If you’re stupid when you were young, there’s a chance you grow up to become stupid old man –if you don’t change along the way-.
If you’re mean, ignorance, stubborn, harsh, selfish, cruel, bully, or enjoy treating people bad when you were young, the same character will stick with you as your age added up –if you don’t do nothing about it-.
Becoming older doesn’t necessary make you wiser, better, knowledgeable person.
It required an effort to become a better man/women. Physical devotion, time allocation, financial spending, and most of the time: self-consciousness.
Learning, contemplating, taking input, acknowledging mistake we make; none of those sort kind of things are taken for granted.
Learning is never ending process.
The only thing that can stop us from learning, becoming better person is only one thing, our grave/death.
I always believe that people are born equal. Some people are granted by born from a good parent and at a good condition, others don't.
As we grew old, the ability to diferentiate what's wrong and what's right should also grew.
However, in some people, they kill that ability. Remain childish. Became ignorance. Stay dumb.
What cause it..?
The easiest answer is that the people have distance with God.
We have a soul, a heart, that enable us to feel and contribute on each decision which we took everyday. If this part lost from us, (in my opinion) we are no longer considered as a human. We have no different than an animal. Do what we want-do what we like. A destructive freedom. Hurting-destroying ourself and others.
A soft heart is form by understanding ourself, knowing where we came from (a filty seed), what we need to do, and where will we end up at (heaven or hell).
Putting our head at ground (sujud) will create a humble attitude (that God is the greatest and we are nothing compare to He).
Pray or ask for things, will position us as a servant whom always need God help.
Live is not just at this dimention. (I strongly believe) that we will also live at hereafter dimention. Here is the place where we create good deed and the hereafter is where we receive our payback or reward time.
We can be what ever we want to be. We can have what ever we want to have. We can do what ever we want to do. But do keep in mind, all the thing that you perform, own and spent, will be ask for question. By who and when..? Later, at a judgment day. Where we take the responsibility and accountability for our resource being given at this world by our God.
Live is actually quite simple:
Have a sincere faith/iman (believe in Allah) and proof your faith in words, action and thought.
Be passion with all the trial while also doing a good deed as your soft heart told you to do so.
---000--
Balikpapan, 28 May 2013
Syamsul Arifin
By Living Shari`ah Staff
In Al-Jazeera's weekly program Shari'ah and Life, broadcasted on Sunday January 10th. 2010, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi answered a number of important questions on the relationship between the juristic rulings (fatwas ) of Muslim scholars and politics. What triggered this debate was the recent fatwa issued by Sheikh Al-Qaradawi, President of the Islamic Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), on the steel wall currently being built by Egypt on its border with Gaza. Fatwa, Politics and Political Fatwas
Political Fatwas & The Gaza Steel Wall
The Consequences of Building the Steel Wall
In his fatwa , Sheikh Al-Qaradawi stated that (the steel wall that is being set up nowadays by Egypt on its border with Gaza is prohibited from the viewpoint of Islam, because it serves to block all outlets to Gaza and stresses the blockade on its people. Also, it will surely aggravate their hunger, humiliate them, and intensify the pressure on them so that they submit and surrender to Israel )
In opposition to this fatwa, the Islamic Research Council of Egypt, headed by Sheikh Sayed Tantawi, The Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, issued a fatwa which opposed the fatwa of Sheikh Al-Qaradawi and stated the permissibility of building such a wall to protect Egypt's borders and national security.
Fatwa, Politics and Political Fatwas
To explain the relationship between the fatwas issued by Muslim scholars and a country's political decisions, Sheikh Al-Qaradawi started by explaining what is meant by the terms (fatwa) and (politics), by stating that a fatwa is a fiqhi ruling in answer to a question addressed to the mufti, and that there are two main categories of fiqh. In the first category, a scholar takes the initiative of presenting the juristic ruling without a question, and this is mentioned in the Qur'an in many verses, like for example (O you who believe! fulfill the obligations) (Al-Ma'idah, 5:1) The second category is a ruling in response to a question, like for example (They ask you concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit.") (Al-Baqarah, 2:219) A ruling therefore in answer to a question is what is known as a fatwa. As for the term 'politics' (seyasa ), its definition in Islam is to manage the public and religious matters of the Ummah in the best way possible in light of the objectives of Shari'ah on condition of not violating a shar'i text or rule.
