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Showing posts with label Islam and rest of the world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islam and rest of the world. Show all posts

Monday, 26 February 2024

Why so many non-Muslims Keep reverting to Islam

This question should not come as a surprise to non Muslims as the writing is on the wall all over the world. There has been a sharp increase in the number of non Muslims being attracted to Islam, and many of these end up taking their Shahadah to enter the fold of Islam. The number of Muslims is almost touching the two billion mark with its steady increase every day.

As per Wikipedia, More than 24.1% of the world's population is Muslim. Current estimates conclude that the number of Muslims in the world is around 1.8 billion. Muslims are the majority in 49 countries, they speak hundreds of languages and come from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The city of Karachi in Pakistan has the largest Muslim population in the world.

The reason why is generally the mere fact that Islam is not only a religion. In fact, it is a way of life that teaches about relationship with God, with the universe, and inter personal relationship with ethics with the economy and the political system.

What could be the major factors that are leading to this Muslim population increase? There have been many studies being carried out to find the reason why, specially in the Christian world for Islam is considered to be the major religion by year 2050, leaving behind the Christianity.

Generally, the  reason quoted for the increase in Muslim population is given the higher fertility rate among the Muslims. But if statistics are taken seriously, the ratio between physical growth within Musli families, the number of reverts is also very sizable. 

This is because Islam encourages reasoning and logical thinking. Younger generation of today's non-Muslim world is much more curious and fact finding. Most of the reverted Muslims take years studying Islam, pondering over the pros and cons, weighing the anti Muslim sentiments / Islamophobia and the truth that they find by reading Qur'an, which is otherwise misquoted by the non-Muslim clerics. The ordinary non-Muslims are generally brainwashed about Islam and are fed with the notion of Islamophobia, Muslims being terrorists, and being illiterates and stubborn. It is only when non-Muslims try to find answers to their queries and read Qur'an, they find the lies being fed to them for the fear of losing them to Islam.

We could go on and on, listing reasons in favour of Islam, it would be an eye opener to watch the following very informative video  video which explains the reasons due to which more people are accepting  Islam:

In our reckoning, when it comes to talking about religions, one should never hide the facts or twist them for the purpose of point scoring. Le everyone know the truth and then let them weigh the implications vis a vis their own faith and Islam and decide where the truth and logic weighs heavy. It is the concept of Trinity which perhaps is the main reason that people find it illogical and find the answer of One True God, Muslims call Allah, and change faiths. Let the sanity prevails. Bashing Islam, ridiculing the word Allah as something different for the Divine God, and personal life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has in fact resulted in more inclination to Islam rather than hating it for no good reason.

For more posts, please refer to our reference page: Islam and the rest of the WorldYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
    Photo | 
    If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow our group: Islam - the Ultimate Truth on Facebook

    Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

    Thursday, 21 July 2022

    Seven Wonders of the Muslim World

    Most of us grew up remembering and mugging up the famous seven wonders of the world and if you ask any student around the world about the seven wonder, he would instantly count back all these seven wonders. But if you ask someone what are the Seven Wonders of the Muslim World? The answer in most cases will be display of ignorance with blank eyes.

    But the Muslim architecture is one of the richest trove of buildings that are spread around the world and leave one in awe when one get to see these from close quarters. In fact wherever Muslims went, they left behind a rich legacy of their architecture which attracts a large number of tourists from around the world and leave them mesmerized by the phenomenal Muslim architecture which has no parallel.

     Although Taj Mahal, the ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan build by Muslim emperor, ranks in the seven wonders of the world, it is a mere resting place of the queen Mumtaz Mahal of the Moghul emperor. 

    But the Islamic architectural wonders that we are going to introduce today are places of worship of Muslims, which show the love of Muslims to their Creator One and the only God. These Islamic wonders are immensely rich in Muslim aspirations and are heavily carved with verses from Qur'an immaculately and in awe inspiring designs. Muslim architecture specifically include  minarets, muqarnas, arabesque, Islamic geometric motifs, pointed arch, multifoil arch, onion dome and pointed dome.

    The seven wonders of Islamic world are:
    The video below shows the wonderful architecture of places mentioned above and am sure this video would leave a lasting impression of the viewers about richness and aesthetical designs of these architectural wonders:
    However, the wonders of Islamic world cannot be restricted to these seven only for each Islamic building is unique in design and abounds in novel ideas and structural designs which are spanned all over the world. You may visit the sites mentioned below to know more about Muslim architecture and their unique designs.

    Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2

    For more posts, please refer to our reference page: Islam and the rest of the WorldYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

    Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so  that they are able to discuss issues with Non Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

    May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others life miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

    May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

    If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

    Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

    Thursday, 9 June 2022

    Why do Non Muslims tend to debase the very revered personality of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

    The word debase means an attempt  to lower in status, esteem, quality, or character of someone who is generally revered or held in very higher esteem by a large community or a vast majority of people. Generally the revered personality of Prophets of God are spared for they are the chosen ones by God Himself and therefore are above all criticism. Yet it is astonishing to see that a large segment of Non Muslims leave no stone unturned to debase the very revered personality of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ - the last of all the prophets through whom Allah spread Islam; the last of all the Divine Religions.

    This is very strange that while Allah in Qur'an ordains all Muslims to respect and revere all of the prophets sent by Him, others whose prophets are respected by Muslims and their names suffixed by  Arabic " علي السلام " (peace be on him), yet Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is more often than not is not even a prophet of God and not given due respect. Derogatory caricatures of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are printed and allowed to be published under the garb of freedom of speech. But caricature of any other prophet is ever published for they are given due respect and honour.
    There is a big difference between free speech and abuse. Freedom of speech doesn’t apply to abusing someone. Freedom comes with certain responsibilities and is always subjected to limitations. Unrestricted freedom is enjoyed only by animals and beasts. Sometimes even these creatures don’t cross limits. The popular proverb says “your freedom ends where my nose begins.” But nowadays unlimited freedom of expression has become a fashion and license to abuse and insult those you don’t like and this is creating a war-like situation in many societies.[1]

    Thus when non Muslims debase the revered personality of  Prophet Muhammad ﷺ they are certainly hurt and their reaction is very severe. Unlike other religions whose followers have not very significant attachment to their prophets, Muslims feel betrayed when they see their prophet being abused due to many  a misconception instilled in the hearts and minds of non Muslims by their clerics.

    The genesis of hate of Jews and Christians for the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is his birth in the family of Prophet Ismail, not in the family of Prophet Ishaq. Prophets Moses and Jesus belonged to the family of Ishaq, and so Jews and Christians were expecting that the last prophet of God (foretold in the Torah and Bible) will be born in the family of their prophets. History books record that during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad, Jews and Christians had expressed these feelings. [1]

    They envy Muhammad because of the popularity and respect he receives worldwide even 1400 years after his death. They hate Muhammad because of the love and devotion he receives from his followers. They hate Muhammad because of the command he holds worldwide. They try to defame Muhammad to get some cheap popularity in their societies in the name of freedom of expression. 

    Another reason of debasement of very personality of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the fear of spread of Islam, which is spreading worldwide at a very faster pace and many fear that by 2050 Islam may be the leading religion of the world, bypassing Christianity.

    The recent derogatory remarks about Islam and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by two members of ruling Indian party BJP has drawn a strong reaction by all Muslim countries and many Muslim countries are considering reduction of economic ties with India. In India, otherwise, the life and property of Muslims is under threat specially since taking over the country by BJP. Many Muslims have been tortured and killed and their houses and properties destroyed and a lot many masjid desecrated. There seems a systematic effort to condemn Muslims in India, specially in the Indian Occupied Kashmir where the entire Muslim population is under siege for many years. 

    The very personality of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is beyond any doubt. Michael H. Hart (born April 27, 1932), an American astrophysicist and author, to the surprise of many placed Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at number one in his best selling book ever "The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History." Hart believed that Muhammad was "supremely successful" in both the religious and secular realms, being responsible for both the foundations of Islam as well as the Early Muslim conquests uniting the Arabian Peninsula and eventually a wider caliphate after his death. Hart also believed that Muhammad played an unusually singular and personal role in the development of Islam. [2]

    While the ordinary non Muslims, charged by their biased clerics, may downplay the image and status of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, many a men of letters have eulogized the personality of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in their writings and analyses: [3] 
    Sir George Bernard Shaw in "THE GENUINE ISLAM, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936"
    " He (Muhammad) was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come.." 

    "I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesized about the faith in Muhammad (pbuh) that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe today."

    "If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe within the next hundred years, it would be Islam. I have always held the religion of Muhammad (pbuh) in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion, which appears to me to possess that assimilation capacity to the changing phase of existence, which can make itself appeal in every age. I have studied him (Muhammad (pbuh)) - the wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the savior of humanity."

    EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY speaking on the profession of ISLAM write: "'I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." (HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54) 

    Dr. Gustav Well in "History of Islamic Peoples.": Muhammad was a shining example to his people. His character was pure and stainless. His house, his dress, his food - they were characterized by a rare simplicity. So unpretentious was he that he would receive from his companions no special mark of reverence, nor would he accept any service from his slave which he could do for himself. He was acceptable to all and at all times. He visited the sick and was full of sympathy for all. Unlimited was his benevolence and generosity as also was his anxious care for the welfare of the community. 

    Annie Besant "The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, Madras 1932, page 4": "It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher." 

    There are countless accounts by non Muslims who describe  Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as one of the most revered person ever lived in the history of mankind and religions. I wonder why then what leads to people to belittle such an extremely eulogized personality and make him hate target. Mere fear perhaps!!

    Here We would also like to restrain the Muslims and caution them not to use power of any kind to respond the debasement of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  for violence breeds violence. Muslims should instead try to organize lectures and use social and print media to introduce to the world the real and original image of all prophets including Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and tell the world how we revere and respect all prophets before Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and have never debased anyone till date. In fact due to the efforts of many learned Muslim scholars, many non Muslims are being attracted to Islam and every day more and more non Muslims are entering the fold of Islam and have since never regretted their ultimate decision of their lives. 

    I would request my non Muslim readers to listen to accounts of so many newly reverted Muslim from the links given at our reference page: Embracing Islam: Revert Experiences

    May Allah helps us understand Islam better by pondering over the verses of the Qur'an and acting upon the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and listening to eminent Muslim scholars and watching their video to know Islam better. Also refer to our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam and listen to Muslim scholars talking on some of the important issues which may answer many queries about Islam. Remember ignorance may lead you to draw wrong conclusions about Islam and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

    Photo | references: | 1  | 2 | 3

    To understand more about various misconception about Islam by the rest of the Non Muslim world, please refer to our reference page: Islam and the rest of the World. You may also refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A to know more about Islam.

    If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

    Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

    Monday, 14 February 2022

    Believers!! Be Ambassadors of Islam

    Over the years the spread of Islamophobia is gaining momentum and the minds of a large segment of non Muslims is being polluted by the world media, mostly in hands of the non Muslims, to belittle the Muslims and created hatred against them. There have been many instances in which derogatory caricatures of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ have been published to tarnish the image of the last of the prophets of Allah.

    Likewise, much too often cartoons appear in the press and social media showing Muslims displaying unbecoming behaviour. Even the hijab of Muslim women is made fun of and is projected as a curb on the freedom of Muslim women.

    The target audience which is mostly unaware of the otherwise true and peaceful Islam due to their insufficient knowledge about Islam and Qur'an, often get infused with anti Islamic feelings and an intrinsic hatred takes place in their minds about Islam and Muslims.

    In order to undo the effects of the Islamophobia and the hate game against Islam and Muslims, each Muslim must represent the true face of Islam by acting as an ambassador of Islam. And this something that is not easy to do but at the same time very easy as well.

    As mentioned before that many non Muslims do not know what Islam is and how Qur'an is a Divine Book of guidance for the entire mankind and humanity, we as Muslim must become the ambassadors of Islam by our actions and behaviour which must be embodiment of teachings of Islam.

    Starting from Hijab, the Muslim women should first of all know themselves why Hijab is mandatory for women of Islam and how this makes them more modest and respectful as compared to almost naked dress of so many non Muslim women, and even many Muslim sisters as well who are shy of wearing Hijab either by being influenced by the free and easy life of non Muslims or not observing Hijab for being singled out, easily spotted and targeted by Islamophobes.
    The recent display of defiance by a lone Muslim girl, Bibi Muskan Khan, in India and standing up to her right to wear Hijab by boldly countering a mob of radical Hindus who were intimidating and harassing. However, she stood her ground and continued walking towards her college boldly, chanting slogan of Allah hu Akbar. Her boldness has brought her laurels from all over the world and even moderate Hindus in India are defending her stand for Hijab as a right and not as religious radicalism, as many in the west portray Hijab as such.
    As ambassadors f Islam, we must do following to attract Non Muslims to Islam rather being repulsive and drawing them away from us and Islam:
    • Humility: Whenever confronted with a hostile anti Muslim opponent, we must exhibit extreme humility for it is the basic ingredient of a true faithful Muslim. We should not forget how our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was subject to horrible insults and hate crimes in his lifetime. Yet he remained steadfast, patient and tolerant in the face of toughest of the opposition. Even when people of Taif stoned him and Angel Gabriel wanted a nod from the Prophet to destroy the entire community, the bleeding Prophet did not opt for the extreme action, for He was confidant that one day his opponents would understand the truth He was spreading. And so did it happen, and world witnessed it. So let us be prepared for the worst and with our steadfastness and conviction persuade those on the opposing end that Islam is a religion of peace and we as Muslims would never support any act of terror for it goes against our very basic ethos. So exhibit humility while remaining steadfast to teachings of Islam so as to not to cave in to intimidation.
    • Helping others in distress even Non Muslims:  Whenever we see any human being in trouble, we must go all out to help him out as a fellow human being would do. We must win hearts by our participation in community matters, rather than staying aloof to problems faced by non Muslims around.
    • Don't be reactive to Islamophobia - But be Persuasive: The caricatures of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and other Muslims are basically aimed at playing with the sentiments of Muslims for Muslims cannot and will not tolerate any degrading and ill meaning caricatures of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Yet whenever it is done, instead of being emotionally reactive and taking law and order in hand would further tarnish our image and allow the non Muslims to label us as reactionaries, intolerant and  irrational. Non Muslims find it hard to see our reaction as for them freedom of speech is more important to air one's positive or negative sentiment. However, they fail to distinguish between ordinary freedom of speech and its relevance to religious sentiment. Sinc ewe Muslim never tarnish the image of earlier prophets for Islam teaches us to be respectful to all prophets of Allah. Since non Muslims have never came across degradation of their prophets and religious people, they do not know how one's religious sentiments are hurt. So instead of showing outright hostility, we must persuade our non Muslim audience how much do we respect all earlier prophets and how they should similarly reciprocate. ere I would like to quote efforts of Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan's persuasive efforts to  shun the targeted campaign to tarnish image of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which has yielded positive response from the world over and now it is believed that tarnishing religious personalities does not fall under freedom of speech and will be taken as an offense.  
    • Persons deputed for Da'wah (preaching of Islam) be well read and embodiment of all qualities of a true Muslims: It is generally reported that Muslims deputed to Da'wah to foreign lands are ill equipped with desired religious knowledge and are ignorant of the customs and cultures of the target audience. The inadequacy of education makes them short tempered when confronted with well read target audience, and thus they leave a bad impression of Islam rather than attracting non Muslims to Islam. There are reports that some countries have even banned the Da'wah groups for their ill mannered approach to preach religion. When missionaries went to foreign lands, they exhibited a high level of personal conduct and even helped and supported the local population in establishing schools and indulging in community works. Remember, it is the soft image that attracts others to your view point rather than hardened illogical stance and fiery speeches. So appear as humble, yet persuasive, teachers that should attract others to listen to you.
    • Exhibitive of Islamic Values: You cannot tell someone to offer five times prayers or fast for thirty days in the month of Ramad or abstain from drinking and not wearing hijab (in case of women) if the person indulged in Da'wah is not seen observing these. People learn more from exhibitive behaviour and appearance rather than lectures and sermons. A true Muslim should not appear to be living a lavish life and asking other to be humble and caring. Today the lavish lifestyle of some of the monarchs of Muslim world often comes under criticism by non Muslims. There were times when great Muslim leaders like Prophet Muhammad and his companions lived a life of utter poverty, and yet commanded respect of their brethren. Remember when a  messenger came to meet Caliph Omar, he was amazed to see him sleeping on bare ground with a stone under his head as pillow. Such should be the character of the people of da'wah so that people around really get the true message of Islam.
    • Be Logical rather than Emotional: It is normally seen that Muslims flare up too early and become emotional when a religious matter is discussed. It happens when one runs out of logic. One can be only logical if one is adequately educated and has full grasp over religious matters. A working knowledge of other religions should serve as an additional bonus to hold discussions with non Muslims. Emotionalisms much too often turn a healthy discussion in rowdy argumentation and one loses one's ground easily. So be very calculated when discussing a religious matter. and if you think you are ill equipped with requisite knowledge, refrain from exposing yourself or even conveying a wrong reference or point of view which may go against Islam.
    • Discussion of Jihad: One of the favourite topics that non Muslims want to discuss with Muslims is that of Jihad. For most of the non Muslims, Jihad only means killing the non Muslims - a notion that needs to be dispelled. Remember, "The literal meaning of Jihad is struggle or effort, and it means much more than holy war. Muslims use the word Jihad to describe three different kinds of struggle: A believer's internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible. The struggle to build a good Muslim society." And we should let others to understand this very clearly. It has become a fashion to think of war mongering no sooner the word jihad is heard. Anyone who is using jihad for own designs should be discouraged with firm hand so that he does not bring bad name to the community and religion as a whole.. lit must be emphasized that no individuals or bands of mercenaries can order the waging of Jihad. In recent times vagabonds and mercenaries like ISIS or Daish cannot be allowed to order their follower to wage Jihad. And such groups lo not have moral and religious authority to kill people on the pretext of Jihad.  And if at all Jihad is to be undertaken to fight those threatening Islam or an Islamic government, it is to be ordered by a legitimate Islamic government ruling a country. This is the stand of Islam teachings.
    These are some of the guidelines to be ambassadors of Islam. Please see to it that you exhibit all qualities of a true Muslim if you really want to impress upon someone as a Muslim or call him/her to the fold of Islam. Know Islam well and be humble about yourself as a Muslim.

    Photo | Also read our previous posts | 1 | 2 |
    Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so  that they are able to discuss issues with Non Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

    For more posts, please refer to our reference page: Islam and the rest of the WorldYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
    If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

    Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

    Islam and the rest of the World (Reference Page)

    We started this blog in 2018 for exclusive reference of the newly reverted to the fold of Islam so that they can find answers to so many questions that they may face during their formative days in Islam.

    Initially the subjects were few and so were the posts. But as time went by, Alhamdulillah, our website has also increased manifold both in posts and diverse subjects related to Islam. So, we made a Quick Reference Page where all diverse subjects have been grouped under various relevant heads so that a reader may not have to surf the previous posts when looking for a specific subject or an answer to a query.

    Today, we add yet another Reference Page "Islam and the rest of the World" where subjects related to Islam and matter related to Islam and the rest of the world like Islamophobia, Hijab, Da'wah (calling non-Muslims to Islam and like will be grouped. I hope our readers will find this reference page handy in finding posts that related to the matters related to Islam and the rest of the world.

    The list of posts is given below. Please click on the image to be directed to the desired post:

    In Sha Allah, we will continue to expand our website and add as much information as we can to help our Muslim brothers and sisters and even the non-Muslims to know more about Islam so as to be on the right path with no ambiguity and misleading apprehensions disturbing our minds.

    Photo
    Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

    If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

    Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

    Friday, 15 March 2019

    Islamophobia takes lives of dozens of Muslims Worshipers in two Mosques of New Zealand


    It was sad day today for the Muslims of Christ Church, New Zealand in particular and Muslims all over the world in general when a white Christian man sprayed bullets over the Muslim worshipers gathered in the Mosques for the Friday congregational prayers. As per reports available, forty-one people were shot dead at the Deans Ave mosque, seven were killed at the Linwood Ave attack, and one person shot in the second mosque attack died in hospital.

    The man, who identified himself on Twitter as “Brenton Tarrant” from Australia and whose whose background NSW counter-terrorism police are now investigating after the revelation that he is from Grafton, said he carried out the attack to “directly reduce immigration rates to European lands”.

    The terrorist had the nerves and boldness to capture the entire shooting through his helmet mounted camera, the video has been released and is viral on the social media. When he entered the mosque Al Noor, an elderly man greeted him "Come in brother" but was brutally gunned down:
    In the video, a man, later identified as Naeem Rashid from Pakistan is seen trying to stop the terrorist but was gunned down. He was taken to hospital but succumbed to his injuries. Naeem's 22 years old son also perished in the attack.
     Naeem Rashid (above) - Trying to get hold of the terrorist (below)

    The Bangladesh Cricket Team which was there in the city and its members were arriving at the mosque narrowly escaped and the tour has been canceled. Soon after the deadly news, the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the incident as a terrorist attack and one of New Zealand's "darkest days".





    While the world mourns and condemns the terror attack, a senator form Queensland, Australia did not have the sagacity to condemn the attack, rather he blamed Muslims for the conditions they had created that instigated the killer to kill. See the letter that is on the Facebook:
    Reading this letter, one can safely conclude that such supporters of anti Muslim sentiments are to be blamed and even held accountable for their writings are a proof of open instigation for all those who are obsessed with Islamophobia.

    May all those who perished in the brutal terrorist attack may rest in peace and be blessed the highest place in Jannah. May their families bear this loss with fortitude. Aameen

    The question arises: How should Muslims around the world react to such acts of instigative Islamophobic acts? Please read my earlier post of the subject which I wrote some time ago: How should Muslims react to instigative emotional access

    Author's Note: The data above has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

    For more posts, please refer to our reference page: Islam and the rest of the WorldYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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    Saturday, 24 November 2018

    Islamophobia and how to counter it


    Islam is the fastest growing religion of the world and many ‘fear’ that a day may come that the total number Muslims may surpass the total number of majority Christian religion in many countries. This a fear is made to take its roots among the Christians that Islam is a threat and so stems the notion “Islamophobia,” which has now a root cause of religious intolerance because f which radical and anti-Islam groups are getting popular both overtly and covertly to “check” Islam from growing. 

    In fact religious intolerance is gaining momentum in many countries to an extent that even the Jews have started to feel that their greater danger is not from the Muslims, but from the Christian white supremacy. Thus this religious intolerance which is gaining momentum the world over is creating a phobia which may not be as real or big as is being projected in media. A recent “terror’ attack in Melbourne Australia made Australia media crying Terror Islam.  And when many such attacks are made by white Christians, specially in the USA where it has almost become a norm, no one labels the white Christians as terrorist. In fact after each such white Christian attack, there always is a statement that the attacker had mental problems, was depressed or under the effect of some unimaginable disease.

    In Britain, slapping, spitting and pushing of Muslims and subjecting them to terrifying racist attacks, specially females, is a routine to an extent that media takes no note of it. But even if one Muslim retaliates in self defence, the entire media becomes hysterical that the Muslim was in fact radical, just waiting for an excuse to burst out.

    The anti-Muslim sentiments erupted in early 70s and then on to an extent that in a report by the Runnymede Trust's Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia (CBMI) entitled Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All (1997)  which concluded that the "anti-Muslim prejudice had grown so considerably and so rapidly in recent years that a new item in the vocabulary was needed." And thus to the satisfaction of everyone and to round up the Muslims everywhere they could be found to be under the pretext of Islamophobia. 

    And thus the use of the term Islamophobia has become common to express "dislike of or prejudice against Islam or Muslims, especially as a political force." But this is not the end as there many more terms used to express the same effects like anti-Muslimism, intolerance against Muslims, anti-Muslim prejudice, anti-Muslim bigotry, hatred of Muslims, anti-Islamism, Muslimophobia, demonization of Islam, or demonization of Muslims.

    The intensity of Islamophobia have recently gained momentum, specially after the September 11 attacks in the USA, the rise of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and multiple terror attacks in Europe. Some even associate the rising fears due to increased presence of Muslims in the United States and in the European Union.




    Now we all know and even the majority rationale thinkers know that the 9/11 attacks were engineered to find an excuse for the USA to move out and attack stable Muslim countries of Iraq and Libya and create such a chaos that for years altogether the presence of US and its allies' forces remain in the Middle East to ensure "peace and stability of the region" they themselves destabilized, and to expand their scope of operations further in the region. And now we see the clear manifestation of this agenda as Yemen and Syria are under a constant state of war and which has also allowed the other stake holders like Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to settle their own scores and gains. 

    The creation of ISIS to many is part of the manifestation which played a great role in projecting 'barbaric Islam' beheading Christians and even Muslims to instill fear of Islamophobia. When one sees videos of people being beheaded, this really scare them and thus an intrinsic hatred has been developed and whenever any radical Muslim takes a solitary action, this validates their game plan to tarnish the image of Islam, and allow the US and its allies stay in troubled region. 

    Now how can we counter the effects of Islamophobia and help constitution of an atmosphere which is free from radicalization and allows non Muslims to feel at ease when in company of Muslims. To my mind here are some of the approach lines:
    • First and foremost reaction to islamophobia should be humility, yet steadfastness in the face of toughest of opposition and hostility. We should not forget how our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was subject to horrible insults and hate crimes in his lifetime. He remained steadfast, patient and tolerant in the face of toughest of the opposition. Even when people of Taif stoned him and Angel Gabriel wanted a nod from the Prophet to destroy the entire community, the bleeding Prophet did not opt for the extreme action, for He was confidant that one day his opponents would understand the truth He was spreading. And so did it happen, and world witnessed it. So let us be prepared for the worst and with our steadfastness and conviction persuade those on the opposing end that Islam is a religion of peace and we as Muslims would never support any act of terror for it goes against our very basic ethos.
    • All Muslims are not terrorists - but some terrorists are Muslims. This actually is the main thrust line we should discuss whenever we are confronting a hostile crowd. After all the young men killing own countrymen, specially in USA, does not mean that all Americans are lunatics or mentally sick.So why for the action of few radicals the who Muslim community or the religion of Islam be blamed.
    • There is a misinformation being spread that Islam is a violent religion which encourages killing. This is simply outrageous. In fact Islam teaches that 'Whosoever kills a person ... it shall be as if he has killed all mankind.' So how can Islam promote terrorism and allow killing of the innocents.
    • While islamophobia seems to be dominant anti Muslim sentiment, it may be noted that a very meager percentage of general public supports the notion. So we must find like minded people from other side of the fence and launch campaigns to show our unity with the society and dissociation with any acts of violence involving Muslims.
    • We must stress that the hate game of religions, faith and races are one and the the same thing. The purpose behind each move is to disturb peace for the ulterior motives of a very minority. The United We Stand slogan to combat all acts of racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia must be professed and actively pursued.
    • In fact we should use islamophobia same as antisemitism is used to hit back at the Jews. We Muslims too are sufferers of islamophobia the same way Jews are or for that matter people of any faith or region.
    • We mus allow interfaith gatherings by opening our doors to people of other faiths so that they see for themselves how peaceful we profess our religion. In some countries, Muslims invite people of other faiths to join in on their religious days like Eid for inculcating and fostering love and understanding of each other.
    • While doing so, we should also be on the look out for the hate preachers in our mosques and community centers and root them out before they pollute young innocent minds and instigate them for the fulfillment of their ulterior motives. 
    • We must involve our local counselors and people who matter in community that they should support their Muslim community in fight against islamophobia. By involving them, we will have a better voice to be heard and understood appropriately.
    • And last but not the least of course is to dispel the notion of Jihad. A least understood Islamic term, Jihad cannot be waged without the proclamation of the head of an Islamic country. ISIS and groups like these do not have moral and religious authority to kill people on the pretext of Jihad.  Remember, "The literal meaning of Jihad is struggle or effort, and it means much more than holy war. Muslims use the word Jihad to describe three different kinds of struggle: A believer's internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible. The struggle to build a good Muslim society." And we should let others to understand this very clearly. It has become a fashion to think of war mongering no sooner the word jihad is heard. Anyone who is using jihad for own designs should be discouraged with firm hand so that he does not bring bad name to the community and religion as a whole.
    All is not bad it seems. In a recent report, Muslim Advocates found 80 instances of 'clear anti-Muslim rhetoric' employed by political candidates in 2017 and 2018. And it is claimed that Anti-Muslim campaigning in the US is a 'losing strategy'.

    So let us start right from this do on to fight the notion of islamophobia and present to the world a model that has been enshrined in the Holy Qur'an and as practically exhibited by our noble and revered Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

    For more posts, please refer to our reference page: Islam and the rest of the WorldYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

    Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
    If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

    Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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