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Consumerism is at its peak

Consumerism is at its peak

Consumerism - Dr. Uthman Lateef - A Must Watch Video Consumerism is at its peak On one side there’s so much of poverty that even bas...

Sunday, February 14, 2016

A Reflection: Love Thy Neighbor

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“History is all around us,” I once wrote, “and we are all historians.” 
“The creative ways we choose to preserve history can be used as a catalyst for building community across seemingly intractable divides and as a means to help us grow in our own humanity for the betterment of human interests.” 
 
I was on my way to the bus stop to pick up my daughter on Tuesday, when I saw men bringing a stretcher out of my elderly neighbor’s house. On it was a body covered from head to toe by a velvet, royal blue cloth. Truly a brilliant hue of blue, my mind fixated on it for a second as my heart rejected what the mind already knew: my neighbor had passed away. 
 
The full realization of this was confirmed by the presence of a police car nearby, with an officer inside taking notes, finally making it into my line of sight. Truthfully, the officer and the car were always in my line of sight but the mind sees what the mind wants to see until one is ready to really take traumatizing situations in completely. 
 
I heard high school kids nearby discussing that “the old lady” had a heart attack. 
I immediately said a prayer for her. 
 
Today is Friday, and I still feel a bit of sadness every time I pass her house on the way to drop off and pick up my children from their bus stops. 
 
For years, I had stood directly across from her house in the early weekday mornings and afternoons with my then toddlers when their bus stop was located there. A new mom, with children with special needs, and no other family (beyond my husband of course) or friends in the area, I always felt awkward standing on that corner. If you know anything about children with special needs, you know that (for many of them) you need to be able to control their environment as much as possible. Standing on the corner, or even making it to the corner, with loud noises and cars zooming by, is far from a controlled environment. 
 
Though I never knew my elderly neighbor’s name, she made it easier for me to stand on that corner because she always had a kind word, a warm smile, or a hearty wave depending on what she was doing outside, in her front yard, on any given day when I was also out there. 
 
If someone asked me what I knew about her, I would say that she knew how to make people feel welcome–based on how she treated me. I would say that she loved Christianity–based on the big cross on her front door. I would say that even though she seemed to be about 80, she was far from sedentary given how she was always out manicuring her lawn, bending, kneeling, and raking, and the like. And I would declare that she was dainty, always nicely made up with her hair piled on top of her head. In fact, she reminded me of the character Lila Quartermaine from General Hospital. 
These are some of the things I observed about her over the years. 
 
Today I found her obituary online and learned that she was a flag twirler in high school.  Perhaps that is where the daintiness first made its debut. I also learned that she was a former school bus driver.  Perhaps she knew just how awkward I felt standing on that corner after all. She had also been a property manager at numerous locations until about 2003. That pretty much explains why she refused to let her own property go to the dogs, even at her advanced age! The obituary also named the church she attended and donations were requested to go to the Christian school run by her church, in lieu of flowers. So indeed, she loved her faith and backed it up with good works. 
 
Doesn’t that make you wonder how much what people observe about you will match up with the reality of your history once you are gone? 
 
The most important thing I learned from my neighbor’s obituary was that she will be surrounded by loving family at her funeral. 
 
I think I can stop being so sad passing her house every day because, to tell you the truth, that is what has really been bothering me ever since seeing that stretcher with her body covered by a royal blue cloth. I was worried that maybe no one in her family knew she was gone. 
 
In my moments of worry, I wished that we had gone a bit further as neighbors and gotten to know each other a bit better. Then I could have at least contacted her family to be sure they knew. I am so relieved and happy to know she is loved. 
 
The Bible says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” 
 
Well, my neighbor definitely lived up to this commandment, at least in how she treated me with a kind smile on many a day. 
 
In Islam, a kind smile is considered a form of charity. And her charity is a gift to me that continues to give. 
 
I pray she rests in peace. 
 
Muslim History Detective’s log, 05/3/13 
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/preciousmuhammad/2013/05/a-reflection-love-thy-neighbor/ </div>

A Reflection: Love Thy Neighbor

“History is all around us,” I once wrote, “and we are all historians.” “The creative ways we choose to preserve history can be used as...

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Lawsuit seeking to have the words “In God We Trust” removed from US currency

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Recently a lawsuit seeking to have the words “In God We Trust” removed from US currency was filed in a federal court in Ohio. The suit was brought on behalf of 49 plaintiffs, only some of whom are named, with the rest listed anonymously. 
 
Referring to God using the designation “G-d,” the 112-page complaint–which can be accessed here–was filed by attorney Michael Newdow, who as you might guess is Jewish (or was born, at any rate, into a “nominally Jewish family,” as Wikipedia puts it). 
 
The suit alleges that by being forced to use coins and currency containing the in-God-we-trust motto, the plaintiffs are “burdened” insofar as they are forced to pass along to others “messages” that contradict their own beliefs. One such plaintiff,  one of the named ones at any rate, is Mitchell Kahle, a lifelong atheist who “is so deeply and personally offended by Monotheistic religious dogma that he declined to attend the religious funerals of both of his parents.” 
 
Newdow thus wants the word “God” excised from American notes of tender, but apparently he’s fine with having “Federal Reserve” left upon them. It kind of tells you who holds divine status in the US political system these days. 
 
A Post-Christian America 
 
The lawsuit has been denounced by evangelical pastor Franklin Graham, but Graham is an ardent supporter of Israel who warns that “Muslims” are “heavily influencing” the Obama administration–that’s presumably as opposed to AIPAC–and who once preached a service at the Pentagon (on Good Friday, no less!). 
 
“An atheist group is trying to sue the U.S. government to remove ‘In God We Trust’ from our money,” Graham announced to his followers in a Facebook post. “Not a smart move.” 
 
He goes on to warn of the Zionist Supreme Being’s impending judgment on America and sums up finally with a quote from the Bible (the Old Testament, of course): “The Bible says, ‘Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).'” 
 
Reportedly 70 percent of Americans identify as “Christians” to one degree or another. It’s a number sufficient to give politicians incentive to continue pandering to the Christian vote, but of course political power, real political power, resides no more in the hands of Christians than it does with the bottom 99 percent of income earners. 
 
We no longer are a Christian country. Rather, we have entered what I would describe as America’s “post-Christian era.” It’s hard to say precisely when this era began, but I would place it some time in the 1970s. That’s when film directors like Woody Allen and David Cronenberg rose to public prominence and career atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair, with a successful Supreme Court ruling against against school prayer in her portfolio, vaulted to celebrity status with interviews in Playboy and appearances on the Donahue Show. 
 
And finally today–Larry David, Sarah Silverman and other comedians can mock Jesus, demean Christianity, and rather than be repudiated, are applauded for it. Thus we clearly are in a post-Christian era, although…to be sure…even in the current presidential race, we have candidates, at least on the Republican side, proudly proclaiming their putative Christian faith. 
 
“It’s exactly right,” Ted Cruz boasted recently, “that in terms of who I am, I’m a Christian first. I’m an American second. I’m a conservative third. And I’m a Republican fourth.” 
 
“Let me be clear about one thing,” Marco Rubio declared following the Iowa caucuses, “there’s only one savior and it’s not me. It’s Jesus Christ who came down to Earth and died for our sins.” 
 
The trouble is that both Rubio and Cruz, like Graham, apparently are unable to discern even the tiniest contradiction between the teachings of Jesus and Israel’s genocidal treatment of the Palestinians. Both are ardent supporters of Israel and in essence cheer on the genocide. 
 
Do the pastors of the churches they attend subscribe to the same outlook? Or do they simply remain silent and say nothing on the matter? It is a crucial question because when church leaders fail to take a stand on the most pressing issues of our day, when they refrain, for instance, from calling for justice, and offer no pulpit denunciations of US wars and sanguinary regime change operations–when the best they can do is say a prayer for the troops and leave it at that, to preside at funerals or visit someone’s sick grandmother in the hospital–then they risk making themselves, and their churches, increasingly irrelevant. 
 