Sheikh Al-Qaradawi then explained the difference between shar'i politics (al-seyasa al-shar'iah ) and normal politics which prevail in today's world by saying that shar'i politics in Islam, which is a subject taught at Al-Azhar and other Islamic universities, is based on Shari'ah which is the foundation for all rulings. As for politics in today's world, it is mainly based on national interests, whether such interests are compatible or not with religion. But can Islam really cover the field of politics in today's complex world?
Political fatwas however are not always formulated in order to please the state, as it is often the case that a correct objective fatwa is what the state would like to implement, without prior arrangement with scholars. A sincere scholar should declare his objective opinion regardless of what the state likes or dislikes, as he should be a conscientious person who only fears Allah in his rulings which he reaches after a good study of the matter, its circumstances and the evidence for the ruling. Another very important pre-requisite for a good mufti is to have a sound understanding of reality and of people's contemporary life conditions and problems (fiqh al-waqi'). A mufti should also not pronounce any fatwa without a sound understanding of the objectives of Shari'ah (maqasid al-shari'ah).
When asked to explain how can a Muslim scholar deal with political matters when historically the subject of shar'i politics (al-seyasa al-shar'iah ) came into existence after the subject of fiqh, Sheikh Al-Qaradawi responded that it is true that compiling books on politics took place after the compilation of the early books on fiqh, but that politics were practiced much earlier by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, from the early days of Islam, and that there are many rulings he issued in his capacity as ruler and head of the Muslim state. When for example he said that "Whoever cultivates a dead land it becomes his property ", he issued that ruling as a Muslim leader who organizes legal matters in society. The same applies to the rightly-guided caliphs, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali who issued numerous public rulings in their capacity as ruler and head of state.
In today's modern world, it is virtually impossible for individual scholars to be specialized in all fields of knowledge, and that is why Muslims have established a number of institutions and councils which issue collective fatwas, like for example the Fiqh Council of the Islamic World League, or the Fiqh Council of the Organization of Islamic Countries. When these councils study specialized rulings which deal with politics, economics or modern transactions and topics, they seek expert opinions from specialists in the field under study to explain the technical background so that the Council is able to reach an informed decision. In the medical field for example, we seek the input of specialized doctors who explain to scholars all the medical background which they need to understand, and following a collective dialogue and debate, a collective decision is then reached. The same approach is followed in other technical fields, like the field of economics for example, as not all scholars are specialized in economics and finance, and a sound ruling cannot be reached without this technical briefing.
Political Fatwas & The Gaza Steel Wall
(Surely those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance that We revealed after We made it clear in the Book for men, these it is whom Allah shall curse, and those who curse shall curse them (too). Except those who repent and amend and make manifest (the truth), these it is to whom I turn (mercifully); and I am the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.) (Al-Baqarah, 2:159-160)
Sheikh Al-Qaradawi's fatwa against the Steel Wall is based on its contradiction with the interests, safety and well-being of our brothers in Gaza. It is not permissible for a Muslim to let down his brothers, and building such a wall would block all outlets for assisting them, and would contribute to the siege of Gaza and the humiliation of its people which would aggravate their hunger, and intensify the pressure on them to make them submit and surrender to Israel. The only beneficiaries from a fatwa that rules this wall as being permissible are the Israelis themselves to maintain their siege on Gaza, which could be in preparation for a new war against them to achieve what they were unable to achieve one year ago despite all the murder and destruction they caused in their war on Gaza. Furthermore, the Qur'an clearly states that Muslims are one nation, and it is therefore a duty on Egypt to give Palestinians in Gaza a helping hand, not contribute to eliminating them. There is a consensus among Muslim scholars that any Muslim land which is attacked and occupied by a non-Muslim enemy is the responsibility of its people to defend and liberate, and if they are unable to do so, then the responsibility is extended to the nearest Muslim country, and if they are still unable to save them the responsibility spreads further to the following neighbor, and so on, till it becomes a collective obligation on all Muslims.
