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7:24 PM
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Please can I have one more chance ?
There you are standing before Allah Taa’la, the whole of mankind in anticipation. Hell to your left and Paradise your right. From the first man until the last, everybody is present. What is to be of them on this Day?
Not a word is spoken. Everybody is naked but unusually today, no one actually cares about anybody else. There’s only one question running through everyone’s mind, what will be their eternal abode?
The Qur’an states:
“And they will be set before your Lord in (lines as) rows, (and Allah will say): “Now indeed you have come to us as We created you first. Nay, but you thought that We had appointed no meeting for you (with us).” (Surah 18, Verse 48)
You stand there very frightened. As a Muslim, you hardly prayed your Salaah. In Ramadhan, you didn’t feel like keeping fasts. Zakaat was never on your mind. Even though you had enough money for Hajj, a trip to the Caribbean always seemed much more appealing.
You look down and wish that this silence continues forever and ever. Then suddenly, very unexpectedly, your name is called. Abdullah! Son of Adam, your heart begins to beat faster and faster. You are now trembling. Your turn has now come.
It is time for the truth; did you live in this world as a true believer? Did you believe in the oneness of Allah and follow the teachings of our Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam? If so, then there is no doubt that Paradise is your eternal abode, but for those who ascribed partners with Allah and neglected the teachings of our Holy Prophet , then, Hell is their only dwelling. There will be no injustice on this day.
Slowly, tears begin to role down your face. Even before you receive the book of deeds, you know you have no chance. You had so many chances to revive yourself in the world, but you continued to commit sins, one after another. Many signs were brought before you clearly proving the oneness of Allah, but you rejected each sign, one after another. How is Allah going to give you another chance? Chances were given in the world. You continued sinning but were not punished; now you must face punishment for those unpunished sins committed. Then, the book (of deeds) is given to you in your left hand. You may have passed all the exams in school, but you now have failed the most important one, Life.
The Qur’an states:
“And We have fastened every mans deeds to his neck, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open.” “(It will be said to him): “Read your book.” (Surah 17, Verses 13,14)
Allah Taa’la states:
“And the Book (ones record) will be placed (in the right hand for a believer in the Oneness of Allah, and in the left hand for a disbeliever in the oneness of Allah), and you will see the ‘Mujrimun (sinners), fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say: Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!” And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and Your Lord treats no one with injustice.” (Surah 18, Verse 49)
You bend down on your knees and beg for mercy. “Please Allah! Only one more chance, only one more chance! You open the Book which had been placed in your left hand. You are shaking as you open the book knowing full well that it has recorded every single deed and every sin. You know full well that no injustice has been done by Allah.
You open the book and every detail is inside. As soon as your eyes glance upon the first sin on the page you have opened, you begin to cry. You close the book and start to regret. But this is no time to regret. Your chance has now gone. You shout once more, “ALLAH! CAN I HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE!!!??”
The Qur’an states regarding the misguided:
When those who were followed will disown those who were following and they will see the punishment and all ties with them will be cut
And those people who were following will say if only there was a returning for us we would disown them just as they disowned us in this way Allah will show them their actions as a source of remorse against themselves and they will not be coming out of the fire of hell. (Surah 2, Verse 166-167)
The heat of the fire of Hell is burning in your mind. How will you be punished? How long will you be punished for? Every time you wanted to do good in the world, Shaytaan took you away from the straight path and you were deceived very easily. You can blame no one but yourself.
Allah Taa’la states:
And Satan will say when the matter has been decided: “Verily, Allah promised you a promise of Truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, so you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me.” (Surah 14, Verse 22)
How deceiving Shaytaan was? How powerful were his whispers and how weak was your Imaan?
Whatever he whispered into your ears, you immediately followed him. You disobeyed Allah and followed what you thought was the right path, but you were truly on the wrong path, treading upon the path that would lead you to inevitable destruction, the path that will lead you into Hell fire on this day. You thought arrogantly and lived as though you would live in the world forever. You ignored the fact that everybody to enter the world would eventually die one day and be judged.
Allah Taa’la states in the Qur’an:
“Everyone is going to taste death.” (Surah 21, Verse 33)
Only seconds remain. The Hell fire is waiting. Your time has now come, but all you think of is that one more chance. With that one more chance, you would go back in the world and never commit another sin again. Chances, many chances were only given in the world but now it’s too late. You are thrown into the scorching fire.
My dear respected readers, do you want to end up like brother Abdullah? Does his life sound familiar compared to yours? Is obeying Allah, Praying Salaah and pleasing Him not in our daily schedule? Here in this life is our only chance and time to change. Remember, no chance will be given once you pass away. Repenting will be of no avail on that day.
The Prophet mentions in one Hadith:
“The one who repents from sin is like one who has no sin.” (Ibn Majah)
There is an extremely wretched place for those who disobey Allah and the Prophet . However, those who are pious and are on the Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (right path) will be the ones that will be triumphant on that day and these are the people that will earn a great reward.
Allah Taa’la states in the Qur’an:
“Verily, the Muttaqun (pious and righteous persons) who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden), and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained) will be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers (Paradise).” (Surah 54, Verse 54)
From all the hard work that you do in this world dear readers, Allah Taa’la will never let that work go to waste. Instead, gardens and rivers will be awaiting that person and the book of deeds will be placed in the believer’s right hand. As for those who do not believe,
Allah Taa’la says:
“The Day they will be dragged in the Fire on their faces (it will be said to them): “Taste you the touch of Hell.” (Surah 54, Verse 48)
May Allah Taa’la give us all the ability to avoid or discard the path of the Shaytaan and follow the right path shown by our Holy Prophet . Ameen
Courtesy: www.inter-islam.org
¶
3:23 PM
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Two Hungry Wolves
http://www.alhaadi.org.za/Articles/
Ka'ab bin Maalik (R.A.) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:
" Two hungry wolves let loose upon a flock of sheep can not inflict as much harm as the destruction greed for wealth and position can inflict upon the Deen of a person."