Did Jesus denounce the corrupt leaders of his day? He certainly did. Why do Christian pastors today fail, by and large, to do likewise? Is it out of cowardice? Or is it simply that they have no eyes to see or ears to hear? 
 
If you do a search using the words “Is America a Christian nation?” you will turn up a plethora of articles, the overwhelming majority of which answer the question in the negative. Some take the position that America never was a Christian nation; others use the same “post-Christian” term I have coined; a few advance the thesis that the concept of a Christian nation was invented by “corporate America”; and one article I found goes so far as to offer the view that Christians in America are “pampered by the state.” In a way, the writer is correct. Christian leaders today never make waves for the powers-that-be, so why wouldn’t they be pampered? 
 
And just who are these  ‘powers-that-be’ they prefer not to make waves for? If we no longer are living in a Christian land, how exactly do we define today’s America? Is it simply a secular country? Or would it perhaps be more accurate to describe it as a Jewish state? I posed that very question in an article I wrote a little over three years ago. 
 
“With Jewish power in America standing at unprecedented levels, it is only natural we should begin to see Jews reap gains and benefits disproportionately greater than those available to other segments of the population,” I wrote, and among the examples I cited were: 
 
More than $25 million in college Pell grants used to pay full tuition for Jewish students studying at yeshivas and universities in Israel–this at a time when student loan debt for a majority of young Americans was already making major headlines in the media; 
A staggering 97 percent of Homeland Security grants, under DHS’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, being awarded to Jewish organizations–you can go here and listen to then-DHS Director Janet Napolitano justifying the lopsided awarding of the grants and explaining why she thinks Jews face special risks the rest of us don’t have to worry about; 
Numerous inroads into the US economy by Israeli companies, including Elbit Systems, a manufacturer of electronic surveillance technology, which has opened offices in Talladega, Alabama and Fort Mill, South Carolina; 
A strange mutation in local and regional Chamber of Commerce organizations, with a new emphasis on promoting business partnerships between US and Israeli companies (see here, here, here, and here for examples). I referred to it as a “multitude of tentacles.” 
But perhaps most striking is a $1 million US Department of Commerce grant awarded to the Keshet Dance Company, a repertory in Albuquerque, New Mexico that stages a variety of shows including an annual holiday production called “Nutcracker on the Rocks,” a rock-and-roll version of the Tchaikovsky ballet. “Keshet” is a Hebrew word meaning “rainbow,” and the nonprofit performing arts group is directed by Shira Greenberg, a dance instructor who has ties to Israel, where she attended Hebrew University in Jerusalem. 
 
The grant was given in 2012 to establish a “Keshet Ideas and Innovation Center” that would be housed in a newly renovated “Keshet Center for the Arts.” One million dollars is of course a lot of money to award to a local community arts group, and as I commented: 
 
Virtually every city in America, large and small, has struggling arts groups of one kind or another—musical, dance, theatrical, and so forth. So why, one might wonder, would this particular group be singled out for such a large grant? And why by the Department of Commerce, when normally one thinks of the National Endowment for the Arts as the main provider of federal grants to the arts? 
 
The award was approved by acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank and publicly announced on September 12 by New Mexico Senator Tom Udall. “The arts are a defining part of New Mexico’s history, community and identity,” said Udall. “This innovative public-private partnership will help provide entrepreneurs with the tools and support they need to grow art-focused businesses.” 
 
Was this a new commitment to the arts on the part of the Obama administration? Or was it a commitment to a certain type of art? 
 
Performances of The Nutcracker have for many years been a Christmas tradition by theater and dance groups all over America, but in its rock-and-roll version, Keshet has given the ballet an innovative twist–with a dance segment set to the song “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones. Here  is a video from their 2014 production: 
 
Keshet has professional, salaried dancers on its staff, something almost unheard of among local community arts groups. It has also staged productions about the holocaust; presently maintains an international exchange program; and last year it launched a tour of Europe. 
 
Sympathy for the Devil or a Tectonic Shift? 
 
“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,” said the poet Robert Frost… 
 
Many, many changes have overtaken America in the past century. This is true in terms of inventions–from automobiles to airplanes to mobile phones to genetic engineering–as well as in the political arena, and specifically in that regard I’m referring to the level of hucksterism and fraud, as well as outright treachery and depravity, we have seen members of our political ruling class willing to stoop to. Though Americans were shocked at disclosures of the Teapot Dome scandal, and that a member of Warren G. Harding’s administration had accepted bribes from oil companies, it is probably a safe bet that neither Harding nor Interior Secretary Albert Fall ever, in their wildest dreams, contemplated a US alliance with terrorist head-chopping cannibals or collaborating or colluding in the carrying out of false flag attacks on American cities. 
 
The concept of what is, or is not, “laudable” or “morally acceptable” quite obviously has become hugely warped over the past century. In the America of today, spirituality and belief in God have been derogated and de-emphasized, and–in a good many American homes–are missing altogether. Hardly surprising, then, we see the spreading phenomenon of teenage sociopaths in so many American communities. 
 
Rather than a kind and loving God, we worship the false idols of money and Wall Street, and rather than the teachings of Jesus, we now seem to follow the teachings of Hollywood. 
 
But is something about to change? 
 
“Maybe just maybe we’re turning the page on a dark part of American politics, because tonight the light overcame the darkness of negative campaigning and you made it happen,” said former Ohio Governor John Kasich after placing second in the New Hampshire Republican primary on Tuesday. 
 
It’s a nice thought. But a political system in which money plays such a dominant factor in determining who gets elected has little hope of turning any dark pages. Donald Trump’s popularity would suggest that Americans are finally starting to catch on to that in large numbers. They don’t, for now, seem to be waking up to certain other crucial matters, but at least they are waking up to that. 
 
Like Cruz and Rubio, Trump also touts his Christianity, but the strategem behind this touting seems characterized by a more subtle objective, and unlike those two senators, he doesn’t talk much about Israel. On January 18, Trump gave a speech at Liberty University–that school that was founded in the 1970s by Jerry Falwell, a pastor so zealous in his Christian Zionist beliefs that Israel once rewarded him with his own private jet. The educational institution is still run today by Falwell’s son, Jerry Falwell Jr., who serves as president, though it has grown into one of the largest, if not the largest, Christian universities in the world. 
 
Now one of the most striking things about Trump’s speech there last month–and which was scarcely remarked upon by the mainstream media–was his total omission of any comments about Israel. You can go here and watch a video of the event which includes not only Trump’s speech in its entirety, but also the rather lengthy introduction given him that evening by Falwell Jr. Astonishingly, not anywhere in the entire 109 minutes that the video runs is Israel even mentioned–either by Trump, Falwell or anyone else. 
 
Now you would think that a leading presidential contender, in a stump speech at a major Christian university like Liberty, would have used the occasion to tout his Christian Zionist credentials. But no. Not once the entire evening was the subject of Israel even brought up. It would suggest that Trump’s political strategists have made a determination that the Jewish state is rapidly losing public support, not only among the the population as a whole, but even amongst that subset who identify as evangelical Christians. 
 
And if this is the case, we could be on the verge of something like a tectonic shift in US politics. 
 
By Richard Edmondson 
 
<a href="https://richardedmondson.net/2016/02/12/god-and-zionist-politics-in-post-christian-america/" target="_blank">https://richardedmondson.net/2016/02/12/god-and-zionist-politics-in-post-christian-america/</a> 
 
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Lawsuit seeking to have the words “In God We Trust” removed from US currency

Recently a lawsuit seeking to have the words “In God We Trust” removed from US currency was filed in a federal court in Ohio. The suit w...

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Muhammad Ali giving an amazing speech - 1977

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Question: What are you going to do when you retire? 
 
What are you doing right now? 
Because we do not know when we are going to leave this world? 
This could be our last pray! 
This could be our last day! 
 
Live life as if it was your last moment in this world. 
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THE IMPORTANCE OF TIME IN ISLAM 
 
There are among those who believe in the popular saying as "Time is Gold." Time in Islam is more than Gold or any precious material thing in this world. Of all religions, only Islam guides mankind not only to the importance of time but also how to value it. Allah the Almighty and His Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), very clearly tell us the value of time, why we must not waste it and how we can make use of our time wisely to increase our Eeman (Faith) and thus attain success, especially eternal success in the life hereafter. 
 