In the case of Gaza, Egypt used to administer this land not that long ago, and Egypt should help liberate it, not help Israel in its siege. The Qur'an, The Sunnah and all schools of Fiqh make it an obligation for Muslims to help Muslims defend their lands and liberate them from the enemy, and this is part of Egypt's obligation. Muslims are commanded to help the oppressed and to stand up against the oppressor, and are therefore required to extend bridges of help, cooperation and justice towards the people of Gaza, not erect walls and participate in their siege. So the matter is broader than just a wall being built, and all Muslim individuals and institutions should assist and provide help.
The Consequences of Building the Steel Wall
As for the claim by Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Council that building the wall is to protect Egypt's borders and national security, this is an illogical position, as one does not need to protect himself from his own brother. In Fiqh there is an important subject which deals with the fiqh of consequential outcomes (fiqh al-ma'alat). What would be the consequence of building such a wall? The answer is we would kill our brothers as we would deprive them from a chance to survive or a way out from the siege. This is what scholars describe as killing by abandoning (al-qatl bil tark ), which is the case of locking a person up in a house and abandoning him and depriving him from water and food, then returning a few days later to find him dead of thirst and hunger. The murderer in this case is the person who locked him up and deprived him from the basic necessities which he needs to survive, and this is what Egypt would be doing to our brothers in Gaza who would be totally locked up in a big prison by blocking the Rafah passage and erecting this wall. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that a women was sent to the Hell fire for locking up a cat which she deprived from food and did not allow to go out in search for what she needs to survive. With this new wall, Egypt would not be locking up a cat but more than one and half million human beings.
The ruling in this matter is so clear, it does not even require a scholar to issue a fatwa, as it is a matter of common sense. In the name of Islam, in the name Arab solidarity and in the name of humanity, this wall should never go ahead.
The fatwa of some scholars may be a local fatwa, and this is the case of a local mufti employed by the state to issue fatwas for its citizens. In this case, such a mufti is responsible for matters dealing with his own country. A universal fatwa however is different, and in the case of Al-Azhar which is a universal Islamic institution, the fatwas it issues cannot be local fatwas which are only concerned with Egypt. Since its establishment, Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Council has included leading scholars from other Muslim countries as members of the Council, including scholars from Pakistan, Lebanon, Morocco …etc. As such, it is a universal Islamic institution and the name of Al-Azhar has always been highly respected by Muslims all over the world. On the other hand, the local Mufti of Egypt is not responsible to issue local fatwas for Muslims in Syria for example, as they have their own local Syrian Mufti.
In response to a question on the divergence of fatwas issued in different Arab countries during the first and second Gulf wars, Sheikh Al-Qaradawi responded that there is no grave concern that fatwas in Saudi Arabia and Gulf states were different from fatwas issued in other countries like Algeria for example. At the time of the first Gulf war, he was present in Algeria, and witnessed how Algerians, who were opposed to the French position against Saddam, sympathized with the Iraqi regime in opposition to France. Fatwas can also differ from one mufti to another due to the difference in their personalities. A mufti may be easy-going by nature, and therefore more inclined to issue easy fatwas, whereas another mufti may be strict by nature and inclined to issue strict fatwas. Fatwas can therefore differ from one country to another, and from one person to another. There is no problem with such differences, on condition that the differences are based on sound principles of fiqh. Reaching a full consensus on all fiqh matters is impossible as there are also other dimensions a mufti takes into account when issuing a fatwa, as illustrated in the following example:
A man one day came to 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar to ask him whether the repentance of a person who commits murder is accepted by Allah. Ibn 'Umar looked at him, and responded that no, that repentance would not be accepted. When the man left, the friends of Ibn 'Umar asked him about his fatwa as they were surprised by the answer they heard, as before that Ibn 'Umar used to tell people that the repentance of a murderer is accepted. When asked about that ruling, Ibn 'Umar said that when he looked at the man he sensed that he was an angry person on the verge of committing murder. By giving that answer he intended to prevent him from committing that crime by closing that door.
As stated by scholars, a fatwa can change with the change of places, times and circumstances, and a mufti must in all cases have a sound understanding of reality in order to reach the correct ruling. This is also very important when dealing with political fatwas, as explained in this excellent episode which is available on-line in Arabic at this page.
