Live as though today is all that you have March 29, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.1 comment so far
When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening
– live as though today is all that you have. Yesterday has
passed with its good and evil, while tomorrow has not yet
arrived. Your life span is but one day, as if you were born in it
and will die at the end of it. With this attitude, you will not
be caught between an obsession over the past, with all its
anxieties, and the hopes of the future, with all its uncertainty.
Live for today: During this day you should pray with a wakeful
heart, recite the Qur’an with understanding, and remember
Allah with sincerity. In this day you should be balanced in your
affairs, satisfied with your allotted portion, concerned with
your appearance and health.
Organize the hours of this day, so that you make years out of
minutes and months out of seconds. Seek forgiveness from your
Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this
world, and live today happily and at peace. Be content with your
sustenance, your wife, your children, your work, your house and
your station in life.
So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful
(Qur’an 7:144)
Live today free from sorrow, bother, anger, jealousy, and malice.
You must engrave onto your heart one phrase: Today is my only day. If you have eaten warm, fresh bread today, then what do
yesterday’s dry, rotten bread and tomorrow’s anticipated
bread matter?
If you are truthful with yourself and have a firm, solid resolve,
you will undoubtedly convince yourself of the following: Today is
my last day to live. When you achieve this attitude, you will
profit from every moment of your day, by developing your
personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds.
Then you say to yourself:
Today I shall be refined in my speech and will utter neither evil
speech nor obscenity. Also, I shall not backbite.
Today I shall organize my house and office….
Today I will strive to be obedient to my Lord, pray in the best
manner possible, do more voluntary acts of righteousness, recite
the Qur’an, and read beneficial books. I will plant goodness
into my heart and extract from it the roots of evil – such as
pride, jealousy, and hypocrisy.
Today I will help others – to visit the sick, to attend a
funeral, to guide the one who is lost, and to feed the hungry. I
will stand side by side with the oppressed and the weak. I will
pay respect to the scholar, be merciful to the young, and
reverent to the old.
O’ past that has departed and is gone, I will not cry over
you. You will not see me remembering you, not even for a moment,
because you have traveled away from me never to return.
O’ future, you are in the realm of the unseen, so I will not
be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied about what
is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been
created.
‘Today is my only day’ is one of the most important
statements in the dictionary of happiness, for those who desire
to live life in its fullest splendor and brilliance.
Taken from the book, ‘Don’t be Sad’ by Aaidh ibn
Abdullah al-Qarni, International Islamic Publishing House pg
31-33.
Milad Un Nabee March 14, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.4 comments
The so called milab un nabi is ’round the corner,people celebrate this with pomp and many other things,while doing this,what they forget is it is a simple innovation of which there is no authentic proof.The following articles are a compilation regarding Milad Un Nabi.
Is Milad Right? by Mufti Ebrahim Desai
The Prophets Method’s Of Correcting People’s Mistakes March 14, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.add a comment
It’s Unfortunate to know that young muslims(the practicing ones) knowing everything have forgotten to find out how to correct people’s mistakes the prophet’s way.I’ve always denounced shirk and every other innovating activity but when the people who know what’s right,themselves don’t know how to correct people it is a shame.These young guns claim to follow the Quar’an and Hadees and nothing else,then whats wrong with the way they correct people?The following article is an excerpt from a book.
Al-Asaaleeb al-Nabawiyyah
The Prophet’s Methods for Correcting People’s Mistakes
Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Contents
Points to be noted when dealing with mistakes
The Prophet’s methods of dealing with people’s mistakes
- The more serious a mistake is, the more effort should be made to correct it.
Efforts to correct mistakes that have to do with ‘aqeedah should be greater than those to correct mistakes that have to do with etiquette, for example. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was intensely concerned about dealing with and correcting mistakes that had to do with shirk in all its forms, because this was the most important matter. Examples of this follow:
Al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah said: “There was an eclipse of the sun on the day that [the Prophet’s infant son] Ibraaheem died, and the people said, ‘This eclipse is because of the death of Ibraaheem.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allaah, they do not become eclipsed for the death or life of anyone. If you see them (eclipsed) then call on Allaah and pray to Him until the eclipse is over.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 1061).
Abu Waaqid al-Laythi reported that when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out to Hunayn, he passed by a tree belonging to the mushrikeen that was called Dhaat Anwaat, on which they used to hang their weapons. They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, make for us a Dhaat Anwaat like they have.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Subhaan-Allaah! This is like what the people of Moosa said, “Make for us a god as they have gods.” By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you will follow the ways of the people who came before you.’” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2180. He said, This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth).
According to another report narrated by Abu Waaqid, they went out from Makkah with the Messenger of Allaah to Hunayn. He said: “The kuffaar had a lotus-tree to which they were devoted and on which they used to hang their weapons; it was called Dhaat Anwaat. We passed by a big, green lotus-tree, and we said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, make this a Dhaat Anwat for us.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you have said what the people of Moosa said to him, “Make for us a god as they have gods,” and he said, “Verily, you are a people who know not.” It is the same thing, and you will follow the ways of the people who came before you, step by step.’” (Reported by Ahmad, al-Sunan, 5/218).
Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led us in Subh (Fajr) prayer at al-Hudaybiyah just after it had rained in the night. When he finished, he turned to the people and said, ‘Do you know what your Lord says?” They said, ‘Allaah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘This morning one of My slaves became a believer in Me, and one a disbeliever. As for the one who said, we have been given rain by the Grace and Mercy of Allaah, he is a believer in Me and a disbeliever in the stars; and as for him who said, we have been given rain by such-and-such a star, he is a disbeliever in Me and a believer in the stars.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 846).
Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that a man said, “O Messenger of Allaah, whatever Allaah and you will.” He said, “Are you making me equal to Allaah? [Say instead:] What Allaah alone wills.” (Reported by Ahmad, al-Musnad, 1/283).
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) reported that he caught up with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab who was with a group of people and was swearing by his father. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called them and told them that Allaah had forbidden them to swear by their forefathers; the one who wanted to swear an oath should swear by Allaah or else keep quiet. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 6108)
Note: Imaam Ahmad reported in his Musnad: Wakee’ told us that al-A’mash told us from Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaydah who said: “I was with Ibn ‘Umar in a circle and he heard a man in another circle saying, ‘No, by my father.’ So Ibn ‘Umar threw pebbles at him and said, ‘This is how ‘Umar used to swear, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade him to do this and said that it was shirk.’” (al-Fath al-Rabbaani, 14/164).
Abu Shurayh Haani’ ibn Yazeed said: “A delegation of people came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he heard them calling one of them Abd al-Hajar (“slave of the stone”). He asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘ ‘Abd al-Hajar.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘No, you are ‘Abd-Allaah (slave of Allaah).’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad, no. 813. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad that it is saheeh, no. 623).
- Taking into account the position of the person who is striving to correct the mistake
Some people’s advice may be more readily accepted than others’ because they have a status that others do not, or because, unlike others, they have authority over the person who has made the mistake, for example, a father with his child or a teacher with his student or a government official with the one whom he is inspecting. One who is older is not like one who is younger, a relative is not like a stranger, a person with authority is not like one with no authority. Understanding these differences will make the reformer put things into perspective and evaluate them properly, so that his rebuke or correction will not lead to a greater evil. The position of the one who is rebuking and the esteem in which he is held by the one who has made the mistake are very important in judging how strong the rebuke should be and deciding how harsh or gentle the tone should be. From this we learn two things:
Firstly, that the person to whom Allaah has given status or authority should use that to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and to teach people. He should understand that he has a great responsibility because people will accept more from him than from other people – usually – so he can do more than others can.
Secondly, the person who seeks to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil should not misjudge the situation and put himself in a higher position than is in fact the case and behave as if he has qualities that he does not have, because this will only put people off.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made the most of the position of respect that Allaah had given him when he was rebuking and teaching people. He did things that would not have been appropriate if they were done by anyone else, examples of which follow:
Ya’eesh ibn Tihfah al-Ghiffaari reported that his father said: “I was a guest of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), one of the poor to whom he played host. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out to check on his guests during the night, and saw me lying on my stomach. He kicked me and said, ‘Don’t lie like this; this is the kind of lying that Allaah hates.’” According to another report: “He kicked him and woke him up, and said, ‘This is how the people of Hell lie.’” (Reported by Ahmad, al-Fath al-Rabbaani, 14/244-245. Also reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2798, Shaakir edn.; by Abu Dawood in Kitaab al-Adab in his Sunan, no. 5040, al-Da’’aas edn. The hadeeth is also in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2270-2271).
This method of rebuking was appropriate for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) because of his position and status, but it is not appropriate for ordinary people. It is not alright for any person who wants to rebuke another for sleeping on his stomach to kick him whilst he is asleep and wake him up, and then expect him to accept this advice and thank him for it. The same applies to hitting a person who is making a mistake or throwing something like pebbles or whatever at him. Although some of the salaf did that, it was because of their particular status. Some stories of this nature follow:
Al-Daarimi (may Allaah have mercy on him) reported from Sulaymaan ibn Yassaar that a man called Sabeegh came to Madeenah and started to ask about the ambiguous texts of the Qur’aan. ‘Umar sent for him, and he had prepared some date palm branches for him (to hit him with). [‘Umar] asked him, “Who are you?’ He said, “I am the slave of Allaah, Sabeegh.” ‘Umar took hold of one of the palm branches and hit him, saying, “I am the slave of Allaah, ‘Umar.” He kept hitting him until his head began to bleed, and he said, “O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, enough! [The ideas that] were in my head have gone!” (Sunan al-Daarimi, ed. by ‘Abd-Allaah Haashim Yamaani, 1/51, no. 146).
Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) reported that Ibn Abi Layla said: “Hudhayfah was in al-Madaa’in and asked for a drink, and a grandee gave him a vessel of silver. He threw it at him and said, ‘I would not have thrown it, but I told him not to do it and he didn’t stop. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade us from wearing silk and brocade, and from drinking from vessels of gold and silver. He said, ‘These are for them in this world and for you in the Hereafter.’” (al-Fath, no. 5632).
According to a report narrated by Ahmad, describing the same incident, ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Laylaa said: “I went out with Hudhayfah to one of these areas, and he asked for something to drink. A grandee brought him a vessel of silver and he (Hudhayfah) threw it in his face. We said, ‘Be quiet, be quiet, if we ask why he did it, he might not tell us.’ So we were quiet, and a little while later he said, ‘Do you know why I threw it in his face?’ We said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘I had told him not to do it. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Do not drink from vessels of gold,” and Mu’aadh said, “Do not drink from vessels of gold or silver, and do not wear silk or brocade; these are for them in this world and for you in the Hereafter.”’” (al-Musnad, 5/396)
Al-Bukhaari narrated that Seereen asked Anas to write him a contract of manumission, as he had plenty of money, but Anas refused. Seereen went to ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), who told Anas to write the document, and Anas still refused, so ‘Umar hit him with a whip whilst reciting the words (interpretation of the meaning): “… give them [slaves seeking emancipation] such writing [of a document of manumission] , if you know that they are good and trustworthy…” [al-Noor 24:33], so he wrote the document for him. (Al-Fath, 5/184).
Al-Nisaa’i reported from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri that he was praying when a son of Marwaan came in front of him, so he checked him, and when he did not go back, he hit him. The boy went out crying, and went to Marwaan and told him what had happened. Marwaan asked Abu Sa’eed, “Why did you hit the son of your brother?” He said, “I did not hit him, I hit the Shaytaan. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘If any one of you is praying and someone wants to pass in front of him, let him stop him as much as he can, and if he refuses then fight him, for he is a devil.’” (al-Mujtaba min Sunan al-Nisaa’i, 8/61; Saheeh Sunan al-Nisaa’i, no. 4518)
Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) reported from Abu’l-Nadr that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri was suffering from a sore leg, and his brother came in and saw him lying with one leg crossed over the other, so he hit him on the sore leg, making it hurt even more. He said, “You hurt my leg! Didn’t you know it is sore?” He said, “Of course I knew.” He said, “What made you do that?” He said, “Did you not hear that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade us to sit like this?” (al-Musnad, 3/42)
Maalik reported from Abu’l-Zubayr al-Makki that a man proposed marriage to another man’s sister, and he [the brother] told him that she had committed zinaa. News of this reached ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, so he hit him or nearly hit him, and said, “Why did you tell him?” (Muwatta’ Maalik, no. 1553, report of Abu Mus’ab al-Zuhri, ed. by Bashshaar Ma’roof and Mahmood Khaleel. Mu’sasat al-Risaalah) .
Muslim reported in his Saheeh from Abu Ishaaq who said: “I was with al-Aswad ibn Yazeed in the Great Mosque, and al-Sha’bi was with us. Al-Sha’bi told us about what Faatimah bint Qays had said about the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) not providing housing or an income for her. Al-Aswad took a handful of pebbles and threw them at him, saying, ‘Woe to you! You talk about something like this? ‘Umar said that we should not leave the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) for the words of a woman who we cannot be sure has remembered things properly or not. Women have the right to accommodation and an income. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and turn them not out of their homes, not shall they (themselves) leave, except in case they are guilty of some open illegal sexual intercourse…” [al-Talaaq 65:1].’” (Saheeh Muslim, no. 1480).
Abu Dawood reported, with an isnaad in which two men are maqbool, that two men entered from the doors of Kindah, when Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari was sitting in a circle. The two men said, “Is there any man who will judge between us?” A man in the circle said, “I will.” Abu Mas’ood took a handful of pebbles and threw them at him, saying, “Shut up! It is disliked to hasten to judgement.” (Reported by Abu Dawood, Kitaab al-Aqdiyah, Bab fi talab al-qada’ wa al-tasarru’ ilayhi)
We should also note that the Prophet’s rebuking of some of his closest Companions was, on occasions, harsher than his rebuking of a bedouin, for example, or a stranger. All of this has to do with wisdom and proper evaluation in rebuking.
- Making a distinction between one who errs out of ignorance and one who errs despite his knowledge
One of the stories that illustrate this clearly is what happened to Mu’aawiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Salami when he came to Madeenah from the desert, and he did not know that it is forbidden to speak during the salaah. He said: “Whilst I was praying behind the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a man sneezed, so I said ‘Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you).’ The people glared at me, so I said, ‘May my mother lose me! What is wrong with you that you are looking at me?’ They began to slap their thighs with their hands, and when I saw that they were indicating that I should be quiet, I stopped talking (i.e., I nearly wanted to answer them back, but I controlled myself and kept quiet). When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had finished praying – may my father and mother be sacrificed for him, I have never seen a better teacher than him before or since – he did not rebuke me or hit me or put me to shame. He just said, ‘This prayer should contain nothing of the speech of men; it is only tasbeeh and takbeer and recitation of the Qur’aan.’” (Saheeh Muslim, ‘Abd al-Baaqi edn., no. 537).
The ignorant person needs to be taught; the one who has doubts needs to have things explained to him; the negligent person needs to be reminded; and the one who wilfully persists in error needs to be warned. It is not right to treat one who knows about a ruling and one who is ignorant of it in the same manner when rebuking them. Treating one who does not know too harshly will only put him off and make him refuse to follow your advice, unlike teaching him with wisdom and gentleness, because an ignorant person simply does not realize that he is making a mistake. It is as if he is saying to the one who is rebuking him: “Why don’t you teach me before you launch an attack on me?”
The one who is making a mistake without realizing it may think that he is right, so we should take this into account and deal with him tactfully. Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) reported in al-Musnad from al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ate some food, then got up to pray. He had already done wudoo’ before that, but I brought some water for him to do wudoo’, He rebuffed me and said, ‘Go away!’ I felt upset, by Allaah. He prayed, and I complained to ‘Umar about what had happened. He said, ‘O Prophet of Allaah, al-Mugheerah feels hurt by your rebuff, and he is worried that you may be angry with him for some reason.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘I see only good in him, but he brought me water to do wudoo’ after I had eaten some food, and if I had done wudoo’ then, the people would have followed suit [i.e., they would have thought that they had to do wudoo’ every time they had eaten something].’” (al-Musnad, 4/253)
We should note here that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pointed out the mistakes of these great Sahaabah, it did not have a negative impact on them or put them off; rather, it had a positive effect on them, and having been corrected in this manner by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), they would remain anxious and worried, watching their behaviour and feeling concerned until they could be sure that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was pleased with them.
We may also note from this story that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pointed out al-Mugheerah’ s mistake, he was not angry with al-Mugheerah himself; he did this out of mercy to the people and to explain things clearly to them, so that they would not impose something on themselves that was not waajib and that would cause them a great deal of hardship.
- Making a distinction between mistakes stemming from an honest effort to find out what is right (ijtihaad), and mistakes done deliberately, out of negligence or because of shortcomings
There is no doubt that in the first case, a person is not to be blamed; indeed he will earn one reward even if he is mistaken, so long as his intention was sincere and he tried to reach the right conclusion, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If a ruler judges and strives to make the right decision, and his decision is correct, he will have two rewards, and if his decision is wrong, he will still have one reward.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 1326, Shaakir edn. Abu ‘Eesa al-Tirmidhi said it is a ghareeb hasan hadeeth in this version. )
This is a different case from one who errs deliberately or because of shortcomings. In the first instance, the person should be taught and advised; in the second, he should be warned and rebuked.
The ijtihaad which may be excused should be done on the part of one who is qualified, not one who gives fatwas without knowledge and without taking circumstances into account. This is why the Prophet severely denounced the people who made the mistake in the case of the man with the head wound. Abu Dawood narrated in his Sunan from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “We went out on a journey, and one of the men with us was struck in the head with a stone and started bleeding. Then he slept and when he woke up he needed to do ghusl (he was in state of janaabah or impurity). He asked his companions, ‘Do you think I could get away with doing tayammum?’ They said, ‘We don’t think you have any excuse because water is available.’ So he did ghusl, and he died. When we came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he was told about this, he said, ‘They have killed him, may Allaah kill them! Why did they not ask if they did not know? The cure of the one who does not know is to ask…’” (Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitaab al-Tahaarah, Baab al-majrooh yatayammam; al-Albaani classed it as hasan in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 325, and indicated that the extra material added at the end of the hadeeth is da’eef)
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that judges are of three types, one will be in Paradise and the other two in Hell. The type that will be in Paradise is a man who knows the truth and judges accordingly. A man who knows the truth but judges unjustly will be in Hell, and a man who judges between people without proper knowledge will also be in Hell. (Sunan Abi Dawood, no. 3573; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Irwa’, 2164). The third type is not regarded as having any excuse.
Another factor in gauging the degree of rebuking is paying attention to the environment in which the mistake occurred, such as whether it was an environment in which the Sunnah is followed or bid’ah is widespread, or how prevalent evil is, or whether there are ignorant or overly lenient people, whose opinions are widely followed, issuing fatwas to say that it is permissible.
- A good intention on the part of the one who makes the mistake does not mean that he should not be rebuked
‘Amr ibn Yahya said: “I heard my father narrating from his father who said: ‘We were at the door of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood before the early morning prayer. When he came out we walked with him to the mosque. Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari came up to us and said, “Did Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan come out to you yet?” We said, “No.” He sat down with us until [Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan] came out. When he came out, we all stood up to greet him, and Abu Moosa said to him: “O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, earlier I saw in the mosque something that I have never seen before, but it seems good, al-hamdu Lillaah.” He said, “And what was it?” He said, “if you live, you will see it. I saw people in the mosque sitting in circles waiting for the prayer. In every circle there was a man, and they had pebbles in their hands. He would say, ‘Say Allaahu akbar one hundred times,’ and they would say Allaahu akbar one hundred times; then he would say, ‘Say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah one hundred times,’ and they would say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah one hundred times; then he would say, ‘Say Subhaan Allaah one hundred times,’ and they would say Subhaan Allaah one hundred times.’ He asked, ‘What did you say to them?’ He said, ‘I did not say anything to them; I was waiting to see what your opinion would be and what you would tell me to do.’ He said, ‘Why did you not tell them to count their bad deeds and guarantee them that nothing of their good deeds would be wasted?’ Then he left, and we went with him, until he reached one of those circles. He stood over them and said, ‘What is this I see you doing?’ They said, ‘O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, these are pebbles we are using to count our takbeer, tahleel and tasbeeh.’ He said, ‘Count your bad deeds, and I guarantee that nothing of your good deeds will be wasted. Woe to you, O ummah of Muhammad, how quickly you are getting destroyed! The Companions of your Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are still alive, his garment is not yet worn out and his vessels are not yet broken. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, either you are following a way that is more guided than that of Muhammad or you have opened the door of misguidance!’ They said, ‘By Allaah, O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, we only wanted to do good.’ He said, ‘How many of those who wanted to do good failed to achieve it! The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that people recite Qur’aan and it does not go any further than their throats. By Allaah, I do not know, maybe most of them are people like you.’ Then he turned away from them. ‘Amr ibn Salamah said, ‘I saw most of the members of those circles fighting alongside the Khawaarij on the day of Nahrawaan.’” (Reported by al-Daarimi, al-Sunan, no. 210, ed. by ‘Abd-Allaah Haashim al-Yamaani. Al-Albaani classed its isnaad as saheeh in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah under hadeeth no. 2005. See Majma’ al-Zawaa’id by al-Haythami, 1/181).
- Being fair and not being biased when correcting those who make mistakes
Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“And whenever you give your word (i.e., judge between men or give evidence), say the truth…” [al-An’aam 6:152]
“… and when you judge between men, you [should] judge with justice…” [al-Nisa’ 4:58]
The Meaning of Nafs March 13, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.1 comment so far
by Muhammad ‘Afifi al-’Akiti ©
In the Name of God, Most Compassionate and Merciful
Praise be Allah, Who has adorned the aspect of man by granting him good stature and proportion,
Safeguarding him from increase and decline in his aspect and measurements,
We ask for His forgiveness and guidance,
We seek refuge from the evils, which are in ourselves and the wicked in our actions,
And may the blessings and salutations be invoked upon Muhammad, His Prophet .
To proceed:
“As for whoever exceeded the limits and preferred the life of this world, surely his abode will be the Fire; and as for whoever feared to stand before his Lord and restrained the desires of his self, surely his abode will be the Garden.” (Sura 79:39-40)
Ibn Kathir says:
“The Mu’min are a people who have been prevented through the Qur’an from indulging in the pleasures of this world; it comes between them and what might destroy them. The Mu’min is like a prisoner in this world, who tries to free himself from its shackles and chains, placing his trust in nothing in it, until the day he meets his Creator. He knows full well that he is accountable for everything that he hears, sees and says, and for everything that he does with his body.”
(Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 9 pg. 276, Cairo 1352)
There are two kinds of people, one are those whose Nafs have overcome them and led them to ruin because they yielded to them and obeyed their impulses. The other kinds are those who have overcome their Nafs and made them obey their commands.
Nafs (pl. Anfus or Nufus) lexically means soul, the psyche, the ego, self, life, person, heart or mind. (Mu’jam, Kassis)
Although some scholars have classified the Nafs up to 7 stages, there is agreement among Ulama’ that in the Qur’an, Allah (s.w.t.) has described at least 3 main types of the Nafs. And these are in rank from the worse to better: Nafs al-Ammara Bissu’ (the Nafs that urges evil), Nafs al-Lawwama (the Nafs that Blames) and Nafs al-Mutma`inna (the Nafs at Peace).
(Chapter 12 v. 53 in the Tafsir of al-Tabari: Jami’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, 30 vols., Bulaq 1323 & also in Imam Baghawi’s Tafsir: Lubab al-Ta’wil fi Ma’alam at-Tanzil, 8 vols. Cairo, 1308)
A summary of these states of the Nafs are given by Imam Tabari in his Tafsir of Surah Yusuf verse 53:
1. Nafs al-Ammara Bissu’ (The Soul which Commands):
This is the Nafs that brings punishment itself. By its very nature it directs its owner towards every wrong action. No one can get rid of its evil without the help from Allah. As Allah refers to this Nafs in the story of the wife of al-Aziz (Zulaikha) and Prophet Yusuf (s):
“The (human) soul is certainly prone to evil” (12:53).
Allah also says:
“And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure; but Allah purifies whomever He wishes, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing.” (24:21)
This Nafs resides in the world of the senses and is dominated by earthly desires (Shahwat) and passions….
Evil lies hidden in the Nafs and it is this that leads it on to do wrong. If Allah were to leave the servant alone with his self, the servant would be destroyed between its evil and the evil that it craves; but if Allah grants him success and help, then he will survive. We seek refuge in Allah the Almighty, both from the evil in ourselves and from the evil of our actions.
2. Nafs al-Lawwama (the Soul that Blames):
Allah refers to this Nafs,
“And I do call to witness the Nafs that blames” (75:2).
This Nafs is conscious of its own imperfections.
Hasan al-Basri said, “You always see the believer blaming himself and saying things like ‘Did I want this? Why did I do that? Was this better than that?”….
3. Nafs al-Mutma`inna (the Soul at Peace):
Allah refers to this Nafs,
“O Self, in complete rest and satisfaction! “ (89:27).
This Nafs is tranquil as it rests on the certitude of Allah.
Ibn Abbas (r) said, “It is the tranquil and believing soul”.
Al-Qatadah (r) said, “It is the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah has promised. Its owner is at rest and content with his knowledge of Allah’s Names and Attributes, and with what He has said about Himself and His Messenger , and with what He has said about what awaits the soul after death: about the departure of the soul, the life in the Barzakh, and the events of the Day of Qiyamah which will follow. So much so that a believer such as this can almost see them with his own eyes. So he submits to the will of Allah and surrenders to Him contentedly, never dissatisfied or complaining, and with his faith never wavering. He does not rejoice at his gains, nor do his afflictions make him despair – for he knows that they were decreed long before they happened to him, even before he was created….”….
(Al-Tabari: Jami’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, vol. 13, Bulaq 1323)
Imam Baghawi says,
“The Nafs al-Mutma`inna has an angel to help it, who assists and guides it. The angel casts good into the Nafs so that it desires what is good and is aware of the excellence of good actions. The angel also keeps the self away from wrong action and shows it the ugliness of bad deeds. All in all, whatever is for Allah and by him, always comes from the Soul which is at Peace.
The Nafs al-Ammara Bissu’ has Shaytan as its ally. He promises it great rewards and gains, but casts falsehood into it. He invites it and entices the soul to do evil. He leads it on with hope after hope and presents falsehood to the soul in a form that it will accept and admire.”
Ibn al-Qayyim also mentioned the states of Nafs:
“The Nafs is a single entity, although its state may change: from the Nafs al-Ammara, to the Nafs al-Lawwama, to the Nafs al-Mutma`inna, which is the final aim of perfection….
It has been said that the Nafs al-Lawwama is the one, which cannot rest in any one state. It often changes, remembers and forgets, submits and evades, loves and hates, rejoices and become sad, accepts and rejects, obeys and rebels.
Nafs al-Lawwama is also the Nafs of the believer….It has also been mentioned that the Nafs blames itself on the Day of Qiyamah – for every one blames himself for his actions, either his bad deeds, if he was one who had many wrong actions, or for his shortcomings, if he was one who did good deeds. All of this is accurate.
(Madarij as-Salikin fi Manazili Iyyaka Na’budu wa Iyyaka Nasta’in, vol. 1 pg. 308)
Sa’id Hawwa says regarding these Nafs:
“Depending upon its condition, the Nafs exist in multidimensional. When the Nafs is tranquil because of obeying Allah, and the soul opposes its desires, this soul is known as Nafs al-Mutma`inna. Regarding this, Allah has spoken about it in the Qur’an (89:27-28). But if the soul does not attain peace with itself, rather being exposed to desires, then such soul is known as the Nafs al-Lawwama because this soul reproaches its owner due to the owner’s carelessness in fulfilling out Allah’s wishes – Qur’an (75:2). More so, if the soul submits to lusts and allows itself to be seduced by Shaytan, such a soul is known as Nafs al-Ammara Bissu’. Allah tells the story about the wife of al-Aziz (Zulaikha) in Qur’an (12:53).
(Tarbiyatun nar Ruhiyah, pg. 32, Cairo: Dar al- Salam, 1408)
There is a famous Arabic saying:
“O soul..Watch out! Help me with your striving,
in the darkness of the nights;
so that on the Day of Qiyamah,
you will win a good life on those heights.”
May this be of benefit.
And the last of our prayers,
“Glory to your Lord, the Lord of Honour & Power! He is better from what they ascribe to Him! Peace be upon the Messengers! Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” (37:180-182)
Muhammad ‘Afifi al-’Akiti
Key points that people who consider intercession shirk bring up March 13, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.add a comment
1) Verses in the Quran which speak of Allah 
as the only intercessor
Response: There are also a number of verses which indicate Allah grants intercession to others by His Permission.
- 2:255: “Who should intercede with Him, except by His permission?”
- 10:3: “There is no intercessor save after His permission.”
- 19:87: “They will have no power of intercession, save him who has made a covenant with his Lord.”
- 43:86: “And those unto whom they cry instead of Him possess no power of intercession, except him who beareth witness unto the truth knowingly.”
There is also no contradiction in these verses from the ones anti-intercessors quote. Because the meaning behind the verses the opponents quote is that Allah is the primary granter of benefit from all dua’s, whether they are from yourself or from another on your behalf.
2) The people you are asking intercession from are just human beings
Well, actually, we are asking intercession from human beings, but the benefit is coming from Allah . In Sahih Bukahri it is related:
Volume 2, Book 17, Number 123:
Narrated Anas:
Whenever drought threatened them, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, used to ask Al-Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib to invoke Allah for rain. He used to say, “O Allah ! We used to ask our Prophet to invoke You for rain, and You would bless us with rain, and now we ask his uncle to invoke You for rain. O Allah ! Bless us with rain.”(1) And so it would rain.
Since Allah is the one granting the benefit, there is nothing wrong in seeking a means as Umar (R) did. In fact, it is a commendable way to be like Umar (R), a great sahabi.
This is the scholarly understanding of the verse:
BismillahirRahmanir Raheem (translation) :
“Seek the means to Allah ” (5:35)
3) Everyone sins, so you can’t trust anyone to be worthy of asking anything
Response: We are told to keep the company of the righteous, should we be second guessing that command since everyone is a sinner? No. Asking someone for a dua, even if they are a ‘regular person’, is permitted and a commendable practice.
We are told to value those who have done even more for Islam and have Allah ’s favour for their good deeds, even if they are sinners, because they have reached a higher level than us.
Their sin may be that they did or said something which didn’t bring in a millionth person into Islam through their hands, and our sin is that we couldn’t keep our basic obligations.
Allah said in a Hadith Qudsi:
“When I (Allah ) love him I (Allah ) become the ears by which he hears, the eyes by which he sees, and the hands by which he grasps, and the feet with which he walks. When he asks Me I bestow upon him and when he seeks my protection, I protect him.”‘
Are people who reach this level like ‘everyone else’? Sure in some way they are not free from sin, but they are also quite a few light-years ahead of most of us.
4) It is risky, since that is what the Christians did
Response: It is not risky.
It was not risky for Umar (R) and its not risky for us. We eat meat and other religions eat meat, should we stop eating meat because they have gone astray with their practice of slaughter? No, we have our instructions how to fulfill it properly, and that is all that is necessary.
So, what other communities did is irrelevant, as they didn’t have the boundaries of the Shariat and the Aqida of Tauheed. With those combined there is no way we can go astray.
5) Ok fine, but.. asking the dead for dua is wrong. They are dead and cant hear!
Response:
Quranic Ayat:
And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah ’s way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive. ” [Al-Quran - 2:154]
It seems that those who die living for Islam and dying for it are far beyond ‘dead’, they are in fact alive, and we just don’t percieve it. Since that is the case, we can continue, at least, using them as a means for tawassul because they are in fact alive while appearing dead.
And secondly, Allah is the granter of benefit, not the person who is supposedly dead, so its irrelevant.
Showing value to holy and righteous ones is something Allah enjoined upon us in a number of ways, since Allah is watching all, and the granter of all benefit and duas, then we should have no problem showing that respect to the supposed ‘dead’ as well.
6) Why not just go direct, its so much simpler and safer?
Response:
Its not safer to go direct, although it is certainly important to do that as well. Why didn’t Umar (R) go direct when asking for rain when they really needed it in extreme drought conditions? When it was a matter of life and death he used intercession.
It is safer to realize your worth and realize the worth of people who are better than us. That is one way we realize the weakness of ourselves and it is also one way how Allah makes us better people.
Going direct is an important way to benefit yourself and build a relationship with your Lord, but it is also egotistical if it means abandoning the understanding of the righteous and saintly people that exist out there. It puts you on the pedastal of those who have done a lot more work for Islam than you. Your ego is telling you are the same as them, don’t be fooled.
That is why both approaches, indirect and direct, have to be taken together to create a balance.
In Islam we know that medicine does not truly cure us, it is simply a means to Allah ’s causing a cure within us. So just as we do not abandon medicine, we cannot abandon this important technique of attaining Allah ’s favor.
Saftey Tips For Muslim Women March 13, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.add a comment
As Muslims and their institutions become targets of harassment in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attack, Muslim women, in the western countries especially those who dress Islamically , have become major targets. Reports of Muslim women being yelled at, threatened, having their Hijabs pulled off and having guns pointed at them have surfaced. It is necessary that the whole community rallies to defend Muslim women. But sisters also have to take personal precautions when they go outside. Like it or not, they must do it for their own safety.
Useful Tips
Here are some safety tips for sisters:
1. Always be aware of your surroundings – This applies whether you are travelling alone or in groups. Don’t just focus inwardly on your thoughts if you are alone, or your friends if you are together. Keep one eye out for your environment, looking out for suspicious characters, possible danger, etc. Also, don’t assume that because your area has been “safe” thus far, that it will continue to be so.
2. Travel in groups – “There is safety in numbers” is not just a cliché. It’s true. Make a point of travelling together with other sisters, whether it’s on public transportation, on campus, in cars, etc.
3. Change the route you normally travel by.
If you’ve taken the same bus, train or highway to get to work or school, change your route. Even if it takes you a little longer, your safety is more important. By changing your route, you can avert possible attacks or harassment from those who know your schedule, method and route of travel well. Please note though that you should avoid short cuts that take you through unfamiliar or unsafe areas.
4. When travelling by public transportation choose the right seat;
If you are travelling by bus or train, do not sit on the window seat as you may be “blocked in” by a potential assailant. Always select the seat next to the aisle so that you can quickly leave if necessary. If you are taking public transportation alone after peak hours, sit as close to the driver as possible and/or choose the section of the bus/train that is most crowded. Try to get a seat near the exit as well.
5. If you are driving alone
Don’t think that if you are in a car, you’re safe. Windows should be up and doors locked even when driving to avoid unwanted passengers at intersections. When you are walking to your car, always have your keys ready, so that you can quickly get into your car. But don’t just get in right away. Always check your car before entering, especially the back, for any intruders.
6. Never leave your car door unlocked Never leave your car door unlocked Even if it means for one minute to drop something off in the mailbox that’s a few feet away. Attackers have been known to lie in wait for such an opportunity.
7. Be careful in parking lots: Always be alert in parking lots, especially when it’s dark. Ask someone to escort you to your car. Between cars and inside cars, it’s easy for someone to hide and wait until someone who’s not alert comes along.
8.check the identification of taxi driver:
If you are travelling by taxi, always check the identification of the driver (usually located near the visor) and ensure that it matches the driver. Once inside, don’t sit behind the driver as it may be easy for the driver to lock the rear passenger door. Always choose the adjacent seat. In addition, avoid flagging taxis. Always order taxis so the driver can be traced if something happens.
9. Note “safe houses” along your route – Mentally note houses at intervals on each route you take that can be used as “safe houses” if you are attacked, such as shops or houses that you know to be occupied by a friend or acquaintance.
10. When you make a call from a phone booth – After dialling the number you wish to call always turn around so that you have your back to the phone and may see who or what is coming your way. You will then be able to tell the person to whom you are speaking that you may be in trouble and you may be able to use the weight of the phone as a weapon. The door of a telephone box could be used to wedge in the limbs of the attacker.
11. Do not open the door of your home without checking: Do not open the door to your home without first checking from a window, peephole or by asking and verifying who it is. Instruct children to do the same.
12. Report any suspicious activity around your home :If you see people loitering on the streets near your house, call the police on a non emergency number and report it.
13. Invest in a cell phone :This is an invaluable safety device. Keep it with you at all times and keep emergency numbers on it. Also, keep it next to your bed before you go to bed at night.
14. Parking tips: Avoid parking in areas that are not well lit. Where possible, park close to a school or work entrance or in a parking garage that has an attendant. If you see a suspicious person approaching or hanging around near your parked car, turn around and go back to an area where there are other people. Try to get an escort to your car through the campus or job security or local police.
15. Tell others about your whereabouts: Parents, spouses and friends should know where you are going and when you will be back, so that your absence will be noticed. Arrange a call in system with a friend if you live alone, whereby you call when you arrive home.
16. Trust your instincts: If you are walking somewhere and feel strange or scared, don’t ignore this feeling. Take extra precautions by walking a little faster to get to a more populated or well-lit area or change the route you’ve been driving on.
17.Change your route: If you think you are being followed, change your route and activity. You can cross the street, change directions, or enter a populated building or store. Do whatever is necessary to avoid being alone with the person who is following you. Inform a police officer or security official about the follower.
18. Attract attention if you are in a dangerous situation: Get others’ to pay attention to what’s happening to you if you are under attack or being harassed. You can alert others by honking a car horn or loudly describing what is happening.
19. NEVER admit that you are alone: If someone calls your home and asks if you are alone, NEVER admit it. Ask who the caller is. If they refuse to identify themselves, calmly hang up. Keep the radio on in the house so that callers will get the impression that others are in the home too. Instruct children to do the same when they pick up the phone.
20. Obscene phone calls: If you receive an obscene call or a crank call, do not talk to the caller. Hang up if the caller doesn’t say anything, or as soon as s/he shouts obscenities. Hang up the phone calmly and do not slam it down. Note down the date and time of the calls. If they are persistent, inform local police.
21. If you are a student: Avoid studying in isolated classrooms in parts of the college campus that are not regularly patrolled by the school’s security officers.
22. In large buildings take the elevator, not the stairwell: Stairwells are usually quiet and dark. Most people take the elevator. But if someone creepy gets on, don’t hesitate to get off at the same time. Or, if someone is already on the elevator who you feel strange about, do not get on and wait for the next elevator.
ALLAH SWT’S PROMISE TO PROTECT US …….
These are some safety tips that Muslim Women especially living in the western countries should adopt. But never ever forget that Allah Almighty Is The Only Protector And Guider If He Is With Us We Have No Fears As He Almighty Says In Al-Quran:
There, the (only) protection comes from Allah, the True One. He is the Best to reward, and the Best to give success. [Holy Quran 18:44]
JAZAK ALLAH KHAIR
Monotheists and the `Other` An Islamic perspective in an era of religious pluralism March 13, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.add a comment
2/9/2007 – Religious Social Interfaith – Article Ref: IC0604-2977
By: Dr. Fathi Osman
IslamiCity* –
- The Common Origin of all Children of Adam
- The Spiritual Essence of All Human Beings
- Observing the One God in Relations with Others
- Human Differences: The Inborn Ones
- Gender Differences
- Religious Differences
- The Use of Force
- The Acquired Differences
- The Environment
- The Bitter Reality
For monotheists the ‘other’ may be another monotheist who shares with them the same beliefs but belongs to a different ethnic group, physically, culturally or both, or may be another monotheist with partly different but still monotheistic beliefs. The ‘other’ may be a non-believer, a polytheist, an atheist or whatever else. People have inborn differences regarding which they have no choice, such as physical characteristics including the color or the language and inherited culture. Besides, there are acquired differences such as wealth and education. Religion stands in the middle between the ‘inborn’ and ‘acquired’ differences, since faith is supposed to be decided individually by a personal voluntary conviction, whereas in reality it is mostly inherited. Gender may also be seen as a considerable difference, even within the groups of monotheists who belong to the same ethnic group and share the same belief.
