Dear, Muslimeen (a heart to heart and audio debate):

Bismillah, Alhamdulillah wa-Salaatu wa-Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu ya Muslimeen.

Today, it's more apparent than I've ever realized that our Ummah are notionally divided on the issue of voting and participating in democratic elections. The concern and weight on this issue would seem to have elevated as the activism among Muslims in secular politics and elections has increased.

Surely, I've clarified where I stand as regards to voting. And there is a significant number of Muslims who honorably disagree, others who spitefully contest it and yet even another portion who just don't understand why it's such a big deal to begin with.

We have clear consensus that as a minority in secular lands we are only obligated to live peacefully, dealing justly and kindly with everyone, speaking out against injustice and most importantly fulfilling and calling to tawheed to the best of our individual abilities. We are to obey the secular laws; taking advantage of the ones allowing us the things Allah Loves and detesting/avoiding those allowing that which Allah hates. Being that it is not compulsory to participate in the voting process and being that it is a system founded on the premise that a governing body, human beings, has the right to legislate; correspondingly declaring that Allah does NOT have the right to legislate. Needless to say, a forerunner opponent of Allah's Shari'ah that will do all within its power to prevent its fruition, occupying predominately Muslim lands while misplacing thousands to millions of our brothers and sisters, young and old, therein. How then do we justify consciously engaging to further support such a system in its nationalistic efforts that are openly against (what should be) our interest?

We weigh the pros and cons. We consider who will cause less harm to the Ummah and humanity in general. We consider who wants more peace. But do we consider that either way, harm will afflict humanity and our Ummah under their authority? Do we consider, either way, Muslims (whether one hundred or one million) will be killed as a result of orders they approved? And so the question is, are we accountable for that which Allah will hold them to account by simply having an unforced hand in placing them in office?

The arguments proceed back and forth. Each point as compelling and strong as the next. And the question remains, where should we stand on this issue? We know that we must approach this issue the same way we base our actions, within the framework of the Qur'an and Sunnah. We cannot base it on any emotional or superficial reason such as I've heard from some Muslims in defense of their choice to vote: "I'm not voting because of religion, I'm voting because of race." This, of course, is a shallow, short-sighted... just altogether horrible excuse and a justification unacceptable on all levels. Let's keep it in perspective. The one thing that makes us a family, a global community, an Ummah, is the very fact that our Islam takes precedence over every other aspect of ourselves. We do not make the mistakes of followers of prophets of old. We do not assimilate the ways of the disbelievers. We don't divide or assign status among ourselves according to nationality, race, posession, etc. and certainly we are not Secular Muslims (the phrase itself is oxymoronic).

Remember, Allah will not bless our Ummah with the establishment of a khalifah until we prove ourselves ready. Once we're all operating on the same wavelength, Allah, will reward us greatly in this world. Otherwise, the revival of Islam and the Shari'ah is countered against by our own efforts.

Allah tells us what means:

"So set thou thy face STEADILY AND TRULY to the Faith: establish Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: NO CHANGE let there be in the work wrought by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not." -Surah Al Rum ayah 30

Below, I'll post one of the more respectable, dignified and healthy dialogues revolving about the topic of voting among Muslims that I believe every Muslim should lend their ear. Brother Saad of DawahWorks debates Brother Farhan on this increasingly concerned issue among our Ummah, especially in the West. Thanks to Islam and Friends for organizing and moderating this much needed discussion.

Now That the Elections are Over...

America is not one man. America is its institutions, which have compromised the very principles they claim to uphold. America has its capitalist system whose weaknesses lie exposed. One man can never change those problems that are systemic in a state, no matter how eloquently he pledges to do so. America is a capitalist state with a capitalist foreign policy and that is to colonize other states. As such she will seek to maintain her domination of the Muslim world and continue that capitalist agenda of exploitation. Presidents come and go, policies may be amended, but there will be no real change.

We should look beyond personality and evaluate declared policies. Barack Obama has declared his willingness to attack Pakistan, intensify the war in Afghanistan and keep promoting disaster capitalism. He has also pledged unstinting support for the brutal Israeli occupation of Palestine. Where is the 'real' change from the policies of George W Bush?

