Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Disasters And God's Wrath.

No one knows the wisdom of God as a fact. Sometimes disasters like Hurricane Katrina can be a trial and test from God, in other times it can be wrath from him. For any case If people are innocent we should feel pity and compassion and it they were sinners they deserve our regret. Who are we to judge people?. The question is true however as humans in disasters we always try to find out the wisdom of God and what we can learn. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. As Muslims we should feel pain to every human life. I had bad losses in my family including a young cousin that was the best of most people. If you read through the web you will find people like Stephen O'Leary, a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California and an expert on the media and apocalypticism, says, God got a two-fer here. Both sides are eager to see America punished for her sins; on one side its sexual immorality and porn and Hollywood, and on the other side its conspicuous consumption and hammers. On the other hand you will find the geopolitical view of global warming effect and the effect of oil and fossil that the industrial nations produced. No one knows for sure what caused the hurricane. We should be sensitive to every human dies Americans, Arabs or any one else. We never know what God's wisdom, however as humans we should think seriously of how always we can please God. I always say we have a great deal few years in earth of obedience and suffering for very luxurious eternity. For people who died our hearts with their families and God bless their souls.

Anger management: Your Therapist Is A Politician.

What makes people angry? Ask the infant who is crying, sounds even more puzzling!! Let me get it straight this baby could be angry due to hunger, pain, lack of affection, tight cloth,.... The first one to ask the question is the mother. If she still has no clue she calls the doctor. Politicians like it or not are that doctors who need to take care of the angry and the crying people in their communities. For politicians to treat anger they have to know first its causes:
1- Poverty.
2- Oppression.
3- Discrimination.
4- Physical Insecurity.
5- Social Insecurity: Health care and long term care.
6- Spiritual decay.
All of the above causes can easily by understood of their connection to good governing the question comes what spiritual decay has to do with government. In the Quran there is a verse says" Say the right has come and the wrong is gone, the wrong was longing to go" When there is moral corruption with widespread money and sexual corruption people may feel more enjoyment but in fact they become much less happy. They inside feel wrong, regret and their spirit is dark. Meanwhile they are unable to take off this moral corruption. Morality is a group act: How you can not steal or cheat when everyone is doing that. A moral government with building the moral structure from up down can reverse this moral corruption and spiritual decay.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

What Islam And Judaism have in Common?

Both two religions have many in common:
1- Both believe in the same God of Abraham and Israel.
2- Both are against any idols with God.
3- Their believe in God has no mystery. plainly one God and prophets he send to us. No divine son. God can not be a man.
4- Ten commandments are the basis of both religions.
5- There are laws in both religions. But teachings of morality, justice and wisdom make people much less to need laws.
6- spirituality is high in both religions.
7- Fear of God and considering ourselves servants to God are more used in both religions.
8- Secular, conservative and ultraconservative present in two religions. Like in Islam people have to work together to accommodate all of them.
9- Both religions do not believe in oppressing or discriminating any group of people. Humanity plays a great role in both religions.
10- They have same messiahs: Ben Joseph and Ben David.
11- Both religions admire the teachings and the love message of Christianity.

What Is Wisdom?

In Quran: 2:269 He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the Message but men of understanding.
According to wordnet: The noun wisdom has 4 meanings:

Meaning #1: accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment
Meaning #2: the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight
Meaning #3: ability to apply knowledge or experience or understanding or common sense and insight
Meaning #4: the quality of being prudent and sensible
I identify a wise person as the one whom when asked a question will use his knowledge, experience and common sense to give you the best answer. If he thinks he is not able to do that he would find to you the answer from the people who are wiser than him in this particular area of knowledge. His prudence makes him know his limited wisdom. A smart person is likely to give you an intelligent answer but a wise person will try to find to you the best answer even if he get it from someone else. A lot of proverbs and sentences of wisdom are human experience as well God inspired wisdom. The Bible and Quran are full of wisdom if you do not read and obey the righteousness of God you would be devoid of wisdom even if you are the smartest man in the world. If you meet God at the day of judgment with no good deeds, true faith and sincere heart you are in very serious situation. For someone to deny the Bible and the Quran would be extremely difficult. In order to prove no creator you have to bring with you at that day the intelligent design to show it to God.

Monday, August 29, 2005

Why The Quran Is Very Enjoyable.

One thing was making me feel missing when we go the afterlife: the Quran. I was wrong I found out recently from Hadith to the prophet that we will recite it in heaven (hopefully). This enjoyment is related to the following:
1- The human history and wisdom of creation.
2- The enjoyable stories of the prophets.
3- The great understanding in human psychology.
4- The glory of a God talking to us.
5- The universe above us that look as it is in the grip of God.
6- The feeling that good win over evil either now or the afterlife.
7- The strength you feel when you read it and feeling fear, lonely, weak or injustice. For sinners it takes their hands, forgive their sins and heal their hearts.
8- The scientific miracle of Quran.
9- The linguistic miracle.
10- The beautiful music of Quran.
11- The recitation by different people who have the best voices in Islamic world. It is like you love a song and you hear it by the best singers that you like to hear.
12- A song will give you good meanings and enjoyment of music and voice. The Quran will give you all of the above plus spirituality and high marks from God.

BOY, 5, Converts 1,000 To Islam.

From: www.afghania.com
There are orphans and street children everywhere. So much so that the sight of another small child standing o­n a street corner hardly merits a second glance.

But o­nly when a boy opens his mouth to speak do o­nlookers realize that Shariff Idd is special. The five-years-old speaks in five languages - English, French, Italian, Swahili and Arabic - even though he is completely uneducated.

Shariff is a preacher who draws crowds of thousand in Kenya to his increasingly regular sermons. The Lybian leader, Colonel Muammar Al-Gaddafi, is a great supporter following an audience with him earlier this year.


Last week was a milestone for the child introduced to gawping throngs as the "Miracle Boy" of East Africa. He smiled triumphantly when told he had notched up his o­ne thousand conversion to Islam in a country where Muslims are a minority.

Tours of France and Britain now beckon, according to Haji Maroulin, o­ne of the boy's four guardians. He will travel as a missionary o­n a trip to be financed by a businessman from the Ivory Coast.

"When he is not preaching he is just like any other kid," Haji Maroulin said. "But when he preaches he changes.

At o­ne year old he was able to recite the Quran and went o­n to be able to preach in Arabic, Swahili and French without any learning. The number of his converts is growing daily."
For a child he has strangely adult mannerism. He speaks confidently, mainly in Swahili unless he is delivering a sermon. Then, he fixed his piercing brown eyes o­n the person he is addressing without inhibition.

His squeaky child-like voice mesmerizes audiences.
According to Haji Maroulin, Shariff was born into Swahili-speaking Catholic family in Arusha, north Tanzania, in December 1993: "At the age of two months he refused to suckle his mother's milk and at the age of four months he started reciting verses from the Holy Quran."
The boy's first words - "You people repent and you will be accepted by God" were in Arabic. He concerned parents believed him to be disturbed by "demons" and called pastors to pray for the baby.

Eventually Muslim neighbors interpreted their son's alien speech and his parents later converted to Islam themselves. Although his father died in 1997, his mother remains in Tanzania while her worldly son continues his travel.

There is no doubting his pulling-power and in a commercial world his entourage has been quick to produce videos of the high-pitched sermons. He has also been deemed genuine by Kenya's Muslim World League.

Kaplich Barsito, 35, from Nairobi, saw Shariff in action addressing a crowd of more than 1,000 in an open area of the Pumwani districts of Kenya's capital, and is in no doubt of the boy's abilities.

"He was like a politician, very confident," he said. He seemed as though he would have been disappointed if there had been less people.

The power went off and his minders wanted him to stop, but he grabbed the loud-speaker and carried o­n in Swahili, English and Arabic. It was very impressive and he mesmerized the audience with a focused sermon."

Shariff himself seemed mystified about his powers. He said last week that he picked up languages as soon as he heard. "I went to Congo and heard people speaking Lingala (the local language). I just was able to start speaking it."

The100 World's Most Influential Persons.

Hart in his book of the 100 most influntial persons in history Chose Muhammad (PBUH)on the top of this list. He wrote about this choice:
My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels...
Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world's great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader. Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive... Like all religions, Islam exerts an enormous influence upon the lives of its followers. It is for this reason that the founders of the world's great religions all figure prominently in this book. Since there are roughly twice as many Christians as Moslems in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision. First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St. Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament.
Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles. In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam. Moreover, he is the author of the Moslem holy scriptures, the Koran, a collection of certain of Muhammad's insights that he believed had been directly revealed to him by Allah. Most of these utterances were copied more or less faithfully during Muhammad's lifetime and were collected together in authoritative form not long after his death. The Koran therefore, closely represents Muhammad's ideas and teachings and to a considerable extent his exact words. No such detailed compilation of the teachings of Christ has survived. Since the Koran is at least as important to Moslems as the Bible is to Christians, the influence of Muhammed through the medium of the Koran has been enormous It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity. On the purely religious level, then, it seems likely that Muhammad has been as influential in human history as Jesus.
Furthermore, Muhammad (unlike Jesus) was a secular as well as a religious leader. In fact, as the driving force behind the Arab conquests, he may well rank as the most influential political leader of all time... the Arab conquests of the seventh century have continued to play an important role in human history, down to the present day. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.
Most Muslims would agree with Hart except for the theology we blieve it is from God. Please read in my bolgs about Islam. For more discussion of the book see www.adherents.com

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Aversion To Islam.

