ҳ̸Ҳ̸ҳ The Essence of Prostration ҳ̸Ҳ̸ҳ

Introduction

"In the name of God, the Beneficent and most Merciful"

Asalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

As Muslims we know that the act of 'prostration' is the most beautiful and truly profound of moments during our prayers and supplications through the day. By prostrating before Allah swt and lowering our heads in sheer awe of his magnificent grandeur, we automatically acknowledge the fact that there is nothing throughout the depths and bounds of the entire universe - not even our pride, dignity and egos - that is worthy of worship and submission, except the Almighty Himself.

However, in my interactions with most Muslim brothers and sisters over the years, I have come to the realization that most of us take the greatness of the act of 'prostration' in a literal manner, when it comes to the 'connection' it channels between us and Allah swt.

We know from the immaculate legislation of the glorious Qur'an and the sublime nobility of the Prophetic sayings ( saws ) that :

" The servant is never closer to God, Exalted is He, than when he is prostrating himself in worship." [ Sahih Muslim ]

"Prostrate yourself and draw near" [ The Holy Qur'an 96:19]

Overview

Now, most Muslim brothers and sisters are of the view that these references from the Qur'an and Hadith are literal injunctions which means that a slave is only 'close' to the Almighty at the point, juncture, moment and time of one's forehead touching the ground in prostration.

This is further justified by them through the Prophetic Hadith: " The servant is nearest to God, Great and Glorious is He, when he prostrates himself in prayer, so that is the time to make many supplications." [ Sahih Muslim ]

I would like to point out that this is an error in the thought process that flickers through our minds, because even though to some it may seem like an insignificant aspect of our conceptual disposition, nonetheless this is an issue that needs to be addressed in order to avoid any bigger folly when it comes to Allah swt.

First of all, we need to remember that Allah swt is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, All-Knowing, All-Wise - The Omniscient and The All-Encompassing.

He is beyond the realms of time and space; constraints that keep us bound within the physical cocoon of the universe and our very existences. Hence, any action we implement, any word we utter or any behavior we indulge unto - whether it be in prayer / remembrance of Allah swt, social conduct or even under the cloak of privacy - none of it goes undetected by the Almighty.

Rationale`

Allah swt does 'not' need a physical initiative of our bodily movement such as the act of 'prostration' for Him to have 'us' draw closer to him; since Allah swt is above and beyond all needs to begin with. However, we do 'need' that physical initiative in order to commit an act that has a plethora of psychological, emotional, social and even cultural effects on our minds, bodies, hearts and souls.

Why?

It's simple: The human being's inclinations and passions in this world are defined by his ego; an ego that forms the basis of his social functioning, mortal orchestration and individual esteem, thereby indirectly or directly ( without one's knowledge at times ) manipulating one's outlook on the purpose of life and the reality of God in the process.

Every crime, pursuit of material desires, social injustice, defiance of moral principles, obliteration of ethical parameters, fire of vengeance and countless other human realities in one way or another eventually have to do with our inability to resist the magnetic pull of our egos.

Throughout the annals of human history, Kings have ruled Kingdoms, Empires have annexed other nations, Civilizations have risen and fallen and the greatest of warriors or military generals have either killed or been killed themselves, yet the incessant truth that resonates through all these realities is the ugly face of the human being's nature of egoistic fallacy!

The cycle is simple:

The Human Being >> The Ego >> The Nafs >> The Crime / Sin >> Pride >> Inhumanity

From the above chain reaction in the cycle of the human mind, we can see that God has created us as Human Beings, yet it is the Ego that paves the way towards us embracing the lower inclinations of our Nafs, which in turn forwards us to committing subsequent crimes / sins, thus shackling ourselves in the self imprisonment of Pride; ultimately reducing us to the lowest of lows: Inhumanity

Conclusion

My dear brothers and sisters, Allah swt didn't intend us to be "Inhuman", for we are the greatest of all His creations throughout all existence; which is why following God's divine legislation and adhering to His sacred rules of life, is what ultimately preserves us within the folds of Humanity and doesn't entangle us unto the claws of Inhumanity.

Hence from the topic's perspective, Allah swt being the All-Seeing and All-Hearing - does not find us 'close' to Him only when we prostrate ( This is the literal understanding that some of us advocate ); infact our act of 'prostration' is a symbolic testament to us leaving behind our ego, whilst humbling ourselves infront of our Creator by proclaiming His greatness as the only thing worthy of embracing, not our pride.

All the Prophets (May peace be unto all of them ) prayed / supplicated to the Almighty in this manner since the beginning of time throughout the pages of human existence.

The act of 'prostration' is not the sole means to access the warmth, proximity and serene resplendence of the Almighty; He never intended it to be as such. The fundamental purpose behind His eternal wisdom in this regard, is to enable ourselves to 'humble' us before Him in sheer humility and recognition of His thunderous might. Thus, enabling the Kings and Peasants, Rich and Poor, Old and Young, Powerful and Weak - people from all spectrums of life and a wide array of social standings - to infuse their emotional wavelengths, mental frequencies and physical pitch, to that of the Creator of the heavens and the earth, without the innate 'barriers' and natural human constraints of ego and pride blockading such a profoundly intrinsic connection.

"And indeed We have created man, and We know whatever thoughts his inner self develops, and We are closer to him than (his) jugular vein" [ The Holy Qur'an 50:16]

It is clear from this verse that Allah swt's everlasting knowledge and unseizing closeness to us is a perpetual state of being; one that does not need the faculties of human interaction or the facilities of physical rituals to give meaning and worth - for He is nearer to us just as He is to a seabed under the deepest of oceans, just as He is to the outer circumference of the farthest of galaxies, just as He is to a crawling ant that moves on a rock with a crumb of bread, just as He is to the air gushing past under the wings of a bird in flight; Glory be to Him!

The essence of 'prostration' in relation to our affinity with the Lord of the Mighty Throne, is not something that is defined by the centimeters or millimeters of distance between our foreheads and the ground, but infact by human ability to strip himself off the contaminants of pride and ego; whilst humbling ourselves into devotion to the 'source' of all that exists.

'The Source' is : Allah swt; Lord of the mighty throne!

In conclusion, implying that the metric systems of measurement bounding the human physical realm such as the parameters of distance as conceptualized in worldly terms; is what determines our nearness to Allah swt - is infact ( Nauzubillah ) brazenly 'undermining' the All Powerful presence of the Almighty; who encompasses and rules the dominions of time and space with all His exulted magnificence in the first place!

And Allah knows best.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds!

Ma'Salam!

-- Zionist crimes in Gaza --

Ashes to ashes

As per the latest reports, Gaza city harbors countless bodies strewn across its streets; haunting images of brutality and inhumanity at its peak. Over 300 innocent civilians; men, women and children have been the hapless victims of a well coordinated terrorist campaign by the Israeli government whose stone cold claws knows no bounds.

The Zionist ideology is not just one of reclaiming and preserving the "Holy Land", but also one that seeks to systematically eradicate the regional Arabs in specific; whilst targeting Muslims around the globe in general.

In essence, evidence of these sinister designs are found throughout the western world's financial, political and military institutions that thrive on preconceived venomous Zionist agendas in the quest to establish a capitalistic new world order, with the U.S as its pimp!

Geographically Israel presents a plethora of strategic benefits to the western world as a whole and America in particular; most notably in terms of curbing consistent Arab / Muslim opposition that poses a threat to its regional aspirations whilst also concurrently safeguarding imperialist interests.

Moreover, It's truly the height of hypocrisy considering how the western world stands for the so called fundamentals of civil enlightenment, progress, peace, prosperity, justice, human rights and the hoo haa of all that goody woody stuff; yet it completely turns a def ear to the plight of hundreds of innocent civilians who get slaughtered day in and day out due to the wretched barbarism of the Zionist regime.

Social responsibility and the Greater good

The sons and daughters of Palestine have struggled long enough for the sweet breeze of freedom and the coveted light of liberation.

We live in mediocre times. We live in a world where the very notion of peace and justice fails to resonate with our consciousness only because of the malicious bigotry that contaminates our social fabric today. It's high time the world stops the hand of evil from molesting its sanctity and raping its purity. If there's even a fraction of a decent and humane chromosome left on the earth today, people from every country, race or culture regardless of their differences or beliefs; must recognize such injustice and stand for truth no matter what the odds.

