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The Dangers of Narrow-Mindedness

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The Dangers of Narrow-Mindedness
bhaloo
07/29/03 at 01:16:55
[slm]


The Dangers of Narrow-Mindedness
Ahmad as-Sowayyan
Editor-in-chief, Al-Bayan Magazine
AlJumuah, Rabi’ul Awwal 1421


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Narrow-mindedness is defined as lacking tolerance or not
having the mental faculty to see beyond the superficial and
recognize the underlying truth. Currently, this tendency
appears to be widespread in all segments of Muslim
communities.

The primary reason for this deplorable condition is
ignorance, the inability to recognize this deficiency and
to take corrective action. This situation is further
aggravated if the ignorant person considers himself to be
the epitome of wisdom, and if, he is in a leadership or a
highly visible position, he can cause unnecessary harm to a
family, a community or a an entire nation.

Absence of insight can also result in narrow-mindedness by
having a negative effect on one’s thought processes.
Insight is a rare virtue, and quite different from
ignorance. A person who lacks insight may possess some
knowledge, but derives no benefit from it due to a lack of
analytical skills while someone with insight assesses his
or her knowledge of a situation and then selects and uses
its relevant parts. Through insight, they are able4 to see
what others may not. Ibnul Qayyim, the famous Islamic
scholar and author, said: "One person may read a text and
learn one or two lessons from it, while another may learn
one or two hundred."

A rigidly traditional individual’s perceptivity, like that
of a captive frog in a deep well, is able to function only
within narrow parameters. He does not realize that there
are boundless vistas of knowledge beyond the scope of the
well, therefore, his mental and intellectual evolution
remains stunted. He is unable to take advantage of the
knowledge available beyond his limited horizon.

Blind imitation creates another obstacle to one’s
intellectual growth. The two world wars of the past century
are the perfect examples of this disability that can allow
ruthless political or religious leaders to manipulate the
minds of people who are unable to form their own objective
view.

Some individuals habitually look at things from one angle
and accept them as actual facts without thinking that there
may be a different side to the issue, or that reality may
actually be quite different from appearance. In the
following verse, Allah points out that the appearance of
the hypocrites may not be a true indication of their
reality: "And when you see them, you like their appearance,
but when they speak and you listen to them, they seem
worthless" … and then He goes on to give this warning:
"They are the enemy, so be warned of them. The curse of
Allah be upon them, how they are perverted." [63:4]

Furthermore, some people are impressed by quantity at the
expense of quality. Referring to the battle of Hunain,
Allah says: "On the day of Hunain, your numbers impressed
you but did not benefit you." But, "If there be amongst you
twenty who show fortitude, they will defeat two hundred."
This does not, of course, mean that appearances are to be
completely disregarded or that quantity is totally
irrelevant. These fundamentals should not be valued in
isolation, but should be understood through insight and
common sense.

A failure to prioritize or differentiate wrong from right
often leads people to lose sight of the broader picture.
Often people will focus on the immediate and disregard the
potential disastrous effects of an action further down the
road. Along with ignorance, narrow-mindedness and, of
course, a lack of insight, these gaps usually prove
detrimental to that individual’s future.
Re: The Dangers of Narrow-Mindedness
Nawawi
07/29/03 at 09:14:06
Narrow-Mindedness is the biggest problem with our Ummah.  When they read and study books they only read and study books from one source.
There is this one group, of which name I won't mention name.  But they have this problem.

They are arrogant, rude, and when you look at their actions and what they say about other Muslims, they are the worst example to follow.  They always call such and such group Ahlul Bidah, and so and so is a Mushirk or such and such has Aqidah problems.

And not one of them has ever sat down and read any books or listen to any lectures by the group they are slandering.  Most of it is lies what they accuse them of.

So yeah it is a big problem, narrow-mindedness.


Nice article.  
Re: The Dangers of Narrow-Mindedness
Anonymous
07/29/03 at 17:51:30
[slm]

[quote]There is this one group, of which name I won't mention name. But they have this
problem.

