Prophethood in Islam.

From: www.mohammad-pbuh.com

Prophethood is not unknown to heavenly revealed religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, however, it has a special status and significance.
According to Islam, Allah created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what Allah wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus Allah had chosen from every nation a prophet or more to covey His Message to people.
One might ask: How were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?
Prophethood is Allah's blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:

He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet's life serves as a model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. He might make some minor mistakes which are usually corrected by revelation.

He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an impostor. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superiors. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of the major world religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Moses' contemporaries were excellent in magic. So his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his days. Jesus' contemporaries were recognized as skillful physicians. Therefore, his miracles were to raise the dead and cure the incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Mohammed, were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So Prophet Muhammad's major miracle was the Quran, the equivalent of which the whole legion of the Arab poets and orators could not produce despite the repeated challenge from the Quran itself. Again Muhammad's miracle has something special about it. All previous miracles were limited by time and place, i.e., they were shown to specific people at a specific time. Not so the miracle of Muhammad, the Quran. It is a universal and everlasting miracle. Previous generations witnessed it and future generations will witness its miraculous nature in terms of its style, content and spiritual uplifting. These still can be tested and will thereby prove the divine origin of the Quran.

Every prophet states clearly that what he receives is not of his own but from God for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him. A prophet does this to show that he is simply conveying the message which is entrusted to him by the One True God of all people in all ages. So the message is one in essence and for the same purpose. Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealed before him or what might come after him.

Prophets are necessary for conveying God's instructions and guidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What will happen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable for our actions? In other words, is there any reward or punishment for our deeds in this life? These and so many other questions about God, angels, paradise, hell, etc. can not be answered without revelation from the Creator and Knower of the unseen. Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect. That is why, messengers are the select of their societies in terms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.
Hence, the slanderous Biblical stories about some of the great prophets are not accepted by Muslims. For example, Lot is reported to have committed fornication while drunk, with his daughters; or David sent one his leaders to death to marry his wife. Prophets to Muslims are greater than what these stories indicate. These stories can not be true from the Islamic point of view.
The prophets are also miraculously supported by God and instructed by Him to affirm the continuity of the message.
The content of the prophets' message to mankind can be summarized as follows:

Clear concept about God: His attributes, His creation, what should and should not be ascribed to Him.
Clear idea about the unseen world, the angels, jinn (spirits), Paradise and Hell.
Why has God created us? What does He want from us and what is the reward or punishment for obeying or disobeying Him?
How to run our societies according to His will? That is, clear instructions and laws that, when applied correctly and honestly, will result in a happy and ideal society.
It is clear from the above discussion that there is no substitute for prophets. Even today with the advancement of science, the only authentic source of information about the supernatural world is revelation. Guidance can be obtained neither from science nor from mystic experience. The first is too materialistic and too limited; the second is too subjective and frequently too misleading.
Now one might ask: How many prophets has God sent to humanity? We do not know for sure. Some Muslim scholars have suggested 240 thousand prophets. We are only sure of what is clearly mentioned in the Quran, that is, God has sent a messenger (or more) to every nation. That is because it is one of God's principles that He will never call a people to account unless He has made clear to them what to do and what not to do. The Quran mentions the names of 25 prophets and indicates that there have been others who were not mentioned to the Prophet Mohammed. These 25 include Noah, the man of the Ark, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.These five are the greatest among God's messengers. They are called 'the resolute' prophets.
An outstanding aspect of the Islamic belief in prophethood is that Muslims believe in and respect all the messengers of God with no exceptions. Since all the prophets came from the same One God, for the same purpose - to lead mankind to God - belief in them all is essential and logical; accepting some and rejecting others has to be based on misconceptions of the prophets' role or racial bias. The Muslims are the only people in the world who consider the belief in all the prophets of God an article of faith. Thus the Jews reject Jesus Christ and Muhammad; the Christians reject Muhammad and in reality reject Moses because they do not abide by his laws. The Muslims accept them all as messengers of God who brought guidance to mankind. However, the revelation which those prophets brought from God has been tampered with in one way or the other. The belief in all the messengers of God is enjoined on the Muslims by the Quran.
"Say (O Muslims): we believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, and their children, and that which Moses and Jesus received and that the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have surrendered."(2:136)
The Quran continues in the following verses to instruct the Muslims that this is the true and impartial belief. If other nations believe in the same, they are following their own whims and biases and God will take care of them. Thus we read:
"And if they believe in what you believe, then they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, then they are in disunity, and Allah will suffice you against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower. This is God's religion and Who is better than God in religion?"(2:137-38)
There are, at least, two important points related to prophethood that need to be clarified. These points concern the roles of Jesus and Muhammad as prophets who are usually misunderstood.
The Quranic account of Jesus emphatically rejects the concept of his 'Divinity' and 'Divine Sonship' and presents him as one of the great prophets of God. The Quran makes it clear that the birth of Jesus without a father does not make him son of God and mentions in this respect Adam who was created by God without a father and mother:
"Truly the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, 'Be', and he was."(3:59)
Like other prophets Jesus also performed miracles. For example, he raised the dead and cured the blind and lepers, but while showing these miracles he always made it clear that it was all from God. Actually the misconceptions about the personality and mission of Jesus found a way among his followers because the Divine message that he preached was not recorded during his presence in the world, rather it was recorded after a lapse of about hundred years. According to the Quran he was sent to the children of Israel; he confirmed the validity of the Torah which was revealed to Moses and he also brought the glad tidings of a final messenger after him.
"And when Jesus son of Mary said, 'Children of Israel, I am indeed the Messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be the PRAISED ONE."(61:6) (The capitalized portion is the translation of Ahmad which is Prophet Muhammed's name.)
However, the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry. They plotted against his life and in their opinion crucified him. But the Quran refutes this opinion and says that they neither killed him nor crucified him, rather he was raised up to God. There is a verse in the Quran, which implies that Jesus will come back and all the Christians and Jews believe in him before he dies. This is also supported by authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
The last prophet of God, Muhammad, was born in Arabia in the sixth century C.E. Up to the age of forty, people of Makkah knew him only as a man of excellent character and cultured manners and called him AL-AMEEN (the trustworthy). He also did not know that he was soon to made a prophet and receiver of revelation from God. He called the idolaters of Makkah to worship the only one God and accept him as His prophet. The revelation that he received was preserved in his life-time in the memory of his companions and was also recorded in pieces of palm leaves, leather etc...
Thus the Quran that is found today is the same that was revealed to him; not a syllable of it has been altered as God Himself has guaranteed its preservation. This Quran claims to be the book of guidance for the whole humanity for all times, and mentions Muhammad as the last Prophet of God.

Comprehensiveness of Worship In Islam.

From: www.imanway.com

Comprehensiveness of worship
The Islamic understanding of worship allows the whole of one’s life to be an act of worship, as long as the objective of that life is the pleasure of Allah, which is achieved by doing good and refraining from evil. This can be seen from the following: 1. A person can turn everyday activities into acts of worship by purifying his or her intention and sincerely seeking Allah’s pleasure through these activities. Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Greeting a person is charity. Acting justly is charity. Helping a man with his steed is charity. A good word is charity. Every step taken on the way to performing prayers is charity. Removing an obstacle from the road is charity.”2. Earning a living can be a form of worship if certain conditions are met. The Companions saw a man and were astonished by his hard work and industry. They said: “If he were only doing this much work for the sake of Allah…” Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “If he is working to support his small children, then it is for the sake of Allah. If he is working to support his elderly parents, then it is for the sake of Allah. If he is working to occupy himself and keep his desires in check, then it is for the sake of Allah. If, on the other hand, he is doing so to show off and earn fame, then he is working for the sake of Satan.” 3. Even the most natural acts can become acts of worship if they are accompanied by the proper intention: Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you approaches his wife, it is an act of charity.” The same can be said for eating and drinking, as long as it is done out of fear of Allah and seeking to obey him. In order for these actions to be counted as acts of worship deserving of divine reward, the following conditions must be met: A. The action must be accompanied by the proper intention. Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intentions, and a person gets only what he intended.” B. The action must be lawful in and of itself. If the action is something prohibited, its perpetrator deserves punishment. Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah is good, and He accepts only what is good.” C. The activity must be performed in the best possible manner. Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has prescribed excellence for all things.” He also said: “Allah loves that if one of you does something, he does it well.” D. The dictates of Islamic Law must be completely observed. Deception, oppression, and iniquity must be avoided. Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “He who deceives us is not one of us.”Allah says: “…and avoid false speech.”E. The activity should not keep the person from performing his or her religious obligations. Allah says: “O you who believe, do not let your wealth and children distract you from the remembrance of Allah.”

US Latinas seek answers in Islam.

From: www.csmonitor.com

US Latinas seek answers in Islam
It surprises many of their friends and family, but some young US Latinas say Islam offers women more respect.

