Islam & Terrorism

Islam, in its ideal state, is more so a lifestyle than a religion; it speaks first to the mind, the abode of reason �insha Allah (God willing) and then the heart, the soul of passion. It guides the facility of reason to hopefully arrive at the obvious conclusion that while passion has its uses, it must be directed along a logical course of action: First and foremost is the Way of God, that is to serve the creation in the best way thereby serving the Creator. To accomplish this, one must recognize slights, wrongs and transgressions to one�s best capacity and then correct it to one�s best ability. This is accomplished through knowledge and is best characterized by the first commandment of God to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), � �Read, in the Name of your Lord who created ��; Secondly is through Sacrifice, and this by any means unless it comes into conflict with the first aspect. Sacrifice comes in many forms, is demonstrated in many capacities and is demanded by every belief structure on the planet in various degrees of discipline. This I believe we all know, as evident in talks we�ve shared and I truly appreciated each of you your patience and strength with me during those times; Lastly is Patience which entails perseverance, struggle, pain yet not without the merits of duty, honor and, God willing, victory.

Victory for God�s sake and thereby humanity�s.

I am not advocating the cause of the United States per se. I am advocating humanity�s quest for and to the Divine. To Allah we have come and to Allah we shall return is the phrase � and is THE PHRASE. Having had associations with your brothers and sisters in Malaysia, I can understand your frustration with anything US, especially someone who seems to promote its so called freedom. I do support the ideal which is implied; I am opposed to the reality of its interpretation and implementation by the powers that be, powers of which we are all victim to. What I suggest in my writing is an analysis of our situation and a subsequent solution.

             As for your reference to Katrina, I lost family and friends to both the storm and the response, may their souls rest in peace and in heaven �inshAllah. As a black man in this country I deal with racism everyday. There is a phrase the indigenous people of this country have �To know a man�s path, first walk in his moccasins � to know a man�s pain, walk his path without them�. There is nothing you could tell me concerning my country about its attitude towards my people. I only wish my family down there had the luxury you had to be inconvenienced with a security check of a carry-on bag. I�ve lived here forty years. I know what it means to be falsely accused, falsely prosecuted, harassed � etc. Racism is rife in this country. Yet, for all of its pain, it is a distraction, the symptom of a much greater disease.

Aristotle said, �� Poverty is the parent of crime and revolution ��. Mahatma Gandhi said, �� Poverty is the worst form of violence ��. Allah SWT says in the Qur�an, � � Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter �� in Surat ul-Baqara, verse 191.

The Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him, said, �� On the day of judgement there is a record that Allah SWT will not ignore the slightest bit of. It is the oppression of Allah�s servants �� The issue of poverty is the issue of oppression, the domination of one establishment over another to the financial benefit and subsequent prosperity of the former, the economic detriment and subsequent subjugation of the latter. It is obviously realized that everyone sane understands poverty, that it exists as an intolerable evil a disgrace amongst humanity that must be opposed. Our individual outlooks are, likewise, somewhat clear as to the causes and results and, being in America, I am well aware of the statistics, the documentaries, the websites, the outreach programs and commercial campaigns against it. one is given to wonder with all of the professed intention against, with all of the obvious prosperity of the United States as a world leader with considerable resources financial and social at its disposal � why does poverty exist.

The Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him, said, �� Of a thing which must be opposed, first fight it with your hand if you are able, if not then object to it with your tongue if you are able and if not then hate it in your heart and this last is the weakest of faith ��.

The issue of poverty, of oppression, has as its root the apathy of those that can aid those in need at the very least resorting to the manner which is the weakest of faith, in lieu of making a commitment towards the application of the former two, and this gives those the benefit of the doubt. Poverty exists because it is allowed to exist. It is tolerated because the impetus is on an un-addressed awareness in solutions based on the establishment of moral paradigms, yet instead concerns itself with motivations conducive to the achievement of profit. Solutions are likewise within our sphere of influence, systems of change and reform respective to our disciplines and/or lifestyles profess universally a call to the former. In other words it starts with us. It has to. 

The Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him, said, � � not one of you is a believer if you allow your brother or sister to go to bed hungry ��. Islam, as well as every faith tradition, maintains that poverty is not a natural phenomena. It is logical to assume that it will not go away on its own. It must be made to go away. Rifaat Haasan writes in his treatise on the subject, �� Islam has as its ideal human rights, an ongoing concern to free human beings from the bondage of traditionalism, authoritarianism (be it religious, political, economic or any other), tribalism, racism, sexism, slavery or anything else that prohibits or inhibits human beings from actualizing the Qur�anic vision of human destiny embodied in the classic proclamation: towards Allah is thy limit.

God gave us rights, fundamental rights which are so deeply rooted in our humanness that their denial or violation is tantamount to a negation or degradation of that which makes us human. We have the right to life, to respect, to dignity, to freedom, the pursuit of happiness, etc., none of which can occur without an equitable and universal application of the right to justice. Its converse is crime, revolution, violence, in short the fruits of the evil labors of an active injustice. Clarence Darrow the famous defense attorney said of crime, �� I don�t believe in crime or criminals as the word is generally understood. I believe the individual to be ultimately a product of environment and if that is unfortunate circumstance, this could make anyone a criminal...�. his solution to crime was simple � give people a chance to live: change their environment; destroy special privilege; destroy usury. So long as control of the resources are allowed to be dominated and monopolized by a fearful minority, so long as that monopoly is allowed to compel others to live on these terms, terms which implement laws which protect prosperity over the promotion of mutual equitability and welfare, so long as the conditions of life are not made fair, unfortunate multitudes will be forced to resort to crime, violence and ultimately revolution to survive � and ultimately end up in jail. Jail is not a deterrent to crime; it has no inherent rehabilitative qualities of its own but is a reflection of the surrounding culture which created it. Jail is an evidence of the lack of charity of the people outside of its walls who make the jails and fill them with the victims of their greed.

Greed, contrary to what Ivan Boeski said, is not good. Greed is fear, a fear that blinds one to the suffering it causes. Islam maintains that there should be only one true fear � Taqwa, the fear of Allah that, in lieu of inspiring awe or apathy, motivates one to fear for the welfare and prosperity of your fellow brothers and sisters. As a Muslim, I am encouraged to give away in charity anything I have in excess of personal expenses and the expenses necessary to suitably sustain those I am obligated to support, provided I can be patient with the risk of possible resultant poverty. Allah SWT says in the Qur�an, �� who will loan to Allah a beautiful loan, which Allah will double unto his credit and multiply many times? It is Allah that gives need or prosperity and to Him shall be your return ��.

Allah kulli shayin qadr � all power is God�s. Humanity, in accordance with Islamic belief, is vice-regent of the earth, accountable for our actions individually, responsible for each other communally, beholden to God ultimately. Therefore, all of one�s life should be in accordance with the direction given to us by our creator. This is true worship. In its widest sense, while we have free will, we are not free to undertake anything we wish in life, as we are subject to the laws and controls given to us to regulate our affairs. These guidelines are mandated in the Qur�an, mirrored and outlined in the principles, standards and life of the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him. To quote Rifaat Haasan, �� All societies need systems to ensure harmony and progress. Islam has given us the basis and creed from which all systems emanate. Humanity�s systems for social law, government, economy and justice are given from our creator. To ignore these facts is to ignore our responsibility in life. To lead a life apart from that given by our creator is to invite misery and oppression both as individuals and as a nation of believers. Humanity is only truly freed up for progress by living in accordance with our God given instinct for the divine, within a system given by our creator. To accept and exist otherwise is to invoke the wrath of our creator and to live in a constant round of inefficiency as man chases yet another man-made system, the systems of materialism, insecurity and doubt.�

I�sa,  Jesus, May Allah be pleased with him, said the poor will always be with us � he also said the Kingdom of Heaven is within you. I believe it�s waiting for us to bring it to fruition. For now, millions of my brothers and sisters go to bed hungry, crying themselves to sleep or death. To this I give this reminder and warning: the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him, said, �� Beware the supplication of the oppressed and the disenfranchised for there is no barrier between it and Allah ��.

             Wa Asalaamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barkatuhu wa Bihamdihi �