Dear Friends, Wow - on Saturday, in desperate last-minute negotiations, the world faced down an effort by the US, Canada and Japan to wreck the crucial Bali Climate Change Summit. Over 600,000 Avaaz members mobilized to save the Bali talks, including 320,000 in the final 72 hours! Click below to read the whole story with photos and videos
http://www.avaaz.org/en/bali_report_back/6.php Arriving in Bali, most countries wanted to work towards a new global treaty on climate change as well as new targets for carbon emissions by rich countries. But late last week, the US and Canada teamed up to undermine the talks -- the US blocked the whole Bali summit consensus, and when a smaller group of Kyoto treaty countries tried to move ahead without the US, they were blocked by Canada. The summit was in danger of deadlock. The Avaaz community flew into action, signing and spreading petitions to each of the governments, supporting ad campaigns in Bali and Canada, marches around the world, and phoning and lobbying elected officials. At the summit, Avaaz members brought the storm of public criticism inside the conference walls with the only march allowed inside the venue, the largest climate petition delivery in history, daily press conferences and "fossil awards" for the worst countries in the negotiations, and constant lobbying of officials. In the final hours of the summit, Canada backed down completely and allowed Kyoto countries to agree to strong 2020 targets on carbon emissions, and the US team, now entirely isolated and actually booed by the world's diplomats, compromised and agreed to call for "deep cuts" and "reference" the 2020 targets. This paved the way for the summit to agree to sign a new global climate change treaty by 2009. Usually these conferences are stuffy diplomatic affairs - but this time the world was watching, and speaking, each day. Together, we brought people-powered politics to the halls of power, and put our governments on notice: in the fight to save our environment, we will not be spectators. Click below to see a report on this campaign with videos and pictures: http://www.avaaz.org/en/bali_report_back/6.phpThis is just the beginning. Every nation of the world has now agreed that they will enter into accelerated negotiations and, by 2009, sign a new treaty to confront global warming. We need this treaty to set binding global targets for carbon emissions, and a mechanism for meeting them, that keep the earth's temperature from rising more than 2 degrees celsius - the amount that scientists say would be 'catastrophic'. Such a treaty will change the world's economy forever, weaning us off oil and fossil fuels to cleaner sources of energy. Some leaders, in the pocket of the oil industry, will fight it tooth and nail all the way. And we will too. A great struggle to save our environment has begun, and this weekend, we showed together that the people of the world aren't intending to sit this one out.With much respect and appreciation for this amazing community of people, Ricken, Ben, Milena, Paul, Iain, Sarah, Galit, Pascal and the whole Avaaz Team.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Wow - what happened at Bali
Friday, December 14, 2007
The truth of Israel behind Burmese Junta,directing anti Muslim policy
The truth is there are numbers of Burmese working in Israel as workers. Most of them are
family members of Burmese Army Soldiers.
Israel has been helping in changing Avionics of Burmese Air Force Jet fighters bought from China with more advanced one manufactured by them.
Israel has been long time ally of Burmese Military Government,preaching about a small country surrounded by populous Muslim Countries like Bangladesh, and part of India.
Another point Israel used to preach the Southeast Asian country is theory of Pan Islamic South East Asia. Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei are Muslim countries. If Thailand’s Muslim minority become powerful and asking for autonomy from its government, there may be domino effect, in which in Burma also Muslims may ask for own Autonomous state may be in Yakhine state for Rohingya’s.
That sounds scary for Junta. Junta rather wants Burmese to be diluted by Chinese who are willing to follow any faith as they do not have any principle faith, and their ideology, Communism facing Dilemma as Chinese Communist Government is openly supporting the oppressors.
In my opinion Chinese and Israel has similar attributes towards Burma.
1. Helping the Evil regime of Burma
2.Teaching how to effectively suppress the minority groups
Israel has vast experience of effectively controlling and intimidating Palastines for several decades. From travel restrictions of Burmese Muslims, to other discriminating policy such as not issuing birth certificate to Muslim newborn, denying full citizenship of the Burmese Muslims those are Burmese who’s faith is Islam are all due to Israel advice.
In South East Asia, Israel’s has two strategic allies. One is Burma and another country is among the world riches countries, even though it is very small in size.
As I mentioned in previous post, we can not blame for others for what we are today. However, all of us should have bigger brain, bigger eyes and bigger ears, so that we can understand what is really unfolding behind the scene.
( Israel has already denied any supports towards Military Junta of Burma, however these facts I have mentioned above are the truth, and Allah knows the best)
Origanated by San Oo Aung
Past History of Military Junta’s violent discrimination against Burmese Muslims
This news has posted in Islam Online in the year 2002 , however it still serve as a summary of the Plight of Burmese Muslims in Junta ruled Myanmar.
(IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Human Rights Watch on Thursday urged the U.N. special envoy to Myanmar to take up the plight of the Southeast Asian country’s embattled Muslim community when he visits next month.
In a 12-page report released prior to the visit, the New York-based rights watchdog listed a spate of attacks on Myanmar’s Muslims and the steady erosion of their religious freedoms, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
“The government must protect the rights of Muslims. Instead, it has imposed restrictions on Muslim religious activities and taken no action to punish those responsible for destroying Muslim homes and mosques,” AFP quoted HRW director Mike Jendrzejczyk as saying.
Violence against Myanmar’s Muslim minority was triggered by anger among the overwhelmingly Buddhist population at the destruction in March 2001 of ancient Buddhist statues in Afghanistan by the hardline Islamic Taliban regime then in power.
In some cities outside the capital, Yangon, there were credible reports of military intelligence officers “stirring up anti-Muslim violence,” the human rights group said, AFP reported.
The worst violence occurred in May and September last year when Myanmar’s economic crisis was at its most severe.
In Taungoo north of Yangon, more than 1,000 people led by “robed Buddhist monks” attacked Muslim shops, homes and mosques.
There were beatings and at least nine deaths, according to witnesses cited in the report.
Since then, Muslims nationwide have complained of restricted freedom to travel and to worship.
The U.N. special envoy, former Malaysian ambassador Razali Ismail, is due to make his eighth trip to Myanmar August 2.
He is expected to meet with ethnic leaders as well as members of the ruling military junta and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy.
A recent human rights report has accused Myanmar’s military junta of using systematic rape as a weapon of war against ethnic minority women in eastern Shan state.
The report, prepared by the Shan Human Rights Foundation and Shan Women’s Action Network documents the rapes of 625 girls and women in Shan state by Myanmar troops, mostly between 1996 and 2001.
But the government on July 10, 2002, accused the two rights groups which reported on the rape claims of allegedly conspiring with the Shan United Revolutionary Army to scupper its rapprochement drive with Washington.
The U.S. State Department said it had raised its concerns with the regime over the report.
“We are appalled by reports that the Burmese military is using rape as a weapon of war against civilian populations in Shan State,” AFP quoted a U.S. spokeswoman as saying, using the country’s former name.
“We have raised our concerns with the Burmese regime and urged them to fully investigate any and all allegations of the systematic rape of ethnic minority girls and women in Burma and appropriately punish those guilty of such heinous crimes,” she added.
“The report in question presents all sorts of details including dates, and places and battalion numbers and names of individual perpetrators involved,” she concluded, casting doubt on Myanmar’s government’s version of events.
originated by San Oo Aung
Friday, December 7, 2007
Where is the Muslim Outrage?
As a Muslim I am outraged at this nonsense. When Prophet Muhammad 's cartoons were published, the few Muslims around the world were outraged to the point of becoming destruct ive. They burned the embassy in Syria. Their contention was that the Prophet cannot be contained in an image, they were right but they were dead wrong on destroying any property, it went against the very principle s taught by the Prophet "to forgive the wrong doers" . Not enough of us were outraged against those criminals to make a differenc e.
Ms. Gibbons affection ately calls the Teddy bear "Muhammad" and the fanatics cry foul. The good for nothing silent majority needs to step and condemn the cleric and the government of Sudan for treating a lady for her benevolence in such an ugly manner. She probably would not have, had she known about it. Prophet Muhammad would have been saddened with these guys' behavior. When the Buddha Statue, a world heritage monument was destroyed in Pakistan last month, where was the Muslim outrage? When the Buddhist Monks were locked up in Burma, where was the Muslim outrage? What is good for the goose has got to be good for the gander. The third Caliph Omar punished his own son against a complain t from a Jewish businessman: such was the sense of Justice. Where is that sense of justice and fairness now? Mirza A. Beg writes, "...a woman in Saudi Arabia was gang-raped. She was seen in a car with a person not of her family. She was also found guilty along with the rapists and recommended punishment under the Saudi Law." That was not bad enough, when she appealed to the Media her punishment was doubled because she made it public. Where is the Muslim outrage? Why aren't the Muslims jamming the phone lines of Saudi Embassies around the world? Why aren't the Muslims decrying the Saudis for calling it an Islamic Law? It ain' t, it is the bizarre law of shameless men who do not follow thier own religion of peace. "In Sudan, a British teacher was arrested for the sin of helping her class of seven year olds to name a cuddly teddy bear, Muhammad. Yesterday, after a court trial, she was sentenced to 15 days in jail, and it is reported that a crowd was clamoring for a death sentence. In a closed dictatorial country a crowd does not gather, it is allowed or urged to gather." Writes Mirza Beg. Where is the Muslim outrage? The ones who forgive are the dearest to the lord. Where is this verse buried? There were members of the state legislature in India who publicly called to kill a heretic, and there was a cleric who offered a bounty for killing the same heretic. Where is the Muslim outrage against these criminals? God says "Killing one human is like killing the whole humanity ". Why isn' t this verse evoked? Darfur is bleeding, where is the Muslim outrage? The time has come for the Muslims to speak up; the good for nothing majority needs to speak up, and let their outrage be known. No doubt, the one' s who express their outrage are not given the outlet. The media does not see sensationa lism in this. At the World Muslim Congress and a few other organizations we will continue to compile the outrage expressed by Muslims around the world. I urge the media to give voice to the Muslims who speak up. It gives hopes to the mankind, whether we are Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists or Zoroastrians, we face the common enemy - ignorance. Ignorance displayed by super literate people as well as illiterate.
