I am very saddened by people who commit heinous acts of terrorism and murder and claim that it is in the name of Islam or Allah.
Islam is a religion of peace.
Those who truly understand the religion will know that it says, if you kill one, it is as if you killed mankind.
Islam doesnt allow the killing of animals, much less humans.
Islam allows self defense, and self protection at the face of an enemy who attacks you. A muslim should never instigate violence. Islam means peace.
When the prophet occupied Mecca, he ordered that trees not be cut down, women and children not be hurt, and people in the fields not be hurt. He pardoned nearly all. This for me is the true spirit of Islam, not bombings and beheadings. Please wake up world and hear the truth.. May peace be upon all.
Salaam Mr. Rami sir, hope you are well. Thank you for starting this blog.
ReplyDeleteIf I may add a few thoughts to your piece here, Islam means "peace" and "submission to the will of God" simultaneously. People need to understand the transcending message. Raising awareness among non Muslims will be next to futile if the causes are too mentioned in the same breath. i.e. imperialism and our personal ignorance.
Islam like Christianity will always be a revolutionary radical idea. But if Islam means restoring Sharia law as global governance then we all have a problem. These are very conflicting ideas but as you have seen in your life time, we know when injustice is done before our very eyes and we have been too scared in our own minds to make things right again.
The Prophet (pbuh) in Haddith sets innumerous examples where he sets presidents of social justice. He did it with purity and fairness in his heart and with the grace or power of God with him. God did not help our Prophet (pbuh) because God choose him so but God did it because it was the right thing to do.
Dear Sir, you and I have both been around places where we have seen social injustice done through the glorifications of Islam. The most vivid example that come to mind is the Government backed Racial and Religious discrimination policies in Malaysia. An e.g. something so important as public finance and banking, I remember that Malays would get a favorable rate of return if they had their banking services from special banks. As I understand charging interest is prohibited in Islam but to have such policies that grant someone special privileges because they were Muslim and Malay (something that they did not choose but were born into) cannot be Islamic.
I feel that the Quran can be used as inspiration but to those who are without the knowledge and courage leave themselves very very venerable to what anyone with a chosen agenda for public diversion. It pains me every day to see the news where supposed Shia and Sunni factions are doing more damage by suicide bombing each other’s mosques in Iraq itself. Or Taliban in Afghanistan blowing up co-ed schools because it educates girls who are sitting next to boys as their equals.
Please let me know what you think of it.
Yeamin Utsho
Thanks for your reply. my first in fact. nice to receive your comment. you are right about peace and submission. in fact if one follows islam they attain peace through submission to the almighty.
ReplyDeleteit is exactly awareness that i am trying to increase. sadly today, despite globalization and the internet, there is so much ignorance about our religion. many don't see it as following the same god as the jews, and christians. many years ago, a colleague suggested azaan was the call to the devil. I did not get angry. i just enlightened him. we need to dispel ignorance about Islam. imperialism etc are causes, but my humble opinion is that no cause justifies inflicting harm on innocents. nor do i think you intended to suggest that.
i really dont think Islam is at all revolutionary; and i agree that we are too scared to just make things right. many claim they dont have the knowledge.
Social justice is paramount thus zakat or almsgiving is mandatory for the financially able. likewise with other islamic practices. Even congregational prayer is a social activity.
it is not right in y opinion to treat differently as the bank example you cited. islam is not the purvey of one group alone, be they malay, arab or any other race. there is a 1300 year old mosque bin Beijing China , and more that 30 million muslims there.its meant for all. islam simply means submitting. so many I have met dont realize that we muslims honor all the prophets from Adam to Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Soloman and Jesus born of immaculate conception, ie fatherless. , and all between peace be upon all
the haj is based on Abrahamic tradition. many don't know. we need to share this. the commandment to slaughter the son, and the ram sent down in lieu. The search for water by hagar. the stoning of the devil who tried to dissuade abraham.
Why dont we share all these and see that our commonalities outweigh our differences.
Evan zakir naik explained how the prophet was mentioned in Bhavagad Gita. islam is not meant to be exclusive. Share and understand. At least lets create dialogues.
the explosions pain me too, so much. suicide is forbidden. Why do people act for their own agendas, and others just assume that its in the name of Islam.
lets sit down and talk, and understand one another more.