controversial

Although France has banned religious symbols from schools, some of the country's 1,200 veiled Muslim schoolgirls are still searching for a compromise.

Some of the veiled schoolgirls meet regularly to discuss their strategy

"French education", declares a trim man behind a big desk, "aims to allow each person, irrespective of their religion or their community, the chance to start on an equal footing and receive the same education."

This impassioned defence of French secularism comes from Raymond Scieux, headmaster of Lycee Eugene Delacroix in Drancy, a suburb northeast of Paris.

For much of last year, Scieux and other French headmasters, had the unenviable task of guiding staff and students through a new French law banning all conspicuous religious symbols from state schools.

The law is widely supported by the French, who regard secularism as a pillar of the Republic.

No crucifixes, no skullcaps, no Islamic headscarves. There can now be nothing within the walls of a state school that can immediately identify a religious affiliation.

Dispute

Raymond Scieux sees no place for religion in French schools

From the beginning, the French law was perceived by most of France's five million Muslims to be an ill-concealed attempt to ban veils from the classroom.

"There's a lot of tension in the Islamic community which feels targeted," Scieux admits, "but it's actually applicable to all religions".

Between May and October of last year, the BBC filmed at Lycee Eugene Delacroix with people from both sides of the debate.

Teachers, their headmaster and pupils were caught up in an emotional drama that would ultimately decide whether or not a handful of veiled girls would be expelled for wearing the Islamic headscarf in school.

Personal choice

"What does this veil mean to me?" asks Touria, a softly-spoken and serious pupil at Delacroix. "It's part of who I am. It's not just some bit of fabric on my head. It's everything.

People say that it's the women who wear the veil that are submissive... but I think it is those women who are submissive Touria, student

"Looking back on it, I can't imagine taking it off. What I'm wearing today I consider the minimum."

What Touria is wearing is a bandanna, a simple scarf that covers her hair but not her ears or neck. She says she prefers to wear this so she doesn't draw attention to herself or her religion.

Touria is one of five veiled girls from Delacroix who are meeting once a week in a friend's flat to discuss their strategy to fight a strict interpretation of the law at their school.

Others come to the meetings too, including a handful of anti-law teachers and non-Muslim schoolfriends.

Their fear is that the headmaster will decide to ban all headcoverings, so they're looking for a compromise.

Secular France

The headmaster, however, is under pressure from the majority of his teachers, who want a total ban on headcoverings.

He has decided to hold a public meeting at the school term so all interested parties can air their views.

This law is here to protect those girls who are compelled to do things they don't want to do Eric Finot, teacher

Among the speakers at the public meeting is Eric Finot, a history teacher at Delacroix with strong views on the subject.

As he rises to speak, he says he wants to address the veiled girls in particular.

"We are only asking you to abide by the principle of secularism," he says.

To the anger of the girls, he then adds: "We are thinking of those girls who we could maybe protect a little bit at school... This law is here to protect those girls who are compelled to do things they don't want to do - not to be forced into marriage, not to wear the veil."

Separate issues

For the veiled girls, the public meeting confirmed their worst fears. The pro-law lobby was mixing everything Islamic in the same pot: Sharia law, forced marriage, veils.

They understood very well the feminist arguments condemning many aspects of their faith, but all of them insisted that they were under no pressure at home to wear the veil.

Iptiseim (right) believes France wants to de-veil Muslim girls in order to veil its problems

In fact, quite the opposite. Their parents would prefer to them to de-veil than jeopardise their education.

Touria adds: "People say that it's the women who wear the veil that are submissive... but I think it is those women who are submissive, because it is what men want, women half naked."

As the veiled girls agonised over whether or not they would de-veil, their headmaster became convinced that a compromise was possible.

When Lycee Eugene Delacroix opened for the new school year, it was one of the only schools in France to allow girls to wear a discreet bandanna.

But for veiled girls like Iptiseim, this was not the outcome she had hoped for.

"Now that I'm wearing a bandanna in school," she says, "when I come out I can't wait to put my veil back on. It was always important, but now even more so."

Marry in Islam

MARRIAGE IN ISLAM.

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Islam, unlike other religions is a strong advocate of marriage. There is no place for celibacy like, for example the Roman Catholic priests and nuns. The prophet (pbuh) has said "there is no celibacy in Islam.

Marriage is a religious duty and is consequently a moral safeguard as well as a social necessity. Islam does not equal celibacy with high "taqwa" / "Iman". The prophet has also said, "Marriage is my tradition who so ever keeps away there from is not from amongst me".

Marriage acts as an outlet for sexual needs and regulate it so one does not become a slave to his/ her desires.

It is a social necessity because through marriage, families are established and the family is the fundamental unit of our society. Furthermore, marriage is the only legitimate or halal way to indulge in intimacy between a man and a woman.

Islam takes a middle of the road position to sexual relations , it neither condemns it like certain religions, nor does it allow it freely. Islam urges us to control and regulate our desires, whatever they may be so that we remain dignified and not become like animals.

The purpose of Marriage.

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The word "zawj" is used in the Qur'an to mean a pair or a mate. In general it usage refers to marriage. The general purpose of marriage is that the sexes can provide company to one another, love to one another, procreate children and live in peace and tranquility to the commandments of Allah.

* Marriage serves as a means to emotional and sexual gratification and as a means of tension reduction. It is also a form of Ibadah because it is obeying Allah and his messenger - i.e. Marriage is seen as the only possible way for the sexes to unite. One could choose to live in sin, however by choosing marriage one is displaying obedience to Allah.

