Friday, March 6, 2009

Islam is about peace

Why all the discussions and debates about whether Islam is a religion of peace or not. Why all the complexities of what is right and wrong, permitted and not permitted, acceptable or not acceptable, halal or haram, Sunnah or not.

If in the twenty-first century, 1440 years after the revelation of the Noble Quran, Muslims cannot understand it’s message, principles, laws, guidance and advice, then the future looks rather bleak.

If, after having a leader, whose life and sayings were so well documented, more than any other human being, Muslims cannot formulate a way of life, a system of finance, politics and governance, then something is fundamentally wrong.

Muslims claim that the Noble Quran is a direct revelation from God Almighty, through the final Messenger Muhammad SAW.

They also claim that Muhammad SAW was the perfect exemplar, whose example could be successfully emulated in every walk of life.

Muslims believe that the name of their religion, way of life, was chosen by God Almighty, to be Islam. This word connotes peace, love, understanding, and harmony, submission to the will of God Almighty and the attendant success and leadership.

If, in spite of all of the above, there is still confusion, disruptive disagreements, disharmony and wrong impressions created. Something must be wrong. It certainly is not the Message of God Almighty or the Messenger. It definitely has to be the interpreters of the message, the leaders, Ulemas and also the Muslim population at large. My apologies. I don’t mean to offend anyone, but if a system or methodology do not produce the desired result, then it is wrong or it is incorrectly applied.

To be more direct. If the current system is not producing the peace, harmony, brotherhood, progress, proper governance and well being of Muslims, then that system is wrong. It is not the Message or the Messenger is wrong, but those charged with the responsibility of implementing and interpreting is wrong. 

Thursday, February 26, 2009

TThis is an interesting Covenant between The Prophet Muhammad (UWBP) and the Christians.

The Charter of Privileges

"This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.

Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world)."*

Such were the memorable words of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the year 628 CE, when he granted this historic document, also known as the Charter of Privileges, to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai. It consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians living under Islamic rule, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war.



Sunday, February 22, 2009

Farewell Israel Response

In response to

“Farewell Israel”

A film claiming “confrontation between Islam and the Jews”

 

“The confrontation between Islam and the Jews began in the Prophet Muhammad's time, and continues to this day. Israel's existence recalls Islam's age old Jewish problem, first felt at Islam's inception in Medina in 624 AD: How can Islam thrive and find salvation if Jews are politically powerful? And it requires the same solution chosen by the Prophet Muhammad - elimination of political independence of Jews and the domination of Islam over them.”

 

Islam is a religion and Jews, a people. How can there be a confrontation between the both. There can be differences in teachings between religions, ideologies, philosophies, customs etc. There can be confrontations between persons, groups, communities and countries. Any revelation, teaching or religion that emanates from Almighty God lead to peace, harmony, love, understanding, looking out for one another, and appreciating each other.  It is the interpretation of such teachings by persons of warped thinking and intentions that causes the perception of “confrontation”

I am certain that everyone who is reading this article is aware of the following:

 

“Islam” means submission and peace and all that comes with it. Note that this name does not make reference to a people, place, time or person

 

“Muslim: - One who submits to the will of Almighty God.

 

“Quran” – Muslims believe this to be the final revelation from Almighty God. This is one verse fro Al Quran that tells about itself:

 

“3:3  It is Allah Who sent down to thee, in detail and in truth, the Book (Al Quran), confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong).”

 

 This is the only scripture that acknowledges and is in sync with the teachings of the previous Messengers of Almighty God.

 

This is what Almighty God say about the Jews and the Christians in the Quran:

5:69 Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Almighty God (Allah) and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

 

2:136 Say ye: "We believe in Allah (Almighty God) and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah (in Islam)."

 

About the Children of Israel:

 

2:47 Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favor which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all other (for My Message)

2:50 And remember We divided the sea for you and saved you and drowned Pharaoh's people within your very sight.

2:51 And remember We appointed forty nights for Moses, and in his absence ye took the calf (for worship), and ye did grievous wrong.

2:52 Even then We did forgive you; there was a chance for you to be grateful.

2:53  And remember We gave Moses the Scripture and the Criterion (Between right and wrong): There was a chance for you to be guided aright.

 

And about food and marriage:

 

5:5 This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).

 

Would it be reasonable or rational to permit Muslims to marry Jews and Christians if a confrontational stand is to be taken.

 

The above refers to Jews, Christians and believers. This certainly does not engender confrontation.

 

I have chosen to quote directly from Al Quran and not views or opinions of persons. This is to confirm what the laws of Islam are and not some custom, opinion or tradition of a particular group of people.

 

Customs and traditions are stronger sometimes stronger that religion and we have to be always careful to differentiate between the teachings of a religion and the customs and traditions of the adherents of that religion. This is true for all religions and peoples. This situation is more pronounced in lesser developed, under educated and poorer societies. This is true because the leader and educators are themselves deprived of knowledge and the tools necessary to move from their existing conditions.

 

However, if we want to we can certainly find several passages in all the scriptures to justify such. That can only be achieved by taking these passages verbally and out of context of time, conditions and circumstances.

 

May we be become enlightened enough to use the messages of the Savants of past to bring about peace, love and harmony among all peoples, for the Pleasure of Almighty God.

 

God Bless, Kamruz