May God, the Merciful, accept our fasting and show us all the right path!
While searching what to write about today I read an article saved for times like this. I’ve been quite busy lately and still am. So I just recommend you, my dear visitors, to go and read for yourself.
A year-and-a-half after the critically acclaimed film Undercover Mosque was first screened, Dispatches goes undercover again to see whether extremist beliefs continue to be promoted in certain key British Muslim institutions.
They are right. In my opinion things are just like they are described in this article and there is nothing for me to add to it.
Quote:
The film also features interviews with Islamic academics who condemn these messages of intolerance and segregation and warn of the impact this version of Islam is having on British society. One imam at a leading university accuses the Saudi religious establishment of the: “distortion of Islam itself, the abuse and misuse of this great faith of mine and not only mine but of my children as well.”
Islam is an easy religion!
“Say: ‘We believe in God, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord; We make no difference between one and another of them, And we submit to God.” (Qur’an 2:136)
“… (God) has not laid upon you in religion any hardship.” (Qur’an 22:78)
After reading the book I should give some kind of final recommendation from my side. It is marvelous reading, skillfully written bringing Islamic history close to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. I appreciate the amount of time and research the author has invested in it. Only if there were not the one thing I have been writing in my previous posts and am quite unhappy with.
After having some serious concern about Lady Aisha’s age at her marriage since it is not known, all speculation is based on Hadiths only, I think that the positive aspect of information and positive image it gives about Islam weighs more and therefore I recommend it for interested readers.
But readers should always keep in mind that it is a fiction novel after all and not everything what the vivid imagination of Mr. Pasha (which I envy – to be honest) brought to life here is necessary word by word true.
I could not find any historical errors since for most of the events exist surviving documents around which the author has woven this historical novel.
I am reading this book very carefully and taking notes. It is a wonderfully written colorful peace of research and until page 110 I have not found any historical mistakes expect the one I’ll discuss today. History coming alive!
I trust it would be a great basis for a new movie about the birth of Islam like the well known masterpiece“The Message” by Mustafa Akkad . Since the author is an accomplished screen writer I am especially worried about this. Once a MOVIE is made about (any) events it becomes the truth to most of the people.
In the shoes of Mr. Kamran Pasha I would be really careful what to allow to be done in his name. In Islam we are accountable for our deeds and intentions, and one of the worst sins in Islam are inventions into the faith.
If there were not the ONE thing I oppose strongly since there is NO REAL evidence of the date of birth of Lady Aisha. Only one or two Hadiths, which were collected as late as 250-300 years after the death of the Prophet (pbuH). Until then they were mere traditions remembered orally. The Prophet himself discouraged writing down his every word because he feared they would be confused with the Quran.
Needles to tell my Muslim readers how Islam is portrayed on internet forums whenever the topic Islam comes up. The Prophet (pbuH) is routinely called “a pedophile caravan bundit”!
I have the strong suspicion that the author had to make a few changes, probably only one (since to book is powerful reading!) to his manuscript so that it would be accepted for publication. The one about Lady Aishas age. It would explain hastily made changes in the text about it and the from it resulting unmatching dateline. Muslim readers know what I am talking about, the opponents do not hesitate to use all means to tarnish the image of Islam. They are mostly powerful media owners and editors in chief in major publications.
Why do I believe so?
On page 9: Aisha is claimed to be born in 613 A.D.
On page 92: is claimed that Aisha “counted over 40 most powerful men not only of Mecca but the Bedouin tribes…” at the age of tender age of 3 years?!
On page 96: in 619 A.D Aisha is claimed to be 6 years old almost 10 yrs after the 1. Revelation” in 610 A.D. when driven out of Mecca into exile
Page 105: Her sister Asma is 16 yrs old in 621 A.D when boycott ends meaning that Aisha would be STILL 6 yrs old (after spending 3 years in exile, and not 9!). Asma was 10 yrs her elder. According to Adel Salahi the boycott lasted for 3 years “Muhammad, Man and Prophet” by M.A. Salahi, page 160 (not 2 yrs as in this book) .
For other events in this novel there are surviving documents and scriptures to rely on and they are largely accepted as accurate, historically correct. The early Muslim community had many literate people who recorded events and in one of them is said that Aisha was a young girl when converting with her elder sister to Islam (among the first 80 Muslims to do so), in 610 A.D. That would make her at least 11 years old when returning home from exile from the desert outside of Mecca even if she was a newborn baby back then. And if we believe this to be correct, since it was recorded in the lifetime of the Prophet (and not 250-300 years later!) then she was at least in her late teens when marrying the Prophet!
Quote: “As retaliation for the military presence, the Taliban carried out a series of deadly attacks, beheadings anddestruction of girls’ schools. They also continued to gain ground, setting up checkpoints throughout the area.”
No matter what the reason for the confrontation in Northern Pakistan is, there is no justification for attacking Girl’s Schools. The Taliban (extreme Wahhabi branch of Islam and Taleban) object them as un-Islamic although education and gathering knowledge (even from “as far as from China”) is one of the most important duties for both sexes in Islam.
“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his punishment is hell; he shall abide in it, and God will send His wrath on him and curse him and prepare for him a painful chastisement. (Q.4:93)
“And do not kill any You shall not kill any person - for God has made life sacred - except in the course of justice, and whoever is slain unjustly, We have indeed given to his heir authority, so let him not exceed the just limits in slaying; surely he is aided.” (Q.17:33)
“…… You shall not kill - God has made life sacred - except in the course of justice. These are His commandments to you, that you may understand.” (Q.6:151)
“The true servants of The Merciful are they who walk gently on Earth, and who, when the foolish address them, reply with (words of) peace.” (Quran 25:63)
……………………………….
On woman rights Qur’an gives also women a substantial role in choosing their own life partners:
“Do not prevent them from marrying their husbands when they agree between themselves in a lawful manner.” (Q.2:232)
According to the Qur’an, the accusation (of unchastity) must be proven by four eyewitnesses, a practical impossibility. Even then a death penalty is not ordered in the Qur’an. The occasional stoning to death as punishment for adultery is a an ancient tradition also in the pre-Christian era as mentioned in the Bible. An unjustified accusation is a grave sin:
“Surely those who accuse chaste believing women, unaware (of the evil), are cursed in this world and hereafter, and they shall have a grievous chastisement.” (Qur’an 24:23)
“And those who speak evil things of the believing men and the believing women without their having earned (it), they are guilty indeed of a false accusation and a manifest sin.” (Q. 33:58)
Q.4:15 “And as for those who are guilty of an indecency from among your women, call to witnesses against them four (witnesses) from among you; then if they bear witness confine them to the houses until death comes close to them or God opens some way for them.”
The logical conclusion from these Verses of the Holy Quran is that a harsh punishment is not advised, but immorally behaving woman should be kept at home or until God shows a solution for thesituation.The stoning of womenISNOTmentioned in the Quran but it was quite common in the pre-Islamic Middle East, as it was at the time of Jesus, a Prophet to Muslims, too. Quoting the Bible, John 8:1-3“If any of you have not committed a sin you can throw the first stone at her.”
Since the latest feedback from the Wahabi corner I started thinking, that maybe I am doing more harm than good. Although I still think we cannot ignore criticism and should examine our behavior and interpretation of Islam in a changed world. Today I received a heartwarming Email, that I wish to share with you:
Assalaam Alaikum!
I’ve found your blog browsing blogcatalog and it is one of the best muslim blogs I’ve found so far!
I’m fromMoscow, Russiaand it is not easy to find information about islam because of the fact that muslim community here is divided into several ‘tribes’ by which I mean that nationality is more important for them then religion. Me and my husband are jewish but we feel that Islam is the religion that suits our views the best.
Back to your blog: I wanted to comment your latest post about provocative writers and such, but unfortunatelly didn’t find a comment form so I’m writing it here.
About 2 month ago on the second day after my marriage I was arrested by police (forunatelly for 1 night only). I was placed in a waiting caged room with some illegal immigrants from muslim countries (both men and women, but mostly men). After a while a policeman came to us and started abusing islam and prophet Mohammad. One of the men replied to the policeman telling he shouldn’t say such words. After a short conversation the muslim guy shrugged his shoulders and went silent. Later on he explained that it is useless to explain smth to an ignorant person…
With best regards,
Alexandra.
May God, the All-mighty and Creator of all mankind show us all the right path and bring us Peace!
