Arlisbest

Mohammed: The man and his faith

2011-01-23T17:39:00.001-08:00

He is the first representative of a new and independent religious type. Even to-day, after a period of development of thirteen centuries, one may clearly discern in genuine Islamic piety the uniqueness which is ultimately derived from its founder's personal experience of God.

Hitherto the nature of Mohammedan piety has generally been rather unjustly ignored by Western students of religion. If one were to seek out the cause for this, it would not suffice to refer to ignorance, or to the reaction of old dogmatic prejudices against the 'false prophet,' or to political hatred of 'the dog of a Turk.' The cause lies deeper, and may perhaps be best expressed by the proverb: Relatives understand each other least of all. A Christian sees much in Islam which reminds him of his own religion, but he sees it in an extremely distorted form. He finds ideas and statements of belief clearly related to those of his own religion, but which, nevertheless, turn off into strangely different paths. Islam is so familiar to us that we pass it by with the careless indifference with which we ignore that which we know and know only too well. And yet it is not familiar enough to us to enable us really to understand its uniqueness, and the spirit by which Islam has won its own place in the sphere of religion, a place which it still rightly occupies by virtue of its very existence. We found it much easier to understand religions that are completely new and strange to us-as, for example, the religions of India and China. A greater degree of insight and of spiritual freedom is required of him who would under-stand the Arabian Prophet and his book.

Chapter 1: Arabia at the Time of Mohammed

At the time of Mohammed's appearance Arabian paganism was tending very strongly toward that type of belief which has been called polydaemonism. Divine beings, as a rule, were not such clearly defined and individual entities as in the higher polytheistic religions. They were beings after the fashion of the European fauns, gnomes, and earth-spirits, and were usually differentiated only by their different dwelling places. As in European folk-lore every home has its house-cricket, and every forest its spirit, so, according to Western Semitic belief, every country had its special divinity, a Baal or an El. The local divinity could inhabit external objects of nature, and in Semitic thought, as expressed especially in sacred stories, it could also inhabit trees or springs. In Canaan the sacred tree might be replaced by a wooden pole, an ashera, which was often erected near the altar. Similarly, the sacred stone might be a rocky ledge, or a single stone, which, because of its unique position, became an object of worship. Moreover, a special stone might even be erected for cult purposes. Then it was called a massebg. sometimes offerings were placed upon natural boulders, or upon stones having a bowl-shaped depression, like the Nordic elf-mills. In Judges 6:19f, such a sacrifice is described. Gideon placed meat and unleavened bread upon a rock and poured broth over it, where-upon fire came out of the rock and consumed the offering. A large stone was generally regarded as a fitting place to offer a sacrifice. When the Ark of the Covenant was returned from the land of the, Philistines, and the procession reached Bethshemesh, the Hebrews found in the field there a large stone, upon which the kine who had drawn the ark were sacrificed as a burnt-offering to the Lord.

Among the Arabs this stone cult survived and assumed a definite form. The various local divinities, worshipped by one or more tribes of the vicinity, were ordinarily simply identified with stones-or this, at least, is the opinion of Mohammedan writers. Ibn al Kelbi reports that Manat was a large stone in the territory of the Hudhail tribe, that Allat was a rectangular stone upon which a Jew used to grind wheat, and that Sa'd was a high block of stone in the desert. In some cases the divinity was identified with a particular part of the natural rock. Al-Fals was a reddish projection, resembling a man, on an otherwise black mountain. But specially erected stones might also serve as the dwelling-places of the divinity or the seats of his power.

The most famous of all of the stone fetishes of Arabia was, of course, the black stone in the sanctuary of Mecca. The Ka'ba was, and still is, a rectangular stone structure. Built into its Eastern corner is the black stone which had been an object of worship for many centuries before Mohammed appropriated the Ka'ba for his new religion, and made the pilgrimage to this holy place one of the pillars of Islam.

Every nature cult is inclined to regard a sacred object as a personal human being. When possible, this tendency often finds expression in clumsy attempts to interpret the sacred object anthropomorphically. Hence several of the Arabian stone fetishes were in process of becoming idols. Al-Galsad looked like 'the torso of a man of white stone with a black head.' In the Ka'ba there was an actual idol representing the God Hubal.

The sacred stone image was surrounded by consecrated territory, a Hima, which often contained rich vegetation and a natural water-supply. In the sacred grove there was frequently a spring. Thus, on one side of the Ka'ba was the well Zemzem, whose very salty and disagreeable water is still regarded by Mohammedans as particularly holy. Within a Hima an animal could not be killed, nor a tree felled. Tame animals which fled into it could not be recovered, and some animals which had to be withdrawn from secular use because of ancient taboos-for example, female camels which had brought forth male colts for a number of years in succession -were placed in these sacred enclosures. As in other lands, so in Arabia, sacrifice was the method of establishing contact with the divinity. First the sinews of the hind-legs of the sacrificial animal, usually a camel, were severed, so that it fell over; thereupon its throat was cut with an archaic knife, and the blood was made to drop upon the sacred stone. The flesh was usually eaten by the sacrificer, but sometimes it was shared by guests whom he had invited to the feast. However, some sacrifices were consecrated entirely to the divinity. The sacrificial animal had then to be left lying upon the sacred place, to feed the beasts and birds of prey. Some sacrifices were prescribed by traditional customs. When a boy attained the age of seven a sheep was sacrificed, and the 'pagan hair,' aqiqa, of the boy was cut, from which act the whole custom, which Islam also adopted, receives its name. In offering a sacrifice a large number of taboos had to be observed until the sacrifice had been completed: such as no drinking of wine, no washing or combing, no sex contact with women, wearing nothing upon the head, and carrying no weapons.

In connection with the annual sacrifices another cult form was retained, especially at the Ka'ba. During a certain month the Arabs of the vicinity assembled to walk around the sanctuary. This circumambulation, the tawaf, which even to-day constitutes the climax of the Mohammedan pilgrimage, began and ended at the sacred stone, and was supposed to proceed toward the right, that is, counter sun-wise. At the beginning or at the end of the ceremony the black stone was sometimes kissed, or a bow was made with outstretched arms toward the wall between the stone and the Eastern door. This usage is obviously related to the ritual dance or the circling of the sacred object, the sacred tree, the Maypole, or the fire-the purpose apparently being to come into close contact with the power residing in the cult object, or to evoke an especially strong response from it. In addition, this sacred encircling is a very typical example of the shifting of motive which often takes place within the same magico-religious is rite. That is to say, the act is performed not merely in order to obtain power from the cult object, but also in order to bind with the divinity or power, to compel it or to surround it a protective magic circle. The wall of Jericho fell when the priests marched around it; the city of Rome was protected by the sacred furrow which had been ploughed around it; and by means of the circle which was drawn three times (in the same direction as the sun) around the clearing in the wood the Norsemen bound the fire so that it might not spread into the forest. Concerning the sacrificial stone of the Laps it is said: 'The women are not permitted to encircle such sacred mountains, for fear that the God might not be confined by the circle, and might be forced to break out violently and bring some misfortune upon the women and their sex.' Originally the valley between Safa and Marwa, the two small hills north of the Ka'ba, also belonged to the tawaf.

Another ceremony, which was not connected with the rites of the Ka'ba before the rise of Islam, is the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to 'Arafat, about two miles east of Mecca, toward Mina. This took place in a different month from the tawaf. Those making it gathered and waited for the signal of the leader before beginning the journey to Muzdalifa, where the night was spent in watching. just at daybreak they all proceeded to Mina. On the way they passed three stone-heaps, upon which every participant cast a stone. At Mina an animal was sacrificed, and when the rite was completed the participants cut off their hair and put on their everyday clothes as a sign that they were now leaving the lhram. In the main this is still included in the pilgrimage to Mecca prescribed by Mohammed. Thus the rites of 'Arafat and Mina are so combined with it that the pilgrims must, after they have cut off their hair, go back to Mecca and perform a tawaf.

So the ancient paganism of Arabia may in general be regarded as an undeveloped polytheism, in which a development had just barely begun which would have gradually produced a pantheon consisting of a hierarchy of gods, formed by associating together a number of independent individual divinities. Nevertheless, some of these divinities stand out above the multitude of local deities, and reveal a more definite personal nature and a uniquely defined function. This is true, first of all, of the three goddesses of Mecca: Manat, Allat, and Al 'Uzza. Their cult was of the greatest antiquity, judging by her name, Manat ' who was especially revered by the war-like and poetic tribe of the Hudhail, south of Mecca, seems to have been a divinity of the very prevalent type of a goddess of fate and fortune. She resembles the Greek Tyche Soteira, one of the Fates, a daughter of Zeus, the liberator and helper of man on the sea, in war, and in public assemblies. As early as the days of Herodotus Allat was known as Alilat. The original form shows that her name signifies 'the Goddess.' like other ancient historians, Herodotus always sees in the gods of alien peoples the same beings whom his own people worship. The Allat of the Arabs is for him Urania. He therefore recognizes her as a goddess of heaven. Urania-Coelestis is the Graeco-Roman version of the Phoenician Astarte. This 'Carthaginian Astarte' bears also the name of the 'mother of the gods.' When the mother of the Emperor Heliogabalus, Julia Soemias, was elevated to the position of goddess of heaven (and her son to the position of sun-god) she was given the official title 'Mother of the gods, Venus Urania, Queen Juno.' But in Nabataean inscriptions the 'mother of the gods' is also called Allat. Thus we have a right to assume that in Arabic circles Allat corresponded with the great Semitic goddess of motherhood, fertility and heaven, and especially with the form which she assumed in Western Semitic regions. In Taif, where her most important sanctuary was located, she was called simply Al Rabba, 'sovereign,' a title which be-longed also to Ishtar (Belit) and Astarte (Baalat). At the time of Mohammed's appearance Al 'Uzza received the most worship of the three goddesses. The name signifies 'the mighty, the honoured one,' and hence it really has much the same content as Al Rabba. In character too this goddess is very similar to Allat. Only in Northern Arabia does she seem to have retained more definitely her original connection with the planet Venus. Isaac of Antioch relates that the savage Arabs sacrificed boys and girls to the morning star, whom he also calls Al 'Uzza. He also accuses the Syrian ladies of climbing upon the roof at night and praying to the morning star to make their faces radiant Arith beauty. The Arab women do likewise. And yet, Isaac adds ironically, some of them are beautiful and some are ugly, just as are the women of all nations.' The Church Father Nilus relates that the Arabs worshipped the morning star, and on concluding a successful raid gladly sacrificed to it at dawn. Something very precious was used as a sacrifice, preferably a youth in the bloom of adolescence. In Nakhla, a few miles north of Mecca, Al 'Uzza had one of her chief sanctuaries. In the eighth year after the Hegira Mohammed sent the valiant Khalid, who later conquered Syria, with thirty horsemen to destroy this sanctuary. While Khalid was felling the last of the three sacred acacia-trees of the goddess, a naked black woman with flowing hair approached him. Her priest, who was present, cried out: 'Be courageous, Al 'Uzza, and protect thyself!' Khalid shook with terror, but took courage, and with one stroke cleft her head. Then she turned into a black cinder.'

How dear the bright and comely goddess of heaven was to the populace of the Mediterranean countries and the Near East is shown especially by the fact that she survived the decay of the ancient world, and won a place for herself in Catholic Christianity as the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Heaven. And the fact that Mohammed himself, who otherwise broke so completely with the old paganism, originally attempted to make a place for the three goddesses in his religious system, is reflected in a story which has been faithfully preserved by Islamic tradition, although to us it seems to present the Prophet in a very unfavourable light. Mohammed was probably actuated by a pious regard for what had been vitally religious in the piety of his childhood- something which he could not and did not desire to discard. Thanks, however, to an overzealous apologetic, this fact, which in itself is neither foolish nor disparaging to the Prophet, had been so portrayed, in a foolish legend, as to cast a grave reflection upon his religious and moral character.

Ibn Sa'd, an historian of the ninth century, relates' that at the time when Mohammed permitted some of the faithful to migrate to Abyssinia, to escape the persecution which threatened him and his followers, he strongly desired not to receive any revelations that might estrange his countrymen. He was anxious to win them, and he did succeed in reaching an understanding with them. One day he was sitting together with them at the Ka'ba, reading them Sura 53: 'By the Star when it setteth.' When he came to the passage: 'Do ye behold Allat and Al 'Uzza, and also Manat, the third idol?' -which now concludes: 'What? shall ye have male progeny and Allah female? This were indeed an unfair partition!' -Satan suggested two lines to him: 'These are the exalted females, and truly their intercession may be expected.' Mohammed then re-read the whole Sura, and at its conclusion he prostrated himself and prayed, and the whole tribe of Quraish did the same. His bitter enemy, the old Walid ibn Al-Mugira, who could not bow down, took earth instead, and sprinkled it upon his head. All were greatly pleased with the Prophet, and said to him: 'We know that Allah killeth and giveth life, createth and preserveth, but these our goddesses pray to Him for us, and since you have now permitted them to share divine honours with Him, we therefore desire to unite with you.' The Prophet was disturbed by their words, and all day he meditated alone in his own house. That evening the angel Gabriel came to him, and the Prophet recited the Sura to him. When he came to the words suggested by Satan the angel asked: 'Have I taught you these two lines?' Mohammed then realized his error, and said: 'I have attributed to Allah words which He did not reveal.'

It is very apparent that in this form the whole narrative is historically and psychologically contradictory. However beneath the legendary form which has come down to us there is still discernible an older version, according to which Mohammed's legitimate desire to reach an understanding with his people misled him into trying to compromise between previously proclaimed monotheism and the pagan idolatry. Inasmuch as parallels to such opportunism are by no means lacking in Mohammed's later conduct-think, for example, of his attempt to win over the Jews of Medina to his religion-this story of his chance defection has hitherto been generally accepted as historical. It is thought that in this incident the unscrupulousness of the future autocrat of Medina is clearly revealed, and it is believed that these tactics actually achieved a certain degree of success; for according to one version, although it involved only a temporary concession, which Mohammed revoked on the very same day, nevertheless, the compromise was maintained long enough for the rumour of his reconciliation with his people to reach the refugees in Abyssinia.

However, an Italian scholar, Caetani, has attempted to show that the traditional form of the story cannot be correct. When one considers the contempt and enmity which the Quraish tribe, who inhabited Mecca, showed toward Mohammed on other occasions, it would seem highly improbable that they ever condescended to listen to the Prophet's reading of the Koran, to say nothing of acknowledging him as a prophet on account of an insignificant concession. Furthermore, such a sudden abandonment of a principle which he had previously championed so energetically would have utterly cancelled his previous success, and entirely undermined the prestige which he had gained among his followers. And one might add that a compromise with the Quraish tribe could not possibly have been reached by merely changing a few lines of the Koran at a time when a large portion of it was filled with bitter attacks upon the Meccan pagans and their gods.

However, in my opinion it is unthinkable that the men of the later tradition, who regarded Mohammed in every respect as a perfect example for the faithful, would have deliberately invented a story so seriously compromising their Prophet. We must therefore assume, as the historical kernel of the tradition, that Sura 53.19ff. once embodied a different wording, implying acceptance of the pagan conception of the gods, an implication which Mohammed subsequently felt to be incompatible with belief in the one God. In style and rhythm the two Satanic lines fit admirably into the original Sura, which is amongst the earliest revelations, so that it is impossible that they should have been added as late as the Abyssinian emigration. Mohammed often made additions to the older Suras, and in such cases he always employed the formal style which dominates every revelation, so that the added lines always stand out clearly from the original. Moreover, in the original version the Sura probably contained a polemic against paganism. Mohammed objected to the expression, 'Daughters of Allah,' Which his countrymen applied to the three goddesses, and declared that it was wrong to think of God as having daughters. However, he did not intend to deny that the goddesses were high heavenly beings who could make intercession to God. Such a position is really not unthinkable in the earliest period of the Prophet's career. He merely attributed to the heavenly intercessors the same position which the angels occupied in the popular religion of the Eastern Christian churches. Undoubtedly there existed at that time an actual angel cult. Didymus of Alexandria tells of countless angel chapels in the city and the countryside, to which the people made pilgrimages for the purpose of securing aid from the angels. And a Syrian priest writes concerning the archangel Michael: 'Michael is the great ruler of heavenly and earthly beings. Michael is the strong and just governor. Michael is the highest commander under the Heavenly Father. Michael lies at the feet of the Father and petitions Him: Remember Thy likeness I Michael stands before the throne of the Father and prays for the sins of men until they are forgiven." And in Arabian paganism, as we shall see later, the idea of subordinate divine beings acting as mediators and intercessors is not at all unthinkable.

That Mohammed actually once thought of the three goddesses as interceding angels is shown by his later addition to the aforementioned Sura 53.26-29: 'And many as are the angels in the Heavens, their intercession shall be of no avail until God hath permitted it to whomsoever He shall please, and whom He will accept. Verily it is they who believe not in the life to come, who name the angels with names of females: But herein they have no knowledge: they follow a mere conceit; and mere conceit can never take the place of acceptance of truth.' Here Mohammed implies that the goddesses are in reality angels, to whom the pagans in their ignorance have given feminine names (comp. 37, 149-50: 43.18). Albeit with strict reservations, the right of the angels to make intercession is here recognized. In regard to Mohammed's personal attitude to the goddesses of Mecca it is a peculiar and certainly a significant fact that they occupy quite a different position in his theological system to that of the male idols. In agreement with the usual Jewish and Christian conceptions he regards the male idols as evil spirits, as jinn to whom men have chosen to pray instead of to Allah. Besides, in a still later addition, which was evidently made subsequently in Medina, he still further clarified his monotheistic position. In it he says: 'These are mere names; ye and your fathers named them thus' (53, 23). Here the goddesses have become mere names and have no basis in reality.

It is not difficult to explain how the whole tradition of the Prophet's desire to be conciliatory, and the unfortunate concession which arose from this desire, might have originated. It illustrates admirably the general character and value of most of the narratives which we possess concerning the life and the conduct of the Prophet in Mecca. When Mohammed lived in Mecca he was a comparatively insignificant man, and his activities assuredly did not attract the degree of attention which the later legends presuppose, so that we naturally have only a very few data relating to this period which are of any historical value. The majority of those followers who had the best understanding of the religious significance of Mohammed, and who came to realize that it was of vital interest to the faith to preserve all that was known concerning his personality, were not converted to Islam until the Medina period. Those followers who had been with the Prophet from the beginning were engaged, for the most part, as responsible leaders in the military state which was growing in power like an avalanche, and they had other things to do than relating stories of the shame and debasement of the Meccan period. Consequently those who sought information concerning that period had really only one source upon which they could depend: the Koran. In this sacred scripture, which every pious man knew by heart, they were continually confronted by allusions to particular historical situations. Since there was no one present who could give them definite information concerning the meaning of these vague references, pious imagination came to the rescue, and reconstructed the circumstances and events which were obviously implied. Thus, some interpreter of the Koran who belonged to an older generation tried to explain the tradition concerning the original wording of the 53rd Sura to a later type of piety which found it obnoxious. He found the explanation in two passages of the Koran. The first was Sura 17, 75-6: 'And, verily, they had well-nigh beguiled thee from what we revealed to thee, and caused thee to invent some other thing in our name: but in that case they would surely have taken thee as a friend; And had we not confirmed thee, thou hadst well-nigh leaned to them a little.' The context shows that these words refer to a political intrigue by means of which the Quraish had hoped to drive Mohammed out of his native city (verse 78). The other passage was Sura 22, Si, where we read, amongst other things: 'We have not sent any apostle or prophet before thee, amongst whose desires Satan hath injected not some wrong desire, but Allah shall bring to nought that which Satan hath suggested. Thus shall Allah affirm His revelations.' The wording of the tradition concerning the incorrect reading in Ibn Sa'd and Ibn Ishak, shows that it is an attempt at an exegesis, especially of the last-quoted passage from the Koran. However, this passage originated in Medina, and it is hardly likely that Mohammed still needed, ten years later, to justify himself in respect of a premature act, which he probably committed under quite different circumstances, and in the presence of entirely different witnesses. As we very well know, in Medina he was busy defending certain rather compromising modifications of his views that belong to a much later period.

However, according to the early Arabian conception of these divinities, of which only the feminine seemed to have much significance, and really to possess individual characteristics, there stood high over them a supreme God, the creator and ruler of the world. When Mohammed proclaimed his creed: 'There is no God but Allah,' he was not trying to introduce a new God. His pagan countrymen knew and acknowledged this divinity. His name, Allah, occurs already in pre-Mohammedan times, both in inscriptions and in compound personal names like Abd Allah, 'servant of Allah.' The effective note in Mohammed's evangelistic preaching is that he is able to accuse the pagans of acknowledging Allah as the creator of heaven and earth, and yet failing to draw the only possible conclusion from their belief; which is, to worship Allah and none else besides Him. 'If thou ask them who hath created the Heavens and the Earth, and hath imposed laws upon the sun and the moon, they will certainly say, "Allah". . If thou ask them who sendeth rain from Heaven, and by it quickeneth the earth after it hath been dead, they will cer-tainly answer "Allah"' (Sura 29, 6 1 and 63). When in extreme danger, especially on the sea, the pagans call upon Allah (29, 65; 31, 31; 17, 69), but when they are on land again, and feel safe, they share His divine honour with other beings. Allah is supposed to have given certain commandments and taboos to men (Sura 6, 139 ff.), and the most sacred oaths are sworn in His name (Sura 3,r, 40; 16, 40).

Thus, even though Allah was not worshipped as He deserved, the cult of Allah was not entirely neglected. A species of tithing, or offering of the first-fruits of grain and cattle, was offered to Allah as well as to the other gods (6, 137). But, above all, Allah was apparently regarded as ,the Lord of the Ka'ba,' the God to whom the cult of the highest sanctuary of Central Arabia was dedicated. In one of the oldest Suras (io6) Mohammed urges his tribesmen, the Quraish, to worship 'the Lord of this house, who allows the two annual trade caravans to be equipped, and who cares for them, and permits them to dwell in security. Concerning himself he says that he has received the commandment to worship 'the Lord of the house,' i.e. the Ka'ba. Apparently, then, the Prophet and his countrymen fully agree that the God who is worshipped through the ritual of the Ka'ba is Allah. Since the Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians also used Allah as the name for the one God of their monotheistic belief, it so happened that the Christian Arabs, at least, regarded the Christian God as the Lord of the Ka'ba, and in consequence they occasionally participated in the cult which was celebrated there. In one oath the Christian poet Adi Ibn Zeid mentions 'Mecca's Lord and the Crucified' together.'

The question has been asked: How could a religion such as the ancient Arabian, which was otherwise so inadequate and under-developed, attain to so lofty a conception of God as is expressed in the belief in Allah? Wellhausen [Wellhausen, Reste arabischen Heidentums, pp. 218 ff.] in his day tried to explain this as being an effect of the power of language over thought.' Allah is a contraction of al-ilah; and the name denotes simply 'the God.' Every tribe called its local divinity by this name. Being the only god worshipped by the members of the tribe, he did not need to be called by his name, if he possessed one. And since every tribe spoke of 'the god,' and meant thereby its own tribal god, this linguistic form eventually paved the way for the belief in a supreme God common to all the tribes. This explanation of Wellhausen's is based upon a method of reasoning which several decades ago seemed very modern and scientific, especially in the type of religious research which was dominated by the standpoint of philology. Today one would hardly credit language with such tremendous significance as a creative factor in the development of ideas. And a more profound investigation, especially of primitive religion, shows that the problem of the origins of religious conceptions is not so simple as this and other similar linguistic explanations would assume. Then, too, Allah has attributes which are certainly not shared by any local tribal gods; in especial His attribute of creator of the whole world.

It is perhaps more probable that the pagan Arabs were influenced by the many Jewish immigrants who had lived among them for centuries, especially in Yemen, but also in the central and north-western portions of the peninsula, and that their world of religious ideas owed much to the impressions which they had received from these Jews, and from the monotheistic belief of the neighbouring Christian peoples. However, among many peoples, and even among such as live at a much lower level of culture than the Bedouin of Mohammed's day, one may find a belief in a supreme god Who is the creator of the world and of men; a god Who instituted sacred customs and ceremonies, and watches over them, and especially over those removed from the control of human authority, to ensure they are maintained. It is characteristic of such gods that they recede into the background of the cult, and are but rarely called upon; for example, in times of threatening danger, or when grave natural calamities menace the existence of the social organism. Formerly scholars were generally inclined to regard this belief in a supreme God, which has been designated by the very inappropriate name of 'primitive monotheism,' as being due to the influence exerted in the course of the centuries by Christian missionaries upon primitive peoples. To-day, however, as a result of the investigations of W. Schmidt, Preuss, Pettazoni, and others, the opinion is gaining ground among scholars that this explanation no longer suffices to explain all cases, and that we must rather assume that we are here dealing with an original conception of a very ancient type. For we find it, in a pronounced form, even among those peoples who are at the most primitive level of culture. Thus it is actually possible that the belief in Allah, the creator of the world, the giver of rain, the founder of sacred customs, and the Mighty One who watches over the sacredness of oaths, is part of the autochthonous religion of Arabia. When the other deities are at times regarded as only a kind of mediator between men and Allah (39, 4), or are placed in subjection to Him as His children (39, 6), such conceptions find striking correspondences among primitive peoples today. The Safwa, in what was formerly German East Africa, explain that, just as the unimportant man who wants to bring a matter to the attention of the chief needs an important person to act as his mediator and advocator, so such a person is necessary when approaching Nguruve (God). 'The ancestors are our advocates; they can bring our affairs before God, the great Lord." And among the Ewe-speaking peoples of South Togoland the Trowo are called the 'earth gods,' but also 'Mawu's (God's) children.' 'They can bring the affairs of men before God."

At any rate, it is clear that this belief was of very great importance for Mohammed, and that in many respects his conduct cannot be understood until we remember that belief in the God whose will and plans he desired to proclaim may be regarded as being, in a certain sense, known and recognized even among the pagans. As we shall see later, this explains why Mohammed was able to begin his preaching, in an extremely abrupt and unsystematic fashion, with the proclamation of the Resurrection and the judgment, without first clearly establishing the fundamental tenets upon which he desired to build, and without laying down a definite programme of worship and religious custom. In fact, he did not at first intend to establish a new religion, but rather to reform the belief in Allah which already existed, and to show what this belief truly signified and rightfully demanded. Only gradually did the consequences of his own faith become clear to him. But it became increasingly evident that the God of judgment and of just retribution could not tolerate that other beings should receive the slightest portion of the divine honours which were His due. The strictness of Mohammed's monotheistic attitude became increasingly severe. He went much farther than Eastern Christianity, whose Christolatry and Mariolatry he regarded as idolatry. Not even Judaism withstood the test of his monotheistic zeal. He regarded the Jewish reverence for Ezra as on the same level as the Christian adoration of Jesus (9, 30).

So we can understand how it happened that Mohammed, in his early career, found himself fundamentally at one with his people, and how their national sanctuary, to which he clung with his whole heart, always remained a holy place to him. From this point of view we can also understand why at first he should even have tried to find a way of reconciling a sort of veneration of the Meccan goddesses with the new belief in eternal life which he proclaimed. His own inner development, the deepening of his own spiritual life, led him gradually to a radical break with the religion of his people.

The fact that Jews and Christians also acknowledged Allah as the only true God is likewise significant in interpreting Mohammed's conception of the relationship of the religions to one another. That all nations, even though with greater or less purity, or with varying degrees of whole-heartedness, worship the same God, and therefore must at various times have had a knowledge of His will, became the natural pre-supposition of the doctrine of revelation which Mohammed developed, prompted by influences whose origin we shall seek to establish later.

A special priesthood guarded and directed the Arabian sanctuaries. The priest or temple guard (the Arabic sadin) was like the Nordic Gode, a venerable man who was regarded as the owner of the sacred precinct. As a rule this privilege of ownership and direction belonged to a clan whose chief was the actual priest, but any members of the tribe could carry out the priestly functions, which, in addition to the guarding of the sacred grove and the building (when such existed), or the image of the God, and the treasury where the votive gifts were stored, consisted merely of the practice of casting lots to determine the will of God, or to obtain His advice concerning important undertakings. However, for the sacrifice itself no priest was necessary. Every head of a family could sacrifice for himself and his family.

In addition to the priesthood, there was a certain guild of seers whose members received their esoteric knowledge from a spirit, a jinni, or, as Mohammed described it in less friendly terms, from Satan. It was said that the seer, kahin, was majnun, that is, possessed by a jinni. But in Mohammed's day we find that the relation of the seer to the spirit is no longer thought of as possession. It is a personal fellowship, in which the jinni tells his friend what he knows. According to Mohammed's conception a jinni attempts to get hold of what has been transacted among the heavenly beings, and what has been written upon the heavenly tablets, and then 'cackles it into the ear of his friend as a hen cackles.' But when the Koran was revealed to Mohammed angels were stationed to guard heaven, and whenever they discovered one of these jinn listening they hurled a flaming meteor at him and killed him. And like the seer, the poet also was inspired by a spirit, a jinni. At the beginning of his career a poet occasionally met his Muse, who used physical force to make him the poet of his tribe. One day Hassan Ibn Thabit was walking through a street in Medina. A female spirit pressed him down, kneeling upon his chest, and said: 'Are you the man whom your people expect to become their poet?' Then she forced him to utter three verses, and Hassan, who had never been able to compose -before, became a poet. He was in the real sense 'Musoleptos,' possessed by the Muse.

A kahin was asked for advice about important under-takings, lost articles, and stray camels. The reply of the oracle was given in a sort of rhymed prose, saj', often intentionally obscure and twisted. Mohammed's inspiration must have reminded his countrymen of the seers. An accusation which he was frequently forced to hear from the pagans of Mecca was that he was mainun, that he had a jinni who gave him his revelations. Mohammed was deeply hurt by this accusation. But he does not dispute the formal justification of the comparison. However, he seeks to emphasize the fact that the being who came to him was no ordinary mean divining spirit, but a lofty and heavenly being, one near the throne of the Lord (Sura 53). Consequently his message is of a higher value than the half-true sayings of jinn concerning future events. Apart from the external similarity of the conception of inspiration-just as Gabriel reads the Koran to the prophet, so the jinni whispers the desired oracle to his friend Mohammed, at least unconsciously, absorbed impressions from the pagan soothsayers. For example, many kahins were wont to cover their heads when they wished to evoke a revelation. Mohammed did likewise (Sura 73, 1; 74, 1). The velatio was a proven method of producing inspiration. Thus the Druid wrapped himself in the hide of the sacrificed ox, and the Icelandic seer in a grey sheepskin. Among the poets, Milton and Bousset knew how to stimulate an artistic inspiration.' The oldest Suras of the Koran begin with a formal incantation, in which natural objects or mystical beings and powers are invoked. 'By heaven and the Zodiac and the prophesied day and the witness and the accused.' 'By the dawn and the ten nights, by the plain and the mountains and the night when it vanishes. That is the mysterious oracular style of the kahins, and in this style they introduced their saj' poems.

Chapter 2: From Mohammed's Childhood to His Prophetic Call

0UR earliest Gospel (Mark) begins with the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan, and his consecration to the office of the Messiah, The authentic history of Mohammed begins in like fashion with his appearance as a prophet in Mecca. What is related of his earlier experiences is mainly legendary. If I do not here completely ignore these pious legends, which otherwise belong more properly to the history of the beliefs of his followers than to the biography of the Prophet, my reason is that it is important, merely from the historical point of view, to become acquainted with the great personalities of the world religions dressed in those garments in which the pious faith of their followers have clothed them. The manger of Bethlehem and the song of the angels belong to the portrait of Jesus, and the fourfold contact with suffering and the renunciation of the pleasures of the palace to the portrait of Buddha. Something of the magic of their personalities, which we might not understand in any other way, speaks to us through the poetry of faith.

We do not know definitely when Mohammed was born. One tradition asserts that his birth occurred in the 'elephant year.' This refers to the oft-mentioned campaign which the Ethiopian viceroy in Yemen, Abraha, undertook about A.D. 56o in the interior of Arabia. But according to Procopius this war was really directed against Persia, and formed a part of the great war which the Emperor Justinian fought between 54o and 562 with Khosroes I Anushirwan. So it must have taken place before 562. Abraha's expedition, which was actually undertaken upon the instigation of the Byzantine Emperor, and which aimed at attacking the Persian power by land, received a religious motive in Arabian tradition. When Abraha saw that the Arabs were making their way to Allah's 31

(Hajar al-Aswad)

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Muslims believe (without proof) that the revered "black stone" (Alhajar Al-Aswad) is a special divine meteorite, that pre-dates creation that fell at the foot of Adam and Eve. It is presently embedded in the southeastern corner of the Kaba. Muslims touch and kiss the black stone during Hajj but non-Muslims are strictly forbidden to even touch it.

The stone has been attacked many times and is now composed of several pieces and fragments, bound together by a silver ligature. It is semicircular and measures about ten inches horizontally and twelve inches vertically. Here a woman and her husband touch the stone.

It is presently embedded in the southeastern corner of the Kaba. Muslims touch and kiss the black stone during Hajj but non-Muslims are strictly forbidden to even touch it.

The BLACK STONE The black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) Hajar al-Aswad Muslims believe (without proof) that the revered "black stone" (Alhajar Al-Aswad) is a meteorite, that pre-dates creation and fell at the foot of Adam and Eve. It is presently embedded in the southeastern corner of the Kaba. Muslims touch and kiss the black stone during Hajj but non-Muslims are strictly forbidden to even touch it. The stone has been attacked many times and is now composed of several pieces and fragments, bound together by a silver ligature. It is semicircular and measures about ten inches horizontally and twelve inches vertically.

kissing of black stone,
* Narrated Salim that his father said: I saw Allah's Apostle arriving at Mecca; he kissed the Black Stone Corner first while doing Tawaf and did ramal in the first three rounds of the seven rounds (of Tawaf). (Sahih Bukhari 2.673)
* Narrated 'Abis bin Rabia: 'Umar came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you." (Sahih Bukhari 2.667, Sahih Bukhari 2.675, Sahih Bukhari 2.676, Sahih Bukhari 2.679, Sahih Bukhari 2.680)
* The reason behind this is that the pagan Arabs had the same ritual. Muhamamd kept the same practice, and Umar did feel repugnant about the practice. However, he followed the practice of Muhammad.

Islam Overtakes Catholicism as the World’s Largest Religion?

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“Islam Overtakes Catholicism as the World’s Largest Religion”has been a headline that has hit the blogosphere hard and taken off running… But there are some points to ponder when taking in this story…

Islam is not a singular cohsesive institution… There are divisions. If we are going to compare all adherents to forms of Islam to another group, wouldn’t it be all adherents to forms of Christianity? If we are going to compare the largest sub-groups… Well Holy Mother Church still is the largest single religious body the world has ever known. And we are still growing.

Something to really consider though – Muslims have more children.
This isn’t about who is winning the race in the door-to-door Mormon style door knocking missionary work. The numbers aren’t a function of who is converting the non-believers quicker. It is about who is “making their own”.

On that score one may think I am suggesting Catholics start hunkering down and having as many babies as possible from ages 16-45… That isn’t quite the case. (Though I would applaud anyone who went for the family of 15!)

I believe the decline represents who the West is missing and has forgotten – the generations that were silently terminated.

Add up all the abortions – both surgical and chemical that take place annually – and have now taken place for decades – among a post-Christian cultures that treat children and families as burdens rather than the wealth families truly are, and we begin to see what has happened and is happening.

On another forum there is a poster who keeps asking “why is Islam more attractive than Catholicism?” which to me was like asking my grandmother – one of 13 Quebecois kids growing up on a farm“Why was Catholicism more attractive to all 13 of the LaVoy children?” The answer: Because Henri and Yvonne LaVoy made it the exclusive attraction!

As long as the bastions of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular (Europe) continues to depopulate, any group or movement that continues to replace and expand population will grow larger.

Having said that, keep an eye on sub-Saharan Africa and on SE Asia. The fertility rates are higher there (they haven’t learned to fear large families as representing a “drain on their wealth” yet) and Christianity is outpacing Islam in conversions in many of these mission fields.

Indonesia: Gambling That Tolerance Will Trump Fear

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SEVEN years ago, in the pre-9/11 fall of 2000, I was retrieving my luggage at the airport in Jakarta when a tall Indonesian man in a flowing white robe and green scarf accidentally bumped me off my feet.

