Islam in Diversity

THE ENEMY FROM WITHIN

I SEEK REFUGE FROM THE ACCURSED SHAYTON.I BEGIN IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT THE MERCIFUL. MAY HIS PEACE AND BLESSING BE UPON OUR NOBLE PROPHET, MUHAMMAD, HIS HOUSEHOLD, HIS COMPANIONS AND ALL THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIS PATH UNTIL THE DAY OF RECKONING!

I had only being in this Country for a few months and was already feeling �empty�. The emptiness was not farfetched. I had no friends, had no programmers to attend; and my husband told me �women� were not allowed to pray in the Mosques where he observes Jumaat.That wasn�t strange as I had experienced that before while in the UK. So, I asked him to enquire if per chance, there was any possibility that I could observe Jumaat.So, he came back with some� positive� news that there was a different section for females. What he did not know however was that, the place belonged to member of the congregation, who probably allows friends from other Muslim homes to observe Jumaat there. I was surprised but not uncomfortable, until I got in, performed the ablution and was about to observe nawafil.I just noticed the other women present, teenagers included, were not following the Imaam.I wasn�t sure what the routine was, so I asked a sister if she wasn�t praying and she replied that she had prayed. I was first to say the Tasleem when I gained entrance into the Household and rather than a cheerful respond that I expected, I was stared at and then some mumblings. I ignored that reception because I was there to observe �Jumaat�.I was hoping they�d warm up to me being a new person. I felt very uncomfortable afterwards. After realizing I was a� different� race. I observed what was more like a�Nawafil or Zhur�, not�Jumaat�; and left. If I refused to notice that I was been stared at, I would not be able to deny that they were far from friendly.

Prior and after that, I had been out, seen Muslim women in Ijab and had said the Tasleem to them. They just act as if they cannot comprehend what I say. It was always the same case, every time I saw a new Muslimah.

In addition, this once again, made me question what type of Islam we are practicing as Muslims. We are good at criticizing non-Muslims; talk so much about how the West classifies Islam. We get angry at the labels we receive from them and the mockery they make of our religion, their preconceived notions about Islam; and how �brainwashed we are�. The misconceptions that makes us feel �unwanted� in our non-Muslim Communities really hit us hard.But, we fail to acknowledge the fact that, even within us, there are acts of racism, branding, discrimination ,tagging  and all sorts of chastisement from our fellow brethren.

This is the reason I chose to write on this issue  because topics like� Reasons behind the acts of terrorism�,� The Different Schools of Thought�,Jihaad for the sake of Allah�, have received an overdose of write-ups.

It is a case of� practice what you preach�. And I consider this a very disturbing issue, which should not be neglected by any concerned Muslim.Like the saying goes,� Charity begins at home�. Many disgruntled Muslims are out there, wondering if the Islam they are taught permits such behaviours.Are we therefore not our own enemies? I wonder how we live with ourselves knowing, yet ignoring the fact that we make our fellow brother in faith feel�odd�.We utter the verses that speaks about doing good deeds, yet, we treat our brethren with disdain.

What is it with Muslims calling each other names, classifying people by their skin colour,judging their faith with the School of Thought they follow, labeling each other by being an�Ijabiite� or a�Niqaabi�(veiled Muslim women).How is it that an Arab thinks himself a better Muslim? The holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) set the black slave, Bilal free. And he gave him the privilege of being the first caller of Adhan.He was a �slave� first, and secondly, a �Black man�! Surely, Rasulullah (p.b.u.h) could have given that privilege to a fellow Arab. This is the best exemplar for mankind we are talking about. He did not do that. Is it not hypocritical for us to claim we are following the holy Qur�an and practicing the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h), yet; neglect the spirit of unity? A man�s beliefs are meaningless unless his actions and behaviour are in accordance to his beliefs.

The holy Qur�an states,�Oh mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female. And made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other).Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah, is (he who is) the most righteous of you and Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)Suarh Al-Hujuurat Q49 verse 13.

We must have heard this verse countless times, but never truly examined the message it is passing across to us.

The holy Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) also said, None of you would have believed, until he loves for his brother what he loves for his own soul�-Bukhari.

I find it very saddening that I even read recounts of Pilgrims being treated like outcasts during the �Hajj Rites�. African Pilgrims have related the reception of Arabs as being very�racist�.That is not a recognizable word of a �believer�. What do we expect of non-believers?

A born-Muslim thinks himself better than a Revert. What right has he to judge him so? Piety is in the heart, and only Allah sees what lies in each one�s heart. Some brethren subjects fellow Muslims to scrutiny everyday, and we want to make the world believe Muslims are family.

Rasulullah (p.b.u.h) said, �A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He does not oppress nor wrong him. He does not fail him when he needs him. He does not lie to him. And he does not show contempt for him. Piety is here�-and he pointed to his chest three times. It is enough of evil for a person to hold his Muslim brother in contempt. All of a Muslim is sacred and inviolable to another Muslim: his blood, his wealth and his honour�-Muslim.

Knowing how much emphasis the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) placed over caring for our neighbours, would we then live within Muslims of different race, ethnic, tribe and never relate with them? Would we rather be neighbours to non-Muslims? Would we prefer to be friends with Kufaars rather than our brethren in faith?

You walk into a mosque to observe Salaat, and discover they are all from the same race, should it matter to you that you are �physically� the �odd� one out? Obviously not, because we speak the same language as Muslims-Tasleem and feel at home. However, this is not the reality. You suddenly feel uncomfortable as you receive glances from all angles and they sure do not seem in need of your statistics to add up the number of their congregation. You observe your Salaat amidst uneasiness and return to your own community with news of how racist some Muslims are. What a shame!

Why don�t we stop fooling ourselves that our real enemies are out there? That we preach brotherhood and practice it? That true love exists amongst us as believers? We claim to be brethren, yet remain divided. We want to flag the banner of Islam, but cannot stop calling each other names. We are saddened by what we see on the TV everyday. We say the name of Rasulullah (p.b.u.h) is been dragged in the mud, but we cannot overlook our colour differences, to come together as one and proclaim the beauties of Islam. We say Islam is a simple religion and that there is no compulsion in it, but we cannot help criticizing our fellow brethren, who we claim are �too liberal�.What is the correlation between all these acts and the menaing of Islam?

The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, �A believer to another believer is like a building whose different parts enforce each other. The Prophet then clasped his hands with the fingers interlaced (while saying that)-Narrated by Abu Musa.

It just never ceases to amaze me how we go about calling people to dawah yet, have a strained relationship with our fellow brethren. Whether you are from the Gulf, the Tropical of Africa or from the West, what unites us is Islam. And we should look out for our brothers in faith, not rebuke them. We should be our brother�s keeper. Return greetings with a smile and be there to assist a fellow Muslim in need irrespective of his origin. Allah (s.w.t) says in the Holy Qur�an,�The believers are nothing else than brothers. So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah that you may receive mercy�,Surat Al-Hujuurat Q49 verse 10. Even a smile is charity, so did our Noble Prophet (p.b.u.h) teach us; and it does not cost a thing to give that.

We read these teachings over and over again. We even go as far as preaching it to people, but we refuse to recognize the message being passed across to us. We refuse to heed these warnings. Moreover, Allah keeps reminding us in the Holy Qur�an that we �believers�, are brothers.We should be cautious of trivializing the act of labeling because Allah goes further and says,�O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group; it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it to insult one�s brother after having faith as (O sinner or O wicked).And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zalimun (wrong doers).Surat Al-Hujuurat Q49 verse 11

I read this and cannot fathom how any believer would not be bothered with man�s disobedience to their Lord!

Whether a believer, according to our judgmental values, is following the path of Sunnah or just being a nominal Muslim,theonly way we could help such people develop is by getting close to them, knowing them, their backgrounds and knowing their personality. We would not achieve this by avoiding them or calling them names and making them feel inferior.

The holy prophet (p.b.u.h) was able to call people to Islam through his good character and deeds. He accepted everyone with open arms. He was approachable, accepting, warm, kind, and cheerful and non-judgemental.That is Allah�s attribute-Al-Hakam (meaning The Judge).He called people to Islam he taught and, guided them following his teachings by examples. He practiced what he preached. People walked up to him and asked him questions. He was not discriminatory in any way. We might not be able to lead the life he led in it�s entirerity, but we can at least try to be true believers by following his example as Allah has ordered.He, Rasulullah (p.b.u.h) again warned us, �And hold fast, all of you together to the Rope of Allah (i.e. the Qur�an) and be not divided among yourselves and remember Allah�s favour on you, for you were enemies to one another but he joined your hearts together. So that by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, and he saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations) clear to you, that you may be guided.Quran 3 verses 103.

Allah warned us further, �And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment.�Qur�an 3 verse 105.

I for one believe we have made enough noise about how the West �blacklist us�, or how the world sees Muslims in general. It is high time we looked inside within our souls, amongst ourselves and how we relate with our fellow Muslims. We should ask ourselves,� am I one of them�?

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the prophet (p.b.u.h) said.� Allah will ask you on the Day of Judgement: Where are those who loved each for the sake of My Glory? Today on a Day when there is no shade but Mine, I shall shade them with My shade�-Muslim.

So, before we judge anyone, before we scrutinize another Muslim because of the Small Ijab, that his skin his brown, that he is an Arab or a revert, we should pause and remember all these warnings.

May Almighty Allah strengthen the bond of goodwill in our Ummah.May He accept our simple acts of Ibaadat, ignore our little acts of ignorance and forgive us where we have erred.