To me, this is one of the most fundamental and important lessons in Islam:
Qur'an (2:256) "There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clear from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing."
Islam is NOT the "religion of the sword." In the verse above, God states that you cannot force someone to believe or force someone to practice. Again, the only thing you can do is lead by example. SHOW people the "right way" from the "wrong way" by your own actions and hopefully, other's watching you will say "I want to be like that." Is that not the only way to truly lead?
Power hungry people, whether that be Bin Laden, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Buchanan, some "mufti", those people take the words of God, from whatever book and twist it to meet their own agenda.
One must educate and read these texts, themselves, and use their own brains to decide and interpret what God meant and then apply it to one's own life. I am not saying all religious leaders are evil, as those above are usually exceptions, but we as followers are responsible too. I think we've forgotten that.
Read, educate yourself, practice yourself, and then you'll educate others in society by your actions. Be the best you can be on all levels - that is all God asks of us and that's all I ask of myself.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Why Write?
I write in an attempt to dispel stereotypes.
If anyone out there is reading this and has a question about Islam or "Arab" culture, please post it and I'll do my best to answer. There are no "stupid" or "offensive" questions.
I am a strong believer in the fact that we learn by challenging what we are taught and told to accept. I want this to be an open forum where any question can be asked. I believe your curiosity will allow me to further educate myself, because I am sure that I will not always have an answer and may have to do some research of my own.
One of the greatest summaries of Islam I've ever read is found here:
http://www.spiritual.com.au/articles/religion/islam_ffares.htm
There are a couple of things, that I'll chalk up to writing style (word choice, etc), that wouldn't be the way I'd put it - but over all it is a great start!
The prophet Mohamed, who was illiterate himself, spoke very highly of the importance of seeking knowledge.
(Hadith)
"A Muslim who meets with others and shares their burdens is better than one who lives a life of seclusion and contemplation." (Muslim)
This means one who shares knowledge is better than one who simply worships God in a vacuum. It is not enough to pray in a corner night and day. This is not what God wants of us. Honesty, yes. Loyalty, yes. Devotion, yes. Faith, yes. Do nothing else with your life, but worship Him, no. Muslims (and good people in general) are taught to lead by example.
My "burden" is that terrorists hijacked Islam on 9-11. This is my meager attempt to help set the record straight.
Islam is not a religion of:
- Hatred
- Seclusion
- Racism
- Genderism (is this a word? eh, ya'll know what I mean)
- War
- Violence
- Terrorism
- Extremism
The word "Islam" stems from two Arabic root words:
1 - "aslama" - which in English can closely translate to "submission" or "surrender"
2 - "salaam" - which in English can closely translate to "peace"
So how can a faith, named after submitting or surrendering oneself to God Almighty, alone, be evil? What "warrior" or "war monger" or "terrorist" is taught to submit?
Being a "Muslim" means "one who submits or surrenders to God."
Islam is a guide to live one's life. It teaches moderation and discipline. Yes, there are verses that deal with the topic of war, but they are often taken out of context or mis-translated entirely.
And, if we are to be fair, there are several verses in Psalms (the Book of David - which Muslims believe in and adhere to), the Torah (the Book of Moses - which Muslims believe in and adhere to), and the Bible (the Book of Jesus - which Muslims believe in and adhere to) as well.
We have to view things, not only in context, but research why these verses were revealed. Most of the time, those versus served a specific purpose to that time and should serve as a historical marker - NOT A ROAD MAP for today!
I'm sure I'll be writing more on these topics ... but we'll save that for another day.
If anyone out there is reading this and has a question about Islam or "Arab" culture, please post it and I'll do my best to answer. There are no "stupid" or "offensive" questions.
I am a strong believer in the fact that we learn by challenging what we are taught and told to accept. I want this to be an open forum where any question can be asked. I believe your curiosity will allow me to further educate myself, because I am sure that I will not always have an answer and may have to do some research of my own.
One of the greatest summaries of Islam I've ever read is found here:
http://www.spiritual.com.au/articles/religion/islam_ffares.htm
There are a couple of things, that I'll chalk up to writing style (word choice, etc), that wouldn't be the way I'd put it - but over all it is a great start!
The prophet Mohamed, who was illiterate himself, spoke very highly of the importance of seeking knowledge.
(Hadith)
"A Muslim who meets with others and shares their burdens is better than one who lives a life of seclusion and contemplation." (Muslim)
This means one who shares knowledge is better than one who simply worships God in a vacuum. It is not enough to pray in a corner night and day. This is not what God wants of us. Honesty, yes. Loyalty, yes. Devotion, yes. Faith, yes. Do nothing else with your life, but worship Him, no. Muslims (and good people in general) are taught to lead by example.
My "burden" is that terrorists hijacked Islam on 9-11. This is my meager attempt to help set the record straight.