The paradox of Islam is if you look superficial it does not look attractive but if you look deep you find it amazingly sound. I will mention here why is that?
1- The prophet of Islam Muhammad (PBUH) is always compared to Jesus (PBUH). Both are carrying the same message of spirituality and God's commandments. The message of Jesus is to win humanity by love. The message of Muhammad is to win humanity by sound government that allow us to create the just humanity. To tell you the truth both did no work most of the history. Simply Satan was able to get his guys most of history to take over governments. His guys could be Muslims, Christians or other religions. There no doubt some periods in history had great leaders of any or no religion. But Satan continued to be the princess of the world.
2- Islam was described as the religion of worriers and Christianity the religion of Saints. The truth is in both there were worriers and Saints. In both there is great spirituality. But one has to be spiritually right. Reading both the Quran and Bible are the way to know the God of Abraham our father.
3- Women as a second class citizens in Islamic communities. The fact she was less than a citizen before Islam. The flexibility in Islamic interpretation of Sharia law and the progress of societies should continue to allow us to advance the rights of women. In the same time we would prevent her from becoming a commodity like in some cultures.
4- Islam religion of materialism: the truth it is the religion of moral capitalism where people continue to make money and lift other people with them.
5- For many Christians Jesus is the savior and anything else come short. I have no problem but just let you know that if Christ was alive today he would be angry of what our world looks like. The ten commandments are broken, the rich is oppressing the poor and the strong is threatening the weak with the blessings of many religious leaders in both great religions.
6- I do not like a lot of Muslims. I have the same problem and I am a Muslim. I love a lot of Christians and I am not a Christian.

Saturday, August 27, 2005

The Right Ego.

In dictionaries Ego is defined as: self-importance (an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others). What make you feel important can be a lot of things:
1- education.
2- family upbringing.
3- coming from big family.
4- Distinguished race
5- Superior ethnicity.
6- superior color.
7- knowledge.
8- country.
9- possessions.
10- Salary.
11- achievement of children.
12- travel.
all these are examples of the things to feel your ego swell and your pride gets bigger particularly so when you measure that against other people who are doing less than you.
If each of us is caring mainly about his ego and your ego is called ego1 there is good chance you will compete with a person with ego 2, ego 3 and so on. Multiple egos that are competing for a lot of items ends by a community that have its total EGO= ego1 -ego 2 -ego 3------and so on. In a community where every one give a little of his ego to contribute to the happiness of other members of communities cause a community with total EGO= ego1 + ego 2 +ego 3--- thus one ego can grow if he consider the total EGO is his second ego. If one to consider the only great ego or the superego he ends to be like Hitler and other tyrants where their Ego comes before every other ego and even make many people to sacrifice their egos for the inflated ego of the leader. The right leader is the one who cuts down in his own ego. His decisions should to improve the ego of the people he hired to serve. The best way to lead is by example and a sound ego is the total EGO= ego1 + ego2 + ego3--- The Total world Ego is all our egos combined if we are in a loving world. Like the total GDP of the world is the sum of every country GDP. If you love your country you will be happy with higher GDP of your country and if we are one world you will be happy when the total GDP of the world is high. In the Kingdom of God all our egos are combined to give us the best kind of living when one is true part of the total and no ego is disregarded and no ego is the top of egos. Not all of us are equal but we would not make anyone to feel the superego or exceptional ego and no one is nothing or have no ego. The right ego is to feel you have your own ego and enjoy what you are and feel the ego that most important to all of us the total ego. As communities become more closer the total ego increases. This new ego of the Universe would present the achievement and advancement of humanity. Unlike communism we are not all equal egos but we should through integration and morality feel we are counted egos.

Some Verses Of Wisdom In Quran.

17:30 Verily thy Lord doth provide sustenance in abundance for whom He pleaseth, and He provideth in a just measure. For He doth know and regard all His servants.
ِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا
17:31 Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily the killing of them is a great sin.
وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلاقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْءًا كَبِيرًا
17:32 Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils).
وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ الزِّنَى إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاء سَبِيلاً
17:33 Nor take life - which Allah has made sacred - except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive): but let him nor exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law).
وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللّهُ إِلاَّ بِالحَقِّ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا فَلاَ يُسْرِف فِّي الْقَتْلِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنْصُورًا
17:34 Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength; and fulfil (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).
وَلاَ تَقْرَبُواْ مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَأَوْفُواْ بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْؤُولاً
17:35 Give full measure when ye measure, and weigh with a balance that is straight: that is the most fitting and the most advantageous in the final determination.
وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُواْ بِالقِسْطَاسِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً
17:36 And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).
وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولـئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْؤُولاً
17:37 Nor walk on the earth with insolence: for thou canst not rend the earth asunder, nor reach the mountains in height.
وَلاَ تَمْشِ فِي الأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ الأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولاً
17:38 Of all such things the evil is hateful in the sight of thy Lord.
كُلُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ سَيٍّئُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ مَكْرُوهًا
17:39 These are among the (precepts of) wisdom, which thy Lord has revealed to thee. Take not, with Allah, another object of worship, lest thou shouldst be thrown into Hell, blameworthy and rejected.
ذَلِكَ مِمَّا أَوْحَى إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ مَعَ اللّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ فَتُلْقَى فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًا مَّدْحُورًا

Sufism: The Saints Of Islam.

IF you want to get away from politics and all the headache around us in the world your best bet is sufism. You find it extraordinary to find out how this highly spiritual sects came out of Islam the religion of the common sense and the every day Islamic living. Though it is another dimension to Islam after you took care of your job and responsibilities it is a logical one. It is the way to try to reach God through interior realization. Nothing magic when you separate your mind and heart from this world and do the Islamic prayings and Quran faithfully you develop stronger spirituality. I can swear I know when people get to this stage and how their face look more enlighten.
In the Sufism one considers that an " alive Shaykh " is a "Mohammedan heir" that inherited the spiritual 'secret' of the Prophet (slp) (called like this because it is at the level of unutterable, that no term of the usual language can describe) and which himself "was authorized" at the same time by a transcendent source, divine, and by his own Master who thus confirms the veracity and the authenticity of such a designation. Like one says it in the Sufism, it is a transmission of "heart to heart".
Mainstream Islam had not embraced Sufism for fear to be branching out from Islam. Many see it as finding God within. No one is God or part of God but God created in us this spirituality that make us feel him in our hearts. When my mother was Sufi she was not practicing another Islam she would spend long hours reading Quran and praying to God.
According to Sufi: "To be thus authenticated, each Tariqa, or Sufi "way", must be registered in an uninterrupted chain of spiritual Masters, each one heir of this 'secret', to the Prophet of Islam (slp) and, through him, all the chain of the saints and the former prophets. The 'secret' is nothing else but the ultimate and divine direction of the being. To discover it, or to get closer to it, is by itself the main objective of any existence."
I do not agree the need to have masters or a way but I believe any Muslim can get closer to divinity more when his heart is more pure. The more you get pure and faithful the more you get close to God. If your heart is not faithful and/or your mind is more wicked or busy with life it becomes hard to get closer to God.
I like these Sayings from the great Sufi The Shaykh Sidi Hamza Al Qadiri Al Butchichi web site www.tariqa.org :
"To know GOD is without limit. Every step of the journey is hence more beautiful and marvelous than the previous one."
"When Divine Love inhabits the heart, nothing appears difficult, and one profits by everything that happens. Thankfully, this comes from the fact that love erases the veil that separates us from Reality (GOD). As this veil becomes thinner and thinner, one experiences a profound joy that emanates from this proximity with Reality. One is therefore invaded by the perception of Beauty (GOD)".
"Defects and ugliness are not in things or people, but in the impurity of our vision of them. The more the soul is peaceful, perfect and pure, the more it will become disposed to see in all people a Luminous Divine manifestation: all is beautiful. Only the unpolished heart of the disciple renders things ugly."
"Love all people no matter what their religion, race or opinions! Everyone is where GOD meant him to be and it is not appropriate for us to be judgmental."
"Wisdom is in the heart. He who wants to find water in his well must dig. The deeper he digs, the more abundant the water; if he stops digging, the water will not exceed the initial level. He who digs this well should not say, or believe, that all the water has reached its highest level; he must continue to dig; for this well has no limit."
People argued that Sufism had originated from Christianity but Sufi believes that prophet Muhammad (PBUH)is the origin of their way. I am not an Imam but I think Sufism is a great spiritual way of life. But we are asked by God to try to improve our communities in both materialistic and moralistic levels. One step forward or say inward in Islam is to get more closer to God as you become more spiritual Muslim or call it Sufi. This is the way I would look at and like to see in Sufism. It really becomes more true when we get people first to follow the good of our religion and then they can enjoy the higher levels of their spirituality.

