An-NaseeHah : النصيحة

Religious Hard-Talk (Jamaica )

2012-01-19T17:51:00.000-08:00

وَقُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ ۚ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا
And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed.
Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."

Qur'an: Surah al-Isra': 17: 81)

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SHEIKH HAMZA YUSUF - Dec 25, 2011 - Reviving Islamic Spirit Conference : FAIR TRADE

2011-12-30T16:50:00.001-08:00

HAMZA YUSUF - Dec 25, 2011 - Reviving Islamic Spirit Conference : FAIR TRADE from islamicpeaceofmind on Vimeo.

[ powerpoint slides] From new lessons - classes (newly begun October 2011)

2011-10-16T05:28:00.000-07:00

AlHamdulillaah! Just started this module, may Allah grant His Redha and Acceptance of this small effort.With this we pray that Allah will grant us and our parents, teachers, family and loved ones with the same reward with Mercy and forgiveness; may He gather our souls with our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.a.w. among the fellowship of all the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous. AMIN.

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BEGINNERS' COURSE ON ISLAM - Fardhu'Ain for Adult
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[Slideshare]fardh ain introduction-part1-begin(october(2011)

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INTERMEDIATE ISLAM - "Intrduction to study of 'Ilm a;-Akhlaq"
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[Slideshare]intermediate islam introdctnakjhlaq-lesson#1(15oct2011)

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LESSONS ON ADAB"
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[Slideshare] (adab-2011)lesson#1-introduction

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SCIENCE & ISLAM - [The Power of Doubt] - الْعلْم واْلإسلام

2011-10-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

SCIENCE & ISLAM - [Empire of Reason] - الْعلْم واْلإسلام

2011-10-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

SCIENCE & ISLAM - [Language of Science] - الْعلْم واْلإسلام

2011-10-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

[powerpoint-slides]: History of Spread of Islam in the NUSANTARA (S.E. Asia -Malay Archipelago) & Brief history of Singapore and Kampung Glam.

2011-09-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

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Brief history of spread of islam

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Brief history of singapore

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"Brief Background History of Old Kampong Glam, Singapura"

Kg glam

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A DEDICATION: Remembering the late Prof.Ahmad Ibrahim (may Allah bless and be Merciful upon his soul).

[video]:"Torturing Democracy"

2011-09-12T00:50:00.000-07:00

[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH - (Reflections and lectures delivered in year 2011: at Darul Arqam Singapore)

2011-08-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

10 January 2011

Tadzkirah jan2011 understanding'ibadah

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13 February 2011

Reflections qur'an(bewareoftaghut)

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13 March 2011

Reflections qur'an(3)aali 'imran[164]

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10 April 2011

[Slideshare]reflections qur'an(3)aali 'imran[164] part2

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8 May 2011

Reflections qur'an(3)aali 'imran[164] part3

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15 May 2011

Reflection messagequr’an(16surahnahl 90)

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5 June

Tadzkirah june(2011) thingstoavoid-maa-idah90-91

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26 June 2011

Tadzkirah 26-june(2011)-

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31 July 2011

Tadzkirah july(2011)becomingguestsofallah

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7 August 2011

[Slideshare]tadzkira ramadhan7august2011 isra-(17)-78-84)

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13 August 2011
"LAI-LATUL-QADR" - The Night of Decree

[Slideshare]]lailatul qadr darul-ramadhanreflection(2011)

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14 August 2011

[Slideshare]tadzkirah ramadhan(14august2011) zumar-38(9-14)

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28 August 2011

[Slideshare]tadzkirah ramadhan(28aug2011) mu'minun[23-1-11]

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11 September 2011

Tadzkirah sept2011 beware of the munafiqun

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[powerpoints] : "Da'wah : preliminary reflections" - from NTUMS program for Islamic Awaraeness

2011-08-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

Below the powerpoint slides from the series on Da'wah, organized ny MTUMS (Nanyang Technological University Muslim Society) for their Islamic Awareness Program (2011).May Allah be pleased with all our efforts.

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[Slideshare]ntums da'wah workshop(#1-july2011).pptx

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[Slideshare]ntums da'wah workshop(#2-6aug2011)

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[Slideshare]ntums da'wah workshop(#3-13aug2011)

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[Slideshare]ntums da;wah workshop(#4-20aug2011)

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"History Of Makkah" - (Documentary)

2011-08-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

2011-06-19T22:49:00.001-07:00

AlHamdulillaah!

Was invited to deliver (2 sessions only) an elucidation regarding some epistemological questions - from several points (excerpts) raised in Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazalie's book "Ayyuhal Walad".

Below, I hope to share the slides (powerpoint) for those who may benefit. Especially the young English educated Muslims, for them to appreciate traditional heritage from the Islamic knowledge-culture and learning.

May Allah azzaawajall, make us to benefit from the knowledge that He has taught us, and grant us increase in beneficial knowledge.

WaAllaahu muwaafiq,

was-salaam

[Slideshare]alkaff mosquesession(draft as on 6june 2011) (1)

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[Slideshare]alkaff mosquesession(18 june-2011) (session#2)

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[powerpoints] : "Introduction to the Study in FIQH" - lessons# 1- 7 (part)

2011-06-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

POSTER - [ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COURSE]

Fardh ainintermcoursefiqh(poster)april2011

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Lesson # 1A

[Slideshare]fiqh course#part1a(april2011)

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Lesson # 1B

[Slideshare]fiqh course#1b-continue(april2011)

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Lesson # 2

[Slideshare]fiqh course#2-approach2 learning(2011)

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Lesson # 3

[Slideshare]fiqh course#3-maqasid shariah(2011)

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Lesson # 4A

[Slideshare fiqh caourse#4ahistoryqur'anahadith(2011)

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Lesson # 4B

[Slideshare]fiqh course#4b historyofmadzaahib

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Lesson # 5

[Slideshare]fiqh course#5-adab followgmadzhab(2011)

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Lesson # 6

[Slideshare]fiqh course-#6-using resourcestext-(2011)a

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Lesson # 7

[Slideshare]fiqh course-#7-khilafiyyah(2011)

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[Sincere advice] Election – “Prioritise Justice (Adl’) before Good deeds (Ihsan)”

2011-05-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

السّلام عليْكم و رحْمة الله وبركاته

وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٲنِ‌ۚ

وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ

“But help ye one another unto righteousness and pious duty. Help not one another unto sin and transgression, but keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is severe in punishment.”

(Qur’an: Maa-idah: 5: 2)

Muslims are commanded to compete and cooperate with all people (Muslims and non-Muslims) in every matters of doing good and in every acts of piety (god consciousness), but never in matters of sins and transgression (rancour). In this atmosphere of election, how should one exercise one’s right as a citizen to choose the nation's representatives? How does one choose? Those who are seeking office would offer us their credentials, their plans, their promises, and perhaps enumerating various programs and good deeds they may have done. Jostling for support, we are inundated with so much information, mixed with facts and propaganda, with threats as well as assurances, being drawn into debates regarding issues as well as the contending personalities in the election,etc. Indeed, it can be an eye-opening experience, especially when media is not monopolised. As much as it is enlightening, it can also be confusing to some. What is worrying is that, for the unwary and simple minded, the young voters as well as the elderly, it can misled and be misleading if not guided.

Someone gave a general advice to Muslims – to consider what the “maslahat dunya” (worldly benefit) for our community which one’s choice (or vote) would make. But being a Muslim, the concept of “maslahat” (benefit) – even on such worldly matters in our practices living amidst the secularists – it must always be linked to its consequence for us in the hereafter (dunya wal aakhirah), and cannot be dichotomised. Muslims must not be misled by certain ‘pragmatic’ people who suggest to us to put on “blinkers”- as though we can disregard the effect that our vote can have in the hereafter (akhirah). Alas, remember not all Muslims are the same. Allah SWT even warns us:

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُعۡجِبُكَ قَوۡلُهُ ۥ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَيُشۡهِدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِى قَلۡبِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ ٱلۡخِصَامِ
وَإِذَا تَوَلَّىٰ سَعَىٰ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لِيُفۡسِدَ فِيهَا وَيُهۡلِكَ ٱلۡحَرۡثَ وَٱلنَّسۡلَ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡفَسَادَ

"There is the type of man whose speech about this world's life may dazzle thee and he calls Allah to witness about what is in his heart; yet is he the most contentious of enemies. When he turns his back his aim everywhere is to spread mischief through the earth and destroy crops and cattle. But Allah loveth not mischief."

(Qur'an: Baqarah: 2: 204-205)

Therefore we should always remember this verse - which is repeated at the end of every sermon on Friday (Jumu'ah) khutbah:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَٱلۡإِحۡسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآىِٕ ذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَيَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَٱلۡبَغۡىِ‌ۚ يَعِظُكُمۡ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ

“

Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberty to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition.”

(Qur’an: Nahlu: 16: 90)

One of the important point to note from this verse is for Muslims to know the important and very significant Islamic (Qur’anic) priority commanded by Allah – where specifically Allah puts Justice ('ADL) before the doing of good, excellence (IHSAN).

Enumerating the many goodness that some candidates may have done or which the other candidates may promise to do, although relevant, yet it is not the highest or most crucial criteria. The most important criteria is ‘ADALAH (Justice). Without justice, whatever good any programs or policies may seem to be, would still be regarded as ZULM (unjust) and therefore are to be disregarded. Therefore apply this litmus test before choosing any as the parliamentary representative irrespective whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims., Remember In the Seerah-Nabawiy, the Prophet chose Negus the Christian king of Ethiopia, for the first migrating Muslims to seek patronage from, wa because he was known for being Just.

WaAllaahu a’lam

"O Allah! Do guide us upon the Straight path, the path of those who receive your favours, not of those who earn your anger, not those who are astray. O Allah!. Make us see truth to be true and grant us ability to follow. Make us to see falsehood as false and make us able to reject it. With our invoking Your salutations and peace upon our prophet Muhammad, and his family and companions, all praises belongs to You O Allah, Lord Sustainer of all the worlds".

Was-salaam

ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW COURSES : ISLAM FOR BEGINNER'S & INTERMEDIATE (FIQH)

2011-03-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

A new cycle insha-Allah to run.

Fardh ain(poster)april2011

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After Intermediate (Tauheed), this is the next module:

Fardh ainintermcoursefiqh(poster)april2011

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The topics which we hope to cover in this module, inshaAllah:

Fiqh course(topics)2011

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Remove the Ban on the use of Tudung in Singapore - a relevant article

2011-03-08T23:18:00.000-08:00

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THE MYTH OF MULTIRACIALISM IN POST-9/11 SINGAPORE:
THE "TUDUNG" INCIDENT
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from New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 5, 1 (June, 2003) : 51-71.

"Vandalization of Holy Places"

2011-02-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

A mini documentary on Al Saud's systematic destruction of Mecca and Madina.

The Demolition of Islamic Heritage in Mecca and Madina Millions flock to Mecca for the annual pilgrimage, a duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it. But beyond the ritual scene, there appears a controversial and sad aspect of the holy Mecca, which began to lose its spirituality and historical identity.

Many Saudi intellectuals, mainly from the Makkah region, are full of anger in response to the government's plans to wipe out the legacy of Islam and replace it with skyscrapers, starbucks, and malls. "One cannot help but feel sad seeing the Kaaba, a dot so small between all those glass and iron giants,"

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"TABARRUK" - A CLARIFICATION
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Clarifying tabarruk

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Sheikh Hamza Yusuf ( Islam & the West and America) - talk in 2006-2007

2011-02-14T05:13:00.000-08:00

CHANGING THE TIDE IN AMERICA - ISLAM IN AMERICA

"Convert to Islam in Thai Prison"

2011-02-14T04:45:00.000-08:00

فَمَن يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ أَن يَهۡدِيَهُ ۥ يَشۡرَحۡ صَدۡرَهُ ۥ لِلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ‌ۖ

"Those whom Allah (in His Plan) willeth to guide,― He openeth their breast to Islam"
(Qur'an: An'am: 6: 125)

RESPONDING TO QUESTION: "About conversion and marriage"

2011-02-10T18:42:00.000-08:00

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This reply is on: NUS ISLAMIC AWARENESS WEEK 2011
http://www.wix.com/braino_one/nusiaw2011
Questions Answered
By Ustaz Zhulkeflee Bin Haji Ismail:
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THE QUESTION:

I have a non-Muslim friend who wants to get married to a Muslim guy. She is willing to convert and believe in Islam but she will not be able to get her parent's approval. If she goes ahead and marries the boy, will their marriage be a blessed one? Will she be sinned because she disobeyed her parents? Her parents disapprove of the guy only because he is Muslim.

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Al-Hamdulillah! (All Praises belongs to God). Whomsoever Allah guides, none can lead astray and Allah will be the Protector of those who believe in Him, and He will bring them out from darkness into light.

Lest people may misunderstand Islam and Muslim converts, please allow me to make some clarifications first, before responding directly to your question.

CLARIFICATION

A person’s willingness to accept any religion, especially Islam, is a personal decision which he or she should make without being coerced nor deceived into it. In my experience, people ‘come’ to Islam or ‘come to know’ Islam, because of many different reasons or circumstances. Some were born into a Muslim family, while others may be through conversion. Yet, to ‘become’ a Muslim, we are taught in Islam that it should be because of the truth of its teachings, in which one has learnt and is willing to accept. This is because religion is a personal matter between a person and God, for which he or she will be held accountable for it in the Hereafter. Religion should be accepted sincerely, as Allah stated in the Qur’an:

وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ

“And they have been commanded no more than this: to (serve or)worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being True (in faith)”

(Qur’an: Bayyina: 98: 5)

NO FORCE IN MATTER OF ACCEPTING RELIGION

One of the cornerstone of Islamic teaching is the individual right to a religion. And no person should be compelled or forced, nor deceived into accepting any religion. This is clearly stated by Allah :

لَآ إِكۡرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ‌ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشۡدُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَىِّ‌ۚ فَمَن يَكۡفُرۡ بِٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ
.
فَقَدِ ٱسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِٱلۡعُرۡوَةِ ٱلۡوُثۡقَىٰ لَا ٱنفِصَامَ لَهَا‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
.
ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ‌ۖ

“Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from Error; whoever rejects Evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things. Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness, He will lead them forth into light.”

(Qur’an: Baqarah: 2: 256-257)

وَلَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَٱلۡبَصَرَ وَٱلۡفُؤَادَ
.
كُلُّ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ كَانَ عَنۡهُ مَسۡـُٔولاً۬

“And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).”

(Qur’an: Isra’: 17: 36)

IMPORTANT ADVICE ON CONVERSION

Thus as much as I am happy at her willingness, and would welcome the sister to Islam, I have to advise her firstly that she find out, study and assess Islam by the teachings, without it being mixed with the idea of the marriage to a Muslim.

Only if she is already convinced of its Truth, should she convert. Do not accept Islam and embrace it as a matter of convenience. I always respect Muslim converts because they become Muslims by choice, not by chance.

MY ADVICE TO HER IN DEALING WITH HER PARENTS

Your parent’s objection precisely is because they think that if you marry a Muslim man, then you are going to be ‘forced’ to convert to Islam. Their fear should be appreciated, although somewhat misplaced if you truly accept Islam because of your conviction of its truth, rather than because of marriage to a Muslim.

As I understand from the question, your parents’ objection is ‘Islam’, and not so much the Muslim guy. You need to remove that fallacy which they have. So share with them the truth of Islam (rather than the goodness of the guy). Respectfully if you can, try to remove their ‘misperceived fear’ of your becoming a Muslim, and tell them about Islam. This would be better.

When your parents have no objection to your becoming a Muslimah, then the issue of marriage to a Muslim guy would become easier. But, please ensure that he is a good Muslim.