By Christine Armario

While some Latinas young women try to emulate the tight clothes and wiggling hips of stars like Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera, Ms. Pinet and others are adopting a more conservative lifestyle and converting to Islam. At this Union City, N.J., mosque, women account for more than half of the Latino Muslims who attend services here. Nationwide, there are about 40,000 Latino Muslims in the United States, according to the Islamic Society of North America.
Many of the Latina converts say that their belief that women are treated better in Islam was a significant factor in converting. Critics may protest that wearing the veil marks a woman as property, but some Latina converts say they welcome the fact that they are no longer whistled at walking down a street. "People have an innate response that I'm a religious person, and they give [me] more respect," says Jenny Yanez, another Latina Muslim. "You're not judged if you're in fashion or out of fashion."
Other Latina Muslims say they also like the religion's emphasis on fidelity to one's spouse and family.
But for many family members and friends, these conversions come as a surprise - often an unwelcome one. They may know little of Islam other than what they have heard of the Taliban and other extremist groups.
That creates an inaccurate image, insists Leila Ahmed, a professor of women's studies and religion at Harvard University. "It astounds me, the extent to which people think Afghanistan and the Taliban represent women and Islam." What's really going on, she says, is a reshaping of the relationship between women and Islam. "We're in the early stages of a major rethinking of Islam that will open Islam for women. [Muslim scholars] are rereading the core texts of Islam - from the Koran to legal texts - in every possible way."
New views of women and Islam may be more prevalent in countries like the US, where women read the Koran themselves and rely less on patriarchal interpretations.
"I think the women here are asserting more their rights and their privileges," says Zahid Bukhari, director of the American-Muslim Studies Program at George- town University. "
Some Latina Muslims say they harbored stereotypes about Muslim women before deciding to convert, but changed their minds once becoming close friends with a Muslim.
"I always thought, geez, I feel sorry for women who have to wear those veils," says Pinet. Then she met her Muslim boyfriend and began studying the Koran with a group of Muslim women. She says she was impressed with the respect they received.
"A women is respected because she is the mother, she takes care of the children, and she's the one that enforces the rules," Pinet says. "They're the ones who are sacred."
Critics of the decisions of Latinas to convert to Islam say they are adopting a religion just as patriarchical as the Roman Catholic faith that many are leaving behind.
"While it's true the Latino culture tends to be more male-dominated, and there's a tendency toward more machismo, I would venture to say it exists [in Islam] as well," says Edwin Hernandez, director of the Center for the Study of Latino Religion at the University of Notre Dame.
Latinos account for six percent of the 20,000 Muslim conversions in the United States each year, according to a report published by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Anecdotal evidence suggests this number may be rising. But that doesn't mean it's getting any easier for the women who make this choice.
"At first it was anger and then more like sadness," Nylka Vargas says of her parents' reaction when she told them she was converting to Islam and began dressing more conservatively. "They would sometimes feel strange being around me."
Pinet's family has been more accepting, but she too has encountered some resistance in her community. It's as if you've betrayed your own kind," she says.
For some, the cultural differences are the most trying.
"I can't eat pork, I can't wear [form- fitting] clothing, I can't dance in the clubs, I'm not gonna attend church," says Ms. Yanez, who is of Cuban and Spanish descent. "But I keep my language, and there's still things that we do as Latinos that they don't have to change."
Within the Islamic community, Latina Muslims report being warmly received, although language barriers sometimes exist for Latinas who only speak Spanish. There are few Spanish services at mosques and a limited number of Islamic texts in Spanish.
Grassroots organizations specifically for Latino Muslims have been created in recent years. They function in part as an informational resource for new converts and but also as a support group for those who encounter difficulties at home.
Ultimately, Latina Muslims say that time heals the divisions and angst their conversion sometimes causes among friends and family.
"What I had to learn was patience," says Vargas, whose family came to accept her religious beliefs after several years. "Sometimes things are not as we want them."

The Pacifism of Islam.

From: www.islamdenouncesterrorism.com

By: HARUN YAHYA

According to the Koran, war represents an "unwanted obligation" which has to be absolutely carried out with strict observance of particular humane and moral values and resorted only when it is inevitable.
In a verse, it is explained that those who start wars are the disbelievers and that God does not approve wars:
…Each time they kindle the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it. They rush about the earth corrupting it. Allah does not love corrupters. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 64)
A closer examination of Prophet Muhammad's life reveals that war is a method resorted for defensive purposes only in unavoidable situations.
The revelation of the Koran to Prophet Muhammad lasted for 23 years. During the first 13 years of this period, Muslims lived as a minority under a pagan rule in Mecca and faced much oppression. Many Muslims were harassed, abused, tortured, and even murdered, their houses and possessions were plundered. Despite this however, Muslims led their lives without resorting to any violence and always called pagans to peace.
When the oppression of pagans escalated unbearably, Muslims emigrated to the town of Yathrib, which was later to be renamed Medina, where they could establish their own order in a more friendly and free environment. Even establishing their own political system did not prompt them to take up weapons against aggressive pagans of Mecca. Only after the following revelation, the Prophet commanded his people to get prepared for war:
Permission to fight is given to those who are fought against because they have been wronged - truly God has the power to come to their support - those who were expelled from their homes without any right, merely for saying, 'Our Lord is God'… (Surat al-Hajj: 39-40)
In brief, Muslims were allowed to wage war only because they were oppressed and subjected to violence. To put it in another way, God granted permission for war only for defensive purposes. In other verses, Muslims are warned against use of unnecessary provocation or unnecessary violence:
Fight in the Way of God against those who fight you, but do not go beyond the limits. God does not love those who go beyond the limits. (Surat al-Baqara: 190)
After the revelations of these verses, wars occurred between Muslims and pagan Arabs. In none of these wars, however, were the Muslims the inciting party. Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad established a secure and peaceful social environment for Muslims and pagans alike by signing a peace agreement (Hudaybiya) which conceded to the pagans most of their requests. The party who violated the terms of the agreement and started a new war was again the pagans. However, with rapid conversions into Islam, the Islamic armies attained great power against the pagan Arabs and Prophet Muhammad conquered Mecca without bloodshed and in a spirit of tolerance. If he willed, he could have taken revenge on pagan leaders in the city. Yet, he did not do harm to any one of them, forgave them and treated them with the utmost tolerance. Pagans, who would later convert to Islam by their own will, could not help admiring such noble character of the Prophet.
The Islamic principles God proclaims in the Koran account for this peaceful and temperate policy of Prophet Muhammad. In the Koran, God commands believers to treat even the non-Muslims kindly and justly:
...God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you over religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them. God loves those who are just. God merely forbids you from taking as friends those who have fought you over religion and driven you from your homes and who supported your expulsion... (Surat al-Mumtahana: 8-9)
The verses above specify the outlook of a Muslim on non-Muslims: A Muslim should treat all non-Muslims kindly and avoid making friends only with those who show enmity to Islam. In case this enmity causes violent attacks against the existence of Muslims, that is, in case they wage a war against them, then Muslims should respond them justly by considering the humane dimensions of the situation. All forms of barbarism, unnecessary acts of violence and unjust aggression are forbidden by Islam. In another verse, God warns Muslims against this and explains that rage felt for enemies should not cause them to drift them into injustice:
You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of God, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to heedfulness. Heed God (alone). God is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 8)

The Meaning of the Concept of "Jihad"
Another concept that deserves clarification due to the content of this article is the concept of "jihad".
The exact meaning of "Jihad" is "effort". That is, in Islam, "to carry out jihad" is "to show efforts, to struggle". Prophet Muhammad explained that "the greatest jihad is the one a person carries out against his lower soul". What is meant by "lower soul" here is the selfish desires and ambitions. A struggle given on intellectual grounds against anti-religious, atheist views is also a form of jihad in its complete sense.
Apart from these ideological and spiritual meanings, struggle in the physical sense is also considered as "jihad". However, as explained above, this has to be a struggle carried out solely for defensive purposes. The use of the concept of "jihad" for acts of aggression against innocent people, that is for terror, would be unjust and a great distortion.

