Letters to the Editor | May 2015
Knowledge-hungry Non-Muslims
Q. Alhamdulillaah, the response you brothers give for the questions posed is straight and sensible (Islamically), I find it very useful. And many of the articles are very well-written. But somehow, down the line, when I read the articles, especially concerning ‘the present state of Muslims’ and the reports relating to the war and torture in Muslim countries and etc., I feel depressed. A pattern of remorse can be traced in these articles… I’m aware of the undergoing oppression of the weaker sections around the world, but reporting and reproducing those incidents again (as they are already in western news channels) is surely disturbing the minds of youth. The emotional pain which we youth feel is dampening our mind. Muslims, who thankfully are, not is those terrible situations, have become saturated with such news. And in order to overcome this sadness which is a further burden on top of his/ her own life problems, what a common Muslim chooses is to turn a deaf ear to it. It’s a kind of an escapism attitude, which our mind adopts. And whosoever wants to become a more practicing Muslim sees no other option but to start blaming the other neutral Muslim as a less concerned or an unfaithful Muslim. This negative feeling keeps circulating repeatedly in our society. My simple suggestion/request for you is to please include the moral behind every article published.
YMD
Everybody, and not merely the youth, is disturbed by the news of Muslim persecution in some parts of the world, that the media gives special attention to. It is a matter of concern and so, the youth, as well as the rest, have to know what’s going on around them. This is why the articles are there.
The turning of deaf ear by the youth to the news of Muslims’ persecution, going on now since more than a decade, is one of the causes of the persecutions. Instead of avoiding to hear the unpleasant news, the youth must rise up to combat this new evil, and lay down their lives for it, if there be the need. Storms do not pass away if ostriches hide their heads in sand.
Persecution of one group by other groups, is the way of life of the humans since Adam’s time, reappearing now in good force. Human history is the other name of human oppression, persecution, murder, war, destruction and ruthless massacres. This goes on with assurances from the perpetrators that everyone should work for peace, equality, freedom, dignity, and so forth. The Qur’an reflected the truth when it said about these mischief-makers: “When it is told to them, ‘do not spread corruption in the land,’ they say, ‘we are the ones working on improvement (of things).’” [2: 12]
By blaring out slogans of peace, calm, patience, etc., the true effort of the perpetrators is to handover pills of paralysis to the victims, so that they themselves, the perpetrators, can continue without resistance. If there is any resistance to their activities of destruction, the resisting ones are called terrorists, and guns are fired at them more frequently with full justification.
The youth of today has to wake up to the reality that has now appeared, about which there is consensus of opinion of the world intellectuals, thinkers, writers and social activists that this new world order is pretty ugly and that it promises to stay. We talk of Muslims. Look at Cuba. But for a few, the entire population is reduced to eating once daily, rice and beans, with an occasional piece of onion. Occasional cars in the streets are as young as 1960 models. Why? Because the leadership of the country has refused to accept the dominance of a Super Power. It is now the third generation which is paying the price of defiance. But, that keeps the nation’s head high in pride. So, Muslim youth should not imagine that they are the only victims of violence.
If the Muslim youth will not accept the new realities of the new age of the Devil, if they will not give up its life of carefree attitudes, of a mobile and a motorcycle-ride through the streets, with little money in their jeans pants, and rise up in united strength, against all oppression, whether of the Muslims, or of non-Muslims, things will continue, and will get worse, leading to complete breakdown of law and order, and end in recurring slaughter in cold blood over wide areas.
At present the Muslim youth behaves like rabbits frolicking in the bushes, nibbling at grass, merry-making with each other, entirely unconscious of the hounds that are surrounding them and closing in upon them.
Let none, therefore, complain that our magazine has become an unpleasant whimpering, moaning, and groaning collection of articles. Come to realize now, or you will not be there to whimper, moan and groan.
Q. Also, I read some questions/ articles relating to the Jama’ats, sects and divisions in Islam and Muslims each time quarreling with the other. I’m aware these divisions and in-fighting cannot be rooted out. They are here to stay, but why giving them unnecessary publicity? Why are you people naming them? There are several young Muslims brothers/ sisters who are not even aware of such different sects and who like for themselves to be just called as Muslims.
YMD
Your general statement does not relate to the policies of the YmD. We are responsible first to Allah, and then to the people. When we are asked about specific groups, and their beliefs or activities, then, it is our duty to speak out the truth, and, where necessary, name the group. Muslim sensibilities have become blunt. Without specificities, criticism vaporizes into the atmosphere.
Q. Along with Muslim youth there are several knowledge hungry non-Muslims who don’t even know what Islam is, and who Muslims are, but the moment they try to understand, all they realize is that Islam is also a ‘religion’ of practicing certain rituals and then the in-fighting and the differences among the different sects… So please don’t educate them about maslaks and sects, while answering questions or while writing any articles.
