Are we Missing the Point?

Shasta'sAunt wrote: When I reverted to Islam 14 years ago I felt like I was part of a community that was connected to other communities forming a bond with Muslims throughout the world. That sense of belonging and feeling of one Ummah has gone missing.

AsSalam Alaykoum dear

But think about it, we are here, your brothers and sisters, part of your ummah
I hope this gives you a sense of Ummah, maybe not in a so physical contact, but surely in a contact of the hearts

AsSalam Alaykoum

Shasta'sAunt wrote: Salaams Martha, Martha I would like add my two cents...Salaams all I too have wondered why som many elaborate musjids when Muslims are hungry and in need. I can understand wanting to make the place where we come together to worship Allah beautiful, but how can you enjoy the beauty when you know that the Musjid board turns away hungry women and children? IMHO Musjids established under state laws for non profits run do not fulfill the true spirit of a masjid...This is very tainted system that invites all kinds of shady characters to make a living under...Don't forget there are all shades of Muslims...I thought the Muslims in the US were mostly well off(remember Obamas Cairo speech), you say they are hungry, really ...seems Bush destroyed Texas also along with Afghanistan.. The economically transient American society does not lend very well to the establishment of the mosques if it is not part of the community it is just a prayer hall Here in the DFW area there are numerous musjids, yet they have just finished spending millions of dollars building another new one within 5 miles of 5 large established musjids that are mostly empty except for Ramadan and Eid. Why? In US the Saudi Rabbita e Islami have funded the construction of some large mosques as part of their plan..This must be one of them! The Saudis have played a very strange role in the American Muslim society a destructive one with their unlimited resources in collusion with the US governmental agencies in the past... Why not use that money to establish scholarships to the Islmaic schools here, or feed and house destitute Muslim families. There are many divorced and widowed Sisters and gravely ill men who need financial help here. I am sorry to hear that...   But for me personally, I feel the Ummah has lost it's heart. As a whole we just don't care. The Ummah went under almost a century ago when it lost the freedom to colonialists' bondage ..coming to America did not solve that situation just pushed it to the side...The empire would not let a benevolent Islamic organization to function there under the current Patriot act rules...  When I reverted to Islam 14 years ago I felt like I was part of a community that was connected to other communities forming a bond with Muslims throughout the world. That sense of belonging and feeling of one Ummah has gone missing. Join the club, look around the empire is gone broke in keeping the vanquished and broken ummah(ahle sunnah wal jama) under it's heels...the dollar is about to loose world role in that pursuit..of course the Muslims in US are in bad situation as collateral damage...The American Muslim community never existed it has been forced upon by the circumstances jump starting in 1979 and getting another the rude boost in 2001 and Afghan and Iraqi invasion as the earth quacks to mess everything up...The community around the non pofits is for the birds...   If you can't just take the time to talk and get to know people, to care, to feel love and compassion and EMPATHY for all people, then the heart is missing. The American soil produces lots of paradoxes and not all are born under the same stars ! The traits you mentioned are developed when have a common expedition by force or the circumstance and making its goal in Muslims case it is freedom and liberty of Muslim lands...The Muslims are still in colonial bondage the Muslims in US are lost souls picking the crumbs of the empire.   I am in the habit of giving money or food to homeless or hungry people, if I see them. Not much, cuz I don't have much, but $5 or a burger and fries, etc....  Another Muslim saw me doing this and told me: "You should give to Muslims first, not bums!"  In a way this encapsulates what has become SO wrong with the Muslim community. Technically perhaps she was right. But who has a heart so cold that you can walk by a person who is clearly hungry, have the means to feed them, yet not do so just because of YOUR religion? Don't pay attention to the peanut gallery...please continue in your own way!   Just as I was once called kafir for feeding the stray cats in my neighborhood.First, how is it kafir to love animals? You should have reminded that ignorant about Abu Hurrara a nick name given a by the Prophet(saw) meaning cat's dad cuz he took care of so many of them...  Second, how can you watch an innocent animal dying for lack of food and not feel some compassion? Third, what type of person has such a hardened heart that they can judge another so harshly for an act of kindness or in the case of feeding the homeless berate them for doing so.   Where is their heart? Isn't the true basis of Islam love? Doesn't Allah show us love and compassion by His very mercy and forgiveness. Doesn't He ask the same of us? Touche

Edited by Sign*Reader - 06 October 2009 at 7:05pm

 May Allah bless you sister Shasta'Aunt, you have said the complete truth.
 May Allah have mercy on us.
 But sister, many Islamic countries are wasting money in decorating the castles, the roads, and museums and so on. Don't masjids deserve some amount of this money????
   On the other hand, I have memorized a hadith that the prophet peace be upon him, ordered them to remove something that had fancy decoration form his face because it prevented him from focusing in his prayer.
 I myself do not like the way of spending TOO much money in decorating masjed. Sometimes it is really TOO much that make you say this is forbidden. Allah will ask them about.
  But on the other hand I feel according to this time of civilization everything is decorated and money is wasted, so why do not we put a small amount just to decorate the masjid in a reasonable way???
It is hard to say they are already wasting money and not doing what Allah ordered them to do in that money. Yes, if we are helping the poor, we should not waste the money, but what is if this money is wasted every day in the garbage, by any way. I do not sugar coat the truth in many Islamic countries.

  May Allah have mercy on us and guide us.






Edited by Full of Hopes - 04 October 2009 at 11:14pm

SteppeNomad wrote: Is there something we dont complain about? At least let that be the least we do, it might, might just open a door in heaven for us.   What about wearing Gucci Hijabs and Nike shoes with trousers above the ankle? Time to look in the mirror before we go about demolishing the beauty of our past and future?

  That is right!! I agree with you..
  But in my humble opinion the post was very direct and clear. It is just telling us to care for the bases of Islam before caring for other things  which are  less important.

   May Allah reward the writer and guide us into the right path.