Compassion, Tolerance and Pacifism in Islam
To state briefly, the Islamic political doctrine is extremely peaceful and moderate. This fact is also confirmed by many non-Muslim historians and theologians. One of these is the British historian, Karen Armstrong, a former nun and a renowned expert on Middle East history. In her book, Holy War, in which she examines the history of the three great divine religions, she comments:
... The word Islam comes from the same Arabic root as the word peace and the Koran condemns war as an abnormal state of affairs opposed to God's will: "When the enemies of the Muslims kindle a fire for war, Allah extinguishes it. They strive to create disorder in earth, and Allah loves not those who create disorder." (Koran 28:78). Islam does not justify a total aggressive war or extermination, as the Torah does in the first five books of the Bible. A more realistic religion than Christianity, Islam recognizes that war is inevitable and sometimes a positive duty in order to and oppressions and suffering. The Koran teaches that war must be limited and be conducted in as humane a way of possible. Mohammed had to fight not only the Meccans but also the Jewish tribes in the area and Christian tribes in Syria who planned on offensive against him in alliance with the Jews. Yet this did not make Mohammed denounce the People of the Book. His Muslims were forced to defend themselves but they were not fighting a holy war against the religion of their enemies. When Mohammed sent his freedman Zaid against the Christians at the head of a Muslim army, he told them to fight in the cause of God bravely but humanely. They must not molest priests, monks and nuns nor the weak and helpless people who were unable to fight. There must be no massacre of civilians nor should they cut down a single tree nor pull down any building. This was very different from the wars of Joshua. [1]
Following the death of Prophet Muhammad, Muslims continued to treat the members of other religions with tolerance and respect. Islamic states became the secure and free home of both Jews and Christians. After the conquest of Jerusalem, Caliph Omar calmed the Christians who were in fear of a massacre and explained to them that they were secure. Furthermore, he visited their churches and declared that they could continue to practise their worship freely.
In 1099, 4 centuries after the conquest of Jerusalem by Muslims, Crusaders invaded Jerusalem and put all Muslims inhabitants to the sword. Again, contrary to the fears of Christians, Saladin, the Muslim general who captured Jerusalem and saved the city from invasion in 1187, did not touch even a single civilian and did not allow a single soldier to plunder. Moreover, he allowed the invading Christians to take all their possessions and leave the city in security.
A portrait of the tolerance against Christians in the Islamic lands.
The periods of Seljuk Turks and the Ottoman Empire were also marked by the tolerance and justice of Islam. As is known, Jews who were expelled from Catholic Spain found the peace they sought on the lands of Ottoman Empire, where they took refuge in 1492. Sultan Mehmed, the conqueror of Istanbul, also allowed Jews and Christians religious freedom. Regarding the tolerant and just practises of Muslims, historian A. Miquel states the following:
The Christians were ruled by a very well administered state which was something that did not exist in the Byzantium or Latin sovereignty. They were never subjected to a systematized oppression. On the contrary, the Empire, and foremost Istanbul, became a refuge for the much tortured Spanish Jews. They were never forced to accept Islam. [2]
John L. Esposito, a professor of Religion and International Politics at the Georgetown University, makes a similar comment:
For many non-Muslim populations in Byzantine and Persian territories already subjugated to foreign rulers, Islamic rule meant an exchange of rulers, the new ones often more flexible and tolerant, rather than a loss of independence. Many of these populations now enjoyed greater local autonomy and often paid lower taxes... Religiously, Islam proved a more tolerant religion, providing greater religious freedom for Jews and indigenous Christians. [3]
As is clarified in these words, history never witnessed Muslims as "makers of mischief". On the contrary, they brought security and peace to the people from all nations and beliefs inhabiting the large territory over which they reigned. (For further reference, see Justice and Tolerance in the Koran, by Harun Yahya, 2000)
In brief, compassion, peace and tolerance constitute the very basis of the values of the Koran and Islam aims to wipe mischief out of the earth. The commands of the Koran and the ways Muslims practised them throughout history are so clear as to leave no room for dispute.
Notes
1- Karen Armstrong, Holy War, MacMillian London Limited, 1988, p. 252- Feridun Emecen, Kemal Beydilli, Mehmet İpşirli, Mehmet Akif Aydın, İlber Ortaylı, Abdülkadir Özcan, Bahaeddin Yediyıldız, Mübahat Kütükoğlu, Osmanlı Devleti Medeniyeti Tarihi, (The History of the Ottoman State), Istanbul: 1994, İslam Tarih, Sanat ve Kültür Araştırma Merkezi, p. 467 3- John L. Esposito, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality, Oxford University Press, New York, 1992, p. 39

Latinos find simplicity in Islam

By: Sudarsan RaghavanWashington Post* -

Every morning, Jackie Avelar wakes up to a predicament. On one side of her bed is a clock that sounds the Islamic call to prayer five times a day. On the other side is a statue of Mary. As a Muslim, she wants to remove it. As a Latina, she can't.Her father, who is a Catholic from El Salvador, wants the statue to stay."I have to respect him," Avelar said.So she has found a comfortable balance: She covers the statue with a photo of her family.Avelar, 31, constantly struggles to find balance within her family, within the outside world, within herself. Growing up, she was a beach-going, tank top-wearing, salsa-dancing girl. Now, she's a devout Muslim who favors Islamic garments and avoids socializing with men.She is the first Muslim in a family that has never known any religion but Catholicism.Across the nation, thousands of Latino immigrants are redefining themselves through Islam, including a few hundred in the Washington region, according to national Islamic groups and community leaders. Precise numbers are not available, but estimates range from 40,000 to 70,000.The conversions speak to a larger evolution of immigrant identity, as a new generation ingests a cultural smorgasbord of ideas they were rarely exposed to in their homelands. Today, it's easier than ever to learn about Islam from Spanish translations of the Koran, Islamic magazines and Web sites.But as they embrace a new faith, Latinos face struggles, ranging from guilt to discrimination, as Muslims in a post-Sept. 11 America."Sometimes you feel like you are betraying who you are, that you are abandoning your family," said Avelar, who is small and round-faced with a soft voice.The converts hail from throughout Latin America. In Islam, some say they see a devoutness and simplicity they find lacking in Catholicism. Like the tightknit Latino culture, Islam places emphasis on family, which can make it easier for converts to adjust. Yet some are as motivated by feelings of alienation in a nation that is divided over immigration. Latino women find what most westerners rarely see -- a respect for women, unlike, some converts say, the machismo culture in which they were raised.On the Friday before Easter, a day that no longer holds religious significance for Avelar, she took part in the juma , the weekly group prayer all practicing Muslims attend. She drove to a small Annandale mosque in a silver Honda, with a license plate holder that reads "Don't drive faster than your angels can fly."Dressed in a pink hijab , or headscarf, and a black shoulder-to-ankle garment, she melted into the tide of immigrants.The men entered the front door. Avelar glided to a side entrance with the other women and vanished inside.Questioning CatholicismFor Priscilla Martinez, a third-generation Mexican American, conversion began with a question. For Margaret Ellis, a first-generation Panamanian American, it ended with an answer.Growing up in Texas, Martinez asked her priest why Catholics believe in the Holy Trinity -- the Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- but said she never got a satisfactory explanation.Then more questions, until: "I felt I didn't have a relationship with God," said Martinez, 32, who lives in Ashburn with her Muslim husband and their children.At the University of Texas, she was introduced to Islam in a Middle East history course and during Muslim student events. At the end of her freshman year, Martinez recited the shehada , the vow a person takes to become a Muslim. When she told her Catholic family, they gave her an ultimatum: Leave Islam or leave their house. Martinez left."It was more cultural than anything else," recalled Martinez, of medium height and wearing a green hijab. "It was something foreign to them, and it solidified the fact that I wasn't returning to the church."Today, she said, she's on good terms with her family. Swimming is the only thing Martinez misses about her old life. Now, she swims only in private or with other women, and never in front of men, aside from her husband.Ellis, too, was unsatisfied with Catholicism and said in Panama, the Catholics she knew were not religious. She wanted a deeper connection with God.After she converted, her great-aunt demanded, "How could you leave your mother's faith?"In the United States, Ellis kept asking herself: Where do I fit in? As a black Latina, she found many black Americans didn't accept her. And Latinos she met were largely from nations without many blacks."For me, the perfect niche was the Muslim community, because for us it doesn't matter where you are from or what you look like," said Ellis, 44.She is now called Farhahnaz Ellis.In public, her Latino identity, like those of most converts, is often invisible. Ellis remembers the day in a bodega in Reston when she overheard two women looking at her Islamic garment and speaking aloud in Spanish: "Oh my God, look at her. She's crazy. It's so hot."Ellis, who is tall and slender, walked up and broke out in Spanish. The startled women quickly headed out the door.

Latino Submission To Islam.

