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Muslims call for extradition and prosecution of Danish Motoonists

Posted by Sitemaster on June 8, 2008

Action: Please post Motoons to Jordanian embassies and media anonymously and unidentifiably.

Comment: This is a typical example of what happens when woolly-headed self-styled “liberals” attain power.

It is the European Constitution, misleadingly renamed as the Lisbon Treaty that allows (demands) this kind of nonsense.

Reportedly, the Lisbon Treaty permits capital punishment for riot, insurrection and war.

Drawing cartoons of Mohammed may be considered as insurrection in Jordan and most other Islamic countries. Undoubtedly, Motooning would be a capital offence in Saudi Arabia.

We should all remember, especially Danes, that Abu Qatada won an appeal against deportation from the UK to Jordan because the Court of Appeal said it was concerned that evidence allegedly obtained under torture may form part of a future trial in Jordan.

SIOE wonders if such concerns will prevail in Danish courts presiding over trials of cartoonists who have committed the heinous crime of satirising Islam’s “holiest” human.

That he is also considered Europe’s “holiest” religious figure (that is his teachings were/are full of holes) must also now be worthy of prosecution.

We must now expect to see Motoonists being jetted around in a flurry of Euro-style “extraordinary renditions” to face the music.

Story: From the Copenhagen Post

A Jordanian organisation wants to prosecute the Danes responsible for the printing of the Mohammed cartoons

Eleven Danes have been summoned to appear before the Jordanian pubic prosecutor to answer charges of blasphemy and threatening the national peace. They include the cartoonist who drew one of the Mohammed cartoons and editors from 10 of the 17 newspapers that reprinted them.

The group behind the announcement is called The Prophet Unites Us, a union of Jordanian media organisations, organisations and private individuals.

‘The public prosecutor decided to summon the Danes for a series of criminal offences. Now the Danes have to meet in Jordan,’ said Zakaria al-Sheikh, the group’s general secretary, to Politiken newspaper.

He explained that the public prosecutor will ask the Danish embassy for help in contacting Danish officials to arrange the meeting of the editors.

Osama al-Bettar, the group’s lawyer, said that if the Danes do not appear, the next step will be to inform Interpol and seek their arrest.

The public prosecutor confirmed to Politiken that the editors have been summoned.

However, the Danish foreign ministry has said that a forced deportation is not a possibility. It would require that the printing of the Mohammed cartoons is punishable in Denmark, which is not the case.

The case was opened by Jordanian public prosecutor Hassan Abdullat on 21 April. He will hear witness testimony and decide if the case will continue further with the possibility of a three-year jail term or be dismissed.

The case is being brought under changes made to the Jordanian Justice Act in 2006.

The changes make it possible for Jordanian officials to prosecute crimes committed outside the country if it affected the people of Jordan by electronic means.

The 10 Danish newspapers all published the cartoons on their websites in February after a threat was made on the life of one the cartoonists.

Both the cartoonist and the responsible editors are accused of violating Jordanian law, which prohibits the ridicule of a prophet. It is considered offensive to depict Mohammed in any way. (KR)

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The Process of Islamization - Contents

From the Foreword by by Mahmoud Rashdan:

"The Islamization Process - Its Challenges and Promises" was the theme of the M.S.A.'s 13th Annual Convention, held at the University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio at the end of August 1975.

This booklet is a revised version of Professor Idris' presentation at the convention. It is being published in book from owing to its scholarly merit and in response to requests from the M.S.A. membership.

...Dr. Idris' presentation on the "Process of Islamization" has the credit of being vivid and systematic. The reader will find the writer clear and direct in his treatment of this important topic. He does not leave the reader to speculate on where he stands on controversial positions but rather states his position clearly and yet without any pretension of "I know better" and without the "protection" of confusing the professional jargon which so frequently plagues "westernized" Muslim scholars. To his credit also, Dr. Idris refers to the Qur'an directly to derive the Islamic theory of social change. He raises questiosn and does not hesitate to give his answers. He suggests that the social law of change is contained in the verse:
"Surely God does not change the state in which a people are until they change that which is in themselves." [ar-Ra`d, 11]...

World of Islam

The Spread of Islam

From the oasis cities of Makkah and Madinah in the Arabian desert, the message of Islam went forth with electrifying speed. Within half a century of the Prophet's death, Islam had spread to three continents. Islam is not, as some imagine in the West, a religion of the sword nor did it spread primarily by means of war. It was only within Arabia, where a crude form of idolatry was rampant, that Islam was propagated by warring against those tribes which did not accept the message of God--whereas Christians and Jews were not forced to convert. Outside of Arabia also the vast lands conquered by the Arab armies in a short period became Muslim not by force of the sword but by the appeal of the new religion. It was faith in One God and emphasis upon His Mercy that brought vast numbers of people into the fold of Islam. The new religion did not coerce people to convert. Many continued to remain Jews and Christians and to this day important communities of the followers of these faiths are found in Muslim lands.

Moreover, the spread of Islam was not limited to its miraculous early expansion outside of Arabia. During later centuries the Turks embraced Islam peacefully as did a large number of the people of the Indian subcontinent and the Malay-speaking world. In Africa also, Islam has spread during the past two centuries even under the mighty power of European colonial rulers. Today Islam continues to grow not only in Africa but also in Europe and America where Muslims now comprise a notable minority.

General Characteristics of Islam

Islam was destined to become a world religion and to create a civilization which stretched from one end of the globe to the other. Already during the early Muslim caliphates, first the Arabs, then the Persians and later the Turks set about to create classical Islamic civilization. Later, in the 13th century, both Africa and India became great centers of Islamic civilization and soon thereafter Muslim kingdoms were established in the Malay-Indonesian world while Chinese Muslims flourished throughout China.

Global Religion

Islam is a religion for all people from whatever race or background they might be. That is why Islamic civilization is based on a unity which stands completely against any racial or ethnic discrimination. Such major racial and ethnic groups as the Arabs, Persians, Turks, Africans, Indians, Chinese and Malays in addition to numerous smaller units embraced Islam and contributed to the building of Islamic civilization. Moreover, Islam was not opposed to learning from the earlier civilizations and incorporating their science, learning, and culture into its own world view, as long as they did not oppose the principles of Islam. Each ethnic and racial group which embraced Islam made its contribution to the one Islamic civilization to which everyone belonged. The sense of brotherhood and sisterhood was so much emphasized that it overcame all local attachments to a particular tribe, race, or language--all of which became subservient to the universal brotherhood and sisterhood of Islam.

