VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 24, April 21, 2008

Editor: Hajji Mohamed Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficient and the Most Merciful

"DECLARING ALLAH'S TRUTH, ONE SURAH AT A TIME"

"O HUMAN KIND, WE HAVE CREATED YOU FROM MALE AND FEMALE, EVOLVED YOU INTO A VARIETY OF PEOPLES AND ORGANIZED COMMUNITIES IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY KNOW AND RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER. CERTAINLY THE MOST HONORABLE OF ALL OF YOU (IN THE ESTIMATION OF ALLAH) ARE THOSE WHO ARE MOST SINCERE & DUTIFUL AND GOD-CONSCIOUS. SURELY, ALLAH IS ALL-KNOWING, BEST INFORMED.
(Holy Quran 49:13).

PART A:

ISLAM: THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD RELIGION:

WORDS OF THE BLIND AND IGNORANT - "Mecca: Center of Evil"

"Already more than a billion-people strong, Islam is the world's fastest growing religion". ABCNEWS, Abcnews.com

"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the United States"...NEW YORK TIMES, Feb 21, 1989 and TIME MAGAZINE

"Moslems are the world's fastest-growing group..." USA TODAY. The population reference bureau, Feb 17, 1989.

"MUHUMMED IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF ALL PROPHETS AND RELIGIOUS PERSONALITIES". Encyclopedia Britannica.

"There are more Muslims in North America than Jews now". Dan Rathers, CBS NEWS

"The religion of Islam is growing faster than any other religion in the world". MIKE WALLACE, 60 minutes.

"Muslims in America already outnumber Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Mormons, and they are more numerous than Quakers, Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christian Scientists combined. Many demographers say Islam has ovetaken Judaism as the country's second-most commonly practiced religion; others say it is in the passing lane". Johan Blank, US NEWS (7/20/98)

ITALY SEIZES QURAN PRINTED TOILET SEATS:

Following Muslim complaints, police raided the four branches of the company in the town of Latina, 60km south of Rome, and seized 2,000 such pieces on sale.

Interior minister Giuliano Amato met Friday with Italian Muslim leaders at the main Rome Mosque to reassure them that Italy would not tolerate such outrageous acts.“This is an insult to the Muslim faith,” The Imam of the Lazio town of Latina’s mosque, Sheikh Yusuf, told Amato. Amato reassured Yusuf, saying: “I would like to tell our friends from Latina that we have been informed of this matter and are taking action because it is offensive.”

(sheikermami.com)

Part B:

FOCUS OF THE WEEK:

Our Ummah in Germany

EDITORIAL NOTE:

Many of our Muslim brothers and sisters settled in the western world experience a similar set of problems while at the same time have their own unique political, legal and social challenges based on their respective western country of residence. For reasons not clearly known, our Ummah in Germany has been off the Global Ummah's radar screen for too long and we thought it best to put them as our spotlight in this issue.

INTERVIEW WITH ISLAM EXPERT DIETRICH REETZ:

(Only part of the interview published below).

Interview conducted by Norbert F. Pötzl and Rainer Traub

'Muslims Have a Right to Be Different'

INTERVIEW WITH GERMAN ISLAMIC EXPERT DIETRICH REETZ (4-18-08)

Islamic expert Dietrich Reetz of Berlin's Center for Modern Oriental Studies (ZMO) speaks to SPIEGEL about Muslims in Germany, social tensions and the prospects for dialogue between the communities.

Students at a class in Islamic School in Berlin, Germany.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Reetz, recently the debate about the propensity to violence, among young Muslim men in particular, has heated up in Germany. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung co-editor Frank Schirrmacher wrote that, “the mixture of youth criminality and Muslim fundamentalism” is “the closest thing today to the deadly ideologies of the 20th century.” He is drawing an analogy to fascism and Stalinism. Is that excessive dramatization or is there a real threat?

Dietrich Reetz: The incidents have been exaggerated. The negative images that are projected on Islam have little to do with religion, but instead are largely a result of the political problems and social situation of the people in question. Before immigrants’ beliefs came to the forefront, the same problems were treated mainly under terms such as immigration, integration, and multicultural society.

SPIEGEL: Muslims are often perceived as aggressive, demanding, and intolerant.

Reetz: First we need to take note of the fact that the vast majority of Muslims in Germany behave peacefully. Furthermore, not everyone who comes from a Muslim-influenced cultural group is religious or Muslim. So we can’t ascribe the problems that occur in socially troubled areas to religion or Islam.

SPIEGEL: Muslims in Germany mostly live in urban areas with social problems: unemployment, political discrimination, societal stigmatization. In this context, what is the significance of young Muslim men’s identification with Islam?

Reetz: Recourse to religion offers young immigrants a cultural foothold when they feel excluded from society or sense that their chances of advancement are slight. The youth who increasingly turn to religion belong to a generation that was born and grew up in Germany, but asserts its right to live its own culture and religion self-confidently and without restrictions.

SPIEGEL: Is publicly and demonstratively declaring oneself a Muslim intended as a rejection of European values?

Reetz: Islam has contributed to European identity since the early Middle Ages and was present in Spain for centuries. Moreover, Islam grew from the same historical and cultural roots in the eastern Mediterranean as Christianity and Judaism. In this respect it too belongs to the heritage of the European West. However, after being separate so long, Islam seems alien to many Europeans. The new generation wants to be considered European Muslims.

SPIEGEL: .....You’re counting on a resolution from within Islam?

Reetz: Islam is easier to deal with, the less you interfere. Attempts to reform from the outside only lead to strange developments, make things more complicated and get things even more mixed up with political problems. What is important is that everyone complies with the legal system, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, immigrants or have German ancestry. For me the keyword is mutual trust.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Reetz, thank you for speaking with us. (Norbert Potzl & Rainer traub).

PART C:

Teaching Islamic religion in German schools:

Few schools offer religious education for Muslim students. This question is of particular interest to Germany's Muslim community. The country's three million Muslims are also guaranteed freedom of worship under German law. But there are still some difficulties when it comes to religious education for Muslims. Only a few federal states in Germany currently have pilot projects for Islamic religion classes in schools. This is partially due to a lack of initiative on the part of the German school system. But another challenge is the high number of Muslim umbrella groups and different Islamic religious denominations in Germany. Government officials say it is difficult to find a consistent representative for the entire Muslim community who can decide on a fixed curriculum for Islamic religion classes. But this will likely be resolved in the near future. At the same time, the influence of churches on German society continues to decline. While churches were an especially strong political force in the early days of the federal republic, their role is fading increasingly into the background, said church historian Michael Basse. "The times in which politicians had to fear the power of the churches are long gone," he said.

DW staff

PART D:

SPECIAL GYM IN GERMANY CATERS TO MUSLIM WOMEN, BANS BODY CULT:

Even swimwear is created for Muslim women

A gym in the city of Cologne has made many Muslim women feel at home. After a successful year in business, others want to open up more fitness centers where devout women can get a great work-out while remaining modest.The city of Cologne is a true melting pot, with one of the largest Muslim populations in Germany. In the Ehrenfeld city district, Muslim women who want to be physically fit can follow the lead of female personal trainers at the "Hayat" (which means "life" in Turkish) gym and still keep their clothes on. Whether it's running on the treadmill, rowing on a machine, or doing aerobics to Turkish pop music, trainers Emine and Yasmin do their best to help modestly dressed Muslim women get in shape. The fitness crowd does not just have access to a full range of gym machines and exercise bikes, they can also take a break in the prayer room.

Pumping iron doesn't always have to mean showing a lot of skin But, you won't find these women wearing short shorts, flashing skin or working out for the sake of being seen. Many even don headscarves while they work the machines. Customers from different countries Emine Aydemir, the 39-year-old owner of the fitness club now celebrating its first anniversary, knows why her business has been a success. "Many women who wear scarves come here because so many other gyms treat them badly," she told DPA news service. "At Hayat, they feel at home and nobody stares at them because of what they're wearing."She said she has around 350 customers; 90 percent are Turkish, or Turkish-German, the rest are from Morocco, Tunisia, Romania and Egypt. The average age is 30, and some non-Muslim German women are also members, since being Muslim is not a requirement."We Muslim women don't envy one another's bodies," Aydemir told DPA. "We don't stare at each another and compare our figures. We accept each other as we are," she said.