He apologized and helped me up. Then I noticed he was part of a gang of grim young men stalking the airport with wooden rods.

He said they were from the Islamic Defenders Front and were searching for Israelis to kill. I doubt they found any, but I was shocked. Such bullying and militancy contrasted sharply with the Indonesia I had come to know on previous reporting trips: a model of Islam as a tolerant, compassionate, inclusive and peaceful religion.

The many varieties of culture and styles of life in this enormous archipelago had bred a unique form of Islam — or, more precisely, many such forms, thriving side by side and often drawing on a rich pre-Islamic history replete with magic, Buddhism and South Seas gods. I had thought the prospects for retaining this style had only been enhanced by the coming of democracy in 1998.

It has not quite worked out that way, and now the big questions facing Indonesia are: Can Islam and democracy co-exist? And what would such a democracy look like?

Many optimists argue that there may be no place on earth better suited to be a Muslim democracy. Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population — some 207 million people, rivalling the number of Muslims in the Middle East — and the optimists say its relaxed and varied traditions are one reason that the vast majority of Indonesians remain committed to a tolerant form of Islam. The fastest-growing Muslim movements, in fact, are moderate and outspoken in their promises to compete only through democratic processes.

But there is also fear that the global rise of militant fundamentalism has begun to change Indonesia. With democracy’s arrival, radical Islamists were allowed to return from exile, where the former military government had sent them. That was followed by the terrorist bombing of a nightclub on the predominantly Hindu island of Bali in 2002, in which 200 people died, then by other bombings in Jakarta and Bali, again. The government says it has seriously weakened Jemaah Islamiyah, a terrorism network blamed for those attacks. But the Islamic Defenders Front, less lethal but more numerous, still vandalizes bars and discos in Jakarta and beats up their patrons, trying to force the businesses to close.

Meanwhile, Islamic observance has turned more conservative. Many more women wear the veil. And Islamic political parties have gained strength by arguing that they can do something about Indonesia’s endemic corruption and violence.

“Indonesia is an experiment in Muslim democracy, which if successful could have ramifications for other parts of the world,” said Sidney Jones, director of the International Crisis Group’s Jakarta office. “If the United States wants to advance democracy in the Islamic world, then Indonesia takes on added importance.”

Experts don’t think Indonesia is at risk of a takeover by Islamic militants anytime soon. The two largest Muslim organizations, the Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, stress tolerance and freedom of thought, and together have 70 million members.

Those groups were big winners in the transition to democracy. In the nine years since the fall of its last autocrat, Suharto, who limited religious expression in the name of nationalism, Indonesia has had three fair and open presidential elections, one of which put a woman in the presidency. Security officials have been able to arrest, convict and sentence more than 200 people for terrorist acts, using an open legal system that would seem familiar in the West.

Still, the Indonesia I knew in the late 1990s has become a more fearful place.

“We are so happy with the democratization process in Indonesia, but there is a blackness in this process,” said Eve Sundari, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party. “Now the door is open. Everybody can fight for their power to control people. Suddenly Islamic groups want to impose to other Muslims their laws.”

The surprise that democracy would complicate, rather than simplify, the prospects for peace raises perplexing questions about Indonesia’s example: Is democracy the best antidote to terrorism? Even if so, can a culture of tolerance survive that contest? Why are Indonesians appearing to turn more observant and traditional just now? And does that mean they would accept violence, repression, or sexism in the name of Islam?

The questions, yet to be answered, point to a conundrum: Pluralist democracy, by definition, requires tolerance. Fundamentalist religion, by definition, demands uniformity.

Indonesia’s history, optimists say, may point the way to a compromise.

A leading explanation for Indonesia’s traditional liberalism is that Islam did not go there by force. It arrived in the 13th century on trading ships from the Indian subcontinent, and island dwellers often layered its beliefs atop existing Buddhist or Hindu practices. Allah had to keep company with Dewi, goddess of the rice paddy; Nyai Loro Kidul, Queen of the South Seas; and Nini Tawek, the angel of the Javanese kitchen.

Part of Islam’s popularity in Indonesia has always been its adaptability. Early Islamic preachers used Indonesian shadow puppet shows to disseminate the religion — culture instead of force. Even today, many Indonesian Muslims regularly consult shamans — mystical healers believed to have paranormal powers — to have fortunes told, or to have spells cast and removed.

That is the backdrop against which Azyumardi Azra, an Islamic scholar based in Jakarta, says that the vast majority of Indonesia’s Muslims “believe in democracy and fully embrace its principles.”

“While there is a growing sense of Islamic identity or piety among Muslims in Indonesia — people are free to practice religion in ways that were forbidden under the dictatorship — far less than 1 percent of the population subscribes to extremist, global jihadist views,” he says.

He and others argue that political and economic concerns, rather than religion, have propelled the turn to Islamic parties — issues like sectarian and ethnic violence, poverty and corruption. A 43-year-old man named Rudy, who runs my favorite warung, or food stall, in Jakarta, put it this way: “Indonesians are turning to Islam for help because everything else we have tried has failed us — the Dutch, the military dictatorships, even democracy. My life is really no better today than it was under Suharto.”

But any turn to religious movements worries some experts. It means, they say, that the terms of political debate have already begun to change, with many questions being framed around Islamic values.

Yenny Wahid, an outspoken critic of fundamentalism, says many would-be leaders now feel a need to look pious. “When you’re close to god, you are a good person and you have a certain level of impunity,” she said.
An Indonesian government official said: “It seems counterintuitive for us to be worried about Indonesia’s small bands of religious radicals in a country of tens of millions of moderates. But there is a battle for the soul of our religion going on here, and the voices that ring loudest these days are the extremists.”

America clashes over Islam

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“The harsh Republican response to President Barack Obama’s defense of a mosque near ground zero marks a dramatic shift in the party’s posture toward Islam — from a once active courtship of Muslim voters to a very public tolerance after Sept. 11 to an openly aired sense of mistrust.

“Republican leaders have largely abandoned former President George W. Bush’s post-Sept. 11 rhetorical embrace of American Muslims and his insistence — always controversial inside the party — that Islam is a religion of peace. This weekend, former Bush aides were among the very few Republicans siding with Obama, as many of the party’s leaders have moved toward more vocal denunciations of Islam’s role in violence abroad and suspicion of its place at home.”

Here is the take by Ross Douthat, a columnist for The New York Times:

“There’s an America where it doesn’t matter what language you speak, what god you worship, or how deep your New World roots run. An America where allegiance to the Constitution trumps ethnic differences, language barriers and religious divides. An America where the newest arrival to our shores is no less American than the ever-so-great granddaughter of the Pilgrims.

“But there’s another America as well, one that understands itself as a distinctive culture, rather than just a set of political propositions. This America speaks English, not Spanish or Chinese or Arabic. It looks back to a particular religious heritage: Protestantism originally, and then a Judeo-Christian consensus that accommodated Jews and Catholics as well. It draws its social norms from the mores of the Anglo-Saxon diaspora — and it expects new arrivals to assimilate themselves to these norms, and quickly.

“These two understandings of America, one constitutional and one cultural, have been in tension throughout our history. And they’re in tension again this summer, in the controversy over the Islamic mosque and cultural center scheduled to go up two blocks from ground zero.”

So what do you make of this clash over Islam?

ISLAM in NEW ZEALAND

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Paperback. 154 pages / 33,000 words. Black & white photos. Brand new copy.

Islam is without doubt one of the fastest growing religions in New Zealand and also one of the least understood by the general public. Yet Muslims have been living in this country for over a century - peacefully and conscientiously. New Zealand Muslims have proved it perfectly possible to remain devout and faithful to Islam and at the same time function effectively in a modern Anglos-Saxon Western society.

The New Zealand Muslim Association is the oldest Islamic institution in this country. The first mosque in New Zealand, and the definitive heart of Islam in this country, was built twenty years ago in 1979 in Ponsonby, central Auckland. It represented the culmination of thirty years hard work and effort on behalf of the immigrants and refugees who were the driving force behind its construction. The building marks the collective turning point from being a group of expatriate migrants to becoming the foundation stone of the New Zealand Muslim community, and stands as a milestone in the history of the wider Muslim community across the land.

This is the first ever historical account of the burgeoning local Muslim population and an extended study of the development of one of the main Islamic organisations here. It is based on a wide array of primary sources and interviews, and provides essential reading for an examination of Islam in New Zealand.

Islam In New Zealand - The First Mosque
By Abdullah Drury

Islamic Architecture

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the interior of the Selimiye Mosque (Minar Sinan), Edirne.

Islamic architecture (Arabic عمارة إسلامية) has encompassed a wide range of both secular and religious architecture styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures within the sphere of Islamic culture.

The principle architectural types of Islamic architecture are; the Mosque, the Tomb, the Palace and the Fort. From these four types, the vocabularly of Islamic architecture is derived and used for buildings of lesser importance such as Public baths, Fountains and domestic architecture.[1]
History
In 630C.E. Muhammad's army reconquered the city of Mecca from the Banu Quraish tribe. The holy sanctuary of Ka'ba was rebuilt and re-dedicated to Islam, the reconstruction being carried out before Muhammad's death in 632C.E. by a shipwrecked Abyssinian carpenter in his native style. This sanctuary was amongst the first major works of Islamic architecture. The walls were decorated with paintings of Jesus, Mary, Abraham, prophets, angels and trees. Later doctrines of Islam dating from the eighth century and originating from the Hadith, forbade the use of such icons in architecture, specifically those of humans and animals.[1]

In the 7th century, Muslim armies invaded and conquered a huge expanse of land. Once the Muslims had taken control of a region, their first need was for somewhere to worship - a mosque. The simple layout provided elements that were to be incorporated into all mosques and the early Muslims put up simple buildings based on the model of the Prophet's house or adapted existing buildings, such as churches for their own use.

Influences and styles

the Dome of the Rock is a key example of Islamic architecture

Arabic Calligraphy on large pishtaq of the Taj Mahal

A specifically recognisable Islamic architectural style developed soon after the time of the Prophet Muhammad, developing from Roman, Egyptian, Persian/Sassanid, and Byzantine models. An early example may be identified as early as 691 AD with the completion of the Dome of the Rock (Qubbat al-Sakhrah) in Jerusalem. It featured interior vaulted spaces, a circular dome, and the use of stylized repeating decorative patterns (arabesque).

The Great Mosque of Samarra in Iraq, completed in 847 AD, combined the hypostyle architecture of rows of columns supporting a flat base above which a huge spiraling minaret was constructed.

The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul also influenced Islamic architecture. When the Ottomans captured the city from the Byzantines, they converted the basilica to a mosque (now a museum) and incorporated Byzantine architectural elements into their own work (e.g. domes). The Hagia Sophia also served as model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Shehzade Mosque, the Suleiman Mosque, and the Rüstem Pasha Mosque.

Interpretation

Common interpretations of Islamic architecture include the following: The concept of Allah's infinite power is evoked by designs with repeating themes which suggest infinity. Human and animal forms are rarely depicted in decorative art as Allah's work is considered to be matchless. Foliage is a frequent motif but typically stylized or simplified for the same reason. Arabic Calligraphy is used to enhance the interior of a building by providing quotations from the Qur'an. Islamic architecture has been called the "architecture of the veil" because the beauty lies in the inner spaces (courtyards and rooms) which are not visible from the outside (street view). Furthermore, the use of grandiose forms such as large domes, towering minarets, and large courtyards are intended to convey power.

Architecture of mosques and buildings in Muslim countries

Forms

the interior of the Mezquita in Córdoba, Spain.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco. 210m high. A floor with room for 25,000 worshippers.

Many forms of Islamic architecture have evolved in different regions of the Islamic world. Notable Islamic architectural types include the early Abbasid buildings, T-type mosques, and the central-dome mosques of Anatolia. The oil-wealth of the 20th century drove a great deal of mosque construction using designs from leading non-Muslim modern architects and promoting the careers of important contemporary Muslim architects.

Arab-plan or hypostyle mosques are the earliest type of mosques, pioneered under the Umayyad Dynasty. These mosques are square or rectangular in plan with an enclosed courtyard and a covered prayer hall. Historically, because of the warm Mediterranean and Middle Eastern climates, the courtyard served to accommodate the large number of worshipers during Friday prayers. Most early hypostyle mosques have flat roofs on top of prayer halls, necessitating the use of numerous columns and supports. One of the most notable hypostyle mosques is the Mezquita in Córdoba, Spain, as the building is supported by over 850 columns. Frequently, hypostyle mosques have outer arcades so that visitors can enjoy some shade. Arab-plan mosques were constructed mostly under the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties; subsequently, however, the simplicity of the Arab plan limited the opportunities for further development, and as a result, these mosques gradually fell out of popularity.

The Ottomans introduced central dome mosques in the 15th century and have a large dome centered over the prayer hall. In addition to having one large dome at the center, there are often smaller domes that exist off-center over the prayer hall or throughout the rest of the mosque, where prayer is not performed. This style was heavily influenced by the Byzantine religious architecture with its use of large central domes.

Iwan
the interior of the Mezquita in Córdoba, Spain.

the iwan entrance to the Taj Mahal in Agra

An iwan (Persian ايوان derived from Pahlavi word Bān meaning house) is defined as a vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open.

Iwans were a trademark of the Sassanid architecture of Persia, later finding their way into Islamic architecture. This transition reached its peak during the Seljuki era when iwans became established as a fundamental design unit in Islamic architecture. Typically, iwans open on to a central courtyard, and have been used in both public and residential architecture.

Iwan mosques are most notable for their domed chambers and iwans, which are vaulted spaces open out on one end. In iwan mosques, one or more iwans face a central courtyard that serves as the prayer hall. The style represents a borrowing from pre-Islamic Iranian architecture and has been used almost exclusively for mosques in Iran. Many iwan mosques are converted Zoroastrian fire temples where the courtyard was used to house the sacred fire. Today, iwan mosques are no longer built.

Sahn

A simple Sahn, with a howz in the middle. Notice flanking domed arcade.

Almost every mosque and many houses and buildings in areas of the Muslim World contain a religious courtyard known as a sahn (Arabic صحن), which are surrounded on all sides by an arcade. Sahns usually feature a centrally positioned, symmetrical axis pool known as a howz, where ablutions are performed. Some sahns also contain drinking fountains.

If a sahn is in a mosque, it is used for performing ablutions. If a sahn is in a traditional house or private courtyard, it is used for bathing, for aesthetics, or for both.

Arabesque
An element of Islamic art usually found decorating the walls of mosques and Muslim homes and buildings, the arabesque is an elaborate application of repeating geometric forms that often echo the forms of plants, shapes and sometimes animals (specifically birds). The choice of which geometric forms are to be used and how they are to be formatted is based upon the Islamic view of the world. To Muslims, these forms, taken together, constitute an infinite pattern that extends beyond the visible material world. To many in the Islamic world, they in fact symbolize the infinite, and therefore uncentralized, nature of the creation of the one God (Allah). Furthermore, the Islamic Arabesque artist conveys a definite spirituality without the iconography of Christian art. Arabesque is used in mosques and building around the Muslim world, and it is a way of decorating using beautiful, embellishing and repetitive Islamic art instead of using pictures of humans and animals (which is forbidden Haram in Islam).

Calligraphy
Arabic calligraphy is associated with geometric Islamic art (the Arabesque) on the walls and ceilings of mosques as well as on the page. Contemporary artists in the Islamic world draw on the heritage of calligraphy to use calligraphic inscriptions or abstractions in their work.

Instead of recalling something related to the reality of the spoken word, calligraphy for the Muslim is a visible expression of the highest art of all, the art of the spiritual world. Calligraphy has arguably become the most venerated form of Islamic art because it provides a link between the languages of the Muslims with the religion of Islam. The holy book of Islam, al-Qur'an, has played an important role in the development and evolution of the Arabic language, and by extension, calligraphy in the Arabic alphabet. Proverbs and complete passages from the Qur'an are still active sources for Islamic calligraphy.

Elements of Islamic style
Islamic architecture may be identified with the following design elements, which were inherited from the first mosque built by Muhammad in Medina, as well as from other pre-Islamic features adapted from churches, temples and synagogues. Byzantine architecture had a great influence on early Islamic architecture with its characteristic round arches, vaults and domes.

Large courtyards often merged with a central prayer hall (originally a feature of the Masjid al-Nabawi).
Minarets or towers (these were originally used as torch-lit watchtowers, as seen in the Great Mosque of Damascus; hence the derivation of the word from the Arabic nur, meaning "light").
Mihrab or niche on an inside wall indicating the direction to Mecca. This may have been derived from previous uses of niches for the setting of the torah scrolls in Jewish synagogues or the haikal of Coptic churches.
Domes and Cupolas.
Iwans to intermediate between different sections.
The use of geometric shapes and repetitive art (arabesque).
The use of decorative Islamic calligraphy instead of pictures which were haram (forbidden) in mosque architecture. Note that in secular architecture, pictures were indeed present.
The ablution of fountains (once used as a wudu area for Muslims).
The use of bright color.
Focus both on the interior space of a building and the exterior

Differences between Islamic architecture and Persian architecture
Like this of other nations that became part of the Islamic realm, Persian Architecture is not to be confused with Islamic Architecture and refers broadly to architectural styles across the Islamic world. Islamic architecture, therefore, does not directly include reference to Persian styles prior to the rise of Islam. Persian architecture, like other nations', predates Islamic architecture and can be correctly understood as an important influence on overall Islamic architecture as well as a branch of Islamic architecture since the introduction of Islam in Persia. Islamic architecture can be classified according to chronology, geography, and building typology.

Notes
^ a b Copplestone, p.149
^ Cowen, Jill S.. "Muslims in China: The Mosque", Saudi Aramco World, July/August 1985, pp. 30-35. Retrieved on 2006-04-08.
^ a b c d Hillenbrand, R. "Masdjid. I. In the central Islamic lands". Encyclopaedia of Islam Online. Ed. P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
^ Religious Architecture and Islamic Cultures. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved on 2006-04-09.
^ a b Vocabulary of Islamic Architecture. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved on 2006-04-09.

References
Ettinghausen, Richard and Grabar, Oleg. (1987) The Art and Architecture of Islam: 650 - 1250, Penguin, USA
Pourjafar, M.Reza and Taghvaee, Ali A. (January-June 2006) Indo-Iranian Socio-Cultural Relations at Past, Present and Future Vol. 1 in -Web Journal on Cultural Patrimony (Fabio Maniscalco ed.)
Copplestone, Trewin. (ed). (1963). World architecture - An illustrated history. Hamlyn, London.
Hillenbrand, R. "Masdjid. I. In the central Islamic lands". Encyclopaedia of Islam Online. Ed. P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
Creswell, K. A. C. (1958) A Short Account of Early Muslim Architecture

Links
Fons Vitae - Islamic Architecture of Cairo
Islamic Art Network - Thesaurus Islamicus Foundation
Art of the Mamluks
http://www.osmanlimedeniyeti.com/ Many articles about the Ottoman Turkish Mosques and Mosque architecture (in Turkish)
Discussion of Islamic architecture
http://www.3dkabah.com/ A 3D model of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, with pictures and videos
Photographs from Lahore's Mughal period walled city
Great Mosque of Sammarra
Watch "Isfahan the Movie" on QuickTime Player to see superb example of Islamic architecture.
Islamic Architecture org.
Gallery of Islamic Architecture
Article, "What is Islamic Architecture?"
Article, "The Mosque of Two Pillars at Georgetown University"
Art and architecture of the Arab world and Islam
Turkish Architecture - Architect Sinan articles about the Ottoman-Turkish Architecture an Architect Sinan (in Turkish)
High-res pictures of islamic architecture, art and socities
ArchNet: Islamic Architecture Community
Islamic Desigers

Welcome

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Welcome to the largest collection of Islamic Pictures online. Islamic Images, Wallpaper and more..Beautiful Islamic Wallpaper for your Desktop! Beautiful scenic backgrounds and pictures of outer space with Qur'anic ayats to match!

The United States of Islam

2011-01-05T14:57:00.000-08:00

Actually this map is all wrong. Although the green section is the “Islamic Block”, much of Europe should be partially green as well as some of the USA.

Islamic pilgrimages

2011-01-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

Islamic pilgrimages in india are located in different parts in the country the major pilgrimages in india are Ajmer sharif, Fatehpur Sikhri, Haji ali, Jama Masjid

The Arab traders brought Islam to India in the early 8th century, but it was not until the 12th century that it became a force to reckon with in the Indian sub-continent. Unlike Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism which emerged as offshoots of Hinduism, the concept, customs and religious practices of Islam were unique to this faith which professed universal brotherhood and submission to Allah – the God Almighty.

The Muslim invaders in the 12th century and the Mughal rulers in the 16th and 17th centuries helped in the spread of Islam in India. In its first phase, Islam was aggressive. But the mystics of Islam, or the Sufi saints, helped in spreading the message of peace and universal love.

The spirit of brotherhood propounded by Sufi saints and preachers like Kabir and Nanak helped in loosening the rigidity of the caste system. The interaction of the two faiths led to a synthesis of Hindu and Islamic elements in almost every sphere of life and culture. After an initial period of conflict and confrontation, today the two religions have accommodated and enriched each other.

Major Islamic pilgrimages in India
Ajmer sharif
Ajmer is famous for the tomb of Hazrat Mu’inuddin Chishti, the founder of the Chishti Sufi order, one of the most important Sufi organizations in India and Pakistan. Sufi teachers were important missionaries of Islam, through their piety, charisma, blessings, and service. Muinuddin lived in Ajmer from 1190 until his death.

People of all religions visit the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The Khwaja left for heavenly abode after a six day prayer in seclusion. These six days are celebrated every year as the annual Urs, which is attended by innumerable pilgrims irrespective of their faith.
Ajmer Sharif
The shrine is considered to be a place of wish fulfillment for those who pray with devout and pure hearts. It is said that Emperor Akbar sought blessings for his son at the Dargah.

The entry to the Dargah is through the Dargah Bazar that leads to the inner courtyard. The high gateway has beautifully carved silver doors. In the courtyard are kept two huge cauldrons with capacity of 2240 kg and 4480 kg. On special occasions, ‘Kheer’ cooked in these cauldrons is distributed among the pilgrims. The grave of the Sufi Saint is surrounded by a silver railing and is partially covered with a marble screen. The daughter of Shah Jahan had built a prayer room in the Dargah for the women devotees. The premises of the Dargah also has the tomb of Bhishti, tomb of Saint’s daughter-Bibi Hafiz Jama, tomb of Shah Jahan’s daughter Chimni Begum.

How to reach

by Air:
The nearest airport is Jaipur, which is 135 kms away.

by Rail:Ajmer is located on the main Delhi-Jaipur-Ahmedabad-Mumbai line. Most of the trains on this route stop at Ajmer. There is a daily Shatabdi Express from Delhi to Ajmer.

by road:
Ajmer can be easily reached by road from both Jaipur and Delhi. It is a nine-hour road-trip from Delhi to Ajmer.

Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid is the fine architectural extravaganza of the Mughal Emperor. This monument was built between 1644 AD and 1658 AD by five thousand artisans. Originally called the “Masjid-i-Jahanuma”, or “Mosque commanding view of the world”, this magnificent structure suggests an awesome

monument to history and religion.
Just like other structures of Shahjahanabad, Jama Masjid was also built with red sandstone. White marble has also been used extensively, specially in the three domes and has been inlaid with stripes of black. If you approach the mosque you discover a whole way of life, a microcosm of quintessential India in its shadow, on its steps, in the narrow streets criss-crossing, Meena Bazaar and its famous Urdu Bazzar. On the east, this monument faces
Jama Masjid
the Red Fort (Lal Qila) and has three gateways, four towers and two minarets. Constructed of alternating vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble, the Jama Masjid is the largest and perhaps the most magnificent mosque in India. The sprawling esplanade, which separates it from the arterial road, is a fascinating leisure ground.

The plan and design of the mosque were done by the great sculptor of the time, Ostad Khalil. Shahjahan built Jama Masjid at the cost of Rs 10 crore and it can be called as the replica of Moti Masjid in Agra. The premises of the south minaret are 1076-sq-ft wide where 25,000 devotees at a time may sit together for namaz (prayer). Jama Masjid also comprise of a great treasure that has been kept in the northeast corner of the white shrine- a hair of the beard of Hazrat Muhammad, his used chappal (slippers), a chapter of Koran taken from its original holy book, the canopy of his tombstone and the foot print of Muhammad on the stone.

The chief priest or the chief Imam of Jama Masjid is the direct descendent of the original and first Imam appointed by Shahjahan and till now there is no break in its lineage.

How to reach

If you are new to mumbai better take Taxi/Cab from ‘Charni Road Station (West)’, you can also reach there from Other locations like ‘Churchgate Station’, ‘Marine Lines (marine drive) station’.

Kalbadevi, Crawford Market, Mumbadevi temple, Zaveri bazar (Jewelery market), Pydhonie, mohamad ali road.

Haji Ali
Honoring the Muslim saint Haji Ali this mosque was built in the middle of the sea with only a narrow path leading to it giving it an ethereal look.This is Haji Ali Dargah, the tomb of a wealthy Muslim merchant, who renounced all his worldly belongings before embarking on a pilgrimage to Mecca. The tomb itself is over eight hundred years old and linked to the mainland by a path that is annually submerged in the high monsoon tide. Inside the central shrine, throngs of worshippers stoop to press their heads against the richly brocaded red and green chaddor covering the tomb, which lies in an exquisite silver frame engraved with all the ninety-nine names of Allah.As per the Muslim traditions separate praying rooms for ladies and gents are provided here to pay their respects.It is set 500 yards into the sea and can be reached only in low tide. The Haji Ali mausoleum has an offshore location, opposite the Mahalakshmi racecourse. During high tide, the connecting causeway is submerged in water giving the impression that the mosque and tomb are floating out at sea in splendid isolation.

How to reach

By Air : There is an extensive network of flights from Mumbai’s Sahar (international) and Santa Cruz (domestic) airports.

By Rail :Mumbai has trains connecting it to all important cities in India.

By Road :Mumbai is well connected to all the cities in Maharashtra and nearby states.

Fatehpur Sikhri
Fatehpur Sikri is located 37 kms from Agra, a city predominantly in Red Sandstone.This town was built by the Mughal Emperor, Akbar. He had planned this city as his capital but shortage of water compelled him to abandon the city. After this within 20 years, the capital of Mughals was shifted
to Lahore.

Fatehpur Sikri was built during 1571 and 1585. Today this ghost city has a population of about 30,000. This deserted city has retained many of the old structures, because of the efforts of the Archaeological department .

Fatehpur Sikri is one of the finest examples of Mughal architectural splendour at its height.
Fatehpur Sikri
Though the city is in ruins, it is a place to visit if one comes to Agra.But in real terms Fatehpur Sikri is a place where one should spend some time. The sunset over the ruins is sight to cherish.

Fatehpur Sikri is the best example of the culmination of Hindu and Muslim architecture. Fatehpur Sikri Mosque is said to be a copy of the mosque in Mecca and has designs, derived from the Persian & Hindu architecture.

Dargah Of Sheikh Salim Chisti
To the North of the Mosque is the Dargah of Shaikh Salim Chishti. This Dargah was built in 1570. Here, childless women come for blessings of the saint. Even Akbar was blessed with three sons, when he came here. The lattice work in the Dargah is among the finest to be found any where in India.

Jami Masjid
One of the largest mosques in India, Jami Masjid was built in 1571 AD. Inside, there is a vast congregational coutyard. To the right, at the corner, is the Jammat Khana Hall and next ot this is the tomb of the royal ladies. To the left of the Jami Masjid is the Stone Cutters’ mosque, the oldest place of worship at Fateh Pur Sikri. It is entered through the eastern entrance known as the Buland Darwaza.

How to reach

By Air : Kheria airport in Agra is the nearest airport from Fatehpur Sikri. Domestic flights are available to Agra from important places of India. From the airport, you have to reach Fatehpur Sikri via road route.

By Train : Nearest major railway station is located in Agra. Agra railway is served by large number of express trains from important places of the country. Taj Express, Shatabadi express and several other trains are available from Delhi to Agra. Trains are available at regular intervals between Agra and Fatehpur Sikri.

By Bus : UPSTDC, ITDC and other private operators arrange conducted tours to Fatehpur Sikri, but the tour buses stop only for an hour. If you want to spend longer time at Fatehpur Sikri it is better you take a regular bus from the Idgah Bus Stand.

Islamic FAQ

2010-12-09T10:38:00.001-08:00

Many misconceptions about Islam have been openly circulating throughout the world in recent years. These misconceptions have been perpetuated by the media as well as other instituations. This website aims to provide answers to the frequently asked questions about Islam and Muslims. We hope the answers we aim to provide on this website will educate people about Islam and create a more positive and tollerant society for everyone.

If you have any questions about Islam please feel free to contact us by following the "Contact us" link. We will endevour to answer your questions as soon as possible.

Peace be unto you
Islamic FAQ

The Coming of Islam in India

2010-12-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

The founder of the Islam was Prophet Muhammad (the ‘Praised one’). He first preached his faith in Arabia in the 7th century A.D. within a century after his death; his followers had converted a large part of the ancient world to Islam. This religion recognizes Allah the only one and only God. It has unshakable faith in his Prophet and in the oneness of God. Its holy scripture is the Quran, which is the only authority for the believers. The Islam severely condemns worship of images of gods. It emphasizes the brotherhood of Islam and is opposed to priesthood and caste system. For it, no priest stands between god and the individual soul.

These ideas differed fundamentally from those of the Hindus and did not appeal to them. The Muslim teachers considered it their foremost duty to spread their faith in every part of the world. The Muslim conquerors even used force and coercion to convert the non believers. The Brahmanical Hindus were equally intolerant towards the Muslims and considered them impure or Mlechhas. About the antagonism and differences between the two communities, the great muslim scholar Alburini observed,” they ( the Hindus) totally differ from us in religion as we believe in nothing in which they believe and vice-versa. And in manners and usages they differ from us in such a degree as to frighten their children with our dress and ways and customs and so as to declare us to be devil’s breed and our doings as the very opposite of all that is good and proper”. The conflict between the Hindus and Muslims began in India with the invasions of Ghaznavi and Ghori in the 11th century and when Muslim missionaries and traders came and settled in India in large number.

Some efforts were however, made by the saints and social reformers during the Mediaeval period to bring about some understanding between the two communities. The Bhakti reformers and the Sufi saints enjoined upon both the communities to shed their hostile attitude and become tolerant to each other’s religion and appreciate each other’s views.

Some of the philosophical and pantheistic elements entered into it from nonislamic sources. Like the Bhakti school, the union of the human should with god through devotion was the essence of the Sufi faith. Like the Bhakti reformers, the Sufis also did not observe the conventional rituals. Singing and dancing, though forbidden by the orthodox Muslims and Ulema were regarded by the Sufis near to his goal of union with God. The Sufism had also some feature common with Buddhism. The Sufi ideas of annihilation of self, constant awareness of human frailty, the ascetic way of life, the practice of begging alms and living in religious shrines indicate the impact of Buddha’s teachings.

Sufism gained ground in the Punjab even before the establishment of the Muslim rule of Mahmud Ghaznavi. In the 11th and 12 the centuries, Lahore and Multan attracted many famous Sufis from the countries outside India. The Sufis had orders ‘Silsilas’ or sects; such as Chisti, Suhravardi, Qadri and Nakshbandi. All of these had established their centers in India.

The term Sufi is generally used for a Muslim sage or a saint. It is derived from the word Safa (purity) implying that a Sufi is one of god’s elect who has been purified of all worldly evils. Some have connected Sufi with Saff (Rank) suggesting that he is spiritually in the first rank in virtue of his communion with God. Abu Nasar-ul-Sarraj derives the word from Saf (wool) because for the woolen raiment or blanket was the dress and badge of the saints. Still other view is that the word Sufi is derived from the word Sofia (meaning wisdom).

The basic ideas of Sufism are to be found in the Quran and Traditions (Hadis) of the Prophet. The Sufis accept the Quran as the holy word of god. To this, however, they give a mystic interpretation; here they differed from the orthodox Muslims who insisted upon its literal interpretation.

|Happy Islamic new year 1432!|

2010-12-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

It is the first day of Muharram, which is the first month of the Islamic calendar, and the start of 1432 AH.

May Allah Ta'ala make this year full of hapiiness, joy, goodness and security of all Muslims and forgive our past sins, ameen.Remember the Muslims who are in hardships in your dua's.May this year be a 'turning point' for the Muslims. May it bring peace to our most beloved brothers and sisters of Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechnya, Iraq, Bosnia & others. Aameen.

O Allah (Taa'la), forgive us; have mercy on us; guide us aright and grant us sustenance. Aameen.

Make the most of your time everyone...

Hadhrat Muaaz Ibn Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Rasulullah (May Allah's peace be upon him) said:

"The people of Jannat will not grieve over anything but the moments in which they did not engage in Thikrullah (while they were on earth). They will regret for such (wasted) moments." (Tibraani, Baihaqi).

Muslims do not traditionally "celebrate" the beginning of a new year, but we do acknowledge the passing of time, and take time to reflect on our own mortality.

Muslims measure the passage of time using the Islamic (Hijrah) calendar. This calendar has twelve lunar months, the beginnings and endings of which are determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. Years are counted since the Hijrah, which is when the Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Madinah (approximately July 622 A.D.).

The Islamic calendar was first introduced by the close companion of the Prophet, 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab. During his leadership of the Muslim community, in approximately 638 A.D., he consulted with his advisors in order to come to a decision regarding the various dating systems used at that time. It was agreed that the most appropriate reference point for the Islamic calendar was the Hijrah, since it was an important turning point for the Muslim community. After the emigration to Madinah (formerly known as Yathrib), the Muslims were able to organize and establish the first real Muslim "community," with social, political, and economic independence. Life in Madinah allowed the Muslim community to mature and strengthen, and the people developed an entire society based on Islamic principles.

The Islamic calendar is the official calendar in many Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia. Other Muslim countries use the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes and only turn to the Islamic calendar for religious purposes.

The Islamic year has twelve months that are based on a lunar cycle. Allah says in the Qur'an:
"The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year) - so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth...." (9:36).

"It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory, and the moon to be a light of beauty, and measured out stages for it, that you might know the number of years and the count of time. Allah did not create this except in truth and righteousness. And He explains His signs in detail, for those who understand" (10:5).

And in his final sermon before his death, the Prophet Muhammad said, among other things, "With Allah the months are twelve; four of them are holy; three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumaada and Sha'ban."

Islamic months begin at sunset of the first day, the day when the lunar crescent is visually sighted. The lunar year is approximately 354 days long, so the months rotate backward through the seasons and are not fixed to the Gregorian calendar. The months of the Islamic year are:

1. Muharram ("Forbidden" - it is one of the four months during which it is forbidden to wage war or fight)

2. Safar ("Empty" or "Yellow")

3. Rabia Awal ("First spring")

4. Rabia Thani ("Second spring")

5. Jumaada Awal ("First freeze")

6. Jumaada Thani ("Second freeze")

7. Rajab ("To respect" - this is another holy month when fighting is prohibited)

8. Sha'ban ("To spread and distribute")

9. Ramadan ("Parched thirst" - this is the month of daytime fasting)

10. Shawwal ("To be light and vigorous")

11. Dhul-Qi'dah ("The month of rest" - another month when no warfare or fighting is allowed)

12. Dhul-Hijjah ("The month of Hajj" - this is the month of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, again when no warfare or fighting is allowed

Wasalam

New Islamic Year – 1432

2010-12-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

Asslam wa’layekum wa’rahamutllah wa’bara katu Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Islam world great religion team whole heartedly wishes and prays; May the sunset of new Islamic year 1432 brings happiness, peace and prosperity for muslim Ummah and May the blessings of Allah subhana wa tala be upon us. Ameen!

Ruling on offering congratulations or celebrations at the beginning of the Hijri year
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on congratulating people on the occasion of the Hijri new year, and how should one reply to a person who offers congratulations?

He replied:

If someone offers you congratulations, then respond to him, but do not initiate such greetings. This is the correct view concerning this matter. So if a person says to you, for example, “Happy New Year”, then you can say,

“May Allaah make it a good and blessed year for you.”