TimeThe following are some of the most important duties demanded of Muslims: 
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Ensuring benefiting from time</li>
<li>Utilizing leisure time</li>
<li>Racing for good deeds</li>
<li>Learning from the passage of time</li>
<li>Seeking the superior times</li>
<li>Planning and organizing time</li>
<li>Fulfillment of time commitments</li>
<li>Necessary awareness of time wasters</li>
<li>Both the Qur'an and the Sunnah enjoin Muslims to be conscious of time. We are reminded that life in this world is nothing but temporary. We never know when death has been appointed for us. We must value time for the satisfaction of Allah the Almighty. For our guidance and success, we must never waste time nor abuse it.</li>
</ul>
Ibn Abbas narrated that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: 
 
"There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good." (Bukhari 8/421) 
 
Indeed, we displease Allah the Most High when we abuse time. We must remember that time must be spent to fulfill our very purpose in life that is to worship Allah all throughout our lives. Allah makes this very clear in the Qur'an when He says: 
 
I have only created Jinns and Men, that they may serve Me. No Sustenance do I require of them, nor do I require that they should feed Me. For Allah is He Who gives (all) Sustenance, Lord of Power, Steadfast (for ever). Qur'an (51:56-58) 
 
But celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and be of those who prostrate themselves in adoration. And serve thy Lord until there come unto thee the Hour that is certain (i.e., death). Qur'an (15:98-99) 
 
Everything we do in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunnah is an act of worship. Such worship must be done sincerely for the pleasure of Allah alone. We should make use of our time (which includes our "free time") in doing beneficial things especially those that will make us closer to Allah and earn His Mercy. 
 
We have to make use of our time wisely by knowing more of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. We must have correct knowledge of what Allah and His Messenger Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) have commanded us to do and at the same time to refrain from what they have forbidden us. This is imperative so that we earn Allah's pleasure and reward. Allah the Exalted makes it very clear, when he says: 
 
O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger, and make not vain your deeds! Qur'an (47:33) 
 
Corollary to the above divine commandment, we must ask ourselves: Have we been obeying Allah and His Messenger? To what extent have we used our time learning the Qur'an and the Sunnah in order to have correct Eeman (Faith), to do righteous deeds, to enjoin the Truth or do Da'wah, and be patient and constant? As time passes by, are we sure we are devoting our time for the sincere worship and pleasure of Allah the Most High? Are we taking guidance from the following very enlightening Ayat (Qur'anic verses)? 
 
By (the Token of) Time (through the ages), Verily Man is in loss, Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy. Qur'an (103:1-3) 
 
In line with the above Qur'anic injunction, we have to discipline ourselves by giving value to the importance of time. We must be prompt in doing good deeds, which will increase our faith and subsequently enable us to gain Allah's pleasure and mercy. 
 
Islam encourages Muslims to care for time, to utilize it wisely and not to waste it and to benefit from it. Besides, it holds them responsible for their time. 
 
We have to remember that on the Day of Judgment we shall be asked how we spent our lives, wealth and knowledge. In other words, we will be questioned on how we spent everything that Allah has given us as implied in the following Hadith: 
 
Narrated Abdullah Bin Mas`ud Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: 
 
"A man shall be asked concerning five things on the day of resurrection: concerning his life, how he spent it; concerning his youth, how he grew old; concerning his wealth, whence he acquired it, and in what way he spent it; and what was it that he did with the knowledge that he had." 
 
The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), used to call on Muslims to take the initiative to do good deeds before any obstacles arise. For instance, he said, "Lose no time to do good deeds before you are caught up by one of seven calamities awaiting you: a starvation which may impair your wisdom; a prosperity which may mislead you; an ailment which may damage your health; an old age which may harm your senses; a sudden death; the Dajjal (Antichrist); or Doomsday, which is indeed the hardest and most bitter." (at-Tirmidhi, al-Baihaqi) 
 
The above Hadith urges Muslims to take the initiative, and not to delay good deeds; man's life is not free from impediments, such as those calamities, which can prevent him from accomplishing what could have been done earlier. Wise are those who grab available opportunities before being handicapped by obstacles. 
 
If we are to evaluate ourselves objectively, have we been spending our time wisely for the pleasure of Allah the Almighty? Have we been spending our lives based on the Qur'an and the Sunnah? Have we been practicing Muslims? How many of us are Muminoon (Faithful Muslims) and/or Mutaqqoon (God Fearing Muslims)? How much knowledge of the Qur'an and the Sunnah do we know? Do we practice what we learn and impart the same to others or at least share them to our families and kin? Have we ever enjoined to others what is right and forbid what is wrong? 
 
To be successful, we have to manage our time wisely by making plans for virtuous deeds that please Allah the Almighty. We must spend time learning Islam based on the Qur'an and the Sunnah. 
 
 
Opportunity is something which is quick to vanish and late to return. Imam Hassan Al-Mujtaba (AS) 
Another Year Passes By and Time Marches On 
 
O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and let every soul look to what (provision) He has sent forth for the morrow. Yea, fear Allah: for Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do. Qur'an (59:18) 
 
Another year has passed; minutes move into hours => into days => into weeks => into months => into years - seemingly faster than ever; yet every moment is a precious component of life and every moment counts. 
 
Time - Use it, do not abuse it 
 
Our attitude towards time indicates our attitude towards the value of the capital of life. If we want to purchase something, we require financial capital; and if we want to do something in life, we require the capital of life, time. That is why the Qur'an exhorts us to value the time we have before life is up. Qur'an (63:10) 
 
Realize that... 
 
Time is the measure of life, time is an amaanah (trust), time is a gift from the Creator and its proper use will determine our outcome for eternity. 
We are born in time, live in time and die in time; time is the ambit within which we operate. What we do with time is what we do with our lives. 
Each one must realize that every moment that passes by is an opportunity gone, used or abused; never to return. Soon time will be up and we'll have to leave this physical world and give account for our lives. 
The more we remind ourselves of the responsibility of the present the better we get at living the moment and the better we live the present moment the better the consequence for the future. 
Our attitude towards the future influences our mind-set towards the rest of life. Being positive about life ahead is among life's greatest motivators. Hope is the best attitude one can harbor towards the future; this realistic expectation that something good or better could/will happen if only we continue doing the best we can. Remember that today well-lived makes yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. 
 
Wise are the words of the one who said ... "I expect to pass through this world but once; any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." 
 
"O Allah! Make life a means for every dimension of goodness." [Prayer of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)] 
 
The Characteristics of Time 
 
We are to bear in mind that time has certain characteristics, among of which are the following: 
 
Time passes quickly. 
Time that passes can never return, nor can it be compensated for, for time is irretrievable. 
Time is the most precious thing that man possesses. 
Muslim's Duty towards Time: 
 
Having all this great value and importance, time is to be duly appreciated and managed. In Islam there is no room for slogans like the so-called "killing time", for in Islam time is really valuable. In fact, wasting time is much more dangerous than squandering property, because unlike property, time cannot be compensated. Free time is a blessing that is overlooked, and not wholly appreciated by many people. 
 
This indicates that it's very important for a Muslim to try his utmost to husband his time and make the best use of it in beneficial things. A Muslim may use portion of his time in making invocations and supplications, celebrating the praises of Allah. The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), used to supplicate: "O Allah! I seek refuge in You from sorrow and distress, and I seek refuge in You from disability and laziness." 
 
A Muslim should learn how to organize his time, and make a realistic plan for his worldly and religious duties, without any of them overlapping the other. That is to say that one should know how to arrange his priorities: the most important and the most urgent comes first, and carried out according to schedule. Organizing time also includes leaving a place for relaxation and entertainment, for 'all work and no play make Jack a dull boy.' 
 
One of the methods of managing his time properly is for a Muslim to get up early and sleep early, for early hours always yield great blessings. Starting his day with prayer and the supplication of the morning brings the Muslim Allah's grace. A Muslim should always bear in mind that every time has its own task that suits it. Doing tasks in their due times brings about peace of mind and comfort. 
 