Muslimas on the move

The Hayat fitness club in Cologne DSSV, an organization representing fitness and spa-industry employers throughout Germany, said only one other gym -- in the northern city of Hamburg -- caters specially to Muslimas.

DSSV's Refit Kamberovic said it was an opportunity for investors in other urban areas in Germany to develop the market niche. Aydemir also said she believes others are gearing up to imitate her idea. "I've fielded a lot of phone calls from people who ask exactly how they should go about setting up a gym like this," she said. "I tell them the recipe for success is to ban the cult of beautiful bodies and to emphasize health, enjoyment and sharing." Even so, being among other Muslims is what attracts many women to "Hayat." Hatice Aydin, a 27-year-old who works out every day, told DPA: "Before I came here, I used to go to another women-only gym, but I was the only one there wearing a headscarf. They were always giving me funny looks."I had to go into the toilet cubicles to get undressed and dressed," she said. "A lot of German women don't know our etiquette and they were always staring at me if I got dressed in the group changing rooms."

Respecting modesty "The recipe for success is to ban the cult of beautiful bodies and emphasize health" Aydemir explained that she was taught that Islam forbids exposing any part of the body between the bosom and knees, even to other women.So, changing rooms and showers at Hayat are divided into cubicles to respect this rule of modesty, and women who want to use the saunas wrap up in towels. Even busy mothers can get their work-out. They can drop off their kids at a playroom in the gym.


PART E:

THERE IS NO OTHER PIECE OF CLOTH IN THE WORLD THAT HAS GAINED AS MUCH INDIVIDUAL, NATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, LEGAL AND GLOBAL ATTENTION AS A POWER OF IDENTITY AS THE LOVELY - HIJAB.

German Court Upholds School Ban on Muslim Headscarf:

3/18/2008: A German court has rejected a bid by a Muslim teacher to wear her headscarf during lessons who argued she be treated the same as nuns at a state school who are permitted to teach in their religious habits.


The headscarf issue is a hot topic in Germany, a country with many Muslims

A German court has rejected a bid by a Muslim teacher to wear her headscarf during lessons who argued she be treated the same as nuns at a state school who are permitted to teach in their religious habits. Upholding a regional ban on teachers wearing the Islamic headscarf in public schools, the administrative court in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg ruled that a teacher who converted to Islam will not be allowed to wear her headscarf in the classroom, The court in Mannheim rejected a bid by 58-year-old Doris Graber who converted to Islam to wear her headscarf during lessons, saying the teacher was violating her obligation to keep religious expression out of the classroom and that the ban fully complied with the country's Basic Law."The directive issued by the school administration for those working at the school not to wear such a head covering is lawful," the court said in a statement, summarizing the ruling made Friday. "This also applies when the teacher in question is an employee with tenure who has worked at a school for several years with such a head covering without complaints from pupils or students."No to headscarves, yes to habits?

The judges overturned a ruling by a lower court that allowed Graber to wear a headscarf because nuns who taught at state schools were permitted to do so in their religious habits. The administrative court however rejected Graber's argument that she should be treated the same as three nuns in a public school elsewhere in the state on the grounds of religious equality. The judges however did not give a reason for rejecting the argument. Graber argues she should be treated the same as nuns. The state attorney spoke of a "historic exception" in the aforementioned public school where the nuns still teach in habit. The public school, which was formerly a monastery, was taken over by the state and authorities are bound to a contract governing the "exceptions status" of the school, he said. Graber, who has taught at a joint elementary and secondary school for more than three decades, converted to Islam in 1984. She had worn a traditional Muslim headscarf in the classroom since 1995 during which time no objections were raised. But in December 2004, the school board in the state capital Stuttgart ordered her to stop covering her head in the classroom on the grounds that it could influence impressionable children, prompting her to go to court. "I've been wearing a headscarf for 13 years and nobody has taken offence until now," Graber said at a court hearing.

Differing laws on headscarf Baden-Württemberg was the first of Germany's 16 states to ban the headscarf in schools after it was outlawed in France in 2004. The French ban sparked a heated debate in Germany and the federal constitutional court, the country's top court, finally ruled that each region had the right to make its own law in this regard. So far eight out of Germany's 16 states have ordered teachers not to wear the headscarf at schools, though Muslim pupils are generally allowed to do so. Germany is home to three million Muslims, the majority of them Turkish.

German State Court Upholds Headscarf Ban for Teachers

Teacher Brigitte Weiss, who converted from Christianity to Islam, lost the case.

A court in Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia has upheld a ban on female Muslim teachers wearing headscarves in schools.Wearing a headscarf violated a state regulation against religious symbols in public schools, the administrative court in the western city of Düsseldorf ruled on Tuesday.The case was brought by a 52-year-old secondary school teacher, who said she would appeal Tuesday's ruling.The teacher had argued that her headscarf was a "fashion accessory à la Grace Kelly" that was in line with Christian-Occidental values. The judges did not accept the argument, pointing out that since the teacher always wore the scarf, it was a symbol of her religous beliefs. Authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia imposed a ban on headscarves in June 2006. A similar ban was introduced in the southern state of Bavaria in 2005 with the aim of protecting children from the influence of Islamic fundamentalists.

A German flag as headscarf

Headscarves are banned in eight of Germany's 16 states, but laws vary about other headdress. After the headscarf prohibition came into effect in June 2006 in North Rhine-Westphalia, one teacher appeared at school wearing a beret. A court said the beret fell under the headscarf rule and asked the teacher to consider wearing a wig instead, which she refused.

In Bavaria, on the other hand, teachers may wear hats in school. At an administrative court in Stuttgart in the state of Baden-Württemburg, judges in July 2006 reversed an earlier decision. There, Muslim teachers may now wear headscarves since nuns are also permitted to wear their habits in public schools.

GERMANY (09/25/06)

Study Challenges Widely-held Notions About Islamic Headscarf

An instrument of suppression or harmless clothing of choice?

The headscarf is widely regarded in German society as a religious or political symbol that stands for the suppression of women or Muslim fundamentalism. A new study dismantles some of the clichés. The familiar thinking regarding the Islamic headscarf in Germany goes something like this -- it's a symbol of female suppression, a badge of sexual inhibition as well as a protest against Western cultural and moral decadence.

For those who thought they knew everything there is to know as to why certain Muslim women opt to cover their hair, a study published in Germany is likely to give them some food for thought.

Called "The Headscarf -- Unveiling of a Symbol?" and conducted by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the study polled 135 religious women of Turkish origin between the ages of 18 and 40 in various conservative and liberal Muslim communities across Germany. The interviews were conducted by bilingual volunteers. "Our aim was to gain access to how such women think and find answers to the question of what the headscarf means for the women who wear it," said Christoph Kannengiesser, the deputy secretary general of the foundation, which has close links to the conservative Christian Democratic Union political party.

Far from being suppressed and intimidated

Some 97 percent of the women polled said they wear the headscarf for religious reasons. For most, the decision to don a headscarf is personal and one that -- contrary to widespread perception -- is hardly influenced by the father, brother or husband. Instead, female role models within the family played a larger role in the decision, according to the study.

Headscarf-wearing Muslim women often say they feel discriminated against. Nine out of 10 women said the headscarf gave them self-confidence -- a point that the authors of the study say is "needed" because more than half the women feel discriminated against on account of their headgear at the work place or during a job search. Half of Germany's 16 federal states have already banned the wearing of a headscarf in public buildings and while performing state jobs.

However, 85 percent of those polled said they were friends with women who didn't
wear headscarves.

More importantly, for a society which to a great extent believes the headscarf to be an instrument of suppression and those women who wear it to be uneducated, most of the Turkish women said that it was "feeling like a free person" was more important than marriage and home. On questions of financial independence, male partners and children, most of those polled displayed attitudes similar to German women.

Irrespective of whether they had German citizenship, 90 percent said they are
in favor of a democratically elected government.

