from:"saiyed shahbazi"

[IslamCity] The Intermediary of Shirk.

2006-04-20 Thread saiyed shahbazi

From the Mafaheem of Sayyid ibn AlawiMany people falter in their understanding of the reality of intermediaries, and haphazardly rush to the judgement that any intermediary is Shirk, and that he who takes an intermediary, whatever the fashion, has associated partners with Allah, and that his state in this affair is that of the polytheists, who said we do not worship them except that they might bring us near to Allah (Surat al-Zumar, 3). This statement is incorrect, and the attempt to use this Ayah as an evidence is here misplaced. This is because this noble verse is clear in its severe condemnation of the polytheists for their worship of idols as gods besides Allah, the Exalted, and their association of them with Him, claiming that their worship of these idols is nothing more than a means of drawing closer to Allah. The kufr and shirk of their action stems
from their worship of these idols, and their belief that they are lords besides Allah. Something of great importance which must be stressed here is that this Ayah confirms that the polytheists were not sincere in their attempt to justify their worship of idols by claiming that they used them to draw near to Allah. For had they been truthful in this assertion, Allah would have been greater to them than their idols, and they would not have worshipped other than Him. However, Allah forbade the Muslims from insulting the idols of the polytheists with His words: Do not curse those upon whom they call beside Allah, lest they wrongfully curse and revile Allah through ignorance. Thus to every nation have we made their deeds seem fair. Then to their Lord is their return, when He will inform them of that which they used to do (Surat al-Anam, 108). It is narrated from Abd al-Razzaq, and Abd ibn Hamid, and ibn Jarir, and ibn al-Mundhir, and ibn
Abi Hatim, and Abu al-Sheikh, from Qutada (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Muslims used to curse and revile the idols of the disbelievers, and so the disbelievers reviled and cursed Allah, the Mighty, the Magnificent. So Allah revealed Do not curse those upon whom they call beside Allah, lest they wrongfully curse and revile Allah through ignorance. This is the reason for the revelation (sabab nuzul) of the Ayah, which strongly forbids the believers from uttering insults against the idols that the polytheists used to worship in Makkah, because such insults would inevitably enrage those who believed in their hearts that those statues and idols were gods, with the ability to benefit and harm. This rage would drive them to meet the Believers with similar insults against the One whom they worshipped, the Lord of the Worlds, and so they would ascribe to Him defects, though He is utterly free of all defects. Again, if they were truly sincere in their
claim that their idol-worship was only a means of drawing closer to Allah, they would not have dared insult Him to avenge their idols when they were insulted. It is entirely clear from this that the polytheists held Allah in far less esteem than they held their own idols. This is also apparent from Allahs words And if you were to ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they would surely say Allah! (Surat al-Ankabut, 61). If the polytheists had truly believed that Allah the Exalted is the only Creator, and that their idols had not created anything, they would have worshipped Allah instead of their idols, or at the very least their reverence towards Allah would have been greater than their reverence towards their stones and statues. Is this consistent with their utter vilification of Allah, the Mighty, the Magnificent, out of vigilance for their own idols against Him? It is abundantly clear that it is not consistent in the slightest.
Furthermore, the Ayah that we are considering is not the only evidence that Allah was lower in the esteem of the polytheists; rather it has many counterparts. Of them is the statement of Allah the Exalted: They assign to Allah a portion of the crops and cattle which He created, and they say this is for Allah, in their imagination, and this for (His) partners in regards to us. Thus, that which they apportion for His partners in them does not reach Allah, and that which they apportion to Allah goes to their partners. Evil is their ordinance (Surat al-Anam, 137.) If they did not hold Allah in lesser esteem than their idols, they would not have weighed against Him this bias, which as related in the Ayah merited the judgment of Allah upon them: Evil is their ordinance. Further evidence is the call of Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him), before he entered Islam, Hubal, be though exalted! as was related by Bukhari, calling upon the idol named
Hubal, in order that he might, in that moment of conflict[1], overwhelm the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth and His army of Believers, who desired to overwhelm their idols. This is a clear measure of the state of the polytheists, and how they

[IslamCity] In Search of the Prophet

2006-04-20 Thread saiyed shahbazi




O Prophet of Allah, where shall I find the source of my adoration for you? I have memorized hundreds of your sayings since my youth, taught your seerah (example) to numerous students, grown a beard, used the miswaaq, sang and proudly taught others odes (qasidahs) in praise of you. But I did not find you in these rituals nor did any of these make me any more like you; rather they merely flung me into the fray of insignificant debates in the arena of so many of the sunnahless Muslims who see your sunnah only as an endless array of harsh laws and practices or as some justification for their cultural tendencies. O Allah, save me from being of those who consider the sunnah of Thy beloved as being expressed only through aimless imitations and who know Thy Prophet only as a conveyor of commands and warnings.  O Prophet of Allah, I did not truly find you in the books of fatawa (religious edicts), nor in grand seminars and
 conferences throughout the world, and certainly not in the harsh arguments between groups proclaiming mutually exclusive rights over you.  I found my source of adoration for you in the love and respect that the Almighty has proclaimed for you; in the honor that He bestowed upon you; in His confirmation of you as "the ultimate exemplar"; "seal of Prophets" and "mercy unto all existence". Allah has elevated the very memory of you and has made His boundless love accessible through obedience to you.  I catch but a dimension of you through the instances of compassion you extended to others; how you played with the poor orphaned boy when other children refused to play with him, how you prolonged your prostration out of consideration that your change in posture may inconvenience or hurt your beloved grandson who had climbed on your back; how you commanded your army away from the anthill in order not to disrupt the ants' activities; how you blessed with
 Paradise the sinful woman for saving the life of a cat by making the water of the well accessible with her shoes; how you intervened and prevented a man from abusing his wife by teaching him that "the best of men are those who treat their wives the best"; how you patched your clothes, mended your shoes and did your daily household chores; how you wrestled with your nephew and raced with your wife; how you joked with the kids and carried the baggage of the elderly; how you hosted the Christians of Najran in your mosque and stood up to honor the bier of a Jew.  O Prophet of Allah, why is it that so many of us who claim to be of you refuse to be like you. We sing for you and dress like you, but do not come near fulfilling the _expression_ of love, care and beauty that generated from yourself. Why is it that we see in you that which suits our cultural, organizational and chauvinistic interests, yet ignore the essence of what is essential to
 your being. Others who are not of you proclaim the multi-dimensional and multi-faceted nature of your personality. "The personality of Muhammad is most difficult to get the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of him I can catch. What dramatic succession of picturesque scenes? There is Muhammad the Prophet; there is Muhammad the General; Muhammad the King; Muhammad the Warrior; Muhammad the Businessman; Muhammad the Preacher; Muhammad the Philosopher; Muhammad the Statesman; Muhammad the Orator; Muhammad the Reformer; Muhammad the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad the Judge; Muhammad the Saint.. In all these magnificent roles and in all these departments of human activities he is equally a hero." (Professor Ramakrishna Rao). O Prophet! Your life-example is an integrated biography, history and law; it is above all a model of excellence.  O Prophet of Allah, you have certainly been adored by many
 much more worthy than I. Yet, neither the inability to capture my appreciation of you with the eloquence of poets nor my weakness as a believer debars me from qualifying as one who adores you; for in the commemoration of your being do I find the dignity and honor of my existence.  Imam Sadullah Khan is Professor of Islamic Studies at California State University in Dominguez Hills.saiyed shahbazi





***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person

[IslamCity] The History of the Caliphate

2006-04-24 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Question: Didnt the Muslim caliphate or khilâfah end in 1342 AH/1924 CE, when Turkey abolished the office? Didnt the khilâfah have a continuous existence up to that point?Answer: These questions are two-sided, as they deal with fiqh and with history. The fiqh of the khilâfah is important, and perhaps that can be dealt with in a future article. In this article, however, I will be exclusively concerned with the history. In revealing historical facts, it is not my purpose to challenge any point of fiqh regarding the necessity of having a leader. Therefore, I am not disputing here that from the time of the death of the Prophet (SAAS) there was an amîr, and that the amîr had to be obeyed, and that the amîr also had the title of khalîfah. Most of what I would amend concentrates on the idea that the khilâfah was abolished in 1342/1924, which is an event whose significance has often been misconstrued by Muslims.The early khilâfah had a more or less continuous history from Abu Bakr (RA), despite the civil wars of 35-40/656-661 and 64-73/683-692, until the coup that overthrew al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik in 126/744. That led to the Third Fitnah or Civil War (126-134/744-752), during which the Abbâsids came to power in 132/749-750. This history is detailed in my book, The End of the Jihâd State: The Reign of Hishâm ibn Abd al-Malik and the Collapse of the Umayyads, available from SUNY Press.Contrary to most popular belief, the Abbâsidss position was weak, not strong, because the disordersof the Third
Fitnah had undermined the khilâfah. The Abbâsids never ruled in Algeria (except briefly in the extreme east of that country), Morocco, and Spain, so that the unity of the state had decisively ended. This actually first happened when the rebelling Berbers of Morocco set up their own khalîfah in 122/740, and it never happened after that year that all the Muslims ever were under one single khalîfah again. Although it has been mentioned that the Umayyads in Spain did not claim the title of khalîfah until the 4th/10th century, they were in a constant state of hostile relations with the Abbâsids, who never ruled or even exerted any influence in Spain.The North African Berbers,
whose revolt had actually broken the back of the earlier Umayyad khilâfah in 122/740, had plenty of justification for their revolt, and it is really unfair merely to treat them as followers of a deviant sect of Khawârij, as has often been done. Even though their presence gave rise to the separate sect or madhhab of the Ibâdîs who still exist in the Algerian city of Ghardâyah and also in villages in Jabal Nafûsah in Libya, their initial impetus was purely political. All they did was to rebel against an Umayyad khilâfah which had lost all legitimacy except among the Syrians and which soon collapsed and disappeared. Remember that Sunnis have historically never validated the rule of the khalîfahs apart from the four Râshidûn and, often, Umar ibn Abd al-Azîz (99-101/717-720). While Muâwiyah occurs in hadîth and might be defended as a Companion, that does not apply to the later Umayyad rulers. Abd al-Malik ibn Marwâns viceroy of the East, al-Hajjâj ibn Yûsuf (d. 95/714),
even executed Saîd ibn Jubayr (d. 95/714), the great muhaddith and authority of al-Bukhârî and other hadîth collections, sarcastically berating him for having thrown off his oath of allegiance by joining the ill-fated rebellion of Ibn al-Ashath much earlier and then hiding out. This episode is documented in detail by al-Dhahabî in his huge biographical dictionary, Siyar alâm al-nubalâ, Vol. IV.From the time of its first proclamation in 132/749, the Abbâsid khilâfah continued to disintegrate through most of its history. It is quite notable that Abû Hanîfah (80-150/699-767), the putative founder of the Hanafî legal school and an outstanding jurist of the Muslim
metropolis of al-Kûfah, after he had supported the Alid rebel Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyyah, spent the last four and a half years of his life (145-150/763-767) in the prison of Abu Jafar al-Mansûr (ruled 136-158/754-775), the Abbâsid khalîfah. Indeed, Abu Hanifah was imprisoned in Baghdâd in the very year of the founding of that city and thus broke in the new prison. Further undermining the claim of the Abbâsids to universal rule, a separate Fâtimid Shîî khilâfah was set up that lasted 297-567/909-1171 in North Africa and Egypt, and the surviving Umayyads in Spain also claimed the title of khalîfah 317-422/929-1031, when they fell. After that, many small princelings in Spain and North Africa claimed to be khalîfahs, so that a poet stated that they would take up big names like al-Mutasim, just like housecats pretending to be lions. The Hafsid dynasty of Tunis claimed the title of khalîfah 651-977/1253-1569 and adopted Abbâsid-sounding reign titles. When Islam spread
to West Africa, so did claims to the office of khalîfah or amîr al-muminîn. This became part of the titles of Uthmân

[IslamCity] Accept Only The Truth

2006-05-02 Thread saiyed shahbazi




Mu`âdh Bin Jabal:Companion of the Prophet "Accept Only The Truth"   Idris al-Khawlâni narrated that Mu`âdh Bin Jabal  Allah be pleased with him, said in one of his sermons: "Coming your way are awful trials were money will be aplenty, and the Qur'an will be read by the believer as well by the hypocrite, the young and the old, the strong and the weak, and people from all nations will read the Qur'an. A man rehearsing the Qur'an in public will be astounded and bewildered as he says to himself, 'How is it that I happen to be reading the divinely revealed Qur'an, and people seem to neither heed, nor would they comply with its admonitions?'Mu`âdh
 further continued: "O people! Beware, beware of innovations, for innovations lead to straying from the right path.""I also warn you about the potential aberration of a scholar, or the possible blunder of a teacher, for it is possible that a wise man's own Satan utters a misleading statement through him, while it is also possible that a hypocrite speaks a word of truth. Therefore, accept only the truth, for truth is a radiant light."Someone asked: "How are we to know whether a wise man is right or wrong?" Mu`âdh  replied: "A wise man may utter a word in error, and you will feel uncomfortable with it. You will say to yourselves, 'What is this?' Therefore, do not feel awkward about questioning it, and perhaps he will retract his _expression_ on his own when he recognizes what you already know, and he may change his opinion.
 Knowledge and faith are indeed an effulgent light, and their clarity and distinctiveness will remain radiant thus until the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, whosoever seeks true knowledge and faith with sincerity and perseverance, he will surely find them." `Abdullâh, son of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal  Allah be pleased with him, narrated that a man asked Mu`âdh bin Jabal  Allah be pleased with him: "Teach me something." Mu`âdh replied: "Would you obey me?" The man humbly replied: "I am most eager to obey you." Mu`âdh then instructed the man:  "Fast and pray regularly, earn your livelihood in a lawful way, and do not err in that regard. Strive not to die except in
 Islam, and beware not to become liable before the divine justice regarding the grievance of someone with whom you have dealt unjustly."From "The Beauty of the Righteous And Ranks Of The Elite" (Hilyat-ul Awliya Wa Tabaqâqt al-Asfiya); Philadelphia, 1995saiyed shahbazi





***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

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[IslamCity] Our heritage at stake

2006-05-09 Thread saiyed shahbazi

lence of people and parties who are not influenced by petro-dollars? Fortunately for us, Pakistan has a (relatively) free media, but I have yet to come across any news or commentary relating to this impending horror in either the newspapers, or the private TV channels. So why this conspiracy of silence? This question brings us back to our reluctance to criticize other Muslims, while screaming threats at non-Muslims. Thousands
demonstrated against the alleged desecration of the Holy Book at Guantanamo a few months ago. Several people were killed in the accompanying violence. Where are those zealots now? Why aren't preachers at mosques demanding that the Saudi government halt their destructive plans? Alas, these double standards are what now define the ummah. We have become completely neutered when it comes to criticizing other Muslims. I have often received e-mails from readers, accusing me of washing our dirty linen in public when I have written of the many problems afflicting the Islamic world. But these things need to be said out loud and often. According to Mirza Beg, if you want to protest against the destruction of historical sites in Makkah, you can log on to the following website: www.petitiononline.com/rasul/petition.html But while I am going to do my bit, I do not plan to hold my
breath...saiyed shahbazi

***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
--

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http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

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[IslamCity] A hadith

2006-05-09 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Ibn 'Abbas said, "One day I was behind the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, 'Boy, I will teach you some words: Be careful regarding Allah and He will take care of you. Be careful regarding Allah and you will find Him in front of you. When you ask, ask Allah and when you seek help, seek help from Allah. Know that if the whole community were to gather together to help you with something, they would not be able to help you in any way unless Allah had written that for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you in some way, they would not be able to harm you except with something which Allah had written for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages are dry."[at-Tirmidhi]saiyed shahbazi

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

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[IslamCity] Classical education

2006-05-09 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Classical education depends on a three-part process of training the mind. The early years of school are spent in absorbing facts, systematically laying the foundations for advanced study. In the middle grades, students learn to think through arguments. In the high school years, they learn to express themselves. This classical pattern is called the trivium.The first years of schooling are called the "grammar stage" not because you spend four years doing English, but because these are the years in which the building blocks for all other learning are laid, just as grammar is the foundation for language. In the elementary school years what we commonly think of as grades one through four the mind is ready to absorb information. Children at this age actually find memorization fun. So during this period, education involves not self-_expression_ and self-discovery, but rather the learning of facts. Rules
of phonics and spelling, rules of grammar, poems, the vocabulary of foreign languages, the stories of history and literature, descriptions of plants and animals and the human body, the facts of mathematics the list goes on. This information makes up the "grammar," or the basic building blocks, for the second stage of education. By fifth grade, a child's mind begins to think more analytically. Middle-school students are less interested in finding out facts than in asking "Why?" The second phase of the classical education, the "Logic Stage," is a time when the child begins to pay attention to cause and effect, to the relationships between different fields of knowledge relate, to the way facts fit together into a logical framework.A student is ready for the Logic Stage when the capacity for abstract thought begins to mature. During these years, the student begins algebra and the study of logic, and begins to apply logic to all academic
subjects. The logic of writing, for example, includes paragraph construction and learning to support a thesis; the logic of reading involves the criticism and analysis of texts, not simple absorption of information; the logic of history demands that the student find out why the War of 1812 was fought, rather than simply reading its story; the logic of science requires that the child learn the scientific method.The final phase of a classical education, the "Rhetoric Stage," builds on the first two. At this point, the high school student learns to write and speak with force and originality. The student of rhetoric applies the rules of logic learned in middle school to the foundational information learned in the early grades and expresses his conclusions in clear, forceful, elegant language. Students also begin to specialize in whatever branch of knowledge attracts them; these are the years for art camps, college courses, foreign travel,
apprenticeships, and other forms of specialized training.A classical education is more than simply a pattern of learning, though. Classical education is language-focused; learning is accomplished through words, written and spoken, rather than through images (pictures, videos, and television).Why is this important? Language-learning and image-learning require very different habits of thought. Language requires the mind to work harder; in reading, the brain is forced to translate a symbol (words on the page) into a concept. Images, such as those on videos and television, allow the mind to be passive. In front of a video screen, the brain can "sit back" and relax; faced with the written page, the mind is required to roll its sleeves up and get back to work.A classical education, then, has two important aspects. It is language-focused. And it follows a specific three-part pattern: the mind must be first supplied with facts and images, then given the
logical tools for organization of facts, and finally equipped to express conclusions.But that isn't all. To the classical mind, all knowledge is interrelated. Astronomy (for example) isn't studied in isolation; it's learned along with the history of scientific discovery, which leads into the church's relationship to science and from there to the intricacies of medieval church history. The reading of the Odyssey leads the student into the consideration of Greek history, the nature of heroism, the development of the epic, and man's understanding of the divine.This is easier said than done. The world is full of knowledge, and finding the links between fields of study can be a mind-twisting task. A classical education meets this challenge by taking history as its organizing outline beginning with the ancients and progressing forward to the moderns in history, science, literature, art and music.We suggest that the twelve years of education
consist of three repetitions of the same four-year pattern: Ancients, Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation, and Modern Times. The child studies these four time periods at varying levels simple for grades 1-4, more difficult in grades 5-8 (when the student

[IslamCity] Exposition of the Way in which Young Children should be Disciplined

2006-05-23 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 I did for twenty years. Then I went out, and wandered in the earth for several more years, and then returned to Tustar, where I prayed all night for as long as God
 willed.' Said Ahmad, 'I never saw him eat salt until he went to meet his Lord'.  Transcribed by Sr. Nosheen Mian.  Reproduced with written permission of translator  Notes:  1. According to Galen, the expressions of shame appear in the third year of life. (Rosenthal, Classical Heritage, 89.)  2. These practices being in conformity with the Prophetic Sunna.  3. Tusi (tr. Wickens, Nasirean Ethics, 168) names the poetry of Abu Nuwas and Imru'l-Qays as prime examples.  4. Ar. hudud, which may equally be rendered 'canonical punishment'.  5. The question, according to Ibn al-`Arabi (cited in Bowering, Mystical Vision, 48, and Chittick, Sufi Path of Knowledge, 407), was whether the heart itself could prostrate. Qushayri interprets the story as an indication that mysticism solves the problems that theology is unable to answer. (Bowering, loc. Cit.)  6. [`Abbadan, then situated on an island between the estuaries of the Tigris and the Dugail (=Qarun) River, was the site of a retreat (ribat) which was founded by the disciples of al-Hasan al-Basri (d. 110/728)' (Bowering, 47). It was frequented by important figures of both exoteric and esoteric Islam.  7. The home town of Sahl was located in Khuzestan in south-western Iran. Cf. J. H. Kramers, art. 'Tustar', in EI, IV. 393-5.  8. Ar. faraq, a large measure of grain,
 variously defined. (Cf. Lane, 2385.)  saiyed shahbazi





***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

--

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[IslamCity] Science says Adam Hawa existed...

2006-05-28 Thread saiyed shahbazi

xplanation could be that the rib is symbolic of the husband's duty to his wife
 and of the wife's relationship to her husband and the dominant aspect of her character. The notion that Hawa was in reality created from a rib taken from Adam's side also imply acceptance of the level of duty that is put upon husbands: namely to provide, maintain and protect their wives as part of their own selves (S. 4:34).For Hawa and all women their position in marriage is also clarified by the fact hat the rib was taken from Adam's ide. The natural position of women, as wives, is to be at their husbands' side, to fit in with them while associating with them, and just as a man's rib, as part of his body, is subjected to and obedient to the man's will, so too must all "righteous women [be] devoutly (to their husbands), and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard" (S. 4:34).To be a wife and a mother is no easy task and so Hawa and all women had to be especially equipped. Women have been given a
 greater intensity of emotions thus enabling them to be constant as a helper: always giving, caring to a fault - with her husband and children she sometimes shows them undeserved kindness, daring to pass through the doors of pain again and again - suffering great discomfort during pregnancy and the pangs at child birth - to present as a gift to husbands their ultimate treasures of pleasure in the guise of sexual intercourse and children. Without the presence of this emotional quality in women it would be more difficult for men "to draw (the above or any other) benefit from them", while making women more intuitive, having this capacity for greater intensity of emotions also carries with it a corresponding greater intensity of desires. Therefore, of far reaching importance to women (indeed it is relevant to all humankind) is the Qur'anic injunction to "stand out firmly for justice, as witness to Allah.. follow not the lusts (of your heart), lest ye swerve, and... ye
 distort (justice or decline to do justice)" (S. 4:135). Since the presence of a greater intensity of emotions and desires is necessary for the proper discharge of the women's duty as wives and mothers, this ability has been Divinely fixed as part of their natural make-up, thus making them "crooked" - more vulnerable and therefore prone to distort or not do justice. To straighten women involves trying to force them to go against their Divine given nature, "breaking" their nature by removing from it that which is the source of "benefit" to men and which makes women good wives and mothers - ceasing to be such can only mean divorce will follow as a direct consequence. Men who require this are evil and unjust and are themselves trying to avoid their Islamic duty to "forgive and overlook and cover up their (women's) faults)" (S. 64:14) and not "treat them with harshness... on the contrary, live with them on the footing of kindness and
 equity" (S. 4:19). Nevertheless, these Qur'anic injunctions are not to be abuse by women who se their emotional nature as an excuse for wrong-doings. Like men, women are also capable of being disciplined, knowledgeable and just, so it is perfectly just and proper that husbands, while keeping in mind their wives' emotional make-up, should encourage them to strive for their own level of excellence.I therefore have no difficulty in accepting that the idea of a "rib-created women" has both a physical and spiritual signification. Physical because Hawa could most probably have been created from a bone taken from Adam, and spiritual because despite her emotional make-up, like him, she and every other women are also capable of being disciplined and submissive to Allah (SWT).Mekaeel Maknoon  saiyed shahbazi





***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah

[IslamCity] The Religious Roots of Conflict :Russia and Chechnya

2006-05-28 Thread saiyed shahbazi

urned to their republics, they found that their land had been "Russified." Hundreds of thousands of Russian farmers brought in to work the land during their absence had become permanent residents and now comprised a quarter of the regions population. The Chechens, Ingush and Daghestanis also discovered a land scoured of Islam. Soviet authorities had experimented with the near total suppression of Islam in the region, closing over 800 mosques and 400 religious colleges. Mazars were demolished, converted into state museums, or made inaccessible. Only after more than 30 years, in 1978, Soviet authorities in the Caucasus allowed under 40 mosques to reopen and staffed them with less than 300 registered ulema. These measures against "institutional" Islam had little impact on the Sufi brotherhoods, which had never relied on mosques and madrasas as their centers. Indeed, the orders themselves--particularly the Naqshbandis--are noted to this day for organizing their own clandestine Arabic classes and schools to teach the Quran. And, throughout the 1970s, the orders regained their popularity in Chechnya behind a new Chechen Sufi brotherhood--an order that had
formed during the exile in Central Asia. This new brotherhood--called the Vis Haji after its founder, the Chechen Sufi Uways "Vis" Haji Zagiev--is an offshoot of Kunta Hajis branch of the Qadiri order. First identified in the camps in 1953, the Vis Haji combine scrupulous adherence to "conservative" Islam with unremitting anti-Russian, anti-Soviet rhetoric. Nevertheless Vis Haji murids are permitted to work in state industries, even those involving tobacco and alcohol. Described by some observers as "fiercely xenophobic," the order exploits modern technology to spread a message of spiritual rectitude and political activism. Reports under the Soviets indicated that in some regions the Vis Haji secretly convened their own Islamic courts and illegally collected various religious taxes. Vis Haji zikr, employing violins and sometimes drums, also accounts for some of the orders
popularity. Attractive even to nonmembers, zikr performances sometimes provide the basis for public assemblies and displays during religious holidays in many Chechen villages. In another unique practice, women are welcome to participate in Vis Haji zikr, and there are reports of women shaykhs leading their own circles of female adepts. Crucial in preserving Chechen Muslim identity during the exile, the Vis Haji are recognized today as the most active and innovative order in the Caucasus. It is unlikely that Boris Yeltsin and the Russian Federation can fully succeed in Chechnia where generations of harsh, repressive rule and even abortive genocide have failed. It is wrong to locate President Dzhokhar Dudayevs support against the Russians entirely with the Chechen Sufi brotherhoods: his agenda is not theirs, and his fidelity to Islam is considered politic and superficial. But faced with an invading Russian army,
the brotherhoods have already joined the fray on his side. Earlier this year Chechen fighters retired to the mountains and abandoned Grozny, and the end of the Chechen war became as elusive as the Sufi orders themselves. In this tired battle of wills between Moscow and the Chechen Muslims, Boris Yeltsin and the Russian Federation rank as their weakest opponents yet. -----[David Damrel is a Fellow of St. Cross College, Oxford, and an Associate Faculty Member in the Department of Religious Studies at Arizona State University, Tempe.]saiyed shahbazi

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

Recommended:
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http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

[IslamCity] Failed State? Yes, but for other reasons.