All monotheists believe in the ‘One Lord’ who has created the entire human race as well as all forms of life and the whole cosmos; and all of creation is under His control, “the Lord of all being.” Monotheists ought to look upon the ‘other’ on the basis of their belief in the Supreme Lord, but they are mostly interlocked in what their physical senses catch, and their interests are often concerned with what is in this world, rather than with ‘abstract’ matters of faith. Besides, most people are inclined to keep their worldly relations and their relation to the One God in two strictly separate compartments, with no allowance for interaction. If our time is witnessing the barriers shrinking in geography, in time, in space, in the atom and between the concrete substance and energy, isn’t it time for a whole-some wholeness of the human being as an essential prerequisite for a wholesome wholeness of humankind? And what can achieve such a whole-some wholeness of the human individual and the entire human race better than a genuine belief in the “one Lord Supreme of all being?”
1. The Common Origin of all Children of Adam
The Islamic perspective shares with the entire Abrahamic faith the idea that Adam and Eve represent the origin of all humanity. The Quran states that the children of Adam and his wife enjoy the physical, intellectual, expressive and psychological- spiritual gifts conferred by God on the human species in its totality to dignify the “homo sapiens” (Quran 17:70), in order to enable this human species to carry out the ‘development’ of themselves and of the earth in this world, with which they are entrusted by their Creator (Quran 11:61). All human beings are accountable for human and material development, for their own thoughts and actions, and for their relations with the ‘other’ and with the nature around them.
The diversity of humankind is enriched by the way in which individual and group specialties can complement each other through interaction and cooperation (Quran 49:13). The inborn differences represent an enriching variety which is an outstanding sign of God’s all-mightiness, all-wisdom, all-providence and all-grace in His relations with His creation (Quran 30:22).
With regard to the common origin of humankind, the Quran stresses that Adam and Eve – and subsequently all men and women – are created from the same “living entity” (nafs wahida), so the first woman is created from the same “living entity” as the first man, and not from a certain part of the first man’s body (Quran 4:1).1 – According to the Quran, both Adam and his wife shared the same responsibility in eating from the forbidden tree, and both repented to God and were granted forgiveness before carrying out their mission of “development” on earth (Quran 7:19-26). In this way, there are no grounds for any gender discrimination from the beginning of time, the creation of the first man and the first woman. Both are equally addressed in the Quran and both, men and women, are specified distinctively, one beside the other, in many verses, underlining the independent responsibility of each and their equality in this respect.2
2. The Spiritual Essence of All Human Beings
The Quran states that God has breathed into the first human being of His spirit (Quran 15:29; 38:72) and that every human being has been initially granted a spiritual compass to direct him/her to the Lord God: “And as your Lord brings forth their offspring for the loins of the children of Adam, and calls upon them to bear witness about themselves ‘Am I not your Lord?,’ they answer, ‘Yes, indeed, we do bear witness thereto.’ [Of this We remind you] lest you say on the Day of Resurrection, ‘Verily, we were unaware of this,’ or lest you say, ‘Verily it was but our forefathers who – in times’ gone by – associated others with God, and we were but their late offspring’ ” (Quran 7:172-173).3 It is the human responsibility to maintain one’s spiritual fitness and development (Quran 91:7-10). The successive messages of God have been sent to let human beings make the best of the spiritual equipment that has always existed in every human being. Seen in this perspective, every human being is a “potential” believer, and being human has been inseparable from spirituality since creation. We have to remember this whenever we deal with any human being, whether such a human being maintains and makes use of this invaluable gift of God or not: for in any case, the divine spirit is in all children of Adam and his female mate, and this “common gift” provides common ground for mutual understanding and compassion. There is no place in monotheism for a monopoly of the truth and arrogance about it, since the truth by its nature is common among all and open to all.
Directing human beings towards their Creator, Lord and Cherisher, is meant to liberate everyone from being subjugated to any degrading power, going from powers within themselves, whims or inferiority and superiority complexes, to pressuring forces of the world around them and of persons who enjoy social, economic, political or any other sort of power over them. Such a unique liberation of the human being cannot be achieved by any philosophy or law, but only by faith in the one God. It simultaneously implants in the human mind and heart that, since the One Unique Supreme Lord is the only one who is incomparable (“there is nothing like Him; Quran 42:11; 112:4), all “others” are God’s creatures and all human beings are equal in being created with the same potential by the One God. As monotheism establishes human freedom and equality in this way, we can understand how true and significant it is what Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8.32). At an early stage of his life, Jesus went into the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath and when he stood up to read the Scriptures, there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah, and when he opened the book, he found this passage: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4.16-18; see Isaiah 61.1).
Thus, belief in the One God liberates human beings from within the deepest depth. The liberation of the Israelites from Pharaoh’s slavery was fundamentally achieved through the conceptual and spiritual-moral power of the liberating faith in the One God. The Quran indicates that God sent the Prophet to teach people what is right and what is wrong, and by so doing he “lifts from them their burdens and the shackles that were upon them” (Quran 7:157). Many Sufis have stated impressively that the deepest level of submission to God is the highest level of human freedom.
3. Observing the One God in Relations with Others
The belief in the One God, then, aims to benefit the human beings in their relations with “others”, since God Himself is not affected in his all-mightiness by believing or disbelieving in Him. The Ten Commandments represent the cornerstone in the messages of monotheism and its moral goals. Next to the belief in the One God and the worship of Him alone, come the consequences that this faith has for all human relations, starting with the family and going to all human beings whose lives, families and properties should be secure from any violation (Exodus 20. 3-15). In the next two verses (Exodus 20. 16-17) dealing with neighbors is stressed as a starting point in dealing with “others.”
That faith in the One God has immediate consequences for inter-human relations was emphasized by Jesus when he answered a question about the great commandment in the law: Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and your mind.” And the second is like unto it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matt. 23.35-40; see also Mark 12.28-32, Luke 10.25-28). When Jesus was asked further to define “the neighbor,” he gave the well-known parable of “the good Samaritan” who offered help and compassion to the person who needed it, regardless of any difference in faith (Luke 10.29-37).
Now, in an era of globalization, the whole world has become a close neighborhood. The Quran teaches the doing of good to the neighbor from your people, the neighbor who is a stranger, and the friend by your side whoever he/she may be (Quran 4:36). Caring for travelers who lost their way or their possessions is repeatedly stressed in the Quran. Even in war. those who leave the enemies’ front to seek the Muslims’ protection, have to be granted this protection, in addition to a safe passage to the destination they choose (Quran 9:6). Prisoners of war, who have to be set free as soon as possible, and all prisoners, should be taken care of in their various needs: physical, intellectual and spiritual-moral (Quran 47:4).
Such a genuine understanding, sympathy and cooperation ought to be the outcome of the belief in the All-Merciful, who offers His limitless mercy and grace to all of His creation (Quran 21:107). Since the Lord and Cherisher of all human being “makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust,” believers in Him ought to reflect God’s mercy and grace in their relations with others: “For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you do more than others?” (Matt. 5.45-47).
The Quran endorses the moral commandments of the Torah (Quran 2:83), and describes the Torah as containing “guidance and light” (Quran 5:44), and as “clearly spelling out everything, and [thus providing] guidance and grace” (Quran 6:154). As for God’s message revealed in the Gospel, the Quran states that in it “there is guidance and light, confirming the truth of the Torah that has preceded it, and [it was revealed] as a guidance and admonition unto the God-conscious” (Quran 5:46). The Quran urges the Jews to follow the Torah (Quran 5:43), as it urges the Christians to follow the Gospel (Quran 5:47), and has promised the good of this world’s life if they do (Quran 5:66), in addition to the greatest reward of God in the life to come. As Jesus had emphasized in earlier times that he had not come to destroy the law of the Torah and the teaching of the prophets, but had come to fulfill them, so Muhammad emphasized that he was merely sent to fulfill what is virtuous. The Quran spells out what this implies: “True virtue and good do not consist in turning you faces towards the east or the west, but truly virtuous and good-doer is the one who believes in God, the Last Day, the angels, the books and the prophets; and spends his substance-however much he [/she] himself [/herself] may cherish it upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer (who lost his/her way or possessions during a journey], and those who ask for help, and in freeing human beings from bondage, and keeps up the prayer, and renders the purifying [social welfare] dues (zakat); and [truly virtuous and good-doers are] those who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are pa-tient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril; it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they who are conscious of God” (Quran 2:177). Justice and kindness, al-adl wal-ihsan, concisely represent all virtues, as the Quran sometimes indicates (e.g. Quran 16:90). It is significant that early Muslims sought shelter from persecution in Abyssinia with its Christian just king, and were granted asylum there. Ibn Taymiyya, the prominent Muslim jurist (d. 1328), maintained that God lets the just unbelieving power persevere and flourish, while He does not let the unjust Muslim power persevere and flourish.4
4. Human Differences: The Inborn Ones
The inborn differences are, in Quranic perspective, a fascinating variety whose components complement one another, and all humanity should work together to reach a true awareness of their various ethnic and cultural characteristics and to secure a peace based on justice. Both are fundamental for developing a constructive moral cooperation through the whole world (Quran 5:2). Muslim traders, preachers and travelers reached Scandinavia, the Volga basin, Africa, beyond the Sahara, and South, Southeast and East Asia. Muslims’ contributions to the fields of travel, geography and cartography were distinguished. The Muslim assistance, especially that of the Arab navigator Ibn Majid, was invaluable for the Christian Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama (d. 1524) in his naval journey from Portugal to India around the Cape of Good Hope (1497-1499). Muslim scholars provided prominent works on all world religions known to them, not only the Abrahamic sister-religions. Al-Biruni (d. 1048) studied Sanskrit in order to acquire and provide accurate information about the religious beliefs of India in his outstanding work on that subject.
Muslim contributions to human civilization were never limited to Muslims or their non-Muslim partners in Muslim countries. They were always offered to any student, scholar or beneficiary in the fields of physics and optics, chemistry, astronomy and observatories, anatomy, medicine and surgery, art and architecture, irrigation, agriculture and gardening, as well as philosophy and social and human studies. Jews and Christians in medieval Europe were welcomed in their frequent visits to Muslim capitals especially in Muslim Spain, where they sought to benefit from what Muslim scholars had to offer in these various fields. Muslim works translated into Latin enlightened Europe and paved the way for its Renaissance, and thus they paid back the previous Muslims’ debt to Europe, when the Greek heritage was translated into Arabic. A constructive and fruitful interaction involved the Muslim philosopher Ibn Rushd (Averroes, d. 1198) in debates with another outstanding Muslim thinker and scholar al-Ghazzali (d. 1111), with the Jewish rabbi and philosopher Maimonides (d. 1204), and with the Christian theologian Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274).