All these years since The Satanic Verses controversy and the death sentence by Iranian Mullah’s I am wondering how it came exactly like Rushdie had planned. He wanted controversy and he knew that conservative Muslims would be infuriated. The news would go around the globe like a forest fire and he would be famous.
Why are Muslims so easy to trick to do exactly what is the aim of these provocateurs?The same phenomenon was with the infamous Danish Islam caricatures. They were publishes i.e. in Egypt half a year earlier and nobody bothered to protest. Only after it came international news, when radical Muslims started burning Danish flags and puppets. Governments were forced to give statements that they are powerless, because there is a law for freedom of speech. Again and again provocateurs are trying the same trick. These days, so I read, in Holland is a new cartoon movie in the making about Islam.
Fortunately Muslims are awakening and do not react as they wish anymore. There is a sura in the Quran that advice believers to answer to provocateurs with words of peace:
“And the servants of the Beneficent God are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace.”Quran [25.63]
I am not a literature critic but at the beginning of this all I read several critics which suggested that Salman Rushdie is a mediocre writer at best. Now there are even rumors, that the Swedes would give him a Nobel literature prize soon.
I should mention a short Email I received the other day from a reader:
”Quite a terrible site, may Allah guide you back to the truth. Regards M. “
By looking closer I found out, that it came from a very conservative corner of Islam. Where i.e. stoning of women is standard punishment.
It hit a sensitive nerve, because that is exactly what I always ask from my Creator – to show me the right path. And I am confident.
I think Islam’s image in the rest of the world is so tarnished and misinterpreted, that we cannot bury our heads in the desert sands.We must confront the accusationsand look at the things like they are, and yes, it can be painful.
… ” The YouTube Visionary Award was established to highlight those who use YouTube as a global platform for positive social change.
As the site has become a destination for humanitarianism, philanthropy, education and public service, this award pays tribute to individuals whose videos advance these principles in innovative, thought-provoking ways.
“Queen Rania sets the standard for breaking down stereotypes and her YouTube videos are nothing short of inspirational,” said YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley, adding “It is both a pleasure and an honor to present her with this much-deserved tribute.”
” Queen Rania launched her YouTube channel in March 2008 to foster an open dialogue and combat ignorance and stereotypes.
Her YouTube videos bridge the gap between Eastern and Western cultures by examining the increasing involvement of women in the Middle East workforce and by debunking misguided assumptions about Muslims and Arabs.
To date, Her Majesty’s channel has generated nearly 3 million video views and received more than 43,000 messages from users around the world.
November 1, 2008 - MOGADISHU,Somalia(AP) – A 13-year-old girl who said she had been raped was stoned to death inSomalia after being accused of adultery by Islamic militants, a human rights group said.Dozens of men stoned Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow to death Oct. 27 in a stadium packed with 1,000 spectators in the southern port city ofKismayo, Amnesty International and Somali media reported, citing witnesses. The Islamic militia in charge of Kismayo had accused her of adultery after she reported that three men had raped her, the rights group said.Initial local media reports said Duhulow was 23, but her father told Amnesty International she was 13. Some of the Somali journalists who first reported the killing later told Amnesty International that they had reported she was 23 based upon her physical appearance.
It hard to come to senses after news like this knowing that it was Islam that introduced righteousness to a then pagan community. For thousands of years stoning to death and nailing on a cross (in Palestine) were the most common ways of death penalty,I suppose since Stone Age.
Jesus, who is also a Prophet for Muslims like all the other Prophets of Christianity said: “If any of you have not committed a sin you can throw the first stone at her.” (Bible, John 8:1-3)
Painting: Jesus and the Woman Taken in Adultery, by Vasiliy Polenov
The Story in the Bible- The Adulterous Woman. (John 8:1-3)It was about a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and had to stand in front of the teachers of the law and Pharisees and also Jesus, and they said that “In our law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death,” and then they put all the pressure on Jesus by saying what do you think, and then said to Jesus, so that they could accuse him, but they didn’t trap Jesus. Jesus then said “Ifany of you have not committed a sin you can throw the first stone ather.” The older people left first and eventually everybody had gone,and there was just Jesus and the woman left. Jesus said to her “Whereare they all, there is no one left to condemn you,” and then said ” Idon’t condemn you either, go, but do not sin again.”
