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Islamic

Islamic Herald

PATRON TUN DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMAD

ADVISOR Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Muhammad Rais Abdul Karim

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Dato’Dr. Ismail Ibrahim (Chairman) Datuk Hj. Hasbullah L. Isa Datuk Zainal Abidin Abd Kadir Prof. Dr. Idris Zakaria Editorial Hj. Abdul Hanif Harun En. Zulkefli Arifin “And hold firmly to the rope (His covenant or the Qur’an) of En. Wan Abd Halim bin Wan Abd Majid Allah all together and do not become divided.” (3:103) En Mohd Zuber Zain

CHIEF EDITOR Ustaz Hj. Wan Abdul Hamid Wan Teh Allah (SWT) makes it clear in the Qur’an that unity of the Muslim Ummah is very important. He tells us not to be divided EDITOR and to hold tightly to the teachings of the Qur’an. Unfortunately Firdaus Lokman Tah we Muslims have divided ourselves into different sects. We GUEST EDITOR bicker over trite issues that hold no meaning and do not benefit Datin Mawanchik Che Jais the Ummah in any way. Muslims have forgotten what Allah says in the Qur’an about unity and its importance. DISTRIBUTOR: Ishak Othman Today, if the Muslims look at themselves they will see a group PUBLISHER of people separated from one another. The Prophet Muhammad The Muslim Welfare Organisation of (PBUH) said, “Believers are like the parts of a building, each Malaysia (PERKIM) 4th & 6th Floor, one supporting the other.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari) Bangunan PERKIM Jalan Ipoh, How can we support each other if we are not united? How can 51200 Kuala Lumpur. we love each other like brothers and sisters in Islam if we hold MALAYSIA misconceptions about each other in our hearts? Tel : 03-4426224 03-4412482 Fax : 03-4427403 The answer is simple: We, as the Muslim Ummah, have to PRINTER overcome the minor and irrelevant differences that separate Percetakan Bumi Restu Sdn Bhd. 32G, Blok C, Bistari De’Kota, us. If we are able to do that we will notice that all Muslims Jalan Teknologi 3/9, PJU 5, believe in the same things: Tauheed (the oneness of Allah), all Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya. the Prophets (peace be upon them all), all the holy Books, all of Tel: 0.3-6148 1786 Allah’s angels and the day of judgement. Not to mention that Fax:03-6148 4786 every Muslim tries to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah. DISCLAIMER The Islamic Herald is published by the Muslim Welfare Muslims should understand that unity is what will make us Organisation of Malaysia (PERKIM). It con¬tains articles move forward in this world. Today the Muslim Ummah is addressing Muslim affairs in Malaysia, and throughout the entire Muslim world. Through its presentation, it behind in everything. Education, technology, trade and, most Endeavour’s to promote awareness and understanding of importantly, our faith. Non-muslims may not believe in our issues affecting the Muslim Ummah in all its geographic faith but their unity has made them come very far. Remember and cultural diversity. The Islamic Herald is also a the era when the Muslims were united and held on to Allah’s magazine covering news and activities in the field of Da’wah, social, economic and political. The Islamic rope tightly? The Islamic empire spread from the east to west Herald welcomes relevant articles by authors wishing and Allah blessed them with wealth, fame, victory and honor. to publish their work. Articles and cor¬respondence Muslims need to be united now more than ever. We have to may be addressed to: The Editor, Islamic Herald, at the think about what we will and we can do to make our lives in this above address. The Editor reserves the right to edit any contribu¬tion without prior notice. Articles will not be world and the hereafter better and blessed. returned. Views expressed in the Islamic Herald do not nec¬essarily reflect those of PERKIM, the Editor or the Magazine.

Islamic Herald 2 PERKIM FOCUS

Unity of [ By: Syed Soharwardy ] Muslim Ummah

Islamic Herald 3 PERKIM Islamic Herald

All Muslims know the value In spite of so many movements find that our leaders, Imams, and importance of uniting the of unity why Muslims are getting scholars, governments and Muslims around the world. We further divided? This paper Islamic organizations want to have read and heard many times identifies the “source” of disunity unite Muslims based upon their the famous verse from Surah and provides some suggestions “own” principles and beliefs. Ali-Imran, “ And hold fast all in this regard. This paper briefly Although, there is no dispute together by the rope which Allah discusses the unity issues during in Qur’an but nowadays every (stretches out for you) and be the early period of Islam and sect / organization / government not divided among yourselves; in spite of extremely serious / Imam / leader has its own and remember with gratitude conflicts how Muslims remained interpretation of Qur’an and Allah’s favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined prosperous and united till the fall Hadith. Every sect / organization your hearts in love so that by of Khilafah-i-Islamiyah during / government / Imam / leader is His grace ye became brethren; early 1900s. struggling for control and power and ye were on the brink of the in order to implement their own pit of fire and He saved you Ba s i s f o r Un i t y sectarian beliefs and policies. from it. Thus doth Allah make We talk a lot about unity but we his signs clear to you: that ye On what principles Muslims want unity based upon our own may be guided “. (Verse 103, should be united? You may say conditions. Religious groups and Ali-Imran). the obvious answer. We are all sects claim that they are killing Muslims, we believe in one God or declaring Muslims as KAFIR, Delivering long and long i.e. Almighty Allah, we believe MUSHRIK, BID’ATEE, etc. in speeches about the Unity of in one Prophet i.e. Muhammad order to please Allah. How could Muslim Ummah does not tire (PBUH) and we all have the we achieve this unity? our leaders, Imams and scholars. book of Allah i.e. Qur’an. Every Muslim talks about the With due respect to my fellow i f f e r e n c e o f unity. However, as days are D Muslim brothers and sisters, this p i n i o n s du r i n g t h e passing by Muslims are getting sentence is nothing more than O more and more divided. The a lip service. The conflicts in b e s t o f t i m e s division is multidimensional. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Muslims are divided based upon Algeria, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, During Allah’s Messenger languages, ethnicity, regional Bangladesh, South Africa (within (PBUH) time whenever Muslims preferences, nationalism and Muslims), UK (within Muslims), were divided on issues, Allah’s above all sectarian beliefs in the USA (within Muslims), Canada Messenger (PBUH) used to name of Islam. The reasons of (within Muslims) and many bring them together. All the these divisions could be many. other Muslim and non-Muslim Companions (R.A) used to But in this paper I would like to countries were created in the accept his final decision from focus on two reasons. name of Islam. The conflicting their hearts. For example, 1. Division among Muslims Muslim parties fight against each after the battle of Hunain, the because of local nationalism. other in the name of Allah. The hypocrites among Muslims 2. Division among Muslims reason is clear. In all conflicts tried to divide the Muhajir and because of sectarian beliefs in if we review the conditions of Ansar on the issue of distribution the name of Islam. compromise/ unity, we will of GHANEEMAH. Muslims were very close to fight among

Islamic Herald 4 PERKIM themselves. Allah’s Messenger Muslims. Although, after the was informed about the situation. After the death Martyrdom of Hadhrat Uthman, He came and talked to them, of Allah’s Muslims were divided in to and brought them together. The Messenger, two groups but neither history division disappeared. Similarly, Muslims were nor other Islamic literature tells once two companions of Prophet us that they had differences (PBUH) were engaged in a divided on in IBADAAT or Islamic dispute. Both of them belonged the issue of Jurisprudence (FIQAH) or they to two different tribes of Medina. who would declared each other as Kufr, The hypocrites saw a perfect Mushrik, etc. like our Imams and opportunity to ignite tribal succeed scholars do nowadays. rivalry. They started singing the Prophet tribal songs on both sides. (PBUH). But If we read the Islamic history Muslims got divided into two as soon as and the development of Islamic groups and were very close to Jurisprudence (The science of start a fight. The news reached the issue Fiqah), we will realize that the to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH), was resolved four Ahle Sunnat Imams of he came and presented himself peacefully... Islamic Jurisprudence, Imam to the both groups. Both groups Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, realized that for few minutes Imam Shafi’e and Imam Ahmed they had completely forgotten over a political issue of whether bin Hanbal had very high that Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) the murderers of Hadhrat respect and love for the family was among them. As soon as Uthman should be captured first of Prophet (PBUH). They learnt they listened Allah’s Messenger OR the law and order situation in Islamic Jurisprudence from (PBUH), they realized Medina should be handled first. Imams of Ahle Bait (family of their mistake and repented This difference in approaches on Prophet Muhammad, PBUH). immediately. The unity of purely a political issue divided Imam Abu Hanifah was not Muslim remained intact. the Muslims permanently. only a student of Imam Ja’far However, there were no us Sadiq but he was also his After the death of Allah’s differences among Muslims stepson. It is very difficult to Messenger, Muslims were regarding Islamic Jurisprudence believe that Imam Abu Hanifah divided on the issue of who and worshipping (Ibadaat). All would have compiled the Fiqah would succeed the Prophet the Companions (Sahabah), the that is very much different than (PBUH). But as soon as the issue Family (Aal-e-Nabi) of Prophet Imam Ja’far us Sadiq’s Fiqah. was resolved peacefully, all the Muhammad (Peace be upon him) It is hard to believe that Imam Muslims were united behind and later TAB-E-EEN (Muslims Abu Hanifah would have prayed Hadhrat Abu Bakr Al Siddiq, the who followed the companions (Salat) behind Imam Ja’far first Caliph of Islam (R.A). This of the Prophet, PBUH) used differently like Shiite (Shi’ah) unity of Muslims continued till to pray together and only and Sunni pray (Salat) differently the Martyrdom of third Caliph ONE way. If some differences today. There is a possibility of Islam, Hadhrat Uthman ibn occasionally appeared among of minor differences but if we Affaan (R.A). The first major them, they never considered it look today’s Fiqah Ja’fariyh division of Muslims occurred as a difference that could divide and Fiqah Hanafiyah, there is a Islamic Herald 5 PERKIM Islamic Herald

huge difference. Obviously, the preferred over the worldwide / geographical nationalism has people created these differences Islamic brotherhood. Imam always caused problems for after these noble Imams. These Muslim, Imam Bukhari, Imam the unity of this Ummah, even noble Imams never created these Tirmithi and many other Imams during the period of Prophet differences. and scholars of Islam were non (PBUH). But the physical Arabs but no one felt that they presence of Allah’s Messenger The major division among were from non Arab parts of (PBUH) was the bounding force Muslims in Jurisprudence the world. Every Muslim knew for all Muslims. The Muslims occurred when the Science of only one criteria of brotherhood, were united around Muhammad Fiqah (Islamic Jurisprudence) which was the love, and the (PBUH). The battle of UHAD, became a formal subject; the following of Allah’s Messenger the battle of HUNAIN, the battle Sunni Muslims were divided (PBUH). With all the differences of KHAYBER, the agreement into four Mazhab’s (ways), Muslims were united and of HUDAIBIYAH and many HANAFI, MALKI, SHAFI’E very faithful to their religion. other events have given us AND HANBALI. The Shi’ah Muslims were the superpower undisputed proof that the uniting Muslims separated their Fiqah of the world. Muslims were force for Muslims was only and called it JA’FARIAH (from the leaders in setting up the the personality of Muhammad Imam Ja’far us Sadiq, May Allah standards for the rest of the (PBUH). be pleased with him). However, world. Muslims were educators, beside the differences in Fiqah scientists, doctors, engineers, After the death of Allah’s the Sunni Muslim scholars and commanders, etc. Intellectually, Messenger (PBUH), the same Imams always respected each morally, economically, tribalism got ignited in some other and never ever condemned politically and spiritually of the tribes. Some of the tribes each other. The discussion on the Muslims were the leaders and differences in Fiqah was never model for other communities made a topic of Friday Sermon and nations. Muslims knew and (KHUTBAH). One never called practiced that “ AL MUSLIM- the other Imam and his followers O-MAN SAL-I-MAL MUSL- as wrong. They never asked the E-MOON-A- MILLI Muslims not to follow the other SANIHI WA YADIH “, a Imams. Their differences of Muslim is a person from opinions were purely intellectual whose hands and tongue and based upon the Hadith of the other Muslims are Prophet (PBUH) which reached safe (Al Hadith). to them at different times. This was the difference of opinion, Ch a l l e n g e s which Allah’s Prophet (PBUH) t o u s l i m called “IKHTILAFO UMMATI M RAHMAH”, “The intellectual Un i t y difference of opinion in my Ummah is a blessing”. In the previous section we The local nationalism was never discussed that the tribal

Islamic Herald 6 PERKIM refused to pay ZAKAT and family (Aal-e-Nabi). The Grand died. For example, Khawarij six people of various tribes Son of our beloved Prophet and Rawafidh were born during claimed that if Muhammad of (PBUH), Hadhrat Sayyidna that time. There were several Bani Hashim (PBUH) can be Imam Hussain (R.A) scarified other branches grew from these a Prophet why can’t they be not only his own life but also two sects but finally all of these Prophets of their tribes? The the lives of his family members sects died out because of the first Caliph of Islam, Sayydina and close friends to defend and excellent and very sincere work Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (R.A) saw protect the SHA’AER of Allah of TRUE scholars of Islam such this tribal rebellion against (Signs of Allah). Imam Hussain’s as Imam Hussain, Imam Ja’ffer Muhammad (PBUH) and the (R.A) martyrdom gave new us Sadiq, Imam Abu Hanifah, religion he preached. He crushed meanings to the unity of Muslim Imam Malik, Imam Shafi’e, this tribal rebellion with force Ummah. Muslims realize that Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal, Imam and the unity of Muslim Ummah Imam Hussain’s martyrdom has Muslim, Imam Bukhari, Imam was kept intact. This also proves very important message for the Tirmidhi, Imam Baihaqi, Hadhrat that the unity of Muslim Ummah Muslim Ummah. The message Fuzail ibn Ayaz, Hadhrat Junaid has always been challenged is that the Muslims must be Baghdadi, Imam Asha’ry, Imam by those who tried to bring united and ready to scarify their Jozi, Allama ibn Kathir, Allama themselves at the high levels of own lives for the sake of Allah’s Jalaluddin Suyyuti, Mulla Ali Muhammad (PBUH) by claiming DEEN and to protect the Honour Qari, Imam Ghazali, Imam Prophet hood or by undermining of Hadhrat Muhammad (PBUH) Asqalni, Sayyidna Abdul Qadir the honour and the teachings of and his family when challenged Jilani and hundreds of other Muhammad (PBUH). by the forces of evil. Ulema-e-Haq and Auwlia Allah. Because of the noble work of the Although, during the period Throughout the Islamic history above and many others scholars of Hadhrat Ali ibn Abi Talib till the early 1900, the Islamic of Islam the Ummah rejected the (R.A) the Muslims were divided history is full with glory and beliefs of Khawarij, Rawafidh on the political front. Hadhrat turmoil but Muslims remained and their sub-sects and Muslims Ameer Mua’wiyah was the the superpower of the world remained united. The intellectual ruler in Syria and Ameer ul and the leaders of the modern difference of opinion always Mo’mineen, Ali ibn Abi Talib civilization. Beside many remained among the scholars (R.A) was the Caliph of Islamic differences within Muslim of Islam but that should not be state in Medina but they never community no outside power considered as a division. considered each other as bad was able to undermine the Muslim or weak Muslim. All strength of Muslim Ummah Mo v e m e n t s o f Muslims were together as far the however these outside powers i s u n i t y teachings, love and respect for always have tried to destroy D Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) was the unity of Muslim Ummah. The struggle between HAQ concerned. However, during the During the period of Bani (right) and BAATIL (wrong) rule of Yazeed ibn Muawiyah umaiyah and Bani Abbas, has always been part of human the unity of Muslim Ummah there had been many attempts history. Started from Hadhrat was destroyed by ignoring the to disintegrate and disunite Adam (A.S) this struggle is still respect and love for Allah’s Muslims. Many sects grew and going on. The forces of evil have Messenger (PBUH) and his

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never accepted the truth of Islam followed him. However, both and they have always used their of the above breaks from the wicked ways to destroy this Muslim community were not TRUTH (HAQ). The only way considered as major disunity these forces could undermine among Muslims because both this Truth (Islam) was to disunite the followers of Daruzism its followers. The disunity and Baha’ism did not claim among Muslims could only be themselves as Muslims any achieved if some of the Muslims more. They were considered disconnect themselves from as the followers of different the following and obeying of religions. The entire Muslim Hadhrat Muhammad (PBUH). Ummah remained united except few hundreds who converted to Dr u z e , Ba h a i s a n d Daruzism and Baha’ism. h m e d i e s Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qadyani A One of the most recent attempts by the anti Islam forces to The anti Islam forces have him. Instead of this Bahá’u’lláh disunite Muslims was the always supported the ideologies converted thousands of establishment of another religion of those Muslims who tried Christians, Parsees and Hindus within the Muslim community to give “new” meanings to towards Baha’ism. called Ahmedism or Qadyanism. the Quranic verses or tried During 19 century in India a to undermine the honour of In the case of Mirza Ghulam Muslim scholar, Mirza Ghulam Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad Ahmed the anti Islam forces Ahmed Qadyani claimed that he (PBUH). Al-Hakim ibn amrullah were very cautious. Therefore, is the Prophet of Allah as well. in 1022 broke away from Mirza Ghulam Ahmed claimed Mirza Ghulam Ahmed and his Shi’ah Muslims and created his himself as a Prophet but under patrons from the British Empire own religion which was later the Prophethood of Muhammad had learnt the lessons from recognized as Daruzism. Al- ibn Abdullah (Peace be upon Baha’i religion. They saw that Hakim ibn amrullah had full him). This way he tried to Bahá’u’lláh made a mistake by support from the Jews and the keep himself and his followers disassociating from Islam. The Christians. They helped him in associated with Islam and at disassociation from Islam created organizing and establishing his the same time establish a new a roadblock to convert Muslims dynasty. religion within Islam. This from Islam to Baha’ism. tactics worked very well and Bahá’u’lláh was able to attract During early 1900 in Iran thousands of Muslims of Punjab only few hundred Muslims and when Bahá’u’lláh claimed (India) were deceived. They most of his following came that the God has manifested in thought that they could get the from the Christians, Parsees and him and founded the religion worldly benefits by following Hindus. Therefore, anti Islam of Baha’ism. The western Mirza Ghulam Ahmed and still forces were not very successful governments supported remain Muslim. The British in achieving their goal. They him. Many of his followers were the rulers of India and were expecting that Bahá’u’lláh broke away from Islam and these poor Muslims wanted to will attract thousands upon get some benefits from these thousands Iranians to follow Islamic Herald 8 PERKIM patrons of Ahmedism. The leadership started focusing on Muslim superpower, Ottoman British were relatively successful minor issues. Instead of healthy Empire (Khilafah-e-Uthmania) this time and created disunity intellectual discussions, our was fighting against the among Muslims of India. But religious leadership started European colonial powers, the this new religion, Ahmedism emphasizing on resolving the English, the Dutch, the French, remained in India and Pakistan. differences through force. Some the Italians, etc. At the same time Slowly Muslims of India and Muslim scholars intentionally they had to defend themselves Pakistan were getting aware of used Quranic verses and from their own Muslim brothers the motives and beliefs of this misinterpreted their meanings. because Ottoman forces were new religion and the following of Those verses which Allah had TURKS and were not local. To this religion started declining. In revealed in Qur’an to inspire create HATE for TURKS the 1970s after a long struggle, the Muslims to fight against Kufr, local so called scholars of Islam Ahmedism and Qadyanism were these scholars used those verses used religion in order to get declared as non-Muslim faiths. to create animosity among support from all local Muslims. At that time, the Ahmedees Muslim brothers. They made and Qadyanees started mass a Muslim an enemy of another migration towards the western Muslim by using Qur’an and They planted a world where they received Hadith. very dangerous full protection. Although, the seed of nationalism Muslim Ummah do not considers Th e Co l o n i a l among Muslims. Ahmedees and Qadyanees as r a a n d n i t y o f Muslims but Ahmedees and E U Muslims started Qadyanees themselves still claim Mu s l i m Um m a h fighting against that they are Muslims. After the their own Muslim declaration of Ahmedism as a For the last 13 centuries Muslims brothers because separate religion, the Muslims were the superpower of the either they were are united and they did not see world. Khilafah-e-Uthmania Ahmedism as a part of Islam. (Ottoman Empire) was a thorn not from the same in the eyes of anti Islam forces. region or they They wanted to destroy this were speaking a Th e St a r t o f Re a l Islamic Empire at any cost. Di s u n i t y They were trying for the last 13 different language centuries to destroy it but did After almost 13 centuries of not succeed. These forces saw The tactics they used to get Muslim rule, the focus of the shift in focus of Muslim support from local Muslims in Muslim Ummah changed. What scholars and took full advantage order to destroy Ottoman Empire Qur’an describes the attributes of it. They planted a very was simple. Keep Muslims busy of Muslims as, “They (Muslims) dangerous seed of nationalism in fighting on minor issues. are very kind among themselves among Muslims. Muslims Make small issues as big issues but very hard on Kufr”. Muslims started fighting against their own and fight against those Muslims slowly adopted the opposite Muslim brothers because either who do not accept the ideology attributes. They became very they were not from the same of these local nationalist kind to KUFR and very hard and region or they were speaking a scholars. Since these nationalist cruel to Muslims. Our religious different language. When the Islamic Herald 9 PERKIM Islamic Herald

