expression of this is servitude. Those to whom Islam is being addressed are intellectually capable, and they possess freewill, as already stated; they try to practice the religion of God, and also try to be representatives of it. It is also possible to think of religion as a gift from God to those who are capable; those who are mentally incapable and who are not free in their actions cannot be held responsible for religious obligations, and they are not privileged as others are as they cannot be encouraged to do good.

As this religion has been sent by the All-Knowing God, He Who best knows His creation, it always shows the way to the truth, to good deeds, and it encourages hearts with promises of paradise. On the other hand, it also urges people to be cautious and warns them of terrible consequences if they go astray. In this context, the commandments of the religion are everlasting, constant, and relevant to the date, because these edicts are eternal. Despite the fact that all systems are subject to becoming irrelevant and out-of-time, the commandments of Islam are always new, and attractive. Yet, there are some biased people who do not perceive this truth. This is not surprising, as all man-made decrees are subjective, and they all differ from country to country, and fall out of step with time, due to continuous amendment that is made on an ad hoc basis; such systems provide only a temporary relief to the problems of humanity, due to the limited perception of humanity of itself.

On the contrary, Islam has been revealed with messages that deal with all kinds of matters and that provide satisfaction for the eternal and never-ending needs of humanity. It has never asked or suggested anything that goes against human nature, and has never neglected any of our needs or desires. For those who are mindful and righteous, there are no issues that have been neglected, no doubts or desires that go unanswered, and there are no conflicts between the commandments of the religion and their practical meaning, nor are there any gaps or issues that have not been taken in hand. On the whole, Islam, with its eternal messages and glad tidings about how to please and see the Lord in the hereafter, has been uniquely and divinely planned to suit human nature, its capabilities, goals, and tendencies.

Living an Islamic life, one benefits from the lawful bounties of this world, spending all one’s years full of the joy of walking the corridors that lead to paradise and the eternal blessings of He Who Bestows. In addition to all of this, if a person can live his/her life totally concentrating on pleasing God, which is the essence of religion, then this person can be considered as being of the rank of the angels. The decrees made by humanity are limited, and are usually race and ethnicity oriented; these can never be an answer to the limitless and never-ending needs and desires of humanity. God is the Creator and the All-Knowing, and this religion is His decree given to mankind for this world. All other man-made systems are of limited vision and are short-sighted in their awareness, and their spirituality is always hazy.

Islam, the true religion, is a unique order that never misleads and a divine source that opens new earthly and heavenly prospects for human beings. This divine system is called “religion” from the perspective of belief, “shariah” from the perspective of actions, and “community” from the perspective of social functions. Primarily, all actions and activities occur according to the belief system, and social life is shaped according to this behavior, these actions and activities. For this reason, believers, who have solid faith and who make their faith a part of their character, continuously practicing it, are sources of truth, justice and fairness; such a person is trustworthy, a representative of high morality, a seeker of knowledge and wisdom, and is loyal to the sacred call of religion. Such a faithful believer would also actively participate in working toward the perfection of human society.

Faithful Muslims, who are conscious of their religion, whose practices are in line with the divine commandments, whose hearts are always connected to their Lord, and whose actions reflect this relation with the Divine, will never be deceived, nor will such people be in a position of servitude to any other human being. Such Muslims are always aware of their relationship with this exalted community, and thus are self-confident; they reflect this assurance, and are distinctive in their behavior. They love, show sympathy, and deep respect for all the created things because of the Creator. They prevent themselves from performing base and simplistic actions that are not compatible with the honor of being human; they are above the others in their faith, wisdom, and actions. While doing all of the above, believers are never proud or arrogant, they never push or force others to accept their philosophy or way of life. Aware of the fact that Islam never causes repugnance, they accept everyone as they are, and instead of trying to push their ideas on others, they are adorned with true faith, trying to represent their religion flawlessly, and being one of those who are admired by those around. Yet, they are not seeking the admiration of others; they do everything for the sake of their Exalted God, thinking only of His approval in their everyday speech, behavior, and thought; such people are never “ostentatious”, considering this as little better than a virus infecting and killing the heart and spirituality.

As a matter of fact, Islam did not come to oppress the minds or the will of humanity, but rather it was sent to prevent such oppression and tyranny on the part of human beings, hence urging people to use their minds and their intellects alongside their freewill to make new choices. This was exactly how things were at the time when Islam was being fully practiced; its majestic spiritual charm never needed any mind games or tricks, nor was hidden or explicit cruelty accepted. Deeds were the language that Islam used to reach the heart, words were used to explain the details. Words were used as a tool to address the conscience, words that encourage good and prohibit evil were the means; physical enforcement was not used. Islam does not approve of enforced faith (this is against the nature of the religion), nor does it accept any practice or deed which is not oriented around the pleasing of God. According to Islam, enforced faith is hypocrisy, and such deeds are no more than showing off. The Qur’an strictly forbids oppression in faith, as can clearly be seen in this verse “There is no compulsion in religion. True guidance is distinct from error (Al-Bakara 256).” Islam exists to prevent all kinds of hypocrisy and disbelief, and to hinder those who want to show-off. All of these facts in no way contradict the persistent behavior of a believer in the expression and establishment of the Truth.

As long as there is an opportunity, Islam will address the minds and souls of humanity, saving them from hypocrisy and leading them to the truth by the perfect example of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh), lighting the true faith and belief in their hearts, and equipping them with an awareness of God’s presence everywhere and eternally. This kind of behavior is nothing more than the result of the acceptance of the message of Muhammad (pbuh).

The message proclaimed by the last prophet (the Messenger) Muhammad (pbuh) is the final and complete divine message, and it is the most reliable, trustworthy path leading to God Almighty. If this religion cannot express itself very clearly nowadays, the fault lies in that it is not only being perceived incorrectly, but it is also not being depicted in the best possible manner by those who follow Islam. Nevertheless, we do not think that this situation will stay forever as it is. When the time is right, Islam will re-express itself in every stage of life and it will entrance mankind with its joyful colors and patterns once again.

When this community of Islam notices that once again they are renowned and their name has been given to them by God (according to a verse in the Qur’an, “God is the one who gave the name Muslim to you and to those before you”) they will be impressed, saying “How Exalted, how Beneficial our Lord is” and turn their faces towards Him; they will submit to His wisdom.

Islam is an invitation that expresses the religions that came before it. As materialist and naturalist philosophies have became too energetic, the containment of this divine message has also meant that all other religions are defeated by those dangerous and terrifying ideologies. Islam is the protector of the true faith. Since every other prophet in the past proclaimed the same messages, Islam is a point of support, and acts as evidence for the other heavenly religions. Thus, to revive Islam means revitalizing the other heavenly religions, correcting those points that are erroneous, maybe even partially revising some points that are in need of repair and providing new ideas for the believers of other religions. I personally believe that all of the above are possible and the fact that all heavenly religions come from the same source is a great advantage in this direction.

The Fountain, January-March 2004, Issue 45

source: http://en.mfethullahgulen.info/recent-articles/1718-a-brief-overview-of-islam.html

Continue reading »]]> by Fethullah Gulen

At this time when we experience occasions of much sorrow and some contentment, we sense the promise in the advent of Ramadan, the month of mercy and forgiveness. In the climate of this month of light, we feel both spring and autumn at the same time in our inner worlds, seasons of lovely expectations and longing.

With their profound, spiritual breezes, every sound and breath of air in Ramadan announces in a most exalted and exhilarating style all the pleasures we would like to taste in life and the hopes of good we deeply cherish.

Coming like successive rays of light, the smiling days of Ramadan envelop us with the expectations, hopes and joys they carry from the worlds beyond, and preset to us samples from Paradise.

When Ramadan begins, our inner life, its thoughts and feelings, is renewed and strengthened. Breezes of mercy, coming in different wavelengths, unite with our hopes and expectations, and penetrate our hearts. In the enchanting days and illumined nights of Ramadan, we feel as if all the obstacles blocking our way to God are removed and the hills on that way are leveled. Like rain pouring on the earth, Ramadan comes with streams of meanings and emotions that water dried and thirsty hearts, making the inner worlds of people propitious for new meanings and conceptions. By means of the light of the days, hours and minutes of this blessed month, hearts attain such spiritual depth and become so purified that they never desire to leave its climate of peace.

As Ramadan approaches, we live the delight of anticipation and preparation for it. The food and drink that come into our kitchens in the days before it comes, put us in mind of it with a thrill of expectation. And then it comes at last, laden with mercy and forgiveness. As soon as it honours us, each of us finds himself in a spiral of light rising toward the Unknown, Existent One in a new spiritual mood in the night-time and in another, different spiritual mood in daytime. We open our eyes to each of its days with a different solemnity and self-possession, and reach every evening in an enchanting, delightful serenity.

The pleasant nights of Ramadan receive warmest welcome from all souls. Eyes look more deeply in them and people feel deeper love for each other. Everyone desires to do good to everyone and passions and ill-feeling are subjugated to a certain extent. In Ramadan everyone feels so much more attached to God and is so careful in his relations with others that it is impossible not to see this.

Believing souls taste the contentment of belief more deeply and experience the blessing of the good morals. Prescribed by Islam and the spiritual ease of doing good to others. Moreover, they try to expand, to share, this contentment, blessing and ease with others. Since these souls at rest are convinced that one day will come when this life will end in an eternal happiness and whatever they suffer and sacrifice here for God’s sake will be returned with very great reward, they struggle against their animal appetites in a mood of doing an act of worship. The meals they take at sunset to break the fast give them the pleasure of worship and are followed by early night prayer with the addition of the supererogatory service of worship particular to Ramadan. The meals they take before dawn to start fasting are united with supererogatory night prayer (tahajjud) and become a dimension of their nearness to God. Streets are filled with the people going to and returning from mosques, in which declarations of ‘God is the Greatest’ resound as in the Masjid al-Haram in Makka. You would think that the streets are each a mosque and each mosque is Ka’ba. The people shaped by Ramadan in this way, thought mortal in nature, gain a sort of eternity and each of their acts done in the consciousness of deliberate worship becomes a ceremony pertaining to the Hereafter.

Nights are experienced more deeply and in consideration of the afterlife, and days are spent as portions of time dominated by resolution and strong will-power. Those fasting for God’s sake feel a thrill of joy, and spend every and each day in the excitement of a new re-union. They reach every morning in an indescribable feeling as if they were called to a new testing. You can discern on their faces a sign of humility mixed with solemnity, a feeling of nothingness before God together with serenity and seriousness and melancholy combined with a feeling of security. Their every act reflects spiritual peace and exhilaration coming from adherence to God’s will and confidence in Him, and sincerity and kindness acquired by being cleansed in the cascades of the Qur’an. As if created from light and consisting in only their shadows, they are very careful to give no one any harm or trouble. Respect and courtesy are so much a part of their nature that, even after a day of thirst and hunger and resisting their carnal desires, they remain gentle and pure-hearted. They display a mood shaped by fear and reverence, discipline and contentment, solemnity and politeness. They are respectful and reverent toward the Almighty and well-mannered and sincere toward one another.

Their faces and eyes reflect different degrees and dimensions of depth of spiritual realms and are radiant with the lights of the unseen world. Though each individual may have been shaped by a different climate and different ideas, – all of them, including the intelligent and pure-hearted, those used to a disciplined, careful life and those a bit untidy and careless, the nervous and the calm, those very sensitive to problems of the age and those a little unfeeling, the rich and the poor, the happy and sorrowful, the healthy and the ill, the white and black – share almost the same feelings in Ramadan. They reach the night and morning together, listen to the call to prayers and perform the prayers together, take the meals before dawn and break their fasts together. They feel together one of the two instances of rejoicing promised for those who fast. [The Prophet said: There are two instances of rejoicing for one who fasts: one when he will receive the reward of fasting in the Hereafter.]

All Muslims, whatever their nationality or country of origin or temperament or social status or physical state, come together and breathe the same ‘air’ in the climate of Ramadan. In it, their souls are shaped in a way particular to that climate, and they share a sort of deeply-felt happiness which can be experienced only by spirit beings. Ramadan has a fascinating effect on Muslims that leaves its positive imprints on even the souls of the poorest and most oppressed people.

Ramadan envelops us with many beauties: the pleasure in the supererogatory prayers performed after the prescribed night service; consciousness of the blessings of Ramadan; the light that pours on us both from the heaven and from the lights that decorate the mosques; the nearness of the Creative Power and Its message of compassion and forgiveness whispered in our hearts. As if planned and commanded in order to kindle such feelings and thoughts in us, each element of the public rites in Ramadan causes the ‘strings’ of our heats to resonate: the calls made from minarets and the blessings called on the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, and the pronouncements of Divine Unity, Grandeur and Glory which resound in our ears, all prepare our souls for worship. They awake us to spiritual and celestial truths and enable even the crudest soul to perform its duties of worship in the way those duties are meant to be performed.

The voices rising from minarets meet with the voices of the inhabitants of the heavens and resound throughout the heavens and the earth. They penetrate our souls and take us through a climate of purest meanings and poetry, a realm of sweet imagination. In this pleasant atmosphere, we feel as if it is Ramadan which pours from the heavens, which is discerned o the faces of people and scents the air and is written in the lights of the mosques. Enchanted by this calm and peaceful atmosphere, we achieve a sort of infinitude and feel as if comprehending the whole of existence. Ramadan captivates particularly those open to eternity to such an extent that they experience nothing else than it.

I remember well that during my childhood when there was as yet no electricity in cities, people walked to mosques with kerosene lamps in the darkness of night. We imagined that Ramadan was walking around in the alleys in the lights of those lamps. Under the influence o poetry, meaning and deep spirituality which Ramadan poured into our souls, we desired that it should never come to an end. Nevertheless, despite our heartfelt desire, it flew away and the festive day followed it with all its pomp.

source: http://en.mfethullahgulen.info/recent-articles/1201-being-shaped-by-ramadan.html

Continue reading »]]> Underlining the Obama administration’s respect for Islam’s diversity, Farah Pandith, the US State Department’s special representative to Muslim communities, refuses to use the expression “Muslim world,” stating that the United States is not endorsing a particular type of Islam in its efforts in building long-term dialogue and partnership with Muslim communities around the world.

The position occupied by Pandith, a Kashmiri-born Muslim, was created following US President Barack Obama’s Muslim outreach speech delivered in Cairo around one year ago and she is the first person to serve in this role. Her office is responsible for executing US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s vision for engagement with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organizational level and she reports directly to the secretary of state.

“I don’t use the word ‘Muslim world.’ The president changed the lexicon when he spoke in Cairo and he talked about Muslim communities around the world and I think that is very important.

This president has changed the tone and the way in which he is talking with Muslims. He is not talking to them, he is talking with them. He is respecting the diversity of Islam and so we don’t look at Muslims as a monolithic; we understand the texture and we’re trying our best to work on developing more mechanisms to actually reach young and future generations,” Pandith said in an exclusive interview with Today’s Zaman.

“We are trying to get into the space of working on initiatives that make sense, not one-size-fits-all,” she said.

Diversity, dialogue and partnership, mutual respect and mutual interest, fostering understanding and diligence were the words which were used several times by Pandith during the interview, reflecting her full embrace of this new lexicon without any slip of the tongue.

Pandith was in Ankara and İstanbul earlier this week as part of a long regional tour after visiting Iraq, Egypt and Morocco. Since she took office, she has visited 23 countries, including India, Indonesia, Mali and Norway. Her contacts in countries she visited are part of the State Department’s efforts to engage extensively with civil society, including influential people, whether they are religious leaders, scholars, academics, teachers or businesspeople.

“I’m very interested in the young generation. It is very important that we think about those people under the age of 30. When you think about the fact that a country like Turkey has more than 60 percent of its population under the age of 30 and you also think about the fact that many communities that are Muslim around the world have very high percentages of those people, how do we develop long-term partnerships? We have to develop them over the long-term, which means as they get older. We do not want to only get to know someone at the end of their career. We want to begin to know them as they are beginning as young leaders, as they think about how to be active in their societies and find ways for broad dialogue and partnership,” Pandith said.

“Some things are happening to these people of the young generation. And we are really focusing on understanding what that is. I mean, this is the Facebook generation; it is the generation that doesn’t need to meet each other in person, but they are meeting each other online and they are having conversations. They are also asking really important questions that our generations did not ask about issues such as identity; such as, ‘How do you be modern and Muslim?’ and ‘What is the difference between culture and religion?’” she explained.

“I think that it is really very important that we are able to hear what these questions are to understand what is going on and I also know, certainly even my conversations here in Turkey, these are people who want to be heard. Who is listening to the young people as they define their future and as they think about the tools that they need to do more. Or how important it was that they had a chance to be young entrepreneurs and how wonderful it is that your country will be hosting the entrepreneurship summit? I’m actually really interested in social entrepreneurship,” Pandith elaborated, while referring to the 2011 Summit on Entrepreneurship to be hosted by Turkey.

While here, Pandith saw a presentation by the US Embassy’s two Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (YIEP) winning teams. The purpose of the embassy-funded YIEP is to promote entrepreneurship, technology and innovation among high school students across Turkey and to connect Turkish student participants with their American counterparts.

Along with US Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey, she also met with Ali Bardakoğlu, the head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, and the main theme of the conversation she and Jeffrey had with Bardakoğlu was the importance of young people and the importance of really understanding what is happening with today’s young generation.

interview with Farah Pandith

By EMINE KART
source: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-214163-us-exploring-diversity-of-islam-by-reaching-out-to-youth.html

Continue reading »]]> The ties of kinship are very important in Islam, with emphasis given to the relationship between children and parents. Children are required to respect and obey their parents unless doing so involves a sin. Furthermore, adult children must continue to honor, respect and show gratitude to their elderly parents, and are expected to care for and support them.

“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 honor. And out of kindness lower to them the wing of humility and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.’” (Qur’an 17:23)
High Status of Mother in Islam

In Islam, a mother has especially high status. She is to be given greater respect and honor than the father due to the difficulty of pregnancy, childbirth, nursing and child rearing. This is reinforced in a well-known hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) :

“A man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who among the people is most deserving of my good company?’ He said, ‘Your mother.’ He asked, ‘Then who?’ He said, ‘Your mother.’ He asked, ‘Then who?’ He said, ‘Your mother.’ He asked, ‘Then who?’ He said, ‘Then your father.’” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim).

In another famous hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is quoted as having said, “Paradise lies at the feet of the mothers.”

Read more at Suite101: Mother’s Day & Father’s Day – An Islamic View: Honoring Parents Is a Daily Obligation in Islam http://islamic-practices.suite101.com/article.cfm/mothers_day_fathers_day_an_islamic_view#ixzz0nB8d7PXW

Continue reading »]]> December 6, 2025 – According to the latest statistics there are now more than 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. Islam is the religion that has had the largest growth rate during the last decades, and is the second biggest in the world after Christianity. Indonesia is still the largest Muslim country in the world, followed by Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

Islam has developed from the preaching and life of Muhammad, a citizen of the city of Mecca in Arabia in the seventh century of the Christian era. Muslims assert that the main written record of revelation to humankind is the Qur’an, which they believe to be flawless, immutable, and the final revelation of God.

source: http://www.newsoffuture.com/billion_muslims_in_the_world_future_society.html

Continue reading »]]> by Assad Nimer Busool, Ph.D.

When one examines The Qur’an and the Tradition of the Prophet closely, one finds that the Human being by divine designation is ‘Abd li-l-Lah, a slave of God, and not a god on earth. Moreover, one learns that God created all things by His command, “Kun, Be”, but He created the human being in a special way, in stages. He fashioned him in the best of forms of clay first, then, He breathed into him of His spirit. God bestowed this special honor on the human being only. Because He just informs us of the substance from which He created the Jinn. He says,

﴾And the jinn We created before [creating the human being], of intensely hot fire.﴿ (al-Hijr 15/27)

Therefore, the human being is not an object, or animal, or an angel, or a devil, he is Insân, a human being. In essence, he is a mixture of all of the above. Muslim scholars defined the human being as, “al-‘Alam as-saghir, the small universe, or microcosm.”
God honored this special creature, and put all that He created on the earth for the service and benefit of the human being.

Therefore, the human being stands between God and the rest of the creatures on earth as the designated Khalifah, caretaker of the earth and all the creatures on it by God Himself.
Therefore, the human being is below God and higher than the other creatures on earth.

Worship العبادة

God informed us in The Qur’an of the main reason behind His creation of the human beings and the Jinn. The reason is to be His servants and worshippers. He says,

﴾And I have not created the jinn and the humans except that they should worship Me [Alone] (Ya‘budûni).
 I seek not from them any sustenance for Myself, and I do not ask them that they should feed Me.
 Indeed, God is The Sustainer, The Lord of Power, Whose unmatched power never fades. ﴿ (adh-Dhariyat 51/56-58)

Since we do not know much about the Jinn, therefore, it is better to leave them out of our discussion, and concentrate the discussion on the humans only.

Therefore, the most honorable role of the human being is to be ‘Abd Allah, servant of God. This honorable title, God bestowed on all His prophets, when He addressed every one of them as ‘Abd Allah, God’s servant, or ‘Abduna, Our servant, or ‘Abduhu, His servant.

Then, what is ‘Ibadah, worship, or ‘Ubudiyah, servitude, and how we should perform it, or practice it in order to please God, The Exalted, and receive His mercy and grace?

‘Ubudiyah, or ‘Ibadah, worship, servitude, in Islam is a covenant between God and the human being since before the creation of the human being, as God informs us in The Noble Qur’an. He says,

﴾And when your Lord pulled out from the children of Adam, from their loins, their offspring, and made them testify against their own souls, [when He asked them] Aalastu biRabbikum, Am I not your Lord? They said, yes indeed! We testify to that. Lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, indeed, we were not aware of this. ﴿(al-A‘râf 7/172)
Therefore, as a recognition of this Covenant, which God made with us human beings, Muslims recognize that Covenant and renew their pledge of servitude to God on daily basis, whenever they read Sûrat al-Fâtihah, the Opener Chapter of The Qur’an. This al-Fâtihah is an integral part of the five daily-ordained prayers and any other voluntary prayers during the day and night.

We Muslims usually open our prayer with the formula Allahu Akbar, God is Greater. That means, God Greater than all things in the universe, especially, the arrogant human being. We keep repeating the formula Allahu Akbar before and after every move we make in our prayer, expressing our servitude to God.
Therefore, we recognize God’s greatness first. Then, we admit His Lordship Alone. Then, we thank and praise Him for all the graces He bestows on us at all times by reciting the following verses,
All praise belongs to God, the Lord of the universe,
The Beneficent, The Merciful,
The Sovereign of the Day of Judgment.

Then, we pledge our servitude to Him, by reciting with full humility and submission the following verse of the same Sûrah,

﴾Iyyaka na‘budu, wa-Iyyaka nasta‘in, You and only You we do worship, and only from You do we seek help. ﴿

In Islam, God is ar-Rabb, The Lord, The Sustainer, The Provider, The Owner, The Sovereign, while the human being is al-‘Abd, the worshipper, the slave, the servant, who must fully obey his Lord, follow His orders of do and do not do and execute them in the best manner possible according to his abilities or disabilities.

The ‘Ubudiyah to God gave the early Muslims the spiritual power to challenge their worldly masters during the Makkan period, the period of Muslims’ weakness and persecution.

The Qur’an injunctions helped many free and slave people at Makkah, men as well as women, old and young to transform their loyalty and servitude to God, The Exalted, instead of an idol or a human being, which gave them immense power and courage to defeat their human masters as we learn from the story of Bilal and Sumayyah and many other slaves and weak people, especially Fatimah Bint al-Khattab, the sister of ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab, who was instrumental in bringing ‘Umar, the arch-enemy of Islam and Muslims to Islam, during the early Makkan period, the period of weakness and persecution of Muslims. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Muslims lived in fear and anxiety for thirteen years in Makkah under the persecution and the threat of the people of Makkah. Muslims feared for their lives and families all the time. God describes the Muslims’ mood of fear in Makkah. He says,

﴾And remember when you were few, oppressed in the land, fearing lest people might tear you apart, but He sheltered you and strengthened you with His victory [at Badr] and bestowed on you of the good things that you may give thanks. ﴿(al-Anfal 8/26)

In addition to freeing Muslims from slavery and control of human masters and worship of objects, Islam freed Muslims from love for worldly wealth and niggardly and accumulation of property. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq spent almost all his fortune in freeing slaves and helping Muslims, ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan, ‘A’ishah,’Umm al-Mu’minin spent a fortune as charity for needy Muslims.

An example of ‘A’ishah’s charitable spirit as a true believer and a slave of God,

Once a poor relative of ‘A’ishah by the name al-Munkadir came to her and said, “I want to get married but I have no money, would you please help me!”
She said: “I have no money now, if I have ten thousand dirhams I would of have given them to you.”
However, shortly after he left her, she received ten thousand dirhams as a gift from Khalid Ibn Asid, she exclaimed: “How fast I was tested!”
Then she sent al-Munkadir the ten thousand dirhams and he married a woman who gave birth to a three of the most pious men of Madinah; Muhammad, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, the sons of al-Munkadir.

Also I would like to mention, the freed slave, Suhaib Ibn Sinan who gave up all his money to buy his way to immigrate to Madinah in order to be with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the rest of the Muslims, and many more, especially the Ansar, the Helpers of Madinah who shared all their wealth with their brethren, the Muhajirin, the Immigrants of Makkah.

In fact, all creatures in the universe are God’s slaves, worship Him, and obey His commands. The Qur’an tells us that all things in the universe worship and glorify God,

﴾The seven heavens and the earth, and those who are in them glorify Him; and there is not a single thing but hymns His praise, however, you do not understand their hymning. Indeed, He is Forbearing, Forgiving. ﴿(al-Isra’ 17/44)

Also God, The Exalted, says,

﴾Do you not see that all those who are in the heavens and the earth hymn the glory of God, also the flying birds with expanded wings? He taught each one of all these species its prayer and its glorification [of God]. And God is Knowledgeable of what they do. ﴿(an-Noor 24/41)
Moreover, all things in the seven heavens and the earth have no choice but to prostrate themselves to God willingly or unwillingly. In other words, they are programmed by God Himself to obey Him. However, they chose to obey Him willingly. He says,

﴾And whoever is in the heavens and the earth prostrate themselves to God willingly and unwillingly, likewise their shadows in the mornings and evenings.﴿ ۩ (ar-Ra‘d 13/15)

Even the angels are under the same restricted role of worshipping God, like the rest of God’s creatures. God says in The Qur’an,

﴾Do they not see that every thing that God has created, their shadows turning right and left while they are surrendering to God obediently!
And whatever living creature and the angels that are in the heavens and that are in the earth prostrate themselves to God, while they are not arrogant,
Fearing their Lord from above them and do what they are commanded۩ ﴿
(an-Nahl 16/48-50)
However, God did not impose His will on the human beings to believe in Him. In fact, He left the choice to them to choose between belief and disbelief.
Moreover, God out of His mercy and love for the human beings, He warned them of what awaits them in the Hereafter of the severe punishment if they do not believe in Him. On the other side, He informed the human beings of the high reward that awaits the believers and good doers. In other words, human beings responsible of what awaits them of reward or punishment on the Day of Judgment. He says,

﴾And say [O Prophet!] [What I came to you of the message is] the Truth from your Lord, therefore, let him who please believe, and let him who please disbelieve. Indeed, We have prepared for the unbelievers a Fire, its wall shall surround them; and if they cry [to quench their thirst], they shall be given water like molten brass, which will roast their faces; how evil is the drink, and how bad is the resting-place.
Indeed, those who believe and do good deeds, We do not waste the reward of him who does a good work. ﴿(al-Kahf 18/29-30)

God does not do injustice to those who wrong themselves by choosing the disbelieve in God. In fact, they are the ones who wrong themselves. God says,

﴾And We did not do them injustice, but they were unjust to themselves, so their deities whom they called upon besides God did not avail them a thing when the decree of your Lord happened; rather, they increased their loss. ﴿ (Houd 11/101)

God shakes off of Himself injustice whenever He mentions the punishment that awaits the unbelievers and the wrong doers on the Day of Judgment. He says,

﴾And guard yourselves against a Day in which you shall be returned to God; then every soul shall be paid back in full what it has earned and they shall not be wronged﴿ (al-Baqarah 2/281)

Indeed, it is interesting to know that the human being is the only creature of God, who was given the choice to believe in God or not to believe in Him. A privilege that not given even to the angels. This act is mentioned in more than one place in The Qur’an, for example,

﴾And if your Lord had willed, all those [people] who are in the earth would have believed, all of them. Will you then force people in order that they become believers?
And it is not for a soul to believe except by God’s permission; and He sticks disbelieve to those who will not understand.﴿ (Younos 10/99-100)

Since the human being is given the freedom of choice between belief and disbelief. Therefore, that free will must be regulated by laws of do and do not do. Because often this creature, the human being commits the wrong choice, as the first human being, Adam did in Paradise when he chose to eat from the banned tree.
Moreover, it is not enough for the human being to be ritualistic only, he must be active in doing good deeds, since he is the designated Khalifah, caretaker of the earth by God Himself. Being active, it is more likely that he commits errors. In addition to all that, he has the honor of carrying the spirit of God that He breathed into him. Therefore, made him understand and comprehend all what takes place around him. God says,

﴾That is The Knower of the unseen and the seen, The Mighty The Merciful,
Who perfected the creation of everything, and He initiated the creation of the human being from dust.
Then, He created his progeny of insignificant fluid.
Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit, and made for you the ears, the eyes, and the hearts; little is it that you give thanks.﴿
(as-Sajdah 32/6-9)

Indeed, it is easy for the human being to be ritualistic, however, it is very hard to be active and face the daily materialistic temptations.

The great mystic scholar, Ibn as-Sammak beautifully summed up the materialistic temptations of the life that causes people to sin and to go to war. He said,

“If it was not for three things no injustice would take place, and no sword would be unsheathed; a thread is finer than other thread, and a face more beautiful than other face, and a food more delicious than other food.”

Action العمل

This passive verbal worship God ordained and accepted from all creatures in the universe except the human being from whom God demands a positive and active worship, which is ‘Amal, action, because God equipped the human being with a special tool to enable him to be active and creative as a Khalifah, caretaker of the earth. This tool God calls al-Amânah, the Trust, the ability to think, to contemplate, to distinguish between good and evil, and to remember facts and things for a long time, and to connect between the past, the present, and the future. God says,

﴾Indeed, We offered al-Amânah, the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains; however, they refused to undertake it and were afraid of it. However the human being undertook it; indeed, he wronged his own self ignorantly,
In order that God will punish the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women and the polytheistic men and the polytheistic women. Then, God will accept the repentance of the believing men and the believing women. Moreover, God is Forgiving, Merciful.﴿ (al-Ahzâb 33/72)

In fact, God demands from the human beings to be active, and to move around the earth, to construct it in order to earn their living. God says,

﴾He it is Who that made the earth submits for you, therefore move all over it, and seek your living from His sustenance. Ultimately, to Him is the return after death. ﴿(al-Mulk 67/15)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized the difference between the irresponsible animal behavior and the responsible behavior of the human being. When a dweller of the desert came to him on the back of a camel, and he said to the Prophet – probably trying to impress the Prophet of his deep faith in God – I want to leave my camel loose and depend on God to take care of it for me. However, the Prophet (peace be upon him) reminded him of his responsibility first for protecting his camel by admonishing him, ﴾You should tie your camel up first, and then depend on God. ﴿

Whenever God condemned certain human beings who do not think, reflect, ponder and distinguish between good and evil, He compared them with animals. He says,

﴾In addition, We already have created for Hell many of the jinn and the humans; they have hearts with which they do not comprehend, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like animals; rather, they are more misguided; these are the heedless ones.﴿ (al-A’raf 7/179)

Moreover, He says,

﴾Or do you think that most of them do hear or understand? They are nothing but as cattle. Rather, they are more lost [than the cattle]. ﴿ (al-Furqan 25/44)

God bestows His favors and graces on all His living creatures on earth unconditionally except the human being, He puts a condition on him whenever He promise to bestow a grace or a favor on him, example,

﴾Indeed, you shall not attain God’s favor until you spend [benevolently] out of what you love [of the wealth]. And whatever thing you spend, God for sure knows it. ﴿(Âl ‘Imrân 3/92)

Moreover, ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab, the Second Caliph of Islam, expressed the strong relationship between ritualistic worship and action when, one day he passed by an old woman herding her she-camel that had a skin disease. He asked the woman, “What do you do for your camel?” She answered, “I pray to God to cure her.” He said, “Add some tar to your prayer.”

The same ‘Umar (may God be pleased with him) admonished people to be active and to work in order to earn their living, and not to depend on their prayer to God to send them their sustenance. He said, “No one amongst you should stop seeking living and say, ‘God send me my sustenance, you already know that heavens do not rain gold or silver. Indeed, I see the young man and he impresses me, then I ask, does he has any craft? If I am told, no. He loses my respect.”