Now in seeking your parent’s permission, you need to consult them for advice respectfully because, as a Muslim daughter you must show the utmost kindness and filial piety even to non-Muslim parents:

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنًا‌ۚ
.
إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡڪِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ۬
.
وَلَا تَنۡہَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلاً۬ ڪَرِيمً۬ا

“Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour.”

(Qur’an: Isra’: 17: 23)

وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٲلِدَيۡهِ حَمَلَتۡهُ أُمُّهُ ۥ وَهۡنًا عَلَىٰ وَهۡنٍ۬
.
وَفِصَـٰلُهُ ۥ فِى عَامَيۡنِ أَنِ ٱشۡڪُرۡ لِى وَلِوَٲلِدَيۡكَ إِلَىَّ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ
.
وَإِن جَـٰهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُشۡرِكَ بِى مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌ۬ فَلَا تُطِعۡهُمَا‌ۖ
.
وَصَاحِبۡهُمَا فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا مَعۡرُوفً۬ا‌ۖ وَٱتَّبِعۡ سَبِيلَ مَنۡ أَنَابَ إِلَىَّ‌ۚ
.
ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَأُنَبِّئُڪُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

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

"But if they strive to make the join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge obey them not; Yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration) and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love): in the End the return of you all is to Me, and I will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that ye did."

(Qur’an: Luqman: 31:14-15)

MARRIAGE WITHOUT CONSENT

Family in Islam is to be regarded as a sacred trust and marriage, an act of worship to Allah. And in Islam, women are to be protected and role of guardianship (Waliy) and their consent is very important. Although your non-Muslim parents must be consulted, their objections (if any) should be on matters of safeguarding your interest as their daughter, not because of your new religion. Even if they may object to you (who is already a Muslim) to marry another Muslim (but he must be one who qualify to ensure your rights and welfare would be looked after by him, responsibly), then a Muslim (Shari’ah court judge or appointed by him) as guardianship (Waliy) for you would suffice. This is because you would be only striving to comply or obey Allah, and the marriage would still be regarded as blessed. We are taught:

“There can be no obedience to creation in matters of disobedient to the Creator”

BEAR COMPANY WITH THEM

InshaAllaah, if you do marry, your family ties (even as non-Muslims) must be strengthened, for your duty (obligation) still is also to be the best daughter and your husband, the best son-in-law to them. Impress upon them that in Islam, marriage does not mean they have lost a daughter, but that they gain another son.

BE WITNESSES

All these are actually obligatory for all Muslims who have testified that they bear witness to the truth “That there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

Allah commands:

وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا لِّتَڪُونُواْ شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ
.
وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدً۬ا‌ۗ

“And thus have We willed you to be a community of the middle way (ummatan wasotan) [i.e. justly balanced], so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind (shuhadaa-a ‘alan-naas), and the Messenger as a witness over you. “

(Qur’an: al- Baqarah: 2:143)

May Allah grant us His Guidance with success

WaAllaahu a’lam
(And Allah knows the best)

Zhulkeflee

=================================================

"What really happened on 9/11 (WTC New York)?"

2011-02-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

refer article: "“WTC (New York)!” - JUST A REFLECTION

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[re-post of an article]: "ISLAM : A PROGRESSIVE RELIGION"

2011-01-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

Extracted (and re-post again here, from:
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http://zhulkeflee-archive.blogspot.com/2008/04/islam-progressive-religion.html
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By : Ustaz Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail
(PERGAS)Singapore Religious Teachers’ Association.
paper for “WAMY" World Assembly of Muslim Youth
- Islamic Symposium
1997”

(10 Sept 97/ 8 R.Awwal 1418H)
organized by Global Impact and Muhammadiyah Association.

======================================

INTRODUCTION

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطۡفِـُٔواْ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ وَٱللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِۦ وَلَوۡ ڪَرِهَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ

“They aim to extinguish Allah’s light with their utterances: but Allah has willed to spread His light in all its fullness, however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth.”
(Qur’an: as-Saff: 61: 8)

Despite the negative portrayal of Islam, especially by the media, Islam still is steadily being accepted and today its adherents comprises of one-fifth of all humanity. Yet, those who see it as a threat will constantly try to undermine it by process of “misinformation.” The most important respond is by way of educating our young generation towards being able to coherently rebut these misconceptions and expose their silly prejudices.

BRIEF OUTLINE

Amongst the constant barrage of misinformation is the portrayal of Islam as a “backward religion”, “antiquated” and “not in synch with progress.” It is most unfortunate that such views are affecting our young minds, especially those with little knowledge of Islam and who are being exposed to such thoughts emanating from advocates of ‘modernism’ and ‘post-modernism’.

This paper will respond to only one aspect of such misinformation i.e. the notion that Islam is a backward religion and against progress. Yet inspite of the negative portrayal by the media, Islam is indeed a progressive religion and this paper will argue with the following sub-topics:

[1] What do we mean by “progressive” ?

[2] Why is there, generally, a negative perception of Islam?

[3] Our task and the intellectual challenge ahead.

[4] “Islam is progressive...” Examples of some important aspects.

What do we mean by “progressive”?

When we talk about being “progressive”, we normally are concerned about man’s efforts towards change from good to better. To know what is best, criteria and standards have to be envisaged to be used as measurement - be it quantitative or qualitative or both. It must be a constant effort towards attaining perfection, and not just limited to certain aspect of development but it must also consider the overall effect to man’s total development. Therefore by progressive we do not necessarily mean whatever is attained is already perfect, for to be fully satisfied with present attainments stifles the very notion of being progressive. Suffice if the changes attained are in line with the long-term vision of success, and the spirit of striving still continues. In judging a particular religion, we have to evaluate from its teachings whether it conforms to that idea of “progressive”, rather than relying on what its followers have done - because we believe Islam is perfect but the Muslims are not, rather Muslims can seek perfection in Islam. (and not the other way round).

To define what we mean by “progressive” it is crucial and dependent upon what one considers as important objectives and vision for life, which one sets. And thus, to judge any particular religious teaching as being truly progressive depends very much also on how that religion view man’s purpose and destiny. If the notion of “who is man? what is his role & purpose ? where will he go ? “ differs (for people have different objectives and views in life), the question of being “progressive” will differ respectively. Some within a narrow or particular perspective whilst those with a broader or holistic ideal defines it within the larger perspective. The following characteristics which I believe only Islam has, sets it apart as a truly “progressive religion” from all other:

[1] Entrenched in its original teachings are clear concepts of success, which not only is concerned with short-term gains alone but also is far-sighted. While it does concern itself with particular aspects yet it does not neglect the overall human development. Every aspect of its teachings is linked in a harmonious matrix emanating from the essential teaching i.e. concerning the Oneness of God and from it the unity and the brotherhood of man and the universe. Although Islam teaches that the ultimate life is in the hereafter, it does not ignore the importance of this life here and now, which it emphasize as the important means to the hereafter. And it has all along resisted attempts to dichotomize between the secular and the sacred, the earthly and the hereafter.

[2] Central to its teachings is that it exhorts its adherent towards attaining the highest standards possible according to one’s capacity.

[3] It provide guidelines, framework for its attainment in a harmonious way, from rules for personal development to international relations, linking every aspect of man’s life to a unified paradigm. Yet, it is not a rigid system as it allows for man’s growth in terms of his own discovery and inventiveness, in whatever circumstances which he may face in living in this world.

[4] Its message is aimed universally to all nation and constantly manages to draw people from every nation into its fold regardless of their difference in make up, because essentially all mankind are related in their humanity and share a common trust and responsibility.

[5] Its primary vision, standards and principle teachings remain unchanged whereas other religious or philosophical thoughts tend to change their stand. An interesting observation can be seen in that others tend to “discover” what Islam has all along been advocating.

Why generally is there a negative perception?

There are people who think that “Islam is backward”, “Islam is not progressive” and this is somewhat supported, either explicitly or implicitly, by the world media’s slanted coverage of events and news. This is compounded with the Muslims’ lack of success responding to the same media. Although it is accepted that what Muslims do does not necessarily mean that that is what Islam teaches, yet opinions of people tends to use such false syllogism (i.e. example, since the Muslims are backward, therefore it speaks much of Islam itself as a religion.). Added to this are the attacks against Islam by its enemies, which dates back to the Crusades. Although nowadays the approaches used have become somewhat subtler but more sophisticatedly lethal, in the form of Orientalist research and writings by so-called ‘sympathetic scholars’. We have to be proactively trained to think critically, to be prepared for the “ideological battle” (Ghuzwatul-fikr).

OUR TASK AHEAD

To prepare for this (ghuzwatul-fikr) every Muslim must know how to respond to misconceptions, not just by emotional outburst but with “wisdom and fair exhortation” as enjoined in the Qur’an (an-Nahl: 125.)

The process required is for every Muslim:

[1] To have a satisfactory general overview of Islam’s message - its philosophy, principles, paradigm, epistemology, history and development etc.;

[2] To be critical of the so-called “standards” used by the others and set them right first vis-à-vis Islam’s;

[3] To exposed their flaw viz. incomplete data, out of context etc. or their fallacious arguments viz. false syllogism, fallacy of the converse etc.

(refer to my presentation: “how to deal with the general misconceptions on Islam”)

“ISLAM IS A PROGRESSIVE RELIGION.

Examples of some important aspects.......”

To support our contention that Islam indeed is progressive, let us evaluate the contributions of Islam in the various fields and approach it using criteria listed above (The area or fields listed below as just examples to show the approach - and therefore not exhaustive):

In Education

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ فِى ٱلۡأُمِّيِّـۧنَ رَسُولاً۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ
.
وَيُزَكِّيہِمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬
.
وَءَاخَرِينَ مِنۡہُمۡ لَمَّا يَلۡحَقُواْ بِہِمۡ‌ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ

“He (Allah) it is who sent unto the unlettered people an apostle from among themselves, to convey unto them His messages, and to cause them to grow in purity, and to impart unto them the divine writ as well as wisdom - whereas before that they were indeed, most obviously, lost in error - ; and to [cause this message to spread] from them unto other people as soon as they come into contact with them : for He alone is almighty, truly wise!
(Qur;’an: al-Jumuu’ah: 62: 2-3)

Islam stresses from the beginning, and the Muslims are exhorted to accept that:

[1] Education is a very important human rights compulsory for all. (tolabul’ilm-faridwa-tan ‘alaa kul-li muslim - “to seek knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim” - Hadith reported by Ibn Majah) and is lifelong vocation (utluubull’lmi, minal mah-di ilal-lahd - “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave” -Hadith)

[2] Truth and Wisdom is universal and mankind’s success requires their preoccupation with the seeking and sharing of this. (wa-tawaa-swoubil-haq - Exhort one another towards (the teaching of) truth - Q: al-Asr : 3..) (..awalam yasii-ru fil-ardi fa-yan-zuruu kai-fa kaa-na ‘aa-qibatu-lazi-na min qab-lihim..”....Have they then never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those who lived before their time ?....- Q : ar-Rum :9 )

[3] Ultimate objective of education is the perfection of man’s nature & disposition entailing development of his intellect & conviction, his deeds and actions, and his inner spiritual purification and growth. (In-namaa bu-ith-tu-lii utam-mima makarimal akh-laaq - “verily I have not been raised (as a prophet) except to perfect the noble nature (disposition of mankind) - Hadith.” Beginning with the three aspects (iiman, islam wa-ihsan - “conviction, submission and best conduct”) it provides for the balanced growth and development of a truly humane personality.

[4] Knowledge (al-’ilm) - Islam does not recognize secularist notion of knowledge but it extends knowledge even to the study of the universe as a necessary extension to religious pursuit. Research of the universe is the other (“aayah”) signs which the Qur’an enjoins believers to discover. (in-nafii kholqis-samaa-waati wal-’ardhi wakh-tilaafil-lay-li wan-nahaari la-aa-yaa-ti li-ulil al-baab - “verily in the creations of heaven and earth and in the alternations of night and day, in them are Signs for those who reflect” - Q: ali-Imran : 3 :189 )

[5] Lest we forget, Islam had contributed tremendously in the field of education and especially our young Muslims should never forget this. The present age or civilization owes a lot to the Islamic civilization, which carried the torch of knowledge and enlightenment when the world then, was in the “dark ages”. Attempts to eradicate or deny this had been made especially when the Muslims were dominated and ruled by colonial rulers. The time has come for us Muslims to resume that tradition of education, which had made us the leaders of man with a civilization, which benefit the universe.

In legislation

- “Maqaasid-ash-shar’iyyah”(Aims & purpose of Shari’ah)

[1] Ever since its inception, Muslims have a constitution perfectly written in a perfect language i.e. Al-Qur’an (Dustuuruna) and exemplified through the Prophet Muhammad’s life i.e. As-Sunnah (Qudwaatuna). From then on the development of the Shari’ah evolved in accordance with the needs of people and has remained continuously relevant even till today. Much criticisms were made to it by those who were advocates of other legislative systems but a simple respond would be to discuss the aims and purpose of Islamic Shari’ah vis-à-vis theirs. Briefly, they should realized that Islamic shari’ah concerns itself with mankind’s preservation and development of their:

Dhururiyyah (Rights to religious belief, to life, to intellect, to wealth, to honour / lineage,)

Haajiyyah (Needs which ensure comfortable life as a manifestation of glorifying God)

Tahsiniyyah (Perfection- towards “Makarimal akhlaq” (development of noble character) and “Mashaalih” (betterment of the community)

[2] It can be shown the extensiveness of Islamic jurisprudence by listing the areas covered under “Fiqhul-Islam”, viz. ‘Ibadah (Personal Devotions); Mu’amalah (Social Transaction); Munakahah (Marriage & Family); Jinaayah (Criminal); Faraa-idh (Inheritance / Distribution of wealth); Aqodhiyyah (Judiciary); Jihad (Striving in war & peace) and al-Imaarah (Leadership & government).

In international relations

- “globalization of human civilization”

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ۬ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ شُعُوبً۬ا
.
وَقَبَآٮِٕلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْ‌ۚ إِنَّ أَڪۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَٮٰكُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ۬

“O men! Behold, We created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, Allah is all knowing, all-aware.”
(Qur’an: al-Hujurat: 49: 13)

[1] It advocate peaceful co-existence of mankind inspite of our physical differences which should positively be used towards better understanding of each other (li-ta’aarafu - “that they may come to know one another” -Q: al-Hujurat: 49: 13);

[2] It directs mankind towards mutual assistance for the sake of goodness and the general welfare of all-mankind (ta’aawanu alal-birri wa taq-wa - “but rather help one another in furthering virtue and God-consciousness” - Q: al-Ma’idah: 5: 2);

[3] It emphasizes Justice and Good Deeds (ya’ muru bil-’adli wal ihsaan wa itaa-i zil-qurba, wayanhaa anil fah-shaa-i wal mungkari wal baghi - “...He (Allah) enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards (one’s) fellow-men; and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason, as well as envy..” - Q : an-Nahl : 16 : 90) to be a common virtue for all mankind to consider implementing;

[4] It advocate communication and dialogue for the pursuit of Truth without coercion (laa ikraaha fid-diin - “ there shall be no coercion in matters of faith” - Q: al-Baqarah: 2: 256) ; (afa-anta tukrihun-naas hat-taa ya-kuunu mu’miniin - “.. do you then think that you can compel people to believe..? - Q: Yunus: 10: 99.)

