Peace.
It's been a long time, and I apologize. I've been busy with university work, as well as pursuing my own personal research into Islamic topics.
Some time ago I finished transcribing Allamah al-Hilli's book "Bab al-Hadi 'Ashar" for tashayyu.org . It goes over logical and philosophical reasoning for Shi'i aqeeda, starting with the existence of God and ending off with the Resurrection.
You can read it in its entirety here: http://www.tashayyu.org/kalam/al-bab-al-hadi-ashar
The other reason for the lack of updates is because I've been trying to do a lot more reading than speaking. I feel that I still need to study Muslim literature and finalize my position on several topics before writing more blog entries. Insha'allah you will see more soon. For now, I leave you with this:
From the ShiaChat thread: "Are the shia wasting their knowledge?"
http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234971647-are-the-shia-wasting-their-knowledge/page__pid__1992929__st__0&#entry1992929
...Apologeticism (through speeches, debates, etc.) is essentially a basterdization of knowledge. Actual tangible literature will always be worth more academically than a speech or debate, because through writing, one could present references, quotes, and simply more precise and resourceful language in general. Actually pulling out an Islamic source and reading it will usually do you better than listening to what a sheikh has to say. So from that perspective, yes, our school's standards are much higher than the likes of Jimmy Swaggart and Zakir Naik.
But where I disagree is here: how many people pursue religion as an interest? How many have the time and patience to look through resources for themselves? How many have the mind to think about deep theological, political, historical and philosophical matters? Very few. Most people are disinterested in this sort of thing. We're losing Islamic youth pop culture; music, sex, drugs, alcohol, parties, secularism, liberalism, "conservatism", and worst of all, ignorance.
Speakers are necessary to reel in those of either simple mind or simple taste. So even if that means simplifying knowledge and getting it out there in a charismatic manner, I think it's well worth it, because it will at least slightly push the masses in the proper direction, and inspire more to look into matters closely. The only request is that such people are knowledgeable. And I don't mean a university graduate; I mean someone who has really spent many years and even decades learning before speaking.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Al Babu l'Hadi 'Ashar
Salaam 'Alaykum
Recently I've been busy with a myriad of things, but more recently with the transcribing of Allamah al-Hilli's "Babu l'Hadi 'Ashar" or "The Eleventh Chapter", al-Hilli's most famous work. It covers proof of God, His Positive qualities, His Privative Qualities, His Justice, Prophecy, Imamate, and the Resurrection.
I'm writing it for MacIsaac's http://www.tashayyu.org , but I will put up a little sneak-peak of section 1 here on Advent Islam. Expect the full text on Tashayyu.org soon.
AL BABU 'L-HADI 'ASHAR
"A Treatise on the Principles of Shi'ite Theology"
Hassan b. Yusuf b. 'Ali ibnu'l-Mutahhar al-Hilli
Translated from Arabic by William McElwee Miller, M.A., B.D.
London. Published by the Royal Asiatic Society. 74, Grosvenor Street W. 1928.
Transcribed by Qa'im ibn Mohamad
Section 1: Proof of the Self-Existent
Concerning what is incumbent (wajib) among all mukallafs regarding the knowledge (ma'rifa) of the foundations of religion (din).
And the doctors have all agreed in considering incumbent the knowledge (ma'rifa) of Allah, the Most High, and of His Positive and Privative Qualities, and of what is proper for Him, and of what is impossible for Him, and of Prophecy, and of the Imamate, and of the Return.
And all of this is by proof, (dalil), not by imitation (taqlid)
And so it is necessary to mention those things regarding which it is not possible for a single Muslim to be ignorant, and whoever is ignorant as to any of them is outside the bond (riqba) of believers and deserve everlasting punishment.
And he has arranged this chapter in sections. The first chapter is in proof of the self-existent (wajibu'l-wujudi li-dhatihi, the necessarily existent in itself). So we say that every object of thought is either necessarily existent objectively in itself, or is possible of existence in itself (mumkinu'l-wujud), or else is impossible of existence in itself (mumtani'u'l-wujud).
And there is no doubt that here [in the universe] there is that exists of necessity. If this be the necessity in itself, then that is what we were seeking. And if it be the possible, then it would need a bringer-into-existence (mujid) which would bring it into existence or necessity. Now if the bringer-into-existence be the necessary in itself, then that is what we were seeking. And if it be the possible, then it would need another bringer-into-existence. If it be the first, then it is a circle, and that is a fallacy of necessity. And if it be another possible, then it is an endless chain, and that also is a fallacy. For all the links in this chain which include all possible existences (al-mumkinat) are possible of necessity. Hence they share the impossibility of existence in itself. Hence they need some bringer-into-existence necessarily outside of themselves. Then that is the necessary (al-wajib) of necessity - which was what we were seeking.
Recently I've been busy with a myriad of things, but more recently with the transcribing of Allamah al-Hilli's "Babu l'Hadi 'Ashar" or "The Eleventh Chapter", al-Hilli's most famous work. It covers proof of God, His Positive qualities, His Privative Qualities, His Justice, Prophecy, Imamate, and the Resurrection.
I'm writing it for MacIsaac's http://www.tashayyu.org , but I will put up a little sneak-peak of section 1 here on Advent Islam. Expect the full text on Tashayyu.org soon.
AL BABU 'L-HADI 'ASHAR
"A Treatise on the Principles of Shi'ite Theology"
Hassan b. Yusuf b. 'Ali ibnu'l-Mutahhar al-Hilli
Translated from Arabic by William McElwee Miller, M.A., B.D.
London. Published by the Royal Asiatic Society. 74, Grosvenor Street W. 1928.
Transcribed by Qa'im ibn Mohamad
Section 1: Proof of the Self-Existent
Concerning what is incumbent (wajib) among all mukallafs regarding the knowledge (ma'rifa) of the foundations of religion (din).
And the doctors have all agreed in considering incumbent the knowledge (ma'rifa) of Allah, the Most High, and of His Positive and Privative Qualities, and of what is proper for Him, and of what is impossible for Him, and of Prophecy, and of the Imamate, and of the Return.
And all of this is by proof, (dalil), not by imitation (taqlid)
And so it is necessary to mention those things regarding which it is not possible for a single Muslim to be ignorant, and whoever is ignorant as to any of them is outside the bond (riqba) of believers and deserve everlasting punishment.
And he has arranged this chapter in sections. The first chapter is in proof of the self-existent (wajibu'l-wujudi li-dhatihi, the necessarily existent in itself). So we say that every object of thought is either necessarily existent objectively in itself, or is possible of existence in itself (mumkinu'l-wujud), or else is impossible of existence in itself (mumtani'u'l-wujud).
And there is no doubt that here [in the universe] there is that exists of necessity. If this be the necessity in itself, then that is what we were seeking. And if it be the possible, then it would need a bringer-into-existence (mujid) which would bring it into existence or necessity. Now if the bringer-into-existence be the necessary in itself, then that is what we were seeking. And if it be the possible, then it would need another bringer-into-existence. If it be the first, then it is a circle, and that is a fallacy of necessity. And if it be another possible, then it is an endless chain, and that also is a fallacy. For all the links in this chain which include all possible existences (al-mumkinat) are possible of necessity. Hence they share the impossibility of existence in itself. Hence they need some bringer-into-existence necessarily outside of themselves. Then that is the necessary (al-wajib) of necessity - which was what we were seeking.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Update
Salaam 'Alaykum,
May the peace, blessings, and mercy of God be upon you all, and on His righteous worshipers.
I haven't been posting very often due to a recent business in my everyday life. Work has been taking a lot of hours from me, and I have been awfully sick. I have the flu (not swine, just the regular flu), so I have been on anti biotics and taking as many naps as I can when I'm at home. I've got a constant headache, throat ache, stuffy nose and I've been overall drowsy. Alhamdulilah, praise be to God, that I am not worse, and praise be to God that I am getting better. And He is the best Healer.
I've also been working for brother MacIsaac on his Tashayyu.org website. I'm currently transcribing an English version of 'Alama al-Hilli's book, al-Bab al-Hadi-'Ashar (the 11th Door), which is an analysis of concepts such as God, His Justice, Prophethood, Imamate, etc. If all goes as planned, insha'allah I will have it on his website by next week.
I plan on returning for regular articles here @ Advent Islam sometime next month. Until then, you will hear from me once in a while. You can find me at ShiaChat.com as well, under the username Qa'im.
Please remember me in your du'a,
May God bless His prophets and His worshipers,
- Qa'im
May the peace, blessings, and mercy of God be upon you all, and on His righteous worshipers.
I haven't been posting very often due to a recent business in my everyday life. Work has been taking a lot of hours from me, and I have been awfully sick. I have the flu (not swine, just the regular flu), so I have been on anti biotics and taking as many naps as I can when I'm at home. I've got a constant headache, throat ache, stuffy nose and I've been overall drowsy. Alhamdulilah, praise be to God, that I am not worse, and praise be to God that I am getting better. And He is the best Healer.
I've also been working for brother MacIsaac on his Tashayyu.org website. I'm currently transcribing an English version of 'Alama al-Hilli's book, al-Bab al-Hadi-'Ashar (the 11th Door), which is an analysis of concepts such as God, His Justice, Prophethood, Imamate, etc. If all goes as planned, insha'allah I will have it on his website by next week.
I plan on returning for regular articles here @ Advent Islam sometime next month. Until then, you will hear from me once in a while. You can find me at ShiaChat.com as well, under the username Qa'im.
Please remember me in your du'a,
May God bless His prophets and His worshipers,
- Qa'im
Saturday, April 18, 2009
tashayyu.org
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you all.
Our good brother MacIsaac, a prominent Shi'i Muslim revert and an admin at the ShiaChat forums, has started a database. This website, www.tashayyu.org , is a dedicated effort towards compiling and translating classical Twelver documents.
It already includes a small collection of ahadith, works of kalam fiqh, as well as other studies. It is a work in progress, but insha'allah, brother MacIsaac will be expanding it.
http://www.tashayyu.org/
Our good brother MacIsaac, a prominent Shi'i Muslim revert and an admin at the ShiaChat forums, has started a database. This website, www.tashayyu.org , is a dedicated effort towards compiling and translating classical Twelver documents.
It already includes a small collection of ahadith, works of kalam fiqh, as well as other studies. It is a work in progress, but insha'allah, brother MacIsaac will be expanding it.
http://www.tashayyu.org/
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wisdom of Imam Ja'far (a)
Source: al-Kafi: Book 3, Chapter 1, Number 159
Abdullah al-Deesani, an atheist had a dialogue with Hisham Ibn Hakam.
The Atheist: Do you believe in God?
Hisham replied in affirmative.
The Atheist: Is He Almighty?
Hisham: Yes, He is Almighty and All-Powerful.
The Atheist: Can He put the whole world inside an egg without enlarging the size of the egg or diminishing the volume of the world?
Hisham: Give me some time to think over it.
The Atheist: I give you one whole year, and left.
Hisham went to see Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) in a hurry and said: O Son of the Prophet Muhammad (p), Deesani has put a challenging question to me and as regards its answer I cannot rely on anyone except God or you.
Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) asked: What was the question?
Hisham related the question of Deesani.
The Imam (p): O Hisham! How many sense-organs you have?
Hisham replied: Five.
The Imam (p): Which one is the smallest among them?
Hisham: The pupil of the eye.
The Imam (p): What is the size of the pupil of the eye?
Hisham: About the size of a grain of lentil or a part of it.
The Imam (p): Alright, now look around and tell me what you see.
Hisham: I see the sky, the earth, the houses, the spacious mansions, the mountains and the rivers, etc.
The Imam (p): The One Who can put all you see inside a grain of lentil or a part of the same can also insert the entire world inside an egg without enlarging the size of the egg or diminishing the size of the world.
On hearing this Hisham was overjoyed and fell down on his face performing a prostration and kissed the hands, feet and forehead of the Imam (p) and said: O Son of the Prophet Muhammad (p), this answer will be sufficient for me.
Hisham returned to his place. The very next day Deesani came to see Hisham and said: O Hisham, I have just come to greet you and have not come for an answer to my question.
Hisham: Even so, here is the answer to your question.
Hisham then told him what the Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) had said in answer to his question.
Deesani then went to see the Imam (p) and requested an audience with him. The Imam (p) granted his request.
Addressing the Imam (p) Deesani said: O Jafar son of Muhammad! Show me the way to my God.
The Imam (p) asked him his name.
Deesani left abruptly without answering.
His friends asked him: Why did you not tell your name?
Abdullah al-Deesani said: If I had told him my name – Abdullah – he would have said, ‘Who is this One whose servant are you.’ (Note: Abdullah means ‘Servant of Allah’).
His friends said: Go to see the Imam (p) again and request him to guide you to your God without asking your name.
Deesani went to see the Imam (p) again and said: O Jafar son of Muhammad, guide me to my God but do not ask my name.
The Imam (p) asked him to sit down and relax. Deesani did so. Perchance a young boy was playing nearby and had an egg in his hand.
Addressing the young boy the Imam (p) said: Let me have this egg for a while.
The boy handed over the egg to the Imam (p).
Addressing Deesani the Imam (p) said: This is a protected castle. It has a hard covering and beneath the hard covering there is a fine covering and beneath that fine covering there is liquid gold and molten silver. Neither the molten silver intermingles with the liquid gold nor do the liquid gold merges into the molten silver and both remain as they are. Nothing comes out of it to divulge the secret of its precision and nothing enters in it to control the internal balance. No one knows if the final product will be a male or a female. All of a sudden it splits and results in a peacock like multicolored offspring. Do you not see a Supreme power behind all this?
Deesani remained engrossed in deep thought and then exclaimed: I bear witness that there is no god but God and that He is One and has no partners and that Prophet Muhammad (p) is His bondman and His apostle and I also bear witness that you are a divinely ordained Imam and the proof of His existence and I hereby disown all my previous misconceptions.
Abdullah al-Deesani, an atheist had a dialogue with Hisham Ibn Hakam.
The Atheist: Do you believe in God?
Hisham replied in affirmative.
The Atheist: Is He Almighty?
Hisham: Yes, He is Almighty and All-Powerful.
The Atheist: Can He put the whole world inside an egg without enlarging the size of the egg or diminishing the volume of the world?
Hisham: Give me some time to think over it.
The Atheist: I give you one whole year, and left.
Hisham went to see Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) in a hurry and said: O Son of the Prophet Muhammad (p), Deesani has put a challenging question to me and as regards its answer I cannot rely on anyone except God or you.
Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) asked: What was the question?
Hisham related the question of Deesani.
The Imam (p): O Hisham! How many sense-organs you have?
Hisham replied: Five.
The Imam (p): Which one is the smallest among them?
Hisham: The pupil of the eye.
The Imam (p): What is the size of the pupil of the eye?
Hisham: About the size of a grain of lentil or a part of it.
The Imam (p): Alright, now look around and tell me what you see.
Hisham: I see the sky, the earth, the houses, the spacious mansions, the mountains and the rivers, etc.
The Imam (p): The One Who can put all you see inside a grain of lentil or a part of the same can also insert the entire world inside an egg without enlarging the size of the egg or diminishing the size of the world.
On hearing this Hisham was overjoyed and fell down on his face performing a prostration and kissed the hands, feet and forehead of the Imam (p) and said: O Son of the Prophet Muhammad (p), this answer will be sufficient for me.
Hisham returned to his place. The very next day Deesani came to see Hisham and said: O Hisham, I have just come to greet you and have not come for an answer to my question.
Hisham: Even so, here is the answer to your question.
Hisham then told him what the Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) had said in answer to his question.
Deesani then went to see the Imam (p) and requested an audience with him. The Imam (p) granted his request.
Addressing the Imam (p) Deesani said: O Jafar son of Muhammad! Show me the way to my God.
The Imam (p) asked him his name.
Deesani left abruptly without answering.
His friends asked him: Why did you not tell your name?
Abdullah al-Deesani said: If I had told him my name – Abdullah – he would have said, ‘Who is this One whose servant are you.’ (Note: Abdullah means ‘Servant of Allah’).
His friends said: Go to see the Imam (p) again and request him to guide you to your God without asking your name.
Deesani went to see the Imam (p) again and said: O Jafar son of Muhammad, guide me to my God but do not ask my name.
The Imam (p) asked him to sit down and relax. Deesani did so. Perchance a young boy was playing nearby and had an egg in his hand.
Addressing the young boy the Imam (p) said: Let me have this egg for a while.
The boy handed over the egg to the Imam (p).
Addressing Deesani the Imam (p) said: This is a protected castle. It has a hard covering and beneath the hard covering there is a fine covering and beneath that fine covering there is liquid gold and molten silver. Neither the molten silver intermingles with the liquid gold nor do the liquid gold merges into the molten silver and both remain as they are. Nothing comes out of it to divulge the secret of its precision and nothing enters in it to control the internal balance. No one knows if the final product will be a male or a female. All of a sudden it splits and results in a peacock like multicolored offspring. Do you not see a Supreme power behind all this?
Deesani remained engrossed in deep thought and then exclaimed: I bear witness that there is no god but God and that He is One and has no partners and that Prophet Muhammad (p) is His bondman and His apostle and I also bear witness that you are a divinely ordained Imam and the proof of His existence and I hereby disown all my previous misconceptions.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sunni/Shi'ah Dialogue Re-uploaded
Salam Alaykum,
It has come to my attention that the previous link for the big Sunni Shi'ah dialogue on the Islam and Friends show is down. Though, it has been re-uploaded to a different channel.
This was a dialogue performed in January, by brother Rex (Islam and Friends host), brother MacIsaac (ShiaChat host, representing the Shi'i side), myself (Advent Islam blogger, dialogue host), and brother Orthodox (Sunni side). It was a very informative discussion, and everyone was very respectful. If you'd like to hear it, click below:
It has come to my attention that the previous link for the big Sunni Shi'ah dialogue on the Islam and Friends show is down. Though, it has been re-uploaded to a different channel.
This was a dialogue performed in January, by brother Rex (Islam and Friends host), brother MacIsaac (ShiaChat host, representing the Shi'i side), myself (Advent Islam blogger, dialogue host), and brother Orthodox (Sunni side). It was a very informative discussion, and everyone was very respectful. If you'd like to hear it, click below:
Monday, March 16, 2009
In response to brother Shalmo...
Peace be upon you all, and may God bless His prophets and those chosen to carry out God's righteous duties.
I would like to make a quick response to brother Shalmo, who has commented on my latest post here on Advent Islam. Firstly, Salam 'Alaykum brother, and thank you for your comment.
Firstly, you claim that I give greater authority to the Sunni 'Sahih' books than the words of the 12 A'immah (a). This is contrary to what I have been saying both on the forums and on this blog - in fact, I have an article here which disproves the infallibility of Sahih Bukhari. However, the reason why I sometimes site ahadith from these sources is due to my large Sunni Muslim audience (check the poll to the right) and my familiarity with Sunni Muslim sources (me being a former Sunni Muslim myself). There are still many ahadith in these Sunni Muslim sources which prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, in the 12 A'immah.
For example, my article on Imam al-Mehdi (a) uses a multitude of ahadith from various Sunni Muslim sources, in an effort for them to realize that their own books support ideas such as 12 Successors, the Mehdi's rule, the Occultation, etc.
Secondly, you have said that the 12 A'immah are the best source. One must remember that the Qur'an is first and foremost, the best source for Islam ad Muslimeen, as it is the authentic word of God. This is why, more than anything else, I use the Qur'an. I am still in the process of studying al-Kafi, Sahifa'l Sajjadiya, and other collections in Arabic, which is why I haven't cited them as much as the Qur'an, Nahjul Balagha, Bukhari, etc. Insha'allah I will use these alternate sources in the future.
At the end of your post, you claimed that I am 'just another sectarian'. You have also claimed that I am a kafir (heretic). Do you have evidence for these claims? I have always been FOR reconciliation between the Sunni and Shi'ah, and my personal beliefs are ones that do not contradict the Qur'an, the authentic ahadith of the Prophet (s) or the authentic sayings of Ahlul Bayt. The only thing they do contradict are the extreme views of some in the Sunni Muslim and Shi'i sects; views such as a "perfect" sahaba, "completely sahih" collections, incarnation of the Ahlul Bayt (from light to flesh), etc.
And finally in response to Kevin, I do not have AIM, but I do have an MSN. You can find me at qaim[AT]live.ca
I would like to make a quick response to brother Shalmo, who has commented on my latest post here on Advent Islam. Firstly, Salam 'Alaykum brother, and thank you for your comment.
Firstly, you claim that I give greater authority to the Sunni 'Sahih' books than the words of the 12 A'immah (a). This is contrary to what I have been saying both on the forums and on this blog - in fact, I have an article here which disproves the infallibility of Sahih Bukhari. However, the reason why I sometimes site ahadith from these sources is due to my large Sunni Muslim audience (check the poll to the right) and my familiarity with Sunni Muslim sources (me being a former Sunni Muslim myself). There are still many ahadith in these Sunni Muslim sources which prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, in the 12 A'immah.
For example, my article on Imam al-Mehdi (a) uses a multitude of ahadith from various Sunni Muslim sources, in an effort for them to realize that their own books support ideas such as 12 Successors, the Mehdi's rule, the Occultation, etc.
Secondly, you have said that the 12 A'immah are the best source. One must remember that the Qur'an is first and foremost, the best source for Islam ad Muslimeen, as it is the authentic word of God. This is why, more than anything else, I use the Qur'an. I am still in the process of studying al-Kafi, Sahifa'l Sajjadiya, and other collections in Arabic, which is why I haven't cited them as much as the Qur'an, Nahjul Balagha, Bukhari, etc. Insha'allah I will use these alternate sources in the future.
At the end of your post, you claimed that I am 'just another sectarian'. You have also claimed that I am a kafir (heretic). Do you have evidence for these claims? I have always been FOR reconciliation between the Sunni and Shi'ah, and my personal beliefs are ones that do not contradict the Qur'an, the authentic ahadith of the Prophet (s) or the authentic sayings of Ahlul Bayt. The only thing they do contradict are the extreme views of some in the Sunni Muslim and Shi'i sects; views such as a "perfect" sahaba, "completely sahih" collections, incarnation of the Ahlul Bayt (from light to flesh), etc.
And finally in response to Kevin, I do not have AIM, but I do have an MSN. You can find me at qaim[AT]live.ca
Monday, March 9, 2009
Show of Sunnah-Shi'ah Unity in 'Iraq
Picture: http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-03/45433986.jpg
Alhamdulilah! Praise be to God for all that is, was, and will be. May His peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you all.
Today, the effort of the Islamic unity campaign has shown tremendous results. 'Iraq, which is the most volatile region in the world, has been a stand off between Sunni Muslims and Shi'i Muslims for decades. First, with the brutal and biased rule of President Saddam Hussein, then with the 'Iraq & Iran war, and again after the U.S. invasion of 'Iraq. In the early years of the war, Sunni Muslims and their resistance had been prime targets of the U.S. occupation and Shi'i militias, and Shi'i civilians were the targets of groups like Al Qaeda in Iraq.
But today, in the city of Samarra, Sunni Muslims welcomed over 1 million Shi'i pilgrims for prayer at the Imam Hassan al-Askari (a) shrine to mark to anniversary of his death. al-Askari (a) is the 11th Imam in Twelver ideology. The shrine, which was attacked in 2006, is in its final stages of reconstruction.
About 5,000 Sunni and Shi'i Muslims attended a joint-prayer in Samarra's Grand Mosque, chanting slogans such as "Sunni and Shi'ah are brothers!" and "This homeland won't be betrayed!". Praise be to God and Him alone, no attacks, no dead and no wounded in this special occasion.
The significance of this event shows that 'Iraq is finally beginning to turn the page. Sectarian tensions have been down recently, with less 'Iraqis being killed or captured based on sectarian lines than ever before. I, at Advent Islam, hope that 'Iraqis continues to rebuild its unity, and continues on the path of Islamic unity - pleasing God.
Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq-samarra7-2009mar07,0,6090449.story
Alhamdulilah! Praise be to God for all that is, was, and will be. May His peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you all.
Today, the effort of the Islamic unity campaign has shown tremendous results. 'Iraq, which is the most volatile region in the world, has been a stand off between Sunni Muslims and Shi'i Muslims for decades. First, with the brutal and biased rule of President Saddam Hussein, then with the 'Iraq & Iran war, and again after the U.S. invasion of 'Iraq. In the early years of the war, Sunni Muslims and their resistance had been prime targets of the U.S. occupation and Shi'i militias, and Shi'i civilians were the targets of groups like Al Qaeda in Iraq.
But today, in the city of Samarra, Sunni Muslims welcomed over 1 million Shi'i pilgrims for prayer at the Imam Hassan al-Askari (a) shrine to mark to anniversary of his death. al-Askari (a) is the 11th Imam in Twelver ideology. The shrine, which was attacked in 2006, is in its final stages of reconstruction.
About 5,000 Sunni and Shi'i Muslims attended a joint-prayer in Samarra's Grand Mosque, chanting slogans such as "Sunni and Shi'ah are brothers!" and "This homeland won't be betrayed!". Praise be to God and Him alone, no attacks, no dead and no wounded in this special occasion.
The significance of this event shows that 'Iraq is finally beginning to turn the page. Sectarian tensions have been down recently, with less 'Iraqis being killed or captured based on sectarian lines than ever before. I, at Advent Islam, hope that 'Iraqis continues to rebuild its unity, and continues on the path of Islamic unity - pleasing God.
Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq-samarra7-2009mar07,0,6090449.story
Friday, March 6, 2009
Ash-Shamsy wal Qamar - The Sun and the Moon (poem)
Salamu 'Alaykum, may peace be with you all.
I've just written a poem. It's based the Prophet Muhammed (s) on his Farewell pilgrimage, I hope you all like it. Hint: Read the first letter of each line starting at the 3rd stanza.
Imagery: the Sun = Prophet Muhammed (s) and the Moon = Imam 'Ali (a)
http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=234960413
I've just written a poem. It's based the Prophet Muhammed (s) on his Farewell pilgrimage, I hope you all like it. Hint: Read the first letter of each line starting at the 3rd stanza.
Imagery: the Sun = Prophet Muhammed (s) and the Moon = Imam 'Ali (a)
http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=234960413
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
American Propaganda - 7 Fatal Lies in 6 Minutes
Peace.
Some in the West say they take pride in their unbiased media, which is ran by the people and not by the state. However, to say that media stations only relay factual and/or unbiased information is an absolutely baseless statement.
Glenn Beck is a famous news anchor, who appears on CNN and FOX News. He is the biggest perpetrator of anti-Muslim propaganda and rhetoric, and by far the most biased anti-Muslim who appears on television. Here is what he had to say about the 12 Imam and Iran:
Let us try to skip his foolish behavior, poor jokes and inability to speak properly as a news anchor. I won't be concentrating my blog on that, but rather I will tackle his arguments and expose his bias.
#1. The guest speaker, Joel Rosenberg, was a senior Israeli aid and expert on Bible Prophecy (book of Revelations). This, right away, creates a problem: one who is affiliated with Israel and a perpetrator of modern evangelism can already be assumed as an anti-Muslim, anti-Iranian and anti-Arab without even opening his mouth. However, let's tackle what he and Glenn here had to say.
#2. Due to Ahmedinejad's phrase "May Allah hasten the return of the Mehdi", Glenn Beck and Rosenberg believe we are living in the end of days. Rosenberg speaks about Iran using nuclear warheads, despite the fact that the UN has already professed that there is absolutely no evidence that Iran is building nuclear weapons. Also, this communication satelite he talks about is not a warhead - Iran cannot hit the U.S or Europe, despite what Rosenberg says.
#3. Rosenberg says the 12 Imam (a) is the Messiah. Wrong. The Messiah is Jesus (a). Evangelists love to hide this fact, that we do in fact believe in Jesus (a), and we do believe he will return in the end times to create his kingdom of peace and justice.
#4. Rosenberg says that in order to 'hasten the return', Muslims must kill 'millions of people', and destroy the 'little Satan' and 'great Satan', Israel and the U.S. Where does he get this information? Does the Qur'an say this? No. Do any ahadith say this? No. The U.S. and Israel are not even mentioned in our scriptures, nor are we EVER instructed to annihilate entire countries. These are just clear falsities.
#5. Glenn Beck says the Imam al-Mehdi will rule from ancient Babylon. He takes this from the Bible, the book of Revelations, where the Anti-Christ rules from Babylon. Imam al-Mehdi will rule from Mecca and Medina, not Babylon.
#6. Glenn Beck and Rosenberg say the Imam al-Mehdi prophecy fits with the book of Revelations' "Anti-Christ" exactly. This is implies that the Mehdi and Anti-Christ are one in the same, which means Beck believes Islam is a devil-inspired religion. He is hiding the fact that Imam al-Mehdi and the Muslims will help the Messiah Jesus (a) and vice versa.
#7. "Twelvers are so dangerous that even the Ayatollah Khomeini outlawed them completely" - Glenn Beck. "They're too nuts!" - Rosenberg.
Twelver Muslims are not outlawed from Iran! Most Iranians are twelvers!
Some in the West say they take pride in their unbiased media, which is ran by the people and not by the state. However, to say that media stations only relay factual and/or unbiased information is an absolutely baseless statement.
Glenn Beck is a famous news anchor, who appears on CNN and FOX News. He is the biggest perpetrator of anti-Muslim propaganda and rhetoric, and by far the most biased anti-Muslim who appears on television. Here is what he had to say about the 12 Imam and Iran:
Let us try to skip his foolish behavior, poor jokes and inability to speak properly as a news anchor. I won't be concentrating my blog on that, but rather I will tackle his arguments and expose his bias.
#1. The guest speaker, Joel Rosenberg, was a senior Israeli aid and expert on Bible Prophecy (book of Revelations). This, right away, creates a problem: one who is affiliated with Israel and a perpetrator of modern evangelism can already be assumed as an anti-Muslim, anti-Iranian and anti-Arab without even opening his mouth. However, let's tackle what he and Glenn here had to say.
#2. Due to Ahmedinejad's phrase "May Allah hasten the return of the Mehdi", Glenn Beck and Rosenberg believe we are living in the end of days. Rosenberg speaks about Iran using nuclear warheads, despite the fact that the UN has already professed that there is absolutely no evidence that Iran is building nuclear weapons. Also, this communication satelite he talks about is not a warhead - Iran cannot hit the U.S or Europe, despite what Rosenberg says.
#3. Rosenberg says the 12 Imam (a) is the Messiah. Wrong. The Messiah is Jesus (a). Evangelists love to hide this fact, that we do in fact believe in Jesus (a), and we do believe he will return in the end times to create his kingdom of peace and justice.
#4. Rosenberg says that in order to 'hasten the return', Muslims must kill 'millions of people', and destroy the 'little Satan' and 'great Satan', Israel and the U.S. Where does he get this information? Does the Qur'an say this? No. Do any ahadith say this? No. The U.S. and Israel are not even mentioned in our scriptures, nor are we EVER instructed to annihilate entire countries. These are just clear falsities.
#5. Glenn Beck says the Imam al-Mehdi will rule from ancient Babylon. He takes this from the Bible, the book of Revelations, where the Anti-Christ rules from Babylon. Imam al-Mehdi will rule from Mecca and Medina, not Babylon.
#6. Glenn Beck and Rosenberg say the Imam al-Mehdi prophecy fits with the book of Revelations' "Anti-Christ" exactly. This is implies that the Mehdi and Anti-Christ are one in the same, which means Beck believes Islam is a devil-inspired religion. He is hiding the fact that Imam al-Mehdi and the Muslims will help the Messiah Jesus (a) and vice versa.
#7. "Twelvers are so dangerous that even the Ayatollah Khomeini outlawed them completely" - Glenn Beck. "They're too nuts!" - Rosenberg.
Twelver Muslims are not outlawed from Iran! Most Iranians are twelvers!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
22 People Accept Islam
In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful
"When God's succour and triumph come, and you see people entering the religion of Islam in crowds, then hymn the praises of your Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Verily, He is ever ready to show mercy" (The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 110)
I've come across a video of a large group of 22 brothers and (mostly) sisters converting to Islam by the grace of God. They had converted after listening to Muslim speaker Khalid Yasin. Khalid is a mainstream Muslim speaker, with incredible public speaking skills, which cause many to join Islam after many of his lectures. He's not the most knowledgeable Muslim out there, but definitely a great speaker, something our Ummah has enjoyed in the West.
"When God's succour and triumph come, and you see people entering the religion of Islam in crowds, then hymn the praises of your Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Verily, He is ever ready to show mercy" (The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 110)
I've come across a video of a large group of 22 brothers and (mostly) sisters converting to Islam by the grace of God. They had converted after listening to Muslim speaker Khalid Yasin. Khalid is a mainstream Muslim speaker, with incredible public speaking skills, which cause many to join Islam after many of his lectures. He's not the most knowledgeable Muslim out there, but definitely a great speaker, something our Ummah has enjoyed in the West.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Islam & Friends: Sunni, Shi'ah, and Qa'im Dialogue
Salam Alaykum,
I've recently been involved in an Islamic dialogue between the Sunni and Shi'i sects on the Islam and Friends show. Brother MacIsaac, who was a Christian who converted to Buddhist, and then finally Shi'i Islam, represented the Shi'ah side. The Sunni Muslim side was represented by brother Orthodox786, a renowned debater of the Salafi school of thought.
I was the third person, but since I do not attribute myself to any sect, I was simply representing my beliefs as a Muslim. I mostly sat in the sidelines, but I had put in my input with ayat and ahadith every now and then. The dialogue was preformed very professionally, and much respect was put forth. I highly recommend you watch it or at least a part of it. Very interesting stuff, I must say:
I've recently been involved in an Islamic dialogue between the Sunni and Shi'i sects on the Islam and Friends show. Brother MacIsaac, who was a Christian who converted to Buddhist, and then finally Shi'i Islam, represented the Shi'ah side. The Sunni Muslim side was represented by brother Orthodox786, a renowned debater of the Salafi school of thought.
I was the third person, but since I do not attribute myself to any sect, I was simply representing my beliefs as a Muslim. I mostly sat in the sidelines, but I had put in my input with ayat and ahadith every now and then. The dialogue was preformed very professionally, and much respect was put forth. I highly recommend you watch it or at least a part of it. Very interesting stuff, I must say:
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Gospel and the Injeel
In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.
May the peace, blessings, and mercy of God be upon all of you, and may He continue to bless all of the prophets, their successors and their followers for eternity.
There's a huge misconception amongst both Muslims and Christians concerning the Injeel & Gospels. Some say these are synonymous terms, and that the Gospels (or even the New Testament) is the Injeel mentioned in the Qur'an, given to Jesus (a).
Let's clear a few things up a bit:
The Christian Bible is divided into two major sections: Old Testament and New Testament. The OT is a collection of several books, which include the Jewish Pentateuch (attributed to the Torah), the Psalms (attributed to the Zabur), and the books of the prophets, written by man, inspired by God. Jews and Christians both accept the Old Testament.
The New Testament (NT) is exclusively a Christian scripture, and not included in the Jewish Bible. It contains the 4 versions of the Gospel, as well as various letters written by different authors, and it is concluded with the book of Revelations; an alleged revelation written about 100 years after Jesus' birth.
Let's look at the 4 Gospels. Each Gospel is the account of one author, who writes about the life and time of Jesus (a). The authors of the 4 Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The fact is, though, we barely know anything about these authors. At first, it was believed that these were all eye-witnesses to Jesus (a), but further evidence proves that these four individuals may not have even been students of the Messiah Jesus (a).
The Gospel of Mark was the first one to be written, which is said to have been written at around 60 CE, approximately 27 years after Jesus' alleged crucifixion. The 4th Gospel, written by John, was likely to have been written between the years 90 and 120 CE, therefore making it much after the time of Jesus (a).
Were these the only accounts of Jesus' life? Absolutely not. It is said by Christian scholars and archeologists that there may have even been 60 Gospels written in the first two hundred years, including some that had been attributed to Jesus' apostles. There were also many Apocalypses written. Each piece of work was radically different from the others, and every one of them had unique ideas, stories, and arguments on who Jesus (a) really was. Some argued he was God in body and spirit, others had said he was God in spirit, but not in body. Some put him as an esteemed messenger of God, while others put Jesus as the means in which God would create something.
As if this wasn't confusing enough, archeologists today claim that about 5,000 manuscripts of the 4 Gospels have been found that date back as far as 200 CE - and no two manuscripts are identical! Each one had its own set of minor differences, and some even had major differences, with omitted, added, or changed verses.
The most ancient authorities of these Gospels are usually the ones that comply more with Islam, though I must say that the very writers of these Gospels are unreliable. We simply do not know much about Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, if that was in fact their real names. We are not sure if these people had known the Messiah Jesus (a), and even if they did know him, we do not know if they had sent out an authentic message. The 4 Gospels themselves have conflicting views and inconsistencies in comparison to each other, so we know for sure that the sources are not infallible.
So if the 4 Gospels and the rest of the NT is not the Injeel, what is the Injeel mentioned in the Qur'an?
The Injeel is not a book written by obscure, inconsistent authors AFTER Jesus (a). It is in fact the revelation given from God to Jesus (a) during his lifetime.
"And He will teach him (Jesus) the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and Injeel" (3:48)
"And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was revealed before him in the Torah, and We bestowed on him the Injeel, wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was revealed before it in the Torah - a guidance and admonition to those who ward off evil" (5:46)
As these verses and others like it say, the Injeel was indeed a new teaching which God had given Jesus (a). It was the very essence of the revelations given to the Messiah, and was probably an oral revelation and teaching which Jesus (a) had instructed his students with.
Does the Injeel still exist today? Assuming the Gospels quoted Jesus (a) correctly, word for word, then those quotations of Jesus (a) would be the only part of the Injeel we still have today. But the authenticity of the Gospels and the Bible are undetermined, so we do not know for sure what Jesus (a) had said, versus what was twisted and what was fabricated.
May God bless the Prophets and all who follow them in righteousness.
May the peace, blessings, and mercy of God be upon all of you, and may He continue to bless all of the prophets, their successors and their followers for eternity.
There's a huge misconception amongst both Muslims and Christians concerning the Injeel & Gospels. Some say these are synonymous terms, and that the Gospels (or even the New Testament) is the Injeel mentioned in the Qur'an, given to Jesus (a).
Let's clear a few things up a bit:
The Christian Bible is divided into two major sections: Old Testament and New Testament. The OT is a collection of several books, which include the Jewish Pentateuch (attributed to the Torah), the Psalms (attributed to the Zabur), and the books of the prophets, written by man, inspired by God. Jews and Christians both accept the Old Testament.
The New Testament (NT) is exclusively a Christian scripture, and not included in the Jewish Bible. It contains the 4 versions of the Gospel, as well as various letters written by different authors, and it is concluded with the book of Revelations; an alleged revelation written about 100 years after Jesus' birth.
Let's look at the 4 Gospels. Each Gospel is the account of one author, who writes about the life and time of Jesus (a). The authors of the 4 Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The fact is, though, we barely know anything about these authors. At first, it was believed that these were all eye-witnesses to Jesus (a), but further evidence proves that these four individuals may not have even been students of the Messiah Jesus (a).
The Gospel of Mark was the first one to be written, which is said to have been written at around 60 CE, approximately 27 years after Jesus' alleged crucifixion. The 4th Gospel, written by John, was likely to have been written between the years 90 and 120 CE, therefore making it much after the time of Jesus (a).
Were these the only accounts of Jesus' life? Absolutely not. It is said by Christian scholars and archeologists that there may have even been 60 Gospels written in the first two hundred years, including some that had been attributed to Jesus' apostles. There were also many Apocalypses written. Each piece of work was radically different from the others, and every one of them had unique ideas, stories, and arguments on who Jesus (a) really was. Some argued he was God in body and spirit, others had said he was God in spirit, but not in body. Some put him as an esteemed messenger of God, while others put Jesus as the means in which God would create something.
As if this wasn't confusing enough, archeologists today claim that about 5,000 manuscripts of the 4 Gospels have been found that date back as far as 200 CE - and no two manuscripts are identical! Each one had its own set of minor differences, and some even had major differences, with omitted, added, or changed verses.
The most ancient authorities of these Gospels are usually the ones that comply more with Islam, though I must say that the very writers of these Gospels are unreliable. We simply do not know much about Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, if that was in fact their real names. We are not sure if these people had known the Messiah Jesus (a), and even if they did know him, we do not know if they had sent out an authentic message. The 4 Gospels themselves have conflicting views and inconsistencies in comparison to each other, so we know for sure that the sources are not infallible.
So if the 4 Gospels and the rest of the NT is not the Injeel, what is the Injeel mentioned in the Qur'an?
The Injeel is not a book written by obscure, inconsistent authors AFTER Jesus (a). It is in fact the revelation given from God to Jesus (a) during his lifetime.
"And He will teach him (Jesus) the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and Injeel" (3:48)
"And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was revealed before him in the Torah, and We bestowed on him the Injeel, wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was revealed before it in the Torah - a guidance and admonition to those who ward off evil" (5:46)
As these verses and others like it say, the Injeel was indeed a new teaching which God had given Jesus (a). It was the very essence of the revelations given to the Messiah, and was probably an oral revelation and teaching which Jesus (a) had instructed his students with.
Does the Injeel still exist today? Assuming the Gospels quoted Jesus (a) correctly, word for word, then those quotations of Jesus (a) would be the only part of the Injeel we still have today. But the authenticity of the Gospels and the Bible are undetermined, so we do not know for sure what Jesus (a) had said, versus what was twisted and what was fabricated.
May God bless the Prophets and all who follow them in righteousness.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
U.S Delivers Israelis Weapons as Casualties Escalate
In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.
May the peace, blessings, and mercy of Almighty God be upon all of you.
The United States of America has been rather silent on the Gaza crisis this time around. All of the media outlets and senators of both parties are, of course, giving their undying support to the Israeli "Defense" Forces, saying that the war is both legit and within Israel's rights to defend itself from Palestinian fireworks. But, the Bush administration and Barack Obama have not said much concerning the conflict, and just reiterating the same-old "Hamas militants are terrorists that need to be killed" stance.
However, the U.S is actually fully involved in this war. According to the Jerusalem Post, in early December, the Israeli military had received a shipment of 989 20-foot Containers carrying U.S-made Bunker-Buster missiles. These are very effective high-explosive air-to-surface missiles capable of destroying underground facilities, tunnels, shelters, and of course enemy bunkers. It was shipped by the U.S Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC), which almost undoubtedly means Israel had been planning for this war since at least early December.
This is coming out of your tax money, America!
325 more containers of "ammunition" is expected to reach Israeli shores from the Greek port of Astakos in mid-to-late January, the source and MSC documents said.
Medics in Gaza have confirmed that at least 821 people have been killed since the start of the offensive, including 93 women and 235 children. That means almost half of the dead are only women and children - terrorists, right? That does not include the young, middle aged, and elderly men who have been killed without being a part of Hamas. Hamas is a democratically elected government in Gaza, which therefore makes its armed wing the unofficial Gazan military, so those Hamas members that have died so far have died for their country and their cause, and the people of Palestine are supporting them.
And the world, including the Arab and Muslim countries, are absolutely silent about the 821 killed and over 3,350 wounded. The medics have almost no access to medical supplies due to Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid and intentional targetting of UN, Red Cross, and Press members, so it's very plausible that these wounded will wrongfully die due to simple injuries. The blood of these wounded Palestinians are on Egypt for not letting these people in as refugees.
As for Israeli casualties, I woud like to make a correction from yesterday. Earlier I had said 4 civilians had been killed. Correction, the amount of Israeli civilians killed is 3. 10 Israeli soldiers have been killed, either via rockets, mortars, or gunfire.
Updates on the Gaza Crisis
In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful:
May the peace, blessings, and mercy of God be upon you all.
The 2-week old Israeli slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza has now escalated, with an estimated 800 Palestinians dead and over 3000 injured. Israeli air forces and artillery had first bombarded Gaza from the air, killing hundreds, mostly civilians, and now Israeli ground troops are moving into Gaza to fight Palestinians at ground level. This is where the real tension is expected to begin.
Hamas' homemade rockets, which are largely ineffective and inaccurate, are being launched at the Israeli border, which has so far killed 1 Israeli soldier and 4 others. 8 Israeli soldiers are said to have been killed recently by Hamas gunmen, which mainly compose of rifles.
Although we don't know how many Hamas members have been killed, we can say for sure that the vast majority of those killed are in fact civilians. More than half of which are women, children, and elderly. Israel has blocked off all humanitarian aid to Gaza, and has blocked all escape routes, making Gaza a jail. Civilians are told by the IDF to escape, but there is no where to escape to.
Earlier we had heard about hospitals and mosques being destroyed, but now the crimes of the Israeli forces have gotten disgusting: a Red Cross truck carrying aid and a UN school protecting women and children have been struck intentionally by the Israeli military. The Red Cross and UN always gives their coordinates to the military, informing them that they are not holding any Hamas fighters, nor are they smuggling any weapons, but rather they are giving aid to the Palestinians.
The Red Cross truck driver was in fact killed, with no warnings and nothing he had done wrong. The UN school had been bombed by Israeli aircraft, killing 40, mostly children, and wounding hundreds of others.
The intentional murder of the Red Cross aid workers, Press workers, UN, and civilian structures is absolutely disgusting. This goes to show that the Israeli Military is completely against medical aid going into Gaza, and against the protection of civilians.
Warnings from the Israeli government say that they are going to increase the violence, and Mahmoud Abbas had warned that this conflict will be a giant bloodbath. Still no word from the Arab and Muslim puppet governments, who are doing almost nothing to stop the fighting. Meanwhile, large protests all over the world, including my home town, are condemning this conflict and calling for a cease fire.
Reports everywhere are saying Hamas does not want a ceasefire. They are only telling half the story. The condition put by the Israeli military is that in the event of a ceasefire, only 15% of the humanitarian workers, trucks, aid, and medical supplies will be allowed to enter Gaza. This is even lower than the amount during the previous ceasefire. Hamas has disagreed with these terms, but whether this was a good idea or not is up to you. I say, Israel needs to withdraw right away, let ALL humanitarian aid get into Gaza.
From what we see, the fighting will continue, and the western powers are in full support of Israel. This war may take an interesting turn when Israeli troops begin to engage Hamas forces, but I don't expect them to put up much of a fight.
I ask all readers to pray for the civilians of Gaza, and anywhere where oppression takes place. Take a stand on the issue, get involved in protests and speak out against the massacre.
May the peace, blessings, and mercy of God be upon you all.
The 2-week old Israeli slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza has now escalated, with an estimated 800 Palestinians dead and over 3000 injured. Israeli air forces and artillery had first bombarded Gaza from the air, killing hundreds, mostly civilians, and now Israeli ground troops are moving into Gaza to fight Palestinians at ground level. This is where the real tension is expected to begin.
Hamas' homemade rockets, which are largely ineffective and inaccurate, are being launched at the Israeli border, which has so far killed 1 Israeli soldier and 4 others. 8 Israeli soldiers are said to have been killed recently by Hamas gunmen, which mainly compose of rifles.
Although we don't know how many Hamas members have been killed, we can say for sure that the vast majority of those killed are in fact civilians. More than half of which are women, children, and elderly. Israel has blocked off all humanitarian aid to Gaza, and has blocked all escape routes, making Gaza a jail. Civilians are told by the IDF to escape, but there is no where to escape to.
Earlier we had heard about hospitals and mosques being destroyed, but now the crimes of the Israeli forces have gotten disgusting: a Red Cross truck carrying aid and a UN school protecting women and children have been struck intentionally by the Israeli military. The Red Cross and UN always gives their coordinates to the military, informing them that they are not holding any Hamas fighters, nor are they smuggling any weapons, but rather they are giving aid to the Palestinians.
The Red Cross truck driver was in fact killed, with no warnings and nothing he had done wrong. The UN school had been bombed by Israeli aircraft, killing 40, mostly children, and wounding hundreds of others.
The intentional murder of the Red Cross aid workers, Press workers, UN, and civilian structures is absolutely disgusting. This goes to show that the Israeli Military is completely against medical aid going into Gaza, and against the protection of civilians.
Warnings from the Israeli government say that they are going to increase the violence, and Mahmoud Abbas had warned that this conflict will be a giant bloodbath. Still no word from the Arab and Muslim puppet governments, who are doing almost nothing to stop the fighting. Meanwhile, large protests all over the world, including my home town, are condemning this conflict and calling for a cease fire.
Reports everywhere are saying Hamas does not want a ceasefire. They are only telling half the story. The condition put by the Israeli military is that in the event of a ceasefire, only 15% of the humanitarian workers, trucks, aid, and medical supplies will be allowed to enter Gaza. This is even lower than the amount during the previous ceasefire. Hamas has disagreed with these terms, but whether this was a good idea or not is up to you. I say, Israel needs to withdraw right away, let ALL humanitarian aid get into Gaza.
From what we see, the fighting will continue, and the western powers are in full support of Israel. This war may take an interesting turn when Israeli troops begin to engage Hamas forces, but I don't expect them to put up much of a fight.
I ask all readers to pray for the civilians of Gaza, and anywhere where oppression takes place. Take a stand on the issue, get involved in protests and speak out against the massacre.
Friday, January 2, 2009
'Ajal-Allahu Farajah (May God hasten his return)?
Peace.
It is a popular tradition amongst the Shi'ah to say "ajal-allahu farajah" whenever the 12th Imam, the Mehdi, is mentioned. The term is Arabic for "may God hasten his return", which is in reference to the Mehdi's occultation and second coming/advent in the end times.
Although this constant optimism for the advent of the Mehdi is natural, and the Shi'ah are obviously excited to see the Mehdi fix our world, I differ in opinion when it comes to saying this term. You see, how I look at it, God has destined a fixed term for when the Day of Judgment will take place - which is a date we know not. Even the Christian Son of God Jesus (a), according to the Gospels, does not know when the Hour will be, because this is information only accessable to God.
No matter what kind of du'a we throw, God will not change the time of the Hour, because of the circumstances He has destined to take place which lead to the apocalypse. For example, if we know for a fact that the Day of Judgment will take place this Friday, there's nothing we could do to stop that.
Similarly, Imam Mehdi will come out of concealment right before the Day of Judgment, aka the End Times. It would be absurd to ask God to hasten the coming of the Imam (a), because we would not want to see him prematurely. Rather, God has destined a time and place for his return, and God knows best. He knows exactly when we will need the Mehdi most. God knows exactly when we will be ready for the him. We as human beings know nothing in comparison. So therefore it would be best not to ask God to hasten the appearance of the 12th Imam (a), or even the Messiah Jesus (a), because He has destined a time and place for everything.
Secondly, I would like to mention this: we must always act today, instead of being optimistic on what will happen tomorrow. Today is the day God has given YOU to do good deeds, pray, learn, and memorize Qur'an. Today is the day God has given YOU to protest against aggression, free the captives, and warn the people around you concerning corruption and obedience to God. Today is the day to find unity in the Ummah.
I say this because many people look to tomorrow in so many respects. We as humans tend to delay all chores, and all obligatory acts for a later time. But who will guarantee you tomorrow? Who will guarantee you the very next breath? Surely, God is the only One who knows your fate. Many people see the corruption around them and say, oh well, Imam al-Mehdi will come and fix things soon. Similarly, people say, oh, the Messiah (Jesus or otherwise) will make the world better. Many Muslims have even given up (and are proud of it) any hope in re-establishing the Shari'ah and Muslim rule according to the Qur'an and Sunnah.
I'd like to inform you, O Muslims, that it is very likely that NOBODY is coming IN YOUR LIFETIME to make things better. I am not saying we don't wait for the Messiah or Imam Mehdi, because when they come by we will welcome them. What I am saying is that we must act today. As God says in Surat Muhammed:
"And if you turn away, He will exchange you for another people, and they will not be the likes of you" (47:38)
If you don't free your mind, free your soul, and free your society using Islam and its divine system of brotherhood. Otherwise, God will exchange you for another folk - meaning, He will cause either you or your descendants to abandon Islam and/or its teachings, and instead give the religion to those who are more deserving, and more likely to carry out His commandments.
May God bless the Prophet (s) and his family (a) just as He blessed Abraham (a) and his family (a).
It is a popular tradition amongst the Shi'ah to say "ajal-allahu farajah" whenever the 12th Imam, the Mehdi, is mentioned. The term is Arabic for "may God hasten his return", which is in reference to the Mehdi's occultation and second coming/advent in the end times.
Although this constant optimism for the advent of the Mehdi is natural, and the Shi'ah are obviously excited to see the Mehdi fix our world, I differ in opinion when it comes to saying this term. You see, how I look at it, God has destined a fixed term for when the Day of Judgment will take place - which is a date we know not. Even the Christian Son of God Jesus (a), according to the Gospels, does not know when the Hour will be, because this is information only accessable to God.
No matter what kind of du'a we throw, God will not change the time of the Hour, because of the circumstances He has destined to take place which lead to the apocalypse. For example, if we know for a fact that the Day of Judgment will take place this Friday, there's nothing we could do to stop that.
Similarly, Imam Mehdi will come out of concealment right before the Day of Judgment, aka the End Times. It would be absurd to ask God to hasten the coming of the Imam (a), because we would not want to see him prematurely. Rather, God has destined a time and place for his return, and God knows best. He knows exactly when we will need the Mehdi most. God knows exactly when we will be ready for the him. We as human beings know nothing in comparison. So therefore it would be best not to ask God to hasten the appearance of the 12th Imam (a), or even the Messiah Jesus (a), because He has destined a time and place for everything.
Secondly, I would like to mention this: we must always act today, instead of being optimistic on what will happen tomorrow. Today is the day God has given YOU to do good deeds, pray, learn, and memorize Qur'an. Today is the day God has given YOU to protest against aggression, free the captives, and warn the people around you concerning corruption and obedience to God. Today is the day to find unity in the Ummah.
I say this because many people look to tomorrow in so many respects. We as humans tend to delay all chores, and all obligatory acts for a later time. But who will guarantee you tomorrow? Who will guarantee you the very next breath? Surely, God is the only One who knows your fate. Many people see the corruption around them and say, oh well, Imam al-Mehdi will come and fix things soon. Similarly, people say, oh, the Messiah (Jesus or otherwise) will make the world better. Many Muslims have even given up (and are proud of it) any hope in re-establishing the Shari'ah and Muslim rule according to the Qur'an and Sunnah.
I'd like to inform you, O Muslims, that it is very likely that NOBODY is coming IN YOUR LIFETIME to make things better. I am not saying we don't wait for the Messiah or Imam Mehdi, because when they come by we will welcome them. What I am saying is that we must act today. As God says in Surat Muhammed:
"And if you turn away, He will exchange you for another people, and they will not be the likes of you" (47:38)
If you don't free your mind, free your soul, and free your society using Islam and its divine system of brotherhood. Otherwise, God will exchange you for another folk - meaning, He will cause either you or your descendants to abandon Islam and/or its teachings, and instead give the religion to those who are more deserving, and more likely to carry out His commandments.
May God bless the Prophet (s) and his family (a) just as He blessed Abraham (a) and his family (a).
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