‘Umar followed the saying of the Prophet in his statement about the nonprofessional young man. The Prophet urged Muslims to be professional and to earn their living from their crafts and professions. He said,

﴾Indeed, God loves the professional believer. ﴿

‘Abd Allah Ibn ‘Abbas, the sage of the Muslim ‘Ummah commented on the following verse,

﴾He it is Who sent down as-Sakînah, tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they might have more faith added to their faith. And to God belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth and God Knower, Wise. ﴿
(al-Fat/h 48/4)
He said: Indeed, God, The Exalted, sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the testimony of, “There is no god but Allah,” however, when people believed in it, He added “prayer”, when the believers believed in it, He added “Fasting”, when the believers believed in it, He added “Zakah”, when the believers believed in it, He added “Hajj, Pilgrimage”. However, when the believers believed in it, He added “Jihad”. Then He completed their religion for them, with His saying,

﴾This day have I perfected for you your religion, and completed My favor on you, and chosen for you Islam as a religion.﴿ (al-Mâ’idah 5/3)

God, The Exalted, informs us in The Qur’an, why He sent down the Sakînah, the Tranquility, and ordained the five pillars of Islam, by His saying,

﴾In order that He makes the believing men and the believing women enter gardens beneath which rivers flow to abide therein, and remove from them their evil; and that is a grand achievement with God,
And that He may punish al-Munâfiqīn, the hypocritical men and al-Munâfiqât, the hypocritical women, and al-Mushrikīn, the polytheistic men and al-Mushrikât, the polytheistic women, who think evil thoughts about God. Evil will encircle them and turn against them, God is angry with them, and has cursed them, and prepared Hell for them, and what an evil destination it is for them.﴿ (al-Fat/h 48/5-6)

الإيمان قول وعمل يزيد وينقص
Faith is Utterance, and Action, Increases and Decreases

From all of this, the early scholars of Islam concluded that Imân, Faith is Qawl, utterance, and ‘Amal, action, which according to the second-generation scholar, Sufyân Ibn ‘Uyaynah, it increases as much as God wills, and decreases until nothing is left of it.

The full ‘Ubûdiyah, servitude to God is gradually established and strengthened within the soul of the believer in stages.

The first stage is Tasdīq bil-qalb, acceptance by the heart, which begins as a spark in the heart. God says,

﴾No calamity strikes [any one] except by God’s permission. And whoever believes in God, He shall guide aright his heart; and God Knows all things. ﴿ (at-Taghâbun 64/11)

This spark of Imân, faith, grows and expands in the heart, until it turns to a lighthouse, which lights the way for its possessor, this abundance of light is called Taqwa, consciousness of God, which helps the human to build a shield around his soul to protect it from evil altogether. God says,

﴾Say [O Muhammad, that God admonishes you], O my believing servants! Ittaqu Rabbakum, be careful of your duty to your Lord; for those who do good in this world is good [reward], and God’s earth is spacious; only the patient shall receive their reward in full without measure.
Say [O Muhammad]: I am commanded that I should worship God, purifying [my] faith for Him Alone.
 Moreover, I am commanded that I should be the first Muslim.
 Say [O Muhammad], if I disobey my Lord [God], I fear the punishment of a great day [the Day of Judgment].
Say [O Muhammad], I worship God, while I am purifying my faith to Him.﴿ (az-Zumar 39/10-14)

The second stage is the pronouncement of the Shahâdah, the testimony of faith, talking nice and says what is best. God says,

﴾And say to My servants that they should speak, which is best. Indeed, Satan incites evil amongst them. Indeed, Satan is a clear enemy to the human. ﴿
(al-Isra’ 17/53)

Therefore, ‘Ibâd ar-Rahmân, the servants of the Beneficent, must be peaceful and speak kindly to crude, ill mannered people who insult them. God says,

﴾And the servants of The Beneficent are they who walk on the earth humbly, and when the ill mannered verbally assaults them, they say, Peace. ﴿
(al-Furqân 25/63)

Indeed, God, The Exalted, strongly emphasizes this peaceful behavior of His servants. He says,

﴾And who speaks better than he who calls to God, and performs good deeds, and declares, I am a Muslim?
There is a great difference between good deeds and evil deeds. Therefore, repel [evil] with the best deed, and here is the one he between whom and you there is enmity would be as if he is a bosom friend.
And no one would accept this advice and act on it, except those who persevere, furthermore, no one would accept it and act on it, except the one who is very lucky. ﴿(Fussilat 41/33-35)
The third stage is ‘Amal, Action. After the Iman, faith is deeply established in the heart and the soul of the believer, he or she must transform this verbal Iman into action. According to actions and deeds, the human being is judged, either, he is evil, or good; doomed or saved.

After the servants of God establish their faith in God, purify their souls and their speech, they are ordered to perform prayers. God says in The Qur’an,

﴾I am Allah, there is no god but I. Therefore, worship Me Alone, then, perform prayer whenever you remember Me. ﴿ (TâHâ 20/14)
In addition, God says,

﴾O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves and worship your Lord, and do well that you may prosper.﴿ (al-Hajj 22/77)

Prayer purifies the soul even further, and restrains people from committing evil acts. God says,

﴾[O Prophet] Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book [The Qur’an] and perform the prayer. Indeed, the prayer prevents from committing abomination and evil acts, the remembrance of God is greater, and God knows what you do. ﴿(al-‘Ankaboot 29/45)
In addition to performing prayer, God, The Exalted, orders Muslims to pay Zakah. Since prayer purifies the soul, then, Zakah purifies the wealth. God says,

﴾And strive hard for the sake of God, as it is worthy of Him. He has chosen you and has not laid upon you a difficulty in religion, the religion of your father Ibrâhīm. It is he who has named you Muslims before and in this religion [of Islam], in order, that the Messenger be a witness for you, and you may be witnesses for all people. Therefore, you should perform prayer, pay Zakah, and seek protection with God; He is your Protector; how excellent is the Protector and how excellent is the Helper! ﴿(al-Hajj 22/78)

Zakah, purification of wealth is an annual tax of 2.5% of the accumulated wealth during the year. God, The Exalted, connected between Salah, prayer and Zakah in 36 verses in The Qur’an.

Since Zakah is ordained as an annual tax, God encourages Muslims to be voluntarily charitable all year around, whenever they can afford it. He says,

﴾Say to My servants who believe that they should perform prayer and spend out of what We have bestowed on them secretly and openly before the coming of the day in which there shall be no ransom accepted nor mutual befriending.﴿ (Ibrâhim 14/31)
God, The Exalted, promise to reward voluntary charity up to seven hundred times, even more. He says,

﴾The example of those who spend their wealth in the path of God is as the example of a grain growing seven ears, in every ear there are one hundred grains; and God multiplies for whom He wills; and God is Vastly Generous in giving, Knower.﴿ (al-Baqarah 2/261)
In fact, God, The Exalted, considers Sadaqah, charity, as Qard Hasan, a goodly loan to Him, and He puts it at par with prayer and Zakah, two of the pillars of Islam. He says in The Qur’an,

﴾And you should perform prayer, pay Zakah, and loan God a goodly loan. ﴿
(al-Muzzammil 73/20)

God, The Exalted, on the Day of Judgment, will doubly reward this goodly loan. God says,

﴾Who is ready to lend God a goodly loan, and He shall double it for him. In addition, he shall have an excellent reward [on the Day of Judgment].﴿ (al-Hadid 57/11)
Moreover, God, The Exalted, says,

﴾Indeed, [as for] the charitable men and the charitable women, and [those who] give a goodly loan to God [i.e. for the sake of God]. [God] shall double it for them. [In addition], they shall have a generous reward [Paradise]. ﴿
(al-Hadid 57/18)

As we say in modern economic terms, it is a “Guaranteed loan”. This time the guarantor is God and not a bank or a government.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) admonished people not to belittle any amount of Sadaqah, charity, no matter how meager. He said,

﴾Do not despise any good deed no matter how meager it is. ﴿

Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) admonished people that the smallest amount of Sadaqah they give will protect them from Hell-Fire. He said,

﴾Protect yourselves from Fire even with half a date. ﴿

God, The Exalted, rewards the believers for all good deeds they do, no matter how big or small. He says in The Qur’an,

﴾Indeed, those who believe and do good deeds, We do not waste the reward of him who does a good work. ﴿(al-Kahf 18/30)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) elaborated on God’s saying, by telling us that, even if a man puts a morsel of food in his wife’s mouth, he will be rewarded for it.

Indeed, there is no limit of God’s mercy and kindness to us human beings. He rewards us even for things that we enjoy the most. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informs us that if a man makes love to his wife, he would be rewarded for it, and if she satisfies his needs, she would be rewarded too. Pleasing a husband and taking care of his needs is a form of Jihad for women.

The Combination between ‘Ibadah and ‘Amal

Islam combines between ‘Ibadah, worship and ‘Amal, action, in all its injunctions and ordinances, the one could not be fulfilled without the other, as God orders us to do. He says in The Qur’an,

﴾And you should seek by means of what God has given you the abode of the Hereafter, and you should not neglect your portion of this world. And do good to others as God has done good to you. And you should not spread corruption in the land. Indeed, God does not love those who spread corruption in the land.﴿ (al-Qasas 28/77)
In this verse, God, The Exalted, orders us to be kind to others as He is kind to us by giving us life and bestowing His Grace on us, moreover, He does not like us to be destructive on this earth, and nothing is more destructive than being lazy and idle.

Therefore, God, The Exalted, allows us to work, then to worship Him, and then to go back to work. He says in The Qur’an,

﴾O you who believe! When [you hear] the call for noon-prayer on Friday, come to the remembrance of God [the sermon and the prayer] and leave off business [and all worldly material transactions]. That is better for you if you only know.

Then when the [Friday] noon-prayer is ended, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of God [by working lawfully], and remember God much [in all your dealings and transactions]; that you may be successful.﴿ (al-Jumu‘ah 62/9-10)

Again, in these verses, God, The Exalted, divides the time between worshipping Him and our work for our living. He orders us to work for our living, as He orders us to worship Him. Remembering God, The Exalted, must happen all the time, at the time of prayers or out of it, because remembering God, The Exalted, makes us remember His orders and ordinances of Halal and Haram.

In fact, God, right from the beginning of Islam, reduced the time for worshipping Him, in order to give Muslims enough time for resting and working to earn their living, and to fight in the path of God as we learn from the following verse of Surat al-Muzzammil 73/20. We learn from this verse that God laid down the foundations of the human society,
1 – The spiritual, 2 – The economic, 3 – The military.
These three foundations must be established and maintained in all healthy human societies. If one of them is missing, the society is doomed to failure. He says,

﴾Indeed, your Lord knows that you [Muhammad] pass in prayer nearly two-thirds of the night, and [sometimes] half of it, and [sometimes] a third of it, and a group of those with you; and God measures the night and the day. He knows that you are not able to do it, so He has turned to you [mercifully], therefore, read what you can of The Qur’an. He knows that there are among you sick, and others who travel in the land seeking of the bounty of God, and others who fight in God’s way. Therefore, read as much as you can of it [The Qur’an], perform prayer, and pay Zakah [purification of wealth], and give away for the sake of God a good portion of your wealth. And whatever of good you send on beforehand for yourselves, you will find it with God; that is best and greatest in reward; and ask forgiveness of God; indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful. ﴿ (al-Muzzammil 73/20)

In fact, the Prophet scolded one of his companions when he led the night prayer, and made it very long; therefore, he deprived many workers from a good night sleep, by ordering all Muslim Imams,
“When any one of you leads the communal prayer, he should make it short, because amongst those who pray behind him, there are the sick, the weak, and the busy business people. However, if he prays alone, he could make his prayer as long as he wishes.”

Moreover, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) considered working for living, feeding one’s parents, wife, and children as a form of Jihad. He said,

﴾Jihad is not that one fights with his sword in the path of Allah only, indeed, the real Jihad is [performed by] the one who works to support his parents, his children, and himself in order not to beg from people. ﴿

In another version, the Prophet said,

﴾Whoever works to support his parents and to save them from asking help of other people, he works in the path of Allah. And whoever works to support a wife or a child to satisfy their needs and to save them from asking help from other people, his is in the path of Allah. And whoever works to support himself and to avoid asking from other people, he is in the path of Allah. But whoever works for rivalry in wealth, he is in the path of the devil.﴿

The Prophet (peace be upon him) preferred the Muslim who combines worship with work for living over the one who dedicates himself to worship only while others support him and feed him.

“A group of people traveled to the Prophet (peace be upon him), when they came to him, they said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! There is no one after the Messenger of Allah who is better than so and so, he fasts during the day, and when we halt for rest, he prays until we move again.’
The Prophet said, ‘Who fed him and took care of all his needs?’
They said’ ‘All of us.’
He said, ‘All of you are better than him.’”

In certain situations where it is hard for Muslims to fast in the month of Ramadan, God relieves them from fasting. God says in The Qur’an,

﴾ [It is] only for a limited number of days. However, whoever among you is sick or traveling, then [he should fast] the same number [of missed days] some other time; as for those who are not able to do it [fast], may give a compensation by feeding a poor person [for each day he could not fast]; so whoever gives extra good voluntarily is better for him. However, if you fast is better for you if you but know.

The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was revealed, guidance to people and clear revelations of the guidance and the distinction [between the Truth and falsehood]. Therefore, whoever of you is not traveling during the month [of Ramadan], then let him fast it. And whoever is sick or traveling, then [he should fast] the same number of missed days some other time. God wants ease for you, and He does not want for you hardship, so that you complete the number of fasting days. Then, you should glorify God for what He has guided you [for His worship], and that you may give thanks [to Him].﴿ (al-Baqarah 2/184-185)

In fact, the Prophet acted on God’s permission to not fast while traveling, and when ‘Amal, action, clashed with ‘Ibadah, worship, he gave preference to ‘Amal, action.

Anas Ibn Malik reported, “Once we were traveling on a hot day with the Prophet (peace be upon him), some of us were fasting and some were not. Then, we camped in a place without any shade to the extent that, we were shielding ourselves from the scorching heat of the sun with our hands and our shirts. The fasting ones collapsed, but those who were not fasting pitched the tents, and gave water to the riding animals. Seeing all this, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said, ‘The non-fasting men got all the reward today.’”

‘Amal, action and work is very essential in Islam, to the extent that the Prophet (peace be upon him) urged Muslims to work to the last moment of this world, he said,

﴾If the Hour takes place and any one of you has a seedling of a palm-tree in his hand, if he could plant it before he stands up, he must plant it. ﴿

The question is for whom he is planting the palm-tree? And who is going to eat from it after the Day of Judgment took place?

Then, why the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave us such an order?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) wants us to complete the work we have in hand under all circumstances. The Prophet (peace be upon him) does not want the Muslim to be quitter.

In addition to his order for Muslims to complete their work no matter what happens, he admonished Muslims to perfect their work. He said,

﴾Indeed! God loves that if anyone of you does a job to perfect it. ﴿

The Prophet (peace be upon him) following the guidance of The Qur’an urged Muslims to combine the affairs of this life and the Hereafter in order to earn their living and to avoid being a burden on others. He said,

﴾The one who abandons his worldly life for his heavenly life is not the best amongst you, until he takes care of both of them; indeed, the life of this world is a path to the Hereafter. Therefore, do not be a burden upon people [in your living]. ﴿

Indeed, ‘Ibadah and ‘Amal, one gives support to the other. As we learn from the following dialogue between Yahya Ibn Mu‘adh ar-Razi and a man who blamed him for his love of this world, explains to us the strong relationship between the two lives, the life of this world and the life of the Hereafter, which is very hard to break.

Once a man said to Yahya Ibn Mu‘adh ar-Razi: You love the life of this world.
Yahya said, tell me about the Hereafter is it gained by obedience to God or by disobedience?
The man, by obedience.
Yahya, tell me about the obedience, is it practiced through life or through death?
The man, through life.
Yahya, tell me about life, is it sustained by food or without food?
The man, by food.
Yahya, tell me about the food, is it from this world or from the Hereafter?
The man, it is from this world.
Yahya, why then, should I not love a life in which I can get food through which I gain life through which I gain God’s obedience, which makes me enter Paradise in the Hereafter?
The man, I testify, this is the meaning of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying, ‘Indeed, eloquence is magic.’

The reward from God to those who worship him but strive and labor hard in His path is higher than the reward for those who worship Him only. God says in The Qur’an,

﴾Those who stay behind and do not join the Muslim troops to war from among the believers, not having any injury, are not equal to those who strive hard in God’s way with their wealth and their lives. God has made those who strive with their wealth and their lives to supersede those who stay behind with a [high] degree. However, to each [group] God has promised good. And God preferred the strivers to those who stay behind with a great reward,
[High] degrees, forgiveness, and mercy from Him. And God is Forgiving, Merciful.﴿ (an-Nisâ’ 4/95-96)

Therefore, faith in Islam consists of three stages,

1 – Acceptance of faith by the heart,

God says in The Qur’an,

﴾The Bedouins say, we believe. Say, you do not believe, rather you should say, we became Muslims; for faith has not yet entered into your hearts; and if you obey God and His Messenger, He will not deprive you any thing of [the reward] for your deeds. Indeed, God is Ghafûr, Forgiving, Rahīm, Merciful.﴿ (al-Hujurât 49/14)
2 – Expression of faith by the tongue,

God, The Exalted, says,

﴾Say [O believers], We believe in God and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibrâhīm and Ismâ‘īl and Is/hâq and Ya‘qoub and the descendants of Ibrâhīm, and what was delivered to Mûsâ, and ‘Îsâ, and to the [other] prophets from their Lord. Indeed, we do not differentiate between any of them [rather we believe in them all], and to Him do we submit. ﴿(Âl ‘Imrân 3/84)
3 – Implementation of faith through the actions of the limbs.

God, The Exalted, says,

﴾Indeed, faith is not that you turn your faces towards East and West. Rather, the faithful is he who believes in God, the Last Day, the angels, the Book [The Qur’an], the Prophets; and gives away wealth in spite of loving it, to blood relatives, and orphans, the needy [who does not go around and beg from people], the wayfarer, the beggars, and for [the freeing of] the captives. Moreover, faith is to perform prayer, and to pay Zakah; and those who fulfill a promise when they make one, and those who persevere in distress and affliction and in time of war [in the battlefield]. These are the truthful [in their faith] and these are who believe and guard themselves against evil and do good deeds (al-Muttaqun). ﴿(al-Baqarah 2/177)

Moreover, God, The Exalted, says,
﴾The believers are only those who believe in God and His Messenger, then they doubt not, and Jâhadu, struggle hard with their wealth and their lives in the way of God; they are the truthful ones.﴿
(al-Hujurat 49/15)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) considers expressing the faith by the heart alone the weakest form of faith. He said,

﴾He who sees a wrong being committed, must stop it by his hand, however, if he could not, he must stop it by his tongue, however, if he could not, he must stop it by his heart, and that is the weakest form of faith. ﴿

In general, Islam, through The Qur’an and the Sunnah, tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him) urges the Muslim to be active and not to sit idle expressing his faith through words only. God, The Exalted, says in The Qur’an,

﴾And say, work! Therefore, God will see your work and so will His Messenger and the believers. Moreover, you shall be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, and then He will inform you of what you used to do. ﴿
(at-Tawbah 9/105)

God, The Exalted, informs us that if any human being hopes to meet his Lord on the Day of Judgment, he must do good deeds. He says,

﴾Say [O Prophet!] I am only a human being like you; however, it is revealed to me that your god is One God. Therefore, whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and do not associate any one in the worship of his Lord.﴿ (al-Kahf 18/110)

‘Amal, Action and work is very essential and basic in Islam, and equal to Iman, Faith, to the extent that God, The Exalted, connected Iman, belief, faith with ‘Amal Salih, good deeds, in 56 verses in The Qur’an. In fact we do not find Iman, faith, mentioned by itself in The Qur’an. It is always combined with ‘Amal Salih, good deed.

Moreover, a Muslim should be a dignified human being; however, he has to obtain his dignity through his faith in God. Dignity and power are expressed verbally and actually. If the person’s words and deeds are good, God, The Exalted, accepts them, and reward the person for them. On the other hand, any human being tries to gain dignity and power through false and evil means; God will punish him. God says in The Qur’an,

﴾Whoever wants to gain power [He should gain it through God], since to God belong all power. To Him do ascend the good words, and He lifts the good deeds up to Him. And [as for] those who plot evil deeds, they shall have a severe punishment; however, the plotting of those shall perish. ﴿(Fatir 35/10)

From the previous verse we learn that good words alone do not help us to obtain God’s grace; rather words should be supported by good deeds.

Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) made faith conditioned by loving good for others. He said,

﴾None among you will be true believer until he wants for his brother that what he wants for himself. ﴿

The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered the Muslims to follow the guidance of The Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to live the two lives, which God, The Exalted, designated for them. He said,

“I left with you two items, you will never go astray while you follow them. They are the Book of God and my Sunnah.”

The early Muslims followed the guidance of The Qur’an and the Prophet (peace be upon him) and they ordered each other accordingly. Here is an example,

“The Prophet (peace be upon him) fraternized between Salman Ibn al-Islam, and Abu ad-Darda’. One day Salman visited his brother Abu ad-Darda’ and he found his wife, Umm ad-Darda’ shabby. He asked her, what is the matter with you?
She said, your brother, Abu ad-Darda’ has no interest in this life. Soon enough, Abu ad-Darda’ came home. He made food for Salman, and said to him, go ahead and eat! I am fasting today (it was a voluntary fasting).
Salman said, I would never eat until you eat with me. Therefore, he broke his fasting and ate.
At night, Abu ad-Darda’ wanted to perform voluntary prayers all during the night; however, Salman stopped him and made him sleep, but he wanted to get up again to pray. However, Salman stopped him. At dawn, Salman said, now get up and pray. And both of them prayed, then Salman said to him, your Lord has a right over you, your body has right over you, and your wife has right over you; therefore, you should give each one his right.
Abu ad-Darda’ went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and told him of what had happened.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Salman is right.

Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade his companions to be celibate, and hermits, when some of them tried to practice it.

Anas reported, “Three men came to the Prophet’s houses to ask his wives about the Prophet’s practice of worship. However, when they were informed of it, it did not seem that it was too much for them, and they exclaimed, we could not be like the Prophet (peace be upon him) for whom all sins are forgiven.
One of them said, I pray all the night without stopping.
The second said, I fast every day without stopping.
The third one said: I never approach women; I will never get married.
However, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was informed of what they said, he came to them and said,
﴾Are you the men who said [such and such]? By God! I am the most pious and the most conscious of God amongst all of you; however, I fast and break my fasting, I pray, sleep, and marry women. Whoever does not follow my Sunnah, is not my follower. ﴿

Islam legislated two kinds of duties, Fard ‘Ain, individual or personal responsibility, and Fard Kifayah, collective, or communal responsibility.
Fard ‘Ain is incumbent on every mature, sane individual, male and female, like, prayer, Zakah, fasting, pilgrimage, and Jihad to defend the community against enemies from within and without, etc.
Fard Kifayah is incumbent on all the members of the Muslim community until one of them fulfils it. Then, they are absolved of responsibility. For instance, if a certain community in need for a medical doctor, or a lawyer, or even a carpenter or mechanic, all of them are accountable to God and guilty until at least one of them becomes M.D. or lawyer, or carpenter, etc. This required from the Muslim community, because the Muslim community must be self sufficient of all it needs of professionals and craftsmen.

Every thing in Islam must have a purpose, even entertainment and play. The Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged people to enjoy themselves by entertaining themselves with a pleasurable and beneficial play, like training their horses, playing with their wives, and archery. Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged people to learn writing and reading and swimming.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) put archery and learning The Qur’an at the same par, because both of them give the Muslim power. The Qur’an strengthens his faith and spirituality, and archery strengthen his military power and makes him prepared and ready for the enemy’s of God and his enemy. He said,

﴾Learn archery and The Qur’an. The believer best hours when he remembers God, The Mighty, The Exalted.﴿

In fact, the Prophet (peace be upon him) urged Muslims to learn archery at all times, because it is a deterrent power against the enemy. He kept urging Muslims to the degree that he informed them that between the two targets of archery there is a garden of the gardens of Paradise. He said,

﴾Learn archery, indeed, there is a garden of the garden of Paradise between the two targets.﴿

The early Muslims prepared themselves spiritually first, then materially for their enemies.
Spiritually, they freed themselves of the love of the materialistic wealth of this world.
Militarily, they produced all their equipment within the perimeters of the Muslim state. They did not import any of all what they needed of their military logistics and equipment.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) urged people to manufacture arrows and bows, by promising Paradise to those who make it and those who use it. He promoted archery to the degree that he preferred it over horse riding, even though he encouraged men to ride horses. He said,

﴾Indeed, God will send three people to Paradise for one arrow,
1 – Its maker, 2 – The one who collect it during the battle and hand it to the archer, and 3 – The archer.
Shoot arrows and ride horses. It is preferable to me if you shoot arrows.﴿

The Prophet (peace be upon him) urged Muslims to be militarily ready at all times and to be charitable too. Both ways, to train for military struggle and to be charitable and helpful to the needy, are rewarded by Paradise in the Hereafter. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

﴾Ride horses, and shoot arrows, and if you shoot arrows is more preferable to me. Indeed, God, The Mighty, the Exalted send three people to Paradise for one arrow, its manufacturer, the one who supply the fighter with it, and the one who shoots it.
Indeed, God, The Mighty, The Wise, for a morsel of bread or a handful of dates, and any thing like it, that the poor can benefit of it, sends three people to Paradise, the man of the house who orders it to be given, the wife who prepares it, and the servant who hands it to the poor.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, The thanks to God Who does not forget our servants.﴿

Learning and mastering archery is a grace that a Muslim man acquires, however, if he forgets it, it is considered a rejection for that grace. Muslim must keep practicing the art of warfare in order to be ready for any surprise attack by the enemy. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

﴾Whoever learned archery, then he forgets it, it is a grace which he rejected.﴿

Therefore, a talented Muslim could not waste his talent in foolish useless acts. Like
a very gifted and talented man, who had a dozen of needles, he stuck one of them in the ground. Then, he stood up, and threw the needles; each one entered the eye of the previous one until he finished the dozen without missing even one of them. However, the Abbasid caliph, Haroon ar-Rashid heard of that talented man, and he ordered him to come to his court. Then, he ordered him to show him his talent. The man successfully executed the task. Upon completing the show, the Caliph rewarded the man with one hundred dinars, and ordered him to be whipped one hundred lashes. His courtiers were surprised of his deed and they asked him: Why did you reward him and punish him at the same time? The Caliph said: I rewarded him for his talent and punished him for wasting his talent in such useless act.

Every thing a person does, if it is good or bad, he or she is responsible for it. If it is good, he or she is rewarded, however, if it is bad, he or she is punished. God says,

﴾And whoever commits a sin, he only commits it against his own soul. And God is Knower, Wise.﴿ (an-Nisa’ 4/111)

Moreover, God, The Exalted, says,

﴾Say [O Prophet], O people! Indeed, there has come to you the Truth from your Lord, therefore, whoever follows the guidance, he follows it only for the good of his own soul. However, whoever goes astray, it is against his soul, and I am not a custodian over you.﴿ (Younus 10/108)

This principle emphasized very strongly to the extent it is repeated numerous times in The Qur’an. God, The Exalted, says,

﴾And whoever is grateful, he is grateful only for his own soul, and whoever is ungrateful, then my Lord is Self-sufficient, Generous. ﴿ (an-Naml 27/40)
Moreover, God, The Exalted, says,

﴾And whoever strives hard, he strives only for his own soul. Indeed, God is in no need what so ever for the whole world.
And those who believe and do good deeds, We will forgive them their bad deeds and We will reward them the best of what they did. ﴿
(al-‘Ankaboot 29/6-7)

Moreover, God, The Exalted, says,

﴾And We already bestowed wisdom on Luqmân. [We admonished Him], you should be thankful to God. And whoever thanks God, he is only thanking for his own soul; and whoever is unthankful, then indeed, God is Self-sufficient, Praiseworthy. ﴿ (Luqman 31/12)

Since every thing we do, we do it for our own selves, therefore, every human being is solely responsible for his or her acts on the Day of Judgment. God says,

﴾And no soul is responsible for the faults of another soul [on the Day of Judgment].
Even, if a heavily laden soul [with bad deeds] should cry for help, none of its load shall be carried, not even by very close blood relative. You warn only those who fear their Lord without seeing Him, and perform prayer; and whoever purifies himself, he purifies himself only for the good of his own soul. And to God is the final destination. ﴿(Fatir 35/18)

Moreover, human beings are judged on the Day of Judgment according to their deeds in this life. If their deeds are good they are rewarded for them, and if their deeds are evil, they are punished for them. No injustice would be inflicted upon them. God, The Exalted, says,

﴾Whoever does good, it is for his own soul, and whoever does evil, it is against it; and your Lord [God] is not in the least unjust to [His] servants.﴿
(Fussilat 41/46)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized the role of our deeds and actions in saving us from the Hell-Fire, or throwing us into it.

Qais Ibn ‘Asim said, “I came to the Prophet (peace be upon him)with a delegation of Bani Tamim. He said to me: ‘Bathe with water and leaves of the lotus tree’. I did what he ordered me to do and came back to him, and I said, ‘Admonish us with an admonition from which we can benefit.’ ”
He said,
“O Qais! Indeed, there is humiliation with celebrity.
And there is death with life.
And there is Hereafter with this worldly life.
And for everything there is reckoning.
And there is a guardian over everything.
And there is a reward for every good deed.
And there is a punishment for every bad deed.
And there is an end for each life.
Qais! You must have a companion which will be buried with you while it is alive, and you will be buried with it while you are dead. If it is an honorable one it will honor you and stick to you, and if it is a base one it will shame you and hand you over; then it will not be resurrected except with you, and you will not be resurrected except with it, and you will not be asked except about it. Therefore, make it good and do not relax except with it. And if it is evil, stay away from it. It is not other than your deed.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, God connects Iman, belief, faith with ‘Amal Salih, good deeds, in 56 verses in The Qur’an. Example,

﴾Indeed, those who believe, and do good deeds, perform prayer, and pay Zakah, they shall have their reward from their Lord [God], and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.﴿ (al-Baqarah 2/277)

It is interesting to know that the verb ‘Abada and all its derivatives are mentioned 280 times in The Qur’an.

While, the verb ‘Amila and all its derivatives are mentioned 351 times.

In many places in The Qur’an, God combines between ‘Ibadah, worship and ‘Amal, action.

‘Amal, deed, action is superior to Qawl, utterance. God prefers and accepts ‘Amal over Qawl, as we learn from God’s saying in The Qur’an,

﴾Whoever wants to gain power [He should gain it through God], since to God belong all power. To Him do ascend the good words, and He lifts the good deeds up to Him. And [as for] those who plot evil deeds, they shall have a severe punishment; however, the plotting of those shall perish.﴿ (Fatir 35/10)

* * *

About the Author:

Mr. Assad Nimer Busool, Ph.D. Arabic and Islamic Studies is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Arabic Studies at the American Islamic College.

Email: yakareem2002@yahoo.com – yafattah@core.com

source:http://www.bridgesoffaith.org/?page_id=118

Continue reading »]]> By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

On January 1st, 1995, the United Nations proclaimed 1995 as the “Year of Tolerance,” saying that the ability to be tolerant of the actions, beliefs and opinions of others is a major factor in promoting world peace. The statement issued by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO) on this occasion, emphasizes that amidst the resurgence of ethnic conflicts, discrimination against minorities and xenophobia directed against refugees and asylum-seekers, tolerance is the only way forward. It is said, racism and religious fanaticism in many countries had led to many forms of discrimination and the intimidation of those who held contrary views. Violence against and intimidation of authors, journalists and others who exercise their freedom of expression, were also on the increase along with political movements which seek to make particular groups responsible for social ills such as crime and unemployment. Intolerance is one of the greatest challenges we face on the threshold to the 21st century, said the UNESCO Statement. Intolerance is both an ethnic and political problem. It is a rejection of the differences between individuals and between cultures. When intolerance becomes organized or institutionalized, it destroys democratic principles and poses a threat to world peace. —The Hindustan Times, January 1, 1995.

This proclamation of the UN is most apt and timely. The prime need of the world today is indeed tolerance.

One of the stark realities of life is that divergence of views does exist between man and man, and that it impinges at all levels. Be it at the level of a family or a society, a community or a country, differences are bound to exist everywhere. Now the question is how best unity can be forged or harmony brought about in the face of human differences.

Some people hold that the removal of all differences is the sine qua non for bringing about unity. But, this view is untenable, for the simple reason that, it is not practicable. You may not like the thorns which essentially accompany roses, but it is not possible for you to pluck out all the thorns and destroy them completely. For, if you pluck out one, another will grow in its place. Even if you run a bulldozer over all rosebushes, new plants will grow in their place bearing roses which are ineluctably accompanied by thorns. In the present scheme of things, roses can be had only by tolerating the existence of thorns. Similarly, a peaceful society can be created only by creating and fostering the spirit of tolerance towards diversities. In this world, unity is achievable only by learning to unite in spite of differences, rather than insisting on unity without differences. For total eradication of differences is an impossibility. The secret of attaining peace in life is tolerance of disturbance of the peace.

There is nothing wrong in diversity of opinions. In fact, this is a positive quality which has many advantages. The beauty of the garden of life is actually enhanced if the flower of unity is accompanied by the thorn of diversity.A

n advantage flowing from this attitude is that it builds character. If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if you behave properly with those holding divergent views from you or who criticize you, then you deserve to be credited with having an excellent character.

In the same way, a society whose members hold identical views and never have any controversial discussions, will soon find itself in the doldrums. The intellectual development of the members of this society will be frozen, because personal evolution takes place only where the interaction of divergent thinking provides the requisite mental stimuli.

The adoption of a policy of tolerance in the midst of controversy and in the face opposition is not a negative step. It is undoubtedly a positive course of action.

Divergence of views plays an important role in the development of the human psyche. It is only after running the intellectual gauntlet that a developed personality emerges. If, in a human society, this process ceases to operate, the development of character will come to a standstill.

Nobody in this world is perfect. If a man is endowed with some good qualities, he may be lacking in others. This is one of the reasons for differences cropping up between people. But, for life as a whole, this disparateness is actually a great blessing: the good points of one man may compensate for the shortcomings of another, just as one set of talents in one man may complement a different set in another. If people could only learn to tolerate others’ differences, their very forbearance would become a great enabling factor in collective human development.

