Extremisms newest victim – Doughnuts and Ice Coffee

Dunkin Doughnuts and the domestic queen of the small screen Rachael Ray became the latest victims of extremism, but it was not the “Jihadi Islamists” this time that threatened the free world. Rightwing extremism was at its best when it forced national chain Dunkin’ Doughnuts, known for their coffee and baked goods, to pull what had become a controversial online ad campaign featuring the Food Networks mega star, celebrity chef Rachael Ray.

In the advertisement Rachael Ray is seen in a park, standing in front of trees with pink blossoms and a building with a distinctive spire holding an iced coffee. The seemingly picturesque add is apparently not exactly what we are led to believe because a black and white checkered keffiyah that inconspicuously adorned her neck is actually "symbolic support for Muslim extremism and terrorism."

How could we have know if it were not for the ultra-conservative (rightwing) bloggers who have touted that the ad “casually promotes the symbol of Palestinian terrorism and the intifada, the keffiyeh, via Rachael Ray.” even labeling the clothing selections as “Jihadi chic”. How many Americans have been fooled into purchasing these delicious ice cold coffee drinks from the machinery of Jihadi Extremism!

Needless to say, Corporate America once again folded under the criticism of conservative would be pundits whose scare tactics continue to not only pressure, but to shape and change public perception and by association, corporate policies as well. Dunkin’ Doughnuts announced that it would no longer be using the Rachael Ray ads “because the possibility of misperception detracted from its original intention to promote our iced coffee.” So mindful of the implications of being labeled as sympathetic to Islamic Extremism, Dunkin’ Doughnuts went even further to explain the clothing selection “In a recent online ad, Rachael Ray is wearing a black-and-white silk scarf with a paisley design,” it said. “It was selected by a stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended.”

For all of the freedom these people claim to be defending, is it not hypocritical of them to attempt others to force others into conforming to their own ways. Is it wrong to wear anything that is reminiscent of the Middle East? Are we to close down that shwerma and falafel shop on the corner out of fear of ‘Culinary Jihad’? It is a sad day when corporations collapse so easily because of the paranoia of others.

Fundamental Difference Between Islam and Science

(a.k.a. Validating Islam through Science)

In an era of unprecedented access to information we have seen a dramatic rise in scientific understanding. Diseases that were once fatal have been cured or treated, examinations into the molecular level of almost every living thing is common place, we can even send people into space and yet with all of this knowledge there is still a longing by the majority of the world for something more profound. The information we feed our intellects does not always satisfy our soul (I would dare to say never does) so the vast majority of people turn their attentions towards a higher power. It is through the recognition of this higher power and its guidance do we begin to reconcile our soul and intellect; offering an insight and understanding into the unknown and unseen, the world that touches our very existence as well as explanations of the world before us, the one we touch within the constraints of our senses.

Physical sciences seek justification within the context of scientific method, using empirical evidence to explain the world around us. “Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena.” Thus it is through observation, experimentation and reproducible results (the key to scientific method) that people seek to rationalize the world around them. Theology, or the Science of Theology as some refer to it is “the systematic study of God and His divinity, the science concerning God ... the study and analysis and knowledge that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe, like creation, providence, salvation”

The fundamental difference can be seen not in the approach to the topics but the very nature of the topics themselves. One deals with the worldly while the other deals with the spiritual, but neither necessitates the cancellation or refutation of the other for each has its own space in our world. While physical sciences are based on tangible, measurable qualities, theology is based on the intangible, immeasurable quality of faith therefore it is to me irrational for one to use one to validate the other.

Scientists do not use religion, or more to the point do not use God to their work, why should we use science to try and prove God; the creator of all things, Allah (SWA) does not need to be validated through worldly science.

In the end we can see that in science they have faith (called theory) but seek to manifest this belief with statistical data produced from experimentation, but in theology (religion) there is faith, which seeks to manifest itself in spiritual peace and harmony, a sense of security in the life of the hereafter. While we can boast of the scientific miracles of the Qur’an we should never feel the need to justify Allah’s existence through science, his divine wisdom is most apparent in its spiritual nourishment. We can seek divine inspiration through the revelation of scientific understandings, and we can appreciate it was science that proved these inspiration, but science and theology should not be seen as contrary forces seeking to discredit each other, rather as two parts of the same coin, for all of this world, physical and spiritual is under the auspices of Allah (SAW).

Wisdom of the Fly

The oft maligned housefly, for millennia considered nothing more then a nuisance or pest was given a different standing in life just over 1400 years ago. That seemingly insignificant fly had other purposes beyond human understanding at that time, and only now have we began to understand its purpose and properties revealed centuries ago to the Prophet of Allah, through modern science.

Sahih Bukhari - Volume 4, Book 54, Number 537:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said "If a house fly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in the drink), for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for the disease."

As we see from the aforementioned hadith, there was an understanding about the nature of flies given to us by Allah through the Prophet Muhammad but only recently have we began to been able to understand this logic behind this.
“The surface of flies is the last place you would expect to find antibiotics, yet that is exactly where a team of Australian researchers is concentrating their efforts. Working on the theory that flies must have remarkable antimicrobial defences to survive rotting dung, meat and fruit, the team at the Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, set out to identify those antibacterial properties manifesting at different stages of a fly’s development.”

And so the search began to verify, even unknowingly the wisdom revealed 14 centuries ago, in hopes of finding a new antibiotic agent for curing more of today’s ailments.

"Our research is a small part of a global research effort for new antibiotics, but we are looking where we believe no-one has looked before,” said Ms Joanne Clarke, who presented the group’s findings at the Australian Society for Microbiology Conference in Melbourne this week.”

It was only through the study of that they were able to glean some understanding of the antibacterial nature of the fly.

“Flies go through the life stages of larvae and pupae before becoming adults. In the pupae stage, the fly is encased in a protective casing and does not feed. "We predicted they would not produce many antibiotics," They did not, However the larvae all showed antibacterial properties (except that of the Queensland fruit fly control). As did all the adult fly species…Such properties were present on the fly surface in all four species”

One would of course wonder how this relates to Islam and modern science, or specifically how it is overall beneficial to mankind, so let us look further

“The antibiotic material is extracted by drowning the flies in ethanol, then running the mixture through a filter to obtain the crude extract. When this was placed in a solution with various bacteria including E.coli, Golden Staph, Candida (a yeast) and a common hospital pathogen, antibiotic action was observed every time. We are now trying to identify the specific antibacterial compounds. Ultimately these will be chemically synthesised. Because the compounds are not from bacteria, any genes conferring resistance to them may not be as easily transferred into pathogens. It is hoped this new form of antibiotics will have a longer effective therapeutic life.”

So it is clear now, that Flies do indeed have antibacterial benefits even on their exterior body, and when put in context of revelation over 1400 years ago, is it not possible even for those who don’t believe in Islam of Allah, that there obviously was some understanding and wisdom behind this saying of the prophet?

Needless to say this is of course not the first time studies into the properties of flies has been conducted, and it is not a new premis, being able to trace this to at least 1927 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine entitled -

“BACTERIOPHAGE ISOLATED FROM THE COMMON HOUSE FLY (MUSCA DOMESTICA). BY RICHARD E. SHOPE, M.D. (From the Department of Animal Pathology of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, Princeton, N. Y.)” which concluded with:

Summary and Conclusions
1. Bacteriophage active against four species of bacteria was found
in a salt solution extract of house flies.

2. A growth-inhibiting principle, not bacteriophage, active against
four other species of bacteria was found to be present in the same


The search began a long time ago and will continue to go on from non Muslim scientists hoping for new antibiotics and from Muslim researchers hoping to scientifically prove further the miracles of the Quran and Wisdom of the Hadith.

