9 Signs Of Weak Faith With Reference to Ahadith
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When it comes to the matter of faith, the thing required of a follower of a particular faith is to be strong in it. Faith helps shape the perception of a person pertaining to life, therefore, if the foundation of faith is weak, it is quite natural to expect the believer of a faith to falter and shake in life pertaining the way he or she sees life and its happenings.
Having faith in Islam means a Muslim believing in the path of righteousness and doing things prescribed by Islam whole heartedly. There are the temptations of this life and the lack of knowledge of people that leads them to weaken the faith and they fail to practice it with full zest and spirit. Therefore, it is important that a Muslim keep an eye on the symptoms that represent weak faith so that they could be eradicated and a Muslim moves on the path of righteousness with strong faith.
The lines below discuss some major signs that represent weak faith in a Muslim.
1. Sins Without Remorse:
There is no denying the fact that as humans we are bound to commit sin at one point or another and we are to stray occasionally at some point, however, this does not justify the fact that a person should remain oblivious of the committing of sin. Islam realizes that people unintentionally commit sins, however, the thing expected of them is to show remorse on their sins and feel regret about it. Those, who do not feel remorse over their sins are the ones who need to think over the kind of faith they have because sins without any regret or remorse represents weak faith. As Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in one of His hadiths:
“All of my followers will be forgiven except those who commit sins openly. Such is the case of a man commits a sin at night and Allah had his sins concealed till the morning comes. But, he says openly: ‘O so and so, I did such and such yesterday.’ Allah had covered his sin, but he uncovered the veil of Allah from it.” (Bukhari)
Thus, if we brag about the sins we commit and do not show any sign of remorse, our faith had definitely weakened and we need to reconsider what we do and avoid such an act.
Recommended Reading – How to Repent on Your Sins
2. Worship Without Attention:
There are many of us who offer prayers regularly, however, there are very few of us who offer prayer with the true spirit of attention in which prayer is needed to be offered. Offering Salat or any other form of worship has a particular essence and purpose associated with it, therefore, those who do not perform them in the right way, they are actually missing the spirit or in other words the strength in their faith that makes them show focus and concentration during the offering. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in one of His hadiths:
“Allah does not accept the supplication from an inattentive, heedless heart.” (Tirmidhi)
Therefore, missing attention, focus and the presence of heart and mind during prayer is another sign of weak faith and a Muslim should counter it by standing in prayer with all the focus on it and nothing else.
3. Stiffness Of The Heart:
Being a Muslim strong in faith means, a Muslim is soft at heart and his or her heart is sensitive for all the people around them. Those who have weak faith, their hearts become hard and the hard hearts then remain impenetrable to any kind of plea and all a person has left in the heart is darkness and indifference pertaining to goodness or evil. Allah Almighty says in Quran:
“And yet, after this your hearts hardened and became like rocks, or even harder.” (2:74)
Therefore, if our hearts become hard that do not move on any kind of calamity or that are insensitive to the difficulties of people, then it surely is a sign of weak faith and we as Muslims need to consider it for improvement.
4. No Effect Of Quran:
Quran is the strongest and most soul shaking book that is available on the face of this earth. The verses of it directly affect the heart of a person and motivate a person towards the path of righteousness and continuing on the path of faith. When we learn Quran, in addition to the effect the verses have on our soul, there is the message of the verses as well that can help us change our lives for the better and grow stronger in faith. However, if someone has grown impervious to the verses of Quran or who does not value them so that they may have an effect, it is a sign of weak faith and like all other symptoms it also requires immediate attention. If you are a Muslim and think this symptom is present in you, you are strongly advised to start paying attention towards Quran to develop a strong spirtual bond. The QuranReading.com Academy can help you in this regard. By attending the onlin Quran reading, reciting, and translation classes, you will better be able to know the meanings and correct pronouciation of the verses of Quran.
Recommended Reading – 5 Ayahs Of Quran That Can Change The Life Of A Muslim
5. Patience And Forgiveness:
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in a hadith:
“Iman is patience and forgiveness.” (Tirmidhi)
It means that a person who has a strong faith he or she has to have patience and forgiveness in their character. Thus, the ones who have weak faith will be more inclined towards taking revenge and will also lack patience. Ergo, the absence of forgiveness and the lack of patience in the character and attitude of a person is another sign that shows a person growing weaker in faith and these two elements in character need to be worked upon in order to strengthen the faith.
