Assalamu Alaikum,
I just wanted to tell you that the age of Hazrat Aisha (RA) when she was married was between 19-22.
wa aleikum salam
jizak Allah for your e mail
however I am still compelled in the light of evidence to say that she was 6 when married and 9 when moved in with the prophet. I cannot buy in the hadith came 100 or 200 years later fabricated by munafiqs because I have studied a bit on hadith and I know the reliability of them, and the ones that are fabricated are exposed as fabricated and the ones authentic are as authentic as the quran and came through the same sources as the quran. The difference of course one is GO'ds word the other is God's meaning but men's word, which can be prone to mistake. But I am sorry to say and actually sad that people have to invent and to try to accuse people the same people who narrated to us the quran word for word, before it was written down in a book, we accuse them of fabricating hadith. It's sad that we need to apologize to the west because they think if you marry a 9 year old it's pedophilia when pedophilia is a sickness that the prophet did not have, and that many americans today have. It's sad that we do that and our own 9 year olds (i'm a teacher) in our schools are having sex now and becoming pregnant and dating and their parents don't know what to do, yet when prophet Muhammad MARRIED AISHA ANd took care of her and loved her he is accused of such an injustice. And it's sad that we apologize and come close to committing a huge sin by denying hadith, because we don't have knowledge and are fast to invent against Allah and his messenger. The prophet sas said THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN A MAN WILL BE RECLINING OF HIS COUCH (A TIME OF COMMODITY LIKE NOW) AND HE WILL HEAR A SAYING OF MINE AND SAY .. I'TS NOT IN THE QURNAN. WE HAVE THE QURAN AMONGST US AND WHATEVER IS HALAL IN IT WE TAKE AND WHAT EVER IS HARAM WE TAKE, but I ( THE MESSENGER) have forbade them other things.
Allah says in the quran WHOEVER OBEYS THE MESSENGER HAS OBEIED ALLAH.
I pray to Allah that we stay strong on our deen and we do not compromise and bend in the face of attacks from our enemies. If they destroy our hadith they destroy islam. The Quran without the understanding of the prophet and his explanations will open grounds for everyone to interpret it as they want. If we begin to denny one hadith and two and three we will not stop and in a matter of a few years we will end up like Christians.
Why would Alalh not just send the book by itself? Why did he send us prophets? To teach us and explain the wisdom.
However I can see your issue with not understanding some hadith and that is due our lack of knowledge and due to our ummah being weak and due to such people who make videos as the one you sent me. Such people write stuff but in the light of evidence you can only see their desires in there and their inferiority complexes as a response to being accused of having an inferior faith, or a perverted faith because prophet Muhammad married Aisha at a young age.
I hope you forgive me brother for being a bit lengthy on this but it's very important that we understand the seriousness of such statements that have caused people to leave Islam in the past. Such sects have come to live as AHMADIAH, NATION OF ISLAM, PARVAISEE, QURANIATES, SHIAH and other
I hope you forgive me, I am not really directing this towards you but towards all muslims who fall pray to this statement that hadith have been recorded only 100 or 200 years after the prophet. That statement when analyzed in the light of evidence shows that people do not know anything about the history of revelation and preservation of our deen. The first hadiths were written at the time of the prophet. The first compilations were back then, and some sahabas wrote directly hadith on their qurans and the prophet forbade them to do that so they don't mix it as the christians did. But later they were allowed to record it again. Suhail Nafi and Al Zuhri were some of the first ones to have manuscripts on hadith, and the Muatah of Imam Malik came right after, and much earlier than the 200 years after the prophet as some people say (usually making reference to the compilation of Bukhari and Muslim)
I can refer you to the book by M. M. Azami called studies in early hadith literature which can help you to get some understanding of history of hadith and also recommend a course by al Maghrib institute call Chain of Command that you can take if you live somewhere close to where the course is offered.
I pray to Allah that he will keep us stead fast
salamo aleikum
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Constant sin and repentance-pearls-from-the-sunnah-1/
As taken from muslimmatters.org
by Yasir Qadhi
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said,
“There is no believing slave [of Allah] except that he has a sin that he continually commits, from time to time, or a sin that he constantly does - it never leaves him until he leaves this world. Verily, the believer is created muftannan, tawwaban, nassaa`an - when he is reminded, he remembers.”
The Takhreej of the Hadeeth
The hadeeth is reported in the al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer of Abul Qasim Sulayman b. Ahmad b. Ayyub al-Tabarani (d. 360 A.H.).
Al-Tabarani was one of the last of the great huffadh (memorizers of hadeeth). He lived an extremely long life, dying a centenarian. Hence, in his later years, he could narrate ahadeeth from scholars who died a generation earlier than most of the other scholars of his time could narrate from. He wrote three famous works, all of them entitled al-Mu`jam (meaning: a book of hadeeth where the hadeeth are arranged according to the names of the Companions who narrated the hadeeth, or the teachers whom the author narrated the ahadeeth from). The largest of these three was called al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer, the middle one al-Mu`jam al-Awsat, and the smallest (not surprisingly) al-Mu`jam al-Sagheer. The most famous of these is the largest one - in its sole printed edition (edited by the great scholar Hamdi Abd al-Majeed al-Salafi), the number of ahadeeth is 21547. This edition utilized a manuscript that had three entire volumes missing (volumes 13 to 16), hence the printed work is incomplete, and no known complete manuscripts exist.
This makes al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer one of the largest collections of hadeeth in print. Al-Tabarani tried to narrate as many ahadeeth from each Companion that he could find, and in many cases he also narrated biographical information about them. Hence this work is an important treasure trove for information about the Companions of the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
An Explanation of the Hadeeth
This hadeeth is a ray of light and a source of optimism for the believer. For there is no single believer amongst us who is perfect - how can he be, when perfection is for Allah alone? And there is no believer amongst us who is sinless, for it is only the angels who are sinless. In this hadeeth, the beloved Rasul salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam is reminding us that there will be sins that a believer does - notice that he called such a person a mu`min, a true believer, despite these sins. Furthermore, he pointed out that it is possible that a servant is tested with a particular sin that he has become addicted to, a sin that he continuously does until he dies.
The Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam then described such a believer with three characteristics, and stated that the believer has been created with them. Hence, to have these three characteristics is a sign of a true believer.
The first of them is that he is muftan, meaning he will be tried and tested. The implication from this description is that the believer has been created in order to be tried and tested, and of the ways he is tried and tested is through sins.
Trials and tribulations are of many types, some of them are worldly, others spiritual; some of them deal with physical pain, others cause mental anguish; some of them are losses of this material world, to see how patient we are, others are gains and blessings given to us, to see how we use them. In all cases, such fitan - such trials and tribulations - should draw us closer to Allah. Even if a sin has occurred, the true believer uses this sin to come closer to Allah.
But how can a sin be used to draw nearer to the very One whom he has disobeyed?
Through the act of repentance, tawbah. Hence, the next description given is that the believer is tawwab, meaning that he repents continuously, repeatedly, relentlessly. The believer does not become discouraged due to the quantity of sins that he commits, because he realizes that Allah’s mercy is infinite and limitless. The true mu`min is not demoralized by his past habits, but rather inspirited and uplifted by hopes of a grander future. The believer always remembers the encouraging words from his beloved Rasul salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam who said, “The one who repents from a sin is like one who has not committed it in the first place” (Reported by Ibn Majah in his Sunan). Thus, this second description given to the believer shows that the believer will always repent from his sins, regardless of how many times he has done other sins, or even this very sin, before the repentance.
The Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam then gave the third and final description of the believer, that he is nassaa`a, meaning that he continually forgets and relapses. Thus, the believer becomes heedless of the commandments of Allah, oblivious to the realities of the afterlife, and, when tempted by what he perceives to be a pleasing and sweet deed, falls prey to the seductions of Shaytan, and swallows that poisonous sweet. But as soon as the deed has been committed, and the outer layer of sweetness dissolves, it is followed up by the bitter aftertaste of the poison and pollutant that he has just ingested.
But not all hope is lost, for all such deeds can be undone, once again through repentance - that greatest gift of Allah to the sinners! The believer feels this guilt, and all that is needed is a prodding, perhaps he hears a verse being recited, or attends a lecture that stirs him, or listens to a khutbah that reminds him of his spiritual bankruptcy. So, ‘…when he is reminded, he remembers’, because he has an inner core of good, a repository of taqwa that need only be exposed and brought out in order to cause this change in him.
And so the believer is ever in a cycle - an perpetual, never-ending cycle - of committing sins, and then repenting, and then falling headless and committing sins again, only to be reminded of his purpose in life, after which he will repent, and fall into thoughtlessness once again, only to be prodded into action and good behavior…
So the cycle of life continues, and it is this life that characterizes the life of the believer, for the believer repents and strives to attain perfection, whereas the fasiq or hypocrite commits the same sins or worse, and cares little to better his situation.
What separates the mu`min from the fasiq is not the sin - both Adam and Iblees disobeyed Allah - but the reaction to the sin. Adam repented, and became beloved once again to Allah; Iblees obstinately persisted, and become the most accursed creation of Allah.
The battle of the believer is a never-ending one. He will perpetually fall into sins, but as long as he perpetually repents, and is reminded by the Speech of Allah and His Messenger, he is still a believer, and will continue to remain a believer, until he dies.
Always remember those uplifting words of the Basheer whom Allah sent to us, “Whoever is pleased with his good deeds, and saddened by his evil deeds, is indeed a mu`min” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi in his al-Jami).
May Allah grant us all Iman and taqwa, and bless us to be amongst those who, when tested, are patient, and when blessed, are thankful, and when sinful, are repentant. Ameen!
by Yasir Qadhi
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said,
“There is no believing slave [of Allah] except that he has a sin that he continually commits, from time to time, or a sin that he constantly does - it never leaves him until he leaves this world. Verily, the believer is created muftannan, tawwaban, nassaa`an - when he is reminded, he remembers.”
The Takhreej of the Hadeeth
The hadeeth is reported in the al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer of Abul Qasim Sulayman b. Ahmad b. Ayyub al-Tabarani (d. 360 A.H.).
Al-Tabarani was one of the last of the great huffadh (memorizers of hadeeth). He lived an extremely long life, dying a centenarian. Hence, in his later years, he could narrate ahadeeth from scholars who died a generation earlier than most of the other scholars of his time could narrate from. He wrote three famous works, all of them entitled al-Mu`jam (meaning: a book of hadeeth where the hadeeth are arranged according to the names of the Companions who narrated the hadeeth, or the teachers whom the author narrated the ahadeeth from). The largest of these three was called al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer, the middle one al-Mu`jam al-Awsat, and the smallest (not surprisingly) al-Mu`jam al-Sagheer. The most famous of these is the largest one - in its sole printed edition (edited by the great scholar Hamdi Abd al-Majeed al-Salafi), the number of ahadeeth is 21547. This edition utilized a manuscript that had three entire volumes missing (volumes 13 to 16), hence the printed work is incomplete, and no known complete manuscripts exist.
This makes al-Mu`jam al-Kabeer one of the largest collections of hadeeth in print. Al-Tabarani tried to narrate as many ahadeeth from each Companion that he could find, and in many cases he also narrated biographical information about them. Hence this work is an important treasure trove for information about the Companions of the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
An Explanation of the Hadeeth
This hadeeth is a ray of light and a source of optimism for the believer. For there is no single believer amongst us who is perfect - how can he be, when perfection is for Allah alone? And there is no believer amongst us who is sinless, for it is only the angels who are sinless. In this hadeeth, the beloved Rasul salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam is reminding us that there will be sins that a believer does - notice that he called such a person a mu`min, a true believer, despite these sins. Furthermore, he pointed out that it is possible that a servant is tested with a particular sin that he has become addicted to, a sin that he continuously does until he dies.
The Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam then described such a believer with three characteristics, and stated that the believer has been created with them. Hence, to have these three characteristics is a sign of a true believer.
The first of them is that he is muftan, meaning he will be tried and tested. The implication from this description is that the believer has been created in order to be tried and tested, and of the ways he is tried and tested is through sins.
Trials and tribulations are of many types, some of them are worldly, others spiritual; some of them deal with physical pain, others cause mental anguish; some of them are losses of this material world, to see how patient we are, others are gains and blessings given to us, to see how we use them. In all cases, such fitan - such trials and tribulations - should draw us closer to Allah. Even if a sin has occurred, the true believer uses this sin to come closer to Allah.
But how can a sin be used to draw nearer to the very One whom he has disobeyed?
Through the act of repentance, tawbah. Hence, the next description given is that the believer is tawwab, meaning that he repents continuously, repeatedly, relentlessly. The believer does not become discouraged due to the quantity of sins that he commits, because he realizes that Allah’s mercy is infinite and limitless. The true mu`min is not demoralized by his past habits, but rather inspirited and uplifted by hopes of a grander future. The believer always remembers the encouraging words from his beloved Rasul salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam who said, “The one who repents from a sin is like one who has not committed it in the first place” (Reported by Ibn Majah in his Sunan). Thus, this second description given to the believer shows that the believer will always repent from his sins, regardless of how many times he has done other sins, or even this very sin, before the repentance.
The Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam then gave the third and final description of the believer, that he is nassaa`a, meaning that he continually forgets and relapses. Thus, the believer becomes heedless of the commandments of Allah, oblivious to the realities of the afterlife, and, when tempted by what he perceives to be a pleasing and sweet deed, falls prey to the seductions of Shaytan, and swallows that poisonous sweet. But as soon as the deed has been committed, and the outer layer of sweetness dissolves, it is followed up by the bitter aftertaste of the poison and pollutant that he has just ingested.
But not all hope is lost, for all such deeds can be undone, once again through repentance - that greatest gift of Allah to the sinners! The believer feels this guilt, and all that is needed is a prodding, perhaps he hears a verse being recited, or attends a lecture that stirs him, or listens to a khutbah that reminds him of his spiritual bankruptcy. So, ‘…when he is reminded, he remembers’, because he has an inner core of good, a repository of taqwa that need only be exposed and brought out in order to cause this change in him.
And so the believer is ever in a cycle - an perpetual, never-ending cycle - of committing sins, and then repenting, and then falling headless and committing sins again, only to be reminded of his purpose in life, after which he will repent, and fall into thoughtlessness once again, only to be prodded into action and good behavior…
So the cycle of life continues, and it is this life that characterizes the life of the believer, for the believer repents and strives to attain perfection, whereas the fasiq or hypocrite commits the same sins or worse, and cares little to better his situation.
What separates the mu`min from the fasiq is not the sin - both Adam and Iblees disobeyed Allah - but the reaction to the sin. Adam repented, and became beloved once again to Allah; Iblees obstinately persisted, and become the most accursed creation of Allah.
The battle of the believer is a never-ending one. He will perpetually fall into sins, but as long as he perpetually repents, and is reminded by the Speech of Allah and His Messenger, he is still a believer, and will continue to remain a believer, until he dies.
Always remember those uplifting words of the Basheer whom Allah sent to us, “Whoever is pleased with his good deeds, and saddened by his evil deeds, is indeed a mu`min” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi in his al-Jami).
May Allah grant us all Iman and taqwa, and bless us to be amongst those who, when tested, are patient, and when blessed, are thankful, and when sinful, are repentant. Ameen!
Monday, July 28, 2008
My book for New Muslims - I need help with editing
Salamo Aleikum wrb
I have taken a task of writing a book which turned out to be a greater task than I anticipated. Half way through the book I realized it was not what I wanted. I have experienced so many other beneficial things that I thought should be in the book, so I decided to stop and to start another book. However I did not want to throw out whatever I have written so far. So I wrapped the book and made it a very general book about my journey to Islam, some of the problems I have encountered and some advice for new Muslims. I am in the planning stages for my next book, however I need lots of help on editing this book. So if anyone is out there and can help out with editing it please e mail me at gibreelk@gmail.com
Salamo Aleikum wrb
I have taken a task of writing a book which turned out to be a greater task than I anticipated. Half way through the book I realized it was not what I wanted. I have experienced so many other beneficial things that I thought should be in the book, so I decided to stop and to start another book. However I did not want to throw out whatever I have written so far. So I wrapped the book and made it a very general book about my journey to Islam, some of the problems I have encountered and some advice for new Muslims. I am in the planning stages for my next book, however I need lots of help on editing this book. So if anyone is out there and can help out with editing it please e mail me at gibreelk@gmail.com
Salamo Aleikum wrb
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Refuting the appeal to ridicule on drinking camel urine
We all have heard the great appeal to ridicule that non Muslims use when they read the authentic hadiths in Bukhari and Muslim about drinking camel urine and milk. Of course they will only concentrate on the urine part because "It's so ridiculous". So they implement their common used techniques of "your prophet ordered you to drink urine, o my god, what kind of prophet was that. He was not a prophet because he tells you to drink pee, ha ha ha ha"
Some Muslims out of their inferiority complex have denied the hadiths which is a great problem. Others have shut their ears and said "no way, we don't do that, that was only for that time and place". Yet some have stood strong and said "If the prophet told us, there must be some benefit". So let us look at that. I have already posted an article about the benefits of camel urine and milk, however in this article we will analyze the argument and refute it.
My answer would be yes. I would. Just like some Asian people eat snakes, monkeys, and other so called weird things as it appears to the westerners, camel urine has its benefits and for some cultures who have a wider range of mind, it does not seem ridiculous. In my country and other countries people eat stomach soup, sheep testicle soup and other so called weird things that the west would never put in their mouth. Even though such tings are proven scientifically to be of benefit for the body, the non Muslims scream from the top of their lungs "OOOO THAT'S DISGUSTING". They would rather smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and eat pork which science has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are non healthy and in some cases can cause death. Yet they stuff themselves every day with such suicidal substances.
So why do they try to ridicule the Muslims? The answer is simple: they look for anything they use misguide people from the truth, anything. They are so closed minded that they will never even consider the proof that refutes them. And Allah knows best.
My question to them is how did you prove that Prophet Muhammad is not a prophet? You did not bring us any prof yet. The incident of drinking camel pee will not cut it, not in the light of unbiased scientific research. And by the way if you read the hadiths in full you will find that the people who drank the pee, were healed.
We are still waiting for a proper, rational and mature argument against Islam.
However I want to conclude this article with some other proof. Penicillin was extracted from mold. I can see non Muslims at that time saying: "O MY GOD MEDICINE FROM MOLD? YAAAKH. WE CAN'T HAVE THAT, WE WOULD RATHER DIE. AND MANY DID". Penicillin was one of the most important discoveries in the world in the field of medicine. It has increased the life span of people and no one can ever deny it's benefits. Yet it was extracted from something that might seem yukki and grouse: mold. No one would ever think that such a cure that revolutionized medicine could come out of something rotten. During the black plague some people found that there was a cure in the fat collected from animals. They would drink it by the bottles. It might seem yukki, but such people found benefit in it. And finally here is another piece of evidence that supports the benefit of urine:
Premarin® stands for Pregnant Mares' Urine (PREgnant MARes' urINe)
Premarin (including Prempro, Premphase, Prempac, and Premelle) is a drug made up of conjugated estrogens obtained from the urine of pregnant mares -- put out in many forms (pills, creams, injections, patches, vaginal rings) and is used to reduce the symptoms of menopause in women or women who have had a hysterectomy. It is also prescribed to nearly eliminate the risk of osteoporosis (the brittling of bones) and reduce the chance of heart disease in women over 50.
In the end we need to analyze the above argument and understand why such people attempt with such unethical standards to ridicule our prophet and Islam. They have nothing else to do but spend days and nights trying to misguide people. Calling to associate partners with God and to follow their own desires. Their arguments confuse Muslims who do not have knowledge and who themselves feel inferior and ashamed of the sunnah of the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Analyzing such arguments from a rational point of view without blushing or apologizing, one can conclude that such arguments can easily be refuted. The arguments themselves are flawed and irrational. One might not even need an explanation such as was given above, but in order to avoid the benefit of the doubt I hope by the will of Allah that this refutation has given us a general frame of mind as to what kind of attacks are out there against Islam. We also hope that Muslims, will not doubt the sunnah due to ridiculous arguments that people put forth and that they will first doubt the integrity and validity of such arguments. Subhan Allah we have got to a time where we doubt Allah and His messenger first before we doubt the disbelievers. May Allah keep us strong, Amen.
Let the Quran speak:
They try to extinguish the light of Allah (swt) by blowing with thier mouths, but Allah (swt) will perfect His light even if the unbelievers may hate it”
Drinking Camel Urine?
Many Non Muslims especially Christians have attacked the incident in the Sirah (biography our our prophet) where he ordered some people to drink camel urine. The following article is to describe some of the benefits of camel urine and milk, while the article entitled "Refuting the appeal to ridicule on drinking camel urine" will discuss how to answer this question from a rational point of view.
The benefits of drinking camel urine
I hope that you can provide me with a scientific answer – if such knowledge is available – about the saheeh hadeeth about drinking camel’s urine. May Allaah reward you.
Praise be to Allaah.
The hadeeth referred to by the questioner is a saheeh hadeeth, in which it says that some people came to Madeenah and fell sick. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told them to drink the milk and urine of camels, and they recovered and grew fat. In the story it also says that they apostatized and killed the camel-herder, then the Muslims caught them and executed them. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2855) and Muslim (1671).
With regard to the health benefits of drinking the milk and urine of camels, they are many, and they are well known to the earlier generations of medical science and they have been proven by modern scientific research.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
The author of al-Qanoon (the Canon) – i.e. the doctor Ibn Seena (Avicenna) – said:
The most beneficial of urine is the urine of Bedouin camels which are called najeeb. End quote.
Zaad al-Ma’aad (4/47, 48).
In the Emirati newspaper al-Ittihaad (issue no. 11172, Sunday 6 Muharram 1427 AH/5 February 2006) it says:
One of the most important things for which camels are raised is their milk, which is efficacious in treating many illnesses, including hepatitis, and the digestive system in general, various types of cancer and other diseases.
In an article by Dr Ahlaam al-‘Awadi, which was published in al-Da’wah magazine, issue no. 1938, 25 Safar 1425 AH/15 April 2004 CE, about the diseases which can be treated with camel’s milk, as proven by experience, it says that there are many benefits in camel’s milk. There follows some of what was said in the article by Dr. Ahlaam:
Camel’s urine is efficacious in the treatment of skin diseases such as ringworm, tinea and abscesses, sores that may appear on the body and hair, and dry and wet ulcers. Camel’s urine brings the secondary benefits of making the hair lustrous and thick, and removing dandruff from the scalp. Camel’s milk is also beneficial in treating hepatitis, even if it has reached an advanced stage where medicine is unable to treat it. End quote.
In the al-Jazeerah al-Sa’oodiyyah newspaper (issue no. 10132, Rabee’ al-Awwal 1421 AH) there is a quotation from the book Al-Ibl Asraar wa i’jaaz (The camel: secrets and wonders) by Darmaan ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez Aal Darmaan and Sanad ibn Mutlaq al-Subay’i:
As for camel’s urine, the book suggests that it has numerous uses which are beneficial for man. This is indicated by the Prophetic texts and confirmed by modern science … Scientific experiments have proven that camel’s urine has a lethal effect on the germs that cause many diseases.
Among the uses of camel’s urine, many women use it to wash their hair, to make it longer, and to make it lighter and more lustrous. Camel’s urine is also efficacious in the treatment of swelling of the liver and other diseases such as abscesses, sores that appear on the body and toothache, and for washing eyes. End quote.
Prof. Dr. ‘Abd al-Fattaah Mahmoud Idrees says: With regard to the benefits of camel’s urine in treating disease, Ibn Seena said in his Qanoon: The most beneficial of urine is the urine of the Bedouin camels known as najeeb. Camel’s urine is beneficial in treating al-hazaaz, and it was said that al-hazzaz is a pain in the heart caused by anger and so on. Camel’s urine, especially the urine of a young she-camel – is used as a cleansing substance to wash wounds and sores, to make the hair grow, to strengthen and thicken it and to prevent it falling out, and it is used to treat diseases of the scalp and dandruff. In a Master’s thesis by an engineer in applied chemistry, Muhammad Awhaaj Muhammad, that was submitted to the faculty of applied chemistry in the al-Jazeerah university in Sudan, and approved by the Dean of science and postgraduate studies in the university in November 1998 CE, entitled A Study of the Chemical Composition and Some Medical Uses of the Urine of Arabian Camels, Muhammad Awhaaj says:
Laboratory tests indicate that camel’s urine contains high levels of potassium, albuminous proteins, and small amounts of uric acid, sodium and creatine.
In this study, he explained that what prompted him to study the medicinal properties of camel’s urine was what he had seen of some tribesmen drinking this urine whenever they suffered digestion problems. He sought the help of some doctors in studying camel’s urine. They brought a number of patients and prescribed this urine for them, for a period of two months. Their bodies recovered from what they had been suffering from, which proves the efficacy of camel’s urine in treating some diseases of the digestive system.
It also proves that this urine is useful in preventing hair loss. He says:
Camel’s urine acts as a slow-acting diuretic, but it does not deplete potassium and other salts as other diuretics do, because camel’s urine contains a high level of potassium and proteins. It has also been proven to be effective against some types of bacteria and viruses. It brought about an improvement in the condition of twenty-five patients who used camel’s urine for dropsy, without disrupting their potassium levels. Two of them were cured of liver pain, and their liver function was restored to normal levels, as well as the tissue of the liver being improved. One of the medicines used to treat blood clots is a compound called Fibrinoltics which works by changing a substance in the body from its inactive form, Plasminogen, to its active form, Plasmin, in order to dissolve the substance that causes clotting, Fibrin. One of the components of this compound is called Urokinase, which is produced by the kidneys or from the urine, as indicated by the name “uro”.
The dean of the Faculty of Medical Science in the Sudanese al-Jazeerah university, Professor Ahmad ‘Abd-Allaah Ahmadaani, has discovered a practical way of using camel’s urine to treat dropsy and swelling in the liver. Its success has been proven in treating those who are affected by these diseases. He said in a seminar organized by the al-Jazeerah University:
The experiment began by giving each patient a daily dose of camel’s urine mixed with camel’s milk to make it palatable. Fifteen days after the beginning of the experiment, the patients’ stomachs grew smaller and went back to their normal size.