scholars of Islam were fighting also help them in controlling in their lines and change their against Muslim Turkish Ottoman the Muslim land and resources. thinking.Therefore, develop Empire the Western Christian The strategy of European anti and support few Muslims governments loved them and Islam forces was based upon the who are willing to challenge supported them in their struggle. following principles. the honour and authority of Now, these Muslims were very Muhammad (PBUH). Once, friendly with Kufr and very hard • Muslims believe in one God Muslims get into dispute on other Muslims. After a long and they worship only one about their own beloved series of events during 1800 and God. This believe in one God Prophet, it will be very easy to early 1900 most of the Muslims was not considered as a threat disintegrate them. countries became colonies of towards European Society and • Muslims believe in their Holy European governments. These governments. The Christian Book, Qur’an. They also so-called nationalist scholars and Jews also believed in one believe that Qur’an is the word received big rewards from their God, therefore, this would be of God and cannot be changed. Lords in the West and they were common point of discussion Muslims rely on Qur’an for successful in destroying the unity and communication. guidance and religious beliefs. of Muslim Ummah while still claiming the title of “Islamic Scholars”.

St r a t e g i e s o f Eu r o p e ’s a n t i Is l a m Fo r c e s

In late 1700s and early 1800s century the European powers realized that there is no way that the Christian forces can break the strength of Muslim Ummah. The West had seen more than 13 centuries of Muslim rule. • Muslims do love their Prophet, However, Qur’an is the The only way the anti Islam Muhammad (PBUH) from major threat for non-Muslim forces could weaken the unity of their hearts. It is possible that society. No Muslim would Muslim Ummah was to use and a Muslim may not completely accept to modify or change nourish some of the Muslims practice his / her religion the Quranic verses. All major within the Muslim community but it is impossible to find a interpretations (TAFSEER) who could divide the Muslims. Muslim who does not love and Translations of Qur’an are Europeans especially the British Muhammad (PBUH). As long similar. Therefore, develop were studying the Muslim as Muslims remain in love and support those Muslims society for many years. They with their Prophet (PBUH) it scholars who will be able to were working hard to develop is very difficult to penetrate a wicked strategy which could not only divide Muslims but Islamic Herald 10 PERKIM provide “new” meanings to the who were willing to fight presented Muhammad (PBUH) Quranic verses and interpret against the Turkish Ottoman as an ordinary person who “was” them “differently”. These Empire. They found two local Allah’s Messenger but died 1300 kinds of scholars are those Muslim leaders in Najd area years ago. who are; of Arabian Peninsula who o Nationalist and against were willing to fight against He used little different Ottoman Empire because of Khilafah-e-Islamiyah provided approach from other self- its Turkish heritage. that the British give them claimed reformers. Ghulam o Leaders in their local power to rule the land. One of Ahmed Qadyani, Bahaullah and communities and want to be them claimed to be a reformer Muhammad Daruze all claimed recognized as big leaders of Islam and the other was a that they were Prophets hence o Looking for better living but tribal leader and wanted to be proclaiming that they were at cannot afford it. the King of Arabia. The British the same level as Muhammad saw a perfect opportunity to (PBUH). But Muhammad ibn During late 18th century the destroy KHILAFAT-E-ISLAMI Abdul Wahab instead of claiming European governments (Ottoman Empire) and used high levels for himself as the these two leaders of Najd to other did he brought down the destroy the unity of Muslim levels of Muhammad (PBUH ) The British saw a Ummah. These two leaders made so low that Muhammad (PBUH) an agreement among themselves and Muhammad ibn Abdul perfect opportunity that the reformer whose name Wahab both looked at the same to destroy KHILAFAT- was Muhammad ibn Abdul level (I seek Allah’s refuge). He E-ISLAMI (Ottoman Wahab would use Islam as his presented Muhammad (PBUH) Empire) and used slogan and the tribal leader as a dead person who does these two leaders would provide men and weapons not have any more links with to fight against Muslims who his Ummah and Ummah does of Najd to destroy support KHILAFAT-E-ISLAMI not need him anymore (I seek the unity of Muslim (Ottoman Empire). Since, Allah’s refuge). He destroyed all Ummah the self claimed reformer the historical sites and objects knew that the Turks and the which had any connections with Muslims of Hejaz love Allah’s Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) were desperately working to Messenger (PBUH) more than or with the companions of disintegrate Muslim Unity. On anything else he decided to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH). He one side British were breaking undermine the high levels and killed thousands of Muslims the unity of Muslims of non- honour of Allah’s Messenger in Arabian Peninsula in order Arab world by supporting Mirza (PBUH). He used the beliefs to establish the government Ghulam Ahmed Qadyani and of Khawarij to undermine the of his partner who promised on the other side they were authority of Allah’s Messenger him to give him a fair share in creating Arab nationalism among (peace be upon him). He did his kingdom. Muhammad ibn Muslims of the Arab World. not openly preach hate against Abdul Wahab did not follow the They found several Muslims Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) but consensus (Ijma’) of Islamic

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scholars and considered himself the control of Wahabi Imams Peninsula is different than the as the final authority in giving who used the two holy mosques thinking of the Islamic scholars the interpretation of Qur’an to spread their ideology on throughout the history of Islam. and Hadith. Since, he claimed worldwide basis. They preached Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab himself as a Muslim reformer to the pilgrims and the visitors of organized and established this he used force with full backing these two holy cities. Muslims school of thought in the name of of British government and his who did not know that the Islam that contradicts with the partner to occupy the entire Wahabism is a product of the consensus of Islamic scholars Arabia. Finally, he was able to destruction of Ottoman Empire such as; Imam Abu Hanifah, capture the control over Makkah consider the Imams of these Imam Malik, Imam Shafi’e, and Medina, the two holy cities two holy mosques as sacred Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal, Imam of Islamic faith. persons and followed whatever Muslim, Imam Bukhari, Imam they preached. On the other Tirmidhi, Imam Baihaqi, Hadhrat The Europeans were very hand the wealth of oil in the Fuzail ibn Ayaz, Hadhrat Junaid happy with the disintegration Arabian Peninsula brought job Baghdadi, Imam Asha’ry, Imam of Ottoman Empire. These opportunities for worldwide Jozi, Allama ibn Kathir, Allama so-called scholars of Islam did Muslims and non-Muslims. Jalaluddin Suyyuti, Mulla Ali what the entire anti Islam forces When Muslims went to work Qari, , Imam Ghazali, Imam couldn’t do in 13 centuries. After in the region they thought that Asqalni, Sayyidna Abdul Qadir the disintegration of Ottoman all of the residents of the Holy Jilani and hundreds of other Empire most of the Muslim Land are true followers of Ulema-e-Haq and Auwlia Allah. countries became European Islam. They did not know that colonies. Muslims were the present religious authorities Ho w t h e Un i t y o f oppressed all over the world. All of Makkah and Medina follow u s l i m m m a h c a n the glory of Islamic superpower a school of thought, which is M U vanished and Muslims were against the consensus of Islamic b e a c h i e v e d ? completely disunited. scholars. This kind of so-called Islamic thinking in the Arabian There is only ONE way to Wa h a b i s m achieve the unity of Muslim Ummah and that way is the Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab way of Muhammad (PBUH). founded a new sect in Islam This way was used by the called Wahabism. The ideology Companions of Allah’s of Wahabism was based upon Messenger (R.A) and the Muslim the beliefs of Khawarij. In other scholars during the 13 centuries words, the Wahabism was a of Muslim rule of this world. revival of Khawarjism. Two very One may say that everyone important factors played very follows Qur’an but we are still disunited. That’s true. The important role in the success of (intoxicants). Normally in the brain drinking wine is prohibited, but drugs at the beginning of the dispute is not in the Qur’an. The Wahabism. First, the Makkah there is an inhibitory control which making it , selling it, keeping it, or school year). But, I guess the stage dispute lies with those scholars and Medina both cities were in tells us not to engage in shameful even growing grapes for the sole Drugs did not help- they were just or wrongful acts. Any suppressant purpose of selling it to winery for drug including alcohol will making wine is prohibited by the

Islamic Herald 12 PERKIM and their followers who interpret DOs; and following of those Qur’an based upon their own • Whenever we discuss a scholars of Islam who were sectarian beliefs and ignore disputed matter we must be responsible for the destruction consensus of Islamic scholars civilized, open minded and of KHILATFAT-E-ISLAMI (IJMA’). Muslims must return to kind to other Muslims. during 1800 and later. the consensus of Islamic scholars • Whenever we discuss a • Muslims must focus on the which did exist from the period disputed matter we should major issues of Muslim of SAHABAH (Companions of acquire in-depth knowledge of Ummah such as Palestine, Al Allah’s Messenger) till the fall both side’s point of view. Quds, Chechnya, Kashmir, of Khilafah-e-Islamiyah just one • We should be positive and Indonesia, Philippines, century ago. Muslims must think respectful towards other Burma, Macedonian, Albania, as one nation and must overcome Muslims regardless of etc. rather than wasting time the linguistic, geographical, difference in opinions. on minor issues. regional and ethnic differences. • We must be preaching and • Muslims must focus on The agents of colonial empires spreading Islam not our own education, technology and have seeded the linguistic and sectarian beliefs. science, moral and spiritual regional nationalism among • If a dispute arises on the values, economical and Muslims. Muslims must interpretation of a verse in political stability in Muslim leave linguistic and regional Qur’an OR Hadith OR about countries. nationalism behind and become a certain action we must one body. If any part of the body follow the consensus of the DON’Ts; feels pain the entire body should scholars of Islam. If we find • Imams in mosques and feel it and find the cure for it. that the scholars are split on scholars of Islam must not the issue then one can follow interpret verses of Qur’an The intellectual differences whoever he / she likes to from their own opinions and of opinions should be not be follow but must not consider preferences. They must follow considered as a dispute but the others as wrong. the consensus of Islamic it should not be discussed • Friday’s Sermons of our scholars about an issue. on streets or during Friday Imams should be on the • Imams and scholars should sermons. It should be discussed common issues and teachings. not be condemning Muslims in the universities, and Dar-ul- The Imams must try to bring of other sects in their speeches Ulooms. A disputed matter or Muslims together. They must and Friday sermons. issue is that matter / issue in stay away from the disputed • Muslims should not be which the Muslim scholars are topics. spreading hate for other divided. Therefore, instead of • Muslims must love, respect Muslims who disagree with condemning each other, calling and follow Muhammad them as long as both groups names and killing Muslims we (PBUH) as the companions of follow the interpretation of must follow whichever Muslim the Prophet (PBUH) did. Qur’an and Hadith from an school of thought we want to • Muslims must adopt all those authentic scholar of Islam. follow but respect others. ways which increase the love • Muslims should not follow of Allah, His Prophet (PBUH) those Imams and scholars Following are some DOs and and His book, Qur’an. who undermine the honour of DON’Ts to help in building the • Muslims must be very Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) unity of Muslim Ummah. careful in listening, reading and consider themselves as Islamic Herald 13 PERKIM Islamic Herald

the final authority on Islam. followers of Islam and their • Muslims should not follow claim got strength from the fact those Imams and scholars that they have occupied the two who are disrespectful towards holy cities of Islam, Makkah and the consensus of scholars of Medina. Some of the followers Islam. of Wahabism are the richest • Muslims should not follow people and they are using the those Imams and scholars who power of petro dollars to convert ignore their own innovations innocent Muslims towards in Islam but keep Muslims Wahabism. What Wahabism have busy in small disputes. done is un-parallel in Islamic • Muslims should not follow history. They used the verses of those scholars who are Qur’an and the text of Hadith to very eager to issue Fatwa create animosity among brothers. against Muslims and declare All those verses of Qur’an which them KAFIR, MUSHRIK, Allah has revealed to inspire JAHANNAMI, BID’ATEE, Muslims against KUFFAR, these etc. Wahabism used those verses • Muslims should not follow to inspire Muslims against those self claimed Imams Muslims. Just like Ahmedism, and scholars who spread Wahabism consider all those nothing but hate against those Muslims who do not follow them Muslims who do not belong as “MUSHRIK” and “KAFIR”. to their sect. Therefore, in Wahabism it is • Muslims should not follow allowed not to obey Muslim those Imams and scholars parents and fight against your who intentionally dual on own Muslim brothers and sisters minor differences among if they do not follow the Wahabi Muslims. sect. They use Allah’s order Ahmed Qadyani by claiming • Muslims should not follow of Amr bil Ma’roof wa Nahi Prophethood tried to bring those Imams and scholars A’nil Munkar (order good and himself at the level of Allah’s who divide Muslims rather stop evil) to spread their own Messenger (PBUH). While, than uniting them. ideology and sectarian beliefs. Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab THIS IS THE MAIN SOURCE tried to bring the high levels of SUMMARY OF DISUNITY AMONG Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) so MUSLIMS OF THE PRESENT down at his own level that he Druze, Baha’is and Ahmedism TIME. looked like at the same level as separated their faith from the Muhammad (PBUH). (I seek mainstream Islam therefore, A very important commonality Allah’s refuge from Satan). But they are considered as an outside between Ahmedies and Wahabis Allah, the Creator of Muhammad community. However, the is the hidden jealousy for the (PBUH) has given Muhammad followers of Wahabism always high levels of Muhammad (PBUH) so high levels that claimed that they are the true (PBUH). Mirza Ghulam if all the human beings and all the force of this world try Islamic Herald 14 PERKIM to undermine the honour of when the blessing of Qur’an May Allah keep us on the right Muhammad (PBUH) they will is reflected on him and he path, the path of SALEHEEN never succeed. WA RA FA’NA takes Islam as his Cloak ... he and keep us with the LA KA ZIK RAK. then turns around and strips SALEHEEN. Ameen himself off from Islam and Remember; the true knowledge The Noble Prophet (PBUH) then tosses it away behind his is with Allah and His Prophet foretold about the coming back, then he heads quickly (Peace Be Upon Him [PBUH])/ of such people in the Hadith towards his neighbour with (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). narrated by “Abu-Yaa’li” on his sword unsheathed and he the authority of “Huzaifah” calls him a ‘MUSHRIK’” I Source: who said: said: “O, Prophet of Allah! www.islamicsupremecouncil.com/ Who is more worthy of being unity.htm The Noble Prophet (PBUH) called a MUSHRIK the one said: “What I fear most for being attacked or the attacker”. you, is a man who reads He replied, “It is indeed the the Qur’an until such time attacker.” Islamic Herald 15 PERKIM Islamic Herald

Islamic Unity The Ideal and Obstacles in the Way of its Realization Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Unity is an attribute of Allah who, according to the Qur’an, is both al Ahad and al-Wāhid and tawhīd is conceived in Islam as a spiritual principle which at the highest level pertains solely to God. Division and multiplicity belong to the realm of creation and our human world reflects unity to the extent that it remains faithful to the ideal of unity which comes from God and His revelation. The very fact that the ideal of Islamic unity is present in the heart, soul and mind of Muslims is due to the persistence of the effect of the message of the Noble Qur’an and the teachings of the Blessed Prophet and the reason why unity is not fully realized on various levels, including the outward, is because there are obstacles and impediments, both inward and outward, which prevent its full realization.

The most profound obstacles to unity lie within the mind and soul of Muslims. The soul of most of us is not integrated into its centre and is usually scattered in many directions, pulled by the passions which manifest themselves outwardly as actions that bring about division and discord. Likewise, the mind of many Muslims, and especially those who hold the reign of power in their hands, is dispersed by numerous concepts derived to an ever degree from non- Islamic sources and resulting in a world-view in which there is no centre and no integration, resulting consequently in a segmented world which of necessity comes to surround such a human collectivists. There inward causes are the most essential and central reasons for the lack of unity on the more outward plane, a unity which many nevertheless seek because the faith in Islam and

Islamic Herald 16 PERKIM hence the thirst for unity on all levels “O mankind! Lo! We have created of existence remains strong among you male and female, and have made Muslims despite the fact that the ideal you nations and tribes that ye may of unity is not fully realized. There is know one another.” (Qur’an; 49:13,). still an Islamic Ummah despite the Unity on the human level means segmentation within it. integration of diverse elements, whether they be the male and the Before turning to the more external female, various ethnic groups, obstacles in the path of the realization tribes or social classes into a whole of unity, it is important to make clear by means of a higher principle in that unity in the Islamic context the same way that inwardly unity does not mean uniformity. If God does not mean the destruction of had wished to create a single nation the various tendencies of the soul or people, He would have done so, or thoughts in the mind, but their Historically, Islam has been able to whereas the Qur’an asserts clearly, integration which bestows wholeness achieve this goal to a large extent upon the human being. inwardly and even outwardly without destroying that diversity which belongs to the richness of God’s creation. But today many Muslims feel quite rightly that they have fallen below the norm achieved earlier and hence seek to understand the obstacles which prevent the realization once again of that norm.

