piątek, 10 sierpnia 2007
Szpitale wymyślili muzułmanie
The capital of the Islamic caliphate empire kept changing from one dynasty to another. In each capital, an important medical center developed. Thus, by the end of the 13th century, there were many medical centers spread throughout the Arab world. As this is an expansive subject in history, Space does not allow the description of all the hospitals built throughout these centuries. We, therefore, have chosen some of the important institutions, which will be described according to the region where they were developed in.
Ash-Sham Ash-Sham at that time included what is known now as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine; Damascus and Jerusalem were the important cities. Damascus: The first known hospital in Islam was built in Damascus in 706 A.D. by the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid (Hamarneh, 1962). The most important hospital built in Damascus in the middle ages was named An-Nuri Hospital, after King Nur Adl-Din Zinki in 1156. This hospital was built during the Crusades War, hence the importance of it being built was to fulfill a need for a well-equipped and well-staffed hospital. It turned out to not only be first class in care, but the hospital also was an excellent first class medical school. It is important to understand why books were expensive and limited in number in the middle ages. This was because they were hand-written and because printing was not, in process, used until the middle of the 15th century. Books were hand-written and thus expensive and limited in number. The king donated a whole library rich in medical books to the hospital. The hospital adopted medical records, probably being the first in history. From its medical school, many eminent physicians graduated, for example Ibn Anl-Nafis, the scholar who discovered the pulmonary circulation system. The hospital served the public for seven centuries and parts of it still exist today. Jerusalem: In 1055 A.D., the Crusaders built Saint John's Hospital. By the end of the 11th century, it expanded to such an extent to include a hospital, a palace for knights, and a convent for the nursing sisters. The medical activities of the hospital were tremendous because of the large number of daily admissions of patients, pilgrims, and wounded soldiers. After the liberation of Jerusalem by Salah ad-Din in 1187 A.D., the hospital was renamed was changed into Al-Salahani Hospital. He expanded the hospital, which continued to serve the people until its destruction by an earthquake in 1458 A.D. Iraq and Persia Baghdad: In 750 A.D., Baghdad was elected and built to be the capital of the Abbasid dynasty by the Caliph Abu-Jaifar Al-Mansur. In 766 A.D., he assigned the dean of the medical school of Jindi Shapur, Judis Ibn-Babtishu', to be the court physician and establish hospitals proportionate to the glory and prosperity of Baghdad. When Harun Arl-Rashid followed (786-809 A.D.), he ordered the grandson of Ibn-Babtishu and his court physician, Jibril, to build a special hospital named Baghdad Hospital. This hospital developed into an important medical center. One of its chiefs was Al-Razi, the eminent internist. In 918 A.D., the Caliph Al-Mujgtadir built two hospitals in Baghdad. One was on the east side of the city, which he named Asl-Sayyidah Hospital, after his mother. The other was on the west side of the city, which he named, Al- Mujgtadiri Hospital, after himself. Another important hospital was named Al-Adudi Hospital. It was built in 981 A.D. after King Adud Ald-Dawlah. It was the most magnificent hospital built in Baghdad before modern times. It was built at the request of the Caliph, who wanted to outdo his predecessors. It was furnished with the best logistical equipment and supplies known at the time. It had interns, residents, and 24 consultants attending its professional activities. Haliy Abbas, who wrote the famous book Liber Regius (Al-Malaki), was a member of staff. It was destroyed in 1258 when the Mongols, led by Holagu the grandson of Genghis Khan, invaded Baghdad. Egypt Al-Fustat: In 872 A.D., Ahmed Ibn-Tulun built a hospital called Al-Fustat Hospital in the city Al-Fustat, which is now Old Cairo. It served the growing Cairo population for six centuries. It was divided into separate wards. On admission, the patients were given special apparel while their clothes, money, and valuables were stored until they were at the time of their discharge. Cairo: In 1284 A.D., King Al-Mansur Qalawun built the famous and important hospital named Al-Mansuri Hospital. The story behind its construction is interesting. King Al-Mansur Qalawun was an officer in the Muslim Arabian army fighting the Crusaders. While in the Holy Land, he fell sick and was admitted to An- Nuri Hospital. On recovery, he vowed that if he ever became the ruler of Egypt, he would build a great hospital in Cairo, even more magnificent than An-Nuri Hospital, for, the sick, poor, and rich alike. At the inauguration ceremony, he asked for a cup of lemonade from the fountain, which was normally filled with water. After drinking it he declared that by taking it, he was signifying that the hospital was serving all people from the king to the least of his subjects. (Hamarneh, 1962). This was the best hospital built at that time as reported by the contemporary travelers and historians of that time such as Ibn-Battuta and Al-Kalkashandi. It was divided into different sections according to medical ailments for different diseases. Music therapy was used as a form of therapy treatment for psychiatric patients. It served 4,000 patients daily and the patient's stay in the hospital was free. Moreover, on his discharge, the patient was given food and money for compensation for being out of work during his hospital stay. Al-Mansuri Hospital has served Cairo for seven centuries since it's opening has been built. It is now used for ophthalmology and renamed Qalawun Hospital. Its magnificent ancient door is preserved in the Islamic Museum of Cairo. North Africa Tunisia: In 830 A.D., Prince Ziyadat Allah I, built Al-Qayrawan Hospital in a district of the Qayrawan city called Adl-Dimnah. Subsequently all hospitals in Tunisia were called Dimnah instead of Bimaristan as they were called in the East, which is a Persian word meaning a hospital. The Qayrawan Hospital was characterized by spacious separate wards, waiting rooms for visitors patients, and female nurses from Sudan. The hospital also had a prayer hall. Morocco: In 1190 A.D., The king Al-Mansur Ya'qub Ibn-Yusuf built a hospital in the capital city, Marakesh, and named it the Marakesh Hospital. It was a huge hospital beautifully landscaped with fruit trees and flowers. Water entered all the sections through aqueducts. Patients were provided with special apparel: one for winter and another for summer. The pharmacy was taken care of by specialists called the Saydalah and there was an expensive private section where each patient was charged what is equivalent today to $1,501 a day. One thousand years ago, this fee was quite expensive. Andalusia In 1366 A.D., Prince Muhammad Ibn-Yusuf Ibn Nasr built the Granada Hospital in the city of Granada, which had a population of expanded to half a million population. The hospital represented the beauty of Islamic-Arabic architecture in Spain and served the people until the fall of Granada in 1492 A.D. (dr Hossam Arafa)
sobota, 21 lipca 2007
Islamska mitologia
Al Sirat - "The path". In Muslim tradition, the bridge to Paradise. Al-Sirat is narrower than a spider's thread and sharper than a sword. Only the good pass swiftly over it, while the wicked fall down to the mid-Hell it spans. Also called Bridge of Jehennam.