An ambivalent picture: However, there were big differences when it came to matters of faith. Some 32 percent said they believed that Islam was superior to other religions. Most of the headscarf-wearing women said they did not feel at home in Germany. About 71 percent said they felt more affinity with Turkey, while 80 percent said Turks in Germany are treated like second-class citizens. The authors of the study stress that on account of the low number of women surveyed and the fact that almost half of them had at least a high school diploma, the report is not representative and highly subjective.

The study offers an ambivalent picture of Muslims in Germany The study, however, remains the most comprehensive to date. It also finds no proof for the widely-held view that the headscarf stands for patriarchal suppression or domination or Muslim fundamentalism. The authors point out that the majority of those surveyed were convinced of the equality of the sexes. Kannengiesser said the study offered a slightly ambivalent picture. "There's a surprising similarity between the attitudes of headscarf-wearing women and the majority of the population," he said. "But there's a series of revelations, where you do have to say that it's given us something to think about. The latter shows that it's necessary to initiate an intensive dialogue because those are attitudes that aren't conducive for integration."

Study underlines need for better integration

At the same time, the authors point out that the study demonstrates that the integration of foreigners, particularly Germany's 3.2-million strong Muslim population needs to be improved. "It's clear that we can't allow such women or other groups to be isolated in Germany," Kannengiesser said. "This is a call for German society and also an appeal to the group surveyed here to be more open to integration. Muslims are now a part of German society. And that includes headscarf-wearing girls and women."

GERMANY April 29.2006

School Suspends Burka-Clad Students

School authorities say turning up for class clad like this is unacceptable

A high school in the German city of Bonn has suspended two Muslim girls for wearing a burka, an all-enveloping cloak worn by women in central and south Asia. The two teenagers who returned to school following the Easter holidays dressed in burkas were considered to have disturbed the peaceful running of the school and were handed initial suspensions of two weeks, a school official said.

The Muslim council of Germany too has criticized the schoolgirls' decision to attend school in burkas. It said it was necessary for teachers to have eye contact with pupils in classes.

August Gmünd from the local government, which supports the suspension, said the action had caused disruption throughout the school.

“A heated discussion broke out in the school the instant the two girls turned up, not just amongst the kids, but also the teachers," said Gmünd. "It was just impossible to maintain a controlled environment in the school.”

The girls have been suspended from school for two weeks, for disrupting lessons. Officials say they are welcome to return to school, if they shed their all-enveloping garb. At the school playground, the appearance of the covered girls confused and annoyed pupils. "Provocation" and "fundamentalist character"

“One of the girls was in class with me," said a student. "I find it very strange: before the Easter holidays, she was personable and outgoing. Now, after the holidays, she turns up in a Burka.” Ulrich Stahnke, head master at the school in Tannenbusch on the outskirts of Bonn, said he spent days considering whether to suspend the girls. He added he and his colleagues had tried to convince them to discard their Burkas, without success. Some say turning up for class like this in Germany is a provocation “For me, this is a new development in Central Europe, which one is either aware of, or consciously brings into school as a provocation," Stahnke said. "Or, one takes a religious angle with it, which, in a very specific way, has a fundamentalist character.”

The two girls have cited freedom of religion in defense of their outfits. Their families have hired a lawyer, who has yet to issue a statement.......

Not helping integration

For head master Stahnke, the girls are harming the school’s integration policy. Around 30 percent of pupils either come from migrant families, or are themselves migrants. Stahnke said the school ‘wants to show these children that they can follow their religion without wearing Burkas’. He now hopes the girls will participate in counseling sessions with a theological expert, and reconsider their decision. The case follows moves by France, home to Europe's largest Islamic minority, to ban Islamic headscarves and other "conspicuous religious signs" in state schools in 2004. The measures is aimed at stemming what it said was the rising influence of radical Islamists among youths.

PART F:

GERMAN MUSLIMS IN PICTURES:

An integration course for foreigners in Germany

MUSLIM BAKERY IN GERMANY

HALAL STORE IN GERMANY

MOSQUE IN GERMANY

GERMAN MUSLIMS BY THE NUMBERS:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
(1) Der Spiegel International Online Newsletter
(2) Deutsche Welle - World Newsletter

As usual, feel free to e-mail your comments: mehrunyusuficds.com

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

(Your window to complexities facing the the Muslim World Today)

Volume 23, April 14, 2008

Editor: Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful.

ARE EXTREMISTS OF ALL RELIGIONS A THREAT TO HUMANITY ?

GEMS OF ISLAM PERTANING TO KNOWLEDGE:

(1) Prophet Mohamed (SAW): ""Acquire knowledge. It enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong. It lights the way to Heaven: it is our friend in the desert, our society in solitude, our companion when friendless, it guides us to happiness: it sustains us in misery, it is an ornament amongst friends; and armor against enemies”.

(2) "SEEK KNOWLEDGE FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE"

(3) "SEEK KNOWLEDGE EVEN IN CHINA"

(4) "THE INK OF A SCHOLAR'S PEN IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN THE BLOOD OF A MARTYR"

PRAYER:

OH ALLAH, PLEASE HAVE MERCY AND FORGIVE THE IGNORANT. OH ALLAH, PLEASE BLESS THE IGNORANT TO SEEK GENUINE KNOWLEDGE OF ISLAM AND GUIDE THEM TO THE RIGHT PATH. OH ALLAH, PLEASE DON'T BLIND THEM AND THEREBY PREVENT THEM TO SEE THE BEAUTY AND TRANQUILITY OF WHAT THE PEACEFUL RELIGION OF ISLAM HAS TO OFFER.

PART A:

EXPECTED OUTCOME #1:

WHEN NON-MUSLIM(S) DELIBERATELY REFUSE TO RESEARCH ISLAM OBJECTIVELY IN THEIR QUEST TO SEEK KNOWLEDGE, BELOW IS THE UNFORTUNATE SAD AND PATHETIC OUTCOME:

(A PICTURE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS AND BELOW PICTURE REFLECTS NOTHING BUT IGNORANCE AND IS AN INDICATOR OF UTTER HATE AND CONTEMPT FOR ISLAM):

(www.freerepublic.com)

Common characteristics of extremists of all religions - "Hoots to value of human life and aggressive actions either in thought or deed (Eg. 9/11 and above fictional photo) Below reviewer's "comment"(amazon.com) to Michael Hart's book (refered below -"The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History"). speaks for itself in terms of the reviewer's ignorance, hate and contempt for Islam.

"Further Proof of the Atheist Commie Gay Liberal Media Conspiracy, November 29, 2005. By renato "rynato" "Muhammad is ranked 1st, Jesus only 3rd, and George W. Bush not at all? Michael H. Hart is clearly an islamofascist who loves Saddam and Osama bin Laden, and I bet he is as fat as Michael Moore as well."

PART B:

EXPECTED OUTCOME # 2:

WHEN A NON-MUSLIM PRACTICES ABOVE IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING GENUINE KNOWLEDGE AS IT RELATES TO UNDERSTANDING ISLAM:

American author Michael H. Hart, out of his ranking Top 100 Worlds most successful, most influential, and greatest people who have ever lived has ranked the Prophet Muhammad to be NUMBER ONE. (Issac Newton - 2nd and Jesus Christ - 3rd).

He says: "My Choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.

" Michael H. Hart: (The Greatest 100 Influential Persons in History, NY. 1978, p.33)

Other notable quotes from the author are indicated below:

"It is not the propagation but the permanency of his religion that deserves our wonder; the same pure and perfect impression which he engraved at Mecca and Madina is preserved, after the revolutions of twelve centuries by the Indian, the African and the Turkish proselytes of the Koran... The Mahometans have uniformly withstood the temptation of reducing the object of their faith and devotion to a level with the senses and imagination of man. "I believe in One God and Mahomet is the Apostle of God' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honors of the prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtue; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion."

A SECOND COMMENT BY A READER OF ABOVE BOOK BY MICHAEL HART. (amazon.com)

By A. Tynyshov (KL, Malaysia)

"When I heard about this book I went to book shop and bought a copy for myself. The reason I bought this book was the No.1 placement of Prophet Muhammad. I was surprised as well as moved by this man's work (by the way he is not a Muslim). First of all, why I was surprised? Because by placing Prophet Muhammad to No.1 he is proving to everybody out there that he has really done a good job, why? Because I believe if he didn't know much about Prophet Muhammad and has not done enough research, he would probably put Jesus Christ or Issac Newton to first place. So being a non-Muslim and putting a Muslim Prophet on No.1 means that he just had to present the truth in correct way, whether people oppose it religiously or politically and whether we like it or not. Prophet Muhammad indeed was the Most Influential Man in History (and in Future).

For every person who does not agree with Mr. Hart's placement of Prophet Muhammad to No.1, I would suggest that they search Amazon and pick up a book on Prophet Muhammad and read it, upon completion of the book I am sure you will have some idea why he is the No.1. Because what most Westerners know of Prophet Muhammad is far from truth, for years Islam has been misinterpreted by Orientalists. And when they (people who have been influenced by Orientalist's works) see books like this one, they just cannot believe or accept it. But at the end: Truth Prevails!......"

What do notable non-Muslims say about Muhammad?

Just who was Muhammad? According to all accounts, which are authentic and accepted by all Muslim scholars,up until the age of forty he was known to his people as a decent man. He was not a statesman, a preacher, or an orator. He was never seen discussing principles or theories associated with metaphysics, ethics, law, politics, economics, or sociology. He possessed an excellent character, charming manners, and was highly cultured. But his characteristics are not so deeply striking and so radically extraordinary that people would expect something great and revolutionary from him in the future. Before forty, he led a life void of ambition for greatness, or aspirations for conquest with leadership, honor and praise of humanity. As a youth he spent his days, hour after hour, shepherding sheep in the dessert wilderness of Arabia. So what led him to forever change the world as we know it? What made the person of Muhammad so incomparably successful and triumphant? Was it the message he taught? What made his Light shine so brightly, effecting all who came in contact with him. Was it his Message?

The message that humanity's purpose is to live a life of gratitude, to show thanks to God for his endless favors A path of obedience and worship of the creator alone; that Salvation is in submitting our wills to the will of the Almighty (i.e. Islam). His message was not new. To the oneness of God he called. He taught the belief in Moses, Jesus Christ, and all of the other Prophets of God as a basic requirement of the Islamic Faith. Is it not an incontrovertible proof of his prophethood that, despite being unlettered (illiterate) and having led a very normal and quiet life for forty years, that all of Arabia stood in awe and wonder of his wonderful eloquence and oratory (i.e. his speech, which was the Qur'an) when he began to preach Islam? It was so matchless that legions of Arab poets, preachers, and orators of the highest caliber failed to produce a composition that could compare with or equal it. And, above all, how could he state scientific truths that would not be known to the rest of humanity for centuries and that he could not learn about in any other way except through divine revelation. Now to avoid any possible bias, let's hear what those of other faiths have said about Muhammad (pbuh). Below is a list of the sayings of several of the worlds greatest thinkers, scholars and in various fields of academics in the West. Let's see what they have said about this extraordinary man.

Lamartine, the world famous French Author and Statesmen has the following to say about the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):

"If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modem history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers, which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then-inhabited world; and more than that he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls.... His forbearance in victory, his ambition which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire, his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death-all these attest not to an imposture, but to a firm conviction, which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was two fold: the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words. Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he."

George Bernard Shaw, one of the greatest playwrights that ever lived had the following to say about Muhammad (pbuh):

"I believe that if a man like him were to assume the leadership of the modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring to this world much needed peace and happiness." Bernard Shaw: (The genuine Islam, Vol. I P. 8)

Famous historian DIVAN had the following to say about Prophet Mohamed (SAW):

"He is a prophet and not a poet and therefore his Koran is to be seen as a divine law and not as a human being, made for education or entertainment." (Divan, WA I, 7, 32)

Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay History of the Saracen Empire, London 1870, p 54.

"He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue. If ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammad, for he had all the power without its instruments and without its supports."

Bosworth Smith: "Mohammad and Mohammadanism", London 1874, p 92.

"It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher."

PART 3:

IF PRIORITY IS GIVEN FOR CONTINUED POSITIVE INTERFAITH WORK BY THE SILENT MAJORITY OF ALL FAITHS, WOULD THE WORLD SUCCEED TO KEEP THE MINORITY EXTREMISTS IN CHECK ?

While the extremists of all religions and affiliations (political & secular) are feeding themselves with hate and literally fighting like cats and dogs in our mother earth, if they only realize that in the eyes of that SPECIAL HIGHER POWER, the whole earth with population of billions of people is nothing but a PALE BLUE DOT or a spec in the cosmos as seen in below picture.

Seen from 6.4 billion kilometers away, Earth is a dot obscured in a beam of scattered sunlight (pinpointed by artificial blue circle).

Extremists of all religions have five common points:

(1) Myopic in global vision of peace and extremely narrow minded.

(2)Their form of communication with people of other faiths or political opponents is dominated by aggression and destruction be it the fantasy of blowing up the Kaaba as in above picture, 9/11, train bombings in Spain, bombing abortion clinics, communal violence perpetrated by extremist Hindus towards Christians and Muslims in India et.c.

(3) Pigeon holed in the box of their individual religion WITH WISH THAT INTERFAITH RELATIONS NEVER EXIST because it undercuts the dominance of their particular religion over others.

(4) Utopian belief that their faith is the ONLY RIGHT FAITH and people of every other faith are doomed and bound to be destined to HELL.

(5) They believe that they have all the answers to the world’s problems and that IF ONLY the whole world follows their particular religion, ONLY THEN there will be world peace.

Most of the people of all faiths are essentially good human beings and have a moral conscience. It is high time that the silent majority of all faiths (who unfortunately are passive in asserting themselves compared to the aggressive & destructive extremists) get together and work for the common good of humanity.

We should be careful and avoid labeling an entire faith due to the mistake of few bad apples (the extremist minority). For example in the picture above with simulation of blowing up the Kaaba, it would be more accurate to state that it was drawn from a site of “Jewish extremists” rather than just a general “Jewish site” because of the fact that the majority of the Jews would disapprove above destructive act. There are hundreds if not thousands of Jews who condemn the expression and actions of extremist Jews in whatever forms it may be and it is UNFAIR to label all the Jews under one umbrella. There are currently several Jewish organizations that support an independent Palestinian State and have reached out to the Muslims to explore joint inter-faith partnerships for the common good of both faiths.

The same mistake (of giving blanket label to an entire religion) has already been done by the non-Muslims by labeling the actions of few extremist Muslim terrorists to all MUSLIMS. LET NOT THE MUSLIMS REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKE AS THE NON-MUSLIMS. An example of Islamic-Jewish Partnership that was published today is indicated below.

(Huffington Post - 4/14/2008) Nice Jewish Girl Attends JUMA'S Before Shabbat:

In an effort to improve Muslim-Jewish relations in New York City, the city's most prominent mosque and the flagship seminary of the Jewish Conservative movement have reached out to one another. Last month, Imam Shamsi Ali of the Islamic Cultural Center, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side, gave a sermon after minha (afternoon prayer) at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Returning the favor, Rabbi Burton Visotzky, a JTS professor of Interreligious Studies, spoke at the ICC (also known as the 96th Street Mosque) last Friday after jum'a (Friday noon prayer).

………Imam Ali delivered his khutba (sermon). He told the worshippers that Muslims need to reach out and live harmoniously with other people because all people are servants of Allah. If someone chooses another path, he said, Muslims have a responsibility to show them the right way. However, one may not force others to follow the Islamic way. "We must show respect and dignity to all children of Adam," he said. "Everyone is dignified by Allah." It is human nature, he continued, that different people have different opinions, and Allah knows this. "But this difference of opinions does not make us hate each other. This diversity is seen in Islam as good," Imam Ali declared, and all of us must "make an effort to get to know one another."

……..Then it was the Rabbi's turn. Dr. Rabbi Visotzky thanked the Imam for inviting him to speak in this "beautiful house of God." He recalled when Jews and Muslims lived together relatively harmoniously in medieval Muslim rule and then as co-minorities under Christian rule. He lamented that the relationship today has deteriorated and called on both communities to come together as New Yorkers to help people in need. He announced that JTS and the Mosque have agreed to a joint social action program that will include students from both institutions volunteering side by side at a Manhattan soup kitchen. Imam Ali presented the Rabbi with a Qur'an, and everyone was all smiles....."