The global civilization thus created by Islam permitted people of diverse ethnic backgrounds to work together in cultivating various arts and sciences. Although the civilization was profoundly Islamic, even non-Muslim "people of the book" participated in the intellectual activity whose fruits belonged to everyone. The scientific climate was reminiscent of the present situation in America where scientists and men and women of learning from all over the world are active in the advancement of knowledge which belongs to everyone.

The global civilization created by Islam also succeeded in activating the mind and thought of the people who entered its fold. As a result of Islam, the nomadic Arabs became torch-bearers of science and learning. The Persians who had created a great civilization before the rise of Islam nevertheless produced much more science and learning in the Islamic period than before. The same can be said of the Turks and other peoples who embraced Islam. The religion of Islam was itself responsible not only for the creation of a world civilization in which people of many different ethnic backgrounds participated, but it played a central role in developing intellectual and cultural life on a scale not seen before. For some eight hundred years Arabic remained the major intellectual and scientific language of the world. During the centuries following the rise of Islam, Muslim dynasties ruling in various parts of the Islamic world bore witness to the flowering of Islamic culture and thought. In fact this tradition of intellectual activity was eclipsed only at the beginning of modern times as a result of the weakening of faith among Muslims combined with external domination. And today this activity has begun anew in many parts of the Islamic world now that the Muslims have regained their political independence.

A Brief History of Islam

The Rightly guided Caliphs

Upon the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, the friend of the Prophet and the first adult male to embrace Islam, became caliph. Abu Bakr ruled for two years to be succeeded by 'Umar who was caliph for a decade and during whose rule Islam spread extensively east and west conquering the Persian empire, Syria and Egypt. It was 'Umar who marched on foot at the end of the Muslim army into Jerusalem and ordered the protection of Christian sites. 'Umar also established the first public treasury and a sophisticated financial administration. He established many of the basic practices of Islamic government.

'Umar was succeeded by 'Uthman who ruled for some twelve years during which time the Islamic expansion continued. He is also known as the caliph who had the definitive text of the Noble Quran copied and sent to the four corners of the Islamic world. He was in turn succeeded by 'Ali who is known to this day for his eloquent sermons and letters, and also for his bravery. With his death the rule of the "rightly guided" caliphs, who hold a special place of respect in the hearts of Muslims, came to an end.

The Caliphate

Umayyad

The Umayyad caliphate established in 661 was to last for about a century. During this time Damascus became the capital of an Islamic world which stretched from the western borders of China to southern France. Not only did the Islamic conquests continue during this period through North Africa to Spain and France in the West and to Sind, Central Asia and Transoxiana in the East, but the basic social and legal institutions of the newly founded Islamic world were established.

Abbasids

The Abbasids, who succeeded the Umayyads, shifted the capital to Baghdad which soon developed into an incomparable center of learning and culture as well as the administrative and political heart of a vast world.

They ruled for over 500 years but gradually their power waned and they remained only symbolic rulers bestowing legitimacy upon various sultans and princes who wielded actual military power. The Abbasid caliphate was finally abolished when Hulagu, the Mongol ruler, captured Baghdad in 1258, destroying much of the city including its incomparable libraries.

While the Abbasids ruled in Baghdad, a number of powerful dynasties such as the Fatimids, Ayyubids and Mamluks held power in Egypt, Syria and Palestine. The most important event in this area as far as the relation between Islam and the Western world was concerned was the series of Crusades declared by the Pope and espoused by various European kings. The purpose, although political, was outwardly to recapture the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem for Christianity. Although there was at the beginning some success and local European rule was set up in parts of Syria and Palestine, Muslims finally prevailed and in 1187 Saladin, the great Muslim leader, recaptured Jerusalem and defeated the Crusaders.

North Africa And Spain

When the Abbasids captured Damascus, one of the Umayyad princes escaped and made the long journey from there to Spain to found Umayyad rule there, thus beginning the golden age of Islam in Spain. Cordoba was established as the capital and soon became Europe's greatest city not only in population but from the point of view of its cultural and intellectual life. The Umayyads ruled over two centuries until they weakened and were replaced by local rulers.

Meanwhile in North Africa, various local dynasties held sway until two powerful Berber dynasties succeeded in uniting much of North Africa and also Spain in the 12th and 13th centuries. After them this area was ruled once again by local dynasties such as the Sharifids of Morocco who still rule in that country. As for Spain itself, Muslim power continued to wane until the last Muslim dynasty was defeated in Granada in 1492 thus bringing nearly eight hundred years of Muslim rule in Spain to an end.

After the Mangol Invasion

The Mongols devastated the eastern lands of Islam and ruled from the Sinai Desert to India for a century. But they soon converted to Islam and became known as the Il-Khanids. They were in turn succeeded by Timur and his descendents who made Samarqand their capital and ruled from 1369 to 1500. The sudden rise of Timur delayed the formation and expansion of the Ottoman empire but soon the Ottomans became the dominant power in the Islamic world.

Ottoman Empire

From humble origins the Turks rose to dominate over the whole of Anatolia and even parts of Europe. In 1453 Mehmet the Conqueror captured Constantinople and put an end to the Byzantine empire. The Ottomans conquered much of eastem Europe and nearly the whole of the Arab world, only Morocco and Mauritania in the West and Yemen, Hadramaut and parts of the Arabian peninsula remaining beyond their control. They reached their zenith of power with Suleyman the Magnificent whose armies reached Hungary and Austria. From the 17th century onward with the rise of Westem European powers and later Russia, the power of the Ottomans began to wane. But they nevertheless remained a force to be reckoned with until the First World War when they were defeated by the Westem nations. Soon thereafter Kamal Ataturk gained power in Turkey and abolished the six centuries of rule of the Ottomans in 1924.

Persia

While the Ottomans were concerned mostly with the westem front of their empire, to the east in Persia a new dynasty called the Safavids came to power in 1502. The Safavids established a powerful state of their own which flourished for over two centuries and became known for the flowering of the arts. Their capital, Isfahan, became one of the most beautiful cities with its blue tiled mosques and exquisite houses. The Afghan invasion of 1736 put an end to Safavid rule and prepared the independence of Afghanistan which occured fommally in the 19th century. Persia itself fell into tummoil until Nader Shah, the last Oriental conqueror, reunited the country and even conquered India. But the rule of the dynasty established by him was short-lived. The Zand dynasty soon took over to be overthrown by the Qajars in 1779 who made Tehran their capital and ruled until 1921 when they were in turn replaced by the Pahlavis.

India

As for India, Islam entered into the land east of the Indus River peacefully. Gradually Muslims gained political power beginning in the early 13th century. But this period which marked the expansion of both Islam and Islamic culture came to an end with the conquest of much of India in 1526 by Babur, one of the Timurid princes. He established the powerful Mogul empire which produced such famous rulers as Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan and which lasted, despite the gradual rise of British power in India, until 1857 when it was officially abolished.

