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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Re: What do you think... |
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| Nadeem |
| 04/08/04 at 05:21:40 |
| [slm] Beautifully and articulately put, Sister. I have limited knowledge in alot of issues not least in Islam, but now I am trying to educate myself, I have noticed a couple of things. One of the major problems we seem to face as an Ummah today is lack of knowledge about Islam. This is closely followed by the "I have knowledge, my knowledge is better than yours" mentality. We follow our parents, our families, our friends, our "saints", our sheikhs, our imams. These are all worthy and wise people from which to gain our knowledge but it seems more often than not, opinions are taken as facts before being checked out. The distortion of the word "Jihad" as you illustrate, which has become synonomous with the "crazed Mozlem hordes(?) sweeping our peace loving free nations(?)" is a prime example. Some blame the media and other outside forces for this untrue portrayal of the vast majority. They seem to play their part in all issues of public interest in our modern world. Some blame the suicide bombers, for bringing into disrepute Islam, the religion of peace (or as you beautifully put it, the peaceful religion). These events are outside our control. Perhaps we as normal Muslims cant do much about these other peoples actions. But what about the actions of average Muslims? If untrue things are being said, where are the people defending the truth? There are many commendable organisations working tirelessly to communicate the real truth abut Islam, through the media, etc., but these seem to be few and far between, or perhaps they are not as prominent at the moment. What small steps can we take in our lives to show people that Islam is not about strapping yourself with explosives, or forcing women to wear "black sacks over their heads", or beating the living daylights out of wives, etc, etc.? The answer to that is.... I dont really have the answer. Sister Trustworthy has suggested some good examples of practical things to be done. Perhaps educating ourselves about Islam for ourselves, to start with. Not just taking the word of others as fact ALL the time. Perhaps bringing Islam to the forefront in private and public life that doesnt portray itself as a way of life that is incompatible with "the West", the West in which many of us were born and brought up? I think perhaps these things are being done already. Like I say I dont really have the magic answer, but perhaps others on the board may have some useful ideas? Forgive me if I have made any mistakes, and feel free to correct me if you feel I have said anything completely incorrect. [wlm] |
| Re: What do you think... |
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| MIT |
| 04/08/04 at 06:43:56 |
| as-salaamu alaikum Dear Trustworthy, I'm afraid to say that this article contains some very serious errors. - After a nice opening, the definition of 'jihad' you give is incorrect. Jihad neither means "defense" or "defending God." It represents a struggle, sometimes taking the form of the internal struggle within oneself to overcome blameworthy lusts and desires, and at other times it can take a physical form such as warfare & fighting. - The very next statement is also factually incorrect: "The Qur'an does not even contain the word jihad" (as is the statement - not made by you though, that "jihad is never used in the Qur'an in a military context.") "Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive [jaahidoo] with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew." [al-Qur'an 9:41] The problem with making statements like this is that your ordinary non-Muslim can go and pick up the Qur'an and find these verses and say "hey, i was lied to!" - The hadith did come from God. Please refer to Justice Taqi Usmani's excellent book on the authority of the sunnah which you can find at: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~alnur/ISLAM/HADITH/AUTH_SUNNAH/ - I would like some proof for the claim that the last person who could declare a war in the name of Islam was Ali ibn Abi Talib. - I seriously disagree with the statement that Muslims should not be at war with anyone at this time. Could you imagine saying such a thing face to face to a Palestinian? I couldn't! A friend of mine met Imam Yusuf Estes some time ago and asked him for advice when giving da'wah to non-Muslims, and Imam Yusuf replied "never sugar coat Islam." The way i see it is that Islam is a practical religion. It doesn't contain laws for a utopian world in which there are no wars. Rather it deals with the subject and provides laws as to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable during times of war, so that the Muslim fighter doesn't descend into what is described by a reporter for 'The Guardian' newspaper today: "[Israeli] Soldiers spoke to me of a "mental scratch" - a psychological scar as a result of serving in the army of occupation. A woman who did her army service during the first intifada told me how she was inducted with boys from high school, and saw them cross what Israelis call a "red line" - holding a gun to the head of a terrified child, humiliating a Palestinian teacher at a checkpoint, killing an unarmed civilian. "When they came home the red line stayed crossed, they began to treat their girlfriends and wives that way, then their own children," she said. "And these were people I thought I knew, people I'd grown up with." http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1188052,00.html |
| NS |
| 04/08/04 at 06:53:05 |
| MIT |
| Re: What do you think... |
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| Trustworthy |
| 04/08/04 at 12:10:30 |
| [slm]... Sweet. Jazakh…some insight. No worries though that’s why you’re all here and me as well. To learn and educate. This was a series of research I did for a class I’m taking. It’s just a draft and I posted it in here as to get some feedback as what others think and what could be corrected. Surely I’m not one to think myself as “my knowledge is better than yours.” I can except my mistakes and surely will admit to it if proven. I definitely don’t want to be the one to have set anyone astray about Islam. Educating oneself is endless. And these are aspects of the Islamic self. Now, onto “jihad”. Jihad does mean struggle, no doubt, but I beg to differ with the other in that it does also mean “defense” yet in a holy way as to “defending God.” This is where the honor of Islam and God comes in and most of the time it is not in a state of war. As to the ayat you gave me, I quoted that from Imam Jamil Badawi. It was when I went to ISNA, last year, I believe. I’m going to have to send him an email because I did check the Qur’an myself and found that you are correct. Good thing, this is only a draft. The Hadiths aren’t from God in the sense that the Qur’an is. The Sunnahs were compiled by Aisha’ (RAW) and the Hadith’s were compiled and written by the Prophet’s (SAW) companions. And this was after the Prophet’s death if I’m correct. The Prophet (SAW) married Aisha (RAW) young so that she could record his sunnahs. However, the Hadiths were written after the Prophet’s death. I’ll find that source for you soon. Also for the claim of Ali (RAH) being the last person who could declare war. I didn’t agree with that either because I felt that Islam does not stop with the Prophet or Ali. Islam’s content stopped with the Prophet, but our struggle does not. Our ummah will always face some triumph we have to overcome as a whole. I just needed someone else to tell me that I was right. Imam Yusuf was also at ISNA and I do remember him stating that we should not sugar coat Islam. Tell them how it is and how it was. Islam is not sour, but it is blunt. Example: Islam is a peaceful religion rather than it is a religion of peace. I would also like to add that the Palestinians have a ligitemate reason as to those other Muslim communites around the world that is facing annihilation of some sort, but to the others around the world like the US, to declare war on your neighbor for spite or as revenge for the other struggling Muslim communities outside their realm is wrong. They should defend them and their religion some other way as to try to stop the war there then create one here. I’m still trying to find an answer for who could, if anyone at all, could declare a holy war for the entire Muslim Ummah. I heard a few times that it is Isa (PBUH) upon his time descending from the Heavens to declare war against the Dajjal. So Jazakh…again for both your insights and this report will be revised. Ma-assalamah….. |
| 04/08/04 at 12:17:38 |
| Trustworthy |
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