We urge all Masjids to if feasible be actively involved in INTERFAITH RELATIONS. CAIR (Council of American Islamic Relations) in the US is doing a wonderful job in this respect and they are also an advocate for the entire American Ummah. There are many other Muslim Organizations working on the same footing.

We urge all Muslims to open a dialogue with their non-Muslim friends. Let people of all faith focus on being “humanity centric” rather than “centric” on their particular faith when interacting with people of other faith.

Ideally it would have been good that the Ummah has its doors open for any non-Muslim who is curious to learn or clarify on issues pertaining to Islam. On an organizational level, some Islamic Centers have scheduled OPEN HOUSES for non-Muslims on specific days and times. This is a positive step in the right direction. However on a personal level, there is room for improvement for the Muslims to improve their communication with non-Muslims in a variety of ways.

THERE IS TOO MUCH AT STAKE HERE. THE AGGRESSIVE EXTREMISTS OF ALL RELIGIONS ARE WORKING OVERTIME TO INTENSIFY THE HATE BETWEEN THEIR SPECIFIC RELIGION AGAINST OTHER RELIGIONS AND WE THE PEACE-LOVING NON-EXTREMIST PRACTICING PEOPLE OF OUR RESPECTIVE FAITHS AND ALSO THE “SILENT MAJORITY” SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO BE PASSIVE ANYMORE AND NEED TO ASSERTIVELY RAISE UP AND REACH OUT TO THE MODERATE MAJORITIES OF ALL OTHER FAITHS AND FOCUS ON THE COMMON POINTS WE ALL HAVE, WHICH BY DEFAULT ENHANCES THE GENERAL WELL BEING OF HUMANITY.

THROUGH INTERFAITH RELATIONS WE NEED TO FOCUS AND HIGHLIGHT ON OUR COMMON HUMANISTIC GOALS AND WORK TOGETHER ON ACHIEVING SUCH GOALS. REGARDLESS OF RELIGION, WE NEED TO UNITEDLY CONDEMN ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CIVILIANS AND INNOCENTS BE IT BY TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS OR THE STATE AND ALSO UNITEDLY CONDEMN ALL ACTS OF DESTRUCTION, VERBAL & PHYSICAL AGGRESSION ON ANY OF OUR INTERFAITH MEMBERS DUE TO HATE (the value loved and obsessed by the extremists).

The writer had very good friends who were Jewish, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists and would like to assure everybody that people of other faiths are not as bad as our extremist Muslims would portray them to be. WE MUSLIMS NEED TO BE ROLE MODELS TO LEAD ON THIS ISSUE. On the same note as above, when a Jewish, Christian, Hindu or Buddhist tells to people of their respective faith that they have good Muslim friends, the first to literally attack them would be the extremists of their respective religions accusing them of “befriending people who are terrorists (Muslims)”.

On a personal note, if there is any Jew or Christian who challenges the Media’s negative stereotype of Muslims and would like to visit the home of a Muslim family out of curiosity and/or to visit an Islamic Center, please contact the writer at below e-mail address. The writer offers his own home as the first choice for a visit with a possible interfaith dialogue on a personal 1 to 1 level. The writer would also be happy to co-ordinate with the local Islamic Center for a tour. Writer has no qualms to state that besides the UMMAH, on the level of humanity, he also loves the Jews and Christians, the PEOPLE OF THE BOOK and the PEOPLE OF THE ABRAHAMIC FAITH. Writer is fully cognizant that the Muslim extremists may be upset and possibly send angry e-mails. It’s perfectly okay. The writer would defend to death their right to express their views however different it may be from the writer.

Let’s remind ourselves that Allah DID NOT say in the Holy Quran that “MUSLIMS ARE BUT ONE COMMUNITY”. Instead Allah states: “MANKIND IS BUT ONE COMMUNITY” which includes people of all faiths.

Having said all the above, nobody is preventing the Muslims to be devout in their Islamic practice. When writer talks about extremist Muslims, he is referring to those group of Muslims who have harbored nothing but hate and contempt for non-Muslims and the West and whose actions reflect aggression, death and destruction and THIS IS NOT WHAT THE PEACEFUL RELIGION OF ISLAM IS ABOUT.

As Muslims we need to clearly distinguish between an extremist (violent and aggressive) Muslim and a practicing peace loving Muslim. REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS TO BUILD A BRIDGE OF UNDERSTANDING IN NO WAY COMPROMISES OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO PRACTICE OUR FAITH IN ALL ITS DETAILS. All Muslims should continue to be free to practice their religion to the best of their ability. For example, besides performing the basic fard prayers five times a day, there is always room for improvement by including the Sunnat and Nafeel prayers. They can also do the Tahajud prayers in the wee hours before the morning begins, increase the time spent on Zikr, on social services to the needy Muslims in their local community. The room for individual Islamic growth is limitless. As they say, ONLY THE SKY IS THE LIMIT.

In short, just because one talks of INTERFAITH and GLOBAL PEACE, this in no way should deter a Muslim to BRING OUT THE BEST IN HIM OR HER.

SO GO AHEAD AND MAKE MY DAY: “Build further on strengthening your Islamic faith while at the same time, work for the good of humanity through building on INTERFAITH WORK in your local community at the grass roots level”.

Feel free to contribute your valuable feedback by e-mail to info@mehrunyusuficds.com.

VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Volume 22, April 7, 2008

St. Louis, Missouri

Editor: Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

EDITORIAL:

As a follow up to our earlier issue regarding April 1 – APRIL FOOLS DAY, we would like to highlight the response we received from one of our readers- Sister. Najmunisa from Chennai, India.

“I read about the origin of April fools day which u sent few days back. I would like to inform you about other versions of the origin of the same based on a recent Deccan Chronicle newspaper article. The English pranksters began popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools' Day by playing practical jokes on each other. Though the day, also called All Fools' Day has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, its exact origin remains a mystery. Some historians speculate that April Fool's Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1st and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1st became the butt of jokes and hoaxes. These included having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as poisson D' avril (April fish), said to symbolize a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person”.

We appreciate the different perspective mentioned above on APRIL FOOLS DAY. Most readers are not aware how important their feedback is and we encourage them to express their opinions freely and frankly. We need to have an open mind and be willing to accommodate different perspectives and refrain from negativity. Let us all learn from each other.

Part A:

SELECTED SPOTLIGHT FOR THIS ISSUE ON A MUSLIM ORGANIZATION FROM UNITED KINGDOM.

ISLAM IS A WAY OF LIFE. This means it incorporates various aspects of life. Of course following the basic tenets of Islam and being a practicing Muslim is important but the UMMAH needs to go beyond the above and truly implement in practice that ISLAM IS INDEED A WAY OF LIFE and does not end with just following the important religious rituals.

Various Muslim organizations are springing all across the globe focusing on a specific issue that is not only important to the Ummah but to humanity in general. One such organization that we are proud to present in this issue is ISLAMIC FOUNDATION FOR ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES.

“Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

The Islamic Foundation For Ecology And Environmental Sciences

The Islamic Foundation For Ecology And Environmental Sciences IFEES is a charity raising awareness among both Muslims and non-Muslims of the Islamic teachings on environmental issues. It trains people working on conservation projects in Muslim countries. In the UK and elsewhere IFEES provides Islamic consultancy and communication, and supports and initiates environmental education and awareness projects . Charity Registration No 1041198

http://www.justgiving.com/ecoislam

“Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of humankind have earned. So that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their actions, in order that they may turn back to Him.” Qur’an, 30:41

We are all more than aware of the unprecedented damage that has been caused to the earth through selfish human behavior. Climate change, pollution, deforestation, poisoned food chains and social upheaval are now part of our daily diet of news. Ecosystems are in crisis in many parts of the Muslim world.

“The creation of the heavens and the earth is far greater than the creation of mankind. But most of mankind do not know it.” Qur’an, 40:56

SO HERE’S THE CHALLENGE!

“It is He who has appointed you as viceroys in the earth.” Qur’an, 6:165

Allah has described mankind as His Guardians on earth. It is therefore our responsibility to take care of other creatures and the earth itself. Yet how many of us take these duties seriously as an integral part of our way of life?

