By: Maged Taman
It may not sound scientific and very commonly not mentioned in politics the word Satan. Commonly people mention God though a lot of them in real life are very faithful students to Satan. He is actually the greatest world politician and the Prince of our world. It is very easy to make this conclusion by studying the world affairs. Let me list below the proofs of existence of Satan:
1- Greed: you find the rich people controlling the world and doing very little to combat the severe poverty around the globe. For many good people who enjoy being generous it makes them see the strong control of Satan to people desire for giving the poor. The same people may spend a lot of wasted money in their pleasure with no regret while the poor are dying of hunger. That equally speaks of Satan control.
2- Wickedness: you hear a lot of people even politicians and religious leaders speak the word of God and the teachings of the prophets meanwhile do the exact opposite. Their tongues do not speak their hearts or their minds. You may be lucky to be able to read them but commonly they are used to deceive and lie all their lives that it is very difficult to read them.
3- Not appreciating feeling wicked: Evil people like Saddam and Hitler do not feel they are wicked on the other hand they feel they are the gift of God to the human history. This proves very well that behind these wicked beings are a master who is more wicked than them. The good in their heart is slim that Satan can easily deceive them.
4- Evil look and evil face: some people you can read the evil in their face they simply say hi we are giving you signs that Satan behind our looks fool.
5- Tyrants and Mass Killers: Hitler and Saddam are good example of how the evil exceeds every one imagination that one have to believe Satan is behind their acts.
6- The evil in all earth and its magnitude everywhere speaks of the Prince of our world Satan. It is like we all in a silent passive praying and obeying to Satan. Very few voice are screaming load to change the wrong direction of humanity. If you are a doctor it is better to have more of sick people for your practice, if you are a lawyer it is better to have people fighting so you have more cases and if you are manufacture weapons it will be more profitable to have wars. We lost the collective conscience of seeing where is the humanity is going and how we can change its direction.
7- Enjoying evil: though enjoying good is better and more rewarding in earth and the after-life people choose more the evil which speaks well of the strong control of Satan of human behavior. A common case in the American media where a man killed his beautiful pregnant wife with his child for no good reason. Satan outsmarted him and he lost everything.
8- Which Craft: It is becoming more common and some people instead of praying to God they seek witch crafting with Satan to control their affairs it may work shortly but not always and God punish them severely in the day of judgment.
9-Worshiping statues, stones, animals and other creation. So for common sense the created can not be the creator, this gives you cut clear evidence of Satan influence in human thoughts. Other idols include leaders, movie stars, money, gold, silver and so forth. The God who create us all and gave us enormous gifts only have few minutes a day from us or we use his name when we try to express our a feeling of surprise. The God of Quran wants all our life to be for him and when this happened will be united on his love and creating the righteous human unity that will be our joy and salvation.
10-Atheists: not even to recognize existence of God is a strong argument for existence of Satan. See under existence of God proofs in my web to appreciate that mind, heart and spirit prove God's existence.
11-Divisions of religions: the presence of a lot of religions and the presence of a lot of sects of every religions is used by atheists to attack religions. In fact that is the warning of God of Satan attempt and promise to do that and he succeeded. God wants us to have a common dominator which is being righteous and to argue pleasantly in debating religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam each was one religion and after the prophets we divided each on sects and each rejected and despised the other sect and even war ignited between them. This is a strong evidence that Satan even achieve his goals through religions.
12-Animosity and wars: the presence of war all over the human history despite what peace can do to humanity speaks well of Satan control of the world. God is willing to help us and provide us with salvation if to follow his path and being righteous. We are however faithfully obeying Satan.
13-Oppressing voices that try to unite the humanity.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Some Basic Islamic Beliefs.
By: Maged Taman
1) Belief in God:
Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, Who has no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes. No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes. In the Quran, God describes Himself:Say, “He is God, the One. God, to Whom the creatures turn for their needs. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him.” (Quran, 112:1-4)Chapter 112 of the Quran written in Arabic calligraphy.No one has the right to be invoked, supplicated, prayed to, or shown any act of worship, but God alone.God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the Sustainer of everything in the whole universe. He manages all affairs. He stands in need of none of His creatures, and all His creatures depend on Him for all that they need. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing. In a perfect manner, His knowledge encompasses all things, the open and the secret, and the public and the private. He knows what has happened, what will happen, and how it will happen. No affair occurs in the whole world except by His will. Whatever He wills is, and whatever He does not will is not and will never be. His will is above the will of all the creatures. He has power over all things, and He is able to do everything. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and the Most Beneficent. In one of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad , we are told that God is more merciful to His creatures than a mother to her child.1 God is far removed from injustice and tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. If someone wants something from God, he or she can ask God directly without asking anyone else to intercede with God for him or her.
2) Belief in the Angels:
Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command. Among the angels is Gabriel, who brought down the Quran to Muhammad .
3) Belief in God’s Revealed Books:Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers as proof for mankind and as guidance for them. Among these books is the Quran, which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . God has guaranteed the Quran’s protection from any corruption or distortion. God has said:Indeed, We have sent down the Quran, and surely We will guard it (from corruption). (Quran, 15:9)
4) Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God:Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God, starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them). But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last prophet sent by God, as God has said:Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the prophets... (Quran, 33:40)Muslims believe that all the prophets and messengers were created human beings who had none of the divine qualities of God.
5) Belief in the Day of Judgment:Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.
6) Belief in Al-Qadar:Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination, but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have freewill. Rather, Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill. This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.The belief in Divine Predestination includes belief in four things: 1) God knows everything. He knows what has happened and what will happen. 2) God has recorded all that has happened and all that will happen. 3) Whatever God wills to happen happens, and whatever He wills not to happen does not happen. 4) God is the Creator of everything.Modified from: http://www.islam-guide.com/
1) Belief in God:
Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable God, Who has no son nor partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone. He is the true God, and every other deity is false. He has the most magnificent names and sublime perfect attributes. No one shares His divinity, nor His attributes. In the Quran, God describes Himself:Say, “He is God, the One. God, to Whom the creatures turn for their needs. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him.” (Quran, 112:1-4)Chapter 112 of the Quran written in Arabic calligraphy.No one has the right to be invoked, supplicated, prayed to, or shown any act of worship, but God alone.God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the Sustainer of everything in the whole universe. He manages all affairs. He stands in need of none of His creatures, and all His creatures depend on Him for all that they need. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing. In a perfect manner, His knowledge encompasses all things, the open and the secret, and the public and the private. He knows what has happened, what will happen, and how it will happen. No affair occurs in the whole world except by His will. Whatever He wills is, and whatever He does not will is not and will never be. His will is above the will of all the creatures. He has power over all things, and He is able to do everything. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and the Most Beneficent. In one of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad , we are told that God is more merciful to His creatures than a mother to her child.1 God is far removed from injustice and tyranny. He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees. If someone wants something from God, he or she can ask God directly without asking anyone else to intercede with God for him or her.
2) Belief in the Angels:
Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they are honored creatures. The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command. Among the angels is Gabriel, who brought down the Quran to Muhammad .
3) Belief in God’s Revealed Books:Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers as proof for mankind and as guidance for them. Among these books is the Quran, which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . God has guaranteed the Quran’s protection from any corruption or distortion. God has said:Indeed, We have sent down the Quran, and surely We will guard it (from corruption). (Quran, 15:9)
4) Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God:Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God, starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them). But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad . Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last prophet sent by God, as God has said:Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the prophets... (Quran, 33:40)Muslims believe that all the prophets and messengers were created human beings who had none of the divine qualities of God.
5) Belief in the Day of Judgment:Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.
6) Belief in Al-Qadar:Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination, but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have freewill. Rather, Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill. This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.The belief in Divine Predestination includes belief in four things: 1) God knows everything. He knows what has happened and what will happen. 2) God has recorded all that has happened and all that will happen. 3) Whatever God wills to happen happens, and whatever He wills not to happen does not happen. 4) God is the Creator of everything.Modified from: http://www.islam-guide.com/
The Criteria For The Truth.
By Soliman H. Al-But'he. © International Publishing House for Islamic Books, 1998
How do we know what a revelation such as the Qur’an, is the true word of God?
The authenticity of a divine disclosure is best determined by judging it against the criteria set opposite the truthfulness of a divine divulgence such as the following:
1. Rational Teachings
Since god bestowed reason and intellect on mankind, it is our duty to use it to the maximum to discern truth from falsehood. And so far, the true and undistorted revelation from God must be logical and one that could appeal to and be rationalized by all fair-minded people.
2. Perfection
Considering that God is All-perfect, it follow that His revelation must also be perfect and accurate, free from mistakes, omissions, interpolations and multiplicity of versions. In other words, it must be faultless in the sense that it is devoid of errors in the form of inconsistencies as well as contradictions.
3. No Myths or Superstitions
True revelation from God is free from myths or superstitions that degrade the dignity of God or man.
4. Scientific
As God is the source of all knowledge, true revelation must be scientific and can withstand the challenge of science at all times.
5. Prophecy
God is the Knower of the past, present and future. Thus His Prophecies in His revelation will be fulfilled as prophesied.
6. Inimitable by Man
True revelation from God is infallible and cannot be imitated by man. God’s true revelation is a Living Miracle, an open Book challenging all mankind to see and prove for themselves its perfection.
So, give yourself a chance to read the Qur’an for you have nothing to lose, yet everything to gain!
How do we know what a revelation such as the Qur’an, is the true word of God?
The authenticity of a divine disclosure is best determined by judging it against the criteria set opposite the truthfulness of a divine divulgence such as the following:
1. Rational Teachings
Since god bestowed reason and intellect on mankind, it is our duty to use it to the maximum to discern truth from falsehood. And so far, the true and undistorted revelation from God must be logical and one that could appeal to and be rationalized by all fair-minded people.
2. Perfection
Considering that God is All-perfect, it follow that His revelation must also be perfect and accurate, free from mistakes, omissions, interpolations and multiplicity of versions. In other words, it must be faultless in the sense that it is devoid of errors in the form of inconsistencies as well as contradictions.
3. No Myths or Superstitions
True revelation from God is free from myths or superstitions that degrade the dignity of God or man.
4. Scientific
As God is the source of all knowledge, true revelation must be scientific and can withstand the challenge of science at all times.
5. Prophecy
God is the Knower of the past, present and future. Thus His Prophecies in His revelation will be fulfilled as prophesied.
6. Inimitable by Man
True revelation from God is infallible and cannot be imitated by man. God’s true revelation is a Living Miracle, an open Book challenging all mankind to see and prove for themselves its perfection.
So, give yourself a chance to read the Qur’an for you have nothing to lose, yet everything to gain!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Living Islam - Not just performing it.
From: http://www.islamicity.com/
By: Dr. Murad Hoffman
Muslims have always been accustomed to living with people of diverse faiths. Islam is in fact the world's first ecumenical religion, not only accepting but guaranteeing a structural pluralism. Allah instead of promising Muslims to become the dominant religious community on earth wants them to compete with each other in piety and good work (Quran 5:48).Islam was meant from the outset to be a universal religion, and today thanks to massive migration in the West and new communication mediums, Islam is a truly global phenomenon. It is the second largest denomination even in places like Sweden. Yet increased contact has not reduced prejudice against Islam and Muslims. This is partially the Muslim' fault. Many 'cultural' assimilated Muslims are an embarrassment for the entire Ummah. Also, many traditionally Islamic scholars are in capable of reaching Western hearts and minds.There is no better way for Muslims to promote the message of Islam than living Islam and not just performing it. Their neighbors will not know they are Muslim by the number of times they pray or fast but by their honesty, truthfulness, compassion, reliability, cleanliness, sense of justice and civic responsibility. Such an approach is not to lead to a specific "American Islam" but the avoidance of a subculture that would seem alien and remote to the local population. Muslims can avoid such a trend if they become an expert in distinguishing between what is truly Islamic in terms of religion, and what is merely a cultural import from their homes countries.For Muslims to live in non-Muslim countries is not a new situation. The first such experience was made by those early Muslims who temporarily migrated to Christina Ethiopia. All Muslim legal schools (madahib) developed doctrines for that eventuality. In particular Imam Jaafar as-Saadiq, Imam Shafei' and the Hanafi school considered Muslim minorities a legitimate and even advantageous to Islam. Admitting pockets of dar al-Islam (abode of Islam) could exist wherever Muslim enjoyed justice and religious toleration.The Message of Islam cannot be transmitted in the West as along as Muslims play hide and seek with the issues of "democracy" and "human rights", including the rights of women. The fact that some of these concepts may not be specifically mentioned in the Quran and that they have been abused by Western imperialist colonizers, it does not mean that they are incompatible with Islam. What counts are the relevant Quranic principles (maqasid), including al-shura and the institutions of amir or khilafa (vicergerency of all human beings) and the early Islamic political history with its record of elections and free speech. One of these foundations is that it is possible to construct the model of an Islamic State - like - Malaysia - is democratic, essentially republican, pluralistic, with division of power, the rule of law, the protection of minorities and a parliament.There is no doubt that all sovereignty rests with Allah . It is, however, equally true that it takes people to translate that sovereignty into policy. Undoubtedly, Islamic Law is not made but discovered from the Quran and Sunnah and further developed into fiqh. If Muslim lawyers had been more imaginative they would have been quick to point that the core of the Western universal human rights charter are anchored in the Quran - and therefore more secure than rights invented at a conference table. Men and women are biologically not identical (Quran 3:36). In theory only, the West refuses to draw legal conclusions from this reality. The less fictitious Muslim standpoint says that it is not discrimination if Islamic law deals differently with the genders, as far as this is biologically warranted, for instance in the different codes of Islamic dress. The Quran does, however, not confer on men a superior status nor is it justification for reducing Muslimat in practice to second class citizenship.Muslims should highlight Islam as the most rational, without sacraments, a clergy, a Pope, a church, or a hierarchy and thus the religion for emancipated and pluralistic minded, post-modern people.Finally, we need to inform the world that the Muslims form a warm-hearted, mutually supportive, worldwide community of committed people-the very thing Western people are craving for. The business community might be particularly impressed if the prohibition of riba is presented to them in its correct form: profit-and-loss sharing being a safeguard for the maintenance of the entrepreneurial spirit on which the capitalist economic system depends.
