AN APPEAL TO FELLOW MUSLIMS

October 25, 2013 2 Comments

I want members of the Muslim communities in the UK to understand what exactly is transpiring in the Middle East. The wars that are being fought are not religious wars, as the protagonists would have us believe but are wars for political power and occupation. Ever since the deaths of the four ‘Righteous Caliphs’, Muslims have been plagued by non-representative governments using the enlightened example of Prophet Muhammad to hide their corruption.

The forced fragmentation of the large agglomeration of territories of the Ottoman Empire into nation-states by the Picot-Sykes Agreement (1916) did exacerbate the plight of Muslims. However, it was the discovery of vast amounts of crude oil in Iran (1918) and Saudi Arabia (1938) that is principally responsible for the turmoil in the region. The resultant imposition of compliant but autocratic regimes by the colonial powers further deprived the Muslims of the opportunities at self-determination.

However, Muslims should keep in perspective the wars in the Middle East and be consistent when apportioning blame. Hence, when they refer to the ‘Occupation’ in the Middle East they must include the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. When they refer to the ‘Atrocities’ committed in the Middle East they must include the persecution of ethnic Kurds in Turkey, Coptic Christians in Egypt, Orthodox Christians in Syria and Chaldean Christians, Turkmen and Yazidi in Iraq. The various ‘Jihadist’ groupings in the region: GIA in Algeria, Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al Shabab in Somalia, Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Al Qaeda in Yemen, Jabhat Al Nusra in Syria and Islamic State in the Levant – they mostly always start off with almost utopian aspirations but this usually morphs into a murderous endeavour to seize political power.

Historically, governments have intervened in other countries in order to protect their geo-strategic and commercial interests. The UK is a maritime nation whose economic prosperity is very much dependent on foreign trade. A blockade of trade routes and the capture of oilfields in the Middle East by unfriendly groups would force up the price of all goods and services we buy. Muslims immigrate to the UK primarily to improve their economic condition and, therefore, must ask themselves if they are willing to pay this premium as a price of non-intervention because others here are certainly not.

Notwithstanding, the crux of the problem remains the inability of Muslims to reconcile modernity with their interpretation of Islam and an acute absence of credible role models. It is, therefore, imperative that Muslims start to ‘think outside the box’; open themselves to new informed ideas. Recognize that there is far more Islam in the institutions here in the UK than there is in most Muslim countries. After all, their civil liberties are enshrined in English Law; they can make representation for all of their grievances by participating in the democratic processes of this beautiful country.

I implore my fellow British Muslims to appreciate and acknowledge the economic and political opportunities afforded to us by this liberal democracy. We must work toward a common humanity where we are willing to lead by example and not by compulsion in all aspects of our lives. We must also vigorously denounce the subterfuge activities of the bigoted obscurantist fringe groups that espouse an ideology of intolerance and hatred.

This appeal is not an attempt at consigning blame but an endeavour to resolve through engagement and educated debate.

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Who is a ‘Muslim’

October 25, 2013 Leave a comment

Those who call themselves ‘Muslim’ seldom understand the meaning of this Arabic word. When translated into English, ‘Muslim’ literally means ‘Submission’. A ‘Muslim’ is a person whose ‘Submission’ to the edicts as revealed to Moses in the Torah, David in the Psalms, Jesus in the Gospels and Muhammad in the Quran, is an important article of his/her faith:
‘Say [O Muslims]: We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and to the offspring of the twelve sons of Jacob, and that which has been given to Moses and Jesus, and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted’ (Quran 2:136).

Being a ‘Muslim’ is not a privilege extended exclusively to the Arabs or Arabic speaking people. It’s the refuge of the pious; as already practiced by people of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths:
‘Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve’ (Quran 2:62).

All Abrahamic faiths proximate toward a similar structure in terms of their beliefs and practices. An observant ‘Muslim’ should, therefore, feel no antipathy toward any in the Abrahamic faiths:
‘And were it not for Allah restraining mankind through the act of some opposing others, pulled down would be monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques wherein the name of Allah is mentioned in great profusion’ (Quran 22:40).

Isn’t it time we Muslims studied the Quran and reflected upon its teachings so as not to rely entirely on what our ‘Mullahs’ preach to us.

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‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ – A Revelation!

October 25, 2013 Leave a comment

‘Verily, Allah has purchased from the believers their selves and wealth; for that, theirs shall be Paradise. They fight in the Cause of Allah, killing and being killed – a promise on His part in truth, in the Torah and the Gospel and the Quran.’ 9:111

It is my understanding that the edict to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ is specific to ‘Al-Ardh Al-Muqaddasah/The Sacred Land’ and ‘Al-Bait Al-Haram/The Sacred House’ and is sanctioned only in the presence of a Prophet:

‘And never will your Lord destroy the town until He sends to its Mother Town a Messenger reciting to them Our Verses. And never will We destroy the town unless its people are transgressors.’ 28:59

We are informed in the Quran that the destruction of the disbelievers at the time of Prophets Noah, Lot, Hud, Saleh and Shuaib was an act of divine retribution. We are also informed in the Quran that Prophets Noah, Abraham, Lot, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad were among those Prophets who were the recipients of Scripture. However, according to 9:111 the proclamation to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ is inscribed only in the Torah as revealed to Moses, the Gospel as revealed to Jesus and the Quran as revealed to Muhammad.
The transition from divine retribution to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ is evidenced at the time of Prophet Moses:

‘Like the habitude of the people of Pharaoh and those before them – they cried lies to the revelations of their Lord. Thus, We destroyed them for their sins and drowned the people of Pharaoh; they were all tyrants.’ 8:54

Pharaoh and his people having been drowned Prophet Moses chaperoned the Israelites to ‘The Sacred Land’ where he delivered a clarion call to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’:

‘O my people! Enter the Sacred Land which Allah ordained for you and do not retreat’ ‘O Musa! Surely therein are a people of overwhelming power’ 5:21/22

It is my understanding that ‘Allah’, ‘Yod Heh Vav Heh’ or ‘One God’ authorised the Israelites to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ the heathen who occupied ‘The Sacred Land’ and claim what was rightfully theirs to inhabit and for posterity.
The following verse in the Quran which references ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ at the time of Prophet Muhammad validates the transition from divine retribution:

‘And if Allah willed He could exact retribution on them; but in order to test some of you by others’ 47:4

The Quran delineates unambiguously the remit of Prophet Muhammad to ‘The Sacred House’:

‘And this is a blessed Book We have sent down confirming what came before it so that you may warn the Mother of Towns and those around it’ 6:92
‘Allah has made the Kabah, the Sacred House, a fulcrum for mankind’ 5:97

The situation that confronted Prophet Muhammad was quite similar to that of Prophet Samuel in that the Muslims like the Israelites were persecuted from their homes and were asked to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’.

At the time of Prophet Muhammad:
‘So those who emigrated and were expelled from their homes, and were persecuted in My Cause, and fought and were killed’ 3:195

At the time of Prophet Samuel:
They (Israelites) said: “And why we fight not in the Cause of Allah when certainly expelled are we from our homes and our children?” 2:246

It is my understanding that the edict to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ is applicable only in the presence of a Prophet. There appears to be a predilection in the people amongst whom a Prophet is appointed to split into two distinct groups:

‘Mankind was a single community then Allah sent Prophets with glad tidings and as warners; and He sent down with them the Book with truth to judge betwixt people in matters wherein they differed’ 2:213

It is imperative we acknowledge that it is the prerogative of the ‘One God’ only to sanction ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’:

‘Verily, your Lord! He knows who strays from His path and He knows the rightly guided.’ 6:117
‘O Prophet! Urge the believers to the fight’ 8:65

However, the Quran does recognise the evolving disposition of man’s intellect and the consequent complexity of the communities he populates:

‘Then We bequeathed the Book to those We chose of Our servants. Of them some who wrong their own selves and of them some who adopt a middle course; and of them some who excel in good deeds by Allah’s permission’ 35:32
‘Allah is He Who has subjected to you what is in the heavens and what is on earth; gathered from Him. Verily, therein are signs for people who reflect.’ 45:13

There are verses in the Quran that are predicated on a specific location and/or to a specific Prophet and verses that can be interpreted in a contemporary context for general application. The Holy Scriptures as revealed to Moses in the Torah, David in the Psalms, Jesus in the Gospels and Muhammad in the Quran reflect and conform to the natural laws manifest in all of creation. Only an ‘Omniscient’ ‘One God’ could ensure that His revelations to the Prophets were relevant to the human condition in this given construct; not in some improbable utopia.

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‘Verses of Violence’

October 25, 2013 Leave a comment

The Noble Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The positioning of each revelation was by divine ‘dictatum’ but lacked chronology. Therefore, the context to each of the revelations cannot always be relevant to an interpretation. The Noble Quran is a mosaic of verses; it is imperative that we understand the linkages of these verses.
Post an analysis of the Quran the following are some of my observations:

1. Whenever a Prophet is appointed from amongst a people the criteria for adjudicating belief is established through revelations.
2. The pecuniary interest of those in authority is inextricably linked to an enterprise instituted in sacrilege and is the principal subject of the revelations.
3. The Prophet implores the people to repent and to atone but there is a concerted effort by vested interests to persecute him and to subvert the revelations.
4. Failure to comply with the revelations ultimately results in punitive action that is severe and resolute.

We are informed in the Quran:

‘And never will your Lord destroy the town until He sends to its Mother Town a Messenger reciting to them Our Verses. And never will We destroy the town unless its people are transgressors.’ 28:59

And:

‘That was the way of Allah with those from before who passed away. And you will not find any alteration in the way of Allah.’ 48:23

We are also informed in the Quran that Pharaoh was deified by his people:

‘O Chief’s! I know not that you have any god other than me’ 28:38
‘I am your lord, the most high’ 79:24

And this is what happened to the people of Pharaoh:

‘Like the habitude of the people of Pharaoh and those before them – they cried lies to the revelations of their Lord. Thus, We destroyed them for their sins and drowned the people of Pharaoh; they were all transgressors.’ 8:54

Henceforth, if the ‘Children of Israel’ transgress their covenant with ‘Allah’, ‘Yod Heh Vav Heh’ or ‘One God’ because of their veneration of idols and immoral self-indulgence they shall likewise be subject to retribution:

And when Moses said to his people: “O my people! Verily, you have wronged yourselves by worshiping the calf. So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves; that is better for you with your Creator.” 2:54
When he (Elijah) said to his people: “Will you not fear Allah?” “Will you invoke Ba’al and forsake the Best of Creators,” “Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?” 37:124/126
‘And We decreed to the Children of Israel in the Book (Torah): You shall make mischief in the land twice and shall become tyrants and extremely arrogant’ ‘When the first of the two promises came to pass, We send against you servants of Ours possessing severe prowess; penetrating into your habitations’ ‘Then in turn, We made you prevail over them and reinforced you with wealth and children’ ‘When the second promise came to pass, it was for them to humiliate you and enter the mosque; destroy all that you held in esteem’ ‘Maybe your Lord will have mercy on you but if you regress, We will revert’ 17:4/8

The Quran delineates unambiguously the remit of Prophet Muhammad to ‘The Sacred House’:

‘And this is a blessed Book We have sent down confirming what came before it so that you may warn the Mother of Towns and those around it’ 6:92
‘I have been commanded to worship the Lord of this town (Makkah), Who has sanctified it and to Whom belongs everything’ 28:91
‘Allah has made the Kabah, the Sacred House, a fulcrum for mankind’ 5:97

Makkah and the neighbouring towns comprised mainly of the following groups of people:

1. Muslims
2. Hypocrites
3. People of the Scripture – Jews, Christians, Sabians etc.
4. Pagan Arabs

The hypocrites were those who called themselves Muslims but had already moved from a state of belief to disbelief:

When the hypocrites come to you, they say: “We testify that you indeed are the Messenger of Allah.” And Allah knows that you indeed are His Messenger; and Allah testifies that the hypocrites are liars indeed. 63:1
‘The hypocrites, men and women, are of one another; they enjoin the detestable and forbid the virtuous’ 9:67
Do you not see those who turn hypocrites say to their brethren from amongst the People of the Scripture who disbelieve: “If you are expelled, we too will go out with you and we will never obey any one against you; and if you are attacked, we will certainly help you.” But Allah testifies that they are liars indeed. 59:11

I believe that the instance of the appointment of a Prophet is mostly coincidental to a period where the target audience that is the subject of and subject to what is being revealed is unique in its characteristics and a literal application of the same to any contemporary and/or other audience is not the purpose of the revelations.
The following represent some further observations:

1. The presence of a Prophet in the midst of a people is essential to adjudicating by the edicts that are being revealed.
2. It is the generation that is witness to the revelations which is subjected to the penalties for non-compliance and which is inimitably characterised by its desire to indulge in the sacrilege and the immoral.
3. There are revelations that are applicable in a specific location and/or to a specific Prophet and revelations that can be interpreted in a contemporary context for general application.

We are informed in the Quran that there were those amongst the People of the Scripture who intentionally disregarded the revelations and made every effort to undermine Prophet Muhammad.
The obstinately rebellious would eventually be dealt with for their transgressions:

‘Many from amongst the People of the Scripture wish if they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from their own selves and after the truth has become manifest to them. So forgive and forebear till Allah reveals His command.’ 2:109

Prophet Muhammad is asked to reaffirm the focal tenet of the monotheistic religion as had been practiced by Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus:

Say: “O People of the Scripture! Come to an utterance equitable between us and you that we worship none but Allah, nor associate with Him anything nor some of us take others as lords.” Then if they turn away, say: “Bear witness that we are Muslims.” 3:64

However, there are those who refuse to listen to his repeated appeals:

‘They take their rabbis and their monks as lords besides Allah, and the Messiah – son of Maryam; and not commanded were they but to worship the One God. No god is there but He; Sacrosanct is He from what they associate as partners.’ 9:31

Prophet Muhammad is asked to enquire about their wilful misconduct:

Say: “O people of the Scripture! Why do you hinder from the path of Allah those who believe, seeking to pervert it while you are witnesses?” 3:99

We are made aware of the wilful misconduct of the priestly classes:

‘Many of the rabbis and the monks devour people’s wealth with deception and hinder them from the path of Allah’ 9:34

The People of the Scripture resident in Makkah and the neighbouring towns are witness to what is being revealed to the Prophet:

‘O People of the Scripture! Why do you disbelieve in the revelations of Allah while you bear witness?’ 3:70

As a consequence of their dogged refusal to alter their behaviour the obstinately rebellious amongst the People of the Scripture are manifestly in breach of their Mosaic covenant with the ‘One God’ and inevitably find themselves the recipients of punitive action:

‘Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and do not forbid that which Allah and His Messenger have forbidden; and do not adhere to the religion of truth from amongst the People of the Scripture, until they pay the tax – ready and willing, and they are humbled.’ 9:29

This verse most certainly does not sanction the indiscriminate killing of Jews and Christians within Makkah and its environs or anywhere else at any time. It is a qualified and a measured diktat against those from amongst the People of the Scripture who refused to:

1. Accept the sovereignty of the ‘One God’ as revealed in the Torah and the Gospel:

‘And our God and your God is One’ 29:46

2. Acknowledge as an article of faith the Day of Resurrection.
3. Prohibit that which has been prohibited by the ‘One God’ and the Prophet:

And say: “We believe in that which has been sent down to us and has been sent down to you.” 29:46
‘The food of those given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them; the chaste women from the believers and the chaste women from those given the Scripture before you’ 5:5