IFEES’ CONSERVATION WORK IS BASED ON QUR’AN AND SHARIAH DERIVED PRINCIPLES

Support IFEES to continue raising the importance of this issue through the production of educational literature and also designing training programmes and campaigns. Your support will also help us to set up a global network of Muslim environmentalists and boost our project work from Aceh to Zanzibar.

HELP US TO RAISE £20,000 TO CARRY THIS WORK FORWARD.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor us: The Islamic Foundation For Ecology And Environmental Sciences will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

SO PLEASE SUPPORT US NOW AND THANK YOU.

To donate please go to www.justgiving.com/ecoislam

Wassalaam 'alaikum wa rahmatullaah.

- Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES)

The Global Ummah joins IFEES in appreciating the help offered by the following
Muslims as indicated in IFEES web page: Contributions from:

(1) MFA for £10.00. Donor’s Comment: “May Allah make it easy for you”.
(2) Farrukh Hassan for £20.00
(3) Jinx for £10.00. Donor’s Comment: “Will do more inshaAllah”
(4) Jawwad for £100.00.
(5) Anonymous for £ 2.
(6) Abdurraheem Green for £20.00. Donor’s comment: “May Allah help you in your good work”
(7) Jazzy G for £10.00. Donor’s comment: “Insh'Allah your efforts will enable you to reach your target of £20,000. The world will be a better place if we all contribute. Jazzak Allah Khair”


PART B:

“Why is the world silent on atrocities and blatant human rights violations in Kashmir?” Below article forwarded by Haja Mohideen & Tabassum Yusuf – Toronto, Canada.

7000 Muslim Kashmiri women raped by Indian military terrorists in IHK' (Kashmir Media Service)

Srinagar, April 05 (KMS): Stating that disgracing of women is being used as a war weapon by the Indian Army to punish Kashmiris for their demand of right to self-determination, noted Indian human rights activist and anthropologist Dr Anjana Chatterjee said, 7000 Kashmiri women have been gang raped in homes, streets and army camps by Indian troops in occupied Kashmir. While speaking at a seminar `Experience of Detainees' in Srinagar quoting a Human Rights Watch report, Kolkatta based activist, Chatterjee said that 63 interrogation centers are located in Kashmir Valley, 26 of which fall in Srinagar district with 19 centers in Srinagar city alone."

"There had been more than 75 thousand deaths in Kashmir and over eight thousand cases of disappearances which shows that there is a continuous genocide of Kashmiris," she said, adding she would raise the issue in international forums and demand commissioning of an international committee to look into the levels and number of tortures committed by Indian troops in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking on the occasion noted Indian civil society activist , Gautam Naulakha said he is ashamed of being an Indian and feels disgraced to belong to a nation, which is committing war crimes on Kashmiris for their demand of right to self-determination. He said, "It is believed that more than 60,000 Kashmiris have been tortured in prisons and interrogation centers by Indian Army and the levels of torture committed on Kashmiris have no match in the entire world."

Naulakha said that there is a need to document these tortures and file them in the court on test basis to see the outcome of the judiciary, adding the documentation will internationalize the issue of tortures, which have not been reported over the last 18 years. Kashmiri journalist and human rights activist, Zahir-ud-din blamed International Crescent Red Cross Society and Amnesty International for their failure to highlight the issue of human Rights violation in Jammu and Kashmir. Another human rights activist Pervez Imroz said, "There is a need to expose Indian military might at international level for their war crimes in Kashmir and the only way to do that is to document these tortures and extra judicial killings." © Kashmir Media Service.


PART C:

THE PSYCHE OF ISLAM BASHERS: Part I “One picture speaks a thousand words” Below photos forwarded by Br. Amer Sayeed from Los Angeles, California

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION: IS ABOVE THE FREEDOM TO PRACTICE ONE'S RELIGION? If gang members wear any cloth or cap over their heads it's okay, if a woman has a "bad hair day" and covers her head with a cloth, it's okay. But if a Muslim woman who asserts her Islamic identity courageously "IT'S NOT OKAY". Welcome to FREEEEEEEEDOM.

THANKS TO ALL ISLAMIC BASHERS: YOU SEE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE SEVERAL MUSLIMS WHO CARED LESS TO PRACTICE ISLAM, BUT THEY WERE NOT BLIND TO "INJUSTICE" AND NOW YOUR PICTURES HAVE OPENED THE FLOODGATE OF THEIR HIDDEN ZEAL FOR ISLAM AND THEY HAVE NOW VOLUNTARILY REVITALIZED THEIR "LOST" INTEREST IN ISLAM AND STRENGTHENED THEIR FAITH ONCE AGAIN. OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU, SINCE EVEN THE FRIDAY SPEECHES AND OTHER ISLAMIC MOTIVATORS COULD NOT ACHIEVE A POSITIVE CHANGE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN TERMS OF BRINGING THEM BACK CLOSER TO ISLAM.

We should thank Allah (ST), for giving us a golden opportunity to exercise in our lives the true spirit of what the peaceful religion of Islam is all about. Our beloved Prophet Mohamed (SAW) had to face a much worse barrage of bashers of Islam and our beloved Prophet ultimately triumphed using his golden qualities of patience, faith in Allah and perseverance. Our Prophet is our role Model and if he ultimately triumphed in winning over the Islam bashers in his days, if we follow his foot-steps we will too INSHALLAH triumph in winning our misguided and misinformed Muslim bashers of the 21st century. Out of hundreds if not thousands of excellent and noble examples from our beloved Prophet Mohamed (SAW), below are three examples.

(1) During the barbaric times prior to advent of our beloved Prophet, it was a common practice to bury alive new born females and our Prophet condemned such barbaric practice and put an end to it. OUR DEAR ISLAMIC BASHERS SAY ISLAM IS EVIL. THINK AGAIN.

(2) Almost everyday when our beloved Prophet walked through a particular street, a non-Muslim lady used to throw stuff over our beloved Prophet’s head. Our beloved Prophet exercised maximum patience and tolerance. One day when nothing was thrown over his head while he was passing by, he went and visited the same lady and inquired about her well being. Not surprisingly she converted to Islam. OUR DEAR ISLAMIC BASHERS SAY ISLAM IS EVIL AND A RELIGION OF VIOLENCE. THINK AGAIN.

(3) After defeating the enemy forces in Mecca, when the Commander-in-Chief Prophet Mohamed (SAW) and his army entered Mecca, for all the atrocities committed against the Muslims, our beloved Prophet could have very easily slaughtered the people of Mecca in vengeance. But he did exactly the opposite by ordering general amnesty and warned his army against harming anyone. OUR DEAR ISLAMIC BASHERS SAY ISLAM IS EVIL AND A RELIGION OF VIOLENCE. THINK AGAIN.

LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, MOST OF THE ISLAM BASHERS REPEATEDLY STATE THAT ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF VIOLENCE. THIS THEME KEEPS COMING AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THEIR ANTI-ISLAMIC EXPRESSION.

If you make a list of all bombings between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland and also of bombings of the abortion clinics and violence against the providers of abortion in the US by Christian extremists, and say that it is due to the religion of Christianity then, they would immediately deny the role of their religion. Somehow they consider themselves totally free to disassociate their religion with above terrorist acts, but they don’t give Muslims the same right to disassociate the peaceful religion of Islam from terrorism.

WITH REGARD TO EQUATING ISLAM WITH VIOLENCE, LET US PUT THEIR STATEMENT TO TEST IN REALITY:

“When violent gang members team up together in a neighborhood and actively involve in various gang activities, what do you expect - PEACE OR VIOLENCE ? Obviously there is greater propensity for violence.

When hundreds of thousands of people of a religion that “supposedly are violent” get together with nothing but religion on their mind (Holy Pilgrimage-Hajj), then if what the Islam bashers say is true, you would naturally expect the worst form of violence, bloodshed and mayhem. BUT THE REALITY IS EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE. Mecca and Medina stand distinctly superior to all the other cities in the world in two ways: During Hajj:

(1) It has the most diverse global gathering and highest concentration of global diversity in the world.

(2) Compared to the ratio of the highest global diverse population with the incidents of crime, it ranks the first in the world with the LOWEST CRIME RATE.

