LikeMedia.tv is a slick new video portal dedicated to the sharing of Islamic knowledge online. My favourite part of the site is “Words of Wisdom” which contains a series of short videos containing bite-size chunks of useful advice, dispensed from a wide variety of Islamic speakers. The following is an example from one of our favourite imams, Abu Eesa Niamatullah, on the importance of salat:

Click here to view the embedded video.

There is lots more to watch on the site, so please check it out and enjoy the benefits. Happy Jumuah!

Click here to view the embedded video.

This lecture is from the United Against Malaria event organized by United For Change.

We have all probably seen hoards of heart-breaking images coming from the US Gulf Coast, as layers upon layers of oil destroy pristine water, wildlife and the livelihood of Gulf Coast residents.

As someone who has made his entire career in the oil & gas industry, I am torn between the disastrous effects of this oil leak and the vilification of an industry that plays a vital role in the lives of all that depend on it, constituting pretty much everyone in the world (from the producers to the consumers). From driving our cars, to heating and cooling our homes, to the manufacture of the goods and services we consume everyday, we are all dependent on the oil and gas industry one way or the other.

As someone who has chaired risk-management committees in the industry, I fully comprehend the potential for catastrophic accidents at nearly every plant and every rig in the world, every day. That is why it is called “risk-management”, not “risk-proofing”, because it is impossible to prevent every single pipe and every single mechanical equipment from ever failing.

A bit of flavor of how the risk-management process works is in order. In a nutshell, risks for failure are ranked at different levels, usually by guesstimating probabilities versus consequences, in what is a completely inexact science. Then a cost-benefit analysis is undertaken to determine the cost of adding additional safeguards versus its benefit in reducing the of probability for a failure to occur. If the goal was to reduce every the probability of every single accident from occurring to a hypothetical impossibility, it would make it cost-prohibitive to do business in the heavy industries.

To drive the point home, let’s consider an example that affects nearly all of us: how much would you be willing to pay for car safety that would protect your family in all types of accidents? A fully armored vehicle with a million air-bags made out of material that would withstand an accident with an eighteen-wheeler, can probably be made at a cost of millions. But most of us are only willing to pay a reasonable amount that mitigates a lot of risk (but still leaving still a lot on the table), and we end up putting our families to the small risk of a fatal accident every day! The point is that there is such a thing as reasonable risk that most of us are willing to live with. The same way, heavy industries, especially the petrochemical complex have to bear a certain level of risk. That’s just the cost of doing business!

I don’t know what all transpired in terms of risk-management at BP. But, due to regulatory processes and a heightened focus in recent years on PSM (process safety management), I would be willing to bet that at some point before the accident, a BP team sat down and ranked the risks associated with operating the drill. I also suppose that they probably understood quite well that the consequence of a blow-out was probably very high, but based on historical evidence and existing safeguards (or additional recommended safeguards), they assumed an extremely minute probability. Again, I have no idea what sort of risk-management discussions actually took place at BP, but having been part of risk-mitigation and process safety in the industry, I know such matters are not taken lightly. My intention here was not to describe the entire risk-management process in this post but to provide a flavor of “acceptable risk” and the importance of risk-management in the industry.

Besides the risk-management, one has to appreciate the engineering complexities of plugging a hole 5000 feet under water, otherwise it would have been long plugged. The normal pressure exerted by the atmosphere around us  is 14.7 PSI or around 100 kPa. As you go deeper in water, water exerts additional pressure, and at only about 10 m (33 feet) underwater, the pressure is twice the pressure (2 atmospheres or 200 kPa) on the body as air at surface level. At 1 mile below sea-surface, or 5000 feet, we are talking about pressures nearly 150 times normal atmospheric pressure or above 2000 PSI!  A company doesn’t risk its entire viability if it could do something about it, and right now BP can’t, and it isn’t for lack of trying.

I am not saying that BP didn’t make any mistakes, or did all their risk assessments correctly, and followed all procedures. We really won’t know that until the investigations are complete. But one can be certain that just like it is impossible to risk-proof equipment, it is impossible to risk-proof human behavior. Accidents are part of life, and some are unluckier than others. So, while I do believe that what BP lacks is not the effort, but they lack the appropriate public relations prowess, something that most oil and gas companies still haven’t quite learned how to do. Accidents will happen, but you have to create an ability, in advance, of dealing with the public consequences of it. Dealing with the media, with the communities, and with the government.

What is more troubling is the politicization of the entire oil spill. Instead of focusing on fixing the problem, politicians see this as an opportunity to gain political advantage or avoid losing it. Obama wants to “kick some ass“, because instead of worrying about the hole in the sea, folks want to see a hole through BP, losing sight of the fact that ONLY a technologically advanced and resourceful company like BP that is fully wed to the issue  is actually best-positioned to fix the issue. Do we think Exxon will step in to help if BP is “killed”?

We Americans just love to have a villain, a villain we can blame. And it is perfectly fine and appropriate to make BP pay for every bit of the recovery, but why do we lose sight of the task at hand? We need to stop the blame-game, and allow BP to put its energies into fixing the hole, and not fixing its ass.

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People of faith should focus on what we can do: pray for God’s help in sealing off the hole, and doing whatever we can do, in our individual capacities, to help with the recovery and cleanup effort. This is God’s earth, entrusted to mankind. It is okay for us to extract from its resources, but if we mess it up (and we will time to time), the least we can do is to help clean our mess. See this alert where MM joined hands with CAIR, calling for prayers and volunteer help.

Image courtesy http://www.shtig.net

The following guest post by Hena Zuberi caused great debate and discussion among the MM staffers as to whether to ignore the subject or let Sr. Hena’s voice be heard. There were concerns about being too reactive as well as piling on a “non-practicing sister”. However, some of us felt that what was at stake was above and beyond the Miss USA competition. Rather, it was about role-models and the type of role-models that Muslims have become so desperate to cheer on. It was about our own dignity and integrity. It was about being sandwiched between terror and bikinis. Here’s to highlight the diversity among us!

I Cannot Cheer You on Sister Rima Fakih, Miss USA 2010: Too Much at Stake

by Hena Zuberi

As a Muslim woman, who is passionate about the using the best of our abilities to make this world a better place alongside our men, I cannot cheer you on Rima Fakih, Miss USA 2010; too much is at stake. I detested beauty pageants when I didn’t wear hijab,  and detest them when I do now. I wish you had used your “passion, courage, and self-confidence” for a better cause.

People do stuff, it gets reported in the papers, the end. But when blogs, Muslim magazines here and all over the world have commentaries that celebrate this as a Muslim victory then it is too much. Even “Muslim feminists,” like Fatemah Fakhraie of Muslimah Media Watch, who normally think beauty pageants are “gross” because of their “history of sexism, exploitation and exclusion” are excited. So sister if one of our own does it, its ok? Talk about letting go of your values.

Fakhraie asks, “Why would any self-respecting feminist cheer at the fact that a Muslim woman has been objectified along with the rest of the Miss USA contestants?” She answers herself, “because she is excited about seeing another female face of Islam in the mainstream media. Rima Fakih is another representation: she doesn’t look like the headscarf-wearing Muslim women usually profiled in human-interest stories (the ones who open their own businesses or are fired from Abercrombie & Fitch stores). She doesn’t look like the war-torn women of Iraq or Afghanistan–representations in the media that Americans are used to seeing.”

Even if she has to agree that that “Rima’s crown represents sexist ideals and expectations…As a media activist and Muslim feminist, I am fully aware of these issues, and I know that her victory is not a real one for Muslim women or Arab American women.”

If you believe that the victory is not a real one then why applaud it? Have we lost all sense of identity that we have to rejoice at a Muslim woman stripping down to her undies as a breakthrough  in Arab/Muslim acceptance in this country? Are we so desperate for any “good” publicity that we will take the bottom of the barrel? My Arab ancestors must be turning over in their graves somewhere. This is not a triumph for any self-respecting Muslim/woman who upholds true feminist beliefs.