They are arrogant, rude, and when you look at their actions and what they say about other
Muslims, they are the worst example to follow. They always call such and such group Ahlul
Bidah, and so and so is a Mushirk or such and such has Aqidah problems.

And not one of them has ever sat down and read any books or listen to any lectures by the
group they are slandering. Most of it is lies what they accuse them of.

So yeah it is a big problem, narrow-mindedness. [/quote]

http://www.jannah.org/cgi-bin/madina/YaBB.pl?board=library;action=display;num=1058921903

Perhaps we should take another look at this thread and give the benefit of the doubt to
our brothers, whether they are characterized by X or Y (which is usually not a
self-label). Do we not want the best for them (a better understanding of Islam, if they are indeed,
wrong)? And do we not have a lot to work on, ourselves?

And are not narrow-mindedness, bidah and "aqeedah problems" all current afflictions of
this ummah?
Re: The Dangers of Narrow-Mindedness
Nawawi
07/29/03 at 20:40:59
[quote author=Anonymous link=board=library;num=1059452215;start=0#2 date=07/29/03 at 17:51:30][slm]


http://www.jannah.org/cgi-bin/madina/YaBB.pl?board=library;action=display;num=1058921903

Perhaps we should take another look at this thread and give the benefit of the doubt to
our brothers, whether they are characterized by X or Y (which is usually not a
self-label). Do we not want the best for them (a better understanding of Islam, if they are indeed,
wrong)? And do we not have a lot to work on, ourselves?

And are not narrow-mindedness, bidah and "aqeedah problems" all current afflictions of
this ummah?
[/quote]

If a Muslim kills another Muslim unjustly, we are condemn the act but not the Muslim.  We are to think the best of him and that Allah will forgive his sins and that Allah wil accept him into paradise.

If you read my post, all I did was condemn the actions of these Muslims.  I never condemned them.  I never said that they would go to hell.

I was condemning their actions not those Muslims. I didn't even mention the groups name.  And if anybody reads what I wrote, we can all agree that those actions are not from the Sunnah.

It is wrong for a Muslim to lie on another Muslim.  And that is what my post was about.  These Muslims lie on other muslims accusing them of Bidah, Shirk and having the improper Aqidah and they have not done a detailed research to find out it is true or not.

I don't look down upon them, I make dua for them.

And I ask Allah to make them among the best of His Servants, Make them better than me.  Make them reach levels I could only dream of reaching.  Make them among the people of paradise who do not have to taste hell-fire.

Oh Allah guide them to the haqq if they are Misguided and if they are guided then keep them on the haqq, and if I am misguided guide me to the haqq and if I am guided then keep me on the haqq.

Ameen Ameen Ameen.


I NEVER say, Oh Allah guide them to what I am upon.  Oh Allah these souls are truly Misguided, and guide to the haqq.

In this Dua is arrogrance.  It is foolish for any Muslim to make this dua for another Muslim.

At the same time, I don't think I was looking down upon them.  If there is something specific that i said that was incorrect then inform me, and I should have said it in a better way, perhaps tell me how I should have said it better.

07/29/03 at 20:43:41
Nawawi
Re: The Dangers of Narrow-Mindedness
timbuktu
07/29/03 at 21:12:10
[quote author=Anonymous link=board=library;num=1059452215;start=0#2 date=07/29/03 at 17:51:30]And are not narrow-mindedness, bidah and "aqeedah problems" all current afflictions of this ummah?[/quote]

no brother, these afflictions go back quite a lot. there have been fratricidal wars on issues of aqeedah since the days of the Khawarij, as well as on ethnicity.

In Baghdad, the fight between Hanafi (Ahl-ur-Raey)  & Shafi'ee fought a bloody war. &  the wars between Sunni & Shi'a.

in Libya, Tunisia, & the Maghrib, too, the wars between different sufi movements

...

the prophet [saw] said something to the effect that once the sword is raised to settle disputes between the muslims, this will continue till Qiyamah.




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