[5] Collective concern to eradicate oppression by reconciling the feuding parties through negotiations. And when this fails, then to resort to use of collective force against the one who oppresses because when all else fails, peace can only be achieved through a just war. ( fa-asw-lihu bai-nahumaa, fa-in ba-ghat ih-daa-huma ‘alal-ukhraa fa-qaatilul-lati tab-ghii ha-taa tafii-a ila am-rillaah fa-in faa-at fa-asw-lihuu bai-na-huma bil-’adli wa-aq-swituu... “..make peace between them; but then, if one of the two (groups) goes on acting wrongfully towards the other, fight against the one that acts wrongfully until it reverts to Allah’s commandment; and if they revert, make peace between them with justice, and deal equitably (with them)..” al-Hujurat : 49 : 9)

Conclusion:

Vicegerency-Mankinds common role, purpose & responsibilities.

ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِى ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِى ٱلنَّاسِ
.
لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ

“Corruption has appeared on land and in the sea as an outcome of what men’s hands have wrought :”

(Qur’an : ar-Rum : 30 : 41)

فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفً۬ا‌ۚ فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيۡہَا‌ۚ
.
لَا تَبۡدِيلَ لِخَلۡقِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ
.
ذَٲلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

“And so set thy face steadfastly towards the [one ever-true] faith, turning away from all that is false, in accordance with the natural disposition which Allah has instilled into man: [for] not to allow any change to corrupt what Allah has thus created - this is the [purpose of the one] ever-true faith: but most people know it not.”

(Qur’an: ar-Rum: 30: 30)

There are many other aspects of Islam, which are so beautiful and relevant for mankind. Thus, it is for us Muslims to reform ourselves and return to the pristine and noble teachings of Islam - because whether we like it or not, people tends to judge Islam based on the state and behavior of the Muslims. And why are the lives of Muslims not reflective of the noble teachings of Islam? Perhaps, many are themselves ignorant of it, or simply complacent by not being committed to the Islamic cause.

Before we can effectively convinced others, we ourselves must be convinced. Before we can educate others about Islam, we ourselves must be educated in it. Therefore, the beginning of change must start with each individual Muslim themselves. For Allah s.w.t. says:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوۡمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنفُسِہِمۡ‌ۗ

“Verily, Allah does not change the state of a people unless they change what is in themselves.”

(Qur’an: ar-Ra’ad: 13: 11)

WALLAAHU A’LAM -

WABIL-LAAHI-TAU-FIQ-WAL-HI-DAA-YAAH
-WAS-SALAA-MU- ‘ALAYKUM WARAH-MATULLAAHI- WA-BARA-KAATUH.

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[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH January - 2011 ( "Understang 'Ibadah'" - servitude towards Allah)

2011-01-10T02:07:00.000-08:00

وَذَكِّرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكۡرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ

مَآ أُرِيدُ مِنۡہُم مِّن رِّزۡقٍ۬ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَن يُطۡعِمُونِ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلرَّزَّاقُ ذُو ٱلۡقُوَّةِ ٱلۡمَتِينُ

"But teach (thy Message): for teaching benefits the Believers. I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me. No sustenance do I require of them nor do I require that they should feed Me. For Allah is He Who gives (all) Sustenance― Lord of Power, Steadfast (forever)."
(Qur'an: Surah Adz-Dzariyat: 51: 55-58)

Al-Hamdulillah!
Just delivered this for our Filipino/Filipina converts and family.

May Allah SWT be pleased ....

Tadzkirah jan2011 understanding'ibadah

View more presentations from zhulkeflee.

[Documentary]: "Allah is Known Through Reason" - Harun Yahya

2010-12-18T23:25:00.000-08:00

Let us refer to our human biology (a few examples) to see how certain parts of our organ performs vital and complex function in perfect coordination with one another, and not a jumble up product of "chance" devoid of purpose. And for it to still function, surely this points to the existence of a "Will " of One Absolute Sustainer Who Sustains.

إِنَّمَا يَخۡشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِ ٱلۡعُلَمَـٰٓؤُاْۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ

“Of all His servants, only such as are endowed with (innate) knowledge stand (truly) in awe of Allah: (for they alone comprehend that) verily, Allah is Almighty, Much Forgiving.”
(Qur’an: Fatir 35 : 40)

وَفِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ءَايَـٰتٌ۬ لِّلۡمُوقِنِينَ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ‌ۚ أَفَلَا تُبۡصِرُونَ

"And on earth there are Signs (of Allah's existence, visible) to
all who are endowed with inner certainty, just as (there are signs) thereof within your ownselves: can you not then see? “
( Qur'an: Az-Dzariyat: 51 : 20-21 )

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Also see this:

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"THE MIRACLE OF THE BLOOD AND HEART"

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[Documentary]: "Science and Islam" - BBC

2010-12-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

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[powerpoint]: "SEVEN REASONS WHY A SCIENTIST BELIEVE IN GOD'S EXISTENCE"

2010-12-16T00:23:00.000-08:00

إِنَّ فِى خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّہَارِ

لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ

"Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of Night and Day,― there are indeed Signs for men of understanding.―" (Qur'an: Surah Aali'Imran: 3:190)

... a sample powerpoint slides from the on-going weekly class : Introduction to Tauheed (Intermediate Islamic course) every Saturday night @ 8pm.

---------------------------------------------

[Slideshare]tauhid course(#4c).

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[powerpoint] Sharing Islam with others : "Understanding the Islamic Festivals."

2010-11-24T16:10:00.000-08:00

AlHamdulillah! Just delivered this to a mainly non-Muslim staff of Temasek Polytechnic, and herewith I would like to share with other Muslims too. To fellow Muslims here in Singapore, remember there are many aspects of Islam which are indeed interesting ang beautiful which can bring out truth for others to consider. So do not be apologetic

Hopefully Allah SWT accepts this as an effort of manifesting the message of al-Islam in our life for all others. Our role to bear witness to the Truth. Hopefully they too would be enlightened and guided to the Truth, inshaAllaah!

وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا لِّتَڪُونُواْ شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ
.
وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدً۬ا‌ۗ

“And thus have We willed you to be a community of the middle way (ummatan wasotan) [i.e. justly balanced], so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind (shuhadaa-a ‘alan-naas) , and the Messenger as a witness over you.“
(Qur’an: Baqarah 2:143)

--------------------------------------------

Muslim festivals[slideshare]

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[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH EID-UL- ADHA - 2010 ( "The Creed of Abraham : The Sign for Mankind")

2010-11-22T08:42:00.000-08:00

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُم وَرَحْمَةُاللّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُه

Al-Hamdulillaah!

Just delivered this @ Darul Arqam Singapore, Muslim Converts' Association.

Apart from renewing our commitment to Al-Islam, re-asserting our faith in the Truth of Islam,this presentation hopefully should assist us in our inter-faith dialogue of explaining to others.

Hopefully Allah may guide all those who sincerely strive for the truth.

May Allah SWT grant us taufiq in becoming true witness unto all nations.

وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا لِّتَڪُونُواْ شُہَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدً۬ا‌ۗ

“And thus have We willed you to be a community of the middle way (ummatan wasotan) [i.e. justly balanced], so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind (shuhadaa-a ‘alan-naas) , and the Messenger as a witness over you.“
(Qur’an: Baqarah 2:143)

May Allah SWT be pleased and accept all our 'amal and endeavour with His Mercy and Redha.

Glory be to You O Allah, Most esteemed!

Salutations, blessings and peace be upon all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah. And all praise belongs to Allah, Lord, Sustainer, Cherisher of all the worlds.

was-salaam

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Slideshare[tadzkirah]creedof abraham(2010)

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[Powerpoint]: "From Adam to Jesus to Muhammad" lecture @ NTUMS Islamic Awareness Week.(28 Oct 2010)

2010-10-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

AlHamdulillah! Just delivered this subject.

My thanks to NTUMS (Nanyang Technological University Muslim Society) for the invitation and opportunity to serve 'Al-Islam', and all who contributed towards the success of this programme

Hope it has been beneficial and herewith would like to share the slides to any who may benefit from it.

May Allah SWT be pleased (Redha) with all of us, and may He accept us all our efforts in upholding this Deen, despite many shortcomings on our part.

May Allah bless and reward our Prophet Muhammad s.a.a.w. with the best in accordance with what he deserves in Allah's knowledge and estimation.

Was-salaam

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Unity in the message[ntums]

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"Case of a Muslim Nursing student in Singapore....."

2010-09-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

Join the cause on FB : "Hijab for Muslimah nurses in Singapore"

As-salaa-mu-'alay-kum waraH-matullahi wa barakaatuh..

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُواْ قَوۡلاً۬ سَدِيدً۬ا

.
يُصۡلِحۡ لَكُمۡ أَعۡمَـٰلَكُمۡ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡۗ

.
وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥ فَقَدۡ فَازَ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمًا

O ye who believe! Be conscious and Fear Allah, and (always) say a word directed to the Right: That He (Allah) may make your conduct whole and sound and forgive you your sins: he that obeys Allah and His Messenger, has already attained the highest Achievement."

(Qur'an: Ahzab: 33: 70-71)

Permit me to share how this 'Singapore nursing uniform code' has discriminated and deprived even students taking up nursing at Polytechnic who wish only to conform to her religious right. It will be a series of my correspondences - (thus I will post it in sequence according to date) hoping these can illuminate, educate and motivate more Muslims to learn to speak-up against a clear discrimination ...... and not be cowardly and apologetic.

May Allah preserve and strengthen us!
May He blot out our sins and grant us forgiveness, and have mercy on us.
For He is our Protector; Who will help us against those who stand against faith.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱصۡبِرُواْ وَصَابِرُواْ وَرَابِطُواْ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ

"O ye who believe! persevere in patience and constancy: vie in such
perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that ye may prosper."

(Qur'an: Aali'Imran: 3: 200)

was-salaam

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The First letter
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Request[1] fromNursingStudent(12April2009)

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The Reply from Director:
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NursingStudent'sRequest[2]-Director'sReply(15 april2009)

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Response .... during attachment
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NursingStudent'sRequest[3]"to whom it may concern"(30 May2009)

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Reply to Director's letter:
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NursingStudent'sRequest[4]RespondgDirector(11June2009)

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Letter during 2nd Attachment ...
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NursingStudent’sRequest[5]LetterDuring2ndAttachment"to whom it may concern"29June2009

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Another reply to Director:
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NursingStudent'sRequest[6]- 5Aug2009

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NursingStudent'sRequest[7]-registeringComplaint (ref meeting6aug2009) 8Aug2009

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NursingStudent'sRequest[8] -(Thereplyletter18 sept'09)

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[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH RAMADHAN (5 August 2010) - "REFLECTIONS : Important Lessons of Ramadhan"

2010-09-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

AlHamdulillaah! Allaahu Akbar!

Most grateful to Allah for having just delivered this and would like to share the slides.

Hope it can be of benefit. My appreciation to Dr. Siti Mariam and members of the Mabuhay club, Muslim Converts' Association of Singapore, and all who supported the program, may Allah SWT reward all of you with the best.

Jazaakumullaahi khay-ran katsiira!

May Allah SWT grant us Hidaaya and Taufiq with His Mercy and Redha.

May He keep us in this Faith and include us amongst His most righteous servants (al-muttaqeen).

Aa-meen!

يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِڪُمُ ٱلۡيُسۡرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِڪُمُ ٱلۡعُسۡرَ وَلِتُڪۡمِلُواْ ٱلۡعِدَّةَ

وَلِتُڪَبِّرُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَٮٰكُمۡ وَلَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ

"Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful."
(Qur'an: al-Baqarah: 2:185)

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[Slideshare]ramadhan imptlessonstadzkira5aug2010

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[powerpoint] NUSMS- Ramadhan Iftar-workshop (31.Aug.2010) : Reflections: "Being a Muslim"

2010-08-31T22:59:00.000-07:00

AlHamdulillaah!

My appreciation to Akh Luqman Hakim from National University of Singapore (NUS)and the Muslim Society(NUSMS), for the invite and opportunity for me to share during the IFTAR-Workshop-Tadzkirah for undergraduates in NUS.

Hope it may be of benefit, even to tho who missed the session..

وَٱبۡتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَٮٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡأَخِرَةَ‌ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا‌ۖ

وَأَحۡسِن ڪَمَآ أَحۡسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيۡكَ‌ۖ

وَلَا تَبۡغِ ٱلۡفَسَادَ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

"But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief."
(Surah Qasas: 28: 77)

May Allah SWT be pleased and accept us all despite our any shortcomings, with His Mercy and limitless generosity.

May He reward our Prophet Muhamaad s.a.a.w. infinitely, in accordance with His knowledge.

waAllahua'lam

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[Slideshare]nusms ramadhan tadzkirah2010

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[Powerpoint Slideshare]: "AL-QUR’AN : MIRACLE OF ALLAH’S LAST BOOK OF REVELATION” :- at Darul Arqam Singapore (28 August 2010)

2010-08-30T01:25:00.000-07:00

ALHAMDULILLAH!

Just delivered this, and would like to share to whoever may benefit from it.

This is short Tadzkirah, before IFTAR in commemoration of "the Night of Revelation of Al-Qur'an" - NUZUL AL-QUR'AAN..

شَہۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدً۬ى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِ‌ۚ

"Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong)."
(Qur'an: Baqarah: 2: 185)

May Allah SWT be pleased with all our efforts and devotions especially in this blessed month of Ramadhan.

May Allah SWT give success to follow all the Guidance, bestow Mercy upon us with the Qur'an, and make us to benefit from it with its readings and companionship, and may it become a proof for us (not against us), may He make us to always be in remembrance of Him with the Qur'an and His beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

And may AllahSWT continuously shower upon us His Taufiq with His Guidance, and preserve us in His Mercy and Fortification.

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[Slideshare]al qur'anmiracleramadhan(darularqam2010)ppt

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[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH RAMADHAN (2010)- Da'wah and it's co-relation to Education of Muslims"

2010-08-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

ALHAMDULILLAH!

Just delivered this, and would like to share to whoever may benefit from it.

This is the 2nd part in the series theme "Da'wah : the neglected legacy of the Prophet s.a.w. (a reflection).

May Allah SWT be pleased with all our efforts and devotions especially in this blessed month of Ramadhan. And may AllahSWT continuously shower upon us His Taufiq with His Guidance, and preserve us in His Mercy and Fortification.

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ لِمَا يُحۡيِيڪُمۡ‌ۖ

وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيۡنَ ٱلۡمَرۡءِ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَأَنَّهُ ۥۤ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ

"O ye who believe! Give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calleth you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom Ye shall (all) be gathered.
(Qur'an: An-Nahlu:16: 24)

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[Slideshare]ramadhan[2010]tadzkira#2[a]
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[Announcement: Ramadhan (2010) in-house talk every Sundays.

2010-08-13T03:10:00.000-07:00

[Poster]tadzkira ramadhan20101

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[Video] : "Muslims in Australia since 1600"

2010-08-12T01:52:00.001-07:00

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرۡسَلَ رَسُولَهُ ۥ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلۡحَقِّ لِيُظۡهِرَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ‌ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدً۬ا

“It is He (Allah) who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad)with Guidance and the Religion of Truth (Al-Islam), to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allah for a Witness.”