To read about either study further online please visit:

For the study by The Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University -

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s689400.htm

For the Study in the Journal of Experimental Medicine please visit:

http://www.jem.org/cgi/reprint/45/6/1037 (properly referenced: J. Exp. Med. 1927 45: 1037-1044.)

There is of course, much more information on this subject, but to find specifically neutral resources that are unbiased and available online I chose the above mentioned studies. Further research will offer your more insight into the subject, however when verifying the nature of a religious saying, edict, or passage virtually all resources will of course be biased in the eyes of others, and will of course be conducted by the followers of the faith and thus their objectivity will questioned. In the end you must decide yourself weighing the “science” against the faith” to see if it makes sense to you, as for me – my faith needs to scientific proof, but it does make for an interesting article now and again.

When Good Ideas Go Very Bad

The case of Muhammad the Teddy Bear

As if the image of Islam had not already been attacked enough by outsiders, now we must contend with our own people destroying the image of Islam. The recent conviction of a woman in Saudi Arabia on charges of adultery after being raped was not only against the spirit of Islam, it was against reason. Now we must contend yet again with the very people who claim they are defending Islam, while tearing down the ideals of compassion and understanding.

Gillian Gibbons of Liverpool, England has been arrested in Khartoum, Sudan and charged with insulting Islam and/or the Prophet of Islam. I understand the need for laws against these actions; I firmly believe that your freedoms (of speech or religion) should not impede or override my own freedoms. However in this case, we have see this good idea go very bad.

Ms Gibbons is a schoolteacher who made the critical mistake of allowing her class of 6 and 7 year-old children name a class teddy bear. Following a British national curriculum course designed to teach young pupils about animals and this year's topic was the bear. She explained what it meant to vote and allowed the children to vote on a name for the bear, which garnered such suggestions as Abdullah, Hassan and Muhammad. Muhammad was chosen by 20 out of 23 students as their favorite name.
Each child was then allowed to take the bear home at weekends and told to write a diary about what they did with it. The children's entries were collected in a book with a picture of the bear on the cover and a title, which read, "My name is Muhammad."

For this horrific crime Ms Gibbons will be charged under article 125 of the criminal code, which covers insults against faith and or religion. For This crime she faces the possible punishments of up to six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine. The reasoning behind this is, in as much as I have been able to discover, is that it is forbidden in Islam to portray an image of a Prophet. It was not until this past Sunday, several months after the project had been initiated, that complaints of several parents led to her arrest. It is not surprising that the Ministry of Justice has no comment as of yet, perhaps needing more time to understand themselves the exact nature of the crime and how to explain it to the teacher, and by default her co conspirators of 6 and 7 year-olds, as well as the unavoidable media that this case will be sure to draw.

When other Muslim teachers who had children in her class were not offended, I find it interesting that we should buckle under the pressure of the few, who have mistakenly attacked this project as some form of defamation of the Prophet of Islam. For any discerning person who possesses any rational capability for reason, we would have just asked ourselves first – How is this possibly related to the Prophet any more then the millions of men and boys alike who share the same name? Not being satisfied with out own conclusions perhaps we would have gone to the teacher herself and asked her to explain her position, as none around her including the Muslim teachers she worked with felt she would have ever intentionally insulted Islam. Ley us hope that this whole case has been blown out of proportion and those involved realize it. Ms Gibbons did nothing wrong and is a victim of tragic ideals gone wrong, and now she and her students are fordced to deal with understanding what they did wrong, when in fact they did nothing wrong. May Allah guide us all!

Flower of Islam Blossoms During War

It is not unusual to meet soldiers who have embraced Islam during the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq, but it is not as often we read of the higher-ranking soldiers who accept the mercy of Islam. NATO International Security Assistance Force Commander for the Ghazni Province in Afghanistan, Captain Cormier Michael has publicly embraced Islam during his current post in the region. Captain Michael, who commands the 300 ISAF troops in Ghazni, has been studying books on Islam for the past five years, which lead him to the conclusion that ‘Islam is the first religion’.

The past ten months in Ghazni has only reinforced his beliefs, being impressed by the actions of his personal translator as well as the community around him. The ceremony held for his acceptance of Islam was attended by The Ghazni governor, district chief, provincial council members, local officials, elders, ISAF soldiers and students who celebrated with him for over 3 hours. Abdul Wahed as he is now known after changing his name gave a brief speech during the ceremony and during an interview afterwards added that: "Islam is a religion of peace and brotherhood, but terrorists and extremists are bringing a bad name to it."

Even during war, with all of its trials and tribulations, the purity and truth of Islam has opened another heart. This is just another in a long line of soldiers who have experienced this rejuvenation of faith, let us hope it continues and eventually helps to force the hand of the US government, making them abandon their tactics of occupation and devastation. When the people you send to destroy, become of those you seek to destroy, how long can you continue?

Al-Qaradawi on Iran

The prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi has once again made news headlines after a recent interview for Islam Online. When speaking on Iran’s nuclear projects the Sheikh said “Why should Iran or any other Muslim or African country be banned from having nuclear power while Israel and the US itself already have nuclear bombs?” and indeed we should ask ourselves why, or better, why not. Iran is one of the most stable countries in the region and arguably the most democratic. Iran is also a member of Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, which entitles it to pursue civilian nuclear energy. Needles to say, regardless of Israel’s official policy of “nuclear ambiguity”, its refusal to become a signatory of the Nuclear Non Proliferation treaty, the numerous private accounts its nuclear weaponry or its own admission the UN and moreover the US turn a blind eye (leaving it as the only nuclear country in the Middle East) while attempting to persecute Iran over its nuclear ambitions.

When asked about the possible actions against Iran if it continues its nuclear program Sheikh al-Qaradawi said, “It is obligatory on all Muslims to resist any possible attack the US might launch against Iran. Iran is a Muslim country which all Muslims should defend” After reading this I found several articles criticizing him for these words and I must say I was sorely dismayed that many of these criticisms came from Muslims. In Islam we refer to all Muslims collectively as our Ummah or nation, community or even family. Indeed we refer to each other as brothers and sisters and yet here I find people condemning this brave man for stating the obvious. Nowhere in our glorious history was it acceptable to sit idly by watching the invasion and persecution of our people, yet today we find excuses and blame those who seek to speak out against this.

Upon these answers he was asked about Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh’s Fatwa which warned Muslim men against being involved in conflicts outside their countries like the ongoing war in Iraq without getting permission from the rulers of their countries, al-Qaradawi said that this fatwa does not apply to the situation in countries like Iraq, Palestine and possibly Iran if it is attacked by the US. “When a Muslim country is invaded by some other country, all Muslims who are capable of doing jihad should spare no efforts in defending the invaded country. It is not true that Muslims should not go outside their countries to defend their fellow Muslims unless they get permission from the ruler of their country,” If anyone disagrees with Sheikh al-Qaradawi’s opinion on this I ask them, tell me who is actually leading the Muslim Ummah? What leaders are actually ruling by sharia? What countries are actually doing anything to ease the suffering of their brothers without putting themselves first?

We need to stop seeking to please the others, and go back to pleasing Allah, protecting our people, and standing up for what is Islamic and morally right (even if it is not politically right) and it is only through the efforts of such brave men not afraid to say what they believe in that we will learn and hopefully be inspired enough to actually do something. Going with the flow of the river is easy and will get you to your place faster then going against the flow but if that place is corrupted and hostile then you should go against it and return to where your from.