Ignorance Fiesta

As far as the Muslim world goes, we've been far too busy amassing wealth and riches, building the tallest of skyscrapers and spending millions of dollars on extravagant shopping festivals - just a few hundred kilometers away from Palestine in places like Dubai and Kuwait etc; while the blood of the ummah silently trickles down the gutters and dungeons of our own making.

Furthermore, the humongous amount of treasures accumulated and splashed by Arab royalty throughout the world, is just another nauseating example of how our elite have lost themselves in sheer oblivion. Ah yes, the acquisition of lavish hotels in Paris, the showboating of luxury yatches off the coast of the Spanish Riviera and a plethora of foreign investments in banks and financial hubs of the very countries that murder our fathers and sons on a daily basis; is nothing but a shining testament to the kind of grotesquely pitiful state of existence our sovereigns dwell unto.

But ofcourse, let us not 'completely' write off the Muslim world. I mean, afterall we do have compassionate and caring souls in the 'Arab League' that do give a rat's ass now don't we?

So while these oh so 'noble' sheikhs from feeble oil rich nations travel to these 'emergency' summits in their Land Cruisers, walk haughtily in their long flowing silk robes through the conference halls and sip on their organic green teas in the sacred quest to 'free' the Muslim world from the clutches of hopelessness ; let us save ourselves the time and flip over the channel shall we? : )

Message to the world?

" Save Palestine; salvage its hope from burning to the ground; liberate it from the suffocation of tyranny and walk upon God's green earth as 'human beings' - for once! "



May God Almighty have mercy on all of us, Amen!

Ali Ash

-- "The Butterfly Effect" --

"Say: "Only God knows the future" [ The Holy Qur'an 10:20]

Man's Yearning to Unravel The Secrets of Tomorrow

Who does not want to know the future? Is it not one of our impossible dreams to obtain advance information about tomorrow? Events developing in time have such a complicated structure that small things can make all the difference.

For example, a small mutation in one (or couple of) gene(s) leads to cancer, which can be a devastating disease. Today, we cannot make long-term predictions; we do not know when the next earthquake is going to take place or how stock market prices will continue to rise and fall.

Life is full of these unknown and unpredictable events.

The Chaos Theory ( The Butterfly Effect)

In modeling atmospheric convection in the 1960s, a meteorologist and mathematician at MIT, Edward Lorenz, came up with a mathematical model showing that small perturbations in input parameters result in huge deviations in output, the “Butterfly Effect.”

In other words, in theory, a butterfly flapping its wings in China could bring about a storm in New York City. This is another way to express sensitive dependence on initial conditions. Getting up two minutes late, one may end up missing the bus, which in turn costs one the job interview. As a result of pushing the brake pedal one second earlier a person’s life can be saved.

Such slight changes in daily actions are actually signs of how tiny changes are relevant with our lives and how sensitive the future is to the present. Such dependence is called 'Nonlinearity' and many scientific problems, such as the well-known Navier-Stokes equations, have been awaiting a solution because of this complexity.

In contrast to a Deterministic Approach, which is based on the idea that the knowledge of the past enables one to make future predictions, a Nonlinear (or chaotic) approach claims that the future is not that straightforward.

Under the light of Islam - The immaculate wisdom of the Holy Quran through the magnificent and exulted knowledge of Allah (swt) is replete with evidence, scientific facts and logical assertions that support the Chaos Theory and undermines the Deterministic Approach by refuting the ideas it advocates.

As Muslims, we know that God Almighty is the knower of the seen and the unseen and knowledge of the future solely rests with him. No matter how much knowledge we possess about the past in terms of human history, environmental factors affecting change, ecological and atmospheric fluctuations or even social trends - none of it can distinctively ensure an accurate comprehension of the future where mere predictions would help us alter the state of our present lives or the dynamics regulating it.

“Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the Unseen except God Almighty, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected” [The Holy Qur'an 27:65]

“And with Him are the keys of the Unseen (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in the land and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record” [The Holy Qur'an 6:59]

God transcends Time and Space, whereas the Human Being is bound by them

"Know that God is Transcendent, Praiseworthy!" [ The Holy Qur'an 2:267 ]

Now, In contrast to what we used to believe, chaos does not mean complete disorder. Some complicated long-term events may have a hidden order. Being bound by time prevents us from knowing the future. Hence, It is in this sense, that time can be said to be another dimension, so that together with the other three, our living environment is formed.

