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Posted by admin in "Jihadi" Outfits of Terrorism, ISLAM MESSAGE OF PEACE, ISLAM=PEACE & BROTHERHOOD AMONG MANKIND, ISLAMIC CRESCENT, Saudi Arabia on October 13th, 2014
Posted by admin in ISLAM MESSAGE OF PEACE, ISLAM=PEACE & BROTHERHOOD AMONG MANKIND, ISLAMIC CRESCENT on July 25th, 2014
The Pakistani nation, hostage to some of the worst forms of terrorism, much of it inbred, has been debating on whether or not talks with the Taliban would be productive. Most of the discussions revolve around whether it is justifiable to sit across the table with those who have caused thousands of civilians, among them children, as well as security forces to be killed or crippled. A large group favours dialogue, arguing that serious talks have never really been given a chance whilst the so called war on terror remained a proxy war for the US. Predictions are bandied about, and the best of analysts can do just that- analyse a situation that has become alarmingly unequal.
As a society, the Pakistani nation has rarely pondered, at least not deeply or collectively, whether it wants peace, or continuous strife. This may sound absurd, because have not people been literally clamouring for peace everywhere, have not successive governments made promises of ensuring peace and security and has not peace been the most prominent and popular of all topics of media talk shows, newspaper articles, political discourse and public meeting slogans?
Despite the brandishing of the peace slogan, the Pakistani society at large has become a violent and war mongering mix of individuals. Excluding militants, terrorists and criminals, most of us belong to this group: the common man who believes that it is right to enforce particular laws of the Sharia’h in Pakistan because it is an Islamic state; anyone who is a non Muslim is wajib-ul-qatal, or at least is a second rate citizen; anyone who dares to speak his mind and criticize or merely express a difference of opinion from standard interpretation of Islamic teachings ought to be killed, and mono dimensional religious indoctrination is another term for the way to paradise. This thinking has become so deeply etched in the psyche of a common Muslim in Pakistan that views and opinions that venture to suggest alternates are met immediately with violent reactions. If the first, almost unconscious response is to make an attack, it is small wonder that more serious forms of violence have developed and been condoned. With minds that are closed to any discussion or debate on religious views, particularly those that relate to public laws, society has turned its back on the only path towards a peaceful existence; that of mutual respect, consultation and freedom of expression. These are the building blocks of Islam, as they are of any true and authentic democracy. Islam gave choice to man, and linked it to both freedom and responsibility. Nowhere have Islamic teachings promoted oppression, least of all in its own name.
Religion in today’s Pakistan has taken various forms, almost all of them being either ritualistic, having no resemblance to the Islam that Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) brought, as did all other prophets before him. This was the Islam that came to purify man, gave him guidance from God, and taught him to love his fellow beings, reflect deeply, gain knowledge and do good deeds. The latter were defined as creating a society within which there would be equity, justice, kindness and mercy for all, regardless of creed, gender or status. This was a society where a Muslim would be the best example in terms of relations with others and honesty of dealings. It was not a society where followers of other religions would be hounded, age old statues of religious value to others be destroyed, women banned from education and public life and men forced to wear beards. This was not the Islam where an autobiography by a young courageous girl would be banned from schools or its inauguration cancelled; where a provincial governor would be killed by his guard who would then be garlanded by lawyers; where a 65 year old would be sentenced to death because he was silly enough to declare himself a prophet. It was certainly not the Islam that called for enforcement of particular kind of laws upon a society that was still struggling for the basic necessities of survival.
Distorted interpretations of this great religion have been hammered often by using religious rhetoric by vested interests. So much so that society feels that if it does not believe in these narratives, it will lose its faith. Our so called religious personalities have managed to relieve most of us with the God given gift of thinking about religion for ourselves, and making up our own minds about what is wrong and right. The oppression began by subduing the God given right to think for oneself; it continues with mass murders, and those who were oppressed have become almost indistinguishable from their tormentors.
When a society loses its ability to think and listen, and in turn the courage to speak up without fear of retribution, it begins to decay. We may be the target of militants who kill us physically, but we have already allowed ourselves to die a slow intellectual and spiritual death. Each time we believe in some religious rhetoric, or fail to condemn an act that has not been sanctioned by God for us to take, we become accomplices and militants.
Unless the average Muslim in Pakistan realizes how he has contributed to this unending game of killing those who do not conform to one’s world view, and unless he understands that God will hold him responsible for his belief and practice of Islam, both as an individual and as a member of a society, peace will remain elusive. We cannot bring peace when we ourselves are violent and ready to kill others, verbally, spiritually and intellectually. For that is what we have done to our society. For peace, we must learn to stand up for our right to dissent, on all including religious matters. And demonstrate zero tolerance for those who muzzle it.
