The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year - old grandson.
The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.
The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.

When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
'We must do something about father,' said the son. 'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.
He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up. ' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.
That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) said:
"A parent is the best of the gates of Paradise; so if you wish, keep to the gate, or lose it."
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4928. Narrated byAbud Darda "

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Lecturer Suspended for Defending Innocent Muslim Students

Rod Thornton, an expert in counter-insurgency at Nottingham University, was suspended on Wednesday for criticising the University's treatment of a Muslim student and Muslim employee. He has accused the university of passing "erroneous evidence" to police and attempting to discredit a student.

Readers may recall these two Muslims were Rizwan Sabir, a masters student, and Hicham Yezza, an ex-student and then an employee at the University, who in 2008 were arrested for possessing an Al Qaida manual.

University officials called in the police after a colleague noticed the document on Yezza's computer. Yezza and his friend, Rizwaan Sabir, were held for six days, despite Sabir's tutors giving statements within two days that the document was directly relevant to his research, not to mention that it was freely available at the University's library, as well as on a US Government website.

They were released without charge, however the consequences are still lasting.

Thornton, who is also a former soldier, wrote his paper for the British International Studies Association (Bisa), in which he hoped to explore the issues of how young Muslims can become so easily tarred with the brush of terrorism; but Bisa has now taken the paper off their website.

In the paper, Thornton wrote:

Despite being made aware of the mistakes it had made, the university not only refused to apologise to the two arrested men, but it also began to resort to defensive measures that attempted to discredit the names both of the two accused and of innocent university employees.



Untruth piled on untruth until a point was reached where the Home Office itself farcically came to advertise the case as 'a major Islamist plot' ... Many lessons can be learned from what happened at the University of Nottingham.



This incident is an indication of the way in which, in the United Kingdom of today, young Muslim men can become so easily tarred with the brush of being 'terrorists'.

He says the university's administration notified police, but had never given any indication they they had carried out "even the simplest of internet checks or ... [sought] either advice or guidance from elsewhere."

In his paper, Thornton describes how the concerns he was raising led him to get disciplinary action against himself, how he tried to get the Vice-Chancellor to investigate some of the issues he was raising, however, was told by him that he was making "un warranted allegations? and there began yet more "investigations? into Thornton's behaviour. Now he has been suspended.

This case severely questions the amount of academic freedom at universities and freedom of speech, which seem to be slowly eroding; but more worryingly, for a lecturer to be suspended for trying to get two Muslim students justice, also alludes that this kind of discriminatory treatment of Muslims is acceptable.

It is now up to Muslim students to help this man, after he has put his job on the line for justice. Join the discussion on MPACUK Facebook.

Read more: http://www.mpacuk.org/story/090511/lecturer-suspended-defending-innocent-muslim-students.html#ixzz1LulLAwXK


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Quran and Hadith on Religious Persecution - No compulsion in religion

This article has two sections. The first is a brief explanation of Quranic verses that are often mistaken as instructions to persecute Non-Muslims. The second section features verses from the Quran and Hadith that vehemently insist on religious tolerance and the idea of "no compulsion in religion." God willing, Non-Muslims as well as our Muslim brothers and sisters who resort to violence, will take these verses into consideration.
Anti-Islamic people often use the following verses to justify the stereotype that Islam is a religion of violence and intolerance, which was spread by the sword. The explanations here were aided by Abdullah Yusuf Ali's commentary on the Holy Quran.

Sura 8.12 "Remember thy lord has inspired the angels with the message. Give firmness to the believers and instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers. Smite them above their necks and smite the fingertips of them."
Sura 9.5 "When the sacred months have passed, kill the idolaters whereever you find them."

Sura 47.4 "When you encounter the unbelievers, Strike off their heads. Untill you have made a wide slaughter among them tie up the remaining captives."

Sura 8 is about a BATTLE - the Battle of Badr - not just some daily affair. A battles take two side to occur. Are you under the impression that while these 'horrid' Muslims were fighting, the enemies were simply standing there like good little peaceful men?
Sura 47 was revealed during the first year of Hijrah when the Muslims were under *threat of extinction* by invasion from Makkah.