Finally, we would like to cite the following Hadith of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), quoting from the Book of Ibrahim, peace be upon him: "A sane person, unless he is mindless, should have four hours: an hour to invoke to his Lord, an hour to count his own deeds, an hour to contemplate about the creation of Allah and an hour to satisfy his worldly needs." 
 
Verily, time is very important for our success both in this temporary world and the eternal world to come. If we waste time, if we abuse it, then we waste and abuse our lives. In the Life Hereafter we will be among the losers, who will suffer the torments in the Hell Fire, if Allah the Almighty will not forgive us. Therefore, if we really give value to our lives then, we must give due value to the importance of time. 
 
http://www.ezsoftech.com/akram/time.asp 
 
 
 </div>

Muhammad Ali giving an amazing speech - 1977

Question: What are you going to do when you retire? What are you doing right now? Because we do not know when we are going to leave t...

Saturday, February 13, 2016

To Know US Black History is to Know US Islamic History

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US Black History Month in the USA 
True Black history has been obfuscated and replaced with nefarious Eurocentric myths. Africa is portrayed as a place without history: primitive, inferior and impoverished. The noble descendants of Africa are by extension portrayed as incompetent and inconsequential actors in world history. To counter these Eurocentric tall-tells that masquerade as objective history, Carter G. Woodson first proposed Black History Week, which later expanded to a month. 
 
Muslims, who have been duty-bound to submit to Quranic revelations of getting to “know each other,” cannot truly fulfill this duty unless we counter this epistemic racism that inhibits accurate knowledge about Africa and its descendants. To do this, we must look at our own tradition to learn about the contributions that Africans made to Islam from the beginning of our faith’s history to the present. 
 
It was an African woman, Umm Ayman, who first told Aminah, “You shall give birth to a blessed child who will bring goodness,” when the Prophet was still in the womb of his mother. It was Bilal who proclaimed the oneness of God, refusing to acknowledge the false deities of his slave master even in the midst of torture. 
 
It was Sumayya who became the first martyr of Islam for refusing to denounce her belief of One God to her persecutors. Refusing to succumb to oppression, it would be the brave Black generals Zayd and his son Usama who made invaluable contributions to ensure that the Muslim community was able to survive and eventually prosper, allowing the call to prayer, first stated by Bilal, to be heard globally. 
This call to prayer would spread to Mali, where Black Muslim Mansa Musa would emerge as the wealthiest man in world history. Later, this call to prayer would be heard by Askia Muhammad, who led Songhai to become the largest empire in West Africa’s history. Crafting such a scholarly environment, Leo Africanus visited Timbuktu, saying more profits were made from the book trade than any other line of commerce. 
 
In Timbuktu, subjects such as mathematics, science of hadith, astronomy, jurisprudence and rhetoric was taught and studied. Ahmad of Timbuktu wrote more than 70 books and was an expert in Arabic grammar. This legacy of Black Muslim scholarship would continue through the centuries and be taken to new heights by the great Uthman Dan Fodio. 
 
Fodio founded the Sokoto Caliphate and was a staunch advocate of women’s education. His daughter, Nana Asmau, emerged as an Islamic scholar who memorized the entire Quran and wrote a biography on the life of the Prophet, which was read throughout Sokoto. There were also other phenomenal Black Muslim scholars in Sokoto: Muhammad Bello, Sultan Muhammed Bello and Sultan Abu Bakr Atiku. 
 
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This Black History month, learn the names of  enslaved Islamic scholars, including Bilal Lictuan, Shaykh Dandaa, Shaikh Sanim, Malam Bubakar Ahuma and Manuel Calafate, who were victims of the slave trade and forcibly taken to Brazil. There, they would spark the Male Revolt, which historian João José Reis referred to as “the most effective urban slave rebellion ever to occur on the American continent.” 
 
Court documents revealed that African slaves utilized Arabic documents to organize the slave revolts, completely shocking European settlers.  Since most whites in Brazil were illiterate, Reis indicates, “It was hard to accept that African slaves possessed such sophisticated means of communication.” 
 
Though their rebellion would eventually be subdued with the leaders being given the death sentence, their defiance to oppression and courageous quest for justice should be remembered. 
African genius would also manifest through Ayuba Diallo, an African Muslim slave who wrote four copies of the Quran from memory. His intellect as a slave won him his freedom; he would be inducted into an intellectual fraternity called the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, which included the likes of Isaac Newton. 
 
This Black History month (USA), learn about Bilali Muhammad: Though a slave on a plantation, he produced a book on Maliki Jurisprudence, which was later discovered to contain verbatim quotes on Islamic Law produced by Al-Qauirawani in 900 A.D, demonstrating he committed portions of the books to memory. Also learn about Omar Ibn Said whose slave narrative states that he was out on a quest to seek knowledge. After traveling back home from his studies, an army came to his village and kidnapped him, forcing him into slavery. 
 
In his slave narrative, Said states he can no longer write Arabic according to true grammar. Through the years of slave bondage, efforts were taken to erase Islam from the slave population, eventually reaching a point where it was no more. 
 
Then learn about the resurgence of Islam among the descendants of African slaves through movements such as the Nation of Islam. Learn about the economic accomplishments of Elijah Muhammad. Under his leadership, this movement changed the life of a young Malcolm Little, reaching him while in prison where he intensively studied history. 
 
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Malcolm X was motivated to not only change his life but fellow prison inmates, telling themthat “some slaves brought from Africa spoke Arabic, and were Islamic in their religion.”  To Malcolm X, history was transformative and utilized to motivate change in the present. Part of this change came through the school system of the Nation of Islam. 
 
Describing these schools, Malcolm X states, “In Detroit and Chicago, school-age Muslim children attended our two Universities of Islam.”  Malcolm X emphasized those students at these schools, “learned of the black man’s glorious history.” This Black History month, learn about the first teacher in what would become the largest black-operated independent school system in America: Sister Clara Muhammad. 
 
Malcolm X further states, “I had always had a high opinion of Wallace Muhammad’s opinion.” This Black History month, learn about the son of Clara Muhammad, Warrith Deen Muhammad, who brought millions of his followers towards Sunni Islam. Later, Malcolm X also spoke of “Boston Temple’s outstanding young Minister Louis X.” It would be this brother, who would rebuild Muhammad University of Islam, a pinnacle of my childhood, where I would learn to be proud to be Black, proud to be Muslim. 
 
Here I first learned that Islamic history is Black History and that history is transformative. We must learn from it to influence the present. 
 
By Hakeem Muhammed 
Hakeem Muhammad is an avid researcher, lecturer and blogger. He has taught African American philosophy at Spartan Debate Institute at Michigan State University and Cal State debate and Speech Institute at UC Berkeley. While finishing his senior year, Hakeem is currently working at the African American Male Initiative at West Georgia University and in the future seeks to study Islamic thought in Africa. He is also a 2016 MuslimARC- Muslim Anti-Racism- AMEL Fellow. 
 
Stay in touch! Like altmuslim.com on Facebook: 
 
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2016/02/to-know-black-history-is-to-know-islamic-history/" target="_blank">http://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2016/02/to-know-black-history-is-to-know-islamic-history/</a> </div>

To Know US Black History is to Know US Islamic History

US Black History Month in the USA True Black history has been obfuscated and replaced with nefarious Eurocentric myths. Africa is por...

Thursday, February 11, 2016

6 Awesome Things About the Quran I Love

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Too often in the news, Islam is only associated with terrorism and fanaticism. An uninformed viewer may think to himself: How could anyone in their right minds find inspiration and solace from such a faith? But, to billions of people, Islam is their avenue for seeking liberation and peace. 
 
My spiritual journey, believe it or not, began on a dull evening with a lot of time to spare on my hands. It so happened that on that particular day, the electricity was down in my home, and I couldn't find anything to do. Browsing through my cellphone, I stumbled across a Quran app I had downloaded earlier. And, for some reason, I felt an urge to finally read the book I professed to "believe" in. Within the next few days, I had finished it. 
 