To be able to control or observe time-dependent events, the individual of this four-dimensional space may need to move outside of time. To understand this idea better we may analyze the well-known Butterfly example.

In Figure 1, the behaviors of three different variables are shown on the horizontal time axis, where they are very irregular, complicated and chaotic. However, In Figure 2 when the same motions are transformed into another space where time is hidden, what we see is an interesting order between these three variables.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Chaos and Spiritual Life

The human being’s spiritual life is also extremely sensitive to small changes. We are continuously exposed to our personal desires and Satan’s whispers. One small sin is an invitation to worse ones which eventually accumulate and trouble the soul.

Similarly, every good deed, no matter how small, has the potential to become a ticket to paradise. It nerely depends upon the situation in which it was performed and the level of sincerity in our heart. Giving water to a thirsty dog is not an extraordinary act, but in the particular case mentioned in a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (saws), this sincere act was significant enough to purify a very sinful person, while another went to hell because of letting a cat starve.

In another tradition, the Prophet (saws) said:

“When a person first commits a sin, it falls as a black dot in (the clean slate of) his heart. If he refrains, repents, and seeks forgiveness, it is however erased. However, if on the other hand, he were to persist in sin, the dot will gradually expand until it covers the entire heart.”

Hence, we see that this is the state of 'sealing the hearts' that God Almighty warns us of in the Holy Qur’an:

"Nay the sins they have accumulated have covered their hearts like a seal” [The Holy Qur'an 83:14 ]

Therefore, a sin penetrating the heart, will blacken and darken it until it extinguishes the light of belief. Within each sin is a path leading to unbelief. Unless that sin is swiftly obliterated by seeking God’s pardon through sincere repentance, it will grow from a worm into a snake that sucks the heart's blood in the form of a satanic parasite.

Likewise, initial tiny scruples can grow exponentially and destroy hope in the heart in an unexpected way. This is where one's faith in God Almighty begins to waver and sooner or later it will fade away, thus pushing the individual into a deep dark abyss of ignorance who's dungeons are hard to crawl out from.

The universe in perfect order

Just the way our spiritual existences orchestrate and regulate our mortal / physical selves in a system encompassed by the constraints of time and space, similarly the whole Universe, it's solar systems, stars, nebulae, planets and billions of galaxies can be compared to the human being.

The universe is regulated with an immaculate level of perfection, it is synchronized with the laws of physics that do not deviate even a fraction - all due to God Almighty's command and divine will. Even a small derailment of these physical laws for a mere millisecond, will consequentially result in the complete destruction and total annihilation of the whole Universe in the blink of an eye, thus reinforcing the fact that small changes give rise to colossal effects within a system.

"Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you see, and He is firm in power and He made the sun and the moon subservient (to you); each one pursues its course to an appointed time; He regulates the affair, making clear the signs that you may be certain of meeting your Lord!" [ The Holy Qur'an 13:2 ]

The orbiting of the planets, the creation of new stars and forming nebulae, the vast and incomprehensibly diverse billions of galaxies in all their glory and therein contained millions of solar systems - all are in constant motion and state of regulation.

"He is the One who has created night and daylight, and the sun and the moon; each floats along (perfectly) in an orbit" [ The Holy Qur'an 21:33 ]

"And it is We who have constructed the heaven (Universe) with might, and verily, it is We who are steadily expanding it" [ The Holy Qur'an 51:47 ]

Therefore, keeping in mind the Universe's perfect orchestration on every level in every possible way as willed by God Almighty, we can establish that the physical existence of the human body and the spiritual being existing within; also requires a solid and concise regulatory process which would allow the soul to exist within its physical bounds in a state of tranquility, rather than suffocation and restlessness.

As human beings we've been given the gift of "Free Will", which means that unlike the billions of galaxies and countless planets bowing before God's command within our Universe, the human being in contrast has the ability to make it's own decisions and thus has at its disposal the buttons to its own system of regulation / orchestration.

Hence, choosing the right path through an instance of free-will that concurrently submits to the will of God Almighty, will result in a clean state of the heart free from sin and safe from the snowball effect of negative consequence.