From: www.homestead.com

My name is Ali , I'm a 32 year old Mexican born in America.
I thought I would make a webpage to tell my story of how I became a Muslim. I think it will Insha'Allah (God willing) help people understand Islam and why it attracted me.
People have a wrong perception about Islam and Muslims,what little they know is usually from movies and telivision which is almost all the time false.
My life before was bad I had no direction in life.I was wasting my life away by dropping out of school in the 11th grade. I would hang out in the streets with my friends "partying" getting high,drinking and selling marijuana,most of my friends were gang members, I myself was never in a gang.
I knew most of them before they turned bad,so it was not a problem. I slowly began to use harder drugs, I had dreams but they seemed to far away for me to make them reality.The more I became depressed the more I turned to drugs as a temporary escape.
One day a friend of mine told me that he knew where to get some good marijuana, We arrived and went inside this apartment their were a couple of people inside,we sat around and talked for a while. My friend and I bought some marijuana and were getting ready to leave when my friend said one man there invited us to his apartment to give him a book.
We left for this man's apartment when we got there,he gave my friend a book and asked him to read it,and said that it might help him out with his problems in life. On the way home I asked my friend to show me the book that the man gave him,it was the Qur'an (Koran).
I had never in my life heard of The Holy Qur'an, I began to briefly read some pages, while I was reading I knew that what I was reading was true, it was like a slap in the face, a wake up call. The Qur'an is so clear and easy to understand. I was really impressed and wanted to know more about Islam and Muslims.
The strangest thing is that I was not looking for a new Religion, I used to laugh at people that went to church and some times said that there was no God,although deep down I knew there was. I decided to go to the Libary a couple of days later and check out the Qur'an. I began to read it and study it, I learned About Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him)and the true story of Jesus son of Mary(Peace be upon him). The Qur'an stressed the fact that God was one and had no partners or a son, this was most interesting to me since I never understood the concept of the trinity.The Qur'an describes the birth of Prophet Jesus (p.b.u.h ) and his mission.There is also a Sura (Chapter) called Maryam (Mary) and tells her story as well.
As a child I always went to church, my mother was a Seventh day Adventist and took my sister and me every Saturday. I never was really religious and stopped going to church when I was about 14 or 15,The rest of my family is Catholic, I always wondered why we were Seventh day Adventist and the rest of my family was Catholic. when we would go visit my family back in Mexico,we went to a Catholic church for weddings and celebrations.
Muhammed (peace be upon him) is the last messenger of God sent to all mankind.The Qur'an tells the story's of all the Prophets such as:
Adam,Abraham,Noah,Issac,David,Moses,
Jesus (Peace be upon them all) just to name a few, told in a clear and understandable manner. I did months of research on Islam I bought a Holy Qur'an at a bookstore and studied about world history and Islam's contributions to medicine and science.
I learned that Spain was a Muslim country for almost a thousand years and that when the Muslims were expelled from Spain by the Christian king and Queen (Ferdanand and Isabela),the Christian Spainards came to Mexico and forced the Aztecs and others to become Catholic, history and my Islamic roots was all becoming clear to me.
After months of study and research I could not deny the truth anymore I had put it off too long, but was still living the life I was before and knew that if I became Muslim I had to give all that up.One day while reading the Qur'an, I began to cry and fell to my knees and thanked Allah for guiding me to the truth. I found out that there was a Mosque by my house so I went one Friday to see how Muslims prayed and conducted thier service.I saw that people from all races and colors attended the Mosque. I saw that they took off thier shoes when entering and sat on the carpeted floor.A man got up and began to call the Adthan (call for prayer) when I heard it my eyes filled up with tears it sounded so beautiful, it was all so strange at first but seemed so right at the same time.Islam is not just a Religion but a way of life.
After going a couple of Fridays I was ready to be a Muslim and say my Shahada (declaration of faith).
I told the Khatib (person giving the lecture) that I wanted to be a Muslim,the following Friday in front of the community I said my Shahada first in Arabic then in English : I bear witness that there is no other God but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammed(p.b.u.h) is His Messenger.
When I finished a Brother shouted Takbir! and all the community said Allah O Akbar! (God is great!) a few times,then all the Brothers came and hugged me. I never recieved so many hugs in one day, I will never forget that day it was great. I have been Muslim since 1997, I'm at peace with myself and clear in Religion,bieng Muslim has really changed my life for the better thanks to Almighty God.
I had the blessing of being able to perform Hajj (Pilgrimage) to the Holy city of Mecca, it was a experiance of a lifetime, about three million people from every race and color in one place worshiping Allmighty God, The Creator.
I think that Islam is the answer for the the problems of the youth and society in general. I hope my story Insha'Allah (God willing) will attract more latinos and people of all races to the light of Islam..
If you have any questions and would like more information on Islam in English or Spanish, click on my links.You can also email me.

110 Sura Of Victory: Is Not Far Off Today.

110:1 WHEN GOD'S SUCCOUR comes, and victory,
إِذَا جَاء نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ (110:1)

110:2 and thou seest people enter God's religion
in hosts,
وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا (110:2)


110:3 extol thy Sustainer's limitless glory, and praise Him, and seek His forgiveness: for, behold, He is ever an acceptor of repentance.
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا (110:3)

Bloger comment:
Victory for Muslims is to see people enter Islam. Muslims in the first 12 years in Mecca where oppressed and persecuted. When they went to Medina they had three wars with the pagans who followed them to Medina and tried to demolish them. When Muhammad spread Islam he went back to Mecca with 10,000 Muslims as this Sura talk about.
They did not conquer it but opened it which mean they had the power to conquer if they wanted but they did not do that. The disbelievers were overwhelmed by 10,000 Muslims. They were afraid that Muhammad will retaliate from them. He said his famous saying "today is not the day of fight today is the day of mercy and I say to you like Joseph said to his brothers no consequences in you today".
Most of them willingly became good Muslims after that. This victory as well made many tribes of the Arab to consider Islam and to embrace Islam.
Victory of Islam counted not by defeat of enemies but by winning them to Islam. Good honest Muslims commonly traders who went in Asia they spread Islam by attracting non-Muslims to their moral values. Opening countries by war to Islam is only a response to the aggression against Islam. That is why Muslims follow the wisdom of their religion in how to spread Islam peacefully. With the great oppression and injustice that Muslims are suffering today it becomes even more compelling to spread Islam particularly in the west. We will find new allies to our case and will be able to win our freedom.
Muslims have to be smart and look for multiple solutions for their problems. The west convert to Islam, their oppressors leave the scene, march of democracies, peaceful revolutions.... We have to knock every door possible. To sit down and feel powerless and angry against every one will not change our status. Muslims at the time of Muhammad (PBUH)were proactive and changed the world. Our victory is to win people to Islam or at least to win them to our causes.

What Does Koran/Qur'an Teach About Jesus?

From: www.islam-101.org

Koran/Qur'an teachs that:

1. Jesus was sent by Allah, who supported him with the Holy Spirit, to tell the world Allah's will (2, 87; 5. 110-117*).

2. Allah gave to the world Jesus, exalted him above all others, and supported him with the Holy Spirit as proof of his sovereignty (2, 253*).

3. Allah caused the miracle birth of John the Baptist to the aged Zechariah and his barren wife so John could be the messenger to announce Jesus as the Messiah (3, 33-41*).

4. Allah appointed Mary to be the virgin mother of Jesus, the Messiah (3, 42-45; 19, 12-22; 21, 90*).

5. Jesus would be righteous [sinless] all his life (3, 46; 6, 86; 19, 19*).

6. Jesus would be raised from the dead (19 33,34*).

7. Jesus, Messiah and son of Mary, crucified, appeared dead and was taken up my Allah himself (4, 157,158; 3,55*). He did not "appear to be alive" because he was dead. Crucifixion was the Roman method of execution similar to hanging. No one survived being crucified. See # 6. above.

8. Jesus was a messenger of Allah, who is to be believed (4, 171*).

9. Allah taught Jesus his religion and commanded Jesus to establish it (42, 13; 43, 63*).

10. Allah caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow [the prophets], gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him (57, 27*).

11. Allah strengthened the group of Jews who believed Jesus and his message, so they overcame those who disbelieved (61, 14*).

12. The true message of Jesus and the prophets was perverted by religious leaders who were condemned by Allah (9, 31*).

13. Long before the Prophet Muhammad, Allah revealed the Torah and the Gospel for mankind's guidance (3: 3, 4, 48, 65*).

14. Allah taught Jesus the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel. Allah would do miracles through Jesus and make him a messenger to Israel (3, 48, 49*).

15. Allah gathered Jesus and caused him to be resurrected and ascended to Allah himself (3, 55*).

16. Allah bestowed the Gospel on Jesus to be a light (5, 46*).

17. Observing the Torah and the Gospel brings nourishment from above (5, 66*).

18. Those who went astray from Allah's commands were cursed by both David and Jesus (5, 78*).

19. Allah inspired Jesus' Disciples to believe in Jesus and his message (5, 110*).

20. Jesus and his Disciples were Allah's helpers (61, 6,14*).

21. Believe in all that was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received (2, 136*).

22. The Surrender, al-Islam, is Islam and Muslims are to be surrendered to Allah's will and guidance (3, 19*), [as had been revealed to Abraham by God and explained by Jesus.]

The Sunnah: THE TEXTUAL BASE

From: www.masnet.org

The burden placed upon man by the Islamic revelation, namely, henceforth to translate the revelation into laws or precepts for action, was a heavy one indeed. At least in the stream of Semitic religious consciousness, it was the first time that law was desacralized – and by religion itself; it was divested of its holiness as direct revelation. Henceforth, law was declared to be a human responsibility in the exercise of which humans were fallible. When done right, law is man's greatest accomplishment; when done wrong, his greatest downfall. At any rate, lawmaking was to be a human activity, capable, like every other human activity, of being right or wrong. When wrong, it is equally man's responsibility to discover the locus of error, to amend that law, and bring it into accord with the divinely given principles of which the law is the translation. Certainly it is an act of mercy that God chose to aid man in fulfillment of this obligation when He provided him with an example and clarification, a commentary of the general principles of the revelation. For that is precisely what the sunnah is.

Technically, the sunnah is a collection of the Prophet's sayings and deeds. It includes his opinions about matters good or evil, desirable or otherwise, as well as the practices of which he approved as becoming for Muslims to follow. The sunnah quotes the words and phrases attributed directly to the Prophet or to his companions who witnessed his attitudes and deeds and reported them. Every unit of the sunnah conveying a report about the Prophet is called a hadith. The sunnah occupies a place second to the Qur'an. Its function is to clarify the Qur'an's pronouncements, to exemplify and illustrate its purposes. Where the Qur'anic statement is general, the sunnah particularizes it to make it applicable; and where particular, the sunnah generalizes it in order to make possible its extrapolation to other particulars. The sunnah was first memorized by the companions of the Prophet as many of them found the time to record the Prophet's sayings in writing. Afraid that the new Muslims might confuse the word of God with the word of Muhammad, the Prophet had first prohibited the writing down of his own sayings. Later, when the possibility of confusing the two was removed by the majority's memorization of the Qur'an, the Prophet permitted his companions to write the sunnah. Among those companions who recorded some parts of the sunnah were Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah al Ansari (15/637), ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Awfa, Samrah ibn Jundub (60/680), Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (78/698), Wahb ibn Munabbih (114/732) who inherited the collection of Abu Hurayrah (58/678); ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr whose writing recorded 1,000 or more hadith preserved in the Musnad of Ibn Hanbal; and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (69/589) who left us a "camel load" of writing materials covered with hadith of the Prophet. Besides these, there was the covenant of Madinah, the constitution of the first Islamic state and the first constitution ever to be written. Dictated by the Prophet, its principles have remained operative throughout Islamic history. The main bulk of the sunnah, however, was not written until later. The first generation of Muslims memorized the sayings of the Prophet, taught them to one another, observed what they prescribed, and emulated what they described as the practice of Muhammad.

The value of the sunnah and its relevance to Islam was universally recognized by all Muslims. The need for it to help the Muslim fulfill the requirements of his faith in liturgical, legal, ethical, social, economic, political, and international affairs was felt by all. Hence, the sunnah came to be regarded, from the beginning, as a second authoritative source of Islam, whose dicta were binding on all Muslims. The Qur'an commanded obedience to the Prophet and equated that obedience with obedience to God. It ordered the Muslims to refer their disputes to him and to abide by his judgment. The Prophet's companions, for their part, obeyed that command and voluntarily fulfilled everything the Prophet had asked of them. It was their unanimous consensus that the sunnah of the Prophet is normative, that its precepts are binding on all Muslims. Indeed, the Muslims had no other source to provide them with the specific rituals of worship and institutions of their faith, and to legislate for them in matters on which the Qur'an is silent, save the sunnah. Naturally, there can be no contradiction between the Qur'an and the sunnah. Everyone of the latter's provisions must be either confirmed or implied by the Qur'an, whether explicitly, by a direct passage of the text, or implicitly, by a Qur'anic principle or desideratum whose realization necessitates the provision commanded by the sunnah.

However, not all that the Prophet said or did, approved or disapproved of, is normative and hence obligatory for Muslims to follow. The Prophet was not superhuman or divine but a human, all too human, being. The Qur'an repeated this fact many times, and the Prophet himself never tired of reaffirming this basic truth. As a human being he did, said, approved and disapproved of many things outside of his function as executor of Qur'anic commands, as exemplar of the ethic of Islam, or as embodiment of the Islamic life-style. In this regard, Muslims distinguish between those items that issue from his prophethood and mission, and those that issue from his humanity. The former are accepted as normative without hesitation. The latter, in absence of evidence to the contrary, are treated as peculiar to him as a shepherd, tradesman, farmer, husband, general, statesman, paramedic, engineer, and so on. Muslims regard the former as normative and the latter, otherwise; and in doing so, they are backed by the Prophet himself, who acknowledged and accepted on numerous occasions the contrary counsel or action of his companions. The sunnah, as a technical term or source of Islamic law and ethics, includes only those items that are proven to have been meant by the Prophet to be followed and obeyed in loyalty to his divine message.

The foregoing differentiation in normativeness divided the sunnah into two great divisions; one containing all those items that give rise to law and obligation (sunnah hukmiyyah), and one containing all those that do not (sunnah ghayr hukmiyyah). Within the former, various degrees of normativeness were discerned following two criteria: first, the degree of certainty of provenance (wurud) or the quality of our knowledge that those items issued from the Prophet and did so for the purpose of clarification or exemplification of the divine message; and second, the degree of certainty with which the specific connotation (dalalah), the exact identity, meaning, or form of that which is commanded, is known. This differentiation divided the sunnah hukmiyyah into qat’iyyah (absolutely certain) and zanniyyah (probable), and these divisions applied to both provenance and connotation. Obviously, legal obligation attached only to those items fulfilling the criteria of certainty in both respects.

During the lifetime of the Prophet, the sunnah was for the most part something witnessed in public. As it issued from the Prophet, people heard, saw, and understood. When they were not present and sought reassurance, they could and did refer to the Prophet and asked him directly, face to face, to satisfy their quest. After his death, the companions asked one another. When all those who attended or witnessed the event agreed, their unanimity was tantamount to certainty. For it is not possible that the Prophet's companions, with all their loyalty and sincerity, their personal differences and distinctions, could come up with the same report unless the event was real and its meaning was absolutely clear. Items of the sunnah that fit this description were called sunnah mutawatirah. The sunnah mashbuhah refers to those items that were reported by some companions - not all whose consensus could not have involved mistake, error, or misrepresentation; while sunnah ahad includes items reported by one companion known for his good memory, fidelity, and moral integrity.

Across these divisions lies the distinction between fi`liyyah (action) and qawliyyah (verbal). The former refers to deeds of the Prophet, done once, occasionally, or repeatedly under the witness of the public. To this group belong the rituals and institutions of Islam which continue to be practiced throughout the Muslim world with astounding identity despite the centuries that separate their practice from the Prophet and the total discontinuity of geography, ethnicity, language, and culture among the world's followers of the Prophet. The latter comprises the Prophet's sayings heard by others and necessarily involving a lesser degree of certainty than something witnessed, unless - again like the rituals and institutions - they were repeated on a daily, weekly or yearly basis.

The sunnah thus was heard, witnessed, memorized, recorded, and transmitted to posterity. Since the third century A.H., it has been known through six canonical collections called the sihah (sing. sahih). By order of the rigor with which they carried out their sifting and classification, the collectors of the sihah were al Bukhari (256/870), Muslim (251/865), Abu Da'ud (275/888), Ibn Majah (273/886), al Nasa'i (303/915), and al Tirmidhi (279/892). Among these, the first two stand apart, acknowledged by all Muslims as more critical and authoritative than the rest. Those items commonly found in both their texts are most authoritative of all.

The March To The Middle.

By: Maged Taman

When I proposed The Moral Utopia Project (somewhere in my blog, I lost it) I thought I will be making everyone happy:

1- God for let me have his ten commandments respected again and to have no usury.
2- The capitalists to make them even make more money and lift everyone.
3- The poor and middle class to be more prosperous.
4- The politicians to make peace between them and solve a lot of problems to them.
5- The west and east to have peaceful coexistence.
6- To the oppressed to have their freedom.
7- Finding a new political system that is away from the divisive party system and the influence of special interest groups would make governing fair and easy.
8- To solve threatening world problems in systematic pattern: sex trafficking, potential wars, drug trafficking, global worming,....
9- To get people to march to the middle so we meet in the middle and find a common plan to our existence and coexistence.

However the plan did not have ears to for many reasons:

1- Satan will inspire a lot of people against my plan.
2- The Christians right, who are commonly right, are wrong on this one, anyone will have such a plan would be considered by them for wrong interpretation of prophecies the Antichrist.
3- Immoral greedy capitalism would not take any chances with any plan.
4- The rich and corrupt in the world (many of them are Muslims) would not give in to such a plan.
5- Jealous is my worst enemies this is may be the reason I am enjoying being in the shadow.

I am not a rigid thinker. As a home-based politician I consider flexibility and consensus the way to do politics. If you are keen to do good policies you have to do good politics (politics is the rob that will fly your Kaye or policies). That is why we need dialogue between the west and Arab/Muslims to look at all the problems we have and try to solve them.
If the west refuses the dialogue we as Muslims: the public, the scholars, the elites and the leaders or dictators need to sit together in a large conference and solve our problems.
If we could not have the west to join us in the March to the Middle at least we Arabs and Muslims do our own March.