“Muslims are moving up,” says a Berkeley brother who identifies as a “liberal”. Trying to make sense of the celebration, Janan Delgado adds in a solid piece on altmuslimah, “Seeing that one of us gets to make it in spite of being Muslim and Arab is another welcome relief.”

I wonder too, how can people think this is making it? What does that mean? If making it means pandering to the ogling crowds of the lowest of low males- like cattle or cars are paraded, being judged on the size of their undergarments. This is wrong on so many levels as an American, as a Muslim, a parent, a teacher and as an immigrant.

Delgado further points out (Jazakillah khair sister): “We are integrated! We can be Muslim and get to do the things other Americans do! We also get to have our bodies paraded like horses at expensive Vegas casinos! Hurray! Except, of course, that when this happens, women like Rima who agree to appear in tiny bikinis are cast as the progressive ones [CNN actually used this word]. In the meantime, those of us who cover up head to toe are contrasted to these beacons of progress, in hopes that one day we see the light as well, and shed off our scarves, and while at it, perhaps all the rest as well.”

Rima, herself is quoted as saying, “I think it would prove that Arabs don’t always try to separate themselves, but instead are integrated into American culture,” she recently told the Global Arab Network.

“What are we doing? We are saying here we are and we are naked like you,” says Sarah Siddiqui, while celebrating her JD from the University of Arizona Law School where she was the Articles editor of their Law Review. ” This is going to change our image, I don’t think so. Most people will look at her and think this is one (anomaly), this is not a typical Muslim.”

“Perhaps a pretty girl like Rima Fakih in a shiny bikini will help dispel the ominous rumors and generate interest in, or at least Google searches on, Islam.” What?! Is this what we are going to do for dawah- strip and spread? An article in Elan the magazine for global Muslim culture says “You go, girl. One small step for a Muslimah, one giant leap for Muslim-kind, as we go from being stereotyped as hairy/angry/terrorists to hot/giggling/beauty queens. I love it”, read Elan’s article.

We need to celebrate another stereotype? Don’t we get a choice about who represents us- it has to be terrorists or winner of beauty pageants? This is an insult to all Muslimahs who are working hard in their respective fields, becoming scholars, lawyers, designers, chefs, professors, doctors, engineers, writers, business women, scientists, teachers and mothers. They struggle everyday to establish themselves, to build the Muslim image despite what Americans see on TV everyday.

“First Muslim Winner of Miss USA,” announces the Guardian’s headline. This is not an achievement of literary, athletic or scientific pursuit to be celebrated at Pita Pits around the country and the Arab world. It is a fact that she is an immigrant of Lebanese descent but do not make this about her Islam. Just as no mention is made of the Ms. Oklahoma, the runner-up’s religion, lets leave the Muslim out of it. When Ashwayria Rai won Ms. World- she was celebrated as an Indian, not a Hindu. Do you know which religion Vanessa Williams, the first African-American Ms. USA practices? Probably not. Read Ahmed rehab’s article in the Chicago Tribune

She wants to be a babe in a bikini then let it be just that, don’t make her the unwilling representative of Muslim women.

I am not saying Muslim women all around the way dress the same way or Muslim women have not dressed this way before. From singers in Arab countries to Pakistani models (some college buddies from Kinnaird are supermodels now) do dress like that but they don’t have headlines in respected papers like the Guardian calling them first MUSLIM anything- they are just singers or models from whatever country. Nor are they being asked in Newsweek to address Muslim women issues and “visit France as a good-will ambassador. She should bring her bikini.”

Making this about her religion, gives our girls the wrong role model to look up to. I am dreading the moment when one of my kids will get congratulated for a Muslim winning the pageant. That will stop my “Muslims don’t do that” line stone cold. When I tell my daughter that Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) may do certain things because she is a non- Muslim, what do I tell her now? Maybe I will tell her the same thing I told her when suicide bombers blew my uncle and nephew up while praying Jumu’ah in Rawalpindi, “that they are not following Islam.” It felt lame then and it feels lame now.

I know sex and all that is sexy sells and that’s what people are into but Muslim teens need stronger Muslim women highlighted in other fields, whose behavior they can emulate. This is why for years I drove the extra 35 miles so my daughters could see their Muslimah pediatrician, she didn’t wear hijab but dressed modestly and would greet them with salaam. They look at her and say, “hey I could do that.”

When Tanya from the youth group asks me ‘Sister Hena, but she is the first MUSLIM isn’t that cool?’ Is it cool? I attend a very liberal masjid, I can see where the girls are going with that – ‘everyone is doing it now even Muslims,’ ‘This opens up door which hasn’t been opened before, and sometimes that is not good’, says Sarah Ahmed, a mother of four college kids.

I am going to call it the David Chappelle syndrome, he cussed, is famous and is Muslim and, so there is a stream of comedians of Muslim backgrounds, who started off innocently but now are on mainstream media cussing away. What is amazing about Brother Chapelle is that quit his 50 million dollar show because of his increasing spirituality, this fact our young brothers ignore. It doesn’t matter that Rima is smart or wants to become a lawyer- she is hot and famous that is the focus.

Living in Los Angeles, I have seen the Kim Karadashian effect. It was bad enough when cheering the acceptance of petite bodies, long dark hair, naturally tanned skin as beautiful and mainstream, many modest Muslimahs shed their clothes, hoping to make it BIG; they are hip, cool and very fashionable. Karadashian is not Muslim, she is of Armenian descent and practices Christianity. It doesn’t matter if you are talented, Kim isn’t. And now we have Rima. Both these women are very pretty no doubt about that, but it keeps coming back to their “sexiness.”

Spengler’s article “Rima Fakih and the fragility of Islam” hit me hard. The article’s premise is “a nation is never really beaten until it sells its women.” It is depressing to see them gloat over our “adoption the habits of the ambient culture.”

A conservative non-Muslim commented on it “As much as I’d like to celebrate this small victory [notice how this is a victory because some believe that Islam will fail, Ma'adhallah], I really can’t believe that Muslim parents reading about Ms. Fakih are terribly overjoyed at the prospect of their daughters becoming pole-dancers and strutting around in bikinis and lingerie… If Muslims in America are presented with a choice of whether to assimilate into larger American society as decadent secularists or remain segregated as pious Muslims, then my guess is they’ll choose the latter option more often than not.” He has more faith in us than I do. Maybe I have too many acquaintances who are rooting for Rima, who are viewing this as a victory, who are proud today to see a “new” image of Muslims.

I keep thinking I may not have a problem with any of this if Ms. USA’s religion wasn’t being made a center point. Well, maybe I would still have a problem as an American mom trying to raise kids with so much immodesty in our society- may be this can be something that Muslims, Christians, and Jews following their faith traditions can all agree on. Maybe we may not concur on how modesty should be practiced down to that last detail but we can agree to the upholding of decent, modest language and dress in the public arena, and speak out about the sexualization of women & girls. We could use this opportunity for interfaith dialogue and action.

Illume magazine’s article by Sister Carma calls it every American girl’s dream- I asked my daughter’s All-American Girl Scout troop what their dream is, what they want to become (my daughter is the only Muslim in the troop). They talked about becoming vets, candle store owners, authors, marine biologists, teachers, graphic designers and pediatric physical therapists, none of them said winning Miss USA.

Rima, I do not know you or what is in your heart and what action of yours Allah (SWT) loves. I can only make dua for you according to my beliefs; may Allah bless you with the love of modesty and haya so you cover the beautiful body that Allah gave you. I promise I will do my cheers for you when you graduate from law school.

P.S. Apparently Rima has declared she isn’t even really a Muslim. But that doesn’t really change the context of this post. The question is about role-models, and remains relevant whether Rima is a Muslim or not. (Removed. Information relating to this is quite vague, so we’ll not speculate)

For a real alternative to a “beauty pageant,” how about the Miss Beautiful Morals?  Now, that’s a celebration of women as humans, not a celebration of women as bodies!

Photo courtesy Peter Sanders

By Zeba Khan

Being half Pakistani, half white, raised in America and living in the UAE, I’d long ago learned that when people ask me where I’m from, they don’t want to hear ‘Chicago.’ They want to know why I look like an Arab, sound like an American and hang out with a brown guy who bears striking resemblance to my Turkish-looking children. So I have no problem presenting my pedigree at the drop of the hat, because I know that there is no short and accurate answer. I’m Muslim, I was raised in America, but have also lived in Pakistan for eight years, my mother is American, my father is Pakistani. My father is Muslim, my mother is Mormon. No, they are not divorced.

“Ah, yes yes,” people nod, as things start to make sense. Then the next question comes:“And your husband, he is local?” When people here say local, they mean local Emirati, and they ask because any foreign Muslim woman wearing a black abaya must to be married to her local counterpart in the white kandoora, right? (salt and pepper, yin and yang?) “Actually,” I say, “My husband is Pakistani.”

“Bakistani?”

“Yes…” I try to explain, because the brown guy in the Blogger t-shirt with the standard Midwestern accent who says things like, “Hey, howyadoin?” does not fit inside of the box traditionally reserved for Bakistani. “Well, his parents are from Pakistan, but he was born in Kuwait. And raised in Oman. And went to school in the UAE, and college in the US. And, he’s never lived in Pakistan, but I’m sure he’s visited a few times.” People nod uncertainly. “So I mean, he’s Pakistani, but he’s not really very Pakistani? I mean, I’m more Urdu-literate than he is! But he looks brown, so his Urdu comes off better than mine, and his accent is better too.” And then people start to get that polite look of panic in their eyes that is usually accompanied by a sudden urge to rush home and see if they left the iron plugged in.

I think it’s easier for me to explain myself than it is for him, because I at least was born in, and brought up in, the country of my nationality. He was born in country A, raised in countries B and C, educated in country D, and has a passport from (but has never lived in) country D. And in this country, your salary and your renumeration package is directly connected to your nationality. [Yes, it's racist, idiotic, and unfair. No, I can't do anything about it. The Mighty Whities (US, UK, Australian, and South African Nationals) get top dollars, top benefits, and more prominent positions. The rest of us are on a much, much lower pay scale, with much fewer benefits. Why? Because if you, Brown Guy #237, don't like it, there are 67,409 other Brown Guys standing in line behind you who are willing to work for what it a humungous salary back home, though a paltry one according to the expenses of Dubai. If White Guy #1 doesn't like his job, how will we ever replace him? Do you have any idea how hard it is to coax a white guy out here? Quick, meet his demands! His accent makes our company sound posh!]

The office, who is legally obliged to give employees tickets “home” once a year, wants to give my husband tickets to a home he’s never lived in, because his passport is Pakistani. So, to get tickets back to the “home” he actually has family in, he says he’s American. That also explains the way he talks, but not the way he looks. But then he has to deal with people on both sides of the fence who say things like: “American? You’re not an American, you’re a Pakistani national!” And if he says he’s Pakistani, people say things like, “Oh, where from?” and he says “I don’t know, I’ve never lived there….” So where did you live before this? “Umm, America.” In some ways this is very typical of what I call “The International Muslim.” Yesterday we went to the barbeque of another “Pakistani” family, born in Saudi, raised in Connecticut, moved to Dubai last year. We had steak and barbecue chicken, we played Scrabble and we’ve invited them over some time after next week. We’ll make sushi. Chai, a dear friend of mine, once told me a story about her young brother, Ismo. Ismo, then seven or eight, brought a friend over from school to play. Chai overheard the following conversation:

“Hey, what are you? Are you Muslim?”

“Muslim? I don’t know.”

“Well, do you eat rice?”

“Yes.”

“Then you’re Muslim.”

I often remember that story when people ask me what “I am.” This is a different question from ‘where are you from’ or ‘what is your nationality.’ This is not a question of ethnicity or nationality, this is a question of identity. They want to know what my culture is. Do I make Nihari? Yes. Does that make me a Pakistani? I don’t know, do Pakistanis traditionally bake gingerbread men for Ramadan? Does my husband eat Pakistani food? Yes, does that make him Pakistani? Not any more than eating sushi makes him Japanese, and we roll our sushi at home. I don’t think that the food you eat determines ‘what you are,’ nor does the way you behave neatly define what your culture is. Do I respect my elders? Yes. Is that an exclusively Asian thing? Nope. Was I an obnoxious teenager? Oh yes. Is that an exclusively ‘American’ thing? Unfortunately, no.

I long ago realized I was too brown for the whites and too white for the browns. My first language is English but I have a funny foreign name. My Urdu is awful but my father is Pakistani, and my freckles are part of my Irish heritage. My passport is American but my wardrobe alone scares the bjeezus out of most Americans. My accent may be as American as apple pie, but my abaya most certainly isn’t. So what am I? What is the determining factor for one’s identity, if it is not nationality or ethnicity? Vague ideas of what is ‘culture’ differ on a regional or ethnic level, and are the passing whims of popularity and generally accepted social norms. You can argue that certain things make you American, but a hundred years ago, those same behaviours would be shocking, outrageous, and very un-American. (June is Gay Pride month in the US) They’re not standards, they’re just a sign of the times.

Even if I were to choose to be American, and to abide by the generally accepted principals of what being ‘American’ means, there are no principles of American-ness. Having a passport alone doesn’t make me an ‘American,’ it only makes me an American national. I could choose to be Pakistani, but again, there’s no documented process. My father is Pakistani, and he identifies with the culture and was born within the borders of the country, but guess what- he’s an American national too. Being born in a certain country doesn’t mean they’ll teach you the secret handshake either- husband was born in Kuwait, and he is most definitely not a Kuwaiti, even when he does wear a kandoora. Ethnicity alone doesn’t convey identity either, because I’m not an Irishwoman any more than my mother is. Without an agreed-upon standard determining the requirements of identity, the only thing left to fall back on is choice.

I did not choose to be born in America, any more than I chose to have a Pakistani father and an American mother. My ethnicity was set before I was even born, and my nationality can be changed if I decide to say… apply for Canadian immigration. My identity is the only thing I exert any control over. I choose to be Muslim, I identify with Muslims of all colors and countries, because we have an agreed upon standard of Muslim-ness. If you believe in Allah, and His Messenger, and the Qur’an, and you try to follow it- you’re Muslim. These elements of belief are all matters of choice as well, and someone can easily choose to NOT be Muslim if they wanted to, and that choice alone would be sufficient for them to no longer be considered part of the Ummah anymore.

The food I cook is not determined by what my ancestors cooked, but by what is halal. The clothes I wear are not any specific national dress, they are pieces of cloth arranged in such a way that they fulfill the Islamic requirements for modesty; abaya, shalwar qameez, or skirt or whatever. I don’t dance at Mehndhi parties just because ‘I’m Pakistani’ or go to prom just because ‘I’m American.’ I do, however, pray salah, fast, give zakah and wear a hijab because ‘I’m Muslim.’ My traditions and rituals are not specific to any tribe or cultural legacy, they are a follow-through on the Qur’an and the consensus of the scholars on the Sunnah, and I would be an arrogant idiot to say everything I did was 100% Islamic, but I can honestly say that the only defining culture I have is what has been given to me of Islam.

So what am I? Culturally, and consciously, I’m a Muslim. Alhamdulillah. My nationality is American, and my ethnicity is Irish-Pakistani. I’m married to a lovely man whose ethnicity and nationality are Pakistani, but whose upbringing is as crisscrossed as international flight patterns. He’s a Muslim too. My children are also Muslim, and inshaAllah, may they live in the state of Islam and not die except in a state of submission. They are American nationals born in the UAE who are ethnically 25% Irish, though they have never been to Ireland, and 75% Pakistani, though they have never been to Pakistan. Allah is the Lord of the East and the West, and the whole earth is a place of worship. Who knows where my children will live when they grow up, or how many strangers they’ll scare away when asked what they are?