References: HERE HERE and HERE Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker and a Writer. He is president of the www. FoundationforPlu ralism.com and is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television network discussin g pluralism, terrorism, interfaith, political and civic issues. He is the founding president of the www. WorldMuslimCongr ess.com with a simple theme: "Good for Muslims and good for the world. " His personal Website is www.MikeGhouse. net. Mike is a Dallasite for nearly three decades and Carrollton is his home town. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail. com
Monday, November 12, 2007
bloodless heart of muslims
Oh, people of Burma , pls let Ur blood to run in ur hearts, we have been being selfish for long time.
Let me give one example to compare our society with one company or business organization. We are like staffs in company, to succeed our company goals we have to take our role to play together and take the chance to win. Among ourselves having problems, don't shake or mix with our own organization. For instance, unless we like one of us, we will be thinking how to take down him not only in a period but the rest of his life like doing wrong things instead of right one to overcome ur satisfaction on his suffering. Finally ur conduct will affect the company or organization and then ur profit as well as ur success will getting down and also ur family and the rest . pls think a second before what ever u do, don't forget that everything will be reflected.
Now look at our community (Organization) , what our people (staff) are doing, Oh big shame, we r learning higher education consisting so many theory to adapt in ur lives.
How people are talk about others, in front of them and behind of them is equal is it? And accepting discrimination is totally not good and we have been suffering for years in Burma . What’s difference between us and dictatorship?
" Allah says " Oh man kinds we created you a single pare a male and a female and made you nations and tribes and you may come to know each others"
Referring about Ayat, we come to know that we must satisfy with our status such as tribes and languages etc. I see some people are being not satisfied with our own and being look down other tribes as well. Have u ever thought that u r against above Ayat. Pls remember the way u think will be ur behaviour not depend on ur tribes.
Leaders of tomorrow in Burmese Muslim society, how u will be leaders, now if u don't like to be negotiated each others. We r sent here to be tested by Allah, so r u living for whom?
Pls remember, unless u give, u won't get anything. I mean if we examine ourselves, we can know that we like to blame leaders and country. How u have sacrificed for others. Think and think.
Whatever I have said above will be liked by those who want to be united and finding that is falling. The rest will hate this.
Oh by the way, pls test ur heart ur blood cross through it or not after read this, bcos there is no feeling without blood. (One Burmese saying: ‘u have blood to do’ means r u dare to do that r u feel it is right to do).
For Muslim, we r in Islam.
This msg is for only those who want to examine himself. Not related with all.
A Short History of the Bible
The stories of the Bible evolved slowly over centuries before the existence of orthodox religions. Many belief cults spread stories and myths probably handed down by oral tradition from generation to generation before people wrote them down. Many of the stories originally came from Egyptian and Sumerian cults. All of these early religions practiced polytheism, including the early Hebrews. Some of the oldest records of the stories that later entered the Old Testament came from thousands of small cylinder seals depicting creation stories, excavated from the Mesopotamia period. These early artifacts and artworks (dated as early as 2500 B.C.E.) established the basis for the Garden of Eden stories a least a thousand years before it impacted Hebrew mythology.
Mesopotamian Eden predates Genesis
An example of a cylinder seal depicting a Garden of Eden story. A man and woman sitting under the seven branched Tree of Life. Note the snake on the right. Akkadian Cylinder Seal, 2330-2150 B.C.E.
Virtually every human civilization in the Middle East, before and through Biblical times, practiced some form of female goddess worship. Archeologists have confirmed that the earliest law, government, medicine, agriculture, architecture, metallurgy, wheeled vehicles, ceramics, textiles and written language had initially developed in societies that worshiped the Goddess. Later the goddesses became more war-like with the influence of the northern invaders who slowly replaced the goddesses with their mountain male war gods. So why doesn't the Bible mention anything about the Goddess? In fact it does, but in disguise from converting the name of the goddesses to masculine terms. Many times "Gods" in the Bible refers to goddesses. Ashtoreth, or Asherah, named of masculine gender, for example, actually refers to Astarte- the Great Goddess. The Old Testament doesn't even have a word for Goddess. The goddesses, sometimes, refers to the Hebrew word "Elohim" (masculine plural form) which later religionists mistranslated into the singular "God." The Bible authors converted the ancient goddess symbols into icons of evil. As such, the snake, serpents, tree of knowledge, horns (of the bull), became associated with Satan. The end result gave women the status of inferiority, a result which we still see to this day.
The Old Testament consists of a body of literature spread over a period from approximately 1450 B.C.E. to 200 B.C.E. There exists no original writings of the Old Testament. There does exist, however, hundreds of fragments from copies that became the old testament. These fragments consist of Cuneiform tablets, papyrus paper, leather etchings and the famous Dead Sea Scrolls. The scribes of the old testament wrote in classical Hebrew except for some portions written in Aramaic. The traditional Hebrew scribes wrote the texts with consonants but the Rabbis later added vowels for verbal pronouncing. Of course the Rabbis did their best in choosing the vowels that they thought gave the words their proper meaning and pronouncement. In the second century C.E., or even earlier, the Rabbis compiled a text from manuscripts as had survived the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. and on this basis they established the traditional or Masoretic text, so called from the Hebrew word Massorah. This text incorporated the mistakes of generations of copyists, and in spite of the care bestowed on it, many errors of later copyists also found their way into it. The earliest surviving manuscripts of this text date from the ninth to eleventh centuries C.E. It comes mostly from these texts which religionists have used for the present Old Testament translations.
The New Testament has even fewer surviving texts. Scholars think that not until years after Jesus' alleged death that its authors wrote the Gospels. There exists no evidence that the New Testament came from the purported original apostles or anyone else that had seen the alleged Jesus. Although the oldest surviving Christian texts came from Paul, he had never seen the earthly Jesus. There occurs nothing in Paul's letters that either hints at the existence of the Gospels or even of a need for such memoirs of Jesus Christ. The oldest copy of the New Testament yet found consists of a tiny fragment from the Gospel of John. Scholars dated the little flake of papyrus from the period style of its handwriting to around the first half of the 2nd century C.E. The language of most of the new testament consists of old Greek.
Oldest known snippet from the New Testament
This photo shows a papyrus fragment from the Gospel of John, discovered in Egypt, the oldest known fragment from any part of the New Testament, dated from the first half of the 2nd century C.E.
Script appears on both sides, the front contains verses 31-33 and the back, verses 37-38.
The fragment resides in the John Rylands Library in Manchester, England.
Interestingly, there existed many competing Christian cults in the early years after Jesus' alleged death. Some sects saw the universe in dualisms of goodness and sin, of light and darkness, God and the Devil. Other Christian sects performed odd rituals, some of which involved the swallowing of semen, thought of as a sacred substance. Many other Christians also wrote mystical stories and by the second century there existed more than a dozen Gospels, along with a whole library of other texts. These include letters of Jesus to foreign kings, letters of Paul to Aristotle, and histories of the disciples. In one of these secret Gospels, it describes Jesus taking naked young men off to secret initiation rites in the Garden of Gethsemene. There lived Christian Gnostics (knowers) who believed that the church itself derived from the Devil to keep man from God and from realizing his true nature. In those first centuries of Christianity orthodoxy did not exist and when an organized orthodox church finally came, it got defined, almost inadvertently, in argument against many of the Gnostic sects.
So the idea of the Bible as a single, sacred unalterable corpus of texts began in heresy and later extended and used by churchmen in their efforts to define orthodoxy. One of the Bible's most influential editors, Irenaeus of Lyon, decided that there should only exist four Gospels like the four zones of the world, the four winds, the four divisions of man's estate, and the four forms of the first living creatures - the lion of Mark, the calf of Luke, the man of Matthew, and the eagle of John. In a single stroke, Irenaeus had delineated the sacred book of the Christian church and left out the other Gospels. Irenaeus also wrote what Christianity did not include, and in this way Christianity became an orthodox faith. A work of Irenaeus, Against the Heresies, became the starting point for later inquisitions.
There has existed over a hundred different versions of the Bible, written in most of the languages of the time including Greek, Hebrew and Latin. Some versions left out certain biblical stories and others contained added stories. The completed versions of the old and new testament probably got finished at around 200-300 C.E. although many disputed the authenticity of some books which later ended up as Apocrypha (uncanonical or of questionable authorship). For example, the book of Ecclesiasticus appears in the Catholic Bible but not in Protestant versions.
At around 405 C.E. Jerome (Eusebius Hieronymous) finished translating all the Old and New testament books into Latin (Vulgate Bible) which provided the Roman Catholic church added power. The Vulgate Bible went through several revisions up until the early 1900s!
Codex Palatinus
This shows a small segment of a leaf from the Codex Palatinus (British Library, add. ms. 40107, f.1), an Old Latin version of the gospels from the 4th or 5th century.
The text got written in two columns in uncial script which runs continuously without word breaks. Enlarged capital letters provide the only clue to place marking.