Azrael - The Muslim theology, Azrael is the angel of death. He will be the last to die, but will do so at the second trump of the archangel. The phrase 'the Wings of Azrael' refers to the approach of death; the signs of death coming on the dying. The story goes that Moses petitioned Allah to send a being to relieve people of their lives, having had a virgin who had lived for over 500 years resurrected, and hearing her complaining of the world weariness she had experienced. Allah then sent Azrael to take people's lives after sixty or seventy years. Dabbat - In Muslim mythology the monster, reptile of the earth, that shall arise at the last day and cry that mankind has not believed in the Divine revelations. Eternal Tables - In Muslim legend, a white pearl extending from east to west, and from heaven to earth, on which God has recorded every event, past, present and to come. Ghaddar - A demon (possible female) in the deserts of the Red Sea countries. It catches travelers and tortures them by devouring their genitals.  Ghoul - In Muslim folklore, the ghoul is a demon of the desert that is able to assume the shape of an animal. It is an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on the flesh of the dead or on young children. They inhabit lonely places, especially graveyards. They also lure travelers into the desert, sometimes beguiling those traveles by prostituting themselves, and then devouring them. The Arabic ghoul of the wasteland seems to be a personification of the terror of the desert. Hand of God - A phrase from the Qur'an (48:10). The Wahhabis, who take the Qur'an literally and consider symbolic exegenesis the beginning of atheism, maintain that God must have hands because the Qur'an says so. Lahut - The divine world, the uppermost stratum of the universe where Allah resides Mother of Scripture - The source in heaven from which the Qur'an was taken by God and revealed - in part - to Muhammad (Qur'an 13:39, 43:4). CAŁOŚĆ TUTAJ: Encyclopedia Mythica: Islamic mythology
środa, 04 lipca 2007
BROWN: DON'T SAY TERRORISTS ARE MUSLIMS
Gordon Brown has banned ministers from using the word “Muslim” in connection with the terrorism crisis.
The Prime Minister has also instructed his team – including new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith – that the phrase “war on terror” is to be dropped. The shake-up is part of a fresh attempt to improve community relations and avoid offending Muslims, adopting a more “consensual” tone than existed under Tony Blair” However, the change provoked claims last night that ministers are indulging in yet more political correctness. The sudden shift in tone emerged in comments by Mr Brown and Ms Smith in the wake of the failed attacks in London and Glasgow. Mr Brown’s spokesman acknowledged yesterday that ministers had been given specific guidelines to avoid inflammatory language. “There is clearly a need to strike a consensual tone in relation to all communities across the UK,” the spokesman said. “It is important that the country remains united.” He confirmed that the phrase “war on terror” – strongly associated with Mr Blair and US President George Bush – has been dropped. Officials insist that no direct links with Muslim extremists have been publicly confirmed by police investigating the latest attempted terror attacks. Mr Brown himself did not refer to Muslims or Islam once in a BBC TV interview on Sunday. Ms Smith also avoided any such reference in her statement to MPs yesterday. Daily Express.
poniedziałek, 02 lipca 2007
Man Sexually Assaulted in Pakistan After Refusing to Convert to Islam
Lawyers in Pakistan are investigating a report that up to 30 men tortured and gang-raped a young Christian man for refusing to convert to Islam.
The victim is seriously injured and unable to move, Release International’s partner in Pakistan has reported. However, according to the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) the police are keeping him locked up and have denied him medical treatment. The police are also refusing to register the rape following a counter-claim made by his principal attacker – “a man of influence”, Release International has told Christian Today. According to CLAAS, the Christian was invited to a game of cricket. A quarrel broke out and he was beaten up. Later that evening, the father of one of the Muslims asked the Christian over to his house. Joseph Francis, the National Director of CLAAS, explained: “When he entered the drawing room, he found it filled with unknown people. They began to beat him severely. They threatened him with dire consequences if he did not accept Islam. After his refusal, they committed sodomy with him one by one for the whole night.” Francis said that they later threw their victim out on the street unconscious. CLAAS has visited the victim and his family. They believe the counter accusation that he stole money and a mobile phone is false. They say the charges were drawn up by the attacker, who has used his influence to put pressure on the authorities. “We’re deeply concerned about the growing number of attacks against Christians in Pakistan,” says Release International’s CEO Andy Dipper. “We are receiving reports of rape, abductions and forced conversion. Pakistan is becoming an increasingly difficult place for Christians to live. “To make matters worse, the government is pushing through a law which could impose the death penalty for any Muslim man who converts to Christianity – and life imprisonment for any woman." "As well as being an attack on the basic human rights of Muslims, this will also make things harder for Christians who preach the gospel," concluded Dipper. Release International is appealing to Christians to pray for the victim and for the lawyers at CLAAS, who are dealing with a growing number of atrocities against Christians. Za Christian Today.
czwartek, 28 czerwca 2007
Holandia: dłuższe wakacje dzięki świętu Eid
Teachers and students at the ROC De Lijgraaf schools, with branches in Oss, Uden and Veghel, will start the summer vacation a few days later than other schools in North Brabant. The reason is that during the past school year the school had given time off during the Muslim Eid ul-Fitr holiday. In the upcoming school year De Leijgraaf intends to give time off for Eid ul-Fitr as well as for Eid ul-Adha. The summer vacaton in 2008 will therefore also begin a few days later.
The initiative to give time off on Muslim holidays comes from the school board. "We are convinced that we contribute to their integration if we, just as we do with Christian holidays, set out the Islamic holidays as a free day. Integration begins with respect," says chairman Marc Veldhoven. The employee council had agreed with the arrangement this year, but won't do so next year, after grumbling from the people. The arrangement will go through anyway. Veldhoven: "I heard reactions like: should we also be closed for Chinese New Year. No, since Chinese are not a target group of our institution, Muslims are." Veldhoven had tried without success to convince secondary schools in the region to join in. "They think it's an issue of the government." In the Randstad (urban areas of the Netherlands) there are more schools who give all their students time off on Muslim holidays. "That is also very practical," says Z. Arslan of the Institute for Multicultural Development Forum (instituut voor multiculturele ontwikkeling Forum) Moroccan students often want to take time off on Eid ul-Fitr. In order to prevent absenteeism it is then sensible to make it a day off. The organization Inspraakorgaan Turken agrees. "I recognize that the Netherlands has many religious viewpoints, yet your must make sure that groups don't compete," says manager A. Azeural. Chairman M. Barth of the CNV education union thinks it's good that schools work in this "made to order" manner. "I think it's a sad argument when people say that you shouldn't do something like this in a Dutch school. Islam belongs in the Netherlands. If we take each other into consideration, then life would be nicer." "I think it should be like that. They also have time off on Easter no? This make us simply equal." Sharon Thomasen's (16) reaction is clear. The student of ROC De Leijgraaf in Veghel thinks it's good that all students get time off on the Muslim holidays. Sharon in not alone. Cansu Solmaz (20) is very happy with the school's decision. "I was born here, this is also my country. It's about respect for each other's culture. And that should come from two sides." It's a pretty compromise, says Patrick van Meltvoort (17). "I know that there were plans to make of them national holidays, in exchange for a couple of Christian holidays. This is better." They don't really care that the summer vacation starts later, saying it's only a couple more days anyway. Zeliha Ozeren (16) thinks it's fine that they now don't have to ask for vacation for the Muslim holidays. "An immigrant kid now won't miss any more class. All schools should do this." She says the holidays are not discussed in school and that everybody is simply happy with the extra vacation day. Marlijn Geenen (17) speaks of "equal limits". "Otherwise you have these days when all immigrants stay home. I remember that well. I thought that was so stupid." Her friend sitting next to her agrees. "And they should implement this in all schools. My mother thought it was so crazy that I got time off and my sister didn't." Paul van Veghel (21) says that schools should decide on their own whether they close on Muslim holidays or not. "Personally I say: the more vacation, the better." Za Brabants Daglbad.
