Islamic Finance appeal growing in face of credit crisis
The global credit crisis presents the $1 trillion Islamic finance industry with an opportunity to expand its appeal beyond Muslim investors, as a haven from speculative excess.
The message may have particular resonance in the West after the crumbling of the U.S. mortgage market left banks holding hundreds of billions of dollars of nearly worthless credit instruments tied to home loans by a web of complex structures.
While conventional banks worldwide are nursing losses of more than $400 billion from the credit crisis, Islamic banks are virtually unscathed. And they are playing up the contrast to scalded shareholders, bondholders and borrowers and fearful depositors.
"It's very much a return to old-fashioned conservative lending," said David Testa, chief executive of Gatehouse Bank, which began operations in April as the fifth Islamic bank in Britain .
"The current global market condition has given Islamic finance a great opportunity to show what it can do - help to fill the liquidity gap," he said.
Investors traumatized by the credit crisis could seek comfort from the stricter rules imposed on lending by Islamic law, which bans some of the structures and financing methods that quickly unraveled during the U.S. mortgage crisis.
Testa said that Islamic finance practices were more fiscally conservative, with direct participation by investors in plans that do not involve parking assets in off-balance- sheet vehicles.
Islamic finance is based on Shariah, or Islamic law. It requires that gains be derived from ethical and socially responsible investments and discourages interest-based banking and investments in sectors like pork, gambling and pornography.
The Asian Development Bank estimates that Islamic assets globally have a combined value of about $1 trillion, with annual growth of 10 percent to 15 percent a year. Al-Rajhi Bank of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Finance House are the two biggest Islamic banks in the Gulf region. In Malaysia , the largest Islamic lender is Maybank Islamic, a subsidiary of Malayan Banking.
The jump in popularity of Islamic finance is drawing the interest of companies outside the Middle East .
City Developments, one of the largest developers in Southeast Asia , said last week that it could issue Islamic debt and sell hotels to enhance its ability to make acquisitions.
The Islamic finance industry, which was nearly nonexistent 30 years ago, has certain distinguishing features that make it less risky, analysts say.
Islamic bonds, or sukuk, replace coupons with payments backed by the performance of tangible assets. Islamic law prohibits the payment of interest and requires transactions to be linked to assets, thus deterring the kind of complexities prevalent in conventional financing operations.
Debashis Dey, the Dubai-based head of capital markets at the law firm Clifford Chance, said that although the Islamic finance industry was adapting conventional products to make them compliant with Shariah, it was a long way from sophisticated products like collateralized debt obligations.
But while Islamic products are coming into favor, analysts say market commentators and intermediaries may be too zealous in promoting the merits of Islamic finance as a safe product.
Mohamed Damak of Standard & Poor's cited the case of the boom in real estate financing in the Gulf mainly by Islamic banks in the past three years, amid soaring property prices.
"A correction of the real estate sector would impact Islamic banks involved in this business line. Islamic finance is not immune from risk," he said.
Even as experts are weighing the degree of insularity that Islamic financing provides, there are differences in the way accounts are prepared and in how Shariah law is interpreted.
Banks in Britain differ in their accounting operations from banks in Bahrain , for example, which in turn differ from banks in Malaysia and Indonesia .
Dey, at Clifford Chance, said the lack of standardization posed a hurdle to growth, but others said that a cookie-cutter approach was not desirable and that regional differences would remain.
"Complete standardization may not happen - there will always be variants," said Raj Maiden, managing director at Five Pillars in Singapore , who added that it was more important to tailor products according to the needs of each market.
While the debate rages on whether Islamic finance provides a safer bet or is merely a potential source of irrational exuberance, most agree the industry should make the most of the attention it is now receiving.
"If Islamic banks step up to the mark, then they will gain traction," said Testa, of Gatehouse.
Source: International Herald Tribune
http://www.islamici ty.com/articles/ Articles. asp?ref=IH0810- 3694
Monday, October 27, 2008
Western Teenage Girl
Western Teenage Girl
By Sultana Yusufali (a 17-year-old high school student)
Published in Toronto Star Young People's Press
An insightful and personal account of why a Western teenage girl would reject the 'wonders' of fashion, and want to cover herself in the hijab (veil).
I probably do not fit into the preconceived notion of a "rebel". I have no visible tattoos and minimal piercing. I do not possess a leather jacket. In fact, when most people look at me, their first thought usually is something along the lines of "oppressed female". The brave individuals who have mustered the courage to ask me about the way I dress usually have questions like: "Do your parents make you wear that?" or "Don't you find that really unfair?"
A while back, a couple of girls in Montreal were kicked out of school for dressing like I do. It seems strange that a little piece of cloth would make for such a controversy. Perhaps the fear is that I am harboring an Uzi machine gun underneath it! Of course, the issue at hand is more than a mere piece of cloth. I am a Muslim woman who, like millions of other Muslim women across the globe, chooses to wear a hijab. And the concept of the hijab, contrary to popular opinion, is actually one of the most fundamental aspects of female empowerment. When I cover myself, I make it virtually impossible for people to judge me according to the way I look. I cannot be categorized because of my attractiveness or lack thereof. Compare this to life in today's society: We are constantly sizing one another up on the basis of our clothing, jewelry, hair and makeup. What kind of depth can there be in a world like this?
Yes, I have a body, a physical manifestation upon this Earth. But it is the vessel of an intelligent mind and a strong spirit. It is not for the beholder to leer at or to use in advertisements to sell everything from beer to cars. Because of the superficiality of the world in which we live, external appearances are so stressed that the value of the individual counts for almost nothing. It is a myth that women in today's society are liberated. What kind of freedom can there be when a woman cannot walk down the street without every aspect of her physical self being "checked out"? When I wear the hijab I feel safe from all of this. I can rest assured that no one is looking at me and making assumptions about my character from the length of my skirt. There is a barrier between me and those who would exploit me.
I am first and foremost a human being, one of the saddest truths of our time is the question of the beauty myth and female self-image. Reading popular teenage magazines, you can instantly find out what kind of body image is "in" or "out" . And if you have the "wrong" body type, well, then, you're just going to change it, aren't you? After all, there is no way you can be overweight and still be beautiful. Look at any advertisement. Is a woman being used to sell the product? How old is she? How attractive is she? What is she wearing? More often than not, that woman will be no older than her early 20s, taller, slimmer, and more attractive than average, and dressed in skimpy clothing. Why do we allow ourselves to be manipulated like this? Whether the 90s woman wishes to believe it or not, she is being forced into a mould. She is being coerced into selling herself, into compromising herself. This is why we have 13-year-old girls sticking their fingers down their throats to vomit and overweight adolescents hanging themselves.
When people ask me if I feel oppressed, I can honestly say no. I made this decision of my own free will. I like the fact that I am taking control of the way other people perceive me. I enjoy the fact that I don't give anyone anything to look at and that I have released myself from the bondage of the swinging pendulum of the fashion industry and other institutions that exploit females. My body is my own business. Nobody can tell me how I should look or whether or not I am beautiful. I know that there is more to me than that. I am also able to say no comfortably when people ask me if I feel as if my sexuality is being repressed. I have taken control of my sexuality. I am thankful I will never have to suffer the fate of trying to lose / gain weight or trying to find the exact lipstick shade that will go with my skin colour. I have made choices about what my priorities are and these are not among them.
So next time you see me, don't look at me sympathetically. I am not under duress or a male-worshiping female captive from those barbarous Arab deserts. I've been liberated!
By Sultana Yusufali (a 17-year-old high school student)
Published in Toronto Star Young People's Press
An insightful and personal account of why a Western teenage girl would reject the 'wonders' of fashion, and want to cover herself in the hijab (veil).
I probably do not fit into the preconceived notion of a "rebel". I have no visible tattoos and minimal piercing. I do not possess a leather jacket. In fact, when most people look at me, their first thought usually is something along the lines of "oppressed female". The brave individuals who have mustered the courage to ask me about the way I dress usually have questions like: "Do your parents make you wear that?" or "Don't you find that really unfair?"
A while back, a couple of girls in Montreal were kicked out of school for dressing like I do. It seems strange that a little piece of cloth would make for such a controversy. Perhaps the fear is that I am harboring an Uzi machine gun underneath it! Of course, the issue at hand is more than a mere piece of cloth. I am a Muslim woman who, like millions of other Muslim women across the globe, chooses to wear a hijab. And the concept of the hijab, contrary to popular opinion, is actually one of the most fundamental aspects of female empowerment. When I cover myself, I make it virtually impossible for people to judge me according to the way I look. I cannot be categorized because of my attractiveness or lack thereof. Compare this to life in today's society: We are constantly sizing one another up on the basis of our clothing, jewelry, hair and makeup. What kind of depth can there be in a world like this?
Yes, I have a body, a physical manifestation upon this Earth. But it is the vessel of an intelligent mind and a strong spirit. It is not for the beholder to leer at or to use in advertisements to sell everything from beer to cars. Because of the superficiality of the world in which we live, external appearances are so stressed that the value of the individual counts for almost nothing. It is a myth that women in today's society are liberated. What kind of freedom can there be when a woman cannot walk down the street without every aspect of her physical self being "checked out"? When I wear the hijab I feel safe from all of this. I can rest assured that no one is looking at me and making assumptions about my character from the length of my skirt. There is a barrier between me and those who would exploit me.
I am first and foremost a human being, one of the saddest truths of our time is the question of the beauty myth and female self-image. Reading popular teenage magazines, you can instantly find out what kind of body image is "in" or "out" . And if you have the "wrong" body type, well, then, you're just going to change it, aren't you? After all, there is no way you can be overweight and still be beautiful. Look at any advertisement. Is a woman being used to sell the product? How old is she? How attractive is she? What is she wearing? More often than not, that woman will be no older than her early 20s, taller, slimmer, and more attractive than average, and dressed in skimpy clothing. Why do we allow ourselves to be manipulated like this? Whether the 90s woman wishes to believe it or not, she is being forced into a mould. She is being coerced into selling herself, into compromising herself. This is why we have 13-year-old girls sticking their fingers down their throats to vomit and overweight adolescents hanging themselves.
When people ask me if I feel oppressed, I can honestly say no. I made this decision of my own free will. I like the fact that I am taking control of the way other people perceive me. I enjoy the fact that I don't give anyone anything to look at and that I have released myself from the bondage of the swinging pendulum of the fashion industry and other institutions that exploit females. My body is my own business. Nobody can tell me how I should look or whether or not I am beautiful. I know that there is more to me than that. I am also able to say no comfortably when people ask me if I feel as if my sexuality is being repressed. I have taken control of my sexuality. I am thankful I will never have to suffer the fate of trying to lose / gain weight or trying to find the exact lipstick shade that will go with my skin colour. I have made choices about what my priorities are and these are not among them.
So next time you see me, don't look at me sympathetically. I am not under duress or a male-worshiping female captive from those barbarous Arab deserts. I've been liberated!
Miswak: A trusted formula for oral hygiene
Miswak: A trusted formula for oral hygiene
M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan I Arab News
A group of dentists at the King Saud University (KSU) have studied the medicinal properties of the miswak (teeth cleaning sticks) commonly used in Arab and Asian countries, and have concluded that "the beneficial effects of miswak for oral hygiene and dental health of a person using miswak are equal to, if not greater than, those who use toothbrush and paste.