In the words of Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini the “Adoption of such stances by Islamic scholars will play a crucial role in preventing the U.S. and its allies from achieving their ambitious goals” Indeed Sheikh al-Qaradawi’s calls are not calls for wars of agression, they are calls for the prevention of hostility by giving forewarning of the dangers of starting unjust and illegal wars (see, Iraq) that will be resisted.

Fasting and the month of Sha’baan

The month of Sha’baan is upon us and with Ramadan fast approaching and it is time for us to reflect upon the merits of fasting as well as the month of preparation, the distinguished month o f Sha’baan. While the merits and virtues of fasting can tend to become a rather in depth topic, I hope to at least offer a glimpse into the reality of its blessings.

Fasting is a fundamental principle in Islam, prescribed by Allah in his word, Al Quran:

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint, - (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will, - it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.” Surah Al Baqara 02:183-184

But is this really an act suffering we are forced to endure with no purpose? Of course not! Allah is the Most Merciful, Oft Forgiving

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is' The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.” Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 128:

Allah’s mercy is ever abundant when we see that while “fasting is for Allah” it is still a protection for us against transgression, a shield which we will be rewarded for carrying. These examples abound, showing the mercy of Allah if we only take to heart (and action) that which he has prescribed for us.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times." Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 118

Allah has rewarded our patience and perseverance with the knowledge of its virtues, yet he still in his infinite Compassion goes further, multiplying the rewards of our good deeds by ten. But Allah does not need us it is we that need him, so be sincere in your actions:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)" Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 127

Now that we have reflected upon the act of fasting itself, let us look further into the month of Sha’baan and why it is important. The Prophet's example (the best) is all we need see to realize the virtues of Sha’baan:

“'A'isha, the Mother of the Believers (Allah be pleased with her), reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to observe fasts (so continuously) that we said that he would not break, and did not observe (them) till we said that he would not fast: and I did not see the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) completing the fast of a month, but that of Ramadan, and I did not see him fasting more in any other month than that of Sha'ban.” Sahih Muslim Book 006, Number 2580

While we know Ramadan is a sacred month in which we offer ourselves with fasting for the entire month, there are clear examples that the Prophet himself took advantage of Sha’baan to offer voluntary fasting more so then in any other month. It is important to note that the Prophet made a clear distinction between fasting and not fasting, and never fasted a full month besides Ramadan. An example for all, our Prophet was balanced:

Narrated Humaid:

I asked Anas about the fasting of the Prophet. He said "Whenever I liked to see the Prophet fasting in any month, I could see that, and whenever I liked to see him not fasting, I could see that too, and if I liked to see him praying in any night, I could see that, and if I liked to see him sleeping, I could see that, too." Anas further said, "I never touched silk or velvet softer than the hand of Allah's Apostle and never smelled musk or perfumed smoke more pleasant than the smell of Allah's Apostle." Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 3, Book 31, Number 194

So let us not go too far or not far enough. Let us follow the example of the Messenger of Allah and take advantage of Sha’baan:

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) did not observe fast in any month of the year more than in the month of Sha'ban, and used to say: Do as many deeds as you are capable of doing, for Allah will not become weary (of giving you reward), but you would be tired (of doing good deeds); and he also said: The deed liked most by Allah is one to which the doer adheres constantly even if it is small. Sahih Muslim Book 006, Number 2582

Let us take the blessings of our good deeds in Sha’baan and use them to prepare for Ramadan. Take advantage for ourselves with the fasting, and take advantage for all with our good deeds which will multiplied ten fold. In the end I wish only to remind it is the duty of every Muslim, man and woman to fast, and it is one of the actions that guarantees our place with Allah.

“For Muslim men and women, - for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise,- for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward. Surah Al Ahzab 33:35

Who are we?

In an era marred by the shadows of mistrust and ignorance there lie a people so misunderstood that abuse and aspersions are cast upon them with not much more then an apathetic response. International condemnation of Islam and Muslims has become a common place in the media where apologists seeking to pacify the general populations offer the meekest defenses for who and what we are.

We come from the four corners, we are Arab and Asian, we are European and American, we are white and black, we are Sunni and Shiaa, we are male and female, we are Muslim. We are those who follow the path of Allah as laid before us in the miracle of miracles, Al Quran. What is it that makes men from America, Russia, Egypt, and Pakistan brothers? Islam.

Regardless that there is currently between 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide the larger portions of non-Muslim societies remain ignorant of Islam and Muslims. What have we done as Muslims to allow them access to view us as more then the sensational headlines they read? Why do we sit as the stoic observer as their politicians use us as a political publicity tool?

We should not sit idly by allowing others to define who we are; we should stand up and let them see what a Muslim really is. So let us ask ourselves – who are we? Are we the crazed terrorist, rifle in one hand and bomb in the other? Or are we the UN loving apologist desperately seeking to just “fit in”? Do we need to present a bland subdued version of Islam, or is it the firebrand version of Islam calling for Jihad that we should hold up for all to see?

Islam is the perfect middle path as Allah has made clear - “Thus, have We made of you an Ummat justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves” Surah Al Baqara (2:143) - we have a balance between the extremisms of reckless immorality and overzealous prudence so we should not allow others to so easily pigeonhole into one category or another. Surely we have the best example for us - "Verily you have in the prophet of Allah an excellent model." Surah Al Ahzab (33:22) – so why don’t we follow this model? Until we as both individuals and as an Ummah can realize what Allah commands we will never be successful; until we know Islam we will never know ourselves.

"You are the best people ever raised for the good of mankind because you have been raised to serve others; you enjoin what is good and forbid evil and believe in Allah." Surah Al Imran (3:111)

The Great Divide - A brief history

Primarily when one looks at the divisions between Sunni Muslims and Shi'a Muslims they would logically see political differences that too an outsider’s point of view seems fairly insubstantial. While there is hundreds of thousands of pages written on this subject, I will endeavor to try shed some light on the subject, and hopefully we can all understand a little better exactly what the division is.

In 632 CE the beloved prophet of Islam passed from this world, and regrettably it was this singular event that would shape the Muslims world for centuries to come. Instead of a unifying event that caused the Muslims to come together closer, the opposite happened. Immediate reaction was one of angst and uncertainty. No successor had been directly named which presented problems as the majority of his Sahaba were inclined to elect a successor from among those who were most qualified. Upon their selection, the prophet’s close friend and companion Abu Bakr was given the title of Khalifa and asked to lead the Muslim ummah. After Abu Bakr it was then Umar ibn Al Kattab who was to lead, as it came to Uthman after him. The last of Al-Khulafa-ur-Rashidun (The Rightly Guided Khalifa) was Ali bin Abi Talib the prophets cousin and son-in-law.

It is Ali ibn Abi Talib that stands at the center of this controversy. While Ali himself did not demand to become a Khalifa at all, let alone become the first, there were however others who believed that the Khalifa of the Muslim ummah should come directly form the prophets line, specifically pointing to Ali and his lineage. To support their claims they refer to several hadith, which purportedly name Ali as the successor in one manner or another. From this point on the division would only grow.

Twenty-Five years later, after Abu Bakr as Saddiq, Umar ibn Al Kittab, and Uthman ibn Affan had all raised the mantle of Khalifa, Ali ibn Abi Talib was raised to Khalifa of the Muslim Ummah. While Ali proved to be of the highest standards and moral virtue, his time as Khalifa was marred by internal strife and conflict with several groups choosing to rebel against him, most notably Uthman’s cousin Mu’awiyah, the provincial governor of Syria, who under the guise of demanding justice for the killers of Uthman refused to accept Ali’s Caliphate. While Ali was able to overcome most of his battles, he could not subdue Mu’awiyah, and was eventually forced to negotiate some form of truce with him.