YMD
We are not asked questions by non-Muslims for us to confuse them with the answers that speak of differences within the house of Islam. It is when Muslims ask questions, and, especially, when they speak the language of the sects, then, it becomes our duty to inform them of the nature of differences and warn them over falling into same kind of groupings.
As regards non-Muslims being, as you state, knowledge-hungry about Islam, this is a pipe-dream statement. Out of every ten thousand non-Muslims, there could be one who could have an ear for anything Islamic. Thanks to the hatred spread by certain fascist groups, the great majority have learnt to hate Islam and Muslims. Also, if Muslims are not knowledge-hungry, how could non-Muslims become so? When the journalists at Charlie Hebdo were murdered, a dozen or two French youth became inquisitive about the motives for the murder, looked for Islamic literature and became Muslims. But during those very days, the streets of Paris were bursting forth with millions of French men and women chanting out, “We are all Charlie Hebdo.” Knowledge-hungry? That is some self-delusion.
Dreams not being realized, and economic failures combined with inferiority complex that develops when you cling to religious beliefs that should have been long discarded, makes the general populations in some countries angry, and Muslims are an easy target for venting their anger. The situation threatens to stay for some time.
Q. We along with the Western powers have reduced Islam and Muslims to a cult and have made ‘Muslim’ a tag representing a group which practices certain rituals…
YMD
Rituals will be there. Allah orders Muslims to practice the rituals. It is the refusal to take Islam beyond rituals and lip-service that is the new generation’s failure. It is the refusal to take Islam into homes, which is the older generation’s failure. And, it is the refusal to shut down the TV, cut down the Internet, and replace the smart phone with simple mobiles, that is the failure of both the older and the younger generation.
Q. Islam is a universal religion which is harmonious with the nature and with the individual. This religion has to be first implemented in an individual’s heart and mind. This basic principle is not at all reverberating in our Masajid, nor in any of our ‘Islamic’ media.
Abdul Khader,
On Email
YMD
Very true that Islam is a universal religion. But where is it its universal role? It is for the youth to play out that role. They cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of humankind around them. They must rise above, as they say, cast and creed, and offer sincere services to the poor and the needy of all faith, whose numbers are fast rising, and then claim that Islam is a universal religion.
Eunuchs
Q: What does Islam say about eunuchs?
YMD
Islam says that if they believe and do good deeds they will enter Paradise, but if they ignore, they might find themselves in a very unpleasant place in the Hereafter.
Q. What kind of relationship can one have with them?
YMD
Normal relationship – except not to marry one of them, if it is a proven case of biological disorder.
Q. What is their status in following the basics and other rulings of Islam?
YMD
Same as anyone else’s, with some modifications in certain situations.
Q. Or if there is anything else one must know about them?
YMD
No; and why?
Q. Please reflect in detail as I have heard much about them but which I do not wish to trust unless there’s some authentic religious certification like yours.
Hilal Ahmad Wani,
On Email
YMD
That you have heard much about them does not reflect well about the Muslim society since they are invisible. Being so few, or perhaps none in many places, why should they be a topic for gossip?
Bank Interests
Q. Is interest accruing from a savings account haraam if the rate of inflation exceeds the rate of interest?
D. K.,
On Email
YMD
Firstly, we express regret that this question of yours remained hidden for so long with us. It simply reflects on how efficient we are.
Anyhow, interests of all kinds, classes, and definitions are haram in Islam. Inflation and interests on capital, are two different, unrelated issues, even outside the Islamic purview.
Inflation happened during the time of the Prophet also, leading to a fall in the worth of savings. It hurt the Companions because they saved money for investment into one of the two trade Caravans that went up to Syria or down to Yemen during the year. Their trade amounted to no more than these journeys in which the caravan size could be hundreds of camels. With little or no agriculture, the year’s sustenance depended entirely on these trade journeys. With inflation, the value of their savings suffered. They suggested to the Prophet that he should fix up the prices so as to arrest inflation. He refused, saying, “I do not wish anyone to have any claim on me on the Day of Judgment.”
In other words, he did not wish to interfere in the market economy, allowing it to flow on, naturally, following changing financial, social, political and natural forces, to the disadvantage of some and advantage of others. Since that is how Allah shifts wealth from some hands to others, any interference would amount to working against Allah’s Plan to render justice to all.
Interest-bearing banking helps concentration of wealth into few hands.
This is not a complete answer, but merely one or two points of note. The system needs a thorough study, which, we fear, has not been conducted anywhere so far.