(Tirmizi � Faizul Qadeer V.5 pg. 445)
This Hadith makes it evident that greed and lust for wealth and position are not two hungry wolves� they are far more dangerous and destructive than hungry wolves.
The greed for wealth and position would lead one to aquire the world by any means whatsoever, even if such means are prohibited by the Sustainer and Nourisher - Allah Ta'ala. This insatiable desire for the glitter and glamour of this temporary abode would cause a "respectable" person to lie, hide the fault of the merchandise, commit fraud and a host of other HARAAM acts. This greed would make a wealthy person invoke the curse of Allah Ta'ala upon himself by involving himself in such transactions wherein the taking OR giving of interest occurs. This he would do merely so that he also could live like a millionaire. It is only the sand of the grave that will fill this hunger and arrest it in its tracks.
However, it will then be too late to make amends. Let us sit for a moment and ponder whether or not these cancers are within us. If they are there, immediate steps must be taken to treat and eventually eradicate these deadly diseases. May Allah Ta'ala purify us from them.
¶
10:36 PM
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Robert Fisk: Don't be fooled, this isn't an issue of Islam versus secularism
By Robert Fisk
"So now it's cartoons of the Prophet Mohamed with a bomb-shaped turban. Ambassadors are withdrawn from Denmark, Gulf nations clear their shelves of Danish produce, Gaza gunmen threaten the European Union. In Denmark, Fleming Rose, the "culture" editor of the pip-squeak newspaper which published these silly cartoons - last September, for heaven's sake - announces that we are witnessing a "clash of civilizations" between secular Western democracies and Islamic societies. This does prove, I suppose, that Danish journalists follow in the tradition of Hans Christian Anderson. Oh lordy, lordy. What we're witnessing is the childishness of civilizations.
So let's start off with the Department of Home Truths. This is not an issue of secularism versus Islam. For Muslims, the Prophet is the man who received divine words directly from God. We see our prophets as faintly historical figures, at odds with our high-tech human rights, almost caricatures of themselves. The fact is that Muslims live their religion. We do not. They have kept their faith through innumerable historical vicissitudes. We have lost our faith ever since Matthew Arnold wrote about the sea's "long, withdrawing roar". That's why we talk about "the West versus Islam" rather than "Christians versus Islam" - because there aren't an awful lot of Christians left in Europe. There is no way we can get round this by setting up all the other world religions and asking why we are not allowed to make fun of Mohamed.
Besides, we can exercise our own hypocrisy over religious feelings. I happen to remember how, more than a decade ago, a film called The Last Temptation of Christ showed Jesus making love to a woman. In Paris, someone set fire to the cinema showing the movie, killing a young man. I also happen to remember a US university which invited me to give a lecture three years ago. I did. It was entitled "September 11, 2001: ask who did it but, for God's sake, don't ask why". When I arrived, I found that the university had deleted the phrase "for God's sake" because "we didn't want to offend certain sensibilities". Ah-ha, so we have "sensibilities" too.
In other words, while we claim that Muslims must be good secularists when it comes to free speech - or cheap cartoons - we can worry about adherents to our own precious religion just as much. I also enjoyed the pompous claims of European statesmen that they cannot control free speech or newspapers. This is also nonsense. Had that cartoon of the Prophet shown instead a chief rabbi with a bomb-shaped hat, we would have had "anti-Semitism" screamed into our ears - and rightly so - just as we often hear the Israelis complain about anti-Semitic cartoons in Egyptian newspapers.
Furthermore, in some European nations - France is one, Germany and Austria are among the others - it is forbidden by law to deny acts of genocide. In France, for example, it is illegal to say that the Jewish Holocaust or the Armenian Holocaust did not happen. So it is, in fact, impermissable to make certain statements in European nations. I'm still uncertain whether these laws attain their objectives; however much you may prescribe Holocaust denial, anti-Semites will always try to find a way round. We can hardly exercise our political restraints to prevent Holocaust deniers and then start screaming about secularism when we find that Muslims object to our provocative and insulting image of the Prophet.
For many Muslims, the "Islamic" reaction to this affair is an embarrassment. There is good reason to believe that Muslims would like to see some element of reform introduced to their religion. If this cartoon had advanced the cause of those who want to debate this issue, no-one would have minded. But it was clearly intended to be provocative. It was so outrageous that it only caused reaction.
And this is not a great time to heat up the old Samuel Huntingdon garbage about a "clash of civilizations". Iran now has a clerical government again. So, to all intents and purposes, does Iraq (which was not supposed to end up with a democratically elected clerical administration, but that's what happens when you topple dictators). In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood won 20 per cent of the seats in the recent parliamentary elections. Now we have Hamas in charge of "Palestine". There's a message here, isn't there? That America's policies - "regime change" in the Middle East - are not achieving their ends. These millions of voters were preferring Islam to the corrupt regimes which we imposed on them.
For the Danish cartoon to be dumped on top of this fire is dangerous indeed.
So what is the big hype all about?
The problem is that these cartoons portrayed Mohamed as a bin Laden-type image of violence. They portrayed Islam as a violent religion. It is not. Or do we want to make it so?"