The Quran, I found, was truly a fascinating book: very different to how some Muslims practice Islam. Above all, it was a book I could very much relate to, and find answers to the dilemmas I often thought about. Naturally, the more time I spent with it, the more it seemed to give me back. Thus, as I went deeper and deeper into the Quran, I was left mesmerized by its structure, cohesiveness, and the language it employs that happened to reflect my own being so precisely. 
 
Through all the ups and downs - the sudden moments of euphoria and multiple crises of faith - it is fair to say that this journey completely changed me for the better. It liberated me from an ordinary existence and gave my life a meaning, and a purpose. 
 
Without further ado, here are 6 things I love most about the Quran: 
 
1- The Quran Encourages People to Contemplate & Think For Themselves 
 
2- The Quran Discourages Blindly Following Ancestral Ways and Religious Preachers 
 
3- The Quran Promotes Pluralism & Acknowledges There Being Multiple Paths to God 
 
4- The Quran Champions Freedom of Conscience. 
 
5- The Quran Asks Muslims to Be Social Activists 
 
6- The Quran Considers Belief as a Means to an End, and Not an End in Itself 
 
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1- The Quran Encourages People to Contemplate & Think For Themselves 
 
Indeed, the most disliked created beings in the Sight of God are the deaf and the dumb who do not use their intellect. (Quran, 8:22) 
 
You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain, and you are responsible for using them. (Quran, 17:36) 
 
When I first started reading the Quran, my paradigm was drastically different to what it is now. Back then, whether a particular interpretation or belief was rational or not wasn't a prerequisite for believing in it. "It was the word of God, after all!", I thought, "Dare I question it?" 
 
However, it was the Quran, with its repeated emphasis on questioning and contemplation, that made me realize the merits of free-thought. The profound statement, "Will you, then, not think?" appears numerous times in the Quran, and at regular intervals! Gradually, instead of simply believing everything I heard and read, I started analyzing things. 
 
And that has truly changed my world for the better. 
 
When I hear some new-atheists say that the Quran is a medieval book that suppresses freedom of thought and is an exercise in surrendering the mind, I find myself shaking my head in disbelief. "Have these folks even read the Quran?", I think to myself. 
 
The idea that religion suppresses free thought and encourages blind belief certainly is, by no means, representative of the Quran. In fact, the opposite is true: those who do not reason are vehemently condemned (Quran 10:100) and are considered "no different from animals" (Quran 25:44). It is this emphasis on free-thought and acquiring knowledge that ultimately led to what we call "The Golden Age of Islam". 
 
However, a thinking population is always dangerous to the status quo, and hence these verses were gradually brushed aside, replaced by a bizarre sentiment of blindly following those in power (whether religious, or political). Add to that the notion of a heavenly reward for reading the Quran in Arabic (even for non-Arabic speakers) promoted by the clergy, and you've got a largely ignorant population at the whims of what religious figures teach them about Islam. 
 
2- The Quran Discourages Blindly Following Ancestral Ways and Religious Preachers 
 
O you who believe, many religious leaders and preachers take people's money illicitly, and repel from the path of God. (Quran, 9:34) 
 
And they (the common people) will say: O our Sustainer! Behold, we paid heed unto our leaders and our great men, and it is they who have led us astray from the right path! (Quran, 33:67) 
 
If you obey the majority of people on earth, they will lead you astray from God's way. Most of the people follow nothing but conjecture and they only live by guesswork. (Quran, 6:116) 
 
It would come as a surprise to many (even Muslims who haven't read the Quran) that the Quran warns people about the dubious ways of many religious preachers, and asks people to be wary of them. A religion that was only devised to control and cheat people would never expose religious preachers like this, for it would be against their very interests! 
 
Time and time again, we find passages in the Quran about people blaming themselves on the Day of Accountability because they had not reasoned for themselves, and had blindly adopted the ways of their ancestors and/or religious and political leaders. These serve as excellent reminders to continually re-evaluate one's beliefs. As Mark Twain also once said, "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." 
 
What did I learn from these verses? That just because a belief and/or practice is popular and accepted by many does not necessarily make it true or beneficial. These verses have taught me to question everything - be they cultural norms, religious opinions or whatever else. 
 
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3- The Quran Promotes Pluralism & Acknowledges There Being Multiple Paths to God 
 
Surely, those who believe (in the Qur'an and call themselves Muslims), and those who are Jews, and Christians and the Sabians; whoever acknowledges God, The Day of Accountability, and does acts of reformation - their reward is with their Sustainer. For them shall be no fear from without, nor shall grief touch them from within. (Quran, 2:62) 
 
As for those who sincerely strive for Us, We shall most certainly guide them onto paths that lead unto Us: for, behold, God is indeed with the doers of good. (Quran, 29:69) 
 
Sectarianism thrives on the idea of there being only one correct way to worship and serve God. By acknowledging that there are, in fact, multiple paths that lead to God, the Quran entirely discredits and nullifies sectarianism. 
 
Truth be told, there was a time when I believed only I and people who shared my beliefs were "rightly guided." However, these verses eventually changed my stance for the better. They made me realize that no faith or school of thought has a monopoly on truth, and that has really "broadened my horizons", so to speak. Irrespective of where a truth comes from, a truth is a truth and should be accepted on its own merit. And, what a liberating thought this is! 
 
4--The Quran Champions Freedom of Conscience. 
 
"If your Sustainer willed, all who are on earth, would have believed (by not providing free will). Would you then, compel people to become believers?" (Quran, 10:99) 
 
"There is no compulsion in matters of faith." (Quran, 2:256) 
 
Despite what some modern Muslim majority states do in the name of God (namely, anti-blasphemy & apostasy laws), the Quran advocates total freedom of speech and expression. This is, after all, a fundamental human right. Otherwise, what would be the point in endowing human beings with free-will? 
 
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5- The Quran Asks Muslims to Be Social Activists 
 
O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Stand up firmly for justice, witnesses for God, even if it is against yourselves, your parents and your relatives, and whether the case is of a rich person or a poor person. God is nearer to them than you are. 
 
Do not follow your emotions lest you fall short of justice. If you distort your testimony or turn away (from this command, know that) God is Aware of all your actions. (Quran, 4:135) 
 
The Quranic program is centered in the pursuit of social justice, and fighting oppression. Islam is not a faith that only gives you a dogma to believe in, in return for paradise; but rather expects you to utilize your resources in helping the vulnerable and in becoming agents of peace and justice! 
 
This repeated emphasis on social and economic justice by the Quran has restored my belief in my capabilities that I can make a difference, no matter how small. It has inspired me to be more involved in my community, and help those in need. 
 
6- The Quran Considers Belief as a Means to an End, and Not an End in Itself: 
 
Do people think that they will be left (at ease) simply because they say, "We believe", and will not be put to test? (Quran, 29:2) 
 
I am so glad that this verse is so explicit, because so many religious people (Muslims included) today exhaust all their energies on "believing this" and "believing that", all the while failing to translate that belief into some meaningful action. It is unfortunate that for many, religion has devolved into a list of things they must believe in, in order to be eligible for paradise. 
 
But, it is what you do that is the main concern of the Quran: how you translate that belief into action. And this teaches me that "believing" in values like honesty, justice, loyalty etc. is not the point - living these values is. 
 
And that's how my faith inspires me to evolve as a human being! 
 
by Ro Waseem, Blogger on Islam @ <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/quranalyzeit" target="_blank">www.patheos.com/blogs/quranalyzeit</a> 
Follow Ro Waseem on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Quranalyzeit" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/Quranalyzeit</a></div>

6 Awesome Things About the Quran I Love

Too often in the news, Islam is only associated with terrorism and fanaticism. An uninformed viewer may think to himself: How could anyo...

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

'Violence more common' in Bible than Quran, text analysis reveals

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A study by non-Muslims of the three books, the project found, the Old Testament is the most violent, with approximately 5.3% of the text referring to "destruction and killing" — the Quran clocked in at just 2.1%, with the New Testament slightly higher at 2.8%. 
 
While the New Testament led in mentions of the concept of love, the Quran leads heavily in mentions of mercy — thanks partially to Allah's title, "the merciful." 
 