The research identified 19 natural substances found in miswak that benefit dental health.
According to the research, the miswak contains a number of natural antiseptics that kill harmful microorganisms in the mouth; tannic acids that protect the gums from disease; and aromatic oils that increase salivation.
The study said that "the miswak's bristles are parallel to the handle rather than perpendicular, and it can reach more easily between the teeth, where a conventional toothbrush often fails to reach."
The study has termed miswak as "an oral hygiene tool" for one and all. According to the study, "the miswak has many medicinal properties and can fight plaque, gum line recession, tooth wear, gingivitis, and periodontal pocket depths."
The study also concluded that the miswak releases fresh sap and silica that acts as an abrasive material for the removal of stains and buildup.
The KSU's research has been supported and substantiated by another research work done by Abdul Al-Shareif of the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to Al-Shareif, miswaks contain anti-mouth ulcer substances and antiseptics.
"In addition to the substances that prevent teeth carries, gum bleeding, mouth cancer and putrefaction, miswak has another ingredient that strengthens the gum and prevents teeth from coloring."
Al-Shareif said that a number of Saudi farmers have been planting miswaks for business.
The two studies have proved that the miswaks also release a substance that soothes toothaches.
He said that the use of miswaks might also improve appetite and regulate peristaltic movements of the gastrointestinal tract. "In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the use of miswak way back in 1986, but stated that further research was needed to document the effects," said Aziza Al-Mubarik, a KSU dentist, while referring to the widespread use of miswak, which is more common during Ramadan in Saudi Arabia and many other Arab and Muslim countries.
Asked why one should prefer miswak, Dr. Rahi Al-Badr, a local physician, said miswaks have many medicinal properties including scents, painkiller substances and sodium bicarbonate, which are widely used in the production of different kinds of toothpastes.
On the growing sales of miswak especially during Ramadan, Mubarak Al-Arifi, a miswak seller in Riyadh , said: "Miswak sales has gone up in Ramadan, especially in Makkah and Madinah, where the sales have increased up by nearly 300 to 500 percent."
"Miswaks have a big market in Saudi Arabia and users can find these sticks nowadays in every nook and corner of the city, on roadsides, on pavements, or even in stores that sell Islamic books and cassettes," said Al-Arifi, 65, who has always used miswak and has never visited dentists all his life.
On miswak sales, Karim Bandhu, a Bangladeshi salesman, who sits in front of a mosque in Rawdah district of Riyadh, said: "This is our season and we do brisk business in Ramadan. For me, it is fun, praying and talking to people, while selling miswaks."
The best source of miswak is the root of arak tree, which is called Salvadora persica in botanical terms. The arak trees are grown in Saudi Arabia , Sudan , Southern Egypt, Chad and eastern parts of India .
In other parts of the Muslim world, where the arak tree is not found, other trees are used for the same purpose. Strips of bark are used in Morocco and branches of the neem tree are often used in India .
Two kinds of miswak are sold in Yemen , spicy and bland ones, said miswak seller, Mohammed Al-Hassan, a Yemeni national. Many Muslims use the miswak to follow the recommendations of Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him), who said, "Siwak cleanses the mouth and pleases Allah".
Asked about the use of miswak among women in Saudi Arabia , Zurwa Jameel, a young Pakistani girl, said, "I use miswak during Ramadan because the use of toothpaste during Ramadan nullifies fasting." "I have seen Saudi and non-Saudi Muslim women using miswaks more commonly than Asians or European Muslims," she said.
Advantages of miswak
• The reward of Salaah (prayers) is multiplied 70 times, when miswak is used before prayers.
• Miswak strengthens gums and prevents tooth decay.
• Miswak assists in eliminating toothaches and prevents further increase of decay which has already set in.
• Miswak creates a fragrance in the mouth, keeping it fresh.
• Miswak is a cure for illness.
• Miswak eliminates bad odors and improves sense of taste.
• Miswak sharpens memory.
• Miswak is a cure for headaches.
• Miswak creates luster (noor) on the face of the one who continuously uses it.
• Miswak causes teeth to glow.
• Miswak strengthens eyesight.
• Miswak assists in digestion.
• Miswak clears the voice.
Times when usage of miswak is Sunnah:
1. For the recitation of the Qur'an.
2. For the recitation of Hadith.
3. When the mouth emits an odor.
4. For the learning or teaching of virtues of Islam.
5. For making Dhikrullah (Remembrance of Allah, meditation).
6. After entering ones home.
7. Before entering any good gathering.
8. When experiencing pangs of hunger and thirst.
9. After the signs of death are evident.
10. At the time of Sahur
11. Before meals.
12. Before undertaking a journey.
13. On returning from a journey.
14. Before sleeping.
15. After leaving the bed in morning.
M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan I Arab News
A group of dentists at the King Saud University (KSU) have studied the medicinal properties of the miswak (teeth cleaning sticks) commonly used in Arab and Asian countries, and have concluded that "the beneficial effects of miswak for oral hygiene and dental health of a person using miswak are equal to, if not greater than, those who use toothbrush and paste.
The research identified 19 natural substances found in miswak that benefit dental health.
According to the research, the miswak contains a number of natural antiseptics that kill harmful microorganisms in the mouth; tannic acids that protect the gums from disease; and aromatic oils that increase salivation.
The study said that "the miswak's bristles are parallel to the handle rather than perpendicular, and it can reach more easily between the teeth, where a conventional toothbrush often fails to reach."
The study has termed miswak as "an oral hygiene tool" for one and all. According to the study, "the miswak has many medicinal properties and can fight plaque, gum line recession, tooth wear, gingivitis, and periodontal pocket depths."
The study also concluded that the miswak releases fresh sap and silica that acts as an abrasive material for the removal of stains and buildup.
The KSU's research has been supported and substantiated by another research work done by Abdul Al-Shareif of the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to Al-Shareif, miswaks contain anti-mouth ulcer substances and antiseptics.
"In addition to the substances that prevent teeth carries, gum bleeding, mouth cancer and putrefaction, miswak has another ingredient that strengthens the gum and prevents teeth from coloring."
Al-Shareif said that a number of Saudi farmers have been planting miswaks for business.
The two studies have proved that the miswaks also release a substance that soothes toothaches.
He said that the use of miswaks might also improve appetite and regulate peristaltic movements of the gastrointestinal tract. "In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the use of miswak way back in 1986, but stated that further research was needed to document the effects," said Aziza Al-Mubarik, a KSU dentist, while referring to the widespread use of miswak, which is more common during Ramadan in Saudi Arabia and many other Arab and Muslim countries.
Asked why one should prefer miswak, Dr. Rahi Al-Badr, a local physician, said miswaks have many medicinal properties including scents, painkiller substances and sodium bicarbonate, which are widely used in the production of different kinds of toothpastes.
On the growing sales of miswak especially during Ramadan, Mubarak Al-Arifi, a miswak seller in Riyadh , said: "Miswak sales has gone up in Ramadan, especially in Makkah and Madinah, where the sales have increased up by nearly 300 to 500 percent."
"Miswaks have a big market in Saudi Arabia and users can find these sticks nowadays in every nook and corner of the city, on roadsides, on pavements, or even in stores that sell Islamic books and cassettes," said Al-Arifi, 65, who has always used miswak and has never visited dentists all his life.
On miswak sales, Karim Bandhu, a Bangladeshi salesman, who sits in front of a mosque in Rawdah district of Riyadh, said: "This is our season and we do brisk business in Ramadan. For me, it is fun, praying and talking to people, while selling miswaks."
The best source of miswak is the root of arak tree, which is called Salvadora persica in botanical terms. The arak trees are grown in Saudi Arabia , Sudan , Southern Egypt, Chad and eastern parts of India .
In other parts of the Muslim world, where the arak tree is not found, other trees are used for the same purpose. Strips of bark are used in Morocco and branches of the neem tree are often used in India .
Two kinds of miswak are sold in Yemen , spicy and bland ones, said miswak seller, Mohammed Al-Hassan, a Yemeni national. Many Muslims use the miswak to follow the recommendations of Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him), who said, "Siwak cleanses the mouth and pleases Allah".
Asked about the use of miswak among women in Saudi Arabia , Zurwa Jameel, a young Pakistani girl, said, "I use miswak during Ramadan because the use of toothpaste during Ramadan nullifies fasting." "I have seen Saudi and non-Saudi Muslim women using miswaks more commonly than Asians or European Muslims," she said.
Advantages of miswak
• The reward of Salaah (prayers) is multiplied 70 times, when miswak is used before prayers.
• Miswak strengthens gums and prevents tooth decay.
• Miswak assists in eliminating toothaches and prevents further increase of decay which has already set in.
• Miswak creates a fragrance in the mouth, keeping it fresh.
• Miswak is a cure for illness.
• Miswak eliminates bad odors and improves sense of taste.
• Miswak sharpens memory.
• Miswak is a cure for headaches.
• Miswak creates luster (noor) on the face of the one who continuously uses it.
• Miswak causes teeth to glow.
• Miswak strengthens eyesight.
• Miswak assists in digestion.
• Miswak clears the voice.
Times when usage of miswak is Sunnah:
1. For the recitation of the Qur'an.
2. For the recitation of Hadith.
3. When the mouth emits an odor.
4. For the learning or teaching of virtues of Islam.
5. For making Dhikrullah (Remembrance of Allah, meditation).
6. After entering ones home.
7. Before entering any good gathering.
8. When experiencing pangs of hunger and thirst.
9. After the signs of death are evident.
10. At the time of Sahur
11. Before meals.
12. Before undertaking a journey.
13. On returning from a journey.
14. Before sleeping.
15. After leaving the bed in morning.
Non-Muslims Favor Islamic Finance
Non-Muslims Favor Islamic Finance
http://www.islamonl ine.net/servlet/ Satellite? c=Article_ C&cid=1195032536309&pagename=Zone- English-News/ NWELayou
CAIRO — Islamic finance, an industry picking up steam worldwide, is increasingly appealing to non-Muslims who find the Shari `ah -compliant service much fairer than traditional banking. "The terms are better than on conventional loans," David Ong-Yeoh, a Malaysian public relations executive, told the New York Times on Thursday, November 22.
Islam forbids Muslims from receiving or paying interest on loans.
Shari`ah-compliant Islamic banking operates by sharing profit or loss between the bank and its clients.
Financing deals resemble lease-to-own arrangements, layaway plans, joint purchase and sale agreements, or partnerships.
Ong-Yeoh, 41, is one of many non-Muslims opting for a growing range of Islamic products offering competitive returns.
He first sought a 30-year fixed loan from an Islamic financial institution for his home. He later took another Islamic loan for his car.
"It’s just taking advantage of the system."
Ong-Yeoh is not alone.
E-lene Kee, a Buddhist corporate lawyer, advises clients to use Islamic loans to finance construction projects.
"We look at these things just like Apple or Berkshire Hathaway."
At Kuwait Finance House’s Malaysian unit 40 percent of the depositors and 60 percent of its borrowers are non-Muslims.
"It’s about respecting the interests of the different parties, avoiding taking advantage of any situation of any counterparty and putting in place fair treatment," explains Rasheed Mohammed al-Maraj, governor of the central bank of Bahrain .
In addition to Islamic loans, there are Islamic bonds, Islamic credit cards and Islamic derivatives.
Islamic bankers cannot receive or provide funds for anything involving alcohol, gambling, pornography, tobacco, weapons or pork.