wtorek, 22 maja 2007
Sufi: The Chishti Nizami Habibi Soofie Sufi Order
In the year 1895, Khwaja Habib Ali Shah (Rahmatullah alai), the great Sufi saint of the Chishti Nizami Order in India, sent his beloved disciple and spiritual successor, Shah Ghulam Muhammad Siddique (Rahmatullah alai), the humble descendant of Hazrath Abu Bakr Siddiq (Rahmatullah alai), to the Southern tip of Africa to propagate Islam in general and the Chishti Order in particular. It was a challenge to push forward the work of Islam and the silsilah in the British ruled country and to evolve an effective mechanism to deal with those associated with the order. Hazrath Soofie Saheb (Rahmatullah alai) not only rose to the occasion but in the short span of fifteen years the entire Southern Africa became studded with Khanqah's of the Chishti order. The Khanqah of the founding Pir of the Nizami Chishti order, Khwaja Nizam ad -din Awliya (Rahmatullah alai), by the side of the Jamuna river in India, whilst the first Khanqah of his beloved spiritual son stood by the side of the Umgeni river in Africa, with a magnificent view of the Indian ocean. The subsequent eleven Khanqah's established all stood in a serene, loving atmosphere, with a cool and refreshing breeze blowing, which aptly symbolized the order of Khwaja Muin ud din Chishti (Rahmatullah alai), the order of love, of the prince of love, which was to blow amidst the oppression and injustice. The Khanqah's comprised of a Masjid, Madrasah, cemetery, orphanage, rehabilitation center, medical center, houses, courtyard, garden, fountains, wells and open kitchen. In each center, the yellow and red flag of the Chisti Nizami Habibi order was hoisted. The sandy yellow color on the flag symbolized humility whilst the red color symbolized ishqe haqiqi (true love), the two qualities which the Habibia order strives to imbibe into it's disciples. The flag also indicated that a Khalifa of the order was present at the Khanqah and could be consulted. . I feel it is important to mention here that the great Mahatma Gandhi used to visit Hazrath for spiritual counseling whilst Hazrath received legal counseling from him. The trust deed of Soofie Saheb (Rahmatullah alai) bears the signature of his lawyer, Mahatma Gandhi, and this bears testimony to the fact. The various practices of the Chishti were introduced into each center; in order to mobilize the spirit in the quest for God. The Habibia Soofie Aastana in Pietermaritzburg (est.1909), was built on the banks of the Dorpspruit river, at that time an uninhabited area, where Soofie Saheb (Rahmatullah alai) had predicted the people would eventually live, was administered and controlled by the third son, Hazrath Haji Shah Abd ul Qadir Soofie (Rahmatullah alai). He continued in the footsteps of his father and became a father figure to the community who affectionately called him "Haji Saheb".. He died on the 28 May 1940, and his young widow, Sayyida Khatoon Bibi Soofie (Rahmatullah alai), continued the spiritual practices and selfless service to humanity of the Chisti Habibia silsila. Bhabi Saheba (Rahmatullah alai) passed away on the 14 January 1991. The Khanqah is ably served today by her two sons, Hazrath Shah Ghulam Muhay ad din , Hazrath Shah Ghulam Muhammad and her grandson Irshad the son of Hazrath Shah Ghulam Muhay ad din. It is an accepted fact today that the Habibia Soofie Aastana in Pietermaritzburg which comprises of a Jaame Masjid, Madrasah, pre-school, Islamic library, community hall and offering social welfare services, spiritual healing, counselling and spiritual guidance, is a thriving Khanqah of the Chishti Nizami Habibi order.In conclusion, I pay tribute to all the present Khulafa, trustees and khadims (servants), of all the Soofie Saheb (Rahmatullah alai) Khanqah's in Southern Africa. Every centre established by Hazrath (Rahmatullah alai) is continuously, selflessly serving humanity and even adversaries admit that the impressive buildings and well maintained Khanqah's have become a landmark and a tribute to Islamic architecture in Southern Africa. The services of Hazrat Soofie Saheb (Rahmatullah alai) i.e. loving and serving all humanity regardless of caste, creed, nations, race or sex continue at his Khanqah's unto the present day. His Mazaar Shareef at Riverside, Durban at the headquarters of The Spiritual Order, is a fountain of the nectar of love, that nourishes hearts up to the present day.
STRONA WWW
piątek, 18 maja 2007
Islamskie inspiracje
A saint once mentioned, "When people become involved in six things, then you should turn your attention to another six things. 1. When people become involved in many sinful deeds, then you should make an effort to perfect your own actions. 2. When people run after virtues (rewards of deeds), then you should turn your attention to fulfilling your faraaidh (compulsory duties and actions). 3. When people become involved in external reformation, then you should make an effort at internal reformation. 4. When people become engrossed in working for this world, then you should decorate your Aakhirah (Hereafter). 5. When people seek out the faults of others, then you should search for your own faults. 6. When people start seeking happiness and pleasure of the people, then you should make a concerted effort to seek the Pleasure of the Creator. " Taken from Inspirations Volume 4, wyd. Al Islaah
środa, 16 maja 2007
Muzułmanki: piękne i niebezpieczne :)
 LONDON (Reuters) - Anyone tempted to pick on a headscarf-wearing Muslim woman better hope they don't run into a Ninjabi.
Every week around 30 Muslim women, most wearing veils, gather in a community centre in east London to learn how to block, knee and punch would-be attackers or lecherous men targeting passive-looking victims. The organizers, who named the classes after Japanese Ninja warriors and women who wear the hijab, say Muslim women are looking to fight back against unwanted advances and a rising number of anti-Muslim attacks. "The ladies love the Ninjabi thing. It gives them a good giggle," said class instructor Dee Terry, who is not a Muslim herself. One of the attendees, 31-year-old mother Mahmuda Mazid, said she took up the classes after a gang of youths tried to rob her teenage brother while she was with him in a local park. "There was this sheer feeling of helplessness that I couldn't help myself or my brother... and there was absolute rage," she said. "I knew I had to do something to equip myself. "In the classes I saw protection and self defense. That's what I needed." The classes start with a warm-up and then the women -- no men are allowed -- practice punches, strikes using the heel of the hand, knee strikes to the groin and defenses against knives and sticks. Terry also teaches the women how to deter potential attackers by looking assertive. The loose full-length clothing favored by Muslim women rules out high-kicking maneuvers but does not otherwise hinder movement, says Terry. The Hijab and the Niqab -- which covers the face and leaves only the eyes visible -- clearly identify Muslim women, increasing their chances of becoming victims of anti-Muslim hostility. But Terry says Islamic clothing itself does not make it easier to attack a woman. "An attacker can pull your headscarf but they can also pull your hair, so Islamic clothes don't make that much of a difference," added Terry, who also teaches Judo, Jujitsu and Kickboxing. "PERVY MEN" AND "HOODIES" In the dilapidated area where the classes are held, Muslim women said their biggest worry was harassment from "pervy men" and the violent anti-social behavior of teenagers from urban low-income communities, popularly called "hoodies" and "chavs". In other areas of London, Muslim women said growing hostility towards Muslims -- commonly called Islamophobia -- since London's July 7th bombings in 2005 was a big fear. Attacks on Muslims in London nearly quadrupled in the days after the July attacks. Figures collated by London's Metropolitan Police, and presented in a report by the Muslim Safety Forum, showed 303 attacks in July 2005, up from 82 in the previous month. Azad Ali, chairman of the forum, said the attacks ranged from verbal abuse and vandalism of mosques to physical attacks. But because of limitations in the way attacks are reported, the real number is likely to be far higher, he added. National figures are lacking because there are no universally agreed criteria among the country's police forces for what constitutes an Islamophobic attack, said Ali. Muslims, who make up about 3 percent of Britain's population, also do not readily report attacks. An initiative by London's police to engage with Muslim women found many did not report attacks because they felt the police would not act. Others had limited English and were unable to