argh!

So there’s this forum, yeah?  Aimed at new muslims.  I thought I’d join, cuz yah know, I used to be a new muslim, so maybe my experiences could be helpful.  Before I start posting, I google my usual sources to see how they’re accepted - sunnipath, Sh. Hamza, et al.

Last edited by justoneofmillion : 09-26-2008 at 11:18 AM. Reason: Hamza Yusuf not allowed

Why is it that this particular brand of Islam is doing all the dawah?  This is by far the largest new muslim website/forum out there, at least that I’ve found. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  We all have biases.  There’s no such thing as “just a muslim.”  At least be honest and be open about your biases.  If you’re salafi, then tell people up front. 

For all the teeny boppers and annoying know it alls, islamica is still the place to be (if you’re under 30, or have a very high tolerance for teenage antics).

losing strength

I’m losing the strength to argue on internet forums. Post conversion, that was my jihad - to seek out where ever Islam was being slandered online and debate. I did this almost from the very second I converted. I learned a lot in doing research for my arguments, but there were definate holes in my understanding. In recent years, I’ve dialed back the internet confrontation and concentrated on learning the deen and doing ibadah, and alhamdulilah, it’s really helped my iman.

In January 2004, I joined christianforums.com to participate in a thread about deaths during the hajj. I’ve hung around there on and off, accumulated an obscene number of posts. However, I’ve lost the will to participate in verbal spates. The structure of the forum doesn’t allow for open discussion in several subforums, so most of the islam bashing can happen free and clear of any muslim interaction.

So at this point, I’ve fallen back to duas. And, I’d like to ask that ya’ll make dua with me for the participants in one specific thread. Words cannot express the disgust I feel at the blatent falsehoods being spewed about and cardboard cut out perspectives on islam being offered. It’s pointless to log in and post, because those posts will just be deleted.

I also find it despicable that some insist on studying THEIR religion from positive sources, while OTHER religions should only be studied from polemicists. I was a religious studies gal in college. I took a class on eastern orthodoxy, talked with priests, read books written by eastern orthodox scholars. Shouldn’t they have the courtesy to do the same for my faith? Heck, if you want to read the negative stuff, be my guest, but read something from the believers too. I always start the study of a faith with the central texts, commentary on the texts by the believers and with books recommended by practioners. Then I can delve into the critics. I even did this with scientology, a religion perhaps even more reviled than Islam.

When the husband came to the US and wanted to study christianity in order to refute it, I insisted that he actually pick up the bible and read it before he started slinging polemic negatives around. It just seems like good adab. Ah, but what do I know, I’m just a muzzie who’s only hope in the hearafter is to be one sex slave among many for the husband.

Fear of the Muzzies and the Religion of Peace©

Obama Name Games Painful to Muslims

NPR covers some Pennsylvanian Muslims’ reaction to the whole muslim as a schmere re: Obama flap.

On a tangent, is anyone else sick of the “Islam is the religion of peace” bit?  It seems to me that this phrase emerged post 9-11, when the american muslim community was in shock and didn’t know how to respond to the increased, often negative attention their faith was given.  But here we are, several years later, and this phrase seems contrived and stale to me.  Shouldn’t we have had time to come up with something a little more descriptive, a little more accurate?  Islam is an increadibly complex religion, and this simplistic phrase doesn’t do it justice.

Islamophoboes have ceased on the phrase, and now everytime a muslim somewhere does something stupid and violent, they’ll be on their message boards crowing “look at this fine member of the religion of peace©.”  If I ever chose to engage these people (and my more recent response has been to steer clear of places where these kinds of statements are bandied about), my response is usually as such:

Islam is not a religion of peace.  It is a religion of balance that seeks peace.  Islam is the middle path.  We are not to vere off towards any extreme.  We are to be neither pacifists nor aggressors.  Islam allows for warfare, but it places strict guidlelines on it’s warriors.  Terrorism happens when muslims do not follow these rules.  They are not acting in accordance with the religion.  If they were, these incidents would not happen.