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Perhaps the most notable difference, though, was between the frequency of positive emotions that surfaced in the Quran when compared to both books of the Bible, as depicted in the chart below. 
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<a href="http://www.islamicfinder.info/2016/01/how-do-people-perceive-bible-verses-if.html#more">Also see this article comparing Quran to Bible</a> 
 
Project Summary: 
Is the Quran really more violent than the Bible? by Tom H. C. Anderson 
To understand a religion, it’s only logical to begin by examining its literature. And indeed, extensive studies in a variety of academic disciplines are routinely conducted to scrutinize and compare the texts of the world’s great religions. 
 
We thought it would be interesting to bring to bear the sophisticated data mining technology available today through natural language processing and unstructured text analytics to objectively assess the content of these books at the surface level. 
 
So, we’ve conducted a shallow but wide comparative analysis using OdinText to determine with as little bias as possible whether the Quran is really more violent than its Judeo-Christian counterparts. 
 
A few words of caution… 
 
Due to the sensitive nature of this subject, I must emphasize that this analysis is by no means exhaustive, nor is it intended to advance any agenda or to conclusively prove anyone’s point. 
 
The topic and data sources selected for this project constitute a significant departure from the consumer intelligence use cases for which clients typically turn to text analytics, so we thought this would be an interesting opportunity to demonstrate how this tool can be much more broadly applied to address questions and issues outside the realm of market research and business intelligence. 
 
Again, this is only a cursory analysis. I believe there is more than one Ph.D. thesis awaiting students of theology, literature or political science who want to take a much deeper dive into this data. 
 
About the “Data” Sources 
 
First off, it seemed sensible and appropriate to analyze the Old and New Testaments separately. (The Jewish Torah makes up the first five books of the Christian Old Testament, of course, while the New Testament is unique to Christianity.) 
 
We decided to split them for analysis for a couple of reasons: 1) They were written hundreds of years apart and 2) their combined size relative to the Quran. 
 
Though all data (Old Testament, New Testament and Quran) were combined and read into OdinText as a single file, the Old Testament is the largest with over 23K verses and about 623K words, followed by the New Testament with just under 8K verses and 185K words, and then the Quran with just over 6K verses and less than 78K words. 
 
Secondly, there are obviously multiple versions and translations of the texts available for study. We’ve selected the ones that were most accessible and best suited for this kind of analysis. 
 
With regard to the Christian Bible, instead of the King James version, we opted to use the New International Version (NIV) because the somewhat updated language should be easier to work with. 
 
In selecting an English translation of the Quran, we considered the Tafsir-ul-Quran (1957) by the Indian scholar Abdul Majid Daryabad, but decided to go with The Holy Qur’an (1917, 4th rev. ed. 1951) by Maulana Muhammad Ali because this version is more widely used and the data are more easily accessed. 
 
We do not believe the text in either of these choices to differ materially. 
 
Approach: A ‘Top-Down/Bottom-Up’ Inquiry 
 
We recommend and OdinText employs a  ‘Top-Down/Bottom-Up’ approach to text analysis. 
 
This means that identification of issues for investigation will be partly a priori or ‘Top-Down’ (i.e. the analyst determines specific topic areas to explore such as “violence”). 
 
But there will also be a data-driven or ‘Bottom-Up’ aspect in which the software helps to identify topics or areas that may not have occurred to the analyst, but which could be important given the data. 
 
For example… 
 
OdinText looks for sentiments and emotions in the data as soon as it has been uploaded to our servers; however, as this particular data set is rather unique, certain custom dictionary definitions—what we refer to as “issues”—will also need to be created through the Top-Down/Bottom-Up approach. 
 
One simple and unbiased way to do this is to allow the process by which these definitions are created to be as data-driven as possible. There are several ways to look to the data for information. For instance, we might start by looking at the top words mentioned in each source to understand what concepts cut across our data, and how they might be defined. (See figure 1) 
 
3Way Text Analytics Comparison 
 
In this way, an overarching concept for comparison in each of the three sources can then be developed. For instance, a concept like “God” would need to include all common terms for this concept in each text source. 
 
We can name such a concept something like “God All Inclusive,” and allowing all common definitions/terms for God in each of the texts to be picked up under this concept. 
 
Accordingly, “God All Inclusive” would include any mention of “Lord” (28%) or “God” (11%) in the Old Testament, as well as any mentions of “Jesus” (17%), “God” (16%), “Lord” (8%) or “Christ” (7%) in the New Testament, and any mentions of “Allah” (30%) or “Lord” (14%) in the Quran. 
 
As mentioned earlier, in order to keep this analysis as unbiased as possible (and in order to do it as quickly as possible), we will also rely on OdinText’s built in functionality to understand broader concepts such as positive and negative sentiment as well as other psychological constructs and emotion in text.  In other words, when we look at positive and negative emotion we will be using this broad-based metric across the three texts without any customization at all. 
 
Now that I’ve laid the groundwork for this project, please join me tomorrow as we take a look at the initial results! 
 
Considering many people take at least a year to read just one of these texts, you may find it interesting that it took OdinText less than 120 seconds to read, parse and analyze all three texts at once! 
 
<a href="http://odintext.com/blog/text-analysis-answers-is-the-quran-really-more-violent-than-the-bible/" target="_blank">http://odintext.com/blog/text-analysis-answers-is-the-quran-really-more-violent-than-the-bible/</a> </div>

'Violence more common' in Bible than Quran, text analysis reveals

A study by non-Muslims of the three books, the project found, the Old Testament is the most violent, with approximately 5.3% of the text...

Tuesday, February 09, 2016

El Hajj Malik El Shabazz known as Malcolm X Autobiography Summary

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FROM MALCOLM X TO EL HAJJ MALIK EL SHABAZZ 
The Transformation of Malcolm X 
 
        Malcolm X was perhaps one of the most controversial elements in the civil rights movement. In his early years, Malcolm X became a member of  Nation of Islam, a religion that borrowed basic ideas from the orthodox teachings of Islam and combined with racist views regarding whites taught by Elijah Mohammed. Malcolm X was a very influential and prominent priest for the Nation of Islam. However, Mr. Mohammed and his Nation of Islam turned against Malcolm when he questioned some of the beliefs and actions of Elijah Mohammed. This uncertainty forced Malcolm to embark on a quest over seas seas to find his true beliefs. Upon his arrival to  Arabia, he found a truly different society, where race played no factor on a person's status (Davies, 98). This made a very positive change in Malcolm X's beliefs. This unity of human kind had forced Malcolm to change many of his ideas including his beliefs about the the solution to the racial problem in America. 
 
        Malcolm X had his first religious enlightenment while serving time for various crimes he had committed when he was young. While Malcolm was in prison, he learned and adopted the teachings of  Nation of Islam, a religious sect of  Orthodox Islam which believes in strict moral codes and radical views about race led by Elijah Mohammed. By the time he left prison, Malcolm had completely changed himself from a drug dealing burglar to a religious priest for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X had completely submitted himself to the racist teachings of Elijah Mohammed. It is through the Nation of Islam and Elijah Mohammed's teachings that Malcolm developed his radical views about race in America. 
 
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Under the teachings of  Elijah Mohammed, Malcolm X had targeted all whites and blamed them for position of blacks in society. He had referred to whites as devils, who sought to lower the standards of blacks even more, by bringing prostitution, liquor, etc. into black neighborhoods. (Life, 0:06:03).  Malcolm X believed that complete segregation between blacks and whites was the only answer to the racial problem in America. Malcolm felt that all the actions committed against blacks in history was due the white race in its entirety, and not because of specific individual actions (X, 238-239). He also believed that blacks should not only segregate but all blacks should migrate to Africa, and establish a society there (Perry,196). 
 
Fifteen years after Malcolm embraced the Nation of Islam, he started to question the religion. Allegations of  sexual misconduct and illegitimate children against Elijah Mohammed had arisen (Mack-Williams, 101). When Malcolm confronted Mr. Mohammed regarding the situation, Mr. Mohammed admitted to his actions. Malcolm then began to question the beliefs of Elijah Mohammed, and his involvement with the Nation of Islam. During this time, according to Malcolm, Elijah Mohammed and other leaders of the Nation of Islam grew increasingly jealous of  Malcolm's success, and created lies about Malcolm to discredit his name (X, 290). Malcolm finally left the Nation of Islam in 1964. 
 