register complaints without help. "The issue of reporting crime... was a major concern amongst certain (Muslim) communities," the police said in a report on meetings with Muslim women. "This may lead to disenchantment with the process and eventual disengagement from the police and justice system," the police added in the report. "ENTER THE NINJABI" Official figures cite London as having the largest proportion of Muslims in the UK at 3.8 percent. The Ninjabi classes are held in the Newham area of the capital, where Muslims make up 24 percent of local inhabitants. The organizers said the classes were a response to overwhelming demand from Muslim women. "It was a need. Women were coming and asking for self- defense classes. We had heard of increasing Islamophobia and other sorts of attacks on Muslim women," said Mizan Raja, a coordinator of Islamic Circles, the organization running the classes. The organizers say although similar self-defense classes are common the light-hearted approach which respects the women's faith has made the Ninjabi classes massively popular. "We could fill a class a day. It's totally oversubscribed," said Raja. The organizers plan to split the class according to experience, using names inspired by 1970s Hong Kong films starring martial arts legend Bruce Lee. The beginners' level will be called "Enter the Ninjabi", the next will be "Return of the Ninjabi", then "Way of the Ninjabi". The organizers also plan to expand the Ninjabi concept. "It's about empowering Muslim women... We could do it throughout the country," Raja added. (REUTERS)
wtorek, 08 maja 2007
Wszystko co chcielibyście wiedzieć o proroku Muhammadzie
 The SHAMAAIL OF IMAAM ABU EESA TIRMIZI has a comprehensive collection of Ahaadith on the physical description and character of our beloved Nabi(sallallahu alaiyhi wasallam).This translation and commentary is of the,"Khasaail Nabawi sallallahu alaiyhi wasallam", by the late Shaykul-Hadeeth HAZRAT MAULANA MUHAMMAD ZAKARIYYA(R.A.). It enables a Muslim to achieve a link and connection with the one, whom Allah Ta'ala has made as a mercy unto mankind,and most certainly Allah has spoken the truth when He mentions in the Quraan-e-Kareem: "Verily, you(O Muhammad) are of a very high(noble) character". Co jadł, jak wyglądał, jak się zachowywał, jak się ubierał... po angielsku.
poniedziałek, 30 kwietnia 2007
Shahada
 To be a muslim is to pledge the above covenant with Allah, the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Ruler of all that exists, the Lord of Majesty and Highness, stating La ilaha il Allah, Muhammad -ur-Rasool-Allah, but first one must understand what this means. Believing "La ilaha il Allah" (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) Point 1: Tauhid-ar-Rububiyya A confession with your heart that the Creator (of everything) is Allah, subhana watala, it is that you have to say: "I testify that the Creator of all the universe, including the stars, the planets, the sun, the moon, the heavens, the earth with all its known and unknown forms of life, is Allah. He is the Organizer and Planner of all its affairs. It is He Who gives life and death, and He (i.e. Allah Alone) is the Sustainer, and the Giver of Security, etc." And this is called your confession for the "Oneness of the Lordship of Allah," Tauhid-ar-Rububiyya. Point 2: Tauhid-al-Uluhiyya A confession with your heart that you have to say: "I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone." The word "Worship" (i.e. Ibadah) carries a great number of meanings in the Arabic language: It conveys that all kinds of worship are meant for Allah (and none else, whether it be an angel, Messenger, Prophet Jesus - son of Mary, Ezra, Muhammad, saint, idol, the sun, the moon and all other kinds of false deities). So pray to none but Allah, invoke none but Allah, ask for help from none (unseen) but Allah, swear by none but Allah, offer an animal as sacrifice to none but Allah, …etc. and that means, -- all that Allah and Allah’s Messenger, saaws, order you to do (in Qur’an and in As-Sunna [legal ways of Prophet Muhammad ]) you must do, and all that Allah, s.w.t, Allah’s Messenger forbid you, you must not do. And this is called (your confession for the) "Oneness of the worship of Allah", Tauhid-al-Uluhiyya. And that you (mankind) worship none but Allah, subhana watala. Those whom they invoke besides Allâh have not created anything, but are themselves created. [The Noble Qur'an 16:20] Point 3: Tauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat A confession with your heart that you have to say: "O Allah! I testify that all the best of names and the most perfect qualities with which You have named or qualified Yourself in Your Book (i.e. the Qur’an) or as Your Prophet Muhammad (saaws) has named or qualified You, with his statement, I confirm that all those (names and qualifications) are for You without changing their meanings or neglecting them completely or giving resemblance to others." As Allah, swt, said: "There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer." (v.42:11) This holy Ayat (verse) confirms the quality of hearing and the quality of sight for Allah, subhana watala without resemblance to others, and likewise. Allah, subhana watala, also said: "To one whom I have created with Both My Hands," (v.38:75) and Allah also said: "The Hand of Allah is over their hands." (v. 48:10) This confirms two Hands for Allah, swt, but there is no similarity for them. Similarly Allah, swt, said: "The Most Beneficent (Allah) Istawa (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne." (v.20:5) So Allah rose over the Throne really in a manner that suits His Majesty. And Allah is over Allah’s Throne over the seventh heaven, as the slave-girl pointed towards the heavens, when Allah’s Messenger (Muhammad, saaws) asked her as to where Allah is? He only comes down over the first (nearest) heaven to us on the day of ‘Arafat (Hajj, i.e. the 9th of Dhul-Hijja), and also during the last third part of the night as mentioned by the Prophet saaws, but Allah is with us by His Knowledge only, not by His Personal-Self (bi-Dhatihi). It is not like that, as some people say that Allah is present everywhere here, there, and even inside the breasts of men. He sees and hears all that we do or utter, etc. And this is called (your confession for the) "Oneness of the Names and Qualities of Allah" Tauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat and this is the right Faith, the Faith which was followed by the Messengers of Allah (from Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus to Muhammad, peace be upon them all, and the companions of Prophet Muhammad and the righteous followers [i.e. the salaf ] of these Messengers, saaws. Believing "Muhammad-ur-Rasool-Allah" (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)" A confession with your heart that you have to say: "O Allah! I testify that Muhammad is Your Messenger." That means that none has the right to be followed after Allah, but Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as he is the last of Allah’s Messengers. As Allah said: "Muhammad (saaws) is not the father of any man among you but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets and Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.’ (v.33:40). "And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad, saaws, gives you, take it and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain from it." (v. 59:7) And Allah said: "Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Allah, then follow me.’" (v. 3:31) LINK
niedziela, 29 kwietnia 2007
Saudyjczycy uwielbiają pornografię
 Up to 70% of files exchanged between Saudi teenagers' mobile phones contain pornography, according to a study in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom. The study quoted in Arab News focussed on the phones of teenagers detained by religious police for harassing girls. The same researcher also found that 88% of girls say they have been victims of harassment using Bluetooth technology. Saudi Arabia has toughened penalties for misuse of mobile phones which challenge its strict social traditions. "The flash memory of mobile phones taken from teenagers showed 69.7% of 1,470 files saved in them were pornographic and 8.6% were related to violence," said report author Professor Abdullah al-Rasheed. He presented his study at a seminar organised by the King Fahd Security Academy, Arab News reports. Public social contact between genders is banned in public in Saudi Arabia, which enforces a strict interpretation of Islamic law and morality. But the spread of Bluetooth technology, allowing wireless connection between mobile phones, has allowed for increased opportunities of communication as well as abuse by predatory young men. BBC News.