Islam is not a religion of:
- Hatred
- Seclusion
- Racism
- Genderism (is this a word? eh, ya'll know what I mean)
- War
- Violence
- Terrorism
- Extremism
The word "Islam" stems from two Arabic root words:
1 - "aslama" - which in English can closely translate to "submission" or "surrender"
2 - "salaam" - which in English can closely translate to "peace"
So how can a faith, named after submitting or surrendering oneself to God Almighty, alone, be evil? What "warrior" or "war monger" or "terrorist" is taught to submit?
Being a "Muslim" means "one who submits or surrenders to God."
Islam is a guide to live one's life. It teaches moderation and discipline. Yes, there are verses that deal with the topic of war, but they are often taken out of context or mis-translated entirely.
And, if we are to be fair, there are several verses in Psalms (the Book of David - which Muslims believe in and adhere to), the Torah (the Book of Moses - which Muslims believe in and adhere to), and the Bible (the Book of Jesus - which Muslims believe in and adhere to) as well.
We have to view things, not only in context, but research why these verses were revealed. Most of the time, those versus served a specific purpose to that time and should serve as a historical marker - NOT A ROAD MAP for today!
I'm sure I'll be writing more on these topics ... but we'll save that for another day.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Interfaith Prayer Service and Vigil for Palestinians
I needed to go show my support, however futile my efforts might be. Knowing that I'd feel sympathy, pain, frustration, and sadness for the state of mankind - I was dreading it.
I got into my car and ended up at a building that most people (these days) would say a Muslim wouldn't enter - a church. The interfaith service included a Rabbi, a Reverend, and an Imam. The Imam was stuck in an airport due to security issues with his name, imagine that in a post 9-11 world. The hosting Christian congregation were sheepishly asking the Arabs they didn't know, "Excuse me, are you Muslim?" They were trying to find someone to speak in place of the Imam.
"Yes, I am," I answered, "why?"
"Could you help us out? The Imam won't be able to make it. He is stuck in an airport. They won't let him fly."
I smiled sheepishly. "Isn't there anyone else? An elder?"
"We will keep asking around," he said. "But would you consider saying a few words?"
"If there aren't any other options, sure" I said.
I was nervous. Not because of speaking in public, I'd been doing that since I was in secondary school, but because my accent in Arabic, especially Qur'anic Arabic, is not perfect. I know this may seem silly, but I guess I am just a little bit shy about reciting what Muslims believe to be the actual words of God and not doing it correctly.
Another Muslim sister came to me, she was Palestinian. She was an older woman, probably in her mid to late 50's. She was short, stout, and had a kind round face - made all the more noticeable given that she wore a hijab (head scarf) and glasses. She smiled at me and said, "I'll find a verse to recite if you handle the message portion." She had an accent in English. It seems we had similar concerns.
"Is there no one else?" I asked again. "I don't feel that I am qualified to address these folks, especially given that the other speakers are a Rabbi and a Reverend."
"Do your best," she said, "that is all Allah (Arabic for God) asks of us and that is all any person can ask of you."
I felt slighly ashamed of my reluctance. "You're right sister. I will do my best."
On the program, I jotted a few notes and was thanking God that I used to compete in extemporaneous speech.
The service began, I'd say there were about 150 people in attendance. Jews, Christians, Muslims .... Arabs, Jews, Whites, Blacks, Latinos, and Asians ... all sitting there as human beings for a common cause - to end the occupation of Palestine and the specifically the suffering in Gaza.
Time seemed to fly by and then it was our turn. The sister took the mic first, reciting this Qur'anic verse (49:13):
(translated here)
O mankind! We created you from a single pair - Of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other not that ye may despise each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.
"It is a beautiful verse and most relevant to our gathering today," I started my message with. I would be lying if I said I could remember, verbatim, my speech. After all, none of it was planned. What I do remember, is that I spoke about focusing on our likenesses versus our differences.
"We are all children of Adam and we are all descendants of Abraham and we're all following an Abrahamic faith. We all believe in the prophets and books of Dawood (David) and Musa (Moses) and we're all tailoring our prayers in order to be respectful and mindful of the other's in this room. We can only hope that other's outside of this church will learn from our example today. The lessons and morals that bind us, far out weigh the thoughts and practices that divide us and yet, we tend to explore our differences with a magnifying glass."
I spoke of Palestine, the American government, and having a strong voice and raising it to speak out against the human rights violations and the crimes that violate international laws and UN Security Council's laws. I spoke for freedom and the right to life, liberty, and property. I spoke from my heart and yet I tried to hold back the anger I felt - the frustration that made my voice shake as I was on the verge of tears.
I thanked those there for doing what they felt was right - for speaking their minds and hearts and for being tolerant. I thanked them for their voices and for their presence. I thanked them as my brothers and sisters in faith of the one God we all worshiped. I ended with "Assalamu Alaikum. Shalom Alahom. Peace be with you."