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Later that same year, in an attempt to find the true religion of Islam, as it is practiced by the millions of followers around the world, Malcolm embarked on a voyage that would ultimately change his beliefs, life, and attitude about America. Malcolm X landed in Mecca, Arabia to undergo the holy pilgrimage, an act that all well-to-do orthodox Muslims are required participate in . This experience had a very positive impact on Malcolm X. Despite the racial frustrations Malcolm carried, he wrote in a letter to his wife, 
 
 Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and the over     
        whelming sprit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all 
        colors and races here [Mecca].... this pilgrimage... has forced me 
        to re-arrange much of my thought patterns... and toss aside some of 
        my previous conclusions.... In the words and in the actions and in 
        the deeds of 'white' Muslims I felt the same sincerity that I felt 
        among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan, and Ghana (qtd. 
        in X, 339-340). 
 
While racial hatred, in America, had forced blacks into the lowest depths of society, Malcolm had encountered a land where the color of the skin played absolutely no factor in any aspect of life. While Segregation in America had forced blacks to survive in poorest of living conditions, the white leader of Arabia had invited Malcolm to stay not only in his extravagant palace, but in his own room (X, 333). While whites had  beaten, raped, and attacked blacks,  while fire hoses were unleashed at black civilians, while hungry dogs were released on black protesters, while white supremacist groups like the KKK used violence to intimidate blacks, Malcolm X had "eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass... while praying to the same God with fellow Muslims, whose eyes are the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white" (Malcolm X tape II, 1:38:48). It is from this trip to Arabia, that Malcolm learned about the value of brotherhood  He learned to trust people, whites in particular. Malcolm learned the color of one's skin does not reflect what kind of person you are, rather that ones actions reflect the quality of a person (X, 333).  He learned that coexistence can and will work, something that Malcolm previously believed could never happen. From this trip, Malcolm abandoned all his racist and segregational views about the American society, and adopted the more Orthodox Islamic approach of racial coexistence and equality. 
 
 When Malcolm returned to his trip, he immediately started preaching his new philosophy. He developed new ideas about race in America and how its relation in the world, foreign policy and politics, and African American unity. 
 
 Perhaps the greatest change in Malcolm's beliefs were his ideas regarding relationships between whites and blacks. His conversion to orthodox Islam had changed his views about whites completely. In one of his speeches after his Mecca trip, he writes: 
 
        I am not a racist... In the past I permitted myself ... to make   
        sweeping indictments of all white people, the entire white race, 
        and these generalizations have caused injuries to some whites and 
        perhaps did not deserve to hurt. Because of my spiritual       
        enlightenment... as a result of my pilgrimage [to Mecca, Arabia]... 
        I no longer subscribe to make sweeping indictments of any one race 
        ( "Malcolm X", MSA internet site). 
 
It is at this time Malcolm X had changed his name from the Nation of Islam trademark of "X" to a traditional orthodox Muslim name, Malik El- Shabazz. This change in his name probably signified his complete separation from the Nation of Islam's radical philosophy about racial separation to orthodox Islam's beliefs in racial equality. This is what Malik El-Shabazz said about his new found religion: "When you become [a true] Muslim, you don't look at a man as being black, brown, red, yellow. You look at him as being a man" (qtd. in Decaro Jr, 72). 
 
 Mr. El- Shabazz  practiced his new found philosophy. After Malcolm's separation from the Nation of Islam, he created his own orginization called Muslim Mosque Inc., which abandoned the Nation of Islam's anti-symetic views and called for black unity both in America and abroad. (Myers, 158). Perhaps the most shocking difference between Muslim Mosque Incorporated and the Nation of Islam was its views regarding whites. According to Malik's friend, Dr. Mahmoud Shawarbi, Malik El-Shabazz wanted whites to join his organization. In fact, Mr. El- Shabazz felt that it would help his organization grow (DeCaro Jr., 249). This was a complete reversal from his previous beliefs under the Nation of Islam where he not only didn't trust whites, he referred to them as devils (Malcolm X tape 2, 0:27:36). 
 
 In Arabia, Malcolm witnesses coexistence between all races. He brought this positive ideology to America. In his years with Nation of Islam, Malcolm called for complete separation of blacks and whites. He felt that the only way blacks could exist the way they deserve to exist is if they governed and lived by themselves (Malcolm X tape II, 1:11:19). However, Malik El- Shabazz no longer believed this way, infact he completely changed his views on this subject. Mr. Shabazz went as far as to state that relationships between races was permissible saying, "...when you are dealing with humanity as a family there's no marriage of intergration or intermarriage" (qtd. in X, 424).  Malik El- Shabazz truly felt unified with the people of all nations who held common beliefs. He believed that the solution to the racial problems lies in the mind of the people, not segregation. Malik El- Shabazz had felt that that many of the whites in America had developed a superiority attitude which dates back to the time of slavery. This superiority attitude was the root of the racial problems in America, and unless it is removed, theses problems could never be solved. (DeCaro Jr, 1^9) 
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 The way Malik El- Shabazz viewed other black organizations changed as a result of his spiritual rebirth. Previously, under the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X denounced all black leaders who supported "non-radical" solutions to the racial problems in America. He argued, "... when the white man wants to attack Negroes, they can't defend themselves, because [Martin Luther] King has put this foolish philosophy out- you're not supposed to fight or you're not supposed to defend yourself." Malcolm made direct criticisms against Martin King and others like King (qtd. in Gallen, 139). However, since the conversion to authentic Islam, Malik El- Shabazz looked at other black leaders differently. On his trip to Mecca, Malcolm witnessed a tremendous amount of unity of people, despite their differences. He had felt that unity is what strengthened brotherhood. Malik El- Shabazz wanted to bring this unity to America (Malcolm X tape II, 1:19:52). When Malik El-Shabazz returned to America, he gave full support to all black organizations, which wanted to achieve positive results. He began to set the stage for working with  Martin Luther King  and perhaps other black leaders (Curry, 5). 
 
 Shabazz's enlightenment in Arabia changed his attitude regarding the solution to the racial problems. Since Malik El- Shabazz gained a sense of unity with the people of the world,  he no longer felt that the racial problem existed only in America. He felt the civil rights cause should be addressed as human rights and should be treated as a human problem, not just a national one (Davies, 104). In that regard Malik El- Shabazz presented proposition to sue the United States for violating human rights in front of the United Nations (Curry, 5). However, because of the mind-set of the black community in America at the time, the proposition had minimal support. In addition this movement was completely stopped as a result of Shabazz's assassination. 
 
 Malik El- Shabazz also made direct criticisms against Elijah Mohammed and the Nation of Islam.  He believed that the religion of Nation of Islam is a completely different entity than Orthodox Islam, and Elijah Mohammed was a fake. Regarding the Nation of Islam and Elijah Mohammed, Malcolm writes: 
 
 For 12 long years I lived within the narrow minded confines of the 
        straight jacket world created by my strong belief that Elijah     
        Mohammed was a messenger direct from God... and my faith in what I 
        now see to be a pseudo-religious philosophy that he preaches. . . . 
        I shall never rest until I have undone the harm I did to so many 
        well-meaning, innocent Negroes who... now believe in him even more 
        fanatically and more blindly than I did (Malcolm X Quotes,       
        Internet). This passage reflects Shabazz's new beliefs regarding 
        the Nation of Islam, Shabazz's previous religion. He had felt that 
        the Nation of Islam was blinding many blacks, which in turn could 
        hurt the human rights movement. 
 
Malik El- Shabazz, not only criticized the Nation of Islam, he preached for many blacks to convert from Nation of Islam to Orthodox Islam. Malcolm had insulted the Nation by calling it "cult like" (De Caro Jr., 166). An action that threatened Elijah Mohammed and his Nation of Islam. El- Shabazz had felt that this threat may lead the Nation of Islam to inflect violence, in particular, against himself. (DeCaro Jr., 254). El- Shabazz was correct. On February 21, 1965, Malik El- Shabazz was assassinated while delivering a speech in New York. Three Nation of Islam leaders were convicted and sentenced for the killing (Myers, 196-197). 
 
