Protect Your Children and the Next Generation from the Misuse of Mobile Phones

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 25 February 2023 Examining Ways to Reduce the Negative Effects of Smartphone on Teenagers Main Points 1. The mobile phone is both the best and worst invention of the last century, according to a poll. 2. Children's brains absorb radioactive waves at a rate that is two times higher than that of adults, and bone marrow absorbs them at a rate that is ten times higher. 3. When using a phone for an extended period of time while hunched over, the position of the neck and spine joints may shift, which could result in poor posture or back and neck pain. 4. If the children are corrected while they are still young, their future will be protected. 5. When a youngster reaches the age of thirteen or fourteen, it becomes increasingly difficult for their parents to prevent them from using mobile devices. In such a scenario, we observe that when kids are instructed to refrain from using their phones, they start doing so covertly. Children at this age do not comprehend how to use mobile devices for good purposes, so they begin to consume meaningless content and adopt immoral behaviours. They not only endanger their health in this way, but they also begin to spread moral, religious, and social vices. ----- ShutterStock ---- The mobile phone is both the best and worst invention of the last century, according to a poll. It seems strange how one thing may be both beneficial and harmful at the same time. Depending on how it is used, any invention could be advantageous or harmful. The mobile phone has made communication simpler, but when it is misused, it can cause a lot of psychological problems. Things become dangerous when a six-month-old baby becomes absorbed in a mobile device. Every brightly coloured and moving object intrigues and calms the child's mind, which eventually adapts to it. Parents take solace in this and breathe a sigh of relief, not realising that they themselves are to blame for causing their child such anguish, from which it is not impossible to escape but is surely difficult. Children's brains absorb radioactive waves at a rate that is two times higher than that of adults, and bone marrow absorbs them at a rate that is ten times higher. As a result, early and excessive usage of mobile screens might result in a number of ailments. We hear a lot about autism these days. According to a study published in 2020, children who spend too much time on their mobile devices are more likely to experience autism, which often appears by the age of three. A child is eligible to start school at this age. The child is known as dull-witted in school because of his fights with classmates and inability to focus on his homework. Even if this is the basis of the issue, in our eastern society, such young people encounter violence as a result of their parent's ignorance. Another significant condition brought on by the use of mobile phones is insomnia. Children really are incredibly curious. So they check their phones when they wake up at night. The parents are also accountable for this because they set the alarm on the child's phone and place it near to or under the pillow. A child's mind absorbs more of these radioactive waves, as was previously described. These alarms also prevent individuals from getting enough sleep. When using a phone for an extended period of time while hunched over, the position of the neck and spine joints may shift, which could result in poor posture or back and neck pain. Children who use mobile devices excessively lose their social awareness and social abilities. They thus experience a range of mental illnesses as well as atypical social attitudes. The World Health Organization issued some recommendations for kids in 2019, focusing on their physical and mental activities. While it has been urged to limit mobile phone use till children are five years old. Also, exposing children under the age of one to mobile screens must be prohibited by law. The use of mobile devices by young children under the age of 18 months is discouraged by the American Academy of Paediatrics due to the potential harm to their development and mental and physical health. Parents will need to take action to address these problems. If the children are corrected while they are still young, their future will be protected. First and foremost, refrain from entertaining or diverting your child with a mobile device, especially if he is less than two years old. When a baby at this age cries to get your attention, put down the mobile and give them your whole attention. If your child is older and wiser, schedule a time for him to use the phone, and watch him as he uses it to make sure he doesn't bend his neck too far or look at the screen too closely. See what the child sees as well. Make an effort to get the kid to view educational media so that he can learn something from the time he spends on his phone. Apps can be used to control screen time and access content. In order to keep kids' bodies and minds busy and prevent screen time from taking over their attention, increase their physical activity. If parents want to spend more time with their kids, encourage them to participate in activity-based learning; if not, urge them to pick up a hobby to keep them busy, such as painting, gardening, or creating art. Mobile phones themselves are not always bad; how they are used might make them good or bad. Our country cannot advance without technology because, as we all know, this is the age of technology. Technology ought to be employed. But it's also important to make sure technology is applied correctly. This phone will prove useful to us and not be a waste of time if it is only used when absolutely essential. The Standing Committee of the Ministry of Health has published information on the dangers of mobile phones and suggested that users of these devices be made aware of the drawbacks of their usage, just as smokers are made aware of the dangers of tobacco use. We will now provide a brief scientific examination of Smartphone radiation. Smartphone screens generate a strong blue light that makes them visible in direct sunlight. Nevertheless, this light confuses the brain at night. The impact of the Smartphone’s light on the sleep cycle is due to the brain's inability to produce melatonin, a hormone that alerts our bodies when it's time to sleep. It interferes, making it more difficult to get to sleep. This could lead to serious medical problems, some of which are listed below. According to medical research studies from Harvard University, Nature Neurosciences, and other universities and institutes, the light emitted by cell phones disrupts sleep patterns, which can impact memory the following day. Students who have a bad night's sleep find it difficult to recall their studies the next day, while people who consistently lack sleep find it practically impossible to acquire a decent night's sleep. Research is being done to demonstrate that this light does not cause cataracts in the eyes, in contrast to some studies suggesting that it can impair vision by injuring the retina. Medical research shows that the risk of obesity and depression increases if the amount of melatonin is impacted by the light emitted by cell phones. In this regard, the risk of cancer must be made known to the general public. The primary negative impact of cell phone use is the growth in physical ailments. Medical specialists are also offering various advice and cautions in this regard. If medical advice is followed, unnecessary mobile phone use won't result in mental stress, anxiety, heart diseases, headaches, vision degeneration, or other hidden difficulties. The younger generation is engaged in calls and SMS all night long because of several free calls and free SMS bundle offers, which could be damaging to their health. The usage of mobile phones has a significant impact on education since even people who don't want to use mobile phones are willing to do so after watching new and enticing features for users by mobile providers. This is carried out in order to entice more people to connect to their network. However, the future generation, of which the number of students is higher, is negatively impacted by these packages. It is crucial that they refrain from using cell phones while at school. Students are frequently observed using SMS or playing games during lectures in colleges where there are no restrictions on the usage of mobile devices. The latest developments in cell phones have made it easy for young children to access any information. The content of nudity and pornography on the Internet become far more common. Even if children are not actively searching, sometimes inappropriate content automatically appear on the mobile screen. This can lead them to live in a fantasy world and create false prestige. Some minors may even resort to crime to fulfil their desires. Several international and non-multinational businesses are currently releasing new cell phones with numerous SIMs and cameras. Several more features are included in order to waste the time of students and the younger generation. We have a lot of concerns about the impact of cell phones on the next generation. Particularly, occurrences of kidnapping for ransom and banditry have increased significantly, and thefts of mobile phones have risen to a level where it is hard to keep track of all of them. The majority of children caught in mobile theft or other related fraud are between the ages of 17 and 18. Security and telecommunications organisations need to do more to stop the misuse of mobile phones in rising cases of crimes and suicides, even though law enforcement authorities have started working on it to a large extent. There are yet more negative aspects of mobile phones that have not been mentioned. But these are the losses that society is suffering, and action needs to be made to stop them. As a result, we use the resources we need, but we also need to prevent having a detrimental impact on the community. From this perspective, it is the primary duty of the parents to determine whether or not to give their child a cell phone before doing so. How do children utilise their Smartphone? Who are they addressing? What are they talking about? When they are not around, check the kids' phones to make sure they are not misusing them. All young people should also take care to avoid wasting their time on meaningless phone calls or unethical actions. When a youngster reaches the age of thirteen or fourteen, it becomes increasingly difficult for their parents to prevent them from using mobile devices. In such a scenario, we observe that when kids are instructed to refrain from using their phones, they start doing so covertly. Children at this age do not comprehend how to use mobile devices for good purposes, so they begin to consume meaningless content and adopt immoral behaviours. They not only endanger their health in this way, but they also begin to spread moral, religious, and social vices. Parents should first teach children of this age about the safety of mobile phones and how to use them responsibly before giving them to them if it becomes difficult to keep them away from them. Train kids to recognise appropriate and inappropriate behaviour. For them, mobile phone usage restrictions are also necessary. These are some strategies for preventing cell phones' negative effects on teenagers: 1. Instruct them to refrain from idle chit chat. Teach him the value of time and the dangers of inefficient actions and conversations. 2. To establish a regular sleep routine, ask them to switch off their phones before bed. 3. Educate your kids that having brief phone chats can help to minimise the harmful impacts. 4. Where possible, parents should also limit the time they spend on their phones and limit their use to essential tasks. Parents may set the best example for their children by acting in this manner since children imitate or learn more from their parents. 5. Teach the child to put his phone aside when attending events like weddings or parties. 6. Encourage your kids to engage in physical activity every day, such as walking, jogging, or playing. Urge children to put their phones aside while engaging in these activities. 7. If you keep an eye on your children's online behaviour, developing the best and most effective strategy for their correction and implementing it will be pretty straightforward. 8. Give your children one to two hours per day to study the Quran and the spiritual and moral precepts of Islam since these lessons will help them develop a complete awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of cell phones. These are only a few ideas, and you can add more based on your children' circumstances to help shield the future generation from immoral behaviour. ----- A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is a Classical Islamic scholar with a Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/children-generation-mobile-phones/d/129197 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

What Makes Javed Akhtar a Fearless Rebel

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 25 February 2023 Javed Akhtar is a man whose persona is best described by the famous lines of Allama Iqbal, ' Zahid-e-Tang Nazar Ne Mujhe Kaafir Jaana Aur Kaafir Ye Samajhta Hai Ke Musalmaan Hoon Main....' (The parochial 'wise' man thinks that I'm a Kafir and the Kafir thinks that I'm a Muslim). 'Keh Ke Le Li', Javed Akhtar Visits Pakistan, Accuses Country Of Harbouring Terrorists In Speech © Provided by Indiatimes ----- But this much maligned man is unaffected and continues to proclaim the truth without fear. The way he took Pakistan to task in Pakistan, needs courage of conviction. A few years ago, I wrote an article in an English daily in which I analysed that Javed Akhtar's candour sprang from his non-belief in god and religion, quoting Ibn Warraq (an ex-Muslim), “If one has even an iota of faith or belief, truth eludes him. To speak the truth you must be free of faith. " Here I'm not suggesting that one has to be an atheist to proclaim the truth. I also believe that atheism is also a belief; a counter belief to be precise. Nonetheless, an ism. In fact, we all resort to a hackneyed term like atheist for the want of a suitable word. I remember my apatheist mentor Dr Zaifa Ashraf's words in an Urdu daily, “Mujhe Ilhadi Kah Kar Alfaaz Ke Shikanje Mein Mat Kasiye. Main Inn Sab Ke Pare Jaa Chuki Hoon" (Don’t imprison me by calling an atheist. I've gone beyond all this). Javed is like that, he has gone beyond belief and unbelief; theism and atheism. Since ordinary people understand only the language of binary and dichotomy, they have created words like theists and atheists. But both have a belief system. So, both have the right to criticise each other's doctrinal inclinations. Both are sailing in the same boat. Only those who go beyond theism and atheism, can see things as they are. Their perceptions aren't clouded by any belief whatsoever. An atheist is as militant as a theist is. But who's neither a theist nor an atheist is a free man and he can speak out fearlessly. He's also free of rancour. I once asked my Iranian professor of Persian that why the 10th-century Persian word Zaraqeen (an apatheist) became obsolete. He told me that human brain was still not evolved to think that such an indifferent category could also exist apart from theist and atheist. So, stop calling Javed Akhtar or anyone an atheist to mean that the person has no faith in god, religion and all that jazz. To paraphrase Ludwig Wittgenstein's famous quote from Tractatus, ' The limits of your language mean the limits of your world.' Many people have lived a religion-neutral and god-insouciant life and they've also lived with moral rectitude, compassion and fellow-feeling. They've never called anyone amoral, shameless and as lacking manners and grooming. ------- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/javed-akhtar-fearless-rebel/d/129196 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