Robert Frager: The Wisdom Of Islam.

Book Review
by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

The Wisdom of Islam: An Introduction to the Living Experience of Islamic Belief and Practice
Robert Frager
www.amazon.com Read an excerpt on gratitude.
This beautifully designed paperback is by Robert Frager, who embraced Islam in 1981 and currently serves as a sheikh in the Halveti-Jerrahi Sufi Order. He has written three books on Sufism (Essential Sufism, Love Is the Wine, and Heart, Self, and Soul) and several books on psychology. Frager is past president of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology and founder of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, California.

The author provides a succinct and thought-provoking overview of Islam with a masterful mix of juicy quotations, insightful commentary, and spiritual practices at the end of each chapter. He covers the five pillars of Islam, the messenger of God, the Qur'an, the history of Islam, the path of Islamic mysticism, the mind of Islam, women in Islam and Islam today. Throughout he adds details that bring this faith to life. For example, discussing the required pilgrimage to Mecca, he notes that in Indonesia where the cost of the journey is more than many could ever afford, many rural communities pool their money each year in order to send the oldest couple who have not yet gone to Mecca. The whole town accompanies them to the Jakarta airport to see off their representatives.

After a description of the devotional act of fasting, Frager presents this exercise: "Fast two or three days from using untruthful, harmful, or hurtful language. Try to be aware of your language whenever you speak. Every evening, look over your day and review how well you did at the fasting of the tongue."

Although Muhammad has been praised for his skills as a philosopher, orator, legislator, warrior, and statesman, Sufis like to remind us that he once said: "I was sent to teach adab." This capacious term, according to Frager, refers to the basic Islamic virtues of generosity, good hospitality, and service to others. "To have good adab is to think of others' needs instead of thinking only of oneself." The author elaborates: "I have learned much about adab from the old dervishes. When one dervish serves another tea, adab turns this event into something profound. The server is aware that it is an honor and a privilege to serve another human being. The one being served realizes that she is being given a real gift from the heart. Both are conscious; both are grateful."

It is this kind of graceful illustrative material that makes The Wisdom of Islam such a salutary and inspirational work.


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How Moderate Conservative Muslim Family Looks Like.

A moderate Islamic family does not look like mine for one good reason I have exceptional social and other problems that take me away from my family. In general it looks like that. A man and woman meet some way preferably introduced to each other by friends and families. A lot of people are intuitively match makers. They know well both parties. They know their education, socioeconomic class, personalities and their looks. The more common the factors they have the more likely they will match. They may meet at work places or other places. But men do not like a woman who is an easy catch. It is not uncommon to find one personality a little firy and the other more calm and set back as happenes with many couples. Religion constitutes a major factor. God is the one who is between both partners no better judge than God they would accept if both are religious. Both try to make it work out and fear God and try not to be injustice to the other partner. Sex comes after marriage. It is a surprise to a lot of people in the west. The truth is more than 50% divorces in America occur while most partners can have sex before marriage. Some Arab men are allowed themselves to have sex before marriage. From my experience many of them tend to cheat after marriage. No abortion in Islam except for medical reasons. Raising children in Islam is much easier than in the west. Though these days the western culture is everywhere. In a conservative Islamic community both sexes are separated after 12 years old or so. The teenage years are saved from sex, STD's, risk of HIV, drugs and alcohol. It is the best time to form personalities get education and excellence in sports or other creativity. Early marriage is encouraged in Islam I would say late teens for women and early twenties for men. This is still the norm in only few Arab countries in the Gulf oil countries. For most other countries the young people have to wait to make a living or marry with in-laws which is not right in any culture. Marriage and having a family a normal human activities became a miracle in these countries now. What are their leaders doing many are busy fighting Israel in the newspapers and growing their family wealth. When America after invasion of Iraq showed interest in changing the structure of the Middle East many young Arabs said come America and liberate us. A lot of confusion happened after that. Anyway I have only one family now that I am asked by God to take care of. Having prosperity in Muslim countries and other poor Christian or non-Christians countries will continue to be my dreams. I really do not care if the elite would think I am faithful or not.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Can A Christian who does not convert to Islam be saved?

Yes sir, the answer is straight forward. They do not need to become Muslims but they need to accept Jesus as the messiah, a great prophet and not a divine being or a divine son of God. If they do that the teachings of the Christ are almost the same like that of Islam. Though I am not an Imam but the verse in Quran "tell to the people of the book let us come to one word not to worship except God and not to take some of us (like Jesus) to worship instead of God.
Christians do not know how much this present anger to God. Muhammad (PBUH) used to tell Muslims not to praise him so they do not make him a God one day as Christians did with Christ. We commonly try to say about Muhammad "servant of God and his prophet". If Jesus is not a son of God biologically and not divine be assured he will be happy that you know his reality.
If Some Christians do feel animosity with Muslims or Islam that make them difficult to convert to Islam let it be. But your religion could be the truth if you to follow Christ as not divine. Give him all glory you like as a prophet not divine and you will be saved.
We are interested as Muslims to convey to you the truth. It is like you are spreading the good news of the gospel we will read the gospel as Muslims and we will carry the same good news of the return of the Jesus and the kingdom of God in earth.

How ultraconservatism Did Not Help Islam.

Ultraconservatives in Islam want you to live the way as the prophet and his companions lived in the first years of Islam. Lovely, if we can all do it. Prophethood is a full time job. Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) all his life was for his message. Fasting a lot of days and praying a lot at night. Besides teaching Muslims their religion and fighting back his enemies. People do not know how difficult to be a prophet. One of his uncles Abi Lahb was very envious of him and he and his wife were doing there best to fight and oppress Muhammad (PBUH). Jesus had conspiracies against him. If any Muslim want to be an ultraconservative I will tell him good luck and God bless. I do not care about people listen to music, watch movies and attend opera my jealous is for major commandments of God (ten commandments). It is his anger and blessing. My anger is to see Muslims are oppressed, poor and deceived. When I see the normal in the Muslim world is injustice, corruption, hate and deception I feel bad for my religion. Ultraconservative in a way is not practical and make people feels that religion is very difficult to follow. If God says in the Quran: "If you avoid the major sins God forgives the little ones" Who cares what all the Imams will say. Does really God care if you are watching a soccer game and who is your team. We want Islam we all can do not a hypothetical Islam. Even in Saudi where they proclaim ultraconservativism as a way of life they all have dishes and videos and they see movies and listen to music. We need something practical and we all can do. I do not like to see 0.00001% of Muslims are true ultraconservatives and 90% have only Muslim names. I rather have 95% of Muslims above 50% followers of Islamic teachings and morality. There is nothing in Islam say to take all the religion or to leave it all. God made it easy for us since he wrote to Moses and the Jews the ten commandments. Sharia laws should come after we get moderate Islam to replace secularism and corrupted Islamism and be sure we protect women. Crazy Saddam and the tyrant Nomari of Sudan used the Sharia law for selective purposes. Our first aim should be to build better Muslims in every Muslim country. I recall when I was in my country I had two ultraconservative Muslims and they fight all time. We should be smart God would prefer if we be nice to each other than not to listen to music and then make life miserable to one another. We should find the right structure that coexist with non-Muslims. If the west is willing to help or at least not to stand in our way they have our blessings. We have all the right to continue to be suspicious of the west and to be open-minded in the same time if we see a breakthrough.

What God Has To Do With That?

Agnostics, atheists and secular humanism advocates had it with religious people. There are the points that they make and I share all with them:
1- Fight between religions.
2- Fight between people of same religion.
3- Cultural war between ultraconservatives, conservatives and secular of the same religion.
4- Immorality and corruption of many of religious people.
5- Intolerance to other religions or minority groups.
6- Abusing religions to advance economic or political agenda.
7- Oppression/freedom on the eyes of the beholder.
I do not see anything God has to do with that. God does not do politics. God ordered us to follow his ten commandments and be dissent to one another. We are the one who are to do the politics to find the right coexistence. Since no one can prove he is the messiah as we stand now we should think and do the geopolitics. The more we talk and listen to each other the more we can understand one another. The more unity we have like the European Union the more easier is the coexistence. Suppose I am an Arab leader it will be easier for me if the leaders of Israel are united and carry one message. Unity of the people and breaking all barriers of religions, boarders and ethnicity advance humanity. It makes people like one group that try to get the best of the world wealth and knowledge distributed to all of them and try to be sure there is no one that is unhappy. The division and fighting between all of us is my great proof to the existence of Satan and the truth of religion. We should encourage secular humanism to play a great role in finding the acceptable coexistence of all of us.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

The Wisdom Of Prayer.

2:186 When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي
لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
This simple verse give you the wisdom of prayer:
1- God is close to us if we to pray and call him.
2- He answer prayers.
3- In return they answer me in the good time.
4- This is good for them that they may walk in the right way.
5- The right way many times help us not to get in problems or deserve God punishment. Thus the right way is good for us and the prayer is good in the good time before the hard time.

What Is Wrong With The West.