(Qur’an: Fath: 48:28)

صِبۡغَةَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ صِبۡغَةً۬‌ۖ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ ۥ عَـٰبِدُونَ

قُلۡ أَتُحَآجُّونَنَا فِى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّڪُمۡ وَلَنَآ أَعۡمَـٰلُنَا وَلَكُمۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُكُمۡ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُ ۥ مُخۡلِصُونَ

“(Say our life takes its) colour from Allah; and who could give a better colour (to life) than Allah? and it is He (Alone) Whom we worship. Say: Will ye dispute with us about Allah, seeing that He is our Lord and your Lord; that we are responsible for our doings and ye for yours; and that we are sincere (in our faith) in Him?”
(Surah al-Baqarah: 2: 138-139)

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Muslims In Australia Since 1600s @ Yahoo! Video

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[Documentary]: (Channel 4) "The Seven Wonders of the Muslim World"

2010-08-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

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To see on Youtube:
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part 1:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNZU1IbvV64

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part 2:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivb6Snr8-Xc&feature=related

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part 3:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCGdcY2i0xE&feature=related

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part 4:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9_kOhy-sbQ&feature=related

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part 5:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8hvX1MRiYw&feature=related

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part 6:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AKRBazjpos&feature=related

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part 7:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q8EW0t8Lj4&feature=related

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part 8:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUywqwq38eo&feature=related

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"A Parable of Water from the mountain"

2010-07-29T02:55:00.001-07:00

[Slideshare]parable water(sobr')

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"The roots of Israeli exceptionalism"

2010-06-28T23:58:00.000-07:00

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extracted from: al-jazeera.net
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Article By Mohamed El-Moctar El-Shinqiti

An American academic once told me: "Many people in the Islamic world think America does not believe in human rights, but they are wrong; America believes in human rights indeed, the problem is the American definition of human."

In other words: the American definition of 'human' is not a universal one. This is not purely an American characteristic; every culture faces the challenge of broadening its cultural limits and universalising its moral norms.

But among all human cultures and ideologies, the Israeli case is unique in its double standard.

Criminality wrapped in self-righteousness and aggression immersed in victimhood are a few striking characteristics of the Israeli reality and discourse.

The Israeli personality

The duality of "Israel's insistent emphasis upon its isolation and uniqueness, its claim to be both victim and hero," as Tony Judt wrote in Haaretz a few years ago, reflects the fragility and self-centeredness of the Israeli personality. This is not, unfortunately, exclusive to Israel's political elite, but rather it extends to their Zionist supporters worldwide, including those, such as novelist Elie Wiesel and philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, who portray themselves in humanistic and aesthetic images.

I was profoundly moved by the graphic description of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust in Elie Wiesel's Night, which depicts his and his father's experience of a terrifying process that violates human life and degrades human dignity.

But I was struck by the tone of self-righteousness and self-justification in Wiesel's fictional Dawn, particularly when he writes: "The commandment thou shalt not kill was given from the summit of one of the mountains here in Palestine, and we were the only ones to obey it. But that all over ... in the days and weeks and months to come, you will have only one purpose: to kill those who have made us killers."

When the Jewish South African judge, Richard Goldstone, exposed Israeli war crimes in Gaza, Wiesel called that "a crime against the Jewish people". But this is simply an immoral use of past atrocities as a moral justification for present brutalities and oppression.

Moreover, one cannot but entertain two questions here: Firstly, what kind of moral claim does Wiesel, who was born of a Romanian father and a Hungarian mother, have over the divine call at Mount Sinai in the heart of a Middle Eastern desert? And secondly, by which moral or legal norm are the Palestinians of today responsible for the wrongdoings of the Germans of yesterday?

Self-serving myths

The worst of this hypocritical language, however, can be found in Bernard-Henri Lévy's article about Israel's aggression against the Gaza Freedom Flotilla published in Haaretz on June 8, 2010.

Lévy presents himself in self-glorifying terms as being "someone who takes pride in having helped to conceive, with others, this kind of symbolic action ‏(the boat for Vietnam; the march for the survival of Cambodia in 1979)...".

But when it comes to Gaza's plight, Lévy simply dismisses the tragedy by denying the existence of the Israeli blockade and attacking easy targets, such as "the fascislamist government of Ismail Haniya" and "the Islamist gang who took power by force three years ago".

Thus, he shamelessly dismisses the grand effort of the multiethnic, multinational and religiously diverse group of humanistic leaders and activists on the Freedom Flotilla.

Moreover, Lévy lacks the objectivity to address the fascizionist - to borrow from his own terminology - gangs who aggressively invaded Palestinian land over six decades ago, and uprooted a whole population forcing them into the new Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps - Gaza and the West Bank.

Indeed, for those who put their selfish desires above the moral principles of justice and compassion, their self-serving myths are better in their eyes than the ugly truth.

Jewish humanistic intellectuals, such as Professor Tony Judt and musician Gilad Atzmon deplore Israel's self-indulgence and lack of maturity. Judt writes: "Israel still comports itself like an adolescent: consumed by a brittle confidence in its own uniqueness; certain that no one 'understands' it and everyone is 'against' it; full of wounded self-esteem, quick to take offence and quick to give it ... that it can do as it wishes, that its actions carry no consequences, and that it is immortal."

Atzmon writes: "We are dealing here with a uniquely and seriously disturbed immature nation. We are dealing with a self-loving narcissistic child .... The more the Israelis love themselves and their delusional phantasmic innocence, the more they are frightened that people out there may be as sadistic as they themselves proved to be. This behavioural mode is called projection .... Jews have a very good reason to be frightened. Their national state is a racist genocidal entity."

'Holocaustianity'

What is most disappointing, however, is not the Zionist self-righteousness and narcissism; rather it is the Western acceptance and support of this attitude - an attitude that is better understood when placed in a historical context.

The main theoretical basis of the acceptance of Israeli exceptionalism in Western culture is the diversion, mainly within the Protestant branch of Christianity, of the Christian incarnation of God in the person of Jesus to a new incarnation of God in the Jews as a people - the Chosen People.

This tendency started with Martin Luther (1483-1546) who subdued Christianity theologically and morally to the Jewish factor in his small epistle That Jesus Christ was Born a Jew. Luther wrote in that epistle: "When we are inclined to boast of our position, we should remember that we are but Gentiles, while the Jews are of the lineage of Christ. We are aliens and in-laws; they are blood relatives, cousins, and brothers of our Lord."

Through this Luther - who was paradoxically a staunch anti-Semite - inadvertently opened a theological window, that would centuries later allow the 'cult of Israel', as it has been dubbed by the American writer Grace Halsell, to replace Christianity in most Protestant denominations, especially among American Baptists. After all, what they are doing is no more than a literal implementation of Luther's deification of the Jews.

Professor Yvonne Haddad of Georgetown University's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding calls this heresy 'Holocaustianity'. And within this new heresy lie the roots of the Israeli exceptionalism.

Trivialising the Holocaust

Professor Judt writes that: "What Israel lost by its continuing occupation of Arab lands it gained through its close identification with the recovered memory of Europe's dead Jews." But he knows well that the memory of the dead is the worse moral justification for murdering innocents: "In the eyes of a watching world, the fact that the great-grandmother of an Israeli soldier died in Treblinka is no excuse for his own abusive treatment of a Palestinian woman waiting to cross a checkpoint. 'Remember Auschwitz' is not an acceptable response."

But that is exactly the kind of moral justification we have from the Israelis today.

When an advisor to Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, tried to attack Helen Thomas' remarks in which she said Israelis should "go home ... [to] Poland, Germany ..." all he did is remind her that some of his relatives were killed in Poland and Germany more than half a century ago, as if that is a good reason to starve the Palestinians to death and to kill humanitarian activists in international waters today.

After all, the Israeli politician was just confirming what Thomas said: you belong there; not here.

This is how the Holocaust memory, a memory of a human tragedy by any and every measure, is trivialised by Israeli criminality.

A moral burden

Many political thinkers and politicians have recently realised that Israel is becoming a liability and a strategic burden for the US. It has always been a strategic burden. But the problem is much deeper. Israel is becoming a moral burden on all those who have an ethical conscience, including Jews who value human dignity and social justice.

Even those who spent their lives advancing the Zionist cause are today realising the moral paradox of their life's achievement. Henry Siegman, a German-born American writer who served as the executive director of the American Jewish Congress from 1978 to 1994, wrote in Haaretz on June 11, 2010: "A million and a half civilians have been forced to live in an open-air prison in inhuman conditions for over three years now, but unlike the Hitler years, they are not Jews but Palestinians. Their jailers, incredibly, are survivors of the Holocaust, or their descendants."

All decent human beings must support the oppressed Palestinian against the Israeli oppressor.

The oppressed Arabs of Palestine (Muslims and Christians) are rendering through their suffering a great service to the entire body of humanity, by exposing the most self-centered and supremacist ideology in our world - an ideology that is wrapped today in a bloody sacredness.

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By: Mohamed El-Moctar El-Shinqiti is an author in political history and history of religion. He is a research coordinator at Qatar Foundation.
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Israel and war crimes
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Prince Charles says Islamic way is best for environment

2010-06-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

In a speech at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in 1993, The Prince identified the importance of the need for greater understanding between the West and Islam, and he today began his speech by reaffirming the need to help minority communities and faith groups integrate into British Society.

The Prince’s final point was that it is wrong to see tradition and traditional wisdom (of the kind seen in the teachings of the great faiths of the world) as backward looking. His Royal Highness believes traditional wisdom can blend with modern needs – that far from being backward-looking it is, in fact, visionary.

His Royal Highness, Patron of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, spoke at the Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford University, here is a transcript of his full speech:

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The speech :

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“It is a very great pleasure for me to be here today to help you celebrate the Oxford Centre's twenty-fifth anniversary. Whereas bits of your Patron are dropping off after the past quarter of a century, I find quite a few bits of the Centre still being added! However, I cannot tell you how encouraged I am that in addition to the Prince of Wales Fellowship, the number of fellowships you now offer continues to grow and also that this Summer you will welcome the fifth group of young people on your Young Muslim Leadership programme which is run in association with my charities. This is a vital contribution to the process of boosting the self-esteem of young Muslims – about whom I care deeply.

It has been a great concern of mine to affirm and encourage those groups and faith communities that are in the minority in this country. Indeed, over the last twenty-five years, I have tried to find as many ways as possible to help integrate them into British society and to build good relationships between our faith communities. I happen to believe this is best achieved by emphasizing unity through diversity. Only in this way can we ensure fairness and build mutual respect in our country. And if we get it right here then perhaps we might be able to offer an example in the wider world.

I am slightly alarmed that it is now seventeen years since I came here to the Sheldonian to deliver a lecture for the Centre that tried to do just this. I called it “Islam and the West” and, from what I can tell, it clearly struck a chord, and not just here in the U.K. I am still reminded of what I said, particularly when I travel in the Islamic world – in fact, because it was printed, believe it or not, it is the only speech I have ever made which continues to produce a small return!

I wanted to give that lecture to address the dangers of the ignorance and misunderstanding that I felt were growing between the Islamic world and the West in the aftermath of the Cold War. Since then, the situation has both improved and worsened, depending on where you look. Certainly the sorts of advances made by the Oxford Centre have helped to build confidence and understanding, but we all know only too well how some of the things I warned of in that lecture have since come to pass, both here and elsewhere in the world. So it is tremendously important that we continue to work to heal the differences and overcome the misconceptions that still exist. I remain confident that this is possible because there are many values we all share that have the powerful capacity to bind us, rather than what happens when those values are forgotten – or purposefully ignored.

Healing division is also my theme today, but this time it is not the divisions between cultures I want to explore. It is the division that poses a much more fundamental threat to the health and well-being of us all. It is the widening division we are seeing in so many ways between humanity and Nature.

Many of Nature's vital, life-support systems are now struggling to cope under the strain of global industrialization. How they will manage if millions more people are to achieve Western levels of consumption is highly disturbing to contemplate. The problems are only going to get much worse. And they are very real. Whatever you might have read in the newspapers, particularly about climate change in the run up to the Copenhagen conference last year, we face many related and very serious problems that are a matter of accurate, scientific record.

The actual facts are that over the last half century, for instance, we have destroyed at least thirty per cent of the world's tropical rainforests and if we continue to chop them down at the present rate, by 2050 we will end up with a very disturbing situation. In fact, in the three years since I started my Rainforest Project to try and help find an innovative solution to tropical deforestation, over 30 million hectares have been lost, and with them this planet has lost about 80,000 species. When you consider that a given area of equatorial trees evaporates eight times as much rainwater as an equivalent patch of ocean, you quickly start to see how their disappearance will affect the productivity of the Earth. They produce billions of tonnes of water every day and without that rainfall the world's food security will become very unstable.

But there are other facts too. In the last fifty years our industrialized approach to farming has degraded a third of the Earth's top soil. That is a fact. We have also fished the oceans so extensively that if we continue at the same rate for much longer we are likely to see the collapse of global fisheries in forty years from now. Another fact. Then there are the colossal amounts of waste that pollute the Earth – the many dead zones where nothing can live in many major river estuaries and various parts of the oceans, or those immense rafts of plastic that now float about in the Pacific. Would you believe that one of them, off the coast of California, is made up of 100 million tonnes of plastic and it has doubled in size in just the last decade. It is now at least six times the size of the United Kingdom. And we call ourselves civilized!

These are all very real problems and they are facts – all of them, the obvious results of the comprehensive industrialization of life. But what is less obvious is the attitude and general outlook which perpetuate this dangerously destructive approach. It is an approach that acts contrary to the teachings of each and every one of the world's sacred traditions, including Islam.

What surprises me, I have to say, is that, quite apart from whether or not we value the sacred traditions as much as we should, the blunt economic facts make the predominant approach increasingly irrational. I imagine that few of you are familiar with the interim report of the United Nations study called The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity Study which came out in 2008. It painted a salutary picture of what we lose in straightforward financial terms by our destruction of natural systems and the absence of their services to the world. In the first place they calculated that we destroy around 50 billion dollars worth of a system that produces these services every year. By mapping the loss of those services over a forty year period, their estimate is that, in financial terms, the global economy incurs an annual loss of between 2 and 4.5 trillion dollars – every single year.

To put that figure into some sort of perspective, the recent crash in the world's banking system caused a one-off loss of just 2 trillion dollars. I wonder why the bigger annual loss does not attract the same kind of Media frenzy as the banking crisis did?

This should demonstrate the flaw in the sum that does not need an Oxbridge mathematician to understand – that Nature's finite resources, divided by our ever-more rapacious desire for continuous economic growth, does not work out. We are clearly living beyond our means, already consuming the Earth's capital resources faster than she can replenish them.

Over the years, I have pointed out again and again that our environmental problems cannot be solved simply by applying yet more and more of our brilliant green technology – important though it is. It is no good just fixing the pump and not the well.

When I say this, everybody nods sagely, but I get the impression that many are often unwilling to embrace what I am really referring to, perhaps because the missing element sits outside the parameters of the prevailing secular view. It is this “missing element” that I would like to examine today.

In short, when we hear talk of an “environmental crisis” or even of a “financial crisis,” I would suggest that this is actually describing the outward consequences of a deep, inner crisis of the soul. It is a crisis in our relationship with – and our perception of – Nature, and it is born of Western culture being dominated for at least two hundred years by a mechanistic and reductionist approach to our scientific understanding of the world around us.

So I would like you to consider very seriously today whether a big part of the solution to all of our worldwide “crises” does not lie simply in more and better technology, but in the recovery of the soul to the mainstream of our thinking. Our science and technology cannot do this. Only sacred traditions have the capacity to help this happen.

In general, we live within a culture that does not believe very much in the soul anymore – or if it does, won’t admit to it publicly for fear of being thought old fashioned, out of step with “modern imperatives” or “anti-scientific.” The empirical view of the world, which measures it and tests it, has become the only view to believe. A purely mechanistic approach to problems has somehow assumed a position of great authority and this has encouraged the widespread secularisation of society that we see today. This is despite the fact that those men of science who founded institutions like the Royal Society were also men of deep faith. It is also despite the fact that a great many of our scientists today profess a faith in God. I am aware of one recent survey that suggests over seventy per cent of scientists do so.

I must say, I find this rather baffling. If this is so, why is it that their sense of the sacred has so little bearing on the way science is employed to exploit the natural world in so many damaging ways?