Blaming West won't solve Muslims' woes

By Husain Haqqani, Special to Gulf News

The world's 1.4 billion Muslims seem overwhelmingly enraged by the war in Iraq and the suffering caused by US military intervention. But there appears to be little, if any, outrage against the sectarian bloodletting that has led to more Iraqi casualties than war directly involving American troops.
Muslim leaders and intellectuals alike find it easier to criticise the outsiders (in this case the US) for the harm inflicted on fellow Muslims. When it comes to recognising the suffering caused by fellow believers, there is a tendency among Muslims to fudge the issue.
The lack of democratic space in much of the Muslim world has prevented the emergence of mass non-violent protest movements, especially when the protest needs to be aimed at the conduct of other Muslims.
It is common for demonstrators in Muslim countries to protest against the actions of Israel or the United States. But one seldom hears of protests against the wrongs committed by Muslim regimes or, in Iraq's case, sectarian militias. The violence perpetrated by Sudan's regime in Darfur, for example, has gone by and large unprotested in much of the Muslim world.
Since the emergence of Western nations as the world's dominant powers, Muslim thinkers and leaders have been preoccupied with the question, "how to reverse Muslim decline, especially in relation to the West."
The colonial experience, in particular, has had a deep-rooted impact on Muslim psyche. There is a rush to condemn the foreigners and the colonisers, coupled with a general unwillingness within the Muslim world to look inward and to identify where we may be going wrong ourselves. There is still little effort to recognise the real reasons for Muslim humiliation and backwardness.
Dominate
Islam's early generations produced knowledge and wealth that enabled Muslim empires to dominate much of the world. But now almost half the world's Muslim population is illiterate and the combined GDP of the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) hovers near the GDP of France alone. More books are translated every year from other languages into Spanish than have been translated into Arabic over the past century. Fifteen million Greeks buy more books every year than almost 300 million Arabs.
In the year 2000, according to the World Bank, the average income in the advanced countries (at purchasing price parity) was $27,450, with the US income averaging $34,260.
Last year, the US income went up to $37,500. Israel's income per head stood at $19,320 in 2000 and was $19,200 last year. The average income of the Muslim world, however, stood at $3,700. The per capita income on PPP basis in 2003 of the only nuclear-armed Muslim majority country, Pakistan, was a meagre $2,060. Excluding the oil exporting countries, none of the Muslim countries of the world had per head incomes above the world average of $7,350.
National pride in the Muslim world is derived not from economic productivity, technological innovation or intellectual output but from the rhetoric of "destroying the enemy" and "making the nation invulnerable". Such rhetoric sets the stage for the clash of civilisations as much as specific Western policies. It also serves as an opiate that keeps Muslims riled up against external enemies with little attention paid to the internal causes of intellectual and economic decline.
Review
The Muslim world needs a broad movement to review the material and moral issues confronting the Umma (the community of believers). But so far calls for removing the vestiges of colonialism and setting right historic injustices have prevailed over a more realistic effort to combine condemnation of wrongs committed by others within introspection of Muslims' own collective mistakes.
Muslims must rise and peacefully mobilise against sectarianism and the violence and destruction in, say, Iraq. But before that can happen, Muslim discourse would have to shift away from the focus on Muslim victimhood and towards taking responsibility, as a community, for our own situation.
The Quran describes the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as the prophet of mercy. Muslims begin all their acts, including worship, with the words, "In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful."
The Quran also says "To you, your faith and to me, mine," which removes any theological basis for sectarian violence. But unfortunately these mercy-focused and peacemaking ideas are lost in the overall discourse in the Muslim world about reviving the lost glory and setting right the injustice of Western domination.
Once Muslims convince themselves that the sectarian violence is a Zionist or American conspiracy or that it is the result of American occupation, their rage gets diverted. There is little rage and resentment against fellow Muslims who are actually engaged in that meaningless violence and, therefore, little room for a Muslim Martin Luther King to stand up and say "We are responsible for this and we need to put an end to it."

Husain Haqqani is Director of Boston University's Centre for International Relations, and Co-Chair of the Islam and Democracy Project at Hudson Institute, Washington D.C. He is author of the book 'Pakistan between Mosque and Military'.

Bloger Comment: great article I do not know what the sectarian violence in Iraq would achieve to Muslims. The Muslims clergy did conferences and condemnations about this violence and I do not see why they continue to fight. Regarding the west the thing we could hope from them is to leave us alone. Their interests are the same oil, stability and Israel. We as Muslims have to solve our problems and our glory should by having prosperous, democratic and peaceful Arab/Muslims nations. Israel/Arab conflict should be solved. The hard thing is to have a Muslim Martin Luther King. First the west reaction is likely to be suspicious and unpredictable, though you never know the future. Second some of Muslim leaders would conspire against him. Third a lot of the Muslim elites would rather fight one another than gather around him. God is the only one who would save us from ourselves and guide us to the best to our people and the world.

Who Has Believed Our Report: Reading in Isaiah 52 and 53.

From the old testament: Isaiah 52 and 53:

Isaiah 5213Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and be lifted up, and be very high.14As many were astonished at thee -- his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the children of men15-- so shall he astonish many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at him: for what had not been told them shall they see, and what they had not heard shall they consider.

Isaiah 531Who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed?2For he shall grow up before him as a tender sapling, and as a root out of dry ground: he hath no form nor lordliness, and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.3He is despised and left alone of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, and like one from whom [men] hide their faces; -- despised, and we esteemed him not.4Surely *he* hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; and we, we did regard him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.6All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, but he opened not his mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and was as a sheep dumb before her shearers, and he opened not his mouth.8He was taken from oppression and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken.9And [men] appointed his grave with the wicked, but he was with the rich in his death, because he had done no violence, neither was there guile in his mouth.10Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath subjected [him] to suffering. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see a seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.11He shall see of [the fruit of] the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant instruct many in righteousness; and *he* shall bear their iniquities.12Therefore will I assign him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong: because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and was reckoned with the transgressors; and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. From: www.biblegateway.com

My reading in Isaiah 52 and 53:

1- It talks about a prophecy given by God to the prophet Isaiah. These prophets at their times were considered the best of people they would not lie about God and they were very sound people.
2- It talks about God 's salvation.
3- Since it is about salvation it is about a messiah.
4- It describes the servant that God assigned him the mission of human salvation.
5- God or more likely through the angels introduced this servant as declaration to the world of his coming.
6- In Isaiah 52 three astonishing facts about this servant. The servant will be raised high due to the wisdom that God will give him, He will not be seen (he has no form and in other translations as not seen) and despite this two seemingly contradictory characters he will astonish many nations and as he proceeds kings will consider this servant and this prophecy. This shows the great ability of God to control the world and the history. A servant with no appearance and in the same time people in different parts of the world read or hear this servant and consider this prophecy. God wants them to be prepared to receive him when he appears.
7- In Isaiah 53 God or through his angels explained further to the prophet who is the servant.
8- The servant has no greatness on his own and he looks like a normal person before God had chosen him. He has nothing in particular to make people look at him. In fact for the first time when they encounter him they will despise him and look the other way. Then they will reconsider him and the prophecy.
9- What God sees in this servant is what people missed to see in him.
10- He made him at personal level to suffer. He was oppressed and condemned. Two of the biggest human injustices are oppression and persecution.
11- The servant as well cared about human sufferings and inequality that what made him full of sorrows though people may not have appreciated.
12- In God 's eye he was one of the least of sinners.
13- But more important is two characters he has: he done no injustice and there is no deceit in his mouth. Despite he was maltreated and suffered injustice he kept faithful to obey God in being just and not to hurt another human soul.
14- The mission of this servant is to establish the government of God. Governments over the centuries were known by two things injustice and deceit. So through justice and honesty he will create the righteous government.
15- God had put for the servant despite his good quality people who are transgressors. Very likely with different characters: the means, the abusers, the discriminators, the evils, the oppressors.....
To establish peace in earth he needs the servant not only to establish the just government that through justice it spreads peace, but also he wants him at the low level of daily relation between people to make peace between them.
16- There is no miracles mentioned in these verses but simply the knowledge that God will give to the servant he will instruct them in the way to their salvation. God is very likely will guide him to what to read and what to write. He may even serve him with people who are willing happily to teach him and contribute to his wisdom. Ultimately his message is righteousness which is given to us by God in the Bible and Quran.
17- The astonishing thing for good amount of time this servant will be like he hid his face from people and in the same time people will hide their faces from him for different reasons. So they would consider him the servant and he would not be able to say that he is. No wonder that is why he will startle many nations. Meanwhile people would think they or him or both in a twilight zone and nothing is happening at all.
18- Meantime a lot of people would believe he is the one who God talked about in the prophecy and they would help him without even his knowledge. Ultimately God will achieve his salvation through the servant who will have a lot of good people helping him. They know he is the servant as the prophecy describe it. It will be very difficult to one individual to plan all of this prophecy in his own and it will be too much coincidences to happen without God behind it. He may not even know himself about this prophecy until he is in the middle of the prophecy.
19- God made him to be oppressed so he will be humble and through his suffering he will know what God wants his plan to be. Which is simply if justice and equality prevail peace will follow and fill the earth.
20- Why should humans work together for their salvation, because they would believe that God is the one who is guiding and inspiring the servant. It will be a faith to them. They knew over the years there were false messiahs and false politicians. It is only through God and his servant that we would attain our salvation.