The Kathisma Church and Quranic Composition

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 25 February 2023 A Church near Jerusalem Sheds New Light on the Quranic Sura Related to Jesus’ Birth Main Points: 1. The Quranic story of the birth of Jesus differs in some detail from the Bible. 2. The Quranic narrative is closer to some Christian apocryphal texts rather than to the New Testament. 3. The excavation of a church near Jerusalem now sheds light on how these stories might have become part of the Islamic tradition. 4. The Kathisma church was the prototype on which the Dome of Rock was constructed. ------ The ruins of the Kathisma today: The stone in the center of the octagon marks where Mary sat down to rest on her journey to Bethlehem (Photo credit: GIL ZOHAR) ----- In 1997, there was a significant archaeological discovery on the outskirts of Jerusalem. What was unearthed was a large octagonal church. Historians would later identify this structure as the ‘Church of Kathisma of the Theokotos’ or the ‘Seat of the God-Bearer’. Long believed to be lost to the vagaries of time, the church was constructed at the very same spot where Mary, the mother of Jesus, rested while being heavily pregnant. But why must we discuss it here? It is because this important find has an important bearing on certain verses of the Quran. In Sura Maryam, the Quran tells the following story of Jesus’ birth: So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a remote place. Then the pains of labour drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She cried, “Alas I wish I had died before this, and this was a thing long forgotten!” So a voice reassured her from below her, ‘Do not grieve! Your Lord has provided a stream at your feet. And shake the trunk of this palm tree towards you, it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink, and put your heart at ease. But if you see any of the people, say, ‘I have vowed silence to the Most Compassionate, so I am not talking to anyone today’. Then she returned to her people, carrying him. They said in shock, ‘O Mary, you have done a horrible thing! (Quran 19:22-27). Now there are two details in the Quranic story of Jesus’ birth that are not found in any of the canonical Christian texts. The first difference is that while in the Bible Jesus is born in Bethlehem, the Quranic verse cited above mentions his birth at a ‘remote place’ which historians have generally identified to be between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The second difference is that the stream and the palm tree which God provides for Mary are missing from the Christian Bible. Arguably, the Bible predates the Quran and, hence, it is logical to ask where does the latter derive the information about such details from when they are absent from the Bible itself. Now one can certainly argue that since Quran is the word of God, it can provide any detail that it wants. But while this answer may satisfy the believer, it does not satisfy those who are looking for a historical explanation. If we think that the Quran is a text which was produced in history, then it is logical to ask where it got this information from, if not from the Bible? Such an enquiry can also tell us something about the nature, time and circumstances under which the Quran was composed. The different details mentioned in Quran in fact can be found in what are called the apocryphal or the non-canonical Christian texts. The birth of Jesus ‘at a remote place’ (and not in Bethlehem) is mentioned in the Protevangelium of James, a Christian yet non-canonical text, written somewhere in the second century. It is in this text that we find Mary telling Joseph, “Take me down from the ass, for the child within me presses me, to come forth.” Joseph helps Mary get off and takes her to a nearby cave, where she gives birth to Jesus. There is no mention of a stream underneath or of the fruit-laden palm tree, which we find in the Quran. This detail occurs in another non-canonical Christian text called the Gospel of Pseudo-Mathew, which many scholars believe to be written in the 6th or the 7th century. It appears that both these texts might have been known to the compilers of the Quran. One can alternatively argue that the latter text of Pseudo Mathew may have been a reworked version of the story in the Quran. However, the possibility is remote since this text was composed in Latin in the Western Christendom and was unknown in the Christian east. So, while we might argue that the information of Christ’s birth at a remote place might have been taken from the Protevangelium of James, there is no way one can say that the Gospel of Pseudo-Mathew had a similar influence on the Quran. Is it possible then that the information about the stream and the palm tree in the Quran came from some other source? Stephen Shoemaker, who studies the correspondence between early Christianity and early Islamic period, has argued that the legend of Mary and the date palm tree started circulating in the area from around the 3rd century and is found in the tradition of Virgin Mary’s Dormition and Assumption, which is basically a collection of narratives that describe Mary’s death. Shoemaker says that the legend of the date palm was memorialized in the form of a pilgrimage to these sites associated with Mary. And it is in the Kathisma Church that these legends come together. For it is at this location, that we see the amalgamation of both the apocryphal traditions: Jesus’ birth at a remote location as well as the presence of a stream near the church and the image of a palm tree inside it. Even after the canonization of the Bible, this church continued to be revered as the site where Mary rested and gave birth to Jesus. There exists a pilgrimage guide, written between 560 and 570, which talks about this Church and the stream of water nearby. The church was known as the seat of Mary because it was the place where Mary sat to rest before giving birth nearby. The early Christians honored the place by building a church over the rock on which she rested and it was part of the early Christian pilgrim circuit. During the excavation of the church, one of its mosaics was found to have the image of a fruit-laden date palm, very similar to what is mentioned in the Quran. Thus, this church has all the elements of the Jesus’ nativity story found in the Quran. However, the importance of this church for Quranic history does not stop here. This church was the prototype on which Muslims would later build the Dome of the Rock. Both the structures are similar not just in terms of design and dimension, but both have a rock at the centre of their structures. It should be recalled that the Dome of the Rock is the first known site on which verses of the Quran were written. In fact, the Dome is the very first evidence of the existence of the Quran outside the Islamic narrative. How then should we understand the similarities with the Church of Kathisma? In some ways, it appears highly probable that the church had deep influences in the construction of the Dome. As already mentioned, the Kathisma church had a mosaic with an image of a huge palm tree flanked by two small palm trees laden with fruits. But it is also a fact that during the Arab conquest of Jerusalem, this church was converted into a mosque. And the mosaic with palm relief was not originally a part of the church but was put there by Muslims when they converted this church into a mosque. All this again underlines that this church must have been important to the early Muslims. Thus, it appears that by the time of the conversion of this church into a mosque, the Islamic narrative had already merged the two apocryphal traditions related to the birth of the Jesus, which is present in the Quran. Does this mean that the composition of the Quran was staggered? That its standardization as a fixed text took some time and that it was still an open template during the time of the Arab conquest of Jerusalem? Of course, I am assuming here that Muslims who ventured to these lands must have heard about these apocryphal stories, which they then put into their own holy text. But it is also entirely possible that the Arabs in the Hejaz could have independently fused these stories together much before reaching the holy land. However, considering the importance of the Dome of Rock and the significant role that the Kathisma Church played into its construction, it appears that it was Jerusalem and its apocryphal stories that might have influenced the composition of the Quran. We should also not forget that the Caliph who constructed the Dome of the Rock, Abd al Malik, is also credited with making changes in the Quran. ------ A regular contributor to NewAgeIslam.com, Arshad Alam is a writer and researcher on Islam and Muslims in South Asia. URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/kathisma-church-quranic-composition/d/129195 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Muslim Religious Nationalists and Communal Forces Are Birds of the Same Feather: South India Is Becoming A Cauldron Of Islamist Communalism

By Grace Mubashir, New Age Islam 24 February 2023 The Neo-Islamist Organizations Are Fanning The Idea Of Islamic Governance Accentuated By Sharia Law, As Seen From The Dodgy Cyber World ------- Disenchantment among the educated youth and easy access to the online world of insidious religious ideas make the combination a trigger for Islamist violence. Apathy on the part of governments to act swiftly and absence of mainstream religious leaders in actively espousing a progressive, pluralist theology of religion compounds the issue. The region saw the migration of 23 youths to the "fabled" land of ISIS and incipient signs are on rise tellingly about the impending crisis. Salafism and ideas of Maulana Maududi on Islamic state are being propagated. The communalisation helps fringe organizations politically, as evident from the action of SDPI in supporting a murder accused in Praveen case standing as candidate to upcoming Karnataka legislative election. The neo-Islamist organizations are fanning the idea of Islamic Governance accentuated by Sharia law, as seen from the dodgy cyber world. This article critically analyses the issue from practical and scriptural understandings. Along with honest faith, good deeds, good intentions and social obligations are included in the life plan proposed by Islam. The social position put forward by Islam is to obey the Creator and Sustainer Allah and accept the ultimate worship and submission to Him alone while accepting the rulers in a way that does not contradict this basic idea and is in line with the conditions of public good and virtues. Just as good deeds such as prayer and fasting are external acts of worship to Allah, entertaining guests, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick and comforting the afflicted are acts of worship to the Lord. This means that the religious practices proposed by Islam have a wide range. We have spoken about the performance of obligations to individuals. But the religious position is to stand for the common good of the society and the nation, consisting of individuals, and to cooperate with the political and administrative systems and not to destabilize the regimes that reinforce them. To practice religion and become an Islamic state is not a religiously valid idea. Such an idea was put forward by some who came with an extreme position. Jamaat-e-Islami fuelled this school of thought. In that way they have blown away the beauty of Islam. They theorized that the mission and goal of a Muslim's life is nation-building; and that the establishment of the administration and the activities for it is an inescapable obligation of the Mus lim. The radical actions of founding leader Syed Abul Ala Maududi led at least a small minority of Muslim India to radicalism. Maududian ideals, which depicted mosques as military bases, and congregational prayers as part of military training, were no small insult to the Islamic community. Neither the Qur'an nor other scriptures teach schools of thought that view religious identities as purely national concepts. Maududi says: 'Similarly in prayer and sounding the divine trumpet five times a day, when the army of Allah hears that sound, it is to show that we are ready to carry out the commands of Allah and come running alertly from all sides when hearing the sound... So we hear the sound of the divine trumpet only five times a day and run to the divine base (in the mosque) and commanding them to gather together is a great favour that Allah has given them... and when you stand in line, it will be like an army standing ready to serve before their King' (Khutubat). The fact is that extremists were inspired by this idea of Maududi who introduced Islamic rituals as military training in order to establish that it is the duty of Muslims to build a religious state. There are small groups here who act in the name of Islam and present terrorism and organize themselves in that way. The roots of such groups can be seen reaching back to the Jamaat. It can be understood that some groups are trying to deal with the extremists introduced by Jamaat-e-Islami in the 1940s. Their reasoning is that Islam ia State and their mission is to establish it. In fact, what they have done is to reduce the whole of Islam to vested interests. Islam has clear political views. Islam has a policy that protects the life, property and dignity of man and also includes the necessary instructions for achieving the prosperity of the nation and its citizens. The politics of Islam upholds the vision of enjoining security for the needy and the orphan, the laws necessary to eradicate poverty and the social obligations to be fulfilled by the rich. For this beautiful project to be implemented, Muslims need to be religiously and ideologically cultured. Or lead a real religious life. That is the history of Islam. Apart from that, they do not advocate and work for nation building. The scriptures do not say that an Islamic state is necessary for religious life. It does not teach that the goal of Muslim life is to build a religious state. However, there are precepts that Islamic values should be lived in as much as possible in any environment. 'They are the ones who, if We provide for them on earth, perform the prayer, give the alms, enjoin good, and forbid evil' (Al-Hajj 41). People flocked to Islam after seeing and experiencing this life. The mission of Islam in history is not to convert all kinds of people in a land. When the Holy Prophet (PBUH) reached Madinah, the agreement he made with the Jews there is proof that Islam accepts and treats everyone as a part of the nation. This agreement was also a message to stand together against the enemy of the nation. Conquest by force is not the style of Islam. The Prophet and his followers come with more force to those who had beaten them cruelly. The tribal lords who were starving and deprived of food were standing there trembling. Those who broke their teeth in front of the Prophet at Battle of Uhud were also in Makkah that day. It was a golden opportunity for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions to take revenge. But the words spoken by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) were the words of human liberation and mercy that the world has never seen - 'You are free.' What a beautiful approach! This is how religion conquered people's minds. It was not a forced conversion. The reason is that you need to know the true belief and take it voluntarily. 'There is no coercion in religion' (Al-Baqarah). It is seen that the Qur'an asks: 'If your Lord had so willed, all the creatures on earth would have believed. Are you forcing the people to become believers?' (Yunus 99). The ideas propagated from isolated corners against these messages and political visions of Islam, which are universally praised, do not contain the essence of true religion. All these are the machinations of political Islam. It is very dangerous. They are misusing the holy religion for political interests. It is necessary to realize that communalists who spread the word that Hindus are in danger and their rights are being taken away by others have a political agenda, and those who think that they can gain political interests by spreading fear even on trivial issues and putting the community on edge, are also dangerous. It is clear that the source of energy for the terrorists are those including Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, who destroyed the remaining good things of the Islamic Caliphate and brought the existing regime to power. Ibn Abd al-Wahhab was building the western interest of creating Islamophobia. That is why he had no intention of destroying the religious heritage even when it was declared as an Islamic administration. It was also in the interest of the imperial powers to destroy the morale that the Muslims possessed from their heritage. This is what Ibn Abd al-Wahhab and the Salafis who followed his thought did. The dangerous thoughts and religious polity raised by Ibn Abdul Wahab, Maududi, Ali Shariati etc. and the talented renaissance dancers who sing the same are giving impetus to the communalists. Those who incite fear inside and outside and misuse religions for political interests are not two sides of the coin, but the same side. Realization and caution are essential that they have political agendas beyond community love. Is The Establishment Of An Imam Compulsory? One of the established goals of Jamaat-e-Islami is the establishment of a religious state. It is a dangerous ideology that works under the guise of secularism. Many times, this agenda of the Jamaat has fallen apart. Whole of South Asia has realized that. They said it covertly and openly through word-of-mouth of preaching. They highlighted the quote 'Nasbul Imami Wajibun' (Establishing an Imam is obligatory) as a basis for that. Is the establishment of an Imam an obligatory duty for Muslims as the Maududists argue? Does this remark confirm Maududi's Hukumat e Ilahi (establishment of divine rule)? The above reference is about Imam al-Alam, who is designated for the global Muslims as a whole. And not an imam confined to the borders of a region or nation as Maududi thought. The circumstances in which the appointment of this kind of Imamul Alam is mandatory, from who, when, how, and everything has been explained in great detail by the scholars with Nazbul Imami Wajibun. This has been mentioned in detail in religious books such as Shahrul Aqa'id and Shahrul Maqasid and about a dozen religious books such as Tuhfa and Mughni. Moreover, many books dealing only with this subject are not rare. The Ahkamussultaniyyah (rules of governance) of Imam Mawardi (RA) and Abu Ya'la (RA) are important in that. Only when read along with that explanation can the proper interpretation of the Islamic concept of Imamat be properly understood. But the Maududists have buried all those explanations for their own narrow interests. Otherwise, all the Islamist movements known under the label of religion, including Jamaat-e-Islami, have grown up by extracting only a little of what they need from the Islamic scriptures such as the Qur'an and Hadith, hiding its true essence and misinterpreting it. There is a precise methodology for determining Imamul Alam. The Imam is to be established by a joint pledge of allegiance (Ahlul Halli Wal Aqd) of all the lands inhabited by Muslims in the world. There are several conditions for one to be chosen as an Imam. Only those who have fully assembled them can be in this position. Being a Muslim from the Quraysh tribe, doing righteous deeds, deep knowledge of Islamic injunctions, not having speech, hearing and sight limitations, not having any disabilities that can hinder the activity with agility, good judgment and administrative skills, bravery etc. are the conditions that the Imam must have. Each term hereof shall be construed herein beyond its literal meaning and shall have the broadest meaning that it technically includes. Imam Mawardi (ra) explained 'to be righteous' as follows: 'He must be righteous. Credibility should be easy. Stay away from things that raise doubts. Avoid mistakes completely. To be exemplary in liking and anger' (Ahkamussultaniyyah). There are also conditions for the managers who appoint the imam. Skill in finding the most suitable person, in-depth knowledge of Imamat and being righteous are important in it. This becomes an obligatory duty of Muslims only when there is a person who meets all the above conditions and all conditions suitable for appointing him as Imam exist in the Muslim world. Scholars believe that after the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate, there may not be a favourable situation in the Muslim world to establish Imam al-Alam. Therefore, scholars have said that the Muslim world will not be blamed for not establishing an Imam. Allama Farhawi underlines this in his book Hasiyatunnibrazi (p: 664-668). The teaching of religion is that every believer is not obliged to restore this religious position which has disappeared automatically in the course of time. But the terrorist movements are taking up arms with Muslim youth under the mistaken belief that the restoration of the Khilafat is a duty. It has no religious basis except as a politically motivated idea. That being said, no matter how hard the Maududists look, they cannot find anything in Islamic scriptures that supports their 'Hukumat-Eilahia'. Because there is no such thing in Islam. It is a pure misinterpretation that Abul A'la Maududi twisted the Islamic precepts in the first half of the 20th century for his own ambitions of power. Islam is comprehensive. It is a code of ideas that can be applied in any situation. The scriptures tell us exactly how a Muslim should live in a fully Islamic environment and where he cannot practice his religion openly. The Makkah life and Madinah life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is an open textbook in this regard. Maududi's interpretation is that the religious practice of a Muslim will be complete only when he lives in an Islamic state and therefore it is necessary for every believer to spend his life and death for the construction of an Islamic state. For that he defined Deen as State. The Jamaat literature propagated that 'Deen really means the state, Shariat means the legal system of that state and Ibadat is to live life according to that legal system' (Khutubat p: 378). Maududi saw religion as a way to power. For a Muslim there is no need for an Islamic state to live according to religious practice. Islam has given him precise guidelines to adjust his religious life according to the circumstances. He is only commanded to do what is possible. 'Allah only commands what is possible' (Quran 1: 286). ----- A regular columnist for NewAgeIslam.com, Mubashir V.P is a PhD scholar in Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and freelance journalist. URL: https://newageislam.com/the-war-within-islam/religious-nationalists-communal-islamist-communalism/d/129182 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Prophetic Dreams and Ulema of Pakistan

A True Dream Is Said To Be The 46th Part Of Prophethood Main Points: 1. A lady doctor of Pakistan claims she had a vision of the prophet pbuh. 2. She saw Allama Iqbal, Jinnah, Imran Khan, the holy prophet, Hadhrat Abu Bakr and Hadhrat Umar r.a. together in Madina mosque. 3. Habibur Rahman Peshawari dreamt of the prophet pbuh. 4. A follower of Engineer Ali Mirza dreamt the prophet pbuh. ----- By New Age Islam Staff Writer 24 February 2023 Photo: Baha'i Teachings.com/ Prophetic Dreams ------ Dreams have a special significance in Islam. A true dream is said to be the 46th part of Prophethood. The prophet of Islam had dreams on many occasions. The tradition of azan was also started after two holy companions were instructed in a dream. Many Muslims, both Ulema and ordinary pious Muslims across the world have claimed that they saw the holy prophet in a dream. There is a hadith of the prophet pbuh that '"whoever sees me in a dream sees me because the satan cannot impersonate me. " Some accounts of the face of the holy prophet pbuh are present in books of Seerah. Those who dream of the prophet pbuh match the account with the face of the prophet pbuh as seen in the dream and confirm the truth of their dream. But it is to be noted that the accounts of prophetic dreams are more often come from Pakistan. There are many claims by Pakistani Ulema and common Muslims of Pakistan that they had a dream or a vision of the prophet pbuh. A few months ago, a lady doctor of Pakistan Dr Nida (a dentist) who lives in Ohio in the US called Dr Javed of Pakistan and told him that she had a vision of the holy prophet pbuh. The prophet pbuh asked her to pass on a message to Imran Khan. The entire call is recorded and uploaded on YouTube. She says that after Imran Khan's party PTI had won the elections in 2014 and formed his government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa she had a vision of the holy prophet pbuh. At that time she was in Lahore. She says that she is not a very pious person. One day, after she offered the Zuhr prayer, she went into a trance like state and saw herself in Masjid-e-Nabwi (the prophet's mosque in Madina). She saw Allama Iqbal and Jinnah there. Then the first caliph Hadhrat Abu Bakr appeared. After him the second Calipha Hazrat Umar appeared with a sword in hand. She thought that the third and fourth caliphs would appear for some important meeting but she was surprised that Imran Khan appeared. Lastly the holy prophet appeared. The holy prophet pbuh hinted towards Imran Khan and said, 'He is a Mujahid". Then the holy prophet pbuh turned towards the lady doctor and said to her, "Tell Imran Khan that if he forms his government on the model of Iran, Allah and his prophet pbuh will be with him." After narrating the vision, the lady doctor said that before the vision, she had no idea what the Iranian form of government was. But when she searched for it on the internet she found out the hierarchy of the Iranian government. The lady said that she had this vision in 2014 when Imran Khan's party had first formed government in KPK but she got another instruction again to pass the message to Imran Khan when his government was dissolved through a conspiracy. She says thay she had earlier told about the vision to an MNA ( a member of Parliament) and the man stood before him with folded hands as if he was her slave and she was his master. There is no way to confirm or question the vision. But the account raises some questions. It’s not a dream during sleep but a vision while sitting on the prayer mat after the namaz. She has a long vision in which she sees the propounder of the idea of a Muslim state within India, Poet Iqbal, the first prime minister of Pakistan Jinnah, then she sees the two caliphs and after them she sees Imran Khan whom the prophet pbuh calls a mujahid and reportedly wants him to establish the Iranian form of government in Pakistan. It should be remembered that Iran is a Shia majority country and in Pakistan Shias are considered Kafirs. Another point is that Imran Khan had formed his government in KPK in 2014 and the lady had the vision in 2014 and had conveyed the "prophetic message" to his party in 2014. Imran Khan came to power at the centre but did not form his government on the Iranian model. Perhaps that was why he was toppled. So she got another instruction to do so. The Quran and hadith have not mentioned any particular form of government for Islamic countries and with the prophet, the Deen was declared complete. How is it that a particular form of government is being prescribed for Pakistan through a dream now? There is an article of Mansoor Hashem Khorasani on the topic of prophetic dream on the website Alkhorasani. Here are the excerpts. There is a hadith, “Whoever sees me in a dream has surely seen me, for Satan cannot impersonate me,” but this narration is useful to one who recognizes the face of the Prophet, not to one who does not know what his face was like. In other words, this narration has been stated only for the Sahabah, not for those who came after them; because those who came after them cannot distinguish whether they have seen the Prophet’s face or someone else’s face in a dream. Even if the person they have seen in a dream introduces himself as the Prophet, it is not certain if he is truly the Prophet; because it is not stated in the narration that Satan cannot introduce himself as the Prophet, but rather it is stated that he cannot impersonate him. Therefore, the person who has introduced himself as the Prophet in a dream may have been Satan; especially considering that such work is also possible while awake; in the sense that a liar can introduce himself as the Prophet while awake; such as some Dajjals who believe in incarnation or reincarnation and have introduced themselves as the Prophet, the Messiah, or another person from the righteous people of the past, and therefore, a fortiori such work will be possible in a dream, which is the territory of Satans and does not have the limitations of wakefulness at least for them. Claiming to receive a message from God to communicate to people means claiming to be a Prophet; because Prophethood has no meaning other than receiving a message from God to communicate to people; as He has said: ﴿مَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ﴾[6]; “Nothing is on the Prophet but communicating (the Message),” while there is no Prophet after Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family. Therefore, one who claims that God has informed him about things in a dream so that he informs others about them is actually one of the false claimants of Prophethood; especially considering that many Prophets did not make any claim beyond that; because they received God’s words in their dreams. From here, the incorrectness of your words about the mentioned person is revealed that you have said: “He does not claim to be a special person and only tells others about his dreams by order of God and the Prophet”; because the claim that he tells others about his dreams by order of God and the Prophet is the biggest claim!" (Source: The website for the office of Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani https://www.alkhorasani.com/en/content/2931/) A few months ago another claim of a prophetic dream was made by an alim of Peshawar who is a teacher in a madrasa. He says that he dreamt that the prophet pbuh appeared to him and asked him to pass on a dua (prayer) to Mufti Taqi Usmani so that he recites it and advice others to recite it because a heavy affliction may come to the Muslims. Here, the prophet pbuh does not appear in Mufti Taqi Usmani's dream but conveys his message through another person's dream. The Dua which the holy prophet pbuh teaches Maulana Habibur Rahman Peshawari is already recorded as a hadith in Mishkat Sharif. In other words, the holy prophet pbuh had already taught the dua to the companions 1450 years ago and is recorded in books of hadiths. Secondly, Muslims have been told in the Quran and hadith what to do and what not to and the Muslims know what the repercussions of their wrongdoings and violations of the Quranic injunctions might be. There is ample guidance on what Muslims should do in social and political situations. There is another claim of prophetic dream by a common Muslim of Pakistan. A follower of a popular cleric of Pakistan, Engineer Mohammad Ali Mirza writes to him that after he started watching his videos and practicing what he preached, he saw the prophet pbuh in a dream. So he believes that Engineer Ali Mirza is on the right path. He claims that by the time he wrote the letter to him, he had already seen the holy prophet pbuh thrice. There are other similar claims by Ulema and common Muslims of Pakistan. A prominent cleric of Pakistan Mufti Tarique Masood says that a Muslim may see the holy prophet pbuh in his dream but the issues of Shariah are not decided by such dreams. Engineer Mohammad Ali Mirza also has the same view. He says, “We follow Deen as it is presented in books not by dreams. Here there are people who narrate false dreams (of the prophet) for material benefits. They say, “The prophet pbuh asked for the taxi fare from me ". They built large buildings by narrating such dreams. Women even give away their ornaments." Engineer Ali Mirza's statement hints at what some people do in Pakistan. They narrate false accounts of prophetic dreams to collect funds. URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/prophetic-dreams-ulema-pakistan/d/129183 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Talat Mahmood: A Whisper Soft Voice