Per the Islam bashers, the most violent people – the “ISLAMISTS” getting together in millions and still the LOWEST CRIME RATE. Well we had an open mind to listen to what they had to say and even gave them the benefit of doubt to practically put their statement to test. The outcome of such a test in REALITY is exactly opposite of what they have labeled the Muslims.

JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT in their negative statement. Maybe the Islam bashers have got it all wrong and are blinded to the realities of ISLAM. May we humbly request them to GET THE FACTS BEFORE MAKING SWEEPING GENERALIZATIONS OUT OF NOTHING BUT HATE AND CONTEMPT. IS ONE THEN SURPRISED OF HOW THE ABOVE PICTURES REFLECT A DIFFERENT VISIBLE FORM OF HATE AND CONTEMPT?

It is easy for Muslims to reciprocate in the same negative way and feed into the CYCLE OF HATE, but IT IS DEAD WRONG. Since by so doing, we deflect AWAY FROM THE PEACEFUL TEACHINGS OF ISLAM. Then what would be the difference between THEM and US in terms of being caught in the satanic trap of hate. Islam teaches us tolerance, patience and understanding, love and universal brotherhood. TWO WRONGS DON’T MAKE IT RIGHT. We need to be role models to the Muslim bashers in terms of exercising maximum patience and tolerance.

The above perverse depictions of Islam by Muslim bashers have placed a greater responsibility for the UMMAH to correct the false perceptions of the Muslim bashers. THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO EDUCATE THE NON-MUSLIMS ABOUT ISLAM THAN BY OUR OWN PERSONAL ACTIONS AND INTERACTIONS WITH THE WORLD. By doing so, we ourselves have greater chances of leading a better life as a Muslim.

GIVING A POSITIVE SPIN TO THIS WHOLE ISSUE:

IN A WAY, WE SHOULD THANK ALL THE ISLAMIC BASHERS FOR HELPING US IN THE LONG RUN TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR OWN FAITH AND INCREASE OUR MOTIVATION TO PRACTICE ISLAM TO THE BEST OF OUR CAPACITY. We must practice what we preach. We should not only TALK THE TALK, BUT WALK THE WALK.

In conclusion, Br. Khizer Inayat from Saudi Arabia who reviewed most of above pictures summed up beautifully in one single sentence in his e-mail to us:

“Dears
We can reply by our good actions and deeds and this is the only way to beat them”.

Best Regards.

The question remains:
“Based on our day to day actions, to what extent do we (especially those Muslims who are minority in their country of residence) truly have the sincere niyat to demonstrate to those around us that we are indeed the AMBASSADOR OF ISLAM and doing our very best to be practicing Muslims?”

As usual feel free to send your valuable comments by email to:info@mehrunyusuficds.com.

VOICE OF THE GLOBAL UMMAH

Vol 21, March 31, 2008
Mehrun-Yusuf Behavioral Care

St. Louis, Missouri

EDITORS OF THIS ISSUE: Haja & Tabassum Yusuf (Toronto, Canada)

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT AND THE MOST MERCIFUL

PART A:

Topic: APRIL FOOL – A DISHONEST TRADITION

Author: Shawana A Aziz
Source: As-Sunnah Islamic Newsletter


1st April - a day when people lie, play jokes and mock in the name of entertainment. This ugly practice of lying, which is considered to be merely a humor, is known to have caused great harm to many. Even trauma and deaths. Still this dishonest tradition is not only practiced among the common masses, but also newspapers and magazines participate in it by publishing false news and untrue stories on the first day of April!

Much is said about the origin of this practice, however what concerns the most to the Muslims is that it is a tradition which directly contradicts the teachings and morals of Islam.

Lying is a characteristic of hypocrisy and Allah's Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) strictly forbade lying at all times. He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "Let he who truly believes in Allah and the Last Day speak good or be silent." [Saheeh al-Bukharee] Moreover, he (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) has specifically cursed the person who lies to make people laugh, he said: "Woe be on one who speaks and lies in order to make people laugh, woe be on him." [Abu Dawood]

The above Ahaadeeth shows the gravity of participating in the false tradition of April Fool, which the Western tradition appreciates and encourages claiming that it brings joy and amusement, whereas the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) forbade lying and deceiving even if the intention of the person is to amuse people.

Abd al-Rahman Ibn Abi Laylaa said: "The companions of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) told us that they were traveling with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam). A man among them fell asleep and some of them went and took his arrows. When the man woke up, he got alarmed (because his arrows were missing) and the people laughed. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "What are you laughing at?" They said, "Nothing, except that we took the arrows and he got alarmed." The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "It is not permissible for a Muslim to frighten another Muslim." [Abu Dawood (5004) and Musnad Ahmad. Authenticated by Sheikh al-Albanee in Saheeh al-Jamee (7658)]

He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) described the severe punishments for the liars and said: "I saw (in a dream), two men came to me. They said, 'The person, the one whose cheek you saw being torn away (from the mouth to the ear) was a liar and used to tell lies and the people would report those lies on his authority till they spread all over the world. So he will be punished like that till the Day of Resurrection.'" [Saheeh al-Bukharee (vol. 8, no: 118)]

May Allah protect us from indulging ourselves in such dishonest activities and may He give us the strength to withstand such practices when they tend to infect our Muslim Society. Ameen!

Let not anyone make fools of us anymore!

PART B:

As we are approaching April 2008, we need to remind ourselves..........................!!!

APRIL FOOL

Most of us celebrate April fool day every year and fool each other. But how many of us know the bitter facts hidden behind it. It was around a thousand years ago that Spain was ruled by Muslims. And the Muslim power in Spain was so strong that it couldn't be destroyed. The Christians of the west wished to wipe out Islam from all parts of the world and they did succeed to quite an extent. But when they tried to eliminate Islam in Spain and conquer it, they failed. They tried several times but never succeeded. The unbelievers then sent their spies in Spain to study the Muslims there and find out what was the power they possessed and they found that their power was TAQWA. The Muslims of Spain were not just Muslims but they were practicing Islam.

They not only read the Quran but also acted upon it. When the Christians found the power of the Muslims they started thinking of strategies to break this power. So they started sending alcohol and cigarettes to Spain free of cost. This technique of the west worked out and it started weakening the faith of the Muslims in particular the young generation of Spain. The result was that the Catholics of the west wiped out Islam and conquered the entire Spain bringing an end to the EIGHT HUNDRED LONG YEARS' RULE OF THE MUSLIMS in Spain. THE LAST FORT OF THE MUSLIMS TO FALL WAS GRENADA (GHARNATAH), WHICH WAS ON THE 1ST OF APRIL. FROM THAT YEAR ONWARDS, EVERY YEAR THEY CELEBRATE APRIL FOOLS DAY ON THE 1ST OF APRIL, CELEBRATING THE DAY, THEY MADE A FOOL OF THE MUSLIMS. THEY DID NOT MAKE A FOOL OF THE MUSLIM ARMY AT GHARNATAH ONLY, BUT OF THE WHOLE MUSLIM UMMAH. WE, THE MUSLIMS, WERE FOOLED BY THE UNBELIEVERS. THEY HAVE A REASON TO CELEBRATE APRIL FOOL DAY, TO KEEP UP THE SPIRIT.

Dear brothers and sisters, when we join in this celebration, we do so out of ignorance. If we had known about it, we would never have celebrated our own downfall. So now, that we are aware of it, and now let us promise that we shall never celebrate this day. We should learn our lesson from the people of Spain, and shall try to become practicing Muslims, never to let anybody weaken our faith. Please forward this message to as many Muslims as you know. The more people you forward it to the greater will be the reward from your Lord in this world and in the life hereafter. Please try to do it before the 1st of April, to create awareness that WE ARE NOT FOOLS ANYMORE.

Wassalam "Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (With the thought): "Our Lord! Not for naught Hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire. “Holy Qur'an 3:191

PART C:

TIME TO CELEBRATE:

ISLAM HAS NOW BECOME THE WORLD’S LARGEST RELIGION IN TERMS OF A PARTICULAR FAITH DENOMINATION.

News.yahoo.com, 03/30/08. VATICAN CITY - Islam has surpassed Roman Catholicism as the world's largest religion, the Vatican newspaper said Sunday.
"For the first time in history, we are no longer at the top: Muslims have overtaken us," Monsignor Vittorio Formenti said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. Formenti compiles the Vatican's yearbook.