niedziela, 22 kwietnia 2007
Więźniowie przechodzą na Islam
 Bassam Hamzy THE NSW Government has launched a prison crackdown on a group of the state's most dangerous criminals who have converted to Islam. The targets are held in the highest security jail in Australia, the Super Max facility inside the walls of Goulburn jail, where one in three of the inmates is a Muslim fundamentalist or a convert. Two prison converts, one a convicted murderer and the other a rapist, have married Muslim women in marriage ceremonies conducted over the telephone on party lines. Attorney-General John Hatzistergos is introducing sweeping changes to the prison regulations so the Super Max Muslims are monitored 24/7 because of safety and security fears. "We have to be able to control every movement and every utterance because of the threat they pose," Mr Hatzistergos told The Sun-Herald. "We don't want to see any risk to people either inside or outside the system. We simply can't take our eye off them." Called the "Super Max Jihadists", they are easily identifiable, with shaven heads, long beards, carrying prayer beads and conducting prayers at least three times a day in their cells. Their ringleader and powerbroker is Bassam Hamzy, jailed for 21 years for the cold-blooded shooting murder of an 18-year-old man outside the Mr Goodbar nightclub in Oxford Street in 1998. Prison officers have confiscated pictures of Osama bin Laden from the walls of Hamzy's cell. Prisoners have been captured on surveillance tapes kneeling in front of Hamzy and kissing his hands. The 37 Super Max inmates, including backpacker serial killer Ivan Milat, have committed 48 murders and are serving combined sentences of 550 years. Now 12 of them claim adherence to Islam and form a close-knit culture in the purpose-built jail within a jail. Under Mr Hatzistergos's new measures, Hamzy and his apostles will be deemed "extreme high security" and be subject to controls that can be ordered at any time by NSW Corrective Services commissioner Ron Woodham. The crackdown will stop money being sent by sympathisers on the outside to influence inmates to convert to Islam. In future, Mr Woodham will have to approve in advance any sums of money sent to inmates' accounts in the "extreme high security" category. "We don't have a difficulty with people taking up a religion per se in jail," Mr Hatzistergos said. "A lot of people do and that can be beneficial. "Where we do draw the line is where religion is really a camouflage for other activities. "If any person thinks that by taking up religion, that somehow it is going to lead to them being treated differently on a day-to-day basis, they will be sadly mistaken." He was supported by Mr Woodham, who said: "We're concerned about real heavy criminals who have had no interest in religion at all during their lives but, on coming to jail, then convert to Islam. "A number of Aboriginal prisoners, unfortunately, doing impossible sentences, have converted to Islam. They denounce their Aboriginality for Islam." Outlining the new powers to case-manage the Hamzy followers, Mr Hatzistergos said: "They can be moved around the jail system for any purpose at any time. "The commissioner can put in place any additional security arrangements he wishes, including a restriction on contact visits, monitoring those visits, monitoring phone calls, recording phone calls and checking all mail." Mr Hatzistergos, who is also Justice Minister, said the Department of Corrective Services would face justifiable criticism if it didn't act in response to the safety and security of the prison system being compromised. "We make no apologies for it," he said. "We are dealing here with, religion or no religion, some of the worst of the worst offenders who have no respect for authority. "The thought that somehow religion has acted as a catharsis for them and made them see the light is, quite frankly, ludicrous." (The Sydney Morning Herald)
czwartek, 12 kwietnia 2007
Tolerancja wobec chrześcijan i Żydów
The Tolerance of the Fâtimids toward
“The People of the Book” (Ahl al-kitâb) Diana Steigerwald “With respect to relations between the Western and Islamic worlds, are we not seeing a conflict of stereotypes and prejudices, exacerbates by a good measure of ignorance about Islam? There are, of course, some differences, but if superficiality and trivialization can be set aside, and be replaced by the will to go deeper to seek a solid foundation for mutual understanding and respects, it can be found in the common heritage of the Abrahamic faiths and the ethical principles that they share.” His Highness the Âghâ Khân, speaking at the presentation ceremony for The Aga Khan Award for Architecture, November 6th, 2001, Aleppo, Syria. In the Qur’ân, Jews and Christians are designated as Ahl al-Kitâb (People of the Book). The Book (Kitâb) refers to previous revelation such as the Torah (Tawrât), the Psalms (Zabûr), and the Gospels (Injîl). The status of Ahl al-Kitâb is distinguished from the one of idolaters (mushrikûn) (XXVII: 62s.). The latter are invited to adopt Islâm whereas Jews and Christians may keep their religion. The Qur’ân (III: 110, 199) recommends Muslims to be respectful toward Ahl al-Kitâb since there are sincere believers among them. Islâm is a tolerant religion. Tolerance does not mean a passive adherence to all opinions, but an affirmation of our own faith while respecting other religions. Tolerance means to accept other people with their own differences; hence the Qur’ân recognizes the right of People of the Book to practice their religion. It is clearly indicated in the Qur’ân (II: 256) that Islâm may not be imposed by force. Tolerance invites people to reflect and to dialogue in order to raise their level of understanding themselves and their relations with peoples who profess a different faith, position, or outlook. Prophet Muhammad used to explain that the People of the Book received only a part of the truth (III: 23; IV: 44). Hence certain Jews and Christians forgot the original principles of the Abrahamic faith. Muhammad considered [p. 17] the religious writings compiled by some scribes corrupted and falsified, where they differed with the Qur’ânic truth (cf. XX: 133; IX: 30-31). Thus he invited the Jews and the Christians to accept the Qur’ân which completes former revelations. The People of the Book could find the confirmation of the Qur’ânic revelation by carefully examining the Bible (cf. II: 89, 101; III: 7, 64; IV: 47). Even if the Judeo-Christian scriptures were altered, there still remain some elements of truth within them. The Qur’ân even recognizes that certain Jews and Christians are saved in the Hereafter (II: 62). The Constitution of Medina protected Jews and Christians. They were called dhimmiyyûn (protected subjects) who were not subject to the religious tax (zakât) but were required to pay another tax (jiziya). Their goods were protected and they were given the right to practice their religions. In exchange for upholding certain obligations, they were given these rights. The Constitution stipulated that the Jews would form one composite nation with the Muslims; they could practice their religion as freely as the Muslims; they had to join the Muslims in defending Medina against all enemies. After the death of the Prophet, his direct descendants through his daughter Fâtima and his cousin `Alî, had to wait many centuries before creating in 567/909 the Fâtimid Empire, which extended from actual Palestine to Tunisia. In this Empire, the majority of Muslims were Sunnî and Coptic Christians constituted a very significant portion of the population. There were also significant numbers of Christians, called