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 24 February 2023 “Mutrib Se Kaho Iss Andaaz Se Gaaye/Har Dil Ko Lage Chot-Si, Har Aankh Bhar Aaye “(Ask the singer to sing in a way that every heart should feel the angst and every eye must be tearful). Raghupati Sahay ' Firaq' wrote this couplet and I've a gut feeling that he had Talat Mahmood as a singer on his mind. Today, Feb 24, is Talat's 99th birthday. Man with the silken voice: Talat Mahmood ---- Hailing from Lucknow, Gahwara-e-Tahzeeb-o-Tamaddun (cradle of courtesy and decorum), Talat had that proverbial refinement of Avadh written all over his personality and persona. Khayyam called him a gentleman singer who was always well-dressed and courteous. A person's upbringing reveals the professional dimension of his/her personality. Talat's 747 songs in 12 Indian languages underscore his ultra-decency and sophistication. His voice was like, Kahin Chatki Kali Koi (like a blooming bud). Listen to his signature number, 'Jalte Hain Jiske Liye' (Film, Sujata, 1959). That quivering voice (Larazti Awaz) transports you to the gossamer world of love and longing or just play the number, ' Phir Wahi Shaam Wahi Gham Wahi Tanhai Hai' (Film, Jahan Ara, 1964), you'll be taken to a realm of palpable sadness. How can connoisseurs forget Talat's ' Meri Yaad Mein Tum Na Aansoo Bahana' (Madhosh, 1951), ' Seene Mein Sulagte Hain Arman ' (Film, 'Tarana'), ' Sham-e-Gham Ki Qasam ' (Film, Footpath), ' Tasveer Banata Hoon' (Film, Bara-Dari) or ' Sab Kuchh Luta Ke Hosh Mein Aaye Toh...' (Film, Ek Saal)? The in-built pathos in his voice lent a kind of a cathartic sublimation to these evergreen number. When he sang ' Aansoo Samajh Ke Tum Mujhe' (Film, Chhaya, 1961) and ' Dekh Lee Teri Khudai' (Kinare Kinare, 1963), you empathise with the scene, set, state and the situation of the character and singer. Talat had an evocative voice and being a very sensitive man, he emoted so well in all the numbers which he rendered in his velvety voice. Despite being a smoker, Talat had a surprisingly soft voice. Naushad didn't like Talat's habit of smoking and was angry when the singer smoked before recording for a song in 'Babul' ( 1950). Naushad didn't repeat the singer till 1968. Though Talat had an inimitably soft voice, some music experts are of the view that it was both his forte and flaw as he couldn't sing relatively high-pitched numbers. Nonetheless, Talat remains a great singer whose songs are still savoured by the discerning lovers of music. My personal favourite numbers have been his, ' Ashkon Ne Jo Paaya Hai Woh Geeton Mein Diya Hai ' (Film, Chandi Ki Deewar, 1964) and that impish number ' Aankhon Mein Masti Sharaab Ki, Kaali Zulfon Mein'. I also love his Bangla numbers sung under the sobriquet Tapan Kumar. In the US, he was often referred to as the Frank Sinatra of India. Incidentally, he breathed his last on May 9, 1998- 5 days before Sinatra's death. Talat also starred in 13 films but didn't get much success. Let's remember the great singer by singing some of his finest, cleanest and ethereal numbers in these morbid times when music has become like miasma emanating from a morgue. ------- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/talat-mahmood-soft-voice/d/129184 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Hereafter, Thereafter Or Transcendental Existence

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 23 February 2023 While Mr S Arshad elucidated the Doctrine of Reincarnation in a lucid manner, I'm afraid, it doesn't explain many phenomena of life. Life is too complex to be explained by certain theories and doctrines. I agree with Mr Ghulam Mohiyuddin that it's the inherent unwillingness of humans to accept that Death is the End. The Eastern belief system believes in the continuity of things and the continuation of life. That's why, Hindu religion concocted the concept of 84 lakh yoni (84 lakh lives). All Puranas (altogether 18) describe this journey of several lives and types to culminate in human life, which's considered to be the ultimate. Hinduism and its offshoots Buddhism and Jainism believe in rebirth. But if you look at all religions and their post-death philosophies, you'll realize that it's because of our fear of death, we've concocted rebirth, Hereafter, Thereafter or Transcendental existence. All these things are meaningless. If Edwin Booth took birth as Amitabh, Nana Saheb as Indira Gandhi and Tipu Sultan as APJ Abdul Kalam, where did all sorts of intervening lives (insects, worms, animals etc.) go? If humans take birth as (only) humans, then there's no meaning of the concept of 84 lakh (different) yonis. Humans unnecessarily make life complicated by fabricating terms like transmigration, transmutation of soul. All scriptures further strengthened these baseless ideas by institutionalizing them. Gabriel Marquez once said, ' An individual's life is a single and independent unit that begins and ends here. The indomitable wish to live forever in whatever way possible is the root to creating a medley of theological beliefs. ' This convoluted perpetuation of human life witnessed only men and no women in the Buddhist tradition of Dalai Lamas. Does soul (which actually doesn't exist) also discriminate between sexes and favour only men? The belief that unfulfilled deeds and wishes get fulfilled in next birth and as a new person is a wistful thinking. Claiming that Mozart's life was a continuation from the previous birth because he composed his first symphony at the age of 4 and a half has no scientific basis. But I must add here (just for the sake of effect) that when someone asked the great English poet Keats, how he wrote such sublime poetry at such a tender age, Keats said, " I'm living a posthumous life" (one of the greatest lines in the annals of English literature). It's worthwhile to mention that Keats died at the age of 26 in 1821! By the way, today, Feb 23, is his death anniversary! Coming back to reincarnation, rebirth, heaven, hell or Hereafter, 'Dil Ke Bahlane Ko Ghalib Ye Khayaal Acchha Hai...' ------- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/hereafter-thereafter-transcendental-existence-/d/129174 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Charlie Hebdo Cartoon Mocking Syrian And Turkish Earthquake Victims: A Display Of Immorality And Prejudice Against Muslims