Dr. Murad Hoffman is a retired German diplomat who has been an Ambassador to Algeria and Morocco.
Blogger Comment:
Very well stated "living Islam-Not just performing it". When this happens we will find God's kingdom in earth. In the Arab countries under the Arab tyrants the corrupt immoral regimes want people to perform Islam and do not to live it. One of those days we will be living Islam after we spread it vertically and horizontally. I like also Mr. Hoffman keeping of his non-Arab name. I 'd love to see Muslims by names of Linda, Lauri, John and Richard. There a lot of non-Arab Muslims who have non-Arab names. It is important as we spread our universal religion to encourage people to keep their original names. This is my opinion. When Arabs converted to Islam in the days of Muhammad (PBUH) they did not change their names, except in rare occasions.
By: Dr. Murad Hoffman
Muslims have always been accustomed to living with people of diverse faiths. Islam is in fact the world's first ecumenical religion, not only accepting but guaranteeing a structural pluralism. Allah instead of promising Muslims to become the dominant religious community on earth wants them to compete with each other in piety and good work (Quran 5:48).Islam was meant from the outset to be a universal religion, and today thanks to massive migration in the West and new communication mediums, Islam is a truly global phenomenon. It is the second largest denomination even in places like Sweden. Yet increased contact has not reduced prejudice against Islam and Muslims. This is partially the Muslim' fault. Many 'cultural' assimilated Muslims are an embarrassment for the entire Ummah. Also, many traditionally Islamic scholars are in capable of reaching Western hearts and minds.There is no better way for Muslims to promote the message of Islam than living Islam and not just performing it. Their neighbors will not know they are Muslim by the number of times they pray or fast but by their honesty, truthfulness, compassion, reliability, cleanliness, sense of justice and civic responsibility. Such an approach is not to lead to a specific "American Islam" but the avoidance of a subculture that would seem alien and remote to the local population. Muslims can avoid such a trend if they become an expert in distinguishing between what is truly Islamic in terms of religion, and what is merely a cultural import from their homes countries.For Muslims to live in non-Muslim countries is not a new situation. The first such experience was made by those early Muslims who temporarily migrated to Christina Ethiopia. All Muslim legal schools (madahib) developed doctrines for that eventuality. In particular Imam Jaafar as-Saadiq, Imam Shafei' and the Hanafi school considered Muslim minorities a legitimate and even advantageous to Islam. Admitting pockets of dar al-Islam (abode of Islam) could exist wherever Muslim enjoyed justice and religious toleration.The Message of Islam cannot be transmitted in the West as along as Muslims play hide and seek with the issues of "democracy" and "human rights", including the rights of women. The fact that some of these concepts may not be specifically mentioned in the Quran and that they have been abused by Western imperialist colonizers, it does not mean that they are incompatible with Islam. What counts are the relevant Quranic principles (maqasid), including al-shura and the institutions of amir or khilafa (vicergerency of all human beings) and the early Islamic political history with its record of elections and free speech. One of these foundations is that it is possible to construct the model of an Islamic State - like - Malaysia - is democratic, essentially republican, pluralistic, with division of power, the rule of law, the protection of minorities and a parliament.There is no doubt that all sovereignty rests with Allah . It is, however, equally true that it takes people to translate that sovereignty into policy. Undoubtedly, Islamic Law is not made but discovered from the Quran and Sunnah and further developed into fiqh. If Muslim lawyers had been more imaginative they would have been quick to point that the core of the Western universal human rights charter are anchored in the Quran - and therefore more secure than rights invented at a conference table. Men and women are biologically not identical (Quran 3:36). In theory only, the West refuses to draw legal conclusions from this reality. The less fictitious Muslim standpoint says that it is not discrimination if Islamic law deals differently with the genders, as far as this is biologically warranted, for instance in the different codes of Islamic dress. The Quran does, however, not confer on men a superior status nor is it justification for reducing Muslimat in practice to second class citizenship.Muslims should highlight Islam as the most rational, without sacraments, a clergy, a Pope, a church, or a hierarchy and thus the religion for emancipated and pluralistic minded, post-modern people.Finally, we need to inform the world that the Muslims form a warm-hearted, mutually supportive, worldwide community of committed people-the very thing Western people are craving for. The business community might be particularly impressed if the prohibition of riba is presented to them in its correct form: profit-and-loss sharing being a safeguard for the maintenance of the entrepreneurial spirit on which the capitalist economic system depends.
Dr. Murad Hoffman is a retired German diplomat who has been an Ambassador to Algeria and Morocco.
Blogger Comment:
Very well stated "living Islam-Not just performing it". When this happens we will find God's kingdom in earth. In the Arab countries under the Arab tyrants the corrupt immoral regimes want people to perform Islam and do not to live it. One of those days we will be living Islam after we spread it vertically and horizontally. I like also Mr. Hoffman keeping of his non-Arab name. I 'd love to see Muslims by names of Linda, Lauri, John and Richard. There a lot of non-Arab Muslims who have non-Arab names. It is important as we spread our universal religion to encourage people to keep their original names. This is my opinion. When Arabs converted to Islam in the days of Muhammad (PBUH) they did not change their names, except in rare occasions.
God Does Exist.
Conversations on God
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: “I don’t believe that God exists.”“Why do you say that?” asked the customer.“Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine loving a God who would allow all of these things.”The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument.The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and un-kept.The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: “You know what? Barbers do not exist.”“How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber. “I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!”“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.”“Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me.”“Exactly!” - affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist!What happens, is, people don’t go to Him and do not look for Him. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”
Form: www.islamicvoice.com
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: “I don’t believe that God exists.”“Why do you say that?” asked the customer.“Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine loving a God who would allow all of these things.”The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument.The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and un-kept.The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: “You know what? Barbers do not exist.”“How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber. “I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!”“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.”“Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens is, people do not come to me.”“Exactly!” - affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist!What happens, is, people don’t go to Him and do not look for Him. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”
Form: www.islamicvoice.com
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Alaq Sura: 19 verses.
96:1 READ in the name of thy Sustainer, who has-
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ (96:1)
96:2 created man out of a germ-cell
خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ (96:2)
96:3 Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One
اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ (96:3)
96:4 who has taught [man] the use of the pen –
الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ (96:4)
96:5 taught man what he did not know!
عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (96:5)
96:6 Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening
كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَيَطْغَى (96:6)
96:7 whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient:
أَن رَّآهُ اسْتَغْنَى (96:7)
96:8 for, behold, unto thy Sustainer all must return.
إِنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَى (96:8)
96:9 HAST THOU ever considered him who tries to prevent
أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَى (96:9)
96:10 a servant [of God] from praying?
عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّى (96:10)
96:11 Hast thou considered whether he is on the right way,
أَرَأَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَى (96:11)
96:12 or is concerned with God-consciousness?
أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَى (96:12)
96:13 Hast thou considered whether he may [not] be giving the lie to the truth and turning his back [upon it]?
أَرَأَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى (96:13)
96:14 Does he, then, not know that God sees [all]?
أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَى (96:14)
96:15 Nay, if he desist not, We shall most surely drag him down upon his forehead
كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ (96:15)
96:16 the lying, rebellious forehead! –
نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ (96:16)
96:17 and then let him summon [to his aid] the counsels of his own [spurious] wisdom,
فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَه (96:17)
96:18 [the while] We shall summon the forces of heavenly chastisement!
سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ (96:18)
96:19 Nay, pay thou no heed to him, but prostrate thyself [before God] and draw close [unto Him]!
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ (96:19)
Blogger Comment:
These verses of the revelation are simple but tell you the story of the revelation. God through messenger Gabriel asked Muhammad to read to the people the Quran. He to read out to them what Gabriel would inspire him with. He to read in the name of God who created man from a little weak thing. It is that generous God who taught man with the pen. He taught him what he did not know. It is the knowledge that in our hands written by the pens God allowed us to learn it. As man knowledge increase and he thinks he control the world he thinks he does not need God and he become a tyrant. He will return eventually to God. God give an example to this tyranny of that who prevent someone form praying which was happening to Muslims when they try to pray at Kaaba God's house. As he was threatening and harming Muslims God was warning him. God asked Muhammad and Muslims not to obey him and pray and come even more closer to God as they prostrate to God.
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ (96:1)
96:2 created man out of a germ-cell
خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ (96:2)
96:3 Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One
اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ (96:3)
96:4 who has taught [man] the use of the pen –
الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ (96:4)
96:5 taught man what he did not know!
عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (96:5)
96:6 Nay, verily, man becomes grossly overweening
كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَيَطْغَى (96:6)
96:7 whenever he believes himself to be self-sufficient:
أَن رَّآهُ اسْتَغْنَى (96:7)
96:8 for, behold, unto thy Sustainer all must return.
إِنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَى (96:8)
96:9 HAST THOU ever considered him who tries to prevent
أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يَنْهَى (96:9)
96:10 a servant [of God] from praying?
عَبْدًا إِذَا صَلَّى (96:10)
96:11 Hast thou considered whether he is on the right way,
أَرَأَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَى (96:11)
96:12 or is concerned with God-consciousness?
أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَى (96:12)
96:13 Hast thou considered whether he may [not] be giving the lie to the truth and turning his back [upon it]?
أَرَأَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى (96:13)
96:14 Does he, then, not know that God sees [all]?
أَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَى (96:14)
96:15 Nay, if he desist not, We shall most surely drag him down upon his forehead
كَلَّا لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعًا بِالنَّاصِيَةِ (96:15)
96:16 the lying, rebellious forehead! –
نَاصِيَةٍ كَاذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ (96:16)
96:17 and then let him summon [to his aid] the counsels of his own [spurious] wisdom,
فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَه (96:17)
96:18 [the while] We shall summon the forces of heavenly chastisement!
سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ (96:18)
96:19 Nay, pay thou no heed to him, but prostrate thyself [before God] and draw close [unto Him]!
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ (96:19)
Blogger Comment:
These verses of the revelation are simple but tell you the story of the revelation. God through messenger Gabriel asked Muhammad to read to the people the Quran. He to read out to them what Gabriel would inspire him with. He to read in the name of God who created man from a little weak thing. It is that generous God who taught man with the pen. He taught him what he did not know. It is the knowledge that in our hands written by the pens God allowed us to learn it. As man knowledge increase and he thinks he control the world he thinks he does not need God and he become a tyrant. He will return eventually to God. God give an example to this tyranny of that who prevent someone form praying which was happening to Muslims when they try to pray at Kaaba God's house. As he was threatening and harming Muslims God was warning him. God asked Muhammad and Muslims not to obey him and pray and come even more closer to God as they prostrate to God.
A Quranic perspective on Polygamy
By: M Hathout, U Jamil and N AliI
Polygamy, or co-marriage to multiple wives, is discussed in the Quran as a response to a specific social situation. In the context of war-torn society in seventh-century Arabia, one which left many women widowed and children orphaned, the discussion of polygamy was revealed as part of a directive to treat female orphans justly. It was not advocated as a carte blanche to all Muslim men to allow them to fulfill their sexual desires, as is commonly misinterpreted. Polygamy should be viewed as a component of justice in the treatment of widows, but is mainly conditioned upon the need to offer fair care to orphans, according to the literal reading of the verse. It served a functional purpose for that time period, in allowing widows and orphans to be taken care of in a society in which women usually did not have independent means of financial support. But the text is clear that polygamy is only permissible if all wives are treated justly. The Quran then goes on to say that it will never be possible for a husband to treat all of his wives fairly. This effectively limits the possibility of polygamy today. A detailed rendering of the relevant verses in Surah an Nisaa follows."And if you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably towards orphans, then marry from among [other] women such as are lawful to you - [even] two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal fairness, then [only] one - or [from among] those whom you rightfully posses. This will make it more likely that you will not deviate from the right course." (Surah an Nisaa - Women, 4:3). The first imperative in this verse is to deal justly with orphans, and is directed towards their male guardians who would be managing their property or wealth on their behalf. Marriage to female orphans is only advocated if and when the guardian fears that he will not be able to carry out his duty honestly. The assumption is that marriage to the orphan will give the husband a greater stake in carrying out his financial responsibility towards her. It does not by any means represent a requirement for all male guardians to marry their female wards. Second, the verse emphasizes justice towards the wife/wives as well. In other words, polygamy is only possible if the husband will be able to treat his wives justly. Otherwise, he is to marry only one wife, or even a female slave. 1 The key theme is to prevent him from doing injustice towards the woman (or women) concerned. 2 "And it will not be within your power to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire it; and so, do not allow yourselves to incline towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her in a state, as it were, of having and not having a husband. But if you put things to rights and are conscious of Him-behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace" (Surah an Nisaa- Women, 4:129).Polygamy is treated variably in the legal codes of different Muslim countries. While Tunisian and Moroccan personal status law prohibit polygamy altogether, 3 Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and Malaysia have made polygamy subject to court permission, and only granted when certain conditions are fulfilled. These "include the infertility of the existing wife, attainment of a "lawful benefit", the just character of the husband and his financial ability to maintain a second wife. Some countries have also stipulated the consent of the existing wife to the proposed marriage, which must be given before the court." 4 However, these conditions do not have any express Quranic sanction, and are determined through social custom and practice.In conclusion, we subscribe to monogamy as the preferred norm for marriages today. Polygamy is not necessary or relevant today for two main reasons. One, the specific historical context that legitimized polygamy does not exist today. Women have more choices allowing them to be financially independent, even in cases where they are widowed or orphaned. The second, and more compelling reason, is the imperative to do justice, which prohibits having multiple wives, since, as human beings, men cannot ever be perfectly fair and just among them.
Notes:
1. This is specifically relevant to the social structure of Arabian society at the time, since female slaves or concubines were common. It should not be interpreted today as a sanction for slavery.2. Barlas, pp. 190-1913. Tunisian Law of 1957 and the Moroccan Law of 1958, respectively.4. Kamali, Fredoom, Equality and Justice in Islam, p.77.
Excerpted from the book "In Pursuit of Justice".
Blogger Comment:
How about polygamy of prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?
If you believe in Islam you will find it a miracle, if you choose not to believe you will find it odd, wrong or sinful. The prophet was well known for his best manners. Unlike a lot of men like us he would not eye a pretty woman. His religion is built on holiness. He never married until he married at the age of 25 years old if you know what I mean. He married to a woman 15 years older than him and stayed his only wife until she died and he did not marry again until he was about 51 years old. In the top of his message from age of 51 to 63 years old God has ordinated him to marry about 10 women. I found it one of the best proofs of being real messenger. No liar or social reformer would take a chance at this age to marry even two or three women. The stress of these marriages besides what he was going through and his enemies in every corner would not make any man to do that unless he is ordered by God. His message is about manners and honesty a fight with only one woman can turn badly for him she can say a caught him on a lie or he has temper. All his wives paid good respect to him and all were sincere believer which like having 10 certificates from the closet people to you that you are a very honest man. The only time they all turned against him was about spending on them and was only one occasion. He was poor and they know they married him for being the chosen prophet of God it was his love and honour they married him for. God told him to divorce whom she wants to leave him kindly if they want to. Their own families thought it would be against God and Islam to do that. He dealt with them in the best manners and they stayed as his wives after his death and no one of them married again. Any man will find it miraculous for someone to marry like him. Why God wanted Muhammad to do that? Many reasons have been forward. God did not tell us why he did that in the Quran except Muhammad is different from us. He choose to pray and fast more than other people. He was likely had these marriages to appease many people and take care of widowed women and their orphans after wars. His great manners, holiness and moral message speak of his good intentions. No doubt anyone would enjoy marriage he did not deny that himself but he could have just married one beautiful woman after his first wife death. Why he take all of this package if he was not a true prophet: jealousy between wives, potential stresses of marriages, creating enemies at home, distracting himself form his main message of Islam...... He did that at the busiest and most vigorous time of his message. God wanted that and we have to accept it. The thing that would strengthen your faith is most Muslim women would not accept their husbands to marry another woman and the accepted that for the messenger.
Polygamy, or co-marriage to multiple wives, is discussed in the Quran as a response to a specific social situation. In the context of war-torn society in seventh-century Arabia, one which left many women widowed and children orphaned, the discussion of polygamy was revealed as part of a directive to treat female orphans justly. It was not advocated as a carte blanche to all Muslim men to allow them to fulfill their sexual desires, as is commonly misinterpreted. Polygamy should be viewed as a component of justice in the treatment of widows, but is mainly conditioned upon the need to offer fair care to orphans, according to the literal reading of the verse. It served a functional purpose for that time period, in allowing widows and orphans to be taken care of in a society in which women usually did not have independent means of financial support. But the text is clear that polygamy is only permissible if all wives are treated justly. The Quran then goes on to say that it will never be possible for a husband to treat all of his wives fairly. This effectively limits the possibility of polygamy today. A detailed rendering of the relevant verses in Surah an Nisaa follows."And if you have reason to fear that you might not act equitably towards orphans, then marry from among [other] women such as are lawful to you - [even] two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal fairness, then [only] one - or [from among] those whom you rightfully posses. This will make it more likely that you will not deviate from the right course." (Surah an Nisaa - Women, 4:3). The first imperative in this verse is to deal justly with orphans, and is directed towards their male guardians who would be managing their property or wealth on their behalf. Marriage to female orphans is only advocated if and when the guardian fears that he will not be able to carry out his duty honestly. The assumption is that marriage to the orphan will give the husband a greater stake in carrying out his financial responsibility towards her. It does not by any means represent a requirement for all male guardians to marry their female wards. Second, the verse emphasizes justice towards the wife/wives as well. In other words, polygamy is only possible if the husband will be able to treat his wives justly. Otherwise, he is to marry only one wife, or even a female slave. 1 The key theme is to prevent him from doing injustice towards the woman (or women) concerned. 2 "And it will not be within your power to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire it; and so, do not allow yourselves to incline towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her in a state, as it were, of having and not having a husband. But if you put things to rights and are conscious of Him-behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace" (Surah an Nisaa- Women, 4:129).Polygamy is treated variably in the legal codes of different Muslim countries. While Tunisian and Moroccan personal status law prohibit polygamy altogether, 3 Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and Malaysia have made polygamy subject to court permission, and only granted when certain conditions are fulfilled. These "include the infertility of the existing wife, attainment of a "lawful benefit", the just character of the husband and his financial ability to maintain a second wife. Some countries have also stipulated the consent of the existing wife to the proposed marriage, which must be given before the court." 4 However, these conditions do not have any express Quranic sanction, and are determined through social custom and practice.In conclusion, we subscribe to monogamy as the preferred norm for marriages today. Polygamy is not necessary or relevant today for two main reasons. One, the specific historical context that legitimized polygamy does not exist today. Women have more choices allowing them to be financially independent, even in cases where they are widowed or orphaned. The second, and more compelling reason, is the imperative to do justice, which prohibits having multiple wives, since, as human beings, men cannot ever be perfectly fair and just among them.
Notes:
1. This is specifically relevant to the social structure of Arabian society at the time, since female slaves or concubines were common. It should not be interpreted today as a sanction for slavery.2. Barlas, pp. 190-1913. Tunisian Law of 1957 and the Moroccan Law of 1958, respectively.4. Kamali, Fredoom, Equality and Justice in Islam, p.77.
Excerpted from the book "In Pursuit of Justice".
Blogger Comment:
How about polygamy of prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?
If you believe in Islam you will find it a miracle, if you choose not to believe you will find it odd, wrong or sinful. The prophet was well known for his best manners. Unlike a lot of men like us he would not eye a pretty woman. His religion is built on holiness. He never married until he married at the age of 25 years old if you know what I mean. He married to a woman 15 years older than him and stayed his only wife until she died and he did not marry again until he was about 51 years old. In the top of his message from age of 51 to 63 years old God has ordinated him to marry about 10 women. I found it one of the best proofs of being real messenger. No liar or social reformer would take a chance at this age to marry even two or three women. The stress of these marriages besides what he was going through and his enemies in every corner would not make any man to do that unless he is ordered by God. His message is about manners and honesty a fight with only one woman can turn badly for him she can say a caught him on a lie or he has temper. All his wives paid good respect to him and all were sincere believer which like having 10 certificates from the closet people to you that you are a very honest man. The only time they all turned against him was about spending on them and was only one occasion. He was poor and they know they married him for being the chosen prophet of God it was his love and honour they married him for. God told him to divorce whom she wants to leave him kindly if they want to. Their own families thought it would be against God and Islam to do that. He dealt with them in the best manners and they stayed as his wives after his death and no one of them married again. Any man will find it miraculous for someone to marry like him. Why God wanted Muhammad to do that? Many reasons have been forward. God did not tell us why he did that in the Quran except Muhammad is different from us. He choose to pray and fast more than other people. He was likely had these marriages to appease many people and take care of widowed women and their orphans after wars. His great manners, holiness and moral message speak of his good intentions. No doubt anyone would enjoy marriage he did not deny that himself but he could have just married one beautiful woman after his first wife death. Why he take all of this package if he was not a true prophet: jealousy between wives, potential stresses of marriages, creating enemies at home, distracting himself form his main message of Islam...... He did that at the busiest and most vigorous time of his message. God wanted that and we have to accept it. The thing that would strengthen your faith is most Muslim women would not accept their husbands to marry another woman and the accepted that for the messenger.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Aldduha (The Bright Morning) Chapter in Quran
93:1 CONSIDER the bright morning hours,
وَالضُّحَى (93:1)
93:2 and the night when it grows still and dark.
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى (93:2)
93:3 Thy Sustainer has not forsaken thee, nor does He scorn thee:
مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى (93:3)
93:4 for, indeed, the life to come will be better for thee than this earlier part [of thy life]!
وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَّكَ مِنَ الْأُولَى (93:4)
93:5 And, indeed, in time will thy Sustainer grant thee [what thy heart desires], and thou shalt be well-pleased.
وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَى (93:5)
93:6 Has He not found thee an orphan, and given thee shelter?
أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَى (93:6)
93:7 And found thee lost on thy way, and guided thee?
وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَى (93:7)
93:8 And found thee in want, and given thee sufficiency?
وَوَجَدَكَ عَائِلًا فَأَغْنَى (93:8)
93:9 Therefore, the orphan shalt thou never wrong,
فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ (93:9)
93:10 and him that seeks [thy] help shalt thou never chide,
وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ (93:10)
93:11 and of thy Sustainer's blessings shalt thou [ever] speak.
وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ (93:11)
Blogger Comment:
This is one of small Sura or chapter of the Quran. The occasion of the Sura is: when the Quran inspiration did not come to Muhammad from God for a period of time the Disbelievers found it chance to mock him telling him his Satan or Gin spirit has left him. God talked to Muhammad back with these beautiful verses. He as usual swear by his creation which this time the bright morning and the night as it gets dark. He swears that he did not leave him or turn him down. As clear as the day and night he created and sustained his existence is so clear and sustained. He promised him that he will have better afterlife given the sufferings he has in this life. He reminded him when he was orphan, poor and lost and took care of him through putting in his way the good people as his uncle, wife Khadiga as well this inspiration. He ordered him as well us to take care of the orphan, poor and be grateful for his gifts.
As you see simple words with great meanings and with firm structure and if you speak Arabic you would enjoy the nice rhyme of the words as a bonus as well other linguistic beauties. Let me abbreviated to you: God is here as the day and night are here, he did not forsake Muhammad and he promised to provide for him as he did in the past and as he would do in the future. Muhammad as well as us ought to provide for the poor and orphans. The beauty of the Quran is that it does not tell you because of verse 1, verse 2 is so and because of verse 2 is so verse 3 is so. Quran let you go and enjoy discovering the meaning. Even large chapters you can find that they are formed of like small chapters connected well together. There is the unit connection of each block of verses then the smooth transition to the next block of verses and so on.
وَالضُّحَى (93:1)
93:2 and the night when it grows still and dark.
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى (93:2)
93:3 Thy Sustainer has not forsaken thee, nor does He scorn thee:
مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى (93:3)
93:4 for, indeed, the life to come will be better for thee than this earlier part [of thy life]!
وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَّكَ مِنَ الْأُولَى (93:4)
93:5 And, indeed, in time will thy Sustainer grant thee [what thy heart desires], and thou shalt be well-pleased.
وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَى (93:5)
93:6 Has He not found thee an orphan, and given thee shelter?
أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَى (93:6)
93:7 And found thee lost on thy way, and guided thee?
وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَى (93:7)
93:8 And found thee in want, and given thee sufficiency?
وَوَجَدَكَ عَائِلًا فَأَغْنَى (93:8)
93:9 Therefore, the orphan shalt thou never wrong,
فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ (93:9)
93:10 and him that seeks [thy] help shalt thou never chide,
وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ (93:10)
93:11 and of thy Sustainer's blessings shalt thou [ever] speak.
وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ (93:11)
Blogger Comment:
This is one of small Sura or chapter of the Quran. The occasion of the Sura is: when the Quran inspiration did not come to Muhammad from God for a period of time the Disbelievers found it chance to mock him telling him his Satan or Gin spirit has left him. God talked to Muhammad back with these beautiful verses. He as usual swear by his creation which this time the bright morning and the night as it gets dark. He swears that he did not leave him or turn him down. As clear as the day and night he created and sustained his existence is so clear and sustained. He promised him that he will have better afterlife given the sufferings he has in this life. He reminded him when he was orphan, poor and lost and took care of him through putting in his way the good people as his uncle, wife Khadiga as well this inspiration. He ordered him as well us to take care of the orphan, poor and be grateful for his gifts.
As you see simple words with great meanings and with firm structure and if you speak Arabic you would enjoy the nice rhyme of the words as a bonus as well other linguistic beauties. Let me abbreviated to you: God is here as the day and night are here, he did not forsake Muhammad and he promised to provide for him as he did in the past and as he would do in the future. Muhammad as well as us ought to provide for the poor and orphans. The beauty of the Quran is that it does not tell you because of verse 1, verse 2 is so and because of verse 2 is so verse 3 is so. Quran let you go and enjoy discovering the meaning. Even large chapters you can find that they are formed of like small chapters connected well together. There is the unit connection of each block of verses then the smooth transition to the next block of verses and so on.
Dobbs: Middle class needs to fight back now
By Lou Dobbs CNN
Editor's note: Lou Dobbs' commentary appears every Wednesday on CNN.com
NEW YORK (CNN) -- I don't know about you, but I can't take seriously anyone who takes either the Republican Party or Democratic Party seriously -- in part because neither party takes you and me seriously; in part because both are bought and paid for by corporate America and special interests. And neither party gives a damn about the middle class.
Our country's middle class is not just collateral damage in what has become all-out class warfare. Political, business and academic elites are waging an outright war on working men and women and their families, and there is no chance the American middle class will survive this assault if the dominant forces unleashed over the past five years continue unchecked.
They've accomplished this through large campaign contributions, armies of lobbyists that have swamped Washington, and control of political and economic think tanks and media. Lobbyists, in fact, are the arms dealers in the war on the middle class, brokering money, influence and information between their clients our elected officials.
Yet in my entire career, I've literally never heard anyone in Congress argue that lobbyists are bad for America. In 1968 there were only 63 lobbyists in Washington. Today, there are more than 34,000, and lobbyists now outnumber our elected representatives and their staffs by a 2-to-1 margin.
According to the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity, from 1998 through 2004, lobbyists spent nearly $12 billion to not only influence legislation, but in many cases to write the language of the laws and regulations.
Individual firms, corporations and national organizations spent a record $2.14 billion on lobbying members of Congress and 220 other federal agencies in 2004, according to PoliticalMoneyLine. That's nearly $6 million a day spent to influence our leaders. We really do have the best government money can buy.
But as I discuss in my new book, "War on the Middle Class," what if we all resolved that we would not permit either the Republicans or Democrats to waste their time and ours with wedge issues? Both parties love to excite their bases by focusing on wedge issues like gay marriage, the pledge of allegiance, school prayer, judicial appointments, gun control, stem cell research and welfare reform.
Each of these wedge issues is important in varying degrees to large numbers of us, but none of them rises to the level of urgency or the requirement of immediate change in public policy.
These issues are raised by both political parties to distract and divert public attention from the profound issues -- like educating our youth, economic inequality and the war against radical Islamic terrorists -- that affect our daily lives and the American way of life. Imagine the consternation in Washington if both parties had to contend with a national electorate whose political affiliation had dramatically changed within a matter of weeks or months.
In both Republican and Democratic administrations, Congress has passed and sustained billions of dollars in royalty payments and subsidies to big oil companies; pushed through a corporate-written, consumer-crippling bankruptcy law; embraced the death of the estate tax; approved every free trade deal brought to a vote; and supported illegal immigration for the sake of cheap labor.
The party strategists and savants are telling us that fewer Americans will turn out to the polls than ever before, disgusted by a disgraced former congressman. But we don't have to wait for the midterm elections to begin to engage in our new political life.
There's something all of us could do that would have an immediate impact and send a powerful message to both corporation-dominated political parties and to our elected officials in Washington. Our so-called representatives in both parties have been working against the interests of the middle class for so long that they take our votes for granted, or they take advantage of the fact that a sizable number of us don't vote at all.
So what if a majority of us decided once and for all to walk into our town and city halls all over the country and change our party affiliation from Republican or Democrat to independent? What if that sizable number of us who don't vote at all decided to register as independents? For the first time in decades, working middle-class Americans might just get the attention of our elected officials in Washington.
Our middle class has suffered in silence for far too long, and it cannot afford to suffer or be silent much longer. Hardworking Americans have not spoken out about their increasingly marginalized role in this society, and as a consequence they've all but lost their voice.
Without that strong, clear and vibrant voice, all the major decisions about America and our future will be made by the elites of government, big business and the dominant special interests. Those elites treasure your silence, as it enables them to claim America's future for their own.
I sincerely hope that we will find the resolve to face these challenges to our way of life, and we do so soon. George Bernard Shaw said, "It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid."
I'm stupid enough to be absolutely sincere in the hope that middle-class America will awake soon and take action.
Revolution, flashmobs, and brain chips. A grim vision of the future
Richard Norton-Taylor.
The Guardian
Information chips implanted in the brain. Electromagnetic pulse weapons. The middle classes becoming revolutionary, taking on the role of Marx's proletariat. The population of countries in the Middle East increasing by 132%, while Europe's drops as fertility falls. "Flashmobs" - groups rapidly mobilised by criminal gangs or terrorists groups.
This is the world in 30 years' time envisaged by a Ministry of Defence team responsible for painting a picture of the "future strategic context" likely to face Britain's armed forces. It includes an "analysis of the key risks and shocks". Rear Admiral Chris Parry, head of the MoD's Development, Concepts & Doctrine Centre which drew up the report, describes the assessments as "probability-based, rather than predictive".
The 90-page report comments on widely discussed issues such as the growing economic importance of India and China, the militarisation of space, and even what it calls "declining news quality" with the rise of "internet-enabled, citizen-journalists" and pressure to release stories "at the expense of facts". It includes other, some frightening, some reassuring, potential developments that are not so often discussed.
New weapons
An electromagnetic pulse will probably become operational by 2035 able to destroy all communications systems in a selected area or be used against a "world city" such as an international business service hub. The development of neutron weapons which destroy living organs but not buildings "might make a weapon of choice for extreme ethnic cleansing in an increasingly populated world". The use of unmanned weapons platforms would enable the "application of lethal force without human intervention, raising consequential legal and ethical issues". The "explicit use" of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons and devices delivered by unmanned vehicles or missiles.
Technology
By 2035, an implantable "information chip" could be wired directly to the brain. A growing pervasiveness of information communications technology will enable states, terrorists or criminals, to mobilise "flashmobs", challenging security forces to match this potential agility coupled with an ability to concentrate forces quickly in a small area.
Marxism
"The middle classes could become a revolutionary class, taking the role envisaged for the proletariat by Marx," says the report. The thesis is based on a growing gap between the middle classes and the super-rich on one hand and an urban under-class threatening social order: "The world's middle classes might unite, using access to knowledge, resources and skills to shape transnational processes in their own class interest". Marxism could also be revived, it says, because of global inequality. An increased trend towards moral relativism and pragmatic values will encourage people to seek the "sanctuary provided by more rigid belief systems, including religious orthodoxy and doctrinaire political ideologies, such as popularism and Marxism".
Pressures leading to social unrest
By 2010 more than 50% of the world's population will be living in urban rather than rural environments, leading to social deprivation and "new instability risks", and the growth of shanty towns. By 2035, that figure will rise to 60%. Migration will increase. Globalisation may lead to levels of international integration that effectively bring inter-state warfare to an end. But it may lead to "inter-communal conflict" - communities with shared interests transcending national boundaries and resorting to the use of violence.
Population and Resources
The global population is likely to grow to 8.5bn in 2035, with less developed countries accounting for 98% of that. Some 87% of people under the age of 25 live in the developing world. Demographic trends, which will exacerbate economic and social tensions, have serious implications for the environment - including the provision of clean water and other resources - and for international relations. The population of sub-Saharan Africa will increase over the period by 81%, and that of Middle Eastern countries by 132%.
The Middle East
The massive population growth will mean the Middle East, and to a lesser extent north Africa, will remain highly unstable, says the report. It singles out Saudi Arabia, the most lucrative market for British arms, with unemployment levels of 20% and a "youth bulge" in a state whose population has risen from 7 million to 27 million since 1980. "The expectations of growing numbers of young people [in the whole region] many of whom will be confronted by the prospect of endemic unemployment ... are unlikely to be met," says the report.
Islamic militancy
Resentment among young people in the face of unrepresentative regimes "will find outlets in political militancy, including radical political Islam whose concept of Umma, the global Islamic community, and resistance to capitalism may lie uneasily in an international system based on nation-states and global market forces", the report warns. The effects of such resentment will be expressed through the migration of youth populations and global communications, encouraging contacts between diaspora communities and their countries of origin.
Tension between the Islamic world and the west will remain, and may increasingly be targeted at China "whose new-found materialism, economic vibrancy, and institutionalised atheism, will be an anathema to orthodox Islam".
Iran
Iran will steadily grow in economic and demographic strength and its energy reserves and geographic location will give it substantial strategic leverage. However, its government could be transformed. "From the middle of the period," says the report, "the country, especially its high proportion of younger people, will want to benefit from increased access to globalisation and diversity, and it may be that Iran progressively, but unevenly, transforms...into a vibrant democracy."
Terrorism
Casualties and the amount of damage inflicted by terrorism will stay low compared to other forms of coercion and conflict. But acts of extreme violence, supported by elements within Islamist states, with media exploitation to maximise the impact of the "theatre of violence" will persist. A "terrorist coalition", the report says, including a wide range of reactionary and revolutionary rejectionists such as ultra-nationalists, religious groupings and even extreme environmentalists, might conduct a global campaign of greater intensity".
Climate change
There is "compelling evidence" to indicate that climate change is occurring and that the atmosphere will continue to warm at an unprecedented rate throughout the 21st century. It could lead to a reduction in north Atlantic salinity by increasing the freshwater runoff from the Arctic. This could affect the natural circulation of the north Atlantic by diminishing the warming effect of ocean currents on western Europe. "The drop in temperature might exceed that of the miniature ice age of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Blogger Comment:
That is why I proposed my Moral Utopia Project (see in my blog). However, the rich and connected in America and the Arab countries do not want Arabs/Muslims to know I am a real person and exist. You remember this movie of an African man who was persecuted and he did not do anything wrong and came out of prison a real revolutionary and taught the persecutors how he can revenge. I felt like him in America with the difference I was a positive revolutionary who wanted to create a new plan that will solve the world problems like the one which take care of the Americans problems Taman Health Plan. The rich and connected want to keep status quo of the world. Many of them are the common trio of politicians, businessmen and religious leaders from many religions (sound familiar, like the time of Jesus persecution). But as the report from their military states : climate disasters, revolutions, the rise up of united middle class in all the world through communications and Internet will bring the world down. It will be over all of our heads, no winners. If the first wall is broken by revolution the fall of all walls will happen. That is why I still offer for free Moral Utopia Project to Politicians in America and Taman Health Plan for free to the American people and any nation want to adopt it. Implement both of them get the credits and I will get my reward in the day of judgement. God did I report, God be my witness.
The Guardian
Information chips implanted in the brain. Electromagnetic pulse weapons. The middle classes becoming revolutionary, taking on the role of Marx's proletariat. The population of countries in the Middle East increasing by 132%, while Europe's drops as fertility falls. "Flashmobs" - groups rapidly mobilised by criminal gangs or terrorists groups.
This is the world in 30 years' time envisaged by a Ministry of Defence team responsible for painting a picture of the "future strategic context" likely to face Britain's armed forces. It includes an "analysis of the key risks and shocks". Rear Admiral Chris Parry, head of the MoD's Development, Concepts & Doctrine Centre which drew up the report, describes the assessments as "probability-based, rather than predictive".
The 90-page report comments on widely discussed issues such as the growing economic importance of India and China, the militarisation of space, and even what it calls "declining news quality" with the rise of "internet-enabled, citizen-journalists" and pressure to release stories "at the expense of facts". It includes other, some frightening, some reassuring, potential developments that are not so often discussed.
New weapons
An electromagnetic pulse will probably become operational by 2035 able to destroy all communications systems in a selected area or be used against a "world city" such as an international business service hub. The development of neutron weapons which destroy living organs but not buildings "might make a weapon of choice for extreme ethnic cleansing in an increasingly populated world". The use of unmanned weapons platforms would enable the "application of lethal force without human intervention, raising consequential legal and ethical issues". The "explicit use" of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons and devices delivered by unmanned vehicles or missiles.
Technology
By 2035, an implantable "information chip" could be wired directly to the brain. A growing pervasiveness of information communications technology will enable states, terrorists or criminals, to mobilise "flashmobs", challenging security forces to match this potential agility coupled with an ability to concentrate forces quickly in a small area.
Marxism
"The middle classes could become a revolutionary class, taking the role envisaged for the proletariat by Marx," says the report. The thesis is based on a growing gap between the middle classes and the super-rich on one hand and an urban under-class threatening social order: "The world's middle classes might unite, using access to knowledge, resources and skills to shape transnational processes in their own class interest". Marxism could also be revived, it says, because of global inequality. An increased trend towards moral relativism and pragmatic values will encourage people to seek the "sanctuary provided by more rigid belief systems, including religious orthodoxy and doctrinaire political ideologies, such as popularism and Marxism".
Pressures leading to social unrest
By 2010 more than 50% of the world's population will be living in urban rather than rural environments, leading to social deprivation and "new instability risks", and the growth of shanty towns. By 2035, that figure will rise to 60%. Migration will increase. Globalisation may lead to levels of international integration that effectively bring inter-state warfare to an end. But it may lead to "inter-communal conflict" - communities with shared interests transcending national boundaries and resorting to the use of violence.
Population and Resources
The global population is likely to grow to 8.5bn in 2035, with less developed countries accounting for 98% of that. Some 87% of people under the age of 25 live in the developing world. Demographic trends, which will exacerbate economic and social tensions, have serious implications for the environment - including the provision of clean water and other resources - and for international relations. The population of sub-Saharan Africa will increase over the period by 81%, and that of Middle Eastern countries by 132%.
The Middle East
The massive population growth will mean the Middle East, and to a lesser extent north Africa, will remain highly unstable, says the report. It singles out Saudi Arabia, the most lucrative market for British arms, with unemployment levels of 20% and a "youth bulge" in a state whose population has risen from 7 million to 27 million since 1980. "The expectations of growing numbers of young people [in the whole region] many of whom will be confronted by the prospect of endemic unemployment ... are unlikely to be met," says the report.
Islamic militancy
Resentment among young people in the face of unrepresentative regimes "will find outlets in political militancy, including radical political Islam whose concept of Umma, the global Islamic community, and resistance to capitalism may lie uneasily in an international system based on nation-states and global market forces", the report warns. The effects of such resentment will be expressed through the migration of youth populations and global communications, encouraging contacts between diaspora communities and their countries of origin.
Tension between the Islamic world and the west will remain, and may increasingly be targeted at China "whose new-found materialism, economic vibrancy, and institutionalised atheism, will be an anathema to orthodox Islam".
Iran
Iran will steadily grow in economic and demographic strength and its energy reserves and geographic location will give it substantial strategic leverage. However, its government could be transformed. "From the middle of the period," says the report, "the country, especially its high proportion of younger people, will want to benefit from increased access to globalisation and diversity, and it may be that Iran progressively, but unevenly, transforms...into a vibrant democracy."
