Response to “Female treatment in Islam”

I like the issue that Cairostunna has brought up about females being treated in Islam the way they are not supposed to. Well, firstly, men and women should be treated equally despite the individual differences such as race, religion, ethnicity, culture etc. But since this is a theology course, I would like to relate this issue with Islam and the teachings of our beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). Prophet himself has never put himself in a greater position than God. God is above all and the greatest of all. Men should not take advantage of their physical power over females. It is not the religion but the society which has made women become so vulnerable.

According to a Qur’anic verse 49:13 which is “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (one who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”

A scholar has interpreted the verse and stated “Variations in gender, languages, ethnic backgrounds and, by implication, religious claims, do not provide any basis for superiority or inferiority. The implication of “that you may know each other” (Qur’an 49:13) is that such variations constitute a deliberate mosaic that Allah created, which is more interesting and more beautiful than a single “color” or a “unisex””.

This is just one Qur’anic verse of many which proves that to Allah both male and female are equal and that God should be given credit for making man out of dust.

class reading

i’ve been reading the Muhammad book by Lings, and it is a great read.  i’ve struggled to find a comprehensible copy of  a book which outlines the life of Muhammad.  this book is definitely a good start – it includes all important historical events as well as the key figures in the Prophet Muhammad’s (S) life.  Thus far, it’s been an enjoyable read and I have learned quite a bit. I hope to learn much more by the time I finish the book.  in response to the blog below, I too, was intrigued by the mark of prophethood, and how so many people in ancient arabia were anticipating the coming of a prophet. i wonder how they knew.

Muhammad by Lings

I’ve been reading Muhammad, and I was struck by the passage regaurding “the mark of the Prophet.” It’s described as a round birthmark on his back, possibly discolored when compared to his skin. Strangely enough, I have the same birthmark on my back. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no where NEAR claiming to be the nexxt big prophet, I’m probably the farthest from it, but it’s amazing to realize Prophets, Gods, Angels, what have you, have these strange relations to people today. I’ve never been a religious person, and I don’t know much about any type of faith, but this has really got me thinking.

Female treatment in Islam

Seeing many times over the issue of female treatment in Islam come to discussion, I need to comment on it from my point of view and understanding. Having undergone quite a bit of instruction on Islam, the Qur’an and all things Middle East and Islamic world, both inside and outside of the college class setting, I can confidently say that whenever I see or hear women being mistreated in the name of religion and Islam in particular, the transgressors are almost always wrong to do so. In the Qur’an there is no direct mention to subordinate or demean the women in your life, but there are more than enough Islamic ’scholars’ who use various Shuras and Haddiths to say otherwise. These people, most always of the male disposition, tend to spread their interpretations of a very important subject in part because it gives them power among the bigots, which is basically what they are. I say this because when you look at the issue after it has been boiled down, there is no real reason based in reality to actually suppress females in your own religion or other group. Another factor that I believe which greatly contributes to this is plain and simple fear of change or fear of equal power amongst the genders. For instance, the only places where you still see the brutal oppression of women is in the Islamic countries that tend to be more authoritarian than others. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comes to mind again. There, women have no say in any matters and must keep a 15 foot distance in public to their mandatory male companions. Whereas here in the US, female Muslims can operate SUVs, hold high-paying jobs, open their own bank accounts, and walk alone to lunch. Contrasting these two cases just goes to show the treatment of women who happen to follow Islam, is not based in Islam itself, but rather in the societal and cultural surroundings the people find themselves in. So the next time a Muslima is being abused, either mentally or physically, just keep in mind that this is not the path Muhammad would have taken.

Life and Death response

After being two days late for my first blog, I decided it would be good to be a day early on my second. My casual scanning of the blogs so far has given me hope that this Blog will be quite a good read every time, and not end up with someone blogging, “Guess what people?! Religion is just a farce!!”, or something to that effect. I do hate a severe case of ignorance.