Booming
Islamic finance is already one of the fastest growing sectors in the global financial industry.
Hang Seng Bank, the second largest bank in Hong Kong and a subsidiary of global banking giant HSBC, launched on Thursday the Hang Seng Islamic China Index Fund, Hong Kong's first Islamic fund.
"The Fund will help investors capture the potential investment returns generated by growing international interest in these markets," said William Leung, general manager of the bank's personal financial services and wealth management.
Hang Seng is only the latest in a long list of international institutions, including Citigroup, HSBC and Deutsche Bank, going into the Islamic banking business.
Currently, there are nearly 300 Islamic banks and financial institutions worldwide whose assets are predicted to grow to $1 trillion by 2013.
In Asia, Islamic finance is growing in double digits, with predominantly- Muslim Malaysia effectively establishing itself as a regional, if not global, hub.
Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore are also among the countries promoting Islamic finance.
In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s largest lender, National Commercial Bank, overhauled its entire retail business to make it Shari`ah-compliant.
Tunisia and Morocco have also authorized their first Islamic banks this year.
Shari`ah -compliant loans and bonds are already available in the US and Britain has decided to do the same.
"This is an industry on its way from a niche industry to becoming a truly global industry," Khawaja Mohammad Salma n Younis, the managing director for operations in Malaysia for Kuwait Finance House, told the Times.
"In the next three to five years you’ll see Islamic banks coming out in Australia , China , Japan and other parts of the world."
Related Links:
· Debt-ridden Americans Change Lifestyle
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1189959224445&pagename=Zone-English-News%2FNWELayout)
· Islamic Banks Withstand Mortgage Crisis
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1201957590961&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout)
· Islamic Loan Funds London Real Estate
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1203757646017&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout)
· Islamic Finance fulfills US Home Dream
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1209357533688&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout)
· Islamic Loans Serve Non-Muslim Malawians
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1203758807619&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout)
http://www.islamonl ine.net/servlet/ Satellite? c=Article_ C&cid=1195032536309&pagename=Zone- English-News/ NWELayou
CAIRO — Islamic finance, an industry picking up steam worldwide, is increasingly appealing to non-Muslims who find the Shari `ah -compliant service much fairer than traditional banking. "The terms are better than on conventional loans," David Ong-Yeoh, a Malaysian public relations executive, told the New York Times on Thursday, November 22.
Islam forbids Muslims from receiving or paying interest on loans.
Shari`ah-compliant Islamic banking operates by sharing profit or loss between the bank and its clients.
Financing deals resemble lease-to-own arrangements, layaway plans, joint purchase and sale agreements, or partnerships.
Ong-Yeoh, 41, is one of many non-Muslims opting for a growing range of Islamic products offering competitive returns.
He first sought a 30-year fixed loan from an Islamic financial institution for his home. He later took another Islamic loan for his car.
"It’s just taking advantage of the system."
Ong-Yeoh is not alone.
E-lene Kee, a Buddhist corporate lawyer, advises clients to use Islamic loans to finance construction projects.
"We look at these things just like Apple or Berkshire Hathaway."
At Kuwait Finance House’s Malaysian unit 40 percent of the depositors and 60 percent of its borrowers are non-Muslims.
"It’s about respecting the interests of the different parties, avoiding taking advantage of any situation of any counterparty and putting in place fair treatment," explains Rasheed Mohammed al-Maraj, governor of the central bank of Bahrain .
In addition to Islamic loans, there are Islamic bonds, Islamic credit cards and Islamic derivatives.
Islamic bankers cannot receive or provide funds for anything involving alcohol, gambling, pornography, tobacco, weapons or pork.
Booming
Islamic finance is already one of the fastest growing sectors in the global financial industry.
Hang Seng Bank, the second largest bank in Hong Kong and a subsidiary of global banking giant HSBC, launched on Thursday the Hang Seng Islamic China Index Fund, Hong Kong's first Islamic fund.
"The Fund will help investors capture the potential investment returns generated by growing international interest in these markets," said William Leung, general manager of the bank's personal financial services and wealth management.
Hang Seng is only the latest in a long list of international institutions, including Citigroup, HSBC and Deutsche Bank, going into the Islamic banking business.
Currently, there are nearly 300 Islamic banks and financial institutions worldwide whose assets are predicted to grow to $1 trillion by 2013.
In Asia, Islamic finance is growing in double digits, with predominantly- Muslim Malaysia effectively establishing itself as a regional, if not global, hub.
Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore are also among the countries promoting Islamic finance.
In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s largest lender, National Commercial Bank, overhauled its entire retail business to make it Shari`ah-compliant.
Tunisia and Morocco have also authorized their first Islamic banks this year.
Shari`ah -compliant loans and bonds are already available in the US and Britain has decided to do the same.
"This is an industry on its way from a niche industry to becoming a truly global industry," Khawaja Mohammad Salma n Younis, the managing director for operations in Malaysia for Kuwait Finance House, told the Times.
"In the next three to five years you’ll see Islamic banks coming out in Australia , China , Japan and other parts of the world."
Related Links:
· Debt-ridden Americans Change Lifestyle
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1189959224445&pagename=Zone-English-News%2FNWELayout)
· Islamic Banks Withstand Mortgage Crisis
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1201957590961&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout)
· Islamic Loan Funds London Real Estate
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1203757646017&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout)
· Islamic Finance fulfills US Home Dream
(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1209357533688&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout)
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The Political Framework of Islam
The Political Framework of Islam
By Prof Khurshid Ahmad
http://www.islamawa reness.net/ Politics/ framework. html
The political system of Islam is based on the three principles of towhid (Oneness of Allah), risala (Prophethood) and Khilifa (Caliphate).
Towhid means that one Allah alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of the universe and of all that exists in it - organic or inorganic. He alone has the right to command or forbid. Worship and obedience are due to Him alone. No aspect of life in all its multifarious forms ¾ our own organs and faculties, the apparent control which we have over physical objects or the objects themselves ¾ has been created or a acquired by us in our own right. They are the bountiful provisions of Allah and have been bestowed on us by Him alone.
Hence, it is not for us to decide the aim and purpose of our existence or to set the limits of our worldly authority; nor does anyone else have the right to make these decisions for us. This right rests only with Allah. This principle of the Oneness of Allah makes meaningless the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human beings. No individual, family, class or race can set themselves above Allah. Allah alone is the Ruler and His commandments constitute the law of Islam.
Risala is the medium through which we receive the law of Allah. We have received two things from this source: the Qur'an, the book in which Allah has expounded His law, and the authoritative interpretation and exemplification of that Book by the Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him), through word and deed, in his capacity as the representative of Allah. The Qur'an laid down the broad principles on which human life should be based and the Prophet of Allah, in accordance with these principles, established a model system of Islamic life. The combination of these two elements is called the shari'a (law).
Khilifa means "representation". Man, according to Islam, is the representative of Allah on earth, His vice-gerent; that is to say, by virtue of the powers delegated to him by Allah, and within the limits prescribed, he is required to exercise Divine authority.
To illustrate what this means, let us take the case of an estate of yours which someone else has been appointed to administer on your behalf. Four conditions invariably obtain: First, the real ownership of the estate remains vested in you and not in the administrator; secondly, he administers your property directly in accordance with your instructions; thirdly, he exercises is authority within the limits prescribed by you; and fourthly, in the administration of the trust he executes your will and fulfils your intentions and not his own. Any representative who does not fulfill these four conditions will be abusing his authority and breaking the covenant which was implied in the concept of "representation".
This is exactly what Islam means when it affirms that man is the representative (khalifa) of Allah on earth. Hence, these four conditions are also involved in the concept of Khalifa. The state that is established in accordance with this political theory will in fact be a caliphate under the sovereignty of Allah.
Democracy In Islam
The above explanation of the term Khilafa also makes it clear that no individual or dynasty or class can be Khalifa: the authority of Khilafa is bestowed on the whole of any community which is ready to fulfill the conditions of representation after subscribing to the principles of towhid and Risala. Such a society carries the responsibility of the Khilafa as a whole and each one of its individuals shares in it.
This is the point where democracy begins in Islam. Every individual in an Islamic society enjoys the rights and powers of the caliphate of Allah and in this respect all individuals are equal. No-one may deprive anyone else of his rights and powers. The agency for running the affairs of the state will be formed by agreement with these individuals, and the authority of the state will only be an extension of the powers of the individuals delegated to it. Their opinion will be decisive in the formation of the government, which will be run with their advice and in accordance with their wishes.
Whoever gains their confidence will undertake the duties and obligations of the caliphate on their behalf; and when he loses this confidence he will have to step down. In this respect the political system of Islam is as perfect a dorm of democracy as there can be.
What distinguishes Islamic democracy from Western democracy, therefore, is that the latter is based on the concept of popular sovereignty, while the former rests on the principle of popular Khilafa. In Western democracy, the people are sovereign; in Islam sovereignty is vested in Allah and the people are His caliphs or representatives. In the former the people make their own; in the latter they have to follow and obey the laws (shari'a) given by Allah through His Prophet. In one the government undertakes to fulfill the will of the people; in the other the government and the people have to fulfill the will of Allah.
The Purpose Of The Islamic State
We are now in a position to examine more closely the type of state which is built on the foundations of tawhid, Risala and Khilafa.
The Holy Qur'an clearly states that the aim and purpose of this state is the establishment, maintenance and development of those virtues which the Creator wishes human life to be enriched by and the prevention and eradication of those evils in human life which He finds abhorrent. The Islamic state is intended neither solely as an instrument of political administration nor for the fulfillment of the collective will of any particular set of people; rather, Islam places a high ideal before the state for the achievement of which it must use all the means at its disposal.
This ideal is that the qualities of purity, beauty, goodness, virtue, success and prosperity which Allah wants to flourish in the life of His people should be engendered and developed and that all kinds of exploitation, injustice and disorder which, in the sight of Allah, are ruinous for the world and detrimental to the life of His creatures, should be suppressed and prevented. Islam gives us a clear outline of its moral system by stating positively the desired virtues and the undesired evils. Keeping this outline in view, the Islamic state can plan its welfare programme in every age and in any environment.
The constant demand made by Islam is that the principles of morality must be observed at all costs and in all walks of life. Hence, it lays down as an unalterable policy that the state should base its policies on justice, truth and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstances, to tolerate fraud, falsehood and injustice for the sake of political, administrative or national expediency. Whether it be relations between the rulers and the ruled within the state, or the relations of the state with other states, precedence must always be given to truth, honesty and justice.
Islam imposes similar obligations on the state and the individual: to fulfill all contracts and obligations; to have uniform standards in dealings; to remember obligations along with rights and not to forget the rights of others when expecting them to fulfill their obligations; to use power and authority for the establishment of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice; to look upon duty as a sacred obligation and to fulfill it scrupulously; and to regard power as a trust from Allah to be used in the belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the life Hereafter.
Fundamental Rights
Although an Islamic state may be set up anywhere on earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the boundaries of such a state. Islam has laid down universal fundamental rights for humanity which are to be observed and respected in all circumstances. For example, human blood is sacred and may not be spilled without strong justification; it is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded; women's honour and chastity must be respected; the hungry must be fed, the naked clothed and the wounded or diseased treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from amongst its enemies. These, and other provisions have been laid down by Islam as fundamental rights for every man by virtue of his status as a human being.
Nor, in Islam, are the rights of citizenship confined to people born in a particular state. A Muslim ipso facto becomes the citizen of an Islamic state as soon as he sets foot on its territory with the intention of living there and thus enjoys equal rights along with those who acquire its citizenship by birth. And every Muslim is to be regarded as eligible for positions of the highest responsibility in an Islamic state without distinction of race, colour or class.
Islam has also laid down certain rights for non-Muslims who may be living within the boundaries of an Islamic state and these rights necessarily form part of the Islamic constitution. In Islamic terminology, such non-Muslims are called dhimmis (the covenanted), implying that the Islamic state has entered into a covenant with them and guaranteed their protection. The life, property and honour of a dhimmis is to be respected and protected in exactly the same way as that of a Muslim citizen. Nor is there difference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim citizen in respect of civil or criminal law.
The Islamic state may not interfere with the personal rights of non-Muslims, who have full freedom of conscience and belief and are at liberty to perform their religious rites and ceremonies in their own way. Not only may they propagate their religion, they are even entitled to criticize Islam within the limits laid down by law and decency.
These rights are irrevocable. Non-Muslims cannot be deprived of them unless they renounce the covenant which grants them citizenship. However much a non-Muslim state may oppress its Muslim citizens it is not permissible for an Islamic state to retaliate against its non-Muslim subjects; even if all the Muslims outside the boundaries of an Islamic state are massacred, that state may not unjustly shed the blood of a single non-Muslim citizen living within its boundaries.
Executive And Legislature
The responsibility for the administration of the government in an Islamic state is entrusted to an amir (leader) who may be compared to the president or the prime minister in a Western democratic state. All adult men and women who subscribe to the fundamentals of the constitution are entitled to vote for the election of the amir.
The basic qualifications for an amir are that he should command the confidence of the majority in respect of his knowledge and grasp of the spirit of Islam, that he should possess the Islamic quality of fear of Allah and that he should be endowed with qualities of statesmanship. In short, he should have both virtue and ability.
A shoora(advisory council) is also elected by the people to assist and guide the amir. It is incumbent on the amir to administer his country with the advice of this shooraThe amir may retain office only so long as he enjoys the confidence of the people and must relinquish it when he loses that confidence. Every citizen has the right to criticize the amir and his government and all reasonable means for the ventilation of public opinion must be available.
Legislation in an Islamic state is to be carried out within the limits prescribed by the law of the shari'a. The injunctions of Allah and His Prophet are to be accepted and obeyed and no legislative body may alter or modify them or make any law contrary to them. Those commandments which are liable to two or more interpretations are referred to a sub-committee of the advisory council comprising men learned in Islamic law. Great scope remains for legislation on questions not covered by specific injunctions of the shari'a and the advisory council or legislature is free to legislate in regard to these matters.
In Islam the judiciary is not places under the control of the executive. It derives its authority directly from the shari'a and is answerable to Allah. The judges are appointed by the government but once a judge occupies the bench he has to administer justice impartially according to the law of Allah; the organs and functionaries of the government are not outside his legal jurisdiction, so that even the highest executive authority of the government is liable to be called upon to appear in a court of law as a plaintiff or defendant. Rulers and ruled are subject to the same law and there can be no discrimination on the basis of position, power or privilege, Islam stands for equality and scrupulously adheres to this principle in social, economic and political realms alike.
Related Readings :
A Case for Muslim Political Participation
(http://www.islamawareness.net/Politics/participate.html)
Understanding Politics in Islam (Fiqh al Siyasah) - Yusuf al Qaradawi
(http://www.islamawareness.net/Politics/siyasah.html)
Islam, democracy not incompatible
(http://www.islamawareness.net/Politics/incompatible.html)
Can there be Islamic democracy?
(http://www.islamawareness.net/Politics/can.html)
By Prof Khurshid Ahmad
http://www.islamawa reness.net/ Politics/ framework. html
The political system of Islam is based on the three principles of towhid (Oneness of Allah), risala (Prophethood) and Khilifa (Caliphate).
Towhid means that one Allah alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of the universe and of all that exists in it - organic or inorganic. He alone has the right to command or forbid. Worship and obedience are due to Him alone. No aspect of life in all its multifarious forms ¾ our own organs and faculties, the apparent control which we have over physical objects or the objects themselves ¾ has been created or a acquired by us in our own right. They are the bountiful provisions of Allah and have been bestowed on us by Him alone.
Hence, it is not for us to decide the aim and purpose of our existence or to set the limits of our worldly authority; nor does anyone else have the right to make these decisions for us. This right rests only with Allah. This principle of the Oneness of Allah makes meaningless the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human beings. No individual, family, class or race can set themselves above Allah. Allah alone is the Ruler and His commandments constitute the law of Islam.
Risala is the medium through which we receive the law of Allah. We have received two things from this source: the Qur'an, the book in which Allah has expounded His law, and the authoritative interpretation and exemplification of that Book by the Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him), through word and deed, in his capacity as the representative of Allah. The Qur'an laid down the broad principles on which human life should be based and the Prophet of Allah, in accordance with these principles, established a model system of Islamic life. The combination of these two elements is called the shari'a (law).
Khilifa means "representation". Man, according to Islam, is the representative of Allah on earth, His vice-gerent; that is to say, by virtue of the powers delegated to him by Allah, and within the limits prescribed, he is required to exercise Divine authority.
To illustrate what this means, let us take the case of an estate of yours which someone else has been appointed to administer on your behalf. Four conditions invariably obtain: First, the real ownership of the estate remains vested in you and not in the administrator; secondly, he administers your property directly in accordance with your instructions; thirdly, he exercises is authority within the limits prescribed by you; and fourthly, in the administration of the trust he executes your will and fulfils your intentions and not his own. Any representative who does not fulfill these four conditions will be abusing his authority and breaking the covenant which was implied in the concept of "representation".
This is exactly what Islam means when it affirms that man is the representative (khalifa) of Allah on earth. Hence, these four conditions are also involved in the concept of Khalifa. The state that is established in accordance with this political theory will in fact be a caliphate under the sovereignty of Allah.
Democracy In Islam
The above explanation of the term Khilafa also makes it clear that no individual or dynasty or class can be Khalifa: the authority of Khilafa is bestowed on the whole of any community which is ready to fulfill the conditions of representation after subscribing to the principles of towhid and Risala. Such a society carries the responsibility of the Khilafa as a whole and each one of its individuals shares in it.
This is the point where democracy begins in Islam. Every individual in an Islamic society enjoys the rights and powers of the caliphate of Allah and in this respect all individuals are equal. No-one may deprive anyone else of his rights and powers. The agency for running the affairs of the state will be formed by agreement with these individuals, and the authority of the state will only be an extension of the powers of the individuals delegated to it. Their opinion will be decisive in the formation of the government, which will be run with their advice and in accordance with their wishes.
Whoever gains their confidence will undertake the duties and obligations of the caliphate on their behalf; and when he loses this confidence he will have to step down. In this respect the political system of Islam is as perfect a dorm of democracy as there can be.
What distinguishes Islamic democracy from Western democracy, therefore, is that the latter is based on the concept of popular sovereignty, while the former rests on the principle of popular Khilafa. In Western democracy, the people are sovereign; in Islam sovereignty is vested in Allah and the people are His caliphs or representatives. In the former the people make their own; in the latter they have to follow and obey the laws (shari'a) given by Allah through His Prophet. In one the government undertakes to fulfill the will of the people; in the other the government and the people have to fulfill the will of Allah.
The Purpose Of The Islamic State
We are now in a position to examine more closely the type of state which is built on the foundations of tawhid, Risala and Khilafa.
The Holy Qur'an clearly states that the aim and purpose of this state is the establishment, maintenance and development of those virtues which the Creator wishes human life to be enriched by and the prevention and eradication of those evils in human life which He finds abhorrent. The Islamic state is intended neither solely as an instrument of political administration nor for the fulfillment of the collective will of any particular set of people; rather, Islam places a high ideal before the state for the achievement of which it must use all the means at its disposal.
This ideal is that the qualities of purity, beauty, goodness, virtue, success and prosperity which Allah wants to flourish in the life of His people should be engendered and developed and that all kinds of exploitation, injustice and disorder which, in the sight of Allah, are ruinous for the world and detrimental to the life of His creatures, should be suppressed and prevented. Islam gives us a clear outline of its moral system by stating positively the desired virtues and the undesired evils. Keeping this outline in view, the Islamic state can plan its welfare programme in every age and in any environment.
The constant demand made by Islam is that the principles of morality must be observed at all costs and in all walks of life. Hence, it lays down as an unalterable policy that the state should base its policies on justice, truth and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstances, to tolerate fraud, falsehood and injustice for the sake of political, administrative or national expediency. Whether it be relations between the rulers and the ruled within the state, or the relations of the state with other states, precedence must always be given to truth, honesty and justice.
Islam imposes similar obligations on the state and the individual: to fulfill all contracts and obligations; to have uniform standards in dealings; to remember obligations along with rights and not to forget the rights of others when expecting them to fulfill their obligations; to use power and authority for the establishment of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice; to look upon duty as a sacred obligation and to fulfill it scrupulously; and to regard power as a trust from Allah to be used in the belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the life Hereafter.
Fundamental Rights
Although an Islamic state may be set up anywhere on earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the boundaries of such a state. Islam has laid down universal fundamental rights for humanity which are to be observed and respected in all circumstances. For example, human blood is sacred and may not be spilled without strong justification; it is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded; women's honour and chastity must be respected; the hungry must be fed, the naked clothed and the wounded or diseased treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from amongst its enemies. These, and other provisions have been laid down by Islam as fundamental rights for every man by virtue of his status as a human being.
Nor, in Islam, are the rights of citizenship confined to people born in a particular state. A Muslim ipso facto becomes the citizen of an Islamic state as soon as he sets foot on its territory with the intention of living there and thus enjoys equal rights along with those who acquire its citizenship by birth. And every Muslim is to be regarded as eligible for positions of the highest responsibility in an Islamic state without distinction of race, colour or class.
Islam has also laid down certain rights for non-Muslims who may be living within the boundaries of an Islamic state and these rights necessarily form part of the Islamic constitution. In Islamic terminology, such non-Muslims are called dhimmis (the covenanted), implying that the Islamic state has entered into a covenant with them and guaranteed their protection. The life, property and honour of a dhimmis is to be respected and protected in exactly the same way as that of a Muslim citizen. Nor is there difference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim citizen in respect of civil or criminal law.
The Islamic state may not interfere with the personal rights of non-Muslims, who have full freedom of conscience and belief and are at liberty to perform their religious rites and ceremonies in their own way. Not only may they propagate their religion, they are even entitled to criticize Islam within the limits laid down by law and decency.
These rights are irrevocable. Non-Muslims cannot be deprived of them unless they renounce the covenant which grants them citizenship. However much a non-Muslim state may oppress its Muslim citizens it is not permissible for an Islamic state to retaliate against its non-Muslim subjects; even if all the Muslims outside the boundaries of an Islamic state are massacred, that state may not unjustly shed the blood of a single non-Muslim citizen living within its boundaries.
Executive And Legislature
The responsibility for the administration of the government in an Islamic state is entrusted to an amir (leader) who may be compared to the president or the prime minister in a Western democratic state. All adult men and women who subscribe to the fundamentals of the constitution are entitled to vote for the election of the amir.
The basic qualifications for an amir are that he should command the confidence of the majority in respect of his knowledge and grasp of the spirit of Islam, that he should possess the Islamic quality of fear of Allah and that he should be endowed with qualities of statesmanship. In short, he should have both virtue and ability.
A shoora(advisory council) is also elected by the people to assist and guide the amir. It is incumbent on the amir to administer his country with the advice of this shooraThe amir may retain office only so long as he enjoys the confidence of the people and must relinquish it when he loses that confidence. Every citizen has the right to criticize the amir and his government and all reasonable means for the ventilation of public opinion must be available.
Legislation in an Islamic state is to be carried out within the limits prescribed by the law of the shari'a. The injunctions of Allah and His Prophet are to be accepted and obeyed and no legislative body may alter or modify them or make any law contrary to them. Those commandments which are liable to two or more interpretations are referred to a sub-committee of the advisory council comprising men learned in Islamic law. Great scope remains for legislation on questions not covered by specific injunctions of the shari'a and the advisory council or legislature is free to legislate in regard to these matters.
In Islam the judiciary is not places under the control of the executive. It derives its authority directly from the shari'a and is answerable to Allah. The judges are appointed by the government but once a judge occupies the bench he has to administer justice impartially according to the law of Allah; the organs and functionaries of the government are not outside his legal jurisdiction, so that even the highest executive authority of the government is liable to be called upon to appear in a court of law as a plaintiff or defendant. Rulers and ruled are subject to the same law and there can be no discrimination on the basis of position, power or privilege, Islam stands for equality and scrupulously adheres to this principle in social, economic and political realms alike.
Related Readings :
A Case for Muslim Political Participation
(http://www.islamawareness.net/Politics/participate.html)
Understanding Politics in Islam (Fiqh al Siyasah) - Yusuf al Qaradawi
(http://www.islamawareness.net/Politics/siyasah.html)
Islam, democracy not incompatible
(http://www.islamawareness.net/Politics/incompatible.html)
Can there be Islamic democracy?
(http://www.islamawareness.net/Politics/can.html)
What After Ramadan?
What After Ramadan?
Adapted from "Wa maadha ba`da Ramadaan", by Dar Al-Watan (120)
AlHamdulillahi wa kafaa, was-Salatu was-salamu `alaa `ibaadihi-lladheena Stafaa
We leave the blessed month of Ramadan, its beautiful days and its fragrant nights. We leave the month of the Qur'an, taqwa, patience, jihad, mercy, forgiveness and freedom from hellfire…
Have we fulfilled the requirements of taqwa and graduated from the Ramadan school with the diploma of the god-fearing?
Have we fought our souls and desires and defeated them, or have we been overtaken by our customs and blind imitations?
Have we performed our actions in a way that fulfills the conditions for receiving mercy, forgiveness and release from the Fire?
Many questions and numerous thoughts come to the heart of the sincere Muslim, who asks and answers with truthfulness.
What Have We Gained From Ramadan?
Ramadan is a school of iman and a 'stop to recharge one's spiritual batteries' - to acquire one's provision for the rest of the year...
For when will one take a lesson and change for better if not in the month of Ramadan?
The noble month is a true school of transformation in which we change our actions, habits and manners that are in variance with the Law of Allah 'azza wa jall. “Verily, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” [Ar-Ra`d, 11]
If you are from those who benefited from Ramadan, fulfilled the requirements of taqwa, truly fasted the month, prayed in it with truthfulness, and strove against you soul, then praise and thank Allah, and ask Him for steadfastness upon it until you meet your death.
Be not like one who has sewn a shirt and then destroyed it... Have you seen one who sewed a shirt or thawb, so when she looked at it, she liked it. Then she destroyed it pulling a thread by thread for no reason. What would people say about such a person?! Or have you seen one who earns a fortune trading throughout the day, then when the night comes, he throws away all that he earned, dirham by dirham. What would people say about such a person?!
This is the condition of one who returns to sinning and evildoing after Ramadan and leaves obedience and righteous actions. So after he was favored with the blessing of obedience and enjoyment of communicating with Allah he returned to the blaze of sins and evil actions. How evil are the people who know Allah only in Ramadan!
My dear ones,
Falling short in one's commitment to Islam after Ramadan is manifested in many ways, including:
1 – Men leaving the five prayers in congregation, after they filled mosques for Taraweeh prayers, thus going to the masjid for recommended prayers and leaving obligatory ones.
2 – Return to musical entertainment, forbidden films, women displaying their adornment beyond that which ordinarily appears thereof, free mixing etc.
This is not thankfulness for blessings and favors, nor is it the sign of acceptance of one's actions, rather this is opposition to favors and absence of thankfulness.
These are from signs of one's deeds not being accepted – and Allah's refuge is sought – for one who truly fasts rejoices on the occasion of `eid, praises his Lord for helping him complete the fast, and remains fearful that Allah may not accept his fasting, just as the Salaf would continue asking for acceptance of their actions in Ramadan for six months after it.
From signs that one's deeds are accepted is that he or she has improved in his or her obedience to Allah `azza wa jall. “And remember when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]…” [Ibrahim, 7] Increase you in good, faith and righteous actions. So if the servant is truly thankful to his Lord, you will see him guided to more obedience and distanced from sinfulness. Thankfulness is leaving sins, as the early Muslims said.
“And worship your Lord until there comes you to the certainty [i.e. death].” [al-Hijr, 99]
The Muslim must continuously be in the state of obedience of Allah, firm upon His Sharee`ah, steadfast upon His Deen, so that he or she is not of those who worship Allah only during one month or only in one place. Rather, the believer knows that the Lord of Ramadan is also the Lord of other months, and that He is the Lord of all times and places, so he is steadfast upon the Sharee`ah of Allah until he meets Him while He is pleased with him. Allah ta`ala said, “So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah].” [Hud, 112] And, “So take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness.” [Fussilat, 6] And the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “Say 'I believe in Allah', then be steadfast.” [Muslim]
-- If the fasting in Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary fasting, such as fasting six days in Shawwal, on Mondays and Thursdays, the three days in the middle of the month, the days of `Aashoora and `Arafat, and others.
-- If standing in prayer at night during Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary night prayer throughout the year. “They used to sleep but little of the night.” [Adh-Dhaariyaat, 17]
-- If the charity in Ramadan and zakat ul-fitr have ended, then there is the obligatory Zakat, and also there are many other open doors to charity, voluntary actions and jihad.
-- Reading of the Qur'an and contemplating it is not only for Ramadan, rather it is for all times.
Righteous actions are for all times and all places, so strive – O my brother and sister – and beware of laziness. And remember that it is not allowed for us to leave the obligatory actions or delay them, such as the five daily prayers on time, in congregation etc.
And do not fall into forbidden actions, such as forbidden sayings, food and drinks, or by looking at or listening to what is forbidden.
Be steadfast and upright upon the Deen of Allah at all times, for you do not know when you'll meet the Angel of Death. Beware of him taking you while you are in a state of sin. “O Allah, Who turns the hearts, keep our hearts steadfast upon Your Deen.”
I ask Allah to accept from us and you our fasting, our prayers and other righteous actions, that our condition after Ramadan be a better one, that the state of our Ummah improves, that we are granted honour and that we truly turn to our Lord…Ameen
Adapted from "Wa maadha ba`da Ramadaan", by Dar Al-Watan (120)
AlHamdulillahi wa kafaa, was-Salatu was-salamu `alaa `ibaadihi-lladheena Stafaa
We leave the blessed month of Ramadan, its beautiful days and its fragrant nights. We leave the month of the Qur'an, taqwa, patience, jihad, mercy, forgiveness and freedom from hellfire…
Have we fulfilled the requirements of taqwa and graduated from the Ramadan school with the diploma of the god-fearing?
Have we fought our souls and desires and defeated them, or have we been overtaken by our customs and blind imitations?
Have we performed our actions in a way that fulfills the conditions for receiving mercy, forgiveness and release from the Fire?
Many questions and numerous thoughts come to the heart of the sincere Muslim, who asks and answers with truthfulness.
What Have We Gained From Ramadan?
Ramadan is a school of iman and a 'stop to recharge one's spiritual batteries' - to acquire one's provision for the rest of the year...
For when will one take a lesson and change for better if not in the month of Ramadan?
The noble month is a true school of transformation in which we change our actions, habits and manners that are in variance with the Law of Allah 'azza wa jall. “Verily, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” [Ar-Ra`d, 11]
If you are from those who benefited from Ramadan, fulfilled the requirements of taqwa, truly fasted the month, prayed in it with truthfulness, and strove against you soul, then praise and thank Allah, and ask Him for steadfastness upon it until you meet your death.
Be not like one who has sewn a shirt and then destroyed it... Have you seen one who sewed a shirt or thawb, so when she looked at it, she liked it. Then she destroyed it pulling a thread by thread for no reason. What would people say about such a person?! Or have you seen one who earns a fortune trading throughout the day, then when the night comes, he throws away all that he earned, dirham by dirham. What would people say about such a person?!
This is the condition of one who returns to sinning and evildoing after Ramadan and leaves obedience and righteous actions. So after he was favored with the blessing of obedience and enjoyment of communicating with Allah he returned to the blaze of sins and evil actions. How evil are the people who know Allah only in Ramadan!
My dear ones,
Falling short in one's commitment to Islam after Ramadan is manifested in many ways, including:
1 – Men leaving the five prayers in congregation, after they filled mosques for Taraweeh prayers, thus going to the masjid for recommended prayers and leaving obligatory ones.
2 – Return to musical entertainment, forbidden films, women displaying their adornment beyond that which ordinarily appears thereof, free mixing etc.
This is not thankfulness for blessings and favors, nor is it the sign of acceptance of one's actions, rather this is opposition to favors and absence of thankfulness.
These are from signs of one's deeds not being accepted – and Allah's refuge is sought – for one who truly fasts rejoices on the occasion of `eid, praises his Lord for helping him complete the fast, and remains fearful that Allah may not accept his fasting, just as the Salaf would continue asking for acceptance of their actions in Ramadan for six months after it.
From signs that one's deeds are accepted is that he or she has improved in his or her obedience to Allah `azza wa jall. “And remember when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]…” [Ibrahim, 7] Increase you in good, faith and righteous actions. So if the servant is truly thankful to his Lord, you will see him guided to more obedience and distanced from sinfulness. Thankfulness is leaving sins, as the early Muslims said.
“And worship your Lord until there comes you to the certainty [i.e. death].” [al-Hijr, 99]
The Muslim must continuously be in the state of obedience of Allah, firm upon His Sharee`ah, steadfast upon His Deen, so that he or she is not of those who worship Allah only during one month or only in one place. Rather, the believer knows that the Lord of Ramadan is also the Lord of other months, and that He is the Lord of all times and places, so he is steadfast upon the Sharee`ah of Allah until he meets Him while He is pleased with him. Allah ta`ala said, “So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah].” [Hud, 112] And, “So take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness.” [Fussilat, 6] And the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “Say 'I believe in Allah', then be steadfast.” [Muslim]
-- If the fasting in Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary fasting, such as fasting six days in Shawwal, on Mondays and Thursdays, the three days in the middle of the month, the days of `Aashoora and `Arafat, and others.
-- If standing in prayer at night during Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary night prayer throughout the year. “They used to sleep but little of the night.” [Adh-Dhaariyaat, 17]
-- If the charity in Ramadan and zakat ul-fitr have ended, then there is the obligatory Zakat, and also there are many other open doors to charity, voluntary actions and jihad.
-- Reading of the Qur'an and contemplating it is not only for Ramadan, rather it is for all times.
Righteous actions are for all times and all places, so strive – O my brother and sister – and beware of laziness. And remember that it is not allowed for us to leave the obligatory actions or delay them, such as the five daily prayers on time, in congregation etc.
And do not fall into forbidden actions, such as forbidden sayings, food and drinks, or by looking at or listening to what is forbidden.
Be steadfast and upright upon the Deen of Allah at all times, for you do not know when you'll meet the Angel of Death. Beware of him taking you while you are in a state of sin. “O Allah, Who turns the hearts, keep our hearts steadfast upon Your Deen.”
I ask Allah to accept from us and you our fasting, our prayers and other righteous actions, that our condition after Ramadan be a better one, that the state of our Ummah improves, that we are granted honour and that we truly turn to our Lord…Ameen
Rand Corporation' s New Recipe to Handle the Muslim World
Rand Corporation' s New Recipe to Handle the Muslim World
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Al-Jazeerah, April 2, 2007
The semi-official U.S. think tank, Rand Corporation, suggests creation of networks of the so-called moderate Muslims to promote US policy objectives in the Muslim World.
In its latest report, titled "Building Moderate Muslim Networks" the Rand Corp advocates that the building of moderate Muslim networks needs to become an explicit goal of the U.S. government policy, with an international database of partners and a well-designed plan.
Just as it fought the spread of Communism during the Cold War, the United States must do more to develop and support networks of moderate Muslims who are too often silenced by violent radical Islamists, according to the Rand Corporation report issued on March 26, 2007. Lead writer of the report Angel Rabasa says that the United States has a critical role to play in aiding moderate Muslims, and can learn much from the way it addressed the spread of Communism during the Cold War.
"The efforts of the United States and its allies to build free and democratic networks and institutions provided an organizational and ideological counter force to Communist groups seeking to come to power through political groups, labor unions, youth and student organizations and other groups."
The report defines a moderate as a Muslim, who supports democracy, gender equality, freedom of worship, and opposition to terrorism. This looks an amplification on its two previous reports - "Civil Democratic Islam: Partners, Resources, and Strategies" (March 2004) and " US strategy in the Muslim World after 9/11" (December 2004) - which also suggested supporting moderate Muslims and exploitation of inter-Muslim religious differences. Interestingly, a novelist turned research scholar, Cheryl Benard is the author of "Civil Democratic Islam" and co-author of Dec. 2004 and March 2007 reports.
In the December 2004 study, Rabasa had suggested to exploit Sunni, Shiite, Arab, and non-Arab divides to promote the US policy objectives in the Muslim world. Echoing this theme, the latest report recommends reaching out to Muslim activists, leaders, and intellectuals in non-Arab countries such as Turkey as well as in Southeast Asia and Europe .
The report recommends targeting five groups as potential building blocks for networks:
liberal and secular Muslim academics and intellectuals;
young moderate religious scholars;
community activists;
women's groups engaged in gender equality campaigns; and
moderate journalists and scholars.
The report warned that moderate groups can lose credibility – and therefore, effectiveness - if U.S. support is too obvious. Effective tactics that worked during the Cold War include having the groups led by credible individuals and having the United States maintain some distance from the organizations it supports. "This was done by not micro-managing the groups, but by giving them enough autonomy," Rabasa said. "As long as certain guidelines were met, they were free to pursue their own activities."
To help start this initiative, the report recommends working toward an international conference modeled in the Cold War-era Congress of Cultural Freedom, and then developing a standing organization to combat what it called radical Islamism.
The recent summit of "Secular Islam Conference" in St. Petersburg , Florida , almost coincided with the release of the latest Rand Report. A small group of self-proclaimed secular Muslims from North Amer ica and elsewhere gathered in St. Petersburg for what they billed as a new global movement to correct the assumed wrongs of Islam and call for an "Islamic Reformation".
The St. Petersburg conference, held on the sideline of the Intelligence Summit, was carried live on (Islamophobe) Glenn Beck's CNN show. Some of the organizers and speakers at the convention were well known thanks to the media spotlight: Irshad Manji, author of "The Trouble With Islam," and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the former Dutch parliamentarian and author of "Infidel," were but a few there claiming to have suffered personally at the hands of "radical" Islam. One participant, Wafa Sultan, declared on Glenn Beck's show that she doesn't "see any difference between radical Islam and regular Islam." Other participants were the now public ex-Muslim Ibn Warraq and self-proclaimed ex-terrorist Tawfiq Hamid.
Surely, the "moderate" Muslim agenda is promoted because these ideas reflect a Western vision for the future of Islam. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, everyone from high-ranking officials in the Bush administration to anti-Islam authors have prescribed a preferred remedy for Islam: Reform the faith.
The Rand Reports about Islam appear to be part of a grand strategy to "change the face of Islam" as revealed by the US News and World Report on April 15, 2005. The report entitled - Hearts, Minds, and Dollars: In an Unseen Front in the War on Terrorism, Amer ica is Spending Millions...To Change the Very Face of Islam - reads: "From military psychological- operations teams and CIA covert operatives to openly funded media and think tanks, Washington is plowing tens of millions of dollars into a campaign to influence not only Muslim societies but Islam itself."
According to the well-planned leaks to the US News and World Report, this strategy for the first time stated that the United States has a national security interest in influencing what happens within Islam. The report also confirmed that it is, in fact, the US which has been funding an Amer ican version of Islam, called "Moderate Islam.
The Rand reports try to create a fictitious vision of Muslims and of Islam, where it is antihuman, uncreative, authoritarian, and intrinsically against Western societies. It is an ethnocentric view of Islam that dominates current representations of Islam that are reductive, predominantly negative, and encouraging a culture of Islamophobia.
The complexities of the so-called fundamentalism and extremism in the past 100 years or so, whether it be Christian, Hindu, Jewish or Muslim, need to be understood in the context of modernization, the process of secularization, the changing nature of religious institutions, the post-colonial experience in developing countries, globalization, the divide between wealthy and poor, contesting political power, and the impact of totalitarian regimes on civil society.
What is not mentioned in the RAND reports is that the reason for the alienation of Muslims from the West, is the issue of "double standards" the West so brazenly practices when dealing with Muslim nations. Amer ica already has a very tarnished image in the Islamic world. It has already alienated a great majority of Muslims throughout the world through its misguided foreign policy. Who in the right mind will believe that this asinine assault on Islam and Muslims will win Amer ica friends in the Islamic world?
Now a word about the Washington-based semi-official think tank – the RAND Corporation. Among other government departments, the Rand Corp conducts studies for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Commands, the defense agencies, the Department of the Navy and the U.S. intelligence community. Obviously, writers of the three under discussion reports on Islam may be considered as neo-Orientalists with clear intention to belittle Islam.
When the European nations began their long campaign to colonize and conquer the rest of the world for their own benefit, they brought their academic and missionary resources to help them with their task. Orientalists and missionaries, whose ranks often overlapped, were the servants of an imperialist government who was using their services as a way to subdue or weaken an enemy. The academic study of the Oriental East by the Occidental West was often motivated and often co-operated hand-in-hand with the imperialistic aims of the European colonial powers. The foundations of Orientalism were in the maxim "Know thy enemy". This equally applies to the modern day Orientalists of such semi-official think tanks as the Rand Corporation.
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Al-Jazeerah, April 2, 2007
The semi-official U.S. think tank, Rand Corporation, suggests creation of networks of the so-called moderate Muslims to promote US policy objectives in the Muslim World.
In its latest report, titled "Building Moderate Muslim Networks" the Rand Corp advocates that the building of moderate Muslim networks needs to become an explicit goal of the U.S. government policy, with an international database of partners and a well-designed plan.
Just as it fought the spread of Communism during the Cold War, the United States must do more to develop and support networks of moderate Muslims who are too often silenced by violent radical Islamists, according to the Rand Corporation report issued on March 26, 2007. Lead writer of the report Angel Rabasa says that the United States has a critical role to play in aiding moderate Muslims, and can learn much from the way it addressed the spread of Communism during the Cold War.
"The efforts of the United States and its allies to build free and democratic networks and institutions provided an organizational and ideological counter force to Communist groups seeking to come to power through political groups, labor unions, youth and student organizations and other groups."
The report defines a moderate as a Muslim, who supports democracy, gender equality, freedom of worship, and opposition to terrorism. This looks an amplification on its two previous reports - "Civil Democratic Islam: Partners, Resources, and Strategies" (March 2004) and " US strategy in the Muslim World after 9/11" (December 2004) - which also suggested supporting moderate Muslims and exploitation of inter-Muslim religious differences. Interestingly, a novelist turned research scholar, Cheryl Benard is the author of "Civil Democratic Islam" and co-author of Dec. 2004 and March 2007 reports.
In the December 2004 study, Rabasa had suggested to exploit Sunni, Shiite, Arab, and non-Arab divides to promote the US policy objectives in the Muslim world. Echoing this theme, the latest report recommends reaching out to Muslim activists, leaders, and intellectuals in non-Arab countries such as Turkey as well as in Southeast Asia and Europe .
The report recommends targeting five groups as potential building blocks for networks:
liberal and secular Muslim academics and intellectuals;
young moderate religious scholars;
community activists;
women's groups engaged in gender equality campaigns; and
moderate journalists and scholars.
The report warned that moderate groups can lose credibility – and therefore, effectiveness - if U.S. support is too obvious. Effective tactics that worked during the Cold War include having the groups led by credible individuals and having the United States maintain some distance from the organizations it supports. "This was done by not micro-managing the groups, but by giving them enough autonomy," Rabasa said. "As long as certain guidelines were met, they were free to pursue their own activities."
To help start this initiative, the report recommends working toward an international conference modeled in the Cold War-era Congress of Cultural Freedom, and then developing a standing organization to combat what it called radical Islamism.
The recent summit of "Secular Islam Conference" in St. Petersburg , Florida , almost coincided with the release of the latest Rand Report. A small group of self-proclaimed secular Muslims from North Amer ica and elsewhere gathered in St. Petersburg for what they billed as a new global movement to correct the assumed wrongs of Islam and call for an "Islamic Reformation".
The St. Petersburg conference, held on the sideline of the Intelligence Summit, was carried live on (Islamophobe) Glenn Beck's CNN show. Some of the organizers and speakers at the convention were well known thanks to the media spotlight: Irshad Manji, author of "The Trouble With Islam," and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the former Dutch parliamentarian and author of "Infidel," were but a few there claiming to have suffered personally at the hands of "radical" Islam. One participant, Wafa Sultan, declared on Glenn Beck's show that she doesn't "see any difference between radical Islam and regular Islam." Other participants were the now public ex-Muslim Ibn Warraq and self-proclaimed ex-terrorist Tawfiq Hamid.
Surely, the "moderate" Muslim agenda is promoted because these ideas reflect a Western vision for the future of Islam. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, everyone from high-ranking officials in the Bush administration to anti-Islam authors have prescribed a preferred remedy for Islam: Reform the faith.