6. Arrogance:
Further to lack of patience and forgiveness, another vice that represents a person being weak in faith is arrogance. The literal meanings of Islam are ‘to submit’, therefore, the religion teaches us humility by making us realize the fact that we all are equal in front of Allah and there is nothing in us upon which we can show arrogance. Thus, those who are arrogant are the ones weak in faith. The detestation of arrogance can be guessed through the following hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“The one who is pleased that the slaves of Allah stand up for him, then let him be assured of his place in the Fire.” (Bukhari)
7. Greed:
Another vice in the character of a person that represents the weakening of faith is the presence of greed. Islam teaches its followers to be selfless, to prefer the easy and facilitation of others over one’s own self, thus, those who show greed in terms of worldly possessions and their own personal liking over the general well-being are the ones who exhibit sings of weak faith. Prophet (PBUH) said in a hadith:
“Iman and covetousness can never come together in the heart of a slave.” (Nasai)
8. Not Going For Small Good Deeds:
As humans we all want to do works of glory. All our life we remain obsessed with doing something that is out of this world and that has grandeur in it, sadly, under this intent we fail to realize that in the pursuit of doing something big and good, we have left or ignored numerous small good deeds that could have brought bitterness to this world. This approach aside, the lack of inclination of a Muslim towards small good deeds, or he or she belittling them is a sign of weak faith and the attitude and approach towards small good deeds needs to change. As Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith:
“Do not belittle any small act of kindness even if it is to pour water from your bucket into the vessel of the one who asks for it or to talk to your brother with a cheerful face.” (Ahmed)
9. Feeling For Other Believers:
Prophet (PBUH) said:
“A believer feels pain for the believers, just as the body feels distress over what is troubling the head.” (Ahmad)
Thus, those of us who do not feel for the pain of other believers and grow insensitive of the plight they are in, are actually the ones who have weak faith. We as Muslims need to feel for the pain and suffering of other people in general and Muslims in particular in order to keep our faith strong, else the indifference or stoic nature of a Muslim is nothing but a sign of weak faith.
In short, if there can be a general rule for weighing whether a person has weak or strong faith, it can be the inclination that a person has towards good and the abhorrence he or she feels towards everything that is bad and evil.
To Whom Belongs Sovereignty? Al-Qahhar
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| To Whom Belongs Sovereignty? Al-Qahhar Posted: 22 Dec 2014 05:00 AM PST Names of Allah Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII | Part XXIX | Part XXX |Part XXXI | Part XXXII | Part XXXIII | Part XXXIV | Part XXXV | Part XXXVI | Part XXXVII | Part XXXVIII  Photo: Joel Tonyan In this journey through Allah’s Names, we have learned about both His attributes of Beauty and of Majesty. The intention is to inspire fear, hope and, ultimately, love. If we misunderstand Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), we may not see the wisdom behind the things that happen in the world or in our personal lives. We might not understand how Allah (swt) fits into our life. We may also find it difficult to love Him, because how can you love someone – deeply love someone – you do not know? Thus it is hoped that these Names have increased our knowledge of our Creator, and have made apparent how Allah (swt) is with us in every moment. Today’s Name should inspire in us 'khashya' and 'hayba'. These words are sometimes both translated as 'fear', thus removing the important distinctions between the two words. In the 'Sweetness of Prayer' series, we explained the difference between the different types of fear: 'Khawf' is to flee from the thing that you fear, and requires no knowledge of that which is feared. You can be afraid, or have 'khawf', of the dark. 'Khashya', on the other hand, is fear with knowledge. The more a servant has knowledge of his Lord, the more 'khawf' turns to 'khashya'. As Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an: "Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge" (35:28). 'Hayba' is fear associated with respect, awe and glorification. You could, for example, fear fire. But the reason for your fear is that the fire may harm you, so fire earns no 'hayba'; you do not glorify it. However, you could have a certain 'hayba' of your father; you could be afraid to do something wrong in front of him, but that fear is out of respect. Al-Qahhar: The Dominator Allah’s Name al-Qahhar comes from the Arabic root qaf-haa-ra (ق-ه-ر). It means 'to dominate over' or 'to subdue from above'. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an in Surat al-An`aam; "And He is the subjugator (al-qaahiru) over His servants. And He is the Wise (al-Hakeem), the Acquainted [with all] (al-Khabeer). (6:18) Someone with this attribute might be considered a tyrant, which is why Allah (swt) tells us that this attribute is possessed by the One who is also the Most Wise and the One who is Best Acquainted with everything. This reference is also for the benefit of those who doubt this attribute, and might ask "why has Allah not overpowered the tyrants of today, of whom there are many?” Allah (swt) is reminding us that there is ultimate wisdom in whom He chooses to subdue at any point in time. This is where our understanding of the holistic nature of Allah’s Names should come in: we spoke before about how Allah (swt) is Forbearing and Patient, and He gives people – even tyrants – the opportunity to turn back. Thus we see in the Qur'an that Allah sends Moses and Aaron `alayhimaa as-salaam (may Allah’s peace be upon them both) to Pharaoh – and calling Pharaoh 'oppressive' would be an understatement! – telling them initially to speak to him gently. Pharaoh rejects them. Moses then shows him proof of his prophethood. Pharaoh rejects him again, insisting on enslaving the Children of Israel. Finally, Allah (swt) overpowers him by drowning him, using someone from the very people that Pharaoh was oppressing, who grew up in his own house. Such is the way of al-Qahhar, who manifests His power by subduing tyrants through the objects of their tyranny. This is why Imam al-Ghazali describes al-Qahhar in this way: "The Dominator is the one who breaks the back of the powerful among His enemies… Indeed there is no existing thing that is not subject to the domination of His power, and powerlessness in His grasp. That is all." Our role is to strive against this oppression, knowing that ultimately this is what we will be asked about, and everything is subjected to the Will of Allah (swt). Indeed, so many tyrannical powers eventually come crashing down, bowing to the will of al-Qahhar. Unfortunately, we may not attribute it to Him, but as Allah (swt) tells us: "The Day they come forth nothing concerning them will be concealed from Allah. To whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? To Allah, the One, the Prevailing (al-Qahhar)." (40:16) On that Day, all will be apparent. All those who oppressed, in both seemingly small and big ways, will be before Allah, al-Qahhar. Then, there will be no ambiguity. 1 – Balance fear and hope Today’s Name might cause us to be afraid. This is not a subject we like to talk to about, because it is so much more reassuring to focus on those attributes that enable us to relax. But remembering that Allah (swt) has attributes of Majesty should instill in us the 'khashya' and 'hayba' described earlier. Moreover, Allah's Names are to be looked at holistically. He is al-Qahhar and He is also al-Lateef (the subtle, the most kind). 2 – Dominate your lower desires 3 – Use that fear to stop at least one sin To know that Allah is al-Qahhar is to burn the desire for sin in the heart. Because Allah (swt) is the Dominator, we should fear that perhaps al-Qahhar, al-Mumeet (the Life-Taker) might take our soul as we are committing the sin. This should alert us that despite it seeming as though we are being allowed to oppress our souls, we may still face the fate mentioned in this verse: "So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair." (Qur'an, 6:44) These people used the gifts of Allah (swt) in the opposite manner to that for which they were intended, and then they were seized. In another chapter, Allah (swt) describes to us the people of the garden, who took an oath that they would reap all of their fruits and leave nothing for the poor. Allah (swt) caused their garden to be completely burned to the ground, but the owners of that garden understood the lesson. They willed something, but Allah (swt) overpowered their will, and so they turned back to Him. Hence, this fear should not paralyze us from doing good, but it should paralyze us from doing bad. We should try to choose at least one thing – like backbiting or lying – and do our best to use this Name to help us stop it. 4 – Do not oppress others The surest way to earn the wrath of al-Qahhar is to oppress others. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an: "So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him] (fa laa taqhar)" (93:9). The word 'taqhar' comes from the same root of the name al-Qahhar. We should understand that oppression is not simply for unjust leaders or cruel human traffickers. We may also be oppressing others in more subtle ways, and thus we should be diligent to avoid this.     |
How Muslim Theologians Saved Islamic Science
SuhaibWebb.com | How Muslim Theologians Saved Islamic Science | |
| How Muslim Theologians Saved Islamic Science Posted: 18 Dec 2014 05:00 AM PST  Photo: Alby Headrick By Macksood A. Aftab The conflict between science and religion has posed a serious threat to religious authority in the contemporary era. Many advocates of scientism have used the tremendous success of science in modern times to question the usefulness of religion as a means of seeking the truth. For example, Stephen Hawking recently stated in a Huffington Post article, "Before we understood science, it was natural to believe that God created the universe, but now science offers a more convincing explanation." More recently the harsh critique of religion based upon various forms of scientism by writers such as Richard Dawkins have escalated the conflict. Their view assumes that both religion and science have the same purpose, namely of explaining the existence of the universe. Furthermore, the scientific method is considered a more reliable way to achieve this goal. This is primarily so because science deals with physical processes, which can be quantified and measured, whereas religion often resorts to metaphysical references, which cannot be "proven." Professor Naquib Al-Attas, the celebrated Malaysian Muslim philosopher, summarizes the essential problem. He writes, "A gist of their [those who espouse science as the source for truth] basic assumptions is that science is the sole authentic knowledge; that this [scientific] knowledge pertains only to phenomena." Excluded from science is anything that does not have a "physical" existence, anything that cannot be empirically studied. Therefore, implicit in a worldview that holds science as the highest authority of knowledge is a denial of God. As the Nobel laureate Werner Arber, president of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, writes, "The