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Hadith, Forgiveness and Human Fallibility

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by Haroon Imtiaz

In Imam al-Nawawi’s classic on forty hadith, we find what many scholars call the foundations of the religion. This is an apt description considering that the forty hadith explore the core components of Islam, such as the beliefs, values, and codes of conduct Muslims are taught to adhere to.

All of them—in my view—are not only informative, but also sobering in content and worthy of commentary.

Below, is one from the collection I chanced upon recently. Upon reading the second half of the hadith, I felt a reflection was in order- thus, I have decided to paraphrase some of it as follows:

“Surely, one of you may continue to perform actions that are in accordance with the behavior of the people of paradise, until there remains nothing between you and the garden but the distance of an arm; then it may be at that point that God’s decree overtakes you and you perform an action that is characteristic of the people of the fire, thus causing you to enter it…”

I will add—for the sake of brevity—that the report continues with the Prophet saying that the opposite may be true as well, whereby one may persist in behaving like the people of the hellfire, until the divine decree intercedes, causing him or her to perform an action that makes them from among the people of paradise.

Now from my perspective, this hadith points to the power of predestination, blunting the notion of absolute free will in the process. It also points to the reality that we are all liable to sin, liable to failure and even to disbelief. It indicates that at any time, the sordidness of our souls may overtake us, causing us to falter before God. If that is the case, perhaps the Prophet was simply reminding us that spiritual and moral perfection in the world is unattainable- in addition to emphasizing that fallibility is inherent in all of us.

I also believe that the Prophet encouraged people to harness a deep recognition of their own fallibility. He did so perhaps to indicate that such recognition could stem the emergence of vanity or pride, with the former being an excessive self-admiration and the latter being a feeling of superiority in relation to others. So one could in fact argue—from this perspective—that an acute awareness of one’s own fallibility is not without benefit.

But if one were to retort by saying:

“I understand the fruits of such recognition, yet a continuous brooding over my own fallibility tends to invite despair and beleaguer my hope for salvation.”

To this retort, I would recommend they look to the conclusion of the hadith which essentially states that an inverse effect could occur at the end of a person’s life, whereby a longtime persistence in sin could be trumped by a final act of goodness, causing one to inherit eternal bliss in the hereafter.

If such redemption is possible, should we not make room for hope that the best could be awaiting us in the future?

At least I tend to think so, considering how there are countless episodes in the hadith literature that illustrate how some of the most flawed characters achieved salvation.

Just consider, for example, how Allah forgave a man who firmly believed he was destined for the hellfire. It was this man who told his children to burn his body after his death and spread the ashes about the earth. He requested this since he believed he had done no acts of goodness on the earth; and he thought that scattering his remains would prevent Allah from both resurrecting and holding him accountable.

But in the end, Allah brought him to life and asked why he did such a thing. The man admitted that his fear of Allah’s punishment was the motive. Upon hearing this, Allah appreciated the man’s honesty and forgave him.

It could be that some of us feel we are like him, that we have done little to no good on this earth, that we are likely to be punished and that there is no longer any hope for our salvation, even a last act of saving grace. But, let me add that although we are all vulnerable, deficient in many ways and liable to fail as human beings- such an acute awareness of our own fallibility need not and should not cripple our spirits, so long as we reflect on God’s power to forgive and His willingness to embrace us.

Muslim Woman Challenges Putin

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by Aysha Qamar

Russia’s next presidential election is set to take place on March 18, and history is made with the first-ever Muslim presidential candidate challenging incumbent Vladimir Putin.

Prominent female Muslim journalist Aina Gamzatova has announced that she’s running for president. The wife of and advisor to Akhmad Abdulayev, the head of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate (MSD) of Russia’s Daghestan, Gamzatova is the first Muslim woman ever to become a presidential candidate in Russia.

46-year-old Gamzatova comes from the Russia’s Muslim-majority republic of Dagestan. A Sufi adherent, Gamzatova serves as the editor-in-chief of Russia’s largest Muslim media Islam.ru, which includes television, radio and print outlets. She also writes books on Islam and runs several charities, according to RT.

While Gamzatova has not made her policy platform public yet, various outlets have reported her opposition to extremism. Dagestan has been troubled by violence from extremist attacks, including one that killed the presidential candidate’s first husband, Muslim leader Said Muhammad Abubakarov.

My candidacy “should not be seen within a clerical context or an attempt of Muslims to create a competitor to Vladimir Putin”, Gamzatova wrote in a piece published on Friday on Islam.ru.

“It is a desire to publicly announce and support on the federal level a harsh anti-Wahhabism stance that both local authorities and some federal officials responsible for the region have tried to silence in recent years,” she added.

Gamzatova is running as an independent contender without backing of a party. As an independent, she will need 300,000 signatures from supporters around the country. Candidates from parties outside parliament need 100,000 signatures, and those from parties inside parliament don’t need any, according to RT.

The March election will be Russia’s seventh. Putin is expected to win his second consecutive term following on from his 2012 victory, having also been president from 2000 to 2008.

In Russia, presidential terms are six years. No one can serve more than two consecutively.

“Even if she loses, people will know that a girl in a hijab is not just a mother or a woman, but is also an educated, wise and respected woman,” former Olympic champion in boxing and Dagestan’s deputy sports minister Gaidarbek Gaidarbekov wrote on Instagram.

Other candidates running against Putin include: veteran ultraconservative politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Communist Party candidate Pavel Grudinin and a former socialite-turned-liberal-journalist Ksenia Sobchak.

Islam Amongst World’s Fastest Growing Religions

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by Rehan Qamar

According to researchers, by 2040, Islam is estimated to be the second largest religion in the United States. The current largest religion in the US is Christianity followed by Judaism, with Islam rapidly growing as one of the most racially diverse religions.

In many parts of the world, Islam is widely considered as the fastest growing religion not only because of immigration, but because of above average birth rates and convert rates.

Various studies conducted in 2007, 2011 and 2017 including data from US Census research show the Muslim population in the US growing at an accelerated rate.

According to Pew, over three-quarters of the US Muslim population is made predominately from immigrants, with a majority being children of immigrants. Since the Muslim population in the US is mainly millennial and younger than other religious groups, they have a higher fertility rate.The population is estimated to double in the next few decades.

Islam has one of the highest Western conversion rates. According to a 2016 study by Pew Research Center, around 5000 people converted to Islam between 2010-2015. According to the Jerusalem Post, in the United Kingdom and France, up to 100,000 people converted in the last decade in each country.

As of 2010, 31% of all people on Earth are Christian with an estimated 2.2 billion followers. Islam which has the second largest population of followers with an estimated 1.6 billion people, has been estimated to reach an all time high in 2060. The number of Muslims globally is estimated to increase by 70% and nearly double from 2015-2060.

Muslim majority countries within the Middle East and African continents. Have the highest population growth and fertility rates in the world. The muslim population is expected to grow higher in many countries such as India and Nigeria, where Islam is currently the second largest religion

The Myanmar Genocide

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by Azeem Ibrahim

The humanitarian disaster unfolding in Myanmar has been in the works for decades. Like many such catastrophes in the past, it has been built half by accident, half by design, by a succession of political leaders who saw the Rohingya as victims of opportunity whenever they found themselves a little short on authority and legitimacy and thought that by rallying the country against a manufactured internal threat, they could sustain their power. But now, it looks like we are in the last chapters of this tragic story.

It all started in WW2. Burma was a part of the British Empire and thus became entangled in the war. But the Burmese were divided in their loyalties. Those who sought independence from Britain, naturally, aligned themselves to Britain’s enemies in the war: Japan. And they were predominantly of the dominant Burmese ethnic group. The Rohingya stayed loyal to Britain. Britain won that war in 1945, but Independence for the whole of the Indian Raj was unavoidable. India proper, gained theirs in 1947. Burma got theirs in 1948.

The borders between India and Burma were set on the borders of 1824, before the start of the succession of colonial wars between Britain and Burma which eventually subdued the entire country. Upon this principle of partition, Burma gained the State of Arakan, which the old Burmese Kingdom had annexed in 1784 – a mere 40 years before the cut-off date, but which had been at times part of previous Burmese empires. And the state of Arakan was home to two, very distinct populations: the Rakhine, a Sino-Tibetan looking, Buddhist ethnic group who was similar in most respects to the Burmese; and the Rohingya, a South-Asian looking, Muslim ethnic group who, though a distinct population for hundreds of years, was more similar to their Muslim neighbours in eastern India, modern-day Bangladesh.

The reigns of power in the newly independent country were taken over, naturally, by those who led the independence movement. And so, the Rohingya found themselves as a very visible minority on the border of a newly created state, led by people who fought on the other side in WW2. They were understandably concerned about this situation. But their attempts to do something about it turned out to be catastrophic. In 1948, just as the transition to independence was happening, some Arakanese Muslims petitioned the Constituent Assembly in Rangoon for the integration of the northern-most and majority-Muslim districts of Maungdaw and Buthidaung into East Pakistan – now Bangladesh.

Thereafter, the Rohingya have always been considered an outsider population, disloyal to the Burmese state, especially by the military – those who actually fought with the Japanese in WW2 and who were now tasked with holding the state together and fending off secessionist movements that were rife not just in Arakan, but all along the new country’s long and extremely porous borders.

So long as the Burmese state remained a Westminster-style democracy though, this was not too much of a problem. The Rohingya had not been deemed one of the “native races” in Burma’s first post-independence constitution, but were treated largely as though they were full citizens of the country, and had elected representatives in the central government throughout the period.

All that changed in 1962, when a military junta took over the country in a coup d’etat. The new military administration, like most military administrations, was from the very beginning in full alert mode. They saw enemies everywhere, both outside the country and inside, and waged relentless war on all border ethnic groups which questioned the authority of the central government.

Yet the Rohingya were not one of the main problems for the central government. The Shan, Kachin, Sagaing and Chin rebellions in the north and east of the country were far more serious. They were far larger in scale and ferocity. The Arakan state had its own incidents of unrest, like most of the country, but the Rohingya were far from putting up the organised, committed secessionist rebellions that the other groups were. Nevertheless, given their “history” in the eyes of the ruling military, they were treated as an equivalent threat.

But the antagonism the military juntas bore the Rohingya went deeper. The generals saw themselves rule over a divided land with little in the way of a common identity. The diverse population of the country, with its complicated history between the multiplicity of ethnic groups, was not a good basis for a modern-day nation state. The generals judged that a common, Burmese identity must be forged for the country to be viable in the long term. And the fateful decision was taken that this identity must be Sino-Tibetan and Buddhist. There were non-Sino-Tibetan Buddhists in the country, and there were Sino-Tibetan non-Buddhists. The Rohingya, uniquely, failed to qualify on both counts. The Rohingya thus became the emblematic “foreign presence” in the politically unstable and repressive country. Thus the Rohingya became the perennial target of opportunity when the military leadership needed to score some political points, as well as the scape-goats of choice.

This new status for the Rohingya in Burma was made official by the 1982 Citizenship Law, which leveraged the anomalous exclusion of the Rohingya from the “native races” list from the 1948 Constitution to disqualify virtually the entire Rohingya ethnic group from the right to have citizenship status in the country of their birth. This was very much against international law which prohibits any state to render any people born within its territory stateless, but Burma at this point in history was already a pariah state isolated from the international community, so international law was not a consideration for the junta.

Since then, various extra restrictions were added on the Rohingya as and when the powers that be deemed it opportune. They were restricted from travelling outside of their districts in Arakan. They were, obviously, barred from public office and from electing representatives – with only a handful of exceptions, who managed to work around the restrictions imposed by the 1982 Citizenship Law. They were prohibited from marrying Buddhists. Rohingya married couples were limited to having a maximum of two children. The building of new mosques was restricted. And so on. Most of these are also gross violations of international law, and they were clearly designed to restrict population growth.

The maximum two children rule, in particular, is telling. Two children per couple is below the  demographic replacement rate, which means that so long as this rule was in place, the total population of the Rohingya would be guaranteed to be shrinking. In international law, measures that are designed to reduce the population of a specific minority in a society are considered equivalent to an explicit policy of ethnic cleansing. And indeed they are: even if one is not actively trying to actively kill members of a minority, implementing such measures will achieve ethnic cleansing by population attrition given enough time.

But the Burmese authorities no longer seem content to wait this out. In light of recent developments in the country, it would not be unreasonable to expect that the Rohingya will have been completely cleansed from the country of their birth within the space of 2 months.

The Final Crisis

What looks like the final chapter in this tragedy has its roots in 2012. In Spring that year, ethnic tensions between the Rohingya and their Rakhine neighbors in the state blew up into full scale civilian war, with the two sides burning each other’s villages and committing the whole range of abuses against each other. However, the two sides were far from evenly matched. The Rakhine always had the upper hand. And the local state and federal security forces either abetted them, or in some cases got involved in the fighting on their side.

Half a year later, in Autumn 2012, violence on a similar scale erupted again. And again in Spring 2013. Smaller scale violence has been erupting intermittently every few months since. In the wake of the first major waves, over 200,000 Rohingya were displaced to other countries, mostly to Bangladesh. Over 110,000 were documented to have been effectively detained in internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps – they were discouraged from leaving, international NGOs like Medicins sans Frontieres and others were slowly but surely banned from entering the camps and helping, they were denied the ability to work, and had little to no access to medical services or education for the young.