I suppose it must be to do with who pays the fiddler. Over the last two centuries, science has become ever more firmly yoked to the ambitions of commerce. Because there are such big economic benefits from such a union, society has been persuaded that there is nothing wrong here. And so, a great deal of empirical research is now driven by the imperative that its findings must be employed to maximum, financial effect, whatever the impact this may have on the Earth’s long-term capacity to endure.

This imbalance, where mechanistic thinking is so predominant, goes back at least to Galileo's assertion that there is nothing in Nature but quantity and motion. This is the view that continues to frame the general perception of the way the world works and how we fit within the scheme of things. As a result, Nature has been completely objectified – “She” has become an “it” – and we are persuaded to concentrate on the material aspect of reality that fits within Galileo’s scheme.

Understanding the world from a mechanical point of view and then employing that knowledge has, of course, always been part of the development of human civilization, but as our technology has become ever more sophisticated and our industrialized methods so much more powerful, so the level of destruction is now potentially all the more widespread and un-containable, especially if you add into this mix the emphasis we have on consumerism.

It was that great scientist, Goethe, who saw life as the masculine principle striving endlessly to reach the “eternal feminine” – what the Greeks called “Sophia,” or wisdom. It is a striving, he said, fired by the force of love. I am not sure that this is quite the way things happen today. Our striving in the industrialized world is certainly not fired by a love of wisdom. It is far more focussed on the desire for the greatest possible financial profit.

This ignores the spiritual teachings of traditions like Islam, which recognize that it is not our animal needs that are absolute; it is our spiritual essence, an essence made for the infinite. But with consumerism now such a key element in our economic model, our natural, spiritual desire for the infinite is constantly being reflected towards the finite. Our spiritual perspective has been flattened and made earthbound and we are persuaded to channel all of our natural, never-ending desire for what Islamic poets called “the Beloved” towards nothing but more and more material commodities. Unfortunately we forget that our spiritual desire can never be completely satisfied. It is rightly a never-ending desire. But when that desire is focussed only on the earthly, it becomes potentially disastrous. The hunger for yet more and more things creates an alarming vacuum and, as we are now realizing, this does great harm to the Earth and creates a never ending unhappiness for many, many people.

I hope you can just begin to see my point. The utter dominance of the mechanistic approach of science over everything else, including religion, has “de-souled” the dominant world view, and that includes our perception of Nature. As soul is elbowed out of the picture, our deeper link with the natural world is severed. Our sense of the spiritual relationship between humanity, the Earth and her great diversity of life has become dim. The entire emphasis is all on the mechanical process of increasing growth in the economy, of making every process more “efficient” and achieving as much convenience as possible. None of which could be said to be an ambition of God. And so, unfashionable though it is to suggest it, I am keen to stress here the need to heal this divide within ourselves. How else can we heal the divide between East and West unless we reconcile the East and West within ourselves? Everything in Nature is a paradox and seems to carry within itself the paradox of opposites. Curiously, this maintains the essential balance. Only human beings seem to introduce imbalance. The task is surely to reconnect ourselves with the wisdom found in Nature which is stressed by each of the sacred traditions in their own way.

My understanding of Islam is that it warns that to deny the reality of our inner being leads to an inner darkness which can quickly extend outwards into the world of Nature. If we ignore the calling of the soul, then we destroy Nature. To understand this we have to remember that we are Nature, not inanimate objects like stones; we reflect the universal patterns of Nature. And in this way, we are not a part that can somehow disengage itself and take a purely objective view.

From what I know of the Qu’ran, again and again it describes the natural world as the handiwork of a unitary benevolent power. It very explicitly describes Nature as possessing an “intelligibility” and that there is no separation between Man and Nature, precisely because there is no separation between the natural world and God. It offers a completely integrated view of the Universe where religion and science, mind and matter are all part of one living, conscious whole. We are, therefore, finite beings contained by an infinitude, and each of us is a microcosm of the whole. This suggests to me that Nature is a knowing partner, never a mindless slave to humanity, and we are Her tenants; God's guests for all too short a time.

If I may quote the Qu’ran, “Have you considered: if your water were to disappear into the Earth, who then could bring you gushing water?” This is the Divine hospitality that offers us our provisions and our dwelling places, our clothing, tools and transport. The Earth is robust and prolific, but also delicate, subtle, complex and diverse and so our mark must always be gentle – or the water will disappear, as it is doing in places like the Punjab in India. Industrialized farming methods there rely upon the use of high-yielding seeds and chemical fertilizers, both of which need a lot more energy and a lot more water as well. As a consequence the water table has dropped dramatically – I have been there, I have seen it – so far, by three feet a year. Punjabi farmers are now having to dig expensive bore holes over 200 feet deep to get at what remains of the water and, as a result, their debts become ever deeper and the salt rises to the surface contaminating the soil.

This is not a sustainable way of growing food and maintaining the well-being of communities. It does not respect Divine hospitality. The costs it incurs will have to be borne by those who will inherit what is fast becoming the ruined and frayed fabric of life. So for their sake, we have to acknowledge that the immediate, short-term financial benefits of our predominant, mechanistic approach are too expensive to continue to dominate our way of life.

This happens when traditional principles and practices are abandoned – and with them, all sense of reverence for the Earth which is an inseparable element in an integrated and spiritually grounded tradition like Islam – just as it was once firmly embedded in the philosophical heritage of Western thought. The Stoics of Ancient Greece, for instance, held that “right knowledge,” as they called it, is gained by living in agreement with Nature, where there is a correspondence or a sympathy between the truth of things, thought and action. They saw it as our duty to achieve an attunement between human nature and the greater scheme of the Cosmos.

This incidentally is also the teaching of Judaism. The Book of Genesis says that God placed Mankind in the garden “to tend it and take care of it,” to serve and conserve it for the sake of future generations. “Adamah” in Hebrew means “the one hewn from the Earth,” so Adam is a child of the Earth. In my own tradition of Christianity, the immanence of God is made explicit by the incarnation of Christ. But let us also not forget that throughout the Christian New Testament, Christ often refers to Himself as “the Son of Man” which, in Hebrew, is “Ben Adam.” He, too, is a “son of the Earth,” surely making the same explicit connection between human nature and the whole of Nature.

Even the apocryphal Gnostic texts are imbued with the same principle. The fragments of one of the oldest, ascribed to Mary Magdalene, instructs us that “Attachment to matter gives rise to passion against Nature. Thus, trouble arises in the whole body; this is why I tell you; be in harmony.” In all cases the message is clear. Our specific purpose is to “earth” Heaven. So, to separate ourselves within an inner darkness, leads to what the Irish poet, WB Yeats, warned of at the start of the Twentieth Century. “The falcon cannot hear the falconer,” he wrote, “things fall apart and the centre cannot hold.”

The traditional way of life within Islam is very clear about the “centre” that holds the relationship together. From what I know of its core teachings and commentaries, the important principle we must keep in mind is that there are limits to the abundance of Nature. These are not arbitrary limits, they are the limits imposed by God and, as such, if my understanding of the Qu'ran is correct, Muslims are commanded not to transgress them.

Such instruction is hard to square if all you do is found your understanding of the world on empirical terms alone. Four hundred years of relying on trying and testing the facts scientifically has established the view that spirituality and religious faith are outdated expressions of superstitious belief. After all, empiricism has proved how the world fits together and it is nothing to do with a “Supreme Being.” There is no empirical evidence for the existence of God so, therefore, Q.E.D, God does not exist. It is a very reasonable, rational argument, and I presume it can be applied to “thought” too. After all, no brain scanner has ever managed to photograph a thought, nor a piece of love, and it never will. So, Q.E.D., that must mean “thought” and “love” do not exist either!

Clearly there is a point beyond which empiricism cannot make complete sense of the world. It works by establishing facts through testing them by the scientific process. It is one kind of language and a very fine one, but it is a language not able to fathom experiences like faith or the meaning of things – it is not able to articulate matters of the soul. This is why it consistently elbows soul out of the picture.

But we do have other kinds of “language,” as Islam well knows, and they are much better at dealing with the realm of the soul and matters of meaning. Each is a different aspect of our language, in fact. Each deals with different aspects of the truth and if you put empiricism, philosophy and the spiritual perception of life together, just as the Islamic tradition at its best and richest has always done, then they tend to complement each other rather well.

Take the difference this made in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries, as an example, during the so-called “Golden Age of Islam.” It was a period which gave rise to a spectacular flowering of scientific advancement, but all of it was underpinned by an age-old philosophical understanding of reality and grounded in a profound spirituality, which included a deep reverence for the Natural world. Theirs was an integrated vision of the world, reflecting the timeless truth that all life is rooted in the unity of the Creator. This is the testimony of faith, is it not, embodied in the contemplative implication of the formless essence of the Qur'an's haqîqa? It is the notion of Tawhîd, the oneness of all things within the embrace of the Divine unity.

Islamic writers express it so well. Ibn Khaldûn, for instance, who taught that “all creatures are subject to a regular and orderly system. Causes are linked to effects where each is connected with the other.” Or the great Shabistâri in Fourteenth Century Persia, who talked of the world being “a mirror from head to foot, in every atom a hundred blazing suns where a world dwells in the heart of a millet seed.” Words that resonate, don't you think, with William Blake's famous lines, “to see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wild flower.”

Other Western poets have captured this truth too. William Wordsworth, perhaps one of the greatest of all our Nature poets, describes “a sense sublime of something far more inter-fused… a motion and a spirit that impels all thinking things, all objects of thought and rolls through all things.” I quote the poets because they help us identify this “sense sublime” and inspire reverence for the created world.

Reverence is not science-based knowledge. It is an experience always mediated by love, sometimes induced by it; and love comes from relationship. If you take away reverence and reduce our spiritual relationship with life, then you open yourself up to the idea that we can be little more than a chance group of isolated, self-obsessed individuals, disconnected from life’s innate presence and un-anchored by any sense of duty to the rest of the world. We are free to act without responsibility. Thus we turn a blind eye to those islands of plastic in the sea, or to the treatment meted out to animals in factory farms. And it is why the so-called “precautionary principle” is so often thrown out of the window.

This is the principle that would make us think twice if, say, we were to climb into a vehicle that happens to have a ninety per cent chance of crashing. Instead, because the danger is not proven beyond doubt, we think it is safe to embark upon the journey. This is how we proceed in many significant fields – in matters like genetic modification or climate change. We go on denying that there may be side-effects, even if our intuition warns us to be cautious, or even if there is some related evidence. Recently, for instance, the news emerged that, for the fourth year in a row, more than a third of honey bee colonies in the United States failed to survive the Winter. More than three million colonies in the U.S. and billions of honeybees worldwide have died. Scientists say they are no nearer to knowing what is causing this catastrophic collapse, but there is plenty of evidence that modern pesticides have played their part. Given that bees, like nearly every other bug, are insects, I would have thought it was rather obvious. And yet we carry on with a narrow-minded, mechanistic approach to industrialized farming with all its focus on high yields at whatever price. So we lace the fields with pesticides that kill insects. It is quite bizarre how we continue to entrust our food security to the very substances that are destroying the harmonic cycle which produces our food. It really is a form of collective hubris and I often wonder if those who practise such well-exercised scepticism in these matters will ever see that “the Emperor is wearing no clothes?”

This, then, is why the wisdom and learning offered by a sacred tradition like Islam matters – and, if I may say so, why those who hold and strive to preserve their sacred traditions in different parts of the world have every reason to become more confident of their ground. The Islamic world is the custodian of one of the greatest treasuries of accumulated wisdom and spiritual knowledge available to humanity. It is both Islam’s noble heritage and a priceless gift to the rest of the world. And yet, so often, that wisdom is now obscured by the dominant drive towards Western materialism – the feeling that to be truly “modern” you have to ape the West.

To counter that tendency I have done what I can with my School of Traditional Arts to nurture and support traditional and sacred craft skills – not least those of Islam – because they keep alive a perspective that we sorely need, even though short-term fashion deems them to be irrelevant. The geometry and patterning that are taught at the School are the basis of the many crafts that have been all but abandoned in many parts of the world, including the Islamic world. It is a tragedy of monumental proportions that they are being forgotten because they reflect the spiritual mathematics found everywhere in Nature. As Islam teaches very specifically, it is a patterning that reflects the very ground of our being. It is the Divine imagination, so to speak; the ineffable presence that is the sacred breath of life. As the Seventeenth Century mystic, Ibn Âshir, puts it, by the practice of these arts you “see the One who manifests in the form, not the form by itself.”

For many in the modern world this is hard to understand because the view of God has become so distorted. “God” is seen as being, somehow, outside “His” creation, rather than part of its unfolding – what the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas, called “the force that through the green fuse drives the flower.” Being the principle that underlines the Cosmos, the Cosmos is the result of God knowing it and of it knowing the uncreated God. Notice the emphasis there on “un”-created. It is of profound importance. The basis of all existence is in this relationship.

I suspect the reason why this is such an unfashionable view is that the deep-seated experience of participation in the living, creative presence of God is offered to us in all traditions not by empiricism, but by revelation. This is a rare and precious gift and only given to those whose supreme humanity and capacity for great humility achieves a mastery over the ego. It comes at the moment when “the knower and the known” become one – the moment when the mind of Man comes into union with the mind of God.

This, of course, is not deemed possible from an empirical point of view, but revelation is a very different kind of knowing from scientific, evidence-based knowledge, and I cannot stress the point strongly enough; by dismissing such a process and discarding what it offers to humankind, we throw away a very important lifeline for the future.

I must say, once you do blend the different languages – the empirical and the spiritual together as I am suggesting, and as I have been trying to say for so long – then you do begin to wonder why the sceptics think the desire to work in harmony with Nature is so unscientific. Why is it deemed so worthwhile to abandon our true relationship with the “beingness” of all things; to limit ourselves to the science of manipulation, rather than immerse ourselves in the wider science of understanding? They seem such spurious arguments, because, as Islam clearly understands, it is actually impossible to divorce human beings from Nature’s patterns and processes. The Qur’an is considered to be the “last Revelation” but it clearly acknowledges which book is the first. That book is the great book of creation, of Nature herself, which has been taken too much for granted in our modern world and needs to be restored to its original position.

So, with all this in mind, I would like to set you a challenge, if I may; a challenge that I hope will be conveyed beyond this audience today. It is the challenge to mobilize Islamic scholars, poets and artists, as well as those craftsmen, engineers and scientists who work with and within the Islamic tradition, to identify the general ideas, the teachings and the practical techniques within the tradition which encourage us to work with the grain of Nature rather than against it. I would urge you to consider whether we can learn anything from the Islamic culture's profound understanding of the natural world to help us all in the fearsome challenges we face. Are there, for instance, any that could help preserve our precious marine eco-systems and fisheries? Are there any traditional methods of avoiding damage to all of Nature’s systems that revive the principle of sustainability within Islam?

To give you an idea of what I mean, let me offer a few examples drawn from the work done by my School of Traditional Arts, where project workers have shown that re-introducing traditional craft skills brings a coherence to peoples' daily lives, perhaps because they fuse the spiritual with the practical.

Since I founded it, the School has helped restore these skills in places as far afield as Jordan and Nigeria. It also helps to build bridges within communities in this country which have suffered the worst fractures. In Burnley in Lancashire, for instance, project workers have been teaching children from many backgrounds an integrated view of the world using the patterns of Islamic sacred geometry. This has not just inspired the imagination of the children taking part, but their teachers too. They tell me they have discovered a much more integrated approach to education, where maths and art are not alien to one another, but are seen as two sides of the same coin and directly rooted in Nature's patterns and processes.

In Afghanistan, I have only recently managed to see the work being done under the umbrella of what we have called “the Turquoise Mountain Foundation” – an initiative I launched some four years ago – which is running similar education programmes and craft training courses. It is also helping with the urban regeneration of the old historic quarter of the city by guiding people to start businesses using the craft skills they have learned.