The salvation doctrines of Christianity survived and flourished because they afforded the priesthood considerable power. The priests alone held the keys to salvation and could threaten the unbelievers with eternal punishment. Hence, in the evolution of Christianity in the last two thousand years with priests preying on human fears, the religion has demonstrated extraordinary powers of survival. Even without the priests, the various versions of the Bible have had more influence on the history of the world, in the minds of men than any other literature.
Unfortunately, the beliefs in Scripture produced the most violent actions against man in the history of humanity up to that time. The burning of competing Christian cults (called heretics) by early Christian churches acted as the seeds of violent atrocities against man. There later followed the destruction of Rome by the Christian Goths, and the secret pagan sacrifices consented by the Pope, the Vandals that had the Bible with them as they destroyed imperial North Africa, the crusades in the eleventh century fighting in the lands around the eastern Mediterranean, Palestine and Syria, capturing Jerusalem and setting kingdoms from Anatolia to the Egyptian border. In 1204 the Fourth Crusade plundered Constantinople the most holy city at that time, with Christians fighting Christians. And the slaughters continued (and continues to this day). According to Romer, "More heretics and scholars were burned in the Middle Ages than were ever killed in Carolingian times. For at this time the Inquisition came into its own, and torture, largely unused as an instrument of government since Roman days, was reintroduced."
In the 1380s, John Wycliffe translated the first English Bible which inspired an English religious revolution which caused persecutions against him by the Catholic Church.
In the early 1500's the German heretic, Martin Luther, almost single handedly caused the final split from the Roman Catholic church and created the beginnings of the Protestant revolution. This split still influences violence to this day. He translated the Bible into German which further spread Protestantism. Luther also helped spread anti-Semitism with his preaching and books such as his "The Jews and their lies," all supported through his interpretation of the Bible. One should not forget that Hitler (a Christian and great admirer of Luther) and his holocaust could not have occurred without his influence and the support of Bible believing German Christians.
In the 1530s William Tyndale completed his version of the English Protestant Bible (probably with the aid of Luther) and the first to print the English Bible. He too felt the persecution of the Church and he spent his last days in imprisonment and exile. His enemies finally caught him and burned him at the stake, but because of his celebrity, they strangled him first (what nice guys!).
After Luther's German Bible, others followed suit by translating the Bible into their native languages including Dutch and French. Not until 1611 C.E. did a committee of translators and interpreters complete the most popular Bible of all time, the King James Version.
Today we still have dozens of Bible translation versions, with Bible scholars still arguing over the meaning and proper translations of words and phrases. The following shows just a few of the most popular versions:
King James Version (KJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV)
Modern King James Version [Green's Translation] (MKJV)
Literal Translation Version [Green] (LITV)
International Standard Version (ISV)
The New International Version (NIV)
English Standard Version (ESV)
New English Bible (NEB)
American Standard Version (ASV)
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Revised Standard Version (RSV)
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Today's English Version (TEV)
The Living Bible (LB)
New Century Version (NC)New Life Version (NLV)
New Living Translation (NLT)
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
Revised Young's Literal Translation (RYLT)
John Darby's New Translation
Weymouth New Testament Translation
Rotherham's
(One might wonder what will happen to the "new" revisions a few hundred years from now. Nevertheless, the King James Version still remains the most used Bible in the world today and it will probably continue its popularity long into the future.)
No doubt that future versions of Bibles will surface in the future: revisions of previously revised Bibles and newer revisions of new versions. The history of the many versions of the Bible stories, from the ancient Mesopotamian myths to the varied interpretations, interpolations, and versions of the Bible speaks volumes about the reliability of their interpretations and the alleged "truth" they claim the Bible holds, because it shows that the Bible comes not from supernatural agents but rather from human imagination. We have not one shred of evidence for the supernatural influence on human written works (and mostly from unknown authors), but we do have an abundance of evidence for human recorded beliefs and myths. This shows a marked difference between those of scientific works and those deriving from religious minds. For example, Euclid's Elements written around 300 B.C.E. has changed little since its inception. Scientists don't argue and debate about its meaning because they know it doesn't represent an absolute or fixed work. It only provides a step in the understanding of geometry. Most Christian apologists, on the other hand, view the Bible as fixed and absolute, if only they could only just get the interpretation correct. But regardless of how much the want the Bible to reflect their particular beliefs, they can never dislodge the violence and atrocities described and condoned by their God in the stories in the Old Testament. Nor can they dismiss the even more horrific result of the horrors of Hell as amplified by the words of the alleged Jesus in the New Testament where almost everyone on earth ends in eternal fire. In short, Bible belief influences horror, not by the majority but by the few that actually believe in its macabre prophecy and have the power to force their beliefs onto the majority.
We have little reason to think that violence inspired by Bibles and other religious texts will ever cease. One only has to look at the religious wars around the world to see belief's everlasting destructive potential. One only has to look at the Protestant-Catholic uprising in Ireland, the conflicts in the middle east with Jews fighting Moslems & Christians, the Gulf war, Sudan's civil war between Christians and Islamics, the Bosnia conflicts, and the war in Iraq. The desperate acts of fanatical individuals who have killed for their beliefs of Jesus, Mohammed, God or Satan would create a death list unmatched by any other method in history. The "Holy" Bible supports the notion of war and destruction, not only as a prophesy but as a moral necessity. If we wish to become a peaceful species, it may well serve us to understand the forces of belief that keep us in continual conflict and why the Bible has such a stronghold on the minds of people around the world.
The Dark Bible
Despite the fact that the Bible represents the best selling book of all time and serves as the sacred script for the Judeo-Christian faiths, it also stands as a book, by the majority, believed from ignorance. Strangely, in the Middle Ages the Catholic Church forbade the reading of the Bible by its congregation for fear that the people would misinterpret the texts. Many priests knew of the problematic and dark verses in the Bible. Too much questioning could result in a loss of faith, or so they thought. As a result, only the Church fathers had the right to make interpretations for its people. This gave the early Church power over its people and, at the same time, prevented its populace from ever becoming educated.
One would think that with today's practice of freedom of religion, education, free press and the availability of the Bible to anyone, that the Bible and its history would result in common knowledge. Nothing could stand further from the truth. Most Church fathers today concentrate only on the "good" phrases of the Bible. This of course represents an admirable approach as it serves to teach, stabilize and give meaning and morals to people in a society. However, Christians and Jews rarely hear about the dark side of the Scriptures from their religious leaders. Although most Christians own a Bible, few of them spend the time to actually read and understand what it actually represents. Many Christians find it shocking, even blasphemous for someone to point out that the Bible contains, not only errors, but atrocities that no Christian in good conscious would ever think of acting out. For example, how many Christians and Jews today would feel happy to bash a child's head against the rocks? Any secular question of this nature, of course, would result in revulsion, yet just such phrases occur in the Bible as well obscenities, filth and many horrendous phrases.
It will, perhaps, come from "good" Christians who will object most strongly to what I have put in and left out from the Dark Bible. However you may judge it, I have edited the Dark Bible in this way for several reasons:
Firstly, I wanted to share with people that the Bible does not represent only "high morality" or a means to better one's life; that most of the Bible, in fact, concerns itself with conquest, war, killings, and curses, many times coming from directly from Yahweh (God). By today's standards, many of these Biblical stories describe despicable atrocities.
Secondly, there exists a minority of faithful fundamentalists who take the Bible literally and act out or condone the atrocities in the Bible. People, groups and governments, for centuries, have instigated wars, pogroms, racism, hatred, anti-Semitism, terrorism, and the inferiority of women based on their religious beliefs. I wanted to point out some of the Biblical verses that people of faith have used as justification for their atrocities and also to help people become aware, and beware of the dangers that can result from belief in the Bible.
Thirdly, to make this knowledge easily available, I edited out the admirable phrases of the Bible in order to get to the point. Most people know about these "good" verses, and I should not have to point them out (there exists a plethora of books about the admirable works). I also left out most of the dark phrases of the Bible for if I had included them all, it would literally involve more information, along with the comments, than the Bible itself. I tried to keep this relatively compact. As a result, the Dark Bible represents a small sampling. I encourage the reader to investigate the history of the Bible and why it contains the stories that it does.
From the sampling of the dark passages of the Bible presented in this Dark version, it should become self evident that if one wishes to defend the concept of a "good" and "loving" God, the Bible should serve as the last source to use for supporting evidence.
Moreover, if we wish to know ourselves, it may well serve us to learn the limitations of our language system. The written form has existed for only six thousand years; only a brief instant of time relative to our millions of years of evolution. The Bible represents the Bronze Age beliefs of men at the birth of writing. As in most evolutionary trends, mistakes get made, sometimes fatally. Indeed, our species has become even more violent in relation to strengths of faith in written Scripture. Unfortunately faith relies on hope and ignorance. Only education and critical thinking can allow us the means to correct our mistakes.
With technology advancing every year, our weapons have the capability to destroy whole cities, countries, if not every person on the earth. If people continue to base their actions on ancient Biblical reasoning, any small minority who gains access to the destructive technology may very well carry out holocaust-like proportions on innocent men, women and children. It has happened before and it can easily happen again. Today we still see the destructive acts carried out around the world which originate from deep cultural roots based on religious Scripture. Although belief structures have given rise to ethnic culture, it can also produce life threatening situations to our existence on earth. Understanding our belief-systems and to de-emphasize the sacredness of the Bible may well help to prevent our own destruction.
The Dark Bible uses the King James Version (1611) Bible as its main source because more Christians use this version than any other (although various alternate verses come from other Bible versions with a caption as to its source.). It will help to use this text along with the reading of each verse with the complete chapter from the Bible so as to gain a better understanding of its context, or, simply click on a verse and it will take you to an online Bible where you can peruse the entire context. Many of the comments come paraphrased from established scholarly published work.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Muslims of Burma and Democratic Movement
Burma is a country that has people of many races, ethnicities and religions. Because of lack of reliable census data the exact number of these various communities is not known. There is no question though that the Buddhist population makes up the vast majority in the country, followed by Muslims, Christians, Hindus and animists. According to non-official estimates by various agencies (including those in the US State Department), the Muslim population in Burma is somewhere between 10 to 20%, including the much-discriminated and suffering Rohingya population of Arakan (Rakhaing), whose nearly half the population is now living in Diaspora as refugees in many parts of our world as a result of Burma's inhuman, discriminatory Citizenship Law of 1982. In spite of many hurdles that they faced, the Muslim population, while second to Buddhist population in Burma, has played positive roles in the critical junctures of the history of Burma -- from independence movement to nation-building. They have compromised many a times their local aspirations to make Burma more inclusive, federal and united under one flag. Unfortunately, a very alarming proportion of these minority Muslims of Burma, with their distinct religious ethos, has been the worst victims of dispossession, identity-loss, discrimination and inhuman treatment. That is simply unacceptable. It is inhuman, barbarous and criminal. In my last three decades of human rights activism, I have never seen a people so much discriminated as the Rohingyas of Burma -- solely because of their religion. The treatment of other Muslims of Burma is not anything to celebrate either. And the sad thing is all such abuses against Muslims are taking place in this age when the rest of humanity is trying to find common grounds to reach out and make a better future for all. A feudal state could be excused for its barbarous acts of the past against other peoples, because those practices were often the norms for the state mechanism -- creating an aura of fear. There was no Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) back then. It was a pre-modern era. But why do we see the worst forms of abuse today in the 21st century against Muslims in Burma, especially when the country ratified the UDHR? What pains me most is to see the utter repulsive hypocrisy that emanates from many Burmese so-called democracy leaders when it comes to an important matter like the citizenship rights of all Muslims of Burma - from one end to another. In this 21st century, some 60 years after Burma's Independence, they have no moral qualms to deny citizenship rights to a people that identifies itself as Rohingya Muslims of Burma. What hypocrisy? Are Rohingya Muslims not Burmese? If their so-called similarity with people in Bangladesh make them aliens in the land of their ancestors, I am sorry to state that one would be hard pressed to find people of one single race, ethnicity, color and creed located and confined to a single state of our time. We have to redefine our understanding of various nations of today and enact laws that will be barbarous and untenable. We have to force all the Hispanics to leave the USA and move to the south - while vast western territories of the current day USA were once their ancestral homes. We have to send the Afro-Americans back to Africa from where they were stolen and enslaved to work and make America beautiful and prosperous. How about the European white immigrants and their families that lived in the USA for the past 500 years? Where do we stop drawing the line of demarcation? How about the native Americans who were the first settlers to what later came to be known as the USA? Should we force them out to Siberia, where they are presumed to have come from? Do we have any moral right to uproot them today because they are a very tiny minority like the "Kala" or "Kula" race of Burma - the ancestors of today's Rohingya people? The Burmese aspiring democracy leaders have to wake up to the reality of our time and shun feudal, racist, xenophobic and intolerant mindset if they are truly serious about the future of Burma. They cannot just sing: we want democracy and human rights, but in their dictionary there is no place for Burmese Muslims, Rohingya and Karen minorities and other smaller groups. That behavior epitomizes hypocrisy. What Burma needs today is confidence building all the various races, ethinicities, religious communities where everyone is treated equally, equitably, justly and fairly. Big brother attitude of a majority community - dictating terms and conditions of statehood -- will not work. The majority must show their sincerity that once the rule of law and democracy is back, under a federal setup, it will not discriminate the minority, and it will revoke all discriminatory laws of the past and compensate for past mistakes. Only when the minority can trust and see a good future for them can they truly become productive forces of the society. Without them it would be like a body without an arm. Burma cannot afford to be limb-less.My suggestion to Muslims of Burma is to realize that they are living in a very crucial juncture of Burmese history. While they are the worst victims of discrimination under the SPDC regime, they are by nature a peaceful people who like to be recognized as equal citizens in a future Burma. They should reach out to other groups and find common grounds to bring about a positive change in Burma. Being on the receiving end of discrimination and dehumanization, they feel the pains of Burma more than any one else. Their collective suffering should unite them together and enable them to educate and motivate others on the necessity of eradicating such abuses from the Burmese society once and for all time. The Muslims of Burma are for restoration of democracy, human rights, equality and liberty where all the people of Burma can feel inclusive about their Federal state. They should support the movements of the Sangha and any group that is genuinely true to higher human values that foster amity and cooperation and not discrimination and intolerance.
The new wars of religions
In my mind, I think the communism is growing up inside US. I don't know really what is the author but I am sure this is an ideology of communism. The US may lossing the coldwar, so that communist Russia and China are increasinly going to extend their propaganda inside US.
The natual phenomenon is that if there is up, there is aslo down. United State is thinking that she is superior but she left no choice to follow the mensioned ideology of stopping religion for recovering their dignity that they are losing after invade the Iraq and Afgan.
Communism also will be failure and may be up rooted if they try to hit the religionist.
Actually politic is generated on the base of a believe or a trust. Already religionist have a faith to their God and they follow to the instructions after they believe the God. So far, if some one come to hit them against their faith and believe, no soceity will stand against them. Because about eighty percent of the world populations are religionist. How they can able to fight against them and against humanity?
I am sure again the all so-called super power will trun to zero ground soon with their fault ideology. They should respect instead of reject the religions.
Sincerely,
Ko Ko Linn
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Self-portrait Of An Emptiness
Don't wait until tomorrow
who lost her son is a monk.
Somebody had work up in midnight,
who had suffering for humanright.
Somebody had beatten on the road,
who had been holding a signboard.
Somebody is praying in the jail,
(for given water to monk are muslims)
who had arrested and touture all the day.
They have sacrificed for their country,
but their country had not free.
We have to handover their work
if you dare to give your life.
We have to follow their way,
Which they walk with love and pray.
We will fight to reach our goal,
Don’t wait until tomorrow.
Originated by May Min Set
Malaysia's PM Says Muslims to Respect Other Faiths
Malaysia's leader urged the country's majority Muslims on Wednesday to respect other religions, an apparent effort to placate minorities and diffuse racial tensions ahead of snap general elections.
"If we want our religion to be respected and understood, let us ... show exemplary behavior by respecting the followers of other religions and their needs," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said in a speech to the ruling United Malays National Organization party.
"Violence by one side will breed violence from the other," said Abdullah, who led his party to a landslide election victory in 2004. New elections are not due until 2009 but Abdullah is expected to seek a fresh mandate in early 2008.
The ruling National Front coalition, in which UMNO is the dominant player, is expected to retain power it has held for 52 years. But it is unlikely to repeat its last success because of growing anger among the Indian and Chinese minorities over what they see as the erosion of their rights.
Many ordinary Malaysians, including Malays, are also fed up of escalating crime, corruption and inflation, which have exacerbated racial tensions.
"The harmony between the various communities and religions in Malaysia is not an optional luxury—it is a necessity. We have no other choice," said Abdullah, dressed in traditional Malay attire of loose pants, cap and a cummerbund-like cloth around his waist.
The highly conciliatory speech was notable for its context—it was delivered at the annual general assembly of UMNO, when Malay rights and dominance are routinely asserted and reinforced.
UMNO claims to represents the majority Muslim Malays who comprise about 60 percent of Malaysia's 26 million people. Chinese are 25 percent and Indians are 10 percent.
The National Front also includes other parties representing the minority communities in a unique power-sharing arrangement that has ensured a high degree of racial harmony, except for brief but deadly riots in 1969.
However, social strains have become more apparent in recent years, thanks to a series of recent court verdicts favoring Muslims in religious disputes increased the disquiet among minorities.
Abdullah warned "overzealous" religious police against blindly enforcing Islamic rules. "We give assurance that UMNO will not endorse a narrow interpretation of Islam," said Abdullah, a trained Muslim scholar.
The racial tensions have caused cracks in the ruling coalition. Samy Vellu, a government minister who leads the main ethnic Indian party in the National Front, expressed anger on Monday at the recent demolition of a Hindu temple without warning. But he said Wednesday the problem was resolved and praised Abdullah's speech.
"We must be united. With all races united, only then we can rise to become a modern nation." said Samy. "The Muslims have always accepted other religions in this country. But there are certain actions done by certain people."
New Address of Myanmar Embassy
Myanmar Embassy
8C,Jln Ampang Hilir
55000,KL
Ph: 03-42516355,03-42516455,03-42515595,03-42514455
Fax: 03-42513855
Monday, October 1, 2007
Textarea to read MM news update
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Blogs
- Niknayman's blog - http://www.niknayman.blogspot.com
- Niknayman's cbox - http://niknayman.cbox.ws/
- Ko-htike's blog - http://ko-htike.blogspot.com/
- Soneseayar blog - http://soneseayar.blogspot.com/
- Mmed watch blog - http://mmedwatch.blogspot.com/
- Dhaama blog - http://damaahdama.blogspot.com/
- Mizzima blog - http://mizzimaburmese.blogspot.com/
- Myo chit myanmar blog - http://myochitmyanmar.blogspot.com/
- Dr Lun Swe's blog - http://drlunswe.blogspot.com/
- Moe Thee Zun's blog - http://komoethee.blogspot.com/
Web sites
- Mizzima Breaking news - http://www.mizzimaburmese.com/
- Irrawaddy online - http://www.irrawaddy.org/bur/
- Hittaing - http://www.hittaing.org/
- Khitpyaing - http://www.khitpyaing.org/
- Yoma 3 - http://www.yoma3.org/
- DVB - http://burmese.dvb.no/
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Thanks to all...