Malaysia And Indonesia

Farther east in the Malay world, Islam began to spread in the 12th century in northem Sumatra and soon Muslim kingdoms were establishd in Java, Sumatra and mainland Malaysia. Despite the colonization of the Malay world, Islam spread in that area covering present day Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Phililppines and southern Thailand, and is still continuing in islands farther east.

Africa

As far as Africa is concemed, Islam entered into East Africa at the very beginning of the Islamic period but remained confined to the coast for some time, only the Sudan and Somaliland becoming gradually both Arabized and Islamized. West Africa felt the presence of Islam through North African traders who travelled with their camel caravans south of the Sahara. By the 14th century there were already Muslim sultanates in such areas as Mali, and Timbuctu in West Africa and Harar in East Africa had become seats of Islamic leaming.

Gradually Islam penetrated both inland and southward. There also appeared major charismatic figures who inspired intense resistance against European domination. The process of the Islamization of Africa did not cease during the colonial period and continues even today with the result that most Africans are now Muslims carrying on a tradition which has had practically as long a history in certain areas of sub-Saharan Africa as Islam itself.

Islam in the United States

It is almost impossible to generalize about American Muslims: converts, immigrants, factory workers, doctors; all are making their own contribution to America's future. This complex community is unified by a common faith, underpinned by a countrywide network of a thousand mosques.

Muslims were early arrivals in North America. By the eighteenth century there were many thousands of them, working as slaves on plantations. These early communities, cut off from their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Today many Afro-American Muslims play an important role in the Islamic community.

The nineteenth century, however, saw the beginnings of an influx of Arab Muslims, most of whom settled in the major industrial centers where they worshipped in hired rooms. The early twentieth century witnessed the arrival of several hundred thousand Muslims from Eastem Europe: the first Albanian mosque was opened in Maine in 1915; others soon followed, and a group of Polish Muslims opened a mosque in Brooklyn in 1928.

In 1947 the Washington Islamic Center was founded during the term of President Truman, and several nationwide organizations were set up in the fifties. The same period saw the establishment of other communities whose lives were in many ways modelled after Islam. More recently, numerous members of these groups have entered the fold of Muslim orthodoxy. Today there are about five million Muslims in America.

Aftermath of the Colonial Period

At the height of European colonial expansion in the 19th century, most of the Islamic world was under colonial rule with the exception of a few regions such as the heart of the Ottoman empire, Persia, Afghanistan, Yemen and certain parts of Arabia. But even these areas were under foreign influence or, in the case of the Ottomans, under constant threat. After the First World War with the breakup of the Ottoman empire, a number of Arab states such as Iraq became independent, others like Jordan were created as a new entity and yet others like Palestine, Syria and Lebanon were either mandated or turned into French colonies. As for Arabia, it was at this time that Saudi Arabia became finally consolidated. As for other parts of the Islamic world, Egypt which had been ruled by the descendents of Muhammad Ali since the l9th century became more independent as a result of the fall of the Ottomans, Turkey was turned into a secular republic by Ataturk, and the Pahlavi dynasty began a new chapter in Persia where its name reverted to its eastern traditional form of Iran. But most of the rest of the Islamic world remained under colonial rule.

Arab

It was only after the Second World War and the dismemberment of the British, French, Dutch and Spanish empires that the rest of the Islamic world gained its independence. In the Arab world, Syria and Lebanon became independent at the end of the war as did Libya and the shaykdoms around the Gulf and the Arabian Sea by the 1960's. The North African countries of Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria had to fight a difficult and, in the case of Algeria, long and protracted war to gain their freedom which did not come until a decade later for Tunisia and Morocco and two decades later for Algeria. Only Palestine did not become independent but was partitioned in 1948 with the establishment of the state of Israel.

India

In India Muslims participated in the freedom movement against British rule along with Hindus and when independence finally came in 1947, they were able to create their own homeland, Pakistan, which came into being for the sake of Islam and became the most populated Muslim state although many Muslims remained in India. In 1971, however, the two parts of the state broke up, East Pakistan becoming Bengladesh.

Far East

Farther east still, the Indonesians finally gained their independence from the Dutch and the Malays theirs from Britain. At first Singapore was part of Malaysia but it separated in 1963 to become an independent state. Small colonies still persisted in the area and continued to seek their independence, the kingdom of Brunei becoming independent as recently as 1984.

Africa

In Africa also major countries with large or majority Muslim populations such as Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania began to gain their independence in the 1950's and 1960's with the result that by the end of the decade of the 60's most parts of the Islamic world were formed into independent national states. There were, however, exceptions. The Muslim states in the Soviet Union failed to gain their autonomy or independence. The same holds true for Sinkiang (called Eastem Turkestan by Muslim geographers) while in Eritrea and the southern Philippines Muslim independence movements still continue.

National States

While the world of Islam has entered into the modern world in the form of national states, continuous attempts are made to create closer cooperation within the Islamic world as a whole and to bring about greater unity. This is seen not only in the meetings of the Muslim heads of state and the establishment of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) with its own secretariat, but also in the creation of institutions dealing with the whole of the Islamic world. Among the most important of these is the Muslim World League (Rabitat al-alam al-Islami ) with its headquarters in Makkah. Saudi Arabia has in fact played a pivotal role in the creation and maintenance of such organizations.

Revival and Reassertation of Islam

Muslims did not wish to gain only their political independence. They also wished to assert their own religious and cultural identity. From the 18th century onward Muslim reformers appeared upon the scene who sought to reassert the teachings of Islam and to reform society on the basis of Islamic teachings. One of the first among this group was Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, who hailed from the Arabian peninsula and died there in 1792. This reformer was supported by Muhammad ibn al-Sa'ud, the founder of the first Saudi state. With this support Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab was able to spread his teachings not only in Arabia but even beyond its borders to other Islamic lands where his reforms continue to wield influence to this day.

In the 19th century lslamic assertion took several different forms ranging from the Mahdi movement of the Sudan and the Sanusiyyah in North Africa which fought wars against European colonizers, to educational movements such as that of Aligarh in India aiming to reeducate Muslims. In Egypt which, because of al-Azhar University, remains to this day central to Islamic learning, a number of reformers appear, each addressing some aspect of Islamic thought. Some were concerned more with law, others economics, and yet others the challenges posed by Western civilization with its powerful science and technology. These included Jamal al-Din al-Afghani who hailed originally from Persia but settled in Cairo and who was the great champion of Pan-Islamism, that is the movement to unite the Islamic world politically as well as religiously. His student, Muhammad 'Abduh, who became the rector of al-Azhar. was also very influential in Islamic theology and thought. Also of considerable influence was his Syrian student, Rashid Rida, who held a position closer to that of 'Abd al-Wahhab and stood for the strict application of the Shari'ah. Among the most famous of these thinkers is Muhammad Iqbal, the outstanding poet and philosopher who is considered as the father of Pakistan.

Reform Organizations

Moreover, as Western influence began to penetrate more deeply into the fiber of Islamic society, organizations gradually grew up whose goal was to reform society in practice along Islamic lines and prevent its secularization. These included the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan al-muslimin) founded in Egypt and with branches in many Muslim countries, and the Jama'at-i Islami of Pakistan founded by the influential Mawlana Mawdudi. These organizations have been usually peaceful and have sought to reestablish an Islamic order through education. During the last two decades, however, as a result of the frustration of many Muslims in the face of pressures coming from a secularized outside world, some have sought to reject the negative aspects of Western thought and culture and to return to an Islamic society based completely on the application of the Shari 'ah. Today in every Muslim country there are strong movements to preserve and propagate Islamic teachings. In countries such as Saudi Arabia Islamic Law is already being applied and in fact is the reason for the prosperity, development and stability of the country. In other countries where Islamic Law is not being applied, however, most of the effort of Islamic movements is spent in making possible the full application of the Shari'ah so that the nation can enjoy prosperity along with the fulfillment of the faith of its people. In any case the widespread desire for Muslims to have the religious law of Islam applied and to reassert their religious values and their own identity must not be equated with exceptional violent eruptions which do exist but which are usually treated sensationally and taken out of proportion by the mass media in the West.

Education and Science in the Islamic World

In seeking to live successfully in the modern world, in independence and according to Islamic principles, Muslim countries have been emphasizing a great deal the significance of the role of education and the importance of mastering Western science and technology. Already in the 19th century, certain Muslim countries such as Egypt, Ottoman Turkey and Persia established institutions of higher learning where the modem sciences and especially medicine were taught. During this century educational institutions at all levels have proliferated throughout the Islamic world. Nearly every science ranging from mathematics to biology as well as various fields of modern technology are taught in these institutions and some notable scientists have been produced by the Islamic world, men and women who have often combined education in these institutions with training in the West.

In various parts of the Islamic world there is, however, a sense that educational institutions must be expanded and also have their standards improved to the level of the best institutions in the world in various fields of leaming especially science and technology. At the same time there is an awareness that the educational system must be based totally on Islamic principles and the influence of alien cultural and ethical values and norms, to the extent that they are negative, be diminished. To remedy this problem a number of international Islamic educational conferences have been held, the first one in Makkah in 1977, and the foremost thinkers of the Islamic world have been brought together to study and ponder over the question of the relation between Islam and modern science. This is an ongoing process which is at the center of attention in many parts of the Islamic world and which indicates the significance of educational questions in the Islamic world today.

Influence of Islamic Science and Learning Upon the West

The oldest university in the world which is still functioning is the eleven hundred-year-old Islamic university of Fez, Morocco, known as the Qarawiyyin. This old tradition of Islamic learning influenced the West greatly through Spain. In this land where Muslims, Christians and Jews lived for the most part peacefully for many centuries, translations began to be made in the 11th century mostly in Toledo of Islamic works into Latin often through the intermediary of Jewish scholars most of whom knew Arabic and often wrote in Arabic. As a result of these translations, Islamic thought and through it much of Greek thought became known to the West and Western schools of learning began to flourish. Even the Islamic educational system was emulated in Europe and to this day the term chair in a university reflects the Arabic kursi (literally seat) upon which a teacher would sit to teach his students in the madrasah (school of higher learning). As European civillization grew and reached the high Middle Ages, there was hardly a field of learning or form of art, whether it was literature or architecture, where there was not some influence of Islam present. Islamic learning became in this way part and parcel of Western civilization even if with the advent of the Renaissance, the West not only turned against its own medieval past but also sought to forget the long relation it had had with the Islamic world, one which was based on intellectual respect despite religious opposition.

Conclusion

The Islamic world remains today a vast land stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with an important presence in Europe and America, animated by the teachings of Islam and seeking to assert its own identity. Despite the presence of nationalism and various secular ideologies in their midst, Muslims wish to live in the modern world but without simply imitating blindly the ways followed by the West. The Islamic world wishes to live at peace with the West as well as the East but at the same time not to be dominated by them. It wishes to devote its resources and energies to building a better life for its people on the basis of the teachings of Islam and not to squander its resources in either internal or external conflicts. It seeks finally to create better understanding with the West and to be better understood by the West. The destinies of the Islamic world and the West cannot be totally separated and therefore it is only in understanding each other better that they can serve their own people more successfully and also contribute to a better life for the whole of humanity.

http://endofearth01.blogspot.com/

islam's conflict

Islam's internal conflict (idea)

(idea) by Jaez

Wed Sep 12 2001 at 13:34:31

C! info: 4 C!s given by: bozon, CentrX, amnesiac, mr100percent

11 ¶, 79 s, 1739 w, 10243 c

Here's an interesting rejoinder to the statements made above. - Most Muslims identify as much with the killers involved in the WTC crash as most Christians do with Jack the Ripper.

We do not condone the taking of innocent life for any reason, and those who did this must have had a severely warped view of the world to consider so many people going about their daily lives as 'guilty'. I mourn for those lost in this tragedy, and I pray for the deliverance of those remaining in the aftermath.

I speak for all Muslims when we say that no matter how badly anyone may feel against America, that those innocents involved didn't deserve this.

As such there is no internal conflict, implied or otherwise in Islam, we Muslims have a very keen sense of justice and the scale of this horror and the shock it has given us will take a long time to work through. I would call on those other muslims who are part of the E2 community to support me here in this by stating here what they feel about this tragedy and what relation it has, if any with Islam.

---

It has been pointed out to me recently that the above node, is deeply offensive to Muslims, and as such may need a more rounded exploration than I have so far given it. Sadly, although I see some sincerity in the writeup above, there is also a great deal of misinformation, and perhaps misunderstanding as well. This is as good a place as any to attempt to clear this mess up.

