Thursday, February 21, 2008

In New Orleans

In New Orleans
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UGANDANS COMMUNITYCANADA. NORTH AMERICA. said...

REFLECTIONS ON ISLAM AND THE DADA FAMILY, BY TSHOMBE JAFFAR REMO AMIN


RULE NUMBER ONE: Keep an open mind.


Remember the most important strength of our Islamic Religion is... The significant characteristic of the Noble Qur-an is its practicability. It does not indulge in wishful thinking. Nor does its teachings demand the impossible or float on rosy streams of unattainable ideals. The Qur-an accepts man for what he is and exhorts him to become what he can be. The image of the Creator is apart from mankind. We are his creations, therefore there is no ambiguity in trying to identify with Allah the Creator or the dichotomous nature of claiming that he begot a son; In essence Islam absolves the fancy urge of humanity to exclusivity or superiority over others eg. delusions of grandness eg. Royalty; when our only duty to Allah, the Creator is Faithful worship, Righteousness and Piety in all our deeds. It does not brand man as a helpless or hopeless creature, condemned from birth to death, and drowned in sin from womb to womb. Indeed, in Islam, a new born baby is born in a state of absolute purity; we do not have the concept of the original sin so to speak, and, in fact, one’s book of deeds is only opened at the age of 18; Today's universally accepted age of Consent. The Qur-an portrays humankind as noble, honourable and dignified beings.


The practicability of the Qur-anic teachings is established by the examples of Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) and Muslims throughout the ages. The distinctive approach of the Qur-an is that it's instructions are aimed at the General welfare of man and based on the possibilities within our reach. A final characteristic is the moderation or harmony between the Divine and the Human, the spiritual and the material, the individual and the collective. The Qur-an pays attention to all facts of life and all needs of man, and deals with them in such a way as to help man realize the noble objectives of his being. For this approach of moderation, the Qur-an calls the Muslims a Middle nation( 2:143) and with this middleness they are called the best society ever evolved for mankind as they enjoin the right, combat the wrong and believe in Allah (3:110). This Quranic wisdom functions in three principal dimensions: inwardly, outwardly and upwardly. It penetrates into the innermost recesses of the heart and reaches the farthest depths of the mind. It is aimed at the healthy cultivation of the individual from within.


RULE NUMBER TWO: Keep your emotions in check.


RULE NUMBER THREE: Check out this site and study it for one month:


http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/runoko.html

Islam has increasingly taken ultimate priority in the upbringing of our Dada family culture. Away from our animist past history, and looking back, we see that Grandpa was a practicing Roman Catholic with the name Andrea right up to and, during, the first decade of the 20th Century (1900-1910) before he was converted to the Islamic faith by one of the four Kakwa Sultans to whom he was conscripted as a Bugler in the Sultan’s Asikari. Grandpa’s full name was then known as Andrea Dada son of Nyabira, who in turn was the son of Dada of the Adibu Clan, and he was converted to Islam by a fellow Kakwa by the title of Sultan Ali Kenyi of the Dimu Clan of Ko’buko, perhaps the most notorious, influential, and towering Ugandan Kakwa Chief in the first half of the 20th century. Sultan Ali Kenyi cultivated a friendship with Major C.H. Stingard who had a particular fondness for Kenyi’s Kakwa tribe.

He once wrote that, “Southward and Westwards of Yei is inhabited by the Kakwa, the most intelligent people in the Lado Enclave, excepting perhaps the Makaraka. These people who speak Bari are chiefly situated about the sources of the Yei, their biggest chief Bangala [Gbangala of Gulumbi] now deceased, lived 37 miles south of Yei. South of Bangala, and at the source of Kaya, is the Kakwa Chief Ali Kenyi who has recently passed to Uganda. The Kaya [River sic] having been made the new frontier between the Sudan and Uganda.” The Kakwa are thus now divided among three Governments, as they extend westwards into Belgian Congo, about Aba and the Kibi River. Hammudah Abdalati once wrote in “Islam in Focus" what I have taken as cardinal principles with which I have been able to overcome trying times as a Muslim in this increasingly Global Village. He provided me with a common but literate and proper insight into my religion and I must say it has helped me to appreciate the principles, which Islam stands for. For once I developed interest in a faith to which I was born into with a view to pursue this course of deeper knowledge on my own. Indeed, Muslims in the Western Hemisphere, especially those young among us, used to reside in remote areas and faced complex problems.