natural sciences are in a steady search for truth, and so is theology." This naturally creates two apparently competing methodologies of seeking and determining the truth, which inevitably leads to conflict between theology and science. Although the Catholic Church did generally support science, when the conclusions of scientists came in conflict with church dogma, problems arose. This can be seen in the experiences of Copernicus, Galileo, and Darwin. Islamic history, however, took a different course. Despite the existence of a sustained robust scientific enterprise in the Islamic world, an overt conflict between science and religion did not arise. Professor Walbridge of Indiana University points out that "the Islamic world produced no martyrs for science like Bruno and Galileo." One of the achievements of Islamic civilization was the creation of a worldview in which both theology and science could be accepted in a comprehensive rational framework. The Islamic tradition of scholastic theology is known as kalam. The two primary schools of kalam are the Ash`ari and its close cousin the Maturidi schools. Both are based upon a rational understanding of God and the Universe, which also seek to rigorously preserve salient features of the Islamic concept of God. This tradition, along with its larger place in the Islamic worldview, can best be understood through the works of one of its main proponents Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali (d. 1111 CE). Richard Frank, a scholar of Islamic theology, describes Ghazali as, "The most important Sunni theologian at a crucial turning point in the history of orthodox Muslim theology." During his time Islam was emerging from a period of intellectual schism. Ghazali contributed to the development of a consensus on this issue, which was to largely become the dominant Sunni doctrine. Thus the Ghazali scholar and translator Walter Skellie writes, "With him [Ghazali] the religious philosophy and experience of Islam reaches its zenith." Demonstrative Proof (Burhan) The triumph of Ghazali's epistemology lies in its successful reconciliation of reason with revelation. One key element of this was the allowance of figurative interpretations of scripture, particularly when it relates to assertions that may conflict with what is known via reason. Ghazali sets the bar very high for a scientific proof to over-ride scripture, something he calls burhan. Burhan is demonstrative knowledge or definitive logical proof. According to Ghazali, it held an even higher epistemic status than even scholastic theology (kalam). Professor Al-Akiti of Oxford writes, "For al-Ghazali, burhan [definitive logical proof], and not kalam, is what he considered to be scientific knowledge, the 'gold-standard' in the art of reasoning – a judgment expounded in his Mi'yar al-'Ilm." The late professor Marmura, a Ghazali scholar, summarizes Ghazali's attitude towards definitive logical proof as follows: "A science whose conclusions are not demonstrably true and which are in conflict with the literal assertions of scripture must be rejected. On the other hand, if what is demonstrably true contradicts the literal sense of scriptural language, then the latter must be interpreted metaphorically." Having firmly grounded his worldview in rationality, Ghazali proceeds to point out that physical science does not meet the standards of definitive logical proof unless God is added to the equation. This is because science is based upon a flawed assumption, namely that of natural causation. Causation, Ghazali argues, can only guaranteed if God is there to secure it. And importantly, according to Ghazali, God is there to secure it. Belief in God then becomes a prerequisite to the successful pursuit of science. Causation, God & Science Ghazali was able to reconcile the most important principle of science (namely causation) with Islamic theological doctrines (as articulated by the dominant Ash`ari school). Ash`ari theology developed in response to certain heterodox formulations of Islamic doctrine (such as those adopted by the Mutazalites and the Philosophers) which had the effect of diminishing key Divine attributes. Some of these formulations share a belief in necessary causation with modern secular scientists. Therefore Ghazali’s critique of their view is particularly instructive in tackling similar issues in the contemporary era. Some of the main articles of faith in Ash`ari theology are that God is all powerful, He is all knowing and all events occur due to His express will. The Ash`aris therefore believed that all events are directly caused only by God, and not by anything else. God is not merely the first cause but also the immediate cause of every subsequent minor and major event that occurs in the universe. This appears to run contrary to our contemporary understanding of secular science, which rests on the principle of natural causation. Namely, that things (or events) cause other things (or events). For example, we think fire causes cotton to burn when they are brought near each other. Ghazali questions the principle of necessary causation adopted by certain philosophers. According to Ghazali, this relationship between cause and effect is not necessary. To use his terminology, there is no definitive logical proof (burhan) that it is the cause that is responsible for the effect. He argues that all we observe is a quick succession of events, cotton being brought close to fire and the cotton burning. But a relationship based simply on proximity in time or space does not imply necessary causation. Ghazali famously states, "The connection between what is habitually believed to be a cause and what is habitually believed to be an effect is not necessary." David Hume in the Western tradition made a similar argument against causation. He