¶
10:11 PM
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Question on Love Of Rasulullah (sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam)
The love for my dear Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him)is decreasing .. Sometimes my innerself says bad things and thoughts about him...I really dont know why this is happening...what is happening..Am I cursed ??
Answer
The fact that you are in pain because of the bad thoughts you have is proof enough of your love for Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]. Had you not had love for Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam], you would not have such pain. Nevertheless, you should ignore the thoughts as they are involuntary and beyond your control. They are whispers of the Shaytaan. Do not entertain such evil thoughts as they will then find its roots deep in your heart. That is what Shaytaan desires. Ignore such thoughts and simply recite, �Laa hawla walaa quwwata illaa billaah�.
You should obtain some reliable literature about the Seerah and character of Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] and read that as much as possible. That information will fill that vacuum which is occupied by evil thoughts. It is advisable to read Ahaadith and incidents about the miracles (Mu�jizaat) performed by Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]. Ponder upon scientific developments and after so much of research, some people can only go to the moon and that too for a few days with so much of fear and apprehension. 1400 years ago, Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] surpassed all of that and went right to Allah above the seven heavens within a short period of the night. There is so much more. Ponder upon his beautiful face, beautiful smiling eyes, beautiful beard, beautiful walk, beautiful character and ponder the day we will meet him and he will present us with the water of Hawse-Kawthar on the plains of Hashr when the sun will be just above us and we will be extremely thirsty. That is the extent of his love for us. Ponder when he will bow down by the Arsh of Allah and beg Allah to forgive us and he will save us from Hell. How loving is our Nabi Muhammad [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]? Why did he wake up in the middle of the night and cry �Yaa Ummati� (O my Ummah, O my Ummah).
He had the choice to live like a king, why he chose to live like a slave?
1. Why did his feet swell up due to excessive worship?
2. Why should he allow himself to be hit and tortured in Taaif with his Mubaarak blood flowing from his body?
3. Why should his family suffer just because he called the people to the Oneness of Allah?
4. Why should his daughters marriages break because he propagated the Oneness of Allah?
The honesty and sincerity of our beloved Rasul [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] was witnessed by His Sahaaba [radhiallaahu anhu] who were prepared to give their lives for him. Ah! How fortunate are the Sahaaba [radhiallaahu anhu]. No joy can overcome such joy of witnessing the Habib of Allah. Ah! Could I get that beautiful vision in this world? Oh Allah, aameen.
So great is my Habib, that Allah and His angels send Durood and salawaat upon him. There are 70,000 angels at every time by his Rawza who send Durood and Salaam upon him. Angels are appointed all around the world to carry a single durood to him. How fortunate we are to have our Durood carried by an angel and presented with our name to our beloved Habi. That brings much joy to him.
Oh Allah, send special Duroods and salawaat to Habib [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] from Ebrahim ibn Yusuf Desai and make Habib [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] happy on behalf of the Ummah especially at this time, Aameen Yaa Rabbal Aalameen.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
¶
10:52 PM
//
Extracts from Mercy for the Worlds:
by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad(db)
Read entire article or Download the PDF here
A Recipe for Anger
A person is naturally very angry when he begins thinking about revenge, and the Messenger of Allah has given great guidance on how to conquer such anger. It is transmitted in the hadith collections of Bukhari and Muslim that at one time the Messenger of Allah said, �The strongest man is not the one who can overcome people with his strength, but one who controls himself when in a fit of rage.�
It is transmitted in another fascinating hadith that the Messenger of Allah said, �Allah loves the person who controls his anger.� This is something that Muslims need to pay close attention to and understand within the depths of their hearts. Whenever angry, one should reflect on whether it is better to carry through with one�s anger or to forgive and calm down, as a result of which Allah will love him. It is one thing to love Allah, but a totally different thing to be loved by Allah and become His beloved.
The Holy Quran instructs the Messenger of Allah to tell the people, �If you profess to love Allah then follow me, and Allah will love you.� Indeed such is the grandiose example and teaching of our Prophet, that we will become the beloved of Allah if we follow his sunnah.
Forgiveness for Enemies
The beautiful examples from the Prophet�s glorious life are too numerous for one discussion. It is one matter to forgive peoples� small mistakes, but quite another to forgive a sworn enemy.
Hadith literature tells us that once the Messenger of Allah and his Companions (Sahabah) were outside Madinah where they stopped to rest in the early afternoon. The Sahabah suggested that the Messenger of Allah rest under a tree that offered cool shade against the sweltering heat. The rest of the Sahabah dispersed to rest and nap under other trees.
Meanwhile, an unbeliever happened to be traveling past this place and noticed the Prophet of the Muslims lying under a tree with his sword hanging by one of the branches. He was overjoyed at this unique opportunity and seized the sword, determined to strike down the Prophet of Islam. The Messenger of Allah woke up at that exact moment and the unbeliever said, �Who can save you from me now O Muhammad []?�
To this the Messenger of Allah said �Allah!� with such devotion and power that terror seized the unbeliever. He started trembling and dropped the sword. The Messenger of Allah picked up his sword and said, �Now tell me who will save you from me?�
At this the unbeliever started begging for his life, highlighting the Prophet�s mercy toward the people. Listening to his pleas the Messenger of Allah immediately forgave this sworn enemy who would have himself spared no time in murdering the Prophet. The Prophet of Islam said, �Go, for I have forgiven you� and therefore laid a shining principle for all mankind to follow because he was sent as a mercy to all creation.