For example, in the building of schools, people are being shown how to use mud-bricks which are a quarter of the price of the concrete blocks used by other agencies. They are also resistant to earthquakes, whereas concrete is not. And they cope much better with extremes of temperature – mud-brick buildings are cooler in the Summer and warmer in the Winter. What is more, they use local labour and local, natural materials. So these schools are a good example of how traditional wisdom blends with modern needs. After all, you can still use computers and other modern technology in a mud-brick building! And more comfortably, too, given it is more suited to local conditions.

When I finally did manage to reach Kabul earlier this year – after several years of trying – what I saw was truly remarkable. It proved to me that teaching and employing traditional crafts is an effective way of re-introducing the kinds of techniques that are benign to the natural environment. They are also capable of restoring a cultural balance in peoples' minds. By encouraging a wider celebration of the traditional, ancient culture of Afghanistan, these skills help in a very practical way to counteract the oppressive effects of extremism in all its forms, both religious and secular. This is how traditional wisdom works. It is not a theory or a science written down. Its wisdom is discovered through practice and in action.

These are schemes that are close to my heart, but the Oxford Centre keeps me informed of many others. Working in Muslim countries, the World Wildlife Fund has found that trying to convey the importance of conservation is much easier if it is transmitted by religious leaders whose reference is Qur'anic teaching. In Zanzibar, they had little success trying to reduce spear-fishing and the use of dragnets, which were destroying the coral reefs. But when the guidance came from the Qur'an, there was a notable change in behaviour. Or in Indonesia and in Malaysia, where former poachers are being deterred in the same way from destroying the last remaining tigers.

And it is not just such interventions that are important. It is mystifying, for instance, that the modern world completely ignores the time-honoured feats of engineering in the ancient world. The Qanats of Iran, for example, that still provide water for thousands of people in what would otherwise be desert conditions. These underground canals – unbelievably 170,000 miles of them – keep the water from the mountains moving down the tunnels using gravity alone. And the water in every village is then kept fresh by the way the storage towers keep the air flowing freely, moved by the wind.

In Spain, the irrigation systems constructed 1200 years ago also still work perfectly, as does the way in which the water is managed by the local population – a way of operating devised before the Muslim rule in Spain disintegrated. The same sorts of Islamic management schemes operate in other parts of the world too, like the “hima” zones in Saudi Arabia which set aside land for use as pasture. These are all examples of how prophetic teaching, in this case framed by the guidance of the Qu'ran, maintains a long term view of things and keeps the danger of a self-interested form of short-term economics at bay.

I am sure that if an organization like the Oxford Centre could help to establish a global forum on “Islam and the Environment” many more very practical, traditional approaches like these could become more widely applied. They may range from science and technology to agriculture, healthcare, architecture and education. Think what could be achieved if mothers and fathers, the teachers in madrassas and Imams, all sought to demonstrate to children how to translate Islamic teachings into practical action – how to blend traditional knowledge and awareness of Nature's needs with the best of what we know now.

This is certainly something I feel we have to do in the one final issue I have to mention as I close. Perhaps a few facts and figures might demonstrate why.

When I was born in 1948, a city like Lagos in Nigeria had a population of just three hundred thousand. Today, just over sixty years later, it is home to twenty million. Thirty-five thousand people live in every square mile of the city, and its population increases by another six hundred thousand every year.

I choose Lagos as an example. I could have chosen Mumbai, Cairo or Mexico City; wherever you look, the world's population is increasing fast. It goes up by the equivalent of the entire population of the United Kingdom every year. Which means that this poor planet of ours, which already struggles to sustain 6.8 billion people, will somehow have to support over 9 billion people within fifty years. In the Arab world, sixty per cent of the population is now under the age of thirty. That will mean, in some way or other, 100 million new jobs will have to be created in that region alone over the next ten to fifteen years.

I am well aware that the very long term prediction is that population may go down. 150 years from now the trends suggest there may be as few as four billion people, maybe even just two billion, but there is no getting away from the fact that in the short term, in the next fifty years, we face monumental problems as the figures rocket. No mega-city can ever hope to catch up with the present expansion in their numbers to provide adequate healthcare, education, transport, food and shelter for so many. Nor can the Earth herself sustain us all, when the demands and pressures on her bounty worldwide are becoming so intense.

I know it is a complicated issue. The experts suggest that, in theory, the Earth could support 9 billion people, but not if a vast proportion is consuming the world’s resources at present Western levels. So the changes have to be essentially two-fold. It would certainly help if the acceleration slowed down, but it would also help if the world reduced its desire to consume.

I have been following carefully the findings of my British Asian Trust in India which has been helping to run a women's education project in a drought-prone region of Maharashtra called Satara. They have noticed that a real difference can be made when women are able to become more involved in the running of the community. This is also the experience in Bangladesh. I have long been fascinated by Muhammad Yunus’s Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. It operates micro-credit schemes that offer loans to the poorest communities through a bank which is now ninety per cent owned by the rural poor. Interestingly, where the loans are managed by the women of the community, the birth rate has gone down. The impact of these sorts of schemes, of education and the provision of family planning services, has been widespread. Whereas in the 1980s, the average family in Bangladesh had six children, now the average figure is three. But with mega-cities growing as they are, I fear there is little chance these sorts of schemes can help the plight of many millions of people unless we all face up to the fact more honestly than we do that one of the biggest causes of high birth rates remains cultural.

It raises some very difficult moral questions, I know, but do we not each one of us carry the same responsibility towards the Earth? It is surely time to ask if we can come to a view that balances the traditional attitude to the sacred nature of life on the one hand with, on the other, those teachings within each of the sacred traditions that urge humankind to keep within the limits of Nature’s benevolence and bounty.

Ladies and gentlemen, you have endured all this with patience and fortitude. You have also given a very good impression of listening to my own personal thoughts on the perspective opened up by Islamic teaching. I have wanted to convey them to you because it always moves me to be reminded that, from the perspective of traditional Islamic teaching, the destruction of the Earth is represented as the destruction of a prayerful being.

Whichever faith tradition we come from, the fact at the heart of the matter is the same. Our inheritance from our creator is at stake. It will be no good at the end of the day as we sit amidst the wreckage, trying to console ourselves that it was all done for the best possible reasons of development and the betterment of Mankind. The inconvenient truth is that we share this planet with the rest of creation for a very good reason – and that is, we cannot exist on our own without the intricately balanced web of life around us. Islam has always taught this and to ignore that lesson is to default on our contract with Creation.

The Modernist ideology that has dominated the Western outlook for a century implies that “tradition” is backward looking. What I have tried to explain today is that this is far from true. Tradition is the accumulation of the knowledge and wisdom that we should be offering to the next generation. It is, therefore, visionary – it looks forward.

Turning to the traditional teachings, like those found in Islam that define our relationship with the natural world, does not mean locking us into some sort of cultural and technological immobility. As the English writer G.K. Chesterton put it, “real development is not leaving things behind, as on a road, but drawing life from them as a root.” I would also remind you of the words of Oxford’s very own C.S. Lewis, who pointed out that “sometimes you do have to turn the clock back if it is telling the wrong time” – that there is nothing “progressive” about being stubborn and refusing to acknowledge that we have taken the wrong road. If we realize that we are travelling in the wrong direction, the only sensible thing to do is to admit it and retrace our steps back to where we first went wrong. As Lewis put it, “going back can sometimes be the quickest way forward.” It is the most progressive thing we could do.

All of the mounting evidence is telling us that we are, indeed, on the wrong road, so you might think it would be wise to draw on the timeless guidance that comes from our intuitive sense of the origin of all things to which we are rooted. Nature's rhythms, her cycles and her processes, are our guides to this uncreated, originating voice. They are our greatest teachers because they are expressions of Divine Unity. Which is why there is a profound truth in that seemingly simple, old saying of the nomads – that “the best of all Mosques is Nature herself.”

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ClickGreen staff. Published Thu 10 Jun 2010 12:11

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[Documentary]: "The Zionist Story"

2010-06-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

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"A Tribute to Rachel Corrie" (Zionists won't let you see this on TV)

2010-06-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

"Facts regarding Israeli Terrorism Against America"

2010-06-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

(Video) : "THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH ABOUT MUHAMMAD s.a.w. IN THE BIBLE"

2010-05-28T23:36:00.000-07:00

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدۡ جَآءَكُم بُرۡهَـٰنٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَأَنزَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكُمۡ نُورً۬ا مُّبِينً۬ا

فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱعۡتَصَمُواْ بِهِۦ فَسَيُدۡخِلُهُمۡ فِى رَحۡمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ

وَفَضۡلٍ۬ وَيَہۡدِيہِمۡ إِلَيۡهِ صِرَٲطً۬ا مُّسۡتَقِيمً۬ا

"O mankind! verily there hath come to you a convincing proof from your Lord: for We have sent unto you a light (that is) manifest.
Then those who believe in Allah, and hold fast to Him,― soon will He admit them to Mercy and Grace from Himself and guide them to Himself by a straight Way."

(Qur'an: Surah An-Nisa': 4: 174-175)

On YouTube:

"Jewish rabbi acknowledge that Muhammad is a prophet ..."

A Du'a fro the Prophet s.a.w. as reported by Imam Nasa-'i

2010-05-18T03:38:00.000-07:00

"O Allah, make me among those who cling to the religion of Your Prophet, our master Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and exalt his respect, magnify his word, preserve his covenant and protection, give his party and calling victory, increase his followers and party, deliver his party, and do not let them oppose his way and sunna.O Allah, I ask You for adherence to his sunna, and I seek refuge with You from deviating from what he has brought."

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[Slideshare]du'a hadith nasa'i

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3D Virtual tour in Prophet's Mosque

2010-05-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

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Prophet's Mosque - 3D Virtual Tour

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[video]: HISTORY OF MUSLIMS' CONTRIBUTION

2010-05-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Documentary - "Children of Gaza"

2010-04-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَڪۡبَرُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِ‌ۗ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمۡ

حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمۡ عَن دِينِڪُمۡ إِنِ ٱسۡتَطَـٰعُواْ‌ۚ

وَمَن يَرۡتَدِدۡ مِنكُمۡ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَيَمُتۡ وَهُوَ ڪَافِرٌ۬

فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُهُمۡ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِ‌ۖ

وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ‌ۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ وَجَـٰهَدُواْ

فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ يَرۡجُونَ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ

وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬

"Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be Companions of the Fire and will abide therein.
Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought (and strove and struggled) in the path of Allah,―they have the hope of the Mercy of Allah; and Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful."
(Qur'an: al-Baqarah: 2: 217-218)

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"1001 Inventions and The Library of Secrets" - starring Sir Ben Kingsley as Al-Jazari

2010-04-13T22:11:00.000-07:00

"MUHAMMAD s.a.w. THE AWAITED PROPHET" - powerpoint

2010-04-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

.
يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ قَدۡ جَآءَڪُمۡ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمۡ ڪَثِيرً۬ا

مِّمَّا ڪُنتُمۡ تُخۡفُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن ڪَثِيرٍ۬‌ۚ

قَدۡ جَآءَڪُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورٌ۬ وَڪِتَـٰبٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ 

يَهۡدِى بِهِ ٱللَّهُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضۡوَٲنَهُ ۥ سُبُلَ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ

وَيُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦ

وَيَهۡدِيهِمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬

“O People of the Book! There has now come to you Our Messenger, revealing to you much that you used to hide in the Book and passing over much (that you regard as unnecessary): there has come to you from Allah (God) a (new) light and a perspicuous Book wherewith Allah guides all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leads them out of darkness, by His Will, unto the light – guides them to a Path that is Straight.”
(Qur’an : al- Maa-’idah : 5 : 15-16)

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Prophet muhammad1[slideshare]

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#1 - "Lessons on Islamic concept of Adab"

2010-04-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

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FIRST SESSION POWERPOINT ON SLIDE-SHARE

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PART OF SECOND SESSION SLIDES

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW COURSE

2010-03-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

AMENDDAa Daab(Poster)

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“As this is a totally new course being developed, we shall run the first Module consisting of 8 sessions (weeks) –

PART 1 “Module : AN INTRODUCTION TO APPROACHES IN ADAB”

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A good advice ... from Habib Muhammad Alsaggaf

2010-03-23T00:47:00.000-07:00

ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِ‌ۖ

Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching;
(Qur'an: An-Nahlu: 16: 125)

فَبِمَا رَحۡمَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمۡ‌ۖ وَلَوۡ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلۡقَلۡبِ
.
لَٱنفَضُّواْ مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَ‌ۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ
.
وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِ‌ۖ
.
فَإِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلِينَ

It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them. Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted they would have broken away from about thee; so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then when thou hast taken a decision, put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).
(Qur'an: Aali 'Imran: 3:159)

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"Gaza in Plain Language"

2010-03-12T19:15:00.000-08:00

"The article "Gaza in Plain Language", by Joe Mowrey, first published by Dissident Voice http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/01/gaz... "

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[Interview] : Dr. Umar F. Abd-Allah on Gambian TV (part 1/5)

2010-03-11T16:33:00.000-08:00

Interesting interview:

see the rest on Youtube

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMING IN-HOUSE TALK

2010-03-10T00:02:00.001-08:00

As-salaa-mu 'alay-kum waraHmatullaah,

Insha-Allaah!

I've been invited to deliver a talk this weekend.

WaAllaahu muwaa-fiq.
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Islamic Scholarship(Fmsa)Poster

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17 March 2010

Alhamdulillah. I have presented using the attached powerpoint slides (below) yesterday.

My gratitude to FMSA for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on the subject.

Here I'd like to share with others as well.

Sorry about the technical errors, as slideshare software was not able to capture the Qur'anic script correctly.

May Allah be pleased, waAllaahu a'lam

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IslamicscholarshipA(Fmsa)Slideshare

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"Du'a For the Ummah"

2010-03-01T23:39:00.000-08:00

As-salaa-mu 'alaykum waraHmatullaah,

An important Du'a which serves also to educate us regarding our awareness of the Ummah (wholistic), its constituents, their specific needs and aspirations, social and moral obligations, political and economic justice, management objectives etc. from Tauhidic and Islamic perspective.

May Allah be lease and grant us Taufiq and Hidaa-ya
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Dua For Ummah[Slideshare]

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2010-02-11T16:18:00.000-08:00

"Swiss antagonist of minarets embraces Islam"

2010-01-30T20:08:00.000-08:00

يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطۡفِـُٔواْ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ

وَيَأۡبَى ٱللَّهُ إِلَّآ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ ۥ

وَلَوۡ ڪَرِهَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرۡسَلَ رَسُولَهُ ۥ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلۡحَقِّ

لِيُظۡهِرَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ ڪُلِّهِۦ وَلَوۡ ڪَرِهَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكُونَ

Fain would they extinguish Allah's light with their mouths but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected, even though the unbelievers may detest (it).

It is He (Allah) who hath sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with Guidance and Religion of Truth (Al-Islam) to proclaim it over all religion, even though the pagans may detest (it).
(Qur'an: Taubah: 9: 32-33)

31 January 2010

RENOWNED Swiss politician Daniel Streich, who rose to fame for his campaign against minarets of mosques, has embraced Islam.

A member of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) and a well-known politician, Daniel Streich was the first man who had launched a drive for imposition of ban on mosques minarets, and to lock the mosques in Switzerland. The proclamation of Streich’s conversion to Islam has created furore in Swiss politics, besides causing a tremor for those who supported ban on construction of mosques minarets.

Streich propagated his anti-Islamic movement far and wide in the country, sowed seeds of indignation and scorn for Islam among the people, and paved way for public opinion against pulpits and minarets of mosques.