Melkites, who belonged to an Orthodox Greek denomination, as well as Jews, especially in Syria. Nâsir-i Khusraw (d. circa 470/1077), the famous Ismâ`îlî thinker, who visited Egypt, noticed that nowhere in the Muslim world had he seen Christians enjoy as much peace and material wealth as did the Copts. The Caliph al-Mu`izz hired a large number of Ahl al-Kitâb as administrators of the state. The Caliph al-`Azîz continued his father’s policy of religious tolerance and married a Melkite Christian. Al-`Azîz’s two brothers-in- law, Orestes and Arsenius, were nominated Patriarch of Jerusalem and Metropolitan of Cairo, respectively. In spite of Muslim discontent and jealousy, al-`Azîz permitted the Coptic Patriarch Ephraim to restore the Church of St. Mercurius near Fustât. Moreover, he protected the Patriarch against Muslim attacks. The Caliph al-Hâkim (d. 411/1021) experienced many difficulties internally as well as externally during his reign. He temporarily adopted some antagonistic measures against Christians. Christians and Jews were forced to follow the Islâmic law. However, toward the end of his reign, al-Hâkim changed his policy. Thus, he restored some of the churches and became more tolerant toward the Christians and their religious practices. The following Caliph al-Zâhir (d. 427/1036) established a complete policy of religious freedom. During the Fâtimid period, Christians and Jews had full liberty to celebrate their festivals. Muslims took part in these celebrations and the state participated as well. The government also used some Christian festivals as an occasion for the distribution of garments and money among the people. Christians and Jews were employed in the Fâtimid administration. They were able to reach very important ranks, even to go as high as the position of vizier. It is worth mentioning that no similar examples of employment of non-Muslim viziers are known among other Muslim contemporary dynasties. Nowhere in the Muslim world during that time could non-Muslims accede to such a rank. The only exception to this policy of religious tolerance was under al-Hâkim’s reign. According to the historian al-Maqrîzî (d. 846/1442), economic and social life deteriorated during this era. The Ismâ`îlî dâ`î Hamîd al-dîn Kirmânî (d. 412/1021), in his treatise Al-risâlat al-wâ`iza, described this critical period in which there was a great famine. Several of the hostile but temporary measures taken by al-Hâkim can be explained by the existing situation, in which some in the community were extremely perturbed by the growing prosperity of Ahl al-Kitâb and their increasing power in the state. Al-Hâkim perhaps also wanted to thwart the Byzantine Empire, which threatened Northern Syria. Broadly speaking, it must be emphasized that Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived peacefully and worked together for the well being of the Empire in all Ifrîqiya. Continuing the Ismaili tradition, even today, His Highness the Âghâ Khân, while not a head of a state, represents an international community and one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations, employing many skillful people who are not Muslims. His institutions benefit from the competence of people coming from different cultures and religions. In many of his speeches, he also recognizes that Western ethical principles of faith are essentially the same as those of Islâm. In the contemporary Islâmic world, the treatment of the Ahl al-Kitâb varies from one Muslim country to another. While most Muslim countries proclaim to be secular, their understanding of the relations between Muslim and non-Muslim is still inspired by the perspectives which derive from pre-modern interpretations of juridical traditions. The constitutions of many countries stipulate that the Chief of State must be Muslim. However, in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, and in some other states, religious minorities are represented in the legislative bodies. Bibliography: Madelung Wilferd, “Ismâ`îliyya”, EI2, vol. 6 (1978): 198-206. Steigerwald Diane, L’islâm: les valeurs communes au judéo- christianisme, Montréal-Paris: Médiaspaul, 1999. Vajda Georges, “Ahl al-kitâb”, EI2 , vol. 1 (1979): 264-266. Diana Steigerwald Religious Studies, California State University (Long Beach)
wtorek, 03 kwietnia 2007
Holocaust? Nie przy muzułmanach
W skrócie: w Wielkiej Brytanii niektóre szkoły (nauczyciele) przemilczają temat Krucjat czy Holocaustu żeby nie razić muzułmańskich uczniów...
Schools are dropping the Holocaust from history lessons to avoid offending Muslim pupils, a Governmentbacked study has revealed. It found some teachers are reluctant to cover the atrocity for fear of upsetting students whose beliefs include Holocaust denial. There is also resistance to tackling the 11th century Crusades - where Christians fought Muslim armies for control of Jerusalem - because lessons often contradict what is taught in local mosques. The findings have prompted claims that some schools are using history 'as a vehicle for promoting political correctness'. The study, funded by the Department for Education and Skills, looked into 'emotive and controversial' history teaching in primary and secondary schools. It found some teachers are dropping courses covering the Holocaust at the earliest opportunity over fears Muslim pupils might express anti-Semitic and anti-Israel reactions in class. The researchers gave the example of a secondary school in an unnamed northern city, which dropped the Holocaust as a subject for GCSE coursework. The report said teachers feared confronting 'anti-Semitic sentiment and Holocaust denial among some Muslim pupils'. It added: "In another department, the Holocaust was taught despite anti-Semitic sentiment among some pupils. "But the same department deliberately avoided teaching the Crusades at Key Stage 3 (11- to 14-year-olds) because their balanced treatment of the topic would have challenged what was taught in some local mosques." A third school found itself 'strongly challenged by some Christian parents for their treatment of the Arab-Israeli conflict-and the history of the state of Israel that did not accord with the teachings of their denomination'. The report concluded: "In particular settings, teachers of history are unwilling to challenge highly contentious or charged versions of history in which pupils are steeped at home, in their community or in a place of worship." But Chris McGovern, history education adviser to the former Tory government, said: "History is not a vehicle for promoting political correctness. Children must have access to knowledge of these controversial subjects, whether palatable or unpalatable." The researchers also warned that a lack of subject knowledge among teachers - particularly at primary level - was leading to history being taught in a 'shallow way leading to routine and superficial learning'. Lessons in difficult topics were too often 'bland, simplistic and unproblematic' and bored pupils. Za Daily Mail.
środa, 14 marca 2007
Reformy islamu: Mahmoud Mohamed Taha
Does the work of Mahmoud Mohamed Taha announce the birth of an Islamic theology of liberation? In any case, reading this major work by a Sudanese sheik (The Second Message of Islam, Al Risala Al Tania Min El Islam, Khartoum 1971) cannot leave one indifferent. The deep convictions of this believing Moslem, his mastery of theology, and the power of his argument in favor of a radically new interpretation of his faith, in open rupture with the dominant fundamentalist creed, testify to the importance of this contribution to Islamic renewal which, in many respects, recalls the Christian theology of liberation.
