Archive for April, 2006
04.29.06
Posted in Personal at 7:36 pm by Abbas
Someone, whom is very respected in the community, recently wrote a disugusting email accusing Shaykh Nazim Haqqani, the leader of the Naqshibandi tariqat (order) of “negating Islam” on a local list serv. Note that there is a murid (follower) of that tariqat on the mailing list too. The site referenced was obviously a neo-salafi site, which also condemned other groups and Muslims (including sufis, shi’as, hamza yusuf, anyone following a madhab, keller, etc.). I thought it would be beneficial to post my reply here as well because the issue of respect and compassion is very important.
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Bismihi Ta’ala
Salaamun ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah,
We need to stop bickering back and forth. It is not healthy and it just increases animosity amongst us.
I have noticed that the site, which was used as a reference, and similar sites are being heavily used in these list servs. Unfortunately, this particular site is anything but credible. It has attributed lies to some of the greatest ulema, and scholars of past and recent times. I will just give one simple example of how the site has manipulated and how the site tries to deceive the common person.”
The site states the following:
“Nuri Tibiris, one of the most renowned Shi’ite scholars and mujtahids, wrote a book against the present Quran. The book is entitled: ‘Faslul Khitab Fi Tahreefi-Kitabi Rabbil Arbaab’ (The Final Verdict on the Distortion of the Book of the Lord of Lords).
Khomeini mentions this scholar with great respect in his own book ‘A1Hukumatul Islamiyah” (The Islamic State). In fact, Khomeini has actually used Nuri Tibiris’s work entitled “Mustadrakul Wasail” to complete his theory of Wilayatul Faqih.”
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Now, a person who has done sufficient research knows there are three well-known Tabrisi’s in Shi’i history. The first is al-Nuri al-Tabarsi, whom DID write some controversial material like the allaahuakbar.net site claims but he was and is not respected and in fact he was in disagreement with the main stream Shi’a thought. Khomeini quoted NOT from him but from another Tabrisi, Abu Mansoor Ahmad Ibn Ali who lived in the sixth century after Hijrah. He is famous for some of his works. He never wrote any book to prove Quran is incomplete! But the most famous Tabrisi is yet another one! Abu Ali al-Fadl Ibn al-Hasan al-Tabarsi is the most knowledgeable one of the three.
Do you see the strategy and the style of this site? This site and other similar sites should be avoided due to the fact that it tries to ingrain hatred in the hearts of the believers towards each other.
The article or “refutation” of Shaykh Nazim, on the basis of other articles pasted on that site, may simply be deemed as propaganda, serving a particular agenda. I have a close friend who follows Shaykh Nazim. He is a shaykh of the religion and a respected scholar in the community. The best way to really understand what Shaykh Nazim teaches or preaches is asking one of his followers, just like how we would want non-Muslims to ask us about Islam rather than the media.
Every believer must “forbid evil and enjoin the good.” That is a given. However, there are means and ways to do it. The best of examples is the example of the purified Ahlul Bayt (as) or the Prophet and his Household.
Imam Hasan and Hussein (peace be onto them), the beloved grandchildren of our Prophet (saw) once saw an elderly man doing wudhu incorrectly. Did they go and condemn or call the man out? Of course not. They actually went up to that old man and asked him to observe how each one of them performed wudhu; so he can decide which one does it right. After both Hasan and Hussein (peace be with them) completed their wudhu, the old man finally realized his mistake.
The whole point of the story is that, is that with knowledge and intention, one must use wisdom and intellect. We need to show tolerance and compassion. And only through patience and with the love of Allah, can we achieve this.
Finally, we must come to an understanding that we live in a time in which all schools claim to follow the “authentic” Quran and Sunnah. We must realize a fallible being possesses no authority whatsoever to past judgments on another group of Muslims due to the reason that their beliefs may not conform to a certain dogma or ideology. We need to show respect. For the most part, people have failed to do so on numerous occasions implying that every other point of view is incorrect and deviant, which unfortunately ultimately leads to arrogance or khibr.
Wa salaam,
Abbas
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04.27.06
Posted in Personal at 11:21 pm by Abbas
Usually every thursday night, that is when it is reccommended by the Ahlul Bayt (a) to recite it, a bunch of us gather together and read a special du’a known as Du’a Kumayl. It is very passionate, emotional, and deep. Alhamdulillah, I am very glad that this particular du’a exists and many Muslims recite. It takes around thirty minutes to recite and we all take turns. I just wanted to share a small excerpt from it, inshaAllah.
“…So, my Lord! I look earnestly towards Thee and towards Thee, my Lord! I have stretched forth my hands therefore, by Thy honour, respond to my supplication and let me attain my wishes and, by Thy bounty, frustrate not my hopes and protect me from the evils of my enemies, from among the jinns and mankind o’ Thou! Who readily pleased, forgive one who owns nothing but supplication for Thou doest what Thou willest o’ Thou!
Whose Name is the remedy (for all ills) and Whose remembrance is a sure cure for all ailments and obedience to Whom makes one self sufficient; have mercy on one whose only asset is hope and whose only armour is lamentation O’ Thou! Who perfecteth all bounties and Who wardeth off all misfortunes!