The pressure on the Rohingya continued, and the results made the international headlines in 2015, with what became known as the Southeast Asia Migrant Crisis. In the Summer of 2015 large numbers of Rohingya poured out of the country in all directions. Not just towards Bangladesh, but also India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. This time in particular, refugees took to escaping Mynamar by boat, with large and consistent numbers of fatalities as a result, as people smugglers packed overwhelming numbers of people in inadequate crafts which routinely capsized killing dozens and hundreds at a time.

All in all, there are between 2 and 2.5 million Rohingya in the world. By the start of 2012, the decades of persecution had seen as many as 1 million flee abroad, with only about 1.5 million remaining. The violence since 2012 and up until late 2015 saw the number remaining in the country to maybe under 1 million.

But then, in November 2015, in the first fairly democratic elections in decades, the NLD opposition party, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi won the largest number of seats in the country’s parliament by a landslide. The new government, led by Ms Suu Kyi, was sworn in later in Spring 2016. The refugee outflows stabilised. It now looked like things could be turned around for the Rohingya, and indeed for Myanmar’s wider humanitarian outlook.

The hopes of the Rohingya, who used to affectionately call Ms Suu Kyi “Mother”, and indeed the hopes of the international community proved premature. Ms Suu Kyi’s government failed to deliver any material improvements for the Rohingya, while Ms Suu Kyi herself echoed the stance on the Rohingya of the military junta and the Rakhine extremists before her: the Rohingya were not an indigenous population to Myanmar, they were an illegitimate group of Bangladeshi migrants (from British colonial times), and had no special claim to being in the country.

Likely as a consequence of this disappointing stance from Ms Suu Kyi, later in Autumn 2016, a group calling itself the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), led by Rohingya born in Pakistan but trained in Saudi Arabia, who had been active in the region since 2013 but in non-military ways, started a low level military insurgency against the Myanmar security forces. Tensions started to rise, yet again.

Things came to a head in August 2017 – this year. A number of concerted attacks by ARSA on military outposts in the local state triggered a full blown military response from the still fully autonomous federal military leadership. A low level insurgency triggered a full-fledged anti-rebellion response from the military, complete with communal reprisals, extra-judicial killings of women and children, burnings of villages visible from satellite imagery, and allegedly, even the mining of paths Rohingya refugees would try to take to flee to Bangladesh.

In the month and a half following that attack by ARSA, the military response has already pushed a counted 500,000 or more Rohingya, out of less than 1 million, to hastily-built refugee camps in Bangladesh. The government of Ms Suu Kyi has very little to comment on the matter, and when they do, it usually falls on the side of defending the military operations. China, who is building infrastructure in the country to extend its Silk Road initiative would like the situation resolved, but is just as happy to see it resolved by the complete removal of the Rohingya from the region. Europe has neither the capacity to intervene of its own, nor the will to aggravate the Myanmar leadership when it seems to be drifting too quickly into the Chinese sphere of influence. And the United States, which under the Obama Administration has been the only reliable advocate of Rohingya concerns since Burmese independence, is now governed by a Trump administration that neither cares about humanitarian problems, nor would be interested to intervene unless there would be something to be gained. And this time, there is more to be gained in terms of economic ties with Myanmar, if they let the government and the military do what they will with the Rohingya.

The government of Bangladesh is currently in the process of building refugee facilities for 800,000 people. By some estimates, that may well be the entire Rohingya population which had been left in Myanmar before August 2017. These facilities will house the over 500,000 who have already crossed the border. And they will be housing those that are still to come. Bangladesh expects that Myanmar will expel its entire Rohingya population. As things stand, there is no reason to be hopeful that this process will stop in the coming weeks. And on current trends, the process will be complete inside two months.

The French President has been the first major world leader to call the events in Myanmar “genocide”. Increasing numbers of international law experts agree and the numbers are impossible to argue with. Myanmar is systematically destroying an entire indigenous population and is doing so as a matter of policy. Under the patient eye of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate we are, once again, allowing a genocide to happen in our world. And none of us seem moved to do anything about it. This could have been prevented had the international community had the moral fibre to intervene at any time since 2012 and establish clear and credible red lines to Myanmar in its treatment of the Rohingya. We have shirked from that moral duty, hiding behind naive hopes that things will surely get better with time. And an innocent population is paying the price.

President Obama used to believe that “the arc of history is long, but it bends our way”. It is not bending our way now. And the Rohingya of Myanmar will not be around to observe it bend in any direction except against them. Craven and self-serving “faith in the future” is facilitating genocide in the present. And no amount of well-meaning platitudes can clean our hands of the complicity we have in this genocide.

Dr Azeem Ibrahim is a Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College and member of the Board of Directors at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence at the Department of War Studies at Kings College London University. He received his PhD from the University of Cambridge and has previously been appointed an International Security Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, a World Fellow at Yale University and a Rothermere Fellow at the University of Oxford. He has published hundreds of articles all over the globe including in the Daily Telegraph (UK), Foreign Policy, Al Arabiya, Chicago Tribune, LA Times and Newsweek. He is the author of the seminal book: “The Rohingyas: Inside Myanmar’s Hidden Genocide”, which was published by Hurst (UK) in May 2016. His forthcoming book “Radical Virus: Why We Are Losing the War Against Islamic Extremism” will be published in November 2017 by Pegasus (New York).

Supreme Court Allows Trump Travel Ban to Take Effect

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by Aysha Qamar

This week, the Supreme Court issued a decision on Trump’s Third Travel Ban, referred to as the Muslim Ban 3.0, that allows it to take full effect. This is the first time a court has allowed the travel ban, affecting travelers from eight countries, six of them being Muslim-majority countries, in its entirety immediately. 

The original ban, which took effect only seven days after President Trump took office, was quickly declared unconstitutional by a District Court Judge in Seattle. That decision was later upheld by the Ninth Circuit. The Ban blocked entry of Muslim majority country travelers including those from Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen- this resulted in it being referred to as the ‘Muslim Ban.’

When the administration revised and reissued a second ban in March, two federal judges declared it unconstitutional before the ban took effect. While the administration lost its initial appeals of those rulings at the Fourth and Ninth Circuits, the Supreme Court allowed a limited part of the second ban to go into effect pending resolution of the appeal in June.

The third travel ban no longer includes Sudan, but continues the restrictions on Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. It also bans individuals traveling from Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela.

According to a statement by the State Department, no visas would be revoked under the new vetting procedures and the restrictions are not intended to be permanent. They “may be lifted as countries work with the U.S. government to ensure the safety of Americans.”

Who does the Muslim Ban 3.0 effect?

Eight countries including: Chad, Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea.

Chad, Libya, and Yemen: All immigrant visas and non-immigrant business (B-1), tourist (B-2), and business/tourist (B-1/B-2) visas are suspended from entering the U.S. 

Iran: Immigrant and nonimmigrant entry will be suspended for Iranian nationals except for individuals with a student visa (F Visa), exchange program visa (J Visa) or vocational visa (M Visa). Individuals with a F, J, or M visas will be subject to enhanced screening. 

Somalia: Immigrant visas are suspended for Somali nationals. Non-immigrant visas are permitted, but will be subjected to heightened screening.

Syria and North Korea: All immigrant and non-immigrant entry into the U.S. is suspended. 

Venezuela: Government officials and immediate family members of individuals involved in Venezuela’s screening and vetting procedures cannot enter on non immigrants business (B-1), tourist (B-2) and business/tourist (B-1/B-2) visas. Nationals of Venezuela who are visa holders are subject to additional measures.

Citizens and Green Card Holders are not impacted. Those with dual nationalities or two passports, if traveling using a passport from a country not included in the list are not impacted. Those granted asylum in the United States or refugees already admitted are also not effected by the travel ban.

Two Years After My Husband’s Arrest, My 4 Kids And I Still Await Justice To Prevail

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by Umaima Jafri

Ibrahim Zubair Mohammad is awaiting trial for two years at Lucas County Correction Center. His trial has been postponed four times, the judge has been changed three times, and he has been denied bond twice. He is charged with conspiracy to provide material support and resources to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. His wife and kids are petitioning his release on bond. A 72-page indictment can be found on Mohammad’s charge.

I got up this morning, got all four kids ready for school, dealt with a good deal of tantrums, and hustled them into the car so we could beat traffic and get to school on time. I came home, sat my toddler in front of the laptop to watch cartoons until nap time, which has now become a norm because I just do not have the energy or willpower to handle his 3-year-old tantrums. Single moms can understand my struggle.

The monotony of routine, the hardship of providing, the loneliness—I won’t say it’s always hard, but some days are definitely harder than others. Lately, however, I feel the weight of time passing like a boulder on my chest. With each swing of the pendulum, I realize the gravity of time that has elapsed since they took him.

Rewind two years ago to November 2015 when life was quite different. My husband, Ibrahim, and I had moved to Dallas three months prior from the Midwest. We were full of ambition, dreams, and plans. Then just like that, the fantasy of being closer to my family, having that six-figure job, finding that amazing school for the kids and living in our dream home was gone in the blink of an eye.

They came in 14 unmarked cars. FOURTEEN. Why so many to arrest one man is still a mystery to me. Ibrahim was holding our 2-year-old son at the time when they stormed into our garage. Ibrahim was simply on his way to work. I was getting ready to take the kids to school. It was supposed to be a typical day. What was happening? I shouted at my three older children to go to their rooms; I did not want them to see what was going on in the garage. I ran out, sans hijab, and took our youngest son from Ibrahim. I demanded a warrant, which was initially denied but presented briefly thereafter. They did have a warrant, and this was no mistake. Ibrahim, along with three other Muslim men, was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. In a nutshell, it’s what they charge any Muslim man with when they don’t know what else to conjure up.

Ibrahim blacked out. He was standing there listening to the barrage of legalities, the instructions given to me by the U.S. Marshalls: which court, what time, what steps to take, which lawyer. On and on they droned while Ibrahim’s life flashed before his eyes. Would he ever see our four children again? Would he ever get the chance to run around the house with them again? Would our toddler even remember him? Would he ever see his mother again? It was all too much for him, and he came crashing down.

My husband is built like a linebacker. Six feet tall, broad shoulders, strong as an ox. And he fell. I cannot recall what I did with our son, but in an instant, he was no longer in my arms, and I found myself at Ibrahim’s side beckoning him to get up. He was sweating profusely, soaked completely through his clothes. They called the paramedics, and then went on with business. It was just another day at the office for them, and a never-ending nightmare for us.

The U.S. Marshalls, I will admit, was somewhat considerate. They allowed Ibrahim to hug his kids goodbye, and they were considerate enough not to put cuffs on him in front of the children. But the children saw anyway. They watched, confused and horrorstruck, from the upstairs window, unbeknownst to me, as their father was taken in cuffs into the back of an unmarked car. I watched from the driveway, initially shocked and cold in the heat of a Texas autumn. My shock eventually turned into determination as 14 cars drove my husband away.

That was two years ago. Ibrahim was extradited to Ohio for his case. This was the beginning of a witch hunt akin to an absurd legal drama that includes problematic evidence, entrapment, deception, lies, and tragedy. We have been denied bond twice. This is the reality of the injustice that is incarceration. This is the reality of our “justice” system. And we continue to await a trial that has been postponed and rescheduled at least four times already.

Each day I answer questions from our children about when Baba will be home, who took him away, and why they took him away. Our now 3.5-year-old remembers what the others never saw. “Baba fell down in the garage.” He remembers, despite my desperate prayers that he forgets that one final image of his father. He thinks we go to Baba’s house during “visits.” Our visits involve hazy video chats transmitted live to a loud jailhouse lobby. We try to have normal conversations with Ibrahim, who sits somewhere on an upper floor in front of another hazy screen. This has been our contact. Nothing physical, nothing through a glass wall, but rather a low-quality video chat where I can only take one child per week for a maximum of 30 minutes. Ibrahim has watched his children grow from behind this video screen, seeing them only through the eyes of a camera, and from the pictures, I am able to send him.

For two years I have raised our children back in the Midwest, surrounded by old friends who have known Ibrahim and our family for over a decade. They stand by my side relentlessly. They show their support unconditionally. They love our children like their own. These are people who have known Ibrahim for so many years as a friend, a successful engineer, and a man who was obsessed with his family. He was that engineer who helped design elephant enclosures at the city zoo, he was that friendly neighbor who used to stop and chat with the neighbors, he was that man who everyone knew for his toothy smile, he was that friend who people could rely on even in the middle of the night.

We were that typical American family who cleaned out the garage when it was warm out, who washed their cars on the weekends, who went biking around the neighborhood, who went to Costco just to try the samples. Ibrahim was the husband who woke up early on the weekends so I could sleep in, made his famous omelets for the kids (four different types for our four picky eaters — well, five if you count me), sat down with the children and read Quran with them, prayed with his family at home, helped me with chores and dinner, and my favorite, put the kids to bed. They loved his bedtime stories. The ones that had adventures galore and lessons to be learned, the ones I thought were much too long. After these nearly hour-long bedtime stories, it would finally be our turn. Chai and cookies, and just us.

Now, our days consist of the standard breakfast (only one type of egg for our four picky eaters), the mundane routine of school, homework, and me counting down the minutes until bedtime. There are no bedtime stories, no imagination left for me to conjure up anything, nothing that will ever come close to matching Baba’s adventures. After putting them to bed, I head to our bedroom, alone, no chai or cookies, no us. Two years of going to bed alone, dreaming about Ibrahim and then waking up alone. Two years of being mom and dad, provider and comforter. Two years of waiting, struggling, hoping, and more waiting. Two years of being emotionally and physically drained. Two years and he’s still not home.