But you should not initiate such a greeting, because I do not know of any report that the salaf [early generations of Islam] congratulated one another on the occasion of the new year, rather the salaf did not regard the first of Muharram as the first day of the new year until the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr said concerning offering congratulations on the occasion of the hijri new year:

Praying for another Muslim in general terms, in phrases that are not meant as a kind of ritual on

special occasions such as Eid, is acceptable, especially if what is meant by this greeting is friendship and to show a friendly face to one’s fellow Muslim. Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “I do not initiate the greeting but if someone greets me I return the greeting, because responding to the greeting is obligatory. But being the first to offer congratulations is neither Sunnah nor forbidden.

We muslims do not celebrate Non Islamic new year neither do we encourage to make special celebrations on Islamic New Year, since there’s no report of any such event occurred in hadith or sunnah of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.

And Allah knows best!

Muslim Matrimonial: Find Muslim Life Partner for marriage online

2010-08-18T07:02:00.000-07:00

Internet has provided several Benefits to Mankind and made it possible to find every type of information in seconds sitting on your Computer. on of benefit Internet has provided is finding your Life Partner online according to your requirements. Marriage Is an very Important Part of Islam and it is necessary for every person to do marriage who can afford it. Prophet Muhammad saw said Marriage completes half of your Deen. In another Hadees Rasool Allah Saw said if a person don,t marriage without any reason is not from us and doing Nikah is my Sunnah. In other Religions that person is considered close to God who don,t do marriage but in Islam that person is closer to God who do marriage. Marriage saves us from many sins and solves problems of the society.

Now i comeback to My topic that was Finding Muslim Life Partner for marriage online. There are Hundred of Websites online of Muslim Matrimonial where you can Find Muslim Life Partner for marriage according to your requirements. I will be sharing some of famous websites of Muslim Matrimonial. You can Register on them and upload all your information to find a Muslim Life Partner. Registration on some of the sites is free while some are paid.
1 singlemuslim.com: it is one of the most famous Muslim Matrimonial website where you can find Muslim life partners from all around the world. on this site free and paid both Registrations are available. in Paid Registration you will be given more features.
2 pakrishta.com: this Muslim Matrimonial website is to find your Muslim life partner in Pakistan. Registration on this site is free and here you can find Muslim Life Partners from all the cities of Pakistan.
3 Muslimmatrimony.com: its another free Muslim Matrimonial website to find Muslim life partners all around the world.
4 arabmatchmaking.com: this Muslim Matrimonial website is specially for Muslims of Arab and here you can find your life partner from all the Arab Countries.
5 themuslimmatrimonial.co.uk: on this website you can find Muslim life partners from United Kingdom (UK).

You can also try these websites to find your Muslim life partners if you are single. I am myself a single so i am also thinking to check these websites. May Allah Swt help everyone in finding good life partners for their life.

Dr Zakir Naik on Respect of Women In Islam

2010-08-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

Doing Nikah in the Masjid Is Sunnah

2010-08-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

Doing Nikah Marriage is the Sunnah of Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad Saw and it is a beautiful part of our life. According to Hadith of Prophet Saw a person who don,t Nikah without any reason (such as not enough money for Nikah and taking care of wife) is not from us. But today my topic is not doing Nikah but how to do Nikah. It is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad Saw to do Nikah in the Masjid. These days very few marriages takes place in Masjid and most of the Nikahs has started taking place in Hotels and Wedding Halls.

Specially in our Part of World Pakistan and India this Sunnah is forgotten very much and most of Nikahs are taking place in Hotels and Wedding Halls. But Alhamdulilah still there are some countries where most of Muslim marriages takes place in Masjid. I am not saying that doing Nikah in Hotels or Wedding Halls is wrong but why not to follow the Sunnah way of our Prophet Saw? In Islam concept of Nikah is very simple but today some People has made it very complicated. These days Marriage is not done without spending millions of Rs which creates problems for poor people. In the matter of Nikah we Muslims needs to Learn from Christians who still do their marriages in Churches although they don,t follow other things told by Jesus Christ Pbuh. May Allah Swt help us in following Sunnah of out Beloved Prophet Saw in our Nikahs.

Ibn Khaldun on the Fate of Islamic Science after the 11th Century

2010-08-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

Recent studies in the history of Islamic science illustrate that Islam’s contributions were richer and more profound than was previously thought. In their attempt to provide answers to what happened to Islamic science after the eleventh century, historians and scholars construct a simplified model that describes all branches of Islamic science in terms of failure. In this article, Ibn Khaldnn’s analysis of the fate of Islamic science will be examined to show his insightful understanding of, and the failure of scholars in, understanding what happened.

Dominant Understanding: the Decline Theory

The enterprise of science in Islamic civilization is often periodized into a golden age followed by decline. (1) The golden age is considered to have come into existence through a gigantic endeavor to acquire and translate the ancient sciences of the Greeks between the eighth and ninth centuries. The translations era was followed by two centuries of splendid original thinking and contributions, and is known as the “golden age” of Islamic science. This so-called “golden age” is supposed to have lasted from the end of the ninth to the end of the eleventh century. The era after this period is conventionally known as the “age of decline”. (2)

A survey of literature from the nineteenth century onwards demonstrates that the decline theory has become the preferred paradigm in general academia. In 1883, twenty-one years after the French translation of Ibn Khaldun’s Muqaddimah, Joseph Ernest Renan (1823-1892) declares that Islamic science (3) declined after its “golden age” because of racial factors, although he placed greater emphasis on the intolerance Islam supposedly had for reason. (4) Renan, borrowing the idea from Voltaire (1694-1778), states that “[t]he Oriental mind is incapable of rational thought and philosophy and was responsible for blocking the development of science and learning in the Muslim world.” (5) Max Weber (1864-1920) suggests that Islamic science declined because the Arabs were on the whole less intelligent than the Europeans, who had a superior collective mind: “Europeans are genetically endowed with comparatively greater amounts of rationality, thereby allowing for the speedier development of a rational capitalist ethic.” (6)

While recognizing that the “golden age” continued into the second half of the eleventh century, George Sarton (1884-1956) postulates that Islamic science culminated in the first half of the eleventh century. Sarton recognizes that intellectual activities were still very intense and of a high order during the second half of the eleventh century; however, he assumes that “[t]here was already a perceptible decline both in the quality and the quantity of the effort. This is not recognized at once, because the decline is very small and is hidden by the activity of some very great personalities.” (7) That decline eventually set in was because “[t]he Western people found the cure, the only cure, the experimental method; the Eastern people did not find it, or did not fully understand it, or neglected to apply it.” (8) In addition, he suggests:

… perhaps, that the Eastern people, say the Muslims, had reached
the limit of their development, that they were like those gifted
children who startle the world by their precocious achievements
and then suddenly stop and become less interesting, while
others, at first less brilliant, pass far ahead of them. (9)

The decline thesis continued well into the twentieth century with slightly less absurd explanations. For example, in 1929, Sir William Cecil Dampier (1867-1952) strongly proclaims that by the close of the eleventh century “[t]he decline of Arabic and Muslim learning had set in, and henceforth science was chiefly a European activity.” (10) In 1932, Max Meyerhof (1874-1945) suggests that Islamic science declined beginning from about 1100 because of the work of al-Ghazali (d. 1111). (11)

Questioning the Decline Theory

Aydin Sayili is perhaps the first scholar to devote an entire appendix to the causes of decline as well as seriously attempt to define ‘decline’ and explore possible causes. (12) Sayili defines the decline of Islamic science as a “decrease of dynamism in science” which:

does not mean a decrease in the amount of knowledge in
circulation or available for circulation. It is a decline in the
magnitude of scientific work and achievement, in scientific
productivity, in the frequency of occurrences of original
contributions to scientific knowledge … a gradual, if not uniform,
decrease both in the intensity of production of first-rate work,
and in the frequency of appearance of first-class scientists … who
did not disappear during the later centuries, but they became
increasingly rare. (13)

Sayili also recognizes that the decline “was not always conspicuous; at times it was not uniform and continuous, and it was not simultaneous or of equal magnitude in all scientific fields and geographical regions. ” (14) This marks a significant departure from previous scholarship.

In 1987, Abdelhamid Sabra continues to frame the fate of Islamic science in terms of decline but suggests that a decline occurred because the philosophers’ view of knowledge was replaced by the instrumentalist view proposed by al-Ghazali. He also claims that the decline did not happen in the context of orthodox opposition (as is usually thought) but in the context of acceptance and assimilation. Decline set in “when the sciences came to be accepted and practiced only to the extent that they were legitimated by the instrumentalist view”. (15) This suggestion, Sabra notes, is not intended as an explanation of the phenomenon of decline, but as a relevant and possibly illuminating observation that might help future research by directing our attention in a certain direction. (16)

It is interesting to note, however, that Sabra–like Sayili–rejects the notion of a general or uniform decline of Islamic science, as is characteristic of the decline theorists. Instead, he raises three fundamental issues: (1) assigning a date to decline is difficult because of problems in determining when it began and because the Islamic Empire covered a vast geographical area in which not all centers of scientific activity were in the same phase of development at the same time; (2) decline in one branch may coincide with progress in another; (3) much specific research is needed before reliable general conclusions are made. These are important remarks because though Sabra accepts that decline did in fact occur, he seems to reject the conventional theory that stipulates a general decline. (17)

This marks a return to proper scholarship, though it is unfortunate that Sabra shows no awareness of Ibn Khaldun’s observations (as elaborated upon later in this paper).

In 1992, David C. Lindberg states that Islamic science went into a decline during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and that by the fifteenth century little was left. He claims not enough research has been done to permit us to offer a satisfactory explanation for this decline, but offers several possible causal factors: outright opposition by conservative religious forces; the alteration of the character of scientific activity by the imposition of a very narrow definition of utility; and the disappearance of peace, prosperity and patronage, as a result of continuous, disastrous warfare among factions and petty states within Islam and attacks from without. (18) Lindberg advances a handmaiden thesis for the cause of decline:

Science became naturalised in Islam-losing its alien quality
and finally becoming Islamic science, instead of Greek science
practiced on Islamic soil-by accepting a greatly restricted
handmaiden role. This meant a loss of attention to many
problems that had once seemed important … (19)

A year later, Toby Huff argues that the end of the thirteenth century marked the decline of Islamic science. He recognizes that there were significant scientific events after the thirteenth century but understands them as minor in comparison to what was taking place in Europe. He explains that, while research during the previous three decades advanced our understanding of Arabic science, it failed to explain the reasons for the decline. Huff offers, therefore, religious, legal, cultural, and institutional factors as possible causes of the decline. (20)

In 1999, James E. McClellan III and Harold Dorn continue to repeat the decline theory, but recognize that scholars disagree on when the vitality of scientific activity started to decline. They also recognize, as Sabra did, that important new science continued to be done in the East until the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Despite this important observation, they continue to cling to the idea that Islamic science declined around the year 1000. (21)

George Saliba, on the other hand, rejects the idea that Islamic science suffered a uniform decline. Although he concedes some branches may have declined, he seeks answers to specifically “which science has declined, at what time, under what conditions, what political, economic, social reasons?” He also rejects common explanations for the supposed decline, including the claim that scientific inquiry ran afoul with Islamic religious authorities. He criticises as flawed, for example, the argument that al-Ghazali is to blame for the decline of Islamic science based on the historical fact that scientists produced “the best mathematics, the best astronomy and the best medicine after al-Ghazali”. He argues that if some branches of Islamic science declined, it may have been the result of the industrial leap forward that Europe achieved, particularly after the discovery of the Americas. From that time onwards, the Islamic world seems to be in a race with Europe; not only did it fail to catch up, but the gap is ever widening. (22)

In a 2003 publication, Sabra and Hogendijk argue that Islamic science flourished well beyond the eleventh century:

The Islamic tradition in the exact sciences continued well
into the nineteenth century, and abundant source material is
available in the form of unpublished manuscripts in Arabic,
Persian, and other languages in libraries all over the world. In
the last decades, many researchers have worked on the Islamic
scientific tradition, and our views of this tradition are rapidly
changing as a result of recent discoveries. This process will,
hopefully, continue, because important sources have not been
identified and studied. (23)

This reinforces Saliba’s argument that the decline was not homogeneous, and that much specific research is needed before reliable general descriptions, let alone plausible explanations, can be made. Ibn Khaldun and the Rejection of the Decline Theory Considered the greatest Arab historian and the father of modern social science and cultural history, (24) the North African philosopher-historian Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) wrote a world history that aimed at an analysis of historical events. Ibn Khaldun’s observations on the fate of Islamic science are significant today as they directly contradict the golden age/decline theory. They have also been neglected by the scholars of the field.

In a chapter titled “Scientific instruction is a craft,” Ibn Khaldun explains that scientific instruction in the lands of the Maghrib had practically ceased to be cultivated because the civilization of the Maghrib had disintegrated and its dynasties have lost their importance, and this resulted in the deterioration and disappearance of the crafts. Furthermore, when the civilization of Muslim Spain was highly developed and sedentary culture was well established the sciences and crafts were greatly cultivated and very much in demand. When they fell into ruin, however, scientific instructions ceased to be cultivated. The emphasis here is on scientific instruction-or the education of science-not necessarily its activity. (25) Emphasis on scientific activity is found in another chapter, where Ibn Khaldun states “Scientific activity disappeared there [the Maghrib and Spain], save for a few remnants that may be found among scattered individuals and that are controlled by the orthodox religious scholars.” (26)

Ibn Khaldun explains that with the exception of Baghdad, al-Basrah and al-Kufah, which fell into ruin, the tradition of scientific instruction did not decrease nor cease to be cultivated in the Eastern part of the Empire:

This may be exemplified by our previous statements concerning
Baghdad, Cordoba [Spain], al-Qayrawan [the Maghrib], al-Basra
and al-Kufa. At the beginning of Islam, the civilizations
(population) were large, and sedentary culture existed in them.
The sciences were then greatly cultivated there, and the people
were widely versed in the various technical terminologies of
scientific instruction, in the different kinds of sciences, and
in posing problems and (inventing new) disciplines. They
exceeded (all) who had come before them and surpassed
(all) who came after. But when the civilization of those cities
decreased and their inhabitants were dispersed, the picture
was completely reversed. Science and scientific instruction no
longer existed in those cities, but were transplanted to other
Muslim cities. We, at this time, notice that science and scientific
instructions exist in Cairo in Egypt, because the civilization of
(Egypt) is greatly developed and its sedentary culture has been
well established for thousands of years. Therefore, the crafts
are firmly established there and exist in many varieties. One of
them is scientific instruction. (27)

Overall, Ibn Khaldun suggests three distinct observations: (1) science and scientific instruction decreased and eventually disappeared or ceased to be cultivated in the Maghrib and Spain simply because these countries were ruined; (2) science and scientific instruction in Baghdad, al-Basra, and al-Kufa no longer existed at any significant scale, and were transplanted to other regions of Islam; (3) science and scientific instruction existed in other Muslim lands like Egypt at a time when they ceased in certain places and were transplanted in others.

These observations are multi-faceted and signify that, at least between the so-called golden age and the fourteenth century, Islamic science did not decline. This is in direct contradiction to the conventional decline theory. One would expect that any scholarly discourse on the fate of Islamic science after the “golden age” would show awareness of Ibn Khaldun’s observations, and build upon them to provide a more comprehensive answer for the fate of Islamic science. Instead, Ibn Khaldun’s observations remained unnoticed except, as will be demonstrated next, in the work of two scholars–Gustave von Grunebaum and Ahmad Y. Al-Hassan–who nonetheless failed to represent Ibn Khaldun accurately.

The Failure of Von Grunebaum and Al-Hassan

While Von Grunebaum recognises that Islamic civilization made inventions, discoveries, and improvements, he mistakenly argues that:

Conservatism … and the tendency natural to despotism and
orthodoxy to discharge revision and reform, combined with
Islam’s catholic curiosity and receptiveness, are responsible for
that lack of integration of the component elements which makes
Islamic civilisation look like a torso … arrested in its growth
during the eleventh century … It stagnated in self-inflicted
sterility. (28)

Additionally, and of importance, while Von Grunebaum shows awareness of Ibn Khaldun’s observations, he is mistaken in his claim that Ibn Khaldun observed:

… With the extinction of scientific knowledge, civilisation had
perished throughout the Muslim West. Only faint traces of
scientific erudition remain, and its representatives are forced
to evade the surveillance of the orthodox doctors. In southern
Persia and Transoxania, also in Egypt, the situation is slightly
more encouraging. (29)

Departing from the idea that Islamic science declined after the eleventh century, Ahmad Y. al-Hassan exclusively deals with the factors that led to a decline after the sixteenth century. While asserting that Islamic science maintained its leadership between the eighth and the twelfth centuries, he argues that it also flourished between the thirteenth and the sixteenth centuries, and maintained its lead, especially in the countries of eastern Islam. To illustrate this, al-Hassan discusses briefly the case of the observatory in Islam between the thirteenth and the sixteenth centuries. The Maragha observatory, he explains, was established in 1259 and continued in operation until about 1304. It contained 400,000 books and a good number of distinguished scientists led by the famous Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, whose team included leading scientists as Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi, Muhayyid al-Din al-Urdi, Muhayi al-Din al-Maghribi and many others. The observatory was an institution of research in astronomy and a scientific academy with excellent opportunities for scientific contact and exchange of ideas. Al-Hassan advocates, with clear evidence, the case that Islamic achievements in science extended until the middle of the sixteenth century. (30) Al-Hassan shows awareness of Ibn Khaldun’s observations:

At the time when scientific communities in Europe were on the
increase, all the regions of Islam were witnessing the decline
of science and of scientific communities. This phenomena [sic]
is discussed by Ibn Khaldun in more than one chapter in his
Introduction (al-Mugaddimah). (31)

His representation of Ibn Khaldun’s observations is, however, problematic. Al-Hassan claims that Ibn Khaldun mentions that all regions of Islam witnessed decline in more than one chapter of his Muqaddimah and that he “discusses the factors which are essential for the flourishing of sciences and other professions and the factors which lead to their decline. ” (32) Ibn Khaldun, however, does not discuss factors that lead to decline, although in some contexts he uses terms (such as decrease), which could be understood as referring to a local decline. On the other hand, Ibn Khaldun clearly states that different fates awaited Islamic science in different regions at different times.

Conclusion

This paper advanced the argument that the decline theory is a scholarly error that has proven to be remarkably persistent despite the availability of contrary evidence and the attention of ever-growing numbers of concerned scholars. In the absence of an alternative the decline theory acquired the status of a paradigm, an analytical model that achieved currency even though it did not satisfy all the facts. A thoughtful reading of Ibn Khaldun’s work would have forced rejection, or at least alteration, of the much-touted decline theory. Based on substantial findings, scholars like Saliba and Sabra have rejected the basic claims of the decline theory.

There is a growing body of evidence which confirms the rise, rather than the decline, of science in the Muslim world after the eleventh century It is surprising that such a fundamental and obvious feature of Islamic science should have remained obscure and escaped the attention of so many decline theorists. Given the presence of contrary evidence, the persistence of this theory clearly demonstrates that, until recently, scholars traveled great distance in the academic realm dispensing such mock scholarship without encountering any serious impediments.

References:

(1.) George Saliba, Al-Fikr al-Arabi al-Ilmi: Nash’atuhu Wa Tatauruhu (Beirut: Balamand University, 1998).

(2.) Ibid.

(3.) Islamic science here means the natural or exact sciences that originated in or were influenced by the Islamic civilization. Arabic was the main scientific language used, but not necessarily the native language of the scientists, who might have been Persian, Turkish, or of other origins. While the terms Islamic science and Arabic science are modern historical terms within the context of Islamic civilization, this science is Islamic in the sense that it suited the new and growing needs of the Islamic civilization; was available entirely in Arabic, which replaced Syriac; and was familiar to an increasing number of translators, students, and scientists. It is in this context that the term Islamic science will be used in this article.

(4.) Cited in Toby H. Huff, The Rise of Early Modern Science (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 53.

(5.) Renan quoted in Sardar, Z., Orientalism (Buckingham: Open University Press, 1999), 50. More peculiar was Renan’s claim that the “little science and philosophy that Muslims had produced was the result of a rebellion against Islam,” and that science could only flourish in Islam in association with heresy. Renan also believed that “the Mussulman [Muslim] has the most profound disdain for instruction, for science, for every thing that constitutes the European spirit.”

(6.) In Parvez Hoodbhoy, Islam and Science: Religious Orthodoxy and the Battle for Rationality (Pakistan: Zed Books, 1992), 2.

(7.) George Sarton, History of Science (New York: Krieger, 1927), 738.

(8.) Ibid., 29.

(9.) Ibid.

(10.) Sir William Cecil Dampier, History of Science and its Relation with Philosophy and Religion (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1929), 76.

(11.) Max Meyerhof, “Science and Medicine” in The Legacy of Islam, eds. Sir Thomas Arnold and Alfred Guillaume (Oxford: The Clarenda Press, 1931), 337. Later in the same chapter, Meyerhof contradicts himself by stating the “twelfth century marks a standstill” (not a decline).

(12.) Aydin Sayili, “The causes of the decline of scientific work in Islam” in The Observatory in Islam and its Place in the General History of the Observatory (Ankara: Turk Tarih Kurumu Basimevi, 1960), Appendix II, 407-429.

(13.) Ibid., 412-413.

(14.) Ibid., 412.

(15.) Ibid., 241.

(16.) Ibid.

(17.) Ibid., 238-239.

(18.) David C. Lindberg, The Beginning of Western Science: The European Scientific Tradition in Philosophical, Religious, and Institutional Contexts, 600 B.C. to A.D. 1450 (Chicago: The University Chicago Press, 1992), 180-182.

(19.) Ibid.

(20.) Toby E. Huff, The Rise of Early Modern Science (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993), n.1.

(21.) James E. McClellan III and Harold Dorn, Science and Technology in World History (Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999), 113.

(22.) George Saliba, “Arabic Science Historian George Saliba Rejects Common Explanations of Decline of Science in Islamic World”, Columbia News Video Brief, July 1, 2002. http://www.colombia.edu/cu/news/media/02/georgesaliba/. These arguments can also be found in: George Saliba’s al-Fikr al-Arabi, op. cit. pp.163-190.

(23.) Jan P. Hogendijk and Abdelhamid Sabra, op. cit., vii. This view is supported by modern research in the history of astronomy, medicine, and mathematics in Islam between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries. In astronomy, the work of George Saliba and others support this observation. See, for example, George Saliba, “Theory and Observation in Islamic Astronomy: The work of Ibn al-Shatir” in journal for the History of Astronomy 18 (1987), 35-43; “Arabic Planetary Theories after the eleventh century AD” in Encyclopedia of The History of Arabic Science 1 (1996), 58-127. In mathematics, see J. Lennart Berggren, “Mathematics and Her Sisters in Medieval Islam: A Selective Review of Works done from 1985 to 1995″ in Historica Mathematica 24 (1997); Ahmad Djebbar, “On Mathematical Activity in North Africa since the 9th century” in AMUCHMA Newsletter 15 (1995), 3-24. In medicine see for example Emilie Savage-Smith, “Medicine” in Encyclopedia of the History of Arabic Science 3 (1996), 930.

(24.) Mushin Mahdi, Ibn Khaldun’s Philosophy of History (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1971).

(25.) Ibn Khaldun, trans. Franz Rosenthal, Vol. 2, 426.

(26.) Ibid., Vol. 3, 117.

(27.) Ibid., Vol. 2, 343.

(28.) G. E. von Grunebaum, Medieval Islam: A Study in Cultural Orientation (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1946), 322.

(29.) Ibid., 339.

(30.) Ahmad Y. Al-Hassan, “Factors behind the Decline of Islamic Science after the Sixteenth Century” in Islam and the Challenge of Modernity. Historical and Contemporary Contexts, ed. Sharifah Shifa Al-Attas, (Kuala Lumpur: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation, 1996).

(31.) Ibid., 355.

(32.) Ibid.

Mohamad Abdalla is the Director of the Griffith Islamic Research Unit (GIRD), Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Email: M.Abdalla@griffith.edu.au

Women Islamic body’s plea for stay of whipping of Malaysian model rejected

2010-08-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

Petaling Jaya (Malaysia), Oct. 5 : An assistant registrar of the Kuantan Syariah High Court here has turned down a Sisters in Islam (SIS) application for the revision of the Kartika Sari Dewi Sukarno case.

According to The Star, the assistant registrar returned all documents that were filed, together

with the court fees paid, on September 18.

"This unprecedented action from the office of the Registrar is a clear violation of the court process as all applications filed and duly paid for must be accepted and heard," SIS said in a statement.

"The Registrar or any court officer has no right to filter any applications. The Court's duty is to accept such applications, and then it is for the Judiciary to hear all cases.

"Rejecting the application at the filing stage is tantamount to denying the right of a party to be heard, and in this particular case, denying SIS the right to be heard," the group said, adding that the action brings disrepute to the Syariah judicial system.

The revision filed by SIS at the Syariah High Court in Kuantan also asked for a stay of execution on Kartika's whipping sentence, SIS said in the statement issued by its executive director Dr Hamidah Marican.

SIS maintains that it is acting in the public interest so as to resolve the controversies and to provide clarity on the legality of the whole court process.

Kartika was fined RM5, 000 and was ordered to be caned six times after pleading guilty for drinking beer in July this year. She committed the offence at a hotel in Cherating last year. (ANI)

Umat Islam boleh semak arah kiblat Khamis ini (16 Julai 2009)

2010-08-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

Umat Islam di Malaysia boleh menyemak kedudukan arah kiblat dari kediaman, atau lebih tepat dari ruang solat masing-masing, pada Khamis ini pukul 5.28 petang.

Timbalan Pengarah Institut Latihan Islam Malaysia (ILIM) Omar Said berkata arah kiblat boleh disemak pada hari dan masa berkenaan dengan berasaskan cara tradisional iaitu dengan melihat arah matahari tenggelam.

Katanya pada hari dan masa tersebut kedudukan matahari berada betul-betul di atas Kaabah di Makkah yang menjadi kiblat umat Islam.

"Kealpaan umat Islam menentukan arah kiblat dengan tepat boleh menyebabkan arah kiblat mereka tersasar sehingga beberapa kilometer jauhnya," katanya ketika berucap merasmikan kursus lanjutan Falak (Qiblat) peringkat negeri di sini hari ini.

Kursus anjuran ILIM dengan kerjasama Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, Jabatan Mufti Negeri Sabah dan Jabatan Hal Ehwal Islam Negeri Sabah itu dihadiri 44 orang peserta yang mewakili pelbagai jabatan dan agensi kerajaan.

Menurut Omar perubahan satu darjah sahaja boleh mengakibatkan arah kiblat tersasar sehingga sejauh 128 kilometer.

Prophet's (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) Sermon on Ramadan

2010-08-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

"O People! The month of Allah (Ramadan) has come with its mercies, blessings and forgiveness. Allah has decreed this month the best of all months. The days of this month are the best among the days and the nights are the best among the nights and the hours during Ramadan are the best among the hours.

This is a month in which you have been invited by Him (to fast and pray). Allah has honoured you in it. In every breath you take is a reward of Allah, your sleep is worship, your good deeds are accepted and your invocations are answered.

Therefore, you must invoke your Lord in all earnestness with hearts free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah may help you to keep fast, and to recite the Holy Qur'an. Indeed! Miserable is the one who is deprived of Allah's forgiveness in this great month.

While fasting remember the hunger and thirst on the Day of Judgement. Give alms to the poor and needy. Pay respect to your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind towards your relatives and kinsmen. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing (forbidden) and your ears from sounds that should not be heard. Be kind to orphans so that if your children may become orphans they will also be treated with kindness.

Do repent to Allah for your sins and supplicate with raised hands at the times of prayer as these are the best times, during which Allah Almighty looks at His servants with mercy. Allah Answers if they supplicate, responds if they call, grants if He is asked, and accepts if they entreat.

O people! You have made your conscience the slave of your desires. Make it free by invoking Allah for forgiveness. Your back may break from the heavy load of your sins, so prostrate yourself before Allah for long intervals, and make this load lighter. Understand fully that Allah has promised in His Honour and Majesty that, people who perform Salat and Sajda (prostration) will be guarded from Hell-fire on the Day of Judgement.

O people! If anyone amongst you arranges for Iftar (meal at sunset) for any believer, Allah will reward him as if he had freed a slave, and Allah will forgive him his sins." A companion said: 'but not all of us have the means to do so,' to which the Prophet (S) replied: 'Keep yourself away from Hell-fire though it may consist of half a date or even some water if you have nothing else.'

"O people! Anyone who, during this month cultivates good manners, will walk over the Sirat (bridge to Paradise) on the day when feet will tend to slip. For anyone who during this month eases the workload of his servants, Allah will make easy his accounting, and for anyone who doesn't hurt others during this month, Allah will safeguard him from His Wrath on the Day of Judgement. Anyone who respects and treats an orphan with kindness during this month, Allah shall look at him with kindness on that Day. Anyone who treats his kinsmen well during this month, Allah will bestow His Mercy on him on that Day, while anyone who mistreats his kinsmen during this month, Allah will keep away from His Mercy.

Whomever offers the recommended prayers during this month, Allah will save him from Hell, and whomever observes his obligations during this month, his reward will be seventy times the reward during other months. Whomever repeatedly invokes Allah's blessings on me, Allah will keep his scale of good deeds heavy, while the scales of others will be tending to lightness. Whomever recites during this month an Ayaat (verse) of the Qur'an, will get the reward of reciting the whole Qur'an in other months.

O people! The gates of Paradise remain open during this month. Pray to your Lord that they may not be closed for you; while the gates of Hell are closed, pray to your Lord that they never open for you. Satan has been chained, invoke your Lord not to let him dominate you."

Ali ibn Talib (Radhi Allahu 'Anh) said: "I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what are the best deeds during this month?'" He replied: ‘O Abu-Hassan, the best of deeds during this month is to be far from what Allah has forbidden.'"

Ramadhan Mubarak

2010-08-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

After investigation and checking, the office of the Ameer of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Ataa' bin Khaleel Abu Rishteh, has announced that a valid sighting of the New Moon of Ramadhan has taken place for the year 1431 Hijri according to the Shari'ah requirements.

Based on this good news, the night of Tuesday 10th August 2010 is determined as the first night of Ramdhan, and our first fast commences on Wednesday 11th August 2010.

This is what the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered us when he صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"Whenever you sight the new moon (of the month of Ramadan) observe fast, and when you sight it (the new moon of Shawwal) break it, and if the sky is cloudy for you, then observe fast for thirty days." [Sahih Muslim. HADITH_No 2378. Narrated by Abu Hurayrah]

Please remember the ummah in your duas who are suffering under occupation, poverty and oppression throughout the world especially the flood victims in Pakistan.

We pray to Allah سبحانه وتعالى that next Ramadhan is performed under the shade of the Khilafah with the Khaleefah of all the Muslims making the moonsighting announcement.

Indonesian Muslims praying in the wrong direction

2010-08-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

(victoryortigas.org) Muslims are supposed to face the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia during prayer

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia's Muslims learned on Friday they have been praying in the wrong direction, after the country's highest Islamic authority said its directive on the direction of Mecca actually had people facing Africa.

Muslims are supposed to face the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia during prayer and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued an edict in March stipulating westward was the correct direction from the world's most populous Muslim country.

"But it has been decided that actually the mosques are facing Somalia or Kenya, so we are now suggesting people shift the direction slightly to the north-west," the head of the MUI, Cholil Ridwan, told Reuters. "There's no need to knock down mosques, just shift your direction slightly during prayer."

Ridwan said Muslims need not fear that their prayers have been wasted because they were facing the wrong way.

"Their prayers will still be heard by Allah," he said.

Said Agil Siradj, head of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, told English language newspaper the Jakarta Globe that the confusion showed the MUI issued edicts too fast and that this was a lesson for them.

The MUI has, in the past, issued controversial edicts banning Muslims from chanting during yoga, and from smoking.

Indonesia is a majority Muslim but officially secular country.

If the veil is banned, Muslim women may uncover their face

2010-08-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

Riyadh (AsiaNews) - Muslim women living in or travelling to countries where face-veils are forbidden are allowed “to forgo covering their face".

The statement came from a leading Saudi scholar Aed Al-Qarn, with the support of Mohamed al-Nujaimi, a scholar of Islamic jurisprudence and other experts in a country where almost all women wear face-veils, despite a tiny minority, so far tolerated, who do not wear full face-covering veils.

Al-Qarn’s statement began; " It is illogical and unreasonable that the French government undertakes such a thing, which is condemned by neutral people, not just Muslims, because the secular state assures freedom of religion" . "The State - he added - must respect the religious traditions, including those of Muslims."

That said, if Muslim women are in a country that has banned the niqab, or full-face veil, or if they face harassment in such a place, "it is better that the Muslim woman uncovers her face."

Similarly, even though he only speaks in reference to the French case Nujaimi, in a statement posted on the Saudi Al-Watan, said that " For a woman who permanently resides in France or is a French citizen, if there is harm in wearing the veil ... it is permitted that she shows her face when need and necessity demand it".

Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of prayer and fasting

2010-08-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

(ramadan.co.za) Nearly a billion and a half Muslims worldwide this week begin the annual holy month of Ramadan.

CAIRO — Nearly a billion and a half Muslims worldwide this week begin the annual holy month of Ramadan, a time of prayer and fasting that commemorates the divine revelation received by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim Hijri calendar, during which the faithful abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex during daylight and, in the evening, eat small meals and visit friends and family.

It is a month of piety, alms-giving and fasting in order to instil the body and spirit with the rigours of abstinence, a time of worship and contemplation and to strengthen family and community ties.

Observing Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, the others being the shahada or profession of faith, the obligation to pray five times a day, the giving of alms or zakat and going on pilgrimage to Mecca, the hajj.

The onset of Ramadan, which is determined by observing the crescent moon or by astronomical calculations, can vary from country to country.

Under the Hijri calendar, which has 11 days fewer than the Gregorian, Ramadan will begin this year -- the year 1431 -- on August 10 or 11.

The first day of the holy month is decided by the sighting of the crescent moon by the naked eye. Theologians and scholars gather every year to determine the onset of Ramadan, which varies across the globe according to location.

All post-puberty Muslim believers are expected to fast during Ramadan, and even though children are exempt, it is recommended that they become accustomed to the practice progressively.

Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, the sick and travellers all have the right not to observe the fast, but they must do so as soon as they are able.

It is traditional to break the fast after sunset with a meal known as iftar, consisting of dates and goat's milk, as the Prophet is said to have done. The last meal before dawn is known as suhur.

The holy month ends with feasting and gifts on Islam's biggest festival, Eid al-Fitr.

Pilgrims flock to Islam's holiest sites at Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia during Ramadan, especially on the last 10 days of the month. The holiest night is on day 27, marking the revelation of the Koran to the Prophet in 610 AD.

A long, hot Ramadan for many devout Muslims

2010-08-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

(AFP) Lanterns like these in Cairo can be seen across the world as part of the Muslim festival

CAIRO — Muslims awaited the sighting of the crescent moon on Tuesday to begin fasting during an especially gruelling month of Ramadan, with its sweltering heat and extremely long daylight hours.

Muslims observe the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar by abstaining from food, drink and sex from dawn until sunset during Ramadan.

It was expected to start on Wednesday throughout much of the world or a day later, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon the night before.

Pregnant and menstruating women, the sick, travellers and prepubescent children are exempt from the fast, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Ramadan will begin amid scorching temperatures in the Middle East and elsewhere, with the first six months of 2010 being the warmest ever recorded.

Egypt, the largest Arab country whose 80 million population is mostly Muslim, will switch to winter time for the month.

Rival Palestinian governments in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip said Tuesday they would switch to winter time on the first day of fasting.

Palestinians on both territories, divided since the Islamist Hamas seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007 after driving out the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, said they will move clocks back one hour.

In Dubai, a cleric told workmen they are religiously allowed to break their fast if the heat got the better of them.

Most fasting Muslims go about their business as usual, if skimping an hour or two from work. Sleeping well into the day, although not technically a fast breaker, is considering cheating by some clerics.

Pieties increase, with additional optional prayers in the evening. Often, so does the evening and night-time revelry for those able to peel themselves away from the special Ramadan television series in the evenings.

The month is marked by family visits and invitations to sumptuous iftars -- the meal that breaks the fast.

Festivities can last into the early morning, to the consternation of traditional clerics who stress the ascetic nature of the month, in which Muslims believe God revealed the Quran to the Prophet Mohammed.

Egypt, which depends on tourism, is offering rich Arab holidaymakers fireworks, concerts, folkloric shows and displays by whirling dervishes.

But given the family-centred traditions of the month, enticing people to leave their countries is a tough sell.

Egypt's bars and pubs either close during the month or switch to abstemious menus, with the exception of hotel bars, which serve alcohol only to non-Egyptians to conform with the Islamic ban on alcohol.

Dubai, one of the most popular Middle East cities for party-goers, closes its nightclubs or bans dancing in them.

Consumption of alcohol in the United Arab Emirates is officially allowed only for non-Muslims. But in practice, anyone can drink at licensed hotels and clubs. During Ramadan, hotels close off their bars from public view.

"There are tourists and non-Muslims in the country and they can go to closed bars in which they can be served alcohol" during Ramadan, director of Dubai government's inspection and tourism permit section, Mohammed Khalifa, told AFP.

"It is not permitted to hold entertainment activities, celebrations, or parties at any time throughout the holy month of Ramadan," the government said in an August 2 circular.

Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, will take the opportunity to crack down on Internet pornography.

Quoting a poem at a press conference on Tuesday, Communications Minister Tifatul Sembiring called on Muslims to "keep hearts clean in the holy month," and said that he would target websites and media that carried sexual content.

Despite the fasting, some clerics complain that people end up piling on the pounds during the month, as they over-indulge to compensate for the fasting. The consumption contributes to price hikes.

In Mauritania, the government announced "urgent measures" against the increase.

The global rise in food prices, coupled with the Ramadan spike, also means that less can afford a traditional theme of the month -- charity.

Long iftar tables set with free stews and bread that were commonplace in Cairo have been noticeably decreasing over the past two years, with many hosts saying they can't afford it anymore.

Bulgaria Muslims Number Close to One Million

2010-06-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

Bulgaria is home to 920 000 Muslims and there are 38 million Muslims living in the EU according to a new report compiled by Pew Research.

The report entitled ‘Mapping the Global Muslim Population: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Muslim Population’ was released Thursday. It revealed that Muslims make up 12,2 % of the country’s population, 10-15% of them are Shia Muslims.

Overall Muslims constitute about 5% of Europe’s population. It was also made clear that most European Muslims live in Eastern and Central Europe.

The country with the largest Muslim population in Europe is Russia, with more than 16 million Muslims, meaning that more than four in 10 European Muslims live in Russia.

www.novinite.com/

Where the world's Muslims live

2010-06-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

THE total number of Muslims in the world is 1.57 billion, nearly a quarter of the global total, according to a new survey of the world's Muslim population by the Pew Research Center. Almost two-thirds of Muslims live in Asia, with Indonesia providing the biggest contingent (203m), followed by Pakistan (174m) and India (160m).

One of the more surprising finds is that the European country with the highest Muslim population is not France or Germany, but Russia, where 16.5m adherents of Islam make up nearly 12% of the total national population. Compared with other studies, the report gives a lowish estimate for the number of Muslims in France (3.6m), as it does for the United States (2.5m); in both those countries, secular principles make it impossible to ask religious questions on a census.

World's Muslim Media React To Obama Speech

2010-06-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

Audience members listen to a translation through headphones as U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at Cairo University on June 4.
June 05, 2009
The speech U.S. President Barack Obama gave to the Muslim world from Cairo University on June 4 made headlines from Morocco to Indonesia. RFE/RL correspondent Abubakar Siddique takes a look at what the Muslim press had to say.

* Correction appended

In Rabat, U.S. President Barack Obama's mention of Morocco during his speech as the first country to recognize the United States made a big splash.

But for the Arab press in general, Obama's comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iraq, Iran, and his overarching message to the Muslim world as a whole mattered most.

Writing in the English-language "Saudi Gazette" newspaper published from Jeddah on June 5, columnist Sabria S. Jawhar said Obama's speech puts Arab and Israeli leaders on notice.

"If there ever were a speech by an American president that detailed the complexities of the Middle East with simple common sense, it was President Obama's historic foreign policy address Thursday in Cairo to the Muslim World," Jawhar wrote. "Although the tangibles I had hoped for were missing, Obama's speech offered something not witnessed in American foreign policy for more than a decade: balance."

The London-based and widely read Arabic-language "Al-Quds Al-Arabi" tried to summarize the crux of Obama's message. "In his speech, the U.S. president has numerous messages for several countries and several sides. And he criticized the Iraq war," the paper wrote.

Middle East

Arab television scrambled quickly to analyze the impact of Obama's message.

"The U.S. president reiterated the need for the creation of a Palestinian state and negotiations with Iran," offered Qatar-based satellite news channel Al-Jazeera. "In the first reactions to his speech, the Palestinian Authority called it a 'nice beginning'. But Hamas, on the other hand, said that there is a need for real change [in U.S.] policies."

One of the United Arab Emirate's influential English-language dailies, the "Khaleej Times" was all praise for Obama. "Everyone knows Obama can make a fine speech. But this one was truly historic and is likely to be remembered long as much for its respectful tone and tenor as its refreshing content," the paper wrote in a June 5 editorial titled "A New Beginning In Cairo."

But another UAE newspaper, "Gulf News," demanded action. In a June 5 editorial titled "Obama Must Match His Words With Actions," the paper concluded that the "onus is now on him to carry his positive messages forward. After all, everyone is anxious to see action on the ground."

Obama's speech widely reverberated in the Turkish press.

"Today's Zaman," a major English-language daily in Turkey, characterized Obama's Cairo speech as "historic" and headlined its coverage with: "Obama Calls For New Start Between U.S. And Muslims." In a separate story, the newspapers reported that since Obama's April visit to Turkey, approval ratings of the United States have doubled to 49 percent.

The Israeli-Palestinian issue topped coverage on CNN Turk, the country most-watched news channel.

"Obama said, we would not turn our back to the demands of establishing a Palestinian state. He also gave important message to Israeli leadership, saying that they are not going to accept the establishment of new settlements," CNN Turk said. "That's how the White House made its views clear about the Middle East conflict after a long time."

Iran

Although Iranian-government owned Arabic-language television "Al-Alam" carried Obama's speech live, Iranian media have yet to widely comment on the speech. Most newspapers were closed on June 4 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's death, and Iranians were observing Friday Prayers on June 5.

Iranian state television's news bulletin, however, had this take on Obama's speech: "In his speech, the U.S. president acknowledged the role of Islam in the development of global civilization and promoting America as a nation. Barack Obama, while pointing to the beginning of efforts to do away with the wall of mistrust between the U.S. and the Islamic world, said that it cannot be eradicated overnight. The U.S. president acknowledged Iran's right to access nuclear energy, and he added that he is ready to engage with Iran unconditionally."

Central Asia

In Central Asia, the reaction to Obama's speech was mixed.

In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the media praised Obama for his "open message to the Islamic world." But many newspapers stressed that the general lack of much anti-American sentiment in Kazakh and Kyrgyz societies meant that the public did not receive Obama's message as a message for them.

In Uzbekistan, coverage mainly consisted of small reports that stressed that "under the current circumstances, when Uzbek-U.S. relations are improving, Obama's speech was of great importance for Uzbeks."

In Tajikistan, the only Central Asian country that has an official Islamic party, the reaction was very mixed.

Leaders and activists of the Islamic Revival Party were seemingly skeptical of Obama's speech, arguing that the U.S. leader might have good intentions, his foreign policy is framed by other people. Many insisted that, in reality, the United States is more pro-Israeli than pro-Palestinian.

However, representatives of the Tajik government interviewed by local press praised Obama for "his first steps to establish a real dialogue with Muslims of the world."

South Asia

In South Asia, Obama's speech was closely scrutinized for messages on "Af-Pak" issues.

"He said that it is not possible to solve the problem in Pakistan and Afghanistan by military force alone," the newscaster offered on a major private news station in Pakistan, Urdu-language ARY News. "In his historic speech in Cairo University, the U.S. president said that Islam is not an obstacle to end the violence in the world. He said that world can only be made a better place by negotiations, rather than confrontation. He said that a nuclear-arms race in the Middle East can prove catastrophic."

A June 5 editorial in "Dawn," Pakistan's largest English-language daily, concluded: "At the very least though, the speech was yet more evidence that the U.S. has put behind it the roughest edges of the Bush years."

A rival newspaper, "The News," had a more cynical take on the event. It ended its June 5 editorial called "Rhetoric and Reality" with these thoughts: "No American president has ever gone out of his way to reach out to the Muslim world in the way that President Obama has. We applaud that. But our applause is discreet rather than rapturous for these are as yet mere words. Were we ever to see all -- or any -- of them transition from rhetoric to reality then the applause would thunder across the world, and bring together the hands of every faith."

Indonesia's largest English-language newspaper, "The Jakarta Post," published the full text of Obama's speech. One of its stories focused on parts of his speech that praised his childhood home, Indonesia. "U.S. President Obama touted Indonesia,... saying the nation with the largest Muslim population in the world played a role in promoting religious tolerance and gender equality."

Another story on Indonesian reactions captured mixed feelings regarding Obama's speech. While some Indonesian Muslims lauded it as "impressive" and "high quality," others said that its substance was "hardly new."

Muhammad Tahir of RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, Ajaml Sedeeq of RFE/RL's Afghan Service, Mehrad Mirdamadi Khouzani of Radio Farda, and correspondent Merkhat Sharipzhanov contributed to this report

* The original version of this story suggested that there was a strong mood of anti-Americanism in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, while the opposite is true.

www.rferl.org

World's Muslim Population

2010-06-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

Nearly one-fourth of the world’s population today is Muslim. The Muslim population is a diverse community of believers spanning the globe. Over fifty countries have Muslim-majority populations, while other groups of believers are clustered in minority communities on nearly every continent.

Although Islam is often associated with the Arab world and the Middle East, fewer than 15% of
Muslims are Arab.

Countries With The Largest Muslim Populations (2009):
Country Number of Muslims
Indonesia 203 million
Pakistan 174 million
India 161 million
Bangladesh 145 million
Egypt 79 million
Nigeria 78 million
Iran 74 million
Turkey 74 million
Algeria 34 million
Morocco 32 million
Iraq 30 million
Sudan 30 million
Afghanistan 28 million
Ethiopia 28 million
Uzbekistan 26 million
Saudi Arabia 25 million
Yemen 23 million
China 22 million
Syria 20 million
Russia 16 million

GUPPI Tolak Sekolah Unggulan Berbasis Kapitalis

2009-11-22T18:11:00.000-08:00

Gerakan Pembaruan Pendidikan Islam (GUPPI) mendukung munculnya sekolah-sekolah model atau sekolah unggulan untuk menampung anak-anak cerdas. Kendati demikian, GUPPI tidak setuju apabila sekolah-sekolah unggulan itu mengarah pada praktik kapitalis.

Hal itu disampaikan Ketua Umum Gerakan Pembaharuan Pendidikan Islam (GUPPI) H Marwan Saridjo dalam acara ulang tahun ke 58 organisasi tersebut sekaligus seminar sehari, di Jakarta.

"Jika kecenderungan pendirian sekolah unggulan itu menjadi menara gading bagi masyarakat sekitar, jelas tidak sejalan dengan visi dan program GUPPI, " katanya.

Mengenai rencana Departemen Agama (Depag) untuk membangun madrasah unggulan bertaraf Internasional. Madrasah ini akan berdiri di lahan seluas 10 hektare di Kota Dumai, Provinsi Riau. GUPPI sendiri menilai Depag perlu melakukan pengkajian lebih cermat dan komprehensif.

"Kondisi umum madrasah kita masih jauh dari standar minimal, bahkan masih jutaan anak-anak umat Islam di daerah terpencil yang belum terjangkau pendidikan, " ujar mantan Sekjen Depag ini.

Marwan menambahkan, kemajuan umat dam penilaian umum terhadap pendidikan madrasah tidak bisa dengan pendekatan pencitraan secara ad hoc melalui penyelenggaraan pendidikan yang bersifat eksklusif. Tetapi harus dengan program pemerataan pendidikan kendatipun dengan standar mutu yang minimal.

Mengenai tuntuan pemenuhan anggaran pendidikan 20 persen dari APBN, lanjut Marwan, selama ini hanya ditujukan kepada pemerintah pusat. Namun, jarang terdengar tuntutan itu ditujukan kepada pemerinah daerah, seperti Gubernur, Bupati atau Wali Kota.

Marwan menambahkan GUPPI akan terus mendorong dan berupaya menawarkan konsep-konsep pengembangan lembaga-lembaga pendidikan Islam bergerak menuju ke arus utama (mainstream). Yaitu dengan tetap mempertahankan ciri khasnya sebagai garda terdepan dalam pembangunan karakter bangsa dan akhlak manusia.

Sebelumnya Dirjen Pendidikan Islam Depag Muhammad Ali mengatakan, madrasah internasional yang nantinya akan dikembangkan di seluruh Tanah Air ini, memiliki ciri khas, penggabungkan antara ide pesantren dengan sekolah modern.

Di mana, siswanya diwajibkan tinggal di asrama (boarding) untuk memperoleh kemapuan-kemampuan yang dipersyaratkan, seperti menguasai komunikasi nasional bahasa Indonesia, bahasa Arab dan Inggris. Ali berharap, di setiap provinsi nantinya minimal harus ada satu Madrasah Negeri bertaraf Internasional.(novel)

JAMUAN HARI RAYA SEKOLAH ISLAM ADNI

2009-11-22T18:02:00.001-08:00

HARI RAYA CELEBRATION IN ADNI
(7 OCTOBER 2008)

All ADNI students celebrated their Hari Raya Eidul Fitri Gathering in the school on Tuesday, 7 October 2008.
Various foods and drinks brought by the students, both primary and secondary. Students had their class Hari Raya Party in by inviting all the teachers and staff.
Alhamdulillah, all were cheerfull, satisfied and thakfull to ALLAH Ta'ala for this Ni'mat and Ukhuwwah (brotherhood) in the school.

Congrats ADNI!

(IT Team)

PERINGATAN

2009-04-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

Bab yang akan Anda baca ini mengungkapkan rahasia penting kehidupan Anda. Bacalah dengan saksama dan menyeluruh karena bab ini menyangkut permasalahan yang dapat merubah pandangan Anda terhadap dunia luar. Pokok bahasan bab ini bukan sekadar sudut pandang, pendekatan yang berbeda atau pemikiran filsuf tradisional, melainkan fakta yang harus diakui semua orang yang percaya ataupun tidak, dan telah dibuktikan pula oleh ilmu pengetahuan dewasa ini.

INTISARI MATERI

Orang yang merenungkan sekelilingnya dengan kritis dan bijaksana akan menyadari bahwa segala sesuatu di alam semesta ini — benda hidup atau-pun mati — pasti diciptakan. Sehingga pertanyaannya adalah: "Siapakah pencipta semua ini?"

Jelas bahwa "fakta penciptaan" yang tampak dalam setiap aspek alam semesta, mustahil hasil ciptaan alam semesta itu sendiri. Contohnya, seekor kutu tidak bisa menciptakan dirinya sendiri. Sistem tata surya tidak dapat menciptakan atau mengorganisir diri sendiri. Tanaman, manusia, bakteri, sel darah merah dan kupu-kupu juga tidak dapat menciptakan diri sendiri. Kemungkinan bahwa semua ini bermula "secara kebetulan" bahkan tidak terbayangkan sama sekali.

Oleh karena itu, kita berkesimpulan: segala sesuatu yang kita lihat telah diciptakan. Akan tetapi, tidak ada satu pun yang kita lihat dapat menjadi "pencipta" diri sendiri. Pencipta berbeda dan lebih unggul daripada semua yang kita lihat. Kekuatan Pencipta tidak terlihat tetapi keberadaan dan tanda-tandanya terungkap dalam segala sesuatu yang ada di alam.

Orang-orang yang menolak keberadaan Allah tidak sependapat tentang hal ini. Orang-orang ini terkondisikan untuk tidak mempercayai keberadaan-Nya kecuali mereka melihat-Nya dengan mata kepala sendiri. Kaum ini, yang mengabaikan fakta "penciptaan", terpaksa mengabaikan aktualitas "penciptaan" yang terwujud di seluruh alam semesta dan secara keliru membuktikan bahwa alam semesta dan kehidupan di dalamnya tidak diciptakan. Teori evolusi merupakan contoh utama usaha mereka yang sia-sia.

Kesalahan mendasar dari mereka yang mengingkari Allah dilakukan pula oleh banyak orang yang sebenarnya tidak sungguh-sungguh menolak keberadaan Allah tetapi mempunyai persepsi salah tentang-Nya. Mereka tidak mengingkari penciptaan tetapi memiliki kepercayaan takhayul mengenai "di mana" Allah. Kebanyakan dari mereka berpikir bahwa Allah berada di "langit". Mereka diam-diam membayangkan bahwa Allah berada di belakang suatu planet sangat jauh dan sewaktu-waktu mencampuri "urusan duniawi". Atau barangkali Allah tidak turun tangan sama sekali: Dia menciptakan alam semesta lalu meninggalkannya begitu saja, dan manusia dibiarkan menentukan nasibnya sendiri.

Sementara itu, kalangan lain mendengar bahwa, Allah berada "di mana-mana", namun mereka tidak dapat memahami maknanya. Mereka berpikir bahwa Allah mengelilingi segala sesuatu seperti gelombang radio atau gas yang tidak dapat diraba dan dilihat.

Akan tetapi, semua gagasan ini dan juga kepercayaan lain yang tidak bisa menjelaskan "di mana" Allah (dan mungkin karena itu mengingkari keberadaan Allah) beranjak dari kesalahan yang sama. Mereka berprasangka tanpa dasar sehingga sampai pada pemahaman yang salah tentang Allah. Prasangka apakah itu?.

Prasangka ini tentang alam dan sifat-sifat materi. Kita demikian terbiasa dengan anggapan tentang keberadaan materi sehingga kita tidak pernah memikirkan apakah materi benar-benar ada atau hanya bayangan. Ilmu pengetahuan modern menghancurkan prasangka ini dan mengungkap sebuah realitas yang sangat penting dan mengesankan.

Dunia Sinyal-Sinyal Elektris

Semua informasi yang kita miliki tentang dunia tempat kita hidup disampaikan kepada kita melalui lima indra kita. Dunia yang kita ketahui terdiri dari apa yang dilihat mata, diraba tangan, dicium hidung, dikecap lidah, dan didengar telinga kita. Kita tidak pernah berpikir bahwa dunia "luar" mungkin berbeda dengan apa yang disampaikan indra kepada kita, karena kita telah bergantung hanya kepada kelima indra tersebut sejak lahir.

Akan tetapi, penelitian modern dalam berbagai bidang ilmu menunjukkan pemahaman sangat berbeda dan menimbulkan keraguan serius tentang indra kita serta dunia yang kita pahami dengannya.

Titik awal pendekatan ini adalah bahwa gagasan "dunia luar" yang terbentuk dalam otak kita hanya sebuah respon yang diciptakan oleh sinyal-sinyal elektris. Merahnya apel, kerasnya kayu, bahkan, ibu, ayah, keluarga Anda dan segala sesuatu yang Anda miliki, rumah, pekerjaan, kalimat-kalimat dalam buku ini, hanya terdiri atas sinyal-sinyal elektris.

Frederick Vester menjelaskan apa yang telah dicapai ilmu pengetahuan tentang subjek ini:

Pernyataan-pernyataan beberapa ilmuwan bahwa "manusia adalah sebuah citra, segala sesuatu yang dialaminya bersifat sementara dan menipu, dan alam semesta ini adalah bayangan", tampaknya dibuktikan oleh ilmu pengetahuan mutakhir.1

Untuk memperjelas permasalahan ini, mari kita pikirkan indra penglihatan kita, yang memberikan informasi paling luas tentang dunia luar.

Bagaimana Kita Melihat, Mendengar dan Mengecap?

Proses penglihatan terjadi melalui cara yang sangat canggih. Paket-paket cahaya (foton) yang melintas dari objek ke mata melewati lensa di bagian depan mata. Paket-paket cahaya ini terpecah-pecah dan jatuh terbalik pada retina di bagian belakang mata. Di sini, cahaya tersebut diubah menjadi sinyal-sinyal elektris, kemudian dikirimkan oleh sel-sel saraf ke bintik kecil yang disebut pusat penglihatan di bagian belakang otak. Sinyal listrik ini diterjemahkan sebagai sebuah citra setelah melalui serangkaian proses. Tindakan melihat sebenarnya terjadi dalam bintik kecil ini, yang merupakan tempat gelap pekat dan terisolasi total dari cahaya.

Sekarang, marilah kita kaji kembali proses yang tampaknya biasa dan tidak istimewa ini. Saat kita mengatakan "kita melihat", sebenarnya kita melihat efek impuls yang mencapai mata dan muncul di dalam otak setelah cahaya diubah menjadi sinyal listrik. Jadi ketika kita mengatakan "kita melihat" sebenarnya kita sedang mengamati sinyal-sinyal elektris di dalam otak kita.

Stimulasi dari sebuah objek diubah menjadi sinyal-sinyal elektris dan mempengaruhi otak. Ketika kita "melihat", kita sebenarnya menyaksikan efek dari sinyal-sinyal elektris ini dalam pikiran kita.

Semua citra yang kita lihat dalam kehidupan dibentuk di dalam pusat penglihatan, yang hanya beberapa kubik sentimeter dari keseluruhan volume otak. Baik buku yang sedang Anda baca maupun dataran tanpa batas yang Anda lihat ketika menatap cakrawala tercakup dalam ruangan kecil ini. Hal lain yang harus diingat adalah bahwa otak terisolasi dari cahaya, di dalamnya benar-benar gelap. Tidak ada kontak antara otak dengan cahaya itu sendiri.

Kita dapat menjelaskan situasi menarik ini dengan sebuah contoh. Andaikan ada sebuah lilin menyala di depan kita. Kita bisa duduk di depan lilin tersebut dan memperhatikannya untuk beberapa lama. Selama itu otak kita tidak pernah bersentuhan langsung dengan cahaya lilin. Bahkan ketika kita melihat cahaya lilin, bagian dalam otak kita gelap gulita. Kita melihat dunia yang berwarna-warni dan cerah di dalam otak kita yang gelap.

R.L. Gregory memberikan penjelasan berikut tentang aspek menakjubkan dari melihat, suatu kegiatan yang kita anggap biasa saja:

Kita begitu terbiasa dengan melihat sehingga diperlukan lompatan imajinasi untuk menyadari bahwa terdapat kerumitan di balik ini. Tetapi cobalah pikirkan hal ini. Mata kita diberi citra kecil dan terbalik, dan kita melihat benda-benda nyata di sekitar kita. Dari pola simulasi pada retina mata inilah kita memahami dunia benda, dan ini adalah suatu keajaiban.2

Hal yang sama berlaku pula bagi seluruh indra kita. Suara, sentuhan, rasa dan aroma seluruhnya dikirimkan dalam bentuk sinyal-sinyal listrik ke otak, di mana sinyal-sinyal ini diterjemahkan di pusatnya masing-masing.

Bahkan ketika kita merasakan cahaya dan panas nyala api, bagian dalam otak kita tetap gelap gulita dan suhunya tidak pernah berubah.
Berkas cahaya dari sebuah objek jatuh di retina secara terbalik. Di sini, bayangan diubah menjadi sinyal-sinyal elektris dan ditransmisikan ke pusat penglihatan di belakang otak. Karena otak terisolasi dari cahaya, tidak mungkin cahaya mencapai pusat penglihatan. Artinya, kita menyaksikan dunia yang penuh cahaya dan kedalaman dalam titik kecil yang terisolasi dari cahaya.

Proses mendengar terjadi dengan cara yang sama. Telinga luar menangkap suara melalui daun telinga dan membawanya ke telinga bagian tengah; telinga bagian tengah meneruskan dan memperkuat getaran suara ini ke telinga bagian dalam; telinga bagian dalam mengubah getaran suara ini menjadi sinyal-sinyal elektris dan mengirimkannya ke otak. Seperti halnya mata, tindakan mendengar berakhir di pusat pendengaran dalam otak. Otak kita terisolasi dari suara seperti halnya terisolasi dari cahaya. Oleh karena itu, bagaimanapun gaduhnya di luar, bagian dalam otak sunyi senyap.

Semua yang kita lihat sehari-hari dibentuk dalam "pusat penglihatan", di belakang otak kita, yang hanya berukuran beberapa sentimeter kubik. Baik buku yang sedang Anda baca, maupun pemandangan tanpa batas yang Anda saksikan ketika memandang horizon termuat dalam ruang kecil ini. Karenanya, kita tidak melihat objek dengan ukuran sebenarnya di luar, namun dalam ukuran yang ditangkap oleh otak.

Meskipun demikian, suara paling lemah pun bisa ditangkap dalam otak. Proses ini sangat presisi sehingga telinga orang sehat mampu mendengarkan suara apa pun tanpa gangguan atau interferensi asmosferik. Dalam otak yang terisolasi dari suara, Anda menangkap simfoni orkestra, kebisingan di tempat ramai dan semua jenis suara dalam rentang frekuensi yang lebar mulai dari desir dedaunan hingga deru pesawat jet. Namun jika pada saat itu tingkat suara dalam otak Anda diukur dengan suatu peralatan sensitif, akan didapati bahwa di dalam otak sepenuhnya sunyi.

Persepsi kita tentang aroma terbentuk dengan cara yang sama. Molekul-molekul 'volatil' (mudah menguap) yang dikeluarkan benda seperti vanila atau mawar mencapai reseptor (sensor penerima) berupa rambut-rambut lembut di daerah epitel hidung sehingga terjadilah interaksi. Interaksi ini disampaikan ke otak sebagai sinyal elektris dan dipahami sebagai aroma. Segala sesuatu yang kita cium, baik yang enak maupun tidak, pada hakikatnya adalah pemahaman otak terhadap interaksi molekul-molekul volatil yang diubah ke dalam sinyal-sinyal elektris. Anda menangkap bau parfum, bunga, makanan kegemaran, laut atau aroma lain yang Anda suka ataupun tidak, di dalam otak Anda. Molekul-molekul itu sendiri tidak pernah menyentuh otak. Jadi sama dengan pendengaran dan penglihatan, yang sampai ke otak Anda hanya sinyal-sinyal listrik. Dengan kata lain, semua aroma yang sejak lahir Anda anggap berasal dari objek-objek luar, sebenarnya hanya sinyal-sinyal elektris yang Anda rasakan melalui indra.

Demikian pula dengan empat macam reseptor kimiawi di bagian depan lidah manusia. Sensor-sensor ini menangkap rasa asin, manis, asam dan pahit. Setelah serangkaian proses kimia, sensor-sensor rasa mengubah persepsi rasa ini ke dalam sinyal elektris dan mengirimkannya ke otak. Sinyal-sinyal ini dipahami sebagai rasa oleh otak. Rasa yang Anda peroleh ketika Anda memakan coklat atau buah yang Anda suka merupakan interpretasi sinyal-sinyal elektris oleh otak. Anda tidak pernah dapat menjangkau objek di luar tersebut; Anda tidak pernah dapat melihat, mencium atau merasakan coklat itu sendiri. Sebagai contoh, jika saraf pengecap yang terhubung ke otak dipotong, apa pun yang Anda makan tidak akan sampai pada otak; Anda akan kehilangan kemampuan mengecap.

Sampai di sini, kita mendapati fakta lain: kita tidak pernah bisa yakin bahwa apa yang kita rasakan ketika kita mengecap makanan adalah sama dengan apa yang orang lain rasakan ketika dia mengecap makanan yang sama, atau apa yang kita tangkap ketika kita mendengar bunyi adalah sama dengan apa yang ditangkap orang lain ketika dia mendengar bunyi yang sama. Terhadap fakta ini, Lincoln Barnett mengatakan bahwa "tidak seorang pun dapat mengetahui apakah orang lain melihat warna merah atau mendengar nada C sama dengan yang dilihat dan didengarnya." 3

Indra peraba kita tidak berbeda dengan indra lainnya. Ketika kita meraba sebuah objek, semua informasi yang membantu kita mengenali dunia luar dan objek-objek dibawa ke otak oleh saraf pada kulit. Rasa sentuhan dibentuk dalam otak kita. Berlawanan dengan keyakinan umum, kita merasakan sentuhan bukan di ujung jari atau kulit melainkan di pusat sentuh di dalam otak. Sebagai hasil tafsiran otak terhadap stimulan-stimulan elektris yang datang dari suatu objek, kita menangkap rasa yang berbeda dari objek-objek tersebut seperti keras atau lunak, panas atau dingin. Kita mendapatkan semua detail informasi yang membantu kita mengenali sebuah objek dari stimulan seperti ini. Dua filsuf terkenal, B. Russell dan L. Wittgeinstein, mengungkapkan pemikiran mereka tentang fakta penting ini sebagai berikut:

Sebagai contoh, apakah sebuah jeruk benar-benar ada atau tidak dan bagaimana buah ini menjadi ada tidak bisa dipertanyakan dan diselidiki. Sebuah jeruk hanya terdiri dari rasa yang dikecap lidah, aroma yang dicium hidung, warna dan bentuk yang dilihat mata; dan hanya sifat-sifat inilah yang dapat dijadikan bahan pengujian dan penelitian. Ilmu pengetahuan tidak akan pernah tahu dunia fisik. 4

Tidak mungkin kita menjangkau dunia fisik. Semua objek di sekeliling kita adalah kumpulan persepsi dari penglihatan, pendengaran dan sentuhan. Dengan mengolah data di pusat penglihatan dan di pusat-pusat sensoris lain, seumur hidup otak kita berhadapan bukan dengan materi "asli" yang ada di luar kita, melainkan dengan tiruan yang terbentuk di dalam otak. Pada titik inilah kita keliru mengasumsikan bahwa tiruan-tiruan ini adalah materi-materi sejati di luar kita.

"Dunia Luar" dalam Otak Kita

Berdasarkan fakta-fakta fisik yang telah digambarkan sejauh ini, kita dapat meyimpulkan sebagai berikut: segala sesuatu yang kita lihat, sentuh, dengar dan indrakan sebagai "materi", "dunia" atau "alam semesta" tidak lain hanya sinyal-sinyal listrik dalam otak kita.

Seseorang yang memakan buah pada hakikatnya tidak berhadapan dengan buah sebenarnya tetapi dengan persepsi tentang buah dalam otak. Objek yang dianggap sebagai buah oleh orang tersebut sebenarnya terdiri dari kesan-kesan elektris di dalam otak mengenai bentuk, rasa, bau dan tekstur buah. Jika saraf penglihatan yang terhubung ke otak tiba-tiba rusak, citra buah akan hilang secara tiba-tiba. Putusnya saraf yang menghubungkan sensor-sensor di hidung dengan otak akan mengganggu proses penciuman. Singkatnya, buah hanyalah interpretasi sinyal-sinyal listrik oleh otak.

Hal lain yang perlu dipertimbangkan adalah kesan jarak. Jarak, misalnya antara Anda dan buku ini, hanya perasaan hampa yang terbentuk di dalam otak. Objek yang tampak jauh dalam pandangan seseorang terbentuk juga di dalam otak. Sebagai contoh, seseorang yang melihat bintang-bintang di langit beranggapan bahwa bintang-bintang tersebut berada dalam jarak jutaan tahun cahaya darinya. Akan tetapi, apa yang dia "lihat" sebenarnya adalah bintang-bintang dalam dirinya sendiri, yaitu di dalam pusat penglihatannya. Ketika Anda membaca kalimat-kalimat ini, Anda sebenarnya tidak berada di dalam ruangan yang Anda kira, sebaliknya ruanganlah yang berada di dalam diri Anda. Karena melihat tubuh Anda, Anda jadi berpikir bahwa Anda berada di dalamnya. Akan tetapi, Anda harus ingat bahwa tubuh Anda juga sebuah citra yang dibentuk di dalam otak.

Hal yang sama berlaku pada semua persepsi Anda lainnya. Sebagai contoh, ketika Anda berpikir bahwa Anda mendengar suara televisi di kamar sebelah, Anda sebenarnya sedang mendengarkan suara tersebut di dalam otak Anda. Anda juga tidak dapat membuktikan bahwa kamar tersebut benar-benar ada di sebelah kamar Anda, atau bahwa suara televisi datang dari kamar tersebut. Baik suara yang Anda pikir datang dari jarak beberapa meter maupun bisikan seseorang di sebelah Anda, ditangkap oleh pusat pendengaran yang berukuran hanya beberapa sentimeter persegi di dalam otak Anda. Terlepas dari pusat persepsi ini, tidak ada konsep seperti kanan, kiri, depan atau belakang. Jadi suara tidak datang pada Anda dari kanan, kiri atau dari udara; tidak ada arah dari mana suara tersebut datang.

Aroma yang Anda tangkap demikian pula; tidak satu aroma pun yang sampai kepada Anda dari jarak jauh. Anda beranggapan bahwa hasil akhir yang terbentuk di dalam pusat penciuman adalah aroma objek di luar. Akan tetapi, sebagaimana citra mawar di dalam pusat penglihatan Anda, aroma bunga ini pun berada di dalam pusat penciuman; tidak ada mawar atau aromanya di luar.

"Dunia luar" yang ditunjukkan oleh persepsi kita hanya kumpulan sinyal listrik yang sampai pada otak kita. Sepanjang hidup kita, sinyal-sinyal ini diproses oleh otak dan kita hidup tanpa menyadari bahwa kita telah keliru menganggap sinyal-sinyal tersebut sebagai wujud asli objek-objek yang berada di "dunia luar". Kita telah terpedaya karena kita tidak pernah dapat menjangkau materi itu sendiri dengan indra kita.

Lagi-lagi, otak kitalah yang menafsirkan dan memaknai sinyal-sinyal yang kita anggap sebagai "dunia luar". Sebagai contoh, marilah kita perhatikan indra pendengaran. Sesungguhnya otak kitalah yang mengubah gelombang suara di "dunia luar" menjadi sebuah simfoni. Sehingga dapat dikatakan bahwa musik adalah persepsi yang dibuat oleh otak kita. Dengan cara yang sama, ketika kita melihat warna, apa yang sampai pada mata kita hanya sinyal-sinyal listrik dengan beragam panjang gelombang. Sekali lagi otak kitalah yang mengubah sinyal-sinyal ini menjadi warna. Tidak ada warna di "dunia luar". Apel juga tidak merah, langit tidak biru atau pohon tidak hijau. Apel, langit dan pohon terlihat seperti itu hanya karena kita mengindranya seperti itu. "Dunia luar" sepenuhnya tergantung pada pengindraan seseorang.

Bahkan kerusakan kecil pada retina mata dapat menyebabkan buta warna. Ada orang yang menangkap warna biru sebagai hijau, ada yang menangkap merah sebagai biru dan ada pula yang melihat semua warna sebagai abu-abu dengan beragam intensitas. Dalam hal ini, tidak penting lagi apakah objek di luar berwarna atau tidak.
Pemikir terkemuka, Berkeley, juga mengungkapkan fakta ini:

Pada awalnya, dipercaya bahwa warna, aroma dan sebagainya "benar-benar ada", tetapi berangsur-angsur pandangan seperti itu ditinggalkan, dan kemudian dipahami bahwa hal-hal tersebut tergantung pada pengindraan kita.5

Penemuan-penemuan fisika modern menunjukkan bahwa alam semesta merupakan suatu kumpulan persepsi. Pertanyaan berikut muncul pada sampul majalah ilmu pengetahuan Amerika terkenal, New Scientist yang mengangkat fakta ini dalam terbitan 30 Januari 1999: "Di Luar Realitas: Apakah Alam Semesta Sebenarnya Sebuah Pesiar Informasi dan Materi Hanyalah Fatamorgana?"

Pengetahuan Manusia Yang Terbatas

Makna lain dari berbagai kenyataan yang telah dipaparkan sejauh ini adalah bahwa sebenarnya, pengetahuan manusia tentang dunia luar sungguh sangat terbatas.

Pengetahuan itu terbatas pada kelima indra kita, dan tidak ada bukti bahwa dunia yang kita kenali melalui kelima indra itu sama persis dengan dunia "yang sesungguhnya".