It saddens me that Islam is reduced to violent acts of those who have strayed off the middle path.  It saddens me because Islam is so much more than that.  Islam has had a profound impact on my life and my relationship with God.  For me, it’s all about the Rememberance of God.  Islam has given me the means and the encouragement to bring God into my everyday life, to thank Him, to praise Him, to worship Him in every act I do.  It’s not about killing people.  It’s about God.

This is Jihad?

As much as I’d love to respond to this, posting on CF really isn’t good for my iman.  Also not good for one’s iman is nutters like those mentioned in the post.  What is good for my iman then?  Sh. Nuh Keller, may Allah (swt) be pleased with him.  There is rarely a time when I listen to his lectures and I don’t come away feeling my ruh lifted and enlivened. 

If you haven’t listened to Sh. Nuh’s lecture entitled “This is Jihad?” DO IT NOW!  The first half is a review of the rise and effects of wahabism, and the second talks about the rules and nature of jihad.   I’ve only listened through once, but it’s so chock full of good stuff, I’ll probably listen to it a few more times and take notes.  

I’d love to post this on CF, as the sheikh clearly and equivically teaches the opposite of what nutters in said post are preaching, but I worry that it’s too technical for non muslims, and even muslims in general.  If any of my readers listen to this lecture (do I have any readers left?), please leave some feedback on the accessablitily of the lecture.  jazakAllah khair.

Ah yes, now I remember

prolific posting day, aint it?

Just when I think the waters may be safe enough to go back in, I’m reminded why I’m trying to disengage myself from message boarding:

Quote:

Originally Posted by faith guardian So what do you think of the Iranian cartoons depicting Jews and Americans as Satan and demons?

She probably has them hanging up.

inshaAllah the post will be deleted, but it’s enough to remind me that there are nasty people out there ready to spout vile things at a moments notice. 

Must concentrate on zuhd in relationship to message boards.

Wiki-ing the Prophet (saws)

A petition has been popping up recently on message boards I frequent regarding the use of persian miniatures of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) on his wikipedia entry.  When I first saw the petition a few days ago, it had 60,000 signatures.  At the time of this entry, it’s up to 89,000.  All the fuss has even attracted the New York Times.

Several thoughts and questions have been bouncing through my mind on the subject, although none of them are too terribly profound:

1.  Compared to a lot of sources out there, Wikipedia at least tries to be neutral.   The article isn’t blatently anti-islam, unlike the infamous wiki-islam project.

2.  The pictures aren’t horrid.  All three that depict the Prophet (saws) are taken from muslim sources.  They’re not the danish cartoons, for heavens sake.  Well, at least they’re not in the main article.  They are included in the sub article regarding depictions of the Prophet (saws), but heck, this is suppose to be a neutral informative source.

3.  If one is creating a quasi neutral article, should the authors leave out pictures that are a part of muslim tradition, especially when other historical figures also have portraits in their articles? 

4.  What is the intent of the authors?  Was it to offend, bwahaha, let’s put up these pictures to piss off muslims?  Or was it more along the lines of, hmm, we’ve got an article about a historical figure, so let’s see what pictures we can include to make the article more comprehensive?

5.  How far does a secular, non muslim source have to go to not offend the sensibilities of a particular group?

6.  What good is a petition?  The whole image debate has been going on for years.

7.  I love miniature depictions of the Prophet (saws).  Heck, I love the general style of persian and ottoman miniatures that depict islam related content.  Does this make me a bad muslim?  Ok, no, don’t answer that.

All of this fuss and anxiety surrounding this issue makes me uncomfortable.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the Prophet (saws) as much as the next muslim.  Heck, his character is one of the chief reasons I made shahada.   I can’t pick up a story about the Prophet (saws) without getting a bit teary eyed.  He is my role model, and someone I love dearly.

But seriously, is this the best way we can defend the honor of our beloved Prophet (saws)?  Aren’t there better ways we could spend out time here in internet la la land?  Sure, it’s easy to sign a petition, one minute, type type type and you’re done. 

Wouldn’t it be better to join the wiki team and work on any one of the dozens of islam related articles that need fattening up?  Work within the wiki system, interact with the other wiki editors, wow them with our good adab and actually do something positive?

Or, better yet, why not get off the internet and work on implimenting ALL of the sunnah (not just the outward forms of dress etc) in our daily lives.  If “we” (ie the generic muslim masses) worked 1/10th as hard at being like our beloved Messenger (saws) in our character as “we” do over being outraged, what a wonderful world this would be.

Should I stay or should I go?

Ah, yes, the insideousness of music, that I still have Clash lyrics running through my head, despite not being a huge fan?  But I digress…

Should I stay on message boards where the scholars I follow and the way I study Islam is banned?  I’m speaking specifically IslamicBoard.com and Islamway Sisters.  I’m shafi’i in my madhab, and potentially shadhili in my tariq, but the scholars I admire (like Sh. Hamza Yusuf and Sh. Nuh Keller) and the websites I rely on (like Sunnipath) are considered sectarian, and therefore are not allowed.

The whole problem with that scheme is that these two forums are in and of themselves sectarian - they promote salafism, but they bury their heads in the sand and refuse to acknowledge this fact.  Sure, they practice Islam, but they approach it in a salafi manner, just as I approach Islam from a shafi’i perspective.

I’m increadibly frustrated at the moment.  On one hand, there’s a lot of dawah opportunities on these sites.  On the other, can I really effectively do dawah if I have one hand tied behind my back?

I just want someplace to hang out online where I can be myself, sigh.

Ya Latif!

This I believe

I was recently asked to join a forum founded by some people who I interacted with during my days on ChristianForums. It’s definately different from most other boards I’ve been on, seeing as how they ask you what your superhero name would be when you sign up, among other interesting questions. One of the subsections is titled “This I believe - Non-confrontational discussion of what matters to you.” After my introductory post, this was the first place I went. Although I am fairly firm in my beliefs, I’ve never actually sat down and written them out. It was a very useful exercise, and one I enjoyed. I think it’s a little too religious for the NPR “This I believe” series, but I’m pretty proud of it.

At the very base of my belief is la ilaha il Allah, Muhammadur rasul Allah – there is nothing worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God. But what does it mean to worship only God, and to believe that Muhammad (saws) is His messenger? It means to practice Islam, have Iman (faith) and to strive of Ihsan (excellence).

This is explained in the hadith (saying) of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) that is recorded as saheeh (authentic) in the hadith collection of Muslim:

Also on the authority of ‘Umar, (ra), who said:
“While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (saws) there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him.

He sat down close by the Prophet (saws) rested his knee against his thighs, and said, O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam.” Said the Messenger of Allah (saws), “Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity save Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah (ritual prayer), pay the zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it).” Said he (the man), “You have spoken truly.”

We were astonished at his thus questioning him and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, “Inform me about iman (faith).” He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, “It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects.” He said, “You have spoken truly.”

Then he (the man) said, “Inform me about Ihsan.” He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, “It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you.” He said, “Inform me about the Hour.” He (the Messenger of Allah) said, “About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner.” So he said, “Well, inform me about the signs thereof (i.e. of its coming).” Said he, “They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings.” Thereupon the man went off.

I waited a while, and then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, “O ‘Umar, do you know who that questioner was?” I replied, “Allah and His Messenger know better.” He said, “That was Jibril (Gabriel). He came to teach you your religion.”

This hadith relates the basics of Islam, and if you asked just about any muslim in the world about the contents of this hadith, they would say that they believe what is discussed in it, even if they don’t practice it.

Islam and Iman are rather straight foward. One does the practices, and studies the beliefs. But Ihsan is a bit more tricky. How does one strive for excellence, and remind themselves to always be aware of Allah (swt). On a personal level, I strive for ihsan through adab. Adab is superficially translated as manners, but as with many words in Arabic, a single English word cannot encompass all its meaning. Adab is courtesy, respect, kindness and appropriateness. It is the etiquette and moral code muslims should live their lives by. I am dedicated to adab as a way to live my beliefs in my everyday life, and I hope one day inshaAllah (God willing) to become a scholar in adab and teach it to others. I believe that the muslim community lacks adab, does not understand how to interact with their fellow human beings, and that the root cause of social problems lies in ignorance or just plain ignoring adab.

I believe in the essential goodness and kindness of the Prophet’s message. I also believe that this goodness and kindness is something all muslims should strive to emulate in their daily life. Some people selectively read the Prophet’s biography and see him only as a murdering pedophilic warlord. inshaAllah at a later date, I may write about what I believe about the Prophet (saws), but for this entry, it should suffice that I say that I believe when one reads his whole life story, they will come away with a framework for how to live a good, decent, fulfilling life, in service to God, and with kindness towards fellow man.

There is a hadith that reports that God is beautiful, and that He loves beauty. There is a further hadith that states that “Kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to its beauty and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it defective.”

I believe every action in our life should be imbued with kindness, thus making us beautiful, and loved by God. If you try to put kindness in every action, it will profoundly affect the way humans interact with each other, from the bottom, all the way up to the top.

So, in conclusion, I believe that la ilaha il Allah, Muhammadur rasul Allah leads me to put kindness in every action, and to treat my fellow man with kindness. This is adab, this is ihsan, this is worship of the Divine.

Difference of opinion

Rrrr. First, let me start off by saying I am not a sufi, but rather an admirer of the science of tasawwuf. I don’t have the dedication to completely immerse myself in tasawwuf, but it’s one of the things that I hope to explore later in life, when I get other basics down.

My husband comes from a long line of Egyptian sufis. His grandfather was even a sufi sheikh. My husband, however, has rejected sufism in favor of a more Qur’an and Sunnah based approach found in the works of Ibn Hazm. He is not, however, a salafi. Despite his rejection of sufism, he doesn’t seem to mind (too much) that I carry on a love affair with sufism and with dhikr. He certainly isn’t fond of sufism, but he does read pro-sufism articles from time to time.

I post (on occasion) on Islamway Sister’s forum. While I was aware that they are salafi, I haven’t felt too alienated from them until yesterday. One of my friends posted a link to one of my favorite websites - Sunnipath. It was deleted, because Sunnipath is a “sufi site.” Rrrr. So today, someone else started a thread asking what sufism is. I posted a link to an article by Sheikh Nuh Keller that was a response to claims that sufism is bidah. Now, it just so happened that others on the thread had made the claim that sufism is a bidah. Of course, the mods deleted the link, and proceeded to post how sufism was in fact a bidah, and that Sheikh Nuh is a bidah too.

I’ve encountered this attitude on other salafi leaning sites as well, like LI Islamic Forum, where my links to Sunnipath and Zaytuna have been deleted.

I lurk more than post on Sunniforum, and although this is a very strict madhab based website, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them delete links to salafi based sites. They certainly warn against salafi authors and books, but I haven’t seen anything as extreme as I’ve encountered on islamway and LI islamic forum.

Perhaps my favorite forum out there is Islamicaweb, which I joined shortly after I converted to Islam. It’s populated mainly by teens and 20 something young desis, with a mix of other ummah members thrown in. Most of the posters are muslim, some salafi, some more madhab based, but there has always been a free mix of ideas and exchange of opinions. I like that.

It seems to me that it would be best to present both perspectives, carry on a little debate, and then let people decide for themselves which members of the ulema they would like to follow. That’s what I have in my marriage. DH will talk about Ibn Hazm, I’ll look to a more madhab based approach, we may disagree, but in the end, both points of view are presented.

Meh.