Marriage is "mithaq" - a solemn covenant (agreement). It is not a matter which can be taken lightly. It should be entered into with total commitment and full knowledge of what it involves. It is not like buying a new dress where you can exchange it if you don't like it. Your partner should be your choice for life. One should be mature enough to understand the demands of marriage so that the union can be a lasting one. For a marriage to be valid certain conditions must be met.

1) consent of both parties.

2) " Mahr" a gift from the groom to his bride.

3) Witnesses- 2 male or female.

4) The marriage should be publicized, it should never be kept secret as it leads to suspicion and troubles within the community.

Is Marriage obligatory?

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According to Imams Abu Hanifah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Malik ibn Anas, marriage is recommendatory, however in certain individuals it becomes wajib/obligatory. Imam Shaafi'i considers it to be nafl or mubah (preferable). The general opinion is that if a person, male or female fears that if he/she does not marry they will commit fornication, then marriage becomes "wajib". If a person has strong sexual urges then it becomes "wajib" for that person to marry. Marriage should not be put off or delayed especially if one has the means to do so.

A man, however should not marry if he or she does not possess the means to maintain a wife and future family, or if he has no sex drive or if dislikes children, or if he feels marriage will seriously affect his religious obligation.

The general principle is that prophet (pbuh) enjoined up in the followers to marry.

He said "when a man marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion , so let him fear Allah regarding the remaining half." This hadith is narrated by Anas. Islam greatly encourages marriage because it shields one from and upholds the family unit which Islam places great importance.

Selection of a partner:

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The choice of a partner should be the one with the most "taqwa" (piety). The prophet recommended the suitors see each other before going through with marriage. It is unreasonable for two people to be thrown together and be expected to relate and be intimate when they know nothing of each other. The couple are permitted to look at each other with a critical eye and not a lustful one. This ruling does not contradict the ayah which says that believing men and women should lower their gaze.

- The couple, however are not permitted to be alone in a closed room or go out together alone. As the hadith says "when a man and a woman are together alone, there is a third presence i.e. shaitan.

- There is no concept of courtship in Islam as it is practised in the west. There is no dating or living in defacto relationship or trying each other out before they commit to each other seriously. There is to be no physical relationship what so ever before marriage. The romantic notions that young people often have, have proven in most cases to be unrealistic and harmful to those involved. We only have to look at the alarming divorce rate in the west to understand this point. e.g. the couple know each other for years, are intimate, live together and so on yet somehow this does not guarantee the success of the future marriage. Romance and love simply do not equal a everlasting bond between two people.

Fact: Romance and love die out very quickly when we have to deal in the real world. The unrealistic expectations that young people have is what often contributes to the failure of their relationship.

- The west make fun of the Islamic way of marriage in particular arranged marriage, yet the irony is that statistically arranged marriages prove to be more successful and lasting than romantic types of courtship.

This is because people are blinded by the physical attraction and thus do not choose the compatible partner.

Love blinds people to potential problems in the relationship. There is an Arabic saying: which says "the mirror of love is blind, it makes zucchini into okra". Arranged marriages on the other hand, are based not on physical attraction or romantic notions but rather on critical evaluation of the compatibility of the couple.

This is why they often prove successful.

Consent of parties.

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There is a halal arranged marriage and a haram one. It is OK to arrange marriages by suggestion and recommendation as long as both parties are agreeable. The other arranged marriage is when parents choose the future spouse and the couple concerned are forced or have no choice in the matter.

One of the conditions of a valid marriage is consent of the couple.

Marriage by definition is a voluntary union of two people.

The choice of a partner by a Muslim virgin girl is subject to the approval of the father or guardian under Maliki school. This is to safeguard her welfare and interests. The prophet said "the widow and the divorced woman shall not be married until she has consented and the virgin shall not be married until her consent is obtained. The prophet did revoke the marriage of a girl who complained to him that her father had married her against her wishes.

The husband/wife relationship.

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-The wifes rights - the Husbands obligations.

(1) Maintenance

The husband is responsible for the wifes maintenance. This right is established by authority of the Qur'an and the sunnah. It is inconsequen tial whether the wife is a Muslim , non-Muslim, rich, poor, healthy or sick. A component of his role as "qawam" (leader) is to bear the financial responsibility of the family in a generous way so that his wife may be assured security and thus perform her role devotedly.

The wifes maintenance entails her right to lodging, clothing, food and general care, like medication, hospital bills etc. He must lodge her where he resides himself according to his means. The wifes lodge must be adequate so as to ensure her privacy, comfort and independence.

If a wife has been used to a maid or is unable to attend to her household duties, it is the husbands duty to provide her with a maid if he can afford to do so. The prophet is reported to have said: The best Muslim is one who is the best husband.

(2) "Mahr "

The wife is entitled to a marriage gift that is her own. This may be prompt or deferred depending on the agreement between the parties. A marriage is not valid without mahr. It does not have to be money or gold. It can be non-material like teaching her to read the Qur'an. " Mahr" is a gift from the groom to the bride. This is the Islamic law, unlike some cultures whereby the brides parents pay the future husband to marry the daughter. This practice degrades women and is contrary to the spirit of Islam. There is no specification in the Qur'an as to what or how much the Mahr has to be. It depends on the parties involved.

(3) Non-material rights.

A husband is commanded by the law of Allah to treat his wife with equity, respect her feelings and show kindness and consideration, especially if he has another wife. The prophet last sermon stresses kindness to women.