The unbeliever was astonished that the Messenger of Allah would forgive such an unforgivable action, and the Prophet�s merciful words touched his heart. He said, �O Messenger of Allah, you have forgiven me; now please make me a Muslim so that Allah may forgive me also.� Thus this person accepted Islam at that moment. This is such one glorious example of mercy that we find in the life of the Messenger of Allah.
Amama bin Athal was an idolater who would ponder and reflect on killing the Messenger of Allah. One day he was captured by the Sahabah, who brought him into the Mosque of the Prophet and tied him to one of the pillars. The Messenger of Allah had heard of his plotting and now saw him when he entered the mosque. Coming close, the Messenger of Allah asked, �What were you plotting and what should we do with you?�
Amama bin Athal said, �If you kill me that is your right, but I have heard a great deal about your mercy and am confident that you will show forgiveness.� The Prophet�s exemplary character was so renown that sworn enemies would not lose hope of his mercy even when in chains and with no chance of escape. Hence even in that state Amama bin Athal was confident that his life would be spared.
The Messenger of Allah smiled and said to the Sahabah, �Forgive and release him.� The Sahabah were stunned by this but were compelled to obey, and so untied Amama�s ropes. He was now free, but the Prophet�s words and spiritual attention had impacted Amama�s heart. He said, �You have untied these physical ropes, and now please connect my spiritual rope to my Allah and make me Muslim so I may repent from all my previous sins.� Saying this he accepted Islam.
The people in Hadrat Amama�s home village were very receptive towards Islam when he returned and started preaching, and were shocked to learn that the Quraish would persecute such a noble man as the Messenger of Allah. Since the town was a large wheat exporter, the people decided to stop exporting their crop to the Quraish. This served as a shock for the Quraish since it signaled the beginnings of rebellion from tribes previously subjugated by them. The leaders of Makkah now realized that if Islam could influence people in their own backyard as it were, then someday it would span the globe. The Messenger of Allah and the Sahabah have left beautiful and fascinating examples of character for us.
Advent of the Messenger and Liberation of Makkah
The Messenger of Allah came into such an atmosphere and prohibited vengeance toward another man if that vengeance were to be driven solely by selfish desire.
A famous story is one of Hadrat Ali in which he had overpowered an enemy on the battlefield and was about to deliver the final blow. At that moment the enemy spat at him in hatred. In the heat and emotion of battle Hadrat Ali immediately stepped back. His enemy was dumbfounded as to why, and asked, �Why have you pulled back from killing me?�
Hadrat Ali answered, �I was previously fighting you for the Cause of Allah and would have killed you for His sake. However, because you have spat at me I cannot be sure whether my personal anger has tainted my sincerity towards killing you solely for Allah. I have stepped back because I might have to account for this on the Day of Judgment.�
Can we even begin to comprehend the level of self control in these people? Can we even begin to comprehend their magnanimity? The Prophet�s beautiful example was a beacon for them and hence they would forgive the worst of enemies.
When the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims set off from Madinah during the march leading to the conquest of Makkah, various tribes also joined them along the way. At that time it was custom for an army to cook at just one or two central locations and distribute the food to all, but the night that they stopped outside Makkah the Messenger of Allah instructed everyone to prepare their own food. The Sahabah did not understand his reasoning but dispersed in groups of two and three and prepared their own food. The result was that the whole valley became bright with the light of hundreds of individual bonfires.
The Quraish of Makkah had heard that the Muslims were advancing on Makkah and so Abu Sufyan was dispatched as a scout. He was terrified at the sight of so many bonfires and realized that no one in Makkah would survive if such a large army started towards the city. In the morning he arranged a meeting with Hadrat Abu Bakr who brought him to the Messenger of Allah. Amazed at the thousands of people whose hearts had been blessed with the wealth of Islam, Abu Sufyan also entered the fold of Islam and became Hadrat Abu Sufyan. The Messenger of Allah was pleased that one of the leaders of Quraish had finally accepted the truth.
Hadrat Abu Bakr was an extremely wise and intelligent man, and so when the army got underway the next morning he stood with Hadrat Abu Sufyan at a location from which the latter could see each platoon as it passed by. Hadrat Abu Bakr wanted Hadrat Abu Sufyan l to clearly see the strength of the Muslim forces. Hadrat Abu Sufyan was amazed because almost every second or third man he saw had been an unbeliever at one time.
Having seen the strength of the Muslims, Hadrat Abu Sufyan mounted his horse and reached Makkah before the Muslim army. There he convened a meeting with the other leaders of Quraish and advised them that their only hope was to surrender otherwise the massive Muslim force would massacre them if they chose to resist. The Quraish leaders hence decided that they would not resist the advancing army.
Hadith states that the road to Makkah was desolate in front of the Muslim army. Before the Migration (Hijra) to Madinah, the Prophet had pleaded with Allah clutching the cloth of the Kaa�ba that he did not want to leave. In reply Allah had promised:
He Who hath given thee the Quran for a law will surely bring thee home again [28:85]
The Messenger of Allah had been thrown out of this city years previously, and now he was at the head of an army of his loving Sahabah. The stage was set to enter Makkah as a victorious army enters a conquered city in pomp and glamour. However, the Messenger of Allah was beyond such behavior and taught another important lesson to the Muslim nation at this occasion.
The Messenger of Allah was astride his camel and advancing before the main troops with tears of joy streaming down his face. Hadith states that his head was bowed so low in humility it would at times touch the camel�s neck. He was reciting various praises and supplications: �There is no god save Allah: He has no partner and His is all sovereignty. All praise is due to Him, and He is powerful over everything. There is no god save Allah alone, Who fulfilled His promise, helped his servant, and alone routed the confederates.� The Messenger of Allah entered Makkah in this state of humility and gratitude.