The Reverend spoke after me. Then we sang a hymn. Then we headed to the Israeli Embassy to protest. As I was walking out of the church, the Rabbi and Reverend stopped me to thank me for stepping up to speak. "I think you missed your calling," the Rabbi said. You were very informative and passionate but you managed to stay respectful and inclusive of the other's in the room ."
"Thank you, sir," I answered. I could feel the blush rise up to my cheeks. He smiled, "Shalom" he said. "Salaam," I answered.
One can only hope that today is just the beginning. That people will continue to try to focus on what is right and righteous in a manner that unites us as mankind versus divides us into nothing more than races and creeds and tribes.
One God. One voice. One kind. One world. We are all people of the book.
Peace be with you.
I got into my car and ended up at a building that most people (these days) would say a Muslim wouldn't enter - a church. The interfaith service included a Rabbi, a Reverend, and an Imam. The Imam was stuck in an airport due to security issues with his name, imagine that in a post 9-11 world. The hosting Christian congregation were sheepishly asking the Arabs they didn't know, "Excuse me, are you Muslim?" They were trying to find someone to speak in place of the Imam.
"Yes, I am," I answered, "why?"
"Could you help us out? The Imam won't be able to make it. He is stuck in an airport. They won't let him fly."
I smiled sheepishly. "Isn't there anyone else? An elder?"
"We will keep asking around," he said. "But would you consider saying a few words?"
"If there aren't any other options, sure" I said.
I was nervous. Not because of speaking in public, I'd been doing that since I was in secondary school, but because my accent in Arabic, especially Qur'anic Arabic, is not perfect. I know this may seem silly, but I guess I am just a little bit shy about reciting what Muslims believe to be the actual words of God and not doing it correctly.
Another Muslim sister came to me, she was Palestinian. She was an older woman, probably in her mid to late 50's. She was short, stout, and had a kind round face - made all the more noticeable given that she wore a hijab (head scarf) and glasses. She smiled at me and said, "I'll find a verse to recite if you handle the message portion." She had an accent in English. It seems we had similar concerns.
"Is there no one else?" I asked again. "I don't feel that I am qualified to address these folks, especially given that the other speakers are a Rabbi and a Reverend."
"Do your best," she said, "that is all Allah (Arabic for God) asks of us and that is all any person can ask of you."
I felt slighly ashamed of my reluctance. "You're right sister. I will do my best."
On the program, I jotted a few notes and was thanking God that I used to compete in extemporaneous speech.
The service began, I'd say there were about 150 people in attendance. Jews, Christians, Muslims .... Arabs, Jews, Whites, Blacks, Latinos, and Asians ... all sitting there as human beings for a common cause - to end the occupation of Palestine and the specifically the suffering in Gaza.
Time seemed to fly by and then it was our turn. The sister took the mic first, reciting this Qur'anic verse (49:13):
(translated here)
O mankind! We created you from a single pair - Of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other not that ye may despise each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.
"It is a beautiful verse and most relevant to our gathering today," I started my message with. I would be lying if I said I could remember, verbatim, my speech. After all, none of it was planned. What I do remember, is that I spoke about focusing on our likenesses versus our differences.
"We are all children of Adam and we are all descendants of Abraham and we're all following an Abrahamic faith. We all believe in the prophets and books of Dawood (David) and Musa (Moses) and we're all tailoring our prayers in order to be respectful and mindful of the other's in this room. We can only hope that other's outside of this church will learn from our example today. The lessons and morals that bind us, far out weigh the thoughts and practices that divide us and yet, we tend to explore our differences with a magnifying glass."
I spoke of Palestine, the American government, and having a strong voice and raising it to speak out against the human rights violations and the crimes that violate international laws and UN Security Council's laws. I spoke for freedom and the right to life, liberty, and property. I spoke from my heart and yet I tried to hold back the anger I felt - the frustration that made my voice shake as I was on the verge of tears.
I thanked those there for doing what they felt was right - for speaking their minds and hearts and for being tolerant. I thanked them for their voices and for their presence. I thanked them as my brothers and sisters in faith of the one God we all worshiped. I ended with "Assalamu Alaikum. Shalom Alahom. Peace be with you."
The Reverend spoke after me. Then we sang a hymn. Then we headed to the Israeli Embassy to protest. As I was walking out of the church, the Rabbi and Reverend stopped me to thank me for stepping up to speak. "I think you missed your calling," the Rabbi said. You were very informative and passionate but you managed to stay respectful and inclusive of the other's in the room ."
"Thank you, sir," I answered. I could feel the blush rise up to my cheeks. He smiled, "Shalom" he said. "Salaam," I answered.
One can only hope that today is just the beginning. That people will continue to try to focus on what is right and righteous in a manner that unites us as mankind versus divides us into nothing more than races and creeds and tribes.
One God. One voice. One kind. One world. We are all people of the book.
Peace be with you.
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