These verses make it patently clear that Prophet Muhammad would not have proscribed anything other than that already proscribed by Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus.
4. ‘Adhere to the religion of truth’ – the religion of Prophet Muhammad and all of the Prophets from afore:

‘He has prescribed for you the religion what He enjoined on Noah, and that which We communicate to you is what We enjoined on Abraham and Moses and Jesus – that be upright with the religion and be not divided in it’ 42:13
Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it (Quran), they believe in it. And when it is recited to them, they say: “We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Surely, we had been since before it – Muslims.” 28:52/53

Although the verse is an instruction to fight there are stringent qualifications that must be observed and there is even an opportunity to forfeit the punitive action by virtue of the payment of an appropriate tribute.
It is imperative that the text of the Quran especially those verses that are likely to provoke an emotional response are judiciously interpreted and not through the imposition of prejudice. Again, verse 9:29 is directed at a very specific section of the People of the Scripture:

Say: “O people of the Scripture! You have nothing valid till you are upright with the Torah and the Gospel, and what has been sent down to you from you Lord.” And it increases in many of them what has been sent down to you from your Lord – excesses and disbelief. 5:68
But when the truth has come to them from Us, they say: “Why is he not given the like of Moses?” “Did they not disbelieve in what was given before to Moses?” They say: “Two kinds of magic, each supporting the other!” And they say: “In each we indeed disbelieve.” 28:48

It is my understanding that the ‘One God’ had taken the decision to establish in Makkah and its environs the same monotheistic religion that had earlier been established in the Land of Canaan when Prophet Moses communicated what had been revealed to him to the ‘Children of Israel’:

‘O my people! Enter the Sacred Land which Allah ordained for you and do not retreat’ ‘O Musa! Surely therein are a people of overwhelming power’ 5:21/22

The following verses are unequivocal in their intent:

‘And why should not Allah punish them while they hinder from the Sacred Mosque, and not are they its guardians? Verily, its guardians are none but the righteous’ 8:34
‘O you who believe! Verily, the polytheists are immoral. So let them not come near the Sacred Mosque after this year of theirs’ 9:28

The pagan Arabs have repeatedly reneged and are persistent:

‘They are those with whom you made a covenant; then they violate their covenant each time’ 8:56
‘And they will not cease fighting you until they turn you back from your religion, if they are able to’ 2:217

Again, the appointment of a Prophet is indicative of a society that is not only intransigent but also in an acute state of constant immoral self-indulgence. The revelations that address such a society cannot be literally juxtaposed in order to adjudicate a contemporaneous and/or other society:
‘Whoever goes aright, goes aright for his own self; and whoever goes astray, goes astray against it. And not will bear a burdened one the burden of another; nor do We inflict punishment until We send a Messenger.’ 17:15
‘And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; and if the one heavily burdened calls to his load, not lifted of it will be anything even if he be near of kin’ 35:38

The undermining of the authority of Prophet Muhammad and the reneging of treaties is reiterated:

‘Will you not fight a people that have violated their oaths and colluded to expel the Messenger, and it was them that attacked you in the first instance?’ 9:13

The following proclamation is not just in response to the shenanigans of the pagan Arabs but is also part of the decision to establish the same monotheistic religion that came into being with Prophet Adam:

‘Absolved of obligations are Allah and His Messenger from those of the polytheists with whom a treaty was made’ ‘So roam freely in the land for four months but be aware that you cannot frustrate Allah’ ‘And a pronouncement from Allah and His Messenger to mankind on the day of the Great Pilgrimage that Allah is absolved from the polytheists as is His Messenger’ ‘Except those of the polytheists with whom you did make a treaty and they did not in any way hinder you nor did they assist anyone against you. So fulfil towards them their treaty to the end of its term’ ‘So when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists where you find them; and seize them and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush. But if they repent and establish prayers, and purify their wealth then leave clear their way’ 9:1/5

Fighting is sanctioned expressly against the pagan Arabs in Makkah who are in breach of their treaty with Prophet Muhammad but only up to the point where they either accept the tenets of the monotheistic religion or quit this theatre of war:

‘And if anyone of the polytheists seeks your protection then give him shelter until he hears the word of Allah, then escort him to his place of safety’ 9:6

The Scriptures as revealed to Moses in the Torah, David in the Psalms, Jesus in the Gospels and Muhammad in the Quran reflect and conform to the natural laws manifest in all of creation. Only an ‘Omniscient’ ‘One God’ could ensure that His revelations to the Prophets were relevant to the human condition in this given construct; not in some improbable utopia.

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‘No compulsion in the religion’

October 25, 2013 Leave a comment

‘O Children of Adam! When there come to you Messengers from among you delineating unto you My revelations then whoever refrains and reforms, no apprehension on them nor shall they grieve. But those who cry lies to Our revelations and disparage them, they are dwellers of the Fire; they shall abide therein forever.’ 7:35/36

Does this verse imply that the obligation to adhere to the edicts of the ‘One God’ as revealed to Prophet Moses in the Torah, Prophet Jesus in the Gospels and Prophet Muhammad in the Quran is the imperative duty of the people in whose midst a Prophet has been appointed only? What I have observed after having meticulously studied the Quran is that there exists a predilection for the people in whose midst a Prophet has been appointed to pull apart into at least two distinct groups – disbelievers and believers. What can also be gleaned from the verses in the Quran is that as the ‘One God’ reveals more of himself through his revelations to the people in whose midst a Prophet has been appointed the severity of the retribution that will be exacted in the event of disbelief in the revelations increases proportionately.

O People of the Scripture! There has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you, post an interval in the Messengers, lest you say: “There came not to us a giver of glad tidings nor a warner.” 5:19
Lest you (pagan Arabs) say: “The Book was but sent to two sects (Jews and Christians) before us, and indeed we had been unaware of what they studied.” 6:156

Are these verses implying that even though the pagan Arabs had living amongst them the ‘People of the Scripture’ had no Prophet come to them and no Scripture been given to them they could have pleaded ignorance in the Court of the Most High? Is it also implicit in 5:19 and 6:156 that in the absence of a Prophet and as the revelation of Scripture gets more distant with respect to time a certain clemency is proffered to people in the obligation to adhere to the edicts of the ‘One God’ as inscribed in the Testament?

There are verses in the Quran that are predicated on a specific location and/or to a specific Prophet and verses that can be interpreted in a contemporary context for general application:

‘So when you encounter those who disbelieve smite the necks till when you have weakened them, then fasten the shackles’ 47:4
‘Verily, those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabians and the Christians and the Majus and those who ascribe partners, Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection’ 22:17

I am of the opinion that the edict to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ is specific to the ‘Sacred land/House’ and can only be sanctioned in the presence of a Prophet:

But Lot believed him (Abraham), and said: “I will emigrate for the sake of my Lord” 29:26
They reply: “We were oppressed on the earth.” They (angels) say: “Was not Allah’s earth vast enough for you to migrate therein?” 4:97

Despite the explicit threats to the life of Prophet Abraham that were emerging from his people the ‘One God’ did not permit him to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ against them but instead to migrate to the Land of Canaan. In the Land of Canaan the people of Prophet Lot were destroyed for their perverse indulgence by divine retribution and not because the ‘One God’ sanctioned ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’. It isn’t until the time of Prophet Moses where after having drowned Pharaoh and his people that the ‘One God’ ordains at the gates of the ‘Sacred Land’ Prophet Moses and the Israelites to ‘Fight in the Cause of Allah’ against the pagan occupants.

Let us not forget that Prophet Joseph used his unique gift to interpret dreams endowed on him by the ‘One God’ in the service of a pagan Pharaoh. Prophet Muhammad sought refuge for the weakest of the new Muslim converts with a Christian King in Abyssinia.

‘No compulsion in the religion. It is manifest, the right conduct from the wrong.’ 2:256
‘And had your Lord so willed, those on earth would have believed; all of them together. So will you compel mankind until they become believers?’ 10:99
‘And say: “The truth is from your Lord.” So who wills, let him believe; and who wills, let him disbelieve.’ 18:29
‘O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another’ 49:13

I urge my fellow Muslims to understand and appreciate the diversity in all of God’s creation. This diversity is reflected in our thought processes and also evidenced in what we do. We must endeavour to lead by example and not by compulsion in all aspects of our lives. Who are we to reserve judgement on our fellow human beings; arrogate to ourselves that which the Noble Quran does not sanction?

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‘Abrogation’: A new understanding

October 25, 2013 Leave a comment

I predicate this essay on my belief that not all the revelations to the Prophets were necessarily inscribed in scripture. The Mohkamat most certainly were but not all of those that addressed man’s temporal needs as these were continually evolving.

I have now come to understand who it is that Allah Subhana speaks of when He mentions Al-Yahud/An-Nasara or just Yahud/Nasara. The latter is a broader reference to the whole community (2:111, 62:6 etc) while the former is a more specific group (2:120, 5:82 etc) – a subset. It is imperative that we appreciate these subtleties lest we perpetuate ignorance through our own misinterpretation of this beautiful book of prose and poetry.

In each of the following verses of the Noble Quran – 2:106, 7:154, 22:52 and 45:29 where a variant of Nasakha has been used there is commonality. I believe when Allah Subhana speaks of writing something He uses Kataba and only when something has been inscribed He uses Nasakha. The inscription could be on parchment, tablet or in a book that He has either sent down to a Prophet or is with Him. This is the shade of difference that I have noticed having sifted through verses in the Noble Quran containing Kataba and Nasakha.

‘What Nansakh of Ayat or to forget it We bring better of it or similar to it’ 2:106

An Ayah in the Noble Quran can be a ‘Miracle’ 17:101, a ‘Sign’ 19:10, an ‘Example’ 25:37 or a ‘Verse’ 38:29. If in this instance Ayat is a ‘Verse’ then how can something written in the Noble Quran be forgotten and why would a ‘Verse’ be ‘Abrogated’ only to be replaced by one ‘similar to it’.
The context to Nansakh is better understood if we consider the following verses in the Noble Quran:

‘So, for the transgression of those who are Jews We made unlawful on them good things that were hitherto lawful to them; and for their hindering many from Allah’s way’ 4:160
‘It was only prescribed the Sabbath upon those who disputed about it’ 16:124

It is evident from the above and 6:146 that certain dietary and some other restrictions were imposed on ‘those who are Jews’ on account of their obstinate rebellion and disbelief.

‘Those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture nor the idolaters like that there should be sent down to you any good from your Lord; but Allah selects for His mercy whom He wills’ 2:105

We are made aware in the Noble Quran that there were among ‘those who are Jews’ a faction – referred to as Al-Yahud, which had taken as Auliya the heathen Arabs (5:80). It is likely that the revelations to Prophet Muhammad were much less restrictive and the consequent angst of Al-Yahud and Al-Mushrikun is the substance of 2:106. Al-Yahud would not accept the mitigation in dietary and some other (2:187) matters because they believed that At-Taurat was an immutable Al-Kitab. We know from 2:105 ‘but Allah selects for His mercy whom He wills’ – the followers of Prophet Muhammad, just as He did afore with the Children of Israel at the time of Prophet Jesus:

‘And as one attesting the truth of what came before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of that forbidden to you’ 3:50

Prophet Jesus confirms the integrity of At-Taurat and then informs ‘those who are Jews’ of the Nasakha in Al-Injeel – ‘to make lawful for you some of that forbidden to you’. Note that the changes are reflected in Al-Injeel and not in At-Taurat itself and the scope of the ‘to make lawful’ is limited to just ‘some of that’. By virtue of extrapolation Al-Quran Al-Karim must also adhere to this principle of Nasakha; and as a discernible consequence of the imperfection of Man.

The Holy Scriptures as revealed to Moses in the Torah, David in the Psalms, Jesus in the Gospels and Muhammad in the Quran reflect and conform to the natural laws evident in all of creation. Only an ‘Omniscient’ ‘One God’ could ensure that His revelations to the Prophets were relevant to the human condition in this given construct; not in some improbable utopia.

As mentioned earlier Allah Subhana in verses 2:106, 7:154, 22:52 and 45:29 has used Nasakha only when something has been inscribed on parchment, tablet or in a book. If verse 2:106 were to be considered on its own merits I would interpret it as follows:

‘What We inscribe of Ayat (Verse) or We cause to forget of Ayat (Miracle, sign or example) We are Able to bring better of it or similar to it’

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The ‘Hadith’ Debate

October 25, 2013 Leave a comment

Muslims believe that the religion of Islam includes the Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. They insist that Verses in the Quran endorse the sayings and teachings of the Prophet. ’Nor does he speak of [his own] desire’ (53:3). ‘Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow; for him who hopes for [the meeting with] Allah and the Latter Day, and remembers Allah much’ (33:21). I do believe in the Revelations of the Quran and in the perfect example of the Prophet. However, I do not believe that everything the Prophet said and did was inspired by the Almighty.

We know from the Noble Quran that our beloved Prophet made mistakes; are we to conclude that God made these mistakes? ‘O Prophet! Why do you forbid [for yourself] that which Allah has allowed to you; seeking to please your wives? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful’ (66:1). ‘Of him you are neglectful and divert your attention to another’ ‘Nay, [do not do like this]; indeed it [this Quran] is an admonition’ (80:10/11). If everything the Prophet said was a divine revelation; why did God admonish the Prophet and show him the correct way?

The Quran is emphatic that there is only Allah’s Sunnah; not the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. ‘[This was our] Sunnah with the Messengers We sent before you, and you will not find any alteration in Our Sunnah’ (17:77). ‘So no change will you find in Allah’s Sunnah, and no turning off will you find in Allah’s Sunnah’ (35:43). ‘That has been Allah’s Sunnah with those who passed away before. And you will find no change in Allah’s Sunnah’ (48:23). Would our beloved Prophet base his life on teachings and practices not consistent with the Noble Quran?

The Quran is the only authoritative and sufficient collection of all that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. ‘Certainly, We have brought them a Book [the Quran] which We have explained in detail with knowledge – a guidance and a mercy to a people who believe’ (7:52). ‘Allah has sent down the best Al Hadith, a Book [the Quran], its parts resembling each other [and] oft-repeated’ (39:23). ‘These are the Ayat of Allah, which We recite to you (O Muhammad) with truth. Then in which Hadith after Allah and His Ayat will they believe?’ (45:6). ‘And recite what has been revealed to you [O Muhammad] of the book of your Lord. None can change His Words, and none will you find as a refuge other than Him’ (18:27). ‘Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr [the Quran] and surely, We will guard it’ (15:9).

If Muslims believe it their duty to follow the ‘good example’ of Prophet Muhammad; shouldn’t they consider the ‘excellent example’ of Prophet Abraham? ‘Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him’ (60:4). ‘Certainly, there has been in them an excellent example for you to follow; for those who look forward to [the Meeting with] Allah and the Latter Day’ (60:6). In fact, it’s just not Prophet Abraham but also ‘those with him’ who make for an ‘excellent example’. What’s implicit is that even when ordinary ‘Muslims’ adhere to God’s Commandments, they are considered an ‘excellent example’.

We strive in the path of Allah and we endeavour to emulate the ‘Muslim’ qualities of our beloved Prophet; not mimic him.

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Dictators, power and the blame for Muslim strife

October 18, 2013 Leave a comment

Why do we Muslims always complain about the foreign policy of the U.S. and Britain? I understand that we may be upset about the loss of civilian lives, but both governments have now recognised the futility of their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Historically, nations have intervened to protect their geo-strategic and commercial interests.

Why don’t we Muslims ever complain about the foreign policies of Saudi Arabia and Iran? Wahabi Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran are using their immense oil wealth to wage a proxy war. Their attempts to change the realities on the ground are evident in the Yemen and the Levant.

This meddling has given licence to brutality and culminated in the indiscriminate killing of civilians. The displacement of sections of the population has created resentment and brought to the surface latent sectarian prejudice. This isn’t a religious war, as they would have us believe; it’s a murderous endeavour to seize political power.

Europe retired most of its monarchies because they were an impediment to the advancement of its peoples. We Muslims, however, embrace our monarchs and dictators as though they were our salvation.

Our rulers have always claimed to represent the Prophet or his progeny; we’ve never had representative governments. This concentration of power has resulted in nepotism and sycophancy and has suffocated the individual’s aspiration to achieve through merit. We refuse to take responsibility for our own problems and choose to hide behind ludicrous conspiracies.

Unfortunately, we Muslims are plagued with all kinds of divisions, owing to our own ignorance. In the Iran-Iraq war Arabs fought Persians. After the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan, Persian and Pashtu-speaking Pathans fought each other for control of the opium trade. In Darfur, Arabs from Sudan unashamedly killed Africans for control of that region’s oil. It’s expedient for both sides to blame ‘the West’ or ‘Zionists’, but, in fact, the leadership is exploiting ethnic and sectarian tensions to perpetuate its hold on power.

This sectarian hatred of one another is indoctrinated from childhood. The Shi’ites accuse the Sunnis of denying the Prophet’s cousin the position of the first caliph. The Sunnis accuse the Shi’ites of committing blasphemy by disparaging the first three caliphs. The leadership on both sides is apathetic to this bickering, but is astute enough to hide its incompetence and corruption in the cloak of divisiveness.

Our rulers don’t come from another planet and even if supplanted by other countries they are a product of our society. Their depravity should force us Muslims to contemplate what it is we believe and value that creates such individuals and enables them to abuse a position of trust and power.

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SyRaq

October 18, 2013 Leave a comment

Do we in the West understand what is transpiring/who is conspiring in Syria/Iraq (SyRaq)?

The ‘Arab Spring’ in Egypt manifests itself as a popular uprising and after several months of protests in Tahrir Square a military dictator – Hosni Mubarak, in power for 30 years is emphatically deposed. In the democratic process that follows the Muslim Brotherhood candidate – Mohamed Morsi, is elected President of Egypt.
The Muslim Brotherhood – a Sunni movement that is supported by the Qatari’s but opposed by the Saudi’s; having a substantial footprint in the political landscape of the region such that if there were democratic elections held in Jordan and Syria they would be the dominant party.
The military junta in Egypt then uses the ‘Deep State’ to create resentment amongst sections of civil society in order to position itself as the credible saviour of the democratic process. President Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood government are portrayed as usurping power and as incapable of stemming rising prices and unemployment in the country.
A coup d’état overthrows the democratically elected Islamist government of President Morsi. This is followed by a widespread crackdown on the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood. Having jailed the Muslim Brotherhood leadership and shut down all non-compliant media, Field Marshal Abdul Fattah Al Sisi is elected President of Egypt by a ‘popular’ vote.

The ‘Arab Spring’ in Syria starts with an uprising in Homs and then spreads to the rest of the country. The Al Assad regime forcibly suppresses the uprising with assistance from Iran and the Hezbollah in Lebanon. The opposition Free Syrian Army and the Islamists are supported by the Saudi’s and Qatari’s. Salafi/Sunni fighters have been pouring in from Western nations and neighbouring Arab/Muslim countries to depose the Al Assad regime. Shiite fighters have been coming in primarily from Iraq to fight alongside the Al Assad regime.
I suspect that ISIL (ISI/ISIS) is a creation of Syrian intelligence; Sunni fighters from Syria/Iraq who had been encouraged to take up arms against US/UK forces during the invasion of Iraq. Iran and Syria did not then want the US/UK getting comfortable with their occupation of Iraq once they had deposed Saddam Husein and disbanded the Ba’athists. The Jabhat Al Nusra, an affiliate of Al Qaeda, was allowed into Syria in order to counterbalance ISIL and malign the credibility of the Free Syrian Army. The perception would be that the FSA was infiltrated by extremists and any help extended would undermine our security in the West. There have been several bouts of infighting within the ranks of the opposition and as a result they have fractured, with the Islamists breaking away from the Free Syrian Army.
The war having reached an impasse, Basher Al Assad is re-elected President of Syria by a ‘popular’ vote.

The aftermath of the US/UK invasion of Iraq is a democratic process that has reinforced the deep-seated sectarian divide and a body politic that is dominated by the Shiite majority. The Sunni tribes who have unresolved grievances with the Shiite Al Maliki government in Baghdad are giving succour to the Sunni ISIL forces. There is also some collusion with the Sunni officers given that the Iraqi army – trained and equipped by the US, has just melted away when confronted by the ISIL forces. The Iraqi national army, as a matter of fact, was set up by the Al Maliki government to crumble along sectarian/ethnic lines and to inevitably fail. It is the Iraqi Special Forces and the Shiite militia under the control of Al Maliki that underpin his hold on power in Baghdad.
Is it a coincidence that ISIL has gained a foothold in Iraq at a time when Iran is negotiating with the US/EU on its nuclear issue? The presence of ISIL in the Sunni dominated provinces will only radicalise the local population and may even lead to internal strife between the Islamists, the Ba’athist and the Sunni tribes. In fact, the presence of ISIL and the near certain radicalisation of the local Sunni population puts their Gulf Arab sponsors – Saudi’s and Qatari’s, at odds with the West and creates an alignment of interest for Iran and the West, something that Tehran and the Al Maliki government have been manoeuvring to achieve. The current matrix on the ground also enables the Al Maliki government in Baghdad to put pressure on the US for the immediate delivery of the most sophisticated weapons.

The West finds itself in a bind – in Egypt they recognise the election of Field Marshal Abdul Fattah Al Sisi but in Syria they refuse to recognise the election of President Basher Al Assad. In Iraq they support the government of Al Maliki who by stealth have been sending Shia militia fighters and weaponry across the border to support the Al Assad regime. The West, however, opposes the Islamists in Iraq but indirectly supports them in Syria through the Free Syrian Army because they are supposedly fighting the Al Assad regime.
Should the US/UK carry out targeted strikes against ISIL, it would alienate large sections of the Sunni Muslim population in the Middle East and in the West. The West would then find itself embroiled in a sectarian war of its own making and a target for extremists at home and abroad.

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ISRAEL ‘IS REAL’, ISRAEL ‘IS A REALITY’

October 18, 2013 Leave a comment

The paradigm of autocratic governments providing stability in the Middle East has led to radicalisation. These governments have viciously suppressed any form of dissent; there’s been an acute lack of aspirational achievement. The resultant frustration has been craftily channelled by the radicals into a focused hatred of Israel. The Arab Spring has provided the much needed platform for debate and brought into its political fold the extremists. It’s imperative that this process be nurtured and directed toward the election of governments that are representative.

The Palestinian/Israeli peace process/conflict in its present context is a slow moving train wreck to nowhere. Having sidelined Mahmoud Abbas, Netanyahu/Lieberman and Hamas want to maintain the status quo. The rocket fire that Hamas directs at Israel is the gift that keeps giving for the Likud/Beytenu coalition. Likewise, the siege of Gaza by Israel gives Hamas legitimacy and creates a groundswell of support for it.

In a regional context Wahabi Saudi Arabia and Shia’ Iran are using their immense oil wealth to wage a proxy war. Saudi Arabia and Iran are two sides of the same coin; police states masquerading as theocracies. Their surreptitious activities in neighbouring countries are an attempt to distort ground realities and incite violence. They create an environment of instability through subterfuge and the promotion of ethnic and sectarian strife. The monarchs and the mullahs are not accountable, so hasten to blame Israel for their own policy failings and mismanagement.

The State of Israel was created by UN Resolution 181 on 29 November 1947 but came into existence on 15 May 1948. Neighbouring Arab States invaded the fledgling democracy the very next day in support of the Palestinian Arabs. In the 1948 War of Independence and in each of the subsequent Wars – 1967 Six Day War and 1973 Yom Kippur, Israel seized land from the Arabs. The bellicose and belligerent Arab States were repulsed notwithstanding their superior numbers and military hardware. These victories lend credence to the claims of the Israelis on the land that they captured and for legitimacy of the de facto borders for the State of Israel.

The resolution of the Arab/Israeli conflict must be part of a grand regional bargain overseen by the Middle East Quartet. Countries in the Middle East except Israel must destroy all chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons. Israel should be allowed to retain some limited measure of its nuclear deterrent albeit monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Those members of The Organisation of Islamic Countries that have boycotted Israel must normalise all diplomatic and trade relations. Israelis/Palestinians must hold a referendum to decide whether they want a two-state solution or a one-state solution. The grand regional bargain must be predicated on the recognition by all Palestinian factions of the incontrovertible right of the State of Israel to exist.

A two-state solution could be achieved on an approximation of the 1967 borders with Jerusalem either as a divided capital or a UN administered ‘International City of Faith’. Provision will have to be made to link the West Bank to Gaza without compromising the security of Israel. A one-state solution will need to incorporate the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza into Israel proper. A system of voting will have to be devised such that no one ethnic group can dominate the government indefinitely. Irrespective of the voting dynamics, certain portfolios and ministries will have to be retained by ethnically Jewish people. The education system, its curriculum, will have to reflect the sensitivities of all ethnic groups. Those educational institutions whose curriculum is in Hebrew may teach Arabic as a second language. However, those whose curriculum is in Arabic will have to teach Hebrew as a second language. Policing can be a local matter but admission into the IDF and intelligence agencies will require scrutiny.

The Israeli state invests in its citizens and by virtue of a tacit social contract the citizens work diligently to build a prosperous Israel. This is evidenced by their commitment to excellence; in the face of great adversity the Israelis have made the desert bloom. In contrast, the despotic regimes in neighbouring Arab countries through their gratuitous corruption have impoverished their citizens. Here there is a concerted effort to dumb down the population through the proliferation of religious schools. Clerics laud the regimes achievements from the pulpit; thugs spread fear amongst their own people.

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