The Arab League officially halted its observer mission to Syria on Saturday the 28^th of February 2012, just a month after agreeing to introduce the presence of their monitors across the beleaguered republic.

The current state of the Arab Republic needs no introduction; with the number of fatalities escalating to hundreds on a daily basis under the authoritarian rule of President Bashar Al Assad, and more recently with the heavyweights China and Russia vetoing a draft UN security council resolution pressing for his immediate resignation, all news bulletins are pointing Middle East-wards.

An 18-page confidential account of the League's mission was recently just leaked, and only serves to highlight its impotence as a functioning political collective.  Citing shortage of equipment and dispatches of ill-qualified monitors among other absurd excuses for retreating from this particular mission, the Arab League can now add 'the Syria attempt' as the cherry to its metaphorical pie of failed interventions.

Ever since its formation in 1945, the Arab League has relinquished many an attempted mediation to its Western counterparts or the UN.

In the Iraq War of 2003, it was not the Arab League that intervened but the non-member nations, Iran and Turkey. Palestine in the Arab-Israeli dispute has also not been provided with any support save for a half-hearted egging on from the sidelines in the form of the proposed (yet snubbed) Arab Peace Initiative.  And more recently, the League's decision to remain mum on the twin uprisings from earlier last year in the overthrow of Presidents Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak, as well as its silence on the violence that followed in Bahrain and Yemen.

So with just a negligible success rate since its inception 66 years ago (see timeline), and with its role in abetting the establishment of Kuwait's independence as probably its most memorable accomplishment, it really is  no wonder that faith in the organization is waning.

Experts and political commentators blame the League's inability to reconcile internally between the priorities of individual member states (wataniya) and the interests of the general Arab allegiance (qawmiya) for getting in the way of its political clout. By allowing its hands to be tied by a combination of said inter-state pressures, as well as with individual members preferring to flex economic muscles to win personal battles in deference to asserting themselves as a collective force, it has become increasingly evident that the concept of Arab unity has little or no relevance to the self-proclaimed facilitators of the 'Arab cause.'

It probably is best then that in the case of Syria as well, the Arab League hands over responsibility before inflicting more damage than doing good.

Although the standard procedure of the international community (as witnessed from other 'Arab Spring'esque interventions) when it comes to mediations is a drawn-out process of: (a)acknowledging a 'state of emergency,'(b)condemning the incumbent regime, (c)calling for (from afar) a regime change, (d)pledging assistance to the victimized citizens and threatening imposition of trade sanctions, and finally (e)military/economic arbitration, a firmer management of affairs from without appears more efficient, albeit barely. Although ideally, umpiring from within the region would have proven less protracted.

The general consensus being that this is one missed opportunity too many for the Arab League, and any hope of salvaging a beleaguered reputation as the olive branch-bearers to both member and non-member Arab nations can no longer be entertained.

So if, in this repeated show of incompetence, the Arab League is only cementing itself as just another band of witnesses to the bloodshed, perhaps then it is not just the Assad regime that needs dissolving.

Over the last two days there has been a story of sheer injustice going through my news feed by the hour- the brutal massacre of our brothers and sisters in Syria under a tyrannical and unjust regime. Like many of you, I, at first, was just reading and watching as friends updated the situation and death toll rise in their numbers, I felt helpless yet compelled to do something for Allāh said in the Qurʾān:

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allāh, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is Acquainted with what you do.” [Qurʾān 5:8]

Today He is calling us to stand up in prayer to seek justice and His Help for the oppressed in Syria.

My mind couldn't comprehend the grief and unimaginable horror the brothers and sisters are facing until I listened to the khuṭbah appeal of Sh Muhammad Al-Arifi here and as he shared the humiliating and nefarious attacks on our brothers and sisters in Syria my heart cried for the trial the Ummah is undergoing.

Yet the Prophet has told us that this Ummah is like a strong support structure and like one body, if one part aches then the whole Ummah should ache in agony of the Muslims who are being slaughtered and killed for nothing but their faith. Just before I began to write this article, a Syrian friend of mine shared what was an extremely difficult video to watch of a Syrian brother before his burial yesterday whilst his family cried over him.

My plea to you brothers and sisters is to take action and stand up for justice in Syria. Here's how we can take action:

1. Raise Awareness

The first step we can all take is to raise awareness about the situation in Syria. You can do this by sharing the most up to date and accurate news so people are informed about the situation and can take action. Secondly you can share the video reminders and stories to help the Ummah recognize the obligation on each of us to help those who are being oppressed. (you can post latest links in comments on this newspost and MuslimMatters will use them to update the post).

2. Write to Your Government

As Muslims who are concerned for the security and safety of those in Syria we should call on our MPs, Congressmen, governments and international organizations to put the tyrannical regime to an end because no human being should want for innocent civilians to die. Unfortunately, the UN has failed to remove this unjust regime and therefore by writing, calling and speaking to our MPs in a collective voice can we inshā'Allāh expect to be heard as we should speak out against injustice wherever we see it. If you are attending a demonstration or protest in you country remember you are representatives of Islam through your actions so please refrain from any violent behavior or aggressive actions. Let's remember that the attitude of a Muslim in times of hardship is that of patiently awaiting Allāh's Help.

3. Stand Up in Prayer  

Where possible join the congregation to pray and seek Allāh's Help for Victory. Pray 2 rakʿah nafl prayer seeking His Help and remember the brothers and sisters in your prayers in the day and night; be certain that Allāh will respond for He Hears the du'ā's of the oppressed and surely if there is no justice in this world, we will certainly see it in the Hereafter. As the Qur'anic verse warns us:

“And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allāh and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper?'” [Qurʾān 4:75]

4. Give in Charity

Another way in which you can take action is to support the charitable organizations providing aid and assistance in Syria, giving money and time or efforts to help these organizations is invaluable at these times. To donate you can visit Islamic Relief's Syria Appeal campaign here or any other transparent registered charity who are working in Syria.

5. Raise Your Hands in Du'ā'

Finally, the least of faith is in making du'ā' and truly, our brothers and sisters request that we raise our hands and seek Allāh to protect and grant victory to those who are suffering immensely today in these massacres. At every prayer, in times of rain and in your prostration please do not forget them for Allāh has promised to answer the  du'ā' of the oppressed (Bukhari).  You can find du'ā's for the oppressed here to read and share.

Every so often, a book comes along that forces us to radically re-think our basic assumptions.  Wilkinson and Pickett's The Spirit Level, a culmination of fifty years painstaking research work, is exactly that.  What is most remarkable of all is that after half a century of research and numerous scatter graphs later, two British Professors of Epidemiology draw conclusions that look remarkably similar to those recommended by the Qurʾān and Sunnah fourteen hundred years ago.

In the wake of the riots, many of us ask ourselves: how can we build a society where people are happy, healthy and safe? In the midst of the financial crisis, we ask how to maximize economic progress and entrepreneurship?  The answer to these questions lies in something that Western societies have been failing to do for many years now, with major consequence.  Simply reduce the gap between rich and poor.

Using multiple sets of data from organizations such as the US Census, WHO, World Bank and United Nations, comparing a spread of developed countries, Wilkinson and Pickett show time and time again that countries that are unequal come out worst.  Whether it's societal trust, literacy rates, crime, drug abuse, childhood welfare and even rates of imprisonment, we are shocked to discover that America, Britain and Portugal do the worst.  The best performing countries include Norway, Sweden and Japan which conversely have much greater equality.

What is notable is that the countries that do worse on one measure of social deprivation tend to score worse on every measure.  Astonishingly, the US and the UK do worst on mental illness, women's status, life expectancy, infant mortality and even international aid given. According to the statistics, we are even more violent and conflict ridden than the other countries sampled.

Admittedly, there is no data from the developing world, simply because this is unavailable, but the evidence consistently points to a relationship much more connected to financial inequality than culture, religion or even national GDP.

The research also concludes that inequality does not just affect the poorest in society, but also the richest, who do less well than they would have done in a more equal country. Reducing the gap between rich and poor will increase everybody's well being and life expectancy, it is argued.

