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Wednesday 17 April 2019

Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Ghana

Ghana, once called the Gold Coast (for its gold), is bordered by Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and Cote d'Ivoire (or Ivory Coast) to the west. The Atlantic Ocean is to the south. The capital and largest city of Ghana is Accra.

Islam is one of the major religions practiced widely in Ghana. Its presence in Ghana dates back to the 10th century. Although Christianity is the state religion, Muslims are fast catching up with the majority. There are many accounts available at to the exact number of Muslims in Ghana, i.e., from 20% to something like 45%, but exact numbers is not known and Muslims have expressed concerns that state of Ghana is hiding the true status of the Muslim minority. Ghana is considered one of the more stable countries in West Africa since its transition to multi-party democracy in 1992.

However, both Christians and Muslims endure an excellent relationship and exhibit a very tolerant inter faith harmony. The Muslim Representative Council represent the Muslims,  and coordinate matter all religious, social, and economic matters affecting Muslims. The primary aim of Christian–Muslim dialogue is to gain a better understanding of each other, to do away with prejudices and stereotypes, and to cultivate harmonious relations and the peaceful coexistence of people of different faiths in Ghana.

Most Ghanaian Muslims are Sunni, initially following the Maliki version of Islamic law. However, the Maliki school of jurisprudence was the most common until Afa Ajura's reformist activities in the 1960s saw an overwhelming shift toward Hanbali doctrine. Sufism, once widespread, has waned considerably over the years; the Tijaniyah and the Qadiriyah brotherhoods, however, are still represented among Ghana's traditionalist Muslims.

The National Hajj Council observes the responsibility of arranging pilgrimages to Makkah for believers who can afford the journey. The National Chief Imam of Ghana is the highest authority on Muslim affairs in Ghana.

Islam entered into West Africa, beginning with ancient Ghana in the ninth century through Muslims engaged in commercial activities of North African. The empires of both Mali and Songhai that followed ancient Ghana in the Western Sudan adopted the religion. Islam made its entry into the northern territories of modern Ghana around the fifteenth century. Mande or Wangara traders and clerics carried the religion into the area. The northeastern sector of the country was also influenced by Muslims who escaped the Hausa jihads of northern Nigeria in the early nineteenth century.
15th century Larabanga Mosque [Photo: Pixabay]

Islam is a visible and an audible religion in Ghana. Mosques can be easily found in villages, towns, schools, markets, hospitals, and even work places, amplifying the call to prayer. The 15th century Larabanga Mosque, pictured above, is a major Muslim landmark, built in the Sudanese architectural style in the village of Larabanga, Ghana. It is the oldest mosque in the country and one of the oldest in West Africa, and has been referred to as the "Makkah of West Africa". The mosque, built with mud and reeds, has two tall towers in pyramidal shape, one for the mihrab which faces towards Mecca forming the facade on the east and the other as a minaret in the northeast corner. Built in 1421, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) has contributed substantially to its restoration, and lists it as one of the 100 Most Endangered Sites. 

Despite its many contributions, it is generally felt that the Muslim Council has not succeeded in taking initiatives for the upgrading of Islamic schools beyond the provision of basic Quranic instruction. This may explain the economic and technological gap between Muslims and non-Muslims. 

Another Muslim organization by the name of Islamic Bureau for the Disabled and Service provides services to Islamic Institutions, based in Accra, Ghana, and provides services and help in the area to anyone, regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity. In the true spirit of Islam they provide immediate aid to the disabled, financing their schooling and pressing needs. It provides wheel chairs and monthly support. It also lends assisting hands in building new mosques, hospitals, schools, wells, educational complexes for both Muslims and non-Muslims communities in Ghana and organizes events to present the true message of Islam.

The presence of Ahmadis, who call themselves Muslims but their claims rejected by the mainstream Muslims for calling their head of the organization as a follow up prophet to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),  often results in instances of tension and violent confrontations between different Muslim groups in Ghana, especially between Ahmadis and mainline Muslims. The bloody confrontations of the early days of Ahmadiyya have largely given way to mutual suspicion, contempt and non-cooperation. There have been instances in which mainline Muslims have walked out of meetings in protest against Ahmadiyya presence. There are also  tensions between indigenous Ghanaian Muslims and other West African nationals over leadership. The latter see themselves as the right custodians of the Islamic tradition and resent taking subordinate roles to indigenous Ghanaian Muslims.

Muslims have continued to contribute greatly to the socio-economic and political life and development of Ghana. Since the 1970s they have shown great openness to, and an appreciation of, non-Islamic education. The establishment of several English/Arabic schools has greatly facilitated this development.

Surah Al-Fatiha translated into Dagbani language by Sheikh M. Baba Gbetobu [Photo: Wikipedia]

The relation between Muslims has varying shades. There is general lack of awareness and interest amongst Christians concerning Christian-Muslim issues. As far as many Christians (including Church leaders) are concerned there is no need to study Islam. Some Christians who see Muslims purely as objects of evangelism. They are engaged in open air preaching in Muslim areas. As far as this group of Christians are concerned, the only legitimate relationship a Christian can have with a Muslim is in the area of evangelism. The study of Islam to such Christians is always geared at looking for the "weaknesses" in order to prove to Muslims that there is no salvation in Islam.


There are however those who are seriously seeking to promote a better understanding of Islam and trying to creatively address the Muslim presence. The Christian Council of Ghana has a Christian-Muslim department which seeks to organize Islamic seminars for Christians. Response to this approach is still very low key and even with heavily-subsidized seminars very few people attend. The few who attend are normally from the mainline Protestant Churches. This trend though seems to have some prospects because it was out of these seminars that some of us were first introduced to the study of Islam and Christian-Muslim relations. 

Like all Muslims, the Ghanaian Muslims celebrate every religious event with great religious fervour and zeal. Please watch the video below of Muslims of Ghana celebrating Eid after the month of Ramadan:
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.

Photo | References: | Main Source:  Wikipedia | Other Sources : | 1 | 2 | 34 |
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Tuesday 16 April 2019

99 Attributes of Allah: Ar-Raafi' - the Exalter, the Exalted

All the 99 attributes of Allah speak of the greatness, uniqueness and exclusiveness of His Divine powers and blessings. Today in this post we will try to explain the meaning of the attribute الرافع , the one that exalts. The name Rāfi' is not specifically used as a Beautiful Name in the Qur'ān, but it has been taken to suit this particular ability of the Allah, Almighty.

Allah Almighty is Rāfi' . It is He alone who rises a man from rag tags to the thrones and rule kingdoms and it is He alone who takes away one's glory and crown and throws him in the dust. He abases and humiliates those whom He wishes and He raises and exalts those whom He wishes.  

وَتِلۡكَ حُجَّتُنَاۤ اٰتَيۡنٰهَاۤ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ عَلٰى قَوۡمِهٖ​ؕ نَرۡفَعُ دَرَجٰتٍ مَّنۡ نَّشَآءُ ​ؕ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيۡمٌ عَلِيۡمٌ
That was Our argument which We gave to Abraham against his people. We raise in ranks whom We will. Truly your lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. [Surah Al An'am 6:83]

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا قِيۡلَ لَـكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُوۡا فِى الۡمَجٰلِسِ فَافۡسَحُوۡا يَفۡسَحِ اللّٰهُ لَـكُمۡ​ ۚ وَاِذَا قِيۡلَ انْشُزُوۡا فَانْشُزُوۡا يَرۡفَعِ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡكُمۡ ۙ وَالَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجٰتٍ ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ خَبِيۡرٌ‏ 
O you who have believed, when you are told, "Space yourselves" in assemblies, then make space; Allah will make space for you. And when you are told, "Arise," then arise; Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do. [Surah Al-Mujadila 58:11] 

No one else other than the Ar Rāfi' has the wisdom to choose the one from so many to be uplifted to the glory and highest of the ranks. The One who uplifts and elevates mankind above petty desires and selfishness. The One who makes it possible to rise above the differences and distinctions that divide mankind.

The attribute Rāfi' is from the root r-f-' which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to exalt, make honorable, make eminentto raise or elevate somethingto uplift, to take it upto bring a thing nearto make high, lofty
Here it would appropriate to mention Qarun, a filthy rich proud  man in times of Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) of the people of the Israelite. It is said that he was so rich that only the keys of his fortunes and vaults were carried on seventy camels. But when Allah decided to punish him for his arrogance, he along with is wealth was engulfed by earth in seconds. 

Remember the once powerful Reza Shah Pehalvi, the king of Iran? He was once the mighty emperor of oil rich Iran and his nod was required for many critical decisions of the region. But then one day he flew away wityh no where to go when a revolution uprooted him from his throne and he fell from grace. No country was willing to welcome him. It was later Syria that allowed him in and there he died unceremoniously. Could he have ever imagined that his end be in disgrace? Perhaps never, but that is how Allah has His own way of giving honours and fall from grace.

it may be noted that Al Khāfid (humbler) is the opposite of Rāfi' (uplifter). Thus the names Khāfid and Rāfi' are often used together to acknowledge the way that balance and harmony are established and maintained though the interplay of cause and effect.

If we look around in our life in present and near past, many such examples exist where men rose and men crumbled in no time. The rise and fall of men is both as punishment, reward and as a test. One is not always harmed or lowered as a punishment but as a test and one is not necessarily elevated as a reward but as a test.

It is believed that any person who recites this attribute 100 times in the middle of the 14th night of every lunar month, Allah will grant him self sufficiency and independence of the entire creation. In sha Allah.

Remember:
“Allah is the one that decrees upon his servants His provision and sustenance. And Allah is the one who decrees upon his servants their share in this world and if Allah didn't bless us and made us like Qarun, Allah would have destroyed us, and would have caused this earth to swallow us.” 
One of the 99 attributes of Allah is Mu'izz (honorer) which is similar to, but much more more intensive and glorious than, Rāfi' (uplifter). We will explain this attribute in our upcoming posts.

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allah" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

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.

Photo | References: | Main Source:  Wikipedia | Other Sources : | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
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

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Saturday 13 April 2019

Understanding the Holy Quran: How Surah Ad-Duha Can Change Your Life

Surah Ad-Duha, the 93rd chapter / surah of the Holy Qur'an if understood properly can change a man's life as it did the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he was in great distress and low morale.  The surah guides the believers and shows them a way out of their despair and low days.

We have already presented the exegesis of the Surah Ad-Duha in one of our earlier posts. But the purpose of this post is to share an enlightening commentary on Surah Ad-Duha, wherein it is deliberated upon how one can change one's life if one seeks guidance given in the surah by Allah, the Almighty to His last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when he was in great despair due to non receipt of the Divine revelations for a number of days and the pagans of Makkah had started to mock the Prophet of Allah that he had been abandoned by the Allah.

As per some sources, it is quoted that "Umm Jamil, wife of Abu Lahab, who was an aunt of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and whose house adjoined his, said to him: It appears your Satan has forsaken you."

In such trying times, Allah promised His Prophet through this surah that "Soon would follow what is better for you and that you shall be rewarded and given so much that you will be well pleased." This promise was fulfilled during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and all Arabia, from the southern coasts to the Syrian frontiers of the Byzantine empire and the Iraqi frontiers of the Persian empire in the north, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to the Red Sea in the west, came under his control.  

That is why Surah Ad Duha needs to be understood for it took out the Prophet of Allah from darkness of despair and depression and showed him the light and reminded him that didn't Allah look after him when he was orphan, very young and no one to rely upon. Those were the days when despite all odds, from where he grew up to be a strong young man and a successful businessman and later to be the Prophet of Allah.

Those of us who lose heart when confronted with difficult times and lose any hope, there must listen to this enlightening commentary by Sh Tawfique Chowdhury to an audience in Australia sometime ago:

I am sure after listening to this video, you will be a better man than you were before. May Allah help us to seek guidance from the Holy Qur'an by understanding its meaning and helping others who are in distress by making them understand what we now know.

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Part backwards for chapters in 30th Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

Photo 
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Friday 12 April 2019

Understanding the Holy Quran: Huroof Muqatta’at - Disjoined Letters


The Holy Qur'an is a Divine book which was revealed unto Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a time period of some 23 years. The language of this Holy Scripture is Arabic. But its grammar is far richer than the ordinary Arabic grammar and an ordinary Arabic speaking cannot fathom the true meaning and explanation of the text. It is only those scholars who have spent their lives trying to understand the true meaning of the Divine message. and it is not known whether man has been able to understand and interpret the Holy Qur'an fully even as of today.

While ordinarily, the messages and the commandments contained therein have generally been understood and explained, there are a number of Surahs of the Holy Qur'an which commence with or contain some disjoined letters called Huroof Muqatta’at, or the abbreviated letters. A number of conjectures have been made as to their meaning. Opinions are divided as to the exact meaning of each particular letter or a combination of letters, and it is unanimously agreed by scholars and exegesists of all times that that only Allah knows their exact meanings.

Their presence is not inconsistent with the character of the Our-an as a plain book." The book of nature is also a plain book, but how few can fully understand it? Every one can get out of the Our'an plain guidance for his life according to his capacity for spiritual understanding, As his capacity grows, so will his understanding grow. The whole Book is a Record for all time. It must necessarily contain meanings that only gradually unfold themselves to humanity. This is not a mystery of the same class as "mysteries" by which we are asked to believe against the dictates of reason. If we are asked to believe that one is three and three is one, we can give no intelligible meaning to the words. e asked to believe that certain initials have a meaning which will be understood in the fullness of time, we are asked to draw upon Faith, but we are not asked to do any violence to our reason.

There are 29 letters in the Arabic alphabet (counting hamza and alif as two letters), and there are 29 Sürahs which have abbreviated letters prefixed to them. One of these Sūrahs (Surah Ash Shura, the 42nd surah) has two sets of abbreviated letters, but we need not count this Surah twice. If we take the half of the alphabet, omitting the fraction, we get 14, and this is the number of letters which actually occur in the Muqatta’at.

The 14 letters, which occur in various combinations, are:
  • ا  Alif is 
  • ل   Lam 
  • م  Meem 
  • ص  Sadh 
  • ر  Ra 
  • ك  Kahf 
  • ط  Ta 
  • س  Seen 
  • ح  Ha 
  • ق  Qaf 
  • ن  Noon 
  • ه   Ha 
  • ع  ‘Ayn 
  • ي  Ya 
These disjoined letters or the Huroof Muqatta’at appear in the Holy Quran mostly in the beginning as the opening verse or sometimes in between. The details of the surahs containing these Huroof Muqatta’at are given herein under:

Three surahs (Chapters) are pre-fixed with only one letter:
  • Surah ص  Sadh (The Letter ص  “Sadh”) Chapter/Surah 38 with ص  Sadh
  • Surah ق  Qaf (The Letter ق  “Qaf”) Chapter/Surah 50 with ق  Qaf
  • Surah Al Qalam (The Pen) Chapter/Surah 68 with ن Noon
The combination of two letters occurs in 10 surahs (Three of them occur only once each):
  • طه  Ta Haa, Chapter/Surah. 20 – Surah Taha (Ta happens to be Prophet Muhammad’s (s) Name)
  • طس  Ta Seen, Chapter/Surah. 27 – Surah An Naml (The Ant)
  • يس  Ya Seen, Chapter/Surah. 36–Surah Ya Seen (Ya Seen is also Prophet Muhammad’s (s) Name)
The combination of two lettersحم   Ha Meem ) occurs in seven consecutive Surahs 40-46:
  • Chapter/Surah. 40 Surah Ghafir (The Forgiver)
  • Chapter/Surah. 41 Surah Fassilat (Explained in Detail)
  • Chapter/Surah. 42 Surah Ash Shura (The Consultation)
  • Chapter/Surah. 43 Surah Az Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold)
  • Chapter/Surah. 44 Surah Ad Dukhan (The Smoke)
  • Chapter/Surah. 45 Surah Al Jathiya (The Crouching)
  • Chapter/Surah. 46 Surah Al Ahqaf (The Wind-Curved Sand hills)
There are three combinations of three letters, each occurring in 13 surahs. الم  Alif Lam Meem occurs In six of these surahs
  • Chapter/Surah. 2 – Surah Al Baqara (The Cow)
  • Chapter/Surah. 3 – Surah ‘Ali ‘Imran (Family of ‘Imran)
  • Chapter/Surah. 29 – Surah al ‘Ankabut (The Spider)
  • Chapter/Surah. 30 – Surah Ar Rum (The Romans), 
  • Chapter/Surah. 31 – Surah Luqman (Luqman)
  • Chapter/Surah. 32 – Surah As Sajda (The Prostration)
Of the 13 Surahs in which three combinations of three letters, الر  Alif Laam Ra occurs in Five consecutive Surahs 10 – 15:
  • Chapter/Surah.  10 – Surah Yunus (Jonah), 
  • Chapter/Surah.  11 – Surah Hud (Hud)
  • Chapter/Surah.  12 – Surah Yusuf (Joseph)
  • Chapter/Surah.  14 – Surah Ibrahim (Abraham)
  • Chapter/Surah.  15 – Surah Al Hijr (The Rocky Tract)
Of the 13 Surahs in which three combinations of three letters, طسم  Ta Seen Meem,  occurs in two Surahs:
  • Chapter/Surah. 26 – Surah Ash Shu’ara (The Poets)
  • Chapter/Surah. 28 – Surah Al Qasas (The Stories)
Combination of four letters occurs twice:
  • المص  Alif Lam Meem Sadh, Chapter/Surah.  7 – Surah al A’raf (The Heights)
  • المر  Alif Lam Meem Ra, Chapter/Surah.  13 – Surah Ar Ra’d(The Thunder)
* Note the three preceding and two following Surahs have the triple letters الر  Alif Laam Ra

Combination of five letters, each of which occurs once only:
  • كهيعص  Kahf Haa Ya Ayn Sadh, Chapter/Surah.  19 – Surah Maryam (Mary)
  • حمعسق  Ha Meem Ayn Seen Qaf, Chapter/Surah.  42 – Surah Ash Shura (the Consultation)
Surah Al-Shura Chapter/Surah 42 has a double combination of abbreviated letters one set of two letters followed by one set of three letters.
  • حم  Ha Meem – Chapter/Surah 42:1 – Surah Ash Shura (The Consultation)
  • عسق  ‘Ayn Seen Qaf, Chapter/Surah  42:2 – Surah Ash Shura (The Consultation)
If we look very closely, we would find that the  combinations of disjoined letters that run in a series in consecutive Sürahs is noticeable. For example, حم occurs in seven consecutive Surahs from 42-47. The combination الر  occurs in six consecutive Surahs 10 to 15, but in one of them (Surah 12) it is modified to المر connecting it with the  الم series. The الم series covers 6 Sürahs. It begins with Surah 2 (Al Baqarah) Surah 3, which are practically the beginning of the Qur'an, and ends with the four consecutive Sürahs 29 to 33. 

The combination  طسم is prefixed to Surah 26 and 28, but the intervening Surah 27 has the combination طس, which may be considered a syncopated form, or the three-letter combination طسم may be considered an extended form of طس. Again the question arises: does the م in طسم  حم ,  الم  stand for the same signification, or does it mean a different thing in each case? We may generalize and say that there are three series of six, and one series of three, and the other occur singly. 

We should logically look for a common factor in the Surahs bearing the same initials, and this factor should be different for Surahs bearing other initials. In all cases where the disjoined letters occur, there is some mention of the Qur'an  or the Book. The Itqán makes an exception in the case of three Sürahs Ankabut (Surah 29), Rum (Surah 30) and Nun (Surah 43). But a close perusal will show that these surahs are no exception:
  • In surah 29:27 there is a reference to the Book remaining in the family of Abraham, ans later there is a whole section, devoted to the Book, and the Qur'an (29:45-51).
  • In surah 30:58, there is express mention of the Qur'an and the whole argument of the surah leads to the intimate relation between Allah's "Signs" in nature (30:20-27) and His revelation in the Qur'an. 
  • In surah 68, the very first verse begins with the theme with the Pen as the instrument of writing, exhorts Al Mustafa to stand forth boldly yo problem of Message and ends (68:52) with the declaration that it is a Message for all worlds.
So far man has been unable to decipher these Huroof Muqatta’at - Disjoined Letters. May be someday when man attains a level of understanding that is far superior to that of now that the mystery of these letter may be solved.

Reference / External Source: The main reference for this post is the Appendix I of The Holy Qur'an, English translation of the meaning and commentary, published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and printed by King Fahd Holy Qur'an Printing Complex.

Other References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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Thursday 11 April 2019

Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: Rwanda


Republic of Rwanda a country in Central and East Africa has Islam as the largest minority religion of the country. Approximately 4.6% of the total population of the country is Muslims, virtually all practicing Sunni Muslims. Estimates show that there are equal numbers of Muslims among the Hutus as there are among the Tutsis.

Islam came to this part of the world in the 18th century, which was followed by the  Roman Catholic Church, in the late 19th century, but due to rather inactive Muslim community, it soon became the state and the largest religion in the country. Islam came through Arab traders from Zanzibar who first entered the country in 1901. Alternatively, it has been argued that Islam arrived during the colonial period when Muslim clerks, administrative assistants, and merchants from the Swahili-speaking coast of Tanganyika were brought to the country. Islam was also bolstered by Muslim merchants from South Asia, mainly modern Pakistan and India.

During its history, many efforts were made to impede the spread of Islam in Rwanda. These efforts generally exploited anti-Arab sentiment, and presented Muslims as foreigners. Catholic missionaries often went to great lengths to counter what they perceived influence of rival religions, such as Islam and Protestantism. Muslims were further marginalized by the fact that most Muslims settled in urban areas, whereas 90 percent of the population was rural. As neither Arab nor South Asian merchants ever attempted to further their faith, there was little spirit of preaching among Muslims.

Rwandans built their first mosque in 1913. This mosque is known as Al-Fatah Mosque.

April each year brings back the haunting memories of a heinous genocide of the Tutsi people which was carried out by the ruling Hutu government. In the 100-day period from 7 April to 15 July 1994, an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed, constituting an estimated 70% of the Tutsi population. Like other Rwandans, Muslims too were affected by the genocide and a  large number of Muslims who took shelter in the churches were massacred without mercy, many say the the churches assisted the killers to kill all those taking shelters in the churches. Those who went to churches as a last resort to seek refuge but death eventually found them, even in what they hoped were houses of God.

The indecent and inhuman behaviour of the church siding the Hutu killers, had a telling effect on the people of Rwanda and the number of Rwandan Muslims increased after the 1994 genocide due to large numbers of conversions. The conversions were also because of the fact that the Muslims  sheltered refugees, both Hutu and Tutsi. A handful of Muslims took a stand during the hundred days of slaughter. Mosques that were once labeled by the Hutus as the "Devil House" came to save those affected by the genocide, irrespective of their faith.

Their stance inspired thousands of Rwandans to become Muslim in what was once called Africa’s most Catholic country. Here are a few accounts:
“I was a Catholic pastor before genocide,” Matabaro Sulaiman told TRT World on a chilly Thursday night in Kigali, dressed in a flashy purple jilbab - a long loose-fit dress worn by Muslim men. When the genocide in Rwanda began in 1994, the 49-year-old, suffered a crisis of faith watching the churches, in which he preached peace and unity became slaughterhouses.  “Christians were killing people in the church,” Sulaiman said. “The [victims] went to churches thinking they will find peace but instead, they were killed. “Meanwhile, I saw Muslims take people inside the mosque.” [2]
Some of the ex-Christians who are now Muslim were interviewed by the New York Times. Yakobo Djuma Nzeyimana, a 21-year-old who became a Muslim in 1996, was quoted as saying: "People died in my old church and the pastor helped the killers. I couldn't go back and pray there. I had to find something else." Another, Alex Rutiririza, who also accepted Islam, expressed his admiration of the Muslims’ role during the genocide: "The Muslims handled themselves well in 1994 and I wanted to be like them," he said. He added that during the massacres the safest place to be was the Muslim neighbourhood. [6]
Mbarushimana Hussain was four years old when he and his parents took shelter in a mosque for a month. "Even though, I was four years old, I can't forget that Muslim man. “Amid mass murder, the Muslim guy used to go out everyday and brought food for 40 non-Muslims in the mosque. Ten years after genocide, I became Muslim along with my mother and father. We couldn't forget the kindness of Muslims.” [2]
The Marc Lacey of New York Times reported in her post of April 7, 2004: When 800,000 of their countrymen were killed in massacres that began 10 years ago this week, many Rwandans lost faith not only in their government but in their religion as well. Today, in what is still a predominantly Catholic country, Islam is the fastest growing religion. [5] 
Jean Pierre Sagautu was one of these persecuted members of the Tutsi tribe, a convert to Islam from Catholic after his father and nine members of his family were slaughtered.
“I know people in America think Muslims are terrorists, but for Rwandans they were our freedom fighters during the genocide… I wanted to hide in a church, but that was the worst place to go. Instead, a Muslim family took me. They saved my life.”
During the mass killing of Tutsi, militias had the place surrounded, but Hutu Muslims did not cooperate with the Hutu killers. They said they felt far more connected through religion than through ethnicity, and Muslim Tutsi were spared. This good behaviour has had a telling effect on the Muslim population through conversion. Muslims ho once made up one percent of the population before the genocide, today “12 percent to 15 percent of the total population is Muslim”, according to Salim Habimana, a former Mufti of the country. 





While the Tutsis mostly embraced Islam to protect themselves from liquidations and to follow the people who saved them, Hutus also came to leave behind them their violent past. The more the new converted Tutsis and Hutus knew about Islam the more they became closer to each other. Islam taught them how to forgive and to love each other for the sake of Allah and how to start a new beginning. Imams from both sides played a very important role in bringing both ethnicities together under the name of Islam. [7]

As an aftermath of the 1994 genocide, Islam is respected more than ever before. The Muslim religious holiday Eid al-Fitr is observed by the government as one of the four religious official holiday (alongside Christmas, All Saints' Day, and Assumption).  Although in minority, Islam is accorded the same rights and freedoms as Christianity. Muslims are now more pro active and run their own private Islamic schools. There are interfaith talks and meetings with open door policy of the Muslims that help them to be respected just like other citizens of other faiths. 
Muslims are gathering after the Jumaa prayer in Masjid Al Quds in Kigali, Rwanda, 22 March 2019. 

As a well-integrated minority group, Muslims actively contribute to Rwandan society and they are seen as a respectable community.  In fact Islam as become a very popular religion in Rwanda. The authorities in the country have started to allow Muslims to teach Rwandans about Islam and Muslim organizations are allowed to spread their activities across the country. Today Muslims boast of so many converts that it had embarked on a crash campaign to build new mosques to accommodate all of the faithful. About 500 mosques are now scattered throughout Rwanda, about double the number that existed a decade ago.

You may like to watch a video showing Muslims of Rwanda celebrating Eid ul Fitr:

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.

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Wednesday 10 April 2019

99 Attributes of Allah: Al Noor - The Light of the Universe

One of the 99 attributes of Allah is Al Noor " النور ". Ordinarily, noor / nūr is light, whatever its glow, rays, or reflection may be. It aids vision. But when it comes to describe as an attribute of Allah, its whole complexion changes for Allah is Noor not in the meaning of the Arabic word Noor, but far beyond.

The word nūr comes from the same root as the Hebrew "aor," the primal light described in the Book of Genesis that was created at the beginning. The word nūr, or its derivatives, occurs forty-nine times in the Quran. Nūr is from the root n-w-r which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
  • to give light, to illuminate, to fill with light
  • to enlighten, give counsel, give advice
  • to clarify, to reveal, to make visible
  • to be flaming, blazing and apparent to the senses
  • to blossom, to be in bloom (revealed)
Before we try to explain this attribute of Allāh, let us read how Allāh Himself describes this attribute of His in Surah An Noor. The 35th verse of the 24th Surah ' Chapter of the Quran, Surah an-Nūr is called "Ayat an-Nūr" - The verse of light. The verse is renowned for its remarkable beauty and imagery, and perhaps more than any other verse lends itself to mystical or esoteric readings of the Quran:
اَللّٰهُ نُوۡرُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ ​ؕ مَثَلُ نُوۡرِهٖ كَمِشۡكٰوةٍ فِيۡهَا مِصۡبَاحٌ​ ؕ الۡمِصۡبَاحُ فِىۡ زُجَاجَةٍ​ ؕ اَلزُّجَاجَةُ كَاَنَّهَا كَوۡكَبٌ دُرِّىٌّ يُّوۡقَدُ مِنۡ شَجَرَةٍ مُّبٰـرَكَةٍ زَيۡتُوۡنَةٍ لَّا شَرۡقِيَّةٍ وَّلَا غَرۡبِيَّةٍ ۙ يَّـكَادُ زَيۡتُهَا يُضِىۡٓءُ وَلَوۡ لَمۡ تَمۡسَسۡهُ نَارٌ​ ؕ نُوۡرٌ عَلٰى نُوۡرٍ​ ؕ يَهۡدِى اللّٰهُ لِنُوۡرِهٖ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ​ ؕ وَ يَضۡرِبُ اللّٰهُ الۡاَمۡثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيۡمٌ ۙ‏ 
Allāh is the light of the heavens and the earth. A likeness of His light is as a pillar on which is a lamp - the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as it were a brightly shining star - lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof gives light, though fire touch it not - light upon light. Allāh guides to His light whom He pleases. And Allāh sets forth parables for men, and Allāh is Knower of all things.

One of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in his book "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" explains the meaning of this 35th verse of Surah An Nūr as under:
Light is something which makes things visible; which is itself manifest and helps make other things manifest. The human mind conceives light in this very sense. Absence of light is termed darkness, invisibility and obscurity. On the other hand, when there is visibility and things become exposed to view, man says there is light. Thus Allah has been called Light' in this basic sense. This conception of light has nothing to do with the reality of the meaning for which human mind has coined this word; rather the word light is used for all those lights which we experience in this physical world. All human words used for Allah are used in their basic sense and meaning, and not with reference to their physical connotation. For instance, when, the word sight is used with respect to Allah, it does not mean that Allah has an eye like men and animals with which He sees. Similarly when we say that Allah hears or grips or grasps, it does not mean that He hears through ears, or grips or grasps with the hand like us. These words are used in a metaphorical sense and only a man of very poor intelligence would have the misconception that hearing or seeing or grasping is not possible except in the limited and specific sense in which we experience it. Similarly it will be shortsightedness to interpret the word light in the sense of physical light rays emanating from a luminous body and affecting the retina. This word is not applicable to Allah in its limited sense, but in its absolute sense. That is, He alone in this universe is the real and prime cause of manifestation, otherwise there is nothing but darkness here. Everything which gives light and illuminates other things has received its light from Him; it has no light of its own.
The word light is also used for knowledge, and ignorance is termed as darkness. Allah is the Light of the universe in this sense too, because the knowledge of reality and of right guidance can be obtained from Him alone; without having recourse to His Light, there will be nothing but darkness of ignorance and the resultant vice and wickedness in the world.
In this parable, Allah has been likened to the Lamp and the universe to the Niche. The glass shade is the veil behind which Allah has concealed Himself from His creation. This veil is not a physical veil for concealment, but a veil caused by the intensity of divine manifestation. The human eye is unable to see Him not because of the intervening darkness but because of the intensity of the all pervading, all-embracing Light radiating through the transparent veil. The human vision which is limited in nature cannot comprehend it. It can only comprehend and perceive limited physical lights which vary in brightness, which disappear and reappear, and Which can be perceived only by contrast to existing darkness. But the Absolute Light has no confronting darkness. It does not vanish, it shines forth and pervades all around with ever existing glory; it is beyond human perception and comprehension.
As for the lamp which is lit with the oil of a blessed olive tree, which is neither eastern nor western, this is a metaphor to give an idea of the perfect light of the lamp and its brilliance. In antiquity the source for brilliant light were the olive lamps, and the most superior oil for the purpose was that obtained from a tree standing in an open and elevated place. The epithet of Lamp for Allah in the parable does trot mean that Allah is deriving His energy from some external source. It only means that the Lamp of the parable is not an ordinary lamp but the most brilliant lamp that can be imagined. Just as a brilliant lamp illuminates the whole house, so has Allah illuminated the whole universe.
Again, the words “its oil is (so fine) as if it were going to shine forth by itself though no fire touched it”, are also meant to emphasize the brilliance of the light of the lamp, which is being fed by the finest and most readily combustible oil. The olive and its being neither eastern nor western, and high combustibility of its oil by itself' (without fire), are not the essential elements of the parable, but attributes of the lamp, which is the primary element of the parable. The essential elements of the parable are only three: the Lamp, the Niche and the transparent Glass Shade.
The sentence: His light may be likened, dispels the possible misunderstanding that one could have from the words: Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth. This shows that the use of the word light for Allah does not at all mean that the essence of His Being is nothing but light. In essence, He is a Perfect Being, Who is All-Knowing, All- Powerful, All-Wise etc. and also possessing all Light has been called Light itself because of His Perfection as a source of Light, just as somebody may be called Grace on account of his being highly gracious and beneficent and Beauty because of his being highly beautiful and attractive.
That is, although Allah’s Light is illuminating the whole world, everybody does not and cannot perceive it. It is Allah alone Who blesses whomsoever He wills with the capacity for perceiving His Light and benefiting by it. Just as the day and night are alike to a blind man, so is the case of a man without the gift of inner perception. He may see the electric light, the sunlight, the moonlight and the light from stars, but he cannot perceive the Light of Allah. For him there is nothing but darkness in the universe. Just as a blind man cannot see the stone in his way unless he stumbles over it, so is the man without the gift of inner perception, who cannot perceive even those realities around him which may he all brilliance and shining by Allah’s Light. He will perceive them only when he is overtaken by the consequences of his own misdeeds.
This means two things: First, He knows what parable can best explain a certain reality, and secondly, He knows who is entitled to receive this bounty and who is not. Allah has no need to show His Light to the one who has do desire or longing for it and who is utterly lost in worldly pursuits and in seeking material pleasures and gains. This bounty can be bestowed only on the one who in the knowledge of Allah has a sincere desire for it.
The Messenger and Prophet of Allah is quoted to have been supplicating to Allah in the morning saying, "Lord! I invoke You to create light in my heart, light in all parts of my body, light in my hearing, light in my sight, light in my hair, light in my complexion, light in my flesh, light in my blood, light in my bones, light before me, light behind me, light on my right, light on my left, light above me, light underneath me! Lord! I implore You to increase my light, to grant me light, and to create light for me."

The Persian scholar Al-Zamakhshari (c. 1074 –1144) interprets Nūr or Light as: "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth" as meaning, He is the possessor of the light of the heavens and the owner of the light of the heavens. The light of the heavens and the earth is the truth (al-ḥaqq), which can be compared to light in its manifestation and clarification, just as he says, "Allah is the friend of those who believe; He brings them forth from the shadows to the light (Surah Al Baqarah 2:257), i.e., from the false to the true (al-ḥaqq).

To sum up, Al-Noor illuminates the hearts of the truthful through His Unity, and the conscience of those who love Him by His support for them. He beautifies the complexions and brings life to the souls of the pious through their adoration. He guides the hearts to prefer and opt for what is right, Who guides the innermost conscience to silently address Him.

Please listen to an enlightening commentary of Allah's attribute of Light by renowned Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:
May Allah help us and guide us to understand Him better by understanding many of His attributes and His commandments contained in the Holy Qur'an brought through His last of the Prophets, Muhammad (peace be upon him).

You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allah" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

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