In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the most Merciful. Praise to be ALLAH for giving us the opportunity to live and continue our duties as vicegerents on earth.
Assalamu’alaikum wrt. wbt.
Dear my players, supporters, brothers and sisters,
“Congratulation to all Players”
Alhamdulilah, with the blessings from Allah, Our Team MS_UIA has won second prize in Rakan Muda Paintball Tournament last Sunday again like last year. Now our team name is more popular than before. I would like to thanks to every players and the supporters even though they have exams and midterm, they still support actively. For my players, you all have done the Best for your position and played well during the tournament even though we didn’t have any experience in it. The main important in this game is Communication between players. Another thing is players are united each other. You all had taken very good responsible to your enemy. Because of that we have won second place and got chance to play in U-League Paintball tournament Grand Final on February 2008 and grand prize will be RM 20,000.00. Without you guys help, we would not be able to Success. Now our team will represent IIUM Paintball team. Again I would like to thanks to everybody.
Again I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all my players who participated and worked hard in the Rakan Muda U-League Paintball Tournament.
Thanks for all of you...
Again prepare for next tournament which will be held in 2008.InshaALLAH, we will try to Get First Prize in U-League in 2008.
Wassalam
Harun Rashid (Team Captain) Hahahaha….
http://www.u-leaguepaintball.com/
http://www.u-leaguepaintball.com/contact.php
Monday, August 27, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Ummatic Week
UMMATIC WEEK 05
UMMATIC WEEK 06Thursday, August 23, 2007
Gossip and backbiting:
Many gatherings produce nothing but gossip about other Muslims and slander of their honour. This is something which Allaah has forbidden His slaves, and has drawn the most repulsive analogy to put them off. He says (interpretation of the meaning): “. . . neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it . . .” [al-Hujuraat 49:12]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained the meaning of this aayah. He said: “Do you know what gheebah (gossip or backbiting) is?” They said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” He said: "To say something about your brother that he does not want to be said." He was asked, "What do you think if what is said about him is true?" He said, "If what you say about him is true, this is backbiting, and if what you say about him is not true, this is a lie." (Reported by Muslim, 4/2001).
Gossip or backbiting means saying something about a Muslim which may be true but which he does not like to hear spoken, whether it be about his physical appearance, his adherence to religion, his worldly affairs, his self, his behaviour or his character. There are many forms of gossip, including talking about a person's faults and imitating him to make fun of him.
People take the matter of gheebah very lightly, although it is very serious in the sight of Allaah, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "There are seventy-two forms of riba, the least of which is as bad as a man having intercourse with his own mother, and the worst of which is when a man slanders the honour of his brother." (Silsilah al-Saheeh, 1871).
Whoever is present in a gathering where gossip takes place should "forbid what is evil" and defend his absent brother. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged us to do this when he said: "Whoever defends the honour of his Muslim brother, Allaah will protect his face from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection." (Reported by Ahmad, 6/450; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 6238).
A woman wearing perfume
A woman wearing perfume when going out or passing by non-mahram men
This practice is widespread nowadays, despite the stern warning of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said: “Any woman who applies perfume and then goes out among the people so that they could smell her fragrance is a zaaniyah (adulteress).” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 4/418; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 105). Some women are very careless and take the matter too lightly, especially in front of drivers, shopkeepers, school porters, etc., even though the Sharee’ah states very strictly that the woman who wears perfume must wash herself like a person must wash when in a state of janaanah (i.e., perform ghusl), if she wants to go out to the mosque. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Any woman who wears perfume then goes out to the mosque, so that the fragrance can be discerned, her prayers will not be accepted until she performs ghusl like the ghusl to be performed when in a state of janaabah.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 2/444; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2703).
We complain to Allaah about the bukhoor and ‘ood (types of incense) used at weddings and women’s parties before people leave, and the use of strong-smelling perfumes in market-places, means of transportation and mixed gatherings in the mosques even during the nights of Ramadaan. Islaam tells us that women’s perfume should be that which has colour but little smell. We ask Allaah not to despise us and not to punish righteous men and women for the deeds of foolish men and women. May He guide us all to the Straight Path.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Fresher Welcome Program
Partially done! but sorry to know the slide show doesn't work on lab's PC since Adobe flash player is not installed!
Monday, July 30, 2007
I-Card for International Students
Assalamoalaikum Wrt Wbh
Dear My Bros/ Sisters
I have one news for all of us which is I-Card for International Students.Check it
All International Students may now apply for Internbational Students Card(i-card).
Date: 6th August 2007(Monday)
Time: 9:00am - 4:30pm
and
Date: 7th August 2007(Tuesday)
Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Venue: Mini Auditorium, ITD
Attire: Dark coloured shirt (brothers)
Dark coloured scarf (sisters)
Plaease bring along your matric card and passport/passport copy.
Thanks For further information you can get leaflet from ISO office.
Wassalam
Harun
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
*27th Aug the Whole World is waiting for.............*
Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting August.It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This willcultivate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65M miles of earth. Be sureto watch the sky on Aug. 27 12:30 am. It will look like the earth has 2moons. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.Share this with your friends as NO ONE ALIVE TODAY will ever see it againMore info. http://www.new.meastroindia.com/mars_view.html
Monday, July 23, 2007
A slice of Myanmar in the heart of Kuala Lumpur
Summary: this article is from STAR online newspaper A slice of Myanmar in the heart of Kuala Lumpur Photos by SAMUEL ONG A WALK along the five-foot-ways of a main street at Pusat Bandar Utara Selayang in Kuala Lumpur behind Pasar Borong Kuala Lumpur can make one forget that one is actually in Malaysia. It was an interesting discovery as, during the busy hours of the day when offices and banks are busy operating, the scene at the corridor of Jalan 2/3A is a depiction of Myanmarese community life.
Rest of your post
The sight of children running around and playing, elderly people chatting and women shopping for vegetables and daily sundry items is common there. 
The presence of numerous female peddlers selling various petty items like betel leaves and nuts, snacks almost synonymous to the Myanmarese is too obvious to be missed.
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Intense preparation: A trader preparing betel leaves for a customer. |
At the colony, one can find people selling all kinds of items including clothing, imitation jewellery, fruits, vegetables and sundry items.
The businesses on the street, including its back alley which separates the three-storey building and the Kuala Lumpur Wholesale market, have been conquered by the enterprising Myanmarese community in order to serve the daily needs of thousands of people who reside in the blocks of shophouses.
“Seven Myanmar restaurants that fully employ or are operated by foreigners can be found here.
“Almost all the retail and service orientated businesses like textile shops, tailoring outlets, internet cafes, snooker centres and even a hotel in the street are also serving this population.” said a local businessman who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
In fact, he claimed they even had the services of an unofficial bank through which money is channelled back to Myanmar.
Another man who wished to be unidentified told StarMetro that the Myanmar population in the area was too big and they practically lived in their own world.
“They feel very at home here since they have businesses that support their daily needs,” he said.
While their men worked in the market and other places in the area, he said the womenfolk were involved in various kinds of petty businesses.
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On display: A Myanmarese trader arranging fruits at a stall on the five-footway. |
“The backlane comes alive at night with stalls selling snacks, drinks, phone cards and various other items until 7am,” he said
In recent years, the man said the Myanmar community had taken over many of the food businesses and he felt the situation was threatening.
He said their presence was too strong and many locals had been forced out of business.
“We wonder if foreigners are allowed to operate retail businesses, and also on how many of them have legal travel documents or permits to work here.
“Local businessmen are also worried over the rising crime rate in the area and we hope the authorities will step in before it is too late,” he said.
When contacted, Sentul OCPD Asst Comm K. Kumaran confirmed that Police have detained several drug peddlers in recent raids on the Myanmarese.
He said they have also recovered weapons like swords and knives from them on several other incidents related to violent crime such as assaults and murder.
“We have been monitoring the area very closely and welcome information from the public if they know of any illegal activity taking place there,'' he said.
Friday, July 20, 2007
"U Razak of Burma:" Online Version Book
A rare booklet paying tribute to U Razak, one of the Burmese leaders assassinated alongside Gen Aung San in 1947, was issued on Thursday, the anniversary of his death and commemorated in Burma as Martyr’s Day.
The collection of 10 articles, "U Razak of Burma: A Teacher, a Leader, a Martyr," is distributed by his grandson, Myat Htoo Razak.
Although a Muslim, Razak won the high regard of many Burmese nationalists, including Gen Aung San, father of the detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
"Writings in English about Burma and related to U Razak usually say something along the lines of ‘Razak, a Muslim politician,’” said Myat Htoo Razak. “That is not an incorrect description, but alone it does not do justice to the rich contribution U Razak made to our country and to future generations.”
The book is translated from a Burmese language version, "Sayagyi U Razak As Retold By His Pupils,” published in September 1995 by the Mandalay Association.
The original book in Burmese contains 28 articles, each written by a former pupil of U Razak, who was headmaster of the Central National High School in Mandalay.
The online version of the book is available at http://www.ibiblio.org/obl/docs4/U_Razak_of_Burma.pdf
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Eating Habits & Diet Of The Prophet
The Prophet’s guidance with regard to food is perfect guidance.