Sura 9 is interesting. Non-Muslims almost invariably quote verse 5 but leave out verse 4 and 6. Why? Because verse 4 says, "But the treatires are not dissolved with those Pagans with whom you have entered into alliance and who have you subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided anyone against you. So fulfill your engagements with them to the end of their term: for God Loves the righteous."

And verse 6 says, "If one among the Pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him so that he may hear the Word of God; and then escort him to where he can be secure."

So basically what has been done above is:

1. The background to each sura was shown. One cannot take a verse revealed for a battle and insist it is if for the daily affairs of Muslims.

2. It was shown how Non-muslims who wish to attack Islam, conveniently leave out verses before and after their quoted verse. Above, I have shown only one of the many examples.

Section II

This long list of verses from the Holy Quran and the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) show that Islam at it's core and at its source is a religion of peace. Terrorists who persecute innocent people because of their faith are not welcome - their use of Islam as a scapegoat, does not make Islam what they portray it to be.
2:256 There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clearly from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing.

16:82 But if they turn away from you, (O Prophet remember that) your only duty is a clear delivery of the Message (entrusted to you).

6:107 Yet if God had so willed, they would not have ascribed Divinity to aught besides him; hence, We have not made you their keeper, nor are you (of your own choice) a guardian over them.

4:79, 80 (Say to everyone of them,) 'Whatever good betides you is from God and whatever evil betides you is from your own self and that We have (O Prophet) sent you to mankind only as a messenger and all sufficing is God as witness. Whoso obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys God. And for those who turn away, We have not sent you as a keeper."

11:28 (Noah to his people) He (Noah) said "O my people! think over it! If 1 act upon a clear direction from my Lord who has bestowed on me from Himself the Merciful talent of seeing the right way, a way which you cannot see for yourself, does it follow that we can force you to take the right path when you definitely decline to take it?°

17:53, 54 And tell my servants that they should speak in a most kindly manner (unto those who do not share their beliefs). Verily, Satan is always ready to stir up discord between men; for verily; Satan is mans foe .... Hence, We have not sent you (Unto men O Prophet) with power to determine their Faith.

21:107 to 109 (O Prophet?) 'We have not sent you except to be a mercy to all mankind:" Declare, "Verily, what is revealed to me is this, your God is the only One God, so is it not up to you to bow down to Him?' But if they turn away then say, "I have delivered the Truth in a manner clear to one and all, and I know not whether the promised hour (of Judgment) is near or far."

22:67 To every people have We appointed ceremonial rites (of prayer) which they observe; therefore, let them not wrangle over this matter with you, but bid them to turn to your Lord (since that is the main objective of religion). You indeed are rightly guided. But if they still dispute you in this matter, (then say,) `God best knows (the value of) what you do."

88:21, 22; also see 24:54 And so, (O Prophet!) exhort them your task is only to exhort; you cannot compel them to believe.

48:28 He it is Who has sent forth His Messenger with the (task of spreading) Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to the end that tie make it prevail over every (false) religion, and none can bear witness to the Truth as God does.

36:16, 17 (Three Messengers to their people)Said (the Messengers), "Our Sustainer knows that we have indeed been sent unto you, but we are not bound to more than clearly deliver the Message entrusted to us.'

39:41 Assuredly, We have sent down the Book to you in right form for the good of man. Whoso guided himself by it does so to his own advantage, and whoso turns away from it does so at his own loss. You certainly are not their keeper.

42:6, 48 And whoso takes for patrons others besides God, over them does God keep a watch. Mark, you are not a keeper over them. But if they turn aside from you (do not get disheartened), for We have not sent you to be a keeper over them; your task is but to preach ....

64:12 Obey God then and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away (no blame shall attach to our Messenger), for the duty of Our Messenger is just to deliver the message.

67:25, 26 And they ask, "When shall the promise be fulfilled if you speak the Truth?" Say, "The knowledge of it is verily with God alone, and verily I am but a plain warner."

60:8 Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.

60:9 Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support (others) in driving you out, from turning to them (for friendship and protection). It is such as turn to them (in these circumstances), that do wrong.

The teachings of the Prophet on how you and I should treat our Non-Muslim friends and neighbours on a day to day basis as well as how to government should treat a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state.

