Muslim Children in State Schools

 

Salam Akhe

 

I apologise sincerely for the typos. There is a little problem with one of the keys on my keyboard. Was not intentional. I apologise.

 

Proud of his or her beliefs ? And I heard someone else speak about being proud that he had a superior religion.  Pride cometh before a fall. Iblis would not bow to a lesser form, as he perceived it.

 

Such arrogance. Him I mean, not you.

 

You are the same man who speaks to me often about the real virtue of true humility.

 

I think a person, a truly humble soul, will live in such a way that others will be attracted to them beacause of how they live, not necessarily by what they say - but how they live.

 

As pride comes before the fall.  The one who stoops may be the one who truly conquers.

 

I know what you are saying. I am just teasing ;-) lol 

 

You have to admit Akhe, there are people who would shout from the pits of their bellies, "HEY MAN, I AM PROUD TO BE A MUSLIM !" As with other religions, it is really a political statment rather than a statement of true faith.  I wonder what it is such people really have pride in.

 

If a person has true faith, whatever that is, a faith that has them live in such a way that they truly, in every way 'desire for the brother what they desire for themselves,' - such a person will win the hearts of others to their 'path to God,' and this will give them a joy, a kind of 'pride' perhaps that the Good God is known and glorified through this.

 

Course I know what you mean Akhe :-) And I agree with you too, knowing you are a humble soul.  It's just the ways we present these things to others - and most importantly how the gift of true faith is truly passed to children. God knows, there are times in life we all really need it.

 

Have you ever heard of Francis of Assisi ?  He was a man of true peace.  He would tell his companions.  

 

"Go preach the gospel.......   use words IF you have to."

 

When human beings feel they have a greater truth, experience of God than other human beings, I think this is true folly.  God is supposedly transcendent - so how can any mere mortal imagine their experience of God, with or through any religion, is truly 'better' than that of any other. All that does is limit God, surely.

 

To speak 'in God's name' - which is what those with strong religious beliefs do, can often mean hurting others 'in the name of God'.  That is a huge responsibility.  Show me a man, or woman, who can TRULY wish for his/her brother/sister what he/she wishes for his/her self - and you will show me a 'true' Muslim.  You will go from one end of this world to the other in search of him/her.

 

I say the same of Christians. Show me a person who can truly 'love the neighbour' as he she 'loves the self,' and you will find someone who has understood and knows what it means to truly follow the way of Jesus.

 

God bless you AKHE :-)

 

 

 

 

Like yourself Hayfa. I don't know the answers. I only give thoughts and reflections - all be it at times ranting and raving ;-) lol

 

You said there that nomatter the sins of the person, they still come before the Creator. Then identified the sins of others - rapists, murderers etc - the really terrible people.

 

Those people too will come before the Creator, and God will know what happened to them to make of them, once innocent children, rapists and murderers.

 

That they had a free choice to become rapists and murderers ? Would you or I, in their circumstances be any different ?

 

Religion should not be a haven for the self righteous. It should be about tackling, understanding what makes of a child a rapist or murderer. It should take us on a journey that lets us see too, that given certain circumtances, we too could be filled with so much pain, so much rage that we might be driven to rape or to murder another human being.

None of us want rapists and murderers and paedphiles, and those who make mayhem, running rampant and making hell for the rest of us.

 

You say everyone else, others whose sins are not as bad as these, should be left alone. Well and good I suppose. However, all those people  - 'everyone else' too will come before the Creator, and know of the sins they committed, and how those sins affected others. How they 'did' not 'wish for their brother/sister.......  what they wished for themselves." 

 

Jesus said that not all who would profess to know him would be acknowledged as being known by him.  ( I am only talking generally here about my thoughts on Christianity).

 

I may be wrong, but it seems to me that the challenge of Islam, and Christianity, is a very radical one. We are called to REALLY know ourselves in the light of God, the knowledge of God, and in this knowing - learn that we too are just as capable of being, becoming rapists and murderers.  As much in need of God's mercy, compassion and forgiveness. This is true humility. If we are not rapists and murderers, we are blessed by grace and should be more thankful for this. Mary, in the Christian bible seems to recognise this. "My soul doth magnify the Lord............     " Like Paul later - she speaks of God's great goodness and mercy, and how its raises the lowly to great heights. Some times God raises the greatest 'sinners' to become the greatest of 'saints'.

 

Jesus reaches out to sinners, the lost, not the 'righteous'.  He goes amongst those society would condemn, wish would leave them (the good society) alone, and seeks to show these lost and condemned a better way, to heal them. People, all of us do things, are capable of things, even the very worst crimes under the 'right/wrong' circumstances. When we are hurt deeply enough, badly enough. We are all broken, fractured souls in need of healing it seems to me. I see this in the woman 'caught in adultery' in the gospel. She has been caught in adultery and the pharisees, the righteous believers, religious types, are ready to stone her to death, as this is prescribed by the law, supposedly.  Jesus looks at them saying, "let him without sin cast the first stone......   "  There are probably some of those men who have been the very ones who robbed this woman of her self worth, her dignity - were party to it, and I think Jesus knows this too.

 

None throw stones, and walk away. Jesus says, "neither do I condemn you." He tells her to go sin no more. I see in this partly, a woman stripped of self worth, human dignity. What robbed her of this - of being truly loved - was the 'sin' of others - their failure to love her, even from childhood, a failure for her to have realised that command to "wish for your brother what you wish for yourself." She has become too, a  a 'sinner' - not fit for society - rehabilitation, healing - the rightous believers, believe. They want to take her life itself in the end. Jesus is truly capable of seeing in her, and wishing for her, what he wishes, knows God wants for her - as God wants for himself - realise the full dignity of her being, as a creation of God - 'servant/slave/child'. The act of healing here is giving her this - giving her back her self worth, her dignity of which she'd been robbed.  It really is about a lack of love. Children being raised in such a way, hurt in such ways that they are completely robbed of lack of self worth / dignity and will act out, even committing the most abominable crimes in that 'acting out.' We are challenged to love, to heal - to wish for our brothers and sisters what we wish for oursleves.  Islam teaches 'service to humanity' I believe. Even the man who started the thread here said this - that children should be raised to serve humanity. A glorious ideal. How best to do it though is where we all, perhaps have differing perspectives.

 

Cause until we truly do - learn love of and the meaning of service of others / society, there will never be paradise on earth, the Kingdom of God within, realise itself without - a realm of peace in this world. There will always be rapists, murderers and mayhem.

 

Please Hayfa. I am not trying to minimise or justify rape, murder or mayhem.  But to really look at some of the things that may damage people to the degree they may become murderers or rapists. And religion - ALL religion has a share of that responsibility, whether the religious care to admit/acknowlege it or not.  Not the 'true' religion perhaps - but how it is interpreted, taught, passed on by those professing to be knowledgable enough ot speak on God's behalf.

 

If any of that makes the least bit of sense.

 

Am off now for a break.  Head's done in. ;-) lol 

 

God bless

 

Akhe = 'brother' in arabic.