The wife obligations - the Husbands rights.

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One of the main duties of the wife is to contribute to the success and blissfulness of the marriage. She must be attentive to the comfort and wellbeing of her husband. The Qur'anic ayah which illustrates this point is:

"Our lord, grant us wives and offspring who will be the apples of our eyes and guide us to be models for the righteous"

The wife must be faithful, trustworthy and honest she must not deceive her husband by deliberately avoiding contraception. She must not allow any other person to have access to that which is exclusively the husband right i.e. sexual intimacy. She must not receive or entertain strange males in the house without his knowledge and consent. She should not be alone with a strange male. She should not accept gifts from other men without his approval. This is meant to avoid jealousy, suspicion and gossip. The husband possessions are her trust. She may not dispose of his belongings without his permission.

A wife should make herself sexually attractive to her husband and be responsive to his advances. The wife must not refuse her husband sexually as this can lead to marital problems and worse still - tempt the man to adultery. The husband of course should take into account the wifes health and general consideration should be given.

Obedience.

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The purpose of obedience in the relationship is to keep the family unit running as smoothly as possible. The man has been given the right to be obeyed because he is the leader and not because he is superior. If a leader is not obeyed , his leadership will become invalid -Imagine a king or a teacher or a parent without the necessary authority which has been entrusted to them.

Obedience does not mean blind obedience. It is subject to conditions:

(a) It is required only if what is asked from the wife is within the permissible categories of action.

(b) It must be maintained only with regard to matters that fall under the husband rights.

About Islam

islam

Origins
Islam means submission to Allah (God). Islam was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad who lived from 570 CE to 632 CE in Mecca in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Muhammad was called to prophethood when God dictated the Qur'an to him through the archangel Gabriel. Although he gained a small following in his tribe, Muhammad was initially persecuted for his beliefs. In 622 CE he fled to Yathrib, now called Medina, where the first Muslim political community was formed. Enlisting the help of nomadic Arab clans, Muhammad returned to Mecca, stripping the city of all signs of pagan belief. He was generous to those he defeated, however, and many converted to Islam. Two years later, in front of the Ka'ba in Mecca, he declared Islam the religion of the people, saying he had fulfilled his mission and that he left behind him the Book of Allah and a set of clear commandments.


History and Spread
By the time of Muhammad's death, many people of the Arabian Peninsula had begun to follow Islam. A series of caliphs and dynasties led the Muslim community after Muhammad's death, creating an Islamic empire that expanded as far as modern-day Pakistan in the east, Spain in the north, and North Africa to the south. This was a period of great intellectual, cultural and spiritual vitality. In Spain, Islamic civilisation lasted until 1492 when the Christian monarchs regained power. After the collapse of the Empire, Islam remained the dominant religion in most Middle Eastern countries and significant pockets throughout North Africa and Asia.


In Australia
The history of Islam in Australia pre-dates European settlement. From 1650, Muslim fisherman from South East Asia communicated and traded with Aborigines from Australia's north. Some inter-marriage occurred. In the 1860s, some 3000 camel drivers - with camels - came from Afghanistan and the Indian sub-continent. This group contributed to the exploration of the Australian outback, working on both the railway line between Port Augusta and Alice Springs, and the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin, which connected Australia to London via India.

Since the late 1960s there have been a number of significant Muslim migrations into Australia, most notably from Turkey and Lebanon. In the 1990s, refugees and migrants from the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Indonesia and Malaysia have all made their home in Australia.

Some Islamic societies in Australia are affiliated with AFIC (The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils), which does not control the individual societies but gives a public voice and face to Islam, both in state and federal politics and matters of community representation. Between 1991 and 1996, the Muslim community grew by 36 per cent (approx. 53 000). In 1996, there were over 280,000 Muslims in Australia, belonging to over 70 ethnic groups (ABS).


Key Movements
Islam is divided into two main sects, the Sunni and the Shi'a. This division arose over the order of caliph succession in the first century of the Islamic calendar.

Shi'ites believe that the true authority and leadership of Muslims after Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali, continued through a line of imams (religious teachers). Sunnis uphold the supremacy of the caliphs, the line of rulers elected by the people and mandated to guard the prophetic legacy in the administration of community affairs. This gave rise to the development of Shari'a law.

Shi'ites constitute less than 10 per cent of world's Muslims, and possess many internal divisions. The largest contemporary Shi'a group are the Ithna'asharis, or Twelvers. Shi'ites are a majority in Iran. Sunni Muslims constitute 90% of the world's Muslims and are considered the orthodox face of Islam.

There are various mystic strands of Islam, such as Sufism and the Ibadites of Oman, East Africa and Algeria. These are not, strictly speaking, sectarian divisions.


Organisational Structure
Muslims do not require an intermediary between themselves and God. Imams - religious teachers and leaders of prayer in the mosques - do, however, play a significant role. They are often formally educated in matters of religion and jurisprudence, and systems exist for settling questions of law and religious observance. The al-Azahr, a Islamic university in Cairo, is conventionally regarded as the highest authority in Sunni Islam. The Shi'a developed a hierarchy in line with their beliefs in the succession of rule; in Iran, this finds expression in the system of ayatollahs (senior interpreters and arbiters of religious law).

Mosques are not denominational and are run on a number of models depending on the mosque's governing constitution. Some are ethnically-based.