2006-06-01 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Failed State? Yes, but for other reasons. By abid ullah jan Published: May 21, 2006 usharraf regime is feeling jittery since the American journal Foreign Policy has put
Pakistan in the top ten failing states. Peter Preston called Pakistan a basket case in the Guardian (May 8, 2006). The minister for press at the Pakistan High Commission in U.K., Imran Gardezis response to Peter Preston has become a classic example of defending the indefensible on this issue. Pakistan, of course, is a failing state, but not based on the indicators used by the American journal Foreign Policy. It will definitely fail if the present trends continued. However, the life threatening trends have nothing to do with the criteria set for Pakistans failure by the Western analysts. Moreover, Musharraf is not the root cause of this failure. He is just a factor, becoming the last straw on the camels back. Even a successful defence of General Musharrafs policies can hardly save Pakistan for the impending disasters.
One of the major factors of Pakistans failure is its straying away from the core objective and justification for its creation. Secondly, it has become a state occupied by its own armed forces, which is substantially different from ruling by armed force. Outside powers have perfectly controlled Pakistan through its own armed forced with curtailed sovereignty and limited freedoms. Pakistans joining the ranks of top ten failed states is not a surprise. It is part of the grand scheme for undermining its very existence. Despite the regimes wholehearted sacrifice of all the principles of justice, law and the norms of independent states, American analysts, such as Leon T. Hadar, consider Pakistan with its dictatorship and failed economy a reluctant partner and a potential long term adversary since 2002. Pakistan is hardly different from Iraq and Afghanistan. The only difference is in the mode of occupation. Like any other occupied territory, dictatorship is in full swing in Pakistan. Hundreds of people, pointed out by the intelligence of occupation forces, are routinely rounded up in order to placate Washington. Illegal detentions and extraditions are on the rise. FBI and CIA agents have declared open season on Pakistan, which cannot even move its own troops without prior permission from Washington. Like the attacks on occupation forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, we witness desperate suicide attacks on Pakistani armed forces. $13bn in foreign reserve is meaningless when Pakistan cannot prepare its budgets without an approval from international lending agencies. The same must be true for other third
world countries, However, the difference lies in Pakistans consuming every possible penny into its defense budget would have made sense if it were utilized for defending the countrys integrity, sovereignty and independence. Gardezi argues that Pakistan is paying the price for being the front line in the war on Soviet Union and now in the war on terrorism. In fact, Pakistan has been ensuring American strategic interests from implementation of American directions on religious institutions to spying on citizens and banning everything that may promote the spiritual message of Islam. The government officials work round the clock to ensure interpretation of Pakistans occupation as crisis management. It is rather becoming a cause of the future crisis. Just like Palestinian authorities in occupied Palestine, the US can force Pakistani government to routinely violate basic standards of decency in human
behavior as expressed in international human rights law without anyone raising an eyebrow. It can now arrest, indefinitely detain, torture and even kill anyone under the pretext of destroying the Al-Qaeda network. And worse, like Israeli actions in the occupied Palestine, the US can invade and bomb any place in Pakistan any time it may like. Al-Qaedas threat has been blown out of proportion to intensify occupation of what senior British diplomat Robert Cooper calls failed states in the post-modern era. The main characteristics of such occupations described by Cooper are: the breaking down of the distinction between domestic and foreign affairs of the occupied states; mutual interference in domestic affairs and mutual surveillance (the word mutual is used to deceive the weak as Pakistan cannot even imagine interference in the domestic affairs of the US, let alone surveillance);
and the growing irrelevance of borders when it comes to safeguarding the interest of the strong. To remove any leftover doubts about Pakistan being a failed state, news reports from the New York Times and the Washington Post are pouring in, alleging that Al-Qaeda is regrouping in Pakistan and that ISI supports the Taliban and Kashmiri insurgents. As a pre-modern state, Pakistan is thus considered as weak enough even to secure its home territorybut it can provide a base for non-state actors who may

[IslamCity] Bangladesh Minister's wife runs fake private university

2006-06-01 Thread saiyed shahbazi




Bangladesh Minister's wife runs fake private university   Created 2006-05-25 Dhaka, 25 May, (INS + Asiantribune.com): Wife of State Minister for Education Ehsanul Haque Milon is running a fake university named 'The International University' at city's Uttara model town, thus cheating hundreds of students in Bangladesh.   The matter came to the attention when a local newspaper published an exclusive report on it. According to the report, the education ministry has found that the authorities of The International University have been running the private institution for over five years with a fake approval of the ministry.   The ministry has received a copy of the fake approval letter that the university authorities have shown to the students as well as to different government organizations. 
 The fake approval letter, issued on May 7, 2000, and signed by one Syed Mainuddin, claiming himself to be an assistant secretary of the Education Ministry, said that the ministry had no objection to assist the authorities of the International University under the management of West Coast Educational Foundation, Uttara, in running the professional and technology-based educational institution.   The education ministry recently said that it had never issued such approval for any organization and that the institution had been functioning on the basis of fraudulent claims.  Signed by assistant secretary, Abdur Rashid, an Education Ministry circular issued on April 17, 2006 said: 'The WCEF foundation has been running The International University in Uttara, Dhaka, with a fake approval of the ministry.' The ministry has requested the University Grants Commission to conduct an investigation and submit a report to the ministry.  Sources in
 the UGC, which is the regulator of both private and public universities in the country, said that they would make a spot visit soon.  'The commission has noticed that the so-called university has been trying to woo students through advertisements in newspapers offering degrees in different subjects including master's degree in business administration, bachelor's degrees in English and computer science and even PhD degree.'   Talking to INS the UGC Chairman, Professor M Asaduzzaman said: 'An organized syndicate has been selling certificates from such fake universities and from some so-called outer campuses of a number of foreign universities and institutions.   He said stern actions would be taken against such institutions.  It is further learnt that, The International University (TIU) is an affiliate institution of an US University. A Bangladeshi named Dr. Gazi Alam, who proclaims to be the 'friend' of Prime Minister's son, Tareq
 Rahman approached the President of TIU-USA for the affiliation.   Later they managed to open a campus in Dhaka's Uttara model town area, with State Minister for Education's wife as the Vice Chancellor. Meanwhile, this fake university has cheated hundreds of local students by giving them fake certificates.   - INS + Asian Tribune -   Source URL:http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/255 saiyed shahbazi





***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

--

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[IslamCity] Are We Really Supposed To Hate Non-Muslims? (Part II)

2006-06-02 Thread saiyed shahbazi

As we discussed last time, those who are bent on promoting the "Doctrine of Hatred" cite verse 60:4 and the example of Prophet Abraham (pbuh). Yet, it is clear that this understanding is not valid when the verse is examined in its proper context. Thus, again, I can say truthfully that there is no basis for the claim that Muslims must hate all non-Muslims. None whatsoever.Yet, there are other considerations that further strengthen my contention for the lack of evidence for the "Doctrine of Hatred." First of all, there are some verses that tell the Prophet what to do in case the people "turn away," or reject what he is saying: Behold, this is indeed the truth of the matter [about Jesus not being God], and there is no deity whatever save God; and, verily, God - He alone - is almighty, truly wise. And if they turn away [from this truth] - behold, God has full knowledge of the spreaders
of corruption. (3:62-63) [emphasis added]Say: "O followers of earlier revelation! Come unto that tenet which we and you hold in common: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall not ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and that we shall not take human beings for our lords beside God." And if they turn away, then say: "Bear witness that it is we who have surrendered ourselves unto Him." (3:64) [emphasis added]But if they turn away [from thee, O Prophet, remember that] thy only duty is a clear delivery of the message [entrusted to thee]. (16:82)Say: Pay heed unto God, and pay heed unto the Apostle. And if you turn away [from the Apostle, know that] he will have to answer only for whatever he has been charged with, and you, for what you have been charged with; but if you pay heed unto him, you will be on the right way. Withal, the Apostle is not bound to do more than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to him].
(24:54)No where in these verses does it say, "If they turn away, then hate them." So, on what basis are Muslims supposed to hate all non-Muslims? Now, to be completely honest and forthcoming, in verse 3:32 it does say: Say: "Pay heed unto God and the Apostle." And if they turn away - verily, God does not love those who deny the truth.Yet, I do not conclude from this verse that I am, therefore, supposed to hate all non-Muslims. My guiding principle when it comes to my non-Muslim friends, colleagues, and neighbors is verse 60:8.Secondly, in verse 3:110 it says: You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] humanity: you enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in God... How can Muslims be the "best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] humanity" if they must harbor hatred in
their heart of hearts for all those who are not Muslim? Does this make any sort of sense? Thirdly, in verse 4:36 it says: And worship God [alone], and do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him. And do good unto your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour from among your own people, and the neighbour who is a stranger and the friend by your side, and the wayfarer, and those whom you rightfully possess. In this verse, God commands the believers to do good unto their neighbors, and it does not stipulate the faith of these neighbors. Similarly, in a tradition reported in both Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let him to do good unto his neighbor." Again, the Prophet (pbuh) did not stipulate the faith of that neighbor. In addition, the wayfarer very well can be a non-Muslim, and the verse did not
stipulate the faith of the wayfarer. How can Muslims obey these commandments if they are supposed to harbor hatred in their heart of hearts for all those who are not Muslims? Does this make any sort of sense? Fourthly, in verse 5:5 it says: Today, all the good things of life have been made lawful to you. And the food of those who have been vouchsafed revelation aforetime is lawful to you, and your food is lawful to them. And [lawful to you are], in wedlock, women from among those who believe [in this divine writ], and, in wedlock, women from among those who have been vouchsafed revelation before your time - provided that you give them their dowers, taking them in honest wedlock, not in fornication, nor as secret love-companions...Now, if Muslims are supposed to hate all those who are not Muslim (such as Jews and Christians), how could it be that they can eat of their food? So, a Muslim can eat a Kosher meal, but must remember that
he has to hate the Jews who prepared it? Does this make any sort of sense? Furthermore, if Muslims are supposed to hate all those who are not Muslim (such as Jews and Christians), how could it be that God would allow Muslim men to marry Jewish and Christian women? The verse does not say that the Muslim husband has to convert his wife, and it is quite conceivable that many Jewish or Christian

[IslamCity] Graves of Prophets and some imp islamic personalities

2006-06-06 Thread saiyed shahbazi




Graves of Prophets and very Pious people Yahya (John the Babtist) (a.s.)'s Tomb  Tomb of Shuhayb (a.s.)  Imran (Aaron) (a.s.)'s Tomb  Prophet Saleh (a.s.)'s Tomb  Prophet Joshua (Youshua) (a.s.)'s Tomb  Bilal (a.s.)'s Tomb  Imam Shafi'i's (r.a.) Tomb  Imam Bukhari (r.a.)'s Tomb  Abel Bin Adam (a.s.)'s Tomb (first muder victim in the world) saiyed shahbazi
__._,_.___





***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

--

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[IslamCity] Five Futures for Muslims

2006-06-06 Thread saiyed shahbazi

aissance. Singapore, Time Books, 1996.14. See www.islamicconcern.com/fatwas.asp for a site on Islam and vegetarianism. 15. Organization of Islamic Conference. 16. Sohail Inayatullah, "Leaders envision
the future of the Islamic Ummah," World Futures Studies Federation Bulletin (July 1996), Coverpage.. See, Sohail Inayatullah, "Futures Visions of Southeast Asia: Some Early Warning Signals," Futures (Vol. 27, No. 6, July/August, 1995), 681-688; 17. Email . April 2, 2004 . Ziauddin Sardar. 18. Recent headlines of Welsh actor, John Rhys-Davies, fearing that the demographic rise of Muslims will lead to a catastrophe for Western civilization, are indicators of much more to come. However, a voice of sanity has prevailed in this discussion. In response to Rhy-Davies comments of Muslim growth in Holland, were the comments Chief executive of the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (Awema) Naz Malik. He said: "I do not know why he has said these things. If 50 per cent of people in Holland under 18 are Muslims in 16 years time, so what? In Britain the fastest growing race is mixed race, people of dual heritage. It is a cause for great
celebration that our cultures are mixed. We live in a global society - we celebrate what is good in cultures and challenge what is bad in civilisations." But this appears to be a lone voice. For a site taking a strong anti-multiculturalism view.19. Ayeda Husain Naqvi writes in "The Rise of the Muslim Marine" (NewsLine, July 1996, 75-77) that while hate crimes against Muslims rise all over the world, surprisingly the US military is one of the safest places to be a Muslim. Indeed, Qasem Ali Uda forecasts that in 20 years, 25% of all US marines will be Muslim. Given the incredible influence that former military personnel have on US policies (i.e., a look at Who's Who in America shows that military background and law school education are the two common denominators on the resumes of America 's most influential people), inclusion is the wisest policy. The data is far from certain though. Todd Johnson, in his article, Religious Projections for the next 200
Years" along with scenarios titled non-religious growth and Asians opt for secularization while certainly having one scenario as "Muslim revival." Indeed, with postmodernism on the rise, individuals could choose alternative identities, being far less focused on the traditional, like father, like son. i.e., religion becomes one choice among many. 20. For an excellent articulation of this, see Johan Galtung, Globalization for Peace and Development. www.transcend.org. August 2004.(I would like to thank Bob Adams, Lewis Grow and Ivana Milojevic for extensive comments on earlier drafts of this essay.)saiyed shahbazi
__._,_.___

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise.

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[IslamCity] Conservative Reform In Contemporary Western Islamic Thought: Tariq Ramadan, A Case Study

2006-06-06 Thread saiyed shahbazi

eople overtaken by change. That makes him a conservative reformer, but not a reactionary. He himself describes it as follows: Que faire pour faire évoluer les mentalités? Condamner les sources scriptuaires et ne plus être entendu par le monde musulman? Imposer une opinion dite moderne en étant dans les faits perçu comme un occidentalisé ou, pire, un agent dévoyé à la cause de lennemi? Être entendu de l'Occident ayant perdu l'écoute du monde islamique? Se faire plaisir dans sa modernité assumée en n'ayant plus aucun rôle à jouer dans un univers sombrant dans la répression et la légitimation religieuse la plus hypocrite? (PV (2004), 22.) [What should be done to make mentalities evolve? Condemn the scriptural sources and no longer be listened to by the Muslim world? Impose an opinion described as modern, while being perceived by ones actions as
 occidentalised or, worse, as an agent devoted to the cause of the enemy? To be listened to by the West, having lost the ear of the Islamic world? To delight in ones assumed modernity while having no further role to play in a universe slumbering in repression and the most hypocritical of religious legitimisation?]Fourest, Caroline (2004): Frère Tariq. Discours, stratégie et méthode de Tariq Ramadan. Paris (= FT).  Ghadban, Ralph (2006): Der Euro-Islam von Tariq Ramadan. Berlin (forthcoming).  Gresh, Alain / Ramadan, Tariq (2002): Lislam en questions. Débat animé et présenté par Françoise Germain-Robin. 2., veränderte Auflage. Arles (= IQ).  Kamali, Muhammad Hashim (2002): Freedom, Equality and Justice in Islam. Cambridge.  Krämer, Gudrun (1999): Gottes Staat als Republik: Reflexionen zeitgenössischer Muslime zu Islam, Menschenrechten und Demokratie. Baden-Baden (= GR).  Krawietz, Birgit (2002): Hierarchie der Rechtsquellen im sunnitischen Islam. Berlin (= HR).  Ramadan, Tariq (2003): Les musulmans doccident et lavenir de lislam. Paris (= MO).  Ramadan, Tariq (2004): Peut-on vivre avec lislam? Entretien avec Jacques Neirynck. 2.,
 veränderte Auflage. Lausanne (= PV; 1. Auflage 1999).  Ramadan, Tariq (2001): Muslimsein in Europa. Köln (= ME; engl. Original 1999).  Ramadan, Tariq (2005): Appel international à un moratoire sur les châtiments corporels, la lapidation et la peine de mort dans le monde musulman. 30. März 2005 auf www.tariqramadan.com, 4. April 2005 in Le Monde, Übersetzungen ins Englische, Arabische, Spanische, Holländische und Deutsche auf der Webseite; dort auch Auseinandersetzung mit Einwänden der Azhar-Rechtsforschungs-Kommission, der Stellungnahme des Mufti von Ägypten und einfachen Gläubigen.Ramadan, Tariq (2005): [Manifest gegen den Terror in der liberalen panarabischen Zeitung Asch-Scharq al-Ausat vom 21. Juli 2005], gekürzte Übersetzung
 aufwww.memri.de/uebersetzungen_analysen/themen/europa_und_der_nahe_osten/eu_londonattack_ramadan_04_08_05.html] (= MT).Zemouri, Aziz (2005): Faut-il faire taire Tariq Ramadan? Suivi dun entretien avec Tariq Ramadan. Paris.  www.tariqramadan.com   [1] He had 8 months of private lessons in Islamic law given by Shaikh Dr. Ali Jum'a who is now Grand Mufti of Egypt, see www.tariqramadan.com/imprimer.php3?id_article=323. By Ludwig Ammann   saiyed shahbazi
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

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[IslamCity] Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed

2006-06-09 Thread saiyed shahbazi




  Iraqi PM: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killedAP - 4 minutes ago   BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida-linked militant who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings, kidnappings and hostage beheadings in Iraq, has been killed in a U.S. air raid north
 of Baghdad, Iraq's prime minister said Thursday.saiyed shahbazi
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

--

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[IslamCity] sunni path course

2006-06-12 Thread saiyed shahbazi




If you are unable to view the content, Please copy and paste the link: http://www.sunnipath.com/email/2006Summer/freecourse.aspx   SunniPath Academy Presents:  The Foundation of Prophetic Guidance:The Hadith Jibril Explained   A free 3-lesson course with Shaykh Faraz RabbaniJune 10 - 24, 2006 View Flash Presentation Register Now  Umar sat wondering about the questioner for days ...The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told him,"It was Jibril. He came to you to teach you your religion."  Learn how this hadith relates to your life, And why the scholars refer to it as "the
 foundation of Prophetic guidance."  The text of the hadith, commentary, and related readings will be provided.Lessons will be live  interactive - you can ask questions at any time.  And Allah alone gives success.Featured CoursesIntroductory Arabic 1The first step in a multi-year Arabic program that will take students from no knowledge of Arabic to a high-level proficiency. Introductory Arabic 1 focuses on understanding simple sentence structures, word constructions, verb conjugations,
 and pronouns.  Foundations of Islamic Law A fascinating course delving into the four sources of Islamic Lawâthe Qur'an, the Sunna, analogy, and consensusÃ¢â¬âand the formation of legal schools and methodologies. Topics will address the applicability of Islamic law in the modern world.   Approaching the SunnaAn
 introduction to the science of hadith methodology. This course will increase your appreciation of the intricacy, depth, and sophistication of hadith science and our scholarly legacy, as well as help you understand the claims of orientalists and "Quran-only" proponents.   The Oft-Recited SurasRecognize the beauty and wisdom behind the oft-recited suras. Connect yourself to Allah by developing a living relationship with His book! An in-depth study of Suras Kahf, Ya Sin, and Waqiah.   View all 18 courses  Learn More About   SunniPathOur TeachersHow Courses are TaughtSample Course AudioLearning Tracks  Testimonials  "I ask Allah Mighty and Majestic that He take you [SunniPath] by the hands; that He guide through you; that He guide you; and that He make you in this age as the Companions and their Followers were in the age of the Righteous Predecessors (as-salaf as-salih)." Shaykh Muhammad Sa`id Ramadan al-Bouti's du'a for SunniPath  "This [SunniPath] is a tremendous blessing. These are the sorts of things that bring the most happiness to the heart of our Beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace." Habib Ali
 al-Jifri's on SunniPath Courses  "SunniPath has been unparalleled in its professionalism, academic qualifications, technological aptitude, and most importantly, relevance to the cultural context that characterizes the lives of the majority of Muslims in the West."Hadia MubarakNon-Profit Project and Outreach DirectorWhat do past students say? saiyed shahbazi
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

--

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[IslamCity] What Are The Requirements To Reflect Over the Qur'an?

2006-06-12 Thread saiyed shahbazi

You know, it's funny. I have been told, several times, that I am "not qualified" to make the statements I make about various verses and passages of the Qur'an. I am "not qualified" to do so. Why? What are the qualifications to read the Qur'an? What credentials do I need to possess to make me a "bona fide" certified reader of the Qur'an? Now, I am not talking about making Qur'anic exegesis, or "tafsir." This is an academic discipline in and of itself. It requires ample knowledge of the Arabic language, not just modern Arabic, but classical Arabic, the language used at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an. It also requires understanding the reasons of revelation, or "asbab ul nuzul." One must also know proper Arabic grammar. Moreover, one has to know the various relevant Prophetic traditions that may surround a particular verse in the Qur'an. No. I am talking about the reflection of a believer on what a verse of the Qur'an means to him or her. What sort of
qualifications does one need to do this? Why do so many Muslims immediately jump to what shaikh so-and-so has said about a verse of the Qur'an before thinking about the verse beforehand? I mean, did not the Qur'an clearly ask the question: "Will they not, then, ponder over this Qur'an? Or are there locks upon heir hearts?" (47:24)?In so many places in the Qur'an, God appeals to the intellect of the human being. He wants the believer to think for himself. Take these verses: "Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are indeed messages for all who are endowed with insight [and] who remember God when they stand, and when they sit, and when they lie down to sleep, and [thus] reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: 'O our Sustainer! Thou hast not created [aught of] this without meaning and purpose. Limitless art Thou in Thy glory! Keep us safe, then, from suffering through
fire!" (3:190-191) "...Tell [them], then, this story, so that they might take thought." (7:176)"...Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people who think!" (10:24) "...in this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who think!" (16:11)"...so that thou might make clear unto mankind all that has ever been thus bestowed upon them, and that they might take thought." (16:44)"...In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who think!" (16:69)"...In [all] this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!" (39:42)"...And He has made subservient to you, [as a gift] from Himself, all that is in the heavens and on earth: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!" (45:13) "...And [all] such parables We propound unto men, so that they might [learn to] think." (59:21)These are only a
portion of the verses that speak about those who think, those who reflect, those who are endowed with insight, those who ponder, and so on. All these verses point to a theme: that God wants the human being to think and ponder. Why can't we take this theme to the verses of the Qur'an itself? Why can't we - before consulting a scholar - think about what a particular verse means to ourselves? If we don't understand something after we have reflected upon it ourselves, then we consult those who are more knowledgeable. It seems that many Muslims today have abandoned the first part of this interaction with the Qur'an. For example, I remember listening to a lecture and hearing the story of Mu'awiyah (r) asking Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (r), the Prophet's (pbuh) cousin, about this verse of the Qur'an: "And [remember] him of the great fish [Jonah], when he went off in wrath, thinking that We had no power over him! But then heeded out in the deep darkness
[of his distress]: "There is no deity save Thee! Limit less art Thou in Thy glory! Verily, I have done wrong!" (21:87) Mu'awiyah (r) told Ibn 'Abbas (r) that he kept thinking about this verse for a long time before coming to him and asking how Jonah, a Prophet of God, could think that God has no power over him. Ibn 'Abbas (r) told him that the word "yaqdiru" here means "punishment." Yet, the point of this story is that Mu'awiyah (r) reflected on the verse by himself first, then he asked the scholar. Why can't we do the same thing?As another example, at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), 'Amr ibn Al 'As (r) - who was a new Muslim at the time - made ablution with sand instead of water. Typically, a Muslim can make the ritual ablution before prayer with sand or earth if there is no water available. Yet, in this instance, there was water available. People took 'Amr (r) to task for this, including one of the Prophet's (pbuh) closest
companions 'Umar ibn Al Khattab (r). When the Prophet (pbuh) later asked him why he did that, 'Amr (r) answered: "Messenger of God, God said, 'let not your own hands throw you into destruction.' If I had made ablution with water on that cold night, I would have died. Thus, I made 'tayammum,' or ablution with

[IslamCity] Pakistan�s varsity enrolment among world�s lowest

2006-06-12 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Pakistans varsity enrolment among worlds lowest Monday, June 05, 2006 By Shahzad Malik ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ranked amongst the lowest in the world in higher education enrolment, with just 2.9 percent of students enrolled in universities in 2005. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan (2005-2006) released here on Sunday, the current adult literacy rate is 53 percent and net enrolment at primary level is 52 percent. Government spending on education in 2005-06 was just 2.1 percent of GDP, way below the regional average. The survey said that the government intends to double higher education enrolment over the next five years by increasing the capacity of existing higher education institutions and also establishing new ones. The quality of education provided is not up to the mark, which can be gauged from the fact that not a single Pakistani university is ranked among the top 500 universities of the
world. According to the survey report, the government introduced several initiatives to improve the education system including free education up to matriculation, free textbooks, providing missing facilities in schools and grants of scholarships to girls. The report said a uniform academic year starting from September 1 will be introduced in 2007. Composite exams at secondary level will be introduced in 2007 and at higher secondary level from 2009. English language has been made compulsory from class one and English has also been set as the medium of instruction for science, mathematics, computer science and other subjects. Marks allocated to practical exams in science and social science subjects will be reduced from 25 percent to 15 percent in 2007, and the format of board exams will be revised by 2007. In terms of madrassa reform, the survey says the government simplified the registration process for madrassas and the Interior Ministry
introduced an effective procedure for fund distribution, under which many madrassas applied to provincial/area governments for financial assistance. Some 58 seminaries in Azad Kashmir were cleared for financial assistance and cheques were distributed to 36 registered seminaries in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.saiyed shahbazi
__._,_.___

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

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[IslamCity] Power In Numbers

2006-06-13 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Power In NumbersSending Our Collective Light To The World Like tiny ripples that merge to form great waves, combined human intent is worth more than the sum of its parts. A single
individual can initiate worldwide improvement by emitting conscious frequencies of love, beauty, goodness, and wisdom. A group of people focusing their energy on sending out light to the world can set the stage for positive global transformation. All of us possess the ability to channel love energy, to heal, to be a conduit for white light, and to positively influence our fellow humans from afar. Yet one person can only do so much. Imagine if each one of us took a few moments at the start of each day to send out light to the world from our hearts. Mother Earth would be quickly eased and the planet, as well as every organism and being on it, would be bathed in loving light. The world would be an infinitely beautiful place.You can help bring about an earth where love triumphs over violence, air and water are nourishing in their purity, and people take pleasure in simply being alive. Alone, the light you emit is a wonderful healing tool, but when you join with others
who share your intent to shine compassion and positive energy over the world, a powerful force is created. Your collective consciousness and collective light will wash over the planet, enveloping people, communities, cities, countries, and continents. Inviting others to send light with you can be a daunting task. People may question the benefits of sending light to an already broken world. You will likely need to explain that each person's light joins with every other, and through the joining all are strengthened. Assure them that what matters is not technique or what religion or beliefs you hold but intent.As more people come in mindfulness to send their collective light to the world, the power of their planetary gift will increase exponentially. You may already be affiliated with groups that would gladly participate in such a noble project. Children, who often feel incapable of influencing their world yet are reservoirs of innate power are usually enthusiastic
about sharing their collective light. As you gather together willing people, your individual intent will become a great and powerful wave, and you will see results in your fellow humans, in the news, and in your daily life. saiyed shahbazi
__._,_.___

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

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[IslamCity] What If Jews Destroyed Mosques?

2006-06-13 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Imagine if Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip destroyed two dozen mosques. There would be mass rallies in front of Israeli embassies around the world, and in America organizations like CAIR and MPAC would issue righteous condemnations calling on the American government to restrain Israel. However, as we've seen today, when Palestinians streaming into liberated Gaza set fire to synagogues there is deafening silence from most Muslims and certainly from the leadership of the American Muslim community. Herein lies the sorry state of Islamic affairs. Muslims like to brag that when the Caliph Umar ibn Khatab entered the City of Jerusalem, he exhibited respect for Jews and Christians by refusing to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, because he was afraid that Muslims would take it over. Indeed, to this day, a Muslim family is entrusted with the key to the church. In contrast, this Islamic spirit has ceased to exist 1,400 years later. The Palestinian authority is
incapable (or unwilling) to provide security for the abandoned synagogues, the Palestinian people lack the adhab to refrain from destroying a temple dedicated to the worship of Allah, and Muslims in America are indifferent to this destruction because it is occurring to Jewish property. Of course, as the New York Times reported today, this was a set up orchestrated by the Israeli government. Originally the synagogues were to be bulldozed with the rest of the illegal settlements constructed by Israeli settlers during their withdrawal from the 38-year occupation of Palestinian land. However, prominent rabbis argued that Jews can't destroy synagogues, and Ariel Sharon "was left with two bad choices: tearing them down, or leaving them standing with the knowledge that they might be desecrated."Yeah, right. More likely Sharon rejoiced at the opportunity. He knew that the Palestinian Authority would not act to prevent the destruction. As a consequence, pictures and
headlines would be flashed around the world showing Palestinian Muslims destroying synagogues. Once again the familiar narrative would be reinforced: Palestinian Muslims are barbarians, and Israeli Jews are justified in their brutal methods, otherwise civilization would fall. The wholesale destruction of the Jewish synagogues is yet another indication that Palestinians of all stripes, whether Fatah secularists or Islamic Hamas types, do not have the political maturity to construct a civil society. However, it is also a sign that Muslims in America lack the conviction of their religion to condemn sacrilege when it is committed by Muslims against others.saiyed shahbazi
__._,_.___

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

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[IslamCity] Indonesia's City of Soul Mourns By Irfan Yusuf

2006-06-13 Thread saiyed shahbazi

place for Muslims to celebrate Hinduism, it is important to note that Jogja was also the place where the orthodox Muhammadiyah movement was founded in November 1912.The movement was started by Shaykh Ahmad Dahlan in the humble Kauman district of
Jogja. Its emphasis was on al-Maun, a concept of small kindnesses expressed in Chapter 107 of the Qur'an. The Shaykh taught his young students this chapter of the Qur'an repeatedly, telling them that the essence of Islam is to serve and care for others and to be aware of the needs of the broader community.Shaykh Dahlan established this small movement, hardly 3,500-strong at the time of his death in 1923. Today, it has a membership of over 29 million, making it one of the largest Islamic organisations in the world.Pray and DonateThe vibrant, progressive and lively city of Jogja is now overcome with grief following the massive loss of life from the recent earthquake. Yet for anyone who has spent time in Jogja, it isn't hard to imagine this cultural heartland of Indonesia reviving itself from amongst the rubble.Yet this revival needs our help. A number of aid agencies are already working in Jogja. These include Islamic Relief and local
Indonesian organisations. Our prayers should go to those who are left homeless and have lost loved ones. But prayers need to be combined with hard cash.One Australian Dollar equates to some 7,000 Rupiah. We are fortunate that even our spare change could make a world of difference to the inhabitants of Indonesia's City of Soul.Irfan Yusuf is a lawyer and writer based in Sydney, Australia. He is also an occasional lecturer at the School of Politics at Sydney's Macquarie University. He can be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED]saiyed shahbazi
__._,_.___

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

Recommended:
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

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[IslamCity] Is The Death Of al-Zarqawi Really Good?

