الجمعة، 3 فبراير 2012

Islamic Reform in the Domain of Worship - II

Islamic Reform in the Domain of Worship - II

Worship must be free from the authority of priests

A. The previous manifestations of the divine religion were corrupted when their priests concocted many rituals and rites that were never part of Allah’s Law. These rituals enabled them to take control of the devout and affect their minds so that they were never satisfied with their own devotions. This made them dependent on the clergy in performing their prayers. They were made to believe that they needed these rituals and rites that were under the control of the priests. Islam came with everything needed to reform this situation and prevent it from reoccurring. One way it did this was to free the heart of attachment to any authority besides the authority of Allah. Every believer has a direct relationship with Allah and has no need for intermediaries.

Furthermore, taking intermediaries is considered a form of polytheism, even if these intermediaries are the noble Messengers themselves. Allah has opened the door of prayer and supplication to everyone and has ordered the believers to call on Him directly. Allah says:

“Your Lord said: Beseech Me, I will answer you. Verily those who are too proud to worship me will enter Hell.”

Allah addresses His Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying:

“And when My worshippers ask you about me, I am nearby. I answer the supplications of those who ask when they ask of me. So they should answer Me and believe in Me, perhaps they will be rightly guided.”

The scholars’ role in Islam is merely to explain the laws of Islam. Allah says:

“Ask those who know – if you do not know – the clear signs and ******ures.”

B. Islam also frees worship from the constraints of time and place. It has made all places suitable for worship in the same way that it has opened up the way for the worshipper to call on his or her Lord directly. Allah says:

“To Allah belongs the East and the West, so wherever you turn, there is the countenance of your Lord.”

Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Earth has been made a mosque and a source of purification for me. Anyone of my followers who has to pray should pray wherever he may be.”

This is a general rule, having no exception other than the Hajj pilgrimage that is to be performed specifically at al-Masjid al-Harâm in Mecca to rekindle the memory of Ibrâhîm (Abraham), the father of the Prophets.

Islam prescribes specific times for certain acts of worship, like the five prescribed prayers. Allah says:

“Establish prayer at the forenoon until the nightfall, and recite the dawn prayer. Verily the recitation of the dawn prayer carries special testimony."

Allah says regarding the Hajj pilgrimage:

“The Hajj is in well-known months.”

Other acts of worship can be performed at any time.

3. Islamic worship maintains a balance between body and soul

One of the ways in which the religions before Islam became corrupted is with regard to the relationship between the body and the soul. Some groups went to excess in spirituality. Others were taken completely by materialism. Islam, on the other hand, avoided these extremes and returned worship to its original, true form that balances between the material and the spiritual. It established some very important principles in this regard, such as the following:

1. Islam recognizes the needs of both the body and the soul.

Allah’s Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Your Lord has rights over you, your body has rights over you, and your family has rights over you. So give everything its right.”


Allah says:

“Seek the Hereafter with what Allah gives you, but do not forget your share of this world.”

Islam provides sustenance for the soul through worship and obedience to Allah and allows sustenance for the body by making all good things lawful.

2. Islam considers the worldly life the place to cultivate the rewards of the Hereafter.

Islam makes the primary occupation of the human being on Earth the development of all good things by which a believer benefits himself and others. Islam recognizes no dichotomy between the sacred and the secular. No does it see a conflict between this world and the Hereafter. This world is a means of earning the next, therefore we find that Allah teaches His worshippers to beseech Him in the following manner:

“Our Lord, give us the good of this world and the good of the Hereafter and save us from the punishment of the Hellfire.”

4. Islamic worship is easy and free of excessive hardship

Islam came with its Law easy in every way. It eschews the excessive hardship that can be found in the religions of the past. Allah says this in clear terms:

“Whoever is compelled, neither desiring it nor returning to it (unlawful meat), then there is no sin upon him.”

There is a well-established principle in Islamic Law: Hardship is a reason for concessions. All of the concessions found in Islamic Law fall under this principle. For example, it is permissible for a traveler to shorten his prayers and to break his obligatory fast in the month of Ramadân. Allah says:

“Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship.”
 

Islamic Art


Islamic Art
by Elisabeth Siddiqui
An Introduction to Islamic Art
Art is the mirror of a culture and its world view. There is no case to which this statement more directly applies than to the art of the Islamic world. Not only does its art reflect its cultural values, but even more importantly, the way in which its adherents, the Muslims, view the spiritual realm, the universe, life, and the relationship of the parts to the whole.
For the Muslim, reality begins with and centers around God ("Allah" in Arabic), the One, the Unique, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the Loving, the Most Merciful. All existence is subject to His will and His laws. He is the center of conscious Muslims' worship and aspirations, the focus of their lives.
Since the command and authority are one, all things are bound together under God's Lordship as parts of an all-encompassing divine scheme, which includes all aspects of being and life -- whatever is both inside and outside of time and space, and embracing both the macrocosm in its most awesome manifestations and the microcosm in its most minute forms. God creates and sustains His creation how and as He wills, and all affairs return to Him for ultimate decision and judgment.
With such a belief system, the Muslim is convinced of the balance and harmony of all things in existence, even when there appear to be confusing contradictions and imbalances, regarding these as the reflection of man's limited understanding and knowledge. Nothing is looked upon as occurring randomly or by chance, for all is part of the Plan of the All-Wise, Most Merciful Planner. One of the vital beliefs of the Muslim is that the totality of things, all good and evil, proceed from the Lord of all being.
Because of the strict injunctions against such depictions of humans or animals which might result in idol-worship, Islamic art developed a unique character, utilizing a number of primary forms: geometric, arabesque, floral, and calligraphic, which are often interwoven. From early times, Muslim art has reflected this balanced, harmonious world-view.
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The Islamic View of the Cosmos
In the Islamic view, God is the Ultimate Reality. All things in the visible creation emanate from Him and are manifestations of His divine Names or Attributes (Sifat). He created the cosmos, both what is known to man and what is unknown, and He is the Sustainer of all things, with everything turning to Him and centered upon Him. This is evident in the very structure of atoms .
The early Muslim artists and artisans who derived the intricate systems of interconnected geometric forms which constitute the bases of Islamic geometric art of course had no idea of such realities. Nonetheless, the graphic manner in which they conceived God's supreme central place in the cosmos, and the connection of the parts of creation to Him and to the whole, reflects a very significant approximation of what can now be ********ed by science.
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The Tradition of Fine Craftsmanship
Throughout the history of Islam, its art has taken a great variety of forms in the different parts of the Muslim world, which stretches from North Africa to Southeast Asia, according to local customs and conditions, ranging from unsophisticated folk art to that of the most skilled artist or artisan. In the works of the latter, whether it be a master calligrapher, a renowned ceramists or potter, a skilled embroiderer or miniature-maker, the legacy of fine craftsmanship, involving the mastery of an art or craft along traditional lines complete with meticulous attention to fine detail, is characteristic.
These traditions persist today, and Islamic architecture and decorative arts are still very much alive and valued in many parts of the Muslim world. While Western-style art forms and machine work have to an extent eroded the traditional forms, nonetheless, handwork is respected and loved, an important aspect of the decoration of mosques and Muslim homes. In particular, decoration featuring Qur'anic calligraphy is an important aspect of Islamic art.
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The Ageless Legacy of Arabic Calligraphy
Arabic is the language of Islam. It is the language of its prophet, Muhammad; the language in which the Holy Qur'an, Islam's sacred ******ure, was revealed to him by God; the language of Muslims' worship; and the language which binds Muslims of all times and places together in a single cohesive brotherhood.
Because of Muslims' profound respect and love for the Qur'an, the art of calligraphy was developed among them from early times to a very high degree. Throughout the Muslim world, Qur'anic verses embellish mosques, palaces and homes, businesses, and, in some places, public areas. Often the calligraphy is done in conjunction with decorative motifs, lovingly embellishing what is most sacred and precious.
Due to its peculiar character, the Arabic ****** lends itself wonderfully to decorative use. Over the centuries, many different ******s have evolved in various regions of the Muslim world.
Arabic is read from right to left, with an alphabet of twenty-six letters, of which three are long vowels. Short vowels are indicated by small symbols above or under the letters themselves.
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"God is Beautiful and Loves Beauty"
-- so said the Prophet of Islam some 1400 years ago. He also said, "God likes that when you do anything, you do it excellently." Such prophetic sayings (hadiths) have provided the impetus for Muslims' embellishment and beautification of their places of worship, homes, and even of articles in common use in everyday life. The emphasis in Islamic art is on ornamentation rather than on art for art's sake; while the names of the producers of the finest works of Islamic art may not have survived, their works have become prototypes and models on which other artists and craftsmen patterned their works, or from which they derived the impetus for related work.
An example of this is a small pouch embellished with cross-stitch embroidery and ornamented with coins. The pouch holds a small unseen bottle, which Jordanian Bedouin women used to hold kohl, a natural eyeliner. But in keeping with the Muslim tradition of ornamenting utilitarian articles, a very ordinary brown glass bottle has been given a place of honor in a beautifully embroidered work of decorative art.
Such arts as embroidery and fine crocheting were commonplace skills among Muslim women in the past -- and still are in some places in the Muslim world -- as each growing girl and her mother worked in periods of spare time during the years before the girl's marriage to produce a set of finely hand-worked bed linens, towels, prayer rugs, quilt, tablecloths, and the like for the bride to take to her new home.
Today, the finest arts, including rugs, are to be found in Turkey, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, India, Egypt and Morocco, where the legacy of Islamic arts remains alive and strong.