The Rand Reports about Islam appear to be part of a grand strategy to "change the face of Islam" as revealed by the US News and World Report on April 15, 2005. The report entitled - Hearts, Minds, and Dollars: In an Unseen Front in the War on Terrorism, Amer ica is Spending Millions...To Change the Very Face of Islam - reads: "From military psychological- operations teams and CIA covert operatives to openly funded media and think tanks, Washington is plowing tens of millions of dollars into a campaign to influence not only Muslim societies but Islam itself."
According to the well-planned leaks to the US News and World Report, this strategy for the first time stated that the United States has a national security interest in influencing what happens within Islam. The report also confirmed that it is, in fact, the US which has been funding an Amer ican version of Islam, called "Moderate Islam.
The Rand reports try to create a fictitious vision of Muslims and of Islam, where it is antihuman, uncreative, authoritarian, and intrinsically against Western societies. It is an ethnocentric view of Islam that dominates current representations of Islam that are reductive, predominantly negative, and encouraging a culture of Islamophobia.
The complexities of the so-called fundamentalism and extremism in the past 100 years or so, whether it be Christian, Hindu, Jewish or Muslim, need to be understood in the context of modernization, the process of secularization, the changing nature of religious institutions, the post-colonial experience in developing countries, globalization, the divide between wealthy and poor, contesting political power, and the impact of totalitarian regimes on civil society.
What is not mentioned in the RAND reports is that the reason for the alienation of Muslims from the West, is the issue of "double standards" the West so brazenly practices when dealing with Muslim nations. Amer ica already has a very tarnished image in the Islamic world. It has already alienated a great majority of Muslims throughout the world through its misguided foreign policy. Who in the right mind will believe that this asinine assault on Islam and Muslims will win Amer ica friends in the Islamic world?
Now a word about the Washington-based semi-official think tank – the RAND Corporation. Among other government departments, the Rand Corp conducts studies for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Commands, the defense agencies, the Department of the Navy and the U.S. intelligence community. Obviously, writers of the three under discussion reports on Islam may be considered as neo-Orientalists with clear intention to belittle Islam.
When the European nations began their long campaign to colonize and conquer the rest of the world for their own benefit, they brought their academic and missionary resources to help them with their task. Orientalists and missionaries, whose ranks often overlapped, were the servants of an imperialist government who was using their services as a way to subdue or weaken an enemy. The academic study of the Oriental East by the Occidental West was often motivated and often co-operated hand-in-hand with the imperialistic aims of the European colonial powers. The foundations of Orientalism were in the maxim "Know thy enemy". This equally applies to the modern day Orientalists of such semi-official think tanks as the Rand Corporation.
Important for Muslims to Know and tell others
Important for Muslims to Know and tell others
As S a l a m u A l a y k u m W a R a h m a t u l l a h!
Please send this message to every one you know. If you dont... A Muslim(s) around the world could be receiving false information about Islam which you know about, so I would send this message as soon as u have read it.
Beware of the following websites:
1. www.answering- islam.org (operated by christians, stated clearly in the ABOUT US page)
2. www.aboutislam. com
3. www.thequran. com (states Quranic Errors - WTF !!!)
4. www.allahassurance. com (Pathetic Search engine)
These sites have been developed by the Jews Who Intentionally spread wrong information about the QURAN , HADITH and Islam
Please share this information with all the Muslim brothers and sisters around the world
Always check the source of any Islamic web site even if it is very convincing
A FAKE AMERICAN QURAAN = 'The True Furqan'
The new AMERICAN Quran:
a dangerous trick A new Quran is being distributed in Kuwait , titled 'The True Furqan'. It is being described as the ayats of the Shaytan and Al-Furqan weekly magazine has found out that the two Amer ican printing companies;'Omega 2001' and 'Wine Press' are involved in the publishing of 'The True Furqan', a book which has also been titled 'The 21st Century Quran'! It is over 366 pages and is inboth the Arabic and English languages... it is being distributed to our children in Kuwait in the private
English schools! The book contains 77 Surats, which include Al-Fatiha, Al-Jana and Al-Injil. Instead of Bismillah, each Surat begins with a longer vesion of this incorporating the Christian belief of the three spirits.
And this so Called Quran opposes many Islamic beliefs. In one of its ayats it describes having more than one wife as fornication, divorce being
non-permissible and it uses a new system for the sharing out of the will, opposing the current one. It states that Jihad is HARAAM. This book even goes as far as attacking Allah, Subhanahu wa Tahala! (click on link about to see)
All this is poisoning our children at approx. $3.
Also, there is a book Al Mustaqiim that is also being passed around to Muslims but it is from the Christians with their Jesus son of God and only path to salvation garbage in it.
Brothers and Sisters please make sure you forward this email to as many people as possible so that we can stop this dangerous trick.
Please tell everyone you know and may Allah reward you.
jazak Allah Khair
PLEASE DON'T BREAK THIS CHAIN
As S a l a m u A l a y k u m W a R a h m a t u l l a h!
Please send this message to every one you know. If you dont... A Muslim(s) around the world could be receiving false information about Islam which you know about, so I would send this message as soon as u have read it.
Beware of the following websites:
1. www.answering- islam.org (operated by christians, stated clearly in the ABOUT US page)
2. www.aboutislam. com
3. www.thequran. com (states Quranic Errors - WTF !!!)
4. www.allahassurance. com (Pathetic Search engine)
These sites have been developed by the Jews Who Intentionally spread wrong information about the QURAN , HADITH and Islam
Please share this information with all the Muslim brothers and sisters around the world
Always check the source of any Islamic web site even if it is very convincing
A FAKE AMERICAN QURAAN = 'The True Furqan'
The new AMERICAN Quran:
a dangerous trick A new Quran is being distributed in Kuwait , titled 'The True Furqan'. It is being described as the ayats of the Shaytan and Al-Furqan weekly magazine has found out that the two Amer ican printing companies;'Omega 2001' and 'Wine Press' are involved in the publishing of 'The True Furqan', a book which has also been titled 'The 21st Century Quran'! It is over 366 pages and is inboth the Arabic and English languages... it is being distributed to our children in Kuwait in the private
English schools! The book contains 77 Surats, which include Al-Fatiha, Al-Jana and Al-Injil. Instead of Bismillah, each Surat begins with a longer vesion of this incorporating the Christian belief of the three spirits.
And this so Called Quran opposes many Islamic beliefs. In one of its ayats it describes having more than one wife as fornication, divorce being
non-permissible and it uses a new system for the sharing out of the will, opposing the current one. It states that Jihad is HARAAM. This book even goes as far as attacking Allah, Subhanahu wa Tahala! (click on link about to see)
All this is poisoning our children at approx. $3.
Also, there is a book Al Mustaqiim that is also being passed around to Muslims but it is from the Christians with their Jesus son of God and only path to salvation garbage in it.
Brothers and Sisters please make sure you forward this email to as many people as possible so that we can stop this dangerous trick.
Please tell everyone you know and may Allah reward you.
jazak Allah Khair
PLEASE DON'T BREAK THIS CHAIN
Islam in Amer ica before Columbus
Islam in Amer ica before Columbus
Hisham Zoubeir, 14 February 1998
Before I begin this article, I would like to extend my thanks to the creators of the Internet. It was there that I found my research on the topic that follows, and it is to the people who wrote the various articles and references that credit for this article should go to. I merely put two and two together for the benefit of those reading this now.
The history surrounding the followers of our proud faith is one of two shades; the truth and the lie. The lies surrounding our history have been spread to every corner of the globe; that we were and are (?) barbarians, no better than animals. The truth is that although there were certain parts of history that do show that some of our followers were ruthless and brutal (such as the Ottoman Empire ), this is not unlike every nation and country in the world. And we have a much more worthy things to focus on.
Before the West declared themselves the great scientists of the earth, before their own Renaissance, Muslims already were making discoveries in science that took the West hundreds of years to even begin to imagine. What a shame that people in Europe were being persecuted by the Church for their suppositions that the earth was round; they should have come to the Islamic world--- an Afghan Muslim had proved that in 793 C.E.!
However, the studying of the universe brought forth more questions, and more curiosity. The Muslims in West Africa were so intrigued by what was on the other side of the Great Sea , that they began their expeditions into the great unknown. Early reports of these travels are sketchy, but we can be sure that they crossed the Atlantic by 889 C.E.
That was 603 years before Columbus . And that is not counting the actual physical evidence in the United States today that dates back even further; however, we do know, as De Lacy O'Leary pointed out, that Muslims definitely had the scientific knowledge and skill to make journeys across the Atlantic ocean .
We were in the Amer icas , hundreds of years before Columbus , and of that we can be sure.
Clyde-Ahmad Winters. Barry Fell. Alexander Von Wuthenau. Ivan Van Sertima. What do they have in common? A lot. They all provided evidence to the above statement; and it is a statement of fact, not an opinion, although many have chosen to ignore it in the past.
Now, we are all aware of the grave tragedy that befell the various African people after the discovery of Amer ica . Many people from there were forcefully taken from their homes to Amer ica , to serve the people who had taken over that land. Black slavery. We also know, for a fact, that many of these people were indeed Muslims; that has never been in dispute, nor should it be. Clyde Ahmad Winters has given us details of how huge numbers of Muslims were brought to Latin Amer ica in a 1978 issue of Al-Ittihad: A Quarterly Journal of Islamic Studies, although later on in 1543, Muslims in Spanish colonies were ejected from them by the residing government.
Dr. Barry Fell, a noted New Zealand archaeologist and linguist of Harvard University showed detailed existing evidence in his work, "Saga Amer ica" that Muslims were not only in the Amer icas before Columbus arrived, but very active there as well. The language of the Pima people in the South West and the Algonquian language had many words in their vocabulary that were Arabic in origin, and Islamic petroglyphs were found in places such as California .
In the Inyo county of the State of California , according to Fell, there is another petroglyph that states, "Yasus bin Maria" which means in Arabic, "Jesus, son of Mary". This is not a Christian phrase; in fact, the phrase is to be found in the verses and ayahs of the Holy Quran. This glyph, as Fell believes, is centuries older than the US . In the Western states of the US he found texts, diagrams and charts engraved on rocks that were used for schooling that dated back to 700-800 C.E. The schooling was in subjects such as mathematics, history, geography, astronomy and sea navigation. The language of instruction was Kufic Arabic, from North Africa .
The German art historian, Alexander Von Wuthenau, also provides evidence that Islamic peoples were in Amer ica , in the time between 300 and 900 C.E. This was at least half a millennium before Columbus was born! Carved heads, that were described as "Moorish-looking" were dated between 300 and 900 C.E. and another group of heads dated between 900 and 1500 C.E. An artifact found in the earlier group was photographed, and when later examined was found to resemble an old man in a Fez , like the Egyptians.
Ivan Van Sertima is widely renowned for his work, "They Came Before Columbus " which showed that there was definitely contact between the ancient and early African people with the Native Amer icans. This and another of his works, "African Presence in Early Amer ica " both prove that there were African Muslim settlements in the Amer icas , before the expedition of Columbus was even conceived. His research has shown that Arab Muslim trade was active in Amer ica and one can only imagine that the marvellous culture that the Native Amer icans had that shared so much with Islamic teachings was of great attraction to the Muslims that came so far across the sea.
