I didn’t post anything last night nor will I post anything today (except this) or tomorrow. We all need a break here and there, and now seems like a good time to take one. But insha’Allah I’ll be back to posting regularly come Friday, starting with the weekly update and then Islam in the News on Saturday.
Enjoy your ‘Eid!
Marriage is one of the most important, if not the most important, decision in one’s life. How are you supposed to know whether someone is ‘The One’? Or whether you are simply blinded by looks, akhlaq (manners), status in society, wealth?
That can be a tough question. A potential spouse cannot be compared to a suit or the new iPhone out in stores. You can’t choose a partner and then return him/her if you see that you two do not get along very well. Although divorce is a permissible, yet disliked, option, let’s hope that we don’t marry with the thought that if anything goes wrong, there’s always divorce.
In Islam, we are all equal to one another except for those who have a high degree of taqwa (faith in Allah). As such, a man should not discriminate against a potential spouse because she is from a different country and ethnic background, has fewer (or a greater number of) degrees than him, or if she is not as beautiful o wealthy as he wishes her to be. There is a hadith which states, ‘A woman may be married for four reasons: for her property, her status, her beauty, and her religion, so you should marry the religious woman otherwise you will be losers.’
We should not be preoccupied with how a person looks. Or how much money he/she makes per month. Of course beauty is important as you must be able to feel some sort of attraction to your partner. Wealth is equally as important since you must be able to spend on your family and pay zakat. However, deen still comes first and should be of the utmost importance when choosing a spouse. Beauty wanes, money comes and goes (and ultimately runs out). A good person’s character gets richer by the day.
There may be a sister who abides by the deen, exhibits good akhlaq, has a good education, and is beautiful too. The only problem? She doesn’t come from the same cultural background. Now what? Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘Oh mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other, not that you may despise each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.’ (49:13)
Therefore, it’s clear that cultural and ethnic differences should not stop us from marrying a partner of our choice. Allah does not care if a brother marries a sister of the same race or a different race so long as we strive to keep each other on the right path. He will judge us for what is in our hearts, not what we look like. Nevertheless, we should be realistic about interracial marriage and its consequences.
Cultural differences are perhaps the number one reason why some people are afraid of marrying someone outside of their culture. Many questions surround the situation. What language will we speak? Maybe English, but what about his father or her mother who do not understand a word of it? What sort of food will we eat? Which customs will we incorporate into our wedding? Which culture will our children marry into: his or mine?
The list goes on. The point is that interracial marriages can be very complicated. Then again, they can also be as simple as you make them. The husband and wife can teach one another their respective languages. Though it is not an overnight solution, it is possible. And if they share a common language at first, then they can speak in that particular language. Language is nothing but a means of communication. Children can be taught both their father’s language and their mother’s language as children’s minds are like sponges, ready to absorb any language. In fact, bilingual children are often considered to have an advantage over peers who only speak one language. Anything is possible as long as the couple and their families are willing to cooperate with one another.
If a sister or brother is a pious Muslim, then there shouldn’t be any problems insha’Allah. Would rather have a wife from the same culture who is rude and disrespectful? Who doesn’t pay enough attention to her deen? Or would rather have a wife who puts her deen first? Who is caring and could never disrespect someone?
On another note, it seems that people are either fascinated by, scared of, or simply curious about interracial marriages. It isn’t unusual for people to stare at interracial couples as though they have five heads and just arrived from Jupiter. Such couples must learn to adapt to the attention. Sometimes people may think to themselves (or even approach a member of an interracial couple and ask), ‘Couldn’t she find a person within her culture? Is that why she degraded herself by marrying a so-and-so?’ People can be inconsiderate at times but that does not mean one should disregard a potential spouse.
Some of us are blessed with parents who have knowledge and understanding of the deen. The rest of us however are not so fortunate. There are some parents who stick with the old ideology that one should marry within the race as opposed to ruining their ‘pure’ so-and-so bloodline. This sounds more like Hitler’s genocidal logic than anything; he didn’t the ‘superior’ ethnicity to be lowered through marriage to someone of an ‘inferior’ culture. We should bring to attention Qur’anic verses and hadiths regarding the believers’ equality before Allah and how only one’s level of deen will matter on the Day of Judgment. Neither our skin color nor our superstitious manmade customs, ideologies, and ‘status’ in society will matter.
Of course it is sometimes understandable for parents to prefer their children to marry someone within their culture. While Islam should always come before culture, culture can deeply pervade the lives of many. And then there are issues such as language, which are closely tied to culture. His mother or her father may not be comfortable with someone who doesn’t speak their language, or they might not be comfortable speaking the language he/she does. However, as it has been mentioned already, language is not always important and is something people can learn so long as they are willing. The same can be said of most aspects of culture. So long as he/she is adaptable and respectful, there shouldn’t be a problem.
Many parents, though aware of the deen, will not allow their children to marry outside of their race for fear of what society, family, and the neighbors will think. But here are some questions for such parents to consider:
1. Do you live your life for yourself or to please others? Is your life only a façade, such as a staged play, in which your family members’ every action is controlled?
2. Have you forgotten the purpose of your life? Allah subhana wa ta'ala states, ‘I have only created jinns and humans to worship Me.’ (51:56) That is the purpose of our lives. Marriage is a blessing. It is half our deen as our partners help us stay on the right path. Who cares if your child’s spouse isn’t from the same culture?
3. In the end, does your child’s happiness matter to you? Or are your desires of having him/her marry within your race merely to please society?
Never turn down a potential spouse because of something like ethnicity or even the person’s profession. Deen is the most important factor to consider when thinking of marriage, not a potential spouse’s ethnicity or culture. I myself have experienced being turned down simply because I was white. It’s not a good feeling to find a promising brother only to be told no simply because of something I have no control over. Even more depressing is being told no because of what his parents sat, not how he feels. Should not my deen and piety be far more important than the fact that I’m a white American?
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RAMADAN:
A Ramadan story of two faiths bound in friendship
Assalamu alaykum and hello!
Less than a week of Ramadan remains this year. Where has the time gone?! This blessed month always seems to pass in the blink of an eye leaving only the hope of getting to next year insha’Allah. And of course the hope that Allah subhana wa ta'ala accepted our fasts and our ibadah!
In regards to the blog, it hasn’t been the greatest week. Out of the five main content posts, only one of them was actually written by me. Truthfully, this isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes it’s nice to read the work of other Muslims. Sometimes they can give a better perspective of certain issues. Sometimes they’re just better writers than me! Or they know a more about a subject than I do.
Whatever benefits/good things – and bad things! – come with these posts, you can probably expect more ‘copied, pasted, and cited’ articles in the future. Life might get a bit busier for me in the upcoming months. Rather than letting the blog go or writing subpar posts, I figure I’ll just supplement what writing I can get done with the writing of other people. That way I can still post daily insha’Allah!
Well, I have a to-do list a mile long, so that’s about it for this week! For my fellow Muslims, good luck with the last few days of Ramadan! May Allah answer your dua’s and accept your ibadah!
Iman
16) The Holy Qur'an has no flaws or contradictions. The original Arabic scriptures have never been changed or tampered with.
17) Actual seventh century Qur'ans, complete and intact, are on display in museums in Turkey and many other places around the world.
18) If all Qur'ans in the world today were burned and destroyed, the original Arabic would still remain. This is because millions of Muslims, called Hafiz (or "preservers") have memorized the text letter for letter from beginning to end, every word and syllable. Also, chapters from the Qur'an are precisely recited from memory by every Muslim in each of the five daily prayers.
19) Muslims do not believe in the concept of "vicarious atonement" but rather believe in the law of personal responsibility. Islam teaches that each person is responsible for his or her own actions. On the Day of Judgment Muslims believe that every person will be resurrected and will have to answer to God for their every word, thought, and deed. Consequently, a practicing Muslim is always striving to be righteous.
20) Islam was not spread by the sword. It was spread by the word (Islamic teachings) and the example of its followers. Islam teaches that there is no compulsion in religion (the Holy Qur'an 2:256 and 10:99).
21) Terrorism, unjustified violence and the killing of innocent people are absolutely forbidden in Islam. Islam is a way of life that is meant to bring peace to a society, whether its people are Muslim or not. The extreme actions of those who claim to be Muslim may be, among other things, a result of their ignorance or uncontrolled anger. Tyrant rulers and those who commit acts of terrorism in the name of Islam are simply not following Islam. These people are individuals with their own views and political agendas. Fanatical Muslims are no more representative of the true Islamic teachings than Timothy McVeigh or David Koresh are of Christianity. Extremism and fanaticism is a problem that is common to all religious groups. Anyone who thinks that all Muslims are terrorists should remember that the famous boxer Muhammad Ali, perhaps the most celebrated person of our era, is a practicing Muslim.
22) The word "jihad" does not mean "holy war". Instead, it means the inner struggle that one endures in trying to submit their will to the will of God. Some Muslims may say they are going for "jihad" when fighting in a war to defend themselves or their fellow Muslims, but they only say this because they are conceding that it will be a tremendous struggle. But there are many other forms of jihad which are more relevant to the everyday life of a Muslim such as the struggles against laziness, arrogance, stinginess, or the struggle against a tyrant ruler or against the temptation of Satan, or against one's own ego, etc.
23) Women are not oppressed in Islam. Any Muslim man that oppresses a woman is not following Islam. Among the many teachings of Prophet Muhammad that protected the rights and dignity of women is his saying, "...the best among you are those who treat their wives well." (Tirmidhi)
24) Islam grants women numerous rights in the home and in society. Among them are the right to earn money, to financial support, to an education, to an inheritance, to being treated kindly, to vote, to a dowry, to keep their maiden name, to worship in a mosque, etc.
25) Muslim women wear the head-covering (hijab) in fulfillment of God's decree to dress modestly. From a practical standpoint, it serves to identify one as attempting to follow God in daily life and, therefore, protects women from unwanted advances from men. This type of modest dress has been worn by righteous women throughout history. Prominent examples are traditional Catholic Nuns, Mother Teresa and the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus.
26) Arranged marriages are allowed in Islam but are not required. Whereas "forced" marriages, usually stemming from cultural practice, are forbidden. Divorce is permissible, however, reconciliation is what is most encouraged. But if there are irreconcilable differences then Islam permits a fair and just divorce.
27) Islam and the "Nation of Islam" are two different religions. Islam is a religion for all races and enjoins the worship of the one unseen God who, orthodox Muslims believe, never took human form. The "Nation", on the other hand, is a movement geared towards non-whites and teaches that God appeared in the form of Fard Muhammad in 1930 and that Elijah Muhammad (a man who died in 1975) was a prophet of God. These beliefs clearly contradict the basic Islamic theology outlined in the Qur'an. The followers of "the Nation" adhere to some Islamic principles that are mixed with many other teachings that are alien to Islam. To better understand the difference between the two, read about Malcolm X, his pilgrimage to Mecca and his subsequent comments to the media. Islam teaches equality amongst all the races (Holy Qur'an 49:13).
28) All Muslims are not Arab. Islam is a universal religion and way of life which includes followers from all races of people. There are Muslims in and from virtually every country in the world. Arabs only constitute about 20% of Muslims worldwide. Indonesia has the largest concentration of Muslims with over 120 million.
29) In the five daily prayers, Muslims face the Kaaba in Mecca, Arabia. It is a cube-shaped stone structure that was originally built by Prophet Adam and later rebuilt by Prophet Abraham. Muslims believe that the Kaaba was the first house of worship on Earth dedicated to the worship of one god. Muslims do not worship the Kaaba. It serves as a central focal point for Muslims around the world, unifying them in worship and symbolizing their common belief, spiritual focus and direction. Interestingly, the inside of the Kaaba is empty.
30) The hajj is a simultaneous pilgrimage to the Kaaba made by millions of Muslims each year. It is performed to commemorate the struggles of Abraham, Ismail and Hagar in submitting their wills to God.
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Originally posted here.
1) "Islam" means "peace through the submission to God"
2) "Muslim" means "anyone or anything that submits itself to the will of God"
3) Islam is not a cult. Its followers number over 1.5 billion worldwide. Along with Judaism and Christianity, it is considered to be one of the three Abrahamic traditions.
4) There are five pillars of practice in Islam. These practices must be undertaken with the best of effort in order to be considered a true Muslim:
A) Shahadah - declaration of faith in the oneness of God and that Muhammad is the last prophet of God.
B) Formal prayer five times a day.
C) Fasting during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.
D) Poor-due "tax" - 2.5% of one's savings given to the needy at the end of each year.
E) Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if physically and financially able.
5) There are six articles of faith in Islam. These are the basic beliefs that one must have in order to be considered a true Muslim. They are belief in:
A) the One God.
B) all the prophets of God.
C) the original scriptures revealed to Prophets Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad.
D) the angels.
E) the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter.
F) the divine decree (or destiny).
6) Islam is a complete way of life that governs all facets of life: moral, spiritual, social, political, economical, intellectual, etc.
7) Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. To become Muslim, a person of any race or culture must say a simple statement, the shahadah, that bears witness to the belief in the One God and that Prophet Muhammad was the last prophet of God.
8) "Allah" is an Arabic word that means "God". Muslims also believe that "Allah" is the personal name of God.
9) Allah is not the God of Muslims only. He is the God of all people and all creation. Just because people refer to God using different terms does not mean that they are different gods. Spanish people refer to God as "Dios" and French people refer to God as "Dieu", yet they are all the same God. Interestingly, most Arab Jews and Arab Christians refer to God as "Allah". And the word Allah in Arabic appears on the walls of many Arab churches.
10) The Islamic concept of God is that He is loving, merciful, and compassionate. But Islam also teaches that He is just and swift in punishment. Nevertheless, Allah once said to Prophet Muhammad, "My mercy prevails over my wrath." Islam teaches a balance between fear and hope, protecting one from both complacency and despair.
11) Muslims believe that God has revealed 99 of His names (or attributes) in the Holy Qur'an. It is through these names that one can come to know the Creator. A few of these names are: the All-Merciful, the All-Knower, the Protector, the Provider, the Near, the First, the Last, the Hidden, and the Source of Peace.
12) Muslims believe in and acknowledge all the prophets of old, from Adam to Jesus. Muslims believe that they brought the message of peace and submission (islam) to different peoples at different times. Muslims also believe that these prophets were "Muslims" because they submitted their wills to God.
13) Muslims neither worship Muhammad nor pray through him. Muslims solely worship the unseen and Omniscient Creator, Allah.
14) Muslims accept the original unaltered Torah (the Gospel of Moses) and the original Bible (the Gospel of Jesus) since they were revealed by God. However, none of those original scriptures are in existence today, in their entirety. Therefore, Muslims follow the subsequent, final, and preserved revelation of God, the Holy Qur'an.
15) The Holy Qur'an was not authored by Muhammad. It was authored by God, revealed to Muhammad, and written into physical form by his companions.
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Originally posted here.