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Party Politics and Islam

On 11 May 2012, In Islam, Religion, by , No comments

Allah says in His Quran (3:103):

وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًۭا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءًۭ فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًۭا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided.

Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said:

إِنَّ اللهَ يَرْضَى لَكُمْ ثَلَاثًا، وَيَسْخَطُ لَكُمْ ثَلَاثًا: يَرْضَى لَكُمْ أَنْ تَعْبُدُوهُ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَأَنْ تَعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا،وَأَنْ تَنَاصَحُوا مَنْ وَلَّاهُ اللهُ أَمْرَكُمْ. وَيَسْخَطُ لَكُمْ ثَلَاثًا: قِيلَ وَقَالَ، وَكَثْرَةَ السُّؤَالِ، وَإِضَاعَةَ الْمَال

(It pleases Allah for you to acquire three qualities and displeases Him that you acquire three characteristics. It pleases Him that you worship Him Alone and not associate anything or anyone with Him in worship, that you hold on to the Rope of Allah altogether and do not divide, and that you advise whoever Allah appoints as your Leader. The three that displease Him are that you say, `It was said,’ and, `So-and-so said,’ asking many unnecessary questions and wasting money.)

Where in Islam is there room for party politics?

The Muslim Leper

On 18 Jan 2012, In Islam, by , No comments

What mosque do you attend? What madhab do you follow? What is your opinion on ‘website w’, ‘group x’, ‘scholar y’ or ‘topic z’?

I get quizzed in this fashion often and I assume you do as well. It may be a natural tendency or a learned behaviour after centuries of division, however, we seem to seek out our differences before we seek what unites us.

If the answers are not exactly to the expectations of the questioner, he distances himself, refuses to collaborate and even fails to behave in an amicable way towards the unfortunate misguided respondent.

Not every division is so significant that it requires you to treat a Muslim as an outcast with leprosy. Neither is every difference so small that it can be safely ignored. It takes wisdom to know the difference.

Is Meat Slaughtered by Ahle Kitab Halaal?

On 20 Dec 2011, In Islam, by , No comments

As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Allah says in His Quran (5:5):

Made lawful to you this day are At-Tayyibat. The food of the people of the Scripture is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them.

It is clear from the above ayah that their food, including meats, cheeses, vegetables, fruit, etc. are halaal. They remain halaal so long as they do not violate other dietary rules.

Allah says in His Quran (5:3):

Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maytah (the dead animals), blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah, and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns ـand that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal ـunless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) – and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusub (stone altars). .

It is very clear what is haraam. Included in maytah are modern day practices, such as electrocution. A Christian killing an animal in the name of Jesus would fall into that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah.

A Word of Caution

There are some Muslims, who use this general rule as a blank check to eat any meat killed in nominally Christian countries, like America or Britain. There is a very real danger of falling into haraam by failing to scrutinise the source of our meat.

In many countries, haraam methods and inhumane practices of slaughter can cause the meat to fall into the category of maytah or become a violation of the animal’s rights.

Allah says in His Quran (21:107):

And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).

Moreover, in many Western countries, it is more likely a non-Christian or non-Jew slaughters the animal. If you’re not sure a Christian, Jew or Muslim killed the animal, can we consider such meat lawful?

Take Away

In my opinion, if there is a Muslim slaughtered option take that first. If not, buy kosher or get your meat from Amish communities and their like. It is a stretch to apply the permissibility of the meat of Ahle Kitab to the industrial killings in America or Britain.

What God Gives is Good

On 06 Nov 2011, In Islam, by , 1 Comment

As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

There are no better days than the Days of Eid. We Muslims are honoured above all others. Our days of celebration have been legislated by God.

Eid Mubarak!

The True Story of Rashed and Salem

On 05 Oct 2011, In Heart Softener, Vlogging, by , 1 Comment

Do Not Despair

On 07 Sep 2011, In Heart Softener, Vlogging, by , No comments

The Cure to Laziness and Idleness

On 06 Sep 2011, In Heart Softener, Vlogging, by , No comments

Confidence in Calling to Allah

On 28 Aug 2011, In Dawah, Ramadan, Sabah, by , No comments

As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Islam is Truth. We are convinced of its truthfulness, spiritually and intellectually. Yet some time ago, we lost the confidence to speak the Truth and call towards it.

Why am I like a mouse when calling to Allah and my six year old daughter is like a lion?

