3.06.2007

Can we "All Just Get Along"?

I'm expecting to have a bit more free time in the very near future.....planning a change of lifestyle actually. Inshallah it will come to fruition and then I will be able to begin the studies I have longed to start; Arabic and Islamic history and more.

One of the things that I have been curious to know more about is how the people of Madina lived together. I want to know this so that I can think of it as a model. I relate it to how we Muslims should live with non-Muslims today.

I came across an interesting point of view on this subject that I would like to share...

The article is entitled "The Trouble with Rage" and it was written by Imam Suhaib Webb


here is an excerpt:

"I felt compelled to help explain the relationship and rights that our fellow non-Muslim brothers and sisters share with us. It is my hope that the Muslim communities in the West will mature and move towards a more inclusive role with their fellow countrymen. And that our non-Muslim brothers and sisters will learn to distinguish between orthodoxy, which possesses a great history of compassion and mercy, and the actions of those, who out of religious zeal, have rocketed past the tradition, values and moral teachings of Islam.

...The Prophetic model of relations is a blessing we can ill afford to dismiss. At a time when the voice of Islam is drowned out by flaring unorthodoxy, it is my hope that Western Muslim communities and their fellow non-Muslim counterparts will take the time to get to know each other, build long-lasting relationships and synthesize the positive aspects of each other’s religious and cultural heritage."

If my essence is from dust, then dust (wherever it is)
is my homeland

And every creature upon the heavens and the earth
represents a close relative.

— AN ARAB POEM



This is a bit hard for me to swallow, but I don't disagree with this totally. I'm not living in the "the west" now, but I am currently living in a multi-cultural and multi-religious setting. I see a great need to respect the lives of non Mulims, but not at the expense of our deen. I would hope that by living amongst the Muslims (those that practice Islam in its purest and most traditional sense) non-Muslims might see the light of Islam and answer it's call independently and more importantly, with conviction.

What do you think?...

(Click here to see the full article by Imam Webb)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

How funny, I'm a DJ just surfing the net for a club classic entitled, Searching To Find The One, and I come across this "Islamic"-influenced blog. Wow, shouldn't your blog title mirror your so-called beliefs as a Muslim ("those that practice Islam in its purest and most traditional sense" - as you would put it - by the way, you seem kinda self-righetous anyway...)

But glad to see the "Muslims" also enjoyed the disco flava of the 80s...

ummahzy said...

LOL!
what is funny is that I thought my blog would have to be around a lot longer before someone would pick up on the connection beween the blog's title and the song. I'm a reformed "club kid" and that song was ringing in my ear around the time I started the blog.

you wrote:
"shouldn't your blog title mirror your so-called beliefs as a Muslim"

That is the very reason i chose the name. It does mirror my beliefs as a Muslim"

For me, "the one" is Allah, the one and only omnipotent god that I believe in.

I consider my life to be a never ending journey in search of him.

Assuming you are not a Muslim, you probably think that I am not sure what religion i should adhere to (if i say I am searching for God). However, I feel that my life should be a constant journey to find Allah in everything.



you also said:
"you seem kinda self-righetous"

self-righteous? Me? wow...

I take offense to that, and am very curious to know what I have written here that suggests that.


self-righteous...
Confident of one's own righteousness, esp. when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others.

Piously sure of one's own righteousness; moralistic.

Excessively or hypocritically pious

Exhibiting pious self-assurance

Holier-than-thou



I don't really think either of those fit me, but you seem to think so and I think that you may have misinterpreted something I've said. If not, you may have assumed some things about me.

This blog is young and I haven't quite found the voice I would like to use to express myself here, but if I have offended anyone it was not my intention.

This blog is writtten to my brothers and sisters in Islam. I have not written it for non-Muslims. Neither the content nor the tone is written in a way that I would write to non-Muslims.

As for those who practice Islam differently from me, well...as long as they call the qur'an and sunnah their way of life i think we have to much in common to squabble over petty differences.

As for those who want to change Islam, why don't they just make up a new religion. If a Muslim is someone who submits to Allah, how dare he insult him by saying that Islam has imperfections?

I don't want to change Islam. I want to work to live by it.

Is that self-righteous?

"Anonymous", I hope you find what you are searching for :-) (or should I say "...keep on searchin")

ummahzy said...

Dear Anonymous (and anyone else that finds me "self-righteous")

please note this excerpt from an earlier post:

"Just as there is no compulsion in Islam, I don't feel that anyone should stop shaking hands with members of the opposite sex unless they truly feel that it is wrong. So, I won't preach about it. I won't quote any qur'anic ayat or hadith. I will simply invite comments and hope that in the course of dialogue each will come closer to Allah's will."

I.E. BY EXCHANGING THOUGHTS RESPECTFULLY, MAY WE ALL COME CLOSER TO WHAT GOD WANTS FOR US

Does that sound like the ramblings of someone who is intolerant of the opinions of others?

Does that sound like something that would spout from the mouth of someone who thinks themself holier than thou?

I hope not.

I pray that Allah remove any trace of self-righteousness from me and replace it with tolerance and patience.

As the beginning of my post said:

"One of the things that I have been curious to know more about is how the people of Madina lived together. I want to know this so that I can think of it as a model. I relate it to how we Muslims should live with non-Muslims today."

These are the words of someone who believes that as a Muslim, she should follow the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu aleihi wa sallam) in her treatment of others, be they young or old, Muslim or non-Muslim.

I believe that further study of the Qur'an and Sunnah (prophetic tradition) will confirm my belief that he was a man of peace and justice.

In my studies, inshallah, I will seek to find ways to be a model to Muslims and non-Muslims. In my studies I will not attempt to separate myself from other humans. Instead I seek to be a friend and asset to mankind.

ok
nuff said

Peace

Steven Krauss (@ Abd. Lateef) said...

Thank you Suhaib Webb and thank you Terri for your follow-ups. I agree with everything said by Mr. Suhaib. Muslims have allowed themselves to fall into the trap (i.e. of the nafs) of seeing the world in the duality of 'us vs. them,' when ultimately our goal is - as Terri you yourself say - to see Allah's Oneness and Unity in everything. 'Everything' includes everything, even the worst of human beings ("Allah is the Creator of everything"). The only difference between the 'believer' and the 'non-believer,' as is often referred to, is different levels of realization of True Reality; which, of course, is also from Allah! So what else to do other than put our faces to the ground and accept that Allah is in complete control of His Creation at all times, be grateful for what we have been given and strive for realization, knowing that Allah is the goal as well as the source of all that exists. If we are sincere, inviting and trusting of Him and His Wisdom, people will come along for the ride naturally. If not, they will notice and respond accordingly.

Anonymous said...

If we as Muslims spent more time being examples of the beauty of our Deen, we wouldn't even notice the non-Muslims around us. In fact they would flock to us in droves. I say as my wife says "Let go of the one who cares!" Allah (swt) Alone is the Judge, live our lives in submission and leave the rest to Him.

As always I love your blog. :)

As Salaam Alaikum

Baraka said...

Salaam 'alaykum & thank you for posting Imam Webb's excellent insights.

Warmly,
Baraka