Terrorism
Casualties and the amount of damage inflicted by terrorism will stay low compared to other forms of coercion and conflict. But acts of extreme violence, supported by elements within Islamist states, with media exploitation to maximise the impact of the "theatre of violence" will persist. A "terrorist coalition", the report says, including a wide range of reactionary and revolutionary rejectionists such as ultra-nationalists, religious groupings and even extreme environmentalists, might conduct a global campaign of greater intensity".
Climate change
There is "compelling evidence" to indicate that climate change is occurring and that the atmosphere will continue to warm at an unprecedented rate throughout the 21st century. It could lead to a reduction in north Atlantic salinity by increasing the freshwater runoff from the Arctic. This could affect the natural circulation of the north Atlantic by diminishing the warming effect of ocean currents on western Europe. "The drop in temperature might exceed that of the miniature ice age of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Blogger Comment:
That is why I proposed my Moral Utopia Project (see in my blog). However, the rich and connected in America and the Arab countries do not want Arabs/Muslims to know I am a real person and exist. You remember this movie of an African man who was persecuted and he did not do anything wrong and came out of prison a real revolutionary and taught the persecutors how he can revenge. I felt like him in America with the difference I was a positive revolutionary who wanted to create a new plan that will solve the world problems like the one which take care of the Americans problems Taman Health Plan. The rich and connected want to keep status quo of the world. Many of them are the common trio of politicians, businessmen and religious leaders from many religions (sound familiar, like the time of Jesus persecution). But as the report from their military states : climate disasters, revolutions, the rise up of united middle class in all the world through communications and Internet will bring the world down. It will be over all of our heads, no winners. If the first wall is broken by revolution the fall of all walls will happen. That is why I still offer for free Moral Utopia Project to Politicians in America and Taman Health Plan for free to the American people and any nation want to adopt it. Implement both of them get the credits and I will get my reward in the day of judgement. God did I report, God be my witness.
Pope Mourns Iraq's 'Continual Slaughter'
From: www.newsmax.com
VATICAN CITY - Even on Christianity's most joyous day, Pope Benedict XVI lamented the "continual slaughter" in Iraq and unrest in Afghanistan as he denounced "the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion."
In his message for Easter, Benedict said suffering worldwide puts faith to the test.
"How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world," the pontiff told tens of thousands of pilgrims, tourists and Romans gathered Sunday at St. Peter's Square where he had just finished celebrating Mass.
Benedict, delivering his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Easter address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, denounced terrorism and kidnappings, and "the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion," as well as human rights violations.
"Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability," Benedict said. "In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, unfortunately, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees."
He also had harsh words about the "underestimated humanitarian situation" in Darfur as well as other African places of suffering. These included violence and looting in Congo, fighting in Somalia, and the "grievous crisis" in Zimbabwe, marked by crackdowns on dissidents, a disastrous economy and severe corruption.'
Benedict said political "paralysis" threatened Lebanon's future.
"Suffering, evil, injustice, death, especially when it strikes the innocent such as children who are victims of war and terrorism, of sickness and hunger, does not all of this put our faith to the test?"
In contrast to his sorrowful address were the bright red, pink, yellow and orange splashes of color from flowers which adorned the steps of the basilica and surrounded the outdoor altar where he celebrated Mass under hazy sunshine.
Voices of choir boys floated across the square, as did the smell of incense sprinkled by clerics.
In an unusual touch for the Vatican's Easter Mass, black-robed clerics intoned a long chant from the Byzantine liturgy. This year, Eastern and Western celebrations coincided. The two rites often celebrate Easter on different dates because of different church calendars.
Benedict ended his appearance by offering Easter greetings in dozens of languages, including Arabic and Hebrew, and gave the crowd his apostolic blessing.
VATICAN CITY - Even on Christianity's most joyous day, Pope Benedict XVI lamented the "continual slaughter" in Iraq and unrest in Afghanistan as he denounced "the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion."
In his message for Easter, Benedict said suffering worldwide puts faith to the test.
"How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world," the pontiff told tens of thousands of pilgrims, tourists and Romans gathered Sunday at St. Peter's Square where he had just finished celebrating Mass.
Benedict, delivering his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Easter address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, denounced terrorism and kidnappings, and "the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion," as well as human rights violations.
"Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability," Benedict said. "In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, unfortunately, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees."
He also had harsh words about the "underestimated humanitarian situation" in Darfur as well as other African places of suffering. These included violence and looting in Congo, fighting in Somalia, and the "grievous crisis" in Zimbabwe, marked by crackdowns on dissidents, a disastrous economy and severe corruption.'
Benedict said political "paralysis" threatened Lebanon's future.
"Suffering, evil, injustice, death, especially when it strikes the innocent such as children who are victims of war and terrorism, of sickness and hunger, does not all of this put our faith to the test?"
In contrast to his sorrowful address were the bright red, pink, yellow and orange splashes of color from flowers which adorned the steps of the basilica and surrounded the outdoor altar where he celebrated Mass under hazy sunshine.
Voices of choir boys floated across the square, as did the smell of incense sprinkled by clerics.
In an unusual touch for the Vatican's Easter Mass, black-robed clerics intoned a long chant from the Byzantine liturgy. This year, Eastern and Western celebrations coincided. The two rites often celebrate Easter on different dates because of different church calendars.
Benedict ended his appearance by offering Easter greetings in dozens of languages, including Arabic and Hebrew, and gave the crowd his apostolic blessing.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
A Cycle of Fortune and Misfortune.
From: www.islamicity.com
By: Muhammad Siraaj
Do not be faint of heart, and do not grieve; for you shell gain the upper hand if you are truly believers. If misfortune befalls you, a similar misfortune has befallen other people as well. Such days [of fortune and misfortune], We deal out in turn among men. God wants to mark out those who truly believe and choose from among you such as [with their lives] bear witness to the truth. God does not love the wrongdoers. (Quran 3: 139-40)Believers must not lose heart, nor should they allow grief to overtake them because of what may happen. Eventually if they remain steadfast they will gain the upper hand, because they have faith. Believers submit themselves only to God, while others are worshiping false deities and worldly desires.These verses makes it plain to the believers that they are indeed on the path of truth. It tells them, they follow a way of life established by God while the methods followed by other groups have been devised by His creatures. Moreover, their role is noble, because they have been selected for a position of trust, to convey God's guidance to all mankind. Other people are unaware of this guidance, and have gone astray. Their place on earth is righteous, and it is the righteous that will inherit the earth. Therefore, believers have to demonstrate the strength of their faith by not losing heart and not grieving. The rules determined by God make it possible that they may score a victory or suffer a defeat, but in due course, after enduring the test and striving for God's cause, will be in their favor."If misfortune befalls you, a similar misfortune has befallen other people as well" The misfortune which is said to have befallen the Muslims and the fact that a similar one befell those who reject the truth may be a reference to the Battle of Badr, in which the idolaters suffered a heavy defeat. On the other hand, it may be a reference to the Battle of Uhud, in which the Muslims were initially close to victory, but were then defeated. What the Muslims suffered was fair reward for their disagreement and disobedience. Moreover, it represents an aspect of how the rules of nature established by God never fail. The disagreement among the rearguard of the Muslim army was the result of their greed. In any campaign of struggle, God grants victory to those who strive for His cause, without regard of the petty gains of this world. Another rule of nature which is seen in full operation is the dealing out of fortune and misfortune among people according to their actions and intentions. In this way, true believers are distinguished from hypocrites. Mistakes are identified and the way ahead becomes very clear."If misfortune befalls you, a similar misfortune has befallen other people as well. Such days [of fortune and misfortune] We deal out in turn among men. God wants to mark out those who truly believe." (Verse 140) When hardship is followed by prosperity and the latter is followed by another hardship, people's true characters emerge. They reveal how clear their vision is , how much they panic and how patient in adversity they can be, as well as how great their trust in God is and how submissive to His will they are. Thus true believers are distinguished from those who are hypocrites. Their true intentions are apparent to all. The believers who submit them selves to God are strengthened by the fact that those who do not truly submit to God are identified and excluded.God knows all secrets and He is aware of those who are true believers and those who are not. But the alternation of days of fortune and misfortune does not merely reveal secrets; it also translates faith into action and compels hypocrisy to express itself in practical measures. Hence, it is action that merits reward.God does not hold people to account for what He knows of their position, but He counts their actions for or against them. The cycle of hardship and prosperity is an accurate criterion. Prosperity is as good a test as hardship. Some people may withstand hardship but become complacent when they are tested with ease and prosperity. A true believer is one who remains steadfast in adversity and is not lured away by prosperity. He knows that whatever befalls him of good or evil happens only with God's permission.In the process of molding the Muslim community and preparing it for the role of leadership of humankind, God tests it with hardship after prosperity and with a bitter defeat after a spectacular victory. Both happen according to the laws of nature which never fail. That is because God wants the true believers to learn what brings them victory and what causes defeat. Thus, they become more obedient to God and reliant on Him. Through the cycle of fortune and misfortune they become aware of the true nature of the Islamic way of life and what is required to implement it.
References:
1. In the Shade of The Quran by Sayyid Qutb
2. The Holy Quran - Text, Translation and Commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
By: Muhammad Siraaj
Do not be faint of heart, and do not grieve; for you shell gain the upper hand if you are truly believers. If misfortune befalls you, a similar misfortune has befallen other people as well. Such days [of fortune and misfortune], We deal out in turn among men. God wants to mark out those who truly believe and choose from among you such as [with their lives] bear witness to the truth. God does not love the wrongdoers. (Quran 3: 139-40)Believers must not lose heart, nor should they allow grief to overtake them because of what may happen. Eventually if they remain steadfast they will gain the upper hand, because they have faith. Believers submit themselves only to God, while others are worshiping false deities and worldly desires.These verses makes it plain to the believers that they are indeed on the path of truth. It tells them, they follow a way of life established by God while the methods followed by other groups have been devised by His creatures. Moreover, their role is noble, because they have been selected for a position of trust, to convey God's guidance to all mankind. Other people are unaware of this guidance, and have gone astray. Their place on earth is righteous, and it is the righteous that will inherit the earth. Therefore, believers have to demonstrate the strength of their faith by not losing heart and not grieving. The rules determined by God make it possible that they may score a victory or suffer a defeat, but in due course, after enduring the test and striving for God's cause, will be in their favor."If misfortune befalls you, a similar misfortune has befallen other people as well" The misfortune which is said to have befallen the Muslims and the fact that a similar one befell those who reject the truth may be a reference to the Battle of Badr, in which the idolaters suffered a heavy defeat. On the other hand, it may be a reference to the Battle of Uhud, in which the Muslims were initially close to victory, but were then defeated. What the Muslims suffered was fair reward for their disagreement and disobedience. Moreover, it represents an aspect of how the rules of nature established by God never fail. The disagreement among the rearguard of the Muslim army was the result of their greed. In any campaign of struggle, God grants victory to those who strive for His cause, without regard of the petty gains of this world. Another rule of nature which is seen in full operation is the dealing out of fortune and misfortune among people according to their actions and intentions. In this way, true believers are distinguished from hypocrites. Mistakes are identified and the way ahead becomes very clear."If misfortune befalls you, a similar misfortune has befallen other people as well. Such days [of fortune and misfortune] We deal out in turn among men. God wants to mark out those who truly believe." (Verse 140) When hardship is followed by prosperity and the latter is followed by another hardship, people's true characters emerge. They reveal how clear their vision is , how much they panic and how patient in adversity they can be, as well as how great their trust in God is and how submissive to His will they are. Thus true believers are distinguished from those who are hypocrites. Their true intentions are apparent to all. The believers who submit them selves to God are strengthened by the fact that those who do not truly submit to God are identified and excluded.God knows all secrets and He is aware of those who are true believers and those who are not. But the alternation of days of fortune and misfortune does not merely reveal secrets; it also translates faith into action and compels hypocrisy to express itself in practical measures. Hence, it is action that merits reward.God does not hold people to account for what He knows of their position, but He counts their actions for or against them. The cycle of hardship and prosperity is an accurate criterion. Prosperity is as good a test as hardship. Some people may withstand hardship but become complacent when they are tested with ease and prosperity. A true believer is one who remains steadfast in adversity and is not lured away by prosperity. He knows that whatever befalls him of good or evil happens only with God's permission.In the process of molding the Muslim community and preparing it for the role of leadership of humankind, God tests it with hardship after prosperity and with a bitter defeat after a spectacular victory. Both happen according to the laws of nature which never fail. That is because God wants the true believers to learn what brings them victory and what causes defeat. Thus, they become more obedient to God and reliant on Him. Through the cycle of fortune and misfortune they become aware of the true nature of the Islamic way of life and what is required to implement it.
References:
1. In the Shade of The Quran by Sayyid Qutb
2. The Holy Quran - Text, Translation and Commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Friday, April 06, 2007
Quran: Inspired By God, Inspired By Satan or Made up By Muhammad?
19:16 AND CALL to mind, through this divine writ, Mary. Lo! She withdrew from her family to an eastern place
وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مَرْيَمَ إِذِ انتَبَذَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا مَكَانًا شَرْقِيًّا (19:16)
19:17 and kept herself in seclusion from them, whereupon We sent unto her Our angel of revelation, who appeared to her in the shape of a well-made human being.
فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا (19:17)
19:18 She exclaimed: "Verily, 'I seek refuge from thee with the Most Gracious! [Approach me not] if thou art conscious of Him!"
قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِالرَّحْمَن مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّا (19:18)
19:19 [The angel] answered: "I' am but a messenger of thy Sustainer, [who says,] `I shall bestow upon thee the gift of a son endowed with purity.'"
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَامًا زَكِيًّا (19:19)
19:20 Said she: "How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me? - for, never have I been a loose woman!"
قَالَتْ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا (19:20)
19:21 [The angel] answered: "Thus it is; [but] thy Sustainer says, `This is easy for Me; and [thou shalt have a son,] so that We might make him a symbol unto mankind and an act of grace from US. And it was a thing decreed [by God]:
قَالَ كَذَلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَّقْضِيًّا (19:21)
19:22 and in time she conceived him, and then she withdrew with him to a far-off place.
فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَانتَبَذَتْ بِهِ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا (19:22)
19:23 And [when] the throes of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree, she exclaimed: "Oh, would that I had died ere this, and had become a thing forgotten, utterly forgotten!"
فَأَجَاءهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَى جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَذَا وَكُنتُ نَسْيًا مَّنسِيًّا (19:23)
19:24 Thereupon [a voice] called out to her from beneath that [palm-tree]: "Grieve not! Thy Sustainer has provided a rivulet [running] beneath thee;
فَنَادَاهَا مِن تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا (19:24)
19:25 and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee.
وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا (19:25)
19:26 Eat, then, and drink, and let thine eye be gladdened! And if thou shouldst see any human being, convey this unto him: `Behold, abstinence from speech have I vowed unto the Most Gracious; hence, I may not speak today to any mortal.
فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًا فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنسِيًّا (19:26)
19:27 And in time she returned to her people, carrying the child with her. They said: "O Mary! Thou hast indeed done an amazing thing!
فَأَتَتْ بِهِ قَوْمَهَا تَحْمِلُهُ قَالُوا يَا مَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئًا فَرِيًّا (19:27)
19:28 O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother a loose woman!"
يَا أُخْتَ هَارُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّا (19:28)
19:29 Thereupon she pointed to him. They exclaimed: "How can we talk to one who [as yet] is a little boy in the cradle?"
فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا (19:29)
19:30 [But] he said: "Behold, I am a servant of God. He has vouchsafed unto me revelation and made me a prophet,
قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا (19:30) -
19:31 and made me blessed wherever I may be; and He has enjoined upon me prayer and charity as long as I live,
وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا (19:31)
19:32 and [has endowed me with] piety towards my mother; and He has not made me haughty or bereft of grace.
وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا (19:32)
19:33 "Hence, peace was upon me on the day when I was born, and [will be upon me] on the day of my death, and on the day when I shall be raised to life [again]!"
وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيًّا (19:33)
19:34 SUCH WAS, in the words of truth, Jesus the son of Mary, about whose nature they so deeply disagree.
ذَلِكَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ (19:34)
19:35 It is not conceivable that God should have taken unto Himself a son: limitless is He in His glory! When He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it "Be" -and it is!
مَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدٍ سُبْحَانَهُ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ (19:35)
19:36 And [thus it was that Jesus always said]: "Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship [none but] Him: this (alone] is a straight way."
وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (19:36)
19:37 And yet, the sects [that follow the Bible] are at variance among themselves [about the nature of Jesus Woe, then, unto all who deny the truth when that awesome Day will appear!
فَاخْتَلَفَ الْأَحْزَابُ مِن بَيْنِهِمْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن مَّشْهَدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (19:37)
وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ مَرْيَمَ إِذِ انتَبَذَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا مَكَانًا شَرْقِيًّا (19:16)
19:17 and kept herself in seclusion from them, whereupon We sent unto her Our angel of revelation, who appeared to her in the shape of a well-made human being.
فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا (19:17)
19:18 She exclaimed: "Verily, 'I seek refuge from thee with the Most Gracious! [Approach me not] if thou art conscious of Him!"
قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِالرَّحْمَن مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّا (19:18)
19:19 [The angel] answered: "I' am but a messenger of thy Sustainer, [who says,] `I shall bestow upon thee the gift of a son endowed with purity.'"
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَامًا زَكِيًّا (19:19)
19:20 Said she: "How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me? - for, never have I been a loose woman!"
قَالَتْ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا (19:20)
19:21 [The angel] answered: "Thus it is; [but] thy Sustainer says, `This is easy for Me; and [thou shalt have a son,] so that We might make him a symbol unto mankind and an act of grace from US. And it was a thing decreed [by God]:
قَالَ كَذَلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَّقْضِيًّا (19:21)
19:22 and in time she conceived him, and then she withdrew with him to a far-off place.
فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَانتَبَذَتْ بِهِ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا (19:22)
19:23 And [when] the throes of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree, she exclaimed: "Oh, would that I had died ere this, and had become a thing forgotten, utterly forgotten!"
فَأَجَاءهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَى جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَذَا وَكُنتُ نَسْيًا مَّنسِيًّا (19:23)
19:24 Thereupon [a voice] called out to her from beneath that [palm-tree]: "Grieve not! Thy Sustainer has provided a rivulet [running] beneath thee;
فَنَادَاهَا مِن تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا (19:24)
19:25 and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee.
وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا (19:25)
19:26 Eat, then, and drink, and let thine eye be gladdened! And if thou shouldst see any human being, convey this unto him: `Behold, abstinence from speech have I vowed unto the Most Gracious; hence, I may not speak today to any mortal.
فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًا فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنسِيًّا (19:26)
19:27 And in time she returned to her people, carrying the child with her. They said: "O Mary! Thou hast indeed done an amazing thing!
فَأَتَتْ بِهِ قَوْمَهَا تَحْمِلُهُ قَالُوا يَا مَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئًا فَرِيًّا (19:27)
19:28 O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man, nor was thy mother a loose woman!"
يَا أُخْتَ هَارُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّا (19:28)
19:29 Thereupon she pointed to him. They exclaimed: "How can we talk to one who [as yet] is a little boy in the cradle?"
فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا (19:29)
19:30 [But] he said: "Behold, I am a servant of God. He has vouchsafed unto me revelation and made me a prophet,
قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا (19:30) -
19:31 and made me blessed wherever I may be; and He has enjoined upon me prayer and charity as long as I live,
وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا (19:31)
19:32 and [has endowed me with] piety towards my mother; and He has not made me haughty or bereft of grace.
وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا (19:32)
19:33 "Hence, peace was upon me on the day when I was born, and [will be upon me] on the day of my death, and on the day when I shall be raised to life [again]!"
وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيًّا (19:33)
19:34 SUCH WAS, in the words of truth, Jesus the son of Mary, about whose nature they so deeply disagree.
ذَلِكَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قَوْلَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ (19:34)
19:35 It is not conceivable that God should have taken unto Himself a son: limitless is He in His glory! When He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it "Be" -and it is!
مَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدٍ سُبْحَانَهُ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ (19:35)
19:36 And [thus it was that Jesus always said]: "Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship [none but] Him: this (alone] is a straight way."
وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ (19:36)
19:37 And yet, the sects [that follow the Bible] are at variance among themselves [about the nature of Jesus Woe, then, unto all who deny the truth when that awesome Day will appear!
فَاخْتَلَفَ الْأَحْزَابُ مِن بَيْنِهِمْ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن مَّشْهَدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (19:37)
Quran: Inspired by God, Inspired By Satan or Made Up By Muhammad?
17:15 Whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good; and whoever goes astray. goes but astray to his own hurt; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another" burden. Moreover. We would never chastise [any community for the wrong they may do[ ere We have sent an apostle [to them].
مَّنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدي لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً (17:15)
17:16 But when [this has been done, and] it is Our will to destroy a community, We convey Our last warning to those of its people who have lost themselves entirely in the pursuit of pleasures;
and [if] they [continue to] act sinfully, the sentence [of doom] passed on the community takes effect, and We break it to smithereens.
وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا (17:16)
17:17 And how many a generation have We [thus] destroyed after [the time of] Noah! For, none has the like of thy Sustainer's awareness and insight into His creatures' sins.
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن بَعْدِ نُوحٍ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًَا بَصِيرًا (17:17)
17:18 Unto him who cares for [no more than the enjoyment of] this fleeting life We readily grant thereof as much as We please, [giving] to whomever it is Our will [to give]; but in the end We consign him to [the suffering of] hell; which he will have to endure disgraced and disowned!
مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاء لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلاهَا مَذْمُومًا مَّدْحُورًا (17:18)
17:19 But as for those who care for the [good of the] life to come, and strive for it as it ought to be striven for, and are [true] believers withal they are the ones whose striving finds favour [with God]!
وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الآخِرَةَ وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا (17:19)
17:20 All [of them] -these as well as those -do We freely endow with some of thy Sustainer's gifts, since thy Sustainer's giving is never confined [to one kind of man].
كُلاًّ نُّمِدُّ هَـؤُلاء وَهَـؤُلاء مِنْ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ مَحْظُورًا (17:20)
17:21 Behold how We bestow [on earth) more bounty on some of them than on others: but [remember that] the life to come will be far higher in degree and far greater in merit and bounty.
انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَلَلآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلاً (17:21)
17:22 DO NOT set up any other deity side by side with God, lest thou find thyself disgraced and forsaken:
لاَّ تَجْعَل مَعَ اللّهِ إِلَـهًا آخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًا مَّخْذُولاً (17:22) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi
17:23 for thy Sustainer has ordained that you shall worship none but Him. And do good unto [thy] parents. Should one of them, or both, attain to old age in thy care, never say "Ugh"
to them or scold them, but [always] speak unto them with reverent speech,
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا فَلاَ تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا (17:23)
17:24 and spread over them humbly the wings of thy tenderness, and say: "O my Sustainer! Bestow Thy grace upon them, even as they cherished and reared me when I was a child!"
وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا (17:24)
17:25 Your Sustainer is fully aware of what is in your hearts. If you are righteous, [He will forgive you your errors]: for, behold, He is much-forgiving to those who always turn unto Him.
رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي نُفُوسِكُمْ إِن تَكُونُواْ صَالِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلأَوَّابِينَ غَفُورًا (17:25)
مَّنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدي لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً (17:15)
17:16 But when [this has been done, and] it is Our will to destroy a community, We convey Our last warning to those of its people who have lost themselves entirely in the pursuit of pleasures;
and [if] they [continue to] act sinfully, the sentence [of doom] passed on the community takes effect, and We break it to smithereens.
وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا (17:16)
17:17 And how many a generation have We [thus] destroyed after [the time of] Noah! For, none has the like of thy Sustainer's awareness and insight into His creatures' sins.
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن بَعْدِ نُوحٍ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًَا بَصِيرًا (17:17)
17:18 Unto him who cares for [no more than the enjoyment of] this fleeting life We readily grant thereof as much as We please, [giving] to whomever it is Our will [to give]; but in the end We consign him to [the suffering of] hell; which he will have to endure disgraced and disowned!
مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاء لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلاهَا مَذْمُومًا مَّدْحُورًا (17:18)
17:19 But as for those who care for the [good of the] life to come, and strive for it as it ought to be striven for, and are [true] believers withal they are the ones whose striving finds favour [with God]!
وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الآخِرَةَ وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا (17:19)
17:20 All [of them] -these as well as those -do We freely endow with some of thy Sustainer's gifts, since thy Sustainer's giving is never confined [to one kind of man].
كُلاًّ نُّمِدُّ هَـؤُلاء وَهَـؤُلاء مِنْ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ مَحْظُورًا (17:20)
17:21 Behold how We bestow [on earth) more bounty on some of them than on others: but [remember that] the life to come will be far higher in degree and far greater in merit and bounty.
انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَلَلآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلاً (17:21)
17:22 DO NOT set up any other deity side by side with God, lest thou find thyself disgraced and forsaken:
لاَّ تَجْعَل مَعَ اللّهِ إِلَـهًا آخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًا مَّخْذُولاً (17:22) Baset - Hussari - Minshawi
17:23 for thy Sustainer has ordained that you shall worship none but Him. And do good unto [thy] parents. Should one of them, or both, attain to old age in thy care, never say "Ugh"
to them or scold them, but [always] speak unto them with reverent speech,
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا فَلاَ تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا (17:23)
17:24 and spread over them humbly the wings of thy tenderness, and say: "O my Sustainer! Bestow Thy grace upon them, even as they cherished and reared me when I was a child!"
وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا (17:24)
17:25 Your Sustainer is fully aware of what is in your hearts. If you are righteous, [He will forgive you your errors]: for, behold, He is much-forgiving to those who always turn unto Him.
رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي نُفُوسِكُمْ إِن تَكُونُواْ صَالِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلأَوَّابِينَ غَفُورًا (17:25)
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Islamic Danger?
From: http://www.islamicity.com/
By: Charley Reese
Let's suppose that I interviewed David Duke, the Louisiana politician who rails against what he calls Jewish supremacy, and also interviewed the lunatic preacher who disrupted the funerals of American servicemen with his message of killing all the gays. And let's suppose I presented these men's views as typical of American Christian thought. You'd say, and rightly so, that these men are not representative of mainstream Christianity, much less mainstream America. Well, the same thing applies to Islam. There are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. Broadcasting or reporting the words of a few extremists does not reflect mainstream Muslim thought. Yellow journalism is never all right, but as long as it's confined to celebrities and other non-important matters, it is at least not too harmful. But yellow journalism applied to national security and to foreign affairs should be considered unacceptable. A number of irresponsible journalists and broadcasters, egged on by the crazy neocons, are trying to duplicate the mass fear of foreigners that characterized earlier times in America when demagogues spoke of the "yellow peril." Now demagogues speak of the "jihadi peril." And, as was inevitable, the demagoguery slips away from Muslim extremists and talks about Muslims and Islam as if there were no difference. Yes, there are some Muslim extremists, just as there are some Christian extremists, Hindu extremists, Jewish extremists and so forth. Extremism is a personality disorder not confined to any one religion or political system. Anyone can become infected with it. Islam has been around for more than 1,300 years. The overwhelming majority of Muslims are peaceful people, just like you and I, and they are not plotting to storm the citadels of the West. Muslim countries are full of universities, professors, poets, novelists, scientists and engineers. It was the Muslims who preserved the wisdom of the classical world and passed it on to the Europeans, thus making the Renaissance possible. And there have been American Muslims since at least the late 1800s. Most of them so assimilated into American society that no one noticed them. They are as patriotic as any other American. Most of the conflict in the Middle East - at least until we stirred the caldron in Iraq - is about secular matters, not religion. Hamas and Islamic Jihad oppose Israeli occupation of Palestine. Hezbollah opposes Israeli occupation of Lebanon. Even Osama bin Laden, if you bother to read what he says, opposes us on secular matters - support for Israel, the invasion of two Muslim countries and our massive military presence in the Persian Gulf. The neocons would like to convince you that it is a war over religious matters so they won't have to address the real causes, which are our own bad policies in that part of the world. You should know that the wealthy powers in this world wouldn't waste a dime on a religious conflict. It's control of the world's oil that interests them, and also the arms business. War to them is a profitable enterprise, especially since they and their children don't have to fight the wars. These elite almost panicked when communism collapsed. How could they maintain power and make money without an enemy at the gate? Then bin Laden gave them exactly what they wanted with the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Now they have an enemy so ill-defined, their "war on terror" can go on forever, provided they can keep the American public ignorant and ill-informed.