2006-06-13 Thread saiyed shahbazi




To most people, the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is a good thing. The means the US military employed, however, in terminating him should raise questions in everyone's minds - especially since it appears that six other people, including a woman and child, were killed in the attack.Although claiming to fight in the name of Islam, the self-described leader of "al-Qaida in Mesopotamia" wantonly killed hundreds of innocent Iraqis in contravention of Islam's own laws of war, and justified his doing so. "The killing of infidels by any method including martyrdom (suicide) operations has been sanctified by many scholars, even if it means killing innocent Muslims," said al-Zarqawi in a statement attributed to him in May 2005. "The shedding of Muslim blood... is allowed in order to avoid the greater evil of disrupting jihad."Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth. Abu-Bakr, Islam's first caliph, instructed his troops in the Islamic rules of war:  
 "Do not betray or be treacherous or vindictive. Do not mutilate. Do not kill the children, the aged or the women. Do not cut or burn palm trees or fruitful trees. Dont slay a sheep, a cow or camel except for your food. And you will come across people who confined themselves to worship in hermitages, leave them alone to what they devoted themselves for."For al-Zarqawi, such admonishments mattered very little. He was truly on a genocidal crusade against the very people he had come to free. "Al Qaeda organization in Iraq," he stated last year, "has declared war against Shi'ites in all of Iraq."In the face of such tyranny, the United States as the occupying power in Iraq was certainly justified in hunting him down. However, having found al-Zarqawi's hideout by tracking his "spiritual adviser," was the US military justified in dropping two 500 pound bombs to kill him? If the military knew al-Zarqawi's location and could surveil him from the air, why not try to capture him alive?al-Zarqawi's killing is evocative of the type of targeted assassination carried out by the Israeli government against Palestinians. The Jewish state has been roundly condemned by the international humanitarian organizations for such tactics.As organizations such as Amnesty International have pointed out, extra-judicial executions, no matter how heinous the individual, are contrary to the rule of law.The United Nations (UN) Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials state
 that:   "Law enforcement officials shall not use firearms against persons except in self-defense or defense of others against the imminent threat of death or serious injury, to prevent the perpetration of a particularly serious crime involving grave threat to life, to arrest a person presenting such a danger and resisting their authority, or to prevent his or her escape, and only when less extreme means are insufficient to achieve these objectives. In any event, intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life."From the US military's own description of the operation to kill Al-Zarqawi, less extreme means may have been sufficient to achieve the objective of capturing Zarqawi.This is certainly not the first time an arm of the United States has engaged in extra-judicial killings. Last year Haitham al-Yemeni, an alleged
 al-Qaida under surveillance by CIA agents was killed, according to Amnesty. Intelligence agents are said to have feared that al-Yemeni would go into hiding and the decision to kill him was taken to avoid that possibility.In an earlier case of what President Bush characterized as "sudden justice", six men were killed in a car, blown up by missiles fired from a CIA-controlled Predator drone in November 2002. One of the people in the car was alleged to be a senior member of al-Qaida, Abu Ali al-Harithi.By ending the lives of suspected terrorists in this fashion, the military seems to be writing off sources of potentially valuable intelligence. At the very least, such summary killings leave no room for mistakes.British authorities learned this lesson the hard way when an innocent Brazilian day
 laborer, Jean Charles de Menezes, was shot and killed by London police because they mistakenly thought he was connected to the 7/7 train bombing. Mr. Menezes' cousin complained to to the judicial inquest investigating the death that there was nothing to stop the government from "kill[ing] thousands of people" in the same way, based on the logic they used to gun down his relative.Indeed in a "war on terror" that has no international boundaries, it's not too incredible to believe that such "shoot first and ask questions later" tactics could not be used against future suspected homegrown terror cells in Lodi, California, New York City, or Toronto.In fact, in London this week one such terrorism suspect was shot during the course of his arrest. He survived and will have his day in court. However, for a child and his/her mother in Iraq,

[IslamCity] Mogadishu Islamists ban World Cup, spark protests

2006-06-14 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Mogadishu Islamists ban World Cup, spark protests By Mohamed Ali Bile MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Islamist militiamen shot in the air to disperse hundreds of Somalis protesting early on Saturday against moves by sharia courts to stop them watching the World Cup in the capital Mogadishu, residents said.The football tournament had drawn huge crowds to television screens set up under trees and iron-sheeted shacks,
providing some escape from the tension that has gripped Mogadishu since Islamists seized control from an alliance of warlords on Monday. Witnesses said scores of young men set fire to tyres late on Friday in protests that carried on into the early hours of Saturday after Islamist gunmen pulled the plug on makeshift cinemas airing the football tournament. Two people were wounded when militia tried to break up the demonstrations that centred around the main livestock market in an Islamist stronghold in the capital's north, residents said. "The Islamic militia of the area issued an order to stop them watching films as well as the World Cup this year in Germany," said Elmi Muse, a resident contacted by Reuters. "It is unacceptable to oppress the people," he added. Similar moves by Islamist militia to close cinemas and video stores in Mogadishu last November triggered heavy fighting that killed at least 12 people and
wounded more than 20. Leaders of the capital's influential Islamic courts oppose Western and Indian films which they say promote immorality in the mainly Muslim nation of 10 million people. Some residents fear the latest move to outlaw foreign entertainment is proof the Islamists want to create a Muslim state following their victory against a self-styled anti-terrorism coalition of secular warlords, believed to be backed by Washington. The Islamic courts have been popular for restoring a semblance of order through sharia law in parts of the anarchic city, carved into fiefdoms by warlords who ousted military ruler Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. However, the World Cup ban stirred resentment among locals, already weary of the fighting in Mogadishu that has killed 350 people in three months. "The residents of this area are very sorry about the way the Islamic militia is behaving towards the people at a time when our
society needs peace and stability," said Moallim Hussein Abdi, a teacher. One teenager was defiant. "We do not accept the Islamic militia stopping us from watching the World Cup," Ahmed Yusuf, 19, said. "We'll continue demonstrating until they relent." (c) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world. This article: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=858382006saiyed shahbazi
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[IslamCity] Helping young Muslims not to hate

2006-06-15 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Helping young Muslims not to hateOne youth group teaches that all great faiths share non-violent values. By Rushworth M. Kidder CAMDEN, MAINE - The day that Ontario police foiled a bombing plot by 17 mostly young Canadians of South Asian descent, and before Al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in Iraq, I was eating a Low Country breakfast in Charleston, S.C., with Eboo Patel. A youthful Muslim with a passion for interfaith dialogue and a gift for simplifying the complex, Dr. Patel has a refreshingly clear view of a world crackling with tensions between Islam and the
West. The Rhodes Scholar with an Oxford doctorate in the sociology of religion lets his shrimp and brown gravy grow cold as he digs into one of the West's core challenges: the stereotyping of Islam as a religion that foments extremism and violence. The challenge arises from a stark polarity. On one hand, he says, stands Osama bin Laden, whose principal role is as "a talent scout." Mr. bin Laden recruits angry young Muslims, trains them in "the tools of totalitarianism," and sends them forth as terrorists, supported by "the message machine that is Al Qaeda." Their purpose: To convert or kill people different from themselves. On the other hand stand groups like the Interfaith Youth Core that Patel founded and runs in Chicago, helping youth of different faiths build understanding and cooperation. Groups like his recruit students, train them in community building, and help them understand that "all the great faiths have similar shared
values." Their purpose: To create "the new city on the hill," where steeples and minarets stand beside temples and synagogues, "respectfully sharing space and collectively supporting the common good." Question: Which group has more money? The answer is obvious. Al Qaeda, with ample resources to lure the disaffected, has little difficulty attracting young Muslims to a thesis of mayhem, which, Patel feels, is contrary to Islam but masquerades in religious garb. But where, Patel asks, are the alternative voices teaching his young coreligionists "what it means to be a Muslim in the modern world"? Compared to the polemics of Al Qaeda, why do the voices "encouraging young people to be the architects of pluralism" seem so muted? In one sense, the answer is obvious. In contrast to the raw, simplistic urgency that Al Qaeda generates against those it demonizes, interfaith dialogue can seem pretty tepid. But it is just such dialogue that promotes an
appreciation of nuance and subtlety and that builds a willingness to listen and cooperate. Such conversations remind us that the world's toughest issues are never merely right-versus-wrong but always right-versus-right. That's a far cry from the rancorous, hateful, black-and-white world view of radical fundamentalism - where, if I'm right, what can you possibly be but wrong? But there's something deeper at work. As an undergraduate at the University of Illinois in the 1990s, Patel found that while "diversity was all the rage," nobody wanted to talk about religion. "Everybody was talking about what made them different," he says, "but nobody wanted to talk about what brought them together." In his own quest, however, he found that the religious exemplars he most respected, from Christians like Martin Luther King to the Muslims battling South African apartheid, were committed to a core of shared values that included compassion and justice. He also
realized that "religious and ethnic diversity was leading to bloodshed" in much of the world - though not in America. For him, the remarkable thing about the United States, which he calls "the most religiously diverse country in the world," is its high degree of religious belief. "We mix both reverence and tolerance," he says admiringly. That mix is probably unique in the world. What makes that possible? At bottom it has to do with the set of core values shared by the different faiths. That sharing may appear (to use his word) as "tolerance." More accurately, I think, it's alignment. It's one thing to tolerate the mosque on the hill beside your church or synagogue. It's something else to understand that, contrary to bin Laden's message machine, the values taught there - honesty, fairness, responsibility, respect, compassion - are perfectly aligned with your own. The West needs to understand that peace among
nations is intimately connected with a recognition that each faith tradition abides by a set of values it shares with all others. It needs to help young people of all faiths grasp a values-based alternative to hatred and violence. Doing so makes it harder for Al Qaeda's recruiters to prosper - and easier for Muslims around the world to stand up against the perversions of their faith that lure young radicals in Canada, and middle-aged terrorist leaders in Iraq, into mayhem. Rushworth M. Kidder is president of the Institute for Global Ethics and the author of 'Moral Courage'. Full HTML version of this

[IslamCity] kidnapping civilians defy the Islamic code of ethics

2006-06-16 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Anyone who is familiar with the Koran and the traditions of the prophet Muhammad knows that kidnapping civilians and harming them is absolutely prohibited. Those who do kidnap civilians defy the Islamic code of ethics. This ethos applies to every kidnapped civilian, including Jill Carroll, the freelance journalist on assignment for The Christian Science Monitor, who worked in Iraq until she was kidnapped early last month. I appeal to her kidnappers to immediately release her and to stop kidnapping civilians altogether. Every now and then, we hear about the kidnapping of foreign nationals in Islamic countries. Recently the family of a former German minister was kidnapped in Yemen. In Gaza, Kate Burton, a British human rights activist, and her parents were kidnapped. By the time I had a chance to write about this topic, the news came that both captured families had been released. This was a happy ending that
I had really hoped for. It is well known that the kidnappers demands, in cases like these, usually have nothing to do directly with the kidnapped persons or their countries. This does not mean, however, that it is permissible to kidnap innocent civilians should conflicts exist. The two European families were kidnapped because they were easy targets. The same applies to Ms. Carroll. I could have based the arguments in this article on the laws, treaties, and covenants that prohibit such deeds. I could have also brought up notions of Arab magnanimity, nobility, and honor that require us to be generous and kind to our guests. Many of those captured foreigners carried the burden of working for our causes and, for that, they endured hardships and paid a high price. I have chosen, because of the cultural background of this nation, to present the Islamic position regarding kidnapping, which opposes it. We must get rid of this negative
phenomenon that does not serve us in any way. From the perspective of the Islamic sharia, the al-Mustamin is the foreign person whose safety is guaranteed. Such a person is protected, even if his or her native country is in a state of animosity with Muslims. Animosity is a temporary state, and, further, not all Western citizens necessarily support the foreign policies of their governments. The Muslim must understand that the person who obtains a visitors visa enters into a contract with the country that grants him the visa. The state, as an institution, does that on behalf of its people. Despite those who look with suspicion at the state, especially if the ruler lacks legitimacy, the visa should be recognized as a legitimate agreement for guests of our countries to move freely about without harm. We have seen foreign visitors support our political rights and defend Islam. Indeed, despite being non- Muslims themselves, they have come
to the defense of Muslims in their own countries when the need arose. The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) declared its position on kidnapping and the taking of hostages in their communiquÃ© which was published in September 2004. In what follows, I paraphrase and summarize their statement, which draws on verses and examples in the Koran prohibiting kidnapping. The full text is available in Arabic on www.Islamonline.net: 1. Kidnapping is an assault on another, whether a Muslim or non-Muslim. It is an unjust act that God forbids and prohibits: Allah commands justice, the doing of good and giving to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition (Koran, 16:90). God stressed that the mere differences in religion, even if in the context of a conflict, do not justify assaulting another. 2. Kidnapping is considered an act of war. [In any case, it is
prohibited to kill a prisoner of war], he is absolutely destined to be released: afterward either grace or ransom. (Koran, 47:4). 3. It is prohibited, in the case of actual war, to kidnap innocent people or civilians, who are [technically speaking] of the enemy. No act of war could be aimed at them. The civilians, from an Islamic perspective, are noncombatant women, children, and the elderly who have nothing to do with war, and monks and those who live in monasteries. 4. If kidnapping takes place during actual fighting, the kidnapped become prisoners of war, and should be treated according to the teachings of Islamic sharia regarding captives, which we summarize as follows: (a) Prisoners of wars should be turned over to the authorities to decide what to do with them. The person who caught the prisoner of war has no right or authority over him. (b) It is a religious obligation to be kind to the prisoners of war, to treat them well, to be
generous to them, to provide them with food and clothing, and not to torture them: And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive (Koran, 76:8). (c) The prisoners of war should be ultimately released. 5. It is prohibited

[IslamCity] The Prophet Muhammad�s Sandal

2006-06-19 Thread saiyed shahbazi

The Prophet Muhammads Sandal There is not a civilization that has loved and celebrated its leader as Islamic civilization has loved and celebrated its Prophet, our master Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). Love is the strongest of all human attachments, and is the greatest thing that distinguishes the relationship of Muslims with their Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), who said, None of you [truly] believes until I am more beloved to him than his very self, wealth, and all people. Motivated by this love, as well as by an understanding of the immense importance of the personal example of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), the Muslim community recorded and preserved his entire life in the most exacting detail. The Islamic scholars did not limit their
attention to the moral and legal example of the Prophet alone (Allah bless him and give him peace). Rather, they also focused on his daily life, like his habits of eating, drinking, and sleeping, as well as other matters that do not have immediate legal implications. From that time, until this present day, Muslims have sought to imitate the example of their Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in all its details, unless they were of the particular matters that Allah Most High chose only for him. The Prophets (Allah bless him and give him peace) external, physical appearance was also among the matters that Muslims paid great attention to, as were his habits of dress. Among the matters of external appearance, the Prophets noble sandals received particular attention, perhaps because of what his followers felt of utmost love and humility for the person of their beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), such that they saw themselves as less
than his sandals. The Companions and the Noble Sandals The attention given to the noble sandals is not an innovated matter. Rather, the first generations, from the Companions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), were the first to give them attention and importance, such that some of them were known to have distinguished themselves with serving the noble sandals. It has been reported by Ibn Sa`d that Anas (Allah be well pleased with him) was the keeper of the sandals of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). And Imam al-Sâlihî reported in his work, Subul al-Huda wal Rashâd (8:318) that `Abd Allâh ibn Mas`ûd (Allah be pleased with him) used to get up as soon as the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) sat down, and would take off the latters sandals, and place them under his own arms. Then, when the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) would get up, he would
put them on him. Many other narrations have been transmitted from the Companions giving exact descriptions of the noble sandals of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). The Attention Given by the Imams and Scholars to the Noble Sandals A number of Imams gave the noble sandals of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) particular attention, authoring complete works in describing and praising them, and gathering that which was transmitted regarding this. Among them were: 1. Imam Abu Ishâq Ibrahîm ibn Muhammad ibn Khalaf al-Sullamî, famous as Ibn al-Hâjj, who collected that which many poets and authors had written in praise of the sandals. 2. Imam and hadith master Abû al-Yumn `Abd al-Samad ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb Ibn `Asâkir of Damascus (686 AH), who was buried in the Baqî` cemetery [in Madina], authored a treatise called A Sketch of the Sandal of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)
(Timthâlu Na`l al-Nabiyy), which is published. 3. The great mujtahid Imam Sirâj al-Dîn `Umar ibn Raslân al-Bulqînî. 4. Imam Shams al-Dîn Muhammad ibn `Îsa al-Muqri, whose book was titled A Joy For Eyes By Verifying The Matter of The Sandals (Qurrat al-`Aynayn fî Tahqîq Amr al-Na`layn) 5. Imam Abû al-`Abbâs al-Maqqarî of Tilmisân, who died in Egypt, wrote the most expansive work on the issue, An Opening From The Most High In Praising The Sandals (Fath al-Muta`âl fî Madh al-Ni`âl). This work is published, and has three abridgements. The first is by Radiyy al-Dîn Abu al-Khayr al-Qâdirî; the second by Abû al-Hasan al-Dimintî; and the third by Shaykh Yûsuf al-Nabahânî (Allah have mercy on them all). 6. The author of the work Collected Pearls from the Bewildering Design and the Unique Exposition on the Characteristics of the Depiction of the Sandals of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him
and give him peace) ( al-Laali al-Majmû`a Min Bâhir al-Nizâm wa Bâri` al-Kalâm fî Sifat Mithâl Na`li Rasûl Allâh), who was one of the scholars of Cordoba, as mentioned by the historian Abû Sâlim al-`Ayyâshî in his famous travelogue. The Place of the Depiction of the Noble Sandals and their Baraka The depiction of the noble Prophetic sandals has had a special place in the hearts of Muslims since it points to one of the needs of

[IslamCity] Why the Taliban appeal to Pakistani youth.

2006-06-19 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Why the Taliban appeal to Pakistani youth. The tribal system that once grounded young people no longer provides enough opportunities. PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN Imran Gul would like to see a better future for the tribal youth of his corner of Pakistan, but most days he only sees military helicopters returning from Waziristan, ferrying wounded and dead. Casualties in the conflicts along the Afghan border serve as a reminder that the tribal system, once strong and proud, is now falling apart. History and war have slowly eaten away its edifice, and Mr. Gul worries that what the tribal system can no longer provide young people - peace, income, a sense of purpose, a social network - a new and rising force can: the Taliban. "Due to poverty, young people have no activities," says Gul,
program director of the Sustainable Participation Development Program, a nongovernmental organization in Banu, just outside North Waziristan. "They do not want to join the Taliban. But their sympathies are with the Taliban to bring peace to our area." The field for such sympathies is wide and growing, many say. The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have always been the least advanced lands in Pakistan. Illiteracy and joblessness are rampant. There are no universities in FATA, and political parties are absent due to colonial-era tribal laws, robbing youth of an outlet for talent and _expression_. The tribal system itself is partly to blame. Many elders have traditionally resisted modern education, roads, and electricity, fearing their power would be threatened the more FATA opened up. But the government is also at fault, observers say, by failing to integrate FATA into Pakistan. Voting rights were extended to the full tribal populace only in
2000. "Young people ... oppose the current tribal system because they know that this is not ... harnessing their potential," says Naveed Ahmad Shinwari, chief executive of the Community Appraisal Motivation Program, which works on development in the tribal zone. "If you ask any young man, he's frustrated because the government of Pakistan is clearly not doing much to create employment for young people." Military incursion further eroded old system These problems were exacerbated when the Pakistani military entered the tribal areas for the first time in 2003. Their operations, which many tribes believe is the dirty work of Washington, have further weakened the system while sowing sympathies for extremism. In such situations, analysts say, people look to the standard-bearers of Islam for guidance and solace. Tariq Aziz, a 17-year-old from Mir Ali in North Waziristan, sees the Taliban as a viable
solution for future generations. "There are no opportunities for young people," he says by telephone from Banu. "The people of Mir Ali have sympathies for the Taliban. They fight for Islam." Mr. Aziz says he might like to join the Taliban himself, but that his parents prefer him to continue his studies. Like many his age, Aziz is trapped between the present danger of conflict and the elusive dream of a better life. Only hours after he hung up the phone, two suicide bombers struck a military convoy just outside Banu, killing four soldiers and wounding seven. It is to the Taliban that he looks for peace. "Under the Taliban government, there was peace in Afghanistan and no crimes occurred in the government." In such strife, pragmatism draws young people to the Taliban. They are building a new form of social capital, a network that offers the opportunities and prestige that the tribal system once did. "Where do they go for
problem solutions? Their [members of the National Assembly] are marginalized pieces of the political system. The [tribal elders] are not recognized. The cost of living has gone up," says Khalid Aziz, chair of the Regional Institute of Policy Research Training, a think tank in Peshawar. "[The Taliban] make life livable. They have a bureaucracy, soldiers." Slim opportunities, but education a way out Such prospects are an oasis in a desert of grim statistics, Mr. Aziz says. "Twenty five percent of an ordinary man's income [in FATA] is spent on medical expenses, aggravated by bad delivery of basic services. Sixty percent of the incomes come from migrant workers. Eighty-five percent are working on land. Seventy percent are working on rented land. The only asset left for a frontiersman is to get a job. If I were in that area, I would definitely go Taliban." Alternatives seem in short supply, but a few find
another way of life in education. One of them is now a student at Peshawar University. He is afraid to be named because his family in Miran Shah, North Waziristan, was recently the victim of violence. Like others his age, he feels the tribal system cannot adequately prepare his generation to interact with the modern world, and hopes that education can repair the cracks left by the tribal system. "Today people in Waziristan are interested in coming to

[IslamCity] Ten Obligations

2006-06-21 Thread saiyed shahbazi




Concerning the Ten Obligations that Must be Discharged Before Pious Restraint (wara) can Acquire its Full SignificanceThe penitent cannot realize the full significance of pious restraint (wara) unless he recognizes that ten things are strictly incumbent upon him:  1. The first of these obligations is to guard against using the tongue for backbiting (ghiba), because He has said (Exalted is He):  And do not backbite one another. (49:12)  2. The second obligation is to avoid the tendency to harbor sinister suspicions (su az-zann), since He has said (Exalted is He):  O you who believe, you must avoid a great deal of suspicion, for some suspicion is a sin. (49:12)  And the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:  Beware of suspicion, for it is the most misleading source of information (akdhab al-hadith).  3. The third obligation is to steer well clear
 of mockery and ridicule (sukhriyya), because He has told us (Exalted is He):  O you who believe, one group of people should not scoff at another group of people, who may be better than they. (49:11)  4. The fourth obligation is to lower ones eyes in the presence of things that should be treated as sacred (maharim), because He has told us (Exalted is He):  And tell the believing men to keep their eyes downcast (and to guard their private parts). (24:30)  5. The fifth obligation is to be true to ones word, because He has told us (Exalted is He):  And if you give your word, you must act fairly. (6:153)  That is, you must prove that you really mean what you say.  6. The sixth obligation is to acknowledge ones dependence on the gracious favor of Allah (Exalted is He), as a precaution against self-centered conceit, since He has told us (Exalted is He):  It is rather that Allah is treating
 you with gracious favor, inasmuch as He has guided you to faith. (49:17)  7. The seventh obligation is to spend ones wealth on that which has true value (haqq), and not to spend it on that which is quite worthless (batil), because He has told us (Exalted is He):  And (among His faithful servants are) those who, when they spend, are neither prodigal nor parsimonious. (25:67)  In other words, they neither spend their wealth on sinful disobedience, nor withhold it from the support of worshipful obedience.  8. The eighth obligation is not to go seeking high-and-mighty status and prestige for the sake of self-aggrandizement, because He has told us (Exalted is He):  As for that Ultimate Abode, We shall assign it to those who are neither intent on high-and-mighty status on earth, nor on corruption. (28:83)  9. The ninth obligation is to observe the five ritual prayers (salawat) at the times prescribed for them
 each day, following the correct sequence of bowing (ruku) and prostration (sujud), because He has told us (Exalted is He):  Be careful to observe your prayers, and (especially) the middle prayer, and stand obedient to Allah. (2:238)  10. The tenth obligation is to stick to the course prescribed by the Sunna (exemplary precedent set by Allahs Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace) and the Jamaa (common practice agreed upon by the Companions of the Prophet, [Allah bless him and give him peace] during the time of the rightly guided Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, [may Allah be well pleased with them all]) , since He has told us (Exalted is He):  And this path of Mine is straight, so follow it. Do no follow other paths, lest you be separated from His path. (6:154)  - Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Sufficient Provision for the Seekers of the Path of Truth (Al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq
 al-Haqq)saiyed shahbazi  www.shahbazcenter.org
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

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[IslamCity] As Barrier Comes Down, a Muslim Split Remains

2006-06-25 Thread saiyed shahbazi

ncouraged; there is no mixing between sexes, and there are all kinds of reasons for that," Ghassan Joundi, the president of the Manitoba Islamic Association, says in the film. In Dr. Joundi's mosque, the men first erected a barrier with shutters, then nailed them shut. At the Darussalam mosque, the dispute over the wall was just one skirmish in a larger battle over the entire tenor of the mosque. Mr. Ghali and other leaders at the mosque fired an imam they deemed overly militant, not least because he wanted to make the barrier between the sexes even more pronounced. The imam went to court, winning more than $400,000 in a wrongful dismissal suit, and then opened a competing mosque around the corner, where the women still worship behind a wall.
But Mr. Ghali and other mosque leaders say they believe North America provides fertile ground for melding the best of all cultural traditions because the Muslim population is so diverse. "You can't take a tradition in Pakistan, Somalia or Egypt and bring it to America and make it part of the law; it doesn't make sense," said Mr. Ghali, who resigned as president of the mosque's board in February. "It's one of those cultural things that many immigrants brought from overseas without giving it much thought. It's time to get rid of those bad habits." That outlook incited an exodus by some worshippers, and some who stayed have complained that a clique of "ayatollahs" who brook no dissent now run Darussalam. "I don't want to be distracted by ladies in the back when I am praying," said Adel al-Dalali, 40, a Yemeni cab driver who prays at Darussalam, noting that mosques in his homeland were built with a mezzanine reserved for women. "Even
if it is more culture than religious tradition, we feel it's needed." At the back of the mosque, some of the roughly 30 women worshippers agreed. "As a Muslim woman, I was more at peace praying behind the wall," said Zeinab al-Andea, a 50-year-old Yemeni who spoke only Arabic. "As a veiled woman, I don't want to mix with men. It's a beautiful mosque, but I wish there was a wall." The mosque occupies the top floor of a building that was filled mostly with sweatshops until 1991, when the Islamic Society moved in. The recent renovations turned the mosque into one large room flooded with light. Broad green stripes on the red carpet show the faithful where to line up, and, in a nod to tradition, men and women still do not pray shoulder to shoulder. The wall across the back was replaced with small printed signs reading "Sisters Prayer Area Only Behind This Sign." The aim of knocking down the wall was not for the sexes to mingle, but to have
comparable access to the imam. Outside, the neighborhood is rife with all manner of vice. Intoxicated men and women occasionally stagger into one of the many liquor stores. Across Market Street, a pornography store called Sin City exhorts passers-by to "See the Beauty, Touch the Magic." Yet a dedicated group of women who support the change at Darussalam navigate their way to the mosque each Friday. These women say they hated the wall. With it, they had trouble hearing the sermon and often fell out of sync with the prayer movements. Distracted, some say they gave up praying and instead just gossiped or drank tea. Proponents of barriers in mosques tend to argue that the Prophet Muhammad's wives, who inhabited a series of rooms attached to the main mosque at Medina, spoke to the faithful from behind a tentlike curtain. They also say a distinct space for women assures they will not have to jostle with men. Muslim
rituals are guided by the Koran and the Hadith, tomes that detail Islam as it was practiced in the prophet's time. Advocates and some religious scholars say the books support the women. Muhammad emphasized that the rules for his wives were distinct from those for other women, they note, and he never resorted to a barrier, despite similar debate in the seventh century. Some early adherents of Islam showed up late for prayers so they could stay in the back and ogle the women's behinds, even penning bawdy odes to the sight, said Dr. Abou El Fadl, the U.C.L.A. scholar, so Mohamed recommended that all men pray at the front of their mosques. None of Islam's three holiest mosques Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, and those in Mecca and Medina originally had barriers between the sexes. "Men try to justify it now by creating arguments that are ludicrous, like saying that men back then were more moral," said Mrs. Nawaz, the filmmaker, a 38-year-old mother of
four. "This is completely bogus. The men were exactly the same back then when it came to being distracted. The prophet didn't deal with it by separation, he dealt with it by education." saiyed shahbazi www.shahbazcenter.org
__._,_.___

