Infused with an ambition to counter and unplug the incessant, ongoing harassment of Christian missionaries- a fed up Muslim retailer in South Africa, knowing very little of his own religion, was propelled to educate himself to close the curtains on the then Christian onslaught against Islam once and for all.
Equipped with his fondness of reading and his knack for story telling, he stumbled on a book, Izharul Haqq (The Truth Revealed), that set him well on his way in developing himself into a master of comparative religion and splendid debater successfully presenting the universal message of Islam vis-a-vis other religions.
For him, as should be the case for all Muslims, it was Allah who set the theme:
"Invite all to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.Surely, your Lord knows best who has strayed from His Path, and He knows best those who receive guidance." -An-Nahl v.125
From silencing pestering missionaries in his city of Durban to stumping scholars, clerics and evangelists of the Protestant and Catholic world throughout Africa and all over the Western hemisphere. He became extraordinary, inspirational, international, renown and some may say heroic in the field of da'wah. His efforts have earned him the Faisal International Award in 1986 and much reverence, but we pray his reward with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is infinitely greater and among the highest stations in Jennah. As these efforts have led several thousand during his lifetime, and possibly to this day, to Islam.
That man, Shaykh Ahmed Deedat rahimallahu anhu. The lecture I'll post of his entitled "Christianity and Islam" was conducted March 17, 1987 in Geneva, Switzerland. It serves as a wonderful introduction to Islam and historical lesson well-worth contemplating. "What was the actual religion called upon and followed by all the prophets (peace be upon them)?" appears to be the inquisition here. Enjoy and benefit, in'sha'Allah:
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Indeed, Allah is praised and may His peace and blessings eternally be upon His Messenger. All praise is for Allah; Lord, Creator and Sustainer of all worlds and existing things. Humbly, we praise Allah in all conditions, who has submerged us in His greatest blessing by making us Muslim- al Ummat Muhammadsalallahu 'alayhi wa salaam.
May He preserve us, keeping us firm upon His deen- the way of life of attaining peace through complete submission and obedience to Him (Islam) and may He have us only to remember Him and beseech His Forgiveness when we forget and we get distracted. Ameen. I pray all our brothers and sisters in Islam, young and old, new and emerging, that we all die only in the purest state of Islam. Ameen ya Rabbil 'alameen wa'iyaaka.
As-salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmatullah,
What is to proceed is a talk from respected brother and British-revert to Islam, Abdur Raheem Green, that outlines the broad and very clear distinctions between what is Islam and what is culture. It serves effectively to rid the confusion about what is actually Islam, or what is in keeping to the Sunnah of our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, and what is often mistaken or sometimes confused for Islam- namely the culture and traditions of a particular society or nation. He also delves a bit into some of the major etiquette of the Sunnah that are seemingly abandoned, their importance and purpose. A critical reminder I thought quite beneficial for the Ummah, in'sha'Allah ta'ala. Fi amani Allah.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Peace unto those who heed the righteous guidance and may such guidance reach those who sincerely seek it. I share now a compelling article by Graham E. Fuller published in the Jan-Feb 2008 issue of Foreign Policy Magizine that contemplates acutely the condition of our world had Islam never been.
Formally vice-chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the CIA and presently an adjunct professor of history at Simon Fraser University, Fuller intelligibly concludes the world would be in the same, if not, more disastrous state without Islam. Unraveling the heart of the worlds' struggles and conflicts lie in European imperialism and colonialism rather than religion (although having part) with his well-researched and thoroughly-considered hypothesis of an Islam-less world.
My only faultfinding is its omission to appreciate how Islam ultimately delivered Europe out the Middle Ages and into its Enlightenment, Reformation and Renaissance era(s). If only this fact had been merely glossed over this article would have easily earned from me five stars. Notwithstanding, Fuller manages still to drive this much ignored yet mammoth of a point home.
Of course for the Muslim, without Islam, there would be no world to ponder the idea to begin with. In fact, without submission to the will of God (i.e. Islam), there would be no 'alamin (i.e. everything in creation) altogether. Even so, let's indulge Mr. Fuller in this ruminative endeavor shall we?
In the Most Holy name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful to Whom all praise and gratitude ultimately belongs and may the peace and blessings of Allah eternally be upon His Messenger, Muhammad, his family and companions. Indeed, the best speech is the speech of Allah azza wa jall, al-Qur'an. And the best guidance is indeed the guidance of the Messenger of Allah, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, the (authentic) Sunnah. Indeed, the worst of affairs is bid'ah, that is, innovations or newly invented matters in the Deen. The Deen has been completed and perfected by Allah Himself and has been fully explained in words and actions by our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam. Any inclusion or exclusion in terms of principles, rulings or actions in or away from the Deen is a bid'ah; every bid'ah is a misguidance and every misguidance is already in the Fire. I pray that we strive firmly upon the sirataal mustaqeem (the pure and straight path) and that said path be made clear before the sight of all who seek it. Ameen.
In approaching this topic for the second time, and carefully so, I aim to have expounded on the reason we, Muslims, love Muhammad to the extent that he, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, comes second only to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and why all of humanity should admire him above everything else in creation. This hour talk delivered by our respected Brother Jalal ibn Sa'eed beautifully recapitulates the story of our beloved prophet, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, showcasing example after example of Muhammad's unsurpassed merciful, forgiving, charitable, kind, just and trustworthy nature, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam.Concluding the reason he, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, is indeed the greatest man humanity has known, and the greatest man humanity will ever know.
As the missles continue to glide, mortar shells proceed to errupt, bullets still mist and bombs resume to descend upon Gaza, 531 civilizian deaths have been estimated yesterday, January 5th, and this number of confirmed casualties is of course steadily climbing.
Our beloved Rasul, Muhammad, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, has advised us:
"Whoever among you witnesses an evil, let them change it by hand, if they are unable to do so, then by the tongue, and if unable to do so, then with their heart; and that is the weakest of faith." [Sahih Muslim]
So in tradition of the spirit behind every righteous cause, in defiance of overwhelming odds and in stubborn refusal to be stagnated by cynicism, the movement against social injustice and the holocaustal strike in Gaza and abroad fuels and carries on. May our efforts; prayers, fasts, voices and actions all be received by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that our dear brothers and sisters be granted ease and victory over His enemies and ours. Ya Rabb, Ameen!
One man's view I especially respect in regards to what's dubbed the "Israel-Palestine Conflict" and the Middle East crises (as he's made it his life's mission to specialize) is historian, political scientist, lecturer and author, Norman Finkelstein. A man whose bio, work, interviews and debates (most notably the one with Alan Dershowits on DemocracyNow) one should explore if not already familiar.
Finkelstein is one whose presence is much needed in mainstream Western media when such crises in Gaza take off. However, call me delusioned, but I sense that despiste the extreme media bias that much of the American public perspective is coming to terms with the grim reality corporate media spurns to represent.
Mr. Norman Finkelstein, champion exposer of the Zionist agenda, appeared recently on Press TV in Tehran, Iran to offer his take on the brutal situation in Gaza. He also speaks a little on Bush, some of what we can expect from Obama and his Administration and his thoughts on Hassan Nasrallah that even I had to gasp over. The following contains both appearances and will automatically proceed to the next, in'sha'Allah:
