Daily Blog - The Ghouse Diary

Shun Politics of Separatism

Mike Ghouse April 8, 2014 Comments Off

URL – http://nabsites.net/demo/shun-politics-of-separatis/

Tufail Ahmed’s article is worth reading to understand the Muslim dilemma; I am pleased to extract a few thoughtful sentences and phrases for us to ponder.

“Muslim leaders failed to comprehend a kind of politics that could help Muslims see their future in togetherness with the country’s mainstream.”

Indeed, this is the sentiment of many a Muslims who feel responsible for the plight of Muslims and want to do something about it. Dr. AbuSaleh Shariff emphasized a point about it in the annual meeting of US India Policy Institute in Houston. He compared the Quota system and its superfluity – West Bengal has some 25% of Muslims but have less than 2% of jobs in the state, Kerala has a higher quota of some 17% for Muslims, but only 9% is utilized (Figures need to be checked). He questioned the need for Quota. Most likely the same Muslims would have gotten the same jobs without quota.

We don’t need quota, what we need is proportionate representation that is fair and equitable with all other communities. It will remove the false rhetoric of Minority appeasement – hell, there is no appeasement then why have it? Indeed, we need to be a part of the main stream and don’t need any special treatment, but a fair and just treatment on par with every Indian.

“After the 1857 war in which the two communities fought unitedly against the British, the Muslim leadership should have logically worked together with Hindus.”

The three reasons Tufail Ahmed has proffered do make sense. It is just not the Muslim voters who have been taken for granted but others have experienced the same depravity; false promises! The Ram Mandir issue is a clear vote bank issue to flame the fundamentalists among Hindu community, and promises made to them were not delivered either. It’s an equal opportunity cheating by politicians.

One of the many ways to change this behavior of politicians is demanding that they make a few promises that they can keep, and we need to ask how they would do it.

Fear needs to go! We are afraid to demand, or ask questions. We have got to remember, they are in the seat because of us, each one of us giving them the vote of confidence.

“As the Indian republic searches for maturity in its weaknesses, India’s mainstream too longs for Muslims to stop treating themselves as minorities.”

What is good for Muslims has got to be good for Hindus and all other Indians and vice versa, the good will not last if it benefits one and not the others.

I would not even use the word Main Stream – we all should be in the same stream, all of us have the same aspirations, issues, problems and dreams, and we need not create separate dreams, but have a common dream, and it will help us build that energy, together we can achieve that dream.

“There is another concern: if Muslims shun some parties instead of having them to moderate their conduct by joining them, they will alienate themselves significantly, more so if it’s a party with countrywide presence. Muslims must embrace all parties, a relevant message conveyed through Akbar’s political choice.”

This is the idea we need to work on. I went on the hate list of a few Muslims, when I suggested the call of the then PM Vajpayee to join BJP. Of course I am on the hate list of a few Hindus as well for not praising Modi. If we want a change that is good for all including us, we need to be part of the group and bring about solutions. We cannot alienate any party and let them deprive us of participation.

In the end I want to share the power of belonging.

In February 2013, Sean Hannity called me to join in a retreat at Fox News in New York. Perhaps, I was the only one who was not a right winger in that group. Congressman Peter King, Congressman Gohmert, Ambassador John Bolton, Pamela Geller… were among the 25. It was my turn to be on the stage with Hannity, I am going to call Brother Hannity for a purpose. He said, ” You are the only Muslim friend I have, and I promise you this, I will not say Muslim Terrorists, but instead say, Terrorists among Muslims” I was literally in tears… this was the change I was looking for, I did put up with humility in the past and some abuse, but it was worth it. Ever since, I became a fan of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) I have believed in his approach to building better societies; his formula; conflict mitigation and goodwill nurturence.

What happened after that? Within a few months the Boston Marathon bombings took place… and Congressman Peter King said to the media “96% of Muslims are fine, it is the 4% we need to watch” – that was a 180 degree turnaround from a year before when he called Muslims as Terrorists… Not only Peter King, but there was another one from the retreat who was influenced by Hannity’s promise to me. I was cursed by a few Muslims, and Cair’s Ibrahim Hooper screamed at me and “told” me not to go on Hannity. How short sighted was he? Without engagement we cannot change a thing. I am a Moderate Republican, and will remain one, despite not finding any company in the party, but walking away from it gives them carte Blanche.

I am glad to see Akbar join the BJP, who knows he may help the party tone down some extreme rhetoric. I was also happy to hear from Latafat Hussain, a Muslim friend of Vajpayee in
Houston who was able to see the soft side of Vajpayee.

I hope we question our prejudices on issues and demand ourselves to see from another point of view. If we can do that, then we can have the courage to ask others to do the same.

Thanks Tufail for this piece.

Shun Politics of Separatism

By Tufail Ahmad
http://www.newindianexpress.com/opinion/Shun-Politics-of-Separatism/2014/04/08/article2155331.ece#.U0NtNVe5Er0

Published: 08th April 2014 06:00 AM

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a
writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work
place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers
pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in
Standing up for others
and a book with the same title is coming up. Mike has a strong presence on
national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on
Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to
the Texas Faith Column at Dallas
Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and
several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work
through many links.

There is no one like you

Mike Ghouse April 8, 2014 Comments Off

Texas Faith – In faith and gender politics, what does submission mean — as in, submissive spouse?

Mike Ghouse April 1, 2014 Comments Off

FAITH AND GENDER POLITICS – WHAT DOES SUBMISSION MEAN?

Men
are traditionally insecure beings when it comes to dealing with women,
particularly the hardcore conservative men, be them be Arabs, Americans,
Chinese or Africans. Each one has adopted a blunt to subtle way of
“keeping the woman in her place.” Look at our own conservatives denying
equal pay, equal insurance rates, and equal say in health matters and on
and on… Mike Ghouse. This is my Bi-monthly take on issues published in Dallas Morning News on April 1, 2014.

URL – http://nabsites.net/demo/texas-faith-in-faith-and-gender/

Texas Faith – In faith and gender politics, what does submission mean — as in, submissive spouse?

By Wayne Slater
wslater@dallasnews.com
12:16 pm on April 1, 2014 | Permalink

When Sarah Palin ran for vice president, as Hillary Clinton considers a race for president and with Wendy Davis actively engaged in a bid for governor, one aspect of that culture war is what it means in religious terms to be submissive – most notably, a submissive wife. A recent USA Today article notes the subject is popping up these days, preached from the pulpit, pontificated about in a spate of new book releases and prominent on the agenda of next month’s Southern Baptist leadership summit. “All seek to answer the question of whether wives are 100 percent equal partners or whether ‘biblical womanhood’ means a God-given role of supporting their husbands — and, in turn, knowing their husbands are honor-bound to die for them, if necessary.”

Submission in matters of faith and gender politics (Artwork/Todd Slater)

Biblical references to husbands leading their households have long invited interpretations that sound to many people a lot like inferiority. Where’s the equality in submission? And yet Cynthia Rigby of the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and a member of the Texas Faith panel noted in the USA Today story, the Scriptures came out a world where women couldn’t own property and could be divorced by their husbands saying the word three times. In that world, holding wives up as “holy and without blemish” was a radical idea, she said. In her upcoming book, “Shaping Our Faith: A Christian Feminist Theology,” Rigby explores the idea biblical submission and its implications in the wider public debate.

With gender politics is so much part of our public debate, how do we interpret the idea of submission? What does submission in a religious, political and modern cultural sense really mean?

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism and speaker on interfaith matters, Dallas

The idea of submission was born to address our insecurities. The sense of loss we experience when we do not have control over our surroundings propels us to create a God in our own image, who in turn demanded submission or conformity to certain rules to assure individual and collective safety. Submission is both voluntary and compulsory.

Ganging up against a thought or an action that questions the established system or fighting tooth and nail against deviation from traditions has become a norm of compulsory submission. New ideas are rejected by conservatives, the holders of the given values of a society with loud shrill voices, sheer pressure or outright denunciation as a fringe or a liberal idea. It tears the cohesiveness of the society and creates chaos.

The irony of submission is most of the liberal ideas become acceptable over a period of time, and get established as the new norm, and will be guarded as a conservative value against a newer idea.

Voluntary submission on the other hand is subscribing to a new idea, practice or an action (gaining acceptance of same sex marriage) to keep the societal cohesion intact. The conservatives demand submission to the establishment, where as liberals want the establishment to be submissive to the inclusion – both have the same goal to keep the society intact and in balance with least conflicts.

Submission and Gender Politics

Men are traditionally insecure beings when it comes to dealing with women, particularly the hardcore conservative men, be them be Arabs, Americans, Chinese or Africans. Each one has adopted a blunt to subtle way of “keeping the woman in her place.” Look at our own conservatives denying equal pay, equal insurance rates, and equal say in health matters and on and on…

The drivers among conservative men “assume” that God gave them superiority over women and expect women to submit to them to keep peace in the family or society, period. They still have not woken up to the fact that we do not live in caves anymore, and men and women are equal partners in all aspects of life.

Over the years we have built up a good and just God who cannot tell us to discriminate any of his creation, but the drivers among conservative men have figured it out to make God sing in their tunes through the Bible, Quran, Torah and other holy books about women.

Thanks to Geraldine Ferraro, vice presidential candidate with Walter Mondale, the woman who paved the way for the highest office on the land, and then came Sarah Palin with John McCain, and both of them have established a new bar for women. Now Hilary Clinton and Wendy Davis are going for the highest national and state offices and both of them have fully earned it to be one the best Presidents of the United States and Governors of Texas respectively.

The cave men cannot handle it, and have gone berserk and will resort to ganging up on the Hilary and Wendy. Instead of debating on the issues, they will attack them personally, and make every attempt to push them to the extreme to give up. At the end of the race, they will learn that these women are tough and will cause the establishment to submit to a new norm, a liberal value that will eventually become conservative, reaching new heights of balance and social cohesion.
Additional comments I have added after the publication:

1. Almost all the conservative ideas of today were liberal ideas of yesterday.

2. Cynthia Rigby’ statement about Christian dogma amazed me “the Scriptures came out a world where women couldn’t own property and could be divorced by their husbands saying the word three times.” Indeed Prophet Muhammad challenged that and said, ” women could divorce their husbands equally, and she can refuse to obey if it is against her faith and tradition”. But People still don’t follow it.

3. No religious group needs to gloat, every one of the scriptures have been misinterpreted. Religions meant good for the society, and of course clergy have made it good for their ego. We simply cannot accept any misogynistic representation of scriptures. God is not a misogynistic thing, he, she or it created all of the universe with equal attention and equal rights to one’s space, sustenance and nurturence.

To read the opinions of other panelists, visit Dallas Morning News at http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/04/in-faith-and-gender-politics-what-does-submission-mean-as-in-submissive-spouse.html/#more-37026

Foreign Policy – General Sisi is dangerous to Egypt's future; United States has to play its humanitarian role.

Mike Ghouse March 27, 2014 Comments Off

URL – http://nabsites.net/demo/foreign-policy-general-sisi-is/

General Sisi has gone over the edge, and has issued a death warrant to 529 men who belong to the Brotherhood. This will begin a spiraling of violence ruining Egypt for years to come. As a Humanitarian, pluralist and a Muslim I condemn this, and urge the President of the United States to talk to Sisi and stop this non-sense. Those men belong in a prison, and most of them are habitable to normal life. It is easy to kill, and any idiot can do that if they have a gun, the wise thing is to end extremism, and not kill people.

Sadly these bullies (in all religions with no exception) do not follow the very religion they claim to follow. Killing one person is like killing the whole humanity, there is wisdom in it – religion is about building cohesive societies where we all can live without fear of the other.

Think about this.

Everything on the earth is created with harmony and balance. Look at the stars, planets and the universe – everything is functioning precisely and in balance. Look at our own body, it functions well and in balance if we eat right – disturb that balance, everything goes wrong.

Injustice (taking advantage of, oppression, suppression, sidelining, cheating, robbing…..) is the only thing that messes that balance, once things are off balance they deteriorate faster unless checked.

Over the last three years, I have argued about the Brotherhood, and I do not like their ideology, and have almost called them a terrorist organization. They want to impose strangulating form of Sharia on Egyptians – violating the very basics of Islam – there is no compulsion in religion, and no one is responsible for other’s acts, Quran is absolutely clear on that. God will not place any one’s burden on others. The kind of Sharia that compels others to obey, the kind of Sharia that is unjust is Un-Islamic. More of us need to speak out.

Sean Hannity (Fox News) was wrong and I was right in believing that Brotherhood will not gain power and will lose out because of the extremist ideology they were following.
The short-sighted men and women in the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel would like to get the Brotherhood people killed, they do not know the mess it will make, they are revenge seekers and not the seekers of justice, balance and harmony in a society.

Sisi wants to murder 529 men in broad day light. The bullies in power can do that, but that will mess up Egypt for years to come… he cannot kill the ideology by suppression, it will flare up even more. There is history to contend with; when King Farooq, Gen Nasser and President Sadat pushed them, and each time they crushed the Brotherhood, they grew in numbers.

You can only change people through effective education. Violence breeds violence, and it is human to dig in their heels when pushed to the corner.

I intend to write a full article on the topic and appeal to the dictators in Egypt to follow Islam. God is merciful, Prophet is a mercy to mankind… and if they are followers of Islam, they need to be merciful.

Mike Ghouse committed to cohesive societies.
www.MikeGhouse.net

Fred Phelps, one of the most hated men in America is dead, an eviction notice is in order.

Mike Ghouse March 22, 2014 Comments Off

URL – http://nabsites.net/demo/fred-phelps-one-of-most-hated-men-in/

Reflexively
most of us say good riddance! Someone on
the facebook wrote that he wants to know where Fred Phelps will be buried, so
he can go spit on his grave! Death of these rascals is a reminder. What did they gain from their hatred for fellow humans? What did he
take with him? Nothing! Instead, he left behind ugliness as his legacy. Should our hate for him make us mirror
him?

All pictures at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157624336357507/

Years
ago, I approached a restaurant owner friend for concessions on dinner plates
for a non-profit event; savings were to benefit a charity. They guy barked at
me endlessly and screamed, “I have worked hard for my money, and so
should others, I am not going to pay a penny for the damned charity let them pay.” Finally, I had to ask him to shut up and just
say no, and be done with. Three months later,
the guy was in a car accident, and the stop sign pole ran through his face to the
back of his head killing him instantly.
My first response was shameful, but then I recovered quickly and
mumbled to myself, “I wish you had given that concession, now that you are gone, I will forgive
you, but will not forget to tell the story to others.”

Forgetting is not an option; we simply cannot forget men like Pastor Fred Phelps. Indeed, we
need to remind others like him that they will be remembered in a similar way;
disdain. I am not sure people like him
would say – why did you not tell me about this before, had known this, I would
not have been an ass. Don’t we encounter these men and women every day? Do
we say anything to them?

Forgiveness
is central to all faiths.

Justice can be viewed as the ultimate harmony and balance between the subject
and the elements that surround it, be it matter or life. Disturb that balance;
everything goes haywire, until a new balance is attained or restored.

There are two sides to every equation – the receiving and giving. On the
receiving end of the equation, the hurt is emotional or physical. When one is
hurt physically, it has to be healed through medicine or physical therapy to
restore the balance, but when it is emotional or spiritual; several options are
available to be free including revenge, forgiveness or sulking forever.

Revenge appears to bring justice, but really not. It negatively bonds
you to the hated, instead of mitigating your tensions, it aggravates your balance and causes
you to brood, sulk, and seethe with anger towards the giver of such hurt.

Here is how it works; when my late wife
was about to go under hospice, I started working with her in tying
the loose ends of her life so she can be free from apprehensions. One of examples was about an individual who had
cheated her in a business transaction, she was angry at him and rightfully so,
and said a lot of things to him on the phone despite my suggestions to move on. For years, she was seething with anger whenever she saw him, indeed if we entered
a social gathering, either he sneaked out or we walked out. I called him up, reluctantly he
came, and the two sought forgiveness and cried, what a relief it was for me to see my spouse become free again. It was not merely uttering the words but
acknowledgment of the wrong doing on one side and letting it go on the other
without consequence ( If you wish to read the full story, I will send you the
link). The
Spiritual freedom is indeed the greatest achievement
in one’s life and it permanently clings to you
till eternity.

Those of us, who can
free ourselves from tension,
pain,

anxiety,
apprehension,
hostility, malice, pressure, tension, stress, strain
and conflicts,
are showered with blessings of peace and joy.

The humble option is Forgiveness. It will release us from bonding with the
hated one, and helps us move on with life.
Let me assure you – forgiveness releases us. It was central to Jesus’ teaching; Jesus
loved us and wanted us to be free, and the teaching is same in every religious
tradition. In Quran, God says that the
dearest person to him is the one who forgives, and adds, I am willing to
forgive you, and you need to forgive others, it is for your own good.

Eviction Notice to Fred Phelps

When you give an eviction notice to a squatter (an unwanted occupant), not only he gets
evicted, but will also be not forgotten, it will go on his or her record. I
urge my fellow Americans, particularly Jewish, Gays and Lesbians and Hispanic
immigrants to evict him from your hearts, but not forget him. ( Standing up for Jews, Gays and Immigrants – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/standing-up-for-jews-gays_b_650167.html ) Let him not cause your blood to boil, you
should not give him that power. Evict him from your hearts and be free.

Sincere forgiveness benefits you the most, not him.

I will not forget Fred Phelps, but will forgive him. I want to be free, free to
do good things for fellow beings. I had countered him at the Dallas Holocaust Museum, Texas
Jewish post, Akiba Academy and a synagogue and few other places. Pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157624336357507/

In behalf of Muslims, I gathered many of the Holocaust survivors together in the
Museum, and did a short Pluralism prayer asking God to give him sense. As I walked out of
the Museum, there was a Jewish Kid holding an equally hateful placard – I asked
him not to display, thank God the kid obliged while the elders looked on nodding an approval. We
also prayed the Pluralism Prayer in front the Akiba Academy. I have to find the videos and more pictures
and my write up. I will be writing a full article on this to be submitted to Huffington Post.

May God help us to be civil and help us forgive him, and not become like him,
Amen!

Please
note: My book, “Standing up for others” will be released in April on Fox News. There is nothing like freedom!

If you wish to write a review, please send me an email at SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and an
author on pluralism,
politics,
peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work
place. He is committed to building a Cohesive
America
and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing
up for others and a book with the same title is coming up. Mike has a strong
presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent
guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a
commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas
Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington
post;
and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work
through many links.

Hindu Temple burned to ground in Pakistan – the Muslim response

Mike Ghouse March 20, 2014 Comments Off

URL – http://nabsites.net/demo/muslim-response-to-hindu-temple-torched/

The
World Muslim Congress is joined by the Institute of Quranic knowledge
and Intrafaith Religious Acceptance of Quran, and Pakistan American
Association of Texas in condemning the violent act of burning the Hindu
Temple in Larkana, Sindh, by an aggressive mob, unfortunately in the
name of peace; Islam.

Reuters reported, “Hundreds of angry
Pakistanis attacked a Hindu temple and set it on fire in southern
Pakistan overnight following a rumour that a member of the Hindu
community had desecrated the Koran, police and community leaders said on
Sunday.”

As Muslims, we are embarrassed with the acts of these
men who acted on their own, and we condemn these acts unequivocally,
commented Mike Ghouse who heads the World Muslim Congress, a think tank
in Dallas, Texas.

We do however, appreciate one small ray of
hope, “The Pakistani Muslim scholars have denounced attacks on a Hindu
temple in Sindh’s Larkana district, calling for urgent probe into the
incident in which protests against Qur’an desecration turned into
violent clashes.”

The Muslim majority is deeply concerned about
it, and we urge Muslims around the world in general and Pakistani
Muslims in particular to create a fund to rebuild the temple that is the
least one can do to fellow countrymen. Every society has a
responsibility to guard the safety of its minorities, women, seniors and
the children; no one should feel fearful of the majorities that is the
hallmark of civil societies.

We
have ways to go; a few among us feel insecure in our faith. God is not
going anywhere, Quran will not disappear if someone desecrates or burns
it, nor Prophet will be affected by any acts, they have been around, and
Alhamdu Lillah they will be there forever.

It is odd that Hafiz
Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema
Council (PUC), told The News on Monday, March 17, “Our religion, Islam,
preaches peace, love and forbearance,” Then he goes on to justify the
violence. “However, it is also necessary that the followers of other
religions should respect the sentiments of the Muslims.” This is
disrespectful to Islam’s principles of peace.

Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) prayed for those who threw rocks at him on his way to Taif, even
Arch angel Gabriel offered to crush the miscreants, but prophet did not
extract a pound of flesh, nor did he blame the miscreants, he forgave
them and prayed for them unconditionally. That is the religion of peace,
and that is the model we need to follow.

While Law and order
brings the situation under control; it does not put off the fires
completely, the dying sparks grow and explode again unless they are
addressed.

Muslims at large are at fault for allowing the abuse
of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, which is anathema to the Character of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), regarded as mercy to the mankind. It is time
for us Muslims to mean it, that we the followers of Prophet Muhammad
follow the principles of peace he taught us; indeed he was Rahmatul
Aalameen – a mercy to mankind. No human should fear us, instead they
should feel safe and secure and say it out of their hearts that Muslims
are peace loving people and follow the principles of their prophet.

Islam stands on its
own; it does not need our defense, and it is silly to protect God or the
Prophet, they are not weaklings or our property to protect, they belong
to the whole universe, don’t they?

If they curse the prophet,
prophet is not going to be cursed, let us have the strength in our faith
and return badness with Good, as he guided us to do; we know all the
examples of his work, can we not be Rahmatul Aalameen to the people of
the Alam?

Contact information

1. Mike Ghouse, President, WMC, MikeGhouse@aol.com (214) 325-1916

2. Dr. Basheer Ahmed, President, IQRA, mbahmed05@yahoo.com

3. Dr. Amer Suleman, President, PAAT, suleman.amer@gmail.com

Funds
can be donated to PAAT or IQRA, and funds of over $100.00 can be
donated online at America Together Foundation
http://americatogetherfoundation.com/donate/ – 100% of the proceeds will
go the restoration of the temple. All donations will be reported, and
donations of over $100 will be listed at WorldMuslimCongress.com
website.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a
writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work
place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers
pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in
Standing up for others
and a book with the same title is coming up. Mike has a strong presence on
national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on
Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to
the Texas Faith Column at Dallas
Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and
several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work
through many links.

Muslim response to Hindu Temple torched in Larkana, Pakistan

Mike Ghouse March 19, 2014 Comments Off

URL – http://nabsites.net/demo/muslim-response-to-hindu-temple-torched/

While Law and order
brings the situation under control; it does not put off the fires
completely, the dying sparks grow and explode again unless they are
addressed.

Contact information

1. Mike Ghouse, President, WMC, MikeGhouse@aol.com (214) 325-1916

2. Dr. Basheer Ahmed, President, IQRA, mbahmed05@yahoo.com

3. Dr. Amer Suleman, President, PAAT, suleman.amer@gmail.com

# # #

Muslim
response to Hindu Temple torched in Larkana, Pakistan

The World Muslim
Congress is joined by the Institute
of Quranic knowledge and Intrafaith Religious Acceptance of Quran, and
Pakistan American Association of Texas in condemning the violent act of burning
the Hindu Temple in Larkana, Sindh, by an aggressive mob, unfortunately in the
name of peace; Islam.

Reuters reported,
“Hundreds of angry Pakistanis attacked a Hindu temple and set it on fire in
southern Pakistan overnight following a rumour that a member of the Hindu
community had desecrated the Koran, police and community leaders said on
Sunday.”

As Muslims, we are embarrassed with the acts of these men who
acted on their own, and we condemn these acts unequivocally, commented Mike
Ghouse who heads the World Muslim Congress, a think tank in Dallas, Texas.

We do
however, appreciate one small ray of hope, “The Pakistani Muslim scholars have
denounced attacks on a Hindu temple in Sindh’s Larkana district, calling for
urgent probe into the incident in which protests against Qur’an desecration
turned into violent clashes.”

The Muslim majority is deeply concerned
about it, and we urge Muslims around the world in general and Pakistani Muslims
in particular to create a fund to rebuild the temple that is the least one can
do to fellow countrymen. Every society has a responsibility to guard the safety
of its minorities, women, seniors and the children; no one should feel fearful
of the majorities that is the hallmark of civil societies.

Dr. Basheer
Ahmed of IQRA and Dr. Amer Suleman of PAAT felt the responsibility to take that
first step in building a cohesive Pakistan where every Pakistani feels safe. The
least we can do is to contribute towards restoring the Temple. The Pakistan
American Association of Texas is celebrating the Pakistan day on March
23rd in Dallas, and has generously donated a booth at the Mela to
raise the funds. All proceeds will go
towards restoration of the temple.

We have ways to go; a few among us feel
insecure in our faith. God is not going anywhere, Quran will not disappear if
someone desecrates or burns it, nor Prophet will be affected by any acts, they
have been around, and Alhamdu Lillah they will be there forever.

It is
odd that Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, the Chairman of the Pakistan
Ulema Council (PUC), told The News on Monday, March 17, “Our religion, Islam,
preaches peace, love and forbearance,” Then he goes on to justify the violence.
“However, it is also necessary that the followers of other religions should
respect the sentiments of the Muslims.” This is disrespectful to Islam’s
principles of peace.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) prayed for those who threw
rocks at him on his way to Taif, even Arch angel Gabriel offered to crush the
miscreants, but prophet did not extract a pound of flesh, nor did he blame the
miscreants, he forgave them and prayed for them unconditionally. That is the
religion of peace, and that is the model we need to follow.

While Law
and order brings the situation under control; it does not put off the fires
completely, the dying sparks grow and explode again unless they are addressed.

Muslims at large are at fault for allowing the abuse of blasphemy laws
in Pakistan, which is anathema to the Character of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),
regarded as mercy to the mankind. It is time for us Muslims to mean it, that we
the followers of Prophet Muhammad follow the principles of peace he taught us;
indeed he was Rahmatul Aalameen – a mercy to mankind. No human should fear us,
instead they should feel safe and secure and say it out of their hearts that
Muslims are peace loving people and follow the principles of their prophet.

Do Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Quran and
God need our protection? If we believe that they need our protection, then we
are dead wrong. As Muslims, we need to believe in the prophet, he is not going
anywhere nor will he be hurt or harmed with any insults.

Islam stands on its own; it does not need
our defense, and it is silly to protect God or the Prophet, they are not
weaklings or our property to protect, they belong to the whole universe, don’t
they?

If they curse the prophet, prophet is not going to be cursed, let
us have the strength in our faith and return badness with Good, as he guided us
to do; we know all the examples of his work, can we not be Rahmatul Aalameen to
the people of the Alam?

Contact
information

1.
Mike Ghouse,
President, WMC, MikeGhouse@aol.com (214) 325-1916

2.
Dr. Basheer Ahmed,
President, IQRA, mbahmed05@yahoo.com

3.
Dr. Amer Suleman,
President, PAAT, suleman.amer@gmail.com

# #
#

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker
and a writer on
pluralism,
politics, peace,
Islam,
Israel,
India,
interfaith, and
cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive
America and
offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He
believes in Standing up
for others and a
book with the same title is coming up. Mike has a strong presence on national
and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean
Hannity show on Fox
TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the
Texas Faith Column at Dallas
Morning News;
fortnightly at Huffington
post; and
several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes
all his work through many links.

Texas Faith – how do we forgive?

Mike Ghouse March 19, 2014 Comments Off

Forgiveness brings complete relief, and this is how it works; when my
late wife was about to go under hospice, one of the things I started
working was tying the loose ends of her life. One of the examples was about
an individual who had cheated her in a business transaction, she was
angry at him and rightfully so, and for years, she was seething with
anger whenever she saw him, if we entered a party, either he sneaked out
or we walked out. I called him up, reluctantly he came, and the two
sought forgiveness and cried. It is not merely words but acknowledgment
of the wrong doing on one side and letting it go on the other without
consequence.

Published at Dallas Morning on March 18, 2014 – How do we forgive
Continued – http://nabsites.net/demo/texas-faith-how-do-we-forgive/

Texas Faith: How do we forgive?
By Rudolph Bush | rbush@dallasnews.com
1:25 pm on March 18, 2014 | Permalink

Three days after police found the body of 17-year-old Ivan Mejia in the woods in Garland, his father, Flavio, offered forgiveness to those responsible for the young man’s murder. It was the family’s first public statement.

Two of Ivan’s classmates are in custody for the murder, something police say occurred because of a fight over a girl.

Forgiveness is central to so many faiths. But how do we forgive? And what does forgiveness do for the one who forgives and the one who is forgiven? Can true forgiveness come so quickly as the Mejia family offered it, or must it come through time and grief?

Below is Flavio’s statement.

First, we want to thank you on behalf of our family for
respecting our privacy and our silence. We want Ivan to be remembered as a good servant of society who sought the well-being of others and gave a friendly hand in very humble ways and without pretensions. Also he held in high esteem his faith and his passion for Jesus.

It is because of the faith that we profess and that we instilled in Ivan that we hold no grudge toward the people involved in this unfortunate event. We pray for their families because we understand that just like us they are going through a very unpleasant time. We thank God for his strength, for his care of our family. We thank from our heart our congregation El Lugar de Su Presencia, the community, friends and relatives who have been of help and blessing in these moments that are so difficult for our family.

We have the certainty that our Ivan lived each moment of his life impassioned by his Creator and we know that he did it as a good soldier of Christ. Like the word says in 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.”

Thanks for your attention. We bless you in the name of Jesus.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism and speaker on interfaith matters, Dallas

Forgiveness is indeed central to all faiths, and the right time to forgive starts from the moment one is harmed, hurt and injured by the other until one is free from anguish, discomfort and the need for justice.

Justice can be viewed as the ultimate harmony and balance between the subject and the elements that surround it, be it matter or life. Disturb that balance; everything goes haywire, until a new balance is attained or restored.

There are two sides to every equation – the receiving and giving. On the receiving end of the equation, the hurt is emotional or physical. When one is hurt physically, it has to be healed through medicine or physical therapy to restore the balance, but when it is emotional or spiritual; several options are available to be free including revenge and forgiveness.

In every occurrence of imbalance, there is a negative bonding that takes place, and causes one to brood, sulk, and seethe with anger towards the giver of such hurt. One is bonded to the other and simply cannot be shaken off. It can come off in two ways; getting even or forgiveness.

The Old Testament offers solace in getting even, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. I am not sure if they would be psychologically free from such an action, as the revenge is a continuum, it reshapes one from being a receiver to a giver of the hurt, and hence a new imbalance is created. This method is used by a portion of the population in each group.

Forgiveness brings complete relief, and this is how it works; when my late wife was about to go under hospice, one of the things I started working was tying the loose ends of her life. One of examples was about an individual who had cheated her in a business transaction, she was angry at him and rightfully so, and for years, she was seething with anger whenever she saw him, if we entered a party, either he sneaked out or we walked out. I called him up, reluctantly he came, and the two sought forgiveness and cried. It is not merely words but acknowledgment of the wrong doing on one side and letting it go on the other without consequence.

A few days before the end, when she could not speak any more, I asked forgiveness for my shortcomings, without blinking an eye she asked back. That brought us relief and gave us freedom, nirvana, moksha, mukti and salvation to both of us. That is precisely what Flavio Mejia did in Garland.

In my tradition Islam, forgiveness and compassion are placed at the highest of all deeds. God in the Quran says, the most dearest person to him is the one who forgives. (this sentence modified).

To read the take of other panelists, please go to Dallas Morning News at http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/03/texas-faith-how-do-we-forgive.html/#more-36312

My Religion is beautiful

Mike Ghouse March 18, 2014 Comments Off

My religion is beautiful to me,
as yours is beautiful to you.

MY RELIGION IS BEAUTIFUL

My religion is beautiful to me,
as yours is beautiful to you.

Religion is about humility,
that builds bridges.

Religion is not arrogance,
arrogance causes conflicts.

You did not get your religion right,
if it makes you look down on others.

If religion causes you to hate the other,
then you did not get your religion right.

So, I declare today;
that my religion is NOT superior to any,
my religion makes me humble and caring,
and respecting the otherness of others.

My religion is
beautiful, so is yours!

Salute Mayors Blasio and Walsh for boycotting St. Patrick's day parade

Mike Ghouse March 17, 2014 Comments Off

It
takes guts to stand up for what is right! These two Mayors refused to
join the St. Patrick ’s Day parade – because the organizers refused to
include fellow Americans who are Gays and Lesbians. Is this the America
we want? If you like the message, share it.

Thank you. Mike Ghouse,
America Together Foundation.