Similarly, choosing the wrong path through an instance of free-will that concurrently submits not to the will of God Almighty, but to the will of one's "Nafs"; will result in a contaminated state of the heart where a small blackened patch brought on by sin, will eventually spread enough to suffocate the heart, trouble the soul and extinguish the light of faith within one's mortal being.

Cosmogeny without order = Chaos

Conclusion:

In conclusion we realize that from the human being's and the Universe's perspective, each time-dependent event can have very complicated consequences! However, every consequence always bears God’s signature and His divine order.

He is the knower of the seen and the unseen, the possessor of infinite knowledge and sublime majesty.

“They said, 'Why hasn't a miracle come down to him from his Lord?’ Say, ‘Only God knows the future.’ Therefore, wait, and I will wait along with you” [ The Holy Qur'an 10:20 ].

It may not be possible to see tomorrow, but we should be aware that each small change we make affects our future. The companions of the Holy Prophet (saws) lived in such a way that they were always carefully watching their hearts to take immediate action on small deeds or scruples.

For every event or option we face, the decision is up to us! For example whether we smoke or not, whether we lie or not, whether we get up early or not and so on. These sets of small decisions play an integral role in terms of the future we do not know nor can we ever perceive.

Actions followed by their consequences, whether they are small or not, have such a profound impact on our mortal existences that they can make or break our tomorrow, be it in terms of this worldly life or the hereafter.

Even reading this article was one of these small things you had the choice to do or not to do!

May Allah (swt) enable all of us to reflect upon such seemingly insignificant aspects of our lives that we forget to ponder upon everyday in the midst of our heedlessness and may the smallest most minute of our thoughts, actions and resulting consequences resonate along the same 'wavelength' and 'frequency' as the will of God Almighty, for that is what will protect us from complete chaos both in this World and the Hereafter, Ameen!

- Ali Ash

-- The Wanderer --

" In the name of God, the Beneficent and most Merciful "

Our Lord! Creator of the heavens and the earth

To You we belong, to You we shall return

Begins with You, the meaning of mortal birth

Belongs to You, everything our souls earn


Allahu Akbar!


Glory be to You! The Sustainer of all that exists

Master of the Day of Judgment, King of retribution

Stands with You, true guidance when evil persists

Lies towards You, the peace of complete submission


Allahu Akbar!


Oh Merciful! The Deviser of eternal destiny

Owner of the mighty throne, Sovereign of the universe

Shines from You, the comforting light of divinity

Rests with You, secrets that our hearts converse


Allahu Akbar!


Lo! The Immaculate; Knower of the seen and the unseen

Witness of all prostration, Possessor of the gift of salvation

Glows in You, the definition of what life should mean

Sprouts for You, the seed of faith in fields of devotion


Allahu Akbar!


Alas! The Helpless; bearer of weakness and much need

Slave of Your magnificence, seeker of infinite solitude

Breathe in us love, without which the heart shall bleed

Decree for us death, in the glory of Your servitude


Allahu Akbar!

- A Dedication

Ali Ash

-- Absolution -- [ A cry of the conscience ]

The only absolution: The Exalted - Allah (swt)

Dear Allah,

Clear my mind of everything
Save the thoughts of you

Empty my heart of everything
Save the longing for you

Fill my destitution with nothing
But the sufficiency of knowledge

Soothe my loneliness with nothing
But the promise that you will never forsake me

Do not cast me off your path
Do not leave me stranded without your love

Free me from the dungeons of ignorance
Guide me to the gardens of salvation

A mere helpless servant I am
So much in need of your compassion

Do not reject my pleas, Oh' The Exalted
Do not turn me away, Oh' The Merciful


Ameen

"The Tolerance Dilemma" -- How much is enough?

Overview:

The Muslim world has been rocked with upheaval and fiery sentiments in recent years, owing to the never ending controversy in regards to Salman Rushdie's provocative novel "The Satanic Verses" and most recently the infamous Danish Cartoon shebang.

Below is my personal viewpoint and analysis of the two episodes through the prism of the Islamic Sharia's perspective and the socio-human composite:

The Punishment for Blasphemy

-- Islamic perspective

Under the light of Islam, the Shari`ah has not prescribed any punishment for blasphemy. The Holy Quran does not assert that Muslims must murder another human being based on denigration of respect and honor for Allah (swt) or the Prophet ( Peace be upon him). Hence, this implies that there is no "worldly" punishment for blasphemy prescribed by the Shari`ah.