You should worship Allah.
The only true One.
The only One who created the universe.
You should do what Muhammad did.
Worship Allah.
We should only worship Allah.
He is the truely One.
We can all pray to Him.
Allah knows everything.
We are all Muslims.

Sabah Hashim, Ramadan 1432.

Quran Goals

On 20 Aug 2011, In Abdullah, Quran, Ramadan, by , 2 Comments

As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

It is an absolute truth that one of the many blessings of Ramadan is becoming reacquainted with the Quran. For eleven months of the year our Qurans sit on the shelf gathering dust, ignored and neglected. Then Ramadan reaches us and we race to read the entire Kitab. Indeed the Ramadan is the month of the Quran.

Allah says in His Quran (2:185),

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ

The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion.

Every Ramadan we fall in love with reading the Quran. Not books about the Quran, not lectures about the Quran, not even recitations of Quran by someone else, but that special personal relationship as we read and reflect on the Kalam of Allah Azawajal in quiet solitude. What an amazing Book!

My fear and what I am feeling anxiety about is going back to the pre-Ramadan statu quo. I cannot and do not ever want to become estranged from It again. It is my love. It is my soul. If we do not have this Quran in our hearts, in our minds and on our tongues, our Islam is nothing but an empty shell.

I know that once this blessed month departs and the shayatin are let loose and when we start feeding our bodies and starving our souls and when we give precedence to our worldly pursuits, staying attached to the Quran will become more and more difficult. For that reason, we need to have a Quran goal to help us maintain our connection to the Book of Allah. We have to strictly adhere to whatever goal we set ourselves and guard it with jealousy, until it becomes our habit.

Personally, I am making intention to read half a juz every day until Ramadan reaches us again. In addition, I am making intention to learn the meanings of the words. By the time Ramadan reaches us again, I want to know the meaning of every single word. I know this is a big challenge, however, I cannot think of a more worthy use of my time and energy.

Are you setting any Quran goals for yourself? How do they compare to mine? Please do share.

Spirituality in Dawah

On 12 Aug 2011, In Dawah, Ramadan, by , No comments

As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Isn’t it the case that when you try to explain a facet of Islam to a non-Muslim you focus on the physical aspect and ignore the spiritual? How can they understand the happy soul of the fasting Muslim, when they do not fast? How can they fathom the deep and direct connection we have with our Lord, Allah Ar-Rahman, when we place our head on the floor in sajud, when they do not believe and they do not pray? What could explain the tears of an “old” revert as they relive their moment watching a new Muslim enter into the ummah of Muhammad, salallahu alayhi wa sallam?

I’m sure we’ve all been in the awkward position, where a curious non-Muslim has asked us a simple question about our deen. We responded by stammering and stuttering something about, believing in the One True God, praying five times a day, giving charity, fasting for a month and going for pilgrimage at least once. By explaining Islam in this fashion, we’ve reduced it to a set of rituals that the non-Muslim has no way of truly understanding.

When we pray, we stand, bow, prostrate and sit but without humility and devotion (Al-Khushoo) it would only serve to make us tired. Not eating or drinking because no food is available or because your doctor insisted you have nothing after midnight the day before an appointment is not fasting.

As Ramadan approached one year, early into my Islam, I was explaining to a non-Muslim co-worker about the blessed month. I said something to the effect of: in Ramadan we don’t eat, drink, lie or have sex during the daylight hours. My co-worker politely nodded. A man, who overheard our conversation, felt no need for politeness. He said, “You can’t eat, drink or have sex in Ramadan? I don’t wanna go there!”. He said what my co-worker was too polite to say. I missed an opportunity to explain the value of fasting for the sake of Allah alone.

Compare my explanation to the explanation found in the Glorious Quran and you will see how deeply inadequate it really was. May Allah forgive my shortcomings.

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun. Quran 2:183

The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion. So whoever of you sights the month, he must observe Saum that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him. Quran 2:185

Non-Muslims cannot fully understand why we approach Ramadan with excitement, zeal and enthusiasm. They cannot experience for themselves our beloved Ramadan, even if they fast. And we may never be able to adequately describe what this month means for us personally on a spiritual level. However, if we try focusing on the spiritual side of our deen, when explaining it to non-Muslims, perhaps those with soft hearts will pay heed and begin worshipping their Lord with humility and full submission.

All praise and thanks belong to Allah alone, Who made me a Muslim.

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