Religion And Human Nature (Belief In Allah)

From: www.muslimconverts.com

Everyone is born upright by nature. Pure nature leads to Allah, the One and Only True God. In fact, human nature awakes to Almighty Allah's existence very early in life, even earlier than we may think. We generally think that only an older person ponders over Allah's existence and Oneness. But if we observe the life of a little child, we notice that in a certain stage of his life, he asks his parents endless questions about the things he sees around him in the universe. Who made the heaven? Why is the sky blue? Where does the sun go at night? Why doesn't it appear to us at night? Where does light go when the dark comes? Why do stars glitter? Where does the earth end? Why doe some flowers have smells while others don't? Where did I come from? Where was I before I came? Etc. What do all these questions mean and indicate? They indicate that nature in this child has begun to awake and recognize the Creator of the earth and heavens through His tangible and seen creation. There are several effects that touch man's senses and awaken him to the fact of Allah's existence, Oneness and peerlessness. The universe, so vast and wide, would certainly awaken man to that plain fact. Those great dimensions in the skies and the earth… those countless, immense, celestial bodies… Who has created them? The earth, though too tiny compared with other celestial bodies, contains mountains, plains, oceans, seas and rivers that would take the whole life of man to learn about a small part of them. How, then, about the solar system of which our earth is only a part? How about the milky way of which our solar system is considered a small part? And other celestial masses which contain millions and millions of galaxies like ours? And millions and millions of stars in comparison with which the large sun is considered to be too small. With all its bulkiness, the universe is marvelously accurate. Night and day follow each other so precisely that we adjust our watches to them. In fact, the whole universe is so exact in its astronomical revolution that clocks in observatories, which are the most accurate clocks we have and to which clocks in broadcasting stations are adjusted, are themselves adjusted to the extremely accurate astronomical revolution which is never disturbed in the course of time unless, of course, Allah willed it otherwise. Every being, animate and inanimate, was created with miraculous accuracy. Have you seen the extremely minute living cell that can be seen only under the microscope? Yet it grows, splits and performs highly wonderful tasks which make man helpless and humble towards the omnipotence of Allah! Who, other than Allah, has infused it with the secret of life and guided it to such surprising activity? A germ cannot be seen with the unaided eye. A minute kind called 'virus' cannot be seen under an ordinary microscope. Yet, you know from your studies in science that it might cause the deadliest disease unless man immunized himself against it by means of medicines and serums. The multi-cellular being, man at the top, was originally one impregnated cell which went on splitting and growing till it became an integral being. What power, other than that of Allah, has given it life and activity? Most surprising in that splitting process is the fact that those cells appear similar in their beginning. Then orders are given to them to specialize and take certain forms - one cell moves to a certain place and becomes an ear or part of an ear; another cell goes to another position and becomes an eye or part of it; a third becomes one of the brain cells; a fourth turns into bones..etc. What order those invisible cells receive and obey in such extraordinary exactitude? It is the order of the Creator. He orders them and they obey Him, and move and form in accordance with his Divine Will. Have you observed a multi-colored fragrant beautiful flower? Who has bestowed it with that fragrance and how have these colors combined in it? Suppose you tried to create a flower so that it would diffuse fragrance from morning to evening, and to paint it in al colors so that it would not lose color so long as it exists. To what extent would your attempt be successful? If all people on earth busied themselves with such a task with all flowers growing on earth on in the sea, could they perform it? And even if they could, what time and effort would be left for other activities? Yet millions of flowers on earth grow scented, colored and pleasant. Allah has created all without the least effort or distraction from directing the immense universe, for He (Glory be to Him) only says to a thing: "Be! And it is". For Him, it is so easy. The phenomena of death and life also attract man's attention to the miraculous Divine Power that gives life and death. What is life in reality? It is a marvelous secret which no one can explain. All that man has so far attempted is the interpretation of some phenomena of life such as movement, growth and physiology. As for life itself - what is it? How does it exist in living things? How does it direct them to fulfill their functions? All this is a vague mystery incomprehensible to man. Man, especially biologists, have employed all their scientific knowledge to create one cell of billions of living cells with which the divine creation abounds, but all was in vain. As for man's livelihood, whether in the form of rain falling from the sky; crops growing from the earth' fish, birds and animals; treasures and minerals underground; the air we breathe; the wind driving ships on the sea; or power driving machines such as steam power, electric power, atomic energy, the power of fuel or of water falling down from mountains - who, other than Allah, provides all these? “ Lo? Allah, He it is that gives livelihood, the Lord of unbeatable might.” (Quran, 51:58). Man yearns for knowledge of the unseen which only Allah knows, but all his attempts fail. He long to know what is in store for him in his future life, what his lot will be next year, what is going to happen to him a month or a week or a day later and what is going to take place in a moment. He cannot discover what is going to take place in a moment, whether good or evil. Who, other than Allah alone, enjoys omniscience, since He has created everything and nothing in the Heavens and the earth escapes His infinite knowledge? Many things impress the human mind, awakening it to the idea of the One God, with no partner. It perceives that He alone possesses perfection, might, glory, greatness and limitless power. “ He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is he begotten; and there is none like unto Him.” (The Holy Quran 112:1-4). Thus, man would enjoy righteous nature and be an upright believer. But the human nature sometimes suffers from derangement and relapse. The faculty of perception may be dulled; so man fails to perceive the signs of inimitability in the universe and life. He forgets the miraculous power that gives livelihood, controls events and possesses comprehensive knowledge of the seen and the unseen. When man undergoes a new experience, all his senses will be alert to it. If he notices a scene or hears something new for the first time or goes to a new town, street or house, he will be careful to recognize the details of the new place. He is highly impressed since it is new to him; but as he grows familiar with the scene or place, sees it several times, his senses no longer pay much, or perhaps the least, attention to it. Sometimes man behaves likewise towards Allah. He forgets that Allah is the Creator, the Director, the Giver of Life and Death. He overlooks the multitudes of signs in this universe. He neglects to observe the rising sun and light until they are swallowed up in the dark. He fails to notice the fragrance, beautiful flowers with joyous colors and the melodious notes of song birds. He ignores thunder, lightning and rain falling from the clouds. He disregards the new born baby and the dead man. He forgets about his complete weakness in relation to the absolute power of Allah. Other things may dull man's senses - He may be busy with his food, drink, whims and transient worldly comforts, which would divert his mind from considering the portents in the universe, seeking Allah's favor and remembering the Hereafter and the reckoning and retribution in it. Another cause of dull perception may be deviation from Allah's orders. Man would be rebellious against Allah on earth and follow his own lust-He would go beyond what Allah allows him to do because of his greediness and his desire to have mastery over others and make them slaves to his desires; so he encroaches upon their property, honor or blood and wants to deify himself so as to be worshipped beside Allah, or he may be fascinated by what he possesses - his talents, health, power, money or anything Allah has bestowed on him. He thinks he has acquired them by his own power and forgets that all these bounties emanated from Allah. The human perception or mind gets dull owing to one of the aforementioned reasons or to other deviations and relapses; so it forgets Allah wholly or ascribes a partner to Him and imagines that someone or something in the universe shares divinity, majesty and power with Allah. Thus, the human nature becomes corrupted and is possessed by Satan, who drives it away from Divine Guidance and Favor. Yet, Allah does not let His servants go astray; so He sent them Prophets to call them to guidance and turn them back to truth. He has sent Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) as the last prophet to be harbinger of good tidings and a warner to all mankind up to the Day of Resurrection. He revealed to him the Qur'an and guaranteed its preservation in his saying, “ Lo! We, even we, reveal the Reminder” (i.e., the Quran) and “ Lo! We verily are its guardian.” (Qur'an 15:9). The Qur'an includes all that is essential for human nature to be noble and virtuous, guides to the real meaning of divinity and acquaints with the Rightful God, Creator and Director of the Universe, Owner of Sovereignty without any partner

Marriage in Islam.