The west looks to Islam as a beast. The first question comes to the west is how to tam the beast. Though many Muslims believe the question should be Is Islam a real beast?. In depth study of Islam should be the right way to deal with Islam. Superficial reading of the newspapers and looking at a picture to see the white/black will take you no where. The international politics are like multiple colored wool lines folded in each other. To understand Islam you have to read the Quran and the history of humanity. Then to go through the complicated politics over the last 50 years and try to understand Muslims and Islam. You need to separate the threads of the wool to understand why we are at we are now. The party system in America with both parties are busy fighting one another does not give them enough time to look deeper in this other world. The easy thing to do is to maintain the status cou as the proverb we use in Egypt "the ghost you know is better than the ghost you do not know". However, another proverb "the fire is under the weeds" was always overlooked. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that a boiling tight pan can explode any time. It is amazing how a simple problem in medicine we discuss it thoroughly with the patient and the great world conflict to understand the thinking of 1.3 billion Muslim is taken lightly. If the west would continue to look at Islam as the beast that they need to tam they will go no where. If they to study in depth this world coexistence would not be only possible but rather enjoyable. It is like in the west people like to see the good people in the high offices.

Why 1.3 billions Follow A Single Arab Man.

It is very intriguing to find out that 1.3 billion Muslim around the world are following a Single Arab man. His name is prophet Muhammad (PBUH)his message is simple one God, one nation and a call for humanity. The power of the message does not come from all it provides to humanity, but simply because it is true. If I am going to control many of my desires and suffer pain for a religion, my first question should be is this religion is true or this is a dream shard by a lot of wishful or frustrated people. Put it like this, if I am a businessman am I really investing my time, effort, and money for a real investment for a real eternity or is someone selling me the ocean. A lot of Muslim businessmen I met particularly those keen to make a profit from each penny they earn are strong believers in Islam. I met Muslims who were the worst of sinners but died on the faith of Islam, after repented. The first attraction to Islam for most Muslims is the simple market question: Am I having a real deal?. Then comes the other benefits like spiritual fulfillment, social advantages and sound market economy. The schizophrenia happens when the ideal societies of Islam are replaced by corrupted regimes or fanatic idealism (100% purity). Thus the 1.3 Billion Muslims are yearning for the ideal Islamic societies or something modern that keep the main values of Islam with a peaceful coexistence with other cultures. The faith of Islam is not weakening or fading because any Muslim even a Muslim tyrant would like to die as Muslim. Islam is not going anywhere. The absence of democracy did not allow the best to take their places and also to have the feeling that as God watching us a real democracy is keeping us in check. Like morality happened to be a group act, immorality and corruption are also happened to be a group act. The reality and purity of Islam will continue to be the best faith in the universe even if Muslims are short of what Islam used to be. The government of prophet Muhammad is created to be modified. The difference between theocracy and Islamic democracy is the second a natural progression of the first. After Islam spread it is our duty now to include everyone in this government. We take the morality and values of religions and allow a coexistence that allow no minority to feel injustice or oppression. I would not lie to you we like people to convert to moderate Islam but our main task is to create a just world that the west did not like to see it for us.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

How Muhammad (PBUH) received the Angel Gabriel.

Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 1, Number 3:
Narrated 'Aisha:
(the mother of the faithful believers) The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah's Apostle was in the form of good dreams which came true like bright day light, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hira where he used to worship (Allah alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food like-wise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read.

The Prophet added, "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not know how to read.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, 'Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists) has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous." (96.1, 96.2, 96.3) Then Allah's Apostle returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had happened and said, "I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your Kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones."
Khadija then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza, who, during the PreIslamic Period became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said to Waraqa, "Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!" Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen?" Allah's Apostle described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out." Allah's Apostle asked, "Will they drive me out?" Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly." But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while.
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari while talking about the period of pause in revelation reporting the speech of the Prophet "While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the cave of Hira' sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I got afraid of him and came back home and said, 'Wrap me (in blankets).' And then Allah revealed the following Holy Verses (of Quran):
'O you (i.e. Muhammad)! wrapped up in garments!' Arise and warn (the people against Allah's Punishment),... up to 'and desert the idols.' (74.1-5) After this the revelation started coming strongly, frequently and regularly."

Sahih Bakhri: Volume 1, Book 1, Number 2:
Narrated 'Aisha:
(the mother of the faithful believers) Al-Harith bin Hisham asked Allah's Apostle "O Allah's Apostle! How is the Divine Inspiration revealed to you?" Allah's Apostle replied, "Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell, this form of Inspiration is the hardest of all and then this state passes ' off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes the Angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says." 'Aisha added: Verily I saw the Prophet being inspired Divinely on a very cold day and noticed the Sweat dropping from his forehead (as the Inspiration was over).
From islam on line

And If, As Is Sure, There Comes To You Guidance From Me.

2:34 And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject Faith.
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
2:35 We said: "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression."
وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلاَ مِنْهَا رَغَداً حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلاَ تَقْرَبَا هَـذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الْظَّالِمِينَ
2:36 Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood - for a time."
فَأَزَلَّهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُواْ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ وَلَكُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَى حِينٍ
2:37 Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord Turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
فَتَلَقَّى آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
2:38 We said: "Get ye down all from here; and if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
قُلْنَا اهْبِطُواْ مِنْهَا جَمِيعاً فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
2:39 "But those who reject Faith and belie Our Signs, they shall be companions of the Fire; they shall abide therein."
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَـئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
The question is do you believe the Adam-Eve story of the Bible and Quran or not. If you red the Quran and the Bible and believe they are true or too difficult to disprove and nothing else stand as the truth you have to take the matter seriously. God has the right as the creator to decide when and what guidance he has for us. If he says the ten commandments and write them with his hand the matter is over. No one identifies God better than himself. In the Quran the verse stated clear "God warns you of himself". He is the one who makes the rules and we are the one who have to obey him. He can be very compassionate or glorious with wrath. After you obey God and live for him your obedience grow from fear to respect and your praise from a material purpose to love. The more you give to earn his love is the closer he becomes to you. Abraham was not mentioned as his closed friend except for his sincere devotion and obedience. Even the parent who loves his good children the one closet to his heart is the one who try to please him the most. We did not creat God, he is the one who created us. To know God best is to read his scriptures the Bible and Quran.

The Intelligent Design.

Why people need proof of intelligent design when there is no proof of random design. On the other hand, the theory of evolution needs too much effort to trace the evolution of one species or to try to prove one species has evolved to another. It does not prove or disprove there is a creator behind the evolution. If you asked a child 3 years and a boy 14 years old to draw a car for you and the 3 years old made scribbled lines while the 14 years old draw a car you can say about the second draw there is intelligence behind it. God states in The Quran "who (God) gave everything its creation and then gave it its guidance". For example the DNA is created by God and the DNA continue to do the cellular functions each DNA is made for. If there is no God who did that. If you do not accept God I have this for you. All the cells of human body came into one room. One cell stood up and greeted all other cells "you doing a great job, we need to continue to control every thing well, we need to maintain the homeostasis (steady state of body): body temperature, fluid, electrolytes, glucose, calcium, hormones, red blood cells,.... everything with a tight range. We need those doctors to find everything within the normal range when they check them. All cells made sounds to express their agreement. As the cells started to leave the room one cell asked the leading cell "are you the intelligent design". The leading cell shacked her head and smiled "yes it is me". She was a liar every cell has its brain (DNA) or intelligent design. The DNA is the brain of the cell it was created at certain point. It continues to do its functions that it was guided to do. Even if an organ control other organs there is no one cell or organ can say I am the one that control all other organs or cells. There is no creator cell or a God cell. All are the creation of God. To understand the intelligent design you need to find the smallest part of matter or living organism that can represent them (molecule or DNA respectively). If you can not prove a random design you accepted the intelligent design. If this intelligent design is not God please give me a name.

The Wisdom Of Heraclius: Who Is Muhammad?

Imam al-Bukhari and many other scholars of Hadith mentioned a very interesting historical report. From this report we learn how a reasonable leader approached this subject. It is mentioned that after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent many letters to the neighboring chiefs and rulers inviting them to Islam. He sent Dihyah al-Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him) with a letter addressed to the Eastern Roman Emperor Heraclius. He ruled a vast territory of the Middle East at that time. This letter was probably sent to him in the year 628 C.E. Heraclius was in Jerusalem at that time celebrating his victory over the Persians. The letter was given to the governor of Busra, who delivered it to the Emperor. The Emperor was intrigued by this noble letter. He wanted to know more about the one who sent him this letter and whether he was truly Allah’s Messenger.

There was a caravan of Arab traders in the city. Heraclius ordered the caravan people to be brought to his court. Abu Sufian ibn Harb was the chief of this caravan. He was not a Muslim at that time. Actually, he was then one of the enemies of Islam. Later when he became Muslim he reported this whole incident to `Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them).

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Abu Sufian ibn Harb informed me that Heraclius sent a messenger to him while he was accompanying a caravan from the Quraish. They were merchants doing business in the Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah’s Messenger had a truce with Abu Sufian and the unbelievers of the Quraish. So Abu Sufian and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya’ (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him.