Mecca should become core to measure time zones: scholars
A group of Islamic scholars presented on Saturday “scientific evidence” to prove that Mecca was the core of that the zero longitude passes through the holy city and not through Greenwich in the UK.
Greenwich in England has been the home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) since 1884. GMT is sometimes called Greenwich Meridian Time because it is measured from the Greenwich Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Greenwich is the place from where all time zones are measured.
In a clear support for the call, Islamic scholar Yousuf al-Qaradawi said Islam, “unlike other religions, never contradicted science”.
The participants recommended the unification of the time in the Arab world to the time in Mecca instead of Greenwich. They also called the Arab governments to abandon the new world maps “because they are forged to serve Western interests.”
They also demanded that buildings in the Arab world be directed towards Qibla.
The gathering also urged to organise conferences to promote the idea of “Mecca as the centre of the world's land” and distribution of CDs to support it.
The conference was organised to introduce Saat Makkah (the watch of Mecca). The inventor of the clock, Yasin a-Shouk, said it runs anti-clockwise in the direction of Tawaf, the rotation around Kaaba.
The Switzerland-based award-winning inventor of Palestinian origin said that his invention met a lot of opposition and it took him four years to win the patent.
The moderator of the event, Rabaa Hamo, who is also the wife of the watch's inventor, said “the West imposed on us the invisible Greenwich line” as the world's reference time.
She hoped that an Islamic country would adopt the project to strengthen the belief that Mecca was the core of the world, not theoretically but practically.
Islamic scholar, Zaghloul al-Najjar, said that the West did not like the scientific proofs that “Mecca was located in the centre of our planet, but nevertheless we will go on our research to establish it as a truth”.
Other speakers talked about the privileges of Mecca quoting verses from the Holy Qur'an and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad.
Muslim call to adopt Mecca time
Mecca is the direction all Muslims face when they perform their daily prayers.
The call was issued at a conference held in the Gulf state of Qatar under the title: Mecca, the Centre of the Earth, Theory and Practice.
One geologist argued that unlike other longitudes, Mecca's was in perfect alignment to magnetic north.
He said the English had imposed GMT on the rest of the world by force when Britain was a big colonial power, and it was about time that changed.
Mecca watch
A prominent cleric, Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawy, said modern science had at last provided evidence that Mecca was the true centre of the Earth; proof, he said, of the greatness of the Muslim "qibla" - the Arabic word for the direction Muslims turn to when they pray.
The meeting also reviewed what has been described as a Mecca watch, the brainchild of a French Muslim.
The watch is said to rotate anti-clockwise and is supposed to help Muslims determine the direction of Mecca from any point on Earth.
The meeting in Qatar is part of a popular trend in some Muslim societies of seeking to find Koranic precedents for modern science.
It is called "Ijaz al-Koran", which roughly translates as the "miraculous nature of the holy text".
The underlying belief is that scientific truths were also revealed in the Muslim holy book, and it is the work of scholars to unearth and publicise the textual evidence.
But the movement is not without its critics, who say that the notion that modern science was revealed in the Koran confuses spiritual truth, which is constant, and empirical truth, which depends on the state of science at any given point in time.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7359258.stm
Other reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecca_Time
| IUMS Calls on Swiss Muslims to Remain Calm and to Avoid Agitation | |||
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Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and upon his family, Companions and all those who follow his guidance. The International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) has received with shock and surprise the results of the Swiss referendum on the proposed amendment to Article 72 of the Swiss Constitution, to include a new clause banning the building of minarets. As the results of the referendum show that 57.4% of voters approved of the amendment, it reveals a clear contradiction between the Swiss peoples' flaunting and boasting of democracy and religious freedom, and the racist and "Islamophobic" content of this referendum, which contradicts with all human rights constitutions and conventions, religious freedoms, and cultural diversity. Today, they ban minarets, and tomorrow they may ban the mosques themselves! What could prevent it as long as the racist right wing movement that is intolerant towards foreigners is leading this campaign! It is well known for all that minarets only constitute a signpost for the places of worship and that they have no other significance, whether political or otherwise. Rather, they represent a beautiful architectural symbol that is a witness to the country's tolerance and cultural and religious diversity. Indeed, those who drew up such a resolution among narrow-minded right wing extremists have taken advantage of the nurtured fear from Muslims by warning of the alleged expansion of their religious demands in the Swiss state, and went as far as claiming that Muslims work for "Minarets today, and the application of Shari`ah tomorrow!" Well, this is sheer delusion and a flight of fancy. If most Muslim countries themselves do not apply Shari`ah, how can a sound minded person believe that people in Europe, who are mostly non-Muslims, would apply Shari`ah? And though the current parliament and government did not approve of holding the referendum in the first place, and the church bishops opposed it, still the result of the referendum is disappointing for the Muslim minority living among the Swiss society who represent a bright example in their moral and humanitarian dealings through their integration, co-existence and openness towards all members of the Swiss society. Besides, such a result has thwarted all the expectations of Muslim minorities living in the West in general, and stirred their apprehension of such moves that could possibly be adopted by similar right-wing parties in other countries. Those right-wing parties, in turn, could follow similar steps as a means of applying more restrictions against Muslims in any European country, and exploit the Islamophobic environment that has intensified due to incessant instigation by the media machine that distorts the image of Islam and Muslims and portrays them in other than their true nature. Likewise, this result has frustrated the expectations of all Muslims around the world, and we think it will lead to substantial revisions and raise questions about the feasibility of dialogue and rapprochement between Muslims and non-Muslims in the Islamic world in general, and especially in the West, since the status of some Muslim religious symbols and places of worship in this cultural environment have become susceptible to debates, laws and referendums every now and then! So, what is then the point of holding dialogue, if it enhances the stance of extremist elements among Muslims who say that the West with whom you call us to dialogue and cooperate hates you and chases you away! Building on this painful reality and also on our responsibility towards these Muslim minorities, the IUMS maintains the following: 1- The result of this referendum, even though it represents the view of the majority of Swiss voters, reflects a new pattern of hostility towards Islam and Muslims in this country, in particular, and in Europe, in general. In fact, the extremist right wing party in The Netherlands declared within less than 24 hours of the referendum their approval and endorsement of the results, and announced their determination to hold a similar referendum for banning minarets in The Netherlands. This, then, is an evil practice that has intensified hatred and racial prejudice against Muslims.
3- Undoubtedly, the result of this referendum will help extremists on both sides raise their voices in support of enmity, violence and terrorism, and this would have negative impact on the moderates on both sides who call for peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and positive integration of Muslim minorities into their European environment. 4- The IUMS calls on the Muslim minority in Switzerland to remain calm, to avoid agitation and to follow peaceful civilized and legal means in response to this matter. One of the top priorities is cooperation with local and international organizations that declared their opposition to this referendum and its consequences on the grounds of its contradiction with basic human rights, including the right to freely establish places of worship in the way people deem suitable and to practice religious rituals. It is therefore important that the Muslim minority works with these organizations for raising a complaint before Swiss and European courts and before the European Court of Human Rights to challenge the legality of this referendum. 5- The IUMS calls upon Muslims all over the world to express their rejection of this racist Islamophobic referendum in peaceful ways, such as sending protest messages to Swiss embassies in all countries in order to show their opposition to this provocative act, which is a sign of ignorance of the reality of Islam as a universal religion that teaches love, mercy, and mutual acquaintance among nations and peoples. This position could also be expressed through interviews and demonstrations in front of Swiss embassies in different countries. 6- The IUMS requests that the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), on the occasion of this referendum, launches an international campaign in countries that have Muslim minorities, especially in the West, to explain the dangerous impact of this referendum on the future of coexistence between Muslims and non-Muslims in other societies, and to expose the double standards and contradictions in the western discourse that grants western citizens the freedom of expression to curse the Prophet of Islam and mock religious sanctuaries, while in the meantime deny freedom of expression in the form of a structural symbol that neither harms nor involves transgression against anyone!