***
{Invit

[IslamCity] Re: Why Music Is Not Haram (answering Aqsa)

2006-06-26 Thread saiyed shahbazi




Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hanutistated: "The Hadith referred to in saying that it is haram as narrated by al Bukhari is not fulfilling the requirements of the Sahih in al Bukhari's collection. 1) Al Bukhari in Hadith al Ma'azif himself narrated the Hadith to be of a broken chain of narrators in which there is a gap between al Bukhari and the second narrator, so he drops the first narrator in his chain. That is called Mu'allaq. Some scholars tried to connect the chain through other means like whan ibn Hajar did in his dissertation (connecting what is disconnected) in which he connected the Isnad of this Hadith. But still, one of the main narrators whose name is Hisham ibn Ammar as profiled in Tahthib at-Tahthib by ibn Hajar is not reliable enough for some scholars to be a source of a narration that depends on somebody like him. Regarding Hisham the narrator:There are some quotationsregarding Hisham
 have been given inthe books on the life history of the narrators of the Hadith. The following extracts have been taken from a very well known book on the subject. [Tahdheeb al Kamaal volume 30 page 242 and onward under the entry on Hisham bin Ammar]ÞÇá ÃÈæ ÏÇæÏ æÃÈæ ÃíæÈ íÚäí ÓáíãÇä Èä ÈäÊ ÔÑÍÈíá ÎíÑ ãäå íÚäí ãä åÔÇã ÍÏË åÔÇã ÈÃÑÌÍ ãä ÃÑÈÚ ãÇÆÉ ÍÏíË áíÓ áåÇ ÃÕá ãÓäÏÉ ßáåÇ  Abu Dawood said Abu Ayyub (i) is better than him (Hisham). He (Hishaam) has narrated four hundred Ahadith all of Musnad which have absolutely no basis (that is, hadith which are not true)"æÞÇá ÕÇáÍ Èä ãÍãÏ ÇáÃÓÏí ßÇä åÔÇã Èä ÚãÇÑ íÃÎÐ Úáì ÇáÍÏíË æáÇ íÍÏË ãÇ áã íÃÎÐSaalih Bin Muhammad al Asadi said he (Hishaam) used to take money for narrating hadith".  Úä ÚÈÏ Çááå Èä ãÍãÏ Èä ÓíÇÑ ßÇä åÔÇã Èä ÚãÇÑ  æßÇä íÃÎÐ Úáì ßá æÑÞÊíä ÏÑåãÇ  Abdullah Bin Mohammad Bin Sayyaar said that he Hisham used to - - and he used to take a dirham for reporting two pages of hadith".  æÞÇá ÃÈæ ÈßÑ ÇáãÑæÐí ÐßÑ ÃÍãÏ Èä ÍäÈá åÔÇã Èä ÚãÇÑ ÝÞÇá ØíÇÔ ÎÝíÝ  Abu Bakr al Maroozi said that Ahmad Bin Hanbal mentioned Hisham Bin Ammar and said he was reckless/impetuous and feeble-minded.Aqsa * [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:assalamau alaykum wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatuhumusic is haraam,but those who say its not haraam,they r part of the fulfilled prophesy.Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 7.494B Narrated byAbu Amir or Abu Malik Al Ashari  that he heard the Prophet saying, "From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. And there will be some people who will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep and ask them for something, but they will say to him, 'Return to us tomorrow.' Allah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will
 remain so till the Day of Resurrection."   http://www.geocities.com/hadithexegesis/music  wallahu alam  Aqsasaiyed shahbazi  [EMAIL PROTECTED]   wroteWhy Music Is Not Haram  The Almighty has created man with the best physical and intellectual abilities. Desires for beauty and stateliness of thought and practice are found in his nature. He is well-disposed to choose good to the exclusion of evil, and prefer piety to sinfulness. He professes virtues of love, fidelity, truth, purity, justice and equality, and shuns hatred, falsehood, injustice and inequity. He yearns for enlightenment and shuns ignorance; he goes for fragrance and evades fetidness; he craves for beauty and dislikes ugliness. All cultural advancement and progress in civilization, in fact, owes itself to this very natural desire in man for beauty and grandeur. Every small step he has taken for advancement testifies to his inclination towards the best. To read further click on...http://www.shahbazcenter.org/is-music-haram.htmsaiyed shahbazi-- Surah Isra 17 verse 80 Say: "O my Lord! let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me)." Al-Tirmidhi HadithHadith 2482 Narrated byAbuHurayrahAllah's Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say, " O Allah, grant me benefit in what Thou hast taught me, teach me what will benefit me, and increase my knowledge. Praise be to Allah in all circumstances. I seek refuge in Allah from the state of those who go to Hell." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a tradition whose isnad is gharib.Ameen,Thumameen.   saiyed shahbazi  www.shahbazcenter.org
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly,

[IslamCity] Women caught in a more radical Indonesia

2006-07-03 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 Tangerang, Wahidin Halim, who initiated the regulation under which Lindawati was charged, said he was trying to clean up public morals, not impose Islam.The Tangerang law, which came into force in November, bans passionate hugging or kissing, and prohibits the sale or consumption of alcohol except in upscale hotels. One result, many women say, is that they must be off the streets by dusk."The idea is to develop good morality, good behavior, to be a more civilized society," Wahidin said in an interview in his home garden. "The Islamic parties love my programs, but that doesn't mean we have the same ideology."Supporters of Lindawati are fighting her case on legal, not ideological or religious grounds.Like most of the new local laws that are intended to govern people's personal
 behavior, the Tangerang regulation is unconstitutional, said Dedi Ali Ahmad, chairman of the Indonesian Legal and Aid and Human Rights Association in Jakarta."Charging someone on the suspicion of prostitution is not enough under the national law," he said. "You cannot arrest someone for just being in a vicinity. They have to have attempted a crime."The Legal Aid Association was seeking a judicial review of the Tangerang regulation in the Supreme Court, Dedi said.At the same time, Lindawati has filed a defamation suit against the mayor.In the suit, Lindawati contends she was on the street waiting for a bus after coming into the center of town to claim back wages from a restaurant where she worked as a waitress.She said she is so poor - her husband holds a low-paying job as a gym teacher at an elementary school - that she had sold her cellphone just before her arrest to feed her two teenage children."I have done nothing wrong,"
 she said. saiyed shahbazi  www.shahbazcenter.org
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] How Many More Must Die?

2006-07-26 Thread saiyed shahbazi




As each day passes, I watch in horror. Every day brings the deaths of more Lebanese and Israelis, with the Lebanese deaths far exceeding those in Israel. So far, about 14 Israeli civilians have been killed by Hezbollah rocket fire. At the same time, more than 300 Lebanese, almost all civilians, have been killed by Israeli airstrikes.   And I have only one question: How many more must die?   The world continues to witness the daily killing of civilians on both sides, yet all the International Community is able to do is send diplomats to discuss the situation with government officials. World leaders discuss the terrible situation in St. Petersburg over lunch as if it was a sporting event. All the while people continue to get killed.   How many more must die?   President Bush - who vetoed a bill expanding Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research on the grounds that it is murder - expresses his frustration at U.N.
 Secretary General Kofi Annans call for an immediate cease fire by telling British Prime Minister Tony Blair: I dont like the sequence of it. [Kofi Annans] attitude is basically cease-fire and everything else happens.   God forbid! A cease-fire so that no more innocent people are killed? How dare Annan suggest such a thing!   The entire situation is spinning out of control. Both sides have come too far to back peddle now. The entire world, with the United States at the helm, must exert all efforts to implement an immediate cease fire between Hezbollah and Israel. That way, the killing stops. After the killing stops, then everything else can be sorted out.   Yet, that does not seem to be the plan of the United States. According to an article in the New York Times:   Outlines of an American-Israeli consensus began to emerge on Tuesday in which Israel would continue to bombard Lebanon for about another week to degrade the
 capabilities of the Hezbollah militia, officials of the two countries said.   Then, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would go to the region and seek to establish a buffer zone in southern Lebanon and perhaps an international force to monitor LebanonÂs borders to prevent Hezbollah from obtaining more rockets with which to bombard Israel.   American officials signaled that Ms. Rice was waiting at least a few more days before wading into the conflict, in part to give Israel more time to weaken Hezbollah forces.   Yet, at what cost? How many more must die?   Later on in the article, a senior American official was quoted by the Times article as saying, Some people are uncomfortable with the American position, and weÂre very careful how we talk about it. We are not going to be wagering with the lives of innocent people here.   But, that is exactly what it looks like America is doing. Yet, I ask again, at what cost?
 How many more must die?   If using human embryos - which are slated to be destroyed as medical waste - for embryonic stem cell research is murder according to the President, then how can he sit idly by as dozens of innocent human beings are killed each and every day in Gaza, Israel, and Lebanon?   How many more must die? 1000? 2000? 5000? 10,000? 50,000?   Isnt human life - all human life, Arab and Israeli - sacred and precious? Isnt our society one based on a culture of life? Shouldnt we - in the words of our President - always err on the side of life?   If so, then how can we wait and let the killing in Israel and Lebanon continue? How can we let politics get in the way of the preservation of human life? How can we just sit there and watch both sides kill each other - especially since one side inflicts far more damage than the other - and do absolutely nothing? How will face God on the Last Day? What will we say to
 His Holy Face?   There must be an immediate cease-fire. Blame can be assigned and punishment meted out later. The killing, however, must end first. Everyone understands that the solution to this crisis is not a military one. Thus, why let the bloodshed on both sides continue? Human life is not and should never be a pawn in the ugly game of geopolitics. My God and my faith have inspired me to feel this way. The fighting must end and must end now. How many more must die? saiyed shahbazi  www.shahbazcenter.org
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Islam: Religion or Ideology? By Imam Zaid Shakir

2006-08-16 Thread saiyed shahbazi

nciples to political imperatives that have little to do with Islamic teachings. If this happens consistently enough, the social foundation of our religion may be lost. As Muslims we may well continue in our various struggles. However, those struggles would be better informed by the revolutionary teachings of Bakunin, Georges Sorel, Rosa Luxemburg, Lenin,
 Mao, Che Guevara, and others than by the revelation given to our Prophet Muhammad, . In some circumstances, we could possibly muster a credible defense against any number of threats confronting us. However, at the end of the day, we may find that we have very little left to defend.Imam Zaid Shakir7/9/06- [1] Imam Abu Zakariyya Yahya bin Sharaf an-Nawawi, Riyadh as-Saliheen (Beirut: Dar al-Jil, 1985/1405), 448, no. 1615. This tradition was originally transmitted by Imams Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasai, and others. [2] Roger Scruton, A Dictionary of Political Thought (New York, NY: Hill and Wang, 1982), 399.[3] Ibid, 399.[4] Saying this is not to all imply that all of the murder and mayhem that is occurring in Iraq, or that which has occurred in places like Algeria during much of the 1990s can be attributed solely to Muslims. Certainly, a share of such violence can be traced to elements of relevant intelligence agencies in both Iraq and Algeria, or non-Muslim mercenaries,
 such as the French commandos in Algeria, or Serbian paramilitary militia members, or former South African death squads, both of which are active in Iraq. However, to deny the role of the ideology of Jihad in that violence is to display an ignorance of the doctrines, proclamations, and history of that the Jihad movement.[5]Abu al-Fida Ismail bin Kathir, Tafsir al-Quran al-Adhim (Sidon, Beirut: al-Maktaba al-Asriyya, 1996/1416), 2:319. [6]Imam Abu Jafar bin Jarir at-Tabari, Jami al-Bayan fi Tawil al-Quran (Beirut: Dar
 al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1997/1418), 6:356, no. 16,660.[7] Imam at-Tabari, 6:356-357, no. 16,662.[8] Imam Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti, Ad-Durr al-Manthur fi at-Tafsir bil-Mathur (Beirut: Dar Ihya at-Turath al-Arabi, 2001/1421), 4:161.[9] See Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Qurtubi, al-Jami li Ahkam
 al-Quran (Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1987/1407), 8:121.  saiyed shahbazi  www.shahbazcenter.org
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
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http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] The Axis of Good: Muslims Building Alliances with Other Communities of Faith

2006-08-30 Thread saiyed shahbazi

The St. Lawrence River is 1,900 miles long. Its wide mouth empties its flow into the Atlantic Ocean where buoyant whales and majestic icebergs drift throughout the summer months. The river begins more modestly where the northern and southern shores of Lake Ontario curve in towards each other, channeling the cold waters of the Great Lakes into the riverbed. We were born on the Canadian side of the river, but the island on which we lived was closer to New York State. This area is now called the Thousand Islands, but before there was a Canada, and before there was an America, the indigenous people called it The Garden of the Great Spirit. My brothers and sisters and I grew up in jannah.
Well, it really was beautiful. But we were, after all, children of Adam. And as the angels feared, we would make a mess of many things. To begin with, there was the question of those indigenous people. As children, we spent long July afternoons on the edge of the forest digging for their arrowheads, flints and pottery shards. But where had the people gone? No one thought much to talk about our own Cain and Abel story. Then there was the question of what we did to the river itself. Flowing over deep layers of limestone, refreshed with generous rain and snow every year, the river seemed impervious to anything we might throw its way. And we did throw many things its way. In fact, lacking refuse collection services on the island, it seemed easiest to let the current take it away. I dont know where all our tin cans and plastic wrappers ended up, but we deliberately sunk the old car nearby in the bay to create a good fishing hole. Little wonder that our
children now catch only a few small perch and a rare undersized bass in a day. As hard as it is to believe, the truth is that we did not realize that we were damaging the river, killing plant and animal life, and poisoning others and ourselves. But as years passed, and our exposure to information about the environment increased, we became appalled at our previous behavior. We had, after all, been taught that it is wrong to damage property and harm others. We had internalized the principles, we simply were not aware of the negative consequences of our actions. And so, as opportunities arose, some of us planted trees, others cleaned up polluted sites, gave money to save the rain forest and took up organic gardening. By this time, we had scattered across the country, and even the world, and we took these actions in the midst of our new communities. But the riverour riveralways called us back. We wanted to be there and make it better, but that would mean living and working together for at least part of the year. This would not be easy. After all, the years had witnessed other changes in us. By the time we had become aware of our need to relate to the river in a new way, we had taken different spiritual paths. Certainly the Muslim in the family found ample
proof in Islam that she had an obligation to conserve and respect the environment. The Christians, Jews and secular humanists found their own proofs for similar, if not identical obligations. But there were many other things we did not agree about. In fact, at times there were some serious disagreements and tension. This is my story. It is also the human story. Muslims believe that the children of Adam do not inherit sin from their ancestors. But we do inherit the good that our ancestors have bequeathed to us, and we are
burdened with repairing what they have damaged. In our time, in every place that Muslims live, whether the Muslims are the majority or the minority, there are serious societal problems that need to be addressed. The environment needs to be restored, indigenous and other minority groups need to be relieved of the burden of years of systematic injustice, children and the poor need daily support and meaningful opportunities for advancement. The Prophet Muhammad, may Gods peace and blessings be upon him, told his Companions that There will come a time when the best property of a Muslim will be the sheep he takes to the mountain peaks and watered lands, fleeing with his religion from tribulation. But such a flight is a last resort, to be taken only when it is impossible to hold onto ones faith while remaining in society. Over the centuries, Muslims have lived through times when this was the only option. But sooner or later, they came back down the mountains and started the hard work of living and rebuilding together. The question now for our community is, when are we obliged to worked with non-Muslims to build a better society, and when are we obliged to limit our work to whatever we can accomplish on our own? Clearly,
there is no simple answer to these questionsdespite the claims of those who confuse isolation with piety or those who confuse every ease with goodness. Not every alliance between Muslims and non-Muslims is bad, nor is every alliance good. In trying to distinguish the good

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Bismillah: Eating in the name of God

2006-09-10 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 to the translation.[3] Quran 2:30.[4] A number of versions of the hadith are found in the Sahih collections of Bukhari and Muslim.[5]
 Al-Hakim.   saiyed shahbazi  www.shahbazcenter.org
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***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

--

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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Ex-Taliban chief details Massood slaying

2006-09-11 Thread saiyed shahbazi

KABUL, Afghanistan - The beat-up video camera was delivered toAfghanistan in a box, and picked up by two clean-shaven Arabs posing as journalists. They met withOsama bin Laden before leaving on their mission to kill mujahedeen hero Ahmad Shah Massood. Five years after the Taliban opponent was slain by a bomb hidden in the camera, a former Taliban official on Saturday described how al-Qaida staged the
killing two days before the Sept. 11 attack on America hoping to strike a fatal blow to the pro-U.S. Northern Alliance. Waheed Mozhdah, director of the then-Taliban Foreign Ministry's Middle East and Africa department, also showed The Associated Press a copy of what he said was a signed letter dated Sept. 13, 2001, from bin Laden to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, urging him to launch an offensive against the alliance. In the letter, written in Arabic, bin Laden said that if America failed to respond to the Sept. 11 attacks, it would decline as a superpower. But if the U.S. started fighting, he added, its economy would suffer a major blow and it would face the same destiny as the Soviet Union whose ill-fated 1980s occupation of Afghanistan heralded its disintegration. Few details have emerged previously about how al-Qaida plotted to
murder Massood, the "Lion of Panjshir" who fought Soviet troops and led resistance to the Taliban regime. At the time, his Northern Alliance was under siege, barely clinging to a mountainous northern corner of the country. But the U.S. military campaign after Sept. 11 to punish the Taliban for giving refuge to bin Laden propelled Massood's supporters to power, and the bearded commander has achieved iconic status. Giant portraits of him adorn government offices and public spaces in Kabul, and the Sept. 9 anniversary of his death is marked in grand style. President Hamid Karzai on Saturday addressed a crowd of thousands at a Kabul stadium attending an official Massood commemoration. "They came from outside to kill him. They put a bomb inside a camera pretending they wanted to interview him. Why did they kill him? Because he said they would
defeat them," he said. The attackers apparently were North African Arabs traveling on forged Belgian passports who managed to pass through the front line between the warring Taliban and Northern Alliance carrying their bomb. "We never suspected journalists. Our leaders were careless," said Massood Khalili, a former Massood adviser who was seriously wounded in the blast. One of the Arabs died in the bombing. The other, who survived the blast, was shot dead by enraged bodyguards. Mozhdah said bin Laden appeared to hint at the plot during a meeting with Taliban Information Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in the southern city of Kandahar the seat of the ousted Taliban regime just after the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan in 2000. Citing an account
provided by a translator at the meeting, Mozhdah said bin Laden complained to Muttaqi about Taliban restrictions that prevented al-Qaida from contacting the media. "My hands are tied behind my back and my mouth is taped shut," an annoyed bin Laden reportedly said. When Muttaqi blamed international pressure including sanctions facing the Taliban regime for hosting al-Qaida bases and fighting the Northern Alliance, bin Laden thought for a while before replying, Mozhdah said. "I know your difficulties. I'm looking at how to solve your problem," the al-Qaida leader said, without elaborating, according to Mozhdah. Mozhdah said that the following spring he was unsure of the precise date a parcel from Pakistan was received at an official media office used by al-Qaida and the Taliban in Kandahar. The box looked new, but it contained a rather old-looking video camera, Mozhdah said, and the computer technician at the office expressed puzzlement about it. A day later, he said, it was picked up by an al-Qaida official accompanied by two Arabs with shaven faces a curious sight in Taliban-dominated Afghanistan, where men were made to wear beards. The Arabs, known to Mozhdah only as Karim and Arbet, subsequently had the camera while purportedly taping an interview with Taliban Foreign Minister Abdul Wakil Mutawakil but never gave a requested copy to him, he said. Mozhdah said the Arabs later met with bin Laden, top deputy Ayman al-Zawahri and Mullah Omar, who gave them a warm send-off before they flew to Kabul. There, he said, the Foreign Ministry gave them a letter of permission to cross the front line into Northern Alliance-held territory in the Panjshir Valley, Massood's
domain north of the capital. To win acceptance on the other side, the journalists had an introduction from an Islamic group in London to Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, a Northern Alliance commander in Panjshir with strong contacts to Arab mujahedeen from the days of the Soviet resistance, said Abdullah Abdullah, another close associate of Massood. Abdullah, who served as Afghan foreign minister until earlier this

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] How Much Muslim Are You?

2006-09-12 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 claimed. Islam is the paradigm of all those who submit themselves to God. The Quran teaches us that all believers wer e named by God with the word submitters (muslims). (22:78). Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus and their followers were all described with the same word, submitters (muslims) (10:72; 2:128; 10:84; 27:31; 5:111; 72:14). Since all messengers delivered the message in the language of their people, they described their submission to God , not in Arabic word, "Islam" or "muslim," but
 in their own language (14:4). All heavenly bodies are submitters to God (41:11). The shadows submit to God's law, even of the disbeliever's body (13:15). Everything in the universe has submitted to the God's law/religion; submission to God (islam) is the universal religion (3:83).   Islam:   Requires objective evidence besides personal experience (3:86; 2:111; 21:24; 74:30).   Demands intellectual inquiry before subscribing to an assertion (17:36).   Unifies ethnic groups (49:13).   Offers peace among nations (2:62; 2:135-136, 208).   Promises justice to everyone, regardless of their creed or ethnicity (5:8).   Promotes peace and reality (60:8,9).   Rejects clergymen and intermediaries between God and people (2:48; 9:31-34).   Encourages the distribution of wealth (59:7).   Condemns non-productive economy (2:275; 5:90; 3:130).   In public affairs, requires consultation
 to people (42:38).   Promotes utmost respect to individuals (5:32).   Values women (3:195; 4:124; 16:97).   Asks us to be in harmony with nature and environment (30:41).It is no wonder that the only religion/law approved by God is Islam (3:19, 85).saiyed shahbazi  www.shahbazcenter.org
__._,_.___





***
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)

{And who is better in speech than he who [says: My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness), and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: I am one of the Muslims.} (Holy Quran-41:33)
 
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] 

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all. [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah] 
--

Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] God Has 99 Names

2006-10-14 Thread saiyed shahbazi

passionate, the Most
Merciful.So, what should I do with this reality? What is my response? Should I continue in my insolence and sin, falling short of God's way and standard? Or, do I strive and struggle (the real meaning of jihad) to better myself and truly be thankful for all the mercy that literally slaps me in the face each and every day? Do I continue on heedlessly in my life? Or, do I ask God for His forgiveness whenever I fall short of His teachings?I must always strive to do good: good to myself (which means staying away from all that He told me stay away), good to my family, good to my community, good to my country. And, because I know that I will always fall short of His ideal, I must always remember to ask Him for His forgiveness. And the beauty of that is: He told me He will give it to me and then give me even more. Is He not the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful indeed?saiyed
shahbazi www.shahbazcenter.org
__._,_.___

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise.

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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Moderate Europeans losing faith in Islam

2006-10-14 Thread saiyed shahbazi

nsported back
in a time machine where we have to explain to our immigrants that there is equality between men and women, and gays should be treated properly. Now there is the idea we have to do it again." So strong is the fear that Dutch values of tolerance are under siege that the government introduced a primer on those values last winter for prospective newcomers to Dutch life: a DVD briefly showing topless women and two men kissing. The film does not explicitly mention Muslims, but its target audience is as clear as its message: Embrace our culture or leave. Perhaps most wrenching has been the issue of free speech and _expression, and the growing fear that any criticism of Islam could provoke violence. In France last month, a secondary school teacher went into hiding after receiving death threats for writing an article calling the Prophet Muhammad "a merciless warlord, a looter, a mass murderer of Jews and a polygamist." In
Germany, a Mozart opera with an additional scene showing the severed heads of Muhammad, Jesus, Buddha and Poseidon was canceled because of security fears. With each incident, mainstream leaders are speaking more plainly. "Self-censorship does not help us against people who want to practice violence in the name of Islam," Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany said in criticizing the opera's cancellation. "It makes no sense to retreat." The backlash is showing itself in other ways. Last month, the British home secretary, John Reid, called on Muslim parents to keep a close watch on their children. "There's no nice way of saying this," he told a Muslim group in East London. "These fanatics are looking to groom and brainwash children, including your children, for suicide bombing, grooming them to kill themselves to murder others." Many Muslims say this new mood is suddenly imposing expectations that
Muslims be exactly like their European hosts. Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese-born activist in Belgium, said that for years Europeans had emphasized "citizenship and human rights," the notion that Muslim immigrants had the responsibility to obey the law but could otherwise live with their traditions. "Then someone comes and says it's different than that," said Jahjah, who opposes assimilation. "You have to dump your culture and religion. It's a different deal now." Dan Bilefsky reported from Brussels, and Ian Fisher from Rome. Contributing were Sarah Lyall and Alan Cowell from London, Mark Landler from Frankfurt, Peter Kiefer from Rome, Renwick McLean from Madrid and Maia de la Baume from Paris. saiyed shahbazi www.shahbazcenter.org
__._,_.___

The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels. [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]

Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org

All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved otherwise.