Shortly thereafter in the year 661 CE Ali ibn Abi Talib was betrayed and assassinated leaving even more uncertainty for those of Ahul Bayt -The People of the House (of the Prophet) – who followed Ali. Mu’awiyah would not accept Ali’s designation of his eldest son Hassan as Khalifa so he furthered his own claims as he pressed Hassan who would eventually yield the Caliphate to Mu’awiyah and relinquish his pursuit of it until Mu’awiyah death. Hassan however would not outlast Mu’awiyah, as his life would tragically end as his father before him and the two Khalifa before him, at the hands of an assassin. Hussein, Ali’s second son abided by his brothers agreements and did not pursue the Caliphate while Mu’awiyah was alive, understanding that it would pass back to him upon the death Mu’awiyah. Upon his death Mu’awiyah’s son Yazid attempted to usurp the Caliphate from Hussein.

The Shi’a see Yazid as a dissolute and illegitimate ruler who usurped Caliphate and betrayed the Prophets line. More then anything Yazid is seen as the one who commanded his armies to go against Hussein in what would become known as the Battle of Karbala. In an attempt to force Hussein to accept his leadership Yazid sent a force of at least 4,000 soldiers who surrounded Hussein at the Iraqi city of Karbala. After demanding his acceptance from Hussein and his family, Yazid was refused which angered him so much that he ordered them all killed. Hussein led a force of 72 men plus their women and children against the 4,000 or more soldiers from Yazid, the resulting slaughter would mark one of the most important dates in Shi’a history. Hussein and his followers were slaughtered and by many accounts their heads were brought back to Yazid. The heroic tales of Hussein and his men against insurmountable odds caused revolts and rebellions for almost 12 years.

The division between what would become known as the Sunni and Shi’a was now set. The lineage of Mu’awiyah and Yazid established the Umayyad Dynasty, passing the Caliphate down a hereditary line while pushing the Shi’a further away. In 750 CE the Umayyad dynasty had been all but destroyed by Abu Al Abbass al-Saffah during the Battle of Zab (on the shores of the Great Zab River in Iraq). When Abu Al Abbass al-Saffah, with considerable support from the Shi’a, overthrew the ruling Umayyad dynasty the Shi’a assumed that the great grandson of Hussein, Jafar As-Saiddiq would be made the Khalifa. However the arrangements for the ascension of Jafar had not been finalized when Abu Al Abbass died in 754 and Al Mansur, Abu Al Abbass’ son, in turn killed Jafar so that he could seize the Caliphate for himself. Al Mansur founded the Sunni dominated Abbasid Dynasty, which lasted until the thirteenth century.

The Prophet Muhammad led us in both our physical and spiritual needs, and so it has been that religion and politics have become entwined in Islam. The most common ways to control people are politics and religion, so it is not that hard to see how and why political leaders have used and manipulated religion to further their own causes as have religious leaders used and manipulated politics to suit their own needs. So it has been for over 1300 years, the political machinations of corrupted leaders have led to hardening of a division which should not exist, causing retaliatory actions from one side or the other as they seek retribution for the wrongs of the past.

The Great Divide

What exactly is the difference between the Shi’a and Sunni Muslims? What is it that makes them hate each other enough to shed the blood of our Ummah so willingly? It is a question I have pondered for many years, but never as much as I have since the invasion of Iraq by America. Since 2003 I have seen the Shi’a and Sunni Muslims of Iraq fight each other harder then they have fought the people who are occupying their lands. I felt it is time to delve deeper into the situation to try and discern a meaningful reason for why we should spill the blood of our own brothers.

The majority of Muslims, both Sunni and Shi’a believe in the basic principles of Salat (Prayer), Sawm (Fasting), Hajj (Pilgrimage) and Zakhat (Charity). Both Sunni and Shi’a believe in Tawheed (Generally referred to as The Oneness of Allah) and in the Rasul Allah Muhammad (Prophethood of Muhammad.). Fundamentally speaking, Shi’a and Sunni appear conform to the same boundaries.

Let us now move beyond the fundamentals of Islam, and look further for the differences. To help understand Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) the majority of Muslims look to a specific Madhab or school of thought for guidance. These madhab are named after the Imams who started them and for the Sunni they are, Hanafi (Imam Abu Hanifa), Shafi’ (Imam Shafi), Hanbali (Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal), Maliki (Imam Malik ibn Anas) with the Shi’a following the Ja’fari madhab (Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq). This is where we begin to see the differences appear between the Sunni and Shi’a as the Sunni follow the four madhab while the Shi’a refer to only the one, and while Sunni can recognize the Ja’fari madhab, the Shi’a do not follow the other four either preferring the Ja’fari over all others because of his direct lineage from Ali ibn Abu Taleb.

The lineage of Ali ibn Abu Taleb is where the break between Shi’a and Sunni becomes visible. Not only by way of the Ja’fari madhab but also in the ways of succession after the Prophet, specifically regarding Al-Khulafa-ur-Rashidun. The Sunni view as the majority of Muslims did at the time, that the Caliphate should go to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, followed by Umar ibn al-Khattab, who was followed by Uthman ibn Affan, which made Ali ibn Abu Taleb the fourth and last of the ‘Rightly Guided’ Calipha. For Shi’a, the first three Calipha are summarily dismissed because they believe the line of succession from the prophet should have fallen directly to Ali ibn Abu Taleb who had become the head of Ahl al-Bayt (People of the Prophets House).

Ahl al-Bayt seems to be the driving divide between the Sunni and Shia. Both Sunni and Shi’a use Quran and Hadeeth to support their claims, but if this is what is really dividing us – why? Why must we divide ourselves becoming so dynamically opposed to each other that blood flows when we meet?

In the 1950’s at the prestigious al Azhar University in Egypt several Sunni and Shi’a scholars came together to form the ‘Dar al-Taqreeb al-Madhahib al-Islamiyyah’ or ‘Center for bringing together the various Islamic schools of thought’. This would help lead Sheik Mahmood Shaltoot, the head of Al Azhar to issue a fatwa in 1959 which authenticated the Ja’fari Madhab as a legitimate school of thought, thus meaning the Shi’a are not outside the boundaries of Islam.

I am neither promoting nor detracting from either Sunni or Shi’a, my goal instead has been to try and shed some light into the political differences that seem to have caused a major division within our Ummah. It imperative that we determine each other as Muslims and respect our rights as brothers because only then can we begin to truly move forward as one Ummah. I leave you with this thought, a saying I have seen numerous times…

"Once the sword is unsheathed among my followers, it will not be sheathed until the Last Day."

9/11 – A view from the other side

On September 11, 2001 a series of events took place that would eventually see 2,973 people die because of a series of terrorist attacks. Within a few hours the world would watched the events unfold as reports of the tragedies flowed freely from every media outlet. Whether it be print, film or internet, we were deluged with vivid imagery and reports that haunted us, we were asked questions that that could not be answered. For 5 years I have read the heroic tales of rescue workers, who risked their lives, and I have seen the stories of the wicked Al-Qaeda conspirators, and I have even seen the victims rise to the level of martyr.

As a Muslim, and American I have witnessed the prejudice, been asked the questions, and suffered innumerable assumptions. Oft forgotten in the post 9/11 Islamophobic tendencies of the media, is that the majority of Muslims condemned the actions that transpired on that day. For the families of several hundred victims the grief and sorrow, anguish and despair has been compounded by constant suspicion, hatred and prejudice. For these families I have written this article.

For the Muslim victims of 9/11 I offer remembrance, and tribute to those who were lost but should never be forgotten. May Allah bless them and have mercy upon them all.