Jadi, dunia tersebut bisa saja sangatlah berbeda dari apa yang kita kenali. Mungkin saja terdapat sangat banyak dimensi dan wujud lain yang belum kita ketahui. Sekalipun jika kita menjangkau titik-titik terjauh dari alam semesta, pengetahuan kita akan senantiasa tetap terbatas. Tuhan Yang Mahakuasa, Pencipta segala sesuatu, memiliki pengetahuan menyeluruh dan sempurna atas segala sesuatu yang, karena telah diciptakan Tuhan, mampu memiliki sebatas pengetahuan yang Dia izinkan.

Dalam hal ini, filsuf ilmu pengetahuan terkemuka, Bertrand Rusell, menulis:

Sentuhan yang terasa ketika kita menekan meja dengan jari-jari kita, yaitu gangguan elektris pada proton dan elektron di ujung jari kita. Menurut fisika modern, hal ini dihasilkan oleh kedekatan proton dan elektron pada meja. Jika gangguan elektris yang sama pada ujung jari kita ditimbulkan dengan cara lain, kita masih merasakan meja di ujung jari kita, walaupun meja tersebut tidak ada. 6

Memang kita mudah tertipu, mempercayai suatu persepsi walaupun dalam kenyataannya tidak ada materi yang berkaitan dengannya. Kita sering mengalami perasaan ini dalam mimpi. Dalam mimpi, kita mengalami kejadian, melihat orang, objek dan lingkungan yang tampak nyata. Tetapi semuanya hanya persepsi. Tidak ada perbedaan mendasar antara mimpi dan "dunia nyata"; keduanya dialami dalam otak.

Siapakah Sang Pelaku Pengindraan?

Otak adalah setumpuk sel yang terbuat dari proten dan molekul-molekul lemak. Otak terbentuk dari sel-sel saraf yang disebut neuron. Tidak ada kekuatan apa pun dalam potongan daging ini untuk mengamati imaji-imaji, untuk memberi kesadaran, atau untuk menciptakan keberadaan yang kita sebut "diri sendiri".

Seperti yang telah kita bahas sejauh ini, tidak ada keraguan terhadap fakta bahwa dunia yang kita pikir kita diami dan kita sebut "dunia luar" dibentuk di dalam otak kita. Akan tetapi, di sini muncul pertanyaan penting. Jika semua kejadian fisik yang kita ketahui, pada hakikatnya adalah persepsi, bagaimana dengan otak kita? Karena otak kita adalah bagian dari dunia fisik seperti halnya lengan, kaki atau objek lain, maka otak pun seharusnya merupakan persepsi seperti semua objek lainnya.

Sebuah contoh tentang mimpi akan membuat masalah ini menjadi lebih jelas. Mari kita pikirkan bahwa kita melihat mimpi dalam otak kita sesuai dengan apa yang telah dikatakan sejauh ini. Di dalam mimpi kita akan memiliki tubuh imajiner, lengan imajiner, mata imajiner dan otak imajiner. Jika selama mimpi kita ditanya "Di mana Anda melihat?", kita akan menjawab "Saya melihat di dalam otak saya". Meskipun sebenarnya tidak ada otak untuk kita bicarakan, hanya ada kepala imajiner dan otak imajiner. Yang melihat citra-citra ini bukan otak imajiner dalam mimpi, melainkan "sesuatu" yang jauh lebih superior daripadanya.

Kita tahu bahwa tidak ada perbedaan fisik antara situasi mimpi dan situasi yang kita sebut sebagai "kehidupan nyata". Jadi ketika dalam setting yang kita sebut "dunia nyata" kita ditanya "di mana Anda melihat" maka jawaban "di dalam otak" sama tidak berartinya dengan contoh di atas. Pada kedua kondisi, entitas yang melihat dan merasa bukan otak, yang bagaimanapun hanya seonggok daging.

Sejauh ini, kita telah berbicara berulang-ulang tentang bagaimana kita menyaksikan sebuah salinan dari dunia luar di dalam otak kita. Satu makna pentingnya adalah bahwa kita tidak pernah dapat merasakan dunia luar sebagaimana yang sesungguhnya.

Kenyataan berikutnya, dan yang tidak kalah penting adalah bahwa "wujud mandiri [kesadaran]" di dalam otak kita yang menyaksikan dunia ini tidaklah mungkin otak itu sendiri, yang menyerupai perangkat komputer terpadu: mengolah data yang sampai kepadanya, menerjemahkan ke dalam gambar, dan menampilkannya pada layar. Namun sebuah komputer tidak mampu menyaksikan wujudnya sendiri, tidak pula komputer itu sadar akan keberadaannya.

Ketika otak dianalisa, yang ditemukan hanya lipida dan protein, molekul yang juga terdapat pada organisme lain. Berarti di dalam sepotong daging yang kita sebut "otak", tidak ada apa pun yang dapat digunakan untuk mengamati citra, membangun kesadaran atau mencipta seseorang yang kita sebut "saya".

R. L. Gregory merujuk kekeliruan yang dilakukan orang-orang berkaitan dengan persepsi citra di dalam otak:

Ada godaan, yang harus dihindari, untuk mengatakan bahwa mata menghasilkan gambar di dalam otak. Gambar di dalam otak berarti memerlukan sejenis mata internal untuk melihatnya — tetapi mata internal ini akan memerlukan mata lain lagi untuk melihat gambarnya… dan seterusnya tanpa akhir antara mata dan gambar. Ini benar-benar absurd. 7

Fakta inilah yang menempatkan materialis — yang tidak mempercayai apa pun kecuali materi sebagai kebenaran — dalam kesulitan. Milik siapakah "mata di dalam" yang melihat, yang memahami apa yang dilihatnya dan bereaksi?

Karl Pribram juga menyoroti pertanyaan tentang siapakah sang pelaku pengindraan tersebut, suatu pertanyaan penting di dunia ilmu pengetahuan dan filsafat:

Sejak zaman Yunani, filsuf-filsuf telah berpikir tentang "hantu di dalam mesin", "orang kecil di dalam orang kecil" dan seterusnya. Di manakah "saya", orang yang menggunakan otaknya? Siapakah dia yang menyadari tindakan memahami? Seperti dikatakan Saint Francis of Assisi: "Yang kita cari adalah siapa yang melihat." 8

Sekarang mari kita renungkan: buku di tangan Anda, ruangan di mana Anda berada, singkatnya, semua citra di depan Anda dilihat di dalam otak. Apakah atom-atom yang melihat citra ini? Atom yang buta, tuli, dan tidak memiliki kesadaran? Apakah tindakan kita berpikir, memahami, mengingat, merasa senang, merasa tidak bahagia dan semua hal lainnya terdiri atas reaksi elektrokimia antara atom-atom ini?

Ketika kita memikirkan pertanyaan ini, kita melihat bahwa mencari kehendak dalam atom adalah tidak masuk akal. Jelas bahwa sesuatu yang melihat, mendengar dan merasa adalah wujud supramaterial. Wujud ini "hidup" dan dia bukan materi atau citra materi. Wujud ini berhubungan dengan persepsi di depannya dengan menggunakan citra tubuh kita.

Wujud ini adalah "jiwa".

Wujud berakal yang menulis dan membaca kalimat-kalimat ini bukan kumpulan atom dan molekul — serta reaksi kimia di antaranya — melainkan sebuah "jiwa".

Wujud Mutlak yang Nyata

Semua fakta ini membawa kita langsung pada pertanyaan yang sangat penting. Jika sesuatu yang kita akui sebagai dunia materi hanya terdiri dari persepsi-persepsi yang dilihat oleh jiwa, lalu apa sumber persepsi-persepsi ini?

Untuk menjawab pertanyaan ini, kita harus mempertimbangkan fakta berikut: materi tidak memiliki kemampuan untuk mengatur eksistensinya sendiri. Karena materi adalah sebuah persepsi, maka materi bersifat "artifisial". Keberadaan persepsi ini harus disebabkan oleh kekuatan lain, yang berarti bahwa persepsi sebenarnya diciptakan. Selain itu, penciptaan ini harus kontinu. Jika tidak ada penciptaan kontinu dan konsisten, maka apa yang kita sebut materi akan menghilang dan musnah. Mirip dengan televisi, di mana sebuah gambar akan ditayangkan selama sinyal dipancarkan.

Jadi siapa yang membuat jiwa kita melihat bintang, bumi, tanaman, orang, badan kita dan semua yang kita lihat?

Sangat jelas bahwa ada Pencipta Agung, yang telah menciptakan seluruh dunia materi, yaitu kumpulan persepsi, dan yang meneruskan penciptaan-Nya tiada henti. Karena Pencipta ini menunjukkan penciptaan yang demikian hebat, Dia pasti memiliki daya dan kekuatan abadi.

Pencipta ini mengenalkan diri-Nya kepada kita. Dia telah meurunkan sebuah kitab dalam semesta pengindraan yang telah diciptakan-Nya. Melalui kitab tersebut Dia telah menggambarkan diri-Nya sendiri, alam semesta dan alasan keberadaan kita.

Pencipta ini adalah Allah dan nama kitab-Nya adalah Al Quran.

Fakta bahwa langit dan bumi atau alam semesta tidak kekal, bahwa keberadaannya dimungkinkan hanya oleh penciptaan Allah dan bahwa alam semesta akan musnah ketika Dia mengakhiri penciptaan ini.

Jika Tuhan tidak berkehendak menampilkan gambar dunia ini kepada otak kita, maka seluruh alam semesta tidak akan ada lagi untuk kita, dan kita tidak akan pernah mampu menjangkaunya.

Kenyataan bahwa kita tidak pernah mampu berhubungan langsung dengan alam semesta yang bersifat materi ini juga menjawab pertanyaan "Di mana Tuhan?" yang menyibukkan pemikiran banyak orang.

Sebagaimana telah dijelaskan pada bagian awal, banyak orang tidak memiliki pemahaman yang benar tentang Allah sehingga mereka membayangkan-Nya sebagai suatu wujud yang ada di suatu tempat di langit dan tidak sepenuhnya mencampuri urusan duniawi. Dasar logika ini sebenarnya terletak pada pemikiran bahwa alam semesta adalah kumpulan materi dan Allah berada di "luar" dunia materi ini, yaitu di tempat yang sangat jauh. Pada agama-agama palsu, kepercayaan terhadap Allah terbatas pada pemahaman ini.

Akan tetapi, persis sebagaimana ketidakmampuan kita bersentuhan langsung dengan alam semesta yang bersifat materi ini, tidak pula kita mampu memiliki pengetahuan menyeluruh tentang intisari alam semesta tersebut. Semua yang kita tahu adalah keberadaan Pencipta Yang memunculkan segala sesuatu ini menjadi ada—dengan kata lain, Tuhan. Untuk mengungkapkan kebenaran itu, para ulama Islam seperti Imam Rabbani telah berkata bahwa satu-satunya wujud mutlak adalah Tuhan; dan segala sesuatu lainnya, kecuali Dia, hanyalah wujud bayangan [maya/fana].

Karena masing-masing wujud material adalah persepsi, mereka tidak dapat melihat Allah; tetapi Allah melihat materi yang Dia ciptakan dalam segala bentuknya. Dalam Al Quran, fakta ini dinyatakan dengan: "Dia tidak dapat dicapai oleh penglihatan mata, sedang Dia dapat melihat segala yang kelihatan dan Dialah Yang Maha Halus lagi Maha Mengetahui." (QS. Al Anaam, 6: 103).

Kita tidak dapat menangkap keberadaan Allah dengan mata kita, tetapi Allah secara menyeluruh meliputi diri kita, baik bagian dalam maupun bagian luar, termasuk penglihatan dan pemikiran kita. Kita tidak dapat mengucapkan satu kata atau menarik satu napas pun kecuali dengan pengetahuan-Nya.

Ketika seseorang berpikir bahwa tubuhnya tersusun atas "materi", dia tidak dapat memahami fakta penting tersebut. Jika dia menjadikan otaknya sebagai "dirinya", maka tempat yang dia maksud sebagai luar hanyalah 20-30 senti-meter darinya. Namun, ketika dia memahami bahwa materi sebenarnya tidak ada dan bahwa segala sesuatu hanya imajinasi, maka pengertian seperti luar, dalam atau dekat akan kehilangan arti. Allah meliputinya dan Dia "sangat dekat" dengannya.

Allah memberitahu manusia bahwa Dia berada sangat dekat dengan mereka melalui ayat "Dan apabila hamba-hamba-Ku bertanya kepadamu tentang Aku, maka (jawablah), bahwasanya Aku adalah dekat..." (QS. Al Baqarah, 2: 186). Ayat lain berkaitan dengan fakta yang sama: "Dan (ingatlah), ketika Kami wahyukan kepadamu: 'Sesungguhnya (ilmu) Tuhanmu meliputi segala manusia'." (QS. Al Isra, 17: 60).

Manusia keliru dengan berpikir bahwa wujud yang terdekat dengannya adalah dirinya sendiri. Allah sebenarnya lebih dekat dengan kita dari-pada kita sendiri. Sebagaimana disampaikan dalam ayat tersebut, orang-orang hidup tanpa menyadari fakta luar biasa ini karena mereka tidak melihat dengan mata mereka.

Sebaliknya, manusia yang hanya berupa wujud bayangan tidak mungkin memiliki kekuatan dan kehendak lepas dari Allah. Allah memberi wujud bayangan ini perasaan bahwa dirinyalah yang melempar. Dalam kenyataannya, Allah yang melakukan semua tindakan. Jadi jika seseorang beranggapan bahwa apa yang diperbuatnya adalah perbuatan dirinya sendiri, sebenarnya ia menipu dirinya.

Ini adalah kenyataan. Seseorang mungkin tidak mau mengakui kenyataan ini dan berpikir bahwa dirinya adalah wujud yang tidak bergantung kepada Allah; namun sikap ini tidak mengubah apa pun.

Segala Sesuatu yang Anda Miliki pada Hakikatnya Adalah Ilusi

Sebagaimana terlihat dengan jelas, merupakan fakta ilmiah dan logis bahwa "dunia luar" tidak memiliki realitas materialistis tetapi merupakan kumpulan citra yang dihadapkan secara terus-menerus kepada jiwa kita oleh Allah. Akan tetapi, orang biasanya tidak memasukkan, atau cenderung tidak mau memasukkan segala sesuatu ke dalam konsep "dunia luar".

Jika Anda memikirkan hal ini dengan tulus dan berani, Anda akan menyadari bahwa rumah, perabotan di dalamnya, mobil yang mungkin baru saja dibeli, kantor, perhiasan, rekening di bank, koleksi pakaian, suami atau istri, anak-anak, rekan sejawat, dan semua yang Anda miliki sebenarnya termasuk dalam dunia luar imajiner yang diproyeksikan kepada Anda. Segala sesuatu yang Anda lihat, dengar, atau cium — singkatnya, Anda tangkap dengan kelima indra adalah bagian dari "dunia imajiner" ini. Suara penyanyi favorit Anda, kerasnya kursi yang Anda duduki, parfum yang aromanya Anda suka, matahari yang menghangatkan tubuh Anda, bunga dengan warna yang indah, burung yang terbang di depan jendela Anda, speedboat yang bergerak cepat di atas air, kebun Anda yang subur, komputer yang Anda gunakan di tempat kerja, hi-fi dengan teknologi tercanggih di dunia....

Ini adalah kenyataan, karena dunia ini hanyalah kumpulan citra yang diciptakan untuk menguji manusia. Manusia diuji sepanjang hidupnya yang terbatas dengan persepsi-persepsi yang tidak mengandung realitas. Persepsi-persepsi ini sengaja dihadirkan secara menggoda dan memikat.

Sebagian besar orang mengabaikan agamanya karena daya tarik kekayaan, rumah, timbunan emas dan perak, uang, perhiasan, rekening bank, kartu kredit, lemari penuh dengan pakaian, mobil model terbaru; singkatnya, semua bentuk kemakmuran yang mereka miliki atau mereka usahakan untuk memilikinya. Orang-orang seperti ini hanya memikirkan dunia ini dan melupakan hari akhir. Mereka tertipu oleh wajah dunia yang cantik dan gemerlap ini, dan tidak menegakkan shalat, memberi sedekah kepada kaum miskin, melakukan ibadah yang akan membuat mereka bahagia di hari akhir. Mereka mengatakan, "Masih ada yang harus saya kerjakan", "Saya memiliki cita-cita", "Saya punya tanggung jawab", "Saya tidak punya banyak waktu", "Saya harus menyelesaikan pekerjaan", "Saya lakukan nanti saja". Mereka mengisi hidup dengan berusaha hanya untuk bahagia di dunia ini.

Jika seseorang merenungkan dalam-dalam semua yang disampaikan di sini, dia akan segera menyadari sendiri situasi yang luar biasa dan menakjubkan ini: bahwa semua kejadian di dunia tak lebih dari imajinasi belaka...

Fakta yang kami gambarkan dalam bab ini, yaitu bahwa segala sesuatu adalah citra, merupakan hal yang sangat penting karena implikasinya membuat semua nafsu dan batas-batas menjadi tidak berarti. Pembuktian fakta ini memperjelas bahwa segala sesuatu yang dimiliki dan diusahakan orang, kekayaan yang diperoleh dengan tamak, anak-anak yang mereka banggakan, suami atau istri yang mereka anggap sebagai bagian terdekat, teman-teman mereka, tubuh mereka, kedudukan tinggi yang mereka pertahankan, sekolah yang telah mereka ikuti, liburan yang mereka lalui: semuanya hanyalah ilusi. Oleh karena itu, semua usaha yang dikerahkan, waktu yang dihabiskan serta ketamakan mereka, terbukti tidak berguna.

Itulah mengapa sebagian orang secara tidak sadar mempermainkan diri sendiri ketika mereka membanggakan kekayaan dan harta, atau "kapal pesiar, helikopter, pabrik, perusahaan, rumah dan tanah" mereka, seolah-olah semuanya benar-benar ada. Orang-orang kaya ini dengan bangga bepergian dengan kapal pesiar mereka, memamerkan mobil-mobil mereka, terus membicarakan kekayaan mereka, menganggap bahwa jabatan menempatkan status mereka lebih tinggi dari orang lain, dan terus berpikir bahwa mereka sukses karena semua itu. Orang-orang ini seharusnya memikirkan status apa yang akan mereka dapati bagi diri mereka setelah menyadari bahwa kesuksesan itu bukan apa-apa melainkan ilusi belaka.

Dalam kenyataannya, pemandangan ini sering terlihat dalam mimpi pula. Dalam mimpi, mereka pun memiliki rumah, mobil balap, perhiasan sangat mahal, gulungan uang, serta timbunan emas dan perak. Dalam mimpi, mereka juga menempati status sosial tinggi, memiliki pabrik dengan ribuan pekerja, memiliki kekuasaan untuk mengatur banyak orang, berpakaian yang membuat setiap orang kagum. Seperti halnya membanggakan kepemilikan dalam mimpi membuat seseorang menjadi bahan ejekan, ia pasti akan dipermalukan juga jika membanggakan citra yang dilihatnya di dunia ini. Bagaimanapun juga, baik yang dilihatnya dalam mimpi maupun yang dimilikinya di dunia ini hanyalah citra dalam otak.

Sama halnya, cara orang bereaksi terhadap kejadian-kejadian yang dialami di dunia akan membuat mereka malu ketika menyadari kenyataan sebenarnya. Mereka yang saling bertengkar sengit, berteriak-teriak marah, menipu, menerima suap, terlibat pemalsuan, berbohong, rakus menimbun uang, berbuat salah terhadap orang lain, memukul dan mengutuk orang lain, menjadi penindas, berambisi pada pekerjaan dan status, iri hati, pamer, menganggap diri sendiri suci, dan sebagainya, akan malu ketika menyadari bahwa mereka telah melakukan semua perbuatan ini dalam mimpi.

Karena Allah lah yang menciptakan semua citra ini. Dia lah pemilik akhir segala sesuatu. Menyingkirkan agama demi nafsu imajiner adalah kebodohan besar yang menyebabkan hilangnya kesempatan untuk kehidupan penuh berkah di surga.

Sampai tahap ini, ada satu hal yang harus dipahami dengan baik: di sini tidak dikatakan bahwa fakta yang Anda hadapi menyatakan "semua kepemilikan, kekayaan, anak, suami/istri, teman-teman, status yang menjadikan Anda kikir akan lenyap cepat atau lambat, dan oleh karena itu, semuanya tidak berarti". Yang tepat adalah bahwa "semua hal yang tampaknya Anda miliki sebenarnya tidak ada sama sekali, seluruhnya hanya sebuah mimpi dan tersusun atas citra yang diperlihatkan Allah untuk menguji Anda". Bisa Anda lihat, ada perbedaan besar antara kedua pernyataan di atas.

Meskipun seseorang tidak langsung mau mengakui fakta ini dan lebih suka menipu diri sendiri dengan berasumsi bahwa segala sesuatu yang dimilikinya benar-benar ada, pada akhirnya ia akan mati dan segala sesuatu akan menjadi jelas pada saat ia diciptakan kembali di hari akhir nanti. Akan tetapi, jika ia menghabiskan waktu hidupnya mengejar tujuan-tujuan imajiner, ia akan berharap tidak pernah menjalani hidup tersebut .

Apa yang harus dilakukan oleh manusia bijak, di lain pihak, adalah mencoba memahami kenyataan terbesar alam semesta di sini, di dunia ini, ketika ia masih memiliki waktu. Jika tidak, ia hanya akan menghabiskan hidupnya untuk mengejar mimpi dan menghadapi hukuman pedih di akhirat kelak.

Logika Pendek Materialis

Sejak awal bab ini, dengan jelas dinyatakan bahwa materi bukan wujud mutlak seperti yang dikatakan materialis, melainkan kumpulan rasa yang diciptakan Allah. Materialis menolak mentah-mentah realitas yang merusak filsafat mereka dan mengajukan antitesis yang tidak berdasar.

Sebagai contoh, salah satu pendukung filsafat materialisme abad ke-20, seorang Marxis tulen bernama George Politzer memberikan "contoh bis" sebagai "bukti terkuat" keberadaan materi. Menurutnya, filsuf-filsuf yang berpikir bahwa materi adalah persepsi, akan lari ketika mereka melihat bis (yang akan menabrak mereka), dan ini bukti eksistensi fisik materi.9

Ketika seorang materialis terkenal lainnya, Johnson, diberitahu bahwa materi hanya kumpulan persepsi, dia mencoba "membuktikan" eksistensi fisik batu dengan menendangnya.10

Contoh serupa diperlihatkan oleh Friedrich Engels, pembimbing Politzer dan pendiri materialisme dialektik bersama Marx. Ia pernah menulis "jika kue yang kita makan hanya persepsi, maka kue itu tidak akan menghilangkan rasa lapar kita".11

Masih banyak contoh dan kalimat kasar lainnya seperti "Anda akan mengerti eksistensi materi setelah Anda ditampar" dalam buku-buku materialis terkenal seperti Marx, Engels, Lenin dan lainnya

Kekacauan pemahaman yang menyebabkan materialis memberikan contoh-contoh di atas adalah karena penjelasan "materi adalah persepsi" dipahami sebagai "materi adalah permainan cahaya". Mereka berpikir bahwa konsep persepsi hanya pada penglihatan dan bahwa persepsi seperti sentuhan memiliki korelasi fisik. Contoh bis yang menabrak orang membuat mereka berkata, "Lihat, terjadi tabrakan, jadi itu bukan persepsi". Mereka tidak memahami bahwa semua persepsi yang dialami dalam tabrakan bis seperti hantaman, benturan, dan rasa sakit terbentuk dalam otak.

Mimpi sebagai Contoh

Contoh terbaik untuk menjelaskan realitas ini adalah mimpi. Seseorang dapat mengalami kejadian yang sangat nyata dalam mimpinya. Dia bisa jatuh dari tangga sehingga kakinya patah, mengalami kecelakaan mobil yang fatal, tergilas bis, atau makan kue dan merasa kenyang. Kejadian-kejadian dalam kehidupan sehari-hari itu juga dialami dalam mimpi secara meyakinkan dan menimbulkan perasaan yang sama pula.

Seseorang yang bermimpi bahwa dirinya tertabrak bis dapat membuka matanya kembali di rumah sakit masih dalam mimpinya dan menyadari bahwa dirinya cacat, tetapi semuanya hanya mimpi. Dia juga bisa bermimpi bahwa dia meninggal dalam sebuah tabrakan mobil, malaikat maut mengambil jiwanya, dan kehidupannya di alam baka dimulai. (Kejadian yang sama dialami dengan cara yang sama dalam kehidupan ini, yang sebenarnya hanya persepsi seperti mimpi tersebut.)

Orang ini dengan sangat jelas menangkap citra, suara, rasa benturan, cahaya, warna, dan semua perasaan lain yang berkaitan dengan kejadian yang dialaminya di dalam mimpi. Persepsi yang diterima dalam mimpinya sama wajarnya dengan persepsi dalam kehidupan "nyata". Kue yang dimakannya di dalam mimpi mengenyangkannya, meskipun kue tersebut hanya persepsi, sebab rasa kenyang pun merupakan persepsi. Padahal pada saat itu, dalam kenyataan, orang ini sedang berbaring di tempat tidur. Sebenarnya tidak ada tangga, lalu lintas, dan bis. Orang yang bermimpi mengalami serta melihat persepsi dan perasaan yang tidak ada di dunia luar. Kenyataan bahwa di dalam mimpi, kita mengalami, melihat, dan merasakan kejadian-kejadian tanpa korelasi fisik dengan "dunia luar", secara jelas mengungkapkan bahwa "dunia luar" sebenarnya hanya terdiri dari persepsi-persepsi.

Mereka yang meyakini filsafat materialisme, dan terutama penganut Marxisme, menjadi sangat marah ketika kenyataan ini diungkapkan. Mereka mengutip contoh-contoh pemikiran dangkal dari Marx, Engels, atau Lenin dan membuat pernyataan yang emosional.

Akan tetapi, orang-orang ini mesti berpikir bahwa mereka juga dapat membuat pernyataan ini di dalam mimpi mereka. Dalam mimpi, mereka juga dapat membaca "Das Kapital", menghadiri pertemuan, berkelahi dengan polisi, terkena pukulan di kepala, bahkan merasakan sakit pada luka-luka mereka. Ketika mereka ditanya dalam mimpi, mereka akan berpikir bahwa apa yang mereka alami dalam mimpi juga terdiri atas "materi absolut"— sebagaimana mereka menganggap segala sesuatu yang mereka lihat ketika bangun adalah "materi absolut". Akan tetapi, baik dalam mimpi atau dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, semua yang mereka lihat, alami atau rasakan hanya terdiri atas persepsi-persepsi.

DUNIA DI DALAM MIMPI

Bagi Anda, realitas adalah semua yang dapat disentuh dengan tangan dan dilihat dengan mata. Di dalam mimpi, Anda juga dapat "menyentuh dengan tangan dan melihat dengan mata Anda", namun dalam kenyataan, Anda tidak memiliki tangan dan mata, juga tidak ada yang dapat disentuh atau dilihat. Tidak ada realitas material yang membuat hal ini terjadi kecuali otak Anda. Anda telah tertipu.

Apakah yang memisahkan kehidupan nyata dengan mimpi? Pada dasarnya kedua bentuk kehidupan tersebut terjadi di dalam otak. Jika kita dengan mudah dapat hidup dalam dunia tak nyata selama bermimpi, hal yang sama dapat terjadi di dunia yang kita diami. Ketika kita terbangun dari sebuah mimpi, tidak ada alasan logis untuk tidak berpikir bahwa kita telah memasuki mimpi yang lebih panjang yang kita sebut "kehidupan nyata". Anggapan kita bahwa mimpi adalah khayalan dan dunia sadar adalah dunia sesungguhnya, merupakan kebiasaan dan praduga. Jadi bisa saja kita dibangunkan dari kehidupan di bumi — yang kita anggap tempat kita hidup sekarang — sebagaimana kita dibangunkan dari sebuah mimpi.

Contoh Penyambungan Saraf secara Paralel

Marilah kita pikirkan tabrakan mobil yang dicontohkan Politzer. Dalam kecelakaan ini, jika saraf orang yang tertabrak — yang menghubungkan kelima indra dengan otaknya — dihubungkan dengan otak orang lain, misalnya otak Politzer, melalui sambungan paralel, maka pada saat bis menabrak orang tersebut, bis yang sama akan menabrak Politzer yang sedang duduk di rumahnya. Dengan kata lain, semua perasaan yang dialami orang tersebut akan dialami oleh Politzer, seperti halnya lagu yang sama didengarkan dari dua pengeras suara yang terhubungkan ke tape recorder yang sama. Politzer akan merasa, melihat dan mengalami bunyi rem bis, benturan bis pada tubuhnya, gambaran lengan patah dan darah tertumpah, nyeri patah tulang, gambaran dirinya memasuki ruang operasi, kerasnya gips dan lemahnya tangan.

Setiap orang yang terhubung ke saraf tersebut secara pararel, akan mengalami kejadian yang sama dari awal hingga akhir seperti Politzer. Jika orang dalam kecelakaan tersebut mengalami koma, mereka semua akan mengalami koma. Bahkan jika semua persepsi yang berkaitan dengan kecelakaan direkam dalam suatu alat dan jika semua persepsi ini ditransmisikan ke seseorang, maka bis akan menabrak orang ini berkali-kali.

Dengan demikian, bis penabrak manakah yang benar-benar ada? Filosofi materialis tidak memiliki jawaban konsisten untuk pertanyaan ini. Jawaban yang benar adalah mereka semua mengalami kecelakaan mobil secara mendetail di dalam pikiran mereka sendiri.

Prinsip yang sama berlaku pada contoh kue dan batu. Jika saraf dari organ indra Engels, yang merasa puas dan kenyang setelah makan kue, dihubungkan secara pararel ke otak orang kedua, maka orang ini juga akan merasa kenyang seperti Engels. Jika saraf Johnson, yang merasakan kakinya sakit ketika menendang batu dengan keras, dihubungkan ke orang kedua secara paralel, orang ini juga akan merasakan sakit yang sama.

Jadi, kue atau batu mana yang benar-benar ada? filsafat materialis kembali tidak mampu memberikan jawaban konsisten untuk pertanyaan ini. Jawaban yang benar dan konsisten adalah: baik Engels dan orang kedua telah memakan kue dalam pikiran mereka dan merasa kenyang; baik Johnson dan orang kedua mengalami saat-saat menendang batu dalam pikiran mereka.

Mari kita buat perubahan dalam contoh kasus Politzer. Kita hubungkan saraf orang yang tertabrak bis ke otak Politzer, dan sebaliknya kita hubungkan saraf Politzer yang duduk di rumah ke otak orang yang tertabrak bis. Dalam kasus ini, Politzer akan merasa bahwa bis telah menabraknya meskipun dirinya sedang duduk di rumah; sedangkan orang yang sebenarnya tertabrak tidak akan pernah merasakan akibat kecelakaan tersebut dan merasa bahwa dirinya sedang duduk di rumah Politzer. Logika yang sama berlaku pula untuk contoh kue dan batu.

Sebagaimana terlihat, manusia tidak mungkin melampaui dan terlepas dari indranya. Dalam hal ini, jiwa manusia dapat dihadapkan pada semua macam situasi meskipun tidak memiliki tubuh, tidak berwujud materi dan tidak memiliki bobot materi. Tidak mungkin manusia menyadari hal ini karena ia berasumsi bahwa citra tiga dimensi ini benar-benar ada dan sangat meyakini keberadaannya karena setiap orang tergantung pada persepsi yang dibentuk oleh organ-organ sensorinya.

Filsuf Inggris terkemuka, David Hume mengungkapkan pemikirannya tentang fakta ini:

Sejujurnya, ketika saya menempatkan diri pada apa yang saya sebut ‘diri sendiri’, saya selalu mengakui persepsi tertentu yang berhubungan dengan panas atau dingin, terang atau gelap, cinta atau benci, asam atau manis atau konsep-konsep lainnya. Tanpa keberadaan persepsi, saya tidak pernah dapat menemukan diri sendiri pada waktu tertentu dan saya tidak dapat mengamati apa pun. 12

Kita tidak akan pernah mampu melangkah lebih jauh dari pengindraan ini dan merasakan materi sebagaimana "wujud aslinya", sehingga sama sekali tidaklah masuk akal untuk merumuskan pemikiran [filsafat] apa pun yang menganggap materi sebagai wujud mutlak yang dapat kita rasakan langsung. Sebagai sebuah teori, materialisme benar-benar tidaklah memiliki landasan, sejak awal kemunculannya.

Pembentukan Persepsi dalam Otak Bukan Filsafat
Melainkan Fakta Ilmiah

Materialis mengatakan bahwa apa yang telah kita bahas dalam buku ini adalah pandangan filsafat. Akan tetapi, pernyataan bahwa "dunia luar" merupakan kumpulan persepsi adalah fakta ilmiah yang jelas, bukan sebentuk filsafat. Bagaimana citra dan perasaan terbentuk di dalam otak telah diajarkan secara detail di semua sekolah kedokteran. Fakta-fakta tersebut, yang telah dibuktikan oleh ilmu pengetahuan abad ke-20, khususnya bidang fisika, dengan jelas menunjukkan bahwa materi tidak memiliki realitas absolut dan bahwa setiap orang dapat dikatakan sedang mengamati "monitor di dalam otaknya".

Setiap orang yang meyakini ilmu pengetahuan, baik ia ateis, penganut Buddha, atau meyakini pandangan lain, harus menerima fakta ini. Seorang materialis mungkin mengingkari keberadaan Pencipta namun ia tidak dapat menolak kenyataan ilmiah ini.

Ketidakmampuan Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Georges Politzer dan lainnya memahami fakta sederhana dan jelas ini masih mengejutkan, sekalipun pemahaman dan kemungkinan ilmu pengetahuan di masa mereka memang tidak mencukupi. Di masa sekarang, kemajuan ilmu dan teknologi serta penemuan-penemuan terakhir mempermudah kita memahami fakta ini. Akan tetapi, materialis justru diliputi ketakutan untuk memahami fakta ini dan menyadari bagaimana keyakinan mereka akan hancur karenanya.

Ketakutan Besar Materialis

Pokok bahasan ini mengungkapkan fakta bahwa materi hanya suatu persepsi. Untuk sementara waktu, tidak ada serangan balik yang substansial dari kalangan materialis Turki terhadap pemikiran-pemikiran yang diungkapkan di sini. Karenanya, kami mendapat kesan bahwa maksud kami belum mereka tangkap dengan jelas dan diperlukan penjelasan lebih lanjut. Akan tetapi, belum lama ini, terungkap bahwa materialis merasa gelisah atas kepopuleran pemikiran ini dan bahkan sangat takut padanya.

Materialis dengan gencar mengungkapkan ketakutan dan kepanikan mereka melalui berbagai terbitan, konferensi dan diskusi panel. Wacana mereka yang propagandis dan tanpa harapan menyiratkan bahwa mereka mengalami krisis intelektual yang hebat. Keruntuhan ilmiah teori evolusi, yang menjadi dasar keyakinan mereka, telah sangat mengejutkan mereka. Sekarang mereka mulai menyadari bahwa mereka mulai kehilangan materi itu sendiri, inti keyakinan yang lebih penting daripada Darwinisme. Ini membuat mereka lebih terpukul. Mereka menyatakan bahwa selain merupakan "ancaman terbesar" bagi mereka, permasalahan ini juga "merusak struktur budaya mereka".

Penulis materialis Turki, Rennan Pekunlu mengatakan bahwa "teori evolusi tidaklah sepenting ini, ancaman sesungguhnya adalah subjek ini", karena meniadakan materi, satu-satunya konsep yang diyakininya.