As the army entered Makkah the Quraish were terrified at the prospect of facing the people whom they had tortured and ridiculed for over thirteen years. Today those same people whose relatives were killed by the Quraish, who were made to endure countless and unimaginable hardship and torture, were returning to their home city as victors. Today the tide was turned and the swords were in the other hands, and the once proud Quraish were trembling in fear that they would be torn to pieces and their women shamed and dishonored.
Upon entering the Grand Mosque approaching the Kaa�ba the Messenger of Allah announced, �Today whoever stays in his house will be safe.� This announcement alone is staggering and monumental when we reflect upon how savagely the conquered are usually treated by their conquerors. At this time Hadrat Abu Bakr requested that Hadrat Abu Sufyan�s residence be declared a safe house since he was a leader and had since accepted Islam. Hence the Prophet added that whoever took shelter in Hadrat Abu Sufyan�s a house would also be safe.
When the Messenger of Allah came in front of the Kaa�ba one of the first among the Quraish to venture forward was Hinda, Hadrat Abu Sufyan�s wife. This was the same Hinda who had had the Prophet�s dear and noble uncle martyred. She had then disemboweled the body and arranged the organs in a necklace around her neck. At that time she had been deluding herself that she had defeated Hadrat Hamza, but was unaware that she was the one who would be defeated.
Hinda came forward and repented because she was now very ashamed. The Messenger of Allah was so merciful to all that he even forgave this woman who had committed such evil. Wahshi was the man who had martyred Hadrat Hamza at Uhud, and knew that if captured he would surely be killed. He thus crept up carefully through the back streets and in this way confronted the Messenger of Allah, wishing to repent for his crimes. Allah had given His Messenger such remarkable character and fortitude that he even forgave Wahshi of the murder of his beloved uncle and accepted him into the fold of Islam.
The rest of the Quraish leaders then came forward, and the Messenger of Allah asked, �What do you think we should do with you now?� The Quraish were masters at diplomacy and said, �We are family, and so you should treat us as a brother would treat his brothers.� Hadrat Sa�ad bin Ubada was seated nearby and said, �Today is the Day of War and the day that we cleanse the Kaa�ba of your false gods.�
The Quraish grew frightened at hearing this and feared once again for their lives. Hadrat Abu Sufyan approached the Messenger of Allah and told him what this Companion (Sahabi) had said. Hadrat Sa�ad bin Ubada had been carrying the banner of Islam, and the Messenger of Allah took it from him and handed it to Hadrat Sa�ad�s son as a reprimand for having made such a statement.
The Messenger of Allah then got up and announced, �Today is a blessed day: a Day of Mercy in which we shall honor the Kaa�ba!� He again turned to the Quraish and asked what should be done with them. This time they answered, �We are your brothers, and if you choose to kill us that is your right. However, if you forgive us then you will find us ever desirous of your mercy.�
The Messenger of Allah replied, �Yes you are indeed my brothers, but have treated me the same way that Hadrat Yusuf�s e brothers treated him. Today I reply to you the same way that Hadrat Yusuf e replied to them.�
This day let no reproach be (cast) on you: Allah will forgive you and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.� [12:92]
Hence all of Makkah was granted full amnesty that day; the Quraish were astounded and could not believe what they had heard. They returned to their homes uncertain whether they could trust such an amnesty and remained apprehensive of any retaliation. Hence both men and women of the Quraish stayed awake that following night worrying that the Muslims might enter anytime to rape and kill them. However, these people were used to living in another time in which they knew nothing else but such violence and were unfamiliar with the magnificence of Islam.
The Messenger of Allah also retired home after finishing the day�s business and the Quraish thought that the Muslims would now pounce upon them in the dead of night. They stayed awake in worry and terror but a good portion of the night passed and everything was silent. The streets of Makkah were empty and there was not as much as a knock on the door.
The Makkans were surprised and so some of them worked up enough courage to venture out of their homes into the streets to see where the Muslims were and what they might be doing. Searching thus they reached the Kaa�ba and were even more surprised at what they saw.
Some of the Muslims were standing in prayer to their Lord while some were kissing the cloth of the Kaa�ba and supplicating. Others still were lost in reading of the Holy Quran while others were weeping in prostration. The Quraish were stunned by this display because they had never seen conquerors that would cry with such humility to anyone. However, they knew nothing of the Muslims who had spent all night in worshipping the true Lord of Kaa�ba. These people who had been thrown out of their homes, never to be able to see the Kaa�ba again and now they were weeping in gratitude at having been allowed to worship there again.
The next morning the Quraish admitted to themselves that the Muslims were truly the people on the Straight Path, for being conquerors they never laid a hand on the vanquished but only spread their hands out in gratitude and repentance to Allah. Hence that day the inhabitants of Makkah started coming forward in large numbers to accept Islam at the hand of the Messenger of Allah.
¶
5:33 PM
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Mercy for the Worlds by Sheikh Zulfiqar Ahmad (db)
Biography of The Beloved Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him)
The Biography of the Last Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam) is presented at two levels: Level 1 is a simple summary of events, Level 2 has more detail than Level 1 and is a general account of events. Link below:
http://www.inter-islam.org/Seerah/seerahdex.htm
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8:46 PM
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Why has a cartoon turned into a crisis? (Toronto Star)
History and geo-politics are feeding fear and mutual hostility, says Haroon Siddiqui
Toronto Star
HAROON SIDDIQUI
W e like making sweeping declarations about freedom of speech but that right is fettered by laws of libel and hate, and other factors.