Ibrahim, as I write this, is still awaiting trial, our family’s life is still in limbo, we are still holding on to the hope of bail until said time. How things turn out in the near future, how they turn out eventually, at what point any of this comes to an “end” is known alone by God above. In the meantime, we carry on, doing our best and fighting the good fight.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the views of Brown Girl Magazine, LLC. 

This post was originally published on Brown Girl Magazine and republished here with their permission.

ISPU Banquet Celebrates Organization’s 15th Anniversary

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by TMO Staff

Over the past 15 years, the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) has become America’s source for data for and about American Muslims.

Established in 2002, ISPU aims to conduct objective, solution seeking research that empowers American Muslims to develop their community and contribute to democracy and pluralism in the United States.

According to their website, “ISPU has been at the forefront of discovering trends and opportunities that impact the American Muslim community. Our research aims to educate the general public and enable community change agents, the media, and policymakers to make evidence-based decisions. In addition to building in-house capacity, ISPU has assembled leading experts across multiple disciplines, building a solid reputation as a trusted source for information for and about American Muslims.”

ISPU celebrated their 15th anniversary milestone with their supporters at the Fairlane Club in Dearborn Nov 18.

This banquet event, titled “15 Years of Research Making an Impact: Empowering Tomorrow,” honored the legacy of ISPU’s first 15 years. Attendees were able to view a timeline that highlighted the 15 most important moments from ISPU’s history, including milestone research projects such as A Portrait of Detroit Mosques and Promoting Healthy Marriages and Preventing Divorce in the American Muslim Community.

The program included remarks from various influential leaders including ISPU’s very own Executive Director, Meira Neggaz, who highlighted some of the many ways ISPU data powers the crucial work of other organizations and ISPU’s Director of Research, Dalia Mogahed, who talked about ISPU’s impact in the world of media. Other speakers included Harpreet Singh Mokha, a Regional Director at the Department of Justice, who discussed his work to address hate crimes and how ISPU’s research helped infuse data and the human faces of American Muslims into his department’s diversity trainings and Marwa Abdalla, a recipient of ISPU’s inaugural Young Scholar Award, who spoke about how ISPU’s research empowered her to address her elected official’s bigoted remarks.

The keynote speaker of the night was Representative Ilhan Omar, a former refugee and the first Somali-American lawmaker in the United States. Omar spoke about various important issues including our duty and involvement in democracy.

“In a democracy, it is our duty to see that the work continues and this requires steering through many complex problems. We must not give up hope in face of any adversity,” Omar said.

Omar encouraged everyone to get involved, whether it be politically or socially. She referenced how any type of involvement can surprise someone with the difference and impact it potentially can make.

We commend ISPU’s work to build understanding, catalyze community development, and safeguard American pluralism. Vist their website www.ispu.org to learn more about the organization and what they do.

The Constant Battle Between the West and the Muslim World

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by Amina Khan

The term “Islamophobia” and the ostracization of Muslims have cemented a polarized community and scrutinization of a 1400-year-old religion. After every attack claimed under the name of ISIS, the debate once again sparks on whether or not Islam is an oppressive and violent religion. However, the conversation should not levitate towards fear of Islamophobia right after an attack, but rather on discussing terms on denouncing the radicalization and political agenda of so-called Muslims.

It is egocentric and offensive to victimize Muslims after a terrorist attack. Victimization is a weakness and it only reinstates the idea that “radical-Islam” is a religious concept when it is purely political. Therefore, Muslims should not have to apologize or condemn terrorist attacks, ever. Your first thought should be on how to educate people on the differences between a practicing Muslim and that of a psychologically disturbed extremist.

Repeating “not all Muslims are like that” and “Islam is a religion of peace” does nothing to gain friction for the conversation we need to be having. Trying to put a used band-aid on a bloody wound only hinders the discussion on why radical extremists even exist.

Hatred For the West + Extremism

Extremists hide behind the guise of Islam in order enforce their acts of horror sparked by an adamant hate for the West and to pursue a fanatical political agenda. Their hate is conditioned by the West’s historic responsibility for the radicalization of Islam under terms of Zionism, CIA backed coups, colonialism, Balfour, etc; things the West would like to ignore. Their treatment of Muslims as sub humans to be manipulated and exiled has abused a supremacist attitude. Therefore, these extremists are created and classified as psychologically disturbed but do not account for the Muslim community or Islam. Extremists despise modern society, and therefore, modern Muslims.

“Islamic-extremist online recruiters are very good at pulling in people who are mentally vulnerable,” Heather Hurlburt, of the Washington-based think tank New America, said.

“[ISIS] seems to calculate- correctly in my view – that small-scale lone-wolf attacks on symbolic targets will get it outsized attention. So you see these propaganda broadcasts encouraging individuals who may be mentally unstable, who may have had a little or no actual training, to use weapons like knives and cars that will surely lead to the attackers’ capture or death.  The propagandists seem to understand the link between certain forms of mental illness and susceptibility to mass violence, even if we don’t,” Hurlburt added.

Unfortunately, people believe practicing Muslims are here to kill or forcibly convert non-Muslims based upon the illogical reasoning of their own interpretations of the Qur’an. Verses in the Qur’an are continually taken out of context by people who abuse the nature of Islam in order to fulfill the needs of a political agenda; whereas, hateful critics of Islam use verses to ‘warn’ the world about an illusion that Islam is destructive. Both sides are inherently similar in the sense they are unquestionably misleading. It is displeasing to see people choose to believe violent-natured evil men who are audacious enough to call themselves Muslim, over authentic and amicable Muslims.

Critics of Islam who seek to find a maleficent ideology behind a 1400-year-old religion use their platform as a scholar to fulfill this heroic perception of ‘uncovering the deep dark secrets of Islam’. It is understandable to be critical of Islam as it is necessary to fully apprehend religion; however, preaching hate and the defamation of religion whilst criminalizing its intentions with failure to fully understand it, is derogatory. Jointly, belittling one religion in order to prove another religion is superior demolishes any sense of tolerance, acceptance, and respect.

Violent verses in Qur’an discuss wars that took place in Meccan society in defensive battle. Nowhere in the Qur’an does it state to incite violence against innocent civilians. Those who do commit violence under the name of religion in modern society cannot be associated with Islam as their actions are misguided. Additionally, there is an entire four-hundred-page fatwah on deeming terrorism and violence as a major violation of the teachings of Islam.

Shari’a law is perpetually debated as scholars dissect and Islamophobes attack with little regard to actually understanding what it means. Creeping Shari’a is a non-existent movement as the set of ideologies is only utilized by practicing Muslims. Any claim that it is to be ‘forced’ onto the Western world is incredibly fallacious as it is stated in the Qur’an that “no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion” (2:256) is conventional.

A further expansion of the misconceptions of Shari’a and Jihad can be found here.

ISIS’s War Against Muslims

Some scholars of Islam, such as Bassam Tibi, believe that, contrary to their own message, Islamic fundamentalists are not actually traditionalists. He refers to fatwahs issued by fundamentalists such as “every Muslim who pleads for the suspension of the Shari‘a is an apostate and can be killed. The killing of those apostates cannot be prosecuted under Islamic law because this killing is justified” as going beyond, and unsupported by the Qur’an. Tibi confirms, “the command to slay reasoning Muslims is un-Islamic, an invention of Islamic fundamentalists.”

Many are under the illusion that terrorists are going back to the roots of Qur’an and Sunnah which further stems the concept that practicing Muslims don’t realize what their Holy Book teaches. However, Eli Berman argues that radicalism is a movement seen to practice “unprecedented extremism“, thus not qualifying as a return to historic fundamentals.

ISIS kills far more Muslims than non-Muslims because Muslims do not share their invented vision of violence. The top countries that these terrorists attack include Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, India, Somalia, Egypt, and Libya. Unsurprisingly, these countries are Muslim-majority (minus India). Some of these countries hold laws that do not allow the freedom of religion and are strict against people who convert out of religion; however, these laws are not a reflection of Islam but rather cultural values. There are legitimate reasons why many Muslims emigrate to non-Muslim societies and there is no need to tolerate immigrants who resist assimilating into secular democratic societies.

On the other hand, the top terrorist attacks committed in America are by white individuals, not Muslims or foreigners. Despite the popular opinion that refugees and immigrants commit terrorist attacks, all terrorist attacks since 9/11 in America have been citizens or legal residents. Trump’s continuous attempt to propose a Muslim ban will have no effect on terrorist attacks; it only criminalizes innocent and vulnerable people.

Las Vegas Attack v.s. New York Attack + Media’s Role in Detecting “Terrorism”

Choosing to politicize one event and ignore the other is villainous and disgusting, but it’s not shocking in the American landscape.

The Las Vegas attack and the New York attack are two different issues (gun control versus political extremism) so both should be attacked from different angles, but attacked nevertheless. Though expected, it is still irritating to digest the rhetoric behind Trump’s reaction to the Vegas attack and Sutherland Spring attack compared to the New York attack. It is calculable that Trump would push forward his own political agenda over providing solutions towards the safety of Americans. Despite the fact gun violence is an issue that needs to be discussed, it is understandable to respect the second amendment right. However, those who want Muslims banned from the country should realize that this proposal violates several parts of the American Constitution including the very first amendment. Do not preach you are a true American aiming to ‘protect the country’ if you cherry-pick American values and cannot handle any critique of a flawed country.

Nevertheless, the argument should not be on whether or not mass shootings are more important than political terrorism, vice-versa. Labelling one person as a terrorist does not deduce the other individual as not a terrorist. Terrorism is defined under the FBI as: “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives”. Yet, arguing over why the Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs attack were not called terrorism is irrelevant and foolish. The word “terrorism” has lost its meaning as media has credulously granted ownership of the term to ISIS and radical jihadists, therefore terminology at this point is ineffective.

Media is responsible for deprecating the West’s view of Muslims through their strategic and systematic news broadcasting and creation of shows like Homeland. America is infatuated with the idea of maintaining a heroic and flawless identity which is maintained by labeling foreign countries as threats, specifically Muslim-majority countries.

Mistreatment of Middle-Easterners and Arabs

The New York attacker was labeled as ‘Middle-Eastern’ even though Uzbekistan is not located in the Middle East. The geographical misjudgment has demonized Middle-Easterners, Arabs, and Muslims. This aberration was an issue even before 9/11 in the Oklahoma bombing in 1995 where 168 people, including 19 children, were brutally murdered. The media had stated the FBI was looking for Middle-Eastern looking men, an analysis compelled by anti-Arab bias in Western culture. The suspect ended up being a white-American ex-Army soldier, Timothy McVeigh.

“To speak of people with dark Middle East complexions as authors of the terror even as the F.B.I. was issuing warrants for the arrests of white Americans is an act of terror, too,” said Abdelbari Atwan, editor of Al Quds, an Arab daily in London.

The credibility of facts is devoured by bias and opinion in a dangerous manner. Similarly, the recent New York attacker yelled “Allahu Akbar” before plowing into victims, a term that has unfortunately been used under negative circumstances but does not account for what it means. Practicing Muslims say “Allahu Akbar” several times throughout the day through prayer and if an enlightening event occurs. Imam Omar Suleiman has given an exceptional definition of the term; it is insulting to praise God and then commit murder.

The negative connotation of the Arabic language has forced society to be critical of Arab people. The Western conception of the Arab world has mustered up stereotypical standards like labeling the mistreatment and oppression of women an ‘Arab’ concern. Mistakenly, this conception fuels the notion that Islam is responsible for the oppression and abuse of women. It is ludicrous that people are not able to differentiate culture from religion. Islam has given more rights and respect to women way before modern Western culture, on matters like economic rights, equality to men, encouragement to work, etc.

Broadcasting the Muslim Narrative + Modernization of Society

Showing the community what a ‘normal’ Muslim is like, is not ‘breaking the stereotype’, rather it capitalizes a truth which people fail to notice due to ignorance and lack of knowledge. Many believe Islam is not compatible with Western culture, which is false. Yet, assimilating into Western society does not mean one should have to sacrifice their Muslim identity; however, not every Muslim holds the same set of beliefs and actions. Ultimately, the goal of radicals is confusing the two concepts of conventional Islamic teachings compared to extreme and misguided teachings. The aim for us is to modernize flawed societies that do oppress under the name of Islam and narrate Muslims in an enlightening and legitimate manner.

Durga to Dargah, Esoterica of Clothing and Adornment within Islam and Hinduism

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by Suraiya Ali

I want to preface this paper with the wish that I could explore this thread through all religions. It is not only through Islam and Hinduism that the divine ubiquity of clothing and adornment is prevalent. It is a part of the faith of Christ and Bahá’u’lláh, Zoroaster and Joseph, Buddha and Laozi. However, there is a special case with Islam and Hinduism, in that they have been forced on top opposite ends of a spectrum, when both have, for so long, operate in nuance.

As a devotee that lives with both and studies both, I find the dichotomy rather nefarious. The consequences of such a binary can be seen by turning on the international news. All over India, Hindu-nationalist sentiment works to rewrite history, a history that would erase Islam from the region. Right North, Pakistan works to make Hinduism societally obsolete, attempting to create a nation of Sunni-Muslim conformity. While such points are valid and scray, this paper finds itself focused on Islam and Hinduism’s mystical convergence.

Both creeds function in popular and esoteric spaces. Within that esoteric space, Hinduism and Islam find themselves cut from the same fabric. Having much in common, one thing that is rarely spoken about is their shared understanding surrounding the divinity of clothing and adornment. While this paper is not exhaustive, it will highlight that through the more left-handed side of both creeds, clothing plays an interact part in explaining the stories the faiths try to tell. Here I attempt an introduction to those stories, and how they weave the two faiths together beautifully.