So how does this research connect to Islam? The study concludes that it does not matter how you reach equality, but merely that you do reach it.  Intrinsic to Islam, are two major mechanisms that level out wealth.  One is the clear prohibition of interest:

“O you who believe! Fear Allāh, and forgo any remaining usury.” (2:278)

Interest is one of the main reasons that the rich are getting richer and the poor remain dependent.  Through the maintenance of debt such as mortgages and IMF loans, there are few opportunities by which the poor can escape the pit they are in.

Secondly, Islam reduces inequality by enforcing zakāh (obligatory charity).  Although this is only 2.5% of one's surplus wealth given annually, it is a very effective way of re-distributing societal wealth, particularly when it comes from the very rich.  The encouragement of further charitable giving in other parts of the year, such as Ramaḍān and 'Īd, also further reduces inequality, which as we now know helps to improve society for everyone.

Why does a relationship exist between inequality and social deprivation? The authors suggest that the tendency of the rich to look down upon the poor, or the perception by  the poor that they are discriminated against may be the reason for poor performance.  In 2004, Hoff and Pandey, two World Bank economists, did an experiment in India where they took 321 high caste boys and 321 low caste boys and gave them a maze-solving task.  The first group did the puzzle without being aware of each other's castes.  The second group of boys was asked to first stand up and declare their name, village, caste and parentage.  The results showed a dramatic drop in performance of the low caste boys and an improvement in the high caste boys.

Resentment and anxiety due to discrimination, they argue, may explain poor mental health, personal achievement and greater crime rates.  As the poor are increasingly ghettoized, the problem is continually compounded – few role models, bad experiences and low aspirations.

Once more, Islam has within it the capacity to prevent this kind of decline.  Gatherings such as the five daily prayers, the Friday sermon, 'Īd gatherings and even Ḥajj force the very rich to stand shoulder to shoulder with the very poor, as the whole community come together with one purpose – the worship of Allāh.  A rich Muslim can never fully isolate himself from the problems of his poorer brother, nor can he justify looking down upon him, for he knows that the only thing that matters with Allāh is his piety and not his wealth.  Indeed, if he was genuine in increasing his status with Allāh, he might do this by giving charity to his poor brother discreetly and in a way that would not affront his brother's dignity (as is clearly commanded in the Qurʾān).

What remains to be seen is whether Wilkinson and Pickett's powerful book can impact society sufficiently to bring about change.  Will the average person who hears about the findings care enough to act on it and lobby government?  Everyone benefits after all.

I hope so for the sake of humanity.  Yet there remains some doubt.  I do not believe that the rich will stop hoarding wealth voluntarily. It is unlikely that the socially deprived will get to hear of this work through the popular press.  And so it rests upon the educated to equip themselves with this knowledge and disseminate it to their friends to create something of a democratic tidal wave.  Whilst the work has been very well received, is there enough societal momentum to sustain a change?

As Muslims, this should be a subject area that we care deeply about.  The Prophet is reported to have said, “He is not a believer who eats his fill while his neighbor is hungry.” [Tabarani]

So I put it to you, the reader: will you stand up and make a change?

Perhaps you've tried to ignore it as I have. But you cannot.

Why? Because it's everywhere.

No, it's not the wildly fluctuating winter temperatures. It's not the political wrangling in Washington. It is Harry Potter.

Last summer, the final installment in the Harry Potter movies came out. And this time, I learned to accept the fact that Harry Potter was going to be big no matter what. And whether I liked it or not, millions of young Muslims were going to watch the last movie in the series.

You've probably heard much of the same rhetoric I have over the past ten years. Ever since Harry Potter became an international phenomenon, Muslim parents, speakers, lecturers and imams have spoken out against the boy with the scar.

• “Magic and sorcery is becoming more accepted in today's society.”

• “The devil is trying to influence your children to believe magic is okay.”

• “Harry Potter is eeeeevvviiiillll!”

I'm not here to defend Harry Potter. There are some things about the series I don't really care for either. Like the whole “Dumbledore is gay” thing.

Nonetheless, I believe there is good in everything. For instance, I'm not a fan of U.S. foreign policy. But there are many things I like about the United States.

With that in mind, I wanted to create a list of things we (people who have read or watched the series) can take from Harry Potter that might actually benefit us. Inshā'Allāh, we'll see that the boy with the scar can teach us something after all.

1. There's Nothing Wrong With Mudbloods.

In the Harry Potter series, there were wizards who were pure-bloods and wizards who were “mudbloods.”

Pure-bloods were wizards who came from a pure wizarding family. Mudbloods were wizards who were born from Muggle (human) parents.

In the story, many of the pure blood wizards felt they were better than the mudbloods. In fact, the term mudblood is actually a derogatory term for Muggle-born wizards.

• Some pure-bloods hold a supremacist attitude towards mudbloods.

• Some pure-bloods refuse to marry mudbloods and look down on wizards who do.

• Some pure-bloods even treat mudbloods as second-class citizens.

Unfortunately, we have some of these same problems in the Muslim world. As an African-American son of Muslim converts, I've seen my fare share of “Pure-Blood Supremacy” amongst Muslims.

• Some Muslims who come from the Middle East or Indian subcontinent seem to think I'm ignorant about Islamic laws and  requirements.

• Some Muslims seem to think American Muslims have not memorized much Quran or learned the rules of Tajwid.

• Some Muslims refuse to let their children (especially their daughters) marry outside their race, nationality, or tribe.

One of the best lessons learned from Harry Potter is that it's perfectly okay to be a Mudblood. Furthermore, a Mudblood is often just as good a wizard as a Pure-blood.

The same holds true for Muslims. An American-born Muslim may be just as knowledgeable about Islam, and just as good a Muslim as our foreign-born brethren.

2. Don't Be Afraid To Say You-Know-Who's Name.

Voldemort is the main antagonist in the series. He's Harry Potter's arch enemy.

Before the beginning of the series, Voldemort and several evil wizards stage a rebellion and take over the wizarding world. This resulted in the death of several wizards, including Harry Potter's parents.

Eventually, Voldemort is defeated, order is restored, and things go back to normal. However, the legacy of Voldermort's reign is so traumatic just about everyone is afraid to say his name.

Instead they refer to him using cryptic phrases such as “You-Know-Who” and “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” Only Harry Potter, who is initially ignorant of Voldemort's evil deeds and Professor Dumbledore are brave enough to say his name.

Perhaps you've noticed some topics that are taboo in your Muslim community also. Sometimes, it seems like Muslim leaders and parents are afraid to talk about some of these sensitive subjects.

Topics such as:

• Sex

• Drugs

• Terrorism

• Racism

This list may differ based on your locality and community. But it's still the same song. The people in positions of leadership don't want to ruffle feathers and so they stay away from these serious topics.

Don't be afraid to say Voldemort's name. Don't be afraid to talk about these topics that are important and impact us all.

3. You Can Influence the Sorting Hat

In the first Harry Potter novel, the new students at Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardy go through a sorting procedure to see which house they will belong to. They take their turns under a talking hat that reads their mind and analyzes their character.

Based on this information, the Sorting Hat places them in one of four different houses within Hogwarts:

• Gryffindor

• Slytherin

• Hufflepuff

• Ravenclaw

When it was Harry's turn to go under the Sorting Hat, it wanted to place him in the Slytherin house. Based on Harry's character and abilities, the Hat felt Harry would have been a great addition to that house.

But Harry did not want to go to Slytherin. Instead of giving in to the Sorting Hat, Harry resisted and insisted he belonged in the Gryffindor house. Eventually, the Sorting Hat gave Harry what he wanted, and sent him to Gryffindor.

What about your Sorting Hat? Are members of your family or your community trying to make you fit into a mold that you don't belong?

Are they insisting that you follow a career path that you're not interested in?

Are they trying to make you marry someone you don't want to marry?

I'm not at all suggesting that you rebel or disobey your parents. However, it is important that you make it clear what you want, especially if you have proof based on Islam. Let them know, in the most respectful way, that they shouldn't push their dreams and desires on you.