He said that he examined the patients’ livers with ultrasound before the study began, and he found out that the livers of fifteen out of the twenty-five were in a cirrhotic state, and some of them had developed cirrhosis of the liver as the result of bilharzia. All of the patients responded to treatment with camel’s urine, and some of them continued, by their own choice, to drink a dose of camel’s urine every day for a further two months. At the end of that time, they were all found to have been cured of cirrhosis of the liver. He said: Camel’s urine contains a large amount of potassium, as well as albumen and magnesium, because the camel only drinks four times during the summer and once during the winter, which makes it retain water in its body so as to preserve the sodium, and the sodium causes it not to urinate a great deal, because it keeps the water in its body.
He explained that dropsy results from a deficiency of albumen or potassium, and the urine of camels in rich in both of these.
He suggested that the best type of camels for using the urine as a remedy are young camels.
Dr. Ahlaam al-‘Awadi, a specialist in microbiology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, supervised some scientific papers that dealt with her discoveries in the usage of camel’s urine for medical treatment, such as the papers by ‘Awaatif al-Jadeedi and Manaal al-Qattaan. During her supervision of the paper by Manaal al-Qattaan, she succeeded in confirming the effectiveness of using a preparation made from camel’s urine which was the first antibiotic produced in this manner anywhere in the world. Concerning the features of this new product, Dr. Ahlaam said:
It is not costly, and it is easy to manufacture. It can be used to treat skin diseases such as eczema, allergies, sores, burns, acne, nail infections, cancer, hepatitis and dropsy with no harmful side effects.
And she said:
Camel’s urine contains a number of healing factors such as antibiotics (bacteria that are present in it, salts and urea). The camel possesses an immune system that is highly equipped to combat funguses, bacteria and viruses, because it contains antibodies. It may also be used to treat blood clots and fibrinolytics may be derived from it, and it may be used to treat dropsy (which is caused by a deficiency in albumen and potassium, as camel’s urine is rich in both). Camel’s urine may also provide a remedy for abdominal complaints, especially those of the stomach and intestines, as well as asthma and shortness of breath. It caused a noticeable reduction in patients’ sugar levels. It is a remedy for low libido, and it aids in bone growth in children and in strengthening the heart muscles. It may be used as a cleansing agent for cleaning wounds and sores, especially the urine of young she-camels. It also helps the hair to grow and become strong and thick, and it helps to prevent hair loss and baldness, and can be used to treat dandruff. Camel’s urine may also be used to combat disease by using bacteria extracted from it. It was used to treat a girl who was suffering from an infection behind the ear, that was accompanied by pus weeping from it and painful cracks and sores. It was also used to treat a girl who was unable to extend the fingers of her hands because of the presence of so many cracks and sores, and whose face was almost black with pimples. Dr. Ahlaam said:
Camel’s urine may also be used to treat the digestive system and to treat some cases of cancer. She stated that the research that she had undertaken on camel’s urine proved that it was effective in destroying micro-organisms such as fungus, yeast and bacteria.
Dr. Rahmah al-‘Ulyaani, who is also from Saudi Arabia, carried out tests on rabbits infected with bacteria in the colon. She treated each group of rabbits with a different kind of medicine, including camel’s urine. There was a noticeable regression in the rabbits that were treated with other medicines, except for camel’s urine, which brought about a clear improvement.
Majallat al-Jundi al-Muslim, issue no. 118, 20 Dhu’l-Qa’dah 1425 AH; 1 January 2005 CE.
Allaah calls upon us to ponder the creation of the camel, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Do they not look at the camels, how they are created?”
[al-Ghaashiyah 88:17]
This pondering is not limited to the outward form of the camel, or even to the inner workings of its body, rather it also includes that which we have discussed here, which is the benefits of the urine and milk of the camel. Modern scientific research is still discovering for us many of the wonders of this creature.
And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Is it supposed to be that easy?
I was reading the article of a Christian who was responding to the concerns of another Christian with regards to mistakes in the Bible and inconsistencies. The responder re assures the questioner that He is pretty much wasting his time. God never intended it to be as complicated, where we have to look for proof and we have to be careful with contradictions and mistakes.
Dear X,
I think you OUGHT to give up!
It's not really that complicated--some people MAKE it that way...but Jesus never intended that...
Jesus said once:
"Let the little children come to me...they are the kind of folk I let into heaven"
and
"If you DON'T accept me with the simple trust and heart of a child, you don't make it!".
He put the cookies on the bottom shelf for us, friend.
He noticed the pattern that it was the 'wise' who didn't seem to be able to understand His message...
At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. (Mt 11.25)
Think about His message for just a moment...
He never intended for this to be frustrating or full of turmoil--His mission to earth was one of giving rest and peace, and healing lives and hearts, and filling lives with fullness and significance...He said elsewhere:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11.28-30)
After reading this for the first time I found myself attacked by Shaitan... Could it be so? I mean we struggle so much as Muslims to always stick to the perfect word of God and we are quite critical of any imperfection. Of course Shaitan has his tricks, his magic. This is what I call the above: a magic trick. You read it and you can feel that it moves you, it brings emotion in you, especially if you struggle in your life, and you always work hard and you are tired, but you keep going. You want to struggle to serve God. Upon a careful reflection of the above I realized that these type of magic tricks are all over Christianity. They try to play with people's emotions, they try to make you feel guilty, and that is exactly the way Shaitan works. This is exactly how missionaries convert the people in Africa and other poor places to Christianity. Jesus loves you, he died for you, he will take up your sins, you are tired, come to rest with him, he will give you peace, he will give you rest, come to him. Well is that good enough reason for someone to put his eternity at stake for? Think about it agai. Let us translate what our Christian friend said:
Basically God did not make this message of Jesus dying for us, being part of a trinity but still keeping monotheism, God dying for 3 days, or maybe only part of God, or the man part. He did not make this message too complicated. If you don't understand it you don't have to worry. As our friend says: GIVE UP. It is simpler than that he says. God wants us to be like children, we have to believe based on observation he says after throwing in some psychological terms. We have to be like children and observe the actions and to believe based on the things that Jesus did. His miracles, his healing, his love those are the true proof of him being God. Amazing isn't it? He uses a few words such as skeptics, mistrust which we have all experienced in our lives, and he can easily make someone feel guilty and think: hey maybe he is right... I have been pretty critical all my life, I have mistrusted people....maybe I should stop. Amazing again.. isn't it? We have to be like children, we just have to look at what the actions are, the message (which is the one that we question anyway) and then just believe.
The problem is that we can't do that. We can't be children because we are not children. Is Christianity supposed to be understood only by children? Than we are all doomed. A mature person, based on experiences will not be able to be so foolish as a child. A child can look at a person who seems to be nice, who will give him or her a candy, talk sweet, make them feel nice, without seeing the danger of this person taking them to be abducted and raped. Think about it: why do we educate our kids not to speak to strangers no matter how nice they seem? So should we be like children? Should we put away our intellect and all the mistakes and problems we see and close our eyes, and just believe based on the miracles?
I am amazed at that, and I now see the dangers that Christianity poses to humanity. If we allow ourselves to fall and just follow our desires, we will go astray. COME FOLLOW ME, I WILL TAKE YOUR SINS, I WILL HELP YOU, YOU ARE TIRED, DONT' WORRY LET ME WORK FOR YOU, REST, I WILL GIVE YOU REST, I LOVE YOU, I CARE FOR YOU, I CAME TO DIE FOR YOU, RELAX, RELAX.. I WILL DO IT. Does that sound familiar?
A Muslim and any person who uses his rational and believes in God knows that they cannot be a child. They are mature and they have experienced life and if God's message exist is should be for everyone, for young and old, and everyone should understand it. Go and ask a young child who has never had any Christian doctrine spoon fed to him before: ask him if he understands the trinity after you explain it to him. Ask Him if he has it in him that there is a God and ask him wethere that God is a triune God who sent his son to die for the sins of people. But if you ask a child if there is a God, one God, fur sure they will answer in the affirmative. That is the extent to which a child can understand God... that's why they are not responsible and pure, they are not accountable for sins, because they cannot tell the difference between good and evil yet. So that is what our friend is calling us for. Leave the faculty that tells you what is good and evil and become oblivious to it.
As Muslims we will keep working, we will keep being tired, we will never give up. The tiredness will be seen on the eyes and faces of those who have struggled in this life for the sake of obeying their Lord. They will be the ones who will get the reward in the hear after. Night and day, they will pray, night and day they will guard against evil, never taking a break, working hard to enjoy good and forbid evil. They will sin and repent, and sin and repent again, and they will never despair of God's mercy. They will never stop and they will never be fooled by magic tricks. They will never blame or put their sins on other people and they will take responsibility for their actions. Snow, sun, rain, sickness and health you will find them prostrating to their Lord, making religion pure for Him, you will see them by their marks, you will see them moving through out the land in humbleness, just as Jesus did, Jesus the son of Mary, the messenger of God, the one who came to declare to us Worship your lord and my lord.. that is the pure religion.
Dear X,
I think you OUGHT to give up!
It's not really that complicated--some people MAKE it that way...but Jesus never intended that...
Jesus said once:
"Let the little children come to me...they are the kind of folk I let into heaven"
and
"If you DON'T accept me with the simple trust and heart of a child, you don't make it!".
He put the cookies on the bottom shelf for us, friend.
He noticed the pattern that it was the 'wise' who didn't seem to be able to understand His message...
At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. (Mt 11.25)
Think about His message for just a moment...
He never intended for this to be frustrating or full of turmoil--His mission to earth was one of giving rest and peace, and healing lives and hearts, and filling lives with fullness and significance...He said elsewhere:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11.28-30)
After reading this for the first time I found myself attacked by Shaitan... Could it be so? I mean we struggle so much as Muslims to always stick to the perfect word of God and we are quite critical of any imperfection. Of course Shaitan has his tricks, his magic. This is what I call the above: a magic trick. You read it and you can feel that it moves you, it brings emotion in you, especially if you struggle in your life, and you always work hard and you are tired, but you keep going. You want to struggle to serve God. Upon a careful reflection of the above I realized that these type of magic tricks are all over Christianity. They try to play with people's emotions, they try to make you feel guilty, and that is exactly the way Shaitan works. This is exactly how missionaries convert the people in Africa and other poor places to Christianity. Jesus loves you, he died for you, he will take up your sins, you are tired, come to rest with him, he will give you peace, he will give you rest, come to him. Well is that good enough reason for someone to put his eternity at stake for? Think about it agai. Let us translate what our Christian friend said:
Basically God did not make this message of Jesus dying for us, being part of a trinity but still keeping monotheism, God dying for 3 days, or maybe only part of God, or the man part. He did not make this message too complicated. If you don't understand it you don't have to worry. As our friend says: GIVE UP. It is simpler than that he says. God wants us to be like children, we have to believe based on observation he says after throwing in some psychological terms. We have to be like children and observe the actions and to believe based on the things that Jesus did. His miracles, his healing, his love those are the true proof of him being God. Amazing isn't it? He uses a few words such as skeptics, mistrust which we have all experienced in our lives, and he can easily make someone feel guilty and think: hey maybe he is right... I have been pretty critical all my life, I have mistrusted people....maybe I should stop. Amazing again.. isn't it? We have to be like children, we just have to look at what the actions are, the message (which is the one that we question anyway) and then just believe.
The problem is that we can't do that. We can't be children because we are not children. Is Christianity supposed to be understood only by children? Than we are all doomed. A mature person, based on experiences will not be able to be so foolish as a child. A child can look at a person who seems to be nice, who will give him or her a candy, talk sweet, make them feel nice, without seeing the danger of this person taking them to be abducted and raped. Think about it: why do we educate our kids not to speak to strangers no matter how nice they seem? So should we be like children? Should we put away our intellect and all the mistakes and problems we see and close our eyes, and just believe based on the miracles?
I am amazed at that, and I now see the dangers that Christianity poses to humanity. If we allow ourselves to fall and just follow our desires, we will go astray. COME FOLLOW ME, I WILL TAKE YOUR SINS, I WILL HELP YOU, YOU ARE TIRED, DONT' WORRY LET ME WORK FOR YOU, REST, I WILL GIVE YOU REST, I LOVE YOU, I CARE FOR YOU, I CAME TO DIE FOR YOU, RELAX, RELAX.. I WILL DO IT. Does that sound familiar?
A Muslim and any person who uses his rational and believes in God knows that they cannot be a child. They are mature and they have experienced life and if God's message exist is should be for everyone, for young and old, and everyone should understand it. Go and ask a young child who has never had any Christian doctrine spoon fed to him before: ask him if he understands the trinity after you explain it to him. Ask Him if he has it in him that there is a God and ask him wethere that God is a triune God who sent his son to die for the sins of people. But if you ask a child if there is a God, one God, fur sure they will answer in the affirmative. That is the extent to which a child can understand God... that's why they are not responsible and pure, they are not accountable for sins, because they cannot tell the difference between good and evil yet. So that is what our friend is calling us for. Leave the faculty that tells you what is good and evil and become oblivious to it.