He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius’ question, said to them, “Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?”

Abu Sufian replied, “I am the nearest relative to him (among the group).”

Heraclius said, “Bring him close to me and make his companions stand behind him.”

Abu Sufian added [to Ibn `Abbas], “Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (the Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me. By Allah, had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would have lied against him (the Prophet).”

[The dialogue then continued like this.]

Heraclius: What is his family status among you?

Abu Sufian: He belongs to a noble family among us.

H.: Has anyone else among you before him ever claimed the same (i.e., to be a Prophet)?

A.S.: No.

H.: Was anyone among his ancestors a king?

A.S.: No.

H.: Are the strong and powerful following him or the weak and poor?

A.S.: It is the weak and poor that are following him.

H.: Are his followers increasing or decreasing (day by day)?

A.S.: They are increasing.

H.: Does anyone among those who embrace his religion become displeased and leave the religion afterwards?

A.S.: No.

H.: Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?

A.S.: No.

H.: Does he ever betray or is he treacherous in his agreements?

A.S.: No, we are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it. (Abu Sufian said [to Ibn `Abbas], “I could not find an opportunity to say anything against him except that word.”)

H.: Have you ever had a fight with him?

A.S.: Yes.

H.: What was the outcome of your battles with him?

A.S.: The fighting between him and us was undecided and victory was shared between him and us by turns.

H.: What does he order you to do?

A.S.: He tells us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste and to keep good relations with our kith and kin.

Heraclius said to his translator to convey to him,

[1.] I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belongs to a noble family among you. In fact, all the Messengers come from noble families among their respective peoples.

[2.] I questioned you whether anyone else among you claimed such a thing, and your reply was no. If you had said yes, I would have thought that this person is copying the previous person’s saying.

[3.] I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was no. If you had said yes, I would have thought that the man wants to take back his ancestral kingdom.

[4.] I further asked you whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was no. So I wonder how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah.

[5.] I then asked you whether the rich people follow him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. In fact, the poor are always the followers of the Messengers.

[6.] I asked you whether his followers are increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing. In fact, this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects.

[7.] I asked you whether there was anyone who, after accepting his religion, became displeased with and abandoned his religion. Your reply was no. In fact, this is the sign of true faith, when its delight penetrates the depths of the hearts.

[8.] I asked you whether he had ever betrayed and your reply was no. Likewise, the Messengers never betray.

[9.] I asked you what he ordered you to do, and your reply was he ordered you to worship Allah, and not to worship anything along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet now. I knew from the scriptures that he was going to come but I did not know that he would be from you. If I could reach him I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.

Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah’s Messenger to him. The letter was delivered by Dihya to the governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius. The letter said: “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This letter is from Muhammad, the Servant of Allah and His Messenger to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantines. Peace be upon him who follows the right path. I invite you with the call of Islam. Accept Islam and you will find peace. Allah will double your reward. But if you turn away then you will have upon you the sin of Arisiyyin (his subjects). ( O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will). ) (Aal `Imran 3: 64)”

Abu Sufian said [to Ibn `Abbas], “When Heraclius finished his speech and read the letter, there arose commotion and many voices in the court, so we were asked to leave.” (Reported by al-Bukhari)

It is possible that Heraclius accepted Islam secretly, but he was unable to declare it because he feared rebellion of his people. However, it is interesting that he tried to consider the Prophetic claim by considering:

1. The background of the Prophet

2. His motivations

3. His effects on his people

4. His character

5. His accomplishments

6. His message

Considering all these aspects of his life, he became convinced that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was indeed the Messenger of Allah.


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* Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: http://pakistanlink.com/religion.html

** Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi is the President of the Fiqh Council of North America. From Islam on line.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Prophet Muhammad Name In The Bible.

The Hebraic Versions of Torah still carry the name of Muhammad without ambiguity. In the song of songs, chapter 5,Verse 16,we read:
Which means: “ His speech is the most pleasant. He is the Great Muhammad, this is my beloved, and this my friend.” The Hebraic word clearly indicates the name of Muhammad but Jews and Christians refuse to admit that and insist that it is not a proper name but an epithet describing the Prophet, claiming that it means “altogether lovely”.
“His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved and this is my friend.”
Then, who can be described as having all virtuous characteristics but Muhammad, the great Prophet, Allah’s beloved and favored Messenger?
In the New Testament, the Prophet’s name occurs in several positions. In the Book of John 16:7, we read Jesus’ words while addressing his Disciples:
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the comforter (“periclytos” in Greek) will not come unto you.”
The word “comforter” is translated from the Greek word “paracletos” which had been used to replace the original word “periclytos” meaning “Muhammad” or “Ahmad” in Arabic. The two Greek utterances have little difference in pronunciation as well as in spelling; therefore, the scribes could have easily used one word for the other in some versions. Jews and Christians have preferred the corrupted version to the true one.
There is a Gospel known by the name the Gospel of Barnabas, which the church banned in 492 AD by the order of Pope Gelasius. It was confiscated everywhere. But there was still a copy of that Gospel in the library of Pope Sixtus V. Fortunately a certain Roman Monk called Framarino managed to bring it out. He had found the letters of Ireneus, where the came upon the name of the Gospel of Barnabas mentioned as a reference. His curiosity urged him to look for that gospel. When he became a close friend to Pope Sixtus V, he got that copy of the gospel and found in it that there would come a time when it would be claimed that Jesus is Allah’s son, and this misconception would continue till Muhammad, Allah’s Messenger comes, to set things right.
In the Gospel of Barnabas, (220:4), we read: “And this mocking shall continue until the advent of Muhammad the Messenger of God, who, when he shall come, shall reveal this deception to those who believe in God’s Law.”
Framarino was converted to Islam and published among people this Gospel, which the church had opposed.
The name of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) has clearly been mentioned in the scriptures of Jews and Christians throughout history. Muslim scholars used to use this fact in their disputes with the priests and learned Jews.
In the Book of Isaiah, we read: “I make your name Muhammad. O Muhammad, the holy one of the Lord! Your name has been there always.” This quotation is taken from “Al-Din wa Al-Dawala” written by ‘Ali ibn Raban Al-Tabari (who had been Christian and then embraced Islam). He died in 247 AH.
We read, in the Book of the Isaiah also: “We heard, from the extremes of earth, the voice Of Muhammad.”
In the Book of Habakkuk, we read : “God came from Tayman, the Holy one from the Mount of Paran. Mohammed’s splendor has covered the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise.” That is also mentioned in “Al-Din wa Al-Dawlah” of Ali ibn Raban al Tabari. It is also mentioned by Ibrahim Khalil Ahmad, previously a Christian priest who embraced Islam later and included the above Verse in a book he wrote in 1409 AH.
In Isaiah also we read : “What I will give him will not be given to anyone else. Ahmad will praise Allah newly. He comes from the best land; the wilderness and its inhabitants will rejoice. They will celebrate the Oneness of Allah at every elevated place and glorify Him on every hill.”
This is mentioned by Abdullah Al-Turjuman, whose name had been Anslam Tormida. He had been a Spanish priest before he was converted to Islam. He died in 832 AH.
Jubayr ibn Mut’im said: “ I heard Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) saying: ‘I have various names: I am Muhammad, and I am Ahmad, and I am Al-Mahi with whom Allah obliterates disbelief, and I am Al-Hashir at whose feet people will be gathered, and I am Al-‘Aqib.’’’ Allah (SWT) says: (And Remember, the son of Mary, said: ‘ O children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah (sent to you) confirming the Torah (which came) before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me whose name shall be Ahmad.’ When he came to them with clear signs, they said, ‘ This is evident sorcery.’)(61:6)
Professor Abdul-Ahad Dawud Al-Ashuri, the former archbishop of Mosul, who was converted to Islam, says (in his book “Muhammad in the Bible”): “The statement popular among Christians: “Glory be to Allah in the heavens and peace be on earth and happiness be among people” was originally: “Glory be to Allah in the heavens, Islam be on earth, and Muhammad is for people.”
The name of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) occurred in the Hindu Scriptures. In the Sama Veda, we read: “Ahmad acquired Shari’ah (religion law) from his Lord. This Shari’ah is full of wisdom. I receive light from him just as from the sun.”
In Athrava Veda (another Hindu Scripture), Kanda 20, Sukia 127, Mantra 1-3, we read: “O people! Listen to this carefully! Muhammad will be raised among people…. His greatness will be praised even in paradise and it will be subjected to him, and he is the Muhammad.”
In Bhawishya Purana (another Hindu scripture ) parv 3, Khand 3, Adhya 3 , Shalok 5-8, we read: “Just then an illiterate man with the epithet Teacher, Muhammad by name, comes only with his companions. The angel will purify him with the five things.”
The five things of purification are obviously the five daily prayers that cleanse a Muslim of his sins.
Reference : "ILM AL IMAN" by ABD ALMAJEED ALZENDANEE.
© The Quran Miracles www.55a.net -

Monday, August 22, 2005

Myths About Islam.