Yes, you can influence the Sorting Hat.

4. You May Have to Join Dumbledore's Army.

In the story, Harry's friends realize the danger around them as Voldemort grows stronger throughout the series. They are upset there is no one to teach them how to defend themselves against their enemies.

Hermione, one of Harry's closest friends, suggests that Harry teach them Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry has had the most experience fighting against dark magic and agrees to secretly teach his friends what he knows.

This group of friends calls themselves “Dumbledore's Army” after the Hogwarts headmaster. They play a critical role later in the series when Voldemort's followers begin their assault.

Is it time for you to join Dumbledore's Army? Are you ready to expand your knowledge of Islam, but there's no one to teach you?

It may be time to go in search of this knowledge for yourself. With the vast possibilities of the internet, you can now get a very sound understanding of Islam without leaving your home, through online Islamic institutes.

Don't wait for someone to start the class at your local Masjid. Be proactive. Go out there and get the knowledge you desire.

5. Muggles Are Boring.

Three of the most unlikeable characters in the entire series are his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Cousin Dudley. They adopt Harry after the death of his parents before the start of the story.

But they are hardly the loving sort.

They mistreat Harry and hate all things magic and out of the ordinary. They are the epitome of Muggle boorishness.

They are straight-laced, uptight and arrogant.

But most of all, they are boring. And they want Harry to be the same. They hate the fact that he's a wizard and they try their best to suppress his true identity.

Don't be like the Dursleys. It's okay to be different.

Being a Muslim in the West is not easy.

• You dress differently.

• You eat different things.

• You don't celebrate the same holidays.

It's so much easier to be like everyone else. It's much easier to try to fit in with the rest of the Muggles.

But Muggles are boring. And you're not a Muggle.

Don't be afraid to wear your hijab. Don't be afraid to grow your beard. Don't be afraid to tell the Muggles you don't celebrate Christmas or drink alcohol or deal with interest.

Don't be a Muggle.

And don't be a wizard either.

Be the best Muslim you can be.

In the early days of Islam, a few companions of the Prophet were fleeing persecution in Mecca and sought refuge in Abyssinia. The Christian ruler of the land, Ashama, demanded the companions to read aloud from their scripture and, when one of them recited from the sura of Mary, Ashama and his court were moved to tears. When they were told to make known their beliefs about Jesus, they said that Islam considers Jesus to be a messenger of God, the word of God, and the miraculously born son of the Virgin Mary. After hearing this, Ashama is said to have drawn a line in the sand and said that the differences between them were no more than that thin line. He then decreed that Muslims were allowed safe refuge in his kingdom[1].

It would be nice to think that this story could be applicable to modern Christians and Muslims, but take one look at the news and that thought disappears.

The Qur'an contains ninety-three passages in reference to Jesus and, together, they present a clear picture of what Muslims believe. Chronologically, this begins with Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Qur'an tells the story of Mary's birth and describes how God graciously accepted her, making her grow in goodness, and entrusting her to be raised by Zachariah[3][4]. God chose Mary above all other women as the most pure and sent angels to give her news that she was to give birth to a pure son[5] called Jesus, the Messiah[6]. The angels tell her that Jesus “will be held in honor in this world and the next”, he “will be one of those brought near to God”, “he will speak to people in his infancy”, and “he will be one of the righteous” [7]. Mary has an entire sura named after her, one of only eight people to have this honor, and is affirmed to have given a virginal birth and to have afterward remained a virgin[8]. It is believed that Jesus was able to speak as an infant; after Mary gives birth to Jesus and carries him back to her people, she is accosted with accusations and it is then where Jesus speaks his first words and defends her honor[9]. In these first words, Jesus declares himself as a prophet and a servant of God who will be raised up after death and return at the final judgment[10].

Throughout his life, Jesus is believed to have performed several miracles by the permission of God; he transforms a clay bird into a real one, heals the blind and the leper, and brings the dead back to life[11]. He was sent to follow in the footsteps of previous prophets and to confirm the Torah that had been sent before him[12]. The Qur'an also says that God gave Jesus the Gospel with guidance, light, and confirmation as a guide and lesson for the followers of God[13]. Jesus is believed to be a fully human prophet; he is never said to claim divinity but instead attributes all he does to the power of God. When asked by God if he ever said for people to take him as a god, Jesus replies, “I would never say what I had no right to say”[14]. The Qur'an also mentions the disciples of Jesus, although not by name. The disciples are said to follow Jesus and declare themselves as Muslims[15].

Regarding the death of Jesus, the Qur'an denies that Jesus actually died or was ever crucified[16]. Muslims believe that Jesus physically ascended into heaven and that the disbelievers claimed victory only because “it was made to appear like that to them”[17]. The Qur'an states that Jesus will return again at the end of days when everyone will be judged on their adherence to Islam[18].

In addition to the Qur'an, Muslims look to the Hadith as an authority on Jesus. Several Hadith expand upon elements of Jesus described in the Qur'an, particularly about the end of his existence on Earth and what comes after. The Hadith present an “image of Jesus as an end-of-time figure”[19]. In one Hadith, Muhammad says, “the son of Mary will come back down among you very soon as a just judge”[20] and in another he says that he has been shown that Jesus will return to defeat the Antichrist[21]. This supports the general thought that Jesus is currently awaiting the end of time when he will “descend to the earth and fight against the Antichrist, championing the cause of Islam” and “point to the primacy of Muhammad” before dying a natural death[22]. Muslims see Jesus as a precursor to Muhammad and believe that Jesus predicted Muhammad's coming in the canonical Gospel of John.

Many believers of both Islam and Christianity would be shocked at the number of similarities that lie in their sacred texts. Since the Bible was written and compiled before even the birth of Muhammad and therefore can contain no commentary on him or Islam, many Christians would be especially surprised to learn that Muslims regard Jesus as one of Islam's most important prophets. American Christians in particular have a distorted view of Islam imposed by media and therefore can be entirely unaware of what the religion actually entails. The Qur'an actually contains references to over fifty people and events that are also found in the Bible. It also repeatedly affirms the legitimacy of the Torah, the Hebrew bible, or the Old Testament as Christians call it.

Muslims agree with the biblical stories that are also present in the Qur'an but firmly refute those which contrast with their beliefs. For the stories that are present within the Bible that are not found in the Qur'an and also do not conflict with anything in Islam, Muslims are told to neither believe nor disbelieve them. In the Hadith, Muhammad tells his followers, “Don't believe what the Jews and Christians tell you, but don't call them liars either. Say 'We believe in God and in what has been revealed to us…'[23]”[24] Islam teaches that it is most important to just believe in what has been revealed by God.

People on either side often simplistically explain these similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an to affirm the legitimacy of their own religion. Secular scholars suggest that the Qur'an contains these narratives as a result of pre-existing traditions that existed even before the Bible; Christians say that the Qur'an simply borrowed their stories; and Muslims explain them as the truth that was revealed to Muhammad by God. However, when texts outside of the Bible or the Qur'an are brought to light, it leads to a far more complicated picture.

To say that Jesus didn't found Christianity would immediately anger many people. However, upon closer inspection of the phrase, it is difficult to say otherwise. The earliest book that came to be in the New Testament was written decades after Jesus' death and the Christian doctrines and creeds were created centuries later. The reality is that Christianity didn't exist until after Jesus' time and therefore couldn't have been created by him[25]. After Jesus' departure, many people took to writing down what had happened and what it meant. The first problems for Christianity arose when these writings turned out to be very different from each other. In fact, the practices and beliefs of people who called themselves Christians during the first three centuries were so varied that the differences between modern Christian sects pale in comparison[26].

During the second half of the second century, with the growing number of prophetic and perceived heretical movements among Christians, there was great need for a fixed canon[27]. Christian groups such as the Marcionites, the Ebionites, the Gnostics, and the proto-orthodox all insisted that they correctly upheld the teachings of Jesus and were all in competition to become the rightful version that would eventually be adopted by the Roman Empire[28]. The proto-orthodox, named as such because of its eventual victory, was ultimately endorsed by Constantine as the primary religion of the Roman Empire. As the proto-orthodox text “developed into the dominant religious, political, economic, social, and cultural institution of the West”[29], the other defeated texts were labeled heretical and were “rejected, scorned, maligned, attacked, burned, [and] all but forgotten”[30].