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 23 February 2023 The Caricature from Charlie Hebdo Shows How Anti-Muslim and Islamophobic Sentiment Has Risen In France Main Points · The Charlie Hebdo cartoon mocked the victims of the earthquake and thus received harsh criticism from a substantial number of social media users. · Fostering hatred and contempt for Muslims has been pervasive in France, especially in recent decades. · In the past, Charlie Hebdo published a number of drawings that were openly derogatory and hostile towards Islam and its ideals. · The magazine's actions are unmistakable evidence of extreme anti-Islamic prejudice. · Making fun of any victim of a disaster is never acceptable, regardless of their colour or religion. · The more we criticise the Charlie Hebdo caricature, the less we actually condemn it. ------- The front page of Charlie Hebdo entitled C'est Reparti (Here we go again), is displayed at a kiosk in Nice February 25, 2015. Reuters/FILE ----- Some things are so obviously wrong and odd that only a heartless, spiteful person could find them funny or acceptable. The recently published Charlie Hebdo caricature, which is known for spreading hatred across the globe under the pretext of humour and entertainment, serves as an example of this. In the past, Charlie Hebdo published a number of drawings that were openly derogatory and hostile towards Islam and its ideals. This cartoon mocked thousands of Syrians and Turks who died in Turkey's devastating earthquake a few days ago and were also injured. Turkish and international social media users have responded vehemently and rightfully against the magazine for this inhumane and unethical behaviour. Everyone agrees that Charlie Hebdo's actions were improper, racially discriminatory, and motivated by ingrained prejudices against Muslims and other races in French culture. Fostering hatred and contempt for Muslims has been pervasive in France, especially in recent decades. The fundamentally wrong sense of superiority that dominates French society appears to attack not only Muslims but also other races. Following the catastrophic earthquake that affected millions of people in the two countries and claimed at least 20,000 lives, the cartoon garnered strong criticism from a sizable number of social media users. The users described the cartoon as "disgusting," "shameful," "filthy," and “horrifyingly reminiscent of hate speech”. A female user responded by declaring that she was stopping her support for the magazine. The "true core" of Charlie Hebdo, according to one commentator, was portrayed in the cartoon, while Islamophobia was the only thing the journal was profitable for, according to another. Dr. Omar Suleiman, an American Muslim scholar, said: “Mocking the death of thousands of Muslims is the peak of how France has dehumanized us in every way.”< A woman by the name of Ushna Shah said, “#CharlieHebdo is a disgraced, racist and fascist publication. It takes the lowest level of sickness to mock such a disaster. Beyond deplorable; this will surpass “not bathing” as the worst thing France will ever be known for. Disgusting” #CharlieHebdo is a disgraced, racist and fascist publication. It takes the lowest level of sickness to mock such a disaster. Beyond deplorable; this will surpass “not bathing” as the worst thing France will ever be known for. Disgusting. — Ushna Shah (@ushnashah) February 9, 2023 Other Twitter users mentioned how Turkish residents organised marches in favour of the "Je suis Charlie" movement following the 2015 tragedy, only to encounter pushback that many perceived as ridicule. Znur Küçüker Sirene, a political expert, tweeted at the magazine. “Even the Turks were ‘Charlie Hebdo’ to share your grief and today you dare mock the suffering of an entire people. One must really have some nerve to do this while there are still babies waiting to be rescued underneath the rubble,” she said. Mohammad Haider Raza Misbahi, an Islamic scholar, posted the following on Facebook in Urdu, which is translated as follows in English: Heartbreaking Cartoon by Charlie Hebdo on Turkey Earthquake Several tremors of the most destructive earthquake were felt last Monday in Turkey and Syria. According to official data, the magnitude of the earthquake has already claimed the lives of almost 20,000 individuals (with each passing time, this number is increasing). Both of the affected countries are receiving active assistance from the international community. India also dispatched soldiers from its National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with the necessary humanitarian supplies. Moreover, the project as a whole was referred to as "Operation Dost." It's been said that evil people come to light during difficult times. The world has once again seen the repulsive side of the offensive French magazine Charlie Hebdo thanks to this terrible tragedy. In fact, it mocked those who had to endure this heavenly calamity in the shape of an earthquake by writing, "Now there is no need to even send a tank," in a cartoon titled "Earthquake in Turkey." In this way, this magazine mocked and celebrated the deaths of innocent people in the name of "freedom of expression." This action has also revealed the motivations of the magazine for wanting to destroy Muslim countries and people. Remember that this is the blasphemous publication that has repeatedly dared to publish caricatures meant to incite hatred against Muslims. In one of the hadiths, the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) said (إذا لم تستحي، فاصنع ما شئت) what is best rendered in Persian as follows: “Behayaa Baash, Harche Khawahi Kun” i.e. ‘If you don't feel shame, then do whatever you want' The same may be said of such dishonest people and groups as Charlie Hebdo. The holy Quran may have issued this warning to such senseless people by saying, "Die in your fury." .......by Mohammad Haider Raza [Translated by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi] To completely grasp this verse, it would be really interesting to quote the entire verse. Almighty Allah declares in this verse: “Look, you [O Muslims] are the ones who love them and they do not love you. And you believe in the Book, in all of it. And when they meet you, they say, 'We believe", and when they are alone they bite their fingertips out of rage against you. Say [O Prophet], 'Die in your rage." Surely, Allah is All-Aware of what lies in the hearts.” (3:119) This verse alludes to the hypocrisy of some individuals who existed during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and who regularly incited irrational fury and hatred. The more we criticise the Charlie Hebdo caricature, the less we actually condemn it. The magazine's actions are unmistakable evidence of extreme anti-Islamic prejudice. There is a growing anti-Muslim mentality in France and many other Western countries that is characterised by a completely unjustified fear and hatred of Islam and Muslims. One of the main reasons Muslims are marginalised and the target of discrimination not only in France but also around the world is because of this Islamophobia, which is usually fuelled by inaccurate information and unfavourable stereotypes. By mocking the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, Charlie Hebdo not only contributes to these negative attitudes but also to the widespread anti-Muslim prejudice in France and abroad. Making fun of any victim of a disaster is never acceptable, regardless of their colour or religion. For instance, when Charlie Hebdo itself was attacked in 2015, neither the Turkish government nor their social strata joined in the celebration. Instead, it sent a senior ambassador to Paris to show solidarity with France against terrorism. The earthquake victims in Turkey need to be treated with respect and decency because they have experienced enormous loss and trauma. In addition to being cynical, mocking their pain conveys the message that their families and loved ones, as well as their lives and experiences, are not cherished or respected. This kind of message is extremely damaging in the context of French and larger Western culture, which is already sharply divided along ethnic and religious lines. ---- A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is a Classical Islamic scholar with a Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator. URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/hebdo-cartoon-earthquake-immorality-prejudice/d/129178 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Abd al Malik and His Role in Quran’s Canonization

By Arshad Alam, New Age Islam 23 February 2023 Why The Reluctance To Talk About It When It Is Attested By Multiple Traditions? Main Points: 1. Islamic narrative says that the third caliph Uthman canonized the Quran. 2. But Uthman was killed in his own house by fellow Muslims; apparently, he never had the moral authority or the political power to impose his will. 3. In order to have one text imposed over all other existing ones, we must assume a powerful state and it was only the Marwanid state, under caliph Abd al Malik, which possessed the power to do so. 4. In the whole of early Islamic literature, there is only one source (al Zuhri) which links Uthman to Quranic compilation. 5. And even this source is dubious; making the claims of an Uthmanic standardization highly unlikely. 6. In contrast, there are multiple sources (both Islamic and non-Islamic) attesting the roles of Abd al Malik and his strongman Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in standardizing the Quran. ------ Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam was the fifth Umayyad caliph, ruling from April 685 until his death in October 705. ------ The Islamic tradition tells us that the Quranic compilation started shortly after the Prophet’s death in 632. Some traditions state that the codification of the text was already underway during the time of the first caliph, but his death in 634 put this process to a temporary halt. Some hadiths debunk this claim by stating that Abu Bakr himself was reluctant to codify it as a book, as the Prophet himself didn’t do it in his lifetime. But there is almost near unanimity within the Islamic tradition that the process was completed during the time of the third caliph, Uthman. This unanimity though is only within what is called the ‘Sunni tradition’; the Shia texts tells a very different story regarding the process of compilation. Leaving this important Shia story for some other time, let us concentrate only on the Sunni narration of events for the time being. The claim is that Uthman not only selected one codex (Mushaf) from the existing ones but also commanded that all others be destroyed. It was this Uthmanic codex, sent to all parts of the expanding empire, which till today continues to be treated as the standard Quran. Islamic tradition also tells us that Uthman died a violent death at the hands of Muslims, primarily Egyptians, but amongst the murderous mob were also second-generation Muslims, like the son of Abu Bakr. Uthman was killed in his own house in 656, after being surrounded and threatened for days together by an angry Muslim mob outside who thought that he had betrayed them. In the city of Medina itself, the caliph could not summon enough people to guard him. What kind of political authority did Uthman hold then? Logically, this authority must be extremely limited, otherwise it is simply impossible that he would be killed in his own dwelling. All of this story comes from our Islamic tradition. And yet the same tradition also tells us that Uthman had the authority to confiscate variant readings of the Quran and burn them; that he had the power to make one variant of the text the standard version and that everyone accepted this imposition. Can a man who could not protect his own dwelling be powerful enough to enforce his will across the empire? It doesn’t seem likely. The Islamic state was in a very nascent state; the assumption that Usman wielded the authority to enforce one standardized Quran looks very far-fetched, though not impossible. Given the limited authority of caliph Uthman, his codex can only be understood as regional rather than national and it competed with other codices that were extant at the time. Moreover, the reason why Usman was killed has to do with his nepotism, corruption, etc. The fact that he destroyed all other codices was not the reason for protests against his rule. How shall we understand this? If early Muslims were so devoted to the Quran as it is made out to be, then surely, they must have protested against this imposition by Uthman. But they did not. This possibly means that the story of Usman being the compiler of the Quran does not have a sound basis. But if all that Uthman was attempting to do was to have a regional codex, then there would’ve been no need for early Muslims to be offended as they must have known about the existence of competing codices. There is therefore sound basis not to end the story of the canonization of the Quran with Uthman. There is another memory which is part of the Sunni Islamic tradition itself which places this standardization fifty years later, during the time of the Marwanid caliph Abd al Malik. This is part of the Islamic memory because early Muslims themselves have written about it. Scholars like Baladhuri and others have mentioned this in their works. Building upon this tradition, modern scholarship is arguing that the standardization of the Quran must be seen as a process, which did not end during the time of Uthman. Rather there were much later interlocutors who had decisively intervened in this process. They argue that the interventions made during the reign of Abd al Malik (785-705) and his regime henchman al Hajjaj ibn Yusuf (d. 714) were of critical importance. Al Hajjaj was the governor of Iraq and it is to him that many of the Quranic improvements are attributed during the period (702-705), but certainly it would not have been possible without the consent of the caliph Abd al Malik. Omar Hamdan has argued that al Hajjaj was aided in this endeavour by a committee of Ulama, all of whom came from Basra. He further argues that Hajjaj wanted to get rid of the variant codex of Ibn Masud which was popular in Kufa, another Iraqi city. Thus, Hamdan hints that this new codification led by al Hajjaj should be understood as a Sunni theological revival against the restive followers of Ali located largely in the province of Kufa. After the process was complete, Hajjaj gave orders to destroy all the variant codex, assigning this task to three people who would be paid 60 dirhams for each such codex destroyed. Thus, we find much similarity between Usman and Hajjaj’s handling of the varying readings of the Quran. It is beyond doubt that as compared to the times of Uthman, the state under Abd al Malik was in a position to enforce its writ through a loyal army which had levelled all opposition. Hajjaj had himself led the expedition to rout the rival caliphate of Abdullah ibn Zubayr based in Mecca not so long ago. However, it is also a fact that Abd al Malik himself proclaimed in Medina that he did not produce a new Quran; rather he was only re-introducing the Uthmanic Quran. The Sunni scholarship has mostly accepted this claim as true without any interrogation. But what about all the memories associated with al Hajjaj and his destruction of the variant Qurans which survive in Islamic and non-Islamic sources? And what was the need of such a proclamation? Can it be that he was trying to allay the fears and anger of the Medinan Muslims due to his redaction of the Quran? How should we understand this? It is a fact that the early Islamic literature does not have any recollection of Uthman’s attempt at codification. Islamic literature recollects this Uthmanic effort only much later in middle of 8th and some in the 9th centuries, by which time, al Hajjaj’s codification had already finished (705). What is more interesting is that all those who write about the Uthmanic codification ultimately go back to one source for their information: al Zuhri. Al Zuhri is mightily intriguing figure in early Islamic history, who is a contemporary witness to whatever Abd al Malik and al Hajjaj were doing. So in that sense, he is important but at the same time, he is the only source through which we came to know about the Uthmanic Quran. Harold Motzki, the famous Hadith scholar, has given a solid argument which traces the tradition of Uthmanic collection very strongly to al Zuhri. But as we have seen, this is the one and the only source on which this entire narrative edifice is based. It is part of the Islamic historiography that truthfulness of a particular tradition should be attested by those who are of an exemplary character. So, it is logical to ask who was this al Zuhri and how exemplary was his character. Al Zuhri was extremely close to the Umayyads and under Abd al Malik, he held various official positions as a judge and even a tax collector. Contemporary scholars of the times have accused him of being a shock trooper of the Umayyads and denounce him as an axle of falsehoods. His being in service of the Abd al Malik certainly comprises his position as someone who could have maintained his intellectual integrity for long. The fact that al Zuhri will eventually retire with a gift of an estate tells us that he was never on the wrong side of the caliph. It is entirely possible therefore that al-Zuhri’s attempt to make Uthman as the first successful collector of Quran was aimed at benefitting Abd al Malik. But why would Abd al Malik want to do so? Abd al Malik would do this because his deputy al Hajjaj had recently besieged Medina and hence it was important to allay their fears so that the caliphate does not face any fresh resistance. Abd al Malik would also do so to proclaim the superiority of Umayyads; the first one to do so was Uthman and he was perfecting the work of his predecessor. Thus, although the revelation came within the Hashemites, but it would be the Umayyads who would make the Quran into an insignia of an imperial state. It is important to recall that the Umayyads do not trace their origin from Muwaviya, rather they trace it from Uthman. Moreover, by this time, the Arab empire had come into day to day contact with Christians who had a book which the Arabs did not possess or if they possessed had too many variants. If we look at Abd al Malik’s reign, we see the process of Arabization: the use of Arabic rather than Byzantine coins, the encouragement of Arabic as the court language, etc. The Arabic Quran was the gift of this imperial state to its people. But so as not to effect a rupture within the Umayyad legacy, Uthman became important and hence credited with the first attempt at codifying the Arabic Quran. Abd al Malik seems to be proclaiming that the Umayyads not just gave them the Quran (canonized) but also gave the Muslims the power to spread the Quran by establishing an Islamic state. Multiple sources exist for what Abd al Malik and al Hajjaj did with the Quran. These sources are not just contemporary and Islamic but also from outside the Islamic tradition. Omar Hamdan lists a whole host of Muslim names who collaborated on this project with the Umayyad state at that time. From outside the Islamic tradition, we have John of Damascus (675-749) writing about the Quran with reference to the redaction of Abd al Malik. The exchange of letters between the Byzantine emperor Leo III (717-741) and Umayyad caliph Umar II (717-720) also has a reference to this episode. There is consensus in the Islamic world that it was Uthman who produced the first standardized Quranic codex although the claim is very thin as it based on a single source and too of a dubious character. But there is near silence on the second standardization during the time of Abd al Malik which is attested through multiple sources, both Islamic and non-Islamic. In terms of modern historical scholarship, it will only be the latter which will be taken as more credible. More importantly though, why is it that Muslims do not want to acknowledge the contribution of Abd al Malik and Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in the canonization of the Quran? Is it because it will place the standardization of the Quran at a much later date and this will upset many of their traditional formulations? ------ A regular contributor to NewAgeIslam.com, Arshad Alam is a writer and researcher on Islam and Muslims in South Asia. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/abd-malik-quran-canonization-umayyad-caliph/d/129179 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