Background to Islam in the Middle East

Mohammed was the last in a series of Prophets that included people like Moses, and Abraham, and Jesus and he established a pure form of worship based on selflessness, sincerity and commitment in the belief of God, or as He is known in Arabic, Allah. Like Christianity, and Judaism, and most other religions on the planet, Islam believes in only one divine Creator, and ruler of Reality, ie God. Islam can be translated as "submission" or "peace" both being derived from extinguishing the ego, and doing good with one's life. As such any violence or evil deed is forbidden. However the right to defend one's self and loved ones from oppression, and slavery is very much respected. Islam doesn't teach a person to turn the other cheek, Islam teaches them not to be slapped in the first place, and if they are slapped to ensure that it never happens to them again. Justice is not about being weak. Muhammad made this very clear, and his words were followed by the followers of Islam ever since he spoke. Islam has no place for hypocrisy or laziness, and your central comitment to God is very much a part of who you are, and cannot be shirked regardless of circumstance. This point is frequently misunderstood in the West, by those who assume that somehow underneath Islamic values there is some sort of western value system waiting to spring forth. Not only is this false vanity on the part of the west, most Muslims, including myself find this assumption to be quite patronising. And rightly so.

At the centre of these problems lies the meaning of jihad. People take jihad to be a holy war, and it is. However it is a war between oneself and one's animal impulses, this is known as The Greater Struggle, The Lesser Struggle is one where a person fights the impulse to be lazy or scared and fights people in the external world who would enslave or oppress them, and keep them from a Muslim life. As such most Jihad is never even connected with the western concept of violence, and never will be. It is a personal tool to purify one's mind and intent in daily life, and as such can never be used as a tool for oppression. This is another western Misunderstanding. This is bourne out by the annals of Islamic history, Muslims were by nature and deed peaceful traders rather than hostile fundamentalists like their Christian cousins. And no, at this point I won't mention the Crusades.

Afghanistan

Perhaps the best instance of Islam being used as a means of liberation is in Afghanistan. It was mainly the fault of the Russians, who being a superpower at the time decided to Invade Afghanistan which was a peaceful, and strategically placed neighbour. During the period of the Soviet Union, Soviet troops invaded in an attempt to expand their territory and power, and also gain access roads to Iran, and Pakistan in the future. A fierce fight broke out, as the native Afghans took the full brunt of the Soviet war machine, which at the time was the largest on the planet. Seeing the strategic value of Afghanistan, and the strength of the resistance movement as it grew up there, America decided to intervene and funded and trained the resistance movement to help them remove the Russian occupation. The fighting was intense, bloody, and drawn out over decades. Eventually the Russians had to withdraw, Afghanistan having turned into their own Vietnam, being totally shocked at the strength of the resistance and their determination. In the aftermath, with no form of civilian government or infrastructure left the warring factions created a civil war to vie for power, and this continued until the Taleban - bunch of 22 year old Islamic students - outfought them all and took over, promising an Islamic state.

The Taleban was what emerged from the old guerrilla groups that had fought the Russians. Though the group as a whole did not exist during the war, its members were devote followers of Islam and had much respect from the Afghan community due to their bravery during the war. However their implementation of Islam was extreme, as it had to tie together all the various factions and bring some sort of discipline to highly trained, incredibly well armed groups with very independent mindsets. With the help of their religious background, and their war hero records, and their scrupulous record for complete honesty, and bravery, they managed to defeat or win as allies almost all of Afghanistan, and controlled roughly 90% of the territory there. Their belief was so devout that they perceived any other religion or interpretation to be misguided, or a distraction. This lead to some rather interesting moves, when they destroyed 4000 year old statues of Buddha, because (as they rightly believed) they were idols. The fact that they had no value or place in an Islamic society was lost to a West which condemned the acts, without thinking them through.

The Taleban still have a firm grip on Afghanistan. They have help from Pakistan and still have the support of the local population. Their control is in part due to their strict adherence to what they see as Islamic law, this is an important point as none of the previous factions would accept any other form of law so they had to practise Islamic Law and hold to it completely otherwise their support would dissapear. Again this point is lost to Western observers. The much vaunted oppression of women is a trade off with local custom, which is quite restrictive on women anyway. This situation is likely to improve in the future as the rulers moderate, very much like Iran did after the revolution.

As mentioned before the Taleban do not have complete control. In the north-eastern corner of the nation, General Masood (now dead) opposed the Taleban and controls just under 10% of the land there. He once fought the Soviets and now receives the backing of Russia. For this he is seen as a traitor by most Afghanis. He enforces a relatively liberal regime on his troops, in contrast to some of the Taleban soldiers who are the most disciplined on the planet. Think Dune Fremen porportions. Recently, he launched a counter-attack, pushing the Taleban back somewhat with the help of a local group in the North that betrayed an agreement with the Taliban, and tried to seceed. They failed however, and the local population, half of whom had no idea what was going on, and who to support suffered heavy losses in the crossfire between the two groups. In early 2001 he was poised to recapture the town of Taloqan, but didn't manage to. Recently there was an attack on him, which suceeded, and he no longer leads the Northern Alliance. The point here is that there is no religious difference between the warring factions, both pray side by side, and the only differences are political ones given to them by interference by outside powers. Namely the West, and Russia.

Iran

Next door to Afghanistan and also devotely Muslim, lies Iran. Iran is much better off, both economically and stability wise. The country had an Islamic revolution in the 70's to overthrow the corrupt Shah, which sent shockwaves through the imperial forces of the West, and there is a very strong Islamic influence to the government up to the present day.. The Ayotollah Khomenei was the absolute leader of Iran, until he died in the early 90's. The conservative clerics backed him, but now the country mostly supports the moderate President Khatami. The government is (and has been since the revolution) democratically elected. In recent years President Khatami has been repeatedly re-elected on his moderate platform, that seeks to improve the quality of life of his fellow Iranians. He has support from many Iranians who are tired of the restrictions placed on their daily lives by the traditionalists. There is a sizeable group of moderate Islamic clerics, who aim to balance the influence of Islam, and separate it from harsh Iranian tradition. The last major conflict Iran was involved in was with Iraq, which at that time was being funded by the West.

What will happen next?

Don't know, your guess is as good as mine. I would hope that the artificial political divisions of the Islamic world into ethnic or national groups will fade, as will some of the artificial borders in the region, but that will necessarily take time. I also imagine that as Islamic unity progresses, there will be warmer relations to the West, muslims forgive, because it is part of being good. The rest, I suppose will be history.