Real change in the Muslim world cannot come from having faith in one man. It will never come from emulating a failed capitalist system. It will only come when the Muslim world transfers its faith in Islam to faith in Islam's political ideas and restore the Islamic Khilafah: an accountable, just system, not open to manipulation, which puts the poor and needy at the centre of its economic programme, and which will defend its lands from occupation and exploitation.

Respected speaker and Imam, Anwar al-Awlaki, had this to say:
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One of the characteristics of a humiliated and oppressed community is their submission to their oppressor and their tolerance of oppression. On the other hand they are arrogant and intolerant among themselves. This is how it was with Banu Israel when living under the Pharaoh. I am sorry to state this but unfortunately this attitude is been reflected by many American Muslims who humiliated themselves by voting for candidates who have no serious concern for their issues. I mentioned in my previous post:

"The perception the American Muslims are giving is that by giving them nothing substantial and by giving them just a little bit of recognition you can get their support, vote and loyalty even if you carry on your war against their brothers and sisters. Just like a dog owner abusing his dog but as long as the bone is thrown out the dog will still give his owner all his loyalty."

It is sad but true.

The American Muslims who decided to vote have made a fool out of themselves and the whole world knows it. Under the heading: "America’s outcast Muslims: Once Bush backers, Muslims today are staunch Democrats. But both Obama and McCain shun them." The UK’s The Guardian states:

“American Muslims have been called the “outcasts” of this presidential election. Muslims themselves have told the media that Islam is being treated as “political leprosy”, a “scarlet letter”, or the “kiss of death”".

Why not just call them house Negros?

The Australian newspaper The Age says: “Neither campaign courts America’s Muslim vote.” They go on to state that: “Neither presidential candidate has made a single visit to a mosque.” If they didn’t even bother to visit a mosque, which is no more than a ceremonial thing anyway but does make the house Negros happy, how can one expect from them any support on our issues?

Nevertheless, the proud American Muslims have been running around in service of both candidates. Many American Muslims still insisted on voting. Chasing a mirage that somehow the new president will improve their lot. First it was Bush now Obama. There is a striking similarity between the American Muslim community and the Muslims of al Andalus who chose to stay behind after Muslim Spain fell into the hands of the Catholic monarchs. There are some writings that reveal that after all the oppression they suffered they still had hope that their situation would improve, even after the Catholic monarchs showed them the worst treatment. Since there were no elections back then and no Barak Obama they were clinging their hopes on a Mahdi that would appear and deliver them to safety. A few decades later, no Mahdi appeared and their children and grandchildren slowly but surely were loosing their identity until Islam seized to exist all together in the Iberian peninsula.

I do not believe that America would do the same because they have grown wiser and more sophisticated than their Spanish predecessors. Muslims will be allowed to pray, fast, and practice Islam as long as it is contained within the spiritual compartment. But they will not be allowed to be Muslim in the full sense of the word. The issues of Sharia law, Jihad, wala and bara, hudud, khilafah, the Quranic teachings concerning the Jews and Christians, and support of Muslim resistance fighters around the world will not be tolerated. Now the spiritual aspect will also be under attack, probably not by the government but by the society at large. The American culture will destroy their families. It will deprive their children and grandchildren of their identity. Time will be the witness. Muslims have given their vote for free. Back in the 90s we were told that we should not expect anything back because we are not seen as a voting block (back then the prominent view among the Muslims was against participation in the elections). Well now there is definitely a voting block and it is quite large as some reports say that the Muslim registered voters are around two million!So what are the Muslims getting in exchange for their vote? NOTHING.

Brothers and sisters you can vote, you can run around supporting the campaigns, you can stay silent about the aspects of your religion that do not appeal to your fellow citizens, you can speak out against your Muslim brothers and sisters who support the Muslim causes around the world, you can try your best to fit in and be accepted and the end result will be that you will always be seen as the enemy and you will never be accepted unless you do one thing: give up your religion. As Allah told us what means:

“And never will the Jews and Christians approve of you until you follow their religion” [2:120]

With all of this activism and increased participation the situation of the American Muslims did not improve but in fact it regressed. The Bush campaign of 2000 has outreached to the Muslims more than both candidates of 2008.Giving a fatwa calling on people to vote in democratic elections is not an easy thing. One would expect solid evidence from Quran and Sunnah when inviting people to take such a step. However, what I have seen is the opposite.

I would ask you to read such fatawa and judge them not based on the names or numbers of scholars who are behind them but on the evidence. There was a moment in time when the majority of the scholars of the Muslim world were towing the official line of the Mu’tazila and that didnt make it right. Then look at the fatawa of scholars such as al Albani, the Lanjna da’ima, Abu Muhammad al Maqdisi, al Gabashy and many of the scholars of the salafi orientation around the world who are against participation in democratic election. That is the position of large Islamic movements and individuals such as Sayed Qutb, Dr. Israr Ahmad, Hizb-ut-Tahrir, and the Salafi Jihadi movement. In Yemen prominent scholars from the Muslim Brotherhood have finally come to the conclusion that the democratic process is no more than a game that wastes the efforts of Muslims with very little gain.

In addition to that I found out that many people are asking the ones who are telling the people not to vote to bring their evidence! The burden of proof is on the ones who call others to participate in a disbelieving system, in a disbelieving country not the other way around.

Anyway, the evidence for not voting are all the verses of Quran that refer to governance as a right of Allah in surat al Nisa and al Bakarah, the verses talking about disavowal of the disbelievers in surat al Bakara, al Nisa and al Mumtahina, and the hadiths of Rasulullah, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, that instruct us to be separate from the disbelievers. There are scholars who wrote detailed papers on the subject and you may find the links to them on the comments made by some brothers and sisters on my last two posts. For those who did send me evidence for the position on voting I did respond to some of them and there remains the issue of the Muslims in Abyssinia and Yusuf (as). The response to this is very straightforward: Both the king of Abyssinia and the King of Egypt were not at war with the believers and were both very supportive of the Muslims. In addition to that, there are authentic narrations that al Najashi was Muslim and weaker ones that state that the king in the time of Yusuf became Muslim. But lets assume that this is not the case. Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of Fiqh should realize that there are stark differences on how Islam calls us to deal with those who are at war with us and those who are not. Allah says:

"Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous towards them and acting justly towards them. Indeed Allah loves those who act justly. "[60:8]

Now that Obama is in office we will see how these four years will unfold. I personally think that since what Obama stands for is falsehood, the justifications of the Muslims in choosing him were false and the process in which the Muslims chose him were also false we cannot expect any good to come out of falsehood.“Indeed Allah does not amend the work of the corrupters” [10;81]

Assalamu alaykum

Your Brother,
Anwar Al Awlaki

Tawheed 101

Bismillah, Alhamdulillah wa-Salaatu wa-Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

Perhaps among the effective ways of identifying what something is, is identifying what that something is not.

I've become increasingly aware of how easily, it would appear, some Muslims and particular factions within our Ummah fall into committing shirk against Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala. By excelling to extremes in their love for the Prophet, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, our late, beloved Imams and pious believers (they blaspheme in calling "saints"), Allah be pleased with them, they slip into the very error(s) committed by Ahl-al-Kitab; calling upon their names for intercession, though none can intercede except with Allah's Permission. It is both a blessing from and a right belonging ONLY to Allah to permit particular believers to intercede for others on the Day of Recompense. It is the essence of shirk to approach any grave and prostrate, make sujood and/or du'a to it. Having more kushuu before these graves than in their obligatory salaat.

To claim that an object or someone, no matter how holy or pious, has the right to intercede is to claim that very thing or individual also has the right to accept worship and the right to accept Repentance. O Muslim, don't decieve yourself into believing these acts are not shirk. They are in fact the essence of shirk. The right to accept worship, grant Jannah and to abase sins are rights belonging to Allah and to Allah alone. What was sent down by Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, to Muhammad, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, was a restoration and invitation to mankind BACK to Tawheed. Even Surah Al-Ikhlas we're told by our Prophet, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, is worth 1/3 of the entire Qur'an on the basis that it is the greatest summary epitomizing Tawheed. Though the Surah contains but 4 ayat, still it's worth 1/3 the Qur'an! We know the key to Jannah is accepting "la ilaha ill Allah" in our hearts and fulfilling its conditions and the key to His Anger and Wrath is the violation or acts that contradict "la ilaha ill Allah." Shirk is the opposite of Tawheed and ultimately nullifies one's Islam. Allah has warned that if even Muhammad, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, were to commit shirk against Him then all his good deeds would be erased leaving nothing but his bad deeds to be judged by on the Last Day.

Shirk is so greivous, yet so easy to slip into when one goes to extremes in their love for the creation. There is no justification for comparing or equating anything or anyone to Allah. There is no justification for giving rights belonging only to Allah to other than Allah. How does one prostrate before any grave or call upon the name of any Prophet, Saint or Imam and say it's right, then turn to certain Christians praising idols of Maryam, Allah be pleased with her, prostrating before the graves of "saints" or calling upon the name of Jesus, alayhi salaam, and say it's wrong? In reality, between these acts, there is no difference. Islam is a call to tawheed and shirk of such major status is the opposite of tawheed and the finest, fastest and surest way to abandon tawheed.

O Muslim, if you have committed any of these acts, know that it is indeed shirk and that you should, please, renew your Islam and make tawbah to Allah, Al-Gaffar, Ar-Raheem, subhanahu wa ta'ala, and do nothing to compromise the direct link between yourself and Al Rabbil'alamin. In'sha'Allah. The only thing that can intercede on your behalf and the only thing you can rightfully ask Allah to accept on your behalf in this life are your deeds. We seek refuge in Allah from associating partners with Him and pray we remain absolved of this repugnant act. I bare witness the only one worthy of our worship, our sajdah, our du'a, our tawbah, our veneration and our highest extent of love is Allah, azza wa jall.

La ilaha ill Allah wadahu la sharika lahu.

All this talk of shirk and raising awareness thereof was prompted from a reminder I received by my sister-in-Islam, of the Facebook group "Islam 101: What You Really Need to Know". Her message I'll include below. Wa'salaam:
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Asalaamu Alaykum

All praise is due to allah(Swt) we beleive in him and we seek refuge in him from the evil of our own souls, the one whom Allah(Swt) guides none can misguide and the one whom Allah(Swt) misguides there is none who can guide. May peace and blessings be upon our messenger Muhammad(pbuh)

In Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5705) and Saheeh Muslim (220) it is narrated that
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The nations were shown to me and I saw a Prophet with a group of men, a Prophet with one or two men, and a Prophet with no one with him. Then a huge crowd was shown to me, and I thought that they were my ummah, but it was said to me, ‘This is Moosa and his people. But look at the horizon.’ I looked, and there was a huge crowd. Then it was said to me: ‘Look at the other horizon,’ and there was (another) huge crowd. It was said to me: ‘This is your ummah, and among them are seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without being called to account or punished.’”


WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE AMONG THE SEVENTY THOUSAND WHO WILL ENTER PARADISE WITOUT BEING CALLED TO ACCOUNT OR PUNISHED?

Tawheed ,tawheed, tawheed, tawheed... WITHOUT A SOUND TAWHEED IN ALLAH(sWT) ALL OUR DEEDS ARE A WASTE OF TIME.

Many people around the world, who are muslims have no idea what tawheed is, there are many who worship graves, those who worship their Ulama(humans), those who call on to Saints, those who are superstitious and the list goes on.

DID ALLAH(SWT) NOT SAY INVOKE ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS AND LEAVE ALONE THOSE WHO CALL UPON OTHERS BESIDES ALLAH AND MANY MORE EXPLAINS IN THE QU'RAN but why is it so easy for muslims to ignore this and continue associating partners with Allah The Most high? Know dear brothers and sisters that these things we call upon will not benefit us in anyway but instead they will lead us to our destruction and on the day when man will be resurrected they will find no other helper but ALLAH GLORIFIED BE HE.

Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) call to the Onesness of Allah(Swt) and this is the first thing he mentioned to his followers and the first thing He(pbuh)communicated to those who were none believers and THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO GO BACK TO, ALL THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS DIIN WILL BE OF NO USE IF OUR BELIEF IN TAWHEED IS NOT CORRECT, ALL THE WORSHIP WE PERFORM WILL BE OF NO US IF OUR BELEIF IN THE ONENESS OF ALLAH (SWT) IS NOT DEEPLY ROTTED IN OUR HEARTS.

HAVING TAWHEED MEANS BELIEVING IN ALLAH(SWT) AS YOUR ONLY PROTECT, ONLY PROVIDER, THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN BRING GOOD AND PREVENT HARM, THE ONLY ONE THAT HEARS AND ANSWERS OUR DUAS, ALLAH(sWT) HE HAS NO PARTNER , HE IS THE KING AND CREATOR OF THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH.

know dear muslims that no Imam can interceed for you to Allah(Swt), know that no dead persons can answer your dua,
Know that no Saint can can bring good or prevent harm
Know that nothing happens in the heavens and the earth without the permission of Allah(Swt),
know that no matter how many times that you call out YA rasullah , Muhammad(pbuh) was only the messenger and ALLAH(sWT) IS THE ONE WHO HAS ALL THE POWER, so invoke allah(Swt), ask allah for help, worship allah, call upon allah, place your trust in allah, seek the guidance of allah and KNOW THAT IT IS ONLY ALLAH WHO DESERVES ALL PRAISES AND GLORY.

I ask Allaah to make it easy for us and for our Muslim brothers and sisters to attain all that is good. To make us from those who follow the sunnah and not from the innovators, i ask allah(Swt) to bless this ummah and guide this ummah to the teachings of Muhamamd(pbuh) ,his campions and those who follow them in good. I ask allah(Swt) to correct our aqeedah, to correct our understanding of Tawheed, to make us from the seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without being called to account or punished.’” AMEEN YA RABB

~~~Everything good mentioned is from ALlah(Swt) and the mistakes and errors are none but mine alone and i ask allah(Swt) for his forgiveness for the mistakes i made.~~~~~

Vision of Muslims In the West

Bismillah, wa-Salaatu wa-Salaam 'ala Rasulillah.

Peace unto those who heed the righteous guidance. The Mercy and Forgiveness of the Most High unto those who turn to Him with a sincere and sound heart after having turned away. Our beloved, holy prophet, the greatest worshipper and human example to exist on this planet, and Allah's final messenger to man has taught us that there is not a single descendant of Adam (alayhi salaam) except that he or she is a sinner, but the best of sinners are those who repent. Muhammad ibn Abdullah has told us that everyone will go to Jannah (Paradise) except those who do not want to go. With befuddled ganders from his companions, the Sahabah, he was asked, "Ya Rasulillah" (O Messenger of Allah), who doesn't want to go to Jannah?" To which the response of our beloved prophet was: "those who do not want to obey their Lord."

O Muslim, do not be shy or apologetic about our Deen. We know it is the answer and solution to humanity. The only way to Allah and the only way He has sent down to His prophets and messengers that we should adhere. The only means to achieve true peace, success and happiness in this life and the Hereafter. Not just temporal peace and happiness, but inner and outer, complete and lasting peace and happiness whose side effect is only unfathomably greater peace and happiness. Not hangovers or guilt. May we be grateful and proud of being Muslim in this day as we will, in'sha'Allah, on THAT Day. May Allah continually increase in iman, taqwaa, hikma and knowledge of His Deen whosoever wants it. Ameen.

Indeed Almighty Allah, azza wa jall, is praised whether we praise Him or not, yet humbly we praise Him and are penitent to Him. We seek refuge in Him from the evil of ourselves, our own desires and ego in that we aren't so invested and concerned with the dunya, even the helal, that it distracts us from al-Akhira. Recalling our purpose and responding to our goal. For what good is knowing when we act as though we know nothing at all? We seek refuge in Allah from the evil consequences of our deeds. Whomever Allah, who is independent of all while all are dependant on Him, guides none can misguide, yet whoever Allah allows to be lead astray none can guide. And whoever is left to their own path will always be misguided. I bare witness that there is nothing, not a deity, object, entity or organism worthy of worship except Allah. And I testify that Muhammad, alayhi salaatu wa salaam, is the best among His servants and final Messenger.

To proceed...

My intention here is to share a direct challenge to us, Muslims in the West, from respected speaker Sh. Yasir Qadhi as to what our goal should be as a religious minority in secular lands. Establish Hijrah? Establish a Caliphate? I believe in a land where secured the right to follow Deen ul-Haqq (the way of Truth), to practice the religion of Allah through the submission and worship of Allah, then we should do precisely that. The more we practice by not only praying, fasting or giving charity, but by assisting others in need and standing for justice. Even cooperating and protesting alongside non-Muslims in matters of justice and righteousness as Allah urged us in ch.50 v.2 of the Qur'an where He has said what means: "help ye one another in righteousness and piety..." By exhibiting our disproval of injustice and oppression, exhibiting our desideratum for peace, fairness and goodness among humanity and animals as Islam calls us to will only intrigue and draw others to the perfect guidance.

The best dawah and our finest argument is indeed the practice of our beautiful religion. Through the implementation of Islam will others more effectively become receptive to the message of Islam. And what is naturally to occur in a secular dimension where the majority has embraced the perfect guidance of Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala? This goal is only theoretical at this point and what's immediately critical is that we simply exercise our right to be Muslims. Not all of us are in consensus on this issue, but it is good to engage in a respectable dialogue as to reach a conclusion. Brother Yasir Qadhi puts it very well in his speech I will include below, enjoy:



I encourage feedback and ideas of all sorts among our Western Ummah with regards to this matter. Jazakum'Allahu khayran.

Exclamation Point?

Can it be that I've raised an eyebrow or two with my seemingly apathetic and one-may-argue "radical" stand in these coming elections? Perhaps I've disengaged a mandibular joint? Allow me to first be especially clear that I'm not implying voting is haraam or that one is sinful for casting a vote. Unless any evidence from Qur'an or Sunnah I'm not aware of should come to my attention affirming such, this is not my suggestion.

I would encourage all Muslims be politically active within their States and local bounds. As it is practically an article of our faith to value family, education and religious rights, we should investigate and support local candidates of State and Board of Education Offices we feel best serve our interest. However, on a federal level, the voting process is much too shifty for my taste.

Once upon a time voting was the right solely belonging to wealthy, landowners who a century later extended voting rights as a means to pacify a raging working class and disgruntled groups and control the rebellions they were subsequently verging. And to underhandedly ensure the elite sustained the final call as to who gets elected, they employed the Electoral College. We, the people did not vote nor was our opinion even inquired on the matter of the Electoral College. In this case, the popular vote does not elect the President. In this case, not every vote counts, or at least, not every vote counts EQUALLY.

Also, no matter how promising, reforming and well-intended a President may be. They can only change but so much. It should be noted that Congress is vested all legislative power. And overall, we should always be leery of how this government invests its foreign interest. We must consider our Ummah and think universally.

And what kind of staggers the line of relevancy and offhand in light of this topic is the imperativeness of recalling our status as being Muslim first. Our Islam is to take precedence over every other consequential aspect of ourselves. Regardless of our occupation, nationality, ethnicity, ancestral claim, quirks, preferences, etc... it should all facilitate our Islam. "La ilaaha ill Allah" reminds us that our obligation is first to Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala. And the more we improve and perfect as servants to Allah, the more we improve in our roles as spouses, parents, workers, brothers, sisters, friends and so-forth in turn.

"La ilaaha ill Allah"... what better way to keep things in perspective?

Still A.V.

"...I ask you: 'are many lords differing among themselves better, or the one Allah, Supreme and Irresistible?'" -Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning) 12:39

All praise and gratitude belong only to Allah. As enticing as it may be to get up, get out there and vote for "a change we can trust", my stance as presented in my "Let's Talk, America" Myspace blog remains. Indeed. Even in the face and height of this economic crisis, corporate hysteria, the madness over who's more qualified, nail-biting poll projections, "maverick", "ticket", "they just don't get it", concern or lack thereof over policies and issues, who's going to do what about whatever, historical election, the most important election in history and McCaine/Palin yard signs in my neighborhood so grandiose they're actually billboards, no problem have I to shamelessly announce that A.V. still stands for Ain't Voting.

Reason number one, as Muslim, as Abdul Vakil --Servant of the Trustee and Dependable-- I bare witness that Allah alone has the right to legislate and I place my complete reliance, tawakul, in Allah, azza wa jall, alone. Number two, both "tickets" have an outspoken, unwavering support for Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine, the Saudi Family's oppressive dictatorship over the Arab people and the many military bases implanted and scattered throughout the Middle East which, ironically, produces more and more terrorists and vehement hatred against our country counterproductive to the very agenda it's government claims to carryout with regards to reducing and ultimately eliminating terrorism altogether.

Granted, as Americans, we're always presented with the choice of casting a vote for the lesser of two evils, but frankly, personally... I'd rather not condone or support evil on ANY level so long as I'm not subject to compulsion. Alhamdulillah, I have the American constitution's support in keeping my hands clear of any of its agendas causing the suffering and deaths of thousands-to-millions here and abroad. We are free to worship Allah for the betterment of ourselves and our condition in the Hereafter. And may the suffering and unjust killing of those faithful to Him be sufficient for His Mercy to grant them Jannah. Ameen.

With the above disclosure aside, I have no doubt that nothing is to stand in the way (even my refusal to vote) of the force that is Sen. Barack Obama from winning the White House, presiding as this country's 44th president. Again, I'm not voting, I'm not endorsing, I'm not placing any bets and I'm not claiming prescience or to have obtained inside information of any kind from any source. I couldn't start to explain why, and as much as I hate and would like to avoid sounding astrological or mystic (au'du billah), but it just "feels" like that's the only conclusion to which this whole barnstorm will arrive.

Although it doesn't matter, either to me or this system who gets in, if it should turn out the way I "feel" then I think on the face of such an event will at least have a healthy, positive effect and impression on America's youth and documentary. Or it may do so for a protracted period before we realize how cruel and deceptive of a joke it was. Our country's conquest and Machavellian strife for global dominance will remain either way.

Yes, even the president has strings.

Islam & Science

Depicted aside is the 11th century Muslim scientist, preeminent in his field, developer of the scientific method and pioneer of optical physcis, Ibn al-Haytham. He, however, is not the main point of discussion in this blog. I'm merely dishing that in here as a bit of a "did you know..." fun fact kind of thing. An astronomical point in history, needless to say.

No. Quickly, I just wanted to share a short encounter and the particular thought which derived from said encounter.

I'm quite crafty about advancing the slightest excuse to slide in a little da'wah in any conversation I find myself engaged. This way I invite to the truth and so that no one who knows me will not be able to curse me for not informing them about it on that Promised Day.

And so a colleague brings up childbirth, we had just found Celestone ordered for a delivering patient after a frantic search so naturally the subject arose. I then come around to sharing verses in the Qur'an alluding to embryonic development, which swiftly led to glossing over its revelation of the water cycle, the invisible barrier preventing the fresh water from mixing with the salt water in the meeting of oceans, it's allusion to the Great Explosion and Big Crunch theories and it's mention of the universe expanding. Impressive remarks having nothing to do with our life purpose and salvation, I know, but these signs of Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, are captivating to those who reason.

After our discourse they asked if I thought science proved my religion. To which I responded: "No. It's absurd to suggest science proves my religion." And with my best impersonation of Denzel Washington impersonating Malcolm X I said: "Science doesn't prove my religion. My religion proves science!"

I share this to remind us to avoid the mistake of claiming that science or scientific fact supports Islam. It is in fact the other way around whereas it's Islam that supports science or scientific fact. Before science as a field of study was even conceived, Islam already was and has since the moment Allah commanded: "kun".