A 23-year-old New York City police cadet who was a part-time ambulance driver, incoming medical student, and devout Muslim disappeared on September 11. Law enforcement officials came to his family, seeking him for questioning in relation to the terrorist attacks. Salman Hamdani’s family never believed he would be involved but were forced to dl with the suspicions for over 6 months, until his remains were finally identified. He was found near the North Tower, with his EMT medical bag beside him, presumably doing everything he could to help those in need

On the morning of September 11, 2001 Mohammad Chowdhury prayed salat-al-fajr with his wife Baraheen Ashrafi who was 9 months pregnant. This was the last time she saw him. Baraheen gave birth just 48 hours later to their son Farqad.

Rahma Salie was 7 months pregnant and traveling to California with her husband Michael Theodoridis (who was also a Muslim) to attend the wedding of a friend. Their story did not end when American Airlines #11 slammed into the North Tower; Rahma's name was initially put on an FBI watch list, because her "Muslim-sounding" name was on the passenger manifest, and her travel patterns were similar to those of the hijackers (she was a computer consultant living in Boston). Although her name was eventually removed from the list, several of her family members were barred from taking flights to her memorial service.

Shabir Ahmed immigrated to America from Bangladesh in hopes of finding a better life. He dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but as a devoted father of 3, he settled for a job as a waiter in the Windows of the World restaurant to provide for his family, ensuring that his kids would continue on to college. He left behind a wife 3 children.

Tariq Amanullah was assistant vice president of computer information technology at Fiduciary Trust Co. International, and a team member of the ICNA website. Known to his family for coming home after long hours of work, and sitting to help his children with their studies, Tariq was also earnestly interested in world affairs, and following the cricket scores back in his native home of Pakistan. He leaves a wife and 2 children.

Touri Bolourchi was a retired nurse born in Tehran, who spoke 6 languages. She moved to the United States with her daughter in 1979 while her husband, Akbar Bolourchi joined them two years later. She had just spent two weeks with her daughter and two grandsons in Boston although her husband said his wife had not been to Boston for two years because she was afraid of airplanes. Touri was not supposed to be aboard Flight 175, but she decided to stay a few extra days in Boston to visit her daughter and two grandchildren while her husband, Abkar, flew home to Los Angeles on the flight she, too, had originally planned to take.

When the 32-year-old Nezam Ahmad Hafiz, who was appointed captain of the American Cricket Society last year, flashed his toothy grin, people took notice. A claims analyst for Marsh & McLennan, he was recruited by the Guyanese national team at 19, and toured Barbados, Jamaica and other islands throughout the West Indies, and the Caribbean. Nezam lived for the moment, “He had a certain strut, a certain bounce." And he never planned for the future saying 'tomorrow would provide for itself.

Khalid Shahid, of Union, N.J., arrived at work unusually early on Tuesday to attend a company meeting at Cantor Fitzgerald, on the 103rd floor of World Trade Center. Son of a Pakistani father and Colombian mother, Shahid, graduated Montclair State College and was a talented tennis player. Life was looking promising for Shahid, he was engaged to be married in November and had just bought a house in Mount Olive, N.J.

Mohammed Shajahan had a home and young family in comfortable Spring Valley, N.Y., and commuted five days a week to a job in lower Manhattan. There, he was an up-and-coming computer administrator for the insurance brokerage Marsh & McLennan on the 96th floor of Tower One at the World Trade Center. He helped two brothers immigrate to New York and constantly was engaged in giving assistance of all kinds to friends, family members -— even people he barely knew —- in his hometown of Asadpur in southeast Bangladesh. Trying to live the ‘American dream’ He operated a convenience store for a time, studied computer science at Pace University, before working his way up to a good-paying job at Marsh & McLennan. Shajahan and wife Mansura were active members of the Mosque of Jerrahi Order in Chestnut Ridge, N.Y. where the mosque operates an ambitious social outreach program, and Shajahan was an enthusiastic volunteer. according to sister-in-law Ruby Zigrino. He left behind a wife and 4 children.

In the end putting a face on victimization is just as easy as putting a face on terrorism. “If any one slew a person… it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” Al-Maeda 5:32

Partial List of Muslim 9/11 Victims:

Note: This list is as yet incomplete and unconfirmed. It has been compiled from the Islamic Circle of North America, the Newsday victims database, and reports from other major news organizations.

Samad Afridi, Ashraf Ahmad, Shabbir Ahmad, Umar Ahmad, Azam Ahsan, Ahmed Ali, Tariq Amanullah, Touri Bolourchi, Salauddin Ahmad Chaudhury, Abdul K. Chowdhury, Mohammad S. Chowdhury, Jamal Legesse Desantis, Ramzi Attallah Douani, SaleemUllah Farooqi, Syed Fatha, Osman Gani, Mohammad Hamdani, Salman Hamdani, Aisha Harris, Shakila Hoque, Nabid Hossain, Shahzad Hussain, Talat HussainMohammad Shah Jahan, Yasmeen Jamal, Mohammed Jawarta, Arslan Khan Khakwani, Asim Khan, Ataullah Khan, Ayub Khan, Qasim Ali Khan, Sarah Khan, Taimour Khan, Yasmeen Khan, Zahida Khan, Badruddin Lakhani, Omar Malick, Nurul Hoque Miah, Mubarak Mohammad, Boyie Mohammed, Raza Mujtaba, Omar NamoosMujeb Qazi, Tarranum Rahim, Ehtesham U. Raja, Ameenia Rasool, Naveed Rehman, Yusuf Saad, Rahma Salie & unborn child, Michael Theodoridis, Shoman Samad, Asad Samir, Khalid Shahid, Mohammed Shajahan, Naseema Simjee, Jamil Swaati, Sanober Syed, Robert Elias Talhami, W. Wahid

Please forgive me for any names I have missed, understand there are many more people missing, however a truly complete compilation of the Muslim victims has yet to be complete.

The Niqab Controversy

The flames of controversy over religious and individual rights continue to burn, the darkened embers of our Ummah providing the fuel for those whishing to stoke the fire.

The latest furor comes from England where certain politicians have taken a stand against the Muslimah’s right to wear niqab. Recent comments by Jack Straw, the MP for Blacburn, caused controversy and conflict when he called on Muslim women to stop wearing veils. Furthermore he said the coverings made “better, positive relations” between communities “more difficult”. He said the practice of concealing features was “a visible statement of separation and of difference”.

A statement of this nature is misinformed, illogical and selectively discriminatory based on ones religious beliefs. Considering that 30% of his constituency is Muslim, one would think Mr. Straw would be more responsible; Straw should realize that his job is to represent the interests of the constituency not to alienate one third of it.

But Jack Straw is not alone, indeed more British politicians feel the need to defend Mr. Straw and his decision to ask women to remove their niqab when the come to him as part of his constituency. Another MP, Harriet Harman recently said “Wearing a full face veil harms women's participation in society and effectively bars them from becoming an MP” and thus women should not wear the niqab. Trevor Phillips, who heads the Commission for Racial Equality was also asked about whether full-face veils should be allowed in the classroom, and went so far as to say "If I were the head teacher in that school, I would probably say that veils should not be worn in the classroom."

I do not know what I should feel more, anger at the arrogance of these people or sadness at the ignorance and misunderstanding that they possess. They defend and justify their positions base on the idea “If you can’t read their face that does provide some separation.” However this statement has no credibility under any scrutiny. Jewish men wear the yamikahs, Catholic nuns where a habbitt, Ethiopian and Indian woman wear forms of head coverings, Hindu men where turbans, all of which are meant to offer a form of separation based on ones own cultural or religious beliefs. Each individual uses their clothing or looks as a means to identify their beliefs it is our ability to see this and understand which allows us to deal appropriately with each person base on our understanding of their customs.

