Islaam and The Muslims: Why the Disconnect Random Musing
The Golden Statements و م ن ي ب ت غ غ ي ر اإل س ال م د ين ا ف ل ن ي ق ب ل م ن ه و ه و ف اخآ ر م ن ا اس ر ي ن )3:85( And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. You are the best of people ever raised for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. (3:110)
To Be The Best for Mankind : Really??? Qur an is the Guidance: 2:2 Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the Leader: ق ل أ ط يع وا ا ه لل و ا ر س ول فإ ن ت و و ا ف إ ن ا ه لل ال ي ح ب ا ك اف ر ي ن )3:32( Obey Allah and the Prophet و م ا آت اك م ا ر س ول ف ذ وه و م ا ن ه اك م ع ن ه ف انت ه وا و ات ق وا ا لل ن ن ا لل د د يد ا ع ق ا ب )59:7( And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. ق ل ن ن ك نت م ت ح ب ون ا ه لل ف ات ب ع ون ي ح ب ب ك م ا ه لل و ي غ ف ر ك م ذ ن وب ك م و ا ه لل غ ف ور ر ح يم )3:31( Say [O Prophet]: "If you love God, follow me, [and] God will love you and forgive you your sins; for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace." - 3:31 م ن ي ط ع ا ر س ول ف ق د أ ط اع ا ه لل و م ن ت و ى ف م ا أ ر س ل ن اك ع ل ي ه م ح ف ي ا )4:80( Who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah
The Only Example for the Muslims ق د ك ان ك م ف ر س ول ا لل أ س و ح س ن ة ه م ن ك ان ي ر ج و ا لل و ا ي و م اخآ ر و ذ ك ر ا لل ك ث ير ا )33:21( VERILY, in the Apostle of God you have a good example for everyone who looks forward to God and the Last Day, and remembers God unceasingly
Exemplary Person و م ا أ ر س ل ن اك ن ال ر ح م ة ه ل ع ا م ين )21:107( And we sent you (Muhammad), only as a blessing to the entire mankind و ن ن ك ع لى ل ق ع يم )68:4 And indeed, you (Muhammad) are a person of great character.
How Did We Get To This Point? 1. Division into sects Allah says: )21:92( ن ن ه ذ ه أ م ت ك م أ م ة و اح د و أ ن ا ر ب ك م ف اع ب د و ن Surely indeed, this your community is only one and I am your Lord, so worship me و اع ت ص م وا ب ح ب ل ا ه لل ج م يع ا و ال ت ف ر ق و And hold on firmly to the rope of Allah altogether and be not divided (3:103)
How Did We Get Here? 2. Different Understanding: و و د اء ر ب ك ج ع ل ا ن اس أ م ة و اح د و ال ي ز ا ون م ت ل ف ي ن )11:118( And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ. 3. Different level of spiritualism and piety (Personal limitation) 4. Intolerance 5. Superiority Complex
Sectarian Pit ن ن ا ذ ين ف ر ق وا د ين ه م و ك ان وا د ي ع ا س ت م ن ه م ف د ء ن ن م ا أ م ر ه م ن ى ا ه لل ث م ي ن به ئ ه م ب م ا ك ان وا ي ف ع ل و ن )6:159( VERILY, as for those who have broken their religion into sects, you have nothing to do with them. Behold, their case rests with God: and in time He will make them understand what they were doing. م ن ا ذ ين ف ر ق وا د ين ه م و ك ان وا د ي ع ا ك ل ح ز ب ب م ا د ي ه م ف ر ح و ن )30:32( of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.
Some specifics 1. Relationship with fellow Muslims ا ذ ين ي ج ت ن ب ون ك ب ائ ر اإل ث م و ا ف و اح ش ن ال ا ل م م ن ن ر ب ك و اس ع ا م غ ف ر ه و أ ع ل م ب ك م ن ذ أ ن دأ ك م هم ن ا ل ر ض و ن ذ أ نت م أ ج ن ة ف ب ط ون أ م ه ات ك م ف ال ت ز ك وا أ نف س ك م ه و أ ع ل م ب م ن ات ق ى )53:32( Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only committing slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him. i. Classification of Muslims as Kaafir
Another Specific 2. Relationship with the Christians و ال ت ج اد وا أ ه ل ا ك ت اب ن ال ب ا ت ه أ ح س ن ن ال ا ذ ين ل م وا م ن ه م و ق و وا آم ن ا ب ا ذي أ نز ل ن ين ا و أ نز ل ن ي ك م و ن ه ن ا و ن ه ك م و اح د و ن ح ن ه م س ل م ون )29:46( And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him. ت ج د ن أ د د ا ن اس ع د او ه ل ذ ين آم ن وا ا ي ه ود و ا ذ ين أ د ر ك وا و ت ج د ن أ ق ر ب ه م م و د ه ل ذين آم ن وا ا ذ ين ق ا و ا ن ن ا ن ص ار ى ذ ك ب أ ن م ن ه م ق هس يس ين و ر ه ب ان ا و أ ن ه م ال ي س ت ك ب ر و ن )5:82( You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah ; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, "We are Christians." That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.
Facts About Christmas Christmas was not part of the message of Jesus (Never mentioned anywhere in the Bible) Jesus was not born in December Jesus DID NOT celebrate Xmas and NEVER asked anyone to do so Some writers linked Xmas to paganism Some Christians see December 25 as just a free day to socialize with friends while some see it as religious Not all Christians celebrate Xmas. No record of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) witnessing Christmas celebration in his lifetime WHAT SHOULD THE MUSLIMS DO 1. Do not insult their religion or Jesus (AS) 2. Respect their emotional feeling 3. Do not initiate Christmas greeting 4. When you are greeted Happy Xmas, respond by saying Happy Holiday 5. When you are invited, use personal judgement and don t compromise your deen. NOTE: Muslims SHOULD NOT celebrate Xmas
The Ummah و ت ع او ن وا ع ل ى ا ب هر و ا ت ق و ى و ال ت ع او ن وا ع ل ى اإل ث م و ا ع د و ان و ات ق وا ا ه لل And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. (5:2)
د Conclusion و م ا ك ان م ؤ م ن و ال م ؤ م ن ة ن ذ ا ق ض ى ا لل و ر س و ه أ م ر ا أ ن ي ك ون ه م ا ي ر م ن أ م ر ه م و م ن ي ع ص ا لل و ر س و ه ف ق (36 33) : ض ل ض ال ال م ب ين ا It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.