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Malik El- Shabazz had said, " My whole life has been a chronology of changes" (Malcolm X Quotes, Internet). El- Shabazz had three main stages in his life. As Malcolm Little, he was a drug addict and a criminal. As Malcolm X, he had transformed from a petty thief to a prominent priest for the Nation of Islam . He taught racial hatred and radical views on solving the racial problems in America. As Malik El- Shabazz, he had transformed from preaching segregation to preaching racial unity and equality.  If someone was to hear the beliefs of Malcolm X and hear the beliefs of Malcolm as Malik El-Shabazz, they might beleive that Malcolm and Malik were two entirely different people, with drastically opposing views. Perhaps what made Malik El- Shabazz so great was that bettered himself  by acknowledging his mistakes, learning from them, and was committed to teaching the lessons of his mistakes to others, so others could better themselves. 
 
From: "zameer@castleweb.com" <Zarina.F.Baber-1@tc.umn.edu> 
Subject: Re: Malcolm X paper  Date: Sat, 1 Jun 1996  Friday May, 10th 1996 
https://www.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/~moritz/Archive/malcolmx/zameerbabermalcolmx.txt 
 
Sources: 
Curry, George E. "The Last Days of Malcolm X." Emerge Feb. 1995: 1-5. SIRS 
Researcher Article 49. 
 
Davies, Mark. Malcolm X: Another Side of the Movement. New Jersey: Silver 
Burdett Press Inc., 1990. 
 
DeCaro Jr., Louis A. On the Side of My People: A Religious Life of Malcolm 
X. New York: New York University, 1996. 
 
Gallen, David. Malcolm X: As They Knew Him. New York: Caroll & Graff 
Publishers Inc., 1992. 
 
Life and Death of Malcolm X. Dir. James Washington. Narr. Kingston Ducoeur. 
 Simitar Entertainment, 1992. 
 
Mack-Williams, Kibibi. Malcolm X. Florida: Rourke Publications Inc., 1993. 
 
Malcolm X. Dir. Spike Lee. With Denzel Washington and Angela Bassett. 
Warner Bros., 1992. 
 
Moritz, Elke.  Malcolm X Quotes. http://www.unix-ag.uni 
kl.de/moritz/daten/afroamer/mxquotes.aa. Online. Netscape. Internet. 30 
April 1996. 
 
MSA. Malcolm X. http://www.csun.edu/~hbcsc103/malcolmx.html. Online. 
Netscape. Internet. 5 May 1996. 
 
Myers, Walter Dean. Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary.  New York: 
Scholastic Inc., 1993. 
 
Perry, Bruce. Malcolm: The Life of a Man Who Changed Black America. New 
York: Station Hill Press Inc., 1991. 
 
 X, Malcolm. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. New York: Random House Inc., 
1965.</div>

El Hajj Malik El Shabazz known as Malcolm X Autobiography Summary

FROM MALCOLM X TO EL HAJJ MALIK EL SHABAZZ The Transformation of Malcolm X Malcolm X was perhaps one of the most controvers...

Monday, February 08, 2016

USA - Your Legal Rights with Law Enforcement in the US (4 Muslims and Non Muslims)

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 USA - Your Legal Rights with Law Enforcement (Muslims and Non Muslims): 
American Muslims strongly support law enforcement and the protection of our national security. As Americans, we also value civil rights. All Americans have the constitutional right to due process and to be politically active. If you know of any criminal activity taking place in your community, it is both your religious and civic duty to immediately report such activity to local and federal law enforcement agencies. 
 
 
If you are visited by federal law enforcement agents, remember: 
You have the legal right to have a lawyer present when speaking with federal law enforcement agencies. This is true even if you are not a citizen or have been arrested or detained. This is your legal right. Refusing to answer questions cannot be held against you and does not imply that you have something to hide. Answering a question incorrectly can hurt you more than not answering at all. An attorney is best able to protect your rights. 
 
You do not have to permit any law enforcement officer to enter your home or office if they do not have warrant. Law enforcement agents must have a search warrant, except in emergency situations, in order to enter your house. If they say they have a warrant, politely ask to see it before allowing them to enter. If they have a warrant, be courteous and polite, but remember that you are under no obligation to answer questions without a lawyer present. You should tell the agents that you do not consent to the search so that they cannot go beyond what the warrant authorizes. 
 
You should never lie or provide false information to any law enforcement agency. Lying to law enforcement agents under any circumstance is a federal crime. 
 
Remember to ask any investigator who visits you for a business card so you can give it to your lawyer. At least get the name, contact information and agency of the officer. 
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If stopped by police: 
 
On the street: The police must have a specific reason to approach and question you. If you are approached and questioned, the police can pat you down over the outside of your clothing if they have reason to suspect that you are armed and dangerous. You do not have to answer any questions besides identifying who you are and showing a government-issued ID. After the interaction, you will be either free to leave or under arrest. Ask the officer clearly if you are free to leave or if you are under arrest. If you are free to leave, consider just walking away. 
 
In your car: Keep your hands where they can be seen. If you are driving a vehicle, you must show your license, registration and proof of insurance. You do not have to consent to a search, but police may have legal grounds to search your car anyway. Clearly say that you do not consent to the search. Officers may separate passengers and drivers from each other to question them, but no one has to answer any questions. 
 
If arrested or taken to a police station: Remember you do not have to talk to any police officer even if you have been arrested or detained. Clearly ask for a lawyer and one phone call until they are provided. If you cannot afford a lawyer, the government has to provide one. 
 If mistreated: Do not resist arrest or fight with any police officers. Write down the officer’s name, badge number and any other identifying information. Try to find witnesses and write down their contact information. File a complaint with CAIR as soon after the event as possible. 
 
Your rights if contacted by DHS: 
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) includes the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 
 
If you are not a U.S. citizen and are contacted by a DHS official, remember: 
You have the right to an attorney. It is a good idea to carry the contact information of an immigration attorney who can help you. 
 
Never sign anything without reading, understanding and knowing the consequences of signing it. You have the right to have an attorney visit you if you are in detention and represent you at any immigration hearings. 
 
Federal law requires you to carry your registration documents with you at all times. Once your immigration status has been shown to an officer, you do not have to answer any other questions without having a lawyer present. 
 
You should not be asked improper questions. No DHS officer may ask you anything about your religious or political beliefs, groups that you belong to or contribute to, things that you have done or said in the past, or where you have traveled. 
 
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Read more (source <a href="http://www.cair.com/know-your-rights.html" style="color: #0066ff; outline: none; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">CAIR</a>)</div>
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<li style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.cair.com/know-your-rights.html" style="color: #0066ff; outline: none; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Know your rights - click here</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.cair.com/know-your-rights/your-legal-rights-as-an-employee.html" style="color: #0066ff; outline: none; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Your Rights as an Employee - click here</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.cair.com/know-your-rights/your-legal-rights-as-a-student.html" style="color: #0066ff; outline: none; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Your Rights as a Student - click here</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.cair.com/know-your-rights/your-legal-rights-as-an-airline-passenger.html" style="color: #0066ff; outline: none; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Your Rights as an Airline Passenger - click here</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.cair.com/know-your-rights/if-federal-law-enforcement-contacts-you.html" style="color: #0066ff; outline: none; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Your Rights with Law Enforcement - click here</a></li>
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CAIR National Contact USA 
Phone: (202) 488-8787 
Fax: (202) 488-0833 
Email: info@cair.com 
Website: <a href="http://www.cair.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #0066ff; outline: none;" target="_blank">www.cair.com</a> 
Address: 453 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003</div>
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USA - Your Legal Rights with Law Enforcement in the US (4 Muslims and Non Muslims)

USA - Your Legal Rights with Law Enforcement (Muslims and Non Muslims): American Muslims strongly support law enforcement and the protec...

Saturday, February 06, 2016