http://endofearth01.blogspot.com/

about cristenization

Indonesian Muslims Fear Christianization
By Daniel Hummel, IOL Correspondent


The Catholic Church has 57 churches in the capital Jakarta alone. (IOL photo)
JAKARTA — Indonesian Muslims are worried about a growing Christianization drive in the world's most populous Muslim country led by Indonesian Chinese, the economic heavyweights.
"The missionaries’ ability to come and give food as well as other services coupled with government corruption in providing alternatives allows this problem to swell," Dr. Mohammad Siddiq, Executive Director of Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah Indonesia, told IslamOnline.net.
He believes that Christianization is a major problem persisting in Indonesia and that one of its chief reasons is poverty.
Siddiq, whose group leads the fight against this drive, said Christians use social services to spread their message.
He added that tsunami-ravaged Aceh was a prime example with missionaries pouring into the area to deliver aid and their message.
The same pattern occurred in other places including Yogyakarta after a devastating earthquake last year.
Siddiq said people disaffected by abject poverty coupled with frequent natural disasters and little knowledge about their own religion have created similar scenarios.
The PKS, an Islamic political and social activist group, says Indonesians are very open and accepting people, thus easily influenced.
If someone comes and treats Indonesians well, giving them money, jobs and food as some missionary groups do, their heart becomes attached to the person.
"The Indonesians think with their heart, if you win their heart you win their soul," said one PKS activist.
Many Indonesian Muslims look up for wealthy Muslim countries to help them withstand such temptations.
Less Muslims

The Senayan City Mall in Jakarta has a church on its top floor. (IOL photo)
Islam entered Indonesia via trade with Arabs, Mughal Indians and Zheng He, the Chinese navigator during the Ming dynasty.
Roughly a century after Islam arrived, Christian missionaries did too.
This culminated in the colonization of most of the archipelago by the Dutch for 350 years until Independence in 1945.
Christianity experienced an exponential growth that peaked in the 1960’s and 70’s when over a relatively short period of time millions converted to Christianity.
Dr. Fatimah Husein, an Indonesian lecturer at State Islamic University in Yogyakarta, attributed the mass conversions to the events following the Communist coup and its suppression in 1965.
Many Communists seeking acceptance were quickly welcomed by the Christians, she concluded in her thesis Muslim-Christian Relations in the New Order Indonesia.
Husein cites comparative Indonesian State Statistics based on censuses in 1971 and 1990.
In 1971, Muslims made up 87.5 percent of the Indonesian populace and Christians 7.5 percent.
In 1990, the Muslim percentage went down slightly to 87.2 while the Christian increased by 2.1 percent to reach 9.6.Booming

Hospitals, Christian in name and symbol, have often been cited as grounds for proselytizing. (IOL photo)
Today, Christian missionaries are as active as they have ever been.
Indigenous Christians and Chinese immigrants who converted to Christianity during the Dutch occupation make up the bulk of the missionary effort.
With privileges under the Dutch that they continued to enjoy under Indonesian dictator Soeharto, Chinese Christians have accumulated great economic powers.
Malls host public speeches on Christian topics as well as Christmas celebrations, while giving little recognition to Islamic holidays.
Most of those building and managing these malls are Christians of Chinese descent.
One example is the newest mall built in Jakarta, Senayan City Mall, which has a church on its top floor.
The mall, built and managed by Manggala Gelora Perkasa, offers a large public space of attraction to many Indonesians.
Questions directed to the mall about the placement of a church inside were avoided and never responded to.
The Catholic Church has 57 churches in the capital Jakarta alone.
Another example of concealed missionary is evident in the healthcare sector.
One of the largest financial blocs in Indonesia belongs to the Lippo Group of Mochtar Riady, a Christian and Chinese.
The Group has holdings in many different markets, with healthcare comprising a quarter of their earnings.
Their line of hospitals, called Siloam Hospitals (Siloam is the Indonesian version of Shalom for the Jewish greeting or in Indonesia the Christian version of Salam), offers international standard healthcare.
The hospitals are overtly Christian given the name and the symbol being the Cross.
Many Muslims frequent these hospitals and have often been cited as grounds for proselytizing.
Dr. Husein insists that Christians in Indonesia cannot be viewed as one bloc and that there are many groups with different views about proselytizing.
"There are groups in Christianity, as well as in Islam, who are more ‘hardliners’ and they might have the agenda to Christianize Indonesia as part of their religious mission," she told IOL.
"However, I think Muslims have to be cautious that even amongst the Christians themselves there are disagreements as to how to spread their religions."