The Doctrine of Reincarnation Explains Many Phenomena of Life

By S. Arshad, New Age Islam 22 February 2023 Saints Preach Renouncing Desires to Stop the Cycle of Reincarnation Main Points: 1. Hinduism and Buddhism believe in the Doctrine of Reincarnation. 2. The doctrine of Karma is linked to the doctrine of reincarnation. 3. Karma in the present life leads to the next birth. 4. Unfulfilled desires lead to the condition of next birth. ------ Photo: https://ocoy.org/ ----- The doctrine of Karma and the doctrine of reincarnation are the fundamental doctrines of Indian religious philosophy. Both Buddhism and Hinduism believe in karma and reincarnation. Buddhism did not believe in the role of God in shaping up the life of human beings. Buddha said that a man's deeds in the present life shape his next life. Hinduism also believes that the deeds of an individual in successive lives keep accumulating and shape his future lives according to his good or bad deeds. In Hinduism, it is also believed that unfulfilled desires lead to the condition in the next life. Islam does not believe in rebirth or reincarnation. It though believes in deeds. Individuals have only one life and he goes to Hell or Heaven on the basis of his deeds in life. There are many questions about life which perplex the mind. Why are some people born rich and some others poor. Why are some people born with extraordinary intelligence and others with low intelligence? Why are some people born with an inclination towards a particular art, sport, subject or field of science? Is it only on the basis of heredity or genes? If we analyse these questions from the point of view of the doctrine of reincarnation, we find the answer. Swami Bhaskaranand writes in his book "The Essentials of Hinduism": "The doctrine of reincarnation explains many things which cannot otherwise be explained adequately. For instance, the genius of a child prodigy like Mozart cannot be satisfactorily explained by heredity or genes alone. Only the doctrine of reincarnation can explain this satisfactorily. Such a prodigy must have been a highly accomplished musician in his last birth, and he carried that talent over to this incarnation." A person's good deeds or his accumulated knowledge in previous births make him a great scholar, writer, philosopher or scientist in his next birth because of his accumulated knowledge in successive births. Similarly, a person's accumulated bad deeds make him a bad man, or a criminal or a tyrant ruler in his next birth and may even lead to his birth as an animal in one of his reincarnations. According to Hinduism, such individuals die in infancy birth after birth to work out his karma before they are liberated. Therefore, in Hinduism, a child is not necessarily pure or innocent. Swami Bhaskarananda writes: "In the light of reincarnation, Hinduism does not necessarily consider a new born child to be pure or an innocent soul. Nor does Hinduism believe that a child who dies shortly after birth goes to heaven or becomes liberated. Every birth is an opportunity for an individual to grow and progress spiritually through the bitter and sweet experiences of life. Those dying in infancy do not get that opportunity. A person with a lot of bad karma to work out may be repeatedly born just in order to die again and again in his infancy." According to the Doctrine of Reincarnation, unfulfilled desires also lead to the state of life in the next birth. This is why saints preach shunning or renouncing of desires to avoid painful future life. We find many instances of people who demonstrate that they lived an unfulfilled life in their previous birth. Take for example, Sonu Kumar, the child from a Bihar village in India who was in the news a few months ago. He is about ten years old but talks like an adult man. He is very intelligent and wants to become an IAS officer or a District Magistrate. He was so desperate to achieve his goal that he met the chief minister Nitish Kumar and requested him to arrange for his admission in a good school. Generally, children say they want to become a doctor or engineer because they keep hearing about these professions. But Sonu Kumar wanted to become an IAS officer. This clearly shows that it was his unfulfilled desire of his past life. The accumulated knowledge of his past life is manifest in his behaviour and speech. He is a scholar trapped in the body of a child. Many people remember their previous birth. Such people are called Jatismara in Hinduism. In India many children claimed tey knew their previous birth and their previous family. Swami Bhaskarananda writes, "In Bhagvad Gita, Shri Krishna, a Divine Incarnation, says to his student Arjuna, "Arjuna, both you and I were born many times in the past. You do not remember those births, but I remember them all." There are many modern reincarnationists who can see their past births. Nowadays, the science of past life regression has become more developed and thousands of people have been able to have glimpses of their past life and realised the root cause of their current problems. In future, the science may be so common that every individual will know about his past life. It will be interesting to note here that an American reincarnationist Kevin Tyerson has written a comprehensive book on the topic. He has given the past life names of many famous people of 20th and 21st century with the help of a guiding spirit calked Ahtun Ray with whom he was able to establish contact. For example, Amitabh Bachchan is the reincarnation of Edwin Booth of the US in the 19th century. He was one of the greatest theatre personality of his time. A man had once attacked him and he had got some injuries. Because of the initial B in his surname, he was called Big B. There are striking similarities between Edwin Booth and Amitabh Bachchan. Amitabh Bachchan is also one of the greatest actors of the century. He is also called Big B. He was also injured during a film shooting. His English accent is like that of a British. Secondly, The Maratha leader Nana Saheb reincarnated as Indira Gandhi. Tipu Sultan reincarnated as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Since the Quran has touched upon every aspect of human life and every field of knowledge, we can find what it says or does not say about reincarnation. Since many verses of the Quran are open to various interpretations, we should take the following verses for consideration: "We have ordained death for all of you We cannot be prevented from transforming and recreating you in forms unknown to you. You already know the first creation. So will you not remember."(Al Waqiah: 60-62) "And that it is He alone who deals death and grants life. And that it is He who creates the two kinds --- the male and the female --- out of a mere drop of sperm as it is poured forth and that it is within His power to bring about a second life."(Najm: 44-47) Different translators have translated these verses in slightly different words but the overall meaning of the verses is same. Pickthal and Mohsin Khan use the word transfigure which is similar to transmigration. It suggests that a human being may be transformed by God into another being. That is his soul may be transformed to another human being or any other being according to God's scheme of things. Even if this verse hints at transmigration of souls, it does not contradict the Quranic stand that every human being will be judged by his deeds in his single birth and not by accumulated deeds in all his births. The Quran speaks of a community whom God transformed into monkeys for their misdeeds. According to these past and future life experiences, a person was born a Muslim in one birth, is a Hindu in his present birth and a Christian in his future birth. Again a person was a female in his past birth and a male in his present birth, or is a male in present birth and a female in future birth. Therefore, the Doctrine of Reincarnation provides answers to many questions about life and human behaviour. It also establishes the fact that man himself shapes his future and his condition in the 'after life'. In the Quran, God says that man himself is responsible for his afflictions and God does not do injustice to anybody. ----- S. Arshad is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/doctrine-reincarnation-phenomena-/d/129167 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Discovering Common Values across Religions