But now Streich has become a soldier of Islam. His anti-Islam thoughts finally brought him so close to this religion that he embraced Islam. He is ashamed of his doings now and desires to construct the most beautiful mosque of Europe in Switzerland.

The most interesting thing in this regard is that at present there are four mosques in Switzerland and Streich wants to lay the foundation for the fifth one. He wishes to seek absolution of his sin of proliferating venom against Islam. He is thinking of a movement contrary to his previous one to promote religious tolerance and peaceful cooperative living, in spite of the fact that ban on mosques minarets has gained a legal status.

This is the greatest quality of Islam that it comes up with even greater vigour, when it is faced with confrontation.

Abdul Majeed Aldai, the president of OPI, an NGO, working for the welfare of Muslims, says that Europeans have a great desire to know about Islam. Some of them want to know about the relationship between Islam and terrorism; same was the case with Streich.

During his confrontation, Streich studied the Holy Quran and started understanding Islam.

He wished to be hard to Islam, but the outcome was otherwise. Aldai further says.
Recently the question of ban on minarets was put to voting in Switzerland, wherein the Swiss nationals gave the issue a legal status.

As per voting results 42.5 per cent people voted in favour of the minarets and 57.5 per cent supported the ban, while the Muslim population in Switzerland is only 6 per cent. The most wondrous thing in this regard, therefore, is the support of 42.5 per cent of population for only six per cent Muslims.

The analysts claim that ban on minarets and Islamic rituals has attracted the people towards Islam.

Streich was an important member of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP). His importance could be estimated from his influence on party’s policy making, in which he always had a prominent role. His movement against minarets was aimed at gaining political attention and interest. He won the slot of military instructor in the Swiss Army due to his popularity.

Born in a Christian family, Streich had a comprehensive study of Islam merely to malign and confront, but Islamic teachings had a deep impact on him. Eventually he de-linked himself from political activities and he embraced Islam. Streich has termed the SVO activities against the Muslims as satanic.

He says that he used to read the Bible and often went to chapel, but now he recites the Holy Quran and offers his prayers five times a day. He further says that he cancelled his party membership and made public his conversion. Streich says that he has found the truth of life in Islam, which he could not find in Christianity.
On the other hand the Swiss military authorities have feared that Streich, who was once a military instructor, might reveal army secrets to the Muslims.

An SVP National Council member says that Streich as military instructor could be dangerous.

However, a spokesman of Swiss Army while rejecting this impression said that the performance of our military was more important than that who instructed it.
However, from within their own ranks, a man is now working for the promotion of Islam and its teachings. The law of a country can ban minarets but not minds and hearts.

- Newsdesk

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from: "The Nation"

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DU'A - Relevant Supplication

2010-01-19T03:55:00.000-08:00

"At the times when calamities, diseases, disasters and tribulations are rampant, we Muslims must never neglect making Du'a (supplication) to Allah s.w.t. sincerely and earnestly."

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Dua4 Protection

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Cardinal says Christian Europe is to blame for Islamisation

2010-01-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

from: Telegraph.co.uk

By Simon Caldwell
Published: 5:37PM GMT 06 Jan 2010

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A leading Catholic cardinal has said Europeans only have themselves to blame for allowing Islam to "conquer" the continent.

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Czech Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, the Archbishop of Prague, said Muslims were well placed to fill the spiritual void "created as Europeans systematically empty the Christian content of their lives".

"Europe will pay dear for having left its spiritual foundations and that this is the last period that will not continue for decades when it may still have a chance to do something about it," he said.

"The Muslims definitely have many reasons to be heading here. They also have a religious one – to bring the spiritual values of faith in God to the pagan environment of Europe, to its atheistic style of life.

"Unless the Christians wake up, life may be Islamised and Christianity will not have the strength to imprint its character on the life of people, not to say society."

The 77-year-old cardinal made his remarks in an interview to mark his retirement after spending 19 years as the leader of the Czech Church.

He said he did not blame Muslims for the crisis as Europeans had brought it upon themselves by exchanging their Christian culture for an aggressive secularism that embraced atheism.

"Europe has denied its Christian roots from which it has risen and which could give it the strength to fend off the danger that it will be conquered by Muslims, which is actually happening gradually," he said.

"At the end of the Middle Ages and in the early modern age, Islam failed to conquer Europe with arms. The Christians beat them then.

"Today, when the fighting is done with spiritual weapons which Europe lacks while Muslims are perfectly armed, the fall of Europe is looming."

He called on Christians to respond to the threat of Islamisation by living their own religious faith more observantly.

Last year Cardinal Jose Policarpo, the Patriarch of Lisbon, warned Catholic women against marrying Muslims.

Italian Cardinal Giacomo Biffi also urged the Italian government to give priority to Catholic migrants over Muslims in order to protect his country's religious identity.

The Vatican has also opposed Turkey joining the European Union partly because the Muslim country does not share the continent's Christian heritage.

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وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدۡعَىٰٓ

إِلَى ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَہۡدِى ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ يُرِيدُونَ

لِيُطۡفِـُٔواْ نُورَ ٱللَّهِ بِأَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡ وَٱللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِۦ

وَلَوۡ ڪَرِهَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرۡسَلَ رَسُولَهُ ۥ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلۡحَقِّ

لِيُظۡهِرَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوۡ كَرِهَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكُونَ

"And who doeth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie against Allah when he is summoned unto Al-Islam? And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light however much the disbelievers are averse. He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the religion of Truth, that He may make it conqueror of all religion however much idolaters may be averse."
(Qur'an: Saff: 61: 7-9)

USING THE NAME "ALLAH" - A relevant article : "What in God's name have the Courts done?"

2010-01-07T19:22:00.000-08:00

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[ Article from blog-site :"Gopal Raj Kumar" posted on 2 January 2010 ]

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The High Court of Malaysia’s decision in the Catholic Herald’s fight to use the word Allah is quite clearly provocative, contentious, inflammatory and suspect.

DOES THIS DECISION MEAN THE JUDICIARY IN MALAYSIA IS NO LONGER CORRUPT?

I wonder if Malaysia’s legal fraternity, who together with the Catholic Church in Malaysia once so willing to condemn the judiciary, will now be consistent in their opinions of the judiciary and condemn this decision as being the work of that same incompetent and corrupt institution.

Or does incompetence and corruption have a different interpretation when they are the beneficiaries of decisions by the same ‘corrupt and incompetent’ judges?

WHATS AT ISSUE HERE

At the core of this argument is the controversial and provocative use of a word Muslims have for centuries in countries like Malaysia adopted, as their unique and inalienable right to reference to God. Christians including the Catholics used Deo or God equally for centuries in places like Malaysia to refer to the almighty. Never Allah, for the perceived fear it would of corrupt their spirituality.

Interestingly Catholics eschewed even the English language in Malaysia for centuries till Vatican 2. In its place on prescription was Latin. A language alien to many of its faithful who never quite understood a word of it at all.

The use of Latin as prescribed by the Vatican for centuries had been the subject of debate and irritation to many faithful, let alone ridicule when observing masses of illiterate Indian and Chinese peasants bowing before an alter, Latin chants and hymns playing out in centuries old rituals originating from their own cultures now distorted in a European Mid Eastern form and imposed on them as worship.

WHY USE ALLAH AT ALL

At a time of much uncertainty and political upheaval, the Church an arm of the sovereign state of the Vatican has seen it fit to enter into the divisive domain of multi racial and religious politics.

One might legitimately argue that the church does have a role to play in defence of its faithful. But it would be hypocritical and unnecessary a point when, one considers the shifting positions of the Catholic church, an undemocratic and unresponsive theocratic state, interfering in matters that concern the internal affairs of another sovereign state, Malaysia.

The Church for centuries had a prohibition on the use of any other language than Latin. It eschewed anything remotely relevant to its many diverse adherents in an elitist totalitarian domination of the world and in what is often described as an extension of the Holy Roman Empire.

Their argument in this case is that the word Allah had been used for decades in many places including Malaysia and that therefore gives them a constitutional right to continue to use it in reference to God regardless of the illogical circumstances and contexts to which it is applied today.

Why does the Church seek to only use the word Allah in its teachings and interpretation of the Bible? It is jstly perceived by mainly Muslims as a sinister and deceptive exercise when applied particularly to Muslims from rural areas who could very easily be fooled into believing there is a nexus to Islam within the Church through its use of the word Allah?

Why would the Catholic Church not convert the language of the entire liturgy into Arabic from where the word Allah originates? Or perhaps the language of Malaysians, Bahasa Malaysia?

WHY IS MALAY AND ARABIC SO IMPORTANT NOW TO CATHOLICISM- OR IS IT?

For centuries under European domination of the peninsula, Malay was treated contemptuously as a lesser and therefore unworthy language limited in its use in its broken form when addressing the original inhabitants of the peninsula, the Malays. It was relegated to a level of insignificance at missionary schools and never was given any prominence till around 1968 for the same reasons the Church now seeks to capitalise on the use of the word Allah. A form of nationalism. In the case of the Catholic Church Vatican Nationalism.

The church equated and associated the use of the Malay language in its proper form as a bridge to Islam and therefore actively discouraged its use till now. Suddenly they appear to have fallen off their horses and seek to embrace A word “Allah” common to Malays but not to Catholics. Why?

The Pontiff, in the form of Nazi, former Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict not long ago called Islam evil and joined the west in an unholy chorus of anti Arabic (inspite of it having a relatively large constituency amongst Arabs) anti Islamic sentiment. Why now the backing for selective use of the dispised evil Arabic Allah? What is his real motive?

The Pope’s anti Islamic rhetoric we must recall was driven by the Vatican’s unquestioning support of American foreign policy however flawed it was and for its support of its other sychophant, its new convert to Catholicism, Britain’s Tony Blair.

Sadly that anti Islamic campaign now associated with the Catholic Church and its western allies turned out to be a campaign of mass murder with no justifiable cause and unprecedented in modern history. It turned out to be something reminsent of a modern day Spanish inquisition another unjustified bloody campaign run by the Catholic church.

Ratzinger and his ambassadors cannot now simply wash their hands of so much blood with a simple publicity campaign of “Reaching out to Islam”. They must act with deeds. When will the Church’s politics and interference in the affairs of other states stop? When will Catholics become an example for others to emulate?

A PYRRICH VICTORY A SINISTER PLOT

There is a political battle being fought out there for control of the hearts and minds of a large population of Sabahans and Sarawkians being engineered by both the Catholic Church and their rivals for souls. The American style evangelical Christians.

They collectively, one not to be oudone by the other, will apply every Amway style of multi level marketing, sinister political and economic tools and bait, to rope in as many disgruntled Malays and Muslims and to galvanise them into a vote bank for the next general elections.

This practice is not much different to what they did to Indians in the rubber plantations and poorer Chinese offering them the incentives of a good Catholic school education of they did convert during the time of the British. That practice endures to this day in India where it is meeting with stiff and violent resistance and quite rightly so.

Catholics often frown and campaign against Malays or Muslims proselytizing. At the same time suprisingly the Catholic Church appears terribly oblivious, insensitive and ignorant of the pain this same phenomenon and “virtue” inflicted by them on Muslims feels like. It is a practice equally offensive to Malays and Muslims.

This would have been a different argument if the Catholics were seeking to use Bahasa Malaya in the entire liturgy to make it relevant to “Malaysians”. The question of language and identity so often and so unconvincingly argued by non Malays as being at the root of their grievances, their ”heritage and identity as Malaysians” when it suits them, appears lost here to the Church and its non Malay supporters.

What Catholics appear to be seeking here is an extension to that form of racism. That whatever non Malays and non Muslims wish to do in the name of religion has to be tolerated in the name of a half written constitution. On the other hand arguing against everything that the Malays as a majority in a democracy do as being wrong and racist.

TOLERANCE IS NOT STUPIDITY

Catholics must learn to reciprocate in kind to a people in whose country they have been treated with much reverence, dignity and respect over centuries. Tolerance is a two way street. Malaysia although fundamentally a Muslim state has, advocated for and advanced Catholic (and other religious causes and purposes) without the let or hindrance or religious intolerance like that imposed by the Thais, Burmese, Philippines, Australians, Chinese and more recently the Swiss on their non indigenous citizens.

Much of the reason we are able to debate such issues and to read and write about it today it is often argued, is the result of a good Catholic education. Wrong! It is equally the result of Malay Muslim generosity in allowing the propagation of the faith, vernacular schools and other institutions to thrive and the general tolerance of the values of non Malays. A cursory glance off the streets of Malaysia’s cities bears testimony to this indiputable self evident truth.

It is a pity that in return for this generosity, all that the Catholic church is capable of and all that it has to offer its Malay Muslim hosts in return is an insult to the Malays and Malay Muslims in pursuing such a worthless and insensitve policy of religious provocation.

CONSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE

There is a flawed perception that the constitution provides blanket freedoms to religious practices and interpretations of religious doctrines. It clearly does not do. The state always has residual powers in preservation of its sovereignity, to amend or to ignore aspects of the constitution when it offends or becomes irrelevant. It happens everywhere, everytime in the commonwealth and elsewhere in the inerests of self preservation and as an expression of sovereignty.

In this particular case, we have a foreign state in the Vatican, by its local operatives, the Church, seeking to undermine national policy (however objectionable it may appear to some) through the sinister use of the constitution of its host state to undermine racial and religious harmony.

The Catholic Church unlike Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and other religions, is unique in that its directives come from a foreign government, that of the Vatican. This provocation therefore is effectively state (or foreign) policy of the Vatican.

The Church cannot therefore be arguing that some constitutional religious freedoms (which are not theirs as a foreign state), inconsistent with its own behaviour over the centuries, has been violated here. It may not argue that using the word Allah alone is therefore somehow a constitutional right or a religious practice because it is neither. This is the Malaysian constitution and not the Roman or Vatican constitution. And neither of the latter have currency in Malaysia.

Continued pursuit of the subject matter of this action is clearly a provocation. The Church knows full well there is resistance from the majority, Malaysia’s 60% Malay Muslims and is a breach of convention.

A valid counter argument to the Church’s position in this matter is, that this entire exercise is an unlawful interference by the Vatican in the affairs of another state by a foreign government, the Vatican. Additionally the Church in adopting its controversial position on the use of the word Allah, may inadvertantly be acknowledging the truth of the Quran which, if it is consciously doing may not be such a bad thing after all.

The Catholic church itself is not paragon of virtue nor the best example of a protector of its many faithful when one considers it conduct in favour of the rich and powerful against the abused in South America for centuries.

Closer to home its backing of Lee Kuan Yews attacks against a former priest (Fr. D’Souza) who had the courage to stand up for the rights of the oppressed in Singapore a decade or two ago. It is but one of many examples of the politics of expediency the Catholic church practices at the expense of the teachings of Christ.

The constitution in such cases must be read down and not up as appears to have been the case with the Catholic Herald (for want of a better description of the case) insistence on the provocative use o the word Allah.

THE CALIBRE OF JUGES DECIDING THESE CASES

In all of this one cannot help but wonder if the justices who decided this matter were of the same calibre of one retired justice NH Chan. NH Chan’s history of judicial incompetence and the embarassment of his analysis demonstrated in the Perak Constitutional Crisis, his record of illogical and substandard judicial decisions are sadly hailed by many leading lawyers (in Malaysia) including the much celebrated Appeals court judge Sri Ram Gopal as being exemplary and creditable.

Chan remains an icon to the defiance of the laws of reasoning, when one reads his decisions, his capacity for argument and his grasp of legal issues apart from his embarassing inability to articulate himself with any form of conviction in English or Bahasa.

The constitution of Malaysia does not give license under the pretext of guarantees of religious freedoms to mischief or covert undermining of the peace and stability of the state. It is neither implied nor is it expressed in any form within the constitution. Yet this is clearly what the decision in this case implies.

