The Misconceptions of Jihad

Jihad:

The Arabic word "jihad" means struggling or striving and applies to any effort exerted by anyone.

Jihad has long been used incorrectly, and is generally translated as "holy war". However,Islamic teachings show us that, it is unholy to instigate or start war; however, some wars are inevitable and justifiable. If we translate the words "holy war" back into Arabic we find "harbun muqaddasatun", or for "the holy war", "al-harbu al-muqaddasatu". The Arabic words for "war" are "harb" or "qital", which are found in the Qur'an and Hadith. We do not find jihad to translate into holy war. It is simply not the true meaning. The media has done much to incorrectly promote a jihad as a holy war.

For Muslims the term jihad has developed into different meanings. The sources of the true meanings are the Qur'an (the Word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad(S)) and the Hadith (teachings of Prophet Muhammad(S) [(S) denotes Sall-Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam meaning peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Qur'an and the Hadith use the word "jihad" in several different contexts:

Resisting pressure to reject Islam:
"So obey not the rejecters of faith, but strive (jahidhum) against them by it (the Qur'an) with a great endeavor." 25:52

Following the correct path:
"And strive (jahidu) for Allah with the endeavor (jihadihi) which is His right. He has chosen you and has not laid upon you in the deen (religion) any hardship ..." 22:78

At another occasion a man asked the Prophet Muhammad(S):

"Should I join the jihad?" He asked, "Do you have parents?" The man said, "Yes!" The Prophet(S) said, "then strive by (serving) them!" Sahih Al-Bukhari #5972

Yet another man asked the Messenger of Allah:

"What kind of jihad is better?" He replied, "A word of truth in front of an oppressive ruler!" Sunan Al-Nasa'i #4209

The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad(S) said:

"... the mujahid (one who carries out jihad) is he who strives against himself for the sake of obeying Allah, and the muhajir (one who emigrates) is he who abandons evil deeds and sin." Sahih Ibn Hibban #4862



Fighting is allowed only to defend the religion of Islam and the Muslims:
Allah declares in the Qur'an:

"To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to defend themselves), because they are wronged - and verily, Allah is Most Powerful to give them victory - (they are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right - (for no cause) except that they say, 'Our Lord is Allah'.... " 22:39-40

The Qur'an permits fighting to defend the religion of Islam and the Muslims. This permission includes fighting in self defense and for the protection of family and property.

Muslims have freedom to inform, educate and convey the message of Islam:

Allah declares in the Qur'an:

"They ask you (Muhammad) concerning fighting in the Sacred Month. Say, 'Fighting therein is a grave (offense) but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the path of Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and drive out its inhabitants. Persecution is worse than killing. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith, if they can. ..." 2:217

"And those who, when an oppressive wrong is inflicted on them, (are not cowed but) fight back." 42:39

To gain this freedom, Prophet Muhammad(S) said:

"Strive (jahidu) against the disbelievers with your hands and tongues." Sahih Ibn Hibban #4708

The life of the Prophet Muhammad(S) was full of striving to gain the freedom to inform and convey the message of Islam. During his stay in Makkah he used non-violent methods and after the establishment of his government in Madinah, by the permission of Allah, he used armed struggle against his enemies whenever he found it inevitable.

Muslims to do not force others into Islam:

The Quran tells us:

"Let there be no compulsion (or coercion) in the religion (Islam). The right direction is distinctly clear from error." 2:256

The media has helped fan the misunderstanding of what a jihad is. However, true Muslims following the Islamic teachings of the Qur'an know what the true meaning is:

The true meaning of Jihad is a personal mission for those struggling or striving for the freedom to be Muslim and to practice their faith. It is not a "holy war" undertaken in the name of religion. It is also not a campaign to takeover the world. It is the struggle to follow Allah.

In Honoring Your Mother Inexpensive is Best!

The Best Mother's Day Gifts

In Honoring Your Mother Inexpensive is Best!

Do you celebrate Mother's Day? Some Muslims do and some do not. Some no longer have Mother's but are married to the Mother's of their children and therefore may want to honor her.

If you do honor your Mother and should'nt we all whether Muslim or not Mother's are great so it's good to do anytime and not just because it's considered a holiday. Any day once a year can work. Anyway it does not need to be expensive. In fact inexpensive is best.

Great to hear in this economy. Do not let the Media fool you into thinking it needs to be expensive. The best gift to Mom is the gift of your time. Spend the day with Mom. Better yet, help her clean the house, make her breakfast or any great meal. Young children's homemade gift's are priceless,handprints,bookmarks,a hand drawn picture or a poem, nothing beats these items.

A small potted flower is often better appreciated and less expensive than a bouquet on Mother's Day. The price is always raised for the holiday on flowers anyway. A homemade card is another priceless gift.

So keep in mind especially in these tough economic times, Mother's are best honored in simple ways that give the gift of time. So forget all that buying frenzy nonsense and give Mom what she really wants, and save your pocketbook at the same time.

Afterall, Mom's love us no matter what we do.

Cure for Arrogance

Cure for arrogance

In continuation of the earlier topic “Hues of Arrogance” here are Islamic remedies for this disease of the heart with the steps one can take to develop humility towards Allah and His creation to stem the disease of arrogance and to increase humility:

Know Allah

What has knowing Allah got to do with arrogance? Everything. The one who truly recognizes his Creator, and learns about His exalted names and attributes, embraces reality. He knows with conviction how great his Lord is, and how absolutely insignificant his own self is.

He knows that Allah created him, fashioned him, brought him into this world, gave him sustenance and bestowed upon him strength after the frailty of infancy and childhood. Allah has revealed about Himself in the Qur’an and once someone truly knows Allah, he cannot harbor arrogance in his heart for long.

Allah’s signs

The most powerful people who ever lived – with extraordinary physical or mental strength – all become weak with the passage of time. Great scholars or professors can one day suffer from amnesia or Alzheimer’s. Even the man who played the fictional “Superman” – the idol of many young boys – suffered a crippling fall, withered and died before their very eyes.

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Allah looks neither at your figures, nor at your outward appearance, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.” (Sahih Muslim)

This should remind us that each and every little blessing we have – from our looks, to our wealth, to our abilities and talents – is solely from Allah. Our achievements are not the product of our own selves, they are a result of whatever talent Allah blessed us with combined with the effort He guided us to undertake. Not only that, He can take them away whenever He wants, even in a split second.

A beauty queen can lose her perfect body and beauty to a disease (just a passing reference to the recent death of a 20-year-old Brazilian model, who died within two months of contracting a mysterious disease).

A strong wrestler might suffer an accident that could render him invalid. Taking lessons from these will Insha Allah bring humility in us.

“Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allah. None feels secure from the Plan of Allah except the people who are the losers.” (Qur’an, 7:99)

Wear ordinary clothes

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever gives up wearing elegant and expensive garments out of humbleness, when he can do so, Allah will call him on the Day of Resurrection and before all the creations, He will give him the choice to wear whichever garment of ‘Iman‘ he would like to wear.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

Everything is temporary

Remember: whatever you have – or whoever you are – will cease to exist one day. The life of this world is fleeting; everything in it, whether it is a source of happiness or misery, will be gone one day.

Only memories and stories will remain, remembered as ‘history’. So if you have something that makes you swell with pride, just remind yourself that it will be dead and gone one day. Just like you.

“Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever.” (Qur’an, 55:27)

Admit your mistakes

It might take a huge effort at first, but try to develop humility by hearing the other person out, even if you are right or better in opinion. Develop the ability to look at things from their point of view, which will make you a gentler and more empathetic person; more approachable and likeable.

Also, if you are among the older generation (say, above 50) and for the most part of your life, you have been telling the younger lot what to do and how to do it, accede to the fact that now they are adults; maybe acknowledging your own shortcomings before them, and occasionally acquiescing to their wishes won’t really belittle you before them. On the contrary, it might just make you more honorable.

Be quick to apologize

It takes a lot of strength to not just admit your mistake, but to go one step ahead and apologize to those you’ve wronged, whether it happened intentionally or not. Asking another person to forgive you is a sign of humility, one that very few strong individuals can muster up the guts to acquire.

Befriend poor people

A humble person always compares himself to those lower than him in worldly status. For this reason, he is constantly concerned about their well-being and prosperity. Think: “If we can not afford a rented apartment, what about those who are homeless?”

You will find humble people sharing their meals with the poor, giving away clothes to them, paying their medical bills, or often asking about their well-being.

In short, instead of always spending time with the elite at lavish soirees featuring arrays of expensive food, couture and decor, eat at times vegetables on bran whilst sitting on the floor with servants.

Greet people first

“So-and-so’s daughter is such a Miss high-and-mighty! What does she think of herself? Whenever she sees me, she averts her eyes. She doesn’t greet me, even though I am old enough to be her mother.”

Maybe you can teach her what she’s missing by practicing what you preach? What’s stopping you from greeting her with a warm, motherly smile?

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Do not disdain any good deed, even your meeting with your brother (Muslim) with a cheerful face.” (Sahih Muslim)

Remember your origin

“Was he not a Nutfah (mixed male and female discharge of semen) poured forth? Then he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashioned (him) in due proportion.” (Qur’an, 75:37-38)

The IslamQA team bluntly describes this: “Another remedy (for arrogance) is to remember that he and urine came out of the same place; that he began as a despised drop of sperm and he will end up as a rotten corpse, and that in between he is a vessel for feces. So what does he have to feel so proud and arrogant about?!”

Take account

Every day, when you retire for the night, mentally recount how many wrong things you did during the day. After that, proceed to sincerely ask Allah for forgiveness. This daily activity will ensure that you stay focused on your own errors and weaknesses, paving the way for consistent humility and a gentler attitude towards the mistakes of others.

Humility: Path to Paradise

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Shall I not inform you about those who are entitled to Paradise? It is every person who is modest and humble (before Allah), a person who is accounted weak and is looked down upon, but if he swears (hoping for Allah’s Bounty), Allah will certainly give him what he desires. Now shall I not inform you about the inmates of Hell? It is every violent, impertinent and proud man.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Allah says: “Whosoever desires honor, power and glory then to Allah belong all honor, power and glory (and one can get honor, power and glory only by worshipping Allah Alone).” (Qur’an, 35:10)

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Common Misconceptions about Muslim Mid Eastern Clothing

We wanted to clear up a few common misconceptions about Muslim Mid Eastern Clothing. To begin with you do not need to be Muslim or Mid Eastern to wear Mid Eastern Clothing. Anyone can wear the clothing, it is just clothing. If you have heard the recent publicity surrounding celebrities and others wearing the Ghutra for example, you will see that anyone can wear this style of clothing.

While the clothing is native to Mid Eastern people most of whom are Muslim, it is not tied to the Muslim religion. In fact there are some Mid Eastern people who are Christian, and they still wear many of the clothing particularly the Mens and Ladies Salwar Kameez Suit outfits and scarves.

Many Christians also wear scarves to cover their head, like Mary did. Nuns also will often cover their head with a scarf. Amish people cover their heads and so do Jewish people. Other people cover their head for Fashion, like Rappers or Cowboys for example.

Many people of various religions and of different regions including the United States and Britian, prefer to wear modest clothing that does not show off their assets. Modesty is often a personal decision that may or may not have roots in religion or region of birth. Some people prefer to be modestly covered and do not like to draw attention to themselves. Some will also wear the clothing for comfort as most of it is quite comfortable. Many wear it simply because it is beautiful, with its unique designs and lovely embroidery that put some big names in the Fashion Industry to shame.

Secondly wearing Muslim (Islamic) Mid Eastern clothing does not make people feel you are being disrespectful of their religion. They understand you are not mocking them, and enjoy seeing all people in Mid Eastern Muslim dress. Some people will also wear the clothing if they are in a play or other Theatre production and may also wear the clothing for a school project.

Anyone and everyone is welcome to wear this fashion of clothing. And while there may be a few people who may not approve, like everything else in life there are some people that you cannot please who will take offense at any and everything. But for the most part that is a small percentage of people.

So whether you wear Muslim Mid Eastern style clothing for reasons of religion, region of birth, fashion or just for the fun of wearing it; Go ahead, its just clothing, anyone can wear it We certainly do not mind.