Now, putting aside the inward obstacles and turning to the more outward causes, it must be said that Islamic history itself displays a gradual falling away from the unity achieved by the Prophet and the Medina community. Even the rightly guided caliphs were confronted with divisive forces including tribalism, while the Umayyad, who were the last Muslim rulers to rule over the whole of the Islamic world, nevertheless faced strong forces of division such as the polarization between the Syrian and Khurasani garrisons reflecting

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Islamic Herald 18 PERKIM Arab-Persian rivalries the Shiite protest in Iraq and Arab tribalism ...but the ideal of unity was against the sedentary centres. After the Umayyad, political rivalries nevertheless realized to became a feature pitting the Abbasids a large extent religiously, against the Spanish Umayyad, later Abbasids against the Fatimid’s, local culturally, intellectually, rulers against the centre, and later the artistically and also socially Ottomans against the Safavids, etc. and economically Likewise, theological and juridical confrontations and diversions came to the fore ranging from Sunni-Shiite interpretations of the various tenets of Paris telephone operator to call from identity with one’s own land and faith to differences between various Morocco to some Muslim country in country which existed in earlier schools of law. There were also ethnic the Middle East, and many Muslim Islamic history and to which the rivalries between Arabs and Persians, educated people can learn about well-known Hadith of the Blessed Turks and Arabs, Turks and Persians other parts of the Islamic world only Prophet, “The love of one’s country and the like. through Western sources whether comes from faith (īmān)” refers. Even they are newspapers, journals or the in earlier times an Egyptian knew that Despite these historical divisions, television. An interruption of lines he was not a Syrian and a Persian however, Islamic civilization of communication among Muslims that he was not an Arab or a Turk a preserved its unity to a remarkable was brought about which has never Persian. But this kind of national or degree through the ubiquitous been fully amends to this day. This regional identity allowed itself to presence of the Noble Qur’an and the can be seen even in language, that be integrated into larger wholes as Sunnah of the Prophet, the practice of supreme means of communication, Islamic history bears witness. The new the Divine Law, the use of the Arabic- where foreign influences have even type of nationalism, however, created Persian script, modes of thought and succeeded in separating speakers of a a notion of the nation-state alien to motifs of art which cut across ethnic single language from each other not the Islamic ethos, a reality which and political borders and many other to speak of causing greater separation remains one of the main impediments factors. The Islamic world was not of various Islamic languages from to the creation of Islamic unity to this politically united as in its earliest each other. For example, Persian or day. This is especially true because history, but the ideal of unity was dar spoken in Tajikistan has absorbed many of the Muslim nations now on nevertheless realized to a large extent many Russian words, in Afghanistan the map were created by European religiously, culturally, intellectually, English words and in Iran French. powers on the basis of their own artistically and also socially and The result is that the poetry of Rudaki interests and not on the basis of economically. is perfectly comprehensible to ethnic, historical or natural regional people of all those regions but the distinctions. And of course whenever The gradual weakening of the Islamic current medium of expression poses these borders continue to serve world and the imposition of Western occasional problems. The same can the interests of the world powers, colonialism caused a much greater be seen in the case of Turkish and they suddenly become sacrosanct division and loss of unity within the other Turkic languages. and immutable, while if they their Islamic world bringing about forms violation poses no great threat to of diversity which persist to this day. Colonialism also bequeathed upon such interests, then few forces on the Western domination destroyed to a the Islamic world Western style outside care much about what goes large extent communication between nationalism which grew out of the on across such borders. various parts of dār al-Islam. Even French Revolution and which must today one has to go through the not be confused with the earlier Islamic Herald 19 PERKIM Islamic Herald

Not only the very process of When the colonial powers left the modernization but also the Islamic world, at least in name, and manner in which colonial powers Muslims gained their independence, modernized various Islamic countries in most regions ruling elites came to The or these countries followed paths power who were highly Westernized of modernization has also had and did not rise from the traditional independence a profound effect upon further elements in Islamic society for which loss of unity in the Islamic world the ideal of Islamic unity and the of Islamic and continues to remain a main Ummah has always remained strong. countries, impediment towards bringing about Many of these leaders and also greater unity. Certain parts of the rulers of those countries which had therefore, Islamic world such as Nigeria, Egypt, preserved some semblance of unity the Sudan, Pakistan, Bangladesh were patriots, but whether patriots did not lead and Malaysia were modernized or representatives of special interests through British colonial influence; including their own, they usually automatically to Muslim North Africa, Syria and sought to modernize their countries greater Islamic Lebanon through the French; the on the Western model and therefore Muslim Central Asian and Caucasian upon the foundation of the nation- unity. On the republics through the Russians; state imported from 19th century Indonesia through the Dutch, etc. European history. The independence contrary, in Furthermore, countries which of Islamic countries, therefore, did several instances remained nominally independent not lead automatically to greater also emulated different models of Islamic unity. On the contrary, in it made possible modernization. For example, Turkey several instances it made possible followed mostly the Germans, the more severe conflict between Muslim more severe Iranians, and the French at least until states, conflicts which were and conflict between a few decades ago and the Saudis the remain of course opposed to Islamic Americans. The differences in Western unity but were and are often of the Muslim states, models is reflected deeply to this day greatest benefit to the world powers. in the modern educational institutions The experience of colonialism also conflicts or the institutions of “model” destroyed the economic unity of the which were countries to which most of the young Islamic world. Main trade routes such from each country who study abroad as the Silk Route and the sea route and remain of continue to be sent. It is enough to from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea ponder how deep is the effect of and the Mediterranean, all of which course opposed things French upon young Algerians had been in Muslim hands, were and things English upon young lost over a period of three centuries to Islamic unity Pakistanis to understand this point. and gradually the economy of each but were and Even the contemporary literature Muslim region became more tied to of various Islamic countries reflects that of some Western power than to are often of the the different paths of modernization the economy of other Islamic lands. followed and the reflections within That pattern has far from disappeared greatest benefit the Islamic world of the diversity and today and the dependence of the to the world even opposition of many strands of economy of the various Islamic modern Western civilization remain countries upon what is usually called powers among the major obstacles to unity the world economy, but which in among Muslims. reality is the economy dominated by

Islamic Herald 20 PERKIM the highly industrialized countries, as well within their embrace when while persevering in this process of continues unabated. In many ways they formed R.C. D. And on an re-integration and inner unification, this dependence has grown and even larger scale how much of the attempts must be made to remove not diminished during this century, economic resources of the Islamic these obstacles which it is in the creating a formidable obstacle to world would have been saved if the present day power of Muslims to Islamic unity. It is quite obvious that Arabs, Turks and Iranians, not to remove, such as creating more mutual if this unity were to be realized, talk of other Muslim lands were as respect and understanding between it would be of great economic closely united in their policies as Sunnis and Shiites, those who accept detriment to many powerful Western Europe has become during only the external interpretation of countries. the past few decades. Just the amount the Divine Law and the people of of arms Muslims would not have the Way or the Sufis, Arabs and This question of political and had to buy indicates how precious Turks, Persians and Arabs, Pashtu’s, economic interest of strong foreign are the differences among Muslims Uzbeks and Tajik’s, etc. By creating power to preserve disunity in the to those who wish not only to buy greater understanding and mutual Islamic world and to prevent the their natural resources especially respect through the most universal realization of unity is of great oil but also to take back in one way interpretation of the message of importance, although the Muslims or another most of the money they Islam which would embrace all the cannot ultimately blame anyone but have paid for those resources. Any members of the Ummah, at least themselves for the fact that there is talk of obstacles to Islamic unity those differences, which are so easily so much discord in the present-day cannot disregard a realistic appraisal manipulated by the powers that be, Islamic world. It is well known that of the very powerful interests which will greatly reduced. But the most Western powers sought to aggravate wish to prevent such a unity that immediate and the highest goal is to and accentuate all the differences is often depicted in the West as remove the obstacles to unity within they could find and make use of the rising danger of a so-called ourselves and to live constantly in the among the Muslims over whom they “fundamentalist” Islam at the very awareness of the reality of God who ruled whether it was Sunnis and moment when Europe, that cradle is the source of all unity. In removing Shiites, Arab Turkish rivalries, dynastic of modern nationalism, is becoming these inner obstacles we also make claims, tribal differences or something united into a single economic if not the greatest contribution to the else of similar nature. political block. removal of those external obstacles which prevent the world-wide Islamic Nor have they ceased to draw as The great obstacles on the path of community from realizing more much benefit as possible from such Islamic unity must not, however, fully on the outward plane that unity differences during the past few be interpreted as an excuse for whose realization at all levels is decades with every effort possible indifference or passivity. First of all the very raison d’être of the Islamic being made to benefit from conflicts steps must be taken to unite the revelation. which can be of great economic and minds and souls of Muslims and Source: www.allamaiqbal.com political importance to them. It is integrate them inwardly once again sufficient to think how different the through recourse to the Islamic situation would be and how much intellectual, artistic and of course benefit would have accrued to the religious tradition and rejection Islamic world, if let us say all of the of the totally anti-Islamic alien North African countries or the eastern concepts, motifs ad models which Arab countries were really united in have cluttered the Islamic landscape their economic and political policies during the past century. And this or if Iran, Turkey and Pakistan had must be done most of all through the become really closely knit together re-Islamisation of education at all and been able to include Afghanistan levels in the Islamic world. Secondly,

Islamic Herald 21 PERKIM Islamic Herald BIOGRAPHY SALMAN FARSI (R.A)

Introduction

This is the story of the pious, mystic, Faqhi, intellectual and ascetic, Salman the Persian (R.A). He grew up in the town of Isfahan in Persia, in the village of Jayyan. His father was the Dihqan (chief) of the village. He was the richest person there and had the biggest house. His father loved him, more than he loved any other. As time went by, his love for Salman (R.A) became so strong and overpowering that he feared to lose him or have anything happen to him. So he kept him at home, a virtual prisoner, in the same way that young girls were kept.

Salman (R.A) became devoted to the Magian religion, so much so that he attained the position of custodian of the fire, which they worshipped. His duty was to see that the flames of the fire remained burning and that it did not go out for a single hour, day or night. Salman’s (R.A) father had a vast estate, which yielded an abundant supply of crops. He himself looked after the estate and gathered harvest. One day as he went about his duties as Dihqan of the village, he said to Salman, ‘My son, as you see, I am too busy to go out to the estate now. Go and look after matters there for me today. On the way to the estate, Salman (R.A) passed a Christian church and heard voices raised in prayer, which attracted his attention. He did not know anything about Christianity or, for that matter, about the followers

Islamic Herald 22 PERKIM of any other religion. His father had kept him in the they gave the bishop anything to spend in the way house away from people. When he heard the voices of Allah, he would hoard it for himself and not of the Christians, he entered the church to see what give anything to the poor or needy. In this way, he they were doing. He was impressed by their manner amassed a vast quantity of gold. When the bishop of praying and felt drawn to their religion. He said, died and the Christians gathered to bury him, ‘This religion is better than ours. I shall not leave Salman (R.A) told them of his corrupt practices them until the sunsets.’ and, at their request, showed them where the bishop had kept their donations. When they saw the large Salman’s(R.A) inclination to jars filled with gold and silver they said, ‘By Allah, we shall not bury him.’ They nailed him on a cross Christianity and threw stones at him. Not long after, the local people appointed another man in place of the first. Salman (R.A) asked and was told that the Christian Salman (R.A) stayed on, in the service of this religion originated in Syria. He did not go to his person who replaced him. The new bishop was an father’s estate that day and at night, he returned ascetic who longed for the Hereafter and engaged in home. His father met him and asked where he had worship day and night. Salman (R.A) was devoted been. Salman (R.A) told him about his meeting to him and spent much of the time in his company. with the Christians and how he was impressed by their religion. His father was dismayed and said: Before he passed away, Salman (R.A) said to him, ‘my son, there is nothing good in that religion. Your “O so and so Priest! The time has come for you to religion and the religion of your forefathers are witness Allah Ta’ala’s decision (meaning death). better.” I swear by Allah, I have never adored anyone as ‘ much as I have adored you! So what would you No, their religion is better than ours,’ he insisted. instruct me to do? And who can you recommend for His father became upset and afraid that Salman me to see?” (R.A) would leave their religion. So he kept Salman (R.A) locked up in the house and shackled his He replied, “O son! I do not know of anyone except feet. Salman (R.A) managed to send a message to for a certain man living in the city of Mosul. Go to the Christians, asking them to inform him of any him, for you will find that he is similar to me.” caravans going to Syria. Before long they contacted him with the information he wanted. He broke A short while after he passed away, Salman (R.A) the fetters and escaped his father’s estate to join arrived at Mosul and found the priest he had been the caravan to Syria. When he reached Syria, he sent to, and indeed, he was very much like the asked regarding the leading person in the Christian one before him in terms of simplicity and striving. religion and was directed to the bishop of the After he passed away, Salman (R.A) was referred church. He went up to him and said: ‘I want to to another priest who in turn sent him to a priest become a Christian and would like to attach myself in Ammuriyah (Ameria, near Rome) , before to your service, learn from you and pray with you.’ his demise. Salman (R.A) stayed by this Roman priest, and decided to make a living. Eventually The bishop agreed and Salman (R.A) entered the hemanaged to acquire some sheep and cows. church in his service. Salman (R.A) soon found out, however, that the bishop was corrupt. He would When his death was near, Salman (R.A) told him order his followers to give money in charity while of my story and asked him for his advice just as holding out the promise of blessings to them. When he had asked those before him. He said: “There is Islamic Herald 23 PERKIM Islamic Herald

nobody following our ways of life I can send you Salman (R.A) felt light-headed upon hearing these to. Nevertheless, your life seems to coincide with words and began to shiver so violently that he had the era of the predestined Prophet who will arise to climb down, in fear that he may fall. He quickly from the Haram. His migration will be to a city full swung down from the tree and spoke to his master’s of date trees. Moreover, he will certainly have some nephew. ‘What did you say? Repeat the news for distinct features: Between his shoulder blades, there me.’ Salman’s (R.A) master grew angry at this will be the Seal of the Prophethood. He will eat breach of protocol and struck him a terrible blow. food, provided it is a gift and not a donation. If you ‘What does this matter to you’? Go back to what can reach that city, then do so, because you are very you were doing,’ he shouted. close to his era.” Hazrat Salman (R.A) himself narrates: Salman’s (R.A) inclination to I left the house for a while, making inquiries. I the Arabs and Islam asked a woman I met from the city whose entire family had become Muslim. She showed me the A group of Arab leaders from the Kalb tribe passed way to the Prophet (S.A.W) . through Ammuriyah. Salman (R.A) asked them to take him with them to the land of the Arabs, in When it was evening, I took some food with me return for whatever money he had. They agreed to and went to the Prophet (S.A.W) . The Prophet take him along. When they reached Wadi al-Qura was in Quba at the time. I said, “Word has (a place between Syria and Madinah), the Arabs reached me that you are a very pious man, and broke their agreement and made him a slave, then that you have some travellers in your company. I sold Salman (R.A) to a Jew. Salman (R.A) worked had some charity and thought that you would be as a servant for him but he eventually sold him to most deserving of it. This is it; you may have some a nephew of his, belonging to the tribe of Banu to eat.” The Prophet (S.A.W) withdrew his own Qurayzah. This nephew took Salman (R.A) with hand, not eating from it, but told his Companions him to Yathrib, the city of palm groves, which is to eat. At the time, I thought, “This is one of the how the Christian at Ammuriyah had described it. characteristics my Mentor told me of.” At that time the Prophet (S.A.W) was inviting his On my way back, I saw that the Prophet (S.A.W) people in Makkah to Islam but Salman (R.A) did was heading to Madinah . Thus, I took the food not know of this because of the harsh duties slavery to him, saying, “I saw that you were not eating imposed upon him. When the Prophet (S.A.W) from this charity. As a matter of fact, I presented reached Yathrib after his hijrah from Makkah, it as a gift and not charity.” This time, the Prophet (S.A.W) also ate with his Companions. “That Salman (R.A)was on top of a palm tree doing some makes two signs,” I thought. work. Salman’s (R.A) master was sitting under the tree. A nephew of Salman’s (R.A) master came up Later on, I approached the Prophet (S.A.W) as and said, ‘May Allah declare war on the Aws and he was walking behind the corpse in a funeral. I the Khazraj (the two main Arab tribes of Yathrib). remember that at the time, he was covered in two By Allah, they are now gathering at Quba to meet a sheets, and that his Companions were with him. man, who has just today, arrived from Makkah and I was trying to steal a look at the Seal on his back, who claims to be Prophet.’ when the Prophet (S.A.W) saw me glancing.

Islamic Herald 24 PERKIM Realising that I wanted to verify what someone He said, “Allah will surely make it sufficient for had told me, he let his cloak drop a little, and your debt.” I managed to see that the Seal between his shoulder blades was exactly the way my Mentor As a result to this statement, I swear By Allah, it had described it. I threw myself down before the outweighed the one thousand, six hundred coins. I Prophet (sallallahu-alayhi wasallam) kissing (his not only paid off my dues, but what I had left with blessed hands/feet) and started to cry. The Holy me was equivalent to what I had given them. Prophet (S.A.W) said, “O Salman! Reveal your story.” The strict honesty of the Prophet (S.A.W) was one of the characteristics that led Salman (R.A) So I sat in front of him, relating my story to him to believe in him and accept Islam. Salman (R.A) and hoping that his Companions could also hear was released from slavery by the Prophet (S.A.W) it. When I had finished, the Prophet said, “O who paid his Jewish master a stipulated price, and Salman! Make a deal with your owner to free who himself planted an agreed number of date you.” palms to secure Salman’s (R.A) manumission. After accepting Islam, Salman (R.A) would say when Consequently, my master did agree to free me, but asked whose son he was, ‘I am Salman, the son of in exchange for the following: ‘Three hundred Islam from the children of Adam.’ date trees, as well as one thousand, six hundred silver coins.’ Hence, the Sahaba (Radhiallahu Salman’s (R.A) role in islam anahum) helped by providing around twenty to thirty date plants each, and a tenth of every man’s Salman (R.A) was to play an important role in land in accordance to how much he owned. The the struggles of the growing Muslim State. At the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said to me, battle of Khandaq, he proved to be an innovator in “Dig a hole for each date-plant. When you are military strategy. It was he who suggested digging finished, let me know so that I can personally fix a ditch or khandaq around Madinah to keep the all the date-plants into place with my own hands.” Quraysh army at bay. When Abu Sufyan, the leader Thus, with the help of my friends, I dug holes of the Makkans, saw the ditch, he said, ‘This wherever the date-plants were to be put. stratagem has not been employed by the Arabs before.’ Salman (R.A) participated in all of the Later on, the Prophet (S.A.W) came. We stood by other campaigns of the Prophet (S.A.W) thereafter. his side holding the plants as he fixed them into He was also with Saad in the conquest of Iraq. After the ground. I swear by The Being Who sent the the grand victory, the Caliph Umar (R.A) chose him Prophet (S.A.W) with the Truth, not a single plant because of his knowledge of the terrain, to select died out. the land upon which Kufa was to be built.