The IUMS also affirms that the Muslim minority in Switzerland should deal with the Swiss society from the perspective that they are part and parcel of it, to maintain their loyalty and sincerity to the homeland where they live, to work hard and honestly for the progress of that homeland, and to pay no regard to those who instigate and feed the flame of hatred. Rather, they should invite them with wisdom and argue with them in a way that is better, and they should never despair of persuading them of their point of view. And if anyone does wrong to them, they should pardon them as Almighty Allah (Exalted be He) says, (Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!) (Fussilat 41:34). All praise is due to Allah. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi |
Thinking American and Muslim Interview With Hadia Mubarak | ||||||||
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Hadia Mubarak is a full-time doctoral student at Georgetown University's Islamic Studies department. Her research interests include the development of Islamic family law, Islamic reform, and gender issues in Islam. Mubarak previously worked as a Senior Researcher with the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, a researcher with the Gallup Organization's Center for Muslim Studies and a researcher with American University's Islam in the Age of Globalization project. As a field researcher for the project, Hadia accompanied Professor Akbar Ahmed throughout the Muslim world and conducted on-site surveys and interviews with a range of Muslim scholars, government officials, activists, students, and journalists in Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, and India. The findings were published in Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization. In 2004, Mubarak was the first female to be elected as president of the Muslim Students Association National (MSA) since its establishment in 1963. MSA is an umbrella organization of approximately 500 chapters in the United States and Canada, which serves to promote religious awareness on college campuses and foster an atmosphere that accommodates the religious diversity of its student body. Mubarak received her Master's degree in Contemporary Arab Studies with a concentration on Women and Gender from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. She received her Bachelor's degree in International Affairs and English from Florida State University. Hadia's publications include "Young and Muslim in Post 9/11 America" (The Brandywine Review of Faith & International Affairs Vol. 3, No. 2); "Breaking the Interpretive Monopoly: A Re-examination of Verse 4:34" (Hawaa Vol. 2, Issue 3); The Politicization of Gender Reform: Islamists' discourse on repealing Article 340 of the Jordanian Penal Code (MA Thesis, Georgetown University, 2005); and "Blurring the Lines Between Faith and Culture" (America Now: Short Reading from Recent Periodicals. 5th ed.), among many others. Recently IslamOnline.net did an interview with Hadia Mubarak about rights of Muslim women, American Muslims, and the Muslim world.
IslamOnline.net (IOL): American Muslim woman as an example of a Muslim woman: oppressed, silenced, or rather active and vocal? Hadia Mubarak: As the recent Gallup report on Muslim Americans illustrates, Muslim American women's status and achievements defy every stereotype that exists out there about Muslim women. They are at least as likely as Muslim men to hold a college or postgraduate degree. Their greater level of education has translated into greater numbers in the work force, as Muslim women have a greater level of economic gender parity of any group Gallup studied. More importantly, these women are not secular or non-observant Muslims, but Muslims who take pride in their faith, attend mosque regularly, and take an active part in their communities. This trumps the common stereotype that only secular, non-religious women achieve high levels of education and have successful careers. Islamic Family Laws
Mubarak: Family law, as currently applied in most Muslim states, is one of the areas most in need of legal reform. With the codification of Islamic law and the creation of modern nation-states, Islamic family law lost much of its flexibility and pluralism which had previously characterized Islamic judicial practice. Unfortunately, many of the existing family laws in Muslim states yield great injustices against Muslim women, especially when it comes to divorce, custody rights, alimony, etc. The state of women's rights in the Muslim world – for the most part – seems to defy in every way the spirit of justice and egalitarianism which the Quran and Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had established. Gender & Islam IOL: What difference do you see, in the Western (American) concept of "gender" and the "gender issue in Islam"? Mubarak: I think it is difficult to speak of a homogenous conception of gender whether it is in the West or in the Muslim world. The truth is that a number of factors influence one's conception of gender with religion often being just one of many factors. Hence, we can find people in both Western and Muslim societies (those societies with a majority Muslim population) who espouse patriarchal and sexist views towards women, just as we can find individuals in both societies who espouse egalitarian and progressive views towards women. However, when we examine the gender paradigm of Islam — as a religion — we find that it promotes equality, justice, and mutual respect between the two genders, with verse 9:71 being one of many such examples. Political Engagement for US Muslims