Promise Unkept
Q. One of my family members promised me very strongly on the day of Milad-un-Nabi of something, and when I asked her to confirm, she, being the senior-most of the family said that she was fasting and had just read the Qur’an, and swore by Allah and his Rasool. But my other family members disagree with her words. I am confused. She is a hajji, prays five times, still she could not keep her promise. Please suggest me some prayers.
Najmus Saher,
On Email
YMD
If the lady had promised you something, but has backed out because of family pressure, then, surely, the family must have had good reasons to pressure her into changing her opinion. Your problem then is with the family and not the lady. To press on her by saying, “after all, you swore by Allah, His Messenger, and His Book,” would amount to blackmailing her.
As for the oaths, it is only the ones in the name of Allah that is valid. The other two, “His Messenger, and His Book” are null and void. Oaths are valid only by Allah’s name. Nor has any promise made on any particular day, such as Meelaad-un-Nabiyy, or any other, is more accredited than of any other day.
She must, however, expiate for having broken her oath, and, on your part, better be with the family in their decisions. This rule stands so long as the whole lot of them is not faasiqoon. It is then that you may differ and disagree with them.
Child Marriage
Q. For last few days, we see that the topic of ‘child marriage’ is being hyped by the media, particularly some TV channels highlighting the issue as the legacy of Islam, with people giving reference to some instances that happened during the Prophet’s (pbuh) period, or are happening at present in some Muslim countries like Afghanistan, Yemen, Pakistan, etc. Hence, considering the issue to be serious, I request your good self to please throw some light on the topic in the upcoming edition.
Abrar Ahmed,
On Email
YMD
Since the youth believes in each other, and the smarter of them expectorates the media’s poisonous outpouring among their friend circles, an issue which is either no problem, or of little importance among the Muslims, becomes the issue of the moment. As a result, seminars are held, where illiterates who have learned how to read and write speak out on a topic they little understand, and about which they have every wrong information, resulting in the Muslim youth getting most disturbed of heart and mind without realizing that this was the very reason why the whole ruckus, howl and clamor was organized.
The whole ruckus, the howl and the clamor concerning Islamic issues which are kicked up, every often, with ever changing shades and slogans, are meant to disturb the Muslims, weaken them in their faith, engage them in topics that drain their energies, and prevent them from competing with others. In the end, dead of spirit, and the will to fight back on the arena of life’s struggle, the wolves become sheep, ready to accept it as their fait accompli, when they see the shine of knives when flashed before their eyes.
In the meanwhile, instead of educating themselves, of Islam and Muslims, first hand, without inferiority complex damping their spirits, without a guilt settled on their hearts, without a shameful face before their counterparts, they do their morning and evening in activities that assure them of a soft landing in the slums.
Child marriage is one such issue to bait the Muslim mind and attention. Like many others, it is an issue in the non-Muslim societies. So, the media turns it around one hundred and eighty degrees, so that, instead of they being ashamed about it, Muslims are made to feel guilty of what is their problem in its root and branch. E.g., how many Child Marriages have you attended? You would say, “None,” so, where is the problem?
The problem is in the west and east of Islam. Pedophilia is a hallmark of Western, and, especially the American culture. The first sex experience of a child there, male or female is with its parents. “Who did it?” ask the doctors, aghast. “My father,” is the answer. Reports, despite their suppression by the media, are enough to fill library racks. From parents, to grandparents, to priests, to everyone you won’t suspect, it is hard for a child to grow into maturity without having been victim of sexual violence at their hands. Authorities acknowledge the report of 4000 priests who had sex with children; but the news is taken off quickly because the media needs to discuss the issue of Child Marriage in Islam.
A man is arrested for having oral sex with infants. It had gone on for years. But how did he have access to infants in their beds? Well, he was a male nurse. So, yes sir, there is a problem in Islam: child marriage. It must be addressed. Staff running seminaries or children’s homes are arrested. Why? Because, cars were lining up at the gates to take the children away for a few hours, every day. Here is a celebrity. His mobile has images of children in horror exposures. So, it is time to ask, “Did Prophet Muhammad marry a child?”
If reports such as: “Baldwin, who chaired the California Assembly’s Education committee, where he fought against support for the homosexual agenda in the state’s public schools, says in his report that homosexual activists’ ‘efforts to target children both for their own sexual pleasure and to enlarge the homosexual movement’ constitute an ‘unmistakable’ attack on ‘the family unit.””(http://www.researchgate.net/publication); or, “There has been a 60% increase in child sexual abuse reported to the police over the past four years, according to official figures which make public for the first time the scale of the problem in England and Wales,” (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/09/) – when these reports appear, then, that’s the right time that the enemies of Islam and Muslims should start involving the Muslim youth in discussions around, “Child sexual abuse in Muslim countries,” and, “`A’isha’s age at the time of marriage.”
That’s our answer to the question you have asked.