By Muhammad Sadir Nadvi Translated into English by Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 22 February 2023 One of the Shared Values among All Religious Works Is The Idea Of One God Main Points 1. President Alok Kumar also emphasised the shared ideals of Hindus and Muslims in order to deepen the bonds of harmony. 2. Maulana Syed Arshad Madani backed the continuation of the series on encouraging Hindu-Muslim relations. 3. Is it possible for all religious adherents to embrace a single solution to a variety of problems that have been deemed unsolvable for centuries? 4. We come to the conclusion that Tawheed is something that all of the religious texts have in common, and that there is only one God, which cannot ever be questioned. ------ The subject of journalism and media for the past few days has been the discussion of interreligious talks and negotiations. It started with the column (dialogue) by the editor of the Urdu newspaper Inquilab, Wadud Sajid. The president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Mr Alok Kumar, voiced a number of criticisms in this column, but he also backed dialogue with Muslim organisations. President Alok Kumar also emphasised the shared ideals of Hindus and Muslims in order to deepen the bonds of harmony. Maulana Syed Arshad Madani's interview, which answered many essential concerns raised during the preceding debate and backed the continuation of this series, served as the second important link in the same series (of interreligious dialogue). Alok Kumar himself said in his interview that even sitting together solves many issues instantly, thus there is no better method for these two interviews to tackle Hindu-Muslim hostility, nationalism, mistrust, and misunderstanding than via communication and negotiation. In addition to this, discussions have been crucial in resolving complex issues, putting a stop to oppression and corruption, learning about various civilizations and cultures, and understanding one another. A key question is whether there is a universal principle that all religious adherents should accept as the foundation for resolving many other problems that have been acknowledged as insoluble for millennia. When we quickly scan the writings of all religions to find the answer to this question, we notice that Tawheed is something that all of the books share (the concept of one God). Religions all share the idea of one God, which cannot be disputed under any circumstances. There is only one God, according to the scriptures of religions that are regarded as being heavenly. In addition, Hinduism, though its adherents are claimed to have believed in 33 million different gods, cannot be without the idea of one God. The worship of one God alone, as opposed to numerous gods, is encouraged by a number of mantras. Here are several examples: 1. He alone was and is the lord and Sustainer of all forms of created being. (Rig Veda 10.121.1) 2. "Ekam evadvitiyam" [Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1] Translation: "He is One only without a second." 3. "Na tasya pratima asti” [Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:19] Translation: "There is no likeness of Him." 4. "na tasya pratima asti” [Yajurveda 32:3] Translation: "There is no image of Him." 5. "shudhama poapvidham" [Yajurveda 40:8] Translation: "He is bodiless and pure." 6. "Ma Cid Anyad Vi Sansata Sakhayo Ma Rishanyata" [Rig-Veda 8:1:1] Translation: "O friends, do not worship anybody but Him, the Divine One. Praise Him alone." 7. ‘Yah Pranato Nimisato Mahitvaika Idraja Jagato Babhuva. Ya Ise Asya Dvipadascatuspadah Kasmai Devaya Havisa Vidhema.’ (Rig Veda 10.121.3) Translation: God is the only Supreme Lord controlling the Universe which consists of sentient and insentient beings. He holds them with his great glory and might. Moreover, He is the creator and overlord controller of all creatures, bipeds and quadrupeds, men and animals. Hence, May we devote ourselves with love and meditation to the Blissful Lord. (Shri Panna Lal Parihar) 8. ‘Sa Paryagacchukramakayamavranam Asnaviram Suddhamapapaviddham. Kavirmanisi Paribhuh Svayambhuryathatathyato Arthan Vyadadhacchasvatibhya Samabhy’ (Yajur Veda 40.8) Translation: The Supreme Spirit overspreads All. Also, this Spirit is powerful and bright, incorporeal and devoid of form and does not assume any bodily shape. Moreover, He is purely perfect, without defect or ignorance and is beyond the contact of sin and is Omniscient and knows the innermost heart of every person. Also, He is the inward controller of all and the dispeller of evils. Further, He is all-supporting, all-pervading and a dispenser of fruits of action as per merit/principles. (Shri Panna Lal Parihar) The Holy Quran declares that there has been a long line of Prophets since the creation of the world, starting with Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him) and that they have all proclaimed the same thing, meaning that there is only one Allah worthy of worship. The Qur'an also asserts that the Messenger of God has reached every nation on the planet. This demonstrated that Tawheed is the true value shared by all nations. They should therefore start by talking about it. The wall of enmity between them will automatically come down if everyone agrees on this concept and goes back to where they belong, which is their true home. The second most important value, after the idea of Tawheed, is universal humanity. No one should dispute that all people are of the same race; regardless of how widely dispersed humans are in the world or how many borders exist between them. The Creator of mankind gave them such a diverse makeup that although there will always be disparities among people, nothing in the world will unify their brains. There may be minor differences of opinion among family members who live in the same home, but this does not imply that these differences of opinion result in animosity or the mistreatment of others. ------ Urdu Article: Discovering Common Values across Religions مذاہب عالم میں مشترکہ قدر کی تلاش URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/discovering-common-values-religions/d/129166 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

Dynamics of Hatred

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 22 February 2023 It's Time To Introspect And Get Rid Of This Toxic Hatred; Muslims Across The World Must Try To Flush It Out Of Their System To Comply With The Contemporary World And Its Modern Thinking. ----- “There’s no permanent enemy and friend in everyday life because life and associations are dynamic and situational. But the dynamics of religion, esp. of Islam, are different. Here, an enemy of (your) faith is your enemy forever. Dynamics of religious hatred can never be defined clearly and cogently. " Salman Rushdie to a British newspaper in 1995 So prophetically true! An Iranian organisation has called the writer Salman Rushdie a ' living dead ' and has declared an award of 1,000 sq. metres of farmland to the man who attacked Rushdie in the US last year. Imagine, the (religious) hatred is still implacable after more than three decades! Almost the same, though not so brutal, happened to Taslima Nasreen, who recently said that her hip surgery went horribly wrong. All Muslim zealots rejoiced and said that their Allah avenged. As if, it has nothing else to do! Why should Allah, if at all it does exist, behave so vindictively like humans? In a speech at the foundation day of 'The Spectator', Richard Ontang of the University of Hull, England, opined that, “Hatred is institutionalized when instigated by a religion. In other words, religion legitimises hatred and justifies its role in brewing and perpetuating contempt and shedding the blood of the transgressor. While many religions have understood the spirit of prevalent times and become mellowed and toned down, the followers of Islam still think it to be their divine duty to behead and mutilate those who dare criticise Allah, Quran and Muhammad. Islam is still stuck in a desert hole of Arab Peninsula just the way it began its marauding journey 1400 years ago." The fanatic attacker almost rendered Rushdie a 'living dead' and there's no denying the fact that the five-time Booker Prize winning author is now partially blind and his one hand is not working. Yet, the uncouth fanatics are happy and rejoicing that Allah has taught him a lesson. For how long can you hate and castigate a person who personally never harmed you and just wrote something flippant about your Muhammad? When the civilised world condemns these medieval murderers, the whole Islamic world cries hoarse and labels it as Islamophobia. This is their clichéd refrain. It's time to introspect and get rid of this toxic hatred. Muslims across the world must try to flush it out of their system to comply with the contemporary world and its modern thinking. By the way, don't forget to read Rushdie's last book, Victory City (Penguin Hamish Hamilton) written before the attack. The book harkens Rushdie's return to magic realism. I just want Rushdie to win next year's Nobel for Literature. ------- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/dynamics-hatred-muslims/d/129165 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism

What Do Common Muslim Readers Think Of The Anti-Suicide Bombing Fatwa Issued By The Pakistani Ulama?

By Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam 21 February 2023 Opinions of Common Muslim Readers on the Fatwa against Suicide Attack Main Points 1. In 2005, 58 Ulama from various schools of thought unanimously agreed that suicide bombings were prohibited by Islam in Pakistan. 2. It was also declared in this fatwa that “suicide attacks in public areas within an Islamic country are illegal and that anyone who does such an act in exchange for a reward is outside of Islam.” 3. BBC Urdu polled its audience on the significance of this fatwa and if it may reduce incidents of terrorism and unlawful killings in Pakistan. 4. In response to these questions, BBC Urdu published Urdu readers’ comments, which we have translated into English in this post. 5. Why did this fatwa state that suicide attacks are to be declared Haraam only in Islamic countries? Why is this not prohibited in non-Muslim countries? 6. According to some scholars, using suicide bombing as a tactic of war is acceptable in some situations. This viewpoint is wholly incompatible with Islam. ------ In 2005, 58 experts from various schools of thought joined the unanimous conclusion of the Ulama in Pakistan that suicide bombings were prohibited. It was officially stated that people were being prepared for terrorism and suicide attacks in the name of religion, so the scholars explained that the main goal of issuing fatwas was to fulfil religious obligations. As a result, they issued this fatwa declaring that it is forbidden to kill innocent people through suicide attacks, bomb blasts, and remote control bombs. It is illegal [haraam], and anyone who commits it declaring it lawful is outside of Islam. During the announcement of this fatwa, Mufti Muneebur Rehman stated that it was delivered in the context of Pakistan, where there had been killings and suicide bombings during the past fifteen years. Numerous suicide assaults in public areas, mosques, and synagogues have resulted in hundreds of fatalities. This fatwa declared that as Islam forbids the destruction of someone's property or life, even murdering a non-Muslim person while they are a resident of a Muslim nation is prohibited. BBC Urdu asked readers for their thoughts on the importance of this fatwa and whether it may reduce incidents of terrorism and unlawful executions in Pakistan. How will it affect Pakistan's reputation around the world? Opinions of Common Muslim Readers on the Fatwa against Suicide Attack In response to these questions, BBC Urdu gave its audience's feedback, which we have translated into English below: Shah Khalid, Charsadda, Pakistan: It is prohibited in Islam as it is in all other religions as well. A new fatwa was not necessary. Abdul Ghafoor, Toronto: Finally, these religious leaders have spoken about abstaining from violence and practising nonviolence. In my perspective, this is an excellent beginning step. This fatwa will emphasise the pacifism of Islam. Ali Raza Khan Buzdar, Hyderabad: Islam is a religion of peace, harmony, and love for one another, and this fatwa is entirely accurate. These things were explained to us more than 1,400 years ago, but the western media consistently portrays Muslims as bloodthirsty fanatics. I'm hoping that the western media will now work to improve how Islam is seen by its citizens. Rumi Akhtar, Torrance, USA: Islam forbids killing an innocent person in any situation; hence the fatwa is unquestionably accurate. On the one hand, it is not even permitted to commit suicide. But because these same people sparked the fire, who will listen to them is the issue. Another question is why this news wasn't broadcast on the BBC's English website. Omar Hayat Khan, Amsterdam, Holland: Whether or not one issues a fatwa, Islam is a peaceful religion. It is regrettable that the ignorant Palestinian Afghans living among us believe the Mullahs' propaganda. They visit BBC to read the news that is disparate from the irrelevant fatwas of the Mullahs. Ayaz Mazari, Rahim Yar Khan: What about the soldier who goes to kill a Muslim in Baluchistan and Waziristan if suicide is prohibited in Islam? Is this not a suicide attack if he is aware that it could cost him his life? Is it not suicide when a soldier goes to battle knowing that he may lose his life? Abrar, Washington DC, USA: This fatwa is absurd and a reflection of the official “gloss.” How is it possible that something is prohibited in Pakistan while being permitted in other countries? This play was produced by shady government muftis. Anyone who comprehends the essence of Islam is aware that taking the life of an innocent person is a serious offence, and the penalty is an eternity in hell. The Quran lays out a precise sequence for doing this. The fatwa issued by the official mufti was not necessary for this situation. The only controversy here is over Musharraf's hat. Mirza Ashfaq, United Arab Emirates: General Zia started this entire fire, which is known as the fire of sectarianism. The sectarian campaign was initiated by these clerics, and now they are issuing fatwas. Their house has subjugated the religion. Ahsan Daanish: Suicide is not acceptable, regardless of the reason. Saud Farooq, New York, USA: I do not agree with this fatwa. Fahar Ali, Sargodha: How does the hue of the sky change? Dr. Naseer Ahmad Tahir, Bedouin Milli, Pakistan: The truth is that Islam has always been a religion of security and safety, but sadly, those who cause explosions do so by stealing money from adversarial nations. Abdul Halim Sabir, Mansehra, Pakistan: They deserve praise for issuing this fatwa. The fatwa will be of great use. Altaf Hidayat, Mardan: The sole purpose of this fatwa is to appease America. These so-called muftis made no mention of Afghanistan or Iraq. This is quite odd. All is fair in love and war, as the English proverb goes, but it's crucial to distinguish between those who start wars and those who are innocent. Tanveer Razzak, Pakistan: The muftis have issued this fatwa, despite the fact that our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) already stated that a Muslim cannot kill his peaceful non-Muslim neighbour. This was fourteen thousand years ago. Tanveer Khokhar, United Arab Emirates: Because it is a reward for those who lose their lives in terrorist attacks, this fatwa has no status. Saad Tariq, Rahim Yar Khan: After the pot is completely empty, the sound will begin to play. The modern Muslim carries out this deed because they have endured enough suffering at the hands of non-Muslims. Otherwise, who would want to take such a risk with their life? Zaid Ahmed, Karachi: The terrorists will not be affected by this edict. The fundamental concern is how these suicide strikes may be practically avoided. Arsalan Ahmad Rasheed, Gujranwala, Pakistan: All suicide attacks in that country are the work of a secret agency of a country that wants to defame Pakistan since people like Maulvi have never committed suicide. Muhammad Zafar, Toronto, Canada: Since not all experts concur with this fatwa, it will give America carte blanche now that suicide bombings have been made illegal. According to the Islamic hierarchy of jihad, suicide bombs are one type of jihad. Governmental Ulama cannot change this. Abdullah Ahmed, Dubai: Since it has been declared what is halal and what is haraam in Islam, no one can determine whether a suicide attack is prohibited. The next thing to consider is what the assailant or suicide bomber is thinking. Syed Raza, Toronto, Canada: Fatwas are no longer relevant especially now. Now is the time to get to work and produce results. The majority of these atrocities target defenceless religious people, thus if the Ulama are concerned about Islam and Pakistan, they ought to make an effort to stop them. Actually, these individuals are killing themselves. Rahim Duda, Incheon City, South Korea: Thanks be to Allah, finally the scholars did this too. Sana Khan, Karachi: It is best to arrive late than never. Scholars have done it expertly. This shows that not all Maulanas are alike and that some Maulanas still place a high priority on peace. This change is quite advantageous. Farrukh Siddiqui, Karachi: Given the facts, such a fatwa is unnecessary because it seems to have been derived by plain clerics. There should be an instant end to Muslim persecution everywhere. America, Great Britain, and its allies are cruel to Muslims in every way. Only suicide bombings will put an end to them. There are currently no Islamic countries. Imran, USA: The issue is that this fatwa will eventually expire if the clerics show up to build remote-control bombs. The importance of highlighting the worth of human life is necessary. Abdullah, United Arab Emirates: Why are only Islamic nations subject to this prohibition? Why isn't it illegal everywhere? Which prophet or branch of Islam has deemed suicide bombings against civilian targets to be permissible? Jibran Hasnain, Karachi: Is it permissible to kidnap defenceless Pakistanis and turn them over to the United States when suicide attacks are prohibited? Why don't the scholars declare a fatwa on it as they are treated worse than animals there? Hafeezullah Khan, Bannu, Pakistan: The Ulama, who are the heirs of the Prophets, have issued a fatwa that reflects their optimistic attitude. Of course, the government of the destination country is responsible for protecting the lives and property of all non-Muslim visitors to that country. It is also a terrible crime to remain silent and allow the tyrant to continue his brutal actions. What will happen if there are suicide bombers in Iraq or Afghanistan? In my opinion, this fatwa won't prevent suicide attacks. When the oppressor is powerful and the oppressed are helpless, what else can the downtrodden do to defend themselves? Sagheer Rajah, Saudi Arabia: One could wonder why a person would be willing to sacrifice his life. An act of sacrifice is not life. When a person's only avenues for obtaining rights are closed, a cycle of suicide attacks begins because he has no other option. Mohammed Salim, United Arab Emirates: You don't have the right to take someone's life if you can't give them life. If everyone believed this, the necessity for clerics to issue fatwas would no longer exist. Jahangir Ahmed, Dubai: We can all agree that no religion condones suicide, but I wonder why someone would feel compelled to end their life. We should look into these motives because it is difficult to end one's life without a reason. Abdul Samad, Oslo, Norway: By granting privileges, you can take whatever fatwa you want from these experts. Suicide bombers will carry out the orders given to them by their leaders. This fatwa is worth as much as a blank sheet of paper with ink on it. Shamim, United Kingdom: This government is nothing more than a recipe for pleasing the times and that is the only significance of this edict. There has been no change in Islamic teachings, either. There have been such fatwas in the past, and Muslims do not view such matters as valid or engage in such attacks. This fatwa is meaningless because such attacks are accepted in Palestine and Kashmir, both of which are excluded from its application. However, this endeavour of Ulama is admirable. Shahrukh Khan, Singapore: In addition to this fatwa, scholars should express sympathy to the surviving family members and pray for the release of the deceased. These assaults have also damaged Islam's image and caused many to lose their jobs unjustifiably. Is it appropriate to exhort Muslims to engage in acts of jihad when they are acting very dishonourably and are oblivious to their basic responsibilities? Muslim Ulama should describe how contemporary Muslims are educated and trained using current sciences and halal methods of subsistence. Sohail Iqbal, Germany: This is a wise choice; we must declare that suicide bombings are unacceptable. Akhtar Zaman Abbasi, Dubai: Given that America is the enemy of Muslims, I believe a suicide bombing against it would be justified. Zahid Malik, Dubai: This fatwa is wrong because suicide attacks against non-Muslims are permissible. Shahid Ali, Houston, USA: Better to arrive late than never! Fahad Shabbir, Lahore: It is obvious from the fatwa that this has been sought by the government. A suicide attack is the last resort of a helpless person. How many suicide attacks have there been in Pakistan? An explosion caused by a bomb is different from a suicide attack. Since there are no suicide bombings in Pakistan, this edict will have no impact there. Muhammad Ijaz Kaleem Gujjar, Faisalabad: When a suicide assault is committed against another Muslim or against Islam, it is forbidden; but, doing it in order to defend Islam should not be prohibited. Mushtaq Malik, United Arab Emirates: I concur with this fatwa because Islam forbids attacks of this nature, including kidnapping. Zeeshan Abbasi, Montreal, Canada: The administration has done all of this as propaganda in an effort to appease America. If a fatwa is to be issued, it ought to be issued for those whose single bomb kills thousands of people. They are puppets, these mullahs. Shahida Akram, Abu Dhabi: If this fatwa is only offered in relation to Pakistan, it is because our nation is not engaged in an independence war. In Pakistan, victims either prayed or were on their way to pray. Do not believe that this will lessen terrorism or extrajudicial killings; rather, strong laws and fatwas are required. Ali Tahir Syed, Karachi: I wish all Muslims understood that no one can enter heaven by murdering even an innocent non-Muslim; as it stands, Muslims are far away from understanding that killing someone by trickery is forbidden. Nadeem Farooq, Mississauga, Canada: Currently, it is believed that doing so is prohibited. This is too late now! Shehla Sohail, Toronto: The population remained silent until they declared that they remembered the fatwas now that their passage into Europe is perceived to be closed. Dr. Ishaq Sisoli, Quetta: This fatwa strikes me as being excellent. The Quran states that there is no place for sectarianism in Islam and that to kill a human is to kill all of humanity. Unfortunately, a specific political faction in our nation has promoted communalism for their own ends, and whenever they need support during elections, they all yell “Bhai Bhai.” Javed Raza, Lahore This fatwa will be crucial in the current scenario in putting an end to terrorism. I totally support the intellectuals' endeavour, but I also strongly disagree with the clergy who are rejecting this fatwa. Ali Imran Shaheen, Lahore: The actual winners from this fatwa will be the nations that murder Muslims, like America, India, and Israel. Given the state of the Mujahideen and the current circumstances, a fatwa is required to defend Islam. But it is unfortunate to report that the same experts who are constantly made fun of by the government also wish to appease them by issuing fatwas. Javed Iqbal, Japan: Yes, this fatwa was issued at the appropriate moment since suicide bombings were slandering Islam. Zafar Khan, Toronto: Although the Fatwa is entirely accurate, it should be significantly adjusted to include Iraq and Afghanistan, where foreigners have invaded and the government has fallen under their control. This type of discussion ought to take place not just in fatwas but also in every Pakistani street. Ashfaq Khan, Kassel, Germany: This is the proper course of action, and we must demonstrate that Islam is a peaceful religion. Imran Nazir, Orlando, Florida: This change is for the better. I simply hope that this fatwa is taken seriously. I believe that since Taqiuddin Usmani and Dr. Israr Ahmad have already discussed these concepts in private lectures, their public speeches will be more impactful. You should know that I did not find this story on the BBC English website. Talat Khan, Florida, USA: I believe it ought to have been done earlier. I appreciate the fatwa. Islam genuinely forbids the murder of innocents and attacks on mosques. Qasim Sarvia, Sargodha, Pakistan: Yes, it is good that some religious leaders have emphasised a favourable understanding of Islam. Islam bans putting one's life or the lives of others in peril without cause. The opportunity for other nations to adopt Islam's virtues will arise, and Pakistan's standing will also improve. Afaf Azhar, Toronto, Canada: What fatwa of the Ulama is this? People today are still fighting with one another. A fatwa has been declared against them since it appears that Musharraf has not given them anything this year. Gibran Khalil, Lahore: Ask for a fatwa on what the fatwa givers think about themselves. They set themselves on fire and then walk away as angels of peace. The fire of sectarianism in Pakistan is also lit by them. Now when this crop is bearing fruit, they are issuing new fatwas. Azhar Sohail, Toronto, Canada: They issued a fatwa and the BBC obeyed. Wow, you forgot the history of these people so quickly. If people are becoming more conscientious today, then they have turned to fatwas as a last resort. Kiran Ahmed, Waterloo, Canada: I believe that unless this mullaiyyat is ended, Pakistan cannot have true peace. What significance do their fatwas have? Additionally, they issued a fatwa to Quaid-e-Azam and hung Mansoor for referring to Ana-al-Haq. Iqbal was also imprisoned for writing Shikwah. How reliable are their fatwas? AR Qureshi, Toronto, Canada: I believe that is entirely correct. Islam is a peaceful faith. Islam does not encourage suicide bombings. Ehtisham Faisal Chaudhary, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: To begin with, it is important to realise that suicide bombers never launch their attacks without first consulting the Ruyat Hilal Committee. This will not stop them from doing so. The fact that suicide attacks are prohibited in Russia and Pakistan but permitted elsewhere makes this fatwa questionable in my opinion. It is obvious that this fatwa was issued by government clerics specifically for Pakistan to help them with their problems at the request of Musharraf. Even so, it is hardly significant. Source: BBC Urdu, Link: https://www.bbc.com/urdu/interactivity/debate/story/2005/05/printable/050517_suicide-attack-haram-yourviews Intellectuals can learn a lot from reader comments on this fatwa, which was issued by the Ulama in 2005 and condemned suicide bombings. Especially how many questions the average population still has. What sort of mindset do they possess? Some people may continue to have the same convictions even though the majority of people's opinions have probably altered significantly over time. The most crucial point is why this fatwa made it plain that suicide attacks are exclusively prohibited in Islamic nations. Why weren't suicide bombers outlawed in nations where Islam is not practised? Why weren't suicide bombings prohibited in Palestine and Kashmir as well? It is evident from the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah that suicide attacks are prohibited in all circumstances, whether they occur during a war or not, whether they occur in Pakistan, Kashmir, America, or Palestine. Some Ulama opine that suicide bombing can occasionally be used as a military tactic. This perspective of view is completely at odds with Islam. A general application of Qur'anic verse (2:195) and the hadith given by Hazrat Sahl completely refute this idea. Suicide is forbidden in all circumstances, according to the Qur'an (2:195), and similarly, according to the Hadith narrated by Hazrat Sahl, it is forbidden even during Jihad. How then can suicide be permitted in a Fitna condition? Suicide bombings are prohibited in all situations according to the Qur'an and the Hadith. It is unquestionably important to issue a fatwa against suicide, but it is also important to stress that suicide is forbidden everywhere and at all times. ---- A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is a Classical Islamic scholar with a Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator. URL: https://newageislam.com/the-war-within-islam/muslim-suicide-bombing-fatwa-pakistani-ulama/d/129158 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism