The Islamic creed translated roughly into English from the Arabic reads;
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
This simple yet profound concept and declaration is the very basis of reality. In fact, if one refuses to recognize and to act on this statement, this reality, then one is not sane. And his thoughts, movements, and actions are tainted with the stain of futility and psychosis regardless of any secular intellectual achievements or temporal wealth he may pile up in this fleeting world of wind, fire, and earth.
Life should pose some profound questions for all reasonable and intelligent human beings. Why are we here? Why was the world created? What is the part we play in the drama that unfolds around us daily? What is really important and meaningful in life? Which avenues should we pursue, and which should we avoid.? Was life given to us solely so that we can avail ourselves of sport, amusement, and the gratification of frivolous whims and desires? Or is there a deeper meaning than what our senses convey to us in our present environment of air, water, fire, and earth.
Essentially, religion is a set of beliefs that regulate and give meaning to ones life. It is a set of ideals which answer the age old questions of the human soul, Why am I here, and what is the part I play in relation to my Creator and to His creation.
Life is a very complicated and often mysterious journey. There are ,of course, numerous perils and pitfalls. There are also countless decisions and evaluations which must be made constantly. When the correct decision is made, it not only benefits the individual but is also beneficial to the society as a whole.
While at one time I was completely against its application, through the years I have come to believe that the death penalty should be applied, but only when conditions of impartiality and equality have been met.
My current position on capital punishment is primarily the result of my Islamic faith, which is based on my understanding of and obedience to the Holy Quran.
Every thing can be done in two ways -direct and indirect. Both the methods are useful in their own capacities. The self-murder, which I want to deal just now is a result of indirect attack which is being carried out after years of direct conflicts.
Is it not so that the killing of our hopes and desires amounts to self-murder? Is it not so that the killing of the accomplishers of our hopes amounts to self-murder? Does not the destruction and blowing up of the green fields - the ready lush green fields - amount to self-murder? Are you not self-murderers?
Complacency throughout the American Muslim community is pervasive to say the very least.
I have been very hard pressed to find any real fire or outrage about the innumerable injustices going on in America and throughout the earth. It was and still is my thinking that we were put here to fight these injustices, not to live in the midst of them and act like we dont have the power to change this wicked system.
My friend, Mohammed Naseem, delivered a short talk on how a Muslim should treat his neighbors, and I recorded it. Surely within the sixteen-year period since discovering the Qur’an, I had read reports of what the Prophet [saws] said about neighbors — but something in Imam Naseem’s presentation struck me as new, and it stuck with me: A believer is responsible for x number of neighbors to his right; x number of neighbors to his left; x number of neighbors in front; and x number of neighbors behind.
IT WAS THE QURAAN THAT FIRST REVEALED THE FACT OF BLOOD CIRCULATION IN HUMAN BODY
1. In Sura 96, Verse 2 (Q: 96.2), the Quraan says, "Khuliqal insaana min alaq" which means, "(Allah) created a human being from `alaq". The accepted meaning of `alaq is that initial embryonic stage, when it is in the form of a leech-like clot of blood clinging to or suspended from the wall of the uterus. At this stage, although there is a rudimentary formation of the human cardiovascular (blood circulatory) system, the heart has not started beating and the embryo has not yet acquired distinct human characteristics.
"Wherever ye are, death will find you out, even if ye are in towers built up strong and high!"
(Al Nisa 4:78, Abdullah Yousuf Ali Translation)
"Then He causeth him to die, and putteth him in his grave" (Abasa 80:21, A.Y.A. Trans.)
The Prophet (S) said The rights of a Muslim on Muslim are five: To return the greeting, To visit the sick, To follow the funeral processions, To accept invitation and To reply the sneezer (Bukhari Vol. 2 – 332)
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