There are a lot of myths about Islam:1- God of the moon: There is only one God of the Quran and Bible the God of our father Abraham who revealed himself to the prophets including Jesus. He is the God of the universe.2- Stoning women for adultery: It is applied to both married cheating men or women. The way to prove adultery in Islam by having four men to witness inter genital intercourse which is close to impossible. The fear of sexual sin becomes more out of fear and respect to God. The law protected women. In the Arab culture suspicion of a woman conduct could be enough for a man to kill her. Islam protected her life.3- Cutting the hand of a stealing person: Many Muslims argue to only make small cut in the skin as a mark. The conditions to make you apply this religious law are quite difficult. Anyway Islam concentrates more in expanding the cycle of money through zakate which has great benefits socially and economically in any country.4- Oppressing women rights: to vote, work, learn in school... Islam protected all the rights of women. Before Islam she would be killed as a shame when was infant, sold as a slave, killed if suspected of adultery, does not have her own money or inheritance and compelled to marry without her permit. Islam corrected all of that. Some people are copying the life of the Prophet at that time. The problem is they rides the best cars and not camels. In early Islam there were no good jobs for women to work. The same reason there were no christian in the government or Jews since it was a closed community trying to spread its religion and protect itself. After the spread of Islam there is no fear to mix with other religions and get the best to all people belong to the same country regardless of their religion, race or sex.5- Violence: Jihad in Islam has specific reasons. Islam believe more to be strong so you do not need to fight.6- Polygamy: The basic in Islam is one wife and a single family. In rare cases of wars and number of women exceeds that of men polygamy allows the care of single women with poor orphans.7- Islam threatens other civilizations: the western civilization choose to oppress Islam. A dialogue between moderates, clergy and politicians could allow to have a plan for coexistence. The extreme poverty of Muslims, Christians in Africa, Asia and South America calls for new plan to solve a lot of problems in the world.8- Islam discriminates against other religions. Very wrong, Islam is the religion of humanity that allow freedom of speech, worship and human rights.9- Muslims fight each other a lot: same happened with Christians. It just assert to you that the deceive of Satan and our lack of wisdom that caused humans to fight each other all over the history.10- Islam is incompatible with civilization: The fact is Islam is a great civilization. It makes all Muslims from all different ethnic and national back ground to love one another and become like brothers. Hiring a good Muslim is the best for any corporation. A good Muslim is the one who is honest, hard worker and does his work with great skill. Besides, you would expect him to be one of the nicest of your employee. No drug, alcohol or addictive substances that may affect his work performance.11- Many Muslims are terrorists or support terrorists: Many consider them restless worriers that felt the west is humiliating them and are sleeping in the bed with their tyrants. Major change in American policies would help to cut off all roots of terrorism. The silent majority is very widespread. People in the west do not care if Muslims are oppressed or poor and Muslims do not care if terrorists win or loose.12- Jews are hated by Islam: wrong and governments in Arab world had to give the people some enemy to get busy with. For us they are our cousins and we have a lot in common. When God blame some Jews in the Quran it was to advise Muslims not to disobey him and many Muslims did much evil in the world.13- Islam is spread by war: In Islam there is no compulsion in religion. Islam is a very defensive religion. But politics and dialogue should replace wars whenever possible.14- Muslims don't believe in Jesus: God revealed to Muslims the truth about Jesus. He is a great prophet and Muslims are pro-Christ.15-Muslims didn't contribute to civilization: about 1000 year of Muslims contribution to civilization are intentionally not learned in western schools. Muslims do not value their history as victories in wars like some of their crazy leaders and pseudo-heroes but contribution to civilization and the success of Islam in bringing a peaceful loving societies.16- Most Muslims are Arabs: wrong 15% only of the Muslims are Arabs.Muslims make up 1/5 of the world's population (1.3 Billions), with large numbers found in Asia (69%), Africa (27%), Europe (3%) and other parts of the world.17- Islam kills non-believers or Muslims who convert to other religions: Wrong It happened with the people who killed and tortured Muslims. Some Muslims interpret wrong to kill Muslims who leave Islam. Many Imams argue against that. If we would do that we will loose 100 person who may convert to Islam for every Muslim that leave Islam. We can reclaim them by good arguments. Many Muslims re-examined quietly their religions and confirmed its truth. Islam prefer if we to review our faith quietly. Actually Quranic verses talk to you all time to reconfirm your faith. Muslims are better off if Jews and Christians are religious since they will share us the common good of all the three religions. The Quran also commands Muslims to protect from harm monasteries, synagogues, and churches.

Women And Islam: By Tyseer Aboulnasr, Ph.D.

IMAGE OF MUSLIM WOMEN: As a Muslim woman, I found myself thrown right into the controversy of women's role in today's society. Over and over I had to explain that what you see in a Hollywood movie about Islam has nothing to do with Islam. For years and years, the average western person has been subjected to one image of a Muslim woman: mysteriously veiled, heavily guarded, living in a harem with a brutal sex maniac for a husband. One can't really blame this person if he or she accepts this image as true especially if he or she never saw Muslim women in any other light.
So how can one start this preconceived image and get this person to see where a woman fits in a truly Muslim society? I can only try to highlight the status of women in the actual teachings of Islam as opposed to the practices of many so-called Muslim countries and the misrepresentation of Hollywood movies. Then, it would be up to the individual to pass a fair judgement on where women stand in a truly Muslim society.
MEN AND WOMEN ARE EQUAL: Let us start right from the beginning, the creation of Adam and Eve as revealed by God in the Qur'an. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat fruit from the tree but both were tempted by Satan to taste it. They both sinned and later regretted it. God repeatedly reprimanded them both. Thus, in no way was Eve and subsequently all women held responsible for the original sin nor was she considered as Satan's way to get to Adam and all his male descendants. That, to start with, breaks to pieces the general belief that women are the cause of men's sufferings on earth, that they are Satan's temptation, an evil to be avoided if at all possible. In Islam, men and women are created equal as human beings though obviously not identical. Throughout the Qur'an, it is repeated over and over that men and women are created as companions on earth to complement and comfort one another. They are both held accountable for their deeds, individually. Both are rewarded or punished equally for their deeds. Muslims have been spared the debate about whether a woman had a soul or whether she was a person or not. That was never questioned while it was a hot issue in western societies up to the 1930's when the Supreme Court of Canada passed a judgement that women really are persons! This was simply a fact asserted by a religion that was born in a society where burying newborn girls alive, out of shame, as common practice. Sons were a source of pride while girls brought along disgrace. Islam immediately prohibited such a brutal discrimination. It was spelled out clearly that one person, be it male or female, can be better than another by virtue of his or her piety alone, not sex, not origin.
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION: However, Islam's regard for women is not simply giving her a chance to survive. Muslims, men and women, are told to seek knowledge and education wherever they find it and to use this knowledge to help fellow human beings. This is a duty about which they will be asked on Judgement Day. When the Prophet himself could not read or write, his wife Hafsa, taught others to read and write. History tells us about the immense contribution of women to the Islamic community. The first believer in the message of the Prophet Muhammad was a woman. She was his wife, Khadija, and his source of protection from the pagans of Mecca in the early years. The Prophet himself was later actually physically saved by a woman during one of the battles after having been isolated by the pagans. Later, after he died, many of his sayings and teachings were narrated by another woman, his second wife Aisha. These sayings are an essential part of Islamic teachings. So what does that say about how Islam views woman, to entrust her with these roles? The Muslim woman's active participation in community affairs was established from the earliest days. This includes the right to vote. She has always been a separate individual with a separate vote. She had to swear allegiance independently of her husband and father.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE: Now what happened if this Muslim woman got married. For starters, she couldn't be married against her will, her consent was essential. If she did accept, she did not give up her family name for her husband's name. She did not have to be a staunch feminist or proclaim I am not a property to be passed on from father to husband. She simply was never expected to change her name. Important as that may be symbolically, it is even more important, on a practical level, that she was always considered a separate financial entity. When she married, her property remained her own and her husband had no access to it without her consent. She wasn't even required to share in the family's expenses even if she were a lot richer than the man. She was entitled to an explicit share of inheritance from family members. That share might be less than her male counterpart but that was only fair considering that her money was hers to keep while his money belongs to his whole family including his wife and any other women in his family who need financial support. All this was established more than 1400 years ago even before people in Europe realized it was unfair to shut daughters out of their father's inheritance or for the man to automatically acquire his wife's wealth upon her marriage.
If the marriage relationship fails and a divorce becomes the only option, a woman's rights are protected. A Muslim woman is entitled to maintain the right to divorce her husband if she specifies that right in the marriage contract. Otherwise, he retains that right. In any case, whoever has this right does not change the fact that divorce is considered a last resort, highly discouraged and to be used only if attempts for reconciliation by family members and even the judge have failed.
A MOTHER: As a mother, she is held in the highest regard. We are told that our mothers are the most worthy of our care, love and companionship. Fathers come in a distant second. Because God knows his own creation, he knows that men would be tempted to abuse their physical strength when dealing with women. Repeatedly, throughout the Qur'an and in the Prophet's sayings, men are reminded of their responsibility to be kind and compassionate to women. That was again stressed by the Prophet in his last public address where he highlighted the essentials of Islam. Men are told that the best among you are the kindest to the women in their families. They are often reminded not to take advantage of the woman's relative physical weakness since they will eventually have to answer to an even stronger Being, God himself.
WOMEN'S DRESS: All this seems to paint such a beautiful picture of women in Islam but what about the veil or, less romantic but more real, the Muslim dress code? Islam, as a whole, is described in the Qur'an as a religion of the centre balancing the needs and freedom of the individual with the good of the society. This is the general rule which also governs the relationship between men and women in society. They have the right to work and mix together as long as that right is not abused, hurting the society as a whole. This implies that the environment in which they see and talk to one another should be a clean respectable environment where sexual temptation is practically eliminated. Some westerners, and regrettably, some Muslims, take this to imply locking up the women or hiding them in veils. However, that contradicts the practices in the Prophet's life when women fought in battles, nursed the wounded, argued with the Caliph and even taught religion. The whole idea of modesty in dress is to ensure that both sides are not distracted by physical appearances. The dress code applies equally to men and women. Both should not look sexually inviting. That might not seem like too much fun, it certainly will not allow for Dallas-like episodes, but it would improve the chances for a better family-oriented society where men and women treat each other with mutual respect as human beings, rather than as sex objects. These are the general requirements for the Muslim dress code for men and women. How women actually dress in specific Muslim countries has a lot to do with the local culture and not just with Islam.
FACT OR FICTION: YOUR CHOICE. One can't help but wonder, if Islam is so good for women, how come what we see in countries with Muslim majorities is utterly different? If it makes things any easier to understand, without, justifying them, the same applies to all other religions. I am sure Jesus would be appalled to see how his teachings have been twisted around for ages to the extent of promoting slavery or tolerating exploitation through turning the other cheek.
Muslims, like people of other beliefs have done a super job of twisting their religion to suit the needs of the more powerful in their society by generalizing specific rules on the one hand and limiting general rules on the other as they find convenient. Add this to innovations added onto the religion to suit the local cultures and you get something that may or may not represent the original. If on top of that you have a media that is either too ignorant or too hostile then the end product that reaches the average unbiased non-Muslim definitely has nothing to do with the real teachings of Islam. The only hope lies in people realizing that before one judges anything, one has to separate fact from fiction, opinions from actual happenings, etc. . . The true image of a true Muslim woman in a true Muslim society may not be as fascinating as what we see in the movies. However, if given a choice between this image and any other alternative available to date, I doubt it will be a hard choice.