Just four gospels came to be included in the New Testament but modern archeology has rediscovered dozens of other gospels that “at one time or another, at one place or another…. were revered as sacred, inspired, [and] scriptural”[31] by different Christian groups in the first few centuries[32]. These gospels tell their own stories about who Jesus was, some in accordance with canonical gospels but many more of them different. When thinking outside the bounds of Christianity, several of these ancient texts overlap curiously with Islam and with what the Qur'an and Hadith teach of Jesus.

One such gospel is known as the Proto-Gospel of James. Other titles for the gospel have been found and include “The Birth of Mary”, “The Story of the Birth of Saint Mary, Mother of God”, and “The Birth of Mary; The Revelation of James”[33]. It is called the Proto-Gospel of James because it deals primarily with events that took place before the birth of Jesus. The author calls himself James and it is usually understood that this is James, the half-brother of Jesus who is mentioned in the New Testament. In this text he is “assumed to be Joseph's son by a previous marriage”[34]. Since this book is proved to have been already known to the church father Origen in the early third century, and most likely also to Clement of Alexandria at the end of the second century, it is believed to “have been in circulation soon after 150 CE” and was “enormously popular in the later centuries”[35]. The text describes in great detail the circumstances of Mary's birth and her upbringing until her eventual pregnancy with Jesus and it very much aligns with passages about Mary in the Qur'an.

Both texts mention the excitement of Mary's mother at discovering she would bear a child and also that she will devote her child to God. In the Qur'an she says, “Lord, I have dedicated what is growing in my womb entirely to You; so accept this from me. You are the One who hears and knows all” and, upon learning the child is female says, “I name her Mary and I commend her and her offspring to Your protection from the rejected Satan”[36]. The Proto-Gospel of James describes her as saying, “As the Lord God lives, whether my child is a boy or a girl, I will offer it as a gift to the Lord my God, and it will minister to him its entire life,” and, upon giving birth and learning the child is a girl says, “My soul is exalted today”[37]. Both texts tell of God's acceptance of Mary with “Her Lord graciously accepted her and made her grow in goodness”[38] in the Qur'an and “the Lord God cast his grace down upon her. She danced on her feet, and the entire house of Israel loved her”[39] in the Proto-Gospel of James. In both texts, Mary is raised in a temple by a man named Zachariah (Qur'an) or Zacharias (Proto-Gospel of James) and she leads a pure and chaste life[40] [41]. Although the Proto-Gospel of James does not mention the infant Jesus speaking, as the Qur'an does[42], it does tell of the infant Jesus performing a miraculous deed as he heals the burning hand of the midwife[43].

The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter is another early Christian text that corresponds to Islamic thought and teaching. Thought to have been written in the third century, it is allegedly written by Simon Peter, the disciple of Jesus[44]. The book's message is one that is stressed in numerous places throughout the Qur'an. In it, Jesus issues “dire warnings against the teaching of heretics who propagate falsehoods” and, strikingly in accordance with Qur'anic thought, it labels the heretics as “the bishops and deacons of the proto-orthodox churches, and their false teaching [that] Jesus was himself the Christ who suffered a literal death on the cross”[45]. The text maintains that the real Jesus is raised up above the cross while the people are crucifying what they think is Jesus, but is actually a substitute[46]. The author mocks the proto-orthodox view that Jesus actually died on the cross, seeing it as “laughable”[47]. The author believes that the true significance of Jesus' apparent death is much deeper than what proto-orthodox leaders believe and that, even though the people believed they crucified the flesh of Jesus, he was actually far removed from the perceived suffering[48]. The author says that those “who beheld the cross with full knowledge” should know that it was not actually Jesus on the cross but merely his outward appearance and he likens this to how “simple-minded Christians are nothing but the outward appearance of the living ones who have been fully enlightened by the spiritual truth” of the risen Jesus[49].

When aligned with Qur'anic verse, this book seems to propagate the same message concerning the false belief Christians hold about Jesus. The author's implication that “simple-minded Christians are nothing but the outward appearance of the living ones who have been fully enlightened by the spiritual truth” can be taken to correspond to Muslims' view that Christians have witnessed the same as Muslims have regarding Jesus but have essentially missed the point in assigning him divinity instead of attributing it to God. The language of this book when regarding those who believe they have killed Jesus is very similar in its mocking tone to verses in the Qur'an, “[they] said, 'We have killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of God.' They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, though it was made to appear like that to them; those that disagreed about him are full of doubt, with no knowledge to follow, only supposition: they certainly did not kill him- No! God raised him up Himself. God is almighty and wise.” [50] Like the author of the Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, in this passage the Qur'an takes an attitude of derision toward the “People of the Book,” whom Jesus will be a witness against on the Day of Resurrection[51]. Also, the insistence in the text that only those with “full knowledge”[52] will be spared from eventual suffering correlates with the Qur'anic verse, “For those of them that reject the truth we have prepared agonizing torment. But those of them who are well grounded in knowledge and have faith do believe what has been revealed to you [Muhammad], and in what was revealed before you- those who perform the prayers, pay the prescribed alms, and believe in God and the Last Day- to them We shall give a great reward”[53]. Both texts place a high importance on true knowledge as the way to be saved in the end and escape suffering.

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is one of the earliest surviving accounts of Jesus as a child[54]. Allegedly written by “Thomas, the Israelite”, it remains unclear who the author intended to be perceived as. Many early Christians recognized him as Judas Thomas, Jesus' brother and therefore a reliable authority[55]. The book tells stories of the young Jesus beginning at age five and relates a number of miraculous incidents in his childhood. These anecdotes portray a mischievous streak[56] in the young Jesus and relate encounters with other children, his teachers, and his father. The first known quotation from the text is by Irenaeus of Lyon, in 185 CE[57], which establishes a latest possible date of composition. The earliest possible date is thought to be around 80 CE because of the author's evident knowledge of twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple from the Gospel of Luke[58]. However, it is generally agreed upon by scholars that the text began to circulate during the first half of the second century[59].

The book begins with the author's explanation that he “[made] this report to all of you, my brothers among the Gentiles, so that you may know the magnificent childhood activities” of Jesus[60]. It contains eighteen anecdotes of varying length, the first being the story of the Jesus and the clay sparrows. It begins with a five-year-old Jesus playing by the ford of a stream, collecting water and making it pure. “He then made some soft mud and fashioned twelve sparrows from it.” Several other children were playing near by and “a certain Jew” ran away to report to Joseph, “Look, your child at the stream has taken mud and formed twelve sparrows. He has profaned the Sabbath!” Joseph came over and cried out, “Why are you doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath?” But Jesus simply “clapped his hands and cried to the sparrows, 'Be gone!' And the sparrows took flight and went off, chirping.” When all of the other Jews saw this, they were amazed and dispersed to go tell their leaders what they had seen Jesus do[61].

This same story can be seen referenced twice in the Qur'an; first in the third sura, The Family of 'Imran. In this sura, Mary is learning about Jesus, the son she will bear, and then Jesus speaks and tells of the miracles he will complete in the future, by the power of God. He begins with a reference to the story in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I will make the shape of a bird for you out of clay, then breathe into it and, with God's permission, it will become a real bird…” [62] The story is referenced again in the fifth sura, The Feast, where God is reminding Jesus of all He has done for him and for Mary. God says, “Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favor to you and to your mother: how I strengthened you with the holy spirit, so that you spoke to people in your infancy and as a grown man; how I taught you the Scripture and wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel; how, by My leave, you fashioned the shape of a bird out of clay, breathed into it, and it became, by My leave, a bird; how, by My leave, you healed the blind person and the leper; how, by My leave, you brought the dead back to life; how I restrained the children of Israel from harming you when you brought them clear signs, and those of them who disbelieved said, 'This is nothing but sorcery'; and how I inspired the disciples to believe in Me and My messengers- they said, 'We believe and bear witness that we devote ourselves to God.'”[63] In these verses God reminds Jesus of the fact that everything he has been allowed to do has been by the power and will of God.