In newspapers, cartoons are routinely rejected for reasons of taste or because they may be unfair or unnecessarily hurtful. A good editor errs on the side of pushing the limits of freedom. But on occasion, she says no.
The artist may not like the call but must live with it. The drawing is his but the space in which it is to run is the newspaper's.
The Star's legendary cartoonist Dunc Macpherson once argued that I was misguided to have axed his day's work on the basis that his premise was all wrong. "Artists are not bound by facts," he growled. But the paper is, I said.
The Danish paper that invoked freedom of speech to justify caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad is, thus, only half right. But let's say that it did have an absolute right. Equally, though, Muslims had a right to be offended. Defenders of the first principle have had difficulty acknowledging the second.
"Why the fuss? These are only cartoons," many said of the Arab boycott of Danish products.
The peaceful consumer revolt was a legitimate response (until overtaken by gun-toting hotheads issuing dire warnings).
Yet many Europeans derided the boycott, with the unmistakable underlying message: "We can treat you the way we want and thou shall shut up."
Those days are gone. Still, why do Muslims react so strongly?
By now, readers know that Islam forbids depictions of the Prophet. Non-Muslims can no more mock that than Muslims can deride some aspect of the Christian or Jewish faith.
Imagery was not the only problem with the Danish cartoons. They were insulting, which is, of course, the point of a cartoon. But they also portrayed the Prophet as a terrorist and, by extension, all Muslims, thereby engendering hate against them.
The drawings were hurtful to a people who are, arguably, more attached to their prophet than others may be to theirs.
Each time they say his name, Muslims invoke "peace and blessings" on Muhammad. Nearly 4 million visit his grave in Saudi Arabia every year.
But more than religion, it is geo-politics, past and present, that hangs over the controversy.
When Muhammad appeared 600 years after Christ, Europe saw him as an impostor and a false prophet. Pope Innocent III called him the Antichrist. Dante consigned him to the ninth of the 10 ditches of the Inferno. Voltaire, Gibbon, Bacon and others demonized him as the Prince of Darkness or the Beast of the Apocalypse or Mahound.
Such characterizations were used in more muted forms by European colonialists occupying Muslim lands. The bigoted imagery had begun to subside during our contemporary era, only to be resurrected after 9/11.
Go to any bookstore in a European city and you will see anti-Muslim tracts selling well.
Europe's 20 million Muslims have borne the brunt of this Islamophobia, from rightwing anti-immigrant parties and conservative media. Here's a sample from the Danish People's Party: "Muslims who come here reject our culture. Muslim immigration is a way for Muslims to conquer us, just as they have done for the past 1,400 years."
Add to all this some contemporary realities affecting Muslims.
Iraq was illegally and unjustly invaded and remains occupied, with contemptuous disregard for Iraqi lives. Palestinians have just been warned they may be starved because they dared to elect Hamas. Iran is being isolated over its nuclear intentions, even though it has not violated the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty it has signed, while non-signatories Israel and India enjoy full American backing.
The arguments for and against those policies aside, there's no doubt that they have left Arabs/Muslims feeling under siege.
They see double standards in the Danish affair as well.
A cartoon Thursday in the al-Quds newspaper showed an artist at work at Jyllands-Posten. In the first panel, he rejects a grotesque drawing of a black person: "This is racism." He rejects the second, which equated the Cross of David with the swastika: "This is anti-Semitism." He keeps the longer third panel, of the Prophet's cartoons: "This is freedom of speech."
Conversely, the criticism from Arabs/Muslims has sounded hypocritical, given their own intolerance and an ongoing anti-Israeli polemic. Much of that is encouraged by unelected, despotic governments keen on diverting domestic anger abroad.
This context shows there is a great deal of mutual ignorance. However, it does not prove any inherent incompatibility between Muslims and non-Muslims, as extremists on both sides would have us believe.
Haroon Siddiqui writes Thursday and Sunday. hsiddiq@thestar.ca.
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10:11 PM
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Islam and doesn't condone aggressive or violent protests
The West can't understand the big hoo-haa of the whole situation but perhaps if it's understood that Islam is not merely a religion -it's a way of life.Islam's moral and ethical code is very strict and in a world where morals and ethics are fast becomming 'outdated'freedom of speech is being taken out of context.Basically the western 'religion' is based on the following the base desires and whatever materialistic pursuits one wishes. In this context freedom of speech is unlimited...but how can that be?A line has to be drawn.God forbid what if it becomes acceptable for daily newspapers to publish pornographic material because of the deterioation of western values...would that fall under freedom of speech because it's 'socially accepted' behaviour?? The whole freedom of speech issue all boils down to values,ethics and morals which is undeniably being eroded in today's society.Islam's moral code is extremely high, it cuts off problems from the root instead of waiting for the problem to occur and then applying damage control.Th clash lies here...
A True Muslim believer loves the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) even more than he/she loves himself/herself. We believe that He (Peace Be Upon HIm) is the Best of Creation.Don't ridicule our Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) and don't ridicule our Religion...A true Muslim takes religion very very seriously.And why not?Religion is a very serious thing.
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Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "The person who is strong is not strong because he can knock people down. The person who is strong is the one who controls himself when he is angry."
Ibn 'Abbas reports that the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "...'When you are angry, be silent,' twice."