Source: http://www.cs.queensu.ca/home/fevens/CCMW/CCMW_S96_0.html

Contradictions In The Quran: Which Enters The Paradise: Soul Or Body Or Both?

Question: Which enters the Paradise: Soul or Body or Both? After resurrection, it is the body (after reuniting with the soul?) which enters the Paradise. This has been emphasized throughout the Book. See verses 13:5, 17:98-99, 20:55, 34:7, 75:3-4. However verses 27-30 in Sura 89 state that it is the Soul (Nafs)* which enters the Garden!
(17:99) "See they not that Allah who created the heavens and the earth has the power to create the like of them (anew)? ...." (75:3-4) "Does man think that We cannot assemble his bones? Nay we are able to to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers..."
(89:27-30) (To the righteous soul will be said) "O (tho) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord - well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter thou, thee among my Devotees! Yea, enter thou My Heaven!" (31:28) "Your creation and your rising (from the dead) are only as (the creation and the rising of) a single soul..." (Pickthall) In Islam, the bliss in Paradise is not complete without the corporeal and sense pleasures. Otherwise, how can one drink Zanzabil (76:17), feel the moderate temperature (76:13), enjoy maidens (55:56) and drink honey and milk (47:16-17). These are all joys in state for the faithful. Yousuf Ali (note 6128 for verse 89:27-30) also says that it is the soul which enters the heaven, and not the gross body which perishes (His comment is contradictory to what verse 75:3-4 says!). Read verse 31:28 also. It says man's creation or resurrection is in no wise but as an individual soul*. Pickthall's translation (see box above) is more clear. _____________ * Unlike in Vedic scriptures, the Quran does not clearly recognize the SOUL as a distinct entity from the BODY. The soul is often referred as a source of all inclinations and desires (3:61, 12:53). The Arabic word `Nafs' has been translated differently by different translators: as SOUL, MIND, SPIRIT and even as HEART! The word `Nafs' at times refers to the individual (12:53), sometimes to the Soul (6:93, 39:42), and sometimes to God Himself (6:12,54)!. Of particular interest is verse 21:35 which says "Every soul shall have a taste of death.... ". This verse could mean: (i) that the Soul gets a taste of death after separation from the body, as Yousuf Ali interprets or (ii) that the Individual gets a taste of death as it is generally implied on most occasions (3:61, 51:21). Those who are of the opinion that `Nafs' in 21:35 only mean the real Soul would then have to consider this verse as another contradiction to verses 39:42 and 89:27-30 which imply that the Soul is taken back by Allah, momentarily during sleep and decisively at death. Does it mean that the Soul has no death?
Answer: there are many facts here not contradictions: the soul exists in our body since our birth and it leaves us when we die. During the process of separation of the sould from body the soul has a taste of death. Then it goes around the unvierse. For mertydoms their soul bounds to their new bodies and go to God. In the day of judgment all other souls will have new bodies. During sleep our souls go to God and returns back to the body unless someone dies during his sleep.What souls do until the day of judgment God knows. A relative of mine Who died at young age told to us in a vision that they praise God.

Contradictions In The Quran: God Needs Man Or Man Needs God?

Question: God needs man or man needs God? A very clear contradiction exists between verses 51:56 and 35:15. While the former verse says that God created Jinns and mankind for His own reasons (read also 67:2), the latter one says it is man who is in need of God! Read also 51:57.
(51:56) "I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve me" * (67:2) "He who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is the best in deed"
35:15 "O mankind! It is you that have need of God: but God is the One Free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
Answer: We need God and God wants us. Our need for God is spiritual, materialistic and we need him for guidance. He wants us to be his worshipers and to meet his expectations. He has no material need from us. We are the most to gain from the realtionship: our happiness in life and afterlife. Actually 35:15 God described us as poors and he as rich in Arabic words.
35:15 O ye men! It is ye that have need of Allah. but Allah is the One Free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاء إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ

Prophethood: Full Time Job.

For anyone to understand how much suffering the prophet of Islam Muhammad (PBUH) has to go through he need to read these verses of 73:1-14. God called him to walk up at night and pray about half of night. Day time he needed to pray, praise God and promote the religion of Islam. Besides he needed to take care of the new formed community and govern them. He needed to play politics with the unbelievers for 13 years trying to promote his religion and avoid their anger. In the same time he has to read for them the verses of Quran which have no politics. It is a simple message: the creator of all this universe orders us through his prophet to obey him and to avoid his great wrath. He did not leave us with guessing. The Quran is well perceived by most Arab speaking people as not a creation of a human. Non-Arab speaking Muslims strongly agreed on that. For someone to make a guess for his eternity is very unwise.
73:1 O thou folded in garments! يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ
73:2 Stand (to prayer) by night, but not all night, قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
73:3 Half of it,- or a little less, نِصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا
73:4 Or a little more; and recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones. أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا
73:5 Soon shall We send down to thee a weighty Message. إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا
73:6 Truly the rising by night is most potent for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (framing) the Word (of Prayer and Praise). إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْءًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا
73:7 True, there is for thee by day prolonged occupation with ordinary duties: إِنَّ لَكَ فِي اَلنَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا
73:8 But keep in remembrance the name of thy Lord and devote thyself to Him whole-heartedly.
وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلًا
73:9 (He is) Lord of the East and the West: there is no god but He: take Him therefore for (thy) Disposer of Affairs. رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلًا
73:10 And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble (dignity).
وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْرًا جَمِيلًا
73:11 And leave Me (alone to deal with) those in possession of the good things of life, who (yet) deny the Truth; and bear with them for a little while. وَذَرْنِي وَالْمُكَذِّبِينَ أُولِي النَّعْمَةِ وَمَهِّلْهُمْ قَلِيلًا
73:12 With Us are Fetters (to bind them), and a Fire (to burn them), إِنَّ لَدَيْنَا أَنكَالًا وَجَحِيمًا
73:13 And a Food that chokes, and a Penalty Grievous. وَطَعَامًا ذَا غُصَّةٍ وَعَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
73:14 One Day the earth and the mountains will be in violent commotion. And the mountains will be as a heap of sand poured out and flowing down. يَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الْأَرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ وَكَانَتِ الْجِبَالُ كَثِيبًا مَّهِيلًا

Sunday, August 21, 2005

The Abrahamic Faith On The Defense.