Posted by admin in ISLAM MESSAGE OF PEACE, ISLAM=PEACE & BROTHERHOOD AMONG MANKIND, ISLAMIC CRESCENT, ISLAMOPHOBES, Islamophobia & Racism in Britain on April 22nd, 2014
Posted by admin in ISLAM MESSAGE OF PEACE, ISLAM=PEACE & BROTHERHOOD AMONG MANKIND, ISLAMIC CRESCENT, ISLAMOPHOBES on October 13th, 2013
Islam: What’s in a Name? (Part 1)
A picture of the word Islam written in Arabic calligraphy.It is a common practice of Muslim scholars writing on some field of knowledge to define its basic terms. When it comes to Arabic words, this involves looking at their root meanings as well as their usage.
This practice is certainly useful when seeking to understand Islam as a faith and way of life, as there are many things to learn from the very fact that it is so named.
In this part, we shall explore two significant features of the name Islam, making special reference to how the Quran speaks of Islam and being a Muslim. We shall note that the word reflects the concept of peace, and that it is a name used right from the start.
A Meaning of Peace
The root s-l-m, from which the word Islam derives, has the essential meaning of being free of any flaws or harmful things. Thus the derivatives of this root include“salamah” which indicates soundness and safety, and “salam” which means “peace”.
The verb-form “islam“ thus conveys entering into a state of peace and security. In short, this is what we refer to as “submission”. The active participle of the verb, that is, the word for “submitter”, is “muslim”.
It may not be clear how important it is to look at the three-letter root of a word to understand its import, but this is something significant in the Arabic language.
At the same time, it may seem like an exaggeration to state, as Muslims often do, that “Islam means peace”.
Some critics point out that submission is not the same as peace, and some go further and suggest that submission is something undesirable.
In fact, the Quran uses a number of different terms to refer to this religion, and one of them is the word peace itself. In the second chapter of the Quran God says what means,
[ You who believe, enter wholeheartedly into peace (al-silm) to God…] (Al-Baqarah 2:208)
This verb form means the opposite of war (that is,peace) and is used here as an exact equivalent to saying “Islam”, according to commentators. This means that the religion of Islam is indeed called “peace”, just as it is called “submission” and numerous other secondary names.
Islam is not only “a religion of peace”: it is the religion of life, which means that it provides guidance for all situations that arise in our troubled world. Yet even aggression is to be met with high virtues in the pursuit of peace.
The goal is not to “make the world submit”, as some misunderstand, but to invite each soul to its own willful surrender to the Creator alone, not to any human force or worldly desire. This is the true source of inner and outer peace, and is the most liberating concept ever taught to humanity.
As well as attention to linguistic roots, we also must differentiate between the general meanings of a word, and its technical meaning in context.
In this case, the difference is between what we may describe as “small-i islam” which means to live a life submitted to God, and “capital-I Islam” which is the well-known religion, whose adherents declare that “There is none to be worshipped but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”
This declaration is what entitles a person to be known as a (capital-M) Muslim, a member of the worldwide community of Islam.
Of course, the Arabic language does not have capital letters, so what we really intend is to distinguish between submission as a religious ideal in general, and its usage as a proper noun — or what philosophers call its “reified” meaning.
When we look at the numerous references to “Islam” in the Quran, some could be understood in both ways, but others clearly show that Allah has chosen this name for His religion and named those who follow it “Muslims” (submitters).
A Historical Name
God Almighty declares in the Quran that all of creation is submitted to Him and that He, being the only true Deity, is the One to Whom human submission is due.
The “best religion” is to “submit one’s face to God and do good”.
The same term appears frequently in the stories of the prophets, from which we shall mention a few examples.
The patriarch Abraham (peace and blessings be upon him) is declared as having been neither Jewish nor Christian, but in fact “upright in religion, a Muslim” (Aal `Imran 3:67).
When he was commanded to submit, he said immediately
[I have submitted myself to the Lord of the Worlds] (Al-Baqarah 2:131)
When he was called upon to sacrifice his first-born son Ishmael, they both submitted to this Divine command, until God announced that they had passed the test. When building the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, they prayed together that God would raise up from their descendants “a Muslim nation” (Al-Baqarah 2:128).
The prophets after Abraham are described as “those who submitted”, which of course does not deprive those before him of the same virtue.
Prophet Jacob (peace be upon him) entrusted his children on his deathbed that they must follow the religion of their forefathers Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac (peace be upon them) and not die except as Muslims.