O’ Light! Who illuminateth those who are in bewilderment! O’ Omniscient! Who knoweth without (acquisition of) learning! Bless Mohammed and the Descendants of Mohammed and do unto me in accordance with that which befitteth Thee…”
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04.24.06
Posted in Personal at 10:21 pm by Abbas
Why must people base their decisions on what other people do or think? For example, “Person X is going to do his pHd next year! you will be the only one left behind!…” Why do we care if Person X is going do their pHd or not? Or “Person X already has a degree, he/she is going to think your slow if you do not get it by next year.” Shouldn’t we be saying, “mashaAllah, good for him/her.” I do not find it neccessary to compare oneself with others or use others in order to justify an action. To me, it just reflects how weak we really are. We should do what we do for ourselves and not be slaves to others. Just a thought that has been bothering me for the past couple of weeks. To those who tend to do that, please mature up and wake up… Allah knows best.
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Posted in Personal at 10:02 pm by Abbas
I have been occassionally reading “Forty Hadith: An Exposition of Ethical and Mystical Traditions” by Late Ayatollah Khomeini (r), one of the greatest religious, spiritual and political leaders of recent times. It is a compilation of forty different ahadith (traditions) from our pious Prophet, Ahlul Bayt (household of the Prophet(saw)) and Imams (spiritual/religious successors and leaders) and gives a brief commentary for each hadith. I cannot type the entire explaination, but I will paste the conclusion of the commentary given about Jihad or struggle.
“Since the struggle of the self concludes here and man succeeds in driving off the legions of satanic armies from the empire of his soul, this land becomes the abode of angels of God and a place of worship of truthful servants of God. Thus the task of pursuing the journey towards God becomes easier, and the road to humanism is illuminated. The doors of blessings from heaven and their ascending steps are opened to him, and the doors of hell and the descending steps thereof are closed on him. God Almighty views him with mercy and benevolence and unites him with His faithful and His blessed servants. The path to divine knowledge, which is the ultimate purpose of creation of mankind and jinn, is opened to him. God Almighty guards him through this hazardous path.”
InshaAllah, may we all be successful in “driving off the legions of satanic armies from the empire of his soul, this land becomes the abode of angels of God and a place of worship of truthful servants of God…” I pray that all of us reach that level one day!
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04.18.06
Posted in Current Events at 9:54 am by Abbas
“Iran has created a powerful army that can powerfully defend the political borders and the integrity of the Iranian nation and cut off the hand of any aggressor and place the sign of disgrace on their forehead,” he told military officers at a parade to commemorate Army Day.” -President Ahmedinijad
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04.15.06
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:32 pm by Abbas
some more …
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Posted in Personal at 1:30 pm by Abbas
Yesterday, the brother who gave the khutbah was very good in putting things into perspective. Even though I did not agree with everything he uttered but one very important point he made was, “Do not treat the Quran like a restaurant menu…”
I believe a lot of Muslims, including religious ones, love to pick and choose, like picking their food at restaurants, under the pre-text of “we are open minded, we believe in all schools of thought and intrepetations.” I have seen a good number of Muslims do something, which would be unIslamic, but justify it by saying “so and so intrepeted it as halal, or its found in the Sunnah in so and so book.” We need to stop this and be consistent in our beliefs. And at the same time be tolerant and respectful towards other beliefs.
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04.14.06
Posted in Personal at 1:03 am by Abbas
An interesting story I read attributed to Shaykh Ibn al-Arabi in my current reading of “The Knowing Heart” by Kabir Helmeniski,
“One day, one of God’s lovers goes to the home of his shaikh. The shaikh begins to speak to him about love. Little by little, as the shaikh speaks, the lover begins to melt, becoming more and more subtle until he just flows like a trickling stream. His whole physical being dissolved in front of the shaikh, until there was nothing but some water on the floor.
Just then a friend of the shaikh enters the room and asks, “Where is that fellow who just arrived?” The shaikh points to the water on the floor and says, “The man is that water.”
This kind of melting is an astonishing transformation of state. The man lost his destiny in such a way that he became what he originally was: a drop of liquid. Originally he had arrived at human form from water, for as God has said, “We created all of life from water.”
The lover merely returned to his original essence, the water that is the source of life. And so we may draw the following conclusion: A lover is that being whom everything is brought to life.”
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04.13.06
Posted in Current Events at 6:17 pm by Abbas
“In a televised speech in the north-western holy city of Mashhad, Mr Ahmadinejad said: “I am officially announcing that Iran has joined the group of those countries which have nuclear technology.”
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Posted in Current Events at 12:57 pm by Abbas
It is that time of year, our Prophet’s birthday. May Allah bless him and his family. It is also that time of year when our brothers declare any celebration or commemoration of this day as a “bida’h” that may lead to “hell-fire.” Unfortunately, these types of people are not only in S
audi Arabia but almost everywhere.
Recenetly, at least 57 people were killed and over 80 wounded during a celebration at Nishtar Park in Karachi, Pakistan. I never knew reciting poetry and talking about the Prophet would entail death in a Muslim country! May Allah guide us all.
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04.11.06
Posted in Current Events at 12:15 am by Abbas
The infamous cartoons that depicted our Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, as a “terrorist” with a bomb wrapped around his head published in Denmark, were placed all over campus today (RIT). With the cartoon, there was also article. The article was entitled, “In the Name of Justice and the Right to Speak,” written by the the Undercurrent staff. It tried to “justify” the disgusting depiction. Here is an excerpt,
“On this special edition flyer, we
have printed a rendition of one of the
cartoons that Muslims demand to see
censored. We are including it in pro-
test and defiance of that demand. If
you are offended, we implore you to
set your emotions aside and to con-
sider the issue at stake: do individu-
als have the right to publish material
that others find offensive, without
fear of violence?
These people have tried to take advantage of the ignorances of the people. The article failed to mention that months before this racist cartoon publication, the same Denmark newspaper declined to print similar depections of Jesus (a). This is certainly not about “freedom of speech.” Plus, there is a fine line between hate-speech and “free-speech.”
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