"He who believes in God and the Last Day should honour his guest, should not harm his neighbour, should speak good or keep quiet." (Bukhari, Muslim)

"Whoever hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys God." (Bukhari)

"He who hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, I am his adversary, and I shall be his adversary on the Day of a Judgement." (Bukhari)

"Beware on the Day of Judgement; I shall mysefl be complainant against him who wrongs a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state or lays on him a responsibility greater than he can bear or deprives him of anything that belongs to him." (Al-Mawardi)

"Anyone who kills a Non-Muslim who had become our ally will not smell the fragrance of Paradise." (Bukhari)

http://www.themodernreligion.com/terror/terrorism_verses1.htm

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100 Imams call for April 9 rally for peace and against terrorism in NYC

At the initiative of the Muslim Peace Coalition USA, 100 Imams from New York area are calling Muslims in New York to come out for an April 9th rally to oppose wars, condemn terrorism, and fight Islamophobia.

500 other organizations from the labor movement, peace movement and civil rights groups have also endorsed the April 9th call for the rally. theamericanmuslim.org

HIGHLIGHTS

In a statement endorsed by 100 Imams of New York, they stated that, “We, 100 Imams from the Muslim community in New York area, stand together to thank our neighbors who have defended the Muslim community against Islamophobia. Our neighbors have stood in opposition to Congressman Peter King’s hearings and against the efforts of the extremists to criminalize the practice of Islam in America.” onislam.net

“We call upon all Muslims to come out with their families on Saturday, April 9, 2011 noon at Union Square in NYC to stand in solidarity with our neighbors for justice at home and abroad; for peace and jobs; against wars and terrorism, and to bring our troops home,” reads the statement. georgiagreenparty.org

“Together we urge that the untold billions of dollars now spent for wars instead be used for Americans’ needs at home,” the signatories said. muslimpeacecoalition.org

FACTS & FIGURES

Since 9/11, U.S. Muslims, estimated between six to seven million, have become sensitized to an erosion of their civil rights, with a prevailing belief that America was stigmatizing their faith. onislam.net

Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, is holding controversial hearings that he says will assess the threat of terrorism among American Muslims. Washington Post

In the United States, 73 percent of young people aged 18 to 29 say Muslims are the most discriminated against. Washington Times

Civil liberties groups say U.S. border officials are violating the constitutional rights of American Muslims by asking about their religious beliefs and practices on their return from trips abroad. VOA news

Muslims in America say the hearing would only spark backlash against innocent members of the Muslim community. onislam.net

These findings come at a time when a comprehensive examination on religion and public life shows that the number of U.S. Muslims will more than double in the next 20 years. Pew Forum

Source:http://www.islamophobiatoday.com/2011/04/04/100-imams-call-for-april-9-rally-for-peace-and-against-terrorism-in-nyc/

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Life's Journey to God/Allah

A massive earthquake has hit the northeast of Japan, triggering a tsunami that is threatening to extend across the Pacific as I write. My brother, his daughter and his wife all live in Japan. He described how the buildings in the capital, 250 miles from the epicentre, were swaying. Cities in Japan are built to withstand earthquakes and cyclones. When I visited in my youth, I can remember the casualness with which people accepted the regular earthquakes. Yet, as events unfold, my brother is now describing this as a national disaster.

This earthquake brings the number of disasters in developed nations to three within as many months, following the floods in Australia, and the earthquake in New Zealand. We tend to associate such catastrophes with poorer nations – Haiti, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and as such they are often removed from the fullness of our consciousness. They are events which happen to others in far off places. We are mournful, but in a way that is what we expect will happen to poor people; that is their lot in life, after all.

When such catastrophes befall countries we do business with, which make our cars and games consoles, which rear our lambs, and create our afternoon soap operas, there is a sense of confusion. Like a child dying before their parent, there is something out of place in the natural order of things.

In reality, this is all nonsense. We are all vulnerable to disaster at any moment; but we prefer to live in the illusion of our invincibility. Like Neo in the film Matrix, a dream world of order and control confines our rationality, because to explore any alternative is almost too much for us to tolerate. Or is it? Surely it is better to recognise, and indeed respect our vulnerability. Surely it is better to sidestep the propaganda of our inner mind which we have constructed to stop ourselves from going crazy from fear. Surely, it is better, as Morpheus says to Neo, “Let it all go, Neo. Fear, doubt, and disbelief. Free your mind.”

Faith for me is always about freedom. Freedom to explore the inner workings of my own soul. Freedom to examine my relationship with my creator. Freedom from fear. This latter emotion will end our efforts long before we even try them. Fear is the inner whispering that actually hinders our ultimate advancement. It manifests itself as an impasse, a routine from which we are unable to break. We construct patterns of guilt, embarrassment, vulnerability, self-doubt and fear of loss within our own world. However, the Qur’an reminds us, “No calamity can ever befall the earth and neither your own selves, unless it be laid down in Our decree before We bring it into being: verily, all this is easy for God.” (57:22)

We have to accept our weakness in order to be truly powerful. Surrender ourselves in order to triumph. Let go in order to have. This is counter intuitive, for our inner self is demanding control, yet when we hand over control to The Powerful, we are empowered. Such is the liberation of faith.

All of this is of course hard to actualise. The daily grind of our lives crashes in on us like a destructive wave. I find myself exhausted and apprehensive. This is my weakness of faith. I should more fully accept that God is in control, He has got it covered, He is in charge of my life in this world as well as the Hereafter.

Coming to terms with our diverse situations in our lives is the challenge. To experience joy within pain, to be at ease with our ‘dis-ease’. Belief in God provides us with a spiritual energy and certainty that allows us to bear life’s difficulties, to discard our anxiety and to have certainty despite our defencelessness. The Qur’an is forthright when it describes those who believe any good granted them is their rightful due, whilst any test is received with a feeling that God has disgraced them (89:15-16). We should know firmly that “Most certainly shall We try you by means of danger, and hunger, and loss of worldly goods, of lives and of labour’s fruits. But give glad tidings unto those who are patient in adversity who, when calamity befalls them, say, ‘Verily, unto God do we belong and, verily, unto Him we shall return.’ It is they upon whom their Sustainer’s blessings and grace are bestowed, and it is they, they who are on the right path!” (2:155-157)

There is peace and satisfaction to be found in the remembrance of God, who should be praised at all times. He hears our call, and it is Him that we will return to when this journey comes to an end

Source: http://www.emel.com/article?id=84&a_id=2329

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Palestine...The ignored Holocaust

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American Brother reverts To Islam

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Rabbis Speak out - Zionists have hijacked the Jewish religion

http://jewsarenotzionist.blogspot.com/

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Armed Jewish settlers savagely attack Palestinians in Hawara

NABLUS, (PIC)– Hundreds of armed Jewish settlers attacked at midnight Saturday Palestinian homes in Hawara village, south of Nablus city.

Eyewitnesses told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that the settlers went on the rampage through the villages damaging property, assaulting residents, burning cars and throwing stones at everything.

Consequently, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) closed road 60 between Ramallah and Nablus.

The PIC reporter said the villagers in Hawara and nearby villages used the speakers of mosques to urge the Palestinians to defend their homes and property against settlers’ attacks, which were described as the most violent since a long time.

Hundreds of villagers stood up for themselves using stones and sticks to confront the armed settlers who were escorted by some Israeli troops. The size of damage and injuries is still unknown.

Other extremist settlers attacked Palestinian cars passing near Ofer settlement, east of Ramallah, on the road between Nablus and occupied Jerusalem.

The cities of Bethlehem and Al-Khalil also witnessed similar savage attacks by Jewish settlers.

A group of settlers under military protection attacked on Saturday morning Palestinian homes near Rumeida neighborhood in Al-Khalil city.

Samaan Abu Haikal said that armed settlers hurled stones at his daughters and threatened Palestinians that they would be shot dead if they left their homes.

In the Laban souk near Ibrahimi Mosque, other settlers severely beat a Palestinian citizen called Sufiyan Abu Asneineh as he was on his way to the Mosque for prayer.

A number of female settlers also marched in the heart of Al-Khalil city chanting racist slurs against Arabs and threatening them with death.

Settlers from Kiryat Arba distributed leaflets in Arabic language saying that they would kill Arabs to avenge the killing of settlers in Nablus.

http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/armed-jewish-settlers-savagely-attack-palestinians-in-hawara/

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