After 1947, when the first Government of Independent India was formed, two important leaders were included in it. One was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and the other was Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. Pandit Nehru’s westernized ideas were in great contrast to the orientalism of Sardar Patel. And this caused frequent differences of opinion between these two leaders. But this proved to be a boon for the nation, because with Pandit Nehru’s abilities compensating for the shortcomings of Sardar Patel, and vice versa, the end result was one of an efficacious complementarity. The above is a good example of the difference between the respective natures and opinions of individuals essential for human development in general.

The habit of tolerance prevents a man from wasting his time and talent on unnecessary matters. When negatively affected by another’s unpalatable behavior, your mental equilibrium is upset, whereas when emotionally untouched by such behavior, your mind will fully retain its equilibrium and, without wasting a single moment, you will continue to carry out your duties in the normal way. The policy of tolerance or forbearance enhances your efficacy, while intolerant behavior reduces it.

Tolerance is not an act of compulsion. It is a positive principle of life, expressing the noble side of a man’s character. The existence of tolerant human beings in a society is just like the blooming of flowers in a garden.

source: http://www.alrisala.org/Articles/tolerance/tolerance3.htm

Continue reading »]]> By: Dr. Ali Shariati

The Second Night’s Lecture

AS AN INTRODUCTION to tonight’s lecture, I think it will not be irrelevant to mention a few points before starting the main subject of my lecture. These points which I will mention may not directly relate to my basic words, but they are, nevertheless, vital and essential. There is great urgency that they be mentioned. In the past few years, intellectuals have come to the conclusion that speaking of our sufferings is useless. As a matter of fact, up until now, we have only talked about it. It is time to do something about it. The time for talking is over. Everyone must begin to actively reform his family and environment.

In my opinion, there is a kind of nonchalance which has occurred about this subject because up until now we have not spoken about suffering. We have not made a scientific and exact analysis of it. We have just complained. It is obvious that simply groaning about pain is useless. Up until now we have never talked of our psychological and social anguishes correctly. A misunderstanding as to suffering may arise, but I must regretfully say that we do not recognize it at all.

Those who have put the experience into practice, who have experienced pain, who have seen difficulties, divisions, who have had misfortune, are people who experience the actual stage. They know and sense how our speaking about pain is really at a minimum. They know what little possibilities and awarenesses we have to recognize pain, corruption and deviations. Not only have we not spoken enough about our ideologies, our school of thought and our religion, but we have not really spoken about it at all.

How can we say that we know our sufferings and have talked about them enough and that now it is the time for action? We are a religious society. Our religion should be the basis of our science, but we do not even know our religion as yet.

When my students ask me as a teacher for some books about the problems, I am ashamed when I have to answer them. It is shameful that no books exist about these problems.

Our nation has for centuries had the honor of following the Jafari School of Islam and Ali. Iran accepted Islam in the first century of the hegira. It replaced its former religion with Islam. It became the follower of the School of Ali and his companions and his form of government whether officially as now or in respect to sentiment, belief and faith as before. But today when a student wants a book in order to be able to study about Ali or in order to be able to know who the first followers of Ali were who laid the foundations of the history of Shi’ite Islam in the first century and remained loyal to him in those most difficult times, I have to tell him that there are none. We know some existed, but we know them by name only. It is disgraceful for a nation whose religion is the religion of Ali, not to have one good book written about him and his companions. It is shameful that Georges Jourdaq, a Christian, introduces Ali to us after 14 centuries and that Jaudat as-Sahhar, a Sunni brother, introduces Abuzar.

Salman Farsi was the first Iranian who accepted Islam. He holds a place of honor among the Aryan race and Iranians. He is a great man who accepted the Prophet’s invitation to Islam. He got so close to the Prophet that he became part of his family. A man who holds such a place of honor in both a national and a religious sense, does not have even four pages of a book written about him in Persian. But, a Frenchman has written about him.

I do not know how we can claim that the stage of knowing and speaking is finished and that it is time for action. I don’t want to say that it is not the time for action for all of these things should go together. The Prophet of Islam never divided his life into two parts where one part would be devoted to action only and the other to speaking only. It is not correct to say that we have talked too much and should not speak at all. We have just complained. This and groaning should be put aside and we should speak of suffering in a scientific manner. The school we believe in should be the basis of our work, our activity and our thoughts. We should know what kind of man Ali was. We should know about Abuzar, Salman and the Companions of the Prophet and Ali.

Unfortunately, no valuable or readable book about them exists which is both respected from the point of view of religion as well as from the point of view of humanity. They come into Persian through translation We have yet to write anything ourselves. A person who knows the Qur’an nowadays is called a distinguished person, not a scholar. Scholars are in a stage beyond. The distinguished are they who know the Qur’an, the history of Islam and the Prophet and his Companions. They explain and interpret the Qur’an and practice it. These people are the distinguished which really means second-hand scholars of Islam. If we look at it this way, the Prophet Mohammad himself, Ali and Abuzar are among the distinguished men of Islam, not the scholars of Islam.

Thus, I believe that the most urgent task before us is to speak of what afllicts us, to speak about it exactly, study it scientifically and come to know it. All the sufferings of those who tried to reform their society in Islamic countries, proved to be either futile or with little result. The reason was that while operating, they did not know what needed to be done. It is certain that until we know what we want, we will not know what to do. Therefore, our first task is to know our religion and school of thought but, unfortunately, after centuries connecting this religion, we are just now beginning to come to know it.

As I said in last night’s lecture, there are different ways of coming to know Islam. One of them is knowing God and comparing that knowledge with the concept held in respect to other deities. Or, we can come to know the Qur’an and compare it with other books. We can study the personality of the Prophet of Islam and compare it with other personalities who as reformers have existed throughout the long history of humanity. Or, we can come to know the distinct and distinguished individuals of that faith and compare them to ones in other faiths.

It is the duty of today’s intellectuals to know Islam as a school which revives humanity, that is, both the individual and society. The mission of Islam is to direct the future of humanity. Intellectuals must see this as an irreplaceable duty. They need to take a good look at this religion and its outstanding personalities from the angle of whatever their particular field of study happens to be. As Islam has many different dimensions and manifestations, everyone can find new and detailed areas which relate to his or her special subject. As my study was the sociology of religion, I tried to compile a kind of sociology of religion on the basis of Islam using the terms inferred and acquired from the content of the Qur’an. In the course of my study, I came up with new problems which I had never even imagined. For example, as a result of studying Islam and the Qur’an, I discovered scientific suggestions of history and sociology which reflect the Prophet’s customs. This is just the opposite of what happens when we try to analyze and interpret the Qur’an as philosophy or when we use today’s science to study the policies of the Prophet or the political, social, psychological and moral system which he presented to society. No. The problem is something else. It is that I actually inferred many new problems in history and sociology from the Qur’an. The Qur’an and Islam gave me the idea but, I found new themes that relate to history, sociology and the human sciences Upon turning to them, I continued my research and

I became certain that I had realized something important. Through the help of the Qur’an, I have found some important problems in today’s human sciences which that science does not even take into consideration. One is the question of migration. In my lecture entitled ‘Mohammad, the Seal of the Prophets,’ the question was considered solely from a historical point of view as the migration of a tribe from one place to another. I have discovered that migration is just the opposite of that which Moslems feel it to be when we look to the Qur’an, read about migration and the Emigrants, [the people who accompanied the Prophet from Mecca to Medina], the life of the Prophet and generally, migration at the beginning of Islam. It was not just a historical accident or event. Moslems consider the migration to have consisted of a group of men who were banned from Mecca and then ordered by the Prophet to go to Ethiopia and Medina. Migration, in historic terms, is considered to be the transfer of a primitive tribe from one place to another because of geographic or political causes. Islam considers it to be an event which took place and affected the life of Moslems and the Prophet of Islam.

Migration is a deep philosophic and social principle. By referring to history, I discovered that migration is an extremely important and magnificent principle. It is not simply what the historian sees it to be. Even the philosophers of history have not paid attention to the question of migration. What I say now is that migration has been a factor infiuencing the whole of history.

All of the twenty-seven civilizations which we know historically, resulted from migrations. There is not one exception to this rule. According to records, a primitive tribe would become civilized and would create a higher culture only when it moved from its place, when migrating from the land it had lived in.

I have inferred this matter. There is no reference to it in history or sociology. My inference came from Islam, from the subject of migration as it is expressed in the Qur’an and the reference to it as a continuing system.

All of the world’s civilizations, from the most recent, that is, America, to the oldest, which is Sumer, have been established through subsequent migrations. This means that a primitive tribe remained primitive while it remained in its own land. As soon as migration took place and they were settled in a new land, it reached what could be called civilization. Thus, all civilizations are the result of the migration of primitive tribes.

There are many questions which I came to understand through the Qur’an. The amount of information contained within it has helped me to better understand historical and sociological problems and see them in a new light. Therefore, I have arrived at this method which is to use the special terms of the Qur’an. In this way, one can discover so many approaches which can be applied to the newest of sciences, the human sciences.

The greatest problem of history and sociology and, in particular, of the sociology of Islam, is to find the main cause of changes of societies. What is the main factor which causes a society to change and transform or suddenly be overthrown and decay? What factor causes a society to arrive at a positive mutation so that in one or two centuries its material and spiritual form and content change and cause all individual and social relationships to change, as well? This is a problem which has continued for centuries. For the last 110 years, it has been frankly considered with care in sociological and historical studies. The question which is always presented is “What is the motor of history and the fundamental factor for change and transformation of human societies?”

Here is where the science of sociology breaks down when every school emphasizes one aspect of the problem. Some schools actually do not believe in history and consider history to be a collection of past narrations. They consider it to be worthless. These groups do not accept any law or fact as a standard for sociology. A kind of scientific anarchism exists in the world which is actually pessimistic in regard to the philosophy of sociology and human sciences. It regards accidents as the major factor and says that changes, mutations and revolutions, which exist in nations, are all created by accident.

For example, the Arabs attack Iran and Iran is accidently defeated. The Iranians become Moslems and Ghengis Khan attacks Iran, by accident, and Iran’s government just happens to be weak so it is defeated along with that of Islam and the Iranian way of life. They all change places. These major factors are all regarded as accident.

The other group are the materialists who believe in a totalistic view of history. They believe that history and society, from the beginning until now, is like a tree. This tree, without a will of its own, was a seed which split, grew out of the earth having established its roots and then developed stem and leaf. It started to grow and has since developed into a large tree. It is obliged to give forth fruits and blossoms at the beginning of the spring. It is obliged to evolve and to decay. This group also believes that throughout history, human societies survive because of the effect of determining laws which exist in society, like laws which are in nature. Therefore, the beliefs of individuals do not in anyway interfere in the fate of their societies. Society is a natural phenomenon which grows from the effects of natural laws.

The third group believe that personalities direct history such as the fascists and Nazis. Great scholars such as Carlyle, who wrote the life of the Prophet of Islam, and Emerson, and so forth, are included in this group. They believe that laws are mere tools in the hands of humanity and that they have no effect upon society. To their way of thinking, the average person or lower than average person has no share in changing society. They are considered to be simply tools as well. The only factor which reforms societies, develops them or causes their decadence is great personalities. Emerson says, ‘Give me ten great personalities and I will tell you the history of humanity without reading a book. Introduce me to the Prophet of Islam so I can tell you the history of Islam. Introduce Napoleon to me and I will declare the history of modern Europe?’

From this point of view, the fate of society and humanity is in the hands of great personalities who are the leaders of our society. Therefore, the rise or decline of societies neither depends upon the people nor does it result from the effect of determined laws of the environment and society, nor do they result from mere accidents. Rather, everything is in the hands of great personalities who appear from time to time in society and change its fate and sometimes change the fate of humanity.

Carlyle writes, in describing the life of the Prophet of Islam, ‘The Prophet of Islam was rejected in his first invitation to his relatives. Hazrat Ali, who was 10 years old, stood up and gave a positive answer to the invitation and swore allegiance.’ Then Carlyle sums up the basis of his way of thinking, ‘This small hand, which was placed upon the great hand, changed the course of history.’ There is no school of thought, new or old, democrat or otherwise which believes that the masses of the people are the major factor of the transformation and change in our society. The schools of democracy believe that the best form of government is a government in which people participate. But from the beginning of the democracy of Athens until now, no school has believed that people are the major factor in bringing about change and transformation in society. This means that the more democratic of sociologists believe that the best way to govern and form an administrative organization is one in which people participate, vote and choose the government. They do not however, regard those people as the fundamental factor in the transition and change of society. But rather, they either take the determinist point of view or great personalities as being the essential factor or else they believe in accidents or the probability of the divine will as being the main factor of change.

Those who follow the personality-cult theory are divided into two groups. One group believes that a great personality like Buddha or Moses or Jesus change society. These are the individualists. The other group believes that first a personality appears and is then followed by a group of specialists, geniuses and distinguished men of the tribe who surround him and form a group. This group is called ‘elite’ and it is they who will lead society towards their aims. They are known as ‘elite-worshippers.’

But both Islam and the Qur’an have another point of view. As a rule, in Islam, the greatest personality is the Prophet. If Islam were to believe in the role of the great personality as the basic factor of transformation and change in society and history, then they would regard all the prophets and especially, the Prophet of Islam, as the basic factor of transformation and change.

But it is other than this. It is something more than the qualities and mission of the Prophet of Islam which are clearly described in the Qur’an and relate to bringing a message. He is responsible for communicating the message. He is the harbinger of good news. He even gets upset when he cannot lead people the way he wants to and when they do not listen to his words. God explains to him repeatedly, in so many words, ‘Your mission is only to communicate the message. You should not be frightened. Give news to the people and show them the way. You are not in any way responsible for their progress.’

The Prophet, in the Qur’an, is not regarded as the major factor in the transformation and change of history, but is introduced as a messenger who should reveal the school of thought and the way of Truth to the people. His mission ends here. It is up to the people, then, to choose that school of thought or not, to be guided or not. There is no room for the accident theory in this religion because all of the affairs are in the hands of God. Therefore, accident, meaning an event without any cause or any final goal in creation, is unimaginable either in nature or in human society. Even the other prophets or great personalities who are recalled in the Qur’an are done so with a feeling of pessimism. If it talks about them as being righteous and pure, it never counts them as being an effective factor in the transformation and change of their society.

Generally, the people addressed in every school of thought and religion are the fundamental and effective factor of change of that society in that school of thought. According to this, we see that in all the various parts of the Qur’an, the people (al-nas) themselves are addressed. The Prophet is sent on a mission to the people. He speaks to the people. He is questioned and investigated by the people. He is a transition factor to promote the people. The people are responsible for society and history.

The word, people, is a valuable word. The only word that is close to it, is mass (tudeh). In sociology, mass means the body of the people without any regard to class distinction or indicators which would distinguish them from other human groups. Therefore, mass means people without considering the special, classical form or group of their society.

The words human being (insan) and mankind (bashar) also refer to people, but human being connotes a moral quality and mankind refers to people when their animal properties are included. The synonym, mass, means simply, people, without any additional classification.

Here a new matter is inferred and it is that Islam is the first social school of thought which considers the people to be the basis and fundamental factor of society and history as well as responsible for the divisions within history and society. It is not the chosen that Nietzsche speaks about nor the nobles and aristocrats which Plato refers to. It is not the great personalities of Carlyle and Emerson, nor the pure-blooded people of Alexis Carrel nor the clergy and intellectuals, but the fabric of the people.

It is important to study this and compare it with other schools of thought. To whom do the different schools of thought speak? Some schools talk to the educated and intellectuals; another to the distinguished or chosen group. Another talks to a superior group or race and still another to supermen. We find yet another which pays attention to a special class of society such as the proletariat or the bourgeoisie.

But none of these privileged groups exist in Islam. The fundamental factor of change and transition of society are people without regard to their special form, face, class distinction or any other classification.

Another important factor inferred from the Qur’an is that, as it addresses the people, they are responsible for the fundamental aims, at the same time that they are the major force in shaping the fate of society through personality, accident and tradition. Therefore, we can say that personality, tradition, accident and the masses are the four fundamental forces which cause transformation and change in society.

Tradition is inferred from Islam and the Qur’an. Society has an undisputable origin. As the Qur’an points out, society has one way, one policy, that is, a special nature. Actually all societies have determined views of certain unchangeable laws. Society is like a living creature which, like every living thing, follows certain determined, unchangeable scientific laws. Because of this, all transformations and changes of society are built upon certain traditions. At this point, it seems like Islam approaches a deterministic interpretation of history and sociology but Islam does not stop here. It emphasizes that both human society and the individual are responsible for their fate.

For them is the reward which they have earned and you shall have that which you earn, (2:134) and Verily God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves, (13:11). These two verses show social responsibility whereas, Every soul is held in pledge for what it earned, shows the responsibility of the individual .

Both society and the individual have a responsibility towards the Creator while each, at the same time, determines his own destiny. Not only are these two phenomena not contradictory, but they actually complement each other.

It is the same in nature. A farmer is responsible for the fruit of the trees of the garden and the growth of the plants. He is responsible to get the best fruit from the plants and trees. Therefore, he is responsible to a certain extent for the product. On the other hand, we know that certain laws exist in nature which form the basis for the changes and transformations of plants and vegetables. These are determined, unchangeable laws.

Therefore, human beings, according to their particular science or field of work, can employ the unchangeable laws inherent in the plants. A farmer can never enact a new law in nature nor can he destroy any other existing laws. The laws which exist in nature forcibly are imposed upon the farmer and he cannot change them. At the same time, he has the power to change the fixed customs and laws of botany through scientific devices and employ these forced laws whose change is out of the question. He can change an average fruit into a superior one through the laws which exist. The responsibility of a human being in society is just this. That is, society is like a garden, founded upon God’s Customs. Through these, it grows and evolves. But the human being has a responsibility. He or she cannot simply accept the fatalist’s point of view or the view of historic determinism and by doing so, release himself or herself from being responsible. A human being cannot put aside his or her responsibility when faced with the fate of that society. The Qur’an, while admitting that society is built upon unchangeable laws, does not, in any way, deny the responsibility of humanity and human beings. In this school of thought, they are responsible to know the customs and to reform them as society evolves. How? Through their own knowledge.

Why does a farmer have more responsibility to improve and develop his fields? Because he has more knowledge of these customs and as a result he has more freedom to change the fate of the trees and plants. The greater the human being’s knowledge of the customs and rules of society, the more responsibility he has as well as more freedom in changing and transforming society. The religion of Islam, if we see it as a sociological school of thought, believes that the changes and transformations of society are not just based upon accident, because society is a living creature, and has unchangeable scientific and human customs. Human beings have a free will by which they can build and predict a better fate for their society as well as the individual, through their participation in its principles and customs. The responsibility of human beings is created in the belief that society is like a living creature which reacts according to scientific laws. Thus, from one point of view, human being means, will, and from another, society, that is custom or tradition. According to the Qur’an, customs are incapable of change and the human being is directly responsible for the individual and society. Therefore the human being is free to be active and to work but at the same time, he is obliged to follow the rules existing in nature in order to exercise that freedom.

Personality, in Islam, is not considered to be the creative force. Even the prophets are not considered to be personalities who bring about new customs in their society. From the point of view of sociology, virtues of the prophets in relationship to other teachers� excluding their prophetic function�is that they have known and understood the divine hand in nature better than reformers do. It is because of this that they have been better able to use their freedom as human beings to succeed in their goals in society. History has shown it to be true. The prophets were more successful than non-prophetic reformers.

Reformers have often expressed better human theses and slogans in their books but they have not changed their society. They have built no civilizations. It is the prophets who have built societies and histories. It is not that they have enacted new customs when faced with the divine law as the fascists and hero-worshippers say. Rather, they have discovered the customs of God in society and nature through their prophetic powers. They attained their goal and their mission by following these customs through their will power. The theory of accident has no philosophic meaning in Islam either because God actually directly and continously intervenes in all affairs. As accident does not have a logical cause or a final goal, it cannot originate in society or nature.

There is a kind of accident, if we look at its particular meaning, which plays a role in the fate of humanity. For instance, Ghengis Khan appears in Mongolia. He gains control through the current social customs. He creates a great force, but the defeat of Iran at the hands of Ghengis, is an accident which might not have occurred. Accidents such as these do occur which may affect some societies. As we have noted, there are four factors, personality, accident, custom and the masses, which effect the fate of societies but from the point of view of Islam, the most effective of them are the factors of the masses and custom because the masses represent the will of the fabric of the people and custom refers to scientific laws existing in society. The ratio of the role of each of these factors in the fate of society depends upon the conditions of that society. In a society where mankind means the mass and the people are progressive, for the most part, and they have reached the highest stage of discipline and culture, the role of personality is less. However, in societies which have not reached this stage of civilization like a tribe or a family, a leader or personality can be more effective. Therefore, in every different stage of society from the point of view of development or backwardness, one of these four mentioned factors has more effect as compared to the other three.

In Islam, the personality of the Prophet plays a fundamental role in the transformation, change and mutation of the structure of the future civilization as well as in changing the direction of history because the Prophet of Islam appears in a particular geographic area (the Arabian peninsula) where civilization is just like its geography. It is a peninsula which is surrounded on three sides by the sea but it is thirsty and dry and has no water. Its neighbors, on all sides, have hosted great civilizations. To the north there was the civilization of Greece and Eastern Rome; to the east, Iran’s civilization; on the southeast, the Indian civilization and to the northeast, the Hebrew civilization. The religions founded by Moses, Jesus, Zoroaster as well as the great Aryan and Semetic civilizations all neighbor it. When the Prophet of Islam appears, some of these civilizations are thriving around the peninsula but in the same way that the special geographic condition of this peninsula is such that the vapor of the water of the sea does not enter the peninsula, none of these civilizations leave the least trace upon the peninsula. Therefore, according to sociologists, the Prophet of Islam is the greatest factor in the change and transformation of his society. A historian sees a great wave of accident which came into being in the 7th century A.D. in the Arabian peninsula. It dissolved all of its surroundings. It brought a great civilization and society into being. It is here that the historian must necessarily relate the great wave and all of the thoughts and changes of this greatest of transformations in the history of mankind which is Islam, to the person of Mohammad, son of Abdullah, after studying the peninsula, where there is a total vacuum of culture and civilization and where the masses live under the most difficult of circumstances. The personality of the Prophet contains special and exceptional conditions.

There are, generally speaking, five factors which build human beings. The first is the factor of the mother who builds the structure and spiritual dimension of humanity. The Jesuits say, ‘Give me your child until the child is seven years old and after that, wherever the child goes, he will remain a Jesuit until the end of his life. A mother nourishes the human spirit, giving depth, subtlety and feelings to it. Her special gestures give the nursing child its first lesson. The second factor in building a human being is the father who constructs other dimensions of the child’s soul. The third factor which builds the form and clear dimensions of the human being is a school. The fourth is environment and society. As the environment is powerful and greater, it will have more effect on human beings. For example, the effect of the environment differs from a person who lives in a village to one who lives in a big city. The fifth factor in building human beings is the general culture of the nation or the general culture of the world.

Therefore, five moulds or dimensions exist which, in total, make the framework into which the human spirit is poured and later extracted.

Education takes a special shape which is given to the human spirit for particular goals because if a person receives no education, he or she grows in a way which proves to be useless for society and our aims. We give the person shapes so that when he or she grows up, they are useful to society.

But in the life of the Prophet of Islam, which should be the greatest factor of personality in the transformation and change of history, none of those above mentioned factors influenced his spirit. Actually it was the intention that no shape be imposed upon him, no form of artificial discipline be given to him as is normally given to a human being in his own time and through his own environment. He had been sent to break all idols and if he himself had grown into one, he would not have been able to accomplish his mission. It would be possible, for example, that he become a great physician but in the Greek mould or become a great philosopher but in the Iranian mould or become a mathematician but in the moulds suitable to that time. However, he has been sent on a mission to grow in an environment empty of culture and civilization and not to accept any of these moulds.

That is why, as he opens his eyes, he does not see his father but the hand which should take him away from any form by leading him into the desert. It was the custom of Arabs at that time to take their children to the desert until they were two years old in order to spend the period of breast feeding in the desert and then return to the city and grow near their mother.

But Mohammad had just the opposite experience. As soon as he is taken to Mecca, he is returned to the desert. He lives there until he is five years old. His mother dies soon afterwards. These particular devices for developing children are put aside and kept at a distance so that he can later break the Greek, Arab, Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian moulds and create a new mould, a new shape. Again on the excuse of being a shepherd, fate leads him from the city into the desert so that the city and the environment of the city do not print their suitable or favorable moulds upon his spirit which should flow freely. Because the spirit of society does not influence him, he develops in a society which is actually part of general culture. He is unlettered. The school and its mould is not imposed upon him.

We see that the greatest encounter of the personality which is to have this great mission is to keep him removed from all schools of thought, all moulds which are acceptable in his time which moulds people to be like them. This happens so that the man who has to destroy all fire temples, close all academies and build mosques in their place, the man who must break all racial, indigenous and regional moulds, will himself have no particular mould before he is born so that one of the first dimensions is not imprinted upon him. His mother is kept at a distance from him so that the kindness and caresses of a mother will not influence his spirit through the delicateness of a lyric poem, for it must become hard and powerful. He is born into a dry peninsula which is far from any general culture so that this great spirit takes no culture, civilization or faith unto itself. The spirit which must patiently bear and bring about this most unusual mission, cannot take form in any normal mould. This constraint is the greatest possible benefit which could be bestowed upon this personality who must play the principal role in this unparalleled event of history.

source: http://www.shariati.com/

Continue reading »]]> by Ali Shariati
The First Night’s Lecture

MY LECTURE is about the various approaches one can use to come to know Islam. It is an important scientific concept to review multiple approaches to the understanding of something in order to arrive at a particular methodology, which in our case is to come to understand Islam.

Arriving at a methodology in approaching a problem is a significant aspect of the scientific method. Having a correct method in order to discover the truth of an issue is more important than having a philosophy, a science or being talented.

We know that Europe was stagnant for a thousand years during the Middle Ages. Yet, right after this period of stagnancy, it developed a revolutionary momentum in the areas of science, art and literature, that is, all human and social areas. And, after a while, this movement, this revolution of minds became the foundation of today’s civilization and world culture. Now we must stop and ask ourselves how it is that Europe, which was stagnant for a thousand years, in a matter of two or three centuries, suddenly changed its direction and discovered a truth?

This is a very important question and, perhaps, it is the most difficult question which science has to answer.

On the one hand, there are undoubtedly many different factors which caused the stagnation of Europe in the Middle Ages and on the other hand, there are various factors which suddenly awakened the drowsy Europe and led it towards movement and a dynamic development.

As to this point, I must remind you that the essential factor which caused the stagnation of the European mind, civilization and culture during the thousand years of the Middle Ages, was the use of the analogical method of Aristotle. When this way of looking at things and problems changed, science, the world and society also changed and human life along with them. Here we are speaking about culture, thought and scientific development.

This is why we see the change in approach as being the main factor in this movement. It is also true that the cause of the change according to the sociological point of view, is the movement from feudalism to the bourgeoisie system and that in itself was known to have opened the well-guarded walls between the Islamic East and the Christian West, in particular, through the Crusades. An approach is most sensitive whether it relates to development or decline. It is not individual genius in appraising a problem that causes stagnation, apathy or motion and development, but rather, the methodology used is important. In the 5th and 4th centuries B.C., great geniuses existed who are not comparable with the geniuses of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries A.D. There is no doubt that Aristotle is more of a genius than Francis Bacon and that Plato is more of a genius than Roger Bacon. But, how is it that persons, who are at a lower level of genius than men like Aristotle, have laid the foundations for the development of science, whereas those great geniuses themselves have caused the thousand years of stagnancy in the Middle Ages? How is it that a genius causes stagnation in the world, whereas an average person brings about the development of science and awareness in people?

The reason is that the second type has found the right way of thinking and methodology. In this way, an average mind can also find the truth, but a great genius, who does not know the right way of attending to problems, and the correct method of thinking, cannot use his genius effectively.

This is why we can see that many geniuses existed in the Greek civilization of the 5th and 4th centuries B.C. Their genius influenced the history of humanity. They were all gathered in Athens, but not even one wheel was invented there, whereas in today’s Europe, an average technician, who cannot even perceive of Aristotle and his words, has registered hundreds of inventions. The best example is Thomas Edison whose philosophical abilities are less than that of Aristotle’s third-hand students and yet, he contributed more to the discovery of laws hidden in nature and the creation of industry through the registration of a thousand large and small inventions than all of the students fed by Aristotle’s thoughts for 2400 years.

Thinking right is like walking right. A person who has less speed and is lame, but chooses a straight and paved way will reach his destination sooner than a winning champion who runs on a stony road. The champion will not reach his aim, no matter how fast he runs, whereas the lame runner, who has chosen the right way, will reach his goal and destination.

The point here is to choose the right method for the various kinds of knowledge whether it be an approach to literature, society, art or psychology. Thus the first duty of every researcher is to choose the best method or approach in beginning his or her research. We should take advantage of the experiences that are part of our Islamic history. We must know ourselves to be responsible followers of a great religion and come to know Islam correctly and methodical-

Our age is not an age to worship things we do not know. This is particularly true for those who are educated. Their responsibility is even heavier when confronted by the sacred. It is not only an Islamic duty, but a scientific and humanitarian one as well to find a meaningful approach to the understanding of Islam. One’s personality is balanced by what one knows in proportion to what one believes. Beliefs alone are not virtues. If we believe in something and do not know it, it has no value because virtue comes from knowing what we believe in well. We believe in Islam. We are therefore obliged to know it well. In order to know it well, we must arrive at a correct approach. Now the question arises, what is the best approach to use in order to come to know Islam well.

In order to come to know the truths of Islam we should not use a European approach such as, for example, one based on biology, psychology or sociology. We must, rather, initiate an approach. We must, most certainly, know the European scientific methods, but we should not require ourselves to imitate them. Today all scientific methods in all fields have changed. They have taken on a new look. Religious truths, must of necessity, do the same.

It is clear that in order to know Islam, we cannot choose one approach exclusive to all other ones, because Islam is not a onedimensional religion. Islam is not a religion which is based solely on the gnostic feelings of human beings or limited to the relationship between God and man. This is just one dimension of the Islamic faith. In order to know this particular dimension, we should turn to a philosophical method because the relationship between man and God is part of this field of thought.

Another dimension of this faith relates to one’s way of life upon this earth. In order to come to know the truths of this dimension, we must make use of today’s sociological and historical methods. Thus, if we look at Islam from just one point of view, we have only seen one dimension of a many-sided crystal. If we looked at the issue correctly, we would realize that it is not sufficient to have a general knowledge of Islam. The Qur’an itself is an example of multiple dimensions from which various sciences have been drawn throughout history.

One issue which many scholars and artists have discussed is whether or not the Qur’an is literal or literary. The other dimension of Islam is its philosophical teachings and that which causes one to have faith in the Qur’an. Today’s philosophers should consider this dimension.

The most important dimension of the Qur’an, which is the least known, is its human aspect consisting of its social, historic and psychological dimension. One of the reasons for this remaining an unknown dimension is because sociology, psychology and human sciences in general are newer sciences and this differs from other historical studies and books, which are among the oldest ones ever written.

Historical events relating to tribes and the fate of nations and their relationships and the causes of decadence of different nations are mentioned in the Qur’an, especially in the longer verses. A historian should study them from a scientific point of view. A sociologist should look at them through a sociological method. To discuss and understand problems of natural science and the phenomena of nature, a natural method is needed. As my special field is history and sociology, I give myself the right to everything that comes to mind as a plan of approach. I will mention two methods, both of which are from the same point of view and that is that of the social and historic study of human sciences. In order to make myself clear, I liken religion to an individual.

There are only two ways to know a great personality. These two methods should be joined in order to be able to come to know the great individual. To begin with, one should become familiar, in a scientific way, with all his thoughts, writings, suggestions, speeches, articles and books. In other words, it is necessary to know the mind, thoughts and ideas of a person in order to come to know the individual. But research alone is not sufficient because there are so many aspects in one’s personal life which are not reflected in one’s written works or speeches. Only reflections of them appear, but they are not really known.

The second way, which completes knowing the individual, is to review his life and discover his family background, where he was born, what was his race and nation, how he spent his childhood, how was he brought up, what kind of an environment did he grow up in, where did he study, who were his teachers, what events did he face in his lifetime, what were his victories and his defeats? and? In review, there are two fundamental ways to come to know an individual, both of which one must follow. The first is to study his thoughts and ideas and the other is to study his or her life from the beginning.

A religion is similar to an individual. Its works and thoughts are its book which form the text of the school which it invites people to join. The biography and the description of a religion forms its history.

Thus, in order to know Islam in a precise and detailed manner which is up to today’s standards, two major ways exist. The first is to study the Qur’an, which is a collection of thoughts and the remains of the ideas and science of a personality named Islam. The second is to study the history of Islam which describes the changes which have occurred from the beginning of the Prophetic mission to the present. This is a method but unfortunately the approaches to studying Islam to date are very weak especially as regards the Qur’an and the history of Islam. They are only marginal notes to a scientific method of researching Islam. Fortunately, with the awareness of Islamic societies today, the attention of Moslems towards knowing the content of the Qur’an and an analysis of Islamic history increases each day.

Farhat Abbas in his book entitled, The Night of Imperialism, says, ‘The social awakening of countries of North Africa, namely Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia began the day when Sheykh Mohammad Abduh went to North Africa and began teaching the interpretation of the Qur’an,’ which was not normally done in religious assemblies. We see that the author of this book, in spite of the fact that he himself is not religious, recognizes that the awakening and changes in North African countries began when the Moslems and religious scholars put other religious research aside and based their main studies on references to the Qur’an and doing research on its text. Thus, there are two ways of obtaining exact, scientific knowledge of the Qur’an. The first is knowing the Qur’an to be a text of Islamic thought, and the second is to know the history of Islam which has recorded the multiple stages of its growth.