Oh, and I think you left your iron on.

Guest submission by Ola

(Summary of an Arabic article by Shaykh Muhammad Salih Al-Munnajid)

All Praise is due Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may the peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.

From a small, remote island nation located in the North Atlantic Ocean, a small, sub-glacial volcano erupted, sending plumes of ash thousands of feet into the air. It drove the entire European continent into panic and caused the disruption of international flights around the world.

Airplanes discontinued flying, airports shut down, and air traffic was suspended. One-hundred thirteen European airports closed their airspaces in the face of international navigation. More than 63,000 flights were cancelled. The airline industry faced losses of up to $250 million per day. Over seven million travelers were stranded.  Airport lounges turned into dormitories, and passengers were provided with blankets and other necessities. In addition, importers and exporters were confronted with deficits.

Europe was nearly isolated from the world when it met the biggest disruption of air transportation in its history.

1.       So take warning, O people of vision (59:2):

One cloud of volcanic ash sent an entire continent into panic and fear and paralyzes air travel.  What would happen if several volcanoes erupted? Indeed, it is an event that calls upon us to think, reflect, and contemplate. It is not fit for such great happenings to surpass a Muslim without a deep, thoughtful pause that comes about from his/her faith in Allah, with full certainty, that whatever good happens in this universe is from the grace and mercy of Allah and whatever evil happens in it is with His knowledge.

“That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.” (Ya-Seen 36:38)

Allah has wisdom behind everything He wills and decrees.

“He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.” (Al-Anbiyaa 21:23)

2.       And We send not the signs except as a warning (17:59):

Volcanoes and the like are soldiers of Allah; He sends them upon whom He wishes of His servants, in the time He wishes, in the manner He wishes.  They are a warning, a trial, and a punishment.

“And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him. And mention of the Fire is not but a reminder to humanity.” (Al-Muddaththir 74:31)

Among the soldiers of Allah is the volcanic ash, composed of small particles of glass and pulverized rock. The ash poses great danger to aircraft engines and instruments and thus hinders planes’ movement. Moreover, it may pose serious health hazards if inhaled.

To simply say that such incidents are “natural” occurrences due only to standard universal laws illustrates one’s heedlessness of the Creator and the Controller of this universe. For who runs and manages this universe in such an orderly fashion and gives it power to strike its inhabitants?

“It is He who shows you lightening, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds. And the thunder exalts [Allah] with praise of Him – and the angels [as well] from fear of Him – and He sends thunderbolts and strikes therewith whom He wills while they dispute about Allah; and He is severe in assault.” (Ar-Ra’d 13:12-13)

3.       And this is nothing else than a reminder to mankind (74:31).

The volcanic ash cloud is a sign among the signs of Allah. It was sent to His slaves as an admonition and reminder to the Believers, and a way to warn and frighten those who turned away from Him. The believing heart will take heed and turn to its Lord in repentance, while the oblivious heart that has forgotten its Lord will only worry about economic losses and the latest updates.

“They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.” (Al-‘Araf 7:179)

It is from the hardness of the heart that one hears of such adversities and yet fails to detach themselves from sin and transgression and continues to follow their desires.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) describes the state of the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alayhe wa sallam) when he saw a cloud, “If the Prophet saw a cloud in the sky, he would walk to and fro in agitation, go out and come in, and the color of his face would change, and if it rained, he would feel relaxed.”  When she inquired about his reaction, he replied, “I don’t know (am afraid), it may be similar to what happened to some people referred to in the Holy Quran in the following Verse:

‘And when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, ‘This is a cloud bringing us rain!’” Rather, it is that for which you were impatient: a wind, within it a painful punishment.” (Al-Ahqaaf 46:24)

Similarly, during the solar eclipse he experienced (salallahu alayhe wa sallam), he came out in a restless state thinking the Hour had begun. This is indicative of the degree to which he feared the Hour and kept it in his mind.

What should our state be when we witness an ash cloud shooting up 10km into the air?

4.       They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might. (22:74)

What hit Europe and affected the entire world is a great indicator of the power and strength of Allah, glorified be His Majesty. His decree outstrips all other commands and His might leaves all other helpless.

Whatever Allah wills happens and whatever He does not will does not happen, and He is over all things competent.

“It is Allah who has created seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them. [His] command descends among them so you may know that Allah is over all things competent and that Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge.” (At-Talaaq 65:12)

5.       Man is weak.

When man becomes arrogant, transgresses, claims perfection and self-sufficiency, Allah sends signs that remind man of his weakness and need of his Creator (the Exalted).

“O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.” (Fatir 35:15)

It was a matter of minutes before security turned into fear and profit into deficit. Did the power, technology, money, research, and innovations of these “First World” countries benefit them in the face of one of the soldiers of Allah? They helplessly watched and gazed as the order of Allah moved before their very eyes.

“Or who is it that could be an army for you to aid you other than the Most Merciful? The disbelievers are not but in delusion.” (Al-Mulk 67:20)

6.       There is no refuge from Allah except in Him (9:118).

No matter how influential or intelligent man is, there is no way out of such catastrophes except by turning to his Lord in sincere du’aa and worship. For this reason, we are commanded to rush to salah during solar and lunar eclipses. “They are two signs amongst the signs of Allah. When you see them stand up and pray.” (Bukhari)

7.       A fire that reminds of a greater Fire.

The lava discharged from the volcano reached a temperature of 1,000°C (1,800°F) and melted about 10% of its icecap. This is the fire of this world which serves a as a reminder of the Fire of the Hereafter. The Prophet (salallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “This fire of yours which is lit by the sons of Adam is one seventieth part of the fire of Hell.” (Muslim)

8.       And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow (31:34).

Conferences organized, meetings arranged, appointments set, reservations confirmed, hotels booked, and holidays planned; but no person knows what he will earn tomorrow. It was one eruption and many cancellations. Travelers were fighting over seats to get back home.

“And if I knew the unseen, I could have acquired much wealth, and no harm would have touched me.” (Al-Araf 7:188)

9.       And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much (42:30).

This is the way of Allah; He decrees calamities to scare His slaves. When sins, oppression, killings, and indecency multiply, so do volcanoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, droughts, diseases, wars, and losses of life and wealth.

“Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” (Ar-Rum 30:41)

And such misfortunes will not be the last for those who violate the laws of Allah, as He (the Exalted) says:

“And those who disbelieve do not cease to be struck, for what they have done, by calamity – or it will descend near their home – until there comes the promise of Allah. Indeed, Allah does not fail in [His] promise.” (Ar-Ra’d 13:31)

10.   An adversity for some and prosperity for others:

While airline businesses faced shortfall, transportation services by train, bus, and ferry were thriving as passengers looked for alternatives.  In addition, there was a high demand for hotel rooms.

All praise is due to the One who allocates provision to whom He wills! Some people suffer bitter losses and other people celebrate unexpected gains!

11.   Remembering the countless blessings of Allah upon us:

Observing exhausted travelers sleeping on uncomfortable chairs, impatiently waiting days and nights, should lead us to acknowledge the great and innumerable blessings Allah has bestowed on us. The blessings of security, peaceful nights, and tranquil days ought to fill our hearts with the praise of Allah and our tongues with thankfulness to Allah.

Moreover, this particular incident reveals to us our reliance on airplanes and the blessing of arriving at far distances in a short span of time.

12.   Remembering the Last Day:

The likes of such a phenomenon should remind us of a much terrible one yet to occur: the earthquake of the Hour. Sunlight was blocked by the ash cloud, and something similar will happen on the Last Day:

“When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]” (At-Takwir 81:1)

Just as airplanes were deserted and neglected, on the Last Day:

“And when full-term she-camels are neglected” (At-Takwir 81:4)

Allah mentions she-camels in the Quran because they were prized wealth to the Arabs just as airplanes are valued to us today.

The ash cloud that travelled thousands of feet into the air serves as a reminder to a cloud of smoke Allah will send prior to the Last Day:

“Then watch for the Day when the sky will bring a visible smoke. Covering the people, this is a painful torment.” (Ad-Dukhan 44:10-11)

We ask Allah subhana wa ta’ala to have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and through these signs, guide those who have gone astray to the Straight Path. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted.

Guest-post by Loga’Abdullah, originally posted here. Below that is audio of a panel discussion with ulema in South Africa (uploaded on Youtube by Dawud).

Bismillah. At the outset I’d like to honor the pursuit of the truth and the efforts the video makers made in seeking understanding as opposed to hate. This is a noble venture and the points below are not aimed at discrediting that.

A note of caution: The documentary repeats and replays images of lewdness, music, sexuality and drug use. Likewise, there are some differences of Aqeedah mentioned within (such as the idea that Allah created the universe with laws and left it or the Shi’ite perspective of Islam).

I’ll try to stick to the main points regarding the factual presentations given and one can read about the issues of Aqeedah on other posts. Remember: It is a form of shirk to associate the Power and Will of Allah with anyone or anything other than Allah. Saying that Shaytan gives someone power and makes people powerful is not from the Aqeedah of Ahl Sunna because Allah is the only One who Decrees what Will be. [The following points will follow relatively chronologically along with the episodes – they are not in order of importance]

1) In The Arrivals many theories and ideas are presented as if they are one cohesive body (conspiracy), however the linking data or linking evidence to connect these ideas is not given. I am not saying that these theories are wrong or right, rather than they are presented as if they are all connected without supporting evidence. These ideas and theories include:

a. The planned and strategic usage of sexual imagery in children’s television and the greater promotion of lewdness and degradation of sexual morality.

b. The imagery of the Lion/Horse crest on government/cigarette/alcohol symbols (based upon Biblical prophecy).

c. The symbolism of the Freemason Architect “eye” and membership of powerful elite.

d. The secret possession from Jerusalem at the time of the Crusades that gives power and control (originally found by Templars).

e. The skull and crossbones symbolism.

f. The illuminati and its relation to the music industry.

g. Emergence of the “new world order” of wars and globalization.

h.The symbolism of pyramids and tapping of the earth’s hidden energy grid.

i. The global support of the state of Israel.

j. The occult, paganism, magic and Satanism.

k. The theory of energy and vibes/vibrations and other related theories.

l. The concept of sacred geometry and sacred mathematics.

m. The proliferation of mass media, music, television, movies and the like.

n. Belief that ancient pyramids facilitated global communication and special power sourcing.

o. The belief that the Dajjal is a system not a person (as described in the Sunnah).

p. The death of Michael Jackson and the plots behind it.

q. That freemasonry is actually based upon Kabbalah, or Jewish magic and magic that pre-dates Judaism.

r. Hollywood’s stereotyping of Arabs, Muslims and the Arab world.

s. Alternative 9/11 explanations.

t. UFOs and the New World Order’s plan to stage a UFO attack on the world.

u. That all powerful elites and world leaders are Satanists.

v. That the Pharaoh’s bloodline is the current ruling Monarch in Britain.

Each of these theories are in need of reflection and consideration, however one cannot assume that they are connected and linked in a planned effort by a single body without sufficient evidence to make such a claim. The Arrivals presents these theories as if they are all a plot from a specific group (empowered by Shaytan), however it does not account for any other factors, such as: the market demand for sexual imagery and the advantage that sexual imagery has in advertising; the supply and demand and ease of world trade in globalization; the “crest” image is not exact representations on each product, rather these are similar logos and there is a historical usage for such emblems; the distinct membership and separation between the organizations related to the freemason symbolism and the skull and crossbones symbolism; the structural advantages to the pyramid in ancient times (ex: ease of construction, ability to increase height and durability) that facilitated its global usage in pre-modern times; and the socio-political, geo-political and religious reasons that the state of Israel has gained support; the fact that the lion is a common symbol because of its power and dominance in the animal kingdom; the role of superstition in everyday life and that is it often correlated by the mind but does not necessitate a plot to confuse the masses; the factor of green in global business as it affects the new world order and globalization as well as the use of sexuality in advertisements and the proliferation of goods such as alcohol and cigarettes; the role of addition in the sale of products such as alcohol and cigarettes; the effectiveness of using geometry and geometric patterns in construction and for aesthetic purposes; the demand and profitability in mass media; the freedom within mass media, to create such shows as The Arrivals; the other factors that played into the war on terror, such as the existence of actual extremist groups executing acts of terror; the geo-political and economic reasons for invading Iraq and Afghanistan; certainly the events of 9/11 have been called into question as it related to the US government’s explanation, however no clear alternative has yet emerged and thus we cannot assume that our best guess is correct, et cetera.

2) The condescending attitude of “soon you’ll know” and “soon you’ll understand” and “soon you’ll be free” makes the viewer feel as if the documentary makers have some secret information they’ve yet to share with the audience. However, the continual blaring of this messaging is using the similar tools and methods which were “evidence” that media came from Shaytan.

3) The use of cult movies, such as the Matrix, Fight Club and the Lord of the Rings throughout, clearly undermine their message as they are promoting the mainstream Hollywood media which they claim to be a part of the master plan for the new world order.

4) “Connections” are made between relatively unrelated topics to promote their theories. For example: Part 11 begins with Hamza Yusuf talking about the Sun God of the Pharaohs and its relation to the Freemason Architect “eye” along with the word “ray” coming for that Pharaonic origin and then the title of Madonna’s album “Ray of Light” is portrayed as something seemingly shaytanic. This connecting of unrelated imagery and tidbits of information without factual evidence to link them is not evidence at all.

5) The idol worship of celebrities is considered shaytanic when done for pop stars that are supported by the claimed illuminati-dominated music industry, however cult like following of Michael Jackson, Bob Marley and Diana (called our hero) is not deemed so. Again, selective use of information to promote an idea.

6) The evidence of the music industry’s dominance by illuminati and their agenda being encoded in all forms of messaging revolves around only a few people, in particular the documentary focuses upon Madonna and Britney Spears. And, no evidence is provided to show that these people in particular or their bosses are in fact a part of Illuminati – rather it is given as if it were fact (for argument’s sake, one needs to prove the point not just state what one believes to be truth).

7) The use of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion as “evidence” when clearly this document is a forgery as has been deemed so by Western academia and Islamic scholarship, its roots, agenda and plagiarized portions are well-known.

8 ) The lack of “smoking-guns” and reports from previous workers – for example: if Disney has a master plan to indoctrinate the children through sexual imagery in cartoon films, there would be at least one editor/artist or otherwise who would come forward speaking about the fact that he’d be told and/or directed to create a cartoon based upon the imagery of sexual organs and other sexual imagery. And yet, such has not happened in the case of Disney or any of the others.

9) On The Arrivals own website Part 21, Part 23 and Part 37 are missing (there are files but they direct you to the following section)

10) The section regarding UFOs conveniently mixes actual images with Hollywood and other footage of UFOs. Granted, UFOs may be explained by the testing of yet to be released military technology, but that of itself is not proof that the “New World Order” is plotting to use UFOs to stage an attack to finalize their control of Earth.

11) The film confuses the “satanic” hand sign (which is shown) with the American Sign Language sign for “I love you,” which is close to the “satanic” hand sign but it also extends the thumb. The documentary mixes these two images / hand signs as if they were the same and had the same meaning.