Mubarak: In recent years, Muslim Americans have made significant progress in their political participation on the local level, which is what matters most in my opinion. People often look at Muslim representation at the national level to gauge Muslim political involvement, but that is a false indicator in my opinion. That is because politics begins at the local level. With increasing numbers of Muslims getting involved in local political parties, city councils, state legislatures, etc., it will only be a matter of time — with sustained effort — before this involvement translates into great representation on the national level. There are two Muslims in the US House of Representatives, nine state legislators (two of them are women — Rashida Thlaib and Jamillah Nasheed) and a number of mayors, city council members, and county commissioners who are Muslim. Muslim Americans have begun to realize that unless they get involved and speak out on behalf of their own community, then others will fill the void and misrepresent Muslim issues and concerns, whether it be xenophobic radio hosts or bloggers who think that there is no place for Muslims in America or Muslim extremists who exploit Islam to pursue violent ends. Propagandists & Attacks on US Muslims
Mubarak: I do not think they are relevant at all. In fact, these types of right-wing xenophobes pose the greatest threat to American democracy and liberties than anyone else. That is because they realize that American principles and values — as represented in the US Constitution and Bill of Rights — would mean that Muslim Americans have an equal right as anyone else to become successful, pursue their aspirations, lobby for their concerns, and lead Americans on the national level. Their fear and intolerance of Islam fuels them to incite hatred and fear of Muslims at all levels of society. Our struggle is not unlike the struggle of other minorities before us — be they Catholics, Jews, or African Americans — who had to overcome prejudice, hatred and xenophobia through courage, moral consistency, and integrity. There is no question in my mind that these people will ultimately lose their battle because America is larger than the hatred, exclusivity, and racism that they propagate. 9/11 & Social Role IOL: Looking back to American Muslims before 9/11 and now, how would you assess their role in the American society? Mubarak: 9/11 was a watershed moment for Americans at large, and specifically Muslim Americans. Personally, the pain I experienced in the days after 9/11 was multifold. There was the pain of the tragedy itself, the deep agony one feels towards those who never said goodbye to loved ones they would never see again. There was also the pain of seeing my religion, Islam, vilified as an inherently violent religion whose 1.2 billion followers, a fifth of the world's population, were suddenly seen as a threat to world security. I have to acknowledge that the most difficult pain I experienced in those days was the pain of realizing that people who shared my faith had committed such unspeakable horror … It was unfathomable, unimaginable, and unforgivable to see my religion, my source of refuge, hope and peace in the world, become a tool for violence in the hands of men who had no regard for the sanctity of human life, and who had the audacity to use religion and God as a pretext for their political motives. While Muslim Americans were coming to terms with what just happened, they also had the double burden of absolving Islam and Muslims from association with such violence. For the first time, Muslim Americans were confronted with a sense of perpetual displacement in the psyche of the American public. Although we were born and raised in this country and knew no other place to call home, I and other American Muslims came to realize for the first time that we were not in fact perceived as American in the eyes of a large swath of the general public. As our religious beliefs became a reason for our incrimination after 9/11, as our organizations and places of worship became the target of vandalism and hate crimes, and as we were perceived as potential threats to the security of our own nation, we felt that our very identity as Americans was subjected to scrutiny, challenge, and contestation. Muslim Americans realized that their ability to speak out and accurately represent Islam and Muslims had a direct bearing not only on their welfare and safety at home, but on US-Muslim relations abroad. As the war drums began to beat in the aftermath of 9/11, Muslim Americans were at the forefront of the anti-war movement. They underscored the fact that dropping bombs on innocent civilians and destroying a country's infrastructure would only exacerbate grievances against the United States and further jeopardize its security.