Key Beliefs

• Muslims hold six articles of belief



• There is only one God without limit, called Allah.



• Muhammad received the Qur'an as a copy of the eternal Qur'an which is inscribed in heaven.



• God created heavenly beings called angels to serve God and they are opposed by evil spirits.



• God sent his prophets to the earth at their appointed times, and the Prophet Muhammad was the last and greatest messenger of God.



• There will be a last day of world history called the Day of Judgement. Good and evil will be weighed in the balance. The wicked will be punished and the just will enjoy eternal life in Paradise.



• Everything in the universe has a predetermined course. Nothing happens without the will or knowledge of God.

The sunna is a collection of traditions, moral sayings and anecdotes (hadiths) of Muhammad. It embodies all the elaborations of Qur'anic teaching.

The practice of religious faith is also built on the five pillars of Islam:

• Shahadah (declaration of faith): "I bear witness that there is no god, but God; I bear witness that Muhammad is the prophet of God." By reciting this, one enters Islamic faith.



• Salaah (prayer): Muslims are required to pray five times a day, washing themselves before prayer and facing in the direction of Mecca while praying.
  
  
• Zakat (charity): Muslims are required to give away a percentage of their earnings to those less fortunate, regardless of their religion.



• Saum (fasting): Muslims fast for one lunar month each year, a period called Ramadan. During this time, Muslims reflect on their behaviour and strive to purify their thoughts.



• Hajj (pilgrimage): If it is financially possible, Muslims are required to travel to Mecca once in their lifetime.



• Ijma means 'the agreement of Islam.' It is an important mechanism for resolving theological conflicts because it is embodies a sense of past community in present action.



• Sharia is the sacred law of Islam, based on the divine revelations contained in the Qur'an and sunna.



• Dietary requirements. Animals have souls and so need to be slaughtered in a special way. This is the meaning of halal (permitted).

Key Festivals

• Ramadan: Celebrates the gift of the Qur'an. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims must fast between sunrise and sunset.
  
  
• Eid-al-Fitr: The festival for the first day after Ramadan.
  
  
• Dhu Al-Hijja: The month of pilgrimage during which all Muslims, at least once in their life, should try to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.
  
  
• Eid-al-adha: The Festival of Sacrifice which occurs 70 days after Eid-al-Fitr. It commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son for God. Every family who can afford it must slaughter an animal and distribute the meat among relatives, neighbours and the poor.
  
  
• The first day of Muharram: The Islamic New Year begins on the day Muhammad left Mecca to travel to Medina.
  
  
• The twelfth day of Rabi I: Celebrates the birth of the prophet.
  
  
• Mirajun Nabi: Commemorates the prophet's journey from Mecca to the heavens.

AL-QUR`AN, The Miracle of Miracles

asalamualaikum warahmutullah wabarakatuhu,

Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem:

AL-QUR`AN, The Miracle of Miracles

Ahmed Deedat

chap1

Say: If the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur`an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.

What is a miracle?
I think it is necessary that we have a clear picture of what we mean by a miracle. Here are some definitions:-

"An event that appears so inexplicable by the laws of nature, that it is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God." "A person, thing or event that excites admiring awe." "An act beyond human power, an impossibility."

It is logical that greater the impossibility, greater the miracle. For example, should a person expire before our very eyes and is certified dead by a qualiified medical man, yet later on a mystic or a saint commands the corpse to 'arise!', and to everybody's astonishment the person gets up and walks away , we would label that as a miracle. But if the resurrection of the dead took place after the corpse had been in the mortuary for three days, then we would acclaim this as a greater miracle. And if the dead was made to arise from the grave, decades or centuries after the body had decomposed and rotted away, then in that case we would label it the greatest miracle of them all!

A Common Trait:
It has been a common trait of mankind since time immemorial that whenever a guide from God appeared to redirect their steps into the will and plan of God; they demanded supernatural proofs from these men of God, instead of accepting message on its merit.

For example, when Jesus Christ (pbuh) began to preach to his people - "the children of Israel" - to mend their ways and to refrain from mere legalistic formalism and imbibe the true spirit of the laws and commandments of god, his 'people' demanded miracles from him to prove his bona fides ( his authenicity , his genuineness), as recorded in the christian scriptures:

Then certain of the scribes and the phairsees answered, saying master, we would have a sign ( miracle ) from thee. But he answered and said unto them, "an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign (miracle) and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas ( matthew 12:38-39 holy bible)

Though on the face of it, Jesus (pbuh) refuses to pamper the jews here, in actual fact, he did perform many miracles as we learn from the gospel narratives.

The holy bible is full of supernatural events accredited to the prophets from their lord. In reality all those 'signs' and 'wonders' and 'miracles' were acts of God, but since those miracles were worked through his human agents, we describe them as the miracles of prophets (i.e. Moses or Jesus (pbuh) by those hands they were performed).

Quirk Continues:
Some six hundred years after the birth of Jesus(pbuh), Muhammad (pbuh) the messenger of God was born in Makkah in arabia. When he proclaimed his mission at the age of forty, his fellow countrymen, the mushriks of makkah made an identical request for miracles, as had the jews, from their promised Messiah. Text book style, it was as if the arabs had taken a leaf from the christian records. History has a habit of repeating itself!