This paper will be anointed with an exploration of the earlier aspects of clothing in Hinduism’s and Islam’s recondite facets. The two, then, will be spoken about separately, employing numerous sources to show how the weave of clothing has been a constant through both faiths. To bring it all under one house, we will return to the house of God that raised me. I recant a story of my personal experience with the divinity of clothing. This paper is short, and will only scratch the surface of an issue that deserves deep exploration. My hope it that it allows you, gracious reader, to consider the more esoteric ramifications of the clothing you wear.

Earlier Stages

For the creeds in question, clothing represents a direct facet of human creation. Its history is as old as the leaf loin clothes of Adam and Eve, or in the case of the other faith system; as old as when Vishnu, incarnated as divine serpent, decided to churn the cosmic milk ocean and bring to life creation, which happened to contain very beautiful goddesses, wrapped in silk and adorned with gold.[1]

When it comes to Islam’s Sufism, the system has so many caveats that saying it is one thing is a definite way to come across several sources contradicting the initial claim. Dr. Idries Shah, modern expert on the topic, describes Sufism as “being bound by no religious dogma” and disliking “being given any inclusive name which might force them into doctrinal conformity.” The etymology, and in extension, the definition of the creed, is described by masters such as Hujwiri to be nonexistent, but to others, such as Professor R. A. Nicholson, believe it to be incredibly tangible. Nicholson helped popularize that Sufi’s were called such because they wore coarse garments of suf or grey wool.[2]

While the legitimacy of this can be toyed with, as so many things about Sufism are ambiguous— entertaining the claim is vital to see what clothing means to Islam’s early expenditures into esoterica. Common understandings of any sort of asceticism, Sufism included, always deal with the detachment from the material such as clothing. Sufism began as an experiment in “being in this world but not being of it,”[3] early devotees saw that parts of their material world were helpful towards the path to the Absolute. The incorporation of suf serves as the first domino in esoteric Islam’s divine relationship to clothing. 6th century Grey wool was uncomfortable, and much like how in Ramadan, Muslims practice remembering Allah when they feel a pang of hunger, the wool served the same purpose. In every itch, a reminder of their Creator. To identify a Sufi, a person could look at their robes of grey wool, clothing that represented the commitment taken towards devotion— a relationship that carries through Sufism throughout time and space.

Hinduism, both popular and esoteric, much like Sufism, come with many caveats. Hinduism and clothing run into a special issue, that at the beginning of the creed’s predecessor, Vedicism, was also the beginning of clothing, as fabric crop cultivation happens right as Vedicism develops for the masses.[4] But even at that point, scholars point out that Vedic priests were still clad in draped fabrics and adorned with jewels.[5] Hinduism developed in tandem with clothing and adornment, both being principle to the evolution of the religions devotional systems.

Hinduism’s chronological entanglement with clothing and adornment leave it to be, as Anna Dallapiccola states in her Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend, “like no other country in the world…[boasting] millennia of uninterrupted adornment tradition.” The dictionary aids in explaining the protective properties several kinds of adornment held, adding esoteric qualities to every ring, necklace, and piece of embroidery. In its earliest stages, adornment held a devotional significance, as “jewelry and decoration on a person [were] believed to have magical and protective properties.”[6] What was put on the body represented the bounty of the gods, along with protection from it being taken away. This caused the transitive property of clothing and adornment to form as Hinduism itself did, as knew technology inspired new ways to create adornment, new religious traditions inspired that technology, and adornment, to be put to good use. This created a positive feedback loop between the religion and the clothing and adornment it inspired, weaving Hinduism into a creed that will use both the physicality and symbology of clothing down to the modern day.

Hinduism and Islam were found in separate parts of the world at separate times, but even in their early gestation, they showcase a similar necessity and exploration of very fabric and adornment placed on the bodies of their most devoted followers. Through time and space, this relationship only blossoms into more diverse forms.

The Robes of The Believers

There is a poem by Pir Shams that has been adapted as a popular prayer for several Shia sects. The line “Tis you who’s Khidr’s guide, His teacher, his inspiration…”[7] speaks about fourth Caliph to Islam and martyr for the faith, Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib, being the guide to Khidr. Very important to this conversation, synchronized with figures from Saint George to Vishnu,[8] Khidr is as close to a superhero as one could imagine in Islam. Shah describes him as the “unseen one” with “supernormal function” that include shapeshifting to mind reading. There is only one way to identify the figure who is dubbed “the master of Sufi’s,” and it is by his “robes of green fire.”[9]

As the beginning of Islam’s most tangible esoterica comes with grey robes, the extension of those as identification for believers extends far and wide, as Khidr shows. In Shah’s accounts, Khidr is often caught teasing the ignorance of mortals, as his robe is said to hold every secret man is not able to comprehend. It is due to this clandestine offering that the robes sparkle like fire.[10]

The importance of such green robes is unique– religion uses many devices, but for Islam to use robes to showcase man’s bright ignorance to divinity proves clothing’s importance in esoteric Islam. The legend of Khidr has been repeated throughout the Muslim world, as where ever Islam expanded, so did Sufism, and in turn so did Khidr. A marker of Sufism’s commitment to showing devotion through clothing, the “unseen one” also represents that the Islamic definition of asceticism is far from complete material denouncement, rather, it deems fabric and its devotional use as paramount.

While Khidr exists on the fringe of what is history and what is mythology, many more parts of Islam’s collective history and theology use clothing as a tool. The Sufi, also known as the Pir, Fakir, and Dervish, was at the forefront of Islam’s expansion. Along with him, came his infamous coat. The Dervish coat is said to be a patchwork of fabric so holy that it is “woven by the names and attributes of Allah.”[11] Shem Friedlander, Sufi, and scholar, accounts that:

“The dervish wears special clothes…the robe he wears has twelve buttons that correspond to the twelve Imams within his path, the other four buttons represent the four doors and the four sacred books of Allah. It is also a shroud. Because to be a real dervish is to die before dying. If you’ve read about Sufism, then you’ve heard the expression to die before you die.”[12]

Within the medieval history of Ismaili’s, one of Islam’s most notorious sects, the importance of clothing goes farther to express their devotion to those who would try to oppress them, as historian James Waterson recounts:

“The fidai’in [Ismaili’s] also appear to have adopted a uniform at this time for domestic guard duties, comprising a simple white robe with red cords to secure it, red turbans and red boots. The uniform may have been created as a visible sign of resistance.”[13]

Here, Friedlander and Waterson help bring the importance of Islam’s relationship with clothing full circle. It is a total relationship, one that is worn in this life, as Ismaili’s used clothing in real time to demonstrate their faith, one that was deemed left handed in comparison to others. Clothing and adornment also allow for the Muslim to cross over into the next life, as Friedlander shows, that such a coat or robe serves an importance for the souls, and not just the body’s, utility. Clothing is not only a part of the divine relationship between creator and His progeny but also a catalyst in taking that relationship to the next stage. To those on the left-hand path, it is not a nefarious attachment to this world, but when used properly, a guiding light towards their soul’s ascendance.

Adornment of The Holy

Hinduism’s relationship to clothing is beyond transcendental. Hinduism’s esoterica is a vast space full of several types of clothing and adornment. The divine use of that clothing and adornment is obvious to many Hindus, especially to India’s artisans. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, prolific Indian film-marker who specializes in the historical drama, creates costume designs, dialogue, and musical compositions that speak towards the ubiquity of divinity.

His latest movie, Bajiao Mastani, showcases the relationship between Muslim Rajput Princess, Mastani Bai, and Hindu Marathi Prime-minister, Bajirao Ballad. Set in the 17th century, the movie is a treasure trove of gorgeous costumes and of dialogue showcasing the Muslim-Hindu tensions between Mastani and Rao’s family. The following segment takes place when Mastani enters Rao’s house when he is not there, to give his first wife blessings in honor of her new child.

Family Member 1: “If you wanted to bring valid offerings, you would have worn holy saffron robes, instead of those the color of green poison.”

Mastani: “People have associated each religion with a color, but color has no religion. To see religion in color, and only color is a way to have your heart turn black.”

Hindu Priest: “Don’t pay her any attention, she has forgotten the difference between a Dargah and Durga.”

Mastani: “Perhaps you have forgotten that the very idol of the Durga you speak of, is anointed with a green shroud, green choli, and green bangles. That in the Dargah, sanctified pirs and fakirs have their tombs covered with saffron robes. Will you still tell me I do not know the importance of color?”[14]

The dialogue brings up an important comparison between the Fakir and his final resting place, the Dargah, and Durga, the Mother Goddess of the more recondite practices of Hinduism. While it was used an alteration device in the movies dialogue, the similitude between the worship of Durga, has many similarities to Sufism, especially when it comes to clothing and adornment.

Much like how in Sufism, a figure can be recognized by their robe. The mystic practice of Goddess worship too, takes much heed to use adornment and clothing for the sake of ritual. Whether it is by the name of Ma, Durga, or Kali, the feminine force is always portrayed adorned. Even while She practices “ritual nakedness,”[15] She is always shown to wear necklaces, headdresses, anklets, and earrings. In Arjit Mookerjee’s Kali: The Feminine Force, every illustration, from 2,000 BCE to the 19th Century, showcases the Goddess adorned with something—from saris spun of gold or entire body suits made of jewels.[16] The more powerful that force, in the case of Kali Ma, the more intense the adornment and clothing.

Kali Ma, the Hindu manifestation of malignant female energy, is showcased throughout time to wear a skirt of arms with a necklace of heads, and several other appendage related pieces of clothing— all attained from the bodies of men sacrificed to her.[17] Devotion and sacrifice come hand in hand, as the Sufi’s may have worn coarse wool to remember their commitment and devotion, becoming a symbol for those after them. In Goddess worship, Ma is depicted wearing the bodies of the sacrificed, to show to those after them the commitment undertaken with devotion.

The use of clothing to represent this sacrifice is substantial because it draws a link between something often viewed as material, even sybaritic, to something esoteric, and purely immaterial, as the Goddess always represents a force beyond the corruptibility of this world. Clothing becomes transcendental in representation—it is not only the items Kali Ma wears to adorn herself, it is also an unadulterated representation of the fidelity of her devotees. One cannot exist without the other, as the clothing cannot exist without the sacrifice, and the sacrifice cannot be so purely represented without the clothing being one it’s prime final forms.

Both religion’s esoterica prove to use clothing in a manner that is dual purpose. Clothing is not only a way to showcase devotion or be recognizable as a devotee of a certain path, it is also used to transcend material fascinations and understand intangible aspects of spirituality. Whether it be through the Green robes of Khidr or the necklace of heads around the neck of Ma, clothing and adornment become representative of the thing that the devotee is reaching for: a connection with the Absolute.

The relationship between clothing and its ritual importance then trickles down to even the smallest elements of the fabric Hindu’s and Muslim’s adorn themselves with, even in modern times. Today, higher members of the Ismaili congregation still, as an unwritten social convention, wear white or light colors to Fidia’ majlis, a ceremony that requires a mystic oath to gain admittance. Devotees of the Goddesses still clad themselves in red to symbolize the blood of the sacrificed.[18] To the esoteric side of both faiths, clothing is in no way a material struggle, but a path to liberation, one thread at a time.

Noroz

I have always been clad in the clothing of devotees, as in my upbringing it was the only way to enter the house of God. The specific house in question is a Jamat Khane, the house of prayer for Ismaili Muslims, the sect of my family. When it comes to the congregation of my local Khane, it represents only the South Asian sphere of influence. Over all, however, our Islam is one that is very Sufi; mixed with religions such as Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, and Sikki.

This is the story I represent. My Mother is nationally, Iranian and Indian, ethnically Marathi and Persian, and my father is nationally Pakistani, ethnically Sindhi, Gujarati, and Persian. My nuclear family then, represents almost a large amount of the international Ismaili community and my parents never let me forget it. I have from a young age, been indoctrinated into knowing my history, ritual and theology. For my mother, a big part of this was making sure I understood the sanctity of clothing and adornment. The result of this is knowing the difference between a Shahrarah and a Ghararah or a gold from Iran versus India.

On the night of Noroz in 2013, I graced my Jamat Khane’s evening prayer service in a specially made pink and orange chiffon Anarkali. Embroidered to perfection with flowers, I matched it with a stack of bangles that went up half way both of my arms, flowers in my hair, and a huge nose ring glittering in my nose. An outfit from India made to wear to a Persian holiday, around a congregation that was mostly Pakistani, it represented my entire being. I felt like the very spring we were celebrating. In that feeling, I was preserving my collective culture and religion. I was doing my own version of devotion, my own version of zhikr.

My religious education teacher decided to disagree. Upon wishing me Noroz Mubarak that night he also told me I was being far too material, dressing in that “way.” It shocked me that a man of learning could say something so reductive. I was quick to correct him. In the middle of 1,000 people I very cordially explained that in my ornate attire I was representing history. In doing that, I am detaching myself from the world we live in, and am entering, as physically as possible, the role of the devotee. Clothing has the power to bring one to God. He has never forgotten that conversation and still brings up to this day.

This paper was a glimpse of what clothing and adornment mean to the collective esoterica of creeds that have for some time been put against one and other. The fabric will always tell a different story. I was not able to mention everything. I was not able to mention the black Chador of Bivi Fatima, sanctified figure from the family of the Prophet, or the fact that Krishna would steal the clothing of his devotees to tease them— but it is my hope that this peek into such a vast history inspires a different opinion in people who see clothing as strictly material, especially within the creeds in question. In extension, while many Muslims and Hindu’s bicker, fight and kill over their differences— in large swaths of the world they wear the same clothing and adornment to the houses of God they harbor, where the prayers they recite translate to be synonymous.

A devotee can be defined as many things, but its purest facet is using everything in their power to maximize their relationship with divinity. If an extra pair of bangles or a sweeping silk robe, does this for some, then there is no reason to deem them any less worthy of the divinity they seek. Clothing has always been an intrinsic part of the divine conversation, recognition of that is paramount to weaving relationships where we often only see the tension.

 

 

Is the Quran only relevant to Muslims?

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by Dr. Aslam Abdullah

Is the Quran only for Muslims? What about humanity? If God is the Lord of the worlds (Quran 1:2) and the Prophet is described as the messenger for the worlds (Quran 21:107) and the Quran is introduced as a reminder to the worlds, (Quran 68:52) then what is the relevance of the Quranic message to the world?

How can the world, Muslims and non-Muslims, alike, benefit from the universal message of a universal and compassionate God? Can non-Muslims practice divinely revealed values without acknowledging their original source and without adhering to the total divine call?

Introduction

The Quran, Muslims believe is the final testament God revealed for human beings through Prophet Muhammad , in the seventh century. They believe that that the Quran affirms everything that was revealed to all the previous messengers in the past including Prophets Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus. The Quran recognizes the principle of inclusiveness when it says: “I have come to you, to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. So fear Allah, and obey me.” (Quran 3:50) The Quran also acknowledges that divine message has been sent to all in all languages and the Quran affirms the continuity of the divine message. “O ye People of the Book! believe in what We have (now) revealed, confirming what was (already) with you, before We change the face and fame of some (of you) beyond all recognition, and turn them hind wards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers, for the decision of Allah Must be carried out.” (Quran 4:47)

The Quran acknowledges the common thread in all the divine messages when it says: “The same religion He has established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah – the which We have sent by inspiration to thee – and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that you should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which you call them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him). (Quran 42:13)

The Muslims believe that the guidance in the Quran is for all time, and all people. Even though many Muslim scholars have often differed on the issue of giving a copy of the Quran to non-Muslims, quoting the Quranic verse that says “none shall touch but those who are clean,” (Quran 56:79) yet more serious among them believe that the verse refers to the purity and sanctity of the divine message emphasizing the fact that it is revealed by the one who is absolutely authentic (Allah) and delivered by the one who is sacred and pure (Angel Gabriel) and delivered by the one (Prophet Muhammad ) who is innocent from committing any wrong in communicating the message.

In fact, the Quran addresses human beings as “Ya aiyuhal Nas” (O Humankind) directly 306 times and indirectly more than two thousand times in its over 6,000 verses. In contrast the Quran specifically addresses Muslim men and women (Ya aiyuhal Muslimun/Muslimat/Muslimatun/etc) by name only 49 times. How can anyone refuse to share a copy of the Quran with non-Muslims? In fact, the first revelation that the prophet received was first recited by the Prophet to non-Muslims.

Regardless, the Muslim scholarship, by and large, has inadvertently turned the Quran into a manifesto for Muslims only making the argument that Quran is a book of guidance for Muslims primarily. On top of this the use of the Quran has been limited to ceremonial recitation. Is there nothing for the non-Muslim creation of God in the book Muslims attribute to a Merciful and Compassionate God of all. Can a non-Muslim make use of the guidance of the Quran while still remaining outside the fold of Islam? Can Islam be practiced by non-Muslims in its normative sense without adhering to its form ritual structure?

Contrary to what some Muslims might believe the fact is that many human beings, regardless of their relationship with Islam, have on their own reached conclusions that the Quran introduced to the world through revelation. In a way, many non-Muslims have shown a better understanding of the message of the Quran even without fully identifying with Islam than shown by many Muslims.

For instance, the empiricism 1 in modern natural and social sciences is a known reality of our epistemology. The Quran announced this maxim clearly when it said: “And pursue not that of which you have no knowledge; for every act of hearing, or of seeing or of (feeling in) the heart will be inquired into (on the Day of Reckoning). (Quran 17:36) In other words one must use all methods of inquiry to come to a conclusion and decisions in all aspects of life must not be based on superstitions and hearsay.

There are five major divine ideas expounded in the Quran that human beings have now begun to realize as the essence of their humanity. They were there in other religious scriptures and they are defined in detail in the Quran, yet, humanity as a whole waited for almost 7,000 of its recorded human history to acknowledge their legitimacy and validity.

These ideas have constantly provided guidance to reformers and idealists regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds all over the world for centuries. What is ironic is that while acknowledging the supremacy of these ideas many Muslim groups and leaders in the Muslim world have often negated them through their writings or actions. Those five ideas are: oneness or unity of humanity, dignity of human beings, universalization of natural resources, justice and peace. No human society can live in a state of stability and progression without accepting these ideas and making efforts to live by them.

Oneness of humanity

The Quran places emphasis on the oneness of human beings. It introduces the idea of common human origin and ancestry at four different places and says that humans have their origin in a single cell or soul.

“O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single soul, created, of like nature, the mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;- reverence Allah, through whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for Allah ever watches over you.” (Quran 4:1)

“It is He Who hath produced you from a single soul: here is a place of sojourn and a place of departure: We detail Our signs for people who understand.” (Quran 6:98)

“It is He Who created you from a single soul, and made the mate of like nature, in order that he might dwell with her (in love). When they are united, she bears a light burden and carries it about (unnoticed). When she grows heavy, they both pray to Allah their Lord, (saying): If Thou gives us a goodly child, we vow we shall (ever) be grateful.” (Quran 7:189)

“He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate; and he sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness. such is Allah, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are ye turned away (from your true Centre)?” (Quran 39:6)

Thus the purpose is to ensure that the unity of humanity is never compromised and the differences that exist among people are resolved through a process of mutual understanding on the basis of ideas that are divine revealed.

“Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in matters wherein they differed; but the People of the Book, after the clear Signs came to them, did not differ among themselves, except through selfish contumacy. Allah by His Grace guided the believers to the Truth, concerning that wherein they differed. For Allah guided whom He wills to a path that is straight.” (Quran 2:213)

The Quran acknowledges the diversity in humanity but described it as a functional aspect of existence and not structural.

“To you We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that has come to you. To each among you we have prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He has given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah. it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which you dispute; (Quran 5:48)

The Quranic assertion about the oneness of humanity is a powerful message for all those who still want to live in their own tribal, national and ethnic cocoons without any respect and regard for the other. The Quran does not want a person to cancel one’s identity by birth but wants that identity to enhance inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness.

“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (Quran 49:13)

The idea that despite differences in our DNAs and fingerprints, we all have a common origin and can relate with each other accepting every human as part of our extended family whether we are able to trace our bloodlines or not is in itself a powerful unifying idea, an idea whose time has finally come in a world that is shrinking every day.

Dignity of Human Beings

The Quran places great emphasis on the dignity of human beings regardless of their gender or race or even status. It says: “We have bestowed dignity on the children of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of our creation.” (Quran 17:70) The dignity comprises rights and duties. It means that all human beings are created equal by the One Creator, and no one is superior to another on the basis of his or her birth or family or tribe. It is only the divine that alone is the judge to decide who lived up to his/her dignified status accepting the dignity of the other. The dignity also means that human beings have a right to life, right to freedom of religion, right to freedom of lifestyle, right to labor, right to security and right to family are secured, even if that means that human beings do not accept divine guidance.

The Quran does not want people to deprive others of these rights because of their color, gender or even religion. The Quran does not give preference to one over the other. The Quran does not say that only Muslims or who have faith in God deserve dignity or rights that are associated with dignity. It talks in a broader term and declares that no one has a right to deny humans their dignity that is a God given right.

Not very long ago, the world had difficulty in realizing the validity of this Quranic message. People were discriminated on the basis of their ethnicity or gender or status and religious scholars and political experts were providing justification for these discrimination. A classic case of this denial of dignity can be found in India where according to religious scripture a group of people were categorized as low castes or untouchables because of their birth in a particular social group. Even though, India has banned that in its constitution and legally such a discrimination is punishable, yet it is still practiced widely in the country. In the United States, we had the “N” word for African-Americans in vogue for several centuries and is still uttered in several private sessions. But no one in the world today can argue for segregation and discrimination on the basis of race, religion,, gender etc. The world has begun to realize and implement the Quranic message of the dignity of humankind. This message is relevant in our time more than ever before, regardless whether Muslims practice it or not because it certainly can inspire people of all faith to stand with each other in defense of human dignity of all.

Universalization of Natural Resources

The third Quranic message relevant for humanity at large is its emphasis on the universality of natural resources. Earth, oceans, skies water, and wind are for the benefit of all. No one can monopolize them for their exclusive use. No one can use their access to these resources to deny others the rights bestowed to them. Thus the Quran states, “It is He Who has created for you all things that are on earth; moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; and of all things He has perfect knowledge.” (Quran 2:29)

The distribution of these human resources in a manner that would ensure the dignity and oneness of humanity is a major challenge for human beings. Wars have been fought for land and access to natural resources such as water, land or gas without realizing that none of these natural treasures were created by humans, yet human beings have always fought over their greed to control them.

The Quran explains that the purpose to provide these resources is to ensure that human beings are not deprived of their basic needs for survival. It asks human beings not to use them to exploit fellow human beings. Our world today has about 1.6 billion people who sleep hungry every night. Our world has over 60 percent of the population that earns less than a dollar a day. Malnutrition is common and so is homelessness. People are deprived of drinkable water even though there is plenty of fresh water resources. People are still forced to live on streets and under open skies even though there is plenty of land to provide housing to everyone.

In religious circles everyone talks about removing poverty or at least ensuring that people’s basic needs are addressed. The Quranic message certainly gives guidance in this matter and invites people to work together to ensure that no one sleeps hungry and no one is homeless. The Quran addresses the issue of basic human needs in great details in verses 12 to 18 of chapter 90 when it explains what is this steep uphill ascent? Who else can tell you better than the Almighty? So listen: The uphill ascent is that a human should not only look after himself. Wherever he sees a human neck caught in any kind of subjugation or bondage, he should free it. That is to say, the first and foremost thing to do is to establish a system where no one is subdued by or subjugated to another. Everyone walks with his chin up, with total physical and mental freedom. (He should not have to follow and obey any Law except that of Allah the Almighty.) And during the period when some people take over all primary sources of subsistence and create a state of general distress and hunger, this system should look after the needs of those who, despite living among other people, feel lonely and helpless; or of the needs of those who have to labor hard for a morsel. They are the auspicious and prosperous people on the right path, enjoying the pleasures of life.

Justice for all

Justice is the buzz world in our modern vocabulary. The Quran not only emphasizes justice but also recommends a step above justice, i.e., working for the good of others at the expense of one’s interest. On the other side are those who are also true to their faith. They always give preference to the needs of the newcomers, even if they themselves are indigent and living a life of hardship. (Quran 59:9) The Quran reminds that people who are likely to achieve prosperity are those who change their personalities and no longer push others aside to selfishly fulfill their own needs. Realizing that the other person’s need is more demanding they voluntarily allow them to fulfill it first.

The Quran recommends a simple maxim for justice “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well- acquainted with all that ye do.” (Quran 4:135)

“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” (Quran 5:8)

Every human society accepts justice as its core value, yet we find that every human society violates its own declared values and promotes injustice on the basis of divisions that people have created among themselves. So much inequality, indignity and denial of basic human rights takes place in our world simply because people tend to view justice for others as not binding. However, without adhering to justice, it is impossible to think of dignity, unity or universality of humanity.

Peace is the goal

The ultimate goal of humans in this world is to secure a peaceful human society so that a peaceful family can protect the interests of a peaceful individual for achieving his or her true potential in deliberating on the purpose of this life and preparing for a life that is eternal in every sense of the term. The unity of humanity, the dignity, the justice and the universality of human resources pave the path for peace. They liberate humans from the mundane and profane and take them to the realm of sublime and sacred. They ensure that that human beings reconcile between their greed and their need.

Defining the purpose of his guidance the Quran says that “through which God shows unto all that seek His goodly acceptance the paths leading to peace and, by His grace, brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light and guides them onto a straight way. (Quran 5:16)

The Quran repeats the message several times that the purpose of human efforts is to enable humans to dwell in an abode of peace, “theirs shall be an abode of peace with their Sustainer; and He shall be near unto them in result of what they have been doing.” (Quran 6:127) and explains “And [know that] God invites [man] unto the abode of peace, and guides him that wills [to be guided] onto a straight way.” (Quran 10:25)

Thus, the message of the Quran is universal and eternal. The divine sets the standards through messages delivered to human beings. It was left to individuals to seek the path of unity, dignity, universality, justice and peace not the path to argue with each who is better than the other or who would qualify for the grace of God and who would not. Let the world not deprive itself of the benefits of the divine guidance because of the sectarian, myopic and often arrogant behavior on the part of some Muslim groups. Let the world make use of these values that are universal and would help everyone. Muslims should also not shy away from joining those who work for these values even if their proponents happen to be those who profess other faiths or no faith.

Notes:

1. Empiricism: The practice of basing ideas and theories on testing and experience.

“Creeping Sharia”: A Myth?

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by Amina Khan

The term “Sharia law” ignites heated arguments as non-Muslims attempt to define it through tenuous sources. However, concurrently, radical Muslims also disseminate false translations of Sharia for the benefit of their own religious extremism and political gain.

So then, what is Sharia and is it something Americans should fear?

History and Origin

Sharia sprouted following the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 AD. It derives its essence from the Qur’an and Hadith; yet, conflictions develop as the credibility of Hadith is scrutinized between Muslim scholars. The reliability of a Hadith may have faltered through the “chain of transmission” down the years. If a Hadith contradicts another Hadith or the Qur’an, it cannot be true. Unfortunately, Hadith have been abused under degrading rhetoric and is always undergoing analysis between scholars.

Sharia translates to “the direct path to water”, as it is wholly a practiced way of life for Muslims.

Trying to ban Sharia is denying Muslims their religious freedom. But, Sharia is not a set of laws that are to be forced on anyone against their will as it is stated in the Qur’an that “no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion” (2:256) is allowed. Furthermore, Sharia is not even a set of laws, but rather a philosophical concept of guidelines that root from the concepts learned in the Qur’an and Hadith. It molds with the society that a Muslim currently resides in; however, it is strictly only for Muslims and is not something that is trying to spread or be forced onto the Western world.

Five Parts of Sharia + Fiqh

The five branches of Sharia are Adab (behavior, morals and manners), ibadah (ritual worship), i’tiqadat (beliefs), mu’amalat (transactions and contracts) and ‘uqubat (punishments). However, it should be noted that these rulings apply to a willing person, not through forced government implementation.

Fiqh means “understanding” and is taught through four different schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanbali) with the common conception that these scholars are not speaking for God. Fiqh is essentially stories of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Qur’an and Hadith. Unfortunately, the Western view of Sharia and Fiqh is based on how Middle East countries make use of the Islamic laws.

Countries like Saudi Arabia, abuse the nature of Islam to weaken the disposition of Muslims for their own political gain. These countries eradicate the concept of justice that is essential to Sharia, simply to gain power and fuel their extremist views. An honest example of Sharia law is prevalent in America, as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of thought are promoted. The Islamic part of Sharia is fully a Muslim’s own spiritual relationship with God in directing themselves to be a better person.

Violence and Punishment in Qur’an + Concept of Hudud

“Whoever kills a person who has a truce with the Muslims will never smell the fragrance of Paradise.” – Saheeh Muslim

It is narrated that Muhammad (SAW) said, “To free someone criminal mistakenly is better than to punish someone innocent mistakenly.” ‘A’isha (ra) narrated, “Ward off punishments as much as you can. If you find any way out for a Muslim then set him free. If the Imam makes a mistake in granting forgiveness it is better for him than that he should commit a mistake in imposing punishment.”

“Avert the Hudud (legal punishments) from being inflicted as much as you can, and whenever you find a way for a release [of a defendant] go through it, since it is better for one who rules to make a mistake in acquitting, than to make it in punishment of the innocent.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi no. 1424. Classified authentic [sahih] by al-Hakim)

Hudud means the “limits of God”, Jonathan Brown from Yaqeen Institute states, but nowhere does the phrase appear in the clear context of labeling certain crimes (see Quran, 2:229, 4:14, 58:4, 65:1, though 4:14 is followed by a discussion of sexual impropriety). As punishments in Islamic law are formatted by human reason and not by the verses in the Qur’an, there is ample room for error. There are only four undeniable Hudud penalties specified by the Qur’an: 1) Theft; 2) Armed robbery; 3) Illicit sexual intercourse; 4) Slander.

The Qur’an does not command the death penalty for major sins, even murder. The family of the victim of a murder is given the option to forgive a murderer, be given compensation for the murder, or have the murderer killed (2:178). Stoning someone to death is never mentioned in the Qur’an, but is a common practice in some countries who are clearly not following the book accurately.

However, it is important to note that the concept of Hudud is not meant to be implemented into society today, rather it is there to sustain Quranic maqasid of justice/compassion in the specific context of Meccan society at the time.

In a typical book of fiqh, less than 2% of the book is devoted to the Hudud crimes and their punishments.

“Those who commit unlawful sexual intercourse of your women – bring against them four [witnesses] from among you. And if they testify, confine the guilty women to houses until death takes them or Allah ordains for them [another] way. (4:15) But if they repent and correct themselves, leave them alone. Indeed, Allah is ever Accepting of repentance and Merciful (4:16).

“And those who accuse chaste women and then do not produce four witnesses – lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from them testimony ever after. And those are the defiantly disobedient, Except for those who repent thereafter and reform, for indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful” (read 24:4-9).

Forgiveness is a prime factor in Islam, and punishment is only given if there is substantial evidence of a sin, which is extremely rare. These punishments are scarcely ever used and if they are, it’s used in an extreme and unfitting manner. Also, the Qur’an was revealed 1400 years ago in a time where punishment like prison did not exist. In fact, in the entirety of the Quran of 114 chapters, only three punishments are written: prescribed punishments, retribution, and discretionary punishments. Also, in modern societies, where the vast majority of crimes cannot be examined on the basis of eyewitness evidence and where all kinds of forensic data enabled by scientific advancements have become critical to investigating and prosecuting crimes: there is no need for Hudud to be used.

“And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation – his reward is [due] from Allah . Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers”(42:40).

“And if ye do catch them out, catch them out no worse than they catch you out: But if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are patient” (16:126).

Scholars argue that the verse on theft giving the punishment of cutting off one’s hand is mistranslated. You shall “eqta’u” the thief’s hands as a punishment for their deeds, and to serve as a deterrent from God. The word “eqta’u” is normally used along the lines of ‘marking’ or ‘leaving a scar’ where as “batara” would mean to “cut off”. In Qur’an 108:3, “Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off” (abtar – a derivative from batara).

This can be further argued in the story of Joseph:

“So when she heard of their scheming, she sent for them and prepared for them a banquet and gave each one of them a knife and said [to Joseph], ‘Come out before them.’ And when they saw him, they greatly admired him and cut their hands and said, ‘Perfect is Allah ! This is not a man; this is none but a noble angel.’” (12:31). “Eqta’u is also used in 5:38.

As for other violent verses of war, are only written in the Qur’an as explanations for wars that happened at that time, like the Battle of Badr. However, people of ISIS and Taliban take these verses and use it to cowardly support their own horrendous actions of war and savagery.

In a hadith of an underpaid child who stole fruit from his employer was brought to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) by the employer who demanded the child’s hand be cut. Upon seeing that the child suffered from hunger, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) rebuked the employer for underpayment and made it obligatory on him to educate the child and provide proper food to him until he grows up. This hadith makes up several of examples of Prophet Muhammad’s way of promoting justice where it is necessary. Among forgiveness in Islam, a good deed can also wipe away sin, as narrated in a hadith of a prostitute whose sins were forgiven simply because she gave water to a thirsty dog.

Hiraba

The harshest punishment written in the Qur’an is 5:33. Majority of Muslim scholars deem this verse was revealed after men had blinded, maimed and murdered a shepherd while also stealing his camels. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) ordered the killers to be punished in the same manner. However, some scholars argue that these reports are skeptical. Nevertheless, it is stressed that the ruler or state has the preference in deciding the proper punishment for Hiraba.

Terrorism is classified as Hiraba, which is punishable by death, as Hiraba means “waging war against a society”. Therefore, Islam heavily supports the notion that groups like ISIS are to be punished.

Misconceptions of Jihad

Opposite of Hiraba is Jihad. The term Jihad has been abused to hold a negative connotation juxtaposing its true meaning in Islam. People who do abuse the term are disregarding Islam’s immaculate history of consistency to the standards of law and justice in affairs of state. Jihad in Arabic means to “strive for some objective”. Countries who use Jihad for unwarranted violence and propaganda have been misguided and are neglecting Islamic conditions. It has become a norm for cultural society to define Jihad as rebellions against authority, which stressfully denounce Islamic principles.

Spiritual Jihad’s goal is to diminish demeaning characteristics by practicing dhikr, the Remembrance of God.

Jihad essentially means to “struggle” and is overall an internal and external way to be a good Muslim. The only reference of Jihad to violence is when Prophet Muhammad (SAW) mentioned to his followers on the way back from military campaign that a transition was made from armed battle to the peaceful battle, enforcing the idea of a “just war” and terms of defensive battles.

Islam’s Tolerance of Other Religions

“After Muhammad’s death, Jews and Christians were never required to convert to Islam but were allowed to practice their religions freely in the Islamic empire. Later Zoroastrians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs were also counted among the People of the Book. It has never been a problem for Muslims to coexist with people of other religions. The Islamic empire was able to play host to Christians and Jews for centuries, but Western Europe has found it almost impossible to tolerate Muslims and Jews in Christian territory.” – Karen Armstrong

“Beware!  Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I (Prophet Muhammad) will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment.” – Abu Dawud

“You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah , and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, “We are Christians.” That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant” (5:82).

Several Quranic verses denounce the ostracization of any religion besides Islam. Misconfigurations of verses stating the murder of non-Believers repudiate the understanding of historical context at that time. Meccan “Pagans” had waged war against the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his community, while they violently oppressed and tortured Muhammad and his followers. Eventually, after several assassination attempts on Muhammad, various hostile Arab tribes joined in the fight against the Muslims, cultivating the Battle of the Trench, when 10,000 soldiers from many Arab tribes gathered to take out the entirety of the Muslim community. Muslims survived this war and went onto civilization.

As mentioned in the Huffington Post, the verses that come immediately before 9:5 state, “Those with whom you have treaties are immune from attack.” It further states, “Fulfill your treaties with them to the end of their term, for God loves the conscientious.” Now, in its proper context, verse 9:5 can be accurately understood.

“Creeping Sharia” is a non-existent movement. Sharia is not here to “take over” the world and convert everyone to Islam as Allah (SWT) “guides whomever He wills”. The violence that is so prevalent in the Middle East has no relation to religion, rather it capitalizes globalization and colonialism. Muslims are victims under those who use the name of Islam for their own political agenda to obtain power and sustain greed. Sharia has no intention to be violent, unless drastic sins like those ISIS is committing, then punishment is deemed to be fitting. Above all, forgiveness is dramatically portrayed in Islam, punishment is not something that should easily be given. It is important to understand the correct principles of Islam, and digest the violent terms in the Qur’an as verses that befitted society at that time and era.

Eating Spaghetti on a Gluten-Free Diet

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by Noor H. Salem

While discussing the modern and widespread fad of gluten-free and grain-free diets, I’ve shared essential tips you should keep in mind if you choose going this route. We’ve discussed the new craze of gluten and grain-free diets and whether they are indeed health optimizing or just another passing fad.

Whether you decide to eliminate gluten or grains all together from your diet due to experiencing indigestion, your arthritis or joint pain, or simply craving a light entrée for dinner, my delectable zucchini noodle recipe will surely become a family favorite. This recipe is kids-approved and husband-friendly alike. You can add in extra vegetables of your choice- like steamed broccoli, carrots, or even cauliflower. I enjoy swapping the sauce for my homemade tomato sauce, or scrumptious home-based pesto sauce for a change.

It’s crucial to note however, that many gluten-free pastas and spaghettis you may find in the supermarket are indeed free of gluten. Essentially though, they may be full of corn and other genetically engineered ingredients and further unwanted additives. I recall one of my clients complaining to me that after going gluten-free, she began to experience even more digestive pain and discomfort. I asked what food items she excluded and what other items she began eating again. After recognizing the kind of gluten-free pasta she began eating as a replacement, I instantly recognized it was made of genetically engineered corn. I advise you to be cautious of the ingredients, regardless of whether or not the item is gluten-free certified or not.

This unique and mouth-watering spaghetti recipe is not only gluten-free, but high in many essential vitamins and minerals. It is extremely filling, and unlike most commonly eaten spaghetti, due to the bleached pasta, it won’t spike your blood sugar. This is quite similar to my pesto zucchini noodle recipe I share in my book, Sunnah Superfoods. You can make this recipe with the tomato-based sauce or the pesto recipe upon your preference. I enjoy tossing in minced onions, carrots, and fresh spinach for a nutritional boost, without an overpowering taste.

Ingredients/Supplies:

For the noodles:

  • 8-10 small zucchinis
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
  • A spiralizer or vegetable peeler
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, garnish (optional)

For the meat/vegetables topping:

  • 1 pound ground meat (lamb or beef at your preference)

Spices for meat:

  • 1 tablespoon Himalayan Pink Salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard seed
  • 2 cups fresh spinach or kale- chopped
  • 1 red onion- minced
  • 2 large carrots- minced
  • 1 jar (about two cups) of spaghetti sauce

Directions:

  1. Wash and dry your zucchini. Cut off the ends as needed. Use the Spiralizer to make your noodles (follow directions as required).
  2. Cook the noodles with ½ cup water on medium-low heat in a deep skillet. They usually cook in less than 10 minutes; don’t overcook them as they will become mush and break apart.
  3. Transfer the cooked noodles to a serving dish. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil.
  4. Meanwhile, place the meat in a pot, top with the spices and cook on medium-high heat. Add the chopped veggies; allow it to simmer until it’s browned and well-cooked.
  5. Pour in the tomato sauce and let it simmer with the meat and vegetables for about 6-7 minutes.
  6. Scoop the mixture over the noodles; slightly toss. Serve immediately for optimum taste.
  7. Enjoy it with a delectable spring salad!

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, SUNNAH SUPERFOODS, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.