Nevertheless, a Muslim state, for the purpose of discouraging such uncalled for behavior, may pass a legislation, whereby a suitable punishment is implemented upon those guilty of blasphemy, which according to the stipulations of the Qur'an cannot be the death penalty, just as the legislature passes laws for protecting its citizens against defamation and other such crimes.

Furthermore, extremely strict laws should also be passed against those, who, taking the law in their own hands, take severe actions against those accused of blasphemy.

It is quite clear that if a person accused of blasphemy is killed by ordinary citizens, without being granted his basic right of defending himself in an open court of law, then those guilty of inciting and taking such actions should be brought to justice, which, in this case, could obviously be the death penalty - being the prescribed punishment for murder.

In my opinion, it is the duty of the Muslim state to pass balanced legislations, which on the one hand should strongly discourage people from making any uncalled for comments regarding the revered personalities of its citizens (whether Muslims or non-Muslims), while on the other, saves its citizens from becoming targets of hate crimes.

The Dilemma

Now the big question is; how should a true Muslim react to derogatory remarks about Islamic revered personalities?

What should be the reaction of a common man on the street to any profanity against the holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)?

Moreover, how can resentment against the desecration of the holy Qur'an be demonstrated in the Islamic way? What is the Islamic way of protest against any action that injures the feeling of the Muslims?

The answer is simple really.

As far as the teachings of the Qur'an in this connection (or the Islamic way of protest) are concerned, it is obvious that the Qur'an does not promote any such reactions, even in the worst of conditions. The Qur'an , on the other hand, teaches the Muslims to be most forgiving and asks them to control their anger even in the worst of situations. The Qur'an , thus, does not want Muslims to react recklessly to provocative and inciting conditions. It asks them to keep their cool under all circumstances.

The glorious Qur'an says:

"Nor can goodness and evil be equal. Return (evil) with what is best. Then will he, between whom and you was hatred become as he was your friend and intimate. And no one can exercise this except those, who are steadfast (in the way of God); no one except persons of the greatest good fortune"

- (Sura-Fussilat 41: 34 - 35)

These are the teachings of the Qur'an for all those situations, where a person is prone to lose his temper and act recklessly. Muslims should, therefore, try to maintain their cool under all situations and avoid letting anger take its toll upon their ability to maintain composure and patience.

If any person is disrespectful towards the Qur'an , any respected Muslim personality or even the Prophet (Peace be upon him), we are advised by the immaculate wisdom of Allah (swt) in the Holy Qur'an and the exemplary character of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) - to not denigrate the other person and lose all sense of decency - let alone grab them by the neck and pound the living daylights out of them!

Even in such inciting circumstances, a Muslim should advise such people with patience and compassion according to the following directive of the Qur'an:

"Call to the way of your Lord with (great) wisdom and solicitude and argue with them in ways that are most appropriate. (And remember that) your Lord knows best those who have strayed from His path and (also) those, who are rightly guided"

-- (Sura Al-Nahl 16: 125)

How much tolerance, really is tolerant?

Now, ofcourse as Muslims naturally sensitive to feelings in regards to our religion, It is understandable for us to ask the world why we must become dumb recipients of information and restrain from rightful expression of anger in regards to events around us just to get ourselves "Labeled" as tolerant?

Indeed, facts remain facts: Given the Geo-political circumstances today, the Muslim Ummah will not be considered "Tolerant" - for at least another half century no matter what effort we make. Such preconceived notions and unfairly branded labeling is something we must inevitably endure at this point in human history.

Therefore, many of us would ask today: If in civilized society, one has the freedom of speech to malign Islam and denigrate the character of the Prophet ) Peace be upon him), then why is our freedom of protest as Muslims blatantly conceived of as an odd / threatening phenomenon?

If we abhor something, a person or an event, why does our innate and naturally instigated expression of that feeling becomes the spiteful evil of "Intolerance" in the eyes of the world?

Hatred by others for Islam is named as "Criticism" - whereas our criticism of the western hemisphere and our retaliation in regards to their spiteful view of our religion, becomes the sinister venom of "Intolerance"?


These are some of the questions we ask ourselves as Muslims and the rest of the world as inhabitants of a mutually shared earth today.