Aslam said that Umar [one of the revered companions of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) ] said, "'Do not let your love be a total infatuation. Do not let your anger be destruction.' I asked, 'How is that?' He replied, 'When you love, you are infatuated like a child. When you hate, you desire destruction for your companion.'"
courtesy www.the-pod.blogspot.com
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12:22 AM
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You Must Know This Man - Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him)
You Must Know This Man - Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him)
You may be an antheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to any of the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be a communist or a believer in democracy and freedom. No matter what you are, and no matter what your ideological and political beliefs, personal and social habits happen to be --
YOU MUST STILL KNOW THIS MAN.
ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA confirms:
"....a mass of detail in the early sources show that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were like-wise honest and upright men." (Vol. 12)
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW said about him:
"He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness." (THE GENUINE ISLAM, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936)
He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come.
"HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD" May Peace of God Be Upon Him (pbuh)
He was born in Arabia in the year 570 C.E. (common era), started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God) at the age of forty and departed from this world at the age of sixty-three.
During this short period of 23 years of his Prophethood, he changed the complete Arabian peninsula from paganism and idolatry to worship of One God, from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since - and IMAGINE all these unbelievable wonders in JUST OVER TWO DECADES.
LAMARTINE, the renowned historian speaking on the essentials of human greatness wonders:
"If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls....his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was two-fold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words.
"Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is MUHAMMAD. As regards all the standards by which Human Greatness may be measured, we may well ask, IS THERE ANY MAN GREATER THAN HE?" (Lamartine, HISTOIRE DE LA TURQUIE, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp 276-277)
The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one-sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields, such as religious thought or military leadership. The lives and teachings of these great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time.
There is so much speculation about the time and place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity to reconstruct accurately the lives and teachings of these men.
Not so this man. Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished so much in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior in the fullest blaze of human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the record so preserved are vouched for not only by the faithful followers but even by his prejudiced critics.
Muhammad (pbuh) was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life - but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad (pbuh) to achieve such incredible perfections.
MAHATMA GANDHI, speaking on the character of Muhammad, (pbuh) says in YOUNG INDIA:
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission.
"These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."
THOMAS CALYLE in his HEROES AND HERO WORSHIP, was simply amazed as to:
"how one man single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades."
DIWAN CHAND SHARMA wrote:
"Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him." (D.C. Sharma, THE PROPHETS OF THE EAST, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12)
EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY speaking on the profession of ISLAM write:
"'I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." (HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54)
Muhammad (pbuh) was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. He always described himself as, 'A Servant and Messenger of God,' and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be.
Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, SAROJINI NAIDU says:
"It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: 'God Alone is Great'... I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother." (S. Naidu, IDEALS OF ISLAM, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169)
In the words of PROF. HURGRONJE:
"The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues: "The fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations."
The world has not hesitated to raise to divinity, individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished. And all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting mankind for the worship of One God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad (pbuh) or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a Son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity - but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.
MICHAEL H. HART in his recently published book on ratings of men who contributed towards the benefit and upliftment of mankind writes:
"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels." (M.H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York, 1978, p. 33)
K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO, an Indian Professor of Philosophy in his booklet, "Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam," calls him the "PERFECT MODEL FOR HUMAN LIFE." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying:
"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; 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. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."
Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of MUHAMMAD (pbuh) have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad's (pbuh) followers but also the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.
The least YOU could do as a thinking and concerned human being is to stop for a moment and ask yourself: Could these statements sounding so extraordinary and revolutionary be really true? And supposing they really are true and you did not know this man MUHAMMAD (pbuh) or hear about him, isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and put in some effort to know him?
It will cost you nothing but it may prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.
We invite you to make a discovery of this wonderful man, MUHAMMAD (pbuh), the like of whom never walked on the face of this earth.
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6:54 PM
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Danish Cartoons: Islam vs. Freedom of Expression?
Sikander Ziad Hashmi, sunniforum.com
Cartoons are doing what so many couldn�t: Unifying Muslims across the globe.
On the other hand, a growing number of brave freedom-fighters, led by journalists, are standing up to �reaffirm the principle of free expression.� And non-Muslims are wondering why this unified outrage is a no-show when it comes to seemingly more important issues such as beheadings, honour killings, and suicide bombings.
As a Muslim journalist, that puts me in a tough spot, doesn�t it?
Well, not really.
Let�s get the facts straight. What exactly is the issue?
The Danish paper Jyllands-Posten printed a total of 12 cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad last September, one showing him wearing a headdress shaped like a bomb with the kalimah inscribed on it, while another had him saying that paradise is running short of virgins for suicide bombers. A Norwegian publication reprinted the caricatures in January and publications in at least four other countries jumped on the bandwagon in the last couple of days to express their support for the principle of free expression.
Muslim outrage has spurred protests, kidnapping and death threats, boycotts of Danish products, and diplomatic spats. Danish dairy firm Arla Foods has announced 125 layoffs as a result of the boycott; national leaders have jumped into the foray, and even U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has issued a statement in an attempt to cool the growing crisis. Editors have been sacked in what�s seen to be an attack on editorial independence.
Media reports are quick to point out that Islamic traditions ban depictions of the Prophet. Thus, the understanding is that the outrage has been caused by the seemingly blatant disregard for this �Islamic taboo� by the publications in question, which is why Reporters Without Borders and other journalists and non-journalists alike are resisting, if not fighting, this wave of rage.
I�m pretty sure many outraged Muslims will also point to that as the source of their outrage.
But I ask: Would Muslims express an equal amount of outrage had the Prophet been shown in a positive light based on his teachings, perhaps instructing a would-be terrorist not to kill innocents?
Probably not. Yes, there might have been some disappointment over the depiction of the Prophet, but it wouldn�t be anywhere near what we�re seeing now.