The inability to adapt combined with ineffective communication will set cultural reform back decades if it is not corrected. Let them stop talking about the intolerance of others and take a closer look at their own intolerances. A society which decry’s women for dressing modestly, celebrates women for dressing scantily, and judges people base on their looks rather then their actions is one small step away from the oppression and persecution indicative of the medieval dark ages.

Guantanamo and the Hypocrisy of World Politics

It seems as if the saga of the worlds “Symbol of injustice and Abuse” known as the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center will never end. On September 06, 2006 President Bush announced that fourteen suspected terrorists are to be transferred to the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp and admitted that these suspects have been held in CIA black sites (whose existance had previously been denied). These 14 “high ranking” figures caught mostly between 2002-2003 had not been charged with any crimes until September 11, 2006, the timing of which begs to ask if it was mere coincidence or publicity stunt.

These events have refueled Eutropean critismn of Guantamo and the call for closure of the US dention/interrogation center. The latest critic, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett called for its closure as well calling it ‘unacceptable’ and claiming that it only fuels Islamic radicalism. To slam the US for its practices seems to be a rising trend in Europe however let us not be fooled into believing the hype of ‘public politics’. Hypocrisy is alive and well. According to documents made public this month in London, officials there recently rejected a U.S. offer to transfer 10 former British residents from Guantanamo to the United Kingdom, arguing that it would be too expensive to keep them under surveillance. Britain has also staved off a legal challenge by the relatives of some prisoners who sued to require the British government to seek their release.

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also decried the abuses at Guantanmo calling for its closure while Germany had refused a Turkish citizen who was born and raised in Germany finally permitting him to return from Guantanamo in August 2006, four years after the German government turned down a U.S. proposal to release him.

Virtually all European governments have been vocal in their denouncement of Guantanmo Bay, however almost everyone of them have rebuffed any attempts to transfer or release prisoners/former prisoners to these countries. Over 100 countries refused even those seeking asylum after being cleared and released before Albania (the largest European Muslim country) accepted them.

This is hypocrisy at its best, the US who is the role of modern democracy and freedom is seen for what it is regarding Guantanmo:

“As a lawyer brought up to admire the ideals of American democracy and justice, I would have to say that I regard this a monstrous failure of justice. The military will act as interrogators, prosecutors and defence counsel, judges, and when death sentences are imposed, as executioners. The trials will be held in private. None of the guarantees of a fair trial need be observed.” Lord Steyn prominent former UK Judge

In an effort to ease its public relations nightmare, the US has sought to release several prisoners to their countries of residence, however they have been met with very blunt refusals by their closest allies who see it as “an American problem” – from Germany refusing to accept a legal German resident because he had failed to renew his German residency permit while he was locked up in Guantanamo, to England refusing to accept two residents who had legally immigrated to England in 1984 and 1994, because they did not have citizenship. It is also interesting to note that in this case, the men were seized in 2002 during a business trip to West Africa, taken to a secret CIA prison in Afghanistan and later shipped to Cuba, all which occurred because British agents informed the CIA of their whereabouts after the two men had refused to work as informants for MI5 in London.

In the end we have the US and it hypocrisy being bitten by European hypocrisy and what we are left with is over 400 people suffering the abuses of “the gulag of our times”. May Allah protect all of those who suffer abuse and injustice.

No Appologies Needed

Over the years I have experienced a vast array of different ideologies regarding Islam. There is one particular mentality that I have found primarily in ‘The West’ that is bothersome to me and in this article I hope to bring out this mentality and correct what I believe to be a very sad and potentially detrimental ideology. As to what I am referring to, it is what I call the “Apologist” Muslim mentality.

An apologist Muslim is usually a well intentioned Muslim who feels he must defend Islam against non-believers but usually does so with self-defeating mentality attempting to show how Islamic beliefs are no different or are at least very similar to those of the western world. If we are accused of having totalitarian regimes running our countries, they try to show how democratic Islam is. When confronted about Jihad they try to explain how Muslims were only defending themselves. When told women are treated poorly in Islam, the apologist attempts to rationalize polygamy with restrictions, they offer rationale regarding how kind and gentle Muslims are.

To these well intentioned people I must say one thing “No apology needed” – We as Muslims have the perfect religion which needs no justifications, which needs no defense. Take pride in Islam. The uniqueness of Islam was revealed when Allah said:

"This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as your religion Islam." Surah Maida 05:03

Completed his favor and Perfected our religion. Where else has Allah said this? To whom else has he said this? Moreover how and why do we need to justify Islam? Simply said, we do not. We need to be proud of our Islamic legacy. Islam is Perfect and free of flaws as evidenced by the following surah:

“This Qur'an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book - wherein there is no doubt - from the Lord of the worlds.” Surah Yunus 10:37

We should not be living to satisfy any other then Allah; we are not here to pacify the sensibilities of those who differ from us; we are here to follow the path that Allah has laid out before us; we are here to please Allah. We need no justification for those who know, we do need comparisons. When confronted about what the Muslims are doing around the world – terrorism, polygamy, and tyranny – I say to them ‘Judge the people by book (al-Quran) not the book by the people’. Most confrontations and following justifications are coming from ignorance; people with an outside perspective judging from what they have heard about Islam. Ask them this before responding ‘What do you know about Islam? Not what have you heard about Islam, but what do you know’ and you will find most do not know much about the topic they are attacking.

“And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble (dignity).” Surah Al-Muzzammil 73:10

Do not be harsh in your response. It is our responsibility to go forth and educate them about what Islam really is because you can not have an effective dialogue with the uniformed. Islam is not something for the casual observer, it is a way of life, and to understand it in context we must educate ourselves as well. We need not apologize for our beliefs, we need not justify them, all we need is to look towards the perfect revelation, the living miracle known as the Quran and the example for all mankind who was our beloved prophet Muhammad. It is within these boundaries that will find our reason and rationale; it is here we will know the truth and have no doubts. To doubt, or justify Islam, is to doubt or justify Allah whose attributes include Malik Al-Mulk (The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty) so let us take pride in Islam and not hide behind a veil of apologetic assimilation.

Last Words

I see the bombs explode
I watch the blood flow
The smell of death
Fills my nose

I run and fall
As you break through my walls
Tears of pain
Cover my shame

I watch your plan
To steal our land
And with no remorse
You stay your course

How many must die
As we stand and cry
How do we deal with the injustice
As the world watches us

I now will pay the price
For my peoples freedom
With pride and sacrifice
I offer my life

No Honor in Honor Killings

Honor killings are a time honored tradition that have taken place in all areas of the world from Europe and the Americas, to Africa and the Middle East and almost all places in between. While we have seen many places make strides to abolish this practice, it is still a problem happening across the world.

The countries most notorious for honor killings are Middle Eastern countries or “Muslim” countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine (although India is not an “Arab” or “Muslim” country it too ranks very high in international honor killing statistics). This however leads to the general impressions that honor killings are somehow related to the Islam which feeds into a general xenophobic mentality against Islam and Muslims; and this phenomenon is used by the racists and the religious dogmatist alike as yet another stick with which to beat Muslims, attempting to characterize these murders as condoned by Islam and Muslims.

“Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit: who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an messenger” Surah Al-Isra 17:15

The above mentioned verse clearly demonstrates that in Islam a Muslims understand the basic principle of “No person bears the sins of another” because we know Allah is “Ar-Rahim” the most merciful. If there is no burden or sin to be endured by the family, then their can be no dishonor done to them; surely no dishonor worthy of the death penalty.