If today’s Iranian Moslems turn their mosques into centers of social activity and they rely on the two principles of the Qur’an and its history, thereby initiating a program to educate the masses, they will have laid the most essential basis possible for the development of the greatest changes in Islamic thought.

One further method for coming to know Islam exists. It is a method known as typology. Most sociologists today believe this method to be the best approach to solving problems of sociology and in particular, for the comparison of one school of thought to another. In order to come to know Islam, I used a method which is also used in Europe in researching the sciences of humanity. I was able to arrive at a method which can be used for all religions.

It is to know five distinguished modes or aspects of a religion and then compare them with its similar mode in other religions.

1. The God or gods of every religion who is or are worshipped by the followers of this religion.

2. The Book of the religion as the foundation of a law which this religion brings and invites people to believe in and practice.

3. The Prophet of every religion who declares the mission of this religion .

4. The form of and appearance of those who are addressed by the religion. Every prophet declares his prophetic mission in a different way. One addresses people, another, princes and nobles and another, scientists, philosophers and select people. Thus, sometimes a prophet appears in the form of a person who accepts the existing power structure, whereas another prophet arises in the form of a claimant in opposition to the power structure.

5. The hand-picked followers of every religion are the examples and representatives of people who are trained in that religion and then offer it to society and history.

In order to properly understand the workings of a factory or the earth of a cultivatable piece of land which is to be planted, one must study the goods exported from that factory or the grains produced by that land. In the case of religion, the people trained by that religion are its goods which are produced by a factory which, in a sense, produces the components that built individual human beings. Now then, in order to have knowledge of Islam in this system, one needs to First know God. There are many ways possible to come to know God such as through knowing beings or through philosophy and illumination of the soul or through gnosticism or through examining the details.

But the method I introduce to you is a method of typology. It is to first, study the type, origin, mode, concept and particulars of God which Islam takes into consideration. For example, what is Omnipotent? Is It Merciful? Is It superior to the existing world? Is It associated with humanity? Does Its aspect of Mercy overcome Its Omnipotence or visa versa? Generally, what type is It? What kind of God is It?

In order to have proper knowledge of these particulars, one should refer to the Qur’an, the Prophet’s words or the special followers trained by the Prophet. These qualities are either distinguished in the Qur’an or pointed out in the words of the Prophet and his followers where they compare Allah with other gods, conceived of in other religions such as Ahuramazda, Yahwa, Zeus, and so forth. The second stage is to know the Qur’an. What kind of book is it? What problems does it consider? Does it speak more about life on this earth or the after-life? Does it address itself more to the individual and moral matters or social aspects? Does it refer more to the material or to the spiritual? Has it accommodated nature more or the individual? Finally, what problems does it consider and what form do they take?

For example, in proving the existence of God, the verse tells us, ‘Let us purify our soul in order to know God.’ With the study of what material will we gain intimacy and know the particulars? Or, are both ways required? We should also compare the Qur’an to other religious texts such as the Bible, the Vedas, the Avesta and so forth. The third stage to come to know Islam is to know Mohammad (P.B.U.H.), the son of Abdullah, as the Prophet of this religion. Knowing the Prophet of Islam is important for a historian because, in his eyes, no other person has ever had the responsibility which the Prophet of Islam had in the infinitely powerful event which took place.

When we speak about the personality of the Prophet of Islam, our purpose is to consider both how he oriented himself towards humanity as well as his relationship with God. In other words, we should reflect upon both his human dimension and his prophetic mission.

For example, in considering his human dimension, we should study his way of speaking, walking, thinking, laughing, sitting and sleeping. We should become aware of his relationship to foreigners, enemies, friends and family. Also, his defeats, triumphs and his reaction to social problems should be reviewed.

Thus, one of the essential ways of coming to know Truth, the soul and the primary reality of Islam, is to know its Prophet and compare him with other religious architects and prophets such as Moses, Jesus, Zoroaster and Buddha.

The fourth stage is to study the quality of the appearance of the Prophet of Islam. How, for example, does he appear without any introduction? Is anyone waiting for him? Did he know what his Prophetic mission was? A powerful force suddenly comes to him and changes his way of speaking or his personality in a way which was difficult for him to bear at the beginning. What movement was present when he made his appearance? What class did he tend towards more? What class did he rise to combat?

The answers to these will help us in knowing Islam’s prophet and also in knowing the quality of his manifestation. If we compare the quality of the Prophet of Islam’s manifestation to the appearance of other prophets, positive or negative, such as Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Confucius, Buddha, and so forth, we will arrive at an incredible conclusion.

All of the prophets, with the exception of those part of the Abrahamic tradition, recognize the power existing at the time and achieve their mission with the help of that power, whereas the Abrahamic prophets, from Abraham through to the Prophet of Islam, appeared in a form which rebelled against the existing power.

As soon as Abraham appeared, he began breaking the idols one by one. He struck the largest idol and announced his opposition to polytheism.

The first act of Moses, wearing the clothes of a shepherd and staff in hand, was to enter the Pharoah’s court and announce his opposition to the Pharoah in favor of uniting his people. Jesus began his struggle with the existing power of the Jewish clergy because the clergy were connected with and accepted the colonization policies of Rome.

As soon as the chain of the prophetic mission reached the Prophet Mohammad, he began his struggle with the aristocracy, slaveowners, landowners of Taif and the Qoraish merchants. The comparisons will help us to come to know truth, spirit and direction of these religions.

The fifth stage of knowing Islam is through studying individuals who form the components that built distinct and distinguished individual human beings.

If we choose to study Aaron in the Jewish tradition, St. Paul in the Christian tradition and Ali or Hosein in the Islamic tradition, as examples of their religion, each religion would become known to us. Knowing these men clearly and scientifically would be like recognizing a factory through the goods it produces because religion is like a factory that builds people.

Tonight we will take Hosein as a distinct example of the Islamic faith. What is someone who believes in God, the Qur’an and the Prophet like? The life of Hosein is clear. His principles are evident and his sensitivity to social problems and the fate of people is obvious from his work and his self-sacrifice. It is clear that if the truth, his aim and beliefs are endangered, all relationships will be destroyed. In addition to knowing the life and thoughts of Hosein and his qualities, one could then compare him to Avicenna or Hallaj who are both Moslems, one influenced by Iranian philosophy and the other by Sufism. The comparison of these three will help us to become aware of the differences and similarities between philosophy, Sufism and Islam.

Avicenna is a philosopher-scientist and a genius, who does great honor to the science and philosophy of Islam. But this great human being, unfortunately, strangles himself in literary and philosophical points and when it comes to society, he easily serves the existing power structure. He shows no reaction to the fate of humanity and his society. Actually, he feels no connection between his fate and that of others. His job is only to research scientific problems and it makes no difference to him how his life passes by. He makes no distinction as to who it is who is supporting him or who is offering him a position. It is all the same to him. He has no special point of view. Hallaj catches fire and is burned. He has no responsibility and only shouts and burns. What does he burn of? He holds his head between his two hands from love of God and walks through the streets of Baghdad crying, ‘Rebellion has taken me over. Release me from the fire which is burning within me. I am nothing. I am God,’ meaning, ‘I am not me and everything which exists is God.’ He consistently sinks into the fire of the memory of God who is most certainly within him at that station. But what if Iranian society consisted of 25 million Hallajs? It would be like a lunatic asylum when they all rush into the streets shouting, ‘Kill me! Kill me quickly! I cannot bear it! I have nothing! There is nothing in me but God.’ Such burnings are of a kind of spiritual insanity. If all of the individuals of a society were to turn into Hoseins or Abuzars, there would be life and there would be liberty. There would be knowledge and learning as well as power and stability; enemies would be destroyed and there would only remain love for God.
source: http://www.shariati.com/

Continue reading »]]> By (Dr.) I. A. Arshed

(1) Rights of Parents (and Duties of children)
Islam recognises family as a basic social unit. Along with the husband-wife relationship the Parent-child relationship is the most important one. To maintain any social relationship both parties must have some clear-cut Rights as well as obligations. The relationships are reciprocal. Duties of one side are the Rights of the other side. So in Parent-child relationship the Rights of parents are the obligations (duties) of the children and vice versa, the Rights of children are obligations (duties) of parents. Islam clearly defines the Rights of Parents (which mean duties of children) and obligations of parents (which means Rights of children).

It is clear that after Allah parents are the persons who give us innumerable favors. They provide protection, food and clothing to the newly born. The mother sacrifices her comforts and sleep to provide comfort to her children. The father works hard to provide for their physical, educational and psychological (and spiritual) needs. It is a matter of common courtesy that if a person does you some favor you feel obliged to him. Verbally you say ‘thank you’ to him. You try to repay and compensate him for his gifts and favors. You feel a sense of gratitude towards him. So it is with Allah and with parents. Allah’s favors cannot be counted or repaid except by thanking Him and obeying His orders. After Allah our parents deserve our thanks and obedience for the favors they had done us. That’s why Quran lays stress on feeling grateful to parents, and doing good to them. “And your Lord has ordained that you shall worship none save Him and shall do your parents a good turn.” What does a ‘good turn’ mean? It includes obeying them, speaking softly, avoiding harsh words or harsh tone, giving them company when they are lonely, caring for their physical and psychological needs (especially in their old age), and praying to Allah that He may bless them and have mercy on them.

As between parents the mother has more rights than the father. The reason is apparent. Mother has borne the child’s burden during pregnancy, has undergone birth pains in delivering the baby, has sacrificed her own comforts to provide comfort to her children, has looked after them and felt worried for their well-being. That is why mother deserves our good treatment more than the father. A Tradition of the Prophet (PBUH) tells us that a Companion asked the Prophet, “ Who deserves my good treatment most?” “Your mother”, said the Prophet. “Who next?” “Your mother”. “Who next?” “Your mother”. “Who after that?” “Your father”. This means that the mother deserves three times more good treatment from her children than the father deserves. Another Tradition wants us to extend kind treatment to close relations on the mother’s side also (even to her friends). A famous Hadith (Tradition) says, “Paradise lies under the feet of the mother”. This means doing good to our mother lead us to Paradise.

As to the reward for doing good to our parents a Hadith mentions the following story: “Three persons of ancient days were once travelling in a mountaneous region. The rain, thunder and lightning made them take refuge in a cave. Mudslide made a stone block the opening to the cave. The persons were entrapped inside. When the storm stopped they tried to push back the heavy stone to get out of the cave but they could not. They wondered ‘what to do now’. At last seeing that their joint efforts also cannot move the stone they decided to pray to Allah sincerely. One of them suggested, ‘each one of us should relate one good thing he has done in his life and beg Allah to move the stone. One said, “One night my old mother asked me to bring a cup of milk for her. During the time I milched the goat and brought it to her she had gone to sleep. I did not think it proper to disturb her. So I stood by her bedside for the whole night till she got up in the morning and then I offered her the cup of milk. O God, if this act of mine was approved by You please shift this stone.” The stone slipped a little but not enough to let them get out. Similarly, the second and the third man mentioned an act of goodness and prayed to God to shift the stone. The stone slipped down and the entry to the cave opened up. So the men got out. This story shows how service to one’s parents leads to blessings from God and rescue from troubles. Now let us summarize the Rights of Parents (Duties of children):

(1) Right to be respected and obeyed:
Parents have a right to be respected and obeyed by children. All parents are well wishers of children. They issue orders and instructions that are in the best interest of children (though children might think ottherwise). So it is the duty of children to obey their orders and act accordingly. Some children listen to parental orders but do not act upon these or show laziness in carrying out these orders. This causes annoyance to parents. Children should remember that annoying one’s parents can lead to God’s wrath.

(2) Right to scold and rebuke:
It is instinctive obligation of parents to protect their children from physical and moral harm. If a small child puts its hand in fire it is natural urge for you to push the child back, even if the child does not want. It is in child’s interest. So it is with parents. They are duty bound to protect their children in every way, physical, intellectual, moral. If the children have a temptation to do an act that is not in their long-term interest it is the duty of the parents to keep them back from that act or behavior. To this end they may resort to advice, rebuke, scolding, even hitting them. Good children should take all this ‘harshness’ in their own interest. If parents scold them they should bear it calmly. No rude replies, no arguing, no explanations, no comments unless asked for. Parental advice should be listened to and acted upon, even if against children’s own wishes.

(3) Right to be looked after.
Parents have looked after the children for decades. So it is the duty of grown-up children to repay them by way of caring for them and looking to their physical and financial needs. A Quranic verse says: “People ask you (O Prophet) how should they spend. Say, ‘whatever you spend should be spent on Allah (in good cause), on parents, near relatives, on orphans, destitutes and travelers (who fall short of money in foreign lands)”.

(4) Right to be helped:
As parents grow old their energies also decline. So it is the duty of children to help their parents in any household chore in which they can help. Sons can help in lifting heavy things, cleaning home, arranging things etc. Daughters can help in mother’s household work—cooking, washing, cleaning, serving food etc. With good children such help should come automatically, not when asked for. Whenever you see your mother or father doing something extend a helping hand to her/him without their asking. This is what Islam expects from children.

(5) Right to kind words/good behaviour:
Quran urges children to be soft-spoken towards parents and show respect and kindness in their behavior towards parents.
Unforunate as it is, the Western societies have forgotten these lessons. Young children are rude towards parents and show disobedience. As the parents grow old they drive them out from their homes and put them in “Senior Citizens Homes”. Grown up children cannot spare time to attend to the needs of old parents. The busy Western life has led to a break-up of the family unit (so much upheld in Islam). As Muslims we expect our children to adhere to Islamic values and show respect, obedience, kindness, leniency and care towards parents, especially in their old age. Children must not forget the favors and sacrifices of their parents. As good mannered persons they must feel and remain obliged towards parents and try to repay them by kind words and deeds, even with money and material needs. These are the Rights of Parents due from their children (or the Duties of Children towards parents). These Rights and obligations are not found in Islam only. Such values are to be found in all true religions. Quran mentions Hazrat Yahya (John the Baptist) as “kind towards his parents, not tough and disobedient”. Similarly Hazrat Isa (Jesus) is quoted saying to his people, “God made me kind towards my mother (Mary) and did not make me tough and disobedient”. Hazrat Yousuf (Joseph), as a royal Minister in Egypt, called his old, poor parents from their far off home and offered them seats on a high platform (he did not feel shy of behaving in a kind manner to poor parents in the presence of his officials).

(2) Rights of Children

Now let us see the other side of the coin. We have mentioned that Parent-child relation is a reciprocal one. The Rights of Parents (discussed above) are the Duties of children. Now let us see what are the Rights of Children (and Duties of Parents) in Islam. These can be summarized as under:
(1) Children have the right to be fed, clothed and protected till they grow up to adulhood. It is, primarily, the duty of the father to do that. Mother can provide help if necessary. Protection means protection against physical as well as moral and intellectual harm. Parents are duty bound to see that the child’s personality develops in all fields. So if the parents have to resort to strictness for the sake of disciplining the children and protecting them from intellectually, morally and religiously undesirable behaviour, children should not resent their strictness. Let them perform their duty as parents. Children’s duty is not to protest or be rude but to listen and obey. “Their’s not to question why; their’s but to do and die”.

(2) Right to education.
In Islam education is not limited to bookish knowledge but includes moral and religious training also. It means healthy all-round growth of child’s personality. Parents must not only provide for children’s education in schools and colleges but should also take personal interest in their studies, helping them if they can. This gives children a feeling of ‘working with the parents’ and encourages them in studies. Parents should sacrifice their own comfort and social activities and must spare some time to take interest in children’s studies, especially when they are young. Leaving children to the mercy of teachers or tutors is not a wise policy. And of course, parents should not forget or neglect imparting religious/moral training to children. A little sacrifice on part of parents will save children from moral disasters. Effective moral training comes not from sermons, advice and precepts but from parents’ personal examples of good behaviour. It is a famous Tradition of the Prophet (PBUH) that acquisition of knowledge is a must for every Muslim boy and girl. Another Hadith says, “The best of you is one who gives a good education (intellectual and moral) to his children”. Another Hadith lays stress on education of daughters. The Prophet (PBUH) once said, “He who provides good upbringing to 3 daughters shall go to Paradise”. A man asked, “what if one has only two daughters”. “He also shall go to Paradise”. Another man asked, “and what if one has only one daughter?” “He too”, replied the Prophet (PBUH).

(3) Right to love and affection:
Children have many psychological needs also. Small children need to be loved, caressed, kissed and hugged. The Prophet loved children greatly. He would allow his grandsons Hassan and Hussain (R.A) to ride his shoulders even during his prayers. In streets he would offer ‘salaam’ to children, play and cut jokes with them. Sometimes he would even kiss small children in the street. Once a Bedouin saw the Prophet kissing a small kid. Out of wonder he said, “I have eight children but I never kiss them”. The Prophet remarked, “What can I do if Allah has taken away love and compassion from your heart”. The Prophet would show special kindness to orphaned children. Some parents believe that being frank with children is not good from discipline point of view. This is wrong. Love and leniency can do much that fear and strictness cannot do. If leniency leads to rudeness on the part of children it should be mixed with strictness. That will tell the children that parents are basically kind but can be tough if children show rudeness and bad manners. Over-protection and over-care are undesirable. Let the child grow up as a responsible person. Only provide them guidance.

(4) Right to be well provided (materially)
A Hadith says, “It is better for parents to leave their children well provided (financially) than to leave them in poverty”. This means that parents should not spend all that they have on their own comforts and luxuries but must make provisions for children’s welfare after the parents die. These are brief outlines of the Rights and Duties of both parties in the Parent-child relationship. If the parents and children act according to these guidelines they can make the family environment most conducive to peace and satisfaction for the parents and healthy personality growth for children. May Allah bless us all. AMEN.

source: http://islam101.net/select-disciplines-mainmenu-31/31-sociology/105-parent-child-relationship-in-islam.html

Continue reading »]]> SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ISLAM
by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

A gathering of intellectuals was convened at the Law College of Ranchi on December 14, 1991, under the persidentship of Mr. Justice Satishwar Rao. On that occasion I addressed the meeting on the topic of ‘Social Justice in Islam.’ The text of my address, including some later additions, is as follows.

Social Justice means equality in law, or justice for all. Prior to the advent of Islam. This kind of social justice was almost unknown either in theory or in practice. It was left to Islam then to establish equal justice for the first time in human history. This reversal of the old order is so established a fact that every non-Muslim thinkers have acknowledged it. For instance, Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) writes in one of this letters.

‘If ever any religion approached to this equality in any appreciable manner, it is Islam and Islam alone.’ (p. 379).

The contribution of Islam in this respect can be placed under three headings: first, the formulation of a complete ideology of human equality and justice; second the giving of powerful incentive to adopt this ideology; and third, the establishment of a living example of equality and justice in all walks life.

THE CONCEPT OF EQUAL JUSTICE

In ancient times the concept of human inequality, which was prevalent everywhere, gave rise to social injustice in every society.

For example, the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, regarded certain classes of individuals as natural slaves. Although there were other thinkers who did not subscribe to this view, slavery continued to be widespread in Rome and Greece, and indeed, throughout the entire world of antiquity.

In modern times, this concept has been further strengthened by Darwin’s theory of evolution, according to which mankind was regarded as having achieved differing levels of development, the apex being white European civilization.

The superstitious concept of racial differences, handed down to us from ancient times, paved the way for social discrimination. And such discrimination found an academic basis in modern times in Darwin’s theory of evolution, which purported to show that in the evolutionary process, some groups had made distinctive progress while many other groups had been left far behind. That is to say that certain groups attained a superior level, while others remained in a primitive condition.

Thanks to this theory of evolution, the European nations came to regard other nations as being inferior to them–hence the concept of ‘the white man’s burden’ according to which the white races considered themselves invested with the natural right to subjugate the rest of the world in order to civilize it. This was the logic behind the colonialism of modem times. These concepts, in some measure, are still extant.

The world of today can be broadly divided into two parts–the traditional and the scientific. The former appears undeveloped and the latter developed. But from the standpoint of social justice, there is no difference, because in both, beliefs which form a permanent obstacle to social justice still persist.

The traditional world is influenced to a large extent by believers in Karma, the theory that anyone born today necessarily shoulders the burden of his past deeds. As they see it, that is a law of nature, as such, has to be submitted to unquestioningly. A belief of this nature obviously stifles any possible incentive for social justice. In the light of such a belief ‘injustice’ simply becomes ‘nature’s verdict.’ The human being has to suffer in this world for his misdeeds in his previous life cycle. Given this state of affairs, it is just not possible for anyone to alleviate human suffering. That being so, how can there be any motivation to act out of a sense of justice?

The scientific world is likewise under the influence of this concept of human inequality, but for another reason–the general acceptance gained by the theory of evolution. The concept of the biological evolution of life seeks to explain the differences in the existing species, advancing the theory that in the process of evolution some have gone forward while others have been left behind. For instance, Darwin claims that the female of the human species remained at a primitive stage in the evolutionary process while ‘man has ultimately become superior to woman’. By the same token, the blacks of Africa, the pygmies and other dwarfish races have been ‘left behind.’ Because of this theory, the scientific world cannot be sympathetic to the supposedly backward, or under evolved races.

The theory has been advanced that if people suffer a variety of afflictions, it is ‘their own fault.’ That is to say that those who are made to feel inferior in the treatment they receive from others are, in fact, suffering the consequences of their own shortcomings. It is as if they were fated to be the victims of injustice; the perpetrators are not, therefore, to be blamed.

With the advent of Islam, all such ideas based on an inherent inequality lost ground. In different ways, and with great persistence Islam presented to the world the concept that, in spite of outward differences, all human beings are equal. All are entitled to equal social status and equal rights. No one is inferior or superior. Here are two references from the Qur’an and Hadith respectively.

Men, we have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you might get to know one another. The noblest of you in Allah’s sight is the most righteous of you. Allah is wise and all knowing (49:13).

According to this verse of the Qur’an, the differences of color and race found among human beings is for the purpose, not of discrimination, but of identification. Men in essence are equal. What really distinguishes one man from another is character. His superiority can therefore bespoken of only in terms of the degree to which a man is honorable. The truly honorable man is one who is God–fearing and who recognizes and fulfils the rights of God and his fellow men.

On the occasion of the final pilgrimage, the Prophet delivered his last sermon while sitting oh his camel. One of the things he said is recorded in these words:

‘O people, listen carefully, your Lord is one Lord, there is no doubt about it. Your ancestor, is one ancestor, there is no doubt about it. Listen well to my words: no Arab has any superiority over a non–Arab, and no non—Arab is superior to an Arab. No black is superior to a brown or red, and no red superior to any black. If there is any superiority in anyone it is due to his God–fearing qualities. Have I conveyed the message?’ the Prophet asked the people. The people answered from all corners, ‘Indeed so! God be witness.’ Then the Prophet said: ‘Let him that is present tell it unto him that is absent.’(Al-Jamili Ahkam al-Qur’an, 16:342)

This declaration was made by the Prophet in the final year of his life at a time when the whole of Arabia had been conquered. As such, it wasnot the declaration of a reformer, but of a ruler of the time. His definition of human equality was not just listened to as a theory, but was immediately put into practice–nay, enforced in society.

In his declaration, the Prophet told the people that just as there is one Creator of this world so all the human beings in this world were born of one man and woman. All human beings were thus equal, being each other’s brothers and sisters. They might differ in respect of appearance, but as to honor, status and the right to legal justice, there was no difference between them.

So far as human status is concerned, Islam clearly states that if people have been placed on different rungs of the social ladder, this is not a matter of having been favored with or deprived of social distinction but of their being under divine trial. God has created man in this world in order to test him. Worldly goods and position (or the lack of them) are used by God as instruments of this test. They are like examination papers set by the Almighty. Opulence and penury are both intended to be states in which man is tested. He should, therefore, stop suffering from inferiority or superiority complexes, and should consider instead whether he is going to pass or fail this test.

THE INCENTIVE FOR EQUAL JUSTICE

Modern psychological and biological research on race has clearlyupheld the teachings of Islam, so that from the academic point of view,other theories stand refuted. Molecular biology, too, has opened a whole new field of research in modern times. A team of genetic experts in the USA, convinced by the evidence they already had that all of humanity had common ancestor, have attempted to trace that single progenitor across the millennia. Placed in this perspective, all differences of color, physiognomy, physique, etc. are purely relative, and do not necessarily constitute different racial characteristics. All modern research points to human beings as members of one Great Family, all bound together by the same biological brotherhood. (Newsweek, January 11, 1988).

A number of books and research papers have lately been published on this subject. The Race Question in Modern Science by J. Comas published by UNESCO in 1956) has a chapter on ‘Racial Myths’ which is worth studying. In spite of these academic findings, no great material changes have occurred. Those nations who had come to consider themselves superior are still acting under this misapprehension, while nations consider inferior are still subjected to injustice in new and varied forms. The reason is that to attain social reform, theory by itself is not sufficient. Along with it, a powerful incentive is essential. And this is exactly what is provided by the Qur’an.

As well as enjoining justice, (16:90) the Qur’an holds out the promise of reward for one’s deeds. It also informs us that a complete record is constantly being made of human actions. After death, everyone will find himself standing in God’s court, where he will receive his just deserts. No perpetrator of cruelty will escape God’s punishment. That time has to come when man will suffer the consequences of his deeds. ‘On that day mankind will come, divided in terms of vice and virtue, into groups to be shown their labors. Whoever does an atom’s weight of good shall see it and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil shall see it also.’ (99:6-8)

This concept of accountability alerts man to the necessity of being extremely punctilious in his dealings with others. He then sees how essential it is to be just to everyone, if he is to save his own self. He avoids wronging others so that he may not be punished by God. In the absence of any concept of accountability, social justice figures in our lives as a need felt by others, not by ourselves. But once werecognized that there is such a thing as accountability, social justice becomes a prime necessity for everyone, including ourselves. And who can neglect his own needs?

The concept of accountability is such a strong check that it restrains one not just from oppression, but from even any semblance of it. Once when the Prophet was at home with his wife, Umm Salmah, he called the maidservant, who took some time in coming. Seeing signs of anger onProphet’s face, Umm Salmah went to the window and looked outside where she saw the maid at play. When the latter came in, the Prophet happened to have a misvak ( a stick used for cleaning the teeth) in his hand. ‘If it wasn’t for the fear of retribution on the Day of Judgement,’ he told the maid, ‘I would have hit you with this misvak.’

In ancient times the beating of slaves was considered a natural right. But the mentality created by Islam put a stop to this practice, whatever the faults of the slaves. This was because the Muslims were afraid lest they beheld accountable for this act in the eyes of God.

The Prophet once came across Abu Masood Ansari beating his slave. “You should know, Abu Masood “, he said, ‘that God has more power over you than you have over this slave.’ Abu Masood trembled hearing these words of the Prophet. ‘Messenger of God,’ he said, “I am freeing this slave for God’s sake,” ‘If you had not acted thus, the flames of Hell would have engulfed you,” the Prophet told him.

This incident shows that Islam, by obliterating outward differences, brings all men on the same footing. Abu Masood had at first considered himself to be on a different footing from his slave in a purely material sense where he was respectable and powerful, the slave was lowly and weak. But when the Prophet reminded him that in the eyes of God he stood on exactly the same ground as his slave, he immediately humbled himself.

Material differences in standing bring about social injustice. When these differences are obliterated, social inequality will, of necessity, disappear.

It is undeniable that all incidents of oppression and social injustice are the result of inequality between man and man. Some are powerful,others are weak. Some are rich, others are poor. Now what happens is that the powerful and the wealthy come to regard themselves as being superior to the weak and the poor. They imagine they can oppress others with impunity, their elevated positions being enough to safeguard them from any attempt at retaliation.

But Islam tells us that every man’s fate is the concern of God. All moral issues are finally to be judged in the divine court. God being infinitely more powerful than all of the powerful men in the world. He will pronounce His verdict and enforce it with absolute justice towards one and all. At that time no mortal creature will be able to escape God’s verdict.

In this way, human affairs are no longer matters to be settled amongst men. They become matters to be settled between man and God. On the one side stands God, and on the other side stands all of humanity.

So, when faced with God, no one is powerful. Everyone feels himself in the same state of humility as he had supposed was the state of other human beings ‘weaker than himself.

When this consciousness is created in a man, he dare not, whatever the circumstances, be unjust to others. This undoubtedly gives him the greatest incentive to bring about social justice.

In an atheistic society where people do not believe in God, such a check is not possible. Where there is no belief in God, human affairs must be settled between man and man. And in that situation there can be no conviction that all men are equal, for the differences between them will remain all too obvious. In the absence of a divine overlord, such differences can never be leveled out, and if their effects are to be negated, it can only be done by taking matters between man and man and turning them into matters between man and God. Everyone should have the conviction that there is a God above all men, that all issues must finally be settled by Him, and that no one may challenge His verdict.

There are other religions besides Islam which have the concept of God. But, owing to human interpolations in their scriptures, their particular concept of God has, for all practical purposes, become ineffective. For instance, in Christianity, God’s son atoned for the sins of humanity by his crucifixion. In Judaism salvation is granted in advance to its adherents as their birthright. In Hinduism, the monistic concept of God serves no practical purpose.

In terms of Islamic Monotheism, God is a separate being, and all human beings are His creatures and His servants. Such a belief arouses in man the feeling of humility. Contrary to the Hindu concept, God in Islam is the sole supreme Being: man has no part in that divinity. In Hinduism, man is a part of God–a concept which produces the opposite feeling of superiority. While Islamic monotheism awakens in man the consciousness of his being God’s servant, Hinduism encourages man to say, ‘I am God.’ The former creates the psychology of humility, unlike the latter which fosters pride. When the members of a society are flawed by pride, it is well-nigh impossible to bring about an atmosphere of social justice.

FAILURE OF MODERN INSTITUTIONS

Amnesty International, an organization known as a watchdog of human rights, set up its headquarters in London thirty years ago. Thirty

years is a long time for such an organization to have been functioning, but, in all that time, it has not been able to serve humanity in anyway except for publishing reports in the newspapers.

It is significant that on the completion of thirty years in December, 1991, the organization did not see fit to hold any celebrations. Asked why this was so, a representative of the organization, a Ms France Scinto, replied that there really wasn’t anything to celebrate.

Every year on December 10, the United nations celebrates the Day of Human Rights. This year the statement issued by Javier Peres de Cuellar, the UN Secretary General, lamented the blind use of force and the barbaric treatment meted out to people notwithstanding the universal Declaration of Human Rights which had been issued under the auspices of the United Nations.

What is the reason for the failure of these institutions to establish peace and justice? It can be explained by the fact that peace and justice in human life cannot be established solely on the basis of appeals and statements in the newspapers. What is required is an ideology which enshrines correct human values, and which might properly serve as the basis for an intellectual revolution. Those reformed along these lines should in turn reform the social institutions, and wherever the reins of government fall into their hands, they should establish peace and justice in society by constitutional means.

Only once in the course of history have all these conditions been fully met. That was when the Prophet and his Companions succeeded in establishing a system based fairly and squarely on peace and justice. Neither his predecessors nor his successors ever attained such a resounding success.

AN EXAMPLE OF EQUAL JUSTICE

Islam’s third great contribution to social justice was the example it itself set in according to the same honor and respect to all human beings, whether they were weak or strong, kings or commoners, be it in family circles, social life, positions of power or in the government, by the same token, no one could escape punishment for his sins.

The history of Islam abounds in examples of justice for all. Here only a few incidents are mentioned in brief.

1. In ancient times, it was unthinkable for a girl of noble birth

or even of any free person, to be married to a slave. The Prophet, wishing to break with this tradition, decided to arrange a marriage between his own first cousin, Zaynab bint Jahash (d. 20 AH), who belonged to the Banu Hashim, the most respectable clan of the Quraysh tribe, and Zayd ibn Haritha, a black Negro slave. This most extraordinary event served as an important example of Islamic justice.

2. The Ka’aba, the most holy place of worship, was considered

sacrosanct in all its parts. Therefore, when the call to prayer had to be made from its roof, it was only a person of noble birth who could ascend it. A man of lowly birth performing this religious duty was not be countenanced. After the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet broke with this tradition by asking a Negro slave, Bilal ibn Rubah to go up on to the roof of the Ka’aba and give the call to prayer (Azan).

This was a unique event, not only in Arab history but also in

world history of ancient times. Had Islam not become dominant, people would certainly have killed Bilal for his ‘arrogance’. They did, however, voice strong reactions against this act, which is an indication of how shocking it had appeared to them. For example, Utaba ibn Usyad of Mecca thanked God that his father was no more and could not, therefore, witness this horrible sight on that day. Harith ibn Hisham asked, ‘couldn’t Muhammad have found someone other than this Black crow?’ (AL-Jame Lil Ahkam AL-Qur’an, 16/341).

3. Ali ibn abi Talib, the fourth caliph, lost his coat of armor. One day he saw a Christian of Kufa selling the same coat of armor. This case was brought to the then Qazi Shurayh bin al Alharith. Ali went to his court like a commoner where he was asked by the Qazi to produce two witnesses. Ali then brought forward his son Hasan and his slave Qambar. The Qazi rejected the evidence of his son on the grounds that the evidence of a son in support of his father is not acceptable. Thus the reigning Caliph lost his case. However, the Christian was so greatly impressed at the display of such equality in the court of Islam between the king and commoner, that he himself admitted that Ali was right. The coat of armor did belong to him (Azmath-e-Sahaba, pp. 32-33).

4. Once during the caliphate of Umar Faruq, the second Caliph, Amr

ibn al-Aas, who was the then governor of Egypt, arranged a horse race in which his own son was also to participate. His son’s horse lost, however to a young, native Copt. The son, Muhammed ibn Amr, was enraged and lashed the Copt boy with a whip, saying, ‘Take that! That will teach you to beat the son of a nobleman!’ The Copt came to Medina and complained to the Caliph, who took it upon himself to institute an inquiry. When he found that the Copt had been beaten unjustly, he immediately sent an emissary to Egypt to summon the governor and his son before him forthwith. When they arrived, he handed the Copt a whip to flog them, just as he himself had been flogged.

In the presence of the governor, the Copt started whipped his son, stopping only when he was satisfied that the punishment had been severe enough. Then the Caliph addressed himself to the governor: ” O Amr, since when have you enslaved people who were born free? (Azmat-e-Sahaba, pp.40 – 41)

5. Palestine was conquered during the Caliphate of Umar Faruq.

To sign certain agreements with the conquered nation, he had to travel to Palestine. When he left Medina, he was wearing rough clothes and had only one servant and one camel. He said to his servant, ‘If I mount the camel and you go on foot, it will not be fair to you. And if you mount the camel while I go on foot, that will not be fair to me. And if we both sit on the camel’s back, that will be an injustice to the camel. So, it would be better if all three of us took turns.’

So taking it by turns, Umar Faruq would ride and the servant would walk, and vice versa, and then both would take a turn of walking so that the camel should be spared. Travelling in this manner, they reached the gates of Palestine, where the inhabitants gaped at the sight of the Caliph going on foot while his servant rode the camel, for it was the latter’s turn to ride

as they approached their destination. In fact, many Palestinians failed to make out who was the Caliph and who was the servant. (Taamir ki Taraf, pp..56-57).

Through its intellectual revolution and the practical examples it set, Islam thus created a history which had an impact on almost the whole of the inhabited world of that time. This revolution was so powerful that its effects could still be felt one thousand years later.

After the Prophet, the period of Sahaba (The Prophet’s companions) and of Tabiin, (the companions of the Prophet’s companions) is known as the golden age of Islam. But the effects of the Islamic revolution lasted far beyond this period, continuing to leave its imprint on human society in various forms across the centuries. Even Muslim kings dared challenge it. Many examples of their submission to Islam can be cited. An incident relating to Jehangir, the Mughal emperor, has been very effectively portrayed by Maulana Shibli Nomani in the form of a poem entitled, ‘Adl-e-Jahangiri.’

Jahangir’s Queen, Noor Jahan, once inadvertently killed a poor man. It happened at some hunt, when a washerman, straying into her line of fire, was hit and mortally wounded. When he died, the matter was brought to court, where the Qazi passed the death sentence on the Queen. Neither the king nor the Queen dared refuse the Qazi’s sentence. Finally, the issue was resolved only when the washerman’s wife pronounced herself willing to accept the blood-money, as is provided for under Islamic law. (If the victim’s next-of-kin refuses to accept the blood-money, the culprit is sentenced to death-murder for murder).

Now let us take an example of conduct which is the very opposite in spirit. The British ruler, James 1, (1566-1625) a contemporary of the Indian ruler, Jahangir (1569-1627), claimed that he was above the law and could exercise his judgement independently. The then British chief Justice, Sir Edward Cook, (I552-1634) differed with him on this issues, so that when John Beat, a British merchant, once refused to pay tax on imported currants(an order given personally by James 1) because no law to this effect had been passed by parliament, Sir Edward took the side of Beat. Enraged, the King exclaimed, ‘Am I subject to the law? To say so, is treason!’ Justice Cook did not waver from his standpoint. As a result he was removed from his post by the King. It is a matter of historical record that legal differences with the king eventually broke his judicial career.

When the case of the King and Justice Cook came to the British privy Council, the then Attorney General, Francis Bacon, upholding the legalsupremacy of the king said: ‘Judges should be lions, but yet lions under the throne.’ (1/92).

According to time-honored legal traditions in Britain, there were two kinds of law: common law and legal prerogative. For the public there was one set of laws and for the king and nobles quite another. The King was above the law. His word, in fact, was law. It was not until the advent of Islam that this division was abolished and the same set of laws was enforced for all. The rule of the King had perforce to give pride of place to the law of the land.

THE IMPACT ON HISTORY

Shortly before his death on the eve of his last pilgrimage, the Prophet of Islam gave a sermon which came to be known as the sermon of the Final pilgrimage. One of the historic declarations made in this sermon was: ‘Everything pertaining to paganism now lies beneath my feet.” ‘With these words, the Prophet announced the advent of a new age, an age freed by him of all superstition and ushered in with the special succor of God.

This historic change was first wrought within Arabia, then it spread beyond its frontiers, ultimately making itself felt throughout the entire world. This resulted in the eradication of the division in society between free men and slaves and the inception of the rule of law all over the world. It also caused all such philosophies as sanctioned injustice and social inequality to lose in influence. Now, any philosophy based on human inequality finds no ground on which to flourish.

One example of this in modem times is provided by Hitler, according to whom the German race was superior to all others. Firm in this belief, he put forward the idea that it was their birthright to assert their supremacy over all other nations. ‘He regarded inequality between races and individuals as part of an unchangeable natural order and exalted the Aryan race as the sole creative element of mankind.’ (8/967).

But what a fate awaited Hitler! His popularity in Europe rapidly waned and he was finally deserted even by his own minions in his own country. In utter frustration, he committed suicide in a bunker in Berlin, thus annihilating not only himself but the Nazi movement which he had set in motion.

The influence of the social revolution brought about by the Prophet is still alive, not only in Muslim countries, but indirectly throughout the entire inhabited world. On the question of social justice, or equal justice researchers have acknowledged that if ever any system has truly attained this end, it is Islam. One such acknowledgement by Swami Vivekanand, has been mentioned above. Now the question arises as to how Islam, managed to succeed in this when other religions or systems failed. There are two important reasons for this. One is that Islam gives us a complete ideology in favor of human equality. The other is that it provides humanity with a historical example of that ideologyput into practice.

These are the points on which other religions have failed. To make this point clear, I shall cite here two examples from Hinduism and Christianity.

Hinduism as has been explained above, divides humanity as a matter basic belief into two parts. Its very philosophy demands a high position for one group and a low position for another. The existence of this belief makes it impossible to mete out equal treatment to both groups. Those who live by this system can never regard themselves as being equal to those who appear inferior to them by birth.

Here it is pertinent to mention the Backward Classes Commission set up by the President of India in 1953, with Kaka Sahab Kalelkar as its chairman. After making a survey which was completed in 1955, it presented a 262 page report which was published in 1956 by the Government press.

This report (available in the Delhi Public Library, Delhi) stated that the caste system of India was of a very different nature from the class system prevalent elsewhere. In India, this system is not traceable purely to economic causes as is generally the case in other countries. Its roots, on the contrary, go much deeper, being enshrined in the system of beliefs. According to the report, ‘it is the peculiarity of India that it recognized the social differences inherent in human nature and gave them an institutional and mystical form with a religious and spiritual background.’

What the Kalelkar Commission states is borne out by the facts. It is indisputable that social differences in India have been traced to qualities inherent in human nature. Given this belief, they are an inevitable and natural reality. In a society where, of necessity, such a concept exists, the ideas of obliterating these differences and of having equal justice cannot have any general appeal.

A similar obstacle to equality is condoned even by Christianity.

Here I should like to refer to a report prepared by a team of five Christian journalists and published in the Sunday Review (Times of India) of December 22, 1991. According to this report, the number of converts to Christianity from low castes is more than fifty percent, these being known as Dalit Christians. ‘Those who came over from the backward Hindu strata, still find themselves bogged down in discrimination by the Church.’

Dalit Christians are prevented from burying their dead in grave yards along with upper caste Christians. They cannot marry into upper caste Christian families. In many churches they have separate seating arrangements. They are discriminated against in educational institutions run by Christians themselves. The caste prejudice extends even to the Christian clergy. This is specially true to the Catholic Church whose priests are almost totally drawn from the upper or middle classes. In Kerala, where Christianity has thrived for 2,000 years, caste is evident on a social level. The caste factor surfaces time and again, causing intense anguish to members of the Dalit Christian communities.

When Dr. Casimir Gnanadickan, Catholic Archbishop of Madras was asked about this, he admitted that a strong caste system existed with the Church set-up. ‘I agree, it was a retrograde step. But sometimes the power of faith cannot break reality.’

It is true that Christianity does not teach human inequality or social injustice. But what is lacking in Christianity is a powerful,historical example of human equality. The mission of Christ did not reach beyond the invitation to faith. It did not reach the stage of practical revolution. That is why, in the first phase of Christianity no such example of human equality could be set. In the absence of telling precedents, belief alone is not sufficient to bring about any practical change.

The Islamic system is totally different from those of Hinduism and Christianity. In it, there exists a complete ideology in favor of human equality, while alongside it there exists a perfect, practical example. On both counts, the first phase of Islam set the course of Islamic history for all eternity. And Islamic history will continue forever in the same direction, for there is no influence powerful enough in the world to alter its course.

source: http://www.alrisala.org/Articles/papers/justice.htm

Continue reading »]]> Sociological Principles of The Qur’an
by Suat YILDIRIM

Sociology is the study of events, trends and relationships in human societies. Through such study we learn the principles that societies are based upon, how they develop and which factors strengthen or weaken them.

The Qur’an, which contains the Divine guidance necessary for humankind, gives the social dimensions of human life the most importance. That is why Muslim scholars reflected upon and wrote about sociological matters long before sociology was recognized as a formal discipline in Europe. Even acts of individual worship commanded by Islam have an essentially social or collective aspect which is evidently beneficial to the community, enabling mutual care and solidarity as well as identity and cohesion.

The principle of worship
Part of the rationale behind the duties of worship established by the Qur’an is to maintain social order by training individuals in submission to the One God of all. The Qur’anic concept of worship is inclusive—it means fulfilling the commands and avoiding the prohibited. Every aspect of a Muslim life is interrelated with every other and oriented to worship. Verses 21-22 of Chapter al-Baqara give the reason for calling human beings to worship:

The Qur’an, which contains the Divine guidance necessary for humankind, gives the social dimensions of human life the most importance. That is why Muslim scholars reflected upon and wrote about sociological matters long before sociology was recognized as a formal discipline in Europe . Even acts of individual worship commanded by Islam have an essentially social or collective aspect which is evidently beneficial to the community, enabling mutual care and solidarity as well as identity and cohesion.
O people! Worship your Guardian-Lord who created you and those who came before you, that you may have the chance to learn righteousness; who has made the earth your couch and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from heavens; and brought forth therewith fruits for your sustenance. Do not then set up rivals to God when you know [the truth].

The comprehensiveness of worship reflects the comprehensiveness of the Divine attributes upon which human life depends and of which it is always needy. This is clear in the great opening chapter of the Qur’an, al-Fatiha. Before saying You we worship and to You we turn for help, we praise and glorify God as Lord and Sustainer of all creatures and creation, as the Most Merciful and Compassionate, as Master of the Day of Judgement.
As the Qur’an emphasizes in many verses, worship strengthens and matures the conscience making it individually and socially active on behalf of good. Without it, the Islamic virtues do not become a part of the normal character of either individual Muslims or of their communities. The present condition of Muslims in the world, in spite of their huge numbers, illustrates how, if worship is neglected, families and societies lapse into mutual distrust, feuding and internal wars, making them vulnerable to external manipulation and thereby weakening them further as Muslims.
Worship is the means to contentment both in this world and in the Hereafter. It harmonizes worldly and otherworldly aspirations and activities because it sustains a vigorous, honourable bond of each and all with their Lord and, through their worshipping as the creatures of One God, with each other. Just as people working for a highly regarded company or enterprise are proud to declare their association with it, so too are alert, practising Muslims proud to declare their belonging to God through the service of worship and say: inna li-llah — we are for God, we belong to God.
How worship provides for man’s worldly contentment can be explained as follows:

1. Man is privileged compared to other creatures by his subtle and complex senses and faculties. He is most selective and scrupulous and is born with an inclination towards living rightly and seeking perfection, and a corresponding aversion to what is bad, ugly and gross. The inclination towards perfection means that he has almost infinite needs. Indeed, even to satisfy the needs essential for survival, namely food, clothing and shelter (security), he is obliged to co-operate with fellow human beings. Therefore, man is, essentially a social creature.

The development of three basic faculties—thinking, desiring and using force to achieve objectives—are restrained in all creatures except man. Because man is uniquely charged with the duty of stewardship of the creation, God has put no restraints upon the development of these faculties in man. There is, in consequence, a potential in man to unjust and unruly conduct, to do wrong to his best nature, to live selfishly at the expense and in disregard of others. But social life requires some measure of discipline on the part of a society’s members if it is to function effectively to secure the basic needs for all.

However, though all people agree upon the need for justice, their understanding of justice will differ according to a number of factors such as cultural background and level, conscience, experience, interests and relationships. Hence the need for an overarching authority whose command is acceptable on account of its universality and impartiality. This authority is religion. As the laws of physics, set by Divine command, are constant in their operations and neutral as regards man’s interventions in the natural world, so too the ordinances of religion (the laws of human relationships and relationship with God) are constant, unchanging and impartial.

For man to consent to obey the commands of religion, he must be alert to the Divine Power which created him and all things. He must understand and remember the principles of belief, in particular that he is sent to this world to be tested and perfected, that the One who sent him observes him constantly and knows the condition of his innermost being and hears his every petition. Worship is the principal means to maintain this state of mind and to improve it.

2.Worship awakens conscience and therefore keeps people honest in their social relations and duties.

3. Worship, because of its social dimensions, maintains the quality of human relationships. Regular prayer enables meeting and interaction with other Muslims in the mosque; fasting at least one month each year reminds the prosperous and well-fed of the conditions of the less-fortunate and unites all in a shared discipline; the obligation to pay the alms-tax requires an effort to create prosperity and then share it to achieve distributive balance in the economy; the greater pilgrimage to Makka assembles all the diverse tribes and nations of Muslims in a great, public demonstration of unity and solidarity under One God.

It is hard to conceive of any more effective means of establishing social harmony and mutual responsibility than the duties of worship in Islam.

The principle of striving
One of the laws set in the universe by God is work or striving. As God is always active (Qur’an, 85.16) He commands human beings to be active also and renew themselves. The whole creation is constantly busy in glorifying and praising God (e.g. 59.1). The world of living organisms hums with the rhythms of labouring:
And your Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in [men’s] habitations… (Nahl, 56.68)

Many verses (e.g. 56.11-4) tell that day and night, sun and moon and stars etc., are for the service of human beings, to enable their striving in every dimension of human life.

Striving is so much a part of the structure of the universe that to resist it is more burdernsome than to go along with it. That is why a person who lies in bed all day making no effort is less happy than one who strives and struggles.

The principle of constancy in truth
The Qur’an tells us that God will help those who are constant in their adherence to and striving for the faith:
So neither lose heart nor fall into despair: for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith. (Al ‘lmran, 3.139)
The promised help is conditional:
1. There are two Ashari’ahs: the natural and the revealed, or the book of the universe and the Book of Revelation, the Qur’an.

The recompense for obedience or disobedience of the laws given in the Qur’an is seen mostly in the Hereafter whereas the recompense of following the laws given in the universe is mostly seen in this world. For example, the reward of perseverance in the laws of religion is ultimate victory, the reward of incompetence in understanding or applying the laws of nature is misery. It follows that a truthful person may be unsuccessful if he uses the wrong means and an untruthful person may be successful if he uses the right means.

2. Though a Muslim should be the bearer of all Islamic qualities it does not always happen so: a non-Muslim may be a better example of an Islamic quality. That’s why it can happen that an Islamic quality of a non-Muslim triumphs over the un-Islamic one of a Muslim.

Absence of the concept of ‘primitive’ peoples
Sociological and anthropological theory in the West still adheres to the notion that, at the beginning of human history, human beings and societies were ‘primitive’ and gradually evolved and progressed until they reached the ‘civilized’ state of societies as they are today.

The Qur’an does not teach any such notion of ‘primitiveness’. All human beings are descended from the Prophet Adam, who was taught the names of all things, and his wife, Eve. Neither their mode of life nor their relationships nor their religious worship were ‘primitive’.

Human societies frequently declined from their true or original state of recognizing and worshipping One God, and Prophets and Messengers were sent to teach them and guide them to righteousness. Throughout history, many societies and nations of so-called ‘high civilization’ were destroyed on account of their spiritual and moral decadence, and the Qur’an gives warning narratives about them. It is in part because of the absence of a concept of ‘primitiveness’ that Islamic rule over so many diverse peoples of the world has been, in general, tolerant, patient and assimilative with their diversity, whereas Western rule has been, in general, impatient, brutal and destructive.

All civilizations or cultures have a span of life, just as an individual human life has its determined span:
To every people is a term appointed: when their term is reached, not an hour can they delay it, nor advance it. (A’raf, 7.34)

Comparison with Western civilization
The Christian peoples by and large rejected the Qur’an’s offer to hold some common ground between themselves and the Muslims and to leave their differences to the Will of God (see. e.g., Al Imran, 3.64).

Though hard to believe now, at the time of the rise of Islam, the lands of the southern Mediterranean were the wealthiest part, in intellectual, cultural and economic terms, of the then Christian world. When these lands were conquered by Muslims and, with the passage of time, great numbers of Christians accepted Islam, many clerics became quite irrational in their attitude to Islam and presented it, willfully, in the most outrageously false manner. The early climax of this irrational hatred of Islam was the long wars of the Crusades. This dreadful campaign against Islam was formally abandoned seven centuries ago. However, an important part of it was the embedding of images which remain deep in the cultural attitudes (and the languages) of European peoples. Just as it is impossible, despite all the historical evidence to the contrary, to alter the image, created by centuries of Church propaganda, of witches or of Vikings, so too, it seems, it is impossible to alter the negative image of Muslims and Islam in popular Western consciousness.

After the Renaissance, civilization in Europe separated itself from the Christian religion and moved towards materialism and humanism. It took rather more of its inspiration from Greek philosophy and Roman political and administrative order and very little from Christianity. The Islamic civilisation which protects the Revelation continued to be regarded as the major threat and rival throughout the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods. When the military and economic balance had shifted, following the industrial revolution in Europe, overwhelmingly against the Islamic world, the Europeans tended to regard Muslims more with contempt than fear

Now, after the collapse of Communism, some authoritative Western figures have explicitly declared that the only enemy of the West is Islam. At this cross-roads, both parties, Western civilization and Qur’anic civilization, should state clearly what kind of people and society they want so that a choice can be made between them:

According to Western philosophy the basic rule in collective affairs is selfish conflict over who controls and profits from available resources. The outcome of this conflict is determined by power. The best that civilized society can offer is to balance powers within and between groups so that conflict is mitigated to some extent. Solidarity within the group has commonly been expressed as an extension of selfishness to embrace a particular nation or race. This means that the Western nations have felt free to exploit weaker peoples beyond their frontiers, to regard them as lesser beings who do not deserve the same rights and privileges, and should not expect the same share of the world’s goods, as themselves. The consequence of this philosophy has been continual tension between peoples expressed in overt or covert war. Within societies the same philosophy has been expressed in the conflict between economic classes and in ever-increasing levels of alienation and anxiety. In certain respects, community life, even family life, have ceased to function as a resource for people. Having no other status than as consumer units, and finding no other means of consolation, of belonging to society, the great mass of people are reduced to pointless consumption.

In absolute contrast, the Qur’an assures us that the basic rule in both individual and collective life is seeking the pleasure of God. Since God is the Most Merciful and Compassionate, seeking His pleasure means seeking virtue and contentment instead of pleasure and self-aggrandisement. It means that virtue is a practicable goal for a human society, that the governing principle of collective life is cooperation, not conflict. It means that what unites a people as a community is not primarily race or nationality but their shared status as servants of the One God and the bond of religion. That is why, in the Islamic world, by and large, mutual help and social welfare programmes were reasonably effective in spite of comparatively low levels of gross wealth. In the Western countries, expenditures on such programmes constitute a fraction of gross wealth and are under constant threat because the basic motive of these programmes is not mutual caring but the avoidance of class conflict: if gross wealth declines (as is happening at present) the level of ‘social spending’ is reduced in spite of the ‘social cost’ in civil unrest and crime.

Western civilization, for all its many splendid achievements is bound to fail, because of its radically unsound basic principles, to bring happiness to humankind. It can and does provide great material prosperity (amid great waste) to a segment of a segment of the human population. The Qur’an commands a balanced growth and development because it defines human beings, individually and collectively, as belonging to this world and the Hereafter, and as answerable, all equally, to their One Creator.

source: fountainmagazine.com

Continue reading »]]>

by Mona Maisami
The relationship between Islam and globalization has been open to much interpretation and acrimonious debate. At the crux of the current debate is the idea that Islam is somehow opposed to the process of globalization. In this article, I will illustrate why this debate should more accurately be deemed as a debate between Islam and Westernization. I argue that Islam is not against the process of globalization per se, but rather that the tension is due to the process of Westernization.

Globalization or Westernization?

As the mere terminology surrounding the debate has led to a considerable amount of confusion and misunderstanding, we need to define our terms. Globalization is the spread and exchange of people, goods, and ideas across the globe. Characteristically, it is directly associated with change, or transformation, modernity, and an increasingly interdependent relationship between different regions of the world. “Globalization is an aspect of human life that has always been there since the beginning of humanity. It corresponds with the natural human instinct and man’s tendency towards being a ‘social animal.’ It is the tendency with which God has created man to live on exchanging his sources and experiences with others around him, in order to achieve and realize the best chances of life.” (1)

However, globalization is frequently associated with the liberal classical economic theory, and since the mid-1970s with neo-liberalism, which has its roots in the classical economic theory. More specifically, globalization is considered a reflection of the classical economic theory’s principle of comparative advantage, which promotes an open economic system and free trade in order to achieve and realize the best chances of life.

Although the process of globalization has been linked with concepts of comparative advantage, free trade, and open economy, its origins can be traced to a time long before such ideas appeared. In order to develop a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the so called “Islam-globalization” debate, it is critical to distinguish between the process of globalization in its original sense and such relatively more contemporary processes, like Westernization, that are masked as globalization and yet are fundamentally different.

“Globalization targets the narrowing of the gaps separating different communities. This is done by exchanging benefits in all aspects of life — economic, social, scientific, and political governance. That is, they exchange information, understand each other’s values and codes of ethics and build a common ground.” (2) In contrast, Westernization does not consider such an understanding or building of such common ground to be worthwhile enterprises. Globalization is a process in which “the whole world becomes like a small village, where the less advanced communities can develop their capacities” and that “tends to be a two-way street process, which makes it possible for each community to take as well as to give.” (3) Westernization, on the other hand, tends to be a one-way street, meaning that one region attempts to dominate and control other regions in the name of globalization. Moreover, while globalization occurs through the free will of different communities, Westernization is characteristically imposed upon other regions.

Islam’s role

Having clarified the difference between globalization and Westernization, the Islam-globalization debate can be assessed more accurately. Islam is not anti-globalization (or modernity, which is considered to be a by-product of globalization) in its original sense, but Muslims do have a problem with Westernization. “Although Westernization of society is condemned, modernization as such is not. Science and technology are accepted, but they are to be subordinated to Islamic belief and values in order to guard against the Westernization and secularization of Muslim society.” (4) Based upon historical precedence and contemporary evidence, Islam clearly embraces globalization in its original form, which is based upon free-will and not upon the aggressive imposition of the West upon the East.

First of all, it is important to note that Islam orders people to cooperate, to be helpful to one another according to goodness and piety, and not to be helpful in evil and malice (Qur’an 5:2). This principle is fully endorsed by Prophet Muhammad on the local level, regardless if your neighbor is a Muslim or not. Surely this principle can be extended into the international level, where a neighboring country can be defined as any country that has normal economic and political relations with the Islamic world.(5)

Other factors illustrate Islam’s acceptance and predominant role in the process of globalization. “For several centuries, Arabic was the world’s leading language in sciences. Muslims made important advances in mathematics, astronomy and medicine — a legacy from which European scholars derived great benefit,” and which led to the Renaissance. (6) Globalization is not only a Western phenomenon, for “the agents of globalization are neither European nor exclusively Western, nor are they necessarily linked to Western dominance. Indeed, Europe would have been a lot poorer — economically, culturally, and scientifically — had it resisted the globalization of mathematics, science, and technology [from the East]…”(7)

We have to differentiate between the gifts of globalization and the products of Westernization. More specifically, the Islam-globalization debate in itself is built upon a number of mistaken diagnoses that misconstrue Islam’s place in the globalized world — one that has been quite productive in the past and has the potential to be productive in the future. The misguided assumption that Islam opposes globalization and modernization is dangerous, because it could potentially result in the loss of Islam’s significant contributions to the rest of the world.

Muslim attitudes toward Westernization

The Muslim world’s reaction to Westernization, and the West’s emergence as the dominant force transforming the world, must be assessed. “It is similar to the emergence of the Arab Muslims as a major world power in the seventh and eighth centuries…”(8) It is important to note that “the Muslim weakness at the end of the eighteenth century coincided with the rise of an entirely different type of civilization in the West, and this time the Muslim world would find it far more difficult to meet the challenge.”(9) In the past, Muslim communities were able to revitalize Islam’s role and power in the world. However, the impact of Westernization was an unprecedented experience that significantly challenged Islam and created a bi-polar dichotomy that separated the West from the rest — and specifically from Islam.

From a historical perspective, Westernization minimized Islam’s role and made it dependent upon the Western way of doing things. “The Islamic world has been convulsed by the modernization process. Instead of being one of the leaders of world civilization, Islamdom was quickly and permanently reduced to a dependent bloc by European powers.”(10) As a result, resentment toward the West emerged. Muslims questioned whether they would have to accept Western-style modernization or be deemed as being anti-globalization. “From this point, a growing number of Muslims would wrestle with these questions, and their attempts to put Muslim history back on the straight path would sometimes appear desperate and even despairing. The suicide bomber — an almost unparalleled phenomenon in Islamic history — shows that some Muslims are convinced that they are pitted against hopeless odds.”(11)

The emergence and rise of extremism can be directly attributed to the resulting resentment toward the Western style of globalization — a one-way process that does not strive to create a common ground between the West and other regions, and hence the desire and perceived need to pursue religious revivalism. However, we should realize that violence and extremism are not exclusively Islamic phenomena. “The Western media often gives the impression that the embattled and occasionally violent form of religiosity known as fundamentalism is a purely Islamic phenomenon. This is not the case. Fundamentalism is a global fact and has surfaced in every major faith in response to the problems of our modernity.”(12)

“For Islamic society, the underlying concerns regarding globalization are: how to protect a unique heritage in the face of global pressure; to uphold religious traditions; to preserve linguistic purity; to defend social institutions; and ultimately, to maintain a viable identity in the midst of a rapidly changing global environment.”(13) According to Islam, complete submission to God is the first and foremost priority for all Muslims. Anything that undermines Islamic principles is considered a threat to Islam’s longevity and power in the world. More importantly, we should be aware of the fact that despite the Islam-West bi-polarization, Islam is rapidly becoming a global phenomenon that transcends the boundaries that once separated the West from the rest.

Global Islam: The growing phenomenon and implications for the future

Islam is the second largest religion and the fastest growing religion in the world. Islam began to spread in Arabia around the year 610 A.D. when Prophet Muhammad began receiving revelations from God through Archangel Gabriel, sharing with others what he had been told. Today, Islam is a global phenomenon represented by Muslims across the world. “Fifteen million Muslims reside in Europe, and seven to eight million in the United States. There are now about a thousand mosques each in Germany and France, and five hundred in the United Kingdom.”(14) One factor that may explain the rapid spread of Islam is the process of globalization itself.

Islam’s future depends upon its ability to wed Western-style modernism with Islamic principles, or, in other words, whether it can develop an Islamic-style modernism. The challenge is to engage in modernity without sacrificing Muslim values or undermining Islamic principles. “As we are only slowly realizing, Islam is truly a world religion, increasingly visible in Europe and the United States as well as Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.”(15) It is significant for the future of Islam that “the capitals and major cities of Islam are not only Cairo, Istanbul, Mecca, but equally Paris, London, New York.”(16)

Given that Islam has become a global phenomenon, it is increasingly important that its principles are respected and not made irrelevant in the modern world. “All religious people in any age have to make their traditions address the challenge of their particular modernity…”(17) Rather than provoking the bi-polarization of the world, separating Islamic values from Western values, the goal of globalization is to develop an understanding of each other’s values and codes of ethics and to establish a common ground. Establishing a common ground is vital for ensuring the progress of globalization and allowing the world to reach its full potential. Modernization and globalization need to respect the identities of all regions and respect religion as a natural necessity for humanity.

Conclusion

The struggle for religion to remain relevant in the world is common to all religions at some point in history. Much of the literature surrounding the current Islam-globalization debate provides an inadequate and fragmented view of religion’s role in the process of globalization. Secularization, which is promoted in the current forms of globalization, is a new concept. In fact, based upon historical precedence, religion has played a key role in contributing to globalization and, more specifically, Islam has had a predominant role. The challenge for the future of a globalized world, and not just for Islam, is to be helpful to one another according to goodness and piety, and not to be helpful in evil and malice (Qur’an 5:2).

Footnotes

1 www.IslamOnline.com.
2 www.IslamOnline.com.
3 www.IslamOnline.com.
4 John Esposito, Islam: The Straight Path, 3d ed. (Oxford University Press, 1998), 165.
5 Choudhury, www.Islamic-finance.net.
6 Hardy, http://news.bbc.co.uk.
7 Sen, www.prospect.org.
8 Karen Armstrong, Islam: A Short History, (Modern Library: 2002), 141.
9 Ibid., 138.
10 Ibid.,
146.
11 Ibid., 153.
12 Ibid., 164.
13 Dr. Ahmed Kamal Aboulmagd, The Middle East Times,
14 Armstrong, Islam, 176.
15 Esposito, Islam, xvi.
16 Ibid, 203.
17 Armstrong, Islam, 164.

source: fountainmagazine.com

Continue reading »]]> by Yusuf Qaradawi
The Prophet’s Sunnah is not only the second source, right after the Qur’an, of Islamic Shari‘ah (Law), but also the second source, again right after the Qur’an, of which both knowledge and civilization flow. Primarily, the Qur’an establishes the bases and principles of legislation, whereas the Sunnah provides theoretical interpretation as well as example and practical application. The Prophet’s guidance as exemplified in the Sunnah guides Muslims to three basic inseparable aspects of civilization, namely: civilized Fiqh (Jurisprudence), civilized conduct, and civilized structure. Before attempting to discuss these three aspects of civilization, we should first define the meaning of civilization: To begin with, does the Islamic concept of civilization offer a distinctive and unique interpretation that differs from the ones offered by other civilizations that preceded or followed it? Or do all civilizations stem from the same source regardless of country, time, sex, religion and philosophy in life? There is a general definition of civilization that is innate in the very word, namely, the overall manifestations of financial, scientific, artistic, literary, and social development in a society or in similar societies.
Islam aims at elevating human beings financially, scientifically, artistically, and socially as well as spiritually and morally
The word “civilization” in Arabic is the opposite of the word “bedouinism” or, respectively, savageness and barbarism. Thus, urban life stands against Bedouin life and vice versa. People who live in cities, towns and villages are urban dwellers, whereas, people who lead a Bedouin life are those who live in the deserts sheltered by tents. The Bedouins are notorious for their stiffness, harshness, hardness of heart and the prevalence of ignorance and illiteracy among them. Consequently, Allah did not send down a prophet from among them. Instead, all the prophets He had sent were urban dwellers: of villages and towns. Allah said to His Prophet what means: (And We have not sent before you, any but from among the people of the towns We revealed to them.) (Chapter 12:109) As we know Islam is represented by both the Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah and we can see in them a persistent determination to transfer those people into a systematized urban civilization. Islam aimed at elevating them financially, scientifically, artistically, and socially as well as spiritually and morally. This aim required Islam to educate and purify them according to a wise and gradual instructive discipline that was to be carried out by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) himself. Among the targets of the Hijrah (flight of the Prophet from Makkah toMedina ), which was prescribed upon the Arab tribes before the conquest of Makkah, was giving a chance for the Bedouin to learn and absorb the new Islamic culture which considers the congregational Prayers as an essential rite. Moreover, it encourages them to attend instructive meetings, to embrace Islamic discipline which covered all aspects of life: eating, drinking, wearing clothes, walking, sitting down and all other major as well as minor aspects of life.
The civilization of Islam has united man to Allah and earth to heaven
If we make a comparison, we will see, on the one hand, the Bedouin man who was not in the least embarrassed to pass urine in one corner of the mosque regardless of the fact that the Prophet and his Companions were sitting in it. Yet when people shouted at him, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped them and excused his ignorance and Bedouinism ordering his Companions: “Wait until he finishes his urinating then spill a bucket of water over the place, for you have been sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari) On the other hand, we would see his fellow Muslim who was instructed, refined and purified by Islam as he approached Rustum, the leader of the Persian armies, and answered his inquiry about the identity of Muslims saying: “We were sent by Allah to bring out whom He wills from the worship of His servants to His Worship alone, from the straitened world to the vast one, and from the injustice of religions to the justice of Islam “ Undoubtedly, Islam was a message of civilization. Its target was to elevate the life of man and set him free from the bonds of “bedouinism” to the freedom of civilization. It is necessary to emphasize that the civilization that Islam wants to build is unlike any other civilizations which focus on the materialistic aspects of life as well as the bodily and sensuous side of man. Moreover, these civilizations concentrated on the immediate pleasures of life, making worldly affairs their primary concern and the destination of their knowledge, and left no room for Allah or the Afterlife in their philosophy or in their cultural and educational system. Contrary to them, the civilization of Islam has united man to Allah and earth to heaven. It has dedicated life to preparation for the Afterlife. It has mingled spirit with matter, has struck a balance between the mind and the heart, has wedded science to faith and has cherished ethical sublimity as much as materialistic development. It is justifiable to describe it as a spiritual, materialistic civilization. It is idealistic and real, holy and human, ethical and populational, and individualistic as well as general. Truly, it is the civilization of balance and moderation which was the basis on which a just and distinguished Nation. Almighty Allah described it saying what means (And so We have appointed you as a just and distinguished Nation.) (Chapter 2:143)

source: http://www.readingislam.com

Continue reading »]]>
Islamic teachings on the Importance of Parents

Say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. – Quran 17:23

In Islam it is obligatory for us to show kindness, respect, and obedience to our parents. The position of parents, and the mutual obligations and responsibilities, have been addressed in Islam in great detail. In fact kindness and obedience is so strongly emphasized that God has linked showing gratitude to one’s parents with showing gratitude to God -

And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command), “Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) Goal. (31:14)

Sadly we are living in a time where children speaking disrespectfully to their parents and about their parents, is the norm rather than the exception. However Islam places great emphasis on respectful and considerate behaviour to even our enemies, so to not uphold the obligations laid down by God to our parents is actually one of the major sins.
In the Quran
Let’s see what the Quran says about Parents. This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God (2:02)

Treat parents with honour & speak to them graciously & with humility

Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood. (17:23)

Be grateful to parents but do not obey them if they strive to make you associate things with God

…Be grateful to Me and to both your parents; to Me is the eventual coming. But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration), and follow the way of those who turn to me (in love): in the end the return of you all is to Me, then will I inform you of what you did (31:15)

These verses make it clear that we must honour our parents, appreciate their sacrifices and efforts for us, and do our best for them. This is required regardless of whether they are Muslims or not.

Be good to parents and everyone else who you meet

Serve God, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: For God loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;- (4:36)

If the Quran tells us to be good to a stranger how can we even think of disrespecting our parents?

Hadiths
Let’s see what Prophet Muhammad said about parents in the authentic Hadiths. Whatsoever the Prophet gives you, take it and whatsoever he forbids you, refrain from it. – Quran 59:7
Disobedience to parents is a major sin

Anas narrated from Prophet Muhammad about the major sins. He (Mohammed) observed: Associating anyone with God, disobedience to parents, killing a person and false utterance. (Muslim)

One of the dearest deeds to God is being good & dutiful to parents

Narrated ‘Abdullah: I asked the Prophet “Which deed is the dearest to God?” He replied, “To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times.” I asked, “What is the next (in goodness)?” He replied, “To be good and dutiful to your parents”…(Bukhari)

Being dutiful to parents is one of the keys to enter Paradise

Abu Huraira reported Prophet Muhammad as saying: Let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust. It was said: God’s Messenger, who is he? He said: He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise (because he has been undutiful to them). (Muslim)

Acts of kindness we can do for our parents after their death

While we were with Prophet Muhammad of God . A man of Banu Salmah came to Him and said: Apostle of God is there any kindness left that I can do to my parents after their death? He replied: Yes, you can invoke blessings on them, forgiveness for them, carry out their final instructions after their death, join ties of relationship which are dependent on them, and honour their friends. (Abu Dawood)

The High Status given to Mothers

A man came to the Prophet and asked him for permission to join a military expedition. The Prophet asked him if he had a mother, and when he replied that he had, he said, “Stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet.” (Ahmad)

Summary

Sometimes we may take our parents for granted and overlook their importance. As Muslims we should constantly be alert to guard ourselves from sins, however, are we guarding ourselves from one of the biggest major sins? Are we honouring and respecting our parents as per their right? Or are we neglecting one of the deeds most dearest to God? Right now the choice is ours!
We ask God the Most High, the All-Powerful, to teach us that which will benefit us, and to benefit us by that which we learn.

Continue reading »]]> “Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds.”

This sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul Hijjah 10 A.H. in the ‘Uranah valley of Mount Arafat’ (in Mecca).

After praising, and thanking God he said:

“O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. God has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn ‘Abd’al Muttalib (Prophet’s uncle) shall henceforth be waived…

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship God, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before God and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my example, the Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people”.

Continue reading »]]> He was an extraordinary husband, a perfect father, and a unique grandfather. He was unique in every way. He treated his children and grandchildren with great compassion, and never neglected to direct them to the Hereafter and good deeds. He smiled at them, caressed and loved them, but did not allow them to neglect matters related to the afterlife. In worldly matters he was extremely open; but when it came to maintaining their relationship with God, he was very serious and dignified. He showed them how to lead a humane life, and never allowed them to neglect their religious duties and become spoiled. His ultimate goal was to prepare them for the Hereafter. His perfect balance in such matters is another dimension of his Divinely inspired intellect.

In a hadith narrated by Muslim, Anas bin Malik, honored as the Messenger’s servant for 10 continuous years, says: “I’ve never seen a man who was more compassionate to his family members than Muhammad.” [1] If this admission were made just by us, it could be dismissed as unimportant. However, millions of people, so benign and compassionate that they would not even offend an ant, declare that he embraced everything with compassion. He was a human like us, but God inspired in him such an intimate affection for every living thing that he could establish a connection with all of them. As a result, he was full of extraordinary affection toward his family members and others.

All of the Prophet’s sons had died. Ibrahim, his last son born to his Coptic wife Mary, also died in infancy. The Messenger often visited his son before the latter’s death, although he was very busy. Ibrahim was looked after by a nurse. The Prophet would embrace, kiss, and caress him before returning home. [2] When Ibrahim died, the Prophet took him on his lap again, embraced him, and described his sorrow while on the brink of tears. Some were surprised. He gave them this answer: “Eyes may water and hearts may be broken, but we do not say anything except what God will be pleased with.” He pointed to his tongue and said: “God will ask us about this.” [3]

He carried his grandsons Hasan and Husayn on his back. Despite his unique status, he did this without hesitation to herald the honor that they would attain later. One time when they were on his back, ‘Umar came into the Prophet’s house and, seeing them, exclaimed: “What a beautiful mount you have!” The Messenger added immediately: “What beautiful riders they are!” [4] They may not have been aware that the Messenger had honored them. This special compliment was due to their future status as leaders and family heads of the Prophet’s household. Among their descendants would be the greatest and most respected saints. His compliment was not only for his grandsons, but for all his offspring. For this reason, ‘Abd al-Qadir Jilani, a well-known descendant of the Prophet’s household, said: “The Messenger’s blessed feet are on my shoulders, and mine are on the shoulders of all saints.” This statement will probably stand for all saints to come.

The Messenger was completely balanced in the way he brought up his children. He loved his children and grandchildren very much, and instilled love in them. However, he never let his love for them be abused. None of them deliberately dared to do anything wrong. If they made an unintentional mistake, the Messenger’s protection prevented them from going even slightly astray. He did this by wrapping them in love and an aura of dignity. For example, once Hasan or Husayn wanted to eat a date that had been given to distribute among the poor as alms. The Messenger immediately took it from his hand, and said: “Anything given as alms is forbidden to us.” [5] In teaching them while they were young to be sensitive to forbidden acts, he established an important principle of education.

Whenever he returned to Madina, he would carry children on his mount. On such occasions, the Messenger embraced not only his grandchildren but also those in his house and those nearby. He conquered their hearts through his compassion. He loved all children.

He loved his granddaughter Umama as much as he loved Hasan and Husayn. He often went out with her on his shoulders, and even placed her on his back while praying. When he prostrated, he put her down; when he had finished, he placed her on his back again. [6] He showed this degree of love to Umama to teach his male followers how to treat girls. This was a vital necessity, for only a decade earlier it had been the social norm to bury infant or young girls alive. Such public paternal affection for a granddaughter had never been seen before in Arabia.

The Messenger proclaimed that Islam allows no discrimination between son and daughter. How could there be? One is Muhammad, the other is Khadija; one is Adam, the other is Eve; one is ‘Ali, the other is Fatima. For every great man there is a great woman.

Fatima, the daughter of the Messenger, is the mother of all members of his household. She is our mother, too. As soon as Fatima entered, the Messenger would stand, take her hands and make her sit where he had been sitting. He would ask about her health and family, show his paternal love for her, and compliment her.

He loved her like his own self, and Fatima, knowing how fond he was of her, loved him more than her own self. Her great mission was to be the seed for saints and godly people. She always watched her father and how he called people to Islam. She wept and groaned when the Messenger told her that he would die soon, and rejoiced when he told her that she would be the first family member to follow him. [7] Her father loved her, and she loved her father. The Messenger was totally balanced even in his love for Fatima. He trained her for the heights to which the human soul should rise.

The Messenger raised her, as well as all of his other family members and Companions, in a way to prepare them for the Hereafter. All of us were created for eternity, and so cannot be satisfied except through eternity and the Eternal Being. Therefore, we only want Him and long for Him, either consciously or unconsciously. The essence of all religions and the message of every Prophet was about the Hereafter. For this reason, the Messenger always sought to prepare his followers for the eternal peace and permanent bliss; meanwhile, his very existence among them was a sample of that peace and bliss they would taste in His presence.

He loved them and directed them toward the Hereafter, to the otherworldly and eternal beauty, and to God. For example, He once saw Fatima wearing a necklace (a bracelet, according to another version), and asked her: “Do you want the inhabitants of the Earth and the Heavens to say that my daughter is holding (or wearing) a chain from Hell?” These few words, coming from a man whose throne was established in her heart and who had conquered all her faculties, caused her to report, in her own words: “I immediately sold the necklace, bought and freed a slave, and then went to the Messenger. When I told him what I had done, he rejoiced. He opened his hands and thanked God: ‘All thanks to God, Who protected Fatima from Hell.’” [8]

Fatima did not commit any sin by wearing this necklace. However, the Messenger wanted to keep her in the circle of the muqarrabin (those made near to God). His warning to her was based on taqwa (righteousness and devotion to God) and qurb (nearness to God). This was, in a sense, a neglect of worldly things. It is also an example of the sensitivity befitting the mother of the Prophet’s household, which represents the Muslim community until the Last Day. To be a mother of such godly men like Hasan, Husayn, and Zayn al-’Abidin was certainly no ordinary task. The Messenger was preparing her to be the mother first of his own household (Ahl al-Bayt), and then of those who would descend from them, such great spiritual leaders as ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Muhammad Baha’ al-Din al-Naqshband, Ahmad Rifai’, Ahmad Badawi, al-Shadhili, and the like.

It was as if he were telling her: “Fatima, you will marry a man (‘Ali) and go to a house from which many golden ‘rings’ will emerge in the future. Forget the golden chain on your neck and concentrate on becoming the mother for the ‘golden chains’ of saints who will appear in the spiritual orders of Naqshbandiya, Rifa’iya, Shadhiliyya, and the like.” It was difficult to fulfill such a role while wearing a golden necklace. For this reason, the Messenger was more severe with his own household than with others. He reminded them of the straight path by turning their faces toward the other world, closing all the windows opening on this world, and telling them that what they need is God.

They were to lead their whole lives looking to the other world. For this reason, as a sign of his love, the Messenger purified his own household from all worldly rubbish and allowed no worldly dust to contaminate them. He turned their faces toward the exalted realms and prepared them for being together there.

[1] Muslim, “Fada’il,” 63.
[2] Muslim, “Fada’il,” 62.
[3] Bukhari, “Jana’iz,” 44; Muslim, “Fada’il,” 62; Ibn Ma’ja, “Jana’iz,” 53.
[4] Hindi, Kanz al-’Ummal, 13:650.
[5] Ibn Hanbal, 2:279; Muslim, “Zakat,” 161.
[6] Bukhari, “Adab,” 18; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, 8:39.
[7] Muslim, “Fada’il,” 98, 99; Bukhari, “Manaqib, ” 25.
[8] Nasa’i, “Zinat,” 39.

source: fgulen.org

Continue reading »]]> by Fethullah Gulen
The Muslims are those from whose tongues and hands other Muslims are safe and sound. The emigrants are those who leave behind and abandon those things God has prohibited.[1]

Let us briefly analyze the above hadith. Notice the presence of the definite article (al in Arabic) before Muslim. What can be extrapolated from this is that there are ideal believers who enter an atmosphere of safety and security, having so immersed themselves in that atmosphere that they harm no one with their hands or tongues. This refers only to the true and ideal Muslims who leave their mark on all minds, not those who appear or claim to be so, or to those whose identity cards or passports have “Muslim” written on them. We understand this from the article used in the Arabic, which indicates something specific, definite. This is derived from the grammatical rule of the Arabic language: “When something is described by a definite article, the item’s highest and most perfect condition is indicated.” So, when one hears “the believer,” the first thing that comes to mind is the most perfect meaning of “believer,” and that is what is meant in this hadith.

Moreover, one cannot learn such a fine grammatical point by oneself, for it is a topic that belongs to formal education. Hence, such an educational experience was not possible for the Messenger of God; he was illiterate. Thus, he was not speaking his own thoughts, but rather he was relaying what the Eternal Teacher taught him to say. For this reason, there are many subtle grammatical points found in the Prophet’s expressions and declarations, and there are no errors in usage.

Let us return to the above hadith: Real Muslims are people in whom one can feel confidence and trust, so much so that other Muslims can turn their backs on them without a second thought. One can entrust a family member to such people without fear; this person will suffer no injury from the hand or tongue of the Muslim. If one were to attend a gathering with a true Muslim, one could leave in full confidence that no one will gossip about one, nor would one have to listen to gossip about others. Such Muslims are as sensitive to the dignity and honor of other people as they are to their own. They do not eat; they feed others. They do not live for themselves; they live to enable others to live. They will even sacrifice their spiritual pleasure for others. I derive all these meanings from the fact that the definite article in Arabic also means hasr; a restraining, a devotion to a specific purpose.

Security and Muslims

Etymologically speaking, the word Muslim and the verb sa-li-ma both come from the root silm. This means that for Muslims, every matter takes place in line with silm (security), salamah (safety), and Muslim-ness. Muslims are seized by such a divine attraction that all of their actions take place around this powerful center.

They greet everyone with salaam, thereby placing love for themselves in everyone’s heart.[2] They end their prayers with salaam. All people, jinn, angels, and conscious creatures receive their salaam. That is, they exchange greetings with invisible creatures as well. Until now, no other people have extended this circle of greeting to such a degree as have the Muslims. Islam consists of performing such principal duties as fasting, giving alms, performing the Hajj, and striving to profess the faith. This means that they set sail on the sea of safety and security by obeying the command: Enter safety (Islam) whole-heartedly (2:208). Those who throw themselves into that sea emanate safety and Islam in every condition. No one sees anything but goodness in the actions and behavior of such people.

Why the Tongue and Hand?

As in every statement of our master, peace and blessings be upon him, every word in the hadith mentioned above was chosen carefully. Why did he choose the hand and the tongue to speak about? Of course there are many subtle points related to this choice. A person can harm someone in two ways: either directly or indirectly. The hand represents physical presence (directly), and the tongue represents absence (indirectly). People either attack others directly, physically, or indirectly, through gossip and ridicule. Real Muslims never engage in such activities, because they are supposed to always act justly and generously, whether they are acting directly or indirectly.

The Prophet mentioned the tongue before the hand because in Islam one can retaliate for what has been done with the hand. However, the same is not always true for damage done indirectly through gossip or slander. Thus, such action can easily cause conflict between individuals, communities, and even nations. Dealing with this type of harm is relatively more difficult than dealing with the harm caused by the hand, and this is the reason why the Prophet mentioned the tongue before the hand. On the other hand, the value of Muslims before God has been indicated. Being a Muslim has such a great value before God that other Muslims must control their hands and tongues in their actions toward them.

Another important moral dimension of Islam is that Muslims must keep at bay things that will harm others, whether physically or spiritually, and they must do their best not to harm others. Let alone not causing harm, every segment of Muslim society must also represent safety and security. Muslims can be real Muslims to the extent that they carry within themselves a feeling of safety and that their hearts beat with trust. Wherever they are or wherever they live this feeling that derives from al-salaam is revealed. They wish for safety upon departure, adorn their prayers with greetings, and send salaams to other believers when they end their prayers. In all probability, it is inconceivable that people who lead their whole lives in such an orbit of salaam would embark on a path that is contrary to the basic principles of safety, trust, soundness, and worldly and other-worldly security, thus causing harm to themselves or to others.

It would be useful to examine the very essence of these points: True Muslims are the most trustworthy representatives of universal peace. They travel everywhere with this sublime feeling, nourished deep in their spirits. Far from giving torment or suffering, they are remembered everywhere as symbols of safety and security. In their eyes, there is no difference between a physical (direct) or a verbal (indirect) violation of someone’s rights. In fact, in some cases the latter is considered to be a greater crime than the former.

[1] Bukhari, Iman, 4.
[2] Bukhari, Iman, 20; Muslim, Iman, 63.

source: fgulen.org

Continue reading »]]> Groups formed by disorganized and sinful (disobedient) individuals are merely crowds with no moral or esthetic values, people who are far removed from the thought of doing good. On the other hand, ideal, or complete, people carry the qualities of angels, and are monuments of human foresight and comprehension.

We see these qualities in the following Qur’anic verse, as well as in many others:

We have indeed created man in the most perfect form and nature. (AtTin 95:4)

The people to whom this verse refers understand it to mean that they are the most adorned and beautiful forms of creation, material or spiritual. They enjoy the perfect state of creation, and are conscious of the unlimited gifts that they have received.

Let us try to understand this verse: Humanity took on the responsibility that the Earth, the sky, and the mountains rejected, in fear that they would not be able to shoulder this duty. They perceived that humanity was the sole candidate for reaching immortality.

Humans may be considered as traveling on the path to becoming a complete person as long as they continue to develop the gifts with which they were adorned and to live according to divine inspiration.

Such mysteries, like the meaning of life and death, the reason of existence, and our responsibilities, are always on the minds of such people. They think deeply concerning sins, doing good, and being pious. The meaning of catastrophes that harm humanity agitates their minds; the light of divine wisdom shines in their hearts; the rays of this light are reflected on their souls.

All of this allows them to see behind the curtain. Their astonishment and amazement turns into love and affection, and they turn to the Creator of their souls and feel contentment. Souls at this level do not let Divine benevolence go to their heads, nor are they shaken by its loss, for they see benevolence and loss as one and the same thing, and understand that reward and punishment are also the same. While others are spoiled by such favors and descend into pessimism at the first sign of trouble, ideal people gain even when they seem doomed to lose. They manage to grow roses in the desert, to produce sugar from a dry cane.

Ideal people know that they are being continually tested and refined so that they may attain bliss. Even though they face fatal catastrophes and fall into the most terrible whirlpools, even in the most helpless and distressing moments, they hear comforting and consoling whispers from the other world; whispers that come from their innermost soul, and they bow in gratitude and admiration.

Such people have absolute confidence and trust in God, because they believe and trust in that omnipresent and omnipotent Immortal Power. The pure belief dwelling in the depths of their hearts, their perception that gives them unbelievable perspectives, and their knowledge and thoughts raise them to such a point that they can almost hear a voice say: “Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised!”[1] and then they witness the most wonderful pleasures of all.

Ideal people try to remain removed from sin, for they have designed their lives according to the Divine Law in which they believe so sincerely. And, because they always struggle against their egos they have no time or energy to engage in ignorant pastimes or bohemian lifestyles. They are always on the look out for the beauty of their Friend, their minds are on the Hereafter, their hearts are bright and colorful gardens open to visits from spiritual beings, and they themselves are travelers in and explorers of this mystic land and atmosphere.

Worldly people who are enslaved by their egos live only to fulfill their carnal desires. Never content, they feel no tranquility. But ideal people are always at peace with themselves. They are content and, furthermore, they place their knowledge and understanding at the service of humanity. They courageously devote themselves to ridding the world of injustice and tyranny, and are not afraid to protect their land and honor. And, at times, they gracefully spread their wings of forgiveness over their brothers and sisters.

Knowing that everything but God is mortal and will fade away, ideal people do not bow before anything or anyone other than God. They resist the seductive attractions of the material world . . . they assess and use in the way of God that which has been bestowed upon them, just like heavenly beings . . . they examine all that occurs like a scientist in a laboratory . . . they dedicate their lives to humanity and leave a much better world for coming generations.

Ideal people constantly pursue God’s blessing and strive to be true. Neither their bodily passions nor spiritual goals cast doubts on their sincerity. They value all servants of God as being the greatest of people, and appreciate each as their peer. In their hearts, they melt any harshness or bad feelings that emanates from others, thus showing how kindness defeats wrong.

In their bright atmosphere, spears of lightning fade away. . . Nimrod, a merciless emperor who ordered Prophet Abraham to be thrown into the fire, saw his flames die down and turn into a green garden that soothed harsh and illtempered souls.

Most of us have not reached this level yet. We cannot confront wrongdoing with kindness. We confront harshness with harshness and hate with hate. We convince ourselves that our thoughts are objective and not really our own selfish desires. Thus we besmirch our struggle in the way of God and lose, although we set out to win. If it were not for the beauty, attractiveness, and lifegiving rays of the Qur’an, the misconceptions we have caused and the bad examples we have set would have prevented us from seeing this day.

[1] Fussilat 41:30.

source: fgulen.org

Continue reading »]]> by Fethullah Gulen
Since “real” life is only possible through knowledge, those who have neglected learning and teaching are considered to be “dead,” even when they are biologically alive. We were created to learn and to communicate what we have learned to others.

Real life is lived at the spiritual level. Those whose hearts are alive, those who conquer the past and the future, transcend the restrictions of time. Such people are never overly distressed by past sorrows or overly anxious about the future. Those who are not able to experience full existence in their hearts, those who lead banal, shallow lives, are always gloomy and inclined to hopelessness. They consider the past as a horrifying grave, and see the future as a bottomless well. They live in agony, wondering whether they will live or die.

All of us are travelers, and the world is a multicolored exhibition and a rich and colorful book. We were sent to study this book, to increase our spiritual knowledge, and to uplift others. This colorful and pleasurable journey is a onetime event. For those whose feelings are alert and whose hearts are awake, this journey is more than enough to establish a Paradiselike garden. But for those whose eyes are covered, it is as if all goes by in a single breath.

The humble and modest are highly regarded by the created and by the Creator. The haughty and selfconceited, those who belittle others and put on haughty airs, are always disliked by the created and are punished by the Creator.

Humility is a sign of virtue and maturity, whereas haughtiness and selfconceit indicate an imperfect, low spirit. The most perfect human beings are those who are at ease and intimate in the company of others. In contrast, those who are too proud to join in with others and to form warm friendships are considered to be mere representatives of imperfectness. Humility makes people into true human beings. One sign of humility is that people do not change after they have obtained rank or wealth, learning or fame, or whatever else may be publicly esteemed. If any of these circumstances causes people to alter their ideas, attitudes, and behavior, then they cannot be regarded as having attained true humanity or true humility.

When interacting with others, always use as a measure what you find pleasing or displeasing. Wish for others what you wish for yourself and do not forget that whatever conduct displeases you will also displease others. If you do this, you will be safe from misconduct and bad behavior, and will not hurt others.

Maturity and perfection of spirit mean that you should be just in your treatment of others, especially those who have done you an injustice. Return their bad action with goodness. Do not cease doing good even to those who have harmed you. Rather, treat them with kindness and nobility, for harming someone is cruel. Repaying evil with evil implies a deficiency in character; the opposite is nobility.

There is no limit of goodness that can be done for others. Those who dedicate themselves to doing good for humanity are so altruistic that they can even sacrifice their lives for others. However, such altruism is a great virtue only if it originates in sincerity and purity of intention; it should be far removed from racial or tribal superstitions.

Those who regard even the greatest favor they have done for others as being insignificant, yet greatly appreciate even the smallest favor done for themselves are perfected ones who have acquired the Divine standards of behavior and have found peace in their conscience. Such individuals never remind others of the good that they may have done for them, and never complain when others appear to be indifferent to them.

* This collection of aphorisms was written in 1984 and recently appeared in one volume Ölçü veya Yoldaki Işıklar, Kaynak, Izmir, 2000; English edition Pearls of Wisdom, The Fountain, New Jersey, 2000, pp. 13, 23, 41, 42, 49, 50.
source: fgulen.org

Continue reading »]]> by Fethullah Gulen
Religion, particularly Islam, has become one of the most difficult subject areas to tackle in recent years. Contemporary culture, whether approached from the perspective of anthropology or theology, psychology or psychoanalysis, evaluates religion with empirical methods. On the one hand, religion is an inwardly experienced and felt phenomenon, one that, for the most part, is related to the permanent aspects of life. On the other hand, believers can see their religion as a philosophy, a set of rational principles, or mere mysticism. The difficulty increases in the case of Islam, for some Muslims and policy-makers consider and present it as a purely political, sociological, and economic ideology, rather than as a religion.

If we want to analyze religion, democracy, or any other system or philosophy accurately, we should focus on humanity and human life. From this perspective, religion in general, and Islam in particular, cannot be compared on the same basis with democracy or any other political, social, or economic system. Religion focuses primarily on the immutable aspects of life and existence, whereas political, social, and economic systems or ideologies concern only certain variable social aspects of our worldly life.

The aspects of life with which religion is primarily concerned are as valid today as they were at the dawn of humanity and will continue to be so in the future. Worldly systems change according to circumstances and so can be evaluated only according to their times. Belief in God, the hereafter, the prophets, the holy books, the angels, and divine destiny have nothing to do with changing times. Likewise, worship and morality’s universal and unchanging standards have little to do with time and worldly life.

Therefore, when comparing religion or Islam with democracy, we must remember that democracy is a system that is being continually developed and revised. It also varies according to the places and circumstances where it is practiced. On the other hand, religion has established immutable principles related to faith, worship, and morality. Thus, only Islam’s worldly aspects should be compared with democracy.

The main aim of Islam and its unchangeable dimensions affect its rules governing the changeable aspects of our lives. Islam does not propose a certain unchangeable form of government or attempt to shape it. Instead, Islam establishes fundamental principles that orient a government’s general character, leaving it to the people to choose the type and form of government according to time and circumstances. If we approach the matter in this light and compare Islam with the modern liberal democracy of today, we will be better able to understand the position of Islam and democracy with respect to each other.

Democratic ideas stem from ancient times. Modern liberal democracy was born in the American (1776) and French Revolutions (1789-1799). In democratic societies, people govern themselves as opposed to being ruled by someone above. The individual has priority over the community in this type of political system, being free to determine how to live his or her own life. Individualism is not absolute, though. People achieve a better existence by living within a society and this requires that they adjust and limit their freedom according to the criteria of social life.

The Prophet says that all people are as equal as the teeth of a comb.[1] Islam does not discriminate based on race, color, age, nationality, or physical traits. The Prophet declared:

You are all from Adam, and Adam is from earth. O servants of God, be brothers [and sisters.]“[2]

Those who were born earlier, who have more wealth or power than others, or who belong to certain families or ethnic groups have no inherent right to rule others.

Islam also upholds the following fundamental principles:

1. Power lies in truth, a repudiation of the common idea that truth relies upon power.
2. Justice and the rule of law are essential.
3. Freedom of belief and rights to life, personal property, reproduction, and health (both mental and physical) cannot be violated.
4. The privacy and immunity of individual life must be maintained.
5. No one can be convicted of a crime without evidence, or accused and punished for someone else’s crime.
6. An advisory system of administration is essential.

All rights are equally important, and the rights of the individual cannot be sacrificed for the sake of society. Islam considers a society to be composed of conscious individuals equipped with freewill and having responsibility toward both themselves and others. Islam goes a step further by adding a cosmic dimension. It sees humanity as the “motor” of history, contrary to the fatalistic approaches of some nineteenth century Western philosophies of history, such as dialectical materialism and historicism.[3] Just as the will and behavior of every individual determine the outcome of his or her life in this world and in the hereafter, a society’s progress or decline is determined by the will, worldview, and lifestyle of its inhabitants. The Qur’an says:

God will not change the state of a people unless they change themselves (with respect to their beliefs, worldview, and lifestyle). (Ar-Rad 13:11)

In other words, each society holds the reins of its fate in its own hands. The prophetic tradition emphasizes this idea: “You will be ruled according to how you are.”[4] This is the basic character and spirit of democracy; an idea which does not conflict with any Islamic principle.

As Islam holds individuals and societies responsible for their own fate, people must be responsible for governing themselves. The Qur’an addresses society with such phrases as: “O people!” and “O believers!” The duties entrusted to modern democratic systems are those that Islam assigns to society and classifies, in order of importance, as “absolutely necessary, relatively necessary, and commendable to carry out.” The sacred text includes the following passages:

Establish, all of you, peace. (Al-Baqara 2:208)

Spend in the way of God and to the needy of the pure and good of what you have earned and of what We bring forth for you from the Earth. (Al-Baqara 2:267)

If some among your women are accused of indecency, you must have four witnesses (to prove it). (An-Nisa 4:15)

God commands you to give over the public trusts to the charge of those having the required qualities and to judge with justice when you judge people. (An-Nisa 4:58)

Observe justice as witnesses respectful for God, even if it is against yourselves, your parents and relatives. (An-Nisa 4:135)

If they (your enemies) incline to peace (when you are at war), you also incline to it. (Al-Anfal 8:61)

If a corrupt, sinful one brings you news (about others), investigate it so that you should not strike a people without knowing. (Al-Hujurat 49:6)

If two parties among the believers fight between themselves, reconcile them. (Al-Hujurat 49:9)

In short, the Qur’an addresses the whole community and assigns it almost all the duties entrusted to modern democratic systems.

People cooperate with one another by sharing these duties and establishing the essential foundations necessary to perform them. The government is composed of all of these basic elements. Thus, Islam recommends a government based on a social contract. People elect the administrators and establish a council to debate common issues. Also, the society as a whole participates in auditing the administration. During the rule of the first four caliphs (632-661) in particular, the fundamental principles of government mentioned above—including free elections—were fully observed. The political system was transformed into a sultanate after the death of Ali, the fourth caliph, due to internal conflicts and the global conditions at that time. Unlike the caliphate, power in the sultanate was passed down through the sultan’s family. However, even though free elections were no longer held, societies maintained other principles that are found at the core of liberal democracy of today.

Islam is an inclusive religion. It is based on the belief in one God as the Creator, Lord, Sustainer, and Administrator of the universe. Islam is the religion of the whole universe. That is, the entire universe obeys the laws laid down by God; everything in the universe is “Muslim” and obeys God by submitting to His laws. Even a person who refuses to believe in God or who follows another religion has to be a Muslim perforce as far as bodily existence is concerned. Our entire life, from the embryonic stage to the body’s dissolution into dust after death, every tissue of the muscles, and every limb of the body follows the course prescribed for each by God’s laws. Thus, in Islam, God, nature, and humanity are neither remote from one another nor are they alien to one another. It is God who makes Himself known to humanity through nature and humanity itself, and nature and humanity are two books (of creation) through which each word of God is made known. This leads humankind to look upon everything as belonging to the same Lord, to whom it itself belongs, and therefore regarding nothing in the universe as being alien. His sympathy, love, and service do not remain confined to the people of a particular race, color, or ethnicity. The Prophet summed this up with the command, “O servants of God, be brothers (and sisters)!”

A separate but equally important point is that Islam recognizes all religions that came before it. It accepts all the prophets and books sent to different peoples in different epochs of history. Not only does it accept them, but it also regards belief in them as an essential principle of being Muslim. In this way, it acknowledges the basic unity of all religions. A Muslim is at the same time a true follower of Abraham, Moses, David, all the other Hebrew prophets and Jesus. This belief explains why both Christians and Jews enjoyed their religious rights under the rule of Islamic governments throughout history.

The Islamic social system seeks to form a virtuous society and thereby gain God’s approval. It recognizes right, not force, as the foundation of social life. Hostility is unacceptable. Relationships must be based on belief, love, mutual respect, assistance, and understanding instead of conflict and the pursuit of personal interests. Social education encourages people to pursue lofty ideals and to strive for perfection, not just to run after their own desires. Justified calls for unity and virtues create mutual support and solidarity, and belief secures brotherhood and sisterhood. Encouraging the soul to attain perfection brings happiness in both worlds.

Democracy has developed over time. Just as it has gone through many different stages in the past, it will continue to evolve and improve in the future. Along the way, it will be shaped into a more humane and just system, one based on righteousness and reality. If human beings are considered as a whole, without disregarding the spiritual dimension of their existence and their spiritual needs, and without forgetting that human life is not limited to this mortal life and that all people have a great craving for eternity, democracy could reach the peak of perfection and bring even more happiness to humanity. Islamic principles of equality, tolerance, and justice can help it do just this.

* This article originally appeared in SAIS Review, 21:2 (Summer-Fall 2001):133-38.
[1] Abu Shuja’ Shirawayh ibn Shahrdar al-Daylami, Al-Firdaws bi-Ma’thur al-Khitab [The Heavenly Garden Made Up of the Selections from the Prophet's Addresses], Beirut, 1986, Dar al-Kutub al-’Ilmiya, 4:300.
[2] For the second part of the hadith see the sections “Nikah” (marriage Contract) in Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Bukhari, ed., al-Jami’ al-Sahih [A Collection of the Prophet's Authentic Traditions], Istanbul: al-Maktabat al-Islamiya, n.d., ch. 45; “Birr wa Sila” (Goodness and Visiting the Relatives) in Imam Abu Husayn Muslim ibn Hajjaj, ed., al-Jami’ al-Sahih, op. cit., ch. 23; and for the first part see “Tafsir” (The Qur’anic Commentary) and “Manaqib” (The Virtues of the Prophet and His Companions) in Abu ‘Isa Muhammad ibn ‘Isa al-Tirmidhi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih, Beirut, Dar al Ihya al-Turath al-’Arabi, n.d., chs. 49 and 74, respectively. The original text in Arabic does not include the word “sisters” in the command. However, the masculine form used refers to both men and women, as is the rule in many languages. An equivalent in English would be “humankind,” which refers to both men and women. By saying “O servants of God,” the Prophet also means women, because both men and women are equally servants of God.
[3] See Karl R. Popper, The Poverty of Historicism, trans. Sabri Orman, Istanbul, Insan Yayınları, 1985.
[4] ‘Ala al-Din ‘Ali al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanz al-’Ummal fi Sunan al-Aqwal wa al-Af’al [A Treasure of the Laborers for the Sake of the Prophet's Sayings and Deeds], Beirut, Mu’assasat al-Risala, 1985, 6:89.

source: fgulen.org

Continue reading »]]> Everyone takes up the matter of a new world order and evaluates it from a different point of view, according to their own thoughts. This is quite natural. For example, people who have suffered from an internationalism disagreeable for many might accept chauvinism as a form of salvation and be inclined toward it. As a matter of fact, in Asia today almost every nation, under the ideal of turning back toward its ancient history, is turning toward its own particular values to such a degree that these nations now see themselves as being nationalistic. In view of the present situation, it is possible to evaluate the changes in the Russians, the Uzbeks, the Kazakhs, and others in this way. Today there are a number of changes with similar significance taking place in other countries in the world. As long as these “changes” and “developments” do not harm anyone else they can be seen as being normal. However, if we can find a way and a method that would make these changes more beneficial it would then be possible to prevent further tragedies.

Some of these developments follow a course based on religion. In relation to these, it is possible to mention both organized and unorganized activities throughout various parts of the world. Unlike others, they approach every matter from the principle that “religion is basic.” And naturally they want to evaluate today’s unsettled situation in line with their own way of thinking and manipulate and lead people to the position required by religion.

In addition to this is the fact that the attempt by the powers which have exploited the world many times to take advantage of this period of restructuring seems normal from their own perspectives. Is there full agreement among these powers? Of course not. However, it is widely believed that they are trying to come together and to reach an agreement as soon as possible. As is known, Britain does not think very differently on this matter from America. Although they had a small difference of opinion regarding the Sarajevo issue, the British are now also following America’s line. Sometimes France appears to have different views, but that derives more from their effort to get a share in the new structure and formation rather than a genuine difference in view.

In addition, there are some countries in which it is difficult to tell whether they are comfortable with the new order or not. It is quite difficult to understand the situation of these countries, just as there are some diseases that are hard to diagnose. As a matter of fact, they do not expect a share in the general advantages. In fact, it is not obvious what they really want at the present time.

It is also necessary to take note of the internal change that every country expects from itself. Of course, the manifestation of this expectation will vary according to the country, and it is impossible to consider and analyze all of them separately. If you like, let us make a few points about expectations in our own country and then move on. Our society is prudent and vigilant; one day it will assuredly listen to its intuition and conscience and, adopting the change most suitable to its nature, it will realize this change. This situation being surmised, many differences in thought have emerged in our country. Hopefully those who possess all these different views and thoughts are sincere in what they say and want to do. In this broad spectrum some differences in line and motif are quite normal and, in fact, in one respect they should be accepted as being beneficial.

After these general remarks we can briefly consider the matter within a technical perspective. The idealized peaceful world cannot be established by war and spilling blood. Nor will camouflaging activities of aggression and occupation yield positive results. For this reason, it is beneficial to repeat clearly and precisely once again that any balance of power that is made by using force will collapse in the shortest period of time, and those who were responsible for it will be the first to be buried under the debris.

I think we have witnessed that, in this sense, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, and Somalia are some of the most striking examples. Examples of reaction are likely to be even more violent in the future. The sympathy among Muslim peoples in the Muslim world, a sympathy which was once felt for the leaders of the free world, will slowly melt and antipathy will take its place. It appears that if the new world order is founded upon explicit or implicit exploitation by force, instead of democracy and full enjoyment of basic human rights and freedoms, then this antipathy will continue in expanding dimensions.

Our ancestors said, “the water jug breaks on the way to the well.” Those who have gained a position by destroying something will themselves collapse and lose that position later on, in the same way. If we look all around us today and take into consideration the recurrence of history, we will be able to see more clearly what is awaiting us tomorrow.

Even if the world is not in a process of renewal, and it is clear today that it is not, it definitely is in a process of reconstruction. When the correct time arrives, this reconstruction will certainly be realized. When this happens, instead of having a world that has been shaped with malice and hatred, a surprising world that has taken its form in a climate of love, tolerance, and forbearance will appear before us. The collective conscience will gladly welcome and place it in its heart, not neglecting those who have a share in this reformation. These people will leave permanent tracks and, even if they have physically left this world, their tracks will remain for centuries. I believe with my whole heart that the only thing to do today in order to realize these spring-fragranced dreams is to perform this kind of service for humanity. For this reason, instead of temporary, fleeting, and un-promising efforts, I would advise a type of movement that is lasting and fully beneficial in every way. I think that as long as I am alive I will not hesitate to repeat these recommendations.

Continue reading »]]> I do not like to make claims and I have a poor memory, but in spite of this I can recite tens of verses, one after the other, that are concerned with forgiveness, dialogue and opening one’s heart to all. This demonstrates the allembracing nature or universality of Islam.

For example, the Qur’an states, “peace is good” (An-Nisa 4:128). The verse does not necessitate its being particular to a certain event, meaning or framework. The rule is general. Moreover, does not the root of the noun “Islam” express soundness, surrender, peace, safety, and trust? Then it is not possible for us to be true Muslims without fully representing and establishing these characteristics. In addition to this, underlying the meaning of this sacred name is an essence that incorporates embracing all and approaching everything with love. But if we do not approach the subject in this spirit, then we cannot be considered as having understood Islam or having made its call or having represented it.

In addition to rules that guarantee peace and security, there are also verses in the Qur’an related to attitudes that should be taken against criminals and people who cause anarchy and terror; for such people there are legal sanctions, punishments, and retaliations. However, whether regarding verses and hadiths on these subjects or their implementations, if we do not take into consideration the conditions, if we do not separate the essence from the detail and the goal from the means, if we do not evaluate the verses in the context of the situation both before and after they were revealed, then we will always arrive at false conclusions.

I can and do say that peace, love, forgiveness, and tolerance are fundamental to Islam; other things are accidental. Yet, it is necessary to give priority to basic Muslim issues according to their degree of importance. For example, if God gives importance to love, if he has informed us that He loves those who love Him, and if he has given to the person He loved most the name “Habibullah,” i.e. one who loves God and is loved by Him, then we have to take this as a fundamental principle. Rules like jihad against hypocrites and unbelievers are secondary matters that are necessitated by circumstances. Rules are tied to various reasons and conditions. If there are no such reasons, then the rules will not be enforced.

Rules regarding things like execution, exile and war have been tied to various reasons. What is essential here is explaining and conveying the principles of Islam with kind words and gentle behavior. Also, peace, justice and stability are essential in Islam, war being a byproduct of circumstances and dependent on certain conditions. Unfortunately, those who ignore the essence and do so without taking into consideration the reasons for the secondary rules and regulations, those who (by reading the Qur’an in the manner of a crude kind of Zahiris[1]) emphasize violence—these people have not understood the rules, the reasons for them nor their source, nor have they understood Islam.

When the relevant reasons appear, of course the rules necessitated by the reasons become operative. For example, when foreign enemy armies attack our country, we will, of course, not be expected to sit passively in a corner and say to the attackers, “How nice of you to come.”

Look at the world in which we find ourselves! According to some news recently reported in one of the newspapers, “bloody wars” are continuing in 56 places in the world. There are still floods of tears and blood flowing in many parts of the world. In many of these wars, some of the countries that defend democracy and human rights are on both sides. In that case, opposing war means opposing a human reality. For this reason, the moment someone touches our democratic rights and freedoms, we are, of course, going to defend ourselves and fight when necessary. But as I mentioned at the beginning, these are secondary things. The basis of Islam is peace and embracing humankind with love.

A Call to the Common Word

Another aspect of establishing and maintaining dialogue is the necessity of increasing the interests we have in common with other people. In fact, even if the people we talk with are Jews and Christians, this approach still should be adopted and issues that can separate us should be avoided altogether. For example, when the Qur’an calls the People of the Book, it says, “O People of the Book! Come to a word (that is) common between us and you.” What is that word? “Let us not worship anything but God.” Because real freedom is realized only by being saved from being someone else’s slave. When someone becomes a servant of God they are rescued from being anyone else’s slave. So come and let us unite on this matter. The Qur’an continues, “Let us not take some of us for Lords.” (Al-Imran 3:64) What is meant here is that our primary common point is belief in God; mentioning the Messengership of Muhammad has not even been mentioned yet. In another verse: “Say to those who believe: Let them forgive those who have no hope for the afterlife.” What is being said here is let those who do not believe in the afterlife and resurrection after death be forgiven, because “God only rewards or punishes a people with what they have earned,” (Al-Jathiya 45:14) i.e., if someone is going to be punished, then God will punish them and this matter does not concern anyone else.

Another clear example of this issue is related in particular to our Prophet who received a mild warning from God regarding the time he prayed against some guilty pagans. According to a report, a Bedouin Arab tribe requested that the Messenger send them teachers of the Qur’an. The Messenger sent them some, but they were ambushed and cruelly martyred at Bi’r Al-Maunah (the well of Al-Mauna). After this event, God’s Messenger prayed to God for their punishment. However, God revealed the following verse:

Not for you, (but for God), is the judgment concerning My servants: whether He turns in mercy to them, or punishes them because they are indeed wrongdoers. (Al-Imran 3:127-128)

Today there is an interest in religion all over the world. In my opinion, representing faith with its true values has gained an even greater importance than before. Today there is a need for people who are virtuous, selfpossessed, cautious, sincere and pure of heart, people who do not steal or think too highly of themselves, and who prefer the wellbeing of others to their own, and who have no worldly expectations. If society can educate people with these characteristics, then it means that a much better future is imminent.

[1] Zahiris approach the Qur’an and the Sunna only from the perspective of their outward meaning, devoid of insight and proper perception. They are very few in number.

Continue reading »]]> Life is the foremost and most manifest blessing of God Almighty, and the true and everlasting life is that of the Hereafter. Since we can deserve this life only by pleasing God, He sent Prophets and revealed Scriptures out of His Compassion for humanity. While mentioning His blessings upon humanity, He begins:

All-Merciful. He taught the Qur’an, created humanity, and taught it speech. (Al-Rahman 55:1-4)

All aspects of this life are a rehearsal for the afterlife, and every creature is engaged toward this end. Order is evident in every effort, and compassion resides in every achievement. Some “natural” events or social convulsions may seem disagreeable at first, but we should not regard them as being incompatible with compassion. They are like dark clouds or lightning and thunder that, although frightening, nevertheless bring us the good tidings of rain. Thus the whole universe praises the All-Compassionate.

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is like a spring of pure water in the heart of a desert, a source of light in an all-enveloping darkness. Those who appeal to this spring can take as much water as is needed to quench their thirst, to become purified of their sins, and to become illuminated with the light of faith. Mercy was like a magical key in the Prophet’s hands, for with it he opened hearts that were so hardened and rusty that no one thought they could be opened. But he did even more: he lit a torch of belief in them.

The compassion of God’s Messenger encompassed every creature. He desired that everyone be guided. In fact, this was his greatest concern:

Yet it may be, if they believe not in this Message, you will consume (exhaust) yourself, following after them, with grief. (Al-Kahf 18:6)

But how did he deal with those who persisted in oppression and persecutions; those who did not allow him and his followers to worship the One God; those who took up arms against him to destroy him? He had to fight such people, yet his universal compassion encompassed every creature. This is why when he was wounded severely at the Battle of Uhud, he raised his hands and prayed:

O God, forgive my people, for they do not know.[1]

The Makkans, his own people, inflicted so much suffering on him that he finally emigrated to Madina. Even after that, the next 5 years were far from peaceful. However, when he conquered Makka without bloodshed in the twentyfirst year of his Prophethood, he asked the Makkan unbelievers: “How do you expect me to treat you?” They responded unanimously: “You are a noble one, the son of a noble one.” He then told them his decision: “You may leave, for no reproach this day shall be on you. May God forgive you. He is the Most Compassionate.”[2] 825 years later Sultan Mehmed II[3] said the same thing to the defeated Byzantines after conquering Constantinople. Such is the universal compassion of Islam.

The Messenger displayed the highest degree of compassion toward believers:

There has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves; grievous to him is your suffering; anxious is he over you, full of concern for you, for the believers full of pity, compassionate. (At-Tawbah 9:128)

He lowered unto believers his wing of tenderness through mercy … (Al-Hijr 15:88)

… was the guardian of believers and nearer to them than their selves. (Al-Ahzab 33:6)

When one of his Companions died, he asked those at the funeral if the deceased had left any debts. On learning that he had, the Prophet mentioned the above verse and announced that the creditors should come to him for repayment.

His compassion even encompassed the hypocrites and unbelievers. He knew who the hypocrites were, but never identified them, for this would have deprived them of the rights of full citizenship that they had gained by their outward declaration of faith and practice. Since they lived among the Muslims, their denial may have been reduced or changed to doubt, thus diminishing their fear of death and the pain caused by the assertion of eternal non-existence after death.

God no longer destroys unbelievers collectively, although He had eradicated many such people in the past:

But God would never chastise them while you were among them; God would never chastise them as they begged forgiveness. (Al-Anfal 8:33)

This verse refers to unbelievers regardless of time and place. God will not destroy whole peoples as long as there are some who follow the Messenger. Moreover, He has left the door of repentance open until the Last Day. Anyone can accept Islam or ask God’s forgiveness, regardless of how sinful they consider themselves to be.

For this reason, a Muslim’s enmity toward unbelievers is a form of pity. When ‘Umar saw an 80-year-old man, he sat down and wept. When asked why, he replied: “God assigned him so long a lifespan, but he has not been able to find the true path.” ‘Umar was a disciple of God’s Messenger, the prophet who said:

I was not sent to call down curses on people, but as a mercy.[4]

I am Muhammad, and Ahmad (the praised one), and Muqaffi (the Last Prophet); I am Hashir (the last Prophet in whose presence the people will gather); the Prophet of Repentance (the Prophet for whose sake the door of repentance will always remain open), and the Prophet of mercy.[5]

Archangel Gabriel also benefited from the mercy of the Qur’an. Once the Prophet asked Gabriel whether he had any share in the mercy contained in the Qur’an, Gabriel replied that he did, and explained: “I was not certain about my end. However, when the verse: (One) obeyed, and moreover, trustworthy and secured (At-Takwir 81:21) was revealed, I felt secure.”[6]

The Messenger of God was particularly compassionate toward children. Whenever he saw a child crying, he sat beside him or her and shared his or her feelings. He felt the pain of a mother for her child more than the mother herself. Once he said:

I stand in prayer and wish to prolong it. However, I hear a child cry and shorten the prayer to lessen the mother’s anxiety.”[7]

He took children in his arms and hugged them. Once when he hugged and kissed his grandson Hasan, Aqrah ibn Habis told him: “I have 10 children, none of whom I have ever kissed.” God’s Messenger responded: “One without pity for others is not pitied.”[8] According to another version, he added: “What can I do for you if God has removed compassion from you?”[9]

He said: “Pity those on the Earth so that those in the heavens will pity you.”[10] Once when Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah became ill, God’s Messenger visited him at home. Seeing his faithful Companion in a pitiful state, he began to cry and said: “God does not punish because of tears or grief, but He punishes because of this,” and he pointed to his tongue.[11] When ‘Uthman ibn Mad’un died, he wept profusely. During the funeral, a woman remarked: “‘Uthman flew like a bird to Paradise.” Even in that mournful state, the Prophet did not lose his balance and corrected the woman: “How do you know this? Even I do not know this, and I am a Prophet.”[12]

A member of the Banu Muqarrin clan once beat his female slave. She informed the Messenger of God, who then sent a message to the master. He said: “You have beaten her without any justifiable right. Free her.”[13] Setting a slave free was far better for the master than being punished in the Hereafter because of a wrong act. The Messenger of God always protected and supported widows, orphans, the poor, and the disabled, even before his Prophethood. When he returned home in excitement from Mount Hira after the first Revelation, his wife Khadijah told him:

I hope you will be the Prophet of this community, for you always tell the truth, fulfill your trust, support your relatives, help the poor and weak, and feed guests.[14]

His compassion even encompassed animals. We hear from him:

A prostitute was guided to truth by God and ultimately went to Paradise because she gave water to a poor dog dying of thirst inside a well. Another woman was sent to Hell because she made a cat die of hunger.[15]

Once while returning from a military campaign, a few Companions removed some young birds from their nest to caress them. The mother bird came back and, not being able to find its babies, began to fly around, calling out for them. When told of this, God’s Messenger became angry and ordered the birds to be put back in the nest.[16]

While in Mina, some of his Companions attacked a snake in order to kill it. However, it managed to escape. Watching this from afar, he remarked: “It was saved from your evil, as you were from its evil.”[17] Ibn Abbas reported that God’s Messenger, upon observing a man sharpening his knife directly before the sheep to be slaughtered, asked him: “Do you want to kill it more than once?”[18]

His love and compassion for creatures differed from that of today’s selfproclaimed humanists. He was sincere and measured in his love and compassion. He was a Prophet raised by God, the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and happiness of conscious beings—humanity and jinn—and the harmony of existence. As such, he lived not for himself but for others. He is a mercy for all the worlds, a manifestation of Compassion.

He eradicated all differences of race and color. Once Abu Dharr got so angry with Bilal that he insulted him: “You son of a black woman!” Bilal came to the Messenger and reported the incident in tears. The Messenger reproached Abu Dharr: “Do you still have a sign of jahiliyah (ignorance)?” Full of repentance, Abu Dharr lay on the ground and said: “I will not raise my head (meaning that he would not get up) unless Bilal puts his foot on it.” Bilal forgave him, and they were reconciled.[19] Such was the bond of kinship and humanity that Islam created among a oncesavage people.

[1] Qadi ‘Iyad, Shifa’, 1:78-9; Hindi, Kanz al-’Ummal, 4:93.
[2] Ibn Hisham, Sirat al-Nabawiyah, 4:55; Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 4:344.
[3] Sultan Mehmed II (the Conqueror) (1431-1481). The 7th Ottoman Sultan who conquered Istanbul in 1453.
[4] Muslim, Birr, 87.
[5] Hanbal, Musnad, 4:395; Muslim, Fada’il, 126.
[6] Qadi ‘Iyad, as-Shifa’ al-Sharif, 1:17.
[7] Bukhari, Adhan, 65; Muslim, Salat, 192.
[8] Bukhari, Adab, 18.
[9] Ibid., Adab, 18; Muslim, Fada’il, 64.
[10] Tirmidhi, Birr, 16.
[11] Bukhari, Jana’iz, 45.
[12] Ibid, Jana’iz, 3.
[13] Muslim, Ayman, 31, 33; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 3:447.
[14] Ibn Sa’d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra’, 1:195.
[15] Bukhari, Anbiya, 54; Muslim, Salam, 153.
[16] Abu Dawud, Adab, 164; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:404.
[17] Sunan al-Nasa’i, Hajj, 114; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:385.
[18] Hakim, Mustadrak, 4:231.
[19] Bukhari, Iman, 22.

source:fgulen.org

Continue reading »]]> Dialogue means the coming together of two or more people to discuss certain issues, and thus the forming of a bond between these people. In that respect, we can call dialogue an activity that has human beings at its axis. Undoubtedly, everyone is rewarded according to their sincerity and intention. If people direct their actions with sincerity and with good intentions, then they may be winners even if others should consider them losers. The Prophet of God said: “Deeds are judged by intentions,”[1] and he emphasized that the intention of the believer is more important than the act itself. If the deed is founded upon good intentions, it will turn out well. So, whatever one may do, one must first be sincere in one’s intentions and seek the approval of God. Thus one should not illjudge or slander the ties that are being established between various groups in the name of love, dialogue and tolerance.

Society cannot endure more tremors after having suffered so many wounds and after having been shaken so many times. If antidemocratic concentrations of power become the unshakeable burden of this nation and logic and judgment are supplanted through the power and means available to these concentrations, then this noble nation might not be able to recover again. As a result of such a calamity, this heavenlike land may be pushed 15 or 20 years back. It is possible that we might lose some things, that we might long for these lost things, even if they were to be among those things that we criticize today. In that respect, if we start our efforts for dialogue with the belief that “peace is better” (Al-Nisa 4:128), then we must demonstrate that we are on the side of peace at home and abroad. Indeed, peace is of the utmost importance to Islam; fighting and war are only secondary occurrences which are bound to specific reasons and conditions. In that respect, we can say that if an environment of peace where all can live in peace and security cannot be achieved in this land, then it would be impossible for us to do any good service for society or for humanity.

Misconceptions about Islam

If we approach the issue from a different perspective, Muslims have from time to time been misunderstood and as a result they have been subjected to pressure and insults. We have even witnessed Muslims being deprived of their most natural and basic rights, for example their right to work. This oppression that believing people has been subjected to is executed in the name of virtues, like humanism, human rights, generosity, love, and tolerance; these are in fact characteristics of Islam. Yet, it is these very characteristics and virtues that are being used against people who believe and these concepts are being exploited. Always there has been this basic attitude, an attitude that is subtle and deceitful, on the part of those who do not want to give room to Islam and Muslims to exist, either here or abroad. Things that have been claimed are not true; a Muslim can never be a bigot. Even if some people with such characteristics may have appeared within the Islamic community, it is unthinkable to conceive of all Muslims as being distanced from understanding and tolerance. Indeed, to this day what harm have the Muslims done and what evil have they committed and against whom? Despite their good intentions, some people have always been falsely stereotyped and have been weighed up on faulty scales; they have become the scapegoats for various accusations in the name of love, tolerance, freedom, and democracy. Despite being at the receiving end of all these false accusations, real Muslims never injure anyone and satisfy themselves merely by stating the fact that they are not the way they have been imputed to be. Still, a certain group has never ceased to attack them. Indeed, beauty has always sprung from the pure and blameless souls of the Muslims and the holy and exalted sources that are in their hands. It cannot be any other way; in the Qur’an, the Sunna, and in the pure and learned interpretations of the Great Scholars there is no trace of a decree or an attitude that is contrary to love, tolerance or dialogue in the sense of meeting with all, and declaring and expressing our emotions or thoughts. We cannot conceive of a religion that wills the good of all and who calls all—with no exception—to salvation, as being otherwise. The following verses in the Glorious Qur’an express this truth perfectly:

And if you behave tolerantly, overlook, and forgive, then verily God is Forgiving and Merciful. (at-Taghabun 64:14)

God does not forbid you, regarding those who did not fight you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes, to show kindness and deal with them justly. (Al-Mumtahana 60:8)

Tell those who believe to forgive those who do not look forward to the Days of God; in order that He may recompense each people according to what they have earned. (Al-Jathiya 45:14)

Indeed, when we look at the Qur’an we see that it is molded in love. In that respect, believing hearts must reclaim these beauties which are already ours, changing the negative image of Muslims. This negative image has been fed to the world and now we must once more communicate the essential facet of Islam to those who are presumed to be civilized, using the principle of “gentle persuasion.”

Let there be endless thanks to the Excellent Just One who feeds us with His bounty for the devotees of truth and heroes of love who have been carrying messages of love, tolerance and dialogue all over the world and who are trying to build the “new image of the Muslim” with hearts full of love.

Seeking the Approval of God

I would like to stress the fact that Muslims will lose nothing by employing dialogue, love, and tolerance. Muslims continuously seek the approval of God; this is the greatest gain of all. In that respect, things that may appear as losses to some people are seen as gains by Muslims, while certain other events may actually be detrimental even when they appear to be lucrative. Moreover, we have no doubts concerning Islam, its holy book the Qur’an or its most glorious representative, the Pride of Humanity, peace and blessings be upon him. We know that Islam will certainly continue on the path that leads to the future despite all obstacles; every subject of the Qur’an is proven by reason; it is a book that is strong enough to solve all the problems of the future. The Prince of the Prophets, a man about whom Bernard Shaw said, “He solves all problems the ease of drinking coffee,” was sent to humanity in order to present the solutions for all of its problems until Judgment Day. As in previous centuries, the problems of our age and the coming ages, which seem to be far removed from a sound solution, will be solved by the architects of hearts and mind who base their solutions on these holy sources.

Indeed, we do not need to have any worries as we believe that the illuminating expressions and statements of the Holy Qur’an and our Prophet offer lasting solutions to a myriad of problems. In my opinion, those who are equipped with these torches will suffer no loss, with the help and bounty of God, wherever they may go in the world and with whomever they may enter into dialogue. Thus, there is no cause for concern. The important fact here is that we should understand the sources that we possess, and we should employ them as necessary. Moreover, we should not abuse them by associating them with our own faults, our bodily or earthly desires. With their assistance and guidance we should seek only the approval of God and the afterlife.

Indeed, just as we have not even the slightest doubt concerning the Qur’an and the Prophet of God and just as we have no doubts concerning their justice, there is no reason why anyone should have doubts about us. But, if there still are some people who are frightened due to groundless fears, they will only be those people who are worried about the reliability of the dynamics and sources on which they rely.

[1] Bukhari, Bad’ul-Vahy 1, Itk 6; Muslim, Imarat, 155; Abu Dawud, Talak, 11.

source: fgulen.org

Continue reading »]]> Humans are creatures with both exceptional qualities and faults. Until the first human appeared, no living creature carried such opposites within its nature. At the same time as humans beat their wings in the firmaments of heaven, they can, with sudden deviation, become monsters that descend to the pits of Hell. It is futile to look for any relationship between these frightening descents and ascents; these are extremes because their cause and effect take place on very different planes.

At times humans are like a field of wheat bending in the wind; at other times, although they appear as dignified as a plane tree, they can topple over, not to rise again. Just as the times that the angels envy them are not few, neither are the times when even the devils are shocked by their behavior.

For humans, whose natures contain so many highs and lows, even if committing evil is not essential to their nature, it is inevitable. Even if becoming sullied is accidental, it is likely. For a creature which is going to spoil his good name, forgiveness is paramount.

However valuable it is to ask for and expect forgiveness and to bemoan the things that have escaped us, forgiving is that much greater an attribute and virtue. It is wrong to think of forgiveness as being separate from virtue or of virtue as being separate from forgiveness. As the wellknown adage says, “To err is human, to forgive divine,” and how well this has been said! Being forgiven means being repaired; it consists of a return to our essence and finding ourselves again. For this reason, the most pleasing action in the eyes of Infinite Mercy is any activity pursued amidst the palpitations of this return and search.

All of creation, animate and inanimate, was introduced to forgiveness through humanity. Just as God showed His attribute of forgiveness through humanity, He also put the beauty of forgiveness into the human heart. While the first man dealt a blow to his essence through his fall, something which was almost a requirement of his human nature, forgiveness came from the heavens because of the remorse he felt in his conscience and because of his sincere pleas.

Humans have preserved gifts, such as hope and consolation, which they have obtained from their ancestors over the centuries. Whenever people err, by boarding the magical transport of seeking forgiveness and by surmounting the shame caused by their sins and the despair caused by their actions, they are able to attain infinite mercy and are shown the generosity that is involved in veiling their eyes to the sins of others.

Thanks to their hope for forgiveness, humans can rise above the dark clouds that threaten their horizon and seize the opportunity to see light in their world. Those fortunate ones who are aware of the uplifting wings of forgiveness live their lives amidst melodies that please their spirits.

It is impossible for people who have given their heart to seeking forgiveness not to think of forgiving others. Just as they desire to be forgiven, they also desire to forgive. Is it possible for someone not to forgive if they know that salvation from the fires of suffering caused by his/her mistakes in the inner world is possible by drinking deeply from the river of forgiveness? Is it possible for people not to forgive if they know that the road to being forgiven passes through the act of forgiving?

Those who forgive are honored with forgiveness. One who does not know how to pardon cannot hope to be pardoned. Those who close the road to tolerance for humanity are monsters that have lost their humanity. These brutes that have never once been inclined to take themselves to task for their sins will never experience the high solace of forgiveness.

Jesus Christ said to a crowd that was waiting rocks in hand to stone a sinner: “If anyone of you is without sin let him be the first to throw a stone.”[1] Can anyone with a sin on their conscience still be inclined to stone another if they truly understand this idea? If only those unfortunate ones of today who spend their lives putting the lives of others to the litmus test could understand this! In fact, if the reason for stoning a person is our malice and hatred, if this is the reason why we have passed judgment on them, then it is not possible to pass this sentence on them. The truth is, unless we destroy the idols in our ego as courageously as Abraham destroyed the idols, we will never be able to make a correct decision in the name of our selves or in the name of others.

Forgiveness emerged with and reached perfection through humanity. In this respect, we can witness the greatest forgiveness and the most impeccable tolerance in the greatest exemplars of humanity.

Malice and hatred are the seeds of Hell that have been scattered among humans by evil spirits. Unlike those who encourage malice and hatred and turn the Earth into a pit of Hell, we should take this forgiveness, and run to the rescue of our people who are confronted by countless troubles and who are being continually pushed toward the abyss. The past few centuries have been turned into the most unpleasant and foul years by the excesses of those who do not know forgiveness or recognize tolerance. It is impossible not to be chilled by the thought that these unfortunate ones could rule the future.

For this reason, the greatest gift that the generation of today can give their children and grandchildren is to teach them how to forgive—to forgive even when confronted by the worst behavior and the most disturbing events. However, thinking of forgiving monstrous, evil people who enjoy making others suffer would be disrespectful to the idea of forgiveness. We have no right to forgive them; forgiving them would be disrespectful to humanity. I do not believe that there is any probability that anyone could see an act that is disrespectful to forgiveness as being acceptable.

A generation which was raised in a particular past under constant hostile pressure saw continuous horror and brutality in the dark world into which they had been pushed. They saw blood and pus, not just in the dark of night, but also at the break of day. What could be learned from a society whose voice, breath, thought, and smile were tainted with blood? The things that were presented to this generation were the complete opposite and totally contrary to what they needed and what they desired. This generation took on a second nature, caused by years of neglect and misleading suggestions; the disorder and sedition caused by these became a flood. If only by now we could have understood them. Alas! Where is such insight?

We believe that forgiveness and tolerance will heal most of our wounds, if only this celestial instrument will be in the hands of those who understand its language. Otherwise, the incorrect methods of behavior, those used up until now, will cause many complications and will only confuse us from now on.

Diagnose the illness, then set out to treat it:
Do you think any ointment will be a cure for every wound?
Ziya Pasha[2]
source: fgulen.org

Continue reading »]]> It is open season on Islam these days, with conservative critics making remark after remark that attack Islam, Muslims, the Qur’an, and the Prophet Muhammad as pervasively and inherently bad. An essential argument these conservatives and others have against Islam is that the Qur’an preaches violence.

The most popular verse quoted is the fabled Verse of the Sword: “Fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them: seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war).” (9:5) On the surface, this verse seems to confirm Islam’s perceived intolerance of non-Muslims. It may even lead one to conclude that all the talk about Islam being a religion of “peace” is a ruse, and that the real Islam is the violent, repressive faith practiced by Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.

But hold on. The truth is quite different from what these Islam’s attackers want us to believe.

I must address a few very important points here. For there to be any semblance of an intelligent and scholarly analysis of verses of the Qur’an, a full understanding of the Arabic language along with understanding of the context of the verses in question is an essential prerequisite. In fact, this must be the scholarly approach to the exegesis of any book of scripture, including the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. Volumes upon volumes have been written by numerous Islamic scholars, both classical and modern, that attempt to interpret the meaning of the over 6,000 verses of the Qur’an. Qur’anic exegesis is an academic discipline in itself, and it requires years of learning before a scholar is able to independently comment on Qur’anic scripture. Neither Islam’s conservative critics, nor the “scholars” and “experts” they read and quote from in their writings, possess such knowledge. What they do is misquote, mistranslate, or quote Qur’anic verses out of context and use those misquotations as evidence for their claims. These tactics violate every rule of Scriptural Exegesis 101.

When the infamouse “Verse of the Sword” is studied in its proper context, it becomes quite clear that the claim the Qur’an is violent is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. From the very beginning of his mission, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was violently opposed by his people. At first, the Pagan Arabs simply ignored the Prophet’s call and ridiculed his message. They quickly realized, however, that this tactic did not stop the flow of converts to Islam. The Meccans then turned to torture and repression of Muhammad and his companions to try to muffle his message, which was nothing more than the abadonment of the worship of idols for the worship of the One True God. Muhammad himself survived several assassination attempts. In one of these, a Meccan tried to crush the Prophet’s head with a large boulder while he was praying at the Ka’abah, the holy shrine at Mecca. God, however, miraculously foiled the attempt and the Prophet was saved.

After 10 years of hardship, the Meccans finally expelled the Prophet to Medina, a city 200 miles to the north. Since they could not kill him, this was the only thing the Meccans could do to stop the Prophet’s message. There, the inhabitants of Medina accepted Islam, and it became the first Islamic city-state with the Prophet Muhammad as its spiritual and political leader. While in Medina, the Meccan pagans did not relent in their hostilites against the Muslims. Now, however, many surrounding tribes also became hostile to Islam and joined in the Meccans’ fight. Several battles were fought against the Muslims. These tribes also attempted to assassinate the Prophet on several occasions, as the Meccans tried a decade earlier.

It is in this violent context that verse 9:5 was revealed. The commandment to “slay the pagans wherever you find them” in verse 9:5 speaks of the hostile Arab tribes surrounding Medina. At every given chance, these tribes attacked the Muslims and killed as many of them as possible for no just cause.

Frequently, columnists and pundits who try to smear Islam quote verse 9:5 incompletely and out of context. The full verse reads as follows: “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them: seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, establish regular prayers, and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.”

If one reads on in the ninth chapter, the reasons for “slaying the pagans” is clearly outlined: “Will ye not fight people who violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Messenger, and took the aggressive by being the first (to assault) you? Do ye fear them? Nay, it is God Whom ye should more justly fear, if ye believe!” (9:13) When sincere scholarship and exegesis is applied, it becomes quite clear that verse 9:5, and all others similar to it, is one of self-defense and not a carte blanche to kill all non-believers, as some would want us to believe.

In fact, the principle of fighting in Islam is self-defensive: “To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged; and verily, God is most powerful for their aid…If God did not defend one set of people by means of another, then monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure, would surely have been destroyed…” (22:39-40)

Notice that the reason the Qur’an gives for waging war, as a last resort, is for the protection of churches, synagogues, and mosques–so much for Islam’s “intolerance.”

Further, Muslims are commanded not to be aggressive: “Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God loveth not transgressors” (2:190) In addition, when the enemy inclines toward peace, Muslims are commanded to cease hostilities: “But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace” (8:61). The guiding principle of Islam with respect to non-Muslims is one of tolerance and mutual respect, plain and simple: “God does not forbid you from dealing kindly and justly with those who do not fight you for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes: for God loveth those who are just.” (60:8)

Then there is the issue of how the Qur’an treats Jews and Christians. Some have claimed that the Qur’an says Jews are consigned to “humiliation and wretchedness” (2:61), try to introduce corruption (5:64), have always been disobedient (5:78), and are enemies of God (2:97-98). When addressing verses that, on the surface, seem to be derogatory toward Jews, again, it is essential that the verses be placed in context (remember Scriptural Exegesis 101).

Verse 2:61 refers to those of the Children of Israel who were disobedient to Moses after being freed from Egyptian bondage, not all Jews. The text of verses 2:97-98 refer to those who are “enemies of Archangel Gabriel,” not Jews. Verses 5:64 and 5:78 speak of the Jews who were disobedient to God and His Prophets, again not all Jews.

When sincere scholarship and exegesis is applied to the Qur’an, it becomes a clear that the claim of the Qur’an’s anti-Semitism is an absurd fallacy.

In the Qur’an, Jews and Christians are given the honorific title of “People of the Book.” The Prophet was the last in the line of Prophets and Messengers, dating back to Adam, and Islam is nothing more than the continuation and completion of their message. Thus, the Qur’an acknowledges and respects the prior messages of Moses and Jesus.

The Torah is described as “a guide to mankind” (3:3) and the Gospel of Jesus as having “guidance and light” (5:46). While the Qur’an rejects the notion of the divinity and crucifixion of Jesus, the Jewish Prophets that are named in the Qur’an are highly honored: “And we gave him [Abraham] Isaac and Jacob, each did We guide, and Noah We did guide before; and of his descendants David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, and Aaron; and thus do We reward those who do good. And Zechariah, John (the Baptist), Jesus, and Elias; every one was of the righteous. And Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot; each one we favored above all others” (6:84-86).

Further belying the accusation of the Qur’an’s anti-Judeo-Christian stance is this passage: “Those who believe and those who are Jews, Christians, and Sabeans; any who believe in God and the Last Day and work righteousness shall have their reward with their Lord and on them shall be no fear and they will not grieve” (2:62).

I neither deny nor dismiss the existence of Muslims who use the Qur’an to justify their acts of terrorism and murder. These Muslims, like Islam’s conservative critics, also misquote or quote the Qur’an out of context. In fact, anyone with sinister intentions can quote a verse of scripture out of context to seemingly prove a point. Biblical verses, quoted out of context, have been used to condone murder, violence, slavery, racism, and anti-Semitism, all in the name of God, throughout history. Further, take this passage from I Corinthians: “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.” (I Corinthians 11:8-9) Can I conclude that Christianity is a sexist religion that seeks to opress women? Is it fair to characterize misinterpretations of Biblical scripture as tenets of Christianity or Judaism? Absolutely not. Islam must be accorded this same treatment.

In addition to quoting Qur’anic verses out of context, Islam’s attackers project the opinions of a small handful of Islamic scholars upon all of Islam, as if Islam is a monolithic blob that can be packaged and labeled as this or that. Such insincere and disingenuous scholarship is wrong and fans the flames of hatred. It is this fueling of hatred and intolerance against American Muslims that threatens to destroy the fabric of our nation’s unity.

It must be stopped before it is too late.

source: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Islam/2002/08/What-The-Quran-Really-Says-About-Violence.aspx?p=3

Continue reading »]]> Has the Muslim world gone that mad? Do a billion Muslims really want to kill a few uncouth cartoonists because they violated Muslim religious sensibilities, however dear they may be?

Luckily, the answer to both questions is no. In fact, what some Islamic scholars are calling “cartoongate”–the publication in more than a half-dozen European papers of insulting cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad–is revealing more about the state of the Western world–particularly European fears of Islam–than about Islam today.

Originally published in September 2005 in a Danish newspaper, The depictions of Muhammad include some very insulting images indeed: Islam’s Prophet with a turban-shaped bomb on his head; Muhammad at the Pearly Gates informing newly arrived suicide bombers that Heaven has “run out of virgins” (an allusion to the 72 heavenly virgins who supposedly await martyrs); Muhammad menacingly holding a sword with two veiled women behind him, and so on. The images were commissioned because the paper’s editor was having trouble finding anyone willing to caricature the Prophet, depictions of whom are prohibited according to Muslim tradition.

These images have supposedly unleashed a firestorm of protest across the Muslim world. Yet the reality, as so often is the case when it comes to Western portrayals of Muslims, is different than the rhetoric. Yes, tens of thousands of Muslims have marched in protest against the cartoons; but out of 1.4 billion, that’s not exactly a huge number. And death threats have been made by some extremist groups. But however upset they may be, most Muslims have not taken to the streets, and if they’re protesting, it is through the modern democratic method of demonstrations and threatens to boycott Danish products.

As the latest protests in Beirut make clear, the reasons behind them combine elements of class, politics, and religious identity. The consulates are often located in wealthy neighborhoods that are home to the country’s elites, wealthy foreigners, and expensive shops far beyond the means of most protesters. And the protest organizers are most often groups looking to gain political capital by challenging weak governments at a moment of heightened tension.

At the same time, however, the intense anger and occasional violence of the protests point to a central problem for Muslim activists across the world: the absence of leaders with a commitment to creative non-violence that can both rally angry co-religionists and transform the terms of the public debate.

Islam can’t be blamed for this leadership vacuum. Among the successful political movements against war and autocratic rule in the past two decades, most of them (such as in Eastern Europe, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, or Mexico) have occurred in places where either the state collapsed, or there was enough openness in the political system to permit the building of mass movements for social change. But the Muslim world is far too complex and varied for any single movement or leader, however charismatic, to unite it in a common purpose. And at the level of individual states, most Middle Eastern and North African regimes are strong enough to prevent the emergence of successful non-violent mass movements that could seriously challenge their power (as we saw in 2005 with the failed promise of the Egyptian elections and Lebanon’s democracy movement). The limited ability of figures such as Iran’s Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize-winning lawyer and human rights advocate, or Mubarak Awad, the respected founder of the Palestinian Center for the Study of Non-Violence in Jerusalem, to parlay their international recognition into successful movements for social change demonstrates the obstacles before even the most well-known and committed activists in the face of despotic regimes.

This stifling of the public sphere and the absence of civil society have had a profound impact in and outside the Muslim-majority world. It has fostered the growth of a younger, angrier, militant religious culture among the poor and middle class in Muslim countries and the disaffected segments of Europe’s Muslim populations. Epitomized, at the extreme, by al-Qa’eda—and only slightly less threateningly by the protesters torching consulates and threatening death to cartoonists this past weekend–this culture appears incapable of breaking the cycle of violence. For these militants, the world is black and white–either for or against Islam–and the idea of engaging in difficult dialogues across the cultural divide is a waste of time.

But there’s also a growing number of younger Muslims who move back and forth between their own and other cultures (not just Western, but African, Indian, and others as well). They are working to build an alternative to a culture of confrontation as the best way to solve the problems within their own societies and with the West. While the Danish cartoonists might have been exercising their right to free speech in penning the offensive cartoons, they have made it much harder for these moderate and progressive Muslims to build coalitions within and outside their communities.

And the reactions of the Western media generally have been almost as harmful, particularly toward moderate Muslims’ attempts at peacefully registering their extreme distaste for the cartoons. For example, why do Western media portray large-scale protests and boycotts—time-honored tactics used by many other religious and ethnic groups–as undemocratic when Muslims engage in them?

Nor is the Western press helping to contextualize this controversy by pointing out America’s own less-than-sterling recent record on free speech. Let’s remember that the U.S. government has admitted targeting al-Jazeera news bureaus, and has both arrested and detained without trial journalists who were reporting news that challenged the official American version of events, particularly in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

It is certainly true, as the French newspaper Le Monde argues, that Western laws permit religions to be “freely analyzed, criticized, and even subjected to ridicule.” But what editorial rationale is there for printing a picture of the founder of Islam as a bloodthirsty terrorist? How does it fulfill the role of the press in a free society? Just because a paper has the right to free speech doesn’t mean that it should print insulting images that have no relationship to the reality of the situation they’re meant to represent.

Another age old misconception about Islam is at the root of this controversy: the idea that Muhammad cannot be depicted visually in Muslim tradition. Jyllens-Posten’s editor apparently felt that it was worth the time, money, and inevitably hatred the cartoons would generate to challenge this taboo.

The reality is, however, that the Prophet has been depicted by Muslim artists across Islam’s history, particularly in the medieval period. Had the editors of Jyllands-Posten or any of their European colleagues who are so worried about free speech actually taken the time to understand the history of Islamic art and Muhammad’s role in it, they would have learned that the issue is much more complicated than their simplistic conceptions about Islam allowed. (The general understanding in Islam is that Muhammad–like other Muslim prophets and, not surprisingly, God–cannot be depicted visually because to do so could lead to idolatry.) But since the editors’ goal was apparently not to educate their readers but rather to prove they weren’t afraid to provoke Muslims while defending freedom of expression (how it was threatened by the prohibition against depicting Muhammad no one has explained) yet another chance for dialog was turned into an opportunity for spreading anger and distrust.

In this context, the motivation of newspaper editors across Europe who have reprinted the cartoons “in solidarity” with the Danish newspaper are especially perplexing, as are their comparisons of the depictions of Muhammad to caricatures of a priest or rabbi. Exactly what are they supporting? It’s hard to tell.

Aside from the fact that no mainstream paper in Europe has ever depicted a rabbi with a bomb in his yarmulke, the comparison underscores the arrogance and ignorance behind cartoongate. Muhammad is not the equivalent of a priest or even of a Pope.

Of course, Muslim newspapers have long depicted Jews in similarly hateful ways as the Muhammad cartoons. Perhaps the uproar will lead them to reconsider the practice, and in fact some Muslim commentators are reminding their readers, viewers, or listeners of this fact.

Ironically, the same day that editorial pages of U.S. newspapers began criticizing Muslims for their lack of respect for free speech, peace activist Cindy Sheehan was arrested and removed from her seat at the State of the Union speech for wearing a T-shirt under that listed the number of U.S. war dead in Iraq as of Jan. 31. A security guard saw the shirt, shouted “Protester!” (perish the thought!) into his walkie-talkie, and off she went, with nary a word of protest uttered by the U.S. media.

For most of the Muslim world, America’s willingness to kill tens of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of our own young people for a war launched on a series of half truths and outright prevarications (which almost no one in our own journalistic establishment had the courage to expose, despite clear evidence at the time) is as “crazy” as their willingness to boycott or even threaten violence against Westerners over a few religiously insulting cartoons.

This sad state of affairs would seem to support the arguments of the “clash of civilizations” proponents, in which two incompatible cultures will fight it out for control of the world and its resources. But if we look at the original meaning of “civilization,” among both European and Muslim intellectuals and until the 19th century, the term referred not to separate and competing cultural entities with different properties (“modern,” “traditional,” “backward,” “advanced”), but to a universal concept–a state of maturity—in which all peoples could participate.

In that regard, cartoongate reveals how far both Western and Muslim civilizations still have to travel before they become as civilized as they imagine themselves to be.

Continue reading »]]> By Prof. Shahul Hameed
There are three essential criteria that we need to apply to judge any religion that claims to have universal appeal. Let us consider them, and see whether Islam qualifies for being a universal religion:

One Creator

First and foremost, a universal religion should be based on an unqualified belief in the One and Only God of the whole universe.

It should be evident to any thinking person that the very concept of universality, by definition, precludes any chance for “differences or divisions among the powers” that control the universe.

If there were more gods than one, there could be differences — in fact, wars — among the gods, and the people who favor one god over another would be at loggerheads.

In the Quran, which Muslims believe is the word of God, you can read what means,

[If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! but glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above what they attribute to Him!] (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:22)

The perfect harmony existing among the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars, declares the oneness of the Creator as well as the uniformity of the laws that govern them.

The relatively young science of ecology has brought out more facts about the interdependence and coherence existing between the disparate parts of the universe. Indeed, all evidence in the universal order and nature unanimously proclaim the oneness of God.

And believers are admonished to observe, study, and ponder over the phenomena of nature to be convinced of this stupendous fact:

[Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth;- (Here) indeed are Signs for a people that are wise.] (Al-Baqarah 2:164)

The foregoing means that false religious concepts such as polytheism or belief in a trinity undermine the very foundations of universality.

As for Islam, its core is absolute monotheism (in Arabic tawheed). Its first and foremost creed is an assertion in simple words: “There is no one worthy to be worshipped, but Allah (God).” This statement is the solid foundation on which the religion of Islam stands.

God says in the Quran what means,

[Say: He is Allah, the One and Only Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.] (Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4)

These verses as well as others in the Quran categorically and emphatically affirm the oneness of the Creator. And Islam declares that God has absolute dominion and control of the whole of creation, and He is the Sustainer and Law-Giver of the universe and everything in it.

The Notion of Equality

In sharp contrast to such religions, Islam strongly upholds the oneness of God as well as the oneness of humanity.
The second essential quality of a universal religion is that it is meant for the whole of humanity, irrespective of tribe, race, nationality, and so on. Certainly such a religion should not give any tribe, race, or nation precedence over another.

If a religion favors one race, for instance, as “the Chosen People”, there is no question of its being a universal religion. Caste-ism, where people are divided into castes, with one caste being superior to another, is another example of this kind of “favoritism”.

In sharp contrast to such beliefs, Islam strongly upholds the oneness of God as well as the oneness of humanity.

God stated in the Quran what means,

[O men! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware.] (Al-Hujurat 49:13)

Equality of all humans before God is a concept of Islam derived directly from the oneness of God. One God, one humanity, and one religion for mankind, is the foundation of Islam.

A Complete Religion

Thirdly, a universal religion should be a complete religion, so that it does not leave the moral principles that should govern the affairs of humans to the whims and prejudices of any particular person or group.

Islam is a complete way of life. When we read the Quran or the Prophetic traditions, we find instructions and guidelines relevant to all aspects of life, including the political and economic affairs as well as the ethical and cultural aspects.

In fact, Islam does not recognize any kind of separation between religion and life. It has nothing to do with the idea of a separation between church and state, for everything should be dedicated to God alone, and a Muslim is required to submit himself completely and without reservation to the Will of God in all his affairs.

A Muslim is commanded to declare,

[Truly, my prayer, my worship, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. No partner has He: this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who submit to His Will.] (Al-An`am 6:162)

Islam has established a clear system of worship, civil rights, laws of marriage and divorce, laws of inheritance, code of dress, behavior and manners; and how to worship God. It also gives the rules of governance as well as the rules of war.
Considering these three criteria, it is only logical to conclude that Islam does indeed have universal relevance.

source: http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1248187869343&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout

Continue reading »]]> by Nehal El-Hadi
Muslims believe the world is God’s gift to mankind and that there is proof of His existence in every natural object. The finest grain of sand, with its patterned arrangements of atoms, displays the minute detail of His reckoning. From the smallest of viruses to the largest of plants and animals, every living creature presents signs of God’s creational capacity. The universe serves as a reminder that the extent of His creation is still unknown to man, and in this wondrous Universe, man’s place is that of the ultimate creation.

Muslims believe that the Qur’anis the word of God (Allah) as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It serves as the source of the Muslim worldview — together with the Hadith and Sunnah — and contains all the information needed to lead a good, true Muslim life, from the basic tenets of Islam to laws governing Muslim societies.

The Qur’an describes the special status of humans in creation, and is another piece of evidence of Allah’s existence. The natural world, like the Qur’an, is considered irrefutable proof of Allah’s existence, and Nature is usually referred to as “the second book” of Allah.

A Story of Creation

Islam’s story of creation is narrated in the Qur’an, and the purpose of creation was for Allah to be known and worshipped. He created the Universe and everything in it with a single command; [Creator of the heavens and the earth from nothingness, He has only to say when He wills a thing: 'Be' and it is] (Al-Baqarah 2:117).

However, this is not a haphazard or whimsical creation. Rather, it demonstrates Allah’s infinite power and capability — [It was not in sport that We created the heaven and the earth and all that lies between them] (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:16).

Laws were set for the functioning of Allah’s universe, and in the Qur’an all creation submits to Allah’s will; “Islam is thus not limited to humans, but is applied to the whole universe and to everything in it” (Othman, 1992).

Nature and the Origin of Humanity

The story of the origin of man in Islam is similar to those in the teachings of Judaism and Christianity; Allah created Adam from clay. Allah then breathed His spirit into man, thus favoring him over all of his other creations. Humanity was appointed Allah’s khalifah (vicegerent) on earth because of this; “the status of man is definitely higher than the place of non-living objects, plants and animals because the number of attributes of God in man is much greater than in other creatures” (Hashmi, 1967).

Mankind’s elevated status in the world therefore gave humanity two major privileges not afforded to other creatures: 1) freedom of choice, and 2) specialized knowledge, or “creative knowledge” (Rahman, 1980).

The world being humanity’s gift and legacy from Allah (humanity does not assume ownership, the ownership of the universe belongs to Allah, humans are merely “caretakers”) has resulted in two prevailing attitudes about the natural world. The first is that because Allah placed His creation in the hands of humanity, it became a trust and according to the laws of Islam, was to be protected and maintained. The second is that since man holds a special place in the world, which is a gift to mankind, then all environmental concerns can be addressed with the sentiment “Allah, in His infinite Mercy and Generosity, will provide”.

Ideally, the presence of the former attitude would provide a greater regard for the natural world. The second attitude stems from a blind faith in divine intervention and a general sense of arrogance and irresponsibility. However, the majority of ordinary Muslims, like the majority of the world’s population, remain in a state of inactivity, unaware of the threats to the planet and its inhabitants.

Muslims believe that when Allah created the universe in submission to His will, He made everything with great care and measure and then left it to its own devices, governed by the laws he gave:

[He ushers in the dawn, and made the night for rest, the sun and moon a computation. Such is the measure appointed by Him, the omnipotent and all-wise] (Al-An`am 6:96).

Everything was created in balance, and left for mankind to look after. The earth was made rich in bounty and gifts that humanity was invited to discover and use to its benefit. Because of negligence and irresponsibility, however, the delicate balance of nature has been disturbed with negative consequences.

Every Living Thing From Water

According to some Muslim scholars, the natural world can be divided into three main components: the first being water, the source of all life; second, the atmosphere; and finally, the plant and animal kingdoms (Ba Kader et al., 1983; see also Khalid and O’Brien, 1992). The teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad contain guidelines on how to interact with these components of the natural world.

Water holds a special place in Islam as it is considered the source of all life. Picture © Microsoft.com

Water is the source of all living things in more ways than one — [We made every living thing from water] (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:30) — and is essential for their survival. Because of the importance and necessity of water, under Islamic law all living beings are granted equal privileges and equal access to water as a right. In this case, no distinction is made between humans and any other creature.

In addition to being a source of drinking and irrigation, water plays another role as a life-giving substance; aquatic ecosystems sustain a rich array of living creatures, and water’s value as a life vessel is two-fold.

As we have come to discover all over the world, water shortages make conservation and preservation of freshwater resources crucial, at least until a more viable method of desalination is produced.

Islamic law also designates protocol and guidelines for water use in a way to minimize dispute over what is considered to be an inalienable right.

The Air, the Plants, the Animals

The atmosphere — in this case including oxygen required for breathing as well as air movements — is also a creation of Allah that is in our best interests to protect. Emissions and toxic waste released into the atmosphere taint Allah’s creation, causing global warming and exposing all living creatures to toxins. Islam teaches responsibility for ensuring that our actions do not negatively affect others, yet the effects of air pollution are global.

In Islam, greenery is loved and gardens are considered to hold properties similar to Paradise. Planting trees is a virtuous act, earning favor from Allah.

As mentioned earlier, mankind was given special status and elevated above the rest of creation. However, because all living creatures are considered by definition Muslim, as Muslims believe that all creation submits to God, and they all have designated roles in the universe, Islam forbids the harming of any creature apart from what benefits mankind.

The Qur’an reminds humanity that animals and plants also have their purpose in life and fulfill roles assigned to them by Allah.

Each human being has a responsibility for preservation and protection of self and all others. This is represented in the teachings of Islam by the prohibition of substances that may pollute the mind or body, such as narcotics, alcohol, or anything that may cause potential harm.

Mankind’s Responsibility

Humanity has a duty to protect and take responsibility for the well-being of Allah’s creation. The world and everything in it provides for needs of mankind.

However, the utilization of this creation should be done in a respectful and responsible manner, all the while recognizing the generosity of Allah. Muslims believe in accountability, and cruelty to Allah’s creation and lack of respect of the natural world will be one of the bases for judgment.

The religious duties of Muslims that are relevant to dealings with the environment are as follows:

*

No extravagance, excessive use or over-utilization;
*

No illegitimate or unlawful attempt at destroying the natural resources;
*

No damage, abuse or distortion of the natural environment in any way;
*

Construction and development of the earth, its resources, elements and phenomena through the improvement and betterment of natural resources, the protection and conservation of all existing forms of life, the cultivating of land and the reclamation and cleansing of the soil, earth and water (Ba Kader et al., 1983).

In Shari’ah, there are regulations and guidelines on how we are supposed to treat the natural world. This ranges from the prohibition of cruelty to animals, which includes overworking them or causing them undue stress, to the allocation of water resources, as well as the process behind land designation.

Cruelty to living creatures is absolutely forbidden. A variety of stories and anecdotes exist in Islamic teachings regarding the evil of those who mistreated animals, and the virtue of those who went out of their way to demonstrate kindness to animals.

It is forbidden in Islam to kill animals without necessity. The slaughtering of animals for consumption provides food and clothing, while hunting for sport is considered unnecessary cruelty.

It is also prohibited to cut down trees without just cause. Damage to the natural environment and all living things is a criminal offence and laws do exist for protection, assigning punishments to those who oppose the law.

The punishment of crimes against nature, as well as the duty to protect and conserve Allah’s creation, makes Islam very much in tune with the needs of the environment.

Let There Be Light

Knowledge is light, and one of Islam’s strongest themes is the pursuit of knowledge. Only with knowledge can humans discover the extent of Allah’s creation, and be left with no other recourse than to submit to His worship. Following this principle, educating people about issues affecting the environment, and how the consequences of their actions and behaviors can have positive or negative effects on their surroundings should ideally lead to a more favorable relationship with the environment.

Islamic law needs to be applied in environmental cases. For everything ranging from animal rights violations, to large-scale pollution, Shari’ah provides a detailed and comprehensive method to approaching the environment and its resources.

Sources:

Ba Kader, A.; Al Sabbagh, A.; Al Glenid, M.; Izzidien, M. (1983) Basic Paper on the Islamic Principle for the Conservation of the Natural Environment. Switzerland: International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Dawood, N.J. (2003) The Qur’an – a translation. London: Penguin.

Hashmi, A. (1967) An Introduction to Islamic Ideology. Karachi: Ali Book Depot.

Khalid, F. and O’Brien, J. (1992) Islam and the Future of Mankind. London: Alhani International Books Ltd.

Rahman, F. (1980) Major Themes of the Qur’an. Chicago: Bibliotheca Islamica.

source: http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1154235115001&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout

Continue reading »]]> Following the International Conference held in Cairo from 19 to 21 October 2009 on “The Future of Reform in The Muslim World: Comparative Experiences with Fethullah Gulen’s Movement in Turkey”, Dr. Jill Carroll, Adjunct Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University, who participated in this three day conference in Egypt, answered these questions from IslamOnline.net:

IslamOnline.net (IOL): Thank you Dr. Carroll for taking the time of presenting your views as an American academic on the Gulen movement and its impact in the US, and around the world

IOL: How and when did you first hear of the Gulen Movement? Do you consider it today to be a well-known movement in the US?

Dr. Jill Carroll: I first heard of the movement in December 2004 when I travelled to Turkey as a guest of the movement to visit several of the schools and the other NGO initiatives there. It was an eye-opening trip and I was very impressed. Upon my return, I began doing research on the movement to learn more.

I have continued my involvement with them on interfaith initiatives, and have come to see that they are very visible in the U.S. They have interfaith and dialogue initiatives in many cities (a few dozen) all over the country, as well as charter schools in various cities.

IOL: In addition to its focus on quality education, what do you consider is the main strength of the Gulen Movement in the area of reform for developing countries?

Carroll: They are very focused on community building from a relational standpoint. The schools succeed not merely because of a good curriculum, but because of the human element – the teachers and administrators who are utterly devoted to the students and who engage with the parents in a very personal way, the sponsors who fund the schools until they can stand on their own financially who are focused on building a stable institution within the community – all these things do more than simply “educate” students to do well in science and math (which is important in itself, to be sure). The Gulen people go above and beyond to create a community institution that becomes the center of many good initiatives in the area.
This is not only true for the schools. NGOs focused on interfaith dialogue, intercultural exchange or business development do the same thing in many areas. They want to build community relationships so that everyone is working together for positive outcomes for everyone – and they will work with anyone who shares this goal regardless of their faith, origin, lifestyle, whatever.

This is a crucial difference between the Gulen movement and many other organizations and groups. The Gulen people will work with anyone who shares their basic vision for human improvement and community – people of all faiths and no faith, people of all different lifestyles and perspectives, people from all different backgrounds, etc. It makes no difference to them. Do you care about making a positive difference in the world? Will you give of yourself – your time, resources and energy – to make a difference? Are you willing to work with others as part of a team to accomplish this? Do you believe in love, compassion, service, truth and integrity? Are you trying to be the best person you can be, coming from a clean heart and pure intentions? Do you look first at your own faults before looking at those of others?

If you can answer “yes” to these questions, the Gulen community wants to work with you. Period. These are the most important things about you, from their perspective.

IOL: Has your personal perception of Islam changed after being involved with the Gulen Movement during these years?

Carroll: Somewhat, yes, but on the whole, no. I never had a negative view of Islam in the first place. I am a scholar of world religions, so I have studied about Islam for many years, given lectures on its history, beliefs and practices and know that it is a great faith that has contributed many wonderful things to human culture over the centuries.

After 9/11 however, in America, many people were upset and confused about Islam, so I was called upon to help explain Islam to people, and to make sense of the violence committed against innocent people in its name. During that time, I encountered the Gulen movement and all their myriad positive activities. They have helped me to share with people a positive face of Islam – concrete, practical, modern, focused on the future, not violent or angry, yet also very observant and traditional in terms of Islamic values. I appreciate having them as colleagues and working with them.

IOL: You have recently written a book on the Dialogue of Civilizations. How do you see the current situation of the Dialogue of Civilizations between Islam and other cultures, including the Western culture? Do you consider there has been progress in this field in recent years?

Dialogue is happening, and it is achieving good results. But, we cannot let up on this effort – we have to keep moving forward to create dialogue
Carroll: I think there has been progress, but sometimes it’s as if we take two steps forward and one step back. It’s slow-going and very subtle. In the West, I think many people have sought out information about Islam because they want to compare what they see in the media (a negative view) with what they know of their friends and co-workers who are Muslim. We have up to 10 million Muslims in the USA, and many people in the larger urban areas know Muslims personally. So, they want to understand this better.

On the other hand, the negative media onslaught is relentless – in part because violence in the name of Islam against innocent people continues to happen and the media reports it more than it reports all the good things done in the name of Islam – so it’s very hard to compete with that.

I think dialogue is happening, and it is achieving good results. But, we cannot let up on this effort – we have to keep moving forward to create dialogue even when political powers put into place harmful policies between countries.

IOL: Do you feel that the current world financial crisis which started in the US two years ago is today making the dialogue of civilizations more difficult, as people become more unsecure due to job and income loss, and therefore less tolerant of the Other?

Carroll: Probably sometimes that is the case. However, at least here in the USA, it’s not the Muslims who are highlighted as taking people’s jobs or contributing to the bad economy. Muslims in the US tend to be very educated, professionals who are appreciated (doctors, lawyers, engineers, businesspeople, etc.). Instead, the pressure is put on low-income immigrant workers (Mexicans, other Hispanics, etc.) who may be here illegally. That group, more than Muslims, is getting targeted in the recession.

IOL: How has President Obama’s recent initiative towards the Muslim world been perceived in the US, especially by the right? Is it true that his Cairo speech last June was not welcomed by many Americans?

Carroll: President Obama is the subject of extreme opinion on both sides. Some on the left love everything he does no matter how possibly problematic it may be. Some on the right absolutely hate him and everything he does no matter how good it might be for the country as a whole. On the right, people rejected President Obama’s speech in Cairo as being a concession to the Muslim world. Of course, some in the extreme right think that he himself is a Muslim who is keeping that a secret, so they are suspicious of his outreach to the Muslim world. On the other hand, many people in the center, more moderate perspective (which is where the largest percentage of Americans are) were happy that he reached out in civility and diplomacy, to try to create a working relationship with countries in the Muslim world. They view this as a far better approach than the one launched by the former President.

America is much much larger than Europe as a whole, so people are more spread out
Most Americans are now much more focused on domestic issues than foreign issues. So, health care reform and the larger economic issues are more pressing in people’s minds than the relationship with the Muslim world. The one exception to that is Iran and the nuclear issue there, and the ongoing issue of committing US troops to Afghanistan and Iraq But, even the two wars are off the radar of many Americans who have lost their jobs, the homes, and their health care.

IOL: Do you see the West on a collision course with Islam, especially in the context of the current rising wave of Islamophobia in Europe?

Carroll: I don’t see a collision as inevitable. It is possible, yes, and in Europe it is much more likely than in America. People in the Middle East and elsewhere must realize that “the West” is a large entity that is very diverse. Europe and America are very different from each other. And, within Europe, the countries of Britain, France, Germany and Netherlands are very different from each other in terms of their policies, history and culture regarding immigrants and Muslims.

The kinds of assimilation issues that Muslims have in Europe, and the pressures they feel in Netherlands, Germany, France, etc. are virtually absent in America. For one, America is much much larger than Europe as a whole, so people are more spread out, have more room, etc. Secondly, America has fewer Muslims than Europe as a whole. Thirdly, America is an immigrant nation in ways that European countries are not. Finally, the American model of secularism is designed to protect and even celebrate religious expression in a way foreign to, for example, France’s secularism (modeled also in Turkey). The secularism in France is suspicious of and hostile to religion, especially to Islam because of its history of colonization. We don’t have this in America – we didn’t colonize Algeria or have the areas of the Middle East as part of our “empire” as Britain did.

America has different issues traced to its cultural dominance and imperialism, as well as our current policies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Israel that cause friction and disagreement, but these are of a different category than issues of lifestyle, assimilation and identity which plague Europe and its Muslims. America is a very religious country, and our Muslims enjoy tremendous religious freedom, often much more than they had in their home countries in Asia and the Middle East. Moreover, we don’t define citizenship as much by origin, religion, race, etc. mainly because we are a young country, which was begun by immigrants. So – people who agree to the fundamental principles of America – freedom, equality, human rights, rule of law, etc.) – are welcomed regardless of origin. America is not perfect on this, of course, but it is definitely a different model of “belonging” than is operative in much of Europe.

So, I don’t see an inevitable collision course across the whole of the West. I think things will continue to be tense in some parts of Europe. But, there are solutions to those tensions available to wise politicians and policy makers.

IOL: I understand that you are a great fan of Rumi. Are his writings becoming more popular in the US? And does the average American reader associate Rumi with Islam?

Carroll: Rumi is one of my favorite poets and has been a best-selling poet in America for a few decades now. His works are widely translated and have made their way into “pop” culture. Those Americans who read him associate him with Sufism more than with Islam as a whole. Of course, Sufism is part of Islam, but it is a part that has sometimes been in favor, sometimes out of favor with mainline Islam over the centuries. So most people just think of him as a mystic or contemplative and put him in the same category as Jewish Kabbalist mystics or Christian mystics.

He is mostly seen as a spiritual, mystical or esoteric writer with a more universal spiritual appeal. Not specifically Muslim or limited to an Islamic perspective.

IOL: What is your main impression after attending this three day conference in Egypt? And what do you consider its main positive outcomes were?

Carroll: First, it was my first visit to Egypt and I was so impressed with the Egyptian people I met, the organizers of the conference and the esteemed scholars and other guests of the conference. It was a privilege to spend those three days with them. I got to take a quick trip to Giza to see the pyramids and to visit a museum, the Citadel and a few other places in the city. Cairo is overwhelming with its history and size and energy.

Second, I think the conference was important because it brings the Turkish and the Egyptian worlds together. These two countries and cultures are dominant players in the Middle East and in the world. I think it’s important for them to transcend whatever historical, social and political issues that have divided them, so that they can work together to lead the region in a positive path. Imagine what could be possible if these two areas could harness their combined strengths? It could be really great, not just for the region, but for