As Muslims we will keep working, we will keep being tired, we will never give up. The tiredness will be seen on the eyes and faces of those who have struggled in this life for the sake of obeying their Lord. They will be the ones who will get the reward in the hear after. Night and day, they will pray, night and day they will guard against evil, never taking a break, working hard to enjoy good and forbid evil. They will sin and repent, and sin and repent again, and they will never despair of God's mercy. They will never stop and they will never be fooled by magic tricks. They will never blame or put their sins on other people and they will take responsibility for their actions. Snow, sun, rain, sickness and health you will find them prostrating to their Lord, making religion pure for Him, you will see them by their marks, you will see them moving through out the land in humbleness, just as Jesus did, Jesus the son of Mary, the messenger of God, the one who came to declare to us Worship your lord and my lord.. that is the pure religion.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Healing of the Quran (study on American participants)
Healing and Mercy
"We send down (stage by stage) in the Quran, that which is a healing and mercy."
"We send down (stage by stage) in the Quran, that which is a healing and mercy."
The results of researches conducted over a group of volunteers from the USA who were subject to a recitation of the Quran were striking. A trace of a tranquilizing effect was recorded on 97% of the participants. Although many of these volunteers did not know Arabic, they nonetheless experienced involuntary physiological changes that led to notable alleviation in the acuity of tension they were observed to possess in their nervous systems prior to the experiment.
Furthermore, an EEG experiment during the Quran recitation revealed that the encephalic waves moved at a slower pattern, indicating a state of deep calmness. Non-Arabic speaking people felt assured, quite, and relaxed when listening to the Quranic verses, in spite of their inability to understand their meaning. This is one the miracles of the Holy Quran.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, revealed this miracle by saying, "People assembled in one of the houses of Allah (Mosques), and who recite and study the Book of Allah, find that a tranquility prevails over them, and that mercy encompasses them, and that the angels surround them, and that Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him."
Source:
"Medical Miracales of the Quran" - Dr. Sharif Kaf Al-Ghazal. The Islamic Foundation, UK. p. 104-105.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Mercy vs Sacrifice (Islam vs Christianity)
"Say: 'O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of God: for God forgives all sins (except shirk): for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'" (39:53)
In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. This article will deal with analyzing the above verse and shining some light on the topic of atonement in Islam and Christianity. In my discussions with Christians, one many occasions I have experienced a grave ignorance from their side when it comes to the concept of atonement. They accuse Islam of being unmerciful and they try to establish a superiority of the Christian concept of sacrifice by playing an emotional game. By the will of Allah we will examine such a claim.
"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, for whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16), is a very strong statement that Christians flaunt on big posters at football games, wrestling matches and continually repeat it in Churches on Sundays. Putting on the side the fact that there are some serious interpolation problems with this verse, let us look at the claim that it makes. God had a son, which was begotten (a human trait. Christians have been working on this issue for a long time, with many magic explanations and meanings of the word begotten, as well as some leading scholars claiming the word to be an interpolation - to fit the doctrine of course), and which is god himself, and which.... are you ready?, died!!!!!! So God sent god (which is also his own son, in a perfect triune manner which keeps the flavor of perfect monotheism (3 in 1 .... does it?) and which no one can understand. Of course tears run on cheeks when people think about it, hearts shake when people talk about it, blood runs when Christians in the Philippines try to imitate it, but for a person whit a deep understanding of the implications and of God's attributes, this is just a magic trick. It looks nice, sounds nice, but it's just a trick. The appeals to emotion does not do it, and the claim that Christianity is more merciful than Islam does not cut it. If Goad is so merciful how come he needs to sacrifice His own son? Christians will say because He loves you. The Muslim answers: if He loves me that is not a nice way to show it. He has all the power in the heavens and the earths to forgive me. The Christian will say: The only way for Him to know true love is through sacrifice and He had to come down and become a man so He can fully love you. The Muslim: God has the attribute of the perfect love, and only humans need to experience in order to improve their love. God is not a man, man is not God. To God belongs the ability to Love in the most perfect way, and He has the most perfect Mercy. He just says and it is. Verily God is Most Merciful, there is not God but Him, high above is He over what they ascribe to Him. Read the Quran.
Have you ever sinned? I am sure you have because God created us with the ability to sin. We all sin, but we are not sinners as Christians believe. They believe that we have a stamp of sin from our father Adam and that no matter what we are destined for Hell unless we accept Jesus to have died for our sins. The Muslims do not believe that. The issue of sin is not as grave as in Christianity, thinking that you are born, you are a sinner, you will be a sinner, you can do nothing about it, you will burn in hell if you don't accept Jesus. Islam teaches that sin is part of human nature but so is goodness. Christianity teaches that the punishment for sin is death. Is that so? Any sin? Islam teaches that there are levels of sins. There are great sins, and there are smaller sins and even mistakes. God can forgive all of them. How? By His ability and mercy, and by you repenting and trying to change yourself. You are in a constant relationship of humbling yourself in front of God and admitting your mistakes. You always fight and try to change yourself instead of putting your sins on someone else. This concept is very deep. You sin, which is a negative thing, which can lead to the deterioration of family, and society. But you repent, and you work hard to change yourself, as well as try to do good deeds which will re establish in society the balance that was tipped when you sinned. This in comparison with you sinning and feeling safe (Christians always bring this up saying: I have the assurance that my sins are taken away) and not needing to struggle and change yourself. The results: just look around yourself what goes on in Christian societies.
"Say: 'O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of God: for God forgives all sins (except shirk): for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'" (39:53)
The Mercy of Allah is enough for me. I have sinned much in my life, and so has everyone else except the prophets. We have all sinned, and we should not despair because of that. Sometimes even a sin can be a realization of your faults and can be the beginning of a new journey towards God by repenting and amending. But people have also done many good deeds in life. There is much goodness in the world. Sin is not something that should discourage someone from seeking goodness. I remember my struggle with sin every day. Coming from a background where sin was no big deal, I found myself fighting with my habits as a New Muslim. At some points I was depressed, ready to give up, ready to stop the things that I was doing for God because I found myself being a hypocrite, till I really began pondering on the Quran and its meanings. I came upon the verse above. O my servant... we are all His servants..... who has transgressed against their souls... o my Lord I have committed many sins, and my soul is hurting..... do not despair of the Mercy of God.... o my Lord your Mercy is my hope, your Mercy is what gives me strength and faith.... verily God forgives all sins...... I believe that God, because you have power over all things....
Everyone has a chance in Islam. The people before Jesus and the people after, bot Muslim and no Muslim, everyone has a chance to change and to come to the right path. Everyone can experience God's infinite Mercy and Love. Everyone can repent, and change their life around. No matter what you did, as long as you die in a state of repentance God can forgive you. As long as you accept Him and all His prophets and submit to Him, He can forgive you. Do not despair. Come of Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu, Atheist, Murderer, Rapist, Pervert, and Thief. Come, repent and amend, verily the Mercy of God can give you life. Come all to submit to your Lod, and confess your sins and weaknesses, He will give you meaning in life. It's not to late. Come!
"Allah, the Almighty, has said: O Son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins as great as the earth, and were you then to face Me ascribing no partners to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it."
While God is the Most Merciful, He is also the Master of the Day of Judgment. Islam always provides the balanced understanding of life, and while it is true that God can forgive every sin, you have to be on guard not to abuse that (like Christians have done, abolishing God's laws saying they are under the covenant of mercy) and keep in mind that the punishment of God can be upon you if you do that.
In conclusion, it is not to late. Do it now! Get up and put your head on the ground and ask for forgiveness. Let your tongue be moist with the words of repentance. Let your heart be filled with he hope of God. Mercy is God's attribute. No one can deny that. Ask anyone who believes in God. Do you believe God is Merciful? Do you feel the Mercy of God in your life? Are you breathing? Than God is Merciful. Love this Mercy, cherish it, live by it and be yourself merciful to people. No matter what you have done, God's Mercy can wipe that. Do not give up. Come to Him with a humble heart and you will receive it, for he is the Oft Forgiving, the Loving (85 vs 14) and He forgives us because He loves us. O Allah, shower us with your Mercy, verily you have power over all things, and you are the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I love you!
In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. This article will deal with analyzing the above verse and shining some light on the topic of atonement in Islam and Christianity. In my discussions with Christians, one many occasions I have experienced a grave ignorance from their side when it comes to the concept of atonement. They accuse Islam of being unmerciful and they try to establish a superiority of the Christian concept of sacrifice by playing an emotional game. By the will of Allah we will examine such a claim.
"For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, for whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16), is a very strong statement that Christians flaunt on big posters at football games, wrestling matches and continually repeat it in Churches on Sundays. Putting on the side the fact that there are some serious interpolation problems with this verse, let us look at the claim that it makes. God had a son, which was begotten (a human trait. Christians have been working on this issue for a long time, with many magic explanations and meanings of the word begotten, as well as some leading scholars claiming the word to be an interpolation - to fit the doctrine of course), and which is god himself, and which.... are you ready?, died!!!!!! So God sent god (which is also his own son, in a perfect triune manner which keeps the flavor of perfect monotheism (3 in 1 .... does it?) and which no one can understand. Of course tears run on cheeks when people think about it, hearts shake when people talk about it, blood runs when Christians in the Philippines try to imitate it, but for a person whit a deep understanding of the implications and of God's attributes, this is just a magic trick. It looks nice, sounds nice, but it's just a trick. The appeals to emotion does not do it, and the claim that Christianity is more merciful than Islam does not cut it. If Goad is so merciful how come he needs to sacrifice His own son? Christians will say because He loves you. The Muslim answers: if He loves me that is not a nice way to show it. He has all the power in the heavens and the earths to forgive me. The Christian will say: The only way for Him to know true love is through sacrifice and He had to come down and become a man so He can fully love you. The Muslim: God has the attribute of the perfect love, and only humans need to experience in order to improve their love. God is not a man, man is not God. To God belongs the ability to Love in the most perfect way, and He has the most perfect Mercy. He just says and it is. Verily God is Most Merciful, there is not God but Him, high above is He over what they ascribe to Him. Read the Quran.
Have you ever sinned? I am sure you have because God created us with the ability to sin. We all sin, but we are not sinners as Christians believe. They believe that we have a stamp of sin from our father Adam and that no matter what we are destined for Hell unless we accept Jesus to have died for our sins. The Muslims do not believe that. The issue of sin is not as grave as in Christianity, thinking that you are born, you are a sinner, you will be a sinner, you can do nothing about it, you will burn in hell if you don't accept Jesus. Islam teaches that sin is part of human nature but so is goodness. Christianity teaches that the punishment for sin is death. Is that so? Any sin? Islam teaches that there are levels of sins. There are great sins, and there are smaller sins and even mistakes. God can forgive all of them. How? By His ability and mercy, and by you repenting and trying to change yourself. You are in a constant relationship of humbling yourself in front of God and admitting your mistakes. You always fight and try to change yourself instead of putting your sins on someone else. This concept is very deep. You sin, which is a negative thing, which can lead to the deterioration of family, and society. But you repent, and you work hard to change yourself, as well as try to do good deeds which will re establish in society the balance that was tipped when you sinned. This in comparison with you sinning and feeling safe (Christians always bring this up saying: I have the assurance that my sins are taken away) and not needing to struggle and change yourself. The results: just look around yourself what goes on in Christian societies.
"Say: 'O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of God: for God forgives all sins (except shirk): for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'" (39:53)
The Mercy of Allah is enough for me. I have sinned much in my life, and so has everyone else except the prophets. We have all sinned, and we should not despair because of that. Sometimes even a sin can be a realization of your faults and can be the beginning of a new journey towards God by repenting and amending. But people have also done many good deeds in life. There is much goodness in the world. Sin is not something that should discourage someone from seeking goodness. I remember my struggle with sin every day. Coming from a background where sin was no big deal, I found myself fighting with my habits as a New Muslim. At some points I was depressed, ready to give up, ready to stop the things that I was doing for God because I found myself being a hypocrite, till I really began pondering on the Quran and its meanings. I came upon the verse above. O my servant... we are all His servants..... who has transgressed against their souls... o my Lord I have committed many sins, and my soul is hurting..... do not despair of the Mercy of God.... o my Lord your Mercy is my hope, your Mercy is what gives me strength and faith.... verily God forgives all sins...... I believe that God, because you have power over all things....
Everyone has a chance in Islam. The people before Jesus and the people after, bot Muslim and no Muslim, everyone has a chance to change and to come to the right path. Everyone can experience God's infinite Mercy and Love. Everyone can repent, and change their life around. No matter what you did, as long as you die in a state of repentance God can forgive you. As long as you accept Him and all His prophets and submit to Him, He can forgive you. Do not despair. Come of Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu, Atheist, Murderer, Rapist, Pervert, and Thief. Come, repent and amend, verily the Mercy of God can give you life. Come all to submit to your Lod, and confess your sins and weaknesses, He will give you meaning in life. It's not to late. Come!
"Allah, the Almighty, has said: O Son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins as great as the earth, and were you then to face Me ascribing no partners to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it."
While God is the Most Merciful, He is also the Master of the Day of Judgment. Islam always provides the balanced understanding of life, and while it is true that God can forgive every sin, you have to be on guard not to abuse that (like Christians have done, abolishing God's laws saying they are under the covenant of mercy) and keep in mind that the punishment of God can be upon you if you do that.