Taha finds in Islam two messages from God (in Arabic Risala), one immediate (the first Risala in Islamic terms) the other ultimate (the "second" Risala). To understand the second Risala clarifies the debate, permits us to understand the first, and see why the dominant Islam is content with it. True faith is impossible without adherence to the second Risala, which can be summed up in a single phrase: humanity was created in the image of God. Because of this we are free, responsible, and perfectible. The lives of individuals are a constant struggle to realize divine perfection, though there is always the possibility of distancing ourselves from God. The life of societies as well has no meaning other than their struggle to progress in the direction of perfection. Taha deduces from this message a radical conclusion: the ideal society, which must be the objective of all social struggles, that which creates the most favorable conditions for individuals to develop towards God, that without which faith will always remain the victim of the limits which society imposes on the flourishing of responsible individual freedom, cannot be other than a society which is socialist and democratic. Socialism, according to Taha (who uses the Arabic term Ishtirakiya) is synonymous with equal access to all of the material riches which human genius can create. It is thus actually more like the concept of communism (in Arabic shiyuiya) than like the experience and programs of historic socialism in the modern period. For, according to Taha, in so far as these social conditions are not created, individuals remain imprisoned by the egoistic compulsions which limit their ability to realize their potential to grow towards God. Taha also discusses the relationship between humanity and nature in terms of the second or ultimate message of Islam. Nature is as much a divine creation as humanity, which forms an integral part of nature. Nature is not, therefore, a collection of things placed at the disposition of humanity. We can not grow towards divine perfection unless we establish with nature a real equilibrium, deepening our knowledge of the universe as an organized totality. This rule thus defines both the end of and the conditions for the organization of production. In its turn, socialism (or communism) has no meaning unless it is democratic, that is to say, in Taha's terms, unless it is founded on the absolute liberty of individuals. For this liberty is the condition for responsibility, the guarantee that the choices that individuals are led to make in each instant, in all their relationships, can lead them towards (or away) from God. Taha distinguishes the project which he defends in the name of Islam from that of the historic socialism of the modern period. The Soviet model, among others, according to him, rested on the egoistical compulsions of individuals --a characteristic which Soviet society shared with modern capitalist societies. The contempt for democracy in the Soviet Union came, Taha argues, from this contradiction between the end which it proclaims (socialism as the abolition of injustice) and its materialistic philosophy, which ultimately forced the party to have recourse to the manipulation of individual egoism. But if faith cannot flourish in the modern world (including the Islamic countries), it certainly couldn't flourish in any of the earlier systems (including, once again, in Islamic territory) because the injustice created by this recourse to individual egoism perpetuates itself. Without true faith, socialism is impossible. So goes the "second" or ultimate message of Islam in the theology which Taha proposes. This message Islam shares with all of humanity's other forms of religious expression. For Islam thus conceived has always existed. It is not to be dated from the Koranic revelation. It is the "religion of God," that is to say it has existed in all times, and is expressed in, among other things, the Jewish, Christian, and other revelations. But the "religion of God" (Islam), while it has known earlier expressions, is also present in the Koranic revelation, which contains, alongside the "ultimate" message, a more immediate and conjunctural one. For God is always present. He intervenes in the lives of both individual human beings and the lives of societies. He sends messages, commandments which address the people in language they are able to understand at any given moment. These messages, which are conjunctural, help individuals and societies to correct themselves, to take one small step (but not necessarily anything more) on the road towards God. This is why they can seem contradictory, if one takes them literally and gives them an absolute significance which they don't have. In the Koranic revelation, as in the Tradition (the Sunna), it is thus necessary to distinguish between the ultimate message and the conjunctural commandments. In his careful, scholarly textual analysis, Taha argues that the ultimate message occupies a dominant place at the beginning of the Revelation, in the Meccan suras. Here the Revelation concerns itself not with the development of society but only with the essence of the faith (the human being, free and responsible, was created in the image of the one all powerful God). On the contrary, the opportunity having offered itself to organize a slightly better society than that which existed in the Arabia of the day, at Medina, around the Prophet, a society capable of taking a few steps on the road towards God, God did not hesitate to intervene to help humanity in structuring it. Taha argues that the commandments made to this society should thus be read as conjunctural, not as the final image of the ideal society, the realization of the absolute. In this context Taha treats eight distinct questions which Moslems generally consider to be regulated by the Law (the Sharia') as it was expressed in the Medina community: 1) Holy War (the Jihad), 2) slavery (Al Riq), 3) capitalism (Al Rismalia) --one can read this as the question of economic management of society by means of private property and licit commerce, 4) the inequality of men and women, 5) polygamy, 6) divorce and repudiation (Al Talaq), 7) the veiling of women (Al Hijab), and 8) the separation of men and women in social life. By means of a careful analysis of sacred texts, Taha defends his theology, putting the accent on all of the nuances which demonstrate, according to his reading, the conjunctural character of the solutions brought by the law in its time and place. Each of the chapters concerning these eight questions carry a title in the same from ... Holy War is not fundamental in Islam, Polygamy is not fundamental in Islam etc. Unfortunately Moslems, like many other peoples, were satisfied with the immediate message and its commandments. In putting the accent on obedience to these, they spared themselves the far more difficult task of progressing along the road indicated by the ultimate message --the road towards God. They ritualized and dogmatized religion. This satisfied the reactionary forces of domination and exploitation. Taha concludes with severity: they have not created an Islamic community (muslimoun) but only a community of believers (muiminun). Taha tried to preach actively against the conservative, ritualistic, formalist interpretation of Islam, which respects only the immediate message, and for an interpretation which put an accent on the ultimate message, calling people to action for the transformation of society in a direction favorable to the development of faith. He did this through his writings and through his words, and he organized around himself a body of militant students dedicated to his vision. This was his crime, in the eyes of the politicians who, behind the mask of political Islam, reject democracy, give aid and comfort to capitalism, taking absolute power, and reducing their people to moral slavery. He was condemned to death by the "tribunals" of the Islamic Brotherhood, under the direction of the imposter Tourabi. He was hung --at the age of 70. His books have been forbidden and burned. (Samir Amin) Źródło Wikipedia
poniedziałek, 12 lutego 2007
Religia w służbie arabskiego nacjonalizmu
Islamic education in Syrian schools is traditional, rigid, and Sunni. The Ministry of Education makes no attempt to inculcate notions of tolerance or respect for religious traditions other than Sunni Islam. Christianity is the one exception to this rule. Indeed, all religious groups other than Christians are seen to be enemies of Islam, who must be converted or fought against. The Syrian government teaches school children that over half of the world’s six billion inhabitants will go to hell and must be actively fought by Muslims. Jews have their own status. The Jewish religion – the Torah and the Jewish prophets – are considered divine – but the Jewish people, who, it is claimed, deny their prophets, are fated to go to hell and must be eliminated.
At first view, one might expect Syria to promote a liberal and tolerant view of religious difference in its religion curriculum. The reasons for this are many. Syria has been ruled by leaders belonging to a religious minority, the Muslim Alawi sect, for 40 years and is home to many religious minorities both Christian and Muslim. It plays a commanding role in the politics of Lebanon, a country in which no more than 20% of the population is Sunni Muslim. Most importantly, Syria has been good to its minorities, who enjoy greater security and opportunity than in any other Arab country.