Charley Reese is an American syndicated columnist. He is known for his plainspoken manner and his conservative views. He was associated with the Orlando Sentinel from 1971-2001, both as a writer and in various editorial capacities.
Blogger Comment:
I do not see any holy war going on. The Iraq war is a local problem more of power struggle. I do not see it as a front war on terror. The number of groups fighting over there tell you about the local power struggle I do not even know if anyone understands the dynamics over there. The world struggle is between the rich and corrupt many of them are Arab and Muslims. The game is well understood the Arab/corrupt leaders want the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the front pages and the rich and connected in the west wants the front pages about war on terror and the Islamic danger. People who are moderates and wants to solve the world problems are oppressed by the war on terror. It reminds me by the time of Nasser in Egypt the motto was "no sound is raised above the sound of the battle" and people kept oppressed more than a decade. It comes down in my opinion to money and power so real religious leaders and reasonable secular people have to wake up. A Saudi King, an oil CEO guy and some rich Americans have in common oil and money. A Hollywood movie star, a nun serves in Africa and a guy like me have in common better living conditions to every one in the world. Let us get Jesus out of the struggle because if we are really sincere no doubt he will stand with the second group. There is no wars or terrors (many now doubt that Ben laden did 9/11, I started to doubt it myself) but peaceful political struggle.
By: Charley Reese
Let's suppose that I interviewed David Duke, the Louisiana politician who rails against what he calls Jewish supremacy, and also interviewed the lunatic preacher who disrupted the funerals of American servicemen with his message of killing all the gays. And let's suppose I presented these men's views as typical of American Christian thought. You'd say, and rightly so, that these men are not representative of mainstream Christianity, much less mainstream America. Well, the same thing applies to Islam. There are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. Broadcasting or reporting the words of a few extremists does not reflect mainstream Muslim thought. Yellow journalism is never all right, but as long as it's confined to celebrities and other non-important matters, it is at least not too harmful. But yellow journalism applied to national security and to foreign affairs should be considered unacceptable. A number of irresponsible journalists and broadcasters, egged on by the crazy neocons, are trying to duplicate the mass fear of foreigners that characterized earlier times in America when demagogues spoke of the "yellow peril." Now demagogues speak of the "jihadi peril." And, as was inevitable, the demagoguery slips away from Muslim extremists and talks about Muslims and Islam as if there were no difference. Yes, there are some Muslim extremists, just as there are some Christian extremists, Hindu extremists, Jewish extremists and so forth. Extremism is a personality disorder not confined to any one religion or political system. Anyone can become infected with it. Islam has been around for more than 1,300 years. The overwhelming majority of Muslims are peaceful people, just like you and I, and they are not plotting to storm the citadels of the West. Muslim countries are full of universities, professors, poets, novelists, scientists and engineers. It was the Muslims who preserved the wisdom of the classical world and passed it on to the Europeans, thus making the Renaissance possible. And there have been American Muslims since at least the late 1800s. Most of them so assimilated into American society that no one noticed them. They are as patriotic as any other American. Most of the conflict in the Middle East - at least until we stirred the caldron in Iraq - is about secular matters, not religion. Hamas and Islamic Jihad oppose Israeli occupation of Palestine. Hezbollah opposes Israeli occupation of Lebanon. Even Osama bin Laden, if you bother to read what he says, opposes us on secular matters - support for Israel, the invasion of two Muslim countries and our massive military presence in the Persian Gulf. The neocons would like to convince you that it is a war over religious matters so they won't have to address the real causes, which are our own bad policies in that part of the world. You should know that the wealthy powers in this world wouldn't waste a dime on a religious conflict. It's control of the world's oil that interests them, and also the arms business. War to them is a profitable enterprise, especially since they and their children don't have to fight the wars. These elite almost panicked when communism collapsed. How could they maintain power and make money without an enemy at the gate? Then bin Laden gave them exactly what they wanted with the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Now they have an enemy so ill-defined, their "war on terror" can go on forever, provided they can keep the American public ignorant and ill-informed.
Charley Reese is an American syndicated columnist. He is known for his plainspoken manner and his conservative views. He was associated with the Orlando Sentinel from 1971-2001, both as a writer and in various editorial capacities.
Blogger Comment:
I do not see any holy war going on. The Iraq war is a local problem more of power struggle. I do not see it as a front war on terror. The number of groups fighting over there tell you about the local power struggle I do not even know if anyone understands the dynamics over there. The world struggle is between the rich and corrupt many of them are Arab and Muslims. The game is well understood the Arab/corrupt leaders want the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the front pages and the rich and connected in the west wants the front pages about war on terror and the Islamic danger. People who are moderates and wants to solve the world problems are oppressed by the war on terror. It reminds me by the time of Nasser in Egypt the motto was "no sound is raised above the sound of the battle" and people kept oppressed more than a decade. It comes down in my opinion to money and power so real religious leaders and reasonable secular people have to wake up. A Saudi King, an oil CEO guy and some rich Americans have in common oil and money. A Hollywood movie star, a nun serves in Africa and a guy like me have in common better living conditions to every one in the world. Let us get Jesus out of the struggle because if we are really sincere no doubt he will stand with the second group. There is no wars or terrors (many now doubt that Ben laden did 9/11, I started to doubt it myself) but peaceful political struggle.
Monday, April 02, 2007
How the Quranic revelation began.
From: www.islamicity.com
By: Muhammad Asad.
Yahya ibn Bukair related to us, saying: ... on the authority of Aishah, Mother of the faith, said:
The first [kind] of revelation to which the Apostle of God was initiated was the true dream during sleep 1, and he never saw a dream but it came like the dawn of the morn. 2 Thereafter the solitude became dear unto him, and he withdrew into seclusion in the cave of Hira' 3 and there applied himself to ardent devotions 4 - that is worship 5 - during many nights ere he went home and provided himself with food therefore; then he would return unto Khadijah and provide himself with food for a similar [number of days] - until the truth 6 came unto him whilst he was in the cave of Hira: the angel came unto him and said: "Read! - He said: "I am not of those who read." 7
He said [in his narrative]: Then he took me and pressed me until all the strength went out of me; thereupon he released me and said: "Read!" And I said: "I am not of those who read." Then he took me and pressed me a third time; thereupon he released me and said: "Read in the name of thy Sustainer Who hath created - created man from a clot! Read! And thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful!" 8
And thus the Apostle of God returned, his heart trembling, and came unto Khadijah bint Khuwailid and said: "Wrap me up! Wrap me up!" 9 And they wrapped him up until the awe left him. Then he told Khadijah what happened and said unto her: "Verily, I fear for myself." 10 - Thereupon Khadijah said: "Nay, by God! Never will God humiliate thee! Behold, thou fulfillest the duties of kinship, and supportest the weak, and bringest gain to the destitute, and art bounteous toward a guest, and helpest those in genuine distress."
Then Khadijah went with him unto Waraqah ibn Naufal ibn Asad ibn 'Abd al-'Uzza, a son of Khadijah's uncle. He had embraced Christianity in the Time of Ignorance 11 and wrote the Hebrew script, and did write in Hebrew out of the Gospel whatever God willed him to write; and he was an old man and had become blind. And Khadijah said unto him: "O uncle's son, hearken unto thy brother's son. 12" - And Waraqah said unto him: " O my brother's son, what dost thou see? " Thereupon the Apostle of God told him what he had seen. And Waraqah said unto him: "That [was] the Angel of Revelation whom God sent down upon Moses. O, would that I were a youth! Would I were alive when thy people drive thee away!" - Then the Apostle of God said: "Why ! Are they to drive me away?" - He said: "Yea. Never came a man with the like thou hast come with but was persecuted. And if thy day [of need] witnesseth me [alive], I shell help thee with a powerful help." - Thereafter Waraqah took no part [in these matters] until he died. 13 And the revelation broke off. 14
Footnotes:
1. The first of these prophetic dreams occurred in the month of Rabi' al-awwal in the year 13 B.H. (February, 610 C), when the Prophet had just completed his fortieth year (Al-Baihaqi, apud FB i,21).
2. i.e., with the clearness of light after darkness.
3. A hill about three miles north-east of Mecca, to-day known as Jabal Nur ("Mount of Light"), because there the first verses of the Holy Qur'an were revealed.
Many conjectures have been made as to length of the Prophet's retirement at Hira', and whether it took place only once or on several occasions. IH (i,150) states that there were several such times of seclusion, namely, "one month in every year." But this is contradicted by the Tradition (SM, Kitab at-tafsir) in which the Prophet distinctly declares that he remained one month (in all) at Hira'. Moreover, it is evident from Tr.3 of our work that Muhammad's love of solitude dated from the beginning of the prophetic dreams, the first of which, according to Al-Baihaqi (cf. I, 9) took place about 6 months before Gabriel's appearance at Hira'; so there can have been no question of his withdrawing into solitude" one month in every year." We must, therefore assume that he withdrew into the cave only once, and spent there about one month; this seclusion was interrupted by his short visits home for the sake of taking provisions.
4. It is somewhat difficult exactly to translate the term tahannuth used in the Arabic text. It is available in two readings, the order being tahannuf.. Tahannuth is derived from hanth, and means "avoidance of sin." But as this does not at all comply with the subsequent remark "that is, worship," we must accept the second reading tahannuf as correct: and it is, in fact, as well-known linguistic peculiarity of the Arabs that in their speech they often transform the consonant f into th. Now, the word tahannuf is not of Arabic origin, but probably derived from the Canaanite-Aramaic hanpa which literaly means "one who turns away." In Syriac it was prominently used to describe one who turns away from his religion, a renegade; so the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate who gave up Christianity and reverted to the old Roman faith is called, in Syrian-Christian manuscripts, Yulyana hanpa ; the same term often was applied to the Manichaeans and Sabaeans, presumably owing to the fact that their religions contained Christian elements without fully subscribing to the doctrines of the Christian Church. When the Arabs, in pre-Islamic times, adopted this word to their language they used it in its original sense of "turning away", namely, from idolatry and, subsequently, from every kind of worldliness. Thence tahanuff came to denote the ardent devotions (mainly consisting of long vigils and prayers) of the unitarian God-seekers who, consequently, were called hunafa' (sing., hanif ) - a designation which was to become familiar to Muslims owing to its association, in the Qur'an, with the name of Abraham. There it is almost synonymous with "Unitarian."
5. This comment originates from the famous tab'i (i.e., "successor" of the Companion) Ibn Shihab, one of the narrators of the above Tradition.
6. "Truth" means revelation in wakeful state, as contrasted with that in dream. Some Traditions (e.g., IH i, 151) report that the appearance of Gabriel at Hira was a dream-experience, like the Prophet's former visions; but Al-Bukhari's version, which admittedly is more reliable (and, moreover, supported by SM, Kitab at-tafsir ), does not allow of such an interpretation.
The appearance of Gabriel at Hira and consequently, the first revelation of the Qur'an , took place, according to all authorities, during the month of Ramadan, 13 B.H (July or August, 610 C.), but there is no agreement as to the exact date. If, as some commentators assume, the first revelation coincided with the lailat al-qadr ("Nigh of Destiny"), then it would have been one of the last ten nights of Ramadan, because the Prophet mentioned in other Traditions these ten nights as those among which the lailat al-qadr is to be sought.
7. These words of the Prophet are sometimes translated as "What shall I read." From the linguistical point of view this interpretation is by no means impossible: the particle ma can be used in an interrogative sense ("what") as well as in a negative ("not"). But almost all philological authorities (with the single exception of Al-Akhfash, apud 'UQ i,67) are, for grammatical reasons, against this interpretation. The translation "I am not a reader" or "I am not of those who read" appears, therefore, to be the correct one.