5. Gender Differences
Men and women have the same human rights and responsibilities – “in charge of one another,” as the Quran states-according to each individual’s endowments and not to gender. Both men and women have their moral, social and political obligations: “enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong” (Quran 9:71). Human dignity is conferred by God on all human beings, whatever their inborn and acquired differences may be, as we have seen above (Quran 17:70). This dignity should be secured and sanctioned by law and guarded by the state authorities. However, the Quran always emphasizes that kindness, forgive-ness, generosity, and magnanimity ought to go beyond literal justice: “and to forgo what is due to you is, more in accord with God-consciousness, and forget not [that you are to act with] grace towards one another” (Quran 2: 237), and, as stated elsewhere in the Quran, “good and evil cannot be equal [so] repel you [evil] with what is better, then the one between whom and your-self was enmity [may then become] as if he [she] had [always] been a true close friend” (Quran 41:34). Unfortunately, as most Muslim peoples have be-come free from colonization, the call for “Islamic law” has been predominant, often at the expense of a deep concern for “Islamic morality.”
6. Religious Differences
Religious freedom is an explicit Quranic principle: “No coercion should be [by any means allowed] in matters of faith” (Quran 2:256), and the sanctity of houses of worship-be they monasteries, churches, synagogues or mosques, “in all of which God’s name is abundantly extolled” - should be secured and defended (Quran 22:40). Muslims and non-Muslims have equal rights and responsibilities according to the constitutional document drawn up by the Prophet Muhammad after his arrival in Medina. A dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims ought to be conducted, objectively and ethically, in the best possible way, the Quran teaches (Quran 29:46). God alone can judge human beliefs and deeds according to every individual’s intention, knowledge and abilities, and no human being has this kind of comprehensive knowledge of another person that is essential for such a judgment. This is a fact which the Quran repeatedly stresses.5
Of paramount significance are the words of Quran 5:48, “Unto each of you [those who are following any of the successive divine messages], we have appointed a law and a way of life: and if God had so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community, but [He willed it otherwise] in order to test you through what He has given you (of His guidance]. Vie, then, with one another in good deeds. Unto God you all must return, and then He will let you truly-know all that on which you were wont to differ.”
With regard to the dialogue with those who share with the Muslims the Abrahamic faith, “the People of the Book,” the Quran reminds Muslims of the common ground which should always be kept in mind: “And say, ‘We believe in that which has been bestowed upon us, as well as that which has been bestowed upon you, and our God and your God is one and the same, and unto Him we submit ourselves’ “ (Quran 29:46), and, in the words of Quran 42:15, “And say: ‘I believe in whatever [divine] book God has bestowed, and I am bidden to be just and fair with you. God is our Lord as well as He is your Lord, to us shall be accounted our deeds, and to you your deeds. Let there be no contention between us and you, God will bring us all together, for with Him is all journeys’ end.’ “ Anyone who is involved in a dialogue ought to have an open mind and heart and to speak unboastfully, and the Quran gives this impressive example of language which sets the tone for any constructive discussion, assures the equality of all participants, and removes any mistrust or fear of prejudice: “And behold, either we or you are on the right path or have clearly gone astray. Say: ‘Neither shall you be called to account for whatever we may have become guilty of, nor shall we be called to account for whatever you are doing.’ Say: ‘Our Lord will bring us all together (on the Day of Judgment], and then he will lay open the truth between us injustice, for He alone is the One who opens all truth, the All-knowing’ ” (Quran 34:24-26).
7. The Use of Force
Muslims are only allowed to fight against aggression, whatever the ethnicity, faith or opinion of the aggressors may be. Non-Muslims have to be fought against when they commit aggression, not because they are non-Muslims (Quran 2:190; 4:75; 22:39-40; 60:8-9). The Muslims also have to be fought against when they commit aggression (Quran 49:9). However, Muslims are taught by the Quran to strive for peace, even if there are doubts about others’ sincerity: “And if they incline to peace, incline you to it as well, and place your trust in God… And should they seek but to deceive you [by pretending to want peace], behold, God is enough for you” (Quran 8:61-62). The Quran teaches that peaceful and friendly relations should al-ways be considered as a future possibility, even in times of inevitable confrontation: “It may well be that God will bring about [mutual] affection between you and those of whom you [now] face as enemies; and God is All-powerful, and God is Much-forgiving and Most-gracious” (Quran 60:7). It is historically significant that the early confrontation between Muslims and Jews in Arabia during the Prophet’s time did not go beyond that time and place, and constructive relations between them existed in other countries under the caliphs, especially in Muslim Spain (Andalus). The Abbasid Caliph al-Mamun (813-833) offered the Byzantines – the constant neighboring enemy of the Muslim caliphate – a permanent peace and the payment of two thousand gold pieces in his message to Emperor Theophilus (829-842) if the latter agreed to allow a mathematician called Leo to come to Baghdad and teach there for some time, and this would be considered by the caliph as a gesture of goodwill. Unfortunately, the emperor did not respond positively to the caliph’s message, and the hostilities continued.6 But the memories of these hostilities did not affect the relationship forever. The crusades were forgotten by many through the passing of time, and even colonization with all its aggression and injustice did not revive for everyone the memory of the crusades, and the two were not always correlated in the literature of the Muslims’ struggle for independence.
8. The Acquired Differences
As the inborn human differences represent a wonder of God’s creation and offer the potential of an enrichment of the human capability and productivity, so there is a very positive aspect also to the acquired differences that are, in Quranic perspective, natural and permanent, since a universal human consensus from all people in all times is impossible. Such diverse human views represent different angles of vision and various points of view with regard to a particular issue. And such an intellectual variety enriches the discussion of any matter, reduces the risk of human limitations and errors, and can lead to a better understanding of any point and consequently to the most responsible decision regarding related issues. This fact has been explicitly stated in the Quran: “And had your Lord so willed. He could surely have made all humankind one single community; but [He willed it otherwise, and so] they continue to have differences [all of them], save those upon whom your Lord has be-stowed His grace [as they follow His guidance in dealing with their differences) ; and for such a test [in handling constructively their differences and maintaining their good relations] He has created them all” (Quran 11:118-119). The Muslims are not immune from this natural law, their differences are also very human, and they have to tackle them objectively (Quran 4:59) and ethically.7 The argument with Muslims or non-Muslims should be pursued conceptually and behaviorally in the best way (Quran 16:125 and the earlier quoted verse Quran 29:46).
However, maintaining good relations with all “others” who have different views has to go hand in hand with the readiness to express one’s own position openly and clearly. The expression of one’s views about what is right and what is wrong is a right and an obligation which the Quran calls “enjoining the doing of what is right and good and forbidding the doing of what is wrong and evil,” al-amr bil-marut wal-nahy an al-munkar. It is a right and responsibility of every human being, and those who follow the Abrahamic faith, Muslims and the People of the Book, should together seek to fulfill this duty (Quran 3:104. 114). A child should be brought up so as to initially discern and, when it becomes possible, to express himself/herself about what is right and what is wrong (Quran 31:17). Every human being is a witness in this life and should testify honestly about what he/she has witnessed, and this responsibility should be secured and protected (Quran 2:282-283). The right and obligation of peaceful association for legitimate purposes, occasionally or permanently, must also be secured for all, since freedom of expression is meaningless if it does not apply to individuals who are weak in facing social or political forces. Enjoining the doing of what is right and forbidding the doing of what is wrong may necessitate an organized collective effort, and therefore the Quran mostly uses the plural for the verb and its subjects, although the individual freedom of expression has always to be secured. Christian parades raising crosses and religious signs have been inseparable from se-curing the freedom of faith in the early history of Islam.
9. The Environment
Islam extends the duty of good behavior to include others in this universe than only human beings. People should maintain and develop natural resources such as earth, water and air, and they should secure life for all living creatures as long as they are not causing harm. Muslims should not cut trees or kill birds and other animals, even during war, except when necessary and when justified for other reasons. Pilgrimage is a religious training obligation to refrain from causing harm to human beings, animals and trees.
10. The Bitter Reality
The realities of our contemporary world are very far from, or even entirely opposite to, such lofty ideals, among believers and non-believers, among monotheists and non-monotheists, among Muslims and non-Muslims. Many monotheists, including many Muslims, who themselves adhere to certain way of thinking and a certain pattern of behavior, also believe that all good people have to fit in their frame. Tolerating differences in “others” has not become fundamental in our thinking nor in our faith, where dogma has overshadowed morality and behavior. Diversity within unity has not yet been recognized as being essential among Muslims and among all human beings. Horrible crimes are committed in the name of religion all over the world: in Northern Ireland, in Bosnia, in Algeria, in the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka and elsewhere. “Ethnic-cleansing” has become a familiar term in the political glossary, and ethnic conflicts cover the whole world; the ethnic mass massacres in Africa South of The Sahara are just one tragic example. Conflicts resulting from ethnic and religious differences, or born from chauvinistic nationalism and a fanatic following of ideologies, have been happening all through history, and Muslims and monotheists have not been an exception. Furthermore, modern technology and evil growth of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction have contributed to horrible practices aimed at destroying the “others,” efforts that would bring with them a total self-destruction of the whole human race.
The “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” issued by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1968, followed by other resolutions of later international conferences in Helsinki, Vienna and Beijing, represent some hope within the thick darkness of the present situation. But the Declaration requires significant organizational reforms and needs a fundamental moral base. Spiritual morality has to be spread through universal and national mass communications and education, and has to be nurtured by all our institutions. Monotheists have to stand together in developing a monotheistic morality among believers in the ‘One God, and morality in general among all people everywhere. Monotheists, especially Muslims and Christians, are present all over the planet and have powerful institutions, – while many of them enjoy influential positions. The coordination of their concerted efforts would become a mighty power in safeguarding and reinforcing our era of an essentially pluralistic globalism. Detailed plans and practical applications can definitely be worked out in all circumstances, for the well-known saying always proves to be true: “When there is a will, there is a way.”