According to these two suras, the story of the clay birds is significant in Jesus' life as one of the major testaments to the power of God working through Jesus. The story in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas does not specifically attribute the deed to either the power of God or the divinity of Jesus but, in the context of other Christian works, it would be assumed to refer to the latter[64]. The two suras make sure to emphasize that Jesus was only able to accomplish this act with God's permission.

This alludes to the greater issue present between Islam and Christianity. Upon reviewing their fundamentally accepted occurrences having to do with Jesus, it is clear that they should agree for the most part. They both believe that Jesus was born to Mary, a virgin, and performed many miraculous deeds and preached the word of God. They both believe that, although he was thought by the crucifiers to have perished on the cross, he rose into heaven and will come again at the time of judgment. These facts are not so much a point of contention as is the interpretation of them. The difference lies in the focus, the lens through which both religions view these actions of Jesus. Christians focus on these miracles of Jesus as being indicative of his divine nature and hold this central in their faith. For Christians, other prophets such as Moses were able to perform miracles but, like his splitting of the Red Sea, it was all made possible by the power of God[65]. Jesus is the only one whose miracles are attributed to his own divine power. Here is where Muslims explain the discrepancies between the two religions as a result that Christians have missed the point of Jesus. Muslims see Jesus, as the Qur'an says, in a succession of prophets who are fully human and not divine and culminate with Muhammad.[66] Muslims believe that, if Christians accepted this view, all would be explained. Christians on the other hand take the approach that Muslims created a false and unnecessary new religion and believe that any similarities between the sacred texts are a result of Muslims borrowing from the Christian tradition[67].

Attempts have also been made by secular scholars to explain these consistencies between the two religions as the result of pre-existing historical trends even before the time of Jesus. There are many examples of similar narrative structures that have been found in texts dating back hundreds and even thousands of years that are present within the Bible[68]. Western scholars have also seen these trends as related to the rapid expansion of Islam in its early period[69]. They believe that unrest and civil war during the rise of Islam led to the widespread expectations of Muslims that the end of the world was near and, some scholars believe, the Qur'anic descriptions of Jesus as an end of time figure would have been “a reassurance to Muslims that their cause was not in vain” and that they “had recognized the side of righteousness in a confusing world of socio-political currents.”[70]

The Jesus of Islam is arguably the same as the Jesus of Christianity and can clearly be seen within Christian sources of all kinds but these sources are scattered and disputed amongst the Christians. The confusion arises because of the inconsistencies of Christian sources, both canonical and non-canonical, and is largely the result of the early Christians leaders who assembled faulty compilations and allowed for politics or their own agendas to play too much into the construction of the canon[71]. It is an indisputable fact that although the Bible is the Christian sacred text, it contains numerous significant contradictions. Just in the seemingly simple Genesis flood story there are three separate versions with different accounts of fundamental aspects of how the flood occurred[72]. Muhammad and his contemporaries like Abu Bakr had the foresight to record and compile the Qur'an right away so as to ensure purity of content. Just the same as Christianity, there were undoubtedly Muslims or other hopefuls who attempted to author false sacred texts but the manner in which the Qur'an was compiled did not allow for it. Even the Hadith can for the most part trace all its sayings back directly to the prophet.

However, no amount of criticism over the compilation of ancient works will change what happened and both Muslims and Christians are guilty of wasting too much ink over attempts to disprove the other. Scholars of both religions have for centuries tried to point out the opposite sacred text's references to Jesus in a way to affirm their own faith when instead they should be focusing on commonalities and ways to move forward. It is ironic that Muhammad spoke so well of Jesus while Christian writings have always been harshly critical of Muhammad[73]. Andalusia was a perfect example of what can come of harmonious interaction between religions[74]. Spain under Muslim rule was the epitome of intellectual and cultural exchange, with Christians, Muslims, and Jews all coexisting and creating positive outcomes[75]. However, just because such harmony was possible in Andalusia at that time, doesn't mean that is necessarily possible or the answer today.

These “lost” early Christian doctrines are often dismissed today, especially by church leaders, for the sole reason of being non-canonical and, therefore heretical. What many do not stop to consider is the fact that, at one point, all of these books were considered legitimate to a certain group. The significance of the victory of proto-orthodox Christianity is “almost impossible to exaggerate” and it left a number of marks on the history of Western civilization, “none of which has proved more significant than the formation of the New Testament as a canon of scripture”.[76] When faced with the question of why the other Christianities were defeated by Paul's proto-orthodox version, church leaders and other believers will often attribute it to the will of God. Many do not question whether the “right” version won out. Many Christians do not realize that “Christian Scriptures did not descend from heaven a few years after Jesus died” and either do not know or do not want to know that the books that eventually came to be collected into the sacred canon were written by a variety of authors over a period of sixty or seventy years, in different places and for different audiences[77]. This is honest historical fact. When considering this process, it is simply not enough to affirm that “decisions made about the canon, like the books themselves, were divinely inspired” and in order to get a proper understanding, it is necessary to consider the actual history of the process and to “ponder the long, drawn-out arguments over which books to include and which to reject.”[78] The process took centuries, and even then there was not unanimity[79]. The fact that the real process behind these decisions was political allows for entertainment of the thought of what Christianity and our world would be like if another version had won; the early Christian texts that correspond to Islamic teaching might not be heretical but could have been canonical. It is just not right or thorough to dismiss these similarities between the texts without proper consideration.

What all of the overlaps of texts such as the Proto-Gospel of James, the Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas allude to is that there is more to the concordance between Islam and Christianity than is commonly thought. The collections of texts within the two religions hint at the existence of a shared historical narrative waiting to be further revealed. Many of the most influential and important ancient texts have been discovered in the last few generations and, aside from the fact that scholars have not finished understanding them yet, there are undoubtedly more discoveries to follow. All it takes is one text to shake the foundations and create new perspectives; the recent discovery of the Gospel of Judas presented an entirely opposite view of Judas from traditional Christianity[80]. Only just translated in 2006, the Gospel of Judas shows how even in a world where we think we have everything already figured out, there is no assurance that we won't have to revaluate at any time. There is still much work to be done in the study of these ancient texts. The current connections between early Christian books and the Qur'an paint only part of the picture and there is still much more to learn about the real historical narrative of Jesus' life. As for the question of whose books and whose ideas should be considered “correct”, only God can say.

In 2007 an Episcopalian priest was defrocked when, after deep thought, she considered herself both a Muslim and a Christian. People labeled her as idiotic and irrational, because such a thing is surely impossible. Isn't it?

by Hira āmīn

Political

From the political front unrest was found both in the provinces and in the elite Janissaries. The Janissaries, who comprised of young Christian boys being conscripted into the dervishme system, were trained to be officers, governors and soldiers. This method of strict discipline and rigorous training provided the government with skilled workers and was the key tool in early Ottoman success. However, the Janissaries who were once part of the most revered army in the world had become militarily ineffectual by the end of the 18th Century. The Crimean Tartars served as a support for this decay however as mentioned above, in 1774 when Crimea became independent they left the army.

The success in the Janissaries lied in their strict obedience to the Sultan, however; their ability to live on military salaries faded due to the costs of warfare and inflation. The government could no longer pay them a sufficient salary, which led them to violate the Janissary principle of only being a soldier and celibacy. They integrated into the urban class and became butchers, bakers, porters, craftsman; many owned coffee shops.[21]They married and their children were recruited and replaced the peasant boys in the divershime recruitment rounds, the last of these rounds being in 1703.[22] Thus by the early 18th century the Janissary corps were hereditary and urban in origin, so as Hourani says “their exclusive loyalties had broken down”.[23]

Due to their proximity to the Sultan and their elite status this had a catastrophic political impact. They had the power to make and break rulers as seen when they denied Sulayman the Magnificent's son Selim the throne until he paid them extra money.[24] Their integration within the urban classes gave the urban class a voice and power to object. Moreover, as the Janissaries became a hereditary corps – precisely what the prohibition of marriage rule wanted to prevent – this created an elite-popular urban class who had power to overthrow viziers and officials on behalf of the popular classes or due to intra-elite quarrels. It was for this reason in 1826 that Sultan Mahmud II killed and captured them to silence their voices and stabilize the Empire.

