It Was Never About Islam

There is no doubt many of us Iranians and non Iranians look forward for a more healthy and humanistic problem solving style in Iran and around the world. Although, we Iranians have diverse points of view (like any other groups of individuals in this world), still we really hope for the best for our human world. Every where we meet, now and then we get into a more heated discussion on the subject of politics, Islam, religious faith, and cultural Diaspora. Obviously many of these topics influence our psychological health to a degree basically due to level of disagreement, verbal conflicts, and negativity.

The other day, I was listening to a very intellectual, educational, and interesting discussion in a dinner party. A few believed in the liberalization and modernization of Islam. Some others who are true practitioners of Islam explained why radical Muslims fear of change. Some other friends connected the serious concerns in our home country to Islam, while some others tried to take religion out of the context.

At some point the group realized that the discussion only ruined the joy of the socialization, a reason for changing the subject and switching to other areas of life.

Still, some of these individuals argued that our struggles are not about Islam or any other religion or religion in large. No one could disagree that human beings are suffering due to the notion of the abuse and misuse of religion.

I came to think further how the polarity among us Iranian about the roots for our issues keeps us confused and occupied at all times. The real problem is not the religion itself. We are in pain because religion in large has always been used as a tool for controlling people.

Having faith in Islam or any other religion is a human need and no one can deny people's right to have faith, any faith. The main concerns are how some people maltreat their power while not having any sense of when enough is enough.

Obviously we Iranian may always look back for the ways in which our life has changed due to loss, migration, and nostalgia, yet the real cause for our misery is never about Islam. Our sadness is pertinent to extend in which Islam is being blanket for all other activities. On the other side we keep hearing news about the attacks on people's faith back home.

To conceptualize our Iranian life, we need to be clear about the underlying issues for our distress. If we like to live a healthier life, we have to distinguish between misuse of power and people's need for faith, any faith.

My main interest is mental health and healthy relationship. I write mostly about how to explore mental health as a main source of having peace within our families and our communities.
I would like to promote peace, happiness, multicultural counseling and a healthy language in our daily life. I believe that we have to expand our understanding of mental health by viewing the cultural values into our ways of dealing with the world.
I like to emphasize on helping our youth as well as our next generations to integrate within whatever cultures they live in.

Convert Now to Islam

I invite you to convert to Islam. The reasons are many. I will mention the most important reasons:

1- One God:

In Islam, there is only One God. In many other religions, there are many gods. What wil happen if the God decided something and His son decided another contradicting thing? There will be a conflict between them and the universe will be destroyed.

2-Simple and Clear Religion:

You have to believe that there is no deity but Allah and that Mohammad is the apostle of Allah. You have to worship the God. And you will enter the Heaven. Besides, Allah will bless your life in our world.

3-We believe that Moses and the Chirst are the apostles of Allah.

They have invited their followers to follow Mohammad -may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him- when he appears. But some of their followers have changed the Bible.

4-In Islam, there are harmony and balance between the soul and the body.

Islam does not forbid materialistic pleasures, but Islam is a unit of enjoying our lives and more important obeying our God and Creator.

5-Clear and Simple Answers to the following Questions:

a-What is the origin of the universe?

The God has created the universe.

b-What is the purpose of our life?

We were created to live on the earth, but more important to worship our God.

c-What will happen to us after death?

There will be the day after. The believers will enter the Heaven and the unbelievers will enter the hell.

Indonesian Leader Communication Style at Idul Fitri

Both President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia had try to communicate with their constituent through different communication style commemorating Idul Fitri, one of the most significant holy day for Muslim. At the first day of Idul Fitri 1428 H. (13/10), President General (ret.) Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono organized open house in Presidential Palace for his family, bureaucrats, diplomats, and public. Several day after, on Wednesday (17/10) he visited Kampung Rambutan bus terminal on incidental inspection. Afterwards, he went to Indonesian State Police headquarters to hear reports from police about traffic control. FYI Indonesian peoples have unique tradition called "mudik" (back to homeland) because many Indonesian are local migrants (from village to city). When this holiday came, at least once in a year they back to homeland and this activity cause full traffic in every mode of transportation.

In the other side, Vice President Drs. Jusuf Kalla looked more attractive with his actions. He gave exclusive interview for Metro TV as the only one news television in Indonesia. This exclusive interview broadcasted he and his family gathered at that Islamic holiday at his house. Beside that, at the first day of Idul Fitri after Id praying (13/10), he also organized open house at his official residence for public and bureaucrats. But Indonesian watching his move in the when he went to several Indonesian former leaders. At the first day of Idul Fitri, he visited ex-President Megawati Soekarnoputri, ex-President K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid, and ex-President Prof. Dr. Ing. B.J. Habibie. He continued this rally at the second day of Idul Fitri (14/10),whenever he visited ex Vice President General (ret.) Try Sutrisno, ex-longest President Great General (ret.) H.M. Suharto, ex-Indonesian House of Representative Chairman Ir. Akbar Tandjung, Indonesian Supreme Court Chairman Prof. Bagir Manan, and Constitution Court Chairman Prof. Jimly Ashiddique. What I questioned about this rally is Kalla's decision to visit new Governor of DKI Jakarta (Greater Jakarta Special Capital Province) Dr.Ing. H. Fauzi Bowo whose notabene his undirect staff. This action is unusual for Indonesian culture.

Rumours spread amongst politician that Kalla's move done as the preparation for next Presidential election at 2009. But Kalla himself refused that opinion and said that only usual visiting to honor former leader of the nation.

However, they have choose their own way to communicate their care and participation in this most significant holy day for Indonesian peoples, considerate most of Indonesian people are Muslim (Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country in the world. It has approximately 190 million Muslim.) They try to put each of them as good leader who had big respect to religion, as Indonesia is religious -although have secular national principle- country. This communication action hopefully will boost support for each of them from Indonesian peoples, especially from their constituent at general election.

Education and Islam

Islam is the religion of peace, and it is one of the most sacred and trustworthy religions, which has given us guidance in every aspect of life. Islam has given us education with knowledge which has no limits. The Holy Quran is the most sacred book of Allah revealed on Prophet Muhammad (SAW), for the upliftment guidance and enriched messages to the humanity.

Education is the knowledge of putting one's potentials to maximum use. Without education, no one can find the proper right path in this world.

This importance of education is basically for two reasons. Education makes man a right thinker. Without education, no one can think properly in an appropriate context you. It tells man how to think and how to make decision. The second reason for the importance of education is that only through the attainment of education, man is enabled to receive information from the external world. It is well said that

"Without education, man is as though in a closed room and with education he finds himself in a room with all its windows open towards outside world."

This is why Islam attaches such great importance to knowledge and education. When the Quran began to be revealed, the first word of its first verse was 'Iqra' that is, read..

The reflective book of Holy Quran is so rich in content and meaning that if the history of human thought continues forever, this book is not likely to be read to its end. Every day it conveys a new message to the humanity. Every morning, it gives us new thoughtful ideas and bound us in the boundaries of ethics.

Islamic Education is one of the best systems of education, which makes an ethical groomed person with all the qualities, which he/she should have as a human being. The Western world has created the wrong image of Islam in the world. They don't know that our teachings are directly given to us from Allah, who is the creator of this world, through our Prophets.

The Muslims all over the world are thirsty of acquiring quality education. They know their boundaries and never try to cross it. It is the West, which has created a hype that the Muslim are not in a path of getting proper education. They think that our education teaches us fighting, about weapons, etc., which is so false. This is true that there are certain elements, which force an individual to be on the wrong path, because as we will mould a child, they will be like that, but it doesn't mean that our religion teaches improperly to us.

Our Holy Prophet (SAW), said,

Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.

And:

Seek knowledge even [if it is to be found in a place as distant as China. At the battle of Badr, in which our beloved Holy Prophet (SAW) gained victory over his foes, seventy people of the enemy rank were taken to prison. These prisoners were literate people. In order to benefit from their education the Prophet declared that if one prisoner teaches ten Muslim children how to read and write, this will serve as his ransom and he will be set free. This was the first school in the history of Islam established by the Prophet himself with all its teachers being non-Muslims. The Sunnah of the Prophet shows that education is to be received whatever the risk involved.

Today, the Muslims are acquiring good ideas, thoughts, knowledge, and skills, from all corners of the world. The world is moving very fast, and in this industrialize world, It is the duty of the teachers to give quality ethical integrated education to the Muslim students worldwide, because children are invaluable assets of future generations.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged all Muslims to acquire knowledge and share it. He said:

"Acquire knowledge, for he who acquires it in the way of Allah performs an act of piety; he who speaks of it, praises the Lord; he who seeks it, adores Allah; he who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms; and he who imparts it to others, performs an act of devotion to Allah." (Bukhari, Muslim)

All the teachers of either secular or religious education should give more attention to the pupils inside the classroom. It is necessary that in the Islamic system that we should consider these dear children as our own children, and put aside all other considerations, and rise above all such things and realize our duty and our mission. We should raise the standards of education and attend to the needs of these children. We should realize our duties with earnestness and awaken to the sense of responsibility. It has been seen that there are certain teacher who are not fulfilling their duties with keen interest. I would like to request all the teachers that for the sake of God, for the sake of your revolutionary duty, teach the children with devotion and dedication.

It is important that we advance our work through discussions, debates, studies, and through proper distribution of work among ourselves.

We must never forget that we are living in an Islamic State, and our aim should be simultaneously to create both an independent as well as an Islamic culture in character. Independence and richness of content are indeed among the characteristics of the Islamic culture. Our system is an ideological system.

We should make our child enthusiastic, dynamic, and this search should pervade every corner of our society. We should aspire them to be truthful and sincere.

Self-sacrifice and generosity, love of freedom, the resolve for resistance and headstrong perseverance, the courage to welcome martyrdom-all these are the new values of the new generation, which should be taught according to the teaching of Islam.

The doors of the school should always be kept open for the sake of Islam, for the sake of the Muslim Ummah.

Munir Moosa Sewani is one of the famous, prominent and creative names in the field of Education since 8 years. He is a Master Trainer In Special Education, Post Graduate, Teacher Educator and a Teacher. He is a Freelance Writer and Photographer too. He is an author of the famous self-published storybook for children named as "The MORAL STORIES FOR CHILDREN" and has also written Biology course book for Secondary Classes. He has written almost more than 40 articles on social, health, educational and cultural issues, which are internationally recognized and published on most of the famous world wide websites, magazines and newspapers. He is also a Social worker, private tutor, career counselor, musician, lyrics writer and have multi- dimensional talents. His future plan is to write dozens of informative books and articles and to work for education and media too.

Islam - Basic Beliefs and Concepts

Islam is the most growing religion on earth, there are more than 2 Billion humans all over the world called Muslims. Islam is based on the Submission of human will to One God who is called in Arabic "Allah" The only One, The Superior and The Only Creator Of This Universe with no partners and all the existence under his own Control.

Islam was the religion given to Adam The first Man on Earth who was created by God, not as fallen being. All The Prophets & Messengers of God "Allah" to humankind on Earth were Muslims including Adam, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, Jacob, Jesus and Mohammad. They have the same basic Message to Mankind: "La Ilaha Illa Allah" which means no God worth of worshiping Except Allah and anything else is his servant and creation.

Although those prophets came with different books, practices and methods of worshiping, Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon him and all other prophets) was the last Messenger of Allah On earth Before the Day of Judgment.

The Basic Message of Islam is the absolute Unity of Allah 'God' and he is not independent on anything or anyone else or even alike, he is not three on one nor father and son, Muslims beliefs on Jesus as Allah's Prophet and Messenger and his servant just like all other prophets Including Mohammad and Moses.

Islam believes that God and his creations are completely different entities. Allah is not his creation nor he is a part of it. Islam believes that his essence and his great knowledge are everywhere on his creation.

Islam calls the human away from the worshiping of the creation of Allah and invites him to the worshiping of the creator -- Allah himself, because the greatest sin of humanity is the worshiping of the creation.

Among the basics of Islamic Religion, the most important part is the belief in one God 'Allah' and He is the only Creator, Ruler, Lord, Administrator and Master of all that exists, And this Universe exists and functions because the will of Allah alone.

Allah responds to man's prayer and He is the only one who has the power to accept or reject it. He is the Master of man's destiny, no one ever else can interfere with the fate of others or even with his own fate!

All the humans hopes and fears should be only directed to Allah. He is the object of fear & source of favor.

That's the bedrock and most fundamental aspect of Islam religion, May Allah guide all of us to the truth and thank you for your time.

5 Pillars of Islam

Islam means literally submission to God. This is something that is not taken lightly by Muslims all over the world. One set of guidelines that are closely adhered to are the 5 pillars of Islam. These are the 5 guidelines set down which should be followed by all Muslims regardless. They are called pillars as a pillar is used to hold up a structure to stop it from collapsing all around you, just as in Islam these 5 pillars are there to keep Muslims faith strong and support them in their life.

Pillar 1 - The recitation and belief in the Shahadah

To fulfill the Shahadah one must recite "I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah". In Arabic it is read as "'ašhadu 'al-l
il
ha ill
-ll
hu wa 'ašhadu 'anna mu'ammadan rasklu-ll
h".

Pillar 2 - Pray 5 times a day

This is one of the most fundamental rules set down and is one which should be done every day. Prayers begin at first light in the morning and are spread through out the day until the last prayer in the evening. Prayer is a way to cleanse your soul and to remind yourself that there is an after life and that we will all be held responsible for all that we do in our life day by day.

Pillar 3 - Charitable donations

It is referred to as Zakah in Arabic and is obligatory for Muslims to do so as long as they are able to without causing strife within their own lives. There are two types of Zakah that can be paid, one is related to the amount of food that is paid for during the holy month of Ramadan for his family. The secound type of Zakah is based on wealth and savings and is usually based around 2.5% of the wealth that has been saved for one full year.

Pillar 4 - Fasting

During the month of Ramadan it is obligatory for Muslims to take part in fasting during this time. It is required to refrain from foods, drinks, sexual activities, etc from dawn until dusk. This is a time for soul searching and seeking a greater insight into religion by studying Islam more in depth.

Pillar 5 - Pilgrimage to Hajj

All Muslims must make the necessary journey to the holy land of Makkah in Saudia Arabia. If you can not afford to go then there are provisions allowed which are permitted such as if a village was very poor then they could all collect their funds together and pay for a single individual to go then all can benefit from the rewards as they have completed the Hajj to the best of their abilities but only God can truly give rewards to those who are deserving.

The Makkah Religion - Ramadan Day Two

One of the benefits of fasting is to come closer to appreciating what we have especially when we are reminded of those who have not. It becomes very easy for some Muslims to become puffed up with pride and sometimes arrogance by thinking they are more pious than others. Fasting is the only pillar of Al Islam that a Muslim can engage that is kept out of the public eye of scrutiny. Meaning if one is sincere in his faith, it will be determined by Allah especially during this month. This is why everything we do as humans is done for our own sake, with the exception of fasting as it is done for Allah's sake alone. For this reason in particular Ramadan should produce humility in one that has allowed his vanity to get out of hand. It should produce concern for the homeless, the indigent and the powerless. It should enhance one's overall sense of social commitment and drive to work for collective change in one's community. These actions along with others are so pleasing to Allah that he coined this activity by a unique name.

"Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but (true) righteousness is in one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask (for help), and for freeing slaves: (and who) establishes prayer and gives charity: (those who) fulfill their promise when they promise; and (those who) are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous." Qur'an 2:177

In this Surah or Chapter of the Qur'an, Allah is not only addressing the issue of the direction to face when offering prayer, but also stressing that the believer's commitment to please his Lord should be manifested in not just his stated beliefs, but also actions geared to address the social concerns of his fellow man. These actions are what mankind uses to judge whether genuine concern for his unique condition is mutually shared. The Muslim establishes this connection from the Quranic belief system that moves one's faith from an ideal understanding to a practical application in the actions one takes in order for others to derive the indirect benefits of his initial commitment to worship.

We should not have the passion or energy to term some as more pious than others based on our own criteria, but rather the criteria of righteousness that Allah emphasizes throughout the entire Qur'an. Over the course of man's daily struggles whether it be at work, at home or in transition between the two, the daily grind we each take can easily divert our attention away from this awareness and temporarily throw us off course. Equally the successes in our daily situations may increase our vanity and thus cause us to change our course from one designed to please Allah to one that pleases only ourselves. This common denominator is what should be used in order for us to determine if we are staying on the straight path.

Islam in the Workplace

At the turn of the last century, 80% of the Arabs that immigrated to the United States were Christian. Today, more than 60% of Arab immigrants are Muslims. As more and more Muslims enter the American workforce, employers face culture-based challenges that they may not be equipped to handle, or may not even be aware of. Due to Islamic requirements, Muslims may need special workplace accommodations. It is important to remember that not all Muslims will have the same needs. Moderate Muslims will most likely present few workplace challenges to their employers. Very conservative Muslims, however, will likely require special accommodations.

A critical part of the Muslim faith is prayer. One of the Five Pillars of Muslim Faith states that the faithful are required to pray 5 times a day at relatively fixed times. While this may not present a challenge to some employers, others with space limitations may have difficulty giving Muslim employees a private place to pray. Another consideration surrounding prayer is the requirement of ablution. Ablution is the act of washing before prayer. Conservative Muslims will need to wash their face, neck, arms, hands and feet before prayer. This can present challenges if the workplace does not have the washroom facilities to accommodate a group of employees needing to perform ablution at the same time. Additionally, when conservative Muslims attempt to wash their feet in a standard sink basin, water splashed on the counters and floors can create a messy and hazardous situation. Some employers have installed footbaths to address this issue.

Another religious consideration surrounds the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan begins with the sighting of the crescent moon in Mecca. It begins in the ninth month of the lunar calendar, so the dates vary from year to year. Because of the requirement that the moon is physically sighted in the city of Mecca, a cloudy night could postpone the start of Ramadan. For this reason, Muslims may not be able to give accurate advance notice for holy days. During Ramadan, Muslims are required to fast from sunrise to sunset. They then share a feast with friends and relatives as soon after sunset as possible. Muslim workers may not be able to take their meals at the designated meal times and may need to eat immediately after sundown, having not eaten all day.

Muslim religious requirements are unique and can present new challenges in a predominately Christian workplace. There are other challenges that can manifest in a workplace with Muslim employees. Conservative Muslims have some specific restrictions surrounding food and drink as well as many behavioral taboos. Without awareness and comprehension of these cultural differences, involuntary discrimination can occur. It is crucial that managers and co-workers of Muslim employees are aware of these differences and are prepared to address the challenges that may arise and then make the necessary accommodations.

The Rise of Islam in Europe

After having stumbled upon the article about the Catholic Church raising funds for the new mosque in cologne, I could not help but think that this is an act of extreme ignorance. The Islamization of Europe is well under way and presents a very real danger to the Western World and Christianity at large. Although it appears that this idea/action is well intended, it appears to be very misguided and ill-conceived.

The only explanation I have is that either the Rev. Franz Meurer does not perceive Islam as a major threat to the Christian Church, or that the Roman Catholic church has aligned itself with Islam. Both possibilities raise disturbing questions. Islam, Catholicism and Christianity are in no way compatible, despite what we are led to believe. Such misguided actions do more harm than good in the context of the Kingdom of God on Earth. It is almost as if Rev. Franz Meurer believes that the action is justified by virtue of it being perceived as something good, but how can this be the case if the perceived 'goodness' inherent in this deed encourages and funds the work of the enemies of Christ and His Church?

To quote from the article: "Our people were suggesting such things as a little kneeler, a bell, a picture and the like. But then I said, 'Friends, this isn't likely to lead anywhere. They pray to God one on one in their mosques. They haven't got liturgical objects like we do."

The God of Islam is not the God of the Christian faith nor of the Bible. Islam is a spiritual counterfeit. The teachings of Islam corrupt the truth and present it as fact. Such perversions of truth result in teachings that Ishmael and not Isaac received the blessing; Jesus was only a great prophet (like Mohamed) but not God in the flesh; that salvation is obtained through good works and Jihad (there is no saviour in Islam); Jihad is waged primarily against Christians; that Allah is God (Allah is not simply another name for God - it is a false God). Islam promotes violence under the false banner of holy war (Jihad). There is much more that can be said about the many dangers of Islam but it is sufficient comment for the purpose of the article.

The Holy Quran is the Only Revealed Text Still Extant Today in Its Original Language and Form

If we take a moment to think how fast the world is changing and how fast man has climbed the steps from being an early man to a cultured human being and how fast the Stone Age has changed to technological era where people are connected with limitless modes of communication. Human brain is certainly awed at the breakthroughs of science and technology every day, and perhaps it has even become impossible for an average person to keep track of the inventions and innovations happening each day.

In this buzzing world where nothing remains the same as it was yesterday, there is one BOOK, that hasn't altered even a single bit from the past 1400 years, and that book is the Holy Quran, revealed on prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Now, one must think that there are many things still extant today, so what's unusual about the existence of holy Quran? We would like to reflect on the Words of Allah, where He says:

"The Word of your Lord is complete, in truth and justice." (Quran, 6:115)

There are probably many factors that supersede Quran over these things. For a start, all those things that are still present today after hundreds of years are either a part of museums or are not in any way beneficial to mankind, other than being something from the past. Secondly, these things are in ruins or remains or have been widely altered by human hands. Whereas, Quran is a part of people's houses and is read and followed by a large population of Muslim community and the principles stated in this book have not become old and provide a great source of guidance for its followers. Additionally, Quran is a book that hasn't gone through any changes and its text remains original as Lord himself took the responsibility of its protection unlike the other writings which were human protected and do not exist in their original script anymore. Thus, Quran is the only literature that is not only safe from alteration but is widely read among the Muslim community.

To ensure such protection of The Holy Book, Quran has been preserved at two places, human mind and the pages of the book. So whenever an error finds its way to one place, the other comes for its correction. One cannot solely trust what reciter learned from heart without having its written verification, and similarly one cannot trust the writing without a scholar's verification.

So all in all, this kind of protection ensures Quran's originality with respect to its accuracy and purity from any kind of falsehood. This shows a practical example of the fulfillment of Allah's words to preserve the Quran in its legitimate form, and the Quran has certainly remained free from all distortions and corruptions faced by the earlier writings. As Allah says Himself:

"Surely, We have revealed the Reminder and We will assuredly be its guardian (against all corruption)." (Al-Hijr 15:9)