Story of hijraj

Story of Prophet’s Hijrah 19/02/2004
When the persecution of the people of Makkah against the Muslims grew intense, Allah commanded them to emigrate so that they could establish the religion of Allah in a land where they could worship Him.
Allah chose Madinah as the land of Hijrah (emigration for the sake of Allah). The Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, saw in a dream that he was immigrating to that city. It was narrated from Abu Musa that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I saw in a dream that I was emigrating from Makkah to a land in which there are date palms, and I thought that it was Al-Yamamah or Hajar, but it turned out to be Madinah, Yathrib.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Al-Bukhari also narrated on the authority of `A'ishah that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to the Muslims: “I have been shown the land to which you will immigrate: it has palm trees between two lava fields, two stony tracts.” So, some people immigrated to Madinah, and most of those people who had previously immigrated to the land of Ethiopia, returned to Madinah.
Commenting on this hadith, Al-Hafiz wrote: "The harrah (stony tract) is land whose stones are black. This dream was different from the dream mentioned above in the hadith of Abu Musa in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was not sure where that land was. Ibn At-Teen said: The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was shown the land of immigration in a way that could apply to Madinah and to other places; then he was shown the feature that is unique to Madinah so it became clear which land that was.”
With regard to the first Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to emigrate, Al-Bara', may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The first ones who came to us of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, were Mus`ab ibn `Umayr and Ibn Umm Maktum. They started to teach us the Qur’an. Then `Ammar, Bilal, and Sa`d came, then `Umar ibn Al-Khattab came with twenty others. Then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came, and I never saw the people of Madinah rejoice more than that. They rejoiced so much that I saw the girls and boys saying, ‘This is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he has come’” (Al-Bukhari).
The following hadith sums up many of the events of the Prophet’s emigration: It was narrated on the authority of `A'ishah that he Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to the Muslims: “In a dream I have been shown your place of immigration, a land of date palm trees, between two lava fields, the two stony tracts.” So, some people immigrated to Madinah, and most of those people who had previously immigrated to the land of Ethiopia returned to Madinah. Abu Bakr also prepared to leave for Madinah, but the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, “Wait for a while, because I hope that I will be allowed to emigrate also.” Abu Bakr said, “Do you indeed expect this? May my father be sacrificed for you!” The Prophet said, "Yes." So Abu Bakr stayed behind for the sake of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, so that he could accompany him. He fed two she-camels he owned for four months.
One day, while we [`A’ishah is still narrating] were sitting in Abu Bakr's house at noon, someone said to Abu Bakr, "This is the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with his head covered, coming at a time at which he never used to visit us before." Abu Bakr said, "May my father and mother be sacrificed for him. By Allah, he has not come at this hour except for something important." So the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came and asked permission to enter, and he was admitted. When he entered, he said to Abu Bakr. "Tell everyone who is present with you to go away." Abu Bakr replied, "There is no one here but you’re my family.
May my father be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah!" The Prophet said, "I have been given permission to emigrate." Abu Bakr said, "Shall I accompany you?" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Yes." Abu Bakr said, "O Messenger of Allah, may my father be sacrificed for you, take one of these two she-camels of mine." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, "(I will accept it) with payment." So we prepared the baggage quickly and put some journey food in a leather bag for them. Asma’, the daughter of Abu Bakr, cut a piece from her waist belt and tied the mouth of the leather bag with it, and for that reason she was named Dhat Un-Nitaqain, the Owner of Two Belts.
Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Bakr reached a cave on the mountain of Thawr and stayed there for three nights. `Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr, who was an intelligent and wise youth, stayed (with them) overnight. He would leave them before daybreak so that in the morning he would be with the Quraysh, as if he had spent the night in Makkah. He would keep in mind any plot made against them, and when it became dark he would (go and) inform them of it. `Amir ibn Fuhayrah, the freed slave of Abu Bakr, used to bring the milch sheep (of his master, Abu Bakr) to them a little while after nightfall. So they always had fresh milk at night, the milk of their sheep. `Amir ibn Fuhayrah would then take the flock away when it was still dark (before daybreak). He did the same on each of those three nights. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and Abu Bakr had hired a man from the tribe of Banu Ad-Dayl from the family of Banu `Abd ibn `Adiyy as an expert guide, … he was of the religion of the polytheists of the Quraysh, but the Prophet and Abu Bakr trusted him and gave him their two she-camels and made an appointment with him for him to bring their two she-camels to the cave of the mountain of Thawr in the morning after three nights had passed. And (when they set out),`Amir ibn Fuhayrah and the guide went along with them and the guide led them along the coast.
Ibn Shihab said: `Abdur-Rahman ibn Malik Al-Mudliji, who was the nephew of Suraqah ibn Malik, told me that his father informed him that he heard Suraqah saying: The messengers of the Quraysh came to us declaring that they had assigned for the persons who would kill or arrest the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Bakr, a reward equal to their blood-money. While I was sitting in one of the gatherings of my tribe, a man from them came to us and stood while we were sitting, and said, “O Suraqah! I have just seen some people far away on the shore, and I think they are Muhammad and his companion.” Suraqah added: I realized that it must have been them. But I said, “No, it is not them, but you must have seen so-and-so, and so-and-so whom we saw setting out.” I stayed in the gathering for a while and then got up and left for my home. I ordered my slave-girl to get my horse, which was behind a hillock, and keep it ready for me.
Then I took my spear and left by the back door of my house dragging the lower end of the spear on the ground and keeping it low. Then I reached my horse, mounted it and made it gallop. When I approached them (i.e., Muhammad and Abu Bakr), my horse stumbled and I fell down from it. Then I stood up, got hold of my quiver and took out the divining arrows and drew lots as to whether I should harm them or not, and the lot which I disliked came out. But I remounted my horse and let it gallop, giving no importance to the divining arrows. When I heard the recitation of the Qur’an by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who was not looking around although Abu Bakr kept doing that, suddenly the forelegs of my horse sank into the ground up to the knees, and I fell down from it. Then I rebuked it and it got up but it could hardly lift its forelegs from the ground, and when it stood up straight again, its forelegs caused dust to rise up in the sky like smoke. Then again I drew lots with the divining arrows, and the lot which I disliked came out. So I called to them to let them know they were safe. They stopped, and I remounted my horse and went to them. When I saw how I had been hampered from harming them, it came to my mind that the cause of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would become victorious. So I said to him, "Your people have assigned a reward equal to the blood-money for your capture." Then I told them all the plans the people of Makkah had made concerning them. Then I offered them some journey food and goods but they refused to take anything and did not ask for anything, but the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Do not tell others about us." Then I requested him to write for me a guarantee of security. He ordered `Amir bin Fuhayrah to write it for me on a piece of animal skin, then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went on his way.
When the Muslims of Madinah heard that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had departed Makkah and was heading towards them, they started going to the harrah (stony tract formed of lava) every morning. They would wait for him till the heat of the noon forced them to return. One day, after waiting for a long while, they returned home, and when they went into their houses, a Jew climbed up onto the roof of one of the forts of his people to look for something, and he saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and his companions dressed in white clothes, as if they were emerging out of a desert mirage.
The Jew could not help shouting at the top of his voice, "O Arabs! Here is your great man whom you have been waiting for!" So all the Muslims rushed to pick up their weapons and went to meet the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on the lava field. The Prophet turned to the right and alighted in the land of Banu `Amr ibn `Awf. This was on a Monday in the month of Rabi` Awwal. Abu Bakr stood receiving the people while the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sat and kept silent. Some of the Ansar (Helpers) who came and had not seen the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him before, began greeting Abu Bakr, but when the sunshine fell on the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Bakr came forward and shaded him with his cloak, only then did the people recognize the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stayed with Banu `Amr ibn `Awf for ten nights and established the mosque that was founded on piety, the Mosque of Quba'. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed in it and then mounted his she-camel and moved on, accompanied by the people till his she-camel knelt down at the place where the Mosque of the Prophet now stands in Madinah. Some Muslims used to pray there in those days, and that place was a yard for drying dates belonging to Suhail and Sahl, two orphan boys who were under the guardianship of As`ad ibn Zurarah. When his she-camel knelt down, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "This place, Allah willing, will be our place." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then called the two boys and told them to name a price for that yard so that he might take it as a mosque. The two boys said, "No, but we will give it as a gift, O Messenger of Allah!" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, refused to take it as a gift and insisted on buying it from them.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, built a mosque there. He himself helped in the construction. He started carrying unburned bricks for its building and while doing so, he would say, "This load is better than the load of Khaybar, for it is more pious in the sight of Allah and purer and better rewardable." He was also saying, "O Allah! The actual reward is the reward in the Hereafter, so bestow Your Mercy on the Ansar and the Muhajirun (Immigrants)."
This is a summary of the events of the Hijrah. Whoever wants to know more may consult references such as Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihayah by Ibn Kathir.
Excerpted with slight modification from www.islam-qa.com

