Category: World Affairs Views: 1509
1509
Let us Cherish the Freedom
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This Fourth of July is different for Muslim Americans. Previously, this day came and went by without making much difference in the life of most of them. But this year each of them is aware of the close scrutiny they all are being held. The country is under threat as some terrorists have pledged to attack its citizens and its monuments. Those who have issued threats claim to be Muslims. Some Muslim Americans may feel that he or she may be a suspect in the eyes of his neighbor or law enforcement agency.
On that day, anyone who looks like a Muslim will be watched very closely and who knows how many Muslims might decide to stay home for fear of being identified by someone as a suspect.
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But this is a day when Muslims must express their confidence on the democratic institutions of this country. This is a day when they should go out and demonstrate that their is a vast difference between terrorists who have Muslim names and Muslims who have nothing to do with terrorism. Muslims must be visible on this day in public gatherings. Women with hijab, children with kufi and men with beards should express their solidarity with the rest of the nation by joining prayer services wherever they can. Perhaps, Muslim Americans can organize their prayers for the country in mosques and Islamic centers to make the point they are as much victims of terrorism as the rest of the country.
This year's celebrations on July 4th are more than ordinary celebrations. There is an opportunity for Muslims to reaffirm their commitment to the divine values of justice, peace and oneness of humanity. Let us cherish the freedom this country has preserved for long and pray that those who are out to destroy this never succeed. This is our country the same way as it belongs to earlier immigrants.
Dr. Aslam Abdullah is the Editor of the Minaret magazine which is a monthly publication from Los Angeles, California.
Category: World Affairs
Views: 1509
Views: 1509
Older Comments:
ALI SYED FROM PAKISTAN said:
Asslaam-O-Alekum..this is good to know different opinions from different parts of world..i am muslim and i have spent more than 5 years with orthodox christians..and i didnt find any kind of allegations to muslim..but after 9/11, thinge r changed a lot...u can say almost U turn in people behavior..if some one attempt any kind of terrorist act in any country so they say he is a either christians or muslims terrorist..our media and propoganda created this word just after one attack on world trade centre but to remove this word with terrorist will take a lot more than that and even it could take a most brutal war ..which is almost on the face of this planet..palestanian-israel conflict..and america who is a single super power now..should think before taken every single step towards muslim communities and countries..
and one of serial step of this conflict is attack on Iraq..america should think twice now before to do anything...and i think mr. bush is fully eligible to tackle this kind of delicate issue with fine hands..so wish u luck all...living in states is good and who ever live there should educate american people that all fingers r not equal..if some one else from other religion do somekind of terrorist act..he shouldnt called by christian terrorist..and that should be a focal point to concentrate ...
and one of serial step of this conflict is attack on Iraq..america should think twice now before to do anything...and i think mr. bush is fully eligible to tackle this kind of delicate issue with fine hands..so wish u luck all...living in states is good and who ever live there should educate american people that all fingers r not equal..if some one else from other religion do somekind of terrorist act..he shouldnt called by christian terrorist..and that should be a focal point to concentrate ...
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MADMAX FROM MOROCCO said:
...and I am sure Sarah Wilkerson enjoyed her picnics and high cholesterol, well whatever...obviously the world is overpopulated with naives.
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ABDUL GHAFOOR FROM INDIA said:
assalamu alaikum...
dear brothers and sisters.
I read some of the letters on this subject. especially letter of sister kate. Thank you kate for your nice thoughts.
However being muslims or Moslems (as the western people pronounce it), all lands belong to Allah Almighty. Before man came on the scene on this earth, no borders were there, no cities that you see were there and so on... To Allah, the single Lord and Owner, The Master belongs America,Canada, Japan, India, Kashmir, Pakistan, Russia, China, Africa and so on. If the people celebrate about their independence and if there is nothing that is against Allah or His Prophet, and the Islam, then it is permissible. Suppose America is an Islamic State and you are a citizen of her, then would you not celebrate the independence day? Sure.. But if non muslims do not do it, then there is no force on them to do so. But you will not feel bad also because Islam is not about celebrating these and other things which do not make any difference to our Relationship, Belief, Duty etc unto God who feeds us & Protects us. He wants to see who is Loyal to Him and we have to uphold this truth first and our Duty to Him above anything. Then only we are doing real service to ourselves, our community, our religion and the country. What was the fate of those who were loyal to the System and Ideology of Hitler?
Recently an officer of Hitler's party was imprisoned for the killings done during world war II even though he claimed to have received orders from the top and had nothing to do with his evil acts and thus he wasinnocent. That was the kind of loyalty which proved costly to him even after 57 years. Allah teaches and shows us the way in the Holy Qur'an, His Final Guidance. Please read to know more about how to live on this earth being the Loyal Servant of instead of living as meek sheep of some corrupt system and leaders, who confront God and finally reach the dead and eternal loss.let's celebrate freedom with Allah's guidance.
dear brothers and sisters.
I read some of the letters on this subject. especially letter of sister kate. Thank you kate for your nice thoughts.
However being muslims or Moslems (as the western people pronounce it), all lands belong to Allah Almighty. Before man came on the scene on this earth, no borders were there, no cities that you see were there and so on... To Allah, the single Lord and Owner, The Master belongs America,Canada, Japan, India, Kashmir, Pakistan, Russia, China, Africa and so on. If the people celebrate about their independence and if there is nothing that is against Allah or His Prophet, and the Islam, then it is permissible. Suppose America is an Islamic State and you are a citizen of her, then would you not celebrate the independence day? Sure.. But if non muslims do not do it, then there is no force on them to do so. But you will not feel bad also because Islam is not about celebrating these and other things which do not make any difference to our Relationship, Belief, Duty etc unto God who feeds us & Protects us. He wants to see who is Loyal to Him and we have to uphold this truth first and our Duty to Him above anything. Then only we are doing real service to ourselves, our community, our religion and the country. What was the fate of those who were loyal to the System and Ideology of Hitler?
Recently an officer of Hitler's party was imprisoned for the killings done during world war II even though he claimed to have received orders from the top and had nothing to do with his evil acts and thus he wasinnocent. That was the kind of loyalty which proved costly to him even after 57 years. Allah teaches and shows us the way in the Holy Qur'an, His Final Guidance. Please read to know more about how to live on this earth being the Loyal Servant of instead of living as meek sheep of some corrupt system and leaders, who confront God and finally reach the dead and eternal loss.let's celebrate freedom with Allah's guidance.
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SARAH WILKERSON FROM USA said:
If you live in the U.S., you can celebrate Independence Day on July 4th like the rest of us (which, by the way, mostly involves picnics, sunshine, fireworks, and some entirely good-natured flag-waving), OR you can sit at home and whine. It's your choice. We don't mind -- all the more picnic tables for us. Have a good time. But don't be surprised if your neighbors think that you are a backward, intolerant, arrogant foreigner. After all, isn't that exactly what you are?
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KATE FROM USA said:
I am a non-Muslim American woman who knows little of Islam and no Muslims. I know that Islamic cultures held the wisdom of ancient Greece and developed science and philosophy when Europe was in the dark ages. Although almost all we see on the news or read in the papers regarding Muslims is about death and destruction, my heart tells me no religion and it's people with such a hitory, that has flowered across the globe, could only be about suicide bombers. So I go on the internet, looking for information, and find, indeed, what my heart says. That while the Qur'an never changes, it speaks individually to people, finding them in whatever situation they are. As Eien says, it is "highly flexible and modular". However, Eien also says that "a wholesale celebration of the Independence Day of the US is like clebrating everything this nation embodies...not only learing from the good but accepting the bad." I disagree, Eien. Celebrating the 4th is rather a celebration of the opportunity...the opportunity to worship, the opportunity to vote, the opportunity to work. Surely one must undertand that nothing administered by people will be perfect. But here in the US we have the ability to, to paraphrase Brain, love it enough to criticize it. I would echo Brian's sentiments strongly. When Americans only see only bombs and destruction that is all they know of Islam. I challenge Muslims to engage non-muslim Americans in a different dialogue in order to demonstrate how the desire for justice is desired by both, and how the heart of Islam is indeed about loving and serving God. Maybe when the American populace sees the human face of Muslims the stereotypes will begin to fall away and the politicans and policies will be questioned as Brian suggests.
Thank you for allowing this forum.
Thank you for allowing this forum.
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SA FROM USA said:
So many negative responses. As Muslims can we be thankful to Allah for providing us a place where we can worship in relative freedom? Should we not be thankful for all the favors Allah has blessed on us by living in America.
I don't see many Muslims clamoring to leave and live in the great Nations of Saudia Arabia, Kuwait or Pakistan. Why not?
Lets look at this glass and realize it is half full, not half empty.
I don't see many Muslims clamoring to leave and live in the great Nations of Saudia Arabia, Kuwait or Pakistan. Why not?
Lets look at this glass and realize it is half full, not half empty.
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ALI FROM USA said:
Dr Aslam Abdullah you should read surat AL Munafiqun and stop advising Muslims to participate in this year 4 of July.What is so special about this day?Do you celebrate also when our Muslims brothers and sisters are killed indirectly by hands of this administration all over the World ? Palestine,Iraq,kashmir,Afganistan and many others or are you working for the administration of this gov't.
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ALI YASSIN FROM ENGLAND said:
We want peace the same way the Americans claim to love peace.
We cant eat and sleep , when we see whats happening in Palestine.
Double standard wont work as long as the Americans want to help the jews to kill the palestines.
I HAVE A DREAM THAT ONE DAY , THE CHILDEN OF PALESTINE WILL BE FREE.
It was hard to believe that one day Mandela will be ,the Mandela that the west call the terrorist. one day the 'terrorist' Arafat will be the president of palestine'
A brother of the palestinas.
ALI YASSIN
We cant eat and sleep , when we see whats happening in Palestine.
Double standard wont work as long as the Americans want to help the jews to kill the palestines.
I HAVE A DREAM THAT ONE DAY , THE CHILDEN OF PALESTINE WILL BE FREE.
It was hard to believe that one day Mandela will be ,the Mandela that the west call the terrorist. one day the 'terrorist' Arafat will be the president of palestine'
A brother of the palestinas.
ALI YASSIN
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FARAZ FROM UK said:
But does Islam supports the concept of Nationalism ????? Are ther not authentic hadith against nationalism and tribalism where does the concept of Khilafa or God's land go???????????????
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EIEN FROM UNITED STATES said:
Dr. Aslam Abdullah is a respected scholar
and learned Muslim, yet for some reason I find
the naivety in his article highly disturbing.
Islam is a highly flexible and modular religion
- one where we are encouraged to learn from
the good and avoid or alleviate the bad. A
wholesale celebration of the Independence
Day of the United States is like celebrating
everything this nation embodies - that is not
only learning from the good, but also
accepting the bad. I agree that is important for
Muslims to be seen during the Fourth of July,
but not to celebrate the divine values of justice
and humanity - because this nation hardly
embodies them completely or wholeheartedly,
rather we should be seen outside in order to
educate our fellow citizens about the policies
of their government - policies which are killing
and destroying the lives of Muslims
worldwide.
We must remember that the United States is
a nation in which we live in and insofar as this
aids us and our people, we must use it's
institutions, flawed as they are, to our
advantage. We must remember that in the
end, we have only one nation and that is our
ummah. A beautiful ideal which truly
eliminates discrimination and hate because it
combines our people together with a bond far
greater than a national government or patriotic
ideal.
Let us reaffirm our committment not through
a blind celebration but through a intelligent,
and purposeful drive towards a dissmenation
of knowledge and reconcialiation instead - all
the while being critical of the action of this
state.
May Allah forgive me and may he guide you all
to the right path insha'Allah.
and learned Muslim, yet for some reason I find
the naivety in his article highly disturbing.
Islam is a highly flexible and modular religion
- one where we are encouraged to learn from
the good and avoid or alleviate the bad. A
wholesale celebration of the Independence
Day of the United States is like celebrating
everything this nation embodies - that is not
only learning from the good, but also
accepting the bad. I agree that is important for
Muslims to be seen during the Fourth of July,
but not to celebrate the divine values of justice
and humanity - because this nation hardly
embodies them completely or wholeheartedly,
rather we should be seen outside in order to
educate our fellow citizens about the policies
of their government - policies which are killing
and destroying the lives of Muslims
worldwide.
We must remember that the United States is
a nation in which we live in and insofar as this
aids us and our people, we must use it's
institutions, flawed as they are, to our
advantage. We must remember that in the
end, we have only one nation and that is our
ummah. A beautiful ideal which truly
eliminates discrimination and hate because it
combines our people together with a bond far
greater than a national government or patriotic
ideal.
Let us reaffirm our committment not through
a blind celebration but through a intelligent,
and purposeful drive towards a dissmenation
of knowledge and reconcialiation instead - all
the while being critical of the action of this
state.
May Allah forgive me and may he guide you all
to the right path insha'Allah.
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TZAWRAW COOPER FROM USA said:
Assalamu Alaikum
Dinyah, Brian, and Madmax have it right. What are we celebrating? As an African American Muslim should I celebrate the freedom and democracy I and my people never and will never have. I have been censored twice by this website for telling the truth about this country and our religion. I thought we had freedom of speech under the first admendment, I guess not. I 've been told censorship was in Middle Eastern and Communist countries, not in the land of the free. The truth is the only way for me in life. I wish it was the same for you. Are we suppose to cherish the genocide against the native people, cherish the enslavement of africans, cherish the zionist controlled government, cherish the abortion, pornogrpahy, disfunctional families, drugs, alcohol, satanic music, materialism, greed, the detainment of immigrant muslims and american muslims rights being taken away, diguised under the banner of a war on terrrorism of this godless nation that America is. I'm pretty sure you won't post this opinion either, but rather the distorted historical facts of Esther. But whomever is censoring this website I challenge you live by the truth regardless of your religous beliefs.
Wassalam
Dinyah, Brian, and Madmax have it right. What are we celebrating? As an African American Muslim should I celebrate the freedom and democracy I and my people never and will never have. I have been censored twice by this website for telling the truth about this country and our religion. I thought we had freedom of speech under the first admendment, I guess not. I 've been told censorship was in Middle Eastern and Communist countries, not in the land of the free. The truth is the only way for me in life. I wish it was the same for you. Are we suppose to cherish the genocide against the native people, cherish the enslavement of africans, cherish the zionist controlled government, cherish the abortion, pornogrpahy, disfunctional families, drugs, alcohol, satanic music, materialism, greed, the detainment of immigrant muslims and american muslims rights being taken away, diguised under the banner of a war on terrrorism of this godless nation that America is. I'm pretty sure you won't post this opinion either, but rather the distorted historical facts of Esther. But whomever is censoring this website I challenge you live by the truth regardless of your religous beliefs.
Wassalam
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SEYYID FROM PAKISTAN said:
Shut up Dinya,you are a disgrace to not only muslims but all of humanity!
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BRIAN FROM AMERICAN IN UAE said:
As-Salaamu ^aleikum. Indeed we should celebrate "Independence Day." We Muslims, who at least ostensibly tread the path of justice, should encourage our fellow Americans to once again declare their independence and fight injustice: to declare independence from the moneyed and unscrupulous interests that have taken over our government, from Israeli domination of American foreign policy, from the subjugation of the masses of Americans to empty materialism.
Indeed, brother and sister Muslims, let us celebrate "Independence Day": tell your neighbors the truth about Palestine, about Iraq, about Afghanistan, about the genocides this government is committing and intensifying under the War of Terror. Tell them exactly why those crazed Muslims "hate" America so much. If you don't tell them, nobody else will.
Celebrate your independence by writing or calling your representatives to complain about all the illegally detained Muslims in American prisons and American support for the terror-state of Israel. Demand an end to support for regimes like India who have used the War of Terror to roll back human rights and slaughter your fellow Muslims wholesale.
The ones who really love their county are the ones who care enough to criticize it, and the ones who really love their religion are the ones who demand justice no matter what the consequence.
Defy these weak and stupid so-called leaders of the American Muslim community and walk in the path of true heroes and patriots, American and Muslim alike.
Fi Amaan Allah.
Indeed, brother and sister Muslims, let us celebrate "Independence Day": tell your neighbors the truth about Palestine, about Iraq, about Afghanistan, about the genocides this government is committing and intensifying under the War of Terror. Tell them exactly why those crazed Muslims "hate" America so much. If you don't tell them, nobody else will.
Celebrate your independence by writing or calling your representatives to complain about all the illegally detained Muslims in American prisons and American support for the terror-state of Israel. Demand an end to support for regimes like India who have used the War of Terror to roll back human rights and slaughter your fellow Muslims wholesale.
The ones who really love their county are the ones who care enough to criticize it, and the ones who really love their religion are the ones who demand justice no matter what the consequence.
Defy these weak and stupid so-called leaders of the American Muslim community and walk in the path of true heroes and patriots, American and Muslim alike.
Fi Amaan Allah.
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MOHAMED KHAN said:
While going through the site, I saw on bazar page book you have advertised "Moses and the Pharaoh" with a picture on the cover page.
I could not understand about it. Would be kind enough to explain. Likewise a few of the materials have objectionable pics. Just wanted to draw your attention, if thats some kind of mistake requires correction.
I could not understand about it. Would be kind enough to explain. Likewise a few of the materials have objectionable pics. Just wanted to draw your attention, if thats some kind of mistake requires correction.
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MOHAMED KHAN said:
Its pleasure to write here about Americas Independece day 04th of July, yes last myself with all my family and friends had celebrated
this so do this year are happy to have this celebration. God bless America and its good values
this so do this year are happy to have this celebration. God bless America and its good values
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DINYA ABDUL FROM UK said:
Yeah, you are celebrating this year because you don't want to be termed a "terrorist" a "bad muslim". But you American Muslims do not understand that your brothers all over the world are terrorised by America from many years. Ok, go and please your Masters. Allah will Inshaallah record this celebration of yours as a hypocrisy. Why as you said for many years July fourth came and went by unnoticed by muslims? Why this year?
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