The most fundamental problem in US-Muslim world relations today is our inability to view current events through the prism of historical, socio-political-and-economic conditions in the region. When it comes to the Muslim world, there is a dogged insistence among policy makers and the American public alike to view Islam itself as the source of current tensions between the United States and the Muslim world. The most dangerous aspect of this illogical premise is that it paints a picture that is inaccurate and hopeless. Not only does this culture dependency theory reek of religious bigotry, but this faulty analysis leads us to ignore real grievances that fuel anger and resentment towards the United States. In fact, a recent poll by Gallup demonstrates that anti-Americanism in the Muslim world is not driven by hatred of US values, but hatred of US policies in the region, which can be addressed without compromising US interests. In fact, nothing would better serve US security interests in the Muslim world than to address and alleviate the widespread legitimate grievances of millions living in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, etc. What the Muslim World Thinks
Mubarak: Here are five of our top findings based on surveys we conducted in eight Muslim countries in 2006:
Responsibility in the Face of Injustice
Mubarak: Individuals have a moral obligation to eliminate injustice when and where they seem occur. In the Islamic tradition, this moral obligation is captivated by a powerful prophetic hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us: "Whoever among you sees an evil action, then let him change it with his hand [by taking action]; if he cannot, then with his tongue [by speaking out]; and if he cannot, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith." [Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh] The correlation between one's response to injustice and one's faith, in my opinion, is that one's response to injustice is a direct reflection of the state of one's faith in God. When one has internalized the idea that he/she will be held accountable before God for the way he/she has lived one's life, then one becomes aware of his responsibility towards others — whether it be the homeless person down the street or displaced Palestinians or Somalis thousands of miles away. Message to Muslim World Women IOL: What message, being a Muslim-women activist, you want to give to the American as well as Muslim world women? Mubarak: There is a serious need to revive the egalitarianism and justice that Islam established as early as the seventh century. When Muslim women in the seventh century set off from Mecca to Medina on their own during the hijra, they were driven by the realization that they had a role to play in the creation a new political structure that was based on justice, equality, and divine truth. These women left behind everything they had, their families, their husbands, and their wealth. Many of them carried their children with them as they traveled through the hot desert on their own. Some were pregnant and actually gave birth to new life on their arduous journey, never giving up, never returning. When Khawla bint Tha'lab went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to seek redress for her husband's sexual abandonment and found none, and then said, "I will take my complaint to Allah Almighty," she did so out of absolute conviction in the justice of God, that even if mortal men could not alleviate her grievance, that God would bring justice to her cause. In fact, the first five verses of chapter 58 in the Quran were revealed in response to this woman's plea. It is this sense of God-consciousness that compelled women throughout the history of Islam to break through the shackles of cultural prejudices and constraints and set their own course into the future. These women eternalized their status as God's vicegerents on earth and understood the importance of the responsibility they carried. This is the legacy of the women who came before us and this is the legacy that we need to revive. It is a legacy that recognizes the mortality of our souls, and the equality of all human beings as servants of God. It is a legacy that compels us to re-evaluate our priorities in life, to probe our hearts and check the status of our iman (faith), to improve the lives of those around us, to contribute to society in a meaningful way, and to leave this world better than we found it. | ||||||||
WASHINGTON - Dalia Mogahed, a hijab-clad American Muslim, has made history being the first Muslim woman appointed to a position in President Barack Obama's administration.Love has a tremendous power, hidden within. It strength probably aren’t seen, but from the softness lies, there’s a big energy beneath.
You probably have read a lot of stuff about that. Romanticism stories often mention about this. Like a line stating “I’ll do anything just for you”; “I’ll cross the ocean, hill the mountain, if you want me to do”; and such a thing like that. It all heard cliché, but it aren’t heard impossible.
Motivation to Change
Normally, he/she who loves someone shall try their best effort to match with the person whom they love. Reading their fave books/magazine, listening to their fave music, imitating their clothes/wardrobe, making ‘the person whom they love’ interest as their interest.
As your love getting bigger, you’ll be more obey to the person whom you love, you’ll do what he/she said, you’ll act like they desire, you’ll become what they want them to be.
And you’re doing it willingly, without any forces, just a simple expectation, that your beloved person shall be happy with the things that you’ve done.
Source of Patiently
You love him/her more that you love your self. You’re willing to suffer and endure pain, for them.
All are meaningless, if without them.
The Images in Mind
Is seems that all the things in your live are connected to him/her. Their images appear frequently. Their names are called in many times. We just can not let go from them, far or near.
Love to Allah and Rasulullah SAW
As a Muslim, we must set the highest priority of love to Allah and His messenger.
The questions now are, how much do we love Allah and Rasulullah..?
Do we try our best effort to match His word..? Do we hate what They hate..? Do we love things that They love..? Do we remember them in our daily moment..? Do we become what they expect us to be..?
You answer it your self! Those answers reflect the level of your love to Allah and Rasulullah SAW.
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Samarinda, May 13, 2009
Syamsul Arifin