A Rabbi, a Priest and an Imam were supposed to meet with people of all other religions outside the Abrahamic faith. They talked it over they have to present the Abrahamic faith in the best way and make people from other religions tempted to accept one of the three religions of the Abrahamic faith. They agreed in what to say to the other religions. They came up with this statment.
As Abrahamic faith we agree upon that we have in common:
1- Abraham was true messenger from God.
2- We believe in all prophets of old testament.
3- The Prophets are contacted by God through Angels, visions and rarely too close to hear like Moses.
4- There is heaven and hell.
5- There are prophecies in each of the three books of the three faiths that make people of the same religion believe it is from God. A high being that know and control the history.
6- Our enemy is Satan who tempted our parents Adam and Eve and he is the one who continue to tempt us with evil.
We agree also among us that:
1- Animosity between us the three religions was mostly for prejudice, lack of wisdom and Satan temptation. Many wars between people of same religion was due to political ambitions and control.
2- There is a David messiah who would establish God's kingdom in earth. The age of Aquarius is close to us.
3- Humanity should be the base of our Abrahamic faith and all the world.
4- We encourage others to read the Bible (old testament and new testament) and Quran and find out about the Abrahamic faith. There is no compulsion in religion. It is like the free market every one bring to the market what he has and the customers make the choice. If we are right and the Abrahamic faith is from a real God that has afterlife and eternity we have to spread to you the good news.
After the Rabbi, the Priest and the Imam finished the talk to other people from other religions, one asked them can we go through some questions. The Rabbi, Priest and Imam said in one voice "the internet". The Rabbi came close to the other people and whispered to them "if you start to ask questions these two guys will start to fight". As they were leaving the room the Priest and the Imam did the same.

Love In Quran.

When people speak about religion they assume that Christianity is the religion of love and Islam does not acknowledge love. The reality is Christianity used love to push for a just world. Unfortunately it did not work. Christians fought each other over the history as Muslims did to one another. I do not know someone who would give you his left cheek if you slap his right cheek. God's wrath and hell is acknowledged by Christianity as it is with Islam and Judaism. The message of Christ is great and we should continue to push for along with that of Islam and Judaism where justice becomes the foundation of love. It is easy to tell someone not to be angry if he had a lot of injustices particularly so as injustices are continuing to exist. A simple law of love is to love to others what you would love to yourself. See how God identifies love:
1- Love is obedience:
3:31 Say: "If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
3:32 Say: "Obey Allah and His Messenger.: But if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject Faith. قُلْ أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ
2- God does not love those who do injustices:
3:57 "As to those who believe and work righteousness, Allah will pay them (in full) their reward; but Allah loveth not those who do wrong (injustice). وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَاللّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ
3- Fear of God is a proof of love to God.
3:76 Nay.- Those that keep their plighted faith and act aright,-verily Allah loves those who act aright.
بَلَى مَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ وَاتَّقَى فَإِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ
4- Giving to others from what you love is a proof of being the righteous that God love.
3:92 By no means shall ye attain righteousness unless ye give (freely) of that which ye love; and whatever ye give, of a truth Allah knoweth it well.
لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ
5- Muslims attained love to one another through love and obedience to God. God is the one who made this love possible after they were enemies in the Arab pensula.
3:103 And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make His Signs clear to you: That ye may be guided.
وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىَ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
3:134 Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men;- for Allah loves those who do good;-
الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Thus love in Islam is real. It comes first to God since he created me and I owe him a lot. Love of people close to you particularly if you all share the love of God and obedience to him. Compassion is the kind of love that you can give to everyone. Fear of God to harm any soul is a manifestation of your love to God. To feel angry when you should be is not wrong and to try to act with wisdom to change the conditions that incited your anger is right. Not to feel to Muslims who are under injustices and poverty or far from their religion is selfishness. To try to change the world is noble but you should believe that God is the real savior.

Arrogance In The Quran.

In Hadith to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) he identified arrogance as "denying the truth and cut short people rights (deeds)". Non-believers denied God and his messengers for a lot of reasons. See the verses below:
1- Kinship: over history kings were competing with God for pride. Which is very stupid but arrogance is the first enemy of wisdom:
2:258 Hast thou not Turned thy vision to one who disputed with Abraham About his Lord, because Allah had granted him power? Abraham said: "My Lord is He Who Giveth life and death." He said: "I give life and death". Said Abraham: "But it is Allah that causeth the sun to rise from the east: Do thou then cause him to rise from the West." Thus was he confounded who (in arrogance) rejected faith. Nor doth Allah Give guidance to a people unjust. أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِي حَآجَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي رِبِّهِ أَنْ آتَاهُ اللّهُ الْمُلْكَ إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّيَ الَّذِي يُحْيِـي وَيُمِيتُ قَالَ أَنَا أُحْيِـي وَأُمِيتُ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْتِي بِالشَّمْسِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَأْتِ بِهَا مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَبُهِتَ الَّذِي كَفَرَ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
2- Commonly they see God signs in the universe, supranatural and scripture and they deny them:
7:36 But those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance,- they are companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (for ever). وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَا أُوْلَـَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
3- Commonly they see the signs of God and they deny them though their hearts believe in them:
27:14 And they rejected those Signs in iniquity and arrogance, though their souls were convinced thereof: so see what was the end of those who acted corruptly!
وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
4- For some arrogance does not even let them read the Quran or examine God's signs:
31:7 When Our Signs are rehearsed to such a one, he turns away in arrogance, as if he heard them not, as if there were deafness in both his ears: announce to him a grievous Penalty.
وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا وَلَّى مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًا فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
5- Commonly arrogance allows them to continue to sin and do the evil things:
35:43 On account of their arrogance in the land and their plotting of Evil, but the plotting of Evil will hem in only the authors thereof. Now are they but looking for the way the ancients were dealt with? But no change wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing): no turning off wilt thou find in Allah's way (of dealing).
اسْتِكْبَارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَكْرَ السَّيِّئِ وَلَا يَحِيقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلِهِ فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا سُنَّتَ الْأَوَّلِينَ فَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَحْوِيلًا
63:5 And when it is said to them, "Come, the Messenger of Allah will pray for your forgiveness", they turn aside their heads, and thou wouldst see them turning away their faces in arrogance.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا يَسْتَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لَوَّوْا رُؤُوسَهُمْ وَرَأَيْتَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ
71:7 "And every time I (Noah) have called to them, that Thou mightest forgive them, they have (only) thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, grown obstinate, and given themselves up to arrogance. وَإِنِّي كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَاسْتَغْشَوْا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا اسْتِكْبَارًا
2:206 When it is said to him, "Fear Allah., He is led by arrogance to (more) crime. Enough for him is Hell;-An evil bed indeed (To lie on)! وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ اتَّقِ اللّهَ أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالإِثْمِ فَحَسْبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ

WHy People Disbelieve?

The most common reason for disbelieve is arrogance. Read these verses:
16:22 Your Allah is one Allah. as to those who believe not in the Hereafter, their hearts refuse to know, and they are arrogant. إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالآخِرَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مُّنكِرَةٌ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ
16:23 Undoubtedly Allah doth know what they conceal, and what they reveal: verily He loveth not the arrogant.
لاَ جَرَمَ أَنَّ اللّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ
16:24 When it is said to them, "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" they say, "Tales of the ancients!"
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُم مَّاذَا أَنزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُواْ أَسَاطِيرُ الأَوَّلِينَ
16:25 Let them bear, on the Day of Judgment, their own burdens in full, and also (something) of the burdens of those without knowledge, whom they misled. Alas, how grievous the burdens they will bear!
لِيَحْمِلُواْ أَوْزَارَهُمْ كَامِلَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمِنْ أَوْزَارِ الَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ أَلاَ سَاء مَا يَزِرُونَ
Arrogance can be the only cause or magnify other causes. These all reasons of Disbelieve:1- Plan arrogance: like Pharaoh he believed he was God without any evidence.2- No enough evidences: there is arrogance as well since evidences are abundant see in my blog: The case for God is compelling.3- I am a good man and if there is God I ought to go to heaven. This is also arrogance if your are not looking for God why do you think he should care about you.4- I hate Muslims, Arabs,...... I do the same hate some of them. But I hate some Americans and I love many. Arrogance is to dismiss the most spreading religion that could grantee your eternity for hating some people.5- I do not like the restrictions of religions. Many Muslim sinners do the same. It is better for God to be a sinner than to deny him.6- I think if there is a just God there will be one religion to all people in all time. All prophets of the Bible and Quran have same message of one God and good and evil. It is up to God who gets his messages and at what time. There were always warns of evil and good. Even Egyptians believed in the second life and made mummies and pyramids to glorify the dead. If you examine the very fine details of creation you should be assured that God will be able to judge everyone of us according to all fine details of his culture and religion.7- I am not to bother or waste my time for religion. You are very wise if you are right if you are wrong you are in bad shape since arrogance is God first enemy. It is Satan first sin and it is the sin Satan want us to have to loose our eternity.
8- Christianity says no one can come except through Jesus. That is right, Muslims are extension to Jesus and praying for his second coming. Quran and Bible are from the same God of Israel.
9- Too much war in relgions and I do not like to be a part with. You do not need to fight anyone if you keep faith in God and isolate yourself from wars you are saved. Most wars for other reasons mostly political.