And they say: why are not signs sent down to him from his lord? (holy Qu`ran 29:50)

SIGNS! WHAT SIGNS!!
"Miracles ? Cries he, what miracles would you have? Are not you yourselves there? God made you 'shaped you out of a little clay.' Ye were small once; a few years ago ye were not at all. Ye have beauty, strength, thoughts, 'ye have compassion on one another.' Old age comes-on you, and grey hairs; your strength fades into feebleness: ye sink down, and again are not. 'Ye have compassion on one another': This struck me much: Allah might have made you having no compassion on one another, how had it been then! this is a great direct though, a glance at first-hand into the very fact of things...." "(On heroes hero-worship and the heroic in history,")by Thomas Carlyle.

"This Struck Me Much"
This, that "ye have compassion on one another", impressed thomas carlyle most from his perusal of an English translation. I persume, there verse that motivated this sentiment is:

1. And among his signs is this, that he created for you mates from amonng yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them. and he has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are signs for those who reflect. (emphasis added) Translation by A Yusuf ALi (Qu`ran 30:21)

2. And one of his signs it is, that he hath created wives for you of your own species that ye may dwell with them, and hath put love and tenderness between you. herein truly are signs for those who reflect (emphasis added) Translation by Rev. J.M. Rodwell(M.A.)

3. By another sign he gave you wives from among yourselves, that ye might live in joy with them, and planted love and kindness into your hearts. surely there are signs in this for thinking men(emphasis added) Translation by N.J. Dawood.

The first example is from the translation by Yusuf Ali, a muslim. The second is by a christian priest the rev. Rodwell and the last example is by an iraqi Jew, N.J. Dawood.

Unfortunately Thomas Carlyle had no access to any one of these because none of them had seen the light of day in his time. The only one available to him in 1840 was as he said on page 85 of his book under referance - "We also can read the Koran; our translation of it, by sale, is known to be a very fair one."

Taint Is In The Motive:
Carlyle is very charitable to his fellow countryman. The motives of george sale, who pioneered an English translation of the Holy Quran, were suspect. He makes no secret of his antagonism to the holy book of Islam. In his preface to his translation in 1734 he made it known that it was his avowed intention to expose the man Mohammad and his forgery. He records: "who can apprehend any danger from so manifest a forgery?... The protestants alone are able to attack the koran with success; and for them, I trust, providence has reserved the glory of its overthrow." George Sale, And he set to work with his prejudiced translation. You will be able to judge how 'fair' and scholarly george sale was from the very verse which 'struck' (carlyle) 'much!' Compare it with the three example already given by a muslim, a christian and a jew: And of his signs another is, that he had created you , out of yourselves, wives that ye may cohabit with them, and hath put love and compassion between you .

I dont think that george sale was a 'a male chauvinist pig' of his day to describe our mates, wives or spouses as sexual objects. He was only keeping to his promise, which carlyle overlooked. The arabic word which he (sale) perverted is 'li-tas-kunoo' which means to find peace, consolation, composure or tranquility; and not 'cohabit' meaning 'to live together in a sexual relationship when not legally married' (the reader's digest universal dictionary.)

Every word of the Quranic text is meticulously chosen, chiselled and placed by the All-Wise himself. They carry God's 'fingerprint', and are signs of God. And yet, the spirtually jaundiced....

Ask For A Sign:
What signs?? They mean some special kinds of signs or miracles such as their own foolish minds dictate. Everything is possible for God, but God is not going to humour the follies of men or listen to their false demands. He has sent his messenger to explain his signs clearly, and to warn them of the consequences of rejection. Is that not enough? The trend of their demand is generally as follows:

In specific terms they asked that he - Muhammad (pbuh) - 'Put a ladder up to heaven an bring down a book from God in their very sight' - "Then we would believe," they said. Or "ye see the mountain yonder, turn it into gold' - "then we would believe." or 'make streams to gush out in the desert' - "then we would believe."

Now listen to the soft, sweet reasoning of Muhammad(pbuh) against the unreasonable and sceptical demands of the mushriks - "Do I say to you, verily I am an angel? Do I say to you, verily in my hands are the treasures of God? Only, what is revealed to me do I follow." Listen further to the most dignified reply he is commanded by his Lord to give the unbelievers.

Say (O Muhammad): 'The signs (miracles) are indeed with Allah: And most certainly I am only a clear warner.!'

In the following ayah the holy prophet is made to point to the holy Qur`an itself as an answer to their hypocritical demand for some special kind of 'sign' of 'miracle' for which their foolish pagan mentality craved. For indeed all miracles are 'signs'; and it is their disbelief, their scepticism, their lack of faith which motivates their request for a sign. They are asked to - 'look at the Qur`an' and again, 'look at the Qur`an!'

It is not enough for them that we have sent down to thee (O Muhammad) the book(al-Qur`an) which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in it (this perspicuous book) is a mercy and reminder to those who believe. (Qur`an 29:51).

Two Proofs:
As a proof of the divine authorship and the miraculous nature of the Qur`an, two arguments are advanced by the almighty Himself:

1. 'that we' (God Almighty) have revealed to you (O muhammed!) 'the book to you' who art absolutely an unlearned person. An 'ummi' prophet. One who cannot read or write. One who cannot sign his own name. Let thomas carlyle testify regarding the educational qualifications of Muhammad -

'one other circumstance we must not forget: that he had no school learnin; of the thing we call school-learning none at all.'

Moreoever the divine author(God Almighty) himself testifies to the veracity of Muhammed's(pbuh) claim that he could never have composed the contents of the holy Qur`an; he could not have been its author:

And thou (O Muhammad) was not (able) to recite a book before this (book came), nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand:

In that case, indeed, would the talkers of vanities have doubted (Qur`an 29:48).

The author of the Qur`an is reasoning with us, that had Muhammad(pbuh) been a learned man, and had he been able to read or write, then in that case the babblers in the market places might have had some justification to doubt his claim that the holy qur`an is God's word. In the event of Muhammed(pbuh) being a literate person, the accusation of his enemies that he had probably copied his book (Qur`an) from the writings of the jews and christians, or that perhaps he had been studying aristotle and plato, or that he must have browsed through the 'Torat,' the 'Zabur' and the 'Injeel' and had rehashed it all in a beautiful language, might have carried some weight. Then, 'the talkers of vanities' might have had a poiint. But even this flimsy pretence has been denied to the unbeliever and the cynic: a point hardly big enough to hang a fly upon!

2. 'The book'? Yes, the 'book' itself, carries its own evidence proving its divine authorship. Study the book from any angel. Scrutinize it. Why not take up the author's challenge if your doubts are genuine? Do they not consider the qur`an(with care) had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy.

Consistency:
It is inconceivable that any human author would remain consistent in this teachings and his preachings for a period of over two decades. From the age of forty, when Muhammad (pbuh) recieved his first call from heaven to the age sixty-three when he breathed his last, for twenty-three years the holy prophet practised and preached Islam. In those twenty-three years, he passed through the most conflicting vicissitudes of life. Any man, during the course of such a mission, would be forced by circumstances to make 'honourable' compromises, and cannot help contradicting himself. No man can ever write the same always, as the message of the holy qur`an is: consistent with itself, throughout! Or is it that the unbelievers objections are merely argumentive, refractory, against their own better light and judgement.? Furthermore, the holy qur`an contains or mentions many matters relating to the nature of the universe which were unknown to man before but which subsequently through evolution and discoveries of Science have fully confirmed - a field where an untutored mind would have most certainly lost in wild and contradictory speculations!

Self-Evident Proof:
Again and again when miracles are demanded from the prophet of God by the cynical and frivolous few, he is made to point to the qur`an - message from high - as 'the miracle.' The miracle or miracles! And men of wisdom, people with literary and spiritual insight, who were honest enough to themselves, recognised and accepted al-qur`an as an a genuine miracle.

Says the holy Qur`an: Nay here are signs self-evident in the hearts of those endowed with knowledge: And none but the unjust reject our signs. (qur`an 29:49).

Arsip front pembela islam

front pembela islam

Front Pembela Islam (FPI) oleh kaum kafir lebih dikenal dengan sebutan "Islam Defenders Front". Selama ini perjuangan FPI dalam menegakkan kebenaran dan keadilan sesuai Syariat Islam didukung sepenuhnya oleh ormas-ormas Islam di Indonesia. Perjuangan FPI memang layak diacungi jempol karena membuat takut para pelacur, waria, pemabuk, penjudi, penzina dan deretan pendosa lainnya. FPI juga anti-Yahudi, anti ajaran selain Islam, anti-komunis, anti-kemusyrikan dan lainnya.

16 November 2006

Christian Beheadings Suspect 'Just Wanted Revenge'

abu hasanuddin

By Irwan Firdaus

Associated Press Writer

Thu, Nov. 16 2006 11:11 AM ET

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - A suspected Islamic militant told judges Wednesday he took part in the beheadings of three Christian girls on an Indonesian island wracked by
religious violence to avenge the deaths of Muslims, but apologized to their families.

Nov. 8, 2006, in Jakarta, Indonesia. Hasanuddin, believed to be the mastermind, along with two other men are being tried for their alleged involvement in the 2005 beheading of three catholic schoolgirls.


"We are not cold-blooded killers," Hasanuddin, 34, told the Central Jakarta District Court. "We just wanted revenge." Prosecutors allege that he and two other defendants ordered the Oct. 29, 2005, murders of the girls as they walked to school on Sulawesi, the scene of religious clashes that left at least 1,000 people dead from 1998 to 2002.

The men are being charged under Indonesia's tough anti-terrorism laws and face possible death sentences if convicted.

"I was indeed involved in the beheadings," said Hasanuddin, who goes by only one name, adding that he was motivated by anger "because authorities did nothing to avenge the massacres of Muslims."

Prosecutors said Hasanuddin was the ringleader — buying the machetes and plastic bags to put the girls' heads in — and leaving a handwritten note at the scene vowing more killings.

The two other defendants — Lilik Purnomo, 28, and Irwanto Irano, 29 — are being tried separately.State prosecutor Asep Maryono accused the defendants of recruiting four other militants, who are still at large, to carry out the killings.

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation, with 90 percent of its 220 million people professing the faith, but Central Sulawesi province has a roughly equal number of Muslims and Christians.

Though large-scale clashes ended with the signing of a peace agreement four years ago, sporadic attacks have continued. The beheadings were among the most gruesome.

Hasanuddin told the court he and the two other defendants were especially angry about a 2000 attack on an Islamic boarding school in the coastal town of Poso that left at least 70 people dead.

Three Christian men were executed in September for the slayings, but at his trial Hasanuddin claimed the masterminds of the school attack were still free.

"Male and female students were beheaded and buried in the nearby hills ... many of them raped before being killed," Hasanuddin said. In comparison, he said, the deaths of the Christian girls "were nothing."

He said he hoped the girls' families would accept his apology "for the sake of a peaceful Poso."

Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061116/23487_Christian_Behea

Armageddonn

he Signs of Armageddon (The End of Times Battles) in Islam:

The sections of this article are:

1- About the "Great Battle".
- Jesus peace be upon him after Armageddon.
2- The signs of the "Great Battle".
3- What will be Allah Almighty's Wisdom for letting the evil people win?
4- Remember 1 day from Allah is equal to 1000 human-years. No one knows
when all of these events will happen.

About the "Great Battle":

As far as the Biblical prophecies of the great battle of Armageddon, I have already covered it and its relationship with Islam in the following articles:

How do you respond to the End of Times Prophecies in the Books of Psalms and Ezekiel against the Muslims of today in the Bible? See my response to this Christian misunderstanding.

I was told that what's happening in the Middle East today was all foretold in the Bible. How do you respond to that?

Now as to the signs of the "Great Battle" or Armageddon in Islam, Allah Almighty and Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him did prophesize about the great battle of Armageddon. Prophet Muhammad gave signs of its occurrence, but neither he or Allah Almighty say that we Muslims will win it. The actual promised victory is when Jesus peace be upon him comes back to earth to fight the Anti-Christ and all of the evil on earth after the occurrence of the "Great Battle" or Armageddon.

Depending on how the Muslims' status will be, we might actually win Armageddon because Allah Almighty told the People of Israel "It may be that your Lord may (yet) show Mercy unto you; but if ye revert (to your sins), We shall revert (to Our punishments): And we have made Hell a prison for those who reject (all Faith). (The Noble Quran, 17:8)", or we might actually lose it due to our self-corruptions and corrupted governments from monarchies and dictatorships:

Our Self-Corruptions:

Narrated Thauban: "The Prophet peace be upon him said: 'The nations shall gather and team up against you (i.e., Muslims) as the predators gather and team up against their preys. A questioner asked: 'Is it because of us being low in numbers at that day?' The Prophet replied: 'No, you that day shall be in great numbers, but you will be as powerless as the foam of the water on the surface of the river, and Allah shall remove any fear from your enemies toward you, and He shall put in your hearts a corruption.' A questioner asked: 'O Apostle of Allah, what is the corruption?' The Prophet replied: 'The love of life's amusements and the fear of death.' (Translation of Sunan Abu Dawud, The Book of Fierce Battles - The Gathering of all Nations against Islam, Book 37, Number 4297)"

As long as the Muslims are cowards and fear to rise up against their corrupted governments, Allah Almighty will never help them to regain their wealth and independence. As long as the Muslim fear to rise up against the evil of their infidel governments because they love life too much, they shall always be the needy people despite what Allah Almighty gave them from Wealth, Natural Resources, Beautiful Religion, Morals and Culture, and Geography, and Allah Almighty shall always let the enemies of the Muslims be fearless of them and always gather up against them "as the predators gather and team up against their preys" as clearly prophesized by Prophet Muhammad above, because He the Almighty said in the Noble Quran:

"Because God will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls: and verily God is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things). (The Noble Quran, 8:53)"

Please visit Muslims be careful from the Muslim hypocrites.

The corruptions and infidel dictatorships in the Muslim world today were prophesized by Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.

Our Corrupted Governments:

Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal: "The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The flourishing state of Jerusalem will be when Yathrib is in ruins, the ruined state of Yathrib will be when the great war comes, the outbreak of the great war (i.e., the battle of Armageddon) will be at the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Constantinople when the Dajjal (Antichrist) comes forth. He (the Prophet) struck his thigh or his shoulder with his hand and said: This is as true as you are here or as you are sitting (meaning Mu'adh ibn Jabal). (Translation of Sunan Abu-Dawud, Battles (Kitab Al-Malahim), Book 37, Number 4281)"

Few points to mention here:

1- Yathrib is the city of Madina in Saudi Arabia, which is also near the city of Mecca. Saudi Arabia today is a kingdom. Monarchies and dictatorships and other non-democratic governments are considered corrupted in Islam:

"...Kings, when they Enter a country, despoil it, And make the noblest Of its people its meanest Thus do they behave. (The Noble Quran, 27:34)"

The Arabic of "Of its people its meanest" is "A-izzata ahliha athillatan", which literally mean "Of its people its lowest (i.e., most humiliated)".

So the Noble Verse should read as follows: "...Kings, when they Enter a country, (they) despoil it, And make the noblest Of its people its lowest (i.e., most humiliated) Thus do they behave. (The Noble Quran, 27:34)"

2- In Noble Verse 27:34, "...Thus do they behave" means that Kings and dictators still do so today.

3- The ruin of Yathrib will be due to the corrupted ruling government and to the destruction that will come upon it from wars.

Allah Almighty predicted that the Muslims will fight the People of Gog and Magog during the End of Times:

"Until the Gog and Magog (people) Are let through (their barrier), And they swiftly swarm From every hill. Then will the True Promise Draw nigh (of fulfilment): Then behold! the eyes Of the Unbelievers will Fixedly stare in horror: 'Ah! Woe to us! we were indeed Heedless of this; nay; we Truly did wrong!' (The Noble Quran, 21:96-97)"

Here we see Allah Almighty telling us that the evil people of Gog and Magog will attack the Believers from "every hill", meaning from every where on earth.

"...The name (i.e., Gog and Magog) stands for wild and lawless tribes who will break their barriers and swarm through the earth. This will be one of the prognostications of the approaching Judgement." [2]

Please visit What is the definition of Democracy in Islam? How does Islam practice Democracy?

