True Islam

I pray and hope for the day when the principles of Islam and the true laws of Islam takes precedence of culture, tradition, faux hero worship, and the blind following of pseudo leaders. When this happens we will experience a new respect, appreciation and admiration of Muslims and Islam. For indeed our true principles and laws are in fact the norms of the civilized and intelligent world. Whenever Islam is presented in it's purity, as illustrated in Al Quran, it's teachings always evoke a sense or awe, pleasant surprise and ready acceptance and agreement. This is from my personal experience for the past ten years addressing congregations in Churches of all denominations and synagogues.Of course my talks are always predicated by direct quotations from Al Quran. I don't believe that Islam was meant for scholars but was sent as a perfect guide everyday man to live his everyday life in harmony, peace,love, respect and understanding with his fellow men appreciating, acknowledging and protecting his environment including the plants and animals. These teachings do not necessarily require genius for if we ponder we will realize that these teaching and values were instilled in us by our fore parents, many of whom never had the gift of formal education. We have to heed the very small things in our lives for most times they are the most important. We have to start seeing the trees in the forest, the petals on the rose. We have to respect the individuality of thinking, understanding and nature of people, part of Almighty God's Beautiful Design.

Sectarianism

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Who are you? I am a Muslim. That is the only answer that is relevant to the question regarding your religious philosophy.

What is your religion? Islam. That is the only answer that is relevant to the question regarding your Religion.

Thereafter, everything concerning your interpretation, understanding, acceptance or non acceptance of norms customs, traditions, individuals or groups' viewpoints and beliefs, are matters between you and Allah, Almighty, Compassionate, Merciful, Forgiving.

The above, of course, is only relevant if we truly accept Al Quran as Allah SWT's final and unambiguous edict.

 2:256 There shall be no compulsion in religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, He has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

109:6 "For you is your religion, and for me is my religion." (dīnukum)

The term "dinukum",( دِينِكُمْ) in its wider meaning signifies: how to live your life, philosophy of life, interpretation of the laws of your choice of religion, your way of life.

Allah SWT in His infinite Wisdom and Mercy have indicated the great benefit of following His guidance but have also given us the privilege of freedom of choice in the path, philosophy and religion we chose to follow

We, as human beings, creations of Allah SWT, have to make the best choice, sincerely and with the desire to abide by His Guidelines, to the best of our ability, knowledge and understanding. The final and only reckoning is with Allah SWT. Regardless of the choice one makes, one who has accepted Islam as his dīnihi (   دِينِهِ ), religion, has to act in accordance with its principal precept of  dīnihi , "Peace". The establishment, propagation and preservation of Peace becomes one of the principal objective for those who believe and accept:

1. There is ONE God.
2. There is One God and Muhammad is His final servant and messenger.
3. Those who are not aggressive to 1 & 2 and do not prevent them from exercising their rights, duties and obligations.

Right and wrong have so many dimensions that only Allah SWT has the Wisdom and Ability to make its true and final determination. Hence His Ruling: "Your actions will be judged according to your intentions", and that knowledge is with Him alone.

If we were to follow the above guidelines we will begin to eliminate a lot of unnecessary divisiveness, disharmony, sectarianism, and clannish hatred.

All of which are in direct contradiction to the basic and fundamental tenet of the faith or dīnihi , which is Peace.

We should all therefore strive to live our lives in accordance with our chosen religious principles,dīnihi, to the best of our ability, sincerely, seeking God's pleasure.

May we be the instruments of peace, love, harmony, understanding, tolerances and appreciation in our family, community, society and wherever our influence extends.

May we:

Turn hate to love

Learn to forgive more

Replace ignorance with knowledge

Be considerate, understanding, tolerant and charitable

Always recognize all that Allah SWT Have Blessed us with 

Always be thankful and appreciative for that with which we were Blessed

With love and respect.

Allah Hafiz

Kamruzzaman Hosein

The Islamic Theosophical Society

Ramadan

 

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِيَ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيض

ا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ (2:185) 

It was the month of Ramadan in which the Qur'an was [first] bestowed from on high as a guidance to man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern truth from falsehood. Hence, those of you who are alive during this month shall spend it in fasting; but he that is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days, after. God wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to suffer hardship; but [He desires] that you complete the number [of days required], and that you extol God for His having guided you aright, and that you render your thanks to Him.

 

Above is quoted the most powerful verse that will ever be read my mankind and within it are the most powerful group of words:  فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ  "those of you who are alive during this month shouldl spend it in fasting"

Why is this so?

This short verse and those few words, mentioned but once, in The Holy Quran, mobilizes over one billion people, every year for an entire month. الْحَمْدُ للّهِ.

 People of every race, ethnicity and country, throughout the entire world, change their entire life during that Blessed month, mentioned only once, Ramadan.

 

One fifth of the world's population suddenly changes mode, lifestyles, habits, routines, behavior, outlook, personalities, all change as if a big "Mode Switch" was enabled. In fact, Allah SWT have enabled the switch, thus demonstrating His Power and Greatness. With just a combination of twelve Arabic letters Allah SWT has caused a change in the course of over a billion lives for an entire month or more. We are are too familiar with the changes that come about in individual lives. Changes that are a lot of us find difficult or impossible to make, suddenly become easy an possible.

 

What is even more astonishing and miraculous is that Allah SWT did not use the command tone but used the recommendation tone.

Allah did not ask you to abstain from the wrong and prohibited things, He ask you to refrain from essential, good and permissible things.

 

As a result of this Blessed month, millions of lives are changed for the better, thus serving as a cleansing, rededicating and powerful and effective life changing event.

 

May we reap the maximum benefit from this Holy and Blessed month, and just let it be a period of abstention food, drink, marital relationships and visiting the masjids. May we learn self restraint and extol God for His having guided us aright, to always give thanks.

"Islamic" Countries

The term "Islamic" should be removed from the names of all countries that have incorporated it their names. Their are no Islamic countries in the true sense of the connotation. Their are countries where there are predominance of those who adopt Islam as their Religion. For those who are not aware, the meaning of the term Islam is Peace and submission to the Will of Almighty God. For countries to be so described, they will have to reflect the teachings and principles of Islam viz.: Peace, honesty, justice, equality, freedom of Religion and belief, morality, equal rights and privileges for women, respect of its citizens and equal opportunities for everyone. The few countries that attempt to reflect these values certainly don't claim to be Islamic. On the contrary, the countries that claim to be Islamic are furthest from these values.