12) The Dajjal being our ruler as a system goes against many ahadith in the Sunna. It puts aside the physical description of a person, it leaves aside all the ahadith that describe the Dajjal and what he looks like, it does not discuss the ahadith regarding the precursors and timeline that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) has related for us. The Arrivals selectively uses some ahadith to “prove” that the “Architect eye” is the one-eyed Dajjal system and that the Dajjal is alive and ruling us. They have interpreted the ahadith of “one year” to mean one heavenly year and this it equals 1000 years and goes forth with a theory of who ruled the world during this time, after the speech given by a speaker there is no authentic evidence to advocate this understanding of the ahadith, nor the rest of the narrations relating to Dajjal, which were not mentioned at all. One who is slightly versed in the Dajjal as is presented in the authentic Sunna will realize this argument and this idea of the Dajjal being a system is not correct.

13) The aspect of why all the leaders are practicing and embracing Satanism and dominating the world, who are working to eradicate religion and the belief in Allah, neglects to address the fact that the Most-Powerful and the Most-Merciful is Greater. Allah is All-Knowing and not unaware of the plots of Satan for surely the pen has been lifted and nothing occurs without the Knowledge and Will of Allah, Most-High. Let us not forget this crucial and important point as we are told that Satan is taking over the world through the whims and pacts of the elite and leaders.

14) The Arrivals states that only evil jinn “cross the dimensional boarder” and therefore we do not and cannot encounter good jinn. They also state that only sacrifice “opens the door” for that cross dimensional communication, symbolized by a cross checkered floor, and that all leaders of the world today practice these rituals of sacrifice. I don’t feel the need to comment on this. Had there been authentic religious evidence for the former one might consider it and had there been anything beyond opinion for the latter is may have be entertained.

15) Much of the theories and information regarding the plans of Shaytan rely upon one long interview from an unknown source taken by unmentioned journalists and presented by an unknown speaker. How can a logical person take this as the “key” to unlocking this truth? This is pure opinion given by an unknown source regarding Satanism and is the foundation for the latter part of the entire series. In sum, we have a collection of antidotal evidence and a listing of various controversial theories. It is stated that there are a lot of things going wrong. There is a massive negative trend in society. However, a collection of images, photos and music and movie clips does not prove that the Freemasons/Illuminati/Pharaohs are running society. As was mentioned in the film, there are a lot of people who have similar world views, but they are not necessarily working in concerted efforts. Those similar views include greed (globalization, sexual marketing), control (New World Order, clubs of secret societies), power and the like. Although many of these above mentioned plots are said to have a Shaytanic origin, many have had positive effects and thus the dichotomy is not as black and white as is presented. Occam’s Razor states: entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity. I rest my case upon Occam’s Razor until facts, sources and ideas are connected justly.

Wa’Allahu ‘alem.

Radio Panel Discussion in South Africa

A radio panel discussion (h/t Dawud Israel):

Part 1

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 2

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 3

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 4

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://muslimmatters.org/2010/05/03/analysis-of-the-arrivals-video-series/feed/ 82 http://muslimmatters.org/2010/04/26/south-park-episode-censorship-of-mohammeds-s-depiction-the-script-played-to-perfection/ http://muslimmatters.org/2010/04/26/south-park-episode-censorship-of-mohammeds-s-depiction-the-script-played-to-perfection/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:48:06 +0000 Amad http://muslimmatters.org/?p=14377

Note on Moderation:

Strict moderation will be in place for this post, I will mod your comment if:

1) You defend or promote violence against civilians (including South park guys or anyone like that– this isn’t CNN!).
2) You defend or promote the revolution guys.
3) You cut and paste tons of ahadith and verses trying to prove that its OK to use violence. I am not censoring the texts, but your contextual use of them.
4) Push some radical “scholar’s” view that it is okay to use violence for Muslims in the West.

South Park Episode & Censorship of Mohammed’s (S) Depiction: The Script Played to Perfection

Ever since the South Park episode issue arose and this non-event became a big story, I have been itching to write something. This itch arises from a combination of disappointment and frustration, with a tinge of amusement at how the same old script is successful every time!

Here is how this script goes:

1) Some despairing soul (could be plural, but sticking to singular for this script)- let’s call him Party-I (I for instigator), who has very little purposeful happening in his life, decides to write something disparaging about Islam or Muslims for one or more of the following reasons:
(a) spice up his “human rights” credentials (maybe a desire for some legacy?); this reason is almost always never the sole or real motivating force
(b) earn lots of dough ($$) in the process; almost always the “real” reason
(c) earn some fame; goes back to (b) in some ways.

2) Party-I then makes sure his attempt at establishing “freedom of speech” is well-publicized. He will go at great lengths at how afraid he is for his life, or how he feels that this is a “mission written for him”, or how he wants to stand up for the other “brave souls” who similarly stood for “freedom of speech.” Party-I will include a lot of hot-button phrases in his speeches/interviews, lamenting the lack of freedom Islam provides or how he shouldn’t need to feel afraid for writing whatever he wishes. The purpose is to gain sympathy of everyday Americans, using the easy Islam scapegoat. Party-I will almost NEVER touch topics such as Holocaust denial or other subjects that can get one arrested in some parts of the “free West.” Some speech is more free than others? The reason for this is obvious. Such topics will never get #3 flowing, and hence are not be desirable for the ultimate goal outlined in #1.

3) Some media outlet, usually FOX, but sometimes one or two from the “liberal” mainstream will pick the story up and look for angles to sensationalize it (sensationalism is important otherwise it won’t help with the ratings-think $$ again). Let’s call this outlet Party-M (M for media). Party-M then goes on a frenzied search for someone from the Muslim circles to say something that endorses the “mission” of Party-I, directly or indirectly. Party-M needs someone who will make a threat (veiled or otherwise), will invoke a previous threat or simply disagree “strongly” with Party-I’s attempt at mocking what Muslims hold dear.

4) If Party-M is lucky, they will happen to land on Party-W (W for wacko). Party-W usually represents some fringe Muslim element, a one-man show or a little bigger. Party-W usually has no physical links to scholars of the mainstream, or really any foundation of Islamic knowledge. Sometimes Party-W is actually working for Party-I (indirectly), an agent provocateur of sort, whose specific goals would be to delegitimize Islam in the garb of a “practicing” and “Muslim-looking” Muslim. Either way, Party-W would make himself fully available to the media, and ultimately do (intentionally or otherwise) exactly what both Party-M and by proxy, Party-I were hoping for, and bang:

5) With Party-W in the wraps, Party-M finds “Islamic experts” (code for Islamophobes) who then exploit Party-W’s exhortations to his fellow Muslims against Party-I, to assert how they have been warning everyone for so long about the threat of “Islamism.” Of course, to maintain the script, Party-M never even tries to contact a mainstream Islamic organization.

Results:

Who Succeeds?

• Party-I gets media attention, which equals $$.
• Party-M gets a loud-mouthed Party-W, and gets the ratings, equals $$.
• Party-W, despite having no Islamic expertise (except that gained with Shaykh Google), finds himself on TV (yoohoo), popularity and depending on the type of agency, perhaps some $$ as well.
• Islamophobes relish in increasing Islamophobia

And Who Fails:

• The Muslims. The opinions about Muslims. The views about Muslims.
• And the media, having sacrificed quality and responsibility for ratings.
• And Muslim organizations, for not jumping on the issue faster than lightening (considering the script)
• And the West, allowing for some freedoms (of speech) to be more sacred than others.

Coming back to South Park, having provided you the script, consider the three players in this: CNN, South Park (creators) and RevolutionMuslim. I will let you figure out what Party is which… shouldn’t be that hard!

Starting with the South Park creators, having taken a look at these guys, it is obvious that these junkies are not really looking at this as an opportunity to become ambassadors of human rights. I mean they are creators of a show that is intended to be dumb and highlight the dumb. They get their kicks by offending other people. They find it very satisfying to step on what others hold dear or sacred. What this obviously means is that these despairing souls probably don’t have much that they themselves hold dear, and thus it’s the “if I can’t get it, then I’ll make fun of yours.” Dumb? Didn’t I just say that! But the point is that they live in America. This country gives them the freedom to be dumb and to say dumb things. For them, a successful script is a guaranteed jackpot, so why not?