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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Islamic world faces intellectual stagnation

2006-11-05 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Islamic world faces intellectual stagnationPublished on November 4, 2006 Is the Islamic world intellectually stagnating? One way to answer this is to ask how many world-class universities there are in Muslim countries. The 2006 rankings of the world's top 200 universities by the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES), announced last week, show the poor state of academic institutions in Muslim countries. The US, with 5 per cent of the world's population, has 54, or 27 per cent, of the top 200 universities. Forty-six Muslim countries on the other hand, with 16 per cent of the world's population, have only one or two per cent of the universities on the THES list. The two universities are Malaysia's Universiti Kabangsaan and University of Malaya, which rank 185th and 192nd with
overall scores of 29.2 and 28.6 respectively from a possible 100. On the important measure of faculty citation, an indicator of intellectual creativity and impact, they scored lowest. The THES rankings were based on the assessment of more than 1,000 higher education institutions using five key indicators. These included asking 3,700 research-active academics globally to name the top 30 research universities in their field of expertise as well as counting the citations per published paper by researchers at each institution. The other indicators were the number of foreign students enrolled, staff-student ratios and top companies' assessment of the quality of an institution' s graduates. For Islamic countries, notwithstanding some isolated centres of excellence, these rankings confirmed the findings of other studies. Some years ago, using data from the Science Citation Index produced by the Institute for Scientific
Information, academics Mohammad Anwar and Abu Baker from the International Islamic University of Malaysia, revealed the total contribution of 46 predominantly Muslim countries to the world of science literature between 1990 and 1994 was a meagre 1.17 per cent of the total world output, as compared to 1.66 per cent for India and 1.48 percent for Spain. This study also showed that the 20 Arab countries contributed only 0.55 per cent to the scientific output, whereas Israel alone contributed 0.89 percent in the same period. Another indicator of the intellectual insularity of the Arab world was reported in the 2002 report of the United Nations Development Fund on the Arab world. According to this report there is little writing or translation from other languages: 1,000 years since the caliph Mamoun the Arabs translated as many books as Spain translates in a single year. The consequences of intellectual stagnation are already reflected in the economic
performance of the Muslim countries. A Brooking Institution study reported in The Economist (September 13, 2003) showed that over the past quarter-century, GDP per person in most Muslim countries has fallen or remained the same. A prominent Muslim scientist and Nobel laureate, the late Abdus Salam, observed 20 years ago that: "of all civilisations on this planet, science is weakest in the lands of Islam. The dangers of this weakness cannot be over-emphasised since the honourable survival of a society depends directly on its science and technology in the condition of the present age". In the third industrial revolution with its "knowledge economy", in which creation of wealth will depend primarily on "brain industries", the scientific, technological and intellectual stagnation is going to have far reaching socio-economic repercussions. Several factors can account for these conditions, the most important being the meagre
resources allocated by Muslim countries to research and development. On average, Muslim countries spend 0.45 per cent of their GDP on research and development. The comparable figure for OECD countries is 2.3 per cent. These conditions are also a legacy of the colonialism experienced by most Muslim countries for an extended period in the past two centuries, during which they endured some of the worst excesses of racial and economic exploitation that stalled their development. But most of the causes of their present predicament can also be attributed to the prevailing cultural and political practices. Other countries like Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and India have taken notable strides in the fields of science and technology and are now among the major emerging economies. The non-availability of funds can hardly justify the absence of good universities in resource-rich countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which are reportedly earning daily US$500
million each from their oil exports alone. An encouraging development that appears to be taking place is that as academic and administrative conditions in the public-sector universities have declined, the private sector has responded by establishing well-resourced universities. This is illustrated by the establishment of Aga Khan Medical University and Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Should Muslims Be Allowed To Impose Islam On Others?

2006-11-26 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 here to give our families a better 
life, or are we here to convert America into an Afghanistan under the Taliban? 
Do we want to use American freedoms to learn about Islam and practice it in an 
intimidation-free environment, or use it to spread the disease of religious 
intolerance? Will Muslim presence in America strengthen it or subvert it?

American Muslims have the opportunity to demonstrate that not only is Islam a 
religion for all times and all places, but is not a threat or trial for others. 
We can prove that Muslims can live in harmony with non-Muslims and that the 
thesis of the clash of civilizations is bogus.

America, in spite of its faults, its limitations, and even its sins and 
sinners, is easily the best place to live on earth. If you do not believe me, 
then ask the millions of Muslims desperate to leave their countries, their 
families, their societies to come to America.

The thing that is most precious about America is not its capitalist nature or 
its wealth, it is the first amendment. The ideal of freedom of religion and 
thought in America has allowed it to become a society that most people in the 
world aspire to emulate and live in. The principle of freedom of religion 
allows Muslims to practice Islam. In essence there can be no faith without 
freedom; it must therefore be guarded very jealously.

A vast majority of American Muslims are highly educated, enlightened and have 
for decades performed their jobs with dignity, integrity and excellence. Unlike 
the Fatwa department of MAS, they remember what the Quran really teaches:   
Where Muslims are allowed to practice their religion and there is no one trying 
to drive them away from their homes, Muslims are required to deal kindly and 
justly with all non-Muslims [Quran 60:8].Muslim scholars have a name for places 
like America  Dar-ul-Aman [house of peace].

We, and by we I mean all Americans, Muslims and non-Muslims must not allow, a 
few rotten apples, to impose their thoughtless understanding of Islam on 
others, subvert free societies, distort Islamic teachings and undermine the 
hope for a harmonious relationship between America and its Muslims.

At 2:00 AM in the morning, we cannot leave you hanging in the cold waiting to 
go home. It would be inhuman.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] For Those Who Are Conscious Of God

2006-11-26 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 of fury and poised to crush the Muslim enclave once 
and for all, gathered at the footsteps of Medina. The alliance with the tribe 
of Bani Quraizah was in tatters, and they prepared to attack from behind as the 
pagans were pushing from the front. When news reached that Bani Quraizah was 
coming, most of them, believers and Hypocrites alike, abandoned the Prophet 
(pbuh) at his most important hour. 

It was, as the Precious Beloved describes, a most dark hour: Remember what you 
felt when they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when your 
eyes became dim and your hearts came up to your throats, and when most 
conflicting thoughts about God passed through your minds. (33:10) Yet, the 
victory of God came, and the Alliance of the Trench was rent asunder. No attack 
from the pagans was to ever come after that, and in a few short years, Mecca 
was taken with hardly a drop of bloodshed. The end is for those who are 
conscious of God. 

Misfortune and hardship befell those believers who passed away before us, and 
so shaken were they that the Apostle and the believers with him, would exclaim 
When will God's victory come? The Lord God answers the question in the very 
next breath of verse:   Oh, verily, God's victory is [always] near! 
(2:214)Throughout the history of humanity, the believers have been through 
difficult times, yet in the end, the Lord came to their aid and gave them 
victory. So will it be, God willing, with us. 

All we must do is to keep working. We must keep building the Ark in the midst 
of the barren desert, enduring the mockery and smears of others, even if they 
are our own people. We must continue to strive to work for peace and justice 
for all, not just for us. We must continue enjoining the good and forbidding 
the evil, even if that evil is from amongst ourselves. We must never give up, 
and God willing, the Precious Beloved will come to our aid. God willing, He 
will not forsake us. When the floodwaters come, we will, God willing, be safe 
on the Ark. It is the promise of the Lord, and what better keeper of promises 
than the Precious Beloved, the Holy One on high? 

Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago physician and writer. He is the co-author of 
The Beliefnet Guide to Islam, published by Doubleday in 2006. His blog is at 
drhassaballa.com. This article was first published in Illume Magazine, a 
California-based publication about Islam.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Don't blame it on the scriptures

2006-12-08 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 attractive. This would give the main opposition 
Bharatiya Janata Party yet another opportunity to accuse the government of 
pandering to minorities, especially Muslims. And the Supreme Court, which is so 
vigorous it sometimes seems to be running the country on its own, might object 
too, since India's constitution prohibits discrimination on religious grounds.
  Many Muslims argue that they are better off helping themselves, rather than 
holding out for the government. In fact they often seem to fare worse where 
they have more political clout, which easily translates into unreliable token 
promises, for, say, an increase in the number of teachers literate in Urdu, the 
language of Indian Islam. The leaked figures on government jobs show that 
Muslims do better in Gujarat, scene of an anti-Muslim pogrom in 2002, than in 
Bihar, where governments depend on their votes.
  Muslims do well in education where the initiative rests with them, says 
Mushirul Hasan, vice-chancellor of Jamia Milia Islamia University in Delhi. 
Where they are dependent on government patronage they fare badly. Muslim 
educational societies have begun to improve education in Kerala and the booming 
southern cities of Bengalooru (Bangalore) and Chennai (Madras). More are needed 
if Muslims are not to fall further behind as India prospers.


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

 
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] On a Wing and a Prayer

2006-12-08 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 Akbar and deliberately engaged in terrorist-associate d behavior that 
was sure to trigger suspicion, they exploited the fear that began with the 
Sept. 11 attacks. The imams, experienced travelers all, counted on the security 
system established after 9/11 to kick in, and now they plan not only to benefit 
financially from the proper operation of that system but to substantially 
weaken it -- with help from the Saudi-endowed attorneys at CAIR.
  US Airways is right to stand by its flight crew. It will be both dangerous 
and disgraceful if the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of 
Transportation and, ultimately, our federal courts allow aviation security 
measures put in place after 9/11 to be cynically manipulated in the name of 
civil rights.
  Ms. Burlingame, a director of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, is 
the sister of Charles F. Chic Burlingame III, the pilot of American Airlines 
flight 77, which was crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
   URL for this article:
http://online. wsj.com/article/ SB11653635820264 1738.html



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

 
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] So That You May Know One Another

2006-12-12 Thread saiyed shahbazi

. Once again, far from it.

Nevertheless, as a person of faith, I am commanded by God in the Qur'an to seek 
out other people of faith - regardless of what that faith is - and work with 
them to do good on earth. That is the reason we were created. That is our 
responsibility as human beings, as viceroys of God on earth. That is our role 
in the 21st Century, and it is a major struggle: a true jihad in its very 
essence. But it is a jihad which no one should ever fear.


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

 
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] About the Dhikr by Tongue and in Heart

2006-12-27 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 will be 
the sought, and the one reaching will be the reached. After you have been in 
the lowest station, you will be in the highest. And this is natural, not 
strange, that this powerful Beloved has put you through this.

The remembrance of the tongue is the station of al-awam, the typical person 
who remembers but does not understand this remembering. But when the 
remembrance reaches his heart, this is the remembrance of al-khawas, the 
special people. The remembrance of al-khawas is the remembrance of the heart. 
This will become the remembrance of the spirit, the station of witnessing 
without limit, without end, and you witness God as if He is in front of you all 
the time. This is the remembrance of the perfected ones, (al-khawas al-khawas). 
Here you will be in the truth, sitting in the presence of the King.

At last, the truth of adh-dhikr reaches the point of stopping the mentioning of 
God, as you become immersed in the ocean of the presence and there is no 
speaking. You are witnessing God, and there is no need to call for Him. As when 
you travel, you need a vehicle to get there, but when you reach, you no longer 
need it. This does not mean that you throw away your vehicle; you keep it all 
the time. You remember in everything now, in your heart, your tongue, your 
hands, in everything. This is the unlimited witnessing. You hear Allah in 
everything, and in every voice. When you hear music, you hear the remembrance. 
You hear the dhikr in the voices of the animals, in every song of every bird, 
and in everything. This is the station of witnessing and of freedom (maqam 
us-shuhud al-mutlaq), and this is the real remembrance.

When a person reaches this station, this is the essence of the dhikr; like the 
fragrance of the rose, it is what is behind this fragrance. When you remember 
the name, this is like the rose. First you see the rose, then you smell her 
fragrance, and as you remember more, everything becomes fragrant with the 
remembrance. You begin to see with the eye of Laila and every picture is the 
picture of your beloved Allah, and everything is in its place. From the deep 
knowing, you begin to see with the eye of the witnessing (ash-shuhud) and she 
sees everything. When you remove your clothes to be Him in everything, and He 
gives you His eye to see everything in its place, this is the deep remembrance 
because the name goes from the world of the gross (al-kathif) to the world of 
the subtle (al-latif). You lose yourself, you lose your tongue, you lose your 
heart, you lose your soul, and you break the rock of your existence to find His 
essence inside everything, and there is only one 
 Allah. This is the unity of God (al-ahad). Everything becomes one in the deep 
essence of remembrance. This is like the ocean. When you look at the ocean it 
does not seem deep and sometimes it seems like it is not moving, but know that 
it moves all the time. Everything inside is changing; his body, heart, and soul 
change, and he becomes Him in everything. Then he does not need to remember 
with his tongue because everything stops.

The praying becomes remembering; the singing, everything you do becomes 
remembering. This is the essence of the remembrance. The Prophet Muhammad said, 
An hour of remembering is better than the worship of seventy years. This 
means that when you become silent and you begin to go through and behind 
everything, behind why or what, you see that your Beloved created everything. 
When you are silent and remember this for one hour, and you go through and 
behind, that one hour is better than seventy years of praying. When you love, 
you are silent. Now I can say, my beloved, be in your remembrance with your 
God, your King, in your sleep and awake, at night and during the day, and make 
your tongue and everything say, I came to You in a hurry to please You, my 
God, so You will accept me.


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] What Are The Requirements To Reflect Over the Qur'an?

2007-01-02 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 a pair 
of scissors and performing coronary bypass surgery after reading a surgical 
textbook. Does this make any inkling of sense? 

The Qur'an, speaking about itself, says: This divine writ - let there be no 
doubt about it - is [meant to be] a guidance for all the God-conscious (2:2). 
Who are these God-conscious? The Qur'an continues:   Who believe in [the 
existence] of that which is beyond the reach of human perception, and are 
constant in prayer, and spend on others out of what We provide for them as 
sustenance; And who believe in that which has been bestowed from on high upon 
thee, [O Prophet], as well as in that which was bestowed before they time: for 
it is they who in their innermost are certain of the life to come! It is they 
who follow the guidance which comes from their Sustainer; and it is they who 
shall attain to a happy state! (2:3-5)These verses seem to tell me that the 
guidance of the Qur'an is open to any and everyone. All I have to do is open 
the book and read it. Yet, if I do so, I am told, it is akin to reading a 
medical textbook and opening a medical practice. Does this make any
 inkling of sense? 

Now, Qur'anic tafsir, or exegesis, is a profession such as medicine. If I, 
after reading various translations of the Holy Scripture, turned around and 
published a book of Qur'anic exegesis, then the medicine analogy would make 
complete sense. Yet, this is not what I do. None of the reflections I have made 
about various verses of the Qur'an was ever intended to be the  tafsir 
according to Dr. Hesham A. Hassaballa. As I said above, whenever I speak about 
various verses of the Qur'an in my writings, I always first consult the 
explanation of the Qur'an made by Muhammad Asad. I do this because, as 
correctly pointed out by so many, I am not a scholar of the Qur'an.

But the Qur'an is not the property of the scholars alone. The Qur'an is a book 
of guidance for all. How could reflecting on a verse of the Qur'an on my own be 
akin to reading a medical textbook and then practicing medicine? Islam - unlike 
medicine - is not a profession. 

What's more, we Muslims brag that our connection with God is direct, that we 
Muslims have no priesthood, that there is no intermediary between us and our 
Creator. Shouldn't this also apply to the Word of our Creator? If we cannot 
reflect on the Word of God on our own - because we are not scholars - then how 
is this different from having a priesthood? I remember being told that - before 
Vatican II - Catholics could not study the Bible without a priest present. Is 
the same thing occurring with Islam and the Qur'an? 

Yet, I must reiterate that I do not advocate a wholesale abandonment of the 
scholars. They deserve our respect and admiration. What must be remembered, 
however, is that these scholars are human beings with a ethnic, cultural, 
social, and political context. This context must be taken into account when 
analyzing a scholar's opinion about a certain verse of the Qur'an. And the 
opinion of a scholar must never be confused for the Word of God itself. 
Moreover, we must make a distinction between making a legal ruling based on the 
Qur'an and reading and reflecting on the Qur'an, which is something God 
commands us to do.

So, please, don't tell me that reading the Qur'an and reflecting over what the 
verses mean to you or me is the same as opening a medical practice after 
reading a medical textbook. Reading and reflecting over the Qur'an - unlike 
medicine - is not a profession that requires training. It is obedience to God's 
command: Will they not, then, ponder over this Qur'an? Or are there locks upon 
heir hearts?

Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago physician and writer. He is the co-author of 
The Beliefnet Guide to Islam, published by Doubleday in 2006. His blog is at 
drhassaballa.com.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Between Ignorance Extremism

2007-01-05 Thread saiyed shahbazi

. Rather, it was a for a 
specific time, and so if the same situation arose in another time and place, he 
felt that it should be permitted also because it wasnt a habitual practice, it 
was just something out of necessity.  We can see this also with
 Sayyidina Umar (radi Allahu anhu) when the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) dealt with some 
Ethiopians who were dancing in the masjid. Sayyidina Umar wanted to take some 
stones and throw them at the Ethiopians to get them to stop, but the Prophet 
(s.a.w.s.) told him, Leave them alone. This is bani arfida. In other words, 
this was their custom, and so the Prophet, even though it wasnt the custom of 
his people, indicated there was nothing that he saw they were doing wrongly and 
so permitted them to do that.  
  
  Transcription by Amina Nawaz. Edited by Karen Nooruddin.

   


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Rebels with a Cause

2007-01-05 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 
promise that there is no wonder about it because you are a foolish imposed 
ruler. Look at the dignity. Once you know Allah, you will be grounded. 
  Ibn Umar said loyalty to people is centred exclusively on selfish worldly 
interests and such endorsements bring its people nothing but havoc. We choose 
our friends for what they can give us. Our friendships are not for the sake of 
Allah so the friendships are no good. You need to count who your friend is. Ali 
said, I swear by Allah, that even if your eyes were to melt from the crying in 
fear of Allah, and even if you were to live in this world as long as it would 
last, making constant offering combined with every type of worship, thanking 
him for his countless blessings and his magnificence, upon you it would not be 
sufficient for his guiding you to Islam. 
  Remember Allah after salah. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) would make istighfar after 
every salah and he was the best of creation. We wish to run out of the mosque 
as if someone is beating us. We are not rebels with a cause; we are righteous 
people with a good cause. We do not cause harm. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, 
The best of people are the most beneficial to human beings. This is not 
exclusive to Muslims. 
  There are a lot of good people out there and there is a lot of good in the 
society. We need to capitalize on this. We need to get understanding of this 
deen. We cannot answer questions that the non-Muslims ask us and give very 
ignorant answers. 
  Ali said, Do not take knowledge except by six: 

 intelligence, 
  
 desire to learn, 
  
 patience in learning, 
  
 tools that facilitate learning, 
  
 guidance from the teacher, and 
  
 length of time needed for learning. 



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Dealing with Non-Muslims -- Rock and Killing Jews

2007-01-09 Thread saiyed shahbazi

  Dealing with Non-Muslims -- Rock and Killing Jews


-
  
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani 

 
  SunniPath Answers (http://qa.sunnipath .com) 
   




From what I have read and what I know about Islam, it teaches to respect and 
befriend people of the book. But I have recently read some troubling hadith 
which speak of fighting Jews in the end of days. The one which most bothers me 
is the one that says even the rocks will shout 'o believer! there is a jew 
behind me, asking him to come kill the jew. Could some one please explain 
these to me?

 

What is the basis of Muslims dealing with non-Muslims

 




 

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

 

I pray that this finds you well, and in the best of health and spirits. May 
Allah grant you all good and success in this life and the next.

This hadith relates to mention of one specific situation of conflict that 
the Prophetic tradition mentioned of the matters relating to the coming of the 
Last Days. This hadith certainly does not establish that any general principle 
of hostility between Muslims and non-Muslims- -whether Christians, Jews, or 
others.

 

Rather, the Qur'anic paradigm of interaction with non-Muslims is that we 
maintain positive relations as principle, hold fast to fulfillment of rights, 
and strive uphold excellence in dealings. This was upheld by the Messenger of 
Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in his dealings with non-Muslims- -as 
manifest throughout his life, such as in his sending a close group of his 
companions to the Christian land of Abyssinia in migration; his including the 
Jews of Madina in the Medina Covenant; his own excellence in dealing with 
Christians, Jews, and the others, including the polytheists of Mecca, both 
before and after Islam's strength was manifest.

 

Looking at the Prophet's own example and teachings, the scholars mention 
that all the general calls to excellence in dealing in the Qur'an and the Sunna 
relate to dealing with both Muslims and non-Muslims. Thus, we are called upon 
to maintain our ties of family and friendship, and our relations with immediate 
even distant neighbors--whether Muslim or non-Muslim-- with excellence.

 

It is in this spirit that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be 
upon him) is described by Allah Most High as having been sent only as a Mercy 
to all Creation. One of the key manifestations of mercy is excellence in 
conduct and dealings.

 

And it is in this spirit that that the Messenger of Allah (peace and 
blessings be upon him) himself emphasized, The merciful are shown mercy by the 
All-Merciful. Show mercy to those on earth, and the Lord of the Heavens will 
show mercy to you. [Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi, on the authority of Amr ibn Dinar 
(Allah be pleased with him)] Traditionally, this has been the first hadith 
formally taught by a scholar to their student, and it has been contiguously 
transmitted in this manner. 

 

This mercy is the spirit of the Islamic tradition--a spirit of excellence 
in character, conduct, dealings, and relations, with a firm commitment to 
justice and all that is good. It is only when some Muslims have veered in their 
understanding from our tradition that we see anger, intolerance, and ugliness 
replacing forebearance, tolerance, and beauty, to the loss of all and the good 
of none.

 

And Allah alone gives success.

 

Faraz Rabbani


   


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Christmas presents to non-muslims

2007-01-10 Thread saiyed shahbazi

  Christmas presents to non-muslims


-
  
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani 

 



 

Are we allowed to give Christmas presents to our non-muslim neighbours as a 
gesture of good-will?

 





 

Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

 

I pray this finds you in the best of health and spirits. There is nothing 
wrong with giving presents to one's non-Muslim neighbors, friends, and 
co-workers. Rather, this is from the sunna of being good to one's neighbors and 
others whom one has relationships with. [Mulla Khusro, Durar]

 

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized the 
rights of neighbors and those one has any kind of relationship with in numerous 
hadiths, and these do not distinguish betweeen Muslim and non-Muslim neighbors.

 

However, the proper way to give presents during these festive seasons, is 
to make one's gesture general or seasonal, rather than relating to their 
specific religious celebrations. Thus, one would say, for example, Seasons 
greetings, or Happy New Year, or other general expressions, as our ulema 
explain.

 

And Allah alone gives success.

 

Faraz Rabbani



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] What is thankfulness (shukr)?

2007-01-10 Thread saiyed shahbazi

  What is thankfulness (shukr)? 


-
  
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani 

 

  

 

Could you please explain the Islamic understanding of thankfulness (shukr), 
please?

 




 

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

 

I pray that this finds you well, and in the best of health and spirits. May 
Allah grant you all good and success in this life and the next.

 

Thankfulness is central to faith. In fact, it has been related that, Faith 
has two halves: one half is patience (sabr); and the other half is thankfulness 
(shukr). [Suyuti, al-Jami` al-Saghir]

 

The scholars have defined thankfulness as: Directing every blessing 
towards that which it was created for. [Bajuri, Tuhfat al-Murid `ala Jawharat 
al-Tawhid]

 

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) said that, The reality of 
thankfulness is to obey Allah with all your limbs, in private and in public.

 

The scholars mention three levels of thankfulness:

 

[1] Not to disobey Allah with His blessings.
[2] To use His blessings for the good.
[3] To use each blessing for the best of what it was created, in the best and 
most beneficial of ways.

 

And Allah alone gives success.


   


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] What Islamists Think - And Why It Doesn't Work

2007-01-24 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 
there be on a landlord who wants to rent out his roof to a mobile phone 
operator in order to erect a new mobile phone mast? What is the appropriate 
size for the country's armed forces, and should they procure their weapons from 
domestic manufacturers or from the cheapest supplier (who might be from the 
USA)? 

Furthermore, the Islamist version of a state doesn't even answer some 
fundamental points about self-reliance of the individual and local autonomy. 
Quite on the contrary, most Islamists at root don't trust ordinary people to 
arrive at an equitable solution without the active assistance of the Islamists 
in making a ruling they declare equitable and then installing it. As an 
example, popular Islamic concerns about globalisation are that it is 
fundamentally unjust, balancing poor people's interests rather poorly when 
weighed up against the need for economic growth and opportunity. In areas of 
Islamist political domination, the response to encroaching outside interests is 
to ban or to censor - viz popular music in the Pakistani tribal areas, the 
internet in Iran or popular magazines in Saudi. Who does this help? Nobody. 
Ordinary people see that rules imposed by the mullahs are arbitrary, they 
immediately try to flout them, and the result is enhanced popularity of popular 
music
 in Pakistan, mass blogging in Iran and illicit book-smuggling in Saudi. The 
law is brought into disrepute, and with it the State that the Islamists believe 
is essential to Muslim identity.

The difficulty of getting dialogue on these core assumptions

Getting this message across to Islamist-minded individuals in the UK is 
difficult. In my discussion with the brother from Hizb-ut-Tahrir, I was met by 
blank incomprehension. Of course he wasn't suggesting that we should be looking 
for a khilafah like the corrupt old Ottoman caliphate we should be looking back 
to the model of the Prophet's society in Madinah. We should be hoping for a 
place where the shariah is put into force, where the sovereignty is with Allah 
and where the people enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. When asked 
what was right and what was wrong, he was quite strong on theft, less strong on 
national insurance, less strong again on nuclear energy, less strong again on 
whether hospitals should be publically or privately-managed. 

Instead, he said Allahu alim (God knows best) and gave me a version of the 
Islamist myth that states that a massive mosque-building programme, segregated 
shopping malls and justice would inevitably inculcate supreme happiness and 
Islamic peace across all people. Really? Why then do only 1.4% of Iranians go 
to mosque for Friday prayers - according to figures produced by the Iranian 
government itself? 

But what kind of answer is Allahu alim to difficult questions on public 
policy? Does he expect God to send down wisdom and answers when the debate 
looks like heating up? Can you imagine a politician going campaigning on the 
slogan that God knows best on whether he would put up taxes?

Asking Muslims to work for an Islamic state is therefore the Muslim equivalent 
of asking people to vote to motherhood and apple pie. In most circumstances 
it's a meaningless phrase, which people like to parrot out in order to 
demonstrate to their neighbours that they're as pious as anybody else in the 
street. It's in the same boat as phrases like I plan to make hijrah and I 
want a child who will be a hafiz of the Qur'an.

Instead of hoping therefore for a brand new system of Islamic governance, how 
about asking for more realistic and achievable goals. How about simply some 
Muslims in public life, who genuinely try to implement Islamic principles of 
'Adl (justice), Haqq (truth), Rahm (mercy) and Ihsan (excellence) in making 
good decisions. These decisions should cause them grief, as they wrestle with 
the issues, before arriving at what they hope with God's grace is the correct 
answer. That's really about all we can hope for as human beings.

This may actually be what the HT brother meant by Allahu alim - in which case 
why not let's talk about the need for more Muslims who not only understand the 
meanings of justice, truth, mercy and excellence, but demonstrably try to use 
them in their every-day dealings? Surely that's what is more likely to get all 
of us to heaven than meaningless arguments about a new caliphate?



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Prophet's Manners

2007-01-24 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Prophet's Manners
   
  He was the most generous, the most valorous, the gentlest. He cast his 
eyes down more often than up, and appeared shyer than a well-sheltered young 
girl. When someone came to him with a happy face, he would take his hand.
  When gifts were brought to him, he would ask if they were alms or gifts. He 
would accept the gifts and decline the alms. Yet the gifts did not stay in his 
hand or his house for very long. He would give them away.
  He used to take off his shoes when he sat down, and bend and gather the skirt 
of his robe. He would always sit on the floor with his knees pulled up to his 
chest.
  He would stay silent for long periods and laugh little, yet he had a sense of 
humor and liked to see others smile. When he met with his people he would first 
give them the greeting of peace and blessings and them embrace them. Caressing 
them, he would pray for them. When he was with other people he would not leave 
their company until they left, and when he took someone's hand, he wouldn't 
withdraw his hand until the other person released it. When someone whispered 
into his ear something that he did not want others to hear, he would not pull 
his face away until the other did.
  He was very compassionate and loving, especially to women and children. When 
he promised something to someone, he would fulfill his promise without fail at 
the first opportunity.
  When he sat with his people, they sat around him in a circle, and in love and 
fascination they would be so quiet and still that if a bird had sat on they 
heads, it would not have flown away.
  As he spoke, he often lifted his eyes to the heavens. When something that 
greatly pleased him was announced to him, he would immediately prostrate as a 
gesture of thankfulness to Allah, and his face would shine like the full moon. 
When he began speaking he would always smile.
  In all his relationships he never caused two people to be angry at each other 
or to have to defend themselves. Whenever he was asked for something, he would 
give it if he had it. If he did not have it, he would not refuse, but would not 
respond. He never said no. When he was asked to do something, if it was 
possible he would say yes. If it was not possible, he would keep silent. He did 
not approach nor listen to people from whom he expected to hear bad talk, and 
he did not accept people's talking against each other.
  He spoke very clearly, separating each word, so that one could easily count 
each word if one cared to. When he spoke publicly he would repeat each sentence 
three times to make sure that it was well understood, but he would not repeat 
it again.
  He did not like people who were loud and rude. He preferred people who spoke 
softly. He also did not like people who asked too many questions.
  He smelled beautiful. From his perfume, which would precede him, people knew 
that he was coming. Since his perfume lingered, people would know when he had 
been in a place.
  - Shaykh Tosun Bayrak, On the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Appendix from Ibn 'Arabi 
The Tree of Being) 




saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] The Merit of one Dhikr compared to other Dhikrs

2007-01-25 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Dhikrs (remembrance) are classified into a few categories, each having merits 
over the others, or the rewards for one is more compared to the others on top 
of having multitudes of virtues, advantages, benefits and effects that are 
praiseworthy.
  Among the Dhikrs that have precedence over others, in fact the most 
praiseworthy and highest in rank of them is, Laa Ilaaha Illallaah (There is no 
god but Allah).
  
