The
following Petition is an expression of Muslims and Muslim Organizations to
register their
protest, repentance and restoration of Justice.
URL- http://nabsites.net/demo/muslims-condemn-acts-of-violence/
March
9, 2013 – Lahore, Pakistan, A mob of Muslims burnt down about 150 homes of
Christians living in Joseph Town near Lahore, and the carnage continues. “As
Muslims, we are embarrassed and ashamed of these men who call themselves
Muslims, we condemn these acts unequivocally.” commented Mike Ghouse who heads
the World Muslim Congress, a think tank in Dallas, Texas.
The Muslim
majority is deeply concerned about it. We urge Pakistani Muslim Americans in
particular, and Muslims around the world in General to create a fund to
rehabilitate the families who have lost their homes, that is the least we can do
as repentance.
Muslims at
large are at fault for allowing the abuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, which
is anathema to the Character of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), regarded as mercy to
the mankind. It is time for Muslims to mean it.
Do Prophet, Quran and God
need our protection?
What do parents do when their child runs out on the
street? Protect, protect and protect from all the perceived threats. They do
that because their child is not capable of defending him or herself from the
street bullies. What do you do when you little daughter is in conflict with the otherl? You protect, protect and
protect.
If we believe that the Prophet needs our protection, then we are
dead wrong. He has been around and will be there through eternity. As Muslims,
we need to believe in him, he is not going anywhere nor will he be hurt or
harmed with any insults.
Don’t we proudly talk about Hazrat Umar’s
examples of justice? It is time to believe and act now.
The 2nd Caliph of
Islam Umar was known for Justice. Once, he refused to punish a thief, as he saw
that the state fell short of the responsibility to create a society where the
man did not have to steal food to feed his hungry kids, the very basic needs of
life.
The condition for Christians in Pakistan is shameful.
Asia
Bibi was denied water from a public source because an arrogant Muslim woman was
drawing the water from the same well at that time. That is most egregious
insult; denial of water. What were her choices? Even if she had cursed the
arrogant Muslim lady, her religion or her prophet, Hazrat Umar would have
forgiven her due to circumstances. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would have gone a
step further; he would
have set a model for Muslims to follow. He would not only have forgiven her, but
perhaps carried her water to her home. After all he was Rahmatul Aalameen, a
mercy to mankind, was he not?
There was another incident, where an Imam
burnt a page from Quran to frame a Christian, he should have been
nailed.
Prophet is not going anywhere.
Islam is not going
anywhere; prophet is not going anywhere, and by opening ourselves up to
criticism, we will learn a lot more about our faith than we would ever know. We
need to move away from intolerance to acceptance of a different point of view
without having to agree with it. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lived through it and
Muslims can learn from his examples.
Criticism can fade away or rain on
us depending on how Muslims respond to it. Lack of conviction in one’s faith
breeds intolerance towards criticism, whereas firmness in faith can lead us to
learn from criticism, explore the infinite wisdom and realize the strength of
our faith (Imaan); a worthy feeling to have, instead of living in doubt and
shooing criticism away.
Pastor Jeffress of Dallas called the Quran, a
false book written by the false prophet. We looked at the examples of the
prophet and followed his graceful model and held an unusual Quran conference
with non-Muslim clergy on the panel to address the issue. A full accounting of the event, including extensive media
interviews and the program in details is at www.QuraanConference.com
When
you have an issue with your spouse and child, you don’t scream and shut them
down; the problem will not go away unless you face it and solve the issue. When
people accept the solutions willingly, we will have peace. The Christians, Shia,
Ahmadiyya, Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities in Pakistan need to feel safe.
They must be heard and justice must be served, isn’t Islam is all about
that?
I urge fellow Muslims to be open to all the criticism with
confidence, don’t shut it, and let freedom of speech be the corner stone of
Islam. Islam stands on its own; it does not need our defense, and it is silly to
protect God or the Prophet, they are not weaklings or our property to protect,
they belong to the whole universe, don’t they?
If they curse the
prophet, prophet is not going to be cursed, have the strength in your faith and
return badness with Good; we know all the examples of his work. When you hear
someone curse the prophet, just say I am sorry you feel that way, but if you
wish to seek the truth, find it on your own or I will connect you with someone
who can guide you, if you don’t that is your choice and nothing will come off me
or the prophet, your words do not have the power to reduce Islam or the prophet,
I will pray peace of mind to you.
Islam is not going anywhere, prophet
is not going anywhere, and by opening up you will enjoy your Imaan (faith)
immensely with genuine admiration for its wisdom. I thank Allah for helping me
see the light and beauty of Islam, and you can too.
This petition is
authored by Mike Ghouse of World Muslim Congress and initially supported by the
following Muslim Organizations.
World Muslim Congress, United
States
MCC for Human Services, Texas
Ninteen Organization,
United States
REFERENCES – Standing up for humanity
http://nabsites.net/demo/sunni-muslims-at-shia-and-ahmadiyya/