Nevertheless, I still had the silver to pay. A man Salman (R.A)became known as ‘Salman the Good’. came to the Prophet (S.A.W) bringing from the Salman (R.A) was a scholar who lived a rough and mines some gold which was roughly the size of a ascetic life. He had one cloak, which he wore and pigeon’s egg. The Prophet said, “O Salman! Take slept on. He would not seek the shelter of a roof this and pay off whatever you have to.” but stayed under a tree or against a wall. A man once said to him: ‘Shall I not build you a house in I replied, “O Messenger of Allah! How will this be which you may live?’ ‘I have no need of a house,’ enough for my debt?” he replied. The man persisted and said; ‘I know the Islamic Herald 25 PERKIM Islamic Herald

type of house that would suit you.’ ‘Describe it to Then in the morning, they prayed together and then me,’ said Salman. ‘I shall build you a house which went out to meet the Prophet (S.A.W). The Prophet if you stood up in, the roof would hurt your head (S.A.W) supported Salman (R.A) in what he had and if you were to stretch your legs, the wall would said. (Bukhari) hurt them.’ Salman (R.A) as a scholar Later, as a governor of Al-Madain (Ctesiphon) near Baghdad, Salman (R.A) received a stipend of five As a scholar, Salman (R.A) was noted for his thousand dirham’s. This he would distribute vast knowledge and wisdom. Ali (R.A) said as sadaqah. He lived from the work of of him that he was like Luqman the his own hands. When some people Wise. And Kab al-Ahbar said: came to Madina and saw him Kab ‘Salman is bursting with working the palm groves, they al-Ahbar knowledge and wisdom. He said, ‘You are the leader is an ocean that does not here and your sustenance said: ‘Salman dry up.’ Salman (R.A) had is guaranteed and yet you is bursting with knowledge of both the do this work?’ Christian scripture and knowledge and the Quraan in addition to ‘I like to eat from the wisdom. He is an his earlier knowledge of work of my own hands,’ the Zoroastrian religion. he replied. Salman (R.A) ocean that does Salman (R.A) in fact however was not extreme in not dry up.’ translated parts of the his ascetism. Quraan into Persian during the lifetime of the Prophet (S.A.W) It is related that he visited Abu He was thus the first person to Dardaa (R.A) with which the Prophet translate the Quraan into a foreign (S.A.W) had joined him in brotherhood. He language. found Abu Dardaa’s wife in a miserable state and he asked, ‘What is the matter with you.’‘Your According to the most reliable account, he died in brother has no need of anything in this world,’ she either 31 or 34 A.H, at the age of 250 years, during replied. the caliphate of Uthman, at Ctesiphon.

When Abu Dardaa (R.A) came, he welcomed Abu Hurraira (R.A) narrates, that the Prophet Salman (R.A) and gave him food. Salman (R.A) (S.A.W) prayed the following verse: ‘If ye turn told him to eat but Abu Dardaa (R.A) said, ‘I am back, He will substitute in your stead another fasting.’‘I swear to you that I shall not eat until you people, then they would not be like you.’ (Q47:38) eat also.’ The Sahabah asked the Prophet (S.A.W), ‘O Prophet (S.A.W) who are these people that Allah Salman (R.A) spent the night there as well. During has mentioned, that he would chose them instead of the night, Abu ad-Dardaa (R.A) got up but Salman us? That they will not do as we did?’ The Prophet (R.A) got hold of him and said, ‘O Abu ad-Dardaa, (S.A.W) placed his hand on Salman’s thigh and your Lord has a right over you. Your family has a said, ‘It will be his people. And even if faith is near right over you and your body has a right over you. the Surya (the Pleiads), someone from the Persians Give to each there due.’ would attain it.’ Islamic Herald 26 PERKIM Who were the people of Kufa and Iraq? Who was Hadith that, ‘Each Prophet had seven helpers and Imaam Abu Hanifah? They were all Persians. The protectors, I was given fourteen. Ali, Hasan and divinely chosen denizens of Kufa were Persians. Hussain, Hamzah, Abu Bakr, Umar, Masaab Ibn Their spiritual teachers were Persians and so were Ameer, Bilal, Salman, Amar, Abdullah Ibn Masood, the three about whom the Prophet (S.A.W) said, Abu Dhar and Miqdad.’ ‘Paradise longs for three people. Ali, Amar and Salman.’ (Tirmidhi) This was Salman Farsi (R.A), the Persian who’s quest for the true faith lasted almost all of his 250 Abu Hurraira (R.A) narrates in another Hadith, that years of life. As Muslims and as students, it should the Prophet (S.A.W) once prayed the following be our point of aspiration to achieve at least some verse: ‘As well as others of them, who have not of the dedication of Salman Farsi (R.A) to faith and already joined them.’ (Q62:3) The Sahabah asked, the gaining of knowledge. ‘O Prophet of Allah, who are these people,’ The Source: inter-islam.org Prophet (S.A.W) placed his hand on Salman (R.A) and said, ‘If faith was near the Pleiads, then someone from them would attain it.’ (Bukhari and Muslim)

Time bore witness to the realisation of the Prophet (S.A.W) words. The progeny of the Persians spread their knowledge and populated the world. Conclusion

Once Abu Sufyan came to Madinah and passed by Salman (R.A), Bilal (R.A) and Sohayb (R.A) The three companions said, ‘Have not the swords of Allah beheaded this accursed man yet?’ Abu Bakr (R.A) upon hearing this said, ‘Do not say such things of the leader of Quraish.’ After that, Abu Bakr (R.A) went to the Prophet (S.A.W) and told him of this conversation. The Prophet (S.A.W) said, ‘Have you annoyed these three? If you have, then you have annoyed Allah.’ Abu Bakr (R.A) made haste to the three companions and asked them whether they took offence on his words. They told him that they had not and further said, ‘O brother, may Allah forgive you.’ The annoyance of Salman (R.A) is the annoyance of Allah. Even the likes of Abu Bakr (R.A) fear to offend him.

It has come in another Hadith that the Prophet (S.A.W) said, ‘Allah has commanded me to love four men, for He too loves them. They are Ali, Abu Dhar, Miqdad and Salman.’It has also come in a Islamic Herald 27 PERKIM Islamic Herald

The

Life of Sheikh ‘Abdur Rahman As-Sumayt

Throughout his life As-Sumayt was awarded a vast number of honours, awards, trophies and certificates, in acknowledgement of his efforts in charity work. This included one of the highest most prestigious awards, the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam...

Islamic Herald 28 PERKIM The Life of Sheikh ‘Abdur the Chairman of Research and King Faisal International Rahman As-Sumayt Islamic Studies. Born in Kuwait Prize for Service to Islam; the The Ummah may soon lose in 1947, he was a qualified beneficiaries of which also one of it’s most eminent doctor specialising in internal donated 750 Thousand Saudi personalities with the illness of diseases and gastroenterology, Riyals as an endowment for Dr Abdur Rahman As-Sumayt. before becoming involved in the education of the children At almost sixty four years of charity work; graduating from of Africa. The fruits of this age, he was a true luminary the University of Baghdad with endowment are visible today who strove to uphold and make a Bachelors degree in Medicine by way of a large number of the Word of Allah uppermost. and Surgery then going on to Africans who received and More than seven million are continuing to receive people are said to have education at various accepted Islam through his universities throughout the efforts in Africa. He spent continent. more than twenty nine years of his life propagating The pursuit of his vision Islam in the African however was not always continent; participating a smooth task, often he in the construction of was faced with dangerous approximately 5,700 and perilous situations. mosques, provisioning care As-Sumayt was the target for than 15,000 orphans, of several unsuccessful the drilling of around assassination attempts by 9,500 artesian wells and various armed militias the establishment of 860 perturbed by his wide schools, 4 universities and reaching and overwhelming 204 Islamic centres. presence and influence amidst the poor and needy, obtain a diploma in Tropical as well as a number of close Life and Diseases from the University calls with the deadly cobra Upbringing of Liverpool in 1974 then which almost took his life completing his postgraduate on more than one occasion His full name is Abdur Rahman studies specialising in internal in Mozambique, Kenya and bin Hamood As-Sumayt, a well- diseases and the digestive Malawi, being saved by Allah known Kuwaiti Islamic daa’ee system at McGill University in each time. He was also subjected (caller to Islam) and founder Montreal, Canada. to the hardship of imprisonment, of the Kuwait based charity, the worst of which came at the “Direct Aid Organization” Throughout his life As-Sumayt hands of Arab Ba’athists. was awarded a vast number of نوعلا ةيعمج) previously known honours, awards, trophies and A quarter of a century of his (رشابملا as the Africa Muslim Agency certificates, in acknowledgement life was spent in undertaking ,of his efforts in charity work. his charitable works in Africa .(ايقيرفأ يملسم ةنجل) He served as its President of the This included one of the highest returning to Kuwait only Board of Directors as well as most prestigious awards, the for short visits or to receive Islamic Herald 29 PERKIM Islamic Herald

medical treatment. He remained afflicted by high blood pressure, undeterred by obstacles and diabetes and a number of blood · Founder and chairman of undertook a number of trips clots (once in his heart and a branch of the Muslim deep into the African jungles and twice in the brain) as well as Physicians Society, United subjected himself to the dangers two bouts of Malaria. None of States of America and and terrors of travel through these affected his resolve as Canada 1976, East Canada its remote forests (in order to his spiritual armaments, the Branch. carry out his work). These were armament of faith with which · Founding member of the selfless actions which can be As-Sumayt drew upon to fight Montreal branch of the considered to be from the acts of his battles in the path of Allah Muslim Students Society, a living martyrdom frequently for the weak, destitute and needy 1974-1976. subjecting himself to danger in and to overcome his obstacles, · Founding member, Malawi his relentless efforts to bring remained strong, firmly lodged Muslims Committee - Kuwait peace, aid and relief to Africa; in his heart. 1980 be it with a loaf of bread in his · Founding member, Kuwaiti hand (food), or a lamp (essential His Work Relief Committee. supplies) or a book (education). · Founding member, Dr Sumayt helped establish International Islamic Charity As Dr Sumayt advanced in or participated in a plethora Authority – Kuwait age, his physical armaments of professional and charitable · Founding member, began to weaken; his body organisations throughout his International Islamic Council lifetime. These include: Islamic Herald 30 PERKIM for Call & Relief – Kuwait. Moved by this scene, together He once received · Member of Charity Rescue with some friends he collected an academic Society – Kuwait. some money and purchased grant of forty · General Secretary of the an old car. From then on every African Muslims Committee, single day, he would drive two dinars 1981 - 1999. these workers for free; an act yet would not · Chairman of Direct Aid, 1999 stemming from his mercy and eat more than - 2008. compassion for them. · Member of the Kuwaiti Red one meal a Crescent Society – Kuwait. At university he would set aside day and would · Editor –in- chief of Al the majority of his monthly not ‘indulge’ in Kawther Magazine, 1984 stipend for the purchase of sleeping on a bed, until his passing. Islamic books which he would · Member of the council of then distribute at various even though the trustees of Islamic Call mosques. He once received an price of one was Organization- Sudan. academic grant of forty two not more than · Member of the council dinars yet would not eat more of trustees of Science & than one meal a day and would two dinars... Technology University – not ‘indulge’ in sleeping on Yemen. a bed, even though the price · Chairman of the board of of one was not more than two They shipped him to Baghdad Faculty of Education – dinars; considering it to be an where he faced severe torture Zangbar unnecessary luxury. During his to the extent that flesh from his · Chairman of the board of postgraduate studies in the West, face, hands and feet tore off, Faculty of Shari’ah and he would collect money every yet he remained steadfast and Islamic Studies- Kenya month from Muslim students to patient. Later in his life when · Chairman of Charity Work pay for the printing of Islamic looking back at this terrible Studies Center – Kuwait pamphlets and then would have ordeal he stated, “I had no doubt them distributed throughout whatsoever that I would not die South East Asia and Africa. except at the moment Allah had His Journey These are just a small number ordained for me”, demonstrating towards of examples of his earliest his unswerving reliance upon Compassion for righteous actions. His Lord. the Poor Detention and Imprisonment As-Sumayt’s keen interest and As-Sumayt twice was concern for Africa in particular Dr Abdur Rahman As-Sumayt’s imprisoned. The first time was in developed as a result of a journey towards his compassion Baghdad in 1970, almost being field study carried out by the for the poor and needy began executed. The second time was African Muslim Agency which during his days as a high school in 1990 when he was arrested by confirmed that millions in the student in Kuwait. He would Iraqi intelligence forces during continent knew nothing about observe poor workers waiting the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. He Islam except myths, legends without shade in the extreme was completely unaware of what and unfounded superstitions. heat for their transport to arrive. his fate would be at the time. As a result of this the people, Islamic Herald 31 PERKIM Islamic Herald

and in particular their children, on behalf of a charitable female white flag and give up just became vulnerable to Christian Kuwaiti benefactor. yet. He decided to change his evangelisation. This was strategy by instead shifting already the case with tens of Upon his arrival he witnessed his attention from the rich and thousands in countries such as first hand the scene of millions upper class to the middle class Tanzania, Malawi, Madagascar, of human beings slowly being masses, in particular the female South Sudan, Kenya, Niger killed by hunger, poverty, demographic. He soon realised and others, who had converted ignorance, backwardness and that this was the great treasure to Christianity, affiliating disease. He also witnessed of Abdur Rahman As-Sumayt themselves with this religion the literal fall of the Muslims that had been lost to him, and by even though their parents and under the influence of Christian the Grace of Allah it had been forefathers were all Muslim. missionaries, who gave them unlocked and bestowed upon crumbs to eat and education him after three difficult and lean As-Sumayt firmly believed that for their children in their own months. Islam precedes all theories, missionary schools. Hence all ideologies, all cultures and forthwith a deep love for this With provision in hand he finally civilisations when it comes spot took root within him, set off vigorously in pursuit to social and humanitarian settling over his heart and of his dream of uplifting and voluntary work (as well as conscience, taking control of his changing forever the African in every other sphere). His thinking and shaping his actions continent; a place many would story dates back to his return for what was soon to come. associate with desolation and to Kuwait at the completion barrenness. Yet it is only the of his post graduate studies. Humble eagerest souls, in love with It is here in his home country Beginnings challenge and adventure, who that he witnessed an enormous actively seek out such trials. A potential for charity that lay As-Sumayt began his foray challenge that would eventually dormant, a capacity he wished into charity and da’wah; result in a resounding success by to split asunder so that that it’s his efforts to raise up and any standard. benefits would pour forth and advance the poor and needy of rain help, aid and goodness Africa from the humblest of Commencement of upon those most in need of beginnings while still in Kuwait, the Islamic Call it. Thus he proceeded to the completely enveloped by great Ministry of Endowments and aspirations. This was during Amongst the things that affected presented to the officials his the late 1970’s. He initially As-Sumayt the most, such desire to participate in charity spent three months toiling that he would be frequently work. However the immense wearily in earnest, networking brought to tears, was something amount of beauracracy and red with many many people yet that occurred regularly in tape he was forced to deal with despite his arduous efforts and areas he would visit. Upon almost nullified his headstrong the sheer amount of wealth his arrival into a new area he efforts and nearly killed off present in a rich nation such would successfully convert his enthusiasm. Despite this as Kuwait, he was only able to a large number of the youth eventually he was willed by collect the sum of a thousand into Islam. Many of which Allah to travel to Malawi to dollars. As disappointed as would cry profusely, their help build and setup a mosque he was he refused to raise the Islamic Herald 32 PERKIM unpleasant swamps, in order to reach them. Whenever he would reach a village he would gather the people and say,

دحاولا هللا يبر“ ينقلخ يذلا دحألا يذلا وهو ينقزرو ”.ينييحيو ينتيمي

“My Lord is Allah, the One, the Absolute. He Created me, emotions overtaking them as two of them continued to live Sustains me and is the One who they reflected upon the passing amongst different peoples in will cause me to die and once of their parents who died as villages and forests, providing again, give me life.” non-Muslims. They would often them with medical, social ask the questions, “Where were and educational services. This statement is concise you O Muslims! What took you More importantly, As-Sumayt and powerful yet simple to so long to finally reach us after implanted the love of bestowal understand and remember. all these years!” As-Sumayt and magnanimity and the Through the power of these would weep bitterly over these art of leadership to all those words and their deep meaning, a words as he would feel a sense around him, becoming among great number accepted Islam. of partial responsibility and the most distinguished in this accountability for those who methodology. A methodology he As-Sumayt’s methods of da’wah died upon disbelief. adopted from his wife; a woman were wide ranging and varied. who donated her entire wealth One specific method he used As-Sumayt left behind him a life and estate for the benefit of their was to buy new clothing and of ease, comfort and abundant humanitarian work. present them as gifts to the wealth and moved to Africa heads and elders of any village with his wife, who was also a As-Sumayt vowed to himself he entered, as a way of softening prominent figurehead in her that he would spend the rest of their hearts towards Islam. field. They took residence in a his life here in Africa, calling He would gift the children very humble abode in the city to Allah. Frequently he would with sweets hoping simply of Manakara in Madagascar, travel long distances by road and to bring them happiness. He close to the indigenous sometimes would spend up to fully involved himself with the “Antaimoro” tribe. The two forty hours on a train journey, people, becoming familiar with of them alone began inviting eating nothing but bits of bread the life of African villages and to Islam, an invitation whose he had with him. He would even the various tribes, the issues that hallmark was humanitarian visit extremely remote areas, affected them as well as their work with pure intentions, hours away from the nearest customs and traditions. He was enshrined in principles of mercy roads having to traverse forests, known to bring his workers to and compassion. As a result, thick dark frightening jungles, account with extreme precision thousands accepted Islam. The desolate rivers in tiny boats and for each and every little thing Islamic Herald 33 PERKIM Islamic Herald

Whenever he and was the most stringent with was questioned More than seven million people his own self, right down to the in the African continent alone food of the orphans even. He about his extreme accepted Islam through him. would say, “It is not possible for dedication and Some directly and others, me to indulge in (or be negligent workmanship he indirectly through his efforts towards) a single riyal of the would say, and the hard work of his money donated by the people for ambitious team. The “Direct charity”. “My dear Aid Organisation” which he had brother, we are set up there, soon became the Every evening just after not awaiting largest global organisation in all nightfall, As-Sumayt would of Africa. There are currently observe the various study the reward or more than half a million students circles in which the orphan approval of any studying in their educational children would be gathered to individual. We are institutes including four major study and recite the Qur’an, as busy in fieldwork universities, as well as a large a reassurance of the progress number of broadcasts and of their hifdh, smiling at them and are awaiting publications. They dug more proudly as he did so. After the nothing except the than 8,600 wells and trained ‘Isha prayer he would once acceptance of our more than 4,000 Islamic callers, again check up on the children teachers and academics in to make sure they were all deeds by Allah” this time period. He helped safely asleep. Whenever he was transform the lives of thousands questioned about his extreme who were able to go from being dedication and workmanship he upon them and as such is the recipients of charity and Zakah would say, most helpful in guiding them to to fully able donators. Firmly “My dear brother, we are not Islam.” keeping his faith at the root awaiting the reward or approval of his principles, he kept the of any individual. We are busy The efforts of Abdul Rahman Islamic methodology as the in fieldwork and are awaiting al-Sumayt resulted in the backbone of his endeavours nothing except the acceptance of conversion to Islam of at least in creating sustainable our deeds by Allah” 10 million people including development of nations and tens of thousands from tribes peoples. Dr As-Sumayt mentioned once which became Muslim in their in a Kuwaiti newspaper, “We entirety, tribal leaders and even No Stranger to rarely offer cash to the poor. propagators of other religions Rather we offer development who in turn, themselves became Harm or Hardship projects such as opening a small callers to Islam. As well as He would take frequent long grocery store or the provision receiving deliverance from the journeys spending twenty or so of sewing machines or the good doctor, by the Grace of hours in a car in order to reach establishment of fish farms. This Allah, he contributed in helping extremely remote places and generates a regular income for them through the provision of sometimes would even travel on the people and helps lift them housing, employment, hospitals, foot through mud and wetlands. out of poverty. This kind of schools and the fulfilment of Dangers were always apparent help leaves the greatest impact many other needs. Islamic Herald 34 PERKIM and he, his wife and his children many a time were exposed to volatile and potentially harmful situations. One time he passed by a large gathering of people (not knowing why they had gathered) when he sat down next to them out of fatigue after a long journey. Suddenly, one by one each member of the gathering came to him and began spitting on his face! Shocked, he later found out that indeed the gathering was a tribal ‘court hearing’ to which outsiders are strictly forbidden man who was both uncommon from entering! and unparalleled in this day and age (in his life and work) and Another more dangerous thus it is his right upon us that Another more encounter took place when we learn about him through his dangerous As-Sumayt and his wife met life story. a tribe for the very first time. encounter took These people were so shocked May Allah bestow His Infinite place when As- (for some strange reason) at the Mercy upon you and grant you Sumayt and his site of a woman in hijab, they an abode in Al-Firdaus in the wanted to attack her and almost company of the prophets, the wife met a tribe killed her had they not sprinted steadfast affirmers of truth, for the very first back to the car (and gotten the martyrs and the truly away)! righteous. What an excellent time. These companionship they are! people were so Lessons from his shocked (for Legacy So who now will carry forth the life story of this man to every some strange It is worth mentioning that place? A beautiful biography reason) at the when Steve Jobs was close to that will leave a person amazed, site of a woman his death, there was hardly an shocked even and questioning individual (in general) who did his own self. in hijab not comment on it or searched Google to learn more about Now the real question his life and achievements, or remains……what have we put discussed his contributions to forth (for the life to come)? culture and civilisation at large. So here we are, having heard a Source: www.islam21c.com

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FAMILY How to be a good husband in Islam

March 11, 2012 By Imran Ali 16 Comments

Islamic Herald 36 PERKIM How to be a good husband in Islam Why has it always been that only women are instructed to sacrifice, to dedicate, to be patient etc when it comes to their husband? Why aren’t husbands instructed in the same way??