“Like all other religions, Islam strictly prohibits murder and killing without legal justification. Allah, Most High, says, “Whoso slayeth a believer of set purpose, his reward is Hell for ever. Allah is wroth against him and He hath cursed him and prepared for him an awful doom.” Surah An-Nisa’: 93
The so-called “honor killing” is based on ignorance and disregard of morals and laws, which cannot be abolished except by disciplinary punishments.
Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr
former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee

The custom of Honor Killings is purely a cultural tradition that predates Islam; Honor Killings are not even unique to Muslims societies, and are not even indicative of all Muslim countries. The extent of cultures following the 'honor ethic' is more geographical than ideological, comprising the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean regions.

This tradition or custom must stop, there is no reason any civilized person should continue to practice such acts, and moreover it goes against the most fundamental beliefs in Islam. I leave you with this Surah which was brought to my attention by a good friend:

“The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practise regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.” Surah At Tawba 9:71

And with this final thought in the mode of socio-linguistics I tell you “Forgive” is mentioned 69 times in the Quran and 111 times in Sahih Bukhari while “Revenge” is mentioned just twice in the Quran and only 12 times in Sahih Bukhari.

Honour killings outside the world of Islam

In India, for example, many such murders are committed by Hindus and Sikhs. For some Hindus, an honor killing may be motivated by a woman marrying across caste boundaries. In 2003, a young couple who fell in love at University and contracted a secret marriage. Her family disapproved of the match due to his low status in the caste system. They were both forced to drink poison with scores of witnesses to their agonizing deaths. Most cases in India occur in Punjab and Haryana (in which two provinces one out of every ten murders is an honor killing) and parts of western Uttar Pradesh. Many of these murders are ordered by an informal judicial system of caste panchayat, which is a self-proclaimed body consisting of village elders, from which women are excluded. Mangal Singh, a Sikh interviewed in Amritsar, claimed that the 17 women and children killed within his family were willing 'martyrs' in the name of family pride.

Honor killing also happens in Christian communities in the Mediterranean and other regions. The culture of Ancient Rome allowed the father to kill his children if he deemed necessary. Honor killing was only abolished as a specific category in Italy in 1981, and murders in the name of honor still occur in the country - In 2006, Bruna Morito was shot six times in the face by her brother for bearing a child outside marriage. In Brazil, men could be acquitted for murdering their wives up until 1991, and there have been 800 recorded such murders in a single year. Even in 1991, a lower court ignored the ruling of the Supreme Court and acquitted Joao Lopes for the double homicide of his wife and her lover. In fact, the opposition of the woman as the vessel of familial honor and the man as its protector was widespread throughout the southern European region, although it is not clear how many murders are committed in the name of honor at the present time.

Even within the Middle East, honor killing is not restricted to Muslims. In Yemen, a Jewish father killed his daughter after a rebuke from the rabbi for her extra-marital pregnancy, and in Palestine, in 2005, Faten Habash was beaten to death with an iron bar, wielded by her Christian father because she wanted to marry her Muslim boyfriend.

Women in Islam

We as an ummah have seen the rights of women steadily erode over the last 1400 years, to a point that cultural and social practices supersede the rights guaranteed to women by Allah, as seen in the Quran and Hadith. The rights that are inherent in Islam are taken for granted by societal misconceptions leading to the degradation of our women.

Allah has given us the guide by which we live our lives, and he has offered the perfect example to model ourselves after. I feel it is imperative that we look closer at the way we treat or allow others to treat women, and judge these actions according to the way of Allah. Let us begin our work in understanding a woman’s role in Islam by going to the source of Allah’s words:

“For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.” Holy Quran 33:35

This is one of the most prolific versus in stating the significance of women in Islam because her role is stated unequivocally as that with a man. The term “men and women” associating their actions as the same is repeated not once or twice, but it is mentioned ten times ending in “for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.”. Men and women, for them, not him and not her, but for them is a great reward.

Is man somehow a more perfect creation then his counterpart? Again let us look to the most definitive source for the answer:

“O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. Reverence Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for Allah ever watches over you.” Holy Quran 4:1

“And among His signs is this that He has created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them; and He has put love and mercy between you. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect.” Holy Quran 30:21

In the abovementioned verses it is clear that Allah has created man and woman from a single “person” and of “like nature” and that He has created us to “dwell in tranquility” and he put “love and mercy” between us. If you look at the verses closely you notice that Allah mentions man and woman were created the same, with similar natures and are to live together in peace. It was not revealed with one in a position of superiority over the other.

Marriage gives special importance to women as well as evidenced in the Quran and the Hadith. Women have been given rights in Islam that were not seen elsewhere for hundreds of years. The nature of marriage was revealed in many ways, one of which describes the family unit that comes from wedlock:

“And Allah has made for you your mates of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best.” Holy Quran 16:72

Describing a man and his wife Allah once again uses a most beautiful metaphor to describe them:

“They (your wives) are your garment and you are a garment for them.” Holy Quran 2:187

This simple statement means so many things if one but looks sincerely. “The garment is the grace, the beauty, the embellishment of the body, so too are wives to their husbands as their husbands are to them." – A garment helps preserve our modesty, just as a husband and wife protect each others modesty; a garment offers comfort and security to ones body just as husband and wife offer security and comfort to each other. Such a simple statement that means so much. The relationship between man and woman is described further ensuring certain protections for her; Allow me to offer a few evidences:

“Live with them in kindness; even if you dislike them, perhaps you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good” Holy Quran 4:19

“Then keep them in all decency or part from them decently. It is not lawful for you to take anything you have given them” Holy Quran 2:229

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "A matron should not be given in marriage except after consulting her; and a virgin should not be given in marriage except after her permission." The people asked, "O Allah's Apostle! How can we know her permission?" He said, "Her silence (indicates her permission)." Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 67

The afore mentioned versus describe three very important aspects regarding women and marriage; First we find the Quran warns men, not women to live in kindness with his wife because Allah knows what we do not, and surely his wife can have goodness that he will not see until he opens his heart. We then move onto another verse directed to men regarding their wives, and it is a command “keep them in decency” and if that can not be done then to “leave them decently” and this too is something that seems so simplistic today, but when one sees how Allah wanted men to treat women over 1400 years ago, it becomes an amazing change of social and cultural customs that were so prevalent during this period of history. The last verse is in fact a Hadith chosen for the subject that it clarifies. Through social and cultural traditions it had become common then and even today to force ones daughter into a marriage she had no choice in. This hadith clearly demonstrates that women should not be given against their will, and even more important is that it says "Her silence (indicates her permission).” the significance of which is that if her silence is her permission, then it is not only allowing but promoting that a woman actually voice her objection and be heard. This is something not always common even by todays standards.

I will leave off with the most important role of a woman. We have seen the woman as an individual, and as a wife, now let us look at her as a mother. The most important role of a woman is as a mother, so important that the Rasool Allah said:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

A man came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Who is more entitled to be treated with the best companionship by me?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man said. "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man further said, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man asked for the fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your father." Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 2:

I could say so much more about the importance, and significance of women in Islam but for now I will save that for another article. I urge all Muslims to carefully look at the role of women in Islam and take a closer look at some of the most influential women in Islam – Khadija bint Khuwaylid, Aishah bint Abi Bakr, Sumayyah Bint Khabbab, Nasibah bint Ka'b al-Maziniyyah to name but a few of the many Muslimah who helped forge the path of Islam and shape our Ummah in their own ways.