Salah seorang materialis yang menyatakan kepanikan dan kecemasan secara terang-terangan adalah Renan Pekunlu, akademisi dan penulis majalah Bilim ve Utopya (Ilmu Pengetahuan dan Utopia). Dalam artikel majalah yang membela materialisme ini dan diskusi panel yang diikutinya, Rennan Pekunlu menyatakan buku Keruntuhan Teori Evolusi (Evolution Deceit) sebagai "ancaman" nomor satu terhadap materialisme. Ia sudah cukup risau dengan bab-bab yang meruntuhkan Darwinisme, tetapi bagian yang Anda baca sekarang adalah bagian yang paling mengganggunya. Kepada para pembaca dan (hanya segelintir) peserta diskusinya, Pekunlu berpesan, "Jangan biarkan diri Anda hanyut dalam indoktrinasi idealisme dan jagalah keyakinan Anda pada materialisme". Ia merujuk Vladimir I. Lenin, pemimpin revolusi berdarah di Rusia, sebagai panutan. Sambil menyarankan setiap orang membaca buku Lenin yang berjudul Materialism and Empirio-Criticism dan sudah berumur satu abad, Pekunlu hanya dapat mengulang kata-kata Lenin: "Jangan memikirkan persoalan ini, atau Anda akan kehilangan materialisme dan terhanyut oleh agama". Dalam sebuah artikel yang ditulisnya pada majalah Bilim ve Utopya, Pekunlu mengutip pernyataan Lenin berikut:

Sekali Anda menolak realitas kebendaan, menyerah pada pengindraan, Anda telah kehilangan segala daya untuk melawan fideisme*), karena Anda telah tergelincir kepada agnotisisme**) atau subjektivisme***) — hanya itu yang dibutuhkan fideisme. Satu cakar saja terjerat, seekor burung tertangkap. Dan semua pengikut kita akan terjerat dalam idealisme, yaitu fideisme yang tidak kentara; mereka terjerat segera setelah menganggap "pengindraan" bukan lagi suatu citra dunia luar tetapi sebagai "unsur" khusus. Pengindraan, pikiran, jiwa dan keinginan bukan seperti itu adanya. 13

Kata-kata ini secara eksplisit menunjukkan bahwa fakta yang menggusarkan Lenin dan ingin ia keluarkan dari pikirannya dan "kameradnya"; yang juga meresahkan materialis dewasa ini. Akan tetapi, Pekunlu dan materialis lain mengalami keadaan lebih menyusahkan; karena mereka sadar bahwa sekarang fakta ini dikemukakan dengan cara dan bentuk lebih eksplisit dan meyakinkan daripada 100 tahun lalu. Untuk pertama kalinya dalam sejarah dunia, persoalan ini dijelaskan dengan cara yang tidak mungkin ditolak.

Meski demikian, secara umum dapat dikatakan bahwa sejumlah besar ilmuwan materialis tidak sungguh-sungguh menanggapi fakta bahwa "materi hanyalah ilusi". Persoalan yang dijelaskan dalam bab ini adalah salah satu persoalan paling penting dan menarik yang pernah dijumpai seseorang dalam hidupnya. Mereka pasti belum pernah menghadapi persoalan sepenting ini sebelumnya. Namun, reaksi ilmuwan-ilmuwan itu atau sikap mereka dalam ceramah dan artikel mereka mengisyaratkan betapa dangkalnya pemahaman mereka.

Reaksi sebagian materialis terhadap permasalahan yang didiskusikan di sini menunjukkan bahwa ketaatan buta terhadap materialisme telah merusak logika mereka, sehingga semakin sulit memahami persoalan ini. Sebagai contoh, Alaettin Senel, yang juga seorang akademisi dan penulis untuk Bilim ve Ütopya, berpesan seperti Rennan Pekunlu: "Lupakan keruntuhan Darwinisme, ancaman sungguhnya adalah persoalan ini". Dia juga membuat tuntutan seperti "Buktikan saja apa yang Anda katakan" karena merasa bahwa filsafatnya sendiri tidak berdasar. Yang lebih menarik adalah dalam salah satu tulisannya, ia menyatakan bahwa dirinya sama sekali tidak dapat memahami fakta yang dianggapnya sebagai ancaman ini.

Dalam sebuah artikel yang ditulis khusus membahas masalah ini, Senel menerima bahwa dunia luar ditangkap oleh otak sebagai sebuah citra. Akan tetapi, kemudian ia menyatakan bahwa citra terbagi menjadi dua jenis yaitu citra berkorelasi fisik dan citra yang tidak berkolerasi fisik, dan bahwa citra dunia luar termasuk ke dalam citra yang berkolerasi fisik. Untuk mendukung pernyataannya, ia memberikan "contoh telepon". Ringkasnya, ia menulis: "Saya tidak tahu apakah citra dalam otak saya berkolerasi dengan dunia luar atau tidak, tetapi hal yang sama berlaku ketika saya berbicara di telepon. Ketika saya berbicara di telepon, saya tidak dapat melihat orang yang saya ajak bicara, tetapi saya dapat mengkonfirmasikan percakapan tersebut ketika saya bertemu langsung dengannya." 14

Dengan pernyataan di atas, Senel sebenarnya bermaksud menyatakan: "Jika kita meragukan persepsi kita, kita dapat melihat pada materi itu sendiri dan memeriksa realitasnya". Konsep ini jelas-jelas salah karena kita tidak mungkin menjangkau materi itu sendiri. Kita tidak dapat keluar dari pikiran kita dan mengetahui apakah "luar" itu. Apakah suara dalam telepon berkorelasi atau tidak, dapat dikonfirmasikan pada lawan bicara di telepon. Namun, konfirmasi ini juga hanya persepsi yang dialami otak kita.

Sebenarnya, orang-orang ini juga mengalami kejadian yang sama di dalam mimpi mereka. Sebagai contoh, Senel dapat saja melihat dalam mimpinya bahwa ia berbicara di telepon dan kemudian meminta orang yang ia ajak bicara mengkonfirmasikan pembicaraan tersebut. Atau Pekunlu dalam mimpinya mengalami "ancaman serius" dan menyarankan orang-orang membaca buku-buku Lenin yang sudah kuno. Apa pun yang mereka lakukan, para materialis ini tidak dapat memungkiri kenyataan bahwa kejadian-kejadian yang mereka alami dan orang-orang yang mereka ajak bicara di dalam mimpi hanyalah persepsi belaka.

Lalu kepada siapakah seseorang dapat mengkonfirmasi bahwa citra di dalam otak berkorelasi atau tidak? Apakah kepada wujud bayangan di dalam otaknya lagi? Tak diragukan lagi, materialis mustahil menemukan sumber informasi yang dapat memberikan data mengenai keadaan di luar otak dan mengkonfirmasikannya.

Mengakui bahwa semua persepsi terbentuk di dalam otak, tetapi juga mengasumsikan bahwa seseorang dapat melangkah "keluar" dari otak dan mengkonfirmasikan persepsi ini pada dunia luar, menunjukkan kapasitas pemahaman yang terbatas dan penalaran yang terganggu.

Sebenarnya fakta yang dijelaskan di sini dapat dengan mudah ditangkap oleh orang dengan tingkat pemahaman dan penalaran normal. Setiap orang yang berpikiran lurus akan mengetahui, sehubungan dengan semua yang telah kita bicarakan, bahwa ia mustahil menguji keberadaan dunia luar dengan indranya. Namun, terlihat jelas bahwa ketaatan buta terhadap materialisme telah mengganggu penalaran manusia. Oleh karenanya, materialis kontemporer menunjukkan gangguan logika berat seperti guru-guru mereka yang mencoba "membuktikan" keberadaan materi dengan menendang batu atau memakan kue.

Seperti telah dikatakan sebelumnya pula, kondisi ini bukan sesuatu yang mengherankan; sebab ketidakmampuan memahami adalah sifat umum semua orang yang tidak beriman.

Materialis Telah Terperosok dalam Perangkap Terbesar
Sepanjang Sejarah

Di Turki, gelombang kepanikan yang melanda kalangan materialis, seperti beberapa contoh terdahulu, menunjukkan bahwa materialis menghadapi kekalahan telak yang belum pernah mereka hadapi sepanjang sejarah. Fakta bahwa materi hanyalah persepsi telah dibuktikan oleh ilmu pengetahuan modern. Fakta ini dikemukakan dalam sangat jelas, jujur dan kuat. Yang tersisa bagi materialis hanya keruntuhan seluruh dunia materi, dunia yang mereka percayai secara buta dan menjadi sandaran selama ini.

Sepanjang sejarah manusia, pemikiran materialis selalu hadir. Mereka menentang Allah yang menciptakan mereka karena sangat yakin pada diri sendiri dan filsafat yang mereka pegang. Skenario yang mereka rumuskan menyatakan bahwa materi tidak bermula dan tidak pula berakhir, dan semua materi tidak mungkin memiliki Pencipta. Mereka mengingkari Allah hanya karena kesombongan, dengan berlindung di balik materi yang mereka anggap memiliki keberadaan nyata. Mereka begitu meyakini filsafat ini sehingga menganggap tak mungkin ada penjelasan yang membuktikan sebaliknya.

Semua alasan di atas menjelaskan mengapa fakta-fakta yang disajikan dalam buku ini, yang berkaitan dengan sifat-sifat sejati materi, sangat mengejutkan mereka. Penjelasan buku ini telah menghancurkan dasar filsafat mereka dan tak menyisakan apa pun untuk dibicarakan lagi. Materi, yang telah menjadi dasar pemikiran, kehidupan, kesombongan dan penolakan mereka, lenyap tiba-tiba. Bagaimana materialisme bisa bertahan jika materi tidak ada?

Allah menjebak materialis dengan membuat mereka berasumsi bahwa materi benar-benar ada, dan mempermalukan mereka dengan cara-Nya. Materialis beranggapan bahwa harta benda, status, jabatan, masyarakat lingkungan mereka, seluruh dunia dan lain-lainnya benar-benar ada, dan dengan mengandalkan semua itu mereka menjadi sombong terhadap Allah. Mereka menentang Allah dengan kesombongan yang melengkapi ketidakpercayaan mereka. Mereka sepenuhnya bergantung pada materi. Akan tetapi, mereka benar-benar tidak memahami bahwa Allah meliputi segala sesuatu.

Barangkali inilah kekalahan terbesar sepanjang sejarah. Sementara materialis menjadi sombong atas kemauan sendiri, mereka mengobarkan peperangan terhadap Allah, dengan cara memunculkan sesuatu yang berlebih-lebihan untuk melawannya.

Ketika orang-orang yang tidak beriman mencoba menyusun rencana, mereka tidak menyadari sebuah fakta penting sebagaimana ditekankan dengan kalimat "mereka hanya menipu diri mereka sendiri sedang mereka tidak menyadarinya" dalam ayat tersebut. Faktanya, segala sesuatu yang mereka alami adalah gambaran yang sengaja dirancang untuk mereka tangkap, dan seluruh rencana yang mereka susun hanyalah citra yang terbentuk di dalam otak mereka, seperti juga seluruh tindakan yang mereka lakukan. Kebodohan telah membuat mereka lupa bahwa tidak ada yang bersama mereka selain Allah, dan karenanya, mereka terjebak dalam rencana jahat mereka sendiri.

Sebagaimana kaum tidak beriman di zaman dahulu, kaum tidak beriman yang hidup sekarang juga menghadapi kenyataan yang akan menghancurkan rencana jahat mereka sampai ke akar-akarnya.

Begitu pula materialisme, menjadi "fatamorgana" bagi para pembangkang seperti yang disebutkan dalam ayat itu; ketika mereka menemukan jalan keluar, yang mereka dapati hanya ilusi. Allah telah menipu mereka dengan fatamorgana seperti itu, dan memperdaya mereka untuk menerima kumpulan citra ini sebagai suatu kenyataan. Semua orang "penting" tersebut; profesor, ahli astronomi, ahli biologi, ahli fisika dan lain-lain, apa pun pangkat dan jabatan mereka, benar-benar telah tertipu seperti anak-anak, dan dipermalukan karena mereka mempertuhankan materi. Mereka membangun filsafat dan ideologi di atas asumsi bahwa kumpulan citra tersebut absolut. Mereka terlibat dalam pembicaraan serius dan menyebutnya wacana "intelektual". Mereka menganggap diri mereka cukup bijaksana untuk menawarkan suatu argumentasi tentang kebenaran alam semesta, bahkan membantah Tuhan dengan kecerdasan mereka yang terbatas.

Bisa saja mereka lolos dari jebakan lain; tetapi rencana yang telah ditetapkan Allah untuk orang-orang tidak beriman begitu sempurna sehingga tidak ada jalan untuk meloloskan diri. Apa pun yang mereka lakukan atau kepada siapa pun mereka meminta pertolongan, mereka tidak akan pernah menemukan penolong selain Allah.

Materialis tidak pernah menyangka akan jatuh ke dalam perangkap seperti ini. Berbekal seluruh kecanggihan abad ke-21, mereka mengira dapat bertahan dengan pengingkaran mereka dan mengajak orang lain untuk ingkar pula.

Fakta yang disampaikan ayat ini berarti: materialis harus menyadari bahwa segala sesuatu yang mereka miliki hanya ilusi, dan karenanya semua itu telah dihancurkan. Saat mereka menyaksikan seluruh harta benda, pabrik, emas, uang, anak, suami/istri, teman, pangkat dan status, bahkan tubuh mereka, semua yang mereka anggap ada, terlepas dari genggaman, mereka telah "dihancurkan".

Tidak diragukan lagi, menyadari kebenaran ini mungkin merupakan hal terburuk bagia materialis. Fakta bahwa segala sesuatu yang mereka miliki hanyalah ilusi, adalah sama dengan — menurut istilah mereka — "kematian sebelum ajal" di dunia ini.

Mereka yang menjadikan materi sebagai tuhannya telah datang dari Allah dan akan kembali pada-Nya. Mau atau tidak, mereka telah menyerahkan kehendak mereka kepada Allah. Sekarang mereka menunggu Hari Perhitungan di mana setiap orang akan dipanggil untuk diadili. Betapa pun mereka tidak berkeinginan untuk memahaminya.

Kesimpulan

Topik yang telah kami jelaskan sejauh ini merupakan salah satu kebenaran terbesar yang pernah Anda temui dalam hidup Anda. Dengan membuktikan bahwa seluruh dunia materi ini sesungguhnya hanyalah "wujud bayangan", topik ini menjadi kunci untuk memahami keberadaan Allah dan penciptaan oleh-Nya, di samping untuk memahami bahwa Dialah satu-satunya wujud mutlak.

Mereka yang memahami permasalahan ini sadar bahwa dunia ini bukanlah tempat seperti anggapan orang pada umumnya. Dunia bukanlah tempat mutlak yang benar-benar ada, seperti yang dipikirkan oleh mereka yang mengembara tanpa tujuan di jalanan, yang bertengkar di klab-klab, yang menyombongkan diri di kafe-kafe mewah, yang membanggakan rumah dan tanah, atau yang mengabdikan hidup mereka untuk tujuan palsu. Dunia hanyalah kumpulan persepsi, sebuah ilusi. Semua orang yang telah kami kutip sebelumnya hanya wujud bayangan yang menyaksikan persepsi ini di dalam otak mereka: meskipun demikian mereka tidak menyadari hal ini.

Konsep ini sangat penting karena meruntuhkan filsafat materialis yang menolak keberadaan Allah, dan menghancurkan filsafat tersebut. Inilah sebabnya materialis seperti Marx, Engels, dan Lenin menjadi panik dan gusar, dan memperingatkan pengikut mereka "untuk tidak memikirkannya" jika ada orang yang menyampaikan konsep ini. Sesungguhnya orang-orang seperti ini cacat mentalnya sehingga tidak dapat memahami fakta bahwa persepsi terbentuk dalam otak. Mereka menganggap dunia yang mereka saksikan di dalam otak adalah "dunia luar". Mereka tidak dapat memahami bukti-bukti yang menunjukkan sebaliknya.

Anda dapat mengkaji lebih jauh lagi dengan menggunakan kekuatan refleksi pribadi Anda. Untuk itu Anda harus berkonsentrasi, memusatkan perhatian dan merenungkan cara Anda melihat benda-benda di sekeliling Anda dan cara Anda menyentuhnya. Jika Anda berpikir dengan penuh konsentrasi, Anda dapat merasakan bahwa wujud bijak yang melihat, mendengar, menyentuh, berpikir, dan membaca buku pada saat ini hanyalah jiwa. Jiwa ini pula yang menyaksikan persepsi yang disebut "materi" pada sebuah layar. Orang yang telah memahami hal ini dianggap telah beranjak dari tataran dunia materi yang telah menipu sebagian besar kemanusiaan, dan masuk ke dalam tataran eksistensi sesungguhnya.

Dalam zaman kita hidup, fakta ini telah teruji secara empiris berdasarkan bukti-bukti ilmiah. Untuk pertama kalinya dalam sejarah, fakta bahwa alam semesta adalah wujud bayangan telah digambarkan secara nyata, jelas dan eksplisit.

Dengan alasan inilah, abad ke-21 akan menjadi titik balik sejarah di mana manusia pada umumnya akan memahami realitas ilahiah dan akan berbondong-bondong menuju Allah, satu-satunya Wujud Mutlak. Dalam abad ke-21, paham materialistis abad ke-19 akan dibuang ke keranjang sampah sejarah, eksistensi dan penciptaan Allah akan dipahami, seperti dipahaminya fakta ketiadaan ruang dan waktu, manusia akan terbebaskan dari selubung, penipuan dan takhayul kuno yang menyelimuti mereka.

Tidak mungkin kenyataan tak terbantahkan ini dapat dihalangi oleh suatu wujud bayangan.

Seattle Muslim Groups Unite To Pray For Peace‎‎‎‎‎‎‎

2009-01-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

Students at the Islamic School of Seattle (from left) Yasmine Ahmach, 8, Nisma Gabobe, 8, (front, center) Rahma Mohammed, 9, (center, back) and Soondus Junejo, 9, during prayers at the school on Friday, February 24, 2006. Photo by Dan DeLong (February 25, 2006)

By JOHN IWASAKI, P-I REPORTER

Seattle, WN, February 25, 2006 – About 80 Muslims of different sects gathered for prayer and a sermon Friday in Seattle, responding to sectarian violence in Iraq with a call for common worship.

Muslims in Washington, like those in the rest of the world, are predominantly Sunni and generally worship in mosques separate from Shiite Muslims.

But the bombing of one of Iraq's holiest Shiite shrines Wednesday, followed by attacks on Sunni mosques, has some Seattle-area Muslims searching for unity.

"It's probably the first solidarity prayer in the whole area that I'm aware of," said Jafar "Jeff" Siddiqui, who helped arrange the service at the Islamic School of Seattle, where he is chairman.

He estimated that a quarter of the participants were Shiites, but he couldn't tell for sure, even though he is familiar with many Muslims as a member of the group American Muslims of Puget Sound.

The differences between Muslims in the United States are less than those overseas, Siddiqui said, and one typically doesn't ask another Muslim to which sect he or she belongs. To illustrate his point, Siddiqui said a good friend once told him that he was "the only Shiite I know." Siddiqui is Sunni.

The Sunni-Shiite divide started with a seventh-century dispute over who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad. Sunnis want an elected leadership; Shiites believe it should descend from Muhammad.

"The prayers are the same. The Shiites add a few words but don't take anything away from the prayer," Siddiqui said. "It's the same prophets. It's not a faith difference. It's more of leadership difference."

For Imam Al-Amin Latif, who delivered the sermon Friday, the differences are unnecessarily hurting Islam.

"People are overreacting instead of controlling their anger," he said about escalating sectarian violence in Iraq.

If members of the European Union can discuss their differences, "why can't Sunnis sit down with Shiites and dialogue with each other?" asked Latif, president of the Islamic Leadership Council of New York.

That seems easier said than done in Iraq, where the golden-domed Askariya shrine lies in rubble. The site contains the remains of two Shiite imams who are considered descendants of Muhammad.

Though Sunnis are the majority in the Muslim world, they are the minority in Iraq. Still, Sunnis held power in the regime of Saddam Hussein, further subjugating Shiites, who have been the oppressed minority for centuries.

With Shiites now dominating the Iraqi government and some Sunnis in opposition, the rivalry has intensified to the edge of civil war.

Latif called on Muslims to model the character of Muhammad, both in response to the sectarian strife and to Danish cartoons of the prophet that sparked violence in parts of the Islamic world.

Muslims get angry about the "sacrilege and slander and mockery" of Muhammad, he said, but they would also feel the same if it were done to Abraham, Moses and Jesus, all of whom they consider prophets. (Though Muslims revere Jesus, they do not regard him as God's son and the savior, as do Christians.)

But by not showing tolerance and patience and countering "disinformation," Muslims are "overreacting and making Muslims look bad," Latif said.

On Thursday, the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a national Muslim civil liberties group, began a campaign to educate non-Muslims about Muhammad in response to the Danish cartoons.

The national and local organizations have condemned the violent response to the caricatures in the Muslim world.

Beyond that, the local chapter wants to make "a positive out of a negative," said Yousef Elberkawi, board director of CAIR-Seattle. "There's a lot of misunderstandings on both sides."

His friends in the Middle East are surprised when he tells them about his friends and co-workers in Washington, because they view the United States by its policies, not its citizens. "Seattle is my city, the Seahawks are my team, America is my country. I'm not for terrorism. I'm not for violence."

OPEN HOUSES

Two local mosques will hold open houses to help non-Muslims learn about Islam:

12:45 p.m. today and Sunday, Islamic Center of Tacoma, 2010 Bridgeport Way W. Information: 253-565-0314.

10 a.m. March 18, Islamic Center of Eastside, 14700 Main St., Bellevue. Information: 425-746-0398.

P-I reporter John Iwasaki can be reached at 206-448-8096 or johniwasaki@seattlepi.com.

Source: Seattle PI

Residents uneasy amid opposition to Muslim school

2009-01-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

Tension is mounting in Camden in Sydney's far west as people take sides on a proposal to build a $19 million Muslim school in the area.

The riot squad was reportedly on hand at a public meeting last night. A decision on the school is still more than two months away.

The unease in the area has left locals wondering whether Camden will suffer the same fate as the beachside suburb of Cronulla, where riots broke out two years ago.

Islamic schools aren't exactly a new idea in Sydney. The Malek Fahd Islamic school, for example, was established in 1989 in Greenacre near Bankstown in Sydney's west with just 87 children. Now it has 1,700 students.

When the New South Wales HSC results were released yesterday, the school's year 12 students came in ninth in the state.

Not that any of that is likely to convince many in Camden to support a new Islamic school there, if comments from some gathered outside last night's meeting are any guide.

"I said it's not about racism, it's about doing the right thing for the community," one local said.

"If we go down to Lakemba, Bankstown... you walk through there, mate, they despise you, they don't want to talk to you."

Not everyone in Camden is against the school. But one young man says public support for it is being stifled by the council, which he says blocked his plans for a peaceful demonstration on the weekend.

"I basically just wanted to set up a store and talk about racial harmony in the area, considering the amount of unrest that we have at the moment," he said.

"Basically, I was told, due to the issue of the Muslim school, that I wasn't to go down at all, and if I was, I would be told to leave straight away and basically told that I shouldn't be causing trouble within Camden."

The young man asked not to be named for fear of retribution from others of the local community.

"There's eight Catholic schools, there's three Christian schools within the area, and if you're talking about one Muslim school, I don't see why there's so much unrest. It's quite confronting, really," he said.

He says it's possible the community anger will erupt into violence.

"If somebody stood up and said, 'Look, pro-Muslims, let's go for the Muslims,' I wouldn't be entirely surprised if something on a smaller basis of like the Cronulla riots erupted," he said.

"Because people have so much emotional relation to this project, that, like I said, it is confronting and a little bit scary."

Politicians up in arms

Others have seen a political opportunity in the growing local resistance to the project.

Charlie Lynn is a member of the NSW Upper House and he spoke at last night's meeting against the proposed school, as he explained to Macquarie radio earlier today.

"This is an attempt by social engineers to inflict culture shock, if you like, on Camden," he said.

"There are currently, I think, around 100 Islamic families in Camden, and they want to build the school for 1,200, plus 200 teachers.

"Now this is just being imposed on us without an discussion at all. This is what they're objecting about and the other thing is that the location of the school is totally in breach of the planning requirements for a school of this type."

Mr Lynn is not the only politician publicly opposing the school.

Another NSW Upper House MP, the Reverend Fred Nile, quoted from the Koran last night and accused Muslims of hating Christians.

That brought return fire today from the peak Muslim group, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, accusing Reverend Nile of fuelling misconceptions about the school's intentions.

Education the key

The federation's president, Iqbal Patel, happens to be on the board of the Malek Fahd school.

"If the concern is about the behaviour of Muslims in Australia, then the only way to improve that behaviour is to educate the children in well-controlled environment, mainly under the auspices of various state education departments," he said.

"Then this is exactly what the community, the Islamic community behind this school are trying to do, I believe, in Camden."

Despite the 900 or so people at last night's meeting, a spokesman for the Qur'anic Society behind the school proposal, Jeremy Bingham, says he thinks most people in Camden aren't against the new school.

"I think what you've got is, number one, a relatively small group who are anxious about something that's unusual and different," he said.

"I think you've got a group of people who don't want this big growth of Camden that's going to happen, whether the school happens or not.

"And it seems as though we have a group of Christians who don't yet know that the crusades are over."

The Fight for Iraq War Resisters to Remain in Canada is a Two-Front War

2009-01-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

The following article was sent to us by the author, Krystalline Kraus, for republication. Originally posted

The political front

On June 3, 2008, Canadian Parliament voted in favour of allowing Iraq war resisters to seek permanent residence status in Canada.

This non-binding motion called for the creation of a special government program to, “allow conscientious objectors and their families … who have refused or left military service related to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations to apply for permanent resident status.”

One hundred and thirty-seven MPs from the Liberal party, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois voted in favour of the motion, while 110 Conservative MPs voted against.

While the motion was passed by a majority in Parliament, the minority Conservative government under Stephen Harper has yet to enact it; this despite constant lobbying
from the War Resister Support Campaign (WRSC), immigration rights groups and anti-war activists.

The judicial front

Even though Canadian Parliament had passed the June 3, 2008, it is non-binding. Therefore the Canadian immigration system, through the Immigrant and Refugee Board
(IRB), has been issuing deportation orders to those resisters who have applied for refugee status.

These deportation orders are being contested in the Canadian judicial system as the Federal Court considers a series of IRB decisions and defendant appeals.

Canada’s immigration process includes both an Humanitarian and Compassionate (H + C) application and a Pre-Risk Removal Assessment (PRRA), to determine the impact of a deportation on the individual or if they would face undue hardship if returned to their home country.

Legal challenges

There are a number of different resisters challenging their negative H + C and PRRA decisions, requesting an appeal or a new refugee application from the IRB.

One such case includes a Federal court judge’s acceptance to review the deportation order of resister Jeremy Hinzman. This allows Hinzman and his wife and children to remain in Canada until the appeal of their negative PRRA is heard.

Despite an IRB ruling stating that Hinzman would face no undue hardship if returned to the United States to face a military trial for desertion, the Justice Mosley of the Federal Court ruled that, “[b]ased on the evidence and submissions before me, I am satisfied that the applicants would suffer irreparable harm if a stay were not granted pending determination of their leave application.”

Lawyers for the resisters and the WRSC both assert that any soldier deported back to the US to stand trial would face undue hardship. They cite an emerging trend of prosecution in U.S. court marshal proceedings that considers speaking out publicly against the U.S. government and the Iraq war grounds for increased punishment.

This risk of harsher punishment - including prosecution with charges equal to a civilian felony conviction, prison sentences, denial of veteran benefits for themselves and their family and the military humiliation of receiving a dishonourable discharge - is at the heart of Hinzman’s immigration case currently before the courts.

War refugees

In recent days, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney (replacing Diane Finley) has been catching heat for public statements made to the Toronto Sun concerning US war resisters, spoken from his position as the minister directly in charge of immigration.

Commenting after resister Kimberly Rivera received a negative IRB decision on January 7, 2009, he referred to Iraq war resisters as, “bogus refugee claimants” in a later interview on Parliament Hill.

He went on to state, “I don’t appreciate people adding to the backlog and clogging up the system whose claims are being rejected consistently 100 per cent of the time.”

Minister Kenney also responded to an article written by John Hogan in the Toronto Sun where Hogan questioned the independence of the IRB in light of the Conservative governments consistent negative stance towards US war resisters. In a response to this article, he wrote that, “war resistance is futile” and re-affirmed the IRB’S independence.

Critics of the minority Conservative government claim that Minister Kenney’s comments prejudice any immigration hearings for war resisters.

Lee Zaslofsky, an organizer with the War Resister Support Campaign (WRCS), criticized Minister Kenney’s comments as political interference on the supposedly independent IRB tribunal.

“Everyone, including war resisters, has the right to expect their applications will be dealt with in a fair and impartial manner,” he wrote in a statement.

“Minister Kenney’s comments show the Harper government has a blanket policy of opposition against war resisters, which makes it nearly impossible for them to be treated on a ‘case-by-case basis’ as our government has been leading Canadians to believe.”

Criticism of Minister Kenney’s remarks were also laid down through an open letter by Elizabeth McWeeney, President of the Canadian Council of Refugees.

In the letter writ on January 8, 2009, she stated her concern surrounding Minister Kenney’s comments which she called, “highly inappropriate” since they “give the strong appearance of political interference.”

She was referring to the fact that the IRB re-appointments are made by Cabinet and IRB members might fear for their tenure if they do not toe a certain political line.

She wrote, “highly publicized cases such as the war resisters are always challenging for the IRB which must live up to its obligations to make fair, impartial and politically unmotivated determinations, based on jurisprudence and the evidence before it.”

Any political assertions otherwise, especially spoken from the minister responsible for immigration affairs, threatens the independence of the IRB and the right of war resisters to a fair immigration assessment.

McWeeny also refuted the Minister’s assumptions around the burden that war resisters supposedly place on the Canadian immigration system.

She was “shocked” that Minister Kenney would attribute the systematic delays in the refugee claim process to the war resisters, slamming the Minister for the lack of credibility to his argument since the number of war resister claims was “miniscule”.

Instead, she cited that the backlog was in fact a consequence of the Conservative government to appoint IRB members.

This slams shut the door on any Conservative government intentions to utilize a divide and conquer strategy between refugees.

The open letter ends with the Canadian Council of Refugees affirming its support for Iraq war resisters, “these are individuals who deserve our admiration for following their consciences and refusing to participate in wrongdoing, at significant cost to themselves.”

Critical juncture

This is a critical juncture for Iraq war resisters in Canada - with a series of deportation orders scheduled to start at the end of the month.

We as a society must weight their struggle using both our hands. Carefully determine the possible outcomes to their fight to remain in Canada. Carefully determine the value of life and the cost of protecting it.

Jail time in a U.S. prison for refusing to kill or a new home in Canada for refusing to kill.

The cost of laying down one’s guns and refusing to fight is soon to be determined legally in our courts and morally in the hearts of Canadians across the country.

The price: freedom or deportation.

Fear of Islamic Schools Based on False Stereotypes

2009-01-20T12:20:00.000-08:00

Fear of Islamic Schools Based on False Stereotypes

Muneeza Sheikh, Daniel Simard and Khurrum Awan

On Aug. 28, representatives from the Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Sikh communities came together to express support for John Tory’s proposal to fund faith-based schools.

While such unity among different faith-based schools is refreshing, a large part of this debate lies in the fact that, under Tory’s proposal, funding would also be extended to Islamic schools. And that is where many get squeamish. Assumptions and fears come into play, ranging from equating Islamic schools with the stereotyped “madrassa” to presuming that these schools will trample over women’s rights.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK8Qt6BcvX0[/youtube]

John Tory speaks about his plan to include faith-based schools in Ontario’s public education system.

The good news is that these stereotyped views are contrary to the reality of Islamic schools. These false stereotypes are, however, prevalent due to two factors: First, the true facts about Islamic schools are unknown to the general public. Second, some public figures have adopted a strategy of playing on these stereotypes in order to oppose Tory’s proposal.

Here are some pertinent facts. Islamic schools are operating in just about every province of this country. They are publicly funded in British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta and Quebec. Yes, Alberta, despite being Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s power base, and Quebec, despite sharing Quebec Premier Jean Charest’s “safety concerns” for hijab-wearing girls on the soccer field, both fund Islamic schools.

There is no evidence that the funding of Islamic schools in these provinces has resulted in the isolation of the Muslim community. On the contrary, girls and boys graduating from Islamic schools usually continue on to post-secondary education, and from there to a variety of professional areas. In short, they are no less capable of making a contribution to public life than Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty was when he graduated from the Catholic school he attended.

Nor is there any evidence that women’s rights are suffering. On the contrary, just as many women graduate from these schools as men, and just as many women continue on to post-secondary education and professional careers.

The majority of the teachers at these schools are women who, through their life experiences and personal accomplishments, serve as worthy role models for the students.

An overwhelming majority of women representing the mainstream Muslim community support faith-based schools. In fact, Muslim mothers usually insist on Islamically educating their children, even though the added expense often imposes genuine strains on parents’ limited budgets.

Unfortunately, many Muslim parents are unable to afford these private faith-based schools. Tory’s proposal, then, promotes equality within the Muslim community; it makes a faith-based education available not only to the more affluent, but also to those who are unable to afford it.

Muslim girls at an Islamic school in the GTA.

These are the true facts about Islamic schools that one rarely hears. What one commonly hears is a discriminatory and stereotype-laden language, which is used to attack funding for religious and especially Islamic schools. Although all citizens have the right, and indeed the obligation, to debate the proposal to fund faith-based schools and to adopt positions on both sides of this issue, they do not have the right to fearmonger in pursuit of their agenda.

Unfortunately, this stereotyping of Islamic schools hurts not only the Muslim community, but other faith communities, too, as it could ultimately prevent all communities from benefiting from a faith-based education.

That would be a terrible loss because all faith-based schools emphasize respect for one’s parents, teachers, elders and peers, as well as for the values, traditions, observances and history of the religious communities they serve. As a result, their graduates are usually more focused, disciplined and confident – an ideal recipe for producing the leaders of tomorrow.

Unfortunately, in the mind of McGuinty, the enriched academic and cultural experience of a faith-based education is not worthy of recognition and funding. But policy-makers in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec think otherwise.

Oct. 10 will provide faith-based communities with an opportunity to show that they, too, think otherwise.

Urgent push for Gaza ceasefire

2009-01-15T23:18:00.000-08:00

A fire at a Gaza hospital burnt late into the night

Diplomatic activity has intensified in the Middle East and the US over the terms of a possible ceasefire to halt Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza.

Israeli ministers had late-night talks on Egypt's latest mediation bid and, while no decision was taken, an Israeli envoy is due back in Cairo shortly.

Hamas is reported to be offering a year-long truce if Israel withdraws from Gaza and lifts its blockade.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has gone to Washington for talks.

She is due to discuss how to stop Hamas smuggling arms into Gaza, a key Israeli demand.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says he is optimistic about a ceasefire deal being reached but added that it might take a few days yet.

Israeli military officials said Israel attacked about 40 targets in the Gaza Strip overnight - including smuggling tunnels, launching points, weaponry storages, two Hamas stations and a militant's training camp.

Casualties in a hospital in Gaza City had to flee the building overnight as a fire reportedly caused by Israeli shelling engulfed the building.

Health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza say at least 1,105 Palestinians have been killed and 5,100 wounded since Israel launched an operation on 27 December to end rocket attacks on its territory.

See map of Gaza City and area
On Thursday, an Israeli air strike on Gaza City killed one of the Strip's top Hamas leaders, Said Siyam.

Thirteen Israelis - including three civilians - have died, while 233 soldiers have been wounded, the Israeli army says.

Last-minute deal

Israeli envoy Amos Gilad has been ordered to return to Cairo on Friday after arriving back to brief Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other officials on his daylong talks with Egyptian officials there.

GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND

In depth: Gaza conflict
Q&A: Gaza conflict
Who are Hamas?
Middle East conflict: History in maps

He discussed a possible ceasefire with the Egyptians on Thursday while Hamas outlined its own proposals in Cairo.

Mussa Abu Marzuk, the Damascus-based deputy head of Hamas's powerful politburo, confirmed for AFP news agency that Hamas was offering a one-year, renewable truce.

"We are waiting for an answer from Egypt after they talk to Amos Gilad," he added.

Tzipi Livni's visit to Washington is meant to formalise an agreement with the US to help prevent Hamas smuggling in arms, the BBC's Kim Ghattas reports from the US capital.

The accord would supplement any ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas in Cairo.