Assalamalaikum (Peace be upon you), Dear Readers,

How to be a good husband in Islam is something that every Muslim man should learn before entering into wedlock. For a long time now, I have been wondering why so much has been written about a woman being an “Ideal wife in Islam” as against writing about a man being an “Ideal Husband in Islam”. Allah says “And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable” [Al-Baqarah 2:228]“?

Aren’t men included in this command? If there are things that wife needs to do for husband, then there are things that husband also has to do for wife. The rulings on rights of Husband and wife on each other are very clear in Islam, which is not found in any other religion or its scriptures.

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know that his poem was written for you.” The Prophet Although awareness is needed to educate women (Pbuh) asked, “What did he say?” She replied, “Abu regarding their duties to their husband, it is equally Bukair said that if you looked to the majesty of the moon, important to stress the need to educate the men it twinkles and lights up the world for everybody to see.” regarding their duties to their wives. Why has it always So the Prophet (Pbuh) got up, walked to Aisha, kissed been that only women are instructed to sacrifice, to her between the eyes, and said, “Wallahi ya Aisha, you dedicate, to be patient etc when it comes to their are like that to me and more.” [Narrated in Dala’el Al- husband? Why aren’t husbands instructed in the same Nubuwa for Imam Abu Nu’aim with isnad including Imam way?? Bukhari and Imam Ibn Khuzaina.]

Such was the lovely relation between Prophet and his wives. There are many narrations in the books of Hadith which speak about how Prophet (Pbuh) used to treat his wives, that is, with great respect and love. He was very caring and always tried to keep them happy. He understood the nature of a woman well and hence dealth with them accordingly. The following are some of the quotes from Sahih Hadith regarding treatment of women:

Jabir (ra) narrates that Rasoolallah (Pbuh) also gave The Husband expects every good from his wife, but these instructions in his sermon during the Farewell when it is his turn to reciprocate, he ignores it. This is Pilgrimage. “Fear Allah regarding women; for you a common scenario worldwide, irrespective of which have taken them (in marriage) with the trust of community one belongs to. It is very important to Allah”. (Mishkat) reiterate this aspect of Islam so that husband-wife relation becomes stronger and pure. The Holy Prophet (Pbuh) has said during the farewell sermon: “O people, your wives have a certain right Woman was made from the rib of the man (as Qur’an over you and you have certain rights over them. confirms), She wasn’t created from his head to top him, Treat them well and be kind to them for they are your Nor from his feet to be stepped upon, She was made partners and committed helpers”. (Tirmidhi) from his side to be close to him, From beneath his arm to be protected by him, Near his heart to be loved by him. Abu Huraira (ra) reported Allah’s messenger as saying, Once the prophet (Pbuh) was sitting in a room with Aisha “The believers who show the most perfect faith are and fixing his shoes. It was very warm, and Aisha looked those who have the best disposition and the best of to his blessed forehead and noticed that there were you are those who are best to their wives “ (Tirmidhi) beads of sweat on it. She became overwhelmed by the majesty of that sight was staring at him long enough for Abu-Darda (ra) narrated that the Prophet (Pbuh) him to notice. He said, “What’s the matter?” She replied, instructed him: “Spend as much as possible upon “If Abu Bukair Al-Huthali, the poet, saw you, he would your family. . . “ Islamic Herald 38 PERKIM about breaking all the ribs? Well, you know the result. Therefore, woman has been made out of something close to the heart which means she needs to be cared, protected and loved.

Refrain from insulting your wife: Never insult your wife, degrade her or make fun of her in front of others. Nor should you ever tell about her weakness to others. She is not your slave or servant, rather she is The your partner of life. So treat her that way! Prophet (Pbuh) has said: “Helping Give time to your wife: Irrespective of how busy you wives (in their domestic work) earns (men) the are, take out time for your wife. Spend time with her, take reward of charity.” her out, talk to her and listen to her. Keep one day of the Al-Aswad (ra) Narrated: I asked A’isha (ra), “What did week dedicated to your wife, like Sunday, and let her Rasoolallah (Pbuh) do at home? ” She said, “He used know that you dedicated it specially for her. This makes to work for his family and when he heard the call for her feel special in your eyes. the prayer, he would go out.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Listen to her attentively: A good husband is always a During the farewell Pilgrimage the Prophet (Pbuh) said good listener. Listen to everything that your wife talks to the camel driver: “Anjasha, drive slowly; for you are about and try to indulge in the conversation. Don’t give carrying (on the camels, women, delicate like fine) a deaf ear to your wife. How would you feel if someone glassware.” (Sahih Muslim) gives deaf ear to you when you speak? Trust me, it is really annoying. So stop doing this to your wife and start Abu Qatadah (ra) Narrated that the Prophet (Pbuh) listening to her attentively. said: “When I stand for prayer, I intend to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut it short, as I Praise your wife’s beauty: Always praise your wife’s dislike to trouble the child’s mother.” (Sahih Bukhari) beauty in front of her, irrespective of how ugly she is in reality. Try to make her feel special. Use statements like Rasoolallah (Pbuh) has said: “O men. There is a “I have never seen a more beautiful woman than you” reward in your affinity with the wife.” (Ibn Hiban) or “You are the most beautiful woman in this world” or “I am so lucky to find such a beautiful woman” or “Even if Therefore, let me give you a the beauty of this entire universe comes together, it is no few pointers on How to be a match to your beauty” and so on…Praising the beauty good husband in Islam: of a woman gives her great happiness. So do it regularly and as often as you can. This will keep her happy. Treat her with respect & Care: Remember Allah said that your wife is made out of your rib, which is very Exchange gifts frequently: A’ishah reported, The close to the heart. This means that she is not meant Prophet (Pbuh) said: “Give gifts to one another, for gifts to be oppressed or subjugated or harassed. Have you take away rancour.” The gift may not be necessarily an ever tried to harass your organs closer to heart? How expensive one. Giving a simple “I love you” card also about cutting of an artery which is close to heart? How counts in gifts. Try to buy her a dress or something that Islamic Herald 39 PERKIM Islamic Herald

she wants. If you can’t afford it, then at least let her know prayer, he would go out.” (end quote). So start helping that you are eagerly collecting money to buy that thing out your wife in washing clothes & dishes, cleaning the for her. Trust me, she will be flattered by this gesture and house, changing the diaper of your baby and all the finally you don’t really have to buy it! related work when you are at home. Stop behaving like a NUT just because you earn for the family. You have no Learn to give physical pleasure: It is a common idea how hard it is for a woman to manage work! Get off complaint from married women that that couch on holidays and help out they are treated like a Sex toy and your wife! that husbands satisfy themselves and A good do not care for the satisfaction of the Forbiddened to hate: It is Haraam wives. Remember that women are husband not (forbidden) to hate your believing humans to and they too have physical wife. Allah’s Messenger (Pbuh) said needs. A good husband not only only enjoys her “A believing man must not hate enjoys her wife, but also reciprocates wife, but also a believing woman. If he dislikes the same to his wife. This is called a one of her characteristics he will be healthy mutual sex life. reciprocates pleased with another (of her good the same to qualities).” No human is perfect. Consulting others on mutual Your wife might have some qualities consent: A good husband always his wife. This is that are displeasing to you, but there takes the permission of his wife before called a healthy are surely some characteristics that consulting on their marital problems are very pleasing to you. Prophet with others. A woman feels much mutual sex life commanded us to look for those more comfortable if it is discussed with good characteristics in her. someone she can trust. So make sure you take her consent. Give her freedom (shariah compliant): Your wife is a human and requires freedom and space to breath. Applaud your wife: A good husband always encourages Don’t push her too much that she breaks down. Give her her wife in everything she does. Encouraging a woman freedom as far as she is within the limts that Allah has in every task makes her perfect. For example, a wife defined. The same goes for you as a man. Both men and might not cook well. But if she is trying hard to learn, a women can practice freedom within the limits defined by good husband would praise her cooking and effort thus Allah. Let your wife have freedom to think, to do what encouraging her to become perfect in it. she wants and to decide in matters. Ask her to advice you in your decisions for the family. This makes her feel Share the responsibility: Is there are rule that special. husbands should not look after the kids or the household work? Absolutely No! Look at the example of our Prophet Handle her with care: Woman is fragile both physically (Pbuh). The Prophet (Pbuh) said “Helping wives (in their and mentally, hence handle her with Care! domestic work) earns (men) the reward of charity.” I hope these 2 cents from my side will help you improve Narrated Al-Aswad (ra): I asked A’isha (ra), “What did your marital life, inshallah! the Prophet (Pbuh) do at home? ” She said, “He used Praise be to Allah. to work for his family and when he heard the call for the

Islamic Herald 40 PERKIM The Reward for Good Husbands & Fathers In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Most Merciful

Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an: “And live with [them] in a beautiful manner. If you are then displeased with them, [then know] perhaps you dislike something which Allah has created abundant goodness in it (al-Qur’an 4:19).

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The Prophet (Allah blesses him and gives him peace) said: The believer with the most perfect faith is the one who has best character and the one who is kindest to his wife (Sahih Muslim).

The Prophet (Allah blesses him and gives him peace) said: The believer should not harbour hatred towards his wife. If he dislikes something in her, then surely he will anything. For example, she could bear him and give him peace) said: be pleased with another quality in her you children who become the means “Whoever brings up and nurtures two (Sahih Muslim). of your salvation come qiyamah. Just young girls until they reach maturity ponder over how clearly the rights of will appear on the Day of Judgment Sheikh Asharaf Ali Thanwi said, women are emphasized in the above in a state that he and I will be like this commenting on the above verse: Qur’anic verse.” (and he joined his fingers together).” “Brothers! When Allah has ordained [(Sahih Muslim)] these rights for women, then who can The Prophet (Allah bless him and change them. give him peace) said: It is easy to gauge from here how Islam The best of you is the one best to his has granted so many incentives upon If a man fails to fulfil these rights, he will wife. I am the best among you to his actions necessary for the upkeep of be guilty of not upholding the rights of wife (Tirmidhi, Darimi). society. the creation. Man should ponder over how Allah has interceded on behalf of ‘A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) The Spiritual Care of One’s Family women in the above verse. relates that a desert Arab came to Furthermore, just as it is necessary the Prophet (Allah bless him and give and rewarding to see to the physical While there may be many reasons him peace) and remarked: and monetary needs of one’s family it for being displeased with one’s “Do you kiss your children, for we do is even more important and rewarding wife, the main reason is usually bad not?” The Prophet (Allah bless him to see to their spiritual (ruhani) character—this becomes a source of and give him peace) replied, “What development. grief for the husband. can I do if Allah has taken mercy out of your heart?” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an: Nevertheless, Allah has promised that Muslim) “O people of faith, save yourself and even this bad character can become your families from the Hellfire.” a means of attaining goodness—for Anas (Allah be pleased with him) (al-Qur’an 66:6) He is All-wise and capable of doing relates that the Prophet (Allah bless

Islamic Herald 42 PERKIM Likewise, the rewards for a women is obedient to her husband, she will by ‘Allama Tabrizi in Arabic. are also many if she interacts well enter into Paradise from any door she with her husband. desires.” (Hilya) This is just a sample of what rich heritage we have been left by our The Prophet (Allah blesses him and It is greatly rewarding to treat all the pious predecessors. Other marriage gives him peace) said in a Hadith creation of Allah with gentleness and books and relevant chapters in narrated by Umm Salama (Allah be kindness. This reward (along with the Hadith works like the Riyad al-Salihin pleased with him): responsibility) only increases when (translated) and the al-Adab al-Mufrad “Any woman who dies with her there is kinship and closeness. This by Imam Bukhari (translated) can be husband pleased with her shall enter makes the person into a complete consulted for more information. Paradise.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi) believer, and he is rewarded in this life and the Hereafter. Wassalam The Prophet (Allah bless him and give Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf him peace) said in a Hadith narrated Much of the above information by Anas (r.a): was gleaned from Ashraf’s Advice “If a women performs her five on Marriage available from www. prayers, fasts the month of Ramadan, al-rashad.com and the Mishkat al- protects herself from immorality, and Masabih, the great hadith collection

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Visiting the Islamic Society of

Islamic Herald 44 PERKIM The Islamic Society of Boston (ISB) The History of the ISB and the the ISBCC, Muslims in the area, the is both a mosque and a cultural ISBCC Roxbury community, the city of Boston centre for Muslims in Cambridge, and the leaders of other faith groups Massachusetts. The ISB was founded in 1981 by have come together more than they Muslim students as a joint project had in previous years. For example, Formed in 1981, the ISB came about of Muslim Student Associations more than 250 leaders of different when Muslims new to Boston felt at Harvard University, Boston faiths attended an Interfaith Solidarity the need to gather together on a University, MIT, Northeastern Event to support the building of the regular basis to preserve their Islamic University, Wentworth Institute of ISBCC. identity and observe their beliefs and Technology, Suffolk University and obligations as Muslims. The ISB Tufts University. The ISB purchased Al-Bashaer began meeting in a hall reserved a Cambridge building as a community Saturday School at MIT for five daily prayer times, center in 1991, and in 1993 a second the Friday prayers, and the weekly location was acquired and renovation Al-Bashaer Saturday School, seminar classes. As time went on, began. In 1994, the ISB opened a established in 1998, operates every more Muslims found out about the second location as a Mosque, as Saturday from 10am to 2pm at the ISB, and a new meeting place was well as purchasing a rental property Islamic Society of Boston Cultural needed. That location ended up to provide supplemental income for Center. The school offers classes being in the suburb of Cambridge, the annual operating expenses of the KG – 8th grade focusing on Arabic, Massachusetts. The Muslim ISB. Islamic studies and Quran studies. community in that area embraced the All students aged 5 -15 years, new venture and transformed it into The Islamic Society of Boston is a whether Arabic speakers or not, are the current ISB. cultural landmark and continues to encouraged to join and apply for grow into a cultural center that is the enrollment. Getting There: largest Islamic center in New England If you are planning a trip to the ISB, and the second largest on the East located at 204 Prospect Street in Coast. The 70,000 square foot Some of the exciting programming Cambridge, MA, you might wish to building stands proudly on Malcolm that the school does outside of the avoid Fridays which are really busy X Boulevard in Boston. In addition classroom include Arabic spelling due to Friday prayers. To get specific to the Mosque, the ISBCC plans to bees, parents’ workshops, young directions or to learn more about house a school by the year 2013, as girls Friday halaqa and field trips to various programs at the ISB, call well as a library, an interfaith center, locations around Greater Boston. (617) 876-3556. an exhibition area and a morgue. Many in the community are actively Source: www.islamicity.com/articles Hotel rooms in Boston can be booked involved in the fundraising efforts to via Boston. If you need a cheap flight see this project come to fruition. To to Boston, visit www.CheapHotels. date, there has been $13.7 million org. raised for the $15.5 million project, so fundraising efforts continue. Due to the two-decade effort to build Islamic Herald 45 PERKIM Islamic a Take BreakHerald

Do you know what I am going to say?”

Once, the people of the city invited Mulla “Insha Allah” Nasruddin to deliver a speech. When he got on the minbar (pulpit), he found the True Incident: During a Jumah Khutbah in a small town, an Imam talked about audience was not very enthusiastic, so he the significance of saying “Insha Allah” (which means if Allah wills) when asked “Do you know what I am going to planning to do something in the future. After a few days, a man who had also say?” The audience replied “NO”, so he attended the Khutbah was going to buy a cow from the market. On the way, announced “I have no desire to speak to he met a friend who asked him where he was going. He told him about buying people who don’t even know what I will be the cow but did not say Insha Allah in the end. His friend reminded him about talking about” and he left. The people felt the Khutbah and told him to say Insha Allah. However, this individual said that embarrassed and called him back again he had the money he needs and the energy to go to the market, thus, there is the next day. This time when he asked the no point of saying Insha Allah as he will certainly buy the cow. He thought that same question, the people replied “YES” saying Insha Allah will not make any difference. So Mullah Nasruddin said, “Well, since you already know what I am going to say, I When he reached the market, he found a cow that met his expectations. He won’t waste any more of your time” and he bargained with the seller and came to a reasonable price. Finally, he decided left. Now the people were really perplexed. to pay for the cow but was dumbfounded when he discovered that his money They decided to try one more time and was missing. A thief had stolen the money while he was walking through the once again invited the Mullah to speak the busy market. The cow seller asked him whether he was going to buy the cow following week. Once again he asked the or not. “Insha Allah, I will buy it next week,” he said. When he reached home, same question - “Do you know what I am his wife inquired about the cow. He told her about how he forgot to say Insha going to say?” Now the people were pre- Allah, and also added, “Insha Allah, I wanted to buy the cow. But Insha Allah, pared and so half of them answered “YES” my money was stolen. Insha Allah, I will buy it next week.” His wife clarified while the other half replied “NO”. So Mullah to him that we should say Insha Allah for things that are yet to happen, not Nasruddin said “The half who know what I for those things that had already happened. He never forgot his “Insha Allah” am going to say, tell it to the other half” and again. he left! True Incident A young man in a village refused to believe that Allah has total control of everything. He claimed that Allah cannot make him eat food if he didn’t want to eat. To prove his point, he decided to stay hungry for a day and see if Allah can make him eat. His mother tried her best to stop this foolishness but he paid no attention. Annoyed of his mother in the evening, he decided to climb a tree and isolate himself there. Being compassionate, his mother decided to leave the food under the tree incase her son finally gives up and wants to eat. When the night fell, a group of robbers were passing by that tree. They noticed a ”. plate of delicious food placed under the tree. They looked at each other in amazement and thought that someone must be playing a trick on them. May be someone is trying to poison them with good food. They looked around to see if there was anyone nearby and noticed the young man on top of the tree. The robbers got him down and told him to eat the food to see if it is poisoned. But the young man refused to eat as he is still carrying on his challenge against

Islamic Herald 46 PERKIM Islam in - Burma

The Rohingya are a Muslim people who live in the Arakan region in western Myanmar (Burma). As of 2012, 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar. According to the UN, they are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. Many Rohingya have fled to ghettos and refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, and to areas along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Etymology

The origin of the term “Rohingya” is disputed. Some Rohingya historians like Khalilur Rahman contend that the term Rohingya is derived from Arabic word ‘Rahma’ meaning ‘mercy’. They trace the term back to a ship wreck in the 8th century CE. According to them, after the Arab ship wrecked near Ramree Island, Arab traders were ordered to be executed by

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the Arakanese king. Then, they of Some of the Languages Spoken shouted in their language, ‘Rahma’. Burmese historians like Khin in the Burma Empire,” Buchanan- Hence, these people were called Maung Saw have claimed that the Hamilton stated: “I shall now add ‘Raham’. Gradually it changed from term Rohingya has never appeared three dialects, spoken in the Burma Raham to Rhohang and finally to in history before 1950s. According Empire, but evidently derived Rohingyas. However, the claim to another historian, Dr. Maung from the language of the Hindu was disputed by Jahiruddin Ahmed Maung, there is no such word as nation. The first is that spoken by and Nazir Ahmed, former president Rohingya in 1824 census survey the Mohammedans, who have long and Secretary of Arakan Muslim conducted by the British. Historian settled in Arakan, and who call Conference respectively. They Aye Chan from Kanda University themselves Rooinga, or natives of argued that ship wreck Muslims of International Studies noted that Arakan.” Leider also adds that the are currently called ‘Thambu Kya’ the term Rohingya was created by etymology of the word “does not Muslims, and currently reside descendants of Bengalis in 1950s say anything about politics.” He along the Arakan sea shore. If the that migrated into Arakan during adds that “You use this term for term Rohingya was indeed derived the Colonial Era. He further argued yourself as a political label to give because of that group of Muslims, that the term cannot be found yourself identity in the 20th century. “Thambu Kyas” would have been in any historical source in any Now how is this term used since the the first group to be known as language before 1950s. However, 1950s? It is clear that people who Rohingyas. According to them, he stated that it does not mean use it want to give this identity to Rohingyas were descendants of Muslim communities have not the community that live there.” inhabitants of Ruha in Afghanistan. existed in Arakan before 1824. Another historian, MA Chowdhury However, Arakan history expert argued that among the Muslim Dr. Jacques P. Leider points out Language populations in Myanmar, the that the term Rooinga was in fact term ‘Mrohaung’ (Old Arakanese used in a late 18th century report Kingdom) was corrupted to Rohang. published by the British Francis And thus inhabitants of the region Buchanan-Hamilton. In his 1799 are called Rohingya. article “A Comparative Vocabulary

A coin from Arakan used in Great Bengal minted 1554/5

The Rohingya language is the modern written language of the Rohingya people of Arakan (Rakhine) State of Burma (Myanmar). It is an Indo-European language and it’s linguistically related to the Chittagonian language spoken in the southernmost part of Bangladesh bordering Burma. Rohingya scholars have successfully written the Rohingya language in different scripts such as Arabic, Hanifi, Urdu, Roman, and Burmese, where Hanifi is a newly developed alphabet derived from Arabic with the addition of four characters from Latin and Burmese.

Islamic Herald 48 PERKIM IN FACT, PART More recently, a Latin alphabet has Narameikhla ceded some territory to fashions from the neighbouring been developed, using all 26 English the Sultan of Bengal and recognized Sultanate of Bengal. The Kamein/ letters A to Z and two additional his sovereignty over the areas. In Kaman, who are regarded as one of Latin letters Ç (for retroflex R) and recognition of his kingdom’s vassal the official ethnic groups of Burma, Ñ (for nasal sound). To accurately status, the kings of Arakan received are descended from these Muslims. represent Rohingya phonology, Islamic titles and used the use of it also uses five accented vowels Bengali Islamic coinage within the (áéíóú). It has been recognized by kingdom. Narameikhla minted his Burmese conquest ISO with ISO 639-3 “rhg” code.[17] own coins with Burmese characters on one side and Persian characters Following the Burmese conquest on the other. Arakan’s vassalage of Arakan in 1785, as many as to the History to Bengal was brief. After Sultan neighbouring Chittagong

Kingdom of Mrauk U Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah’s death in 1433, Narameikhla’s successors Muslim settlements have existed in repaid Bengal by occupying Ramu Arakan since the arrival of Arabs in 1437 and Chittagong in 1459. there in the 8th century CE. The Arakan would hold Chittagong until direct descendants of Arab settlers 1666. are believed to live in central Arakan near Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw Even after gaining independence townships, rather than the Mayu from the Sultans of Bengal, the frontier area, the present day area Arakanese kings continued the where a majority of Rohingya custom of maintaining Muslim are populated, near Chittagong titles. The Buddhist kings compared Division, Bangladesh. themselves to Sultans and fashioned themselves after Mughal rulers. Early evidence of Bengali Muslim They also continued to employ settlements in Arakan date back Muslims in prestigious positions to the time of King Narameikhla within the royal administration. (1430–1434) of Kingdom of The Bengali Muslim population Mrauk U. After 24 years of exile increased in the 17th century, as in Bengal, he regained control they were employed in a variety of the Arakanese throne in 1430 of workforces in Arakan. Some of with military assistance from the them worked as Bengali, Persian Sultanate of Bengal. The Bengalis and Arabic scribes in the Arakanese Burmese conquest who came with him formed their courts, which, despite remaining own settlements in the region. mostly Buddhist, adopted Islamic Islamic Herald 49 PERKIM Islamic Herald

region of British Bengal in 1799 to avoid Burmese persecution and seek protection from British India. The Burmese rulers executed thousands of Arakanese men and deported a considerable portion of the Arakanese population to central Burma, leaving Arakan as a scarcely populated area by the time the British occupied it. According to an article on the “Burma Empire” published by the British Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1799, “the Mohammedans, who have long settled in Arakan,” “call themselves Rooinga, or natives of Arakan.” British colonial rule

Due to Arakan being scarcely World War II Japanese occupation populated by the time they occupied it, British policy encouraged Bengali Myint-U writes: “At the beginning James Ester and Tin Tut to study the inhabitants from adjacent regions of the 20th century, Indians were issue of Muslim immigration into to migrate into fertile valleys of arriving in Burma at the rate of no the Rakhine state. The commission Arakan as agriculturalists. The East less than a quarter million per year. recommended securing the border; India Company extended theBengal The numbers rose steadily until the however, with the onset of World administration to Arakan, thus there peak year of 1927, immigration War II, the British retreated from was no international boundary reached 480,000 people, with Arakan. between Bengal and Arakan, and no Rangoon exceeding New York City restrictions on migration between as the greatest immigration port in World War II the regions. In the early 19th the world. This was out of a total century, thousands of Bengalis from population of only 13 million; it was Japanese occupation the Chittagong region settled in equivalent to the United Kingdom Arakan seeking work opportunities. today taking 2 million people a On 28 March 1942, some thousands In addition, thousands of Rakhine year.” By then, in most of the largest of Muslims (about 5,000) in Minbya people from Arakan also settled in cities in Burma, Rangoon (Yangon), and Mrohaung Townships were Bengal. Akyab (Sittwe), Bassein (Pathein), killed by Rakhine nationalists and Moulmein, the Indian immigrants Karenni. On the other side, the The British census of 1891 reported formed a majority of the population. Muslims from Northern Rakhine 58,255 Muslims in Arakan. By The Burmese under the British rule State massacred around 20,000 1911, the Muslim population had felt helpless, and reacted with a Arakanese including the Deputy increased to 178,647. The waves “racism that combined feelings of Commissioner U Oo Kyaw Khaing of migration were primarily due to superiority and fear.” who was killed while trying to settle the requirement of cheap labor from the dispute. British India to work in the paddy The immigration’s impact was fields. Immigrants from Bengal, particularly acute in Arakan, one of During World War II, Japanese mainly from the Chittagong region, less populated regions. In 1939, the forces invaded Burma, then under “moved en masse into western British authorities, who were wary British colonial rule. The British townships of Arakan”. To be sure, of the long term animosity between forces retreated and in the power Indian immigration to Burma was the Rakhine Buddhists and the vacuum left behind, considerable a nationwide phenomenon, not just Rohingya Muslims, formed a special violence erupted. This included restricted to Arakan. Historian Thant Investigation Commission led by communal violence between Islamic Herald 50 PERKIM Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim significant, but they have extended of public buildings have been Rohingya villagers. The period their networks to the international razed. According to Tun Khin, the also witnessed violence between level and countries, during the President of the Burmese Rohingya groups loyal to the British and recent years. They collect donations, Organisation UK (BROUK, as of Burmese nationalists. The British and receive religious military 28 June, 650 Rohingyas have been armed Muslim groups in northern training outside of Burma. In killed, 1,200 are missing, and more Arakan to create a buffer zone addition to Bangladesh, a large than 80,000 have been displaced. from Japanese invasion when number of Rohingya have also According to the Myanmar they retreated. The Rohingya migrated to Karachi, Pakistan. authorities, the violence, between supported the Allies during the ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and war and opposed the Japanese Rohingya Muslims, left 78 people forces, assisting the Allies in Burmese Junta dead, 87 injured, and thousands of reconnaissance. homes destroyed. It also displaced The military Junta which ruled more than 52,000 people. The Japanese committed atrocities Burma for half a century, relied The government has responded by against thousands of Rohingya. heavily on Burmese nationalism imposing curfews and by deploying They engaged in an orgy of rape, and Theravada Buddhism to troops in the regions. On June 10, murder and torture. In this period, bolster its rule, and, in opinion of state of emergency was declared some 22,000 Rohingya are believed US government experts, heavily in Rakhine, allowing military to to have crossed the border into discriminated against minorities like participate in administration of Bengal, then part of British India, to the Rohingya, Chinese people like the region. The Burmese army escape the violence. the Kokang people, and Panthay and police have been accused 40,000 Rohingya eventually fled to (Chinese Muslims). But even of targeting Rohingya Muslims Chittagong after repeated massacres some pro-democracy dissidents through mass arrests and arbitrary by the Burmese and Japanese forces. from Burma’s ethnic Burman violence. A number of monks’ majority refuse to acknowledge the organizations that played vital role Rohingyas as compatriots. in Burma’s struggle for democracy Post-war Successive Burmese governments have taken measures to block any have been accused of provoking humanitarian assistance to the The Mujahid party was founded riots against ethnic minorities like Rohingya community. In July 2012, by Rohingya elders who supported the Rohingya and Chinese. the Myanmar Government asserted Jihad movement in northern Arakan that the Rohingya minority group, in 1947. The aim of the Mujahid 2012 Rakhine classified as stateless Bengali party was to create a Muslim Muslims from Bangladesh since Autonomous state in Arakan. They State riots 1982, are not included in their more were much more active before the than 130 ethnic races and have no 1962 coup d’etat by General Ne The 2012 Rakhine State riots claim to Myanmar citizenship. Win. Ne Win carried out some are a series of ongoing conflicts military operations targeting them between Rohingya Muslims and over a period of two decades. The ethnic Rakhine in northern Rakhine Religion prominent one was “Operation State, Myanmar. The riots came King Dragon” which took place in after weeks of sectarian disputes The Rohingya people practice 1978; as a result, many Muslims and have been condemned by most Sunni Islam with elements of Sufi in the region fled to neighboring people on both sides of the conflict. worship. Because the government country Bangladesh as refugees. The immediate cause of the riots is restricts educational opportunities Nevertheless, the Burmese unclear, with many commentators for them, many pursue fundamental mujahideen (Islamic militants) citing the killing of ten Burmese Islamic studies as their only are still active within the remote Muslims by ethnic Rakhine after educational option. The Rohingya areas of Arakan. The associations the rape and murder of a Rakhine of Myanmar Mosques and religious of Burmese mujahideen with woman as the main cause. Over schools are present in most Bangladeshi mujahideen were three hundred houses and a number villages. Traditionally, men pray in

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congregations and women pray at the law and taking actions against February 2009 there was evidence home. foreigners who have filtered into of the Thai army towing a boatload the country illegally.” This military of 190 Rohingya refugees out to campaign directly targeted civilians, sea. A group of refugees rescued Human rights and resulted in widespread killings, by Indonesian authorities also in violations & rape and destruction of mosques and February 2009 told harrowing further religious persecution.” stories of being captured and beaten refugees “During 1991-92 a new wave by the Thai military, and then of over a quarter of a million abandoned at open sea. By the end The Rohingya people have been Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh. They of February there were reports of a described as “among the world’s reported widespread forced labour, group of 5 boats were towed out to least wanted” and “one of the as well as summary executions, open sea, of which 4 boats sank in a world’s most persecuted minorities.” torture, and rape. Rohingyas were storm, and 1 boat washed up on the They have been stripped of their forced to work without pay by the shore. February 12, 2009 Thailand’s citizenship since a 1982 citizenship Burmese army on infrastructure prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva law. They are not allowed to travel and economic projects, often under said there were “some instances” in without official permission, are harsh conditions. Many other which Rohingya people were pushed banned from owning land and are human rights violations occurred out to sea. The prime minister said required to sign a commitment to in the context of forced labour of he regretted “any losses”, and was have not more than two children. Rohingya civilians by the security working on rectifying the problem. According to Amnesty International, forces.” Steps to repatriate Rohingya began the Muslim Rohingya people have in 2005. In 2009 Bangladesh continued to suffer from human As of 2005, the UNHCR had been announced it will repatriate around rights violations under the Burmese assisting with the repatriation 9,000 Rohingya living in refugee junta since 1978, and many have of Rohingya from Bangladesh, camps in the country back to Burma, fled to neighboring Bangladesh as a but allegations of human rights after a meeting with Burmese result:. abuses in the refugee camps have diplomats. threatened this effort. “The Rohingyas’ freedom of Despite earlier efforts by the UN, In October 16, 2011, the new movement is severely restricted the vast majority of Rohingya government of Burma agreed to take and the vast majority of them have refugees have remained in back registered Rohingya refugees. effectively been denied Burma Bangladesh, unable to return citizenship. They are also subjected because of the negative attitude to various forms of extortion and of the ruling regime in Myanmar. arbitrary taxation; land confiscation; Now they are facing problems in forced eviction and house Bangladesh as well where they destruction; and financial restrictions do not receive support from the on marriage. Rohingyas continue to government any longer. In February be used as forced labourers on roads 2009, many Rohingya refugees were and at military camps, although the rescued by Acehnese sailors in the amount of forced labour in northern Strait of Malacca, after 21 days at Rakhine State has decreased over sea. the last decade.” Over the years, thousands of “In 1978 over 200,000 Rohingyas Rohingya have fled to Thailand also. fled to Bangladesh, following There are roughly 111,000 refugees the ‘Nagamin’ (‘Dragon King’) housed in 9 camps along the Thai- operation of the Myanmar army. Myanmar border. There have been Officially this campaign aimed at charges that groups of them have “scrutinising each individual living been shipped and towed out to open in the state, designating citizens sea from Thailand, and left there. In and foreigners in accordance with Islamic Herald 52 PERKIM Starvation and mass graves for

A recent journey to western Myanmar has revealed a provincial capital divided Prominent by hatred and thousands of its Muslim residents terrorised by what they say mosques and is a state-sponsored campaign to segregate the population along ethno- buildings, sectarian lines. many of which Decades-old tension between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya were burned Muslims in coastal Rakhine state exploded with new ferocity in June, leaving in arson at least 78 people dead and tens of thousands homeless. attacks during Exclusive reporting conducted last week in the highly restricted region the violence... suggests that the long-term fallout from recent violence could be even more damaging than the bloodshed.

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The impact of that loss was obvious. The Rohingya who The United Nations has estimated that 80,000 people worked as the city’s ever-present rickshaw drivers and are still displaced around the cities of Sittwe and porters at the jetty and markets are now gone. There are Maungdaw, and international rights groups continue to no signs of Muslims at the airport, the boat that shuttles denounce Myanmar for its role in the conflict. ferry passengers to outlying islands, or even the local busses that run from Buthidaung to Maungdaw, two As it stands, any thought of reconciliation between local Rohingya-majority states. Buddhists and Muslims appears a distant dream. Many Rohingya have fled the polarised region, Local Hindus, and residents who appear to be of Indian fearing revenge attacks and increasing discrimination. descent, have taken to applying bindis on their foreheads Their status has sparked international concern and to avoid being mistaken for Rohingya. disagreement. A range of interviews found that Buddhist Rakhines Rights groups have condemned the violence. The had collectively decided to practice a policy of “non- Myanmar government has denied any wrongdoing, engagement” with the Rohingya. In practical terms, while neighbouring Bangladesh has rejected an influx of this meant a ban on businesses, as well as controlling refugees and slashed access to aid. access to food, medicine, travel and communication. According to local sources, Rohingya are no longer For those Rohingya caught up in the dispute, the day-to- allowed to enter the city’s largest market or to travel from day situation is rapidly slipping from desperate to dire. town to town. ‘ Social ‘non-engagement’ Facing starvation’

In Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state, the scars of recent Outside Sittwe, where the fleeing Rohingya had conflict were everywhere. gathered, the situation was worse. The village of Bhumei, a few kilometres to the west, was overrun by thousands Burned homes, shops and entire markets dot the of refugees who said they were forced from the city, first Buddhist-majority city of nearly 200,000 people. by mobs, then by security troops. Traditionally Muslim neighbourhoods, such as Shwe Pyar, Nazi Konetan and Mawlike, were deserted, locked By local accounts, this camp is the biggest of the up, or living in deep secrecy. camps that have sprung up to shelter the displaced city dwellers. Prominent mosques and buildings, many of which were burned in arson attacks during the violence, now bear The refugees endured the current monsoon rains in signs from the municipality reading, “No one is allowed mud-floored tents, living mostly on bags of rice provided to enter”. Locals told Al Jazeera the properties have by the UN’s World Food Programme. There is no clinic, been taken over by the state. In some areas of Sittwe, proper bathroom or clean water, as witnessed by Al the devastation from the violence that peaked in June is Jazeera. comparable to Cyclone Nargis, which struck Myanmar in 2008. The camp is surrounded by all hours by security troops. Many wonder if the soldiers are there to protect them Most striking was the almost completely absence of the from attacks from the Rakhine, or keep them under Rohingya population that once made up nearly one- guard. third of the city’s residents, and the largest portion of its working class. “Many of the refugees who fled from inside the city are manual labourers and daily wagers. We are having great difficulties just surviving each day. We fear what

Islamic Herald 54 PERKIM will happen to us if we go back to the town. We can’t go The HRW report denounced both sides for the cycle of there yet. Those who risked going back to their homes reprisal attacks, estimating that the death toll was far and shops were prevented by authorities on security higher than the Myanmar government total of 78. grounds,” said U Shwe Maung, a Rohingya refugee in Bhumei. HRW also blasted Myanmar’s security forces, sent in by the government, for standing down while the Rakhine “We are sharing food with each other. We are now and Rohingya groups battled each other. As the attacks facing starvation. Even though we are provided food by escalated and thousands of Rohingya rioted, the report the WFP, that is not enough for such a huge number of said that police and paramilitary troops fired on Rohingya people like this,” he added. protesters.