All the surrounding circumstances were unfavourable as far as my beloved religion Islam was concerned. Radio comments and television shows, news items, magazine articles, motion pictures and even school textbooks, all seem to misrepresent Islam and not always innocently. Besides, certain over enthusiastic Born Again groups try to exploit the condition of these Muslims in the hope that they may become converts to this denomination or that sect. On the other hand, there were many temptations in life to divert the attention of people and turn their interest away from the right course of religion. This was harmful enough but it was more so in case of us young Muslims and is still much more in the case of Islam, the religion that is poorly understood in the highly developed countries of the world.


It is true that some Muslim parents try to provide their children with religious guidance and instruction but of what good are these limited efforts and how effective could it have been in the high pressure environment in the west and indeed back home in Uganda. Some Muslims, who are innocent victims of their high-pressure environment, become indifferent and self-contained. They feel ashamed or suspicious of their surroundings. Consequently, they cannot possibly make any valuable contribution to their society or derive any significant benefit from it. Others flow with the tide of society to become fashionable and acceptable. These too neither contribute to nor benefit from the society in which they live. Such Muslims often became destructive and disgraceful for they are without effective religious morals.


Along with these indifferent, withdrawn and indulgent Muslims, there are others who may not be better in any way. They are probably fascinated by what seems to be a high degree of effective organisation of certain religious groups or by the wide social circulation fostered by certain secular fraternities. Such individuals are, for the most part, marginal people and mere joiners. They may even be viewed as souls lost in the lonely crowd so characteristic in this modern world of the 21st century. They join not because they have become indoctrinated in the faith of this or that particular group. Nor is it because they have developed unselfish love for humanity. Rather, they join because they do not appreciate their own Islamic heritage.


As a result of this, and of their living in non-Muslim environments, they may not acquire the necessary knowledge and courage to stand out as Muslims. If such Muslims have any real interest in religion, they will not deviate from the path of Islam which stands for the highest level of religious evolution and human aspiration in over one billion Muslims across the globe and still counting! Moreover, if they do really care for spiritual and moral welfare of humankind, they will find the greatest satisfaction within the framework of Islam. So, whenever they join any other group, they can only show a superficial interest and will settle for poor substitutes. The result is that they lose the spiritual contact with their fellow Muslims and remain marginal in their circles of association. When the ultimate consequences of the total situation are analysed, they will be found deplorable and harmful to all parties concerned. A loss to the Muslim platform is a greater loss to all other worthy platforms.


The True Muslim can contribute most effectively to the realisation of responsible citizenship and universal peace, mutual understanding, human brotherhood, freedom of conscience and maintenance of human dignity. All these principals are part and parcel of Islam we are enjoined upon and entrusted to us. If a Muslim who is supposed to stand for these principals is lost or grows indifferent it means that humanity at large will be deprived of his valuable contributions. This Hammudah Abdulati believed is indeed not a small loss. We have good reason to believe that our Holy Book, the Glorious Qur-an, is the Master Book of Revelation and the standard of religious truth. We also believe that Islam has come to re-affirm the Eternal Divine message and settle the past religious disputes so that man may embark upon creative constructive activities in all walks of life. This does not mean that the Muslims set themselves apart from or above the rest of mankind. We try neither to impose Islam nor to classify the human race into inferior and superior ranks.


We do not entertain the concept of favoured and condemned nations or endorse the doctrine of the chosen and the Gentile. Rather, we are commissioned to convey the divine message to mankind and to make our indispensable contribution to humanity. In other words, the Muslims cannot afford to be indifferent, exclusive or arrogant. It is our solemn duty to open wide our minds to all the realities of life and stretch far our arms to all peoples of whatever class, creed, race or nationality. The good which we can do and the services we can render will fully materialize only when we put Islam into practice and associate with other people in the kind humane spirit of Islam. In view of all these circumstances, I was able to make a fresh start in Islam without any intention of causing Muslims to become blind fanatics or narrow-minded people because Islam is strongly opposed to such things. Our hope is to re-acquaint the one thousand Million Muslims globally and their like with the truth of Islam and provide them with spiritual insight into the universe and a moral approach to the human condition in this increasingly materialistic environment. If this is realised, it will make us responsible citizens of our respective countries, honourable members of the human race and above all else–God-minded people.