Diplomats say the accord would deal with the issue of arms-smuggling from a broader perspective, aiming to stop weapons from even reaching the border between Egypt and Gaza.

It is a last-minute deal crafted in the final hours of an outgoing Bush administration but one that could give the US a prominent and lasting role in the truce, if it is achieved, our correspondent says.

'Patients flee'

Israeli troops and tanks moved closer to the heart of Gaza City on Thursday, engaging in fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters.

Reports from the al-Quds hospital in the city's Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood say that scores of patients were evacuated overnight to escape a blaze.

Patients wounded in the fighting could be seen struggling to get out of their beds only to head out into an icy night pierced by gunfire, an AFP photographer reports.

At least three babies in incubators and three people on life support were wheeled out into the flame-lit streets, the photographer added.

Earlier on Thursday, Israeli shells set alight part of the local headquarters of the UN relief agency Unrwa.

Mr Olmert apologised but said troops had been responding to shots from gunmen at the compound.

Said Siyam, who controlled thousands of Hamas security troops in Gaza, died along with his son, brother and two other Hamas officials when his brother's house was bombed.

Speaking after talks in Jerusalem with Israeli leaders, Ban Ki-moon said he hoped a ceasefire was possible.

"I am optimistic now because I think there is no other choice for us," he told the BBC.

"This kind of agreement can be done now and I think now there is good progress in Egypt."

World Religions

2009-01-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the World Religion Convention
Islamic Worship: Workshop 9I

Muslims use the Koran to provide the knowledge and understandingof Allah they need. The real base to Islamic beliefs is the Koran. The Koran has 114 suras (chapters). The suras contain poetry, warnings, instructions, history, and prayers.

Muslims believe that the Koran was sent by Allah to guide them to Paradise. Muslims also believe that anyone can become a Muslim; the noblest of people are the ones who have the best relationship with Allah.
The Koran
Muslims do not believe that Muhammad wrote the Koran; they believe that Allah told him the Koran through Gabriel.

Muslims believe that since the Koran was written in Arabic, it should be read in Arabic. The belief that people should be educated so they can read the Koran. Some Muslims are patient enough to memorize the entire Koran. They then teach it to others in the religion.

A Muslim Woman Teaching

Israelis strike homes of 2 top Hamas figures; at least 1 killed

2009-01-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- The Israeli air force bombed the homes Thursday of two top Hamas military figures, killing at least one of them.

Palestinian firefighters pour water Thursday on the rubble of the home of Hamas commander Nizar Rayan.

The Hamas television station Al-Aqsa showed the body of Nizar Rayan, a commander in northern Gaza, being pulled from the rubble of his house in Jabalya, north of Gaza City.

Rayan, one of the main founders of Hamas, is the senior-most Hamas leader to be killed in Israel's six-day air offensive on Gaza, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

The Islamist University lecturer "ranked among Hamas' top five decision-makers as the liaison between the group's military and political wing," the paper said.

The newspaper also described him as an "outspoken advocate of renewing suicide bombings against Israel."

The Israeli Defense Forces said Rayan was behind a 2004 suicide bombing in Ashdod, in which 10 Israelis were killed, and an October 2001 suicide mission in a Jewish settlement in Gaza that his son carried out. Two Israelis were killed in that mission, the military said. Learn who's who in Gaza »

The Israelis would not say whether they were specifically targeting Rayan in the assault. The bombing touched off secondary explosions from munitions and weapons stored in the home, Haaretz reported.

Nine other people also died in the attack, Hamas and Palestinian medical sources said, some of whom were believed to be members of Rayan's family. Watch how civilians are caught in the crossfire »

Rayan had urged Gazans not to abandon their homes during the Israeli air attacks, even if they received threats to evacuate, Arab media reported.

Video showed crowds of men outside the remains of Rayan's house, shouting as they climbed mounds of debris, pulling bodies from the rubble and searching for other victims. Nearby buildings were heavily damaged, and rubble -- some streaked with blood -- clogged the streets.

An airstrike also hit the Gaza City home of senior Hamas military operative Nabil Amrin, causing weaponry stored inside to explode, the IDF said.

There was no word on possible casualties, and the IDF said they didn't know whether Amrin was home at the time.

The attacks were among dozens Thursday in northern Gaza in what Israel says is a response to ongoing Hamas rocket fire into southern Israel. The IDF said in a statement that more than 40 rockets fell in Israel, and it carried out over 50 airstrikes on Gaza.

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Israel uses YouTube, Twitter to share its point of view
Background: Gaza crisis
The military has said it is targeting only Hamas militants, and Hamas has vowed to defend Gaza in the face of what it calls continued Israeli aggression.

In Paris, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose truce proposal was turned down Wednesday by Israel. It would have stopped the fighting temporarily so more humanitarian aid could reach Gaza.

The six days of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have "achieved changes," Livni said.

"What we are doing now is changing the equation, making it a better reality to our citizens, stopping the rockets on Israel," Livni said after meeting with Sarkozy.

"We want to weaken Gaza," Livni said. "At the end of the day, Hamas is a problem, not only to Israel but to the entire Palestinian people," Livni said.

Since Israel launched the bombing campaign Saturday, Palestinian medical sources say at least 400 people, including 42 children, have been killed. Watch people run in the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike »

Four Israelis, three of them civilians, have been killed and 56 wounded by Palestinian rocket fire, police, military and medical officials have said.

Palestinian militants continued to fire rockets into southern Israel. The Israeli military said four struck Beer Sheva on Wednesday, and at least two medium-range rockets struck the community Thursday. Beer Sheva is about 19 miles outside Gaza. Watch how emergency responders have dealt with the crisis »

Israel targeted the Palestinian parliament building in Gaza City overnight, gutting the structure. The ministries of justice and education and civil defense headquarters, to the city's west, also were bombed.

Meanwhile, in Rome, Italy, on Thursday, Pope Benedict XVI prayed for peace in Gaza.

"To Mary we entrust our profound desire to live in peace that rises from the heart of the great majority of the Israeli and Palestinian population, once again jeopardized by the massive outbreak of violence in the Gaza Strip in response to other violence," he said at a morning Mass.

Status baru Stalin di Rusia

2008-12-29T22:14:00.000-08:00

Mantan diktator Uni Soviet Joseph Stalin dulu menyebabkan kematian jutaan rakyatnya sendiri tetapi pada akhir pekan ini dia bisa jadi terpilih sebagai negarawan terhebat di Rusia.

Pilihan diberikan lewat
situs internet, SMS dan telepon

Salah satu stasiun televisi terbesar di Rusia, Rossiya, menggelar jajak pendapat yang melibatkan seluruh negeri.

Dari daftar calon awal yang diisi 500 nama, pada akhirnya 12 nama tersisa yang dapat dipilih oleh para pemirsa sebagai pahlawan sepanjang zaman.

Pemenangnya akan diumumkan hari Minggu.

Hampir tiga juta orang sudah memberikan suara mereka dan Stalin - seorang etnik Georgia - mendapat banyak suara selama beberapa bulan belakangan ini.

Pada musim panas tahun ini dia sempat menduduki nomor satu tetapi kemudian tergeser setelah produser acara televisi ini meminta penonton untuk memilih tokoh lain.

Tokoh-tokoh lainnya di dalam daftar pahlawan sepanjang zaman termasuk Ivan IV Vasilyevich, tsar pertama Rusia yang juga dijuluki Ivan yang Ganas, Lenin, tsarina Yekaterina yang Agung dan Alexander Pushkin.

Kesalahan 'dimaafkan'

Kenyataan bahwa Stalin begitu populer bukan hal yang mengejutkan bagi para anggota Partai Komunis, yang masih merupakan salah satu partai politik terbesar di negara itu.

TOKOH RUSIA TERPOPULER
Alexander Pushkin, penyair
Pyotr Stolypin, negarawan pra-Revolusi
Alexander Nevsky, pangeran abad pertengahan
Joseph Stalin, diktator Soviet
Vladimir Lenin, pemimpin Revolusioner

"Stalin menjadikan Rusia negara adi daya dan merupakan salah satu pendiri koalisi menentang Hitler pada Perang Dunia Kedua," kata Sergei Malinkovich, pimpinan Partai Komunis di St Petersburg.

"Dalam semua jajak pendapat, dia menduduki posisi teratas sebagai tokoh yang paling populer. Tidak ada tokoh lain yang menyainginya. Atas jasanya bagi negara ini, kami bisa memaafkan kesalahannya."

Sergei Malinkovich tidak hanya siap memaafkan "kesalahan" Stalin, dia juga ingin tokoh yang dianggap sebagai salah satu tiran paling haus darah dalam sejarah abad ke-20 itu diangkat sebagai seorang santo.

Banyak orang di Rusia menghormati peranan Stalin pada Perang Dunia Kedua ketika Uni Soviet mengalahkan pasukan Nazi Jerman.

Namun kini terdapat kampanye lebih luas untuk memperbaiki citra Stalin dan tampaknya upaya itu datang dari para pejabat pemerintah di tingkat tinggi.

Arsip disita

Bukti utama datang dalam bentuk buku panduan bagi guru-guru sejarah di sekolah-sekolah negeri di Rusia, yang mengatakan Stalin bertindak "rasional sepenuhnya".

Dalam profilnya di internet, kejahatan Stalin juga disebutkan

"[Inisiatif itu] datang dari atas sekali," kata editor buku panduan itu, sejarawan Alexander Danilov.

"Saya yakin ini adalah gagasan mantan presiden yang sekarang menjabat sebagai perdana menteri, Vladimir Putin."

"Ini pas benar dengan arah politik Rusia yang kita lihat dalam delapan tahun terakhir, yang ditujukan bagi persatuan rakyat."

Namun kampanye untuk mengangkat nama Stalin itu tidak hanya terbatas pada interpretasi buku sekolah bagi anak-anak.

Pada awal bula ini, polisi anti-huru-hara menyerbu kantor salah satu organisasi hak azazi manusia terkenal di Rusia, Memorial, di St Petersburg.

Dengan alasan kelompok itu kemungkinan terkait dengan tulisan "ekstrimis" yang diterbitkan di sebuah koran lokal, polisi menyita 12 hard-drive komputer yang memuat seluruh arsip digital kekejaman yang dilakukan oleh rezim Stalin.

Kantor Memorial di St Petersburg meneliti kejahatan yang dilakukan oleh rezim Soviet.

"Ini adalah pukulan besar bagi organisasi kami," kata Irina Flige dari Memorial.

"Ini adalah hasil pekerjaan kami selama 20 tahun. Kami menyusun data dengan ratusan ribu nama."

"Mungkin peringatan ini sengaja untuk menakutkan kami?"

Irina Flige yakin organisasi mereka menjadi sasaran karena mendukung ideologi yang berbeda dengan pemerintah.

Nasionalisme baru

Ideologi baru itu adalah "Putinisme" yang, menurut Flige berkembang dalam dua tahun terakhir dan memiliki dasar nasionalisme yang kuat.

Tampaknya rakyat Rusia harus bangga dengan sejarah mereka, bukan malu, dan menyelidiki serta mendata kekejaman rezim di masa lalu tidak lagi diterima.

Yang terjadi di Rusia saat ini pada adalah KGB yang berkuasa

Orlando Figes
Sejarawan Inggris

"Garis resmi pemerintah saat ini adalah Stalin dan rezim Soviet berhasil menciptkan negara yang hebat," kata Irina Flige.

"Dan jika aksi teror oleh Stalin dibenarkan, maka pemerintah saat ini bisa melakukan apa saja yang mereka ingin capai."

Kecaman atas penggerebekan kantor Memorial dan penyitaan arsip mereka tidak terbatas di Rusia saja.

Sejarawan Inggris Orlando Figes pernah bekerja sama dengan Memorial ketika dia melakukan penelitian untuk menulis buku terbarunya tentang Rusia pada masa Stalin.

"Perkiraan terendah sekitar 25 juta orang menderita di Uni Soviet [di bawah Stalin] antara tahun 1928 dan 1953," katanya.

"Ini berarti orang dihukum mati, ditahan dan dikirim ke kamp tahanan atau dikirim untuk kerja pasa atau dideportasi."

"Pada dasarnya semua keluarga ditindas."

"Yang terjadi di Rusia saat ini pada adalah KGB yang berkuasa," tambahnya.

"Oposisi dan sejarawan yang mengingatkan rakyat Rusia apa yang dilakukan KGB 50 tahun lalu adalah masalah bagi orang-orang ini."

Jadi tampaknya siapa pun yang terpilih sebagai tokoh terhebat Rusia pada hari Minggu, Joseph Stalin tetap keluar sebagai pemenang terbesar tahun ini karena dosa-dosanya dihapus oleh pemerintah Rusia modern.

2008-12-29T21:29:00.000-08:00

Seventh grade history covers The Roots of Islam and The Empires of Islam,two chapters, six lessons with quizzes and a test at the end. I minimize the textbook study and take a different route that asks my students to open their minds and learn as much and as deeply as they can. Our learning of Islam is active. Once my students grasp the basic history and the beliefs and traditions of Islam, they engage with their Muslim-American peers.

I have many goals: For the students to see that they are more alike than different, to realize that they share a common history, to recognize the humanity in each other, and to simply enjoy learning and being together.

In a time of deepening enmity between Muslims and Jews, bringing our students together fosters respect and understanding. I hope our visit conveys to the Muslim students that there are Jews who care and appreciate the wisdom of their teachings, and I hope my Jewish students connect with Muslims in a positive way.

Planning

Before we begin our study of Islam, I ask the students to write honestly about their perceptions of Islam and of Muslims. This enables my students hone their preconceived notions. They should be aware of their perceptions, and struggle with what they think they know. Some of the questions they respond to include: What do you think of when you hear the word Islam or Muslim, what do you know or think you know about Islam? What do you want to learn about Islam and do you think it is important to learn about Islam?

They respond: terrorists and camels, oil wells, covered women, caravans moving over desert sands and Lawrence of Arabia. Some are negative and are based on media stereotypes and ignorance: "When I hear the word Islam or Muslim, I think about September 11th and suicide bombings in Israel. I can't say that I am comfortable studying Islam, but I have many questions about the Koran and if it advocates violence." Some are positive: "I think of a vast domed building with intricate designs on the walls, people praying, kneeling and bowing repeatedly."

After writing about their perceptions, I turn the lights off and play "The Call to Prayer." The students free write about feelings and images the call evokes. I play it again and again. They are surprised by how similar Arabic is to Hebrew. Language, poetry and the arts are a fascinating and accessible way into Islam. We begin our study by reading Rumi, Gibran, Bedouin proverbs, and excerpts from "The Arabian Nights". The students are fascinated by angels, the seven heavens and the Prophet Muhammad's night journey to Jerusalem. When we looked at Islam in the modern world, the students reported on newspaper articles related to Islam that they found. I brought in speakers, one a Palestinian who shared about losing his family property, what he experienced growing up under Israeli occupation and the harassment he suffered as a college student in America after 9/11. Another speaker, a Muslim from India talked about his faith. For most, if not all of my students, this was the first time they met a Palestinian or an Indian Muslim. For many hearing a Palestinian perspective was difficult. At first I worried that perhaps they would be defensive and love Israel less, but seeing Israel's reality and all of its tensions only strengthened their connection and their compassion. I prepared by working with two of my colleagues: Eti,who is fluent in Arabic and a language teacher,taught one of my classes, and Aviv,an excellent teacher of biblical text who was my collaborator on the visit the Catholic school,helped design the lesson on Noah and facilitated group discussions during this visit. Working with both of them strengthened the learning for the students, and for me.

Visiting the Granada Islamic School

The culminating experience of our study of Islam was a full day visit with the seventh grade students at The Granada Islamic School, planned collaboratively with the Muslim teacher. Granada was our classroom for the day. The students studied, spoke, ate, played, listened, prayed and appreciated each other. We prepared in class by studying Arabic greetings and engaging in a text study of the story of Noah. The students from both schools would soon be looking at Noah, a common ancestor to both peoples. I introduced the students to the PaRDeS method of text study. Each time we read the text we developed a deeper interpretation. The next day I divided the students into small groups in which they prepared to teach the text by assigning verses and creating roles.

Although the students were prepared, many of them were genuinely worried about going to a Muslim school. They were concerned the kids would hate them and it would be an awful experience. The Granada students had similar concerns. Fortunately, during the visit, the students felt right at home. One of my students wrote in her reflection that

"it was like we had met when we were little and were just getting on like old times. They brought us in and treated us like one of them. There was no barrier between us. There was no need to act like were trying to help make peace between our two different and yet the same cultures, there was already that peace and sense of harmony between us."

After introductions and an icebreaker, students from Hausner and Granada chanted the story of Noah in Hebrew and in Arabic. This was a beautiful start. We shared baklava to taste how sweet learning is and broke into small groups to read and discuss the stories of Noah. We then came together as a whole group and shared the commonalities, the differences, what was interesting and the lessons found in each text. Reading the same story from a different perspective made concrete the common roots the students share.

Student reflections. After our visit, I asked the students to read their initial perceptions and see if anything changed or if they would add or alter anything. There were many precious realizations that the students came away with. When my students saw the Muslims teenagers praying with such respect and of their own volition, it surprised them. Some questioned their assumption that Muslims are forced to adhere to their religion; and many questioned their own practices. "It was beautiful and soothing to hear their prayers. You could tell that they were really feeling the prayer, not just saying it this made me consider our prayer service. I would rather have a warm, heartfelt prayer service every day lasting fifteen minutes than a long, torturous service on one day." Some originally believed that they had more in common with the Christian students, but after the visit, felt culturally and religiously closer to the Muslim kids. One student wrote "inside Granada felt warm and nice. The mosque wasn''t scary like the church." Students from both Granada and Hausner began apprehensive, some even hostile, and parted wanting to know more and to meet again. Next year when these same students are in eighth grade we will meet again.

In Hindsight

The students will remember this visit long after the textbook learning is forgotten. They were given a chance to grow and change, to question and to learn. They shared holy books, played basketball, exchanged email addresses and began new friendships. I know this study changed my students. They learned much about Islam, and also about themselves.

Providing my students with a personal experience gave them the opportunity to grow both intellectually and emotionally. They saw that people are no different. The Muslim kids liked the same music, watched the same T.V. shows and ate the same food. They weren't religious fanatics who hated Western Civilization, they were just normal kids. Through this study the students gained perspective on the complexities of religious history and how it affects our lives today. They left expanded, better able to appreciate similarities and not to fear difference.

I know that what I believe comes through in what I teach. I believe that people can get along. If you learn all you can about another culture and then sit and share and connect, you make peace; even if religions and governments can't, individuals will. I know my students and the Muslim students felt peace between them.

More On MN’s Publicly Funded Muslim School

2008-12-29T21:20:00.000-08:00

Seventh grader Ladan Hassan studies Arabic at Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy.
Wall of silence broken at state’s Muslim public school

By KATHERINE KERSTEN

April 9, 2008

Recently, I wrote about Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), a K-8 charter school in Inver Grove Heights. Charter schools are public schools and by law must not endorse or promote religion.

Evidence suggests, however, that TIZA is an Islamic school, funded by Minnesota taxpayers.

TIZA has many characteristics that suggest a religious school. It shares the headquarters building of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, whose mission is “establishing Islam in Minnesota.” The building also houses a mosque. TIZA’s executive director, Asad Zaman, is a Muslim imam, or religious leader, and its sponsor is an organization called Islamic Relief.

Students pray daily, the cafeteria serves halal food - permissible under Islamic law — and “Islamic Studies” is offered at the end of the school day.

Zaman maintains that TIZA is not a religious school. He declined, however, to allow me to visit the school to see for myself, “due to the hectic schedule for statewide testing.” But after I e-mailed him that the Minnesota Department of Education had told me that testing would not begin for several weeks, Zaman did not respond — even to urgent calls and e-mails seeking comment before my first column on TIZA.

Now, however, an eyewitness has stepped forward. Amanda Getz of Bloomington is a substitute teacher. She worked as a substitute in two fifth-grade classrooms at TIZA on Friday, March 14. Her experience suggests that school-sponsored religious activity plays an integral role at TIZA.

Arriving on a Friday, the Muslim holy day, she says she was told that the day’s schedule included a “school assembly” in the gym after lunch.

Before the assembly, she says she was told, her duties would include taking her fifth-grade students to the bathroom, four at a time, to perform “their ritual washing.”

Afterward, Getz said, “teachers led the kids into the gym, where a man dressed in white with a white cap, who had been at the school all day,” was preparing to lead prayer. Beside him, another man “was prostrating himself in prayer on a carpet as the students entered.”

“The prayer I saw was not voluntary,” Getz said. “The kids were corralled by adults and required to go to the assembly where prayer occurred.”

Islamic Studies was also incorporated into the school day. “When I arrived, I was told ‘after school we have Islamic Studies,’ and I might have to stay for hall duty,” Getz said. “The teachers had written assignments on the blackboard for classes like math and social studies. Islamic Studies was the last one — the board said the kids were studying the Qu’ran. The students were told to copy it into their planner, along with everything else. That gave me the impression that Islamic Studies was a subject like any other.”

After school, Getz’s fifth-graders stayed in their classroom and the man in white who had led prayer in the gym came in to teach Islamic Studies. TIZA has in effect extended the school day — buses leave only after Islamic Studies is over. Getz did not see evidence of other extra-curricular activity, except for a group of small children playing outside. Significantly, 77 percent of TIZA parents say that their “main reason for choosing TIZA … was because of after-school programs conducted by various non-profit organizations at the end of the school period in the school building,” according to a TIZA report. TIZA may be the only school in Minnesota with this distinction.

Why does the Minnesota Department of Education allow this sort of religious activity at a public school? According to Zaman, the department inspects TIZA regularly — and has done so “numerous times” — to ensure that it is not a religious school.

But the department’s records document only three site visits to TIZA in five years — two in 2003-04 and one in 2007, according to Assistant Commissioner Morgan Brown. None of the visits focused specifically on religious practices.

The department is set up to operate on a “complaint basis,” and “since 2004, we haven’t gotten a single complaint about TIZA,” Brown said. In 2004, he sent two letters to the school inquiring about religious activity reported by visiting department staffers and in a news article. Brown was satisfied with Zaman’s assurance that prayer is “voluntary” and “student-led,” he said. The department did not attempt to confirm this independently, and did not ask how 5- to 11-year-olds could be initiating prayer. (At the time, TIZA was a K-5 school.)

Zaman agreed to respond by e-mail to concerns raised about the school’s practices. Student “prayer is not mandated by TIZA,” he wrote, and so is legal. On Friday afternoons, “students are released … to either join a parent-led service or for study hall.” Islamic Studies is provided by the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, and other “nonsectarian” after-school options are available, he added.

Yet prayer at TIZA does not appear to be spontaneously initiated by students, but rather scheduled, organized and promoted by school authorities.

Request for volunteers

Until recently, TIZA’s website included a request for volunteers to help with “Friday prayers.” In an e-mail, Zaman explained this as an attempt to ensure that “no TIZA staff members were involved in organizing the Friday prayers.”

But an end run of this kind cannot remove the fact of school sponsorship of prayer services, which take place in the school building during school hours. Zaman does not deny that “some” Muslim teachers “probably” attend. According to federal guidelines on prayer in schools, teachers at a public school cannot participate in prayer with students.

In addition, schools cannot favor one religion by offering services for only its adherents, or promote after-school religious instruction for only one group. The ACLU of Minnesota has launched an investigation of TIZA, and the Minnesota Department of Education has also begun a review.

TIZA’s operation as a public, taxpayer-funded school is troubling on several fronts. TIZA is skirting the law by operating what is essentially an Islamic school at taxpayer expense. The Department of Education has failed to provide the oversight necessary to catch these illegalities, and appears to lack the tools to do so. In addition, there’s a double standard at work here — if TIZA were a Christian school, it would likely be gone in a heartbeat.

TIZA is now being held up as a national model for a new kind of charter school. If it passes legal muster, Minnesota taxpayers may soon find themselves footing the bill for a separate system of education for Muslims.

Ms. Kersten has done a great job riding this story. This is what used to be called investigative reporting.

Alas, it is quite rare nowadays. In fact, an example of its polar opposite in reporting can be found at the Minnesota Public Radio’s site from last year.

(Thanks to Atlien for the heads up.)

Supplementary Muslim School

2008-12-29T21:15:00.000-08:00

The Supplementary Muslim School (SMS) set up in 1986 by An-Nisa Society as its first major project.

The SMS was a response to the need to provide a more contemporary and relevant Islamic education for second generation (and onwards) British Muslims. We recognised that children being brought up within a Western context were disadvantaged when learning through traditional methods as they didn’t have the environment of a Muslim culture to support what they were learning. Following much research we felt that more emphasis needed to be placed on developing a child-centred Islamic education where the potential of each child was nourished and enabled to grow.

Our role as educators was to provide a broad-based Islamic education delivered through what went on in the classroom and through extra curricular activities such as the Ramadan initiatives, Eid celebrations, creative workshops, crafts and sports activities to name a few.

Of equal importance was creating a harmonious environment where children felt happy and secure as an essential part of their educational experience. Happy and secure children being more likely to respond to what they are learning both intellectually and emotionally.

From the beginning the SMS stressed the need to develop strong Parent/School relationships. Our expectations of parents was that they actively support our ethos and their children’s learning at home.

Over the years the SMS has benefited hundreds of children and their families and has emerged as the focus point for the whole community - a place to learn new things, make new friends and be creative in a Muslim environment. It is a place where families can come together and work for the benefit of all our children and young people.

The friendly atmosphere has ensured the steady growth of the School, which now has over 130 students in 9 classes.

Our core subjects are Quranic Arabic, Arabic Language and Islamic Studies. In 2000-2001 we introduced GCSE Islamic Studies and GCSE Arabic Language and our first group of 9 students sat the Islamic Studies exam in the summer of 2002—all achieving grade A’s or B’s. The hard work and commitment of the teachers involved and the students in the following years has resulted in equally high standards.

Muslim school officials attack news crew in Twin Cities

2008-12-29T21:14:00.001-08:00

I’ve followed the story about the Tarik ibn Zayad Academy and allegations that it abuses its status as a state-funded charter school to teach Islam instead of a public-school curriculum for the last six weeks. Katherine Kersten first brought the story to our attention, for which local journalists have begun petitioning the Star Tribune to fire her. The state department of education found several potential issues for violation of laws intending to keep public schools from providing religious instruction, and notified the school today that it had to make changes to its Friday prayer efforts and the lack of transportation service for students who opt out of prayers, among other issues.

Local ABC affiliate KSTP has also continued to update the reporting on this story. Today they went to the school to determine how TiZA would respond to the state’s demand for corrective action. Instead, they found themselves at the center of the story as two TiZA officials attacked the news crew and stole their camera:
In an attempt to report about the new findings from the Department of Education, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS went to TiZA. While on school grounds, our crew was attacked by school officials. The two men were able to grab our camera and kept it until police arrived.
Our photographer was treated by paramedics after suffering minor injuries. …
Tarik ibn Zayad Academy, which focuses on Middle Eastern culture and shares a mosque with the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, came under fire after a teacher alleged that the school was offering religious instruction in Islam to its students.

KSTP has a video report on their website. The tape starts off pleasantly, as the children run up to the camera to smile and wave, just like children anywhere would do. One man walks rapidly towards the camera and grabs it, while another unseen man assaults the cameraman. Later, the police would retrieve the camera, and the video shows the police cars responding to the emergency call from the news crew.

The action by the MnDoE should make clear that Kersten had the story essentially right. Local journalists attempting to intimidate her and the Strib — which has thus far refused to submit to this bullying — have some explaining to do. If she had written a story about a charter school illegally giving instructions in the Catholic or Mormon faith, these same journalists would have nominated her for an award.

Next, the MnDoE should seriously reconsider this school’s accreditation in light of the attack on KSTP’s news crew. If nothing else, it calls into question whether the administrators should have children in their care at a state-funded charter school, given their temperament. They conducted this assault in full view of the students. If TiZA continues to employ these two men, the state should pull all funding from the academy.

Indonesia: Muslim School Challenges "Terrorist" Claim

2008-12-29T21:04:00.000-08:00

Today's Jakarta Post reports on one of the 17,000 pesantren or Islamic schools in Indonesia.

Even in Indonesia, a mainly Muslim nation, the pesantren are viewed with suspicion. The vice-president, Yusuf Kalla announced in October that he would be inspecting these schools, to see if they promoted extremism. Despite the attempts of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to make Kalla change his mind and water down his proposals, the vice president announced on December 9 that all 3.5 million pupils at these schools will be fingerprinted.

The report today features just one school, the Al Mukmin Islamic boarding school in Sukoharjo, Central Java. This school has gained some notoriety, as it is founded by the "Islamic scholar" and godfather of terrorism, Abu Bakar Bashir. Bashir, spiritual leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (who carried out the two Bali attacks of 2002 and Oct 1 2005) and also the Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia, is currently imprisoned for his involvement in the 2002 Bali attack, which killed 202 people.

The Majelis Mujahideen, or Council of Holy Warriors, always send a posse of supporters to trials of Jemaah Islamiyah activists. Immediately after the last Bali bombing, they denied the involvement of Muslims in the attack. They see themselves as vigilantes of Islam. Yesterday we reported that the group threaten to prevent an Indonesian no-nudity version of Playboy to be sold in shops.

Bashir founded the Al Mukmin school over thirty years ago with the late Abdullah Sungkar, who fought in Afghanistan and was a founder of Jemaah Islamiyah, which aims through terror to establish a pan-national Islamic state in Southeast Asia, under Sharia rules. A report from 2001 by a former member of the school claimed that here are at least 5,000 potentially active cadres of Jemaah Islamiyah in several nations.

The current director of the school is Wahyuddin (pictured), who has said "Whenever a terrorist incident occurs, the world always points at us. We are constantly accused of training terrorists, while achievements of the school and students never get the attention of the media, including the national media."

The school, also called Ngruki, is currently trying to clean up its public image, and is holding a seminar on jihad and terrorism on the weekend falling on the 21st to 22 January. Thousands of former students will be expected to attend. 20 foreign embassies have been sent invitations to the seminar.

So far only Malaysia has said it would send a representative, while the Netherlands embassy asked for a complete schedule. A previous seminar was held in 2004, but only Germany and Japanese embassy staff attended.

An organiser, Ali Usman, said: "We will hold the seminar in the school complex so that the Western envoys, who have been suspicious of Ngruki thus far, can see first hand the real conditions at the school."

The Minister of Home Affarirs, Muhammad Ma'ruf, will open the seminar and give a keynote speech. Another speaker will be Ma'ruf Amin, who is Fatwa committee head at the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI).

Before one thinks it will be all hunky-dory, one should remember that the MUI in July announced an 11-point fatwa, or decree, which stated that all liberal interpretations of Islam, secularism and pluralism were un-Islamic, and therefore forbidden. This announcement appeared to give the green light to Islamist vigilantes, and attacks upon minorities, including Christians have increased.

These minorities included the Muslim sect called the Ahmiddiya, who number 200,000 in the nation. On September 20 a mob of 1000 Muslims attacked an Ahmiddiya community in Sukdana, West Java, damaging 70 houses and six mosques.

Ultimately the aims of these Islamist tuition centers are the same as the MUI and also the Jemaah Islamiyah, to establish Indonesia as an exclusively Islamic nation based not upon democracy, but on the rule of the Ulema.

The school will put on its show, and some may be taken in. A Sufi, Pir-O Murshid Inayat Khan once wrote: "That which begins in deception continues with deception and ends with deception." The same is true of terrorism.

The school was founded by an active terrorist and a spiritual "justifier" of terrorism. A report by the International Crisis Group claimed that more than 30 Islamist terrorists, currently convicted or indicted, had attended this school. To avoid more students becoming involved in future terror activities, the school should be closed. No amount of window-dressing can take away its history of militancy.

Israel says its army is fighting war to the bitter end against Hamas

2008-12-29T20:56:00.000-08:00

A man fights a fire at a medicine storehouse after an Israeli air strike on at a fuel tank nearby in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. Photograph: AP

The toll of Palestinians killed in Israel's three-day bombing campaign in Gaza rose yesterday to at least 335 as Israeli jets bombed a university's science laboratories and hit the interior ministry in a widening series of air strikes. Early this morning, Israeli aircraft destroyed government buildings in Gaza City, killing 10 more Palestinians and injuring 40 others.

Ehud Barak, Israel's defence minister, who has already said his government does not want another ceasefire with Hamas, said his army was fighting a "war to the bitter end". Israel declared the border area around Gaza a closed military zone which, together with preparations for a call-up of thousands of reservists, could suggest a large ground invasion is planned next. Barak said the military campaign would be "widened and deepened as needed".

The number of civilians killed in the fighting continued to rise. The UN Relief and Works Agency, which supports Palestinian refugees and has large programmes in Gaza, said it believed at least 57 civilians were among the dead, but said that was a conservative estimate. The overall number of injured is thought to be as high as 1,400, although Gazan hospitals are so overcrowded and short of medicine and equipment that they are turning away all but the most seriously wounded.

The number of rockets fired from Gaza increased to at least 60 yesterday, killing three Israelis. An Israeli soldier also die in a mortar atttack. At least 19 civilians in Israel have now been killed by rockets fired from Gaza in the past eight years. "The continuing aim of the [Israeli] operation is to vastly decrease the capability of Hamas to launch rockets on Israeli civilians and to improve the long-term security situation along Israel's border with Gaza," Captain Benjamin Rutland, an Israeli military spokesman, said.

When asked whether a ground invasion was planned, Rutland said the Israeli military had "a range of tools available to it".

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, called for swift and decisive action to end the "unacceptable" violence, adding that world leaders must step up the pressure for a political solution. In his third statement on Gaza in three days, Ban said he was "deeply alarmed" by the escalation of violence. While recognising Israel's right to defend itself, he condemned its "excessive use of force".

The Bush administration refused to call on Israel to show restraint, instead putting total blame for the conflict on Hamas, citing rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel. "Israel is going after terrorists who are firing rockets and mortars into Israel, and they are taking the steps that they feel are necessary to deal with the terrorist threat," Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, said.

"In order for the violence to stop, Hamas must stop firing rockets into Israel and agree to respect a sustainable and durable ceasefire."

Israel had told the US it was not planning to retake Gaza, he added.

Apart from anger in the Arab world, governments elsewhere have been quiet, with little public criticism of Israel - in contrast with previous similar offensives.

The pope had been scheduled to make his first trip to Israel in May, but a spokesman, interviewed by Vatican radio, said the visit was no longer certain. "There is a need to be rather prudent," Father Federico Lombardi added. The pontiff urged both sides to restore a truce and not to yield to the "perverse logic of confrontation and violence".

In Damascus, a senior Hamas leader said the group's conditions for a fresh ceasefire were a halt to Israeli attacks in Gaza and the West Bank as well as a reopening of the crossings into Gaza - conditions which Israel has not accepted in the past.

"We are going to defend ourselves, defend our people and defend our land," Moussa Abu Marzouk, the deputy head of the Hamas politburo, told AP. "We need our liberty, we need our freedom and we need to be independent. If we don't accomplish this objective, then we have to resist. This is our right." Hamas leaders in Gaza were in hiding last night.

One of Israel's targets in bombing raids before dawn yesterday was the Islamic University in Gaza City, the territory's main university and one with links to Hamas. Two buildings, housing science and engineering laboratories, were flattened, and six others damaged.

Gaza's streets were empty again and Israeli military drones and jets could be heard overhead. The only crowds were queues at bakeries. Israel again prevented journalists from entering the Gaza strip to report on the bombing.

Government dismisses Muslim school guidance document

2008-12-29T20:54:00.000-08:00

The government today dismissed calls from Britain's leading Islamic group for schools to do more to accommodate Muslim pupils who want to wear a headscarf or grow a beard.

The Muslim Council of Britain accused state schools of failing to respect the wishes of Muslim children when organising sex education, changing rooms and religious assemblies.

In new guidance for state schools launched yesterday, the MCB criticised headteachers for refusing to take account of "legitimate and reasonable requests" from parents and pupils.

The MCB urged heads to build prayer rooms and individual changing cubicles and allow girls to wear a headscarf and full-length loose skirt if they wish.

Boys should be allowed to grow beards for religious reasons and pupils should not be told to remove religious amulets, the guidance said.

However, the Department for Education and Skills distanced itself from the document.