The Rohingya now forced to live in the Bhumei camp In an outlying area, according to the report, soldiers shot appeared desperate. One woman was crying in the at Rohingya villagers as they tried to escape and looted street with her rain-soaked children on her lap. She said food and valuables from their emptied homes. they were sick and there was no clinic to look after them Benjamin Zawacki, a Bangkok-based researcher or food to eat. for Amnesty International, described the violence as “primarily one-sided, with Muslims generally and “We want to go back to our homes if the officials provide Rohingya specifically the targets and victims”. security for us,” said Mahmud Shiko, a Rohingya in Bhumei. HRW says hundreds of men and boys were rounded up in mass arrests, their whereabouts still unknown. “The police told me I’d find nothing back there if I return, Informal Rohingya estimates put the number of missing but I still want to go back.” and arrested in the thousands. Military accused

The wave of violence in June was sparked by the alleged rape and murder of a Buddhist woman by three Muslim On the hushed streets of Sittwe and in the tent city men in a Rakhine village. outside Bhumei, Rohinyga speak of the brutality of the Rakhine and the Myanmar forces, and of the many loved Both ethnic communities attacked rival villages and ones still missing from the conflict. neighbourhoods in the days that followed, destroying and Animosity abounds torching homes, businesses and holy sites, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released last week.

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The alleged victims are not the only combatants talking about the violence. “Human rights are for human being only. Are Rohingya humans?” she told Al Jazeera. In a series of interviews with off-duty security officers at bars and restaurants in Sittwe, a picture emerged of “We are the house owners and they are the guests. what some Myanmar military and police think about the When the guests attempt to drive out the homeowners, Rohingya. human rights are no longer meant for them.”

An ethnic Rakhine soldier from the 352 Light Infantry Government ‘solution’ Battalion claimed he and his comrades killed “300 Rohingya” from Myothugyi village near the area of Three The Myanmar government has strongly denied Mile between Buthidaung and Maundaw townships on accusations of abuse from rights groups. the night of June 8. “The government has exercised maximum restraint The soldier, whose name has been withheld, explained in order to restore law and order in those particular that the killings took place when hundreds of Muslims places,” read a statement released on Monday. blocked and tried to overwhelm the truck carrying his unit. The victims were unaware the truck, a civilian The government also denounced “attempts by some vehicle used for road construction, was carrying soldiers. quarters to politicise and internationalise this situation as a religious issue”, a sidelong reference to the criticism “I put the butt of my gun here at [the right side of] my emerging from Muslim countries, such as Indonesia and waist and shot down many Muslims while keeping my Saudi Arabia, over the assaults on Rohingya. left hand on magazines so that I could quickly fill up my bullets,” said the soldier, now stationed at a village Then again, the government has, over the outside Maungdaw. years, denied the entire existence of a “Rohingya problem”, “There were so many dead bodies that we even had to and even the Rohingya call in a bulldozer to make a mass grave.” themselves.

Another ethnic Rakhine soldier boasted that he and his Myanmar’s formerly troops killed uncountable numbers of Rohingya in the military government village of Nyaung Chaung in the countryside around and its state-run Maungdaw during the early June crackdown. media have strictly avoided the “We have even still kept this from our [commanding] word “Rohingya”, officers,” he said. referring to the group instead as It was impossible to verify these claims. Even so, the “Bengali Muslims”, uncaring nature of the statements shows the animosity implying that the people that some who wield power have for the Rohingya. are not indigenous Such anger is easily apparent on the streets. and have migrated to Myanmar a fewl An educated Rakhine woman, visiting Maungdaw from decades ago. the US where she has lived for 20 years, spoke bitterly The Myanmar when asked if the human rights she enjoys should immigration be granted to Rohingya to ease tension between the communities.

Islamic Herald 56 PERKIM minister has repeatedly said that there are no Rohingyas in Myanmar.

Last month, in his meeting with a UN High Commissioner for Refugees delegation, President Thein Sein said refugee camps or deportation was the only answer for nearly the country estimate 800,000 to a million Rohingya Muslims.

“We will take responsibility for our ethnic people but it is impossible to accept the illegally entered Rohingyas, who are not our ethnicity,” he told UNHCR chief Antonio Other Rohingya leaders say the perception of their Guterres, according to the president’s official website. community is wrong, and racist. The majority are The former general said the “only solution” was to send impoverished farmers and labourers, but some Rohingya the Rohingyas to refugee camps run by UNHCR. hold university degrees and own many businesses in Sittwe and Yangon. “We will send them away if any third country would accept them. This is what we are thinking is the solution Thein Zaw and Kyaw Hla, who are now overseeing the to the issue.” distribution of food aid at the Bhumei refugee camp, belong to the wealthiest class of Sittwe. They claim their Uncertain future forefathers have lived in Rakhine state for 350 years. As it stands, the vast majority of Rohingya are denied The government, when it does discuss the issue, blames Myanmar citizenship, cannot own businesses, marry the resentment and fear that the Rakhine have for the or relocate. The president’s proposal to relegate the Rohingya on a potential population explosion that would Rohingya population to UNHCR-run camps seems see the group seize power. unsustainable and humiliating.

Outside its capital city, Rakhine state is nearly two- Whether this long-simmering dispute is founded in race, thirds Rohingya. The adjacent states of Maungdaw and religion or population, matters little to the Rohingya stuck Buthidaung are already majority Rohingya, according to in camps such as Bhumei. Nor to the Rakhine who live official figures. in majority Rohingya areas and claim to live in constant fear of attack. The population fears, possibly stemming from cultural stereotypes, are an issue that 72-year-old Rohingya Some scholars, such as Myanmar expert Bertil Linter, elder Sayyad Abdullah can appreciate. He has claim the animosity between Rakhine and Rohingya four wives, 28 children and, in his words, “lots” of began during the Second World War, when Buddhists grandchildren. backed the Japanese and Muslims the British. Other experts say the rift began centuries before. Last week, authorities cited Abdullah’s family and quoted him in press briefings about the so-called In either case, unless the government or international population explosion. Abdullah rejected any desire for an bodies intervene, the violence and discrimination seem autonomous state and said he was open to government destined to continue. measure to curb Rohingya families to one wife and two children, but not at the expense of dignity. A freelance reporter contributed this report to Al Jazeera “We just desire equal rights like the Rakhine and the from Myanmar. He is not being named for his own safety. Burmese, and we want nothing more than a normal life,” he told Al Jazeera. -Al Jazeera Islamic Herald 57 PERKIM Islamic Herald The Honey

Bee

And He has made everything in the heavens and everything in the earth subservient to you. It is all from Him. There are certainly signs in that for people who reflect. (Surat al-Jathiyah: 13)

{Islamic Herald PERKIM } 58 to leave from the other side. Extra ventilator bees work within the hive to push the air to all corners of the hive.

This ventilation system is also useful in protecting the hive from smoke EXCELLENT and air pollution. ORGANIZATION Health system: The efforts of the IN THE HIVE bees to preserve the quality of honey are not limited to the regulation It is well known by almost everyone The bees’ lives in the hive and their of humidity and heat. A perfect that honey is a fundamental food honey production are fascinating. healthcare system exists within the source for the human body, whereas Without going into too much detail, hive to keep all events that may only a few people are aware of let us discover the basic features of result in the production of bacteria the extraordinary qualities of its the “social life” of bees. Bees must under control. The main purpose producer, the honey bee. carry out numerous “tasks” and they of this system is to remove all manage all of them with excellent substances likely to cause bacteria As we know, the food source of bees organization. production. The basic principle of is nectar, which is not found during this health system is to prevent winter. For this reason, they combine Regulation of humidity and foreign substances from entering the the nectar collected in summer time ventilation: The humidity of the hive. To secure this, two guardians with special secretions of their body, hive, which gives honey its highly produce a new nutrient - honey - and protective quality, must be kept store it for the coming winter months. within certain limits. If humidity is over or under those limits, then It is noteworthy that the amount the honey is spoiled and loses its of honey stored by bees is much protective and nutritious qualities. greater than their actual need. The Similarly, the temperature in the first question that comes to mind hive has to is why do the bees not give up this be 32° C “excess production”, which seems throughout 10 a waste of time and energy for months of the them? The answer to this question year. In order is hidden in the “inspiration” stated to keep the in the verse to have been given the temperature and humidity of the hive within bee. are always kept at the entrance of certain limits, a special group takes the hive. If a foreign substance or charge of “ventilation”. Bees produce honey not only for insect enters the hive despite this themselves but also for human precaution, all bees act to remove it On a hot day, bees can easily be beings. Bees, like many other from the hive. observed ventilating the hive. The natural beings, are also dedicated entrance of the hive fills with bees to the service of man, just as the How do bees know that this and clamping themselves to the chicken lays at least one egg a day substance is an ideal substance for wooden structure, they fan the hive although it does not need it, and the embalming? How do bees produce with their wings. In a standard hive, cow produces much more milk than a substance, which man can only its offspring needs. air entering from one side is forced Islamic Herald 59 PERKIM Islamic Herald

Bees have produce in laboratory conditions MAXIMUM STORAGE been using and with the use of technology if WITH MINIMUM he has a certain level of knowledge the hexagonal MATERIAL of chemistry? How do they know structure for the that a dead insect causes bacteria Bees construct hives in which construction of production and that embalming will 30,000 bees can live and work prevent this? honeycombs for together by shaping small portions of beeswax. millions of years. For bigger foreign objects that cannot be removed from the hive, (A bee fossil has The hive is made up of beeswax- another protection mechanism is been found dating walled honeycombs, which have used. Bees “embalm” these foreign hundreds of tiny cells on each of from 100 million objects. They produce a substance their faces. All honeycomb cells called “propolis (bee resin)” with years ago) are exactly the same size. This which they carry out the “embalming” engineering miracle is achieved by process. Produced by adding special the collective work of thousands of secretions to the resins they collect bees. Bees use these cells for food a triangular or quadrangular one. from trees like pine, poplar and storage and the maintenance of The conclusion: hexagonal cells acacia, the bee resin is also used young bees. require minimal amounts of wax to patch cracks in the hive. After in terms of construction while they being applied to the cracks by the Bees have been using the store maximal amounts of honey. bees, the resin dries as it reacts hexagonal structure for the Bees themselves surely cannot have with air and forms a hard surface. construction of honeycombs for calculated this result, obtained by Thus, it can stand against all kinds millions of years. (A bee fossil has man after many complex geometrical of external threats. Bees use this been found dating from 100 million calculations. These tiny animals substance in most of their work. years ago). It is astonishing that use the hexagonal form innately,

they have chosen a hexagonal just because they are taught and At this point, many questions spring structure rather than an octagonal, “inspired” so by their Lord. to mind. Propolis has the feature or pentagonal. Mathematicians give of not allowing any bacteria to live the reason: “the hexagonal structure The hexagonal design of cells is in it. This makes propolis an ideal is the most suitable geometric form practical in many respects. Cells fit substance for embalming. for the maximum use of unit area.” If to one another and they share each

honeycomb cells were constructed other’s walls. This, again, ensures And in your creation and all the in another form, then there would be maximum storage with minimum creatures He has scattered about areas left unused; thus, less honey wax. Although the walls of the cells there are signs for people with would be stored, and fewer bees are rather thin, they are strong certainty. would be able to benefit from it. enough to carry a few times their (Surat al-Jathiyah: 4) As long as their depths are the own weight. same, a triangular or quadrangular It is evident that the bee has neither cell would hold the same amount of As well as in the walls of the sides any knowledge on this subject, nor a honey as a hexagonal cell. However, of the cells, bees also take the laboratory in its body. among all these geometric forms, maximum saving principle into the hexagonal has the shortest consideration while they construct The bee is only an insect 1-2 cm in circumference. Whilst they have the the bottom edges. size and it only does that with which same volume, the amount of wax its Lord has inspired it. required for hexagonal cells is less Combs are built as a slice with

than the amount of wax required for two rows lying back to back. In Islamic Herald 60 PERKIM this case, the problem of the work together to ensure the required “instinct” that can address thousands junction point of two cells occurs. temperature for the work place of bees at the same time and make Constructing the bottom surfaces of in order to keep the wax soft and them perform a collective task? It cells by combining three equilateral malleable. would not be sufficient even if each quadrangles solves this problem. bee acted on its own “instinct”, since When three cells are built on one There is another interesting point what they do would necessarily face of the comb, the bottom surface to note: the construction of the have to be in concordance with each of one cell on the other face is honeycomb starts from the upper other’s instincts in order to achieve automatically constructed. side of the hive and continues this astonishing result. Due to this, simultaneously in two or three they must be ected by an “instinct” As the bottom surface is composed separate rows downward. While a coming from a unique source. Bees, of equilateral quadrangular wax honeycomb slice expands in two who start constructing the hive from plaques, a downward deepening is opposite ections, first the bottom different corners and then combine observed at the bottom of those cells of its two rows join. This process is their separate tasks without leaving made by this method. This means realized in an astonishing harmony any gaps and having all the cells an increase in the volume of the cell and order. Therefore, it is never constructed equally in a perfect and, thus, in the amount of honey possible to understand that the hexagonal structure, must certainly stored. honeycomb actually consists of three be receiving “instinctive” messages separate parts. The honeycomb from the very same source!... OTHER slices, which started simultaneously CHARACTERISTICS OF from different ections, are so The term “instinct” used above is HONEY COMB CELLS perfectly arranged that, although “only a name” as mentioned in the there are hundreds of different Qur’an, in the 40th verse of Surah

angles in its structure, it seems like Yusuf. It is of no use insisting on Another point that bees consider one uniform piece. such “mere names” in order to during the construction of the conceal clear truths. Bees are honeycomb is the inclination of cells. For such a construction, bees need guided from a unique source and By raising cells 13o on both sides, to calculate the distances between thus they successfully come to they prevent the cells from being the starting and connection points perform tasks which they otherwise parallel to the ground. Thus, honey in advance and then design the would not be able to. It is not does not leak out from the mouth of dimensions of the cells accordingly. instinct, a term with no definition, the cell. How can such a delicate calculation that guides bees but the “inspiration”

be done by thousands of bees? This mentioned in Surat an-Nahl. What While working, worker bees hang has always impressed scientists. these tiny animals do is implement onto each other in circles and the programme that Allah has congregate together in bunches. It is obviously irrational to assume particularly set for them. By doing this, they provide the that bees have solved this task, necessary temperature for wax which man can hardly manage. production. Little sacks in their HOW THEY There is such a delicate and detailed abdomens produce a transparent DETERMINE THEIR organization involved that it is liquid, which leaks out and hardens ECTION impossible for them to carry it out on the thin wax layers. Bees collect their own. the wax with the little hooks on their Bees usually have to fly long legs. They put this wax into their distances and scan large areas to So how do they achieve this? An mouths, and chew and process it find food. They collect flower pollens evolutionist would explain that until it softens enough and so give and the constituents of honey within this event has been achieved by it shape in the cells. Many bees a range of 800m of the hive. A bee, “instinct”. However, what is the

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which finds flowers, flies back to its of the source is made clear in detail, time and energy. Well, how does the hive to let others know about their both with respect to its distance and bee understand, without checking place, but how will this bee describe its orientation. the flower, that the nectar has earlier the location of the flowers to the been consumed? other bees in the hive? A new problem awaits the bee in those flights where the round trip to This is made possible because the By dancing!… The bee returning the food source takes a long time. bees which visited the flower earlier to the hive starts to perform a As the bee, who can only describe marked it by leaving a drop on it with dance. This dance is a means of the food source according to the a special scent. Whenever a new expression, which it uses to tell ection of the sun, goes back to its bee looks in on the same flower, it the other bees the location of the hive, the sun moves 1 degree every smells the scent and understands flowers. This dance, repeated many 4 minutes. Eventually, the bee will that the flower is of no use and times by the bee, includes all the make an error of 1 degree for each so goes on ectly towards another information about the inclination, four minutes it spends on the way flower. Thus, bees do not waste time ection, distance and other details of about the ection of the food source on the same flower. the food source that enable other of which it informs the other bees. bees to reach it. THE MIRACLE OF Astonishingly, the bee does not HONEY This dance is actually a figure “8” have such a problem! The bee’s constantly repeated by the bee eye is formed of hundreds of tiny Do you know how important a food (see picture above). The bee forms hexagonal lenses. Each lens source the honey is, which Allah the middle part of the figure “8” focuses on a very narrow area just offers man by means of a tiny by wagging its tail and performing like a telescope does. A bee looking insect? zigzags. The angle between the towards the sun at a certain time of zigzags and the line between the the day can always find its location Honey is composed of sugars like sun and the hive gives the exact while it flies. The bee is reckoned glucose and fructose and minerals ection of the food source (see to do this calculation by making use like magnesium, potassium, calcium, picture above). of the change in the light emitted by sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and the sun depending on the time of the phosphate. It contains vitamins B1, However, knowing only the ection day. B2, C, B6, B5 and B3 all of which of the food source is not enough. change according to the qualities of Worker bees also need to “know” Consequently, the bee determines the nectar and pollen. Besides the how far they have to travel to collect the ection of the target location above, copper, iodine, and zinc exist the ingredients for the honey, so, the without mistake by making in it in small quantities. Several kinds bee returning from the flower source, corrections in the information it of hormones are also present in it. “tells” the other bees the distance gives in the hive as the sun moves of the flower pollens by means of forward. From their bellies comes a drink of certain body movements. It does varying colours, containing healing this by wagging the bottom part of METHOD OF for mankind… (Surat an-Nahl: 69) its body and creating air currents. MARKING FLOWERS We have made them (livestock) For example, in order to “describe” a tame for them and some they ride distance of 250m, it wags the bottom When a flower has already and some they eat. And they have part of its body 5 times in half a been visited, the honeybee can other uses in them and milk to drink. minute. This way, the exact location understand that another bee has So will they not show thanks? (Surah earlier consumed the nectar of Yasin: 72-73) that flower, and leave the flower immediately. This way, it saves both As Allah says in the Qur’an, honey Islamic Herald 62 PERKIM is a “healing for men”. This scientific sugar molecules make the brain by the bees responsible for their fact was confirmed by scientists function better since the brain is the supervision - as if they know this who assembled during the World largest consumer of sugar. feature of the honey. Apiculture Conference held from 20- 26 September 1993 in China. During Supports blood formation: Royal Jelly: Royal jelly is a the conference, treatments with Honey provides an important part substance produced by worker honey derivatives were discussed. of the energy needed by the body bees inside the beehive. Inside American scientists in particular for blood formation. In addition, it this nutritious substance are sugar, said that honey, royal jelly, pollen helps in cleansing the blood. It has proteins, fats and many vitamins. It and propolis (bee resin) cure many some positive effects in regulating is used in problems caused by tissue diseases. A Romanian doctor stated and facilitating blood circulation. deficiency or body frailty. that he tried honey on cataract It also functions as a protection patients, and 2002 out of his 2094 against capillary problems and It is obvious that honey, which is patients recovered completely. arteriosclerosis. produced in much higher amounts Polish doctors also informed the conference that bee resin helps to cure many diseases such as hemorrhoids, skin problems, gynecological diseases and many other disorders.