Moving on to my few cents on the issue of the History Channels 9/11 Documentary about the viewpoints of a terrorist/martyr. I too have seen this documentary and remember the line exactly. What I took away from this was not so much the stark contrast between our love of life, or their misinterpreted ‘love’ of death. The true mentality behind this line is that someone who commits his or her life to fighting in the perceived small jihad, the large jihad being that of an internal struggle, then he or she is actually looking forward not to the death and dying part itself, but is in fact looking beyond the process of transcending this mortal life we all share, and is rejoicing at the prospect of reaching the promised Paradise for his or her deed of dying for their faith, Islam. However, when you read deeper and hold conversations with knowledgeable scholars on the Qur’an and the many Haddith, then it becomes clear that those young men and women who give up their lives for ‘the cause’, will not end up in Paradise, for they have not followed the true path of Islam and have committed mass murder of innocents of all faiths and devotions.

So for someone to be as ignorant as the past suicide/homicide bombers/fighters have been is fairly laughable. The whole notion that they are dying in defense of Islam is simply not backed up by evidence, for the US and her Allies have never declared a war on Islam, no matter how grave some of the current administrations missteps have been. In fact I believe there is a strong enough case for the exact opposite to hold truth. The US and the West are some of the most open and available places in the World to practice Islam. Don’t believe me? Just ask people in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia how free they feel when they enter a mosque for evening prayers. You just might be shocked at their answers, if you are lucky enough to get some.

Response to “So.. about that ISNA video”

Though I appreciated Hamza Yusuf’s speech as a whole, several things in particular caught my attention that made me question some of his remarks.  Yusuf told the audience that his whole life, politics and whoever was the president of the United States did not really mean much to him.  He stated that it was only until recently that he felt like he was responsible for speaking out, at least in reference to Guantanamo Bay.  I found this statement contradictory to other parts of his speech at the least, and even then, borderline ignorant.  Throughout a good portion of his speech, he was citing his values of what it means to not just be a good Muslim but rather a good AMERICAN Muslim.  Sure enough then, he must pride the value system that America has.  When I think of America, more than anything else, I think of democracy and the right to elect your leaders.  So, for him to say he doesn’t really care about politics too much and  that normally he doesn’t care which president is elected (as long as its not Bush, though), well, it really lessens the value of his speech.  Take, for instance, his remarks regarding the “blistering sore” on this planet that the Palestine-Israel conflict is. Though not directly an American problem, which country does he think is the most influential and the most powerful, and without doubt the most capable of ameliorating the situation?  Probably the one he’s living in.  I think it goes without question that the elected president of America is not only the leader of America, but in a way, is in charge for a lot of what goes on around the globe.

I just think if he really cares about the problems of the world, then naturally, politics should be the thing dearest to his heart, at least by way of practicality.  However, I could be completely misinterpreting him and he may have just said that he didn’t care about politics much as a way to transition into a new topic in his speech.  Hmm.

Regarding Death and Islam

Some time ago, I watched a thorough 9/11 documentary on the History channel. As the doc came to an end, I was left with the words from a terrorist involved: “Americans love life and we love death”. While reading the ending two chapters of “Alchemy of Happiness”, the quote from the documentary couldn’t help but arise in my mind. al-Ghazali describes death as more of a gift. He describes the world as a “decietful” place. The world is not a place one should want to stay. While all religions do offer a promising afterlife, it seems in Islam, there is a more of a willingness to die. The key word is seems. I am fairly uneducated in the Islam religion. However, I found the view of the world and death to be quite interesting. Popular perspectives of death include viewing passing on as a sad event. One should cherish everyday on earth, live a long, fullfilling life, etc. etc. In al-Ghazali’s “Alchemy of Happiness”,  there is a feeling it is death and reaching the next world that should be cherished. Understandably, being with God and entering Heaven is a popular want across all sorts of religions. However, I had not seen the view of death as a blessing before. Obviously, the terrorist has an extreme point of view on the subject and most certaintly does not follow Islam the way it is meant to be followed. In reading “Alchemy of Happiness” I couldn’t help but see the origins of his extremist point of view. Is there less love of life in Islam or is that idea a great misunderstanding of the view of death in Islam?