A DfES spokesman said: "This is not official guidance and is not endorsed by the government, nor does it have any binding power whatsoever on schools.

"The Department for Education and Skills has no involvement with the document produced by the MCB.

"We have already provided schools with a wealth of official guidance, which makes clear they should take into account, and recognise, the needs and cultural diversity of all their pupils regardless of their background."

The spokesman added: "A good education is one of the best ways of building understanding of the many issues that unite our society.

"It is important that education provides the right ethos which encourages high aspirations, good citizenship and mutual understanding, and that schools recognise the cultural and faith needs of all their pupils."

The guidance was launched as the high court in London backed a school that refused to allow a 12-year-old Muslim girl to wear the niqab full-face veil.

The 72-page MCB guidance document said: "Many schools in England, Scotland and Wales have responded positively to issues related to cultural diversity and to meeting the needs of Muslim pupils.

"However, others have not been receptive of legitimate and reasonable requests made by Muslim parents and pupils in relation to their faith-based aspirations and concerns.

"Many of these issues relate to aspects of schooling such as collective worship, communal changing, swimming, halal meals and sex education.

"It is essential that positive account is taken of the faith dimension of Muslim pupils in education and schooling.

"Unfortunately Muslim pupils are sometimes placed in situations where they feel pressured into acting contrary to their beliefs and conscience and also experience Islamophobic sentiments and comments within schools."

The country's biggest heads' union warned that many of the MCB's demands - such as for individual changing room cubicles for all Muslim pupils - were "undoable".

Muslim pupil loses veil challenge

2008-12-29T20:52:00.000-08:00

A 12-year-old Muslim girl today lost her high court challenge to her school's ban on wearing the niqab full-face veil.

Lawyers for the girl and her father had argued that the ban was "irrational" and a breach of her human rights, but Mr Justice Silber rejected their plea for a judicial review.

The girl's lawyers said after the judgment that she and her family were "bitterly disappointed" and were considering an appeal. Although the judge refused the girl permission to appeal, her lawyers can still apply to the court of appeal for leave.

The judge was told at a recent hearing that the girl's three elder sisters all attended the same school - two of them under the present headteacher - and all wore the niqab.

The girl, referred to as X - she is protected by an anonymity order, as is her Buckinghamshire school - argued that the ban thwarted her "legitimate expectation" that she would be allowed to wear the niqab and breached her right to freedom of "thought, conscience and religion" under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The school told X last September, when she started wearing the niqab on reaching puberty, that it was not acceptable because teachers believed it would make communication and learning difficult.

The veil covers all of the face except the eyes.

About 120 of the school's 1,300-plus pupils are Muslims, and up to 60 of them wear the hijab headscarf.

It is thought that X is the only pupil demanding the right to wear the full-face veil when being taught by male teachers or when in the presence of other male staff.

The girl is currently receiving tuition at home and has been offered a place at a different, mixed school that permits the niqab, but she wants to go back to her original school.

Mr Justice Silber urged X's parents to reconsider the offer of the alternative school. Free transport to and from that school would be provided. If they continued to refuse the offer, X would face a further period away from school, he said. She had already been away for four and half months and this was causing her some distress.

The school, which contested the case, won the backing of the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford, which stresses that not all Muslims agree with the wearing of the niqab.

The girl's solicitor, Shah Qureshi, said after the ruling: "This is a case about religious tolerance and the freedom to practice your religion as long as it does not interfere with others.

"This freedom is enshrined within Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. My client and her family are not the extremists that they have been portrayed as by some elements of the press.

"All she wants is to be able to practice her deeply held beliefs whilst getting on with her daily life. She is not impinging on the rights of others and has always been willing to meet with the school to reach a resolution."

He added: "My client and her family are deeply disappointed with the decision.

"We believe there are a number of errors in the decision that have led to Mr Justice Silber reaching the wrong conclusions. It is surprising that he decided that the school had not infringed my client's freedom to manifest her religion given the fact that she entered the school on the understanding that the wearing of the veil was allowed when being taught by male teachers."

The school was awarded costs against the girl's parents, who had privately funded her case.

The headteacher of the school said: "The school welcomes the judgment of the high court, supporting the school's decision not to allow pupils to wear the niqab. The decision to defend this action was taken after careful consideration on the part of the senior management team and the governors. It was not taken lightly.

"We want to focus now on supporting our student. We hope that she will return to school and resume her education as part of our community.

"The school has a long tradition of serving its local community. It is proud to play its part in community cohesion and welcomes pupils from all faiths and religions with a view to helping them achieve their potential in a supportive learning environment. This is a school where girls flourish, learning to become active and equal citizens."

The schools minister, Andrew Adonis, welcomed the ruling, adding that the court's decision would be taken into account in the government's new uniform guidance, due out shortly.

Muslim school 'that taught pupils from race hate textbooks made photocopies after order to shred them'

2008-12-29T20:40:00.000-08:00

A prestigious Islamic school in London was forced to shred 2,000 textbooks used to poison pupils' minds with lessons of hate, a former teacher claimed yesterday.
Colin Cook, who taught English at the King Fahad Academy for 18 years, told a tribunal how "incompetent" Ofsted inspectors reported that the school's teaching of Islamic studies was "mostly good".
But their report was wildly inaccurate, he said, because pupils as young as five were being taught by rote from Arabic textbooks describing Jews as "monkeys" and Christians as "pigs".

Colin Cook outside the Saudi school which sacked him for misconduct

Mr Cook said that when he exposed the racist teaching, the school's head Dr Sumaya Alyusuf lied on television, insisting that hateful passages had never been taught.
Under public pressure the Academy eventually agreed to destroy 2,000 books but photocopied them first for future use, he told the tribunal.
The school, in Acton, West London, opened in 1985 for the children of Saudi diplomats and is funded and controlled by the Saudi government.
Its 1,250 pupils have included the five children of jailed claw-handed cleric Abu Hamza and those of Abu Qatada, who was said to be Osama Bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe.
Mr Cook, 58, said that when he queried how the preachers could be paying school fees when they were said to be on state benefits, he was told to mind his own business.
Giving evidence to the hearing in Watford, Mr Cook claimed the school was seen as an extension of the Saudi Embassy rather than part of the UK, with Saudi teachers even enjoying diplomatic immunity.
He said some pupils made "inappropriate" remarks about killing Americans and praised the 9/11 attacks.
"When I heard such nonsense I challenged and tried to reason it through with the pupils," he added.

The King Fahad Academy in West London was attended by the five children of infamous Muslim cleric Abu Hamza among others
He said that misbehaviour by Saudi pupils was sometimes overlooked.
A school trip to Arsenal Football Club's museum in December 2005 ended in chaos when some King Fahad pupils chanted "Saudi, Saudi, Saudi" and fought with non-Saudi pupils, Mr Cook told the hearing.
"Apparently we were the first school ever to be thrown out of the museum, which was humiliating. None of the Saudi pupils was challenged over their behaviour by management."
Mr Cook, of Feltham, South London, is claiming unfair dismissal, race discrimination and victimisation, which the school denies.
He was earning £35,000 a year and is seeking £135,000 in compensation for lost earnings, injury to feelings and aggravated damages.
The school has vigorously denied encouraging any form of racial hatred. It insists that the offending passages in the books were "misinterpreted".
After Mr Cook's allegations in February last year, Dr Alyusuf went on BBC2's Newsnight and told presenter Jeremy Paxman that she was aware of the books but refused to withdraw them because they had "good chapters that can be used by the teachers".
Mr Cook told the hearing: "Dr Alyusuf simply lied about her knowledge of the contents of the books and tried to pretend that the books were not taught in the school. She failed to repudiate the racist views expressed in the books.
"The truth is she cannot go against the Saudi ministry of education. She is their puppet."
Mr Cook said the Ofsted inspection in March 2006 failed to identify major issues including parental complaints, unqualified teachers and indiscipline.
He added: "The Ofsted report was very inadequate. This is partly due to what the Academy did not tell the inspectors and partly due to, at best, incompetence by Ofsted."
He says he was sacked on trumpedup grounds in 2006 after he blew the whistle on the school for covering up cheating by pupils in a GCSE exam.
"In any normal workplace, an employee would not be sacked for whistle-blowing or indeed treated as a second-class citizen for not being Saudi Arabian," he said.
"However, as the head of human resources put it, 'This is not England. It is Saudi Arabia'."
He said he had to teach 28 lessons a week when Saudi colleagues had between three and 12. He said that when he realised the school was not going to carry out a proper inquiry into the alleged GCSE cheating, he took his complaints to exam board Edexcel.
The school claimed Mr Cook failed to observe proper procedure and fired him for gross misconduct.
The hearing continues.

State to consider Muslim school-dress code

2008-12-29T20:29:00.000-08:00

By Katherine Donnelly and Ralph Riegel

Tuesday May 20 2008

SCHOOL dress codes in an increasingly culturally diverse Ireland will be the subject of a national consultation process in the autumn.

Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe yesterday said he had asked Junior Minister Conor Lenihan, who has responsibility for integration, to consider the matter in the context of work on the development of an Intercultural Education Strategy.

Liam Majaahid Egan with his wife, Beverley McKenzie-Egan Su'ad and their children, camogie players, Shekina (14), Shakura (12), Shakiirah (8) and four-year-old Shadia

The issue has come to the fore after a Muslim family from Gorey, Co Wexford sought permission for their daughter to wear a hijab -- a headscarf worn by Muslim women -- to school.

Gorey Community School principal Nicholas Sweetman sought guidelines from the Department of Education last September on the wearing of the hijab but the department refused to issue advice.

Mr Sweetman allowed Shekina Egan (13) to wear the hijab, but called on the State to give guidance and so avoid a situation where one school had a policy allowing a hijab, while it was not permitted in another.

Shekina is the eldest daughter of Gorey native Liam Egan, who lived in the Yemen and Saudi Arabia and converted to Islam a number of years ago. Mr Egan returned to his hometown last year with his family which also includes wife Beverly and children Shakura (12), Shakiira (8) and Shadia (4).

The clothing issue has also exercised the local GAA club, Naomh Enna, which decided to allow the girls to wear hijabs underneath their protective helmets when playing camogie.

The girls are allowed to wear tracksuit bottoms instead of the more usual short skirts.

Beverly Egan said it was Shekina's choice to wear a hijab. She said: "Leaving it to individual school boards of management was not a safe way to go".

Mr O'Keeffe said he did not regard questions over the Muslim veil as "a serious issue" in Ireland.

While individual school authorities were responsible for the drawing up rules, including school uniform requirements, sensitive issues could arise given students' different cultural and religious backgrounds.

He said the department had responded to queries from schools in relation to students wearing the hijab on the basis that while a school was entitled to uphold its own ethos, the Education Act required school boards to have regard to the principles of a democratic society and be be mindful equal status legislation.

Trustees

National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) director Clive Byrne said that individual principals should not be left to make crucial decisions about the wearing of the hijab as this was a decision for school boards and trustees.

He said: "Wearing a veil is unlikely to be an issue in most schools but there will come a time when schools will be forced to deal with situations when parents demand that their daughters face be fully covered.

"Will it be found to be discriminatory under Equal Status legislation if school authorities insist that a full veil can't be worn?

"Cultural values and norms work both ways and the differing perspectives have to be acknowledged because the reality is that many Irish women see the wearing of the veil as a subjugation of women."

- Katherine Donnelly and Ralph Riegel

Council planners say no to Muslim school

2008-12-29T20:06:00.000-08:00

A MUSLIM society's plans to build a school in Camden have been dealt a severe blow after the council's experts yesterday recommended against the development on planning grounds.

The Quranic Society Dar Tahfez El-Quran had lodged plans with Camden Council to build a 1200-pupil school at Burragorang Road, Cawdor but drew angry protests from a group called the Committee for Public Affairs Education.

The Herald revealed the group was organised by members of the Reverend Fred Nile's Christian Democratic Party.

Camden Council will meet on Tuesday to decide if the society's plans for the school can proceed but council documents put online yesterday reveal the planning staff have advised against it. They said the development would generate too much traffic and did not comply with local rules for building work.

"The development will also compromise important cultural, agricultural and heritage views and vistas of the Camden floodplain," the council report says, adding that it would diminish the availability of grazing land.

"The applicant has also failed to demonstrate the site is free of contamination and therefore council cannot be satisfied that there will not be a risk to students' health," it says.

Although the proposed school was to have catered to both Muslim and non-Muslim children, the council noted that "there has been considerable community concern that the proposed development will either directly or indirectly result in a change to the cultural composition of Camden".

The Mayor of Camden, Chris Patterson, said the development application had nothing to do with religion.

"I have said all along that this is an issue that's not a religious issue, it's not a nationalistic issue. It's an issue to be based on planning," Cr Patterson said.

"We have professional staff who will do their report based on the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and I have every faith that our officers have had no influence from councillors. It's now up to the councillors to take in the report and make a decision on Tuesday evening."

The spokesman for the Quranic Society Dar Tahfez El-Quran, Jeremy Bingham, is overseas and was unable to be reached.

Mr Nile said he would attend Tuesday night's meeting to speak in support of the council officer's recommendation.

"I hope and pray the council will accept this recommendation and be courageous to make the right decision," he said.

"They are there to represent the community and to maintain that environment. I personally think the council should have the power to take into account a range of issues including religious issues, social, moral and environmental issues."

Mr Nile confirmed that the Committee for Public Affairs Education, which has organised protests and petitions against the proposed school, was made up of members of his party but said "no protests have been organised at the Christian Democratic Party management level".

Town moves against Islamic school

2008-12-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

With its lace curtain bungalows and steepled Anglican church, the once tranquil town of Camden in New South Wales seems the most improbable of settings for a row that combines race and religion.

Fifteen acres have been purchased for an Islamic school at Camden

Proud of its rich history, the town promotes itself as "the birthplace of the nation's wealth", for it was here, in the early 19th Century, that the sheep and dairy industries first began to flourish.

Now the town, which lies on south-west fringes of Sydney, is confronting a very 21st Century issue: the proposal to construct an Islamic school for some 1,200 Muslim pupils.

Behind the proposal is the Sydney-based Quranic Society, which has purchased 15 acres of land on the fringes of town, and produced detailed plans and designs.

None of them reference any obvious Islamic influences. Functional and non-descript, the two-storey school could easily be a light industrial development.

Camden council is currently deciding whether to grant planning permission and allow the controversial development to go ahead.

'Wrecking Australia'

At the council's headquarters, 12 bulging ring-binders hold more than 3,200 submissions from the public. Only 100 are in favour of the development.

The council will deliver its verdict either later this month or early next.

This is not a nationalistic issue, it's not a religious issue, it's a planning issue, and it will be addressed on those merits

Chris Patterson,
Camden mayor

Twice the town has managed to rebuff the fast food giant McDonald's. Now it has mobilised to block the construction of the Islamic school.

Back in November, more than 1,000 local people took part in a public meeting. Many participants expressed themselves with little regard for political correctness.

"This has to be one of the nicest places in New South Wales," said one woman, who has lived in Camden for the past nine years.

"Everywhere is being destroyed. Why don't we tell the truth. They're wrecking Australia. They're taking us over," she said.

"Why hasn't anyone got any guts? They've got terrorists amongst 'em... They want to be here so they can go and hide in all the farm houses... This town has every nationality... but Muslims do not fit in this town. We are Aussies, OK."

Some of the loudest cheers of the night greeted a speech from a local man in his late 70s.

"Can I just say this without being racist or political?" he said. "In 1983, in the streets of London a parade by Muslims chanted incessantly 'If we can take London, we can take the world'. Don't let them take Camden."

Some speakers focused solely on the environmental impact of locating an urban-scale school in such a bucolic setting; and, in particular, on the traffic congestion it would bring.

Some of the protesters wore anti-Islamic immigration slogans
One speaker implored the crowd to stick to planning issues, and not let the campaign be contaminated by racism or xenophobia.

When the chair of the meeting invited anyone in favour of the development to speak up, no one stepped forward.

Camden does not harbour a large Muslim community - census figures suggest about 150 families.

Most of the pupils at the proposed school would therefore be bussed in from Sydney, a journey that takes about an hour each way.

'Planning issue'

Andrew Wynnet of the Camden/Macarthur Residents' Group showed me the site of the proposed school, and focused on its unsuitability and undesirability.

"When you have no Muslims living in Camden, why have a Muslim school here?" he asked.

He was also concerned about its long-term, demographic impact.

"The character of the town will change. When you have a large facility like this, the parents will follow. That amount of parents will change the character of the town."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7420100.stm

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Residents explain their opposition

"If you introduce 1,500 Muslim people to the town they'd be a majority. And that's not what this town is about."

Bravely, given that local council elections are due later in the year, Mayor Chris Patterson has adopted a neutral stance.

Presumably, it would have been more politically expedient to veer towards populism.

"This is not a nationalistic issue, it's not a religious issue, it's a planning issue, and it will be addressed on those merits," he says.

Determined that the planning process should be allowed to play out, Mr Patterson does not want to prejudge it.

Acrimonious

Many locals fear that the campaign is being hijacked by right-wing, nationalist groups with their own agendas.

The Australia First organisation has been advertising for members in Camden, and says it plans to field a candidate in September's local elections.

Pauline Hanson, the former leader of the One Nation Party, has also paid a visit to the town, though the local paper, the Camden Advertiser, reported that she mistakenly thought the proposal was for a mosque rather than a school.

Camden residents vow they will not give up easily

The increasingly acrimonious and race-charged debate has also crossed into mainstream politics.

Camden is part of a Liberal-held parliamentary constituency which was high on Labor's target list at last November's federal election.

Campaigning in nearby Campbeltown, the then opposition leader Kevin Rudd said that the local infrastructure could not support such a large school, and that he therefore opposed it on "planning grounds".

The Quranic Society has kept a low public profile and was not available for comment.

But its position has been that Australian parents have the right to educate Australian children wherever they wish, regardless of race or religion. If the council rejects its planning application, it could appeal to the Land and Environment Court.

Camden residents will not give up easily.

"This town has fought all sorts of developments," Andrew Wynnet. "It will take on all-comers regardless of religion."

Update: Gaza

2008-12-29T18:21:00.000-08:00

Gaza's punishment continues today. Communication has been intermittent, but we have managed to keep the lines open. My father just called to inform me he was ok- after warplanes bombed the Islamic University there, considered to be the Strip's premiere academic institution.

A little later I called my mother, only to hear her crying on the phone. "The planes are overhead" she cried "the planes are overhead". I tried to calm her down- planes overhead mean the "target" is further away. But in such moments of intense fear, there is no room for rationality and logic.

There is you, and there are war planes; and nothing in between, besides orders and a video game screen.

Her panic subsided slightly..."ok ok your father says it was the navy gunships...they hit the pier...the poor fishermen, its not like its even a real pier... its just the pier, just the pier..."

She tried to convince my father not to go out to the mosque today. But he did. Most people stayed indoors.

So far, the death toll has reach over 300, with nearly 1000 injured, many critically.

OCHA reports search operations for dead bodies trapped under the rubble are still ongoing. Piles of bodies were places in front of Shifa hospital for identification-some too charred or dismembered to identify.

Most fatalities were civilian police; others included at least 20 children, nine women, and 60 other unarmed civilians.

The plotters have plotted; the pawns were in place; and the living dead continue to be massacred without a protest.

here are two videos I received from Fida Qishta in south Gaza's Rafah refugee camp:

Non-Muslim students at Islamic school forced to wear headscarves

2008-12-29T11:13:00.000-08:00

Female students at a new Islamic school will be made to wear head scarves regardless of their religion, it was revealed yesterday.

The Madani High School in Leicester will be required by law to accept 10 per cent of its 600 pupils from a non-Muslim background.
But girls who are not Muslim will still have to abide by a rule insisting all female pupils cover their heads as part of the uniform.

Assistant principal Zainab Elgaziari said he did not regard the demand as a problem - despite the ongoing row over Muslim women's veils.

He said: 'I can't see why if a student wears a head scarf it should be an issue. It's the same as a shirt or tie - it's just part of o

The hijab: Non-Muslim girls attending an Islamic school will have no choice but to wear headscarves

'We will welcome students of other faiths. Indeed, there will be a quota set down by the Government, and we will abide by these rules.

'When you go to any school you know what the uniform will be. Like any school, we will have one - and in our case it will include a head scarf.'

The secondary school, a voluntary-aided state academy, will replace the city's existing Islamic Academy when it opens next September.

Yesterday Leicester City Council said it did not believe the scarves would deter non-Muslim parents from sending children to the school.

Education spokesman Hussein Suleman, who is also a member of the school's temporary governing body, said: 'We have to find a balance.

'Governors have to take into account the fact that 10 per cent can be of a non-Muslim background and use discretion where appropriate.

'At the same time, parents have a right to send or not send their children to this school. I hope discretion will be used if there are any disagreements.'

The school, which is not expected to make boys cover their heads, was also backed by Suleman Nagdi, of the Federation of Muslim Organisations.

He said: 'All Islamic schools have certain criteria for school uniform. I can't see anything different about the criteria they are setting in this instance.'

THE GOLDEN AGE:

2008-12-28T10:33:00.001-08:00

The early 'Abbasids were also fortunate in the caliber of their caliphs, especially after Harun al-Rashid came to the caliphate in 786. His reign is now the most famous in the annals of the 'Abbasids - partly because of the fictional role given him in The Thousand and One Nights (portions of which probably date from his reign), but also because his reign and those of his immediate successors marked the high point of the 'Abbasid period. As the Arab chronicles put it, Harun al-Rashid ruled when the world was young, a felicitous description of what in later times has come to be called the Golden Age of Islam.

The Golden Age was a period of unrivaled intellectual activity in all fields: science, technology, and (as a result of intensive study of the Islamic faith) literature - particularly biography, history, and linguistics. Scholars, for example, in collecting and reexamining the hadith, or "traditions" - the sayings and actions of the Prophet - compiled immense biographical detail about the Prophet and other information, historic and linguistic, about the Prophet's era. This led to such memorable works as Sirat Rasul Allah, the "Life of the Messenger of God," by Ibn Ishaq, later revised by Ibn Hisham; one of the earliest Arabic historical works, it was a key source of information about the Prophet's life and also a model for other important works of history such as al-Tabari's Annals of the Apostles and the Kings and his massive commentary on the Quran.

Photo: Persian miniature depicts students with a teacher of astronomy - one of the sciences to which scholars of the Golden Age made great contributions.

'Abbasid writers also developed new a genres of literature such as adab, the embodiment of sensible counsel, sometimes in the form of animal fables; a typical example is Kalilah wa-Dimnah, translated by Ibn al-Muqaffa' from a Pahlavi version of an Indian work. Writers of this period also studied tribal traditions and wrote the first systematic Arabic grammars.

During the Golden Age Muslim scholars also made important and original contributions to mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry. They collected and corrected previous astronomical data, built the world's first observatory, and developed the astrolabe, an instrument that was once called "a mathematical jewel." In medicine they experimented with diet, drugs, surgery, and anatomy, and in chemistry, an outgrowth of alchemy, isolated and studied a wide variety of minerals and compounds.

Important advances in agriculture were also made in the Golden Age. The 'Abbasids preserved and improved the ancient network of wells, underground canals, and waterwheels, introduced new breeds of livestock, hastened the spread of cotton, and, from the Chinese, learned the art of making paper, a key to the revival of learning in Europe in the Middle Ages.

The Golden Age also, little by little, transformed the diet of medieval Europe by introducing such plants as plums, artichokes, apricots, cauliflower, celery, fennel, squash, pumpkins, and eggplant, as well as rice, sorghum, new strains of wheat, the date palm, and sugarcane.

Photo: Muslim scientists developed the astrolabe, an instrument used long before the invention of the sextant to observe the position of celestial bodies.

Many of the advances in science, literature, and trade which took place during the Golden Age of the 'Abbasids and which would provide the impetus for the European Renaissance reached their flowering during the caliphate of al-Mamun, son of Harun al-Rashid and perhaps the greatest of all the 'Abbasids. But politically the signs of decay were already becoming evident. The province of Ifriqiyah - North Africa west of Libya and east of Morocco - had fallen away from 'Abbasid control during the reign of Harun al-Rashid, and under al-Mamun other provinces soon broke loose also. When, for example, al-Mamun marched from Khorasan to Baghdad, he left a trusted general named Tahir ibn al-Husayn in charge of the eastern province. Tahir asserted his independence of the central government by omitting mention of the caliph's name in the mosque on Friday and by striking his own coins - acts which became the standard ways of expressing political independence. From 821 onward Tahir and his descendants ruled Khorasan as an independent state, with the tacit consent of the 'Abbasids.

Al-Mamun died in 833, in the town of Tarsus, and was succeeded by his brother, al-Mu'tasim, under whose rule the symptoms of decline that had manifested themselves earlier grew steadily worse. As he could no longer rely on the loyalty of his army, al-Mu'tasim recruited an army of Turks from Transoxania and Turkestan. It was a necessary step, but its outcome was dominance of the caliphate by its own praetorian guard. In the years following 861, the Turks made and unmade rulers at will, a trend that accelerated the decline of the central authority. Although the religious authority of the 'Abbasid caliphate remained unchallenged, the next four centuries saw political power dispersed among a large number of independent states: Tahirids, Saffarids, Samanids, Buwayhids, Ziyarids, and Ghaznavids in the east; Hamdanids in Syria and northern Mesopotamia; and Tulunids, Ikhshidids, and Fatimids in Egypt.

Photo: Books of fables, often illustrated, served a dual purpose to instruct and to entertain.

Some of these states made important contributions to Islamic culture. Under the Samanids, the Persian language, written in the Arabic alphabet, first reached the level of a literary language and poets like Rudaki, Daqiqi, and Firdausi flourished. The Ghaznavids patronized al-Biruni, one of the greatest and most original scholars of medival Islam, and the Hamdanids, a purely Arab dynasty, patronized such poets as al-Mutanabbi and philosophers like the great al-Farabi, whose work kept the flame of Arab culture alive in a difficult period. But in historical terms, only the Fatimids rivaled the preceding dynasties.

2008-12-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

THE MONGOLS AND THE MAMLUKS:

2008-12-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

In the thirteenth century still another threat to the Muslim world appeared in the land beyond the Oxus: the Mongols. Led by Genghis Khan, a confederation of nomadic tribes which had already conquered China now attacked the Muslims. In 1220 they took Samarkand and Bukhara. By mid-century they had taken Russia, Central Europe, northern Iran, and the Caucuses, and in 1258, under Hulagu Khan, they invaded Baghdad and put an end to the remnants of the once-glorious 'Abbasid Empire. The ancient systems of irrigation were destroyed and the devastation was so extensive that agricultural recovery, even in the twentieth century, is still incomplete. Because a minor scion of the dynasty took refuge with the Mamluks in Egypt, the 'Abbasid caliphate continued in name into the sixteenth century. In effect, however, it expired with the Mongols and the capture of Baghdad. From Iraq the Mongols pressed forward into Syria and then toward Egypt where, for the first time, they faced adversaries who refused to quail before their vaunted power. These were the Mamluks, soldier-slaves from the Turkish steppe area north of the Black and Caspian Seas with a later infusion of Circassians from the region of the Caucuses Mountains.

The Mamluks had been recruited by the Ayyubids and then, like the Turkish mercenaries of the 'Abbasid caliphs, had usurped power from their enfeebled masters. Unlike their predecessors, however, they were able to maintain their power, and they retained control of Egypt until the Ottoman conquest in 1517. Militarily formidable, they were also the first power to defeat the Mongols in open combat when, in 1260, the Mongols moved against Palestine and Egypt. Alerted by a chain of signal fires stretching from Iraq to Egypt, the Mamluks were able to marshal their forces in time to meet, and crush, the Mongols at 'Ayn Jalut near Nazareth in Palestine.

Photo: The Mamluks, originally a class of soldier slaves, seized power in Egypt in the thirteenth century and stood fast against the Mongols.

In the meantime, the Mongols, like so many of the peoples who had come into contact with Islam, had begun to embrace it. At the dawn of the fourteenth century, Ghazan Khan Mahmud officially adopted Islam as the religion of the state, and for a time peace descended on the eastern portion of the Mongol empire. During this period the Mongols built mosques and schools and patronized scholarship of all sorts. But then, in 1380, a new Turko-Mongol confederation was hammered together by another world conqueror: Tamerlane, who claimed descent from Genghis Khan. Under Tamerlane, the Mongol forces swept down on Central Asia, India, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, occupying Aleppo and Damascus and threatening - but not defeating - the Mamluks. Once again, however, the Muslims survived their invaders. Tamerlane died on his way to conquer China, and his empire melted away.

Politically and economically, the Mongol invasions were disastrous. Some regions never fully recovered and the Muslim empire, already weakened by internal pressures, never fully regained its previous power. The Mongol invasions, in fact, were a major cause of the subsequent decline that set in throughout the heartland of the Arab East. In their sweep through the Islamic world the Mongols killed or deported numerous scholars and scientists and destroyed libraries with their irreplaceable works. The result was to wipe out much of the priceless cultural, scientific, and technological legacy that Muslim scholars had been preserving and enlarging for some five hundred years.

REVIVAL IN THE ARAB EAST:

2008-12-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

Elsewhere in the Arab world, meanwhile, the last vestiges of European political dominance were being eliminated. Egypt, for example, after ousting in 1952 a royal dynasty going back to the 1800s and installing Gamal Abdel Nasser as president, forced the British to relinquish control of the Suez Canal and withdraw from the country. Algeria, ten years later, won its independence from France after six years of bitter warfare. Even earlier, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon had broken their ties with Britain and France.

This tumultuous period also saw an increase in the influence of the United States and the Soviet Union in the Middle East. Neither power had played a major role in the early phases of penetration, but this changed as they developed conflicting interests with regard to the Arab-Israeli dispute, the construction of the Aswan Dam in Egypt, the rise of a number of radical governments in the area, and the emergence of the Arab world as a pivotal supplier of oil to the world.

In the same period, the Arab countries themselves, voluntarily and pragmatically, continued to adopt Western techniques, forms, and to some extent concepts. Most Arab countries, for example, have embraced the concept of the sovereign nation-state and Western patterns of political administration: parliaments, political parties, and constitutions. Many, too, have adopted Western legal codes, have accepted international and regional organizations and international courts as means of dealing with other nations, and have organized and equipped their armed forces along Western lines. In recent years, most Arab countries have also adopted the modern industrial economy as a national goal and introduced modern techniques of agriculture and modern methods of transport and mass communications, and invested vast sums in education. Even in recreation and amusement, Western influences are strong.

If Western influences are important in the Middle East, however, they are by no means paramount. Western forms have been adapted as much as they have been adopted, and healthy hybrid forms and concepts abound. More importantly, traditional values are still deeply cherished and promoted. In sum, modernization has not been entirely synonymous with Westernization. By the end of the 1970s the Arabs, having assumed control of their own destinies, had emerged as full and independent participants in the affairs of the world. In the forefront was Saudi Arabia, the heartland of Islam, and the site of the momentous events which initiated Islamic history fourteen centuries ago.

In the sixteenth century three Muslim empires are at or close to the pinnacle of their power and brilliance: the Ottomans under Suleiman the Magnificent, Safavid Persia under Shah Abbas the Great, and Mogul India under Akbar the Great. The Ottoman Turks have conquered and maintain effective control over diverse peoples in a vast empire stretching from Persia almost to the gates of Vienna and along the north coast of Africa to Algiers. In the Arabian Peninsula the Ottomans penetrate to al-Hasa on the Arabian Gulf and to Mocha on the Red Sea. However, the sharifs of Mecca and Medina are virtually independent. Throughout this period the Ottomans contest control of the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea with the Portuguese, who establish themselves in Bahrain, Muscat, and Hormuz and assist Ethiopia in repulsing the Turks from the coast of East Africa.

Islam numbers many millions of adherents outside the Middle Eastern countries:

Photo: Sunset silhouettes a minaret in Sarajevo, a city of some eighty mosques that bear witness to the long Islamic heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Photo: The Mopti Mosque in the West African Republic of Mali.

Photo: A Taiwanese religious teacher.

Photo: A mosque in Washington, D.C., a landmark for millions of Muslims in North America

Photo: One of the largest mosques of the Far East is in Bandar Seri Bagawan, capital of the Sultanate of Brunei in Southeast Asia.

Acknowledgements:
These pages were incorporated from "ARAMCO and Its World: Arabia And The Middle East", Edited by Ismail I. Nawwab, Peter C. Speers & Paul F. Hoye, Islam and Islamic History Section, published in 1980 by Arabian American Oil Company, Washington D.C.

THE 'ABBASIDS:

2008-12-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

In the Middle East, during these centuries, the 'Abbasids, after their victory over the Umayyads, had transformed the Umayyads' Arab empire into a multinational Muslim empire. They moved the capital of the empire from Syria to Iraq, where they built a new capital, Baghdad, from which, during the next five centuries, they would influence many of the main events of Islamic history.

In the early period of 'Abbasid rule, al-Mansur, the second caliph of the dynasty, continued the reorganization of the administration of the empire along the lines that had been laid down by his Umayyad predecessor, 'Abd al-Malik. Much of the 'Abbasid administration, for example, was left in the hands of well-educated Persian civil servants, many of whom came from families that had traditionally served the Sassanid kings. The important office of wazir or vizier, chief counselor, may well have developed from Sassanid models. The vizier was much more than an advisor; indeed, when the caliph was weak, a capable vizier became the most powerful man in the empire.

Photo: Astride the Tigris, present day Baghdad stands in the vicinity of the 'Abbasid capital, a fabulous city of mosques, mansions and libraries.

The creation of the office of the vizier was only one of the innovations the 'Abbasids brought to statecraft. Another was the development of the Umayyad postal system into an efficient intelligence service; postmasters in outlying provinces were the eyes and ears of the government and regular reports were filed with the central government on everything from the state of the harvest to the doings of dissident sects. Under the 'Abbasids too a whole literature was created for the use and training of the clerical classes that had come into being. Since all government business was by now transacted in Arabic, manuals of correct usage were written for the instruction of non-Arabic speakers who had found government employment. There was also a vast literature on the correct deportment of princes, as well as anthologies of witty sayings and anecdotes with which to enliven one's epistolary style.

Photo: The Great Mosque of the Umayyads in Damascus dates from the early eighth century and numerous works of rebuilding have not changed its fundamental character.

In some ways the 'Abbasids were more fortunate than the Umayyads. When, for example, al-Mansur died in 775 after a reign of twenty years, his son, al-Mahdi, inherited a full treasury and an empire that was more devoted to trade than war.

The developments in trade, indeed, are among the achievements of the 'Abbasids that are too often overlooked. Because Islamic rule unified much of the Eastern world, thus abolishing many boundaries, trade was freer, safer, and more extensive than it had been since the time of Alexander the Great. Muslim traders, consequently, established trading posts as far away as India, the Philippines, Malaya, the East Indies, and China.

Photo: Golden domes and gold topped minarets highlight the mosque of al-Kazimayn in Baghdad, built in the early sixteenth century.

From the eighth to the eleventh centuries this trade was largely concerned with finding and importing basic necessities- grain, metals, and wood. To obtain them, of course, the Muslims had to export too, often using the imports from one region as exports to another: pearls from the Gulf, livestock from the Arabian Peninsula (particularly Arabian horses and camels), and - one of the chief products - cloth. The Muslims also traded medicines, an offshoot of 'Abbasid advances in medical science, as well as paper and sugar.

Photo: The mosque of Bibi Khanum named for Tamerlane's favorite wife, was once the most imposing building of Samarkand.

This expansion of commercial activity led to other developments too. One was a system of banking and exchange so sophisticated that a letter of credit issued in Baghdad could be honored in Samarkand in Central Asia or Kairouan in North Africa. The demands on trade also generated development of crafts. From Baghdad's large urban population, for example, came craftsmen of every conceivable sort: metalworkers, leatherworkers, bookbinders, papermakers, jewelers, weavers, druggists, bakers, and many more. As they grew in importance to the economy these craftsmen eventually organized themselves into mutual-benefit societies which in some ways were similar to later Western guilds and which offered many social services: lodging travelers, engaging in pious works such as caring for orphans, and endowing schools. Because of this growth in commerce the 'Abbasids also developed a system by which a muhtasib, an inspector made sure that proper weights and measures were given and that dishonest practices of all sorts were avoided.