  The Prophet, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, once said: The 
best Dhikr is: Laa Ilaaha Ilallaah and the best supplication is: Alhamdulillah.
  He, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, also said: The best words 
me and the Prophets before me had said is: Laa Ilaaha Illallaah.
  The Messenger of Allah, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, said, 
relating that Allah Most High said: Laa Ilaaha Illallaah is My fortress, and 
whoever enter into My fortress is saved from My torment.
  He also said: Renew your faith! The Companions of the Prophet asked: How 
to renew our faith? Answered the Prophet: Saying in abundance Laa Ilaaha 
Illallah.
  He, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, also said: Subhanallah 
(fills) half the scale (al-Mizan), and Alhamdulillah fills it, and Laa Ilaaha 
Illallah (there is) no wall (separation) between it and Allah.
  There is also a tradition that states: Verily there is a branch made of 
light rooted in front of Allah. When a person says Laa Ilaaha Illallaah the 
branch shook (out of fear). Then Allah Most High says: Hush! Replied the 
branch: How am I to hush, when You have not pardoned the person. Hence Allah 
Most High said: I have pardoned him. Then the branch remains silent.
  Another tradition says: Verily when a slave says Laa Ilaaha Illallaah, with 
every Laa Ilaaha Illallaah said, it comes across an evil deed in his record 
book, but it erases it, until it comes across a good deed, where it stays by 
its side.
  Another tradition says: Even if the seven heavens and the seven earths and 
whatever is in them is placed on one side of the scale, and placed on the other 
side the utterance Laa Ilaaha Illallaah, verily the scale with Laa Ilaaha 
Illallaah  would be heavier.
  Other traditions that confirm the primacy of the utterance of Laa Ilaaha 
Illallaah are numerous and are renowned. The reason we stated the merits here 
is to serve as a reminder and not for the purpose of mere calculation. It is 
thus sufficient enough to make a distinction of its merits, that it is the 
declaration that is required to be said if a person wishes to embrace Islam, 
and verily whoever ends his life with uttering the statement (as his last 
words), then he would obtain everlasting bliss that has no blemishes thereafter.
  Oh Allah! Oh My God! You are the Most Merciful, we ask of You that You 
(make) our lives and our deaths and resurrect us upon the words Laa Ilaaha 
Illallaah, in a surrendering state to You, and likewise for our parents, our 
loved ones and the entire Muslim Community, Amin.

  It was related from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah grant blessings and 
peace upon him : Laa Ilaaha Illallaah Wahdahuu Laa Syariikalah, Lahul-Mulku 
Walahul-Hamdu Wahuwa Ala Kulli Syai-in Qadiir (There is no god but Allah the 
One, no partners ascribed unto Him, to Him belongs all kingdoms and to Him 
(all) the praises, and He is Above (the cause of) everything that is Powerful), 
whoever utter it ten times, the reward is like that of a person who frees four 
lives from the sons of Ismail, peace be upon him.
  He, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, also said: Whoever utter: 
Laa Ilaaha Illallaah Wahdahuu Laa Syariikalah, Lahul-Mulku Walahul-Hamdu Wahuwa 
Ala Kulli Syai-in Qadiir, every day a hundred times, then his reward is like 
that of a person who frees a slave (riqaab), recorded for him a hundred good 
deeds, erased for him a hundred evil deeds, given to him refuge from the devil 
from that day to its afternoon, and there is no one who did a better deed than 
that of which he did (uttering the statement), except for the one who did more 
than him.
  He, may Allah grant blessings and peace upon him, also said: Whoever utter: 
Laa Ilaaha Illallaah Wahdahuu Laa Syariikalah, Lahul-Mulku Walahul-Hamdu Wahuwa 
Ala Kulli Syai-in Qadiir, there is no deed that precedes it, and that there is 
no evil that would be left. 
  -


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] What Would You Do?

2007-01-29 Thread saiyed shahbazi

What Would You Do?

A perfect man was about to pass on to the next World. Before
this took place, however, there were certain duties which he needed
to complete.

One of these responsibilities involved appointing someone who
would continue on with providing spiritual assistance to those
individuals who were interested in pursuing the mystical path. There
were quite a few outstanding candidates to consider, but there were
four people, in particular, who were especially noteworthy due to the
extraordinary beauty of their spiritual character.

In order to make his selection, the man decided to ask each of the
candidates a simple question. He felt certain that one of the four
would answer the query in a manner which would single out that
person as reflecting the choice which God wished to be made.

Arrangements were made to interview the four individuals one
at a time. The date, time and place were fixed for each person.

The first individual appeared at her appointed time. As soon as
she arrived, she was asked the following question: If you were to be
given the patched frock which is symbolic of the mystical authority
that is invested in the one who wears it, what would you do with such
authority?

The person reflected on the question, and, then, replied: I would
use that authority to try to engender in people an abiding love of, and
commitment to the truth.

This was a good answer. The one who had asked the question
was pleased with the response.

Later that day, the next candidate appeared at the indicated
time. When asked how he would use the authority which
accompanied the wearing of the patched frock, he remarked: I
would seek to help people to establish justice so that they would be
able to live in a secure, peaceful, and harmonious environment where
every individual received what was due to him or her.

Another excellent reply. Again, the man who had asked the
question felt happy with the quality of the answer.

On the following morning, the third person was ready to be
interviewed. Once more, the questioner was not disappointed.

This individual said: I would use the spiritual authority to assist
people to be kind toward, and generous with, one another.

The man asking the question could find no fault with such a
perspective. Like the other answers, this response was simple,
straightforward, and, God willing, would have a tremendously
beneficial impact upon the community if implemented.

The appointment for the final individual had been set for the
afternoon. When the designated time arrived, so did the candidate,
and, the same question was asked, yet, again.

The person replied: I would use the patched frock to cover the
faults of people.

The answer was elegant. It brought a smile to the lips of the
questioner.

Previously, when the dates and times for the interviews had been
established, the four candidates were informed that the presentation
of the patched frock would be made a certain time on the morning
following the last interview, and all four individuals were requested
to be present.

Morning arrived. The four candidates, plus the interviewer,
assembled at the indicated time and place.

The one who had asked each of the individuals the same question
said: The answers which each of you gave are exemplary. All of
your responses brought joy to my heart, and I have no doubt that
each of you, irrespective of whether, or not, you receive the patched
frock, will dedicate your lives to putting into practice the answers
you have voiced. 

However, as important and correct as the answers are which
each of you have given to the question of what you would do if given
responsibility for exercising the spiritual authority which is vested in
the one who wears the patched frock, the answer that may be most
necessary, in view of the weaknesses and mistakes to which human
beings are prone, involves hiding their faults. This, truly, is a service
to the people which places no demands on them and, yet, which is of
great value to the community.

Having said this, he took the patched frock, placed it over the
shoulders of the one who had responded in this manner, and, then,
hugged that individual. He said: You are the one whom God is
entrusting with this responsibility. 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] The Attitude of Muslims towards Globalization

2007-02-07 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 the inner Muslim mentality for presentation 
to the outside world as a kind of behavioural response that
 is, rejecting or showing total resistance to external ideas. 
  The active participation of Muslims in globalization through their NGOs is 
very important for consolidating their roles, especially those who are 
concerned with specific problems arising from the environment, such as drugs. 
These kinds of activities would make the Muslim countries more viable for the 
consolidation of their civil societies and would produce a useful influence on 
democracy and transparency. 
  The biggest challenge facing the Muslim world in the global context is the 
political order. Despite all the changes taking place in the political world, 
the Muslim governments, particularly the Arab governments, are probably the 
least democratic and transparent. Their attitude is in total contrast to the 
nature of the global society or the Internet society, where the horizontal 
transformation of the fabric of society is the modern order of the day. 
  Society, the computer and the company are all moving in one direction owing 
to the horizontal network of computers and therefore the gradual disappearance 
of the vertical structure of industrial society. All the telecommunications and 
other companies in the developing world are restructuring themselves 
horizontally to gain an advantage over the vertical structure in their 
operation, response and creativity. 
   
  References 

   United Nations Development Programme (2003), Arab Human Development Report 
2003, Building a Knowledge Society, Page 1E5, 20 October, New York: UNDP.   
   ibid   
   Mike Jensen, Making the connection: Africa and the Internet, Current 
History, Vol. 99, No. 637(May 200) P125.   
   ibid   
   Gulf News: online Edition, Dubai, Thursday, 23 October, 2003 
  http:// www.gulfnews./com/articles/News.asp?Article1D=,01048 

   Sameera Mian, Global Concerns, Muslim News, (27 October 2000)p7   
   Editorial, The case for Globalization, The Economist, (23 September 2000) 
p19 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Quran Comparison: Beating Wives

2007-02-20 Thread saiyed shahbazi

. Jurists have historically taken this to mean that only an 
Islamic court of law can determine cases of adultery. Thus, Asad's Quran also 
points out the role of the state, while The Noble Quran makes no mention of 
this fact. 
  * There is a recent Quranic translation, by Laleh Bakhtiar, in which the 
Arabic verb translated as beat by Asad and others, is translated as to go 
away. However, Ms. Bakhtiar's translation is not even out yet. Furthermore, 
being a feminist Quran, it is not likely that many conservative institutions, 
which is what we are targetting, would embrace it. Personally, I do find 
Bakhtiar's translation of the term compelling. Until this translation comes out 
and becomes more accepted, please, abide by the Prophet's Sunnah. Also, people 
should realize that a person who already thinks that beating a wife is against 
the Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah, is more likely to accept Bakhtiar's argument 
that the word does not mean beating at all. 
  Now please, hit the big gray box at the top of the website and help us donate 
1000 copies of the Asad translations to Muslim institutions, MSA's, 
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  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Interview With Fuad Nahdi

2007-02-21 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 to understand one thing -- the Islam they invest in 
today is the Islam they're going to get tomorrow. We want to bring in scholars 
who can close the East-West divide, who can speak to Muslims living in the 
West. Scholars like Sheik Hamza Yusuf or Abdullah Binbaya, who's based in Saudi 
Arabia, a Mauritanian sheik of very high repute. The legitimacy these scholars 
bring is that they have made an effort to understand what Islam says, not what 
the people are saying in the streets.
  Q: In the face of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the continued questioning in the 
West of Muslim identity, how do you hope to get the message of moderation 
across to impressionable, volatile young people?
  A: My message isn't to do with Western occupation of Iraq or what's going on 
in Afghanistan or Palestine. I'm working with Islam, the faith. And I can only 
argue that this is what Islam teaches me about this situation. You judge a 
faith or a religion or an ideology by the way it reacts to adversity. We say 
these problems are not permanent. The way we react to adversity, the way we 
behave as people of God, that's a permanent thing. We're allowed to be black; 
we're allowed to be Asian. But we have never been allowed to be Muslim. And we 
have found that, the more liberal a person is, the more they tend to be hostile 
to someone whose religion is a source of their identity. So you grow up as a 
Muslim in a sense of negativity. 
  Q: How else do you tackle this well-funded, well organized extremism?
  A: We are not going to have even one percent of the resources that the other 
party has in terms of developing this moderate form of Islam. But what is on 
our side is that we are not reinventing the wheel. The idea is to find within 
the genius of Islam -- in 1,400 years of history -- what works. Mainstream 
Islam -- based on nonviolence, on a sense of justice, on a sense of honesty, on 
a sense of fairness -- is something that has developed over centuries in Islam. 
It's up to us to go and find people who know where this is in our history, 
bring it into the forefront and share it with others. The worst thing we can do 
is to push this radical agenda underground. I wrote an article two or three 
years ago to say the war against terrorism and the new antiterrorism laws will 
push the whole debate and agenda underground. And then we will not have a clue 
what is happening. When 7\7 [the London transport bombings of July7, 2005] 
happened, it just blew up in our face. Believe me, the
 intelligence people in the West have no clue what is going on. 
  Q: How do you measure success?
  For me, the success will be when somebody sees a Muslim in the street and 
identifies him, not with the collapse of the twin towers, but with the beauty 
of the Taj Mahal; then I will know that we have succeeded.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] interview with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

2007-02-21 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 television and then CNN, it was like two different universes. 
That's really troubling to me because like the Chinese say, There are three 
truths. There's my truth, your truth and then the truth. If I'm unwilling to 
let go of my truth and you're unwilling to let go of your truth, we cannot see 
objectively this truth that's in the middle, between us. There's good and bad 
in all of us, and I want to get rid of the cartoon scenario of George Bush's 
world and Osama bin Laden's world, and I want to see it nuanced. I want to see 
more intelligence here. 
  Q: We know from history that wars are generally fought by young men. What are 
you saying to these young people to prevent the sudden explosion of this sort 
of negative potential?
  A: You have to give them hope. And there's something attractive about war to 
young men. They need to see war for what it is. If Robert E. Lee in the Civil 
War said war was hell, what would he make of 20th-century and 21st-century 
warfare? I think we have to see war as the despicable creature that it is and 
really work for peace. They say if you don't sweat for peace, then you bleed 
for war.
  Q: But can you pull that off from inside Islam?
  A: Muslims are peace-loving people generally. Among the young, yes, there are 
some militant attitudes. But a lot of it arises out of chivalry-- and don't 
underestimate the chivalrous impulse in men. A lot of these young men see women 
being-- you know-- they see soldiers breaking into houses with Muslim women. 
It's really beyond the pale for the average Muslim man, and something rises up 
in them. And it can turn to deep resentment and rage. But generally I think the 
impulses are actually quite noble. 
  Q: So what do you say to the average person who sees some kind of a sinister 
threat under every hijab and behind every beard?
  A: People have to be exposed to Muslims, just experience Muslims; talk to 
them. Reach out, read about Islam, try to find out about it. There are 20,000 
Muslim physicians in the United States, Americans putting their lives in the 
hands of Muslims every day. You're going under and the anesthesiologist is a 
Muslim, right? He's looking out for you. He doesn't want you to die in that 
operation because you're an infidel. He's doing his job. As is your 
pediatrician who's trying to heal your child. And the mechanic who's fixing 
your car? He's not putting a bomb in your car. It's Abdullah, the guy down at 
the Chevron station, right? I mean it's one-fifth of the world's population for 
God's sake-- one out of five people is a Muslim. 
  Muslims have been an almost entirely benevolent force in the 20th century. 
They did not wreak the havoc the Western powers wreaked on the world. They have 
not come anywhere near to the environmental degradation that we've done to the 
planet. So I think Muslims need to be seen in the proper light. They're mostly 
decent, hardworking people, people with deep family values, and they want to 
live in peace. My experience on this planet, almost 50 years, is that if you 
treat people with respect, they tend to treat you with respect. 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] American Mamlukes

2007-03-05 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 drill were slowly perfected during the seventeenth century. The 
drill helped to mould the serfs into malleable tools, disciplined, obedient, 
and trained in loyalty to the king and the nation. Over time, as nationalist 
indoctrination was joined to the drill, the risks of rebellions from citizen 
armies diminished. They became the norm over much of Europe. Modern Europe 
acquired its slave armies with help from the drill and nationalist ideologies.
When industrial capitalism produced democratizing forces in society, a variety 
of mechanisms came into play to minimize the risk of challenges from below as 
the vote was extended downwards. On the one hand, the drill was refined and 
expanded: to its existing tools were added schooling, wage work and rising 
consumption. Schooling indoctrinated the electorate in the benefits of 
citizenship. Wage work added threats of joblessness and privation. Addiction to 
consumerism blocked out the anger over inequities. It also kept the consumer 
toiling as hard or harder than before to pay for new consumer goods.
 Neutralizing the newly empowered citizens was not enough: the representatives 
they voted into government would have to be neutered.  It is far easier to 
cover election expenses by taking money from those with deep pockets  the 
corporations and lobbies  than raising money from the voters. As election 
expenses rose, the discipline that corporations and lobbies exercised over the 
elected representatives deepened; they began to pick and put them into office.
Unlike the mamlukes, the senators and representatives in the US Congress are 
not captured as slaves from neighboring countries. In practice, however, their 
interests are so closely tied to those of their owners - the corporations and 
lobbies - that they retain precious little interest in the concerns of the 
people who vote them into office. Indeed, when we examine the loyalty with 
which they render their services to their true owners, the dead Ottoman 
emperors might well envy the system of representation that produces these 
American mamlukes. 
Thus, two egalitarian systems - the Islamicate and American - had produced 
similar responses to the challenge of power from below: they instituted two 
close variants of the mamluke system.
  
* M. Shahid Alam is professor of economics at Northeastern University. He is 
author of Challenging the New Orientalism (IPI: 2007). He may be contacted at 
alqalam02760@ neu.edu.  His website:  http://aslama. org. © M. Shahid Alam.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Duality that Governs Our World

2007-03-18 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 the future is equally 
important, for the Holy Quran highlights the future trend in some of its 
verses.
For example, Surah Yusuf (12) tells the tale of Prophet Yusuf, whose management 
planning for the future saved Egypt from an acute economic crisis. Or Surat 
al#8209;Rum (30:14), in which the Holy Book tells the Muslim community in 
Mecca, who were feeling depressed at the defeat of the Roman Christians by the 
Persian unbelievers, that the Romans would defeat the Persians in a few years 
time, thus referring to the future with some good news:
Alif, Lam, Mim. The Romans have been defeated in a nearby land. However, 
although they have been defeated, they will be victorious in a few yearss 
time. Allahs is the Command in the past and in the future. On that day, the 
believers will rejoice.

Living and feeling the self-respect that generates respect for the 
psychological and physical space of the Other. It is a reciprocal situation.
The understanding and application of the concept of duality should also find 
their way into the reform of theology.
The very early Muslim philosophers harmonized the classical Greek intellectual 
philosophy with the Islamic creeds (aq#257;id). It is not the same today, for 
the dialectics of the modern intellect is aiming to create a single integrated 
world. Muslims should face this huge challenge with peaceful coexistence with 
unbelievers, instead of confining themselves to accepting only the People of 
the Book. In other words, the acceptance of faith (im#257;n) and intellect 
could meet at some points and diverge at others, rather than each trying to 
annihilate the identity of the other. A reading of the Quranic verses 
indicates that there is room for unbelievers (atheists) or kuffar. The Quran 
states, for example:
To you be your way, and to me mine. (109:6)
To each among you, We have prescribed a law and an open way. (5:48)
Therefore, to remind you, for you are only a reminder. You are not a watcher 
over them. (88:2122)



*Najah Kadhim: Director of IFID and a Senior University Lecturer.


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Is a Greener Islam Possible?

2007-04-04 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 in the Islamic world on the Environmental front. In Zanzibar, Islamic 
teaching are actively being used to encourage people towards conservation, 
Niger is another example where land has been reclaimed from the Sahara desert 
by planting trees, Oman has been successful in reintroducing the native Oynx to 
its wilderness and Islamic organizations with an environmental agenda have also 
sprung up in recent years, in Iran alone there are almost 150 environmentalist 
organizations.

The most articulate and reasoned voice in contemporary Muslim discourse on the 
environment is that of Syed Hossein Nasr. According to Nasr the environmental 
crisis is not an isolated phenomenon but is rather part of the spiritual crisis 
of our age. Consequently one cannot address one type of crisis without 
addressing the other. Given that in most Muslim countries environmental 
awareness amongst the elites as well the masses is missing so what can an 
average Muslim do in the face of growing environmental crisis? Here the dictum, 
Think globally, act locally may apply. A good start would be to spread 
awareness of environmental issues amongst other Muslims and relate it to how 
this issue is fundamental to an Islamic understanding of man's place in the 
universe. Additionally one can combine religious injunctions with pragmatic 
concerns by stressing that without addressing environmental problems economic 
growth cannot be sustained.

A substantial grassroots environmental movement amongst Muslims has yet to 
arise. It could be because environmentalists in the Muslim world have not 
really tapped into their own tradition to further their arguments. It is also 
important to work closely with people of other faiths and ideologies on this 
issue since this is something that effects all people on this planet. This also 
ensures that Muslims organizations do not have to reinvent the wheel every time 
but rather they can use and augment the expertise and know-how of their 
counterparts. No contribution or act in this issue should be taken to be 
insignificant because in this endevour there is no such thing as an 
insignificant good deed, as prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, If the 
Hour (Judgment Day) is about to be established and one of you is holding a palm 
shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established 
to plant it.

M. Aurangzeb Ahmad is a doctorate student. He can be reached at [EMAIL 
PROTECTED]

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] a Prophet's dua

2007-04-11 Thread saiyed shahbazi

O God, give me light in my heart and light in my tongue and light in my hearing 
and light in my seeing and light in my feeling and light in every part of my 
body and light before me and light behind me. 
Give me, I beg you, light on my right hand and light on my left hand and light 
above me and light beneath me. 
O Lord, make light grow within me and give me light and illuminate me. 

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Toward an Adamic Education:

2007-04-17 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Toward an Adamic Education:

If it has not been a fatalistic mentality of this is the way things simply 
are, then it has been our weak theoretical foundations, simplistic 
interpretation, and intemperate application of an Islamic pedagogy that has 
been the greatest challenge to Islamic schools in North America. The lack of a 
clearly articulated Islamic pedagogy and what that entails for both the purpose 
and practice of Islamic education within the modern West must be addressed with 
a sense of urgency. 

[...]

We have chosen to adopt the term Adamic Education from Abdal Hakim Murad (T.J. 
Winter), as opposed to the commonly used term Islamic Education to illustrate 
the roots of an Islamic education and also its relevance to the greater 
discourse on education.Western epistemologies refer to the moment that Adam was 
sent from the heavens to spend the remainder of his life on earth as the great 
Fall. That single moment of ignorance where Adam ate from the forbidden tree 
and therefore earned himself the consequence of being sent to earth is 
understood in the Islamic epistemology as an ascent, not a fall. Islamically, 
Adams physical displacement from heaven to earth is understood as an ascent 
because spiritually he was raised from a state of ignorance to one of 
knowledge. 

Through a process of education, Adam was raised in status in becoming Allahs 
khalifa (vicegerent) on earth and the angels bowed to him. It is therefore this 
process of education and move from a state of disobedience to obedience that 
raised Adam in status to an Adamic state.

The process of becoming educated is not a forward motion toward things unknown, 
rather it is a search for knowledge that will bring an individual back toward 
their fitra (natural state of purity). All education is a re-education  a 
reclamation of a pure state of being again. It is a process of recognizing the 
magnanimity of the Creator of His Oneness (Tawheed). 

All forms of knowledge that bring an individual closer to that state of 
understanding are considered educative. There is no distinction, as Imam al-
Ghazzali notes, between knowledge that is considered secular or that which is 
considered religious. 

Ahsan states in a beautiful metaphor that within Islam, all areas of knowledge 
are like branches of a single tree rooted in the cognition and awareness of 
God. 

Learning is for the purpose of attaining a state of being, whether that is 
achieved through learning about photosynthesis or prayer, the intent is the 
same. Learning(taallum) is a form of worship (ibaada) that proclaims an 
individuals slave hood(ubudiyyah) to the Creator. It is no different than 
fasting and prayer  because all of them are processes of returning and 
regaining what we have lost.

An Adamic Education therefore, alters the purpose of schooling entirely. It is 
about
human transformation and not merely about the transmission of knowledge. The
acquisition of knowledge as an act of worship makes learning into a sacred 
event.
Everything about the class is treated with a sense of reverence, dignity, and
austerity;utterly unlike the modern educational experience.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] For Pakistan, there is an urgent need to reclaim Rumi and Iqbal�s message

2007-05-01 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 to prophet Abraham as an idol breaker.

As for Futuwwat, it refers to the life of the fata  his courage, generosity, 
hospitality and love for fellow human beings and the Divine.

Shariatis dynamic Sufism, then, taught the individual, how to win freedom 
from the chains of religion...as prophet Abraham, the model fata had done, and 
he included Hazrat Zainab, daughter of Hazrat Ali, the fourth Caliph, among his 
role models.

Clearly, as with Iqbal, Shariati transposed Abraham from a prophet in sacred 
history to a metaphor of resistance and renewal in the Iran of 1970s, a country 
going through the throes of rapid modernisation under a totalitarian regime. 
Here, Shariatis Covenant with Abraham (Mi ad ba Ebrahim) signified a new 
iconoclastic impulse in modern Iran: intellectual struggle and revolutionary 
resistance against fossilised ways of thinking naturalised by habit and history.

This being so, one could say that the Abrahamic dynamic in our times reflects 
an ethics of resistance against despotism and injustice, calls for the 
cultivation of the self as a moral being (khod sazi), entails a creative 
reclamation of a religio-cultural past, and critically engages with western 
thought.

In post-revolutionary Iran, the Abrahamic dynamic permeates cultural activity 
as a critical impulse pushing the boundaries of consciousness in a society 
where a  turn to research and cultural production are among the defining 
features of a vibrant intellectual life. Such a vibrant cultural scene suggests 
that the legacy of Rumi and Iqbal is becoming increasingly generalised in Iran. 
This is bound to have far-reaching implications in promoting the spirit of 
freedom and justice in an increasingly interdependent world where the 
production of knowledge is a defining feature.

As for Pakistan, there is an urgent need to reclaim Rumi and Iqbals message 
for stemming the slide into the home-grown swamps of aspiring suicide bombers, 
who are threatening to set the country ablaze in the name of Islam and Sharia.

[picture: Suroosh Irfani]

Suroosh Irfani teaches Cultural Studies at National College of Arts. The 
article is a brief version of his paper presented at the Seminar on 
Contemporary Relevance of Rumi and Iqbal, held in Lahore on 16 April, 2007 

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Interview with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

2007-05-20 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 
of negative potential? 

A: You have to give them hope. And there's something attractive about war to 
young men. They need to see war for what it is. If Robert E. Lee in the Civil 
War said war was hell, what would he make of 20th-century and 21st-century 
warfare? I think we have to see war as the despicable creature that it is and 
really work for peace. They say if you don't sweat for peace, then you bleed 
for war. 

Q: But can you pull that off from inside Islam? 

A: Muslims are peace-loving people generally. Among the young, yes, there are 
some militant attitudes. But a lot of it arises out of chivalry-- and don't 
underestimate the chivalrous impulse in men. A lot of these young men see women 
being-- you know-- they see soldiers breaking into houses with Muslim women. 
It's really beyond the pale for the average Muslim man, and something rises up 
in them. And it can turn to deep resentment and rage. But generally I think the 
impulses are actually quite noble. 

Q: So what do you say to the average person who sees some kind of a sinister 
threat under every hijab and behind every beard? 

A: People have to be exposed to Muslims, just experience Muslims; talk to them. 
Reach out, read about Islam, try to find out about it. There are 20,000 Muslim 
physicians in the United States, Americans putting their lives in the hands of 
Muslims every day. You're going under and the anesthesiologist is a Muslim, 
right? He's looking out for you. He doesn't want you to die in that operation 
because you're an infidel. He's doing his job. As is your pediatrician who's 
trying to heal your child. And the mechanic who's fixing your car? He's not 
putting a bomb in your car. It's Abdullah, the guy down at the Chevron station, 
right? I mean it's one-fifth of the world's population for God's sake-- one out 
of five people is a Muslim. 

Muslims have been an almost entirely benevolent force in the 20th century. They 
did not wreak the havoc the Western powers wreaked on the world. They have not 
come anywhere near to the environmental degradation that we've done to the 
planet. So I think Muslims need to be seen in the proper light. They're mostly 
decent, hardworking people, people with deep family values, and they want to 
live in peace. My experience on this planet, almost 50 years, is that if you 
treat people with respect, they tend to treat you with respect. 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Arab�s court new disasters by following the terrorists� misguided promise of �dignity�

2007-06-21 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 millions of innocent victims. The result would 
be a condemnation of terrorism within and beyond the Arab world that would no 
doubt rid the region of this scourge - but at what cost? 