From: www.jamaat.org

We turn now to the procedures of marriage in Islam. When a girl reaches the age of marriage it is customary for the Muslim parents to play a major role in the choice of the husband, but she must be consulted. It is reported that when a girl came to the Prophet complaining that she had been married without being consulted, the Prophet directed that she was free to have the marriage dissolved if she wished.
Nowadays educated Muslim girls are having a greater say in the choice of husband, but it is still considered that the parents' opinion of the boy is of great importance, and it is rare part of the Muslim tradition for either to be married with the consent of their parents or guardians.
A widow or a divorcee however may marry whoever she wishes, presumably because she is considered to have enough maturity and experience to decide for herself.
When a girl or woman is married it is an essential part of the marriage for the bridegroom to give her a dowry (mahr), which may be of any value agreed upon. This dowry is not like the old European dowry which was given by a father to a daughter on her marriage and thence became the husband's property. Nor is the Muslim dowry like the African "bride-price" which is paid by the bridegroom to the father as a form of payment or compensation. The Muslim dowry is a gift from the bridegroom to the bride and it becomes her exclusive property. (It remains her property even if she is later divorced. In the case of Khul'_ that is, divorce at the wife's request, she may be required to pay back all or part of the dowry.)
The treatment expected from the husband, whether or not he is on good terms with his wife, is clearly laid down in the Qur'an:
"Live with them in kindness; even if you dislike them, perhaps you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good" (4:19).
Another important benefit to wives in Islam is that in the moral sphere there is no dual standard. Whatever may be the habit of men the world over of blaming women for actions which they condone in themselves, according to the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet, Allah requires the same high standard of moral conduct from men as it does from women, and has imposed the same legal penalities on men and women for infringement of the moral laws. This will be illustrated by examples later in this paper.
Even if divorce is decided on, the good treatment referred to before is still required. The Qur'an says:
"Then keep them in all decency or part from them decently. It is not lawful for you to take anything you have given them" (2:229).
Thus Qur'an also says:
"Once you divorce women and they have reached the end of their waiting period, then either retain them in all decency or part from them in decency. Do not retain them unjustly so that you exceed the limit; anyone who does that merely hurts himself" (2:231)
Kind treatment of wives and families is a part of the religion in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad has said:
"From among the believers are those who have the kindest disposition and are kindest to their families, such are those who show most perfect faith".
And according to another hadith:
"The best among you are those who are kindest to their wives".
Divorce is taken to be a last resort in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad said:
"Of all the things Allah has permitted, the one He most dislikes is divorce".

Sex and Society

From: www.jamaat.org

We have discussed a Muslim woman's status with regard to her husband and the children. What then of her relations with men other than her husband and her close relatives? This is where a considerable difference is found between Islamic practice and the customs now prevalent in the Western world. In the West, sexual relations outside marriage are still in theory generally considered a sin or at least vaguely undesirable, but in practice no steps whatsoever are taken to reduce the very high incidence of pre-marital and extra-marital sexual relations in spite of the soaring rates of illegitimacy and venereal disease. On the contrary, in films, television and certain sections of the press there is every encouragement to consider pre-marital experience desirable and extra-marital affairs quite normal. Contraception or abortion is expected to conveniently get rid of any undesirable side-affects of this way of life.
In contrast with this uncontrolled situation, Islam advocates a number of specific measures to reduce the temptations towards sex outside marriage.
To begin with, the Prophet advised all people to get married if they could, so that their natural desires should have a legitimate and legal fulfilment.
Secondly, due to the permission for limited polygamy there is little chance of surplus of unattached women in the society.
Thirdly women are directed in the Qur'an when they appear in public to cover themselves in a modest type of dress so as not to attract men.
Fourthly the Muslim way of life excludes the boy-friend/girl-friend system, mixed parties, dancing between men and women, taking alcohol or drugs, and other facets of the Western way of life which are well known to provide the situation from which pre-marital and extra-marital sexual relations develop. Social entertainments in Islam are generally either within the family and close friends of the family, or among men and women in separate groups.
Fifthly sex outside marriage is considered in Islamic law not only as a sin but as a crime which is punished under the law in the same way as theft or murder. The punishment for it applies equally to the man and woman and is severe and deterrent in its effect.
Let me now look back at some of these points in more detail since they are very relevant to the life style of a Muslim woman.

The Family in Islam: The Appeal of Islamic Family Life

From: www.islamreligion.com

By Ben Adam

In Islam, considering the well-being of the “other” instead of just the “self” is a virtue so rooted in the religion that it is evident even to those outside it. The British humanitarian and civil rights lawyer, Clive Stafford-Smith, a non-Muslim, stated: “What I like about Islam is its focus on the group, which is opposite to the West’s focus on individuality.”[1]
Individuals comprising any society are tied together by related group bonds. The strongest of all societal bonds is that of the family. And while it can be justifiably argued that the basic family unit is the foundation of any given human society, this holds particularly true for Muslims. As a matter of fact, the great status that Islam affords to the family system is the very thing that so often attracts many new converts to Islam, particularly women.
“With laws for almost every aspect of life, Islam represents a faith-based order that women may see as crucial to creating healthy families and communities, and correcting the damage done by the popular secular humanism of the past thirty or so years, several experts said. In addition, women from broken homes may be especially attracted to the religion because of the value it places on family, said Marcia Hermansen, a professor of Islamic studies at Loyola University in Chicago and an American who also converted to Islam.”[2]
Nowhere is this trend of a people who value traditional family values as they embrace Islam more prevalent than in North America’s Latino or Hispanic community. As one of Florida’s Muslims observed: “I have seen an increasing rate in Hispanics converting to Islam. I think the Hispanic culture itself is very rich in terms of family values, and that is something that is very prominent in the religion of Islam.”
So, what are the particular values or traits of Islamic family life that so many are finding so appealing?
At a Columbia University Islamic event, Hernan Guadalupe, an Ecuadorian-American: “spoke of the cultural similarities and family values inherent to Hispanics and Muslims. Typically, Hispanic households are tight knit and devout, and children are reared in a strict environment - traits that mirror Muslim households.”[3]
And in another recent newspaper report, it was also observed how: “Family values play an integral role in the formation of a Muslim community. Because of those family values, there are a lot of other norms that are consistent within the Hispanic community and Islam; for instance, respect for elders, married life and rearing children, these are some of the traditions Hispanics have in common with Islam.”[4]
Some ordinary American converts also have had a say about real life experience, and some of these are collected in a book by the mother of such a convert; Daughters of Another Path by Carol L. Anway. One woman, quoted in the book[5], spoke about her change in attitude towards marriage and family life after converting to Islam. “I became cleaner and quieter the further I went into the religion. I became highly disciplined. I had not intended to marry before I was a Muslim, yet I quickly became a wife and then a mother. Islam has provided a framework that has allowed me to express belief, such as modesty, kindness and love, that I already had. It has also led me to happiness through marriage and the birth of two children. Before Islam I had had no desire to have my own family since I hated (the thought of having) kids.”
Another woman speaks of her acceptance into the extended family in the same book. “We were met at the airport by a lot of his family, and it was a very touching moment, one I will never forget. Mama (her mother-in-law) is like an angel… I have spent a lot of time in with tears, because of what I see here. The family system is quite unique with closeness that is beyond words.”[6]
In Appendix C of the book, a 35 year old American convert, at that time 14 years a Muslim, wrote about the family of her husband and their values relative to her own American values. “I have met all the members of my husband’s immediate family and some members of his immense extended family… I have learned a great deal from my in-laws. They have a wonderful way of relating to their children, a way that engenders respect for others and great amounts of self esteem. It is interesting to see how a child-orientated and religious orientated culture operates. My in-laws, by virtue of being a contrast to American culture, have given me a great appreciation for certain elements of my American cultural identity… I have seen that Islam is truly correct in saying that moderation is the right path.”[7]
From these quotations, one from a non-Muslim intellectual, others from converts and reporters, and some from quite ordinary American women who embraced Islam, we can see that family values in Islam are one of its major attractions. These values stem from God and His guidance, through the Quran and the example and teaching of His Messenger, Muhammad, may God praise him, who indicates the family unit as being one of the mainstays of religion and Islamic the way of life. The importance of forming a family is underscored by a saying of the holy Prophet himself, who said:
“When a man marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion, so let him fear God regarding the remaining half.”[8] (al-Baihaqi)

Footnotes:
[1] Emel Magazine, Issue 6 - June/July 2004.
[2] “Islam’s Female Converts”; Priya Malhotra, February 16, 2002. (see http://thetruereligion.org/modules/xfsection/article.php?articleid=167).
[3] “Some Latinos convert to Islam”; Marcela Rojas, The Journal News (http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051030/NEWS02/510300319/1028/NEWS12)
[4] “Islam Gains Hispanic Converts”; Lisa Bolivar, Special Correspondent, September 30, 2005 (http://thetruereligion.org/modules/xfsection/article.php?articleid=405)
[5] Daughters of Another Path, 4th printing, Al-Attique Publishers, p.81.
[6] Daughters of Another Path, p.126.
[7] Daughters of Another Path, p.191.
[8] A narration from the Prophet, by Anas b. Malik, his personal servant; collected in and commented on by Imam al-Baihaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman (Branches of Faith).