The Definition of Occupation

“Nu'man b. Bashir reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever.” Sahih Muslim Book 032, Number 6258:

When I read this Hadith, my heart fills with sadness because so many of us do not realy feel the importance of it. We do not see the significance of feeling the pain and sorrow of our brothers and sisters around the world. The ummah of the prophet Muhmammed (PBUH) is indeed one body, but perhaps our sickness has gotten so bad it has made us numb to the pain we should be feeling from our hurting limbs. I recently came across this poem written by an 11th grade Palestianian and perhaps the first dose of medicine to heal ourself will come from not forgetting -

The Definition of Occupation

Occupied, terrorized, genocide / while the whole world is hypnotized,

Sixty years, incessant tears / no day passes by without countless fears

For our lives, our wives, our children cry / yet the world turns away, and our spirits die.

For my land, I do stand / but I remain hopeless without a helping hand,

Oppression, suppression, depression / of every aspect of my life, you've taken possession,

Our weapons are stones, to protect our homes / but your bulldozers win and terror roams,

Yours are tanks, helicopters, and military jeeps / to kill the young man, as his mother weeps,

You control our electricity, you control our seas / you control our streets, and uproot our trees,

You close our schools, our children can't learn / you deny the refugees their right to return,

Suffering orphans, under your persecution / when they rise up, they face execution,

Families are separated, and farmers (merely) recall / the land they lost by your Apartheid Wall,

Through your diplomacy and your foreign relations /you attempt to justify and give credence to your occupation,

Palestine is my land, and I won't let you take it /and while you put the world to sleep, I try to wake it.

Abdelnasser Rashid,
April 15, 2006
11th Grade student
PALESTINE

Charity - A Muslim's Obligation

With over 1 billion people in the world living with a consumption level below $1, and nearly 3 billion with consumption levels below $2, poverty has become a global catastrophe. Poverty wears many faces, changing from place to place, and has been described in numerous ways. Poverty is a call to action, a call to change the world so that more people may have enough to eat, have adequate shelter, or access to education and health.

Charity as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary: 1: benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity. 2: generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also: aid given to those in need

Charity as defined by Islam: One of the Five Pillars of Islam. An aspect of our din that is so important it is specifically mentioned in 57 different ayat in al-Quran and 284 sahih hadith from Bukhari and Muslim.

There is Zakat which is obligatory upon every Muslim; however we often forget the rewards of everyday charity. Giving above and beyond what is required of us. In Islam we understand the varying degrees of charity and whom they apply to; One should work and offer of his earnings, if one can not work, then they can volunteer their time and efforts to the poor and needy, if at last the can not do that, then they should encourage others to do good deeds.

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr:
A person asked Allah's Apostle "What (sort of) deeds in or (what qualities of) Islam are good?" He replied, "To feed (the poor) and greet those whom you know and those whom you don't know." Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 2, Number 27

As you can see, the virtue of charity is looked upon with the utmost importance. The often forgotten attribute of our Islamic character, charity is so important that time and time again in the Quran Allah ties prayer and charity together in the same verses.

“And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship)” Holy Quran 2:43

“But those among them, who are well-grounded in knowledge, and the believers, believe in what hath been revealed to thee and what was revealed before thee: And (especially) those who establish regular prayer and practice regular charity and believe in Allah and in the Last Day: To them shall We soon give a great reward.” Holy Quran 4:162

In the second Surah of the Quran, Al-Baqara, the references to prayer followed by charity is mentioned no less then 5 times. Is this by accident? No, we know that Allah chose for us the most perfect message in Al-Quran and the lessons he repeats throughout are the lessons that are more important then others. Should not we take heed to these words? The command for charity, for support of your family, friends, and community is something fundamental to the Muslim Ummah.

Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself." Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 2, Number 12

The command for charity is something that is something that is enjoined upon every Muslim, often referring to both men and women, or to “people” in general making his commands universal:

“For those who give in Charity, men and women, and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward.” Holy Quran 57:18

Narrated Haritha bin Wahab:
I heard the Prophet saying, "O people! Give in charity as a time will come upon you when a person will wander about with his object of charity and will not find anybody to accept it, and one (who will be requested to take it) will say, "If you had brought it yesterday, would have taken it, but to-day I am not in need of it” Sahih Bukhari Volume 2, Book 24, Number 492

Charity is something best done for no other reward then the pleasure of Allah; No want of reward or expectations should be placed on charity because it is a good deed meant for the heart of the giver and the recipient. Islam asks for and rewards selflessness.

“Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by day, in secret and in public, have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” Holy Quran 2:274

Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. They are: …
(6) A person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity). Sahih Bukhari Volume 2, Book 24, Number 504

The act of charity is something meant for all of mankind to participate in for the benefit of all mankind. Muslims have been commanded by Allah and shown the examples of the Rasool Allah, we can not and should not want, except for wanting Allah; we should not need, except needing Allah; Our duty, our desire; For Allah, for ourselves and for all mankind let us endeavor to put and end to crisis of world poverty.

Unity in Islam

What was it that made the Muslim nation so strong throughout history? What is it that has weakened the Muslim nation today so much? The answer to these questions is the same.

Unity, one word with so many implications. We have been forced apart through internal and external conflicts, and yet we still voluntarily separate ourselves by nationality, race, ethnicity, social and economic differences, even to the extent that we use Islam to separate us from one another. This is how we have fallen so far from the grace of Allah.

Islam has given us the answers we need. Islam is a unifying force throughout the universe, but it is most readily seen in the actions of Muslims. The Prophet taught to believe in Allah, and Allah taught to love one another as brothers.

“The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So take reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy.” Noble Quran 49:1

What is the implication of this verse? A singular, clear, and unmistakable proof of how we are to interact with each other. The Muslim, no matter who, no matter where, is a brother unto each other. Allah provides us with many examples for this ideology

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's Favor on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren, and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat clear to you, that you may be guided.” Noble Quran 3:103

It is time that we the Muslims nation once again unite in the worship of Allah, and watch the family of Islam reclaim its pride and dignity once again. We must come together and recognize the method Allah laid before for success, including the treatment of each other. We can not afford to separate ourselves, we can no longer destroy the Muslim nation with the trivialities. Let us treat each other as Allah planned, look once again to the Quran for this guidance in the first sentence of Surah 48: Al Fath (The Victory), ayat 29

"strong against unbelievers but compassionate amongst each other" Noble Quran 48:29

We should also look into the best example of all mankind, the Prophet Muhammad to see what he said and how he acted, to perpetuate this feeling of brotherhood.

“Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Verily. Allah would say on the Day of Resurrection: Where are those who have mutual love for My Glory's sake? Today I shall shelter them in My shadow when there is no other shadow but the shadow of Mine.” Sahih Muslim Book 032, Number 6225:

Seek refuge in the shelter of Allah’s shadow simply by loving for the sake of Allah, caring for your fellow Muslims for no other reason then the pleasure of Allah. Let us look further into the Hadith for further examples

“Abu Musa reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A believer is like a brick for another believer, the one supporting the other.” Sahih Muslim Book 032, Number 6257:

“Nu'man b. Bashir reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever.” Sahih Muslim Book 032, Number 6258:

When giving commands regarding the Islamic brotherhood, the Qur’an uses a beautiful style with a profound message. Using a singularity of expression when referring to different words, the Quran imparts a sense of oneness with exceptional fluency. Instead of saying, "greet each other" it says, "greet yourself." Noble Quran 24:61. Instead of saying, "do not defame each other," it says, "do not defame yourself." Noble Quran 49:11. Instead of saying, "The message is clear: Whatever is happening to others in the brotherhood, is actually happening to yourself. It is this sense of self, this inclusive sense of family that will allow us to restore the honor and pride to our nation.