Would it not be better to find a peaceful way to wake up the Arab world? Is 
there not some better way, some non-violent way, to awaken the Arab world to 
the realities of modernity? Do we have to wait until some mindless terrorist 
gains possession of an atomic bomb and murders millions in his misguided and 
insane efforts to establish Arab dignity? What are we waiting for?

We need to stop terrorism now.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Truth, Other Religions, and Mysticism

2007-07-01 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 consciences, and followed
 by them in the measure of their sincerity. And Allah knows best.
  MMVII © N. Keller
  [1] Nawawi writes: The ostensive purport of such hadiths attests to the 
position of Muslim orthodoxy that no one deserves reward or paradise for his 
acts of obedience. As for the word of Allah Most High Enter paradise for that 
which you used to do (Quran 7:43), and His saying, That is paradise, which 
you have inherited for what you did before (Quran 16:32), and similar verses 
that show that paradise is entered through of works, they do not contradict 
these hadiths, but rather the meaning of such verses is that entering paradise 
is by means of spiritual works, though the success to do the works, the 
guidance to have sincerity in them, and their being accepted of one are through 
the mercy and favor of Allah Most High. So while it is true that one does not 
enter paradise through mere works, it is also true that one enters it through 
works, that is, by reason of works, which are of the divine mercy (Sharh Sahih 
Muslim, 17:16061).


 

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] The Role of the Identity Crisis in the muslim world

2007-07-16 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 them. 
Muslim and Arab writers need to have a clear vision of the concept of identity, 
which requires investigation and debate to choose suitable tools and programmes 
for formulating ideas. There is an urgent need for dynamic ideas in this field 
to disseminate a culture among the general Muslim public. Also needed is an 
objective self-critique of the present Muslim reality and an interpretation of 
historical and social issues in the context of time and place so that the 
current blatant contradictions can be addressed.
   
  * Najah Kadhim (PhD)-Executive Director of the Charity International Forum 
for Islamic Dialogue(IFID) and a senior university Lecturer- London- England


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] From Protest To Engagement

2007-08-20 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 not present in Westminster Hall.
  
  NAZIM BAKSH is a Canadian Journalism Fellow at Massey College, University of 
Toronto. He is a television and radio producer with the Canadian Broadcasting 
Corporation. 


  Copyright 2007 Islamica Magazine. 
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium is 
prohibited.
  Site maintained by:ASiteOvernite.com 

  
 



  
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saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Faith and action

2007-08-26 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 publicly, at least we should 
have some sort of consensus about how it should be done. 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Fundamentalism and Authenticity

2007-08-26 Thread saiyed shahbazi

The literal meaning of Fundamentalism is very different from its current 
popular useage. The phrase 'authentic' was commonly used by the Islamists prior 
to the use of fundamentalism. Many Islamists do not object to the literal 
meaning of fundamentalism as it refers the believers to the fundamentals of the 
faith. Both previous and current generations of Islamic reformers are 
consistent in their calls upon Muslims to go back to the original sources of 
Islam.
Unlike the simple arguments or slogans of the first generation of reformers, 
the second generation further developed the 'authentic' arguments and adapted 
it to the needs of the 20th century. The contemporary Islamic call seeks to 
bring the life of Muslims in line with the norms of the historical texts and 
traditions, while at the same time, attempting to reconcile their reading of 
the the Islamic text with the context of modernity. They attempted a discourse 
which accommodated the traditional concepts on public life through a modern 
interpretative framework. They offered Islamic views, proposals and 
alternatives to the problems of the modern world based on the following 
principles:
1- to go back to the original sources or the fundamental meanings of Islam and 
to get rid of the impurities of other sources.
2-to benefit from modern sciences and widen the horizons of the Muslim mind.
3- to revive the process of 'Ijitehad' and tackle contemporary issues which had 
no previous precedence in Muslim traditions.
The authentic review of the Islamic discourse based on the above procedures 
went beyond the simple reaction of the first generation of reformers. 
Consequently, it inspired a generation of thinkers, writers and activists who 
further developed the dimensions of the Islamic discourse. By the second half 
of the 20th century, the failure of secular programmes and national governments 
became obvious and the out of dated traditional religious schools conceded to 
the authentic Islamic movements as the only viable Islamic alternative to 
contemporary rival ideologies. However, the chaos in Algeria and Afghanistan, 
the limited achievements in Iran, Pakistan and Sudan, the failure of Islamic 
movements in many Muslim countries and the experiences of the Islamists in 
Malaysia, Turkey and Jordan are creating new conditions that are pushing the 
Islamists towards another phase of reform. But by the end of this century, it 
will be obvious that the discourse of the second generation of Muslim
 reformers is no longer sufficient to address the needs of the forthcoming 
generations of Muslims. Now there is a need to move from the authentic attempts 
to reconcile the conflicting trends of the past and present, to that of 
reproducing an authentic modern discourse.

The Need for further Authentic Update
The most urgent problem facing, the Muslims, is neither political nor 
economical, but a crisis of our thinking and learning process in relation to 
ourselves, Islam, Muslims and humanity at large. A critical review to the 
external conditions, symptoms or causes of the contemporary decline is of 
little practical value unless it is preceded with a serious self review and 
re-assessment. It is clear that the cultural environment plays a critical role 
in shaping the consciousness and in developing the characters of people. 
Subconsciously, it feeds the mind with assumptions, ready-made thought patterns 
and norms. Conditions orientate the emotions, influence people and shape their 
development. As a rule, people do not reflect deeply on the conditions or 
underlying assumptions of their beliefs, but many do so following a crisis, an 
overwhelming challenge or a serious exposure to external influences. 

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Islamism Globalisation

2007-09-04 Thread saiyed shahbazi

Written by S. H. Al-Musawi
   
  Now and then, politicians blame the global economy for the malfunctioning of 
their national policies. This is true to a certain extent. The global economic 
factor is bridging many societies together. The European Union started as an 
economic alliance, and is now heading towards political harmonisation. Global 
economy has meant that a crisis in south east Asia is not a local one. 
Information technology (IT) and US-led global entertainment industry fostered a 
tendency for spreading American cultural values. 

Globalisation covers a great variety of social, economic and political change, 
and it is therefore not surprising that different disciplines have assigned 
different meaning to it. Globalisation is an abstract concept and it does not 
refer to a concrete object, but to an interpretation of a societal process. 

According to Heywood (1998), globalisation is a complex web of 
interconnectedness that means that our lives are increasingly shaped by 
decisions and actions taken at a distance from ourselves. It implies that 
nation-states can no longer be viewed as independent actors on the world 
stage. However, it may not mean that the state is irrelevant, but that its 
role has changed and is now largely related to the promotion of international 
competitiveness. Globalisation is a geographical shift in domestic economic 
activity around the world and away from nation-state, say Bannock et al 
(1997). Globalisation is therefore viewed as a process in which geography 
becomes less a factor in the establishment and sustenance of border crossing, 
long distance economic, political and socio-cultural relations. In the words of 
Albrow (1996), globalisation restores the boundlessness of culture and 
promotes the endless renewability and diversification of cultural expression 
rather than
 homogenization or hybridization. Usually, globalisation is also meant to 
refer to the consequences it has.

The biggest impact of lessening the factor of geography is on the concept of 
nation-state and nationalist ideologies. It is not yet clear The coming 
together of ideas has helped to melt down differences across the globe. It has 
helped to diffuse the feeling of nationalism, for example. Many local 
institutions are aspiring to be linked up to the global ones without having to 
go through their national set-up. A multi-national company can take decisions 
that affect the national economy, while the nation-state is unable to deter 
such decisions. 

Peter Mandaville (see ISIM Newsletter of March 1999) points out that the 
Internet (a main feature of a global environment) has become a forum for 
Muslims for the conduct of politics within their religion. He rightly says 
that in the absence of sanctioned information from recognised institutions, 
Muslims are increasingly taking religion into their own hands.

The global nature of Islam enables it to be one of the main beneficiaries of 
certain aspects of globalistion. After all, Islamic principles are not very 
friendly to the rigid concept of nation-state, the main sufferer under a 
globalised environment. In fact, as Mandaville explains, the rise of IT has 
led to considerable intermingling and dialogue between desperate 
interpretations of what it means to be 'Islamic' and the politics of 
authenticity which inevitable ensue from this also serve to further fragment 
traditional sources of authority. Indeed, Islamists, who had long suffered 
under absolute rule are now able to conduct debate and critically question many 
of the inherited dogmas. This IT-enabled global environment has led to the 
moderation of many of the extremist views that had been propagated by certain 
quarters, for transparency always results in limiting undesired actions and 
thoughts


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] A Change in the conception of Muslim women

2007-09-12 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 of society.) 

The European analyses of women's situation in the non-European world needs to 
be understood in terms of a set of power relations. We need to acknowledge that 
women's histories do not simply begin with the colonial penetration. 
Particularly when external influences have not been for the better. This 
process has not only by and large marginalised women and deprived them of their 
religious and cultural identity but it has placed an external burden of being 
labeled as 'oppressed'.

We must be fully conscious of the some times 'non-apparent' structural 
restraints which have come to shape our views of ourselves as Muslims but have 
also had a direct influence in re structuring our societies. The position of 
women has been pivotal in this process. The refusal of many Muslim women to 
give up their cultural and religious way of dressing has provided a direct 
challenge to the 'homogenization' process of the so called 'coca cola' culture. 

As Muslim women we must not only be aware of our own histories but of the 
historical roots of development. It is only in this way that we can challenge 
the dominant discourse and be at ease with our religious heritage. The onus of 
objectivity is not on us but on those who deem us repressed.

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Do Muslim Share an Approach on Practicing Islam in Public Life?

2007-09-27 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 of 
Muslim to the dictates of the laws, philosophy focused on rational 
understanding of belief, and the Sufis wanted to emancipate the inner self of 
the believers. With the gradual decay of Islamic political entities (that were 
incapable of enforcing their vision on the intellectual debate) Muslims were 
unbound between three images of their religion: physical, rational or spiritual 
focuses of religious experience. However, this pluralism did not last for long. 
The rise of Muslim empires of the Ottoman, the Safavi and Mongol, and the fall 
of the Andalusia, in 10AH/16AD century gave predominance to jurisprudence again 
and precipitated in the suppression of philosophers and Sufis. The critique of 
jurists like al-Ghazali to philosophy and Ibn-Taymiya to Sufism
 among the Sunnis, and those of the al-Majlisi among the Shi?a discredited the 
reliability and truthfulness of the other competing disciplines and legitimized 
their suppression. Fiqh emerges as the sole and correct interpretation of Islam 
with the rise of Salafis within the Sunnis and the Akhbaris within the Shi?a in 
12AH/18AD century.

The western colonialism of the world of Islam ignited the revival of political 
Islamic movements and intellectual debate in the early 14AH/20 AD century. 
However, the emerging revivalism offered no new outlook to Islam, but rather it 
reinforced the juristic approach to religion. Muslim activists spearheaded the 
struggle to implement juristic laws in all aspects of life in their societies. 
An approach that is driving, in its strict application as in the extreme case 
of the Talaban in Afghanistan, to transform the evolving socio-economic 
activities of the Muslim societies to the time of the founders of fiqh schools. 
To achieve such grand transformation would definitely, as we have witnessed, 
lead to political oppression and the silencing of intellectual expression. Even 
the current lonely voices that are questioning the juristic approach are only 
offering the revival of theological debate and philosophical understanding of 
the past. They, like those of Abu-Zaid of Egypt and
 Surush of Iran, are indeed voices in the wilderness that have been set aside, 
discredited and marginalized. We are yet to witness the birth of new 
methodology or new discipline of Islamic sciences. However, the natural 
historical process for the development of intellectual understandings and 
theoretical schools does take over a century to happen: opposed first; 
challenged, critiqued second; and then finally acknowledged to ascendancy. So 
our goal should be to encourage and support those voices in the wilderness and 
nurture the debate and amplify their echoes. And Islam21 is one of those venues 
and facilitators.

 

 

* Talib Aziz (PhD) is a Writer and Researcher - Los Angeles - USA


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Islam and the politics of humanity

2007-09-30 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 constituencies, that the incompatibility of 
Islamic khilafa and secular sovereignty is fully revealed. Islamic conscience, 
a gift of Theo centric faith, is never hostage to the Muslim political order, 
or any political order for that matter, in the manner of the secularist. For 
the latter, the political order is the be-all and end-all of all
 historical existence. In the final resort, the secular doctrine of state 
sovereignty removes all distinction between morality (universal, in the 
Kantian mode) and politics (parochial, in the constrictive sense of political 
correctness!)  

For all its sanctimony, modern civilization provides no evidence, not even in 
theory, that it aspires to overarch the pernicious divide of morality and 
politics, that it possesses a universal vision which identifies the 
self-interest of its own political community with the wellbeing of humanity. 
All that the theory and practice of modern politics offers is a compelling 
vindication of the creed of Realpolitik which upholds that humanity has no 
claim to any common good or universal morality. Despite the insufferable pain 
of this insight, our search for a meaningful, moral existence must continue. It 
is the Muslims duty to delineate the Quranic vision of the Khilafa of Adam in 
such a way that mankinds collective responsibility for the moral ordering of 
the single human world becomes the paramount focus of the socio-political 
discourse.

S Parvez Manzoor :( PhD)  Author, Writer  Researcher- Stockholm-Sweden 

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Boycott Israel [IslamCity] When is Laylat al-Qadr?

2007-10-06 Thread saiyed shahbazi

]
  This is reported to be the position of Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) 
and other great Companions. [As mentioned by Bututi in his Kashshaf al-Qina`, 
and others; for the many narrations from the Companions and Followers about 
Laylat al-Qadr, see Ibn Abi Shaybas Musannaf]
  Imam al-Nafrawi al-Maliki mentions in his al-Fawakih al-Dawani fi Sharh 
Risalat Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani that the position of Imam Malik, Imam Shafi`i 
and Imam Ahmad, and the majority of the scholars is that Laylat al-Qadr is not 
a specific night. Rather, it moves around.
  Imam Sarakhsi mentions in his Mabsut, a 30-volume masterpiece of Hanafi legal 
reasoning, proofs, and comparative fiqh that was mainly authored by dictation 
to students while unjustly imprisoned in a pot well, that the position of most 
of the Companions (Allah be pleased with him) was that it is on the night of 
the 27th. (3.127) This understood, others explain, to mean that its most likely 
night is the night of the 27th of Ramadan. [As in Ruhaybanis Matalib Ulin 
Nuha Sharh Ghayat al-Muntaha 2.225 in Hanbali fiqh]
  And Allah alone gives success.
  Walaikum assalam,
  Faraz Rabbani.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] My Islam: Freedom and Responsibility

2007-10-16 Thread saiyed shahbazi

by INGRID MATTSON

Muslims in America today seem to have lost the right to be individuals. We are 
treated as a collectivity - responsible as a group for any crime committed by 
another Muslim or done in the name of Islam. 

Shortly after 9/11, I wrote an article stating that Muslims have the greatest 
obligation to reject terrorism and political violence committed in the name of 
Islam. I still believe this is the case. Islam does not have a centralized 
authority; there is no universally recognized council of scholars or clerics 
who speak on behalf of all Muslims. 

With freedom from clerical authority, however, comes the responsibility to 
engage in the debate over the true meaning of Islam. Islamic law states that 
silence is an indication of consent. If Muslims do not reject the perverted 
interpretations of the Qur'an proffered by terrorists, they will have shirked 
their responsibility to define the real meaning of Islam. 

At the same time, clarifying our own position does not mean that we have to 
speak out against each and every statement issued by terrorists or every 
criminal action taken by groups claiming to represent Muslim interests. Once we 
have defined what we stand for, and what we stand against, then any particular 
action that violates those guidelines are clearly rejected by us. American 
Muslim organizations have made extraordinary efforts to publicize their 
rejection of terrorism and extremism in the name of Islam: we have organized 
petitions, written fatwas and position papers, distributed brochures, held 
conferences, organized press briefings, published op-eds, spoken on the radio 
and television. 

Still, we are asked, Why have moderate Muslims not spoken out against the 
extremists? We have spoken, but we have not been heard-primarily because good 
news does not get much coverage.

Even worse, we have spoken, but we have not been listened to. There are many 
people who are ideologically opposed to Islam-to the most benign interpretation 
of Islam-because of their own extremist religious or political ideologies. No 
matter what conscientious Muslims do to live as peaceful citizens who 
contribute to the welfare of society, these groups will attack us and our 
religion. 

Most objectionable is what I call the, non-Muslim Islamic fundamentalist. 
What I mean by this is a non-Muslim who applies a literalistic, 
decontextualized hermeneutic to the Qur'an and Islamic tradition. This is not 
how I read my scripture (maybe it is how they read theirs), so who are they to 
tell me that this is what Islam really says? 

Being judged as a group, rather than as individuals, also means that the 
negative experience of one Muslim is considered to be representative of all 
Muslims and all of Islam. I do not deny the right of any individual to tell his 
or her own story. We all have that right, and I must learn from the pain, hurt 
and anger of women and men who were mistreated in the name of Islam. 

But these negative experiences are not shared by all Muslims - indeed, not by 
most Muslims. This is why such authors have little or no constituencies within 
the Muslim community - because large numbers of Muslims do not feel they 
represent their interests or perspectives. 

The burden of collective guilt, the oppressive weight of stereotyping, and the 
violence of hateful anti-Muslim discourse is difficult to bear. It is even more 
difficult to see how this affects our youth.

But there is hope. Hope lies in the goodness of ordinary Americans who try to 
overcome their prejudices and reach out to their Muslim neighbors. Hope lies in 
the solidarity shown by other groups - like Japanese Americans - who have faced 
similar situations. Hope lies in the extraordinary moral leadership shown by 
many American religious leaders to guide their congregations to the path of 
understanding and compassion. 

More than anything, I see these challenges as opportunities to examine myself 
and my community, to see if we are responding with enough courage and moral 
leadership when we witness discrimination against others. Are we able to avoid 
burdening other groups with collective guilt? The Qur'anic revelation, no soul 
bears the sins of another is directed first at our community. We are all 
human, and all of us have to struggle with our own selfishness, prejudice and 
will to power. 

As a Muslim, my struggle for my community's rights should be only the starting 
point of a wider struggle - a struggle for the dignity of all people. Being a 
Muslim in America today means having the opportunity to work towards this goal 
in solidarity with compassionate individuals of all faiths and good will. 

DR. INGRID MATTSON is an On Faith panelist and professor of Islamic Studies 
and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary. She is the first woman to 
be president of the Islamic Society of North America. 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Islam and Logos

2007-11-07 Thread saiyed shahbazi

, but 
through sincere self-inquiry, as well. 
  Not only is Islam not at odds with reason and empirical science, from the 
very beginning Islam has encouraged science and has understood that the study 
of the natural world can lead toward knowledge of the Divine. This concept 
powerfully influenced Thomas Aquinas, who became acquainted with it through his 
lifelong study of the Arabic commentaries on the Greek classics, and it was 
Aquinas who first introduced the idea into Christianity that human beings could 
learn about the Divine from the natural world . 
  Furthermore, one of the central concepts in Islam is that of fitrah, the 
innate nature of the human being which instinctively knows the good, the true, 
and the beautiful. Turn your face with purity toward the primordial religion , 
according to the innate nature (fitrah) with which He has made humankind; do 
not allow what God has made to be corrupted. That is authentic religion, but 
most people do not understand (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:30). In other words, not only 
is there an innate natural law and within man the ability to grasp it (even 
without a religious hierarchy to interpret it), but authentic religion must 
itself conform with this innate truth. 
  The most important point to be grasped in today's world is that the vast 
majority of Muslims should be viewed as allies in a common struggle for social 
justice and human dignity. It will be tragic if this polarization proceeds any 
further on the basis of misunderstanding. The extremists must be confronted for 
their distortion of traditional Islamic principles--principles which for 14 
centuries have recognized religious pluralism and human rights. And, if it can 
be shown that contemporary or traditional Islamic formulations and teachings 
contradict basic human rights, then this must be corrected from within Islam 
itself. 
  Perhaps it is time for the Pope, if he is sincere, rather than lobbing 
rhetorical hand-grenades into the Muslim street, to sit down with a few 
contemporary Muslim men and women of wisdom and explore the common ground that 
might be found in these notions of faith and reason. The Dalai Lama met with 
world leaders of Islam in San Francisco in April of 2006, warmed their hearts, 
acknowledged their good intentions, and in so doing formed connections of 
compassion and understanding which will help to marginalize the extremists. 
  And for Muslims who might be inclined to take to the streets, it might be 
appropriate to remember the counsel of the Qur'an regarding conveying a message 
to people of other faiths: Invite to the way of your Sustainer with wisdom and 
beautiful urging; and discuss with them in the best and most gracious manner 
for your Sustainer knows best who strays from His Path and who receives 
guidance ( Surah an-Nahl, 16:125). 
   
  Kabir Helminski has been a publisher of spiritual literature, a translator of 
the works of Rumi and others, and a spiritual teacher in the lineage of 
Jalaluddin Rumi. One recent book which he co-authored is The Belief Net Guide 
to Islam. His books on spirituality, Living Presence and The Knowing Heart , 
have been published in at least eight languages. He has toured as Shaikh with 
the Whirling Dervishes of Turkey, bringing Sufi culture to more than 100,000 
people. He is now co-director of an international education project in Islamic 
education (www.thebook.org). 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] War of words

2007-11-12 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 by silent (and peaceful) majorities on both 
sides as more political grandstanding. Ultimately, Muslims will have to 
determine their own moral framework for Islamic issues  whether in books, 
mosques, or in their own culture  before defending them on legal grounds. And 
before other groups hostile to Muslims exploit the absence of this for 
political reasons, Muslims should fill the vacuum for the benefit of their 
communities and religion.

Making sense of the myriad paths to extremism may continue to remain difficult 
for Muslims or anyone else. But effectively ruling out the ones we can identify 
- while marginalising our critics in the process - shouldn't be.

  Zahed Amanullah is associate editor of altmuslim.com. He is based in London, 
England


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] What happened to �good Islam�?

2007-11-12 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 in Northern Virginia.


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Debating Islam Democracy

2007-11-17 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 all decisions on their 
behalf and force them to do what is right. In short, the ideal Islamic state, 
according to this understanding, is made of one virtous ruler and a whole load 
of hypocrites who only obey Shari'ah because they are slaves. 

This is pathetic and contrary to reason, to Islam and to reality. In fact it is 
the ordinary Muslims who today are braving tyranny and suberversion by corrupt 
rulers to keep Islam alive. And this has always been the case. Were they 
dependent on their rulers for this, Islam would have been lost a long time ago. 

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Civic Involvement: An Islamic Imperative

2007-11-17 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 support systems and networks 
with other organizations, such as churches, schools, neighborhood associations, 
local politicians, and small interest groups. On the other hand, Muslims living 
in the suburbs have tremendous intellectual and #64257;nancial capital. If we 
could constructively bring these two reservoirs of capital together, we could 
develop a demonstrable model that could initiate a revolution in American civic 
participation. That revolution lies in our potential to reverse one of the most 
damaging implications of suburban sprawl-the depletion
 of intellectual and material resources from the inner-city.
Rudimentary efforts undertaken by Muslims to counter this trend have already 
begun. Organizations such as the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) in 
Chicago combine the material and intellectual resources of suburban Muslims 
with the organizational expertise and networking potential of inner-city 
Muslims to create a dynamic synthesis that is having an ever greater impact on 
the life of both Muslim and non-Muslim communities.   
  In Los Angeles, the Umma Community Clinic demonstrates how the vision and 
focused action of suburban university students can create a major center that 
provides one of the few venues where poor residents of the South Central Los 
Angeles community can receive free basic medical care and referrals for more 
advanced treatment. 
  In the Washington, DC area, The Zakat Project initiated by the All Dulles 
Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) builds bridges of goodwill and helps to initiate 
avenues of communication and coordination between the wealthy Muslims of 
suburban northern Virginia and the poorer communities of inner-city Washington, 
DC. 
  In Richardson, Texas, the Islamic Association of North Texas (IANT) provided 
the funding to renovate one of the oldest mosques of inner-city Dallas. 
  In Santa Clara, a suburb in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, the Rahima 
Foundation works in collaboration with Masjid Warithuddin of inner-city Oakland 
to help feed three hundred families a month.

If we can expand and develop these efforts, a new and unprecedented model of 
civic involvement can emerge. This development is in no way limited to the 
social service sector. Mobilized social capital would inevitably engender 
deeper models of citizen involvement that involve greater forms of 
self-governance and enhanced collaboration with other economic, social, and 
political actors.

However, for these developments to occur, we need a revitalized type of 
Muslim-one who is instilled with a bold and God-conscious vision. This is why 
the Agenda to Change Our Condition is so important. If implemented, it will 
engender Muslims with a healthier relationship with God, and a healthier 
relationship with God will lead to a healthier relationship with our neighbors. 
That enhanced relationship will in turn lead to a change in our collective 
condition, God willing.

May blessings and peace be upon the 
Messenger of Allah, as long 
as those who remember 
him continue to
do so... 

  Endnotes

1. Abu Su'ud Muhammad b. Muhammad, Irshad al-'uqul al-salam ila mazaya al-Kitab 
al-Karim (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah, 1999), 2:17. 
  2. al-Nawawi, al-Minhaj, 9:24, no.2793. 
  3. See Carmen Sirianni and Lewis Friedland, Civic Innovation in America: 
Community Empowerment, Public Policy, and the Movement for Civic Renewal 
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001), p.1. 
  4. Ibid., p. 11. 

    
  The above excerpt is from a newly published book by HAMZA YUSUF and ZAID 
SHAKIR, Agenda to Change Our Condition, Zaytuna Institute, Hayward, California, 
2007


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Reconstruction Of Islam Thought

2007-11-20 Thread saiyed shahbazi

. Kalam, undoubtedly influenced the great minds of Islamic 
world of the time and also the succeeding generation for several centuries. But 
now Kalam cannot be treated as unchangeable. There is urgent need for a new ilm 
al-kalam in the light of modern corpus of scientific knowledge. 

Advocating a change culture:

A religion consists of several sub-systems like ritual system ('ibadat), 
institutional system (like zakat, etc.), thought system and value system (like 
equality, justice, compassion etc.). Of these ritual and value- system are 
permanent and cannot be changed under any circumstances. But the thought system 
could and must change, if religion has to keep pace with time, its thought 
system should change. There is misconception among Muslims about the Qur'anic 
verse 5:3 (i.e. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed 
My favour to you...). They think that now what we have inherited is perfect in 
every respect and there is no need for re-thinking in any sense at all. Our din 
is perfect. The din is undoubtedly perfect but the meaning and significance of 
din should be understood properly. One cannot include the kalam, for example, 
in din. The Islamic thought system has been evolved by theologians who are 
human beings and no human person can ever be perfect. Human
 beings think under certain influences which they cannot transcend as human 
beings. All Divine commands are sought to be understood by human agents under 
certain socio-cultural influences and these influences are reflected in the 
religious-thought system. Once we understand this there will be no resistance 
to change in the thought system. This will bring about a great revolution.

The Islamic Shari'ah is also an embodiment of Islamic values. Islamic Shari'ah 
is nothing but a sincere attempt by the fuqaha' (Islamic jurists) to apply 
divine commands and the Islamic values to a number of issues like marriage, 
divorce, inheritance, nature of evidence, crimes like theft, rape, adultery, 
division of property etc. This attempt to approach these issues in the light of 
Islamic values and divine commands was also influenced by the socio-cultural 
circumstances of the time. They could not have applied Islamic values and 
divine commands to these issues in vacuum. There is great deal of change in 
these external influences and hence many of these shari'ah formulations stand 
in need of change. This change does not amount to tempering with the divine 
commands but making yet another human attempt in the light of our own 
experiences and our own circumstances. 

If we evolve this understanding of religion the dynamics of problem changes and 
religion will be even greater force to bring about spiritual transformation for 
the better. Naturally there will be differences in opinion while bringing about 
these changes. We should not be afraid of differences. These differences, if 
honest and sincere, provide greater vigour to human thought. The founders of 
the different schools of jurisprudence during the second and third centuries of 
Islam were not afraid of differences. Why should we be? 
   
