Daily Blog - The Ghouse Diary

Obama – a Muslim Problem

Mike Ghouse October 1, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on February 23, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/02/obama-muslim-problem.html

How do you root for a candidate who doesn’t want you to root for him? Firas Ahmed’s commentary below is one of the most thoughtful commentaries on the situation. I am rather pleased that I have not read any derogatory comment on Obama from the Muslim community, which is welcome. Obama reflects a moderate and all inclusive approach to solving the situations, the one that majority of Americans, be it Christians, Jews, Hindus or Muslims prefer.

He reflects the voice of the majority of Americans, which includes Muslims; the passionate rallies are nothing more than the joy one feels when we find some one who reflects the values of the common people – compared to the extreme values espoused by a few candidates. I agree with Firas Ahmed to go along with Obama, we need a right candidate, even though he wants to keep a clear distance from the Muslim community, I know, deep in my heart, that Obama is going to be a just ruler, a new thing in world governance. He is all about Pluralism and inclusiveness, which are Muslim values as well – Alhamdu Lillahi Rabbil Aaalameen.

The Muslim community has been exceptionally wise in this regard, not to demand a thing from him, because, he is not going to be anything like the other candidates. He is judicious and I highly recommend to read his book audacity of hope, and read this particular column, I have treasured at the foundation for pluralism website- http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2007/02/faith-and-politics-obama.html. Listen to his speeches, he is consistently inclusive. That is what we want, we do not want any special favors from any one, we want us to be treated like every one else and Obama has the propensity to deliver just that. Here is another one to read: http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2008/02/obama-pluralist.html

By the way, I am a Republican and will continue to be one, however, my individual obligation is the support the candidate who will do better than other candidates for our country, hence, I am going for Obama. I have dropped myself out from being a Republican precinct chair.

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

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Islam and Pluralism

Mike Ghouse October 1, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on February 26, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/02/islam-and-pluralism.html

Originally I responded to a request from Hasni Essa about Akbar, the great Mughal King and his experiments with Pluralism. It was a draft and I was going to do some study and respond in more details. Meanwhile, it got the circulation and my esteemed friend Dr. Javid Jamil and Shamim Siddiqi responded to it. All the responses are appended below. Here is my counter response. It is about co-existence. By the way, I would want you to express your understanding of the same, together we can learn more.

The attacks on Islam after 9/11 propelled me to study the veracity of the statements ascribed to Islam by the media.

The traditional translations of Qur’aan did not offer much hope, and it was a taboo to question those translations. Thank God for the internet, the net waves got flooded with information in addition to the availability of multiple translations of Qur’aan in the market. Every translation added a new dimension, and reflected translator’s background; they were obviously influenced by who they keep the company with.

The need to understand Islam, as it was intended, became a priority to me. I was driven by one of my favorite passages from the Bhagvad Gita – finding the truth is one’s own responsibility. The human fears, anger, ill-will, malice and the negative emotions are some times based on false propaganda, and liberation comes from it is finding the truth, as truth relieves one from anxiety and brings clarity and possible solutions, be what that truth may be.

Qur’aan is for all seasons and all ages, it is what you understand. The political criminals twist the constitution to support their agendas, just as the religious politicians twist their holy books to support their own agenda which is generally destructive. Where as the 99% of the population does the right thing by understanding the purpose of religion and live and let live.

Qur’aan, Al-Inshiqaq, Surah 84:7 “And as for him whose record shall be placed in his right hand,” (whose behavior in life characterizes him as “righteous”), and Qur’aan, Al-Inshiqaq, Surah 84:10 “But as for him whose record shall be given to him behind his back; (where it is stated that the record of the unrighteous “shall be placed in his left hand”. In reality, however; the present formulation alludes to the sinner’s horror at his record, and his wish that he had never been shown it (69:25-26): in other words, his not wanting to see it is symbolized by its appearance “behind his back”.)

Islam consistently encourages individuals to do well. It emphasizes one’s individual responsibility towards the peace and security of the society at large. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) described a good deed as an act which benefits others, such as planting a seed, knowing well that, when it grows to be a full fledged tree it will serve generations of wayfarers with fruit and the shade. The world is a better place today because of a good legacy bequeathed to humanity by people of all faiths that came before us. We owe it to coming generations to leave the world a little better than we found it, to usher an era of justice and peace.

“There are the people who have never cared for their neighbors; they thought they would never return to God. Their Lord watches all that people do.”

It was a defining moment for me when I decided to delve myself into understanding Islam. Imam Feisal Abdur Raouf of New York had made a statement to the effect that Islam means peace; and a Muslim is one who brings peace. Over the years, I have pondered over who is a Muslim or a religious person of any faith for that matter? The following statement was the result “To be a Muslim (or to be religious) is to be a peace maker; one who constantly seeks to mitigate conflicts and nurtures goodwill for peaceful co-existence. God wants us to live in peace and harmony with his creation; life and matter. Indeed that is the purpose religion.” Each one of us is a carrier of the peace flag.

The above became my lens through which I was looking at the word of God, for me, as a Muslim, God’s word is Qur’aan. God is for every human being and no one owns him or has any exclusive rights with him (equally her or it). We are his creation and belong to him as he belongs to us all.

Islam is indeed an all embracing idea and justice is its core value. When there is justice, it puts people at ease; they are released from the fear that some one is going to take advantage of them or the fear that they will have to pay for their actions if they are unjust to others. The middle path as the Prophet called is the key for peaceful living. Qur’aan -55:9 weigh, therefore, [your deeds] with equity, and cut not the measure short!

When there is justice, one’s focus turns to living the life. No one would be lying to others; no one would be cheating, abusing or usurping what belongs to others and most certainly, no one would be taking advantage of the weak. The description of the day of the judgment is simply the pinnacle of learning about individual responsibility – you would stand on your own, neither your parents, nor the kids, nor your wealth or even the Prophet is going to do anything for you, your only defense is the good you have done to others. God is just and will serve justice to every human being. By the way, Qur’aan has assured God’s blessing and grace to every human who is Just; Muslim or not.

When the universe evolved, or simply when God created the universe, it was a two part system; Matter and Life.

Matter had a defined space and role to play. In this model, the creator God did not give freedom to the matter, it was put on a trajectory and was to do exactly what it was meant to do, and it has been doing this for millions of years, precisely and on time. The Earth takes ~365 days to revolve around the Sun; the light determines the plants, ice, water content and life. Qur’aan -55:6 “[before Him] prostrate themselves the stars and the trees.” Each one is simply playing its determined role; each item respects the space of other and co-exists in harmony. This is the model of peaceful co-existence.

When it came to life, God placed the brains and took away the defined role (like the role of earth revolving around the sun) and gave freedom to humans to use their intelligence and create their own abode of harmonious co-existence between billions of them. On the way, God gave manuals (for Muslims, it is Qur’aan) to each species or each community and nation to follow that model of peaceful co-existence.

Qur’aan, Al-Hujurat, Surah 49:13: “O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. The noblest of you, in sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Allah Knows and is Aware.”

For the followers of the Qur’aan (manual) Islam is a complete way of life. However, others have their own manuals to follow to achieve peaceful co-existence. God offers the clarity to each one of the followers of different manuals, each nation and tribe has its own equilibrium and manual and we have to know one another.

As Muslims we have never had the chance to dig in more and find the truth for ourselves. We (followers of all faiths) are conditioned by the politics of religion to negate other manuals of God. However, God’s words (Qur’aan) are beautiful and respectful toward those who follow a different manual.

109:1 SAY: “O you who deny the truth!
109:2 “I do not worship that which you worship,
109:3 and neither do you worship that which I worship!
109:4 “And I will not worship ~hat which you have [ever] worshipped,
109:5 and neither will you [ever] worship that which I worship.
109:6 unto you, your moral law, and unto me, mine!”

It is a reminder for us to think about it from our manual’s point of view and learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

Our goal is to duplicate the perfect model of Matter that God has created. We have to make our own pathways without conflict and create that heaven on the earth.

Insha Allah, as a Muslim, I am committed to continue to study and understand the concept of Pluralism and co-existence God has presented to the followers of Islam. My reference is some of the many verses in Qur’aan that direct us to create that model of bliss between all of his creation. I welcome Muslims and others to do research on this aspect, as no one owns Islam or Qur’aan; it belongs to all, just as other faiths offer salvation, Mukti, Moksha or Nirvana.

The concept of Tauhid is certainly understood in a few dimensions, one of them is a “one-single-physical God” despite the pronounced belief that God is not a being. Qur’aan – 112:4 “and there is nothing that could be compared with Him. Still it arms the politically oriented ones to imagine that are other God(s). We need to understand the depth of this concept.

Tauhid to me, at this stage of understanding is “unison” without “conflict”. – One source of creation, one originator, one universe, one people that leads to a model for conflict elimination and creating a blissful state of existence. Where fear, envy, jealousy, arrogance, ego, ill will, hate, malice and anger is overcome with the positive energy of co-existence.

God want us to succeed for human co-existence and duplicate the model of the matter. It is accepting and respecting the God given uniqueness of each one of us that reduces conflicts and brings solutions to harmonious co-existence.

I believe this was the intent of Akbar, the great Moghul King. To some of my friends and the critiques it failed in political terms, however, his legacy of harmonious co-existence will continue to inspire generations yet to come. India has been such a model with a few exceptions.

References:
• http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Quraan/Not-like-Jews-and-Christians.asp
• http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Quraan/Quraan-Neocons-and-Islamophobia.asp
• http://www.foundationforpluralism.com/Quraan/Not-like-Jews-and-Christians.asp

Muslim Ismaili envoy to OIC

Mike Ghouse October 1, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/02/ismaili-envoy-to-oic.html

President Bush meets with Sada Cumber, left, the first U.S. envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Congratulations to Mr. Sada Cumber for his appointment as a special envoy to the Organization of Islamic Countries. Thanks to Jason Embry for writing such a fine piece (appended below). Indeed, I was gunning for that position and had sent a note to the state department about it. I am pleased to see Mr. Sada Cumber has been appointed. He is he right guy. At least in his last days, the President has done some thing right, it is a good decision and Sada will deliver results. When Barak takes over the office, Sada certainly can change the false perception that the same President had manufactured ”they hate us” without any substantiation and no Journalist ever asking him to prove.

Our country needs a person who can unite the nation together, and bring the people from every race, ethnicity, nationality, culture and faiths together to rededicate our pledge in one nation under God with liberty and Justice.

One nation is a concept where we learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of the 301 Million of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge. Barak will be a catalyst to realize the American vision of one nation under God.http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/02/ismaili-envoy-to-oic.html

Mike Ghouse
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With or Without Religion

Mike Ghouse September 30, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/with-or-without-religion.html

Civilizations Clash, With or Without ReligionFOREIGN POLICY: JANUARY/FEBRUARY
Moderator Mike Ghouse: Indeed, the extremists have always manufactured an enemy who would become a threat to their people. The latest creation is Islam. Every idiot who can write can cash in on Islam bashing, there are plenty of them out there. I guess, as long as there are suckers to fund them, they will keep manufacturing.
—

What would the world be like without Islam? No clash of civilizations? No 9/11? No holy wars?

Actually, all of these events would likely have occurred, says Graham Fuller, a professor of history at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, and a former forecaster for the Central Intelligence Agency. Take away Islam, and the world would still be left with the main forces that drive today’s conflicts, including colonialism, cross-national ideologies, ethnic conflicts and terrorism, Mr. Fuller says.

Mr. Fuller ponders a litany of history’s major battles to drive home his message that while Islam might be a convenient culprit, global strife, past and present, can’t be blamed on any one religion. Europeans would still have wanted the spoils of the Middle East and launched the Crusades, he says, albeit under a different banner. The West still would have tried to get control of oil-rich areas. The French would still have gone into Algeria for its farm lands. The creation of Israel still would have displaced Palestinians, no matter what their religion.

The inhabitants of the Middle East wouldn’t be more comfortable with these events if they belonged to Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the Middle East’s predominant religion when Muhammad arrived. In fact, a religious fissure between Western Europe and the Middle East would probably still exist, says Mr. Fuller, noting that Eastern Orthodox Christianity has an anti-Western narrative of its own dating to the sack of Constantinople in 1204.

True, without Islam, the people of the Middle East would lack a powerful, crossborder unifying force that sometimes is co-opted by a small number of people inclined toward violence. But the Middle East would have access to similar forces, such as Marxism or ethnic nationalism, that have served that purpose in other parts of the world. In 2006, the crime-data clearing house Europol said, only one of the 498 terrorist acts in the European Union was Islamist. The rest were largely committed by separatist and left-wing groups.

Saudi Cleric -Shia infidels

Mike Ghouse September 30, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on Sunday, January 13, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/saudi-cleric-shia-infidels.html

THE BIGOTS AMONG US
Saudi cleric issues religious edict declaring Shiites to be infidels

The article below is inciting and ridiculous. No Muslim will subscribe to this non-sense unless they are paid to do it.

Whatever City you live in, you do have the traffic rules. If every Citizen follows it, then there is no need for the Traffic police writing the tickets, Lawyers defending them, Sign makers posting the signs, Judges making the decision and a whole department to handle the issues.

Whatever nation you live in, you do have the business laws to keep every one honest.
Whichever democracy you live, you do have the laws that are built in with checks and balances to keep the governance accountable.

Whatever Religion you belong to, you do have the Religion laws to discourage individuals from doing bad things. Every key representative of religion has abused that power from Pope down right to the Imams and every one in between.

In this group of articles, we will present stupidities a few Muslim Spiritual leaders make. For other religions, we will handle in the Pluralism group – www.FoundationforPluralism.com and this one is Muslim focused. This piece will also be repeated at the Shia-Sunni dialogue we are about to start.

I urge every Muslim to condemn this non-sense. Every word of it is idiotic and un-Islamic. If we don’t condemn this non-sense, it may be perceived as we are a part of it. We are not. No Muslim will subscribe to this unless they are paid to do it. After reading the piece below you can make your comments at the link given below. Insha Allah, when the website is done, it will remain in the website.
I urge every Muslim to condemn this non-sense. Every word of it is idiotic and un-Islamic.

Mike Ghouse

Saudi cleric issues religious edict declaring Shiites to be infidels

The Associated Press Published: December 29, 2006

CAIRO, Egypt: A top Saudi Arabian Sunni cleric on Friday declared Shiites around the world to be infidels who should be considered worse than Jews or Christians, the latest sign of increasing sectarianism in the Middle East.

Abdul Rahman al-Barak, one of the top several Wahhabi clerics in Saudi Arabia and considered close to the Kingdom’s royal family, also urged Sunnis worldwide to oppose reconciliation with Shiites. The Wahhabi stream of Sunni Islam that is followed in Saudi Arabia is conservative and views Shiites as heretics.

“By and large, rejectionists (Shiites) are the most evil sect of the nation and they have all the ingredients of the infidels,” Abdul Rahman wrote in a fatwa, or religious edict, that was posted on his web site Friday.

“The general ruling is that they are infidels, apostates and hypocrites,” he wrote. “They are more dangerous than Jews and Christians,” he wrote in the edict, which Abdul Rahman said was in response to a question from a follower.

Like most hardline Sunnis, Abdul Rahman employed the word “rejectionists,” used as a derogatory term to describe Shiites because they opted out of the Sunni school of Islamic theology.
Healsosaid the sect was the work of a Jewish conspiracy.
Abdul Rahman’s remarks comes amid concern by many Sunni Arabs about what they perceive as a Shiite revival following the 2003 war that toppled Saddam Hussein in Iraq. They include Jordan’s King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Earlier this month, Nawaf Obeid, an adviser to the Saudi embassy in Washington, spoke of “massive Saudi intervention to stop Iranian-backed Shiite militias from butchering Iraqi Sunnis” if the United States withdraws from the country. Saudi citizens are also reportedly raising funds for Sunni insurgents in Iraq.

Earlier this month, about 30 prominent Saudi Wahhabi clerics called on Sunni Muslims around the Middle East to support their brethren in Iraq against Shiites and praised the anti-American insurgency.

Thousands of Iraqis have been killed this year in sectarian bloodshed between the majority Shiites and the Sunni Arab minority, who lost their dominance after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Saudi Arabia, like most Arab countries, is predominantly Sunni but has a significant Shiite minority.

Please make your comments at: http://mikeghouse.blogspot.com/2006/12/bigotary-in-islam.html

Muslim Conduct

Mike Ghouse September 30, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on January 13, 2019 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/muslim-conduct.html

Guidance from Qur’aan
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

Parents give guidance to their kids either in actual instruction or through insinuation or being an example. Not all Kids follow everything. God has created an equilibrium in the universe, where the planets and stars do not have a brain of their own, so they follow the trajectory they put on in obedience. That is the physical dimension of the universe, the spiritual dimension is custom made for each individual. Humans are created with choices to do the right thing or the wrong thing, earn the peace or live in disrepair respectively. When given a choice, they are also given advice to keep that balance through religion.

Thanks God, I had the opportunity to do the talk show radio called “Wisdom of Religion – all the beautiful religions” program for about 10 years, and it was so good to hear the guidance the creator has given to every one of us. Swami Nityananda Prabhu talked quite extensively about the rituals in Hinduism and the code of conduct. Reverend Frederick shared in detail about Christianity, Rabbi Haas on Judaism, Regina Rafraf on Bahai, Poras Balsara on Zoroastrian, Bhai Harbans on Sikhism and so on and on… (Pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/MikeGhouse/Wisdom2004

I am pleased to share the guidance God has given through Islam. Thanks to the unknown person who has compiled the list and passed it on to me to share. If you would like to share information about your faith, please share it to go on at www.Foundationforpluralism.com
Mike Ghouse

Guidance from Qur’an that apply to our general living!

01. Respect and honor all human beings irrespective of their religion, color, race, sex, language, status, property, birth, profession/job and so on [CHAPTER17: VERSE70]
02. Talk straight, to the point, without any ambiguity or deception [33/70]

03. Choose best words to speak and say them in the best possible way [17/53, 2/83]

04. Do not shout. Speak politely keeping your voice low. [31/19]

05. Always speak the truth. Shun words that are deceitful and ostentatious [22/30]

06. Do not confound truth with falsehood [2/42]

07. Say with your mouth what is in your heart [3/167]

08. Speak in a civilized manner in a language that is recognized bysociety and is commonly used [4/5]

09. When you voice an opinion, be just, even if it is against a relative [6/152]

10. Do not be a bragging boaster [31/18]

11. Do not talk, listen or do anything vain [23/3, 28/55]

12. Do not participate in any paltry. If you pass near a futile play, then pass by with dignity [25/72]

13. Do not verge upon any immodesty or lewdness whether surreptitious or overt [6/151].

14. If, unintentionally, any misconduct occurs by you, then correct yourself expeditiously [3/134].

15. Do not be contemptuous or arrogant with people [31/18]

16. Do not walk haughtily or with conceit [17/37, 31/18]

17. Be moderate in thy pace [31/19]

18. Walk with humility and sedateness [25/63]

19. Keep your gazes lowered devoid of any lecherous leers and salacious stares [24/30-31, 40/19].

20. If you do not have complete knowledge about anything, better keep your mouth shut. You might think that speaking about something without full knowledge is a trivial matter. But it might have grave consequences [24/15-16]

21. When you hear something malicious about someone, keep a favorable view about him/her until you attain full knowledge about the matter. Consider others innocent until they are proven guilty with solid and truthful evidence [24/12-13]

22. Ascertain the truth of any news, lest you smite someone in ignorance and afterwards repent of what you did [49/6]

23. Do not follow blindly any information of which you have no direct knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception) you must verify it for yourself. In the Court of your Lord, you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning [17/36].

24. Never think that you have reached the final stage of knowledge and nobody knows more than yourself. Remember! Above everyone endowed with knowledge is another endowed with more knowledge [12/76]. Even the Prophet [p.b.u.h] was asked to keep praying, “O My sustainer! Advance me in knowledge.” [20:114]

25. The believers are but a single Brotherhood. Live like members of one family, brothers and sisters unto one another [49/10].

26. Do not make mockery of others or ridicule others [49/11]

27. Do not defame others [49/11]

28. Do not insult others by nicknames [49/11]

29. Avoid suspicion and guesswork. Suspicion and guesswork might deplete your communal energy [49/12]

30. Spy not upon one another [49/12]

31. Do not backbite one another [49/12]

32. When you meet each other, offer good wishes and blessings for safety. One who conveys to you a message of safety and security and also when a courteous greeting is offered to you, meet it with a greeting still more courteous or (at least) of equal courtesy [4/86]

33. When you enter your own home or the home of somebody else, compliment the inmates [24/61]

34. Do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission; and then greet the inmates and wish them a life of blessing, purity and pleasure [24/27]

35. Treat kindly Your parents, Relatives, The orphans and those who have been left alone in the society [4/36]

36. Take care of The needy, The disabled, those whose hard earned income is insufficient to meet their needs, those whose businesses have stalled and those who have lost their jobs. [4/36]

37. Treat kindly Your related neighbors, and unrelated neighbors, Companions by your side in public gatherings, or public transportation. [4/36]

38. Be generous to the needy wayfarer, the homeless son of the street, and the one who reaches you in a destitute condition [4/36]

39. Be nice to people who work under your care. [4/36]

40. Do not follow up what you have given to others to afflict them with reminders of your generosity [2/262].

41. Do not expect a return for your good behavior, not even thanks[76/9]

42. Cooperate with one another in good deeds and do not cooperate with others in evil and bad matters [5/2]

43. Do no try to impress people on account of self-proclaimed virtues [53/32]

44. You should enjoin right conduct on others but mend your own ways first. Actions speak louder than words. You must first practice good deeds yourself, then preach [2/44]

45. Correct yourself and your families first [before trying to correct others] [66/6]

46. Pardon gracefully if anyone among you who commits a bad deed out of ignorance, and then repents and amends [6/54, 3/134]

47. Divert and sublimate your anger and potentially virulent emotions to creative energy, and become a source of tranquility and comfort to people [3/134]

48. Call people to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful exhortation. Reason with them most decently [16/125]

49. Leave to themselves those who do not give any importance to the Divine code and have adopted and consider it as mere play and amusement [6/70]

50. Sit not in the company of those who ridicule Divine Law unless they engage in some other conversation [4/140]

51. Do not be jealous of those who are blessed [4/54]

52. In your collective life, make rooms for others [58/11]

53. When invited to dine, Go at the appointed time. Do not arrive too early to wait for the preparation of meal or linger after eating to engage in bootless babble. Such things may cause inconvenience to the host [33/53]

54. Eat and drink [what is lawful] in moderation [7/31].

55. Do not squander your wealth senselessly [17/26]

56. Fulfill your promises and commitments [17/34]

57. Keep yourself clean, pure [9/108, 4/43, 5/6].

58. Dress-up in agreeable attire and adorn yourself with exquisite character from inside out [7/26]

59. Seek your provision only by fair endeavor [29/17, 2/188]

60. Do not devour the wealth and property of others unjustly, nor bribe the officials or the judges to deprive others of their possessions [2/188]

Hate Sermons from Pulpit

Mike Ghouse September 30, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on Sunday, January 13, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/hate-sermons-from-pulpit.html

It is our duty to keep law and order and faithfully guard the safety of every citizen. Hate is one of the many sources of disrupting the peace in a society and it is our duty to track down the source of such hate and work on mitigating it. We have an obligation to maintain a balance in the society

We lose that balance and that elusive equilibrium if we let hate mongers, hate sermons and hate lectures creep in our societies.

The Muslims have been diligently cleaning up the hate sermons from happening in their communities in the United States and Canada. I can recall one incident last year in Canada where one such alleged hate monger Yaseen Sheikh was not allowed to land in Canada and was sent right back to his home; The United Kingdom. The Muslims are making serious efforts to prevent radical preachers from making any speeches in their communities and their Mosques. I am sure some one slips by here and there, but the vigil is there and the guard is on. Islam is about bringing a balance to the society, and American Muslims are vigorously fighting to prevent the Mosque pulpit to ever go into the hands of hate generators.

Hate peddling is unfortunately human, and doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with religion, any religion.

As all the religions teach to overcome hate, here are some quotes about doing unto others;

Bahai: Lay not on any soul a load which ye would not wish to be laid upon you, and desire not for any one the things ye would not desire for yourselves. Writings of Baha’u’llah

Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Udana-Varga 5, 1

Christianity: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:1

Confucianism: Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state. Analects 12:2

Hinduism: This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you. Mahabharata 5,1517

Islam: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. Sunnah

Jain: “Living beings (souls) render services to one another” or in short “Live and let live.”

Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary. Talmud, Shabbat 3id

Sikh: All humans are same and so we should treat them all the same – Guru Gobind Singh

Taoism: Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss. Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien

Wicca: Harm None

Zoroastrianism: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for itself. Dadisten-I-dinik, 94, 5

As we pledge one nation under God with liberty and justice for all, we have to look into each other and look at ourselves, and lift ourselves up from the hate pit and come together on a level playing field of goodwill and generosity.

The business side of faith has thrived on ridiculing others faiths and manufacturing a devil out of thin air. There is a misplaced spirituality in operation; our faith is the best, because others aren’t. Wow, what logic! Arrogance and Spirituality are inversely proportional; one cannot be religious when there is an element of arrogance in it. Other faiths don’t have to be bad for mine to be good. My little daughter says if there is no negative selling how would the business of Church survive? How would you grow congregations and the monies that come with it? Shamefully hate and fear binds the people, even though much of it is manufactured. Who has the time to question? A majority of us do not really hate anyone, nor do we care for those sermons, we go there as a social event and often honoring the courtesy of invitation. However, the extremists among us cash on it, they know what binds us.

It is the human weakness that allows the propagation of hate, and we shamelessly abuse our holy texts to justify human killing and destruction of the world be it Armageddon, Jihad, Promised land or some such notion to satisfy one’s disruptive mindset. Whether it happens in Church, Mosque, Temple, Synagogue or any place of worship, the silent majority puts up with it and does not speak out. We go to the place of worship to rid ourselves of our sins – the elements of ill-will, malice, hate, anger and other entrapments. The pulpit has become a loading dock for malice and incitement to look down upon others who hold a different view.

Anya Cardell writes (http://www.anyacordell.com). “This follows on the lecture last week by Steven Emerson at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, attended and warmly received by about 500, entitled ‘The Terrorists Living among us’. Both Pipes and Emerson have long histories of virulent anti-Muslim efforts. Pipes invented what he calls ‘Sudden Jihad Syndrome’, which he defines as the sudden change of any normal appearing, apparently peaceful Muslim, who may turn on a dime into a radical terrorist. …so I’m not going to cite right now a bunch of similarly appalling assertions from Pipes, Emerson, and their cronies–but they are truly terrifying, adding to the ‘open season’ mentality currently profiling, stereotyping, smearing, and generalizing all Muslims. I have met the families of innocent men who were murdered in the hate-backlash of 9/11, and know that there are all-too-real consequences of such hate and fear-mongering. “Additionally, a requisite for war is demonizing and dehumanizing the Other, so that we can shrug, rationalize or justify what we call ‘collateral damage’, and how innocents are caught in the crosshairs or ensnared in big nets, (roundups, detentions, etc.), all in the name of ‘security’.”

Should our places of Worship offer space for hate sermons or for bridge building lectures? I hope the sanctity of the synagogue is not violated by the Emerson, Pipes and his likes and no one ought to be allowed to preach hate towards other people.

It is in our interest and the interest of public safety that the sermons delivered at places of worship fill our hearts with love, generosity and goodwill and build bridges for a safe and peaceful nation.

What if we make our speeches in the place of worship a public record? To keep peace, law and order in our country, we need to consider hate speech as a crime. The speech that would permanently place wedges between our communities injects distrust and destroys the concept of one nation under God.

Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker, Writer and a Moderator. He is president of the Foundation for Pluralism and is a frequent guest on talk radio, discussing interfaith, political and civic issues. He founded the World Muslim Congress with a simple theme: “good for Muslims and good for the world.” His personal Website is www.MikeGhouse.net and his articles can be found on the Websites mentioned above and in his Blogs: http://MikeGhouseforAmerica.Blogspot.com and http://MikeGhouse.Sulekha.com . He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com. Mike lives in Carrollton with his family and has been a Dallasite since 1980.

JAN 2008 Celebs &Commems

Mike Ghouse September 30, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on Sunday, January 13, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/jan-2008-celebs.html

Commemorations and celebrations of people around the world in January: Happy New Year Candlemas Sankaranti Imbolc Yom-e-Ashura Brigid’s Day Vasant Panchami Martin Luther King’s B/D Tu B’Shevat Nirvana Day Holocaust Commemoration Muharram Commemoration Mahatma Gandhi’ 60th Death Commemoration Glossary of Festivals. – We invite articles in 150 Words to describe these events. Please send to MikeGhouse@gmail.com

This compilation is derived from different sources. You are invited to audit, spell check, correct, enhance and add a festival that I am not aware of.

Click for images: http://www.mikeghouse.net/Articles/Festivals-January-2008.asp

1/10/08 –

Muharram
Islamic new year begins – Hijri year 1429 – It is a lunar calendar with 354 days in it with varying days in a month from 28 thru 30 days. Each consecutive Julian calendar, deduct 11 days for Islamic Calendar. The calendar began when Prophet Muhammad made a decision to migrate from Mecca to another city called Medinah. Hijra, Hijri is roughly translated as migratioin.

1/19/08

Yom-e-Ashura
Yom-e-Ashura – Islamic holy day observed on the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram. Shi’ite Muslims regard it as a major festival marking the martydom of the Prophet’s grandson, Hussein. Hussein’s martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi’a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression.

1/15/08

Makara Sankranti
Makara Sankranti – In Hindu belief, a person dying on this auspicious day directly goes to the heaven. Bhishma, an elder in the epic of Mahabharata, is said to have waited for this day to breathe his last. It is also on this day every twelve years the Great Kumbh-Mela is held at Prayag.

1/15/08

Vasanta Panchami
Vasanta Panchami Vasant Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music, and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh (January-February),

1/21/08 –

Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
Birthday Celebrations of Martin Luther King Jr. “A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on” John F. Kennedy.FEW HAVE HAD AS MUCH IMPACT upon the American consciousness as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A Baptist minister and passionate fighter for civil rights through non-violent action, he was the closest this country has come to producing a leader with the moral stature of Mohandas Gandhi.

Tu B’Shevat
Tu B’Shevat Judaism has several different “new years.” Tu B’Shevat, the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shevat, is a holiday also known as the New Year for Trees.

1/26/08 – Holocaust
On this Holocaust remembrance day residents of the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex come together as humans of all affiliations to learn to understand the suffering of the people around the world, to develop an open mind and an open heart towards each other in the process of healing and repairing the world.

1/30/08

Gandhi’s anniversary
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – 60th Death Anniversary. He is my mentor and at times, The United Nations General Assembly has decided to declare October 2 – the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi—as ‘International Day of Non-Violence’ in recognition of his role in promoting the message of peace around the world.

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Yom e Ashura

Islamic holy day observed on the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram. Shi’ite Muslims regard it as a major festival marking the martyrdom of the Prophet’s grandson, Hussein.

Ashura has been a day of fasting for Sunni Muslims since the days of the early Muslim community. It marks two historical events: the day Nuh (Noah) left the Ark, and the day that Musa (Moses) was saved from the Egyptians by Allah.

The Day of Ashura transliteration: ‘Ashura’, Ashura, Ashura, and other spellings) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram but not the Islamic month.

This day (Ashura) was an ancient Judaic feast day of celebration and atonement. Now it is well-known because of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). Furthermore Sunni Muslims believe that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberation of Israelites from Egypt. According to Sunni Muslim tradition, Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast.[1][2]

The word ashura means simply tenth in Arabic; hence the name of the remembrance, literally translated, means “the tenth day”. Islamic scholars, however, give various explanations as to why it is thus called.

Hussein’s martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi’a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. [3] Shi’as believe the Battle of Karbala was between the forces of good and evil. Imam Hussain represented good while Yazid represented evil. Shi’as also believe the Battle of Karbala was fought to keep the Muslim religion untainted of any corruptions and they believed the path that Yazid was directing Islam was definitely for his own personal greed.

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Pledge, Pictures & Prophet

Mike Ghouse September 30, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/pledge-pictures-prophet.html

Mohammad,

Qur’aan speaks about the first part of the pledge, the Shahadah – There is no God but God and the second part – Muhammad is God’s messenger. These two are not together in Qur’aan, but have been in practice. It does give a complete sense to the pledge. I believe most Muslims are aware of it.

I do agree with you that a few Muslims adore the Prophet to a point of making him next to God, that adulation makes one human, granted that is not part of the essence of Islam. Prophet was abundantly clear that only God is to be worshipped and one else, that he is God’s messenger like the other messengers, that the focus ought to be the message and not the messenger.

The point to be made is that no Muslim worships the Prophet, he is adored, praises are sung for him and he was about freedom, liberty and justice. Even the few Muslims, who almost make him God like, will respond to you that he is not God, if you were to ask them the blunt question.

Today’s Muslims or Muslims in the past have given an exalted status to Prophet Muhammad. That does not mean that they ever think less of other prophets. No Muslim in the world has ever said a derogatory word about Moses, Adam, Solomon, David, Jacob, and Joseph, John the Baptist or Jesus. It is part of their faith to respect all the prophets and messengers, whether they are know (25 of them) them or not (123, 975 of them). 124,000 Prophet is a metaphorical number to mean infinity, I don’t know if it has any mathematical component to it, but it simply means to respect the teacher, the imparter of knowledge who works to create peace and justice in the world, no matter who it is, it is God sent.

Thank you.

Mike Ghouse
World Muslim Congress..
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Necon bait from Netherlands

Mike Ghouse September 30, 2020 Comments Off

This article was first Published on January 20, 2008 at – :

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/01/necon-bait-from-netherlands.html

The old Banker economist of Great Britain had written about how to get rid of torn up bad currency; he came up with a law called Gresham’s law – which states “Good money will chase bad money out of circulation”.

Muslims can learn from this law – the only way to kill a bad idea is to flood good ideas on the market. This is in response to the upcoming ten minutes documentary made by Geert Wilders; a Dutch conservative lawmaker, and is billed as “a ten-minute film exposing the horrific passages of the Koran.” This is expected to be aired on January 25th. All hell may freeze over and may pass without any incidence.

First of all, the horrific pages they are referring to are misunderstood phrases, and it is our duty to produce equally good documentaries to present the truth. We must avoid the temptation to preach or teach, but simply present it as information for people to review. Let people make up their own minds. The hard core Neocons* will not even see it, as their counterparts, Muslim Neocons will not see their documentary either. Both are trouble makers, their duel is messing the peace loving majority of Muslims, Christians and others. We need to speak up.

The movie is produced with the mal-intention of maligning Islam and agitating Muslims. It will test the mettle of Muslims. Let’s not fall prey to this bait. If we do nothing positive about it, shame on us, as a community.

Here are a few thoughts that can be enhanced, enriched, modified to make it work for us.

1. The Imams can deliver sermons asking people to follow the Prophet’s example, where he prayed for those who pelted stones at him. Truth is far more important than the job and the people will always support the truth. Let the few who scream, keep screaming, it is time to discipline those cranky babies.

2. The goodness has to spread faster than badness and our Imams can bring about this change in a short period of time, but it is the responsibility of each Muslim.

3. Our Imams ought to take a personal interest in making at least 5 calls to the imams they know overseas and let that multiply. I do know that every Imam in America and Perhaps Canada is a peace maker, but we cannot say that about some of the Europeans and others.

4. Our Imams can turn the tide around and become the peace makers; i.e., mitigating conflicts and nurturing goodwill.

5. The Mosque administrators can distribute fliers and constantly talk to those few, just those few extremists whose head does not comprehend peace.

6. It is in our interest and interests of the world of Islam to put the extremists behind bars. That is what Islam is about, peace making.

7. It is rather shameful to be in a position of defending, let’s fix our rascals and get out of our defensive mode.

8. May Allah give us the guts to take firm stand against extremism?

9. May Allah drain the fear of rocking the boat and embolden us to speak out the truth.

10. May Allah drain the fear of them bad boys, in reality they are chicken crap, and we can stop them by simply speaking up. Quote the Qur’aan to shut them up. Qur’aan does not support them.

11. Produce documentaries showing the truth with the intention of gaining the viewers to consider another version, rather than preaching or dawaing as it would be counter productive.

12. Lastly, each one of us needs to monitor any kind of extremism. All it takes is one idiot to make the lives of 1.5 Billion Muslims miserable. We should do our struggle to contain these elements that would be our good deed.

13. Please mellow this message down or strengthen it and share with other Muslims. Every day those ugly Neocons are bombarding the airwaves with their propaganda, and our Neocons are giving a life to them. A majority of the public does not believe those liars, but each passing day, they are gaining believers.

You and I need to do our share of goodness, and that is to check germination or growth of extremists’ thoughts, actions and words.

*The word Neocon is used to represent extremists in all faiths, cultures and races.

We have begun the process of addressing those verses at Qur’aan-information tab at http://www.worldmuslimcongress.com/ . Insha Allah, the misunderstood verses addressed in the documentary will also be explained.

Mike Ghouse

http://www.worldmuslimcongress.com/
Good for Muslim and Good for the world.