Thus, the main issue here isn�t the depiction of the Prophet, but rather, the depiction of the Prophet in an incorrect and dishonest manner.
As a journalist, I truly value our freedom of expression and as my colleagues on this message board know, I attempt to stand by that principle whenever possible.
We all know that the right to free speech is an integral element of a democratic society. Those of us living in democratic societies enjoy that right on a daily basis.
However, no right is absolute. There are always limitations and exceptions.
I can express myself by screaming, for as long as I wish, but not to the detriment of my neighbours. Similarly, I can publish whatever I want, as long as I don�t tarnish anyone�s reputation by spreading lies or promote hatred against anyone.
I can even publicly express damaging, unflattering comments about someone, as long as they�re in the public interest and I don�t do it with malice.
The cartoons of the Prophet , especially the one with his headdress shaped like a bomb, can be given three general interpretations in today�s context:
a) He was a terrorist.
b) He supported terrorism.
c) Islam is a religion of terrorism, since he symbolizes the religion
Anyone who is familiar with the life and the teachings of the Prophet knows that he was not a terrorist. There is no such thing as a terrorist Prophet and if there was, it would mean he and his followers would live to terrorize others, which we know is certainly not the case.
Yes, he did lead and fight in battles. But since when did fighting wars become terrorism? If that�s the case, any leader that takes his nation to war should be considered a terrorist.
As for the second interpretation, once again, anyone who is familiar with the teachings of the Prophet knows that he did not support terrorism. He forbade the killing of innocents and even ordered his followers not to kill birds and other living creatures unnecessarily. And even though the Makkans had terrorized him and his followers, he did not retort with the same when he conquered Makkah later on, nor did he let any of the followers terrorize anyone either, even as victors.
As for the last possible interpretation, once again, if anyone studies the teachings of Allah and the Prophet Mohammad in their entirety, they will know that Islam is not a religion of terrorism. It�s just not true. Yes, there are groups and individuals who attempt to justify acts of terrorism through Islam, but that does not mean that Islam is a religion of terrorism. If it was a religion of terrorism, Muslims throughout history would have been terrorists, which just isn�t the case.
Therefore, we can conclude that if the cartoons are interpreted as a) and b), they are slanderous and libelous, or if they�re interpreted as c), they promote hate by branding all followers of Islam as terrorists, and since no one likes terrorists, people will naturally be led to hate Muslims.
This issue is not about Muslims hating freedom of expression. Rather, it is about the abuse of the freedom to spread hate and fuel stereotypes.
There is no doubt that the cartoons were originally published with malice and spite, to spread stereotypes and provoke a group that has already been victimized as a whole for the actions of a few.
But that’s not the only reason for the outrage.
The level of love and sentimental attachment many Muslims have for and with Mohammad is unparalleled, and may in fact be very difficult to comprehend for non-Muslims.
Think of your dead parents or grandparents that you loved dearly. If someone were to slander them publicly and make a mockery of them, how would you feel? Would you not react angrily and defend them?
You probably would, except the chances of anyone paying attention may be slim, since you would be alone, or perhaps have the support of a dozen or two people.
For Muslims, their beloved prophet has been slandered and mocked. He is not here to defend himself, so his followers have taken on the task, out of their love and devotion to him.
What we see now is the result of compounded anger, which isn’t always expressed in the wisest manner, especially when emotions are running high.
The issue of incorrect attribution is an important one. If Osama bin Laden was the subject of the cartoons, hardly anyone would complain.
Thus, it must be understood that Muslims are not attacking freedom of expression. Rather, they are reacting to hateful, mean-spirited distortions.
As for the question about why Muslims are so sensitive about cartoons while they don’t speak out against other seemingly important issues, the fact is that these cartoons of the Prophet have struck a common, emotional nerve across the Muslim world, while unfortunately, there is no unanimous agreement on the other issues, with which some Muslims obviously do not have a problem since they take part in or support those actions, such as beheadings, honour killings and suicide bombings. It doesn’t make it right, but that’s the reason behind the muted or disjointed response.
Some have complained about the boycotts in response to the cartoons. What’s wrong with Muslims exercising their freedom of choice? Boycotting is a common tactic for expressing displeasure, even if it doesn't directly affect those at the root of the displeasure.
In fact, in 2004, a group of Americans residing across the border from the Canadian town of Nelson, British Columbia threatened to boycott the town if it went ahead with the construction of a monument to U.S. Vietnam War draft dodgers. The construction of the monument was a form of expression, yet the town was threatened with severe economic repercussions if it had gone ahead with the construction of the monument. It didn’t.
Publishing and protesting are both forms of expression, and they must both be exercised within reasonable limits.
Muslims deserve an apology. And they seriously need to learn how to contain their emotions and express their displeasure using non-violent means.
But as long as the incorrect analysis of the issue as a “freedom of expression vs. Islamic stigma” battle remains, I'm afraid the vicious cycle of publications and protests, and more protests and more publications, will continue.
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10:52 PM
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Allah is the GREATEST!
If we have Allah in our lives we have everything, if we don't have HIM in our lives we have NOTHING...even though we might have all the material things of this world.
True contentment is found only in the obedience of Allah and following of the Sunnah of our Beloved prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).
The sinful soul is forever anxious and restless...to acquire true peace within ourselves we need to turn to the One who created peace, the source of all peace -ALLAH!
Comment and info on the disturbing slanders of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in the form of insulting cartoons to follow soon insha Allah. Make Dua and let's bring the Sunnah in our lives.
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7:11 PM
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