He said that Catholics accounted for 17.4 percent of the world population — a stable percentage — while Muslims were at 19.2 percent.

"It is true that while Muslim families, as is well known, continue to make a lot of children, Christian ones on the contrary tend to have fewer and fewer," the Monsignor said.

Formenti said that the data refers to 2006. The figures on Muslims were put together by Muslim countries and then provided to the United Nations, he said, adding that the Vatican could only vouch for its own data.

When considering all Christians and not just Catholics, Christians make up 33 percent of the world population, Formenti said.

Spokesmen for the Vatican and the United Nations did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Sunday.

PART D:

HAS BELOW STATEMENT ANY CONNECTION TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN?

Camille Paglia had referred to respected Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton in the SALON (1/10/08) as follows:

HILLARY WITHOUT TEARS: “As her husband has dragged his numerous female play objects before her and has humiliated her on the public stage year after year, she still stays within the marriage. Hillary seems to take every beating, and yet she appears to “keep on ticking”. Does she thrive on this?

PART E:

3/26/08: SOURCE: DAILY MUSLIM:

Topic: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JOHN MC CAIN’S SPIRITUAL GUIDE: “DESTROY ISLAM”

Senator John McCain hailed as a spiritual adviser an Ohio mega church pastor who has called upon Christians to wage a "war" against the "false religion" of Islam with the aim of destroying it. On February 26, McCain appeared at a campaign rally in Cincinnati with the Reverend Rod Parsley of the World Harvest Church of Columbus, a super size Pentecostal institution that features a 5,200-seat sanctuary, a television studio (where Parsley tapes a weekly show), and a 122,000-square-foot Ministry Activity Center. That day, a week before the Ohio primary, Parsley praised the Republican presidential front-runner as a "strong, true, consistent conservative." The endorsement was important for McCain, who at the time was trying to put an end to the lingering challenge from former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a favorite among Christian evangelicals.

A politically influential figure in Ohio, Parsley could also play a key role in McCain's effort to win this bellwether state in the general election. MCCAIN, WITH PARSLEY BY HIS SIDE AT THE CINCINNATI RALLY, CALLED THE EVANGELICAL MINISTER A "SPIRITUAL GUIDE." The leader of a 12,000-member congregation, Parsley has written several books outlining his fundamentalist religious outlook, including the 2005 “Silent No More”.

In this work, Parsley decries the "spiritual desperation" of the United States, and he blasts away at the usual suspects: activist judges, civil libertarians who advocate the separation of Church and State, the homosexual "culture" ("homosexuals are anything but happy and carefree"), the "abortion industry," and the profane entertainment industry. And Parsley targets another profound threat to the United States: the religion of Islam. In a chapter titled "Islam: The Deception of Allah," Parsley warns there is a "war between Islam and Christian civilization." He continues: I cannot tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam, that we see it for what it really is. In fact, I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications.

The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore. Parsley is not shy about his desire to obliterate Islam. In his book: “Silent No More”, he notes-approvingly-that Christopher Columbus shared the same goal: "It was to defeat Islam, among other dreams, that Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World in 1492. Columbus dreamed of defeating the armies of Islam with the armies of Europe made mighty by the wealth of the New World. It was this dream that, in part, began America. "He urges his readers to realize that a confrontation between Christianity and Islam is unavoidable: "We find now we have no choice. The time has come." And he has bad news: "We may already be losing the battle. As I scan the world, I find that Islam is responsible for more pain, more bloodshed, and more devastation than nearly any other force on earth at this moment." Parsley claims that Islam is an "anti-Christ religion" predicated on "deception."

The Muslim Prophet Muhammad, he writes, "received revelations from demons and not from the true God." And he emphasizes this point: "Allah was a demon spirit." Parsley does not differentiate between violent Islamic extremists and other followers of the religion: There are some, of course, who will say that the violence I cite is the exception and not the rule. I beg to differ. I will counter, respectfully, that what some call "extremists" are instead mainstream believers who are drawing from the well at the very heart of Islam. The spirit of Islam, he maintains, is one of hostility. He asserts that the religion "inspired" the 9/11 attacks. He bemoans the fact that in the years after 9/11, 34,000 Americans "have become Muslims" and that there are "some 1,209 mosques" in America. Islam, he declares, is a "faith that fully intends to conquer the world" through violence. The United States, he insists, "has historically understood herself as a bastion against Islam," but "history is crashing in upon us." At the end of his chapter on Islam, Parsley asks, "Are we a Christian nation? I say yes."

Without specifying what actions should be taken to eradicate the religion, he essentially calls for a new crusade. Parsley, who refers to himself as a "Christocrat," is no stranger to controversy. In 2007, the grassroots organization he founded, the “Center for Moral Clarity”, called for prosecuting people who commit adultery. In January, he compared Planned Parenthood to Nazis. In the past Parsley's church has been accused of engaging in pro-Republican partisan activities in violation of its tax-exempt status. Why would McCain court Parsley? He has long had trouble figuring out how to deal with Christian fundamentalists, an important bloc for the Republican Party. During his 2000 presidential bid, he referred to Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell as "agents of intolerance." But six years later, as he readied himself for another White House run, McCain repudiated that remark. More recently, his campaign hit a rough patch when he accepted the endorsement of the Reverend John Hagee, a Texas televangelist who has called the Catholic Church "the great whore" and a "false cult system."

After the Catholic League protested and called on McCain to renounce Hagee's support, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee praised Hagee's spiritual leadership and support of Israel and said that "when [Hagee] endorses me, it does not mean that I embrace everything that he stands for or believes in." After being further criticized for his Hagee connection, McCain backed off slightly, saying, "I repudiate any comments that are made, including Pastor Hagee's, if they are anti-Catholic or offensive to Catholics."

But McCain did not renounce Hagee's endorsement. McCain's relationship with Parsley is politically significant. In 2004, Parsley's church was credited with driving Christian fundamentalist voters to the polls for George W. Bush. With Ohio expected to again be a decisive state in the presidential contest, Parsley's World Harvest Church and an affiliated entity called Reformation Ohio, which registers voters, could be important players within this battleground state. Considering that the Ohio Republican Party has been decimated by various political scandals and that a popular Democrat, Ted Strickland, is now the state's governor, McCain and the Republicans will need all the help they can get in the Buckeye State this fall. It's a real question: Can McCain win the presidency without Parsley? The McCain campaign did not respond to a request for comment regarding Parsley and his anti-Islam writings. Parsley did not return a call seeking comment. "The last thing I want to be is another screaming voice moving people to extremes and provoking them to folly in the name of patriotism," Parsley writes in “Silent No More”. Provoking people to holy war is another matter. About that, McCain so far is silent.

PART F:

WHERE DOES BELOW MODIFIED FICTION BLEND WITH REALITY ? (Would confirm the author’s name in next issue)

SATAN'S MEETING: (Read even if you're busy. Very well written.)*

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he said, "We can't keep people from going to pray." "We can't keep them from reading their holy books and knowing the truth." "We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their GOD."

"Once they gain that connection with GOD, our power over them is broken."
"So let them go to their prayers; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with GOD.."
"This is what I want you to do," said the devil: "Distract them from gaining hold of their GOD and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!" "How shall we do this?" his demons shouted. "Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow." "Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles."

"Keep them from spending time with their children." "As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice." "Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive." To keep the TV, VCR, CDs, I-PODS and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-religious music constantly."

"This will jam their minds and break that union with God." "Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers." "Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day." "Invade their driving moments with billboards." "Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.." "Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. " "Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night." "Give them headaches too! " "If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere." "That will fragment their families quickly!" "Give them distractions to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of life." "Even in their recreation, let them be excessive." "Have them return from their recreation exhausted." "Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead."

"Keep them busy, busy, busy!" "And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences." "Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from GOD." "Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause." "It will work!" "It will work!" It was quite a plan! The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing people everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there.
Having little time for their God or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of GOD to change lives.

I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes? You be the judge!!!!!Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke? PLEASE PASS THIS ON, IF YOU AREN'T TOO BUSY!!!!!!!!!!!

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