there's only one Islam
Reader comment on item: Hamza Yusuf Fails My "Test"

Submitted by Khalil (United Kingdom), Sep 14, 2006 at 10:07

I would like to mention a few notices I had on your questions, I won't take too much of your time. there's only one Islam, there is no Sunni, shia, Sufi or goofies!. these are but names that people have incorporated to their opinions, the only criteria to be a Muslim is as follows: The shahada (declaration): la ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah (theres no God but Allah and Muhmmad is his Messenger. to believe without a doubt: in Allah, his Angels, Prophets, books and the Final day and in pre-destined fate.

To establish Salat (commonly known as prayer but the Arabic word is taken from the Root Sillah "Connection" and it is the very bacbone of the worship. alot of English words are used in describing Muslim ritual but we have inherited that so in English terms alot of Muslim practices have been Christianized in Language, for instance "Deen" today we call it religion but it really means "way of life", without it there can be no Islam, it is not only a religion but a complete way of life and without establishing these and living them how can one be a muslim?. payment of Zakat "Alms giving", and performing the Hajj "pilgrimage" atl east once in our lives. that is basically Islam, but there are other degrees that are never apparent they are hidden and between the servant "worshipper" and his lord, how?

I will explain: Muslim: one who has made the declaration. Mu'min: one who has firm belief in his/her heart. Muhsin: one who has reach a high ettiquette in his worshipping Allah. Not every Muslim is a Mu'min and not every Mu'min is a Muhsin. I agree theres a lot of problems the muslim's face today, extremism is one of them! but should the price to pay be letting go of our very fabric and ideals? ceartainly not! thats the whole reason we are Muslim, to establish what Allah has tought us and revealed to us through his prophet and messenger but ofcourse within the rights and limitations of his devine law not by our whims and desires. yes! we must treat everyone fairly, we must seek peace, justice and prosperity, but when our very way of life is threatned we must defend it to the last, this is a basic human right!, did you learn nothing from history?

the muslim's once rised to the highest of standards in humanity, arts, science, and ofcourse militaria, In Andalusia there where Colleges, universities, hospitals, public baths, light lit streets and libraries for all (christian, jews and muslims), when the chatholics took control they showed no mercy to jews nor muslims the inquisition drove all out, where did alot of jews go to? the Ottoman empire, which welcomed them with open arms, gave them equal rights, lands and oppertunity, but sadly this proud and glorious history is forgotten on both-sides of the fence, I'm not extremist but I have a culture and a way of life and it's my right to live it as God intended. for no civilisation can survive without these things, why? look at the U.S.A. thy are in a position of power yes! but I fear they are becoming Haughty and arroggant! and for that there is no cure.

I do not hate the U.S. i know there are alot of good and God fearing people there but their civilazation is going down a dark and dangerous path, as did the Greeks, Romans, Persians, British, Spanish, Chinese, Egyptians, Nazi's and soviets, the remnants of these civilizations are all around us, but what of their empires? nothing but ruins, do not be so foolish to be bias my friend, theres good and bad on both-sides, we have to look deeply between the dirt to dig-out the treasures of all civilization, only then will we put aside our differences and true progress can be made!, only then will we be able to go to the next level, and achieve great things together. all the organizations you mentioned are fighting for something greater than land, greater than thmselves, true I disagree with alot of their methods especially terrorism, but why have they turned to it I wonder? it is simply because they found no other way!

the die is cast unfortunately but we must not dispair, we can bring them back to the light, but the west must also change its policies and respect peoples rights and live-up to it's so called ideals, and practice what they preach or else the future looks very dark indeed for everyone. moreover, the west and the east must change theyre ways, they are willingly paying a very high price, for somethings under the vail and slogans of freedom and democracy, but they are no more than an abuse of freedom and democracy, just take a look if your are sound of logic and reason, to the statistics of crime, murder, aids, poverty, unemployment, racism, alchoholism, sodomism, prostitution, gun-running, drug-dealing, all these you are sustaining their existance but nothing is free and nothing is done but with it a price to pay weather immediatly realized or further down the line, fine b my guest and carry-on, you will see these plagues all are destorying your civilization from within but I fear you will not take this good advice and you will suffer the consicuences so be it, I am talking here both as a Muslim and a Human being, we are destroying our children, our homes, our counrties and our earth with our own hands, wala hawala wala quwata illa billah.

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