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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Is it really 'HAPPY' 4 th of July? |
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| Caraj |
| 07/05/03 at 00:30:56 |
| I don't mean to sound unpatriotic, nor cynical nor negative. Truly I'm not. But I am sitting at home, alone and hearing all the fire crackers going off and thinking to myself. Is this what our forefathers wanted? I look where my country has been, I see where it is and I wonder where it is going? My heart is heavy and sad. :'( I love my country but I worry about it, like a mother does a child who has become an adult and realizes they have no control over it anymore. I think of all the people who have died, not just in my country but in all countries. They say America is great but how come I am not feeling so great? It seems like we are trying to be the worlds police man and like we have to have our nose in everyone elses business. We wanted freedom from England I wonder how many countries would like freedom from us? I'm no politician and I don't understand half the stuff going on. My heart is a simple one and doesn't understand this complicated mess. Just my thoughts on this 4th of July 2003 Thank you for letting me share my thoughts with you all. |
| Re: Is it really 'HAPPY' 4 th of July? |
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| Kathy |
| 07/05/03 at 11:38:29 |
| [slm] Yeah... I was thinking the same thing last night. Before 9/11 we used to go to a huge city park firework display. Haven't been since, due to many reasons. Last night while making dua, I thanked Allah swt for being born here, although not the most ideal place... I can't think of any other "Muslim" land I would want to live in. Freedom from oppresion. Not something that we, Muslims, and others are free of. Perhaps not an obvious oppression such as slavery but a govermental subliminal oppression. I am speaking of losing my rights to privacy... home bugged, phone line tapped, most probably computer internet usage watched. The strange man on the corner who is a little too clean cut for my neighborhood and always has a notebook or attache case in his hand. The unusualness of the banker asking me what I was going to do with a large withdrawl I made. Previously I could comfortably make all the negative comments about my leaders... now... I am much more careful. I was also thinking of the other countries..what were they thinking about us? Here we are celebrating our freedom from oppression in 1776.... meanwhile oppressing them... sigh... July Forth celebrations also took another turn for me in regard to fireworks. One year we went to a park near the display and at the end as the smoke cleared... there were alot of dead birds on the street and in the park. I read an article after that, that many do die and it is one of those 'secrets' of the city. July Fourth... not one of our holidays.... Eid is good enough for me! |
| Re: Is it really 'HAPPY' 4 th of July? |
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| timbuktu |
| 07/06/03 at 11:07:54 |
| [slm] i am happy that these two sisters have got the point. i know i should give well-researched references & all that, but i am hoping to be put right or corroborated by those who are learned. the prophet (pbuh) said that Allah has given us two days of celebration: the two eids. all over the world, people have started celebrating other eids. that is not right. it leads to many complications in attitudes & practices. Imam ibne Taimyya has written a beautiful book about it. some people say that this prohibition is for religious celebrations only. ******* how i see these things: Allah (swt) has said that do you think you will enter paradise without being tested This test takes place in many ways, & at all times, & it is also of the individual & groups & nations. from the hadith about how the people of Nuh (pbuh) came to worship their idols, i draw an interesting conclusion about these tests: that if in one generation, a particular act is understood as a simple one without any complication of belief, it may become a source of deviation through forgettimg, or misinterpretation in the next generation. the need for physical survival may make people put spiritual purity on the back burner, e.g. if there is a change in environment, debilitating illness, famine, migration, etc. The "ilm" or knowledge of deen is lost. You can see it around in many of those those whose parents took the "economy" as the first (usually the only) priority. in this case, particularly at risk are the 2nd & third generation children who have been brought up on these "national" functions, & may regard them as more legitimate than eids. i remember a question from a "born muslim" asking how should he "baptise" his children? the knowledge of deen is lost. & when the whole world loses it, the Qiyamah will take place. have i been able to convey some sense? & if someone remembers the Ayahs & Ahadeeth, that would be wonderful. see, i too have lost some knowledge. wa assalam |
| 07/06/03 at 19:08:24 |
| timbuktu |
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