Agreed, double standards are prevalent when it comes to Muslim freedom of speech. That's no rocket science and certainly no big secret. We all know it, we all see it and we've all experienced it one way or another.

However, there's a thing called "Practicing" Freedom of speech and "Abusing" Freedom of speech. They might fall under the same domain, but the essence to their meaning and power is completely different from one another.

For example:

What the Danish Cartoon guy did , was an "abuse" of freedom of speech. This abuse, is something that many in the west can not conceive or comprehend with because their take on the idea of "Freedom of speech" is through a completely different "prism" of outlook on the matter.

Evidently, their perspective is devoid of "understanding" and "empathy" when it comes to the Muslim world or adherence to religion and the laws of blasphemy, because of the cultural, political, social and dogmatic gap that separates the Western and Eastern hemispheres today.

However, on the flip side of things, losing sight of the "greater good" by drowning in a sea of uncontrolled emotions, is not the Muslim way - nor is it what our Prophet (Peace be upon him) lived by.

The greater good ofcourse being: The responsibility as Muslims of calling all mankind to the message of Islam in a way that is inviting, not threatening.

What we require are peaceful protests. It is beneficial for the Muslim Ummah as a whole and our progress as individuals of civil society, that we put our points across to the world in a way that is both in keeping with the light of Islam and the character of the Prophet (saws) - the best and most immaculate testament to what a true Muslim should be in the first place.

However, senselessly burning effigies, chanting death to the U.S, UK or Denmark etc, hurling stones and going completely bonkers like demonic heaving animals without any sense of humanity by dislodging oneself from all levels of "self composure", "restraint" and "respect" for surroundings - is in my view simply unacceptable in the light of Islam - no matter what way you look at it.

This does not do anyone good and most importantly does not bring the true warmth of Islam to the masses, which is why we set our ownselves up for one dimensional backlash by the world and dig ourselves a deeper hole in the process. It doesn't achieve the purpose of Islam, now does it?

Wild bestial and untamed savage like behavior under any circumstances is not what the Holy Quran asserts nor is it what propelled Islam to soaring heights in the deserts of Arabia 1400 years ago by a man who didn't know how to read or write.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) would smile in people's faces when they insulted him, mocked him, degraded him, belittled him and disgraced him in the most horrendous and atrocious of ways in the earlier part of his Prophethood, yet he adopted patience, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, composure and restraint both verbally and physically as a true embodiment of the Holy Quran for all humanity to follow!

No?

Moreover, we must not forget the exemplary conduct that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) exhibited, when the old lady under whose window he would pass by on the way to the Mosque every day, would throw garbage over his head owing to her hatred for the message of Islam.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) would demonstrate utmost patience, compassion and utter respect for the woman and even though his companions would angrily respond by offering to kill the woman themselves, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) would strongly urge them not to do so.

When one day the woman fell sick and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) didn't have garbage welcome him under her house's window, he inquired about her from his companions. Upon learning that the woman was ill, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) expressed his sorrow. He visited the woman by her bedside to ask about her health and this one act of compassion by him compared to the countless acts of viciousness exhibited by the woman before, captured the woman's heart and invigorated her soul with the light of truth whilst making her embrace Islam then and there.

SubhanAllah! :)


The Prophet (saws) once said:

"A true man is he who restrains himself from violence when his anger reaches its peak, than a man who knocks the other down"

Therefore - no matter what amount of suffocating biasness, double standards and clear oppression in terms of our rights of freedom of speech as Muslims goes in the current world scenario - doesn't mean we make that a pretext to become slaves of our own shortcomings and fallacies by giving in to our emotions - rather than submitting our will to the creator Allah (swt) - which is what Islam gives us the chance to do in the first place.

True Liberation is submitting oneself to the will of Allah (swt) - the creator and the sustainer of all that exists - not to the will of our own "Nafs"

True Freedom comes from surrendering our lives to the will of Allah (swt) - the lord of the heavens and the earth - not to the will of our own fallacious, imperfect and feeble existences as human beings vulnerable to "error".

Hence, True Perfection is True Submission which paves the way for True liberation and True freedom.

Let us not forget that - for we are Muslims.

Conclusion:

Therefore, as Muslims and most of all as "Human beings" who submit their will to their creator - we must not forget that our emotional reactions do not have any positive contributions to the cause of Da`wah (propagation of Islam and Islamic values). All such reactions should be avoided to the utmost.