There is the urgent call of the Gospel: “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11.28), “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward all human beings” (Luke 2.14). And the challenge of the Quran is equally clear: “O you who have attained to faith! Enter wholly into peace, and follow not Satan’s footsteps” (Quran 2:208). We believe in God’s promise: “And for those who strive hard in Our cause, We shall most certainly guide them onto paths that lead to Us, for God is indeed with the doers of good” (Quran 29:69).
Institute for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World, Los Angeles. California .
Dr. Fathi Osman is a retired professor of Islamic Studies and has taught in several universities in Muslims World and the West. Among these universities are Al-Azhar University in Egypt, Houran University in Algeria, Ibn Saud University in Saudi Arabia, International Islamic University in Malaysia, Temple University, USC, and Georgetown University in America. He is also author of several books.
Notes:
- See the commentary of Muhammad Abduh and Rashid Rida on this verse in Tafsir al-Manar 4: 323 ff.; the same Quranic term is also found in Quran 6:98; 7: 189; 39:6.
- E.g. Quran 3:195; 9:71-72; 24:12; 30:21; 33:35-36, 58, 73: 47:19; 48:5: 49:11; 57:12; 60:12.
- In the renderings of Quranic verses throughout this paper use has been made of Muhammad Asad. The Message of the Quran (Gibraltar: Dar al-Andalus. 1980); in a number of cases the wording has been modified slightly and a few clarifications have been added in parentheses.
- Ibn Taymiyya. Tagl al-Din Ahmad. .if-Histis (Kuwait. 1983). 9, 91.
- E.g. Quran 2:113; 3:55: 16:124; 22:17, 69; 32:25: 39:3.46.
- A.A. Vasiliev, “Byzantium and Islam,” in Byzantium,. ed. by N.H. Baynes and H. St. L.B. Moss (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1948). An Arabic translation of this chapter has been added to Husayn Monis and Zayid’s translation of Baynes’ book The Byzantine Empire (1926), under the title al-Imbaraturiyya al-Bizantiyya (Cairo, n.d.), 380.
- Quran 16:125: 4:148; 23:3: 28:55: 41:34.36; 49:6. 9-12.
Hamza Yousuf’s Interview March 13, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.add a comment
Hamza Yusuf was born in Washington State and grew up in Northern California, where he lives with his wife and five children. He converted to Islam in 1977 and spent 10 years studying Islam in the Middle East where he followed a more classic interpretation of the religion. After the attacks of 9/11, Yusuf emerged as a respected Islamic scholar, advising both the White House and the Arab League. In recent years, he has focused his teachings on bridging the widening gap between the West and the Muslim world. In this interview, he talks about “tyranny” and “incompetence” on both sides and offers his prescription for creating more common ground. This is an edited transcript of an interview that took place in September 2006.
Q: Linden MacIntyre: What are the roots of Muslim rage?
A: Hamza Yusuf: If you had one word to describe the root of all this rage, it’s humiliation. Arabs in particular are extremely proud people. If you look at what happened in Lebanon recently, the Arabs kind of raised their head– they think it’s a big victory, the fact that their whole country was destroyed and over a thousand people were killed, many of them children. Why is it a victory? Because they fought back. That’s all. “OK, you can crush us into the Earth, but you’re not going to get us to submit.” And I think that’s deeply rooted in Muslim consciousness, the idea of not submitting to anything other than God. “You can abuse me, but you’re not going to win me over. But if you treat me with respect and dignity, I’m going to fall in love with you. I’m going to sing your praises all over the world because you’re powerful and you treated me with human dignity.”
Q: Where do they see the proof of the humiliation?
A: It’s everywhere. You don’t think it’s humiliating to have a foreign force come into your land? You see, Muslims don’t have this nation state idea. There’s a tribe called Bani Tamin. It’s one of the biggest tribes in Saudi Arabia and in Iraq, and they’re intermarried. The West doesn’t seem to understand that. The Moroccans feel the Iraqi pain as their own. It’s one pain. So when you see some American soldier banging down a door and coming into a house with all these women in utter fear who’ve done nothing, that’s humiliation, and it’s going to enrage people. And what are we doing there? There are no weapons of mass destruction. They were never a threat to us. You know, Shakespeare wrote a play called Julius Caesar, and it was all about the danger of pre-emptive strikes. Brutus is convinced by Cassius to kill Caesar. Why? Because Caesar’s ambitious, because he might declare himself king. And the end of that play, everybody dies; it’s just disaster. That’s the tragedy of pre-emptive strikes.
Q: What goes through your mind when you hear about all these roundups of young Muslims who are supposedly plotting things in London and in Toronto?
A: We keep being told about these roundups, and in the end, they’re more aspirational than operational. I’d love to have been in the meeting when they thought that one up. It seems to me that they’re just a lot of bumbling fools out there.
Q: On which side of the equation?
A: On both sides. I mean, that’s part of the problem. Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent, and I think that’s really what we’re dealing with here, incompetence. Both sides have been incredibly ineffective at achieving their goals– at least their stated goals.
Q: I’m trying to get a measure of just how concerned people should really be though.
A: Listen, hurricanes are a much greater threat to us right now. Katrina did much more damage than anything the terrorists could ever put together. Yeah, there’s nuclear weapons are out there and that certainly is a concern. That’s the job of these intelligence people to stop that, right? But stop making us all live in fear and telling us about orange and red levels. All that nonsense just simply has to stop. We need to calm down and think at a deeper level. People can’t think when their minds are clouded with fear. The fear tactic is a tactic that’s used by people who want to maintain control, and it’s very effective.
A democracy is predicated on an educated citizenry. You cannot have a democracy with people that are more interested in what Nicole Kidman is doing or whoever the latest fashion model is. If that’s your interest, democracy can’t survive. You also have corporate interests here. We have an arms industry in the West that is our No. 1 industry. It’s bigger than anything– automobiles, everything. Now if you don’t have reasons to build weapons, where do all those contracts go?
Q: Your job is to recruit young people into a more constructive project.
A: Well, I’m not a recruiter ….
Q: You are definitely an influence.
A: I’ve got my own personal projects, like my school and my seminary. But at this point in my life, I’m actually just trying to put some balance out there because I feel that there’s an incredible amount of disequilibrium in the way people are acting and the way they’re thinking. There are irrational fears. If you see a woman wearing a hijab and fear is your first thought, something’s really wrong. How do you racially profile terrorists when 90percent of the world falls into that? Mexicans look like Arabs, for God’s sake, and anybody can change their name. I mean Abdullah can change his name to Eduardo. It’s not going to be difficult, if they’re clever. So how do you profile people?
Q: Six years ago, there were probably the same number of disenchanted young people in chat rooms and coffee houses complaining and plotting. But given the last five years, what are the chances now that it is going to become a more real and a more sinister force?
A: A major fear for me is that it will get worse with the profiling, with the alienation. I think especially for the young people and especially in the more underprivileged groups, but don’t rule out the privileged as well. In the Communist period, the revolutionaries, the leaders were almost always– Che Guevara, people like that– they were always from the middle class and the educated. And empathy is a very powerful emotion. If you watch Al Manar Television in Lebanon, it’s associated with Hezbollah. If you watch that for any length of time, you’re going to get very angry. It’s as simple as that. They show babies blown up, they show horrible scenes, and people see that and they get angry. There’s always going to be a segment of angry people who are going to go out and do something.
Part of the real crisis of the modern age is that the individual has the power to do what pre-modern armies really couldn’t even do. In the pre-modern world, you just couldn’t do a lot of damage. In the modern world, you can. So we have real concerns. You have to go to a deeper level. Henry David Thoreau said for every thousand people hacking away at the branches of evil, there’s only one person hacking away at the roots of evil. I really think we need to go to a deeper level and look at what the root of this situation is. There are a lot of people prevaricating out there, who just don’t want to deal with the “why” question.
Q: It’s become treasonous to talk about “why.” So how do you get around that?
A: People need to know. It’s the responsibility of the fifth estate– the journalists. They need courage. I’m amazed at the courage of the journalists on the frontlines in Iraq, but we need intellectual courage in our community. We need to get rid of this hegemonic discourse that doesn’t allow for any dissent, where people’s jobs and careers are threatened by asking questions, because we have to ask questions.
Q: Well, let’s start now. Why?
A: Why? We have a thousand years of cold war between the West and Islam. Let us not forget that the West in many ways defined itself, Europe defined itself vis-à-vis Islam. The Song of Roland is really one of the earliest pieces of Western literature, and it’s about the antagonism with Muslims. So I think Islam has always been this nebulous “other” that we’re afraid of, and that is part of our consciousness. The Crusades are also part of our consciousness. And the colonial period. But ultimately what you have is extremely repressive regimes. The reality is, almost all these Muslim governments are persecuting active Muslims, not terrorists. When you have very powerful secular tyrants, religion poses a very serious threat, and religion is a very powerful force in the Muslim world. So the repression of Islam, which has been going on for so long, has resulted in certain extreme views that have emerged within the religion. But you have to look at the reasons. Now we in the West have supported many of these regimes and see them as our interest. I personally don’t think democracy is viable right now in the Muslim world. You need just governments, but you need strong governments. I think you can have situations that are not democratic but still are rooted in a concern about the people, the welfare of the people.
Q: How realistic is it to place hope on benevolent dictatorships?
A: I’m not talking so much about dictators. At this stage, you have to build democratic institutions, and in that way, the West can help. Look, we give $1billion in aid to Egypt. Do you know how much juice that is on the negotiating table, in terms of what you demand of Egypt? Because if you cut off that billion dollars, you’re cutting off the lifeblood of the Egyptian government. America has an immense amount of power, but it doesn’t use it in any benevolent way. It uses it to maintain a status quo. The same is true for almost all these Muslim countries.
Q: So what’s your biggest challenge?
A: I have challenges in both worlds. I’m very active in the Muslim world. I have very popular television programs in the Muslim world, which have, I think, a very positive impact. So I’m working there. I go quite often to the Muslim world. And then I have my challenges here. I’m one person.
Q: But there are people in the Muslim world who think you’re a heretic.