The End of Times Battles in Islam.

The story of Gog and Magog and the Iron Gates in the Noble Quran.

Jesus peace be upon him after Armageddon:

Jesus peace be upon him shall come after the "great battle" or Armageddon as the Bible names it, and there he shall lead all of the Muslims and good believers from the Jews and Christians (non-polytheists or non-trinitarians) against all of the evil of this earth and kill the Dajjal (Anti-Christ) and declare the Great Kingdom.

Please visit The place of Jesus peace be upon him in Islam.

The signs of the "Great Battle":

The "Great Battle" as called in Islam, or "Armageddon" as called in the Bible, shall take place when the evil people of Gog and Magog return. The people of Gog and Magog will consist of the bad Jews (Zionists today as we call them), and the Polytheists from the Trinitarian Christians who worship Jesus and the Holy Spirit beside Allah Almighty, and the idol worshipers from the Hindus and the Far Eastern Orientals:

"Those who reject (Truth), among the People of the Book (i.e., Jews and Christians) and among the Polytheists, will be in Hell-Fire, to dwell therein (for aye). They are the worst of creatures. (The Noble Quran, 98:6)"

Please visit The End of Times Battles in Islam to see the Sayings of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him that further prove my claim above.

Anyway, one of the greatest signs of the return of Gog and Magog and the declaration of their war against the Muslims (in Armageddon) is the sanctioning of the pilgrimage to Mecca:

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: "The Prophet said 'The people will continue performing the Hajj and 'Umra to the Ka'ba even after the appearance of Gog and Magog.' Narrated Shu'ba extra: The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till the Hajj (pilgrimage to the Mecca) is abandoned. (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Pilgrimage (Hajj), Volume 2, Book 26, Number 663)"

As to you know, almost all of the super powers of the world are fighting the "fanatic Islam", such as the ideology of Taliban and Salafis and Wahabis in Saudi Arabia. It will not surprise me to see the Hajj or yearly pilgrimage to Mecca being sanctioned by force by the US and its allies, since the Hajj or Pilgrimage is performed in Saudi Arabia every year.

For your information, the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca that you see every single year from 1 to 3 million Muslims coming from all around the world to Mecca was prophesized in the Noble Quran.

Please visit The yearly Pilgrimage to Mecca was Prophesized in the Noble Quran.

Unfortunately, it shall be abandoned when the evil people of Gog and Magog return and sanction it by force.

What will be Allah Almighty's Wisdom for letting the evil people win?

As shown above, Prophet Jesus peace be upon him will not come to earth until the Great Battle with Gog and Magog takes place. If indeed Allah Almighty is willing to let the people of Gog and Magog win Armageddon, then the Wisdom behind it will be:

1- To increase the arrogance and evil of the People of Gog and Magog, who will consist of the sexually open Western societies who are mostly Christians and Jews, who have homosexuality (homosexuals can marry each others in California - USA), Pornography, Nudity (in Europe) and Topless bikinis (in Europe and USA) in public beaches, open sexuality especially with the social acceptance of sex without marriage, alcoholism, drugs, AIDS, etc...

Please visit Why do Muslims call Americans and Westerners "Great Satan"?

2- To filter out the weak-hearted Muslims who will end up joining the evil people of Gog and Magog.

3- When Prophet Jesus peace be upon him finally come, he will lead the Muslims and the other believers from the good Unitarians world-wide, and he shall fight the evil in this world and kill the Anti-Christ (the Dajjal) and declare his Kingdom, and then rule for a while and die a natural death.

Again, please visit The place of Jesus peace be upon him in Islam.

The End of Times Battles in Islam.

The story of Gog and Magog and the Iron Gates in the Noble Quran.

Remember 1 day from Allah is equal to 1000 human-years:

It is important to know that one day from Allah Almighty is equivalent to one thousand human-years:

"Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But God will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning. (The Noble Quran, 22:47)"

"He rules (all) affairs from the heavens to the earth: in the end will (all affairs) go up to Him, on a Day, the space whereof will be (as) a thousand years of your reckoning. (The Noble Quran, 32:5)"

The reason why I am mentioning this is because no one should get too excited over the events that are happening in the world today and think that the Great Battles of the World will start anytime soon. If they should start tomorrow according to Allah Almighty, then this might mean that they will happen 1,000 human-years from now.

It is important for us to know what Islam says about the End of Times, but as I said, we should not get too excited about and get carried away with things. It is the duty of every good Muslim to preach peace to Mankind. Don't go around and preach wars and killings by convincing yourself that Armageddon is just around the corner when it probably won't happen until 100s of years from now. You may not live to see Armageddon, let alone living to see Jesus peace be upon him himself.

So at any rate, all good Muslims must always remain peaceful and preach love and hope to others instead of hate and fear.

Please visit What are the Signs of the Hour?

What is the Wisdom of Islam?

Bibliography:

1- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an.
Author: Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
Published by: Amana Publications, 10710 Tucker Street, Suite B, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2223 USA.
Telephone: (301) 595-5777.
Fax: (301) 595-5888.
ISBN: 0-91597-59-0 (HC).

2- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #2753, page 816.

Hak muslim atas muslim lainnya

hak muslim atas muslim lainnya

1. apabila dia sakit, maka jenguklah

2. apabila ia bersin, maka doakanlah,

3. apa bila ia meminta nasihat, maka berikanlah

4. apabila ia mengundang, maka penuhilah

5. apabila ia mati, maka iringilah jenazahnya