Islam is not Just for Arabs

Islam is not Just for Arabs

The Truth of Islam is meant for all
people regardless of race, nationality or linguistic background.
Taking a look at the Muslim World, from Nigeria to Bosnia and from
Malaysia to Afghanistan is enough to prove that Islam is a Universal
message for all of mankind --- not to mention the fact that
significant numbers of Europeans and Americans of all races and
ethnic backgrounds are coming into Islam.



Every Religion Claims That It Is The Truth (The Criteria Of The Truth)

There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies,
and movements in the world, all of which claim to be the right way or
the only true path to Allah (God). How can one determine which one is
correct or if, in fact, all are correct? The method by which the
answer can be found is to clear away the superficial differences in
the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, and
identify the central object of worship to which they call, directly
or indirectly. False religions all have in common one basic concept
with regards to Allah. They either claim that all men are gods or
that specific men were Allah or that nature is Allah or that Allah is
a figment of man's imagination.

Thus, it may be stated that the basic message of
false religion is that Allah may be worshipped in the form of His
creation. False religion invites man to the worship of creation by
calling the creation or some aspect of it God. For example, prophet
Jesus invited his followers to worship Allah but those who claim to
be his followers today call people to worship Jesus, claiming that he
was Allah!

Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of
humanistic principles to the religion of India. He did not claim to
be God nor did he suggest to his followers that he be an object of
worship. Yet, today most Buddhists who are to be found outside of
India have taken him to be God and prostrate to idols made in their
perception of his likeness.

By using the principle of identifying the object of
worship, false religion becomes very obvious and the contrived nature
of their origin clear. As God said in the Our'aan:

That which you worship besides Him are only names you
and your forefathers have invented for which Allah has sent down no
authority: The command belongs only to Allah:

He has commanded that you only worship Him; that is the right
religion, but most men do not understand ". (Soorah Yoosuf 12:40)

It may be argued that all religions teach good
things so why should it matter which one we follow. The reply is that
all false religions teach the greatest evil, the worship of creation.
Creation-worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it
contradicts the very purpose of his creation. Man was created to
worship Allah alone as Allah has explicitly stated in the Our'aan:

"I have only created Jinns and men, that they may worship me"(Soorah
Zaareeyaat 51:56)

Consequently, the worship of creation, which is the
essence of idolatry, is the only unforgivable sin. One who dies in
this state of idolatry has sealed his fate in the next life. This is
not an opinion, but a revealed fact stated by Allah in his final
revelation to man:

The following criteria can best serve as a gauge
to find out the authenticity of the last revelation (the Qur'an) as
words of God:

1. Rational Teachings: Since our Creator bestowed reason and
intellect upon us, it is our duty to use it to distinguish the TRUTH
from falsehood. True, undistorted revelation from God must be
rational and can be reasoned out by all unbiased minds.

2. Perfection: Since our Creator is all perfect, His revelation must
be perfect and accurate, free from mistakes, omissions,
interpolations and multiplicity of versions. It should be free from
contradictions in its narration.

3. No Myths or Superstitions: True revelation is free from myths or
superstitions that degrade the dignity of our Creator or man himself.

4. Scientific: Since our Creator is the Creator of all knowledge,
true revelation is scientific and can withstand the challenge of
science at all times.

5. Factual Prophecy: Our Creator is the Knower of the past, present
and future. Thus His prophecies in His revelation will be fulfilled
as prophesied.

6. Inimitable By Man: True revelation is infallible and cannot be
imitated by man. God's true revelation is a Living miracle, an open
book challenging all mankind to see and prove for themselves its
authenticity or veracity.
 

Islam in Fair Western Eyes

Islam in Fair Western Eyes


Dr. Abdulmutti Al-Dalaty
In this article I continue what I have began in ''The Holy Quraan In Fair Western Eyes'', and I ask the respectful reader to review the introduction of that article.

Sarugen Naido says:" Islam was existing while prayer time, in the mosque, and in the battle field while Muslims were fighting side by side. While the prince and the poor were bowing and kneeling shoulder by shoulder, the justice of islam was laid 5 times a day. I was attracted several times by the unity of Islam that never divide and that make a man a brother of the other man…"(1)

And Prince Charles says:" Islam can teach us a way of living and understanding in the world, the thing that the Christianity have lost, Islam refuses division between the man and nature, religion and science and between mind and material"(2)

The German Orientalist Zegrid Honkeh" there is no compulsion in religion, that what quraan orders, Arab never force the defeated nations to convert in Islam, So with out any force to enter Islam the believers of Christianity increasingly disappeared as the disappearing of the ice , as when the sun rise it worms it ! as the flower trends .towards light searching for more life , that’s way humans trends., even those who remains on their religion, to the Conqueror "(3)

:
Jostaf Lopond says in the Islamic modernization
All what in Islam calls to goodness and reforms, Goodness is the believer's song, and that what I call the Christians for"

The Orientalist Paul de Rakla : "Islam is proud enough by denying the rule that states "no peace outside the church" that many people are boasting by these days, Islam is the only religion that established, by its high virtues, many obstacles against nations leanings towards bawdry and immorality."(4)



Islam is the religion of tolerance:

Brthmly saint Hillar : "the call for monotheism that held by Islam , abided humanity from the former ages paganism "(5)

Counte herry de castry:
" I'v learned the Christians history in the Islamic world, and I realized very brightly that the Muslim treatment towards Christians is a proof of their kind companionship ,and that feeling never effect Muslims ,we never see Islamic religious assembly or preachers walks behind the fighting armies forcing nations to believe"(6)

Gotha shows the countenance of that forgiveness in his book Muslims Virtues :" for truth I say : that the Muslim's forgiveness is not out of weakness, but the Muslim forgives with his proud of his religion , and holding of his faith"

Hanutue confirms his admiration to the greatness of the Islamic forgiveness by saying:'' we owe to Muslims ,justice, peace, religious simplicity, and our duty is to learn that religion and work hard to understand it. And we should take( there is no compulsion in religion).as our motto"(7)

Lean Paul the orientlist says :" at the time the religious segregation reaches its highest levels Islam came to say" you have your own religion and we have our own" that was the real surprise to the human community that has never known the religious freedom, and maybe never know it till today" (8)

Islam the Humans refuge

Arthur Hamelton says:'' If man be a seeker of truth surly they will believe that Islam is the only solution to humanity problems"(9)

The Law professor Marcille Buazar confirms that meaning by saying:" the entrance of Islam to the international field , and putting things in its right places by practicing the asked parlaying, is not only an active participation , but also a rescue for the destroying situation of humanity"

Bernard Shaw the philosopher says:
"Islam is the only religion that we can find the whole goodness of other religions in it but we can not fine whole goodness in other religions! Islam always have been in the place of my appreciation, because it is the only religion that has the gift of digesting different life stages, and has the ability to attract hearts over the years(10), Islam proved since its first appearance that it is the religion of all races , for it combine Solemn the Persian , Belal the Abyssin and Suhaib the Roman and all milted in one pot"(11)

France poet Lamar tine says:" Islam is the only religion that can fulfill the needs of the soul and the body at the same time, without exposing Muslim to conscience reproach ,,,and it is the only religion that it's worships has no relations with images and pictures, and it is the highest gift from the creator to humane "(12)



1. Islam idealism by Sarugene Naido (169).
2. Islam and the West Prince Charles speech in oxford institution for Islamic studies.1993
3. God's Sun Shines on the West Zegrid Honkeh (364-366).
4. Mugademat alulum wa almanaheej by Anwar Al-jendy (8\133).
5. ibid
6. from zealotry and forgiveness between Islam and Christianity by Mohammed Al-Ghazali.(194-196)
7. from Islam and Christianity with science and civilization by Mohammed Abduh ,a valuable book we advice to read it.
8. from Islam by dr,Ahmed Shalaby(296)
9. Mohammed in the fair international arts by Mohammed Uhman(62)
10. a call for work
11. from Islam by dr,Ahmed Shalaby (294)
12. Travelling to the Orient By Lamar tine (47).
 

Islam in Fair Western Eyes

Islam in Fair Western Eyes

Islam is the religion of monotheism and Fitrah:

The just Norwegian orientalist doctor Erening Berg:
"In Islam each child is born in a state of "Fitrah, as for the Christians they consider it as born bearing the sin>Before one hundred years ago they used to sink their children in water so as to purify them from the sin and if they died before butting them in the water they would not bury them but would throw them in the trash instead due to the reason that they are not sinless free"(1)

The literate Mai Ziadah says:
"Christianity is more likely close to theories and on the contrary Islam is both theoretical and practicipale (2)….and the soul would not be satisfied except in the east aroma and the echoing sounds driven from the highly minarets repeating
(There is no God but Allah)"
(3)


The orientalist Rom Landro says:
"The monotheism testimony is so lively that it sticks out with one blow the idolatrous tree…A Muslim is blessed with security and safety because he can reach his highly model here on the earth….Islam is practicipale religion and simple one….Islam is a monotheist religion on a certain basic that is not open to question, realistic and includes every thing on full-scale"(4)

Islam the religion of brotherhood and equality:
The dean of Prognosticating Studies in America (Salaib) in his book (A Muslim facing Future):
"Converted person to Islam may pray next to his teacher, and the brotherhood in Islam is not just religious but even social….Islam does not draw a separate line between a white or a black person"


The historian Arnold Twainbye in the (Historian Knowledge …..)
"I call upon the world to take the Islamic principals of equality and fraternization. The monotheism ideology brought by Islam is among the greatest example on the uniting the world. In the existence of Islam lies hope for the whole world"

The historian Wiles says in the (Marks of the Humanity History0:
"Islam is filled with the spirit of brotherhood and kindness. Its ideology is rather easy to understand. Muhammad has delivered it to the hearts without a single enigmatical lie"

Islam is the religion of power and will strength:


The historian Wel Diorant says:
"There is no religion has ever called its followers to maintain strength in the history except Islam and there is also no religion that has obligated on the rich what Islam has in the taxes giving to support the poor"(5)

The historian Montgomery Watt says in the (Islam and the United Community):
"The secret of strength in Islam lies in giving the person a scale for life which is the scale for free conscience, and bestowing the concept of the "nation" on the Islamic community. This concept, which Islam is the only religion that assured it, still works as an overflowing stream of faith and make the Muslims unit in one nation which dissolves the barriers of sects and languages"

The famous actor Antoni Queen says:
"I have felt Islam as unusual power after acting the rule of Omar Al-Muktar!!"
"I've said: How could it not feel in such way when he reads the martyr Omar Al-Muktar before his execution :
(If my weapon breaks down, the false would not break down my right) "

The historian Cropper says in (The Nature of Culture):
"Islam has spread in the world in a short time as the Sun's ray may spread in seconds….His spreading was an evident on the highly morals, principals, goals and obligations. Such principals still flow with light, proselytizing, knowledge and understanding"(6)

Gottah says:
"Ive studied the history of religions for the past fifty years ago and the ideology that Islam calls for caused the greatest astonishment!!
It is based on the belief that a human being would not encounter anything unless Allah has wished so and there isn’t a thing which could spoil it, and no one would ever walk pass it….Islam is the religion that we will avow to sooner or later…..And I would not mind being called a Muslim"(7)

I would end these fabulous lines from Gootah’s book called (The Oriental
Book for the Western Poet)
and I would like to dedicate them to the families of the Palestinian Martyrs and to every Muslim.

Gottah says:
"Do not morn on the martyrs because the doors of the heavens have been opened for them. They are now knocking them and entering the heaven in peace….gazing among the extraordinary beauty like what the eye’s of the prophet has laid upon on the night of Al-Meraj. In the Paradise the flock of Al-Hoor Al-Ean precedes on the breezes winds.
So enjoy thy martyr! Being a hero is beyond discussion or you would not being among the. But what sort of hero are you?
They will soon know when they see the wounds that have been carved on your chest, its color is red but the sell is Mu'sk….The wealth is perishing and only that stab of a believer will stay….They are gently calling to the drink of blissfulness, it's the Raheek Al-Maqtoom. You are an eager demand for them so enjoy this clarity which could not have a match!"


When the pen of Gottah reaches here he wishes for the mercy of Allah to enter Paradise like Muslims.


A Hooriah stops him and says:
"I'm the one in charged of the door of blissfulness
Not knowing what to do having you here
Are you among the Muslims? Or a martyr?
To belief you let me see the wound
If you will be fare"
Gottah:
"Let me in the heavens
I've lived like a man as a martyr
I've worked among the works
My name glowed in the hearts of believers...
If Islam meant to surrender to Allah
So we shall live and die in Islam"

From a book called
"I have won Muhammad yet Did not lose the Christ"[









P.S
The names of the writers and books may vary in the spelling and they are merely a plying of a translator.



(1)From the book called "Interlocutions with non Muslim Europeans" Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahdel (164)
(2) From the book called "Equality" Mai Ziadah
(3)
(4) From the book called "Islam and the Arabs" Rom Landro (48-52-210)
(5)His Encyclopedia "The Civilization Story" (388)
(6)The historian Cropper "The Nature of Culture"
(7)Catrina Momzen "Gotta and the Arabic World"
(8)"The Oriental Book for the Western Poet" For the German’s poet Gottah (128 – 130 – 131)
D.ABUD AL-MUTAI AL-DALALATY