8. Q.xcvi, 1/3 - This beautiful story of the Prophet's first encounter with the Angel of Revelation reminds us, in certain points, of Jacob's wrestling with the angel as described in Genesis, Ch. 32. But whereas Jacob resisted, Muhammad surrendered himself entirely to the angel's embrace: and here the highest quality of Prophethood is manifested. The perfect Prophet is he who, at the time of revelation, eliminates his own dynamic personality to such a degree that almost nothing remains in him but the faculty of reception. This probably is the most difficult task ever set before man. In the average human being the impetuosity of feelings, desires and nervous sensations overpowers and dims his purely receptive qualities, his ability to listen to the voice within him or from above him. To be a Prophet means no more and no less than to be full and empty at one and the same time: a human being filled with the consciousness of his life and the natural impulses of action and self-assertion- and, at the same time, a passive, purely receptive instrument endowed with noting but the highest sensitiveness and power of exact registration. The primary duty of a Prophet, in contrast with that of any other spiritual leader, is not to produce images and ideas born in his own mind: it consists only in the reading out of the unseen book of Divine Truth and the reproducing of its meaning to mankind without additions or subtractions. In the word "Read!" which opened the first revelation to Muhammad this call to Perfect Prophethood is already fully expressed. The Law of God, the Eternal Truth behind the perceptible things, was laid bare before him, waiting to be understood by him in its innermost meaning. Thus it would be wrong to translate here iqra' by "recite"- though the Arabic language certainly permits it - because recitation implies the delivery before an audience of something committed to memory - and at the moment of the angel's first appearance there was nothing as yet in the Prophet's memory, and there was no audience. On the other hand, "reading" implies the conscious following and mental assimilation of words or ideas from an outside source: and this, without doubt, was the thing required from the Prophet. At first he was under the illusion of having been ordered to read actual scrip, and this, he knew, he could not do because he was illiterate. But when the angel concluded this Revelation, the Prophet understood, in sudden illumination, that he was ordered to receive the spiritual message of the Supreme Being; and the magnitude of this task with all its implications of responsibility and self-sacrifice overwhelmed him and filled him with awe.
9. Because he shivered from the excitement caused by the vision. The calming influence of a cover drawn over the whole body was known to the Arab kahanah (sing., kahin), or soothsayers, of pre-Islamic times, and it is very probable that its use by the Prophet led the heathen Quriash to the erroneous assumption that he belonged to the same class of visionaries.
10. The fear expressed by the Prophet had its origin in the noble humility of his soul: he thought himself unworthy of the exalted position of Prophethood. The explanation given by some of the commentators , that he was afraid death or of having become insane, is purely hypothetical and, moreover, not corresponding with Khadijah's answer to the Prophet: "...never will God humiliate thee," - which means: "...never will God confer a task upon thee which thou art unable to perform." The suggestion of other commentators, that he was afraid of persecution by his countryman, is entirely without foundation. As is evident from the subsequent talk between the Prophet and Waraqah ibn Naufal, the Prophet had no notion of danger from that direction until Waraqah told him so.
11. "Time of Ignorance" (jahiliyah) is the period before the announcement of Muhammad's prophetic mission.
12. Waraqah was not in reality an uncle of the Prophet, though they belonged to the same branch of Quraish: but it is an Arab custom, prevalent even in these days, to address an old and respected an as "uncle"; hence Khadijah's expression "thy brother's son."
13. Most commentators agree that Waraqah died before the Prophet began preaching Islam in public, i.e., before the persecution by the Quraish started. Only Ibn Ishaq (apud FB i, 21) mentions that Waraqah was present when Bilal was maltreated on account of his adherence to the Prophet: but as this account is contradicted by the evidence of Traditions in the compilation of both Al-Bukhari and Muslim, it must be regarded as a historical mistake.
14. Between the first revelation mentioned in the above Tradition and the next one a period of about three years elapsed during which the Prophet recieved no revelation. This period is called "the break in the revelation" (fatrat al-wahi). It was a time of deepest distress for the Prophet. The absence of revelation almost led him to believe that his first experience at Hira was an illusion; and it was only due to Khadijah's undaunted faith in his prophetic mission that he did not entirely lose his courage.
Excerpted from "Sahih Al-Bukhari. The Early Years of Islam". Translated and Explained by Muhammad Asad.
By: Muhammad Asad.
Yahya ibn Bukair related to us, saying: ... on the authority of Aishah, Mother of the faith, said:
The first [kind] of revelation to which the Apostle of God was initiated was the true dream during sleep 1, and he never saw a dream but it came like the dawn of the morn. 2 Thereafter the solitude became dear unto him, and he withdrew into seclusion in the cave of Hira' 3 and there applied himself to ardent devotions 4 - that is worship 5 - during many nights ere he went home and provided himself with food therefore; then he would return unto Khadijah and provide himself with food for a similar [number of days] - until the truth 6 came unto him whilst he was in the cave of Hira: the angel came unto him and said: "Read! - He said: "I am not of those who read." 7
He said [in his narrative]: Then he took me and pressed me until all the strength went out of me; thereupon he released me and said: "Read!" And I said: "I am not of those who read." Then he took me and pressed me a third time; thereupon he released me and said: "Read in the name of thy Sustainer Who hath created - created man from a clot! Read! And thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful!" 8
And thus the Apostle of God returned, his heart trembling, and came unto Khadijah bint Khuwailid and said: "Wrap me up! Wrap me up!" 9 And they wrapped him up until the awe left him. Then he told Khadijah what happened and said unto her: "Verily, I fear for myself." 10 - Thereupon Khadijah said: "Nay, by God! Never will God humiliate thee! Behold, thou fulfillest the duties of kinship, and supportest the weak, and bringest gain to the destitute, and art bounteous toward a guest, and helpest those in genuine distress."
Then Khadijah went with him unto Waraqah ibn Naufal ibn Asad ibn 'Abd al-'Uzza, a son of Khadijah's uncle. He had embraced Christianity in the Time of Ignorance 11 and wrote the Hebrew script, and did write in Hebrew out of the Gospel whatever God willed him to write; and he was an old man and had become blind. And Khadijah said unto him: "O uncle's son, hearken unto thy brother's son. 12" - And Waraqah said unto him: " O my brother's son, what dost thou see? " Thereupon the Apostle of God told him what he had seen. And Waraqah said unto him: "That [was] the Angel of Revelation whom God sent down upon Moses. O, would that I were a youth! Would I were alive when thy people drive thee away!" - Then the Apostle of God said: "Why ! Are they to drive me away?" - He said: "Yea. Never came a man with the like thou hast come with but was persecuted. And if thy day [of need] witnesseth me [alive], I shell help thee with a powerful help." - Thereafter Waraqah took no part [in these matters] until he died. 13 And the revelation broke off. 14
Footnotes:
1. The first of these prophetic dreams occurred in the month of Rabi' al-awwal in the year 13 B.H. (February, 610 C), when the Prophet had just completed his fortieth year (Al-Baihaqi, apud FB i,21).
2. i.e., with the clearness of light after darkness.
3. A hill about three miles north-east of Mecca, to-day known as Jabal Nur ("Mount of Light"), because there the first verses of the Holy Qur'an were revealed.
Many conjectures have been made as to length of the Prophet's retirement at Hira', and whether it took place only once or on several occasions. IH (i,150) states that there were several such times of seclusion, namely, "one month in every year." But this is contradicted by the Tradition (SM, Kitab at-tafsir) in which the Prophet distinctly declares that he remained one month (in all) at Hira'. Moreover, it is evident from Tr.3 of our work that Muhammad's love of solitude dated from the beginning of the prophetic dreams, the first of which, according to Al-Baihaqi (cf. I, 9) took place about 6 months before Gabriel's appearance at Hira'; so there can have been no question of his withdrawing into solitude" one month in every year." We must, therefore assume that he withdrew into the cave only once, and spent there about one month; this seclusion was interrupted by his short visits home for the sake of taking provisions.
4. It is somewhat difficult exactly to translate the term tahannuth used in the Arabic text. It is available in two readings, the order being tahannuf.. Tahannuth is derived from hanth, and means "avoidance of sin." But as this does not at all comply with the subsequent remark "that is, worship," we must accept the second reading tahannuf as correct: and it is, in fact, as well-known linguistic peculiarity of the Arabs that in their speech they often transform the consonant f into th. Now, the word tahannuf is not of Arabic origin, but probably derived from the Canaanite-Aramaic hanpa which literaly means "one who turns away." In Syriac it was prominently used to describe one who turns away from his religion, a renegade; so the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate who gave up Christianity and reverted to the old Roman faith is called, in Syrian-Christian manuscripts, Yulyana hanpa ; the same term often was applied to the Manichaeans and Sabaeans, presumably owing to the fact that their religions contained Christian elements without fully subscribing to the doctrines of the Christian Church. When the Arabs, in pre-Islamic times, adopted this word to their language they used it in its original sense of "turning away", namely, from idolatry and, subsequently, from every kind of worldliness. Thence tahanuff came to denote the ardent devotions (mainly consisting of long vigils and prayers) of the unitarian God-seekers who, consequently, were called hunafa' (sing., hanif ) - a designation which was to become familiar to Muslims owing to its association, in the Qur'an, with the name of Abraham. There it is almost synonymous with "Unitarian."
5. This comment originates from the famous tab'i (i.e., "successor" of the Companion) Ibn Shihab, one of the narrators of the above Tradition.
6. "Truth" means revelation in wakeful state, as contrasted with that in dream. Some Traditions (e.g., IH i, 151) report that the appearance of Gabriel at Hira was a dream-experience, like the Prophet's former visions; but Al-Bukhari's version, which admittedly is more reliable (and, moreover, supported by SM, Kitab at-tafsir ), does not allow of such an interpretation.
The appearance of Gabriel at Hira and consequently, the first revelation of the Qur'an , took place, according to all authorities, during the month of Ramadan, 13 B.H (July or August, 610 C.), but there is no agreement as to the exact date. If, as some commentators assume, the first revelation coincided with the lailat al-qadr ("Nigh of Destiny"), then it would have been one of the last ten nights of Ramadan, because the Prophet mentioned in other Traditions these ten nights as those among which the lailat al-qadr is to be sought.
7. These words of the Prophet are sometimes translated as "What shall I read." From the linguistical point of view this interpretation is by no means impossible: the particle ma can be used in an interrogative sense ("what") as well as in a negative ("not"). But almost all philological authorities (with the single exception of Al-Akhfash, apud 'UQ i,67) are, for grammatical reasons, against this interpretation. The translation "I am not a reader" or "I am not of those who read" appears, therefore, to be the correct one.
8. Q.xcvi, 1/3 - This beautiful story of the Prophet's first encounter with the Angel of Revelation reminds us, in certain points, of Jacob's wrestling with the angel as described in Genesis, Ch. 32. But whereas Jacob resisted, Muhammad surrendered himself entirely to the angel's embrace: and here the highest quality of Prophethood is manifested. The perfect Prophet is he who, at the time of revelation, eliminates his own dynamic personality to such a degree that almost nothing remains in him but the faculty of reception. This probably is the most difficult task ever set before man. In the average human being the impetuosity of feelings, desires and nervous sensations overpowers and dims his purely receptive qualities, his ability to listen to the voice within him or from above him. To be a Prophet means no more and no less than to be full and empty at one and the same time: a human being filled with the consciousness of his life and the natural impulses of action and self-assertion- and, at the same time, a passive, purely receptive instrument endowed with noting but the highest sensitiveness and power of exact registration. The primary duty of a Prophet, in contrast with that of any other spiritual leader, is not to produce images and ideas born in his own mind: it consists only in the reading out of the unseen book of Divine Truth and the reproducing of its meaning to mankind without additions or subtractions. In the word "Read!" which opened the first revelation to Muhammad this call to Perfect Prophethood is already fully expressed. The Law of God, the Eternal Truth behind the perceptible things, was laid bare before him, waiting to be understood by him in its innermost meaning. Thus it would be wrong to translate here iqra' by "recite"- though the Arabic language certainly permits it - because recitation implies the delivery before an audience of something committed to memory - and at the moment of the angel's first appearance there was nothing as yet in the Prophet's memory, and there was no audience. On the other hand, "reading" implies the conscious following and mental assimilation of words or ideas from an outside source: and this, without doubt, was the thing required from the Prophet. At first he was under the illusion of having been ordered to read actual scrip, and this, he knew, he could not do because he was illiterate. But when the angel concluded this Revelation, the Prophet understood, in sudden illumination, that he was ordered to receive the spiritual message of the Supreme Being; and the magnitude of this task with all its implications of responsibility and self-sacrifice overwhelmed him and filled him with awe.
9. Because he shivered from the excitement caused by the vision. The calming influence of a cover drawn over the whole body was known to the Arab kahanah (sing., kahin), or soothsayers, of pre-Islamic times, and it is very probable that its use by the Prophet led the heathen Quriash to the erroneous assumption that he belonged to the same class of visionaries.
10. The fear expressed by the Prophet had its origin in the noble humility of his soul: he thought himself unworthy of the exalted position of Prophethood. The explanation given by some of the commentators , that he was afraid death or of having become insane, is purely hypothetical and, moreover, not corresponding with Khadijah's answer to the Prophet: "...never will God humiliate thee," - which means: "...never will God confer a task upon thee which thou art unable to perform." The suggestion of other commentators, that he was afraid of persecution by his countryman, is entirely without foundation. As is evident from the subsequent talk between the Prophet and Waraqah ibn Naufal, the Prophet had no notion of danger from that direction until Waraqah told him so.
11. "Time of Ignorance" (jahiliyah) is the period before the announcement of Muhammad's prophetic mission.
12. Waraqah was not in reality an uncle of the Prophet, though they belonged to the same branch of Quraish: but it is an Arab custom, prevalent even in these days, to address an old and respected an as "uncle"; hence Khadijah's expression "thy brother's son."
13. Most commentators agree that Waraqah died before the Prophet began preaching Islam in public, i.e., before the persecution by the Quraish started. Only Ibn Ishaq (apud FB i, 21) mentions that Waraqah was present when Bilal was maltreated on account of his adherence to the Prophet: but as this account is contradicted by the evidence of Traditions in the compilation of both Al-Bukhari and Muslim, it must be regarded as a historical mistake.
14. Between the first revelation mentioned in the above Tradition and the next one a period of about three years elapsed during which the Prophet recieved no revelation. This period is called "the break in the revelation" (fatrat al-wahi). It was a time of deepest distress for the Prophet. The absence of revelation almost led him to believe that his first experience at Hira was an illusion; and it was only due to Khadijah's undaunted faith in his prophetic mission that he did not entirely lose his courage.
Excerpted from "Sahih Al-Bukhari. The Early Years of Islam". Translated and Explained by Muhammad Asad.
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