A person who is disrespectful towards the Qur'an or the Prophet (Peace be upon him) or any other Muslim or non-Muslim personality, knows deep inside his heart that no person - not even the worst of them - deserves disrespect.

I am sure that with very little effort in terms of Da`wah, such disrespectful and ignorant people can be dissuaded from such futile actions. I am also sure that reacting brashly against any disrespectful comments hinders the way for such dissuasion.

For example, a person, who abuses my father in my presence, does so only to incite me - as part of the venting out "process" of the anger / issues he has against who I am as a man an what I stand for as a human being.

Likewise, you don't bark back to a street dog in similar fashion, because you only degrade yourself to its level and lose the upper hand as a 'being' of intellect and comprehension.

My provocative behavior would only give such a person the satisfaction of getting what he wanted. Nevertheless, my controlled and calm behavior shall not only make me the victor but also leave a lasting impact upon him, which might make him think twice before indulging unto such actions in future.

In the end, that is the real victory! The Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his resplendent character and illustrious ways, were a shining testament to such a victory on its own. A victory that brought many ignorant souls to the splendor and beauty of Islam.

Moreover, I am sure as Muslims we'll all agree that the position of the Glorious Qur'an , the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his companions is not so vulnerable, feeble, weak and fragile that a negative remark by "someone" would undermine their sanctity.

Whether be it Salman Rushdie, the Danish cartoon geezer, some regular redneck hick Billy Joe from the south or even some Eskimo making coffee in an igloo up on the north pole - the sacredness and grace of the Holy Quran nor the immaculate character of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) - is not dependent for its "value" on the facilities of human language or emotion.

We must remember, a tolerant, respectful and compassionate human being is what a good Muslim is all about and vice versa! That is what our Prophet (saws) was and that is exactly the footsteps we should be following, instead of degrading our worth in the eyes of the creator and diminishing our image in the eyes of the world - in an effort to blindly counter our grudges through malice, impracticality and irrationality - thus succumbing to an imprisonment in the dungeons of our own fallacies.

Hence, this eventually results in the submission to our own lower-self, instead of the original deal of submitting to the creator, the sustainer, the Almighty, the all-hearing, the all-wise and the all-knowing - Allah (swt)

Afterall - The latter is what "Defines" being a Muslim in the first place - not the former.

May God Almighty guide us all onto the right path - because nobody is perfect and we all need his divine mercy and the warmth of his guidance to attain success in this world and salvation in the next.

Ameen!

- Ali Ash

- - Never an absolution - -

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" Across the window "

Something I wrote as a tribute to the timeless innocence and magic of - First love!
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Quiver of the soul, as you lay across the window

Joy of the heart, hearing you breathe at night

Young and free, without a care in the world

The warm blanket of innocence, an everlasting sight


Walking through the meadows of memory...


Secrets under the fig tree, quiet nights beneath the moon

Laughter shared as the sun goes down, and soft walks back home

Young and free, without a care in the world

The warmth of that hand in mine, it never felt alone


Walking through the meadows of memory...


Summers turn to autumns, Winters to springs

"Always and forever", together we vow

Young and free, without a care in the world

Through thick and thin, to fate we bow


Walking through the meadows of memory...


Winters become colder, and nights darker

Summers become colorless, the morning light weak

Young and free, without a care in the world

That warmth and laughter, how dearly I seek


Walking through the meadows of memory....


Deafening of the ears, cries shudder through next door

An empty cold bed, I see across the window

Young and free, without a care in the world

Without a name, tears that are born begin to flow


Walking through the meadows of memory...


Rain washes away the dust, while she is lowered

A rose returned to its bed, thunder shall harm no more

Young and free, without a care in the world

Turning away quietly, the hardest thing to endure


Walking through the meadows of memory...


"Will you stay with me, will you be my love"

I hear her say, laying across the window

Young and free, without a care in the world

Never an absolution, the memories still grow


Walking through the meadows of memory...


The laughter of the kids, filling the room beside

"Daddy, tell us a story", as I open my eyes

Young and free, without a care in the world

"There once was a boy named...." , first love never dies


Walking through the meadows of memory...
Walking through the meadows of memory...
Walking through the meadows of memory...