The Pharaoh who opposed Moses (on whom be peace) vainly declared at the moment of death that he believed in the God of Israel and was “one of the Muslims” (Yunus 10:90).
The disciples of Jesus (peace be upon him) were inspired to believe, so they did so and said “And bear witness that we are Muslims”. (Al-Ma’idah 5:111)
All of this goes to show that the “religion of submission” (deen al-Islam) is both grounded in nature and rooted in history. As for its usage in the context of the last chapter of prophethood, we find a number of relevant passages in the Quran:
[Truly the religion in the sight of God is Islam…] (Aal `Imran 3:19)
[Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.] (Aal `Imran 3:85)
[…This day I have perfected for you your religion, and completed My favors upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your way of life…](Al-Ma’idah 5:3)
[He it is Who named you Muslims before and in this (Quran)…] (Al-Hajj 22:78)
[Who is better in speech than one who invites to God, works righteousness and says, “I am of the Muslims”?] (Fussilat 41:33)
Sohaib Saeed is a Scottish Muslim writer and translator. After attaining a Masters degree in philosophy at theUniversity of Edinburgh, he is presently majoring in Quranic Studies at the Faculty of Theology, Al-Azhar University. More of his reflections are posted at Religious Diablog.
Posted by admin in ISLAMIC CRESCENT on October 13th, 2013
An overview of Middle East crisis
Asif Haroon Raja
The US and the Western world’s deep-seated interest in the strategically important and oil-rich Middle East are well known. In order to maintain control over oil wells and to keep sea lanes and choke points in Indian Ocean open, the British Empire in line with its policy of divide and rule, split up the Ottoman Empire in 1918 into small Muslim States and installed puppet rulers. By 1923, Ottoman Empire was destroyed and in 1924 the Caliphate came to an end. Turkey became the leading secular State under Kamal Ata Turk aligned with the West. Inter-state borders were demarcated in a manner to deliberately create border dispute between each State to keep them at odds. Saudi Arabia began its transformation into a country ruled by al-Saud family. Earlier on, Safavid Empire in Persia eclipsed in 1736. In India, Mughal Empire went into oblivion in 1858. Once the British Empire eclipsed after the 2nd World War because of economic exhaustion and the US filled up the power vacuum in and around Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, it pursued British policy of divide and rule to keep Muslim world under it thumb.
The Arab world was categorized into two camps, one named as moderates who were pro-US and towed US agenda, and the other as radicals who defied US dictation. CIA in connivance with MI-6 brought down Mossadeq regime in Iran in 1953 to ensure control over Iranian oil. Iran under Reza Shah Pahlavi was militarily strengthened to make it the policeman of the Persian Gulf. This move gave rise to friction between Iran and Arab world. France and UK went to war with Egypt under Gamal Nasser in 1956 to keep uninterrupted control over Suez Canal. To keep Arab chauvinism in check, Israel which was illegally created in 1948 at the cost of Palestinians was strengthened and fully supported to ensure its outright victory over the combined armies of the Arabs in the 1967 war. 1973 war was staged to detach Egypt from the Arab union and bring it closer to Israel through Camp David Accord in 1978.
Once Islamic government under Imam Khomeini came into power in Iran in March 1979 as a consequence to Islamic revolution and not only adopted anti-US and anti-Israel stance but also showed an inclination to export Shiaism in Middle East, all Arab countries particularly those containing Shia community felt uneasy. Iraq under Saddam Hussain being an ally of USA was prompted to attack Iran in 1980 and settle its Shatt-al Arab issue. Bloody eight-year war resulted in millions of human losses but ended in a stalemate.
In the New World Order drafted during George W. Bush senior in 1989, chief threat of communism was replaced by Islamic threat. In this, radical countries and fundamentalists were marked as the most dangerous. Middle East was described as the most strategically important area in the world because of oil. In order to retain unipolarism and to rule the world for next 100 years, the objectives laid out were to destroy nine Muslim countries and to establish control over vast resources of crude oil. Target countries were Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, Iran and Pakistan. This list less Pakistan was revealed by Patrick Buchman in 2003. He didn’t mention Pakistan and Afghanistan because former had become an ally of USA after 9/11 and the latter had been absorbed in November 2001.
When Iraq didn’t lose its military strength after the destructive war against Iran, and became more battle hardened thereby posing a danger to Israel, Saddam was instigated by US ambassador in Baghdad to annex Kuwait assuring him that the US would look the other way. However, Iraq was demonized and invaded by US forces and its western allies in 1991 to cripple its defence structure. Scared by Iraq and Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Gulf states funded the war and allowed the US military to establish bases.