Unrest also lay within the province itself. The balance of power shifted from the Sultan to the viziers. At the end of the 17th Century the centre of decisions shifted from the Dome Chamber in the Palace to the Sublime Porte which was the vizier's house.[25]  However; Hourani asserts this could not change the situation, as the vizier's role was weak and could be easily dismissed by the Sultan, thus no radical changes were possible. Throughout the 17th and 18th Century the power shifted further into the local elites, decentralizing the system further.

The local elites always played a crucial role in the government and were loyal to the Sultan in providing taxes and recruits for the army. Quartaret claims this was due to the 1695 tax farming system where the government granted the right to collect taxes for a particular land in exchange for cash payments to the treasury. This ensured the central state maintained some control over the local elites as they could remove this lucrative privilege. However, the rising cost of wars and the inability for the government to pay cash back caused the local elites to keep the taxes for themselves. As we saw, above four fifths of the state revenue failed to reach the central government in 1789.

Quartaret emphasizes the lack of economic contingency for the cause of decentralization, but Lieven and Hourani assert this was largely down to ineffective leaders chosen by a hereditary process.[26] It seems that even though the quality of the leaders had declined, they did not simply sit back and watch the Empire fall apart. The leaders tried to modernize the system to try and salvage what was left. For example after the humiliating defeat and the treaties of Karlowitz (1699) and Passarowitz (1718) the Grand Vizier, Damad Ibrahim Pasha, sent an ambassador in 1719 to Paris with instructions to make a thorough study of the means of civilization and education.[27] In 1731, the Grand Vizier, Topal Osman Pasha hired a French nobleman to reform the Bombardier Corps on European lines. In 1734, a new training centre, the school of geometry was opened. The Janissaries found out and forced its closure, however; it re-opened again in 1773.[28] This and many other attempts of reform, such as the Tanzimat and Ghul Hane decree, show that the leaders were not inactive. However; it was the additional external economic factors and the ideological factors which hindered any of these reforms to have a substantial effect.

Ideological

The Ottomans began with a strong ideology; Islam. Islam was defined against the Christian West; it affirmed its many beliefs, but completed the line of Prophethood hence perfected and cleansed it from its adulteration over time. This view was crystallized with the destruction of the Byzantine Empire and the capture of Constantinople. Therefore the Christian West was inferior from every aspect – militarily, socially and above all religiously. This concept of superiority which at first served well for the empire was by time its ultimate cause of destruction. The sense of pride and fear of adulteration prevented them from taking the Western seeds of discovery and allowing them to flourish in the Muslim lands.

A good example of this was the length of time it took for the printing press to become widespread within the Empire. As Lewis says, “the most important technical innovation from Europe outside the military field was undoubtedly printing”[29] The Turks knew about the printing press since the 14th Century but only adopted it in the 18th Century. The delay was due to religious conservatives skeptical of European inventions and its evil effects in society.

Both the Janissaries in 1826 and the Mamluks in 1805 were massacred by the rulers for this very purpose – to clear the way for reformation. The fact that these brutal massacres had to take place to prevent uprisings against modernization and reform shows the superiority of culture, which was prevalent at that time.

Moreover, loyalty to the Sultan suffered greatly from two movements – Wahhabism and Nationalism. In the 18th Century a more conservative religious strand began in Arabia known as Wahhabism. They believed that the Islam the Sultan protected was not the “true” Islam and thus he was not the “true” leader of the Muslim Ummah. The movement spread with Ibn Saud taking Wahhab's ideology of “true Islam” and he conquered central Arabia, the Persian Gulf, Karbala and Hejaz.[30] They wanted the caliphate to be an Arab as “the Arabs were more worthy of it than the Turks.”[31]

The ideas of the French Revolution infected the Empire – in particular Egypt, which was invaded by Napoleon in 1798. The French left quickly but not before sowing the seeds of nationalism through their propaganda. They spread the message of the Turks ruining Egypt by their greed and the idea that the French will free them. Napoleon said, “It has been said to you that I have only come to this country in order to destroy your religion. This is a clear lie; do not believe it. Say to the slanderers I have come to rescue you from the hands of the oppressors.”[32] The Egyptians were not pleased with non-Muslim rule, however; the hatred towards the Turks developed. Mohammad Ali came into power in 1805 and while he still gave allegiance to the Sultan and supported him in battles, such as the Greek revolt and the Wahhabi revolt, they controlled their own internal affairs and as mentioned above kept their revenues within Egypt.

Conclusion

In conclusion, militarily, economically, politically and ideologically the Ottoman Empire declined from the reign of Sulayman the Magnificent. These factors were of course intertwined, which was why when reforms were made in one aspect the other factors stifled progress. Due to the influx of wealth from the New World they advanced both militarily and economically with the industrial revolution. Even if the Janissaries had not revolted and adopted their advance methods, the industrial revolution and the shift in global trade would have starved the empire from the financial means to survive. The strong ideology which at one point was the impetus to rival and take over the Byzantine Empire became the very reason not to adapt and take from the “inferior” Christian West. Hence the Ottomans were locked in an inextricable knot, thus divide and conquer were inevitable.

Bibliography

Freeman, Edward. The Ottoman Power in Europe.

Smith, Dan. The state of the Middle East.

Hourani, Albert. Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age.

Quartaert, Donald. The Ottoman Empire.

J Shaw, Stanford. History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey Vol 1.

Mann, Michael. The Sources of Power.

Lewis, Bernard. The Emergence of Modern Turkey.

Lieven, Dominic. Empire.

Marcus, Abraham. The Middle East on the Eve of Modernity: Aleppo in the Eighteenth century.

Barkey, Karen. Bandits and Bureaucrats: Ottoman Route to State Centralization.

[21] Donald Quataert, The Ottoman Empire, page 45

[22] Ibid page 45

[23] Albert Hourani, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, page 35

[24] Donald Quataret, The Ottoman Empire, page 45

[25] Albert Hourani, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, page 35

[26] Dominic Lieven, Empire, page 146, Albert Hourani, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, page 35

[27] Bernard Lewis, The Emergence of Modern Turkey, page 46

[28] Ibid page 48

[29] Ibid page 50

[30] Albert Hourani, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, page 37

[31] Ibid page 37

[32] Ibid page 50

A quality that holds weight as a true leadership skill is to bring out the best in others. What makes one a true leader is to be able to do so even if he himself is not interested in the qualities a certain person may have, or may not be interested in the possibilities which could come about from using these skills, but still actively helps others to capitalize on their potential to benefit society.

For example, if you have a true leadership personality, then even if you have never taken a liking to history, you can still encourage your brother who enjoys it and has a true insight into analyzing it and extracting its lessons. If he came to you and you turned him away while he began discussing this passion of his, simply because you're uninterested in the subject matter, then you could inhibit a very productive line of thinking which could emerge from casual conversation, or you could fail to discover a true talent in him and his ideas because you haven't given him a chance to express them. Because of your encouragement, he may go off to extract gems of wisdom from pursuing this interest of his, which could benefit him, the community, and even you. Imagine if that talent remained hidden simply because it wasn't tapped into, and as a result, went to waste.

But if you do take advantage of these small opportunities, however small they may be, then Allāh may open up the doors of potential from where you may never expect it. Remember how Mūsa ('alayhi'l-salām) took advantage of every little opportunity, and how it opened up the doors of prosperity from Allāh? Remember when he arrived exhausted in Madyan in exile from Egypt, but he helped two girls pull up water from the well even before he sat down? After doing an act of good, despite the difficulty, he then made du'ā' and asked Allāh for help. Moments later, the girls came back and invited him to meet their father, who offered him a job and his daughter in marriage. This is how Allāh responded to his sincere act of good – by multiplying the favors of Mūsa towards the young women, and reciprocating it back to him.