With all intents and purposes, pessimism is not the outlook of the future of Islam as I see and neither is it a brave confession of despair and helplessness to which Muslims may seem subject. Neither is it a reflection of the expected outcome of a losing spiritual battle the Muslims are fighting across the Globe? Certainly, not but rather pessimism and despair. Even fatalism are contrary to the spirit of Islam and helplessness is incomparable with faith in Allah. The future which Islam has in great abundance in a sense explains the vitriol we pertinently get from the increasingly alarmed sects; there is a great and bright future in store for Islam.


The spiritual battle which the Muslims are fighting today is not a losing battle. Our numbers are a testament to this fact. If Muslims, for any reason, lose their spiritual battle, humanity will suffer irreparable losses I believe. The significance of this re-affirmation in my beloved Islam is to draw a realistic picture of the situation which is confronting an increasingly triumphant Muslim nations world-wide. This is to warn parents and the youth alike of the dangers that are amongst us and how to overcome them. Moreover, it is to remind all those who are genuinely interested in our spiritual heritage and well being of humanity that Muslims have to be alert and take a fresh attitude towards humanity and it problems. Hammudah Abdalati gave me an insight into the events that lead to the singular preservation of our Holy Scripture. During the Khalifate of Uthman Bin Afan, about fifteen years after the death of Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him), the compiled copies of the Qur-an were distributed widely in the new territories which came into contact with Islam. Most of the inhabitants did not see Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) or Hear him.


Due to regional and geographical factors, they were reading the Holy Qur-an with slightly different accents. Differences in recitation and Intonation began to arise and cause disputes among Muslims. Khalifa Uthman acted swiftly to meet the situation. After mutual consultation with all the leading Authorities, he formed a committee of four men made up of the former scribes of Revelations. All the copies in use were collected and replaced by one standard copy which was to be used according to the Accent and dialect of Qur aysh, the very same dialect and accent of Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) himself. That dialect was adopted and standardised because it was the best of all dialects and the one in which the Qur-an was revealed. Thus, the Holy Qur-an was again restricted to the accent and dialect of the man who received it. From that time onwards, the same standardised version has been in use without the slightest change in words or order or even punctuation marks. From these observations, scholars have concluded that the Qur-an stands today as it first came down, and as it always will be.


To it there has never been any addition; from it there was no omission and in it there occurred no corruption. Its history is clear as daylight; its authenticity is unquestionable and its complete preservation is beyond doubt. The Qur-an is full of unexemplified wisdom with regard to its source, its characteristics and its dimensions. The wisdom of the Qur-an derives from the wisdom of the author who could not have been any other than Rabbanah watt Allah himself. It also derives from the compelling power of the Book which is inimitable and which is a challenge to all mankind of letters and knowledge. The realistic approach of the Qur-an, the practical solutions it offers to human problems and the noble objectives it sets for man marks the Qur-anic wisdom as being of a special nature and characteristics. To Allah’s care, we leave our Muslim brethren and in him do we have infinite confidence that our endeavour will not be in vain. “I only desire reform to the best of my power and my success in the task can only come from Allah. In him I trust and unto him I look.” My most spiritual experience took place one eventful day when Dad took us to Makkah on the date when the Governor of Makkah would be doing the annual cleansing of the Holy site.


As we circulated, Tawwaf, the Kabah the inherent keeper of the keys to the Kabah recognised Amonye (dad) and joyfully grabbed his hand leading him towards the Golden Door upwards a flight of stairs. Amonye instinctively told us to stay close to him as we were given the privilege to enter the inner most sanctuary of the Holy Kabah. The keeper of the keys instructed All the Boys to pray two Rakkats at each of the four walls of the Kabah. What struck me was the fact that at every wall and at that particular moment, in time, we were facing millions of Muslims from every point of the globe who were praying towards this very centre of the Muslim Universe! Our Teaching claims that the Kabah is Parallel to a similar Kabah Twaffed by Angels in Heaven and that if one were to head straight up from this point they would actually head up the mythical staircase to heaven. We were then given the privilege to clean the inside of the Kabbah which we did with relish and spiritual faith. After which we went a final stretch of stairs up to the very top of the Kabah where brass rings hold the Woven black Silk Shroud.


The whole family never stopped talking about this event. Whenever I re- tell this story to learned Imams and Sheikhs in Africa, they always tell me how lucky I was to have had this chance to enter the inner Sanctuary of the Holy Kabah. The significance of the Keeper of the Key to the Kabah recognizing Dad was not lost to me. They had last met in 1972 when Dad came for his initial Haj in the company of the Late King Faisal. On that momentous day, as soon as they walked into the sacred sunctuary it started to rain. Shocked Faisal looked across at his VIP visitor and said "You must be a Special Visitor. This last happened centuries ago." Dad only smiled back in his mind, a certain knowledge of his Adibu / Bura Clan's reknowned Rain Making skills... here was Al-Amin being praised for his service to Islam by a descendant of a particular sect appointed by the original Al-Amin (The Prophet Peace Be Upon) following the future prophets just decision in solving a wrangle amongst the Qura ish tribe who were undecided on who was supposed to place the Holy Black stone on the newly reconstructed Kabah.


The wrangle had come to a head and the chiefs had decided that the very next inbound traveller on the caravan trade route would decide what solution to take in the dispute. Fatefully, Al-Amin as Muhammad Peace (Peace Be upon Him) was then called for his trustworthy character was the very next person to arrive from an errand as part of Khadija’s trade caravan. The chiefs were heartened when they saw Al-Amin and requested him to solve the problem. His solution was brilliantly simple. He thought for a moment and then said “bring me a Robe.” He took the robe they brought and spread it on the ground and placed the Black Stone on it and then said , “Let the elders of each clan hold onto one edge of the robe". They all complied and together carried the stone to the site of the construction. There, the Future Prophet of Islam picked up the stone and laid it in its place by himself. Indeed, bloodshed was thus averted and the dispute was solved.


The Qura ysh completed the building of the Kabah raising its walls to a height of the olden measure of 18 cubits and in order to make it more defensible, they raised its entrance through the Golden Door we passed through with Dad above ground level. I do recall a small argument we had as to the number of pillars that hold/support the roof. Originally on that initial roofing by “Pachomius” a Byzantine Trader who was also a builder by trade, they erected two parallel rows of three pillars each to support the ceiling and built that stairway on its north side that led us to the very roof of the Kabbah. There is also variations as to at what age our future Prophet of Islam actually was at the time of the reconstruction of the Kabbah and his Trustworthy (Al-Amin) arbitration between the Qura-ysh clans concerning the Black Stone. While some claim he was 25 years, others claim he was 35 years old.


Another Highly enlightening experience was Amonye's (dad's) annual ritual of breaking fast at the Haram Alsharif in Makkah from the start to the finish of the Holy Month of Ramadhan. We would set off in a long convoy with him in the metallic blue Vogue Range Rover or the white Caprice Classic Chevrolet estate , while we took the rear in either the Burgundy Fleetwood Cadillac or the cream 505 Peugeot estate. We normally set off right after Asir prayers and would arrive just before the magrib prayers and take up vigil until the announcement to break fast which we did with dates and fresh fruit juice. We would then pray in congregation with fellow muslims the magrib prayers. Then we would go out for a proper supper before returning for the extended prayer vigil "Taraweh Prayer" after the Ishah prayers. We would return to Jeddah before the morning prayer and in time to take Suhur/Dako. This ritual would be performed daily for either the 29 or 30 days in the month of Ramadhan.


Much to his credit, once he fell silent on the world stage by say 198l, he refocussed his energy into understanding further his own religion. His immense curiosity was infectious and we would go on extended tours of the Holy sight. We almost made it to the top of the famous mountain which marked the beginning of the Hijrah where Muhammad and Abu Bakr Al Saddiq took refuge from the search by fellow Quraysh. Jebel noor has always been a photo shoot opportunity whenever members of our family came into town. We learnt and visited arafat the sight of the final sermon. Memorably in 1987 I was given the task of being an Honorary Mutawaf [Guide ] for Baba Ramadhan with the responsibility of guiding him through a complete Ummrah. We set off for Makkah as a group comprising the whole family, then Amonye (dad 0 bought tickets on the Domestic Saudia Flight to Madina - just the two of us. We arrived to a fully packed Harram Al-Shari. I was able to show him the Holy sight at the Mimbar where it is recommeded to pray two rakkats since it was highly valued as a sight where Arch Angel Jibril would often descend from Heaven to convey the message from Allah. We would then join a long line towards the viewing portal of the graves of Umar, Abu Bakr and Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him.


From there we would move on to a marbled wall where we would also pray two rakkats since it was also a location where quite often the Arch Angel Jibril would also descend with a message from Allah sub hanah wat Allah. We would then move on to the very first masjid Al Kubah. From hence we would go and visit the battle field of Uhhud, the burial sight of Hammzah Alayhi sallam. I would show him the point on the mountain side where at the point of defeat when Khalid Ibn Walid's brilliant military tactics almost cost the Holy prophet his life then apparently droves of Angels came winging down to earth at that very spot to defend the Holy prophet. He came out of the attack with a broken tooth. To this day the place is considered close to Heaven as a point of entry and exit for the Holy Angels. We then went to other points of the steady war front where at a particular location the Sahabahs had built mosques on the battle field and would always pray two Raqqats at each sight. I also showed him the mosque at which the commandment came to shift direction from toward Masjid Al Aqsa and towards Makkah and the Holy Kabbah and then went to show him the burial sight of the muhajirin in the centre of Madinah Al Munawarah. Finally we set off on a 400 mile drive back to Jeddah inside an air conditioned Kangaroo Spring Hilux Toyota Double Cabin Truck. Sadly, the tour had had some tragic overtone since misleading information had reached us that maybe Mariyam Babirye and Hussien Kato had died. My elder sister Salamssidah and the remaining wife Mama Ariye had probably panicked when sending the information which turned out thankfully not to be true. I remember while we were on the flight to Madinah, Baba Morro suddenly broke down into tears. All I could do was place my hand over his trying to comfort him. The mother of the twins had decided to go back to Uganda leaving the children in Kisangani at the tender age of only four months!


On his hurried way back to Zaire on Ethiopian Airlines I remember the two brothers sitting at the Departure Lounge in an extended heart to heart discusion. What I only found out later on our regular trips for swimming at corniche with Amonye (dad) was (he told me that) Baba Morro had requested Amonye (dad) to send me to Kisangani to look after him but Amonye (dad) had declined claiming that I was still studying in the UK but that when I finished he would think about it.


I always felt touched by that request and in some way my coming to Uganda in 1990 and Baba Morro's eventful return to his homeland in the early 1990s brought us together again. At the back of his mind he has always had it that I was a very knowledgeable person as far as our religion ISLAM was concerned which I found amusing.


Ruthless Muslims:


Much has been written or said about the ruthless Muslims who emerged from the burning and dry deserts of Dark Arabia (Saudi Arabia) to conquer the Roman and Persian Protectorates and even to venture around the walls of Europe. Many have expressed the opinion that those Muslims were motivated by religious zeal to spread Islam by force as far as they could reach. Many others consider this opinion silly and naïve, because Islam by its nature cannot be forced and even if it were supposedly forced on the conquered people, it could not have lasted there for long, and non-Muslims would have been liquidated from the conquered regions.


History bears witness to the fact that whereever Islam reached, it survived with the exception of Spain on account of certain reasons and that wherever Muslims conquered or went, they lived side by side with non-Muslim natives. Moreover, they argue that one cannot force a religion like Islam on anyone and find him/her sincere and honest about his or her faith as were those Muslim converts of the new lands. It needs more than compulsion to develop such good Muslims out of a defeated people and it requires much more than suppression to make them uphold and cherish the “Forced Religion”. If there is any religion or constitution to gurantee peaceful freedom of religion and forbid compulsion in religion, it is Islam and Islam Alone! To this point, the Qur-an refers as follows: “Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from error. Whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy Hand hold, that never breaks, and Allah hears and knows all things.


”Even in the propagation of Islam, a Muslim is not only forbidden to employ force but is also commanded to use the most peaceful methods. To Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) Allah say: “Invite all to the way of your lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: For your lord knows best who have strayed from his Path and who Receives guidance and dispute you not with people of the Book (Jews andChristians) except with means better than mere disputation, unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong and injury. But say we believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our God and your God is One and it is to Him we Bow in Islam Now if my religion was so designated for Peace and if the Muslims were so dedicated to peace and if the Qur-an is favourable to Peace, why then did the Holy Prophet Launch Wars and Commanded Battles? Why does the Qur-an say Slay them and Fight them? To examine these seemingly innocent enquiry? Hammudauh Abdulati explained the following Historical facts that accompanied and anticipated the Muslim Wars Against the Infidels. The Muslims were initially being threatened from within by the disenchanted at Medina as well as by the Raids organized from Makkah. They were driven to a point where they could not stand any more persecution and threats, their families were separated from them by force.


Their properties were confiscated, their blood was shed. They were forced to leave their hometown in three waves of migration two to Abyssinia and one to Medina. They endured for over thirteen years with the new tactics of the Makkan enemies of Islam. There was no course for the Muslims except to await their final annihilation in a plural massacre or defend themselves against oppression and persecution. It must have been a paradox since Islam came to assure them of dignity and strength , freedom and security and to ally them with Allah the Supreme Source of Goodness and help, power and Peace. Yet, here, they were helpless and anxious, threatened and terrified. Islam commissioned them to establish peace to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, to support the oppressed and emancipate the subjugated and to prove how reliable and helpful to his Servants Allah is. But how could they do that if they themselves were oppressed, subjugated to terror and projected to helplessness? What perplexed them most of all at the time was that Revelations had been silent on the matter and had given them no specific instructions as to what to do.


Their perplexity did not last long and Allah relieved their grief by a Divine Resolution to solve their problems and those of any who might find themselves in a similar situation from hence forth. Allah commanded,“Verily Allah will defend those who believe: Verily Allah loves not any that is a Traitor to faith or shows ingratitude. To those against whom war is made, permission is given to fight, because they are wronged, and Verily Allah is most Powerful for their Aid" They are those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right for no cause except that they say Our Lord is Allah. Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another. There would surely have been pulled down Monasteries, Churches, Synagogues and Mosques in which the Name of Allah is commemorated an Abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who Aid his cause, for verily Allah is full of strength, Exalted in Might, Able to Enforce His will.


They are those who if we establish them in the Land establish Regular prayer and give regular charity, enjoin the right and forbid the wrong. With Allah rests the end and decision of all Affairs (22:38-41). With this permission from Allah there was no more persecution oppression to be inflicted on the Muslim; from Hence forth we stopped the Doctrine of Turning the other Cheek! There was resistance from our side to restore tranquility, to regain their peace and freedom, to reunite with their families and take back their belongings. There were Battles and Wars with Malicious infidels who flagrantly denied Muslims Peace and Freedom. But never was there any aggression from the Muslims side, or any destruction of homes, crops, supplies, etceteras or any killing of non-fighting women, children and the elderly plus Disabled people.


The Muslims observed these strict Rules of engagement Eons before the formation of the UN charter for Human rights and remained within the Limits of Allah. That, for sure, was something which had never been experienced before nor has it been experienced after. It was under these principles and revelations of Subhanah Wat Allah that the Muslims in the end achieved decisive Victories. Islam’s outstanding contribution to Civilisation was based on three major characteristics one of which is a kind of dynamic wisdom not the static type. It provokes the mind and quickens the heart of the believer. In this wisdom there is stirring dynamism and there is moving force attested by historical evidence. Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) is no myth. He came to us in the full glare of written history and has been accounted for by friend and fore, as well as by our very own incorruptible Qur-an itself. When Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) first launched the call of Allah, his only power was the Qur-an. His Humanity was a telling factor. He did not claim to posses any supernatural powers but only proclaimed his status as a messenger of Allah and his only wisdom was the Miracle of the Qur-anic wisdom. The penetrating dynamism of the Qur-an is tremendous and irresistible to this very day. Over 1 Billion Muslims and still the fastest growing religion is a solemn testament to Qur-anic wisdom. There are numerous examples to show that the most dynamic personalities and the most conclusive arguments could not reach the realm of the dynamic wisdom of the Qur-an.