[†] Nevertheless, Syria has chosen not to follow a path of religious liberalism. Instead, it has pursued an integralist policy of nation-building for the last 40 years under the Ba`th Party. The Asads have struggled to be good Sunnis, not to make Sunnis into good liberals. One can only wonder how long Syria’s reputation for tolerance and willingness to protect religious minorities will survive its Alawite ascendancy. Once the Alawis lose power and are unable to protect minorities, the education Syrians acquire in school will not contribute to the continuation of policies of religious inclusion and tolerance. Since coming to power in 2000, Bashar al-Asad has made a number of promises to reform the Syrian education system, including curricular reform of religious education. So far, however, the Islamic textbooks used in the mandatory religion instruction in Syrian schools have been little changed. History of the Syrian School System and the Religion Curriculum Religious education in Syria is an integral aspect of the curriculum. Every student studies either Christianity or Islam for two to three hours a week from the first grade to the twelfth. Although religion classes are compulsory, the grade is not calculated in the students’ main annual grade-point average. If a student fails religion class (suff ad-diyana), he is not prevented from passing into the next year, as he would be if he failed Arabic for example. If, however, the student fails two classes including religion, he or she is held back a year. When applying to university, a student’s grade point average is calculated without the inclusion of his grade for religion class. Even sports classes and military training (futuwwa) are given more importance than religion class; their grades are factored into the students’ average. Consequently, many smart students stop studying for religion by their senior year, knowing that a low or failing grade in religion will not prevent them getting into top university programs. Also, religion is usually taught as the last subject in the school day, when students are tired and have trouble concentrating – an indication of the subject’s overall lack of importance within the curriculum. Although religion class is an essential part of the Syrian curriculum throughout the twelve years of elementary and secondary school training, many students consider it the least important of their classes and remember little of the actual content. I asked some twenty Syrians to describe the content of their religion classes in an attempt to gain an anecdotal idea of what Syrians remember studying. All described having to memorize suras from the Quran and hadith; they all recalled learning about the five pillars of Islam and how to pray. All claimed to have learnt general values, such as obeying parents and teachers, the importance of honesty and respect for other people. When asked about their instruction in jihad, and in how subjects such as Israel, Jews, and the West were treated, none could recall such matters being discussed in religion class – and doubted that they were part of the curriculum – even though they are, in fact, part of the curriculum. One Syrian explained this collective amnesia by claiming, “It's true. The textbooks are medieval and political, but at the end of the day everyone knows in these countries that you don't pay attention to such classes.” Syrian students at the university level are dismissive of the saqafa al-`amma or general culture class, in which students learn Ba`thist ideology. When I was a student at the University of Damascus in the 1980s, this class was universally referred to as “sakhafa” or silliness class. All the same, the material taught in religion class has an effect on students, even on many of those that do not take it seriously. The world view elaborated in the texts is widespread in Syria, particularly among the ulema and religious classes. Even more secular Syrians absorb elements of the religion curriculum, which are reinforced on television and by other forms of media. The Genesis of Arabist and Sunni Islamic Orthodoxy The present school system was established in 1967, when Syria signed the Arab Cultural Unity Agreement with Jordan and Egypt. It introduced a uniform school ladder in the three countries – six years of primary, three years of lower secondary, and three years of higher secondary schooling. It also established norms for universal curricula, examination procedures, and teacher training requirements for each level.[2] Many textbooks, printed in Egypt, were used for years in Jordanian and Syrian schools. They established an academic orthodoxy that guides textbook production today. The genesis of this Arab nationalist school system during the time of Nasser helps explain much of the pan-Arab and Sunni rigidity in the Syrian curriculum. In order to promote cultural and political unity among the Arab peoples, Nasser’s academics hued to a narrow and integralist vision of Arabism just as they reduced Islam to the simple and rigid prescriptions of Sunni orthodoxy. They believed that to discuss the regional differences between Arabs and the sectarian differences between Muslims would open the door to internecine squabbling and discrimination, rather than promote tolerance and ultimate cohesion among Arabs. Perhaps they believed that to air one’s differences would help the enemy to divide and conquer? Whatever the reason, the pan-Arab nationalist and Sunni Islamic orthodoxy in Arab pedagogy was consolidated in 1967 and has remained a barrier to liberalism and the open discussion of religious and national diversity ever since. For Syria’s Alawite leaders to back away from this orthodoxy is politically dangerous. To dismantle Nasser’s curriculum and to attack Sunni orthodoxy in the school system would cast doubt on their nationalist and Islamic credentials. The Asads have sought to conform to majority Sunni notions of Islam, rather than to enforce secularism or western notions of separation between church and state. The religious conservatism of the regime became pronounced following the Muslim Brother uprising in the early 1980s and is unlikely to change in the face of increased Israeli and US pressure. CAŁOŚĆ TUTAJ
sobota, 06 stycznia 2007
Koran czy konstytucja?
When
the first Muslim congressman in U.S. history, Keith Ellison
(Hakim-Mohammed) of Minnesota, won the 2006 election and was making the
regular thank-you-to-my-supporters speech, he allowed his fans to
shout, "Allahu Akbar!," the same phrase allegedly used by the 9/11
suicide pilots.
What he hasn't done is respond to requests from WND to confirm that he will, in fact, base his decisions on the laws of the United States on the U.S. Constitution, not the Quran. Ciekawy artykuł w WND o muzułmanach w polityce
niedziela, 01 października 2006
Jezus, islam, chrześcijaństwo
Książka "A Closer Look at Christianity" >>>TUTAJ<<<
The post crucifixion prophesied events never happened When people were asking Jesus Christ if he was going to show them a sign, he replied by saying that the only sign they should expect is the sign of Jonas. Jesus also made sure to specify what exactly this sign was. The details are shown in the following verses: Matthew 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Jesus here emphasized what will happen to him by specifically saying that he will be like Jonas in terms of the number of days and nights he will be in the heart of the earth, "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40). Now let us see if this prophecy came to pass. Jesus was crucified on Friday, this is certainly known among all Christians, and it’s the reason for calling that Friday by "Good Friday." Jesus was buried on Friday night. Now let us start counting: 1. Friday night Jesus was buried. This is night #1. 2. Saturday day Jesus was still in the grave. This is day #1. 3. Saturday night Jesus was still in the grave. This is night #2. Mary Magdalene, very early in the morning before sun rise and after the Sabbath (Saturday), went to see Jesus, and found that he was not there. The following verses describe this event: Mark 16:1 And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. Mark 16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? Mark 16:4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. Mark 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. Mark 16:6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. The number of days and nights Jesus spent in the heart of the earth is 1 day and 2 nights. This challenges what Jesus had prophesied. When I tell this to my Christian brothers, some of them responded by saying that what Jesus wanted to really say was that he will be gone for a while, and not that he will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. This is clearly not the case. Had Jesus meant that, he would have said it, but it is clear that he wanted people to know this was a sign (miracle) and it will be like Jonas’ sign, and he will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. These were his own words. Another argument is that the Jews used a different system for the day and night which makes the prophecy come true. The idea says that Jews used to consider a day shorter than we consider it now. If you would ask a Jewish person about their calendar you would find that this is not the case, and a day does not become shorter at all. The difference between a Jewish day and a regular day is the time when the day starts and ends. Jewish people considered the day over when the sun went down, whereas now we consider midnight to be the end of a day. There is no difference in the length of the day, and accepting the Jewish day would only make things worse as far as the prophecy goes. Why would Jesus have to die on the cross? According to the Christian doctrine, Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Every human is born with sins, or all humans will eventually sin, and therefore it was necessary that someone as pure as Jesus would be crucified to nullify these sins. The question is; why does anyone have to die for our sins when God, the all merciful, could as easily grant us forgiveness if we asked for it? Why does He have to make someone suffer for our sins or for someone else’s sins? Isn’t that unjust of Him? According to the Bible the way to redemption could be obtained without the need for sacrifice. The Bible says: Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Ezekiel 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Clearly the soul that sins shall die. Clearly, no one shall bear the iniquity (sins) of others. So Jesus cannot bear the sins of others either. If one is righteous then it shall be upon him, and if one commits a sin then it shall be upon him, and not on Jesus. Finally, the way to repentance and forgiveness is by turning from all sins, doing what is right, and keeping the commandments. Also we see the same message given by Solomon. He says in the book of Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." This is the whole message, and this is the conclusion of messages. It is that one should fear God, keep His commandments, and nothing else. Again in II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." This clearly states that to seek forgiveness from God we have to humble ourselves, pray, seek God, and turn away from wickedness. Finally the Bible says in I Samuel 15:22 "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." This clearly states that obeying God is better than sacrifice whether this sacrifice is of objects, animals, or humans, or any other type. What God likes is for us to heed and obey Him, and if that is what God likes then it is not of Him to come later and change His mind and His ways. God says in the Holy Quran, "Verily God is All-Knowing, All-Wise" (Ch 9: Vr 28). Now that we have seen this, Christians say that Jesus has changed some of these laws. Did Jesus come to change laws? Let’s look at what Jesus says. In Matthew 5:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Jesus clearly states that he was not sent to abolish the law, the law of which had already existed. What is mentioned above cannot be discounted. Then Jesus continues to say, in Matthew 5:18 and 19 "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Jesus here asserts that not even as much as a tittle (dot) shall pass from the law. Every thing is kept the way it was. This is why the previous laws cannot be removed or discarded, and those who willfully change these laws "he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." |
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