asked, "Where is the causal glue" holding together the cause and the effect? Unlike Hume who was led to skepticism, however, Ghazali has an answer to this conundrum. For Ghazali, the causal glue is God. It is God who ensures that the relationship between cause and effect always holds. In doing so, Ghazali has made room for orthodox Islamic theology in which God is the direct cause of everything. On its surface this line of thinking can be misunderstood to in fact undermine science, as several historians and scientists have thought. For example, the historian Tamim Ansary writes, "Take it however you will, the argument against causality undermines the whole scientific enterprise. If nothing actually causes anything else, why bother to observe the natural world in search of meaningful patterns?" Pervez Hoodbhoy, a preeminent Pakistani scientist, expresses a similar concern with the Ash`ari position, stating that in such a world, "even a speeding arrow might not reach its destination." In other words, if the cause and effect relationship is not necessary then there would be no sure way to rely on our observations, predict natural phenomena or to do scientific experiments. Conflict Averted, Science Flourished This criticism, however, implies a dogmatic belief in science which sidesteps the very real problem of causation. Ghazali does not need to (nor does he) deny causation. He is merely denying necessary causation—namely, that there is no conclusive proof that things can influence other things by themselves. For Ghazali, God is required to ensure that the relationship between cause and effect always hold true. As Frank Griffel, a Ghazali scholar at Yale, writes: "Trust in God (tawakkul) is a major condition for investigating the natural sciences. Such trust requires the certainty to know that God will not change books into horses or disconnect our knowledge from reality. Given that God habitually creates our knowledge to accord with reality, we can rely on our sense and our judgment and confidently pursue the natural sciences." According to this view God could suspend the laws of causation, but He never does and never will. So fire will always burn cotton but this is only true because in every instance of its occurrence God ensures that it is so. In effect, Ghazali has created a framework in which science can operate and the principles of Islamic theology (Divine power, knowledge and will) are also preserved. Furthermore, Ghazali even located miracles – which he calls strange and wondrous phenomena – within the empirical world. Even miracles were then not Divine acts of suspension of the normal workings of the universe; rather they were unusual phenomena of nature due to causes not immediately clear to us at the moment. The possibility of additional causal chains other than those currently physically observed encouraged further exploration of the natural world. Ahmad Dallal, a historian of Islamic science at Georgetown University writes, "The aspect that had the most influence on the development of science was the concept of multiple possibilities (tajwiz), the notion that specific natural philosophical explanations (or planetary models) are possible but not certain, and that there may exist alternative explanations for the natural phenomena… this idea was grounded in an epistemological criticism of Aristotelian metaphysics." After Ghazali, science in the Muslim world experienced a prolonged renaissance as documented by Yale historian George Saliba. His understanding had the effect of legitimizing science. Science was a discipline ensured by God. It also had the effect of effectively separating theology from physical science. Divine attributes are known through revelation, and science plays no significant role in informing us about these metaphysical matters. On the other hand revelation does not interfere with the workings of science; it is left as an independent discipline within the larger Islamic framework. Dallal explains, "After Al-Ghazali, the need to invoke religion to vindicate science considerably decreased, not because science was not accepted but because it did not need vindication. Excluding final-cause explorations from science did not compromise the providence of God, which was simply assumed without questioning (bila kayf)." This worldview rests on the premise that God exists and sustains the Universe. God is not the end goal of science, but rather the starting point. This created an organic and interdependent relationship between science and religion, which essentially eliminated the potential of conflict between the two disciplines. In fact, as professor Muzaffar Iqbal, a philosopher of Islamic science, writes: "No one thought of them [science and religion] as two independent entities which needed to be related via an external mechanism… This relationship emerged naturally and because the scientific tradition was thoroughly rooted in the worldview created by Islam." This worldview was rational. It recognized the primacy of reason and in fact accorded burhan the highest epistemic status. Within this framework secular science is critiqued based upon logical fallacies assumed by its proponents. Science is then presented not as a competing force with religion, but rather as a viable enterprise, as part of a comprehensive worldview that encompasses God. In fact, it is grounded in the assumption of God. This delicate balance, which secured both science and theology, is one of the greatest achievements of medieval Muslim theologians. — Dr. Macksood Aftab is a neuroradiologist, and clinical assistant professor at both Michigan State University and Central Michigan University. He holds a Master degree in History of Science, and is an editor for the Journal of Islamic Philosophy. The author can be reached at: mackaftab@post.harvard.edu.   |
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A Victim of Speech
SuhaibWebb.com | A Victim of Speech | |
| Posted: 17 Dec 2014 05:00 AM PST Part I | Part II
Sometimes in the name of “enjoining good and forbidding evil” we forget the sanctity of our fellow human beings and especially fellow believers. We spread things that are unsubstantiated in a bid to 'warn others' about possible deviancy. We are harsh in our words. We assume the worst. We forget that one of the best traits a Muslim can have is “thinking well of the servant of Allah” and for other Muslims to be “safe from his hands and tongue.” We forget that the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) passed by a grave and he warned that the person was suffering in his grave because he would spread gossip. We forget that that person we are talking about may have our good deeds transferred to him simply because he is a victim of our speech. Scary stuff? It is. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The majority of man's sins emanate from his tongue." (Tabarani) To go back to the examples in our previous article, it was clear that those with power—the minister and the minister’s wife—knew the truth with regards to what was said about the Prophet Joseph (as). But they allowed the rumor to persist and put Prophet Joseph in prison. With Aisha (ra), we have even more details. The people who discussed the rumor were good Muslims. They discussed the scandalous nature of what was said, and in doing so, spread it far and wide. Shaytan created doubt: “Could it actually be true?” Allah admonished the Muslims when He informs us in the Qur’an about what happened: “Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of one another and say, ‘This is an obvious falsehood?’" (Qur’an, 24:12) Now some people might think this example is extreme. We would never spread such a rumor. But rumors and slander and gossip come in all shapes and forms. So if you hear something about someone that is unsubstantiated, do not fuel the fire. We are just as bad as those news networks we criticize, who pick up a story, and whether true or not, run with it. This is not intended to shut down constructive criticism of public figures. There are ways of bringing people to account. There are ways of disagreeing and critiquing ideas and views, which are beyond the scope of this article. But in the age of the internet, anyone can write a piece and within an hour it is shared and read by many. And it would do us good to reflect on what our role is in this. We must remember that we will be held to account. So let us not put ourselves in a position to be asked about why we were careless in our research, harsh in words, and negative in our basic assumptions about others. And remember that the Prophet ﷺ taught: “A person’s eman (faith) is not upright until his heart is upright, and his heart is not upright until his tongue is upright.” (Ahmad)   |
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Should I Celebrate Christmas with my Non-Muslim Family Members?
Question:
Photo: Ania Mendrek
Answer: You are having a difficult time reconciling the importance of Christmas for your parents while desiring to raise your daughter adhering to Islamic traditions. It sounds like your husband does not understand the tension you are feeling when disappointing your parents year after year. You and your husband may not have discussed in detail how you would celebrate holidays given that your parents come from a different tradition, before getting married. Since your experience is completely foreign to your husband, he may not understand the significance of the holiday for your parents and the traditions they created with you as a child. It can be very difficult for parents whose children convert to Islam to understand that "family traditions" will no longer be celebrated because of their child's new beliefs. You and your husband will need to discuss how you wish to approach holidays with your parents and share this information together with your parents. Every family chooses to manage the holidays differently and these opinions may change as their children grow older. Depending on what you are comfortable with, you may choose to distance yourself from your family all together during the holidays or you may choose to join your parents in their tradition. You and your husband will have to decide together what is the best approach for your family. If you have shared with your parents that you do not celebrate Christmas and they insist on giving you and your children gifts, then you and your husband need to reconcile the idea of accepting gifts from family. Is it a challenge to your faith or an expression of love and generosity from your parents? Emulate the love you have for your parents by understanding where they are coming from and communicating with them your thoughts and views. As your children grow and new traditions develop, your parents may learn to adapt their traditions to what is more comfortable to you and your husband and even join you in your religious traditions as well. WebbCounselors is a collaborative advice column produced by two WebbAuthors, Amal Killawi, a Clinical Social Worker with a specialization in mental health and marriage education, and Munira Lekovic Ezzeldine, a Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in premarital counseling. Please note that our counselors are not religious scholars and will not issue religious rulings. To read our full disclaimer, please visit our disclaimer page. To submit questions to the WebbCounselors, please email webbcounselors@suhaibwebb.com.   |
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All You Who Are Dreamers
By Anthony Hardy
Photo: Bethan