As true Muslims believe in ALL the Prophets before Phophet Mohammed in my opinion this is a significant statement from Jesus. And most importantly itdoes not contradict the Quran.
In the Quran the stoning of an adulterous woman is not advised.“And as for those who are guilty of an indecency from among your women, call to witnesses against them four (witnesses) from among you; then if they bear witness confine them to the houses until death comes close to them or God opens some way for them.” (Quran 4:15)
Some extreme branches of Islam still practice the stoning to death. In their understanding its justification must be based on Hadiths, because in the Quran there is no mentioning of it.
“Surely those who accuse chaste believing women, unaware (of the evil), are cursed in this world and hereafter, and they shall have a grievous chastisement.” (Qur’an 24:23)
“And those who speak evil things of the believing men and the believing women without their having earned (it), they are guilty indeed of a false accusation and a manifest sin.” (Q. 33:58)
I pray to God, the Allmighty, that all Muslims would finally start realizing the real Teaching of Islam, righteousness and human rights.
Edit: The complete story on BBC News from Somalia. Her 62-year-old aunt told the BBC that the teenager had in fact been raped by three armed men - and she took Asha to the police station to report it.
“I don’t know what crime she committed other than being raped - and I was not even allowed to see her body.” - Asha Ibrahim Dhuhulow’s aunt
“They are wrong if they committed a kidnap. They will have to be punished under Sharia law.”- Hiiran’s al-Shabab Chairman Sheikh Ali Dheere
While watching World News and Mayhem on my TV screen I have long been intending to write about Democracy because the common assumption is that Islam and Democracy do not go well together.
We should not confuse tradition with religion. In older democracies the path to this day was long and slow. Some reached it earlier, like in Britain the first step was as early as in 1215 known as the Magna Carta. Other countries have followed. Although one must sometimes wonder if democracy is the best way to govern. It is always a compromise which naturally is not the best solution to problems. And voters do not always choose the best candidate simply because of lack of knowledge and experience and they can be easily manipulated. But there is no better way available and the rights and safety of individuals must be guaranteed.
In my opinion in the Quran we have clear instructions for the early Muslim community to practice democracy: “O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to God and the Apostle, if you believe in God and the last day; this is better and very good in the end.” (Q. 4:59)
“And their business is (conducted) through consultation among themselves.” (Q.42:38)
“God does not love the public utterance of hurtful speech unless (it be) by one to whom injustice has been done; and God is Hearing, Knowing.” (Q.4:148)
Traditionally, before Islam matters in the pagan Arabian Bedouin communities where already handled democratically. Clan elders discussed problems, set rules and practiced justice as they are still doing it among themselves in a smaller scale, because today we have governments and state laws. Like in almost all early human communities regardless of location worldwide.
It was much later than dictators have taken over motivated mostly by power and material gain. It is still a long way for many, but I am hopeful that matters will improve. In my opinion the key to success is education, education, education and especially that of the women. They are the ones who educate the children and their influence on the society is tremendous.
As I already wrote, we should not confuse religion with tradition. I am quite critical about the Hadiths. They are orally narrated reports from the time of early Muslim community and were collected as late as 250-300 years after the death of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). Bukhari, for example, examined 600,000 traditions of which he accepted only 7,397!
I have never forgotten an experiment we did in school, I was 11 years old (the last year before changing schools). At the beginning of class the teacher gave us a sentence or perhaps it was two sentences - a short story. We whispered it to each other and by the time bell was ringing for break the teacher asked the last pupil to tell what he had heard. We could not believe what from the story had become, it was unrecognizable!
I am not asserting, that this is the case with Hadith’s, but taken in account the time which passed (200-300 years) even the best-meaning and devoted believer can err. It is human, we are not computers that can record every word forever.
In my opinion we should put less importance on the Hadith’s (put them in perspective) and more on the Quran, which gives us clear instructions and in this particular case we understand that Islam favors Democracy!
Quoting the late Dr. Lila Fahlman Founding President of the World Council of Muslim Women Foundation:“Man-written Hadith’s have ruined Islam and do not speak to human rights or to equality for men and women, but rather favour the enslavement of women.”… “Any Muslim who finds the Qur’an difficult to understand would do best to spend his time on the Qur’an rather then on the Hadith’s, which can never surpass the Qur’an as the Hadith is man written.”
Founding President of the World Council of Muslim Women Foundation:
