If I have to tell the world what makes me a Muslim, I will use the very same words that one of the companions of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) used when he was asked the same thing by the King of Abyssinia, Negus.
It is a compelling description of what Islam really is, and what the true message of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is for ALL mankind, as a Messenger of God. And the world should also know why any attempt to disgrace our Noble Prophet is so sickening and exasperating, and why we regard him the most after God and respect him in a way no one else is. You will know once you read it:
"We were a people in a state of ignorance and immorality, worshipping idols and eating the flesh of dead animals, committing all sorts of abomination and shameful deeds, breaking the ties of kinship, treating guests badly and the strong amongst us exploited the weak."We remained in this state until God sent us a Prophet, one of our own people whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness and integrity were well-known to us."He called us to worship God alone and to renounce the stones and the idols which we and our acncestors used to worhip besides God."He commmanded us to speak the truth, to honour our promises, to be kind to our relations, to be helpful to our neighbours, to cease all forbidden acts, so abstain from bloodshed, to avoid obscenities and false witness, not to appropriate an orphan's property not slander chaste women."He ordered us to worship God alone and not to associate anything with Him, to uphold Prayer, to give Zakat and fast in the month of Ramadan."We believed in him and what he brought to us from God and we follow him in what he has asked us to do and we keep away from what he forbade us from doing."Thereupon O King, our people attacked us to make us renounce our religion and take us back to the old immorality and the worship of idols."They oppressed us, made life intolerable for us and obstructed us from observing our religion. So we left for your country, choosing you before anyone else, desiring your protection and hoping to live in justice and peace in your midst."
These are the words of Jafar ibn Abi Taalib who was among the first who became Muslim when the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave out the message in Makkah. And well, King Negus also accepted this message and became a Muslim, (after also asking what Muslims thought of Jesus (peace be upon him).
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent as a mercy to all mankind, and this was his message, that's the reason his companions stood for it, and always defended it. And this is what makes me a Muslim.
2 comments:
Your post is embedded with noble ideas about religion, justice, and peace which should be the base for every civilized community.
"He commanded us to speak the truth, to honor our promises, to be kind to our relations, to be helpful to our neighbors, to cease all forbidden acts, so abstain from bloodshed, to avoid obscenities and false witness, not to appropriate an orphan's property not slander chaste women."
Above text explicitly says to abstain from bloodshed amongst other things. However, thousands of radical Muslims around the world are promoting bloodshed, have set buildings on fire and spread the use of violence.
I don't agree with the Danish cartoons, but I don't think the violent reaction of Muslims around the world is the best reaction to condemn the cartoonists. If Allah's Prophet were here with us, I'm quite sure he would object to the use of force and killings
I'm a Christian Catholic, and have seen the image of Christ offended by movies, cartoons, and other mass media instruments, but I haven't gone out to the streets stoning or torching buildings.
All religious leaders have the responsibility to spread the concept of love and peace, not violence and bloodshed.
In my opinion, the Mulsim cause has been tarnished by the "Cartoon Intifada".
Just my two cents worth on this unfortunate subject.
Regards,
Omar.-
Omar, thanks for ur precious comment.
Yes true, this is what the Prophet (peace be upon him) has taught and also he himself wouldn’t have acted in ways many Muslims are, on the contrary his life is full of instances where he responded with kindness even to the people doing worst against him, which consequently led most of them to Islam due to his own beautiful character.
Now there are more than a billion Muslims, all kinds of them, whether they practice Islam fully or not, whether they completely practice the control taught by the Prophet pbuh or not, but all of them take it very PERSONAL when it comes to the Prophet Muhammad, because of his greatness, and our closeness to him.
All the Muslims aren’t going to act in the same way as the Prophet pbuh would have, even though taught so. Many would be naturally violent over this and we can’t stop the reaction. There will be Muslims protesting peacefully and in an organized manner to make an impact, and there will be others who will do otherwise.
And in no way is it right to promote violence and bloodshed, but the ppl who have set it all ablaze by creating those insulting images, should be ready to face all sorts of reactions from all kinds of Muslim that there are. Its a deep deep hurt to each and every Muslim. It is a fact that we are ready to sacrifice our lives for him.
How come the cartoonists and the people with them were not aware at all how more than a billion people on this globe honor the Prophet and that they would be infuriating them by insulting him? Before, it was the desecration of the Quraan and now our Prophet and we know it will go on.
But all that said, now it’s the responsibility of those Muslims who understand how we should react properly, and as you said, our religious scholars should direct them to appropriate and peaceful ways.
We are very rightful in this protest and we must sound it off over the disgrace of our Noble Prophet, who is sent for all mankind. BUT..
But Muslims must remember to do it in an organized way, dont forget patience. And it is important to do it that way not because we fear the western criticism over that, but because that is how we should be, and because Islam stops from such violent protest.
THINK over it and find guidance in Islam itself as to what way it teaches us to act in such situations.
LOOK into your own lives, you are rightfully rising up against it, but are your own lives an example of the same man who you claim your love with, and take him as a role model for yourselves?
Also it is another chance to show the world how beautiful and honorable is the man they have scoffed, and they dont know.
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