Karbala, A Reminder

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Photo Credit: Davoud Ghahrdar

by Suraiya Ali

There is a story of Karbala

that everyone knows.

There is a story of a man who was connected to divinity

There is a story of a man who knew that he was the prophet’s progeny.

There is a story of a man who realized his life was political currency,

that with spending it, he could save thousands, millions, of others from calamity.

There is a story of Karbala that is harsh. It is chains on the chest of mourning men.

This is a story about Hazart Hussain, who went to aid his allies in Kufa, and with his family, walked into his own martyrdom.

There is a story that he knew he was going to die, and that when his enemy told him

that not even a funeral shroud

would be provided for his corpse,

he responded, God will send onto his body a cloth of divine light, directly from Heaven.

There is a story that is about massacre.

70 women and children, warrior and worshipper, killed by an army of thousands; starved from water for three days.

There is a story of Karbala that everyone knows.

It is sharp like swords, putrid like the smell of bodies left to rot in the desert.

There is another Karbala, that we do not speak about.

There is a Karbala that is soft.

There is a Karbala;

In which Hazart Hussein was a father, a new father, to baby boys; Ali as-Asghar and Zayn-al Abidin,

In which he felt their infant hands, soft as the petals of Persian Jasmine, grasp his fingers.

There is a Karbala;

In which he heard his young daughter, Ruqayyah, speak to him in the gentle and gibbering Arabic of a toddler.

There is a Karbala full of mothers, who tended to their children, regardless of thirst, regardless of heat, with love as supple as the hand-woven rugs they left behind in their homes.

There is a Karbala full of husbands, who’s bond in marriage reeked so much of love that their wives walked with them through that desert, to the last moment they would ever be able to embrace one and other.

There is a Karbala of love.

There is a Karbala as soft as the laugh of a child, as smooth as silk on a jummah afternoon.

There is Karbala as sweet as Hafiz, as succulent as Rumi.

Why do I remind you of this? When you fathers beat themselves with chains, and your mothers weep into black chadors– why do I remind you of softness?

I do not wish to romanticize Karbala.

There is no romance in malpractice.

I wish to remind you that as you fight for the injustices of our past, and blaze forward to undo the injustice of our future, you must seek the soft.

You must remember as you mourn that while they fought they also loved.

While they died they also loved.

While their last breath left their bodies, they also loved.

My Karbala so full of love that it is as soft as pink chiffon, as delicate as rose petals.

My Karbala is one where the Army of the Holy was massacred, but the love of their House was only sanctified.

My Karbala is soft, so soft, that even chain links covered with the blood of devotees, are no match for the noor they bring to those who hold them.

 

Poet Suraiya Ali has grown up with the mourning of Karbala. She has felt her history every Ashura. During the Muslim month of Moharram, where Shia and Sunni Muslims alike, mourn the martyrdom of Hazart Hussain, who suffered on the fields of Karbala a death deemed gruesome by most in history, it is easy to be lost in the convictions of pain. Suraiya in her work, “Karbala, A Reminder”, engages readers in realize, that even with pain comes softness and in that softness, a devotee can find bliss. 

Muslims aren’t the problem. Yet why are they the only “terrorists”?

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by Tina Lapsia

First came President Trump’s ‘Muslim’ travel ban, issued with a statement “We don’t want ‘em [Muslims] here.” Nine months later, a white man unleashed havoc in Las Vegas, Nevada, killing 58 innocent concert-goers and wounding hundreds of others, in what has been declared as the worst mass shooting in American history.

Stephen Paddock, the suspect in the Las Vegas shooting. (Source: Medium)

Since Trump took office, some of the worst attacks, including the one in Las Vegas, have occurred on American soil. These include:

  • August 2017: A 20-year-old white Nazi sympathizer from Ohio sped his car into a crowd of anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing a woman and injuring at least 19 others.
  • June 2017: A 66-year-old white man from Illinois shot at Republican Congress members during an early morning baseball practice, severely wounding several people including House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
  • June 2017: A 52-year-old white man from Kansas shot one Indian man and killed another as he told them to “get out of [his] country.”
  • March 2017: A 28-year-old white man from Baltimore traveled to New York City with the explicit aim of killing black men. He stabbed 66-year-old Timothy Caughman to death.
  • May 2017: A 35-year-old white man from Oregon began harassing Muslim teenagers on a train in Portland, telling them “We need Americans here!” Two men interceded; the perpetrator then stabbed and killed them both.

After the attacks of September 11, Muslims have been automatically associated with the radical Islamic terrorists responsible for that horrific tragedy. However, the bigger threat to Americans have been those who “blend right in” – those who are not affiliated with any specific religion or extremist group.

In fact, according to a new study by the think tank New America, more Americans were killed by “native” right-wing extremists between 2001-2015 than by Islamic terrorists.

Despite Trump’s travel ban to protect Americans from such terrorists, the country home to the biggest number of terrorists who have carried out successful attacks inside the US is the US itself.

But such individuals who commit acts of mass murders are, in many instances, not labeled as terrorists – such was the case with the suspect in the Las Vegas shooting, Stephen Paddock.

Why? Terrorism seems to be a label reserved for foreigners, for Muslims. Whites have the privilege of being the “lone wolf” shooters.

When the definition of terrorism cannot even be agreed upon by the FBI, US Department of Defense, Congress and the US Department of Homeland Security, terrorism becomes a term defined by society and the media.

When a white perpetrator carries out an act of terrorism, public discourse is confined to “thoughts and prayers,” while Congress and the public rally for policy change and legislation in the wake of an attack by a Muslim.

A Muslim attacker has never been referred to as an American, a local of the community he attacks. Rather, despite his country of citizenship, he (or she) is considered to be a foreigner or an external threat by the Western press.

It is no surprise that this worldview and perception has lead to anti-Muslim discrimination in America. It has lead to racial profiling, torturing Muslim suspects in Guantanamo Bay and instating a Muslim ban.

Terrorism has no race, no color, no gender and no religion. We must change this narrative that Muslims are the only face of it.

The Worst Act of Domestic Terrorism in US History

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by Dr. Aslam Abdullah

It was a peaceful night in Las Vegas. The strip- the mile long road that has the most casinos and hotels- was as busy as ever and Sunday traffic to Arizona, California and Utah was running smoothly. But the arena around Mandalay Bay was unusually busy, thousands had assembled there to attend a Country Music concert. Many had come from not only the three neighboring states but as far as from Florida, New York, Texas and even Canada.

Little did the people know that in the  next few hours their lives would change and the city known for its Casinos and huge conventions would now be known as the city with the deadliest mass shooting in the US. 

In less than 15 minutes, 58 people were killed and 400 injured- when ‘a lone wolf’ Nevada resident open fired on a crowd from the 32nd floor of the hotel, he had checked into Thursday.

How did 64-year-old Stephan Paddock bring guns and ammunition in his room, when usually the security is very tight on residential floors?

Sheriff Joseph Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department described Paddock as a ‘lone wolf’, with intentions that had gone unnoticed by staff personal.

“I can’t get into the mind of a psychopath at this point,” Sheriff Lombardo told reporters.

How did he choose a room that would give him access to the jubilant crowd assembled on the fateful Sunday night? The police has yet to describe the motive behind the shooting.

But what is clear is that the shooter born in a city of 18,000 people, knew what he was going to do on October 1, 2017. He had purchased guns from his state and the state of Southern California. He had purchased enough ammunition and he knew where the crowd would be most vulnerable.

The police believe Paddock killed himself before police entered the room.

In ordinary situation a tragedy of this magnitude would quickly be called an act of terrorism, a term which neither the state governor, nor city mayor, police chief and even the President have used.

Despite the fact that the motive was to kill, terrorize a city and its people, alongside hurting its economy and booming business- no one is willing to call it an act of terrorism. Perhaps this is a term that officials and media in general have reserved for Muslims.

Initially, some in the media even tried to give it a Muslim twist. From as far as India, a Tweet came from The Hindustan Times (HT) account stating that Las Vegas was under attack from a Muslim shooter.

The Tweet came some eight hours after the incident. Reuters, news agency, also carried a news item quoting an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL) saying that the attack was carried out by their soldier-who had accepted Islam a few moths ago. This claim has been refuted by the (Federal Bureau of Investigation) FBI and Paddock’s brother who described him as non-religious.

However, had the perpetrator of this terror act been a Muslim, experts, public officials and the media by now might have concluded that Islam was responsible for the violence and claim that the country is being destroyed by sleeper cells trying to impose sharia through stealth.

But no one asked who radicalized Paddock? Which books was he reading? What pastors he was speaking with? What news media he was watching? What were his views on people who were from his culture and race? Were any militia groups involved in his brain washing? Did he ever support the Confederate Flag?

What happened is very tragic, but why it happened is even more tragic. If a person with no criminal record, no violation, no apparent public and political involvement can commit such an act of heinous terrorism, then the question must be asked.

How safe are average citizens?

America has long ignored this issue by refusing to label it terror.

In 2017 the U.S. has witnessed 273 such acts of terror, that are often described as mass shooting. Experts define mass shooting an incident that causes the death of four or more people in a single attack, excluding the shooter.

Some of the well known acts of terrorism described as mass shooting are:

  • Las Vegas, 2017: 50+ killed
  • Orlando, 2016: 50 killed
  • Virginia Tech, 2007: 32 killed
  • Sandy Hook, 2012: 27 killed
  • San Ysirdo, 1984: 21 killed
  • San Bernadino, 2015: 14 killed
  • Edmond, 1986: 14 killed
  • Fort Hood, 2009: 13 killed
  • Columbine, 1999: 13 killed

In 2017 some 11,600 deaths have been linked to violence, which is equivalent to four 9/11 deaths. 

In 2016 more than 15,000 were killed by gun violence with 383 mass shootings.

The refusal to acknowledge such mass shooting as acts of terrorism is preventing the country from developing a meaningful policy to combat it.

While huge resources are being devoted to combat terrorism and extremism abroad in the nation of preserving national security- mass shooting related deaths are considered a part of everyday life with no threats to the security of the country, thus resources are scantily available to deal with the situation.

The interfaith community has responded in a well organized manner and within hours after the incident announced several peace vigils in the city. Muslim doctors and medical staff were in the forefront of leading efforts to provide care to the victims being brought there throughout the night. Several Muslim doctors rushed to their hospitals after the news of the tragedy broke out- some 500 people are on the injured list.

Marvin Gawryn, Executive Director of the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada, issued the following statement.

“Today, we weep. We weep for the lives lost, for those who have lost loved ones, for those who will deal with this trauma for the rest of their lives… for the fact that human beings inflict violence on other human beings. And, we will work. As members of the Las Vegas Interfaith community have done for years, we will continue to work for peace. We will continue to provide safe places for healing. We will continue to be guided by our religious, spiritual lives to speak love and compassion in response to hate.  And we will continue to grow the larger human family that transcends all boundaries.” 

Saudi Arabia Lifts Driving Ban on Women

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by Aysha Qamar

A royal decree has been issued by Saudi Arabia, that will allow women in the country to drive, the Saudi Foreign ministry said Tuesday on its official Twitter account. Following the decree, women will no longer need permission from a legal guardian to get a license and will not need a guardian in the car when they drive.

The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry announced the decision on its official Twitter account.

“This is a historic big day in our kingdom,” Prince Khaled bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, said in a briefing with reporters.

The decision to allow women to drive comes along a broad reform program that earlier led to women being allowed into a sports stadium for the first time. Women were allowed to enter the National Stadium in Riyadh to celebrate the 87th anniversary of the founding of the kingdom on September 23.

Ambassador bin Salman described the step as “part of Vision 2030, which is a huge step toward a brighter future.”

According to the Ambassador, the plan for the country’s economic reinvention depends on youth empowerment, social organization and women’s empowerment, “which is an extremely important element of the changes happening in Saudi Arabia,” the ambassador said.

“We are trying to increase women’s participation in the workforce,” bin Salman said.

“In order to change women’s participation in the workforce we need them to be able to drive to work,” Ambassador bin Salman said. “We need them to move forward, we need them to improve our economy.”

In conversation with CNN on why the announcement was made now, Ambassador bin Salman said, “there is no wrong time to do the right thing.” “It’s not religious nor a cultural issue” and said women “used to use transportation means during my grandfather’s era,” he added.

While there might be social issues, the Ambassador said, legally nothing can prevent the women who wish to drive, nor prevent them from wanting driving lessons without male or guardian permission.

According to the Ambassador, the choice will be up to women. “It’s not ‘women must drive,’ it’s ‘women can drive.’”

In May, King Salman decreed that government agencies should list services women can seek without permission from their husbands, fathers or other male guardian. Before the decree, women were not able to access government services without getting permission from a male guardian or having him present.

State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said the US certainly welcomes the move and sees it as “a great step in the right direction”.

“I think this is historical and a victory, not only for Saudi women, but also a victory for human rights,” Saudi Journalist Najah Altoaibi said. “I mean from now on there is no country that places a ban on women driving, Saudi Arabia was the last country which prevented women from driving.”

In November 1990, 47 Saudi women drove their cars around Riyadh to protest the driving ban. The women faced severe punishment and the campaign stopped until 2008, when Wajiha Huwaider dared to drive a car around the eastern provinces and escaped arrest.

Following Huwaiders daring action almost 10 years ago- several women rekindled the protests by driving local roads. Many were arrested and jailed for going behind the wheel.