In conclusion, it is not to late. Do it now! Get up and put your head on the ground and ask for forgiveness. Let your tongue be moist with the words of repentance. Let your heart be filled with he hope of God. Mercy is God's attribute. No one can deny that. Ask anyone who believes in God. Do you believe God is Merciful? Do you feel the Mercy of God in your life? Are you breathing? Than God is Merciful. Love this Mercy, cherish it, live by it and be yourself merciful to people. No matter what you have done, God's Mercy can wipe that. Do not give up. Come to Him with a humble heart and you will receive it, for he is the Oft Forgiving, the Loving (85 vs 14) and He forgives us because He loves us. O Allah, shower us with your Mercy, verily you have power over all things, and you are the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I love you!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Emotions vs Rational
For Youth Who Seek the Truth
by Gabriel Keresztes (jibreelk)
All praise is due to God who has created the heavens and the earth and is above His creation and there is not partner to Him. Peace and blessings be on all the Prophets and the righteous people to follow the truth until the Day of Judgment.
One of the most contested issues that face our Western pluralistic society is the concept of the ‘right culture’. A question such as what is ethical and what is in line with humanity? What is the truth? Which culture is better? Is the Western culture better than its Eastern counterpart? Within the large fold of culture, religion is a social factor that has raised many questions as to which religion is correct. Which religion falls in line with acceptable practices by society at large, and if not, does it invalidate that religion, or disqualify it from potentially being the truth? In this article we will cast some light on the issue of the criteria that a seeker of truth should have when looking at cultural practices and faith, and how can one look at information from a very critical point of view while putting emotions aside. Within the context of this article we will concentrate on Islam and the stumbling blocks that some people face when studying it.
It is without a doubt that emotions are some of the strongest human manipulators, and if someone can master the art of bringing out emotions in people, such a person can cause much damage. From the beginning of the so called scholarly studies of religion, there have been many objective works which have contributed greatly to facilitating studies; while on the other hand, there have been a greater majority of works which have contained biases, personal agendas and at some points (colonialism) ideological and political agendas. In the attempt to answer some of the questions above, a seeker of truth will stumble upon a vast compilation of arguments against Islam and Muslim culture.
Even though many Western scholars have not made the distinction between Islam and culture, without dwelling on the issue we will just state at this point that the two are like apples and donuts. Getting back to the arguments that can be found against Islam, a sincere seeker of truth will find that such are predominantly emotional appeals which can be dismissed right away from a rational point of view.
Let us take one example: I have seen and heard of many people who refuse to look deeper into Islam because of the issue of polygamy. From a rational approach should one dismiss a religion due to a practice which is contrary to his or her emotions, or cultural upbringing? The answer should be a resounding “No”. The Western scholars will look at Islam and create such arguments that will fall in contradiction with Western values and with what Western society has conditioned its people to believe. How can a religion allow more than one marriage? How come women have different roles than men? Oh that is just horrible; I can’t accept that, I will not even look further into the matter.
I have heard these of repeated statements over and over again. Emotions are placed before rational. The approach of a sincere seeker of truth would be much wider and encompassing. It would involve anthropological research on issues related to acceptable cultural practices at different times by different people. My question here to a person who would engage in such emotional thinking would be: How did you prove the religion wrong? How does the fact that a religion allows polygamy make it invalid? The only thing you proved is that you are emotional and subjective to your emotions in your research, which will be disqualify your points from being scholarly.
How can someone understand the reality of facts and know the truth? It is simply said and hardly done. One must place aside all biases which he or she has acquired throughout their life span. One must use reliable sources of knowledge and no stop at emotional blocks. One has to use the faculty of reason more than any other faculty. One has to look at both sides of the argument and keep monitoring the emotions and biases that may arise from different events. One has to take his or her time and not be superficial but go to greater extents than what some of the so called Orientalists have done. And final but most important, one has to be sincere.
In the end truth stands by itself, and does not need emotions to make it stronger. It does not need sugar coating and distortion. It is what it is. Are you able to handle the truth?
by Gabriel Keresztes (jibreelk)
All praise is due to God who has created the heavens and the earth and is above His creation and there is not partner to Him. Peace and blessings be on all the Prophets and the righteous people to follow the truth until the Day of Judgment.
One of the most contested issues that face our Western pluralistic society is the concept of the ‘right culture’. A question such as what is ethical and what is in line with humanity? What is the truth? Which culture is better? Is the Western culture better than its Eastern counterpart? Within the large fold of culture, religion is a social factor that has raised many questions as to which religion is correct. Which religion falls in line with acceptable practices by society at large, and if not, does it invalidate that religion, or disqualify it from potentially being the truth? In this article we will cast some light on the issue of the criteria that a seeker of truth should have when looking at cultural practices and faith, and how can one look at information from a very critical point of view while putting emotions aside. Within the context of this article we will concentrate on Islam and the stumbling blocks that some people face when studying it.
It is without a doubt that emotions are some of the strongest human manipulators, and if someone can master the art of bringing out emotions in people, such a person can cause much damage. From the beginning of the so called scholarly studies of religion, there have been many objective works which have contributed greatly to facilitating studies; while on the other hand, there have been a greater majority of works which have contained biases, personal agendas and at some points (colonialism) ideological and political agendas. In the attempt to answer some of the questions above, a seeker of truth will stumble upon a vast compilation of arguments against Islam and Muslim culture.
Even though many Western scholars have not made the distinction between Islam and culture, without dwelling on the issue we will just state at this point that the two are like apples and donuts. Getting back to the arguments that can be found against Islam, a sincere seeker of truth will find that such are predominantly emotional appeals which can be dismissed right away from a rational point of view.
Let us take one example: I have seen and heard of many people who refuse to look deeper into Islam because of the issue of polygamy. From a rational approach should one dismiss a religion due to a practice which is contrary to his or her emotions, or cultural upbringing? The answer should be a resounding “No”. The Western scholars will look at Islam and create such arguments that will fall in contradiction with Western values and with what Western society has conditioned its people to believe. How can a religion allow more than one marriage? How come women have different roles than men? Oh that is just horrible; I can’t accept that, I will not even look further into the matter.
I have heard these of repeated statements over and over again. Emotions are placed before rational. The approach of a sincere seeker of truth would be much wider and encompassing. It would involve anthropological research on issues related to acceptable cultural practices at different times by different people. My question here to a person who would engage in such emotional thinking would be: How did you prove the religion wrong? How does the fact that a religion allows polygamy make it invalid? The only thing you proved is that you are emotional and subjective to your emotions in your research, which will be disqualify your points from being scholarly.
How can someone understand the reality of facts and know the truth? It is simply said and hardly done. One must place aside all biases which he or she has acquired throughout their life span. One must use reliable sources of knowledge and no stop at emotional blocks. One has to use the faculty of reason more than any other faculty. One has to look at both sides of the argument and keep monitoring the emotions and biases that may arise from different events. One has to take his or her time and not be superficial but go to greater extents than what some of the so called Orientalists have done. And final but most important, one has to be sincere.
In the end truth stands by itself, and does not need emotions to make it stronger. It does not need sugar coating and distortion. It is what it is. Are you able to handle the truth?
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sorry for some of the weird material that appeared on the page
Salamo Aleikum
I am sorry for those who visited my site and found some weird stuff on it, I could not control it. I did not realize that even one wrong word such as ROMANIA (my home country) can bring about bad material on my site. I think it's fixed now.
I am sorry for those who visited my site and found some weird stuff on it, I could not control it. I did not realize that even one wrong word such as ROMANIA (my home country) can bring about bad material on my site. I think it's fixed now.
Hate speech from Church
Hate Crime - Rage over anti-Islam rally
Dalson Chen - Windsor Star
Friday, January 12, 2007
Controversy filled a west Windsor church where the lecture of a purported former Muslim terrorist warned that Islam is a religion of war being brought to Canadian soil.
In a speech at Campbell Baptist Church on Thursday night, 49-year-old Zachariah Anani said that Islamic doctrine teaches nothing less than the “ambushing, seizing and slaying” of non-believers — especially Jews and Christians.
“Violence keeps going on,” said Anani, a Lebanese-born convert to Christianity who came to Windsor in 1997.
‘No Prisoners’
The hour-long talk, entitled The Deadly Threat of Islam, described the religion as worshipping a god who “fights and kills” and “strikes with terror,” and allows no prisoners in battles against non-believers.
“That’s how Islamic doctrine obliges its followers to conduct in war time,” Anani said.
More than 120 people packed the church to hear Anani’s speech.
Many came to contest his views in a question period that often grew heated with raised voices talking over each other.
“You’re inciting hatred by the title of tonight’s topic,” argued Gary Roberts while waving a hand with emotion.
Roberts, a 50-year-old Windsor resident, said he’s not a member of the church, but decided to come to the meeting as soon as he learned of it. “I just couldn’t sit back and not say nothing,” he said. “I had to vent.”
Windsor police said two officers in plain clothes attended the lecture at the church’s request.
Donald McKay, senior pastor at the church, said the event was organized simply to propagate what the church believes to be “absolute truth.”
“We have no desire to be offensive. We have no desire to polarize people unnecessarily,” McKay said.
But in asking Anani to clarify points of his speech, McKay described the Islamic faith as “oppressive” and “vicious.”
“The Muslims are coming over here to Windsor, Canada, for the purpose of advancing this faith,” McKay said.
A group of seven male Muslims who attended the meeting shook their heads at Anani’s speech. At the start of the event, the men declined to stand for the church’s hymn as a sign of protest.
Tarik Mohammed, 32, said that Anani took quotes from the Qur’an “out of context,” and demonstrated he could do the same with the Bible’s Old Testament.
“If I want to go through this, I can find a lot about killing,” Mohammed said to Anani.
“What you did tonight, you preached hate. You did not preach Christianity…. What you did right now is causing instability in our community and throughout the world.”
Gabriel Keresztes, who converted to Islam from Christianity three years ago, agreed with Mohammed.
“You cannot sweep and generalize everything and you cannot put everyone in a box,” said the 23-year-old Windsor resident. “We stepped a step back tonight in history, in the community of Windsor.”
McKay said he finds it interesting that advocates of Islam would argue for tolerance. “Islam is the most intolerant religion in the world today.”
McKay said Anani killed “hundreds of people in the name of Allah” before converting to Christianity, and Anani has brought his perspective to such media outlets as CNN and Fox News.
Anani said he was responsible for deaths while engaged in the Lebanese civil war before a missionary showed him the Christian path in 1975.
According to Anani, his goal is “awakening people to the truth.”
“We’ve been bombarded all the time about how good and nice is Islam,” Anani said.
During the question period, 46-year-old church member Bruno Franciskovic yelled that Muslims were responsible for the suicide attacks on the World Trade Center.
“This day and age, you don’t hear about Christians doing things like that,” Franciskovic shouted.
Fatimah Abdullah, a 46-year-old Windsor Muslim, responded by shouting “Timothy McVeigh” — the U.S. citizen responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.
Abdullah said she found Anani’s views “misinformed and ignorant.”
“I can’t see this as hate-mongering. I see this as ignorance,” she said. “This is an effort to push Christianity…. at the victimization of the truth.”
The lecture was the first in a series of four this month.
Anani said he’s not intimidated by the reaction to his first lecture, and the series will continue as planned. “It’s always like that.”
source:
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=8f12e622-3aa5-47c8-86ac-6eecddd92b07&k=71255
===
CAIR-CAN and Windsor Muslims Ask Police to Investigate Possible Hate Speech
- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -
(Ottawa, Canada Jan 13, 2007) The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN), Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), Windsor Islamic Association, Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), and Al Hijra Mosque and School, are asking the Windsor Police in Ontario to investigate the lecture series, “The Deadly Threat of Islam,” as a possible forum for hate speech. The talks, sponsored by Windsor’s Theological Institute in association with the Campbell Baptist Church, are taking place each Thursday until February 1.
CAIR-CAN has received complaints based upon the first talk entitled “Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: The Frightening Facts About Islam.” In response, CAIR-CAN yesterday asked the Windsor Police to investigate the lecture series and be on the alert for any hate speech that may be taking place at the talks.
Under Canadian law hate speech is prohibited. Investigations into hate speech fall under local police departments.
“If hateful speech is indeed being propagated in Windsor, it must be dealt with promptly under the law. We are asking the Windsor Police to take the matter seriously and conduct an investigation.
“Freedom of speech is a cherished Canadian value, however it is not an absolute. Hateful speech only succeeds in creating an atmosphere of fear, where divisions within Canadian society are made,” said Karl Nickner Executive
Director of CAIR-CAN.
“We are asking Canadians of conscience to speak out against hatred and sensationalist campaigns. Groups that spread lies about a faith or people simply act to harm innocent citizens.
“We are proud of the diversity exemplified in Windsor and the thousands of Muslim Canadians, from doctors to auto-workers, that have helped build our city and country,” stated Dr. Nabil Asfour, MAC Windsor Chapter Head
- END -
Campbell Baptist Church hates Islam?
Anti-Islamic lecture cancelled by church
Pastor defends actions to standing-room only audience
Dalson Chen, Windsor Star
Published: Friday, January 19, 2007A Windsor church that drew heated criticism last week for hosting the anti-Islamic lecture of a purported former Muslim terrorist cancelled his second speech Thursday night to give the church's embattled leader a chance to defend himself.
"First and foremost, I am a Christian," proclaimed Pastor Donald McKay before a capacity crowd at Campbell Baptist Church.
"As a Christian, I am also under a very heavy mandate to do my part in defending this great country of ours -- this dominion of Canada -- from any attacks, either overt or incipient," he said."
Zachariah Anani speaks to 23-year-old Windsor Muslim Gabriel Keresztes at Campbell Baptist Church Jan. 18, 2007.
Jason Kryk, Windsor Star
McKay said he stands in defence of Canadian liberties, freedoms, "our Canadian way of life" and "our values" and promised to "jealously guard these things from being overtaken, from being overthrown."
Controversy has dogged the church since Jan. 11, when McKay arranged a lecture by 49-year-old Lebanon-native Zachariah Anani -- billed as a man who had "killed hundreds of people in the name of Allah" before converting to Christianity.
Under the title The Deadly Threat of Islam, Anani accused Islamic doctrine of advocating violence against non-believers, especially Christians and Jews. McKay himself described Islamic doctrine as "vicious" and "oppressive," and warned of its spread in Windsor.
The second lecture of the series was scheduled under the title Could Jihad Be Coming to Your Neighbourhood?
But on Thursday night, McKay announced that Anani would not speak as planned, citing "distressing comments made in the media about his citizenship."
"We certainly would not want to put his citizenship or any other person's citizenship -- Canadian citizenship -- in jeopardy," McKay said.
Instead of Anani's speech, McKay launched into a sermon on the Christian faith.
In speaking of jihad, McKay recited a list of attacks made by Islamic terrorists in the last 25 years. "There is a militant form of jihad that all Canadians -- irrespective of ethnicity, irrespective of their background -- should be concerned about."
But McKay followed by stating his focus as the "internal kind" of jihad, and the nature of man as a sinner.
"There's a lot of things we could talk about tonight," McKay said. "The issues that are ultimately important in life are spiritual issues, and eternal issues."
No question period followed McKay's sermon, and he quickly exited the hall after ending the meeting.
The change in format surprised the audience of around 550 people.
"I wanted to listen to this bad guy who created this mess," said Windsor Muslim Saeeb Chaudhary, 53. "Where's he at? Everyone has a question."
Mustafa Omar, 30, said he was left unsatisfied by the event. "I thought there was going to be some discussion, OK?" he said. "So (McKay) said what he had to say and he muted everybody by leaving. We can't talk to the wall."
But Gabriel Keresztes, a Muslim convert who attended last week's lecture, said he wasn't disappointed by the cancellation. "Everyone wanted peace. That's all we wanted," said the 23-year-old Windsor resident.
"God knows what their intentions were from the beginning. I don't think they accomplished what they wanted because the Windsor community is united." Keresztes said. "God knows best."
For more than an hour after the sermon, scores of people continued to debate about the Christian and Muslim faiths in clusters throughout the church.
"That's what discussion should be like," Keresztes said. "Gentle, intellectual."
Although he made no speech, Anani fielded questions from members of the public in an impromptu circle in one the church's back rooms.
Anani said he doesn't see the change in format as a concession to critics. "Not at all," he said. "I would never back down. In 32 years up until now, I have never backed down, and I never will."
According to Anani, he agreed not to lecture in order to give McKay a platform to "correct" what has been said about him. "He was attacked viciously, so he has a right to answer to that."
Asked about the future of the lecture series, which was to include a speech Jan. 25 entitled Why the Islamic Faith is Indefensible, McKay was non-committal. "People will just have to come and see."
Protesters stationed themselves outside the church before the event. Tory James carried a placard with the words "Be afraid.... Be very afraid of bigots."
James said "it goes without saying" that the lecture series preached bigotry. "It's bigotry of the highest order."
Monday, July 7, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
My discussion with Bob Dole on TruthBrigade
I was invited to discuss the topic of "The Real Mohammad" on a California radio show. I think that the discussion will speak for itself as to what happened. I was a bit mad towards the end (and I apologize) but these people were not sticking to the topic and were trying to argue about politics. If you listen to their arguments you will see that they have no clue what they are talking about and they are just trying to cause hate, and have nothing to do with the TRUTH (I am not sure why they call themselves TRUTHBRIGADE). What I tried to do was refute their allegations and try to quote the true teachings of prophet Muhammad sas. Please spread this link and let people listen to it insh Allah. I will post it on youtube soon. I also expect everyone who will take the time to e mail me at gibreelk@gmail.com to give me any advice on how to improve if I encounter such discussions in the future. I welcome every criticism.
Jizak Allah khair
Here is the link
http://truthbrigade.org/smf/index.php?topic=1611.msg2880#msg2880
Jizak Allah khair
Here is the link
http://truthbrigade.org/smf/index.php?topic=1611.msg2880#msg2880
Saturday, July 5, 2008
If Allah leaves you to your nafs, you can do anything
Have you ever wondered how were Staling, Lenning and Hitler when they were just kids? What kind of toys they played with, what kind of games they favored? Did they ever think that they would be responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people? What caused them to do that? What caused such people to do the atrocities they committed? One single answer: the nafs (the soul, the desire)
Ibn Al Qaim said: "If your enemy gets you don't say Shaitan had victory over you, rather say Al-Walee (The Protector) has left you. If Allah swt leaves us to our own selves and we are not guided and protected, the product of such are the Hitlers and the Stalings. If we follow our desire and we are void of fear and love of Allah, we can do anything. We can try to justify it by different means such as many of the justifications we hear today about occupying Palestine and the massacres that are taking place in Iraq. Such people firmly believe that they are justified in killing millions of people and at the same time they use a reverse psychology and blame the victims accusing them of terrorism and other such terms that carry meanings that do not apply. All this is done out of following the nafs.
Allah swt swears by the nafst in surah Shams (chapter 91 Quran vs 7) saying:
"And by the soul (nafs) and He who has proportioned it, 8 And inspired it with it's wickedness and it's righteousness.
Whenever Allah swt swears by something this object gains a high status. So the soul is something very important. But if we follow the verses we find that Allah created this soul with a component of evil and one of good. That is correct, Allah created us like that? Why? How would someone know sweet without sour? How would someone know good without evil? How would we be able to grow in goodness if we don't know the concept of the opposite and stay away from it, and how would we grow in spirituality if we would not commit some of this evil and amend and return back to our Creator? How would we know our Creator if we would not be in this constant return to Him, renewing our relationship with Him every time we commit a mistake. Is that it? Do we just sin and come back and sin again and come back? Well no, it's not as simple. This whole life is a struggle to stay away from sins and to push ourselves to get closer to the pleasure of our Creator. How do we do that? The answer is in verse 9 of the same chapter.
"He has succeeded who purifies it" (the nafst)
In order to be in charge over your nafs and not let it get the best of you, you have to be in the constant state of purification of such a soul. One needs to be in constant awareness of his Creator. He has to love and fear and hope for the Creator. He has to struggle to do good deeds and ask for forgiveness for his mistakes. Our Christian friends would raise a red flag here and say: ha, your works are just dirty rags, they will not help you, Jesus died for me and that's it. (some believe that, some don't). Our answer to that is: keep thinking that, because a couch potato is not the same as a person who works hard in this life; that's in the eyes of God. You let yourself go in disobeying God, we will struggle to obey His orders without using a scape goat and feeling safe. We will live in a constant state of worry, while you can relax (if that's what you want of life). We will die working, while you keep making up excuses that Jesus will take up your sins (when he himself will stand in front of God on the day of judgement). You keep corrupting the earth under the banner of love and peace, we will keep fighting and working for love and peace.
10 "And has failed he who instills it (the nafs) with corruption"
Our soul can lead us in two directions: one is evil one is good (even the worse of criminals might feel remorse for some of his deeds). As opposed to the concept of original sin (you are born with a stain that will take you to hell fire if you don't accept Jesus as your savior), the Islamic concept is that a man can do both good and evil. Some sins are only mistakes, small slips and others are greater. It's not just black and white. Good deeds erase bad deeds, and the Mercy of God can forgive all sins if, and are you read for this, and only if YOU ASSOCIATE NO ONE WITH GOD AND YOU WORSHIP HIM ALONE. You ask Him and Him alone for forgiveness and you try to amend yourself (which of course leads to the betterment of society as opposed to the fact that you think that you are a sinner and you are comfortable with that because someone died for your sins anyway). Islam is a social justice system that from a spiritual perspective it has at it's core the amendment and betterment of individuals which will lead to the betterment of society, with everyone responsible for their own mistakes.
Finally we will look at the story of a companion of the prophet and two examples from the Quran of instances where even some of the best have fallen prey to their nafs or have feared that the nafs would lead them astray if Alalh, The Protector leaves them alone. First we have the story of Hatib ibin Abi Baltaa, a muhajir, a companion who has witnessed Badr and a counselor of the prophet sas. Yet when the prophet revealed a secret to the companions and said he would conquer Mekka, Hatib sent a letter to the Mekaans trying to disclose this secret. The prophet received revelation about his and the letter was intercepted and brought back. This was treason and a big sin. Omar was ready to kill Hatib, but the prophet sas (with his calm attitude and wisdom) asked Hatib why did he do it. Hatib said he feared that if they fail there was no one to protect his family in Mekkah and he wanted to do this favor to the Quraish. The prophet said "He has spoken the truth". The lessons from this: first the mercy, wisdom and forgiveness of the prophet. Second, the sin of Hatib and the fact that anyone can fall in to the weakness of his soul, even a companion who had such a high status. If he fell to his nafs, how about us? Should we be so calm and not care?
Prophet Suahaib when confronted by the eminent amongst his society (it's usually these guys who give trouble to the truth seekers and the prophets) he gives a very interesting statement. He says he would not go to the religion of his people UNLESS ALLAH WILLS IT.
7:88 Said the great ones among his people, who gloried in their arrogance: "Most certainly, O Shu'ayb, we shall expel thee and thy fellow-believers from our land, unless you indeed return to our ways!" Said [Shu'ayb]: "Why, even though we abhor [them]?
7:89 We should be guilty of blaspheming against God [70] were we to return to your ways after God has saved us from them! It is not conceivable that we should return to them-unless God, our Sustainer, so wills. [71] All things does our Sustainer embrace within His knowledge; in God do we place our trust. O our Sustainer! Lay Thou open the truth between us and our people -for Thou art the best of all to lay open the truth!”
What does Suahaib mean by this statement? He is saying that if Allah swt wills, no matter how much he thinks he is in control he could be lead astray. He will never ever ever return to the evil pagan religion of his people EXCEPT if Allah leaves him and his nafs will take him and he will be amongst the ones mislead. This is a prophet of Allah saying that, an infallible, how about us poor servants and weak slaves of God? What kind of arrogance do we have believing that we are on the straight path because of some effort of ours? It is all by the will and protection of Allah. The second example is that of Ibrahim in surah Al Anaam. When faced with the idols he says he does not fear them and no harm can come to him EXCEPT IF ALLAH WILLS. Yet again another prophet of God depending only on Allah is prophet Yusuf (Joseph). He is being invited to commit adultery with a very powerful and beautiful woman. Being a man he recognized his weakness in front of his Lord saying that if Allah leaves him to himself he might be tempted and sway to what he is invited. He is asking Allah to protect him and confirming the fact that his nafs has the tendency to lean towards the invitation of this beautiful woman. What would you do if you would be in such a case? The prophets of Allah recognized their weakness and asked Allah for protection. Do you think you are stronger than them to be left alone? Do you think you can do without confessing your weakness to Alah and asking Him for help?
In conclusion, we are weak creatures. The only difference between us and animals is our intellect, reason and freedom of choice. We need to express our poverty in front of our Creator and acknowledge our need of Him. We need to submit our wills to His will, and to follow his orders in order to be rightly guided and succeed in this life and hereafter. If we don't do that we are not worshiping Allah but we are worshiping ourselves. Our guidance will be our nafs and our world will be corrupted with different ideas that spur from different desires. We will never have true peace and love and we will wonder blindly seeking a path that is not there, while the path of the one true God is close, in Islam.
By Jibreelk (with big inspiration from a lecture by Shaikh Ahmed Deif)
Ibn Al Qaim said: "If your enemy gets you don't say Shaitan had victory over you, rather say Al-Walee (The Protector) has left you. If Allah swt leaves us to our own selves and we are not guided and protected, the product of such are the Hitlers and the Stalings. If we follow our desire and we are void of fear and love of Allah, we can do anything. We can try to justify it by different means such as many of the justifications we hear today about occupying Palestine and the massacres that are taking place in Iraq. Such people firmly believe that they are justified in killing millions of people and at the same time they use a reverse psychology and blame the victims accusing them of terrorism and other such terms that carry meanings that do not apply. All this is done out of following the nafs.
Allah swt swears by the nafst in surah Shams (chapter 91 Quran vs 7) saying:
"And by the soul (nafs) and He who has proportioned it, 8 And inspired it with it's wickedness and it's righteousness.