And for the record, Christopher Columbus, the man who so-called discovered Amer ica , himself declared that his impression of the Carib people (i.e., Caribbean people) were "Mohemmedans." He knew of the Mandinka presence in the New World (Muslims) and that Muslims from the West coast of Africa had settled down in the Carribean, Central, South and North Amer ica . Unlike Columbus , they had not come to enslave the populations or plunder the land; they had come to trade and they married among the Natives. Columbus further admitted that on October 21st, 1492, as he was sailing past Gibara on the coast of Cuba , he saw a mosque, and remnants of other masjids have been found in Cuba , Mexico , Texas and Nevada .
On the second voyage Columbus took to the West Indies, the people of Haiti told him that "black" people had been there before him. They showed him spears of these visitors, and further study of the metals involved in their construction showed that they could have been made only in one place: Guinea .
Another historian, P.V. Ramos, also showed in his essay in "African Presence in Early Amer ica" that the dietary regulations of the Carib were similar to Islamic teachings.
But let us say that we are wrong. Perhaps it is all just a coincidence; after all, there are no living survivors of the Native Amer ican Muslims, are they?
Wrong. And this last part is what originally drew me into this quest for knowledge: an exposé written by a Native Muslim.
Brother Mahir Abdal-Razzaaq El wrote in his account, recently posted on the Internet, about the Native Amer icans that were Muslims. He is of the Cherokee tribe; known as Eagle Sun Walker, and a Pipe Carrier Warrior of the Cherokees in New York . He tells of Muslim travelers that came to his land over one thousand years ago, and what is more important, existing evidence of legislation, treaties and resolutions that prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt that Muslims were in the Americas and very active. Although these documents have not been written after 1492, it is still interesting to note that Islam was in fact there. The Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1787 have the signatures of Abdel-Khak and Mohammed Bin Abdulla. According to a federal court case from the Continental Congress,
Native Muslims helped put life into the constitution.
These are a matter of record; they cannot be disputed. Go to the National Archives or the Library of Congress and see for yourself; the Treat of 1987 show that the Natives abided by an Islamic system in commerce, maritime shipping and government. The records of the State of Carolina has the Moors Sundry Act of 1790. The Cherokee Chief of 1866 was a man called Ramadhan Bin Wati. Native clothing up until 1832 was full Islamic wear. The name Tallahassee actually means," Allah will deliver you sometime in the future." In North Amer ica , there are no less than 565 names of tribes, villages, cities, mountains and other lands sites of Islamic or Arabic roots.
The truth of Islam and the truth of the Native Amer ican culture is one and the same; many people hundreds of years ago realised that. The protection of the land and of the animals; the non-wastage of resources and the non-pollution of nature are all Islamic concepts.
I finish this article with a few Native sayings. And then, I want you to tell me that Islam is not nurtured in the hearts of these people.
"Our belief is that the Great Spirit has created all things. Not just mankind but animals, all plants, all rocks, all on earth and amongst the stars with true soul. For us, all life is holy. All of nature is within us and we are part of all nature." Chief White Cloud
"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night." Crowfoot
"In the life of the Indian there was only one inevitable duty- the duty of prayer - the daily recognition of the Unseen and the Eternal." Ohiyesa
Allahu akbar. Salaam wa allaykum wa rakhmatullah wa barakatu.
When this article was written] Hisham Zoubeir is at the University of Sheffield undertaking a multi-disciplinary degree in law. He has lived in Abu Dhabi , Cairo and London . His main interests delves into peace, equality, righteousness and spirituality.
http://www.themoder nreligion. com/ht/before- columbus. html
Native Amer icans, Islam, and Amer ica
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=vxI7XpArUds
Hisham Zoubeir, 14 February 1998
Before I begin this article, I would like to extend my thanks to the creators of the Internet. It was there that I found my research on the topic that follows, and it is to the people who wrote the various articles and references that credit for this article should go to. I merely put two and two together for the benefit of those reading this now.
The history surrounding the followers of our proud faith is one of two shades; the truth and the lie. The lies surrounding our history have been spread to every corner of the globe; that we were and are (?) barbarians, no better than animals. The truth is that although there were certain parts of history that do show that some of our followers were ruthless and brutal (such as the Ottoman Empire ), this is not unlike every nation and country in the world. And we have a much more worthy things to focus on.
Before the West declared themselves the great scientists of the earth, before their own Renaissance, Muslims already were making discoveries in science that took the West hundreds of years to even begin to imagine. What a shame that people in Europe were being persecuted by the Church for their suppositions that the earth was round; they should have come to the Islamic world--- an Afghan Muslim had proved that in 793 C.E.!
However, the studying of the universe brought forth more questions, and more curiosity. The Muslims in West Africa were so intrigued by what was on the other side of the Great Sea , that they began their expeditions into the great unknown. Early reports of these travels are sketchy, but we can be sure that they crossed the Atlantic by 889 C.E.
That was 603 years before Columbus . And that is not counting the actual physical evidence in the United States today that dates back even further; however, we do know, as De Lacy O'Leary pointed out, that Muslims definitely had the scientific knowledge and skill to make journeys across the Atlantic ocean .
We were in the Amer icas , hundreds of years before Columbus , and of that we can be sure.
Clyde-Ahmad Winters. Barry Fell. Alexander Von Wuthenau. Ivan Van Sertima. What do they have in common? A lot. They all provided evidence to the above statement; and it is a statement of fact, not an opinion, although many have chosen to ignore it in the past.
Now, we are all aware of the grave tragedy that befell the various African people after the discovery of Amer ica . Many people from there were forcefully taken from their homes to Amer ica , to serve the people who had taken over that land. Black slavery. We also know, for a fact, that many of these people were indeed Muslims; that has never been in dispute, nor should it be. Clyde Ahmad Winters has given us details of how huge numbers of Muslims were brought to Latin Amer ica in a 1978 issue of Al-Ittihad: A Quarterly Journal of Islamic Studies, although later on in 1543, Muslims in Spanish colonies were ejected from them by the residing government.
Dr. Barry Fell, a noted New Zealand archaeologist and linguist of Harvard University showed detailed existing evidence in his work, "Saga Amer ica" that Muslims were not only in the Amer icas before Columbus arrived, but very active there as well. The language of the Pima people in the South West and the Algonquian language had many words in their vocabulary that were Arabic in origin, and Islamic petroglyphs were found in places such as California .
In the Inyo county of the State of California , according to Fell, there is another petroglyph that states, "Yasus bin Maria" which means in Arabic, "Jesus, son of Mary". This is not a Christian phrase; in fact, the phrase is to be found in the verses and ayahs of the Holy Quran. This glyph, as Fell believes, is centuries older than the US . In the Western states of the US he found texts, diagrams and charts engraved on rocks that were used for schooling that dated back to 700-800 C.E. The schooling was in subjects such as mathematics, history, geography, astronomy and sea navigation. The language of instruction was Kufic Arabic, from North Africa .
The German art historian, Alexander Von Wuthenau, also provides evidence that Islamic peoples were in Amer ica , in the time between 300 and 900 C.E. This was at least half a millennium before Columbus was born! Carved heads, that were described as "Moorish-looking" were dated between 300 and 900 C.E. and another group of heads dated between 900 and 1500 C.E. An artifact found in the earlier group was photographed, and when later examined was found to resemble an old man in a Fez , like the Egyptians.
Ivan Van Sertima is widely renowned for his work, "They Came Before Columbus " which showed that there was definitely contact between the ancient and early African people with the Native Amer icans. This and another of his works, "African Presence in Early Amer ica " both prove that there were African Muslim settlements in the Amer icas , before the expedition of Columbus was even conceived. His research has shown that Arab Muslim trade was active in Amer ica and one can only imagine that the marvellous culture that the Native Amer icans had that shared so much with Islamic teachings was of great attraction to the Muslims that came so far across the sea.
And for the record, Christopher Columbus, the man who so-called discovered Amer ica , himself declared that his impression of the Carib people (i.e., Caribbean people) were "Mohemmedans." He knew of the Mandinka presence in the New World (Muslims) and that Muslims from the West coast of Africa had settled down in the Carribean, Central, South and North Amer ica . Unlike Columbus , they had not come to enslave the populations or plunder the land; they had come to trade and they married among the Natives. Columbus further admitted that on October 21st, 1492, as he was sailing past Gibara on the coast of Cuba , he saw a mosque, and remnants of other masjids have been found in Cuba , Mexico , Texas and Nevada .
On the second voyage Columbus took to the West Indies, the people of Haiti told him that "black" people had been there before him. They showed him spears of these visitors, and further study of the metals involved in their construction showed that they could have been made only in one place: Guinea .
Another historian, P.V. Ramos, also showed in his essay in "African Presence in Early Amer ica" that the dietary regulations of the Carib were similar to Islamic teachings.
But let us say that we are wrong. Perhaps it is all just a coincidence; after all, there are no living survivors of the Native Amer ican Muslims, are they?
Wrong. And this last part is what originally drew me into this quest for knowledge: an exposé written by a Native Muslim.
Brother Mahir Abdal-Razzaaq El wrote in his account, recently posted on the Internet, about the Native Amer icans that were Muslims. He is of the Cherokee tribe; known as Eagle Sun Walker, and a Pipe Carrier Warrior of the Cherokees in New York . He tells of Muslim travelers that came to his land over one thousand years ago, and what is more important, existing evidence of legislation, treaties and resolutions that prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt that Muslims were in the Americas and very active. Although these documents have not been written after 1492, it is still interesting to note that Islam was in fact there. The Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1787 have the signatures of Abdel-Khak and Mohammed Bin Abdulla. According to a federal court case from the Continental Congress,
Native Muslims helped put life into the constitution.
These are a matter of record; they cannot be disputed. Go to the National Archives or the Library of Congress and see for yourself; the Treat of 1987 show that the Natives abided by an Islamic system in commerce, maritime shipping and government. The records of the State of Carolina has the Moors Sundry Act of 1790. The Cherokee Chief of 1866 was a man called Ramadhan Bin Wati. Native clothing up until 1832 was full Islamic wear. The name Tallahassee actually means," Allah will deliver you sometime in the future." In North Amer ica , there are no less than 565 names of tribes, villages, cities, mountains and other lands sites of Islamic or Arabic roots.
The truth of Islam and the truth of the Native Amer ican culture is one and the same; many people hundreds of years ago realised that. The protection of the land and of the animals; the non-wastage of resources and the non-pollution of nature are all Islamic concepts.
I finish this article with a few Native sayings. And then, I want you to tell me that Islam is not nurtured in the hearts of these people.
"Our belief is that the Great Spirit has created all things. Not just mankind but animals, all plants, all rocks, all on earth and amongst the stars with true soul. For us, all life is holy. All of nature is within us and we are part of all nature." Chief White Cloud
"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night." Crowfoot
"In the life of the Indian there was only one inevitable duty- the duty of prayer - the daily recognition of the Unseen and the Eternal." Ohiyesa
Allahu akbar. Salaam wa allaykum wa rakhmatullah wa barakatu.
When this article was written] Hisham Zoubeir is at the University of Sheffield undertaking a multi-disciplinary degree in law. He has lived in Abu Dhabi , Cairo and London . His main interests delves into peace, equality, righteousness and spirituality.
http://www.themoder nreligion. com/ht/before- columbus. html
Native Amer icans, Islam, and Amer ica
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=vxI7XpArUds
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