Allah speaks of the Qur-an as a Rooh or Spirit and life and as a light wherewith the servants of Allah are guided to the Straight Path. Again, Allah says “Had we sent down this Qur-an on a mountain, verily you would have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for Fear/Owe of Allah. Such are the similarities which we propound to men, that they may reflect” (Chapter 59: verse 21). The key words are Rooh and Sad which mean that the Qur-an originates life, quickens the soul, radiates the guiding light and moves the seemingly immobile objects. This is the kind of spiritual dynamism of which the Qur-an speaks. This inward penetration is different from and far deeper than that of any other legal or ethical system, because the Qur-an speaks in Allah’s name and refers all matters to our Creator. The outward function of the Qur-an embraces all walks of life and covers the principles of the entire field of human affairs from the most personal matters to the complex international relations. The Qur-an reaches areas unknown to any secular system of law or code of ethics and inaccessible to any popular doctrine of religion. What is remarkable about the Qur-an in this respect is that it deals with human transactions in such a way as to give them a divine transaction and acknowledges him as the first source of guidance and the ultimate goal of all transaction. It is man’s spiritual guide, his system of law, his code of ethics and above all his way of life. In its upward function the Qur-an focuses on the one supreme Allah.


Everything that was or that is or that will be must be channelled into and seen through this focus, the active presence of Allah in the Universe. Man is merely a trustee in the vast domain of Allah, and the sole purpose of his creation is to worship Allah. This is no pretext for seclusion or passive fatalistic retirement from life. It is an open invitation to man to be the true embodiment on earth of the excellent qualities and attributes of Allah. When the Qur-an, in its upward attention, focuses on Allah, it opens before man new horizons of thought, guides him to unexemplified standards of high morality and acquaints him with the eternal source of peace and goodness. Realizing Allah alone as the ultimate goal of man is a revolution against the popular trends in human thought and religious doctrine - a revolution whose objective is to free the mind from doubt, liberate the soul from sin and emancipate the conscience from subjugation. In all its dimensions, the Qur-anic wisdom is conclusive. It neither condemns nor tortures the flesh, nor does it neglect the soul. It does not humanise Allah nor does it deify the Human Apostles and Messengers of Allah.


Everything is carefully placed where it belongs in total scheme of creation. There is a proportionate relationship between deeds and rewards, between means and ends. The Quranic wisdom is not neutral. It is demanding and it's demands are joyfully welcomed by all those blessed with appreciation and understanding. The wisdom of Allah’s words calls for truth in thought and pity in action, for unity in purpose and goodwill in intent. That is the Qur-an in it is guidance sure, without doubt…(2:2) this Book which we have revealed unto you, in order that you might lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light. (14:2).


Jaffar Remo 1966-


Son of Idi Alemi 1928-2003 R.i.p


Son of Amin Dada 1897-1976 R.i.p

March 31, 2008 at 10:21 PM
UGANDANS COMMUNITYCANADA. NORTH AMERICA. said...

The Middle East's Leading English Language Daily

26/09/2008


Hello,

kadara kursum is suggesting the following article from http://www.arabnews.com:
Dialogue is vital: King — ‘Use KANDC as platform to air views’
P.K. Abdul Ghafour I Arab News

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah stressed the important role being played by King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center (KANDC) in deepening the values of love, tolerance and dialogue in Saudi society.
“These values are based on Islamic teachings that call for moderation and brotherhood,” the king said while meeting with the president and members of the center’s higher committee.
“Dialogue is vital for human progress because it is the torch that enlightens our minds, strengthens faith and deepens moral values,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as saying.
He said the KANDC is a platform for all Saudis to present their viewpoints and conduct constructive dialogue on pressing issues facing the country.
“The outcome of such dialogues contributes to the development and modernization of the country,” the king said, adding that the public and private sectors should cooperate with the center and make use of the conclusions reached at national dialogue forums.
He said Muslims can protect their honor and prestige only through following the teachings of Islam and its principles. “We should also demonstrate keen interest in the outcome of the interfaith dialogue,” he said.
More than 300 leaders of different religious faiths attended an international interfaith conference in Madrid in July, which was held at the initiative of King Abdullah.
“A dialogue which emphasizes what we hold in common as human beings ... will make us realize that values and principles uniting us are more than those dividing us,” the king said.
He said the international dialogue forums that began in Madrid would open a wider horizon for talks to promote coexistence of different religious communities in peace and harmony.
Sheikh Saleh Al-Hosain, president of the center who presented the organization’s annual report to the king, said the center had trained 800 men and women to organize dialogues. “They will play a big role in promoting a culture of dialogue in the Kingdom.”
Faisal bin Muammar, secretary-general of the center, said the next dialogue forum would focus on health. “King Abdullah has stressed the importance of family dialogue in order to promote the values of love and cooperation within the Saudi family.”



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September 26, 2008 at 11:36 AM

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