Whenever Allah swt swears by something this object gains a high status. So the soul is something very important. But if we follow the verses we find that Allah created this soul with a component of evil and one of good. That is correct, Allah created us like that? Why? How would someone know sweet without sour? How would someone know good without evil? How would we be able to grow in goodness if we don't know the concept of the opposite and stay away from it, and how would we grow in spirituality if we would not commit some of this evil and amend and return back to our Creator? How would we know our Creator if we would not be in this constant return to Him, renewing our relationship with Him every time we commit a mistake. Is that it? Do we just sin and come back and sin again and come back? Well no, it's not as simple. This whole life is a struggle to stay away from sins and to push ourselves to get closer to the pleasure of our Creator. How do we do that? The answer is in verse 9 of the same chapter.
"He has succeeded who purifies it" (the nafst)
In order to be in charge over your nafs and not let it get the best of you, you have to be in the constant state of purification of such a soul. One needs to be in constant awareness of his Creator. He has to love and fear and hope for the Creator. He has to struggle to do good deeds and ask for forgiveness for his mistakes. Our Christian friends would raise a red flag here and say: ha, your works are just dirty rags, they will not help you, Jesus died for me and that's it. (some believe that, some don't). Our answer to that is: keep thinking that, because a couch potato is not the same as a person who works hard in this life; that's in the eyes of God. You let yourself go in disobeying God, we will struggle to obey His orders without using a scape goat and feeling safe. We will live in a constant state of worry, while you can relax (if that's what you want of life). We will die working, while you keep making up excuses that Jesus will take up your sins (when he himself will stand in front of God on the day of judgement). You keep corrupting the earth under the banner of love and peace, we will keep fighting and working for love and peace.
10 "And has failed he who instills it (the nafs) with corruption"
Our soul can lead us in two directions: one is evil one is good (even the worse of criminals might feel remorse for some of his deeds). As opposed to the concept of original sin (you are born with a stain that will take you to hell fire if you don't accept Jesus as your savior), the Islamic concept is that a man can do both good and evil. Some sins are only mistakes, small slips and others are greater. It's not just black and white. Good deeds erase bad deeds, and the Mercy of God can forgive all sins if, and are you read for this, and only if YOU ASSOCIATE NO ONE WITH GOD AND YOU WORSHIP HIM ALONE. You ask Him and Him alone for forgiveness and you try to amend yourself (which of course leads to the betterment of society as opposed to the fact that you think that you are a sinner and you are comfortable with that because someone died for your sins anyway). Islam is a social justice system that from a spiritual perspective it has at it's core the amendment and betterment of individuals which will lead to the betterment of society, with everyone responsible for their own mistakes.
Finally we will look at the story of a companion of the prophet and two examples from the Quran of instances where even some of the best have fallen prey to their nafs or have feared that the nafs would lead them astray if Alalh, The Protector leaves them alone. First we have the story of Hatib ibin Abi Baltaa, a muhajir, a companion who has witnessed Badr and a counselor of the prophet sas. Yet when the prophet revealed a secret to the companions and said he would conquer Mekka, Hatib sent a letter to the Mekaans trying to disclose this secret. The prophet received revelation about his and the letter was intercepted and brought back. This was treason and a big sin. Omar was ready to kill Hatib, but the prophet sas (with his calm attitude and wisdom) asked Hatib why did he do it. Hatib said he feared that if they fail there was no one to protect his family in Mekkah and he wanted to do this favor to the Quraish. The prophet said "He has spoken the truth". The lessons from this: first the mercy, wisdom and forgiveness of the prophet. Second, the sin of Hatib and the fact that anyone can fall in to the weakness of his soul, even a companion who had such a high status. If he fell to his nafs, how about us? Should we be so calm and not care?
Prophet Suahaib when confronted by the eminent amongst his society (it's usually these guys who give trouble to the truth seekers and the prophets) he gives a very interesting statement. He says he would not go to the religion of his people UNLESS ALLAH WILLS IT.
7:88 Said the great ones among his people, who gloried in their arrogance: "Most certainly, O Shu'ayb, we shall expel thee and thy fellow-believers from our land, unless you indeed return to our ways!" Said [Shu'ayb]: "Why, even though we abhor [them]?
7:89 We should be guilty of blaspheming against God [70] were we to return to your ways after God has saved us from them! It is not conceivable that we should return to them-unless God, our Sustainer, so wills. [71] All things does our Sustainer embrace within His knowledge; in God do we place our trust. O our Sustainer! Lay Thou open the truth between us and our people -for Thou art the best of all to lay open the truth!”
What does Suahaib mean by this statement? He is saying that if Allah swt wills, no matter how much he thinks he is in control he could be lead astray. He will never ever ever return to the evil pagan religion of his people EXCEPT if Allah leaves him and his nafs will take him and he will be amongst the ones mislead. This is a prophet of Allah saying that, an infallible, how about us poor servants and weak slaves of God? What kind of arrogance do we have believing that we are on the straight path because of some effort of ours? It is all by the will and protection of Allah. The second example is that of Ibrahim in surah Al Anaam. When faced with the idols he says he does not fear them and no harm can come to him EXCEPT IF ALLAH WILLS. Yet again another prophet of God depending only on Allah is prophet Yusuf (Joseph). He is being invited to commit adultery with a very powerful and beautiful woman. Being a man he recognized his weakness in front of his Lord saying that if Allah leaves him to himself he might be tempted and sway to what he is invited. He is asking Allah to protect him and confirming the fact that his nafs has the tendency to lean towards the invitation of this beautiful woman. What would you do if you would be in such a case? The prophets of Allah recognized their weakness and asked Allah for protection. Do you think you are stronger than them to be left alone? Do you think you can do without confessing your weakness to Alah and asking Him for help?
In conclusion, we are weak creatures. The only difference between us and animals is our intellect, reason and freedom of choice. We need to express our poverty in front of our Creator and acknowledge our need of Him. We need to submit our wills to His will, and to follow his orders in order to be rightly guided and succeed in this life and hereafter. If we don't do that we are not worshiping Allah but we are worshiping ourselves. Our guidance will be our nafs and our world will be corrupted with different ideas that spur from different desires. We will never have true peace and love and we will wonder blindly seeking a path that is not there, while the path of the one true God is close, in Islam.
By Jibreelk (with big inspiration from a lecture by Shaikh Ahmed Deif)
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Dr Lawrence Brown - how he became Muslim
Dr Laurence Brown Conversion Story
Having repeatedly been asked about how I became Muslim, and why, I have decided to tell the story one last time, but this time on paper. However, I feel conversion stories are worthless unless related with the lessons learned, and it is with those lessons that I intend to begin.
No doubt, there is a certain fascination with conversion stories, and for good reason. Frequently they involve dramatic life-altering events, sufficient to shock the convert out of the materialistic world and into the spiritual. Those who experience such life dramas are brought face to face with the bigger issues of life for the first time, forcing them to ask the ‘Purpose of Life' questions, such as ‘Who made us?' and ‘Why are we here?' But there are other common elements to ‘conversion' stories, and one of them is that the convert is humbled to his or her knees at such moments, and looking back, most relate having prayed with sincerity for the first time in their lives. I have been intrigued by these commonalties, and have noted some significant lessons. The first, I would say, is that most converts who passed through these moments of trial and panic prayed directly to God, without intermediary, and without distraction. For example, even those who spent their lives believing in the Trinity, when faced with catastrophe, instinctively and reflexively prayed directly to God, and never to the other proposed elements of the Trinity.
Let me relate a story as example. A popular television evangelist once had a lady relate her ‘Born Again' Christian conversion story, which revolved around a terrible boat-wreck, from which she was the sole survivor. This lady related how during her days and nights of survival against the harsh elements of the open ocean God spoke to her, God guided her, God protected her, etc. You get the idea. For maybe five to ten minutes she told her tale, which was indeed dramatic and captivating, but throughout the story she related how God did this, God did that, and seeking His favor, she prayed to God and to God Alone. However, when she was saved by a passing ship, she described how the minute she landed on the ship's deck she threw her arms open to the heavens and yelled, “Thank you, Jesus.”
Top of Page
Well, there is a lesson there, and it relates to sincerity. When in the panic and stress of circumstance, people instinctively pray to God directly, but when conceiving themselves safe and secure they frequently fall back into previously held beliefs, many (if not most) of which are misdirected. Now, we all know that many Christians equate Jesus with God, and for those who would like to argue the point, I just suggest they read my book on the subject, entitled The First and Final Commandment (Amana Publications). For all others, I would just continue by saying that the real question is ‘Who truly is saved?' There are countless convert stories, all telling how the God of this or that religion saved the person in question, and all of these converts conceive themselves to be upon the truth by nature of the miracle of their salvation. But as there is only One God, and therefore only one religion of absolute truth, the fact of the matter is that only one group can be right and all others are living in delusion, with their personal miracles having confirmed them upon disbelief rather than upon truth. As Allah teaches in the Holy Qur'an, “Allah leaves astray whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him]” (Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an [hereafter ‘TMQ'] 13:27) and “So those who believe in Allah and hold fast to Him – He will admit them to mercy from Himself and bounty and guide them to Himself on a straight path.” (TMQ 4:175) As for those astray in disbelief, they will be left to stray, as they themselves chose.
But the strength of belief, even when misdirected, is not to be underestimated. So who is going to become Muslim based upon my conversion story? Only one person -- me. Muslims may find some encouragement in my story but others may be left empty, just as Muslims sigh and shake their heads in despair when hearing others relate the ‘miracles' which followed prayers to patron saints, partners in the Trinity, or other distractions from the One True God. For if a person prays to something or someone other than our Creator, who, if not God, might be the one answering those prayers? Could it just possibly be a certain one who has a vested interest in confirming those who are astray upon their particular flavor of disbelief? One whose dedicated purpose is to lead mankind astray?
However a person chooses to answer those questions, these are issues addressed at length in The First and Final Commandment , and those interested can investigate. But for now, I will tell my story.
Top of Page
In the winter of 1990, when my second daughter was born, she was whisked from the birthing room to the neonatal intensive care unit, where she was diagnosed with a coarctation of the aorta. This meaning a critical narrowing in the major vessel from the heart, she was a dusky gunmetal blue from the chest to the toes, for her body simply was not getting enough blood and her tissues were suffocating. When I learned of the diagnosis, I was shattered. Being a doctor, I understood this meant emergency thoracic surgery with a poor chance of long-term survival. A consultant cardio-thoracic surgeon was called from across town at the pediatric hospital in Washington , D.C. , and upon his arrival I was asked to leave the intensive care unit, for I had become overly emotional. With no companion but my fears, and no other place of comfort to which to go while awaiting the result of the consultant's examination, I went to the prayer room in the hospital and fell to my knees. For the first time in my life I prayed with sincerity and commitment. Having spent my life as an atheist, this was the first time that I even partially recognized God. I say partially, for even in this time of panic I was not fully believing, and so prayed a rather skeptical prayer in which I promised God, if, that is, there was a God, that if He would save my daughter then I would seek and follow the religion most pleasing to Him. Ten to fifteen minutes later, when I returned to the Neonatal ICU, I was shocked when the consultant told me that my daughter would be fine. And, true to his assessment, within the next two days her condition resolved without medicine or surgery, and she subsequently grew up a completely normal child.
Now, I know that there is a medical explanation for this. As I said, I am a doctor. So when the consultant explained about a patent ductus arteriosis, low oxygenation and eventual spontaneous resolution, I understood. I just didn't buy it. More significantly, neither did the Intensivist – the Neonatal ICU specialist who made the diagnosis. To this day I remember seeing him standing, blank-faced and speechless. But in the end, the consultant was right and the condition spontaneously reversed and my daughter, Hannah, left the hospital a normal baby in every respect. And here's the rub -- many who make promises to God in moments of panic find or invent excuses to escape their part of the bargain once the danger is past. As an atheist, it would have been easy to maintain my disbelief in God, assigning my daughter's recovery to the doctor's explanation rather than to God. But I couldn't. We had cardiac ultrasound taken before and after, showing the stricture one day, gone the next, and all I could think of was that God had made good on His part of the deal, and I had to make good on mine. And even if there were an adequate medical explanation, that too was under the control of Almighty God, so by whatever means God chose to effect His decree, He had answered my prayer. Period. I did not then, and I do not now, accept any other explanation.
The next few years I tried to fulfill my side of the bargain, but failed. I studied Judaism and a number of sects of Christianity, but never felt that I had found the truth. Over time I attended a wide variety of Christian churches, spending the longest period of time in Roman Catholic congregation. However, I never embraced Christian faith. I never could, for the simple reason that I could not reconcile the biblical teachings of Jesus with the teachings of the various sects of Christianity. Eventually I just stayed home and read, and during this time I was introduced to the Holy Qur'an and Martin Lings's biography of the prophet, Muhammad, entitled, Muhammad, His Life Based on the Earliest Sources .
Top of Page
During my years of study, I had encountered the Jewish scriptures referencing three prophets to follow Moses. With John the Baptist and Jesus Christ being two, that left one according to the Old Testament, and in the New Testament Jesus Christ himself spoke of a final prophet to follow. Not until I found the Holy Qur'an teaching the oneness of God, as both Moses and Jesus Christ had taught, did I begin to consider Muhammad as the predicted final prophet, and not until I read the biography of Muhammad did I become convinced. And when I did become convinced, suddenly everything made sense. The continuity in the chain of prophethood and revelation, the One-ness of Almighty God, and the completion of revelation in the Holy Qur'an suddenly made perfect sense, and it was then that I became Muslim.
Pretty smart, hunh? No, not at all. For I would err greatly if I believed that I figured it out for myself. One lesson I have learned over the past ten years as a Muslim is that there are a lot of people much more intelligent than I am, but who have not been able to figure out the truth of Islam. It is not a matter of intelligence but of enlightenment, for Allah has revealed that those who disbelieve will remain upon disbelief, even if warned, for in punishment for having denied Allah, Allah in turn has denied them the treasure of His truth. As Allah teaches in the Holy Qur'an, “Indeed, those who disbelieve – it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them – they will not believe. Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil.” (TMQ 2:6-7) But, on the other hand, the good news is that “…whoever believes in Allah – He will guide his heart” (TMQ 64:11), “Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him]” (TMQ 42:13), and “And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.” (TMQ 24:46)
So I thank Allah that He chose to guide me, and I attribute that guidance to one simple formula: recognizing God, praying to God Alone, sincerely promising to seek and follow His religion of truth, and then, once receiving His mercy of guidance, DOING IT .
Having repeatedly been asked about how I became Muslim, and why, I have decided to tell the story one last time, but this time on paper. However, I feel conversion stories are worthless unless related with the lessons learned, and it is with those lessons that I intend to begin.
No doubt, there is a certain fascination with conversion stories, and for good reason. Frequently they involve dramatic life-altering events, sufficient to shock the convert out of the materialistic world and into the spiritual. Those who experience such life dramas are brought face to face with the bigger issues of life for the first time, forcing them to ask the ‘Purpose of Life' questions, such as ‘Who made us?' and ‘Why are we here?' But there are other common elements to ‘conversion' stories, and one of them is that the convert is humbled to his or her knees at such moments, and looking back, most relate having prayed with sincerity for the first time in their lives. I have been intrigued by these commonalties, and have noted some significant lessons. The first, I would say, is that most converts who passed through these moments of trial and panic prayed directly to God, without intermediary, and without distraction. For example, even those who spent their lives believing in the Trinity, when faced with catastrophe, instinctively and reflexively prayed directly to God, and never to the other proposed elements of the Trinity.
Let me relate a story as example. A popular television evangelist once had a lady relate her ‘Born Again' Christian conversion story, which revolved around a terrible boat-wreck, from which she was the sole survivor. This lady related how during her days and nights of survival against the harsh elements of the open ocean God spoke to her, God guided her, God protected her, etc. You get the idea. For maybe five to ten minutes she told her tale, which was indeed dramatic and captivating, but throughout the story she related how God did this, God did that, and seeking His favor, she prayed to God and to God Alone. However, when she was saved by a passing ship, she described how the minute she landed on the ship's deck she threw her arms open to the heavens and yelled, “Thank you, Jesus.”
Top of Page
Well, there is a lesson there, and it relates to sincerity. When in the panic and stress of circumstance, people instinctively pray to God directly, but when conceiving themselves safe and secure they frequently fall back into previously held beliefs, many (if not most) of which are misdirected. Now, we all know that many Christians equate Jesus with God, and for those who would like to argue the point, I just suggest they read my book on the subject, entitled The First and Final Commandment (Amana Publications). For all others, I would just continue by saying that the real question is ‘Who truly is saved?' There are countless convert stories, all telling how the God of this or that religion saved the person in question, and all of these converts conceive themselves to be upon the truth by nature of the miracle of their salvation. But as there is only One God, and therefore only one religion of absolute truth, the fact of the matter is that only one group can be right and all others are living in delusion, with their personal miracles having confirmed them upon disbelief rather than upon truth. As Allah teaches in the Holy Qur'an, “Allah leaves astray whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him]” (Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an [hereafter ‘TMQ'] 13:27) and “So those who believe in Allah and hold fast to Him – He will admit them to mercy from Himself and bounty and guide them to Himself on a straight path.” (TMQ 4:175) As for those astray in disbelief, they will be left to stray, as they themselves chose.
But the strength of belief, even when misdirected, is not to be underestimated. So who is going to become Muslim based upon my conversion story? Only one person -- me. Muslims may find some encouragement in my story but others may be left empty, just as Muslims sigh and shake their heads in despair when hearing others relate the ‘miracles' which followed prayers to patron saints, partners in the Trinity, or other distractions from the One True God. For if a person prays to something or someone other than our Creator, who, if not God, might be the one answering those prayers? Could it just possibly be a certain one who has a vested interest in confirming those who are astray upon their particular flavor of disbelief? One whose dedicated purpose is to lead mankind astray?
However a person chooses to answer those questions, these are issues addressed at length in The First and Final Commandment , and those interested can investigate. But for now, I will tell my story.
Top of Page
In the winter of 1990, when my second daughter was born, she was whisked from the birthing room to the neonatal intensive care unit, where she was diagnosed with a coarctation of the aorta. This meaning a critical narrowing in the major vessel from the heart, she was a dusky gunmetal blue from the chest to the toes, for her body simply was not getting enough blood and her tissues were suffocating. When I learned of the diagnosis, I was shattered. Being a doctor, I understood this meant emergency thoracic surgery with a poor chance of long-term survival. A consultant cardio-thoracic surgeon was called from across town at the pediatric hospital in Washington , D.C. , and upon his arrival I was asked to leave the intensive care unit, for I had become overly emotional. With no companion but my fears, and no other place of comfort to which to go while awaiting the result of the consultant's examination, I went to the prayer room in the hospital and fell to my knees. For the first time in my life I prayed with sincerity and commitment. Having spent my life as an atheist, this was the first time that I even partially recognized God. I say partially, for even in this time of panic I was not fully believing, and so prayed a rather skeptical prayer in which I promised God, if, that is, there was a God, that if He would save my daughter then I would seek and follow the religion most pleasing to Him. Ten to fifteen minutes later, when I returned to the Neonatal ICU, I was shocked when the consultant told me that my daughter would be fine. And, true to his assessment, within the next two days her condition resolved without medicine or surgery, and she subsequently grew up a completely normal child.
Now, I know that there is a medical explanation for this. As I said, I am a doctor. So when the consultant explained about a patent ductus arteriosis, low oxygenation and eventual spontaneous resolution, I understood. I just didn't buy it. More significantly, neither did the Intensivist – the Neonatal ICU specialist who made the diagnosis. To this day I remember seeing him standing, blank-faced and speechless. But in the end, the consultant was right and the condition spontaneously reversed and my daughter, Hannah, left the hospital a normal baby in every respect. And here's the rub -- many who make promises to God in moments of panic find or invent excuses to escape their part of the bargain once the danger is past. As an atheist, it would have been easy to maintain my disbelief in God, assigning my daughter's recovery to the doctor's explanation rather than to God. But I couldn't. We had cardiac ultrasound taken before and after, showing the stricture one day, gone the next, and all I could think of was that God had made good on His part of the deal, and I had to make good on mine. And even if there were an adequate medical explanation, that too was under the control of Almighty God, so by whatever means God chose to effect His decree, He had answered my prayer. Period. I did not then, and I do not now, accept any other explanation.
The next few years I tried to fulfill my side of the bargain, but failed. I studied Judaism and a number of sects of Christianity, but never felt that I had found the truth. Over time I attended a wide variety of Christian churches, spending the longest period of time in Roman Catholic congregation. However, I never embraced Christian faith. I never could, for the simple reason that I could not reconcile the biblical teachings of Jesus with the teachings of the various sects of Christianity. Eventually I just stayed home and read, and during this time I was introduced to the Holy Qur'an and Martin Lings's biography of the prophet, Muhammad, entitled, Muhammad, His Life Based on the Earliest Sources .
Top of Page
During my years of study, I had encountered the Jewish scriptures referencing three prophets to follow Moses. With John the Baptist and Jesus Christ being two, that left one according to the Old Testament, and in the New Testament Jesus Christ himself spoke of a final prophet to follow. Not until I found the Holy Qur'an teaching the oneness of God, as both Moses and Jesus Christ had taught, did I begin to consider Muhammad as the predicted final prophet, and not until I read the biography of Muhammad did I become convinced. And when I did become convinced, suddenly everything made sense. The continuity in the chain of prophethood and revelation, the One-ness of Almighty God, and the completion of revelation in the Holy Qur'an suddenly made perfect sense, and it was then that I became Muslim.
Pretty smart, hunh? No, not at all. For I would err greatly if I believed that I figured it out for myself. One lesson I have learned over the past ten years as a Muslim is that there are a lot of people much more intelligent than I am, but who have not been able to figure out the truth of Islam. It is not a matter of intelligence but of enlightenment, for Allah has revealed that those who disbelieve will remain upon disbelief, even if warned, for in punishment for having denied Allah, Allah in turn has denied them the treasure of His truth. As Allah teaches in the Holy Qur'an, “Indeed, those who disbelieve – it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them – they will not believe. Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil.” (TMQ 2:6-7) But, on the other hand, the good news is that “…whoever believes in Allah – He will guide his heart” (TMQ 64:11), “Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him]” (TMQ 42:13), and “And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.” (TMQ 24:46)
So I thank Allah that He chose to guide me, and I attribute that guidance to one simple formula: recognizing God, praying to God Alone, sincerely promising to seek and follow His religion of truth, and then, once receiving His mercy of guidance, DOING IT .
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
InvestigateIslam... who is he and what is he trying to do?
Well, we don't have much information on this person. It seems that he is Egyptian. If I am mistaken about that, I know for sure he is a Christian Arab. He hates Islam, and he has no knowledge of it. How do we know that.. well just watch the next video that Shaikh Mohammad and I made refuting some of his points. This individual's technique is to ridicule different things by distorting their meanings, applying his weak understanding to them, and by using his small knowledge of the SLANG ARABIC that he speaks. He is definitely supported by many people and I would not be surprised if he is involved with the CHRISTIAN ARAB PERSPECTIVE which posts different fake videos about so called EX Muslims who have become Christians. I will post some videos later to show you why I call them SO CALLED EX MUSLIMS (because if those people were imams and other very knowledgeable Muslims how come they make such big blunders in their videos when it comes to basic knowledge of Islam and the Quran --- how is that possible, well it's easy: THEY ARE LIES).
We challenged him to a discussion not on his own pall talk which is controlled by his people who swear and use the most foul language (very nice Christians with upright characters and clean mouths), boycotting and propaganda. We wanted him to make a video and us to respond within a day. But guess what? It never happened. Because he knows that if he cannot have you face to face and swear and cut you off, and kick you out of the chat room, and distort meanings and laugh and make funny noises and lie, he cannot do nothing. So this is his technique and honestly now I understand why people do not wast time with him. He keeps saying he wants to debate scholars. This person has no clue even about his own religion and he wants to debate scholars. Now I understand why no one wastes time with him. "When the ignorant address you, say PEACE" (Quran).
So no matter how much people such as him try to put out Islam, they will never succeed. Why? Well it's simple he is going against the truth. Allah swt says:
Their intention is to extinguish Allah's Light (by blowing) with their mouths: But Allah will complete (the revelation of) His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it). (QURAN 61 VS 8)
So keep going o those who hate Islam because Islam is and will only be the fastest growing faith in the world. As the prophet Muhammad said in a hadith that Islam will reach every corner of the world and will enter every house. This is towards the end of times. People try to put propaganda out, movies, tv shows, articles, they spend day and night trying to fight Islam, but all they do is that they fulfill Allah's decree. For people want to know what is this Islam? And when they look into it, they will find the truth if they are looking for it. By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of Peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide them to a straight path. (Surat al-Ma’ida: 16)
Watch the video above and you will see our refutation of some of his arguments.
We challenged him to a discussion not on his own pall talk which is controlled by his people who swear and use the most foul language (very nice Christians with upright characters and clean mouths), boycotting and propaganda. We wanted him to make a video and us to respond within a day. But guess what? It never happened. Because he knows that if he cannot have you face to face and swear and cut you off, and kick you out of the chat room, and distort meanings and laugh and make funny noises and lie, he cannot do nothing. So this is his technique and honestly now I understand why people do not wast time with him. He keeps saying he wants to debate scholars. This person has no clue even about his own religion and he wants to debate scholars. Now I understand why no one wastes time with him. "When the ignorant address you, say PEACE" (Quran).
So no matter how much people such as him try to put out Islam, they will never succeed. Why? Well it's simple he is going against the truth. Allah swt says:
Their intention is to extinguish Allah's Light (by blowing) with their mouths: But Allah will complete (the revelation of) His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it). (QURAN 61 VS 8)
So keep going o those who hate Islam because Islam is and will only be the fastest growing faith in the world. As the prophet Muhammad said in a hadith that Islam will reach every corner of the world and will enter every house. This is towards the end of times. People try to put propaganda out, movies, tv shows, articles, they spend day and night trying to fight Islam, but all they do is that they fulfill Allah's decree. For people want to know what is this Islam? And when they look into it, they will find the truth if they are looking for it. By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of Peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide them to a straight path. (Surat al-Ma’ida: 16)
Watch the video above and you will see our refutation of some of his arguments.
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