It was described by Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah as follows:
1. When he put his hand in the food, he would say, “Bismillaah (in the Name of Allaah), and he told people to say this when eating. He said, “When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allaah. If he forgets to mention the name of Allaah at the beginning, let him say Bismillaahi fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (in the name of Allaah at its beginning and at its end).” Saheeh hadeeth, narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1859) and Aboo Dawood (3767).
The correct view is that it is obligatory to mention the name of Allaah (say Bismillaah) when eating. The ahaadeeth which state this are saheeh and are clear, with no contradictions in them.
2. When he raised the food to his mouth, he would say, “Al-hamdu Lillaahi hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubaarakan fihi ghayri makfiyyin wa laa muwadda’ wa laa mustaghni ‘anhu Rabbanaa ‘azza wa jall (Allaah be praised with an abundant, beautiful, blessed praise. He is the One Who is Sufficient, Who feeds and is never fed, The One Who is longed for, along with that which is with Him, and the One Who is needed. He is Our Lord, may He be glorified). Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5142).
3. He never criticized food at all. If he liked it, he would eat it, and if he did not like it, he would leave it and not say anything. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3370) and Muslim (2064).
Or he would say, “I do not feel like eating this.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5076) and Muslim (1946).
4. Sometimes he would praise the food, as when he asked his family for food, and they said, “We have nothing but vinegar.” He asked for it and started to eat it, saying, “What a good food is vinegar.” Narrated by Muslim (2052)
5. He used to talk whilst he was eating, as is seen from the report quoted above about vinegar.
And he said to his step-son ‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah when he was eating with him: “Say Bismillaah and eat from that which is in front of you in the dish*.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5061) and Muslim (2022). [*At the time of the Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam people used to eat together from one dish, and children would sometimes forget the correct etiquette. - Translator]
6. He would repeatedly urge his guests to eat, as generous hosts do, and as is seen in the hadeeth of Aboo Hurayrah, narrated by al-Bukhaari, about the story of drinking milk, where he repeatedly said to him, “Drink!” and he kept telling him to drink until he (the guest) said, “By the One Who sent you with the truth, I have no more room for it!” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6087).
7. When he ate with others, he would not leave until he had made du’aa’ for them. He made du’aa in the house of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Bisr, and said: “O Allaah, bless for them that which You have provided for them, forgive them and have mercy on them.” Narrated by Muslim (2042).
8. He commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said, “The Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.” Narrated by Muslim (2020). This implies that eating with the left hand is haraam, and this is the correct view, because the one who eats with his left hand is either a shaytaan (a devil), or he is imitating the Shaytaan.
It was also reported in a saheeh hadeeth that he told a man who was eating with his left hand in his presence, “Eat with your right hand!” The man said, “I cannot.” He said, “May you never be able to!” – and the man never lifted his right hand to his mouth after that. Narrated by Muslim (2021). If it was permissible (to eat with the left hand), he would not have prayed against him for doing so. It was the man’s stubborn arrogance that made him refuse to obey the command, and this is the utmost disobedience which deserved this prayer against him.
9. He commanded those who complained that they never felt full to eat together and not separately, and to mention the name of Allaah (say Bismillaah) over the food so that He might bless it for them.” Narrated by Aboo Dawood (3764) and Ibn Maajah (3286).
See Zaad al-Ma’aad, 2/397-406
10. It was also reported that he said, “I do not eat reclining.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5083.
11. He used to eat using the first three fingers (of his right hand), which is the best way of eating.
See Zaad al-Ma’aad, 220-222.
The Prophet’s guidance regarding diet:
1. The Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to know what he was eating.
2. He used to eat what was good for him.
3. He used to eat enough to keep him going, but no so much as to make him fat. Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam said: “The believer eats in one stomach whilst the kaafir eats in seven.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5081) and Muslim (2060).
4. He taught his Ummah something to protect them from diseases caused by eating and drinking. He said: “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink and one third with air.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1381), Ibn Maajah (3349); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2265).
Friday, July 13, 2007
Rebellion Is Not An Option
But Some Teens Choose It
You remember the scene all too well. Each weekend, the Islamic school class starts off slowly, with the teacher reading from his notes about the importance of learning, of believing, and of practicing what we learn and believe. No problems yet. Then the teacher asks the students for their homework assignments and a young girl exclaims that homework is just another technique to extend the teacher’s control outside the classroom and into her private life. She says if Allaah is in charge, then He would have made her get up and do her homework. The teacher is always troubled by her comments and reacts in exactly the same way, telling her to fear Allaah and to seek refuge in Allaah from the devil. The other students giggle nervously and she feels emboldened to take on the teacher and to further frustrate him.
The teacher, an uncle in the community who is very passionate about Islam, is visibly upset because he is always being interrupted by the young girl who keeps questioning the existence of Allaah and the teachings of the Qur`aan. He is a sincere individual but has little or no formal training either in teaching or in dealing with youth. She is 14 years old, wears the hijaab in the masjid because her mother tells her to do so, and has managed to get her ear lobes, nose, and tongue pierced. When the teacher looks away, she proudly tries to show the other students the nightclub stamp on the back of her hand from the night before, when she attended a punk Muslim concert. Welcome to the world of rebellion, alienation, and isolation.
All is not well in the Muslim community, at least when it comes to the state of a portion of our youth population. Various studies indicate that the population of young Muslims, those under the age of 25, is rising all over the world (Pew Forum). And yet there is little indication that the Muslim community at large has either prepared for this demographic shift or has a realistic assessment of the challenges confronting these youth as they come of age. Beyond anecdotal, sensationalized exchanges at social gatherings, our community seems not to want to admit that youth who do not fit in because they are struggling with their faith and beliefs have no outlet, no comfort zone, where they can sit, be themselves, and explore out loud what they are feeling and experiencing.
Left with few or no options to socialize within the circles of young practicing Muslims, some youth choose to rebel, and at great cost to their personal, spiritual, emotional, financial, and social lives. While the majority of Muslim youth do emerge from their teenage years unscathed and with a firm conviction in Islamic beliefs and teachings, we focus our attention in this essay on those few youth who seem to fall between the cracks and choose rebellion as their coping technique.
Simplistic Blame
The first reaction, which you must be much too familiar with, is that we adults blame you the youth, for rebelling and essentially giving Islam a bad name. We find it detestable that you do not heed the advice of your other well-meaning young Muslim friends, who remind you of your Islamic obligations not to date, drink alcohol, consume drugs, or listen to music. We suggest often that the Muslim community is doing everything it possibly can and more to help you, but that you are in fact beyond receiving help, and it is you who are to blame.
Some of us confuse our cultural practices for Islamic teachings and end up attempting to have you conform to culture as if doing so was the equivalent of being a good Muslim. Some of us interpret Islamic teachings very narrow-mindedly, and the result is that we are harsh and unforgiving towards you. Sometimes you are asking questions about Islam because you are sincerely seeking out clarification, trying in earnest to understand why it is you who are being asked to do this and to not do that. Sometimes you are experimenting with clothing styles, hairstyles, your sexuality, and even your mannerisms, and we simply do not have the patience and the wherewithal to allow you some latitude within the Islamic framework.
And you react, saying that what drives you to rebel and to seek to isolate yourself from the Muslim community is that many of the Muslim youth, and most of the elders, tend to reflect a “holier than thou” attitude. You feel pushed away by us and seek out friends who do not judge you and who accept you for who you are. And in the process of moving away from us, you are tested by Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala with opportunities to befriend young people, some of them Muslims who have similarly felt rejected by the Muslim community and who have sought to carve out their own groups, formed along special interests like hip-hop music, punk music, all-black clothing, funky hairstyles, and body piercing, just to name a few (Fariborz).
Some of the choices you end up making are clearly not permissible according to Islamic teachings. You know that and we know that. However, in your attempts to find friendships and companionships, and to feel a sense of belonging, you place less value on following Islamic teachings and more value on fitting in. And sooner or later, you do come to your senses and realize on your own the beauty of Islam, away from all of the cultural corruption that we have imposed upon it.
On the one hand, we are being overly simplistic by blaming you and not calling ourselves to account for not having the foresight and vision to anticipate your random behavior. On the other hand, you are being unrealistic by choosing to rebel, because the temporary gain you feel by being accepted and appearing to fit in, does not justify the long-term consequences of your choices such as dropping out of school, a negative impact on your health and mind, broken family ties, and, of course, punishment from Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala should you choose not to repent for your youthful indiscretions.
Virtual Communities
The latest fad is that when you are left with no options to find like-minded friends in your own community, you join virtual communities and develop friendships online. While in principle there is no problem with your having an online presence, there are few if any safeguards to ensure that you are not exposing yourself to emotional or physical harm through your online friendships. Virtual identities are impossible to verify. Some people with ill intentions could pose as Muslim youth wanting to rebel just like you, wanting to act out against their parents and the Muslim community. Being vulnerable and feeling alienated from your own parents and community, you might incline eagerly towards these individuals, only to find your trust violated. Think twice, be careful, and exercise caution so that you are only maintaining an online presence with people whose identity you have been able to verify independently.
Final Thoughts
Rebellion is not a 21st century phenomenon. Young people have rebelled against their families, their friends, and their communities throughout time. However, for some unknown reason, whenever and wherever young people rebel these days, the adults almost always treat youthful rebellion as if it has never happened before in history and as if the world is about to end. As the population of Muslim youth around the world continues to increase, young people and adults alike should be thinking ahead to ensure that extra special attention is given to those youth who seem least likely to fit in and who might choose to rebel. If you are reading this essay and you are either one of those youth who are in the midst of a rebellion or are considering rebelling, think again.
Hating those who misunderstand you and trying to act out against those who seem to limit your search for an identity might seem like viable options at the moment they are conceived. But if you pause and reflect, you will realize that Islam has so much to offer you — much more than the narrow-minded interpretations sometimes provided by our families, friends, and, yes, sometimes even religious leaders. This religion of yours is beautiful and Allaah Most High has blessed you by willing that you be born into the religion. Now all you have to do is to get to the message of Islam, to internalize it, and to live your life according to its teachings.
If you are reading this essay and you are friends with someone who is rebelling or acting out, be there for them, win their trust and confidence, and reassure them that they can always count on you for support. And then, be there so that in sha’ Allaah, your friend will not choose rebellion as an option
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Thursday, July 5, 2007
Our role is the same as the messagers of 5 & 6
Fifth: Correcting Misguidance and Corruption in the Life of the People
When people live in ignorant societies that are not ruled by the Deen of Allaah and are not guided by the legislation of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala, their societies get corrupted, and this corruption reaches the depth of their dealings. So, it is a must that someone reforms these societies and makes them live according to the Deen of Allaah the Almighty.
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala made this difficult task from the tasks of the great messengers, that they uprooted corruption that spread in the societies and fought it because it is a transgression and oppression. So, every messenger that Allaah sent used to call his people to follow the straight path, the path of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala. And to clarify it to them and guide them to it. This is common among all the messengers; their first slogan was, "O’ People submit yourself to Allaah only, surely you don’t have a Lord other than him."
After this call and based on it, we find every messenger uprooting all kinds of corruption in his society.
We see the Prophet Hood (Hud)`alayhissalaam denying his people the arrogance on the earth and oppression. So, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala said in Soorat Ash-Shu’araa, (Verses 128-131) that Hood`alayhissalaam said, what can be translated as, "Do you build high palaces on ever high place, while you do not live in them? And do you get for yourselves palaces as if you will live therein forever. And when you seize, you seize as tyrants. Now fear Allaah, keep your duty to Him, and obey me."
We see the Prophet Saalih`alayhissalaa m denying his people the corruption on the earth and following those who do mischief. So, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala said in Soorat Al-Araf, (Verse 74), what Saleeh said to his people, what can be translated as, "…So remember the graces from Allaah, and do not go about making mischief on the earth." And Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala also says in Soorat Ash-Shu’araa, (Verses 150-153), what can be translated as, "So fear Allaah, keep you duty to Him, and obey me. And do not obey the command of Al-Musrifen (i.e. their chiefs, leaders who were polytheists, criminals and sinners against the law of Allaah). Who make mischief in the land, and do not reform.
We see the Prophet Loot (Lot)`alayhissalaam denying his people the despicable act of homosexuality that spread among them. So, He Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala said about this story in Soorat Al-Ara’f, (Verses 80-81), what can be translated as, "And (remember) Loot when he said to his people: "Do you commit the worst sin such as none preceding your has committed in the Alameen (mankind and jinn)? Verily, you practice you lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds (by committing great sins.)." Also Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says in Soorat Al-Ankaboot, (Verse 29), what can be translated as, "Verily, you perform sodomy with men, and rob the wayfarer (travelers etc.)! And practice Al-Munkar in your club…"
We see the Prophet Shu'ayb`alayhissala am denying his people the crime of cheating when using the weight scale. So, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala said in Soorat Ash-Shu’araa, (Verses 181-183), what Shu’ayb`alayhissalaa m said to his people, what can be translates as, "Give full measure, and cause no loss (to others). And weigh with the true and straight balance. And do not defraud the people by reducing their things, nor do evil, making corruption and mischief in the earth."
We see the Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam denying his people the crime of killing innocent children, and legislating for themselves what Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala has not permitted. Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says in Soorat Al-An’am, (Verse 140), what can be translated as, "Indeed lost are they who have killed their children, from folly, without knowledge, and have forbidden that which Allaah has provided for them, inventing a lie against Allaah. They have indeed gone astray and were not guided." He, Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala also says to them in Soorat Al-Maa`idah, (Verse 103), what can be translated as, "Allaah has not instituted things like Bahira (a she-camel whose milk was spared for the idols and nobody was allowed to milk it) or a Sa’iba (a she-camel let loose for free pasture for their false gods), or a Wasila (a she-camel set free for idols because it has given birth to a she-camel at its first delivery and then again gives birth to a she-camel with its second delivery) or a Haam (a stallion-camel freed from work for their idols, after it had finished a number of copulations assigned for it, all these animals were liberated in honor of idols as practiced by pagan Arabs in Pre-Islamic times). But those who disbelieve invent lies against Allaah, and most of them have no understanding. "
The sixth task is to run our affairs as Muslims according to the laws of Allaah
If the people accept and embrace the message of the messengers, they become one Jama’aah (group of people) and this Jama’aah progress and develop to become an Ummah, and this Ummah needs someone who can run its affairs and lead it. The great messengers were the ones who took on this great responsibility and ruled the people with the rules of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala and His legislations. Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says in Soorat Al-Baqarah (Verse 213), what can be translated as, "Mankind was one Ummah (nation) and Allaah sent Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them He sent the Scripture in truth to judge between people in matters wherein they differed…"
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala proclaims the mission of the Prophet Dawood (David)`alayhissala am on earth, so he said in Soorat Saad, (Verse 26), what can be translated as, "O’ David! Verily! We have placed you as Khaleefah (a successor) on earth, so judge between people in truth and do not follow the desire - for it will mislead you from the Path of Allaah…"
The Prophets of the children of Israel used to rule their people with the Torah. The Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam says in a Hadeeth reported by Imaam Bukhaari, Muslim and others, "The children of Israel used to be ruled by the prophets; when a prophet perished, another prophet arose (to rule them)." Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala speaks about this in Soorat Al-Maa`idah, (Verse 44), what can be translated as, "Verily, We did send down the Torah (to Moses), therein was guidance and light, by which the prophets, who submitted themselves to Allaah’s Will, ruled the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests (too ruled the Jews by the Torah after those prophets) for to them was entrusted the protection of Allaah’s Book." Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala also says about the Christians; the people of Injeel in the same Soorah in (Verse 47), what can be translated as, “Let the People of the Gospel rule by what Allaah has revealed therein. And whosoever does not rule by what Allaah has revealed (then) such (people) are the Fasiqoon (disobedient) .”
Then, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says to the Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam in the same Soorah, (Verse 48), what can be translated as "And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur`aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Mohayminan (trustworthy in highness) over it (old Scriptures). So judge between them by what Allaah has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires, diverging away from that which has come to you…" He also says to the Prophet sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam, in Soorat An-Nisaa’, (Verse 105), what can be translated as "Surely, We have sent down to you (O’ Muhammad) the Book (this Qur`aan) in truth that you might judge between people by that which Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala has shown you…"
Finally, we summarize that our role today is the same as the role of the blessed messengers of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala, because we are their successors till the day of judgment:
First - conveying the message of Islam in the clearest way.
Second - calling all people to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala.
Third - giving glad tidings and warnings, which were given to us by Allaah.
Fourth - reforming and purifying the souls of the people.
Fifth - correcting misguidance and corruption in the life of the people.
Sixth - is to run our affairs as Muslims according to the laws of Allaah.
How to Overcome Low Self-Esteem
It is hard to be good, kind, and tolerant when you feel bad about yourself. It is so much better to face life with a positive attitude, but how can you do that if you feel negative? Can you imagine a happy, self-confident, positive person being violent? No! So the importance of having good self-esteem is very clear. But how can you improve your self-esteem?
First of all, tell yourself “I like you.” Look in the mirror and say this. Keep doing this until you believe yourself, but make sure you do it when you are thinking good things and have been behaving nicely in the recent past.
Believe in yourself; that whatever challenge you face you can deal with, with Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala's help. Do not talk negatively to yourself. Don’t use words like “you are stupid,” “Why did you do that,” and so on.
A friend of mine used to tell me that if I do not talk well about myself, who else will? People will evaluate me like I evaluate myself.
Keep the following points in mind:
Do Not Isolate Yourself
Perhaps you tend to be a loner and prefer to keep away from the crowd. If you do it too much, this can leave you open to negative thoughts and feelings and you will find no one to bounce these thoughts and feelings off. When you talk about things to friends and family, it helps to put things into context and perspective. If you keep something to yourself, you often perceive it as bigger and more complicated than it really is. So keep with the crowd, but make sure it is a good crowd. It takes a brave person to mix with people, especially if you tend to be shy, but try, because it is important for your health and development.
“Verily Shaytaan is the wolf of a man just as the wolf is (the enemy) of the flock. He seizes the solitary sheep going astray from the flock or going aside from the flock. So avoid the branching paths, it is essential for you to remain along with the community.” (Imaam Ahmad)
Keep Good Company
Hang around with friends who encourage you and do not put you down. At the same time, do not be afraid to accept criticism (positive criticism) and do not feel ashamed to acknowledge that you have shortcomings— we all have them. It is a part of life, and what makes life so interesting and challenging is the fact that we can rise above the challenges and the weaknesses within ourselves.
Failing Is a Part of Life
If you happen to fail at something, it does not mean you are weak or bad or stupid. Everyone fails at things from time to time and that is how we learn. My friend told me that her father used to say to her, “If people learn by their mistakes, you should be a genius by now!” Allah tests us on how we handle failure. Do we get back up if life knocks us down? How easily do we give up when the going gets tough? I heard in a film once, Katherine Hepburn said, “The world stands back and makes way for the person who knows where they are going.” Now that person will fail from time to time but will keep going and never give up. That is how we should try to be.
We need to accept that sometimes we will fail. It reminds us of our limitations of being a human being. We might get carried away with this worldly life and we might become arrogant or snobbish, so sometimes Allah lets us fail, to keep us humble and to develop good character in us. Everything is for the good of the believer.
Make Realistic Goals
Set realistic goals for yourself. Do not be ambitious about achieving everything at the same time and then kicking yourself when you are not able to.
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says that He will give us back what we give out to others and this is proven so often in life. You will find that if you are positive and encouraging to other people, most times people will be the same to you. This is very important to developing and maintaining our self-esteem.
The Importance of Good Self-Esteem?
If you do not have good self-esteem—that means feeling good and hopeful about yourself—Satan will take advantage of the situation and feed us with negative thoughts and feelings until we reach for anything that will make us feel better: that can be alcohol, drugs, suicide, or being violent to people. So you see, low self-esteem is a road that leads to nowhere. It leads to destruction and misery for the person and the others around him/her and Shaytaan laughs because he has won another foolish human being and he will not be lonely in the Afterlife; he’ll keep the company of those who followed him and listened to his destructive, evil whisperings.
Do Not Be a Statistic
Make up your mind not to be a statistic. You know the world today keeps records of just about everything we do, when we are born; when we die; who takes drugs; who marries when, where, and who; who dies of a drug overdose; who commits suicide; and who commits crimes and how long they stay in jail. Do not be a statistic in someone’s computer file, of a young person who did not make it through adolescence because they thought negatively about themselves.
Everyone Has Potential
Every human being is born with great potential, with deep, unfathomable insight, but few unfortunately achieve their true potential. Why? Because they give up too soon and too easily because they do not realize they have this potential; or they listen to people tell them they are useless, lazy, or whatever, and so hide their heads in the sands of life like ostriches. Life passes these people by and they live their lives as failures and die as failures. This may seem a sad and depressing note in this article, however, I write it because I know for sure that it is easy to be a failure and it is also easy to be a success. It does not take a lot of time and energy to talk to yourself so negatively that you actually believe yourself, but if you simply choose to look at life from a positive angle and believe in yourself, trust in Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala, and follow His Commands, you will find that the tables will turn and you will succeed.
It is up to you to take the first step!
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Thursday, June 28, 2007
Your Employment & Expenditure
Keeping It Halaal
Every summer young Muslim students go through stressful times trying to find a means of earning that is decent, professional, yet Islamically lawful. In a period of perpetual economic recession, especially in the IT industry, such as the one we are currently witnessing, it is indeed challenging to find such a combo. While many do land good and halaal jobs, others resort to any sort of work or industry, often out of desperation or hopes of ‘quick and big cash’, that may not necessarily be pleasing to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala, the source of all our Rizq (wealth, sustenance and blessings).
It is important that we, the Muslim youth, work hard and honestly to earn money, instead of sitting idle at home or stealing other’s money. Our Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam once reminded us, “It is better that a person should a take a rope and bring bundles of wood on his back to sell so that Allaah may preserve his honour, than that he should beg from people.” [Bukhaari & Muslim] Consumerism’s Promise: You will never be ‘Content’
However, while we strive hard to sustain ourselves with part time jobs, we need to also learn the ethics of ‘right’ and ‘pure’ earning and spending. How many youth are out there whose sole purpose of earning is to buy a new set of shoes, pair of trousers, or nail polish, every week! This is indeed the destructive outcome of our consumer teen culture.
Why is it crucial not to be corrupted by the greed of our materialistic society? The Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam has told us, "Riches are sweet, and a source of blessing to those who acquire them (lawfully) by the way; but those who seek them out of greed are like people who eat but are never full (or satisfied)."
Therefore, this kind of greed to have ‘everything cool or every fad out there’ will never satisfy you, no matter how much of it you have. Ever wonder, why the music and film industry never loses money? The idea is to keep every young person in our society ‘hooked’ on the music, lyrics, and the ‘stars’, that are strategically released to the public gradually, in stages, so that everyone keeps coming back for ‘more’.
Reality of ‘Entertainment’ and your Employment
At the end of the day, a music or movie addict realizes how hollow and temporary this ‘entertainment’ is--- something that destroys one’s soul by taking his or her mind and feelings to another realm of fantasy, only to realize that he or she is back to the same harsh realities of this life as soon as the tape is turn off!
The way we ‘kill our time’ in our leisure activities has a great influence on what type of job we would look for. If our priority in life is to serve our family, community and Islam, as well as improving our own relationship with Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aala, then certainly we would look for a job or profession that accommodates all such commitments.
It helps to keep in mind the following portrayal of reality by our Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “Whoever sets this world as his goal, Allaah divides his affairs for him. He will place poverty between his eyes, and nothing will come to him from this world except what Allaah has written for him. Whoever sets the Hereafter as his goal, Allaah gathers his affairs for him, gives him richness of the heart and the world will come to him grudgingly and submissively.” [Ibn Majah & Ibn Hibban]
“It is not poverty which I fear....”
Is it any wonder that the Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam commented, "It is not poverty which I fear for you, but that you might desire the world as others before you desired it, and it might destry you, as it destroyed them,"
How do we suppress our desire or love for this world? We can certainly do so by spending less on ourselves and contributing as much as possible to those in need. Even a regular, nominal donation to your local masjid, charity organization, youth group, Islamic publication, or a poor person would greatly bless your limited income from employment as a student; it will also serve a profound reminder to cut the greed. Your regular contribution to other’s well-being will make you think, every time you are widow shopping in a mall, “Do I really need it? Or am I tempted to buy this shirt or game because my friend always talks about it?
Reasons to avoid working for Ribaa (interest/usuary) based institutions
Ribaa involves earning income without actually working to earn it;
Ribaa based companies involve taking advantage of the need or financial circumstances of the borrower of loan;
Taking Ribaa, or working for institutions that promote it, contribute to great injustice and devastation, as we have already witnessed, both at individual and global level, such as, bankruptcy, corporate scandals, economic recession, inability to repay loans, and staggering unemployment to name a few;
Daily toil has become a never-ending struggle to pay off interest on mortgages or business loans, and societies have become class-ridden structures in which huge wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few;
As Shaykh Salih Al-Munajjid argues, “Perhaps all this is a manifestation of the war threatened by Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aala to those who deal in Ribaa....The least harm that a job involving Ribaa does is to destroy the blessing (Barakah) of the money, even if a person’s income is great. The Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, "Even if Ribaa is much, it will end up being a small amount." [Al-Hakim]
Employment Search: Tips on keeping it Halaal
This summer, when you go out searching for employment, please make sure to accept a job that is pure and Halaal, and that it’s work-environment allows you to maintain your Islamic identity, including time and space for 5 daily prayers, allowance to observe Hijaab or Islamically modest clothing, and a minimum level of modesty (Hayaa) among the co-workers. Sr. Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood in her book 'Living with Teenagers' and Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi in his research work ‘The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam’ provide the following useful tips on what type of job/work to stay away from:
any form of activity deriving money from pornography, prostitution and indecency (such as theatres, movie stores, clubs....etc. ), as Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala reminds us, "And do not come near Zinaa (fornication) ; indeed it is an abomination and an evil way". [Al Israa' 17:32];
any form of drama or dance entertainment that is deliberately or suggestive;
making statues of living creatures or photography that is sexually provocative, as the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, "Allaah will punish anyone who makes figures (of living beings), until he breathes spirit into them, which he can never do. [Bukhaari;]
manufacturing, trading, or serving intoxicants and drugs;
working in a bar, off-licence, nightclub, dance hall, etc.;
being involved in armed forces fighting against other Muslims or killing innocent people;
working in banks, stock exchanges, futures markets, insurance companies, and other usurious or Ribaa-based institutions.
How do I tell?
How do we tell what is Haraam (unlawful) or Halaal (lawful) type of work? A general principle, as Sr. Ruqaiyyah explains, “is that if anybody’s means of earning a living hurts another, or results in another’s loss or corruption, then it is Haraam. If it is fair and beneficial to others as well, then it is Halaal. Obviously, any business or job that involves dishonesty, bribery, gambling, cheating (do deceptive marketing strategies ring a bell?), fraud, sexual degradation, or any other means of making a profit by exploiting others (such as lottery/raffle tickets), is forbidden to us Muslims.
The best practice to ignore or leave any job opportunity that seems to fall in the grey area. The Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam advised us, “Leave alone what puts you in doubt and turn toward what does not create any doubt.” [Ahmad & Tirmidhi]. This is perhaps the most practical tool or tip to use in employment search.
The Road Ahead
Before you give up all the hope of finding a good halaal job, after reading the list of warnings and restrictions, remember that there are literally innumerable sources of employment, including Muslim and non-Muslim owned businesses, that offer a decent, honorable, professional, and above all halaal, environment. You may begin your job search with your local Muslim business directory!
You would never despair if you realized the truth of a statement from our Prophet’s sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam's collection of sayings, "If you give up something for sake of Allaah, He will replace something (even) better."
Let the following words of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘aala etched in your heart:
“Whoever has Taqwa (consciousness) of Allaah, He will make a way out for him” [At Talaaq 65:3].
This verse gives a boost to the confidence, faith, and optimism in the hearts of all the young Muslims striving to adopt a pure, Islamic lifestyle and to benefit their society as responsible citizens.