This question had never been posed to me in all my years of being Muslim. I had given it ample thought. I hadn't, however, formulated a cogent, verbal response for it in the event someone asked me. "I mean," he continued, "if one of the reasons you converted was because of the race thing, you didn't get very far. Seems like you may have regressed a bit actually. Just seems like you going through a lot of trouble for this Islam stuff." I conceded his point. While some phenomenal Muslims, Black and non-Black, had crossed my path along my trek in this great faith, I can say with unwavering certainty the vast majority of my time as a Muslim has been filled with hardship, isolation, and loneliness. Some converts break and fold under the immense pressure to which they are subjected at the hands of the community and their families. Some apostate as a result. I can't say I blame them. I wasn't broken – alhamduliLah (praise be to God) – but I was scarred and bent: the human heart is a fickle and fragile morsel of flesh. There really was nothing on the outside anchoring me to Islam: with the exception of my younger brother, himself a convert, I didn't have any Muslim relatives; my culture wasn't enmeshed in Islam; though I have a strong affinity for the Black Muslim community, I didn't belong to any community in particular; and because of my experiences and the experiences of loved ones, I didn't even want to belong. I responded to my friend's inquiry, "True, in terms of race, I probably did backtrack a bit. Still, there are some existential considerations for which Islam provides sufficient explanations that no other system of thought I've come across has the potential to answer. For that reason, I stick around." Islam mandates upon those who embrace its inspiration to submit their ego as best as they can manage to a set of transcendent principles and confers nobility upon those individuals who make earnest attempts to uphold those dignifying principles. Unlike in our society, where one's worth is determined by wealth, lineage, extent of education, occupation, gender, sexual orientation, physical beauty, physical handicap and – yes – even skin color and hair texture, the notion of submission and adherence to a set of divine principles as the ultimate measure of one's value is largely independent of the circumstances surrounding one's genesis into the world or current station in the world and thus lends itself to a humble agnosticism concerning the ultimate worth of others: under such an empowering paradigm, even the jettisoned pauper, pygmy, or orphan has the potential to be a prince or princess in the eyes of God by virtue of character, actions, and outlook. Each soul is granted a story of its own from its Lord related to where and when He chose to author it. The purpose of those different stories is so that we might all learn and grow from them all and hence from one another. We are meant to be mirrors unto one another. I remain Muslim, among other reasons, because Islam dictates by virtue of tauhīd (oneness of God) that my story and the stories and experiences of my people have intrinsic value for humanity at large, even if many in the world, including and especially Muslims, fail to recognize that value for our skin color, class, culture, or whatever. We are lessons to be heeded and learned. As it stands, large segments of Muslims in America deign to perceive themselves as superior to us because of what Allāh, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), has bestowed upon them out of His Mercy and do not wish to educate themselves with our stories or even has us in their company or communities or families, quite possibly out of the very essence of kufr (disbelief of God) itself, for it was Allāh (swt) Himself who created us as we are. "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." — Qur’ān, (49:13) Unfortunately, Muslims have done themselves, their families, their children, their communities, and their religion a grave disservice in their folly. Until Muslims begin to realize the source of their honor is with God alone, until Muslims resume their slave status before God and not to the inventions of men, physical or otherwise, my mother will continue to be correct and Black Muslims or other communities who have contributed or have the potential to contribute so much to Islam in America and throughout the world will only always be just "niggers" or "thugs" or "gangsters" or "scary" or "dime a dozen" or "too dark" or 'abd or zenci or whatever other derogatory term cultures may design. We must muster the courage to strive against the false gods and false regimes of validation that have taken residence in our hearts and minds for the integrity of the community, for our collective existence in this country, and for the integrity and purity of our eternal souls before our Lord. I pray for a better way forward. I can't do it without you. To sit and dream, to sit and read, To sit and learn about the world Outside our world of here and now – our problem world – To dream of vast horizons of the soul Through dreams made whole, Unfettered free – help me! All you who are dreamers, too, Help me make our world anew. I reach out my hands to you. – Langston Hughes, "To You" |
The Vikings and Serkland: A Lesson in the Merits of Presentability
Posted: 15 Dec 2014 05:00 AM PST
 The Vikings referred to the Abbasid Empire as Serkland. There are a few theories regarding the origin of this name, but it likely originated from the Norse term serkr, which meant tunic or gown. The term was mentioned in the Ingvar Runestones, specifically in the Gripsholm Runestone (Sö 179). They were raised to commemorate those Vikings who died fighting the Muslims on the Caspian Sea under Yngvarr víðförli, whose Norse name and title meant "Ingvar the Far-traveled".1 Interestingly related to the word serkr, the English word “berserk”—meaning to go crazy—comes from the Norse word berserkr which was a term for Viking warriors who fought in a trance-like rage. They were given this name because they wore the coats of bears, called ber in Old Norse. Thus, berserkr means “bear coat”.2 So the Vikings, or Rūs, as they were called by the Muslims (from which came the later ethnonym "Russian"), saw the Abbasids wearing their long tunics, cloaks, capes and coats and referred to their realm as "Serkland", the land of the "Serkir", those who wear long coats. The dignified appearances of the early Muslims left quite an impression.The Muslims were known for always dressing impeccably regardless of what social class they came from. There was a dignity and respect in the way they presented themselves, and this was markedly observed by even their adversaries. In the famous French prose "The Song of Roland", which lauds the heroic deeds of the "Holy Barbarian" King Charlemagne in his battles against the Muslims, the leader of the Muslims is described as strikingly handsome and a noble equal to Charlemagne. The song praises him thus: "An Emir of Balaguet came in place, Proud of body, and fair of face; Since first he sprang on steed to ride, To wear his harness was all his pride; For feats of prowess great laud he won; Were he Christian, nobler baron none!"3 In the end, the only way Charlemagne is said to defeat him is with the help of the Archangel Gabriel. God says in the Qur'an: يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ Do we care for our appearance, cleanliness and attire when visiting the mosque? Even if not daily, do we at least in our Friday prayers? Sometimes we do. I often see Africans in their brightly colored gowns and hats, the Indonesians and Malays in their perfectly pressed shirts, gilded hats and sarongs, the African-Americans in their best suits, ties and/or bowties. But what I also see alarmingly too often are sweat-pants, t-shirts, tunics which you know alternate as sleepwear, long faces and disheveled hair. Sadly, I fear that may be the majority in too many mosques. There is a Prophetic saying: إِذا أَتَاك الله مَالا فَلْيُرَ أثَرُ نِعْمَةِ الله عَلَيْكَ وكَرَامَتِهِ So, there is an element of gratitude and acknowledgement of God's blessings when you take care of your appearance and utilize what He has blessed you with to look your very best. Yet, the Ottoman era scholar al-Munāwī is also careful to qualify this saying: "'And His generosity' – that which He has bestowed upon you. For in attire is an indication of one's overall condition, self-worth, self-respect, and hygiene. And it is so those in need will know to go to him, but he must be careful with his intentions and avoid all forms of excess."6 With this, he also relates an interesting story therein about the famous scholar and successor to the Prophet (ﷺ)’s Companions, al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, wearing a shirt costing 400 dirhams. One time he met Farqad al-Sinjī, a known Sufi of the time, which sparked a telling dialog. In the early days of Islam, the Sufis wore coarse wool garments and, for this, some have speculated that the word “Sufi” may originate from the Arabic word for wool, Ṣūf. Farqad said reproachfully to al-Hasan, “O Abū Sa`īd, how soft is your clothing!” To this, al-Ḥasan replied using a lexical diminution7 of Farqad's name, “O Furayqid! The softness of my clothes does not distance me from God, nor does the coarseness of your clothing make you closer to Him.” Al-Ḥasan then went on to quote the saying of the Prophet ﷺ, "God is beautiful and He loves beauty." In another narration al-Ḥasan rebuked Farqad's spiritual arrogance with: "They have piety in their clothing, but they have arrogance in their hearts."8 Whether relevant or not, Farqad al- Sinjī later became considered a severely defective narrator. So while we may feel that our theology is sound and we are the people of the true faith, there is something seriously wrong when Christians are in their finest clothes when visiting church on Sunday but we look like we're running errands when we go for Friday prayers. It reflects our overall attitude, which comes across as clear as day in how we present ourselves and how we allow ourselves to be perceived by those around us. As al-Ḥasan al-Baṣri said, there are those who may dress simply but their hearts are full of conceit. Don't be content thinking you're the people of Truth if you don't even look the part. A Cornell University psychologist who chaired the conference When to Judge a Book by Its Cover: Timing, Context, and Individual Differences in First Impressions stated, "Despite the well-known idiom to ‘not judge a book by its cover,’ the present research shows that such judgments about the cover are good proxies for judgments about the book — even after reading it." This research is particularly focused on impressions that are made within mere seconds of seeing someone and the results are that any negative impression garnered within the first few seconds can outlast any and all efforts to dispel them later through explanation or amiable conduct. So we can exhaust every effort in trying to convince our non-Muslim neighbors that we're good people, but if we don't look it, they won't believe it. Fair or not, that is plain science. Would you find it easier to change human psychology or simply pay more attention to how you present yourself? So, while the Vikings raided our coasts along the Caspian Sea and Charlemagne drove us out of Western France and invaded Muslim Spain, they were so impressed by us that they actually wrote poetry about us. We need to ask ourselves a very serious question: enemies aside, do we even leave that kind of impression upon our non-Muslim friends? Let us answer that honestly in the quiet of our conscience and, if necessary, make changes in our lives accordingly.
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