Manal al-Sharif, a Saudi women’s rights advocate- who now lives in Australia, was jailed in Saudi Arabia after posting a video on Youtube, of herself wearing a black headscarf and sunglasses while driving. Her actions provoked death threats and led to her formulating the Women2Drive campaign.

Sharif and another woman, Najla al-Hariri, became global figureheads of the cause, drawing attention from world leaders and activists to urge Saudi Arabia to end the ban.

In response to the announcement, Al-Sharif, tweeted various comments including a photo of herself in a car.

Many others have also taken to twitter and social media to express their happiness and feelings towards the lifting of the ban.

Loujain Hathloul arrested in 2014 after trying to cross the border from the United Arab Emirates into Saudi Arabia and detained for 73 days, tweeted ‘praise be to God’.

“It is amazing,” said Fawziah al-Bakr, a Saudi university professor who was among 47 women who participated in the kingdom’s first protest against the ban — in 1990. After driving around the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the women were arrested and some lost their jobs.

“Since that day, Saudi women have been asking for the right to drive, and finally it arrived,” she told reporters. “We have been waiting for a very long time.”

Ending the ban on women driving is expected to face some resistance.

Earlier this month, a Saudi cleric was banned from preaching after saying that women should not be allowed to drive because their brains shrink to a quarter the size of a man’s when they go shopping.

Opposition scholar Madawi Al-Rasheed congratulated women’s rights activists, but emphasized the challenges ahead.

“Without an elected government and political representation, we will not benefit,” she said.

According to the decree, a ministerial committee has been formed to implement the ruling and it will present recommendations within 30 days.The new policy is set to be implemented on June 24, 2018, the government said.

Liesl Gerntholtz, executive director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, told CNN while it was a “very important step” there was still a long way to go for Saudi women.

“This prohibition on driving is just one in a vast series of laws and policies which prevent women from doing many things,” she said.

Media fellow at the Muslim Public Affairs Council Marwa Abdelghani, told CNN the new laws wouldn’t take effect for another year.

“Saudi Arabian women are going to continue fighting and are going to continue running these campaigns to try to overturn these laws,” she said.

“At the end of the day these laws are showing how Saudi Arabia has been resisting overturning or relinquishing power to over 50 percent of the population.”

Muslim activism Leads to Progress with Google Search

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by Tina Lapsia

We all know that Islamophobia is a rampant issue in this country, especially as seen by the discriminatory rhetoric and legislation advanced by President Trump and his supporters over the recent year.

In fact, according to a recent Vox article, the trends seen in Google searches reveal much about spikes in prejudicial behavior and the American psyche. Based on research done by author Seth Stephens-Davidowitz of Everybody Lies, it is apparent who has hateful sentiments towards Muslim based on their Internet history.

“People search things like ‘kill Muslims’ or ‘I hate Muslims’ or ‘Muslims are evil.’ These people are basically maniacs and you can actually see minute-by-minute when these searches rise and when these searches fall… [I]t’s a small group but it’s also an important group… They are the ones who tend to commit hate crimes or even murder Muslims,” Stephens-Davidowitz explained in the article.

That is why Google is actually so important to facilitating understanding and breaking stereotypes about Muslims around the world. In June, the Huffington Post released a piece highlighting the negative effects the search engine has for truly understanding Islam. The issue? When searching for specific Islamic phrases like “sharia,” “jihad,” or “taqiyya,” Google’s top results included links to Islamophobic sites run by white supremacists. Since 90% of people who run searches don’t look past the first page of hits, this can lead to an incredible outflow of misinformation.

Concerned about this issue, Oman Suleiman, a Dallas imam and founder of the Yaqeen Institution for Islamic Research, has formed a team of individuals to public accurate reports on such topics in order to influence Google’s search algorithm.

“Imam Omar Suleiman and Ali Fiaz photographed in the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research office in Las Colinas, Texas. Suleiman is currently the President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and a professor of Islamic Studies at Southern Methodist University.” Both are collaborating on the Google project. Photo Source: Allison V. Smith/The Huffington Post

Although Imam Suleiman admitted he did not have the monetary power to quickly influence Google like the $57 million funding Islamophobia, he was hopeful that Google would realize the problem based on the corrections it has made in the past. “It’s a fair ask that when someone goes to Google they are not being presented with information from hate groups, and representatives of the faith, as well as respectable academics… as if they’re all on the same playing field,” he said. The company removed the autofill suggestion “are Jews evil” last year in addition to the “glitch” that tagged the term “gorillas” in image searches run for African-Americans on its photos app.

Fortunately, Google has recently taken steps in the right direction. Amid pressure from activists like Imam Suleiman’s organization and others, Google’s first page results for searches of terms such as “jihad,” “shariah,” and “taqiyya” now show mostly reputable sources for explanations of these concepts. The search engine released a statement saying, “To help prevent the spread of such content for this subset of queries, we’ve improved our evaluation methods and made algorithmic updates to surface more authoritative content.” Although such hate speech should have been filtered in the first place, this is certainly a step in the right direction for the Muslim-American community.

First Hollywood Asian Muslim Female Director Releases: The Tiger Hunter

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Photo Courtesy of The Tiger Hunter LLC

by TMO Staff

Lena Khan is a United States born American-Indian Muslim writer and director. Her first feature film, The Tiger Hunter will be in theaters in many parts of the US on September 22.

The movie depicts a young Indian man, who relocates to Chicago in the 1970s to become an engineer- but when his job falls through, resorts to an elaborate charade with misfit friends in order to woo his childhood sweetheart.

Khan is the first Muslim woman who has directed a full length Hollywood movie, that has garnered critical acclaim and awards across the festival circuit. She has joined the league of film makers such as Mustapha Akkad who produced: The Message and Lion of the Dessert.

Khan got the idea for the film after hearing stories from her father and interviewing others about what it was like immigrating to the United States. 

“One story he told was he had to steal a stool sample to get into the country, and I was just randomly telling that to somebody at my work,”I was at a production company at the time, and they were just cracking up, and so I just started asking for stories from other people, other immigrants, random things. People telling me about 13 guys sleeping on the floor like sardines, people sharing like one single suit and waiting around in their underwear and scheduling their entire interviews around it, and a lot of those stories are what came to be in the movie.”

Khan graduated Summa Cum Laude and received an undergraduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles in political science and history-after which she went on to graduate from the prestigious UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Khan has spent years directing short films, commercials and music videos for international artists such as Maher Zain, while also gaining experience at noted production companies such as Participant Media (Syriana, The Help).

Her films and videos have received over 30 million hits on Youtube, won film festivals, and have been broadcast across the world- seen anywhere from universities to international embassies.

Khan has been profiled in USA Today, Teen Vogue, The New York Times and various other media outlets. She has won Sony Entertainment’s Television’s South Asian Excellence Award for contributions to entertainment, CAIR’s award for activism and now dedicates herself to making films that call attention to social issues, through fun and engaging entertainment.

Her first feature film, The Tiger Hunter, is one of the first feature films by a Muslim filmmaker to achieve mainstream distribution.

Khan hopes through the film and other work to help build the representation and understanding of Muslim and other communities- by using humor, the film has been sparking needed conversation throughout the country.

Recently, Khan sold a television show to a major studio and is now working on another television show, alongside working on another movie and children’s book.

The success of The Tiger Hunter helps support Khan and the representation of the diverse community in Hollywood-and the opening weekend’s box office is crucial for that goal.

Please buy tickets for The Tiger Hunter by visiting its official website here.

Hajj: The Journey of A Lifetime

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by Sofia Begg Latif

Hajj has truly been the journey of a lifetime. It was a lesson in recognizing our own insignificance- our bodies physically exhausted and weakened- the perspective of being one among millions under the harsh heat of the Arabian sun, our hearts beating, hands lifted seeking His Mercy.  

Together, we all prayed and cried for our families, for a stop to war and discord, for protection from every type of sickness, sadness and worldly trial.  We prayed for Salvation. We stood in front of God, dusty and disheveled, bowed our heads, and poured out our hearts, begged for forgiveness, entrusted all our fears and worries to Him, and sought His Help for our innermost needs and hopes.  

We removed ourselves momentarily from our worldly affairs, even as the storms of the world continued to swirl, as news of Harvey and Irma, of the Rohingya in Burma, of the pain of Dreamers and DACA and news of deaths of loved ones back home reached us. We surrendered to our Lord, our hearts reliant completely on Him. We circled the Ka’aba, counter clockwise, as if to turn back the ages of time, to shed our past and to seek His Guidance for our individual and collective future, recommitting ourselves to be servants in this world.  

Hajj was humbling, but at every step of the journey, we were also deeply aware of our privilege.  The world’s people were represented in Mecca, young and old, black, white, and every color in between. Humanity is beautiful, but the vast majority do not live like we do. Our moments of hunger, exhaustion, discomfort, sickness, even fear, were all relative. We would catch ourselves uttering a complaint and immediately become silent with just a glance around, our eyes wide open to the suffering of others around us, and their patience, strength, steadfastness, resilience in the face of struggles far greater than our own.

How could we not be only grateful?  

Our feelings of gratitude only deepened upon arriving in Madinah, the city of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). We entered the city with everyone on our bus singing in joy and praise of a man whose life of devotion and sacrifice has given us the best of examples. The peace and calm that is felt in Madinah is without comparison.

So, while we return home now eager to see our daughter, our parents and loved ones and to be back in the comforts of our home, we  pray that God accepts our devotions- and we hope to keep these lessons with us: of reliance on God, of gratitude, of patience and of feeling ever more acutely and urgently the call to serve.

The Hajj Paradigm: Islam’s Most Unifying Narrative

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by Imam Luqman Ahmad

Perhaps, the purest, and most poignant narrative of what Islam really stands for at its core, is the visual takeaway one gets from the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca-called Hajj. Every sane adult Muslim, who is physically and financially able, is required to perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime. A religious scholar, an illiterate farmer, an international banker, a tribal Bedouin, a head of state, a decorated soldier, and a truck driver, each are all required to perform the Hajj in the same manner. Each are equally obligated by religious law to wear exactly the same style and color of clothing, donned and draped in the same way and to repeat from their mouths, the same words;

labbaik Allahumma labbaik, labbaik laa shareeka laka labbaik. Inna al-hamda, wa ni’mata laka wal mulk, laa shareeka lak.

“Here I come oh Lord here I come. Here I come You have no partners here I come, surely all praise, all grace and good, and (all of) the Kingdom belongs to You. You have no partners”

While people are circling around the Ka’ba, Islam’s holiest Mosque, it is impossible to distinguish the prince from the pauper, the rich from the poor, the teacher from the student or the barber from the baker. Nor is it possible, as they perform the rites of Hajj, to define with any accuracy just by looking, what a person’s ethnicity, group, nationality or language is. The only considerations which determine incongruence between one pilgrim (hajji), and the other during the Hajj is their personal level of faith, their god consciousness (taqwa), each person’s individual physical, emotional, and spiritual challenge and the personal prayer of each pilgrim, as they perform the required rites of the Hajj as guests of Allah to the holy sanctuary.

The Hajj grounds- Mecca, Mina, Arafat, and Muz’dalifa– are the only places on earth, and the only season of the Islamic calendar year, where race, power, social preference, position, economic status, ethnicity or politics have no standing whatsoever. There are no lands to conquer, no power struggles, no physical enemies to combat and no images of Islam to defend. There are no media cameras to prep for and no one to convince of your legitimacy or sincerity except the Almighty God, Allah be He Exalted and Glorified. During the Hajj, all that is left is submission to Allah, striving towards Him, and the reality that every Muslim has the same rights and obligations as every other Muslim. The only avowed enemy and the only action of aggression during Hajj are the Shaitaan (Satan) and the three stones that pilgrims throw against him, as a sign of their obedience to Allah and their opposition to evil. According to Allah, it is Satan who is mankind’s greatest enemy.

It was during the Hajj, that the Prophet (SAWS) delivered his farewell sermon and unequivocally declared,

“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety (taqwa) and good action. Know that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.”

The words of the Prophet (SAWS) are as relevant today as they were spoken more than fourteen hundred years ago. Perhaps even more so. The Hajj is a yearly reminder that we are all equal in the sight of Allah and that we only excel above one another through taqwa [piety]. The Hajj also reminds us that we do not judge a book by it’s cover. The Prophet (SAWS) said,

“Verily Allah does not look at your shapes or your bodies but He looks at your hearts”.

The type of equality embodied in the Hajj, is the type of equality that the Prophet (SAWS) spoke of during his Farwell Sermon. This is the kind of justice that makes us unafraid to look at ourselves in the mirror. It is the kind of justice that depoliticizes our religion, and the type of justice where we do not simply move from campaign, to campaign, but stand firmly on principles. This is the type of justice upon which Allah created human beings:

“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things),” [49:13]

As Muslims, we do not own Islam. Islam is the religion of Allah and He owns it. We are all merely His servants who strive to submit to His will. The picture and meaning of the hajj is what all Muslims should strive to live up to- being true servants of Allah and brothers and sisters in faith. We must be an ummah that transcends race, ethnicity, status and nationality.

Reliving the Hajj paradigm every year is a reminder to us all that we as Muslims are essentially one community, and that we should not let the differences in our color, our positions in life, our ethnicity or our nationalities prevent us from coming together, as brothers and sisters in faith. Every year, the sea of undistinguishable believers in white garments circling the Sacred Ka’ba, standing with their hands outstretched to Allah, or standing in peace on the mountain of Arafat, is a reminder of that message and that our God, Allah, is One God and that our faith is one faith.