Iman

What is Iman?
Many people falsely interpret Iman to mean faith or belief in one’s heart. However, this is not the way the messenger Muhammad (SAW) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) understood Iman to be. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’aan: “If they believe the way you believe (Sahabah), they will be guided. And if they go astray, they will be in complete contradiction…” (Quran Soorah Al-Baqarah, 2: 137)This verse was revealed in relation to the Muslims that will come after the companions of Rasoolullah (SAW). Allah (swt) clearly explains that for any Muslim to be guided, he must believe in what the Sahabah (the companions of the messenger Muhammad (SAW)) believed in. Therefore the understanding of the Sahabah in matters relating to ‘Aqeedah (belief) and Fiqh is binding (obligatory) upon us to follow and adopt.The Sahabah understood Iman to be belief in the heart, to testify by the tongue and to practice (the deen of Islaam) willingly. The evidence for this is the hadith reported in Ibn Maajah, narrated by Imaam ‘Ali (ra), that the messenger Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘Iman is conviction in the heart, testifying by the tongue and acting upon the pillars of the actions.’Therefore it goes without saying that any other understanding of Iman is a misguided and deviant understanding and should not be followed or adopted by any sincere Muslim who wishes to follow the path of the best men that walked the earth.Why is it so important to know what Iman is?Without Iman a person can never be called a Muslim. The sciences in Shari’ah related to Iman and Tawheed are the greatest of all sciences and if understood correctly, the way the Sahabah did, it would lead to the first step towards paradise.Secondly, for us to be guided we must believe in what the Sahabah believed in, hence we must believe in Iman they way they did (as explained above) therefore we are obliged to study this topic. Also any negligence to study what Iman is could lead to apostasy; if one does not know what Iman is, it is inevitable that he or she will commit kufr.The evidences for the three conditions of Iman are given in more detail below:Iman is to believe in the heartAllah (swt) says in the Qur’aan: “When the hypocrites come to you they say: "We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allâh." Allâh knows that you are indeed His Messenger and Allâh bears witness that the hypocrites are liars indeed.They have made their oaths a screen (for their hypocrisy). Thus they hinder (men) from the Path of Allâh. Verily, evil is what they used to do. That is because they believed, then disbelieved, therefore their hearts are sealed, so they understand not.” (Quran Al-Munaafiqoun, 63: 1-3)In the above verses Allah (SWT) states that the Munaafiqoun (hypocrites) pretend Iman and Islaam in their actions but they disbelieve in their heart. Therefore it is not enough just to testify by your tongue and perform good actions; you MUST also believe in the heart. Furthermore, Allah (swt) says in the Qur’aan: “And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: "We believe in Allâh and the Last Day" while in fact they believe not. They (think to) deceive Allâh and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not!” (Quran Al-Baqarah, 2: 8-9)The hypocrites will always claim to be believers and publicly show Islaam but in their inner (heart) they conceal kufr and hatred for Islamic laws. Imaam Al-Qurtubi said in response to this aayaat ‘they (the hypocrites) try to deceive Allah and the believers but they deceive none but themselves.’Because of their false impressions and lies, Allah (swt) informs us that the munaafiqeen will be in the bottom of hell-fire, simply because they testify that which they do not believe in:“Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths (grade) of the Fire; no helper will you find for them.” (Quran An-Nisaa’, 4: 145)Also the famous hadith, quoted even in Imaam Nawawi’s forty ahadith, the messenger Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘Every action is done by intention...’ Again this hadith confirms the principle ‘action is the manifestation of the intention.’ Therefore when a person commits that which is kufr, it is not our duty to check his heart and his intention, we leave this to Allah. Our duty is to judge the action not the intention, and this famous hadith states that the intention behind every action is apparent in the action.When a person fornicates and there are a sufficient number of witnesses, that person will be lashed, regardless of his intention! If we judged by intention, what if the intention of a fornicator is to have children and bring them up as ‘Ulama? Would he then be pardoned from punishment? Likewise a thief may have the intention of steeling in order to support the Mujaahideen! Do we judge his intention or action? Allah (SWT) and the messenger Muhammad (SAW) never instructed us to judge by intention as only almighty Allah knows that which is in the heart. We are obliged to judge the action of mankind, not their heart.Also it is narrated by ‘Umar bin Khattaab (RA) that the messenger Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘Action is based upon the intention…the intention cannot be separated from action.’ (Muslim)And narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA) that the messenger Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘The one who testifies that ‘there is none truly worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah’ sincerely from his heart, Allah will forbid upon him hell-fire.’ (Bukhaari)Therefore it is beyond doubt that Iman is belief in the heart. The only people who say that Iman is only to testify by the tongue is a sect called Al-Karamiyyah who are from the Mu’tazila (rationalists). They believe if you say something and do not fulfil it you are a munaafiq (hypocrite). The Karamiyyah do not believe anything is settled in the heart as they interpret qalb (heart) to mean ‘mind’. However, the Karamiyyah generally do not exist today but can be found in some remote parts of the world (they are very rare to find).Iman is to testify by the tongueIt is narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar in Saheeh Muslim that the messenger Muhammad said to his uncle Abu Taalib (on his death bed): ‘Say: Laa ilaha illallah’ and I will testify for you on the day of judgement that you are a believer. His uncle then said: ‘…it is only because my people may think that I have turned my back, otherwise you would see tears of happiness.’ In other narrations he said: ‘nobody is more trustworthy than Allah and there is no Deen (what you believe in, live by and die for) like the Deen of Islaam, but I will never like what my people dislike.’ His uncle Abu Taalib rejected to testify the kalimah, though he believed in his heart. Allah then informed his messenger that he does not have the power of guidance; it is only Allah that can guide.Imaam Nawawi also said: ‘The condition of Iman is to testify (the kalimah) verbally, believing in it and all what the prophet (SAW) gave.’Iman is to practice willingly by the limbsAllah (swt) says in the Qur’aan: And Allâh would never make your Iman (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allâh is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind. (Quran Al-Baqarah, 2: 143)Imaam Al-Qurtubi said in his tafseer (explanation) on this verse: ‘Iman is salaat as it requires niyyah (intention), sayings and action. People used to pray towards Jerusalem but then Allah changed the Qiblah (direction of prayer) and they thought that their salaat before was wasted (invalid).’Imaam Maalik also said: “those who say: ‘salat is not Iman’ are Murji’ih (those who separate Iman from action i.e. they are misguided)’”The messenger Muhammad (SAW) was also once asked: ‘What is the best action? He (SAW) replied: ‘to believe in Allah and his messenger.’ (Bukhaarie)The messenger Muhammad (SAW) was asked in the above hadith ‘what is the best action?’ He replied ‘to believe in Allah and his messenger.’ Hence Iman is action.It is also narrated that the messenger Muhammad (SAW) said: ‘Iman is over 70 branches. The highest is to say Laa ilaha illallah…and the lowest is to remove harm from street.’ (Muslim)This hadith again indicates that Iman is action as he said the lowest form of Iman is to remove harm from the street, which is an action.And finally it is narrated that Imaam Bukhaari said: ‘Al-Iman is sayings and action that increases (by good deeds) and decreases (by bad deeds).’