  Written by Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Demolition of Ancient Religious Symbols

2007-11-20 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 of their views 
through the process of shura (consultative democracy) and the use of kalimat 
assawa' (a word of equity). But to resort to sheer force and destruction of 
artifacts of which they are the temporary custodians, while ignoring all 
others, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, can be nothing short of an exercise in 
ghayy (political oppression and coerciveness) as opposed to rushd (political 
maturity and righteousness).

Recently, a Taliban spokesman introduced an alternative justification for his 
government's decision. He stated that the decision to destroy the statues was a 
political one, made out of anger at and frustration with international 
policies. International agencies were spending money to repair the statues, 
while ignoring the human catastrophe befalling Afghani children ravaged by 
sanctions and malnutrition.

As a result, the statues became a symbol of an oppressive West, and hence the 
object of hostility and destruction. This justification is based on faulty 
reasoning. First, the actions taken to spite the West are misdirected. They 
harm primarily Buddhists who have lived in peace with Muslims for hundreds of 
years. Second, the governmental decision does not represent a rashid 
(politically mature and righteous) response or a thoughtful and effective 
solution to a human tragedy.

Finally, despite the faulty reasoning and the wanton destruction by the 
Taliban, as responsible moral agents we must not dismiss one important fact. 
Children are dying in Afghanistan because of Western sanctions. These sanctions 
have harmed innocent people and made them pawns in a global political struggle 
which is not of their own choosing. American people of faith and secular 
humanists need to ponder this fact, and recognize that existing sanctions are 
based on faulty logic as well. They harm helpless people who are often 
themselves oppressed and victimized by their own governments. American people 
of faith and secular humanists need to initiate a dialogue in the public square 
to develop ethical and humanistic ways for protecting our legitimate political 
and economic global interests without harming the burdened population of the 
Third World. Otherwise, we will be guilty of ghayy. This is my opinion, 

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] The Lost Jihad: Love in Islam

2007-11-26 Thread saiyed shahbazi

. A far cry from the violent and indiscriminate small jihad 
preached by militants, mahubba is a form of al-jihad al-kabir, the greater 
jihad, or jihad against one's own ego. It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that 
in an age of lesser jihad mahubba has fallen out of practice and almost out of 
memory; it is so universally neglected that when Islam is accused of lacking a 
concept of divine brotherhood, few Muslims have the intellectual wherewithal to 
protest. But Adhaf Soueif is right: at the heart of all things is the germ of 
their overthrow. The struggle to serve God out of love, and one another out of 
love, is the jihad of human potential against the jihad of violent ideology; if 
resurrected, it has the power to change the world. 
   
  G. WILLOW WILSON is a Cairo-based author and essayist. Her articles about 
modern Islam and the Middle East have appeared in publications including the 
Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Magazine, and the Canada National Post.


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Community service

2007-11-27 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 the 
Mutazilites were pioneers. They made reason the very criterion of religious 
law. Nicholas D. Kristof rightly points out that while the thread of 
fundamentalism is real in Islam, so is the thread of reform.  The 21st century 
may become to Islam what the 16th was to Christianity, for even in hardline 
States like Iran, you meet Martin Luthers who are pushing for an Islamic 
Reformation. One of the most surprising elements of this push for reform has to 
do with the emergence of a school called feminist Islam.
   
  Tunisian scholar Mohamed Charfs book, Islam and Liberty, exposes the 
historical misunderstanding that led to a theological junta monopolising the 
discourse. Intellectual stagnation preceded revivalism and its offspring, 
fundamentalism.
   
  An articulate, erudite brand of Muslim scholars are giving battle to these 
forces  Leila Ahmed (Egypt and the US), Nasr Abu Zaid (Egypt), Mohammed Arkoun 
(Algeria and France), Hsna Hanafi (Egypt), Fethullah Gulen (Turkey), Mohsen 
Kadivar (Iran), Fatima Mernissi (Morocco), Tariq Ramadan (Switzerland) , 
Muhammad Shahrour (Syria), Abdolkarim Soroush (Iran), Mohamed Talbi (Tunisia) 
and Amina Wadud (US). They are little noticed in South Asia. The mullah, 
inferior in learning and integrity, monopolises discourse.
  
One thinker deserves particular attention. Shabbir Akhtar writes, After 
developing a great rational philosophical tradition, the adherents of Islam 
have lapsed into an intellectual lethargy that has already lasted half a 
millennium.
   
  He counsels Muslims to be reflective, to be intellectually honest enough to 
face frankly and conscientiously the tribunal of secular reason and to do so 
within faithful parameters.
  The terrorist challenge is but part of a wider challenge. Muslims must face 
it for their own good. As the Quran says, Verily never will God change the 
conditions of a people until they change it themselves.
   
  
  

http://hindustantim es.com/StoryPage /Print.aspx? Id=61825cb8- 57d7-4d6c- 
bbcf-ed3ccfed200 4
  © Copyright 2007 Hindustan Times




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Bismillah [IslamCity] With God on their side?

2007-12-05 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 it 
is evangelical Christianity in the United States and their religious support 
for rightwing Republicans, or Zionism posing as Judaism, or Islamism 
masquerading as Islam - all three are equally guilty of misleading people, 
creating conflicts and corrupting three of the world's greatest religions.



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  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Terrorism and the Democratic Imperative: Reflections on Contemporary Muslim Politics

2007-12-16 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 find people 
who identify with the victims and people who identify with the attackers. For 
some people an act is considered terroristic while for others it is not so. We 
also find in the Arab Middle East a deep sense of powerlessness and 
frustration. This is illustrated by the quote stated above. The editor feels 
powerless about a certain situation, in this case the siege of Iraq. Now there 
is also the suffering of the Palestinians. So they just identify with an act 
which is taken to express frustration. This is also indicative of alienation 
from the state. In normal cases if there is frustration about political 
problems then the political leadership of the country would be able to channel 
this type of frustration and direct it into creative political acts. 

This happened during the Nasser era when he gave the Arabs the feeling that he 
was doing something about their problems. They transferred their feelings into 
feelings of loyalty to him and during the Nasser era the level political 
violence was very low because there was trust that the state is going to remedy 
the situation. Now there is a sense of powerless. It was also evident during 
the Gulf War when Saddam Hussein was defying American authority. This led to 
popular support. When you have this sense of powerlessness and alienation from 
the state and polarisation you will have a formula which is favourable to 
violence of all sorts. The Middle East has not reached the level of violence 
which occurred in Rwanda or Bosnia. There you have the whole population 
engaging in acts of terrorism and violence. But at the same time it is pretty 
close. Although some of the political violence is committed by known groups 
there is some element which is not organised in any way. For
 example after the kidnapping of the Kurdish guerrilla leader, Abdullah Ocalan 
from Nairobi, there was a random explosion of violence by Kurds all over 
Europe. Some burned themselves. In Egypt and Jordan there were also random 
attacks on Israeli tourists and Western tourists. Some of the attacks were 
carried out by soldiers in the military who have no connection with any 
political groups. This shows that violence has reached a very high level. At 
the same time it is also significant that after these acts are being 
perpetrated civil society does identify with them and support them. Lawyers 
come in to defend them. 

A similar thing happened in Israel when the Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin was 
murdered. Before that an Israeli terrorist gunned down nine worshippers in a 
mosque. There were groups in Israeli society who supported these acts. A shrine 
was built to an Israeli who gunned 29 worshippers in a mosque. Many settler 
groups visit this shrine. Another incident related to this particular situation 
is the phenomenon known as the Afghan Arabs. This is a combination of two 
levels of despair. First of all the participation of many Arabs in the war in 
Afghanistan was an expression of despair about the situation in their own 
country. 

There is the famous story of Anna Karinaniya. After his lover committed suicide 
he decided to go to Serbia to fight the Turks. This was an act of despair. 
There was nothing in it for the hero and he looked at the Serb cause as some 
sort of displaced idealist cause. Most of the people who went to Afghanistan 
were people from Syria, Libya or Iraq. They could not go home. There were also 
the Palestinians who have no home to go to. They went in search of this ideal 
knowing that they had nothing else to look forward to. People from Gulf 
countries also went to Afghanistan. They had nothing to do. They lived well but 
there were no politics for them to take part in. So they went to Afghanistan. 
But when they come back there was another problem. Their countries would not 
receive them. So they had a problem and they started forming all sorts of 
violent groups. 

I am not saying the despair is the direct cause of violence : it is a 
combination of this atmosphere of lack of hope, polarisation and alienation 
from the state. Violence and the lack of democracy have similar roots. They are 
both springing from a political situation characterised by these shortcomings. 
Some analysts would say this is because of the Muslim psyche or the Muslim 
tradition or their way of thought. But then we can ask how and why are the 
Western powers, including the United States, also involved in this violence. It 
is a situation where the political actors find there is no way forward except 
through terrorism and violence. 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Islam and 'Honor Killings'

2007-12-16 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 
nation, have no regard for the suffering of their women? Of course it would 
not. 
  At the end of the day, attacks such as the one that resulted in the death of 
Aqsa Parvez are acts of domestic violence resulting from rage that emanates 
from a total neglect of Islamic teachings. Ms. Parvez lost her life due to such 
violence and perhaps there are a few other instances where Muslims women in 
Canada or here in the United States, have been similarly victimized. However, 
these instances should be kept in perspective. In the United States there are 
approximately 1,200 women killed every year by their husbands or intimate 
partners. There are other Christian nations where murders of this type are 
even higher. 
  The United States, Guatemala, and other countries we could mention where 
similar abuses occur are Christian nations. However, it would be disingenuous 
to use such statistics as an indictment against Christianity. These issues are 
an affront to humanity and require our collective attention. Until we all view 
the problem this way, we are in jeopardizing the health and integrity of our 
society. 
  Saying this is not to minimize the gravity of so-called honor killings to the 
extent that they do occur in Muslim societies. As Muslims, we are commanded to 
be committed to justice. That commitment entails that as a community we oppose 
in the strongest terms honor killings and take immediate action to end such a 
practice in our communities.
   
  Practical steps include the following: 
  1. Emphasize that such killings have no sanction in the Quran, the Prophetic 
practice, or in Islamic law. 
  2. Declare anyone guilty of involvement in honor killings to be a 
cold-blooded murderer. 
  3. Encourage judicial authorities to enact the harshest penalties possible 
for anyone accused of involvement in such killings. 
  4. Educate our Muslim communities, especially in the West, about the 
un-Islamic nature of honor killings, and the pressures, nuances, challenges and 
complications facing young Muslims, male and female in the West. 
  5. Work to eliminate the double standards, and to expose the hypocrisy that 
exist in our communities, generally, concerning attitudes and standards 
relating to the indiscretions of males as opposed to females. 
  In conclusion, Islam honors the female, and values femininity. It is up to 
every Muslim to translate teachings in that regard into a beautiful reality 
that helps to elevate the status of women in all societies. Honor killings, 
domestic violence in general, murders of the type terrorizing women in 
Guatemala, female sexual slavery and trafficking, pornography, especially its 
more violent manifestations, are all crimes against humanity that we should 
oppose in the strongest terms and work strenuously to eliminate. If our women 
are not safe, psychically, emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically we are 
all at risk, for without women men are incomplete, and without men women are 
incomplete. Our Prophet, peace and blessings of God upon him alluded to this 
complementariness when he said, peace upon him, Women are the complimenting 
halves of men. We must all work harder to make our societies whole. 
    
  IMAM ZAID SHAKIR is a scholar-in-residence at the Zaytuna Institute in 
Hayward, California, and author of the book Scattered Pictures: Reflections of 
an American Muslim, which was published in 2005 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] The Aqsa Parvez murder case

2007-12-25 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 a million people. 
That's what we see every year at Hajj. People of every colour and race, united 
in belief, all gathered together in one place, joined together in worship. 
Kings and beggars joined together, their foreheads upon the
 ground, in glorification of the Most High, the Most Merciful. This is why we 
still call it the religion of peace. You'll need to witness this spectacle 
yourself to truly appreciate it.

I wish you could see Islam for what it is, and not for the cultural practices 
that predate Islam but continue to hinder our society. You will see then that 
the honour killings you hear about, the misogyny and hatred, is in complete 
opposition to Islam. You will see why our sisters defend their faith with such 
fervour and strength. You will see how much we love them, and how strongly we 
regard our families. You will see why we believe that Paradise lies beneath the 
feet of our mothers. You will read about the great women from our history, 
among whom were the first to accept Islam, and the first to be killed for that 
belief. I wish you could see what these women were willing to sacrifice in 
order to hold on to Islam, for it raised the status of women the world over. I 
wish you could see how Islam liberated and honoured these women, while it is 
only culture and ancient tradition that has shackled and disgraced them. Often, 
I wish we could see that as well.

There is so much I wish you could see and feel, but alas, the responsibility is 
upon me to convey the message. I hope that I am conveying the message 
correctly, and that I have helped shed some light upon your doubts and 
concerns. I regret that someone better than myself could not deliver this 
message to you, for surely I fall short of the kindness and respect that Islam 
instructs me to show to you. I do hope you accept me for who I am, in spite of 
my shortcomings. I'm trying.

I am not asking you to forgive us. I'm not even asking you to change your mind; 
that's up to you. I only want you to know that I want the best for you, 
irrespective of what you believe about me. You are my neighbour, and I cannot 
neglect your rights. If you ever need something, you know where to find me.

  Faraz is a technology consultant based out of Ottawa, Canada, serving clients 
across the country. He is a former editor and occasional contributor to a 
Muslim Canadian newspaper, and one of the editors at ijtema.net, where this 
piece originally appeared.


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] The �Teddy Bear� Crisis

2008-01-02 Thread saiyed shahbazi

. The impact of such a contrast on 
unsuspecting non-Muslims, and increasingly many Muslims is extremely 
unsettling. 
  A final aspect of this issue we wish to discuss is the nature of civil 
society in the Muslim world. In classical Islamic society, civil society was 
extremely strong as opposed to a weak and decentralized state. The actions of 
individual citizens were the key to social order and a high degree of civility 
and social morality (Akhlaq) prevailed. In such an environment, reporting 
crimes and misdemeanors to state authorities was a last resort. The 
institutionalization of a western model of the authoritarian state into the 
Muslim world, one of the worst aspects of the western political tradition, has 
altered the nature of that type of civil society. 
  Now we have the idea that the Islamic state is to be the ultimate arbiter 
of all things Islamic, great and small, despite the fact that the divine law 
discourages elevating transgressions to state authority for adjudication. Had 
civil society been stronger in Sudan, the teddy bear situation would have 
been handled in the local neighborhood, and stayed there. The parents of the 
children involved would have informed the teacher and their childrenwho 
actually suggested naming the bear Muhammadof the inappropriateness of their 
actions and the affair would have ended. Even if those outside of the circle 
immediately involved had learned of the situation they would have realized that 
it was best left as an affair isolated to the school and individuals in 
question. 
  In a global village where the real battle is the battle for hearts and minds 
is this sort of narrow-minded legalism the best Islam can offer? I think not. 
However, as long as we continue to prioritize politics and strategic affairs, 
our decided weakness, over principles and prophetic ethics, our potential 
strength, we are going to move from shameful crisis to shameful crisis and we 
will find our religion floundering in the wake of frantic mobs, massacred 
civilians, and non-issues elevated to the status of definitive statements of 
our commitment to the defense of our Prophet, peace upon him, and our religion. 
  At the end of the day, in light of contemporary global realities, our best 
defense of the Prophet, peace upon him, will never come through the mindless 
enforcement of a sterile legal code divorced from the principles that give it 
real meaning and substance. Rather it will come through living lives that 
reflect the fullness of the prophetic teachings and using those teachings to 
shine rays of light on an increasing dark and troubled world. 
  Notes: 
  [1] Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad al-Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal (Beirut: Muassasah 
ar-Risala, 1999/1420), 14:513. 
[2] Al-Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi, Ahkam al-Quran (Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, nd), 
3:451. 
[3] Imam Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, Jami al-Bayan fi Tawil al-Quran (Beirut: Dar 
al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1997/1418) 9:408. 
[4] Imam Abu al-Fida Ismail b. Kathir, Tafsir al-Quran al-Adhim (Beirut, 
Sidon: Maktaba al-Asriyya, 1996/1416), 3:305. 
[5] Addressing the Prophet by his first name as opposed to an honorific title 
is an insult to him. Appropriate addresses would be terms such as O Prophet! O 
Messenger of God! God has commanded the believers in the Quran, Do not address 
the Prophet as you address one another (24:63). In other words use proper and 
honorific terms of respect for him 
[6] Sahih al-Bukhari, #5809; Muslim # 1057 
[7] Ibn Majah #2045; Ibn Hibban # 7219 
[8] Al-Bukhari # 7352 


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] A Glimpse at Early Women Islamic Scholars

2008-01-04 Thread saiyed shahbazi

, no one can say it is the biased opinion of a woman, and thereby 
question its authenticity. This was a golden age full of proactive, confident 
and talented women. 
  Hisham b. Urwah b. Zubair, May Allah be pleased with him, is the teacher of 
Imam Malik, Abu Hanifa, Sufyaan al-Thawri, Saeed Qahtan, and is acknowledged as 
a great Hadith scholar of that era. The most reliable Hadiths narrated by him, 
found in both Bukhari and Muslim, are those he narrates from his wife, Fatima 
bint Mundhir. Sadly, many Muslim men today would not marry a woman more 
knowledgeable than themselves. The men of our past would proudly marry and 
learn from them. 
  One of the best compilations in Hanafi fiqh is the masterpiece Badaya al- 
Sanaaya by Imam Kasani, whose wife was Fatima al-Samarqandiyya, daughter of 
Alaaddin al-Samarqandi. This book is a commentary on Tuhfa al-Fuqaha written 
by the latter. Fatima was a great expert in Hadith and other religious 
sciences. Imam Kasanis students narrate: We saw our teacher at times would 
leave the classroom when he could not answer a certain difficult question. 
After a while he would return to elucidate the answer in great detail. Only 
later on did we learn that he would go home to put the same question to his 
wife in order to hear her explanation. Clearly, he depended on his wife in his 
scholarly life.  
  Not only were women scholars allowed to give binding religious verdicts 
(fatwas), but if they differed with their male contemporaries there would be 
absolutely no objections concerning their pronouncements. This was apparent 
from the earliest period. Illustrative of this is the opinion of Fatima bint 
Qais, may God be pleased with her, who said that a husband need not provide 
support for his irrevocably divorced wife during her period of waiting 
(Iddah). She based her opinion on a narration from the Prophet, peace upon 
him. 
  Despite the fact that Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and other senior 
companions disagreed with her, based on their understanding of a verse in the 
Quran, they did not question her faith, impose sanctions on her, nor did they 
prevent her from continuing to narrate the Hadith and issuing her fatwa. This 
incident is interesting in that it presents the opinion of a woman that 
advances a ruling that is not deemed favorable to woman. In so doing she 
opposes an opinion advanced by men that is deemed favorable to women. If this 
incident had occurred in our times it would have surely been the point of much 
contention and discussion. 
  The above are just some of the evidence that establishes the enormous 
contribution of women to the Islamic scholarly enterprise. The book it is 
excerpted from contains many more arguments and can be found at 
http://www.interfacepublications.com. I hope that this article empowers us to 
help women attain the status and dignity that was given to them by our pious 
predecessors, based on the inspiration they received from the leader of all the 
Prophets, our exemplary master, Muhammad, the Chosen One, peace and mercy of 
God upon him. 
  


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] The Benefits of Waqf

2008-01-08 Thread saiyed shahbazi

  The Benefits of WaqfOnce, during a visit to 
Medina, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf picked up a copy of the Saudi Gazette, an English- 
language daily, and saw a picture of the American golfer Tiger Woods playing 
golf on a course that featured an architecturally gorgeous clubhouse that 
reminded him of Muslim Spain. 

It turned out that the course was at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, 
Illinois, and that its architecture was indeed influenced by Andalusia; more 
specifically, it was based on the Alhambra Palace. 
  I contemplated that fact, says Shaykh Hamza. Here is a place that was 
built solely for playing golf. And they put all of this energy and effort and 
time to make it beautiful, and in choosing to make it beautiful, they designed 
it based upon some of the most stunning architecture in the world, which is 
from the Islamic civilization. So here 
  I am thinking: Why is it that these people can build a golf course that looks 
like thatand we cant build a Muslim university that looks like that? Thats 
my question.

  The scholars at the Zaytuna Institute have long been speaking and writing 
about the importance of endowments to support Muslim institutions, especially 
Muslim academic institutions. Past Muslim institutions and centers of learning, 
such as the Qarawiyyin in Fes, Morocco (see page 16), were always supportedand 
still are supportedthrough what is known as a waqf, the idea of endowing 
property from private ownership in a way that the property becomes the wealth 
of God. 

  Needless to say, those who give a waqf have always been held in the highest 
esteem in Islams sacred tradition; for instance, Shaykh Hamza has noted that 
the ten sahaba who are promised Paradise are all said to have given endowments 
from their property. 

  In a 1999 speech in Santa Clara, California, Shaykh Hamza listed several 
creative ways that Muslim endowments could be used in the United States. One 
was his suggestion that an endowment be created so American lawyers and Muslim 
jurists could jointly study the U.S. Constitution. Those people who are 
intellectuals and know what their Constitution says should be shown that in 
fact many of the ideas of the Constitution were derived from Islamic law, he 
said at the time. 

  While nobody has taken up that challenge yet, Zaytuna is now directing its 
efforts to build an endowment that will support the indigenization of Islam in 
America. 

  Thats what we want, says Shaykh Hamza. Thats my visionto see beautiful, 
thriving, intellectual, spiritual institutions to revive our traditionour 
scholastic tradition, our intellectual tradition. Harvard University began as a 
seminary; it now has an endowment of [several] billion dollars; Yale University 
began as a seminary; it now has an endowment of more than [several] billion 
dollars; Princeton University began as a theological seminary.
  Zaytunas seminary project, the Tabari College, will, Shaykh Hamza hopes, 
follow a path of intellectual accomplishment that mirrors its theological 
precursors in America. 
All of the great universities that are called the Ivy League universities were 
all built as theological seminaries, he says. Thats how they began, because 
thats how things beginthey begin with God. And so thats our hope, that one 
day people will look back and they will say [Tabari College], that amazing 
university, began as a theological seminary. And one day we want to see it 
playing a role, a powerful role, in the intellectual history of twenty-first 
century America, and the world.
  

saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] Call for Peace between Moslems and Hindus

2008-01-21 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 in the time of the Prophet Mohammad: He was 
looking faraway a funeral caravan and he stand up, the students follower 
present at this moment asking : but why did you do that, because you don?t now 
if this is a Muslim, a Jew, Christian or non believer?

The prophet answer: I am standing up not because of his religion but because of 
the light coming from him. So don?t look about the religion of people but look 
what is their ego or their light. 

We whish that everyone will be ready for the big spiritual event coming and 
opening for humanity a new consciousness. One Sufi story: One day a princess 
chooses to come at the market with poor clothes to be not recognised. She would 
enter the shop but the owner says ? don?t enter, it is not a place for somebody 
like you?! She don?t answer and gets out! But at the same time comes the son of 
the minister who recognise the princess and kisses her hands. When the owner of 
the shop saw that it was the princess he asked her to enter again. But she 
answers: ?no it is to late! This is your test. You did not recognise me! In 
this story god is a king and the princess is the divine wisdom hidden in the 
daily life! 

We wish that people would recognize this new wisdom coming


saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] The Sabians ,example of pluralism in Islam

2008-01-26 Thread saiyed shahbazi

In the context of Arabia and the time when Islam emerged, Islam adopted a very 
moderate, pluralistic approach to other religions. This pluralistic, harmonious 
ideology of Islam was only later hijacked for a number of geo-political 
reasons. The true spirit of Islam always had ample room to accomodate and even 
give good news to people of other faith, namely Christians and Jews. Second 
chapter of Quran has a notable verse on this theme which says: Surely those who 
believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever 
believes in God and the Judgement day and does good, they shall have their 
reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve. 
(The Quran| 2.62)
  
This verse not only give good news to genuine Jews and Christians, but also 
include another people of faith, namely Sabians. Some scholars argue that the 
term Sabians are used to accomodate people of different faith other than 
Judaism and Christianity. Yet other scholars have traced particular religious 
group known as Sabian that existing pre-Islamic time. The blog, Mavi Boncuk has 
an interesting article on the Sabians. let me share here.

Evangelical Christians do not read or understand Koran (Quran). Most muslims 
also do not read and question the information that is in plain sight. The 
Sabians existed before Muhammad, and are said to have read from a book called 
the Zabur. The Saabi`ah Hunafa came under Islamic rule about 639 AD. At that 
time in history they were described as Greek immigrants but were grouped 
together with the Saabi'ah Mushrikoon Nabataeans.

Under sharia, the Sabians form a protected religious group (along with 
Christians and Jews).

Many Islamic writers from the period of about 650 CE onward gave further 
descriptions of the Sabians. They wrote that the Sabians lived in Iraq around 
Sawad, Kutha and Mosul and they wash themselves with water and had long 
hair and white gowns [citation needed]. They had a monotheistic faith with 
religious literature (the Zabur) and acknowledged the prophets. Their theology 
resembled that of Judaism and Christianity yet were neither, nor were they 
Magians.

As explained by Muslim historian of the eleventh century, Al Biruni, the 
Sabians were believed to have been remnants of the Jewish captivity who chose 
to remain behind in Babylon and practiced a combined religion of Judaism and 
Zoroastrianism, and claimed descent from Enoch. In their Hermetic literature, 
Enoch was equated with Hermes, and from their community, and the most famous of 
the treatise attributed to them, that was to become notorious in the West was 
the Picatrix.

It is also considered that a set of Sufi treatises, known as the Epistles of 
the Ikhawan al Saffa wa Kkhullan al Wafa, or of The Brethren of Purity and 
Loyal Friends, a philosophical and religious encyclopedia, which scholars 
regard as reflecting elements of Pythagorean, Neoplatonic, and the traditions 
of the Magi, were drawn up in the ninth century AD, under Sabian influence. It 
is generally agreed that the Epistles of the Ikhwan as Saffa were composed by 
leading proponents of the Ismaili sect of the Shiah.

Yazdânism or Cult of Angels (also Yazdâni or Yazdanism) is a modern term for 
the monotheistic, though universalist, religion that was practiced by most 
Kurds up to the Islamization during the sixteenth century. Yazdânism involved a 
belief in incarnation as well as 7 angelic beings which defend the world from 
their equal and opposite number. In Kurdistan a fair estimate still claims 
yazdanists being close to one third of the population. They are the Sabians of 
Harran described in Maimonides Guide for the Perplexed and mentioned in 
Bahá'í writings as Sabeans. The name Yazdânism derives from the Kurdish word 
Yazdân, meaning god or angel. 
  
  :: The significance of including a less prominent religious faith such as the 
Sabians in this particular Quranic verse, goes much deeper than it seems in the 
beginning. This shows the truly universal and harmonious approach of Islam to 
people of all faith to such a degree that Islam didn't hesitate to include 
Sabians, accepting and acknowledging their faith in God. This single verse thus 
have greater message to the modern world about Islam's tolerance and 
accomodating nature, when it comes to wrong perception about the religion of 
Islam.

The very definition of the term pluralism allows for the development of a 
common tradition while preserving the right of each group to maintain its 
cultural heritage (faith is a part of culture, no doubt). Pluralism implies 
mutual respect. And if one looks close at Islam's spirit, one can see this 
right at the core of Islam's message to humanity.



saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

Bismillah [IslamCity] A 'modern' Koran the vital next step for Arabs to forge the future

2008-01-29 Thread saiyed shahbazi

 village, 
or for a handout as an unemployed bread-earner.

That man is reduced to doing that because very simply there are no civic 
institutions around addressing themselves to these and other concerns by the 
citizenry.

We need to find out that which has undermined, and that which may restore, our 
resources of insight about the crisis that afflict Saudi Arabia in particular 
and the Arab world in general. And if what it takes is to reexamine how we deal 
with our faith, our language and our social priorities, so be it.
   
  By Fawaz Turki



  




saiyed shahbazi
  www.shahbazcenter.org

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