The Story of Abu Mahjan

We don't want to waste opportunities in others to do good – especially good which can benefit many. An example from the time of the ṣaḥābah is the story of Abu Mahjan Ath-Thaqafi.

During the Conquest of Persia, the commander of the Muslim army was the great ṣaḥābi, Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqāṣ (raḍyAllāhu 'anhu). Because he knew that sin was the cause of defeat, he did all he could to keep Muslims on the path of guidance and away from sin. When one Muslim, Abu Mahjan, was imprisoned by Sa'd for getting drunk, he deeply desired to get back on the battlefield and contribute to the efforts of the Muslims. Sa'd (raḍyAllāhu 'anhu) became very sick and was unable to fight, so Abu Mahjan recited emotional poetry to Sa'd's wife, begging her to let him loose and fight on Sa'd's horse. If he lived, he promised he would come back and tie himself up again. She was moved by his sincerity, and she let him go. Abu Mahjan got on Sa'd's horse and fought like no one else on the battlefield. He exemplified bravery and courage and helped the Muslims attain victory on that day. Sa'd saw him in the distance, and said, “That looks like Abu Mahjan riding my horse – if I didn't know he was tied up, I would have thought it was him!”

Abu Mahjan kept his word and tied himself up again at the close of the battle, but Sa'd found out nonetheless. He untied Abu Mahjan himself, and said, “Wallāhi! I will never imprison you again for drinking alcohol!” Abu Mahjan replied, “Then wallāhi, I will never drink alcohol again!”

Abu Mahjan's story was quite literally an example of locked up potential. Sa'd did the right thing in locking him up the first time for his sin, but when he came to know of the potential this man had on the battlefield, he knew not to hold it back. And after tasting the sweetness of aiding the cause of Allāh with his skill, and realizing that sinning could hold him back from it as it did in the beginning of this battle, Abu Mahjan vowed never to repeat the sin again. Sa'd was a wise leader who adapted to circumstances as he saw them in new light – and when he approached the case of Abu Mahjan wisely, his potential was unlocked, and his sin was eliminated.

But what drowns out the story of Abu Mahjan and Sa'd, is the story of 'Umar and Abu Bakr, may Allāh be pleased with them all. In the final days of Abu Bakr's khilāfah, as he prepared to return to Allāh, he realized the need to choose a successor. He had a few candidates in mind, but he wanted to do his research before settling on his first choice. He questioned the elite ṣaḥābah, the ones most knowledgeable of the job requirements and most familiar with each potential candidate – in other words, they had the appropriate religious and worldly knowledge. He asked one after the other what they thought about 'Umar b. Al-Khaṭṭāb. They all said words of praise and told Abu Bakr that he is the most pious among them. None could say a word about his taqwa, and they were all well aware of his deep knowledge attested to by the Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam). Finally, when Abu Bakr questioned 'Abdur-Raḥmān Ibn 'Awf about 'Umar, he told him to fear Allāh – “What will you say when Allāh asks you why you appointed over us the most stern from among us?” Abu Bakr said, “I will say that I appointed over them qawiyy, amīn” – the strong, the trustworthy! (This is the same way the two girls described Mūsa to their father before he was given the job.)

Abu Bakr clearly saw the leadership potential in 'Umar, and he saw that 'Umar's sternness and even harshness came from his intense fear of Allāh, not out of mercilessness. Abu Bakr was able to place all of these attributes into perspective, and saw past the doubts of some other ṣaḥābah. He saw that 'Umar's immense fear of Allāh combined with his brilliant judgment, and the strong, dominant nature of his personality, would provide the perfect combination for legendary leadership.

'Umar's first speech as Khalīfah:

“I had been in the company of the Messenger of Allāh, and a servant of his; and he had been, as nobody else, of extreme lenience and mercy; and he had been, as Allāh says of him: 'to the believers compassionate and merciful' (9:128). And I had been at his disposal an unsheathed sword until he sheathed me or let me go. Such had I been with the Messenger of Allāh, until he passed away, with me much pleased. Many thanks to Allāh for this, and with it I am greatly happy. Then Abu Bakr came into power to manage the affairs of the faithful; and he was, as you all know, of much graciousness, generosity and lenience; and I was a servant of his and an assistant, mixing my severity with his lenience, thus being at his disposal an unsheathed sword, until he sheathed me or let me go. Such had I been with him until he passed away, with me much pleased. Many thanks to Allāh for this, and with it I am greatly happy. And now, brethren, I have been nominated to manage your affairs. So be aware, then, that that severity has been weakened, but it will be used only against those who are oppressive and aggressive to the Muslims. But to those who seek safety, religion and good will, I shall be more lenient than each of them to the others. I will never allow anybody to oppress another, or be aggressive to him; for, then, I will put his cheek to the ground and set my foot on the other cheek until he yields to the truth. And after practicing this severity of mine, I will put my cheek to the ground for those who are virtuous and content.”

After 'Umar took up leadership, he ruled with indescribable justice which could only be matched by his unexpected mercy. 'Umar explained that during the early days, he was tough because the Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) was remarkably merciful, and he wanted to provide a resource of strength to the Muslims. If 'Umar was needed, the Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) could use him. When the Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) died, and Abu Bakr ruled, he did the same, and if 'Umar was needed, Abu Bakr could use him. However, now that it had become his turn, 'Umar would continue the tradition set before him, and rule the ummah with justice and mercy – and the ummah can attest that he in fact did.

Because of Abu Bakr's choice, justice dominated the ummah, and Islam spread with strength to the East and West for the next 10 years in which 'Umar ruled, and Abu Bakr will be rewarded for all the good that happened as a result of 'Umar's rule because he saw the potential in him and cashed in on the treasure.

So look to those around you, and notice their potential. Look at their strengths and suggest ways they may put them to use to benefit themselves, their families, and their communities. Do what Abu Bakr did and reap reward through the good deeds of others by sowing the seeds and encouraging them to put in the work to water the plant so that the community on one scale, and the ummah at large, may harvest its fruits. Encourage others when you see some interest and talent in them. Be an active listener as they share their interests with you. Help them develop their potential and share your own knowledge of related fields – even if you don't have knowledge in that field itself (if you do, then that's superb, but if you don't, then don't waste the opportunity to share useful advice and insight). This is among the ways that a true leadership-oriented personality brings out the best in others for the benefit of everyone.

Take a moment to think about the sheer diversity of the world, the different races, colors, cultures, languages and religions. The different things people do to make a living; the different ways people spend their time and how we all in our own unique way chose to share our lives with others.

There are seven billion unique individuals roaming around this planet we call “Earth”, some roam mindlessly, some with a clear sense of direction, and others caught somewhere in between doing what they can today and waiting for what happens tomorrow.

But with all the diversity in the world I cannot help but notice, and more so in the developed and rich 'developing' part, a lack of individualism and belief in the brand that is 'You'.

When I think about why someone would put more effort into trying to be something they are not, whether it is a personality, a career or a social activity, the first word that springs to mind is 'Acceptance'. For a lot of things in life acceptance is everything and can expand the course of a lifetime.

Acceptance means being part of the cool crew at school, the in-crowd at university or the high flyers at work, which many find to be the most convenient path to success and popularity.

In all honesty, you would not be wrong, you would have an awesome time at school, get invited to all the hip parties at university, and when constantly around the high flyers at work the bosses are more likely to paint you with the same brush.

But it all comes at a cost, a cost that a majority pay for every day of their lives, and that cost is 'You'. If for all that acceptance you are giving up on who you are as an individual, whether it is your beliefs, your personality or your values, you have essentially accepted that 'Acceptance' and success is worth more than what you stand for as an individual.

But what is the alternative to acceptance?

Let's put some thought into it. Have you ever heard the saying “You're a natural”, which is meant to indicate that someone was born with the natural ability to do something.

A lot of successful people in the world are 'Naturals'; they purely have a gift for doing a certain job or sport better than others. Additionally they take that natural gift, build on it everyday, master their craft, and eventually become leaders in their fields.

So where do we fit in? Well we all have a natural ability, a natural ability that is engrained into us the very day we are born, and that is the ability of being you. Let's think about it for a second, if a person is a natural at something and develops it, then she or he is ultimately living out the key formula for success as we previously mentioned. So if you take that formula into your life, be yourself, take the natural abilities you have been blessed with and build on them everyday, you are more likely to find success at your doorstep.

In my humble opinion there is no greater platform for personal and professional success than being who you are, and doing what you do best. Being you is something that requires no effort, no thought, it just flows, it's natural. In the words of purpose finder Jullien Gordon “The best career to have is when someone asks you what do you do? And your response is, I was just me all day.”

Of the seven billion people in the world today there is no one with the ability to be a better you than you, it is the ultimate advantage. You are already light years ahead of people in the field of you, and that is possibly the greatest skill to have.

Having said that with all the advantages you have of being you, there are some shortfalls, and that is making the difficult choice, enduring the possible hardships and facing the potential risks that come with being you. Even though being you is a natural ability, the world is a big place and nobody said the world accepting you was going to be easy.

But when you go into the world being true to yourself, you are already a winner because you are a person who has chosen themself over acceptance in all its riches and glory.

You have chosen to be part of the awesome story that is you and not part of someone else's, which is an achievement in itself and something you can be forever proud of.

In Apple's famous “Think Different” advert those two words spoke out louder than ever, showing the world a list of the people who have changed the world, forever inspiring the many who watch it. So if to “Think Different” is to be you, so be it, maybe it's your time to change the world. #BeYou

In the Name of Allāh, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful
May Allāh send His peace and blessings upon His final Messenger, and upon his family and companions.

Because of the comprehensive culmination of their unique yet coexistent personalities, the Ṣaḥābah were the greatest generation in human history. While the Prophets and Messengers of Allāh were more beloved by Him, higher ranking in Jannah, and more pure in their īmān (faith), they did not all live during the same period to form a single generation. The companions of Muhammad (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam), who are the highest caliber believers after the Prophets, lived together in the same lifetime as the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam), enabling them to be the greatest generation.

“The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter…” Sahih Bukhāri

But they were not all identical to one another. They did not all have the same exact personalities, backgrounds, mindsets, outlooks, and tastes. They were all unique in their own way, but were united upon Islam and its implementation. The fact that they were different was a mercy of Allāh to this Ummah, and the reason is simple. Had all of the Ṣaḥābah been identical, or even remarkably similar, then there would be no point in taking them all as role models. Rather, taking any of them would suffice, and no need would even exist to study them individually.

Their individuality is critical to our Ummah because we, as Muslims, are not all the same. When we see how they differed, we are able to take distinct lessons from each of them. We learn from the experiences of some, and acquire various understandings of the different areas of Islam in which creative thinking is permitted. Allāh and His Messenger (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) have declared their pleasure and satisfaction with the Ṣaḥābah, and in order to attain our highest objective, there is no generation more deserving of our admiration and humility than them.

The Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) was ideally balanced in every way, but the Ṣaḥābah typically had elements of their personalities which stood out and identified them. These were the areas in which they were most known for and specialized in.

For example, Abu Bakr was known for being the most well-rounded of the Ṣaḥābah. He had the most īmān and was the first grown man to believe in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said that if weighed, the īmān of Abu Bakr would outweigh the rest of the Ummah. He was the most knowledgeable, and was the closest companion of the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam). He excelled in every form of worship, and was therefore known as “As-Sabbaaq” – meaning the one who wins in every competition. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab one time famously donated half of his wealth to fund the Battle of Tabuk, hoping to outdo Abu Bakr, only to find that Abu Bakr donated his entire fortune. When asked by the Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) what he had left for his family, Abu Bakr replied, “I left for them Allāh and His Messenger!”

'Umar b. Al-Khaṭṭāb was known for his power, and praiseworthy might. He used his vigorous strength, bold intellect, and far-sighted wisdom for the sake of Islam and for the empowerment of Muslims. The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) titled him as “Al- Faruq”—the Criterion between good and evil. If there was anyone known for bringing strength to the Ummah, it was 'Umar. When the Muslims were making Hijrah (migration) from Makkah to Madīnah, all but 'Umar would perform it in secret, for fear of oppression. When his time came, he strapped his sword around his neck, marched to the Ka'abah in broad daylight, and performed ṭawāf. He then stood up and announced, “I am about to make Hijrah to Madīnah. Whoever wants their mothers to be bereft of their son, their wives to be widowed, and their children to be orphaned, then meet me behind this mountain at such time.” The Ṣaḥābah said that no one dared to meet 'Umar except the fools of Makkah, and he taught them all very valuable lessons before he sent them back home.

'Ā'ishah was known for her scholarly mind and her well-developed wisdom driven by her youthful curiosity. She was the young wife of Rasul Allāh (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) and the daughter of his best companion, Abu Bakr. Out of her curiosity, she would ask a plethora of questions, which made her a priceless resource for knowledge and rulings. More than 2,000 hadith narrations trace back to her, ranking her amongst the highest hadith narrators. Due to her vast knowledge, she was a primary source for Ijtihad, or determining what is Halal or Haram based on evidences from Qur'an and Sunnah. Since she lived long after the death of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam), she was able to teach the Muslims their religion for many years before she returned to Allāh.

When it came to business and making money, the first of the Ṣaḥābah to come to mind is 'Abdur-Raḥmān ibn Auf. He was known as the man of golden fingers. Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold, as money poured in from any business of the businesses he invested in. He would spend vast fortunes in the way of Allāh. At the time of his death, he owned an astonishing 1 billion dīnār of purely Ḥalāl wealth. It was so much that part of it was divided amongst every living member of the Ṣaḥābah who participated in the Battle of Badr.

These are just a few examples of the greatness we can learn from the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam). One may say that our best example is the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam), so why should we look beyond him as role models? The answer is that the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) was the greatest of all examples for us to follow, and no Muslim can deny this. However, that does not mean that we cannot follow those who he has taught directly as well.

In fact, by following the Ṣaḥābah, we are following the Prophet Muhammad (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam), because they did not learn the religion from anyone other than him. Both the Qur'an and the Sunnah arrived at our hands through their transmission, so they were the ones who most deeply understood the revelations after Allāh and His Messenger (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam). The Ṣaḥābah were present at the exact time of revelation, and were often the triggers for why parts of Islam were revealed when they were. Not only that, but if there were any questions, they would turn directly to the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) to clarify. The Ṣaḥābah therefore had a greater, and more complete depth of understanding of the Deen than anyone who came after them. For these reasons, among many others, we take them as our role models.

May Allāh send his peace and blessings upon his final Prophet, and be pleased with all of his companions. All praise is due to Allāh.

This is a strategy proposed by an American Muslim for American Muslims. It is a strategy that American Muslims should employ, if it is the case that we wish to combat negative stereotypes and perceptions about Islam. If you do not think this is important (even though it is), then this is not for you. But if you have genuine concern about the image of Islam in America and have the foresight to picture what life could be like for us if there is another terrorist attack against America, then this is your handbook. The Crescent Directive explains how we can revamp some of the negative perceptions of American Muslims. It's the story of how PTA meetings, Thanksgiving dinner, and Little League baseball, with the help of Allāh, can save the image of Islam in America.

It has several parts. First, we start with how the question about Islam has evolved over the last 10 years. After we narrow in on what the question is now, we discuss what our answers have been, and why they are not effective long-term solutions. Following that, we establish assumptions and outline the strategy of The Crescent Directive. The strategy will include a variety of specific, minor, and at times, seemingly facetious recommendations on changes we American Muslims can make in our everyday lives. The last section is an explanation of how these recommendations will change the image of Islam and closes with a few concerns and caveats.

To download the entire version of The Crescent Directive (for free), click here: you must have Kindle software. If you do not have a Kindle device you can download Kindle for Mac , Kindle for PC , or the Kindle app for your smartphone all free of charge for Muslimmatters readers til 3:00 a.m. EST  TONITE.