What is unfortunate this time is that it wasn’t FOX that jumped on this non-story, rather it was Anderson “I-am-really-serious-and-the-burden-of-the-world’s-human-freedoms-is-on-me” Cooper, whose Anderson-360 was reduced to a mere 180, or maybe only a right-angle (that’s 90 degrees for those not mathematically-inclined). Watch the video, witness how grand Cooper makes the issue sound; you could be excused for thinking that another Katrina just hit New Orleans! And then he leans over what he probably thinks is a real cool touch-screen and flashes different screens, so that we can admire CNN’s technological brilliance. But Anderson shames his own journalistic standards, relying on a “radical Muslim,” completely on the fringe to basically represent the entire Muslim community. To “balance” it, he interviews Ayaan Hirsi, the discredited Islamophobe, who claims that Islam cannot be criticized these days? If Islam can not be criticized, it would not have become the only “acceptable” cottage industry to thrive on racism and prejudice.

And who is Cooper’s radical (#4 of the script)? Some radical jihadist with thousands of armed followers, some extremist with a million unarmed followers, someone respected (even if disagreed with) in the wider Muslim community? Not quite. Our radical is none other than Yousef al-Khattab (officially Joseph Cohen) whose only claim to fame is a website with the “scary” name, “Revolution Muslim,” leading an army of four individuals. Brilliant mate! Mr. Khattab’s background is interesting, to say the least. He claims to be an ex-extremist Jewish settler and ex-Zionist. Only Allah knows the secrets of the heart, so I will not venture to guess Khattab’s allegiances (although some are not hesitating), but I will say that he could do a lot more good doing dawah to his Zionist family and friends, than to turn away countless people away from Islam due to his vitriolic speeches.

As Svend articulated in his post on the subject,

Two men do not an organization make and so far, there is no more evidence that these hateful nutcases are any more representative of any broader stream–or even a really narrow one –within “their” community than, say, the infamous and equally odious Westboro Baptist Church, whose handful of congregants are known for traveling the land to picket at high profile events with outrageously homophobic and anti-Semitic signs (e.g., “AIDS cures fags.”). Both “groups” are minuscule and repudiated by their fellows, and both would be unknown were it not for the media attention they’ve gotten
…
In the old days of publishing, the incoherent rants of kooks and nobodies like the dim duo behind MuslimRevolution.com [which appears to have been pulled off the web] would end up where they belong, in a trash barrel with all the other waste produced by modern society.

If Muslims would stop feeding Party-W to the media, we wouldn’t be talking about this. Party-I/B would not be able to profit off Muslim sensibilities and/or kooks. The insulting misrepresentations or mockery Party-I wanted to propagate would suffer a sudden death-blow. When no one cares, no one will care. And we have seen the history be witness to it.

In fact, South Park already characterized the Prophet (S) 9 years ago and until this recent ruckus, you and countless others would probably have never heard or remembered that episode. In other words, our methodology in channeling our anger in fact helps promote what we don’t want promoted. Think of the countless chain emails we get, reminding Muslims not to visit such and such a site for its materials against Islam. Countless Muslims actually click on it, check it out, and then pass it 10 other friends!

How do we channel our anger properly? More than a year ago, we promoted an alternative treatment, the “Silent Treatment” towards the republishing of the Danish Cartoons:

Seriously, what has any of the above done for us? No matter what we say and do, the enemies of Islam will continue to try and provoke our anger and – more importantly – try to push us to do something that will harm us far more than it will harm them. It’s also imperative to note that their pathetic attempts at mocking and insulting the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) are absolutely useless: like throwing dust in the direction of the moon. The dust will be swept away, and the moon’s beauty and guiding light will not be affected in the least. [Read the full article here]

Married couples know that the worst thing that your partner can do during a fight is to stay silent. I believe there is some application of the same psychology in this case. It will make the instigators appear as fools, when no Muslims takes them up on their “mission.” And so this may actually help prevent a repetition in the future. As minorities living in a countries whose laws we have to stay within, our goal should be to break the script, to say what needs to be said, forcefully and politely. And sometimes, as in this case, not to say anything at all. Or consider other strategic options. Perhaps use interfaith opportunities to express disappointment over the depiction of all Prophets, like Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them, a sensibility shared by other faiths.

Ultimately, we have to remember how the media makes its money. It is all about advertising products. The more attention we give these idiots, the more attention we give to the advertisers, and the more money the outlets will make.

So, if you really want to hurt them where it counts, ignore them. Next time, it won’t be profitable to repeat!

Think long-term strategy over short-term emotional release.

Post-Script
As far as the Islamic ruling around the issue of defaming the Prophet (S), many scholars have discussed this in the context of an Islamic state (like on Islam-QA). Islam pays a great deal of attention on individual actors not taking state matters in their own hands in an Islamic state. We can argue and discuss the rulings around blasphemy in an Islamic state, but that discussion is irrelevant to the issue at hand. No respectable scholar residing in the East, with any sort of mainstream following, has urged Muslims in the West to take the law in their own hands, and to resort to violence. Similarly, the fact that NOT ONE mainstream scholar in the West has ever encouraged or approved of violence by Muslims in this issue, is sufficient to prove that any other opinion is a fringe, marginalized view with no place in the mainstream public sphere.

See Also:

• Salon: Misreading the Quran to threaten the “South Park” guys
• The Silent Treatment: What to do About the Danish Cartoons

Setting the stage

Tariq Ramadan is a big draw wherever he speaks, whatever the topic. It’s not surprising, then, that his first ever speaking engagement on U.S. soil drew wide media attention and packed the Great Hall at The Cooper Union. In hindsight, too, it’s no surprise that the event simply didn’t live up to its billing.

The program felt disjointed from the outset. First, the impossibly broad topic of “Secularism, Islam, & Democracy: Muslims in Europe and the West” all but assured an evening’s worth of simplistic generalizations and platitudes. Second, Dr. Ramadan’s own opening remarks foreshadowed how his legal battles and polarizing persona would later color, dilute and, at times, derail the subsequent panel discussion. Last, and fatally, instead of letting Dr. Ramadan lecture from the podium (which would have been the best option given the hall’s layout), or engage in a one-on-one interview (which could have worked with a proper interlocutor), the program organizers inexplicably decided to stick Dr. Ramadan in the middle of a multi-speaker setup that was bound to stifle any meaningful dialogue.

What are we talking about again?

Simply put, the way this event unfolded was a case study in the failure of panel discussions. The format really didn’t allow for a cohesive exchange of ideas – a feature that a program of this intellectual magnitude truly deserved. Dalia Mogahed and Joan Wallach Scott, for example, both offered relevant academic insights during their allotted time, yet their remarks felt blunted due to time constraints and, to be honest, poor moderating.

The latter circumstance was most evident when Jacob Weisberg, the evening’s host, passed the baton to Dr. Scott, who wrote The Politics of the Veil, with this gem of an intro: “Orthodox Islam has to be one of the most powerful forces for the oppression of women in the world today…” While Mr. Weisberg has every right to ask about the role of women in Islam, it seems a bit counterproductive to frame a question in the rhetorical mold of “When did you stop beating your wife?”

Any hope that the discussion would somehow coalesce around the stated objective went out the window once George Packer, a staff writer at the New Yorker, took the microphone. Acting more like an instigator than inquisitor, Mr. Packer accused Dr. Ramadan of whitewashing his grandfather’s supposed ties to Nazi sympathizers. The subsequent back and forth hijacked much of the evening, to the audience’s great frustration. Whatever the merits of this debate, it was simply out of place and highlighted the event’s overall lack of focus.

When fair becomes the enemy of meaningful

In reasoning why the organizers decided on such an obviously flawed format, I can only assume they did so out of a misguided sense of fairness. By letting Dr. Ramadan speak in such a public forum, perhaps they felt that they needed others to challenge his views or, seemingly in the case of Sr. Mogahed and Dr. Scott, to corroborate them from a different perspective. As a result, none of the speakers had a chance to gain any intellectual traction, to the detriment of those in attendance.

Perhaps my expectations were too high. Perhaps my recent positive experiences at lectures with similar topics (one of which I document here) colored my perception of “what works.” More likely, the organizers at Cooper Union simply missed a golden opportunity to showcase a historic speech from a world renowned speaker. Not like they have any experience doing JUST THAT, or anything.

Crossposted from The Manrilla Blog with permission from the author:

The last several weeks’ events have showcased the utter dismay, confusion, and chaos that the American Muslim community is operating under. The recent affairs regarding Colleen Renee Rose, also known as Jihad Jane, Jamie Paulin-Ramirez, and Sharif Mobley, present for us a number of disturbing and urgent dilemmas currently facing American Muslims. It should be staggeringly clear by now that if Muslims in America do not take steps to deal with these issues, the downward slope will only become more and more slippery.

There are many topics or bullet points I can think of when it comes to the aforementioned issues that Muslims face, but I will attempt to list what I have observed to be the most critical ones, as well as hopefully, some ways we can move to address these crises. First amongst these thoughts is the complete absence of authority in the American Muslim community. In a recent conversation with a brother, we both lamented on the fractured structure of authority in the Muslim community here in the States. The reason for this is varied and all the sub-points are beyond the aim of this article, but I would like to point to a couple of social factors that I feel have led to this. The impact of literacy on the modern world has had a plethora of wide-ranging effects and consequences. The results in the Muslim context had had no less impact than it did for modern Europe and America.

There are, however, a number of delicate points to this observation I would like to briefly illuminate upon. Amongst them, has been the tendency to view the Muslim world as “behind” [Robinson 233] the Christian world, in terms of literacy, and in reality, technology. The unquestioned stance of many Orientalist scholars has been to assume for the West and by proxy, Christianity, a tract or trajectory that the West was “a head of the game” if you will. Seen from this position, Islam and by proxy Muslims, could only be seen as lagging behind. Robinson, however, eludes to a number of important points that deserve considerable reconsideration: “…the origin of the negative Muslim response to printing lay much more deeply than this.

The problem was that printing attacked the very heart of Islamic systems for the transmission of knowledge; it attacked what was understood to make knowledge trustworthy, what gave it value, what gave it authority.” The method of transmission of knowledge in the Muslim world has been orally, passed from teacher to student. This system necessitates and places tremendous weight and value on the presence of learned and responsible teachers. The first amongst this transmission of knowledge was the Qur’ān itself [Robinson 235]. From here, this transmission of knowledge of the Qur’ān set a precedent for how knowledge would be transmitted period for Muslims: “The methods of learning and of transmitting the Qur’ān laid their impress on the transmission of all other knowledge” [Robinson 235].

Robinson continues by quoting one of the great Muslim thinkers, Ibn Khaldun, from his seminal work, al-Muqaddimah: “The Qur’ān has become the basis of instruction, the foundation of all habits that may be acquired later on” [Khaldun 421]. In this light, it is clear to see that traditional Muslim learning placed an equal if not heavier weight on the necessity of a teacher to transmit knowledge, not merely information. Without the authority of a teacher, the pupil could very well run the risk of reading the work, but not understanding what the book said. While the discussion on this part of the topic deserves much greater attention, I am forsaking it for the time being to simply highlight and underscore the role and distinction that Muslim authority, scholarship and thinking played in the development of Muslim thought and behavior.

You may ask how the relates to the initial point above: the complete absence of authority in the American Muslim community. I would venture to say it has been precisely the uncritical adoption of methodologies and modes of thought, both from the Western secular perspective, which desacrilizes knowledge, reducing it to “information”, as well as from the modern Muslim world, which despite its claims to classical scholarship, simply does not deliver on this. As to the desacralization of knowledge, this to a great extent is what has happened as Muslims have rejected the role of the teacher-student transmission, and have assumed that they would be capable if not better off, to understand Islam by themselves. This has been facilitated by the rapid growth of literacy, especially in the modern Western context where Muslims are much more likely to be literate in their own respective vernaculars. With no criterion to hold themselves to, Muslims have abandoned traditional methodologies for modern secular ones. The result has been the nearly complete dismantling of religious guidance and authority in the Muslim community.

In my opinion, this has been doubly so in America, where Muslims have been living fractured lives, at times best held up through socio-ethnic bonds. As Muslims have dispersed and assimilated into American society, so has the tradition of attachment to real human teachers as guides. The result has been a buffet of sorts: pick and choose without any consequence or consideration as to whether what you’re putting on your plate is good for you. After all, at a buffet, it’s all food, isn’t it? The recent obsession with American Muslims with “traditional” or “classical” Muslim knowledge can been seen as both positive and negative.

I cite positive in that some Muslims have come to realize that modernity is not the be-all and end-all solution to their woes. And while not all systems of knowledge in modernity are fully bankrupt, as some Muslim scholars have contended, it certainly cannot be imbibed without some measure of scrutiny. The negative aspects have been similar to those cited above, namely, the uncritical acceptance of packaged goods. If it looks like and sounds like it’s traditional, then it is. While the contents of the package may indeed include elements of traditional knowledge, the system of delivery is most obviously modern.

I do not use modern here as an epithet, but rather as a critical observation: modernity is not equipped to deliver on the moral, ethical, religious, or spiritual needs of Muslims [for more on this topic, please see Dr. William Chittick’s, Science of the Cosmos, Science of the Soul].

In order to be “traditional,” Muslims in America would have to establish communities in which there are dedicated teachers who can pass on and take responsibility for the knowledge that they pass on. It is this latter part that may have saved our brother Sharif Mobley from his current fate. Brother Mobley, as do so many other young Muslims feel, out of a lack of fulfillment, that they must travel abroad to learn sacred knowledge. Not only is it problematic that there is an assumption that these destinations do in fact contain sacred knowledge simply by proxy of their location in the historic Muslim world, but that such endeavors are not fraught with danger and peril. In a recent Friday sermon, Mufti Imam Anwar Muhaimin commented on very concerning condition that many young Muslims labor under: a linguistic or cultural inferiority complex.

The American Muslim community, to paraphrase the Imam, has provided woeful substance to our young brothers and sisters; substance to feel that they are and can be legitimately Muslim here in America. That we have the infrastructure to provide to them the sacred knowledge they wish to learn. The results from this quietude on the part of the Muslim community in America for the past ten to twenty years, as my wife has put it, has been the development of a linguistic and cultural inferiority complex.

Perhaps if there could be the establishment of more real living and breathing scholars and teachers in America, then perhaps our youth would not have to trek off to the unknown places of the Muslim world, where we cannot assure that what they will be learning will be of a benefit to them, either in this life or The Next. It is my belief, that if we do not work to develop a crop of active and legitimate American Muslim scholars, not just rock star imams, but live-in teachers, then what we have witnessed will only be the beginning of a very long and unattractive nightmare.

To my Muslim brothers and sisters: please help to develop authentic Muslim scholarship, leaders and teachers in your own communities. We are in desperate need of this, not simply doctors, lawyers, and engineers. We are in need of teachers who will, in exchange for the support and cooperation of their respective communities, teach and lead a new generation of Muslims who are so very desperate for the knowledge of Islam, for their lives here and now, as well as for their lives in the Hereafter. Living teachers, living examples, who will take the appropriate and responsible track in how they teach and propagate Islam and the next generation of Muslims.

Citation:

Francis Robinson, (1993). Technology and Religious Change: Islam and the Impact of Print. Modern Asian Studies, 27(1), 229-251.

The above photograph was taken by my father, Pierre Manley. It is the Amtrak train station in downtown Detroit, Michigan. © 2010.