A: I think the majority of Muslims that know about me — and there are quite a few in the Muslim world that do– generally have a very good opinion of what I’m doing. I have rarely met belligerent Muslims. Every once in a while I’ll come across somebody who’s just got an axe to grind. But it’s actually quite unusual for me. The majority of Muslims I meet, I see smiles on their faces. I get hugs. People tell me, “Keep up the good work.” I really believe that most Muslims are very decent people. I’ve lived in the Muslim world. I’m always struck by their incredible generosity, by their simplicity, by their love of some really basic virtues and values that I share and that most Western people share. This is my experience as a Western person, a convert to Islam.
Q: What was your experience after your speech the other night [at the Islamic Society of North America conference in Chicago], in which you talked about the fundamental humanity of people of the Jewish faith?
A: The Jewish situation’s bad. I have to admit that. There is an immense amount of ignorance, particularly in the Muslim world. I think less so here, but we have that problem here also. There is an anti-Jewish sentiment. It’s far more politically driven, and I think Muslims have forgotten, that’s all. I think they need reminders, and I think when you remind them, they tend to respond, and that’s been my experience. I was not raised as an anti-Semite. My sister converted to Judaism, is married to a Jewish man. I have nephews that are Jewish. I was not raised with any prejudice at all. But I was infected when I lived in the Muslim world. I lived in the Arab world for over 10 years, and I think I did get infected by that virus for a period of time. But I grew out of it and realized that not only does it have nothing to do with Islam, but it has nothing to do with my core values. And I’ve rejected that and called others to reject it. I think it’s something that really needs to change in the Muslim community, and I think it will.
Q: What is your evaluation of the response of the last five years of the security apparatus, both as an American and as a Muslim?
A: Well, I think we’ve all become much more acutely aware of the state apparatus in terms of monitoring. I don’t like the feeling that I have to think about what I say when I say things. It’s not healthy, and I think a lot of people feel it now in a way that they’ve never felt it before, and that troubles me deeply about my country. I think that there needs to be a return to some real central values about this country. I think Guantanamo Bay is absolutely an unacceptable event in American history. It’s going to be looked at as a really black period in our legal tradition.
Q: At what point does this more intense, heavy-handed security become counterproductive?
A: Personally, I think the intensified security has already become counterproductive. They need to do their job, but they don’t need to do it constantly in our face. The intelligence community has a job to protect. The first principle of any government is to protect its citizens. But you also protect your citizens by being just to other countries and other peoples. You endanger your citizens by reckless behavior. You endanger your citizens by hubris. You endanger your citizens by the inability to actually apologize or to ask forgiveness for your mistakes. And that’s something I find the most troubling about the whole situation, because I think real security is based on having benevolent policies.
Q: So what’s your prescription?
A: My prescription is that we need to dismantle the pyramid of domination and we need to rebuild a house of mutual respect.
Q: Give me that in bread-and-butter terms.
A: In bread-and-butter terms, I truly believe that we need to stop being so paternalistic in our attitudes toward Muslims, toward other countries, and begin to actually speak to them as if they were human beings, fully enfranchised, with the dignity that goes with that. To stop drawing lines in the sand, to stop dictating to people as if you have some God-given authority to do that, and to really start trying to talk to people and see what you can do. I think we need commerce that is mutually beneficial and we need to stop all of this hegemonic commercial tyranny that goes on in the Middle East, in Central and South America. I mean people forget, you know, the South Americans probably hate us more than the Arabs do.
Q: How much more difficult has it become to achieve this kind of rationale?
A: We’re at the lowest ebb right now. It’s going to be very difficult to get back our credibility. In the recent war with Lebanon, it was so one-sided. If you watched Arab television and then CNN, it was like two different universes. That’s really troubling to me because like the Chinese say, “There are three truths. There’s my truth, your truth and then the truth.” If I’m unwilling to let go of my truth and you’re unwilling to let go of your truth, we cannot see objectively this truth that’s in the middle, between us. There’s good and bad in all of us, and I want to get rid of the cartoon scenario of George Bush‘s world and Osama bin Laden‘s world, and I want to see it nuanced. I want to see more intelligence here.
Q: We know from history that wars are generally fought by young men. What are you saying to these young people to prevent the sudden explosion of this sort of negative potential?
A: You have to give them hope. And there’s something attractive about war to young men. They need to see war for what it is. If Robert E. Lee in the Civil War said war was hell, what would he make of 20th-century and 21st-century warfare? I think we have to see war as the despicable creature that it is and really work for peace. They say if you don’t sweat for peace, then you bleed for war.
Q: But can you pull that off from inside Islam?
A: Muslims are peace-loving people generally. Among the young, yes, there are some militant attitudes. But a lot of it arises out of chivalry– and don’t underestimate the chivalrous impulse in men. A lot of these young men see women being– you know– they see soldiers breaking into houses with Muslim women. It’s really beyond the pale for the average Muslim man, and something rises up in them. And it can turn to deep resentment and rage. But generally I think the impulses are actually quite noble.
Q: So what do you say to the average person who sees some kind of a sinister threat under every hijab and behind every beard?
A: People have to be exposed to Muslims, just experience Muslims; talk to them. Reach out, read about Islam, try to find out about it. There are 20,000 Muslim physicians in the United States, Americans putting their lives in the hands of Muslims every day. You’re going under and the anesthesiologist is a Muslim, right? He’s looking out for you. He doesn’t want you to die in that operation because you’re an infidel. He’s doing his job. As is your pediatrician who’s trying to heal your child. And the mechanic who’s fixing your car? He’s not putting a bomb in your car. It’s Abdullah, the guy down at the Chevron station, right? I mean it’s one-fifth of the world’s population for God’s sake– one out of five people is a Muslim.
Muslims have been an almost entirely benevolent force in the 20th century. They did not wreak the havoc the Western powers wreaked on the world. They have not come anywhere near to the environmental degradation that we’ve done to the planet. So I think Muslims need to be seen in the proper light. They’re mostly decent, hardworking people, people with deep family values, and they want to live in peace. My experience on this planet, almost 50 years, is that if you treat people with respect, they tend to treat you with respect.
Loving Each Other March 13, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.1 comment so far
By Sheikh Yusuf Al-Badri
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
Allah will ask on the Day of Judgment: “Where are those who loved each other for the sake of My glory? Today, on a day when there is no shade but Mine, I shall shade them with My shade.” (Muslim)
Love is among the most exalted of human feelings. When this love revolves around Almighty Allah and forms the basis for our interpersonal relationships, many problems can be weathered and great fruits can be harvested for both the individual and society as a whole. The Qur’an and Sunnah often speak about the noble status of those whom Allah graces to possess such love. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
“Among Allah’s servants are people who are neither prophets nor martyrs, but whom the prophets and martyrs will deem fortunate because of their high status with Allah.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Inform us of who they are.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told them that they are people who loved each other for Allah’s sake, even without being related to one another or being tied to one another by the exchange of wealth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went on to describe their great reward on the Day of Resurrection: “By Allah, their faces will be luminous and they will be upon light. They will feel no fear when the people will be feeling fear, and they will feel no grief when the people will be grieving.” Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) read the verse: [Behold! Verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve] (Yunus 10:62). (Abu Dawud)
This reminds us of another famous hadith that enumerates the seven types of people who will enjoy Allah’s shade on a day when there is no shade but His. Among those mentioned are “two men who love each other for the sake of Allah, meeting for that reason, and parting with this love (still cherished by both of them)” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Love for Allah’s sake transcends the limits of our worldly existence, enduring into the life to come. Allah says,
[Close friends on that Day will be foes to one another—except for the righteous.] (Az-Zukhruf 43:67)
Loving one another for the sake of Allah, and brotherhood in faith, are among the most excellent acts of worship. This sublime love entails some conditions and duties that must be fulfilled so that the relationship remains pure and free of base undercurrents. Upholding these duties brings a servant nearer to Allah and to His pleasure and, over time, it can bring about a greater nobility of person.
These duties include the following:
Both parties must truly love to extend support and assistance to each other and must love good for one another. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “None of you will attain (perfect) faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
They must enjoin each another to truth and patience, and give each other sincere advice. They must enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and guide each other. They must help one another in carrying out works of righteousness. Allah Almighty says,
[Surely, the human being is at loss. Except for those who have faith and do righteous deeds and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to patience.] (Al-`Asr 103:2-3)
[The believing men and women are protecting friends of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.] (At-Tawbah 9:71)
They must engage in the things that cultivate this love, strengthen interpersonal relationships, and facilitate the fulfilling of their duties to one another.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A Muslim has six rights over another Muslim.” They asked, “What are they, Messenger of Allah?” He said, “When you meet him, greet him with Salam (Muslim’s salutation meaning `peace’); when he invites you, accept his invitation; when he seeks your advice, advise him; when he sneezes and then praises Allah, invoke Allah’s mercy upon him; when he falls ill, visit him; when he dies, follow his funeral” (Muslim).
A Muslim has the right to kind treatment from his fellow Muslim. He should be greeted with a smile and given a pleasant reception. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Do not view any good act as insignificant, even the act of meeting your brother with a cheerful face” (Muslim).
They must guide each other to what is good, and help each other in acts of obedience. Likewise, they must prevent and discourage one another from falling into sin and iniquity.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “One should help his brother, whether he is an oppressor or the one being oppressed. If he is an oppressor, forbid him from his oppression. If he is being oppressed, then come to his aid” (Muslim).
The love between them shines in a most wonderful and genuine manner when the two are away from each other and each of them is in secret prayers to Allah for the other. This continues for the living one even after the other has departed from the earth.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A Muslim’s supplication for his brother in secret is answered. At his head an angel is appointed, and whenever he supplicates for his brother with something good, the angel appointed to him says, `Ameen, and likewise for you’” (Muslim).
They must excuse each other’s mistakes and defend each other’s honor, never speaking ill of, or deriding each other. They should keep each other’s secrets, advise each other sincerely, and never abuse each other. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “It is not permissible for one Muslim to distress another” (Abu Dawud).
Seven Persons on Allah’s Shade March 13, 2007
Posted by aymenmd in Blogroll.add a comment
|
Seven Persons on Allah’s Shade |
|
|