Nowadays, apiculture and bee products have opened a new branch for research in countries advanced in science. Other benefits of honey may be described as below:

Easily digested: Because sugar molecules in honey can convert into other sugars (e.g. fructose to glucose), honey is easily digested by the most sensitive stomachs, despite its high acid content. It helps kidneys and intestines to function better.

Has a low calorie level: Another quality of honey is that, when it is compared with the same amount Does not accommodate bacteria: than the requirements of the bees, of sugar, it gives 40% less calories This bactericide (bacteria-killing) is made for the benefit of man. And to the body. Although it gives great property of honey is named “the it is also obvious that bees cannot energy to the body, it does not add inhibition effect”. Experiments perform such an unbelievable task weight. conducted on honey show that its “on their own.” bactericide properties increase Rapidly diffuses through the twofold when diluted with water. Taken From “For Men Of Understanding” By Harun Yahya, Ta-Ha Publishers, blood: When accompanied by It is very interesting to note that United Kingdom, 1999 mild water, honey diffuses into the newly born bees in the colony bloodstream in 7 minutes. Its free are nourished with diluted honey

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But my big question was always the same: “How does three equal one?” Over the years I had tried to ‘find’ God in many different ways. I checked out Buddhism, Hinduism, metaphysics, Taoism, different forms of Christianity and Judaism

Ex-Christian Businessman & Preacher Enters Islam Chaplain Yusuf Estes

My ethnic background is English-Native American, Irish and German. I was what they called a “WASP” (white, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant). My family moved to Texas in 1949 while I was still in grade school, so my accent changed from “Yankee” to “Texan” real quick. We learned how to say “Ya’ll” instead of “youse guys” and “Howz ever thaang?” instead of “Waz up?” We also learned how to eat “Corn bread ‘n bains” instead of “Johnny cakes and beans.”

Islamic Herald 64 PERKIM I was born in Ohio, raised and He was the ‘expert’ in the Bible and most youth, I became distracted educated in Texas and was a its translations. It was through my from my pursuit and began to be successful marketing entrepreneur father that I came to know about influenced by my peers. Other and preacher of Christianity. I grew the various versions, translations children would make fun of me up in a religious home. My parents and editions of the Bible as well as if I talked about these questions and their relatives were all ‘good the introduction of pagan worship and thoughts, so it seemed like a Christians.’ Basically that means to Christianity about the time of the good idea to keep it to myself. No that you never drink alcohol, except Emperor Constantine (325 C.E.). problem. I like to be alone with my on very special occasions and never He, like many preachers would thoughts of God anyway. gamble expect Bingo at the church. answer the question: “Did God Religion was a real part of my life. actually write the Bible?” by saying: After growing up and owning many I believed very much in God and “The Bible is the Inspired Word business, I realized that I did not the Bible as His Word. While other of Man FROM GOD.” Basically, want to be a ‘preacher.’ I was too children were playing ‘school’ it means that humans (inspired afraid that I might be a hypocrite and ‘cops and robbers’ I would humans, but humans just the same) or call people to something that I sometimes play the ‘Preacher.’ I wrote the Bible. That quickly myself didn’t truly understand. After can still remember my first sermon, explains the errors, mistakes, all, I had ‘accepted the Lord’ and standing on the ground in Doug deletions and additions which have considered myself a true Christian, Hideman’s backyard: “We must crept in and fell out over the years. but at the same time I could not learn the Way of God! And then stay He would add: “But it is still the resolve the idea of God being One on that Way.” (That’s all I said. I Word of God, as inspired to man.” and at the same time He is ‘Three.’ couldn’t think of anything else) And if He is the ‘Father’, how could God was always on my mind. I was He also be the ‘Son?’ And then what My whole family on both my ‘baptized’ into the ‘Spirit’ at age about the ‘Holy Ghost?’ (later they mother’s and father’s sides were 12 and surprised even the minister changed that to ‘Spirit’). But my very active members of the (an ex-Jew who accepted Jesus) by big question was always the same: same denomination of Protestant my seriousness and intent on being “How does three equal one?” Christianity. We all loved to go to a ‘full real follower of Christ.” I Over the years I had tried to ‘find’ church on Sunday mornings for would think about Him and what He God in many different ways. I Sunday school and sermon (well wanted us to do and why He created checked out Buddhism, Hinduism, maybe we didn’t all love the long us in the first place, very often. metaphysics, Taoism, different sermons). Then of course, special Many times I would be caught ‘day forms of Christianity and Judaism. activities and holidays such as dreaming’ about God when I was The one most attractive to me Easter, Christmas, Halloween and supposed to be paying attention to was a combination of Gnosticism parties were always a part of our other things, like watching the pots (Christian mysticism) and lives in my early years. Our church boil over on the stove or not listen Cabalism (Jewish mysticism) and was originally called only “Christian to the teachers at school. Sometimes metaphysics. This actually is a form Church.” It wasn’t until I turned 10 I would rest my head on my arms of pantheism (God being throughout or 12 years old that the church ‘split’ on the top of my desk and try to His creation) and is similar to some into two different groups that we imagine: “What will happen when of the ‘Sufi’ mystics of today. But started calling ourselves “Disciples we die?” and “What will Heaven be this concept in its entirety repulsed of Christ.” like?” or “Can we ever see God’s me because I did not want to angels or the devil?” imagine myself as being a ‘part of My father was an ordained minister God.’ and also very active in church work, My mind was frequently as a Sunday school minister and preoccupied with these types of God is Pure! God is Perfect! God is fund raiser for Christian schools. thoughts as a child. But then as with All Knowing and All Aware of all

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to you, till heaven and earth shall pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom Standard of heaven; but he who does them Version and teaches them shall be called which I have great in the kingdom of heaven. For carried with I tell you, unless your righteousness me since 1953, exceeds that of the scribes and it says in Paul’s Pharisees, you will never enter the letter to the kingdom of heaven.” Romans: [Mt. 5:17-20] “I know and am persuaded in the So according the St. Paul’s own Lord Jesus that testimony in his letter to the nothing is unclean in new Roman Christians, he is itself; but it is unclean relaxing not just the least of these for anyone who thinks commandments, but basically it unclean.” all of these commandments. And he justifies everything with his [Rom 14:14] rationalization that if you don’t And again, in the same think it’s bad, then it’s not! things! So, how can I come along letter: I just felt that something was wrong and say things like I was hearing “So do not let what is good in this message and decided to from the other preachers: “In a way, to you be spoken of as evil. For the try to uphold the Commandments we are all gods.” Read the Bible: kingdom of God does not mean according to the Old Testament as “You are gods, sons of the Most food and drink but righteousness much as I could. That would mean: High, all of you; nevertheless, you and peace and joy in the Holy No Pork; circumcision; no sex shall die like men, and fall like Spirit.” outside of marriage; no adultery; any prince.” (quoted from the Old [Rom 14:16] worship on Saturday (not Sunday) Testament; Psalms [82:6]) & “I said, and most important of all: No you are gods.” (New Testament John By these types of statements, Paul worship of anything which is in the 10:34) pretty much destroys the entire Old creation. This is in direct line with Testament Commandments. Yet at the verse which says: The rationalization which comes the same time, in the same English about in the books attributed to the version of the Bible in the first “You shall have no other gods Apostle Saul (changed his name book of the New Testament, we are before (besides) me. You shall not to Paul), are full of statements told that Jesus preached a message make yourself a graven image, or which basically cancel the Torah which was exactly the opposite of any likeness of anything that is in or Law of the Old Testament. St. Paul: heaven above, or that is in the earth He makes it a matter of how you “Think not that I have come to beneath, or that is in the water under ‘understand’ something that makes abolish the law and the prophets; the earth; you shall not bow down it ‘permissible’ or ‘forbidden.’ As I have come not to abolish them to them or serve them, for I the an example in the English Revised but to fulfill them. For truly, I say Lord your God am a jealous God, Islamic Herald 66 PERKIM How can Jesus be visiting the iniquity of the fathers very fast to whip it out and begin to the “Only Begotten upon the children to the third and ‘preach the message.’ the fourth generation of those who I was ‘born again.’ I needed to ‘be in Son” of John 3:16? hate me, but showing steadfast love the light of Christ.’ I needed to share When in Psalms to thousands who love me and keep the ‘message.’ There was only one my commandments.” problem: 2:7 David is God’s [Ex 20:3-6] “What is the message?” Oh sure, I know what some of the “Begotten Son?” It seemed reasonable to me, that ‘born again’s are saying as they read there should only be One God. this: He should be All in Charge and “The message of salvation of Jesus Would a ‘Just’ without any partners. Reason also Christ!” – “He died for your sins!” God, a ‘Fair’ would demand that only He should – “He paid the price of redemption.” be given any worship because He – “He is the Risen Son of God!” – God, a ‘Loving’ Alone deserves it. And as God, “Jesus is LORD!” God — punish He should be the One to set the Right. – I got that. rules and give the orders. Then it I preached that message myself and Jesus for the sins would be clear who really loved thought I understood it as well as of the people that Him and who was following His anyone else did. The problem is that Commandments. one time I heard another preacher he called to follow say: “Don’t leave your brain in the him? I had tried not to deal with these parking lot with your car.” issues for many years. But now I Then it hit me to start thinking about was getting close to fifty years old the very serious problems and real What happens to and needed to do something for the facts about my religion. Then came: Lord. After all, had done everything people who died for me. So, it was time for me to THE QUESTIONS NOBODY get serious about my religion and WANTS TO ANSWER - before Jesus came? make some head way for the Lord. I —————————————— decided to join in with some of my ————————————– friends who were evangelists and What about the Bible? Who preachers who preached in various actually wrote it? different versions of the same parts of the country and even in What was the original language books? Mexico. We traveled together and of the Bible? (Hebrew? Aramaic? Why are there so many mistakes praised the Lord together and shared Koine Greek?) and errors are from the very first in ‘the spirit’ and went where the verse right up to the very last verse? ‘spirit lead us.’ One of them use to NOTE: – The Bible was never in Why do ‘Born Again Christians’ carry a huge cross on his shoulders English during the time of any teach concepts that are not from and drag it down the highway and prophet (not even Muhammad) – the Bible? give out little ‘mini-Bibles’ to those because English did not exist until There is no word “Trinity” in who cared to stop and visit. It was after 1066 AD! the Bible in any version of any enjoyable to go to those who had Does the Bible exist in the original language given up hope or had no money or form anywhere on earth? (No) The oldest forms of Christianity do jobs and give them food, money, Why does the Catholic Bible has not support the ‘born again’ beliefs assistance and at the same time call seven (7) more books than the Jesus of the English them to the message of Christianity. Protestant Bible? Bible complains about the I took my Bible everywhere and was Why do these two Bibles have ‘crucifixion’(“Eli! Eli! Lama

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sabachthani? – My God! My God! Abraham was asked by God to Why have You forsaken me?”) [Mk My friend with the huge cross sacrifice his son to test the loyalty 15:34] became tired of trying to answer all of Abraham. He did not withhold How can Jesus be the “Only of my questions and in desperation his son from God, so God’s angels Begotten Son” of John 3:16? one day, he told me to read the story ordered him to offer a ram in place When in Psalms 2:7 David is God’s of Abraham in Genesis in the Old of his son. God was pleased with his “Begotten Son?” Testament. Especially the part of total submission and as a result, God Would a ‘Just’ God, a ‘Fair’ God, sacrificing his son for the sake of Blessed him and his offspring. a ‘Loving’ God — punish Jesus for God. He seemed to feel that this was [Gen. 22:9-18] the sins of the people that he called to follow him? Now think about the New Testament What happens to people who died story of ‘salvation.’ Jesus asked God before Jesus came? NOT to put him through this ordeal. What happens to those who never hear this message? “Father, if thou art willing, remove What about innocent children who this cup from me; nevertheless not die although their parents are not my will, but Yours, be done.” [Luke Christian? 22:42] Didn’t God create Adam from dirt? — So, why does he need Mary to Notice in the next verse, an angel make Jesus? from heaven also appears to Jesus to And what about God? “strengthen him.” How can God create Himself? How can God be a man? Abraham’s angel comes to offer a How can a man be a God? going to explain the whole concept ram as a sacrifice instead of the son. How can God have a son? of sacrifice and obedience to God. The next verse [22:44] Jesus is The Bible says “Seth (is) the son of in AGONY as he prays “more Adam” and that”Adam is the son I read it. earnestly; and his sweat became like of God.” [Lk 3:36] But instead of convincing me that great drops of blood falling down Can’t God just forgive us and not this was the meaning of punishing upon the ground.” have to kill Jesus? the good so the bad do not have Then I looked to the account of the And what about Jesus? to suffer, I saw a totally different story in the Book of Mark [14:32- Jesus did not even carry the cross message here. 39]. — Simon Cyre’ne, a passerby did! [Mk 15:21] Abraham was willing to sacrifice Jesus goes to the garden of Jesus of the Bible was NOT on the his son on the alter for the sake of Gethsemane and his soul is “very cross for longer than six (6) hours Almighty God, if that was what sorrowful, even to death.” And — NOT three days — (from the God wanted from him. But God did “… going a little farther, he fell on 3rd to the 9th hour) [Mk 15:25 & not really want to take the life of an the ground prayer that, if it were 15:33] innocent boy for sins that Abraham possible, the hour might pass from Jesus of the Bible did not spend committed. That was not even the him.” Meaning that somehow when three days and nights in the tomb story here. And as far as replacing the time came for the event to take — Friday night – until Sunday his son with the ram for sacrifice, place he could escape it. This is before dawn — is not 3 days and this also does not match the story of NOT the submissive attitude of nights! Jesus on the cross. Abraham. Jesus DID NOT claim to be God – Stop. Think. or even equal to God! Next I noticed in verse 36, Jesus

Islamic Herald 68 PERKIM says: “Abba, Father, all things are was really going on in the cathedrals possible to thee; remove this cup and the Vatican. His name was from me; yet not what I will, but Father Peter Jacobs. His experiences what thou wilt.” And then he goes to throughout Central and South his disciples and wakes them up and America, Mexico and the United then returns to pray “… saying the States would prove to be very same words.” enlightening. But most of all was his deep understanding of the Bible and This whole concept was so totally the scrolls. He brought to the table different than the one from Genesis many interesting and amazing facts talking about Abraham and his son. about Christianity and the organized I asked questions and delved into religion of Catholicism. ‘those kind of stories’ the more I would like to facilitate the truth. Both the priest and the Muslim from Many strange things began to Egypt came to live with us in our happen. Very strange. home in the country near Dallas, Texas. Then things really started Things began to happen in my getting strange. life. Things that would change many concepts and beliefs that I I would love to share the details of had been burdened with for many this story of how so many preachers years. Solutions and answers started and priests are coming to Islam. coming in very strange and wonder Please visit our website to get the ways. whole story at:

First, my father started doing www.IslamTomorrow.com/yusuf/ business with a man from Egypt. After introducing me to him, my father noticed right away that I was trying to convert the man to Christianity and asked me not to do so in a rude manner. I heard the man say he was ready to come But there was a condition, he said to my religion if my religion was better than his religion. But there he wanted proof. I told him religion was a condition, he said he wanted proof. I told him religion is not is not about proof. It is about faith. about proof. It is about faith. He then said something that really made He then said something that really me think. He told me in his religion there was both faith and proof. made me think. He told me in his religion there was both faith and Strange, I thought. How could there be any proof about God or religion? proof. Next, I was to meet a Catholic priest who would enlighten us all on the true history of the church and what

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Iraq: 3 killed, 2 wounded in attacks members in an IED explosion in Afghanistan with over 90,000 of KABUL, (Xinhua): Four NATO in eastern Afghanistan. “A local them American mainly stationed soldiers were killed in separate Afghan interpreter, contracted in the east and south, followed by bomb blasts in Afghanistan on by ISAF, also died following the 9,500 from UK mainly based in Wednesday, the military alliance IED attack.” in eastern part of the southern Afghanistan. confirmed in separate statements country, the ISAF statement said. issued here. The casualties bring to 270 the Another ISAF soldier was killed number of foreign soldiers who have “An International Security in similar incident also in restive been killed in Afghanistan so far in Assistance Force (ISAF) service southern Afghanistan. 2012. member died following an improvised explosive device (IED) The brief press release gave neither Source://news.xinhuanet. attack in southern Afghanistan the nationalities of the victims nor com/english/world/2012- today,” the NATO-led ISAF said in the details about the incidents under 08/02/c_123510795.htm a statement. the ISAF policy. 02-08-2012

Earlier Wednesday, the NATO A total of 50 countries are confirmed losing two service contributing 130,000-strong forces Pakistan: 23 injured as blasts hit Lahore

Local Urdu TV channel Geo quoted Police and rescue team rushed to police as saying that the blasts took the site shortly after the blasts were place at about 10:00 p.m. at a fruit reported. market in the Badami Bagh area of Lahore, the largest city in eastern All the injured people have been Pakistan, which is close to Indian shifted to Meo Hospital in the city border. and hospital sources said that at least five out of the injured were in critical According to local media reports, condition. one bomb was planted under a fruit cart inside the market while another High alert has been declared in the was planted insider a car nearby the nearby places following the twin blast. ISLAMABAD, (Xinhua): At least 23 entrance of the market. Both bombs people were injured when two blasts were detonated simultaneously So far no group has claimed responsi- hit a fruit market in Pakistan’s eastern through a remote controlled device, bility for the attack yet. city of Lahore on Wednesday night, said police. reported local media. Source://news.xinhuanet.com/english/ world/2012-08/02/c_123510795.htm Islamic Herald 70 PERKIM