Islamic Value – Equality

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Taken from the book American Muslim Agenda by Dr. Mike Ghouse

Chapter 16: Islamic Value No. 9

Equality and Gender Equality

Equality is the mother of all values of Islam. It is one of the most compelling benefits for me to choose Islam. Over the years, I have discovered that it drew the oppressed people towards it, in particular, the Blacks and the untouchables of South Asia. Prophet Muhammad, maybe the first man in history to restore liberation to women from the tyranny of men. Indeed, equality permeates in every aspect of Islam, particularly the rituals.

Gender Equality is one of the most critical values in society. If we can fix this, nearly half of the world’s conflicts will be resolved. Each one of us will be free to live our lives instead of battling who controls the household, who gets paid more for the same work, who has the right to manage the reproductive rights and who has more privileges than the other. Do all of us have equal access to every place on earth?

I was watching a video clip of Muhammad Ali, a teenage girl from the audience asks him, why he chose Islam. He says it was the equality factor and elaborates on the idea of equality. He noted that among Muslims he does not feel rejected, or does not have to sit in the back of the bus or drink water from a different fountain. Most of the untouchables in South Asia who chose Islam would say the same.

Prophet Muhammad was crystal clear with his message. Each is responsible for his or her actions. A husband is not responsible for the actions of wife and vice-versa. No individual can ever blame the Imam or their religious leaders for his or her acts. Get this, even Prophet Muhammad would not help you on the Day of Accountability, and he showed the way, the right way earns peace, and the wrong way becomes hell. You are on your own, take responsibility for your actions. He said that even to his daughter in the Islamic Value of Amin, and that is what my mother told me when I was a kid. Such is the emphasis placed on equality and equal access to God’s grace.

The Quran recognizes that men and women are endowed with unique qualities (4:32, 4:34 verses listed below). Because of unique attributes, men and women share different rights and responsibilities. It does not mean that they are not equal. Despite such unique qualities, men and women are equal in the eye of God (3:195, 33:35). Men and women are each other’s garments, that is protectors, defenders, secret keepers, and the soul mates.

Prophet declared in his last sermon

“All humanity is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white;”

The Quran acknowledges the unique sacrifice rendered by the mother to her child. It teaches us to treat both mother and father equally (17:23, 46:15).

An excellent functional society strives to be just to every citizen when justness becomes a norm in every aspect of life – be it between spouses, family members, members of the community, towns, state, and the nation, then people trust each other and mind their own business.

Every community has the same problem as the Muslims. Since this book is about the American Muslims, recommendations for restoring the Pristine, Pluralist, Prophet Muhammad’s Islam are made at the end of each chapter to put us back on the right track.

Racial Equality

Prophet Muhammad took severe steps in bring equality to race by freeing the slaves at that time. He had to fight with the traditions and endure assaults on his life, the men at that time could not believe that this guy Muhammad, one from among them wanted to give equal rights to the slaves.

It took many centuries to legislate racial equality.

Prophet Muhammad took the first step by freeing the slaves and making a declaration of equality in his last sermon on March 6, 632 AD. Then the second major milestone was accomplished 1231 years later on January 1, 1863, with the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln and he was killed. It took another century for President John F. Kennedy to propose legislation in June 1963 and he was shot dead. Rev. Martin Luther King delivered the iconic “I have a dream” speech on the steps of Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, that turned things around later on he was shot dead too. Finally, President Lyndon B. Johnson pushed the bill forward, and the Civil Rights Act was enacted on July 2, 1964.

What a journey it was! Many sacrifices were made along the way, and we need to appreciate them all. We became a near perfect union by electing President Barack Obama, and when we choose a woman president and a president from another minority community. Be it Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Native American, LGBTQ or an Atheist we would become a perfect union when all men (meaning humans) are treated equally.

Prophet Muhammad pushed the envelope of equality further deep by anointing Bilal; the freed slaved, to make the first ever prayer call. It ticked off many wealthy new Muslims who wanted to have that privilege. The point was made, and the prophet did not stop at that. He said Bilal was given the highest status with God – is guiding people to learn to respect and accept the Black man as equal to them. The seeds of Pluralism were sown then!

Prophet Muhammad was determined to bring equality to humans, and to knock out the racial barriers and promote a society of racially equals; he encouraged inter-racial marriages.

Islamic Rituals

They call it five pillars of Islam. God cares less if you pray or not if you fast or not, and if you pay zakat (Sharing 2.5% of your wealth with the weak ones) or not. These are the three mandatory rituals for all Muslims while Haj Pilgrimage is optional, as it involves travel and requires money. The first one is the Shahadah, the pledge, and it is not a ritual but the door to get in.

What is the bottom line? The practices are designed to make you think, feel and act as equals with fellow humans. Steven Covey had written a book if you practice an item for seven times it becomes a part of you. So, if you practice these rituals, not only you build a cohesive society, but it is mini-yoga five times a day to keep you fit.

When the folks with lots of money go to Haj pilgrimage, they dressed the same – two pieces of white unstitched cloth wrapped around you. They all stand shoulder to shoulder when they pray.

The seekers feel a sense of humility and equality of humankind, while the fakers make a big deal about going to Haj, and some of them repeat it many times negating the very idea of Hajj. I wish Prophet had said no to that kind of show off, and I want to they donate that money to educate fellow humans to create better societies. However, Islam accepts and respects the uniqueness of each human. The idea of Hajj was to understand that we are merely a speck in the universe as Carl Sagan had said. So, shed the arrogance and treat others as equals, there is a joy in it, that most arrogant people miss it.

Misogyny is a disease.

We have landed on the Moon and have explored the universe and everything beyond infinity. We have learned about genes and certainly know what is programmed in the tiniest of tiny cells, but we have not learned to identify the misogyny gene. What makes men insecure and why they don’t think, act and believe that women are equal beings? I don’t have the answers but will explore if misogyny is religiously sanctioned or men took it upon themselves to make things that suit them, and in the process, the unintended consequence was making a villain out of God and religion.

A new milestone is achieved in 2018 in how women are treated, for the first time in the human history, the men in the Senate are showing their true colors of misogyny by reluctantly agreeing to listen to the testimony of Dr. Christine Ford. Right off the bat, they do not want to believe her but believe their man. This attitude of discounting women’s evidence has got to end.

Religion is about justice, inclusiveness, and universal goodness and it is time, religious misinterpretations are corrected. Men make almost all of the interpretations, some of them lacked any sensitivity.

Islam welcomes Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar, the first Muslim woman in 1400 years to fix the misogynistic interpretations of a few verses relating to women. Most of the men have finally subscribed to her accurate descriptions, but I still find many Imams not caught up on that. They always wake up to the pre-9/11 translations.

It is time to start a Mandatory Continuing Education course for all Muslim preachers, as well as the activists on the left like Tarek Fatah, Asra Nomani, Zuhdi Jasser and on the right who are a stick in the muds. Both the left and the right keep harping at the stuff that existed twenty years ago to earn the sympathies and support from the Christian, Jewish, and Hindu right.

By the way, when I was president of the North Texas Cricket Association, we introduced MCE for all the players, so they are aware of the changes and updates and cut down on disputes. We won the international award for the best cricket development in the western hemisphere.

A few Men tend to be insecure about their own worth compared to women and devise ways to feel secure by causing women to be vulnerable. I am not talking about the Taliban in a distant land, but our own Taliban mindset right here in America that is denying women the right to choose what she does with her body, rejecting her equal pay or expect her to earn, raise kids, cook and obey the husband.

“A woman should behave like a woman” “Her place is home.” They may not say it, but that is what the Conservative religious men from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and other traditions secretly want.

Women have put up with this crap from men far too long, it’s time we feel, act and talk like equals. The silence of the righteous people is considered an endorsement to the right-wing views on women? We need to oppose misogyny aggressively.

Don’t look to any one group to blame, look at yourselves first. A sentence that I have been repeating lately is “for every Muslim ass; there is a Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh or other ass” add hole if you need to. No group of people is free from this disease. Every ill that you slap on one group, you can find that in your group.

Eventually, we need to realize that individuals must be held accountable for their wrongdoing, and not their religion.

I believe everything on the earth is created to seek its balance, whether it is matter or individual, family or a nation. Everyone struggles to have that Elusive equilibrium which goes off balance as regularly as it is desired to be in balance.

Women’s liberation

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) qualifies to be the first women’s liberator in human history. In a short span of 23 years of sharing his wisdom about building cohesive societies, he brought drastic changes in restoring women’s inalienable rights.

The Prophet said men and women have equal rights and equal rights upon each other. That was 1400 years ago, remember that was not the case even in the west until 100 years ago. He declared, a woman could own her own business and property apart from her husbands. She has the right to initiate marriage and divorce. Indeed, his wife Hazrat Khadija proposed to marry him and he accepted and married her. Further, he said all contracts should be in writing, and it is similar to the law of contracts. A woman’s consent and her signature were required to marry, meaning education was critical.

The verse “no compulsion” is restricted by Muslims (not Islam) to religion, but is the crux of civilization. The prophet went further on the sentence and applied that in the marriage. He married Maria, a Christian lady and did not compel her to convert, of course, she did it on her own later. In support of the rights of women, he said, if a husband compels the wife to do things against her will, she has a reason not to obey. More about this in the chapter Islamic Value – Free will.

A few Muslims leaders claim ” We gave the rights to women.” Hell, you gave them the rights, the rights were theirs, to begin with! You had usurped it. They sound like current day laws but were lost in the Men’s culture for centuries. Thanks to America for leading the battle for equal rights, we are not there yet, but together we all have to advance. Yes, we can do it.

Let me address a few of the many attitudes among Muslim men that needs fixing;

Wife Beating

Islam has been at the forefront of receiving the accusations, but when I study Islam, the problem is not the religion, it is always the men.

Wife Beating, what a cruel phrase! It goes against the very foundations of Islamic values and the idea of Prophet Muhammad as a mercy to the humankind. The Muslim ‘Men’ scholars in the past have made up their own stories, and no Muslim has dared question that interpretation. Thanks to Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar for the correction.

Prophet Muhammad had time and again said, “Justice:” among people, within the family, among nations and tribe is the key to building prosperous societies where no one has to live in fear of the other. The other word for Islam would be Justice that is not what you see in the world today. Neither do you see Jesus’s teachings practiced by Christians or Jews follow Torah or Bhagavad Gita by Hindus?

Let me turn to Misogyny among Muslims. A full book needs to be written about this topic, but for this book, I will keep it short.

Basam writes in his research paper, “A common criticism exists that Islam is an anthropocentric religion that authorizes the oppression of women both in public and private spheres. Wife beating is often cited to support this claim.”

For 1400 years, Muslims have been duped to believe that a man can beat his wife as a last resort to get her to obey. The translation I rely on is Muhammad Asad’s, and even he has got a few verses wrong, it may have suited to the public once, but not anymore. Even here in the United States women were considered men’s property till the early 20th century. Remember, if it is not common sense, then it is not Islam.

Quran 4:34, translations by Muhammad Asad, “MEN SHALL take full care of women with the bounties which God has bestowed more abundantly on the former than on the latter, and with what they may spend out of their possessions. Moreover, the right­eous women are the truly devout ones, who guard the intimacy which God has [ordained to be] guar­ded. Also, as for those women whose ill-will you have reason to fear, admonish them [first]; then leave them alone in bed; then beat them; and if thereupon they heed, do not seek to harm them. Behold, the God, is indeed most high, great!”

Apology to Muslim women

Do you recall the chapter “Apology to Jews, Christians and others”? Here is another one owed to Muslim women for keeping them under tensions, believing that their husbands have the right to beat them if needed.

No Muslim that I know of is comfortable with this thought, in particular, Muslim women, they have difficulty in seeing this in the Quran. Prophet was the kindest man to his women, and he set the example of what equality was by doing a variety of things including doing dishes in his household and freeing women from traditional bonds that held women as a chattel; a property. He did not cut off when a Woman was talking.

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar has finally put this non-sense translation to rest. She has done extensive research and found that meaning of the Arabic word “Idrib,” was traditionally translated as “beat,” which has been understood and abused over the centuries by men who would be abusive whether they are Muslim or not. The word means ‘to go away’ – either one from the other, it meant separation as a process of re-evaluation. In the United States among the general population, more than twice as many women were shot and killed by their husband or intimate acquaintance than were murdered by strangers using guns, knives, or any other means.

What is needed is for Muslims to come together and make a universal declaration about the wrongness of that interpretation, the problem is not with the Quran, but with translations. I hope this book will stir up activism to fix our problems.

You may watch Dr. Bakhtiar on YouTube on the topic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=833pm2pOhgw

alternatively, go to WorldMuslimCongress.org and place 4:34 in the word search, you will get to see many articles on the subject.

Hijab

No man should have the right to force a woman to wear the Hijab (full body and face covering) against her will, nor should she be forced to take it off as France has imposed it on women. Women should have the freedom to choose what they wear in public.
I hope the Muslim Authorities (Oxymoron term Per Islam) can come together and make a declaration that Hijab is a woman’s choice and no one should ‘compel’ her covertly or overtly.

All that was required of men and women was modesty in public space. Men were suggested to lower their gaze and women to cover their bosom. What was fashioned from there was the Shuttle Cock Burqa that completely covers a woman’s body except for a slit over the eyes or a flip grill over the face? It was the invention of men to go that route, but it has become cultural now. The American women wear the head covering out of their own volition, against the practices of their mothers who don’t. It had become an identity since 9/11, before that a majority of women just wore the scarf in places of worship. I am pro-choice, women should decide what they wear, and no man or state should dictate what she wears. We have come a long way and got ways to go.

Quran 34:31, Translation by Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar, ” And say to the females, one who believes to lower their (f) sight and keep their (f) private parts safe and show not their (f) adornment but what is manifest of it. Also, let them (f) draw their head-coverings over their (f) bosoms, and not show their (f) adornment but to their (f) husbands or their (f) fathers or the fathers of their (f) husbands or their sons or the sons of their (f) husbands. Their (f) brothers or the sons of their (f) brothers or the sons of their (f) sisters or their (f) women, or what their (f) right hands possess, or the ones Who heed, imbued with no sexual desire among the men or small male children to whom was not manifest nakedness of women. Moreover, let them (f) not stomp their feet to be known what they (f) conceal of their adornment. So turn to God altogether for forgiveness. O the ones Who believe, so that perhaps you will prosper.

Way back in 1995, a Muslim Lady from Lebanon gave a talk on Hijab in Richardson, Texas, I was a newspaper publisher then, and made extensive notes and quotes. Mr. Ghulam Bakali, president of the Islamic center then, walked up to me and took my notes to make copies or some such thing and promised to provide me the transcript of the speech. It never happened, he was nervous about the talk, he probably had wished she was not invited. It is a typical Muslim male response.

Women-Led prayers

The conservatives in all faith traditions have a similar stinky attitude to “keep the woman in her place.” I have heard religious men from all faiths more are less saying, if a woman has to lead the prayers, it would be over their dead body. The American Christians have opened up to the idea of women priests, so are the Jewish, not all of them though, but others need to catch up.

In 2009, at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Melbourne Australia, there was a Panel of religious leaders, nine of them, all men. Dr. Joseph Prabhu and I teamed up to harass the panelists for not having women to represent their religion. No one gave a right answer. They were not even open to the idea, and it was disappointing.

Perhaps the first woman-led Muslim prayer occurred on a Friday in March 2005, Dr. Amina Wadud led the prayers. An hour before the prayers I took the call from Dr. Wadud, Asra Nomani and Salima Ghafoor on the air on my Radio show in Dallas. I wanted to encourage the progress. Sadly, I was chewed out by a few conservatives, and ugly demonstrations were held against the prayers at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. I wrote about the shameless men carrying derogatory placards ridiculing the woman led prayers. It was not a Muslim thing to do; Prophet Muhammad would have slapped these guys if he were there.

Now women-led prayers are becoming known, there are several mosques in the US, Canada, and the UK and there is one in Chennai, India as well. Morocco has training programs for women to become scholars and China has women Imams for a long time. Ms. Ani Zonnevald is the President of Muslims for Progressive values, and she is performing the duties of a guest Imam in many cities in the US.

Conservative men feel secure living in caves, their security notch, to come out of it is painful to them. Eventually, they will start accepting the change.

Muslim organizations like many a Christian and orthodox Jewish and other religious group are still figuring out how to cope with the change. The new generation is less opposed to the change. All it takes is for the Organization of Islamic Countries, a total of 56 of them and Muslims representing other nations to hold a conference and make a declaration that they are pro-choice on Hijab and that the form of Hijab used is not prescribed in Quran, but a cultural development.

Equal treatment

My late wife Najma, a public figure in Dallas was urged to being on the board of all men Carrollton Islamic Center. Her name was placed on the list, but the members decided that their Center is not ready to have a woman on their board, and as usual the women who had recommended her name understood that their voices are meaningless and no one argued or stood up for what he or she believed. Most of the Islamic Council Boards look like the Senate Judiciary Committee of eleven men making decisions for others.

She was one of the most respected persons among the Pakistani community for many years. When she ran for the President of Pakistan Society of North Texas, there was opposition, not by her qualifications, but because she was a woman. At the polling booth, one of the guys thumped on his chest and said, as long as there is a man among Pakistanis, he will not let a woman be the President of the society. What surprised me was the men, the leaders of the community were hearing him out but did not say a word to that guy.

The change is coming at the same pace as it is among other faith communities. The Long Island Islamic Center, New York decided to elect Isma Chaudhry as their first woman president. The Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, elected Lubna Ejaz as their first president. A few mosques in California followed it up, and now and it is catching on, but the resistance from the men is there.

The Dallas Peace Center held an awards Banquet at Double Tree Hotel in Dallas sometimes around 2012 and honored Dr. Hind Jarrah for her outstanding work in establishing the Texas Women’s Center. When she went up to receive the award on the stage, the conservative men on her table walked away. The ultra-conservative guys don’t believe a woman belongs on a public stage. I moved from another table to hers to give her the company and gave a piece of advice to the guys in vain.

Prophet Muhammad, the liberator.

Prophet Muhammad was like Dale Carnegie, he was sensitive about other people, and cared about the feelings of others when he made a statement, they were guidance. However, he was clear in encouraging what was right and discouraging what was wrong.

Muslims have a collective responsibility to undo the men-interpretation and bring in God’s justness and dignity to every human. Prophet Muhammad is a mercy to the universe and Muslims have to show that he is. All it takes is to put a white paper together by Muslim Scholars and Imams, get their consensus, and make a declaration (fatwa) and ask for endorsements from major Muslim organizations.

A woman gets half of what a man receives.

A woman gets ½ of what a man receives of parent’s property (4:11). The philosophy is simple. The financial burden is on men in traditional societies. However, the Quran recommends (2:180) that a will shall be left to conform to the specific circumstances of the deceased. The bottom line to these verses that don’t sound just on the surface is indeed about Justice and equity.

You take the formula of fairness and apply to the prevalent culture of a given society, it works. A majority of women are dependent on men for support in most nations, whereas a woman is entirely independent in the United States. The essence of distribution is equity and fairness, and not the set percentage.

In my case, my family received a decent amount of money selling the family property in Yelahanka, Bangalore, India, and we are four brothers and a sister, we distributed the proceeds equally. Even though a few were suggesting that per the local Sharia, the girl should get half of what she got.

A fatwa is warranted on this issue from the Muslims to save many conflicts in the families.

Verse of Equality

I am pleased to share a few verses from the Quran on equality, including gender equality. Islam has always been accused of treating men as superior to women, but it is not Islam, it is the men who err, and men in all faiths do err.

The penalty of adultery which involves lashing is equal for both men and women.

Divorce laws in the Quran apply to both men and women equally.

Men and women are equal in the eye of God (3:195, 33:35, 24:26).

Quran 3:195, Their Lord responded to them: “I never fail to reward any worker among you for any work you do, be you male or female—you are equal. Thus, those who immigrate, and get evicted from their homes, and are persecuted because of Me, and fight and get killed, I will surely remit their sins and admit them into gardens with flowing streams.” Such is the reward from GOD. GOD possesses the ultimate prize.

Quran 33:35, “The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing men, the believing women, the obedient men, the obedient women, the truthful men, the correct women, the steadfast men, the faithful women, the reverent men, the respectful women. The charitable men, the philanthropic women, the fasting men, the fasting women, the chaste men, the unmarried women, and the men who commemorate GOD frequently, and the commemorating women; GOD has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense.”

Quran 4:129, “Moreover, it will not be within your power to treat your wives with EQUAL fairness, however much you may desire it; and so, do not allow yourselves to incline towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her in a state, as it were, of having and not having a husband. However, if you put things to rights and are conscious of Him – behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.”

Quran 4:32, “Hence, do not covet the bounties which God has bestowed more abundantly on some of you than on others. Men shall have a benefit from what they earn, and women shall have a benefit from what they earn. Ask, therefore, God out of His bounty: behold, God has full knowledge of everything indeed.”

Quran 4:124, “Whereas anyone – be it man or woman – who does [whatever he can] of good deeds and is a believer withal, shall enter paradise, and shall not be wronged by as much as [would fill] the groove of a date-stone.”

Quran 9:71, “AND [as for] the believers, both men and women they are close unto one another: they [all] enjoin the doing of what-is right-and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle. It is they upon whom God will bestow His grace: verily, God is almighty, wise!”

Quran 16:97, “As for anyone – be it man or woman – who does righteous deeds, and is a believer withal – he shall We most certainly cause to live a good life. [121] and most certainly shall We grant unto such as these their reward per the best that they ever did.”

Quran 3:195, “And thus does their Sustainer answer their prayer: “I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors [in My way], be it man or woman: each of you is an issue of the other. [150] Hence, as for those who forsake the domain of evil, [151] and are driven from their homelands, and suffer hurt in my cause, and fight [for it], and are slain. I shall most certainly efface their bad deeds, and shall most certainly bring them into gardens through which running waters flow, as a reward from God: for with God is the most beauteous of rewards.”

Quran 33:35, “VERILY, for all men and women who have sur­rendered themselves unto God, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves [before God]. Also, all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying women, and all men and women who are mindful of their innocence, and all men and women who remember God unceasingly: for [all of] they have God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward.”

The following verse is merit-based

Quran 4:95, “such of the believers as remain passive – other than the disabled – cannot be deemed EQUAL to those who strive hard in God’s cause with their possessions and their lives: God has exalted those who attempt hard with their properties and their lives far above those who remain passive. Although God has promised the ultimate good unto all, yet has God exalted those who strive hard above those who remain passive.

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Good News about Mike Ghouse

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First of all, I will be free from going to Dialysis; from this Friday, I will be doing in-home Dialysis in the nighttime.

It will give me 15 more hours more a week to do the work I want to do – that is, Human Rights, religious freedom, and Pluralism in Religion, society, and workplace. I will be joining America’s voice TV as a commentator. I am determined to build a cohesive America, where every American feels secure about his/her faith, race, ethnicity, or other uniqueness.

Islamic Value – Humility

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Taken from the book American Muslim Agenda by Dr. Mike Ghouse

Chapter 16: Islamic Value No. 8

Humility

Humility is one of the twelve values of Islam that contribute toward a better world, a world of harmony, peace, and respect for the other. It frees the individual’s time and efforts in proving to others that he or she is better than others. Who cares?

This value of humility is inculcated among Muslims through social norms and rituals of Islam. Humility is an integral part of teaching Islam. Of course, you will always find the arrogant ones in every group of people, and they are exceptions and not a rule.

Humility is the panacea to conflicts, it builds relationships, brings peace to individuals, families, and nations. Whereas arrogance is the root cause of all evil, it kills relationships, breaks marriages, sows’ discord, starts wars and brings destruction to all.

God loves us all, we are his production, and he wants us to live in harmony, and for that, he consistently delivers messages through reflections or religions o learn to be humble. There is not a religious tradition where one does not bow, lean, kneel or prostrate to express one’s humility.

Humility and Arrogance are two sides of each individual. We are born with it, and the choice is ours to be arrogant or humble. The Zoroastrian faith sees both good and evil residing in us, and we have a decision to employ either one with the rewards of humility or the consequences of arrogance respectively.

We have had a display of arrogance throughout the history from Lucifer to Nimrod to Pharaohs, and from Hitler down to Bin Laden and a whole lot more including democratically elected leaders who were a cause of deaths of thousands of humans. All of them are gone and remembered as bad guys. Why live such a life?

It started somewhere or the other, the Quran offers this beginning;

Quran 7:12, God said: “What has kept thee from prostrating thyself when I commanded thee?” Answered [Satan]: “I am better than he: Thou hast created me out of the fire, whereas him Thou hast built out of clay. *Chapter on Freewill.

As usual, this verse can be taken in two ways – a real physical act or a story to tell the consequences of arrogance. Muslims and Christians have always gone with the physical action, whereas I propose to also think of it as a narrative to explain what arrogance does.

When Islam insists on submitting to the one and only creator or causer of the universe, it just means acknowledging that there is a power higher than us, been there before we were born, and will be there after we are gone. So, abandon all pride and arrogance and live in peace with others.

Arrogance in Religion

In April 2009, I gave a short speech at the annual Religious Communicators Council’s meeting in Dallas, Texas.

” I am a Muslim and Islam works for me, just as Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or other faiths work for you. I am further humbled to say that; my religion is not superior to other faiths, nor any faith is superior to Islam.” The next recipient of the award was Pastor John Lovelace, president of Federation of churches in Dallas, he met me on my way back to my seat, and said, “Mike, you made it difficult, and I cannot say the same thing.” To which I responded, John, the next generation would be able to say that, and we had better get ready for such a change.

That statement created an uproar among a few Muslims, and I was called in by Imam Zia Shaikh to discuss this with him. My question to him was, tell me from the Quran (not subsequent books) who God loves most and the least. He was straight – God loves those individuals who forgive often, and of course, the arrogant person is the one God likes the least. We understood each other and respected each other’s take quietly, he was the Imam, and he has to follow the tradition.

In July the Center for Pluralism organized a seminar at Capitol Hill with a Rabbi, Imam, Pastor and a Pundit to discuss the interpretation of particular verses. It was a joy to see a different point of view emerging than the traditional one, which strips arrogances and highlights the humility. The sentences like Jews are the chosen people, Jesus is the only way, Islam is the only religion acceptable to God, Hinduism is the oldest and wisest religion. God does not make deals with anyone behind other’s back. God wants all of us to be humble and get along with each other.

Thus, Humility is one of the values Islam teaches to build peaceful societies. Many verses are calling for humility in between individuals as well as towards the higher power, the kinder God.

Quran Verses on Humility

Quran 23:1 – 23:5
TRULY, to a happy state shall attain the believers:
those who humble themselves in their prayer,
and who turn away from all that is frivolous,
and who are intent on inner purity;
and who are mindful of their integrity,
Such people are free from blame.

Quran 6:42,” And, indeed, we sent Our messages unto people before thy time, [O Prophet,] and visited them with misfortune and hardship so that they might humble themselves.”

Quran 6:43, “yet when the misfortune decreed by Us befell them, they did not humble themselves, but rather their hearts grew hard, for Satan had made all their doings seem goodly to them.”

Quran 26:4, “Had We so willed, We could have sent down unto them a message from the skies, so that their necks would [be forced to] bow down before it in humility [Inasmuch as the spiritual value of man’s faith depends on it is being an outcome of free choice and not of compulsion].”

Quran 11:23, “Behold, [only] those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds and humble themselves before their Sustainer – [only] they are destined for paradise, and there shall they abide.”

The Quran advises against conceit. People with inflated egos tend to be divisive, always believe in an imaginary enemy that is fighting their insecure self. To feel secure, they idolize themselves and live in the imaginary world. I hope President Trump realizes this and becomes humble.

Quran 31:18, “And turn not thy cheek away from people in [false] pride, and walk not haughtily on earth: for, behold, God does not love anyone who, out of self- conceit, acts in a boastful manner.”

Humility is one of the greatest blessings God can bestow on a human being.

Quran 25:63, “For, [true] servants of the Most Gracious are [only] they who walk gently on earth, and who, whenever the foolish address them, with the aim to ridicule them or to argue against their beliefs, reply with [words of] peace;”

Quran 23:2, “Those who humble themselves in their prayer, Successful indeed are the believers who humble themselves in their prayers.”

Quran 2:54, “And when Moses said unto his people: “O my people! Verily, you have sinned against yourselves by worshipping the calf; turn, then in repentance to your Maker and mortify yourselves; this will be the best for you in your Maker’s sight”. And thereupon He accepted your repentance: for, behold, He alone is the Acceptor of Repentance, the Dispenser of Grace.

Quran 17:37, “And walk not on earth with haughty self-conceit: for, verily, thou canst never rend the earth asunder, nor canst thou ever grows as tall as the mountains!

Quran 77:20, “Did We not create you out of a humble fluid

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Mohua Moitra – a hope for India

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Mke Ghouse

The video listed below is worth watching. At the 23rd minute, Mohua talks about opposing the CAA and taking it to the Supreme Court. She is a Member of Parliament from Bengal with the Trinamool Congress.

She gives me hope that Parliamentarians like her will save India from Mr. Modi and restore India, where every Indian feels secure about their ethnicity, religion, and culture.  

Karan Thapar is one of my favorite journalists in India. This interview with Mahua Moitra is fascinating; they connected well, and I could not get off even though I had things to do, and I could not resist writing a note about her either. 

I resisted the feeling that she had an American education and hence fighting for justice in India. As an activist who does not get paid, I can relate to her. At the same time, we have bigoted Indian Americans here, who want equality but shamelessly support India’s dis-equality. They want equal rights but so hateful towards Christians, Muslims, Dalits, and Sikhs in India.

Glad to hear she is in tune with the entire humanity opposing the draconian CAA law in India. I urge my BJP friends, particularly Indian-Americans, to think if Modi’s policies were to be implemented in America, how would they feel? How would they act if they were lynched, raped, and harassed as they do to Christians, Muslims, Dalits, and Sikhs in India? The next line up would be a moderate Hindu majority who will bear their extremism.  

Mohua is a bold and powerful one. No one can challenge her logic. Indira Gandhi seems to be her mentor; I hope it was not the Indira Gandhi of 1977- the fascist dictator, but Indira of earlier and later years. She was as bad as Modi. 

Karan Thapar, “India’s most recognized and widely talked about first time MP, who’s three speeches in just 16 months have taken the country by storm and gone viral on social media, has spoken for the first time about the woman behind the politician in an interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire. Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress’s Krishnanagar Lok Sabha MP, speaks of the response from Prime Minister Modi and other BJP MPs to her speeches and how she prepares for them. In the process Mahua Moitra has revealed that she always wanted to be a politician. Political ambition was part of her from a very young age.”

Islamic Value – Service to Mankind

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Taken from the book American Muslim Agenda by Dr. Mike Ghouse

Chapter 16: Islamic Value No. 7
Service to Mankind

Caring for fellow beings is the mother of all values, it is an all-encompassing value. It is one of the twelve critical Islamic values that contribute to creating secure societies for everyone. At the end of the chapter you’ll find verses where God in the Quran says, if you take care of my creation, I will take care of you.

None of us walked out of our mother’s womb on our own and proclaimed, I made it! I am here by myself and have come out myself. Neither can I say, I walked myself to the cemetery or crematorium and finished myself. From birth to death, and all the time in between we need others, and as others care for us, we have to care for others.

If you don’t care about others, why should anyone care about you? You are not invincible all the times, you are bound to be vulnerable one time or the other. You may get sick, lose your limbs, cancer may down you, an accident may cripple you, divorce may drown you, or if you lose your home and job, you need help, each one of us do.

Thus, caring for each other ensures everyone is cared for at the end, of course, you will be the ultimate beneficiary. There is always a feeling of serenity within us when we do kind things for others without expecting a wage for it, it is built into us.

Prophet Muhammad was once asked if we cannot help others financially, how can we help? I am sure they went through a series of questions and answers and the end they ask, what if we don’t have anything to give to others? The prophet smiles, and say, a smile is the least you can provide, it gives hopes, it acknowledges the other.

Every human has two requirements to live a normal life. Gratitude to the giver of the good, and a duty to preserve the harmony around us. Our safety hinges on the safety of others, our prosperity multiplies when others are prosperous, and our peace of mind depends on order around us. It behooves us to work for creating a conducive environment for the benefit of all.

There are over 200 verses in Quran that call on humans to do good to others, and each time God says, “I reward those who are engaged in doing good deeds.”

What is a good deed? Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explained it in the following manner. When you plant a sapling or a seed knowing well that you will not be the beneficiary when that sapling grows to be a mature tree and gives shade or fruit to the wayfarer. What we have bequeathed from earlier generations, we have to pass it on to the next generation with higher good.

What is the reward? The reward is freedom from conflict, headaches, apprehensions, and fears. God has created everything in balance and harmony, everything is interconnected and interdependent. Indeed, everything in the universe except human-will runs on a well-designed precise system. A good deed is keeping that system in balance.

Living in peace within ourselves and peace with others is the ultimate driver of our lives. Quran offers guidance to enable humans to dwell in an abode of peace, a conflict-free, hassle-free experience.

The reward can be viewed as a payment for the good we do to others or the joy we receive when we care for others. Bottom line is same whether we work to earn points to enter paradise or just do our duty to secure tranquility and serene happiness.

Our obligations to our neighbors

There are several explanations given – some say it is up to the 7th neighbor all around you. I would say, if God is God of the universe, then everyone on the seven continents and the seven seas. Everyone is my fellow human, my neighbor.

Please remember the Quran is not for Muslims and so is Islam, it is a system whoever wants to access, can have it. The prophet said none of you is a believer in the goodness of humanity if your stomach is full while your neighbor is hungry.

A clear distinction was made.

There was a woman who prayed during the night and fasted a lot and gave alms generously, but neighbors complained of her abusive language. The prophet said, she has robbed herself of her blissful happiness (please note, the word used in many places does not suit the persona of the prophet, he would never say, she is the cursed one).

The other lady did not do any acts of worship, but her neighbors were happy with her, he said she has earned God’s graces, she is a blessed peacemaker.

Such is the emphasis placed on caring for others.

The Golden Rule is treating others as you wanted to be addressed. Indeed, every faith has asserted that value.

Mr. Zaffer Mirza, a trustee at the Muslim Community Center, brought up a supplication that Muslims include in the last part of every (Salat/ Namaz) ritual prayer. God’s blessings are sought for all of Abraham’s children.

Prayers and wishes by nature are universal, and one of them is a prayer recited by all Muslims, which seeks forgiveness for all the living and the dead, parents, teachers and all others. Indeed, the Navakar Mantra in Jainism is all-encompassing as well, and you will find them in all religions.

On each Memorial Day for the ten years, I make a point to stop at the cemeteries in sight, all in general, but veterans, in particular, to pay my tribute to the dead for the service they provided to the nation. And I pray the universal, all-inclusive prayer in Islam. In the year 2010, I drove from Louisville, Kentucky to Dallas, Texas and on the way stopped at every cemetery.

Ultimately, we have to build one nation, and no one should be left behind including the ones who are not alive. We have to include them all in our prayers.

Islam focuses on the duties of an individual to fellow humans including family members, needy and orphans, teachers, patients, neighbors, and all others.

However, a few “right-wing” Muslims talk about just helping Muslims, it pains me that they have reduced the message of Islam to pettiness. Of course, petty people in all religions are cut out of the same cloth. In September 2018, during the Kerala Floods, one Indian-American bigot Rajiv Malhotra called on Hindus not to help the Muslims and Christian Victims, that is not Hinduism, and Hinduism does not need fake saviors like him.

The world needs to learn a big lesson, not only preached but practiced by the Catholic Charities in particular and American Charities in general who serve fellow humans regardless of their race, color, gender or ethnicity. I am glad to see Islamic Relief fund is following a similar pattern, help the needy, period. The Swaminarayan Charity work is to be lauded as well. There are more, but the idea is creating a system to care for others.

The best service to fellow humans is serving those whom we don’t’ know and not related in any fashion. Prophet Muhammad said, when you give charity, let the left hand not know what the right side gives. One is guided not to embarrass the receiver who is indebted to us.

Islam has instituted a system of charity in two formats, mandatory and voluntary. Zakat is compulsory while Sadaqa is voluntary. Per the Zakat, you pay 2.5% of your wealth, and no limit is set to donate under Sadaqa. The purpose is to give dignity to those who are down in the ditches. The system recognizes that we cannot be invincible all the times, there comes a time when each one of us needs help.

Prophet Muhammad said, no one should go to bed with hunger in his or her stomach and went on to say that one who does not care, does not belong among my followers. His emphasis was to serve fellow humans. Indeed, Hazrat Umar, the 2nd Caliph did not punish a man for stealing food. Instead, he ruled that the society was responsible for the action of a thief. Had the nation not created an environment, the man did not need to steal.

Quran is flooded with verses about caring for others, here are a few:

Quran 2:215, “THEY WILL ASK thee as to what they should spend on others. Say: “Whatever of your wealth you spend shall [first] be for your parents, and for the near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer; and whatever good you do, verily, God has full knowledge thereof.”

Quran 2:277, “Verily, those who have attained to faith and do good works, and are constant in prayer, and dispense charity – they shall have their reward with their Sustainer, and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.”

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Presidential Debate – Trump v Biden

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PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE :: TRUMP V BIDEN

Disclosure: I am not a Republican or a Democrat, I am an Independent voter.

I would say, the debate was good.
Trump was worked up, Joe was calm.
Trump was a good attack dog.

Trump interrupted so many times.
Joe should have shot him “Man, learn to listen, and follow the rules.”
Kristen did not control Trump! She should have asked him to shut up.
Finally, she got some control of about 15 minutes before closing.

Biden was weak in responding to the question, why did you not do it (criminal reforms).

Trump said 3 Million people would have been dead, he saved so many lives
Biden should have shot him, why don’t you say 330 Million Americans were saved?

Biden was good, when he said, “we are learning to die with it” when Trump said, “We are learning to live with it.”

Biden – I am the president for the United States, and not for Red or Blue States
Trump knew about the pandemic in January but did not tell the truth to the Americans.

Trump said, he has paid tens of millions in Taxes
Biden missed the opportunity to repeat to present the Tax returns

Trump lied that the FBI had the Taxes
Kristen did not question him, nor did Biden

Trump had some positive points about race relations over Biden
Trump said he is reuniting children – really for 3+years?

Joe was good on the oil industry in Delaware

Trump said he will present the taxes – really? BS for four years now  Kristen should have asked Trump; would you say the same thing tomorrow?

Joe had the best closing statement, Trump bungled up.

Mike Ghouse

Islamic Value – Forgiveness

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Taken from the book American Muslim Agenda by Dr. Mike Ghouse

Chapter 16: Islamic Values No. 6

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is one of the twelves values of building cohesive societies. It is as crucial as the other eleven values identified in contributing to the wellbeing of the individuals, families, communities, and nations. Let’s not forget that the Quran is a book of guidance for humanity, indeed from the very first chapter to the last one, and throughout the book, God addresses the humankind and not Muslims.

If you take the word “God” out of the Quran, what you have is a book that helps building societies where every human can live freely in the pursuit of his or her life, liberty and happiness. The Quran can be an excellent textbook in building such societies.

If the word Muslim is used in the book, it is not the group identified politically, but the individuals who subscribe to the system of harmony, law, and order. A good Muslim is a good citizen. You’ll find similar characteristics except for the rituals.

If you seek answers from the Quran to find who God showers his grace the most and the least, apparently the one forgives the most and the least. Boy, it is a merit system up there.

If the word Muslim is used in the book, it is not the group identified politically, but the individuals who subscribe to the system of harmony, law, and order. A good Muslim is a good citizen. You’ll find similar characteristics except for the rituals.

If you seek answers from the Quran to find who God showers his grace the most and the least, apparently the one forgives the most and the least. Boy, it is a merit system up there.

Why such discrimination?

God is selfish, as we are. His favorite human is the one who is on the vigil and takes care of his property. God gave us everything for us to live comfortably and live in harmony with each other. Forgiveness is one of the values that continually restores harmony within an individual, family members, communities and nations. It puts everyone back on the same level restoring the individual dignity. Why shouldn’t he love the one little bit more who contributes most to preserve his property? As a business owner or the head of the family, you will have a favorite who takes care of your business and property. God is no different.

President Nixon was a crook, but God will forgive him for the steps he took to preserve the environment through the Environment Protection Agency. There is a famous story where God forgave all the sins of the woman of the street for one single act of kindness in finding water for a thirsty animal. Such is the value placed on caring for fellow humans and the environment. I am not sure God will treat Bush and Cheney the same unless Bush does something to offset the thousands of deaths he has caused or repent and offer a public apology to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan and the families of our nearly 5000 soldiers.

Muslims should clearly remember that the lady was not a Muslim and God does not require you to be a Muslim to earn his grace. Quran is a guidance for all humanity.

The top line of 113 chapters in the Quran is “God is the most gracious, merciful and kind.” Everything stems from God’s kindness, after all, he is the creator.

Forgiveness restores harmony and balance to an individual, family members, communities and nations. It brought peace to the forgiver and forgiven alike. After all, God wants us to restore balance to the universe. Indeed, you find the same guidance in all faith systems.

The Jain tradition has a beautiful phrase to express this thought; Michami Dukadam. It merely means let’s clean each other’s slates and start anew, makes forgive and seek forgiveness.

At the funeral prayers for my late wife Najma at the Richardson (Texas) Mosque, we had over 2000 people from different faith traditions, and the Fire Marshall kept many more outside. Imam Zafar Anjum and I worked in tandem, and I was able to communicate to my fellow Americans of different faiths, that the purpose of funeral prayers was to forgive and seek forgiveness and asked them to recite Michami Dukadam with me. A beautiful phrase to express a whole lot.

This is what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) meant when he said, if you have to learn useful things in life, and had to go to China, go for it. Each faith tradition has values that add to the enrichment of us. Islam is a public religion.

Forgiveness is the cornerstone of all religions. Islam and Christianity have put extra emphasis on this value of their faith. Jesus gave the famous words on the cross, “Forgive them, Lord, for they know not.” Jesus is the morning star for Muslims who brings the good news. Indeed, Prophet Muhammad repeated the same message when he was pelted with rocks and was bleeding profusely on his way to the city of Taif. His associates wanted to go beat up the miscreants, and the angel Gabriel offered to crush them. But Prophet Muhammad, the peacemaker said no, and instead spoke to the effect, forgive them, Lord, for they know not, and prayed for their wellbeing. Forgiveness is like humility that builds bridges, and bring conflicts to an end.

Why did Jesus and Muhammad take that posture? Let me share the practicality of this example if you have a conflict with one of your family members; you cringe each time you see him or her in someone’s wedding and avoid each other. The same goes with an angry customer running into you in a grocery store, or when you see your doctor in a restaurant who kept you waiting forever. None of you would be at ease.

During conflicts between spouses, family members, friends, communities and nations, people throw offensive words at each other aggravating the battle further. If we follow the wisdom of the sages, we can mitigate the conflicts and nurture goodwill. Prophet Muhammad was a great example of this attitude.

Here are my personal examples of the value of forgiveness.

Two weeks before my late wife Najma’s death, I asked my son and daughter to visit her (their stepmom) in the hospital; there was reluctance. They had difficult relationships. I requested them again to attend, and they did. What I witnessed was the non-verbal communication, all of them were crying. Najma was inherently aware of her mistakes and had wanted to make up with them but did not know how, and the kids were afraid to mess it up as well. Without saying anything, they all forgave each other, and she left the world in peace, and I hope my kids have one less un-easy feeling to carry in their lives.

Three days before her death, I shared the good news with her, “Najma, spiritually you are a free person now, you will be pleased to know that all those items that bothered you and gave you tension are done with. The loose ends are tied, and if you were to get up and walk and be with anyone, hear about anything or see anything you would be completely free from tensions”.

The smile that appeared on her face was merely life-giving, it meant everything to me, it was a relief to me to know that as a spouse I have done my part in completing her life successfully and I thank God for that. I asked her to forgive my shortcomings, and without missing a beat, she asked me to do the same. It was one of the best emotional releases she and I have had in our lives. It was a perfect Michami Dukadam. (cleaning each other’s slate)

Each one of us has complicated relationships with a family member, friends, customers, clients, member of a community. Take the time to do your Michami Dukadam (forgive and seek forgiveness to start the life with a clean slate from that day forward.

Forgiving is a practical thing to restore harmony among people, and that is what God wants. It brings clarity to the foggy mind, you feel liberated.

As humans we make mistakes, and the guidance from Quran calls for seeking forgiveness from God for the things we do, that no one but us knows, and forgiveness between fellow humans for the wrongs we do to each other.

When you forgive someone, you are not doing a favor to the other, you are cleaning up yourselves. Forgiveness is an Islamic value that contributes towards the wellbeing of the individuals, family members, communities and nations.

Here are a few of the hundred plus verses in the Quran.

Quran 42:40, “But [remember that an attempt at] requiting evil may, too, become an evil: [classical commentators stress the absolute prohibition of “going beyond what is right” when defending oneself against tyranny and oppression.] hence, whoever pardons [his foe] and makes peace, his reward rests with God – for, verily, He does not love evildoers [I.e., in this context, such as succumbing to the temptation of indulging in undue acts of revenge against their former oppressors].

Quran 42:43, “If one is patient in adversity and forgives – this, behold, is indeed something to set one’s heart upon!” Resorting to patience and forgiveness reflects a real strength of character.

Quran 7:199, “MAKE due allowance for man’s nature, [the believer is admonished to make due allowance for human nature and not to be too harsh with those who err.] and enjoin the doing of what is right; and leave alone all those who choose to remain ignorant [“the ignorant ones*’- i.e., those who willfully remain deaf to moral truths. and not’ those who are just unaware of them.]

Quran 3:159, “And it was by God’s grace that thou [O Prophet] didst deal gently with thy followers: [Lit., “with them”- i.e., with those of his followers who had failed in their duty before and during the disaster at Uhud. According to all available accounts, the Prophet did not even blame any of them for what they had done.] for if thou have been harsh and hard of heart, they would indeed have broken away from thee. Pardon them, then, and pray that they are forgiven. And take counsel with them in all matters of public concern; then, when thou hast decided upon a course of action, place thy trust in God. Verily, God loves those who put their faith in Him [This verse, implying government by consent and council, must be regarded as one of the fundamental clauses of all Quranic legislation relating to statecraft]

Quran 5:13, “Then, for having broken their solemn pledge, [An allusion to their lack of trust in God and their persistent sinning]. We rejected them and caused their hearts to harden- [so that now] they distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context; [where the same accusation is leveled against the children of Israel]. And they have forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind, and from all but a few of them, thou wilt always experience treachery. But pardon them, and forbear: verily, God loves the doers of good.”

Quran 3:133, “And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer’s forgiveness and to a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which has been readied for the God-conscious.”

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Islamic Value – Justice

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Taken from the book American Muslim Agenda by Dr. Mike Ghouse

Chapter 16: Islamic Value No. 5

Justice

The word Justice is a synonym for the word Islam. However, some of the Muslim majority nations’ practices are contrary to the teachings of Islam, evidenced in the chapter fixing Sharia laws. Regardless of what Muslims practice, the central value of Islam remains Justice.

It is a composite value of balance in the environment, balance within our body, balance in our interactions with others and becoming a perfect cog in the wheel of life.

The United States, Canada, UK, and a few other democracies are thriving well because there is the rule of law. The Rich and poor, influential and unknown, woman or a man, child or a senior feel secure living their lives in these nations. That takes away the apprehensions and tensions and gives them the freedom to better their lives. In the process, they will contribute to the overall goodness of the society.

The people around the world were cheering for the American Justice system when they discovered that even the President of the United States could not do what he wanted to do, the various courts have rejected some of his Executive orders. No one is above the law is a mantra that every American can chant.

Both Judaism and Quran lay great emphasis on Justice, and many justice verses are misunderstood and are distorted by the those who want to insult Islam or those Muslims who have mangled it up. (Chapter: Two Islams)

The formula for Justice Verses

All the justice verses in the Quran have a formula based on the following seven steps and at a time five or three.

1. If the bad guys pull over their truck in front of your house, you tell them to back off.

2. If the bad guys keep coming at you, you ask them back off.

3. If the bad guys jump on you and want to throw you out of your own space, you act and chase them.

4. If the bad guys run and hide behind the bushes, you find them wherever they are.
the verse is, Kill the infidels wherever you find them.

5. Now, you can shoot the bad guys in self-defense to end the misery.

The above is a normal process with anyone in most of the States in the United States. Quran is no different but goes two steps further.

6. When you about smite them on their necks, and if they beg for mercy and seek forgiveness, the Quran advises you to take a back step.

7. Quran advises you to stop the aggressive reaction and forgive the criminal. The best one amongst you is the one who forgives. It prevents the revenge mechanism and frees you to live in peace.

Mis-represented verse

This is Robert Spencer’s favorite: Surah 9, verse 5, “When the sacred months are over, slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them and lie in ambush everywhere for them.”

The Actual Verse

The explanations to the numbers in parenthesis follow:

9:5 And so, when the sacred months are over [6], slay those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God wherever you may come upon them, [7] and take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place [8]! Yet if they repent, and seek to prayer, and render the purifying dues, let them go their way: for, behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. [9]

Let’s take two back steps;

9:3 (Asad) And a proclamation from God and His Apostle [is herewith made] unto all mankind on this day of the Greatest Pilgrimage: “God disavows all who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and [so does] His Apostle. Hence, if you repent, it shall be for your own good; and if you turn away, then know that you can never elude God!” And unto those who are bent on denying the truth give thou [O Prophet] the tiding of grievous chastisement

9:4 But excepted shall be [4 – the treaties they have concluded with the believers] -from among those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God. The [people] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant and who after that have in no wise failed to fulfill their obligations towards you, and neither has aided anyone against you: observe, then, your covenant with them until the end of the term agreed with them. [5 – until their name] Verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him.

Two forward steps:

9:6 And if any of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God seeks thy protection, [10 – aims to become thy neighbor”: a metaphorical expression denoting a demand for protection, based on the ancient Arabian custom (strongly affirmed by Islam) of honoring and protecting a neighbor to the best of one’s ability.] grant him protection, so that he might [be able to] hear the word of God [from thee]; and thereupon convey him to a place where he can feel secure: [11- “his place of security” -i.e., “let him rejoin his homeland”, which implies that he is free to accept or not to accept the message of the Qur’an: a further re-affirmation of the Quranic injunction that “there shall be no coercion in matters of faith” ] this, because they [may be] people who [sin only because they] do not know [the truth].

9:7 HOW COULD they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God be granted a covenant by God and His Apostle, (Reliable treaties) unless it is those [of them] with whom you [O believers] have made a contract in the vicinity of the Inviolable House of Worship? [13- The “covenant” alluded to is the truce-agreement concluded in 6 H. at Hudaybiyyah, in the region of Mecca, between the Prophet and the pagan Quraysh. The treaty was (and was obviously intended to remain) a model of the self-restraint and the tolerance expected of true believers about such of the unbelievers. They are not openly hostile to them] [As for the latter,] so long as they remain true to you, be true to them: for, verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him.

9:8 How [else could it be]? -since, if they [who are hostile to you] were to overcome you, they would not respect any tie [with you,] nor any obligation to protect [you]. [15 – The term ill signifies any relation that arises from a compact or from blood relationship, and which imposes on both parties the obligation to protect each other. The latter implication is expressed in the word dhimmah, which literally denotes a “covenant of protection”] They seek to please you with their mouths, the while their hearts remain averse [to you]; and most of them are iniquitous.

Note 6:

According to a pre-Islamic custom prevalent in Arabia, the months of Muharram, Rajab, Dhu ‘l-Qa’dah and Dhu ‘l-Hiijah were considered “sacred” in the sense that all tribal warfare had to cease during those months. It was intending to preserving these periods of truce and thus to promoting peace among the frequently warring tribes that the Qur’an did not revoke, but instead confirmed, this ancient custom. See also 2:194 and 217. (Quran Ref: 9:5)

Note 7: (Quran Ref: 9:5)

Read in conjunction with the two preceding verses, as well as with 2:190-194, the above verse relates to warfare already in progress with people who have become guilty of a breach of treaty obligations and of aggression. (Quran Ref: 9:5)

Note 8:

I.e., “do everything that may be necessary and advisable in denotes “any place from which it is possible to perceive the term marsad enemy and to observe the movements” (Manar X, 199). Warfare”. (Quran Ref: 9:5)

Note 9:

As I have pointed out on more than one occasion, every verse of the Qur’an must be read and interpreted against the background of the Qur’an as a whole. The above verse, which speaks of a possible conversion to Islam on the part of “those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God” with whom the believers are at war, must, therefore, be considered in conjunction with several fundamental Qur’anic ordinances. One of them, “There shall be no coercion in matters of faith” (2:256), lays down categorically that any attempt at a forcible conversion of unbelievers is prohibited – which precludes the possibility of the Muslims’ demanding or expecting that a defeated enemy should embrace Islam as the price of immunity.

Secondly, the Qur’an ordains, “Fight in God’s cause against those who wage war against you; but do not commit aggression, for, verily, God does not love aggressors” (2:190); and, “if they do not let you be, and do not offer you peace, and do not stay their hands, seize them and slay them whenever you come upon them: and it is against these that We have clearly empowered you [to make war]” (4:91).

Thus, war is permissible only in self-defense (see surah 2, notes 167 and 168), with the further proviso that “if they desist-behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace” (2:192), and “if they desist, then all hostility shall cease” (2:193). Now the enemy’s conversion to Islam – expressed in the words, “if they repent, and take to prayer [lit., “establish prayer”] and render the purifying dues (zakat)”-is no more than one. By no means the only, way of their “desisting from hostility”; and the reference to it in verses 5 and 11 of this surah certainly does not imply an alternative of “conversion or death,” as some unfriendly critics of Islam choose to assume.

Verses 4 and 6 give further elucidation of the attitude which the believers are advised to adopt towards such of the unbelievers as are not hostile to them. (In this connection, see also 60:8-9). (Quran Ref: 9:5)

There are over a dozen such verses, and the same 7 or 5 steps formula applies.

Note: Please visit Muhammad Asad’s translation, or I will be happy to do a workshop on the Quran.

The Islamophobes are men and women who sell fear about Muslims. Even cause Muslims to doubt about their own faith.

My recommendation for you is to study three verses before the given sentence, and three after the given verse to get the full meaning, instead of a single line. I also recommend you to consider at least four different translations, as each translator is entitled to his interpretations. Two of the many translations are grossly mistranslated, and you will puke when you read them, there are about 60 verses that were recklessly mistranslated and misinterpreted for politics of hatred. Thank God, the Arabic version has always remained intact.

I gave a presentation at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Melbourne on scriptural reading and displayed the verses and their translations in English on the screen through a power point. The hall was packed, and finally, towards the end of the presentation, I displayed the mistranslated verse and its given translation in English – which said: “those who went astray like (the Christians) or earned the anger of Allah (the Jews).” Most people in the hall raised their hands when I asked them how many of them are familiar with this?

Then, I displayed the same verse in Arabic and requested from the audience members for someone who reads and understands Arabic but NOT a Muslim. The Bishop of Jerusalem raised his hand and said, I am a Christian and Arabic is my mother tongue. I asked him to read the verse, which he did. Then asked him to explain if the word Jew or Christian was in the Arabic text? He said no, and there were gasps! My friends, finding the truth is your responsibility, it frees you from misunderstandings. I have worked on 20 some verses and another forty to go. I will get that out in a year or so.

Hadith: Narrated by Abu Sa`id al-Khudri in the compendium of Imam Muslim.

“Whoever of you witnesses an evil action must then change it with his hand. If he is not able to do so, then [he must change it] with his tongue. And if he is not able to do so, then [he must change it] with his heart. And that is the slightest and weakest [effect of] faith.”

A few verses from the Quran about the value of Justice.

In Chapter 55, Sura Rahman verses 55:1 to 55:13 God says, I have created humans, given them the knowledge to manage their affairs, and have given the ability to dialogue to resolve their conflicts. Look at the universe, the planetary system is functioning precisely, the plants and trees are doing what they are programmed to do, and you have the responsibility to maintain that balance continually. Do not transgress, stick with what is right, think, don’t take shortcuts and do the right thing. This entire planet earth is spread out for you, every item on it is for your benefit.

The Universe is running smoothly, and in balance, whenever it gets screwed up, you have the responsibility to restore that balance – not for me, but for you to live freely in the pursuit of your happiness.

Quran 57:25, – Paraphrasing the verse, “Indeed, did I sent apostles with all evidence of truth; and through them, I bestowed revelation from on high, and gave you a balanced life with which to weigh right and wrong, so that humans can behave with equity.

We bestowed [upon you] from on high [the ability to make use of] iron, in which there is incredible power as well as [a source of] benefits for man (enabling man to discriminate between right and wrong, which is the innermost purpose of all divine revelation),

Quran 5:8, “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.”

Quran16:90, “Behold, God enjoins justice, and the doing good deeds, and generosity towards [one’s] fellow-men; and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason, as well as envy; [and] He exhorts you [repeatedly] so that you might bear [all this] in mind.

Quran 2:182, “If one sees gross injustice or bias on the part of a testator, and takes corrective action to restore justice to the will, he does not sin. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.”

Quran 55:8, “You shall not transgress the law.”

Quran 55:9, “You shall establish justice; do not violate the law.”

Quran 4:135, “O you who believe, you shall be equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives. Whether the accused is rich or poor, GOD takes care of both. Therefore, do not be biased by your wishes. If you deviate or disregard (this commandment), then GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do.”

Quran 6:151, Say: “Come, let me convey unto you what God has [really] forbidden to you: “Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him; and [do not offend against but, rather,] do good unto your parents; and do not kill your children for fear of poverty – [for] it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them (abortions); and do not commit any shameful deeds, be they open or secret; and do not take any human being’s life-[the life] which God has declared to be sacred -otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice: this has He enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason (refers to the execution of a legal punishment or to killing in a just-that is, defensive-war, or to individual, legitimate self-defense)”;

Quran 6:152, “And do not touch the substance of an orphan – save to improve it-before he comes of age.” Moreover, [in all your dealings] give full measure and weight, with equity: [however,] We do not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear; and when you voice an opinion, be, even though it be [against] one near of kin. Also, [always] observe your bond with God: Be just, this has He enjoined upon you so that you might keep it in mind.

Quran 2:182, “If one sees gross injustice or bias on the part of a testator, and takes corrective action to restore justice to the will, he does not sin. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.”

Quran 4:58, “BEHOLD, God bids you deliver all that you have been entrusted with unto those who are entitled to that, and whenever you judge between people, to judge with justice. Verily, most excellent is what God urges you to do: verily, God is all-hearing, all-seeing!”

Quran 4:2, “You shall hand over to the orphans their rightful properties. Do not substitute the bad for the good, and do not consume their properties by combining them with yours. This would be a gross injustice.”

Quran 17:33, “And do not take any human being’s life – which God has willed to be, sacred-otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice. Hence, if anyone has been slain wrongfully, we have empowered the defender of his rights [to exact, just retribution]; (or forgive, as forgiving is the best option) but even so, let him not exceed the bounds of equity in [retributive] killing. [And as for him who has been slain wrongfully -] behold, he is indeed succored [by God] “

Quran 49:6, “O you who believe, if a wicked person brings any news to you, you shall first investigate, lest you commit injustice towards some people, out of ignorance, then become sorry and remorseful for what you have done.” Prophet Muhammad had suggested living a regret-free life.

Quran 5:32, If anyone kills a single human being without just because it shall be as though s/he had killed all of humankind; whereas if anyone saves a single life, it shall be as though s/he had saved the lives of all of humanity.

Quran 42:41, “Yet indeed, as for any who defend themselves after having been wronged – no blame whatever attaches to them.”

Quran 49:9, “ Hence, if two groups of believers fall to fighting, (discord and contention) make peace between them; but then, if one of the two [groups] goes on acting wrongfully towards the other, fight against the one that acts wrongfully until it reverts to God’s commandment; (that the believers should act as brethren) and if they revert, make peace between them with justice, and deal equitably [with them]: for verily, God loves those who act equitably (and not resort to brute force whenever your private interests are involved”. The expression “otherwise than in (the pursuit of) justice.”

Quran 6:151, Say: “Come, let me convey unto you what God has [really] forbidden to you: “Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him; and [do not offend against but, rather,] do good unto your parents; and do not kill your children for fear of poverty – [for] it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them (abortions); and do not commit any shameful deeds, be they open or secret; and do not take any human being’s life-[the life] which God has declared to be sacred -otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice: this has He enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason (refers to the execution of a legal punishment or to killing in a just-that is, defensive-war, or to individual, legitimate self-defense)”;

Quran 25:68, “and who never invoke any [imaginary] deity side by side with God, and do not take any human beings’ life – [the experience] which God has willed to be sacred – otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice, and do not commit adultery. And [know that] he who commits aught thereof shall [not only] meet with a full requital.”

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Islamic Value – Truthfulness & Taqiya

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Taken from the book American Muslim Agenda by Dr. Mike Ghouse

Chapter 16. Islamic value No. 4

Truthfulness & Taqiya

Truth is the most sacred value in Islam; indeed, it is the most enduring value of every religion and social system and governance.

All the good things in a given society are sustained by truth and truth alone. Fact is the solid foundation upon which secure societies are built.

God does not authorize anyone to lie, and on his behalf, an assertion is made that no societies permit lies. Individuals do.

India’s emblem includes this phrase, “Satyameva Jayate.” Mahatma Gandhi translated it as Truth Triumphs. It is like our emblem, “e Pluribus Unum.”

A society functions well when everyone tells the truth, you can always deal with the reality; you know where each one stands. Islam emphasizes being truthful; Truth is the only thing that ensures justice and sustenance of safe and secure societies. It is un-Islamic to lie.

There is no 5th in Islam.

Our constitution gthe ives every individual a right to remain silent if his speech and words incriminate him or her. The burden to find truth is on the accuser. You are innocent until you are proven guilty. It is called taking the fifth.

Islam does not have that provision for a good reason. It is to give relief to the individual who tells the truth. So many people live with pain, guilt, and grief for eternity, and it clouds their interactions and decisions for a lifetime. There is a saying in Urdu/Hindi language if we shout “Chor, Chor” that is “Thief.” The guy who is guilty always looks over his shoulder.

Once, I had an expired inspection sticker on my car, there was a police car chasing someone, and I pulled over assuming it was for me. My friends in the car were screaming, that it was not for me. The cop came around and asked why I stopped? The guilt was written all over my face, he read it and found my sticker had expired and gave a ticket.

Ashley Kavanaugh may ask her husband in the most intimate moment; did he assault Dr. Ford? His pals at the supreme court may ask when they have a bottle of Beer with him. Kavanaugh claims to be a good Christian, and he knows the Lord forgives those who seek. Truth brings freedom.

This is the reason, taking the fifth is not allowed in Islam. It is to minimize the scoundrels from getting away with murder for the lack of proof, and so many do. I am not sure if our Supreme court Justice Kavanaugh got away from the assault on Dr. Christine Ford for lack of evidence. Of course, he did not take the fifth but denied it. God only knows the truth.

God forgives those who seek forgiveness and repentance. Forgiveness is the safety valve for one to live freely.

We have to go to the far ends of the world, turn every stone upside down to find the truth. You have, to tell the truth, for truth alone gives hope to the person wronged, it sustains the trustworthiness in the society.

Truth alone triumphs!

852 Verses about Truth

Here are a few of the 852 verses from Quran that emphasize on being truthful. It is just no Islam, it is in all religions, and it is the cornerstone of a civilized society.

Quran 4:135 – O you who believe, you shall be entirely equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives. Whether the accused is rich or poor, GOD takes care of both. Therefore, do not be biased by your personal wishes. If you deviate or disregard (this commandment), then GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do.

Quran 2:42 – And do not overlay the truth with falsehood, and do not knowingly suppress the truth;

Quran 5:119 God will say: “Today, their truthfulness shall benefit all who have been true to their word: theirs shall be gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide beyond the count of time; well-pleased is God with them, and well-pleased are they with Him: this is the triumph supreme.”

I usually don’t lean on Hadiths. Some of them are fabricated as sayings of the Prophet, those that are manufactured tend to be misogynistic or do not paint God or the Prophet as merciful. However, an authentic hadith syncs in with the principle of building cohesive societies, here are a few:

Sahih Muslim, “I order you to be truthful, for indeed truthfulness leads to righteousness, and indeed righteousness leads to Paradise (You can take it as peace of mind). A man continues to be truthful and strives for truthfulness until he is written as a truthful person with God. And beware of falsehood, for indeed falsehood leads to sinning, and indeed sinning leads to the Fire. A man continues to tell lies and strives upon falsehood until he is written as a liar with God.”

“Guarantee for me six things, and I will guarantee Paradise for you: tell the truth when you speak, fulfill your promises, be faithful when you are trusted, safeguard your private parts, lower your gaze, and withhold your hands (from harming others).” Reported by Obadiah, in As-Saheehah.

Quran 33:24, “So that God may reward the truthful for having been true to their word, and cause the hypocrites to suffer – if that be His will – or [if they repent,] accept their repentance: for, verily, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!”

Quran 34:49, Say, “The truth has come; while falsehood can neither initiate anything nor repeat it.”

Quran 25:72, They do not bear false witness. When they encounter vain talk, they ignore it.

Quran 2:160, “Excepted, however, shall be they that repent, and put themselves to rights, and make known the TRUTH: and it is they whose repentance I shall accept-for I alone am the Acceptor of Repentance, the Dispenser of Grace.”

Quran 2:209, “And if you should stumble after all evidence of the TRUTH has come unto you, then know that, verily, God is almighty, wise.”

Quran 2:98, “whosoever is an enemy of God and His angels and His message-bearers, including Gabriel and Michael, [should know that,] verily, God is the enemy of all who denies the Truth.”

Quran 2:99, “For, clear messages indeed have We bestowed upon thee from on high, and none denies their Truth save the iniquitous.”

Quran 2:104, O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not say [to the Prophet], “Listen to us,” but rather say, “Have patience with us,” and listen [unto him], since grievous suffering awaits those who deny the TRUTH.

Quran 2:121, Those unto whom We have vouchsafed the divine writ [and who] follow it as it ought to be observed -it is they who [honestly] believe in it; whereas all who choose to deny its TRUTH -it is they, they who are the losers!

What is Taqiya?

Individuals like Robert Spencer, Pamela Geller, and Brigitte Gabriel and a host of others harp on the word Taqiyya. Because I was a regular on Hannity, and since they could not argue, they conveniently slapped that label on me. Their base is limited to a few hundred, and each one of them passionately jumps in and write his or her comment. There are plenty of articles on the net about Taqiyya with my name tagged to it. Of course, a majority of Muslim have not even heard of this word.

I admire Dr. Khawaja Nauman Anwar, my friend for his persistence on calling Hannity Show and giving me encouragement to write this article on Taqiyya. I had promised Anila Ali and Soraya Deen that I will write about it. It took me a lot of time to keep it even and balanced. I have no problem condemning evil and praising what is right, that is what we have to do, and that is a part of pluralism work.

Taqiya, i.e., hiding one’s religious identity to save one’s life, and it was practiced by a handful of persecuted Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and people of other faiths. Their religions did not teach them to lie, they did it on their own.

Even though the Taqiya Bombs have been hurled at Muslims, they know the difference between the truth and falsehood. But they choose the latter as it benefits them. When Spence talks about verses from Sura Tauba, chapter 9, he hides the following and preceding verses as they nullify his arguments.

No Muslim has ever believed that lying is permitted, and no Islamic school has ever taught anyone to lie. Truth is the most sacred value in Islam; indeed, it is the most enduring value of every religion and social system and governance.

Individuals under intense pressure and life-threatening situations have lied to save their tails. The lies are not specific to any particular group; you will find them in every group of people including our Presidents, Generals, Preachers, and even Judges.

Jewish Taqiya

Esther, the Jewish heroine of the book of Esther also practiced Taqiya by hiding her Jewish identity during crises, and you can find similar stories in just about every religion, region and race. However, Neither Judaism nor Islam or any religion for that matter has advocated one to lie.

One of the most central questions concerning Esther is why Esther keeps her national and ethnic identity a secret – or, more accurately, why Mordechai commands her to do so. The importance of the question arises from the fact that this matter is mentioned twice in the Megillah.

“Esther did not reveal her nationality and her descent, for Mordechai had commanded her not to tell.” (2:10)

“Esther would not reveal her descent and her nationality, as Mordechai had commanded her.” (2:20)

Reference: The Israel Kochitsky Virtual Beit Midrash

Muslim Taqiya

The hostile Kings and dictators with Sunni labels had made the life of Shia Muslims a living hell. Taqiya was reluctantly practiced by the Shia until the Safavids came along to put an end to that oppression.

Ibn Kathir, one of the explainers of the Quran has made references about Sunni Muslims. Unfortunately, he has added his own opinions as a reaction to current situations, leading many Muslims to believe that they are Islamic thoughts. They are not Islamic by any stretch of the imagination as you see the strongly worded verses from Quran to nullify him. Maybe it was not his problem but ours. Sadly, very few Muslims are willing to say that Ibn-Kathir was wrong. Muslims ought to know, nothing supersedes Quran, and that is the only truth for Muslims, all else is questionable.

Christian Taqiya

Paul defended a lie because it ‘glorifies God’ and he wondered why he was judged a sinner, Romans 3:7. He was caught lying and tried to wriggle out of it with a song and dance. He doesn’t seem to grasp that a lie is a lie, and never does it glorify Yahweh. Why does Paul keep insisting he’s not deceitful and does not lie? Romans 9:1, II Corinthians 11:31, Galatians 1:20, Philippians 1:18, I Thessalonians 2:1-12, I Timothy 2:7. Why are the real apostles not accused of lying as Paul is?

You will find similar stories in all religions and groups of people. Sick people are in every religion with no exception.

The Truth is the most exalted value on the earth.

Indeed, the truth is one of the most extolled virtues in all religions. Hindus laud Satya Harishchandra as an icon of absolute truth, and most of you are familiar with the name Satya Sai Baba – Satya means truth. The Bible declares, “The truth will set you free.” Prophet Muhammad was called the “Amin” by his people made up of Jews, Christians, and Pagans, meaning someone who is truthful, trustworthy, and reliable and gives a sense of security to others around him. Truth is the only thing that can restore the trust, and thus safety of the individuals in a given society hinges on truth.

Islamic Value – Accountability

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Taken from the book American Muslim Agenda by Dr. Mike Ghouse

Chapter 16: Islamic Value No 3

Accountability

Accountability of one’s actions is one of the values that contribute to the overall wellbeing of society. If there is no accountability chaos will prevail. You can drive on the left side of the road, or in the middle or wherever you want, and I will do the same. Should your freedom allow you to drive 60 MPH in a school zone?

Each one of us is accountable for our actions so all of us can be safe. God wants the same thing! And the Quran says nothing different than that.

All humans are equal. The Quran places equal emphasis on men and women, a woman cannot excuse herself on the Day of Judgment that she did it because her husband pushed her or vice versa. Men need to get this straight; a woman is fully empowered and responsible for her actions, just as men.

My Mother’s words frequently echo in my ears from teen times, she would say, “On the day of Hisab-Kitab, the day of Accountability, or the Day of Judgment, everyone will be busy accounting for his or her deeds. As I understand now, it is the reflection exercise we go through when we violate others rights.

She said, I will be busy with my karma, and you will be working with your deeds.

I won’t have time for you neither will you have time for me, and then she would conclude, Son, be accountable and be responsible for what you do. Those were harsh and cruel words, I thought my mother was there to protect me, as she did before, but she was laying the responsibility squarely on me for the actions I choose to take. I did not appreciate her then, but now at 66, I do.

If you have a nightmare, no one else can feel your anguish as you do. Indeed, the narrative of the Day of Judgment is applicable in our day-to-day lives. No one can feel the anguish Dr. Christine Ford and millions of other women, and some men feel when they are violated. As a civilized society, we need to honor their word and believe in them. I am disappointed that the eleven misogynistic Senators and the President faked the investigations to dupe the American Public, I am glad at least there were Nine senators on the committee that fought for the truth. This injustice is not going to go away, it will haunt them and us for a while.

I could relate with the apprehensions, when I was about eight, Satya, our neighbor placed his neck on the railroad track in Yelahanka, my hometown. He failed in his metric exam and did not want to face the parents or the world. All of us went to see, and so did I. It was difficult to see his body cut into two with wide open eyes staring into the sky, for weeks and perhaps months, I hid under the sheets when I went to sleep, I was sweating profusely. I told no one about it, and this is the first time in my life, I am expressing it. So, I can understand the anguish of women who have endured such unease for years. I will do something about restoring the balance my representatives messed up for us, the Americans.

If you murder someone, it’s your Heine that goes to jail and not your husband or wife. My mother was right; we are individually responsible for what we do. This accountability is an Islamic value, you don’t pin others for the acts of the individual. Indeed, it is an American value that men like Gingrich, Cruz, and others don’t get it.

I did not believe my mother at that time. I thought once we are dead we disintegrate and there will be nothing left to punish. I was a teen and looked at her statement from a critical point of view, but later on in life, I learned to see the third dimension and realized that it is the agony we live thru, and perhaps what our soul endures is the punishment.

Burning in hell is a metaphor viewed by some as burning on real embers, and for some, it is the anguish. Regardless of what you believe, the bottom line is behavior modification.

Learning about different faiths has its own advantages. Buddhism explains this responsibility very well. A lot of thoughts, desires, and actions go unfulfilled in one’s life, and many men who are destructive go away without being punished. Things just don’t evaporate into thin air with death, they linger until repentance or punishment is meted out to clear up things up. All items in nature seek balance. For every action, there is a reaction. No one goes scot-free when you attain that freedom, it is called Mukti in Hinduism, Jains call it Moksha, Buddhists call it Nirvana, Salvation is for Christians and Bahais attain Nejat. They all mean the same.

Who are you accountable to?

First of all, we are accountable to ourselves. We all have been embedded with a conscience, that serves as our monitor if we are doing the right thing. Indeed, God says, 50:16 (Asad) Verily, it is We who have created man, and We know what his innermost-self whispers within him: for We are closer to him than his neck-vein.

Our actions and interactions are our free choice, we may not consider that we have choices, but we always have the option. It is an inalienable right uploaded into our brainwaves from the process of evolution.

We have not developed a convincing answer, other than the belief, that no one goes scot-free, 55:8 “So that you might never transgress the measure [of what is right]. ” Each one has to account for his excesses.

How are men like Hitler, BinLaden, Saddam Hussein, Baghdadi, Pol-Pot, Milosevic, and others are accountable to? Then you have politicians who have not paid for their decisions that killed thousands of people, men like Lenin, Mao Tse Tung, Bush, Modi, Netanyahu, Salman (Yemeni people), Asad and others. What about the family members who have done wrong?

How are these men and women held accountable for their actions?

Most faiths have offered an explanation, the Dharmic faiths like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism offer the law of Karma, and the evil acts will continue through reincarnation. The Abrahamic religions have proposed the idea that there is a life hereafter and everyone will pay for their excesses. All other faiths like Sikhism, Bahai, and others also have given hope. These theories are convincing to the believers, and are behavior modifiers.

I am pleased to share a few of the many verses of guidance from the Quran.

Quran 6:164, “Say: Shall I seek Lord other than God, while He is the Lord of all things? No person earns any sin except against himself (only), and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another. Then unto your Lord is your return, He will tell you that wherein you have been differing.”

You are responsible for what you do individually, and no one but you is responsible for your actions. You will never be burdened with others’ excesses. Remember, each one of us has a deep secret, that we do not share with anyone, we live with our nightmares and fears all by ourselves.

You are also responsible for keeping harmony within yourself, your family, the family, community and the nations, but you are not accountable.

Quran 17:15, “Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his own self. And whoever goes astray then he goes astray to his own loss. No one laden with burdens shall bear another’s burden. And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger.”

Quran 35:18, “And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden; and if one heavily laden call another to (bear) his load, nothing of it will be laden even though he be near to kin, you can warn only those who fear their Lord unseen and perform prayers. And who purifies himself then he purifies for the benefit of his own self. And to God is the final return.”

Quran 39:07, “If you disbelieve, then God is not in need of you; He likes not disbelief for his slaves. And if you are grateful, He is pleased for you. No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you what you used to do. He is the All-Knower of that which is in the breasts (Of men).”

Quran 21:13, “Do not run, and come back to your luxuries and your mansions, for you must be held accountable.”

Quran 64:7, ” Those who disbelieved claim that they will not be resurrected! Yes indeed, by my Lord, you will be resurrected, and you will be held accountable for everything you have done. This is easy for GOD to do.”

Quran 65:8, “Many a community rebelled against the commands of its Lord and against His messengers. Consequently, we held them strictly accountable and required them a terrible requital.”

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