WHAT THE CHURCH CAN DO TO FOSTER BETTER INTER FAITH TIES

In a demonstration of good faith, a belief in its own credo of Good Christian Charity and goodwill, the Catholic Church ought to withdraw the ridiculous and provocative demand now legtimised by a flawed decision and do so without further stretching tolerance too far. It should demonstrate that it ought not to be allowed the sinister use of one Arabic word Allah which is clearly a thorn in the side of its Malay majority hosts.

The Church may do so without any embarrassment to itself if it acts immediately. On the contrary with one fell act of goodness and respect it would build a bridge of understanding likely to last forever as a monument to its credo, rather than for the blemishes in its record of insults, abuse, its betrayal of Malaysia to the colonials and the undermining of the cultural and religious sensitivities and heritage of Malaysia’s majority.

If this matter were to be put up for reviewe independently or, in the event the government chooses to exercises its rights as a sovereign state, exercising its reserve powers, the Church may likely find itself with a pyrrhic victory in its hands designed for fools by a constitution constructed by Christians.

Gopal Raj Kumar

=================================================

[lecture]: "The Need to be Socially Relevant" - Imam Suhaib Webb

2009-12-31T19:10:00.000-08:00

A speech delivered by Imam Suhaib Webb at the 45th Annual ISNA Convention's main session in Columbus, OHIO on August 30th, 2008.

Visit www.suhaibwebb.com for more from Imam Suhaib.

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[Khutbah]: "Articulating Role as American Muslims"

[Significant Lectures] by Barry Schwartz: "The real crisis? We stopped being wise... " and "The Paradox of Choice"

2009-12-27T05:14:00.000-08:00

Barry Schwartz makes a passionate call for practical wisdom as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy. He argues powerfully that rules often fail us, incentives often backfire, and practical, everyday wisdom will help rebuild our world.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes.
.
Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery.
.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts.
.
Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com, at:
.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

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"The Obama Deception"? - A Myth? consider ....

2009-12-22T07:34:00.000-08:00

The Obama Deception is a hard-hitting film that completely destroys the myth that Barack Obama is working for the best interests of the American people. The Obama phenomenon is a hoax carefully crafted by the captains of the New World Order. He is being pushed as savior in an attempt to con the American people into accepting global slavery. We have reached a critical juncture in the New World Order's plans. and only by exposing the con can we help to save freedom in America. The Obama Deception is not about Left or Right: it's about a One World Government. The international banks plan to loot the people of the United States and turn them into slaves on a Global Plantation. Covered in this film: who Obama works for, what lies he has told, and his real agenda, and how his initial appointments and actions prove he serves the corporate oligarchs, not the American people. If you want to know the facts and cut through all the hype, this is the film for you.

on google.video.com

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Relevant Lecture by Sheikh Imran Hoessin -

"is this merely a coincidence?"

to continue viewing this :

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Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzKGbdBOyQs

Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ0QHEdFHXA

Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyne6roFFFU

Part 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBHE_vZJUvQ

Part 6 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNBC-RbpWjo

Part 7 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqSthFgOQeQ

Part 8 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQIsn2OI9j8

Part 9 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPPJX9RALys

Part 10 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt7e4Ki-aG4

Part 11 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGpyNvFGBMU

Part 12 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul6ygNgaT0w

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[Documentary]: "Islam in Europe - When Muslims Ruled in Europe"

2009-12-15T16:55:00.000-08:00

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Continue to watch the rest on Youtube

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"The hidden Islamic sciences"

Many western people accuse Islam and Muslims of being retarded, but they don't know that Islam is the source of their knowledge.

Arabs before Islam were retarded, but Islam brought them from darkness to light which spread all over the world.

This is a documentary German program about "Hidden Islamic sciences"

It speaks about the Muslim influence on science and how the Church stole their efforts.

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An interview with Noam Chomsky talks about the secret US foreign policy . Also, George Galloway passionate speech: "So who are the terrorists?"

2009-12-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

Is the United States of America a leading terrorist state?

Noam Chomsky: The United States - Israel's Godfather

A passionate speech by Geoge Galloway

Professor Jim Fetzer

[Interview]:Sheikh Wagdy Ghoneim : "Who are the Traitors? ... yet who claimed to be the Leaders?"

2009-12-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

Pertinent Advice for Muslims : "Understanding your Condition" by Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick.

2009-12-06T22:16:00.000-08:00

As-salaa-mu 'alaykum waraHmatullaah,
.
Although I have posted this in my other blog : "Be with those who are true" sometime back, I note that it (that blog) was not much visited as compared to this blog.

Therefore I am posting this important message: "Understanding your Condition" and "The blessings of being Muslims" here on this blog -

From the 2008 talk by Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick, presented at Lakemba Mosque, Sydney, Australia.

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ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمۡ يَكُ مُغَيِّرً۬ا نِّعۡمَةً أَنۡعَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَوۡمٍ

حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنفُسِہِمۡ‌ۙ

.
وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ۬

“This, because Allah would never change the blessings with which He has graced a people unless they change their inner selves: and [know] that Allah is all-Hearing, all-Seeing.”
(Qur’an: Al- Anfal : 8:53)

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوۡمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنفُسِہِمۡ‌ۗ

“Verily, Allah does not change men’s condition unless they change their inner selves;”
(Qur’an: Ra’ad : 13:11)

وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ دِينً۬ا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ
.
وَهُوَ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ

“For, if one goes in search of a religion other than “al-Islam” (self-surrender to Allah), it will never be accepted from him, and in the life to come he shall be among the lost.”
(Qur’an: Aali- ‘Imran : 3:85)

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A comment on FB: “OBEDIENCE IN MATTERS OF THE TRUTH"

2009-12-03T07:48:00.000-08:00

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Exchanges on my FB (FaceBook)

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As-salaa-mu'alaykum waraHmatullaah!

I have come across this saying which I'd like to share:

لاَ طَاعَةُ لِلْعالمِ فِي البَاطِل
.
وَالحَقُّ مَقْبُولٌ وَلَوْ مِن الجَاهِلِ

The literal translation is:
“There is no obedience to the scholar in that which is false. And the Truth is accepted even if it is from the ignorant one.”
A saying from Shaykh Abdullahi Dan Fuduye’ said in his great text on verbal conjugation called "al-Bahr’l-Muheet".

Isn't it obvious than we ought to be following and obeying only the Truth, not the people i.e. merely rely blindly upon general labels of 'aleem or jaahil. Thus it echoes the well-known saying of Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Tolib a.s. - "Look at what is being said, not who is saying."

And the humility of Imam As-Ashafi'ie r.a. who prayed that Allah places the Truth upon the tongues of even those Jahil whom he was engaging with, for him to be able to learn something from.

Reflect! WaAllaahu a'lam

was-salaam

Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail

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Abd' Al-Halim:

Salaam... Indeed ya Ustaz, what can we benefit from those who are jahil in terms of guidance about truth and falsehood?

Syukran ya Ustaz... Yes this is consistent with, I think, Sayyidina Ali's kr.w. saying about looking at what a person says rather than the person himself... I was thinking of the teachings of Islam i.e. that we don't learn Islam from those who actually do not know about Islam - In fact they may say what is true sometimes but they often mix the truth with falsities... May Allah s.w.t. guide us! Amin!

----------------------------

Zhulkeflee Bin Haji Ismail:

The importance of our being able to identify the Truth from the Falsehood in what these juhala' (ignorants) in engaging with them doesn't mean we acknowledges them as scholars.

Yet, to categorically deny the possibility of any Truth from them which we can benefit is not adhering to Adab. Adab equates to 'Adl (justice)to ensure we uphold 'justice' ('adl) - a prerequisite demanded by Allah s.w.t.:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ
.
شُہَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَوِ ٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ‌ۚ
.
إِن يَكُنۡ غَنِيًّا أَوۡ فَقِيرً۬ا فَٱللَّهُ أَوۡلَىٰ بِہِمَا‌ۖ
.
فَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعۡدِلُواْ‌ۚ وَإِن تَلۡوُ ۥۤاْ
.
أَوۡ تُعۡرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرً۬ا

“O You who believe! Be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the TRUTH for the sake of Allah, even though it be against your own selves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) lest ye swerve and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do."
(Q:An-Nisa: 4:135).

Your concern for precaution though, is noted.

WaAllaahu a'lam

-----------------------------------

Abd' Al-Halim:

Yes, I am reminded of Ibn Rushd's argument for why he studied Greek Philosophy (some quarters at that time accused him of turning his back on Islam by studying Aristotle's works) and there is a famous Hadith, I think, that speaks of knowledge as a lost sheep.. :-)

Syukran ya Ustaz... for your clarifications. As usual, I am learning a lot from you!

------------------------------------

Zhulkeflee Bin Haji Ismail:

THE KEY IS TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF DISCERNING TRUTH FROM FALSEHOOD (FURQAAN) WHICH ALLAH SWT. PROMISES TO GRANT UPON THOSE WHO HEED THIS:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن تَتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ فُرۡقَانً۬ا
.

وَيُكَفِّرۡ عَنڪُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ‌ۗ

وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلۡفَضۡلِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ

"O ye who believe! if ye fear Allah (Taqwa - be truly conscious of Allah with reverential fear), He will grant you a Criterion (Furqaan - to judge between right and wrong), remove from you (all) evil (that may afflict) you, and forgive you: for Allah is the Lord of grace unbounded.
(Q: Anfaal: 8: 29)

Today, some Muslims fear mankind, the powers that be, their bosses, fear for losing their status, ego (save-face) and worldly positions; too concerned for other peoples' opinion of them, hiding their cowardice through so-called 'pragmatism', obsessed with being politically correct, seeking excuses using reason of wa-qi' (context), being objective, etc.- thus they may be left to be astray and deprived of this 'Furqanan' from Allah azza-wajalla.

Na-'uudzu-billaahi min dzaa-lik.

LAA-HAW-LA WALAA QUW-WATA IL-LA BIL-LAAH.

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Abd' Al-Halim:

Reminds me of the talk I did with Bro. Omar Moad before Ramadhan... The concept of Furqan is so rich! Syukran again ya Ustaz!

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Sameer Bin Abdul Jalil:

May we all be given this furqan, and for those who are already given it, may it be sharpened further by Him. Amn. Thanks dear ust, for this sharing.

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An-NaseeHah : النصيحة

Religious Hard-Talk (Jamaica )

SHEIKH HAMZA YUSUF - Dec 25, 2011 - Reviving Islamic Spirit Conference : FAIR TRADE

[ powerpoint slides] From new lessons - classes (newly begun October 2011)

SCIENCE & ISLAM - [The Power of Doubt] - الْعلْم واْلإسلام

SCIENCE & ISLAM - [Empire of Reason] - الْعلْم واْلإسلام

SCIENCE & ISLAM - [Language of Science] - الْعلْم واْلإسلام

[powerpoint-slides]: History of Spread of Islam in the NUSANTARA (S.E. Asia -Malay Archipelago) & Brief history of Singapore and Kampung Glam.

[video]:"Torturing Democracy"

[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH - (Reflections and lectures delivered in year 2011: at Darul Arqam Singapore)

[powerpoints] : "Da'wah : preliminary reflections" - from NTUMS program for Islamic Awaraeness

"History Of Makkah" - (Documentary)

[powerpoints] : "Introduction to the Study in FIQH" - lessons# 1- 7 (part)

[Sincere advice] Election – “Prioritise Justice (Adl’) before Good deeds (Ihsan)”

ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW COURSES : ISLAM FOR BEGINNER'S & INTERMEDIATE (FIQH)

Remove the Ban on the use of Tudung in Singapore - a relevant article

"Vandalization of Holy Places"

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf ( Islam & the West and America) - talk in 2006-2007

"Convert to Islam in Thai Prison"

RESPONDING TO QUESTION: "About conversion and marriage"

"What really happened on 9/11 (WTC New York)?"

[re-post of an article]: "ISLAM : A PROGRESSIVE RELIGION"

[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH January - 2011 ( "Understang 'Ibadah'" - servitude towards Allah)

[Documentary]: "Allah is Known Through Reason" - Harun Yahya

[Documentary]: "Science and Islam" - BBC

[powerpoint]: "SEVEN REASONS WHY A SCIENTIST BELIEVE IN GOD'S EXISTENCE"

[powerpoint] Sharing Islam with others : "Understanding the Islamic Festivals."

[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH EID-UL- ADHA - 2010 ( "The Creed of Abraham : The Sign for Mankind")

[Powerpoint]: "From Adam to Jesus to Muhammad" lecture @ NTUMS Islamic Awareness Week.(28 Oct 2010)

"Case of a Muslim Nursing student in Singapore....."

[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH RAMADHAN (5 August 2010) - "REFLECTIONS : Important Lessons of Ramadhan"

[powerpoint] NUSMS- Ramadhan Iftar-workshop (31.Aug.2010) : Reflections: "Being a Muslim"

[Powerpoint Slideshare]: "AL-QUR’AN : MIRACLE OF ALLAH’S LAST BOOK OF REVELATION” :- at Darul Arqam Singapore (28 August 2010)

[powerpoint] TADZKIRAH RAMADHAN (2010)- Da'wah and it's co-relation to Education of Muslims"

[Announcement: Ramadhan (2010) in-house talk every Sundays.

[Video] : "Muslims in Australia since 1600"

[Documentary]: (Channel 4) "The Seven Wonders of the Muslim World"

"A Parable of Water from the mountain"

"The roots of Israeli exceptionalism"

Prince Charles says Islamic way is best for environment

[Documentary]: "The Zionist Story"

"A Tribute to Rachel Corrie" (Zionists won't let you see this on TV)

"Facts regarding Israeli Terrorism Against America"

(Video) : "THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH ABOUT MUHAMMAD s.a.w. IN THE BIBLE"

A Du'a fro the Prophet s.a.w. as reported by Imam Nasa-'i

3D Virtual tour in Prophet's Mosque

[video]: HISTORY OF MUSLIMS' CONTRIBUTION

Documentary - "Children of Gaza"

"1001 Inventions and The Library of Secrets" - starring Sir Ben Kingsley as Al-Jazari

"MUHAMMAD s.a.w. THE AWAITED PROPHET" - powerpoint

#1 - "Lessons on Islamic concept of Adab"

ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW COURSE

A good advice ... from Habib Muhammad Alsaggaf

"Gaza in Plain Language"

[Interview] : Dr. Umar F. Abd-Allah on Gambian TV (part 1/5)

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMING IN-HOUSE TALK

"Du'a For the Ummah"

"Swiss antagonist of minarets embraces Islam"

DU'A - Relevant Supplication

Cardinal says Christian Europe is to blame for Islamisation

from: Telegraph.co.uk

By Simon CaldwellPublished: 5:37PM GMT 06 Jan 2010

A leading Catholic cardinal has said Europeans only have themselves to blame for allowing Islam to "conquer" the continent.

USING THE NAME "ALLAH" - A relevant article : "What in God's name have the Courts done?"

[lecture]: "The Need to be Socially Relevant" - Imam Suhaib Webb

[Significant Lectures] by Barry Schwartz: "The real crisis? We stopped being wise... " and "The Paradox of Choice"

"The Obama Deception"? - A Myth? consider ....

[Documentary]: "Islam in Europe - When Muslims Ruled in Europe"

An interview with Noam Chomsky talks about the secret US foreign policy . Also, George Galloway passionate speech: "So who are the terrorists?"

[Interview]:Sheikh Wagdy Ghoneim : "Who are the Traitors? ... yet who claimed to be the Leaders?"

Pertinent Advice for Muslims : "Understanding your Condition" by Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick.

A comment on FB: “OBEDIENCE IN MATTERS OF THE TRUTH"

By Simon Caldwell
Published: 5:37PM GMT 06 Jan 2010