When Saddam kept up his defiant stance despite inhuman sanctions, Iraq was once again invaded and occupied in May 2003 on fabricated charges of WMDs. Fires of sectarianism flared up in Iraq as a consequence to Iraqi Shias and Kurds supporting the invaders and subsequent replacement of Sunni Baathist government by Shia dominated coalition government under Nur al Maliki. This change sharpened Shia-Sunni divide resulting in sharp divisions on sectarian lines. More casualties occurred on account of sectarian war than in the war with occupation forces. War in Iraq brought al-Qaeda based in Afghanistan into Middle East. Resistance put up by Iraqi resistant groups and al-Qaeda forced occupying forces to quit Iraq in December 2010 but left behind the scourge of sectarianism which has become menacing. Imperialist powers however succeeded in gaining control over Iraqi oil.
Uprising in Tunisia in December 2010 which gave birth to Arab spring ended in regime change. Soon after Egypt got infected with Arab spring and in no time brought down another dictatorial regime of Hosni Mubarak. The flames of Arab spring enveloped Libya, Yemen, Jordan, Algeria, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Gulf States. After fall of Hosni, Qaddafi regime came under the fire of US, UK and France. The trio supported Libyan rebels and managed to get UNSC resolution passed for NATO intervention. Qaddafi was demonized and murdered and rebel’s government was planted to take control over oil. After division of Sudan through UN intervention and change of Saleh’s regime in Yemen, focus of western powers shifted towards Syria where an armed uprising against Shia Baathist regime of Bashar al-Assad was in progress.
While fight between Syrian forces and rebels kept intensifying because of external support to both sides, Muslim Brotherhood (MB) together with Salafist Party won the elections in Egypt in June 2012 and formed its government under President Muhammad Morsi. Islamization of the constitution by the new government antagonized the seculars and Coptic in Egypt as well as the western world. Sacking of senior military officers and judges consternated Egyptian military and judiciary. Support to Gazans and getting closer to Erdogan regime in Turkey and Ahmadinejad regime in Iran irked Israel.
All these factors gave an excuse to the US backed Egyptian military to sack Morsi and his government within three days of the military-CIA inspired seculars three-day uprising in early July this year. Forcible and unjust change is proving very costly since the MB has not accepted the change and is resisting the military and forcing it to restore Morsi’s regime. Its activists have started to target military targets in Sinai and two towns have been captured and it appears that sooner than later a full-fledged insurgency may erupt.
Full-fledged civil war is raging in Syria since March 2011 and so far over 110,000 people have died. Britain had started covert operations in Syria as early as 2009. USA and UK started training Syrian rebels in 2011. Saudi government provided funds and logistic aid to weaken Assad regime. Earlier on, it had helped the US in fomenting trouble in Lebanon to weaken Hezbollah. Besides Saudis, Qatar also opposes Assad regime since it had refused to sign an agreement to run a pipeline from Qatar, contiguous with Iran Pars field, to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey and onto European markets. Instead, Assad opted for an alternative pipeline project with Iran, across Iraq to Syria in July 2012.
Owing to support of Iran and Russia, Assad regime has managed to keep the rebels supported by USA, France, UK, Saudi, Arabia, Qatar and Turkey at bay. While the rebels have an upper hand in southern regions, government forces have an edge in Damascus and in northern regions of the country. Frustrated by the slow progress made by the rebels and disturbed by the Syrian military’s constantly improving position, drama of Sarin gas was cooked up to give an excuse to the US-NATO forces to intervene in Syria with or without the blessing of UNSC and bolster the sagging spirits of the rebels. There are reasons to believe that Israel provided poisonous gas to the rebels for use in Ghouta.
But for forceful intervention by Russia and opposition from the international community including American public, Obama would have authorized the use of cruise missiles. Russo-US resolution under the auspices of the UN defused the highly explosive situation. Syria has agreed to open its huge stocks of chemicals for inspection by the UN team and for its destruction by mid 2014. Assad is feeling relieved that the crisis has been averted, but he is still sailing in rough waters. He also sees slow warming up of US-Iran relations after Rouhani’s takeover would benefit Syria. The situation in Syria is however getting more complex because of the twenty Jihadist groups involved in war crimes against Shia Alawites. Of these, five major groups are Ahrar al-Sham, Islamic State of Iraq & Levant, Al-Nusra Front, Jaish-e-Muhajireen Wal Ansar and Suqur al Ezz. Besides, Sunni rebels are being attacked by Salafists and al-Qaeda.
The writer is a retired Brig and a defence analyst. Email:[email protected]
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